Hey There,

Yay! Chapter 4 is here, and done. I'm so happy with how things are going. This chapter is featuring all of the struggles within our Fire Lord. I hope you enjoy it.

Special thanks to Rose-Aki and Sharpe for your reviews. I appreciate it so much!

Standard Disclaimers still apply! - I don't own any of the trademarked things mentioned in this fic. I am merely borrowing all of this stuff for my own plots and schemes. Most will be returned unharmed!

Dedicated to that special person enjoying the sweater weather. You know who you are!

"They Forgot!"

Chapter 4 - Gotta Hold It In

((Zuko's Perspective))

When I'd said the words, "I'm gonna ask your daughter to marry me."

I was wondering even as the words left my face, "How am I gonna do that?"

But then I saw her, and I had to keep that question from popping out of me the whole way to the palace. Which had been hard, even with Suki, Ty-Lee and Sokka's faces all right there. Then it got even harder on our longer ride to the island. Because I just wanted to ask her now so bad. It felt like it would just come out.

So I had to hold it all in, and wait to do this thing right. It was what Mai deserved and I had to start showing her that. So I had just tried to relax and take in all of her reactions as they happened. Looking at Mai's face, all of the planning, lying and scheming was well worth it. It hadn't been easy keeping this secret all of this time. Especially when my girlfriend can read me like a book most of the time. But I knew we'd definitely done the right thing the moment I was sitting in front of her family today. If we can even call them that after the way they acted. I knew they were gonna forget again, I knew I was gonna be seething. But when I was actually in the moment, it was so much worse than I'd been imagining. How could they forget her so entirely and unapologetically?

Even when I was forced to keep my distance, even when she was mad at me, I couldn't do that. I still can't believe Mai kept all of those letters. And that had been her means of surviving her horrible family's forgetfulness… Or let's call it what it really was, cruelty.

When we reached the island and I helped Mai down off of Appa. I had to really pry my fingers from hers just to let Aang, Katara, Toph, Uncle, and some of the other friends gathered here on the island greet her. I had an even more difficult time not following her, looming nearby or re-claiming her hand the moment they were done.

I didn't usually have to fight these struggles down so much. Mai and I weren't a couple that didn't need a whole lot of PDA. We were just…I don't know, normal I guess… you know? We did more of that stuff when we were alone… when there wasn't an audience. Not today. I wasn't even trying to keep my hands to myself. But something had been lit inside of me since this whole plan had first hatched. Something that had been building up for a while and was making it very difficult to carry on normally. I don't think Mai noticed, thankfully. I think she was still so surprised and dazed not to be completely forgotten this year. When she had been fully prepared for that to be the case.

As Toph was explaining the whole reason this island was here. (Apparently, one of her students had fully created it by accident by lava-bending… didn't even know that was a thing earthbenders could bend. Isn't that more akin to waterbending? It is liquid at that point, right? But I guess it's liquid earth and probably chunky so… nevermind) [Toph also said It'll be appearing on all new maps made this year and won't be private anymore after that. But for now, it's all ours.] I had to make myself scarce and go sit with my thoughts for a moment. But the problem with that was now, I felt like I was even having trouble staying put. I wanted to just hang around her.

I was in so much trouble.

Of course, Uncle Iroh found me first and knew in one glance, what was wrong. I don't know how he does it, but I didn't even need to say my meeting with the governor had been a total shit show. He just appeared next to me and said, "I get the vibe that the governor may be suffering some job insecurity after your meeting."

I did say, "What the governor is suffering from is not having a heart or soul. There's no way he could act like that if he did."

"Zuko, when you meet with him as the Fire Lord, you must be unbiased, unwavering serious, and professional. Today, when you stepped through his door, you weren't there as the Fire Lord. Even if you were dressed as such. You were there as a man on a mission for the person he loves. It wasn't business, this was personal-"

"That's not all I told them." I had to share. A little surprised he didn't already know. Sokka must be circulating the news slower than usual.

"I'm sure it isn't," My Uncle grinned. "But I'm certain anything you said was provoked, even deserved. That girl is in absolute awe, that anyone would do so much for her. It isn't right for her to feel that way."

"You're telling me." I had to agree, but I also had to tell him what I'd said. Even though I still couldn't believe it myself. "I… I also told them that I was going to propose."

