Fic: Memories (PG13) ch2 of 5
Title: Memories
Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender
Pairings: Mai/ Zuko
Summary: After three years apart, Mai and Zuko revisit some old memories together.
Chapter 1 ||
=======
Chapter 2
Zuko watches her fingers trail up and down the length of his hand, and smiles in quiet delight. He has almost forgotten what happiness tastes like, but the very thought of spending the evening in Mai’s presence has effused him with a warm, comfortable glow.
Slowly, he raises her hand to his lips and kisses each fingertip reverently. It feels so good to feel her skin, and he wishes that it is her lips that he is kissing instead. He has wanted to taste her for years, but has never had the chance.
Gathering his courage, he rests his hand against the back of her neck, and gently draws her closer and closer until their noses touch. It is exhilarating to be so near her, to know that she still likes him, and to feel her warm breath against his skin.
For a few delightful moments, they rub noses coyly, almost shyly, until he finally plucks up enough courage to brush his lips gently against hers.
Surprised, she pulls back, and for a few agonizing moments, he thinks that he might have overstepped his boundaries, but eventually she smiles, and blushes, and - for the very first time - leans in to rest her lips lightly against his.
===========
Zuko wasn’t sure when or how it happened, but somewhere along the line, he realized that he had stopped thinking of Mai as just another one of the girls that Azula hung out with, and had started to think of her as the younger sibling he had always wanted.
It wasn’t hard. After all, his relationship with his own sister had deteriorated since she was five. Once upon a time, he had been the big brother who showed Azula cool tricks and helped her with her homework. Now, the only time she ever spoke was to ridicule him. He missed the times when they would play together in the sandbox. And with his mother gone and his father distant, he dearly missed having someone to love.
Which was why he enjoyed Mai’s company. They didn’t talk much, but when he was with her, he could finally be the elder brother that he had always wanted to be. As a child, simple things had pleased her: a smile, a wave, and when they were lucky, a handkerchief of stolen sweetmeats.
And so it was with some excitement that he learnt of her approaching twelfth birthday. For weeks, Zuko racked his brains, trying to find that one perfect present, before finally deciding to get Mai her own set of throwing knives. He emptied out his piggy bank, counted out the change, and then thought hard about the colours he should choose.
Her reaction, as expected, was delightful. Eyes bright, she had traced the outline of the box excitedly before peeking in. When she saw the contents however, her face grew rigid, and she had looked at him fearfully.
“I can’t accept this,” she had whispered, almost afraid to touch the merchandise.
“I want you to,” he urged. “Really, it’s yours.”
Timidly, skeptically, she explored her gift, and Zuko felt his heart leap in anticipation. He beamed as she picked up a knife from its plush cushion, and then positively swelled with pride as she ran awed fingers along the side of the blade.
“Really?” she asked once more. Briefly, Zuko wondered just what kind of household she came from, where a gift could not taken at face value, and then remembered the company that she kept.
“Yes really,” he said, and smiled, pleased at the happy bewilderment in her eyes.
She turned her attention once more to the blade in her hand, and held it up close to her face, studying the detailed handiwork with half-parted lips.
And Zuko had swallowed hard. How was it possible that he had never noticed those beautiful lips before…?
“Thanks!” she had said, and then beamed at him so brightly that he felt himself grow uncomfortably warm. What was wrong with him, he wondered, as he tugged at the collar of his shirt. For some reason, his heart had been pounding at a thousand beats a minute, and his throat had gone completely dry.
For months afterwards, the image of Mai’s lips haunted him. He avoided her, as best as he knew how, but it was hard, seeing that she spent so much time at the palace. If he kept away from the arena and avoided the girls’ favorite play spots, however, it was almost possible for their paths to not cross.
Almost.
He could not help the occasional meetings along the hallways. It wasn’t often that it happened, perhaps just once every few weeks, but such chance encounters always caused his heart and mind to flare up with yearning all over again.
It had been extremely disorienting for him. He remembered trembling in his room afterwards, desperately trying to empty himself of those unfamiliar feelings. They confused him, and scared him, and alarmed him with their intensity.
