Chapter Text
Mai and Zuko sat playing cards in Zuko’s room when there was a knock at the door.
“Who is it?” Zuko called. “The Firelord is busy.”
Mai rolled her eyes and placed down another card.
“Extremely busy,” she whispered. “Losing!”
“It’s Ty Lee,” a voice called back. “Is Mai in there?” She asked.
“Come in,” Mai responded, placing down her winning cards, much to Zuko’s disgruntlement.
The door swung open and Ty Lee bounced in.
“Hi Mai, hi Zuko,” Ty Lee said. “Would you mind leaving so I can talk to Mai in private?”
“It’s my room,” Zuko protested as Ty Lee flopped onto his bed and Mai made a shooing motion towards him.
“Well, Mai doesn’t exactly have an office, does she?” Ty Lee asked.
Mai chuckled and Zuko huffed as he left the room.
“What’s up?” Mai asked as the door closed behind him.
Ty Lee rolled around so she could sit and face Mai.
“I’m having a ‘Zula problem,” Ty Lee said.
“Is she being mean? Is she hurting you?” Mai asked, concerned.
“No, no, nothing like that,” Ty Lee said, shaking her head.
Mai let out a small sigh of relief. She loved Azula but she cared about Ty Lee more and she didn’t want to see her best friend hurt by her other best friend. Azula was rehabilitated but they’d taken up dating very quickly and Mai had some reservations.
“So what’s wrong?”
Ty Lee blushed and looked down at her hands.
“Azula is trying very, very hard to be a good girlfriend,” Ty Lee said.
“Okay…” Mai said, confused.
“She’s doing her best to be affectionate and all and it’s great,” Ty Lee said. “When she holds me or plays with my hair my stomach flips over and over.”
“Is that a problem?” Mai asked.
“I’m getting there,” Ty Lee said quickly.
“Faster please,” Mai said.
Ty Lee groaned and rubbed her eyes.
“I shouldn’t even say this, ‘Zula would be so mad if she found out,” Ty Lee said.
“So don’t tell me,” Mai sighed, leaning back.
“No, I need advice!”
“Spit it out,” Mai said. “I’m not going to tell her anything.”
“‘Zula and I make out, like, a lot,” Ty Lee said slowly. “And every time we stop kissing she looks like she’s had the best experience of her life but…”
Ty Lee paused and Mai gave her a second to collect her thoughts.
“‘Zula is a really bad kisser,” Ty Lee whispered, blushing deeply.
Mai’s eyes widened and she burst out laughing.
“Mai! Stop that!” Ty Lee whined, launching herself at her friend and smacking her arm.
“That’s hilarious,” Mai said, catching her breath. “So much for prodigy!”
Ty Lee growled and smacked Mai again.
“Be helpful!” She chastised.
“You knew I would laugh at you. You had to know,” Mai said. “Yet, you came anyway. It must be really bad.”
Ty Lee buried her face in the sheets on Zuko’s bed.
“Sit up, come on,” Mai said, nudging Ty Lee’s shoulder.
Ty Lee didn’t move.
“I’m going to help you,” Mai said.
Ty Lee looked up hopefully.
“Have you tried, maybe, telling her?” Mai said.
“I don’t want to embarrass her,” Ty Lee said.
“This is embarrassing her,” Mai said, gesturing between herself and Ty Lee. “If you paused briefly in the middle of a makeout session and sultrily whispered, ‘less tongue,’ I don’t think she’d be embarrassed.”
Ty Lee furrowed her brow.
“Are you sure,” she said.
Mai nodded.
“Zuko was a bad kisser too, and I certainly wasn’t an expert, when we started dating. We had a few uncomfortable conversations but then it got better. Are you so sure that you’re good at kissing?”
Ty Lee rolled her eyes.
“You should see her,” Ty Lee said.
“She’s a great actress,” Mai said.
“Are you trying to make me doubt my skills?” Ty Lee said. “I’ve had more practice than any of you!”
“Not a point I’d bring up with her,” Mai said, twirling a knife she pulled out of thin air. “How many boys have you kissed anyway?”
“I don’t like, like four boys and two girls,” Ty Lee said, rolling onto her back.
“Does Azula know that?”
“Probably not,” Ty Lee said. “That’s not the point! The point is…”
“The kissing is not up to your standards,” a voice said dryly from the doorway.
Ty Lee sat up quickly and saw Azula crossing her arms and leaning against the threshold.
“‘Zula!” Ty Lee squealed. “That’s not what I meant!”
Azula raised her eyebrow.
“What did you mean then?” She asked. “It sounded like that was exactly what you meant.”
Ty Lee blinked and blushed.
“When you can talk to me like an adult and not go running to our friend, in my house, like a child, come find me,” she said coldly, and brushed out of the room.
“Oooh,” Mai said, poking Ty Lee’s arm. “You’re in trouble!”
“How did she know I was here?” Ty Lee asked.
“Where else would you be?” Mai asked.
“Home?”
“Perhaps she came across a peeved Zuko,” Mai said. “After you kicked him out of his bed.”
“I gotta go,” Ty Lee said, sliding off of the bed.
“I’d say so,” Mai said, lying down.
Ty Lee ran out the door and into the hallway, almost knocking the Fire Lord over on her way out.
“Watch it,” Zuko said as Ty Lee jumped to the side.
“Have you seen ‘Zula,” Ty Lee said frantically.
Zuko shrugged.
“I think she was saying something about burning something?”
