The latent tension at the breakfast table overwhelmed Ty Lee, but it seemed she was the only one who sensed it at all. She sat beside Jin, chatting on occasion with her, but she kept glancing at the other side of the long table: Azula and Sokka were at the farthermost seats, again with Tiang, while Haru was closer to the center, talking with Song, Rui Shi and Myeung. At times Ty Lee thought she saw worried expressions on his face, but she was the only one to notice them too, apparently. Perhaps it was just her imagination, after all.
She had never dealt well with change, and suddenly it felt like change was imminent. Azula had genuinely wanted to help, but Ty Lee's insecurities had led her to rejecting her friend, outright. Azula had never been the kind of person who would sit by and endure that sort of treatment, and now Ty Lee dreaded she would be facing the coldest shoulder she had ever received. Had their friendship been destroyed with that single argument? The thought sent chills down her spine; she suppressed a shudder. It wasn't like she hadn't lost friends before but losing either Azula or Mai had never crossed her mind, not even when Azula had been at her most heartless, or when Mai had been at her most insufferably bleak.
And it wasn't only the possibility of losing them, but Haru, as well… she had as good as given up on him already, and now she risked losing more than she had ever bargained for. It was as though she had made a steep bet while lacking the money to back it up. She had never thought personal relationships would work the same way gambling did…
"Ty Lee? Are you okay?" Jin called her. Ty Lee raised her head and smiled at her.
"Y-yeah, just… a little nervous about the fight. But that's just typical of me, really," she laughed things off, hoping Jin wouldn't be perceptive enough to see through her. Or that, if she was, she'd understand Ty Lee didn't feel up to sharing her innermost thoughts right now.
"Oh, I'm sure you'll do well, you just have to relax!" said Jin, smiling encouragingly before turning to speak to a staff member who had approached her.
Ty Lee was grateful for the interruption and spared another glance down the table. Watching Azula and Haru acting as casually as they did, never turning to look at her, or acknowledge her, felt like being stabbed repeatedly in the lower belly.
The feeling grew more unpleasant once the meal was over. She had to talk to them by then, there was no other choice, even though she would probably get the silent treatment once she tried. She gritted her teeth, approaching Sokka and Azula first, as Sokka stretched while the pair walked down the Palace's corridors.
"You ought to have time to do that once we're in the Arena, don't you think?" Azula said. Sokka snickered.
"Is it that awkward to have a muscular man flexing beside you, Princess? What a prude…" he teased. Azula huffed.
"It's not the muscles or the flexing, rather, it's the awful stench of your sweat once you start working out," she declared, with a proud smirk. Sokka yelped, indignant.
"Oh, please! You've never complained about it before!"
"That doesn't mean you don't stink when you get sweaty, sorry to say…"
"U-uh… Azula?"
Interrupting their banter surely was the worst way to do this, but she only realized that once Azula was turning on her heels to look at her. Sokka as well froze, an arm outstretched across his chest, with his other hand serving as support for it. Well, it was too late for regrets now, wasn't it? Ty Lee swallowed hard and smiled weakly.
"I was just wondering, well, when we'd be taking off for the fight?" Ty Lee said, softly.
Azula's eyes narrowed, and Ty Lee only felt a stronger urge to flee from her. No doubt Azula had to be judging her quite harshly right now…
"We'll be going once Sokka gathers his weapons, I suppose," said Azula, glancing quickly at Sokka, who gave her a nervous grin, and with that, Azula turned towards Ty Lee again. "Fetch Haru and we'll be on our way."
"Okay. Alright. I'll meet you at the entrance, then," Ty Lee said, finally breathing again after Azula had answered her without saying anything particularly harmful.
"Fine," said Azula, simply. Ty Lee gritted her teeth and turned around, walking away and back to the dining area when Azula called out to her again. "Say, Ty Lee…"
She froze, unsure whether to anticipate something good or bad from what Azula was going to say next. Strangely, though, she rather wanted to hear whatever it was.
She was surprised when Azula offered her a weak smile.
"You should work on that aura. That kind of nasty color doesn't suit you anywhere as well as it suits Mai or me."
Ty Lee's eyes widened, but she smiled as well, now in disbelief.
"Since when can you see auras? Since when do you believe in them, for starters?"
"Oh, I don't see them nor do I believe in them, but I thought it was about time you were at the other end of this conversation…" Azula smirked, with a shrug.
Ty Lee laughed as Azula walked away with Sokka. A huge weight seemed to fall from the girl's shoulders: at least Azula wasn't too antagonistic towards her. Even though she had messed up as she had, the Princess seemed to think their friendship was still worth preserving. That seemed rather unusual, considering how merciless Azula had always been… but Ty Lee had clearly underestimated how much her friend had changed and grown over the last few years. Despite not feeling like taking back her words from the previous day, now she felt she had to. As much as she hated to admit it, Azula was, most likely, right about everything.
The chi-blocker took off with her head held a little higher than before. Sokka glanced over his shoulder at Ty Lee until she was out of sight, and once she was, he turned to Azula again. The light frown on her face spoke loud and clear about how awkward this situation was for her.
"I'm surprised you were that nice to her, in spite of it all," said Sokka. Azula huffed.
"Making fun of someone's misery is hardly nice," she said. "But I guess I don't want to be more trouble for her, regardless of everything. It was my mistake for getting involved when she, perhaps, didn't want to be helped at all. So why should I act resentful, when I'm the one at fault for poking my nose into her business? Besides, it would only add to what she's already suffering over, and she doesn't need another reason to suffer as it is."
"You're beautiful," Sokka blurted out. Azula blushed and glared at him, and he smiled weakly. "Well, now, you are whether you want to admit it or not. You're still watching out for her however you can, regardless of your argument. That's something to admire, I'd say."
"It's hardly that big a deal. I haven't always been a good friend," Azula mumbled. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "Sokka, you have a ridiculously favorable view of me, you don't even know half of it…"
"Maybe I don't, but you've never felt like that much of a bad friend to me. I've always assumed you and Ty Lee are just too different to get along perfectly," he chuckled, as they reached his room.
Azula stepped inside after him, but only once she had confirmed there was no one nearby. She was vigilant, hoping to avoid being caught by any eavesdroppers if Sokka said anything incriminating, as he had barely moments earlier. She left the door open, expecting Sokka would know better than to do anything too risky if his room was accessible to anyone who simply walked near it.
"You'd think that's all there is to it, but… as a kid I was quite prone to jealousy over pointless things," said Azula, sighing. "If Ty Lee was ever better at anything than me, I'd sabotage her and laugh in her face about it. Then she'd either cry for hours or get mad and forget about it briefly afterwards. I suppose as we grew older I started to take her reactions more seriously, but at the time I didn't care in the slightest about how she felt."
"You were such a troublemaker," Sokka chuckled, fitting his armor around his body before tying up the sash of his waistcloth. "I'm sorry, though, I just have a hard time taking seriously your behavior from when you were a five-year-old."
"Oh, you would, wouldn't you?" Azula huffed, still blushing a little before stepping forward to help him with his armguards. "Back when I first met Chan? Just moments before she gave me the most unhelpful advice on how to flirt with boys I pretty much, uh… called her a slut in a roundabout way. And of course, she broke into tears immediately. I apologized, of course… still, I have no idea how she forgives me as quickly as she always does."
"Well, that explains why you're letting this go without making a big fuss," said Sokka. Azula's eyes widened. "You're pretty much returning the favor. She didn't make you work too hard for forgiveness, so you won't make her do it either."
"I… guess that's a roundabout way of looking at it," said Azula, with a frown. Sokka chuckled, his hand cupping hers over the fastening of his armguards.
