#17: Fire Nation Beauty
Prompted By: x0xcoffeeandcigarettesx0x
Azula never liked being submerged in water. It just seems counterintuitive, as a firebender, born from flame, born from dragon fire. But the hot water warms her skin as the scented candles burn and fill the room with a floral scent. She always liked floral and disliked citrus.
The petals stick to her pallid skin. Rose petal baths did not appear to include this kind of sticking of the ruby petals plucked from the gardens of the royal palace. She runs her fingertips through the clear water that is stained red like blood.
"This is really nice. We deserve this," Ty Lee says, interrupting Azula's reverie.
"Of course we do. Conquering Ba Sing Se and all." Azula plucks a rose petal off of herself and drops it onto one of the candles.
Ty Lee slips forward in the water, her body speckled in petals and her hair dripping with the hot water. She leans forward and kisses Azula on the lips. It feels quite good, Azula must admit. She is on Azula's lap in the deep bath, water heated by fire, candles glowing a bright blue as Azula seizes control of them to keep from losing control of herself.
Their hands slip over each other, dripping and naked against each other.
"So when are we going to tell people about us?" Ty Lee asks halfway through and Azula's eyes flicker wide.
"After the Invasion," Azula lies quickly. To be honest, she has no idea when she is going to confess what she and Ty Lee have been doing. "We have to at least get through that."
Ty Lee screws up her face in the shadows of blue light, the steam from the bath muddying her thoughts.
"You're embarrassed of this. Ugh, the princess and the circus freak." Ty Lee splashes the water and two of the candles are killed by the motion. Azula swallows, feeling trapped.
She pauses, parting her lips to speak. Ty Lee leans back, the petals peeling from her body in the steamy air. And Azula swallows.
"I'm not embarrassed of this. I could never be," she attempts.
"You are. That's why you won't tell anyone." Ty Lee closes her eyes and pouts, leaning against the porcelain of the bath.
"You think that? I'll prove you wrong." Azula is good at doing things over spite. She gets out of the bath and wraps a ruby towel around herself. "Come on. Come on."
Ty Lee gets up and pulls on Azula's robe. She follows Azula down the hall as Azula punches open the door to Zuko's room.
"Oh, fuck, Azula, we're busy─!"
"Mai, I'm dating Ty Lee!" Azula declares regally, as if announcing an execution.
"You didn't have to break down the door to tell us that," Mai replies, covering her exposed chest with her hands.
"She insisted that everyone know."
Ty Lee blushes and shrinks.
Zuko can only stare. "Wait..." he murmurs. "Why are you covered in flowers?"
