Chapter 7: Teasing

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Mai's heart pounded in her ears. Time was slipping by: soon the marriage would be consummated. All her dreams were that much closer to coming true.

"You're nervous," Topekaia teased.

"I'm not," Mai said defensively, frowning at Topekaia.

"You're trembling, have a knife in each hand," Topekaia gave her a wet towel, "and you're also sweating."

Mai glanced in the mirror, finding Topekaia's words to be true. "I don't know why I'm nervous," she finally said.

"I might know. You don't know what to expect. It scares you because all your life you've known what would happen to you as a matter of course. And now, your whole future is changing. Not only that, but every bride gets just a bit nervous."

Mai was relieved to see the rest of the bridal party enter, knowing that Topekaia would have just kept on explaining Mai's own emotions otherwise.

"Now it's time for us to annoy the Angry Lord!" Toph laughed as she entered the room. "We're going to make this one of the most difficult things he's ever done!"

"Don't forget embarrassing!" Suki added.

"What are you planning?" Mai asked, hoping to calm her own nerves. "The tradition only specifies that you need to keep me from him for a little while until he begs me from you. Not that you need to humiliate him."

"We shouldn't tell you. It would ruin the effect. We all want to humiliate him." Katara gave Mai a look that could have proven to anyone that she was Sokka's sister.

There were several raps at the door. "I'm here for my wife!" Zuko's voice called.

"Then open the door!" Katara shouted.

Mai folded her arms, crossed her legs and leaned back. "This is going to take a long time."

"Open this locked door?" Zuko sounded frustrated.

"You break in!" Suki teased. "Come get her if you really want her!"

"You're going to make him angry," Mai commented.

"Don't worry," Katara winked, "we've dealt with his temper before."

Mai shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

There was rhythmic pounding at the door. "Unlock this door! I want Mai!"

Mai laughed. This farce of her friends' was actually amusing.

"Convince us," Toph laughed.

There was a momentary silence while Zuko thought. "Won't you have more fun when I'm actually in the room?"

Topekaia gasped as a grin crossed her face. She leaned over to Katara, whispering something that made Katara's grin match her own.

Katara motioned to Topekaia, who approached Mai.

"Just a minute, Zuko!" Katara called sweetly.

"I don't like that tone, Katara. What are you doing?" Zuko demanded.

"Nothing." Katara's tone didn't change.

Topekaia dragged Mai into the closet, shutting the door silently. "Quick! Put this on!" Topekaia held up a skimpy, silky, black two-piece embroidered with flames and a phoenix.

Mai's face went hot. "But—"

"Quick!" Topekaia began undressing Mai yet again. "When he finds you, he'll go crazy!"

"He's already—"

"Hurry up!" Topekaia needed no help from the somewhat catatonic Mai. If left to her own devices, she would never move. That was unacceptable. Besides, Topekaia was just dying to see the Fire Lord's reaction, even though she was aware of Mai's discomfort. Even on the beach Mai covered up more than this.

"Where is she?" Zuko's voice reverberated around the room. "What sort of prank is this?"

Topekaia grinned. "Fire Lord!" She swung open the door. "Here is your wife, ready and waiting."

Mai felt horribly exposed.

The groom's party began to laugh.

Mai blushed and retreated into the shadows. "Just stop this, Kaya," she whispered. "Let me get my own clothes on."

"These are your clothes," Topekaia said innocently.

Zuko ran into the closet. "Mai, it's all—"

"Hold on, Mr. Fire Lord. You know the rules." Topekaia stepped in between Zuko and Mai.

Katara and Suki joined Topekaia.

"No touching until we say you can," Suki said.

Zuko growled. "You can't let her stay like that…"

"Sokka, Aang, Haru, shut up!" Katara shouted.

Sokka shook his head. "Mai looks great and all Zuko wants to do is kiss her, but he isn't even allowed to touch her!"

Zuko glared at Sokka. "And you think it's funny?"

"Yes!" Sokka replied. "Now beg for your wife!"

Zuko's eyes slid up and down Mai's body. "I think begging would be worth it."

Mai squirmed in the darkness.

"As your first challenge," Katara began, "you must dance to my satisfaction."

"Dance?" Those of the Fire Nation nobility and royalty were horrified.

