{ Azula x Soleil } Part 1 / Starts off as Etsy Seller Lilium x Jumin -> Short Zuko x Lilium RP -> The AWESOME Spirit Blossom RP in the Spirit Realm (Thresh x Lilium) - Chapter 1 - SmolAngstyWritings (2024)

[[Please excuse the title its dumb but i giggled]]

Lilium ran a hand through her hair as she looked down at her completed artwork. It was another fantasy-themed piece, one that totally gave off Sailor Moon vibes, and she was quite proud of it! Now she could make prints and sell them on her Etsy page. But first... she liked to share her work on the messenger, to her friends. They were close to the woman, and quite nice, so she always showed it to them first. Without thinking too much about it, she snapped a picture of her painting and then opened her messenger app.
Lilium has entered the chatroom.
707: !!!!
707: I JUST THOUGHT OF SOMETHING...
ZEN: ...
Jaehee Kang: Hello, Lilium.
Lilium: Hey there, Jaehee. How are you?
Jaehee Kang: Good, thank you for asking.
707: I'M GOING TO MAKE A ROBOT ELLY.
Yoosung: ^^;;
ZEN: That's all...?
Lilium: I wanted to share my latest piece.
Lilium has sent a photo.
Yoosung: OH! Thats really nice Lilium!!
Lilium: Thank you uwu.
Now with that done... Lilium should probably go out and buy some more supplies! She wasn't the most popular on Etsy, but she had quite a few loyal customers, and she wanted to keep them happy for enjoying what she did. So, she'd always do her best for that! ...It really was her only source of income at the moment anyway, besides online commissions, so she needed to keep this up. Luckily, she... had this apartment to stay in, so she didn't need to worry about bills... but there was still food and other things, and who knew when she'd need to leave this apartment, right? It wasn't hers to keep, after all!
Back at home, it wasn't often that she could just leave and go out. Even for small things like shopping. So.. this was very nice. It was a nice day, too! She lived pretty close to all the big stores, so it wasn't too difficult to walk and go buy what she needed. After getting dressed in a simple white dress, the woman left the apartment, making sure to lock the door behind her. She'd just go buy her things and probably take a taxi back so she wouldn't have to carry it all... Yes, that sounded lovely!

"Oh? So much talk of dear brother... do you not see that he's the enemy? Or need I remind you again of how he was cast away? Perhaps I should have father remind you of the story..." Azula blew a strand of her hair out of her face in annoyance. It seemed that Mai and Ty Lee found her brother amusing or interesting, for whatever reason. Though he had been cast away years ago, to hunt for the Avatar. Until now, he had not succeeded. So really, why must her friends bring up such a distasteful topic? Speaking kindly of the enemy should be punishable by Fire Nation law... He was worse than that, even. A traitor. That's what poor little Zuzu was, in the eyes of her father, and as a result, the Fire Nation as a whole. Now... Azula was the one the nation looked up upon! Besides her father, of course. No need to worry anymore about her brother, or how her mother seemed to care for him more.
"Whatever." Mai mumbled, rolling her eyes. Meanwhile, Ty Lee simply smiled, albeit nervously. "S-So... Azula, who are these people coming over to the capitol?" She asked casually, swaying in her position a bit. "High class members of the Fire Nation." Azula held her head up high, eyes narrowed as she watched from the sidelines. "...An old friend." She finally added, seeing as how Ty Lee would not stop giving her these strange looks.
Azula hadn't seen Soleil in a very long time. They had been children back then, though lived apart, and had not seen each other often. Due to everything that was going on, it was decided that they should move closer, in case something were to happen. As Father said, it was necessary to have all of the strongest nearby. People were jealous of their proud nation, and that was dangerous. Of course, no one could stand up against them, but... Father's words were law.
The Princess was taken a little by surprise, however, when she spotted Soleil. Oh. She looked different now, for sure. With eyebrows furrowed, she realized - with slight annoyance - that her stomach felt strange, and her face felt hot. "Azula-?" Ty Lee asked, tilting her head to the side curiously. "Enough talk." She spat, glaring at the girl beside her. "We can't be rude in the presence of such high ranking people. Not in front of father." She muttered. The guests before them were being greeted by her Father, of course. It was only natural. Though.. her eyes once again snapped to Soleil. Her features were soft, and lovely. Her hair looked nice. Her eyes..
What was she even thinking? Why was Soleil so beautiful? The woman cursed herself for feeling weak. But... no matter. Her father and Soleil's father went into another room, and everyone was dismissed and allowed to do as they pleased. "Well look who it is." Azula greeted, eyes twinkling as she approach the woman. "My, how you've grown. Strange..."

Jumin was just on his way home from the office, though he would have another dinner meeting with a company partner in a couple of hours. Even dinners were filled with work, but he was used to it - he had to be, in this position. Besides, it's not as though he had anyone waiting at home for him, to spend the evening together. There was his precious Elizabeth the Third, but darling as she was, she was a poor conversationalist. He used to spend evening with Jihyun, but he was away now and he hadn't seen him in a long while. So yes, perhaps the business dinners weren't half bad.

Driver Kim pulled the car over as Jumin had requested, to stop by the store before going home. He always had his groceries delivered straight to his place, and his maid brought in the dry cleaning, so in all honesty, Jumin rarely went out to the stores on his own. But Jihyun's birthday was coming up, and he wanted to taste-test the wines before deciding the best one to buy for his friend as a gift (and he'd certainly get a bottle or two for himself as well).

But before he could even get out of the car, Jumin caught sight of silver - the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Her face was soft, with the loveliest features he'd ever seen (and there was certainly no shortage of beautiful women in his societal circle). But she walked past his car and he lost sight of her face. The white dress she wore and her silver hair were just as lovely too, though. Really- she looked like a personification of Elizabeth the Third, and Jumin immediately knew that he had to at least reach out to her-

By the time he scrambled out of the car (as elegantly as everything he did, of course), the silver haired woman had nearly disappeared in the crowd before him. He started after her, not letting his gaze lose sight of her, but- shoot, she climbed into a taxi and rode off to who-knows-where. Jumin sighed. He'd never see her again, would he? Such a shame... Feeling so wholly defeated, Jumin came back to the car, and told Driver Kim to take him home. He didn't even feel like taste-testing the wine anymore - he'd have to do that another day, because he knew it would all just taste bitter after this defeat. He pulled out his phone and quickly skimmed through the messages he'd missed-

Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.
707:oh!! mr ceo!
707:did ya see lilium's art?
Jumin Han:I did, just now.
Jumin Han:It is very impressive. Lilium is very skilful.
707:yeah! itd be even better if she drew cats~~
Jumin Han:Speaking of...
Jaehee Kang:Oh no.
Jumin Han:I saw the most beautiful woman just now, in town.
Yoosung:oh???
ZEN:Don't tell me--
Jumin Han:She would be the perfect model for Elizabeth the Third's new line of collars.
ZEN:;;;;;;;;;;;;
Jumin Han:Her hair was exactly the right match for Elizabeth the Third's fur. But I couldn't catch her in time to make the offer...
Jumin Han:Luciel, you don't suppose you could track her down?
707:lol
707:easy peasey!!
707:just tell me where you saw her and at what time
ZEN:jflskddkf
ZEN:wait wait wait wait wait!
ZEN:Do you have fur for brains?? That's SO creepy, don't!! do that! leave the poor woman alone!
ZEN:Use modelling agencies to find models, don't stop women on the street!
Jumin Han:I've considered all the major modelling agencies already. But no one was as good a match as the woman today. No one else even came close to her beauty... nor to the beauty of Elizabeth the Third, of course.
ZEN:;;;; You know, no woman wants to be compared to a CAT, either. Just stop.
Jaehee Kang:I agree with Zen. That is very strange, Mr. Han, to say the least.
Jaehee Kang:And I certainly wouldn't want to be compared to a cat;;;
Jumin Han:Not to worry, Assistant Kang. This isn't about you.
Jaehee Kang:^^;
Jumin Han:There's nothing to be done about it, then. Perhaps I'll see her again one day.

Soleil had to admit she was a little nervous about this whole ordeal. Her family was moving into the Fire Nation Capitol for the time being, though she hadn't exactly been told why - her father didn't exactly keep her in the loop about important matters like these, even if they concerned her. Was there doubt of the Fire Nation's victory? Was the Avatar - whom Soleil had only heard rumours of - a large enough threat that the Fire Lord felt the need to gather all his assets in the capitol, whether to protect or use them? Whatever the reason, Soleil was excited too. She'd come here sometimes in her childhood, and had lots of fond memories with the prince and princess and their friends.

She bowed politely in greeting when they entered the throne room to meet with their generous and very important hosts - Fire Lord Ozai included. She'd been looked over and barely given more than a glance while the older men talked, but that at least gave her the chance to take a careful look around the room. Prince Zuko was absent, so what she'd heard about his banishment must surely be true. And there she was - Princess Azula, standing near her father, but very much at his side. She'd grown and changed so much since the last time Soleil had seen her, when they were still children, but she was still clearly Azula, holding herself with the same pride and fierceness she remembered. And- she was really beautiful, just as you'd imagine a princess. She'd been a pretty child, but now she was a gorgeous young woman, and Soleil couldn't help but admire her features, even as Azula kept looking ahead, not sparing her a glance. Did she even remember her? It was so long ago, after all, she wouldn't blame the princess if she didn't... Pushing those thoughts aside, Soleil tore her gaze away from her and turned her attention again to the Fire Lord.

They were dismissed not long after that, and Soleil couldn't help but smile when she heard a voice and saw who it was that approached her. So she did remember her-! The thought made her really happy, for a reason she couldn't entirely comprehend. "Princess Azula-!" She stopped herself just in time from calling her just Azula and from leaning in to give her a hug. Though they were friends in childhood, that was a long time ago, and Soleil wasn't certain whether she had the right to be so casual with the princess right now, and- better safe than sorry.

She laughed a little. "You too, you've grown so much since last I saw you. You're taller than me now." She hummed, and- looking at the princess from this close, she again found herself admiring her features, from the curve of her lip to the arch of her brows. "I say time has been very kind to you."

[[Jumin is SO cuteeee]]

After gathering what she needed, Lilium called upon a taxi and got in. Setting her bags in the seat next to her, she briefly spoke to the driver about where to drop her off. Now, since she had nothing else to do, she opened up her messenger app again.
Lilium has joined the chatroom.
Lilium: Hello again!
707: Lololol
707: I just realized something. (1)
707: :D
707: :D
707: :D
ZEN: Can you stop hogging the chatroom??
Lilium: What's going on?
Yoosung: Jumin has a crush~
ZEN: I'm sure he was imagining her.
707: Where have you been Lilium?! I saw you left on the camera-
ZEN: Why are all of you so weird?? Stop stalking women!
Lilium: I was out buying some supplies for my artwork nearby. I'm on my way back now, though. Don't worry~
707: Hehehehehehee
707 has left the chatroom.
Lilium: ^^; Okay...
Seven was being as strange as always! But... oh. It seems like Jumin really did have a crush on someone. Oh... actually, this was kind of funny! She had hair that matched his cat's fur, and she had been out in town too.. A silly coincidence, but she'd surely have noticed if the Jumin Han was nearby. Right-? Humming a bit to herself, she allowed herself to pretend it was her anyway. The woman closed the app for a moment to check up on her Etsy. No new-- oh. She had a request for a commission. After reading the request, she laughed aloud. "Seven, what in the world.." She was pretty sure the taxi driver gave her a weird look for laughing so much, but she barely noticed. Right. She absolutely had to call Soleil and tell her about this one. She was absolutely sure that Seven was the only person in the world who could come up with such a request-!
Once she arrived and the taxi stopped, she paid the driver, took her bags, and went back up into the apartment. She paused for a moment outside the door, glancing back at the camera and rolled her eyes a bit with another laugh before going inside. After placing her bags down, she sighed and plopped herself down on the carpet, taking out her phone and casually calling her best friend. When she picked up, Lilium was about to start speaking, but froze when she heard a deep voice. W-Wait, this wasn't Soleil at all! With a bit of panic, she considered hanging up, but ... oh. Jumin. She accidentally called Jumin Han. "I.. am really sorry." She laughed sheepishly. "I meant to call someone else but I dialed you instead. I.. am probably interrupting you. I'm sorry!" She apologized, feeling her face flush a little bit. "But uh.. T-This is the first time we really spoke, so hello!" She added, albeit awkwardly. Ugh.. did he find her weird? What a terrible impression she was leaving.

Hm. Strange. Azula didn't normally feel so.. weak in front of people. It was an irritating feeling, and something she couldn't understand, which only angered her further. With a rather blank expression on her face, she watched as Soleil approached them as well. "Indeed." She noted, seeing how the woman stood below her. Not that it was a bad thing. In fact, it made the princess smirk a little. She quite liked seeing her under her like this. She much preferred it. For some reason, Soleil's little comment pleased her more than it should have, but she played it off casually. Or, well, so she hoped anyway. The princess could not show weakness. She wouldn't allow it.
"As the rightful heir to the throne, I must keep up appearances. Even time can't keep me from my destiny." Poor little Zuzu had been banished.. so she would ultimately be the next fire lord, ruler of the entire fire nation. Father would need her to look her best, and behave as a good leader should.
"Soleil~! It's been soooo long-!" Ty Lee finally piped up, seemingly having kept quiet as to not interrupt the Princess. Without thinking, she threw her arms around the woman and hugged her. Mai was tugged into an embrace as well, which made the darker haired woman roll her eyes a bit - though she didn't pull away, and it was clear she wasn't disliking it.
Azula narrowed her eyes at the group before her, feeling her chest tighten a little bit. It was a horrid feeling, and the princess absolutely hated it. How annoying. "Enough acting childish. Ty Lee, Mai." She called the girls, causing them to - rather reluctantly - pull away from Soleil. "But Azula, it's been so long-" "And we have more than enough time to spend with our guest. She is living in the capitol now." She replied flatly. It was unfair that she hadn't been pulled into an embrace.. so, she wouldn't allow her friends this pleasure. Did Soleil perhaps prefer them over her-?
Irritated, but still enjoying the sight of her old friend, she spoke up, "Where are you staying in the Capitol? Things are changing around here. I expect father to give us the task to bring dear old Zuzu back home." Perhaps to be executed for his foolishness, or at least imprisoned for not having kill the Avatar until now. "You ought to come along with us, Soleil. Come, now. It'll be fun. Are you afraid? Don't you miss dear little Zuzu?" Her eyes twinkled, and she smirked. "You remember him, don't you? Though he's quite different now. Allow me to show you."
With a pause, the woman placed a hand over one of her eyes, then spoke in a mocking 'Zuko' voice, "I must find the Avatar to regain my honor." Azula didn't understand why her friends weren't laughing. "You can laugh. It's funny." She mused, then rolled her eyes at Ty Lee's pathetic excuse for a laugh. "Don't you two have somewhere you should be?" She asked suddenly, wondering why she was even bothering with them. They were only here for Soleil, but.. Azula wanted time alone with her.

(1) he has an idea that maybe jumin saw lilium and hes internally fangirling over the ship B))) bwhahahaha

Jumin rolled his eyes at the messages. The woman he'd seen out in town was beautiful, yes, but he saw beautiful women on a daily basis - he knew that wasn't any basis for a relationship, and he certainly didn't have a crush on her. Even if she was by far the prettiest he'd ever seen. No, he just wanted her to be his model - but this was not a crush. Those warm feelings... were already directed at someone else.

He continued chatting on the app, but after Luciel left, everyone else seemed to disperse after him, busy with their own things. That was a bit of a shame, Jumin had to admit. He was still in the car on the way home, and talking with his friends had been a welcome way to fill the time. Oh well, perhaps he should do something more productive now, and read through and replied to some work emails. His phone vibrated with an alert for a new email, and one from Luciel, with the subject line being "Very Important Information Special 4 U <3". He was about to open it when his phone rang - his heartbeat quickened, and Jumin answered as soon as he was free of his stupor. Lilium--

"Hello." He greeted, and couldn't restrain the little smile from forming on his lips.

Her laugh was adorable. Oh-- why did his heart beat so fast? He hadn't heard her voice before, so the fact that she called him- was really nice, somehow. His heart fell a little when she apologised, though, and admitted that she'd dialled his number by mistake, but no bother - he was glad for this little accident, this slip of fate, since it brought them together if only for a phone call.

"Not at all." Jumin insisted when she apologised for interrupting him. "I'm still on my way home, so I have some time to kill and quite welcome the distraction. And I'm glad to hear your voice. This is the first time we've spoken, isn't it? ...You have a nice voice. Just as I imagined."

It wasn't strange to admit that, right? Of course it was only natural for him to have imagined her voice, since they chatted daily on the app ever since she joined the RFA. Of course he was curious about her. He'd imagined what she looked like in the same manner, without even thinking about it - it just came so naturally.

"Ty Lee!" Soleil beamed and happily returned the embrace to both girls. "And Mai- It's nice to see you all again." She really was glad that they remembered her, and greeted her so warmly. It would have been nice to hug Azula too - she could have joined in on this little group hug now. But judging by her annoyed expression and words, she didn't exactly seem pleased or keen on this idea. No worries - Soleil was still happy to just be with her old friends.

"We're staying with my aunt and uncle for the time being, just on Feu street (1). Though Father's considering buying a separate place, depending on the duration of our stay." Soleil explained. It was a large enough place for them to live comfortably in, though of course it dwarfed in comparison to the palace. But it wasn't far at least - just a fifteen minute walk or so.

"Oh? That's very kind of you." Soleil was definitely surprised at Azula's suggestion of joining them for the eventual mission.Wasshe afraid? Well- maybe a little. She'd hardly ever been out on her own, unsupervised by her family, especially outside of the Fire Nation. But that was all the more reason to go - it'd be an adventure with her friends, and a chance to see some new places, wherever they were. "It does sound fun. And it would be nice to see him again." She smiled.

Azula's Zuko display was... a little jarring to say the least, but somehow also quite adorable. She'd heard about the scar his father had left him, though she could only imagine what it really looked like - and Azula's demonstration seemed a little distasteful. But that was just what siblings were like, right? Soleil smiled politely before picking up the topic to try to gently redirect it. "Have you seen him since he left? ...Do you miss him?" Even with all their differences, they were siblings and it must have been lonely without him, surrounded only by war-hardened older men - generals and commanders and tacticians and her father. Even Ty Lee and Mai had returned only recently, right?

(1) dude idk xDD i thought an address seemed appropriate so thats just "fire" in french lmao

[[Dude Feu street sounds epic tbh B))) ]]

Lilium was very grateful that she hadn't interrupted Jumin. That.. would have been bad, if he were in an important meeting or something... "O-Oh? Thank you.. Your voice is quite nice as well, too. It suits you." She stammered a bit. To be praised by him felt wonderful. Geez.. His voice really was a pleasure to hear as well. Sweet music to her ears, really. She'd obviously seen pictures of Jumin, and his voice really did match his appearance! Though.. she wondered if he was just being kind. "...It would be nice to call again. I wouldn't mind. I.. uh, I'm not usually busy, so you're free to call me whenever you'd like, Jumin." Oh.. was it okay to call him by his first name? She assumed so, since she did it in the messenger, but-! Well, it was nice on her tongue, and he didn't seem to mind either. So she'd allow herself this pleasure~.
~
Lilium finally finished that ridiculous interesting request. It had taken her a long while, and she had sent an image of the final work to her customer - who loved it! - and now she was ready to deliver it. ...In all honestly, mailing it would probably cost so much more than simply driving to the address, due to it's size, so Lilium decided to do just that. The taxi took her to her destination quickly, and she was now in front of what she assumed to be Luciel's house. ...It seemed so normal to her, though! Oh well. She was expecting cameras and strange gadgets, but hey. With a ring of the doorbell, the woman waited patiently. It wasn't long before... oh. "Yoosung! ...You're Yoosung, right? Are you visiting Luciel today?" The woman grinned, though the blond looked terribly confused.
"Luciel-? This is my house. What's that package-? And, uh, who are you?" The male laughed nervously. The silver haired woman paused for a moment, realizing what had probably happened. "Well.. this is a painting of a cat driving a car in space. Weird, right? I guess Luciel decided to address it to you, for whatever reason. And I'm your wonderful friend, Lilium! Isn't this a pleasant surprise?" She hummed, grinning widely. She laughed though, mostly joking. "L-Lilium! Really! Oh god, my house is kind of a mess right now.. But I'm so glad to see you, this is amazing!" He announced joyously. Lilium felt her heart warm up a bit. Aw.. Yoosung truly enjoyed her company, he seemed so excited to meet her! "Everyone is gonna be so jealous I got to meet you first~! Let's take a picture together to remember this meeting forever!" He instantly took out his phone and Lilium laughed, coming in for the selfie.

"Mm. So you agree to come along then, don't you?" Azula questioned, raising a brow. "Perfect! Of course, I'll need to wait for the order from Father, but I expect you to be prepared for the journey any day now." She didn't mean to sound so demanding. She just did. "That goes for you both as well." She mused, speaking to Mai and Ty Lee now. Actually, the woman found gathering her brother to be a chore, but now that Soleil agreed to join them, perhaps it would be nicer. When they were younger, the princess did enjoy showing off her skills to her. Perhaps it would be more fun now, too. "Won't he be going after the Avatar? What happens if we see him?" Ty Lee questioned, causing Azula to roll her eyes. "We don't need to worry about that now. Father's orders are only to bring Zuzu back to the palace. Besides. I'm more than ready to face any.. obstacles that may appear in our path." Her eyes glimmered dangerously. With her fire bending and her ability to control lightning as well, she was very confident in being able to take anyone that stood in their way.
Ty Lee and Mai took their leave, leaving the Princess alone with Soleil. Her expression was such a delight to look upon~. A strange feeling, but the princess smirked nevertheless. "Why of course I miss him. The palace isn't quite the same without little Zuzu." Azula said, though her expression and that twinkle in her eyes probably said otherwise. The princess had always been terribly jealous of her brother, having been cast aside by their mother. Though did she hate the prince? She wasn't too sure. "Let's not worry about him right now. Tell me what you've been up to. Have you missed? Do you remember the pond we used to play around, where I'd show you the new moves I've learned? Come." The Princess wouldn't really take no for an answer, but she felt like Soleil wouldn't deny her this pleasure anyway.
There was silence for a moment, except for the sounds of their footsteps echoing through the large halls of the palace. "It hasn't changed much." The Princess never really took the time to come out to the pond often, since she... didn't particularly care for it, but it was nice now, she supposed. Besides, out here in the bright light, she could look upon Soleil's soft features even better~. Maybe she could show her some of the techniques she had learned? The way her eyes had lit up in the past whenever Azula had showed her something new was always wonderful. Would she still look upon her in awe? She was even more amazing now than she had been.

(( RIGHT it has a fire nationy sound to it too hahaha, also im really sorry this is short ><))

"Aw, look how nice it came out! So cute~" Yoosung beamed, and showed Lilium the photo he snapped on his phone. "I'm gonna send it to everyone, 'kay? And, uh- can I see the painting?" Yoosung peeked at the package she held, which supposedly contained the 'cat-driving-in-outer-space' painting. "Ugh, Seven didn't get that forme, right? Right? Ugh, that's way too big, I don't think I have room to put up anywhere." Yoosung balked at the size of the giant painting - it wasn't his styleat all -so he dearly hoped Seven would come over and pick it. Still, it was amazing! That she painted something like this! Well, Yoosung knew how talented she was from all the art she'd shared on the messenger, but it was something else entirely to see it in person before her!

"Oh! Um, do you want anything to drink? Here, sit down for a bit! Or are you busy? Since you're already here, I hope you can stay for a while!" Yoosung smiled brightly and, remembering his manners, offered her a drink. He also rushed over to the couch and scooped up his discarded sweatshirts, empty energy drink cans and chip bags, and quickly dumped them in the laundry and trash can respectively. "Ehem, sorry if there are any crumbs... but make yourself at home!" Yoosung offered, and with that took out his phone and created a chat room.

Yoosung has entered the chatroom.
Yoosung:Guess what!
Yoosung:Something amazing happened!
707 has entered the chatroom.
Yoosung:guess who this is!!!
Yoosung sent a picture.
707: oh!!!!
Yoosung:Seven!
Yoosung:This is your doing, right?
707:hehehehehe
Yoosung:I wish you didn't always order your things to my place ^^;;
Yoosung:but this time! i don't mind!
707:ur welcome~~~~
707:and lilium looks even better on a photo than through the security cameras! wowow!!
Yoosung:Right? She's so cute~
707:i wanna go pick up my painting now and hang out with you guys!!
707:but
707:i am a slave to work
707:T_T
707:ms vanderwood tied me to my desk chair until im done
Yoosung:your maid did that??? um...
707:hug lilium for me!

Jumin's phone - which was now on silent - vibrated with an "urgent" message, and he looked away from his work to check his phone.
Luciel: mr ceo go check the chatroom! very very important!!

Soleil hummed thoughtfully. A lot had happened over the years they hadn't seen each other, so what to share? Surely it wasn't anywhere near as interesting as what Azula had gone through, but she still wanted to speak honestly and hopefully get to know one another again, to a friendly level. "I've been invited to perform musical pieces several times, so I've done a fair bit of travelling across the Fire Nation over the past couple of years. Though most of the cities were still fairly close." She had no doubt that the Princess did far more travelling than she had, but Soleil was still proud that her music's reputation had spread enough to have been invited by nobles.

"The one with the turtleducks? Of course I remember." Soleil fondly thought back to those days in childhood, "Are you going to show me your new skills? I'm sure you're even more amazing than all those years ago~" Naturally - Azula had been impressive even as a child, a true prodigy, Soleil could barely imagine how impressive she was now, a woman grown.

[[ITS NOT SHORT DUDE. ALSO I LOVE HOW MUCH SEVEN SHIPS LILIUM AND JUMIN LOL ]]

Lilium laughed a bit. "I'm not.. sure what he wanted it for, he didn't specify. I had no idea it would be shipped to you, even." She mused. "But I hope he takes it, too! He paid good money for it and it's a shame for it to go to waste.. I'm sure he'll come take it, though!" The woman reassured Yoosung. Really, this was quite nice to meet the blonde in person! "Sure, I'm sure he won't mind if you look at it." With that, she took the painting out and held it out for the male to see. "Isn't it silly?" She couldn't imagine anyone ordering this sort of thing on such a huge scale, but it was very funny nevertheless!
"Oh, I'd love to stay over for a bit!" Actually, Lilium couldn't remember ever going to visit a friend. This would kind of be her first time, right? How fun! She sat down - noting how quickly Yoosung started to clean up a bit - and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for the trouble.. You don't have to worry though. Your home is very nice." Very cozy and cute! It suited Yoosung for sure. "Anything to drink would be lovely. Oh-! If I'd known I could stay for a bit I should've brought some snacks or something.." She felt like a rude guest, but honestly she figured that she'd be going to drop this off to Seven at his door then leave - considering how busy he always was.
When Yoosung went to get something to drink, Lilium looked down at her phone and opened the messenger, laughing a bit at the reactions to their selfie.
Lilium has entered the chatroom.
Lilium: Isn't it such a cute picture? I really like how it came out. I'm glad to be here~ Yoosung's house is real cozy.
Lilium: ...You're going to take the painting , right? I worked hard on it!
707: Of courseeeeeee
707: I want my cat in a car in space!!!
707: ><
Yoosung returned at that point, so she closed her phone for a bit.

--

"I see. You'll be playing later in the week for Father and the other Nobles then, won't you?" The princess had, of course, heard of the upcoming banquet. Though she had not put much thought into it, as she didn't particularly care for such festivities. ..Although, things have gotten a bit more interesting with Soleil being the one to play her music. Perhaps she'd enjoy herself after all. "Though wouldn't it be far more fun to play music for me? Father is Fire Lord, of course, and deserves as such. Though as his daughter, I should be given such treatment as well. Play for me." The princess soon realized that she was being far too demanding. This was her friend, right? The woman honestly didn't mean to sound so aggressive. It was normal to her. "...When you want to, of course. Since you'll be with me for a while, we have time." Did that make it any better?
"Huh, of course. I only improve more by the day." Azula knew of her skills - and so did everyone around her - so she was confident. Rightfully so! After approaching the pond, the princess held her head up high, eyes twinkling. "I've always been skilled. But over the years, I've learned far more. I'm superior to Zuzu in every way, don't you think? If it had been me, I'd have the Avatar captured ages ago. Here, let me show you the power of the rightful heir to the throne!" She probably got too aggressive there as well, and ended up striking the sky with a bolt of lighting all too suddenly. It might have taken Soleil by surprise, but.. was she impressed? She glanced at her from the corner of her eye, then took a breath and gave a smirk. "Well, that was fun."
~
A few days have passed, and Azula was quite pleased with the way things were progressing. Today they were having that banquet. Many guests came over to enjoy themselves, though the Princess found it all so very dull. Still, she sat up straight, head held high, right by her father's side. Soleil would soon come in to play her music.. that was really the only reason Azula was even somewhat interested in this banquet.

[[THATS BC LILIUM IS PRECIOUS, DUDE EVERYONE WILL SHIP THEM SO HARD - except zen who will always be convinced lilium deserves way better than jumin B) ]]

Jumin wasn't sure what to expect. Knowing Luciel, a message like this could either be very important - or not at all. It was always hard to tell with that man, though Jumin took the chance and put his work away to check out what this "very very important" chatroom was about. Oh- Lilium. She and Yoosung and Luciel were in the chatroom, and Jumin wondered- was this about Lilium? Luciel had sent him her etsy page not long ago, so... well, Jumin rather suspected that the redhead knew of his feelings for her.

Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.

He opened the chatroom and his heart all but burst out of his chest when he saw the imagine Yoosung posted. This- was the woman he'd seen in town that day! Lilium- this- this was really her? She was so beautiful, standing there besides Yoosung with a cute smile on her face... Jumin couldn't tear his eyes away from the picture, away from her. Would it be too strange... if he downloaded the photo, to have on his phone? To look upon it whenever he wanted to see her face? But gods, to think that he'd seenherback then- that the only woman he'd ever thought beautiful was the one who already had his heart... If this wasn't fate, then what was it?

707:mr ceo!!
707:hello!
707:hi hi hi hi hi
707: ....
707:............
707:lol
707:jumin short circuited
Jumin Han:I'm here. I was not expecting to see Lilium, much less with Yoosung. It was a very pleasant surprise.

Actually, whatwasshe doing with Yoosung? And why did seeing them together make him feel so... uneasy? His stomach felt a little queasy, and he briefly thought back to what he ate before, but- no, surely this wasn't caused by food. Jumin rather thought that he and Lilium were close. They made time for phone calls almost daily, ever since she first called him, and he always looked forward to chatting with her on the application. She was always so kind to him, and even laughed at his stale jokes... Had he been wrong, thinking she liked him the most in the RFA? Did she and Yoosung chat even more, call even more, did they like each other so much that Yoosung invited her over to his place? Ugh... All these thoughts felt like a dark cloud over his head, and Jumin was caught between the euphoria of seeing her photo, and the poisonous jealousy stewing at the pit of his stomach.

707:aww, that's it? cmon, don't you have anything else to say to her?
Jumin Han:I do, actually.
Jumin Han:You should send more pictures, Lilium. You're very beautiful.
Jumin Han:And, there's actually something I'd like to ask of you...
.....
.....
707:lol guess she and Yoosung aren't paying attention right now, theyre still in the chatroom tho. maybe they put their phones down?
707:i wonder what they're doing~~~~~
Jumin Han:...What they're doing together...

Soleil couldn't help it - she laughed at Azula's demands. She couldn't explain it, but there was something... cute about her wanting to hear her play. She had to agree, though - she'd much rather play for her than the Fire Lord, who was just about the most intimidating person she'd ever met. "I'll give you a private performance," she promised, "after the banquet. I want you to hear me there for the first time."

"Oh!" Soleil jumped a little at the sudden flash of lightning, and then relaxed into a breathy laugh as she looked at Azula in awe. "I've heard about how impressive a firebender you are, but I had no idea you could use lightning!"

~

Soleil had to admit she was nervous, though she knew by now how to hide it perfectly behind a smile. She'd performed for many nobles over the years after all. But truth was that there was no one more important than the Fire Lord, so of course it was only natural for her to be nervous, right? It was near the beginning of the banquet that it was time for the performance - she was a guest herself after all, so she wouldn't be playing background music throughout the banquet, but a singular performance. Dressed in her nicest formal outfit, with her hair and makeup carefully made, she knew she looked nice, and she knew her performance would be exemplarily - these were the two things she really took pride in, after all.She stood from her seat and one of the servants handed her her erhu, which she'd put aside beforehand in preparation.

She came to the center, to the makeshift stage, and bowed low, respectfully, in the Fire Lord's direction. "My humble gift to the Fire Lord, and the Princess." She added - surely it would be alright to include Azula in this dedication, as the Fire Lord's daughter. But gods- Ozai really was intimidating. Even his neutral expression seemed hard and cold. Azula certainly inherited his intimidating aura, but she, at least, could smile, and besides, they were friends. Really, having Azula sitting besides her father helped Soleil's nerves. Not that she'd be looking at anyone as she played, focused instead on her hands.

