They are in complete and total silence.

Ty Lee lost her long ago and she doesn't expect anything like forgiveness or even a prettier word. Azula talks so pretty but Ty Lee doubts that she has anything warm or gorgeous or captivating to say. Except, you see, Azula is the one who got away.

Everybody has one of those. It's Ty Lee's fault this time, or maybe Azula's. Ty Lee doesn't really know how or why she thought that the butterflies had died. They are here right now as the sun warms the room through the crystalline windows.

They are in complete and total silence, sipping tea.

Ty Lee was alone, a few minutes ago, with her own teacup. Now it trembles very slightly in her hand and she tries to steady it with her other palm. Her nails are perfect, which she is glad of. She wants Azula to think she is beautiful, because Ty Lee thinks that Azula is beautiful. Cold and cruel but beautiful.

Azula drinks her own.

Ty Lee remembers how Azula told her a secret. That secret was there is nothing I like more than talking over tea. Philosophy and politics usually came up in those conversations, and Ty Lee could never follow them when she was there in the morning, listening to Azula talk so pretty about ugly topics.

They are in complete and total silence, sipping tea.

"Do you not like talking over tea anymore?" Ty Lee whispers. It feels daring.

The butterflies didn't die. She can feel them and their burning hot anger at her for being stupid and opening her mouth.

"Not at the moment," Azula says. Of course she is cryptic; Ty Lee should not have expected differently.

"This is really nice," Ty Lee says. She is not lying but her smile is fake.

"It is," Azula says and that is probably the most romantic thing Ty Lee has ever heard.

Her cheeks flush as she sips hot tea and does not feel much like talking.

Ty Lee always needs to be saying something. If she closes her mouth she starts thinking. Right now she cannot think about much other than the amused curl of Azula's lip. She really just thinks that this is the only comfortable silence she has ever experienced.

She thinks, for the first time since she came for a prolonged visit to the Fire Nation, that there is a such thing as falling in love again. That there is a way to get back the one you regret losing.

If you asked her what love was last night or even ten years ago, it would be kisses and compliments and huge bouquets of flowers.

If you asked her what love was at the moment, she would say that it is right this moment drinking tea with her.