You went to school like the rest of us? Who: Zuko, Mai and Azula What: Zuko stops by to have his talk with Mai, and Azula drags them to the apple store to get a new phone, after melting her old one. When: This morning! Where: Condo then Apple store then sushi place Status: Complete Rating: PG-13 for language and feels
Zuko drove to Azula's place, after showering and shaving, and spending several minutes staring at himself in the mirror. But he said he'd get there, and he did. He headed up to the condo and knocked. Azula opened the door.
The girl hadn't slept at all since her txting with Ty Lee. She might have cried a little. None of this showed. She just gave her brother a dark look, and let him inside, "We're going to the store. You might as well come."
Her brother scowled, "I'm here to talk to Mai."
Mai had absolutely not been watching from her bedroom window, waiting for his car to pull up. Nor was she at all excited when it finally had, and she absolutely had NOT smiled about it and then fixed her hair. In fact, when she swept into sight in the background, it looked like Zuko was the last person on earth she wanted to see.
She was also taking her sweet time about getting closer to the door, "Glad you could make it."
Looking over at Mai, Zuko's brain shorted out, briefly. He brushed past his sister like she didn't exist, then stopped a few feet short of his...girl like friend person. Which was one of the reasons they needed to talk but that wasn't happening with Azula present, "Yeah. You know. Traffic."
Azula rolled her eyes, "Lets go. I need a new phone. It's important." She didn't say why it was important. Just that she needed a new phone. She wasn't even looking at them, instead staring out the door.
"Are we going somewhere respectable?" Mai's first concern, of course, was to make sure they weren't all going to end up in a tabloid with another scandelous title on it. That was the absolute last thing she needed.
The second absolute last thing she needed was Zuko looking at her like that. She glanced at him, "Is there something on my face?"
"An apple store at a very expensive mall," Azula said, not glancing back. "I trust that would suffice? I can call your mother if you'd like. It's not my fault you got yourself grounded."
Zuko muttered something in Japanese.
Mai stared daggers at Azula's back, then pulled her phone out and handed it to Azula, "You can even use my phone to call her. If you can keep from destroying it."
Azula turned and gave Mai a cold, dangerous glare. It faded and she said, friendly, "We're going to the store. You need a computer anyway, don't you?"
"I do," Mai exchanged a look with her. She wondered who was buying that computer, and if Azula was trying to manipulate her somehow. Like her parents alwyas did. Don't talk, behave, shut up, have a pony or five.
Maybe she was. Mostly just to shut her up and get them moving. She gave Mai a look, "Look, I just want to get this over with. You two can get all kisses and rainbows later."
If she was going to call Ty Lee it would be on her terms - and her phone number. Because if Ty Lee didn't answer that....
Well she didn't want to think about that.
Of course it hadn't occurred to her Mai was talking about calling her mom. Her mind was too full of Ty Lee.
"Are you going to call my mother, or not?" Mai would never in a million years tell Azula to call Ty Lee. It wasn't any of her business, but in her opinion her naive and bubbly friend could do much better.
She would never say that, of course, and barely thought it. Azula was her superior, and they had a mutual respect, generally.
She managed to not look surprised at this. And she would have been hurt if she'd known that Mai felt that way. No one could possibly be better than Azula!
Taking Mai's phone, she dialed her friend's mother, and spoke in quick Japanese. She even put it on speaker so Mai could hear the affirmative. Then she tossed the woman her phone back, "You need to get out more anyway."
"Yes, so I can live my wonderful life," Mai snarked, while tucking her phone away. It was good to know she was allowed to do a goddamn thing, really. Permission to go out! Then her father wouldn't be so surprised if she ended up in a tabloid holding a milkshake. Oh no, dignitary's daughter spotted in a mall drinking ice cream! Maybe she's pregnant and that's why she needs to have milkshakes!
"You know if you marry him you won't be at their beck and call any longer," Azula said, almost sing-song like. Smirking, she headed out, leaving Mai and Zuko alone.
Zuko's eye twitched, and he glared at his sister's back. If she WANTED to torpedo anything, she just might have succeeded. He growled a little and the temperature actually rose a little around him.
For her part, Mai wasn't even sure if that was his doing or if she was imagining things. She frowned, though, because that comment was definitely not helping her current mental state.
"No, I'd just be at his," she finally mumbled, and started heading to the car. She looked back at Zuko, though, with a softer look that implied she wasn't saying it to hurt him, but more to stay in character.
"You..." He trailed off at the look, then followed, muttering, "This was not how I wanted to spend my morning."
Once they were in the car, Azula floored it. Her mood extended to her driving, causing several near accidents on the way to to the store. Though her face was set in a mysterious smile, her eyes were boiling.
Zuko was glad the rear seat had an air conditioning control.
Mai just wanted to know why the temperature in the car was so fucking hot if the AC was on.
Because when around a fire-bender with a pissed off attitude and inconsistent powers temperature gets whack.
As they got closer to the store, the temperature approached a more reasonable level, though Azula's eyes were still burning. She parked, and got out of the car, leaving them there as she headed into the store.
