102AG
"It's time to get up," Mai said to Tom Tom. She had to bring him to work with her. They couldn't afford a sitter.
He was sleepy. It was only 7AM.
"I know, but you can sleep there."
She got Tom Tom washed up and into his clothes.
They had porridge and ash bananas for breakfast.
Tom Tom grinned when he saw food, and after they finished eating, they headed to their aunt's flower shop.
Three hours later and Mai was bored. She only had two customers all morning, and one was a guy who bought one rose for his wife every morning. It was a sweet gesture, but it didn't pay the bills.
Tom Tom was playing in the back with his ball.
Mai was about to close for a bit and take a break when a woman came into the shop. She assumed the woman was old. She wore a cloak like many older women did when they wanted to hide their wrinkles. The voice, however, told Mai otherwise.
"You'd rather be a flower shop employee than Fire Lady?" Azula squared up against Mai. "Now I wonder which one of us is crazy."
Mai groaned. "If you're hear to start shit, can you at least do it when Tom Tom is not in the store?"
"Believe it or not, I come in peace."
"I don't believe you," Mai had a stiletto in her sleeve just in case.
"Hear me out. I just want you to give my dumb dumb brother another chance."
"What's in it for you?" Mai folded her arms.
"Can't this just be my good dead for the decade?"
Mai drew her blade.
Azula raised her hands in defense. "Okay, okay. The sages are getting on Zuzu's case about getting married and making an heir. Granted, there are hundreds of girls who would be happy to marry him, but he loves you. If you don't take him back, then he'll marry some run of the mill girl that he doesn't care about, and we will have yet another crown prince or crown princess growing up in an unhappy home with parents who don't love each other. I think the past 100 years show why this is a terrible idea."
"So you want me to take your brother back to save some unborn baby?"
"Consider it your patriotic duty."
"Hell no!"
Azula rolled her eyes. "Then think about this. You love him, and if you don't give him a second chance, you'll always have to think about what if. You'll waste your youth working a dead end job serving nobody, and you'll have to read all about some brown nosed tramp having the life you should have had. You'll never forgive yourself. Heck, I'll buy all the flowers in this shop if you take him back."
"That's a lie!"
"Okay, the last part's a lie, but if you get back with Zuzu, he'll give your aunt enough to retire. You know she's old, and her knees are bad."
"How did you know about her bad knees?"
"I saw her at the market. She didn't recognize me and she started babbling about how she was glad to have her niece working for her since her knees are bad."
"What is in it for you?" Mai was still skeptical.
"I have my reasons, most of them are altruistic, but I have no interest in sharing them."
Mai raised a brow. "I'll think about it if you leave me and my family alone."
"Deal," Azula bought a black rose and tucked it in her hair before leaving.
Three days later, Mai was still unsure of what to do. She did love Zuko, and she did want to know how he was doing, but what if things don't change? What if he continues to make shady deals behind her back. She couldn't share a life with him if she couldn't trust him, but then again, she knew what she was getting into. Zuko was a good guy who had been taught many bad habits. She couldn't expect perfection right away. Maybe he did deserve a second chance.
"You've been thinking a lot," Mai's aunt told her.
"You could tell?"
"You've been frowning for the past three days. Usually, you just sport a pai show face (poker face)."
Mai sighed. "I ran into my ex's sister. She told me he wants me back, and I don't know what to do."
"It's a bit cowardly for him to send his sister. How are you supposed to talk to him about it?"
"I'm sure he didn't send her."
"Then she must be a good sister."
Mai was laughing in her mind. "She said he's getting pressure to marry, and she doesn't want him to mess up by marrying some random girl."
"Are you ready to marry him?"
"No."
"Would he wait for you?"
"I don't know."
"The only way you can find out is if you talk to him."
A week later, Mai came to the palace. She went to knock on Zuko's office door, but he was in there with someone.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not going to just choose a wife because you tell me to!"
"We need an heir!"
"I need my sanity."
Suki escorted Zuko's out of the office. She was surprised to see, "Mai? What brings you here."
"I was hoping to talk to Zuko."
"He's quite busy but ..."
"Who's out there?" Zuko came out to see, "Mai?"
"Is now a bad time?"
"No."
Suki frowned as Mai went into Zuko's office. The Fire Lord closed the door, leaving his head of security outside.
"Why are you here?"
"I'm not sure."
He pursed his lips. "Did you want to talk about your father?" He got her letter about the New Ozai.
"No. I didn't come here about him. I wanted to talk about us."
"I missed you."
"I know. I missed you two, but I don't want us to be spinning circles. I can't sit in the shadows wondering what kind of deals your making to keep the country afloat."
Suki's ear was pressed to the door. What are they saying?
She had to jump back when the servant came with Zuko's afternoon tea. The servant gave Suki and admonishing look and kept walking.
It was an hour before Mai left the office.
"I'll see you on Friday," Zuko said as Mai made her exit.
That Friday, Zuko took Mai to Capital City Steakhouse, the best restaurant in the city.
Before they could order, the waiter brought them a fine moon peach wine. "It's on the house my Lord."
On the other side of the restaurant, a woman eating alone observed the young couple. That Kyoshi Whore-ior won't be Fire Lady after all!