With that, she took her seat and propped her instrument up on her lap. And as she started playing and fell into the familiar motions and sound of her instrument, her worries, too, melted away, and she dedicated her heart and soul to the song.

[[jUMIN MY LOVE YOURE SO CUTE PLS]]

"...Is the game really that fun?" Lilium asked Yoosung, tilting her head to the side. Actually, he made it sound very appealing, so maybe she should give it a go sometime? It was only then that she noticed a dozen or so new messages in the messenger app. "Oh, look, they're spamming us for attention! Isn't it cute?" The woman laughed, looking through all the new messages. ...Oh. Jumin thought her to be beautiful. It made her face heat up a bit, but hopefully Yoosung didn't notice that!
Lilium: Sorry!
Lilium: Yoosung was telling me about the game he plays. Do you guys play it too?
Lilium: ....Seven you should know why I'm here!!
Lilium has sent a photo.
707: !!! MY CAT DRIVING A CAR IN SPACE!
Lilium: ^^;
Lilium: Poor Yoosung has no space for this giant painting you ordered! I hand shipped it because it would've costed an arm and a leg to ship...
Lilium: But I'm glad for the opportunity to meet one of my RFA friends~
707: All part of the plan~~
707: I should've had it shipped to Jumin--
707: >:D
Lilium: I don't think he would like having this giant painting sent to him either-- Jumin is busy!
707: I'll come get the painting soooon~~
707: But!!!
707: Work calls!!!
Lilium reread the messages from Jumin, feeling particularly pleased with them. How sweet-! Without really thinking about it, she took a selfie - one of herself this time - and added one of those silly cat filters on it.
Lilium: Since you asked, this is a special picture just for Jumin~
Lilium has sent a photo.
Lilium: Meow meow. Not as cute as your Elizabeth the 3rd surely, but there you go!
707: !!!!
707: YOU'RE GONNA KILL THE MAN
Lilium: ^^'?
707: heheheheh
Lilium: i gtg.
Lilium has left the chatroom.
With sudden panic, she realized her father was calling, and instantly left the chatroom to pick it up. Yoosung was asking her something - probably about if she wanted more orange juice - but she couldn't really hear with the tone of her father in her ear. With somewhat watery eyes, she gripped onto her sleeve tightly, feeling annoyed and angry, scared and upset. Why could she never do as she liked-? Even when she finally got the opportunity.. And now he wanted to talk with her. She'd have to go home today... Now. She didn't want to see him. She knew what would happen. Again.
"I..I'm very sorry Yoosung. Something came up. I really have to go. I hope we can see each other again." She forced a smile and got up before quickly taking her leave.

It was a very strange thing to Azula, to feel such weakness. She was never weak. She was the strongest here, besides her father. Wasn't she? She had to be, anyway. So why was it that when Soleil came in - dressed up in her formal outfit - that she felt like this? She could easily fight off hordes of enemies, she could intimidate entire clans, come up with the perfect coup - and yet, here she was. Feeling like she had eaten feathers of some sort, and with such a warm face as well. The princess sat up straight still, head held high, but her expression changed. Had anyone noticed-? Her features softened, just a tiny bit. She had always been a very good liar. Hiding her emotions was incredibly easy; it came naturally to her. And yet, here she was faltering. Why was it so hard to keep a straight face here?
What was Soleil doing to her-?! Whatever it was, she desperately wanted it to stop. Or, well.. she didn't, but... she didn't like feeling weak. Especially not when her father was right by her side. But she couldn't help it. Never before had she really stopped and admired someones beauty, but with her friend, it seemed impossible not to. Any logical person with eyes should understand that! And.. was it really wrong to want to admire her? No. Azula could do as she pleased, and nothing had ever stopped her before. (With the exception of her father, of course.) So even now, she would gaze upon Soleil's beauty for as long as she liked. Would she be uncomfortable by her gaze? ...Azula decided that, even if she was, she wouldn't stop. She couldn't help it. Her features were so soft, like her hair. Was it wrong that she wanted to taint such pure beauty, even if only a little? A small smirk made its way to her lips, but she quickly forced it away.
Soleil was undeniably beautiful, and despite the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, Azula felt... strangely content. It was so strange. Though she could do nothing, especially as the woman before her began to play her tunes. The princess had heard music played for them throughout her entire life, but nothing even came close to how sweet this music was. She felt her body relax a little, even though she had been sitting so stiffly just before. What was this-? Some sort of spell? Had Soleil found a strange witch of the sort during her travels? ...In any case, Azula was enjoying herself. The beauty and elegance of Soleil along with her skills for such tasteful music... God, she was beautiful. She was stunning, even. And Azula wanted her.
The princess always got what she wanted. But this time, she felt angry at the thought of having to force Soleil to stay with her.
Why did this thought sadden her so?
Why was her heart so weak?
...No matter. Azula would enjoy herself now, and contemplate her next move afterwards. She would have Soleil, though perhaps it wouldn't be as easy as it sounded. No, this time, she would have to try a bit harder.

[[IM GLAD AND ALSO DUDE SLKDJFLSKDJF AZULA OMGGG AHHHHHHH]]

Jumin dropped work and picked up his phone again when he saw the influx of messages, meaning that Lilium was back online, and his heart rate picked up. Hehadto have her as his model, though- he'd have to phrase the request appropriately, as not to seem too demanding or come on too strong. She would agree to it... right? Jumin wouldn't take any chances of her saying no, though, so he would do his best. Working together with her, doing the photoshoot, seeing her together with Elizabeth the Third... maybe he could get her to wear some cat ears and a collar, too... Oh, just thinking about it made his cheeks heat up. And she wasn'tjustthe gorgeous woman he saw before - she wasLilium, and Jumin's heart threatened to burst, so consumed his thoughts were of her.

Jumin Han:I'm not too busy to see you.
Jumin Han:I would also like to order a painting from you.
Jumin Han:And you can deliver it to my house then.
Jumin Han:^^

And then- Jumin's heart all but stopped. C-Cute! So cute-! The photo Lilium sent now was quite literally the most adorable thing he'd ever seen. The cat ears were so, so cute on her, and Jumin's mind again jumped to the thought of her modelling for the cat pictures for him. He saved the image immediately, without even thinking about it. Lilium wouldn't mind, would she? She did say this was a special picture, just for him... so it was alright for him to save it, to look upon it, perhaps even to make it his phone background. Or- would that be too far? And though he hated how Luciel phrased it, he had to admit he was right- the image nearly killed him. Jumin didn't know what to say. What could he say, to convey to her just how beautiful he thought her to be, without making her uncomfortable? Jumin had never in his life felt this strongly for anyone, and he so desperately didn't want to say the wrong thing and mess it up...

Jumin Han:Thank you
Jumin Han:That
Jumin Han:is the loveliest photo ever taken.

And then she left the chatroom, all of the sudden. Jumin's heart fell. Did he- say the wrong thing? For her to leave so quickly? But not three minutes later, the chatroom notification came up again-

Yoosung has entered the chatroom.
Yoosung:Um...
Yoosung:Lilium left all of the sudden, in a really big hurry
707:did you do something to scare her off? lol
Yoosung:no!!
Yoosung:at least, I don't think I did;;
707:maybe you talked too much about LoLoL?
Yoosung:she got a call from someone and her smile just disappeared
Yoosung:she looked so distraught
Yoosung:I'm really worried something happened...
Jumin Han:Was it a call from the hospital?
Yoosung:I dont know
Jumin Han:I hope she's alright.
Jumin Han:Lilium, if you're reading this:
Jumin Han:Remember that we're here for you. Let us know if there's anything we can do.
707:I'lll check up on her from the apartment later!
707:and jumin can pay for any hospital treatment or lawyers hehe
Jumin Han:You're being callous, Luciel. But yes, I'd be happy to subsidise anything, if you need it.

Soleil lingered in the vibrato of the last note as it reverberated through the air, and then- it was over. She stood and again bowed gracefully to the Fire Lord, and allowed herself to glance up in that direction to gauge their reactions. They liked the performance, right? Fire Lord Ozai looked, well, perhaps slightly more pleasant than usual? She really couldn't tell, but she'd take it as a good sign. And Azula... well, she looked pleased enough, though there was something new about her expression that Soleil didn't quite recognise. Her smile brightened as her eyes locked with the Princess' in that brief moment, and she then righted herself and walked back to her seat at the table by her own family.

The banquet progressed as expected. Though grand, it was a rather dull affair - everyone mostly remained at their seats, the men conversing with one another about some important matters Soleil had no say in. The food was delicious, though. She snuck glances back at Azula every now and again, somehow feeling embarrassed when the princess caught her looking her way, and feeling disappointed when she didn't. They couldn't speak from so far away, but these fleeting glances and smiles and even a rolling of eyes were so lovely, almost feeling like inside jokes of sorts.

As the banquet wrapped up into an end, and her family left to speak with some people who'd been sitting on the other side of the room, Soleil was approached by a man. She smiled politely in greeting, noting that she didn't recognise him. She'd made sure to study up on the most important Fire Nation generals and admirals and lords and ladies, but she didn't recognise him.

[[AHHHHHHHHHHHHH I REREAD THIS ONE LIKE 67 TIMES ITS SO CUTE LKDJKLDJKDJDLKJ ]]

Lilium came back home very late, watery eyed and hurting, but she was ever so grateful to be away from him. God, she was sick of it. But what could she do-? She was afraid... The woman had thought that Luciel would be asleep by the time she arrived, but apparently not, for he messaged her after seeing her through the camera outside. Well... he never had a good sleeping schedule anyway, she shouldn't have been too surprised. But she wasn't exactly thinking straight, so..
In any case, it was very nice to return home and find that all of her friends had been worrying about her. She did have people who cared for her, even if her father wasn't one of them. She briefly told Seven that she needed to return to her father for a while, but that everything was alright. She replied to the chatroom too, thanking everyone for their kindness. She reread the chatroom several times, too, feeling happiness and warmth fill her heart. That's right, she had people who cared. ...She was very tempted to call Jumin, just to hear his voice, but figured it was way too late right now... So she'd have to sleep, and perhaps call him in the morning.
~
Ever since Jumin suggested that she take more selfies, Lilium started to do so. She'd send silly pictures of herself, sometimes with filters, sometimes without. It was great fun, and she'd always feel her heart race whenever Jumin complimented her. The businessman had actually asked her for a painting as well, though much smaller than Seven's had been. "Jumin! I hope it's okay, but I've finished your painting and I'd like to deliver it today, perhaps later in the afternoon, so you'll be back from work, right? I know you're probably busy right now. I hope you hear this soon, though. I.. have to admit I'm excited to meet you in person. I-Is that strange? So I hope you'll be there when I deliver it. I asked Jaehee about it earlier, she told me you should be home by then. But just in case, I'm letting you know!" Her call went to voice mail, of course; she expected it, as Jumin was surely working now. Nevertheless, she was excited.
It was very easy to get to Jumin's place. It was... massive. A penthouse-! Really, it was amazing even from the outside! Apparently, Jumin had gotten her voice message, because the guard allowed her in easily, saying she was expected. With the painting in hand and a racing heart, Lilium went up to the top level of the building, and rang the doorbell.

Azula was incredibly irritated that she couldn't go and sit alongside Soleil. Usually she was proud of her spot up in front, right by her father's side, but this time.. she felt angry. Still, she would not make a scene, not when her father was right there. ...Matters only became worse when she saw a man approach her friend. And what did he think he was doing-? She scrunched up her nose in disgust, eyes narrowed. They were awfully close... Did Soleil like him? Were they lovers? Perhaps in the past? ..No. The Princess knew better than that. He was clearly making Soleil uncomfortable. And.. he had the audacity to take her outside as well! How dare he do such a thing to her Soleil? Try to take her away from right under her nose-? She wouldn't have it!
"Hey there." A man said, approaching Soleil near the end of the banquet. "My name is Chang. I haven't seen you around here often. Boy, these banquets are stiff dontchya think? Cmon, let's go outside for a bit." The male said with a grin, clearly taking Soleil's kindness for granted. She wouldn't mind, right? She didn't say no-! With that, the man took her hand and led her outside. "This is so much better, huh?" He stretched a bit. "...I saw your performance, of course. It was absolutely enchanting~" He hummed, turning to the woman. God, she was so beautiful, especially this close~. "You're Lady Soleil, right? I overheard your name. A couple of the guys were talking about you. But I thought I'd steal you for myself." He gave (what he thought to be) a seductive smile.
"I couldn't approach you earlier, or I would've right after you finished. You know how these things are. ..Anyway, I was thinking... maybe it'd be nice to get to know each other better? My father is a very high ranking soldier. Well respected. Lord Zhang Wei. You've heard of him, I presume? ... I'm sure it'll be good for you too, to hang out with me. A little push up on the social ladder, know what I mean?~" He laughed, clearly thinking he was being impressive. "I mean.. you could say no, but... this is better for the both of us... right? I get to hang out with a beautiful woman, and you get to hang out with the dashing son of a powerful warlord. You'd get a lot out of-"
"And just what do you think you're doing?" The sudden icy voice of Princess Azula suddenly made the man stop in his tracks. "P-Princess Azula! It's an honor to see you! I was just speaking with this lovely lady, is all-" Chang laughed sheepishly, though the princess was positively seething. How dare he-? Had he even realized how long she'd been watching? "Tell me, Chang." Azula began, "Do you have any idea who the woman you're speaking to is?" She demanded, eyes narrow and cold. "Lady Sol--" "Did I say you could speak? I asked you a question, yes, but I don't want to hear the pathetic attempts at answers from a peasant like you." Azula came closer to the man, who was clearly upset by the situation.
"Princess Azula, I mean no harm, but I was simply getting to know her a little more." "And? Do you not realize she does not wish to speak with you? Or is your brain so small that you cannot comprehend it? Which, honestly, I don't understand. Who would want to 'hang out' with someone as pathetic as you? Saying you can give her a push on the social ladder, when she is by far more superior to you in every single way." Azula watched the man's reaction, but he would not have it, it seemed. "My princess! She is nothing more than a musician! Her name is unknown to-" "She is a guest in our palace, invited here by Fire Lord Ozai himself. Moreover, she is a close friend to the princess. Need I say more? She is more useful than you can ever hope to be. She is far superior to you. In fact, you should be grateful she allows you in the same room as her. A filthy peasant like yourself does not deserve such an honor."
"She has nothing for herself, I can give her-" Oh, this man was very much ticking the princess off. Without thinking, the woman threw her hand out, shooting a blast of dark blue flames at him. Not enough to cause damage to the area, not enough to kill the man. Just enough to teach him a lesson. "You'd better learn your place." Azula spat, approaching him now as he lay huddled on the floor. His arm was burned - a shame, really, that Azula hadn't hurt him more - but he was far too afraid for his life to take care of it now. She placed her foot on his head, glaring down at him, "If I see you or any one of your little pathetic friends attempting to bother Soleil again, I will personally make sure you and your families are living a life of hell. I shall burn your family name to the ground with my own hands, and watch as you cry in the ashes. Do you understand me?"
"Y-Yes, my princess..." He finally whimpered out. With a shove of her foot, Chang fell to the ground, and Azula turned to Soleil. "You needn't worry about fools like him anymore." Her eyes twinkled, and she looked her over for a moment, "Did he lay a hand on you? Shall I burn him again?"

Jumin came out of a meeting - it was just about the last thing he ha to do for work today - when he looked at his phone and saw one new voice message - and from Lilium no less! Excited, he clicked open the notification and listened to the voice mail she left him. He brightened - not only at the sound of her voice, so sweet and dear to him, but also at the things she was saying. So the painting was finished! He'd commissioned a grand portrait of Elizabeth the Third, and he was more than excited to see what Lilium had made him. He'd specified the dimensions too, and already had the perfect placed picked out for where he'd hang it. But that wasn't quite as exciting as the final bit of news. She was coming over! Jumin's heartbeat quickened. He was finally getting to meet her, and he couldn't hide his excitement at all. He was very glad that he was done with work for today, because there was no way he'd miss her visit, and he'd have half a mind to cancel any meetings he had for her sake. Opting not to call her as not to disturb her if she was already on her way, Jumin sent her back a message instead -I'm very excited to see you and the painting. I'll be home for sure.

Jumin left to go home after that, and waited for her in his apartment. As it was evening, he was just making dinner - a simple pasta and salad, along with a bottle of red wine of course. Perhaps Lilium would even like to stay for dinner-? She had no obligation to, of course, but there was enough for her if she so wanted. When the doorbell rang, Jumin's heart nearly burst out of his chest, excited in the best way possible, and he gathered himself as best as he could, putting on a charming smile and straightening his sleeves. He opened the door and brightened at the sight of the woman before him.

"Lilium- hello." The words came out a little stiff, so caught up he was in his happiness that he couldn't find the right words, and his business man persona came out. But he gathered himself and offered her a genuine smile, stepping aside as he motioned for her to come in.

"I can't express how glad I am to meet you in person. I feel like I know you so well... it's almost surprising that we hadn't met before this." Really, it did feel as if he'd known her for months, years even. He knew her voice so well from all the phone calls they shared, and he had her face almost memorised at this point with how dearly he looked at the photos she sent of herself. Lilium really was... so beautiful, and so much more beautiful in person. He had to do his best as not to stare.

"Come in, stay for a bit. I was just making dinner... Would you like to eat with me? Or have a drink, at least." He suggested. "Would you take the painting out for me? I'd love to see it. I can show you where I'm planning on hanging it, too. Oh and- youmustmeet Elizabeth the Third." He clicked his tongue to call out for his cat, and she came running out of the hallway, probably having been in the bedroom, to meet Lilium.

Soleil smiled at Chang - he seemed nice enough, and in all honesty, it was nice to have someone her age to converse with. There was Azula and Ty Lee and Mai, of course, but other than that, she was mostly surrounded by older, war-hardened men. She was a little thrown off, shy, about his suggestion to go outside, but gave in, convincing herself that it would be good to make more friends here, and Chang really did seem sincere, and it would be nice to talk together. But taking hold of her hand was- quite bold, and she withdrew from his hold as soon as they made it outside.

"Oh, thank you." She was glad he liked her performance, and talking about music was certainly her strong suit. But Chang went on to tell her about his father, and his hand came around to rest against the small of her back. And he told her about how he could boost her up the social ladder if she 'hung around' him, and his hand crept lower, to her bottom, the implication in his voice and smile making Soleil reel in disgust, and freeze up, too.

"You would have me sell myself for- forstatus? You insult me-" Soleil snapped. She didn't blame those who did such things, but Soleil - who was certainly high enough with her family's own status - would never resort to such undignified ploys. Certainly not with this man. Not to mention- the person she liked was of far greater status than him.

But the Chang laughed, even leaning in closer instead of pulling away. "Aw, don't be like that. I'll make it a night worth remembering, I promise~ And I can put in a good word for you, with my father. Or," he threatened lowly, "a bad word, if it comes to it. You really should consider my offer-"

Soleil blushed fiercely when Azula's voice came through, and finally Chang pulled away. Did- oh, she desperately hoped Azula didn't think less of her now! She didn't think she was an easy woman... right? But the Princess looked positively seething, her anger directed at the man and not at her, and Soleil felt an immense relief - and fluttery sort of warmth - that Azula was here to stand up for her. And then- oh! She jumped a little at the sudden burst of blue flame, and Chang cried out, clutching the very hand he'd touched her with in pain. Soleil watched, half in horror, half in awe, as Azula threatened him, until she relented and turned back to her.

"Oh- Azula-" Soleil felt tears well up in her eyes, the fear and disgust finally catching up to her. She rushed over to her and, without even thinking if she'd allow it, embraced her and buried her face against her. "Thank you." She mumbled, voice muffled from this position. She was just- far too embarrassed to openly show such vulnerability before Azula, the very picture of pride and strength, but she couldn't help coming undone before her.

Lilium felt her heart race when the door suddenly opened, revealing Jumin. She.. knew how he looked like, of course, but it was something else entirely to see him in person.. H-He was very handsome! It made the woman's cheeks heat up a little bit, especially when he spoke, saying how happy he was to see her. "I.. feel the same." She replied, looking away for a moment in an attempt to hide her blush. God, why was this so hard? It had been easy to meet Yoosung-! Ah.. well, she supposed she knew why it was harder with Jumin. Because somehow, through all the texts and the phone calls, she must have fallen for him. Was it so strange? Her heart rate had always sped up at his compliments, at the sound of his voice... So... it wasn't too strange.
"Do you cook, Jumin?" She smiled pleasantly. Not that she assumed he couldn't cook, just.. she sort of assumed he had a chef, as he was always very busy, it seemed. "...Either way, it would be very nice to eat with you. I can't refuse." Lilium admitted. "O-Oh, right!" She suddenly remembered the real reason she came - to deliver Jumin's painting - and then pulled it out. "It doesn't compare to Elizabeth the Third's true beauty, of course, but I hope you like it nevertheless." She had tried her best to capture Jumin's precious pet on the canvas! It came out pretty well, and she had to admit, she put a lot more effort into it than usual, wanting to impress the man. Not that she didn't put effort into all of her work, she just... put all of her emotion into this one as well.
"Oh.. she's definitely the cutest cat in the world!" Lilium cooed, seeing the white cat run out to greet them. S-She was so, so cute! After handing the painting to Jumin, she leaned down to pet the cat, humming in delight when she started to purr. "Does it mean she likes me? She's so adorable, I love her already~!" Could she play with her more? It was then that her phone rang, and she stood up - excused herself for a moment - and answered. Of course, she had to hear her father yelling at her for another thing... Lilium barely understood what he was saying, he was so loud. Calling her names... telling her to go home.. but... No. She didn't want to-! Without thinking - or maybe seeing Jumin there with her gave her a sudden boost in confidence - the woman hung up. But then , after a short moment, her face paled in realization. No, no, n-no-! That was the worst possible thing she could have done... Feeling a little sick, the woman looked up at the man before her, "Do you mind if I use the restroom before we eat, then?" She set her phone down without thinking, and followed Jumin's instructions to find the nearest bathroom.

Azula looked down at Chang in disgust. "You type of pathetic men are nothing but worms. Remember that and remember it well. You ought to get on your knees and kiss the ground she walks on, because she's the only reason why I haven't burned you to ash already." It was true; had she seen Chang do anything more to Soleil, she wouldn't hesitate to do so much more to him. ...He was lucky, too, that the princess was holding back for her friend's sake. She.. she looked upset. The princess wasn't sure why, but she didn't feel like an execution today. Not in front of her. Usually she was cold and stern in these matters, and if anyone were to cross her, she truly wouldn't hold back. But part of her told her that Soleil would not like that. No.. this would be enough for now, she supposed. Though if that man - or any other man - were to try something like this again, she would personally make their lives miserable.
Chang scurried off, crying like the pathetic little insect that he was. With Azula's attention fully on her friend, she sighed, probably in relief. ...She was unhurt. Physically, at least. When Soleil ran up to her, embracing her and burying her face in her chest, the woman's eyes widened somewhat. H-How strange.. She stood stiffly, at first not really knowing what to do. But.. why was her heart racing all of a sudden? It was so much different than earlier, where she had been seething with anger. It.. it was nice. She felt strangely warm. Did Soleil feel comfort in her embrace, maybe? That was.. strange. Usually people tried to avoid her at all costs, or at the very least, they never willingly came so close... Despite those warmer feelings, the dark haired woman felt.. angry again. Angry that Soleil had to shed such tears because of someone worth less than dirt.
Cautiously - and probably a little awkwardly - Azula put her arms around her friend, and lightly pet her hair. ....Wasn't this what people did to comfort others? It felt awkward, but she was trying. "There, there." She said, and although her voice sounded stiff and flat, she really was trying her best to convey care-! "No need to be afraid anymore." She paused, thinking over her words. "I mean, you're a very strong noble lady. But who could've guessed you'd have to meet such scum? Don't worry. I'll let the guards know to keep him away from you as well, and to keep an eye on him. Disgusting men like that do not deserve a place here." Was she still being too rough? This was hard, something Azula wasn't used to. She was skilled in so many things, but this... this was very difficult..
"You are a very valuable part of our proud nation. Don't let the words of a rat get to you." She said, embracing her a little more tightly now. Azula pulled back just a bit, so she could lift Soleil's head up. "Keep your head up. You got through something terrible. It made you stronger. And now we know who to look out for in the future. Together, we can--" Azula paused, realizing she was going to say something along the lines of 'destroying the lives of all miserable fools hiding among their noble nation'. No, no. That wasn't right. "...Just don't worry any more. I'm going to take care of you. You can trust me, right? After all, who better to have as protection than the fire nation princess?" She tried her best, but wasn't sure if it was actually helping. In any case... she would hold her for as long as she needed. Azula had half a mind to go find that man again, the one who caused Soleil's tears, but... that could come later, if need be.

What was Lilium to do? She stared at herself in the mirror of the bathroom blankly, noticing how pale her features were. She.. she couldn't go home today. If she did... she didn't even want to think about what was to happen. Actually, perhaps if she went home, she'd not be allowed to leave again... Her heart ached. What could she do? She was afraid... But wasn't she old enough to be somewhere else by herself? Did her father know where Rika's apartment was? Lilium told him the area in which she stayed, because he had asked and couldn't refuse. It wouldn't be hard to find it... Maybe she could stay in a hotel for the night? She.. had that money from Seven and Jumin's commissions. It was quite a lot, more than she ever made on single pieces, but she couldn't live in a hotel with it forever.
The silver haired woman felt sick to her stomach, but she took a deep breath. She wouldn't worry about it now. At least for now, she could enjoy her time with Jumin... before she had to return home. Yes. For now, she'd stay calm. After washing her face and calming down a little bit, the woman exited the bathroom and approached Jumin once more. "Sorry for the interruption.." She laughed sheepishly, or at least tried to.
It was then that the dark haired man began to speak up, mentioning how he had seen the messages on her phone. Even she hadn't seen them yet, but she could only imagine what sort of things her father was saying... Her eyes widened a bit, though, when Jumin continued. " I'm not comfortable with letting you go back home right now. " Oh...
Without realizing it, Lilium's eyes had filled with tears. He was.. he was the most kind person she'd ever met. He was someone who truly cared for her. He wasn't just worried for her... he simply would not allow her to go home today, to get hurt by her father. He wouldn't have it. And that.. it made her heart ache, in the most pleasant way. The woman's face felt warm, probably from embarrassment, but she couldn't stop her tears. "I-I.. I don't want to go back.. I don't want to.." She cried openly now, but quickly wiped them away, giving Jumin a watery smile, from the bottom of her heart. "T-Thank you." She wouldn't even argue. Lilium was safe here. Jumin actually cared for her, unlike her father. She wanted to stay here.
Without thinking, she embraced the man. She... didn't think she'd be able to speak clearly, and no words could portray just how grateful she was. So maybe this would do-? She stood like that for a while, before finally pulling away. And, when she did, she smiled, now feeling so much better than before. The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach had disappeared almost completely as well. "I'm very happy... thank you, Jumin. A-and.. I'm so glad I could be here with you, either way." Even if this.. hadn't happened, she was still so glad to be able to meet and spend some time with Jumin... "...This also means I could play more with Elizabeth the 3rd, right?~" She smiled, not wanting the man to feel awkward anymore because of her tears.

Azula had much to do, especially since she and the other girls would be starting a big journey soon. Though, the princess found herself thinking back to Soleil the day before again. It was so strange, even now. No one has ever come to Azula for comfort.. In fact, no one really willingly approached her, either. Had Soleil simply done so because she was the only one there to help her-? The thought ticked the princess off immensely, but... her friend's words sounded earnest enough. "But if anyone had to see me like this... I'm glad it was you." ...What did that even mean? That, out of everyone, Soleil was happy to show vulnerability in front of her? Was that a good thing, even? The Princess couldn't understand these feelings, but she'd try to deal with them. They were new, but as princess of the fire nation, she could overcome any obstacle. That included emotions.
"Strange... But why do you want to see her so often, Azula?" The woman asked herself, glaring at her own reflection in the mirror. "Surely not because she's grown to be so beautiful. Nor because she makes you feel like a person instead of some monster. And definitely not because I dislike her tears. I mean, they'd look good on her. But perhaps under different circ*mstances. Maybe she wouldn't mind if I push her down and--" Her eyes glimmered, but she froze when she heard someone enter her room. "Did I allow you to come in?" She demanded, turning to see a (somewhat confused, but mostly afraid) maid. "I-I apologize, Princess Azula. I knocked several times, but I assumed you were not here." "Then why, do tell, did you enter my room? Perhaps to try to slip poison into the water before I return?" "...I am the one who cleans the room while you are away, my Princess." Azula glared at her for a while longer, before letting out a sigh.
"Very well. Do remember to dust under the bed." With that, the princess left her room. She had some time now, so she'd go and meet Soleil..
~
"Hm. What is it?" Azula stood to the side, watching as her friend fed some of the turtleducks. Today, without all of the makeup she wore the evening before, she still looked stunning. A woman worthy for the princess herself! Couldn't she make her stay by her side, always? She could. The princess always got what she wanted. But this time, she didn't particularly want to force it... why was that? No matter how hard she thought about that question, she simply could not find an answer. In any case, she'd have Soleil one way or another, no matter how long it took. The princess was always up for a challenge~. And, well, after yesterday... she was even more up for the task.
Oh. Soleil didn't want to confess her undying love to her. Well, a shame really. Still, the princess would wait. (Wait, what?) "Are you not confident in your skills, Soleil?" She questioned, and although it was hard to tell, she really was just teasing...
The woman's next words too Azula by surprise. I know you're- really busy, so I can always ask someone else. But I'd really like it if it were you.
But I'd really like it if it were you.
With you.
Did... Soleil mean that? Why was Azula's heart beating so fast all of a sudden? And again, her face felt warm. But.. it was nice. The fact that Soleil could easily find someone else - but really, who better that herself? - but wanted it to be her. That was... nice. Very nice.
"I.. supposed I could do that. We'll make time for it each day, then. I expect you to be here with me, at least a half hour a day, in order to learn from me. I really am the best to get training from, after all."

Jumin furrowed his brow, his features creasing in concern. Had he said the wrong thing? Lilium's expression contorted into a tearful one, and immediately Jumin's heart ached - for her and with her. "Don't go back. You don't have to go back. You don't have to ever go back there again." Jumin reassured her. He knew... it could not be easy, to just cut ties with her family like that. That manipulation went hand in hand with abuse. But Jumin would do absolutely everything he could for her. And as CEO of C&R, he could do a lot, from giving her the monetary means to live independently, to helping her acquire a restraining order, to hiring bodyguards to keep her safe at all times... There were a thousand things Jumin could do running through his mind, but- only if she so wanted.

"Lilium-" her name fell from his lips and he again felt that ache in his chest. Even now, overcome with emotion and nearly shaking with fear, she showed him a smile. She was so strong, so brave, so beautiful...

He softened into her embrace and returned it readily, even as his heart beat quickly. Gently, he pressed her head against his chest, stroking her head in (what he hoped was) a comforting movement. Jumin had never really been big on comfort - this was new, and felt a little strange, but not at all unwelcome. He hoped she felt as much safety in his embrace as he wished he could offer. He was used to helping with the assets he had - namely by donating money to charities. This... personal touch, these whispered comforts were new to him, but he so desperately wanted to do them right and offer Lilium respite. She was so much smaller than him, and fit so perfectly in his arms... Even in this awful situation, he couldn't help but admire her. She was, after all, the object of his affections. But Jumin wouldn't act on these feelings now, not when she was frightened and vulnerable. So he locked them away in his heart, and prayed that all the love he did not say out loud would transfer through his fingertips as he stroked her head.

"It's alright." Jumin murmured. "You're safe here, with me. He can't hurt you here. I'll keep you safe, I promise."

He didn't pull away until she did, wanting to let her take comfort in the embrace for however long she needed. He was glad to see her smile, brighter now, when she looked up at him, and he returned it with one of his own. "I'm glad I got to meet you, too. Even under these circ*mstances." Or perhaps...especiallyunder these circ*mstances? Jumin didn't even want to think about what could have happened to her, had she have no other option but go home...

"Yes, of course. You can play with her all you'd like. I'm sure she's very happy that you'll be staying here for a while, too." Jumin added with a fond look at the white cat again curling up against Lilium's legs. "I hope you don't give herallyour attention, though. Spare some for me?"

"Well- I'm confident in my music." Soleil said honestly. That wasn't to say she was an incompetent fighter, but she felt more comfortable at the erhu and pipa than with a sword or knife. "My fighting's nowhere near on par with yours, though I do take pride in it nonetheless. I'd practice every other day or so with my instructor, but since he's not here now... Well, I don't want get rusty from falling out of the habit. And I want to be in my best form for you - for when we go looking for Zuko, that is."

Soleil really wasn't sure how to read Azula's expression right now. It was that new one again, wasn't it? She looked... quite cute like that, wide eyed and somehow taken off balance? Soleil would've found it a little amusing, even, if she weren't still anxiously awaiting her response.

