Biggest Weakness P2
Mai had never wondered if Zuko was ticklish. Sure, heâd flinch when she brushed her hand over his scar that extended to his upper ribs. But sheâd just assumed he was sensitive. Which appeared to be true-just in a different way than she was thinking.
The group sat in a tent, with Zuko laying with his head in Maiâs lap. Toph and Aang sat on either side of him, holding his arms down, while Katara knelt next to his left side to focus on his scar.
âI didnât know having Zukoâs head in my lap was an option!â ranted Sokka.
âIt wasnât,â retorted Zuko, relaxing as Katara started her healing on his chest.
âWHY NOT?? I call dibs when Mai isnât here.â
Mai looked down at Zuko, âOh, I donât plan on missing any of these in the future.â
Zuko blushed slightly, avoiding her eyes. Based on Sokkaâs treatment, she had a feeling she knew what was coming, although she hoped it wouldnât be as loud. When Katara treated Sokkaâs leg and near his foot, he screamed louder than Mai previously thought was possible. And she wasnât even close to him; after all, Zuko was the one holding him in his arms as Aang and Toph each sat on a leg.
Katara shifted her healing to the left, and Zukoâs face twitched as he tensed up.
Aang gripped his arm a little tighter, âYou ok there buddy?â
âYeah, youâre usually all giggly by now,â Sokka chimed in.
âSokka, be nice,â said Katara.
âWhy? Heâs the one who attacked me!â
Mai stroked Zukoâs hair, wondering if he was restraining himself because she was there. She softly started tickling his ears, smiling as he flinched and looked up at her, giggling.
Zuko often wondered about what returning to his new duties as Firelord would entail. He supposed it would be full of proposing new laws and leading council meetings, as well as, he suspected, trying not to die. But most troubling, it would be a world without the gaang by his side. Sure, theyâd still be friends. They probably wouldnât let him leave their group even if he tried. But they wouldnât always be next to him. Supporting him. Protecting him. Or, in the current case, tickling him.
Zuko twisted his head back and forth, unable to stop himself from giggling now that he started. The tickling on his ears hadnât let up, and that, combined with Katara shifting ever closer to his ribs, got him full-on laughing.
And it was a nice laugh. One you would expect from a teenager, although he often seemed much older than one in Maiâs view. She had the sudden urge to kiss him, just to get closer to that sound. A sound which was echoed by the members of the gaang as they held Zuko down.
âAwwwwâŚ.look at Zu-Zu,â Sokka crooned. Seeing Kataraâs glare, he quickly added, âYour kingliness, your grace. Full of honor and-ZUKO!â
Sokka dodged the kick to his head, quickly squeezing underneath Zukoâs ribs in retaliation. Zuko yelped and bucked, while Sokka yanked back from the water Katara playfully splashed at him.
âWhat? Shouldnât we take this opportunity to show Mai all of Lord Zu-Zuâs tickle spots?â
âNohoho,â Zuko laughed.
Toph grinned, âIâm all for it.â
âMe too!â yelled Aang.
âGUYS!â The trio paused, staring at Katara guiltily. She softened. âIâm sure Mai is more than capable of finding all of Lord Zu-Zuâs tickle spots herself.â
Mai looked down at Zuko, âOh, I fully intend to. Now I know what to do if he ever tries to breaks up with me again.â
The room erupted in indignation:
âWait hold on-â
âHE broke up with YOU?â
âZUKO, WHAT AN IDIOT!!â
âIhihihi-it was to johohohoin you hahaHAHAHA,â Zukoâs head dropped back and he cackled as Katara shifted positions again.Â
âWell you shouldâve just brought her along,â stated Toph.
âYeah Zuko, why didnât you bring her? Sheâs not as grumpy as you.â Aang grinned, poking Zuko in the side.
Sokka added, âShe clearly adores usâŚnot as much as she adores YOUUUU though.â
Mai flushed slightly. Although she had professed her love for Zuko when she stood up to Azula, she had yet to let him in on that fact, although she hoped he already knew.Â
Katara paused her healing to give Zuko a second to breathe.Â
âHas it always been like this?â Mai asked.
Katara smiled, âNo-â
âLet the expert answer this,â Sokka butted in, clearing his throat in a professional-sounding manner.
