Chapter Text
“AND THAT IS SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE!” Mai’s voice rang with such fury that the Royal Counselors and ministers all leaned back and tried to look smaller. Zuko didn’t remember ever seeing her like that. Even worse he wasn’t sure what exactly prompted this outburst right now. Sure, they were dealing with unpleasant issues, and the proposition about schools was indeed unacceptable, but… that was Mai… and Mai was not prone to outbursts, even when she was that angry. Mai looked around the council room, her eyes full of storms. Zuko felt confused – what did he miss? Mai was probably just tired. She worked a lot, and often looked tired these days. They had to talk about it. When she was less angry.
A hand touched and lightly squeezed his shoulder. Zuko turned in surprise. It was his old Minister of Agriculture, Goshi, who now realized his impropriety and was bowing deeply.
“What is it?” Zuko asked while trying to hide his annoyance and confusion.
The minister bowed again. “Forgive me, Fire Lord. I believe, lady Mai might benefit from a visit to a doctor.”
Zuko felt even more confusion. Surely Mai was fine, just tired. “Are you suggesting my wife is ill?”
Deeper bow. “No, not at all. I think it might be good news, my lord, for you, and for the nation.” After that he bowed again and moved as far as possible to let Zuko figure out the meaning by himself.
The lighting struck. Or, at least that’s how it felt when Zuko realized what the minister was implying. Mai was pregnant? Well, they certainly wanted it to happen... Then blinked and looked at Mai again. She certainly didn’t look any different. May be a bit paler, but that’s hard to say with her usual paleness.
Soon enough the Council dissipated, having finished whatever they could. Zuko and Mai were alone. He came closer and hugged her carefully.
“What is that about?” She inquired grumpily.
Zuko exhaled and tried to phrase it as carefully as he could. “Maybe you should see a doctor? On the chance that you are.. that you are pregnant.”
“I know I am pregnant, Zuko. Don’t need a doctor for that.”
That was even more unexpected. “Ehhh. Don’t you think I would like to know it, too?”
Mai shrugged and tried to bury her face in his clothes. This conversation was not moving as thought it would.
“Mai, what is happening?”
Another shrug. Followed by sniffling. “It’s just too early, that’s all.”
“Too early for what? Either you pregnant, or not, right?”
She tried to burrow her face even deeper into his clothes, so her answer came out muffled, hardly audible. “Too early to tell if she is going to stay.”
Oh. He was an idiot. They had a… disappointment a year ago, When they thought they might have a baby, but didn’t, and the doctor assured that everything was fine, and Mai seemed to be fine, too. But apparently she… is much more worried now about it. And now Zuko was worried, too.
“Anything I can do?”
“No, I guess. Just wait and see. Mother told me it happened a lot, people just don’t talk about it. And really there is nothing to talk. I just don’t want any doctors or official announcements until much later.”
He hugged her even tighter and kissed her head. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired. Scared. Hungry. The other time I couldn’t eat anything, but now I am fine, just slightly nauseous. Very tired. Terrified. And my emotions run away from me and live their separate life, and I have no control over them. It’s disturbing.” Mai sniffed, then added, “Kind of hopeful.” She was silent for several heartbeats, then asked almost inaudibly, “What about you?”
To be honest, Zuko had no idea how was he. His brain hadn’t really had time to process it. “Hopeful, I guess. Slightly worried. Wait, why did you say “she”?”
“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling I have. I didn’t have it before, but now when I think about the baby, I think “she”.
“We’ll have a baby princess then.” The thought gave him a sharp pang that he recognized as happiness, and the did what he could in the situation – started kissing Mai.
She looked at him, her eyes bright and glistening, and Zuko with a start realized that his clothes where Mai was hiding his face were all wet. She couldn’t have been crying, could she?
“I do feel tired. I probably should go lay down.”
“Let’s go take a nap then.” He walked with Mai to their bedroom, with his arm around her.
“Don’t you have work to do?”
“It can wait.”
They are going to be parents. Zuko gulped. Despite Mai’s misgivings, he felt hopeful. They wanted a child, they needed a child, and now they are going to have one. A terror gripped him. “I think I need to lay down, too.”
“Really?” Sarcasm returned in Mai’s voice.
“We are going to be parents, and I am fully terrified by the prospect.”
“Only now?”
“I guess I am that slow.”
“I guess you are. I’ve been terrified about becoming a parent ever since the beginning.” More sarcasm, with the side ‘I am disappointed but not surprised.’ He was getting better at reading Mai, but still he was an idiot. At least he didn’t have to ask what she meant.
“I am sorry. I thought everything was fine, and..”
“It was fine.” Mai squeezed his hand in a familiar gesture of comfort. “We were lucky. Or smart. But the worry was there.” He squeezed her hand back.
They settled on the bed, Mai taking off her hair piece and knives and hugging a giant pillow. She looked unbelievably cute. “So, are you coming to nap?”
Zuko didn’t need another invitation, and joined her there, carefully spooning behind her.
In the open window Druk showed up. He was too large for the bed by now, but he didn’t understand why would his humans want to cuddle without him, so he settled around them, strategically positioning his head so both Mai and Zuko could pet him.
“Hey, you know, Druk, we are going to have a baby soon!” Zuko scratched the dragon’s head. Druk snorted and let a tiny puff of smoke, then nuzzled Mai’s belly.
Mai smiled, and petted Druk, too. “I think he knows. He is the smart one in the family.”
Zuko hugged her carefully and murmured into her ear, “It’s going to be fine.”
“You are just idly optimistic, got infected by Aang or something.” Mai grumbled without conviction.
“No, that’s not it. I am absolutely sure it’s going to be just perfect, and even Druk agrees with me. He is the smart one, remember?” Then turned to Druk, “Right, buddy?”
Druk rumbled in agreement and nuzzled Mai again, moving his head under Mai’s hand. Mai sighed and quickly drifted to sleep.