Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was a typical late August day in San Francisco. The cool air swept through the grey fog even though it was just hitting midday. A breeze flowed through the open windows of Ty Lee’s small apartment.

Mai saw that Ty Lee shivered as she perched on the arm of her worn couch in the living room. She remembered when Ty Lee had picked it at the antique store for its “positive aura,” even though Mai was almost sure it was for the pink crushed velvet. Wordlessly, she handed the blanket she was using over to Ty Lee and refocused her attention on the small television screen. A Twilight Zone marathon was playing and they were almost to the end of “The Hitch-Hiker.”

The end credits were interrupted a few minutes later when Ty Lee broke the comfortable silence between the girls.

“Do you want to go to New York?”

“Sure, one day,” Mai responded. She didn’t know where this line of questioning was headed, but she rarely did with Ty Lee.

“No, I mean, like, now,” Ty Lee said, her eyes widening as the gears turned in her head. “We can get Zuko and Azula, and just drive across the country.”

Mai thought for a second. Her best option for passing the few remaining weeks of summer was to live in her parents’ house and reread her whole bookshelf. “Okay.”

Ty Lee squealed at her friend’s version of an enthusiastic yes. She jumped off the arm of the couch onto the larger cushions, landing just shy of Mai’s lap to give her a hug. Mai told herself that the slight heat climbing up her cheeks was from being overheated.

“I’m so excited!” Ty Lee exclaimed as she pulled back and started walking towards the door. “We should leave first thing tomorrow morning. Well, first we need to get Azula and Zuko on board. I think Iroh would let them go, though. We have to go convince them right now.” Mai hadn’t moved from her spot on the sofa when Ty Lee looked back at her. “Come on!”

Mai sighed, got up, and slipped on her shoes. She knew better than to try and slow Ty Lee down. Especially not when the other girl grabbed her hand and dragged her out the door.

After a ten-minute walk, the pair burst through the doors of Phoenix Industries’ downtown office. It was the kind of place Mai hated: hospital-white walls; glass everywhere, untouchable for fear of fingerprinting; the scent of artificial lemon cleaning spray filling the air. Since Iroh took control of the company, a few touches of comfort have been added. A bonsai tree here, a bowl of tea-flavored candy there.

Jin barely glanced up when the girls came in. They had visited the Sozin siblings enough over the course of their internships that she knew them.

“Hi, Jin!” Ty Lee greeted.

“Hi guys!” Jin responded, matching Ty Lee’s cheerfulness. “Azula and Zuko are still working, but I can let them know you’re here, if you’d like.”

“No need!”

Instead, Ty Lee barreled past the glass doors separating Azula and Zuko’s shared office from the hallway. Mai rolled her eyes as she followed. Her friend did always have a flair for dramatics. The sharp clacking of Azula’s perfectly manicured nails on her computer keyboard didn’t hesitate for a second. Zuko, too, only looked up from his notes for a second before going back to highlighting. Mai suppressed a laugh. Those two were more alike than they would ever admit.

“We’re going on a road trip!”  Ty Lee cheered. She was bouncing up and down with excitement. If Mai was the type of person to find things cute, which she wasn’t, this would be one of them.

A moment of silence passed, until Azula had finished typing her sentence. “Who, exactly, is ‘we’? Because unlike the two of you, Zuzu and I have jobs.”

“I do have a job,” Ty Lee protested. Mai felt something akin to pride bloom in her chest. Not long ago, Ty Lee would’ve let the other girl take worse snipes at her without fighting back. “But regular class sessions are over until the middle of September since the kids have to start school. Mai had a job, too. Her internship at the museum finished early.”

That’s not new. Even if Ty Lee could never stand up for herself, she always fought for Mai. When someone called her “cold” or “unfeeling,” Ty Lee always had her side.

Azula raised her eyebrows, a subtle sign of acquiescence, and turned back to her work.

Zuko spoke up for the first time with an apology on his lips. “Sorry, Ty Lee. Uncle asked me to work on a new project today, and it’ll probably take a while.”

Ty Lee looked to Mai with pleading grey eyes. For all of Mai’s experience in shutting people down, she could never say no to those eyes.

“Iroh will let you go. It’ll be… fun.” The word was foreign in her uninterested tone. Zuko’s eyes met hers, and they had a silent conversation through their scowls.

I have work. I need to do this right, Zuko’s frown said.

What you need is a break, Mai’s answered back. Her idiot ex-boyfriend was going to be the death of her.

“If you won’t take a break, I’ll just ask Iroh,” Ty Lee chimed in. That caught Azula and Zuko’s attention. They knew their uncle would force them to go on the trip. Before either could get a word out in protest, Ty Lee was skipping down the hall to the CEO’s office.

It’s a long, drawn out conversation with jasmine tea and false promises to drive the speed limit, but Iroh agreed. He practically fired his niece and nephew unless they took two weeks off. Ty Lee forced a group hug that all except Iroh were reluctant to join.

“Bright and early tomorrow!” She called as she ran home to pack.

✷—✷—✷

“Bright and early,” apparently, was 7 AM.

Mai had gotten back to her parents’ Palo Alto mansion last night to find it empty. They were at some political fundraiser. Even when the house was filled it was obscenely gaudy, but Mai could never get used to the sheer size of its emptiness, the crushing weight of the nothingness. Mai’s face had schooled into the picture-perfect daughter she was supposed to be, though she was alone. Something about this house, this life made everything in her tense up. She had fled to her room and found an old duffle bag, one from Ty Lee’s high school gymnastics team. A note slipped under her door, riddled with spelling errors, let her know that Tom-Tom was staying at a friend’s. Carefully, she had folded the note and tucked it among the others her brother had left, hidden in a drawer. God forbid anyone found out she kept mementos.

Her parents came home later that night, smelling of expensive wine and Giorgio Armani cologne. Mai had let them know she would be gone for a while and they didn’t bat an eye. Just a stern “make sure to behave yourself” from her mother. Mai’s shoulders had tensed impossibly tighter, her posture impossibly straighter.

But it was 7 AM, and Ty Lee was outside the house in her baby blue Subaru beeping the horn, and Mai was able to breathe for the first time in twelve hours.

“Good morning!” Ty Lee said as Mai slipped into the passenger’s seat and tossed her bag behind her.

“Hey.” Mai responded. “We’re getting coffee, right?”

“We’re really doing this! Road trip!” Ty Lee squeezed her friend’s hand. Mai let a brief smile cross her face. The hand wrapped around hers told her that this was real — no responsibilities, no pressure. She glanced over to Ty Lee’s face, focus on the road, and allowed the warmth in her heart to bloom for once.

