#102: More Radiant than the Sun
Prompted By: foxxywinter
All Ty Lee wants is to stabilize her unstable wife, but the weather keeps getting in the way.
Ty Lee wakes to see Azula already dressed. She must believe she is the only one awake because she hums. Ty Lee's heart sings when she hears Azula softly emulating the melody to herself. Azula claimed she hated the song. Well, she presumably said she hated it in a devastatingly eloquent fashion in order to offend Iroh. He thought it was a fabulous idea to force her to partake in music night, which Ty Lee secretly endorsed.
Yes, music night. They both have been temporarily exiled to Ba Sing Se. Azula disagreed with the decision but Zuko insisted that their uncle would be good for her mental health.
The truth was that getting rid of Azula would be good for his mental health.
Ty Lee only dares to open her eyes once Azula leaves their bedroom. She sees a bright, bold sunrise shining over the sprawling city. The crystal clear day makes Ty Lee smile. It is hard to be unhappy on such a gorgeous morning.
After briefly reveling in the pink light, Ty Lee gets up, finds Azula sipping tea and kisses her.
"Chamomile?" asks the acrobat, startled. "It's morning. Wouldn't black tea be better?"
Princess Azula purrs, "Chamomile makes me more pleasant to be around. I will admit that," and Ty Lee kisses her again.
Thrilled and hopeful, Ty Lee sweetly pleads, "It's a perfect day. Will you go out with me?"
"It you insist." Azula smirks.
Ty Lee internally cheers.
[X]
In the stunning Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, the princesses' shopping trip begins blissfully, and rapturously moments are few and far between in their relationship. But when it starts raining, that ends. Ty Lee sets her palm softly on Azula's back and guides her into a small pottery shop.
"Unhand me. You are not allowed to do that," Azula snaps, glaring daggers.
Ty Lee watches the sky outside darken and grimaces. Of course it had to.
"I just wanted to touch you because I love you so much and think you're amazing so I don't want you to get wet," lies Ty Lee, batting her eyelashes.
Azula does not reply for a painful amount of time. She just glares.
"Do not lie to me," Azula snaps. "I do not need you doing that when I actually thought for five minutes I could be completely happy again."
Azula feels anxiety and pain surge inside of her as the world collapses for no reason. She manages to stop herself from crying, but Ty Lee sees the glistening tears in her eyes. No, no, no…
"Don't cry," Ty Lee whispers. "It's okay. We can go back to your Uncle Iroh's."
Azula sends one punch into the heart of a shelf that shatters countless plates. Ty Lee cringes.
"I am not going back to him, and you are not permitted to make suggestions or talk down to me. I hate him, I hate you, I hate my brother and I am going home if I have to walk and swim," she snarls. "This city would be much more attractive as ashes!"
It terrifies Ty Lee and the onlookers. She burns like the sun itself and blisters anyone who stands too close.
Ty Lee's hand twitches to grab Azula again but she catches herself. "We can plan going to Caldera back at the Jasmine Dragon because I really don't think walking and swimming will be really funny or time effective."
Azula does not fight any further but Ty Lee knows it will be an agonizing afternoon.
[X]
Back at the tea shop, the rain begins to let up as Ty Lee silently sits at the foot of Azula's bed. The sun shines through the dewy window and Ty Lee basks in it. It makes Azula's hair glimmer.
"You know," Ty Lee says, "I think you're even prettier than sunlight after the rain. You're really pretty, princess."
"I know that, idiot. I also know you tend to say that when you think I am mad at you," says Azula, sitting up and stretching. "Which I am. I am livid."
"But you feel way better now, right?" Ty Lee bats her eyelashes.
"Yes." Azula lies back down. "But I need to be alone. Go somewhere else."
Ty Lee steals a kiss before she leaves.
[X]
Sitting at the table, Iroh comments to Ty Lee, "She is kind of volatile, isn't she?"
"Yeah. But volatile is exciting and fun." Ty Lee flashes a semi-genuine smile.
Thoughtfully, Iroh remarks, "Then again, most people in my family are."
"But you're really calm," Ty Lee incredulously says, eyes wide.
Azula interrupts, "He is really pathetic. You said we could make arrangements to go home. I want to leave this horrible place. Zuko cannot do such horrible things to other people. He is a hypocrite. Publicly denouncing torture and then doing this to his own sister?"
"You look much better now," states Iroh.
"I know that, idiot," Azula curtly replies. "And I still want to go home. This city is cloudy, the days are short and I am perfectly happy at home. I am so happy there."
"You're miserable there. You always talk about how you just want to burn it to the ground," Ty Lee remarks, shooting Azula a befuddled glance.
Azula coldly replies, "This place is somehow worse."
[X]
Night falls. Azula cries. Ty Lee sits quietly.
"I just want to go home," Azula chokes, trying to keep her voice down. She gave one person permission to see her cry. "Take me home immediately."
"If I could, I so would. I'd do anything to make you happy," Ty Lee earnestly says, petting Azula's hair.
"You aren't doing enough then," harshly whispers Azula, glowering.
She catches sight of her bedraggled reflection in the mirror and says, "I look horrible. You should not allow me to look this bad. People will think you have low standards."
When Ty Lee looks at the muted, weeping, crumbled princess, she sees a woman more radiant than the sun.
"You look really pretty, princess," Ty Lee comments, batting her eyelashes.
Azula wipes her tears on the back of her hand and snaps, "I know that, idiot."
Ty Lee smiles.
