I rewrite this story since I wasn't exactly satisfied with it. And I am going to add more chapters about Zuko and Mai's marriage.
"If you don't marry before your twenty first birthday, you will be removed from your throne, my Lord."
These damn counsel men. Zuko storms out of the meeting room, but he knows he has to do something. But why didn't those counsel men tell him before? It is only seven months from twenty one. That means he only has one month to find himself a bride.
How could he find a Fire Lady within a month? He only wants to marry Mai, but does she want him? The best thing she ever said to him is "I don't hate you". They've been in a relationship so long, but neither of them admit their love to each other and they never talk about marriage. After that dreadful war was over, they still decided to wait.
He feels so stressed out. And his head is spinning. Why does everything has to be so complicated for him?
After he storms into the bedroom, Mai raise her eyebrow in a perfect curve. "What's wrong?"
"Since when do you care?" Zuko just bursts out.
Mai turns her back to the young Fire Lord, didn't speak for a while.
"I mean..." He knows he said the wrong thing after he said it.
"No," Mai interrupts qucikly, "I don't care anymore. Why should I anyway?" Mai walks out the room with turning her back to him.
He moves into her way, "No. Don't be so moody, Mai." He can't let her go. He really needs someone, he needs Mai now.
"Thank you for your advice, Mr. Grumpy." Mai pushes Zuko away and walks out the door.
Zuko watches Mai's back. "I order you to come back." He mentally slaps himself for saying it, since he knows Mai would get the wrong idea. He is apparently not very good at composing himself.
"Yes, Fire Lord." Mai turns back to him and puts a lot emphasis on the word "Fire Lord". Her face is emotionless, but Zuko knows enough to tell the anger hidden inside.
Zuko runs to her and garbs her waist. He couldn't stop the irritation grows inside him. "Why do you have to wear your mask ans shut yourself out?" He grasps her so hard, and doesn't realize he is almost hurting her.
"Let go. It's time for me to leave, Fire Lord." Mai struggles away from him.
Zuko feels fire running rapidly in very vein of his body. He starts yelling, "You think wearing a dead face is going to solve all your problems? Tell your want, you can't!"
Her anger rises at the word "dead face", "Yelling like a jerk couldn't do anything, too." Her face is clam as usual expect for her fierce eyes.
"At least, I express how I feel." A fire strike hits the wall and leaves a burning mark, "Not like someone."
"Someone?" She throws her knives at him, but aims for the wall behind him instead.
"Clam down. How can I talk to you like that?"
"You ARE the one needs to clam down!"
"Oh, finally. You broke out your damn shell."
"Yes. So what, Fire Lord?"
"Shit." Zuko realizes it's not a great idea to push Mai to break her mask, but it was too late. He tries to reason with her, " How can we talk if we are like this?"
"Yeah, right", Mai rolls her eyes, "Someone needs a anger management lesson. Don't take your anger on me. Go yell at those counsel men. I suppose they are the one make you mad."
"It's not about them. It's about you!" Zuko curses under his breath. What the heck is wrong with Mai? Usually she is the logical one, and she can control herself perfectly. "You give me that emotionless face all day!"
"It's me. If you don't like it..." Mai goes back to her clam self, but deadly clam this time.
"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me? You don't show any emotions! I can't even tell you I love you!"
"You think it's easy for me? You are so awkward and mad all the time. You never feel satisfied about any things around you. Didn't you always want pride, dignity, friendship and love? You have everything you want now. Why are't you satisfied?"
"Mai, do you have any idea ? I am NOT the politician material. I am going to lose every single damn thing if I am not married within seven months. I don't want any other girl expect for you, but you wear your mask everywhere every time. So I can't tell you how much I love you. You rarely show me anything!"
"You think I don't love you? If I don't love you, why am I even here? Why should I do what I did in boiling rock even though you broke up with me in a letter? Why should I still like you even after you pushed me in the water, dropped ice cream on me and call me a blah?" Tears fill in Mai's eyes. She never feels more hurt.
Zuko's golden eyes widen. Did Mai just say she loves him? She is crying. That's a thing he never saw before. And it also appears to be the last thing he ever wants to see. He pulls her in for a hug and whispers next to her ear. "I am sorry, Mai. I never meant to make you cry."
She pulls away from him and looks at the ground. Zuko's heart sinks. After a dead silence, she slowly reaches out and touches his face, "Did you just say you don't want any girls expect me?"
He tires to hide his blush and grins like a idiot, "Did you just say you love me?"
"I think I did." she starts blushing, too.
"I think I did, too. Marry me."
"So, that's the proposal?"
"Um... Yes..." Zuko sees Mai raises her eyebrow and quickly changes, "I mean, no... Oh, shit. I don't know." He wants to kick himself. Even Avatar is better with girls than him.
"I will save my answer on the proposal then. But I do love you, my Fire Lord."
"I love you, too." Zuko tightens the hug and pulls in for a kiss.