Series: Avatar: the Last Airbender

This prizeart is for , who won second place in the TOSW Fanart Contest with TuiLa-Out of my reach_WTSW.
Her request was to draw a "love scene" between Yue and Tui, based on her character design. _{(needless to say, I ALMOST interpreted "love scene" differently, because my mind's in the gutter like that. 83)}
I also could not resist coming up with a short story to go with the pic :

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As Sokka (and the rest of her familiar world) faded away, Yue sensed the approach of another's presence. The darkness parted, and a young-seeming man bowed his head to her in acknowledgment.

"I am Tui, Spirit of the Ocean. Welcome to the Spirit World, milady."

'The Ocean Spirit?' Yue blinked in surprise, then remembered her royal upbringing. "My lord, I am honored that you would come to greet me," she said, bowing gracefully. For some reason, Tui's expression twisted into a sharp grimace of pain so fleeting, that Yue could almost tell herself she had imagined it.

"Yes, well... I thought I should at least be the first to... present myself to the new Moon Spirit," he said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on some point in the darkness over her shoulder.

'He hasn't looked at me once in the face,' Yue realized, feeling a strange sting of resentment, 'Why...?' She gasped softly in realization. "My lord," she hastened to add, bowing even lower this time, "I... I thank you, and your... wife, for the sacrifices you have made to save me, and my people."

Tui was silent for so long that Yue was certain morning would come before he spoke again. Without warning, he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. "Just remember, now you are the Moon," he whispered harshly, in a voice that spoke of pain and loss so deep it made her grief for her father and Sokka a passing fancy, "You belong to the world. Forget the tears, forget the laughter of your past life, or you will never..."

Yue felt tears well up in her eyes, and was startled to realized they were not for herself. "I do understand. Thank you."

Tui released her hand and met her eyes for the first time. "Until we meet again, Yue," he said, bowing as the darkness took him away from her.

--- Several Centuries Later ---

"Do you remember, what you first said to me?" the Moon Spirit asked her newly-betrothed.

"I do," replied the Ocean Spirit, his lips parting in a slightly abashed smirk. "I spoke rashly, that time."

She touched his face with her hand, gently smiling. "You were trying to help me the way you knew how. I hope I've been able to return the favor, over all these years."

He glanced at the necklace he had just placed around her neck, the symbol of the reunion of Water and Moon. "Yes. Yes, a hundredfold..."

--- FIN ---

_{(Hee. Seeing as I made the love of Tui and La a component of TOSW, I could not just make up a romantic scene between Tui and La's "heir" without some sort of angst on Tui's part. Hope you like, superaura!)}