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Mai and Azula sat at a long dinner table, Azula was at the end, Mai was right next to her, eighteen empty seats ran down the room. They were eating roast duck. They ate quietly, until the servants came to take away their empty plates. “I’m bored.” Mai said, resting her head in her hands,
“I know.” Azula replied. They had both been miserable ever since Ty Lee ran away.
“I miss Ty Lee.” Mai said.
“I know.” Azula said, with some anger in her voice.
“I-” Mai tried to complain again, but before she could get a second word out, Azula interrupted her.
“Mai, if you complain about one more thing I swear to Agni I’ll make my father send your whole family to live in a volcano.” Azula snapped, slamming her hands down on the table. Mai went back to being quiet, they both did until Azula spoke again. “Do you want some ice cream?” She asked. Mai only nodded in response. Azula looked at one of the servants who was standing by the door, which is all she had to do to make him run off to go get the girls some ice cream.
“Did Ty Lee tell you why she was leaving?” Mai asked.
Azula shook her head, “She just gave me that stupid letter talking about the circus and how she couldn’t bear to live with her family anymore.” She muttered, atleast, that’s all Azula got to read before she burned the letter in her hands.
“Can’t we go find her?” She asked.
“She didn’t say which circus she was joining, I don’t think she knows where she’s going.” Azula said, “Father said he would get troops to investigate if they were in the areas of a circus.”
“So, we just have to wait until they find her?” Mai asked.
“I guess…” Azula said, “Unless she decides to come back.” Azula said, as the servant brought back two bowls of vanilla ice cream, garnished with chilli flakes.
“Do you think she will?” Mai asked, as they began to eat their ice cream.
Azula shrugged a bit, as she swallowed a bite of ice cream. “I hope she will.” She said.
Azula and Mai sat in silence for another few minutes as they ate. Azula was staring down at her bowl. Looking up meant seeing the empty table, seeing Ty Lee’s absence. After this Mai would go home, and Azula would go back to being a little more alone than she was the day before. Stuck in a nearly empty palace with nothing to do until Mai came back, well, there was one other option. “You wanna have a sleepover?” Azula asked.
Mai didn’t particularly want to have a sleepover right now, she wanted to climb in her own bed and wallow, but unfortunately she looked at Azula before she could answer. Azula’s eyes looked glassy, she shoved spice covered ice cream into her mouth like she was looking for an excuse to tear up, to prematurely explain it away. Mai wasn’t the most empathetic person in the world, but even she could hardly ignore the writing on the walls. “Sure.” She said, “I can stay over. I just have to run home to tell my mom and get some clothes and my toothbrush.” She said.
Azula nodded, once they finished their ice cream Mai briefly went home, she came back about an hour later with a large overnight bag. It was dumped in Azula’s large bedroom. The dark, windowless room was lit only by blue fire. It wasn’t Azula’s fire, she had the servants periodically dump a special powder into the torch-holder so it would burn blue by itself. Other than the lighting, Azula’s room only had a bed. It had no toys or paintings or any decorations at all really. Interior decorating wasn’t high on Ozai’s priority list, and Azula wasn’t allowed to make those kinds of changes around the palace, even at 13.
Azula and Mai sat on Azula’s bed, “Do you think it’s our fault Ty Lee left?” Azula asked.
“Maybe…” Mai said, “Did she say anything weird yesterday?” She asked.
Azula shook her head, “She seemed happy, I mean, she was smiling and laughing.” The pair entered the kitchen, where Azula grabbed a box of freshly baked chocolate mochi.
They began their trek back as Azula handed Mai a mochi, before taking a bite of one herself. “Maybe it’s a trick, you know? Like a prank? A dumb, lame, stupid prank! And, and she’ll be back tomorrow to laugh in our faces about how worried we were.” Mai proposed.
“A prank…” Azula pondered, “Yea! That’s it for sure! I’m certain she’ll be back tomorrow, and then we can scold her for her shenanigans and teach her a lesson!” She said, as they got back to Azula’s room. They sat on the bed with a more hopeful demeanour than they had left with.
“So, did you see the new play in the city?” Mai asked, getting a head shake from Azula. “It’s called about two star-crossed lovers.”
“Isn’t that a bit overdone?” Azula asked, as she picked up another piece of mochi.
Mai shook her head, “Apparently, the lovers are two women, it’s really stirring up a mess in politics, my dad keeps talking about it.”
“Two women? I didn’t know you could do that…” Azula muttered, “How’s it work?”
“I dunno, but I heard they kiss in the final scene, before one of them dies.” Mai explained.
“Two girls kissing…” Azula repeated, “What would that even look like?” She asked herself.
Mai laughed a bit, “You wanna find out?” She asked, causing Azula to turn red.
“I-I don’t think it would be app- HEY-!” Azula yelled, as Mai leaned forward with pursed lips. Azula fell onto her back, Mai fell on top of her, looking down at Azula. Mai had cracked a small smile, Azula’s cheeks were a bright red. “M-Mai…”
Azula’s mouth was ajar, just enough for Mai to lean down and take advantage of. She pressed her lips against Azula’s, her tongue pushed forward, just like how she’d heard other girls talk about in school. Mai opened her eyes when she pulled away. Azula was staring wide-eyed up at the girl on top of her, her entire face was red. “I guess that’s how they do it.” Mai said. Her smile was miniscule, almost invisible, but it was the biggest smile Azula had ever seen on Mai’s face.
“Your mouth tastes like chocolate…” Was all Azula could say.
Mai started to laugh as she got up. “You should see the look on your face!” She said, falling back.
Azula was taken aback from shock at seeing Mai laugh. “Sh-shut up!” Azula shouted, sitting up. “Y-You looked way stupider!” She insisted.
Mai kept laughing, “Oh, I can’t wait to tell Ty Lee all about this!” She boasted.
Azula shook her head, “Y-You’re the one that kissed me! You enjoyed it way more than I did!”
“Then why’s your face still all red, ‘Zula? You got a crush on me?” She teased.
“You’re the one with the crush! T-Talking about plays about kissing girls!” Azula’s face only got redder, she attempted to cover her face with her arm.
Mai pulled it down, smiling at her friend, their faces an inch apart. “So what if I do?” Mai asked, “What’re you gonna do to stop me from kissing you again? Unless, of course, you want me to?”
“Kiss me? What if I kiss you first!?” Azula asked, almost leaping onto Mai to kiss her. “Hah! How’s it feel!?” She asked.
Mai leaned up and placed a kiss on Azula’s cheek. “You’re too predictable.” She said.
Azula was shocked, again. “What?” She asked.
Mai sat up, pushing Azula off her. “Of course I knew you’d react that way, you played right into my hand.” She continued her teasing.
Azula let out a groan, “I hate you.” She muttered.
“That isn’t a very nice thing to say to the girl you kiss.” Mai taunted, “Why don’t you just sit back and eat your mochi, princess.” She said with a laugh.
Azula groaned again and grabbed some mochi. “You’ll pay,” She promised.
Mai shrugged, “Whatever the princess wants, I suppose.” She said, taking a bite of mochi.