#pao family tea shop

[alwaysforevermaybenever]

YANDERE EX-HUSBAND: INTRODUCTION

× cw: general yandere stuff; malaysian/cantonese slang; reader is implied ethnically chinese (read her dialogue in Steven He’s accent); reader is also female; obsessive behavior; bribery; stalking; being held at gunpoint(?); threats; felony; implied murder; controlling behavior

× note: it's basically renheng/uncle roger and auntie helen

⌗ your beloved ex-husband? Hah! He’s no better than a plate of burnt egg fried rice with no spring onions or meat from a kopitiam(coffee shop). In fact, you’d pick studying at art school over looking at his face for a single second, even if it means your mother disowning you.

⌗ Unfortunately, even after getting divorced, you still live together. That’s because the house is bought under both your names, so you can’t just kick him out. And it’s not like you’ll have enough money to buy a new house after selling your current one, because half the money goes to him. Tsk. What a nuisance…

⌗ Yala, he’s handsome and rich, but he’s such a jerk and a micromanager! He always insists on telling you how to cook your signature noodles. (Mind you, you grew up learning how to make that. Your ma made sure of that.) He didn’t go to culinary school, so who is he to tell you that, huh?

⌗ You can’t stand being married to such a pompous man like him, so you locked yourself in your room on the wedding night. No way you’re gonna do anything with that eyesore (metaphor). That’s why five months later, after countless arguments and fights, you divorced him.

“Haiya, he CEO of a company, his net worth 1 billion. But he cannot even cook rice or defrost chicken for me when I ask him to? And you ask why I divorce him ah?” *slaps table*

⌗ However, your ex-husband doesn’t really care about your rants or complaints. You’re talking for hours on end about him, so that’s already a win in his book. He’s always on your mind!

⌗ He fully expected you to divorce him. That’s why he insisted on buying the house under both your names - you can’t get rid of him that way. All long as he’s under the same roof as you are, he couldn’t be happier. He eats the food you cook (leftovers because you’re used to cooking for all your relatives during family dinner), rolls on your perfectly made bed while you work your accountant job (in one of his other companies that you don’t know he’s the CEO of) and plays the picture perfect husband when your mom drops by (your 28501864817 relatives marching right behind her) with mooncakes and tangyuan (because she’ll beat you up with the tea set heirloom passed down forty-five generations when she discovers that you’re divorced with no sons!!).

⌗ How did you even get married to him if you hate him that much? Well, long story short, your mother and his mother are best friends, and their husbands are brothers, which made daily reunions even longer because they had so much to talk about. When they noticed that he showed interest in you as a child (one time), they decided that you two would get married when you were of age. While you were resentful that you were essentially forced into an arranged marriage, you pushed through it for the wedding ang pao (red packets) and tax benefits (at least until you divorced, which was when you started working and putting that science stream (not art!) degree to use). 

⌗ You hate your ex-husband, but you do admit that he’s a good wallet. Besides, it’s not like he’s obsessive or possessive or a micromanager who stalks you when you go out or a genuinely bad person who commits felonies because he found out you were searching for potential bachelors because after all you’re in your prime! Right? And besides, who wouldn’t want to date and eventually marry you? But don’t worry your pretty little head because he’ll take care of them since he’s the only one you’ll ever need. Yeah, you’re divorced but who’s to say you can’t get remarried? Not the law! 

⌗ And if he has to drag you screaming and kicking and cursing him (and his ancestors) to the ancestral plane and make you stand by the altar, that’s what his strength is for! And if he has to pay hush money to all the people present that’s ok, cuz he’s not rich for nothing and the relatives aren’t greedy bloodsucking money nabbers (me) just for show.

“Once again, until death do us part, my love… You at the back - put down that phone. I’ll pretend you weren’t trying to call the police, for the sake of this auspicious occasion. What do you mean my wife is being held at gunpoint and trying to punch me no she isn’t.”

[discordiansamba]

thinking about the bad end variation of the lee from the tea shop au again. thinking about how iroh has long since resigned himself to the fact that his nephew is likely dead. he held out hope for as long as he could, but he is certain that if his nephew were alive, someone would have found him by now. azula likely knows what happened to him, but she refuses to talk.

then he receives a letter from sokka, telling him to come to ba sing se.

iroh makes the trek. he does not know what to expect when he gets there. what he gets is a grim-faced sokka, holding a pair of logbooks. he tells him he's found a lead on zuko, and that he needs to read this. he warns him that it's not going to be an easy read- and that he's sorry.

he's right. they are not an easy read.

iroh is an old man now. he was old when he took the throne, but he is older still now. but reading the logbook still stokes a fire in the old man's heart- a simmering rage that makes him want to return to his old ways as a general and burn this wretched city to the ground.

he does not do that, of course.

"the person who did this is dead," sokka says, "-if that's any comfort."

it is not. iroh would have liked to do it himself.

"...i know where to find him," sokka also tells him, "-if you... if you want to meet lee."

iroh does. very much so. sokka directs him to a tea shop called the lotus blossom, in the middle ring. lee runs it. iroh removes his crown headpiece and dons humble robes of earth kingdom brown, styling his hair in earth kingdom fashion. it is enough to disguise him. the tea shop is a modest one- not as fancy as the jasmine dragon had been, but certainly an improvement over pao's.

he is greeted by a young woman with braided hair and a sleeping infant swaddled on her back and is guided to a seat. he asks for the owner's favorite blend- and one of these scrumptious looking fruit tarts, if you do not mind. she returns with them, and iroh drinks deep the scent of jasmine tea.

he always hoped zuko would drink more of it.

there are two young girls sitting at an empty table near him. the eldest is reading a book. the younger is kicking her feet impatiently. iroh can see the fire nation in them, plain as day- as well as in the sleeping infant. he asks the young woman if he might have a chance to speak to the owner. the tea is delicious. he would like to pay his compliments.

she smiles, and tells him she'll fetch her husband right away.

iroh tries very hard not to stare when his nephew emerges from the kitchen. he wears his hair long and braided, concealing his scar with his bangs. he wears the green robes of an earth kingdom man of modest income, and a starched white apron over that. he is taller than he remembers, and carries himself in a different manner entirely.

"dad!" the youngest of the two girls rushes him. "i'm bored. can I go play with my friends?"

his nephew laughs and ruffles her hair. he tells her she can, and asks the eldest- izumi- if she doesn't mind walking her to her friend's place. izumi sighs, but she soon leaves with her younger sister, holding her hand. iroh would place them at around ten and six, if he had to guess.

his nephew greets him with a smile. there is no recognition in his eyes. iroh had anticipated it, but it still hits him like a hard blow. he shows none of this on his face, instead complimenting him on his tea. his nephew thanks him, but is soon pulled away by another customer. iroh watches him out of the corner of his eye.

...it's true. his nephew is a different person now.

but he is alive. he is alive, and he is happy. he has his own family. a successful tea shop. given how long he has resigned himself to zuko being dead, this seems a kinder outcome. iroh lingers in the lotus blossom until closing, simply watching his nephew. he contemplates his next step. sokka has told z- lee the truth, so he could reveal himself.

he could also leave without saying anything.

his nephew has a happy life here. does he really have the right to complicate it even further? and yet... iroh cannot help himself. he has mourned zuko many times over these past two decades. he must speak with lee, or he does not think he can ever let zuko rest.

he lingers past closing time. he knows it is rude behavior, but lee is patient in a way zuko never was. once he is the last person left in the store, iroh stands up and asks lee if he might speak with him again. he removes the five-pronged crown from where he has hidden it, and slides it into his top knot.

"i am told," iroh says, "-that this is where I might find the man who was once my nephew."