Zuko leaned forward and tapped Mai on the shoulder, joking, "Eloping would really piss them off you know."
"Get bent," came Mai's response, as she let herself out of the car. It was unclear if she was joking or not until she got the door for him, too, while smirking at him.
"No, you." He got out of the car, and hazarded stealing a kiss. From the store, Azula leaned out and cleared her throat, "Time for that later."
Kissing Zuko in public was probably one of the few things on the list of 'acceptable behavior for Mai', and she indulged in another one while Azula looked on. Simply because it kept Azula waiting, and she definitely felt like keeping Azula waiting.
Murmuring something on Mai's lips, Zuko pulled away, then took her hand and walked into the store with her. Azula rolled her eyes and headed back inside. She needed a phone. The best phone. With a new case and any pertinent accessories. And hell, a new macbook. She'll give her old one to Mai after transfering everything off.
Because no way was Mai going to get a better computer than Azula.
That was perfectly fine with Mai. She didn't need Azula buying her silence and she wasn't all that impressed by being given sparkly worldly possessions at this point in her life. If she wanted to, she could put in a call to her father about how having a new laptop would help her coordinate her busy socialite schedule with the Fire Lord's son, and she'd get a laptop just as shiny as Azula's.
She didn't need that stuff. She definitely didn't need it from Azula.
And what was that Zuko had murmured again her lips? What game was he playing at? She looked over the iPad displays while glancing at him every so often, like she was trying to read him somehow.
Still, Mai needed one, and Azula's current laptop was more than sufficient for most uses. Sure, no retina display, but Azula could come up with an excuse on why she needed one. So she picked out her case and accessories, and whichever Macbook had the most power and resolution. And something to help her copy her crap over. And something to help her wipe the old one for Mai.
Consider it a gift. Motivated by social status.
An iPad might be nice too. But she wasn't sure it was neccessary.
Zuko had an android tablet. Because he wanted to be different. He stood stoically looking at a 27" display. Okay, that was a little impressive. He walked over to Mai after a bit, "So other than calling and asking for permission every time you want to go out, we need to figure out a plan." He rested his hand on her arm. Not possessively.
"I might need a job," Mai tapped at the iPad a bit, trying not to meet his eyes, because that would mean that she was interested in the way she felt every time he put his hand on or near her or even breathed in his direction.
She had a plan, and it involved letting her father cut her off. But she didn't like where that life headed. It wasn't that she'd miss the fancy parties and the status, but she liked being able to eat and live in nice, comfortable places.
"A legitimate one?" Zuko glanced at her her again, trying to read her thoughts, but not really succeeding. Why would she need a job? To earn her keep maybe. It would be better than being beholden to her father, or Azula. Or even him.
Not that he'd ever behold her to a thing.
"A legitimate one, yes." Mai nodded her head, "I realised a second ago that I don't have any skills."
"You went to school like the rest of us?" Zuko looks positively dumbfounded.
"Where I learned the correct thing to call a Duke, and how to dance."
Zuko scowled, an unflattering if familiar visage on his face, "We'll find you something. Somewhere."
"I wonder if there's a place I could work with knives."
Mai seemed particularly interested in that idea, mainly because it was her only other area of expertise.
Zuko tilted his head, then a smirk spread across his face, "I might have an opportunity for you. There's a gun shop we're going to be partnering with. Show off your knife skills and maybe the owner might have a place. We could even make it part of the deal."
"My Lord High Commander, are you suggesting I actually work at a weapons shop?" Mai's tone had an amused note to it, and she was, in fact, smirking down at the iPad that she was still playing around with.
She could imagine the looks on her parents' faces the day they saw a picture of her going into a gun shop. There was some appeal to the idea of making her own money, as well. If she was still free to help Azula with the side business, she was pretty sure Azula wouldn't kick her out.
She shook her head, though, at the idea of him just bargaining it in, "Not part of the deal, no. I want to earn it on my own."
"Yes, I'm suggesting it. You'd get access to better stock too, and maybe even a discount." Zuko watched her playing with the iPad, and was amused that it was fruit ninja. Naturally. There had been another consideration. Neena's gunshop would be directly involved in the Fire Nation, simply by supplyiing arms and ammo in return for protection. Mai being there alone was protection enough - he never once considered her defenseless.
He folded his arms, "Not even a good word as a reference?" Zuko should have suggested this, so he added, "Show off your skills for her. Come with me when Azula and I check out her weapons."
That hadn't been the deal Neena'd been planning on striking with him - for one thing, she'd definitely want more than one person watching the shop - but it was probably a deal she'd consider once she saw Mai in action.
The sounds of fruit ninja continued, as Mai considered the idea. Mainly, she just didn't want to owe anyone. If she was breaking free of her father and trying to make her own life, she wanted it to be a life she made with her own efforts. At least to a certain point. The prospect of even that much freedom was terrifying. Getting her own job was a huge step.
"I'll think about it."
