Mai shot Zuko a worried glance as he lazily fell into step beside her.

It was probably wrong to doubt him in such a way, but Azula had been so adamant about it. "He doesn't really like you, Mai," she whispered conspiratorially to the quiet girl. "He's completely in love with the Water Tribe girl. Her eyes draw him in. He told me so."

Mai cringed at the thought and fiddled with the throwing stars in her sleeves as they passed through the market. She stared at him out of the corner of her eye, keeping watch for any signs of aggravation or annoyance. "Where do you want to eat tonight, Zuko?"

He looked at her momentarily before focusing once more on the road before them. "Doesn't matter. You have any preference?"

She shook her head, hiding her hands in her sleeves once more.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at her antics. "Is there a problem?"

Her head shot up, bangs fluttering wildly at the sudden movement. "No, no problem. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," he replied, shrugging slightly. "You seem really uptight."

Mai looked down once more, allowing her long hair to pool around her shoulders to shield her face. "It was a difficult day," she admitted, inching closer to him as the crowd seemed to grow in size. "Lots of things to think about, I suppose."

Zuko watched the girl beside him frown slightly. "You shouldn't be so susceptible to your surroundings," he observed quietly. He laced his fingers between hers and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Worry only torments the soul."

She bit on her bottom lip gently and decided to confront him. "I know this is an odd question, Zuko, but what exactly do you think of me?"

"What do I think of you?"

Nodding, Mai gazed up at him. "I'm just curious is all."

Zuko's mouth quirked up in a small smirk. "You're stubborn."

She fought to keep her mouth shut and blinked several times before regaining responding to him. "I'm stubborn?"

"Yes, you're stubborn," he affirmed. "Only in certain ways though. Like how you insist on carrying every single one of your weapons with you every time we go out, even though we have clearly been dating for a few months now."

"That's not being stubborn," she drawled. "It's just force of habit."

"Well, you asked me what I thought of you…"

Mai sighed, draping her free hand over her cheek. "But that's not exactly what I meant. Perhaps I was not specific enough. What comes to mind when you think of me?"

"You assume I think of you," taunted Zuko, grinning cockily at her. "How very forward of you."

She burned with embarrassment within, but maintained her composure. "I wasn't referring to… Oh, never mind. Just forget I brought it up."

He gave a low chuckle and pulled her body closer to his. "You remind me of my pillow."

Mai wasn't sure if that was a compliment or an insult. "Your pillow? Am I as shapeless as your pillow is?"

"No, not literally the shape of the pillow."

She pursed her lips, deep in thought. "Then am I comfortable to sleep on, like your pillow?"

"Not quite. If you would allow me to explain myself," he said with patience, hooking an arm around her waist. Mai grinned slightly and buried her face into his shoulder.

"Of course. Go on."

"You remind me of… The underside of my pillow. The cool side, you know?"

Mai scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. "No, not really."

He struggled to find the words. "Really? Haven't you experienced sleeping on the same side of the pillow for extended periods of time? I always thought it was rather uncomfortable. The other side of the pillow always seems to be smoother and not as hot. When I flip my pillow over to the other side, the cooler side, it's extremely relieving."

"What does it feel like?"

"It feels like heaven."

Mai stared at him skeptically. "The cool side of your pillow feels like heaven."

He sighed, brushing back the stray hairs that escaped his up-do. "You're kind of missing the point here. But yes, my pillow feels like heaven."

She was silent for a while. "I feel like heaven?" she murmured, glancing at him again.

"Being with you…" he trailed off, looking to the side, "is like heaven."

Mai fought the incredulous smile off her face. "How would you know what heaven feels like anyhow?"

Zuko shrugged. "It doesn't matter." He nuzzled his face into her neck, breathing in her womanly scent. "I already feel wonderful, right here, with you."