Chapter 9
Ty Lee woke up earlier than usual and immediately jumped out of bed to get ready for the trip to the hospital. For the first time, she felt that the visit she was about to make would be fun. Or maybe just normal. Or maybe fun and normal. Okay, maybe she wasn't completely sure about how it would go, but she had a good feeling. Yesterday Azula was so like her old self, it was encouraging.
She rushed around her room, taking longer than she probably should have to choose an outfit. Whatever! She was happy and pretty clothes wouldn't hurt Azula's mental state. Ty Lee remembered how the princess had looked at her when she wore her summer outfit so long ago and grinned. The weather was chillier now, so she didn't want to dress as revealingly, especially with the ferry ride. It was always so breezy and cool at the coast. She settled on a cute pair of calf length pants and a long sleeved pink shirt. Was it low cut? Maybe a little. Just enough eye candy for a long deprived princess.
The kitchen was a mess, but Ty Lee quickly shoved some old bread into her mouth and rushed out the door to catch one of the first ferry rides of the day. She wanted to get there early to spend as long as she could with Azula.
On her way to the docks, she passed a shop that had recently stocked heavy blankets now that the weather wasn't so terribly hot. Ty Lee was reminded of the thin sheets of Azula's bed and thought it might be nice to bring her a gift. If Azula continued to burn herself, and Ty Lee knew the stubborn girl well enough to know she wouldn't stop any time soon, she thought a new blanket would be appreciated by the princess. At the very least, it would keep her from freezing to death.
She browsed the various quilts and silks. There were all sorts of patterns: dragons in whatever color you wanted, fire lilies, flames, checkers, stripes, and many others. But Ty Lee knew that a simple one would probably be best. So after several long minutes of debate, she purchased a thick, down-lined reversible blanket from the old shopkeeper. It was a deep red on one side and gold on the other. Nothing to write home about, but it was very warm and very Fire Nation-y. Perfect.
Ty Lee practically skipped down to the docks with her stuffed shopping bag in hand. The ferry was just dropping off passengers from the little peninsula and she only had to wait a few minutes before boarding herself.
She chatted happily with a couple from the outskirts of the capital for the entirety of the trip. Ty Lee wished them well once they arrived and quickly walked the distance to the gates of the hospital. She passed the security checkpoints and entered the building to check in with the doctor.
Cheerfully, she greeted him, "Good morning! I brought something to give Azula, if that's okay? It's just a blanket. I noticed her sheets were, um, sort of thin so I wanted to do something nice for her."
Dr. Liu looked up from the folder he was analyzing, perplexed, "No one has ever brought her anything before. Do you mind if I look it over?"
Ty Lee figured he would want to check it to see if she'd concealed anything inside, but she had no problem doing so. It was as she said, just a blanket. She handed the shopping bag over to him and tried not to dwell on the depressing fact that this would be Azula's first gift in over four years.
The doctor unfolded the blanket and thoroughly inspected it, as if he expected a bomb or several knives to be inside. He traced the edges with his fingers and batted his hand against the entire surface. Obviously there were no such weapons present and he placed it back in its bag after a few minutes of scrutiny.
"I don't see why not. You may bring it to her. We'll have the tea sent down shortly."
Ty Lee thanked him and made her way down the hall, smiling at the few patients she saw being led around by staff. She noticed the workers up here were all dressed as they might be in an actual hospital, white coats and Fire Nation red plain clothes underneath. Only a couple helmeted guards roamed the halls. She guessed Azula was one of the few people in here that had guards posted around them 24/7. After all, most of the facility's patients were regular citizens. There were a few high profile soldiers who suffered from atrocities they had seen in the war, but Azula was by far their most special case.
In another minute, Ty Lee was at Azula's door, heart pounding as a guard outside opened it for her. She tried, fruitlessly, to hide the giant bag behind her back as she entered. Managing to somehow completely surprise Azula would have been fun.
But, as soon as she walked in, Azula's head perked up from her seat on her bed, eyes focused on the bag behind Ty Lee's back.
"What's that?"
Ty Lee noticed Azula was in her straightjacket, but she still smiled at the princess, "I find 'good morning' is a nice way to start a day."
Gold eyes glared, "Morning. What's that?"
Good enough. One of the interior guards moved to unlock the barred door dividing the two women. Ty Lee supposed it was just temporary to hand the bag over, but then she realized Azula wouldn't really be able to open the gift in the jacket. She looked confused while the guard nodded that she could enter Azula's cell.
"You can come in. That's why I'm in this," Azula raised her shoulders, indicating the straightjacket. "What is that?"