"Well, that's something they should be made aware of." My Uncle agreed too easily, "They're neglecting the possible future Fire Lady."

"That wasn't all I was doing," I had to explain more in-depth. "I told them I was gonna ask her… this weekend."

"Hey! That's a terrific idea!" He said excitedly, hugging me from the side. Gripping my shoulders. "You guys are going to have plenty of time alone on this island. I'm sure you'll have plenty of good chances to ask her."

"Aren't you supposed to tell me I'm too young or whether or not I'm sure about this. Or something?" I asked, that's what I had been expecting.

But my uncle just smiled and said, "No! In fact, I'm really surprised it's taken you this long."

"Really, are you serious?" I asked him, in total shock.

My uncle went on, "Patience isn't a virtue that our family is known for. As you know when I met your aunt I was engaged in a month and married before anyone could say anything against it."

I let him know, "And that's the only reason you got a love match while none of them did. The only reason I'm free to make my choice is that my family fell apart the way it did. It's one of the only perks." Then I revealed, "I just have no idea what I'm doing."

"None of us do." Uncle confided. "You've known Mai was the one for you since you were very young. You told me so yourself and I've seen enough for myself, even if you hadn't told me. Just as I've seen that Mai felt the same way. Why on earth would I try to caution you, when I've seen it all for myself. Ask her. She'll say yes."

"Wish I had your confidence." I said, before I dared to ask, "Any advise?"

"Yes!" He jumped at the chance. "I'm so excited! This is very important Zuko, possibly the most important thing you'll ever ask anyone. So maybe don't ask her in a way that will embarrass her or put her on the spot. She doesn't strike me as that kind of person. Maybe ask her in the best way you can. In the best setting for the both of you."

"So someplace when we're alone and nobody's around to point and laugh." I tried to picture it in my head. "Do you think I should get down on one knee or does that seem as old and tired as it is in my mind?"

"It is a tradition, but my best advice to you is to follow your instincts. You know Mai nearly better than anyone. You'll know when the time is right." Then he slapped me on the back and told me. "No matter the outcome. I'm so very proud of you."

"Thanks, Uncle," then he hugged me all gruff like a bear.

Then we went to join the others, for a little bit.

Mai had gone with the Kiyoshi warriors to get settled in. Sokka and Suki, were waiting with Aang, Katara and Toph. When my Uncle and me rounded the corner. I really had thought that Sokka wouldn't be able to keep this news to himself this long. When Uncle Iroh and I joined them. He looked fully ready to burst as he told me, "Can you please let these guys in on your plans? Suki made me promise to keep it a secret in case Mai was listening."

Which cued Aang to ask, "Yeah, what happened in that meeting? Sokka has been hinting like it was something huge. Does the Governor and his wife need to find a new place to live now?"

Toph felt the need to explain, "Yeah? Like did you fire him from his job? Or did you really fire him like burning the place down?"

Both Aang and Katara said, "TOPH!"

"What?" She shrugged, "Don't pretend he's not a firebender and not capable of it. Also, Mai was way too happy about SOME thing. It can't just be seeing us or Zuko… no offence."

Katara said, "I don't think that matches the whole benevolent Fire Lord- thing Zuko's going for." Even Katara had to chime in. "Either my brother is over-exaggeraing AGAIN. Or Sokka really has to go to the bathroom again."

Sokka outbursts, "THAT WAS A COVER! I only SAID THAT as a COVER UP so I didn't say the thing I wasn't supposed to SAY! In front of the BIRTHDAY GIRL!"

I had to appreciate, "Smooth cover job there, watertribe."

"Shut UP Zuko! You're the one with honking huge secrets. Spill already!" He practically begged.

"I appreciate it, you guys not saying anything around Mai. But you could have told them otherwise. I didn't even count on it being a secret anymore, by now."

"SEE!" Sokka told Suki.

Suki gave Sokka a look and said, "It wasn't our place or our secret."

Katara backed Suki, getting in her brother's face claiming. "You're such a gossip, Zuko thought you'd already told us. That's the moral here, SHUT YOUR BIG MOUTH!"

Then Suki looked around the glaring siblings to lock eyes with me. " Zuko, you should be the one to tell them. If this goes right, you'll be the first in our group to do something like this. Who wasn't full grown already, anyway."

Having had enough of this back and forth Toph said, "Can somebody please tell us SOMETHING? I don't care who,or how, just SOMEBODY?"