And that was not the worst of it. What killed him, what absolutely broke his little heart, was how she seemed to think that she was somehow at fault. Somehow, she had sensed the wall he was erecting around himself, and responded by doing her best to avoid him too. It saddened him, however, to see her gradually loose her sparkle and grow harder around the eyes.
And then one morning, he had walked into the library to find her already there. For a moment, Zuko had frozen in place, and although a part of him longed to just turn and run, another louder part of his brain screamed at him to strike up a conversation.
“What are you doing,” he had said lightly, casually. As flippantly as he knew how.
“Nothing,” Mai had replied with a shrug, and pushed her hair out of her eyes. She seemed uncertain whether or to be pleased by his presence or to be hurt by his nonchalance. “An essay about the war with the Air Normads.”
And Zuko had chuckled. He had remembered writing that exact same essay the year before, and wondered if the history teacher had grown any more exciting. Not likely, he thought. Master Chong was as set in his ways as old cement.
“So um… where are the others?” he said, trying his best to sound casual.
The girl sighed, and then grinned wanly. “You mean Azula? The essay’s about her great grandfather. She finished it in a heartbeat. And Ty Lee can’t sit still long enough. She’ll probably just get the facts off me later.”
Zuko slid into the seat next to her, transfixed. He had never heard her say so many words at once, and told her as much. To his surprise however, his comment seemed to alarm her, and she quickly dropped her eyes and mumbled an apology as she retreated back into her usual shell.
Zuko cursed himself for his mistake. He knew then that he should just stand up and leave, but he couldn’t bear to tear himself away. He wanted to heal the rift between them, not make it even more unbridgeable.
“Um… I meant that as a compliment,” he had said uncertainly, and wondered if she would believe him. True enough, the smile that Mai flashed was small and forced, as if his apology had merely been lip service. Something in his face must have told her otherwise, however, because she stopped, frowned at him in mild confusion, and dropped her eyes once more.
And then, to his amazement, she began to blush. It was a slow burn that started at her ears and crept up her neck. Suddenly self-conscious, she turned away and tucked her hair behind her ear, and Zuko twitched with excitement to think that she was colouring because of him.
“But… isn’t that… bad?” she said at last.
“Isn’t what bad?”
“Talking out of turn? My mother used to beat me for it,” she said quietly, “until I learnt how to shut up.”
“Why?” Zuko frowned in surprise. “You’re just being honest. I… uh… like… um… people who are honest,” he stammered, and then mentally kicked himself for being too much of a coward to confess his true feelings.
Thoroughly embarrassed, he quickly reached for one of the books in the pile and began to study it intently, trying his best to hide behind the safety of the written word. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her brows shoot up in astonishment, then furrow as she tried to puzzle out his strange behavior, but after awhile, she shrugged and returned to her books.
And Zuko had sighed in secret relief. He longed to kiss her, and charm her into liking him, but had absolutely no idea how. And even if he did, he probably would not have the courage to do so. After all, she had been the only one who truly seemed to care about him when his mother had disappeared, and it scared Zuko to think that by confessing, he might end up loosing her affection too.
=======
Back in the cabin, the touch of her lips makes him lightheaded. Three years has passed since that incident at the library, but his yearning for her has not decreased one bit.
Trembling in anticipation, he nibbles and sucks at her, then snakes out his tongue to tease her lips apart. When she finally opens herself to him, Zuko feels like he has tasted a little bit of heaven.
He kisses her deeply and lets himself drown in the pleasure of her warmth. Carefully, he maps the contours of her mouth, noting how she trembles whenever his tongue brushes against the sensitive roof, and commits every last detail to memory as if his very life depends on it.
“You know, I’ve always wanted to do that,” he admits breathlessly, when they finally do pull apart. “For the longest time…” he begins but then succumbs to her siren call and crushes his mouth to hers once more. He has wanted this too much, has waited too long to let the opportunity pass, and this time, even after he breaks the kiss, he continues to lick and nuzzle the skin around her lips - unwilling - unable - to tear himself away.
“What’s stopped you?” she replies, and he is pleased to hear a slight tremor in her voice.
“I didn’t dare,” he confesses, and is amused to see the disbelief that dances behind her eyes. It blows his mind to think that she does not know how very beautiful she is to him, or how terrified he always has been of loosing her. “I was just a kid back then. I never dreamed that you might like me back.”