Azula and Zuko are next to be picked up. As the pair walked out of the home they share with Iroh, Azula gave Mai a death glare. Azula had gotten more understanding about a lot of things, but waking up early was not one of them. Mai rolled her eyes but vacated the front seat anyway, slipping into the back with Zuko. She couldn't see New York if Azula killed her in a righteous fury.

“We’re getting coffee, right?” Zuko murmured through a yawn.

✷—✷—✷

“Okay, here’s the plan,” Ty Lee explained as they pulled out of the Starbucks drive-thru. Though she was a free spirit at heart, she was able to strategize with the best. “Our first destination is Las Vegas.” Mai wrinkled her nose. Blaring neon and brash drunkards weren’t exactly her idea of a good time. Zuko shared in her apprehension.

“Why Vegas?” He rasped out, still half-asleep and clutching his cold brew like a lifeline.

“It’s just for the night, as a stopover. Plus, they have great food!”

“Hm. That sounds like a good plan, Ty Lee,” Azula admitted. The girl in pink preened at the compliment, and heat flared in Mai’s stomach. She was probably just carsick or something. Pushing it down, she turned towards her book.

Somewhere on the highway, about two and a half hours in, Azula and Ty Lee began bickering about the music. Mai found it impossible to focus when every other song was either bubblegum pop or riot grrl. Instead, she focused her attention on the boy sitting next to her.

Zuko was tapping away at his phone, smiling to himself. That was new. The bags under his eyes were still present, likely will always be, but they’ve lessened. Mai remembered how worried she used to get, though she never showed it. When Ozai was still around, Zuko was gaunt and grim and angry all the time. Living with Iroh seemed to be helping. As if he could feel Mai’s eyes studying him, Zuko turned to face her.

“Your hair looks dumb,” Mai muttered as she reached across to smooth out his cowlicks. Zuko clicked his tongue and batted away her hand. Mai swatted back, and glanced forward to catch a glimpse of grey eyes in the rearview mirror.

Ty Lee cleared her throat. “I think there should be a rest stop soon! I need to take a break to stretch.”

Soon enough, the car pulled into a nearly empty lot. Mai stood outside and leaned against the car while Azula and Zuko went inside the spacious structure. Ty Lee scoped out a grassy knoll, free of people, where she could jump around to her heart’s content. Mai watched with interest. She’s seen her friend do this a hundred times, but the precision of Ty Lee’s movements, her control of her body, never failed to impress her. After a minute, Mai went in to the convenience store to pick up some snacks: hot cheetos for Azula, goldfish for Zuko, gummy bears for Ty Lee, and salt and vinegar chips for herself. She exited to find her friends waiting in the car already. Azula had taken the driver’s seat with Zuko beside her.

“-And don’t put on that really depressing music you love,” Mai heard Azula say as she opened the door. Zuko grumbled a protest, but eventually queued up some inoffensive indie rock band.

“I got exiled back here because Charli XCX ‘isn’t real music,’” Ty Lee told Mai in a small voice, adding air quotes. Her lips were quirked up in a way Mai hadn’t seen in a few years — the kind of smile they used to share when they had a secret between them.

“No comment,” Mai answered.

Ty Lee scoffed in mock-outrage. “You wound me! To make it up to me, can I use you as my pillow?” She stuck her bottom lip out as far as it would go and fluttered her eyelashes. Mai’s eyes rolled, but she agreed nonetheless with a small nod.

“Here,” she adds, handing the candy over to her friend.

“Oh my god, my favorite! Thank you!” Ty Lee gushed. Like the afternoon before, she reached over and gave Mai a quick squeeze before she could protest. Then, she rests her head on Mai’s shoulder, falling asleep almost instantly. Knowing Ty Lee, she probably stayed up all last night from excitement. 

Mai tried to concentrate on her book for the next few hours. She really did try. It’s not her fault Ty Lee smelled like cherry blossoms and acted as a space heater glued to Mai’s side. It was one of the few times Mai had seen Ty Lee so quiet, so peaceful. It was nice.

For lunch, the group stopped at some diner on the side of the I-15. Azula made it there in record time, no doubt speeding down the highway. Mai took over the last few hours of driving herself. It was refreshing. Flying through the desert, aimless chatter of her best friends and the blaring disco soundtrack that Ty Lee played surrounding her, struck a chord within Mai. She realized that she had been missing this — this excitement, this adventure, this carefreeness — in the monotony of her home life. Liberated, was the only word she could think of as the car gained speed.

In Las Vegas, it was hard not to marvel at the sheer spectacle of it all. Ty Lee stared out the window, wide grey eyes reflecting the bright neon. No one was prepared for the desert heat, though. They got dinner at a fancy sushi restaurant, courtesy of Iroh’s credit card. (“He told me to go crazy,” Zuko recalled with a shrug.)

Once the sun had set and the sights had been seen, the group retired to the cheap hotel Zuko had found online.

Happiness thrummed through Mai's veins. In the privacy of darkness, she allowed herself a bigger smile than she had in years.

Chapter Text

Mai woke up at 6 in the morning. Rather, she got woken up. She squinted, expecting to see the dark red walls of her bedroom. Instead, she found the oppressive heat of the Nevada summer and the overwhelming taupe of a hotel room.

“Ty Lee,” she grumbled, face pressed into a pillow that smelled like bargain detergent. The other girl made a whine of acknowledgement from the other twin bed. “Shut the damn alarm.”

Her eyes blinked open. She watched with sleepy fascination as Ty Lee blindly fumbled with her phone. Unlike Mai, she was a perpetual morning riser. Her phone alarm was set to a new song every other week; today, Mai’s graced with the sounds of a peppy k-pop single. The other girl had to stretch to reach across the laminate nightstand. As her shirt rode up, a sliver of skin was exposed. Mai turned the other direction before her face could redden, and let sleep overtake her again.

She awoke for the second time two hours later to a lump hitting her bed.

“Rise and shine, Mai!” Ty Lee half-sang. Mai pretended not to hear, but it was in vain. Ty Lee just laid back and sprawled sideways across her friend’s legs. “Come on, you don’t want to make us get a late start, do you?”

“First of all, I’m sure the terrible twosome next door are still fast asleep. Second, I can’t get up when you’re on top of me.”

“How else was I supposed to get you up?”

Mai rolled her eyes, but not without a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. There really isn’t anyone else like Ty Lee. She’d already done her makeup for the day — blush as pink as the tutus of her ballet students flooded her cheeks, and her golden highlight sparkled on her cheekbones. For herself, Mai favored more sharp eyeliner and burgundy lipstick. She couldn’t imagine, though, why Ty Lee would care about how she looks for what’s basically a glorified car ride.

“Why are you wearing all that makeup?” Mai asked. Her voice is still raspy with sleep.