"You heard right." Katara leaned against the doorframe. "You dance until I tell you you're done."

"Are you sure you want to see Zuko dance?" Iroh asked.

"Yep," Katara said, grinning broadly.

"I'm definitely going to draw a picture of this!" Sokka laughed.

"That's all I need," Zuko muttered.

Mai started laughing in the closet. "Go ahead, Zuzu," she said.

Zuko grimaced. "All… right…"

"I will provide music!" Iroh announced proudly.

Zuko looked over at his uncle as if he had just announced that he would be providing entertainment at Zuko's execution.

Iroh retrieved a tsungi horn from a servant in the hall. He began to play.

Zuko closed his eyes, already embarrassed, though he hadn't even started moving. He opted to dance through his usual firebending forms.

Mai laughed louder than anyone, and had to stop watching so she could control herself. She'd been breaking her mask way too much recently.

"All right, that's enough," Katara said, as soon as she'd managed to suppress her laughter.

Zuko stopped immediately, opening his eyes and focusing them on Mai. As soon as he did, he found himself relaxed. He looked around expectantly.

"Everyone, to the edges of the room!" Toph commanded.

Zuko almost joined the rest, but something in Toph's reaction told him not to.

"Walk over here," Toph ordered him.

Zuko hesitantly began to walk towards Toph.

The ground beneath his feet shifted.

"Hurry up, Angry Lord!" Toph called teasingly.

Zuko wondered for a moment why he'd ever agreed to such a large room as Toph forced him into a jog.

The floor beneath him became rougher and rougher.

Mai took in a few sharp breaths.

"Calm down, Sunshine," Toph said, nearly tripping Zuko.

"I'm going to get to you, Mai!" Zuko said as he jumped over a wave-like wrinkle Toph shot through the floor.

Deftly, Zuko flipped over it, landing in front of Toph with a smirk of satisfaction. "I win," he said.

Toph frowned as she smoothed out the floor again.

Ty Lee leaped in front of Zuko. "Do a handstand."

"You know I can," Zuko said irritably.

"In your wedding robes?" Ty Lee asked, her eyes glittering.

Zuko sighed. "I see your point." He backed up and did a handstand. A few seconds later, he was on his feet again. "Done."

Ty Lee shrugged. "I guess he's right."

Topekaia snapped her fingers, then pulled Katara, Suki, Ty Lee and Toph into a huddle, carefully blocking the closet door. They giggled and separated.

"We all have a challenge for you," Katara stated.

"What is it?" Zuko asked, wincing.

"Tell us why you fell in love with Mai," Ty Lee said, clapping in excitement and hopping around.

"And why you still love her!" Katara held up two fingers, one for each part of the challenge.

"In detail!" all the girls demanded in unison.

"Oh…" Zuko moaned. "I guess I can do that."

"This will be interesting," Iroh said, setting the tsungi horn aside and sitting beside it.

"How much do you wanna bet he can't get his words out?" Sokka asked.

"I bet you a new sword, young warrior," Iroh retorted with a sly grin.

"You're on! And for you… a collection of Water Tribe poetry!"

"You are on, as well!" Iroh laughed.

"Well… I… thought she was pretty. It's just that for a really long time, I was afraid of getting to close to her because of Azula. Mai was always with Azula."

"And me!" Ty Lee piped in.

"My point exactly," Zuko shrugged.

Ty Lee pondered this.

"I guess you can call that a crush, but I didn't do anything about it. Then my parents started talking about getting me betrothed."

"I don't remember that," Mai said with a slight frown.

"Yeah, that's because I never told you about it," Zuko shrugged. "It was starting to bug me. They were talking about sifting through all the noblewomen in the Fire Nation for someone. And here I was, with two girls in the courtyard every day, and I'd never talked to them. That's when I started talking to Mai…"

"And you started to love her?" Ty Lee interrupted.

"Um… not yet. Let me finish, will you?"

Ty Lee clapped a hand over her mouth and seated herself next to Haru.

"I then realized that she was different from Azula and Ty Lee, and started seeing a lot of myself in her… just different."

"Aaw…" Katara, Suki, Ty Lee and even Aang chimed in.

Zuko gave each of them a quieting look before continuing. "So I found excuses to be with her. Eventually, I was told that I had an influence on who I was betrothed to, being the prince and all. So I asked for Mom to arrange something with Mai's mom."

