#13: Jealous Glances
Prompted By: swanqueenallday
"You know," Mai says, sitting very close to Azula, "She only flirts with those guys to make you jealous."
They are at a party celebrating the victory over Ba Sing Se. Zuko has been squirming in the spotlight, and Azula has been brushed aside after attracting too much attention. Making Zuko uncomfortable, father had said with almost a wink. Perhaps a wink; Azula could not tell.
She and Mai are in the corner, watching Ty Lee dance with about five horny soldiers.
"So it would seem," Azula replies halfheartedly, her lip curled into a small snarl Mai doubts she notices.
"Just look. She glances over at you every five seconds when she's hitting on that Water peasant, and on Ember Island she was just begging you to─"
"I don't want to have sex with you, Mai," Azula replies calmly, averting her eyes from the scene Ty Lee is making. They are, of course, off to the side at the stuffy victory party.
"What? What kind of answer is that?" Mai looks genuinely bewildered and Azula is amazed that she made such a distinct facial expression.
"You're constantly just trying to tear down Ty Lee. Acting like she's trying to make me jealous all the time. You're jealous, Mai, I understand. I mean, if you really want to, perhaps we─ "
"I love Zuko, Azula. I don't want to ─ I can't ─ why would you come to that conclusion?" Mai's lips are parted in shock as she stares at her disinterested best friend.
"You're protesting an awful lot," Azula replies with a pointed yawn.
"I was just saying that maybe you should ask her out and she would stop doing that." Mai is already regretting getting involved.
"She's obviously interested in boys, and those other than me. You're the one sitting here with your hand on my knee. I mean, Mai, think clearly now." Azula's snarl turns into a satisfied smirk.
"I hate you." Mai's hand shoots away from Azula as if her leg were on fire. "But look, she looks at you and she wants you to be jealous because you never seal the deal with her. You always just leave her hanging and she's trying to push you to the point that you walk over there and punch all those men in the face and just ravage her or something."
Silence. Azula cocks an eyebrow. "I feel as if my father might frown upon that course of action."
But she watches the scene and does notice the occasional glances.
Look at me, look at me, these boys could be you...
Perhaps Mai is right.