[allgremlinart]

my thoughts on Pao of Pao's Family Tea Shop range from "he deserved better imagine losing your main source of income and your city getting invaded within a 2 week period and both of these things is cus of some old dude and his shithead nephew"

to "man fuck Pao he did NOT pay Iroh enough probably and also like. I just hate food service employers on principal. also why is it called a family tea house if his family doesnt work there. Is he a landlord? Its likely."

[tachvintlogic]

Can I hear about your Zuko Li story?

-Faer

I wrote it *check the date created on the document* 2 years ago. I think it was around the time that Atla was getting a renaissance because the animated show was on Netflix. It's about a man and a woman who are regulars at the Pao Family Tea House, the first tea shop Iroh and Zuko worked at in Ba Sing Sei.

They speculate about the origin of Iroh Mushi and Zuko Li and how they ended up here when they're clearly ethnically Fire Nation based on their eye color. Their theory is very plausible with the information they have. Only dialogue is written, with letters to denote who's talking.

This snippet is about half of it.

----------

“Tea here is so good. Tea in the lower Ring has been sorely lacking until Mushi started here.” w

“Yes, his son Li is such a nice boy, too.” m

“Oh no, Li isn’t his son, he’s his nephew.” w

“Hmm, where are his parents then?” m

“Well, his parents probably… didn’t make it here. Refugees. You know how it is.” w

“Oh. Oh dear. …Do… do you think maybe it has something to do with Li’s scar?” m

“It seems likely. It was probably from a firebender.” w

“Hmm, actually speaking of firebenders, don’t you think that Li kind of looks like one? I mean, he doesn’t look like he was from the earth kingdom.” m

“Well that may be true…” w

“Shh! He’s coming.” m

“Here is your tea sir and ma’am.” z

“…” w

“…Well, those are definitely fire nation yellow eyes.” m

“Is it just me, or does his scar look like a palm?” w

“You think so?” m

“Yes. It looks like some firebender had a flame in their hand, and pressed it against his face, and just… held it there.” w

“Oh my, that sounds awful, why would—oh. Oh no.” m

“What is it?” w

“If I’m right, Li isn’t from the Fire Nation. But… I think his father is. Maybe a soldier got a little handsy while raiding a village and, well, Li is unfortunate enough to take after his father. Or his mother. It could be his mother, but if it was, he’d probably be in the Fire Nation and not here.” m

“You think his father did that to him?” w

“Instead of leaving his bastard child running around looking like him? He was probably trying to kill poor Li, and his mother didn’t survive” m

“And now her brother is the only family he has left.”  w

“Exactly.” m

“…” w

“Actually, that theory doesn’t make sense. Because Mushi also looks of Fire Nation origin. Never mind.” M

“Oh no, that actually also works.” W

“Really?” m

“Yes. Think about it. A fire nation soldier found out about his bastard child. He goes to the mother’s house, kills her, and is going to kill her son by burning his face. How does Li survive? The only way that makes sense is if someone was there to stop him, like, say, a fellow soldier. His brother even. Mushi sees Li, realizes that’s his brother’s son, and stops his brother from killing the boy. He deserts the army in disgust and decides to raise poor Li himself.” w

“You know that actually sounds plausible. Maybe we should ask…” m

“Oh no. I doubt they’re comfortable talking about it. I wouldn’t want to intrude.” w

“Yes of course." M

[attackfish]

The Dai Li give jet to Iroh verse

Continued from: [Link].

1. One day, a flier lands on the street in front of Pao's Family Tea Shop, and Zuko picks it up. He takes in the information, about the missing bison, and completely misses the fact that it actually has an address on it, and makes his plans. That night, he sneaks out, wearing all black except for a theater mask of a monster. He lays a trap and ambushes a Dai Li agent, forcing him to open the way to the Dai Li's secret base. And in the dark, unbeknownst to Zuko or his erstwhile captive, Jet follows.

2. This Li kid is terrifying, Jet thinks to himself as he follows him into the depths of the Dai Li secret base beneath Lake Laogai. No wonder he thought he would make a good member of his gang. He's probably some kind of highly trained Fire Nation super spy. Then Li reaches his quarry, an extremely familiar sky bison. Oh shit, he wonders. What has he stumbled into.

3. The answer comes sooner than Jet could have ever expected, when Old Man Mushi shows up and calls Li by his name. Which isn't Li. It's Prince Zuko. Now Jet is really freaking out. When they leave, without the bison, Jet slips out behind them and bolts for their apartment in the lower ring. He throws a blanket over himself and pretends to be asleep when they come home not long after. Old Man Mushi, who called Prince Zuko his nephew, gently wakes him and tells him they have to get ready for work.

4. The three of them stumble exhausted through work that day, it's a good thing Zuko and Mushi are just as tired as he is, or they would have noticed that he's not acting like a boy who got a good night's sleep while they were out doing super secret royal Fire Nation business.

5. That night, they sleep heavily, much more heavily than they ever have before. And Jet is so tired. He hasn't slept in a day and a half, but he sneaks out, and when Longshot and Smellerbee come to him, he leads them into the apartment complex's empty courtyard, underneath the washing lines, and tells them what he saw and heard under Lake Laogai.

[sapphire--art]

Lee - Sick of Tea

Bonus:

💫Night version ✨

[unfried-mouth-wheat]

Listen, if Toph had went off on her own for a while in Ba Sing Se there is no way she wouldn't vibe with Zuko.

"Welcome to Pao's Family tea shop, I'm Li, waddaya want?"

"Chaos."

"Understandable. Sadly, that's not on the menu. Would you settle for a cup of Jasmine tea?"

"Sure."

[gladerwolfstarkimagines]

Zuko x Male Reader Request

Imagine meeting Zuko in Ba Sing Sei and getting jealous when he goes on a date with Jin

You'd been working at the Pao Family Tea House for a while. It wasn't an amazing job but the pay got you through the week and they didn't ask for experience or even identification which was good. You and your family had left your home in the Earth Kingdom without such identification and so overall you were satisfied but one great perk was the new barista. Lee and his uncle had arrived out of nowhere and while Mushi had fit right in Lee was hilariously unhappy to be there. He hated the customers and did not care when they got angry or yelled at him. He put in the minimum level of effort but somehow never got fired or into trouble. You always had a thing for mardy idiots and so you found yourself admiring Lee pretty quickly. When a customer once angrily told him they'd "never come here again" he replied "good" and you broke a cup you were laughing so hard. After working in retail for so long it was oddly soothing to see someone just not give a crap about being rude back and every shift with him was fun. Lee, seemed to like you most (or at least hate you least) out of all the other workers, probably because you also didn't take your job seriously. You got the job done but weren't queuing up to do extra shifts or prove yourself by doing more work. You showed him the perfect ways to get out of doing work, or to hide when customers were coming and he seemed to appreciate that. He wasn't one for talking but he told you he was a refugee too and you bonded about wanting to go home to your old lives. There was something oddly fascinating about Lee and you wanted to get to know him more and more...however you weren't the only one. There was a girl called Jin who came into the tea shop every single time Lee was working. You connected the dots pretty quickly but kept quiet about it hoping the problem would go away. It didn't of course.

