Zuko stays true to his word. So true, in fact, that he never saw it coming when Aang and Katara disappear for a couple of weeks.
He tells Mai he's going to visit his Uncle Iroh's tea shop, a new branch in one of the Fire Nation villages. She was sprawled out on the bed, at ease, probably knew the exact time and date Aang and Katara had left. Is a bit peeved she didn't let him know ahead of time. She says she forgot.
The brand new tea shop bustles with customers and staff members, handpicked by his very own uncle. People bow in his presence, and Zuko forces a smile back, tilts his head. It was like this when he and Mai went out on their many dates. The way shop keepers would offer him free samples or compliment how beautiful his lady was that day. Mai was happy to be anywhere he was, latched onto his arm, but he craved the tranquility of the ocean, the peace and quiet.
"Ah, if it isn't my dear nephew, finally back from the clutches of romance and love," Uncle Iroh greets him with a wide smile and a hug. "I hear you and the lady have been spending lots of quali-tea time together." He winks.
"Yeah." Zuko shakes his head at the poorly made pun. "Lots of it."
Even though they don't spend nearly as much time together as they used to, Uncle Iroh can still sense the stress in his nephew's voice. "What's wrong? Are you having lady troubles?"
Zuko glances around at all the faces. "Come," Uncle Iroh says, "Let's take a walk, shall we?"
Once far enough away from all the prying ears, he asks, "What's troubling you, nephew?"
A deep breath. "Katara."
"Ah, the water tribe girl. She and the Avatar are visiting the Spirit Guru at one of the Air Temples. Something about clearing up all of her chakras to restore balance and maybe even her memories."
So Aang was trying to help her. That's good, he tells himself. But there's something else that nags at him, has been eating at him for so many days now.
"Uncle," Zuko says. Takes a deep breath in. Changes his mind at the last second, "How am I supposed to be around her after what happened? She's going to remember everything and then hate me, like before. I'm going to lose her trust again."
In the cave, taunts from the earth bender bandits struck at his ego; they knew what they were saying. Their team was split, Toph and Suki on one side of the rock barricade and Zuko and Katara on the other. He should have put more faith in Toph, but when he heard them call him a sellout, that Azula would have been better on the throne, and how he turned his back on her, his "insane and pitiful" sister… He snapped, threw fireballs and curse words out at them in one fluid motion. His recklessness hurt Katara and he didn't have time to jump over and push her out of the way.
"I am sure she will remember that it was an accident."
"But Uncle," he pleads. "If I hadn't let their words get to my head, if I hadn't reacted so carelessly…!"
"My dear nephew," Uncle Iroh says, smelling some flowers. "You must learn to let these things go. Just think about it. You are doing the exact same thing that caused your mistake in the first place. You are holding on to things that are out of your control."
Children run past them, chasing after their ball. "It's hard to let go."
"You've done it before, and you can do it again. Just breathe, Fire Lord Zuko. Things always have a way of working themselves out."
"And now Mai hates me," Zuko continues. "I wasn't able to let go and accept what happened with Katara, and when I tried to fix it, Mai just grew angry at me."
They find a bench underneath a sparse tree. Uncle Iroh is amused. "That usually happens with women."
"I don't know what to do." Zuko places his head into his hands. Looks at the cracks on the brick tiles and watches the grass struggle to grow past them. Mai is jealous, he knows that much. But Katara means a lot to him, whether he'd like to admit it or not. And he can't. The feelings grew slowly, and he thought it wouldn't flare up again, but his mistakes keep drawing him back to her. And he can't ever admit it because well, what does that mean for him and Mai? What does it say about their relationship? Besides, it's not like anything would ever, ever happen between he and Katara. And he hates the fact that he's been agonizing over the possibilities for days now.
"Did you try apologizing?"
"Of course." He can't tell if his Uncle is humoring him or not. "But she doesn't want me to see Katara until she remembers me again."
"You have to let her go, Fire Lord Zuko."
Let her go? "What are you talking about, Uncle?"
"Do not tell me that you're only worried about Mai's anger with you or Katara's anger at you. There is something else there. You must know it as well, deep inside of yourself."
Zuko doesn't say anything. Uncle Iroh asks, "When I told you to let her go, who first came to mind?"
Silence. Suddenly, Zuko stands, his shoulders tense, "I come to you for help with my relationship, and you give me riddles?"
"I do not," Uncle Iroh replies, raises his brows. "I simply asked a question for you to seek the answer to."
"I don't know the answer!" Zuko exclaims, frustration guiding his tongue. "I'm supposed to be the Fire Lord. Mai is going to be my wife someday, I can't- I can't turn my back on her. I can't start over again. What would the rest of the Fire Nation think? And what about Aang? What if-" What if it isn't reciprocated?
Uncle Iroh doesn't say a word. The answer is written all over Zuko's face, if it wasn't already evident in his words. He can hear the whispers behind his back, the people holding an obvious favor for Mai, a Fire Nation girl. She belongs with him, on paper. Her family is wealthy enough and part of council, a girl worthy of a Fire Lord. Not to mention, they've been together since childhood. Mai's been a certainty in his life he couldn't have ever dreamed of with his erratic family members. And a Fire Lord with a girl from the Water Tribe is unheard of, almost taboo despite their newfound alliance with the other kingdoms and tribes.
But these days have felt different, a new era of peace between the four nations.
Maybe it was time to let go of the past and the old ways, Zuko thought when he left his Uncle at the tea shop. They had hugged, Zuko's apology at his earlier frustration getting caught in his throat. His uncle had a way of letting him figure out the answer himself, even if it wasn't what he wanted to accept. Besides, Uncle Iroh always knew, especially the way Zuko looked at Katara, after the fight with Azula. Like he found his honor and maybe a little more with her. If anything, that fight only solidified what was already blossoming between the two.
When he returns to his bedchambers, Mai fast asleep under the covers, he tucks a strand of hair away from her angular, beautiful face. Beautiful, cold Mai with her tongue as sharp as her knives. Three years of distance between them was a huge difference. They grew separately, the fault of the Fire Nation. Mai was, and still is, bored of her family's politics, the state of the Fire Nation, and being cooped up inside like a caged bird. Zuko challenged his rage, learned the true source of fire bending, and was inspired by a group of people who shared more ideals with him than his own people. Mai and Zuko have never reintroduced themselves. So when he's lying in bed, the light from the moon illuminating his room, he thinks of Uncle Iroh's question and finds his answer:
Mai. He needs to let go of Mai.