Disclaimer: If I owned these guys, we would not be at any sort of computer. ;)
A/N- Beta-ed by Kimba616. Thank you! Reviews are most appreciated. Enjoy!
He knew his chances of escaping were slim. Even if Ozai brushed him off as being inane, he didn't know the tunnels as well as Azula. She was smart, cautious, she thought of everything. Knowing the way into those tunnels and, especially, how to escape them, could be crucial to one's survival. Azula knew this. Zuko, however, never imagined that a Prince would be left alone to meander his way out. Besides, what fool would ever enter the royal family's own safe haven with the intent to harm them. It would be suicide simply finding their way through, never mind the multiple guards. But Azula trusted no one. In her mind, any one of the family's protectors could be waiting for just the perfect moment to overturn the Fire Lord. Yeah right.
Zuko almost turned back, more than once. Why was he even going to Ozai? For his consent? So he wouldn't worry? Perhaps it was this feeling that he must do what is right, in different aspects. Rescue Uncle Iroh, join the Avatar, teach him fire bending, warn Father that his son is switching sides…
And then there was Mai. She belonged to him now and he would lose her by leaving, that much he was sure of. Was it worth it? He didn't love her, he didn't know what love was, but there was something. Something inside of him was making him hesitate and that something was procuring Mai's face behind his lids every time he blinked.
That wasn't enough of a reason to say. He knew that what he needed to do was more important than his honor or a girl who had done something strange to his heart.
He strode quickly through the carefully carved tunnels, smacking his forehead with the palm of his hand. Stop distracting yourself, you'll get yourself killed.
He was mad, a complete lunatic, that was surely going to perish at the hands of his father. But he didn't turn back.
Buildings and scenery were only blurs as Zuko sprinted past them, focusing only on his destination, getting out of the fire nation. Ozai wouldn't chase him, he knew, but he could take no chances. His best bet would be one of the flying balloons that the army stole from that inventor. No one would stand in the Prince's way of taking one. They didn't yet know of his intents. How long it would be before he was a rebel with a reward out, wanted dead of alive, he didn't know.
Zuko cut to the right, down an alley, altering his path slightly. His hair, messed from his fight with his father, whipped behind him as he pushed his legs to go faster, ignoring his straining muscles threatening to stiffen.
He was almost there, could see the tops of the red balloons, could almost feel the relief that would fill him once he was off fire nation ground. He was making good time until his foot caught on something, sending him sprawling forward. He slid across the rough stones that made up the street and landed on his back, a tumble that knocked the wind out of him. He didn't feel the pain that would soon turn to bruises and ignored a nasty scrape on his cheek. Looking back, there was nothing in the road that would have tripped him.
He stood as quickly as his aching muscles would allow and unsheathed a sword from the holder on his back.
"Who's there?"
He stood at attention, ready to attack whatever culprit had found him out and tried to stop him. There was shadow covering the small alley but Zuko was sure that he could see the edge of a cloak being rustled in the wind.
"I said who's there!"
Stepping forward, he raised his sword wielding hand, preparing to attack before they stepped out from the doorway that was shielding them from his sight.
"I thought you may come this way," a low pitched, smoky voice called to him.
"Mai," Zuko replied while sheathing his sword. "You shouldn't be here."
She took a step closer, revealing her hooded face to him.
"I live here," she said, "I'm not allowed in the streets?"
"No, you're not," Zuko replied, "You should be with the others, somewhere safe."
Mai shrugged and leaned her shoulder against the stone wall, regarding him closely. He wore a traveling cloak, his swords and a small pack.
"Going somewhere?"
Zuko looked away. This wasn't at all what he had planned. Mai was supposed to find out about his leaving with the rest of the fire nation, when Azula spread the word about her traitor brother living true to his reputation, of being a traitor. Or when she found his note, explaining why he needed to do this. There was never room for a confrontation, especially not after Ember Island and everything after then. But what was the point in lying to her now? Zuko's plans had changed.