"You did?" Mai peeked out from behind her friends. "Mom told me she'd done it."

"Mom had an interesting way of convincing people to do what she wanted. She told me your mom never saw it coming." Zuko snickered a bit.

Mai shook her head.

"So then you were in love?" Ty Lee prodded.

"I don't think so. I just knew that if I was going to have to spend the rest of my life with someone, it ought to be someone I could actually tolerate for more than five minutes."

"So when…" Ty Lee nagged.

"I wasn't old enough to actually love anyone, Ty Lee. But you and Azula with your crazy pranks definitely helped."

"Hooray!" Ty Lee began to dance around. "I told you, Mai! I told you I wasn't wasting my time!"

"You are now," Mai said with a sigh. "You can keep going, Zuko."

"Because you like hearing it?" Ty Lee ventured.

"Because I'm bored with your celebrations," Mai snapped, shooting Ty Lee's rising balloon of happiness out of the sky.

"I think I loved her when I was twelve," Zuko said finally. "Which gave us a year before I was banished."

"Has he talked enough?" Mai asked.

"Yeah, I think so," Katara said. "It was good listening, though."

"Am I done, now?" Zuko asked, stepping closer to the girls, trying to get around them.

Katara and Topekaia nodded simultaneously. "You've earned her," they said. They stepped out of the way.

Zuko eyed the bared flesh of Mai's midriff. He reached hesitantly for her, unsure of what Mai would permit, having seen her wearing so little only a few times.

Mai sighed, rolled her eyes, and walked into his arms.

Both members of the couple sighed contentedly.

"Time for step two!" Sokka announced.

"On the bed, you two!" Toph and Aang used earthbending to push Mai and Zuko onto the marriage bed.

Mai let out a little yelp, landing in Zuko's arms. "The floor!" she protested, trying to draw attention from the fact that all her friends were staring at her in bed with her new husband.

"Don't worry, Sunshine, I'll fix your nice marble floors." True to her word, Toph flattened the floor back into place.

"The floor is the least of your worries now," Ty Lee said. "Now we get until midnight to boss you both around!" She clapped. "Can I do the first one?" she begged with her puppy eyes.

"I don't have a problem with that," Sokka shrugged.

"I do," Mai moaned.

"She was bound to do something eventually," Zuko muttered in her ear.

"I say you both have to get in a… tickle fight!"

"What?" Mai and Zuko stared.

"You heard me!" Ty Lee giggled. "So get to it! Tickle! Now!"

Mai's mouth fell open to protest, but suddenly Zuko's hands were on her. She squealed. "What are you—?"

"Tickling you, of course! You going to let me do it all?" Zuko was tickling up and down Mai's ribs, making absolutely sure he steered clear of uncharted territory.

Mai gasped for air between her bouts of laughter. Zuko had never done this to her before, and to tell the truth, it was driving her nuts. The thought of tickling Zuko back was the last thing on her mind.

"Come on, Mai, are you going to take that?" Ty Lee mocked Zuko's tone from a summer not so far away.

"I wasn't planning on it," Mai gasped, right before giggling again. "But I'm sort of immobile."

Zuko looked up at Ty Lee. "Done?"

"Done," Ty Lee said with a nod.

Iroh stepped forward.

"Oh, no!" Zuko hid Mai behind himself.

"Niece, Nephew, I want Zuko to show how much he's learned from my speeches."

"You don't mean everything…" Zuko's face was suddenly paler than Mai's.

Iroh's laugh echoed through the room. "No, Nephew, not everything. Merely a demonstration. I need to see that you have your priorities in order."

Zuko turned to Mai, losing all inhibitions as he did so. He pushed her down on the pillows and commenced kissing her. Ignoring the giggles and hoots and whoops, Zuko began undoing Mai's hair. "Topekaia," he said hoarsely as he pulled away, "why did you have to make this hair style so difficult?"

"She wanted elegance," Topekaia shrugged.

Mai's fingers were tangled in Zuko's hair. "I don't have that problem," she was trying to be smug, but her voice was too breathy and deep to manage it.

"Are we allowed to stop yet, Uncle? If not, I'm going to have to toss you all out."

