Zuko's Regression

Part Eight

Lei could only assume a few days had passed by the time Mai paid her another visit. The door opened, but it had been so long since the last tray of food and water had been pushed to her, that Lei didn't even attempt to escape. She had no energy for it.
Aang had told Lei the tale of Bumi, an earthbending master who had allowed himself to be captured so he could wait for the perfect moment to strike. Lei had to be patient too. No one was coming to rescue her, but she could still save herself. She just had to wait for the right opportunity.
"It didn't work," Mai said in that infuriatingly emotionless voice.
"What didn't work?" Lei humored her. Lei's voice was gravely due to lack of use and water.
"I did everything like you said, and it didn't work."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Lei sighed. Was she losing her mind in here? Or was Mai really not making any sense?
"I need you to tell me more about Zuko," Mai said while crossing her arms.
Lei rolled her eyes to the ceiling and matched the girl's monotone.
"Go to hell."
Mei kicked Lei in the side of her thigh, exactly where the dart had cut ages ago. Lei hissed in pain and drew back.
"What else does he like?"
"You're insane."
Still no reaction. Mai was infuriatingly aloof.
"What else does he like?"
Lei groaned and let her head thump back against the stone wall.
"Could you be more specific?"
"How does he like to be touched?"
Lei grimaced at the question.
"You're disgusting."
Lei flinched as a dart burrowed into her upper arm. The muscles surrounding it tensed and tingles raced down her limb.
Lei groaned and pulled out the dart. The puncture was so small it barely bled.
"Tell me."
"Often," Lei relented. "He's surprisingly sappy and loves to cuddle and hold hands. He likes it when I play with his hair and when I touch the back of his neck."
Lei tried to rub out the tension in her poisoned muscle.
"Are you satisfied with that answer?" Lei asked when Mai didn't respond.
"What about kissing?"
Lei groaned and gave up trying to get her muscles to ease up. She would have to wait for the poison to wear off naturally.
"I already told you."
"Well I didn't do it right, so I need you to be more specific."
"What are you talking about?" Lei griped, pulling at her hair in frustration. She really wanted Mai to leave. Lei hated these questions. Maybe once Lei had some quiet, she could practice that meditation Aang had shown her.
"When I kissed him, he didn't like it. He pulled away from me. I didn't do it right," Mai responded, a phantom of anger in her tone.
Lei stilled and slowly turned her gaze upward to meet Mai's eyes.
"What do you mean you kissed him?" she breathed.
Mai swallowed but didn't answer: a tiny crack in her composure.
"He's here?" Lei whispered. She felt suddenly winded, as though the news had been a physical blow to her stomach.
"If you won't tell me, then show me," Mai said, dodging Lei's question.
"He's here!" Lei shouted, the strength returning to her voice. "Where!? How? Why hasn't he—"
Mai kicked her in the jaw to shut her up.
Lei gasped and spat out the blood from her bitten tongue as she fell flat against the ground.
"You're not supposed to know that," Mai said quietly.
"Where is he?" Lei demanded.
"I don't know. In his rooms, down at the beach, wherever he wants."
"He's not locked up?" Lei asked in confusion.
"No."
"But—"
Mai grabbed ahold of Lei's shoulder, the one she had been stabbed through, and pushed her back down against the stone.
Lei hissed and tried to squirm away.
Mai leaned forward. Lei expected a headbutt. Instead, Mai kissed her.
Lei jerked her head to the side.
"What are you doing?" Lei screeched.
"I want you to show me how you kiss Zuko," Mai said, her voice still impossibly bored sounding.
"You're sick!" Lei spat, struggling to pull away from the girl on top of her.
"You do realize the only reason you're still alive is because I asked Azula to let you live," Mai said.
Lei stilled.
"Why would you do that?" Lei breathed.
"Azula already got what she wanted, her brother is here and once the eclipse passes, he is going to return to the capital with her. She doesn't need you anymore. But I still need your help. Zuko is back, but he doesn't care about me anymore. I need you to teach me how to get him back."
Azula knew about the eclipse? That wasn't good. Lei needed to get Zuko and get out of here so they could warn their friends. If Azula knew, then the fire lord must too.