"Don't overthink it, then," he said. "Just let things run their course by now, unless Ty Lee outright comes begging for your help. You did your best for as long as you could, so you can leave everything in the past now."
"I suppose I can," said Azula, groaning and shaking her head. "I'll be happy when all this is over, though. Things are always better when it's just you and me."
"Couldn't agree more," Sokka smirked, his hand rising to cup her cheek, but his fingertips only brushed her face softly before he drew his hand away again.
He moved to the door, and Azula's chest hurt now with the urge to kiss her lover. They had behaved themselves far too much these days: he hadn't snuck into her room, and she hadn't snuck into his either. Surely they deserved a break, didn't they…?
She took to reliving many of their heated moments together as she walked beside him to the entrance, where Ty Lee should be waiting. It was the best she could do while holding out for as long as she had to. A kiss would be enough to boost her poor spirits, if nothing else, but even that was off the table right now…
Ty Lee and Haru weren't there yet, though, and Sokka scratched his head as he glanced around himself, looking for them. Azula sighed, trying to stop her wild mind now. Being alone with Sokka, if just for a short time, wasn't a good idea if they couldn't have proper privacy, and they hadn't had that for well over a day now. But maybe they could sneak around safely amid those bushes, or behind the building that Tiang had set up for Xin Long, or…
She huffed, and Sokka raised a confused eyebrow. She grimaced.
"Never mind. I'm just… never mind," she said. He smiled a little.
"Still worried about Ty Lee, or…?"
"Not at all," Azula answered truthfully. Sokka whistled.
"Then…?"
"Didn't I just say never mind?" Azula growled. He chuckled.
"Are you thinking you'd like to stuff your face with mochi, perhaps?" he asked, earning himself a glare from her. "Or that you would have rather slept in, if Ty Lee and Haru would be this late?"
"Or that I miss something I've been deprived of for a few days, when I should show better self-restraint than this," Azula declared, with a dry grin. Sokka bit his lip and smirked cockily.
"Huh. Is that s-…?"
"You see, I just always miss the Barge so much when we reach our destinations," she sighed dramatically. Sokka's eyes widened. "I do love that design, and it's virtually a second home to me now…"
"Oh. That's what you were talking about?" he said, with a skeptical grimace. Azula's bad mood lifted easily as she relished in his reaction.
Before long they were laughing next to each other, indulging in the little intimacy a shared laugh could bring. It would have to keep them sated for now, while they waited impatiently for the chance to be together without any hindrances in the way…
The sound of light footsteps reached them as they laughed. Both Azula and Sokka turned towards their partners, finding both Haru and Ty Lee were keeping some distance from each other: they stared at them as though even watching them laugh together was a painful reminder of all that was failing between them. The smiles on Sokka and Azula's faces waned, even though both Ty Lee and Haru tried to grin encouragingly at them.
"Ah, there you are," said Azula, figuring it was best to skip any pleasantries. "Alright then, shall we?"
"Yeah, let's go," Ty Lee said, smiling still and nodding encouragingly.
Azula and Sokka led the walk towards the Green Gates. They spoke casually, commenting on their experiences in the city as soon as they stepped outside the Palace. All the while, Ty Lee and Haru remained silent, listening to their conversation, unable to hold one of their own.
"Seriously, though, I think making you ride that train was one of the most hilarious things I did on that first trip…" Sokka said, smirking. Azula huffed.
"Must have been fun watching me despair, huh?"
"Come on, catching you because you were going to fall inside the train? It was priceless!" Sokka laughed. Azula shoved him lightly.
"I ought to laugh at how you cracked your head open when we crashed through that Palace roof the next time we visited this city. Ahaha, it was so priceless to watch as you remained unresponsive amid the debris!"
"Was it that priceless, really? Sounds to me like you were anguished instead," Sokka teased. Azula scowled. "Come on, lighten up, Princess…"
"Oh, fine, I'll lighten up. I'll just look for Jet again, he might have visited this city again, and once I do…"
"What the…? Hey!"
"Ah, revenge is sweet…" Azula sighed happily. Sokka pouted as Ty Lee finally had the courage to ask a question:
"Jet? Who's that?"
"Oh, he's this unbelievably handsome guy with this terrible moral compass," said Azula, smirking over her shoulder at Ty Lee. "You know, the kind of irresistible blend for women of fine taste like ourselves…"
Ty Lee snorted and laughed, not so much at Azula's words but at Sokka's furious pout. Azula smirked again at him, guessing she was going for some very low blows by bringing up Jet, but Sokka certainly had been teasing her too much to expect no retaliation. Haru's eyes shifted between both the Princess and Ty Lee, though, wondering if they meant those words. He thought his moral compass was alright, at least… which might explain why Ty Lee was so disinterested in him lately.
The thought did nothing for his already poor spirits. He couldn't help but want the fight to be over already, so he could at least return to the Palace and be by himself or talk to Rui Shi and Song for a while. They seemed to be the only people he could get along with these days.
The mood improved between the other three, as Ty Lee joined in to tease Sokka somewhat, and he responded with his trademark silly indignation. But Haru kept his silence and his distance, and he was prepared to continue doing as much once they arrived in the Green Gates.
"As you both can see, they're very literal here in Ba Sing Se," Azula said, with a dry grin, as she gestured at the twin green doors that would lead them inside the building. "They named it the impenetrable city back when the name still suited it, and the Green Gates are called that way because…"
"Of their green gates," Ty Lee finished, with a giggle. "It's pretty silly."
"It's men's taste in name, surely," Azula smirked, looking at Sokka teasingly. He returned the stare, with disbelief. "I'm sure Sokka thinks they're perfectly nice names, right?"
"W-well, I've never heard you complain about Fire Fountain City! I mean, wow, that's really creative, let's name a city after a ridiculous fire spewing monument!" he said, rolling his eyes.
"Now, now, that's just one Fire Nation example…"
"Oh, I'm sure there's a lot more of those, Princess," Sokka hissed. Azula only laughed again as the group climbed the stairs to the doors.
"Do your best to find them, then. In any case, Ty Lee, Haru, welcome to the Green Gates."
Sokka pushed one door open and Haru moved fast to push the other one. The earthbender was wide-eyed by now, taking in the traditional Earth Kingdom building with amazement. Enough years had passed by now, and Ba Sing Se could have been heavily influenced by the Fire Nation by then, as many cities were… but even a building like an Arena, something completely new and posterior to the conquest of the city, looked like an Earth Kingdom location entirely. It was refreshing, although conflicting: was he supposed to be happy for the preservation of their architecture and traditions, when their identities, dignity and freedom had been stolen from them so callously?
Haru only tightened his fists and followed the others into the vestibule, where they were informed about who their rivals would be at the sponsors' counter. Their fight was schedule to begin shortly after the current one ended, and sure enough, they only had to wait a couple of minutes in the vestibule before it was over.
"Well, then, shall we get going?" said Ty Lee, moving towards the stairs that led up to the balconies.
But Azula didn't follow her. She spared a glance at Sokka, who was moving with Haru towards the stairs that would take them down to the stand-by rooms instead. The Blue Wolf offered her a weak grin before shrugging and leading Haru downstairs. Azula's chest tightened, but after hesitating for a moment, she took a step forward…
"I'm sorry, Ty Lee. I'll be up there before you know it," she said, moving towards the downwards stairs. Ty Lee's eyes widened.
"Azula…?"
"Go to the sponsors' balcony, I'll catch up with you," Azula said, speeding her way down, leaving her old friend behind.
Sokka and Haru had reached the stand-by room quickly: the Blue Wolf had been about to give Haru a pep talk, planning to avoid the topic of his rift with Ty Lee, when Azula's footsteps reached his ears. He turned towards the entrance archway, eyes wide, and shortly afterwards his Princess stood at the threshold, slightly unsure of herself, but determined to be there.
