First burn

Chances

"Did you wanna tal-" Ty Lee was cut off by Zuko slamming his bedroom door on her when she followed him through the business.

"Zuko let me in buddy, I just want to talk," she knocked on the door softly.

"About what?" He cracked the door.

"I heard, everything," Ty Lee whispered sadly. His face scrunched up and closed the door again.

"I don't know why I kissed her back, I don't want anything to do with Mai," Zuko slid down the door with his hands over his eyes.

Ty Lee opened the door a little and was able to sneak herself in the room and let the door close again, she kneel down to Zuko and sat with him against the door.
He pulled his knees to his chest and rested his chin on top not looking at her.

"How much did you hear?" He whispered.

"Enough to knock Mai out, you know I don't like doing that to my friends," Ty Lee cris crossed her legs and looked at the ceiling.

He was silent.

"I heard when Mai first said she loves you," she pursed her lips admitting.

Zuko stayed quiet as he felt a burning feeling behind his eyes. His throat closing up. His body tense but shook a little.

"Do you think it's true?" Zuko forced out.

"Which part?" Ty Lee raised a brow at him.

"That she loves me?" He closed his eyes.

"No I don't think so, I think she loves having control over You, and how devoted you've been with Katara since she's been here has been driving her crazy, and if that's how she shows her love then that's not right," Ty Lee sighed playing with the ends of her hair.

Zuko nodded understanding but he could feel himself begging to cry and let it all go but he couldn't let Mai win like that.

"Your still upset, why?" She noticed.

"Because then Mai is right, no one else wants me," his voice cracked and he covered his mouth.

"I'm fine, I'm fine with being married to Katara and her not loving me, I've been fine with that before she even got here, but part of me- I don't know part of me still wished I got to..." Zuko trialed off with tears threatening to spill.

"Find love your own way, experience all those fairytales of finding your soulmate and everything that comes after?" Ty Lee offered.

He nodded.

"I think she does love You," she smiled.

"No she doesn't," he whispered.

"In a way, yes she does, she wants to be there for you, she wants to make you happy, she wants to protect, comfort, share with you, that's a love, not in love but she doesn't want anything bad to happen to you," Ty Lee turned to him with a comforting smile.

"There's Eros, philia, storge, and agape, types of love, and I'm sure there's more, she loves you as an equal but not in love with passion, and maybe that'll change," she listed on her fingers as Zuko watched.

"In a way I love you too Zuko, we've been friends since we were children, sorry to say but your like a brother to me, I love you like family," she hugged his arm with a small squeal. Zuko finally smiled a little at her.

"Really?" He asked.

"Of course! I'd never want to see anything bad happen to you, I enjoy hanging out with you, I say that's some sort of extra like," she giggled.