"You're done, Nephew. I can see your wife will not be disappointed."

Zuko sat up, allowing Mai to keep her arms locked around his neck, silently gleeful. "I won't be disappointed, either."

"I've got one!" Katara exclaimed. "Zuko, braid Mai's hair!"

Mai snorted.

"What? You don't think I can do it?" Zuko looked mildly offended.

"Maybe you can. Did you play dress-up with Azula, too?" Mai snorted again.

Zuko groaned. "No. Get over here." Not waiting, Zuko restarted undoing Mai's hair. "Why did you get Topekaia to make this so difficult again? Didn't you know I'd want to see your hair down?" he whispered.

"Oh, sorry, I just thought I should look special on our wedding day."

Despite Zuko's best efforts, he was pulling her hair. The faces Mai was making in response proved an undying source of entertainment to the wedding party.

"Stop it," Zuko said. "Any of you want to try?"

"Sure," said Sokka. "Her hair looks so pretty." He put on a mocking face. "I'm sure it feels so nice to play with it." He began walking toward Mai, his hands reaching for her.

Zuko glared at him. "It does. But I'm not letting you." Zuko tossed hair pins into a steadily growing pile at the foot of the bed, but carefully placed the new Fire Lady's crown on the bedside table, making sure to lean over her, so they could touch as much as possible. "Well, that's done," Zuko said contentedly, combing Mai's hair with his fingers. "I may just do this for a while."

Mai sighed, enjoying the feeling.

"No, you won't!" Katara smirked. "I said braid!"

Zuko frowned. "Thanks for ending my fun, Katara." He separated Mai's hair into two sections, staring at each one of them in puzzlement as he pondered what should be done next.

"You have no idea what to do, do you?" Ty Lee teased.

"You can stop now," Mai told him.

"No, I'm going to get this!" He began twisting the two sections of hair together. He stopped. "This doesn't look right."

"You're supposed to divide it into three parts, Zuko," Mai sighed. Zuko had pulled her hair so taught that tension was building up on her scalp.

"Oh." Zuko undid his work and began again with three parts. He randomly twisted the three parts together until all of it was done. "I did it!" he said victoriously.
"Um, ow!" Mai scrambled away as much as possible, finally getting some relief.

She began furiously undoing Zuko's tangled knot.

"I'm sorry, Mai!" Zuko reached for her.

Mai pushed him away. "You just leave me alone. My hair is a wreck. You just don't know when to stop!"

"I'm sorry!" Katara put her hands to her mouth in horror. She looked to Aang for back up.

"Mai, Zuko didn't mean to hurt you! It's your wedding night, don't let this ruin it!" Aang attempted, not wanting a fight to erupt.

Mai looked up at Aang. "Oh, I'll calm down. I know my duty. I just don't want him to touch me until he has to."

Zuko put his arms out for her. "I promise I'll be more careful with you. I just want to touch my bride!" When Mai remained motionless, Zuko folded his arms. "Next?"

"Mai! I challenge you to forgive Zuko and kiss him!" Ty Lee said brightly.

"Thank you, Ty Lee!" Zuko smiled at her, then turned expectantly to Mai.

"Aren't you going to accept the challenge? You know you have to."

Mai stopped undoing her hair. "I'll forgive you for being inconsiderate and hurting me. But I do not feel inclined to kiss you right now."

"What?" Zuko's face fell. "Mai! Please!"

"You're just saying that because of what I'm wearing."

"You were enjoying it just as much as I was only a few minutes ago," Zuko accused.

"Yeah, well, that was before I realized you were so rough. I'm not giving you another chance."

Zuko bit his lip.

"My challenge still stands, Mai," Ty Lee said, tapping her foot. "If you don't hurry up, I'll come over there and paralyze you, then the rest of us will leave so Zuko can take over."

Zuko creased his brow, watching Ty Lee for any sudden movements.

Mai sighed, turning to Zuko. "I give up," she said, and then she kissed his lips lightly.

Zuko was not satisfied. He put his hands behind Mai's head and pulled her in closer, attempting to deepen the kiss.

Mai resisted. She wasn't in the mood for this… but Zuko was so insistent. Her defenses collapsed. She'd been mad for no reason. It was definitely time for her to apologize. She not only gave in but responded.