"Guess what!" Mushi called as you walked in for your shift and you paused "the Firelord's given up the war and we can all go home?". Mushi smiled "no it's not as good as that but nearly as unbelievable...Lee has a date". "A date?" you asked looking over to the skinny boy sat brooding in the corner "with who?". "That girl who's always in here, we worked out it's because she has a crush on him". Lee glared but you could see he was blushing and that made you sigh. This happened all the time. You'd become friends with a guy, bond with him and hope he'd notice your feelings only for him to choose someone else. It was exhausting but you'd been pretty excited about Lee...it was all for nothing now. "Well congrats" you shrugged before grabbing an apron and heading outside. You were in a bad mood after that and Lee strangely enough seemed to notice it. You snapped at a customer and he smirked "what's gotten into you? Usually I'm the one telling people where they can stick their tea leaves". You shrugged "just guess I'm not feeling it today, is that a problem". "No not at all" Lee said raising his hand but he was still smirking. "You know it's kind of funny seeing you mad, you're usually pretty stoic and unbothered so it's amusing to see you get mad". You rolled your eyes "I'm not mad I'm just irritated". "Why?" Lee asked "every day in here is irritating so what's so bad about today?". "You know I really admire your positivity, you're really nice to be around" you replied sarcastically. Lee smirked "and you're trying to duck the question". You sighed "well at the moment it's definitely you irritating me, why are you still here? Don't you have a date to prepare for?". You'd seen the boy get angry plenty of times but the time when you were actually trying to provoke him he just laughed. "You even look kind of like an angry turtle duck" he smirked "I really like this side to you y/n, you should show it more". You rolled your eyes and Lee smiled "but you're right. I did finish 60 seconds ago so I definitely shouldn't still be here. Have a great shift" he said smiling widely to annoy you and strode out the door. You sighed and raised a hand to your head. All evening you couldn't get Lee's date out of your head and when you showed up for work the next morning you knew you'd hear about it. When you walked in Mushi was working and you made your way towards him.

"How was the date?" you asked Mushi knowing he'd tell you eventually so you should just get it out of the way. "Ow I think it went very well! Lee seemed to enjoy it". You nodded "well I'm pleased for him" but couldn't have sounded less pleased. When Lee showed up to take over from his uncle you were relieved knowing Lee wouldn't bring it up and he didn't. Then Jin walked in. You froze and tossed Lee the tea towel "I'm going on break". He frowned "what? You can't leave me all alone, it's against the rules". "Yeah well tell the boss and get me fired then" you shrugged and went into the back. Lee sighed and followed you "what is with you lately? You're not a suck-up but you do care about not getting fired and doing an okay job". You shrugged "well I obviously don't want to be fired but I might take that over a continuation of your date". "My date?" Zuko asked and then he spotted Jin. She waved and he waved back awkwardly "this isn't a date, she's just here for tea". "Great then why don't you go get her some?" you replied. Lee frowned "why is this such a big deal for you? Come to think of it, you've been weird ever since you found out she likes me". You laughed "what? No I haven't! You're very self-centred Lee". "Yes you have and I think I know why" he said stepping closer. Your breath quickened but quickly evaporated at his next words. "You like Jin don't you?". You couldn't even laugh at how wrong Lee was but he took your silence to mean he was right. "I knew it! You know if you just admit it, I can put in a good word for you. She's nice but not for me". "No I don't like Jin!" you cried but Lee wouldn't let up. "It's so obvious you do so don't be childish. Just tell the truth". "But I don't like her!" you replied and he nodded "keep telling yourself that I know the truth and the truth is you like Jin and are jealous of me". "No you idiot!" you cried and kissed Lee before he could say another stupid thing. "I'm not jealous of you, I'm jealous of her" you whispered and Lee nodded "ow...ow" he said. You let go of him and stepped away. Lee was quiet for quite a while after that. You were standing there an anxious mess but he just wasn't saying anything. Then as you went to leave he sighed "look I like you but I can't". How many times had you heard that? You sighed "Lee if you don't like me you can just say that, you don't have to pretend" you replied and he shook his head. "No that's not it! Just I...my past is complicated and I'm not too sure how long we'll be here or what's going to happen to me and my uncle so it's not a good idea to start making connections or more with people" he said blushing "but that's not because I don't want to I promise". You still couldn't believe he was lying to your face and just shook your head "whatever I'm going" and walked away. Lee called after you once but he didn't follow. After that you avoided Lee and made sure to never get put on the same shift with him. The boy didn't try speaking to you again although you'd sometimes catch him watching you. When Moshi and Lee got offered their own cafe Moshi asked you to come with them but you didn't want to be around Lee so you declined. A few weeks later the two of them vanished. The talk was all over town but then quickly overshadowed by the invasion of the Fire Nation. Luckily the town was pretty big so they couldn't police everywhere and you managed to get through the next few months until the White Lotus liberated your town. Then things went back to normal pretty quickly and you were back into your old routine. You walked to the cafe and unlocked the door getting ready for the day. You walked to the back without looking around and were putting on your apron when you heard someone clear their throat. You jumped out of your skin and spun around wielding a coffee mug in front of you as a weapon. If it wasn't for the scar you wouldn't have recognised Lee. He looked very different, his hair was longer and even though his clothes were plain they looked very expensive. "H/n" he said speaking first "I...I'm not sure if you recognise me but it's Lee". You nodded "I recognise you" and Lee nodded "that's good...you're still here". You raised an eyebrow "was I not supposed to be?". "No I meant that in a good way...I was worried you'd have moved and I wouldn't be able to find you". You shook your head "my family have decided to stay here until we see what's happening out there but why were you trying to find me?". Lee paused "well you see I've got some things I need to confess to you. I wasn't that truthful when I was here and I want you to know the truth...who I really am". You nodded a little confused but also intrigued. "My name isn't Lee, it's Zuko and I'm from the Fire Nation Royal family". You snorted "yeah and I'm the earth king's pet bear, did you really come all this way to try and mess with me?" you asked. Lee or Zuko shook his head "no y/n I'm telling the truth! My name is Zuko and I'm...". You pushed open the backdoor and tried to force him out but the second it swung open some green warriors all began pointing their weapons at you, "Let the Firelord go...slowly" the lead one said and your hand dropped away from him "holy shit you're telling the truth!". After that Zuko explained everything. How he'd been banished, ended up in Ba Sing Sei, return a hero and then dethroned his father. It all seemed like an elaborate story of fiction but you could tell he was telling the truth. "So now you're the Firelord?" you asked and Zuko nodded "yep, still getting used to that and it's been 3 months but I am the Firelord". You nodded "so what are you doing here?" Zuko laughed nervously and nodded "well I often felt bad about how we left things". You winced "now I can see you were being serious about your life being complicated". Zuko smiled "I was...I didn't like leaving the way me and my uncle did so I wanted to come back to explain and also to pass on a message. My uncle has decided to move back here and has opened up his cafe again". You nodded "the jasmine dragon, everyone will be thrilled". Zuko smiled "he thinks so but he also said he needs great staff and as I'll be off running the country he wants you. He can pay you triple what you're getting here and wants to give you proper employee benefits like health care and insurance for your family". You blinked "are you being serious?". Zuko nodded "completely. We both really appreciated the kindness you showed us here and my uncle wants to make up for it, so what do you say?". You shook your head "I...well I'm not going to say no to that am i?". Zuko smiled "We hoped not, do you want to see the place?". "Of course!" you nodded and the two of you set off with his body guards leading and trailing him defensively. "

I'm really glad you're accepting the position y/n, I think you're really going to like it" Zuko told you and you nodded "me too" smiling. Zuko smiled back blushing slightly and you grinned, amused this blushing handsome fool was the Firelord. "So your uncle's moved here permanently?" you asked and Zuko nodded "yep". "That must be hard for you, I know the two of you were close". Zuko nodded "we still are, I visit as much as I can so you'll be seeing me every month at least". "Every month huh?" you asked and Zuko nodded "or more frequently if I can get away, is that okay?". You nodded "that sounds great" and Zuko smiled "great" and then winced making you laugh. You reached the cafe and Zuko held the door open for you "you ready to start your new life?" he asked stretching out a hand to you. You smiled and took his hand.

____________

@novascauta​ I hope you like it! 