"Oh! You'd do that for me? Thank you." Soleil beamed. In all honesty- she'd hadn't exactly been expecting Azula to agree. She'd been hoping for it, yes, but she'd also mentally prepared herself to be told no. But this- what a wonderful outcome! "Of course, I'll give it my all. For what time should I be ready?" Soleil asked. She could definitely mold her schedule to fit the princess', especially considering she was doing her such a great favor. Oh, Soleil could hardly keep the smile off her face-!

Lilium felt warm in Jumin's embrace. He really did care for her. She could feel it in his gentle touch. He would protect her... She knew that. The woman finally pulled away after some time, smiling now. There were no words to describe how she was feeling, and... she hadn't a clue as to how she could repay the man for his unending kindness. She hoped, at least, that he could see it in her smile, in her expression. "Oh.. but Elizabeth the Third is the most beautiful creature in the entire world... I might be unable to keep myself from giving her all of my attention..." Lilium mused, looking up at the man with a playful expression.
With a laugh, she smiled, "Just kidding! Of course I'll give my attention to you, too. If you're not busy all the time, of course. I'll try not to distract you too much."
~
Lilium and Jumin had dinner together, which was incredibly nice and warm. The man had cooked himself, which was very cute actually... Later in the evening, the man even asked someone to get the woman some clothes to sleep in. "Jumin is really nice, huh?" Lilium hummed, currently laying on the floor to play with Elizabeth the Third. She had just taken a shower, and with her hair still somewhat damp, she shouldn't go to bed just yet. Jumin was still in his shower, too, so she could wait-! The nightclothes he had given her were unlike anything she'd ever worn before. So silky and soft! Probably extraordinarily expensive, and although she had tried to tell Jumin she would pay for it, he denied her.
"Do you think Jumin is all wet right now?" She whispered to the cat, and felt her cheeks heat up a bit. The woman reached out to pet her, laughing a bit in delight as she meowed. H-How cute! Elizabeth the Third really was the cutest cat in the entire world! Lilium had always wanted a cat of her own.. well, now she could play with one~! "Wanna help me paint tomorrow? I have some commissions I need to finish." The woman nodded knowingly, "I'm sure it'll be a lot better with you."
Lilium yawned. A lot had happened today... and, well, she felt so content and relaxed right now. Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a little bit...
She ended up falling asleep on the floor, and seems like Elizabeth the Third had a long day, too! For she curled up against the woman and started to sleep as well.

"Best form, for me?" Azula raised a brow, amused. A small smirk made it's way across her lips. "Very well then." Well, when she put it that way, how could she possibly refuse?~ Right.. that statement could be taken in many ways, but the princess supposed she shouldn't make her thoughts known. Not yet, anyway.. Though, it was ... nice, to say the least, that her friend wanted to stay in good shape 'for her'. So.. maybe she wanted to impress her, even? Well, Azula would have a lot of fun with this, that was for certain~.
Soleil looked so pleased when the woman agreed to train with her, too.. No one else ever looked that pleased to spend time with her. "Let's start tomorrow then, in the afternoon. Meet me here again tomorrow at this time. Don't be late."
~
The next afternoon couldn't come quickly enough. Really, Azula was annoyed throughout the entire day, having come to regret that she hadn't made these training sessions earlier. Nevertheless, it was good to have something to look forward to, for once.
The Princess was by the pond a few minutes earlier than necessary, but decided she had nothing better to do now, anyway. ...It wasn't because she was hoping to find Soleil there earlier. Not at all.
"Mm. You're here early." The Princess was very pleased with that, actually~. "Right. Let's get into it then. You know your battle stance, I presume?" The woman watched as Soleil got into her stance, and.. while it was pretty good, actually, Azula would do something. Why? Because she felt like it.
"You should stand more like this. It'll help keep you balanced better." The princess spoke, and although her tone was... sort of cold, she really was enjoying herself. She stood behind the woman, moving her arms and helping adjust her stance better. "Like so. Do you see now? Like this, you'll be an unstoppable force." Actually... like this, the princess could take in her scent.. It was sweet. The woman felt her heart rate speed up a bit, and she wasn't even sure why. All she knew was that she desperately wanted to pin Soleil underneath her, to see what sort of expressions she would make as she dominated her completely. To make her hers, to make sure Soleil's thoughts only stayed on her, and never wandered off to another-! "It's strange. Usually, I'm very good at reading people. Though I can't say I know what you're thinking now.... You've gone stiff. Are you.. afraid? But.. no, I know what fear looks like.. This is something else." Azula murmured near Soleil's ear. "Perhaps.. you even like this..?" The princess lingered there for a moment, before pulling away.
Azula pulled away, clearing her throat a bit. ".. Though, who would dislike being so close to me, am I right?" She let her gaze linger on the woman for a bit, watching her expression. "Let's move on. I'm going to attack. Try to block it." Just a light punch or kick would do. The princess needed to know how much she learned before.

"Lilium, would you like some tea-?" Jumin asked when he came out of the shower, dressed in his sleepwear, his hair still damp. It was getting late already, and they'd shared a nice dinner together, but perhaps a cup of tea would do well to soothe her nerves before heading off to sleep for the night.

He stopped when he came into the living room and saw Lilium curled up on the floor with Elizabeth the Third. Oh- how cute! His heart threatened to burst out of his chest at the adorable sight before him, and he he couldn't help but smile. She was wearing the nightclothes he'd given her (1) - they seemed to fit well, and Jumin hoped that they were to her liking, too. He'd be happy to take her shopping at a later date, so that she could choose some clothes for herself, but this would have to suffice for now.

"You must be exhausted. I don't blame you." Jumin murmured fondly as he approached the sleeping woman. Had she been waiting for him? How silly... He'd shown her the guest bedroom, so she should have gone there when she felt tired. But why... did Jumin feel so warm, imagining that she'd been waiting for him? Well- he knew well of his affections for her at this point, so that wasn't really a question that needed answering - it was obvious, even to him.

"Lilium." He gently prodded her shoulder, and when she didn't as much as stir, Jumin carefully picked her up into his arms, bridal style. Her head leaned against his chest, and Jumin was glad, actually, that she was asleep - this way she wouldn't hear his rapidly beating heart. Her hands nestled up against her chest and his as she shifted into a comfortable position, and Jumin couldn't help but admire her silently.

He brought her over to the guest room and gently laid her down on the bed. But as he began to straighten, he realised that her hands, which had been at his chest, were clutching onto his shirt, even now. And though he should have pulled away, Jumin quickly realised he did not have the heart to leave her, not when she held onto him like this, even subconsciously. After everything that happened today... wasn't she frightened? He hoped that her father's awful words wouldn't follow her into her dreams, and if they did - Jumin wanted to,had to,be there to comfort her. He wouldn't have it any other way, and the thought that she might wake up frightened in an unfamiliar room didn't sit well with him. It would be alright to stay with her... right? She wouldn't mind, would she?

Gently, Jumin lied down besides her, and covered the both of them with the blanket, careful to keep a distance as not to make her uncomfortable, should she wake up before him. He looked at Lilium's peaceful expression as she slept, not wanting to tear his eyes away at all. And all the turbulent emotions within him - the anger at her father, the concern for her wellbeing, and the absolute love and adoration for all of her - built up inside of him, and Jumin gave in to the selfishness. He'd allow himself this one selfish act...

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you. Sleep well, Lilium."

Soleil still couldn't believe Azula agreed to do this! She was up and ready the next day, mentally preparing for what would - most likely - be an intense training. She was comfortable clothing with her hair tied back, unlike the more casual clothing, flowy style she wore on a more usual basis. It was nearly time for the training, so she made her way to the turtleduck pond, just a little bit earlier than they'd agreed. She figured the princess wouldn't want to be kept waiting, after all, even though they were friends. So imagine Soleil's surprise when she saw Azula there, even earlier than she! She... didn't look annoyed, as though she'd been waiting long, so Soleil took that as a good sign. Actually, was she excited about this, too? To be here so early? Soleil bit back a smile.

"Right. Thank you again for agreeing to do this." Soleil said as she got into her battle stance, squaring her shoulders and grounding her feet.

She swallowed as Azula scrutinised her form, looking her up and down with that hard expression. She really couldn't tell what the princess was thinking. And when she came up behind her and adjusted her position... Oh, why was Soleil's heart beating so fast? She could feel Azula's heat radiating off her body, as if enclosing her from behind, and felt another warmth - her own - burn her cheeks. And when Azula spoke so breathily, the heat of her breath brushed against her ear and the nape of her neck, exposed now with her hair tied up, and each tickle of air sent shivers down her spine.

"That's funny-" Soleil's voice caught in her throat as she spoke, "I can't tell what you're thinking, either."

Afraid? No- that certainly wasn't it. It was true that her heart beat quickly, and that her stomach felt strange, but... no, fear was not the right word. Excitement, perhaps? Soleil wasn't quite sure herself. "I-" Azula was right - shedidlike this, Soleil realised when the woman pulled away, and her sudden absence made her miss her almost immediately.

"Right..." Soleil chuckled, a little awkwardly, at the princess' words to hide her blush. Why did the thought of her being so close to other people sit unwell with her? "It's a- very high honor. I'm sure anyone would be happy."

She nodded as they moved on and she mentally prepared herself for the incoming attack. It was a lot easier with the warning, knowing what to expect, but still Azula moved so quickly and fluidly that it still took her by surprise - Soleil managed to block the punch, reading her movements with quick thinking. The enhanced stance she was in prevented her from losing her balance, too, and she stood grounded, looking right at the princess' face.

(1) dude im just imagining this task went to jaehee xD "assistant kang pls buy lilium some sleepwear and bring it here immediately"

[[i had to rewrite all of this im so sad the first one was so good;;]]

The silver haired woman awoke drowsily when it was still dark, and, at first, was a little confused. She had fallen asleep on the floor, hadn't she-? But- oh. Once her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could see Jumin's peaceful sleeping face beside her. H-How cute-! Had he taken her to bed, and decided to join her, so that she needn't wake up alone? Since he... decided to go as far as to share the same bed as her, he must hold some sort of affections towards her, right-? Just as she held some for him.. With that in mind, the woman scooted closer to Jumin, so much so that her face was now buried against his chest. Like this, it was almost like they were a married couple..~
When Lilium woke up again, it was because Jumin was shifting, probably attempting to leave the bed carefully so he could go to work. "Noo.." Lilium whined in her sleep a bit, feeling her warmth leave. Though.. she couldn't keep the man from work, so she'd have to accept it. She vaguely remember telling him she'd wait for him after work or something of the sort before falling back asleep.
A few more hours passed, and the silver haired woman awoke properly, sitting up in bed with a yawn. "Hn.." After rubbing her eyes a bit, she stepped out of bed and made her way out into the living room. Jumin was out at work probably... Honestly, Lilium should get some work done, too. ..Oh, that's right. She didn't actually have her supplies with her. So she could spend the whole day playing with Elizabeth the Third~!
Humming to herself, the woman sat down with the white cat, who seemed to have just woken up. "Are you hungry?" She murmured, reaching up to grab her phone. With a wince, Lilium noted how many messages and missed calls she had from her father... Ignoring them, she opened up the messenger app instead.
Lilium has entered the chatroom.
Lilium: Good luck at work today, Jumin~ (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧
707: !!!!
707: i didnt see u come home on the camera last night..
707: dont tell me ur--
Lilium: I'm staying over with Jumin for a bit
707: !!!!!!
707: skhcdjkdsjdlkjd
707: KSJHJKSHJLHD
Lilium: ^^?
707: FINALLY
Lilium: (。・_・。)??
Laughing to herself a bit, the woman closed the app, noting how she should have probably just messaged Jumin privately. She decided to do just that, though.. she wondered if this were okay. He allowed her to stay in his home, sure, but.. was she being too... clingy? 'Hello, Jumin. I just woke up. I'm going to get something to eat for Elizabeth the Third and I. Her food is in the top shelf by the sink, right? Anyway.. I hope you're having a nice day at work. I.. wasn't sure if I should message you. I feel it's rude to keep interrupting you while you're busy, but I can't seem to help it... In any case, I do wonder if you could help me. I.. would like to change my phone number, so that my father cannot contact me. Is there a way to do that? (1) Anyway, I'm going to (try) to make us dinner this time, since you did so yesterday! I hope it comes out alright. Look forward to it. Take care. xoxo.'
The woman attached a quick selfie of her and Elizabeth the Third, both having just woke up. It was pretty cute, so why not?

"Hm. You're decent, though you have so much more to learn, Soleil. No matter... I'm the best teacher you could possibly ask for~." So enraptured was Azula in the expression Soleil made, that she began to take this little training session of theirs too seriously. Though.. she couldn't help it. The woman looked so vulnerable before her, her soft features having a light pink tint... The princess smirked, eyes glimmering dangerously, as if she were a predator looking at it's prey. How lovely it would be to have her underneath her, to have her obey her every command, to so eagerly do whatever the princess so wished~!
"Do you know what makes us proud members of the fire nation different from those peasants outside our walls? We can fight without fear, because we know that we are the strongest of them all." Yes... Azula was proud of that fact. She could fight anyone, all the while hiding her emotions. She had always been an excellent liar. Something she was proud of.. something others would even envy her for.
"You're quick. But I'm quicker. Try to keep up." Without another word, the princess threw another kick out, forcing the woman before her to dodge and back off a bit. "You can run, but I'll catch you... is what I'd say if this were a real fight. Or, well.. I suppose you could always run off and attempt to hide from me. But you and I both know that I will find you, and when I do, who knows what I'll do. For making such an easy little training session so difficult... perhaps I'll have to punish you for it. But you're a good girl, aren't you?"
Azula laughed aloud, now sending out a flurry of punches. Soleil continued to dodge, walking backwards until she was eventually against the wall. Perhaps this had been Azula's plan all along. Now, right up against her, the princess whispered, "It looks like I've won. But... oh, why do you look pleased by your loss? No matter. I rather enjoy winning, and this time I've won myself a prize." She smirked now. There was that lovely expression of hers again... Oh, how Azula reveled in it. She wondered, for a moment, if she would be the only one to see this cute expression of hers.. If anyone else were ever to see it, she'd surely cut them down, and without hesitation. The thought alone annoyed her beyond comprehension. Pushing those thoughts aside, the princess looked down at Soleil, studying her expression.
Like this, she could feel her warm breath against her skin, and if she listened closely enough.. she could almost hear her heart beating rapidly against her chest. One of the best parts of this was the fact that Azula knew for a fact that Soleil was not afraid. "You're not scared, like most people are.." She murmured, almost sounding unsure of herself, for a split second. But, no. This much was clear. The princess knew what fear looked like, and the expression Soleil gave her was something else entirely. Something pleasant.
"Why aren't you afraid..?" Why did Soleil seem to enjoy this? In fact, why did Azula herself seem to enjoy it so? Like having her prey finally caught.. it was so very satisfying. But her friend was not 'prey' in the actual sense of the word. She was something else, something.. more. The princess couldn't understand these feelings, but she was immensely pleased with the fact that she was not pulling away, or telling her she needed to go. Most others would be terrified. And, well, Azula also had to admit that if this were anyone else, she'd probably not be in this position right now. What made this special was the fact that she was here, this close to Soleil. Not someone else.

(1) i think jumin might not know so maybe he just buys her a whole new cellphone xdd thats so jumin bwahah

Jumin woke up encompassed by the most wonderful warmth. How on earth was he supposed to get out of bed, when Lilium was this adorable, curled up against his chest? Her sleeping face was so angelic, he never wanted to pull his gaze away... He'd almost forgotten that he'd fallen asleep by her side the night before, and the sudden realisation come morning brought another light blush to his cheeks.

But work called. He still had to get ready for the day, especially since he'd set work aside last night to spend time with Lilium instead. Loathe as he was to pull away and leave her, he had to do it. Gently, as gently as he could as not to wake her, Jumin got up to sneak out of bed, but- oh, she clung onto him so cutely! His heart skipped a beat, and Jumin entertained the idea of skipping out on work today. It wouldn't hurt to miss one day, right? To spend another couple hours in bed with Lilium, and to enjoy breakfast together at their own pace, and then to take her shopping for clothes and whatever she needed...

But no, he had an incredibly important meeting today- it was an incredible shame, and took so much strength for him to gently untangle Lilium from him, and to get out of the bed. He smiled at her adorable form - "..Thank you. I'll see you in the evening, then." Jumin murmured. Oh, his heart was beating so fast-! Why did it feel so good to know that she'd be waiting here for him? That he had someone to come home to? This gentle warmth was surely the sweetest... And though he hated to leave her at all, Jumin left for work in a wonderful mood, knowing that she'd be here to welcome him back afterwards.

~

Jumin had just gotten out of that meeting, and though it had gone well, it had been incredibly taxing, with the other representative being quite obnoxious. Ugh - he needed a little break after all that. He went back into his office and pulled out his phone, looking through the notifications that had piled up over the past two hours. There was a chatroom on the RFA app, he'd check that out later, because- most important of all, there was also a message from Lilium! He opened that first, reading through her text - once, twice, three times, just to savor her tone and think of her. And gods... the photo she attached was just about the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Jumin saved it immediately (hoping again that Lilium wouldn't mind), and then dialled her number. Perhaps he should just reply to her message in text form, but he couldn't help it... after that exhausting meeting, all he really wanted was to see Lilium, to hear her voice, to know that she was there.

"Hello? I apologise for contacting you only now, the meeting went on longer than I expected. And, truth is... I really wanted to hear your voice now. How are you? Did you sleep well? I hope I didn't disturb you when I was getting up this morning." He'd tried to be quite, but she'd certainly stirred awake as he got out of bed that morning, and the coffee machine, too, was quite loud. He felt a little bad for not having been able to answer her question immediately, but it seemed that she knew where the cat food was, so hopefully the morning went alright.

"Thank you for feeding Elizabeth the Third. She gets quite vocal and meows when she's hungry, have you noticed it yet? How are you spending the day so far? Feel free to make yourself at home, you can use anything in the kitchen or anywhere else in the house, or order in if you'd like. I'll be home around five. In all honesty... Work can't end soon enough today. I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon. I have to go now, I'm sorry. I'll be sure to get you a new phone number today, not to worry. It's good that you brought it up. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you. Well then..." Jumin finished the call, though he wanted to speak with her for hours and hours on end. But work called, and he still had to arrange the new phone number for Lilium.

"Eep-" Soleil gasped as her back came against the wall, stopping her from backing away any further from Azula's onslaught. She'd been aware of it as they fought, but even knowing that Azula was forcing her back with her quick jabs, she could do nothing about it - not unless she wanted to catch them head on.

She was breathing heavily, and not entirely from exertion. Oh, Azula was so close like this-! She couldn't tear her eyes, wide, away from the pretty face right before hers. The attractive curve of her eyebrow, the smirk on her lips, her eyelashes framing those gleaming eyes... Gods, Azula was beautiful. She could almost taste her voice as she whispered, her words sending another shiver down Soleil's spine. "A prize...? We never said anything about that-" Did she..really look so pleased about her loss? She blushed deeply. Soleil couldn't bring herself to admit that this position was- quite nice. So what if she enjoyed it? And- she'd known from the beginning that Azula would 'win', so this really came as no surprise. Soleil had agreed to this - no, she'd been the one tosuggestit in the first place - knowing Azula would overpower her. It hadn't been a conscious thought then, but it hadn't been unthought through, either...

"Should I be scared?" Soleil breathed. "Do you- want me to be afraid?"

She wasn't afraid in the slightest. Perhaps she should - Azula was just about the strongest in the Fire Nation, and one wrong move could change her life entirely. She was calm and collected, and yet volatile and quick to anger, if she only so wanted. But even so, even knowing all this, Soleil couldn't find it in her to be afraid of her - not entirely, at least, not like everyone else. The excitement overpowered her fear by miles. Pinned to the wall like this, with her pretty visage so close, so close that she could feel her breath on her skin... Soleil couldn't help herself. Without even thinking, she leaned in and closed the space between their lips with a kiss.

"What should we do today.." Lilium didn't have any of her supplies with her, so there wasn't much she could do.. Well, she could probably spend the whole day snooping around Jumin's home, but that wasn't very nice, was it? ...Still, she was sure he wouldn't mind! She'd try not to mess anything up.. The woman ended up taking a long bath in Jumin's luxurious bathroom, and then she spent some time playing more with Elizabeth the Third. "What sort of food should we make for Jumin?" She questioned, looking down at the kitty, who meowed gently. The woman nodded in agreement, "I hear you."
Later in the day, her phone rang, and upon glancing at it, saw it was Jumin. "Hello, Jumin. How did your meeting go? It sounds exhausting." She replied. Oh, how cute that he wanted to hear her voice right after! It made her heart race. "Oh, was that why she was meowing so much-? I see. I'm glad I did the right thing, then." Lilium listened to the rest of the man's words, smiling to herself as she played a bit with her hair. "I can't wait to see you too. I -- we -- miss you." With a blush the woman reached out and pet Elizabeth the Third. "See you soon then. Have a lovely day." Jumin hung up after that, and Lilium let out an overjoyed coo of delight. "Is this what love is like, Elizabeth? It's the most wonderful feeling. You love him too, don't you?" Lilium giggled, then stood up. "Now that we've gotten permission, we can explore a bit before going to start dinner. What do you say?"
With Elizabeth the Third at her side, the woman wandered around Jumin's penthouse for a bit. He had some cool looking game systems too! And a very nice computer. Maybe she could try that game Yoosung had been telling her about-? After a while, the woman entered the kitchen once more. There was more than enough food in the fridge to work with... "Alright, let's get cooking!"
~
"I-I ordered us some Chinese food." Lilium laughed sheepishly when Jumin came home. Fidgeting a bit, she really really hoped the man wouldn't smell any burning... Yeah, she had accidentally burned the food. She put the temperature too high, or something, and it had cooked so much faster than she thought it would... Lilium spent too long cleaning everything up afterwards, so she ended up having to order some food. It should be arriving soon, though! The woman was terribly embarrassed, though.. "I'm sorry, I-... W-Well, dinner didn't go as planned, b-but I'll do better tomorrow, promise!"

"A prize, yes. It seems even you are unaware of it." Was it hard to see that Azula was enjoying herself? Then again, she had always been good at hiding her emotions.. Now... did she want Soleil to be afraid? In a certain way, maybe. The thought of seeing the woman before her, looking up at her with a pleading expression, did do something to the princess. Though that wasn't exactly fear, now was it? Just.. anticipation. Perhaps a little bit of impatience. And of course, the fact that Soleil would have no idea what was to come next. This vulnerable look on her was an absolute delight to see. And, to be fair... the woman was holding a very large amount of self restraint right now. She wanted very much to do.. well, something more, but just soaking in Soleil's expression like this was more than enough for--
And then her brain basically short circuited.
It was strange, really. Azula was skilled in basically everything that she could possibly need. Fighting, fire bending, how to lie, how to rule, how to manipulate others in the perfect way.. How to play people, how to beat others at their own games. She was cunning, and highly intelligent, far more than even many of the other fire nation warlords... And yet this one woman before her could cause the princess to lose all words in a split second. It actually surprised her, and really, nothing took Azula by surprise. She couldn't find her thoughts. She didn't even know what she was feeling. So many different things all at once, but among them all the most prominent one would be... happiness.
Hah! Happiness. What a pitiful word. The princess believed in strength, but happiness? She couldn't say she truly ever felt that before. She was 'happy' when her brother had been banished, she was 'happy' when people looked up at her in fear, but... other than that? She didn't know about it.. But there really was no other word to describe her feelings. She felt happy.
Content.
Her eyes had widened initially in shock, but now she had calmed down. Her heart was racing, though again didn't truly understand why.
...This was what Azula wanted, though. Wasn't it? Deep inside her, this is what she had wanted, and so badly too. The fact that Soleil had been the one to initiate... perhaps that was why she was so surprised. The princess could have whatever - or whoever - she wanted. But they'd never agree to it themselves. They were too afraid of her. But this... this was different. Soleil had wanted this herself..
And so, the princess would enjoy it.
After the initial shock, the woman leaned in more, kissing Soleil back, probably a bit more roughly than intended. Still, she was pleased. Excited, even. And she'd do as she liked, now that she had Soleil's confirmation and consent.
Pulling away was an awful feeling, but even Azula needed to breathe. Panting a little, the princess took a moment to catch her breath. This part was a little awkward, but..."Well, that was fun, wasn't it?" She hummed, clearly pleased. Too awkward? The woman had absolutely no clue what to do now, though.. She had war experience, but all of this? This was new...

It felt like forever later that Jumin finished work and he could finally go back home. He forgot all about his exhaustion the moment he walked through the door, thinking about how he'd get to see Lilium again, andsoon! He couldn't keep the smile off his face as she greeted him, almost immediately after coming home. Ah... so this was what it felt like, to have someone waiting for him at home. Jumin was admired at work, of course, but it was a hundred times more wonderful to know that he wasloved- in whatever sense of the word, whether romantic or platonic, he wasn't sure - at home.

But oh- did he smell something? Yes, like the faint smell of something burnt... He shook his head fondly with a smile as Lilium explained what had happened. "Don't worry about it. You're a guest, not my maid - you needn't cook in the first place, if you don't want to. Admittedly, I was looking forward to trying your cooking... but I will be patient, I promise. And Chinese sounds great." He assured her. Jumin could only cook a little himself, anyway, so he certainly didn't blame her for whatever little cooking incident she had.

Jumin placed his belongings down and took off his suit jacket, draping it over the arm of the couch as he got comfortable. He pulled a box out from his bag, and handed it to Lilium. "I got you a new phone and number. I hope it's to your liking." He'd called Luciel before, asking about the best phone in the market at the moment (and accidentally had to listen to averylong explanation on all the different types of phones out there and why there wasn't one 'best' one), and bought one of the ones he'd recommended for Lilium. The phone, of course, came with a new number. She could download all her applications again and transfer all her files - and leave all traces of her father behind, on the old phone. No past messages to remind her of him, no photos or screenshots or memories of missed calls and voicemails.

"It came with a case as well, though it seems this one is quite basic, aesthetically. I'll take you shopping tomorrow, and you can choose a new one. Some clothes would be a good idea, too, and anything else you might need. What do you think? I had Assistant Kang move my meetings tomorrow to another day, so I'll only need to come into work for two hours in the morning. I'd be glad to take you out for lunch and some shopping afterwards, if you'd like." Jumin offered.

In that split moment, Soleil feared she'd made the wrong decision, that her heart had chosen irresponsibly over her brain. Azula had stiffened so - had Soleil misread the situation this badly? Did she not feel an ounce of anything resembling Soleil's feelings at all? But- those doubts disappeared as Azula relaxed and came back to life, and suddenly she was kissing back with such force that Soleil would've stumbled back, had she not been backed up against a wall in the first place.

So- she did feel the same! Soleil could barely understand her own feelings, but at this very moment, she was so happy, so comfortable, she wanted nothing more than for this moment to last forever. Even if she didn't truly understand what she felt, or what Azula felt, the truth was that they both feltsomething, and that that something was just about the most wonderful thing in the world. Wasn't that alright? Wasn't that a starting point?

Soleil was breathing heavily by the time they pulled away, and Azula's sudden absence felt like a painful loss. She couldn't tear her gaze away from Azula, from admiring her pleased expression, and Soleil had to bite back her own smile. "I'd say that was a very fruitful training session." She hummed too, agreeing very dearly. Fun was certainly one way to put it, and Soleil would've loved to jump right back into it, to kiss her until there was no breath left between them and Azula's lips were well-kissed and puffy.

But their time was coming to an end, and Soleil feared that someone would come looking for the princess soon, to take her away for one important matter or another. And- truth be told, Soleil felt rather embarrassed, even with how happy she was-! Her cheeks burned red, in any case... Maybe a little time alone to cool off would be the right thing to do? Even though she absolutely couldn't stop thinking about how soft Azula's lips were and how she wanted to kiss her again...

"Same time tomorrow?"

[[I forgot, we still have to do Lilium modelling B) Not now, and Im just writing this here because I remembered like 5 times and forgot it 5 times so now I'll write bwahah ]]

Lilium laughed sheepishly, though her heart fluttered at how kind Jumin was. Of course, she knew beforehand that he'd never make fun of her, but... still! "I really wanted to cook for you.. I guess I have to get used to your oven first." She admitted, watching as the man took off his coat and suddenly handed her a box. "For me-?" She blushed darkly, then suddenly realized something. "O-Oh, when I asked for a new number, I didn't know I'd need a whole new phone.. I-I.." She looked up at Jumin, suddenly understanding that no matter what she said, he was happy to give her something like this.
"..Thank you very much." She opened the box curiously. "Woah-! T-This is a really cool phone!" She gaped. This was one of the newest ones too, wasn't it? It must have been incredibly expensive.. "Do you think I could run all my art apps on it without it lagging-? This is really nice-! Thank you, Jumin!" The man spoke up again, saying how he had all his meetings moved so that he could take her shopping tomorrow. "You're spoiling me.." Lilium blushed, not really knowing what to say. He'd already moved his meetings, so she would be incredibly rude to say no... And something told the woman he wouldn't take no for an answer, anyway. "I'm really excited to spend the day with you tomorrow." She gave him a bright smile.
~
Lilium had asked to sleep with Jumin from now on. It made her feel nice and warm. He hadn't denied her. Though, for some reason, that night, she felt incredibly sad. It was a strange feeling. Jumin was right next to her, probably asleep by now, but... Why did she feel so much pain? She was scared. All of these moments she enjoyed were fleeting. One day he, too, would get tired of her, right? Hadn't she always been so much of a burden? She was scared, she was scared... It hurt too much. Why was she like this? Lilium suddenly realized she was crying openly, and tried to stifle it as to not wake Jumin.

Azula's mind was racing, alongside her heart. Usually she was a quick thinker, but now her thoughts were jumbled. Well, the princess decided not to worry about it. She.. was happy. Content. Like this, Soleil belonged to her, right?~ What did that mean exactly? They had been friends, but... no, this was something far more. She was friends with Mai and Ty Lee as well, but she'd never do something like this with either of them. In all honesty, it rather annoyed the princess that she didn't understand her feelings. She felt weak, and she hated that. But... she supposed she could ignore that, for now. She had always simply done whatever she wanted, so now she would do the same. "...Right. Same time tomorrow. You'd best not be late." The princess smirked, her eyes wandering down to Soleil's lips once more. ...Had they really just been against her own-? Involuntarily, the woman licked her lips, noting how she could almost still taste the woman before her...
"I have to attend a war meeting with father. Remember to be here again tomorrow." What if she stood her up-? Honestly, that thought scared her. Hah. Azula, the proud princess of the fire nation, scared? How pathetic! Nevertheless, she was sure she wouldn't stand her up.. right? After all, she was the one who had initiated that kiss.. Azula was confident that Soleil would come tomorrow, and the day after as well. "Very well. I will be taking my leave."
That... was probably one of the hardest things Azula had to do, to date. Walk away from Soleil. ...She could not be late to father's war meeting, however. Turning away, the princess left, making her way to their large meeting room. Some people were gathered already, but the meeting had yet to start. She took her seat next to her Father, and after a few more people joined the room, the meeting began.
It was a general meeting, though Azula found that her mind was on other things. She had actually kissed Soleil. They had kissed, and her friend had been the one to initiate it. ...She had tasted so, so sweet as well... With furrowed brows, the princess tried to create the scene in her mind again, replaying it several times. Like this, she could almost feel Soleil's lips on her again... Yes, how sweet~. And that expression! That gorgeous, vulnerable expression as the beautiful woman before her looked up at her.. Almost as if Soleil needed her... Needed Azula. Her. Not anyone else.
"Princess Azula."
The woman blinked, realizing one of the warlords had been calling to her. How pathetic of the princess to be distracted, and in front of father as well. Nevertheless, she was quick to react as ever. "I was simply thinking of the best way to approach the problem. If we want to leave an impact, we'll need to.."
~
"Play me some music." Azula spoke up to Soleil, seeing her at the pond a bit later in the evening. She was feeling irritated from having to deal with so many people today, without being able to spend more time with Soleil, so.. seeing her now was very nice. "I want to hear it." Actually, she didn't mean to be so demanding. But it just came out like that... Also, seeing Soleil after this afternoon made the woman feel hot, for some reason. Luckily, she could hide her feelings for now, and instead focus on other things. Too many people were walking around the palace at this time, so getting back to the activities from earlier would prove to be difficult. Instead.. wouldn't it be okay to have Soleil play music, just for her?

[[yES LETS DO IT FOR SURE]]

Jumin blinked. "That's how it works... isn't it?" A new number was inherently tied to a new phone. Everyone knew that. Right? Luciel didn't mention anything about that, in any case - he'd been more than happy to go on about all the different phones in the market. No matter! Jumin was glad to have gotten Lilium a gift in any case, and one that she seemed to enjoy so much-! "I hope it serves you well. It should do everything your old phone does, and more, so there shouldn't be an issue with transferring files." He hoped. Jumin really didn't know how this worked, in all honesty. "Nonsense. This is the least I can do, really." He smiled. This definitely wasn't "spoiling" Lilium - a phone was a necessity, and he didn't want her to have any contact with her father, if she so wished. In any case, seeing her smile this much really warmed his heart... Jumin wanted to do everything he could to keep her smiling, for him or anything else in this world.

