Just a short darbble to satisfy my maiko side. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own avatar: the last airbender
She had been sent to find him, hence why she was now walking through the cold empty halls of Ba Sing Se's palace. Normally Mai would grumble and complain about having to do a job as boring as locating someone, however Azula had sent her to look for Zuko, to her he wasn't just anybody.
She had been a bit worried about him; he had been so reclusive over the past few days. She could tell that although he was happy about the chance to redeem himself, he was upset about what had happened with his uncle. So this was her chance to try and help him, as she would never offer that in front of Azula; should her cold calculating gaze latch onto the action. Mai wasn't interested in Azula knowing her true feelings what so ever.
She turned the corner and began walking down the stairs to where the prisoners were kept. She found him there hiding against the wall that leads to the final row of cells, the area where Iroh was being kept.
Mai sighed at his image, gone was the pride that he had held in the throne room, now he was on the ground hugging his knees, guilt weighing heavily on his shoulders.
The normally apathetic woman's gaze softened at Zuko, she had never really been good at comforting people, and it looked as though he would scare easily if she said the wrong thing. So she took a seat next to him, drew her knees to her chest, and waited.
His shoulders tensed up at her presence, his face remained hidden in the folds of his sleeves. After a few moments he relaxed again, turning his head just enough to see her out of the corner of his distorted eye.
Mai remained silent, he hadn't been crying, but she could read the hopelessness that dwelled within him. She wondered what it was like to be him, to always have to choose between what he wanted most. Knowing that for him to gain the happiness he searched for, he would have to lose something in return. It caused her heart to twist a bit, she found herself wanting in that moment to hold him, but stopped before she tried.
He looked at her for what seemed like hours, but finally he began to speak. "I can't face him… After… He must hate me" he muttered lowly, Mai just rested her head on her on her knees so that they were at the same eye level. She didn't have words of encouragement to say, she didn't really think that he would hear them anyways. So instead she slowly moved her hand so that it was resting on the ground next to him. It was her offer for what comfort she would give him right now; it was up to him to choose whether to take or not.
Zuko noted the movement but didn't respond right away, when he did his hand only barely touched hers. It was small and delicate, a fragile thread that began to draw them together. Mai knew that it wouldn't cure him, he would have to find that strength on his own, but she could offer to be his little comfort and support in the dark.