I'm going to be really busy in the near future so i may not be able to update everyday but I'm still working on this and two other stories.
Maypl Bougher- I'm sorry, please continue to point out when i miss one, I'm really sorry about it. I"m really glad that you like my story so much!
spatterson- i started going through your story and i had some time yesterday so i wrote the zuko meeting mai scene, i slightly revised i think 3 parts in the first three chapters, i only changed wording so it made more sense. I can start posting it as early as tomorrow(as long as i have time to update this story too) four questions, is the title 'Sleeping Mai' or did you have something else in mind? What rating do you want it have? and do you want to write the little summary thing or do you want me to? i'm fine with either way. DO you want me to post all of the story's chapters at once or update once a day? again either is fine with me, its your story and i want to make sure that whatever you want, happens.
pokemonjkl- love your reviews because they always sound like the narrator at the end of a radio drama, i appreciate it!
You spent a majority of the day wandering around the temple, fixing things when you could and trying to avoid everyone. You needed some time alone to think about what you were going to say to Zuko, because, 'hey I love you but you're a jerk so I don't know why I love you but I do, but I can't trust you so we can't be together, did I mention that you're a jerk and I can't stop thinking about you' was not going to work.
Unfortunately the whole avoiding people thing didn't work too well either; you played a game with Smellerbee and Longshot. You were glad to see them finally acting like kids, and you could have sworn you heard Longshot audibly laugh. Teo, Haru and the The Duke needed your help cleaning the main common area, which you didn't mind, it was in complete ruin and it would have to be cleaned up sooner or later. Then Aang asked you to meditate with him, so you just couldn't say no to that. Kaito kept fussing over you because of the whole almost falling to your death thing. You were a bit surprised that you barely saw Daisuke, but you brushed it off, he knew you wanted to be alone anyway; he was probably just giving you some space. And to make everything worse Jet was following you around like a lost puppy, it was really getting on your nerves. While you know Jet has your best interest at heart, you also know that he hates Zuko, and hates that you love Zuko. Plus he's been making your decisions for you, which have been really pissing you off.
By the time dinner was being served you were exhausted, you even thought about going to right bed after dinner. Besides you weren't able to think of what you were going to say to Zuko, you could talk to him tomorrow.
Everyone sat in a circle around the fire. You were sitting between your brothers, Jet was next to Daisuke and Zuko was across from you. You tried to not look at Zuko fearing that he would be looking at you. Kaito had made a beef stew, and it smelled delicious. Hopefully the food will get your mind off things.
"…So then I jumped up and Longshot was shooting arrows everywhere…" you tried to tune out Jet's story, you could feel a headache starting.
(Zuko's POV)
You spent the day resting in your room and thinking about what you were going to say to Kana. You practiced what you were going to say over and over but you continued to mess up and get frustrated with yourself. At least that badgerfrog wasn't here to mock you.
At dinner you sat directly across from Kana, you couldn't take your eyes off of her, she was as beautiful as you remembered, all you wanted to do was hold her, but she wouldn't even look at you.
Jet was telling a story but you tuned it out, at least he wouldn't be glaring at you for a while.
Even though you had no idea what you would say to Kana, you were going to talk to her after dinner anyway.
"Hey Kana! You never told us how you and Jet broke out the boiling rock," Smellerbee said.
"Wait really?" Haru said, "I heard no one has ever escaped from there"
"We were the first" Jet said proudly, it made you want to punch him, but you held back, it wouldn't be a good idea to punch him in front of everyone. "We make a great team," he added as he gazed at Kana. Maybe punching him in front of everyone wouldn't be so bad?
"How did you escape?" Aang asked.
"I was fairly easy actually" Kana said honestly, "I was under high security, so I was only allowed out in the yard for one hour a day, I fell into a routine, wake up, get harassed by guards, go out in the yard for an hour, eat food, then get interrogated by the warden. One day Jet came up to me in the yard and we started making plans. We used their routine to our advantage because everyday at the same time two guards would bring me to the warden. On the day we escaped Jet was cleaning the hall the guards always brought me through, so we just knocked them out, went up to the lift and hid under the lift until the guard shifts changed and the lift took us out. It was surprisingly easy" she finished. You looked away feeling ashamed, you should have never let them take her there. Kana deserved better.
"You left out all of the good parts!" Jet said, then he started to tell everyone all the parts Kana left out.
