Day Five: A Tale of Two Parties
Title: A Tale of Two Parties
Rating: PG
Note: Poem was written by Liliana Negoi and was not mine.
For: nanthimus
There were no clouds in the sky on the night of Zuko's 18th birthday, and Zuko could literally see the relief come over his council members when they realized that bad weather would not interrupt the day's festivities.
Zuko couldn't really care either way, his council insisted that he have a huge celebration. 'It will foster good will' they said, 'it will heighten their morale' they urged, but Zuko wasn't completely convinced. In his eyes there were much more important things in the world to worry about.
And while Zuko did think that rebuilding the Fire Nation (both physically and in reputation) took precedence over everything else, right now he was much more worried about just what was going on with Mai at the moment. Although this did cause a bit of loneliness in Zuko. He wished more and more that Mai were around more, and that he had more chances for his friends to come and visit.
If you were to ask Zuko what he really wanted to do for his birthday, Zuko would admit that the least he would like would be a quiet day and evening with his girlfriend. They hadn't had much time as of late, and Zuko wondered if maybe Mai was feeling neglected and that was why she wasn't coming around as much anymore.
The few times she had come over, she had seemed tired and frustrated, her gowns were not as neatly pressed and her hair not as neatly kept as they usually were, and one time he swore he could have sworn he saw a piece of straw stuck in the waistband of her gown. He knew something must have been wrong if Mai hadn't noticed that.
When he finally asked her about it, Mai brushed off his concern.
"Everyone has bad days," she replied, "I am just going through an off period."
But Zuko wasn't completely convinced, even though he had no real way of telling whether she was lying. He admitted that he wasn't the most observant person in the world, but even he knew that Mai was keeping something from him.
He was driving himself nuts. He became even more worried when he heard talks that some very strange things were going on in and around Mai's house, but none of the servants he sent could gather what was going on. He tried to go himself, but someone always seemed to choose that moment as to bring something urgent to his attention.
He knew something was going on, but he couldn't seem to get anything out of anyone. He had hoped that once Uncle had arrived that maybe he would help him, but Iroh was completely nonchalant, saying that women have their own their things, and Zuko should just know when to keep out of a lady's private matters. Zuko crinkled his nose, but acquiesced, but still determined to get to the bottom of it all.
He decided he would confront Mai about it when she arrived to the party. She came hours earlier with a few handmaidens carrying her things, and she said hello, but before he could even ask her how she was, she was off to her room to change, leaving a flabbergasted Zuko standing in the middle of the entranceway with his mouth hanging wide open.
He was in a bit of a bad mood for the rest of the evening. What was going on. She had never really blown him off that way before, and it was beginning to worry him. And he resolved that when they met again when they were both ready he would finally get her to tell him what was bothering her. He didn't like being this agitated over something that might not even have anything to do with him.
However, he didn't have any words to say when he saw her descend the staircase. She had always been beautiful to him, but in that one moment she was lovely, and for a moment he couldn't even recognize what he wanted to ask her about. Her was in its usual style although a few decorative pins were in her hair and her gown was deep rouge that fitted perfectly to her tender form.
He blushed and stammered for something to say. Mai smiled gently.
"I know Zuko, I am the most beautiful woman you have ever seen, don't hurt yourself," she said, the smile negating the blunt tone of her voice.
He smiled sheepishly and took her arm, and lead her to the main hall where most of the celebration would be held. Everything was perfect if a little formal, but Zuko reasoned that those things couldn't be helped.
When the guests arrived, Zuko and Mai took the standard position near the thrown as each guest came to give their respects to Fire Lord. He was given assorted trinkets and incense and whole other things that he really didn't have much use for. Mai seemed to just smile through the whole thing, being the polite companion that many people had thought her to be.
She seemed calmer, as if the frustration and exhaustion that she had been feeling for the past week had just slid right off of her, and he was thankful that whatever had had her so on edge had had nothing to do with him.
A few hours in Iroh approached the two of them and said that he was retiring for the evening.
"Are you sure, Uncle," Zuko said.
"I am not as young as I used to be nephew, I am need some rest," Iroh said, "you should think of retiring too, nephew."
