𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗬 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟 | zuko

17: THE BEACH

"No way," he said.  "Absolutely not."

"Ooh, it looks fun, though," said Kyra.  "Who'll we play?"

"We can split into two teams," said Sokka.  

"Last time I played volleyball 一" started Zuko.

"Azula was there," interrupted Katara.  "It can't go horribly when it's just us, Zuko.  It'll be fun."

Zuko gave in, again.  He was smiling, though.  He stood up.  

"Okay," he said.  "Let's go."

We split into two teams 一 Sokka, Zuko, Toph, and I against Kyra, Katara, Aang, and Mai.  Even if Toph couldn't "see" the ball in the air, she was still helpful at seeing which player was where for herself, and she could tell who was holding the ball.  We played three games, and our team won two of them.  Of course, Kyra got all salty about it.

"Well, you've got Zuko, and that's cheating because he's the Fire Lord."

"You have the Avatar!"

"Well, I -"

"Oh, please," interrupted Toph.  "You all are just losers."

Katara and Mai both rolled their eyes.

We spent the whole day at the beach, actually.  There was playing in the water, even a couple of bending fights.  No attention was drawn to our sparring, though, because people were doing it all across the beach.  Since there was so much space there, it was the best place to practice.  The beach started to empty when the sun started to set, and we made our way back toward the beach house.  We stayed on the sand, though, as there was a small, fenced-off beach just for that house, and sat around a fire on beach blankets.  

Everyone got bored of telling stories around the campfire eventually, and we went inside to do our own things.

Zuko's point of view

It had been an extremely nice night.  The best I'd had in a while.  I was extremely glad when the volleyball game didn't end with the net in flames, and that the night didn't end with a breakup and me erupting in anger. Trips to Ember Island used to change things.

I was the first to go inside from sitting around the fire.  I told everyone goodnight and went upstairs.

But the moment I got inside my room, Mai followed.   And I don't think it was a good look that was on her face. 

"We need to talk," she said.

That's never good.

"Sure," I said, taking a seat on a bench in front of the bed.  "What is it?"

"I saw you in the garden that night."  

Wow.  She just came straight out and said it.

"Um, you did?"

"I saw the way you looked at her, Zuko.  And I heard the way you talked to her.  You almost kissed her, didn't you?"

"Mai, I 一"

"You like her, don't you?"

"If it was a choice between you or Jin 一"

"Choose her," she said.  "Because if you really wanted me, there wouldn't be a choice, would there?"

She turned around and started down the hallway, but I ran to the door.

"Mai!"

"I don't want to hear it, Zuko." She didn't face me, but she stopped walking.

"But I thought you told me never to break up with you again," I said hopefully.  

Mai turned around.  "That's why I'm breaking up with you."

And then she turned around and left again.

I really hoped you liked this one, it's one of my favorites

also, I drew kyra's and jin's beach outfits, just for kicks:

molly