AN: Definitely not entirely prompt compliant but it was fun to write regardless. Takes place somewhere after the events in Rebound the The Search.
Smoke
It takes much too long to clear the cooks from the kitchens, but Mai laughs as Zuko argues with them over what is or is not allowed. She's almost used to this-almost. Comforting him never came easy, and it was much harder when majority of the time she couldn't even console herself with anything by indifference. Regardless, she sighs, smiling as she steps in behind him, snaking a hand up his shoulder and giving it a light squeeze.
Like a reflex he settles, sighing as he calmly dismisses the cook, leaving the kitchen empty for the two of them.
Mai slips her hands back down, wrapping her arms around his waist before laying her head on his back. "You could have been nicer."
"She wasn't listening." Zuko huffs.
"There's a difference between not listening, and failing to understand why the Fire Lord, of all would people would want to use the kitchen."
It was his idea in the first place. With the lack of time and the constant issue of him being pulled this way and that, he wanted to prove himself, prove to her that he was still his own person, and that he could do just as many things on his own that he used to-schedules and constant advisors nipping at his heels aside.
"Well show me how to do it. Since you're so sure." Mai purrs, letting him go.
Zuko's clumsy at first, fumbling through the drawers and cabinets, only to drop a few sacks of vegetables and fruit. Before long he finally has everything he thinks he needs; flour, strawberries, rose petals, and a custard he's lucky was already prepared.
"You just-put this...and cut those up, and then you heat it."
She smiles as he wrinkles his nose, forgetting steps.
"I read it in the book, you know what I mean."
"Of course I do, Zuko." Mai says, rolling her eyes.
The longer he goes on the more he smiles. It's like watching him when he was a kid-except this is not firebending, and if he misteps there aren't any consequences or bruises to show for it later.
Zuko lights the furnace, closing the metal hatch before setting the small pan and his own makeshift fruit tart in the middle of the stone oven.
"Do the rose petals go one before or after?" He asks, walking over to lean on one of the counters.
"Dunno-I don't make them. I just eat them." Mai shrugs, settling in next to him, "So, how long does this take?"
"A half hour, and then you have to let it sit."
"Hm, and here I gave the cooks so much credit for making so many when really, it doesn't long at all."
Zuko laughs, "I think they still deserve some credit, having to make them everyday for you."
"They get paid. That's credit enough."
He leans in then, kissing her lightly, which soon progresses into him looming over her and the counter. There's more laughing that follows as Zuko's fingers slide to her waist attempting to tickle.
"So you are ticklish, you lied to me."
"I'm laughing because it's not working, you idiot."
He's forgotten how easy this was, stealing moments in seclusion, hearing her laugh for no reason at all other than the fact that it's him-just him, of all people, and he could never be proud to say it. Everything from kissing her at awkward angles, spilling things, getting every planned step in her direction wrong, and how it was completely worth it-all of these things he remembers, and thinking about them, he's never felt so irrevocably free.
Zuko snaps out of it as she speaks.
"What is it?"
"Huh? Nothing, I was just thinking about something."
Mai tilts her head.
"I love you." He says, and kisses her, smiling as he pulls away and her cheeks flush red.
"You, too. But-"
"But?"
Immediately she laughs again, hugging her middle, "You're truly an idiot."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
She breathes in sharply, holding back another chuckle as she pushes him off, pointing just behind him, "Zuko, really. Look!"
Zuko turns, seeing the smoke wafting from the oven and stumbles, tripping over low cabinets he's left open and a sack of apples. And never has Mai laughed so hard.