"I didn't get to tell you anything about your opponents, did I?" she said. Sokka's eyes widened.
"W-well, no, but I figured you didn't know anything," he said. "You didn't have any information about my opponents from the last tournament…"
"That's only because we joined too late for me to ask Shoji beforehand," Azula said, with a weak grin. "He didn't know all the gladiators who'd join, but he had some knowledge about the two you'll be fighting right now. I suspect you remember the Lady of Laogai?"
"How to forget?" Sokka said, eyes wide. Azula smiled a little. "I suppose this is the day I take my revenge for that defeat from ages ago, huh?"
"Please make it so," she said. "She's still a formidable earthbender, so don't take her lightly."
"Wouldn't dream of it," said Sokka, nodding.
"The other is the Ruthless Hero, a firebender who also is quite proficient at fighting without using his bending," said Azula. Sokka frowned. "He's been trained in non-bending arts, as well as bending ones. He's unpredictable, and he must be rather strong since he has a perpetual victory streak…"
"He does?" Sokka asked, eyes wide. "That guy has never lost a fight, at this level in the ranking?"
"That's right. You can make this his first loss, though. You've broken perfect records before," Azula said, with a small smile. "Anyways, I guess that's… that's all. Good luck, both of you."
"Thank you," said Haru, with a weak grin.
He had been surprised to find Azula had followed them, but he had heard a few things about the Princess's habit to walk to the stand-by room with Sokka. He hadn't thought it'd be for such practical reasons, but her advice and information might just help them once they were fighting.
Sokka didn't respond to her wish for luck, holding her gaze wistfully as she turned to leave. But Haru could tell he was aching to jump forward and…
And there it was: Sokka reached out to clasp Azula's wrist and he pulled her closer to him. Haru smiled and shook his head while staring at his own boots instead, waiting as Azula and Sokka unleashed their pent-up passion in a wild kiss. His mouth was stained by her lipstick by the time they finally parted, and Azula smiled as she brushed his lips with her thumb. Sokka smiled warmly at her, hands on her hips.
"Sorry. I just needed that," he said, with a soft chuckle. Azula smiled warmly.
"So did I, don't apologize for it. Do your best out there, Sokka," she said, embracing him tightly.
He hugged her as well, breathing her in until she finally moved away. The Princess smiled as she pulled out her portable makeup set, having anticipated this would happen, and she stood by the archway as she fixed her appearance again. Sokka smiled, sighing happily at the joyful feeling he always experienced after they kissed, especially if they had spent two days in each other's company without doing it at all.
Azula finally walked away, sparing one last proud smile towards Sokka before taking off, back to the stairs. But she found someone smirking at her barely a few steps away from the archway, her long braid moving as she shook her head in disbelief.
"Here I thought you were being so professional," Ty Lee said. Azula tried not to blush, but it was in vain, as it often was when it came to Sokka. "I suppose you wanted both to give them information and kiss him?"
"What's so wrong with that?" Azula nearly pouted. Ty Lee laughed.
"You're cute. Both of you," she assessed, with a happy grin. Azula merely grunted softly in acknowledgement of her words.
Halfway to the sponsors' balcony, after walking past the hallways packed with large masses of people trying to find seats within the Arena's stands, Ty Lee finally spoke again. The determined, serious tone of her friend's voice took Azula by surprise.
"I'm sorry, Azula," she whispered. The Princess held her silence. "For… everything. I said a lot of things I shouldn't have. I'm… scared of change, I always have been. But you're right, you always were. I need to talk to Haru, and I will today, after this fight. If he doesn't want to fight for me anymore, I'll let him go free…"
"You'll… what?" said Azula, eyes wide. Ty Lee breathed out and shrugged.
"I… may like him more than I ever wanted to acknowledge," she said. "But in the end, what matters most is that he's happy. You'd know how it feels, right? I mean… you've done things of the sort for Sokka too."
"Not to the extent of giving him his freedom if he wants it…" said Azula. Ty Lee huffed.
"He's as good as free as it is," she said. Azula's eyes narrowed. "He gets to be bold and insolent towards the Fire Lord and doesn't even get a slap in the wrist for it, he lives in his own house without having to clean and cook for himself, he eats three meals a day, he's virtually free to do whatever he wants and… and he chooses to be with you, while having that much freedom. So, maybe you didn't sign some paper to liberate him, but you've definitely set him free in most ways that matter."
"I guess that's one way of looking at it," said Azula, as they stopped at the door to the sponsors' balcony. "Then… you'll talk to Haru? And give him the chance to choose another life for himself if he wants it?"
Ty Lee sighed and shrugged, opening the door. The other sponsors had yet to arrive.
"It's only right. It's only fair," she said, with a weak smile. "And it's about time I accept that some good things come to an end. So… if this is the end for me and Haru, at least I made the most of it while it lasted."
"I'm sorry things have reached this point," Azula said, gritting her teeth and shaking her head. "You deserve to be happy too, you know. Just as much as Haru does."
"I'm lucky that the shape of my happiness changes a lot, then," said Ty Lee, with a soft giggle. "Maybe I'll find my way to some other source of happiness soon. Hopefully, anyways."
Azula nodded, but placed her hand on Ty Lee's shoulder in what she hoped would translate as a comforting gesture. Ty Lee smiled up at her, though the grin lacked sincerity. This situation had devastated her, Azula realized, more than her typical flings did. More than anything had ever since the debacle with her family and her social standing.
Ty Lee was unusually quiet and thoughtful when taking her seat beside Azula. The Princess couldn't help but think Haru had rubbed off on her a lot, seeing as she wasn't renowned for being the silent and thoughtful type. Had Ty Lee affected Haru remotely as much as he had affected her…?
Sokka had bit his lip and turned towards Haru slowly after Azula had left. He had wiped his mouth again with his hand, hoping there would be no residue left to serve as evidence for their subtle crime. Haru smiled weakly at him, as Sokka scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry if that made you uncomfortable," he said. "I know I shouldn't have, well…"
"No need to apologize," said Haru, with a sad smile. "It's a good thing that one of us gets to have… gets to have what he wants, just like that. I'm really happy for you…"
Sokka grimaced as Haru turned his face away. Had those been tears in the corners of his eyes?
"Woah, woah, wait, what do you mean one of us gets what they want?" Sokka asked, moving towards Haru, who sighed and rubbed at his eyes with his fingertips. "Haru…"
"You know what I mean," he said, shaking his head. "You've seen what everything is like these days. I'll be lucky if she doesn't kick me out right after we're done with the Tournament…"
"She's not going to…!" Sokka said, eyes wide, but he shook his head and leveled Haru with a firm glare. "Look here, Haru, Ty Lee is doing the classic relationship mistake of overanalyzing whatever's wrong in your partnership to the extreme where she's sure you don't even want her anymore, which has led you to think that she's the one who doesn't…!"
"What?!" Haru exclaimed, looking at Sokka in disbelief. "Why would she think that?"
"I don't know, maybe it's because of me and Azula, but that's not the point," said Sokka, dropping his hands in a gesture of exasperation. "Haru, if you want to be with Ty Lee, tell her that already before she does something stupid that you'll both regret. Really, that's all this is about! You just have to…!"
"But… are you sure that's all there is to it?" Haru asked, frowning. "I mean, if she thought I didn't want her… maybe it's because she doesn't want me to like her anymore. I mean, think about it. She could have just about any guy in the world, and yet she's with me? That's just…"
"It's the same thing I ask myself all the time when it comes to Azula," Sokka said, curtly. "Yeah, I have no idea what she sees in me, but she sees something indeed and being with me has made her happy, as far as I can tell. And you and Ty Lee were happy, too, so…!"
