Day Eight: A Good Place We Could Start
Title: A Good Place We Could Start
Rating: PG-13
For: teh_lobster
"It is up to you, Nephew," Iroh said. "If you think the time is right, the time is right."
"How did you do it, Uncle?" Zuko asked.
"That was a long time ago," Iroh replied, "and a very different circumstance."
"I'm just not very creative."
"It's more important to be sincere, Zuko."
"But I want it to be special," Zuko said, staring out the window. "Wait, I do know who I can ask!" He stood up from the table. "Thank you Uncle!
Iroh stared after him. "What did I say?"
***************
Even though Zuko was now Fire Lord, Mai had assumed he would continue to visit her in her own small house, as he had done during those halcyon days after he'd returned from exile. But Zuko felt he needed to make a statement about how the Fire Nation was going to change, and that included the appearance of his palace. He had the lamps brightened and some of the draperies removed to make the atmosphere less oppressive. He met with architects to discuss extensive renovations that included the addition of windows and skylights to let in as much of the sun as possible. So when Zuko was in residence, Mai would receive a note in the mid-afternoon requesting her presence at dinner. If her mother noticed, or cared, that Mai rarely returned from these dinners until after breakfast, she didn't say.
On this particular evening Zuko had returned to the city rather late from his travels, and his message had instead specified a time for Mai to come directly to his quarters. She was shown to his bedroom by a servant who left her to open the door herself. She stepped in, then quickly closed the door behind her.
"Zuko?" she asked.
"Mmm?"
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Um." He took the rose out of his mouth. "Proposing?"
Mai crossed her arms. "Why are there so many candles? We have perfectly good lamps."
"Yes, but-"
She sniffed the air. "What is that smell?"
"Jasmine."
"Jasmine?"
"There's, er, there's jasmine oil in the candles."
"And you're half dressed because?"
"Well ..." he said with a smug grin, though he couldn't help blushing a little.
Mai scowled. "Don't you think all this is somewhat déclassé?"
"Déclassé?"
"Tacky, Zuko."
"I know what the word means, Mai."
"Do you?" she asked, shaking her head. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said, leaving in a swish of skirts and sleeves.
Zuko flopped back on the bed and groaned.
"And for all our sakes," she shouted as she walked down the hall, "put on some pants."
***************
"Why did you go to him, Nephew?" Iroh asked.
"He almost married the moon, Uncle," Zuko replied. "I thought there were some things he could teach me."
"And what did you learn from your experience?"
Zuko thought for a moment, then said, "Mai is very refined. Maybe I should try something more romantic."
"Perhaps," Iroh said. "But don't you think-"
"I know exactly who to talk to," Zuko interrupted. "Thanks for your help!"
Iroh sighed and shook his head as he watched Zuko leave the tea house.
***************
Mai tried not to think too much about Zuko attempting to propose. They were young, but of decently marriageable age, and her mother was actually becoming quite open in her hints to both Mai and Zuko, much to Mai's embarrassment. She'd thought about that future so often, for so long, that the idea was almost stale.
It had seemed impossible more than once, thanks to his banishment and her imprisonment, which made them sound more like hardened criminals than the elite of the Fire Nation. Since her return their relationship had gone back to where it had been, even if everything around them had changed. It was as if they had created their own little world, long ago, and Mai guarded it jealously from all but very close friends. She knew that Zuko loved her, but he was also the very young leader of a very troubled nation, so surely he couldn't just do as he pleased when it came to state matters like marriage.
Tonight, thankfully, Mai and Zuko were dining alone in the palace, far from prying eyes of anyone other than the servants. But Zuko was preoccupied for much of dinner-Mai had talked for a good ten minutes about Tom's new nurse, and then tested him by talking about a new dress she was having made, and his replies were variations on either "That's interesting, tell me more!" or "Oh really? I had no idea!"
Once the dishes were cleared, he held out his hand. "I have something to show you," he said.
She followed him out to one of the inner courtyards, where a small band had set up in a corner. "What is all this?" she asked.
But Zuko was standing in some kind of odd posture, spine erect, arms akimbo. He nodded at the band and they began to play some sort of loud cacophany, and then Zuko started moving.
"Is this some new bending form you're showing me?" Mai asked.
"Watch first," he said as he jumped about spasmodically to the beat of the music, "and then you can join in."
