It was evening on the exiled Prince's ship. The crew had gathered below deck for a nightly meal and a few rounds of cards before hitting the sack. It was one of the few nights Prince Zuko had joined them and his uncle, but his presence did nothing to disturb the atmosphere so he was able to fit right in ...until Uncle Iroh decided to bring up a certain conversation with his dear nephew: "I think it is time you heard about the sparrowkeets and the ladybees, dear nephew," Iroh grinned. He lay back in his chair, cradling his cup of white lotus tea as he smiled jokingly at Zuko.

Zuko's eyes widened in fear before he groaned and banged his head against the table repeatedly. The crew closest to them laughed lightheartedly, and a few meandered closer to the Prince's and his uncle's table. "No please, no. I already know enough, please don't make me sit through it again," Zuko pleaded. Zuko looked up at Iroh with an angry scowl.

Iroh patted the boy on his knee, making him jump. "You are nearly fifteen, which means you must learn about how your body works when in love." Iroh sighed, and the men around them chuckled and heckled Zuko making a slight blush rise high on his cheeks. To Zuko's dismay, Iroh continued without preamble. "All young men have gone through what you are right now and will continue to go through. Your body is growing and maturing like that of a lotus flower, as well as many young ladies your age and younger." Zuko caught a few of the looks his crewmates were giving him, all of them getting a twinkle in their eye that Zuko distinctly did not like. "All benders and non-benders alike must mature and be ready to have children of their own. Now you may have noticed certain parts of you changing already with you growing taller and your-"

Zuko cut Iroh off as he broke out in a coughing fit, redness surging up his neck. "Uncle, please," he pleaded; " I know what is changing and what happens as a result of people…" Zuko broke off trying to find the right words without making his cheeks any redder. "Growing up and getting ...close. I've heard it, and I frankly don't want to know anymore, thank you very much." The crew laughed around him, enjoying his embarrassment. Zuko got up, but Uncle Iroh kept a hand on him, putting him back in his seat.

"Come on General Iroh, don't torture the poor boy too much," one of the crewmates spoke up.

"Yeah, sir, we don't want that boy getting redder, or he might burn himself from the inside out," another laughed.

Zuko sulked farther into his chair and stared resolutely down at the grains of the table. "I already know enough; I'm not stupid. I'm not going to burn myself, thank you" he defended.

Iroh raised an eyebrow. "You've heard about it all? But I bet you have heard about the sparks, then have you?"

Zuko gave him a blank look. "Is this some romantic mumbo jumbo? Or sparks like firebending? What of it?"

Iroh shook his head, a smile gracing his lips. "From someone who says they know everything, you clearly don't know about the most important part."

Zuko settled back in his chair, grumbling, but let the old man continue. "The most important part of growing up is developing your second flame, or spark as it is more commonly called. A fire bender creates sparks at a very young age, letting his or her inner flame grow within, but there is a second flame that develops over one's lifetime. When a firebender falls in love and develops a deep love for another person outside of their family, a different type of inner flame ignites and simmers within and around the firebender. The sparks are like stars, and they appear around the firebender who is in love, revealing his love, feelings, and devotion to another person."

Zuko cocked his eyebrow. "That's just an old fool's tale, Uncle," Zuko protested. "That doesn't even make sense, how can that be true?" Zuko shifted in his chair, trying to appear less interested in the topic than he actually was. "How does it work?"

Iroh laughed. "Curious, are we?"

Zuko crossed his arms. "I'm not curious, I'm just wondering how this can even work. I've never seen it happen, so it can't possibly be true."

