"So, just... yes... like that..." Ty Lee said slowly, running her hand along the princess's arm.
"Useful. Very useful," was Azula's response.
They were in Ba Sing Se, in the Earth King's palace. Azula looked magnificent in green, and Ty Lee looked too Earth Kingdom even in pink, which was the bulk of Ty Lee's thoughts about their stay here. She was disappointed with the clothing selection, yet rather intrigued by Earth Kingdom Azula.
Ty Lee was teaching her a handful of moves she picked up. A chi blocking lesson for someone who did not need to know more combat. Ty Lee chose moves that did not kill, for fear of Azula using them. Yet, maybe murderous Azula would be hot. No, no, Ty Lee did not want that on her shoulders.
"Well, you'd really need to try it on a moving target," Ty Lee said, rubbing her neck. Azula was examining her own hands as if they were not already able to shoot fire and lightning. "Now you have to teach me how to bend lightning, obviously. It's only a fair trade."
Azula smirked.
"I can teach you something a little more interesting than bending lightning," Azula purred, looking dangerously excited. Ty Lee swallowed, blinking a few times. "I'm thinking when we get back to the Fire Nation there will be hero's banquets. And parties for the girl-girls who brought down the Earth Kingdom."
"I do like parties," Ty Lee said smoothly, her eyes sparkling with the idea. Azula knew that she liked parties that revolved around her beyond all other parties, but she did not say anything.
"Want to learn a dance?" Azula offered and Ty Lee could not keep herself from laughing. It did not seem like something Azula would know anything about. "Don't laugh. Do you know how much event training I've gone through in my life? It's not all slaying enemies and pointing the army in the right direction."
Ty Lee blushed. She felt rather ridiculous, but she held out a hand and nodded at Azula.
Azula took it and Ty Lee pulled her body very close. The princess's eyes flashed in surprise at being seized so forcefully and Ty Lee bit down on her lip in hopes she had not crushed the moment. But Azula's expression smoothed and they started spinning.
"Are we just going to twirl in circles until we get dizzy?" Azula sounded amused.
"You're the dance instructor," Ty Lee breathed in response and Azula shrugging, her body brushing against Ty Lee in a most uncomfortable way when she did it.
"Someone is going to walk in on this and be very confused," Azula sighed before running her fingertips down Ty Lee's arm and taking her by the hand to guide her into the seven step dance.
"Probably Mai," Ty Lee added belatedly three steps in.
Ty Lee picked it up quickly. She was a performer and an acrobat, which made her delve into dancing far easier than it would be for most. Azula despised every moment of the lessons, almost as much as how to eat dinners. She was always more intrigued by the more dangerous things, or the ones that made her feel like a powerful soon-to-be Fire Lord and not a princess training in regal etiquette.
It was a nice thought to have hero's banquets. Maybe Ty Lee would be some kind of savior and everybody would idolize her. She could imagine the bright lamps illuminating her as people were in absolute awe that she helped land the final blow on the Earth Kingdom.
"Can we bring dates to these hero's banquets?" Ty Lee asked softly and Azula almost stumbled. She looked displeased instead of also lost in her own thoughts of being a war hero.
"I suppose," Azula said sharply with the look in her eyes that she had when Ty Lee would flirt with people. Jealousy.
"Alright, I'm going to preemptively ask you to be my date to our hero's banquet," Ty Lee said, forcing the words out as her heart raced. Azula's reception could be devastating and Ty Lee was horrified to admit it. Neither of them ever mentioned their growing romance.
"I accept," Azula said coldly but Ty Lee caught a very slight blush on her alabaster cheeks.
Azula leaned forward slowly, and for their second kiss ever, she pressed her lips against Ty Lee's. This time, it was not a brief flicker of warmth, they dug into each other with the force. It was passionate and devoid of cherry stems and hesitation.
"Seriously?" Mai had just opened the door to their shared bedroom.
"You were right, Ty Lee, she did walk in on us." Azula winked, looking amused by being caught.
Ty Lee felt her heart going into tachycardia.
Best kiss of her life. And her second kiss with Azula.
Hopefully not the last.