Setting: Sozin's Comet at Zuko's coronation day.

Best Friend

Crowded. If Zuko had to pick one word to describe his coronation, that would be it. He'd lost track of the number of people who had congratulated him since he had stepped off the platform. It made seeking out any one person near impossible, but he spotted one of them in green, out of the corner of his good eye. He smiled a little to himself that he was able to pick her out a sea of green uniforms. No one else had the same looped braid, the same light laugh, or preferred to walk on her hands. Even among a sorority, she remained an individual.

"Ty Lee!"

"Zuko!" The new Kyoshi Warrior didn't miss a step with her hands when he motioned for her to follow him. They walked a slight distance away from the crowd and turned a corner for the smallest bit of privacy. Ty Lee uprighted herself and awwwwe'd over Zuko's new appearance. "Wow, you look so official and Firelordy. Your speech was great!"

"Thanks." Zuko found himself blushing at her kind words, still unused to all the attention. "I'm glad you're safe. I sent an order to set you free, but I didn't know until Mai told me that her uncle had gotten the two of you out of jail. I was so worried for both of you. I just wanted to thank you for saving Mai."

"What are best friend for?" Ty Lee grinned wide and shrugged. The easy dismissal had Zuko looking her over as if the smile were just part of her painted on Kyoshi make-up, but it was real and way too casual for his liking.

"Please Ty, I know it couldn't have been easy to defy Azula, risking jail, even death. I'm sorry I put you through all that. I'll never forget what you did, and I owe you."

"No. You don't." Ty Lee continued to smile, as if the very act of her mirth could rub off on Zuko. Her eyes locked on his. "I meant what I said. And Mai isn't my only best friend, Zuko."

Zuko looked at her, uncomprehending. He blinked and realized, still not believing. "Me?"

Ty Lee continued to meet his gaze and it was in that moment that Zuko realized how patient she was. She waited, like a sage, for the fire of enlightenment to dawn. Had she always been like that and he just hadn't noticed before? It wouldn't be the first time he'd misjudged her like that. His countenance must have acknowledged the truth of her words in some way for Ty Lee's grin grew even broader and she nodded.

"But…I was so mean that last time at the beach. That's the other thing I wanted to say to you. I'm sorry for everything I said. I didn't mean it. I accused you of being in your own world. I took you for granted. Turns out, I was the selfish one. "

"It did hurt." Ty Lee's smile faded. "But you were hurting as well Zuko. It couldn't have been easy to leave home again and end a war."

Zuko looked away, breaking the gaze between them and confirming her words.

"I think we all said stuff we didn't mean that night. But looking at your aura now…it really is beautiful."

"Yeah?" Maybe it was silly to ask, but he really was curious to know what she saw.

Ty Lee pounced on it, her expression changing to one of glee, almost making him regret it until she said, "It's like a rainbow! A rainbow of fire flecked with gold. And you were positively glowing up on that stage."

Zuko laughed at her accuracy. "I think you have a true gift, Ty, no matter what Mai might say. You see people, even if they don't always see you. I was a fool not to notice it before."

"But you do notice people." Zuko opened his mouth to protest, but Ty Lee continued, "And it's not the ones who scream for attention either. You noticed Mai."

Zuko blushed as if to prove her point, his eyes darting in the direction of the crowd as if he wanted to look for Mai right then.

"I was always a little jealous of what you two have, but I was always so happy for you as well. Of course I had to help stop Azula when she threatened you two. It was a simple choice, really."

"You really are something special Ty Lee. I'm glad to call you my friend."

Ty Lee didn't wait for permission, but gave the new Firelord a hug. Zuko winced and gave a yelp of pain as she squeezed his recent injury a little too hard.

"Agni Kai," he reminded her through gritted teeth.

"Whoops, sorry." She loosened her grip. Zuko managed an awkward, one-armed pat on her back as he returned her warm gesture. It was a day for hugs all around.

"If there's ever anything I can do for you-"

"Well, there might be something." Ty Lee let her words linger just long enough to have a little fun keeping Zuko guessing. "After everything it would be nice to have a beach vacation."

Zuko laughed. "You want to go back to Ember Island?"

"Can't the new Firelord take a weekend to celebrate ending a war?"

"Can I bring my new friends and trust you to help me show them the ropes of Fire Nation fun?"

"Only if I can bring mine."

"Deal. I'd say the Kyoshi Warriors could use a little pink in their auras."

"Oooh, I can't wait! You're the best, Zuko!" Ty Lee then cartwheeled away to tell the other warriors the good news.

The beach. Again. Zuko shook his head wondering what he was getting himself into exactly, but he smiled nonetheless. Growing up, he'd never considered himself as having friends. There were only Azula's friends. That was part of what made joining Team Avatar so special. But he'd miscalculated too, and he couldn't be happier. Turns out he'd had good ones watching his back all along. He couldn't wait for old to meet new.

Notes: Ty Lee finally gets her chapter! I like Ty Lee. She's more insightful in her own way than she usually gets credit for. I also wanted to show Zuko's apology. There's a lot of potential there for a good friendship that I could see becoming a strong one post series. Team Avatar is great and all, but Zuko and Ty Lee grew up together and that deserves some acknowledgement and exploration too. To me, Ty Lee is as much deserving as being included into Team Avatar as Mai post series. And as much as I love that final scene at Iroh's I kinda feel like she's missing. So next chapter…Team Avatar beach party! Also, for Zuko "noticing" Mai I took inspiration from Ralph and Sue Dibny from the DC comics "Identity Crisis" (with a gender reversal). The woman had her pick of any superhero and she chose Elongated Man. Sometimes wallflowers blossom under the eyes of true love. Thanks as always to my beta, Lunatique.