"It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air… That's the day I realized that there was this entire life behind things… I feel like I can't take it, and my heart is just going to cave in." –Ricky Fitts, from American Beauty

Weeks passed, and Ty Lee had yet to acknowledge anything Azula did or had to say.

The girl that had once blushed when the Princess entered a room now made it a point to look out the window upon entry. Instead of sitting with her and Mai their regular dining table, she carried her tray over to a corner to be alone. Azula even noticed how Ty Lee would keep as far away from her as she could in classrooms and corridors, as if she were some sort of hideous, vile creature. No longer was there a girl dancing in her shadow to hang on every word.

This type of behavior, in Azula's eyes, needed to end.

Ty Lee looked up from her homework to a sharp knock on the door. Without answering, she knew it was Azula. Half of her wanted to scream the Princess to go away. The other half wanted to keep giving her the cold shoulder. And then, some part of her was making her stand and open the door.

"What do you want?" Ty Lee pouted. "I'm studying."

"You never study," Azula chastised underneath her breath. She found it hard to meet Ty Lee's darkened, brown eyes, still swirling with anger and sadness. For some bizarre reason, they were far more intimidating than her father's most treacherous glare. Perhaps it was because that was a look she had practiced in the mirror with her own golden eyes.

"Well, I'm studying now, and if you don't have anything else to say, you can leave," Ty Lee said.

"No, wait," Azula replied, stepping more into the doorway without invitation, her hand catching the door before it could close. "I wanted to… I don't know, apologize? It's been weeks since we've spoken."

"So?"

"So, I…"

And there was a long, heavy pause of Azula actually struggling with her words. The girl that could ace a speech clean off the cuff, the girl that could whip out an essay in record time, and the girl that never failed to persuade a crowd now fumbled to say the words she needed to say to keep a friend.

"I lied," she finally said in an exhale.

Ty Lee blinked. That was no surprise.

"Here." Azula shoved three pieces of paper into Ty Lee's hands. She accepted them, but said nothing. "They're veterinary records of the kittens. I took the liberty of taking them back from the headmaster and sending them to your family back home, where they can afford to feed and take care of them. I wanted you to know—"

But Azula's words were cut off in a whole-bodied, lung-crushing hug. Azula stumbled back in surprise.

"I know," Ty Lee replied before Azula could finish. "And… I'm sorry, too."

Another pause, their faces close together, as they had been the other night. For a moment, Ty Lee wondered if they were going to kiss again, when Azula took a step back and shoved something else into Ty Lee's arms.

"What's this?" she said, surprised. It was a small, colorful package wrapped in gold.

"Open it."

Ty Lee did, tossing the wrapping paper aside and opening the box to reveal a pair of bright pink, woolen mittens. "Oh. These are… nice?"

"Put them on."

"Why?"

Azula rolled her eyes, as if the answer was obvious. "So your hands don't get cold. The first snow is falling, and I assumed you would want to go for a walk."

Ty Lee grinned, grinned for the first time in weeks, and shoved the mittens onto her hands. "Winter is my favorite season, Azula! Let's go!"

She jumped in delight, kissed Azula on the cheek, and sprinted down the hallway. Azula found her feet frozen in place, her face hot with blush. It was not often the Princess was caught off guard. Ty Lee paused before throwing open the door to the snowy wonderland beyond, and instead skipped back to Azula's side to hold her hand, despite the gloves.

"We'll go together," Ty Lee decided with a smile.

Azula smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Once more, Happy Tyzula Week 2015! Thank you for reading!