Sozin's Bay: Chapter Twelve -- Invitation
Title: Sozin's Bay
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Mai, Zuko, Iroh Pairings: Mai/Zuko
Word Count: ~28,000, sixteen parts. Chapter Twelve: ~1,400.
Summary: Mai and Zuko run into each other in the colonies. She's accompanying her father on a business trip. He's having his ship outfitted for a voyage to the South Pole in search of the Avatar. This chance encounter stirs up long dormant feelings and leaves both of them wondering if they'll ever see each other again.
Twelve: Invitation
Zuko fell asleep instantly upon dropping into his bed. Not having slept two nights in a row, he was exhausted and barely stirred when the sun rose. Unfortunately, the screeching whir of a drill directly beneath his quarters woke him up far too soon. He might have been able to sleep through the noise, but he could not sleep through the floor vibrating.
Most days, his first thoughts on waking were about capturing the Avatar. Will today be the day? But this morning his mind flooded with memories from last night: Mai's dark hair spread out on a white pillow, her black-tipped fingers running along his stomach, her voice whispering soft yet urgent in his ear. He smiled to himself as he dressed--he knew she had been anything but bored. He was eager to see her again today, and the sharpness of his anticipation surprised and slightly embarrassed him. It had been a long time since he looked forward to something with genuine pleasure.
Zuko considered going straight to the hotel, but he decided to wait to give Mai time to get up (and her father time to leave). Iroh arrived in the dining room for breakfast not long after he did. "Good morning, Nephew," he said, stifling a yawn.
"Good morning, Uncle." The man looked rather ill. "Are you all right?"
"Oh, I'm fine." He sipped his steaming tea and added lightly, "I am just not as good at staying out all night as I was when I was your age." Zuko grimaced. He was never going to hear the end of this.
After breakfast, the two of them went to the bridge to speak with Lt. Jee about the progress of the repairs. Zuko almost wished there would be a delay--just for a little while. But Mai was leaving tonight, so there was no reason for him to stay in this ugly little town any longer. Jee reported that everything had gone smoothly in their absence and that the ship was still on schedule to sail the next day. When the lieutenant finished, they went out to the deck. Zuko glanced at the sun and decided to wait a few more minutes before going ashore, in case Mai's father was running late, having been out all night himself. He stood at the railing, watching small pleasure boats cruise the white-capped waves in the harbor, half-listening to his uncle talk about last night's epic pai sho game.
One of the men approached Iroh and handed him a scroll. His uncle read the note and said, "Well, this is interesting."
"What is it?"
"It's an invitation to lunch from Mai's father. For both of us," he added.
Zuko spun to face his uncle. "What?"
Iroh said sheepishly, "Did I forget to mention that I ran into the Deputy Chancellor yesterday?"
"Yes, you did forget." Zuko worried that his actions had gotten Mai into trouble. "Did you tell him she came to the ship?"
"No. I haven't entirely forgotten how to be discreet in my old age, Nephew. And I assure you, this wasn't my suggestion. Mai's father sent this invitation of his own accord."
Zuko was certain Mai had not asked her father to do it. Without a word, he held out a hand and his uncle placed the scroll in it. He studied the message as though puzzling out a secret code. The invitation was very polite and very ordinary: simply requesting their company for lunch, and suggesting meeting in the botanical garden by the hotel. He considered what he knew about Mai's father, which wasn't much. The man always seemed to be at his office in the Ministry of Colonial Affairs or traveling on business. The few times Zuko had seen him, he was so formal it was difficult to know what he was really like. Zuko recalled that Mai's father had a fine collection of scholar stones--a random and useless piece of information.
He rolled the scroll up and gave it back to his uncle, seeing no way to answer the question pressing on his mind: whether Mai's father knew he had visited her. "Uncle Iroh, what do you think he wants?"
"He wants to have a picnic in a garden on a fine summer day."
"I mean," Zuko persisted, exasperated, "why do you think he wants to see us?"
"I do not know. But if you really want to find out, we should go." Zuko was silent, another line of thought emerging in his mind. Iroh continued, "It is probably just a social call, one Fire Nation noble away from home showing courtesy to another, nothing more."
"Was he there?"
His uncle did not have to ask where there was. "It is likely, but I do not know for sure. Many people were there."
Zuko scowled and began to pace by the ship's railing. Hundreds of people were there--the Agni Kai had been a very public humiliation. The last time he'd met someone who was there, when his uncle was out of earshot... He hated Captain Zhao.
He said, his voice harsh and tight, "Go if you want, Uncle. I'm staying here."
Iroh stowed the invitation in a pocket. "I admit I barely know the Deputy Chancellor, but from what I do know, I do not think he is the kind of man who would bring it up if he were there."
Zuko abruptly stopped pacing and shouted, "Are you saying I'm afraid of facing some lackey bureaucrat?"
