A/N: Hey guys! This is a little one-shot I've been dying to write...Two Leaf Clovers gave me another idea. It's sometimes easier to make stories based on those things, like luck associated with four leaf clovers, and love associated with flower petals. So, here it is, another WAY mixed up romance. x3
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.
Inspiration: Music, and we have these flower pens! Haha. :)
Mai paced the perimeter of the gaang's house. Her raven black hair was down, flying in stray strands around her face.
Zuko was still at a meeting with Aang, and she didn't feel like doing housework today. So, she decided to take a break and go for a short walk.
That is, until she realized Zuko was already home.
So, she made a U-turn, heading back to the house.
Her feet hitting grass and then pavement, she could now see the house in the distance.
Then, all of a sudden, something appeared at the front door.
It was a small deep red rose, a small folded card attached to the short stem.
Mai held their brass doorknob and picked open the card. The only thing it read was: Mai.
Raising one eyebrow curiously, she opened the door and walked in, ready to confront Zuko.
"Well, mainly only about economy," Zuko was saying, explaining to the gaang what the meeting was about.
"Actually, we also had that question and answer session moved to another day, so...all in all, it was a short meeting!" Aang finished.
"Sounds pretty good," Katara said, twirling her hair loop, "Did you have fun?"
"Pssht," Zuko said, hand waving it off, "Yeah, right."
Once everyone mingled again, off to do their separate things, Mai went into the kitchen where Zuko still sat, sipping on a cup of tea.
"Hey, Zuko."
Looking up into her face, he realized she hadn't been at the table. "Mai!" Kissing her lips briefly, she looked into his eyes sternly.
"Something wrong?" he asked, not as much concern but suspiciously.
"Zuko, you know I hate surprises...especially when they aren't signed," Mai said, handing him the rose.
"For me?" he asked.
"No, Zuko...would I give you a rose? You gave this to me," she explained.
"Uh...no, I didn't....But, I'm going to kick the butt of the boy who did," he said triumphantly, staring down at his tea.
Mai shook her head and smiled.
"Whatever," she dismissed it.
The day was beginning slowly, each member of the gaang getting up at different times, eating at different times. A free-for-all type of day.
Zuko woke early, thinking he had a meeting...he didn't. Unable to go back to sleep, he ate and read some more of a book he was assigned to as Fire Lord. They wanted him to be as educated as possible about the past. With the Avatar's help, though, he knew everything he needed to know, book or not.
Katara was also up early, making breakfast the gaang could just heat up. Suki was with her in the kitchen, the only one willing to help.
"Boys," she muttered. Katara, giggling, poured some mix into the bowl Suki held.
Mai woke shortly after, doing her usual morning activities despite the change in atmosphere.
The rest of the gaang, Sokka, Toph, Iroh, Aang, woke up later, eating together and mingling as usual.
"Mai?" Zuko whispered.
Looking in her peripheral vision, Mai saw Zuko sitting on the couch next to her. Why was he whispering? No one else was even in the room...
"Yeah?" she said normally.
"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked, curious golden brown eyes lit up unexpectedly.
"Uh...sure," she said, rising and walking outside.
While waiting for Zuko, Mai came across three blood red rose petals on the ground, each taking up a piece of stone. The first one had an M on it, the next an A, and the last an I.
"Zuko," she muttered, ready to call him out on it.
"Okay, ready?" Zuko asked, a little too cheery.
"Zuko, I told you nicely to quit it. I don't like people acting like secret admirers, only stupid girls do. So, please, quit it," Mai said pointedly.
"And I told you nicely that it's not me. I swear! What makes you think I'd do that? I know you hate that stuff. Do you seriously think I could pull one over on my girlfriend?" Zuko retorted.
Raising her eyebrows, Mai spoke. "Well, you're right there," she joked.
"Ugh! Why is it every time I have something, some other person has to steal it? Now, my girlfriend?!" Zuko said loudly, looking to the sky with his arms up.
