Loyal (Male!Azula X OC)

11: The Beach

"I'm so excited to spend the weekend on Ember Island. It's gonna be great to hang out on the beach and do nothing." Tye Lee rested his hands behind his head and closed his eyes with a satisfied smile.

"Doing nothing is a waste of time. We're being sent away on a forced vacation." Zuko walked over to the balustrade, leaned on it and stared out to sea. "I feel like a child."

Azulaan rolled his eyes. "Lighten up. So dad wants to meet with his advisors alone... without anyone else around. Don't take it personally."

Tye Lee gestures at Azulaan. "Doesn't your family have a house on Ember Island?"

Azulaan turned toward Tye Lee. "We used to come every summer when we were kids."

"That must've been fun!" Tye Lee said enthusiastically.

"That was a long time ago..." Zuko said.

"Oh..." Tye Lee turned to me. "You're family had a house there once too, right Reen?"

"Yeah," I said, watching the water. "I was born on the island actually. But we moved for father to take the government position before I was old enough to remember it." I faked a smile knowing this was supposed to be an exciting trip and not wanting be a downer like Prince Zuko.

***

Our accommodation was a shabby little cottage that all five of us were skeptical of. Though the outside was displeasing, the inside was decorated in an ornate tropical style.

Zuko scrunched his nose. "It smells like old lady in here."

Mai, looking toward Zuko, sarcastically said, "Gee, I wonder why."

Tye Lee looked at a painting of two young twins standing back to back in a symmetrical seductive pose. "Who are these two beautiful women?"

"Can't you tell?" Li and Lo stood on either side of the painting and struck The same pose. "It's Li/Lo and me."

Zuko covered his mouth to prevent himself from getting sick.

I stared down the hall and Tye Lee followed me. I opened a door to reveal two bed with matching maroon sea shell printed bed spread. I dropped my bag on one bed.

Tye Lee snuggled against the pillow of the other bed. "Ooh, I love this seashell bedspread!"

"Are you serious?" Mai asked from the doorway. "It looks like the beach threw up all over it." Azulaan and Zuko also watched Tye Lee snuggle the ugly bedspread.

Li and Lo seemed to appear from nowhere. "We know you're upset that you were forced to come here this weekend. But Ember Island is a magical place. Keep an open mind... Give it a chance... and it can help you understand yourselves and each other." Li grabbing one of the smooth stones resting on side table and passed it to Lo. "The beach has a special way of smoothing even the most ragged edges." Tye Lee stood again as Azulaan yawned. In an identical series of motions, Li and Lo clapped and striped off their robes, revealing their elderly bodies in swimwear. "Time to hit the beach!"

Mai covered Zuko's eyes. "Okay, okay."

The others, excluding Tye Lee, left the room to get ready. Tye Lee began searching for his swimsuit. "So..."