I'll say this once: I don't want shipping wars in my comments. Thank you to Alabaster86 for expressing your opinion without bashing any ship-the focus was on character, not the pairing. If you want to discuss Zutara v Maiko, there are communities on here where you can do that, there are communities on the web where you can do that. The reviews section is NOT the place.

Caged Birds

Zuko opened his arms to Mai, and she came to him even though he was dressed as the Fire Lord, with the crown and the mantle, and she did so without hesitation for the first time in nearly a year. For the first time, almost, since he was crowned. She was smiling, and her steps were lighter. He held her tightly, his arms wrapped around her shoulders, and she wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her cheek against his chest. Mai squeeze him as Zuko squeezed her. When the hug had gone on long enough, Mai put her hands on Zuko's sides, pushed against him so lightly that he could pretend she had done nothing at all. But he was doing this for her. He let go, and she stepped away from him.

"I am so sorry," he said, his heart heavier than he felt it had any right to be.

Mai shook her head. "We just became two different people. I guess it was bound to happen."

Mai smiled, even if her eyes were a little watery, and her smile was a real smile. She only ever dropped her mask for Zuko—not the Prince and not the Fire Lord—but he needed to be the Fire Lord too much. He had always made time for her, but more often than not, his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of recovery after the war. He rarely got time to just be a seventeen year old boy walking through the market district with his girlfriend. He rarely got time to lie in the grass with her and not talk, not think about his country. To just be.

There was life in her now, as she stood in front of him, in the anteroom of the Fire Lord's suit, the stars giving them a little light, lanterns providing the rest. He put his hand on her cheek, and she leaned into his touch, and his heart felt a little heavier because the only way he could truly make Mai happy was to break up with her. She kissed his thumb when he moved it over her lips.

"Don't go all broody on me," she said, removing his hand. "Now you don't have to rush into a marriage you don't want."

He knew she was suffocating. She withered and withdrew more with each social event they attended. She pulled away every time someone called him Fire Lord Zuko, and every time he was called to a meeting, and every time his Chief of Staff delivered his mail at breakfast. She became more stoic every time she was called the Lady Consort, every time someone mentioned the Fire Lady's suite, every time they congratulated her on standing by him through his banishment.

"I'd rather it be you than some random noble they'll try to force on me."

He wiped away a few tears as they fell down her cheeks, and he knew he was doing the right thing. She wasn't standing rigid because proper posture and her station required it; she was standing tall because that weight that was pressing her down had been lifted. He understood the feeling. For those few weeks in Ba Sing Se, he'd felt the weight of requirement and duty lifted, and he thought he might actually be happy.

"Please."

But he couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or pleading with him not to make things harder for them both.

"At least if you try to kill me I know it'll be because I've done something wrong, not because you think my bloodline needs to end. I know where I stand with you."

Mai smiled at this. She was beautiful. So few people got to see her like this, smiling not just with her mouth, but her whole being. Every part of her changed, and Zuko wanted so bad to be selfish. He wanted to keep her caged with him because she would have all the chances he never would, and she was familiar and strong and loyal, and maybe, if he had her, he wouldn't feel so alone. But if she stayed, she would hate him, and he didn't want her to hate him.

"Promise me you'll keep in touch."

"Ugh, Zuko, you're acting like I'm going away forever. We're just going to Ember Island for the summer season. We'll be back." She was smoothing his hair back as she talked. Light, tender touches.

"It's ok to be sad, you know," he said, grabbing her hand.

"I don't know that I'm sad, yet. Maybe it'll hit me when I'm resting on the beach. I'll be sure to make a big scene for you, then."

Zuko smiled, and she smiled. He held her hand and waited. They could be good friends, maybe. They'd long ago moved past the point of being awkward with each other, and perhaps, Zuko thought, he might miss this most of all. The ease of being with someone else, and not feeling like an awkward duck shoved someplace he wasn't sure he belonged.

"You've got an early meeting tomorrow, so you should probably get some sleep," she said quietly.

Reluctantly, Zuko nodded. "Yeah. Probably."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

"You'll have Mistress Yina send my things over?" Mai asked, referring to the Head of Household Staff. Neither had moved. They were both stalling.

"Yes. If you want."

"Zuko, I'm not your girlfriend anymore. It's not a matter of what I want."

Zuko winced. Of course it wasn't. He was breaking up with her. A little pang hit him. Tomorrow, people would know, and life would change again. So long as Mai was with him, he could hold off the future a little longer, keep a bit more control of his life, but without her… Not being with Mai meant opening himself up for others to try to control, to weasel their way in, to dominate when he didn't want to be dominated. He and Mai were still holding hands.

"Dork."

Zuko kissed her one last time. So he was a bit sentimental about certain things. After all, he'd been subject to his uncle's romantic tales for three very formative years. Mai kissed him with all the passion she had never given him during the year they were officially together. She wrapped her arms around his neck and didn't pull away when he moved his hands from her waist to her hips. She gave to him this last gift of herself, her real self with real emotions and real feelings, and she did this freely. He broke the kiss, and briefly, Mai followed him. She recovered herself, and removed her hands from his neck. He walked her to the door, then held it open for her.

"Goodnight, Fire Lord Zuko," Mai said, bowing formally.

He nodded. She started to walk away, but she came back.

"Thank you. I'd hate myself if I left and never said that." She kissed him quickly on the lips. "Thank you so much."

She disappeared down the hall, and Zuko smiled to himself, leaning against the doorway. At least one of them deserved to be happy.

A/N: This is one of the reasons I can't get behind Maiko. In The Beach, Mai speaks about how oppressive her childhood was. To keep her in that lifestyle seems unfair. If Zuko asked her to marry him, I bet she'd do it for him, but I don't think either of them could be happy. Even though I ship Zutara, I don't like a cold, heartless Mai. I took the tiny bit of characterization she was given and ran with it, and came up with this Mai who could be happy if she was freed from a life she hates. Almost like Mai going the Ty Lee route. What she does with her life after? I don't know. I imagine she'd travel.

And yes, I understand that, while Zuko may have set her free, her parents might not. But here's hoping it gives her a little courage to stand up to her parents a bit and take control of her own life. There's a reference to this in my multi-chap The Chase. Just can't think of which chapter right now :/