Chapter Text
“You’re beginning to complain, right now?” The woman in sweat commented with a hint of irritation. In fairness, Azula was pretty lucid about most of the events that transpired in the span of the week. The drugs that have been injected in her for the past month or so had their withdrawals. Azula was sure she had the right to complain about their journey in what seemed in the middle of nowhere.
Azula ignored Mai and decided to take a seat near one of the many identical trees. She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and pursed her lips. Even with her being a Firebender, she felt the heat take a toll on her, if they continued as they are currently doing it would only end in failure. Whether that be from a heatstroke or Mai getting annoyed to the point of her turning on her. Azula just looked up at the stoic non-bender and Mai seemed to understand.
Dropping her respective luggage beside her and taking a seat next to Azula. Both of them basked in the shade that the tree had to offer. Azula felt her body beg for sustenance or perhaps even rest, at the moment she wasn’t able to provide either. Sitting down to cool off was the best she had to offer at the moment.
“Why?” Azula asked quietly. Even if there was likely to be no one in the area, she was unable to muster up more of a commanding voice. She was tired, and so was Mai. There was no point in demanding an answer with her usual approach. There was no superiority between the two. They both fled, and they both had nothing. She no longer was the princess of the Fire Nation and Mai wasn't the consort of her brother. They both lost the titles the moment they left the island they called home.
Mai stayed quiet for seconds, contemplating her answer, and responded with a heavy sigh. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she laid her forehead on her knees. Rubbing her eyelids, before turning to meet her gaze. Azula expected to be met with resentment or perhaps anger. Although, none were in amber eyes. She was exhausted and she didn’t attempt to hide it.
“I don’t know.” She said honestly. She turns to stare at the dirt road and continues with a frown. “Staying would mean staying with your brother and becoming Fire Lady. But, I don’t care about the comfortable stability that Zuko miserably tries to fake in our relationship. They're all trying to be something they're not and it’s annoying.” She huffs.
Azula blinks.
“You fell out of love with my stupid brother and decided to break me out of the asylum, thinking it would be a better use of your time?” A dry chuckle escaped her lips. “Not that I particularly despise your decision. You freed me from being locked in that dingy cell for agni knows for how long.” Her eyes dimmed before asking. “But I do wonder why go through the trouble for me?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Mai weakly deflects, her eyes not meeting her own. Her frown was more pronounced, her lips forcing neutrality.
Azula raises an eyebrow at the action before continuing. “We didn’t end on good terms, Mai. You deflected to be in favor of my brother.” She surprised herself in finding there wasn’t anger in her accusation. It may have been the exhaustion taking a toll on her or she couldn’t bring herself to hate the girl who broke her out of that hell. Azula would have to think about it later.
“You didn’t hide your intentions,” Mai mutters. “I knew what I was getting into when I decided to join, you were blunt and made it clear about our objective. Ty Lee and I weren’t idiots about the damage we were doing. Zuko wanted to prove his changed views to those idiots. I was his consort, my loyalty would be to him. But the moment the war ended, our relationship did so as well, even if he didn’t want to admit it.”
“I heard about you from him.” She bit her inner cheek. “I don’t know why I broke you out. Or what we’re doing, I just- You were the only person that wasn’t full of shit even if you were an asshole.”
“How kind of you.” She says dryly. Leaning her head against the brown bark, she takes a deep breath before releasing it. “I appreciate what you’ve done, Mai. Thank you.”
Mai shrugs. “It was bound to happen anyway.”
Azula closed her eyes and shook her head.
“No, it wasn’t.”
___
Azula stirred, blinking as she felt her back and arms stiff from the uncomfortable position. She groans, massaging her neck. Her baggage did not provide the best comfort, she'd admit. She forces herself to sit up even when her body seem to crack by the simple movement. Her eyes trail to the place around her, it was the same path but a mile in. She turns to see an awake Mai playing with one of her knives.
Rubbing her eyelid, she asks in a raspy voice. “Why have you not rested?” Unable to hold in a yawn. “If we even think of making it to a village, we’ll need our strength for the journey”
“I can’t sleep,” Mai states the obvious.
“Is there any particular reason, or is it only for this night?” She rasped out, squinting at Mai. Azula tried not to drift off to sleep but was doing a poor job as she felt her eyelids weigh more than usual.
“Doesn’t matter. Go to sleep, idiot. You still look like shit.” Azula didn’t know if she was hallucinating seeing Mai grin at her, she shook her head, moving her body closer to Mai. Putting her hand on her mouth, she yawned. “We’re both going to be cranky tomorrow… Sleep.”
“Can’t.” She repeats. Azula hums asking why. Mai admits, turning away. “It’s cold.”
Azula snickers. In her exhausted state, she puts her head on Mai’s shoulder and just laughs at the ridiculous reasoning. Mai tenses at the contact but Azula doesn’t seem to notice or care.
“What’s so funny?” Narrowing her eyes.
“Is that your weakness? The cold?” Azula murmurs with a lazy grin. “Ty Lee would have a fit of laughter- here take my hand.”
Mai reluctantly holds it her eyes widening at the warmth.
“Firebenders keep warm-” Another loud yawn interrupts. “Just- stay close and you’ll be warm. Now sleep, dummy.”
Mai scoots closer until they were shoulder to shoulder. Trading her pride for warmth. Mai supposed there were worse things to lose. As Azula was about to drift off to sleep, Mai couldn’t help but ask. “Why are you being nice?”
Azula groans. “Sleep for the love of agni before I burn you.”
“There she is.” She whispers, closing her eyes, and joining Azula in slumber.