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 after [Book 2, ep.14: City of Walls and Secrets].

Zuko has a little crush on a governor's daughter, Iroh forces him to talk with her. The poor boy follows his heart for the first time and gets hurt.

Iroh is sixty-five,
Zuko is sixteen,
Meiying (An Oc) is sixteen.

Lost in the screams of pain,
Chapter 51: Girls are trouble.

"Lee? Grab the keys!" Iroh yelled as he rushed through the apartment, he tried to get everything in order before they left. "We're so Agni damned late! How could this happen? We're never too late!"

Zuko almost stumbled over his own feet as he quickly grabbed his brown shoes and closed his green shirt; his short hair was a total mess. "We overslept, uncle…"

"I know, nephew." Iroh whispered as he waited impatiently at the door. "You've the keys of the shop?"

The young boy put them high in the air while he ran outside. "We had no breakfast this morning..."

"Lee, … run to the tea house and open the door,… receive the guests. I'll find something to eat!" Iroh replied fast while he closed the door of their apartment, the young boy ran off like an arrow. The older man hurried towards the shopping district, he didn't like to leave his nephew there alone. The boy behaved himself pretty good lately but you never knew for sure what kind of guest would visit today.

Iroh glared carefully over the small bakery, he was looking for some delicious pastries and buns. His eye fell on a familiar reflection in one of the windows, it was Meiying. The girl who his nephew had secretly a crush on. The young lady sat there alone, she glared over the passers.

Iroh doubt about what to do, should he go to her and talk about his nephew Zuko? Help the boy for once? Take a little look on what sort of girl she really was? Or should he leave his nephew alone with it, let him take care of his own business?

I would've hated it if my parents interfere them with my love life… The man thought wisely as he entered the bakery. Zuko needs to decide what he wants; I can't push him into a courtship!

The older man smiled at the baker's wife. "Can I have four pastries and four sandwiches please?"

"Of course sir. Are these good?" The lady asked humble.

Iroh nodded friendly, he peaked outside as the baker's wife took his order. He stared at the young girl, she was still there. Meiying was somehow unreadable at a point, she seemed more unhappy but Iroh wasn't sure. He had seen her for several times by now and he didn't knew one single thing about her personality. He knew she was a rich girl, the daughter of a governor but that was it.

"Here you are sir! That makes three copper coins, please."

"Thanks, have a nice day!"

An hour later.

Zuko sat on one knee and filled the cupboard with the just washed tea cups as Iroh entered the shop with their breakfast. The older man had put his bag on the bar and glared at his nephew with a big smile.

"You've made it beautiful here!" Iroh replied happy, he hadn't expected this. His young nephew had cleaned the bar and all the cups.

The teenager glared up with a more serious expression. "Yeah, it wasn't so busy… so I had to do something…"

"You did a great job! Here take some!" Iroh pointed at the bag with pastries, the young boy stood up and opened it.

"Finally!" Zuko grabbed one and ate it fast, he was starving. "And you? Aren't you hungry?"

Iroh laughed loud as he patted his belly. "I already did!"

The young boy shook his head with a smile. "I should have known…"

"Oh, yes…" The older man came closer as he leaned on the bar. "You know who I saw this morning?"

"Pao?" The boy replied uninterested.

"No, Meiying!" Iroh replied enthusiast as he stared in his nephew's wide eyes. There came no reply from him, he probably didn't knew what to say. "She sat across the bakery, before her house…"

The older man noticed the nerves of his younger nephew, he ate faster and faster. He tried to change the subject remarkably but it was in vain. Iroh didn't allow it this time! "She was there alone and bored…"

Zuko stopped eating and glared in his uncle's eyes. "What does that mean?"

"That's she's single, young and lonely … like you!" Iroh replied with a tiny smile as he grabbed his nephew's arm and moved his mouth closer to Zuko's little ear. "She seems perfect… give it a try!"

Iroh went back and looked intently at the boy's eyes, he noticed little sparkles in it. He now knew for sure that Zuko is really ready for a girlfriend and he disserved one! The boy has had enough bad luck in his life and it's time for some good luck and a lovely partner who understands, and supports him with hole her heart. Zuko needs someone he can trust, where he can build on! Iroh is getting older and he will not be here forever, he would love to see Zuko with his own little family before he died…

That evening.

It was a half hour before closing time and normal busy at the tea house, Iroh and Zuko served their last cups of tea as Meiying entered.

What is she doing here so late? Zuko thought confused as he watched her, she never visited the shop at this time of the day. Would she come for me? The boy shocked as he felt someone pulled his arm. "What?"

"Go to her and talk…" Iroh whispered.

"But… what if she doesn't like me?" Zuko whispered back in panic. He didn't knew what to do, he was curious. He wanted to know her but what if she's not what he expected she was?

"Try it!" Iroh pushed him forwards. The boy walked very slowly to the young lady, his legs became heavy, his heart did strange, he couldn't breathe, his head became so dizzy, he would vomit, he felt it!

