i know the SMW2011 is already over... but i just wanted to complete the prompts before i work on my other fics... i wanted to finish this last week but something happened (life, oh well, pfft) and it took me this long to finish this one prompt...

i'm not really happy with this and i know it's just rushed... i wanted to add more into this chapter/one shot but i have to work on the next prompts...

and i admit, i really had trouble with this prompt because i didn't know how to use it without resorting into AU and still keeping it in line with where i'm going with this story...

anyways, here's my try at the prompt Modern

Trivia: according to wiki, "In 19th century China, the mentally ill were usually confined by their families in a dark room of the house, essentially neglected." However, an American Presbyterian medical missionary opened a hospital for the insane and he pledged that the course of treatment be based on "persuasion rather than force, on freedom rather than restraint, and on a healthy outdoor life with a maximum of rest, warm baths, and kindness."

Mai looked at the reflection of the sky from her dresser mirror while one of the servants shifted to her side to neatly tie the elastic to keep the bun of her hair together. She would have preferred to have it done herself but it's been too boring lately that she couldn't think of anything else to do but to ask them to fix her hair.

The sun was almost at its peak when she heard the door to her chambers open, followed by the all too familiar footfalls of somebody who was exhausted and would like nothing more than to rest for the whole day. She raised an eyebrow at this, a gesture that was too fast for the servants to even notice, and wondered what could have happened during his morning meeting to have him too tired to even lift his feet when walking. She cast a glimpse at the servants' reflections on the mirror as they quickly finished combing her hair into place before turning to face the advancing figure of the Fire Lord. The servants nodded their respect to the Fire Lord and Mai didn't waste any time in dismissing them before standing up and putting an arm around Zuko.

"Well, aren't you the perfect example of 'happy'." Mai jest. Zuko answered by wrapping both his arms around her waist and brought her closer to him, nuzzling his face in the hollow between her shoulder and neck. Mai knew from experience that asking won't bring her answers to the questions she had in mind in this type of situation and she just waited for Zuko to speak first and tell her what she wanted to know.

After a few minutes, Zuko slowly disentangled himself from Mai and breathe out a sigh of relief. His hands travelled to run along the length of her arms and held unto her hands. As Mai stared deep into his golden eyes, she could tell how confused, troubled and worried he was. Of what, she has yet to find out.

Mai freed one of her hand to touch his cheek, as if to assure him that she's there for him, and gave him one of her rare smiles in the hopes that it might comfort him.

"Come on, we can talk about it over tea." She said before pulling him along to follow her to the tea table.

This time, it was Mai's turn to prepare the tea and Zuko didn't resist. As she poured the warm tea on the cup for Zuko, she noticed the faraway look in his eyes. She wanted to sigh, to snap him back and remind him that she's still there but instead she sat on the opposite chair across the table and picked up her own cup, settling in reminding herself to wait.

"They're getting her out of confinement next month." Zuko started. "They said that this would help her get better and keeping her locked up alone in a solitary room has done nothing but worsen her health."

Mai's hand that was holding her tea cup shook and if not for her agility, she may have dropped it all to her lap. She wanted to shout that it was a big mistake to let her out, that keeping her locked up was the only way to keep everybody safe, to keep him safe. She wanted to say that whoever thought about letting her out might have been planning to help her escape since the beginning of her imprisonment, that sooner or later, they would have to deal with a loose unstable fire princess.

But she kept her voice. Zuko didn't need that. He was already broken up as he is.

"And you think they're right? That it's for the best?" She asked, calmly placing the cup of tea back on the table before she made any mistake of totally losing her composure.

"We've been discussing this with her doctors for so long. They've shown me documentations and proof of modern treatments that's been practiced in other nations, in some parts of Earth Kingdom, and they said that keeping her in her room will only make matters worse. Her temporary lapses of sanity had been lesser in the last few months and they been hearing her talk to imaginary people in her cell more frequently. She may have tried to kill me, Mai, but she's still my sister." Zuko voice was softer as he ended his explanation. Even with the determination in his voice and trying to still sound authoritative, the compassion that was innate in him would still come out every so often. Zuko carelessly hang his head low and dropped his forehead on the table.

"Do you trust them?"

Zuko raised his forehead from the table and looked Mai straight in the eyes before answering. "Uncle recommended them. Toph had interrogated them and she said they can be trusted. I trust Uncle and Toph, so yes, I trust them."

"Where are they planning to keep her? She cannot roam free in the Fire Nation."

"They're already starting to renovate and build a safe haven in Crescent Island. The Fire Sages said that the volcano had stopped and had been dormant for the past two months. It'll be the safest place for her to stay without endangering anybody. The people coming in and out of the island will be closely monitored and only one boat will have access to it."

"And you think Azula won't use the energy from the volcano, dormant or not, to help her escape?"

"Fire Sage Shyu will personally make sure that her firebending is always in check and he has volunteered to monitor the building of the place to ensure that she will not have access to anything that will help her gain too much freedom."

Mai was quiet for a while, carefully thinking of the best and honest answer that she can derive from the information she just heard. The decision was not just for Azula, but for Zuko himself. He wanted to help her as much as he wanted to protect people from her.

"Then I don't see anything to worry about." Mai stated, as confidently as she could. For no matter how much they have seen through every angle of this new plan of treatment for the fallen princess, she knew there's always something that will eventually go wrong. But right now, she can only think of Zuko. She will have to think about Azula later.

Zuko looked unconvinced as he watched Mai calmly took a sip of her tea. "You think so? You really think that I made the right choice of letting them do that? That this is not the biggest mistake I've done since becoming the Fire Lord?"

"If you believe that this is something that must be done for the benefit of the people around you and yourself, and you have checked all possible angles that would ensure that this will not be a failure, then I don't think there's a reason for you to worry. You're the Fire Lord, Zuko and you may not be perfect. You may make some mistakes along the way, but I don't see anything wrong with selfless actions such as this." She answered matter-of-factly. "Now, drink your tea before it turns cold."

Zuko's facial expression had gradually lifted and he couldn't stop himself from smiling. It took every courage in him to stop himself from jumping across the table and hug Mai but that would've been too silly, even for him. So, instead, he grabbed the tea cup that Mai had offered him earlier and eagerly drank from it.

"Thank you, Mai." Zuko muttered before helping himself for another cup of tea.

After a few moments of silence between them, Zuko noticed a few boxes behind Mai, by the table where they keep their tea. He saw familiar characters on the box and after realizing what it was, he felt his cheeks heat up. The change in Zuko's behavior didn't escape Mai's watchful eyes and she remembered the boxes that were delivered to her just this morning.

"General Iroh sent them this morning. He said it would help us." She said without looking behind her. She's perfectly aware of what's going on in Zuko's mind and if he was there when she first received the packages, he may have seen that she had almost the same reaction as he did.

Zuko removed the crown from his topknot and loosened the elastic that kept his hair together to let his growing hair fall to cover his reddening face. He ran his hands through his hair and muttered something about his uncle being embarrassing. He heard Mai let out a cute little giggle that caused him to lift his head to look at her. When he saw that his ear was not deceiving him and saw the rarest moment where Mai had to cover her mouth to keep herself from laughing, he had to smile to himself, feeling somewhat grateful for his uncle.

He stood up from where he's seated and strode to Mai's, kneeled beside her to hook his arm underneath her knee and grabbed unto her shoulder before swinging her up to carry her to their bed. He could've sworn he heard her yelp in surprise and this time, he didn't stop himself from laughing.