The Phoenix

Trust

"So the water bender is to stay for a while?" Mai asked laying on her stomach as a blanket covered her back as she had to pulled around her chest with a pillow under her to support.

"Yes," Zuko sat at his desk in trousers only as a candle dimly lit the room in the middle of the night.

"How come she's not being a prisoner anymore then? She's going to escape," Mai hummed resting her head on her hands as he long hair pooled around her.

"I'm playing chess, I need her for now for Xan, it gives her something to do and a chance to keep him alive, and if she trusts me then she has no reason to escape," Zuko explained and she raised a brow.

"You're correct but wrong at the same time it hurts," Mai said flatly.

"She still has will always want to escape, to go back home Zuko, you can't trust her," Mai sat up and grabbed her robe to wrap around her slim frame while walking to her childhood friend.

"Besides, eventually she'll be marrying your cousin, she has a better life outside this ship in a palace," she slid her hands around his bare shoulders before settling in his lap with her legs around his waist.

"Dont trust her, your opening up more to her than she is you, don't be a fool Zuko," she whispered in his ear and kissed his neck as zukos hands stayed on the desk.

"That's why I put her with ty Lee, I'm not a fool," Zuko whispered back tilting his head up.

"Besides we're going into town again with some of the crew, I'm not bringing Katara, so guess who needs to stay with her here," he smirked a little looking at Mai.

"You are not setting me on babysitting duty," she pulled away wide eyes.

"Maybe," he teased and held her waist pulling her close. "Someone needs to make sure she doesn't escape "

"Put her in the cage," Mai glared down at him.

"She's escaped before," Zuko said smugly pressing his nose against her neck and kissed softly.

"You asshole I'm not babysitting your in law," Mai smacked his shoulder and got off immediately as Zuko chuckled leaning back in his chair.

"You get so upset so easy Mai," he leaned his head back with his chin up.

"I'm going back to below deck," she started to her dress pouting but got more annoyed when he didn't stop her.

"Excuse me?" Mai put her hands on her hips glaring at him.

"What? I'm not stopping you from going or staying," Zuko asked confused looking back at her.

"Ugh!" She scoffed throwing her dress over and dropped the robe on the ground.

"I don't know how we even started sleeping together, your impossible," Mai put her boots on as Zuko was amused by her temper tantrum.

"If I remember correctly we were celebrating together and you kissed me first," Zuko smiled at her with hooded eyes. Mai spun around with rosy cheeks embarrassed.

"This is why I'm never going to be your girlfriend, you don't know how to treat a woman," Mai pulled her hair back in a high bun still raging.

"Let me know when you find one," Zuko went with her attitude to see how long she'll throw her temper tantrum for.

Then the door slammed shut behind her as Zuko was left alone in his quarters. He smiled a little getting up and flopped on the empty bed.

His hands slid up to his face with a long tired sigh, he kept his hands on his face as he stretched out on the bed, soon his hands fell to the sides of his head as he stared at the ceiling. He wondered if Mai would be the only woman he'll be with, if that's all he deserved, if anyone else would be to afraid or disgusted to give him the time of day. He wondered what love felt like knowing what he and Mai had would never be love.

Would he even bother finding someone? He didn't expect to live long in the first place. People like him never live long, he's excepted death long ago for himself, it didn't scare him. Maybe that's what's gotten him this far, not fearing death may have gotten him out of bigger risks. Maybe that same nonexistent fear is why he didn't care for the people he's killed, there was no remorse for the lives he's taken, he didn't care, it didn't make him feel anything, but he cared enough to not just kill for fun, he wasn't a serial killer.

There was a knock at the door.

"Captain Lee?"

Katara.

Zuko got up from the bed and saw her opening the door as there was shouting and laughter outside in the early night.

"What?" Zuko went to grab his shirt but Katara froze seeing his bare upper body, the whip scars across his back, the scars that looked like blades have impaled his body, a large gashing scar across his chest that looked old but he was so young. She saw a mark on the back of his neck.

"I-I uh Mai- uh the crew..." Katara was nervous as his shirt covered his body and pulled a jacket over. She still feared the captain enough at how unpredictable he was, or maybe it went along the lines of him being a pirate.

"I'm on it," he sighed stepping past her and closed the door behind him and on Katara so she wasn't in his room anymore.

"They found booze," Mai crossed her arms motioning to the people on the deck.

"Who gave them alcohol?" Zuko covered his eyes rubbing his face a little.

"No idea," Mai smirked a little sipping her cup. "Makes you feel any better it's just wine,"

Zuko frowned a little looking at the tipsy crew. Red Wine was from the fire nation, maybe someone found the barrels down Below of the red wine he and Xan got years ago, meaning it's going to be stronger more than likely.

"If any of you fall overboard it's on you!" Zuko called to them all and everyone cheered back.

"You drinking?" Mai offered to Katara.

"I've never had wine..." Katara gulped a little but held the Cup, looking at the captain cautiously in case he didn't want her too. He looked at her but didn't seem to care of the alcohol she held. Katara pursed her lips and took a sip of the wine then immediately regretted it.

"I don't like it," Katara coughed sticking out her tongue.

"Well if your being married into the fire nation you might want to get use to it," Zuko snorted a little as Mai took her drink back.

"That and a nice thing called sake, only thing that'll get you through those meetings," he chuckled shaking his head.

Katara gulped a little thinking about when she would go back to the fire nation, she'll be someone's wife... for being a prisoner here this is the last time she'll be free as her own person until she's no longer needed on the ship.