"Are you- are you dancing?"
He jumped closer, and held out his hand dramatically. "Come on!"
"I- oh!" she exclaimed as he pulled her in close. "I don't really dance, Zuko."
"Don't worry about them," he said. "It's just you and me right now."
"Obviously, since there's no one else here except the band," Mai pointed out.
"Um, yeah, that's what I meant." He spun her around, then dropped to the floor, kicking one leg up.
Mai dodged out of the way. "Are you trying to kick me in the head?" she asked.
"No, you're supposed to move," he said, hopping up and putting his arms around her waist again. He pushed forward and she stepped back, away from him, and he began to turn in circles. "Yes, that's it!"
"Zuko, I'm getting dizzy," she said, as the circles grew smaller and his steps grew faster.
"It gets better," he said, pushing her out with one hand and then pulling her close with the other.
"Zuko, I just ate," she protested.
"Big finish!" Zuko said, spinning her again before dipping her, very low to the ground, her back arching gracefully over his arm. He leaned close to her. "I have a question to ask you."
Mai put her free hand over her mouth, but to no avail; she turned in his arms, dropped to her knees, and threw up.
"Um, maybe now isn't a good time?" Zuko asked as a servant ran up to Mai with a glass of water.
***************
Iroh was laughing.
"I don't see the humor in this, Uncle," Zuko said.
"You will one day," Iroh replied.
"I don't know what to do now. I don't want to ask one of the girls."
"What about what Mai wants?"
"How can I know what she wants?" Zuko asked. "I can't ask her!"
"No, but you know her pretty well, don't you?"
"I hope so."
"Then the person you should ask is yourself."
Zuko looked up and raised one eyebrow. "Is this another one of those 'look inside your heart' moments?"
Iroh shrugged, and then started laughing again.
***************
After that unfortunate incident there hadn't been even the hint of a proposal for weeks. Mai's mother was furious with her-of course she'd done something to anger the Fire Lord and where would they be if they fell out of favor?-and Mai was tempted to flee to Kyoshi Island and train with Suki and Ty Lee until the storm blew over. But Zuko, thankfully, acted as if nothing had ever happened, and things went back to normal. Not that she didn't feel a little embarrassed; vomiting while the man you love tries to propose is not the act of a well-bred young lady.
One afternoon she was reading in her room when a servant from the palace arrived with the compliments of the Fire Lord, and would Mai accompany him to the palace? Her mother hovered outside the door and began babbling, first that Mai should change her dress, then that she should hurry to the palace and not keep Zuko waiting. Mai consented to run a comb through her hair and put on a bit of lipstick for decency's sake before heading over to the palace.
The servant lead her through the halls to a set of double doors that Mai recognized as the ones that led to Ursa's garden. She pushed them open, and gasped in surprise. The garden had been much neglected since Ursa's departure, and Mai had mentioned something once about taking on the project of restoring it, but Zuko had brushed her off-she realized now, because he'd wanted to do it himself. The walkways were like new, the overgrowth gone, and the hedges and trees were trimmed back. Zuko stood under the tree, feeding the turtleducks, and turned when he heard her approach.
"I looked it up," he began, "or I asked the ministers to look it up, and apparently we don't need to actually have a ceremony. I just make a declaration, and we're married. But I'm sure your mother will want a big wedding-"
"Tell me about it," Mai said, walking closer to him.
"-and invite half the Fire Nation-"
"-so she can show me off," Mai replied.
"-and I'll have to make it an official occasion and invite all these dignitaries I don't even know, and I'll have to entertain them instead of being with you, which isn't what I want-"
"I hope not," Mai said. "You're not marrying them."
Zuko grinned, and blushed just a little, then squared his shoulders. "So I thought I'd just make the declaration and then we can invite our friends to the Jasmine Dragon and have a nice dinner there, in private. That is, if that sounds good to you."
Mai was under the tree now, only a step away from Zuko. "So you're telling me you want to elope?"
He shrugged. "I don't really care, but, I figured you'd want to avoid the whole thing, so." He rubbed the back of his neck, nervously. "Would you like to elope? With me, I mean?"
She smiled and took that last step, placing her hands on his chest. "That's exactly what I want to do," she said.
He let out a breath. "Really?"
Mai chuckled. "Kiss me before I change my mind."
