Flowers to Offer
Litt

Dahlia--Recognition; Elegance and Dignity.

It’s been a while since the first “date” but it hasn’t been long enough since the last one for Zuko to completely forgive himself. Mai is more than willing to let it fade into the past—she cannot stand dwelling on things she cannot change—but her boyfriend has taken to occasional bouts of (what he hopes to be) redemption-prompting shows of affection.

The festivals are admittedly beautiful, from a distance; Mai lets him hold her hand and wins him prize from a dart throwing tent without letting go. This is more of a challenge for her own sake than anything affectionate and she likes to think the vague smile Zuko had at the time was something akin to a challenge as well. The cakes are more than often delicious: she only indulges in them occasionally, when he offers; once he finds out her favorite flavor, the offers are as consistent as nuzzles, both of which she invariably rebuffs based on principle. Having everything at his disposal, he still doesn’t get the beauty that is moderation, a trait Mai has come to think is the main source of his newfound generosity: he gives because he can and she sees it at its rawest form rather than the veiled, sometimes unconscious, sincerity everyone else sees. It’s this genuine want that gets to her eventually.

Ever persistent, Zuko pursues as many as three avenues aimed at forgiveness a day. She’s given up wondering why he is still trying: she’d never told him she blames him for anything other than that night. During her brief periods alone—but sometimes in the midst of another surprise, which is awful because it’s at those times she has to mask her wavering with bemusement—Mai has to wonder why she’s letting it carry on. It’s not that she likes being put on the spot, even when they are alone: she does not know how to react, always comes off as indifferent or embarrassed and any tries at assurance usually turn him sour or too loud to bear.

The gifts, she tells him, will not work with her, but she doesn’t give them back: they accumulate around her manor and several of the distasteful ones are bequeathed to an enthusiastic TomTom. Ty Lee comes by one day to ask if she still hates the colors orange, lime, and why Zuko didn’t know this. A day later, she ceremoniously rejects the jewelry and orders the terrified servant tell the Prince whatever he wanted.

Court life is one she assumed she always fell back on, nestling back into the monotony that is Faking It. These are the times Zuko tries his hand at subtlety, an amusing show that usually falls short somewhere in the department of tact, but it’s later into the month when she hears wind from an irritated Princess that he’s planning something drastic. Something public.

Horrified, she claims sickness and stays away from the palace for a few days, rejects his visits. All the solitude and meditation she wallowed in should have made his eventual barging in less of a surprise than it was. Zuko, being too proud to have the grace to apologize for the singed door, and Mai, far too irritated to sugar coat it, argue for an abrupt three minutes before initiating, with quiet curses, the Long, Quiet Week Apart. Though she’d claimed to feel suffocated by his superficial, insecure, artificial begging, she hadn’t been able to tell him that it wasn’t his feeble or adorable failings that bothered her. He might have been better off hearing that but she figures he should have known her better than use new, obviously unsuccessful means to bring about something established.

The flower that shows up via a terrified servant is the last straw but, at this point, she's not sure if she's frustrated enough to carry on. She accepts the gift but does not examine in until she is alone. At least this time it's not a Forget-Me-Not, though she would have settled for it.

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AN: At the time, I was one of the impatient people who had resorted to using the internet to watch episodes (ahead of schedule) and, out of courtesy to the Faithful and by unwritten Fandom Rule, squeed silently. Though both were nearly done by then, I'd refrained from posting them until I was sure everyone, in all countries, had a chance to watch them. I believe said episode for this one was "The Beach". Not really happy with it. Too much summary, I think, and it lacks some kind of grace that I attribute with Maiko. I guess this is very much in tune with the show as I find I can’t stand them together after reading it, but can’t find anything wrong in it. I’ll stop rushing.