Title: Our Happy Ending
Summary:
She was the reminder of that time when he was truly happy with his life. He was the perfect boy who could give her the perfect life... Or so they thought.
He was the Avatar who lost his people for running away from his destiny. She was a girl who wanted to rebuild her tribe and help her people.
How things could have concluded if Zutara was the endgame.
He had been recovering well from his lightning injury but he still had a hard time dressing up, especially with all the muscles that needed to bend or flex. Things would be a lot easier if there were servants around, but Azula fired more than half of the Royal Palace's staff. Also given how things turned out, Fire Lord Ozai losing his bending, Zuko ascending the throne, and the Hundred Year War finally coming to an end, people were still in shock and in confusion.
"Do you need some help with that?" Someone voiced out. Zuko's eyes went wide. It was one of the people he wasn't prepared to see yet.
Mai.
"Ma…Mai! You… You're okay!" he stammered. He won't be surprised if she wanted to use him as a shooting target given how he left her and what happened to them back in the Boiling Rock.
"The… They let you out of prison?" Why does he suck in making casual conversations?
"My uncle pulled some strings and it doesn't hurt when the new Fire Lord is… your former boyfriend." She answered a bit colder than she intended. Zuko noticed the pause she made before stating their current relationship.
Former boyfriend.
"I'm sorry Mai," he said giving her a sincere apologetic look. He cares about her, no doubt with that, but sadly; his feelings for Mai is not enough to make him choose her over his honor and his nation.
"Cut the drama Zuko." Mai said sternly as she grabbed his sash and tied it around him. "I do like you but I'm tired of competing with everyone's honor and being used for it, yours, Azula's and my father's. Given your new position as Fire Lord, I think it's best if we remain as acquaintances." Her time in prison gave her a lot of time to reflect on things. She realized that she needed someone for who would love her for who she is, not because of what she could do to fulfill something in the other's life.
"If it's like that, I very much respect your decision." Their separation helped them accept that they were no longer the same person the other had once had fallen in love with. He was no longer the confused prince who only sought his father's attention and love and saw her as a symbol of the time he was actually happy with his life. She was no longer the grim lonely girl who had to act like a perfect princess to protect her father's career and perceived him as the perfect boy who could give her a perfect life.
"What do you plan to do now?"
"I'll be travelling with Ty Lee. I think it's time for me to stop hating the world." Mai took a step back to inspect Zuko's robes. Satisfied with her work, her lips curved upwards a little. She stared at the golden eyes she once loved and asked him something out of curiosity before she let him go for good.
"Is it true that you saved that water tribe girl from Azula's lightning?"
"It's true. Her name is Katara, a brave and honorable woman. I was an idiot for endangering her by asking her to be with me during the Agni Kai with Azula." Mai saw how proud he was saying her name and later on traces of regret across Zuko's face. Her former self who loved Zuko would surely feel hurt, and would demand if he would do the same if she was put in the same situation; but then, she was no longer that person.
"Do you love her?" Zuko's eyes went wide and looked at Mai alarmingly. The last thing he wanted was for Mai to feel cheated. But when his eyes landed on her, she didn't seem to be hurting; she had her usual poker face and even had little traces of teasing.
"It's something I can't answer right now. I am the new Fire Lord now. I and my nation have a hundred years' worth of hate and destruction to cope up with, which calls for my undivided attention and full effort for the first few years at least." He replied with an honest smile.
"I see." She smiled in return.
"Good-bye Zuko."
"Good-bye Mai. Take care on your journey." For the one last time, he hugged Mai.
"I will." They let go and last words he heard from her before she disappeared in the hallways of the palace were: "Be the best Fire Lord this nation had ever seen."
Mai was walking away from the Fire Lord's chambers when she saw a water tribe girl walking hastily towards where she came from.
"Katara?" Mai unconsciously mumbled. She remembered her as the fierce girl whom she fought several times when she was still Azula's pawn.
The girl turned around responding to her name being called. "Wha… What is it Mai?" Katara felt a bit awkward casually talking to a girl who used her as a shooting target a lifetime ago.
"Uh… Are you on your way to see Zuko?"
"Yes? Did something happen?" Katara replied agitatedly. She hardly left Zuko's side, making sure that he recovers well and receives the healing he needed, except early this morning when Suki asked her to take care of Sokka while she orient the other Kyoshi Warriors about the new Fire Lord's coronation.
She can't help feel guilty and anxious when Zuko's injury was the topic. They were supposed to be teammates, not a liability to him, or a replacement just in case the he goes out of commission. She felt like she was that little girl again who can't do anything to save her mother but she also knew she's now better than that. She's a master waterbender and a healer. She won't give up Zuko without giving a fight.
Mai sensed Katara's anxiety. "Relax girl. He's fine, though he would definitely use some help." Mai replied.
Katara felt like she could breathe again upon hearing Mai's response. She murmured words of thankfulness then started walking again towards the Fire Lord's chambers.
"Wait." Katara stopped on her tracks and turned around again. She didn't know if her brain was making fun of her but was Mai smiling at her?
"He might be the most hot-headed infuriating honor nut-head you'll ever meet in your whole life, but he is surely a loving and caring person." Mai run off before Katara could even react.
Katara entered the room and saw Zuko in his full Fire Lord regalia. Why does he look so sexy whether he is shirtless or in his Fire Lord regalia?
"Katara, is Sokka alright?" Zuko greeted, waking the girl from her daydream.
"Uhm… Yeah. He's great. I just fed him before I left. Dad is taking care of him now. How about you?"
"I'm fine. Mai helped me put on these robes." Honestly, she felt jealous.
"Are you two back together?" Katara felt stupid for asking, knowing that his answer would either rip her heart or leave her daydreaming for more. She was attracted to Zuko that she was sure of (or maybe, even greater, just denying it) no matter how hard she tried to act like she loathed him when he joined their group. It didn't help that they did a lot of things together from household chores, bending training to finding her mother's killer. Now that he saved her from that lightning that could have killed her, she didn't know how to figure things out between the two of them – Is she going to hope that Zuko feels the same way she does? Or not, because whether it was her or someone else he would do still do the same thing?
"No, we ended things for good," Zuko replied with a sad smile. Relief was written all-over Katara.
"I… I'm happy" "I… I'm sorry," she replied.
"No need to apologize, it was something we both agreed upon," Zuko can't help blush when he remembered Mai's last question: Are you in love with her?
Seeing the pink tint on Zuko's cheeks made Katara blush too. "I see," she answered, twirling her hair around her fingers.
A Fire Sage knocked at the door, alerting them that the coronation is about to start soon.
Author's Notes: There's still a next installment for this. The teashop scene in Ba Sing Se~
Honestly, Mai's character could have been cool, if she wasn't such a cold-blooded girlfriend towards Zuko.
Dedicated to all Zutara fans! Hope you enjoyed this! Please read and review. Constructive criticisms are highly accepted.