***************
Rating: PG-13
For: teh_lobster
"It is up to you, Nephew," Iroh said. "If you think the time is right, the time is right."
"How did you do it, Uncle?" Zuko asked.
"That was a long time ago," Iroh replied, "and a very different circumstance."
"I'm just not very creative."
"It's more important to be sincere, Zuko."
"But I want it to be special," Zuko said, staring out the window. "Wait, I do know who I can ask!" He stood up from the table. "Thank you Uncle!
Iroh stared after him. "What did I say?"
***************
Even though Zuko was now Fire Lord, Mai had assumed he would continue to visit her in her own small house, as he had done during those halcyon days after he'd returned from exile. But Zuko felt he needed to make a statement about how the Fire Nation was going to change, and that included the appearance of his palace. He had the lamps brightened and some of the draperies removed to make the atmosphere less oppressive. He met with architects to discuss extensive renovations that included the addition of windows and skylights to let in as much of the sun as possible. So when Zuko was in residence, Mai would receive a note in the mid-afternoon requesting her presence at dinner. If her mother noticed, or cared, that Mai rarely returned from these dinners until after breakfast, she didn't say.
On this particular evening Zuko had returned to the city rather late from his travels, and his message had instead specified a time for Mai to come directly to his quarters. She was shown to his bedroom by a servant who left her to open the door herself. She stepped in, then quickly closed the door behind her.
"Zuko?" she asked.
"Mmm?"
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Um." He took the rose out of his mouth. "Proposing?"
Mai crossed her arms. "Why are there so many candles? We have perfectly good lamps."
"Yes, but-"
She sniffed the air. "What is that smell?"
"Jasmine."
"Jasmine?"
"There's, er, there's jasmine oil in the candles."
"And you're half dressed because?"
"Well ..." he said with a smug grin, though he couldn't help blushing a little.
Mai scowled. "Don't you think all this is somewhat déclassé?"
"Déclassé?"
"Tacky, Zuko."
"I know what the word means, Mai."
"Do you?" she asked, shaking her head. "I'll see you tomorrow," she said, leaving in a swish of skirts and sleeves.
Zuko flopped back on the bed and groaned.
"And for all our sakes," she shouted as she walked down the hall, "put on some pants."
***************
"Why did you go to him, Nephew?" Iroh asked.
"He almost married the moon, Uncle," Zuko replied. "I thought there were some things he could teach me."
"And what did you learn from your experience?"
Zuko thought for a moment, then said, "Mai is very refined. Maybe I should try something more romantic."
"Perhaps," Iroh said. "But don't you think-"
"I know exactly who to talk to," Zuko interrupted. "Thanks for your help!"
Iroh sighed and shook his head as he watched Zuko leave the tea house.
***************
Mai tried not to think too much about Zuko attempting to propose. They were young, but of decently marriageable age, and her mother was actually becoming quite open in her hints to both Mai and Zuko, much to Mai's embarrassment. She'd thought about that future so often, for so long, that the idea was almost stale.
It had seemed impossible more than once, thanks to his banishment and her imprisonment, which made them sound more like hardened criminals than the elite of the Fire Nation. Since her return their relationship had gone back to where it had been, even if everything around them had changed. It was as if they had created their own little world, long ago, and Mai guarded it jealously from all but very close friends. She knew that Zuko loved her, but he was also the very young leader of a very troubled nation, so surely he couldn't just do as he pleased when it came to state matters like marriage.
Tonight, thankfully, Mai and Zuko were dining alone in the palace, far from prying eyes of anyone other than the servants. But Zuko was preoccupied for much of dinner-Mai had talked for a good ten minutes about Tom's new nurse, and then tested him by talking about a new dress she was having made, and his replies were variations on either "That's interesting, tell me more!" or "Oh really? I had no idea!"
Once the dishes were cleared, he held out his hand. "I have something to show you," he said.
She followed him out to one of the inner courtyards, where a small band had set up in a corner. "What is all this?" she asked.
But Zuko was standing in some kind of odd posture, spine erect, arms akimbo. He nodded at the band and they began to play some sort of loud cacophany, and then Zuko started moving.
"Is this some new bending form you're showing me?" Mai asked.
"Watch first," he said as he jumped about spasmodically to the beat of the music, "and then you can join in."
