ATLA: Bonds Within Bending

The Avatar Problem

Mai's POV

For someone who wanted to talk, Zuko has literally said nothing to me the whole walk back. I don't know why but for some reason I'm disappointed, guess he'll never be ready to simply apologise.

"Well thank you for the sweet silence, bye", I walked up to the electric gate, ready to press the buzzer to tell the security it's me. They change the password almost daily so I can never remember it, best just to wake up the guard.

"Can I come in?", Zuko was stood behind me, he sounded rushed like he was questioning himself. I stopped myself from pressing the button.

"You had plenty of time to say what you needed to, why would I let you in to my families home?", I waited for an answer whilst hearing him moving nervously behind. He did this when we were dating, he had something big to tell me but always stepped around it until I forced it out of him.

"Then can we go back to mine or something?", He was being so weird about this. I turned back to look at him and watched him stare at the ground as he kicked the dirt nervously.

"I'm not walking in silence again, whatever you need to say can be said right here", I tried to look at him in the eye as I spoke but he wouldn't look up. "Zuko, we've been like this before, we aren't in a relationship so whatever you have to say probably won't even effect me", I shrugged.

"I don't know", He looked up at me then took a deep breath. "Alright, don't say anything until I finish explaining everything", He spoke seriously, I frowned for a second then nodded.

"I gave into a bunch of hocus-pocus trash from the fortune teller, I really needed the good news she told me of my future that she obviously made up. She gave me pointers to find my soulmate, that I'd marry and have kids with. I followed them and they led me to Katara", He paused for a second to check my facial expression.

"I went after her, asked her about her fortune and, they didn't really add up. Then I realised I was hanging onto my randomly generated made up fortune because it was making me happy, but that didn't mean it was my future. I wasn't thinking right, but after everything that happened in The Spirit Oasis, I understand now, I was too focused on myself, I'm sorry Mai", He looked at me hopefully, but I just looked at him.

I'm sure he expected me to just accept his apology and get over it, but this is my biggest fear actually happening in front of my eyes. He left me for her. I get that he was struggling mentally but that does not justify anything at all. I am always bubbling up with my own emotions and thoughts, I'm constantly struggling to just be around others but that will never push me to dump someone and get with someone else on a fortune teller's word?

He's excusing his actions awfully just to have his back covered. I really just want to march up to him and yell at him or hit him or something so that he knows how much he's hurt me, and how pathetic his words sound right now.

"I'm sorry Mai", He announced again, like it was such a hard thing for him to say, or that he feels like he shouldn't have to say it at all. Whatever I don't want to stay out here with him.

I turned back around and pressed the buzzer, feeling my heart snap again and again and again, I need to go in, I need to get away from him.

"Hey, I said I'm sorry", Zuko frowned and reached out for my arm to get my attention.

"What do you want? A medal for that? Me to clap like a bewildered sea lion and say well done for breaking up with me on the street and then immediately pursuing the girl I was already worried about?", I turned back and narrowed my eyes at him, I am feeling so betrayed, was our relationship so terrible that one fortune was all it took for him to make such a brash decision??