Oh, there would be three or 4 people at any time, Mai would just be a more visible face - and a huge surprise. Zuko wanted to help her, any way he could, but he knew she'd feel like she'd owe him. When she wouldn't. Why couldn't she understand that? If anything it was because he owed her.
Though why that was he wasn't comfortable saying, "Okay."
Azula seemed to be taking a long time at the counter.
It was pretty much just the way Mai's mind operated. Everything her parents had ever given or done for her had been to keep her under control or shape her into something they wanted her to be. The only things she had that she could claim as her own were the knives. Those had been mostly smuggled into the house by the servants with her allowance money.
"She is taking forever over there. Is she buying the entire store?" Mai looked up and over at Azula.
"Maybe. Or she's got a surprise for us." Zuko narrowed his eyes. Azula's surprises could be anything, "Whatever it is, I'm not going to accept it."
Azula came over then. She had several bags, "I'm hungry. Pick a place."
"Not In and Out," Zuko joked.
Mai snerked, "Sushi?"
Definitely not In and Out, though that burger had been so delicious that she'd actually daydreamed about eating another one the other day.
She eyed all the bags Azula had in her hands, "Did you buy the store?"
Zuko would have to bring Mai a burger sometime then. He nodded his head at the idea of sushi and headed towards the car.
Azula thought that idea was fine, "I have to visit my boyfriend later. Alone. But we can eat first." She put the packages in the trunk, "Only half the store. A new phone and a new computer. Accessories. You wouldn't mind my old laptop, would you?"
"Whatever you want," Mai shrugged. She really didn't care. Something DID catch in her head, though, as she headed to the car. It made her stop and give Azula a questioning look.
"Your boyfriend?"
"Yes." Azula nodded her head, ignoring the look Mai gave her or the raised eyebrow coming from her brother. "We hooked up recently. He's an executive with Wayne Enterprises."
Not that she was trying to impress, so much as....suggest. Mostly to Mai. She didn't want to detail it in front of Zuko, at any rate, "I'll give you all the juicy details later."
"Please, later. Yes. I don't want to hear ANY juicy anything related to you!"
Mai wasn't sure she wanted any juicy details either, "I can hardly wait."
She got into the car, pulled out a knife, and started spinning it around her finger. She was going to have to have a talk with Ty Lee about this, before she found out some other way and then started crying on the podium or something.
She pulled out her phone and almost started messaging her right then and there, but thought twice about it. Azula deserved a chance to explain herself.
Azula plugged her phone into a car adapter so it would charge. Her expression was distant for a moment, then a little sad, then her characteristic smirk showed itself, "So did you two elope?"
"Of course not." Zuko buckled his seatbelt, muttering under his breath, "She deserves better than that."
"Are you going to elope with this boyfriend of yours? Summer is a good time of year for it," Mai was still looking down at her phone while spinning the knife with her other hand. She finally put it away, and stared out the car window instead.
Azula shot a look at Mai, one eye twitching slightly, "Don't be ridiculous. We barely know each other, and just met." Her tone changed, and she emphasised certain words, "I just hope father likes him. He'd need his approval anyway, right? It's not like you and Zuko, where father already likes you."
Zuko snorted. NOW who was the one needing daddy's approval? He found the turnaround amusing.
"Right."
she wanted to ask Azula how she felt about Ty Lee's approval, but honestly, those were questions one didn't ask when they were stuck in a car with her.
And when she had control of the locks. Azula drove them to a nearby sushi place. It wasn't super upscale but it wasn't a dive either, and should meet Mai's mother's approval if she ever find out. She parked and got out.
Zuko was beginning to suspect something was up, "..is everything okay between you two?"
"Everything's fine. I think we both just miss Ty Lee," Mai said, while unbuckling her own seatbelt and getting out of the car. She said it loud enough for Azula to hear the name as she headed into the sushi place.
Azula visibly started, then recovered and headed inside without looking back. Zuko got out of the car, closing the door and looking at Mai suspiciously.
The look on Mai's face was her default expression, which meant she was completely unreadable. Even her eyes seemed to be hiding away any emotion. She tucked her knife back up her sleeve, and gestured towards the restaurant.
"After you, Zu Zu."
Zuko caught her arm. He could see her closing up, sinking back into her persona, the one that seemed to hurt him without meaning to. The one he wanted to smash to little pieces when they were alone.
"Hey. Are you okay? About everything? You know I'll back you if you need it. Not to make you owe me. But because I-"
Mai turned and put a finger on his lips to stop him from completing that sentence. There was a world where it could be spoken and a place and time where she might even repeat it, but not here, and definitely not right now.
Her guarded expression dropped for a second, and she shook her head, wordlessly asking him to drop the subject for now. She didn't trust her own voice to speak them.
Azula needed advice. Dick wasn't closer to her, not like Mai. Or to Ty Lee. His would be almost unbiased, in a way. And she already knew what Mai would tell her. She just didn't want to hear it. She waited impatiently inside.
Outside, Zuko just nodded his head and pecked Mai on the cheek. Then he offered her his arm, "Lets go inside and run up Azula's credit card."
She hooked her arm around his and said, with a bit too much relish, "With pleasure."