(Theme Sixty-One) Manicure of Terror
(As Prompted By) Aya Rose
Azula finds out the hard way why a symbol of nobility and very useful method of poking out eyes and slitting throats of her enemies is not cohesive with her sex life.
She is in the middle of a very pleasant afternoon with Ty Lee, as Mai and Zuko are off doing their fucking, and she sinks into her girlfriend. The secret trysts are exciting, and they are latched onto each other in passion. It feels more heated than usual, more so than strip teases and make-out sessions by the pier.
They both have always been more reluctant sexually, mostly on Azula's account. But Azula is driven to orgasm by the fingers of her girlfriend, and she intends solely to return the favor. It is at that point that Ty Lee screams, "That is like daggers in my cunt!" and Azula pulls out faster than a bolt of lightning.
"Sorry, sorry," Azula murmurs, the heat and passion of the tryst now dead as Ty Lee whimpers in brief pain and glares at Azula for a moment.
"The nails have to go," Ty Lee says and Azula shakes her head regally.
"Don't order me around, Ty Lee. Remember your place," she says sharply and Ty Lee barely manages not to roll her eyes. "My nails are a symbol of my status, and they are sharpened to intimidate my enemies."
Ty Lee just sighs and flops down onto the pillow. "Ugh, fine. Just, please, princess, I humbly beg of you, don't do that again. You have a tongue, with all due respect."
Azula supposes she cannot argue with that logic, and it lets her keep her beloved nails.
It is during a pleasant reunion with Ty Lee that they run into an archaic problem. They are far more advanced in these tumbles as adults, long after Azula's return to her home and Ty Lee's long distance relationship that means when they are together, they are together.
Azula's hand drivels down Ty Lee's loose Fire Nation shirt, and Ty Lee guides her hand to exactly where she wants it. Until she realizes that this is going to be a terrible idea and she pulls away. Azula looks at her with the tilt of her head of a confused poodle-monkey.
"If you want us to keep fucking, the nails have to go," Ty Lee says and Azula opens and closes her mouth. She looks for a moment as if she will summon some authority she no longer has, but she sighs and pouts like a child.
"My nails are incredibly important to me," Azula purrs, examining them closely. How she loves them, and how the light reflects on them, and they extend so far past her fingers.
Ty Lee sighs. "Then I guess no sex."
"Alright, that's absurd," Azula snarls, her golden eyes flashing like crackling embers. Ty Lee just shrugs and lies down, her head resting on Azula's pillow. "It's not as if this bothered you before."
"Relationships are about sacrifice sometimes. Little sacrifices, and this is... well, kind of a serious relationship at this point. And I know you're opening your mouth right now to deny it, but we've been seriously involved for four years now, to the extent of me going across the ocean to visit you every month," Ty Lee says in a girlish, blithe tone that does not at all match the cruel severity of her request.
Azula rubs her lips... with her beautiful fingernails.
"I will take it into consideration," she purrs.
Ty Lee just raises her eyebrows and reclines on the plush bed.
It takes exactly four months of visits without any physical contact for Azula to cave in, along with her forcing Mai to do it along with her. Mai stares at her sharp fingernails of nobility, painted a shade of black despite being far too old to be wearing it.
Azula sits down and sighs as Ty Lee returns with a golden pair of scissors. Snip, snip. And Azula's heart nearly stops.
"I can't do this!" she exclaims, pulling away. Mai grabs her wrist and pins her to the table. "Stop it!"
"We're not cutting off your fingers, for Agni's sake," Mai groans. "So help me, if I hear another entitled monologue about how physically lonely you are, I might peel your skin off. So, what'll it be, Azula, your skin or your nails?"
Azula glares at Mai, the Ozai glare, but it seems to have no effect on the weapons master. Azula sighs.
"Mai goes first," she orders and Mai rolls her amber eyes before extending her hands.
She finds that she is in a panic as well as Ty Lee starts to clip, and Mai watches her manicurists hard work disappear. Her throat has a strange lump in it, as if an extension of her body has been chopped off with the tips of her nails.
Ty Lee swiftly files them, and Mai has to admit they look nice. They still easily pass for noble nails, and have a nice shine to them.
Mai holds up her hands. "It's not that bad, princess. Just close your eyes and take deep breaths."
Azula glowers at Mai before giving in, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She feels the pressure of the scissors, and how quickly Ty Lee is making work of her fingernails.
And Azula screams, screams so loudly that the entire palace is roused. The soldiers meant to keep Azula from harming others bolt into the room, now intending to protect the princess.
"It's okay... she's just getting a manicure," Mai says, waving at the guards to leave.
Azula devolves into sobs as she studies her nails, giving up all of her dignity in front of Mai and Ty Lee.
Ty Lee gently rubs her back as Azula cries and Mai stifles laughter.
"It's all going to be okay," Ty Lee whispers, caressing Azula's face. "I'm glad you gave in because I literally cannot wait any longer to do you again."
Mai grimaces and Azula's tears sniffle to a stop.
Sacrifices, such fantastic sex has to involve sacrifices at some point.
It was too good to come without a price, Azula is sure.
