C A T H A R S I S
a world can't rebuild itself after all.
{maiko}
a/n: they do have chemistry, but they don't always have to reveal it.
thanks for the reviews, by the way. and for the record, i'm not an emo-goth-whatever. i'm the kind of person who criticizes both emo-goth-whatevers and just about everything else. i'm a little bit abrasive at times. ah well. we're not perfect. but i have noted that yes, things can indeed be depressing, sometimes too much so. based on the fact that these drabbles were inspired by european history, however, i'd say they're a huge step up from the actual events in the happiness department.
drabble title: alternatives
word count: 669
pairing: MaiZuko
prompt: "era of peace." also, a little bit of scarlet letter.
disclaimer: don't own a:tla.
alternatives
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There was a time of peace—and Mai took full responsibility for it.
What happened was the rebel army came a-knockin' on her door one day. They informed her of a list of rights and grievances that they, as Fire Nation citizens, deserved. They claimed government should cater to the needs of the people it serves, taking away only necessary liberties for their protection and for the order and prosperity of a nation. They announced that they wanted free speech, trial by jury, consent to taxation, among other things. They said they wanted a handwritten constitution, and no more law-enforcing scum patrolling their streets afterhours and weeding away the rowdiest drunks and outspoken political opponents.
To all of this—what Ozai would have referred to as nonsense—Mai said, "Whatever."
The citizens all took it as a yes, so they began to form their own local governments, and there was little conflict.
Iroh had to shake Mai's hand for this, smiling, old man that he was. Mai did not think him wise, but she appreciated his tea-making abilities. Sometimes, she wished he came with a mute button, but such luxuries weren't even offered to the divinest of rulers. So is the way of things. All life is suffering; the Avatar liked to spout off his Buddhist aphorisms.
Iroh then left to return to Ba Sing Se, and it was weird. Mai and Zuko very nearly had the palace to themselves, save for the servants, Lo and Li, and a few other political officials. No sister, no Ty Lee, no Avatar; Tom-Tom was with his parents for the weekend.
That day, Zuko straightened the crown that marred his otherwise symmetrical topknot. He called for Mai, and she was only seconds away in an adjacent room, leisurely tossing stiletto knives into the stone wall. There was an "X" painted in the middle. She hardly ever missed her mark, and on the floor was scattered many of the knives that lost their stony grip.
Mai emerged from the room, turning over a dagger in her hands. "Hm?"
Zuko freed his hands from his sleeves. "We have nothing to worry about. Isn't it weird?"
"I suppose," Mai replied. "I thought this morning's headache wasn't as severe as it normally is. Also, the fact that Ty Lee didn't launch herself into our bed chambers as a sort of wakeup call was a plus."
Zuko grinned. "I had a full six hours of sleep. That rarely happens."
Mai didn't sleep, but she said nothing on the subject—instead, drawing herself up the full height and making her way towards the court room. "You know, things aren't so bad here."
"Yeah?" He was pleasantly surprised; her tone gushed slightly of optimism. It was too bad he couldn't mark that down for forever memory.
"Seeing it empty… Everything could be worse. It could be actually empty."
Zuko nodded solemnly. He wandered over to her before she could sit and rest on her throne. The walls surrounding were reeking of fire. The light wasn't flattering, rather, made them look eerie, like strangers to one another.
He took her hand, and he noticed how cold it was.
"It could be better, too," she said. "By all means, it should be better."
"We're not gifted leaders," Zuko admitted.
She stared at him. "Of course not. There are no perfect leaders. But it's better you than…"
"Ozai? Azula?"
"No. Someone who doesn't want the throne but must take it anyway, to avoid a worse alternative. They turn out to be the worst leaders of all, or so I've been told."
"Like Uncle?"
She wasn't here to insult. "Like the ones who were forced."
A pause.
"What does that make me then?" Zuko asked, curiously, meeting her eyes with a flicker of gold.
"Strange."
And Zuko laughed, squeezed her cold hand, and they sat together like the world's strangers, letting rays of sunlight bypass their faces.
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