Iroh got a look in his eye that Zuko couldn't describe. "I'm afraid you were too young to see my wife and I together, and your parents…" Iroh stalled for a moment. "Love is a very coveted thing between firebenders, but I can assure you this second flame is special and it occurs for everyone." Iroh gazed into his teacup with a reminiscent look in his eye. "When I met your aunt, the sparks were truly flying, like little lightning-beetles in the sky around us." Everyone around them pulled up a chair, and even some of the most hardened sailors got soft and dreamy eyes as they listened to Iroh's story. "We met on the training grounds when I was just 20 years old, not much older than yourself, and the instant I met her eyes, I felt something ignite in me. Around me little flames flickered, revealing my sudden feelings for this woman. Not everyone falls in love at sight, but we both did. I was so afraid for a few moments that I alone would share my second flame, but to my surprise, there were flames around your aunt as well. She was beautiful and had deep golden eyes, like that of a dragon's. She and I were both strong firebenders, and by the looks of the sparks around us, so was our love. Ah, we were so happy, my love and I…." Iroh trailed off. His eyes grew misty before he shook his head and smiled at his nephew. "You will meet the love of your life one day, my boy, and you won't know what hit you." Zuko looked skeptically at him, but shrugged, not really taking the words to heart.

"Does the same thing happen with non-benders?" Zuko wondered aloud.

One of Zuko's shipmates answered the question for Iroh. "Not really in that magical, mystical bending way, but in a way people still have that 'moment'." The non-bending crew nodded in agreement.

"My girl and I would just stare at each other for hours," one said.

"It feels like no one else is in the room," another chimed in, leading the whole crew to start sharing their stories.

Zuko rolled his eyes, and emptied the rest of the contents of his teacup before getting up. "Ugh, that doesn't seem fun at all. I'm going to bed!" Zuko stomped out of the room. Iroh tapped his fingers against the side of his cup, smiling to himself at the boy's reaction.

"What's up with him?" the cook asked.

"Oh he's just at that age where the sound of girls and love is the worst thing imaginable," Lieutenant Jee joked.

"One day that boy will understand." Iroh said wising, getting up, cracking several of his bones in the process. He groaned as he got up. "I hope he gets there sooner than later. He needs someone looking out for him."

Zuko was stuck on a ship again. The amount of time spent on the ocean, you would think he was a waterbender. It had been only 24 hours since Zuko had become a prince again. He didn't know how to handle it and had decided to go to his room without speaking to anyone to process the events of the day. Zuko lay collapsed in a chair in the large bedroom staring blankly at a wall as his thoughts ran amuck.

There was a knock on the door to Zuko's chamber deep in the royal quarters of the ship, making Zuko lift his head from where it had been buried in his hands."Go away Azula," Zuko commanded, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

With a click, his door opened without his consent. "Azula I said-" Zuko growled, glaring at the doorway. His dark demeanor dropped as he saw his childhood friend, Lady Mai, sidle into the room with a bored expression painted on her face. Zuko hopped up, startled. "I, uh, didn't know you would be coming in here, I thought you were-" Zuko voice petered out and he gestured weakly to the tea set on the table beside the chair he had been moping in. "Tea?"

Mai folded her arms within her sleeves and soundlessly walked into the room, closing the door behind her with her foot. She sat soundlessly in the chair opposite his and reached out to pour herself tea.

Zuko remained standing and fidgeted with the fabric of his sleeves, waiting for Lady Mai to declare her intent on coming to his room at such a late hour. Night had fallen several hours ago and the ship groaned and rocked side to side as it traversed the seas just outside of Ba Sing Se. Zuko had not been expecting anyone to visit him, much less a childhood friend he had not seen in years. Zuko coughed, trying to gain Mai's attention. "Long time no see?" he prompted.

"I was asked by your sister to come and keep an eye on you," she stated without ceremony.

Zuko halted his fidgeting, and his features darkened. "I don't need a guard," he spat. "I'm with the fire nation now, if that's what she's worried about." Zuko crossed his arms and glared at Mai, taking his anger out on her since he could not direct it towards his sister. "It's been a long day. I need to get to bed," he hinted.

Mai gave Zuko an indecipherable look. Mai sat herself elegantly on the edge of her chair and delicately leaned forward to pour him a cup of tea as well. She gestured to his chair. "Sit down."

