Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or the song "I Cain't Say No" from Oklahoma, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.
Author's Note: Wow, thanks for the slew of reviews last chapter! I knew a Kataang would bring a lot of you out. This song was meant to be heard more than read, so I've made some adjustments to be more readable, and I cut out the introductory section, although I allude to some of those lyrics. This has been requested by a couple of people, but I've had the idea for a very long time.
I Can't Say No
I'm just a girl who can't say no,
I'm in a terrible fix!
I always say, "Come on, let's go"
Just when I oughta say "Nix."
So Ty Lee liked boys. What of it? It wasn't a crime or anything. Even though she knew Azula was just jealous, it had still hurt when the princess told Ty Lee she made it too easy for boys to get close to her. Maybe it struck a nerve deep inside her.
After all, Ty Lee had been brought up much like the other two girls. Like them, she'd been raised to be a lady, and she knew that she was supposed to maintain a safe distance from the opposite sex. However, having six sisters who looked just like her had made Ty Lee long to stand out among them. Early on, that was probably why she'd thrown herself into gymnastics.
When a person tries to kiss a girl,
I know she oughta give his face a smack,
But as soon as someone kisses me,
I somehow, sorta want to kiss him back!
When she got older, though, Ty Lee had discovered boys. They were delightful creatures, really. They paid Ty Lee unwavering attention and made her feel special. It cost her so little effort to gain their adoration. Maybe she was trying to replace the attention she had always had to compete with her sisters for in her parents' household, but so what? She wasn't hurting anyone.
In their own, adorable way, boys were better than parents. Boys didn't make demands or place unreasonable expectations on her. They lavished attention on her for simply being, and they were much more fun to get close to. Not to mention the kissing. Yes, one could never leave out the kissing.
I'm just a girl who can't say no,
I can't be prissy and quaint.
I ain't the type that can faint -
How can I be what I ain't?
I can't say no!
Of course, Ty Lee's flirtatiousness did have its negative consequences, like the crowd she'd had to knock out at the party to stop them from pressuring her. The one thing Ty Lee could never understand was why boys had to be so possessive. Each one wanted her to be his alone, and what was the fun of that? Couldn't they see that there was enough of her to go around? Besides, she really did like them all equally. Since she had been around enough to know that most of the boys would go after a more appealing target in a heartbeat, it was unfair for them to begrudge her the same type of opportunity.
What ya gonna do when a feller gets flirty,
And starts to talk "purty,"
What ya gonna do?
Supposing that he says that your lips are like cherries
Or roses, or berries?
What ya gonna do?
Of course, this meant there was a limit to how much of any one boy's company Ty Lee could enjoy, but that didn't bother her unduly. There was no such thing as a special boy in her book, and perhaps Mai was right that Ty Lee took excessive pleasure in adding trophies to her collection. Still, she saw no harm in enjoying her youth to the fullest.
After all, Ty Lee wasn't completely unaware that time was passing. She had seen the ravages of time (and seven pregnancies) on her mother, and she saw that as all the more reason to gather flowers while she could. So when the cute boys flirted with her, she was only too eager to respond.
Supposing that he says that you're sweeter than cream,
And he's gotta have cream or die?
What ya gonna do when he talks that way?
Spit in his eye?
At the end of the day, though, Ty Lee had gone along with her friends when they were kicked out of the party, even helping to trash the place later on. It had pained her to think that she was throwing away the potential affection of the boys who'd previously crowded her, but they were getting too clingy, anyway.
"That's why you need ten boyfriends," Mai had said on the beach. Well, in Ty Lee's opinion, that was better than pining over someone who might never come back. Mai didn't have Ty Lee's natural beauty and charm, but she didn't have to wait around like an old maid before her time. Ty Lee just couldn't imagine keeping a guy at arm's length, especially when he started showering compliments.
I'm just a girl who can't say no,
Kissing's my favorite food.
With or without the mistletoe,
I'm in a holiday mood.
"All right, Ty Lee," said Mai that night as they were combing out their hair in the dressing room they shared. "I know the reason now, but do you really have to throw yourself at every boy you see?"
"I don't have to throw myself at them," Ty Lee protested. "They come to me."
"You know what I mean," Mai rolled her eyes exasperatedly.
"Oh, I just can't help it. I need their attention like I need food. Or like Azula needs to control everything. Besides, they're useful. And you have to admit, kissing is really nice."
Other girls are coy and hard to catch,
But other girls ain't having any fun!
Every time I lose a wrestling match,
I have a funny feeling that I won.
"Yes, it is," Mai conceded dreamily, allowing a rare smile to grace her lips. "But don't you think it's better with someone who's really special to you?"
"I wouldn't know," shrugged Ty Lee, going into her nightly series of stretches. "I haven't met someone like that yet. Honestly, Mai, you've been in love with Zuko since you were eight years old. Have you ever even considered trying someone else? Just to see what it was like?"
"No. What's the point, when I already know what I want? You're just flighty and undecided."
"Maybe, but I'm definitely having more fun." Certain that this ended the conversation, Ty Lee flounced off to bed.
Though I can feel the undertow,
I never make a complaint,
Till it's too late for restraint,
Then, when I want to, I "cain't,"
I can't say no!
--
Author's Note: You know, there are so many words to this song that it's actually kind of hard to come up with enough story around it. I wasn't sure it was going to turn out, but I think it's okay. Not great, but okay.
Review responses:
airnaruto45: That's okay. It's not required that you always request something.:)
Loupami: Thanks, so did I.
Wishing Only Wounds the Heart: Yeah, me too. It would be so fun to see them express the realization of their mutual feelings through a dialogue.
Vanille Strawberry: I'm really surprised the writers haven't taken opportunities to have Toph tease Katara and Aang about each other. It just seems like something she would do.
nutshak: As you know, I've already begun my Boiling Rock, and I'm glad you like my writing in general.
A. LaRosa: Thank you very much!
Magnumus: I know what you mean. One of the weaknesses I see in the show is that it tends to emphasize only one side of a relationship – Mai over Zuko, Aang over Katara, etc. We don't get as clear signals of how the other half feels.
trekker4life: You're not the only one (so you might not read this chapter either), but I can't write Kataang all the time without getting repetitive. I do hope you try my rewrite of The Boiling Rock, though. I have thought about "Stars" in a couple of contexts but haven't decided yet which to do. There's an awful lot of lyrics.
BlackRose108: That is funny that people were looking over your shoulder. Fans of mine or just curious about what you were reading? Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the last chapter. New episodes finally air in 13 days!
ilovekataang: I actually haven't seen The Lion King 2, and I don't know the song, but I will look into it to see if it would work for my other collection, when I ever get back to it. Liselle's Boiling Rock is occupying a lot of my time right now, plus the Harry Potter story I'm trying to wrap up.