Ty Lee sat up, shifting to the edge of the bed. “Do you not like it?”

“I didn’t say that. I just didn’t think we were going anywhere special.”

“Oh. Well, we’ll talk about where we’re going at breakfast!” Ty Lee smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Mai got her things together for a shower and was about to shut the bathroom door until she noticed Ty Lee studying herself in the mirror with a frown.

Softly, she said, “It looks good, by the way.”

Her friend turned back, her trademark grin now on full display. It was a perfect sight.

✷—✷—✷

“Why would we stop in Utah? What’s there besides Mitt Romney and no coffee?” Azula’s voice cut through the din of the breakfast crowd.

“Robert Redford,” Zuko offered, as a piece of his waffle dripped syrup onto his plate. It was quickly stuffed into his mouth when his phone buzzed against the laminate table.

 “It’s not even January,” Azula pointed out.

“Zion National Park is what’s in Utah!” Ty Lee said.

At that, Mai and Azula shared a look. It wasn’t often the two were on the same wavelength, but right now, it was clear they were thinking the same thing. No way. Ty Lee seemed to pick up on their unspoken communication.

“Come on, guys! There’s mountains and cliffs and canyons that are supposed to be stunning. And we could have a picnic and go exploring! It would also be the perfect place to go stargazing. It’s only a three-hour drive! Doesn’t that sound like fun?” Azula arched a perfectly manicured eyebrow. Ty Lee sighed in frustration. “Zuko, what do you think?”

The boy startled from his reverie of gazing dopily at his phone. “Huh? Oh, right." Always the mediator, he thought for a second before giving his opinion. "Honestly, I agree with Ty Lee. We won’t have another chance like this, and Uncle is always saying to seize the opportunity.”

Ty Lee beamed at having someone else on her side. "Well?"

"If you guys want to go sit in the desert all day, that's fine by me," Mai deadpanned. Even though she hated the heat, years of tense family dinners and forced attendance at various cocktail parties have taught her to be amenable. All eyes were on Azula. She was the decider in their little group, a dynamic that worked for everyone — Ty Lee got distracted too easily and Zuko could barely make a decision to save his life.

"Dr. Jeong Jeong did say I should try being flexible," she said, clearly uncomfortable branching out. Her eyes hardened into a familiar look of determination. "Okay, let's do it."

A cheer came from Ty Lee. Zuko met his sister’s eyes and gave a tender smile. Mai was just glad that she had sunscreen in her bag.

✷—✷—✷

As the car drove down a winding road through the park, Mai couldn’t help but gaze out the window in wonder.

The sun shone high in the midday sky. They were towered over by cliffs reaching impossibly skyward. The mountaintops seemed to brush against the clouds. Hues of beige and grey dotted with the deep green of trees and shrubs filled the landscape. Glimpses of red stained the rocks, as if painted with the sweeping brushstroke of some higher power.

Slowly, Ty Lee pulled over to the side of the road. She didn’t need to explain. It was like the whole group was in the same sort of trance, bewitched by the sheer beauty of the stage in front of them. They left the car in unison and stood against the car, eyes feasting on all they could. Mai thought she heard one of them gasp. Mai was struck with the realization of her own insignificance, how inconsequential she was in the greater scheme of things. These cliffs were there long before she was born, and they would be there long after her time had passed. As she breathed in the desert dust, a sense of calm filled her lungs. She felt Ty Lee’s hand lace into hers.

“Wow,” Zuko mumbled.

“Yeah,” Azula replied, sounding a little out of breath. Mai distantly thought it was one of the few times she had ever heard them agree.

They stopped for a little while long, taking in the scenery around them and enjoying each other’s companionship.

Eventually, they piled back into the car and drove down to one of the campgrounds. Luckily, it was late enough in the season that it wasn’t all that crowded. A grassy lawn outside the visitor’s center was determined to be the perfect place for a picnic. Before leaving the diner in Las Vegas, the group had ordered sandwiches to-go. They all sat on an old blanket Ty Lee magically pulled from her trunk. It was some of the most fun Mai had ever had, even with the 95º heat. They played music and laughed and enjoyed the sun, a departure from the San Francisco fog they knew so well. Ty Lee swung upside down from a tree until she was yelled at by a park ranger, Azula learned how to do a cartwheel and instantly moved on to back handsprings, Mai braided flowers into Zuko’s hair.

The sun was long past the horizon as Mai and Azula laid on the car’s roof, with Zuko and Ty Lee on the front hood. Each were on their backs, basking in the comfortable quiet, with their heads pointed toward the windshield. They were all exhausted from a mile-long hike earlier. It had been beautiful, but Doc Martens certainly weren’t outdoorsy boots, Mai thought as her feet ached. Now, they were content to just gaze at the stars. Mai never imagined the stars could look like this, never even cared to glance at the sky for more than a few seconds. This, though. This was something else. She absently noticed that the twinkling above their heads reminded her of Ty Lee’s eyes.

A sharp buzz against the car’s metal shook them from their reverie. Mai peered down and could see that Zuko’s face was flushed with embarrassment, even in the darkness.

“Sorry,” he murmured as he fumbled with the device.

“Who have you been texting, Zuzu?” Azula inquired.

“I’m not texting anyone.” As if on cue, the phone buzzed again. Zuko sighed in resignation. “Okay. I may have been texting a… friend… from school.”

“Oooh,” Ty Lee teased. “A friend? Or a boyfriend?”

Mai let a smirk break through her stoic facade. Times like these reminded her of when they were in elementary school. It was hard to believe, sometimes, how far they had come.

“I - no comment.” Zuko stuttered out.

“What’s his name?” Mai asked over Azula’s laughing and Ty Lee’s attempts to grab Zuko’s phone.

Zuko’s known the girls his whole life — long enough to realize that if they want information out of him, it’s easier to just tell them since they’ll find out anyways. “It’s Sokka,” he finally said.

“What’s he like?” Ty Lee wondered. She was always the hopeless romantic.

“He’s really smart, like, genius level smart. He’s always nice to me. He talk a lot. He’s from Alaska. I don’t know.”

“Does he know that any of us could kill him with our bare hands?” Azula said. It’s her version of a shovel talk, Mai thought.

“I’ll be sure to pass on the message.” Zuko rolled his eyes. Nineteen years of sibling threats have left him unfazed.

Mai stayed quiet as Ty Lee peppered the boy with questions, and he in return gushed about his new suitor. Snooping tired them out quickly, though. They climbed into the trunk of the car, the backseats flattened. Ty Lee had covered the scratchy polyester fabric with enough comforters to smother them. The four squished together in the small area. In any other place, at any other time, Mai would’ve complained; but, it seemed like a fitting end for today. In the darkness, she turned to Zuko, the other two girls fast asleep.