"Geez, someone's impatient. It's a present!" Ty Lee stepped into the cell and heard the door shut behind her. She brought the bag out in front of her and shook it like someone tempting a child with a treat.
Azula rolled her eyes, "I see that, but I can't exactly open it, can I?"
Ty Lee grinned sheepishly and walked towards her friend. Azula still looked quite tired, as she shook her long hair out of her face, but she seemed to be in a good mood today. And she had already glanced at the former acrobat's shirt choice.
The bed creaked slightly as Ty Lee sat next to the princess, "I saw it on my way here in a shop and thought you might like it." She pulled the blanket out of the bag and held it up so Azula could see. "Ta-da! It's a thicker blanket! So, you know, you don't die if they freeze your room."
Azula's face remained stoic for a good few seconds before her mouth curved in a half-frown, "It's quite plain, don't you think?"
Ty Lee shot a disapproving glance at her, "It's totally traditional. The colors are great. If you're feeling angry, you can use the red side, but if one day you feel happy or… I don't know, greedy or something, you can use the gold one! Plus it'll be really cozy at night."
Azula suddenly laughed an actual laugh. Not her usual scary one. Ty Lee stared at her while she did so. Even in her dumb straightjacket, the princess looked incredibly attractive when she laughed genuinely. She should do that more often.
"Relax. It's… fine."
Ty Lee supposed that was as close to a thank you as she was going to get. She smiled at Azula's approval and placed the blanket behind them just as the door to the hallway creaked open and the guard stationed outside approached with their tea. He slid it through the bottom of the bars and returned to his post in the hall. Ty Lee got up to retrieve the tray.
She brought it back to the bed and saw the slight frown had returned to Azula's face, "What's wrong?"
"I can't drink that with my arms strapped down."
Ty Lee hadn't thought of that. When she came here, she expected they'd be sharing tea through the bars, Azula without her jacket. She hesitantly suggested the only real solution she saw to this issue, "I could help you drink it."
The frown on Azula's face deepened. She didn't want to be fed like some animal. After all, she still had a sense of self-respect. But, she was thirsty and the thought of Ty Lee being subservient was slightly appealing.
Reluctantly, she gave a nod of assent. Ty Lee looked a bit shocked at her agreement, but she was not about to question the princess's reasoning. She repositioned herself, legs crisscrossed beneath her with her back to the head of the bed. Azula mirrored her, the tray between them.
Ty Lee carefully poured the steaming liquid from the pot into one of two little cups. Her hands were shaking slightly and she could feel the penetrating gaze of two gold eyes on her. Ty Lee looked up to meet them as she poured her own cup of tea. Azula said nothing while they simply stared at each other. Heat spread across Ty Lee's cheeks. She's still so… captivating. Is that the word? I think so. Oh Agni, I'm in way too deep.
Ty Lee let out a yelp as she realized she had overfilled her cup and tea spilled onto the tray. Azula smirked again and decided to break the tension.
"I figured you were unemployed with how often you come here."
Ty Lee's blush intensified over the spill. She laughed nervously, "Oh uh, no! No, I have a job, I work at a boutique for this nice old lady. She's like sort of ancient and she needed some help running the place. I wasn't looking for any serious work, you know, so I stopped in one day and she was super nice and she hired me! I work there most weekdays, but today she closed the shop because her, um, cat died or something. I don't really remember. She talks a lot and sometimes I forget what she's talking about by the time she finishes."
"I wonder what that could possibly be like," Azula's eyes glinted, but she refrained from rolling them. Quite considerate of her, really.
"Oh ha ha, I don't talk that much. It's just sometimes I get going on a subject or I'm around someone I like and then I just keep talking because it's so easy. But I guess I do like talking, it's fun! Just before I came here I talked to a nice old couple on the ferry. They were going to the village nearby to bring their grandchildren some trinkets they got at the market this weekend. Isn't that so sweet? I thought so—"
Azula cleared her throat, "Could I have some tea before it freezes over?"
"Oh, right, of course! Sorry, I just got going again, huh?" She reached for Azula's cup, "They were just so super nice. I wonder what their grandkids look like, probably really cute. They're only six and four. A boy and a girl, just like you and Zu—" Ty Lee stopped abruptly, eyes flicking nervously to Azula's.
"What? I know he exists, Ty Lee. Do you think I'm going to throw a tantrum just for you mentioning his name?" Azula's face was stern, but not angry. Ty Lee was relieved the slip-up hadn't cost her a nice morning.
