#15: Secret
Prompted By: HeavenBesideYou13

"I don't understand how you make so many friends. One friend is enough for me," Azula says airily, crossing her arms.

It is the terrible trio's second midnight of being best friends again and the wedding is approaching far too fast. Azula sips her wine and tries not to panic about the fact that she is getting married, as Ty Lee is listing all two-hundred-forty guests to Mai, who is starting to drool ever so slightly from boredom.

"Azula, we're friends again," Mai says, looking unimpressed. Or perhaps that is just her face at resting; Azula is feeling... fuzzy.

"No, no, you're my one friend, Mai, of course," Azula says honestly, sipping from an empty glass. She rolls her eyes to accentuate her point.

"Well, then what am I?" Ty Lee demands, her eyebrows shooting up. Azula squints at her.

"We're getting married. We can't be friends anymore," Azula responds, nodding. She takes another sip from the empty glass and Ty Lee knocks it out of her hand. "I was drinking that!"

"We are best friends. We are all best friends and we will be until we die. All three of us," Ty Lee says with such ferocity that Mai is floored.

"It's funny you say that," Mai says, her eyes sparkling in a way that Azula does not like. "Because the reason that you make so many friends is why Azula and I befriended you in the first place."

Azula swallows. Quickly, smoothly and as collectedly as she can, she insists,"This is a very unnecessary story, Mai. We're all a little tipsy and─"

"No, no, Azula, please, Ty Lee should know. You two are getting married." The sadistic pleasure in her amber eyes makes Azula's gut twist. Her first inclination is to light something on fire to create a diversion, but she ultimately decides to face the music. "Azula and I befriended you because we were jealous that you were new at school but became popular so quickly. And so we decided to be your friend."

"That doesn't make much sense..." Ty Lee furrows her brow. Mai smirks for a flicker of a heartbeat. Azula grits her teeth.

"Well, first we asked you to be friends with us. Then we destroyed all of your old friendships by spreading rumors about you. And to secure your friendship with us, I bribed and Azula threatened everyone into saying it was your old friends who spread those rumors," Mai explains as Azula looks slightly green. The Fire Lady smirks again.

Ty Lee's lips part in surprise; her eyes glitter and swell with tears.

"We didn't mean to betray you. I just really wanted to be friends with you," Azula lies in sugary tone, crawling across the stone floor and wrapping one arm awkwardly around Ty Lee. Mai suppresses laughter.

"I'm not crying because it was mean," Ty Lee says, resting her head on Azula's shoulder. Mai takes a deep breath, trying to control how humorous she finds this. "It's the most romantic thing I've ever heard."

"What?" Azula asks, raising an eyebrow. Mai bites her lip fiercely.

"You made that elaborate of a ruse just to be friends with me! It's the most romantic thing ever!" Ty Lee leans to kiss Azula, misses, and plants her lips firmly on the princess's nose. Azula makes a small, alien choking sound.

"You found your soul mate, princess..." Mai murmurs, finally chuckling.