“I’m happy for you,” she whispered. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know.” After a beat, he added, “Love you.”

“You too.”

Mai turned back over and let a dreamless sleep take her.

✷—✷—✷

They woke up early the next day, all complaining of back pain. Ty Lee forced them to do morning stretches with her to combat the pain. Mai would normally complain, but watching Zuko try to touch his toes made it worth it.

Soon, they drive on through Utah. Somewhere down I-70, Ty Lee spoke up.

"We're so popular!"

"What do you mean 'popular?'" Mai questioned. Ty Lee was always up to something.

"On TikTok!" The younger girl explained. "I took a bunch of videos yesterday and posted about out trip. People seem to love it.”

“Why would anyone watch videos of someone else’s friends?” Azula chimed in from the driver’s seat.

Ty Lee shrugged. “Maybe to live vicariously through us?” She paused for a beat. Only Mai, watching her closely from the back seat, could see that her friend’s cheeks flushed as she scrolled through the comments. “They, uh, they think me and Mai are dating. Isn’t that funny?”

Azula let out a quick laugh. Heat rose in Mai’s cheeks. For some reason, it felt like someone had stepped on her chest. Her mouth ran dry.

“Yeah, funny,” she muttered. Zuko gave her a cryptic look, half-pitying and half something else. She didn’t understand why.

Colorado came in record time. The quiet in the car was odd. She wasn't a stranger to silence by any means — she grew up surrounded by it. But the past few days, it had become a foreign entity. Her ears had been filled by Ty Lee’s singing, or the siblings’ bickering, or simply the amiable chatter of lifelong friends. Normally, the quiet would be a welcome reprieve; now, Mai longed for sound. She didn’t have the same gift for auras Ty Lee did, but even she could tell there was a weird energy in the car.

When they stopped for lunch, Azula and Ty Lee stayed back for a minute, talking to each other in hushed tones. Mai tried not to let a frown slip out. She was always the person that Ty Lee would go to if she needed to talk. Zuko gave the look again. Mai shrugged it off.

The tension dissipated a little, but the silence stayed. At the very least, it gave Mai time to think. She looked over to see Zuko tapping at his phone and smiling to himself. Jealousy burned low in her gut, a churning that sent her reeling, though her face betrayed nothing. No, it's not jealousy. Mai doesn't want her childhood friend in that way, doesn't love him in that way. She's not sure she ever did, even when they were together. It hit her all at once. It’s not jealousy, it’s envy. Envy at the way Zuko’s eyes gleamed talking about Sokka. Envy at how he let the words ‘my boyfriend’ fall out of his lips for the first time.

Mai’s thoughts were pulled to the boys she knew in college: Kei Lo from Anthro, Ruon-Jian from Russian Lit, that one guy who wouldn’t stop following her around that party. Her excuse for not going out with them had been that she didn’t have time. In reality, she just… didn’t want to. She had never cared enough to examine further. Huh.

Her contemplation was disturbed by the car shutting off. She hadn’t even realized that the sun was hanging low on the horizon, and they had pulled into a Holiday Inn in Grand Junction, Colorado.

At dinner, things had mostly gotten back to normal. Zuko mentioned Sokka’s TikTok to Ty Lee and they immediately followed each other. Azula leaned across the table to stalk him with Ty Lee. Poking fun at all the videos Zuko was featured in was a good distraction. If any of her friends noticed Mai was more quiet than usual, which was saying something, they didn’t bring it up.

✷—✷—✷

It’s somewhere in Nebraska, two days later. They’re between their last stop, North Platte, and their next one, Omaha. It’s night, later than they’ve been driving. The day got off to a late start, the group treating themselves to sleeping in and a late lunch in town. Mai’s in the driver’s seat, Azula absentmindedly scrolling on her phone in the passenger’s. Cornfields passed in a blur outside. A quick glance in the rearview mirror confirmed that Ty Lee and Zuko were asleep in the back, laying on each other for support. It was endearing, hearing their soft breaths rise and fall at the same time.

The nearly nonstop driving left Mai time to sort her thoughts. The night before, she had an inkling of an idea. On the long stretch of road, it solidified. The shape was a little bit terrifying. She thought of her father's politics, her mother's preoccupation with social standing. She thought of her childhood, one of silence and restraint and shoving down anything that deviated from the ideal of the perfect child. She though of her brother, growing up in that house just like she did. Then, her mind drifted. She thought of Zuko, eyes shining as he spoke about Sokka. She though of Azula, how she came to accept her brother. She thought of Ty Lee, never saying a harsh word about anyone or anything. The edges of the shape softened. 

Mai shuddered a breath in. For the first time in her life, her mouth was moving of its own volition before her mind could catch up.

“Azula,” she said.

“Hmm?” the other girl responded.

Mai wasn't sure why, but a part of her knew that it had to be Azula she told first. They weren’t as close as her and Ty Lee, didn’t have the history between them that she and Zuko had. But Mai and Azula were alike in so many ways. She didn’t have to worry if Azula would sugar-coat anything, if she would be overly emotional. Mai didn't want this, this confession, to be any more than a statement. 

She didn't think she could process anything else, not yet. 

“I think I’m gay,” she said, so hushed it was almost impossible to hear.

In another life, she wouldn’t have told Azula first. She might not have told Azula at all. The girl used to hoard secrets like gold coins, collecting them only to cash in at a later date. It was like she had skipped the sharing lesson in kindergarten and moved straight to reading The Art of War. But now, after years of unlearning and relearning, Mai trusted her. 

“Oh,” Azula replied. Mai hazarded a glance to her right. Her friend’s eyebrows were drawn in, her lips pursed. “Thank you for telling me.” The words were deliberate, calculated.

“Yeah, well.”

The two let the silence between them hang in the air.

“I -“ Azula started again. “I care about you. I’m glad you… trust me with this.” She forced out the words as if being vulnerable physically pained her. Knowing Azula, it probably was. Feelings-talk isn’t her forte. Mai was a little touched at how hard her friend was trying.

“Of course,” she said.

The lull in conversation was more natural, more comfortable. A weight had been lifted off of Mai’s chest. She allowed herself a steadying breath. In the mirror, she caught another glimpse of Ty Lee’s sleeping form. The girl in the backseat wrinkled her nose, huffed out air. A smile played at Mai’s lips.

She pretended not to notice the look Azula was giving her — it was the same that Zuko gave earlier. Those siblings would be the death of her.

Chapter Text

Omaha passed in a blur. Mai couldn’t focus on much, besides the lightness in her chest. She realized that she had been carrying a weight for so long, she had forgotten what it felt like to breath without it. The rise and fall of her chest came easier, effortless. As the trees flew past, she wondered if this was how other people felt. She couldn’t help think that this was maybe how she was supposed to feel the whole time.

