A couple of weeks had passed since Ty Lee became Zuko's royal guard. Things had settled down after the odd incident with the Firelord. Life had fallen into a routine: standing guard during his paperwork sessions and escorting him back to his chambers at day's end. Ty Lee found comfort in this mundane but uneventful life and didn't mind it at all.
Oddly enough, she found herself cherishing her time with the Firelord more than ever. Simply being beside him brought her comfort, and she often caught herself gazing at him for long stretches, a curious fluttering sensation in her stomach, akin to butterflies.
At times, her gaze would linger on his face, and she'd fleetingly imagine the dark-haired boy drawing near, causing her to swoon slightly. Then, she'd shake her head, She mentally repeated, "Remember, Ty Lee, this is Zuko!" He was supposedly Mai's fiancé... though she wasn't entirely certain. It had been months since she'd seen her friend, Mai. They exchanged occasional letters, but if they were as close as she believed, wouldn't Mai have mentioned ending things with Zuko? Strangely, neither Zuko nor Mai hinted at any breakup in their communications.
It would seem one particular kyoshi warrior has also noticed the change in her, she would catch her absent mindedly trail behind Zuko, It had been subtle at first, the dreamy sighs, the lingering glances, the stumbles that conveniently brought Ty Lee within brushing distance of the Firelord. But even with Ty Lee's usual sunny disposition, Suki couldn't miss the signs her friend was smitten.
"Are you sure you don't want to swap shifts with the other sisters?" Suki inquired.
"Nope! I'm perfectly happy right where I am," Ty Lee cheerfully responded to her friend.
"Are you really sure, Ty Lee? This isn't like you. I mean, aren't you getting a bit bored just watching Zuko do nothing all day?" Suki asked, checking to see if her friend might have a temperature or be feeling unwell.
"Really, I am! Besides, someone's gotta keep the Firelord from getting papercuts from all those scrolls," she says in a completely carefree manner
Suki raised an eyebrow, her expression teasing yet knowing. "Papercuts, huh? Sounds thrilling. You sure there isn't another reason you're so keen on this 'boring' assignment?"
Ty Lee's cheeks flushed a faint pink. "What other reason could there be? It's not like Zuko's throwing firebending demonstrations in his office." She tried to laugh it off, but the sound came out a tad forced.
Suki leaned closer, her eyes twinkling. "Maybe not firebending, but there might be other kinds of sparks flying in there, hm, Ty Lee?"
Ty Lee's heart hammered in her chest. She opened her mouth to deny it, but the words caught in her throat. Could Suki really see through her?
Before they could resume their conversation, a man from the palace approached them, informing them of a letter for the Firelord.
A scroll arrived, adorned with the familiar blue emblem of the Water Tribe.
"The water tribe? could it be from Sokka?" Suki beamed up her eyes reflecting her longing for her long distance boyfriend
The two girls quickly entered the hall where Zuko sat, Suki approached him with the scroll on her hand and informed him of its bringing.
Zuko unfolded it, his brow furrowing as he read. Ty Lee, always curious, peered over his shoulder.
"It's a request from Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, a one month long stint in the Southern Water Tribe"
Ty Lee's heart skipped a beat. "Really? That's..." She hesitated, searching for the right words. "That's incredible, Zuko! It's a chance to demonstrate your commitment to peace, to building bridges."
"The chief, huh?" Suki mused, a sly smile playing on her lips. "Maybe I'll pass"
Ty Lee bounced excitedly, clapping her hands together. "Oh come on, Suki, you have to go! Sokka is probably there Plus, imagine Zuko trying to navigate all that snow without getting frostbite in his..."
Ty Lee's teasing trailed off as Zuko shot her a mock glare. Suki, meanwhile, knew all too well that seeing Sokka was her long long anticipation, a free trip to see her lover while also remaining in her post "Maybe I'll consider it, Ty Lee. After all, someone needs to make sure the Firelord doesn't get lost in the frozen wasteland."
Zuko grumbled under his breath and let out a small sigh, as he looked back at his mountain of paperwork.
"We don't have to bring those with us," Ty Lee playfully said, peering over his shoulder at the towering stacks.
Zuko scoffed. "Easy for you to say, you don't have a kingdom's worth of decrees and trade agreements weighing you down." He gestured vaguely at the scrolls, his shoulders slumping slightly
"Look, Zuko, you've been working yourself to the bone. This trip to the South Pole is supposed to be about traveling, not paperwork. Leave the scrolls behind and let's have some fun!
The next morning, the Kyoshi Warrior barracks buzzed with excitement. While they wouldn't be soaring on fluffy bison backs, Zuko's fleet of sleek, metal ships shimmered under the rising sun, ready to whisk them away to the South Pole.
