[ ——» ☼ «—— ] 

                             it’s funny, she thinks, that her elite have
                             never been anything more than that to
                             her. she knows their strengths, flaws, 
                             tics— but she forgets they know hers. 

          sometimes Ty Lee will breathe silly songs
          into her ears while they rest  because she
          thinks Azula’s asleep. the princess doesn’t
          understand what makes her do this, but the
          words in the lullabies ring in her ears when
          she looks at the other girl, the words she
          calls music tell a story: her story. 

                             Azula never tells them how she feels,
                             if she’s hurt, what her life was like before. 
                             she doesn’t need to. they all have their
                             sob stories. there’s no use wasting time
                             crying over something you cant change.

  when she looks at Ty Lee she thinks she wants to. change, that is. 

                   but sometimes Ty Lee crosses lines, thinks
                   Azula cares about her dainty little feelings,
                   thinks that after all this is said and done the
                   reward will be something more than good 
                   money and good seat placement at royal
                   dinners. ( something more like a place beside
                   Azula, perhaps, when she becomes Fire Lord, 
                   or even something reminiscent of friendship 
                   between them. ) when Ty Lee makes a particularly 
personal remark one night, Azula realizes that
                   they have come too close to that, to
                   something ‘ m o r e. ‘

  she can’t have that. 

                                      so because Azula doesn’t want her to
                                      think she’ll allow this kind of familiarity
                                      on this particular mission, she makes a 
                                      remark of her own — something about 
                                      how, if Ty Lee had been unavailable, any 
                                      of her sisters would have been properly
                                      suited to be apart of this team. 

  because Azula doesn’t care about Ty Lee, or Mai, or Zuko, or anyone. 
                         she only cares about herself. 

                   ” Yes. ” she says, back turned to the other girl
                   because she knows if she turns around she’ll
                   see her crying. the princess picks at her nails 
                   with a look of boredom on her face. by luck, 
                   the lullabies have silenced for this moment and
                   she can think clearly— with thoughts untainted
                   by special words and longing. ” Because you
                   shouldn’t have any weaknesses. ” she says, 
                   a silent demand that she dares to speak a 
                   moment later. 

                                                  ” If you want to help me finish this mission,
you’ll be sure to toughen up, won’t you Ty Lee ? “ 

  and after that the songs of seven sisters and circus acts and beautiful girls who adore their princesses are silenced, and Azula sleeps soundly.