The 16-year old fire bender wasn't even sure how the conversation came to this. He was pretty sure that that he and Iroh were talking about edible plants, but now they were sitting in the closed tea shop talking about girls.

"Your aunt Ling was a very beautiful woman you know", Iroh tells Zuko. "And she gave me a wonderful son too".

A pang hits Zuko's chest and he asks, "Do you miss her?"

Iroh sighs, and his voice cracks slightly when he answers, "everyday. Her and Lu Ten's early passings were… unexpected."

An awkward silence enters the room but the man smiles again.

"I expect you to marry a lovely wife and have children too, Zuko".

The young man rolls his eyes. "I don't want to. What woman wants a honorless husband, Uncle?"

"I don't know Zuko, perhaps a woman who cares about the man himself? Somebody who doesn't mind appearance? Perhaps Azula's perky friend?"

Snorting, Zuko replies, "Ty Lee? No thanks. And I don't think I'll take chances with any of Azula's friends."

"Ohhh, really?", smirks his Uncle, "What about Mai?"

A blush creeps up to Zuko's cheeks, very slowly. "W-what about her? Actually, I'm not sure if I - if I remember her at all…" stutters the teen.

Iroh laughs wholeheartedly. "Oh nephew, how could your lying be so terrible? You must remember Mai! Azula only had two friends! ASIDE FROM HER MIRROR! Hahahahaha!"

Eventually, he calms down but red in the face, with tears running down his face, yelling "oho! Must remember that one! Almost as good as my tea ones eh Zuko!"

His nephew only groaned and said, "Mai isn't like other girls, okay Uncle?"

"What other girls nephew? You have been at sea for four years. We have not come across many young ladies. Well not that I know of…"

Iroh was interrupted by a ring in the door, and a young, earth kingdom woman walked in, her two brown braids swinging.