"Are you- are you dancing?"
He jumped closer, and held out his hand dramatically. "Come on!"
"I- oh!" she exclaimed as he pulled her in close. "I don't really dance, Zuko."
"Don't worry about them," he said. "It's just you and me right now."
"Obviously, since there's no one else here except the band," Mai pointed out.
"Um, yeah, that's what I meant." He spun her around, then dropped to the floor, kicking one leg up.
Mai dodged out of the way. "Are you trying to kick me in the head?" she asked.
"No, you're supposed to move," he said, hopping up and putting his arms around her waist again. He pushed forward and she stepped back, away from him, and he began to turn in circles. "Yes, that's it!"
"Zuko, I'm getting dizzy," she said, as the circles grew smaller and his steps grew faster.
"It gets better," he said, pushing her out with one hand and then pulling her close with the other.
"Zuko, I just ate," she protested.
"Big finish!" Zuko said, spinning her again before dipping her, very low to the ground, her back arching gracefully over his arm. He leaned close to her. "I have a question to ask you."
Mai put her free hand over her mouth, but to no avail; she turned in his arms, dropped to her knees, and threw up.
"Um, maybe now isn't a good time?" Zuko asked as a servant ran up to Mai with a glass of water.
***************
Iroh was laughing.
"I don't see the humor in this, Uncle," Zuko said.
"You will one day," Iroh replied.
"I don't know what to do now. I don't want to ask one of the girls."
"What about what Mai wants?"
"How can I know what she wants?" Zuko asked. "I can't ask her!"
"No, but you know her pretty well, don't you?"
"I hope so."
"Then the person you should ask is yourself."
Zuko looked up and raised one eyebrow. "Is this another one of those 'look inside your heart' moments?"
Iroh shrugged, and then started laughing again.
***************
After that unfortunate incident there hadn't been even the hint of a proposal for weeks. Mai's mother was furious with her-of course she'd done something to anger the Fire Lord and where would they be if they fell out of favor?-and Mai was tempted to flee to Kyoshi Island and train with Suki and Ty Lee until the storm blew over. But Zuko, thankfully, acted as if nothing had ever happened, and things went back to normal. Not that she didn't feel a little embarrassed; vomiting while the man you love tries to propose is not the act of a well-bred young lady.
One afternoon she was reading in her room when a servant from the palace arrived with the compliments of the Fire Lord, and would Mai accompany him to the palace? Her mother hovered outside the door and began babbling, first that Mai should change her dress, then that she should hurry to the palace and not keep Zuko waiting. Mai consented to run a comb through her hair and put on a bit of lipstick for decency's sake before heading over to the palace.
The servant lead her through the halls to a set of double doors that Mai recognized as the ones that led to Ursa's garden. She pushed them open, and gasped in surprise. The garden had been much neglected since Ursa's departure, and Mai had mentioned something once about taking on the project of restoring it, but Zuko had brushed her off-she realized now, because he'd wanted to do it himself. The walkways were like new, the overgrowth gone, and the hedges and trees were trimmed back. Zuko stood under the tree, feeding the turtleducks, and turned when he heard her approach.
"I looked it up," he began, "or I asked the ministers to look it up, and apparently we don't need to actually have a ceremony. I just make a declaration, and we're married. But I'm sure your mother will want a big wedding-"
"Tell me about it," Mai said, walking closer to him.
"-and invite half the Fire Nation-"
"-so she can show me off," Mai replied.
"-and I'll have to make it an official occasion and invite all these dignitaries I don't even know, and I'll have to entertain them instead of being with you, which isn't what I want-"
"I hope not," Mai said. "You're not marrying them."
Zuko grinned, and blushed just a little, then squared his shoulders. "So I thought I'd just make the declaration and then we can invite our friends to the Jasmine Dragon and have a nice dinner there, in private. That is, if that sounds good to you."
Mai was under the tree now, only a step away from Zuko. "So you're telling me you want to elope?"
He shrugged. "I don't really care, but, I figured you'd want to avoid the whole thing, so." He rubbed the back of his neck, nervously. "Would you like to elope? With me, I mean?"
She smiled and took that last step, placing her hands on his chest. "That's exactly what I want to do," she said.
He let out a breath. "Really?"
Mai chuckled. "Kiss me before I change my mind."
***************