A/N: I don't think any explanation is really needed.
Disclaimer: It's still not mine. I swear.
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Part Five: The Talk
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Iroh sat by their small campfire and drank his first decent cup of tea in a long, long time. "You should try some of this tea," he told Zuko. "It calms the mind."
"How is anything supposed to calm me down?" he huffed back. "The Avatar is days ahead of us, Azula could attack at any moment, and two days ago some strange woman pinched me in a place I don't even like to touch!"
"I should hope not," Iroh replied simply, smiling inwardly at his own joke.
Zuko grunted, but it had been a long day and most of the fight had been sapped out of him by traveling, tracking, and hunting. "Maybe I'll have some," he conceded.
Iroh poured a cup and handed it over, offering Zuko a reassuring smile. "I'm sure we'll catch up with the Avatar soon, and Azula is probably more occupied with him than she is with us. Besides, it's a good thing when a woman pinches you and winks. It's called flirting. Well, perhaps flirting is a bit tamer than that..."
"Uncle, please don't. I'm tired, I'm hungry, and I'm dirty. I'm not in the mood." He gulped down his tea, sighing.
"All I'm saying is that you're a young man now, and some women are very forward when they feel attraction."
Zuko bent his head down and covered his eyes with his hand, groaning. "You're not going to stop, are you?"
"Although, I'd advise you not to react the same way to any young women you might set your sights on. They don't take very kindly to such advances." Iroh sipped his tea, considering ending his rambling at the look on Zuko's face. However, it was more encouraging than hindering to him. After all, embarrassing his nephew was one of the many pleasures of being an uncle. "And as for flirting... Well, I don't think you're subtle enough for that. Not yet, at least."
Zuko groaned again, more loudly this time.
Peaches took an interest in the noise and started sniffing at him, then produced a loud grunt.
"However, you do seem to be very good at flirting with ostrich-horses."
"ARGH!" Zuko exclaimed when Peaches leaned closer and licked the side of his face in one long, wet stroke. "No, Peaches! Bad girl!"
"Would you like some more tea?" Iroh offered politely.
Zuko stood up and stomped off, presumably to sulk somewhere.
Iroh considered going after him for a bit, but then decided that it was best to give him some time alone. "Oh well," he told Peaches. "More tea for me."
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