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~ Tales of Ba Sing Se (Part 1)~
Zuko POV
祖寇的故事
(The Tale of Zuko)
The third day of work started of fine. Ryuu was serving customers, Uncle was doing till duty and I was stacking shelves behind the counter. Every so often, when I glanced overcmy shoulder, a girl would be staring at me. As soon as she saw me, she would avert her gaze. It made me wonder - was she onto Uncle and me?
I slid down the ladder and hissed to get Uncle's attention. He looked up from the money he was counting and furrowed his brows. I swept my arm in the girl's direction. Ryuu saw this and came over to the till, dumping a tray onto the counter.
"Uncle, we have a problem. One of the customers is on to us. Don't look now but there is a girl over there at the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation. Didn't I say don't look?!"
Ryuu landed foward on her arms and sniggered. I glared at her. Uncle shook his head to dismiss my worry, but he made it only worse by saying what he did.
"You're right, Zuko. I've seen that girl in here quite a lot. Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you."
"What?" I asked - not understanding what he had said. Ryuu laughed harder.
The girl came up to the counter and placed her cup on Ryuu's tray. She wrung her hands and stumbled over her words. Uncle stood and smiled. Ryuu took the tray up. She decided to stay within earshot, however. I was thankful because if she did turn out to be an Earth Kingdom informant I would need her help.
"Thank you for the tea. What's your name?" She directed at me.
I decided to play it smooth, "My name's Lee. My uncle, the girl - Yoshi - and I just moved here."
She dug her nails into the counter and I watched Uncle smile smugly. She whistled in a breath.
"Hi Lee, my name's Jin. Thank you and ... well, I was wondering if you would like to go out sometime."
Uncle answered before I could even open my mouth. He confirmed I would love to. Behind me, Ryuu dropped the tray she had been carrying. She swore and gathered herself together. I forced a simle as Uncle patted my shoulder.
Jin massaged her elbow but grinned from ear to ear, "Great! I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown."
She practically skipped out of the shop. Uncle congratulated me on the forced date while Ryuu surprised me by gripping my other arm and dragging me to the back of the shop. She let go of my arm and gritted her teeth so hard her jaw turned white.
"What's the problem? " I asked - if hesitantly.
"Uh- uh. Good luck on your date. She seems like a good natured and well meaning girl. If you mess this up and hurt her, than you'll have me to answer to. Don't forget to pay for the meal. Gentlemen always do..."
She trailed off and turned to the washing up, as if nothing happened. Bemused, I went back to the front of the shop and took up serving duty.
...
"Stay still," Uncle snapped. The brush raked through my hair again and I squirmed as it caught my skin. From behind a sheet of paper she was doodling on, Ryuu snorted with laughter. She picked the paper up and fell over laughing. For the last time, Uncle smeared Jellynemone grease in my hair to keep my hair in place.
"Leave it!" I pushed away from Uncle. He crossed his arms and smiled approvingly. I snatched the paper from Ryuu. It depicted Uncle combing my hair and me squirming. Despite the subject matter, it was an impressive study.
She beamed up at me, "You can keep it."
I folded the paper up and stuffed it into my tunic. Ryuu got to her feet and smacked my shoulder.
"Good luck, Junior. Oh, and take this."
"Please don't call me that, " I dead-panned but took the peice of paper she handed to me - a coupon. Uncle opened the door to Jin, who stood there eagerly. Before I could even think of fleeing back to safty, Uncle slammed the door. Jin reached up and ruffled my neat hair.
"Hey. Well, look at you. You look so cute."
No one - I mean not even Ryuu - has called me cute. One time, when she was half asleep and a sailor had given her an accidental flask of alcohol, mistaking it for a water flask, she called me 'handsome' and even 'hot' but never cute. I took it as the alcohol and sleep influencing her.
"It took my uncle ten minutes to do my hair."
I blocked her hand. She withdrew it but carried on smiling. She took my hand and began leading me down the alleyway.
...
Jin was intently looking at me. I avoided her intense green eyed stare. Her eyes were pretty, no doubt, but not like Ryuu's mystifying mercury grey eyes. I clenched my jaw. Why was I thinking like that? She was a good friend, plus I'm on a date. The first one since three years ago - when I was dating Mai.
"So, how do like the city so far?" She initiated conversation.
I met her gaze, "It's okay."
She took a gentle sip of her tea and nodded, "What do like doing for fun?"
I dug my nails into the table and blurted, "Nothing."
She furrowed her brows but shrugged. A waiter came to my side and bowed slightly. He coughed before addressing me.
"Excuse me, sir. Would you and your girlfriend care for dessert ?"