"No. I just didn't, uh… no."
"Great. So about the tea," Azula looked down at her still untouched cup and Ty Lee gently picked it up and brought it to the princess's lips. She took a small sip and sneered, "At least it's warm."
Ty Lee replaced the cup on the tray and leaned down to sip her own overflowing cup. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't the best tea she'd ever had. Maybe next time she visited, she could bring better tea. Or another pillow. Some nice things to liven up this sad little room.
The following hour or so passed with Ty Lee blabbering excitedly about whatever came into her mind, while occasionally tipping the teacup to Azula's lips. She talked about that family's grandchildren for far too long when she didn't even actually know them. She talked about her apartment and how great it was living away from all of her sisters. Mostly she talked a lot about absolutely nothing because she knew Azula probably didn't have anything to say.
Until she had something to say.
Suddenly, after Ty Lee finished a long rant about how she just couldn't seem to stop wearing pink, Azula couldn't take it anymore and decided to speak. She lowered her voice so the guards wouldn't hear.
"I talked to Kai yesterday after you left."
Ty Lee looked at the princess, wondering what she was going to say. Would she really share details from a meeting with her doctor? Or some fun hospital gossip? Wait, they probably didn't swap stories about other patients, right?
"He asked me about my burns again."
Oh. Azula was probably just going to chide her for her unintentional involvement in the chilling treatment again. Not that Ty Lee was surprised, she did feel a little guilty about not catching the hints to drop the subject in front of the guards.
Azula looked like she was holding back a devilish smile. She waited for Ty Lee to start drinking her tea before saying, "I told him I did it for sexual release."
Ty Lee's eyes bulged and she sputtered on the tepid beverage, "What? You're not serious? That's not why you do it, is it? No, right…?" Her eyes grew distant as she pictured the princess getting some sort of twisted pleasure from placing a burn on her own neck.
Azula laughed again, leaning back in her straightjacket. She cocked her head at the woman blushing across from her, "Really? Do you really think I'd do that? It was just a little fun. There aren't many chances for that in here." She paused, "Besides, you know how I like it."
Ty Lee couldn't shake the blush from her face. She was suddenly remembering their first night together on the way home from Ba Sing Se.
Azula, tangled in crimson sheets, black hair spilling like ink across the mattress, making ungodly hot, breathy noises.
She tried not to focus on the memory, but mistakenly met Azula's eyes and swallowed as the princess shifted her gaze down a few inches to Ty Lee's chest and back up again.
Ty Lee, flat on her back, royalty between her legs, heated hands wrapped around her thighs, a gifted tongue on her...
No, no, no, nononononono. Don't think about that now. Think of doing boring chores! Think of organizing items at the shop! Think of scary dragons! Azula was sort of like a dragon in bed— No! Lo and Li at the beach! She shuddered at that, before remembering the kiss she and Azula shared after that bonfire… Stop!
Azula leaned closer to whisper to Ty Lee, the buckles clinking on her jacket. The former acrobat was trying to look anywhere but at her friend. At her ex-girlfriend? Ex-whatever-they-were.
"And it isn't as if I couldn't use a little release."
Ty Lee's heart was hammering a warning pattern into her chest. Don'tdon'tdon'tdon'tdon't. But she was trapped by Azula's overwhelming proximity. A thin, perfect face loomed inches before her, framed by long black hair. Alluring golden eyes gleamed mischievously.
I should move. No! I want to stay. No, move back! No, I want her.
This last desire shot straight to her core and Ty Lee gave in to what she didn't realize she'd wanted to do since she first saw the princess several months ago. She leaned forward to press her lips to Azula's.
The princess pulled back quickly, and gave a fake gasp, amused. "Not with the guards here," she whispered in a tone laced with sarcasm and glanced at the two men on the other side of the bars.
Ty Lee was angry and whispered viciously to Azula, "You tease!"
They were still nose to nose, Ty Lee was breathing fast and glaring at the smug look on Azula's face. It was completely infuriating.
"So get them to leave," Azula barely whispered in a sultry voice. She looked at Ty Lee, dark eyelashes making her eyes pop, even without her usual makeup.
"How the hell would I do that?" Keeping her voice low, Ty Lee stared down her nose at Azula's lips. They were right there, if she just leaned in quick…
"Ah, ah," Azula turned her face when she saw Ty Lee flinch forward. Riling up Ty Lee was a favorite old pastime of hers. Although she wanted to give in to a kiss more than she could have guessed. "You could ask them nicely. I'm sure they'd agree for you. Isn't the one on the left your boyfriend anyways?"
