Chapter 19
Ty Lee's head snapped up and she looked skeptically at Azula. How could she have anything for her here? All of the things she has are from me. She scooped up her picture and walked side by side with Azula back to Kai's office, taking a few opportunities to brush their shoulders together. He followed them down to the basement, unlocked the barred door, and removed Azula's handcuffs, giving her a sharp look.
"If you need anything, knock on the door," he eyed Azula warily again, but true to his word, left the two girls alone. A key clicked in the main door's lock.
Ty Lee was bewildered for the second time that day. He left the bars open. The princess walked into her room and stood with her back to the door. She rubbed her wrists and called out, "Come over here."
Ty Lee followed, clutching the painting in her hand, and suddenly remembered that Azula said she had something for her. She smiled and propped the picture up against one of the walls. A few silent moments passed and Ty Lee slowly approached Azula's back, about to ask what amazing gift the princess prepared. But Azula spoke first.
"I wanted to thank you for…" How do I put this without sounding completely soft? "…winning Kai over enough that he allowed us to go in the common room last weekend," she gripped her arms tightly, the words still sounding dreadfully sappy coming from her mouth. She breathed, "So I asked a favor of him too."
The princess's stomach felt a little queasy. She wanted this badly, but her mind still betrayed her with thoughts of unease and betrayal. Why do this with someone like her? She doesn't deserve it. Azula closed her eyes. I made up my mind last week. I have a plan. I want this first. And then it'll be over.
She turned around. Ty Lee was half expecting her to be holding some fantastic present, but her hands were empty. Her words slowly soaked into Ty Lee's brain. The awkwardly adorable thank you stirred her heart. She never thanks me. Or anyone. For anything. What is she planning?
"O-oh, it was no big deal. He likes you, you know. I think he wants you to do normal things just as much as I do, but I give him the push to actually do it. It's funny, sometimes I—"
"Ty Lee," Azula interrupted her and as soon as their eyes met, Ty Lee's mind went blank. For possibly the first time ever, she thought she knew exactly what was on Azula's mind. Her expression, her eyes, all spoke of one thing. The princess stepped forward, an outstretched hand toying with the waistband of Ty Lee's pants, "Stop talking."
She swallowed at the demand and felt chills spread up her spine at the feel of Azula's hand at her hip. Yeah. Yep. I know what she wants. Liquid gold pools trapped her in place and she thought she would drown for sure when soft lips met her own.
Azula's hand sent sparks up Ty Lee's back, drifting upwards to settle on her neck and bring them closer together. The kiss was slow and gentle. Azula put the words she didn't like to say out loud into her initial actions and hoped Ty Lee got the message.
Since when does she ever kiss like this? She must have really liked that window view. Ty Lee rested her arms over Azula's shoulders and ran her fingers through impossibly fine, raven hair. They leaned into each other, arousal slowing building. Azula nipped at Ty Lee's bottom lip and then abruptly spun them around. She nudged Ty Lee backwards onto her bed, knees bent over the side, and climbed on top of her.
A once sweetly innocent kiss was now escalating fast. Ty Lee watched the princess close in on her lips again, this time their tongues met ferociously. She pulled on Azula's head to deepen the heated kiss as her own head grew dizzy.
Azula broke the contact, their noses brushing together briefly, and licked down Ty Lee's jaw to suck at a tender spot where her shoulder joined her neck. A breathy sigh escaped the acrobat and she turned away to further expose the area. Her body was covered in goosebumps, whether from the cool air or Azula's touches, she wasn't sure nor did she care. At the feel of warm hands creeping beneath her shirt, Ty Lee sharply inhaled.
"Az— 'zula, wait," she looked into the lustful eyes of the princess hovering above her and shivered, "What if the guards come in?"
Azula licked her lips as a knowing smirk played across her face.
"I told you, they won't be bothering us today." She trailed her hand up one of Ty Lee's inner thighs, stopping just before she reached that oh-so-desirable spot. Ty Lee's eyes fluttered shut and she swallowed at the princess's sinful voice, "That's the favor I requested." She placed several open mouth kisses on Ty Lee's neck while pressing her hand between the woman's legs.
"So let me take my time."
Ty Lee shuddered and gladly gave in. She propped herself up on her elbows and dragged Azula onto her so they were pressed hopelessly close together. She initiated another, messier kiss and moaned softly at a familiar heat building in her abdomen.
Azula sat up, bringing Ty Lee with her as she straddled her waist. Still attached at the mouth, Azula's hands toyed with the long braid atop the woman's head before she undid both ribbons and combed her fingers through the faintly fruity scented chestnut hair. She resumed sucking at Ty Lee's neck and untangling her hands from the wavy tresses, she tugged the woman's shirt over her head.
