Lost in the screams of pain is a chapter story,
All the stories are about fragments out of Zuko's and Iroh's lives.

This story happens during [Book 2, ep.14: City of Walls and Secrets].

Go out working is not easy for a spoiled ex-prince, he makes some little mistakes and realizes that this life was harder than thought.

Iroh is sixty-five,
Zuko is sixteen,
Jin is fifteen,
Xiu (An Oc) is sixteen,
Yena (An Oc) is fifteen,
Liang (An Oc) is seventeen.

Lost in the screams of pain,
Chapter 48: The loner.

The tea house had just opened; there weren't many guests this morning. Everything went smoothly and relaxed. Iroh loved this kind of atmosphere! He wandered through the shop, took some orders, and enjoyed a friendly chat with the costumers while his nephew sat behind the bar. He filled the stock with tea leaves and herbs.

"Good morning, what would the ladies want to drink?" Iroh glared over the three girls with a tiny smile. His eyes stopped at one of them, he recognized her immediately, she was here yesterday and the day before yesterday.

The girl looked up and smiled back at the man. "I would like to order some jasmine tea, please."

The man nodded friendly while he glared to the other two, the friend next to her was a heavy girl. She seemed very nice, very sisterly. The other one, who sat on the other side of the table was a more aimless and arrogant sort of girl. She didn't fit the group. "Yes, and your friends?"

"I would love a cup of green tea." The heavy girl replied with some giggles.

The other girl rolled her eyes. "I want two jasmines, one for me and one for my boyfriend…"

"Yeah, Xiu! We know… Must the word boyfriend always come in your sentences?"

Xiu leaned her head and frowned. "I have one Jin, you two haven't!"

Iroh closed his eyes with amuse before he turned away. Teenagers… Huh, thinking they're already adults, while they're still children. He leaned against the bar and glared down at his nephew, who sat on the ground. "Looks good!"

Zuko glared up. "I'm almost ready…"

"You don't need to hurry; it is calm in the case…" Iroh muttered while he brewed some tea. "There just entered some young teenagers, … interested in a chat?"

"I don't know them…" The boy whispered with a frown.

Iroh shook his head. "Having friends is great, Lee. But you need to stand open for it, don't close your heart for those you don't know!"

"I know uncle." Zuko replied irritated, he wasn't interested in making friends. Why should he need friends? He had his uncle, that was enough right now!

Iroh poured the cups and brought them to the right table. "Here you are." The man said while he placed the tray on the table. Iroh glared at Xiu her boyfriend who had meanwhile arrived; he sat next to her and glared over Iroh's nephew with a grin.

What's the meaning of this? The old man thought while he took some steps back. He cleaned the table next to the teenagers, listened carefully.

"So, Jin is that the guy you talked about?" Liang plagued his little sister.

Jin sighed deep, why couldn't Xiu kept this as a secret? She has told everyone about her little crush on that boy! "Stop it Liang!" She whispered angry, this was embarrassing. She would take care of it; her brother had no business with this!

Xiu leaned with her elbows on the table and whispered. "This is ridiculous, Jin. What do you see in him? Liang's much prettier!"

"Stop it Xiu, he's not bad!" Yena replied fast, Xiu had no affaires with Jin's choices.

"Hello Yena! He has a scar… who wants a boyfriend with a scar?"

"Looks doesn't matter!" Jin replied calm.

"No? Well, you and Yena maybe fit in his category? But he can't get a pretty one like me!"

"Nice one, baby!" Liang grabbed his girlfriend from the table and kissed her. Jin grabbed Yena's hand, they left the tea house. She had enough of her sister in law.

Iroh's trained ears had heard every word, he grinned at his young nephew who stood further. She likes him? Hmm… this seems interesting. The man walked closer towards his boy and rubbed one of his shoulders. "You did a nice job nephew."

"I did?" The boy asked with a tiny smile.

"Yes, it's very neat!"

That afternoon.

The tea house was filled with customers, most of them were soldiers. "Hey, how long should we wait?" A male snarled from his place.

"One moment please…" Lee replied as friendly as he could. Another group of older costumers sighed and muttered behind him. Lee turned his head and glared over the table. "I'll take your orders as quick as possible…"

An older man from the group shook his head in displease. "Young people today! So slow, too lazy!"

Zuko gritted his teeth and smashed the plateau on the bar. "Uncle? Seven Ginsengs, five jasmines, two green, one lychee and one rosehip tea!"

"They're on their way!" The man replied with a smile as he noticed his tensed nephew, the boy was staring at the table with the older costumers. "Lee? Don't listen to them! They're old and grumpy…" Iroh whispered.

"Hmmm…"

Iroh smiled at Zuko's groan and rubbed over the boy's short hair. "Now, … take their orders … friendly!"