"You're crazy," Lei hissed, returning her thoughts to the current situation. "You're delusional! Why are you doing this?"
"Because I love him," Mai deadpanned.
"No," Lei growled. "No, you don't. If you loved him you wouldn't try to trick him and manipulate him. That isn't love."
"Zuko lost his way," Mai responded, still as flat as ever, "but he's back now. He just needs a little push to come back to me too. That's why I need your help."
"I'm not going to help you," Lei said through gritted teeth. "You are disgusting."
Mai gave no reaction.
"Fine," she sighed. "I thought you might need extra convincing."
Without warning, Mai brought her hand down against Lei's side. Lei gasped in shock and pain as she felt a dagger burrow into her flesh.
"You're a doctor, right?" Mai asked, her voice still toneless despite the fact she was currently stabbing someone. "You know what happens if I pull this out. I have supplies for you to heal yourself, but I'll only give them to you if you help me."
Lei moaned in pain and squeezed her eyes shut.
"You're sick."
The blade turned slightly. Lei couldn't hold back her scream.
"Kiss me," Mai prompted.
"No—" Lei groaned.
The blade pushed in deeper and twisted. Lei howled in pain. Tears pricked her eyes and white dots danced in her vision.
Zuko was here. He was safe. No doubt Azula was somehow forcing him to comply, but if she threatened to kill Lei to keep him in line, why hadn't Lei seen him yet? And why hadn't he even attempted to talk to her? Or rescue her? It wasn't like Zuko to do as he was told so easily, even when threatened.
If Lei allowed Mai to kill her here, Zuko would have no more reason to comply and would lash out. He could die.
"Last chance," Mai warned as the blade continued to turn slowly.
"Fine—" Lei gasped shakily.
Mai released the pressure on the dagger but didn't let go.
Her hands shaking, Lei cupped Mai's cheek and the back of her neck and gently brought their lips together.
Lei tried not to let herself think as she kissed Mai. She just moved like she would if she were kissing Zuko, which was exactly what Mai wanted, but still easier than actively kissing Mai would be.
After a few moments, Lei broke away and let her head thunk down against the stone floor.
"Satisfied?" she bit out through gritted teeth.
With a clean jerk, Mai yanked the dagger out of Lei's side. Lei's vision blacked out for a moment.
Mai unsecured a small pouch from her waist and tossed it against Lei's thigh.
Without a word, Mai left the cell.
Lei took a moment to breathe and collect herself. The nausea and dizziness tapered enough that Lei could sit up against the wall and take stock of the supplies Mai had left her.
Stitches and bandages. Nothing for pain and nothing for sterilization. Of course not.
With grim determination, Lei set to work. She grimaced and hissed while she sewed up her new wound. She was gathering quite the collection of those. Lei suddenly felt bad for giving Zuko such a hard time when she first stitched up his stomach. The wound she had now was minuscule compared to what his had been, and Lei still found herself flinching.
When Lei escaped and saw him again, she would have to apologize for her insensitivity.
If she saw him again.
From what Mai said, the only reason Lei was still alive was because she could help Mai win back Zuko, but that couldn't possibly be it. Zuko would never join back up with his sister and the fire nation without Azula threatening to kill Lei. Would he?
No. Absolutely not. Lei was disgusted that she had even entertained the notion. While it was true that it hadn't been terribly long ago when Zuko still wished to return to the fire nation and regain his father's love and his own birthright, he had changed. Even knowing him for only a short time, Lei felt as though she were the closest person to him.
Yet, he had an entire other life she had never seen; only heard about in whispered stories and legends. He had given all that up and even the strongest of people could still yearn for familiarity and family.
Lei groaned in frustration. She couldn't dwell. She would drive herself crazy. Besides, Mai could have been lying. Lei had no idea why she would lie, except maybe to hurt Lei emotionally as well as physically. Though the kissing had been a particularly inspired form of torment. Perhaps Azula was behind everything after all. It seemed like the sort of twisted torture she could conjure.
Or maybe Mai was telling the truth.
Lei shook her head.
Zuko wouldn't betray her.