So I was watching The Boiling Rock Parts 1 & 2 the other day...

What if Ty Lee was a prisoner instead of Suki?

Ty Lee stared blankly in front of her, unseeing, unaware of her fellow prisoners around her. Hands cupping her cheeks, elbows digging in her knees, grey eyes glazed over, the former bubbly girl wished nothing more than to get out of there. But in a way, she liked it here, at the Boiling Rock.

Because...well...she'll be away from...

Azula.

Speaking of the person who was behind the reason she was in there in the first place.

It was all because Ty Lee had said the wrong thing.

All because Ty Lee wanted a little freedom.

All because Ty Lee wanted to be doing the right thing instead of being Azula's right hand girl all the time. She was tired of being pushed around, ordered around like she was a puppet. She was tired of hurting people who didn't deserve to be hurt.

Ty Lee's decision led to her trying to leave Azula's 'small elite team'. But knowing Azula, the acrobat knew that walking away wasn't going to be that easy.

They actually fought. Ty Lee's chi blocking against Azula's fierce, harsh blue fire. And Mai had stood by to watch it all happen. The only other person in the world Ty Lee trusted did nothing to stop the lethal princess from burning her. Harming her. Attempting to end her.

And now Ty Lee had a burn, a mark, forever etched into her skin. The place on her body was easy to hide under the sleeve of her prison garb, and she felt less exposed with her hair down. She had no friends here, and now that she was really thinking about it, maybe it was better that she didn't have any...

But there was that one person that she still lo-

Brrriiiiiiiing!

The sound of the bells going off signalized that it was time to return to her cell. Sighing and getting to her feet, she followed the others with her head hung.

Little did she know that a pair of golden eyes had followed her.

Ty Lee threw herself on the lumpy thing they called a bed, staring at the ceiling.

Did she deserve this? In a way, she did. After all that she had done. She should've stayed away from Azula like Mai and Zuko had warned...

But no. Something about the insane princess always pulled Ty Lee back for more. Maybe it was because when Mai was busy, she hung out with Azula because Zuko never wanted to play and she was afraid to talk to him?

She did end up talking to Zuko though. Azula had been doing 'princess duties' and Mai was 'in training', which left a lonely prince wandering around the palace...

Ty Lee pouted, picking at a flower's petals.

A curious prince peeped his head out from around the corner before walking out into the courtyard. He wanted some time to himself, and he was glad he had some time before Azula and her obnoxious friends come and bother him.

Speaking of, one of them sat alone in the grass, the occasional tear falling from her cheeks. Eyebrows scrunching down, he dared himself and entered the yard without making a sound. Why was this girl sad? She was normally happy and stuff. And it freaked him out. Was this a trick? Was Azula lingering in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to humiliate him?

"U-Um," Zuko stammered out, ponytail stopping it's mild swing as he stopped behind her. Ty Lee jumped before turning around, and, seeing who it is, wiped the tears hastily off her face as she got to her feet. "Hi," he said awkwardly, looking around.

"Hi," Ty Lee said back, looking around too, but for what reason, she didn't know.

"Shouldn't you be with Azula?"

Ty Lee timidly shrugged. "I...w-well, I was told she had some princessy things to do! So I decided that I would wait for her!"

Zuko sighed as the girl started to look hopeful again. He didn't want to burst her pink bubble but..."You do realize that she's not coming back, right?"

"Nuh uh! That's not true!"

"Look, whatever your name is, whatever Azula's doing, she obviously doesn't wanna be with you right now. She's too stuck up to appreciate real friends."

"TY LEE!" she wailed.

Zuko blinked. "What?"

Ty Lee wiped her cheeks. "My name. My name is Ty Lee!"

"Oh. Uh, okay, Ty Lee." The sound of her name on his tongue almost brought a smile to his face. It was probably her. She was never angry or brooding or disciplined. "I'm, uh-"

"I already know your name, silly!" The happy girl was back. "You're Zuzu! Zula talks about you all the time!"

"My name's not Zuzu!" Zuko barked. "I hate that nickname!"

"Oh...well then what's your name?" Ty Lee asked curiously.

"Zuko!" Zuko lowered his voice, clearing his throat. "Just...Zuko."

"Zuko..." And for some reason, he wanted to smile when she said his name. It almost sounded like she was singing it. "Wanna be friends, Zuko?" She beamed at him.

"Er, sure?" he said awkwardly.

"Yay!"

And with that, Ty Lee launched herself at the boy, causing the two to fall over on the grass. She threw a fit of giggles, and for some bizarre reason, he did the same.

Her cell door opened, revealing one of the guards. He stepped inside, closing the door behind himself as he went, and Ty Lee quickly sat up. What was he going to do? Have his way with her? There were rumors that dirty bastards like him would sneak in a female prisoner's cell and wouldn't return until daylight...

On reflex, she sunk in a fighting stance as he inched closer to her.

"Easy," he said, holding his hands up before reaching towards his mask. "I'm not gonna hurt you."

