Maiko, prompt: Five ways to die Trying.
This was an interesting exercise. I rejected most of what people typically would do with that prompt, that is I didn't make a list. Also, it was damn hard to make shippy. I did a drabble once with chopsticks that was sexier than this damnit!
I'll call this one Blood on the Pavement. 309 words, and it's just behind the cut.
“You are an idiot. Did you just try to kill yourself?” Mai closed her hand over the bolt lodged in Zuko's side before he clamped his own over hers and hissed.
“Leave it in. I'm too busy to bleed out right now.” Zuko tried to look noble, but the sweat on his brow left him looking merely foolish to Mai.
“You are trying to die, aren't you? I know you aren't stupid enough to go running around with a hole in your gut.” Those eyes were sharper than any knife, so of course they cut right through Zuko.
“Its stopped up. Can barely feel it.” He was muttering, refusing to meet her eyes.
“That's a bad sign you know. Stop bleeding on me.” Mai pointedly wiped her hands on his ornamental sash.
Zuko turned his head to look at Mai more directly. “Stop bleeding on you? I can't just turn it on and off like a valve.”
Mai let a grim smile touch her lips. “Well then, maybe you really aren't as wonderful as you seem to think you are. I should have guessed after the last four times.”
“Oh, you don't like having your life saved. I'll remember that next time.”
“If it means fewer holes in your skin, yes. Now hold still.” Mai tried to force Zuko down against the column. The fact she was succeeding wasn't a good sign.
“There's an assassin out there, with a crossbow that just punched through my armor. What good is holding still going to do?” The sputtered protest lacked strength, which was probably its best selling point.
“It does more good than running out and taking on a swordsman with your bare hands.”
“You say that, but I never hear you suggest an alternative.”
“Hmph. You could let me deal with some of them instead of trying to die.”
“I am not trying to die. I'm trying to keep you alive.”
“That's sweet, but you're being an idiot about it.” Mai peered around the corner of the column and pulled her head back just in time to let a crossbow bolt fly past and embed itself in the flagstones.
“And you aren't?” Zuko was looking at the bolt, eyes only half open.
“Of course not.” Mai flicked a knife into her hand and returned it to her sleeve. “I had cover.”
I'll call this one Blood on the Pavement. 309 words, and it's just behind the cut.
“You are an idiot. Did you just try to kill yourself?” Mai closed her hand over the bolt lodged in Zuko's side before he clamped his own over hers and hissed.
“Leave it in. I'm too busy to bleed out right now.” Zuko tried to look noble, but the sweat on his brow left him looking merely foolish to Mai.
“You are trying to die, aren't you? I know you aren't stupid enough to go running around with a hole in your gut.” Those eyes were sharper than any knife, so of course they cut right through Zuko.
“Its stopped up. Can barely feel it.” He was muttering, refusing to meet her eyes.
“That's a bad sign you know. Stop bleeding on me.” Mai pointedly wiped her hands on his ornamental sash.
Zuko turned his head to look at Mai more directly. “Stop bleeding on you? I can't just turn it on and off like a valve.”
Mai let a grim smile touch her lips. “Well then, maybe you really aren't as wonderful as you seem to think you are. I should have guessed after the last four times.”
“Oh, you don't like having your life saved. I'll remember that next time.”
“If it means fewer holes in your skin, yes. Now hold still.” Mai tried to force Zuko down against the column. The fact she was succeeding wasn't a good sign.
“There's an assassin out there, with a crossbow that just punched through my armor. What good is holding still going to do?” The sputtered protest lacked strength, which was probably its best selling point.
“It does more good than running out and taking on a swordsman with your bare hands.”
“You say that, but I never hear you suggest an alternative.”
“Hmph. You could let me deal with some of them instead of trying to die.”
“I am not trying to die. I'm trying to keep you alive.”
“That's sweet, but you're being an idiot about it.” Mai peered around the corner of the column and pulled her head back just in time to let a crossbow bolt fly past and embed itself in the flagstones.
“And you aren't?” Zuko was looking at the bolt, eyes only half open.
“Of course not.” Mai flicked a knife into her hand and returned it to her sleeve. “I had cover.”