In The Fire Nation (For Now)

Day 2- I Can't Live Without You (part 6-Maiko)

"Babe, I don't want to!" He rubbed my back. "I know, babe. I don't either. But I have to. It's not my choice at all. Trust me," he said. I sighed and continued to walk with him. 

"Babe?" I asked. He nodded. "Yeah?" "Can I take us somewhere until the sun's up?" I asked. He nodded. "Sure." 

"First I need and apple," I said. He looked confused. "Just do it," I said. We went to the market and tried to pay, but the salesman wouldn't let us. And Zuko's a shitty people person. 

"Please, just let us pay. We're tired and it's 5 am. Please, bro," I tried. He shook his head. Zuko was already holding the apple, so I threw a copper piece on the table and ran off, holding Zuko's hand behind me. 

"Mai!" he said once we reached the end of the marketplace. "What?" I asked. "Spirits, I forgot everything about you!" I snorted and slapped him. He shrugged. 

"Where are we going?" I smiled for once and grabbed Zuko's empty hand. I ran with him all the way to some place special, I remember the day like the back of my hand. 

Firelight fountain. 

I took my hands off of Zuko's eyes, and it took a moment for him to realize why the fuck he was at a random fountain. But it wasn't random. 

"Mai..." he said, tearing up. I smiled and sat down against the fountain, back leaning against it and facing Zuko. It's rare to see him cry. 

"What? Come on, sit," I said, patting the spot next to me. Zuko sat down and hugged me. "I love you so much," he muttered into my shoulder. I smiled and rubbed his back as he lent away from me. "I love you too. Hey, why are you crying?" I asked. 

"Do you think we'll find my mom?" he asked through sobs. I nodded. "Of course, Zuko. She loves you. So, so much. She really can't wait to see you," I coaxed, rubbing his back. 

I snorted and he looked at me like I was crazy. "What? I'm watching the Firelord, the most powerful firebender in history, and the most powerful person in the Element of Fire, bawl his eyes out because I showed him a fountain. It's kinda funny," I said. He snorted and wiped his eyes with the back of his hands. 

"Ok, ok, fine. That is kinda weird. But I miss her," he said. I nodded. "Don't worry, baby, I miss her, too. The Fire Nation without Ursa was just like the ocean without water. It can't be," I comforted. 

Zuko and I stayed there for a few more minutes, enjoying each other's company. Zuko wrapped his right arm around my shoulder and I lent my head on his as we both tried to watch the moon, but that didn't work. 

We eventually both sat down on the ground, looking straight up into the sky, right at Yue. I sighed and Zuko wrapped his right arm around me again, and I pressed the left side of my head into his chest. 

"Zuko?" I asked. He hummed in response. "Do you ever want to get married? Have kids, start a family?" I asked. He nodded without a tint of doubt. 

"Of course I do, babe. I love you. How many kids should we have?" he asked. I smiled and thought about that. 

"Well, Aang and Kat are definitely gonna have a lot, so that's a lot of cousins. I have an odd feeling Toph's gonna bang like 5 different guys for no reason, so that's a whole hell of a lot. Sokka and Suki, they might only have, like, three or something. Tylee definitely won't have more than 1 or 2. And, I think that's it," I said.

"Wow, I agree with all of that. It's completely accurate. So, how many kids again?" he asked. I snorted. "One, babe. That's a lot of cousins! Plus, we don't know how to take care of a child," I said. He shrugged and nodded. "No, we don't."