No Time to Think -- miss_sanguine
Author: Miss_Sanguine
Title: No Time to Think
Pairing: Zuko / Mai
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Bryke and Nick own Avatar.
Warnings: Character death involved.
Author's Notes: For both Maiko100 Prompt#34: Attack, and Avatar500 Prompt #18: Cut.
Summary: It was supposed to have been an affable arrangement. Azula had been released from the mental facility a week ago; had been living in the palace with them. They’d had pleasant-if not awkward in the beginning-dinners together in the evening. She’d been calm enough, just a bit reserved, and had shown no signs of her previous mental instability. Zuko had even stopped having guards with them to make her feel more comfortable. Tonight they’d been planning on talking around the fireplace, just a private evening.
He hadn’t known she was coming; had no way of being able to block the assault. Mai had seen the girl grab the dual sword from the holster on the wall, had seen the familiar mad spark in her eyes when the hilt was grasped firmly. There had been nothing she could do except what she had done.
When the charge was made, the frenzied yell piercing the air as the blade was aimed for the turned and robed back, Mai’s body moved of its own accord. There had been no time given to think, no time to cry out a warning, just enough time to do what needed to be done.
The small daggers cut through the air with a screaming whir, the sound cutting short when they made contact with their target between the shoulder blades. Zuko had enough time to spin around and see his sister stagger where she stood, her dash for assassination halted. She gave a wet, guttural sound, arms lowering and sword falling to the ground with a horribly echoed clatter. Then she dropped to her knees.
All Mai could do was watch as her beloved rushed to Azula’s aid, calling out her name. Splotches of red blossomed on the crimson robes.
It was supposed to have been an affable arrangement. Azula had been released from the mental facility a week ago; had been living in the palace with them. They’d had pleasant-if not awkward in the beginning-dinners together in the evening. She’d been calm enough, just a bit reserved, and had shown no signs of her previous mental instability. Zuko had even stopped having guards with them to make her feel more comfortable. Tonight they’d been planning on talking around the fireplace, just a private evening.
Guards were gathering in the room in droves, weapons readied even though there was obviously no threat-not anymore. She stood there as they brushed past her, Zuko’s shouts and the noises of the men blurring together in her ears.
Adrenaline drained out of her gushing water from a broken dam and soon a weariness like no other washed over her. Her legs gave out and next thing she knew she was kneeling on the ground, staring at the floor. Zuko was by her side, saying her name.
The act had involved no thought; the taking of someone’s life requiring nothing but instinctual action. The look in Azula’s eyes had been enough to trigger something in Mai’s mind, the flash of realization that Zuko was about to be killed.
There had been no time to think.
Title: No Time to Think
Pairing: Zuko / Mai
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Bryke and Nick own Avatar.
Warnings: Character death involved.
Author's Notes: For both Maiko100 Prompt#34: Attack, and Avatar500 Prompt #18: Cut.
Summary: It was supposed to have been an affable arrangement. Azula had been released from the mental facility a week ago; had been living in the palace with them. They’d had pleasant-if not awkward in the beginning-dinners together in the evening. She’d been calm enough, just a bit reserved, and had shown no signs of her previous mental instability. Zuko had even stopped having guards with them to make her feel more comfortable. Tonight they’d been planning on talking around the fireplace, just a private evening.
He hadn’t known she was coming; had no way of being able to block the assault. Mai had seen the girl grab the dual sword from the holster on the wall, had seen the familiar mad spark in her eyes when the hilt was grasped firmly. There had been nothing she could do except what she had done.
When the charge was made, the frenzied yell piercing the air as the blade was aimed for the turned and robed back, Mai’s body moved of its own accord. There had been no time given to think, no time to cry out a warning, just enough time to do what needed to be done.
The small daggers cut through the air with a screaming whir, the sound cutting short when they made contact with their target between the shoulder blades. Zuko had enough time to spin around and see his sister stagger where she stood, her dash for assassination halted. She gave a wet, guttural sound, arms lowering and sword falling to the ground with a horribly echoed clatter. Then she dropped to her knees.
All Mai could do was watch as her beloved rushed to Azula’s aid, calling out her name. Splotches of red blossomed on the crimson robes.
It was supposed to have been an affable arrangement. Azula had been released from the mental facility a week ago; had been living in the palace with them. They’d had pleasant-if not awkward in the beginning-dinners together in the evening. She’d been calm enough, just a bit reserved, and had shown no signs of her previous mental instability. Zuko had even stopped having guards with them to make her feel more comfortable. Tonight they’d been planning on talking around the fireplace, just a private evening.
Guards were gathering in the room in droves, weapons readied even though there was obviously no threat-not anymore. She stood there as they brushed past her, Zuko’s shouts and the noises of the men blurring together in her ears.
Adrenaline drained out of her gushing water from a broken dam and soon a weariness like no other washed over her. Her legs gave out and next thing she knew she was kneeling on the ground, staring at the floor. Zuko was by her side, saying her name.
The act had involved no thought; the taking of someone’s life requiring nothing but instinctual action. The look in Azula’s eyes had been enough to trigger something in Mai’s mind, the flash of realization that Zuko was about to be killed.
There had been no time to think.