This chapter is for all the Zuko x anyone shippers out there. Thank you to my friend M, who helped me write this chapter at 3am in a fast food restaurant during a road trip. It initially started as a joke…and was then incorporated into Heirs of Ozai in earnest. Dedicated to anyone who sexual orientation is Zuko. Enjoy thoroughly.
"My Lord, please, sit still!" The tapestry artist tugged on his own beard with exasperation as Zuko fidgeted for the third time in the past ten minutes. Mai peered over behind the artist's shoulder at the existing sketch. While her fiance's shoulders and robes were well drawn, his face was still blank.
"Zuko, come on!" Mai said, lounging back on a nearby sofa. She twirled a knife around one of her fingers idly. "Just get this done and then we can leave."
"I'm trying!" Zuko snapped. He sighed. "It's not as if it will be any use anyway."
"What does that mean?" asked Mai.
Zuko rolled his eyes. "The artist is probably trying to figure out how to draw me without making me look hideous. But it's not like he can leave out my scar!"
"You're not hideous," laughed Mai. Her smile faded when she realized Zuko wasn't laughing with her. "Wait, are you serious?" Zuko didn't answer, and wouldn't meet her eyes.
"Out," ordered Mai to the sketch artist without looking at him.
"But my Lady, please—"
"Get out, now," repeated Mai. She sat up straight on the couch and stared at Zuko, who looked irritated that she had derailed the appointment. "Zuko, do you genuinely not think you're attractive?"
The door slammed shut behind the artist, leaving them alone. Zuko unwillingly descended the stairs down from the dais, walking stiffly so as not to dislodge his bandages.
"Mai, half of the skin on my face is warped and discoloured. I only have one eyebrow, and my left ear is completely—" he made a sort of grimace "—shriveled."
Mai was taken aback. How had she never realized Zuko thought this way? It was almost comical, except Zuko seemed truly discouraged. She rose and walked over to her fiancé.
"Well, what do you think I'm doing?" Mai asked. "I'm gorgeous, so what am I doing with you?"
"Um," Zuko bit his lip. He shrugged. "I kind of thought you had a fetish?"
"So when I tell you you're beautiful, you don't believe me because you think—"
"I think you have a scar fetish, yeah," nodded Zuko. "It's okay, Mai. You can admit it," he half-smiled.
"Zuko," Mai shook her head. "You are objectively the most handsome man I've ever met."
"With Akira living in the palace, that is an obvious lie," replied Zuko, frowning slightly.
Mai growled in frustration. Clearly, Zuko wasn't going to take her word for it. And then she was struck by an amazing idea.
"Thank you for joining us here," said Mai. Zuko resisted the urge to cover his face with his hands as Aang, Katara, Sokka, Suki, and Akira all stared at Mai in curiosity. Why had he allowed her to conduct this ridiculous exercise? He actually stood up to leave, but Mai shoved him back down in his seat somewhat harder than necessary.
"I ask only for your honesty," Mai continued, an uncharacteristic smirk on her face. "Please, do not hold back."
"Sure, Mai," said Sokka, eyebrows furrowed. "What's up?"
Mai inhaled. "Who here thinks Zuko is attractive?" she asked. His friends' faces went blank with confusion, and Zuko wanted to bury himself somewhere underground and die.
Then Aang raised his hand wildly. "Me first!" he said enthusiastically. He turned to the rest of the group sitting around the round table, as if he was giving an important announcement. "I think Zuko is extremely handsome!" Aang said cheerfully. "You know, sometimes I think he's just as hot as Katara, just in a different way!"
Katara narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend, and Aang raised his hand defensively. "What! Have you ever seen Zuko bathing?" He turned innocently to the rest of the group. "I'm not sure how many of you have, but-"
"Okay, okay," Mai cut Aang off. Akira snorted in amusement, and Zuko felt his face go red. "Who else?" Mai glared pointedly at Katara and crossed her arms. "Katara, please share."