~

Jumin had blushed softly when Lilium asked to sleep in the same bed again. Of course- there was no way he would deny such an adorable request! Itwasa little difficult for him, though, to keep calm and fall asleep when the object of his affections was lying so close that he could feel her warmth radiating from her skin, but he wouldn't have it any other way - he'd gladly "suffer" through this, as long as he could stay by her side...

He'd fallen asleep at some point, though he couldn't have been in a very deep or long sleep, because his mind was still half awake, groggily holding on to increasingly incoherent thoughts. It was then that he heard a quiet sniffling. He'd barely realised what it was at that point, but it quickly grew louder, and Jumin realised - in panic - that Lilium was crying. His mind shot awake and he turned to face her.

"Lilium?" He murmured her name. "Lilium, what's wrong? I- are you- did something happen?"

He prodded gently, unsure of whether she actually wanted him here at all, or asking questions. But there was no way that he could just sit by and do nothing and pretend to be asleep when she was so clearly not alright. Was it a nightmare? Or something more? Jumin had no idea, but his heart ached for her, and he wanted to do everything in his power to comfort her.

Would she mind if he embraced her-? She'd wanted to sleep in the same bed, so surely that meant she didn't mind being close to him, so this should be alright... Unsure of whether he read her right, but not wanting to risk neglecting her, Jumin took the chance, and gently wrapped an arm around her, coming in closer so that she could feel it was him. That she was not alone.

"It's alright..." He murmured. "You're alright. You're safe. Do you... want to tell me what happened?"

Soleil honestly hadn't been expecting to see Azula again this evening. They had talked about seeing each other the next day after all. Though she wasn't expecting to see her again today, her thoughts were so completely full of Azula, it was almost as though they weren't apart at all... But no, it wasn't the same, not at all. The absence felt so much more than ever before, now that Soleil knew how Azula felt. Well, more or less. This was something they could figure out together, wasn't it?

She was sitting out by the turtleduck pond with her pipa, watching the little ducklings swim after their mother, slowly beginning to settle down for the night. Was she here because this place reminded her of Azula, and she wanted to be with her insomeway, even now? If it was so, then it certainly hadn't been a conscious decision. But... this was nice. Still thinking of the princess, she began to absent-mindedly play a song on her pipa...

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she heard Azula's voice again. It surprised her, and she looked up, stopping her song, to smile at the princess. Oh- she really was here! Soleil felt her heart pick up again, just at the sight of her, as it brought back the heat and rush of memories from what had happened just earlier today... But if she couldn't hide her blush, she could hide everything else, and Soleil nodded as if to bow. "Of course, princess."

What to play? She paused at her instrument for a moment when she picked it up again, and then settled into a gentle, comfortable melody. A love song. Was it a ostentatious of her, to choose that? Was it even a conscious decision? The melody came alive as if on its own, her fingers only serving as a conduct between this world and another.

"How was the meeting?" She asked gently, not stopping the song. It wasn't really her place to ask, nor did she particularly care about the specifics of the war, but... she wanted to hear Azula's voice. To know what she was thinking, to know what she was feeling. She seemed pent up, though Soleil couldn't read her any further than that - the princess was a master liar, after all.

Lilium soon realized that Jumin had woken up, though she wasn't sure when exactly. She hadn't noticed. He was talking to her, asking her what was wrong, but Lilium didn't know. All she knew was that she was hurting and in pain. Nothing would work out, right? In the end, she'd be alone again, and she would have to go back to her father. In the end, Jumin would realize that she, too, was a burden. He'd not want to put up with her anymore soon enough. Wasn't that inevitable ? She knew she was a lot to handle... She knew that already! She didn't want him to leave... But why shouldn't he? She was too needy, so much of a bother...
The man suddenly pulled her into an embrace, and Lilium's eyes widened a bit in surprise. Yes.. Jumin was really here, in this moment. He wouldn't leave. This was just all in her mind, right? As a result of being raised in a bad home. She ended up thinking too low of herself, and so it was far too hard for her to comprehend the fact that Jumin truly cared for her. But... he was really here, holding her, taking care of her and doing everything he could for her.
Lilium took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down a bit. It took her some time, but she managed to settle down a bit. "I'm sorry." She murmured, voice somewhat muffled. "I..I just felt scared. I feel so much better now. You're here. ...You're really here." She curled up against him, feeling his warmth. There was his heart beat, too.. The silver haired woman let out a small breath, closing her eyes now. "Thank you. Thank you."
~
"Alright Elizabeth the Third, what should we do today?" Lilium hummed, lightly reaching out to pet the cat. She fed her already, and Jumin would be home earlier today, so they just needed to find something to do for an hour or two!

Azula knew that Soleil wouldn't say no to her. Well, no one should have the audacity to say no to the princess. But.. she wasn't playing for her out of fear, right? No. She knew what fear looked like all too well, and this was not it. She seemed pleased, even, that she could play for her. ...Was that true? Perhaps. Although Azula was great at reading people, she was too new to these emotions. She didn't understand or comprehend how someone could genuinely enjoy her presence. She liked to think she was popular, but deep in the back of her mind, the Princess knew the truth. Just like how she knew the truth about what her mother thought her to be. A monster. She was to be feared, and nothing else. With fear came obedience. But not adoration.
So.. it was very nice that the one person she felt so strongly towards did not seem to be afraid of her.
After a few moments, Soleil began to play her tune. This was different from those that she'd usually hear. Softer, and more calming. It seemed to go straight to her heart, as sappy as that sounded. Furrowing her brows a bit, the princess watched Soleil carefully. "Does this song have a name?" She questioned. It was nothing like they played during festivities. It didn't even sound very Fire Nation-like, either. How strange. But.. it wasn't bad. In fact, it was probably one of the nicest pieces she'd ever heard. The princess wasn't one for 'calming' music, but this was something else entirely.
The music seemed so full of emotion. "Hm?" Again, Azula hadn't been paying attention. With her Father, it was a disgrace, but.. Soleil wouldn't point it out, nor look down upon her for it. Right? It didn't seem like it, anyway.. "It was alright. Although, it could have ended a lot earlier, if those warlords would just open their eyes and think for a moment or two. They're nothing more than puppets, having all the information hand fed to them. If they sat and used their brain for a second, they would easily see the best option." Azula rolled her eyes at the thought, but pushed them aside afterwards.
"No need to speak of that now, though. Where did you learn to play such strange music?" Not that it was bad, just different from what the Princess was used to. She liked it. Without thinking too much about it, the woman sat beside her friend, enjoying the warmth they shared together like this. It was... different from the afternoon. During their training session, they'd been passionate and aggressive and rough. But now, things seemed... soft and kind. Something the princess was not used to. Her features softened a bit too, feeling herself grow a little more comfortable. No need to sit so stiffly here.
"...I like it. You must play it for me more." It sounded like an order, but... ugh! The princess hated this! It was too hard to communicate properly. Hopefully Soleil would understand nevertheless. Leaning back a bit, the woman glanced at Soleil out of the corner of her eye, noting once again how beautiful she looked under the soft light...
Curse her weak heart.

"Don't be sorry." Jumin murmured. "It's alright. You're alright. I'll keep you safe, I promise." He could only imagine what brought her into such a state, and if she didn't want to talk about it, of course he wouldn't push her to do so... He was glad that she calmed down a little, her cries morphing into quiet sniffles as he pulled her against him. Though he do nothing else, Jumin would give her everything he could, and comfort her tonight. His heart ached seeing her tears, but he would never ask her to quiet them for his sake. "You can let it out. Cry however much you need to." He assured her. "I'll be here with you for however long you need."

And as she quieted, curled up against him, her breathing eventually evened, and he realised she was asleep. Jumin watched her for a moment longer, just to make sure that she was asleep, that she was as peaceful as could be, before allowing himself to drift off and join her in sleep.

~

Jumin couldn't hold it in any longer. He'd been aware of his feelings for Lilium for a long time now, from before he'd even met her in person, and seeing her every day, sleeping by her side every night, only fuelled his feelings more. Lilium had had a... rough couple of days, when she first came to his apartment. He hadn't made any moves yet because it never felt like the right time - inappropriate, inconsiderate. He didn't want her to think she owedhim anything, because he was helping her out now and giving her a place to stay. If she didn't return his feelings, then he didn't want her to force herself. It just- hadn't ever felt like the right time. But she was sleeping better now, crying less. Smiling more. That smile, that beautiful smile that rushed to his heart and made his head feel full of cotton... And most of all, Jumin felt as though he couldn't keep these feelings within him for a day - an hour - a minute longer.

He came back from the office early today, having moved nearly all his meetings to another day. He arrived home around noon, which was perfectly in time for lunch. He'd texted Lilium about his plans before, to take her out to a restaurant for a lunch together, so she should be ready to go soon as well.

"I'm home." He announced, closing the door behind him. Already he was looking around for Lilium, and smiled when Elizabeth the Third lazily walked over to him, happy to see him in her own cat way. And then he saw Lilium, as lovely as she always looked, and the expression she wore greeting him made his heart flutter. Yes, having someone wait for him at home...really was a wonderful feeling, one he'd never experienced before.

"How was your morning?" He asked, setting his work things down. He'd just freshen up a little, and then they could go out for lunch together. "Are you ready? I told Driver Kim to stay in the car, so we can leave as soon as we want to. I'll need five more minutes or so."

"It does. It's called Promise of the World. (1) It's really beautiful, don't you think? Comforting." Soleil spoke softly, continuing to play. She couldn't tell whether the princess liked it or not, but she settled down besides her, so... surely it was alright. She listened as Azula spoke of war council, even though she seemed a little distracted. She wondered whether something had happened, but even so... She was as impressive as ever, already far more competent than warlords twice her age.

She glanced at the princess when she asked her about the music, before returning her gaze to the instrument. It would be alright to tell her, right? It's not like she'd learned the music through illegal means... probably. It was fine. It was Soleil's secret, but if she could share it with anyone, it would be Azula. "Will you keep this a secret?"

"...I was once invited to play for a lord who really loved music. He collected instruments and sheet music from all over the world, but he had little musical talent himself. He'd made copies of the sheet music and shared some of it with me in secret, in exchange for my performance." Soleil explained, thinking back fondly to that encounter, already so long ago. How it had changed her worldview then, how it had opened her eyes to the world outside the Fire Nation... She kept that sheet music hidden, even from her parents, just as the lord had. Just in case, so that it wouldn't be destroyed. Soleil couldn't imagine anyone wanting to destroy music entirely, but she wouldn't take any chances. Her most prized possessions.

"This- is a song from the Air Nomads, apparently. Well- of course I've never heard it played before. I don't even know whether I'm playing it correctly, or what instrument it's supposed to be played on." It really was a awful that the entire culture was wiped out, all those years ago, leaving nothing behind. So many lives lost, so much culture destroyed... But it had happened so many years before Soleil's birth, it rather felt like ancient civilization. It was a miracle that someone managed to preserve at least some songs by writing them down, that she could play them now. Her rendition of the song was certainly influenced by Fire Nation culture, even down to the instruments she used, but- at least the song existed, somewhere.

"It has lyrics, too. Though I'm even less certain about their melody than the instrumental part. But- maybe I'll sing it for you, one day."

(1) YES THE SONG FROM HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE ahahaha i just love it so much and its very sweet and like a lullaby :3

"Jumin's home now~ Welcome back." Lilium hummed in greeting when the man returned home. Today they'd be going out for lunch together, which was incredibly exciting. Although, really, just seeing the man every day was more than enough to make her happy... When Jumin was at work, she often played with Elizabeth and worked on some commissions, all the while reading the messenger. It seemed like Jaehee was upset since a certain someone now liked to push meetings off even more than usual... Which, honestly, Lilium felt a little guilty for. B-But she never asked Jumin to do that! S-So... It wasn't really her fault, now was it?
Zen also seemed to think that the man had 'kidnapped' her, though she had said otherwise many times already. He was probably just messing around at this point... right? In any case, it was all so nice. The silver haired woman had gotten changed a little while ago, opting to wait until the last minute so that she wouldn't get any paint or cat fur all over her outfit.
"The morning was pleasant. I was a little distracted, though. Excited for the afternoon with you, you know?" She felt her cheeks heat up just a bit, but tried to ignore it. "I'm all ready to go, so I'm ready when you are." She gave a small smile, feeling her heart rate increase a bit. Was this kind of like a date? Was it? The woman felt like it was, but she could never really be sure with him.. He was rather hard to read sometimes. But-! She was happy nevertheless.

Azula listened as Soleil began to tell her more about the song. Oh.. had she played in private for someone before? The thought irritated the princess immensely, and she had half a mind to go find that man herself and put an end to his pathetic miserable life! ...But her friend looked so happy when thinking of him. Were those memories fond to her? ...Would she be upset if Azula were to hurt him? Normally, she wouldn't care about other's emotions, but.. Seeing Soleil's expression in this moment made her jealousy fade a bit, at least enough for her to not want to go hunting that man down. It was alright. That was before Soleil had come back to her. Now he was nothing to her! Now she had Azula, someone far better~.
"You know I'm the best person to keep your secrets." She certainly didn't mind using people's secrets against them, and although she was a very good liar, she wasn't the type to go announce a secret to everyone for no reason. ...Or perhaps, she would, to make their lives miserable, and to have a hold over that person, but... She obviously wouldn't do that with Soleil. Azula was no monster. ...Right? She couldn't tell anymore..
But.. oh. A song from the Air Nomads. If her father were to hear of this, he'd certainly become outraged. And, if it were anyone else, Azula would probably have them thrown in prison for such heresy! ...It was wrong, right? The princess didn't see a problem with music, but their nation was a proud one, and to have music from the Air Nomads no less... It wouldn't sit well with, well, anyone Azula knew, that was for certain. In all honesty, hearing this bit of info sent her into quite the emotional turmoil. On one hand, she knew she should be angry. Her father would be angry for sure, so shouldn't she be too? But on the other hand, the music had done her no harm. She was still the powerful princess of the Fire nation. She just happened to enjoy a tune from the Air Nomads. It.. was different. Calming and nice. So it would be okay to keep this a secret, right-?
...Azula could not let anyone find out about this, anyway. There was no way she'd allow anyone to come near Soleil, let alone harm her. And, if one of the warlords found out, they would be incredibly angry, and perhaps attempt to get her into trouble. "It's very dangerous of you to keep such music with you. The people here could see it as a threat, or betrayal even." The princess spoke. "I do hope you keep that to yourself, and make sure no one else learns of it. Especially that Ty Lee. She's always had a big mouth." She scoffed.
Still... something was very nice about having a secret to share like this. Just Azula and Soleil knew, no one else. ..Right? She hadn't told anyone else? Although no one in their right mind would trust the princess - except, perhaps, her father - Soleil did so. And that... made her feel a little warm inside.
"I shall allow this music, of course. But I'll need to hear the rest of what you have as well." The woman finally said, holding her head up. Actually, that was a selfish plan to be able to spend more time with Soleil, and to be able to hear more of this 'secret' music she had collected. The princess had never been such a huge fan of music, but this was nice. Although the Air Nomads - and everyone else for that matter - had been their enemies, the woman hadn't thought about their other side. The side where they sat together and played music... She knew so much on warfare and strategies, but when it came to things like this, she knew almost nothing. So.. this was.. nice.

"You were? I'm glad." Jumin couldn't help but smile. Hearing that Lilium felt this way... that she was looking forward to this, even to the point of distraction. Jumin certainly felt that way. Though he still excelled at work and put his all into everything he did, he had to admit he was far more prone to becoming distracted ever since meeting Lilium, than ever before. He went to freshen up quickly, and then they left together.

"It's quite a nice place. I hope you'll like it." Jumin said as they entered the restaurant. She'd chosen the type of food, and Jumin had chosen the specific restaurant - a very classy, expensive one at that. (Not that anything in the world was too expensive for Jumin - he didn't even bat an eye at the thought). It was a nice lunch, and then they enjoyed a walk in the nearby park, admiring the botanical exhibits and flowers in bloom. He took her to a lovely little desserts shop after that, where they served tea in gold-flecked porcelain, and each cake and cookie and chocolate was carefully decorated by hand. And as they spoke, spending the day together, Jumin felt his heart flutter. Each time she smiled, each time she laughed... He'd never seen true beauty until he met Lilium. With every look at her, he loved her more, until his heart ached with the weight of these unsaid emotions. He'd nearly burst out those precious words at lunch, and in the gardens, and now at tea, but- it wasn't the right time. Not yet. Just a little bit longer, Jumin promised himself.

"I had a lovely time today." Jumin spoke as they made their way back to his apartment. It was still only early evening, so the day was far from over, but they could enjoy the rest of their time together at home. Or so he hoped. His heart was beating incredibly fast - gods, when was the last time he'd been so nervous? He couldn't remember, not even before his biggest meetings. This... would be the moment of truth. Irregardless of Lilium's feelings, he simply couldn't keep this in any longer - he had to tell her what he felt for her, else he would burst. With a deep breath and ever the gentleman, he opened the door and let her enter the apartment first, before following in after her.

The sweet scent of flowers was omnipresent. Just as he'd instructed, the room had been filled with flowers while they were away - bouquets of lilies and roses and peonies and marigolds. On tabletops and flower stands, and lining the edge of the couch and chairs. He regarded Lilium's expression carefully - what did she think? This- was certainly a strange thing to walk into, but.. she did enjoy it, didn't she?

He stepped closer, so that she was looking at him, and spoke before he lost the courage to do so. The words he'd so carefully chosen and planned out seemed to leave him at this moment, as he bared his heart to her, and let his words take life of their own.

"Lilium. My life changed for the better when you came into it. You gave me purpose - something I never even knew I was lacking, until I met you. To love and be loved, to give and receive... I love you. I've loved you since before I even saw your photo. The time we spent together, talking over the phone, the warmth we shared... How could I havenotfallen for you? And every day since you came to stay with me, I loved you even more."

"What I want to say is - I want you to stay here. With me. Not out of convenience, but out of love. And if you don't feel the same, you need only say the word and I won't bring it up again, but- if you return my feelings, if you love me back... Then I beg of you. Stay with me."

Urk... Had Soleil made a mistake, entrusting her secret to the princess? She'd gone stiff, and didn't speak for a moment as if mulling things over, and Soleil began to worry that she'd made the wrong decision. But when Azula spoke up with a warning, Soleil bit back a smile, relieved. So- it was alright! She'd keep her secret, then?

"Of course. I'll be careful." She promised. She knew the consequences well enough. She'd kept it secret from her parents and tutors and closest friends - everyone, save for Azula, and the lord who'd given them to her in the first place. Likewise, she'd make sure to keep his identity a secret as well, and this- this she'd keep hidden even from the princess. Just in case, as information had a funny way of travelling on its own, and endangering herself was completely different from endangering her friend.

"But really, there's not a person alive who would recognise this song, unless they held the same love for music as I do. Well, apart from the Avatar, perhaps." (1) She added that last part as if an afterthought, not wanting to bring up anything to worsen the mood. But it was true. The genocide had taken place a hundred years ago, and even the oldest generals in the Fire Nation were not old enough to have been around back then. As long as no one went through her personal belongings at home, and found the sheet music itself,andbothered to find out where it was from, Soleil was almost certain she would not be found out. Surely the soldiers had better things to do than sort through stacks of sheet music? This, at least, was safe.

Soleil continued softly. "I have songs from the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, too. Though those are more recognisable... I wouldn't play them out in the open like this. But I can show you one day, if you come over." She promised. Or the other way around - as long as they were inside somewhere, preferably sound-proof. Or outside of the Fire Nation entirely. In any case, with the Fire Nation's colonies in the Earth Kingdom, it was far, far more likely for anyone - even a foot soldier - to recognise the foreign songs, so Soleil made sure to be extra careful with them. It was a huge shame, because they were very beautiful, too... And over time, their cultural heritage combined with that of the Fire Nation's, and their unique melodies faded into the familiar ones Soleil had been brought up with.

(1) AYY lets add Aang at some point!! he's a sweetheart i want him and sol to be friends YAY. or when shes with azula on that adventure..she can.....lure him in with a familiar song?? xD

[[dUDE JUMINS CONFESSION IS SOOOO CUTE AHHH-- also dude lets totally add aang i love him xd]]

God, the restaurant was absolutely amazing. She'd never been anywhere even nearly as fancy before. Lilium honestly felt a little bit out of place at first, but later on she was simply enjoying herself. After that, they went on a little walk, and then went to have some sweets. It was a lovely afternoon, and although the woman felt incredibly spoiled, she couldn't be happier. A whole day with Jumin-! ...Well, technically, she lived with him - at least for the time being - but this had been absolutely magical.
"I had a lovely time as well. ..Thank you." They arrived back at Jumin's penthouse now, and as soon as the door was opened, she could smell the delightful scent of.. an entire garden, really. "O-Oh." There really was nothing else that Lilium could say, in all honesty. There were dozens upon dozens of flowers, so many different types too. It was so utterly beautiful, that for a moment the woman thought she was dreaming. Had Jumin planned all of this-? God, he'd already spent so, so much money on this afternoon. Lilium could only imagine how expensive that restaurant had been alone. And now these. Each flower looked absolutely beautiful and radiant, cared for immensely.
He really did so much for her.. But really, what made the day so utterly wonderful was the next few things that Jumin said to her. He loved her. He loved her, and wanted her to stay with him out of love. The woman's eyes widened, trying to comprehend the words he had spoken. H-How sweet.. Her heart was racing in such a wonderful way, unlike ever before. She'd certainly never felt this way before, not even close... "I love you too." She whispered. The words that had been on her tongue for so long, on her mind, and in her heart as well... Lilium couldn't find her voice, and so her heart spoke for her.
"I-I want to stay with you. I love you. I love you too, Jumin. I'm here... and you're here. It's almost like a dream. But it's real. You love me, and I love you too. I love you!" She said, almost as if trying to force herself to comprehend what had just been said. It was so hard to believe, and yet-! It was true. All of it. "I'd love to stay with you. I love you, Jumin. Out of everyone in the world, I'm so happy I've met you." Lilium's face burned brightly, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face-! "All of me is for you." She reached up and gently cupped his cheeks in her hands, laughing softly in delight. "My Jumin~"

"Very well then." Azula mused. So long as Soleil didn't play the music aloud, it would be alright, she supposed. There was no harm in this... She didn't seem to hate the fire nation, or want to rebel against them, right? After all, she was this close to the fire nation's princess herself. Had she wished to rebel, surely she'd never inform the very princess of this-? In any case... there was no harm in listening to the music of other nations, she supposed. Even if others were peasants and lower than them in every which way, they had decent music. That much was alright to admit. Still, not in front of her father, or anyone else for that matter.
"The Avatar, you say?" The woman's lips curved up into a smirk. "Perhaps we can use this as a strategy to lure him in. What do you think, Soleil? My incompetent brother surely has not found him yet. And father says we'll need to go for little Zuzu soon. With the Avatar a threat still, perhaps we can take the glory of finishing him off for ourselves." No one in their right mind would suspect the fire lord's daughter and her closest friend to be playing a song from the air nomads, right? And, with a change of clothes, Soleil can easily pull off a water tribe look. ...That was because most people in the fire nation looked, well... as if they've been been in battle far too long, with hard features and cold expressions. Soleil was soft and gentle. ...Not that Azula thought people from the water tribe were beautiful, just that Soleil had beauty in a way that she'd never really seen before. Ethereal. So, the princess was sure no one would suspect her of being part of the fire nation...
...Azula wouldn't use Soleil. She easily used and manipulated people without truly thinking of it. That was probably why people always looked afraid of her, and also why she didn't have many friends. But she felt strange, when it came to Soleil in specific. She didn't want to do that to her. No.. perhaps she wouldn't. The princess was sure they could capture the Avatar easily either way. "Mm. I will visit you, perhaps, to listen to more of your music. I'm interested in hearing the differences between them all." It could be useful in the future. ..Okay, she just wanted to spend more time with Soleil, in her own home. And since she was the Princess of the fire nation, well, frankly, no one could question her presence. And on top of that, if anyone happened to overhear-? Well, Azula would be ready for that too~.
"It's getting late. You need your rest, don't you? Otherwise you'll be too tired for tomorrow's training lesson. We can't have that, now, can we?" The woman smirked a bit, looking towards Soleil. She wanted to lean in , just a bit, to kiss her again like this afternoon... Why did she want to be so close to her so badly? Ugh.. Azula would give into her desires right here and now, had she not been worried about someone seeing. Not here. Not yet... She needed to be patient. And although she could take whatever she wanted whenever she wanted, this time, she couldn't. Patience, Azula...

[[AAA IM GLAD YOU LIKED IT SDLKFJSLDKFJ]]

Jumin had never felt eternity like he did in this moment. Time seemed to stretch on forever, even as his heart beat quickly, holding his breath, and Jumin found that - for the first time in a very, very long time - he was nervous. He saw her Lilium's eyes lit up when she saw the room, and how she gasped and flushed at his confession. She looked pleased in every which way, but even so, Jumin couldn't relax, not until he heard her speak-

Those whispered words filled him with warmth. A joy unlike any other he'd ever experienced, and the sudden rush of love and happiness and relief was intoxicating.I love you too.Those words, those precious words, riding on her voice as sweet as the pastries they had earlier today - who could have guessed just how much joy they could bring? She said those words again and again and his heart raced with each repetition, like a reminder of just how much she cared for him, and Jumin wanted to live in this moment for the rest of his life.

"I love you. I love you so much, Lilium." He said again, drunk on the love filling the air. He was all smiles and butterflies in his stomach, and he leaned into her touch when she cupped his cheek. Her hand was so gentle, so soft against him, and he couldn't help but wonder what her lips would feel like, against his. And that wonder birthed a want, and before he could even think it through, he leaned in and caught her against him in a kiss.

She tasted just as sweet as he'd always imagined. And the way she smiled into the kiss, as if she couldn't possibly contain her joy inside of her - Jumin knew he was doing the same, heart fluttering and mind filled with her and only her.

When they parted, Jumin pulled out a black velvet box from his pocket. "I have something for you. It would- make me very happy, if you would accept this." He held the box out to her and opened it to reveal a beautiful silver necklace. The pendant in the shape of a heart, and embedded with a single white diamond. Jewellery seemed very appropriate for a confession like this. He wanted Lilium to have something by which to remember him by, to think of this day forever... A memento of the day they got together, for the future that would come. He'd wanted to get her a ring at first, but remembered just in time that those were rather symbolic for engagements. And though Jumin couldn't see himself with anyone else for the rest of his life, so he'd give her a ring now if she only so wanted - he wanted to take things step by step, in the right order. Confession first.

"May I?" Jumin asked, and took the necklace out of the box. With her permission, he moved behind her, and moved her hair over her shoulder, to the side, so that he could fasten the necklace around her neck. "Beautiful... It looks lovely on you."

Soleil laughed softly and put her instrument down, "You're always thinking strategically, huh?" It was one of the aspects that made the princess so brilliant, after all, but it did make Soleil wonder whether she ever truly had any time to rest and relax. Even like this, sitting outside, listening to music in the evening, Azula was still thinking about what moves to make. Well... Soleil didn't particularly want to go along with that plan - at least, she hadn't mentioned the Avatar for any such purpose. Not that she held any admiration or pity or anything else towards him. But itwouldbe nice to get some feedback on her rendition of the song, but that thought, at least, she would keep to herself.

Really, the whole Avatar mission seemed like a way to embarrass Zuko. Soleil didn't blame him at all for not succeeding in this, not when he'd been given a near impossible task to fulfil mostly on his own. Well, if anyone were capable of 'finishing off' the Avatar, it was certainly Azula, but even that could not be easy. "You'll bring Prince Zuko back." She assured her. "And if we happen to come across the Avatar... well, I'm sure that'll be a sign from the heavens."

Soleil blushed lightly at the princess' words. Thinking about tomorrow's training session brought back memories of the one from today, and with that - heat to her cheeks. Would it be pretentious to think Azula was looking forward to tomorrow, just as much as she was? That she was wondering whether it would be like today's? "Right. I'll be sure to be well rested, and give it my all tomorrow. You should get some sleep, too." She hummed, trying not to sound too excited, but- bah, what was the harm? She was looking forward to tomorrow, and it was fine for Azula to know that, so she didn't restrain her smile.

A good night kiss seemed absolutely perfect, but- the palace grew busy, with servants walking through the halls, many of them finished for the day and heading to their quarters. They could not risk anything now. But Soleil could not leave the princess as if pretending there was nothing between them, as if pretending her heart wasn't beating as fast as the humming-butterfly's wings. If nothing more... she could at least leave her with this. Soleil placed her hand on top of hers, hidden in the shadows between their laps, and squeezed gently. And she traded the word 'princess' for her name, even at the risk of being overheard. "Good night, Azula." And with that, she got up with her instrument, and left to her home.

The kiss was just about the sweetest thing Lilium has ever experienced. She felt so happy, so pleased~. Nothing could compare to this feeling, this feeling of being loved by the one she adored. With bright pink features, the woman could only stare up at her love after their kiss, playing with a strand of her hair. She.. was new to all of this of course. And so she was internally screaming. 'I just kissed Jumin Han. Jumin Han kissed me. He loves me. He loves me, not anyone else.' God.. it was so hard to comprehend those words. It still seemed so unreal. How could this perfect man choose her, out of everyone in the world that he could have had-? She felt so incredibly special. She was chosen out of everyone else... How sweet... Lilium couldn't believe it, but knew it wasn't a dream.
When Jumin spoke up, pulling out a black box, the woman didn't even know how to react. She felt so, so spoiled already.. but she couldn't refuse. Jumin said he'd be so happy if she accepted, too. And, well, if she were able to, she'd also spoil Jumin as well-! Uh, if she could, that is. He probably already had everything he could ever want... "J-Jumin." She stammered out, looking at the gorgeous necklace when he took it out. It was the most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever laid eyes on.
Jumin placed the necklace around her neck, and she blushed brightly once more, looking down at it in awe. "I-I will wear it every single day, Jumin. Thank you so much. I love it... I love you." She placed her hands against her cheeks in an attempt to force the blush down. Gosh... She didn't even know now what to do. "I love you, Jumin." She repeated.

"But of course. As Princess of the Fire Nation, I must always have plans prepared. Plans upon plans.. Otherwise, who will show those peasants their place?" Azula scoffed a little, though wondered what it would be like to not have to continuously come up with cunning plans... Not that she disliked it or anything. In fact, sometimes she wondered how others spent their day if not planning or attending meetings... Her life would be very dull indeed if she didn't have so much to do. Perhaps it was because the princess simply didn't know life outside of war and fighting.
"Hm, I suppose you're right. Very well. It shall be done. A shame we have to drag Zuzu back so soon. The palace is so much more peaceful without him." She rolled her eyes, though didn't comment further. What would father do to her brother, she wondered? Knowing that the avatar was still very much alive? ...Then again, the princess could feel another plan brewing, and so a small smirk spread across her lips. As Soleil said, then. If they came across the avatar... well, then they'd have the perfect opportunity. "I'm glad at least, that I won't be alone going on this journey. Who knows what I'd do if I had to be stuck with dear brother alone." The princess didn't particularly care about Zuko, to be honest, since she knew father much preferred her already... but it was nice that Soleil agreed to come with them. Having to deal with Mai and Ty Lee alone would also be a bother. ..Perhaps she was just making excuses, to hide the fact that she simply wanted to be close to a certain someone...
Ah, there was that light pink tint on Soleil's face again~. How... cute. Azula smirked, leaning in just a little closer, "I can sense your excitement." A whisper, so soft, only for her ears. She laughed afterwards, but her expression softened when the woman beside her placed her hand on top of hers. What was this feeling-? Contentedness ? "...Hm." She didn't know what to say, but she felt warm and... cared for. Azula couldn't remember ever having felt this way before. "What, will you miss me that much?" Although she might have sounded a little rude, the princess smiled, genuinely. "That's okay. I think I will, too." She admitted in a murmur. "What a shame the day has to end. No matter. We have tomorrow too."
~
A few weeks have passed. Azula trained with Soleil every day in the afternoon, and more often than not, the session ended in a passionate display of affection~. Azula loved it. Every day seemed nicer than the last. They spoke more too, about this and that, ending in the princess having... some rather conflicting thoughts. She heard a little more of her music as well, enjoying the time spent together. But now that has come to an end, and she and her friends would need to begin their journey to bring her brother back home.
"Well, we don't have an exact location for him, but we know where to start at least. We shall start at Zuko's last known location and work from there. No one can miss a man with that large of a scar covering his face, so surely many people will have seen him." Azula explained once they boarded the ship given to them. "You will set sail for the coordinates that I have given you. Do not waste any time." She spoke to the captain of the ship now with narrowed eyes. He nodded, bowing slightly. "Yes, my Princess." Azula looked at him for a moment. "If I find you or any of the crew wasting any of my time, I will have you thrown overboard. Do you understand? Dismissed." They couldn't keep father waiting. Zuko had taken his sweet time trying to capture the avatar, and Azula would prove to her father just how much more useful she was.
The captain nodded once more and rushed off, barking orders to his crew. With a sigh, Azula turned to her three friends. "We shouldn't be too long on the ship for this first stop. Make sure you're all prepared for anything." Her eyes lingered on Soleil for a moment longer, and finally, the princess allowed a smile. "It shouldn't take too long. Think of this as a vacation. Our work is being done for us." She was confident, and honestly, quite pleased to spend time with Soleil away from home.