âExpert in what-being ticklish?â Toph cracked.
âNO,â Sokka glared. âIn being healed by Kataraâs funky water thingie.â
âI was healed too-,â Aang began.
âI to have been subject to these same torturous methods,â Sokka continued, ignoring Aangâs remark, âIt doesnât seem to have the same effects on the initial injury. But as they start to heal, the bodiesâŚshall we sayâŚsensitivities come back.â
âYeah, and Zukoâs even more ticklish than before!â chimed Aang.
âProbably because he fractured his rib,â added Toph.
âENOUGH!â exclaimed Zuko. âStop talking about me like Iâm not here.â
âSounds like heâs ready to finish the treatment,â said Aang, wiggling his eyebrows at Zuko.
âBrace yourself, people,â said Toph. âHe gets really wiggly on this one.â
âI do noHAHAHAHAHAT!â Zukoâs voice cracked as Katara continued her healing, settling on his top ribs. âAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!âÂ
The ticklish feeling went straight to his core. It seemed to follow the path of the scar leading to his heart, leaving him completely helpless to control his howls. He felt a familiar tug in his chest from the prolonged laughter, a feeling that used to be foreign to him. He used to never smile, let alone laugh. And now? If a day didnât go by when he laughed his guts, out something felt wrong.
âThere goes his leg!â Sokka cackled. âYou gotta pedal with both feet buddy!â
Mai looked over to see Zukoâs left leg frantically kicking out like a deer-dog getting itâs belly scratched.
âOKOKOK KATARAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,â Zuko begged, trying desperately to roll on his side, âTHAHATâS ENOUGHAHAHA UNCLEHEHEhehehe.â
His laughter died down as the feeling stopped, leaving him exhausted with a goofy grin on his face he just couldnât seem to wipe off.
âOh, I didnât know Iroh was coming,â said Sokka. The group stared as Zuko burst into high-pitched laughter, quickly joining in his hysterics.Â
âI KNEW HE THOUGHT I WAS FUNNY,â said Sokka.
âYeah, Iâm sure thatâs the reason,â Toph replied.
âYou wanna get some rest now?â asked Katara, trying to hold in her laughter at Zukoâs continued giggles.
âNohohoho,â he squirmed, âIhihitâs embarrassing.â
âMore embarrassing than that display of manliness?â Toph asked.
âCome on Zuko-itâs okay,â Aang said, starting to tickle gently under Zukoâs arm. Zuko rolled his eyes but didnât try to get away from the feeling. Tophâs fingers quickly found a spot under his other arm.
âTwo lovers, forbidden from one another. A war divides their people,â Aang sang softly, âAnd a mountain divides them apart. Built a path to be together.â
Sokka scrunched his brow, âAang donât you dare-â
âSECRET TUNNEL!!!!â belted Aang and Toph. âSECRET TUNNEL!â
âAANG!!!!â
âTHROUGH THE MOUNTAINSâŚ.â
The singing continued, although muffled, as Sokka placed a hand on their mouths. âSecret, secret, secret-âÂ
âNot another wo-TOPH!â
âSECRET TUNNEL!!!!â the duo finished, Sokka frantically shaking the hand that was covering Tophâs mouth.Â
âSHE BIT ME!â
âOh, youâre fine Captain Boomerang. Pipe down, Giggles is trying to sleep over here.â
Mai glanced at Zuko, surprised to see that his eyes were closed and his breathing even after all that noise. He continued to giggle lightly as Aang resumed lightly tracing his armpit.
âMai-watch this,â whispered Sokka, reaching out with his hands outstretched, fingers wiggling.Â
âSokka donât you dare,â Katara pushed him away, âLet him rest.âÂ
âPLEASSEEEEEE.â
âSokka no,â Katara answered, turning to Mai. âHeâs been banned from holding down Zukoâs arms because he would wake him up by grabbing his ribs.â
âAnd it was HILARIOUS,â added Sokka. âI didnât know his voice could go so high.â
âNot as high as yours goes,â laughed Aang.
âSUKKI LOVES MY VOICE AND THATâS ALL THAT MATTERS,â proclaimed Sokka.
