Games They Play
A/N: Older now, Zuko and Mai handle reunions differently.
Disclaimer: A: TLA is not mine.
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He watched her furtively from across the crowded ballroom; a vision of grace, elegance, floating rather than walking as she made her way through the multitude of guests. He admired her regal bearing, her beauty. The striking contrast of her upswept ebony hair to her alabaster skin was eye candy to him.
Unable to fight the pull of attraction, he made his way towards her, stopping here and there to greet people of importance as his position required, while also making a valiant effort to gracefully dodge those he could do without.
"Yes. It is quite a turn out."
"I am glad you could make it."
"The Avatar? Yes, I am sure he is around here somewhere."
"Please, enjoy yourselves."
Small talk and excuses easily roll off his tongue as he fought his way towards her.
Not ten paces gained and someone important has cornered him. "I'm sorry," he rudely interrupted, "there is something I must attend to. Later, perhaps?"
He left the dignitary's side, not waiting for a response. The brief distraction, however, had cost him. She was gone again.
He spotted her a few feet away, talking to yet another guest. He navigated the crowd carefully and slowly got closer.
Her voice carried through the chatter and music. It was raspy and low, with a seductive quality that matched her magnificence. It suited her perfectly. It enticed him. She was unlike other noble born women whose voices were compared to song birds, soft and lilting, and who would make obsequious companions, speaking only pleasantries and nothing of substance.
"Hmm?"
He was caught off guard. Someone had asked him what he thought of the newly formed United Republic Council. He did not wish to be bothered. The object of his desire had moved on again. His need to find her was edging towards obsession.
"Excuse me, please," he said, not caring how ill-mannered or uncharacteristic he appeared.
He turned and caught a glimpse of her disappearing through large doors which opened to the imperial gardens.
He nearly tripped over himself to follow.
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It was a game they played to pass the time during occasions such as these. It was a dance of sorts. Sometimes they would start out together and then separate, both slowly making their rounds among the guests as they worked their way farther from each other. The goal: to satisfy duty and then discreetly leave the gathering and rendezvous in a secluded area. Anticipation would build as their distance increased, as they would be that much closer to slipping away from prying eyes.
Tonight was different though.
It had been three months since he had seen her. Three months working with the Avatar, the Earth King, and representatives from the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, at the Yu Dao summit. Three months of loneliness. Three months of missing her. Time and distance had always conspired against them and Zuko had worried when Mai wasn't there to greet him upon his return.
His arrival had coincided with another of Uncle's invented celebrations to promote positive cultural appreciation. The Fire Lord's presence was required.
Relief had washed over him upon spotting her in the ballroom. They had caught each other's eye. A flirtatious smile from her signaled that they were still good. It had sparked a fire in him.
And so their private game of chase had begun.
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Certain that he had seen her, she fled and he followed. The pattern was repeated through the grand ballroom and out to the east garden.
She had caught his smile, predacious and smug, when he stepped outside.
Confident that he'd catch her, was he? He'd do well to remember who he was dealing with.
A laugh almost escaped her as she dogged out of his view and dashed for the courtyard where she could make her way from pillar to pillar in stealth.
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He stalked her, craving her touch and the taste of her. She slipped out of sight yet again, her movements agile and precise.
He likened her to a cat, deceivingly demure, calling him like a siren, itching to scratch and be scratched. And oh, when she purred, what intoxication! He reveled in the knowledge that he alone could elicit such a reaction from her. Soft mewls of pleasure rewarded a touch here, a kiss there. With a gentle caress or a rough stroke, he could push her over the edge, make her loose abandon and come undone.
A wicked smile lit his face. After the announcement of their engagement talk had ranged from the carefully phrased to the blatantly crude. Women had called her an ice queen, devoid of any warmth or emotion; intimidating, much too cold and uncaring. Men speculated about his attraction to her, saying that he liked the challenge, that fire melts ice, that at least his conquests were confined to the bedroom.
He kept it secret. Her very essence seemed a veiled a promise, the merging of the perfect consort and the perfect fantasy, feminine grace with a touch of wicked and a pinch of risqué.
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She stood leaning against a pillar. The sound of his deep husky laugh reached her. Her eyes were lidded with longing, her heart beat faster than normal. The pursuit had excited her.
Let him catch her. They had been apart for too long.
She listened for his approach, but had lost focus for a moment. He stood before her, smiling triumphantly.
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He leaned in, towering over her. His eyes fixed on hers.
"Welcome home, Fire Lord."
The breathy reception was invitation enough. He grabbed hold of her. She wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I've missed you," he whispered.
Reunited, the heat between them, coupled with an intense feeling of love, aroused a need in them. They kissed.
Their emotions gave way to passion and they took their game to the next level.
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