Hours passed, and Chicago went from an abstract concept to a place on the horizon, looming closer with every minute. It appeared right in front of them as the midday sun shone in the sky.

Ty Lee’s head was sticking out the back window as they drove into the city, eyes sparkling in awe. Mai couldn’t exactly blame her. It was the first big city they’d seen in days, since Las Vegas. The sleek, window-covered high rises reminded her of home for a brief moment. She pushed the thought down with a pang in her chest. Azula’s voice cutting through the roar of the wind reminded her that she was here with her friends; she was supposed to be living in the moment.

“Ty Lee, that’s dangerous.”

“But it’s fun!” The girl responded. She started to say something else, but pulled her head inside. “Okay, I take it back. A bug flew in my eye. Mai, can you check?”

Mai rolled her eyes, but turned to face her friend anyways. She glanced for a second before replying, “I don’t see anything.”

“Look closer,” Ty Lee begged, leaning into Mai.

Mai lightly grasped the side of Ty Lee’s cheek and examined her right eye. As usual, Ty Lee was being over-dramatic. Mai was about to say so, but the snipe died in her throat. She had never noticed how grey Ty Lee’s eyes were. With a start, she realized how close she was to the other girl, how she could feel little puffs of air on her wrist. If Mai moved her thumb just so, she’d run it over Ty Lee’s lips. She pulled back and cleared her throat.

“You’re fine.”

Ty Lee’s mouth was parted slightly as she sat frozen in her spot, halfway over the middle seat.

“Um,” Zuko eked out from the front seat. He never did know how to break tension.

His noise, at the very least, jumpstarted Ty Lee back into action. “Can we go see The Bean?”

Azula, from the driver’s seat, only sighed.

“Fine. But if a tourist asks me to take a photo of their family, I’m leaving.”

✷—✷—✷

On the way to the hotel, a plan formed.

Chicago became a two-day stopover. None of the group had ever been, save for Zuko on a business trip with Iroh once. He claimed it didn’t count because he was “too busy being fifteen and brooding to see anything.” (His words, though Mai probably would’ve used similar ones.) The girls were tired of driving, too — getting across the country was no small feat. Ty Lee wanted to do all the touristy things while Azula favored trying expensive restaurants. Even Mai couldn’t hide her excitement at the prospect of exploring. So, it was decided. Two nights in Chicago, then back on the road.

The plan crumbled at the hotel.

“I’m terribly sorry,” the concierge said. “We only have one double room left.”

Apparently, some sort of international conference on something or other — Mai wasn’t exactly listening, it might be a teacher’s conference — was happening across the city. Nearly every hotel was booked solid. Mai could see the aggravation flare behind Azula’s eyes. She may have gotten better, but some things never change. Before his sister could erupt in fury, Zuko stepped in.

“Are you sure there’s nothing you can do,” he glanced at her name tag, “Song?” He asked in a soft, raspy voice. The woman’s smile became less of one meant for customer service and more genuine.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she answered as she walked to a computer at the other end of the long laminate counter. Mai noticed the pink flush of her cheeks. She raised an eyebrow at Zuko.

“What?” He said.

“She thinks you’re flirting with her,” Mai responded. Her face remained stoic, though her amusement was evident.

Zuko sputtered, unable to form a sentence.

Song walked back, two keycards in her hand. “I’ve managed to move things around. I have two rooms ready for you right here.”

The group let out a collective sigh of relief. She looked at Zuko expectantly, waiting for him to take the cards.

“Oh, right! Well, uh, thank you! So much. I know that it’s, uh, difficult. In customer service. And stuff. So, thank you. Again.”

Song just giggled. “You’re very welcome.”

Azula and Ty Lee could barely contain their laughter as they left reception. Even Mai was chuckling under her breath. Zuko’s face was beet red, and his mouth was puckered like he’d just ate a lemon. It reminded Mai of the tricks Azula used to play on him a decade ago.

“I hate you guys,” he muttered as they got onto the elevator.

“No you don’t,” Azula retorted through her laughter.

“No, I don’t.”

The elevator dinged on the tenth floor. They walked in the direction of the rooms, laughter finally dying down. Ty Lee snatched a keycard out from Zuko’s hand as she bounded down the hallway. The mechanical lock whirred and clicked as the rest of them joined Ty Lee at the door.

“She did say there was only one double room,” Zuko pointed out.

In the center of the room sat a large, freshly-made bed. One large, freshly-made bed.

“This is fine,” Azula said. A familiar look of mischief glinted in her eyes. “Zuzu and I can share the double, and Mai and Ty Lee can bunk here.”

Mai wasn’t sure what Azula’s endgame was. She’d shared beds with Ty Lee before. The fluttering in her stomach was just exhaustion. “Fine by me.”

“Me too!” Ty Lee turned and faced her with a smile. It didn’t quite reach her eyes, but Mai said nothing.

This was going to be fine.

✷—✷—✷

They collectively decided to satisfy Ty Lee’s to-do list first, with an Azula-approved restaurant for dinner.

It was getting later in the afternoon, and tourist traps didn’t have time limits. The Bean was basically a big mirror. Mai wouldn’t admit it, but a group selfie distorted by the contours of the surface, complete with Azula’s runway-ready stare and Ty Lee’s tongue sticking out, made the visit worth it. The Willis Tower cost a fortune to go up to the observation deck. Zuko refused to step onto the plexiglass balcony. After pleading from Ty Lee, Azula took a video of the other girl doing a backflip over the city.

It was almost… nice, being a tourist for the day. It made Mai realize the anonymity of the past week. In all these towns, she wasn’t Mai Takeda, scary daughter of a prominent lobbyist. She was just a nameless face in an endless sea of nameless faces. It was reassuring, in a way. There was no standard to be held to, no impossible role to fill. For once, she was allowed to just be.

They ended up at a bougie Italian place for dinner that was half-restaurant, half-market. Each of the friends got a pizza that was far too small for the price, but had fun nonetheless, talking loudly over the din of the other customers. Towards the end of the meal, Mai caught Azula staring sharply at a display on the shelves. Zuko noticed and turned to see what they were looking at.

“Azula,” he said, in a brotherly tone he rarely used.

“Zuzu, don’t be such a baby,” his sister protested.

“What are you guys talking about?” Ty Lee asked. Mai nodded her head in the direction of the display of Italian wines. Ty Lee broke into a grin, but deflated just as quickly. “I don’t have my fake on me,” she pouted.

Azula provided an answer. “We don’t need. Mai won’t get carded.”

It didn’t bother Mai that Azula offered her service so quickly — she’s used to it by now. It’s true, anyways.

Zuko let out a resigned sigh. The girls had made up their minds.