~TBC~
Fandom: Avatar the Last Airbender
Pairings: Mai/ Zuko
Summary: After three years apart, Mai and Zuko revisit some old memories together.
Chapter 1 ||
=======
Chapter 2
Zuko watches her fingers trail up and down the length of his hand, and smiles in quiet delight. He has almost forgotten what happiness tastes like, but the very thought of spending the evening in Mai’s presence has effused him with a warm, comfortable glow.
Slowly, he raises her hand to his lips and kisses each fingertip reverently. It feels so good to feel her skin, and he wishes that it is her lips that he is kissing instead. He has wanted to taste her for years, but has never had the chance.
Gathering his courage, he rests his hand against the back of her neck, and gently draws her closer and closer until their noses touch. It is exhilarating to be so near her, to know that she still likes him, and to feel her warm breath against his skin.
For a few delightful moments, they rub noses coyly, almost shyly, until he finally plucks up enough courage to brush his lips gently against hers.
Surprised, she pulls back, and for a few agonizing moments, he thinks that he might have overstepped his boundaries, but eventually she smiles, and blushes, and - for the very first time - leans in to rest her lips lightly against his.
===========
Zuko wasn’t sure when or how it happened, but somewhere along the line, he realized that he had stopped thinking of Mai as just another one of the girls that Azula hung out with, and had started to think of her as the younger sibling he had always wanted.
It wasn’t hard. After all, his relationship with his own sister had deteriorated since she was five. Once upon a time, he had been the big brother who showed Azula cool tricks and helped her with her homework. Now, the only time she ever spoke was to ridicule him. He missed the times when they would play together in the sandbox. And with his mother gone and his father distant, he dearly missed having someone to love.
Which was why he enjoyed Mai’s company. They didn’t talk much, but when he was with her, he could finally be the elder brother that he had always wanted to be. As a child, simple things had pleased her: a smile, a wave, and when they were lucky, a handkerchief of stolen sweetmeats.
And so it was with some excitement that he learnt of her approaching twelfth birthday. For weeks, Zuko racked his brains, trying to find that one perfect present, before finally deciding to get Mai her own set of throwing knives. He emptied out his piggy bank, counted out the change, and then thought hard about the colours he should choose.
Her reaction, as expected, was delightful. Eyes bright, she had traced the outline of the box excitedly before peeking in. When she saw the contents however, her face grew rigid, and she had looked at him fearfully.
“I can’t accept this,” she had whispered, almost afraid to touch the merchandise.
“I want you to,” he urged. “Really, it’s yours.”
Timidly, skeptically, she explored her gift, and Zuko felt his heart leap in anticipation. He beamed as she picked up a knife from its plush cushion, and then positively swelled with pride as she ran awed fingers along the side of the blade.
“Really?” she asked once more. Briefly, Zuko wondered just what kind of household she came from, where a gift could not taken at face value, and then remembered the company that she kept.
“Yes really,” he said, and smiled, pleased at the happy bewilderment in her eyes.
She turned her attention once more to the blade in her hand, and held it up close to her face, studying the detailed handiwork with half-parted lips.
And Zuko had swallowed hard. How was it possible that he had never noticed those beautiful lips before…?
“Thanks!” she had said, and then beamed at him so brightly that he felt himself grow uncomfortably warm. What was wrong with him, he wondered, as he tugged at the collar of his shirt. For some reason, his heart had been pounding at a thousand beats a minute, and his throat had gone completely dry.
For months afterwards, the image of Mai’s lips haunted him. He avoided her, as best as he knew how, but it was hard, seeing that she spent so much time at the palace. If he kept away from the arena and avoided the girls’ favorite play spots, however, it was almost possible for their paths to not cross.
Almost.
He could not help the occasional meetings along the hallways. It wasn’t often that it happened, perhaps just once every few weeks, but such chance encounters always caused his heart and mind to flare up with yearning all over again.
It had been extremely disorienting for him. He remembered trembling in his room afterwards, desperately trying to empty himself of those unfamiliar feelings. They confused him, and scared him, and alarmed him with their intensity.
And that was not the worst of it. What killed him, what absolutely broke his little heart, was how she seemed to think that she was somehow at fault. Somehow, she had sensed the wall he was erecting around himself, and responded by doing her best to avoid him too. It saddened him, however, to see her gradually loose her sparkle and grow harder around the eyes.
