(Theme Fifty-Two) Pretty, Pretty Princess

(As Prompted By) Streetlight Eyes

Azusami sets the crown on her head and it immediately swoops down, dangling from her hair. She scowls at the smudged mirror as Azula sits, watching her, hesitant to get involved. Ty Lee is digging through boxes of jewelry and Azusami occasionally gets up to steal some of them and adorn herself with the gems and gold.

"Azusami, those are priceless artifacts mixed in with your mom's old, tacky jewelry. Be careful," Azula says and Azusami glares at her. Ty Lee drapes another set of earrings over Azusami's ears, to which Azula purses her lips.

"You used to do this too," Ty Lee says, smirking. Azula glares at her as Azusami's eyes widen with curiosity.

"What? Mother did something fun once?" Azusami asks, turning around and nearly falling over. She looks eagerly at Azula, whom glares at Ty Lee. The acrobat just shrugs and smiles wickedly.

"I do fun things all the time," Azula says sharply before realizing she is speaking to her child. "Come on, we have fun, Azusami."

"Hmm. No," Azusami replies bluntly with a cavalier shrug. "But you used to be fun."

"I have always been fun," Azula says, tapping her finger on her elbow. How this six year old makes her feel so self conscious... is unnerving.

"Your mother used to play dress up with me. One time we made up your Uncle Zuko. He looked so pretty," Ty Lee says and Azula cannot help but smirk slightly at that memory.

"Let me decorate you!" Azusami declares, and Azula does not think she is asking; she is most certainly ordering. Azula thinks she may have nurtured some terrible habits in her child, because a little tyrant is just too adorable for Azula to resist.

Azula shakes her head slowly. "You're not a servant. You are a princess, and you decorate no one but yourself."

But Azusami has her eyes narrowed and is utterly focused on her mother. She picks up the box of discards Ty Lee has handed her and carries them over to the bed where Azula is sitting. Ty Lee stifles her laughter, save for the shaking of her shoulders.

"You look like she's about to perform surgery on you," Ty Lee giggles, shaking her head at her wife.

"I'm going to look ridiculous," Azula sighs, picking up a gaudy bracelet on the top. "Azusami, you need to collect things other than jewelry. I know this all fun and exciting when your mom is handing you her buyer's remorse, but I simply could not live with myself if my child started collecting ─ oh, you've started."

And Azusami has begun. She is arranging a necklace on her mother's neck, examining it closely, and then she sets it down. Promptly, she picks up another and Azula is confused; clearly Azusami is putting a good deal of thought into this, but it always comes out ugly. Is Azula the only person in this immediate family with remotely refined tastes?

"Okay, that one's good," Azusami says, pleased with herself. Azula looks into the mirror with a concerned expression.

"It's not your execution, love," Ty Lee says with a small smile.

"You enjoy this," Azula snaps and Ty Lee shrugs, grinning now. "I am only doing this for you, Azusami."

"It's not like you could say no," Azusami replies without missing a beat and Azula does not know what to say. Azusami examines earrings for a moment before deciding against them. Azula tries to hide her sigh of relief. Her small, sticky daughter poking around inside of her ears cannot end well.

Azusami climbs onto Azula to get a better look. She narrows her eyes, meeting Azula's gaze directly. Azula does not think she would ever have met her father's gaze, and it is always unnerving. Ty Lee says that is a sign of good parenting, that her daughter is not horrified of her. But Azula still finds it weird and a tad unsettling.

"Beighback," Azusami mutters and Azula squints at her. The little girl has pounced from the bed like a cat and run into the her mothers' bathroom.

"What did she say?" Azula asks, tilting her head to the side.

"Be right back," Ty Lee says, her grin now absolutely malicious. "Please lighten up."

"She needs to... I..." Azula just cringes with her lips slightly parted. "I don't..."

"She loves you, and she wants to decorate you," Ty Lee says. "And it is hilarious."

"It's hilarious?" Azula asks and Ty Lee shrugs and giggles, before Azusami returns clutching a small ruby crusted compact. "Azusami, that eye shadow is made of actual gold flakes."

"Yes," Azusami says in response.

"No, not yes, you can't just waste it. It's meant for very special occasions."

"Stop talking about stupid Fire Nation traditions. Nobody cares," Azusami whines melodramatically, sighing with her entire small body. "Have fun. You never have fun. That's why mom is the fun parent."

"I'm... fun," Azula says, suddenly much more interested in dress up.

Azusami just shakes her head. From the mouths of babes.

"Ty Lee isn't fun," Azula says, still dizzy from the accusation. "Let's use all of that eye shadow even though it disrespects my ancestors probably. I'm fun."

"Hm," is Azusami's response and Azula's eyes flash.

"I'm fun. Azusami, you know that I'm fun. I have lots of fun."

Azusami shakes her head and jabs the applicator into the eye shadow, digging up a chunk that could last several years. Azula moves to shield her eyes but realizes she must suffer through this. She conquered Ba Sing Se, she can handle dress up.

"You don't hate me, do you? I mean, let's just say I'm not fun, even though we all know I am incredibly fun. But, you don't hate me?" Azula asks with her eyes closed for their own safety.

"Why would I hate you? You're my mother," Azusami says, as if it is so obvious. "I love you. But I'm going to love you much more once I do your nails."

"No, my nails are off limits," Azula says, but it is far too late. "A princess surrenders with honor," she sighs as Azusami seizes her hand and a file.

Ty Lee is still laughing. "A pretty, pretty princess surrenders with honor too," she adds and Azula shoots her a look that could kill.