Mirrors of Zuko with Mai and Katara with Aang

Part 4 - Mirrors - Shard 4/11 - Lovers

He lays on her bed with his head on her lap, it's nice. He had thought aside from that fluke with the waterbender he would never be this close to someone, but here he was. The journey home was a long one, so they had taken to passing the time in her room, away from everyone else. His bed hasn't been slept in, in days but no one has made a mention of it. But now it's only a few more days before they reach the caldera, only a few more days until he's finally home. So much has happened in the last three years, Agni the last six months have been something else entirely. How much has changed at home? What happened while he was away? Zuko turns his head from its place in her lap and studies her, something Azula mentioned crosses his mind.

'You should be grateful to her, she did wait for you all this time.'

Mai feeling his gaze on her looks down from her scroll with an arched brow.

"I told you to stop worrying." her words are to the point.

"Why did you wait for me?" his curiosity apparent.

Mai's brow furrows. Damn Azula, always pressing buttons, planting, and plotting. Couldn't she just leave well enough alone for once in her royal pain in the ass life?

Mai gives pause before resting the scroll on a side table. She knows that Azula wants her to fumble and lie. To be able to hold that lie over her later when it becomes convenient to the princess. She decides to spite his sister, she decides to be honest.

"I didn't." her voice keeps its usual bored tone, "No one knew what had happened to you. Some said you were in a training accident, some said you died. It was weeks later when Azula finally told me. I found out you were banished for defying the Fire Lord and no one knew if you were ever coming back. So I moved on."

Mai sees the hurt that slips across his face before he buries it. Moving his head from her lap she comes to rest next to him pulling the thin sheet over their heads. She lays down putting them face to face in a little world of their own.

"My father knew we were close but he wanted me to court others in case you never came back. He had me sit in on boring meetings, attend tea parties and galas right up until we left for Omashu. It was miserable."

His jaw clenches at the mention of her courting others. Mai's regret of her words is eased by the satisfaction of knowing he can be jealous over her. That peasant may not be as much of a worry as she thought.

"Did you ever find anyone?" he questions her.

'Did you?' she leaves the question unasked and his unanswered.

"Zuko when you were banished, it's true I had to let you go but that doesn't matter, none of that is important anymore, " Mai rests her palm on his cheek, "because you're here now, with me."

Sliding past the questions poised on his tongue, Mai kisses him before he can respond and reaches for his sash. Zuko wanted to know more but not at the cost of this fragile affection he had found. He gives in to her touch kissing her back and wrapping his arms around her.

/|\

Katara lets the water slip from her hands into the bowl beside the bed. Her multiple attempts to untangle it have only begun to loosen the twisted energy below Aangs skin.

"Katara." her name tinged with sorrow slips from his lips.

"What is it Aang?" she asks him tenderly.

The boy in front of her carries the world on his back and all she is able to do is protect him the best she can.

He hesitates as a pained expression passes over his face but continues anyway, "When I met with Guru Pathik he taught me about mastering the Avatar state. He said to do so I had to open my chakras, and I was able to do it. I opened all of them. Except for the last one." he looks up at her pleadingly for what she doesn't know, "I couldn't do it. It meant I would have to give up my earthly attachments and I couldn't just let go. How could he expect me to do that?"

"Is that so bad?" her question carries that gentle tone she's reserved for just him.

"It is. Opening the last chakra meant giving up on you in those caves, it meant not caring if you lived or died." Aang explained, his voice barely above a whisper, carries shame.

Katara's hurt flashes across her face before she buries it.

"You have to do that every time you try to enter the Avatar state?" she asks him carefully.

Aang just nods sadly. She quickly kneels in front of him and takes his hands in hers.

"Aang, you're the Avatar, and saving the world from this war, that comes before anything else and will ultimately be bigger than the friendship we've built. Even when that happens, I promise, I will still be here for you."

"Friendship, right." the sardonic words are buried under his breath.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, are you mad at me?" he looks at her with wide eyes.

She gives him a soft understanding look.

"Of course not, I could never be mad at you for that Aang." she hugs him for a moment before looking down at him, "Come on, let's get some dinner."

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