His uncle held up a conciliatory hand. "I am saying no such thing, Prince Zuko." He raised a brow slightly. "Although I will say that it would be inconsiderate to call our host that in his presence."
"I don't care what he thinks. I don't have time to waste on pointless social visits. I have to figure out how we're going to conduct the search once we get to the South Pole." He added, aiming the comment at his uncle, "No one else on this ship cares where we go or what we do."
Tendrils of steam coiled from his fists as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched them. All he had wanted was to see Mai again before she left. He wanted to see her; she wanted to see him; they were less than a mile away from each other right now. Meeting her should have been simple. It would have been simple, if he weren't banished--if.
He imagined standing with her in the Sun Garden at the palace, blades embedded in a fire oak tree gleaming in the sunlight, red irises blooming against the green grass. He had never gone to the war meeting, never disrespected his father, never dueled, never been banished. He was the Crown Prince, spending a carefree summer afternoon with his beautiful girlfriend. They loved each other very much, although neither of them said the words.
He remembered standing with Capt. Zhao on the dock at a Fire Navy base off the northwestern Earth Kingdom coast while his ship re-fueled, the acrid smell of coal filling the air. The Captain said, "If you insult someone, you had best be prepared to face a challenge. Whining and sniveling is for beggars and babies. If you cannot act like a prince of royal blood, you deserve to be an outcast."
Zuko let a fierce volley of fire out over the side of the ship. A scream from the dock below startled him. He peered over the railing, then backed away, red-faced, as a terrified dockworker ran down the pier.
His uncle glanced at the retreating figure and said mildly, "You should not do that when we are not at sea."
They stood in silence for several minutes. Finally, Zuko said, folding his arms over his chest, "I can't see people from home until I've restored my honor." Before Iroh could comment, he added, "Mai is...the exception."
He turned to walk away, but his uncle held up a hand. "This may be your last chance to see her before we go. Now that her father knows you are here, he will surely keep a closer watch on her."
Zuko stopped, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had not thought of that, but it made sense. He had promised he would see her today--a promise he wanted to keep--and if that meant seeing her father as well, so be it. He sighed, suddenly feeling his lack of sleep sharply. "All right. I'll go." He pulled away from the reassuring touch on the arm his uncle offered.
Iroh clapped his hands together and said cheerfully, "I wonder if the Deputy Chancellor plays pai sho."
--End Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen: The Botanical Garden
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Mai, Zuko, Iroh Pairings: Mai/Zuko
Word Count: ~28,000, sixteen parts. Chapter Twelve: ~1,400.
Summary: Mai and Zuko run into each other in the colonies. She's accompanying her father on a business trip. He's having his ship outfitted for a voyage to the South Pole in search of the Avatar. This chance encounter stirs up long dormant feelings and leaves both of them wondering if they'll ever see each other again.
Twelve: Invitation
Zuko fell asleep instantly upon dropping into his bed. Not having slept two nights in a row, he was exhausted and barely stirred when the sun rose. Unfortunately, the screeching whir of a drill directly beneath his quarters woke him up far too soon. He might have been able to sleep through the noise, but he could not sleep through the floor vibrating.
Most days, his first thoughts on waking were about capturing the Avatar. Will today be the day? But this morning his mind flooded with memories from last night: Mai's dark hair spread out on a white pillow, her black-tipped fingers running along his stomach, her voice whispering soft yet urgent in his ear. He smiled to himself as he dressed--he knew she had been anything but bored. He was eager to see her again today, and the sharpness of his anticipation surprised and slightly embarrassed him. It had been a long time since he looked forward to something with genuine pleasure.
Zuko considered going straight to the hotel, but he decided to wait to give Mai time to get up (and her father time to leave). Iroh arrived in the dining room for breakfast not long after he did. "Good morning, Nephew," he said, stifling a yawn.
"Good morning, Uncle." The man looked rather ill. "Are you all right?"
"Oh, I'm fine." He sipped his steaming tea and added lightly, "I am just not as good at staying out all night as I was when I was your age." Zuko grimaced. He was never going to hear the end of this.
After breakfast, the two of them went to the bridge to speak with Lt. Jee about the progress of the repairs. Zuko almost wished there would be a delay--just for a little while. But Mai was leaving tonight, so there was no reason for him to stay in this ugly little town any longer. Jee reported that everything had gone smoothly in their absence and that the ship was still on schedule to sail the next day. When the lieutenant finished, they went out to the deck. Zuko glanced at the sun and decided to wait a few more minutes before going ashore, in case Mai's father was running late, having been out all night himself. He stood at the railing, watching small pleasure boats cruise the white-capped waves in the harbor, half-listening to his uncle talk about last night's epic pai sho game.
