His golden eyes widen slightly at the comment directed at him in regards to smiling. It was something he hadn't genuinely done in a long while that wasn't a smirk of triumph or something directed towards Mai. Getting a compliment like that was not something he was used to. Usually comments were directed at him in reference to his bending abilities, his harshness, or in recent months, his not-so-true triumph over the Avatar. And this comment had come from a girl. Girls never complimented him...not even Mai; it wasn't in her nature to do so.
Watching her with growing curiosity, he moved to sit down on the other side of the couch and found himself nodding in response to her question. "Often. My uncle practically raised me. I learned a lot from him over the years and was almost constantly by his side. Not having him or his wisdom around is disarming at times, but I'm gradually adjusting."
He shrugged his shoulders, golden eyes transfixed upon the liquid that rested in the cup held between his hands. "It's due time I was able to make decisions without consulting him, especially since now the line between wrong and right is no longer blurred."