Understanding the apology, Zuko broke for air. "I'm still sorry," he said.

"So am I," Mai offered a small smile.

The wedding party sent up a collective cheer that served to embarrass Mai and embolden Zuko.

A mischievous glint entered Aang's eyes. It was so powerful that those who knew him well were shocked. "You see, I have these feathers," he said, taking a step closer to Zuko and Mai. "And I just think it would be so much fun…" Nobody had been paying attention to the large sack of feathers Aang had been carrying with him. As soon as he aimed it at Zuko and Mai, his friends realized he'd been planning this one for a while as he airbended the feathers at the couple until they were covered in them.

"What is this?" Zuko sputtered as he tried to clear his face of the feathers.

"I want you two to clean each other off. By hand."

Zuko grinned. "I like it." He began to pick feathers out of Mai's hair, shoulders… and stopped. "Permission?" he asked sheepishly.

"Go on," Mai sighed, "You are my husband now, anyway."

Zuko excitedly began to pick feathers off of Mai's chest, then travelled her whole length gleefully. "Your turn!" he said when he couldn't find any more feathers.

"Fine." Mai tried to keep to her old ways, but once her hands made contact with Zuko's chest and felt his heart beat going wild, she decided against it. Soon she was just as enthusiastic, and just as finished. "I'm done, too," she said.

"The hour of midnight is swiftly approaching," Iroh said.

"What does that mean?" Aang asked.

"It means you're all going to have to leave us alone," Zuko said with a smirk, brushing his fingers along Mai's side.

"Stop that, it tickles," Mai whispered.

Zuko smirked again, ignoring her.

Mai huffed, trying to ignore him. "Does anyone else have something to make us do?"

The guests looked at each other.

"I don't have anything," they all said one after another.

With every time someone said they didn't have anything, Zuko's grin grew. "If there's nothing else…" Zuko's fingers were more enthusiastic on Mai's skin now.

Ty Lee giggled. "Come on, everyone! A royal marriage isn't official until it's consummated!" She cheerfully pushed the rest of the wedding party out of the room. "Have fun, you two!" she called over her shoulder as she shut the door.

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Mai smirked and slid off the bed.

"Hey, wait!" Zuko was bewildered. "What are you doing?"

Mai turned a smile on Zuko. "Come and get me, Lord Husband." She began to carelessly play with her hair.

Zuko got up and walked hesitantly to her, arms outstretched, ready to catch hold of her. "What is this?" he asked again, his eyes following her hands in her hair.

"I'm only making this fun." Mai shrugged, ducking around Zuko. "Why don't you catch me? Are you a bad hunter?"

Zuko growled. "Mai! This is torture! Can't it be fun if you let me catch you?"

Mai stopped near the bed. "Maybe," she said with a shrug.

"I've been chasing you around all day!" Zuko complained. "I just want to have you with me now!"

Mai laughed. "You're getting tired of the game now?"

"Yes!" Zuko tried to grab her again. "Mai!"

Mai laughed as she jumped into Zuko's arms. "I love you," she said.

Zuko blinked. "Remind me again: have you ever said that before?"

"Not in so many words," Mai said, arranging Zuko's arms around her.

"Why now?" Zuko was still stunned.

"Would you rather I take it back?" Mai asked, beginning to pull out of her husband's arms.

"N-no!" Zuko held Mai tightly. "Just… I guess our wedding night was a good time…"

Mai laughed. "I'm all yours," she whispered, more serious now.

"Sit down." Zuko found that his voice was strained.

Mai did as she was told, sitting on the bed. "What now?"

"Wait a second while I decide." Zuko brushed his hands up and down Mai's sides. "All right, here it goes." Zuko closed his eyes, a hand at the back of Mai's head, guiding her mouth to his. He tried to be slow and gentle, but Mai hurried him along several times. "You're proving Uncle wrong," he grunted to her.

"Who says he always has to be right?" Mai laughed, shifting out of Zuko's reach again.

"I thought that game was over!" Zuko moaned, trying to pull her back.

"All right, all right, I'll be good." Mai came back.

"Much better…" Zuko trailed off.

"For now," Mai giggled.

"Mai!"

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Many thanks to the people whose reviews added sunshine to our week: gloomy maiko lover, Kimjuni2, Millie, and Silvereyes12.