Zuko paced back and forth in his office. He had been mulling over Aang and Sokka's words for two days, and hadn't come any closer to making a decision. He would love to live with Mai. He knew this, but there were several problems that would arise from making that step. First of all, it would be national news, with Mai's face plastered on every newspaper. Not to mention she would be the talk of the palace for weeks, her every move gossiped about and discussed. Mai was a fairly introverted person, and Zuko could only imagine how she would feel about that, all of her insecurities becoming free for anyone to talk about.

He loved Mai too much to put her through that.

Secondly, how could Zuko be sure Mai even felt the same way about him? What if he sprung this on her, and she recoiled? What if she said no? She would be gentle, and kind about it, but that almost made the thought of rejection worse. Asking her to move in with him could potentially ruin their relationship.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, if Mai moved into the palace they would be forced to tell her parents about their relationship. The mere thought of telling them made Zuko's stomach tighten up and his fists to clench. Taking his relationship, one of the main things in Zuko's life that brought him joy, and presenting it to be picked apart by the two people Zuko couldn't stand was something that sent him into a boiling rage just contemplating.

Despite all these obstacles, Zuko knew in his heart that it was a step he wanted to take with Mai. Every time they parted, he was burdened with the lack of a guarantee that they would meet again soon. He was insanely jealous of Aang's relationship with Katara; so much so that he had begun dreaming about having their life together. He would wake up clutching his pillow so tightly that once he accidentally set it on fire.

Mai seemed to know something was off. She visited in the afternoon, only to be ushered away by guards when Zuko's advisors came in for a meeting. Late that night, she tapped on Zuko's window, crouched on the balcony.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Zuko opened the window, and Mai climbed into his bedroom. He was suddenly very aware of the fact he wasn't wearing a shirt. Sheepishly, he pulled on a robe.

"How did you climb up here without being seen?" Zuko asked, baffled. The room was two stories off of the ground.

Mai gave him an impish grin. "Something good actually came out of spending all that time with Azula, surprisingly." She then gripped Zuko in a strong embrace. He grunted in surprise, and she stepped back, embarrassed. "Sorry…" she said, turning away. Zuko felt a surge of protest rise up in his stomach. He grabbed her hand and pulled Mai back toward him, hugging her tightly.

They stayed, locked in each other's arms, for a while, before Mai pulled away. "Zuko," she said softly. "What's going on? This is the first time you've touched me in days."

He realized she was right. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to be distant. It's just…"

"Hard," Mai interrupted. "I know it is, I do. I understand. You suddenly have all this responsibility and I'm just a distraction."

Zuko jolted in objection. "Mai, you aren't just a distraction! You know how I feel about you," he argued.

"Do I?" Mai asked, looking at him seriously. "Zuko, tell me the last time you kissed me."

"I kissed you on the cheek just the other day!"

Mai shook her head. "A real kiss," she insisted.

There was a long pause. She turned away from him. Zuko felt a surge of panic rise up inside of his chest. He thought that this was it, he was losing her. It was a thought he couldn't bear. He had to do something, anything, to get her back. "Mai, move in with me," Zuko heard himself say.

She stopped, and turned back to face him. "What?"

"Move in with me."

"You're not thinking. You're just scared that I'm right and you're too busy for a relationship right now…you're being rash…" she sputtered.

"No, Mai, I'm not being rash. You have no idea how much I've thought about this. That's why I've been acting strange! Not because I want to break up, because I want to see you in the morning when I wake up. I want a guarantee that I'll see you every day, and I don't want the time we spend together to be dependent on your father's schedule. I want you, Mai. I…" he ran a nervous hand through his hair. He couldn't remember the last time he'd made a candid speech like this.

"You…what?" Mai whispered.

He looked at her, and she knew. She opened her arms, and he ran into them. "I love you so much, Mai," Zuko murmured into her hair. "I know I'm not the most talkative guy, and I don't always express how I'm feeling very well…"

"Shhh," Mai said, and put a finger on his lips. "I love you, too."

Smiling so hard his cheeks began to hurt, Zuko kissed her in a way he hadn't for a long time. He knew that there would be hard times ahead, but at that moment, he knew this was one of the good times.