Once dinner was over, all of the kids left to go play, Kana hung back to help Kaito, Daisuke, Aang, Toph, Sokka and Katara clean up. Jet hung back to watch Kana.
'I really hate that guy' you thought in anger.
You waited until Kana was finished cleaning, you saw jet about to walk over to Kana but you got to her first.
"Kana wait" you said as you absentmindedly grabbed her hand. She turned around wide-eyed staring at your hand. Realizing that you made her uncomfortable by grabbing her hand, you quickly let go. "I'm sorry, I mean, can you wait a minute, I want to talk to you… I mean, if that's alright with you?" you questioned. She just stared at you. You could feel everyone else either staring or glaring at you. When she didn't respond you said "Is it alright? Or I can wait in my room, so you can talk to me when you're ready… I mean I don't want to push you, but I would really like to talk to you…" you rambled nervously.
She cut you off "Zuko, shut up" she paused for a moment than said, "We can talk."
You smiled, it wasn't much but it was a chance!
"Kaito, Jet I need some help, we need to go into town! Right now!" Daisuke yelled to them.
"God he's so embarrassing" Kana mumbled.
"I'm not leaving" Jet said defiantly. Kaito then threw Jet over his shoulder as he followed Daisuke out of the room with Jet kicking and screaming. Kana laughed at the scene they made.
Aang quickly got everyone else out of the room, and soon you and Kana were left alone.
"Come on, let's sit" Kana said as she led you to a half destroyed bench near the completely destroyed fountain.
The two of you sat in silence, you had no idea what to say. You looked at Kana, her bright red hair looked maroon in the moonlight, she was looking at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. She looked so nervous.
"Zuko" she said, "Zuko!" She said a little louder. You were so distracted you barely noticed that she was now looking right at you. "Zuko I thought you wanted to talk" she said sounding a bit annoyed.
"I do…" you paused to gather your thoughts, but it didn't work that well so you blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "I love you"
Kana sighed; "I know," she looked away.
"Do you love me?" you asked quietly. You began to panic. What if she said no?
Kana looked at you and said, "Of course I do you big jerk"
You bit your lip trying to contain your happiness, she still loves you, Kana still loves you. "Will you be my girlfriend again?" you asked suddenly confidant.
"Zuko I can't" Kana whispered as she looked at the floor again. Her hair fell in front of her face.
You jumped up and kneeled in front of her trying to see Kana's face. "Why not?" you asked as you tried to wipe a tear off of her cheek.
Kana flinched away and looked at you, her eyes were red and puffy. You could feel tears forming in your own eyes. You hated yourself for making Kana cry. "Are you forgetting all the things you put me through, Zuko you left me in Ba-Sing-Se, you sided with Azula and you let me and my brothers be captured."
"I tried to free you"
"I know, Daisuke told me, but it doesn't change that you left me" her voice held betrayal.
"I know I messed up, I want to make it up to you." You were still kneeling in front of Kana. You grabbed her hands and held them over your heart, "Kana I love you, how can I fix everything?" you asked.
Kana stood up and pulled her hands away, leaving you kneeling, you turned to look at her. "Oh Zuko its complicated" she sighed.
"Why does it have to be, I love you, and you said that you still love me, I don't see a problem?" you said innocently.
"Zuko you don't understand, you can be so sweet sometimes but you never think anything through"
"I know how I feel about you, isn't that enough?"
"Oh Zuko" she mumbled. "It's complicated, I don't know how to explain it."
You could feel your temper starting to get the best of you. You tried to ignore it. "I don't understand why it's complicated."
Kana stayed silent, you weren't sure if she was thinking or crying but it pushed your temper too far. "Why don't you kiss your new boyfriend?" you mumbled spitefully.
Kana looked at you, "what did you just say?" she asked in disbelief. Her voice was venomous.
"Why don't you kiss your new boyfriend" you said again but louder, "I mean you had no problem kissing Jet in front of me, and you danced with him on Ember Island" You immediately regretted saying that before you finished saying it.
"That's what this is about" Kana said angrily as walked back over to you. "You really think Jet is my boyfriend," she said sarcastically. "There is a huge difference between me kissing Jet and Jet kissing me" she paused, "I don't even know why I'm explaining myself to you."
All you got out of that was that Kana isn't dating Jet. "So Jet isn't your boyfriend?"
You asked quietly. To be honest you've only see Kana this mad a few times and it was never directed at you. It was terrifying; you'd rather fight your father and Azula in an agni kai at the same time.
