200 word drabble: The Unspoken Ones

[attackfish]

Written for avatar_500 prompt #53, Rules.

Summary: Their life together has become bounded by them, and Mai is still figuring out how to reach for Zuko through them.

The Unspoken Ones

There were rules to sleeping with the Firelord, customs, traditions, nods towards discretion, a thousand and one things they had never had to think about before when he was just a prince.  A prince who was never going to take the throne, they never talked about it, never, but Azula...  It didn't matter.  There were rules now.  There were secret passageways, and chaperones, and a tangle of betrothals broken both times Zuko had left that had to be remade and renegotiated.

There had always been rules to sleeping with Zuko, things to back away from, things that hurt too much to look at.  Things that needed to be lanced or skewered.  Things that were the remnants of Azula's friendship.  Sometimes, she couldn't see through all that to what was theirs, and what they were free to do and be.

There were rules to being a couple, any couple, and it was when the rules began to contradict each other and twist on the page that Mai wanted to throw them away and stare mutely at the wall until it was over.

Just so long, Mai decided, as there was room for Zuko and Mai in the spaces between the rules.

Comments

[fanficforensics.livejournal.com]

This is tense and lovely. The way Mai negotiates all those other people-made rules is fascinating - and she's actually really good at it. The royal family should be very very grateful to have her join up.

[lunafana.livejournal.com]

Excellent illumination of the complexity of this relationship. I think to some extent fans feel how complicated and hemmed-in this relationship is and that's another reason why Zutara is popular, because it feels like freedom. I think, though, the rules are there for a reason and there's a beauty to negotiating a relationship despite all the restrictions on it. Great job showing that dynamic.

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Than you! I know of at least one member of the royal family very glad to have her join up (though he would like to remind her that there are a lot of rules for dating her too), but that's bound to make most of the rest hate her. Oh Mai, your in-laws are awful.

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think you're right about Zutara. It's politically about the worst thing Zuko can do, so it really says "Screw the rules, we have love!" Whereas Maiko says the much less viscerally satisfying but utterly sweet "I love you, so I'm willing to put up with bullshit rules for you." It's a good example of how being "meant to be" at least politically can make things even harder and more complicated.

Of course, secretly, I just like it because it's dorks in love.

[lunafana.livejournal.com]

That is obviously the #1 reason to like Maiko. The rest are just excuses. XD

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Totally.

[weirdlet.livejournal.com]

Seconded. Let the cool kids have their flaming passionate romance covers, we have cuddles with hedgehogs^^

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Everybody together now: d'awwwww!

[rickashay1.livejournal.com]

THIS was fantastic! One of my favorite couples and you captured Mai wonderfully! You have a wonderful writing style as well...this is going to sound weird, but it's a bit like a silhouette, just enough detail but enough it gives you imagination to see beyond just this. (Just what I see your story being, it's perfect because you gave us something to imagine!) You conveyed their relationship in very few words, which I admire! Excellent job and I'm sorry if I sound strange!

[attackfish.livejournal.com]

Thank you! As short as my avatar 500 drabbles are, there isn't really space to do much more than give an impression. Some are more successful than others.

In truth, I usually write them in bulk, (five a day for a few days) and then don't write any for a long time. This means some of them are very closely related.