Sleight of Hand
Title: Sleight of Hand
Characters: Tiny Zuko, Mai and Azula. Proto Maiko if you squint.
Summary: Azula always wins, even when she doesn't.
Rating: K/G
Notes: 395 words. Written for gothic_hamlet whose request was, "Since I have an eternal love for ickle littles.... the early stages of Mai's crush!" The crush just barely makes it in, but there are plenty of ickle littles.
oOoOo
"I don't want to play," he said, crossing his arms. He sat on the edge of the fountain and scuffed the dirt with his boots. "She always wins, anyway."
"That's because she cheats," said Mai.
Zuko laughed. "Oh, come on! Why would she cheat? It's just pai sho."
"She moves the tiles when you aren't looking," said Mai. "That's why Ty Lee's always doing cartwheels -- she's supposed to be distracting you."
Zuko gaped at her. "Really? But...but she's a princess! Princesses don't--"
"Look, she just doesn't like losing," Mai snapped. "And she doesn't like waiting, either. So if you're not going to play, then -"
"Wait!" Zuko caught her arm and she jerked away, startled by his touch. They both flushed crimson. "I...I want to play," he said lamely. "So what if she cheats...I'll just pay more attention."
Mai led him through the palace to an unused room near the garden, where the screens of one wall had been pulled back to let in the fresh air and the view. Outside, Ty Lee was somersaulting down the narrow paths, her hair full of twigs. Azula sat cross-legged in front of a low table and rapped her fingernails on the pai sho board. "Finally," she said. "I was starting to think you were off kissing somewhere."
His face burning, Zuko sat down across from her and stared fixedly at the board.
An hour later, Ty Lee had given up on distraction and was balanced upside-down on top of a stone lantern, looking bored. Mai leaned against a wooden column, one foot on straw mats and one on the veranda, and tried to follow the game. It was clear that Zuko was winning. He had captured most of his sister's territory, and the rest of her forces were cornered. He smiled and reached for a tile.
Mai jumped when Azula stood abruptly, flipping the board over and scattering tiles in all directions. "This game is dumb," she snarled, and she kicked at the pieces as she stalked away.
Zuko pulled the board back into place again, brushing away nonexistent dirt. "Uncle gave this to me," he said quietly. Mai watched as he knelt and picked up the tiles, and wondered why her heart was so loud in her ears.
oOoOo
Characters: Tiny Zuko, Mai and Azula. Proto Maiko if you squint.
Summary: Azula always wins, even when she doesn't.
Rating: K/G
Notes: 395 words. Written for gothic_hamlet whose request was, "Since I have an eternal love for ickle littles.... the early stages of Mai's crush!" The crush just barely makes it in, but there are plenty of ickle littles.
oOoOo
"I don't want to play," he said, crossing his arms. He sat on the edge of the fountain and scuffed the dirt with his boots. "She always wins, anyway."
"That's because she cheats," said Mai.
Zuko laughed. "Oh, come on! Why would she cheat? It's just pai sho."
"She moves the tiles when you aren't looking," said Mai. "That's why Ty Lee's always doing cartwheels -- she's supposed to be distracting you."
Zuko gaped at her. "Really? But...but she's a princess! Princesses don't--"
"Look, she just doesn't like losing," Mai snapped. "And she doesn't like waiting, either. So if you're not going to play, then -"
"Wait!" Zuko caught her arm and she jerked away, startled by his touch. They both flushed crimson. "I...I want to play," he said lamely. "So what if she cheats...I'll just pay more attention."
Mai led him through the palace to an unused room near the garden, where the screens of one wall had been pulled back to let in the fresh air and the view. Outside, Ty Lee was somersaulting down the narrow paths, her hair full of twigs. Azula sat cross-legged in front of a low table and rapped her fingernails on the pai sho board. "Finally," she said. "I was starting to think you were off kissing somewhere."
His face burning, Zuko sat down across from her and stared fixedly at the board.
An hour later, Ty Lee had given up on distraction and was balanced upside-down on top of a stone lantern, looking bored. Mai leaned against a wooden column, one foot on straw mats and one on the veranda, and tried to follow the game. It was clear that Zuko was winning. He had captured most of his sister's territory, and the rest of her forces were cornered. He smiled and reached for a tile.
Mai jumped when Azula stood abruptly, flipping the board over and scattering tiles in all directions. "This game is dumb," she snarled, and she kicked at the pieces as she stalked away.
Zuko pulled the board back into place again, brushing away nonexistent dirt. "Uncle gave this to me," he said quietly. Mai watched as he knelt and picked up the tiles, and wondered why her heart was so loud in her ears.
oOoOo