do u think that mai knew where she ever really stood w/ ty lee before the incident at the boiling rock… or did she always assume, out of bitterness perhaps, out of cynicism, or envy, that she would always be second-best to azula, that no matter how much ty lee loved her, she would always prioritize azula. and her face of utter shock when she realizes that that’s not the case, that it never was….
in that moment, ty lee is choosing mai. neither azula nor mai remotely anticipated that. they’re both utterly flabbergasted by this turn of events. ty lee always keeps her cards close to her chest—so close, in fact, that people don’t even assume she’s hiding anything at all. but this moment is so revealing. it’s a brazen declaration of love.