[x-ceirios-x]

Shouichi

Basic Data

Name: Shouichi 

Nickname/s: Shou

Age: s1 - 17

Gender: cis guy, he/him 

Occupation: bounces around a lot. pao family tea house employee as of s2

Nationality: fire nation

Abilities

Non bender Picked up a lot of street fighting tricks in his teen years and doesn’t exactly know how to fight ‘fair’. Then again, when you’re fighting for the ability to eat the next day, fair doesn’t quite matter. He had quite a bit of natural strength from working on a farm as a kid (and all the manual labor that comes with that) and learned to use that to his advantage pretty early on. 

Appearance

 1 2

Physical features: (hair, eyes, skin, build etc) really choppy cut, curly, med. brown hair, black eyes, pretty thin build

Height: i don’t have a number because none of them do but. A little taller than zuko (as of s2)

Standard clothing: i have a sketch of this somewhere i need to find it.

Defining features: (scars, burns, piercings, tattoos, signature accessories etc) killer burn scar he gets on his stomach during the final battle

Other outfits: some formal fire nation stuff he gets from zuko eventually, but he still prefers his stuff from the earth kingdom

Personality

On the surface, everyone thinks he’s a good kid that just keeps to himself. While it’s true, it goes a little deeper than that. He intentionally doesn’t get to know people better than basic small talk and keeps them an arm’s length away at all times. He’s well-mannered and polite, making him a customer favorite at the tea shop, but he’s incredibly independent (to a fault) and insists on doing everything himself.  Emotional vulnerability isn’t his strong suit by any means, but he takes time out of his day to make the kids he sees on the street smile (whether it’s with leftover food or a joke someone told him). 

Likes: country scenery, animals, kids (major soft spot there), flowers

Dislikes: city life, crabby & entitled adults

Strengths: friendly, relaxed, observant, resourceful, independent

Weaknesses: stubborn, reckless, also independent

Fears: time passing, dependency

Relationships

Affiliations/Alliances: team avatar, the white lotus league, iroh, zuko

Family: unnamed father (deceased), unnamed mother (deceased)

Friends: toph beifong, sokka, momo (specifically them, he gets along with the whole gang)

Romantic Interest/s: Zuko

Biography:

Shou grew up on a ranch on the outskirts of the fire nation, pretty far from any close city. His dad raised him since his mom died from an illness when he was a kid, and the two lived a pretty quiet life. The war finally reached the furthest parts of the fire nation (not like it hadn’t before, but things got worse), so the two decided to sneak out and hope to restart their lives in the safe city of Ba Sing Se. When he was about 12, they left for (what was supposed to be) a well-covered dock for refugees to leave the country, but it was run through by fire nation soldiers the night they tried to escape. The boat left with only half of the passengers it was supposed to. His father didn’t make it on the ship. Later, he learned his father died in prison. 

Across the sea and through a long trek on land, he made it to Ba Sing Se. He began working as much and as hard as he could—most places, however, wouldn’t hire a 12-year-old. This led to stealing food to survive, despite how badly he didn’t want to. He learned he had to do what he could to survive rather quickly. The older he got, the more money he could make at formal jobs, so by the time he was 14 (and looked a little older), he was able to get something steady. 

However, in the meantime, he got involved in a lot of back-alley, pretty shady ways to make a little extra: he started in fighting rings where people usually felt bad for the scrawny underdog, but not enough to throw the fight. He learned how to dodge and throw punches pretty quickly (considering there were some nights his life almost depended on it) and eventually started winning. The older he got, the easier it was, but the harder opponents he was thrown in with. Most of the reason he couldn’t hold down a job for very long was that he’d come in so bloodied up he’d get fired. He couldn’t leave, however, because a lot of the other guys had bets in on him. The time he tried, he ended up fighting off a couple of (slightly drunk) guys with knives. 

Things started becoming a little more interesting when he started working at a tea shop around 17. He hadn’t been there long when a rather odd pair (father and son, he originally guessed) showed up. The older man, whose name he later learned was Mushi, was the talk of the city when word got out about how amazing his tea was. As much of a pain he was, always nagging about injuries or offering to help him with things, he was the reason he was getting more money. The guy couldn’t be that bad, right?

The other of the two, a boy about his age named Lee, was a different story. At first, he treated him like any other person he’d worked with—basic small talk was fine, but he tried not to make any meaningful attachments. However, one evening he offered to close with him, so he “didn’t have to be alone all that time”, and he found out he was seriously funny. And he had some of the strangest stories to tell—whether it was about his uncle, his younger sister, or even just the things he’d seen in his travels. He talked more than he expected considering how quiet he was when they were working with others around and Shou didn’t want him to stop. 

Over time, they grew particularly close. Rather than just working together, he surprised himself and called Lee a friend. Mushi seemed to enjoy that either of them had someone to talk to and began spending quite a bit of time together, even outside work. They went for lunch on a day they both had off and he showed him some of the prettier places in the city that they could get into without trouble. (Which also meant getting into a little trouble here and there.)

Their bond turned into something slightly more than friendship shortly afterward—at least from Shou’s perspective. Even before going to Ba Sing Se, he’d never felt so strongly for someone and slowly began to realize things were different with him. He was happier than he’d ever been before and he wanted to tell him that. 

Never a master at words, he wrote him a letter instead of verbally telling him—it was much easier when he could plan everything out before he wrote it down. He offered to meet him that night if he wanted to talk and asked Mushi (who he’d warmed up to a little) to give it to him.

He waited from a half hour before, till hours after they were supposed to meet. It took a long time of denial and several ruined dishes he’d tried his best to cook himself for him to realize he wasn’t coming. The next day at work, neither Mushi or Lee showed up—when he tried to ask the owner, he said he wasn’t given a reason and hadn’t spoken to either of them since the evening before. 

Things became dull again. There was no one there to make him laugh and get the chores done just a bit faster. Despite how much he didn’t want to admit it, he missed Mushi’s songs and stories as well. Whatever happened to them was far outside his control and nothing he could be bothered by anymore. He went back to keeping his head low and guard on, preferring not to let himself get hurt again. It wasn’t fair that they—specifically Lee—left without another word, and it reinforced his already rather draining idea that most people he cared about ended up leaving or being separated from him after a while. 

He heard nothing from either of them for months, until one evening he came home to find Mushi sitting at his dining room table, drinking tea and watching the world go by. After almost throwing the closest thing (probably his shoe) at him, they sat down and talked over tea. 

Mushi explained his name was not truly Hong Mushi, but he was a fire nation general named Iroh, and Lee was Prince Zuko, the fire lord’s son. That should have taken longer to sink in, but he was throwing so many details at once that he had no choice but to follow along. He learned that there was a (now) secret organization of bending and weaponry masters meant to protect and train the avatar (who was very much alive and trying to stop the war) known as the Order of the White Lotus. With the avatar’s help (which he didn’t know he was helping yet), the order was attempting to take back Ba Sing Se the same day the avatar faced Fire Lord Ozai. Iroh very quickly emphasized that he expected him to keep this secret unless he took him up on his offer: come with the white lotus and have a chance to "change his destiny".

That was something where he and Lee (technically Zuko, he guessed) differed—he wasn’t a big believer in destiny. But if it meant out of his run-down one-bedroom and a chance to see more than just the world directly around him, he’d take it. 