Zuko gave her an unsure glance, but took the seat anyway. He fiddled with the teacup that Mai had delicately handed him, and continued to stare anywhere but at her. His features were scrunched and focused, a complete juxtaposition to Mai's cool and collected features. She seemed undeterred by his pouting, and pulled out a few scrolls to focus her attention on. Zuko pursed his lips, annoyed by her silence. "Why didn't Azula come?"

Mai shrugged. "She was busy."

"Why not Ty Lee?"

Mai shrugged again. "She was busy."

Zuko's nose twitched and he slid farther down in his chair looking like a toddler who was about ready to throw a fit. "Aren't you busy? Why did you come?"

"Your sister asked if I could, so I did." Mai pulled a quill out and scribbled a few figures on her scroll, not looking up.

"What if I asked you to leave?" Zuko asked, his voice brisk yet full of barely kept under control anger.

"You already have," Mai said in a cool voice. She took a quick glance up at him. She did not look like she was going to leave anytime soon.

Zuko caught her stony gaze, and he felt himself start to squirm. "I don't need a guard."

"I'm not your guard."

Zuko forced himself to look away again, throwing his hands up in defeat. "Fine, stay."

They fell into an uneven silence, broken only by angered sighs from Zuko and the soft whooshing sound of Mai rolling out her scrolls and the slight scratch of her quill. As the silence lingered, Zuko felt himself slipping into his memories of the day, and how the events of the day suck at his emotions, leaving him barely able to sit up straight. Zuko glanced at his bed, but knew that sleep would not come so easily to him tonight as it had started to in the past few weeks in Ba Sing Se. Everything had changed in a blink of an eye, and Zuko wasn't sure where to turn.

Zuko wanted to be alone, or at least he thought he did. He wanted to talk to someone then, but with a sad settling in his stomach, Zuko realized that his companion of the past four years of his life was no longer by his side. Instead, an old childhood friend, of whom he only had a few memories of, was sitting beside him. Taking a glance at Lady Mai, it did not seem like she was up to too much conversation. Truth be told, neither was he, but Zuko didn't really have anything else to do. "What are you doing?"

"Reading," Mai stated without looking up.

"That's uhh cool," Zuko replied weakly. "What is it about?"

"Something boring."

"What about it is boring?"

Mai set down her scroll and looked Zuko directly in the eye. "It is a letter from my mother about the new marriages and relationships within the court. Nothing particularly interesting, but enough to keep me updated for when I go back home."

"That sounds kinda interesting?"

Mai raised one eyebrow daintily. "If you're interested in gossip, sure. If you've got no drama in your own life, it sounds exciting to know who's with who, and who's been dishonored, all of the most boring information. Seems pointless to create useless drama, if you ask me." Mai returned to her mother's letter, not noticing the change in Zuko's demeanor.

Zuko twitched. "Yeah, pointless drama..." Zuko itched the edge of his scar unconsciously. "At least it's interesting to some."

Mai paused her reading and looked up at Zuko, but he was facing away from her again. His fingers were lightly scratching the edges of the left side of his face while he was looking off into space, ruminating. Mai frowned slightly. "Your highness-I uh, did not mean to offend you," Mai apologized, the emotion of worry just barely intertwining into her tone. Zuko turned his head suddenly in shock and looked at Mai with wide eyes. He quickly took his left hand away from his scar and pressed the hand against his leg.

"Oh um, please you don't have to apologize to me for mentioning gossip. I am used to it, really." Zuko reassured her. A slight crease between Mai's eyebrows became apparent, and Zuko felt like it was the first time he had seen her convey any emotion that wasn't boredom. "Please, don't apologize," Zuko finished weakly.