Time passed as if in a blur. The joy that accompanied the truth of love was indescribable, and Jumin could scarce believe how lucky he was to have Lilium by his side. To love her, and to be loved by her. It was like a dream come true, except that now, finally, his reality was sweeter than his dreams. They had, of course, almost immediately announced on the RFA app what had happened, and that they were now officially a couple, to inform all their friends. Everyone was so happy for them! Luciel perhaps most of all, and Zen - well, perhaps he was the least happy about it. But he'd given them both his congratulations and threatened Jumin with what he'd do to him should he ever break Lilium's heart. Not to worry - Jumin would never, ever do anything like that. He appreciated Zen's concerns anyway - it was nice to know that Lilium had so many wonderful friends who cared about her. And about him too of course!

"Oh- there you are." Jumin turned around when he heard the door open, and nearly fell agape at the sight of Lilium. "You- look wonderful. Adorable. Breathtaking. How do you feel, are you comfortable?"

There she was, dressed in the outfit for the modelling session today, white and fluffy. A sky-blue "collar" around her neck, complete with a little bell... A pair of clip-on white cat ears, placed so carefully in her hair that they seemed to be completely natural... She looked perfect. The loveliest personification of a cat he'd ever seen, and it took Jumin everything he had as not to rush in and pepper her face with kisses. Later, he promised himself. They were working right now, they had to keep things professional.

"Right. We have a couple days before we reach the Earth Kingdom, right?" It wouldn't be a very long trip until their first pit stop, and those three days or so would certainly pass quickly. Even so, they had to be prepared for any surprise attacks - not that anyone in their right mind would attack a Fire Nation ship like this.

"Good. This is soboring, I hate ships. They make me sick." Mai complained.

Well, surely everyone was excited to arrive and continue the journey on land! Soleil especially was thrilled - she'd never been outside of the Fire Nation, though she'd done a fair bit of travelling within it. This was so exciting! How different would it be? The sights, the people, the food-! Though Azula had assured her before that there wasn't anythingreallyworth seeing, considering their home nation was far superior to anywhere else, Soleil was still looking forward to seeing everything with her own two eyes. And- spending this time together with her friends, and most of all - with Azula - was like a dream come true. Away from haunting gaze of her family, of her father, she feltfree. She couldn't have imagined how wonderful this freedom, even slight as it was, would feel, and Soleil smiled, looking out towards the horizon.

"If this is a vacation," Soleil grinned, looking at Azula, "then you should relax! Come on, we have a couple days before we reach the port, you can afford to let loose a little."

To be completely honest - and Lilium wasn't sure if Jumin even realized this - this seemed more like she was modelling for some adult toy store, rather than for cat collars. But, well, the woman figured it might be better not to bring that up. Maybe Jumin didn't realize it? Or even know of those things? In any case, this was just for cat collars so it was totally fine! Her lover's reaction to how she looked was extraordinarily pleasing as well, and it even made her blush a little. How fun~. Jumin must really enjoy the sight of her! Also... the woman realized something a bit earlier, while she was being dressed up... "Say, Jumin. Remember that time in the chatroom where you mentioned 'the most beautiful woman with silver hair', who you wanted to take for your model?" She questioned. "Was... was that me?" She blushed brightly at the thought, but now it made so much more sense. If it was someone else, it'd be pretty awkward, but.. it would also explain Seven's strange behavior on that day, if it really had been her! "Meow~. Do I look like a real cat?" She looked up at Jumin with a small laugh, watching for his reaction before turning away when someone else called her name. Now she needed to do what she was here for! Model. Honestly, she didn't know if she'd be good, but well... she just needed to be still right? Everyone else would tell her how to pose, so it would be alright! ..This was just for some cat collars. Shouldn't be too hard, right?

Azula sighed. "Well, I suppose you're right. No need to be so strung up while we're here. We have some time before the action starts." Ty Lee seemed very pleased with this. "Yes, you're right! And we'll all have plenty of time to bond with each other, too~ I can't wait! And I bet a certain someone is excited to see Zuko too..." She teased, causing Mai to roll her eyes and look away. The princess said nothing, but turned to look out at the sea stretching out before them. "Well, ladies. I hope you're ready for everything that's to come. We can expect a lot of excitement in the coming days." She smirked, and then started to walk away, deeper into the ship. "Soleil should play us some music to celebrate this moment. Come along, now."
~
The group docked at a town a few days later, one with large markets and bustling people. Since they were away from the fire nation, it would be best to blend in, rather than stand out.. So, at Ty Lee's suggestion, the group went to look for new 'commoner' clothes. "I don't understand why people are so into 'fashion'. Just wear the first thing you can reach. It's not such a big deal." Azula spoke, arms crossed as she watched Ty Lee and Soleil look through the clothes and accessories. "Azulaaa... don't you want to look pretty? I-I mean, not that you aren't already pretty! You're the most beautiful woman in the world! But nice clothes make people notice your beauty even more!" Ty Lee explained. Azula thought about it for a moment. "But why would I want people to notice my beauty? I don't care. People admire and fear me enough as it is. What they think of how I look doesn't matter to me." She retorted, though glanced at Soleil from the corner of her eye.
Was that how it worked, then...? Would Soleil 'notice her beauty' if she wore fancy clothes and accessories? With a slight pout and irritated gaze, the princess stepped forward. "Move aside." She huffed, going past her friends to look at the items on display. "How am I supposed to know what to pick, then?" She questioned, turning to the girls. Ty Lee laughed, "Whatever you think looks nicest, Azula! But here... Soleil, let's help her out. Oh! This clip would look so pretty in your hair. And maybe that outfit would bring out your eyes. Soleil what do you think?" Ty Lee hummed, and Azula watched as well. It would probably better to let Soleil choose, because that's who she 'wanted to look pretty' for...

"Oh-" Jumin smiled. He'd nearly forgotten about that, that he hadn't told Lilium about the truth from that day! He'd only figured it out himself when he saw her, after all, and after that... well, it never felt like the right moment, or it slipped his mind. "Yes, that was you. I didn't know it at the time, but the woman I saw then - silver haired and the most beautiful person I'd ever seen - was you. And when I saw your picture for the first time - the one Yoosung sent, remember? - I knew, at that moment, that it was fate that we met one another." What else could it have been, after all? It would have been amazing, if he'd managed to catch her that day, when he first saw her. To ask her, the supposed stranger, to model for him, and for her to recognise him as Jumin Han. For her to introduce herself then, and for them to go out for dinner.

Their true love story was no less sweet, though, and Jumin wouldn't trade it for anything else. But, thinking about how many times their stories were interconnected, and how the universe seemed to promise them to one another, made him inexplicably happy. Even in another timeline, Jumin was certain they'd be together.

He chuckled at her adorable cat impression. God- how was it possible for her to be this cute? To be cuter with every passing day? It sent heat to his cheeks (and perhaps - some slightly inappropriate thoughts to his mind) as she meowed, looking up at him with wide eyes and an adorable expression. We're at work, Jumin had to remind himself, and promise to be professional - at least for now. Perhaps... Lilium wouldn't mind keeping the collar on for a little while longer after the photoshoot-?

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Soleil joined in. Ty Lee's idea to go shopping for some more appropriate clothes was fantastic, and Soleil was honestly excited. This was such a regular thing to do with your girl friends - Soleil had never done so before, and something told her the others probably hadn't, either. It was nice to feel like a regular girl for once! Azula didn't seem particularly thrilled, but gave in with Ty Lee's carefully chosen words, and Soleil lit up.

"How about this one? It look pretty comfortable, and the colors and material are really nice. Oh, or this one?" Soleil pulled two ensembles off the rack to show Azula. They were both mainly shades of green, as Soleil learned, it was traditional of the Earth Kingdom, though these were also accented with gold. And comfort and ease of movement were perhaps most important of all, just in case they'd have to fight or run. The hair clip Ty Lee picked out really was lovely - the girl had great taste - and Soleil reached out to inspect it closer.

"Here- may I?" Soleil asked Azula with an expectant look, and when she gave in, she reached up to carefully clip the hairpin in her hair. Her fingers brushed against her skin as she did so, fastening it by her topknot. "Oh- that looks really nice! I think they have a mirror over there- go take a look, what do you think?"

So Lilium was the woman from back then, the one who Jumin had mentioned that fateful day. That.. that was amazing, actually. And the man recognized her from that picture Yoosung had sent.. If only she had realized sooner! And... god, she thought it had been such a coincidence back then, too... But she hadn't seen Jumin anywhere. She surely would have noticed-! In any case... Jumin was surely right about fate. It had brought them together, hadn't it? Maybe it was her gift, something given to her for being so patient with her father... In any case, this news made the woman's heart go aflutter.
The woman was set up to pose with Elizabeth the Third. She looked as elegant and beautiful as always~. The cameramen took dozens upon dozens of photos, and really, the woman wondered how popular these cat collars were supposed to be. They.. they were just cat collars, right? But Jumin always did his best, so this was no surprise to be honest. Still, all the flashing lights made the room very warm, and it was starting to get a little uncomfortable after so long... Nevertheless, the photo shoot ended soon enough, after a couple more poses and scenes.
The woman returned to Jumin after looking at some of the pictures herself. "They came out very nicely, huh? These are professionals. I like them!" Lilium hummed, "Elizabeth the Third did such a great job, too~." She paused, peeking up at Jumin for a moment, "...So, am I allowed to keep the cat ears and stuff? It'll be fun to wear at home~." He did seem to like it a lot-!

"I don't know anything about the 'latest trends', nor do I care." The princess muttered, though took her friends words into consideration. They were right; these outfits did look nice, even though red was more her color, right? Still, Ty Lee made a good point about blending in, and well... this wasn't so bad. In fact, Azula was even enjoying herself a little bit. ..She didn't need to admit that aloud, though. The hairpin her friends pointed out was quite nice as well, though she'd never truly cared for such things before. Still, this... this was nice, she had to admit.
Soleil picked up the hairpin and reached up to put it in her hair. The princess stood still, inspecting Soleil's expression... and then her gaze softened a bit. Her fingers ever so gently brushed against her skin, and for a moment, Azula wanted to get closer and simply embrace her. It.. it's been so long since the princess had any 'affection', really. Her own mother thought her to be a monster after all, and her brother was always favored between the two siblings. Their uncle hated her, and her father saw her as a prodigy.. but only when it came to manners involving war and the such. Soleil wasn't like that. Her touch was so soft, so gentle, like the caress she had so yearned for from her mother.
For a short moment, the princess was left alone in her imaginations. Is this was affection felt like? Is this what she could have had, from her mother? She needed someone too, even if she was the powerful daughter of the Fire Lord.. Azula felt content and.. warm. These strange new feelings only came around Soleil, but she welcomed them nevertheless.
"..Azula? Princess? ..Are you alright?" Ty Lee asked gently, her gaze also softening. The princess looked... sad, almost. And so, of course her friend was concerned. "We're here." Mai pointed out, probably trying to cheer the princess up in her own way. "Hm?" Azula muttered, coming out of her daze. Looking away from Soleil, she quickly focused her attention on her reflection in the mirror. "..It is nice. You have good taste." She murmured.

"Oh... Yes, they all came out really nice." Jumin agreed, looking over the photos in awe. Perhaps... a littletoonice. He'd underestimated how attractive the photos would be, and found that, even during the photoshoot, he grew irritated at the photographers, that they could look at Lilium in this outfit, in these adorable poses... But what could Jumin do? He knew he couldn't capture Lilium's beauty with his poor photography skills. He should have asked Jihyun to be the one to photograph her - at least with his friend, he knew he could trust him. But he was out travelling, and didn't know when he'd be back at all, so- these hired photographers would have to do. In any case, Jumin was glad when the photoshoot was over and they finally left, leaving Jumin with Lilium and Elizabeth the Third with some privacy.

"Both you and Elizabeth the Third did a wonderful job. Oh- look at this one, it's gorgeous. You're both looking in the same direction, at the same angle... It's a masterpiece. Both so in sync..." Jumin admired the photos. It would be near impossible to choose just one for the campaign, but- well, he could keep the rest of them for his private use~ As long as Lilium didn't mind, of course-!

Jumin couldn't keep the smile from surfacing. "Of course, they're yours to keep, and do with as you like. Though... I hope you do not mind, if I suggest you wear them for me, sometimes? You look so adorable in them... it would be a shame not to use them to their, ah, full capacity." He hummed, allowing his tone to insinuate what his words circled around.

~

Soleil stepped back to get a better look of the hairpin. It looked really nice on Azula, though the princess looked... well, a little out of it. Eyes glazed over, and though she was looking towards Soleil, she wasn't really lookingather - more like through her. She looked so sad... did something happen now, to bring this on? Had Soleil stepped too far, putting the hairpin on her? No, that was surely alright, because Azula didn't look angry- but somethingmust have brought on this sudden mood change. The other girls seemed to notice, too, and they all shared a concerned look before Ty Lee spoke out.

"Azula? Is something wrong?" Soleil asked as well, but the princess seemed to brush off their comments and focused, instead, on her reflection. Soleil shared a look with Ty Lee, but- if Azula didn't want to talk about it now, then they wouldn't push her to do so. It would be alright to keep enjoying this shopping spree then, right? Maybe it could lighten the mood again a little!

"You should try these on, Azula. Oh, and this one too-!" Soleil handed her another outfit, along with the two from before, to try on in the dressing room. She picked out a couple for herself, too, and held each one up against herself in an attempt to see whether they'd match or not. "What do you think?" She asked her friends.

Lilium ended up in Ba Sing Se during her travels. Honestly, she didn't have any specific destination in mind ever since having to leave her home... She simply followed her heart and went where she pleased. With her 'strange' skills, it wasn't heart for her to pick up jobs here and there and make some money. So it wasn't too difficult for her. Though sometimes she wondered if there was a reason for her traveling like this. Was it meant to be? Fate? Had fate guided her to this Earth Kingdom? It was a strange thought, and she wasn't sure she'd believed in it... until now, that is.
Prince Zuko was working in a small tea shop in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. She knew of his banishment, and.. well, a lot actually. Traveling the world gave the silver haired woman a wide range of knowledge on this and that.. But what was he doing here? Was it some sort of trap to capture the avatar? Strange. He seemed.. relaxed, and happy even. Prince Zuko, son of Fire Lord Ozai. Now if that wasn't fate, Lilium didn't know what was. What else would lead her to this specific tea shop? What were the odds of finding Prince Zuko here? The woman hadn't a clue as to how or why she was brought here, but she did know it must somehow involve him. She felt it. ...Whether that be good or bad was up for debate, though.
It was probably best to leave and never return, but... something really urged Lilium on. Something urged the woman to visit this shop every day for a few days now. Something told her to go for it. To see what would end up happening. Besides.. he knew nothing of her, so that was an advantage... "This tea is very good." The woman spoke up to the prince when he was nearby. "Where did you learn to make it? I don't think I've ever tasted such a blend before." She hummed pleasantly. (1)

Azula didn't know what had gotten over her. But... it didn't matter. Maybe she was just sick. She wasn't used to being among these commoners. Oh well, she decided she wouldn't think of it too much now. It.. it was nice that her friends were all worrying about her now, though. That was a nice feeling... Pushing those thoughts aside, the princess looked at the outfits picked out by her. "I suppose I'll give them a try, then." She said. If Soleil thought they'd look nice on her, then she saw no reason as to why she shouldn't try them on. ...In all honesty she wasn't sure why Soleil's opinion was the most important. She just knew it was. It was... nice to be complimented by her. Perhaps a big part of that was because she knew Soleil was not simply saying these things out of fear.
She went into a changing room to change into the clothes, and found that they were oddly comfortable and easy to move around in. Good. If there was a fight, then she would be able to fight well still. Leaving the dressing room, she stepped out and watched for her friends reactions. "Well?" She questioned. "You look so beautiful Azula!" Ty Lee grinned. Azula nodded in content, "As usual." She mused, though she was still happy by the praise... The woman looked over at Soleil now, looking at the outfits she picked out. "It looks nice. You should get them both." The green really did look nice on her, though did the clothes really matter? Either way, Soleil looked beautiful and soft, like someone that needed to be dominated underneath her--
Oh. She shouldn't be thinking about that, not just yet. Eyes glimmering with mischief, the woman spoke up again, "Go change into them, then. We can pay for this and get ready to go somewhere else." She didn't know whether or not anyone would have information about her dear brother here, but it was worth a shot. They were mostly here for supplies and the outfits anyway.

(1) I guess Iroh could see this and actually set up a 'date' for them XD

Never before had Zuko felt peace like this. It was strange, and certainly took him a lot of time to get used to it, but- this was nice. Once he'd learned to relax a little, to not have to look over his shoulder every second of every day - he learned to breathe. Though he and his uncle had to remain vigilant, always, Zuko came to grow into the peace of his new life. The tea shop he ran with this uncle, and the apartment they shared. The Earth Kingdom foods and clothes and music - it all became dear to him. Life unlike anything he'd ever known in the Fire Nation. Though their new lifestyle was anything but luxurious, the peace that came with it was worth more than all the servants and gold of the palace they'd once lived in.

"Oh- thank you." Zuko smiled softly at the woman's compliment. She was a pretty thing, with silver hair and gorgeous eyes, and, he'd noticed over the past little while - a frequent customer. Did she- perhaps suspect anything? Zuko would have to be careful, just in case...

"My uncle taught me. He knows more about tea than anyone else." He explained, and thought back to his tea-brewing skills just a few short weeks ago. They had been atrocious then, and he now rather suspected that his uncle threw his tea out when he wasn't looking. But now, now that he was actually working as a tea server, it was of utmost importance that he knew how to brew tea properly - or so Uncle Iroh said, at least.

"Yes! My nephew is quite skilled, don't you think?" Iroh popped up seemingly out of nowhere, and nearly gave Zuko a heart attack. Old man or not, he still had the skillset of a seasoned warrior - sneak included. "Lee, why don't you tell this lovely young lady all about the tea brewing process?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, "I don't think she - or anyone in their right mind - would want to hear aboutthat."

"Oh- You look nice. Really nice." Soleil smiled, taking a look at Azula when she came out to show them the outfit. Ah- why was it that her words failed her now? She had a thousand things she wanted to say, and all of them so much more soulful thanyou look nice, but the sight of her brought heat to her cheeks and made Soleil's words catch in her throat, and she quickly returned her attention to looking through the clothes on display to hide her flushed face. Thinking about Azula in thechanging roomcertainly didn't help.

~

Soleil couldn't sleep. A vague sense of unease and anxiety ate at her, worries about what was to come. It would be great to find Prince Zuko, and to find the avatar and bring glory to their nation, but- was then? What of the plans that came after? The ones where the Fire Nation ruled completely - ruled the world? It seemed like a wonderful idea at first, but now, having seen even a little bit of the Earth Kingdom, Soleil wasn't so sure anymore. These people had their own lives, their own culture and happiness and fear. The Fire Nation supposedly kept them safe, and taught them their culture to stop them from beingbarbaric,but Soleil had seen the way people looked at Fire Nation soldiers, and even after all these years, it wasn't a look of admiration, but of fear.

Unable to sleep, she headed out to the deck, leaning against the ship's railing. It was a quiet night, and cold too. The stars were beautiful, though, and so inviting, far away from the earth Soleil was on.

Lilium gave a small smile. "Your uncle must be very skilled, in that case. ...And he must love tea." A lot. The smile Zuko wore seemed genuine. It was the strangest thing. And... his uncle was here too, was he? Did anyone else realize they were being served by the prince of the Fire Nation? ...It didn't seem like it. They'd probably start to panic if they knew. Suddenly, an older man appeared, causing 'Lee' to jump a little. Oh, that was just precious! The woman laughed gently, eyes twinkling. The prince and his uncle.. they seemed to be close. But what were they doing here-? Planning some sort of attack? ...Was the Avatar in Ba Sing Se? Or were they attempting to blend in for a while, in an attempt to ambush him if he eventually came here?
"Yes. I do agree that Lee is quite skilled." He was going by a fake name, of course. That was alright. She pouted somewhat when Zuko rolled his eyes, "Aw, that's not true. I'd be happy to hear all about it." Perhaps this could give her the chance to learn more about him, and why he was here. The woman was simply curious, that's all... And again, she needed to know what had led her here, to this little Tea Shop in the middle of Ba Sing Se..
"My name is Lilium. Perhaps you'd like to accompany me out into town a little later. You can tell me all about the tea brewing process then, too. And in return, I can show you some nice areas that not many people around here know about." Was that too strange? Hopefully not...

Azula would never forget the look Soleil had given her when she came out of that changing room a few days ago. Even now, it was still fresh in the Princess's mind. She had looked.. very pleased. Was that even the right word? The woman didn't know, but whatever it was, it had been nice. That bright pink hue across Soleil's soft features was the best expression Azula had ever seen~. It was late at night now, but the princess had not gone to sleep. She would go out for a moment, for some air before doing so, perhaps.
With that in mind, the princess went out on the deck.. only to see Soleil standing there. For a moment, Azula was about to tease her, but.. when she took a closer look at how she stood, and how her eyes seemed lost in thought and sad, she decided not to. Furrowing her brows, the princess simply watched for a moment as a gentle breeze blew through her hair. Like this, Soleil looked... beautiful. Almost like a elegant spirit, of sorts. How strange. She almost seemed like she could disappear in the light of the moon.. and for some reason, that thought scared Azula. So she spoke up, not wanting to lose her, "And what are you doing up so late?"
Soleil reacted quickly enough. Good. She would not be going anywhere... but Azula had no idea what to say. Why did she look sad? What happened? "You should get some sleep. We have a long day ahead of us." She pointed out, coming to her friend's side and looking out at the vast sea before them. But... Ugh. The princess had no idea what to do. The woman beside her was being stubborn. She knew she probably wouldn't go back to bed anytime soon. In her own way, Azula was worrying. "Come on. We're getting you back to bed." She sighed, grabbing the woman by the wrist and gently leading her off the deck. "I don't know what happened. But you can't be left alone if you're going to keep wandering around the ship all night. ...You can stay with me." Her tone became softer as she led Soleil into her room, and then got onto the bed. with her. "Now you need to get some rest. Don't let any silly thoughts cloud your judgement. You're strong. And you.. you're not alone." She murmured that last part, reaching out and awkwardly pulling Soleil closer, so that her head was resting on her chest.
"Now I need you to close your eyes, and not think of anything anymore. Alright?" She looked down at the woman, gaze softening. She was so soft... why did this make her heart race so-?

"Uh- really?" Zuko balked at the woman's response. She really wanted to hear about the tea brewing? Well, Zuko didn't particularlywantto tell her about it - it was just hot leaf water after all, and his uncle was far more obsessed with tea - but it's not like he minded. Actually... that would be quite nice, wouldn't it? He didn't really have any friends in this city (or back home, either...), and it'd be nice to chat with someone other than his uncle for a while. And tea seemed like a perfectly safe topic. At least he wouldn't have to talk about himself and keep up with all the lies he and his uncle had devised, about being refugees, where they were from, what they did before coming here...

"Lilium! What a beautiful name for a lovely girl!" Iroh piped in before Zuko could even say anything. "My nephew wouldloveto go out with you!"

"Uncle-!"

"We finish out shift at six, so how about seven? It'll be just in time for dinner, too!"

Zuko was blushing furiously at this point. Leave it to Uncle Iroh to make such a big deal out of things and accept on his behalf! Lilium- didn't evenmeanthis to be a- a date! Zuko was certain of that! She was- just being nice, wanting to show him around, and probably had some weird hobbies if she wanted to hear about this tea brewing process.

He glanced at the woman, a little embarrassed. She really was beautiful, and her name suited her, too. "...I'll see you at seven then?" He asked softly. There was no use in going back on what his uncle suggested already, and... well, it would be nice to get to know Lilium a little bit. She seemed nice enough, she was always kind to him in the shop, and neither stared at his scar nor looked away in an over-exaggerated politeness that betrayed discomfort. She- always treated him like a person.

"Oh- Azula." Lost in thought, Soleil hadn't heard her come out on deck after her, not until the princess spoke up. "I couldn't sleep. I thought some fresh air might help." She smiled at her concern, and hoped to disperse her worries with a thinly-veiled assurance. "I will, in a bit."

But Azula seemed to see right through her. Oh... her hand was so warm, wrapped around her wrist. "I wasn't going to do anything stupid, you know." Soleil assured her. It was just insomnia. Anxiety. A walk on deck. She blushed a little at the soft dip in Azula's voice, when she said she could stay with her, but more than any embarrassment, Soleil was just happy. That- and feeling guilty. "...Thank you."

Still a little glassy eyed and out of it, Soleil followed Azula without question, and cautiously climbed up onto her bed. Her heart was beating quickly, oh so quickly, but she could scarce afford to give it any attention now. The princess' bed was comfortable, but it was Azula who really made it lovely. Oh... she was so warm. Soleil realised only now how cold she'd been, shivering out on deck, and when Azula pulled her close, she took the opportunity to press herself against her, sharing in her warmth. In her closeness. She sniffled.

There it was again - that immense guilt. How could Soleil even think the things burdening her lately. Those were traitorous thoughts against the Fire Nation, and though it was fine to act on her ideals herself, how could she possibly justify it when it involved others, when it involved Azula? She was here to support her in her mission. The princess had been nothing but kind to her - in her own way, that is - and this is how she repays her? With doubts?

"Azula." Soleil said softly. It was easier to be vulnerable like this, in private, and at night. Safe in each other's arms. But the words got stuck in her throat, and she couldn't find the courage to say them after all. "...Thank you. Good night."

[[dude i DIED at " and probably had some weird hobbies if she wanted to hear about this tea brewing process. " XDDD bwahahaha ]]

Zuko - well, his uncle - agreed to go out with Lilium. They had a very pleasant time, even if the prince was a little awkward. They met at seven as planned, and went to eat something together. After that, the woman took him around as promised, showing him this and that. And then... the final place she wanted to show him, an area surrounded by lanterns.. "Oh, they aren't lit. That's a shame. Usually it's quite beautiful here." The woman frowned. Well, that really was upsetting, seeing as how she wanted to save the best place for last. She turned to the man and gave a sheepish smile, "I'm sorry for dragging you here, then-"
But the male interrupted, telling her to close her eyes for a moment. She did just that. When she opened them again, the lanterns were lit, and Lilium's eyes lit up. How cute-! Did he light them for her? God.. She couldn't understand why the prince of the Fire Nation was going this far to 'blend in'. So... perhaps it was something more? If anything, she really... needed to bring this up, as gently as possible...
"...Your name isn't really Lee, is it?" She asked him, gently, so that no one would overhear. She looked up at him, keeping a gentle expression, one that seemed earnest. Hopefully he wouldn't become worried...
"You know. I was banished from my own home. It's weird, isn't it? People are afraid of being wrong, and so they try to get rid of those who prove them wrong." Lilium mused. "I'm from the Northern water tribe. You probably know about it. I've learned a technique that allows so much more to be done. Of course, in the wrong hands, it would be awful, but.. otherwise, it could be so, so helpful. But women were not allowed to even practice bending water, as I did. I took a step further, and I suppose people were afraid because of it. Even though it could be used in many situations, to help others. ...I guess fear does that to people. In any case.." She paused, looking up at the man, "I have been traveling ever since, wandering around seemingly with no destination. And yet, I was led to your small tea shop. What a surprise it was, to find you-!" She laughed softly. "But it must be for a reason, right? You must have had a hard time. I know what happened. I would like to offer my support to you. ...And don't worry. Your secret - as well as your uncles - is safe with me. It's probably hard to believe, but hey.. in return for your secret, you can have mine. Kind of like a promise. I learned how to use waterbending in so many different ways. Through the moisture in the air, in the leaves of plants, and.. the reason why I was banished, perhaps... I learned something called bloodbending. It's powerful, but difficult. I can show you if you'd like, if it'll help you trust me. In any case... Please. If you'll allow me, I'd like to support you as much as I can."

Azula was the last person to go to for comfort. She herself knew she knew absolutely nothing about comforting. She hadn't really been given any comfort growing up either, so she supposed that was also part of the reason... So this was strange, and all too new for her. Difficult, even. But for Soleil, she wanted.. to try her best, at the very least. What happened, anyway? The princess couldn't think of anything... ugh. Feelings were so stupid, and such a tire! ...Not in this case. Not with Soleil. But still! Why was it so hard? How did people like Ty Lee do it? She was often happy and trying to cheer others up in her own way. The woman sighed, though her expression remained gentle. "It's okay." She said, albeit a little awkwardly. "Everything is going to be okay." Isn't that what people said to cheer others up? "Don't worry. ...You trust me, right?"
Though who in their right mind would trust Princess Azula? Her own mother thought her a monster... But that was probably one of the reasons why she adored Soleil so. Because she was not just another person who was afraid of her. And.. she did trust her. Azula was very, very good at reading others. And she knew by now that Soleil .. was truly a good friend. And perhaps something more, but the princess didn't really understand much about relationships. Ty Lee talked to her a little about 'love' at one point, but at that time she had brushed it off. And... Mai liked her brother, didn't she? Was that how she felt? The same way Azula felt around Soleil? It was so strange but it wasn't unpleasant...
"..Sleep now. I'll be here, too." The princess murmured, watching as the woman leaned against her. She closed her eyes, and the princess (rather awkwardly) pet her hair a little bit, having seen others do it in a comforting manner. Weird.. But maybe it would help? Soon enough, Soleil's breathing became steady, and Azula found herself watching her for a while more. She looked so soft, and so peaceful now... Without thinking, the princess reached a hand down and let herself touch her cheek for a bit. So soft... It was so strange, but she felt... peaceful and content in this moment. It was nice... Letting her hand linger for a while longer before pulling away, the princess allowed her eyes to shut, and she fell into a light sleep.
~
When morning came, the princess was a little surprised, wondering what had happened. That didn't usually happen.. she was usually always so aware of her surroundings. "Hm.." Soleil was still asleep, though, so she.. she could wait a little while longer before getting up. That would be okay, right? And maybe when she awoke, she could ask her about what had happened the night before.

[[bwahahaha IM GLAD YOU LIKKED IT]]

This... was nice. Zuko had honestly never been in a situation like this before. Going out with a friend like this, walking through the city, learning about the places she liked... It was nice, and made him feel all warm inside. He could see the disappointment on her face when the lanterns weren't lit at the place she took him to. Zuko wasn't quite sure what came over him, but- he really wanted to make her smile.

"Close your eyes." He'd insisted, and when she did so, sent out a flame to light each lantern. It was alright to use his firebending now, right? He was careful, he'd made sure no one was around, and since Lilium had her eyes closed, he was absolutely certain that he could keep his secret. The lit lanterns would be a nice surprise right? And she surely wouldn't wonderhowhe'd managed to light them,right? "There. You can open them."

Oh... her smile was cute. Really cute. The way her eyes lit up at the sight made him feel warm inside, and then-- urk! Zuko didn't say anything as she accused him of using a fake name - well, she was speaking too kindly to really beaccusinghim, but it tensed him up anyway, and he mentally prepared himself - just in case - to fight, even as he listened her out.

This... what was she saying? Zuko watched her intensely as she spoke, recounting her situation to him, and slowly, he began to relax. Zuko perhaps... wasn't agreatjudge of character, but- she seemed so earnest, so genuine. It didn't seem as though she wanted to hurt him or betray his secret at all. Why was that? She mentionedfate, but was that really reason enough? His uncle spoke of fate sometimes, and how it can take you in strange directions, but Zuko himself knew nothing about fate. He'd once believed his fate was to capture the avatar, but look where that got him-

"...What do you want from me?" The words came out rough, defensive, though he didn't necessarily mean them like that. He just... couldn't comprehend how anyone outside of the Fire Nation would want to helphim.Lilium made it clear enough that she knew who he was, and it seemed as though she had no intention of calling any Earth Kingdom soldiers to take him away as prisoner. So- whatdidshe want? He hadnothingnow, absolutely nothing she could gain from being sweet to him like when he was the honored prince of the Fire Nation. It just... didn't make any sense.

"I'll keep your secret." Zuko agreed. "As long as you keep mine." It didn't exactly feel like a fair exchange, because the Earth Kingdom soldiers would surely treat a firebender differently than a waterbender, but he would take what he could. "...I've never heard of bloodbending before. What is that like-?" It sounded sinister, to say the least. Especially since she mentioned she got kicked out of her tribe for it... Zuko wasn't sure whether he actually wanted to know, but the curiosity ate at him.

Soleil hadn't slept this well in a while. When she awoke, her legs were loosely tangled with Azula's, and the sudden realisation at how close they were made her cheeks heat up a little. Not in a bad way, not at all - but it made her heart beat faster. They'd been so close before, sure, but to spend the whole night together? This was surely a step further in their... whatever this relationship was, right?

