Another drabble, though this can be interpreted as friendship or romance.
Disclaimer: I still don't own it.
When it Began
Ty Lee had announced that Mai had a crush on Zuko when they were five.
Mai didn't know what Ty Lee was talking about until the day it was mentioned though. She had just glanced at Zuko once when Azula pushed him down and when her calm demeanor had shifted into a concerned one Ty Lee became ecstatic. Mai never forgot that.
So when they were seven, Mai still remembered that day.
The four children played by the pond outside of the kingdom walls. To Zuko's dismay and Azula's delight, Azula had made Ty Lee and Mai hold Zuko down so she could tie his shoes laces together. She knew when he walked into the kingdom and tripped it would not please father.
"Azula!" Ozai shouted for his daughter from inside the kingdom, "Come and present Fire Lord Azulon your new technique!"
"Yes father!" she immediately replied, flashing a grin at Zuko.
Both Mai and Ty Lee let go of the struggling Zuko when Azula waved her right hand and turned her back towards them.
She ran some distance away, and all three children had quietly watched her departure.
Right before she could disappear out of sight, Azula had tripped. Mortified, the princess looked around hurriedly, and then got back up again to meet the sound of her father's voice.
Ty Lee gasped and ran to her friend's aid just in case.
Mai smiled. She had never seen Azula mess up before.
Zuko shyly stifled a laugh.
They looked at each other.
I'm glad someone else thought that was funny.