Mai looked shocked only for a moment before her mask came back up, making the small bit of emotion seem like he had imagined it. Mai shrugged with an air of pretension, and returned to her letter, clearly not wanting to continue this conversation. "You've been gone for almost five years," she said in her rough voice. "A lot can happen in that time, but unfortunately gossip never changes." Mai paused. "You may not want my apology, but take it as some form of acceptance for what gossip has gone on," she finished quietly.

"Right," Zuko accepted awkwardly. "Um, thank you...for the thought." Zuko quickly changed the direction of the conversation. "How have you been?"

"Fine," Mai said evenly, not looking up from her letter this time.

Zuko coughed and tried to strike up another conversation. "Have you been enjoying traveling with my sister?"

"It's fine," was Mai's reply. Zuko nodded, trying not to be deterred by her closing him off. She was not like this when they were little kids, so it threw him for a loop that she was acting so ...grown up?

"I've heard you have a younger brother now, what's his name?" Zuko tried again.

Mai gave Zuko a blank gaze now, trying to hint that she was done with the small talk. "Tom-Tom."

"That's his full name?"

Mai placed the scroll down on the table in front of her with some force, making a thud with the force of her hand. "Is there a problem, your highness?"

Zuko shook his head, eyes widening in shock. "No, I um...was trying to strike up a conversation with you, or at least trying to get more than one or two words in return but-"

Mai's mouth pinched together and she placed an irritated hand to her forehead. "I forgot you liked to talk this much," she murmured more to herself than for the benefit of Zuko. "You want a conversation? That's it, well I'm sorry, but I'm not one for small talk, so may I please request that your highness please stop talking to me or just accept that I will give one word answers, okay?"

Zuko balked at her outburst and felt himself lean back in his chair. At least he had gotten a reaction out of her, but Zuko felt rather guilty for forcing her to go on the offense. He turned in his chair, facing away from her to offer some privacy in his room. "Fine then, I won't try and talk to you."

"Fine by me," Mai muttered. The silence only lasted a few very long minutes before Zuko broke it again.

"I would prefer it if you called me Zuko, you know…" Zuko let out weakly. Zuko felt rather than saw Mai take a glance at him.

" 'kay," was Mai's reply, so soft Zuko barely heard her answer.

Just like that, the tension in the room lifted just a little bit, making Zuko feel like he could breathe again. He got up quietly and meandered to his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper and quill before settling down and writing what came to mind to maybe help settle his thoughts. His uncle had once said that the written word allows for certain things to be expressed that would otherwise go instead. Zuko wasn't sure how much he should trust his uncle's words anymore, but at the very least he could maybe organize his thoughts on paper enough so that he could go to sleep sometime that night.

Both Mai and Zuko fell into a silence that was not exactly companionable, but was tolerable. For around an hour, only the sound of the scratch of a quill across paper and the shuffling of a scroll could be heard between the two of them. Surprisingly, it was Mai that broke the silence.

"You should eat something," she stated.

Zuko jumped and cast a surprised look at her. "What?"

"Eat. Do you want something to eat?" Mai repeated. "You missed dinner, so you must be hungry."

Zuko shrugged, only to be followed by a slight growl of his stomach. "Uh, I guess I wouldn't be opposed…"

Mai nodded and unceremoniously left the room without ceremony, leaving Zuko suddenly alone. Mai was only gone for a few minutes, and when she came back she had a small tray with her with a few breads, meats, and cheeses.

"There's not much left from dinner, but the cook allowed me to bring this to you." The food was boring and nothing like what Zuko thought his first meal back with the fire nation as a prince would be, but he didn't mind it.

Mai didn't disturb him as he tucked into the chair across from her with a plate full of the food that she had brought him. She didn't appear too hungry, but she grabbed a slice of bread and nibbled on it savoringly as she continued a letter back to her mother.

"Thank you," Zuko murmured.

Mai gave him a weird look from beneath her bangs.

Zuko frowned. "What? You don't want me to thank you?"

