Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar but do enjoy subjecting its characters to my little fancies.

Yaay, I'm on summer holidays ( after week of exams )- that's my excuse for this taking so long.

Em don't really like Mai and Zuko but all ships deserve respect and well Mai deserves this ( you'll know what I mean if you've seen the new episodes)

Fireflies

All the children ran around the garden, bare feet brushing against the cool dewy grass in the gradually dimming light. Except one. She stood under the large tree beside the pond and watched the leaves slowly fall onto the water. They were painted in reds and golds, so fitting that the royal garden should look as though it were ablaze. This child however took in none of the beauty, just stared listlessly at the ripples of the fallen leaves. The laughter of the children, the bright colours were all so faraway from her. As the sun bowed below the horizon to the bright new moon paper lanterns were lit. These attracted fireflies, which filled the night sky with a warm glow like thousands of little lanterns, carried on the warm breeze. The children chased the glowing creatures, trying to capture the light in their small hands. Two other girls, one all in pink bouncing and bubbly, the other in bright reds confident and demanding ran over. Unlike her they wore light dresses and ran and jumped around the garden.

"Come on and play with us" a big smile and a hand was offered.

Hesitation and then she shook her head.

The other girl sighed with impatience "Leave her Ty-Lee, she likes being bored and doing as she's told" and they left her.

"Mai, be a good girl, stay here and keep your nice new kimono clean" her mother's words echoed and Mai did as she was told and she was bored. She did not like it.

The little girl raised her grey eyes to watch the fireflies, she extended her arm, the long sleeve of her layered and heavy kimono falling back, to grasp one. A single step forward, but the rigid material stopped her from jumping to catch them and she fell back down to earth. Her eyes once again returning to their blank state.

"Are you alright?" a new voice, deeper but still childish, a new hand rough and calloused from burns and when she looked up a new smile, not as big but warmer. She felt her heart skip a beat as the boy moved his face closer so she could see the liquid gold shining with mild concern. He waved his hand in front of her "hello, anyone home". She felt the blush through her entire frame

"I…I…I'm fine, I fell b..but"

"I noticed, it looked like it hurt, come on" he took her arm and gently pulled her up "You really shouldn't run around in a heavy thing like that".

She looked at her feet while ringing her hands nervously,

"do you want to come join us?" he tilted his head and bent his knees so he could look up at her bowed face.

Again she shook her head "I..I Can't" the words were bitter and tick with unshed tears.

The boy sighed "Alright" and he turned and walked away. Watching his back she let one tear fall before locking them up like always. Once again she was alone, doing as she was told.

But footsteps made her look up after a while, there stood the boy, smiling. "Open your hands and close your eyes, okay".

She did as she was told and felt him close her hands around something, "Now open them".

She opened her eyes and then opened her hands a tiny bit, two brightly shining fireflies buzzed between her intertwined fingers. Her eyes lit up from more then just their light. She felt him stand behind her and take her hands slowly opening them "You have to let them go or they'll die". She watched the two fireflies dance around each other as they climbed higher into the night sky, becoming two faint points of light.

"Prince Zuko" a voice called.

"Bye" he patted her head and ran off.

Mai spent the rest of the evening watching the dancing lights, the small under used smile never left her lips.

That night dancing lights never left her dreams.

And his name never left her heart.