Zuko nodded, the party was beginning to die down, and he had notice quite a few of the guests already take leave. Iroh bid good-bye to Mai, but not before whispering something into her ear and she smiled, and Zuko could have sworn he saw Iroh wink at her.
"Well good night Zuko," Iroh said, "enjoy the moment, your youth comes but once in a lifetime."
And with a smile, Iroh sauntered off, as Mai and Zuko watched him go.
"Zuko, your Uncle is right, I am feeling a bit tired," she said, "would you mind escorting me home?"
He looked at her strangely.
"But the celebration isn't…"
"Zuko, I am sure the stuffed shirts you hired as your advisors can oversee the rest of the party, we have done the gifts and tributes and eaten, you are no longer needed," she said.
He nodded, and both him and Mai excused themselves from the proceedings.
They left and walked the short distance to her home. Mai was quiet.
"It was a lot better than what I thought it would be," Zuko said.
"Yeah, but it was a bit boring," she said.
"Well that is nothing new," he said.
"Did you get everything you wanted," she asked suddenly.
Zuko looked at her.
"No, none of the presents…"
"I didn't mean gifts Zuko," Mai said, "I meant was it what you were hoping it would be."
"You mean the party, it was what I expected…" he stopped when he noticed her just shaking her head a small smile of amusement playing on her face.
When they got to her door they stopped, and in unison both looked to the ground in a sort of awkwardness.
"Would you like to come in?" she asked quickly, which sounded a bit weird to both of their ears.
He didn't respond right away, after about a week of being banned from her house almost, it seemed weird that she would all of sudden be anxious for him to come in.
"Look, I am going to go inside," she said, "if you would like to join me for some post birthday tea you are most welcome to come and join me. Come in at about a minute, or I will decide you won't be able to come in at all."
And with that Mai gave him a soft kiss on a cheek and walked into her home.
He looked at the door, figuring things couldn't get any stranger, and since it wasn't like he had never been there before. He trudged slowly up the stairs and went through the door.
"SURPRISE!"
Zuko literally jumped five feet in the air as Sokka, Aang, Katara, Toph, and Suki all jumped from behind the table, hands in the air. Mai and Iroh stood to the side trying hard to keep themselves from laughing.
"What the?" Zuko said, cutting himself off.
"Happy birthday, Zuko!" Aang said, the smile on his face probably the brightest and widest Zuko had ever seen it.
"What? How?" he said, not yet fully comprehending that his friends, all his friends were here.
"Honestly, Hot Stuff," Toph cut in feet, propped up on a nearby table, "did you think we weren't going to show up and tease you for being another year older?"
"It's just," he said.
"It's just what?" Katara sneered again, and this time Zuko wondered whether Katara and in fact most of the people who loved him enjoyed making him squirm, "is it the fact that we didn't even know it was your birthday. Way to make us look like the bad guys."
"Yeah!" Sokka jumped in, "if Mai hadn't have written to us. YEOW!"
"Sokka, you weren't supposed to tell him," Suki grumbled him.
It was with shock Zuko turned to Mai, who seemed to be sending her biggest death glare over in Sokka's direction.
"You planned this?" he said, "but…"
"Don't worry Zuko," she said, "just enjoy it."
"Yeah, your girlfriend planned it all," Sokka cut in, putting an arm around Zuko, "she even put us up for a week."
Zuko looked at Mai, a combination of awareness and awe written over his face. Her behavior over the past week suddenly made a surprising amount of sense. Keeping five people who weren't exactly dignified, a flying lemur, and a bison content and orderly must have been a lot. And then he thought again of all the horrors that could have happened, and everyone soon laughed at the horror that was on his face.
"Don't worry Zuko," Aang said, " we were the perfect houseguests. I am always friendly."
Both Mai and Katara snorted at that.
"Look we can all just sit around here and groan about how much surprise there is, but I want dessert," Toph said, deciding that enough was enough.
"Yeah birthday boy, wait until you see what I got you," Sokka said sneakily.
