Author's Note: Hey, guys! So, I realized I haven't taken the time to thank all you newcomers yet, so here you go! Thank you to the following people for reviewing, following, and/or favoriting my story: booklover1598, Kihlala Sisters, TheAlleyKat, ray-kun, Guest, Thughes13, WelcometoBangkok, IronicallyMaya, Master of all 118 Elements, valsanz, Avloth, Ayumi kaya, Cho JiHyun, Dark Light2589, FasterThenMyBullet, Flightsnitch96, KalalaLove, LilShorty0594, Little-doodle-laura5663, Saddles18, SailorSedna052, Twilight-lover106, YukiraKuchiki, goldenidol, hungergamespettalover, jmqestar, mysterygirl123, xxTeh-Ninja, ArianeKeisha, Luna6897, Mimi42511, Rose of Dusk, Synnen, TheVoiceInYourHead-x, blacksparrow125, mimchiro, paiza, yoohooha. Wow! That's a lot of people who like my story! Thanks to you ALL for your continous support! You guys are the reason I continue writing this story! (Again, as mentioned before, all those who I have already thanked are not on this list, but that does not mean I appreciate you any less. Also, if I spelled your name wrong/didn't put your name on the list and you think I should have, please let me know). Okay. Thanks, guys! Enjoy! -Fira
Forty
It had been a week since the fight at the abbey, and things were back to normal. Whatever that meant. To Maya, it meant free time on the ship to nag Zuko more about his past. He still refused to talk about his mother, and Maya was not going to push him on it. There were certain things about her past that she didn't want to talk about either.
For a few days after the fight, Zuko had been all sensitive about everything, just like he always was, but after that, he let Maya in again. Mostly that just meant ignoring everything she said, but Maya was beginning to suspect that he did that to tease her, because she would catch him grinning sometimes when she would yell at him for not listening to her.
Even when they were silent with each other, she found the silence companionable. She had learned over time that Zuko wasn't much of a talker if he wasn't angry. Mostly, they would stand beside each other out on deck at night, not saying a word. But it was nice, all the same. Maya began to realize how glad she was that Zuko and Uncle had found her, even though she'd probably be a lot safer if she didn't stay with them.
One night, she asked Zuko, "What would you do if I told you that the next time we went into port, I wasn't going to come back on the ship? That I was going to stay there?"
"I wouldn't do anything. I'd let you leave."
"Really?"
"Yes."
Maya turned back to the sea, feeling surprisingly stung, as if he had slapped her. But the funny thing was, she didn't know why she felt like that. A small voice in the back of her head said, It's because you like him. But she squashed the voice. No. That couldn't be it. It would be too weird. A couple weeks ago, he'd been a total dick to her. Now she liked him? No way. But still… the feeling lingered.
The sound of strings being plucked resounded through the air as the song began. It was nighttime. Maya was up on deck with Uncle and a few other crewmembers. Zuko had gone to bed an hour ago, complaining about a headache. He seemed to get a lot of those.
Now, Uncle's voice began the song in full:
Winter, spring,
Summer and fall.
Winter, spring,
Summer and fall.
In the middle of the deck, two of the crewmembers danced a silly little dance. Maya smiled as she watched them. Her eyes grew tired as she went back to staring into the flames of the small fire they had started to stay warm in the cold sea air. The song continued:
Four seasons.
Four loves.
Four seasons.
Four loves.
And then Maya heard the sound of footsteps on the ramp leading up to the deck. They had pulled into port that day. She jerked her head up, feeling that something was off. Who would be walking up the gangplank this late at night? Suddenly, one of the strings on the instrument broke, with an odd-sounding twang.
Fuck, Maya thought to herself as she saw who it was. Not Admiral Zhao.