Baby Sitting Us

(Maiko) (fluff and insinuation. Yeys.)

A/N: never done a really AU before. My friend Nicky(my Azula) and I are constantly talking about 'modern day avatar'. So, this is kind of one of her jokes put into fic form. Ok, long story short, the idea is just they're in a different time period, different clothing. Same hair, scars, looks. Okies?

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar.

She was kind of entertaining in her stupid red and black striped shirt and her deep, almost black, purple cargo's with the chains that draped from the pockets to her thighs. "Refusing to be Goth or Punk. There is no current definition for what she is." That's what Azula had said. Either way he didn't care… for the most part. "Stop that." He muttered pulling one of his headphones out of his ears.

She paused. She had been rocking around to her music before he had bugged her. She glared at him for a moment, and then smirked at him giving a quick shake of her head that shook her buns and ponytails. "Why?" Always that dark eccentric personality that played through to him

"Because, you're bouncing around and it's shaking the couch." He pulled the other ear-bud out and scoffed at her, "Is your music so bad that you have to dance in one place just to get a high from it?"

She smiled that thin one-lined smile that she always did. "I find easier ways to get my thrills." She looked over his semi-prep-yet-dark look and shook at his black T-shirt with some no-name band printed across the front. "Do you even listen to them?"

"Yes."

She frowned, "Loser." Her stomach fluttered as he leaned closer to her, giving her a deep glare close enough that she could identify what ever cologne he was plastered with. "What? I was talking about the band." She looked over her black nails then back at his gray and black pants before planting her hand on his knee, making him back down quickly. He never did deal well with women, fake affection or not. "I thought so."

He rubbed the back of his hand to his flushed cheek, "Listen, I'm not planning on babysitting you till Azula gets back with Ty Lee, ok?" He pried her hand from his knee and rubbed the back of his neck.

"So, how's your girlfriend?" Straight to the point, that's why she hadn't gone with Azula to pick up Ty Lee.

"That's not any of your business." He picked up the TV remote and flipped it on.

"Fine." Mai pulled at his headphones and stuck one in her ear. "What are you listening to?" She knew full well that he had just ended things with Jin, and everyone knew why. If she had an ounce of a chance, she had to pull down her shy facade and be as brave with him as she was with Azula. She listened for a moment and smiled, "Nice song."

Zuko glanced at her thin form inching closer to him and smirked a bit. "You like them?"

"Yeah. They're ok. I've heard better, but they aren't bad. At least you're on the right track." She pulled the other headphone from around his neck and plugged it into her ear; making sure her fingers just barely brushed his collarbone. Little hints were all that she needed to give him.

"…It just didn't work."

She glanced up at him.

"She was… well, she wasn't…"

"I know, your dad won't let you date her because she's not Fire Nation." Mai waved a hand in the air.

"No, it was more then that, but the 'not Fire Nation' thing was my problem with her. I guess she was just a little..." Zuko rubbed the back of his neck again, searching for the words.

"Unrefined." Mai whispered causing him to jump.

"What?"

Mai waved a hand again, "Oh, she's cute, she'll find another boy… or girl."

His eyebrow arched at that one, "Explain."

A simple dark smirk and a shrug answered his question.

He bit his lower lip. "And Azula approves of that?"

"What?" Mai sat up straight. "Oh no! I'm not, Ty Lee is… half and half…"

"Hu? Wait that doesn't make sense!"

Mai nodded, "Sure it does, the whole running away from home thing, her parents rejecting her… you should have known…"

"But you?" His brushed aside the Ty Lee talk.

"Haha, no. But you would think." She glared at the hardwood floor. "At least Azula used to tell me that."

"Why? I never would have got that idea accept for the whole little ploy you just did." Leaning against the couch, he hung his arms over the back.

Her eyes floated to the muscles his arms were gently covered in. He was perfect, not too built, but not skinny. "Oh, that's just because I was talking to you." She didn't think about what she had said, her mind was still focusing on his appearance. "I mean…" She bit her lower lip and pulled the headphones from her ears and smoothly scooted to the other end of the couch.

"Oh…" He paused for a moment and looked over her small frame. His head cocked to the side for a moment. Maybe under those baggy cargo's and dark personality… "Come here."

Mai's cheeks turned a bright red. "Um, no I'm ok."

She was skinnier then he had thought, not that that had mattered. Just, before, she was so self-conscious, he hadn't noticed her under her massive ball of clothing. So she was cute, why was he making this a big deal? "Why not?"

She just sat tightly against the other end of the couch.

And she liked him? Otherwise she was appalled with him. But earlier she had been flirting with him, and prying about him and Jin. "I won't hurt you, or hit you, or pull out your hair like Azula ok?"

She bit her lower lip and nodded. She was still dark, but something about him broke that barrier and he knew it. "..ok." She slowly inched over to him till her hip finally bumped against him. Her shoulders were tight against her, and her head sought protection between them. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his chest, breaking her little defensive move.