“Thanks!” She shouted back, but she was already gone, running towards the fire bending area behind the palace.
She could hear the roar of flames before she even got outside and she slowed down to catch her breath.
“‘Zula,” she called, as she walked outside.
The roar of the fire stopped and Azula looked up at her. She looked angry and that frightened Ty Lee.
“Well?” Azula asked, crossing her arms.
“I’m sorry,” Ty Lee said.
Azula was silent. Ty Lee just stared at her.
“Is that it?” Azula said, she turned back around and shot another fireball at a wall.
“Wait no,” Ty Lee said. She hopped the small divider and walked across the arena.
Azula turned back towards her.
“‘Zula,” Ty Lee said softly, reaching her hand out to touch Azula’s arm. “I shouldn’t have said all of that to Mai.”
Azula pulled her arm away and pursed her lips.
“Please say something,” Ty Lee said.
“You…” Azula started, before taking a deep breath. “I’ve never been in a relationship before.”
Ty Lee nodded.
“You’re the first person I’ve ever…” Azula licked her lips. “I trust you.”
“I know and I appreciate it and-”
“If I’m doing something wrong, I would appreciate that you told me about it instead of running your mouth.”
“I completely understand and-”
“Let me finish,” Azula said forcefully, causing Ty Lee’s stammering to stop.
Azula took another deep breath.
“I’ve been working on this so here it is: it was hurtful, what you did. I feel betrayed, in the sense that my shortcomings are personal and you shared them. It was already one of my bigger concerns, that I would not reach the standards of your previous trysts, and not only did you prove my fears right but you did it behind my back,” she paused. “Now you go.”
As Azula was talking Ty Lee’s eyes had teared up and when she finished they started to escape.
“‘Zula, I’m not very good at words, can I please hold your hand,” Ty Lee said, her lip trembling.
“You want me to comfort you because you feel bad for hurting my feelings?” Azula asked, stone faced.
Ty Lee looked down and sniffled.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “What I did was wrong. I know it hurt your feelings. I feel like I’m still in the pattern from when we were younger and we’d all tell each other everything and Mai has always been a good mediator. I was just looking for advice, really, I wasn’t trying to expose you.”
Azula set her jaw and watched her girlfriend sob quietly in front of her. It was hard to see her upset and she knew Ty Lee would never try to hurt her on purpose. Reaching out a hand she placed it on Ty Lee’s shoulder and rubbed it gently.
Ty Lee looked up, her face and eyes red.
“Come here,” Azula said, pulling her into a hug.
Ty Lee let out a surprised gasp as Azula’s arms encircled her. She clutched tightly to the back of Azula’s robe.
“I love you,” Ty Lee said. “A lot.”
Azula hummed and kissed the top of Ty Lee’s head.
“Was that horrible for you?”
Ty Lee stopped crying and giggled a little, looking at Azula.
“You’re a great kisser,” Ty Lee said, cupping Azula’s face with one hand.
“Liar,” Azula whispered, as Ty Lee pulled her closer.
“You just need a little practice,” Ty Lee said, her lips ghosting over Azula’s.
“What if I don’t want to kiss you,” Azula said, not moving away. “I’m self conscious.”
“Have you ever given up on anything before?” Ty Lee encouraged.
Bridging the tiny distance, Ty Lee pressed her lips against Azula’s gently. Azula pressed back.
Ty Lee opened her mouth slightly and captured Azula’s bottom lip between her own, grazing it gently with her teeth.
Azula let out a small surprised noise and placed her hands firmly on Ty Lee’s hips.
“Wait, stop,” Azula said, pressing Ty Lee away from her.
Ty Lee moved her head away immediately.
“I’m still mad at you,” Azula said.
“I know, I can feel it,” Ty Lee said.
“What’s there to feel,” Azula asked with a smirk. “I just told you. See, I’m communicating my feelings with you. Communication is important in an adult relationship, especially one that involves kissing.”
Ty Lee sighed and rested her head gently on Azula’s chest.
“I might have kissed a lot of people,” she said, feeling Azula’ tense beneath her, “but I’ve never loved anyone before. I’ve loved you since before I knew what love was.”
“Not very good with words, huh?” Azula asked.
“Can you tell me how to make you not mad, for next time?” Ty Lee asked. “I promise I’ll learn.”
Azula thought for a moment, wrapping her hands around Ty Lee’s back and hugging her close.
“Maybe we can establish some boundaries between what’s private and between us and what is fair game to share with Mai.”
“Just Mai?” Ty Lee asked.
“Well,” Azula reasoned. “I’ll never know if you tell Suki I’m a useless lover, but with Mai it’s like you’re asking for me to find out.”
“But that wasn’t what I was trying to do!” Ty Lee protested.
“I know, darling,” Azula said. “That doesn’t mean it didn’t feel like that.”
“Darling?” Ty Lee asked, her heart fluttering.
Azula shrugged as Ty Lee turned her head to face her.
“It felt right.”
Ty Lee leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the princesses.
“Please take me to your room,” she begged.
“Are you going to teach me how to kiss to your liking?” Azula asked.
Ty Lee shook her head.
“If you don’t want to kiss me I respect that.”
“But you want to come to my room?” Azula asked.
“People are always listening and we’re in a very public place,” she pointed out. “We should talk more about boundaries, and communication,” she suggested.
Azula smirked.
“You learn fast, don’t you?”
Ty Lee nodded.
“You know, I’m not a very slow learner myself,” she whispered.