my attempt at my OTP. this is not the first maiko i wrote, but the first is still in the works. still not the fic i imagined it to be, but here it is anyways.

Disclaimer: Mai and Zuko are not mine.

War of hearts and minds
Seven days later,
I still can't find Truth and peace
How will I find my way
They say love, love without fear
Is said to be the key
But just look around
No answer to be found
(Get me out here)

-War of hearts and minds (Bamboo)

"Mai! Can we stop fighting already?" Zuko screamed through the closed doors to Mai's room. He cursed himself inwardly for allowing such room to even exist in the palace. If he had abolished the idea of letting her have her own room, he wouldn't have to worry about sleeping alone tonight. "It's getting late and I'm really tired."

After much loud pounding on the hard wood that separated him from his intended subject, the door suddenly swung inward to reveal a rather infuriated Mai. She was already in her sleeping gown and Zuko had to keep himself from blushing at the sight. This is not the first time he'd seen Mai in such a flimsy piece of material, but the lighting coming from inside the room didn't help him from gulping nervously.

"Fighting, Zuko?" She raised an eyebrow at him. The hungry look Zuko gave her didn't escape her discerning eyes. "I'm not the one shouting and screaming, accusing me of things I didn't do."

As if on cue, images of Mai surrounded by noblemen; laughing with her, reaching for her hands, charming and wooing her, came back to Zuko's mind. His agitation resurfacing back as fast as the passing of the eye of the storm.

"But you were flirting!" He glared at her. He felt the fire build from within and had to stop himself from accidentally firebending, as the rage inside him again began to consume him. He had to remind himself that he's not in the presence of those imprudent men that had the nerve to even get near his girl, his woman, that he's instead currently standing in front of the a very angered Mai.

"Oh really..?" Mai shifted her weight from one foot to another, leaning farther away from the still half-closed door. She tried to stay composed but the hitch on her voice betrayed her. Zuko hated how she's still trying to hide her emotion. He knows she's mad, but she's still bottling it. The hand she still held on the door-frame was the only tell-tale action of how much she's holding back. "Because Zuko", she continued. "What I did out there, what I did with those noblemen that I was forced to do despite you knowing how much I hate such gathering, was not nearly as much as what the girls around you were doing. It's not even close."

"What?" Zuko stepped back, clearly taken by surprise by Mai's statement. "Don't turn this on me. I didn't do anything inappropriate. I was just entertaining them as what was expected of the host."

"Just as I did." She said in her monotone voice.

"NO!" Zuko raised his voice. Trying to gain the upper-hand in the argument, he stepped forward again, almost close to shoving Mai back to the room. Mai didn't flinch, she knew this was coming.

"You were flirting!" He repeated.

She stepped aside and started to close the door when Zuko slammed his open palm to the door, making a very loud bang. Mai released a defeated sigh and released the door to face him again.

Zuko grunted in irritation and began pacing.

"You were smiling at them." He began, his breathing erratic. Mai noticed from the corner of her eyes that the fire in the hallway has become a bit bigger but she kept her eyes on Zuko. She knew he's trying to control his temper. She could've patted his back, if not for the fact that he's being such an idiot.

"As what was expected when you have guests from the other nation. Remember, you were the one who told me to be 'friendly'." She crossed her arms on her chest and leaned back to the door frame.

"Let me finish!" He stopped and scowled at her. He looked away and went back to walking. "You were laughing."

"Okay, maybe that wasn't right. They were really bad jokes. But still not enough to warrant the term 'flirting'."

"I said let me finish..." Zuko said, gritting his teeth. Mai just rolled her eyes in response. Zuko waited for another 2 seconds before he resumed walking back and forth. "You let them touch you."

Mai's brows furrowed trying to remember the time she was touched by anybody. She nearly scoffed at Zuko when she remembered.

"He handed me a drink, Zuko. His fingers just grazed mine. That is not touching."

"Ugh! I said let me finish!" Zuko raised his arms in frustration and the fires doubled in size for a fraction of a second. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in defeat, feeling exhausted.

"Forget it, Zuko. I'm sleeping here tonight and that's final."

He looked back to Mai and saw her determination. She's not falling back. He went to Mai's room to try to convince her to come back to their own room, but he's failing at it so miserably. He's not even sure why he's being so stupid. But the feeling of jealousy was just too much for him to contain. He narrowed his eyes and turned his back to her.

"Fine!"

Mai let out another audible sigh before retreating back to her room and closed the door behind her.

It was just another party, another attempt to uphold peace between the nations. Zuko told her it was important and insisted that Mai be there to accompany him. He said that he wants her to be there. Despite her hatred for parties, she attended the gathering. She knew the proper ethics to formal gatherings since she was a child, having attended quite a few with her parents. As a noblewoman and the Fire Lord's fiance, she had to entertain the guests. Unfortunately for Zuko, the male guests were seemingly attracted to Mai, like wasps to honey. Mai never really paid too much attention, she rarely never had. But after noticing sudden changes on the fires, her attention focused on Zuko, surrounded by his group of fan. She waved it off, never minding the flirtatious looks, seducing smiles and intentional touches directed at Zuko, and focused on the guests that requires for her interest.

It was not after the party was over that the fight started. He accused her of flirting. Of all things, to accuse her of, it's something he's undoubtledly unaware was happening around him the entire time they were each entertaining the guests. At least she knew what was happening, and she didn't even bother bringing it up. It's not that she didn't care, but rather she trusted Zuko. She had to trust Zuko.

She had already settled underneath the bed covers when the door to her room sprung open. The light from the hallway spilling inside the room in a funnel. Mai turned from her comfortable position to face the door and had to squint her eyes from the light. She saw a figure stomping towards her bed before the door slammed back close. She didn't feel alarmed as she already knew who it was. She heard the steps grew louder as it neared the bed and felt the edge of the bed gave in to the weight of the intruder. She went back to laying on the bed and waited.

"I'm not sleeping alone tonight, and that's final." Zuko slipped under the covers and snaked his hands around Mai's waist, curling his body to snuggle closer.

"Whatever" was her only reply before placing her hands on top of his. "And if you're thinking of having more parties like what we had earlier, I suggest you check the definition of 'flirting'. Unless you want me to lock the doors so you can't just barge in here.

Zuko groaned on her shoulders and whispered "I'm sorry" before kissing the back of her neck and pulling her closer. "Good night Mai."

"Good night, Zuko."