Maiko Month Day: 9 [?] Lightning

AN: The way I write the titles keeps changing, HASHTAG YOLO I really don't like this one, but i'm going to pretend to. If there's typos I'm sorry, I usually go in and fix them much, much later.

Warnings: None

Summary: Mai and Zuko are both of lightning for similar reasons.

word count: 708

He was curled up against the corner of the mattress, propped against headboard again. The small flashes causing him to flinch every few seconds. Mai's fingers had slipped into his, sitting cross legged in front of him, before breaking away and reaching up to cover his ears.

Zuko hated it. It was embarrassing, his fears, and how it triggered him. She'd tell him to close his eyes but he'd refuse, trying to fight it off, prove that it no longer bothered him. Keeping them open, he'd stay locked on her, the pale gold, and then it suddenly shift to that painful blue, for a split second, and he'd shut them tight.

"Zuko, there's nothing to be scared of."

"Shut up." As he hissed and opened his eyes, Mai would wince.

It was the damned memories, first flames, and then the lightning, it came in pairs. Maybe, it was seeing red, then watching the red fade to that painful blue, the same shade that took over eyes whenever he'd dare to open them again. She knew, the first. With the red. How it grew and took over his sight, before fading, and leaving him with the rough, destroyed surface of his face.

The second, he liked to think he won. He had, it was true. It wasn't the lightning it was the thought, the blue. It came, and he would catch, his limbs shaking, when at the time they were strong. His fingers turning to return it back. It worked then, but now it was the flash, knowing. Knowing his father had every intention of killing him again. There no second thoughts no debate, the lightning, it wanted him dead.

Watching the same quick change in color, reminded him of her, knowing that the same flash could have occurred and stolen her away too. That fear was worse, worse than his own relation to lightning, and so he kept his eyes shut tighter.

—-

She'd stay quiet a moment, watch his fingers twitch. His skin grew pale too. Mai had her experiences with the lightning too. First, it was a simple fear, as any child. The lightning meant the thunder and the noise set her on edge. She hid it well, her face displayed no fear, even though in her bones she could feel it there. With some hesitation she moved her hands form his ears, positioning herself in his lap, and burying her face in his neck.

"—I thought, you weren't scared."

Mai stayed quiet clinging to his tunic, her fingers wrinkling its ends. Now, it wasn't the childish fear, it was knowing, twice, it had almost taken him, twice by people who should have cared. She hated them for it, for trying to take him away, and watching his muscles tense just at the thought sent a pain through her chest.

"I'm not scared of it."

"Then?" He pressed his face lightly in her hair.

"I'm scared for you."

She hadn't meant to let it slip, the small crack in her foundation, it was a gentle fluctuation, a small pause in the syllables that proved it. It frightened her, and she knew it. She'd watch his nightmares, and his small instances of self doubt, little things—things she couldn't find words to give comfort, and tried to replace a soft touch. Dying, and how close he'd come, on too many occasions, was what scared her, and the flashes were a reminder.

That was the problem for them both. Lightning was the object that wanted to take them away, on more than one occasion. Neither would say it, they would watch each other shake, but they both quietly knew. Zuko's hand would travel up and down her back,the other pressing her face into his shirt, keeping his eyes closed and running his fingers through her hair. They'd stay that way through the night, and never speak of it again, after all neither of them were supposed to be scared.

Zuko swallowed hard, feeling her shoulders jolt ever so slightly underneath her tunic, knowing she was keeping it as subtle as she could. With a sigh he ran his fingers down, finally encircling his arms around her waist and pressing her into his chest.

"I'm scared for you too."