A/N: This is one of those, 'what if Aang saw Zuko at the Jasmine Dragon in 219 instead of Katara?' oneshot ideas. I'm not quite sure if this exact thing has been done, but hey, it's being done now! Lulz.
Aang had yet to leave to visit Guru Patik. He was to leave tomorrow, after dropping off Sokka at the Water Tribe naval base stationed not too far from Ba Sing Se.
Because of this, he decided that he might take one last stroll around the wall-enclosed city before he had to leave it. Toph's opinion and the Dai Li aside, he was sort of fond of the place. It was peaceful and charming in its own unique way.
Momo rested on his shoulder as he walked down a street that he had not previously tread on. It was quiet, and had a small, rectangular pool in the center. But what caught his attention and drew his grey eyes was a shop almost perfectly stationed in the center of the street, a shop finely decorated in Earth Kingdom greens and golds, and given the title, 'The Jasmine Dragon.'
"A new tea shop?" Aang inquired softly to himself in wonder. A smile formed on his lips a moment later. He turned to his animal companion. "What do you say, Momo? Should we have a little cup of tea from a blooming business before we head back to the others for the night?"
The lemur gave a purring reply with nuzzle of his head against the young airbender's ear.
The boy stepped into the threshold, finding it to be a rather busy place. A man was stationed at the door, dressed in casual clothes with an uniform apron over it. "A table for one, please," Aang requested politely.
The man nodded. "Right this way."
But as the boy was being lead to a single table near a window, a strangely familiar figure waitressing to another customer passed by in his peripheral vision. He paused and turned to look, and he saw only the back of the figure's head, but the figure was clearly male. And he was leaning over the front counter for an elderly man, saying in a rough voice, "Uncle, we need three orders of green, one jasmine, and two lychee, as well as a ginger and dragonberry mix."
"I'm on it, nephew," the man replied, and it was then that Aang's knees locked in place and his legs wobbled like exploding jelly, ready to give out from fear. He knew those voices, and as the younger of the two workers turned around, he found himself staring directly into the eyes of his previous enemy, Zuko of the Fire Nation.
"Sir, your table is over here," the man from the doorway called.
Momo hopped off of Aang's shoulder and scurried over to the table, as if to purposely snap Aang out of his stupor. Blinking sharply, the bald monk forced himself to follow his pet.
"Sorry," he apologized to the waiting man, who bowed and left as soon as Aang was seated.
Aang stewed for a moment in thought, his mind racing. What if Zuko saw him? Did the Fire Prince follow him and his friends to Ba Sing Se, or was it some sort of coincidence since, not too long ago when they had been in the desert (prior to venturing to the library and losing Aapa) he had seen a pair of Fire Nation wanted posters of himself… and of Zuko and his uncle, Iroh.
"Fugitives?" he remembered murmuring to himself when he had seen the posters. And he remembered thinking immediately afterward, "Does that mean that he won't be after me any more?"
Shaking his head, Aang felt torn between leaving and ordering his tea anyway, if only to calm his nerves. He reached out to unconsciously stroke Momo's fur. A shocked gasp brought him once again back to reality.
Aang looked up and saw Zuko standing before him, a pad of paper in his shaking hand. "Um," the scarred teen began, "Avatar. May I take your order?"
He seemed nervous, as if he feared Aang instead of what should be the other way around. Because it really should be the other way around; and it had been, a moment ago. And yet… Aang saw no malevolence in Zuko's stare, just gold warmth. It was as if Zuko was an entirely different person.
The airbender brightened inwardly. Maybe if Zuko was a different person, things could be different in the future. Maybe the months of being a fugitive had changed the teen, and his being here was merely a coincidence, since he appeared just as shocked to see Aang as Aang was to see him.
"I'll have a cup of white tea with sugar, please," Aang said. "And could you bring a bowl of cream for my lemur?"
"S-sure, I'll have your order in a few minutes," Zuko murmured, and he didn't hesitate to rush off towards the front counter once more.
Aang grinned. This was so weird, but not unpleasant. It was almost as if nothing had happened between them, as if they didn't know each other (although Zuko had called him Avatar, it was common knowledge that anybody could tell just by looking at his tattoos).
Without thinking much about how wrong it is to eavesdrop, Aang leaned back a bit in his chair to listen to what Zuko might have to say as the teen approached the front counter. "Uncle!" he could barely hear the older male hiss, "You won't believe this! The Avatar is here."
"Oh, how nice!" the jolly old man replied with a rumbling chuckle. "Perhaps you will have the chance to tell him how you helped him."
"Uncle, I'm not so sure he'll listen. He seemed nice enough just now, but I've done so much wrong –"
"Then use this opportunity to make things right," Iroh replied gently, and Aang could almost imagine a wink coming from a wrinkled eye. "The tides are changing, 'Lee'. Now is the time to release your hand-crafted raft to see if it will sink or float."
When Zuko returned with his order, Aang held back a smle as he asked when 'Lee's' next break was. (Funny, Aang thought, his nametag really does say 'Lee' like Iroh referred to him as. It must be his undercover Earth Kingdom name. But couldn't he have been a bit more creative?)
Zuko looked surprised beyond belief at the question. "I have one in ten minutes," he said slowly, as if weary about why Aang would ask such a thing.
"Well, that's convenient. Do you mind, then, coming over to my table on your break? I want to talk to you."