Soon they were all gathered around the table, snacking on a few hors d'oeuvres and treats. Zuko began to relax and soon everyone was laughing at Sokka's jokes, or Katara's stories, or Aang's tricks, and he suddenly felt much more comfortable and relaxed than he had felt in awhile. He was glad that they were all there, for he had missed them and the camaraderie more than he was willing to admit.
"So who’s going to give the first gift," Sokka said starting things off.
"ME! ME!" Aang said quickly, jumping up and down.
"Man is he really 114 years old?" Toph said, and Katara giggled, until Sokka shot a glance at her and she quickly shut up.
Aang went over to a large clumsily wrapped package and with care began to unwrap it for Zuko.
Inside was a giant glider, not unlike Aang's only.
"What am I going to do with this," Zuko asked, "I don't airbend."
"You don't need airbending to glide with it," Aang said, "I just thought we could go flying together sometime, you know for times when we want to get away from it all."
Zuko nodded. The gifts kept coming. Suki had gotten him some custom earth robes, Katara endowed him with a few firebending scrolls, and Toph gave Zuko some complimentary tickets to Earth Rumble 7.
"So you can watch me kick butt," she said.
"You're still doing that," Katara asked Toph strangely.
"OF course, you don't think I would just let some no name take my title, do you," Toph said.
Iroh gave Zuko a book, of wisdom written by himself.
"When did you write this?" Zuko asked.
"Well I have a lot of time now," Iroh said, "I was also urged by a few friends to write it." Iroh nodded at Toph.
"Wow that's great," Zuko said.
Sokka came next and with a smirk handed him his gift. Zuko warily opened it and once he read the title he scowled.
"Sokka, what in the hell do I need something called the Kama Sutra for?" Zuko asked.
Everyone stared at Sokka.
"Hey, I just figured you and Mai could get some use out of it," Sokka replied.
"SOKKA!" Suki and Katara yelled.
"Can I have one?" Aang asked.
Sokka glared at him.
"No," he said.
"Why?"
"Aang it's ok," Katara said, "we don't need something like that since we are doing just fine."
Sokka suddenly turned pale and fell to the floor in shock.
"Well at least that will shut him up," Katara said.
"I still don't get it," Aang said.
"Believe me, Aang you don't want to," Suki said.
Zuko smiled at this and looked to tell Mai that he was sorry, but noticed that she had wandered away. While everyone else was taking great pains to bring Sokka out of shock, Zuko began to wander to the outside lanai where he found Mai sitting on a bench gazing up at the stars.
"Hey," he said, "can I sit here?"
"It's your birthday," she said, "you can do whatever you want."
He did. And for awhile they sat peacefully looking at the sky and scenery. Anywhere but at each other. Finally, Zuko broke the silence.
"Thank you," he said softly.
"For what?" she asked.
"For this," he said nodding back to the others inside, "for bringing them all here. It was more than you needed to do."
"Well you're happy" she said.
"Of course," he said.
"Then I needed to do it," she replied, "I told you once before, I know you so well. You are happier when they're around."
Zuko didn't have a response.
"It must have been a lot for you," he said, "I mean, I love them but they are a handful."
"I know that now," she said, "I mean do you know what I had to go through this past week?"
"I can imagine."
"I can't tell you how many times I regret getting involved with your friends," she said.
"Oh," Zuko said and looked down.
"I mean Aang kept getting distracted, almost made me question whether he was really the Avatar, Toph would just sit around, Katara kept wanting to take charge never mind it not being her house, and Sokka…"
Zuko braced himself.
"He is definitely not as funny as he thinks he is," she said.
"Yeah, he isn't," Zuko said, and he felt deflating. He had always hoped for Mai to get along with his friends.
"But," she said as if reading his mind, "I understand why you like them so much."
He looked at her strangely.
"I can't say that I am completely comfortable with them," she said, "but I think I can get used to them."
"You can?" he asked.
"Yes, but next time, they are not staying at my house," she said.
"Of course," Zuko said and then sighed.
"I don't love them more than you, you know," he said.
"What?" she asked.
"What you said early about being me being happy when they are here," he said, "while it is true and I will always feel happy when they are here, I am happy when they aren't here too."
Mai didn't reply.
"I mean, when I am with you, I am just as happy as when I am with them," Zuko said.
