Mai stands in their palace yet she refuses to meet either of their eyes. Mostly she resists looking at Zuko. And somehow this infuriates Azula more than anything else. She had no trouble locking eyes with her when she was shoving her tongue down TyLee's throat. Likely she had no trouble boasting about it to Zuko.
"Hello!" Seicho greets, "my name is Seicho and this is Zhang-Zin, my brother."
"I didn't realize that you'd be bringing friends home, Zuko." Mai remarks stiffly, as though Seicho's very presence is an affront. Granted, Azula hasn't much room to talk given her first thoughts about the woman.
"They're Azula's friends." Zuko replies. "They're nice people."
"Right, because Azula always keeps such pleasant company."
Azula is very much inclined to agree with her.
"I never said that I was a good person." Mai speaks up before Azula can jot anything down on her parchment. She wonders if that is Mai's way of expressing guilt. The woman is nearly as dreadful with such as Azula herself.
'Why is she still here?' Azula scribbles onto the parchment.
"I'm trying to talk things out with her." He replies.
Azula isn't sure if she shares the desire. 'Where is TyLee?'
Mai shrugs. "She's been...different lately."
Azula swallows, likely she has gone and made a complete and unsalvageable mess of things. Likely, TyLee doesn't want to talk to her even in a simpler, less romantic way. Mai certainly doesn't.
She suspects that Seicho senses her discomfort as the woman inches closer and puts a hand upon her shoulder. This time Azula doesn't shake it off.
"I think that all of us have been different lately." Zuko agrees.
Azula is inclined to express that they are different in any good way. Mostly they have all collectively taken several steps back. A steady regression from any progress that they might have made. A pang comes over her at the realization that, at least at some point, for some period of time, she had bettered herself.
If only she hadn't gone and ruined it.
Zhang-Zin rubs his head. "Are things alway so tense here?"
"Yes." They all answer at once. At least they can agree on one thing.
Zuko laughs, "we're a sad bunch aren't we?"
"The most miserable." Mai sighs.
Azula would have laughed if she could. She isn't quite sure how to express as much on the parchment without sounding sarcastic. She swallows, even the most basic expressions of joy have been lost to her.
"You know what you guys need?" Seicho asks.
'Help?' Azula jots down.
This draws another laugh from Zuko. She hadn't expected it to lift her spirits any. But it does; it is such a subtle reminder but a reminder no less. She has managed to cling onto at least some forward progress. However rocky it can be; they don't hate each other anymore.
"A big box of assorted mochi and lunch in a garden." Seicho declares.
'You're just looking for an excuse to visit the palace gardens.'
"That too." She shrugs.
"Aren't we supposed to be preparing for our hike?" Zhang-Zin speaks.
Seicho elbows him in the stomach as Azula nods affirmatively. "You...the both of you need to lighten up, we have all the time in the world. We just got off of a cramped boat, we can relax-with a box of mochi in the garden-for a little while."
Azula points to her throat.
"We have a ton of parchment to hold you over."
Azula folds her arms over her chest.
"You especially can use a big box of mochi and a flower crown." Her eyes shine with a devious glint. "And you don't have to worry about the flowers pinching you as you try to collect them." She grins.
Azula's cheeks flush and decides once and for all that Seicho is a little shit.
"What is she talking about?" Mai asks.
"They made shell jewelry together and Azula tried to steal from a turtle-crab."
"Since turtle-crabs live in shells would that be considered theft or a home invasion?"
Azula fixes Seicho with her best deadpan stare.
.oOo.
Things are different day to day. She dabbles in a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Some activities she likes less than others-fishing and bird watching to name two. She also doesn't care for watching earthbending ball.
Fishing requires too much sitting still and a whole lot of nothing in particular. Bird watching is a little more engaging but she finds that she is much too excitable and fellow watchers aren't particularly thrilled when her bouncing up and declaring, 'oh look at that one!' causes said birds to take flight. And earthbending ball, like kuai ball isn't fun unless she is part taking.
But she adores yoga, climbing, dancing, and occasionally a good game of hide and explode with a pack of wild children. Tonight's activity is a poetry reading. She thinks that this is the perfect way to give Tuya a taste of Fire Nation culture; they sit on tatami mats with small bowls of rice and miso soup.
Not only will she get to listen to the language of the Fire Nation and get a feel for their aesthetics but she will also get to try out some traditional dishes. If they are lucky, this event will have music between readings.
"Are you going to read a poem?" Tuya asks.
"I'm not sure yet." She thinks that she might want to, she has a few verses in mind about what it is like to be inside a glacier for the first time. She nuzzles herself close to Tuya who offers her a helping of rice.
It is a good day.
A warm day.
A kind day.
.oOo.
Six.
Seicho can fit six mochi balls into her mouth at once.
Azula hadn't realized that watching someone eat mochi could leave her feeling so stressed. And Zhang-Zin...that man was able to cram seven.
"Fire of Agni!" Mai exclaims, it is the most passion that Azula ha heard from her in a while. "And I thought that you were a mochi demon."
Azula jabs a thumb against her own chest.
"Yeah you. Remember when you ate three of them at once?"
At first she thinks that Mai is talking about their sleepover and then she recalls a moment when Zuko had proclaimed that he could eat more mochi than she. She nods, she isn't sure if she should be prideful or concerned in retrospect.
Seicho finishes swallowing the mochi. Azula is thankful that the woman hasn't choked. She plucks a firelily from a nearby bush and tucks it behind Azula's ear. She ruffles her hair, "perfect."
Azula staches her invasive hand with a frown. Seicho remains unperturbed. Not only unperturbed, but thrilled to have Azula holding her hand. She doesn't let Azula drop it and the princess isn't sure that she wants to anyways.
"So what do you do, Zhang-Zin?" Zuko asks.
"Most of the time I either ferry people back and forth from Ember Island to the mainland. But when I have a day off Seicho and I usually go exploring together. One day we're going to cover the entirety of Ember Island."
'Sounds horrible.' But she can't help but want to tag along. She looks at her ankles, the swelling has since passed and she isn't sure that she is ready for round two.
"It's actually a lot of fun if you have good company." Seicho gives Azula's hand a pointed squeeze and her tummy flutters slightly. "And comfy shoes."
"Maybe if this next hike goes well, we can try to trek around Ember Island." Zuko suggests.
"What hike?" Mai asks.
"We're going to try to help Azula get her voice back."
"Oh."
Azula fidgets with the grass beside her. She takes a sip of tea as she works up the willpower to ask, 'do you want to come?'
Mai stares at the parchment as though it is some mysterious and mystifying tome. Likely, Mai hadn't anticipated receiving an invite. And to be fair, Azula hadn't anticipated inviting her.
Zuko smiles. "I think that it would be great for you to come along. We'll have some time to talk about things. I think that we could all use that."
"Azula especially could use the ability to talk." Seicho remarks. With one small pout, Seicho is cupping her cheek. "Which is why we're going to get her voice back." She slings her arm over Azula's shoulder. There is something strangely reassuring in her confidence.
Mai inhales deeply, "fine, I'll go, but I'm not liable if I murder one of you in your sleep."
"I'm willing to take that risk." Zuko replies, "we haven't murdered each other yet."
'It isn't for lack of trying'. Azula shrugs.
"No kidding." Mai rolls her eyes.
"What did you get me into?" Zhang-Zin asks Seicho as she declares, "this group is always so cheerful." She pops another ball of mochi into her mouth and makes herself comfortable propped up against Azula.
Azula's tummy gives another flutter. It has been so long since someone has snuggled up next to her. She missed the feeling. Hesitantly, she puts her arm around Seicho.