#22: Hormones
Prompted By: StickyHearts

Azula learns not to be distracted when she takes a fist of flame to the face.

She blocks it and throws the man she is sparring with the ground, gritting her teeth. Clear your head, clear your head. Swallow. Most uncomfortable. At least boys and their public boners don't have to explain themselves to the admonishing trainer clucking his tongue in disappointment.

"You can't be distracted," he says, pushing himself off of his chair. He should not be so cocky, seeing as she has beaten him in spars three times and Azula has quickly figured out that he is only there to report back to her father.

There is nothing left to be trained. She is fourteen and already textbooks are so obsolete she might as well use them for target practice.

"When you go to Ba Sing Se, things could happen in an instant. Is there something troubling you, princess?" the grey-haired man says in his deep, gravelly voice. Azula scoffs.

"Even if there were something on my mind, I would have absolutely no reason to confide it in... you. You serve me; you don't ask me questions," Azula says regally, looking him up and down with a snarl on her lips. He is unfazed by her at this point; there apparently is a good deal of training for dealing with Azula, as if she is a particularly dangerous animal. "I won't be distracted again."

She spars with a newfound vigor, pounding one man so hard into a flaming tree that he is rendered to tears and gasps for breath. One comes at her from the side and she catches his arm before he can light a flame. Blocks like her father taught her.

But then that wave, as if she has no idea what she is doing to Azula. A grin from across the courtyard and suddenly Azula is back-flipping over fire coming not from her terrified opponents, but from her instructor.

"I need to take a break," Azula snaps before he can comment again.

Old men think they are so wise, having seen battlefields in the Earth Kingdom. They know nothing outside of rules, regulations and standards given to them. They see a bad order and they follow it. Azula operates by her own laws. And she is currently breaking them.

Hormones. Ugh. Hormones.

"Hi, princess," Ty Lee says, sitting down beside Azula.

Mai promised she would be a buffer after Azula explained to her that she feels a whole range of physical states while close and alone with their relatively shallow best friend. Azula would be shocked if Ty Lee notices the dilation of pupils or the slight shift of breath; the kinds of things Azula was trained to observe. That she tries to suppress in herself.

"I knew you guys wanted to touch each other," was Mai response, her lips twitching for a second.

"We cannot touch each other," Azula says, looking somewhat nervous. Mai has never seen her in this state before and it is pretty funny. "Just don't let her close to me, alright?"

"Okay. I'll try, but I swear, within the week she is going to be on her knees─"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you," Azula says, her royal composure restored.

"So, you're taking a break from training?" Ty Lee asks, smiling faintly. Azula looks at her as if she is some kind of freakish spirit. Ty Lee squirms uncomfortably for a moment as Azula seems to be picking apart any motions of her face and... chest.

Briefly, Ty Lee imagines that Azula is looking at her cleavage. She leans down slightly, trying to think of a reason to be doing it. Boys don't ask; Azula would. The test is inconclusive for Ty Lee. Azula looks away as Ty Lee adjusts her ankle bracelet.

Hormones. Ugh. Hormones.

"Do you want to go get tea or something? Or like some kind of activity?" Ty Lee offers blithely, unsure if Azula notices that her peachy cheeks are as pink as her clothes.

"I would allow you to do some kind of activity with me," Azula says haughtily and Ty Lee purses her lips. Hmm.

Azula has never been this uncomfortable in her life. Ever since she returned from the drill to the Fire Nation to reassess her strategy, there has been this surge of tension that Azula wants to break free from. But it consumes her at night, when she should be going over plans or sleeping but instead she is thinking about─

"Oh, I know a fun activity!" Ty Lee interrupts Azula's pensive gaze through the gilded window. She touches Azula's arm and the princess blinks for a little too long. But perhaps Ty Lee is overreaching. "We could go to that new restaurant that everybody wants to go to but nobody could get a reservation but you could totally get us in. Easily. I bet they would even kick all the people out if you asked them."

"That sounds pleasant," Azula says earnestly, although she fears her purring words are too forced.

"Alright, I'll come back tonight when you're done with your royal business or whatever!" Ty Lee chirps, jumping up and trying not to do a dance of victory. Azula still sits there, looking like a statue of a royal instead of a royal whose heart is beating far too fast.

"I'll see you there," Azula says icily, although her insides are melting. These feelings are disgusting and she just wants to burn them alive.

Azula stares in the mirror, internally screaming. She cannot let a few nights of wet dreams escalate into some kind of relationship. This is the first date of her entire life and also the stupidest thing she has ever done. Love does not exist. Sex is a distraction.

Whatever makes her so desperate for the tongue of her circus freak accomplice is unnerving and should be quenched before it burns out of control. But Azula dresses herself and adjusts her crown. She deems herself appropriate for a date.

It is hormones. It is not a crush, or a romance or any feelings that could have kindled since they reunited. Hormones. The kinds of things that make you see a glimpse of navel and get horny and they are obstacles to be overcome.

Azula is not very good at coping with her hormones, but she will conquer them, just like she conquers everything else. Agni, she wants to conquer Ty Lee.

Stop. No. Stop.

She hisses through her teeth and forces herself out of her bedroom. Ty Lee is engaged in conversation with a very uncomfortable looking guard in front of the palace. She looks stunning and Azula feels both jealous and desiring. Azula looks better, of course, but Ty Lee does make a statement.

"We're going to have so much fun," Ty Lee says, tugging on her shirt. Azula does not look and Ty Lee wonders if it is not a date. They never were very clear about it; Azula probably would not know a romantic proposition if it slapped her.

"I'm sure we will," Azula says coldly, but her eyes are glimmering with discomfort.

They walk to palanquins and Ty Lee sees her chance. She helps lift Azula up, although the skin on skin contact makes Azula's eyes flash like they do when she is about to electrocute someone to death.

Ty Lee bends down and... is victorious. Azula completely checks out her cleavage.

She grins and Azula blinks too quickly.

"Nice necklace," Azula says breathily.

Ty Lee is not wearing a necklace.

Victory is sweet, Ty Lee thinks to herself.