"No, no, I'll do the dishes, Uncle. I know it hurts your back," Zuko said, taking the sponge from his uncle and stepping up to the sink, which was filled to the brim with hot, sudsy water. There was a large stack of teacups and kettles beside him, waiting to be washed.

"Thank you, Zuko," Iroh said, and then smiled at the girl who walked into the kitchen of the Jasmine Dragon. Suki smiled back at him and then glanced at Zuko, who felt a tug in his guts at the sight of her.

"The last customer left for the night, so I closed up the shop," Suki said, pushing her hair behind one ear. "Would you like me to clean up for you?"

"No, no, I enjoy sweeping and mopping every night," Iroh said, reaching for the broom and the mop and bucket in the corner. "I find it soothing after a long day making tea."

"Okay, is there anything you'd like me to do?" she offered sweetly.

"Why don't you rinse and dry the dishes while Zuko washes," Iroh said, jabbing his thumb at Zuko, who was dumping teacups into the water. Suki nodded and grabbed a towel from the stack on the counter, slinging it over her shoulder.

She stepped up next to Zuko and leaned against the sink. Her nearness made his breath shorten a little as he plunged his hands into the hot water and started washing the dishes. Iroh went into the tea shop, humming under his breath as we went, leaving them alone together at the sink.

"I love doing dishes. It's so relaxing," Suki mused, swirling her fingers in the steaming rinse water.

"Really? Me too," Zuko admitted. "I like the hot water. The soap. Getting the dishes clean. I can let my mind wander."

"I feel the same way when I'm working out too," Suki said as he put the first teacup into the rinse water. She grabbed it and swirled it around and then took it out. She put it on the drying rack as he swirled the sponge in another cup.

"Sometimes it's good to turn your brain off."

Suki's shoulder bumped his. "Not that your brain is ever turned on in the first place." They both stiffened a little at her words, and she quickly backpedaled with a laugh. "I should have put that a different way."

"You think?"he said, and splashed her with water. She laughed and danced away from him, the front of her green dress spotted with water. He grinned at her, the sound of her laughter filling him up like warm alcohol. She came back to the sink, stuck her tongue out at him and reached over, scooping up a handful of foam and putting it on his cheek.

He wriggled away from her as she laughed, wiping his face on his arm as he laughed and scooped up his own handful of foam. He smeared it across her chin, giving her a foam beard. She laughed and pursed her lips, staring cross-eyed at his handiwork.

"That's an interesting look for you," he laughed.

"Do I look cute?"

"You always look cute," he admitted, his face turning red. Suki's gaze met his for a moment and then she bit down on her lower lip, the gesture making his throat tighten.

"You think I'm cute?"

"I think you're gorgeous," he said and then turned back to the sink, feeling his face burning. Why was he so bad at flirting? "But you know you're beautiful."

"Um..." Suki said slowly. "Thank you. That's..."

"Yeah," he mumbled, trying to brush it off as he dumped another clean teacup into the rinse water. Suki wiped her face off on her apron, then plunged her hands back into the water. They stood side by side, listening to Iroh in the other room, sweeping the floor and singing softly to himself.

Zuko was hyper aware of Suki at his side, of the way his elbow brushed her as he worked, of the way she was watching him out of the corner of her eye. Of the smell of her perfume and the shape of her lips and the smooth, creamy skin of her neck and...

He tore his gaze away and tried to concentrate on the dishes. It wasn't working very well. All he wanted was to kiss the tiny smile from the corners of her lips, to push his hands into her hair and hold tight.

But he was too chicken, too unsure of himself to make a move on her. What if she rejected him? What if he was reading her completely wrong? What then?

Suki wiped out the last teakettle, set it in the cupboard and then tossed the tea towel down on the counter. Then she hopped up to sit on the counter, her legs primly crossed as she watched him let the water out. He was aware of her eyes on him, a hot flush rising up his neck.

"Are you ever gonna kiss me?" Suki suddenly asked, the words slamming into his ears like a battering ram. Zuko's head went up and he found himself staring at her, his heart drumming hard beneath his ribcage. Her eyebrow lifted, the corner of her mouth pulling up a little.

Zuko slowly put down the sponge and glanced toward the door that lead into the tea shop. He could hear his uncle mopping the floor, still singing as he worked. He looked back at her as he wiped his sudsy hands on his apron.

"Umm... You...you want me to kiss you?"

Suki twirled her hair in her fingers, watching his nervousness with amusement dancing in her blue eyes. "Well, I've been sending out all the signals, Zuko. I've been flirting and teasing and doing everything but grabbing you and kissing you. I know you want to kiss me too, so what's the problem?"

He swallowed and flicked his gaze from her mouth to her eyes and back again. "Am I that obvious?"

"Definitely. So what are you waiting for?"

He glanced back at the door, but his uncle was still busy. He turned back to Suki, who was chewing on her lip now—a habit that had been driving him insane for months. He felt a tingle spread through his body and he drew in a sharp breath.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I'm not very good at... This."

Suki uncrossed her legs and reached out, grasping the front of his apron and pulling him toward her. He fit in between her knees easily, his heart racing at her sudden nearness.

"Let me make it real easy on you then," she said as she put her arms around his neck and lowered her face to his. She hesitated and then whispered, "Put your damn hands on my hips."

He put his shaking hands on her hips, breathing in the scent of her, feeling faintly dizzy. Slowly Suki lowered her mouth to his. Her lips touched his lightly, soft and questing. Her lips were soft and warm and he tilted his chin, kissing her back with a small sigh.

It was everything he'd imagined.

Her lower lip slid against his and he caught it between his lips, his hands tightening on her hips. She pressed in, deepening the kiss until he was lost in it. Her breath was sweet and warm, the taste of her spreading in his mouth as her tongue swept across his lips.

Growing confident, he changed the angle of the kiss, his tongue slowly flicking against hers. Suki let out a soft little moan, and the sound of it charged through him like lightning. It emboldened him. He curled his fingers on her hips, pulling her forward just a little. Suki's knees tightened on his hips, her fingers in his hair.

She caught his lip and tugged on it with her teeth. When she let it go, he let out a shivery breath, his eyes opening. He stared at her as if from a haze, a small smile hovering at the corners of his wet lips.

Suki slowly opened her eyes, piercing him with her dreamy gaze. She drew in a ragged breath.

"Wow," he whispered against her lips.

"Don't stop," she said and he immediately kissed her again. There was no hesitation now. He slid his hands up her back, his kisses turning fierce as months of longing unleashed in him. He'd wanted to kiss her for longer than he cared to admit, and here it was, finally, and he wasn't about to stop.

She didn't seem to want him to either, her tongue in his mouth, her fingers in his hair, and clenching the back of his shirt.

"Ahem!"

Zuko jumped back from her as if he'd been shot, turning to stare at his uncle, who was standing in the doorway with an amused expression on his face. He leaned on his mop as Zuko stared at him in mortification.

"Uncle! I... We were just... Umm..."

Suki pressed her hand to her mouth, staring at Iroh as her face went a little red. Iroh looked between the two of them for a moment and then leaned his mop against the wall.

"It's about time," he said, throwing up his hands and then walking out of the kitchen. Zuko let out a breath, his wet lips pressed to a thin line as he turned back on Suki, who was grinning sheepishly beneath her hand. She turned to meet his gaze, mischief dancing in her eyes.

"That was..." he started, stepping closer to her, unable to stop himself. She slid her hands up his apron, smoothing it down. Her smile was seductive and enticing.

"Worth the wait," she said softly. Zuko let out a breath and cupped her face, his gaze on her soft, smiling lips.

"Definitely," he said and then kissed her again.

(end)