Zuko sighed as he walked to their table. "Your order please?"

"Aw, you're finely here!" The old man niggled. "I thought you never came!"

Lee grinned as he tried to held his anger. "Your order, sir?"

"Four times rosehip tea…"

The young servant turned away and took several other orders. He gave his orders to his uncle and brought some tea around.

"Lee? Tea!" Uncle Mushi screamed. The other orders were ready, the young boy rushed to the back and took the plateau. "Careful! It stands full, boy."

Zuko walked slowly towards the old costumers. "Ah, he's here!" The man muttered to his friend. The young boy lead his hand carefully under the hot plateau and took two cups of tea in his other hand, placed them on the table.

The older costumers smelled at their cups. "It smell's delicious!"

"Enjoy!" Lee whispered, he took some steps backwards and felt a push in his back. The plateau smashed down on his other arm, Zuko squeezed his eyes shut in pain. The freshly made tea flowed over his arm and abdomen.

Iroh looked up as he heard the eighteen cups fall down onto the ground. He saw Zuko in squatting, held his arms against his belly. He noticed the angry costumer above his nephew. The man rushed forwards. "Excuse me? What's wrong sir?"

"He stood in my way!" The man growled.

Lee looked up with tears in his eyes. "What? You pushed me!"

"You piece of ignorance. You should see what you are doing!" The man replied angry.

Iroh grabbed the stranger by his arm, tried to calm him. "Sir? Sit down! You get a free cup of tea!" The man crouched and grabbed his nephew's shoulder. "Go to the kitchen, I'll check your arm…"

Zuko stood up and looked around in shame, everybody stared at him. Some shook their heads with disapproval others laughed. The boy glared down at the ground, at the broken cups, the messed tea. I can't even serve tea?

The boy walked backwards, he heard voices and laughs. Everyone thought he was a loser! A failure… Zuko turned around and ran away, he heard them, he still heard them. The voices, the humiliation did not stop…

Pao, the owner of the tea house glared at Iroh. "Were is your nephew going?"

The old man stared at the door, he knew what it was. Zuko had it again, the feeling of shame, humiliation. A kind of emotional terror attack. "He has a terrible past, forgive him. Please… I'll work overtime!"

Pao smiled at his amazing new worker. "I understand… He's young!"

The apartment.

The boy collapsed in the apartment, he was breathless. He felt terrible, everyone saw it! The costumers, the soldiers, Pao, his uncle,… Father was right, I'm worthless, a failure. I can't even serve tea without hurting myself!

Zuko stood up and lit some candles in the rooms. He walked further towards the bathroom and pulled his shirt off. His arm, chest and belly were red. It were light burn marks.

"Damn!" He snarled as he smashed his shirt in the corner of the room and stared in the mirror. He glared at his face, his other burn mark… The memories rushed through his head, the pain, the turmoil, the degradation. The young boy grabbed his head, it's too much. "Please stop. Please stop…" He whispered as a tear streamed out of his eye.

"When will it stop… I want to go home." Zuko strolled into his room and fell onto his mattress. "I want to turn it back!"

Tea house.

The hours had passed; many customers have already visited the tea house today. Iroh waited his time to go home; he stood behind the bar and stared before him. He thought the whole afternoon about his boy.

I hope he's home and not at the street… Iroh bit his lip. Five minutes…

Pao glared with compassion at Mushi. "You can go, I'll close tonight."

"Thanks a lot, Pao!" Iroh bowed and rushed outside. He walked quickly through the dark narrow streets. His heart was beating incredibly fast. He felt incredibly uncomfortable, there were so many noises. The way home seemed so long!

Iroh peaked up and noticed light through their windows. Oh Agni, he's there…

The man opened the door and walked through the room; he opened the bedroom door and glared over his young nephew who lay on his bed. He only wore his pajamas pants; his head was pressed into his pillow.

"Zuko?" Iroh whispered. "Are you asleep?"

Uncle crept closer and laid his hand on his sleepy nephew's shoulder. He felt warm and breathed very calm. Iroh moved his head closer over the boy, tried to see his face. He rolled the boy on his back, Zuko's eyes opened slowly.

They were red and swollen, from crying. "Hey…" The man whispered while he tickled the boy's cheek. "Why did you ran away?"

Zuko sat up and shrugged.

"Let me see your wounds… Pain?"

The young boy wiped his tears away and shook his head.

"Zuko, it was the fault of that man ... not yours." Iroh replied with comfort as he took the boy closer.

"They laughed, … I can't do anything!" The boy moaned out of his uncle's chest. The older man kissed the boy's back of his head and smiled.

"I broke some cups too and I had an angry costumer… AND I'm much older then you." Iroh laughed. "It's our first job!"

A smile appeared on the young boy's face. "You didn't burn yourself with tea!"

"That's maybe for tomorrow!"