"We were, but…" Haru groaned, grimacing. "I… always felt like I'm so easily replaceable. Like it could be any other guy if it wasn't me…"
"I've felt that way too!"
"Well, in your case that's ridiculous!" Haru growled. "You're… look at you! You've done so much for the Princess, when have I ever done anything comparable for Ty Lee?"
"That's only because she's not a magnet for chaos like Azula can be," Sokka said. "Ty Lee likes trouble, but not real trouble, just silly things that are still easy to keep tabs on. Azula is… it's entirely different, Haru, really! You're always taking care of Ty Lee and you can cook for her and be as good as a husband to her, and that's well beyond what I can do for Azula!"
"W-well… I've never felt like I'm her husband," Haru said, lowering his gaze. "I just… I always thought I was temporary. A whim, at least when it came to romance. She'd meet a better guy eventually, and then I'd be a goner. I never wanted to get too invested because…"
"Because then you'd get hurt, huh?" said Sokka, with a twitching eyebrow. "Well, I can't say I don't sympathize, but still, Haru…"
"What? You're going to say I have a chance?" Haru asked, skeptical. Sokka looked at him matter-of-factly.
"Ty Lee has been in shambles for at least a month now because she thinks you don't want her," said Sokka. "And she's outright said as much, both to me and Azula. The problem is you two are even worse at communicating than me and Azula could ever be, looks like, and that's easier said than done."
"I just… I mean, I…" said Haru, glancing at his feet with uncertainty. "Do you really think she still wants me at all, then?"
"Funny thing is, what Ty Lee wants is to know that you want her," said Sokka, with a shrug. "So instead of asking me if she wants you, maybe you should ask yourself if…"
A creaking sound reached their ears: the doors that led to the sand ring were swinging open. Sokka grimaced, having nearly forgotten they were about to head into a fight. He swallowed hard as Haru sighed and stepped into the sand pit, his shoulders slouched, and his head dipped down. Sokka moved to keep up with him, clapping his partner on his back in a hopeless attempt to encourage him.
The Green Gates erupted in cheers, not only from those who rooted for Sokka, but from those who supported the Lady of Laogai too. She had been rather popular back when Sokka had initially fought her, Azula remembered as much. It was rather satisfactory to find that, where most the crowd had supported her back during that first fight, half the Arena seemed to be rooting for Sokka and Haru this time.
But Sokka, to Azula's surprise, seemed utterly unaware of that. He remained engrossed in a conversation with Haru, to the point where he hadn't even acknowledged their opponents. The Lady of Laogai was still as dignified as the first time they had fought her, with her dark hair held up in an ornate hairstyle, and a lavish outfit that would fit in seamlessly among the nobles from the Upper Ring. Her partner looked equally regal, but his attire was stylized in Fire Nation fashion instead. He wore a golden headband that seemed to cover most his hair, giving him the uncanny appearance of a gold-haired man.
The Lady of Laogai and the Ruthless Hero were talking as well, but the Lady of Laogai seemed much more aware of her surroundings than any of the men in the ring. Ty Lee giggled suddenly beside Azula, and the Princess raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?" she asked. Ty Lee gestured towards the Ruthless Hero with a mischievous smile.
"Just that he's flirting with her," she said. "You can see it from his body language."
"Imagine that, flirting in the middle of a serious fight like this… if he's underestimating Sokka and Haru that much, he's bound to lose his victory streak," Azula said, with a skeptical scoff. The Ruthless Hero and the Lady of Laogai's sponsors seemed to glare at Azula upon hearing her say that, but she ignored them.
But while the Ruthless Hero was casually distracted, Sokka outright wasn't paying attention to the fight, not in the slightest. He walked alongside Haru towards the center of the Arena and he kept rambling about how Haru ought to handle his current predicament, while even ignoring the voice pouring out through the bullhorn, loud enough to dwarf the sounds of cheers in the crowd.
"… I'm telling you, Haru, you just have to talk about things with her and once you do, all will be fixed!"
"Life doesn't always work out that way, Sokka," Haru nearly pouted, looking at his friend skeptically.
"… A repeating champion has joined us today! Please welcome the Blue Wolf with your loudest cheers!" the announcer cried out, and indeed, loud cheers were heard all through the stands. Sokka didn't seem to notice them in the least, though.
"Look, maybe it won't be the best-case scenario, but at least you'll know what's actually going on. Isn't that better than this, whatever this is?" Sokka said, gesturing at Haru as the earthbender stopped at the precise spot they were supposed to stand at.
By now, both the Ruthless Hero and the Lady of Laogai were glaring at them, either threateningly or questioningly, but Sokka didn't notice them yet. He sighed at Haru's unresponsiveness before placing a hand on his shoulder.
"For now, let's just focus on the fight, okay?" he said. "The better we perform, the happier they'll be. If we win, maybe Ty Lee won't ditch you because you're too good a gladiator to discard you, see?"
"Oh, if you win?" the Ruthless Hero cut in, smirking. "You're awfully cocky, aren't you, Blue Wolf?"
"Did that sound cocky?" Sokka said, finally acknowledging the Ruthless Hero with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, it would've been cocky if I'd said 'after we win', but if you're offended by that much already…"
"Of course I'm offended. Do you realize who you're talking to?" the Ruthless Hero asked, his eyes widening as he lifted a threatening fist at Sokka.
"Eh, the snobbier people are, the easier it is to offend them over nothing" Sokka said, swatting a hand towards him before returning to Haru. "You're okay, then? You can do this?"
"Like I have a choice," said Haru, with a shrug. Sokka sighed but pulled away, taking a few steps from Haru and glancing quickly at the sponsors' balcony while the bullhorn man kept rambling, still without announcing the beginning of the fight.
It wasn't easy to see Azula's expression from below, as this balcony was higher in the building than the one in the Grand Royal Dome. But Sokka figured she was confused about what was happening anyways, considering seemed to have her body slightly bent forward, as though observing them with concern.
So he smiled and lifted his thumb in her direction, hoping to reassure her somewhat. He would do his best, and Haru would surely work hard as well, once the fight started. There was no doubt in Sokka's mind that…
"Ooh?! What is this confident gesture?!"
This time Sokka did hear the fight's narrator's words, along with the gasp that shook the entire Arena. Sokka blinked blankly as he gazed about himself, still holding up his thumb.
"W-what…?" he said, with an awkward smile. But while Haru merely blinked, staring at his thumb with uncertainty, the Ruthless Hero's indignation had risen beyond his previous limits.
"Y-you… You arrogant bastard! We're going to destroy you!" the Ruthless Hero exclaimed, face red with rage. "How dare you dismiss us as if we could be beaten that easily?!"
"Woah, woah, you mean because of the thumbs up?!" Sokka exclaimed, stepping back worriedly. "No, no, no, you've got it wrong! I was just letting my sponsor know that…!"
"That you're going to beat us easily?! HA! You'll pay for this insolence!" the Ruthless Hero declared, fire already coating his hand. Sokka swallowed hard.
"… well, there's no reason to stall anymore, is there?! Fighters, get ready…!"
"Watch out, Haru," Sokka muttered. "This won't be pretty."
"And it looks like it's your fault," Haru retorted.
"I didn't mean to! I barely even know what I did wrong!" Sokka squealed, but before Haru or the Ruthless Hero could explain any further…
"START!"
The barrage of flames released by the firebender would only be a smokescreen. Sokka suspected as much because of Azula's previous information, but even so, he was barely prepared for the Ruthless Hero's fist as it crossed through the flames… especially as he was furnished with metal knuckles that enhanced the power of his fists.
Was he allowed to carry accessories of the sort when he was a firebender? Sokka jumped away from the punch as he unsheathed his sword, glaring warily at the Ruthless Hero. If so, no wonder he had a lifelong victory streak.