"I know that," Mai said, blushing at the frankness of his statements.
"You know all I needed was a nice night with you," Zuko said, "the fact that you did all this just makes it all even better. But just being with you would have been great too."
She didn't say anything, but Zuko hadn't expected her too.
He gently wrapped an arm around her and she nuzzled into his chest.
"So everything's good," he said.
"Everything's good," she said.
"So did you get me anything?" he said and she looked at him with tiny scowl that he knew not to take too seriously, "you know besides the party."
"I did," she said, and pulled from her robes a small package. He took his arm away and opened the small gift.
It was tiny framed piece of parchment and short poem done in the finest calligraphy was etched with great care across the parchment.
You hold my heartbeats
in your shyly hidden palm,
like the softest dream...
Streets not yet walked in the rain
wait for our footsteps' kisses...*
"This is beautiful," he said, "where did you get this."
"I made it," she said shyly not ready to look him in the eye.
He smiled and gently nudged her chin up with his finger.
"Thank you," he said again.
He bent forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. He felt her respond and just as he was about to deepen it, both he and Mai heard the snickering coming from the door.
They quickly separated and glared at the door where they knew a not so well meaning group of peeping toms were busy hiding behind the door.
"You know I really regret getting involved with your friends now," Mai said.
"I am beginning to agree with you," Zuko said, "but let's ignore them."
"What?" she said.
"They will get bored, we will just tell Sokka about what Katara and Aang are really doing behind closed doors," he said emphasizing the last bit just a tiny bit so that he knew the group could hear.
"WHAT?!"
"Don't listen to them Sokka, we haven't done anything!" they heard Aang cry.
"WHY DON'T I BELIEVE YOU!"
"Sokka, we aren't doing anything," they heard Katara say back, "and if you don't stop trying to kill him, I will have you at the bottom of the ocean in ten seconds flat!"
Mai and Zuko smiled as the yelling soon became louder.
"Now where were we," Zuko said as he leaned forward again to kiss Mai.
And the moon shone down on them as they kissed quietly into night, ever ignoring the whirlwind of yelling and screaming coming from inside the house.
Rating: PG
Note: Poem was written by Liliana Negoi and was not mine.
For: nanthimus
There were no clouds in the sky on the night of Zuko's 18th birthday, and Zuko could literally see the relief come over his council members when they realized that bad weather would not interrupt the day's festivities.
Zuko couldn't really care either way, his council insisted that he have a huge celebration. 'It will foster good will' they said, 'it will heighten their morale' they urged, but Zuko wasn't completely convinced. In his eyes there were much more important things in the world to worry about.
And while Zuko did think that rebuilding the Fire Nation (both physically and in reputation) took precedence over everything else, right now he was much more worried about just what was going on with Mai at the moment. Although this did cause a bit of loneliness in Zuko. He wished more and more that Mai were around more, and that he had more chances for his friends to come and visit.
If you were to ask Zuko what he really wanted to do for his birthday, Zuko would admit that the least he would like would be a quiet day and evening with his girlfriend. They hadn't had much time as of late, and Zuko wondered if maybe Mai was feeling neglected and that was why she wasn't coming around as much anymore.
The few times she had come over, she had seemed tired and frustrated, her gowns were not as neatly pressed and her hair not as neatly kept as they usually were, and one time he swore he could have sworn he saw a piece of straw stuck in the waistband of her gown. He knew something must have been wrong if Mai hadn't noticed that.
When he finally asked her about it, Mai brushed off his concern.
"Everyone has bad days," she replied, "I am just going through an off period."
But Zuko wasn't completely convinced, even though he had no real way of telling whether she was lying. He admitted that he wasn't the most observant person in the world, but even he knew that Mai was keeping something from him.
He was driving himself nuts. He became even more worried when he heard talks that some very strange things were going on in and around Mai's house, but none of the servants he sent could gather what was going on. He tried to go himself, but someone always seemed to choose that moment as to bring something urgent to his attention.
He knew something was going on, but he couldn't seem to get anything out of anyone. He had hoped that once Uncle had arrived that maybe he would help him, but Iroh was completely nonchalant, saying that women have their own their things, and Zuko should just know when to keep out of a lady's private matters. Zuko crinkled his nose, but acquiesced, but still determined to get to the bottom of it all.
