It had only been morning, since Zuko had started working for Ping. Although there weren't many customers, Ping thought differently. He thought it was a success, apparently he doesn't get much business, Zuko thought. Things were going well until he overheard a conversation going on between two young water tribe males.
"You hear about that Katara girl?"
"Yeah, yeah everyone knows. Man, what a slut." Zuko stopped moving, fists clenched into the empty tray.
"Yeah, I heard it's easy pussy. Some guy once told me that a dude got in it the day he met her. I'm gonna try and get in that later." Zuko's body was trembling, his knuckles were white and his breathing was shaky. It took all of his strength not to kill those two men for saying such heinous about her. She was the purest woman he knew and wherever they heard those rumors from will have to face her wrath once she knew about them. He took many deep breaths before composing himself. If he acted he was gonna either reveal himself or ruin the poor tea shop owner's business if he went and fought those men in public.
The door rang open and he saw big, beautiful eyes that made his heart race. He eyed the men before giving Katara a welcoming smile.
She made a beeline for Zuko jumping into his arms. "Sorry," She said in his ear. "I just still can't believe that you're here." She breathed in his scent and warmth. Tea and sandalwood. She closed her eyes and clung on, taking a deep breathe, before realizing she was holding on too long and pulled back.
"Here, I can get off early. I've made my boss pretty happy today." Zuko said. He went back to the kitchen. "Mr. Ping, I'm gonna leave early, now that rush hour has passed. Also, you don't have to fire anyone or pay me triple to stay and work for you. I'll be here tomorrow at noon." He said taking off his apron and uniform. "Thank you, Lee. Firebender or not, you have saved my business." He waved him goodbye.
Zuko walked out to Katara waiting patiently for him. One of the men that gossiped about Katara was approaching her, but Zuko cut him off. "Katara, come with me, I want to show you something." He grabbed her hand and led her to his room. He packed his things and then told her about the egg.
"Wow. That's amazing." She said in awe. "The only known dragon egg is with you. It'll be your animal spirit!" She said excitedly. "Yeah, I guess so." He said leaving his apartment.
He checked out of the inn before walking with Katara to the Aurora. Zuko was still thinking about what those men said. Should he ask her if she knew about this? Should he tell her about the men? He hoped that it was just nothing. If he started to talk about it, things might get awkward between the two.
Meanwhile, Katara was trying to think of ways to start up a conversation. She hoped that he didn't think she was boring.
"So, uh how long are you staying here?" She asked.
"I'm not sure, until we're able to track, find, and end the New Ozai Society. Or if they disband themselves. It's gonna be while, Katara. I'd say I'd have to stay put around a year." He replied.
"Oh." She said nonchalantly, but really she couldn't contain her excitement. Zuko. Staying with her. A year. She internally calmed herself down as she realize that they returned to the awkward silence. She looked around the block, searching for something to talk about.
Zuko, however, thought it was a comfortable silence. When he said to Katara that he was going to stay possibly around a year, his thoughts wandered. What is he supposed to do here for a year? Luckily he had friends here to help.
Walking around in his thin robes he used his breath of fire, he does this often but he does it discreetly. It was bad enough that people still had mixed feelings towards the Fire Nation, but if people found out he was also a firebender, they'll do more than give him odd stares.
"Hey!" Katara exclaimed. "There's Auntie Ashuna!"
"Who is Ashun-" She grabbed onto his outer vest and pulled him towards a blue cart where a chubby woman with grey hair and eyes was working it.
"Katara!" She yelled out. "How have you been and who is your handsome friend?" Zuko's ears reddened at the compliment. "Good! And this is Z-Lee, he's my new friend and he's staying for a while." Katara still couldn't get used to calling Zuko, Lee. She always known him as Zuko, the prince, the banished prince, the Firelord, and now a tea maker. "Well, have some seal jerky!" Auntie Ashuna said handing them strips of meat. Zuko grabbed it and gave the piece a few taps in between his teeth before realizing it was as hard as ice.