Long waves spilled over Ty Lee's shoulders, skin faintly flushed, chest rising and falling rapidly beneath a lacy pink bra. She sat back, bit her lip and stared at Azula through hooded eyes. The princess quickly removed the obstructing item of clothing and gazed appreciatively at the sight before her. She thought Ty Lee looked absolutely delicious, so she bent her head to have a taste.
Ty Lee's head lolled back at the feel of a hot mouth on her breast. She's too much. Oh Agni, I'm like an addict.
Azula swirled her tongue around a stiffening nipple and ran a hand up Ty Lee's side to massage her other breast. Ty Lee was panting shallowly now, eyes watching Azula's mouth at work. She let out a drawn out whimper when Azula bit and tugged with her teeth.
The princess continued this treatment for several minutes, careful to keep her hands above Ty Lee's waist. She always enjoyed a little teasing, pushing people to their limits. She switched her mouth to the other breast and within a minute, Ty Lee tugged gently at Azula's hair, making her straighten up to meet her gaze. The eye contact sent fresh chills through her body.
"Azula," she whispered huskily and slightly ground her hips upward into the princess's, "please."
With her legs spread across Ty Lee's lap, the little movement sent spikes of pleasure through Azula and she blinked slowly. But she decided to toy with the woman for just one more second.
"Please what?" she leaned in and bit the lobe of Ty Lee's ear.
"Ah, I need more," Ty Lee's hands wound themselves tightly in the back of Azula's plain red shift.
"More what?" her hand moved lightly between them, running along the waistband of dark pink pants.
"More of that. More of everything. I need you," she was done playing along with Azula's teasing. She kissed her desperately, taking the princess's hand and plunging it shamelessly beneath her clothes.
Azula felt her own need grow at the feel of Ty Lee wet and wanting. She returned the kiss fiercely, pulling back to lay eyes on an incredibly aroused woman. Ty Lee's cheeks were tinted in the pink color she adored so much and her eyebrows twitched together when Azula ran her middle finger along her slick heat.
The princess pushed Ty Lee flush against the bed and knelt on the floor between her legs. She hooked her fingers around the woman's pants and underwear, removing them painfully slowly. Discarding the clothes on the floor, she nudged Ty Lee's knees apart and bit her lip in anticipation. She sat up further and ran her hands from Ty Lee's breasts, down the sides of her abdomen, gripping her legs, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed. Azula placed hot kisses from her navel, down, down, down, before….
Ty Lee couldn't help her hips bucking upwards as Azula ran her tongue along her. She pushed her head back into the mattress and groaned loudly.
"Mmm oh fuck," Ty Lee muttered all kinds of curses as Azula continued exploring every bit of her. She arched her back at the sudden feel of a slender finger pushing inside.
The princess focused her mouth on sucking at Ty Lee's clit, while her finger steadily drove into her. She was unravelling quickly, shifting restlessly on the bed. Ty Lee's hands moved from touching her own breasts to gripping the bed sheets, fast approaching the top of the cliff she climbed.
"Azula-ahh, just like that, right there, oh spirits," a stream of nearly incoherent phrases tumbled from her mouth while Azula's gifted tongue and fingers worked their magic on her.
Azula added another finger and experimentally curled them rapidly back and forth to hit different angles inside of the writhing woman before her, until one particular rough spot caused Ty Lee to shout in pleasure while she held Azula's head against her. Taking note, the princess hit the same area repeatedly until Ty Lee lost it.
"I-I'm gonna…" before she even got the words out, she moaned shakily, body twitching out of her control. Azula slowed her motions and lightly flicked her tongue over Ty Lee's clit several more times before standing up to join her on the bed.
She grinned at her handiwork. Ty Lee was panting, breasts rising and falling seductively. One of her arms was crossed over her eyes as she regained composure. Azula leaned down and spoke smugly in her ear, "I know it wasn't shampoo, but I hope you liked your gift."
Ty Lee uncovered her face and smiled, completely relaxed as the endorphins rushed through her, "Sorry, but I think I'm going to have to give it back." She turned her head and kissed Azula's confusion away. The shakiness of her legs had subsided and she crawled atop Azula this time, "Come on, you don't think I'd leave you hanging, right?"
Azula didn't even have time to protest, not that she wanted to. Ty Lee pulled them upright and pushed Azula's hospital clothes up and over her body, leaving her in simple breast bindings and underwear. She nudged the princess back into the pillows and made quick work of removing all of her clothes, careful to keep from disturbing her leg's bandages.