Something lept inside of me. Why was it, every girl I ever was with was assumed to be in a romantic relationship with me? I had to get it in his head. I shouted at him - but it came out way to loud. The whole restaurant heard me. Jin just giggled - a forced giggle though.
She slumped up the last of her noodles. I watched her fo this and tried to recover from shouting by small talk. Oh, Agni, it went so wrong. If it was Ryuu, she would've come back with a quip or sarcastic remark. I missed that.
"You have ... quite an appetite for a girl."
I twiddled my thumbs as Jin stared up at me self-consciously, "Umm ... thanks? So, Lee, where were you and your uncle living before you came here?"
"Umm ... well, we've been traveling around for a long time."
Innocently, she asked, "Oh. Why were you traveling so much?"
Searching my mind as her green eyes burrowed into me, I blurted out the furthest thing from the truth, dispite it being utterly ridiculous. I wished it was Ryuu opposite me. She wouldn't do this to me. She would joke, she would just be... Ryuu.
"We were ... uh, part of this traveling circus."
Jin grinned, "Really? What did you do? Wait, lemme guess. You juggled!"
I tried to sound sarcastic. It failed miserably. Jin held up various objects for me.
"I've always wanted to learn how to juggle. Can you show me something?"
I laughed nervously and took the things from her. I tried to juggle but they all consecutively fell on my head - Jin had a cross between laughing and worry in her voice and on her face.
"I haven't practiced for a while..."
She touched my arm, "It's all right. Hey, I want to show you one of my favorite places in the city."
...
She led me through the lanes to a small square. She squeezed me hand. It tore my heart, reminding me painfully of Ryuu. Jin's hands were softer than Ryuu's and she smelt of mango. Sure, Jin was pretty. And bubbly. And enthusiastic.
"I'm so excited for you to see the Firelight Fountain. The lamps make the water sparkle and reflect in the pool in the most beautiful way."
When we got to the square, she gasped and clasped a hand over her mouth. She looked hurt and her voiced cracked in an emotional way. I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor girl. I sighed and stood infront of her.
"Close your eyes, and don't peek."
She did as told. I checked that no one else was around and all the shutters were set, before recklessly lighting all the lanterns with Firebending. Oh, Ryuu would simultaneously shout at me for being reckless but also hug me for the gesture. I smiled to myself and turned back to Jin.
"Okay, now you can look."
As soon as her first finger fell from her eyes, she was grinning. She was cute in the fire light. I had to admit that. She beamed at me.
"Oh Wow. What happened? How did they light? What did you -?"
She took both my hands and tried to kiss me. I ripped one hand from her grasp and silently thanked Ryuu for the coupon. Ryuu's picture also emerged in my hand. I set my jaw as Jin took them both.
"I've brought you something. It's a coupon for a free cup of tea. Oh, my friend drew that..."
She clutched them both to her heart, "Lee, this is so sweet."
She tried to kiss me again, so I took a couple steps away from her. She opened the folded paper and giggled at the portrait of Uncle combing my hair - I was pulling a ridiculous face in the picture. I held my hands up.
"Don't thank me – it was my friend's idea. Although Uncle approved. He thinks you're our most valuable customer."
She tucked them into to her belt and clasped her hands together.
"Your uncle and friend are good teachers. I have something for you too. Now it's your turn to close your eyes."
I obliged. Jin put her hand on my chest and closed the space between us. Initially, I enjoyed the first kiss in three years. But the I leapt back. I was leading Jin on. I was going to hurt her. And, not to mention, I was betraying Ryuu. I didn't know why, but I felt I was betraying her.
But then I kissed Jin back. It was inviting. Her lips were warm on the cool night and her mango sent wrapped me up - even her breath tasted of mango. I caught myself and leapt away. I had to prevent myself from hurting her or Ryuu.
"What's wrong?" She called after me. I didn't look back but hesitated. Jin caught my wrist.
"It's complicated. I have to-"
"It's your friend. I saw the way you look at her. Thank you for the lovely evening. I will never forget it, Lee. Tell your friend how you feel about her. I'll catch you later, Lee."
She dropped my wrist but I caught her hand. I gently kissed her knuckles and smiled. She gave me a thumbs up as I ran off home.
...
"How was your night, Prince Zuko?"
Uncle was washing up bowls from his and Ryuu's dinner. Ryuu was drawing again - she squatted by the window, painting the street at night. I slammed the door. Jin was right. But tonight wasn't the right time. Mabye tomorrow.
I sighed and opened the screen door a crack, "It was nice."
I slammed the door shut again and curled up in the dark, thinking of what Jin had said.