Mai shook her head, apparently confused at his behavior. "I guess I'm just not used to it," Mai offered as an answer. A dawning look of understanding came across Zuko's scarred face and he nodded and turned back to his food.
He laughed a little to himself, but also to lighten the mood between them. "Huh, I guess I kind of got used to a different kind of life in the tea shop…" Zuko paused and took that time to shove some much needed food into his mouth.

Mai tilted her head, considering him. "You've changed a lot," she stated.

Zuko gulped down his food and quirked his brow up at her. "Not really. I'm still me."

Mai shook her head, eyebrows knitting together. "Yes, but..."

Zuko looked at her curiously. He never was really close to her as a kid, but she had at least been someone who didn't try to throw rocks at or pick up the turtleducks, like Azula and Ty Lee. They had been getting closer around the time that Zuko accepted his first Agni kai, and well there was no time afterwards to talk to anyone, much less Mai. She seemed very different from when they were kids. She seemed reserved, but much more giving of her small smiles and kind words. She had seemed so happy when around Azula and Ty Lee. Mai was now a closed off noble woman, and she seemed like she never smiled anymore. Zuko had the sudden urge to want to make her smile again, if only for a moment.

He remembers himself as a scared little kid always trying his best, but that never really seemed to work out for him. He thought of himself as stubborn, grumpy, always full of anger, and always snappy. At times, he still feels like that scared little kid that bent down before his father four years ago. Zuko couldn't see how Mai thought him different. A simple thank you couldn't change a life full of fear and anger.

Mai's amber eyes were still on him when Zuko looked up again. For the first time in months, and years, Zuko felt an understanding in her eyes that he hadn't met before. Undisturbed by the rocking of the boat, Zuko and Mai stared at each other, analyzing each other. Mai's long fingers hesitantly rested on one of his beat up knuckles as he set his plate down. For some reason, Zuko felt his breath hitch. Zuko felt like his mind was laid open for her to see. The day had worn him down so far he didn't care to try and build his walls up again. Maybe he wanted someone to see how battered he was and even through all of his travels. He felt like the same kid. Mai seemed to almost nod in acknowledgement and Zuko felt something in him move.

Then just like that the moment broke and Mai moved her hand that had been resting on his back into her sleeves like she was bit by a mouse-viper. She blinked and her mask covered her as she backed away from him. "You're a lot older, for one," She murmured, breaking the silence. "And your hair is shorter."

Zuko ran a hand through his short hair and averted his eyes, not quite sure how to process the moment they just had (could he even call it a moment?). "I can't exactly put it in a phoenix tail, can I?" Zuko let out a short, embarrassed laugh. "Your hair is pretty though….It's nice and long."

Mai gave him an unimpressed look. "Thanks." Mai took a glance at the time candle in the corner of the room, watching it flicker. It flashed eleven times, meaning that it was eleven hours past mid-day. "Looks like I should get to bed; it's getting late." Mai tied up her scrolls and stuffed them into her robes as she bowed to Zuko on her way out. Before leaving the room, she glanced at Zuko and gave him a mysterious look.

As soon as Mai's back was turned, Zuko caught his reflection in the mirror beside his bed and saw a halo of small little sparks that could be mistaken for little flecks of dust, flickering around the edges of his body. When his door clicked closed after Mai's departure, the little flames flickered before going out. Zuko stared at his reflection, dumbfounded. Zuko blinked several times before laying a hand against his forehead, checking for a fever or something. Zuko looked at his tea and meal suspiciously. Maybe it was something he ate, or maybe he was just tired, yes that's what it was, it definitely has nothing to do with Mai. It was just a trick of the light maybe, or something to do with his firebending that was making it go haywire because of his lack of sleep. Zuko settled into his bed and absentmindedly pulled the silk covers over him, not bothering to change for bed. He stared up at the ceiling of his bedchamber on the small ship lost in thought. "I'm just tired," Zuko told himself before closing his eyes and waiting for sleep to take him.