Work Text:
Mai is sitting in the shade underneath a tree, leaning against the trunk with her eyes closed. It’s peaceful, and with the sweet scent of plum blossoms floating on the breeze and Ty Lee humming softly beside her, she almost drifts off, running her fingers over the petals of the hyacinth that sprouts from the grass next to her.
Her breathing starts to become more and more even, until Ty Lee’s gentle voice pulls her from the golden haze of the realm between sleep and waking.
Her eyes flutter open. “Huh?” She turns her head to find Ty Lee looking at her. Sunlight dapples her face as it streams through the gaps of the canopy above them.
“I…made this for you,” Ty Lee says. Her voice is soft, but there’s an uncertainty to her smile. A vulnerability.
Only now does Mai see what she’s holding in front of her; it’s a flower crown, the stems of white dandelion-daisies woven together with care, alternating bursts of pink and blue from the asters and forget-me-nots twisted between them.
It’s…” The words catch in Mai’s throat as she stares at the hand-crafted flower crown. “It’s beautiful.”
Ty Lee’s smile grows wide, and she lifts her hand. “Do you–”
Mai nods. “Yes.” She lowers her head so Ty Lee can place the flower crown on it, and Ty Lee brushes a few loose strands out of Mai’s face as she lifts her head again.
“There you go.” Her voice is nothing more than a breath, a whisper in the wind, and it feels so intimate Mai’s breath catches.
She swallows, yet her voice still cracks when she says, “Thank you.”
Ty Lee’s smile is bright as the sun as she shuffles closer. She leans in and presses her lips against Mai’s cheek, and Mai can’t suppress a smile as she feels Ty Lee whisper against her skin. “You’re welcome.”