The Treaty

A/N: This is a short multi-chapter with lots of Maiko goodness. It's a tribute to their unique romance. If that's even how you describe their relationship! Haha.

"So, how do you do it?"

Tea was an agreeable affair indeed. Zuko was warming up to the drink—and he grinned a little at his own pun, which wasn't very good anyway. He was on edge, and the hot leaf juice soothed his nerves. Uncle was right, tea really helped.

What didn't help, however, was Sokka's smirk. At the moment, the Firelord pretty much hated the young Water Tribe warrior. He swirled the liquid in his own cup, sat back comfortably on the plush chair, and eyed Zuko with narrow, laughing eyes. "Do what?" he asked innocently.

"You know what!" Zuko's cheeks reddened. He should have known. Sokka was the worst person to ask for help in these matters. He was a big-mouth, a prankster and basically a jerk. Zuko couldn't believe he'd actually asked for a private audience with Sokka, a man with more experience in this whole...business. Agni. The Firebender's heart was racing anyway, why couldn't the Water Tribe peasant empathise!

It had started a few days ago. The foreboding. Zuko found himself sleepless, irritable, jumpy. And then on the other extreme, he was quiet and musing and cautious. Even Mai couldn't seem to help him. Darn it, she'd actually started the problem. He closed his eyes for a moment and allowed himself a momentary flashback.

"Mai...I'm scared," Zuko mumbled with a blush. They were sitting together in a carriage, being driven to the Royal Home For Orphaned Children, the Fire Nation's premier adoption center. Zuko had to pay them a visit. Being Firelord, it was actually a political duty to meet the less fortunate. He'd insisted that Mai come with him.

"You're scared?" she asked curiously. "Of...visiting little orphan children?" The knife-thrower placed her eyes into Zuko's. Yup, he certainly looked uncomfortable.

"Yes, yes I am."

"Why...?"

"Because, I don't know what to do with a child!" he snapped suddenly. "I mean, these kids are going to be, what, two or three years old? And that's just the older kids. The younger ones are babies. I read up on this place. They only have kids under five here. The older kids are in another home...I mean, what do you do with a child? How do you entertain it? They're too young to follow a proper conversation, all their games are strange, and most importantly, children don't like me."

A few seconds passed after Zuko finished his outburst.

Mai, cool as a stone, rolled her eyes. "Well, you better figure out how to communicate with them. What are you going to do when we have our own kid?"

There was the bombshell.

The Firelord almost fainted.

His girlfriend went maroon.

"You...you're not...pregnant or something, are you?" he stammered weakly.

If possible, Mai went an even darker shade of red. "No, no I'm not." But she was quick to collect herself, and successfully masked her face impassive. "I'm just saying," she began, more confident, "You don't want to be awkward around your own kid, do you?"

In present time, Zuko rubbed his temples and opened his eyes. Sokka was still there, smirking at him. The Firelord sighed. "We talked about this before," he muttered. "I sent you that letter."

"I know, I know. I just want you to say it out loud, is all," his friend said and snorted. "Seeing as you're being all jittery about it. I don't understand that. Why are you being all jittery about it?"

"Because—and to be crass—I am freaking out!" Zuko threw his hands in the air.

"Relax, Firelord, have your tea." Sokka waved his hand out in a carefree way, knowing full well that it was one of those rare times that he was in control of the situation.

"So, let's see. Mai mentioned kids, that's what you said in your letter, right?"

"Right," Zuko mumbled, head in his hands.

"And suddenly you realised that you loved her for ever and ever?" Sokka's tone was taunting.

"Those were not my exact words," the scar-faced man snapped.

"Oh yes!" the warrior pulled out a scroll. "Your exact words were, 'I have found that I may be extremely emotionally attached towards Mai and I believe it may stay like that for a long time—which of course I don't mind, even though at this moment my quill is shaking from my discussion with her in the carriage today afternoon. It has dawned on me that it is time to take this relationship one step further and so I seek your help and advice.'" Sokka took a sip from his tea. "Man, I'm parched just reading that aloud. What's with the roundabout language?"

"Force of habit...that's how you write diplomatic stuff, treaties and the like. Very formal."

"Whatever. So I summarise that you want to propose to Mai. Right?"

Ah, now that Sokka said it like that, the whole reality of the situation slapped Zuko in the face. He was going to propose! To Mai! Oh Agni, oh Agni!

"Yes..." the Firelord mumbled and took a long swig of his tea. The hot drink burned his throat on its way down but it was a good feeling, it made him more attune to his surroundings.

"And you want my help?"

"Well...advice, really...I mean, I don't want to be all clichéd about it."

Immediately, Sokka said, "Flowers, dinner, ring, sex. Worked for me."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "And that isn't clichéd, apparently." His tone was dripping with sarcasm. Mai would carve his eyes out with her knives if he was this unimaginative about something so special.

"C'mon, Aang was worse. He simply outright asked Katara. They were grocery shopping, and Aang picked up an onion, looked at her, and just barked it out. How stupid can you get!"

"Actually I thought that was really funny. And memorable. Mai would have appreciated that, but Firelords don't go shopping for onions. She'll know something's amiss. I want to surprise her."

Sokka rolled his eyes. "Zuko, you're such an ass."

"And you're no help whatsoever."

"Do you at least have a ring?"

Zuko stood up suddenly and took three great strides across his office. On the highest shelf on the opposite wall, he picked up an amethyst box the size of his palm. Tenderly went over and showed it to Sokka. "It was my mother's," he explained, his voice a little strange.

The Water Tribe man cautiously opened the box, and let out a low whistle. "Wow."

"Like it?"

Inside the box was a ring whose gold was so rich and dark that in the right light, it looked orange. It truly was something worthy of the Firelady. "It's classically Fire Nation," Zuko went on. "Mother left it behind when she was banished. I found it in her room four years ago."

"Oh." Then, "Yeah, yeah, I like it. So will Mai."

"You think?"

"Definitely."

There was a short silence.

"So about this proposal thing...do you have any ideas?"

"No! That's why I called you here!"

"Zuko, you're an ass."

"Thanks, Sokka, that really helps me."

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review!