Ty Lee gasped as the scarred young man revealed himself, his helmet clanking on the floor. She felt the wind being knocked out of her.

"Zuko!" she cried before crossing the room and embracing him tight.

"Shh," he shushed her gently but returned her embrace just as fiercely. "Agni, what the hell are you doing in here, out of all places?" Zuko had always thought of Ty Lee the most fragile out of their little group, no matter how tough she was. He had always had this strong protectiveness over her, and only she saw that side of him when it was just them two, like it had always been before he was banished. Before she set him up with Mai because she knew how Mai felt about Zuko, and she had more of a chance with him than Ty Lee did.

Ty Lee started to sob, shoulders shaking, her dainty fingers clenching around the cloth and armor. He put a hand to the back of her head, still gently shushing her, all the while leading her over to her bed, where they sat down. She never left his warm embrace.

"I-I could be asking you the s-same question," Ty Lee croaked, a shiver running down her spine as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

Zuko gave her a wry smile. "Long story. To make things short, me and Sokka are here to get his dad."

"You're gonna break him out of here?"

Zuko nodded and sighed. "But knowing that you're here, I can't leave you behind."

"It's impossible..." Ty Lee started.

Zuko smirked. "We've done the impossible before. I thought you were supposed to be the optimistic one?"

Ty Lee shrugged her shoulders. "Things have changed, Zuzu..."

She had told him how he liked it-short and straight to the point. When she fell silent, her breath hitched in her throat; his hand traveled up the soft skin of her left arm, pushing her sleeve up so he could see the snake-like scar wrapped around hee upper arm. At first his eyes held fire, then he seemed to have calmed himself and closed his eyes.

"Azula did this to you?" he whispered.

Ty Lee didn't meet his eyes. Zuko made a bold move-if he wasn't bold then, he sure was now-and tucked his finger underneath her chin, coaxing her to lift her head and meet his gaze.

Zuko arched his good eyebrow, and she nodded, a stray tear falling down her flushed cheek. Growling, Zuko suddenly grabbed Ty Lee's face in his large, calloused hands, causing her doe eyes to widen in shock.

"Dammit, Ty Lee!" he hissed. "What is it about you that drives me fucking nuts, yet you make me wanna keep you by my side so you''ll be safe?!"

"Zuko, I don't-!" Ty Lee was lost for words.

And if that wasn't enough, his lips instead of his words, shushed her. Despite his ferocity, he kissed her hesitantly and softly, and she did the same.

Knock knock

Zuko cursed his breath, breaking the kiss.

"I gotta go," he whispered, getting up. Ty Lee had barely registered two seconds when Zuko was back, standing in front of her with his helmet back on. "I'll be right back."

"O-Okay," stammered a blushing Ty Lee.

Smiling a little, Zuko swooped in and gave her a brief peck on the cheek before he left.

Just like that.

Zuko came back, but not in the way Ty Lee was expecting. She had been doing mopping duty in the commons, the other prisoners doing various chores as well; her hair was pulled out of her face so she could work better.

"Need some help?" a raspy, husky voice said in her ear, causing her to jump and whirl around. Sighing in relief, she took a moment to eye him up and down.

"Aw, not you too!" she whined as he grabbed a spare mop.

"Don't worry. Sokka's gonna come around when he comes up with a plan. He's with his dad right now, I think." Zuko noticed her staring and asked, "What?"

"You're in dingy prisonwear, and you're still handsome!" Ty Lee pouted, and Zuko rolled his eyes, now mopping beside her, but in the opposite direction. "How'd you get caught anyway."

"I'll let you guess on that one."

Ty Lee froze.

"...She's here?"

Zuko nodded. "Both of them," he whispered back.

"How do you know? Did you see Azula too?"

He shook his head. "I just know."

She licked her dry lips. "Mai...did she...did you...?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

Ty Lee stopped her mopping, now eyeing him wearily. "Zuko?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you...do you like me?" she blushed.

He paused too, their eyes meeting and lingering for a moment. Zuko wasn't really a words person, so he just went with his actions. He reached across the short distance between them and cupped the side of her face, his touch which she already leaned into.

"I already made a mistake once," he said finally. "I don't wanna do it again."

Ty Lee smiled a little, and he looked around just in case there were any onlookers. No one was watching the two, so Zuko leaned down and Ty Lee was prepared this time. She kissed him back, more hungrily this time to let him know that she was there.

"Too late, Zuzu," she murmured against his mouth. "It's already bad enough that Mai was my best friend and Azula's your sister..."

"Best. Mistake. I ever made," Zuko decided, pulling her further into the corner, stopping when his back hit the wall.

"They'll come for you," Ty Lee faintly warned, now trapped between Zuko's warm body and the wall. "And for me."

Zuko snorted. "Does it look like I care?"

It wasn't until a good, heated five minutes later that they broke apart to the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Ya'll done?" Sokka demanded.

I'm a bit rusty, but I liked how this turned out :) I can't wait until Ty Luko week!