One of the men approached Iroh and handed him a scroll. His uncle read the note and said, "Well, this is interesting."
"What is it?"
"It's an invitation to lunch from Mai's father. For both of us," he added.
Zuko spun to face his uncle. "What?"
Iroh said sheepishly, "Did I forget to mention that I ran into the Deputy Chancellor yesterday?"
"Yes, you did forget." Zuko worried that his actions had gotten Mai into trouble. "Did you tell him she came to the ship?"
"No. I haven't entirely forgotten how to be discreet in my old age, Nephew. And I assure you, this wasn't my suggestion. Mai's father sent this invitation of his own accord."
Zuko was certain Mai had not asked her father to do it. Without a word, he held out a hand and his uncle placed the scroll in it. He studied the message as though puzzling out a secret code. The invitation was very polite and very ordinary: simply requesting their company for lunch, and suggesting meeting in the botanical garden by the hotel. He considered what he knew about Mai's father, which wasn't much. The man always seemed to be at his office in the Ministry of Colonial Affairs or traveling on business. The few times Zuko had seen him, he was so formal it was difficult to know what he was really like. Zuko recalled that Mai's father had a fine collection of scholar stones--a random and useless piece of information.
He rolled the scroll up and gave it back to his uncle, seeing no way to answer the question pressing on his mind: whether Mai's father knew he had visited her. "Uncle Iroh, what do you think he wants?"
"He wants to have a picnic in a garden on a fine summer day."
"I mean," Zuko persisted, exasperated, "why do you think he wants to see us?"
"I do not know. But if you really want to find out, we should go." Zuko was silent, another line of thought emerging in his mind. Iroh continued, "It is probably just a social call, one Fire Nation noble away from home showing courtesy to another, nothing more."
"Was he there?"
His uncle did not have to ask where there was. "It is likely, but I do not know for sure. Many people were there."
Zuko scowled and began to pace by the ship's railing. Hundreds of people were there--the Agni Kai had been a very public humiliation. The last time he'd met someone who was there, when his uncle was out of earshot... He hated Captain Zhao.
He said, his voice harsh and tight, "Go if you want, Uncle. I'm staying here."
Iroh stowed the invitation in a pocket. "I admit I barely know the Deputy Chancellor, but from what I do know, I do not think he is the kind of man who would bring it up if he were there."
Zuko abruptly stopped pacing and shouted, "Are you saying I'm afraid of facing some lackey bureaucrat?"
His uncle held up a conciliatory hand. "I am saying no such thing, Prince Zuko." He raised a brow slightly. "Although I will say that it would be inconsiderate to call our host that in his presence."
"I don't care what he thinks. I don't have time to waste on pointless social visits. I have to figure out how we're going to conduct the search once we get to the South Pole." He added, aiming the comment at his uncle, "No one else on this ship cares where we go or what we do."
Tendrils of steam coiled from his fists as he repeatedly clenched and unclenched them. All he had wanted was to see Mai again before she left. He wanted to see her; she wanted to see him; they were less than a mile away from each other right now. Meeting her should have been simple. It would have been simple, if he weren't banished--if.
He imagined standing with her in the Sun Garden at the palace, blades embedded in a fire oak tree gleaming in the sunlight, red irises blooming against the green grass. He had never gone to the war meeting, never disrespected his father, never dueled, never been banished. He was the Crown Prince, spending a carefree summer afternoon with his beautiful girlfriend. They loved each other very much, although neither of them said the words.
He remembered standing with Capt. Zhao on the dock at a Fire Navy base off the northwestern Earth Kingdom coast while his ship re-fueled, the acrid smell of coal filling the air. The Captain said, "If you insult someone, you had best be prepared to face a challenge. Whining and sniveling is for beggars and babies. If you cannot act like a prince of royal blood, you deserve to be an outcast."
Zuko let a fierce volley of fire out over the side of the ship. A scream from the dock below startled him. He peered over the railing, then backed away, red-faced, as a terrified dockworker ran down the pier.
His uncle glanced at the retreating figure and said mildly, "You should not do that when we are not at sea."
They stood in silence for several minutes. Finally, Zuko said, folding his arms over his chest, "I can't see people from home until I've restored my honor." Before Iroh could comment, he added, "Mai is...the exception."
He turned to walk away, but his uncle held up a hand. "This may be your last chance to see her before we go. Now that her father knows you are here, he will surely keep a closer watch on her."
Zuko stopped, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had not thought of that, but it made sense. He had promised he would see her today--a promise he wanted to keep--and if that meant seeing her father as well, so be it. He sighed, suddenly feeling his lack of sleep sharply. "All right. I'll go." He pulled away from the reassuring touch on the arm his uncle offered.
Iroh clapped his hands together and said cheerfully, "I wonder if the Deputy Chancellor plays pai sho."
--End Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen: The Botanical Garden