"I'm leaving. I'm going to teach the Avatar fire bending so he can defeat my father and end this war," he stated bluntly, knowing that it sounded absolutely crazy.
Mai snorted and regarded him with a look of doubt.
"Right, because they'll just accept that you're not there to kill them and welcome you with open arms," she said dryly, holding out her arms for emphasis. "Great plan, Zuko."
"You don't understand," he started, "I have to do this."
He took a step closer to her, his insides hurting for pushing her away but angry that she was forcing this on him.
"You aren't supposed to be here," he continued, his voice growing more fierce, "I have to do this and you have no say in anything…"
"Zuko, you're the only reason why I'm not bored all the time anymore," Mai interrupted. "You're the only thing I really care about and you're just going to take it away from me? Let me come with you."
She stood tall in front of him, forcing him to meet her eyes.
"Stop it," he yelled, turning from her. "You're only making this harder."
"You're not Prince anymore, Zuko," Mai replied with a small smirk. "If I decide to travel in the same direction as you, you can't stop me."
She stepped closer to him, leaving only inches between them. His face was crinkled in anger, eyes squinted and nose turned up, much like Azula would leave him when they were small children.
"Why are you doing this?" Zuko demanded, his voice strained with emotion he was failing to hide.
"I went to find you when the invasion began," Mai said, her face serious. "I wanted to make sure you were safe before I left with Ty Lee. You weren't in your room. It was a mess. Your swords were gone as well as most of your socks."
Zuko grimaced but Mai continued.
"I thought, why would Zuko need socks? Unless he was running, of course. And then I thought of how you owe me for not telling Azula that half of your socks were missing. I couldn't let you run off without being repaid."
"You can't come, Mai, it could be dangerous," Zuko said, his face only slightly relaxing.
"What, and you think I can't handle myself?" She replied, slipping out one of the many knives she kept hidden in her sleeves. There was a reason why Azula had wanted Mai on her little hunting team.
Zuko hated this. Mai didn't care about anything, he didn't have time for this. She wouldn't be anything but a hassle traveling with him. She would complain all the time and ask for shoulder rubs and sneer at what food he could get them. She would want to talk all the time and she would get in the way of his goal. She would make him seem less trusting to the Avatar.
But at the same time, as much as he tried to believe all those things as true, he knew differently. Mai did care for him, she'd made that much clear. Why would she leave everything and venture into the wild with a rebel prince? Unless she loved that rebel prince.
Zuko felt like his head was on the brink of exploding. She would be in so much danger. Ozai would have soldiers on the lookout for them. An image flashed through his mind of one of Mai's knives being turned on her. It stuck out of her gut and she choked, gasping for air. He snarled and pushed her out of his way, striding fast down the alley. She followed, he could hear her footsteps.
"You can't outrun me, Zuko, you never could," Mai said softly, letting the wind carry her words to him.
He turned, prepared to force her to turn back in whatever way he needed to.
"Listen, I'm…"
He was cut off by Mai's lips meeting his in a fierce kiss. She held him there with a hand on the back of his neck and slipped the other arm around his waist. Startled by her forwardness, he stood rigid for a moment. He touched her shoulders, ready to push her back but she only pulled him closer.
After only a moment, Mai broke the kiss but held her ground.
"Do you have to be so stubborn?" She asked lazily before pressing another, much softer kiss to his lips.
It was her turn to push him out of her way as she continued forward, toward the balloons. Zuko watched her walk away for just a moment.
Fuck,he thought to himself. At the very least, he wouldn't be alone. He followed her, jogging to catch up and pulled a bag he hadn't noticed before, off of her shoulder. For a second, he considered tossing it away in a last attempt to force her to stay. Instead, he slung it over his shoulder and took her hand.
"Why do you need so many socks, anyway?" Mai asked, slightly amused.
"Shut up," Zuko replied.
As they walked, he felt that relief that he was waiting for, only this time, it came a bit early.