He decided he would confront Mai about it when she arrived to the party. She came hours earlier with a few handmaidens carrying her things, and she said hello, but before he could even ask her how she was, she was off to her room to change, leaving a flabbergasted Zuko standing in the middle of the entranceway with his mouth hanging wide open.
He was in a bit of a bad mood for the rest of the evening. What was going on. She had never really blown him off that way before, and it was beginning to worry him. And he resolved that when they met again when they were both ready he would finally get her to tell him what was bothering her. He didn't like being this agitated over something that might not even have anything to do with him.
However, he didn't have any words to say when he saw her descend the staircase. She had always been beautiful to him, but in that one moment she was lovely, and for a moment he couldn't even recognize what he wanted to ask her about. Her was in its usual style although a few decorative pins were in her hair and her gown was deep rouge that fitted perfectly to her tender form.
He blushed and stammered for something to say. Mai smiled gently.
"I know Zuko, I am the most beautiful woman you have ever seen, don't hurt yourself," she said, the smile negating the blunt tone of her voice.
He smiled sheepishly and took her arm, and lead her to the main hall where most of the celebration would be held. Everything was perfect if a little formal, but Zuko reasoned that those things couldn't be helped.
When the guests arrived, Zuko and Mai took the standard position near the thrown as each guest came to give their respects to Fire Lord. He was given assorted trinkets and incense and whole other things that he really didn't have much use for. Mai seemed to just smile through the whole thing, being the polite companion that many people had thought her to be.
She seemed calmer, as if the frustration and exhaustion that she had been feeling for the past week had just slid right off of her, and he was thankful that whatever had had her so on edge had had nothing to do with him.
A few hours in Iroh approached the two of them and said that he was retiring for the evening.
"Are you sure, Uncle," Zuko said.
"I am not as young as I used to be nephew, I am need some rest," Iroh said, "you should think of retiring too, nephew."
Zuko nodded, the party was beginning to die down, and he had notice quite a few of the guests already take leave. Iroh bid good-bye to Mai, but not before whispering something into her ear and she smiled, and Zuko could have sworn he saw Iroh wink at her.
"Well good night Zuko," Iroh said, "enjoy the moment, your youth comes but once in a lifetime."
And with a smile, Iroh sauntered off, as Mai and Zuko watched him go.
"Zuko, your Uncle is right, I am feeling a bit tired," she said, "would you mind escorting me home?"
He looked at her strangely.
"But the celebration isn't…"
"Zuko, I am sure the stuffed shirts you hired as your advisors can oversee the rest of the party, we have done the gifts and tributes and eaten, you are no longer needed," she said.
He nodded, and both him and Mai excused themselves from the proceedings.
They left and walked the short distance to her home. Mai was quiet.
"It was a lot better than what I thought it would be," Zuko said.
"Yeah, but it was a bit boring," she said.
"Well that is nothing new," he said.
"Did you get everything you wanted," she asked suddenly.
Zuko looked at her.
"No, none of the presents…"
"I didn't mean gifts Zuko," Mai said, "I meant was it what you were hoping it would be."
"You mean the party, it was what I expected…" he stopped when he noticed her just shaking her head a small smile of amusement playing on her face.
When they got to her door they stopped, and in unison both looked to the ground in a sort of awkwardness.
"Would you like to come in?" she asked quickly, which sounded a bit weird to both of their ears.
He didn't respond right away, after about a week of being banned from her house almost, it seemed weird that she would all of sudden be anxious for him to come in.
"Look, I am going to go inside," she said, "if you would like to join me for some post birthday tea you are most welcome to come and join me. Come in at about a minute, or I will decide you won't be able to come in at all."
And with that Mai gave him a soft kiss on a cheek and walked into her home.
He looked at the door, figuring things couldn't get any stranger, and since it wasn't like he had never been there before. He trudged slowly up the stairs and went through the door.
"SURPRISE!"