"Yeah, you better watch out." Katara said ripping out a piece of the jerky using her teeth. "When I was little, I accidentally bit it too hard and I lost my two front teeth!" She recalled. Zuko laughed. A short, soft laugh that warmed her heart. She had never heard him laugh before. He sometimes would give a smile and even more rarely a low chuckle before returning to a stoic expression, but never a laugh. He put the jerky in his mouth then thawed it using his breath of fire before chewing. "Not bad." He said with his mouth full.
"Katara!" Yelled a familiar voice. She turned around. "Niyok? Nutha?" She remembered her old friends from the water tribe and the Earth Kingdom refinery they were working for. "What are you doing here?" Katara asked. The sisters told her that once they heard that the Southern Water Tribe was being rebuilt they decided to come back home and help out with anything they can. "The first thing we did when we landed was go straight to Auntie Ashuna. Her seal jerky is definitely one of things I miss the most about home." Said Niyok. Meanwhile, her older sister, Nutha, was eying Zuko and his Fire Nation robes, suspicious of him. Katara noticed this and spoke out. "This is my good friend, Lee. He helped us end the war with Aang." Zuko reached his hand out to shake her hand only to be rejected. He narrowed his eyes at her. Niyok, however, eagerly accepted his hand and introduced herself. She was pretty, Zuko thought. "Well, it's great to see you guys again. We have to get going." Katara said waving goodbye.
"Sorry about Nutha, she's a bit careful. But when she's sees that you're a good person, she'll come around." They reached the steps of the complex and she handed him a key. "Here, you live right below the penthouse."
"Which is where you live." Zuko continued.
"Yup." If you need anything just go up the stairs and I'll be there." They walked up a few flights of stairs before stopping at his door.
"You can unpack and I'll be back with some suitable clothing for you." She said.
"What's wrong with these clothes?" He asked. Her lips curled up.
"Well, for one, the red won't exactly help you blend in…" He sighed.
"Yeah, you're right."
"I always am, Zuko." Katara said disappearing up the top floor.
He went inside and put his stuff and the box, containing the egg, down. He looked at the arctic blue room then, to the sheets of his dark blue bed. It wasn't the palace, but it was home, for now. He looked out the window and watched people walk by the front of the Aurora. The door directly behind him swung open. He quickly spun his head the other way.
"Don't you knock?" He said.
"Afraid not, Lee." Suki replied sarcastically. "Anyway, in case you didn't know I'm across from you and the others are next to me." He was about to climb into his bed when Suki plopped in before him.
"Move over." He said, annoyed. She obliged and scooted over just enough for him to lay down next her both staring at the ceiling in companionable silence.
"I wonder how uncle is doing." Zuko said first to break the silence.
"He's fine." Suki assured him. "I bet my fans that he's gonna make a National Tea Week." His lips curled up.
"Bet my swords that he makes a National Tea Month." They looked at each other.
"You're on." They both shook hands, then heard a knock. "Come in!" Zuko yelled out.
Katara entered and felt a hint of jealousy when she saw Suki and Zuko lying on the bed comfortably in close proximity.
"Here's one of Sokka's extra clothes." She said tossing it on Zuko's face. He grabbed it and headed to the bathroom to change. When he came out all blue Suki tilted her head in curiousity.
"What do you think?" He said gesturing to his unfamiliar set of clothes.
"It's looks weird." Suki replied. "But, I could get used to it."
"Well I think it looks good on you, Zuko." Katara complemented, receiving a smile from him. She looked out the window and saw the sunset.
"Oh shit! I'm late for gran gran's." She brushed past Zuko. "Looks like I better get going." She said with sadness.
"Wait!" Zuko called out as she left the threshold. He held the door open. "Do you mind if I tag along. I haven't exactly introduced myself to her when I came and ate there." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Of course you can, she'll be happy to see you again."
"Hopefully." He muttered.
"Wait up!" Suki called out from the room. "I'm coming too. I would like to meet my boyfriend's grandmother."
"So, does your grandmother remember me the last time she and I met." Zuko asked nervously. Walking side by side with Katara with Suki lagging behind admiring the urbanized South.