Sokka gritted his teeth and gathered his determination, ready to fight his enemy regardless of how unfair his fighting methods might prove to be. He was dashing forward when a surge of sand slipped around his limbs to entrap him: the Lady of Laogai seemed eager to provide her partner with an opportunity to vindicate himself before Sokka's apparent arrogance.
But Sokka wasn't alone either. When the Ruthless Hero boosted himself with fire to attack Sokka again, Haru trapped him with a burst of sand that solidified into glass. Haru's abilities seemed to surprise both their opponents, and it provided Sokka with a solid opening to wield his sword and slice the Ruthless Hero's weaponized knuckles cleanly, barely grazing the man's skin.
The man gasped in horror, perhaps still with a bit of indignation, as the shards of metal from both his hands cluttered down on the sand. But Sokka dashed past him and made his way to the Lady of Laogai, who seemed to have decided that Haru was the more dangerous threat in this fight.
"Woah, they did work seamlessly just now," said Ty Lee, eyes wide. "That was amazing."
"I suppose that's the result of so much training," said Azula, with a weak smile. "Sokka's first fight while partnered with Toph was a nightmare."
"Let's hope this team-up pays off, then," said Ty Lee, biting her lip and watching the battle eagerly.
Sokka had disrupted the Lady of Laogai's bending with his weapons, but she was as adept at bending crystals as Haru was. Sokka remembered she had used similar techniques against him when he had first faced her in this Arena, but it seemed neither Haru nor the Lady of Laogai were accustomed to dealing with earthbenders with fighting skills similar to their own.
A roaring cry behind them forced Sokka to change targets just as he and Haru were starting to gain an edge over the Lady of Laogai. He turned around quickly to find the Ruthless Hero had broken out of the crystal, presumably through a mix of his bending and raw willpower. It seemed the first half of his name was well-deserved after all, but Sokka didn't mean to falter now, so he prepared himself to repeal the firebender's attacks with his own.
His sword sought to cut through his opponent's skin, but the Ruthless Hero was fast, dodging attacks with unexpected ease. His quick movements allowed him to avoid Sokka's sharp sword again, partly because Sokka as well was holding back by now. He wanted to win, but he didn't want to slice this guy in half…
Or, at least, he didn't want to until the Ruthless Hero's fist impacted hard against his chin, making Sokka's world jumbled and confusing.
Haru wasn't in better shape at the moment. The Lady of Laogai had engaged him in a projectile battle, tossing glass at him at such speeds that any retaliation caused the glass to shatter. The glass fragments flew violently and tore at Haru's clothes and skin, and as soon as he lowered his guard briefly, she seized him with streams of sand that held down his extremities, preventing him from bending at all.
"S-Sokka…!" Haru called out, before clenching his teeth while the Lady of Laogai stretched his arms and legs with the power of her bending.
Sokka had stumbled but straightened himself before long, delivering a swift kick towards the Ruthless Hero that forced the man to back down. Haru's request for aid reached him, and Sokka pulled out his boomerang without taking his eyes off his enemy. The Ruthless Hero smirked as he waited for the attack, but when Sokka finally tossed the weapon, it soared past him. The Ruthless Hero scoffed.
"That was pathetic!"
"Or it would have been, if I'd been aiming at you!" Sokka retorted.
The Ruthless Hero frowned and glanced back quickly just in time to see the boomerang impacting his partner's shoulder, slashing her skin superficially and breaking the Lady of Laogai's focus just when Haru could barely take the pain anymore.
"Hien!" The Ruthless Hero exclaimed, eyes wide as the Lady of Laogai fell backwards, pushed back by Haru's onslaught of crystal bending.
The Ruthless Hero didn't think twice before rushing towards them. Sokka's best idea to sabotage the Ruthless Hero's daring rescue was to resort to his smoke bomb, but doing as much while Haru was in the way was ill-advised. Still, it seemed Haru was so determined to win right now that Sokka's indecisiveness didn't have many repercussions in their fight: Haru had lifted one of the Arena's largest rocks, their equivalent to the usual furniture in other Arenas, and he had tossed it at the Lady of Laogai.
Groggy as she was, it didn't seem the Lady of Laogai would manage to get away from the deadly rock, not even by using her own bending. She only avoided serious injury because of the Ruthless Hero, who had jumped forward to push her out of the way, at the risk of being attacked from behind or from his flanks by either Sokka or Haru.
Haru took this chance to rejoin Sokka and put some distance between himself and their opponents. Sokka was staring at him in awe for his latest move, but he was ready to discuss tactics again as soon as Haru reached him.
"Do you have any plans?!" Haru asked, gritting his teeth. There were marks on the exposed skin of his arms, and the grains of sand had dug into his many scabs painfully.
Sokka gritted his teeth and glanced at their two opponents. There was one, apparently straightforward solution he could think of…
"I've been training against you for years now," Sokka said. "You've learned how to handle Azula, Mai and Ty Lee simultaneously after the last month. I'd say… we need to swap opponents."
"Really?" said Haru, surprised. Sokka nodded.
"It may sound bonkers, but they won't see it coming," he said. "It makes more sense to match an earthbender with an earthbender, after all, so…"
"The element of surprise," reasoned Haru. Sokka smirked.
"And I have another idea on how to surprise them, too," he said, his hand moving to his waist and unbuckling his only bomb for the fight. "Hold your breath, pal."
Haru inhaled deeply before dashing away from Sokka. By the time the Ruthless Hero and the Lady of Laogai were back on their feet, there was a thick cloud of smoke rising in the Arena, keeping both their opponents concealed and out of sight.
"I can find them" the Lady of Laogai growled, stomping into the sand and focusing "And once I do…"
"They're not going to beat us," the Ruthless Hero grunted. "You defeated him once, and I've never been lost before, so…!"
"There!"
The Lady of Laogai attacked with a burst of sand, and the Ruthless Hero watched as the Blue Wolf broke through the smoke and narrowly avoided the earthbender's attack. But as soon as the Ruthless Hero attempted to strike Sokka, a massive crystal formation slammed at full strength against him, ramming into his side and knocking him off his feet.
The Lady of Laogai turned towards where she was sensing Haru now, but the Blue Wolf's boomerang fluttered past her at full speed, letting her know that she didn't have the luxury to pick her opponent right now. Haru shattered his glass boulder and used the shards to pin down the Ruthless Hero.
The firebender would have to get out of that predicament on his own: Sokka was chasing the Lady of Laogai across the Arena, and she struggled to shake him off with her bending. Her situation only worsened when, in her flight, she entered the smoke bomb's area by mistake. Trying to jump out of it again would mean returning to the gladiator she was trying to get away from, so she chose the safest way out for an earthbender.
Sokka had plenty of resistance to his smoke bombs, and he usually could attune his senses properly while within the smoke cloud, unlike his opponents. But even so, he only caught a small glimpse of the Lady of Laogai as she sank underground quickly. He snarled, rushing out of the smoke as the earthbender struggled to attack him from below… but she wasn't as talented at that kind of fighting as Toph was, and she would need to surface again for air before long. Doing as much within the smoke's area would be pointless, so once she surfaced, it would be outside the smoke… and Sokka intended to wait patiently until that happened.
Haru found a rather strong opponent in the Ruthless Hero. His knuckles were strong even without the additional metal coating, and his bending was of the highest quality as well. Every attempt by Haru to reach the enemy was foiled by fire or raw fists, and the Ruthless Hero wouldn't pull his punches. After breaking out of Haru's attempt to restrain him, the Ruthless Hero kept Haru on the defensive, waiting for the perfect chance to land a hit, and he was ready to create his own chances if they didn't present themselves easily.