âWhy donât you just earthbound them to hold them down when Kataraâs healing them?â Mai asked Toph.
âWell, we did for Sokka, but when we mentioned it to Zuko I could tell he got really nervous,â Toph replied. âSo we started doing this, and then SOKKA decided to be all WHINEY about it so now we do it to him too-â
âYES BECAUSE I EITHER GET HELD BY SUKKI OR ZUKO, BOTH OF WHICH ARE GREAT HUGGERS,â yelled Sokka. âYouâre just jealous.âÂ
He looked at the groupsâ raised eyebrows. âWhat? Heâs warm. We all know this. Right?â
âZuko is a good hugger,â shrugged Aang.
âSEE! Aang knows what Iâm talking about.â
Katara rolled her eyes. âZuko, you good?â
Mai looked down in surprise, not realizing he was still awake while they were talking about him. She would have expected some type of reaction if he was listening, but he didnât look embarrassed at all as he nodded his head.
âIs he-â
Katara smiled, âHeâs almost asleep-he getâs in this state where heâs half asleep.â
âYeah, and heâll admit to anything! ZukoâŚâ Toph lightly started tickling his armpit. âDo you like this? Do you want us to stop?â
Zuko giggled and shook his head. Mai covered her smile with her hand, stroking his hair with the other.
âZukoooooo-,â chimed in Aang. âDo you love us?â
Zuko nodded his head.
âOh your jerkiness,â sang Sokka. âDo you think Iâm funny?â
Zuko shook his head and Mai couldnât help but laugh along with the group.Â
âHEâS LYING-LOOK AT HIS FACE-â Sokka stammered. âToph, heâs lying, isnât he.â
Toph shrugged. âI donât know, sounds like a personal problem to me.â
 âIT IS PERSONAL!â Sokka shrieked.
Katara looked over at Mai and smiled mischievously. âZuko-do you love Mai?â
The group held their breath as they looked at Zuko, who nodded his head slowly. Mai thought she could see a slight blush on his cheeks similar to the one that crept on hers, but it may have been from the previous laughter that left his face bright red.
âAWWWWWWW,â the group collectively crooned.
âI MISS SUKI,â sniffed Sokka.
âCome on Sokka, maybe sheâs back by now.â Aang left the tent with Sokka, whose face lit up at the prospect.
âCome on, Sugar Queen,â Toph grunted.
Katara stood, looking back at Mai. âWell, now you know Zukoâs weakness.â
Mai smiled. âI think his biggest weakness is you guys.âÂ
Mai stroked Zukoâs hair, then lowered her hands to circle around his armpits, no longer hiding her smile at his soft laughter. She waited until the voices singing the second verse of âSecret Tunnelâ grew dim, and Zukoâs face returned to its normal hue. She looked carefully into Zukoâs face and whispered, âI love you too.âÂ
Seeing the blush on his face, she dug her fingers into Zukoâs upper ribs. Zuko SCREAMED and shot up, frantically laughing and attempting to twist away from her grip.
âI knew it. I knew you were faking!âÂ
Zuko finally grabbed her hands, turned around, his laughter slowly fading. âI wahaha-I wasnât,â he paused, taking a deep breath. âI wasnât faking it. At least, not all of it.âÂ
She looked into his face, then slowly cupped his chin and kissed him. âNeither was I.â
He put his arms around her, then broke into a smile as one of her hands drifted into his armpit.
âMahahahi-â
Mai pulled him back against her lips, muffling his laughter. She paused, looking into Zukoâs questioning eyes, and patted her hand on her lap.
âCome on. Iâll be nice.â
Zuko grinned and lay back down in Maiâs lap, relaxing as Mai raised his arms, tracing shapes in one of his armpits.Â
âSo I hear thereâs a play I need to seeâŚâ
Zuko shook his head, eyes closed. âAbsohoholutely nohahat.â
âMaybe I can convince you later,â she said teasingly.
Zuko relaxed against her touch. He often questioned if he deserved to feel as happy as he sometimes did, but her hands felt so good against him that he couldnât seem to focus on those voices in his head. Somehow, he wasnât as worried about what would happen after going back to Firelord duties. He suspected the laughter he had become aquatinted with would continue after his return.Â



