✷—✷—✷

Mai laid on her back, staring up at the ceiling.

There was little fuss in getting the wine, just as Azula had predicted. The group had made their way back to the hotel and passed the bottle around until it was empty. It wasn’t enough to get them drunk, not when they all had stomachs full of carbs. The drink had just put them all on the right side of tipsy, heads fuzzy but not muddled. The siblings went back to their room, leaving Mai and Ty Lee to get ready for bed.

Now, Mai was ramrod straight, the tension seeping back into her body. Ty Lee breathed quietly next to her. Mai could picture her cheeks flushed from the wine, lips tinted a dark red, darker than any lip gloss she would choose to wear. The image was seared into Mai’s brain.

Had Ty Lee always been so captivating? Had she always smelled like cherries? Did her tan skin always contrast perfectly with her grey eyes and pink lips? Mai thought back to as long as she’d known the other girl. All signs pointed to yes. Had her fingertips always left Mai feeling like a volt of electricity just went through her? The answer to that was more complicated.

“Mai,” a voice to her right whispered. She was so sure that Ty Lee had been asleep. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” she whispered back. After a beat, she asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Ty Lee didn’t say anything for a while. Mai assumed the other girl fell asleep. The response came so quietly that Mai wasn’t sure she was meant to hear it.

“You.”

She shut her eyes and wished for sleep, putting out any sparks threatening to ignite her heart.

✷—✷—✷

Something heavy was pressing on Mai’s side. It was warm, and not entirely unwelcome.

As she woke up more, she recognized the space heater as Ty Lee. Through the night, the pair had drawn closer together. Ty Lee’s face nuzzled into the side of Mai’s neck, and her arm was thrown around the taller girl’s stomach. Mai’s own arm, in turn, had found its way under her friend’s lithe frame.

Mai took these few moments of restfulness and allowed herself to look. The dancer was active even in sleep, scrunching her wide nose and letting out a huff. Mai’s heart swelled with fondness. The quiet confession of last night rang in her ears on a loop.

She said she thought of me.

Before any clarity came, Ty Lee stirred awake.

“Good morning,” she murmured. Mai felt the movement of lips on her collarbone. It burned like a brand.

Suddenly the proximity was too much, too overwhelming. She extricated her arm from its position and started to get ready. Ty Lee made a faint whine of protest, but Mai forced herself to ignore it. It was a familiar strategy, one she'd used since childhood: keep busy and don't think about it.

Soon, the girls met up with the siblings outside their room. Today was Mai and Zuko’s day to pick activities. Unsurprisingly, they both chose museums. Their short-lived high school relationship was constantly in turmoil, but the one place they had never fought was the museum. Mai always remembered it as the best part of that relationship — probably because she didn’t have to do any couple-y things there.

Zuko’s pick, The Chicago Historical Society, was first. The group bought Ventra passes to get out to Lincoln Park, and spent the whole ride on the El bickering. Mai let a smile break through her stone-faced facade. Some things never change. The museum was interesting, and it gave Mai a chance to flex a muscle in her brain, dormant since her internship ended a month ago. Her mind ran at the planning behind the exhibitions, the choices the curators made. There were things she would’ve done differently, but she kept it to herself. After all, her choice was next on the list.

The Art Institute of Chicago was Mai’s preferred destination. History on its own was perfectly fine, but there was a reason Mai went into art history. Connecting with people had never quite been her strong suit. Through studying art, she could learn more about a culture than she ever could than in a tedious conversation. As they passed through the sleek white lobby, comfort seeped into her veins. Here, she was in her element.

Nimble fingers, marked at the base of the palm with callouses, wrapped around her wrist.

“You’re going to have to explain everything in here to me,” Ty Lee laughed, pulling Mai along into the gallery.

Mai scoffed, if only to distract from the burning at the place where Ty Lee’s skin met hers. But, Ty Lee had asked. “Sure.”

And so they went through the museum,  Azula and Zuko going ahead. In a steady, confident voice, Mai explained everything Ty Lee asked about, from Persian miniatures, to Mexican moralism, to Ukiyo-e prints.

“What’s this one?” Ty Lee asked. “It seems familiar.”

“Nighthawks, by Edward Hopper. From the forties, I think. It’s about isolation, mainly.”

“They look so lonely,” Ty Lee whispered. Her hand, long since fallen into Mai’s, tightened ever so slightly.

Mai considered for a beat before responding. “They’re not lonely. They’re just living. Just because they’re isolated doesn’t make them sad, or empty. This is one moment out of a million moments in their lives.”

She turned away from the painting to find Ty Lee studying her. The shorter girl’s lips quirked into a smile.

“I like your version better.”

They sped through the rest of the museum in order to catch up to their friends far ahead. When they finally spotted the two, Ty Lee dropped Mai’s hand and ran up to Azula, chattering about who-knows-what. Mai pretended she didn’t mourn the loss. Zuko raised his eyebrow at her as they fell in step.

“Why were you guys taking so long?”

“I was telling Ty Lee about the pieces she liked.”

“You hate teaching,” he said incredulously.

Mai didn’t know how to respond. “She asked.”

Zuko shook his head and muttered something under his breath. It sounded suspiciously like “people thought me and Sokka were bad.” Mai decided long ago not to ask for clarification on Zuko’s ramblings.

The rest of the day passed in record time. After the museum and dinner, they headed down to Navy Pier to watch the fireworks. Mai forced herself not to think about how Ty Lee’s eyes, wide in amazement, were the perfect shade to reflect the bursting lights.

That night, she fell into sleep easier than she had since childhood, Ty Lee’s weight an anchor of stability.

Chapter Text

They get an early start the next day, leaving Chicago as the sun was only peaking out from the horizon. As much fun as the city was, they only had a limited window of time. Azula and Zuko needed to be back at work at some point, even though Mai is fairly certain Iroh would give them the rest of the summer off, if they asked. She’s also certain that neither is going to ask.

Ty Lee drives first, takes Lake Shore Drive even though she could’ve stayed on the highway because she wants to see Lake Michigan for as long as possible. On any other day, Azula would’ve complained about taking the streets, but she’s placated through Stan’s Donuts and a black coffee bigger than her head.

Mai plugs in her phone, turns on The Velvet Underground, and lets herself drift into her own mind. Buildings pass beside her in a blur of steel grey and pale blue, the glossy office windows reflecting the early morning sky.  Chicago fades from the distance quickly as Nico sings about what the poor girl will wear to all tomorrow’s parties. Somewhere near Gary, Indiana, Mai hears humming from her left. She shifts her attention to the source of the sound. Ty Lee is focused on the road, eyes tracking the unfamiliar exits, but her hands drum on the steering wheel. It gives Mai a second to just look.