Haru had been too distracted by the fists to pay attention to the Ruthless Hero's feet: the man suddenly kicked at Haru's shin, destabilizing him just enough that Haru lost focus. After that, a fierce fire-coated fist impacted against Haru's jaw, hard enough to send him rolling across the sand.
Ty Lee gasped and covered her mouth, eyes wide as her gladiator stumbled. Azula gritted her teeth, placing a hand on Ty Lee's shoulder not only in a supportive gesture, but to prevent her from jumping down into the Arena just to defend her gladiator, for it seemed she might do just that. The universe knew Azula often wished someone would restrain her too whenever she experienced those same impulses.
And if things weren't bad enough for Haru, a burst of sand startled him: the Lady of Laogai resurfaced beside him, gasping for breath but ready to strike him down as soon as she filled her lungs with air.
Haru was going to lift a weak crystal shield before himself, but he hesitated at the last moment. The Lady of Laogai allowed herself a triumphant smile, raising her hands in a threatening gesture…
And she fell limp on the sand, right in front of Haru.
The boomerang soared right back to Sokka's hand, and he caught it as expertly as ever. The Lady of Laogai hadn't expected to experience a full-body chi-block, but Sokka had skillfully delivered one regardless, right at the base of her spine. As long as they defeated the Ruthless Hero before the chi-blocking wore off, they would win…
But the Ruthless Hero seemed outraged by his partner's apparent defeat. He had launched himself towards Sokka, using his fire to boost his speed. Sokka braced himself for impact as Haru bolted to his feet, building a wall of crystal that the Ruthless Hero kicked down effortlessly on his way to his rivals.
Sokka seldom wanted to go all out on his opponents, especially when he felt they couldn't counter his sword: the Ruthless Hero was happy to take full advantage of Sokka's indecisiveness, assaulting him with punches and kicks, all coated with fire. Haru sought to help, building defenses and pushing the Ruthless Hero back, but the man seemed to have an unbreakable fighting spirit.
"B-but she's already down," Ty Lee said, eyes wide. "If the girl's out of the fight, then…! Then at least we should get half the victory?"
"She's only chi-blocked. She's not unconscious," Azula said, eyebrows twitching as she eyed the limp earthbender. Was it her idea, or had she moved her hand just a little…?
"Then, if she's not unconscious…!" Ty Lee gasped, as one of the other sponsors started yelling at the Lady of Laogai to stand up.
Sokka knew their opening wouldn't last forever, not while the Ruthless Hero was on such a wild frenzy. Unlike most benders he'd seen, who used their physical movements to boost their elements, this one was using his bending to boost his physical attacks. If they didn't stop him now, he would be rejoined by his partner again and they couldn't risk that.
"Haru!" Sokka called, whipping out his club so he could swat at the agile firebender with it. "Seize him!"
Haru's eyes widened, but he sought to obey Sokka's command: the Ruthless Hero refused to be caught off guard, though, and he leapt away from them, using his firebending as a boost once more as he put distance between them…
Sokka jumped towards the Ruthless Hero when the man was starting to lose altitude. With his club tightly gripped in his gloved hand, he slammed it into the Ruthless Hero's shoulder before the man could counterattack or defend himself: Sokka flinched at the cracking sound, and the Ruthless Hero's piercing scream of pain made him shudder.
"Knock him out!" Haru shouted, as the Ruthless Hero dropped on the sand heavily.
Sokka didn't need to be told twice: he slammed the hilt of his sword against the Ruthless Hero's head, bare seconds after the man lifted his uninjured hand in one final attempt to strike Sokka. But the Blue Wolf was faster, and the Ruthless Hero's eyes rolled back into his skull as he fell unconscious, the last sparks in his hand fading before they could make contact.
Sokka breathed out in relief, but it was premature: the sand beneath his feet suddenly became slippery, pulling him in until he was waist deep inside it. Of course, the Lady of Laogai had regained the feeling in her limbs, and she wasn't going to down without a fight.
Sokka went for his boomerang again, gritting his teeth as the sand reached his chest now. But he was launched out of the sand suddenly, and he flipped through the air for a moment, barely catching a glimpse of the all-out earthbending battle that was unfolding between Haru and the Lady of Laogai.
The Lady of Laogai was weakened, though, still mildly affected by the chi-blocking. She struggled to move properly while Haru proved to still be in good shape, regardless of the blows he had received. The Lady of Laogai launched a new offensive with shards of glass, and some of them did hit Haru, but he barely flinched at them as he used all his strength to craft a dome of crystal, wrapped around the Lady of Laogai from the neck down. Before she could try to break herself out of it, Haru was upon her, offering an apologetic grimace.
"Sorry about this," he said, pressing his fingers to her temples.
The Lady of Laogai tried to wrestle out of his control, but Haru's fingers were quick at knocking her unconscious. Her head hung limply within moments, and Haru stepped back, chest heaving as he glanced down at his torn-up clothes and damaged skin.
It was over. It had to be. The countdown would be finished soon, and when it was, they would have won. Quick and intense as it had been, they were more than ready for their first fight of the Tournament to end.
Haru turned to look for Sokka: he had been the one who had catapulted the Blue Wolf out of the Lady of Laogai's grasp earlier. He had certainly gone overboard in doing so, but he'd had no choice at the moment if he was going to save his friend from their foe's clutches. He found Sokka standing up with difficulty several feet away, looking slightly out of sorts but with no considerable wounds to speak of. Haru smiled in relief as he made his way towards his friend.
"Looks like we won, huh?" said Sokka, staring at both the Ruthless Hero and the Lady of Laogai warily. "We…"
"It's a double knock-out! A double knock-out, on the first round, against a gladiator with a lifelong victory streak!" the bullhorn man was screaming, as the stands seemed to roar with cheers as well.
Sokka smiled awkwardly at the public before shrugging towards Haru. The earthbender smiled too, surprising Sokka when he gave him the thumbs-up gesture. Sokka laughed, glancing towards the sponsors' balcony now to find Azula shaking her head, but if he could read her right, she was smiling. Ty Lee seemed to be in a better mood, too. He breathed out in relief as the Arena's staff filed inside the sand pit to help the unconscious gladiators, as well as to guide the conscious ones back to the waiting rooms for their routine medical check.
Sokka had already been checked thoroughly, and he had received a positive diagnosis after the fierce fight by the time Azula and Ty Lee found them. The Princess shook her head as she approached her gladiator: as he had suspected, she couldn't mask her amusement all that well behind the pretense of berating him.
"You do realize that fight might have been a little more civilized if it weren't for that absolutely unnecessary stunt you pulled with your thumb before it even started?" she asked, as she stopped right before him, arms crossed over her chest. Sokka gave her an uneasy smile.
"I was just trying to reassure you that things were okay… and hey, we won, so they were okay after all!" he said, beaming. Azula huffed.
"You drove that man mad, and hell, maybe that's a good thing. Maybe he would have been more dangerous if he had been level-headed," Azula admitted. "But I still think there's something for us to learn from this: you aren't going to try to communicate with me when you're in the fighting pit again. Got it?"
"What? But that's boring!"
"Sokka!"
Their argument about Sokka's gesture would likely continue for hours, as per their track record, but Ty Lee had ignored them as soon as she had laid eyes upon Haru. He was being tended to now, as the small shards of crystal lodged in his skin were being removed carefully. Ty Lee bit her lower lip, watching the process warily.
"You did really well today," she told Haru. He was startled to be spoken at, most of all that it would be Ty Lee doing the speaking, but he swallowed hard and smiled warmly.
"I… I was just helpful, Sokka did more than…"
"Nonsense," said Ty Lee, with a gentle smile. "You were a brilliant team out there, just like I knew you would be. I'm glad you did so well."
"I… yeah. Thank you," said Haru, grinning too.