"Of course she does. You got so nervous when you were sitting next to Bosco, remember?" She laughed.
"Err, I meant the first time I met her." He said looking away rubbing the back of his neck again. She started noticing that he does that when he's nervous. She brushed her observation away to consult her friend.
"It's okay, Zuko. I'm sure she'll forgive you. You did help stop the war you know, which brought our father back, and I think that's more than enough to earn her forgiveness." She said reassuringly. He gave her a smile of thanks as they approached the igloo door.
Suki was amazed at the new buildings and the new lights put up for the upcoming festival she heard about. Her attention was brought back to a worried Zuko and a consulting Katara. She pondered a bit and humored herself picturing Katara and Zuko together. They did have this weird sexual tension in the air when they were hiding out in the Fire Nation two years ago. Even when Katara was pissed at him did they had this unusual vibe together.
They opened the door and warmth hit into their face, then walked in to see gran gran cooking something up.
"Ah, children you're just in time for dinner." Zuko then stepped up. He bowed his head low as possible. "I-um, I apologize for not apologizing sooner. I apologize for grabbing you the first time I came here and I hope that you know that I am not that troubled teenager anymore and that you can forgive me." He straighten his back to see what she would say only to be met with blank expression. Sweat was crawling down his temple, seconds passed by before her lips curled into a cheeky smile. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Apology accepted," She kindly said. "And please, call me gran gran." She turned to Suki. "That goes for you to, but I don't believe we've met. Are you his girlfriend?" Their face reddened with a horrified look.
"We're not together." They simultaneously said. Zuko gave gran gran a rundown of his situation.
"Hm, interesting." The old lady said. "Don't worry, I won't tell."
"I'm actually your grandson's girlfriend." Suki blurted out. Earning snickers from Zuko and Katara. Kanna studied her curiously.
"Hm, impressive." She said. Suki was about to kindly ask her what she meant but was interrupted with an answer.
"Impressive how my dim-witted grandson manage to catch a strong young woman such as yourself."
This was responded by laughs coming from all of them. Suki blushed. "Oh, he has his ways."
Soon after Kanna poured all of them bowls of sea prune stew. Katara waited for Zuko's and Suki's reaction, but mostly Zuko's. They were studying the bowl, sniffing it, and mixing it around with the spoon. "Go ahead, they're not gonna bite." Gran gran assured. They sipped from the spoon. Suki gave a disgusting look and while Zuko smacked his mouth before nodding in approval.
"It's… delicious. It tastes like ocean kumquats, they have them in the Fire Nation." Zuko finally answered. "What he said." Replied Suki. Katara was in joy. He really likes it! At least someone besides Sokka likes our food.
"It needs something." Zuko said pulling out a pouch from his parka pocket. "Fire flakes!"
"You keep that on you at all times?" Katara said teasingly.
"In case I get hungry." He replied pouring some into his soup then tasting it. "Hmmm, that's delicious. You guys want any?" Suki snatched the pouch from his hands and added a little to the soup before giving it a taste. "Wow! It is kinda good. Katara you have to try some." She handed the pouch to her. "I don't know." She said unsurely. She looked around to see stares coming off her friends and gran gran drinking her stew minding her own business. "Here goes nothing." She grabbed a pinch of fire flakes and dropped it in the bowl. She took a sip. It was spicy, but it did indeed make the stew tastier. "Not bad." She said handing the fire flakes back to Zuko.
They ate in silence and when they were finished Suki stood up.
"I think we're due to a visit at town hall." She said straightening her green parka she recently bought. "Alright, Zuko, you coming?" Katara asked.
Townhall. If Zuko couldn't work at the Fire Nation, then he could work here! He could work out trades and negotiations with the Head Chieftain. He might actually get work done here.
"Let's go." He said firmly.
On the way to town hall, there was a big commotion coming from the front entrance. They pushed through the crowd only to see a bald tattooed boy with bright grey eyes.
Aang.
Can someone explain to me how writers make short scenes long af?