Ty Lee bounced beside Suki, practically vibrating with anticipation. "Finally! No more paperwork prisons, just endless skies and frozen adventures!"
Zuko frowned slightly. "ships are no bison, Ty Lee. It's much slower and We'll need to be prepared for anything the South Pole throws at us."
"Relax, Zuko. We've got Kyoshi Warriors and Fire Lord technology on our side. What could possibly go wrong?" Suki added.
In fact, everything is about to go wrong, 3 am on a Monday the third day they've been out at sea since Caldera, the hull of the ship screeched into a slow hum as they slowed down, they have been docking Kyoshi Island for refueling.
Ty Lee awoke abruptly, the steady hum of the engine replaced by the unsettling stillness of a docked ship. She stumbled out of her cramped cabin, glancing down the dimly lit corridor to witness Kyoshi scenic hills outlined against the pre-dawn sky.
"What...?" she mumbled, rubbing her drowsy eyes. "Are we making a pit stop at 3 am? Did someone misplace a sock in the Earth Kingdom Sea?"
A muffled noise from down the hall caught her attention. Zuko, still clad in regal attire, emerged from his quarters, his hair had been roughed up and his expression a hint of surprise
"Z-zuko?" she stammered, her heart skipping a beat as the dimly lit corridor illuminated his handsome face. "What's going on? Why are we in Kyoshi at 3 am?"
Zuko's eyes darted around the corridor, his voice low and urgent. "Refueling issues. Unexpected detour."
Ty Lee wasn't convinced. "Is that all?" she pressed, her Kyoshi Warrior instincts tingling. "What's really going on?"
Zuko hesitated, his gaze flickering to the shadows beyond the corridor. " Be ready for anything." With that, he walked into the dark, leaving Ty Lee with a pounding heart and a head full of questions.
"W-wait Zuko don't go alone!" She called out to him, her bare feet slapping against the metallic floorboard of the ship, she did not care for appearances rushing towards the direction he was headed clad in only her chemise.
He looked her up and down deciding she was not fit to join him he says, "not like that I hope not" a faint blush evident on his face
The girl stammered looking at her current attire feeling a tad bit more embarassed but before she could utter a word he took off his robe and offered it to her
Ty Lee hesitates, cheeks flushing under Zuko's gaze. "I, uh, thanks, Zuko. But are you sure? It's your robe..."
"You're gonna get cold" he says awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck then stretched out his hands
As Zuko offers the robe, a muffled conversation drifts from the direction he's heading. He pulls Ty Lee closer, his voice low. "We might have a traitor among us"
Two Fire Nation guards surveyed the area. One mentioned, "Find the Fire Lord, end him," causing Ty Lee to gasp. Zuko hurriedly covered her mouth to prevent being discovered.
It felt like an eternity before the guards disappeared into the distance, and Zuko finally released her. But Ty Lee couldn't shake off the proximity between them; her heart thundered like drums, and her legs felt as heavy as sacks of eels.
"Z-Zuko," she stammered, pulling his attention. He was leaning in close, seemingly unaware of their proximity. Meanwhile, she relished every second of their contact, nearly on the verge of squealing with delight until he finally realized. Wide-eyed, he quickly let go, murmuring, "Sorry."
"I wasn't going to scream or anything silly," she chuckled, attempting to conceal the flutter of butterflies swirling in her stomach.
Zuko remained silent but turned around to check for any others. Ty Lee let out a puzzled 'huh' as the dark-haired boy grimly remarked, "They're from The New Ozai Society."
"The New Ozai Society?" She questioned (Not canon with the comics this is my own take )
"They've been trying to dethrone me" he tells her a hint of hesitation also in his voice
Suddenly she remembers the reason why Mai had hired them in the first place, to protect Zuko from these recent attacks that threatens his succession, maybe it isn't a good idea to leave Caldera, after all they could turn against them and set Azula loose. she shivered at the thought, in truth even after her capture she still feared her, she feared Azula as much as before.
They continued walking toward the village, shadows and the softly illuminated path guiding their way.
Zuko and Ty Lee huddled in the shadows as a hushed whisper drifted on the wind. "Did you hear? They say Azula's free again. Fire Nation guards are scouring the capital."
A gasp escaped Ty Lee as if she had spoken her fear into existence. Her head snapped towards Zuko, the gasp escaping on a sharp exhale. Zuko stood frozen, his amber eyes reflecting the shock. They remained there for a while until...
Zuko redirected to walk back towards the ship, ty lee confused went ahead in front of him "Why are you going back?" he quickly says in a haste
"I have to go back to Caldera, my sister being on the run is not good, she can be devastating... I'm sure you're aware of that"