The sun gleams over Ty Lee’s shoulder as it rises higher in the sky. Mai notices her soft jawline, her wide nose and thinks of her own features she spent years analyzing in her bathroom mirror. Her own face is angular, strong, sharp where the other girl’s are rounded. When she was younger, Mai harbored some kind of jealousy for Ty Lee — at how feminine she was, at how free she was, at how it all came so easy to her. Now, staring at her friend as they drive through unfamiliar town after unfamiliar town, there’s nothing she can think but how utterly gorgeous she is.

She isn’t sure how long she’s been staring until Ty Lee hazards a glance in her direction.

“What?” She asks. “Is there frosting on my face from the donut?”

“No.”  Mai waits a beat, sneaks in a last look, and turns back to the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees a blush creeping up the younger girl’s tan cheeks. “I didn’t know you liked this song.”

“Well, I’m with you so much I’ve practically memorized it at this point,” Ty Lee giggles.

“Ridiculous,” Azula mutters from the backseat.

The fluttering in Mai’s stomach is back. It pools low in her gut, creeps up into her chest. It’s become familiar over the last week, even more so the last day. For the first time, Mai finds that she doesn’t mind it.

✷—✷—✷

They drive for what feels like days. Drive, rest stop, switch seats, drive some more, lunch in Toledo, drive some more. Mai doesn’t think anyone has been as happy to see Pittsburgh in their lives as she is when she pulls up to the motel after hours of cornfields and flat highways. It’s clear they’re all exhausted, even though they’ve been sitting in one spot for much of the day.

Zuko lets out a groan. “Finally.”

“We would’ve gotten here sooner if I was driving today,” Azula points out.

“Sorry I didn’t feel like paying a speeding ticket,” Mai deadpans.

Azula pinches her, not hard enough to hurt. It’s enough, though, for Zuko to give her a chastising look. She just rolls her eyes. Mai wouldn’t expect any different.

Unloading the car into the Motel 6 rooms takes only a few minutes.  In her peripheral vision, Mai thinks she sees Azula and Zuko whispering to each other like they're conspiring to overthrow a government.

"Alright," Azula announces. "I'm tired. We should stay in tonight. Ty Lee and I will go pick up food. Ty Lee?"

"Sure!"

Azula shoots daggers at Zuko before she turns to leave, Ty Lee trailing behind her. Mai could ask what the whole exchange was about, but she’s spent nineteen years trying to figure out each idiosyncrasy of Sozin siblings to no avail. At this point, she’s given up. Instead, she follows Zuko into the motel room.

They share a look of disdain before laying down a towel to sit on the mottled brown carpet. Mai has standards, for god’s sake.  Zuko reaches for the remote, hesitates a second, then grabs disinfectant wipes from his bag and thoroughly sanitizes the plastic, as if it personally offended him. He turns on the television and the pair sit in silence for a while, save for the idle chatter of The Real Housewives.

Lisa Rinna is fighting with Kyle when Zuko starts speaking.

“I- Mai, if-“ he starts and stops. His face is nearly the same shade as his scar, and his brow is furrowed in effort. Mai hasn’t seen him like this since he pushed her into the fountain at Ozai’s mansion ten years ago. “If you ever want to talk about, uh, anything, I’m here. Just so you know.”

“Okay.”

“If you wanted to talk about, you know, anything specific.”

Mai raises an eyebrow. There’s clearly some kind of game plan here, even if Zuko isn’t succeeding. “You said that already.”

The boy takes a steadying breath. “I’m not being clear,” he mutters to himself. Then, louder, he says “If you want to talk about Ty Lee, I’m here.”

“Why would I want to talk about Ty Lee?” Mai is careful not to let her voice betray her, but she feels a rush of emotion at the name. The neck of her shirt feels infinitely tighter, infinitely closer to cutting off her air flow. Did the heating unit just kick on in the middle of August?

“No reason.”

Mai can’t respond, not really, can’t say what’s been running through her head the past week (and maybe the past decade). The feelings are at the same time too intangible and too real. She can’t put into words the fact that her heart leaps into her throat each time Ty Lee smiles at her, the thrumming electricity coursing through her veins when they touch, the security of watching the other girl’s chest rising and falling in sleep.

She’s saved from having to answer when the door flings open.

“We’re back!” Ty Lee’s melodic voice chimes.

Mai steadfastly ignores Zuko’s eyes boring holes in the back of her head.

✷—✷—✷

Pittsburgh is ultimately just a pit stop, to rest for the night. They spend as little time as they need to in the motel — once a rich kid, always a rich kid.

The hills of Lehigh Valley pass in a blur of lush green, the grass swelling with dew from late-summer rainstorms. At one rest stop, they see a fox scurry into the woods off the interstate. It’s a serene beauty, even with the highways crisscrossing through the wilderness. It reminds Mai of Zion, in a way. It’s hard to believe that was only a few days ago.

Philadelphia comes quickly, since Azula flies down the Pennsylvania Turnpike. They eat at some hipster, artisanal sandwich shop that looks a lot better than it tastes. The group takes a half-hour to walk around the city, Ty Lee claiming to need the exercise. Her arm links with Mai’s.

“Can you believe it?” she leans into Mai’s ear to whisper. “We’re almost there!”

This is almost over, Mai thinks. She doesn’t say anything.

✷—✷—✷

Mai can’t explain the feeling of seeing New York in real life. They’re stuck in traffic in Weehauken, because of course they are, but it’s there and it’s so close. The spires of the buildings scrape the bottoms of the clouds, the lights of the buildings glint like the sun against the late-afternoon sky. The rest of the car feels it too, if the hush that falls over them is any indication. Azula even stops her road rage from the passenger’s seat.

It takes half an hour to get four miles to their Airbnb in Hell’s Kitchen, but they finally make it. A week ago, Mai was stuck in her childhood bedroom on the other side of the country. Now, she’s here, in an apartment the same size as her bathroom, in New York. Ty Lee walks through the apartment once, then once again walking on her hands. Azula is busy inspecting the beds and the pull-out couch while Zuko stands in the doorway awkwardly. With anyone else, Mai would be suffocated. With her friends, her family, it’s comforting.

They walk through Times Square to get dinner in Koreatown, then they spend the next hour lazing in the muggy summer heat in Bryant Park. Ty Lee films clips of them for Tiktoks when she thinks no one is looking, but Mai always catches her. It’s just by chance, not that she hasn’t been able to take her eyes of the shorter girl for longer than a few minutes at a time. Nope, not at all.

Ty Lee disappears for a few minutes and comes back with a bag.

“Surprise! I got pastries for everyone! For Zuko, an egg tart. For Azula, lavender milk tea latte. For Mai, a fruit tart.” She hands out the deserts as she lists them.

