Azula woke screaming. Her left arm was bloodied from her fingernails and she could feel it, hot against her skin. Her heart raced with absolute panic and the door burst open. Azula jumped, lighting both of her hands on fire in defense of herself. But it was Ty Lee, who had not left the palace for the past two weeks since Azula was abducted and taken home against her will.
"Are okay?" Ty Lee asked, rubbing her eye. Azula did not know what to say to that; nobody had ever cared about her nightmares before.
"Yeah," Azula said softly. "Just a nightmare. It wasn't real."
"Okay." Ty Lee stood in the doorway for a moment, unsure what to do. She felt somewhat ridiculous for running across the hall and barging into Azula's room. "I was having nightmares too when I heard you scream."
"I didn't know you could have bad dreams," Azula said coldly and Ty Lee just feebly shrugged. "Do you want to stay in here?"
The words were difficult for Azula. She did not want to invite Ty Lee back into her life. In fact, it was the absolute last thing she desired. But the acrobat was standing there, staring at Azula like a poodle-monkey begging for food. And so Azula patted the bed next to her and Ty Lee slowly walked inside.
"Do you want to talk about your dream?" Ty Lee asked and Azula shook her head. "It can help."
"Don't push it," Azula said icily and Ty Lee nodded like a bird. Azula lay back down and closed her eyes, but she knew she would not sleep. Even though she knew that the dream she inhabited was not real, she saw it every time she closed her golden eyes.
"I want you to feel better," Ty Lee said quietly, desperately longing to kiss Azula again. She had not kissed her since the day she was drugged and in bed.
Six weeks had passed since then and Ty Lee had no desire to go home. She helped Zuko, who was slipping over the edge as he helped repair Azula. Ty Lee felt a responsibility for Princess Azula that she knew was not truly hers. But she could not help but do everything she could for her best friend... for her first love.
"I feel nauseous," Azula complained and Ty Lee did not know what to say. She just touched Azula's arm and ran her fingers along the smooth skin. Azula broke out in goosebumps as Ty Lee did so and the acrobat reveled in the powerful sensation. "Is that your nausea cure?" Azula voice cracked slightly and Ty Lee thought for a moment that maybe her feelings were still reciprocated.
"Yes," Ty Lee said gently. She thought about kissing Azula again, eyeing the curve of her lips accented by the shadows. But she decided against it, knowing Azula would not accept.
They lay there longer, Azula trying to fall back to sleep and trying to avoid talking to Ty Lee. Ty Lee bit her lips and tore them to shreds of blood and flesh. There were so many words she wanted to say, but she did not know how to phrase them. And she knew that Azula would not want to hear them.
But before Ty Lee could make her choice, Azula leaned to the side and kissed her fiercely.
They broke apart for a breathless moment and Azula said, "That's what you want, isn't it?"
"Yes," Ty Lee whispered as Azula kissed her again.
And all was right in the world, if only for a few hours.