And then one morning, he had walked into the library to find her already there. For a moment, Zuko had frozen in place, and although a part of him longed to just turn and run, another louder part of his brain screamed at him to strike up a conversation.
“What are you doing,” he had said lightly, casually. As flippantly as he knew how.
“Nothing,” Mai had replied with a shrug, and pushed her hair out of her eyes. She seemed uncertain whether or to be pleased by his presence or to be hurt by his nonchalance. “An essay about the war with the Air Normads.”
And Zuko had chuckled. He had remembered writing that exact same essay the year before, and wondered if the history teacher had grown any more exciting. Not likely, he thought. Master Chong was as set in his ways as old cement.
“So um… where are the others?” he said, trying his best to sound casual.
The girl sighed, and then grinned wanly. “You mean Azula? The essay’s about her great grandfather. She finished it in a heartbeat. And Ty Lee can’t sit still long enough. She’ll probably just get the facts off me later.”
Zuko slid into the seat next to her, transfixed. He had never heard her say so many words at once, and told her as much. To his surprise however, his comment seemed to alarm her, and she quickly dropped her eyes and mumbled an apology as she retreated back into her usual shell.
Zuko cursed himself for his mistake. He knew then that he should just stand up and leave, but he couldn’t bear to tear himself away. He wanted to heal the rift between them, not make it even more unbridgeable.
“Um… I meant that as a compliment,” he had said uncertainly, and wondered if she would believe him. True enough, the smile that Mai flashed was small and forced, as if his apology had merely been lip service. Something in his face must have told her otherwise, however, because she stopped, frowned at him in mild confusion, and dropped her eyes once more.
And then, to his amazement, she began to blush. It was a slow burn that started at her ears and crept up her neck. Suddenly self-conscious, she turned away and tucked her hair behind her ear, and Zuko twitched with excitement to think that she was colouring because of him.
“But… isn’t that… bad?” she said at last.
“Isn’t what bad?”
“Talking out of turn? My mother used to beat me for it,” she said quietly, “until I learnt how to shut up.”
“Why?” Zuko frowned in surprise. “You’re just being honest. I… uh… like… um… people who are honest,” he stammered, and then mentally kicked himself for being too much of a coward to confess his true feelings.
Thoroughly embarrassed, he quickly reached for one of the books in the pile and began to study it intently, trying his best to hide behind the safety of the written word. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her brows shoot up in astonishment, then furrow as she tried to puzzle out his strange behavior, but after awhile, she shrugged and returned to her books.
And Zuko had sighed in secret relief. He longed to kiss her, and charm her into liking him, but had absolutely no idea how. And even if he did, he probably would not have the courage to do so. After all, she had been the only one who truly seemed to care about him when his mother had disappeared, and it scared Zuko to think that by confessing, he might end up loosing her affection too.
=======
Back in the cabin, the touch of her lips makes him lightheaded. Three years has passed since that incident at the library, but his yearning for her has not decreased one bit.
Trembling in anticipation, he nibbles and sucks at her, then snakes out his tongue to tease her lips apart. When she finally opens herself to him, Zuko feels like he has tasted a little bit of heaven.
He kisses her deeply and lets himself drown in the pleasure of her warmth. Carefully, he maps the contours of her mouth, noting how she trembles whenever his tongue brushes against the sensitive roof, and commits every last detail to memory as if his very life depends on it.
“You know, I’ve always wanted to do that,” he admits breathlessly, when they finally do pull apart. “For the longest time…” he begins but then succumbs to her siren call and crushes his mouth to hers once more. He has wanted this too much, has waited too long to let the opportunity pass, and this time, even after he breaks the kiss, he continues to lick and nuzzle the skin around her lips - unwilling - unable - to tear himself away.
“What’s stopped you?” she replies, and he is pleased to hear a slight tremor in her voice.
“I didn’t dare,” he confesses, and is amused to see the disbelief that dances behind her eyes. It blows his mind to think that she does not know how very beautiful she is to him, or how terrified he always has been of loosing her. “I was just a kid back then. I never dreamed that you might like me back.”
~TBC~