Ty Lee glanced at them. The left one was indeed sporting Niko's ponytail. She looked coyly back at Azula, "Jealous?"
"Not a chance."
Ty Lee made a clear sound of frustration, making Azula practically beam with glee. The pair had finished their tea and so Ty Lee stood to take the tray back to the guards, trying to think of something to say. She pushed it roughly through the bars.
In as sickly sweet a voice as she could muster, Ty Lee spoke to not-Niko, "Could you please get me a little rice? I think the tea is upsetting my stomach." She placed a hand on her abdomen for added effect.
He nodded and knocked to be let out of the room. Ty Lee supposed that when she visited, the third guard was posted in the hallway as a sort of gatekeeper. Azula was watching from the bed, leaning against the wall as casually as one could in a straightjacket. One gone easily enough.
Ty Lee had no idea what to do about Niko. All she did know was that she desperately wanted him gone, even for a second of privacy. So she prayed to the spirits that Niko, A) still had a crush on her, and B) would somehow be stupid enough to leave them alone.
"Hey, Niko," she beckoned him closer to the bars, "can I have a minute alone with the princess? I, uh…" Ty Lee's brain worked furiously until it came up with possibly the weakest excuse of all time, "I just got a new tattoo and I want to show her. It's kind of in a place I don't usually show strangers so…" She nodded her head at the door and put on a pleading look that would have made a koala-lamb jealous. She heard Azula snicker behind her and stopped herself from shooting a nasty look that way.
"I can't do that, Lady Ty Lee."
Ty Lee took a breath to calm herself, she had to get him to go before the other guard came back. She schooled her face to express utter hurt and willed tears to come to her eyes, "We're locked in here, what could happen?" She sniffed for good measure and continued, "If-if you let me show her, I'll forgive you for that terrible turtleduck incident. And I won't tell anybody about this!"
His shoulders stiffened at the memory and Ty Lee could practically hear the gears turning through his skull. Come on, Niko, just say it.
"One minute."
She clasped her hands together and thanked him, "Just knock before you come in, so I can make sure I'm, uh… decent." Ty Lee winked, might as well milk it for all she could get.
Niko slowly left the room, but he kept his heel against the door so it stayed slightly ajar. It was enough for Ty Lee who whirled around and strode back to a smirking Azula.
"A tattoo? Seriously? You couldn't think of anyth—"
"Shut up."
She pushed the princess back onto the bed and straddled her before fiercely claiming Azula's mouth with her own. One minute, have to make it count.
Azula had to admit she didn't think Ty Lee would succeed in getting both of the guards out of the room. But at this moment, she banished warnings from her brain about emotions and betrayal and weakness, and responded to a pair of soft lips moving against hers. Four years was a long time without this kind of physical contact. She struggled to move her arms and cursed at the straightjacket.
Ty Lee put one hand around the back of Azula's head, messily deepening the kiss. She felt a throbbing between her legs and screamed inwardly at the knowledge that they wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Adjusted herself, the timer in her head running down too fast, she pressed a thigh between Azula's legs. The princess let out a tiny stifled whimper into Ty Lee's mouth and she instinctively ground her hips upwards.
Bliss. Ty Lee was overwhelmed with old familiar feelings, ones that quickly displaced her omnipresent fear and caution towards the princess.
"Damn it, Azula," she breathed heatedly. Ty Lee sucked and nipped at Azula's neck, while the princess moved her hips erratically against Ty Lee's thigh, releasing silent little gasps.
A pounding at the door broke them apart.
Ty Lee forced herself to pull away, mind and body complaining, and sat at the end of the bed. Azula, meanwhile, didn't even make an attempt to move. Her hips slumped back to the mattress and she lay with her eyes closed. She felt herself pulled to a sitting position by Ty Lee and as they both steadied themselves with their backs to the wall, Niko returned to the room.
The girls acted as if nothing had happened, though both were now uncomfortably aroused. Niko resumed his position and Ty Lee hated him for it.
Azula sat silently while Ty Lee resumed random chatter. Their minds were elsewhere, but they managed to uphold a passable imitation of their previous conversation.
In another five minutes, the other guard came back with Ty Lee's rice. She thanked him and returned to the bed, nibbling on it.
Azula leaned her head back against the wall and looked at Ty Lee out of the corner of her eye, "You're quite the little actress, aren't you?"
The rice was too dry and now Ty Lee was thirsty again. She looked over at the princess and shrugged, "I guess. You sort of have to be when you're a circus performer. My amazing skills must have carried over to real life." She smiled at Azula, wishing they were completely alone.
