(Theme Seventy-Four) Eclipse, Golden & Names

(As Prompted By) Aya Rose, korrasarmyy & Streetlight Eyes


[third trimester]


[month one: eclipse]

"It's just partial," Ty Lee protests as she sees Azula's look of distaste. "Oh come on. There are like four of these a year, Azula. I would count backwards to how many eclipses there have been where the Fire Nation hasn't crumbled into chaos, but I don't think I can do that in my head."

"Alright, well, firebending interference and general bad luck aside, have you no idea of what an eclipse can do to a pregnant woman?"

Ty Lee tilts her head quizzically. "No…? Should I?"

"It's, well, I'm not actually sure but I know that they are supposed to be a danger to the mother and unborn child."

"You just don't want to go to the eclipse party." Ty Lee rolls her eyes and gives Azula a mocking smile. She does, for a brief second, think that perhaps Azula does believe those old wives' tales about an eclipse and the harm it is towards pregnant women. But Azula is smarter than that, and better educated, and… hmph.

"No. I'm serious. I will go to the eclipse party if you stay inside for the extent of the eclipse," Azula says, resting her hand forcefully on Ty Lee's arm.

"Partial eclipse," Ty Lee corrects before sighing. She scrunches up her face in thought and Azula has no idea why she is giving her that look. "Are you worried about my baby?"

Azula pauses, knowing that she only has a flicker of a second to decide. Honesty, lies, this one comment feels like it has as much weight on her shoulders as executing the coup of Ba Sing Se.

"I'm worried about our baby," Azula says quickly, coldly and regally, but Ty Lee still grins and blushes.

Ty Lee is silent and Azula wonders if she is going to regret her words, but then Ty Lee's lips press against hers.

"I will stay inside during the partial eclipse. But we're going to the party," Ty Lee says as her hands run down from Azula's waist to gently clasp around her wrists.

"We can make an appearance, and then leave quickly and quietly," Azula argues and Ty Lee shrugs.

"I'll take that," she agrees, wondering if she should kiss Azula again.

She does.

[month two: golden]

"You're making a room in the palace for it?" Ty Lee asks, pleasantly startled. She has just been led to a room in the living quarters that smells strongly of fresh paint and the early summer breeze.

Azula shrugs. "Would you have preferred some kind of cat kennel? We could probably provide that for you."

Ty Lee gently punches Azula's shoulder before stepping inside. The former Kyoshi Warrior is overwhelmed by how much gold there is. Golden paint, golden fixtures, all of it real, and not an inch of it tarnished. It is almost like a room for a real prince or princess, and not the bastard child of a disgraced princess's girlfriend.

"Do you like it?" Azula asks and Ty Lee knows that there is only one acceptable answer to that question.

"Of course. Thank you so much, Azula," Ty Lee says sweetly as she walks inside, her hand resting on the now extremely prominent bump there. Azula shrugs, looking smug as ever. And perhaps she has earned the right to be haughty; giving Ty Lee's baby this room is a beautiful act of generosity.

Or perhaps Azula genuinely does consider Ty Lee's baby to also be her own. That would be ideal, but Ty Lee is not enough of a fool to push it. She just walks to Azula, whom has perched herself on a dresser and is toying with one of the unpacked boxes on top of it.

"Thank you, for all of this," Ty Lee says and Azula just shrugs.

"It was nothing," Azula replies airily, but Ty Lee knows that it was something.

Ty Lee looks at the golden crib in the center, and the red cloth fixtures. She is hit by the sudden realization that she is actually doing this, and the smug, selfish, violently unstable woman sitting behind her is the one she is doing it alongside.

And, Ty Lee supposes as she examines her reflection in a shining golden lamp base…

She would not have it any other way.

[month three: names]

Mai is laughing, Azula is laughing, and Ty Lee is scowling. She cannot believe that even Mai finds this funny, because she feels completely humiliated. They are sitting in the palace, the doors and windows open to let in the summer sunlight, and Ty Lee has shared her two favorite baby names.

Azula and Mai reacted just as Azula and Mai would. Ugh.

"Zuko, Zuko," Mai says loudly as he is walking by. He finds himself stunned to see Mai in hysterics, which he did not think was humanly possible. "Listen to what Ty Lee wants to name her baby."

Probably nothing good, Zuko thinks, but he bucks up and walks inside.

"She wants to name it Kasumi, after her dead cat, if it's a girl," Mai says, now eerily calm and stoic. It seems her mirth was as short lived as it was startling. "And she wants to name it Kuan if it's a boy, after her other dead cat."

Zuko tries his best not to cringe. "Kasumi… could be nice…" He rubs his neck.

"Yes, because my baby will be named after your cat," Azula snaps before realizing that Mai and Zuko are present.

"Your baby?" Zuko asks as Azula blushes and her eyes flicker with panic as she searches her brain for a lie.

But then, she decides there is no hiding this. "Princess Kasumi sounds ridiculous. I insist upon Kazumi. Kuan is ridiculous as well, and is a complete peasant name," Azula says coldly and regally, commanding the attention in the room. There is no more hiding this. "Prince Kuan, Ty Lee? Prince Sozin is my requirement,"

Ty Lee's cheeks are glowing pink not with embarrassment but excitement and shock.

"I love your honesty, and I love the idea of my child being a prince or princess but Kuan is not up for negotiation, unless you can come up with something better than someone who committed mass genocide," Ty Lee says before kissing Azula on the mouth and nearly knocking her to the floor.

"I am a very good negotiator," Azula says sharply.

"I'm getting you two a baby book," Mai sighs, glancing at Zuko.

To Be Continued...