My first Maiko drabble, I'm so proud. This was written for the Royal Family Week - Day 1: Beginnings, They're kids, so this is before Zuko's banishment. Hope you like it, and feel free to correct my mistakes...
"I thought you were great."
He hears her saying, then he sees her blushing and running away.
He watches her leave and wishes she wouldn't, because now he will have to play with his sister and this is bad, because she'll cheat and win. He'd prefer if she could stay a little longer, even though she would probably just sit in a corner for most of the time.
He likes having her around, he thinks. She doesn't speak a lot about herself like Ty Lee does all the time. She's quiet, unlike the other girls. And she also doesn't tease him that much, what's a plus. He likes the way she just leans on stuff. He likes to watch her when she's practicing small spins with her small training knife. And sometimes he likes to try to find out what she's thinking about.
And he also likes the rare moments she will come out from her shell and actually laugh out loud, not just the shy smile from always, and then he won't be able to stay mad at her for too long, even though she did throw mud in his face with that perfect aim of hers.
She's Mai, and she has ribbons in her hair.
Soon she'll have knives on her hands.
And he didn't know it yet, but he had already fallen for her.
Deeply.