"Hm. You could use that act to get us some real privacy, you know."
"What? How?" Ty Lee was eager. She'd had a taste of old times and wanted so much more.
Azula shut her eyes, Ty Lee was so slow sometimes. How she managed four years as a Kyoshi Warrior, she'd never know.
The princess turned to face the young woman next to her, so the guards couldn't potentially read her lips. Her voice was hushed, excited, dangerous. Ty Lee recognized it immediately. Azula always spoke in this tone when she was plotting something.
"Persuade Kai. Lessen the guard presence in my room while you're here. They can still stay outside of course. And if I slip and do something… crazy, they'll still be able to hear from the hall. Right?"
Ty Lee thought, "I don't think they could. When you threw a fit the first time I was here, the door shut on you and I didn't hear your screams at all."
Azula suppressed a grin, interesting.
The princess went on, "Warm him up to the idea over a few weeks. I haven't killed you yet, so that should reassure him a little."
Ty Lee shivered at Azula speaking so cavalierly about killing her, "I don't know Azula, what if he decides I can't come visit anymore?" She didn't want to get in trouble with Dr. Liu. The more time she spent here, the more Ty Lee saw him as a good man just following his Fire Lord's not so good orders. Ty Lee didn't think he really wanted to see any harm come to Azula and she didn't want to break his trust.
"He won't. He thinks, knows, your visits are helping me. That's why you ease him into it. Start by asking just for a few minutes with me, then ask for some more. The time will be easier for him to approve once he sees that nothing bad will come of you being in here with me alone," Azula did not blink as she gazed at Ty Lee, hair slightly tousled from their activities earlier. "Don't you want a little privacy? Wouldn't that be nice for a change?" Azula raked her eyes over Ty Lee's body, communicating obviously what she was implying.
Ty Lee didn't like to acknowledge how much she wanted exactly that. Proving Azula right always inflated her already dangerously large ego. But her mouth opened and the words came out before she could think anymore, "I can give it a shot."
Azula smirked and licked her bottom lip, "Good. Give me some of that rice, I haven't eaten yet today."
Ty Lee scooped a large bite of rice out of the bowl with her chopsticks and fed it to Azula. She had a strange feeling in her chest, like a horrible beast had settled down to hibernate there. Another warning rang out inside her: Be careful. With a shake of her head, she dismissed the thought for now and continued to give Azula the rest of her rice.
"So, when I come this weekend, I should just ask to see you alone for a little bit?"
Azula swallowed the mouthful of rice she'd just had and raised her eyebrow at Ty Lee, "Do it however you want. I'm sure you'll be persuasive." She shifted uncomfortably in her jacket, flipping her hair from her face only to have it fall back in the same spot.
Ty Lee reached over and tucked it behind her ear, "I should get going."
"Tell the guard on your way out that I desire my dinner."
Azula's request was muffled by arms wrapping tightly around her, pulling her in for a hug. A wave of sadness had suddenly crashed over Ty Lee. She squeezed Azula and buried her head in the crook of her shoulder. She's acting normal, making mean jokes, ordering me around… but I get to leave this place and go back to a warm home where I can do whatever I want. Will Azula ever get that chance again?
More and more, it seemed that Zuko was convinced that no matter how well his sister was doing, this would be her place for the rest of her life. It weighed heavily on Ty Lee's heart.
Her grip on the princess did not slacken. Ty Lee nuzzled her neck and turned her face to place several little kisses along it. Azula sat awkwardly in her straightjacket, unable to respond even if she wanted to.
Finally pulling back, Ty Lee smiled. Azula immediately saw through the half-hearted gesture and a jab of anger pricked her. Her lip curled. She pities me.
Ty Lee didn't notice, "Okay, well, enjoy the blanket. I lov- look forward to seeing you in a few days!"
She looked at Azula with big misty eyes and smiled again. Collecting the empty rice bowl, she went to the bars and was let out by Niko. She told them Azula wanted dinner and waved back at the princess as she knocked on the door and left the room. I was right, this was a good visit.
Azula remained sitting on her bed with Niko approaching her. He undid the straps and buckles on her jacket, took it out of the room and relocked the barred door. She stretched her arms for a few long minutes, waiting for her food. Tonight she would train silently in the pitch black of her cell. Tomorrow she would do the same and burn herself. The following day would be a freezer day. Friday, train. Weekend, Ty Lee. Rinse and repeat. With any luck, Ty Lee would be able to convince Kai to relinquish some control over her. Time to start chipping away at this place.