"I do wish you hadn't gotten so hurt, though," she sighed, watching as the physicians removed the last shards and deposited on a small plate. Most of them had bloodstains on their tips. "But I guess that's a horrible guarantee in this business anyways…"
"I'll be okay," Haru reassured her, his smile shy, as it often was. "We've made it into the second round, you should think about that instead."
"Oh, I'll try," said Ty Lee, with a soft laugh. "Fair enough, then. I suppose, once you're done, we'll be on our way…"
"Yeah," said Haru, nodding weakly but smiling at her.
The wounds and unspoken pain between them seemed to have gone forgotten for the time being. Even as they followed Sokka and Azula through the Green Gates' vestibule, the two of them seemed to be at further ease than they had been in months. They even laughed together while Sokka awkwardly faced his droves of fans, most of them giving him the thumbs-up gesture that, from that day forward, would become a symbol for the Princess's gladiator.
All four of them returned to the Palace before long, but while the mood had improved between Ty Lee and Haru, Azula and Sokka were up to the same antics as ever. They walked in front of the others throughout the whole journey, paying them little to no attention, and thus, providing them with much needed privacy.
"I suppose you'll have to get used to all these thumbs greeting you everywhere," Azula teased Sokka, smirking as they paced the halls of the Palace. "I wonder just how far the story of your bold gesture will spread… and how fast, too."
"It's ridiculous: how could anyone think that was some sort of display of confidence on my part?" Sokka snorted, shaking his head. "I was barely paying attention to my opponents, so much I couldn't have even underestimated them because I hardly noticed they were there…"
"That's quite likely the very reason why people figured you were underestimating them," Azula laughed. "You have no self-awareness, Sokka. Still… it all paid off, from the looks of it. Being overconfident finally worked in your favor, for once."
"I wasn't overconfident, darn it, but yeah," Sokka agreed. "Though I suppose some part of me is a little irritated that I didn't get to beat the Lady of Laogai directly. Would've been nice to do it, you know, finally get back at her for that other fight…?"
"Surely," Azula smiled. "But all in all, you and Haru defeated her anyways and everything turned out for the best. Both you and Haru have moved into the next round, and all you should worry about by now is resting and healing while hoping tomorrow's fight won't be too rough."
"Let's hope indeed," said Sokka, running a hand over his hair – a few grains of sand tumbled from it, even now. "Still, speaking of Haru…"
Sokka glanced over his shoulder, as did Azula. Their two friends were nowhere to be seen anymore.
"Finally, huh?" Azula said. Sokka bit his lip.
"Hopefully, rather," he said. "It'll be really outrageous if they just went their separate ways and we're here assuming that they're finally dealing with their problems…"
"If that's the case, we'll find out later," Azula said, smirking and shaking her head. "I'm done worrying about those two. Instead, I'll worry about getting you to Song in case she can help treat whatever wounds you need extra attention on."
"As you wish," Sokka said, nodding. "And actually? I do have this awkward feeling in my spine… Must have been after Haru threw me like he did, huh?"
"Seriously?" Azula said, eyeing him warily. Sokka shrugged guiltily and she sighed. "Yes, we're definitely seeing Song right away."
"Thank you," Sokka said, with a small voice, following Azula through the corridors of the massive Imperial Palace.
A few hallways down, Haru and Ty Lee had found a lone sitting room they had settled in. Myeung had spotted them there and quickly offered to bring them tea. They waited patiently, although nervously, until she returned with the drinks. What they needed to talk about would be best spoken without any interruptions.
"Thank you very much," said Ty Lee, smiling warmly at Myeung, who returned the gesture.
"You're most welcome. I hope you enjoy it," the older lady answered, standing upright again.
"I'm sure we will," Haru said, grateful. Myeung bowed her head respectfully towards them before exiting the room and leaving them to their privacy.
Ty Lee sipped the tea and sighed blissfully at the taste. It was a great blend, as Haru confirmed upon trying it too. He was still holding his cup when Ty Lee set her own down, taking a deep breath as she did.
"You did a great job today," she said, biting the inside of her lip before smiling. "I… think I seldom tell you I'm proud of how you handle yourself in fights. I should have done it more often…"
"Ty Lee…" said Haru, gritting his teeth as his stomach sank. Should have? That phrasing didn't promise anything good.
Ty Lee breathed deeply again and looked at him meaningfully.
"I know I've put you through a lot, especially in the last few months. Truthfully… I wasn't thinking properly at all. I was erratic and, most of all, I was selfish. I… I guess Azula was right, and I should've just talked to you, but… I really didn't want to. Truth is, I was scared of hearing you confirm the worst possibilities and… and I just didn't know if I could handle that."
"What do you mean, worst possibilities?" Haru asked, frowning. "You mean…? Sokka mentioned that you thought I didn't want you at all, is that it?"
Ty Lee laughed and lowered her gaze, shaking her head gently.
"It wasn't just that you may not have wanted me, but that… that I would have been such a selfish prick that I had forced you into a relationship all along, without even knowing if you wanted to be with me," she said, her fingers trembling against her cup. "I… I thought you were cute ever since I saw you. And then I hired you, and… after that, things just spiraled into a quick relationship that I was so stoked about for so long… and I didn't really stop to think about what you were thinking, or how you were feeling.
"I think it all just hit me the hardest when I saw you talking with Song about your families, and everything you went through. You'd… you'd never told me that. And I just couldn't help but think that I wasn't trustworthy for you, but if that was the case, I deserved it, didn't I? I haven't told you about my past either, s-so why would you tell me about yours?"
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to think about it," Haru said, looking at her with concern. Ty Lee raised her eyes, uncertain. "Ty Lee, I… I don't think you understand me at all."
"I know, and that's awful, isn't it?" she said, tears already blossoming at the corners of her eyes. She tried to mask them by bringing the tea up to her lips again.
"I don't mean it like that," said Haru, earnestly. "I mean it because… you can't begin to imagine how miserable I was until I met you."
The tears still lingered on the corners of her eyes as she held the cup against her lips. But she didn't say anything. No, she wasn't going to stop Haru until he had said whatever he needed to say…
"I… I think the last time I was ever happy was back when my father was still home," he said, clenching a fist over his lap. "I was still a child back then. Ever since he was taken away, I've just felt helpless, and weak, and I even had to hide who I was so that the Fire Nation soldiers wouldn't take me too. But then I… I lost my mother too. And I ended up in Tiao's hands, and… he was a monster. He'd leave me without food for days if I lost a fight. He would insult me, he would treat me like garbage, constantly telling me that the money he had wasted on me would have been better spent buying a beast of burden, since it would be smarter and more useful than I was…"
Ty Lee's eyes were fully wide now. Not only was she hurt to know the man had been so awful to Haru, but she was utterly indignant about it, too…
"So, by the time you bought me from him, I… I couldn't believe my luck," said Haru, raising his eyes to look at her. "You were kind, and beautiful, and you treated me better than anyone had since I was taken away from home. I realize I… I should have explained this sooner. You thought I didn't trust you, but that wasn't it at all…"
"I'm sorry, Haru," she said, covering her mouth with a hand. "I'm so… I should've thought about this, I… I'm so stupid…"
"No, you're not," said Haru, shaking his head sternly. "You've helped me all this time, even if you didn't know it. I never thought life would feel worth living again… I figured it never would. But I guess I never told you any of this, s-so how could you know I felt this way? I… I was a fool."