They left soon after—he dropped off a letter at the tea house letting the owner know he would be taking an "extended leave of absence" for reasons he wouldn’t discuss and figured he could deal without half a week’s pay with Iroh. They got in touch with other masters who agreed to help and eventually arrived at their camp a few miles outside the city. In the meantime, Shou began asking questions—all of which Iroh would answer with patience. Why did they lie? Why were they not in the fire nation? What happened that he was an apparently disgraced general when he seemed like he’d be perfect in leadership like that? He explained what happened to his son, to himself in the passing of the crown, to Zuko (although he tried not to dwell on that, saying it wasn’t his story to tell), and how they ended up in the situation they were in. He took the time to answer everything and tried to pass on some wisdom through his stories while he was at it. Shou didn’t realize it for a long time, but many of those stories stayed with him far into his adult life. 

Each of the masters arrived and each had their own way of asking “who’s the kid?” And each time was a little easier to not snap at anyone and say he wasn’t a kid. Something about patience and open-mindedness Iroh was trying to teach him. Along with teaching him morals (and begrudgingly accepting that all these old guys were now honorary dads), he started picking up on several fighting techniques. He never got formal training, but picked up on things quickly and tried his best to mimic them. Piandao was even nice enough to teach him how to use a sword—or, at least, how to keep the other guy who’s got one from killing you. 

With time, the stories and lessons sunk in, and he was a lot less conflicted regarding Zuko and everything that happened between them. Iroh reassured him not all hope was lost on him and he hoped to see him again. Somehow, he managed to work in several jokes about how oblivious he was whenever this was brought up. He refused to admit those feelings he had for Zuko might have been reciprocated despite how badly he wanted them to be. 

He got the opportunity to find out not long afterward—one morning, he was practicing reading the maps Pakku allowed him to borrow (and ensured he took very good care of them) when Iroh came into the tent and told him he had a visitor for him. He prepared for the worst and hoped for the best when Zuko walked through the entryway. After a much-too-long and painfully awkward conversation, he found out he’d kept the letter. A million times over, he apologized for not coming despite the fact he wanted to. Too many other things happened and it led to them not seeing each other for months. After clearing the air of any and all confusion, frustration, and anything related to their relationship, they finally kissed—Shou didn’t think he’d been that happy in a long time. 

The final battle was quickly approaching, however, so that happiness didn’t last long. As soon as they were together again, they had to be separated—Zuko and Katara were going to the palace to challenge Azula, the other three (whose names he’d just learned, along with Katara’s), Suki, Toph, and Sokka, would be trying to take out the fire nation airships. Everyone was hoping Aang, the avatar (apparently) would show up at some point during this whole mission, considering he’d been missing for a few days before that. He seemed to be the only one concerned about that aspect of the plan, so kept his mouth shut about it. 

Later, he learned that the avatar was a twelve-year-old kid with a pet flying lemur. And a flying bison. Because all of that made complete sense to any ordinary person. Appa was cool, though. 

When everyone left for their missions, he kept to the promise he made to Zuko: he’d stay with Iroh the best he could and ensure he made it out of the fight okay. They talked for a while at sunrise and Shou took the opportunity to thank him for everything. The stories, the learning opportunities, and simply someone being there was more than enough for him. Since he got to Ba Sing Se, he’d been on his own, and it was nice to have someone to rely on. To Iroh’s surprise, he actually hugged him before they charged in. 

He very quickly learned how important all of those lessons were. He’d missed the adrenaline of a fight (when the tea house got popular he was able to get a little more distance from the rings he usually fought in), but this time he wasn’t facing half-drunk idiots who didn’t know how to fight but could hit hard. He was fighting trained, human-weapon fire benders who got some extra gas power from the comet.  

Again, he picked up on things fast. While the lessons were important, nothing would prepare him for the excruciating pain a fireball to the stomach would feel like. He caught on just in time, too; if he hadn’t jumped in the way, Iroh would have taken that blow to the back. Luckily, this was the tail-end of the fight, and they secured the city not long afterward. 

The rest of the team met back in Ba Sing Se at the request of Iroh—he stressed that Katara, at least, had to come back because some injuries required the healing powers of water bending, and Earth Kingdom medicine didn't cut it. Shou, despite being stuck in bed, asked him not to name him specifically in the letter. She would come to help where she could, they both knew that. He didn’t want to worry Zuko more than he had to. 

After quite a bit of healing, Doctor Katara (he started calling her that) insisted that he stay off the muscles as much as possible, and getting a lecture about him not taking time to heal past broken bones either, she handed him off to Zuko. He got yet another lecture about how he should have been more careful and how he was terrified for him and he was right to be. Through a lot of tears and several punches to his shoulder, he finally convinced him to take a breath and sit with him for a while. The two ended up falling asleep (the best they had in days, maybe weeks) and didn’t live it down from Sokka, Aang, and Toph for several days. 

Afterward, things went as smoothly as they could. Rebuilding a nation (and the world, really) after a hundred-year war wasn’t easy, but Zuko seemed to handle it well. Still having complicated relationships with the fire nation, Shou decided to head back to Ba Sing Se and help manage the Jasmine Dragon with Iroh. They visited each other when they could and communicated mostly through letters for a while. 

After a long time in this process, he finally left the Earth Kingdom and decided to stay with Zuko at the palace. They got married (there was no rule against it but many probably wouldn’t accept it) and eventually adopted a little girl named Izumi. 

Their adventures don’t necessarily end there. Things still happen and Shou made friends with someone else from the fire nation—a girl not much younger than himself named Kiui. 

Extra Information:

Main goal: Live to the next day and figure out what to do when that happens. 

Hopes/Dreams: Not having to survive one day to the next, go back to the country and live on a ranch. 

Playlist

if you made it this far ily. lmk what you think about him <3

[mehoymalloy]

"Classic Da Hong Pao/Big Red Robe" from Wuyi Star

Dual-purpose post showing off my new silver teacup from Crimson Lotus Tea as well as the "Classic Da Hong Pao/Big Red Robe" from Wuyi Star through the MyTeaPal club. (Geez that's a lot of brand names, I promise I'm not endorsing anything..)

First off, look at this cute packaging! I actually have a few DHPs from different vendors in unique packaging, so I think I'll try them all over the weekend using the same set up, compare and contrast, then use all the packaging to create a spread in my tea journal.

The tea itself was exactly what I'd expect from DHP. Rich and earthy, a hint of spice and dark fruit notes. Brings to mind rich soil after a forest fire. The very first full leaf tea I ever tried was actually a DHP from my local tea shop, who's family owns a small farm near Wuyishan, specializing in oolong and black tea. It's still my go-to whenever I want something warm and comforting after a long day.

Steeping: 7.5g/100ml nixing pot, 5s for the first 3 infusions, then added 5-10s for each additional steep. 9 steeps total. Color started out a deep red color then mellowed out to the orangey-red pictured above and was consistent throughout.

Overall, 3.5 stars.

Here's some closer looks at the cup. I got it mostly because I wanted a nice cup for more low-key sessions, and I love the way the silver enhances the color of the tea. It feels very solid and weighty in the hand. Interestingly enough, I noticed the outside of the cup gets very hot to the touch, but the tea itself still loses heat at around the same rate as my porcelain tea cups. This is not a complaint, just something interesting I noticed.

I'm excited to try out some more; be on the look out for a new tea journal spread soon!

[drowning-in-greed]

OTPtober #Jinko Month! (ATLA: Zuko x Jin)

When Jin hears about the amazing new tea maker at the local Pao Family Tea Shop, she decides she simply has to check it out. What she gets is some delicious jasmine tea and a crush on the young waiter that works there.

A collection of short stories that take place within the same overarching storyline between Jin and Zuko.

[For the month of October I'm focusing on my favourite Avatar: The Last Airbender ship - Prince Zuko x Jin the Earth Kingdom girl. I'm posting 1 chapter every second day, I already started posting on Ao3 from 2 October but will be posting them on Tumblr as well.]

Check out my Ao3 account where I also write My Hero Academia and Yuri On Ice fanfiction.

