Lie to Me Once
It wasn't that difficult to find a sulking Azula. Just follow the smoke and fire. That had always been Ty Lee's strategy and it hasn't failed her yet. It didn't fail her now. Azula was unpredictable at the best of times, let alone now when she seemed upset about something. So Ty Lee entered the princess's room slowly, her feet light just in case her friend thought she was being attacked.
Azula had her back turned, but she was taking up both sides of the bed, her hair flowing free behind her and the one arm stretched in front of her, fingers playing with the dancing blue flame.
When the bed dipped that's when the flame flickered, "I didn't give you the permission to enter, Ty Lee."
"How did you know it was me?"
"Because Zuko would have announced himself already and Mei would have sighed at me until I turned around." A thing that she hasn't done yet. "Speaking of, where are they?"
"Oh." Ty Lee clapped her hands together, "They told me to go on ahead. I think they wanted some alone time."
"Disgusting." She didn't try to suppress the shiver or the gagging sound.
Ty Lee sat on the bed and pushed a bit closer, "You think so? I think it's very romantic." She let out a sight that was entirely too long. When Azula did turn around to face her friend she was met with Ty Lee cupping her own cheeks and smiling to herself. "I think they would use some time together after all that."
"And so could I. So would you please just leave me alone? Don't you have any beach boys you could go order around?" Just like before, Azula used her cutting words. Only this time they didn't have the same effect, Ty Lee still frowned, her expression sad but not for herself. That sort of pitying look only made Azula angrier, the blue flames replaced by crackling lightning.
"That again? What happened with Chan that was so bad? Was he a jerk to you? A bad kisser?" It was hard to think anyone could hurt Azula. Other then Azula herself but Ty Lee was still one of her best friends. That title came with exclusive rights to be worried about the Fire Nation Princess.
"No. Maybe? How should I know? Do you think I remember such meaningless things?" Talking about feelings was a unique form of torture, unique to Azula that is.
"Probably not. But then what's got you so upset?" Ty Lee gasped and put her hands over her mouth as if they could stop the words coming out of her mouth, "Were you the bad kisser and he was a jerk about it?"
Azula's wide eyes turned to Ty Lee, pinning her down on the spot. She was quiet as she sat up. That was when Azula was at her scariest. "Are you insinuating that I was the one who was lacking? Compared to him?"
"Ah- no, no, of course not! You're an amazing kisser I'm sure. He was probably… scared of how cool and great and awesome you were!"
"You're a terrible liar, Ty Lee." Azula glanced a judging glance at the other girl who now felt very put on the spot. "I will agree that I probably scared him off. Heh, someone so easily intimidated isn't a good fit for me anyway. He's a coward."
Ty Lee saw that as her opportunity to appease the Princess, "Yeah, that's right! He should be lucky you even kissed him, and then he ditched you right after too, the jerk. I wouldn't have ran away." She put her hands on her hips, body and face beaming with pride. She failed to realize the weight of her statement. The silence between them dragged on for longer then was expected. Ty Lee looked at Azula again, only this time it was her blushing and surprised face she was met with. "Did I… say too much again?"
"I don't think you said enough." When the acrobat tilted her head in confusion Azula inched closer, grabbed her wrist and looked right into her eyes. "Are you saying," her other hand traveled up Ty Lee's hand and settled on her shoulder, "if I kissed you right now, you wouldn't run from me?"
The already hot atmosphere shifted to a different kind of heat, one that made both their hearts beat quicker and quicker. Ty Lee gulped as she tried work out what her friend was thinking. It was very likely that this was another joke, a test of some kind or an attempt at mockery. But it also left no room for the right answer. If she lied and said she didn't want this and runs then Azula would call her a coward too. If she pushed forward and kissed her then Azula would push her away for daring to think she was good enough to kiss someone like her.
Both were losing options.
But one leaves Ty Lee with a good memory. One that she wanted to have since before she left with the circus.
"I won't run." Won't. Like she was sure the kiss was coming. Azula was silent, but her hand moved over Ty Lee's clenched fist. "I promise I won't leave."
That promise struck a very lonely cord withing Azula. She chuckled, "Such a bad liar." Everyone always leaves. Both Ty Lee and Mei left her before, there was no reason to think they wouldn't do it again. It hurt the first time and Azula learned to never let it hurt again. "But…" Slowly she interlocked their fingers together and inched closer, her eyes locked on Ty Lee's lips, "I'll let you lie to me this one time."
She'll allow the lie, only as long as it's from lips so soft. She'll even lie to her self and believe it.