"No, Haru, it's all on me," said Ty Lee, looking at him with apologetic tears blinking in her eyes. "I'm so sorry I jumped to conclusions like I did, but I just… I'm a mess, as you should know by now. I… I don't think a lot of things through and I'm just impulsive and… and I should've learned better, but I didn't. I…"
"Ty Lee, really…"
"I've gotten so caught up in the Gladiator Business I've forgotten about everything else," Ty Lee said, shaking her head. "I was in the circus once, you know that, right? And, well… I wasn't there forever because I… I did a lot of stupid things I shouldn't have, with my freedom. I got involved with boys my age, sometimes even with older men, and… and I got in trouble with my family because of that. I was caught with one of them and, if it weren't for Azula's intervention, I probably would've… I-I mean, my parents had six other daughters, what use was there in keeping around an embarrassment like me? B-but… I was useful because of my connection with Azula, at least for a while, and…"
"That's horrible," said Haru. Ty Lee shook her head.
"I was reckless, and crazy, and… doesn't it bother you?" she asked, looking at him in disbelief. "D-don't you think I'm… too broken? I mean… everyone has seen me like that ever since it happened. Especially men…"
"Too broken?" Haru said, raising his eyebrows. "Because you had relationships? Or… flings? I… I don't follow."
"What do you mean, you don't follow?" Ty Lee said. "Women aren't expected to be like this… or was that fine where you came from?"
"It… it wasn't, but when I first met you, I thought… I thought you were a free spirit," said Haru, biting his lip. "That we would go that far on our first night together baffled me, and I thought… I thought maybe you were just an eccentric noble girl. I mean, you were friends with the Princess, so… I figured you might just have many relationships, and I had no problem with that. Because… I was just a slave. I still am. That you'd even give me food regularly was already a blessing, that you'd do more than that was… it still baffles me."
"But it shouldn't," said Ty Lee, looking at him in disbelief. "Haru, you're… you're not just a slave, you're a man. You're worth the same as every person I've ever known, we're really all the same in the end, Haru…"
"That's not what everyone thinks," he said, his eyes growing warmer as he gazed at her. "But… see? How could I have any complaints if… if you truly believe that? If you don't think I'm lesser than you just because I'm not Fire Nation…?"
"You should complain, though," said Ty Lee, gritting her teeth. "I never stopped to ask if you wanted this. I never even gave you a choice. I was so swept up by the fantasy of finally having a life for myself, of finally having a source of income so I could stop depending on my parents and…! I was so caught in the bliss that came from this sort of life that I… I never asked you how you felt. And I want you to tell me the truth, Haru. I know you lied about pet names because you didn't want to embarrass me, but… I want you to be honest. I want you to tell me… tell me what you truly want in life. And whatever the answer is, I'll… I'll respect it, I swear. I won't do anything you don't want from me again. I swear…"
"You've never done anything I didn't want… well, aside from putting distance between us," he said, with a tender smile. Ty Lee's eyes widened. "But if you want me to tell you the truth… if you want to know what I truly want right now?"
Ty Lee's lips parted, trembling. Her heart was racing, as Haru shut his eyes tightly. His jaw was tensed, as he seemed to be about to say words he had never thought he'd say…
"I-in the weeks since this trip began, I realized… I realized there's something I need," he said. Ty Lee's eyes widened. "I… I didn't think it was possible, it never crossed my mind until… until we talked to Song on the first day of the journey."
Ty Lee's nervousness twisted inside her now. No longer anticipating a horrible answer, or a blissful one, now she felt sick. Yes, she had thought they were growing close, but did Haru genuinely have a crush on Song…? That had crossed her mind at one point, but she had figured she was being delusional…
"So, y-you mean…? Oh. I… I guess you two did hit it off," she said, with an awkward smile. Haru frowned. "Though, well, she is with Rui Shi, so…"
"That's not what I'm talking about," said Haru. Ty Lee froze. "I… I'm sorry. I guess that was confusing. I didn't mean I wanted Song, but… what Song has."
"Wait, what? You want… Rui Shi?"
"What? No!" Haru exclaimed. Ty Lee's eyes widened.
"I… should shut up," she decided. Haru laughed softly, shaking his head before growing serious again. "What is it you want, then?"
"I want… I want to find my family again."
The request shouldn't have blindsided Ty Lee. It shouldn't have been a surprise, considering what he'd said just moments ago. Considering what he'd explained throughout their conversation. No, he hadn't said he wanted her… but that was the only other answer she could hear that wouldn't devastate her.
"You…?"
"It's madness, I know," said Haru, averting his gaze. "Song was very fortunate to find her mother, but I… I just want to try, if nothing else. At least, if I fail, I'll know I made an effort. Otherwise, I'm just… a son who was no good, aren't I?"
"You're… oh, no, Haru, don't say that," said Ty Lee, cutting the distance between them by dragging herself over the floor, on her knees. She picked up his hands with hers, and he kept his eyes set on their joined fingers. "Your mother… from what you said, she wanted you to have a better life. She loved you, and I'm sure your father did, too…"
"That doesn't mean I shouldn't look for them. Especially now that… now that I know it might be possible," he said, gritting his teeth. "I don't want to burden you with this, though. I'm sorry that I hurt you as many times as I did, for my silence and my shyness and everything I did that I shouldn't have…"
"No, don't be," said Ty Lee, shaking her head. "I was being selfish, I told you…"
"You've helped me since I first came into your life" said Haru, with a small smile. "You've helped the Princess and Sokka so many times, too. You were so happy about helping Suki, as well, and you never gained anything from any of that. How can you call yourself selfish, seriously…?"
"I… I am, though. I have been…" she said. Haru laughed softly.
"No, you haven't been. At all," he said, smiling warmly at her. "I still want to be your gladiator. I wouldn't want to be anyone else's, but… I understand if you think my request is too unreasonable. It is crazy, I guess, and I probably won't succeed, so if you'll agree to let me look for them, it might be for the best if you find a new gladiator. I…"
"A new gladiator?" Ty Lee asked, eyes wide. Haru breathed deeply.
"If you wanted to do that, I… I'll understand. I just… really want to try to find my parents," he said. "If you can accept that, and you agree to let me go do this, then…"
"I can accept it," said Ty Lee, looking at him earnestly. Haru's breath caught in his chest. "But… I won't find another gladiator."
"Y-you won't…? But you said you finally felt free after joining the Gladiator League, and you had income, you shouldn't let go of any of that…" said Haru. But to his surprise, Ty Lee smiled.
"I'll go with you," she said. His eyes widened. "I'll help you find your family."
His jaw dropped, as he stared at her in disbelief. Ty Lee's tearful eyes found a match in Haru's own, who smiled and brought a hand up to her cheek.
"Y-you would…? Ty Lee…" he said, his voice cracking as she laughed again.
"Of course I would," she said. "I didn't ask what you wanted just so I could deny it from you, did I?"
"Y-you…" he said, sobbing softly before pulling her in for a hug.
She knew it was stupid to be happy about this, at a moment like this. But it was the first time Haru had been forward, initiating an embrace that meant the world to her right now. She laughed against his shoulder, arms tightening around his waist as well as they cried together.
"I'm sorry for all this," she said. "Seriously, I…"
"I should've said something… I-I could've, it's just…" he replied, as Ty Lee clutched at his shirt.
"We were scared," she laughed. Haru nodded. "But…"
"But now I'm not afraid anymore," he said, sighing in bliss. "Thank you, Ty Lee. For all you've done and… for what you're promising to do, too. I… I bless the day I met you. It's the best thing that's ever happened to me."
"Haru…" she muttered, her grip tightening again.
Now she was the one crying unconsolably, as he held her tightly. She still hadn't told him so many things, such as how many times her heart had been broken, by family and lovers alike. Or how afraid she was that she would never find enduring happiness in her life. But what little they had already shared had been a good start. It had brought them closer together than anything ever had, even if it had taken them almost two years to come this far. At last, Ty Lee and Haru started taking valuable steps towards strengthening their bond, allowing them to be as genuinely intimate together as they always had longed to be.