Mai feels a jolt as her fingers brush Ty Lee’s. It’s probably about to storm, that’s why.

“Thanks,” she mumbles.

Happily, they eat their treats as the orangey sun peaks through buildings.

“This trip has been good for us,” Ty Lee declares.

“Why’s that?” Zuko humors her.

“All of our auras are so much brighter! Except Mai’s. Mai’s has changed completely.”

“Is that so?” Azula questions.

“Yup! It used to be a pale sort of grey. Now, it’s forest green.”

“What does that mean?” Mai is almost scared to find out the answer. Ty Lee is too, evidently, because her face turns the color of the strawberry creme puff in her hand. Then, her face sets in the determined way Mai recognizes from their high school gymnastics meets.

“It connects to the heart chakra. It means you’re feeling unconditional love.”

And Mai can’t say anything but “oh.”

✷—✷—✷

The next two days are filled with tourist attractions, miles of walking, and far too much pizza. On their second to last day, they take the Q for an hour and a half to get to Coney Island. Azula claims it’s because she’s heard horror stories of driving on the Belt Parkway, but Mai has a sneaking suspicion she just wants to experience the “commoners” on the subway, as she calls them.

As soon as they step onto Brooklyn soil, Mai is bombarded with the scent of garbage, hot dogs, and the ocean. Zuko wrinkles his nose.

“Does all of Coney Island smell like this?” He whispers to her.

“Let’s hope not.”

The Aquarium is huge, the boardwalk is fun, and the Cyclone is terrifying. The way the rickety wood creaked as the cart reached the crest of the coaster made Mai shudder, but the ride is a “bonding experience,” according to Azula. Seeing Zuko go into a bumper car arena called “Bump Your Ass Off” makes the entire trip worth it.

After hours of excitement and activity, the group is sitting on the beach, basking in the last few moments of warmth before the temperature drops in the dark. Mai looks out at the Atlantic. The blue water, hue warmed by the rapidly-setting sun, reminds her of San Francisco. Something pangs in her heart. It’s not homesickness — the only reason she’s though of California is Tom Tom, who’s been leaving voicemails for her throughout the trip that Mai listens to after everyone’s fallen asleep. Instead, it’s a kind of cruel reminder; the trip is almost over. Soon, they’re going to have to turn the car around and drive west, back to college and internships and stress headaches. And loneliness. 

Ty Lee appears next to her, sits down gingerly. She waits for Mai to speak before saying anything.

“I don’t want this to end.” It comes out like a confession. In a way, it is.

“I know. But it’s not, not really. The trip is ending, New York is ending, but not all this. Not us.”

Mai doesn’t know if Ty Lee means for “us” to include Zuko and Azula too. She’s not sure which she would rather it be.

“I suppose.”

The weight of Ty Lee’s hand in the crook of her elbow anchors her to the earth. They don’t move until they hear a scream coming from the shoreline.

“Argh! Azula! I’m soaked through!”

“That’s what you get for standing too close to the water, brother. How is that my fault?”

“I swear to God...”

The girls share a look.

“I guess we should go intervene before there are broken limbs.”

Mai lets out a laugh, so genuine it surprises even her. Ty Lee gives a million megawatt smile.

✷—✷—✷

Mai is half asleep when she feels a tug on her sleeve. In the darkness of the apartment, she makes out Ty Lee’s head jerking to the fire escape. Blindly, she follows the other girl out the window.

The lights from Time Square are blaring, even three blocks away at two in the morning. It’s almost unfair, that Ty Lee still looks good in atrocious yellow neon of the M&M Store.

“Why are we out here?”

“Let me braid your hair,” Ty Lee pleads. Mai gives her a look. They haven’t done this since they were twelve, when the taller girl was scolded for looking “unprofessional” with twin dutch braids. “Come on. It’s been years since I’ve asked.”

With a sigh, Mai acquiesces. “Okay.”

It’s as if Ty Lee’s hand moves in slow motion. She pulls Mai’s hair behind her shoulder, nails just brushing against the side of her neck. Mai barely represses a shudder.

“Are you cold?”

“No.”

The shorter girl braids gently, never yanking hard. The only sound in the room is Mai’s breathing. She wonders if Ty Lee can hear her heartbeat, erratic and pounding. The light pull stops.

“All done,” Ty Lee whispers through a smile.

It’s odd. Mai has heard her friend whisper more on this trip than she has in years. She wasn’t even sure the girl could bring her volume below ninety decibels before this. She wonders what’s changed, but a part of her knows. She knows when she turns her head to face Ty Lee and her breath catches in her throat.

They’re an inch away now. if Mai swayed forward ever so slightly, their noses would bump together. Maybe their mouths would too.

“Thank you,” she murmurs, lips barely moving.

Ty Lee searches her friend’s face. What she’s looking for, Mai can’t say. She can’t help but notice when the grey eyes linger on her parted lips. There’s the sound of a sharp inhale.

“What do you want, Mai?”

She isn't sure anyone has ever asked her that. Verbalizing what she wants is something so foreign to her, has been forced down so far. She tries to form a sentence, a word, something, anything. Nothing comes out.

“Mai?”

“I don't know.”

“Are you sure?”

Mai can’t answer that. Instead, her body moves faster than she can talk herself out of it.

Her lips press against Ty Lee’s. It’s not perfect — Ty Lee’s chapstick is tacky and tastes like menthol, and for a second she doesn’t move at all. Just as Mai begins to pull away, already shutting down over the evident mistake she made, the other girl responds.

And, oh.

Ty Lee’s head tilts to the right, nose slotting against Mai’s. The mouth smiles against her own. It’s the first kiss she’s had that feels like… this. She can’t quite place the words without sounding like the trashy romance novel Zuko insists he buys for the “camp factor.”

It’s who knows how long before they pull apart. Warm breath tickles the smile playing at Mai’s lips. She presses her forehead against the other girl’s.

“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Ty Lee says through a laugh.

“…What?”

“I’ve been pining for you for, like, ever. I can’t believe you didn’t know!”

Mai can’t even begin to formulate a response to that. In an instant, it clicks. All of Zuko’s awkwardness, all of Azula’s scheming.

“Well, I know now.”

“Yes, you do.”

They stay on the fire escape like that for a while, trading breaths and kisses as their legs swing off the edge, three stories above the sidewalk. Ty Lee leans her head against Mai’s shoulder as they look out across the city.

“What are we gonna do when we get back?” She sounds so scared. Mai hates it.

“We’re going to figure it out.” Her hand tightens around the shorter girl’s.

“Yeah. We’ll figure it out.”

The next morning, Azula finds them asleep on the fire escape, backs pressed against each other and the open window.

“Fucking finally!”