From that day at the beach onward, Zuko and Mai spent excessive amounts of time together, both during school and outside of it. When he asked her if she missed hanging out with her regular group of friends, she told him she didn't have one.

"I have one true friend," she said as they ate lunch together. "Her name is Ty Lee. She's the polar opposite of me— bubbly, talks all the time, wears a horrid amount of pink— but we've been friends since we were five and it seems to work. She lives two hours away."

Zuko took in Mai as she sat before him, a dark purple hoodie over her white uniform shirt, all dark colors and an aura of total apathy. He imagined her next to a girl in all pink and he chuckled aloud.

"And you? I only ever see you talking to that tall skinny kid with the wild hair."
Zuko laughed again. "That's Chen. He's a pretty odd guy. He works in my uncle's tea shop."

"Okay," she said, looking irate, "how have you never before mentioned that your uncle owns a tea shop? You see me drinking tea every day!"

Zuko frowned.

"I guess you're right," he mused. She rolled her eyes.

"You are such a goof sometimes," she said.

"You should come over tonight," he said. "My uncle can make us tea."

Mai looked taken aback for a moment. For a split second Zuko feared he had come across as much too forward, that just because a girl held your hand didn't mean she liked you, and that he had possibly ruined what was turning into the best friendship he'd ever had by inviting her to his apartment. Then she smiled.

Hours later the two of them sat at his small kitchen table, Iroh sitting across from them, drinking from cups filled with his finest oolong tea.

"How do you like it?" Iroh asked Mai.

"It's wonderful," she replied.

"So tell me Mai, are you the reason my nephew seems so happy all of a sudden?"

Zuko choked on his tea, his face turning scarlet. Mai and Iroh both laughed.

"Well," said Iroh, rising from the table, "I think that answers my question! I'd better be off to bed now. Zuko, be sure to walk Mai home within the hour."

Zuko and Mai bid him a good night. Iroh reached his bedroom and closed the door with a soft click.

"Your uncle is really nice," Mai said, choosing not to address his embarrassment. "And this tea really is fantastic."

"I'm glad you like it," Zuko replied.

"Were you not as happy before you met me?" she asked, looking imploringly in to his eyes.

"You could say that," he replied, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"I'm not trying to pry, and you can tell me to shut up if I'm overstepping my bounds here, but… is there a reason why you live with your uncle instead of your father?"

Zuko's eyes snapped to hers, flashing at her words. He stared at her for a moment before answering.

"Yes."

Mai said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"I told you my mom died when I was twelve," he began. She nodded. "My parents…didn't have the best relationship. My mom never liked the way my father disciplined me and my sister. He believed that harsh punishments were for our own good. He always saw me as a failure. I could never be good enough for him. He— he would hit me sometimes. Nothing bad, nothing I couldn't handle…until my mom died. Without her there to defend me, to protect me, he got worse. And once, when hitting me wasn't enough for him…" he trailed off, his voice inaudible, his hand moving on its own accord to reach up and touch the marred flesh covering his eye.

"Zuko…" Mai said quietly, tears shining in her eyes. "How did you get your scar?"

Zuko met her gaze. He drew in a breath.

"My father burned me."

Mai's hands clutched one another in her lap. She did not know what to say to him, this boy who had endured so much pain.

"The day after it happened, my uncle came over and saw me, my face covered with a dirty bandage. He took me to the hospital. They were able to save my vision in that eye. After that he took me home with him. I haven't seen or spoken to my father since."

"Well is he in prison?" Mai asked.

Zuko shook his head.

"He's a very powerful man. The head of his own company. He has friends in all the right places in this city. He's done worse and gotten away with it."

Mai felt anger bubbling inside her. For someone to do such a thing to their own child…

Zuko looked as though he was near tears, so for reasons unknown to her, Mai reached out to him and cupped the scared side of his face with her hand. He flinched. She stroked the uneven, damaged skin with her thumb.

"It's ugly," he whispered. His eyes were closed.

"I don't think it's ugly. I don't think you're ugly," she said. He opened his golden eyes and stared in to hers, as if searching for some kind of truth. He leaned forward and kissed her.

Mai responded immediately, bringing her other hand up to his face while working her lips against his. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her out of her chair and in to his lap.

His lips were demanding and bruising against her. She didn't seem to mind. Instead she opened her mouth, and he felt a rush of warmth course through his blood when her tongue brushed against his.

She pulled back for a moment, her chest heaving.

"Can we go to your room?" she asked.

He nodded vigorously and walked her down to the very end of the hall and in to his room, shutting the door softly behind them. He had never had a girl in his room before. He was sixteen; before he met Mai he had only experienced fleeting crushes and passing interest in his female classmates. He didn't know what to expect.

Luckily, Mai seemed to know exactly what she wanted. As soon as the door was closed she resumed kissing him, pressing her body flush against his and tangling her fingers in his hair. She guided them to his bed. She lied back against his pillow, her eyes inviting him to join her. He moved so that his body was over hers and began kissing her neck. A soft moan escaped from her lips, causing a surge of heat to course through Zuko's blood. He vaguely noticed that she took off her hoodie at some point as his hands moved over the soft, pale skin of her arms, while his lips moved against hers.

"Zuko," she whispered as his hands slid underneath her shirt and across her stomach. He pulled back from her, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Am I the first girl you've ever kissed?" she asked, her face an unreadable mask.

He nodded, color rising in his cheeks.

"Well you're quite good at it," she said.

He laughed. She brought his head down to her lips to continue, but he pulled away slightly.

"Mai… I should walk you home. It's getting late. Your parents are probably worried."

"They probably haven't even noticed I'm not there," she muttered.

Before he could ask her about that remark she rolled out from underneath him and off his bed.

"You're right. Let's go," she said, putting on her hoodie.

Minutes later the two of them were walking along the street, guided by the orange glow of streetlamps. Zuko was curious to see where Mai lived. As they continued walking Zuko quickly noticed that they were entering one of the wealthy neighborhoods of the city. He looked around, taking in the large, expensive homes.

"You live here?" he asked incredulously.

"Yep," she answered. Zuko noticed there was a slight edge to her voice.

Finally they reached her home, a large two story house with a spacious porch out front.

"I'll see you later, okay?" Mai said, grabbing hold of the front of his jacket. He nodded. She pressed a firm kiss to his lips before pulling away and walking to her front door.

Zuko made sure she was inside before turning and walking home.

That night he lay in his bed, the lights turned off but not ready for sleep. His fingers danced over his scar as he thought about her words.

"I don't think it's ugly. I don't think you're ugly."

He wondered how it could be so easy for her to accept in him the things with which he struggled the most. He wondered how it was so easy for him to let her in to his heart, when it was usually so difficult for him to connect with people.

He fell asleep thinking about the feeling of her hands and lips.