After the war

Tales of team Avatar

The tale of Mai:

"Mai?" The black haired girl looked down at her little brother as she heard him calling her. She sat down with him and placed him on her lap. With him being four and only coming halfway up to her shin this wasn't a difficult feat.

"Yeah?" She interlaced her fingers with his tiny little hands and wrapped her arm around him.

"Why doesn't Zuzu visit our house anymore?" Mai couldn't help but smile at the way her little brother pronounced the Firelord's name.

"Zuko came to our house because we really, really liked each other, and then he stopped coming to our house because we realised we didn't like each other as much anymore" Mai's heart grew heavy with regret at what she had done to Zuko.

"Hug Mai?" Even though he was only four, Tom-Tom still knew when his big sister was upset and he reached his little arms out to Mai in an attempt to console her.

"Hug Tom-Tom" Mai smiled as she cradled her little brother in her arms.

They sat there for a few more hours. At one point Tom-Tom got hold of one of the knives in the scabbard inside Mai's sleeves. She supervised while he held the throwing knife and she taught him how to hold it properly. She decided throwing them could wait until he was older.

However, he did ask to see her throwing the knives so she decided to show off for him and drew three crosses on a sheet of paper. She pinned the paper to the wall at the far end of the room.

Mai sat her little brother out of the way and stood at the opposite wall to the paper. She drew the knives out of her scabbard. Three in one hand. Mai lined up the shot and narrowed her eyes.

She threw the knives and each one embedded its point into the designated crosses.

Mai smiled as she looked at her little brother clapping and went to retrieve the knives.

"Mai, I wanna throw the knives like you" Mai could feel her heart being pulled as she looked down at the shining awe in her brother's eyes and she smiled.

Eventually Mai had to leave for the tea she had been invited for by Zuko the day before. She said farewell to Tom-Tom and her mother and made her way to the palace.

The tale of Zuko:

"Your Majesty, are you listening?"

Zuko's head snapped up as he realised he'd been staring at Sokka and not listening to the meeting.

The Firelord had been staring at his boyfriend because today Sokka had neglected to put his hair up, and had decided to wear his new Fire Nation clothes. Zuko was absolutely fascinated with how good Sokka looked in the red clothing.

"Your Majesty?"

"Yes, my apologies General Layre, I didn't get much sleep last night" Zuko smiled half heartedly at the master of affairs as she frowned up at him.

The meeting droned on into the evening and when it was finished Zuko and Sokka sat in the dining room. Sokka was sat in a chair with his face on the table. Zuko sat straight up with his head back, staring up at the ceiling.

"Ugh, that went on forever" Sokka groaned, his voice muffled by the table.

"That was horrendous" Zuko mumbled, closing his eyes tightly.

"I thought it was never going to end" Sokka sat up slightly and looked at his exhausted boyfriend through the strands of his loose hair.

"Sokka, we need to talk about your clothes and hair" Zuko murmured, still staring at the ceiling.