Zuko bit his lip. "Look, I know you know who I really am, but –"
"And that's exactly why I want to talk to you," Aang shrugged as he lifted his cup to his lips. He took a thoughtful sip. "Mm, this is good. Give your uncle my regards."
"Uh, sure, I will," Zuko muttered awkwardly as he paced away, onto the next customer.
Despite the odds – which included Zuko only behaving this way to gain his trust before he strikes, or Zuko acting this way because he was truly different, and the initial thought being the most probable – Aang felt a little excited. It's not every day that you met someone who worked in a teashop whom just so happened to be the individual who used to fight against you. But back at that abandoned town when Aang met Zuko's sister and Iroh got hurt… as angry as he had been, Aang could tell that something about Zuko had been off. And now, maybe, with better terms and a safer surrounding between and around them, Aang could found out why.
The ten minutes passed with Aang enjoying and finishing his tea, and Momo doing the same with his dish of cream. Zuko appeared right on time, although he didn't look at Aan as he sat down in front of him by pulling another chair up to the small table.
"Before you say anything, I want to say that I know what you must think of me," Zuko began softly, "But as you can see, my uncle and I aren't trying to do anything other than make a life for ourselves. We want a second chance. Do… do the monks that raised you believe in second chances?" he asked, and finally looked up at Aang.
The younger male nodded, his face showing nothing but understanding. "Yes, they believe in second chances. And so do I."
Zuko smiled weakly. "I'm glad. Because I've changed, I swear. I mean… you know your bison? Well, I found him. And, at first, I honestly debated whether or not I should hold it for ransom, or kill it. But my uncle gave me a choice, and I chose to set it free for you, because deep down, I couldn't harm the thing, and for once it felt wrong to keep something captive."
Aang's mouth fell open. "R-really? You were the one who saved Appa?"
The ex-prince nodded meekly. "It's hard to believe, I know, but I did it. It was the last thing the Blue Spirit did in order to somewhat redeem himself." He shrugged. "But it's not enough, is it? It's never enough."
"It's true that one deed doesn't mend all wrongs," Aang said softly, "But it is true that one positive deed never goes unnoticed." He offered a small smile. "You know, I think you have changed, Zuko. I also think that Ba Sing Se is a great place for you to start over."
"Uncle thinks so, too," the ex-prince remarked mildly. "And maybe you two are right. But… I get the feeling that there is something else I shuld do about this war."
"Well," Aang spoke as his thoughts mulled this over, "You could always switch sides. Fight with the rebels instead of the firebenders."
Zuko blinked. "I never thought of that," he murmured. "But who should I fight with? I don't know any rebels."
"Sure you do!" Aang grinned knowingly. "You know my friends and I."
Zuko seemed t colapse in on himself. Aang's smile faded. "But… I have so many transgressions against them; they would never accept me into your group."
"I'm sure they would, if you explaned yourself to them and found something in common with each of them. It won't be so bad." Aang's face held a surprisingly warm expression, and the sincereity of it nearly made Zuko blush. He had no idea the Avatar was such a compasionate person; but then again, he would have to be, wouldn't he? Aang held out his hand. "Come with us, Zuko. Your nation would think you a traitor, I know, but I promise you that in the end, things would work out."
The black-haired by bit his lip. "I don't know," he said at length, "I don't think I could…" but he difted off before he could say anything more.
Aang nodded. "You need time to think; I get it. Well, I'll give you all the time you need, okay? I have to go away for a while, starting tomorrow, but when I come back, I'll come visit you. And we can talk. And you can make a decision." Aang's smile was back. "Sound fair?"
"Yeah, plenty fair," Zuko muttered in agreement. He glanced away for a moment, his hand running through his hair. He looked at Aang in gratitude. "Thank you, Ava–" He paused, deciding to revise his word choice. "I mean, Aang. Although, uh, would you mind not telling any of your friends that I'm here? I doubt they would react well, knowing that I'm here."
Aang knew this well; after all, he himself hadnt reacted well at first, either. He had bee tempted to bolt and tell the authorities or something. But… he hadn't. And he was glad that he hadn't, because like he had hoped, there was a possibility that he and Zuko could be friends. He winked. "Don't worry, Zuko: your secret is safe with me. I won't tel a soul where you're hiding."
"Again, thank you," Zuko said, relieved. He couldn't believe the level of kindness this boy possessed; no wonder he was the Avatar. What's more, Zuko now felt awful about tryin to harm this boy or hand him over to Ozai.
"I better go," Aang said suddenly, a sigh escaping his lips. "My friends might start worrying. They never think I'm safe, just because so many people want to hurt me, since I'm the Avatar." He shrugged, but then seemed amused. "I uess you would know, eh?"
Zuko looked embarrassed. "I guess I would. But I regret all of that, now. You didn't deserve it. You're a good kid."
Aang felt himself get a bit warmer in the cheeks. "Uh… thanks, I guess," he murmured. He stood. "Well, like I said, I beter go. Thanks for serving me tea, and for talking to me. I learned a lot about you."
The ex-prince didn't say anything, merely acknowledged Aang's parting.
On the way back, Aang started to feel a little sad, though; he didn't know how he could tell, but he got the feeling that something was about to go wrong, and that it had something to do with Zuko.
Who knew that a teashop could give you the blues?