"What time is it?" Soleil mumbled. "Let's stay like this a little longer... alright?"

The soldiers would surely wake them up should something important happen, and though they'd have to get up sooner rather than later, it was alright to savor this moment for a while longer, wasn't it? At least, Soleil was so comfortable in this position, she had no wish to get up at all. She lay a gentle hand on Azula's waist. With the coming of morning and the promise of day, Soleil felt better already - emotions were usually more volatile at nigh. Now, she could suffocate her doubts for a while longer and feel at ease.

Perhaps that gave her the courage she needed in order to answer Azula's question - at least somewhat truthfully - about last night. She sat up in bed, letting the covers fall to her lap. She'd fallen asleep in her day clothes, since she hadn't bothered to change into sleepwear before her little nightly outing yesterday, and they lay dishevelled on her now. She corrected them, and ran a hand through her hair as she got out of bed.

"I've been thinking about the... way we do things. What we learned, growing up. Don't you think... there are better ways to do certain things? Things that should be changed?" Soleil admitted quietly. She really wasn't sure whether telling Azula these thoughts was the right thing to do. What if she thought her to be traitorous, for even suggesting such a notion? But Soleil so desperately wanted to trust her, to tell her the things weighing on her heart. Azula had goodness in her - but she was also raised to follow the rules even more so than Soleil. She'd broken lots of rules, beginning from her music. But Azula... probably didn't. So she kept her words vague as she spoke, not alluding to any of her Earth Kingdom thoughts in particular. She looked into her eyes, her heart beating faster than ever before.

"Azula, I like you- no, Iloveyou." Soleil said the words she hadn't been brave enough to confess before today. The words that had been implied, with their kisses and fleeting touches, but never said out loud before. "And I know- it's not allowed, that it's wrong, but- you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And I can't bring myself to believe that what I feel for you is wrong."

[[ " And she surely wouldn't wonderhowhe'd managed to light them,right? " xDD I KNOW ITS BECAUSE YOU ALSO THINK ITS SO DUMB HE DID THIS IN THE SHOW THINKING JIN WOULDNT NOTICE LOL ITS SO FUNNY XD]]

Lilium laughed softly, not unkindly. "I'm not looking for anything at all." She mused, "Ever since having to leave the North, I've simply wandered around the world, not a destination in mind. ...I just find it too large of a coincidence to meet you in a place like this. What are the odds..?" She asked, though it was mostly to herself. "I'm just doing what I believe is the right thing to do. Something is telling me to get to know you better, and help you throughout whatever trials you may face." This probably sounded too strange, and perhaps even suspicious, but... she'd do her best to show him she was being earnest. "To be fair, with what I can do, if I had wished to do so, I could have had you restrained a long time ago. But that isn't why I'm here, not at all." She spoke gently, trying to point these things out. Especially since a water bender's skills were stronger when the moon was out.
"Actually, I thought it was very cute to see you working at a little tea shop! I'm sure it'll be great fun to help you, in whatever it is you're up to. I have no opinions on anything going on at the world at the moment. I believe there's good and bad in every nation, and so I won't judge anyone by their family, or their ancestors. I'd like to get to know you for who you really are. ...If you'll have me, that is." Lilium didn't have anywhere to go, so if he accepted, it would be nice. But if not... well, she couldn't force him to do anything. But.. something was telling her she needed to do this, for whatever reason. There was a reason she met him and recognized him. There had to be!
"Besides, I'm pretty strong. I'm sure you could use me." Nodding a bit, she tilted her head to the side, wondering how she should explain bloodbending... "It's.. the ability to control people, to an extent. It's very difficult, and so when the moon is not out, I can only use it a little bit. Despite how it sounds, it's wonderful to use for self defense. It could save a lot of people, if used correctly. But people are afraid of it. I suppose it's alright. It does sound scary, doesn't it? ...I'll show you. I'm going to make you hold your arm out, so that you understand. It won't hurt at all, so long as you don't resist. So.. please take a deep breath and relax. I don't want it to hurt you." She furrowed her brows, watching him for any sign that he wanted her not to go on. When he gave her the okay, the woman held out her hand and used her technique to make the prince hold his arm out, as promised. Once she did so, she stopped, and watched for his reaction. "...That is.. bloodbending. ..Are you afraid of me?" She looked away, suddenly wondering if this was the right idea. Maybe.. he'd think her a freak, too.

Soleil woke up. For a moment, Azula was visibly disappointed. Didn't this mean they'd have to part ways? The princess found that she wanted to stay like this longer. And... well, technically, as princess, she could force her to stay here , right? ...But she didn't want to do that, for whatever reason. And it seemed like Soleil herself wanted to stay like this longer, anyway. That.. made her feel something strange in her heart. It wasn't a bad thing, not at all. But different, and odd. "I know, you'll miss me too much if you leave, right?" Azula asked, an amused expression on her face. Although honestly, she simply wanted to hear Soleil say it aloud... That was all she wanted. They did stay for a bit longer, with the princess watching carefully for Soleil's expressions. She looked... cute when she just woke up~. And she looked happier than she had looked last night, which was good...
Unfortunately, the moment ended soon enough, and Azula had to sit up straight when her friend got out of bed. Watching her with a careful expression, she listened to her speak about what had been bothering her... "What do you mean?" She asked quickly, almost at once wondering if Soleil wanted to leave. Did she want to betray her? To go somewhere else? ...Had Soleil thought , like her mother, that she was a monster...? No, that couldn't be. Just a few minutes ago, she said she didn't want to leave their position. So it must be something else, right? The princess hated to panic, but in this situation, she couldn't help it. Usually, she was calm and levelheaded, but.. the thought of Soleil leaving.. Nevertheless, the woman listened before speaking, deciding to hear her out first.
And then...
... Those words.
Something about ... 'love'.
It was such a foreign thought to Azula. She loved winning, she loved seeing the fear on her enemies faces, she loved seeing her father prefer her over her dear brother... And.. She.. she loved Soleil. Was it the same thing? Was this what it was? For the first time in probably all her life, the princess had no idea how to respond. Love... what a silly thing, something she'd laughed at in the past, because she had been raised without any of it. Hah... to think someone actually loved her. And that person was Soleil. No matter how many times she thought about it, her mind couldn't seem to comprehend it. What should the princess even say? How could she react?
Then... this is what Soleil had meant earlier. She was upset with the Fire Nations rules. On one hand, the princess was confused, wanting to uphold every rule as her father instructed. But.. on the other... she wanted Soleil's love. She wanted it so desperately. She needed it. But what could the princess do?
Pursing her lips, the woman finally stood up, and strode over to Soleil without saying a word. "I.. I understand." She finally said, now face-to-face, eyes locked. "I .. I don't know.." She mentally cursed herself for pausing like that. "... What to do. I know a lot. But this is not one of those things. So you.. you need to teach me." She almost had to force those words out, not being used to having to ask others for help. How laughable, how pathetic-! Yet, she didn't.. mind being those things, for Soleil. "I know.. I love you too. That's must be what this is." She muttered, and with that, leaned in and caught her lips in a (rather rough) kiss.

[[LMAO I LOVE THAT YOU CAUGHT THAT,YESTHAT WAS AN ABSOLUTE DUMBASS MOVE AND I'M 100% SURE JIN REALISED HE'S A FIREBENDER BUT SHE DIDN'T TATTLE ON HIM XD]]

"Use you for what?" Zuko questioned, when she suggested that. If she knew this much about him, then she also surely knew what his mission had be - and that he'd failed. He still... wanted to capture the avatar, or kill him, and come home to regain his honor and finally have his father's love. But that seemed impossible now. He wasn'treallyPrince Zuko anymore - he was Lee, and he worked in his uncle's tea shop in Ba Sing Se. This was a good life, he wanted to convince himself. No matter how he yearned for his honorable life at the palace - this was good, too. It had to be good enough. "I'm not going after the avatar anymore." There. This was the first time he ever said that, and it brought back all those feelings of shame Zuko had, at having failed his mission. But at the same time... it felt liberating. If he could admit this, then surely he could move on from it as well, and settle down into a comfortable life in Ba Sing Se. And if Lilium were here too... well, perhaps it wouldn't be so bad, right?

Zuko nodded slowly, cautiously, when she offered to demonstrate her blood bending on him. She said it wouldn't hurt... he'd take her word for it. Besides, he was certain he'd be able to defeat her in a fight, should she suddenly turn aggressive.

And- there it was. With a movement of her hand, she caused Zuko to raise his arm, and the man nearly yelped in surprise. He'd been expecting it, sure, but the reality of it shocked him anyway. What- whatwasthis? He'd never seen a technique like this before! It really was amazing-! "This is..." Zuko tried to move his arm, just to test her hold on him, "This is crazy. I've never heard of anything like this."

He flexed his hand when she released her waterbending, and freed his arm once again. He again had control over himself, and he looked from Lilium to his arm to Lilium once again in awe. Her question made him pause.Are you afraid of me?"...No. You're not afraid of me, either. We shouldn't be afraid of one another." He stated. Her ability was impressive, and Zuko admitted it could very well be frightening, but in all honesty- after what his father had done to him, nothing else in the world could compare.

Soleil had no idea how Azula would react, and though she was nervous, she was hopeful as well. Whatever Azula felt for her - there was warmth in it. So Soleil absolutely had to take this chance. She saw how her confession threw the princess off balance, and had she not been nervous of what this meant, she'd have been proud for rendering her speechless. Their eyes locked as she came over to her and finally began to speak, and Soleil felt relief.

She felt the same. She loved her, too.

The kiss sent her heart racing and her mind spinning, and the force of it caused her to step back in the best way possible. Kissing back, feeling Azula close against her... It was the sweetest thing. When they finally pulled away, out of breath and panting, Soleil locked eyes with her again and spoke quietly. Just in case.

"I love you more than I fear the consequences. But- you have more at stake than I do. Are you- are you sure? That you want to take this risk?" That wasn't to say the punishment wouldn't be severe for Soleil, but this wouldn't be her first transgression against their country. But Azula was the princess, and the higher the position, the further the fall. Soleil wouldn't blame her if she didn't want to take the risk, not at all.

"We can figure it out together. We can keep it secret." Soleil assured her. Most people - soldiers and generals included - would probably be too afraid of crossing the princess to hold it against her, to act out against her and attack. But if word got out to Fire Lord Ozai, who knew how he would react? Everyone knew he had no softness for his children, and that their transgressions could just as well be treated with the same severity as anyone else's, if not worse, because their actions reflected onhim.And though they didn't have to fear people directly turning against them... there may very well be ones who would use this information as a lever, to sell the Fire Lord in exchange for something. So a secret it would have to remain.

Lilium was a little surprised by Zuko's words. He.. wasn't hunting the Avatar, then. This wasn't a trap? Well... part of her thought that too, but it seemed hard to believe. She smiled though, "You could use me for anything. I believe that's why I'm here. It doesn't have to be just.. for that." She didn't want to say it aloud, lest someone overheard. The woman approached the man, and gently held his hand in a reassuring manner, "You seemed happy here. I think it's a wonderful thing. Life is more than what your family expects of you. So, so much more. And I believe you can forge that path to your future in whichever way you like." Maybe it wasn't her place to say it, which is why she stopped there...
It was nice, the way the man reacted to her powers. "Good. I'm glad you're not afraid of me. ...Let's go out again tomorrow, in that case~." Lilium hummed, a laugh escaping her lips. "It'll be even nicer than today, I hope you look forward to it~!"
~
Lilium and Zuko did go out a couple more times, which was.. really quite fun. The prince seemed stiff and awkward, but more at ease than she'd expected. Perhaps this was a better life for him. She was glad that he seemed to have a nicer time here, in this tea shop with his uncle...
Though, the man was sick now. Lilium had heard from his uncle, and of course, worried as she was, she asked to see him. She was currently sitting with the man, leaning over him as he lay down. "What do you think happened to him?" She questioned his uncle, furrowing her brows as she gently used her waterbending to make a washcloth, sort of. The cool water would be gentle on Zuko's head, right? It didn't seem like she could use healing on... whatever he had. But she would support him and try to take care of him nevertheless.
The prince often went in and out of sleep, opening his eyes a bit and mumbling something. "Rest now. We'll take care of you, you know?" She murmured gently, reassuringly, each time that he awoke.

Azula pursed her lips, though her eyes were still soft. She... had no idea what to think about all of this. The only thing she was sure of, though, was that she.. was happy. Content. Sure, people couldn't find out, but she really was a good liar. So wouldn't it be easy? That's how it seemed like in her mind, anyway. Everyone feared her, and wouldn't dare cross her path... And, in all honesty, if anyone dared to try, she could always burn them to the ground. That was how the princess normally got through things, so one or two missing soldiers wouldn't cause any problems. They were just fools who had not obeyed her, that's all. That's what she could tell her father, if he ever even asked. Frankly, Azula had no problems... eradicating a few obstacles, should they stand in her way.
But... this really did make Azula question a few things. Things she most certainly should not be questioning. ..Nevertheless, she decided simply not to think about all of that. Not now. It was far too much for her to take in, especially with Soleil's confession. Though the princess had always thought the woman should confess her undying love to her, she honestly didn't actually expect it to happen. Now that it did, she truly didn't particularly know how to proceed... which was very strange for the princess of the Fire Nation. "There are no risks." She said, firmly, "Anything that stands in my path and attempts block me from having what I desire will be gotten rid of." That's what she believed, for she knew how strong she was, and she knew how people feared her.
Still, in the back of her mind, something told her that Soleil was right. ...Should her father find out, would he-? No, no. She was the beloved princess of the Fire Nation. Her father had trusted her, above all else, to go on this mission. Her father simply adored her, didn't he? It must be true. Azula had a good and comfortable life, because she had been raised to meet her Father's expectations. So.. she was the perfect daughter in very which way. The princess was sure of that.
"I suppose, if need be, we can.. keep it to ourselves." For now. Just in case. While Azula was not afraid of anything, really, the thought of potentially losing Soleil... it terrified her. She was good at hiding those feelings, too. That didn't mean she couldn't feel them. Sure, the princess seemed emotionless and cold, but she was a human too. Right? A perfect human who totally deserved to be looked up to and worshiped as the princess of the Fire Nation, but a human no less. She smirked somewhat, pushing all her negative thoughts aside. "You and I shall conquer this world, once we burn our enemies and-" The princess paused mid sentence, remembering that this probably wasn't the thing to say now. "...We can get through it. You and I, the perfect couple. Don't worry about a thing." Her eyes glinted, and again the princess felt a warmth spread throughout her body. Love... she never thought she'd feel it, not after her own mother saw her as a monster.. And yet....
"You are to stay with me." It sounded like an order, but , well... Azula just didn't want Soleil to leave her, ever.

Zuko felt weak. He hadn't been sick in a long time, and even then, those sicknesses were incomparable to this one. He kept flitting in and out of consciousness, through fever dream after fever dream. It constantly felt like he was falling, and the dragons that whispered love and hatred into his ears made his head feel like it was about to burst. It was both incredibly hot and terribly cold beneath the covers, and Zuko was sweating and shivering all the while. The heat was as hot as the flames his father had sent his way, all those years back, and the realisation frightened him. Was his father here? Was he doing this to him? It felt like he was burning up alive, outside and inside and every inch of his body and then-

Soothing coolness on his forehead. It wasn't enough, it wasn't nearly enough, but it wassomethingand it grounded him, and chased away his father's flames. Blearily, Zuko opened his eyes.

"U-Uncle?" No... though he vaguely remembered Iroh taking care of him, the person he saw before him now was certainly not him. "No... You're too pretty to be uncle." Zuko mumbled. He racked his brain, all his memories hazy and out of reach. He knew this face so well, that gentle expression that made his chest fill with a pleasant warmth (unlike the burning heat that came with the fever). "Lilium..."

Her name left his lips like a prayer, and Zuko briefly wondered whether this was just another part of his fever dream. What would she be doing here, after all? They'd been spending a lot of time together lately, and Zuko had to admit that he liked her, but- there was no way she actually liked him, right? Not enough to be here to watch over him like this. Not when he was being this pathetic. Yes, Zuko decided, this simplyhadto be a dream. And in that case... it was alright to be a little selfish, wasn't it? To at least enjoy this dream scenario his mind presented him with.

"Your lap..." Zuko mumbled. "Can I-?"

Soleil hadn't ever felt a warmth like this before. Being together was risky, but it was a risk well worth taking. And if anyone could make it work - it would surely be Azula. She felt comforted immensely by her words, by her confidence, and Soleil laughed - notather, but out of happiness. "I'm so glad." Azula had her own way of showing her happiness, too, and though Soleil had no interest whatsoever in conquering the world - she'd be happy anywhere, as long as she was by her side.

"Of course. I wouldn't have it any other way." Soleil smiled. She knew well enough by now that Azula expressed her desires in the only way she knew how - orders. It was actually quite cute, once she'd learned to read her, and Soleil reached out to take the princess's hand into hers. It was warm, and fit so perfectly with her own-

"Princess Azula," came a knock on the door, and a soldier's (hesitant) voice. "We will be docking within the hour."

Oh! They still had to get dressed and eat breakfast and probably go over some plans, so it was no wonder that the soldier came to wake her up. They must have overslept a little, too, considering they'd gone to bed late last night. It was a shame to have to part and start the day, but so be it - besides, they'd be together the entire day anyway.

Soleil left the room first, as not to draw attention to the fact that they were in there together, and to give the princess time to dress herself. Well, Soleil wouldn't mind sticking around to watch her dress, but she, too, had to get ready for the day.

"Oh, good morning, Soleil!" Ty Lee called out cheerfully, seeing her. Her eyes widened a little, and then she giggled, understanding. "Did you have a good night?"

Soleil blushed gently, and bit back a smile, and nodded somewhat. Their friends already knew they had a thing going on, so it would be alright to admit this, right? "...Yeah." Ty Lee let out an "aww", and Mai, who was standing with her, glanced at Soleil but seemed entirely uninterested in this information.

[[ "no youre too pretty to be uncle" was the best line ever xD AND SO ZUKO TOO BWAHAH I LOVED IT]]

The prince woke up, though he didn't seem to know what was going on. Oh.. he must be feeling terribly sick. It made Lilium frown in worry, but she knew he was strong enough to get through this. His words, though mumbled, were terribly cute nevertheless. She gave him a gentle smile. "Do you think so?" She laughed softly. The woman wondered if he even knew what he was saying. Perhaps... but he seemed so, so tired..
It seemed that Zuko at least recognized her, which was a great start. "Yes, I'm here." She murmured softly, looking down at the male. She... didn't want to have him overexert himself, so she didn't ask him any questions about how he was feeling. Clearly, he wasn't feeling any better...
The man's request took Lilium by surprise, but she obliged without question. "Of course. Here.." She shifted a little bit, helping the man so that his head now rested in her lap. Was he more comfortable like this? Did it make him feel any better...? The woman's cheeks flushed lightly, but she didn't make any comments. "I won't leave until you're feeling better. Don't worry about anything." She spoke softly. Though she really wondered what was wrong... It worried her to no end, that this strong prince was feeling so weak now.
~
Zuko was feeling better now. He looked so much stronger, too! Lilium was very pleased with his recovery, though she still hadn't a clue what had ailed him... No matter. He was alright now. She liked to visit him and his uncle often, and they didn't seem to mind. "You were invited to serve the king tea at the palace?" Lilium beamed at the two of them, "That's amazing! I knew you had amazing brewing skills~." She hummed, laughing a bit at their (or rather, Iroh's) excitement. "When will you go? I'll come visit and wish you both good luck before you go." The woman added. They looked happy, content. It really brought a strange sense of joy to Lilium-!

Azula could make a grown man cry. She could make the toughest of soldiers tremble in their boots. But when Soleil held her hand, she had no idea what to do. It was a small action, compared to the passionate 'training' they'd done together in the past. And yet... something this small made her feel a strange warmth. It was a gentle gesture. Caring. It was odd for sure, yes, but it really.. pleased the princess. Having Soleil's smaller hand in hers.. a hand not tainted by war or bloodshed. She was so pure. Part of Azula wanted nothing more than to taint her. To claim her, and mark her as her own. To have her way with her, see her come completely undone underneath her as she dominated her. But the other part of her wanted Soleil to hold her, to comfort her, to have her say that everything was alright. That she wasn't actually the monster that her mother had seen her as.
No one dared to disobey Azula, though that was usually out of fear. Soleil was different. She did as she said because she wanted to. That was something the princess would probably never get used to. The difference between Soleil and everyone else...
To be honest, the princess was quite irritated by the sudden interruption. "Make sure everything is prepared for our arrival, then." She snapped at the soldier through the door, eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. She supposed the man hadn't a clue as to what was going on in her room, but she still had a right to be angry... right? That's what she thought, anyway.
She and Soleil would have to separate for the time being, but no matter. They'd be back together soon enough~.
~
What a wonderful opportunity they were presented. Finding the Kyoshi Warriors had been quite the stroke of luck. "Get ready, girls." Azula smirked, looking back at her friends. They were getting ready in their new disguises. "This is great! Mai can finally wear make up that isn't totally depressing!" Ty Lee hummed, looking in the mirror as she adjusted her own make up. Mai rolled her eyes, though said nothing. "Once we get into the Earth Kingdom, we will be able to capture dear brother.." Azula mused. She turned away, then looked over at Soleil, who was already dressed and ready to go. "I've no idea how you can apply make up to yourself like that." The princess sighed, "Back home, I had everyone do anything I needed."
"Here. Put it on for me as well." Another 'order', but Azula wasn't used to asking for help. Ty Lee or Mai probably would've helped too, but frankly, she preferred Soleil to do it, and... well, her other friends were busy applying their own make up, so.. Perfect opportunity, right?
"I've already had a letter sent to dear Uncle's little tea shop. Pathetic little place, really. And honestly, how could they choose something so obvious?" The princess murmured. Anyone who knew her uncle knew he'd be somewhere with tea. It was very easy to find him.

[[xD ITS TRUE BUT ALSO IROH IS LOWKEY HURT LMAO]]

"It really is great. I'm so happy for you, uncle." Zuko smiled gently, genuinely, towards his uncle.

Though he didn't hold the same love for tea as he did, Zuko knew very well how important this and their teashop was to his uncle. An invitation to serve tea to the Earth King really was impressive-! Especially considering that they hadn't been here long at all. Zuko was very glad for him - they'd climbed from the very bottom, as literal refugees, to the upper ring of Ba Sing Se. The teashop and the nice apartment, and now the invitation to the palace - it was everything his uncle deserved, and Zuko couldn't help but feel proud of him. Happy for him.

"This is such an honor!" Iroh exclaimed. "I still have to decide what tea to serve. I wish the letter included the King's favourite tea, but I'll have to guess. Maybe jasmine? That's a good, classic one. What do you think?"

"I'm sure anything will be fine." Even now, Zuko barely knew his teas. He understood this was an important moment for his uncle, but he didn't really have to worry about such small details, right? He turned to Lilium, "It's tomorrow, at 4 in the afternoon."

"You're just going to see us off? You're welcome to come with us!" Iroh invited her immediately, and Zuko sent her a shy smile.

Well, she wasn't part of the teashop, but she came over so often that she may as well be. They spent a lot of time together, Zuko and Lilium, and his uncle liked her a lot, too. She hadn't been explicitly invited to the palace, either, but she could always wait outside. No- why would she want to do that? Waste her time, waiting outside the palace gates, forhim? Stupid, stupid!Zuko mentally scolded himself for thinking such things, for giving himself this hope. Lilium most certainly had better things to do with her time than loiter around waiting for him and his uncle, didn't she? And yet... it would be so lovely if she liked him enough to do that, to want to spend as much time together as possible. To feel the same as he did about her. Well, she was always so kind to him, and they spent many evenings out together - surely it wasn'timpossiblefor her to like him, at least a little? But the turbulent feelings within Zuko made him too shy to even ask her, in fear of being rejected.

[[I'm the situation a little! So they're already in the ba sing se and azula is working with the dai li and they know who she really is, so she's not in makeup anymore! but mai and ty lee and sol are still "the kyoshi warriors"! applying her makeup would be soooo cute and i lowkey wanna write that but eheh i think i'd rather timeskip ahead a little!]]

"Aw, it's not so hard. You just need a little bit of practice." Soleil hummed as she put the finishing touches on her face, regarding herself in the mirror.

Honestly, it was quite fun being a Kyoshi Warrior! The greasepaint was surprisingly comfortable, and she'd gotten used to putting it on over the past couple of days. The white base and the red around their eyes... it was definitely a fun disguise (though Mai always complained about how "girly" it was). Soleil had been the one to apply the makeup onto Azula as well, as the princess had proven she was unable to do it herself (1) - which was quite adorable in Soleil's eyes, but she'd kept that thought to herself. It had been nice to be so close to her, practically gazing into each others eyes as she'd done her makeup - and Azula following all her orders, however small they'd been -close your eyesandlook up at meandpurse your lips. It had been a very cute sight, and the thought crossed Soleil's mind to ask more of her -kiss me -but they'd always been in their makeup at that point, and the action would have smudged the carefully applied greasepaint.

But, the princess wasn't in Kyoshi Warrior uniform at the moment, and she regarded her and Ty Lee and Mai as the only unpainted face in the room. The Dai Li knew her true identity already and the coup was today, so- no need for her to keep this farce up any longer than necessary. First, Prince Zuko and his uncle, and then the Earth King. Everything was in place, and Soleil knew it would work out - it absolutely had to, with Azula leading the coup.

"It's almost time. Are you heading there yet?" Soleil asked the princess, getting up from in front of the mirror. The two "tea servers" would be arriving soon, as indicated by their "invitation". It was an ingenious plan (by the princess, of course!), as they surely wouldn't pass up the opportunity to entertain the Earth King. Not to mention, they didn't even know Azula was here!

"We should get going, too." Soleil turned to the other two girls - they would be guarding the Earth King in the throne room, as the Kyoshi Warriors, until the next part of the plan.

(1) a headcanon! maybe? i read it on tumblr too xD is that azula hates looking in mirrors bc her reflection reminds her of her mother! if this is true then i feel like it could also be a part of why she doesnt do her own hair or makeup! bc you need to look in the mirror for that~

[[Okay!! I hope this is alright~ ]]

Lilium smiled brightly, "Do you think they'll allow me to come?" She... wasn't so sure about it, but even if she came and they didn't allow her into the palace, she could always wait outside, right? That would be nice! "In that case, I'd love to accompany you." The woman was very fond of both Zuko and his uncle.. so she wouldn't mind waiting in the slightest.
~
The next day, Lilium made her way to the tea shop a bit early, excited to share in everyone's joy before they went to the palace. When it was almost time, they all went to the palace together too. "I'm sure the Earth King will absolutely love your tea. Make sure to tell me all about it when you are both finished." She hummed. She would give them all of her support! It was.. strange, though. Part of the woman felt utterly nervous. Even if it was for the King, it was just tea -! So why did she feel this way-?
It didn't take very long for the group to arrive at the Palace. As the woman initially thought, she wasn't allowed to join the two men. Probably for security, so Lilium understood. "Good luck to both of you, I know you'll do great. I'll be here waiting." She smiled reassuringly, waving at the two as they were led into the palace. Right... now, to wait.
She sat on a small ledge in front of the gates, humming to herself as she did so. It shouldn't take too long...
But as the minutes ticked on by, the woman began to feel more worried. Until, finally, she heard a loud noise in the background. "What-?" She muttered, quickly jumping onto the ground and looking for the source of the sound. Her instincts were telling her to rush inside, to try to find out what was happening, but what if she was overreacting-?
When Iroh ran (from the side of the palace, for whatever reason) towards her - without Zuko - Lilium's eyes widened. "What happened?" She asked quickly, "Where's Zuko?" Had they found out he was the prince of the Fire Nation? Was this all a trap? But... no. The man mentioned something about Zuko's sister. What...? "Explain as we go. I'll help any way I can."

Azula felt a smirk spread across her lips. "It's almost time, ladies." She mused, watching as Soleil put the finishing touches on her own make up. Even when she had very important things to attend to, the princess found her mind always partly on her. ...No matter. Azula was a genius when it came to cunning plans, and so it was alright if part of her thought of Soleil. After all, she didn't need a hundred percent of her attention on this plan when it was all laid out for her already. The coup would give Azula full control, and they would take control of Ba Sing Se from the inside. It's been a hundred years.. and finally, they would have control of the Earth Kingdom! Her father would surely be pleased, but more importantly...
...Would Soleil be impressed? It was strange, the woman suddenly realized, how she put someone above her father. Though she supposed it wasn't fair to compare the two. One was her father, someone Azula respected and needed to do well for. The other was someone she... loved, wasn't that it? She loved her father too (didn't she?), but this was something different, for a reason the princess couldn't truly understand. No matter. What mattered is that she went through this properly, such that her father was pleased, and Soleil was impressed. It shouldn't be a difficult task for Azula. "Very well. I will make my move now. Make sure you play the part. This will all be over soon." She smirked again, and then after one last glance at Soleil , the princess left.
Azula was just on time to the palace. Her dear brother and uncle were already waiting for the 'King' to show up. Now, she simply had to make her appearance. With the Dai Li at her side, capturing them would be easy.
Making her way out into the throne room, the princess laughed. "Seems like it's tea time. How do you do, Zuzu, uncle? It's been a while." Her eyes twinkled.
Meanwhile, Ty Lee, Mai, and Soleil were with the Earth King, sitting before him so that they could 'guard' him. "Aw, look at him! He's soooo cute." Ty Lee laughed, watching as the Earth King interacted with his bear, Bosco. "A pet bear? Of course you'd think it's cute..." Mai rolled her eyes, but Ty Lee turned to Soleil, "Don't you think Bosco is cute too?" She questioned with a smile.
"Don't worry Bosco. The Kyoshi Warriors will keep us safe!" The Earth King said, a gentle expression on his face. Little did he know..

"Azula-!" Zuko's blood ran cold when his sister appeared in front of them, instead of the Earth King. So- this had all been a trap! Ugh, how stupid! But they hadn't evenknownAzula was here - howdidshe get into Ba Sing Se, in the first place? But this was no time for questions, not when his sister clearly didn't have any interest of catching up in this 'family reunion'.

"Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'The Dragon of the West'?" Iroh smiled pleasantly as he lifted a cup of tea to his lips. Azula looked entirely uninterested, inspecting her fingernails (1). "It's more of a... demonstration."

In a swift movement, Iroh pulled Zuko safely behind him, and opened his mouth to roar fire - all the Dai Li soldiers recoiled, and the surprise gave them precious time to run out of the room and into the hallway - though they were followed closely by their pursuers. Iroh jumped out of the window, landing in the topiary in the garden, but- Zuko hesitated.

"Come on! Jump!"

"...No. I'm sick of running. It's time I faced Azula!" Zuko declared, much to Iroh's disappointment.

The man set off running out of the palace. The pursuers seemed interested enough in Zuko to let him go free, and Iroh took this opportunity with grace. He would be of no help to his nephew here, they were far too outnumbered - it would be better to rescue him once things calmed down a little. He found Lilium right where they'd left her, and her panicked expression, welcome as it was, brought him guilt.

"It was a trap by the Fire Nation." Iroh explained, panting. "Zuko- stayed behind to fight." He explained more as they went, first of all getting as far away from the palace as possible, to put distance between them and the enemy. Oh, what a welcome sight Lilium was! Iroh knew he would not be able to rescue his nephew on his own, and having a powerful waterbender on their side would surely bode well. Still... he couldn't risk her life like this. Two against one would not be enough against Azula and her army of - what, earthbenders? how did she even get them to work for her? - and though it cost him his pride, Iroh knew what he had to do. He looked solemnly at Lilium.

"We need to team up with the avatar. Come, I know where to find him and his friends."

"He really is!" Soleil cooed over the bear. Well- she'd never seen abearbefore, so this really was quite strange, but that aside, Bosco was absolutely adorable. The Earth King, dim as he was, clearly held lots of affection for his pet, and Soleil couldn't help but admire that - it was always nice to see such a strong bond between man and animal.

The girls waited, a little bored as nothing much was going on - that is, until the doors burst open and in rushed - oh, Soleil recognised them! - Sokka and Toph, agitated. They didn't seem to realise who they were at first, until Toph suddenly announced "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" and then the fight broke loose. Soleil, too, jumped to her feet to fight with all she could, and the rumble of earthbending and the whoosh of knives thrown through the air and the king's frightened gasps came together as an intense symphony.

"Stop, or else-" Azula's voice, as collected as ever, halted the fight at once. (2) She held the king from behind, blue flame threateningly close to his face. The poor man looked absolutely terrified, but he would not be harmed (unless necessary), and since the avatar's friends stopped, everything would be alright. Ty Lee hit them both with skill, blocking their chi and immobilising them, and then they, along with the Earth King, were taken away to the dungeon by Dai Li agents.

"Azula!" Soleil beamed. Since she was back with them now, that meant- "Everything went well with your family?"

(1)are these too long?xD bwahaha jk but someone pointed out that she has shorter fingernails when ty lee is with her B)
(2) sorry for playing her! but i'm just following the show atm so i think its okay!