[discordiansamba]

mushi considers himself to be very fortunate.

those first few weeks in republic city were very difficult. both he and his nephew had endured a great loss- one that had left him bereft of his memories. he could not be more thankful to have such a considerate nephew at his side. even though he was still recovering from the assault that had cost him his parents and burned his face, lee never left his side.

and fortune seemed to favor them!

thanks to an old friend, they were able to find both an apartment and jobs as tea servers. mushi took one sip of the brew at pao's family tea shop, and decided that he would need to make a few changes to the place- and in the process, transformed it from a cheap tea shop in the slums of republic city to a place of note. it even caught the eye of an enterprising merchant- who liked mushi's tea so much, that he offered him his own shop.

lee couldn't have been more happy for him.

the jasmine dragon soon earned a reputation as a fine establishment, attracting customers from all over republic city. lee even befriended two of the young ladies who began to frequent the shop- the heiress of the beifong family and the princess of the northern water tribe, come to study at the republic city academy for fine young ladies. the unfolding friendship warmed mushi's heart.

...but as considerate as his nephew was, mushi was not blind.

he knew his nephew would sneak out at night at times- but he trusted him. he was a young man, who had recently dealt with a great loss that had left him scarred. he could not blame him if he wanted to blow off a little steam. whatever it was he was doing, he was doing it with toph and yue- and he trusted that they would look after each other.

he came back from his escapades with a baby dragon, once. mushi had stared at it. lee had looked him, nerves written all over his face and asked if they could keep it. mushi had accepted, of course. druk became something of a mascot for the shop. his nephew never told him where he'd found it- stolen, perhaps, mushi though.

but if his nephew had stolen a dragon, he assumed he had good reason.

his nephew would often come home with scrapes and bruises.

mushi would watch him try to hide them- he always wore long sleeves. he would assume their other purpose was to hide the tattoos that he'd decided to get, but mushi was not interested in judging his nephew for his personal lifestyle choices. but it was the tattoos that would eventually give him away.

the firebender that belonged to the blue spirit had such tattoos.

mushi frowned. he did not remember his nephew being a firebender- but he must have been. there was much he'd forgotten, after all! but if he was right...

...then it meant his nephew was a terrorist.

toph and yue, he thought, were almost certainly involved as well. the beifong heiress was one thing, but the princess of the northern water tribe? if people found out, the implications that could have...

...but that wasn't the only reason mushi decided to remain quiet. no. he trusted his nephew- he knew he must have his reasons.

(perhaps it had to do with the sad way he caught him looking at him from time to time. the way mushi's heart hurt if he tried to dwell on the past he couldn't remember- the way it clenched whenever he heard fire lord ozai's name.)

he would watch over his nephew- but he would also trust him.

rotating an AU idea that I like to call "zuko and toph and do terrorism while rookie avatar aang feels like he's getting in over his head already" in which the hundred year war never happened because roku chose not to spare sozin, only to die shortly thereafter. the air nomads continue to thrive, but the air avatar dies of an illness in their childhood.

avatar korra guides the four nations into a time of prosperity, fueled by technological revolutions from the fire nation, agricultural innovations from the earth kingdom, seafaring knowledge from the water tribes, and diplomacy from the air nomads. she dies under mysterious circumstances, followed shortly thereafter by the loss of the earth kingdom and fire nation avatars- so the white lotus has a vested interest in the survival of the young air nomad avatar, Aang.

he grows up with his mentor, monk gyatso- but is also taught the four elements much earlier than previous avatars. he befriends the children of the southern water tribe's chieftain, the daughter of which is taught waterbending alongside him by his masters hama and pakku (who never see eye to eye). when he is fifteen, gyatso decides it would be a good chance for aang to see the world with his friends-

-starting with the newly formed republic city.

(or: it's an era swap without being a true era swap.)

aang is hopeful that his time as the avatar will be as peaceful as korra's was (you know. aside from the 'died under mysterious circumstances' thing). this may be wishful thinking given the recent unrest in the fire nation- mysterious assailants invaded the palace in the dead of night, resulting in the death of fire lord iroh and his heir, prince lu ten, and the disappearance of the young prince zuko.

the case was never closed.

iroh's brother, ozai, ascended to the throne in his place. his reign has been plagued by trouble ever since- in the form of a pair of masked terrorists known collectively as The Blue Spirit. as the Avatar, it's Aang's duty to stop the pair- which is a lot harder than it should be, given that nobody knows who they are.

at least he has the peaceful refuge of the Jasmine Dragon, run by old man Mushi and his nephew, Lee. the heiress of the Beifong family, Toph Beifong, and the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, Yue, are almost always there as well during their breaks from the Republic City Academy for Fine Young Ladies. even the bodyguard the White Lotus sent to Republic City with him opens up and just acts like a normal person while they're at the Jasmine Dragon.

(her name is Suki. she's a Kyoshi Warrior. Aang and Katara are pretty sure Sokka's in love with both her and Yue.)

...now if he could only figure out how The Blue Spirit always manages to have a leg up on them.

[squeamishdionysus]

The Boy in the Tea Shop

Chapter 1

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

TW: none that i can note

summary: You're living alone as a refugee in Ba Sing Se. Things all seem normal until you meet a boy in a tea shop.

notes: omg this took so long. this took way longer than I ever thought it would. I'm so sorry for the long wait again, y'all, but school has just been really overwhelming, not to mention my mental health hasn't been the best. Anyways, it felt good to get this done finally! This is the first chapter of a Zuko x Reader series I will be doing centered around Zuko's arch in Ba Sing Se. I'm really looking forward to this! Now, this chapter is unedited and I'll admit, not the best work I've done, but I tried my best and just wanted to get the first chapter awkwardness out of the way. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Edit: I forgot to mention that the reader uses she/they pronouns and has long enough hair to pull up. They are addressed as "miss" as well.

Masterlist

Being a refugee in Ba Sing Se was not easy.

The Dai Li were around every corner, as well as thieves and swindlers, and so many other people around you were struggling to get by. You weren’t allowed to mention the very war that brought you to Ba Sing Se, and as a consequence of that, it was hard to find anyone who might’ve known your family and would be willing to help you out.

Your parents had sacrificed a lot to make sure you got to Ba Sing Se, feeling you’d be much safer there than back home in your small village, one that was right in the path of invading Fire Nation troops. The trip was long and hard, and now that you were there, it didn’t seem very worth it. You had very little money, knew no one, and felt suffocated by the “culture” that was enforced on everyone.

You sighed, closing and locking the door to the pottery shop. You had gotten a job there weeks ago, and though the pay wasn’t a lot, the owner was incredibly kind and you actually enjoyed working there. It paid enough for living expenses and basic necessities, which is what mattered. Today, however, you were given a small bonus, as you had sold a very valuable piece to a very important customer and actually managed to convince them to pre-order two more. Your boss was very impressed and rewarded you with some money to spend on something special.

You didn’t have much in mind. There wasn’t a lot going on in the Lower Ring. The best you could do for now, besides looking around for something to do, was keep your money out of plain sight. There were just too many thieves around this area to risk it.

A short grumble came from your stomach, reminding you that you hadn’t eaten since earlier that morning.  There weren’t many good restaurants around here, though, as all of those were up in the Middle Ring. However, all of the monorails were closed and it would be a nightmare to try and walk all the way up there. It seemed that the only option you had for now was a tea shop, as those were more easily accessible in the Lower Ring. One that came to mind was the Pao Family Tea House. You had heard from your employer that they had just recently hired new staff, and that the tea, which was mediocre at best before, was now the best in Ba Sing Se. You were sure that was a stretch, but it couldn’t hurt to try, could it?

