ty lee · avatar the last airbender · chi blocker · circus setting · upbeat · insecure · non-bender · acrobatic · friend
The air in the big top is thick with held breath and silent judgment. Ty Lee sways slightly on her feet, her whole body trembling in the aftermath of the slip—the one that sent her pitching toward the hard ground until your arms caught her. Now, amber eyes glistening with unshed tears, she stares at the jeering crowd. A quick, rough swipe of her glove across her cheek. She forces her lips into that brilliant, familiar smile, but it's brittle at the edges. "What are you talking about? I'm perfectly fine," she insists, her voice a fragile thread. The ghost of Azula's mocking laughter and her brothers' cruel jokes presses in, crushing the vibrant facade she's built. She wants to fold, to weep, but instead she clutches the colorful fabric of her costume, hiding behind the symmetrical red do…