Zuko stopped before her table and stiffened, his shoulders blocked, his teeth gritted. It took years before he spoke with Mai and he knew her but this girl was a stranger! He wasn't good at this! Say hello, hello, hello…

Meiying turned her head and stared at him. "Ginseng…" She then leaned her head on her fist and glared outside.

The boy turned away, walked fast to the bar. This was stupid… Why didn't I spoke? He glared ashamed at his uncle. "One ginseng."

"And… what did she say?" Iroh asked curious as he leaned closer.

"Nothing, … I hadn't the chance, okay?" Zuko snarled with red cheeks.

Iroh shook his head with enjoyment. "You didn't dare?" The older man chuckled when he saw his young nephew like this. He moved closer and whispered. "You fought two Angi Kai's, hunted after the Avatar, fought countless battles, was wounded many times and you're afraid to talk to a lady?"

The young boy grabbed his uncle and glared angry in his eyes. "I'm scared of nothing!"

"Well, prove it then… talk to her… arrange a date…" Iroh muttered as he served the tea and brought it to the girl himself.

Zuko peaked at his uncle with angry eyes, he thought about what the old man had told him. The words ran through his head, he couldn't accept this. He will do it! He will show his uncle!

The girl quickly drank her cup and stood up, it was closing time. The young teenager glared hesitated at her, he wasn't sure but he needed to prove his masculinity! Iroh looked defiantly at the boy; Zuko couldn't stand this any longer. He ran after her, she walked through a narrow street as Zuko stopped next to her.

"Euhm, hey?" Zuko half whispered shy, he had never done this before. The young girl turned around and stared at him with silence.

The young boy swallowed heavily as he spoke further. "I'm Lee, you know… I work in that tea house over there! And… I… euhm, I…"

"You're a servant?" Meiying muttered.

"Yes, my uncle and I work there,… we serve tea to the guests."

Meiying frowned as she crossed her arms. "Do YOU know who I am?"

Zuko glared eye widened at her, he hadn't excpected this. Did she know who he was? He was the Prince!

"How dare you to speak to me? I'm noble! You're a dirty rat from the lower ring…" The girl snarled while she shook her head with arrogance. "Find yourself a girlfriend from your own class!"

Zuko took some steps back, his heart felt so cold, so empty. Why did he talked to her? What did he even thought? To find a girlfriend here, cheat on Mai, forget her and take someone who looks like her? He would never find a girl with the same personality and looks like Mai…

"Hey are you even listening, peasant? Just remember to take an ugly girl, who wants a guy with such a face?" The girl smirked as he walked away.

Tears filled in his eyes, this hurt more than losing a fight. He pressed his eyes closed, tried to let his tears disappear. The young boy entered the shop; he couldn't look in his uncle's eyes at this moment.

"Ah! Lee. That's fast…" Iroh spoke out on a calm tone; he saw that something was wrong.

Zuko shrugged. "Go home no…"

"Yes, I'm ready…" The older man replied unsure as he followed the young boy. The whole way back to home felt uncomfortable for Iroh, nobody spoke. He was sure now that something had happened with Meiying but what?

And hour had passed, the young fire bender sat in the seat nearby the stove while Iroh prepared their meal. He glared several times over his shoulders and bit his lip. "The soup is almost ready."

He whispered, there came no answer. Zuko sat there, held his legs in his arms and leaned his forehead on his knees.

"Hmm, delicious noodle soup!" The man served the bowls and sat at the table, nearby his nephew. "Come and eat some soup boy!"

The young boy didn't move, he had heard his uncle but he didn't feel like eating right now. He didn't want to leave the seat, he felt so empty inside, so ashamed. Why did this always need to happen? The world must always take revenge, if he felt a little bit lucky for a moment.

"Zuko? Aren't you hungry, son?" Iroh whispered worried as he stood up. He frowned as he noticed the boy's body language, he seemed so hurt, and it was like he consoled himself. The man lowered his hand and rested it at the back of the boy's head. "Boy? Are you all right?"

He felt the boy inhale deep underneath his hand. Iroh grabbed the boy by his shoulders and pulled him right. "Let your legs go and sit nicely." The boy did as his uncle asked, the older man sat next to him. "What happened?"

"Nothing…" The boy replied with a cracking voice.

"You didn't talked to her?"

Zuko stood up and crossed his arms. "I'm tired, I want to sleep." The boy left his uncle alone in the room and entered his bedroom; he smashed the door behind him and undressed.

An hour later.

Iroh gave his nephew some time to cool down and to think before he entered the room. He glared over the boy who lay with his face on his pillow, the sign that Zuko was crying right now and tried to pretend like he was asleep. Iroh knew this trick; this boy did this since the first year of his banishment.

He pressed his face in his pillow to suppress his sobs and he didn't answer if someone asked something. He pretended like he was in a deep sleep, Zuko had the thought that boy's from an age of thirteen stopped crying. What's nonsense, everyone has the need to cry at times but he's ashamed of it.

The older man sat down next to the boy and laid his hand on the boy's bare spine. "I know you're awake. I know you too well for this one."

