The fire war renaissance

Chapter 2: Peacefully III

Well, here's chapter two. I can't promise my updates will always be this close together but for the time being enjoy it.

Chapter two: Peacefully Ill

"Have any of you seen Aang? The meeting starts in less than an hour." Zuko had been running frantically through the palace looking for the Avatar, the two would usually discuss what terms they'd be on during the meeting so they wouldn't be the ones arguing when the time came to make a decision.

"I think I saw him wandering around looking for the bathroom a couple of hours ago." Mai responded, and Katara came inside just as the terms of Aang were mentioned.

"What about Aang?" She asked, taking some breakfast from the maid. Normally Katara would make breakfast herself, she rather enjoyed the past time, but she didn't mind being waited on for a little while.

"Zuko can't find him and the meeting is about to start," Mai repeated, sighing a little.

"Well he got a good night's sleep, he should be up by now. Did you check to see if he was in the courtyard?"

"Yes, about five times."

"Well how about the garden? Or the turtle-duck pond?" Zuko just nodded, Katara suspected if Aang were missing he'd be somewhere outside. She did recall him saying that he loved the palace but he still needed the fresh air only outside could provide. "Hmm, that's odd you'd think he'd be outside."

"Maybe he's exploring the palace?" Mai added. Katara and Zuko just looked around showing no indication that they had heard her, so she stood putting her plate away and heading down the long hallway. She heard some coughing near the bathroom she had last saw him in and entered without the slightest change of expressions. Just as she suspected she found him inside, looking at himself in the mirror and frequently cover his mouth to silence the violent coughs.

"I thought I'd find you I here." Mai announced, crossing her arms over her chest when the young Avatar gasped only to let out another cough.

"Oh, Mai it's you." He said in a groggy voice. He suddenly found himself blushing at his state of undress. He was only in his pants, which was normal for his gender of course, but he still didn't know Mai very well and felt a little uncomfortable with her seeing him. Aang never really had a problem with Katara seeing him in that manner from the very beginning—remembering back to when he rode the elephant Koi and willingly striped down to his underwear in the bitter winter—and when Toph joined the group he never saw it a nuisance since she couldn't "see" him anyway.

"You know everyone's looking for you." She stated and Aang just hung his head over the sink more. He was still getting used to the idea of indoor plumbing when staying at the palace, being more used to a wash basin than a sink. "I suppose the Avatar's out of commission for the day?"

"You could say that," his cheeks fluttered a little and before he knew it he was releasing the contents of last night dinner in the sink as well.

"Maybe you should get some rest?" Mai questioned, a hint of concern in her voice as she made her way more into the bathroom. Aang laughed a little self consciously.

"You sound like Katara." He marveled, smiling genuinely at the girl before him.

"Well we girl friends all act the same to some extent. Zuko can be just as stubborn as you sometimes." A mix of annoyance and amusement crossed the Avatar's face and he just let out few more of his dinner but jumped when he felt Mai's hand on his back. Strangely it felt like a mothers touch, a little similar to Katara's and then he realized that she had been right. He silently wondered if Suki was the same way. Once he was sure he was done he washed out the sink and then looked at his reflection once more.