[[ dude its all perfect! also wait really? but why would her nails be shorter only when ty lee is with her, im kinda confused bwahah ]]

Lilium was confused. Zuko was the prince of the Fire Nation, right? So.. what was the Fire Nation doing here? Did they... perhaps want Zuko back? Or had they felt he had taken too long with the Avatar? This was terrifying... But surely she could help save him!
"With... the Avatar..." The woman murmured. Just how strong was their enemy? "...I understand. I'll do everything I can to help." The woman repeated, eyebrows furrowed as she followed Iroh. It was probably best not to ask too many questions now, and instead focus on helping Zuko...
~
Iroh was a wonderful man. The Avatar and his friends didn't seem to hate him, or anything of the sort. To Lilium, they seemed rather friendly, even. They quickly got their help, and managed to gather information from a member of the Dai Li. Zuko (as well as a friend of the Avatars, Katara) was in the crystal catacombs, located beneath the palace. The group agreed to split up to look for the two, and Lilium went ahead with Iroh and the Avatar.
Honestly... the Avatar seemed like a nice one. He was kind, seeking advice from Iroh. Lilium didn't really know what to say, considering her relationship with Zuko, but.. like Iroh mentioned before, the prince was changing. He was no longer obsessed with capturing the Avatar... right?
"I feel as if something bad will happen." Lilium murmured as Aang dug through, trying to make a tunnel and find those catacombs. "I'm not sure what'll happen. But.. I'll take care of him." She would make this promise to Iroh now, in case something happened...
And finally, the group came across the 'light at the end of the tunnel'.

Azula smirked, eyes narrowed somewhat as she looked around. "Mm, yes. We had a grand reunion. There's still a small matter to take care of, but it'll come in time." The princess spoke, answering Soleil. ...She seemed excited, pleased. Was she.. impressed with all that she'd done? ...The next step would be a big one as well, not just for her, but for the entire Fire Nation as a whole. Perhaps her ... love - was it okay to even use that word? She still didn't quite understand it.. - would be even more pleased, upon seeing how Azula would bring the entire Earth Kingdom down!
Suddenly, Long Feng entered the room, and ordered the Dai Li to capture Azula and her friends. The princess watched with mild amusem*nt. Honestly, she had been expecting this. "I said seize her!" Long Feng demanded once more, but the Dai Li didn't budge. "Oh, there seems to be a little bit of a problem here. The Dai Li don't know what to do. ..Or perhaps they do. They've long since realized that only I have the right to rule. They obey me simply because they wish to do so. They see how much more fit I am for this." Without another word, she sat on the throne, resting her elbow on it's armrest. "Well?"
Long Feng seemed to stare in horror, wondering what to do... until he finally gave in, and bowed. "You've beaten me at my own game."
"Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player." (1)
~
Now that they've successfully conquered Ba Sing Se... there was just one more small matter to take care of. Now back in the crystal catacombs, and after having a small chat with dear Zuzu, she was fighting the Avatar. It seems they had the upper hand, at least at first. ... And Azula hadn't expected the Avatar to perfect his Avatar State so soon. Hadn't he had trouble with that, in the past? No matter. As the princess of the Fire Nation, she had to take into account all possibilities... Now, to wait for the right moment..
There!
A bolt of lightning, perfectly aimed to the small of the Avatar's back. Precise, clean. And that was that.

(1) dude i absolutely love this line xd i rped this scene just for that ahaha

[[yEAH DUDE THATS THE BEST LINE IN THE WHOLE SHOW I ADORE IT]]

Zuko and Katara turned with a start to the sudden, loud noise as the wall came crashing down. It took all of a moment for him to realise what was going on, that this wasn't a dream, but that they were really here!

"Lilium! Uncle!" And- the Avatar? Zuko tensed immediately, his years of enmity against him sending him into an instinctive aggressive state. He'd fight him if need be, but- as Katara rushed to embrace him, and his uncle came to embrace Zuko, he softened in relief, just a little bit. Of course it made sense the Avatar was here, it was to rescue Katara. So what if their goals overlapped this once? It didn't mean anything.

The Avatar left first, with his friend, and after a moment of speaking, Zuko followed after them. Finally, they made it into an open area in the caves, where the unmistakable sounds of battle rang out, and as he shot a burst of fire, the action stopped. He, Azula, Katara, and the Avatar (1), all poised and ready to attack. The tension in the air was palpable, and Zuko's heart beat so quickly he thought it might burst. This... this was the moment of truth. Everything his life had been leading up to. He wasn't Prince Zuko anymore, not after everything he'd done to betray his country, but...couldn't he go back? And be the beloved Prince once more?

The flame he sent out towards the Avatar cemented his decision. There was absolutely no turning back now. He felt Azula's glee, and they fought, together, as in the good old times, against the enemy. Against their traitorous uncle. Against the last hope of the world, and the biggest threat of the Fire Nation. There was no turning back now. Zuko fought with everything he had, and with his sister - everything came easily. Azula sent a blast of lightning through the Avatar, in the Avatar State, and he fell limp to the ground. There was no way he could have survived that. Katara carried his body off and away form them, with tears in her eyes, and Zuko buried the guilt he felt deep inside of him. It was over. He turned towards his sister in disbelief, in awe, and then his emotions caught up to him-

"Lilium, are- are you alright?" He asked, looking over her with a worried gaze. Though they'd won, the fight had been a dangerous one, and Zuko himself had sustained some cuts and bruises. Not to mention, he still hadn't properly thanked her for rescuing him from those catacombs. He hadn't thanked his uncle properly, either, but that... could not be helped, not anymore. Not after Iroh had turned on them. Even now, the Dai Li had captured him, restraining him to take him away to the Fire Nation prison by the royal palace.

Soleil's heartbeat quickened, and she felt a blush rise on her cheeks, though she wasn't embarrassed enough by it to warrant pulling her gaze away. No, in fact it was near impossible to ever tear one's gaze away from Azula - she evoked such power, after all. It had scarcely been a battle. The Dai Li were well under her command, under her charms, and Long Feng hadn't lasted long, either, beneath her piercing gaze. He'd bowed and given in even faster than Soleil had anticipated. She was glad she wasn't at the receiving end of Azula's sharp gaze, but- on the other hand, that wouldn't be so bad, right? To have her look at her that way, albeit without any real danger...

"The throne suits you." Soleil hummed, approaching the princess once the Dai Li had cleared out, leaving the throne room near empty. "I daresay you're the youngest queen (2) the Earth Kingdom has ever had." A most impressive feat! She sat with such grace, such comfort, as if the throne had belonged to her all her life.

(1) uhh and Lilium I assume? But i'm not sure whether you actually want her to fight or not! and also lmao i read a theory that zuko doesnt know what the avatar's name is untilafterhe joins their group hahaha. Katara: if you ever hurt aang again-- Zuko, sweating: who tf is aang?
(2) or king?? i just mean ruler xD

[[dude i totally agree doesnt even know his name until later bwahahah XD]]

Lilium's eyes widened at the scene before her. The Avatar-! And... and Zuko... Was this the source of her fear earlier? She watched - quite sadly - as Iroh was taken away after the fight. The avatar was wounded... was he even alive-? God.. what was this? And Zuko joined his sister, to go back to the Fire Nation. A sense of dread filled her being, but.. what could she do? She had such a powerful skill - blood bending - and yet she couldn't do anything in this situation. Maybe if they'd been out during full moon, but... like this, at most she would be able to do is restrain one person. That wouldn't help. She would get captured and taken away as well, if she tried it.
Looking towards Zuko, the woman gave a small smile, attempting to hide her sadness. She... didn't have a right to say anything. Not right now. If this was Zuko's path... she'd follow him still. She believed in him, and believed in his goodness, with all her heart. He was just confused, with the sudden appearance of the avatar and his sister... Moreover, she needed to be with him. She promised Iroh that she would watch over him, and that was a promise she wouldn't break.
Besides... in the short time they'd spent together, the woman found herself falling in love...
~
It was awkward at first. Princess Azula was incredibly suspicious of Zuko bringing a water bender to their home, but in the end, she found her 'skill' could be useful... so they decided to let her tag along. "Can't you make the waves push more, so the boat goes faster?" Ty Lee questioned, and Lilium gave a nervous laugh, "I'm not sure if it works like that.."
God.. this felt odd, but most of the people here were actually pretty nice. Soleil was incredibly kind, Ty Lee, too. Mai was gloomy and seemed to dislike her somewhat (1) , and even Azula could be nice (albeit very intimidating). Perhaps Lilium could even make friends with some of them?
"Are you sure it'll be okay to come with you?" The woman asked Zuko softly, still unsure. Azula accepted her, but their father-?

Even now, Azula could still recall that delightful feeling of Soleil looking up at her while she was sitting on the throne. The awe in her eyes, and her praise. It made the princess smirk, even now. "We've managed to get rid of the avatar and conquer all of Ba Sing Se. I'd say it was a pretty decent week." She announced. Their traitorous uncle would be thrown in prison as well, and now they could return home, as glorious heroes. Her father would surely be proud, just as Soleil had been, right? And as for her brother... she had some plans for him as well. Her father would think that he was the one to kill the avatar, and he would finally stop whining about 'regaining his honor'. The Princess didn't need glory for that. It was small in comparison to what she had done, taking over the entire Earth Kingdom.
Moreover, they had a blood bender with them. For whatever reason. A friend of Zuzu's. Azula didn't care; her strength could be used for something, at some point. She was sure Father would approve of that. Everything was moving smoothly. Still, having someone new among them bothered her, a little bit. Would she get close to Soleil? The thought angered her beyond all else, and honestly she had half a mind to threaten her now, so that she wouldn't try anything. Soleil belonged to her. And.. she was... beautiful and ... a lot of other great things. So of course it was only natural for the Princess to be worried that others would want her. EVERYONE in their right mind would want her.
At least, that's how Azula saw it. And the princess was never wrong. The woman didn't see Lilium trying to make any moves, though, so... this would be alright. For now. "It's been a long journey. Are you pleased to go back home now?" The woman mused, speaking to Soleil alone now. She seemed quite pleased as well... Maybe now they could finally spend some time together, alone? They'd had plenty of time together over their journey, but it would be different. Now Mai and Ty Lee wouldn't be around them constantly. ...The princess did care for her friends, even if she didn't act like it. But she wanted to spend more time with Soleil alone. Wasn't that fair?
"The journey shouldn't take too much longer now. I'm assuming a grand celebration will be held, in honor of us capturing the Earth Kingdom." Azula was confident. Things would be better now. Her father was slowly getting what he wanted, gathering more territory and taking it for the Fire Nation. They were the strongest in the world, and everyone needed to realize that.

(1) do you think mai would be lowkey jealous because she liked zuko??

[[Ooooh we could say ,.. he was just older, because i think 3 years is a good amount B) also maybe a little bit a mai jealousy would be fun heh . Also I just timeskipped ahead a bit, so I hope its alright~]]

"I'm sure everything will work out.." Lilium mused, smiling over at Zuko when he reassured her. The woman hadn't done anything.. she was just a guest here on this long journey. Part of her wondered if someone had some slightly ulterior motives, but who could know? She knew about Fire Lord Ozai for sure, and he seemed like a horrid man, but.. she had no idea what would happen from this point onward.
~
Lilium felt incredibly... stiff. It was very strange. Usually, she was pretty calm and collected, but being here in the heart of the Fire Nation? It felt incredibly strange, too, that she was treated like such a wonderful guest. The woman hadn't expected kindness from the Fire Lord , but he welcomed her with open arms and even allowed her a room to stay in the Palace. As a waterbender, she knew something was definitely up... But maybe he was just pleased to have a powerful ally on their side. That was probably it.
Fire Nation outfits were a lot lighter than the ones Lilium was used to. She naturally felt cold, so perhaps that was one reason for her stiffness.
"Oh, Zuko. Your sister.. er, passed by earlier. She mentioned a vacation. I'm a little confused, but I'll follow you where ever you go." Lilium grinned, spotting the prince. Honestly... he looked like he wasn't very happy. Not like how he was with Iroh... But it wasn't her right to say anything about that. No, she would wait. She knew Zuko would choose the right path in the end-!
"One of the maids gave me an array of Fire Nation clothes, so I guess I don't really need to do much, if what your sister said is correct. Are we leaving today?" Honestly, it was a little funny that everyone was just allowing Lilium to come along where ever they go. She'd been here for a bit now, and made friends with Ty Lee and Soleil, so it was nice! But it did seem a little strange that the Fire Lord wanted them to go on a vacation, Lilium included. She was a stranger to him, right? Oh, well. She had no idea what she'd do if she was stuck in this palace alone without her friends...

'And most of all, you.' Soleil had said. That meant... she did care for her more than everyone else, right? With a small smirk, the princess said nothing. She.. didn't really know what to say, actually, which was rare. Still, she was beyond pleased. No matter how many hints were thrown right at Azula's face, the woman was still surprised every single time Soleil said something like this... The princess simply wasn't used to it, and her mind couldn't wrap around the fact that someone actually ... loved her. Love. That word again. But... Soleil had confessed to her, said that she loved her. Still, no matter how many times those words came to mind, Azula couldn't seem to comprehend it... Oh well. Perhaps at some point, she'd get used to it, but now she.. didn't mind having constant reminders of Soleil's love for her.
"Mm.. You're right. I'm sure you've forgotten a lot of things. We're going to have to review a lot, and make sure you're still in good shape." The princess's eyes narrowed, twinkling with mischief, but she didn't say any more on the subject. No.. she could be a little more patient, she supposed.
And when they were alone once more, then.. oh, she'd get it.
~
Azula pursed her lips at the sight before her. Soleil was down the hall, talking with that new girl. The water bender. Was she interested in her? Was her blood bending more interesting to her than Azula's advanced fire techniques? Lighting was a million times cooler than blood bending. Wasn't it? And people of the Fire Nation were far superior to every other nation-! They had even conquered the Earth Kingdom, and would slowly move on to other places.
And yet-! This annoyed her immensely. Seeing Soleil laugh and smile with another. The princess was good at... basically everything, but when it came to emotions and communication, she knew nothing. Thus, she couldn't really help how she was feeling. Jealousy...? Pathetic. She had felt it often, though. When her own mother favored Zuzu, when she thought her friends favored her brother as well...
But not Soleil. She wouldn't allow someone else to have her. Not her.
"Hello there, Lillia, Soleil." "It's Lilium, princess-"
"Whatever. Anyway, father says we ought to take a vacation. I'm not one to question him, so you'd best prepare to leave at a moment's notice. Soleil, do you know of Ember Island?" Azula liked this .. sudden vacation idea. They'd be alone, away from people who could potentially let her father know of her relationship.
To be with Soleil on an island, and perhaps in a swimsuit?~ The idea sounded .. quite nice. "Come on, Soleil. I will tell you more about it, and you could pack." This way , she'd stop talking to this... lowly water bender as well!

((I wrote to you about this on hangouts, so heres a starter to lilium with thresh!! no need to reply to zukos ofc, just this one))

'Poor lost souls...' What was that voice? Lilium looked up, eyebrows furrowed. What a strange, dense forest. This didn't look like the forest of Ionia either... Where was she? It was magical without a doubt, but very hard to navigate, and it seemed to go on forever... Also, it was incredibly dark, and she continued to hear strange noises. Screams... cries... (1) The woman shivered, feeling a chill in the air. How strange..
And yet, part of her wasn't afraid. There was nothing back at home, anyway. So did it truly matter what happened to her-? ..Maybe she was already dead. She had no idea where she was, and this place seemed.. otherworldly. Lilium certainly didn't feel dead, but who knew? She was so confused.
The short kimono she wore was one she recognized, though her shoes were missing. She couldn't even remember if this is what she came out with in the morning. In any case.. there was no need to think about all of that. She needed to find a way out of this forest, because something was nagging at her that it was dangerous.
Possibly the growls that were slowly getting louder.
Yeah, she needed to get out of there, but had no idea where to go. Was there even a way out? Should she try her luck and call for help-? What else could she do?
Before she could even think, she heard the growling become louder. Her body worked before her mind did, and she instantly took off in a run. Perhaps it was good she hadn't any shoes, for she would have tripped in them. "G-God." She breathed out, not daring to look behind her. If this was a nightmare, it was terrifyingly realistic...
She suddenly tripped over a large root, and cried out as she hit the ground. The woman quickly attempted to scramble back up, but only managed to sit up and look in terror at the large creature before her...

(1) so there are bad spirits that could harm her, too. demons, whatever! so thresh could save her from that xd

((Alright! I hope this is okay, lemme know if I should change anything!))

The heavy breathing seemed to reverberate through the forest. Thresh always picked up on it, on the sound of fear and confusion that came with dying. It was understandable, of course, because death came at unexpected times, and it was more often than not preceded by pain, and sadness, and fear. Sometimes it came entirely by surprise. Many who died in such conditions were confused, afraid, when they woke up in this forest that didn't quiteresemble the forests they knew in their lifetimes, though they could never quite pin the difference. Many did not accept their fate. Many tried to fight it, tried to run.

That was alright. That was what Thresh was here for. He loved these poor, lost souls as if they were his own children, and he would do everything he could to lead them down the right path. To help them accept what had happened, and move on with what was left of their existence.

He followed the sound of that heavy breathing, of those desperate footsteps, and found the soul with ease, cornered by demon. A surge of anger welled up within Thresh, and he came between the two of them, like a protective barrier before the woman, and attacked (1). The demon snarled, frightened, and clenched its otherworldly jaws once more in the direction of the soul, before scampering off deep into the forest, looking for a different meal. Thresh was one of the highest ranking spirits, after all, and these lowly spirits that fed off of the fear and hatred of lost souls fled before him.

He turned now, to face the trembling woman sitting on the ground. He smiled, as welcoming as he could be, though he knew it looked menacing to some. "Poor lost soul... You must be frightened. Don't worry, though - I'll take care of you." Or help her find Ahri, if she so preferred. He reached out a hand for her to take, to help her up to his feet, and when he touched her, heknewsomething was off. He regarded her with interest, confusion.

"You're not supposed to be here. Tell me, little one - what's the last thing you remember?"

Soleil was just talking with Lilium when they were approached by Azula. Though she was perfectly poised as always, Soleil knew her well enough by now to know thatsomethingwas off, though she couldn't tell anything more. "Oh! A vacation, really? Of course I've heard of Ember Island! I've never been there, though." It was just about the nicest vacation destination in the Fire Nation, and the sudden idea of getting to go there withAzulawas enough to excite Soleil. Well, she supposed it wouldn't be just the two of them, but she'd take it anyway.

"When are we leaving?" She asked Azula as she followed her away, but not before turning around with an apologetic smile and wave towards Lilium, who knew well of their relationship and, Soleil hoped, would surely understand them leaving together all of the sudden. She'd be sure to speak with her again soon, the sweet thing she was! Soleil had already become fast friends with her over the time they'd gotten to know one another.

In any case, if Azula was telling her to pack already, then that meant they'd be leaving- really soon? This was quite strange to Soleil, but then again, she didn't know the Fire Lord or his whims, not like Azula did. Perhaps surprise vacations were just his thing? Though Azula said she wasn't one to question her father's decisions, Soleil couldn't help but do so. Was this really a reward for a job well done, or did the Fire Lord have some ulterior motive to sending his children, his successors, away for a couple of days?

(1) uhh idk what his attack style is like?? i'm kinda imagining a whip bwahaha but i think maybe its swords?? honestly dude i have no clue feel free to add the details xD

[[He does actually have kind of a whip!!! its a ... scythe? attached to a chain! he uses it to drag people in too B) also this is so perfect sljdlkdj]]

Lilium shielded herself involuntarily with her arms, preparing for an incoming attack... which never came. Fearfully, the woman slowly peeked up, taking in the scene before her. A man she'd never seen before was in front of her, protecting her from that... thing. Whoever this man was, he was incredibly strong, for that creature left very quickly after his appearance. "T-Thank you." The silver haired woman stammered out, letting out a small sigh of relief. No matter how confused she was, this man saved her life! She had no idea who he was.... or what he was, but that didn't matter right now.
"Lost soul?" The only explanation for that was that she was dead. That would explain the strange demon monster from earlier as well... those didn't exist in the real world, did they? Well.. in a way, they did, but they couldn't hold a form. Watching, but never seen. Lilium sighed. She couldn't even remember how she died, but... perhaps that was a blessing in disguise?
The woman took the man's hand gratefully, and stood up straight. After dusting her kimono off, she furrowed her brows a bit. "Not supposed to be here? And here I was, ready to accept my death. That's unfortunate.." She murmured the last part under her breath. Although she couldn't remember much, she knew with all her heart that she had nothing back in the mortal world, that she... didn't want to go back. Death was peaceful, and life was not. (As long as she didn't get chased around by any more of those strange demons.)
"I can't remember.." Lilium replied to the man's question finally. "All I remember is my name, and the fact that there is nothing for me at home. ...Where ever that is. I also woke up with a dull ache all over my body." She explained, trying to remember more. "...But it hurts, to think about it. I can't remember.." She wondered why she was here, if she hadn't died. Apparently she was still alive... right? "My name is Lilium." She finished, not knowing what else to say.

"Mm. We have a house on Ember Island. It's been a while since we've all gone together. I'm sure it'll be fun." Azula waved it off, not too interested about the beach or anything like that. But.. this was the perfect opportunity to have her way with a certain someone..~ On Ember Island, no one would know who they were, and so they'd be able to do as they liked.. right? Probably. At least, when they were alone. Nevertheless, they wouldn't have to worry too much. And oh, the princess had many, many plans for Soleil.. Just thinking about her in certain positions was absolutely delicious~. Azula loved it. She'd completely and utterly dominate her, showing her who she belonged to, so that she'd never even look towards another person! The only name that Soleil would remember... would be Azulas.
"Tomorrow, early in the morning." The princess spoke pleasantly, acting as if there wasn't anything particular in mind. "So, you ought to get packed.. now. The ship will be ready early, and so we need to be prepared and punctual."
~
The next day came quickly. Everyone was packed and on the ship now. "I'm sick of boats." Mai complained, looking as bored and uninterested as always. "Aw c'mon Mai. Look, we're almost there!" Ty Lee grinned, "Aren't you excited? It's been so long since we've gone to Ember Island together!" Azula rolled her eyes a bit, but smirked somewhat nevertheless, "It's true. Father set up this vacation for us, so we may as well just enjoy it."
The boat docked quickly after, and the group got off and followed two elderly women to a vacation house. It was... small, the princess had to admit. She was used to so much more, but it didn't matter now. She'd deal with it, if she must. "It looks like the beach threw up in here." Mai muttered. "Ember Island is a special place. It helps smooth even the roughest of edges." One of the women from before explained.
"Right, right." Azula waved her words off. She didn't particularly believe in any of that stuff. Nonsense. The only things that mattered were power and strength.
...And Soleil.
"Let's go to the beach then, guys! It's been so long~. I don't know about you, but I'm going to get ready to go out!" Ty Lee hummed.

Thresh frowned gently. It was always a little sad, to see souls accept death so easily. To wish it upon themselves, to find relief in it. Of course, Thresh was glad they felt that way, because death was the path to peace, and there was absolutely nothing to be afraid of anymore. He would take care of his darling children, and help them move on. Of course he wanted them to accept their fate - but it was still a little sad, when it happened so quickly. He knew immediately by now what that meant - that life had been unkind to them, a million times over. That they had nothing left to cling to. This was not the first soul he'd come across who felt this way, but- she was most certainly the first who didn'tbelong.

"Your time has not yet come, little one." Thresh explained gently. "Though it may not seem like it now, life still has so much left to offer you. And it is your destiny to experience it."

But... how was she to get back to the human world? To her still-living body? The spirit realm had a rather one-way entrance - there was no way for souls to leave it once they entered. And yet, surely there was a way? Else why would he feel so clearly that she wasn't dead yet, that she wasn't supposed to be here?

"That's alright, Lilium. You need not think about it now. The memories will come to you when they will. You needn't force them, if it's painful." Thresh assured her. If she woke up in pain... if she didn't remember her life at all... then Thresh could guess what her life had been like. And he didn't want to force her to remember something so painful, if she wasn't ready.

He turned to her, and offered her his arm to hold onto - something to tether herself to this world with, because it sometimes took newcomers a while to get used to the workings of the forest. "Come walk with me. Let it ease your mind. My name is Thresh, and I'm one of the guides in the spirit realm."

Soleil loved this already. Honestly, the vacation house looked so terriblygaudywith its pink hues and a different decorative pattern on every surface, especially in comparison to the rather minimalistic aesthetic of the palace. And though Azula, Mai, and Zuko looked rather... unimpressed, Soleil, Lilium, and Ty Lee were already having a great time, and their energies somehow managed to balance each other out.

They headed down to the beach once they unpacked a little and changed into their beachwear (1). It was a warm and sunny afternoon, and the beach was already packed with other vacationers set up along the coast and splashing in the water. It was really quite amazing - no one as much as paid attention to them! Well, that wasn't anything new to Soleil, but for the royal siblings? It must have been an amazing, and hopefully welcome, change of pace. As they looked for a place to put down their beach towels and umbrellas, they came across two little boys building a sandcastle- and Azula kicked it down, sending the kids scurrying off in tears. (2)

"Azula!" Soleil couldn't help but reprimand, shocked. "What was that for? They're just kids."

She wanted to offer to help rebuild the sandcastle with the kids, but they'd already run off... It dampened her mood, honestly, and as they set up their towels on the sand, Soleil put hers closer to Lilium and Zuko. The sun was bright, and Soleil took out the bottle of sunscreen, applying it to her face and arms and legs. Oh- Lilium was gone for the moment or she would have asked her, and she was still mad at Azula too, so Soleil came over to Zuko with a smile, sitting down on his towel.

"Can you put some on my back?" (3)

(1) HERES SOL'S i couldn't find a pic of it on a person tho aw
(2) sldkjflsjkf soRRY IM STILL UPSET ABOUT THAT SCENE, AZULA WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN THEYRE JUST KIDS SOBS
(3) DW LADY IM NOT STEALING YOUR MAN IM JUST LOWKEY TRYING TO MAKE AZULA JEALOUS

[[hehehehe AZULA IS GONNA LOVE THE SWIMSUIT. ALSO DONT WORRY DUDE B) YOU CAN BORROW ZUKO B) bwahahaha ]]

"If I'm not dead, why am I here?" Lilium questioned. The woman supposed that this spirit didn't know, either. It seemed to take him by surprise as well, so... asking questions wouldn't really help, now would it? ...Was she stuck here? It seemed liked a nice enough place. But if she wasn't dead.. wasn't her real body somewhere in the normal world? Home...? Did she even have one of those? Why couldn't she remember...
The woman took comfort in Thresh's words, though. He was right. She could remember in time. Until then.. she could explore this world, couldn't she? It was so different from the one she once knew...
Taking Thresh's arm, the woman followed after him..
~
"A-Ah-!" Lilium cried out in shock and fear, seeing a massive... white wolf sort of spirit, with large teeth. He was hiding behind some large rock, for whatever reason. The wolf cried out fearfully too, though, which confused the woman. "W-What do you mean, ah! I'm the one who should be afraid!" She demanded. Good thing Thresh was nearby, having told her that he'd lead her where she wanted to go. She didn't know much about this world, and suggested exploring in an attempt to learn more about her past.
"WOLF IS SCARED BY HUMAN. WOLF DID NOT EXPECT HUMAN." The wolf spoke, and that's when a young girl in a mask came by. "Wolf! I found you again... You're really bad at hide and seek. You keep making too much noise. ...Oh, hello, human. Why are you here? Your time has not yet come, right? ..." The girl mused. "WOLF IS CONFUSED AS WELL. HUMAN SMELLS ALIVE." Lilium had no idea who these were, but .. they seemed friendly enough. "Are you better at hide and seek than wolf is? Let's play, human!" The girl hummed.
"My name is Lilium, not 'human', ... and what? Hide and seek? Why don't you ask Thresh to play?" Lilium smiled pleasantly. "THRESH IS SCARY. WOLF DOES NOT-" The girl nudged the wolf, and he instantly stopped speaking, causing the woman to laugh. "Thresh would be great at trying to find us. Well ? Count to ten!"

Azula changed into her beachwear quickly enough. It wasn't long before the group was ready and left the small house to go out to the beach. Nothing about the beach really interested the princess, but she supposed she could enjoy herself... Besides, Soleil was there, wearing a revealing outfit, all for her. Right? Surely she wasn't wearing such a thing for anyone else. (Well, technically, she was wearing it because it was just the normal thing to wear at the beach, but it was nice to think this way nevertheless...)
The princess wasn't sure what to say, in all honesty. She looked over the woman, eyes glimmering mischievously. "It looks nice. It would look nicer on my floor, though." She murmured softly against Soleil's ear when she had the chance to do so. With a smirk, Azula pulled away and walked forward, pretending as if nothing had happened. ...Had she liked that? Either way, her words were true. She looked.. quite ravishing, in all honesty, and it made the princess's mind run wild...
Unfortunate that they would have to go to the beach now, with everyone. It was a public place, too, so... ugh. All those guys that thought themselves so cool were looking at HER Soleil. How dare they taint her with their disgusting gazes? Azula had half a mind to burn them to the ground-! With narrowed eyes, the princess stormed ahead, feeling angry and irritated. Without thinking too much about it, she kicked some little sandcastle that was being build by a bunch of kids. They ran off crying, but Azula didn't give it a second thought.
Soleil, though.. she was suddenly angry. Surprised, but not showing it, the princess retorted , "So ? They can go build another one. It wasn't good anyway." This didn't seem to please the woman at all, and Azula watched - in surprise and shock - as Soleil left to go sit with her brother instead.
What...?
But... why? Was this really all because of a stupid sand castle? Or had Soleil always preferred her brother? Did she think him attractive like that? A bunch of girls were fawning over him, while he was shirtless.
Why did... this make her heart ache? She felt weak, and she hated it. It wasn't fair. She couldn't stand this, seeing Soleil with her brother. Had she really done something so wrong to deserve this? Those kids had been crying, but..
...Maybe it wasn't such a good thing to do. If anyone else had scolded her, she probably wouldn't have cared, but ..
With a sigh, the princess rubbed at her arm involuntarily, trying to think of what to do. Turning away from her brother and the one she loved, as she couldn't bear to see them together, Azula went off to a little stand at the side of the beach. "I want you to go give all those kids ice cream. I'll pay for it." The princess tossed a bunch of coins onto the stand - perhaps too much even - and then stormed off, leaving the man confused but pretty pleased nevertheless. Now those kids would stop crying, at least... And, surprisingly, the princess felt a little ... nicer.
Lilium, who had seen the whole ordeal, walked back to Zuko and Soleil, giving a smile, "I think she's trying to fix things, in her own way. Look." The woman pointed as the ice cream seller handed out ice cream to all of the children he could find on the beach.

[[dUDE HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO BE MAD AT AZULA WHEN SHE IS THIS PRECIOUS SOBS THIS ENTIRE REPLY WAS SOOOO PERFECT SLDJFSLKDJFLSKFJ]]

Thresh laughed. Lilium was so cute, in her shock, in her fear! Of course, he wouldn't have laughed had she been in any actual danger, but he knew Kindred well, and knew that Wolf would not hurt her, so he allowed himself to enjoy this moment. And as Wolf spoke, Lilium seemed to realise this as well. Sure, Wolf looked scary, and after her grievous encounter with that malevolent spirit when she first arrived in this realm, it was no wonder that she was frightened.

"There's no need to be afraid." Thresh reassured her. Even though Lamb's appearance surely comforted her, maybe hearing it from Thresh would be good, too. He sighed, "Kindred, you really should be more careful. It's not the first time you've shocked someone while playing games."

They both noticed immediately, too, that there was something off about Lilium, that she was not yet supposed to be here. Thresh wondered whether they knew anything about this... condition. Lamb and Wolf were, after all, the only spirits who really traversed between this realm and the human one. If anyone knew how to help Lilium back to her world, it would surely be them.

"Actually, I've been meaning to ask-" Thresh began, but he was immediately cut off by Lamb nudging him in the side and begging him to play. He sighed, deeply, at this childish notion, but he also knew Kindred well enough that they would not let up until he gave in. Besides... Lilium had been consumed with unease all this time, at this strange situation. Perhaps a small game would help her relax...? It certainly wouldn't hurt, in any case, especially when she was the one who suggested dragging Thresh into this game.

He ran a hand through his hair, again sighing, as if to make a big deal out of his reluctance, even though he realised... it might be fun, actually. "Fine," Thresh agreed, and smirked, completely confident, "But once I win - you'll answer all our questions. Well then... Ten. Nine. Eight..." He closed his eyes as he began to count down suddenly, and paid attention to the sound of hurried footsteps running in all directions around him. When he finished the countdown, he opened his eyes and announced, "Ready or not, here I come."

Soleil looked up when Lilium pointed out that scene, with Azula by the ice cream stand. Well, she was storming off already, coming back to where she'd set up her towel, but it was clear what she had done. Oh... Lilium was right. Soleil felt the anger in her melt away a little, replaced by a certain sense of guilt instead. Well, it's not that she regretted doing what she did, but... she hadn't really meant to hurt Azula, either. And seeing her like this was a little hard on the heart. Though she looked as fierce as ever, Soleil could see her insecurities, her guilt, from the cracks in her facade.