You opened the door to the tea shop, looking up at the customers sitting around at each table. Most were guards and workers from around the city, probably because, like you, they were all off from their work shifts. They all seemed to be enjoying the tea they ordered, which gave you a little bit of hope that maybe you hadn’t decided to waste your time and money on something you wouldn’t enjoy. You took a seat at the only empty table left and looked at a small menu that was to the side, trying to pick out something you’d like but also could afford.

Thankfully, everything on the menu was in an affordable range. That came to no surprise, considering the quality and location of the tea house. They only had three different teas you could order and a few snacks you could order as sides. No matter what you ordered, it probably wouldn’t be enough to completely satisfy your hunger. You probably had something else back at the apartment, though. You’d worry about it when you got there.

The most appealing thing on the menu to you at that moment was the jasmine tea. Jasmine tea wasn’t something you had very often. Your mother only made it on special occasions, as it was hard to get jasmine tea leaves where you lived. Of course, being a large city, Ba Sing Se had plenty of it, meaning that what used to be a delicacy to you could now be found everywhere. Still, you limited yourself to only having it once in a while, that way it still felt rewarding whenever you ordered it. Along with the tea, you picked out the largest snack they had: a plate of cakes, just to make sure you wouldn’t be starving later.

You put the menu to the side, looking up to see a waiter walking towards your table.

A cute waiter. 

A cute waiter your age.

He was tall; that was the first thing you noticed about him. The second was his scar. He had a scar that covered his right eye, one that was clearly caused by a burn of some kind. It wasn’t pleasant (in your eyes, no scars were), but it didn’t mean you found it ugly. Everyone in the Lower Ring had scars of some kind, some visible and some not. It wasn’t any of your business to judge him by that. 

The third thing you noticed were his eyes. They were what you could only describe as a mix of brown and amber, something you couldn’t say you had ever seen before. 

You felt yourself beginning to blush a bit, knowing you did not look your absolute best from having to work all day. It didn’t help that you probably had bags under your eyes. You didn’t exactly live in the safest part of town, and more often than not you found yourself lying awake, paranoid about what might happen if you dozed off for even a second. If it wasn’t paranoia, it was the vivid nightmares that had plagued your mind about the Fire Nation ever since you left home. 

The boy stopped in front of your table, pulling out a pen and notepad from his apron pocket. “Hello, welcome to the Pao Family Tea House. What would you like?” His voice was hoarse and raspy. You could hear a mix of boredom and weariness ring through his words. It was something you heard in your own words all the time, especially at work. You managed a small smile and looked at the menu to refresh your mind of your order.

“Can I get a cup of jasmine tea and a small plate of cakes?” you asked, looking up at him. He looked down at you and paused for a moment, seeming to examine you just for a short second before nodding. He walked back to the counter, placing the order in front of an older man who was holding a teapot and chatting with whom you could only assume was the manager.

You sighed, looking back down at the table in thought. The waiter was intriguing, but you didn’t have the confidence to push past just ordering food. You didn’t know him and he didn’t know you. There was no point in trying to become anything more than strangers.

Then again, it couldn’t hurt to be friendly.

You soon saw the waiter walking back to your table, a cup of tea on his tray. He placed it down on your table, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Thank you,” you said, lifting the cup and breathing in the steam that came from the tea. It smelled delicious, which isn’t something you could normally say about tea in the Lower Ring. You smiled up at him. “Did you make the tea yourself?”

The waiter looked unsure of what to say. Either what you had just said was incredibly stupid or you were one of the first customers to say anything to him, and for your dignity’s sake, you hoped it was the latter.

“Um, no. My uncle made it.”

You looked over his shoulder, spotting a surprisingly recognizable older man with a teapot in his hands, chatting with one of the guards as he served their tea. 

“Is he your uncle?” you asked, nodding to the man. The waiter looked over and nodded. You chuckled, recalling your encounter with the man.

“I recognize him, actually. He came into the shop I work at a few weeks ago and bought a vase.”

The waiter looked back at you, a slightly curious look coming across his features. You went on, smiling softly.

“He was very friendly. He flirted with my boss a bit, and even managed to leave a tip, despite mentioning he was a refugee.”

The waiter huffed a bit, his eyes trailing to the floor. “Yeah, that sounds like him.”

It was silent for a moment, as you studied the features of the waiter some more. It occured to you that since his uncle was a refugee, that probably meant the boy was, and he didn’t seem to be all that proud of it. You couldn’t blame him. The Lower Ring was not a place you were fond of either, and the title “refugee” didn’t warrant many perks around here.

“I’m actually a refugee, too.” You said. The boy looked back up at you, his expression unreadable yet again. You looked down into your tea. “I came to Ba Sing Se a few months ago. Can’t say I’ve enjoyed it much, but it’s not all that bad.”

It was silent for a bit. The longer the silence stretched on, the less and less you wanted to make eye contact again. This was incredibly awkward. You found this to be the perfect time to take a sip of your tea, hoping it would act as an excuse as to why you weren’t talking

“What’s your name?” you asked, looking up at him again. A soft smile graced your features, the slightest hint of curiosity stirring in your eyes. 

He took a moment to zone back in before speaking. “Lee. My uncle’s name is Mushi.”

You grinned, giving him yours. “It’s nice to meet you, Lee. Please give my compliments to your uncle, by the way. I’m sure you two get this a lot, but this tea is the best I’ve had in years.”

“Yeah, we do,” he said, rather bluntly at first. You were worried you might have annoyed him for a second, but instead, he smiled. “I’ll be sure to tell him that.”

Speaking of the man, Mushi was just beside the table, a plate of cakes in his hand. 

“Tell me what?” he asked, a smile 

You looked over at his uncle, giving him a bright smile.

“Just how delicious this tea is,” you mused. “I think it might genuinely be the best in Ba Sing Se.”

“Well,” Mushi beamed, placing the plate on the table. “The secret ingredient is love.” He sent a knowing look to Lee, who scrunched up his face at his uncle’s comments. Mushi chuckled, walking to another table to check on one of the customers. Lee sighed, whether in exasperation or relief you couldn’t tell He looked towards you again.

“I probably need to get back to work.”

You nodded. “I understand. Thank you for the tea.”

Lee turned away, going to the back of the shop to clear some tables. Your eyes followed him along the way. You hoped you left the right impression. He didn’t seem to be completely annoyed by you and you were sure his uncle liked you. That’s a start. 

You let your thoughts drift away, still looking over at him, only to snap back when he looked up at you and made eye contact. . His cheeks became just the faintest shade of pink, and he immediately looked back down. You did the same, your cheeks becoming warm as you smiled. That blush had to mean something good.

For a moment, things in the tea shop were peaceful. You were enjoying yourself, feeling confident in what you chose to spend your bonus on. Lee had a subtle smile on his face, clearing off a now empty table. Mushi was chatting up the customers, discussing tea and using his charm up on the locals. Everything was fine, at least as fine as it could be.

And then the door slammed open.

“I’m tired of waiting!” 

All eyes in the room were now locked on the newcomer, the one who shouted; he was another boy your age, but he seemed to be the polar opposite to Lee. His skin was darker and much more tan, with his hair long and scruffy. He didn’t seem happy to be there. He lifted his hand, pointing all the way to the back of the shop at Lee and Mushi, who both looked very confused.

“These two men are firebenders!”

The stranger unsheathed two swords from his sides, stepping forward in a fighting stance. You immediately stood up from your table, spilling the cup of tea over, and cowered into the wall, wanting to keep a safe distance between you and the boy. The other patrons stood as well. In the other corner of the room, a man held his arms up in front of his date, guarding her just in case anything went south. Two men that had been visiting were now looking at the man with wide eyes and worried faces. 

