Current mood:	accomplished
Current music:	Fiona Apple - Never is a Promise

Avatar: TLA - Zuko/Mai - #10 emotions arise
Series: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Pairing: Zuko/Mai
Author: Pseudonym Undercover (squarewhore)
Artist: Melospiza (melospiza)
Themeset: Light themes, #10
Rating: T
Warnings: Season one and two spoilers



10. emotions arise

“Filial piety,” she says.

He stares at her, and her fingers fall from his ruined cheekbone to his jaw.

“Maybe you aren’t a fire bending prodigy or a ruthless killing machine. You’re a good son, you’re a more than patient brother. Your instinct was to honor your family above your own glory and pride. It wasn’t a bad instinct. It was just-”

Her fingertips graze over his throat and he can’t help the way his breath hitches in his chest. All that metal, those filed dark points like blood against his pale skin- she scares him, just a bit. The harder he stares, the more subtle she is.

“A woman doesn’t want to be married to a tyrant, Zuko,” she breathes, her touch finally registers in his mind that the gleam in her eyes might be withheld tears, might be sympathy, not death. “A woman places family above everything.”

She tastes of peppers. Fireflakes. Home.

“Knock me out,” she whispers against his lips. “Don’t worry if I get hurt, just do it, and go, before she catches up.”

--