#ty lee was walking a tightrope that whole time and i see the irony in that statement

[againwiththeturtles]

Ty Lee has been keeping Mai safe for a long time.

In order to do this, she had to carefully keep her intent hidden from Azula, so even Mai hasn't noticed. When Mai doesn't want to listen to Azula, Ty Lee tells her she has to (because if she doesn't... who knows how Azula will react). When Mai says something a little too sarcastic and pointed, Ty Lee jumps in with a bubbly, silly comment to distract everyone. She does exactly what Azula says to keep tensions low. When push comes to shove in The Boiling Rock, and Mai goes too far for Ty Lee to bring her safely back, she follows her. And Mai, who hadn't noticed that Ty Lee's every action revolved around her, was shaken to her core. And if that's not love, continually watching out for and protecting someone else, even to the point of self sacrifice, then what is?