Black hair splayed out on the red blanket and Ty Lee flashed back to after Ba Sing Se. She lay down next to Azula and placed small kisses across her face, "You're so gorgeous."
Ty Lee lacked the self-restraint needed to tease a person until they couldn't take it anymore. That was more Azula's style anyways. She was gentle, not as bitey as the princess, and she began to trail soft kisses along her jawline. Simultaneously, her hand grazed over Azula's small breasts and she felt the princess move into the touch.
Azula's breath hitched as she felt Ty Lee's thigh wedge between her own. She stifled a moan, but a whimper escaped and betrayed her enjoyment.
Ty Lee breathed hotly, watching as the princess ground into her thigh, "Agni, you're dripping."
Azula's eyelids fluttered at the lewd remark. Hearing dirty things come from Ty Lee's usually innocent lips only fueled her growing arousal. She pictured those same lips between her legs and exhaled. Impatient, she wrapped her arm around Ty Lee and pressed the top of her head down. Getting the hint right away, Ty Lee removed her leg from between Azula's thighs and began tracing her fingers down the princess's flat stomach. She wasn't as bony as when Ty Lee first saw her months ago. The observation made her smile.
She followed the trail her fingers made with her mouth, briefly flicking her tongue over Azula's nipples, and then chastely kissing down her body. Her own arousal flared again at the thought of doing these sorts of things to Princess Azula. Seeing her at her most intimate state was something most people never even imagined.
Her tongue reached the princess's sensitive heat. Ty Lee wasn't sure if it was because Azula was a firebender or what, but when she pushed a finger inside of her, the surrounding warmth was incredible. She followed the same pattern that Azula had minutes earlier. Ty Lee alternated between applying generous pressure against Azula's clit with her tongue, and sucking on it. Her finger moved easily inside the wet walls, so she added another and moved faster.
Azula whimpered yet again. Come on, Ty Lee urged silently, let me hear you properly. She sped up, moving her head rapidly back and forth between Azula's legs, feeling her tense, trying to hold back the inevitable.
Ty Lee switched their position, moving back up Azula's body to claim her lips and palm her breast. She straddled one of Azula's thighs, so their legs alternated, and ground down on the princess's leg. Azula's eyes closed again when she felt Ty Lee's wetness slide over her. She quickly began doing the same, grinding up Ty Lee's other thigh. They were pressed together, breast to breast, a panting mass of tangled limbs.
The acrobat tucked a lock of dark hair behind Azula's ear and nipped gently at the cartilage. Azula shuddered as she heard a whisper in her ear, "Come on, Princess, I know you're close."
All of the sensations were overloading Azula's mind. She's so warm, she's so wet, it feels so good. Ty Lee sucked hard at the base of Azula's neck and used her left hand to roll and pinch one of the princess's nipples.
The whimpers were coming stronger and faster now, escaping with each exhalation of Azula's. She brought her arms up to encircle Ty Lee and hold her close. Her thrusts onto the woman's thigh grew erratic and rough. Ty Lee continued whispering in her ear:
"Mm, Princess, you feel so good."
So do you.
"I've missed doing this."
I have too.
"You like fucking me, don't you?'
Yes...
"I can still taste you on my tongue."
Oh…
The words and physical feelings were too much. Azula clung to Ty Lee, digging short nails into her back as her hips jerked wildly, finally hitting that release. She panted and let out a series of short breathy moans, trying to quiet them by biting into Ty Lee's shoulder.
Ty Lee gasped at the strangely pleasurable sting of the bite, "Don't hold back, I love hearing you like that."
Azula's body twitched with aftershocks and she released her grip over Ty Lee. She kissed the princess's nose and then rolled off of her to lay by her side, pulling the dislodged blanket over them.
Ty Lee turned her head to look at Azula. Her breathing was coming fast and shallow, golden eyes hidden behind closed eyelids. Her normally pallid cheeks were tinged with the barest touch of color and her lips were swollen from kisses. She looks incredible.
They lay in comfortable silence for several minutes, recovering from their recent euphoria.
Ty Lee's mind wandered. Unfortunately, it kept wandering to a particularly sore topic: Mai. Since Ty Lee and Azula had just had sizzling hot sex, her evil imagination couldn't help but replace all of the things she'd just done, with Mai doing them instead. She had mostly resolved this conflict with the young ambassador and knew that the two hadn't slept together, but she wanted to, had to, hear it from Azula. This is a bad, stupid idea. Why do I need to ask? I don't. Don't ask her, she'll get mad. She hates Mai. But I have to. I have to talk about it or I'll just keep thinking about it. No, don't do it, don't—
"Hey, Azula," she began warily, suddenly very interested in the thread-count of the pillowcases, "how-how come you did… stuff with Mai?"