His smile was soft this time, "See, I don't bite. Contrary to Dad and Azula, I'm kind of nice."

Mai rested her head comfortably under his chin as her cheeks heated up and her body seemed to be covered with lightening, but a nice kind. "I know that."

He gazed at her for a moment, "Really now?"

Mai's expression became bitter, "I know more then Jin. I'm sorry but she was an idiot. It's her fault you caught her ch…" Mai felt the muscles in his chest tense. "Sorry… I…."

"It's ok…" He knew full well that Mai was the one who had caught Jin with Han. "I guess it's better that I talk about it then keep it locked up."

"I guess." Mai said. "Hey, um… when Azula gets back, I'm going to have to… you'll have to let me go."

"Probably not." He muttered.

"hu?"

"Azula doesn't care…" For a moment he gawked at her, "Um, she teases me about you."

Pink crossed her face again. "Oh…for how long…?"

Zuko counted on his free hand, "um… how long have I known you?"

That made her giggle.

"I though so." Part of his mind had always pushed him to be closer to her. Simple enough, it had always seemed… right. He used his free hand to stroke her cheek. Her smile was rare, but all the more pretty because of that. She was resting her cheek softly in his palm before she placed her hand over his. Instinctively, he leaned down the few inches to her face and kissed her. Her eyes became overwhelmed for a moment, but only for a moment, before she kissed him back. She smelled strongly of roses and tea, and she was soft, and seemed suddenly tiny as he pulled her closer to him. Her hands had slunk their way up his chest and around his shoulders while she sat on his one of his knees. She grinned between kisses as his hands traced up her back. Her heart began to pound in her ears when he deepened the kiss.

"What do you think you're doing?"

The two quickly broke apart. Mai bashfully crawled off of him, and to the other side of the couch.

Zuko cleared his throat before stuttering to the figure before him, "D-dad… Hi um…I didn't hear the door open."

Ozai rolled his eyes, "Where's your sister?" He looked to Mai for a moment, "Mai?"

She blushed and rubbed her arms after shrugging.

"Zuko, leave your sisters friend alone. Now where is your sister?" Ozai sat down his belongings and pulled his hair from his low black ponytail.

Zuko pulled his cell phone from his hip and muttered under his breath, "oh my day was fine dad."

"Excuse me?"

Zuko looked up, "I said I'm calling Azula."

Ozai nodded, "I thought so. You know, after you smashed up my car."

"I said I was sorry." Zuko held the phone up to his ear.

"I should make you sleep in the dirt you ungrateful-"

"HI AZULA!" Zuko shouted as he frowned worriedly at Mai, who was shyly huddled in a corner, "Where are you?"

Ozai glanced at Mai as he walked into the living room, and up the stairs, "You can do better sweetheart."

Mai's jaw dropped as Ozai belittled his own son at her 'favor'. She had never felt comfortable around Ozai since Zuko's mother had left him. Most of it was in fear for Zuko.

"What?! You can't just ditch her! Azula! …fine…" Zuko pulled the phone from his ear and covered it for a moment, "Dad, Azula's stuck at Ty Lee's… The car broke down…"

"Fine." Ozai shouted. "Tell her I'll get her in the morning. Then you can take Mai home."

"Oh you mess up the car and it's grounded for life. She does it and he'll pick her up in the morning." Mai muttered after running her fingers over her lips.

"Dad says that he'll get you tomorrow… yeah… that too… bye." Zuko closed the phone. "I'm supposed to drive you home." He spoke softly to Mai.

"Oh, ok." Her eyes became disappointed. It wasn't that she didn't want to go home, but spending more time with him seemed like a pleasant idea for the time being. "Ty Lee always makes these things happen."

"You think she messed the car up?" Zuko asked.

"No, I think she planned it."

Ozai stomped down the stairs and to the door of the garage, "Take Mai home, I'll be back tomorrow after I pick up your sister." He pulled a new tie into a knot around his neck and slipped his arms into a deep red, almost black, suit jacket.

"…you're going back to work?"

"Something like that." Ozai slammed the door as he left.

The room became quiet, very quiet. Zuko bowed his head.

"Is he dating again?"

"Hi mom?…yeah… I'm staying at Azula's is that ok?…alright, I'll see you in the morning. …I love you too." Mai hung the phone up on the kitchen wall and wrapped her arms around Zuko. The smirk that fled across his face grew with her questions. "So where am I sleeping?"

A/N: theee ennnddd. Haaa, Zuko's not banished, but grounded… for smashing his dads car. I think, Iroh runs an I-hop or something…no… Starbucks. X3 ha.

No I will not write more, because I know what will happen if I do, and wont let me poast those kinds of fics. Grrr. :bangs head against desk:

At some point, I'm just going to get another deviantart account where I poast all of the extra chapters. Then everyone wins. Yeeeyyy! Haaaa I guess I'm done. No flames r&r. w/e.