[fic] How Far We've Come
Title: How Far We've Come
Word count: 392
Pairing: Mai/Zuko
Rating: G
Summary: The war is over, and some things will never be the same.
Notes: Zuko + Gaang = BFF! (I could not be happier)
***
"They were so nice to me," he says. "All of them were, by the end. Even the crazy girl from the Water Tribe."
"You did save her boyfriend," she says. "Twice."
"Three times," he says automatically. "Remember, when Ty Lee-"
"I remember," she says, and her tone is enough to end that recollection. "Well, I'm glad they weren't assholes to you the entire time."
"They weren't. He never was."
"The Avatar?"
"Yeah." He pauses. "Aang." The bedclothes rustle as he stretches out on his back, his arms behind his head as he studies the folds of the canopy. "I miss him. Is that...it's weird, isn't it?"
"No." It's harsher than she intended, and she takes a breath before continuing, her hand on his chest. "Of course you do."
"It was...almost like having a brother. Like how I imagined it would be."
"He seems nice enough," she says, careful with her words. Neither of them mention his sister anymore. "Loud. But nice."
"Yeah."
Her fingers slip between the folds of his robe, her nails grazing his skin. His breath catches as his hand moves to cup her knee. But his eyes look through the canopy, the ceiling, into an imagined sky.
This time, irritation creeps into her tone. "You don't have to stay here."
He meets her gaze, then, two neat creases between his brows. "What?"
"Your uncle can manage things for a week. If you miss him that much, go find him."
He sits up, his robe falling open. "But I don't-"
"He's all you've talked about since he left," she says, allowing herself a small exaggeration. "And that other one. With the ponytail."
"Sokka." His frown deepens. "They're busy."
"So are you."
"I know."
"But not too busy to visit friends."
His eyes widen at this. "I can't...just because we..." He shakes his head. "I can't assume that-"
She startles them both by laughing. "You're being ridiculous."
"I'm not." He scowls at his hands. "The war's over. Things aren't the same anymore."
"They're not," she agrees. "Like you."
"What about me?"
"You're not the same at all." A smile, despite herself. "I used to have you all to myself."
He reaches out to touch her cheek. "You still do."
"I don't." She leans in to kiss his mouth, then speaks softly against his lips. "But I guess I'm glad not to."
***
Word count: 392
Pairing: Mai/Zuko
Rating: G
Summary: The war is over, and some things will never be the same.
Notes: Zuko + Gaang = BFF! (I could not be happier)
***
"They were so nice to me," he says. "All of them were, by the end. Even the crazy girl from the Water Tribe."
"You did save her boyfriend," she says. "Twice."
"Three times," he says automatically. "Remember, when Ty Lee-"
"I remember," she says, and her tone is enough to end that recollection. "Well, I'm glad they weren't assholes to you the entire time."
"They weren't. He never was."
"The Avatar?"
"Yeah." He pauses. "Aang." The bedclothes rustle as he stretches out on his back, his arms behind his head as he studies the folds of the canopy. "I miss him. Is that...it's weird, isn't it?"
"No." It's harsher than she intended, and she takes a breath before continuing, her hand on his chest. "Of course you do."
"It was...almost like having a brother. Like how I imagined it would be."
"He seems nice enough," she says, careful with her words. Neither of them mention his sister anymore. "Loud. But nice."
"Yeah."
Her fingers slip between the folds of his robe, her nails grazing his skin. His breath catches as his hand moves to cup her knee. But his eyes look through the canopy, the ceiling, into an imagined sky.
This time, irritation creeps into her tone. "You don't have to stay here."
He meets her gaze, then, two neat creases between his brows. "What?"
"Your uncle can manage things for a week. If you miss him that much, go find him."
He sits up, his robe falling open. "But I don't-"
"He's all you've talked about since he left," she says, allowing herself a small exaggeration. "And that other one. With the ponytail."
"Sokka." His frown deepens. "They're busy."
"So are you."
"I know."
"But not too busy to visit friends."
His eyes widen at this. "I can't...just because we..." He shakes his head. "I can't assume that-"
She startles them both by laughing. "You're being ridiculous."
"I'm not." He scowls at his hands. "The war's over. Things aren't the same anymore."
"They're not," she agrees. "Like you."
"What about me?"
"You're not the same at all." A smile, despite herself. "I used to have you all to myself."
He reaches out to touch her cheek. "You still do."
"I don't." She leans in to kiss his mouth, then speaks softly against his lips. "But I guess I'm glad not to."
***