Zuko literally jumped five feet in the air as Sokka, Aang, Katara, Toph, and Suki all jumped from behind the table, hands in the air. Mai and Iroh stood to the side trying hard to keep themselves from laughing.
"What the?" Zuko said, cutting himself off.
"Happy birthday, Zuko!" Aang said, the smile on his face probably the brightest and widest Zuko had ever seen it.
"What? How?" he said, not yet fully comprehending that his friends, all his friends were here.
"Honestly, Hot Stuff," Toph cut in feet, propped up on a nearby table, "did you think we weren't going to show up and tease you for being another year older?"
"It's just," he said.
"It's just what?" Katara sneered again, and this time Zuko wondered whether Katara and in fact most of the people who loved him enjoyed making him squirm, "is it the fact that we didn't even know it was your birthday. Way to make us look like the bad guys."
"Yeah!" Sokka jumped in, "if Mai hadn't have written to us. YEOW!"
"Sokka, you weren't supposed to tell him," Suki grumbled him.
It was with shock Zuko turned to Mai, who seemed to be sending her biggest death glare over in Sokka's direction.
"You planned this?" he said, "but…"
"Don't worry Zuko," she said, "just enjoy it."
"Yeah, your girlfriend planned it all," Sokka cut in, putting an arm around Zuko, "she even put us up for a week."
Zuko looked at Mai, a combination of awareness and awe written over his face. Her behavior over the past week suddenly made a surprising amount of sense. Keeping five people who weren't exactly dignified, a flying lemur, and a bison content and orderly must have been a lot. And then he thought again of all the horrors that could have happened, and everyone soon laughed at the horror that was on his face.
"Don't worry Zuko," Aang said, " we were the perfect houseguests. I am always friendly."
Both Mai and Katara snorted at that.
"Look we can all just sit around here and groan about how much surprise there is, but I want dessert," Toph said, deciding that enough was enough.
"Yeah birthday boy, wait until you see what I got you," Sokka said sneakily.
Soon they were all gathered around the table, snacking on a few hors d'oeuvres and treats. Zuko began to relax and soon everyone was laughing at Sokka's jokes, or Katara's stories, or Aang's tricks, and he suddenly felt much more comfortable and relaxed than he had felt in awhile. He was glad that they were all there, for he had missed them and the camaraderie more than he was willing to admit.
"So who’s going to give the first gift," Sokka said starting things off.
"ME! ME!" Aang said quickly, jumping up and down.
"Man is he really 114 years old?" Toph said, and Katara giggled, until Sokka shot a glance at her and she quickly shut up.
Aang went over to a large clumsily wrapped package and with care began to unwrap it for Zuko.
Inside was a giant glider, not unlike Aang's only.
"What am I going to do with this," Zuko asked, "I don't airbend."
"You don't need airbending to glide with it," Aang said, "I just thought we could go flying together sometime, you know for times when we want to get away from it all."
Zuko nodded. The gifts kept coming. Suki had gotten him some custom earth robes, Katara endowed him with a few firebending scrolls, and Toph gave Zuko some complimentary tickets to Earth Rumble 7.
"So you can watch me kick butt," she said.
"You're still doing that," Katara asked Toph strangely.
"OF course, you don't think I would just let some no name take my title, do you," Toph said.
Iroh gave Zuko a book, of wisdom written by himself.
"When did you write this?" Zuko asked.
"Well I have a lot of time now," Iroh said, "I was also urged by a few friends to write it." Iroh nodded at Toph.
"Wow that's great," Zuko said.
Sokka came next and with a smirk handed him his gift. Zuko warily opened it and once he read the title he scowled.
"Sokka, what in the hell do I need something called the Kama Sutra for?" Zuko asked.
Everyone stared at Sokka.
"Hey, I just figured you and Mai could get some use out of it," Sokka replied.
"SOKKA!" Suki and Katara yelled.
"Can I have one?" Aang asked.
Sokka glared at him.
"No," he said.
"Why?"
"Aang it's ok," Katara said, "we don't need something like that since we are doing just fine."
Sokka suddenly turned pale and fell to the floor in shock.
"Well at least that will shut him up," Katara said.
"I still don't get it," Aang said.
"Believe me, Aang you don't want to," Suki said.
