Rise from the Ashes (Tyzula)

Chapter Eight: Visitation

A/N: Didn't really plan on writing this so soon, but a few of you guys expressed interest so I thought I'd get it done. Finally some Ty Lee + Azula interaction! I hope you all had good holidays and thanks for all the kind words on previous chapters! Sorry for any spelling/grammatical errors; enjoy!

Ty Lee paced back and forth in the hallway, the door to the infirmary thankfully shut so the patient who resided within wouldn't see her erratic and anxiety riddled movements. For the past two days, she had warred with herself tirelessly over visiting Azula. She was terrified that her old friend would reject her and refuse to talk. Or worse, if Ty Lee fell right back into her clutches and got her heart broken all over again. But, if the young girl who had made a strange appearance the other day held truth in her words, that wouldn't happen. Or at least she hoped it wouldn't.

The acrobat had essentially been reduced to a bundle of nerves. Seeing Azula after all this time was bound to come with some sort of consequence, but whether it be emotionally or otherwise she didn't yet know. She wasn't sure which she preferred, but she quite liked having all of her limbs intact. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and reached for the two bowls of soup she had placed on the table outside of the door. The tasty contents would become cold if she waited any longer. Biting her lip and trying to keep her heart out of her throat, she picked up the bowls (which had a spoon each) and nudged open the door to the infirmary.

Inside, it was moderately bleak. Unlike the rest of the palace, the color scheme mainly consisted of a blank white. There were six beds, more like cots, in the room, and only one was occupied. On the furthermost bed in the corner laid the Princess of the Fire Nation. She looked tired and sickly, though she was awake and seemingly just staring up at the ceiling with an empty gaze. That is, until she heard the door close and turned her head slightly to see Ty Lee.

She froze in surprise. She thought that maybe this was a hallucination, or maybe she was still dreaming... but no, her dreams were terrifying and nightmarish... Ty Lee didn't fit in that category. She wasn't a nightmare, she was better than the sweetest dreams Azula could produce. Her heart began thumping against her rib cage so strongly it almost hurt from overexertion.

After a moment of awkward silence, Ty Lee cleared her throat and summoned words. "Hi... I-.." She chewed on her lip as a nervous habit, "I thought you might want some dinner, so I brought you some and hoped to eat with you..?" Her statement ended in somewhat of a question, her voice raising in pitch because she was unsure if Azula would accept the offer or not.

It took Azula a moment to register what Ty Lee had suggested. "I... Yes, I would like that." She answered softly with a smile. The nurses had already shoved some food down her throat, but if eating some more meant spending time near the acrobat, she'd do it in a heartbeat. Ty Lee looked relieved, slowly approaching the bed and sitting in the chair already beside Azula's cot. The acrobat held both bowls patiently as Azula sat up, meeting eyes with Ty Lee briefly before settling herself. Ty Lee offered the bowl of soup to her, which Azula took gingerly. "Thank you, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee couldn't help but smile. Her name sounded a million times prettier when Azula said it. "It's no trouble at all." She replied, eating a spoonful and tasting the delicious, steaming soup. "I'm sorry I haven't come to visit you earlier, I just..." Ty Lee trailed off, trying to form an explanation that wouldn't hurt her old friend's feelings.

Azula took it upon herself to finish the girl's statement, already certain what the brunette was struggling to say. "You needed space, and it's okay if you still do. I understand completely." Azula assured quickly. She didn't want Ty Lee to feel pressured to entertain the idea of pursuing a friendship if she didn't want to.