Trying to keep from laughing, Mai looked at him.
"I'm right here, you know."
Zuko turned to her, blushing.
"Sorry...let's go for that walk now," he said, finishing and grinning slyly to himself.
It wasn't as if Mai liked getting these roses. She hated it. Only stupid girls liked secret admirers, and she was involved with Zuko, anyway. Mai hated this entire predicament, but what else was new?
Pushing her black hair behind her ear, she picked up the green stem placed on the gaang's mailbox. 'Mai' had been scrawled on it upward, nothing new. It's not like Zuko would sign his name or anything.
"I'm leaving," Zuko said.
"Where to?" Mai asked, eyebrows lowered.
"To find the jerk that's leaving my girlfriend ros-" Zuko cut himself off.
"You know what?" he asked her.
"What, Zuko?" Mai asked, not in the least interested.
"I bet it's Chan!" Zuko said, bringing up the boy that had thrown a party at the beach.
"Zuko! That's the past, and thanks so very much for bringing it up. He was a jerk, and he didn't like me," Mai said, definitely knocking that idea straight out of Zuko.
"Yeah, you're right," he agreed.
"Thanks," she said sarcastically.
"No, not like that!" Zuko tried, but Mai was already walking away, smiling to herself. It was so easy to make Zuko guilty.
Zuko paced the perimeter of the room, thinking.
"Zuko?" Mai asked.
"Huh?" he turned, surprised at the sudden movement and acknowledgment.
"Uhm...I was just wondering why you were pacing around like a chicken," she stated.
"Oh....well, erm...worry?" he tried.
"About?" she said slowly.
"Who's giving you roses?" Zuko tried once again....he wasn't such a good liar to Mai, and hated lying...but, he wasn't lying...
"No, Zuko. I know you only pace when you're guilty."
Awkward silence.
"And I saw you sneaking out to put a stem on the mailbox last night. I'm not stupid, and I am most certainly not a stupid girl," Mai stated, setting down the law.
"I know," Zuko said, looking down, blushing.
"So?" Mai waved for him to continue.
"So, I'll stop giving you roses," Zuko said, blushing like a tomato.
"Good."
"And just so you know...even though I'm most certainly not a stupid girl, petty or preppy in the least, I still loved getting roses from you."
Zuko looked up, eyes lit up, astonished.
"What?" That was all he could say.
"I love you," Mai said, "So, why wouldn't I like getting them from you? If it were someone like Chan, on the other hand..."
"I understand."
With that, Zuko sealed the silence with a kiss.
Mai pulled away, and pointed to him.
"But don't ever, act like a secret admirer, again," she said, repeating the way she said it when she had first been reunited with him, helping him with his robe.
Smiling sheepishly, Zuko walked Mai outside.
Where a dozen rose petals were falling, silently, from the rooftops.
"Zuko?"
On top of the rooftops, the gaang and one special person sat, with fans blowing the rose petals down.
The special person?
The gaang's neighbor, who had originally been the secret admirer....that is, until he and Zuko made an agreement that Zuko would continue with the roses and the neighbor would find a new crush.
"Yes?" Zuko answered.
"For the record," she began, looking up and catching a few in her hands, "I know you took the charade away from Shy-Say. Once again, I'm not stupid. I also know that they're all up there, blowing these petals down. I'm not stupid," she repeated, "But one thing I'm absolutely certain of?"
"Is?" Zuko said, winking to the gaang to throw the rest of the petals down.
"I love you."
They kissed, an occasional petal falling atop one of their heads.
A/N: Well, I hope you liked this! I was originally going to make this story something different, and have the actual name of this story a separate story, but turns out in the end this really fits.
MAIKO!
Ahem...
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And I hope you liked that!
Thanks for reading, and thanks to tenji hyuuga for favoriting so many of my stories! That inspired me to write more Maiko.
Thanks!
x3Regan.
ReViEw!