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“Ah, I’ve been looking forward to this for ages! It feels like it’s just been forever since we got to have fun like this and go out on a real date!” Ty Lee was beaming, a state of being that wasn’t at all unusual for her. She’d always been like that, delighted by the littlest things and bringing up the mood of everyone around her in the process. Of course, she was the most sensitive of the three of them too, uncomfortable with the manipulation and mind games Azula so loved.
Maybe it was in the interest of preventing any hurt feelings that Mai spoke up first. “Seriously? We see each other almost every day. I doubt it’s that exciting.” She rolled her eyes, sighing quietly, but deep inside, she could almost grasp what Ty Lee was talking about. Being with her girlfriends was nice. It added some color to the gray world around her. So she didn’t protest or pull away when Ty Lee slung an arm around her waist, pulling her into a sidelong hug. It would look platonic enough to other shoppers.
Azula, however, had no qualms about pointing out her carelessness. She’d always been by far the most paranoid about these things, and Mai knew her reasons were sound. She was the prime minister’s daughter. Any whiff of a scandal would have massive repercussions.
“Don’t you ever think before you open your mouth, Ty? You can’t go around shouting whatever you like.” Azula’s voice was already quiet, but it lowered further still when she added, “Haven’t you learned the meaning of the word subtlety?” Though her tone was cold, and Mai saw Ty Lee flinch, it was remarkably soft by Azula’s standards. No unnecessary cruelty, just a reminder of their situation.
“Right...sorry, Azula. I wasn’t thinking.” Ty Lee cast her gaze down to the polished tile floor, looking appropriately chastened. Giving in to the sentimentality, Mai allowed herself to wrap her arm around her in return, pulling her in close.
“Well, we’re here to shop, aren’t we? Why don’t you pick out some clothes for us to try on? Just,” she paused, wrinkling her nose. “Nothing pink, okay? I don’t love you that much.” A lie, one obvious enough to make Azula laugh. Mai elbowed her in return, giving her a pointed look. She was just as much in love—otherwise she wouldn’t take the risk of indulging this relationship at all.
Ty Lee disentangled herself to better sift through the racks of designer clothing, practically jumping up and down. Mai watched her braid bouncing against her back, the pink ribbon it was tied with fluttering in the air.
“You’re far too indulgent, Mai. She gets plenty of attention in private.” Azula rolled her eyes, inspecting her perfectly manicured nails.
“But you like seeing her happy like this too. You’re Azula. No one can force you to do something you don’t want to do. No one normal, anyway.”
“Maybe. So what if I do like it? Would it be so strange? I didn’t realize you viewed me as heartless.”
Mai sighed and didn’t take the bait. As frustrated as Azula could be sometimes, she loved her too. They’d known each other almost their whole lives. She could tell when Azula was feeling insecure, even when no one else would guess.
“I don’t. You know that.”
Oblivious to their conversation, Ty Lee bounded over, both hands full of clothes hangers. “C’mon, guys! Let’s go try these on. I can’t wait to see how pretty you’ll both look in them.”
On the way back to the fitting rooms, Mai was struck with the urge to reach over and interlace her fingers with Azula’s own. For a dangerous minute, she let her.