Chapter Text
Chan’s party was a bust, but the beach bonfire seems to have resolved some of the lingering emotional distress among the Fire Nation friend group. Ty Lee had meant it when she said that she felt all smoothed out, just like Lo and Li had promised they would, but she still felt the sting from some of her friends' comments toward her.
On their way back to the beach house, Ty Lee walks slower than the rest, letting the others lead the way. She’s too busy looking down at the sand and twirling the end of her braid to notice that the princess has also slowed her pace, letting Zuko and Mai enter the home alone.
“What’s wrong?” Azula’s sharp voice makes the acrobat jump. She glances up to see that the princess is now standing right in front of her, watching her impatiently.
“Wha-What?” Ty Lee responds.
Azula rolls her eyes like the conversation is taking too long already. “I could hear you dragging your feet from way up front. Something is bothering you. What is it?” Not a question, a demand.
“I’m fine,” she lies. Several things had upset her tonight, but she did not realize it was so obvious to the others. Or at least, to Azula.
Azula assesses the acrobat with narrowed eyes and Ty Lee tries not to squirm. She doesn’t need another reason to be mocked tonight. The princess tuts, seeming to have reached her conclusion.
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not, I-”
“ Ty Lee. ”
And maybe it’s how Azula said her name, like an impatient parent reprimanding their child. Or maybe it’s the way that Azula just won’t let it be , but Ty Lee finally unleashes her frustration.
“Fine! I am upset! Are you happy now?” She wants to kick up a cloud of sand when she sees Azula smile at this. “You’re just so right all the time, aren’t you, Princess?”
Azula’s smile instantly drops into an angry frown. “Excuse me?”
Ty Lee matches her friend’s intense gaze with her own.
“Where is this coming from?” Azula pushes. She takes a step toward Ty Lee and raises her eyebrows in surprise when the other girl stands her ground.
Azula stands close enough that Ty Lee can feel the warmth that is always radiating off of the firebender’s skin. The same warmth that she usually craves to be near. The same warmth that Azula used to willingly offer up on cold nights during their Earth Kingdom travels. She’d let Ty Lee cuddle close to her in the tiny tent so long as it was never discussed out loud the next day. But the caring Azula that warmed her through those nights is not the same Azula that stands before her now.
Ty Lee takes a shaky breath. “You laughed at me on the beach. Zuko made fun of me and you laughed . Friends aren’t supposed to do that.”
Azula rolls her eyes, “Oh please, Ty Lee, you must stop being so sensitive all the time. It’s exhausting.”
“I’d rather be sensitive than mean!” Ty Lee shouts. Her breath comes out in heavy pants and she can feel her heart pounding against her chest. It has been a while since she’s even slightly raised her voice at Azula this way. “You’re so mean sometimes,” she adds quietly before she loses her confidence. She’s not afraid of Azula, she’s not .
For a moment it looks like Azula might actually back down. Maybe even apologize for the second time that night. Her face softens as she eyes the way Ty Lee’s bottom lip has begun to quiver, but the moment passes quickly. On a sharp inhale, the fire princess morphs back into her cold, stony exterior.
“Zuko is the one who said it. It’s not my fault that it’s true.”
Ty Lee barely conceals a gasp. She’s grown accustomed to Azula’s hurtful words and jabs, but every so often the knife cuts especially deep. She tries to steel herself.
“So that’s what you think? I’m just some dumb circus freak to you?”
She watches as, for the first time in this argument, Azula breaks eye contact to stare over Ty Lee’s shoulder. The princess presses her lips into a thin line.
“You said it, not me.”
At this, Ty Lee lets her gasp be heard. She couldn’t restrain it even if she tried. It’s like a punch to the gut. A small part of herself had held out hope that Azula would deny the claim, but that was naive. She wishes she was more convincing when she told Azula that she was fine so that this conversation never had to happen. So she never had to find out what her best friend really thinks of her.
The sounds of the waves crashing are suddenly too loud and Azula is far too close and the air is too hot and Ty Lee needs to get away right now. She shoves past her cruel friend, not even flinching when she hears the sound of Azula stumbling. If Azula wants to burn the end of her braid later, she’s free to do so.
Ty Lee does not care.
Not anymore.