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Maybe it was the caffeinated tea, or the late night music that was far too loud, or the overpowering scents of mint and tea tree that made her head spin. Most likely it was all of the above. Even with the door closed and the windows open, it was still too much. Cursing the entire palace, and the nobles within it, she leaned up into the bed, cradling her head in her hands.

Zuko hadn't gotten to sleep, either. The same reasons Mai had, most likely, but also a good part of it being all the tossing and turning and irritated sighing that Mai had been doing for the past hour.

When she shot up out of the bed, he went with her.

"Can't sleep either?" Mai asked him.

Zuko shook his head, no. He leaned his body back against the headboard, resting his hands in his lap and staring up at the ceiling. Dark patterns played with his eyes, jittery motions in the blackness of the night. Zuko squeezed his eyes shut, his fingers pressing up against his head.

"Got a headache?" Mai didn't really care one way or the other, but she asked him anyway.

"Yeah, I kinda do," Zuko said drearily. He turned his head either which way, as though trying to clear out the tightening, dizzying feeling that had embedded within his brain. Shook once, twice, thrice, four times before he stopped.

He opened his eyes to Mai, who stared blankly out at the dark.

She looked lost in thought, or lost in something. Perhaps nothing was keeping her, but she looked sad almost. Or so Zuko thought. After all, it had been a pretty hectic few months for the both of them. Together, both of them could feel that downward pulling within their chests, threatening to calm them to the point of numbness.

Zuko reached out his arms and pulled Mai back against his chest in a slight hug. She leaned back into him easily, enjoying his touch. Her eyes drifted closed, opened, closed, and then opened again.

Zuko pressed his nose into Mai's hair, breathing deeply the scents of jasmine and sandalwood that was always so popular within the Fire Nation Royal Baths. Mai chose it for the simple fact that it was common, and Zuko practically had grown an addiction for it.

Whenever he smelled the combined perfumes, images of her came behind his eyes.

Entwining his fingers within the jet locks, he began to stroke it, brushing her hair until the tangles that had formed when sleeping became undone once more. His fingers flowed through her hair like river water, soft and uninhibited.

Mai was smiling.

"Please keep doing that," she said when Zuko had stopped. Once more, his hands went to her hair again, playing softly with it.

The music outside still drifted into their bedroom, loudly, but now the tune had taken on a slower, gentler, softer beat, and it was almost soothing. Mai couldn't fall asleep to really any noise, no matter how peaceful it could seem. But she didn't mind this one. She listened to the calming song, played out on zithers and flutes.

"I know this song," Zuko said to her, whispering in her ear. His warm breath slid against his skin, and Mai nearly melted into him.

"Really?" she asked. "What is it?"

"It's called 'Plums by the Ge River.' My mother used to love this song," Zuko said. At the mention of his mother, he seemed to sadden. Mai leaned forward a touch, swiveling her head to see him clearer.

His eyes were downcast, and they stared blankly as he remembered his far away memories.

"Hey," Mai said softly, sweetly, pressing her hand to his cheek and making him meet her gaze. A light smile brushed over her face. "You okay?" She seemed so worried for him, so Zuko shook his head, yes.

Mai knew he didn't mean it.

"It's a very beautiful song," she told him, listening to the soft tunes drift forever forward into the air. The song painted the time with its melodies. Mai found herself actually enjoying the song, more and more. "I actually quite like the song, a little bit."

"I'm glad you do," Zuko said, and pulled Mai into him again. He kissed her, on the cheek and on the neck, causing Mai to sigh in bliss. He pressed a minute amount of kisses to her, and then stopped, letting the two of them relax against each other again.

Zuko leaned back against the soft headboard, where a plethora of pillows padded them from the walls. Mai leaned up against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and Zuko wrapped his warm arms around her naked back. His thumbs rotated around, stroking and caressing her back.

Insomnia or not, Mai was happy then.

Silently, she was thankful that they were both awake and unable to sleep. Otherwise, they couldn't have this moment right now. The silence stretched on comfortably between them, until Zuko whispered out:

"Does this song remind you of plums by a river?"

"Hmm," Mai said, faking her interest. "Not really, no. You?" She slid her eyes open to watch him. He stared up at the dark ceiling, his hands still traveling all over her body. Right now he was rubbing her shoulder. "Zuko?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess. Kinda. Sorta." He snorted quietly. "If you didn't know the name of the song, there'd really be no way to guess it, I guess."

He rolled over onto his side to face Mai.

"I love you, you know."

That was when Mai's heart melted. Her emotions showed on her face, and she whispered back, "I love you, too." Zuko kissed her forehead.

Looking over her shoulder, he said, "I still can't sleep."

"I know." Mai couldn't either, but she didn't feel the need to draw attention to it every five minutes. Mai leaned up in bed again, bringing Zuko with her. There was a calm feeling in the air, but Mai was still restless.

Uncovering herself, she stepped gingerly out onto the cold floor, standing and walking over to the nearby window. The moonlight gleamed on her naked body, illuminating her curves. Zuko loved the sight of Mai naked.

Neither of them had any desire for sex, but still...

"I've always loved that sight," Zuko said, his eyes traveling lazily down her legs.

"Me too," Mai mocked.

Zuko left the bed, too, walking over to the window with Mai and leaning on the wooden ledge. He was just as naked as she was, and Mai noted this with an obvious glance. The moon was nearly full, a sliver of darkness cloaking the right side.

"That's Sokka's first girlfriend," Zuko told Mai.

She looked at him, as puzzled as her emotions would allow. "What does that mean?" she asked in a low voice. Zuko only shrugged.

"I don't know. He didn't really explain all that much."

Mai stared at him for a couple of seconds longer, then spun her head back around to look at the moon. Zuko's arms came around her once more, pulling her in close. The warmth of their naked bodies met and clashed, mixing together to form their own heat.

Zuko was smiling at her, the cheesiest but most pleasing smile. Mai would have blushed, had she been well-rested enough.

"Do you ever feel like you could die happy?" Zuko asked. "Because I do right now. I could die right now and want for nothing, everything is just so right..." He nuzzled into Mai's neck.

"You really wanna talk about death right now?" Mai asked gloomily.

"Well, not really. But...I..." He didn't know how to continue.

"It's okay," Mai reassured him, kissing him once more. Her lips were soft and intoxicating. "I know what you mean, to some extent." Another kiss. "We used to talk about death a lot when we were younger."

"I remember that," he whispered.

"Out of all the topics in the world to talk about, and we used to talk about that."

They thought for a moment, still in each others' embrace. "I remember we used to talk about other things, too. We used to talk about different kinds of candies." He chuckled, until the act no longer held any appeal to him. It never held any appeal to Mai.

"I don't really like those days," Mai said, pulling away from him and walking back to the bed.

"Why not?"

"Because. They were so boring and dull. Every day I woke up I knew that this would be another bad day that I had to get through, and the thought of going through that day after day after day. I think back to that time period and I immediately hate myself for doing so." She paused. "I just want to forget those days."

"Oh," was all he could say to that.

He went and laid with her in the bed, wanting her close to them. He embraced her in a hug again, wanting so badly to hold her and never let go. His fingers moved to the undersides of her breasts, resting there. Mai gave a soft hum.

"And now?"

"And now what?" Mai asked him.

"What about now. Do you like your life now?" Zuko waited in agonizing silence. With her head resting on her breast, he could hear the steady beating of her heart. Soothing like the hum of the ocean, or the sigh of breezes through sparse tree leaves.

"As long as I'm with you, my life is perfect."