Katara looked cornered, and this time Zuko really did cover his face with one hand. This was mortifying beyond belief.
"Sure, Zuko's attractive. Objectively," said Katara hesitantly. Mai crossed her arms and stared even more furiously at the waterbender. "Yeah, Zuko has really nice hair," said Katara, warming up. "It's rather striking, given his pale skin and his gold eyes. And if you're worried about the scar—" Katara addressed Zuko directly. "It's really more of an added bonus. It adds gravitas."
"See," said Mai, nudging Zuko with her foot. "Plenty of people like the scar." Zuko picked a point on the opposite wall and stared at it intensely, hoping that if he didn't see his friends, they somehow couldn't see him, and he would fade out of existence.
"Sokka, your turn," said Aang eagerly.
"This is weird," said Sokka frankly.
"Thank you," said Zuko, turning to the only friend he had who wouldn't go along with this charade.
"You have to do it, Sokka," said Katara forcefully.
"Well, if I was a girl, I guess I would think Zuko's hot," said Sokka reluctantly, squinting at Zuko and turning his head slightly. He nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, I'd bang him." Zuko turned a bright scarlet, but Sokka kept talking. "And actually, if Zuko was a girl, he'd really be stunning," said Sokka, trailing off as he imagined it. It was Suki's turn to glower at her boyfriend.
"Oh, please, continue!" said Suki sardonically.
"Nope, I'm done," replied Sokka.
"I'd like to take this time to point out that there is a female version of Zuko, and her name's Azula," said Akira. "You should go find her, Sokka."
Sokka spluttered wordlessly, and Mai looked at Suki. "What about you, Suki?" she said, almost dangerously. "You spend all day with Zuko. Don't you think he's attractive?"
"Zuko looks very noble," volunteered Suki. "He has a very regal…countenance."
"Oh, come on, tell us how you really feel," egged on Sokka.
"I am!" said Suki. She looked pleadingly at Zuko, but he spread his bandaged hands. He was helpless in this. "Zuko isn't great with words, but he has a certain charisma," continued Suki haltingly. "When he enters a room, most people look to him."
"Absolutely," agreed Akira. Without waiting for someone to ask his opinion, Akira plowed ahead. "I concur with everything you all have said here, but I don't think you've been specific enough," said Akira imperiously. His eyes swept over Zuko in a way that made Zuko vaguely uncomfortable.
"For example," said Akira boldly. "I personally quite admire the line of Zuko's collarbone. And his waist is slender, but not too slender, still quite masculine." He nodded to himself. "Good abdominals, defined. Killer jawline. Overall, Zuko, you're really hitting the ideal balance between wiry and built, in a way that many people aspire to."
Aang murmured in agreement, which Akira took as encouragement to continue.
"And your voice is husky in a somewhat-" Akira paused. "-Sensual way."
Everyone's mouths were open slightly, and even Mai was tinged red around the ears and cheekbones. Sokka glanced from Akira to Zuko, as if hoping someone would tell him what was going on.
"Well," Mai cleared her throat. "Well that was…illuminating." She turned to Zuko. "Do you believe me now?"
Zuko still wished he could sink into the floor, but his embarrassment was tinged with gratitude. "Thanks for enduring that, guys," he said, still blushing a bright pink. "I…appreciate it."
"Oh, any time, Zuko!" said Aang. He grabbed Katara's hand. "Who should we do next?"
Everyone suddenly making a thousand excuses, the group dispersed, until it was just Zuko and Mai left in the room.
"I can't believe you did all that," said Zuko to Mai, mildly in shock. It was so unlike her to pursue human contact at all.
"I just wanted you to see yourself how I do. How everyone does," said Mai. She raised an eyebrow. "And from the sound of it, I have a lot of competition I didn't account for."
"There's no competition," said Zuko, shaking his head. Gingerly, so as not to tear any of his wounds from the Agni Kai, he leaned over to kiss his fiancée. Mai met him halfway, her lips soft and warm, and both their eyes closed.