104 AG.

She looked at the sunset from the balcony. The contrasts of the colors mixing together gave out a shine over the mountains and clouds surrounding them.

"Orange is such an awful color." She mumbled.

She quickly reacted to the footsteps behind her.

"Who is it?" She said.

"It's just me." A familiar voice was heard.

She smiled seeing the face of which that voice belonged to. "Zuko. I didn't expect you."

"Well, we did expect you downstairs. I started to…I mean, uncle started to worry about you. We were drinking tea and playing pai sho with Aang and the rest. We thought you'd show up."

Mai gave him a look of adoration as he uttered those lines. "You can tell your uncle that I'm alright." She turned around and faced the sunset.

Zuko struggled with his words for a few seconds. "I would like you to join me for supper." He finally said.

"Is that an order my lord?" Mai turned around again to see him.

"Yes! I mean, no. If you want to." Zuko started to blush. He couldn't look at her directly in the eye.

"I want to." Mai said gave him half of a smile.

"Good. I'll see you downstairs."

"Zuko." Mai said almost demandingly. "Look at me."

He did what he was told. "What is it Mai?"

She looked him up and down. She wanted to see every detail of him. His robes, his hair, the royal insignia on his newly made clothes and also his face.

"You look so different." Is all she could say. She wanted to say more but she always had it difficult to express herself.

"Is that a good thing?" Zuko gave out a little laughter and took both her hands in his.

"It is." She freed one hand and gently touched his shoulder. "Your hair has gotten longer."

"I guess it's protocol when you're the Fire Lord. Do you like it?"

"I do. It really suits you." She wanted to touch his hair but decided not to. "So, supper was it?"

She had missed his presence around her but she didn't like to think too much about him. She hated having to worry about what was going on with him. His duties to their country, the hard work to put an end of the legacy of his father and ancestors. She noticed the stress was already getting to him.

By the time they got downstairs it was perfectly set. He had it arranged the supper to be for two people, long before he had asked her. Perhaps it was for Uncle Iroh but then again it couldn't be she thought.

Still holding her hand, he led her to sit right next to him. There was something about holding his hand that she missed. The warmth, the comfort and even how small her hands looked right next to his.

"I've missed you Mai." Zuko said and it startled her. "I've really missed you."

She looked into his golden eyes. He had the same sparkle in his eyes since their childhood. Beyond the scar, there was the same little boy who saved her from the Azula's taunting.

"You have?" She asked him carefully.

"Yes." He said. He moved his chair to face hers. He wanted to look right at her when he was talking to her. "I know I haven't always been good to you."

"Zuko…"

"I mean it. I really do."

Mai wouldn't let him finish his sentence. "No Zuko. I haven't been listening to you. I wish I did. I wish I could go back in time and have asked you the right questions." Mai said and pulled his hand closer to her lap.

"I don't blame you. We were kids back then. We were raised to believe what our leaders did in our nation's name was right. I couldn't have asked you to understand and how could you have possibly asked the 'right' questions." Zuko said and leaned closer to her. "It is all past us now."

"I guess you're right." Mai sighed with relief.

"With all of this said, Mai, I want to ask you something." His voice got serious as he now held Mai's hand with both of his. "Would you grant me the honor to become…"

A ruckus followed by a voice interrupted him.

"Nephew! I have brewed the most precious… Oh, I see you have a lady friend over."

"Uncle, we are in the middle of something." Zuko frowned and was very much annoyed at the timing of his Uncle Iroh. Mai couldn't help but to blush and smile. She quickly let go off Zuko's hand as his uncle came closer towards them. Mai couldn't face them and looked down at her shoes but the smile was there on her lips.

"I see, I see." Uncle Iroh said. "It's good to see you Mai." Uncle Iroh said and scooched over to Zuko's side. "Are we having roasted duck?" He asked when he saw the set table.

Zuko started to blush and was embarrassed at how this was going.

"It's good to see you too General." Mai raised her head to look at him with respect.

"Call me Uncle Iroh." He said with laughter and nudged at Zuko who looked like he wanted to drop dead.

"I should leave." Mai said and got up. Zuko grabbed her by the wrist gently, he didn't want her to leave just yet.

"Please, don't go just because of me. I wish for you to stay." Uncle Iroh said with a chuckle. "Have some tea." Iroh offered her. "What were you two talking about?"

Zuko glanced at Mai with gentle eyes. She sat down next to him.

"I don't know." Mai said. "Zuko wanted to ask me something."

Zuko started to bite his own lip as nervousness grew inside of him. "I… wanted to say."

"Wait!" Uncle Iroh burst out. "First I want Miss to taste this." He passed a cup of newly brewed tea to Mai.

She wasn't in the mood for tea this late but she couldn't say no to Uncle Iroh. She gratefully accepted the cup and took a sip.

"Thank you Gene-, Uncle Iroh. It's very good." She said and looked over to Zuko. He looked as if there was something wrong with her. "Don't you want a taste?"

Zuko thanked no. She knew he was bothered. Not by the presence of his uncle but by the timing. He wanted to get over with it and just say it but he was too nervous to say anything in front of Iroh. She knew every inch of his body and noticed his cheeks and ear getting red, a sign of him getting tense. How he held his fingers close to his mouth. It was kind of cute to see him like that.

Later that night she had excuse herself. After all she had to take care of Tom-Tom and make sure he got to his pre-school. After her parents' divorce, her mother remarried and joined a new family. Their stepfather didn't seem a bit interested in Mai or Tom-Tom and somehow gotten their mother Michi to yet again ignore her own children. Mai knew her mother loved them dearly but the comfort of her new husband came first.

As she was making her way out of the palace with her escort Zuko called her name out.

"I need to talk to you. In private." Zuko ordered the escort to leave them alone. "I wanted to ask you…"

"I know Zuko."

"You know? How?" Zuko asked confused.

"You aren't as discrete as you think." Mai said almost yawning. "I really need to get to Tom-Tom."

"How is that an answer?" Zuko was annoyed. "Let me get to the point."

"Yes."

He got down on his knee, holding her hands and looked directly at her. "Will you grant me the honor to become my Fire Lady?"

"I said yes, Zuko." Mai almost giggled but stopped herself. She started to blush when she saw Zuko's face light up with a smile.

He got up and cupped her face with his hands and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

She responded to his touch and kiss for a few seconds. "I need to go. Get some sleep my lord, you look terrible" Mai pulled away from him. "I'll see you soon."