Growing up, Mai didn't consider herself much like other girls. Her fascination of anything sharp and pointy aside-, she really just didn't seem to enjoy what most other girls her age would. She didn't like fancy dresses, or fancy dolls, or flowers, or anything that sparkled, or- and God forbid- the color pink! They just didn't suite her tastes- or, as Azula would snarkily comment in the sweetest way possible- her lack thereof.
As she grew older, not much of these sentiments had changed, really. She still barely tolerated 'fancy' dresses, would pin anything doll-like to a tree, hated flowers, impaled anything that sparkled and would really rather Ty Lee pick up on a different color scheme. Suffice to say, however, she did develop the oddest of feelings.
It started small and barely recognizable- even to her. A slight change of her heartbeat, the sudden want to smile more, and oh, the glorious feeling of not being dressed well enough or that her hair was not pulled into a good enough do. And then from there, things escalated… well, rather drastically.
She'd blush more, like a ripening strawberry ready for plucking. Her eyes would suddenly want to roll out of her sockets because she was staring too much (!) but didn't really want to look away at all. Her hands would do this weird fidgety thing-y and her tongue would tie itself in knots. And on a good day, maybe she'd even stay conscious long enough to feel her heart ricochet past what should be deemed normal.
And it was all because of him.
Zuko- now Prince Zuko, wasn't at all like how Mai would expect any prince to be. Sure, he was Azula's older brother, and by blood, the heir to the throne, but those were more facts than anything else. He didn't at all act like Azula- actually, he didn't at all act like most noble boys, period. He wasn't snotty or bratty and he sure didn't act like he owned the place. Actually, quite the opposite, now that Mai thought about it. He was… well, awkward, to say the least. He didn't really talk much and stuttered a bit too much when he did. And he was quite the loner too- not that Mai knew much about that specifically.
Honestly, Mai wasn't really sure why she'd fallen so steadfast for him. Was it his smile? Maybe. It was boyish and sincere and never smug or conspiring like most noble boys- or Azula. It could even be his kindness, much like his mothers' and so unlike else anyone she'd met in all of the Caldera. She didn't see it much- he hid it well under all his awkwardness- though she'd seen it enough.
She'd seen it in the way he'd leave an extra cupcake on the table for Azula even though she'd been mean to him all day. She'd seen it in the way he'd feed the turtleducks, sprinkling extra crumbs because the mother turtleduck had new babies on the way. She'd even seen it in the way he'd hold the door for her and Ty Lee when they'd both pay one of their semi-daily visits to Azula so they could play.
And he was always so sincere about it, too.
When she'd go to bed some nights, she'd replay all these and think 'No wonder', while she smiled despite herself.
Not-girly as Mai was, she was still a girl and girls still had feelings they couldn't contain. In the little moments, before her heart picked up when she caught his golden eyes on her own, she'd really truly think. If feelings were girly- and Mai swears she was not- she'd take back her statements if it meant feeling like this always. Because even though it's obvious, and embarrassing and unladylike, she'd never trade them for the world.
For anyone asking; Yes, I am practicing how to write fluff.
Writing, after all, is about breaking borders. For me, well, anything other than angsty oneshots is a hit and miss. I wanna change that, and so... PRACTICE! So I am sorry if it comes off as mediocre, I really am trying to work on that. Reviews will be much appreciated, as they help me grow as a writer, and, til next time,
Ciao
-Yorky