That wasn't... unexpected. Soleil knew that Azula had her ways, ways that had been drilled into her from a young age from the environment she was raised in. Something like kicking down a sandcastle probably didn't even register to her as an offence, but it was clear now, that with some reflection, she could set things right. And that's what really mattered.

"Thanks." Soleil said and stood up when Zuko finished applying sunscreen to her back. He and Lilium set up an umbrella to sit under, to hide from the sun, but it'd be good for them to pun some sunscreen on as well. She'd leave them to that, though~ As for Soleil, she had something else to attend to...

"Did you put on sunscreen? Firebenders burn, too." She said gently as she came over to Azula. She didn't quite know what to say - she didn't think she needed to apologise for calling her out, and she figured that buying the kids ice cream was Azula's apology. That was alright - they could just go back to how things were and make up, without directly apologising. It was a stupid fight, after all. So Soleil was testing the waters now, and when Azula didn't push her away, she kneeled down on her towel and took out the tube of sunscreen.

"Here, let me. I'll do your back."

[[DUDE I WAS WORRIED ITS NOT REALLY WHAT YOU WANTED SO IM SO GLAD YOU LIKED THE REPLY OMG]]

Lilium laughed aloud, eyes twinkling with delight. When was the last time she'd played a game-? Actually... she couldn't remember ever having played hide and seek before. But she must have.. right? As a child, growing up.. did she even have any siblings to play with? Friends she had left behind? The woman couldn't remember, but at the back of her mind, and in her heart.. she thought she might have been very lonely in her normal life.
Perhaps all of this was just a long dream, to give her the things she hadn't been able to experience in her real life. Part of her never wanted to wake up...
"Aw, come on, Thresh." The woman pleaded, "Play a game with us. Please? Please?" She grinned the entire time, mostly asking him playfully as he ran a hand through his hair. Though.. he suddenly agreed, and wasted no time in his countdown. "O-Oh! Quickly now." Lilium whispered to Lamb and Wolf as they all ran off in different directions. "WOLF CAN'T HIDE IN SUCH SHORT TIME. THRESH IS UNFAIR." Wolf cried out, but went ahead anyway to find some place to hide.
Lilium had run ahead, quickly enough, she thought. She was some ways away from Thresh, so now she could sneak around and find a good spot to hide... Hopefully, he'd go after Lamb or Wolf first, giving her more time!
Hm.. Oh! That tree looked perfect for climbing, and Thresh was still a ways away! The woman quickly ran into a deeper part of the forest, with trees more densely together, and then climbed one hidden by another, taller one. There! She was obscured by the leaves as well, at least.. she hoped so! This had to be a perfect hiding spot!
Delighted, the woman tried to stay perfectly still, not allowing herself to be given away so easily.... She HAD to at least beat Wolf in this!

Azula felt terrible. An array of different emotions all mixing up inside of her, brewing into quite the mess. But mostly, she was angry. Not at Soleil, not at the annoying little children... No, just at herself. And that fact only irritated her even more. How could she, the proud princess of the Fire Nation, be angry at herself? And over something so.. pathetic? Wasn't she stronger than this? The irritation probably showed on her face, because as the princess sat alone on a towel some ways away, people began to go through the trouble of walking further away from her. Did she look .. like a monster? Was her anger that intense?
The princess tried to justify her actions in her mind. But she couldn't. Soleil had been right. Even if she didn't care for kids, that's all they were in the end. Kids. They were annoying and cried a lot, but they didn't do any wrong... Perhaps it was just Azula's jealous. She didn't have many happy memories of her childhood, so why should these kids get to laugh and smile and have fun? ... That's what she had thought initially, she supposed, but now saw her wrong. No, she couldn't take that out on other children... Right? They didn't even know who she was...
With an angered sigh, the woman leaned back, attempting to look less like a glowering angry woman and more like someone who was simply enjoying the beach. She'd always been good at hiding her emotions, but now, when she knew her brother was putting sunscreen all over her Soleil... she just got angry all over again. The princess couldn't even get angry at Zuko for this, as much as she wanted to be. She knew Soleil was the one who had asked...
Azula blinked out of her thoughts when she heard Soleil. Oh...
She didn't know what to say, but she.. she was happy. Almost too happy, in all honesty. Her whole body seemed to fill with a strange warmth. She came back for her? Maybe she forgave her actions from earlier?
Without saying another word, the princess (surprisingly obediently) leaned forward so that Soleil could put sunscreen on her back. With each movement of her hand, she felt more and more at ease, more and more comfortable.. until she finally took a small breath, and spoke quietly, "I didn't mean what I did. I did it without thinking. But you were... right." She stared blankly into the distance, pondering over her own words, but decided to stop there.

Thresh was good at hide and seek - at least the seeking part. He gave in and played with Kindred every couple of decades, when they begged him so for a playmate. Even with his eyes closed, as he counted down, he knew where to look for them, at least which direction to go in. It was his duty, after all, to find the frightened souls wandering the spirit realm - running from him - and take them to their new home. So yes, he was a master seeker. But now unlike a parent giving in and playing with his children, to let them have their fun, he wandered first in another direction, making sure not to find anyone yet.

But Wolf was large, and loud, and had a hard time hiding behind even the larger trees. It would have been work for Thersh to pretendnotto see him. "Found you~" He sang, and laughed at the spirit's reaction. Lamb was next - she couldn't contain a giggle at Wolf's reaction, and though she was quiet about it, it led Thresh to her. There... just one more.

"My, my, where has my little songbird gone off to?" Thresh mused out loud as he walked, searching for her without any rush whatsoever. He stood now, below the tree that she had climbed, and paused as if lost in thought, mulling over where to look for her next. Should he look up now, and find her, and bring this game to an end? Or wander around some more, and give her the satisfaction of having been nearly caught - but not yet?

And then- oh! The sudden rustle of leaves alerted Thresh just in time, and he outstretched his arms to catch Lilium exactly as she fell from the tree in some unlucky misstep. It took him a fraction of a second for his mind to catch up with his body, and he erupted into a grin as he looked down at the woman now nestled in his arms.

"It seems you fell for me pretty hard." He teased.

Soleil rubbed the sunscreen into her skin. The lotion was cool, especially in comparison to Azula's already sun-warmed body. It was nice to touch her like this, the body she knew so well, she loved so well. She was honestly surprised at Azula's words when she spoke quietly after a while, that she didn't mean it, that she did it without thinking. She'd never seen her quite like this before, looking ahead, lost in thought. Apologetic, even if reluctant.

"I know. And you made it up for them, that's what matters. You did good." Soleil said gently.

She finished with the sunscreen, now, and still positioned behind her, she leaned forward to press a kiss against the princess' cheek, to steal a kiss from the corner of her lips. There... would everything be alright now? She hoped Azula still felt how much she loved her, even if this... incident dampened things for a slight moment. But her good mood was back, and she, playful, leaned against Azula's shoulder.

"But what, you didn't get me an ice cream?" She half joked, half whined, and her own words made her really want an ice cream now. Soleil climbed up to her feet and reached out a hand to pull Azula up as well, and well, didn't let go of her hand. It was fine for them to walk around the beach holding hands, right? Something so simple, but something they had to keep secret in the palace...

They ordered an ice cream each at the stall. The merchant recognised Azula from quarter of an hour ago, and since she'd paid him more than enough then - he insisted, of course, to give them their portions for "free". "How much did you even pay before?" Soleil laughed. (1)

(1) dude do you know this meme? bwahahaha. i think azula's exactly the same, she has no idea how much things cost bc she comes from a rich family and unlike zuko has no experience working in a tea shop xD

[[ dude threshs reply T_T was the cutest thing everrr djkdhkjdh ugh dude "my little songbird" is the best thing ever im dying and the way he caught her kfd lkjdlkdj dl im dying i love you and i love him and i love how you play him sobs; also that meme xddd is SO AZULA LOL ]]

This is the perfect hiding spot. He'll never find me. I know it! Lilium thought to herself with a wide grin, quite proud of herself in all honesty. It was really difficult to hold back her giggles-! Oh.. she could hear wolf in the distance, "THRESH HAS FOUND ME. WOLF IS VERY BAD AT HIDING. LAMB SAYS SO TOO." The woman had to stifle another laugh. It looks like Wolf had already been found! And... oh, "LAMB IS FOUND TOO. LAMB COULD NOT STOP FROM LAUGHING." Oh! So this meant that Lilium was the last person in the game still! How wonderful~ So.. she managed to beat Kindred at their own game! (Lilium wouldn't even consider the fact that maybe Thresh felt bad for her and decided to find her last. Nope. She was just great at this game, for sure!)
And then... the woman could hear Thresh calling out to her. "My, my, where has my little songbird gone off to?" C-Cute! How cute-! Lilium's face heat up a little bit, and she peeked down a bit to watch as Thresh walked around her tree. He wasn't looking up at her... but he was lingering around her tree for a suspiciously long time. Hm... Oh, but maybe he really hadn't seen her yet? Suppressing another laugh, the woman moved - just a tiny bit - but then realized that was the wrong move.
"O-Oh-!" She suddenly fell out of her hiding spot, and closed her eyes, bracing herself for incoming impact.. but that never came. "H-Hm?" She peeked around, then realized that.. oh. Thresh had caught her in his arms. Her face instantly turned a bright shade of pink. "H-Huh? I did! I mean, I-I didn't mean to! I-I... uh.. I-I mean it's true- w-wait! N-Nevermind.." She looked everywhere except the man holding her, unable to look into those gorgeous eyes of his.
After a short moment, she peered up at him, albeit shyly, and spoke up, "I-It was a pretty good hiding spot though, wasn't it-?" She gave a sheepish grin.

The feeling of Soleil's hands against Azula's warmer skin was... pleasant. Perhaps too pleasant. She felt herself relax under her touch, and let out another breath of air. It was nice. This was nice. Even though the princess.. had did something bad, had made Soleil upset, she still came back to her. It was nice. Nice to know that she hadn't pushed her away. For the first time, she had felt fear, and.. well, Azula didn't very much like that feeling. It was possibly the worst emotion she's ever had to face. She'd rather not have to ... experience that again, so she would... try to do better, she supposed.
"I see." It was all she could say in reply to Soleil's words, but they did make her feel better, somehow.
Comfort. Soleil had always been good at it, but Azula was not really one for it. She'd never really given it, nor received it, so it was still a new feeling. When it came to things like this, she couldn't find the words to reply... she did hope that Soleil knew - at least somewhat - that she was pleased, though. Could she tell? She seemed to be the only person who could truly read her.
It was upsetting when the woman finished applying her sunscreen. She rather liked it, and it had almost made her feel totally at ease. Almost. There were still plenty of things on her mind, and honestly, some of these thoughts were beginning to scare her. But when the one person she truly loved leaned forward and suddenly gave her a quick kiss, the woman's eyes widened. (1) Just a bit. Perhaps it wasn't even noticeable, to those who didn't know the princess. Strange... they'd kissed before, multiple times, and this was very small in comparison to those they'd shared, and yet... why did it feel so pleasant?
Again, Azula wasn't really sure what to say, or how to react. The surprise made her feel weak, but in a good way.
"Well, I-" She paused, almost having said something about how she thought Soleil didn't want to talk to her, or even be with her anymore. But now that all seemed silly... and wouldn't she look dumb if she admitted to such a great fear? She didn't want to say it aloud.
"Of course, we can get ice cream." She finally said, slowly taking Soleil's hand and standing up. Soleil didn't let go of her hand , either, so... they walked together like that. "Hm? I don't know. Aren't these things like, twenty silver each? It's nothing." The vendor seemed a bit shocked at this statement, but didn't have the chance to comment.
"It melts too fast." Azula muttered in slight annoyance and some began to drip down her cone already. It wasn't often that she had something... 'childish' like ice cream, but it wasn't bad.

(1) I imagine Azula to look like this!! Right now B)

Thresh laughed, a deep laugh from his belly with all his joy, at Lilium's reaction. H-how cute! The red hue on her face was not only gorgeous, it also made something stir within him, like a shameless sort of pride thathecould get such a reaction out of her. Or- was she really just embarrassed at having fallen out, regardless of who it was that caught her? The way she spluttered, and the way she peeked up at him once she'd calmed down a bit... oh, why did the sight make him so happy?

"It was." He assured her. "It was a much better hiding place than Wolf's, that's for sure." He laughed again, and then realised that he was still holding her in his arms.

Her smaller frame was of no weight to him at all, and the way she leaned against his chest was really... sweet, actually. Thresh would be happy to carry her like this all the time, and never set her back down on to the ground again. But he realised, too, that he'd been holding her for quite a while now, to the point that she might start to question it. So, loathe as he was to release her, Thresh lowered her back down to stand on the ground, and then ruffled her hair fondly. "That was a good game."

Wolf and Lamb skipped over to them. "Let's play again!" Lamb insisted, but Thresh tsked.

"Not now. I have something important to talk to you about, remember?" Thresh said calmly, and they sighed, but agreed, looking on with curiosity despite wanting to play another round of the game. Thresh put a hand on Lilium's shoulder. "You've realised it too, already, that Lilium is not supposed to be here yet. Her body is still alive, but her soul has traversed to our realm. As you are the ones who link her world and ours, perhaps you know of a way to bring her back home."

"Aw, you gotta eat it quicker." Soleil grinned, and then let out a squeal--eek!-- as she felt her own ice cream drip down onto her hand. She should have taken her own advice!

Really though, as wonderful as the ice cream was in this hot weather, it melted far too quickly, just as Azula had said. It was harder to lick it off since she just had one hand free, but- Soleil wasn't willing to let go of Azula's hand for something like this. But oh... this was fun, wasn't it? As she angled her head to try and lick the melting ice cream off her cone before it dripped further down her hand, she felt so silly, sochildish, that she couldn't help the happiness that came with it. It was really nice to be walking on the beach, hand in hand with her girlfriend, racing against time as they tried to finish the ice cream before it melted. So wonderfulnormal.

"Hey, pass the ball!" A young man's voice called out, as a volleyball bounced towards them.

A group was playing volleyball just a little ways away, one of them must have served it too far out of court. The girls were still holding hands, but... they really couldn't pass it back like this, so Soleil let go, and picked up the ball, tossing it into the air for Azula to hit back to them, with as amazing a shot as expected.

[[ughhhhhhhhhh hes soooooo cute.]]

Lilium laughed, the light pink hue still ever present upon her features. "Wolf is too big to hide, how silly." Kindred was incredibly cute... were they really 'death'? It didn't seem like it at all, but this realization made the woman realize that maybe 'death' shouldn't be seen as something so terribly scary.. Rather, a gateway to a world of peace. Was that it? The spirit realm looked beautiful, and it held many wonderful spirits. The woman was glad she could experience this, for whatever reason... She still could not remember her past, nor what could have possibly brought her here, especially if it wasn't her time to pass...
Honestly, the woman was.. comfortable and warm in Thresh's arms, so the fact that he hadn't let her go yet was a delight. She wouldn't mind staying like this... God. What was she thinking? Could she have possibly fallen for him-?
After a moment longer, the man set her down, and even ruffled her hair a little bit. Lilium involuntarily pouted, just a bit, but mostly to hide from the fact that she was blushing. Again.
"WOLF HAS NEVER MET SOMEONE LIKE THIS HUMAN BEFORE." Wolf pointed out, to which Lamb nodded. "There is a possibility... that she could be in a very long sleep." She murmured, "But the Kindred cannot interact with humans who are not marked to pass. So if she really is asleep.. then if she were to wake up, on her own, she should be able to return home." Lamb wasn't sure, though. "WOLF GETS IT NOW!"
"We can check on her, when we are able to, to see if she really is asleep. But other than that.. it is not her time, and we cannot do much."
Lilium frowned. "But why would I be asleep for so long? ..I can't remember anything. Do you mean a coma?" What if she never woke up? ...Perhaps then she'd stay in this world until she was marked to die from Kindred, right? That... that wasn't so bad... But she really wanted to remember-!

Azula rolled her eyes - not unkindly - at Soleil's little mishap. "You have to eat it quicker." She said, using the woman's words from earlier with a small smirk. The princess watched with amusem*nt - and a strange sort of warmth - as her love leaned down to try to lick off the ice cream that was already melting. It was... cute of her. "Really, they should make these things last longer." Now, the princess was perfect in many things. Warfare, fighting, and so, so much more. But when it came to things like this... well, it was obvious that she had no idea how ice cream was made, and how it wasn't really possible to make it 'last longer'. Well... to Azula, it sounded like it should be able to be done. Why not? Why couldn't someone come up with a way to make these childish snacks last longer in hot weather?!
Deciding not to think much more about it, Azula ate her ice cream without another word, noting, instead, how Soleil refused to let go of her hand no matter what. ...Which was incredibly nice. Involuntarily, the woman looked down to see their hands still connected. Like this, nothing would be able to part them, even the fiercest of warriors, the toughest of assassins, even the blow of --
Oh.
Soleil let go to pick up a volleyball, causing the princess to have... well, a rather silly expression on her features. Almost like an angry pout. So much for nothing breaking their hand holding. ...Oh well, the princess realized. It was alright. After all... they didn't need to hold hands every second for them to love each other... right? Wasn't that true? Even after she had upset Soleil earlier, she had come back... so..
The princess let out an inaudible breath of air. Soleil loved her. Sometimes she had to remind herself of this.
"Hah. A little game like this? We are an unstoppable team. Do they really think they stand a chance?" With a smirk, she watched as Soleil tossed the ball in the air, and she easily hit it back to the group ahead. Pathetic! "Let's play. We can ruin their pathetic little lives! ...By winning this game."

Thresh frowned, thoughtfully, as he listened to Lamb explain what she thought might be the case. He knew more or less what she meant by a long sleep - in any case, it wasn't the regular sort of sleep that all humans went through - so that could very well be a possibility. Maybe she would wake up on her own, somehow? It wasn't unheard of, but the fact remained that, although her body was alive, her soul was in the spirit realm. Thresh knew that some humans remained in this very long sleep for a while - some who woke up, and some who woke up in the spirit realm instead - but their spirits hadneverappeared here, not while their bodies were still alive.

What was it that made Lilium so different? And was there any possibility of her returning to her body? Actually... would that... even be so bad? If she stayed here forever, and never went back there. Thresh had lost track of how much time had passed since she'd arrived in this realm, but it already felt like an eternity, and he didn't want to imagine what his life would be like without her here. He'd come to treasure her so dearly over the time they'd spent together...

"And you can't take her with you, to travel to the human world?" Thresh asked, though he knew already what the answer would be. It was futile, but he had to ask anyway, for any slim possibility that it might allow it.

"Please do check on her, when you can. Just to make sure. Perhaps her mark is small?" Again, Thresh knew that was not really a possibility, but then again, Lilium was the first case any of them had ever met - there had to besomethingdifferent about her passing, or lack thereof. And checking even the smallest details would be important.

He turned to Lilium with a half smile. "Don't worry," he assured her, "We'll do everything we can to get you back to where you're supposed to be."

Once that round of the volleyball game was over, and Soleil and Azula had long since finished their ice creams, the court freed up and they called over their friends. Mai came reluctantly, but she came nonetheless, and everyone else seemed fairly excited as well. They huddled up and Azula, as observant and strategic as ever, pointed out a weakness in one of their opponents, and therefore - a weakness in the opposing team's defence. It all felt a little too intense for a what was supposed to be a friendly game of beach volleyball, but even Soleil got into it as her teammates served and hit the ball with as much strength as when fighting an enemy. It was an easy match - they won without ever letting the opposing team get an advantage in points.

A group of four young men, who'd been watching them play volleyball from the sidelines, approached the group once the game was over. Zuko and Azula were talking about something together, a couple steps back from the rest of their friends, and it seemed like the opportune moment for Chan - and his three friends - one of whom was eyeing Lilium - to ask. (1)

"Hey girls. We're having a party at my house tomorrow night. You should come."

"Oh! That sounds fun!" Ty Lee piped up, and her charms sent nearly the whole group falling over with heart eyes.

"Uh, aren't you going to invite me and my brother?" Came Azula's flat reply, teetering somewhere between danger and annoyance. Zuko, angry, nearly stormed into the man sending looks at Lilium, thankfully stopped just in time with a calming hand on his shoulder.

Chan sighed. "Fine, I guess you can come." He relented, and Soleil frowned. It really was quite rude of him to try to only invite part of their group, when they were so clearly all together!

(1) ayyy i'm putting in this scene, I'm gonna play Azula a lil but that's just from the tv show so i hope thats fine! also cue angry zuko for a guy flirting with lilium ~

[[Did the font change on here?? its so weird im not used to it xd]]

"We cannot bring a mortal back once they arrive here." Lamb mused. Perhaps they could bring another spirit, like Thresh himself, but... Lilium? Kindred was sure that it wasn't possible.
Lilium didn't seem all that upset about it, though.. Maybe she should have been, but... "I don't mind being stuck here. I quite like it." She grinned, though said nothing afterwards. Part of her didn't want to learn about her past... Ugh, this was so confusing! But maybe if Kindred found her real body, maybe they'd learn something new about her?
~
Yone hadn't seen anything like this before. A mortal, trapped in the spirit realm? How odd. "Behind these gates lie the residence of those damned for all of eternity. You shouldn't be wondering around here, even with the warden of souls by your side." The man sneered a bit at Thresh; they'd never gotten along very well. "A fragile, pretty little human shouldn't be near here... Unless you'd like to hear their screams, hm?" A small smirk played on his lips, though he said nothing else.
Lilium frowned a bit. She.. had wanted to explore the spirit realm a little more, especially after hearing Thresh mention an array of other spirits that helped mortals throughout their lives. The man had told her she was free to look around as she pleased, and that he'd watch over her, lest anything happened... But, well, the last place she wanted to be was near the very gates of Hell.
This man, too, was.. strange. He looked at her with an odd, unreadable expression.
"Well, I didn't necessarily mean to end up here.." The woman retorted, staying close to Thresh as she eyed the gates before her warily.
"Oh? Perhaps you'd like a tour, in that case?" Yone laughed aloud, though it almost sounded cunning rather than joyful. What an odd sense of humor... "N-No thanks." The woman managed quickly. The last thing she wanted was to go through the abode of the eternally damned. Not exactly the place you'd visit for a field trip...

Azula smirked. "We'll be there." She said to the group of men, then turned away. The princess could use this opportunity to her advantage... already, her strategic mind was coming up with a rather delicious little plan.. Not too long ago, she'd seen Soleil and her brother together. She knew now that her brother had no intention of stealing her away, but... the sight had.. made the woman.. a little jealous. Probably. She'd never admit it aloud, but...
...Wouldn't it be nice to see if Soleil got jealous over her? Wasn't that the ultimate symbol of affection-? To see someone fighting over Azula~. The thought seemed nice enough, and... it was okay, wasn't it? It's not like she'd do anything major or wrong.
~
"Huh? You're ... like, super early." Chan mused when everyone arrived at his door. "We are punctual. You said you'd have your party in the evening, and it's evening. See? No sunlight to be seen." At these words, Chan deadpanned, but let the ground in nevertheless. "Well, make yourselves at home. Just.. don't break anything."
The house started to fill slowly, and, eventually, there wasn't even much space to walk around. No matter. Soleil was speaking to Lilium nearby - which , again, made the princess feel jealous - so it was the perfect time to put her plan into place.
"Hey there. Shen is your name, right? You're pretty cool, Shen. You'd best be careful. You could freeze over an entire army , causing them to collapse of Hypothermia. ..Because of how cool you are." ..Why didn't Shen look amused? Was she doing this right? ...She had to be! When asking Ty Lee earlier, she mentioned giving 'lots of compliments'... Wasn't this good enough?
But the man before her seemed to have other ideas.
"Hm? I am pretty cool, aren't I? Yeah, I get that a lot." Shen smirked, suddenly coming closer to Azula. The woman blinked, a rather disgusted expression spreading across her features. The man didn't seem to notice.
"Mm.. now that I look at you more closely, you're pretty cute. I wouldn't mind a one nighter with you. That's what you wanted, right? Coming onto me like that~."
Azula mentally gagged. Ugh, she instantly regret this. She hadn't even said anything major. Just that he was cool. What was he even doing? Attempting to talk to the princess of the fire nation like this? Absolutely disgusting, disgraceful! But... she couldn't exactly reveal her position to him. Not now. No one knew who they were.
The woman glanced back at Soleil, wondering if she was watching, wondering if she... would feel a little jealous, seeing a guy come close to her like this. ...The man was still talking to her, clearly flirting, but.. Azula barely heard what he was saying. She'd deal with him in a bit. All she needed was for her love to notice..

[[Yeah it got bigger it shocked me too!! You can change the font size in settings --> display! Also here's Sol's outfit for the party more or less hehehe]]

Thresh was beginning to regret his offer to Lilium.Yes,he'd told her she was free to explore the spirit realm however she wanted, and that he'd accompany her anywhere, but this was honestly the last place Thresh wanted her to be at: the gates of Hell. But he wouldn't go back on his word to her, and besides - he'd much rather accompany her than to let her wander around here on her own. Not to mention, he didn't like the way Yone looked at her. They'd never gotten along, so it really wasn't a surprise that he didn't trust him around Lilium.

"Don't frighten the poor thing." Thresh all but snapped at the white haired man, and then turned to Lilium to reassure her. "Nothing's going to happen to you, I guarantee. Yone here thinks highly of himself, but he wouldn't stand a chance against me. And as long as the gates are closed, you'll be safe. Don't leave my side." As long as she didn't wander up too close to them, and Yone didn't open them up before her, there was no way Lilium would be taken down... there.

Actually, was it even possible for her to pass on, anywhere? She couldn't go back into the human world, but could she pass on as the other spirits had, whether with him, or Ahri, or Yone? Or was she stuck in the spirit realm as if in a kind of limbo, neither alive nor dead, but somewhere in between with no chance of moving on until... whatever it was that had happened was sorted?

"I promise I'm a hundred times more interesting than Thresh." Yone looked at the her, amused. "If you're bored of him, I'd be more than happy to take you in, and show you the spirit realm from my perspective. What do you say, little one?"

"You speak a lot for someone who with such an empty head. Lilium's not going anywhere with you." Thresh snarled, which caused Yone to laugh.

Honestly, Thresh wasn't even sure what to make of this situation. Did Yone really take such an interest in Lilium? He wouldn't blame him for that - she was beautiful, and cute, and her... unique quality of being caught between life and death was more than enough to pique interest, curiosity. Or, was Yone just trying to get under Thresh's skin? They'd never gotten along, and the guardian of hell had a particular talent for rubbing Thresh the wrong way. Did he see, perhaps, just how dear Lilium was to him, and he wanted to take her from him just for the satisfaction of doing so? If so - it was working.

Annoyed, but trying his best to keep a neutral face and not show it, Thresh put a hand on Lilium's shoulder. "Come on. There's still a lot of other places to see."

"Aw, but you just arrived. Stay with me a bit longer. Tell me about yourself. Lilium, was it?" Yone kept calm, wearing that infuriating self-satisfied expression as he spoke to the woman.

So... they'd arrived at the party much too early, but that was alright! They had each other to talk to, after all, and slowly other guests began to fill in, and soon enough the party was a lively affair, with drinks and food and buzzes of conversation.

"Wait, really? Zuko did that? Oh my-- Lilium! That's soooo sweet!" Soleil aww'd as she spoke with Lilium, listening to her recount their first date back in Ba Sing Se, before Soleil had even met her. They were talking over at the side of the party, leaning up against a wall, just as friends did.

It was then that she heard Azula's voice carry through amidst the other conversations, and she turned to look for her, and spotted her talking to a young man not too far away. She hadn't heard exactly what she'd said, but... didn't it almost seem... like she was flirting with him? She'd called himcool, hadn't she? Oh... that sent a pit to Soleil stomach, dark and writhing, and she watched them for a moment, as discreetly as she could. Did Azula like him, even a little bit...? Soleil was a woman, and he was a man, so... there were some things he could give her, that she couldn't, and the thought unnerved her.

The man - Shen, if she remembered correctly - leaned forward, far too close to Azula for Soleil's liking, and she saw the change in Azula's expression from coy to angry, though she repressed it as he continued to flirt with her, invading her personal space. Ugh, what was Soleil supposed to do? She knew very well that Azula could deal with him herself, if she didn't want his attention. If she wasn't pushing him away, threatening to burn him, did that- mean- that she liked him-? Why wasn't she doing anything-?

Insecure and angry as she watched Shen lean against the wall, as if pinning Azula between it and him, Soleil couldn't take it anymore. She could dress up her emotions with a pleasant smile and cheerful demeanor, but the seething anger within her forced her forward, and she mumbled a half-hearted apology to Lilium as she left her side.

"Azula! There you are~" Soleil came over with that forced cheerfulness, wedging herself in between them, and hugged Azula's arm against her chest.She looked at Shen with a dangerous glimmer in her eye, a challenging sort of smile. "Who's your friend?"

[[ohhh pfft thanks for telling me, i didnt know XD Also her outfit is so beautiful awwwww~ AND I LOVE HOW SOL IS HUGGING AZULA. THIS IS GREAT]]

Maybe this wasn't the best place to explore after all. In all honesty, it seemed like Thresh and Yone didn't get along very well.. "I'm sure Thresh is the strongest spirit here." Lilium said with a knowing nod, but even she couldn't tell if she was simply doing this to get on Yone's nerves, or because she truly believed it. ...Maybe a bit of both.
In any case, Lilium wouldn't leave Thresh's side. She trusted him, far more than she'd ever trust this gate keeper of hell. Actually, didn't it seem like he could be the humanization of Satan himself-? Causing trouble and mischief by little whispers here and there...
She supposed there had to be someone to bring the souls of the damned in. They'd never willingly go into Hell, right? Still, Yone seemed like a troublesome one. Maybe he just disliked Thresh? "I'd rather not be anywhere near Hell. I can only imagine what sort of people are in there..." The souls of murderers, people who took pleasure in killing the innocent? God, the woman didn't want to think about it at all. It really did make her feel uneasy, but she tried not to show it too much. If she stayed by Thresh, she'd be safe, wouldn't she?
It seemed Thresh wanted to leave already, which was more than alright with Lilium. But.. "I don't even remember much about myself." She replied to Yone, eyeing him carefully. "Maybe.. do you know anything about me..?" She murmured. If he was the guard of Hell, wouldn't he know all those that had gone in? ...Did she have anyone ..? Maybe related to her, or anything of the sort... In this horrid place? God, she hoped not, but that was always a possibility, wasn't it?
The woman instantly regret asking. She realized soon enough that she didn't want to know. Even if it could help jog her memory, she didn't wish to remember her past. She didn't even know why, she just felt.. as if it were terribly sad. And, for a split second when she blinked, she felt a sudden fear; an image of a dark shadow, someone hurting her. What was that-?
Feeling afraid all of a sudden, the woman backed away without thinking, and then turned around after coming to her senses. "Let's go somewhere else~." She hummed, rushing ahead with no direction in mind.

Azula glanced back at Soleil, involuntarily pouting. Ugh... did Soleil even notice? She was talking to that weird blood-bender girl-! "...Wouldn't you like that-?~" Shen was saying when the princess turned back to him. He was way too close, and she had half a mind to burn him. ...He was insanely dense. Did he not realized he was being used for her own gain? ...Did he even notice her not paying him any attention whatsoever for the past five minutes? He was so disgustingly full of himself. "Yeah, yeah." She replied to him.. whatever it is that he said. Azula didn't exactly know. She hadn't really expected Shen to.. well, act this way when she called him cool, but whatever. It would have to work. Right?
Suddenly, Soleil was at her side, and Azula's expression lightened considerably. "Soleil." She greeted, for the first time in, well... a very long time actually feeling a sense of happiness. Not that she wasn't... happy with her, but.. this felt.. nice. As if she didn't really have anything else to worry about. "This is Zen. He likes cats." She pointed him out when Soleil asked about him.
"...It's Shen." The man piped up, "And when I said that, I wasn't talking about.. cats... Just for the record, I'm allergic to them. I hope you're not into anything weird. Wait, what's your name again?"
Azula was completely ignoring the man at this point though, too focused on Soleil, who was hugging her arm. "He was saying some very strange things earlier. That's odd isn't it?" She questioned, "Didn't you, like, come onto me? You wanted to f*ck, right?" Shen demanded, sounding irritated. "You have a real nice body and everything, but you're damn clueless.."
The princess smirked. "Who are you again? ...See, Soleil. He's been saying strange things." She stated again. "You came to me and called me cool!" Shen groaned out in irritation. "Oh? Did I say that?" Azula was having fun. The fact that Soleil actually came over... She.. she looked annoyed, too. Was she jealous?
Actually... calling someone 'cool' shouldn't lead to what this Shen did. But Azula was more than capable of handling herself, if need be, so she was never worried. She was just using him after all, as a method to see how much Soleil cared for her... and it all worked out in the end. It was.. even surprising to her, a little bit, but.. it felt nice.