Kana's beautiful features softened, "No, of course not" she said. "We're friends, it kind of happens when you break out of prison"
"I don't like him"
"I realize that, you make it pretty obvious" Kana said with a laugh.
"I missed your laugh," you blurted out.
(Daisuke's POV)
"Burn! Sick burn!" Kaito yelled as he laughed at Jet. "Because you know they're firebenders"
"Shut up!" Jet growled clearly annoyed.
"Do you two even know how to be quiet?" you hissed at them
"Your jokes are worse than Sokka's" Toph said.
"Hey I'm the bad joke guy!" Sokka yelled.
You, Kaito, Daisuke, Aang, Sokka, Toph and Katara were on the balcony above the common area where Kana and Zuko were talking. You felt bad for watching but you couldn't help it.
(Kana's POV)
You sat on the bench again and looked at Zuko. "Zuko" you mumbled, "you make this so difficult"
"I'm making it difficult?" Zuko questioned curiously.
You smiled, "You're being so sweet and adorable and all I want to do is kiss when I should really slap you"
"I probably deserve that"
"The slap?"
"The kiss" Zuko said with a grin.
"Alright" you said as you leaned towards him.
"Really" he looked shocked, but leaned towards you.
You nodded, "close your eyes" you whispered. Once Zuko closed his eyes and leaned in, you slapped him so hard he almost fell over.
He yelped in pain, as Zuko regained his composure he mumbled, "I guess I deserve that."
"If you ever leave me like you did in Ba-Sing-Se, I'll let my brothers kill you" you said simply. Then you leaned in and lightly but sweetly kissed Zuko, it took a second for him to realize that you kissed him, and the innocent kiss only lasted a few seconds. When you pulled away and opened your eyes, Zuko still had his eyes closed and he had a silly look on your face.
"What just happened?" he mumbled. "I'm confused," he said as he opened his eyes.
You giggled, "I've wanted to do that for a while" you admitted.
"I think we should do it again"
"I think we have more to talk about" you motioned for him to sit next to you, which he did almost instantly. "Zuko you lost my trust, I love you but how can I be with you if I don't trust you?"
Zuko looked down feeling ashamed, "I'll do whatever it takes to get your trust" Zuko said seriously.
The two of you just looked at each other for a moment. You missed being close to Zuko, you wanted things to go back to how they were but you knew it wouldn't be that easy.
"So where does this leave us" Zuko asked timidly as he grabbed your hand and squeezed it, he was surprised when you squeezed back.
"I guess we take it slow?" you asked, unsure of yourself.
"I'd like that" Zuko replied with a smile, you couldn't help but smile at him. "So do I still get to kiss you?"
You laughed, "Not until tomorrow"
Zuko pouted, "This is punishment, isn't it?" you just smiled. "Yep this is punishment. Do I at least get to call you my girlfriend?" you nodded a yes.
The two of you stayed silent for a while, just enjoying each other's company. You looked up at the clear night sky, just like you did so many nights. This time you didn't have to wonder if Zuko was looking at it too. You smiled.
After a few minutes Zuko spoke, "Kana theirs something else I have to tell you," you gave him a curious look so he continued, "I met your biological father"
"What?" you said in disbelief.
"Well actually I already knew him" Zuko rambled.
"Zuko, tell me about him!" you nearly jumped on him in excitement.
"He's in charge of protecting the royal family, he thought you were dead until he saw you at the execution. I've known him for as long as I can remember, he's a very nice man but he always looked sad." Zuko said.
You could hardly believe it, but you had two terrible thoughts. "Zuko" he looked at you, suddenly all of your excitement was gone. "Where's my biological mother? And why didn't they want me?" you asked in a small voice.
Zuko looked away and took a deep breath, "You're mother was heading to the colonies to introduce you to her family, General Sung, your father, couldn't get leave, so she went alone. The boat was stopped on an island to refuel when it was attacked. Your mother was killed, and your father thought you were too"
"That must be when mom and dad found me," you said in shock. You couldn't believe it. You had never had any interest in finding your real parents but now that you know your father is alive and that they didn't just abandon you, you really wanted to meet him.
(Daisuke's POV)
"Kana's biological father is still alive," you repeated in disbelief. You looked at Kaito he was just as shocked as you.
"What if she wants to leave?" Kaito asked.
You shook your head not wanting to think about it. It was one thing to see your baby sister in love with the fire prince, it was another thing to find out that her biological father was the head of security for the royal family. What if she wanted to leave?