Azula inhaled deeply, seemingly rousing from a light rest. She turned her head to face Ty Lee with knitted brows, "Does it matter?"
"I don't know, I just can't stop thinking about it," Ty Lee fiddled with the pillowcase, avoiding Azula's eyes. "She said it was just one time… before she left for Omashu."
"It seems she already told you about it. What's left to tell? We fooled around, so what?"
"You made it seem like you guys slept together!"
"It's not my fault if that's how you understood it." Honestly Azula had hoped Ty Lee would misinterpret the wording from months earlier. The further Ty Lee thought they went, the more painful it would be for her. Azula did not feel the usual sense of guilt over her actions this time. Lies were easy. "Besides, it was really me doing all of the fun. Like you said, Mai was a bit of a prude."
Ty Lee couldn't help feeling relieved at that news.
"But why say anything at all? You both kept it secret for so long, why did you bring it up months ago in here?" Ty Lee stuttered, "W-why with her?"
Azula sighed, her nice afterglow effectively ruined. She considered her options for responding and perhaps because of the sun gazing visit last weekend or because of the presence of a small metal flame beneath her pillow, she decided on honesty, "Because you left."
"Huh?"
"You left to join the circus. Mai was still around. If… had you not left… I wanted to do those things with you, but you were so obsessed with boys, I figured you wouldn't want to. Mai was uninterested in everyone. It was easier."
Ty Lee finally met Azula's eyes. She was taken aback by her words. Mai had told her similar things months and months ago, but hearing them from Azula's mouth was different. "Because you left." She was hurt when I went away.
"So you just used her because I wasn't around? Did you… did you just want to use me for that too?"
Azula chewed on the inside of her cheek, "No."
Oh. So Mai was right, she did care about me in her own weird, teasing, kind of cruel way. And then I left for the circus before ever finding that out.
She scooched closer to Azula and grasped her hands, "Azula, of course I would have… I didn't know you felt that way, I'm sorry."
"Would it have mattered if you did?" Azula frowned and shifted her eyes downward, quickly losing the strength to have such an intimate conversation. Mean quips are better.
Ty Lee watched the shadow cross her face and squeezed her hands a little tighter, "What do you mean?"
The princess huffed, uncomfortable and clearly indecisive about whether to pursue this topic or drop it immediately. She ended up speaking a little more gruffly than she intended, "If you had known that I… would you have stayed?"
Ty Lee flinched slightly at the question, a sinking feeling that they were slowly treading into familiar hostile territory about a certain day from their past. Azula saw the reaction. And Azula knew the answer.
"Would you have ever come back if I didn't go recruit you?" She brought her eyes to face Ty Lee's, anger and hurt resided there, betraying her otherwise stoic face.
"Azula, I…" I don't know for sure, "The circus was really good for me and I loved being there." Pause. "But I would have gone back to visit you, we were friends. Leaving the circus was… hard, but we got so much closer chasing the Avatar and I'm really happy about that." Ty Lee left out the terrifying event of balancing over a burning net.
Azula's face fell. So while you were in the circus, you might have come back out of obligation, not because you wanted to. Am I that unbearable? No. No… Her eyes closed at this most unpleasant doubt. One that had bothered her for years in this place. A new question pushed to the forefront of Azula's mind, "If we had been together before you ran off to the circus, would you have acted differently at the Boiling Rock?"
There it is. Ty Lee's throat constricted, "I had to stop you guys. I would always choose to stop you guys from hurting each oth—"
"Then I guess it's a good thing we weren't. That would have just made it worse," Azula ripped her hands out of Ty Lee's and rolled over to face the other direction.
Ty Lee's panicked voice squeaked out, "Azula, please, I didn't think it would end up like this. I'm sorry."
"Oh stop saying that. Mai and everyone else are doing just fine thanks to you. You'll never be sorry, so don't you dare lie to me," her temper was rising.
"I'm not sorry I jumped to her side. And she's not sorry she saved Zuko. I'm only sorry it had to come to what it did," she took a shuddering breath and spoke in barely a whisper, "It's not like we enjoy what happened because of that day. We don't even talk about it."
Azula's lip trembled. All for precious Zuko. It's always for Zuko. Everyone vacates my life like it's the easiest thing in the world, but spirits forbid if Zuko got a taste.
She sat up suddenly and picked her clothes off the floor, pulling the red shift over her head.