Zuko moved his head and rested his left cheek on the pillow; his reght one was red from the tears. The older man stroke the boy's sweaty hair and wet cheeks. "Tell me the truth… Don't be shy for me!"

The boy rested on his sides right now and stared before him, he felt so stupid. "She named me a dirty rat from the lower ring…"

Iroh eyebrows raised, he now understood what type of girl she was. A real noble bitch. "She did?"

"Yes, she told me I needed to find a girlfriend from my own class. An ugly one, who fits my looks… One who wanted a boy with a scar on his face." The boy replied with a trembling voice, a tear strolled out of his eye as he spoke the last words.

The older man didn't knew what to say, he had forced this boy into this… He wiped the boy's tear with a trembling hand as some tears filled his eyes. He didn't want this for his nephew, who could have thought that Meiying was such kind of girl? Zuko really didn't need this at this time! He was very unsure and shy with girls and this girl ruined everything.

Zuko removed his uncle's hand slowly and smashed his arm onto his head, hided his face.

"It's okay Zuko…"

The young boy sat up and grabbed his blanket. Tears streamed out of his eye, he sobbed violently. "It's not okay! She's just right, you know!"

"Who wants me? All the girls ignore me…" Zuko replied with a stuffy nose. "That isn't normal, right? I mean all the other guys have girlfriends or admirers…"

Iroh frowned emotional at his nephew's thoughts. "That isn't true…"

"You had girlfriends at an age of fourteen? You could get any girl you wanted, you told me that… Father was like sixteen? Lu Ten fourteen?"

"You had Mai…" Iroh replied fast with a tiny smile.

"She's … behind … wall! And I'm … banished! We cannot be together! You told me that!" Zuko yelled angry as his hands unleashed some flames.

Iroh grabbed the furious boy by his arms and stared in his eyes. "Calm down, this is not the solution!"

The boy lowered his head as he gritted his teeth, his uncle was right. He needed to stay calm, no fire bending in Ba-sing-se! "Uncle? Am I ugly?"

"Are you kidding me? Why do you think so?"

"I heard girls laugh since the last three years." The boy whispered as he glared to the ground. "June had told me that I was too ugly for that water bender girl. She told me that no one wants me."

"Zuko… you are much more than a scar. And girls can simply be sharp on their tongue! They don't know what they're talking about."

The older man sighed as he raised the boy's shin his hand. "Can I ask you some personal questions?"

The young boy nodded slowly as he waited on his questions. "Do you touch yourself often?" His uncle asked on a more serious tone. Zuko frowned at his uncle and blushed; he wasn't sure what his uncle wanted to know.

"Do you masturbate often?" The man asked while he already knew the answer, he and his nephew lived together for three years. He knew his nephew did it sometimes when they lived on the ship. He knew Zuko had difficulties with it since then, he thought about it as something low…

But later on their journey in the woods, his nephew stopped doing it. They slept next to each other, so Iroh knew everything what happened. The young boy had some 'accidents' at night but that was it. Even now in the apartment, they slept in the same room and there wasn't much activity for a young teenage boy.

Zuko stared in his uncle's face; he didn't knew what to say. Should he be honest or lie? This question was really personal… his uncle had no business with it.

"I try to help you, nephew. I mean, we're always open about these kinds of subjects."

The boy shook his head slowly; he wasn't that active since his banishment… His body wasn't in the mood for it… Zuko knew he didn't it as often as his uncle and it wasn't because he's ashamed of the man, they knew each other but it felt like he didn't need it.

"You don't… and why is that?" Iroh asked calm.

"Because I don't feel like I need it…" Zuko whispered with doubt.

"Okay, but how do you feel if you do?"

Zuko sighed deep at this one. "Not good…"

"Guilty?" Iroh asked with a frown.

Zuko nodded. "Sort of."

"What more?"

"Sometimes I feel disgusting, lonely, ugly,…" Zuko muttered unsure. "I become angry sometimes… but I don't know why?"

"Sounds like you hate yourself…" Iroh whispered as he grabbed the boy's hands, they felt ice cold.

"I do… sometimes. I hate myself for what happened, for who I am, I don't even like to watch myself in the mirror by times…" The boy whispered emotional. "I… The worst part is… I don't know why…" The boy replied out of breathe, tears streamed again.

"I understand Zuko; it's a stage where you need to get out, fight against those moments!" Iroh grabbed the boy and pushed him against his chest. "Oh, my little boy! You've come so far…, you've grown so much and you need to learn to see the reality. You're a handsome, strong young man! Who struggles with himself…"

"You need to learn to love yourself again! Without any shame, you need to be proud of yourself! Enjoy each part of your body, enjoy your youth!" Iroh kissed the boy's soft hair. "I promise you when you do that, the girls will notice and they will all fall in love with that beautiful amazing Prince who's deep inside you."

"You think so?"

"I'm sure of it, my nephew. Girls see your conflicted side right now… they are probably scared? You need to solve some conflicts and heal… You first need to bring the best of you above!"