I gave in and admitted, "Alright, my meeting with Mai's father didn't go well."

"I'm not surprised," Aang replied, "That guy's a piece of work in the best of times."

Katara said, "And Mai's mother's a snob, I've seen her at those big stuffy parties. She's terrible, even to her own kids." Katara scoffed. "They didn't really forget her again, did they?"

"Yes, they did and I lost my cool-" Before I could go much deeper into that.

Toph cut me off saying, "Well, none of us saw that one coming!" Then she stepped in front of Katara and said, "Pay up, Sugar Queen you too Twinkle Toes."

"Toph, he's not finished and we didn't bet anything." Katara complained. Before telling me to, "Go on Zuko."

"Okay, I lost my cool with them because not only did they forget. But they weren't the least bit sorry, and didn't want to fix anything now that they knew either. I lost it so badly, that I kind of said something that I had been planning this whole time and didn't realize it." I glanced around at my friends. To see if I still had their attention.

Toph's face was all twisted in skepticism, "How could you be planning for something before you realized it? That sounds so sketchy, just what are you trying to say here?"

So I dropped the bomb, "I told them that I wasn't gonna let this be a date that they'll never forgot again. Because I was gonna make it memorable in a new way. I told them I was gonna ask Mai to marry me-"

"You WHAT?" Aang asked.

"Marry you?" Katara repeated.

Aang clarified, "You did say 'marry?' As in the wedding? The dress? All of that getting married, married?"

Toph asked, "Does that make her Queen or something? Can she do that? I know she's your girl and all but does she qualify?"

"Yes, yes and YES! I did say marry, I can marry whoever I want and the term is 'Fire Lady' Toph. Though I'm sure she'd be totally cool with you calling her a queen if you wanted to. I'm gonna ask her sometime this weekend-"

Then I was being crushed by a group hug that Sokka, Suki and Uncle were all in too. Even though they already knew. Aang had tears in his eyes, as he told me. "Zuko! I'm so happy for you."

"Aang! Why the water works?" I asked as he left a tear stain on my sleeve.

"I don't know," Aang said as he wiped them away. "I've never been to a wedding before. Your's with Mai could be my first."

"Mine too," Toph claimed, "That's what you get being born blind and being hidden away by your parents your whole life."

"Whoa!" Sokka said, "Way to bring the room down."

Suki said, "I think it's safe to say we're all thrilled for you Fire Lord."

Katara Agreed, "Yeah, and if you need anything at all you can count on us."

I felt a little relieved hearing that, I said. "Thanks, guys, but we can't celebrate yet. I haven't asked and she could say no-"

Every person around me said with certainty, "SHE-WON'T!" Then they all were speaking at the same time saying exactly how they know she'll say yes.

Katara had said, "She loves you so much no way she'll say anything but yes. It probably doesn't even matter how you ask. But you should have a plan."

Aang had said, "She's gonna be so happy, she's gonna be such a pretty bride. Why can't I quit crying? What's even happening right now?"

Sokka said, "Who would turn you down you're the Fire Lord, you're king! You're a GOD, Buddy! Not us, but to other people! Yeah!"

Suki was saying, "She saved us at Boiling Rock remember, risked her life for all of us, but really it was all about you. You gotta know that. I knew it standing there that day, before I knew you guys that well. Now I feel like it's even more so."

Toph was saying, "If I'm in this wedding I'm not gonna be the stinking flower girl. Not no way, not no how. Find yourself some other short girl to toss flowers for Mai to walk on. This girl is not gonna throw flowers.."

Uncle Iroh just laughed along and told me, "See, we've all got your back. Now all you have to do is figure out the perfect way to ask her."

Katara asked all concerned, "You haven't figured that out yet?"

"Not exactly, I have an idea of when I'm gonna ask and I'm not gonna do it during the party. I'm gonna do it in private, I just hope I don't mess this all up."

Toph punched my shoulder a little too hard and said. "Hey, you're not gonna fail her. We won't let ya."

I don't think I'd ever appreciated my friends more. But what I didn't count on was all of them insisting on making me practice this proposal on all of them before I tried it on Mai…

Remind me again, why this was a good idea?

That's all for now!

Please review if you get the chance, I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoyed and are having a great day!

~DarcyBeDippy85!