"Well that's just wonderful. Lock me up and throw away the key. You two certainly aren't the first to walk away, though you are repeat offenders," she spat bitterly.
Mother. Ty Lee. Mai. Zuko. Mai. Ty Lee. Father. She clutched her head, trying to stop the recently repressed thoughts from drowning her again. It's all Zuko's fault. What is so damn special about him? What is so repulsive about me?
Her heart ached and her throat burned and she hated every one of them all over again.
Ty Lee sat up, heavy with guilt from starting this train wreck of a conversation. Stupid, all because I wanted to hear about her and Mai. She also slipped off of the bed to gather her scattered clothes and re-dress. Azula sat with her head in her hand, face hidden by long black locks.
"I didn't mean to make it seem like I abandoned you. I'm sorry for that, I never wanted to hurt you," she stated quietly and quickly re-braided her hair.
"Stop with your hollow apologies. Just stop. Don't say the words if you don't mean them."
"I do mean them, why don't you believe me?" she moved a bit closer to Azula, but recoiled almost immediately when the princess lifted her head and glared daggers at her.
"Oh I don't know, Ty Lee. What could possibly have happened to make me distrust you?" Azula was furious. Her eyes glittered with anger.
Ty Lee looked at her, horrified, "I know you hate what I did, but I can't change it. I don't know how to help you get through this." She extended her hand towards Azula, who promptly slapped it away.
"I don't want your pity. Every time I see your face, I can feel your fingers chi block me. You have no idea what it's like to…" she stopped abruptly before her words escaped. To utterly despise and want someone simultaneously. She felt tears beginning to form, but blinked them away and stared coldly at Ty Lee, snarling.
"I hate you. I'm glad I told you about Mai. I'm thrilled it got under your skin. Doesn't it feel awful? To be so suddenly informed that things aren't what you thought?"
Ty Lee watched Azula sadly, her own tears spilling silently down her cheeks. So she told me about Mai on purpose, she meant to hurt my feelings. To make me feel something similar to how she felt that day. Despite the pain in her chest, she wanted to stay and hug and comfort Azula for as long as she had to, but she knew the princess had finally lost the good mood she'd built up over the past few weeks. Again, guilt jabbed her gut. And instead of listening to her heart like she usually did, rationality won out and she spoke quietly.
"I'll leave you alone," Ty Lee stood from the bed and walked towards the door. She took one last look at Azula, heart begging her not to leave the broken girl by herself, not to give up right now like everyone else had. The princess bent her head, but watched Ty Lee through the curtain of hair shading her face.
I made you leave again. Don't leave again. Azula refused to say the words out loud and squeezed the edge of her mattress instead.
Before her heart could speak for itself, Ty Lee's fist knocked on the door. With each thud, she felt her stomach sink. Knock. I want to stay. Knock. Tell me to stay. Knock. I care about you.
A guard unlocked the door and stood aside for Ty Lee to pass. She left the room wiping away more tears, not glancing at Azula again.
The princess watched Ty Lee's braid swish out of view and she curled up on her bed. The guard resumed his watch and locked the barred door to her room. Azula's heart pounded in protest for sending away quite possibly the last person who believed in her. But her brain trudged forward. You don't need people you can't trust. No matter how much you might like them. Those feelings lead to complacency and then the inevitable betrayal will be worse, tenfold.
She'd made up her mind about proceeding with her escape within the next few weeks. She just had to test the brittleness of the bars and would ask Kai for another moment of privacy soon. I need to be as alert as possible. No distractions.
Even as the thought crossed her mind, her hand rested over the bed she'd just shared with Ty Lee. I hate this. I hate her. I hate Zuko.
She screamed suddenly, releasing some of the frustration she felt. Azula gripped her wrist and poured all of the heat she could muster into a spectacular burn, adding pain into her frustrated cry. The guard was startled at the outburst and pounded on the door, shouting for the hallway guard to go get the doctor. He then quickly opened the bars and pried Azula's steaming hand away from her wrist. She was a wreck. Stray tears leaked from her eyes occasionally, her hair was mussed from earlier, and now she sported a vicious burn on her wrist.
I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.
She shrieked and wrestled with the guard, landing a few punches and kicks to anywhere she could reach. He struggled to restrain her irregular movements. Kai arrived after a few moments and seeing the disastrous scene before him, rushed inside. He regretfully took a syringe of sedative from his satchel and injected its contents into Azula's thigh.
Her resistance soon slowed and she slumped into the guard. A strange desire from the abandoned depths of her heart had somehow pushed its way through her madness and made her chest hurt.
Come back.
Anyone.