Zuko smiled at this and looked to tell Mai that he was sorry, but noticed that she had wandered away. While everyone else was taking great pains to bring Sokka out of shock, Zuko began to wander to the outside lanai where he found Mai sitting on a bench gazing up at the stars.
"Hey," he said, "can I sit here?"
"It's your birthday," she said, "you can do whatever you want."
He did. And for awhile they sat peacefully looking at the sky and scenery. Anywhere but at each other. Finally, Zuko broke the silence.
"Thank you," he said softly.
"For what?" she asked.
"For this," he said nodding back to the others inside, "for bringing them all here. It was more than you needed to do."
"Well you're happy" she said.
"Of course," he said.
"Then I needed to do it," she replied, "I told you once before, I know you so well. You are happier when they're around."
Zuko didn't have a response.
"It must have been a lot for you," he said, "I mean, I love them but they are a handful."
"I know that now," she said, "I mean do you know what I had to go through this past week?"
"I can imagine."
"I can't tell you how many times I regret getting involved with your friends," she said.
"Oh," Zuko said and looked down.
"I mean Aang kept getting distracted, almost made me question whether he was really the Avatar, Toph would just sit around, Katara kept wanting to take charge never mind it not being her house, and Sokka…"
Zuko braced himself.
"He is definitely not as funny as he thinks he is," she said.
"Yeah, he isn't," Zuko said, and he felt deflating. He had always hoped for Mai to get along with his friends.
"But," she said as if reading his mind, "I understand why you like them so much."
He looked at her strangely.
"I can't say that I am completely comfortable with them," she said, "but I think I can get used to them."
"You can?" he asked.
"Yes, but next time, they are not staying at my house," she said.
"Of course," Zuko said and then sighed.
"I don't love them more than you, you know," he said.
"What?" she asked.
"What you said early about being me being happy when they are here," he said, "while it is true and I will always feel happy when they are here, I am happy when they aren't here too."
Mai didn't reply.
"I mean, when I am with you, I am just as happy as when I am with them," Zuko said.
"I know that," Mai said, blushing at the frankness of his statements.
"You know all I needed was a nice night with you," Zuko said, "the fact that you did all this just makes it all even better. But just being with you would have been great too."
She didn't say anything, but Zuko hadn't expected her too.
He gently wrapped an arm around her and she nuzzled into his chest.
"So everything's good," he said.
"Everything's good," she said.
"So did you get me anything?" he said and she looked at him with tiny scowl that he knew not to take too seriously, "you know besides the party."
"I did," she said, and pulled from her robes a small package. He took his arm away and opened the small gift.
It was tiny framed piece of parchment and short poem done in the finest calligraphy was etched with great care across the parchment.
You hold my heartbeats
in your shyly hidden palm,
like the softest dream...
Streets not yet walked in the rain
wait for our footsteps' kisses...*
"This is beautiful," he said, "where did you get this."
"I made it," she said shyly not ready to look him in the eye.
He smiled and gently nudged her chin up with his finger.
"Thank you," he said again.
He bent forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. He felt her respond and just as he was about to deepen it, both he and Mai heard the snickering coming from the door.
They quickly separated and glared at the door where they knew a not so well meaning group of peeping toms were busy hiding behind the door.
"You know I really regret getting involved with your friends now," Mai said.
"I am beginning to agree with you," Zuko said, "but let's ignore them."
"What?" she said.
"They will get bored, we will just tell Sokka about what Katara and Aang are really doing behind closed doors," he said emphasizing the last bit just a tiny bit so that he knew the group could hear.
"WHAT?!"
"Don't listen to them Sokka, we haven't done anything!" they heard Aang cry.
"WHY DON'T I BELIEVE YOU!"
"Sokka, we aren't doing anything," they heard Katara say back, "and if you don't stop trying to kill him, I will have you at the bottom of the ocean in ten seconds flat!"
Mai and Zuko smiled as the yelling soon became louder.
"Now where were we," Zuko said as he leaned forward again to kiss Mai.
And the moon shone down on them as they kissed quietly into night, ever ignoring the whirlwind of yelling and screaming coming from inside the house.