The air around you became tense, fear and confusion clouding your head. Your eyes went back to the men in question. They both looked at each other; they both looked just as confused, their eyes raised in shock. Did they even know this man?

Your left hand drifted to your side, wondering if you had remembered to bring a dagger with you. Unfortunately, like almost every day, you had forgotten. If you made it out of this unscathed, you’d never make that mistake again.

All was silent. Everyone was probably thinking the same things you were. Who was this man? Why did he think Lee and Mushi were firebenders? How am I going to leave if he’s blocking the only exit? Your attention was locked on him, waiting to see what his next move was. 

The stranger at the door began to speak again.

“I know they’re firebenders! I saw the old man heating his tea!”

Your brow quirked slightly at that. This was a tea shop. Of course he would be heating some tea.

Apparently you weren’t the only one that thought this, as one of the guards responded making the same point.

The boy looked at the guard. “He’s a firebender, I’m telling you!”

His swords swung up fast, causing you to flinch slightly. The room was getting nervous, and the two guards at the table stood.

“Put your swords down, boy. Nice and easy.”

The man ignored them, turning back to Lee and Mushi, holding up his swords in an “X” shape. He slowly began to approach, speaking with a shake in his voice. “You’ll have to defend yourselves… then everyone will know.”

You weren’t liking the way this was going. The guards didn’t cause the boy to back down at all, only seeming to provoke him even further. 

It occurred to you that you could just leave now. He was no longer blocking the door, and it wouldn’t take much effort to just slip away into the night. But you couldn’t. You weren’t sure why, but you couldn’t. Maybe you were curious to see how it all played out. Maybe you were just too scared to try and make a move like that yet. Maybe you were just worried about everyone else’s safety.

You couldn’t tell and it wasn’t that important anyways. You weren’t going anywhere.

“Go ahead,” the boy with swords began to taunt, looking directly at the two of them. “Show them what you can do.”

It was a dare. A jab at their pride. You could tell by the mocking tone that laced the boy’s words. He was confident they were going to use their bending, so confident that it bordered on cocky. By now, he had gotten so close to the two, that the guard began to unsheathe his own swords. Things were going to get ugly. Maybe now was a good time to reconsider that running option. 

You heard other footsteps, your train of thought breaking as you realized Lee was stepping forward, a glare on his face.

“You want a show?” he asked, unsheathing the guard’s swords for himself. “I’ll give you a show!”

He pulled the swords apart from each other, entering a fighting stance that didn’t look like anything a tea shop worker would know. His leg stuck out to the side, hooking on the leg of a table and pulling it in front of him. He kicked it, sending it flying towards the stranger. 

The stranger didn’t hesitate, flipping over it and slicing it so hard that the table sliced in half, with stray pieces of wood flying across the room. You felt a chunk of wood smack you in the face, slicing your cheek as you winced. You cupped it, feeling blood begin to warm your fingers as it dripped from the cut. 

The clashing of swords diverted your attention back to the fight. Lee expertly avoided the boy’s attack, jumping onto the table previously occupied by the guards. Before he could counter his next move, though, the boy sliced through that table too, the wood once again cutting perfectly in half. Lee stumbled, the boy cutting away at each side even more, aiming at his legs. Lee jumped expertly in the air, dodging the boy’s attacks.

You had made very few assumptions about Lee and already felt you had severely underestimated him.

In a quick blur of a moment, the boy had somehow managed to kick Lee back so hard that it broke down the door. You and the rest of the people inside the tea shop rushed to the front, trying to see how things were escalating. Mushi was at the door, most likely worried about the safety of his nephew as the fight stretched on.

The stranger was gaining a slight upper hand, taking advantage of Lee’s disoriented state after having smashed through the door. He swung down at him, his hooks being blocked last minute by Lee’s blades.

The stranger had a grin on his face. “You must be getting tired of using those swords.” He tilted his head, continuing with, “why don’t you go ahead and firebend at me?”

Once again, he was trying to provoke some kind of action out of Lee, trying to exhaust his efforts so that he’d be theoretically forced to firebend at him. It was crazy.

The fight went on, Lee retaliating as best he could. Mushi called out, addressing the stranger, “Please, son, you’re confused! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

His pleas were ignored, the fight continuing with even more vigor. They backed down the street, getting closer and closer to a large square surrounding a well. Mushi began to walk out of the doorway, following the two men as they fought. The rest of the patrons weren’t far behind, some worrying for the safety of the two and others, such as the guards, keeping an eye out for when they’d need to intervene. Your eyes were still glued on Lee, your feet unconsciously moving you along towards him. The strange boy began to taunt Lee once more, this time bringing Mushi into the mix.

“Bet you wish he helped you out with a little fire blast right now!” 

He hooked one of his swords on the other, spinning and swinging the swords around like whips. Lee backed away, slamming one of his own swords through the handle of the stranger’s.

“You’re the one who needs help!” Lee yelled, pulling back his swords in a defensive position as the boy recovered, about the swing again. Lee was one step ahead, swinging at the young man’s neck. The young man threw his head back, the sword swiping just above his head, so quick and so clean that a blue streak sparked as it sliced the grass he held between his teeth.

The boy arched forward, flipping back and landing on the edge of the well. He called out to the crowd that had gathered to watch the fight progress.

“You see that? The Fire Nation is trying to silence me!” He looked around at the crowd, the people all staring up at him in confusion. He then turned back to Lee, his eyes narrowing into a glare. “It’ll never happen.”

He reached back and hooked his sword on the wooden bar, swinging back and jumping forward at Lee. 

You weren’t sure how much more of this you could take. Neither Lee nor the stranger seemed tired out enough to give the other a good chance at victory, and nobody, not even the guards, was attempting to interfere. Your cheek was beginning to really bother you and you knew that if you didn’t get home soon, you’d most likely wake up late for work tomorrow.

“Mushi, is Lee going to be alright?” you asked, your hands holding your sides. Mushi looked back at you and gave you a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure my nephew will be alright.” He turned back to the fight, his smile faltering a bit. “It’s the other young man that I’m worried about. Lee is not one to back down easily.” 

You looked up at Lee again, watching him strategically block each attack made by the stranger. You huffed, beginning to back away, until you saw the crowd to begin to disperse.

“Drop your weapons!” a stern voice called out.

The Dai Li had finally made their appearance.

The boys slow down their fighting, backing away from each other. Neither of them took their eyes off the other, swords still held out defensively, just in case anything else escalated. The stranger spoke first.

“Arrest them!” he called out. “They’re firebenders.”

Mushi was quick to respond, his voice relaxed as he said, “this poor boy is confused. We’re just simple refugees.”

You looked one of the Dai Li agents in the eye and nodded, hoping it would help to have someone agree. Others apparently had the same idea, as the manager came to their defense as well.

“This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!” He pointed over at you, more specifically the cut on your cheek. “He even injured one of my customers!”

The guards that Lee got his swords from nodded. “It’s true, sir. We saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest teamaker in the city.”

Mushi awed, blushing.

“That’s very sweet.”

The Dai Li agents walked up to the stranger, one on each side of him. 

“Come with us son.”

The boy gritted his teeth, quickly swinging the sword in his right hand behind him to strike the Dai Li, only for it to land right in the palm of one. The agent twisted his arm back, the other helping to restrain him with their gloves made of Earth. Once they were sure he was unable to break free, they began to drag him back, the crowd dispersing and revealing a detainment cart. You couldn’t help but feel bad for the young man. You hadn’t ever heard anything good about the Dai Li. People who were taken into their custody either never came back or never came back the same. It was why you wanted to avoid them as much as possible, as detainment rates were especially high among refugees, at least from what you had heard.

You watched as the boy looked around desperately. “You don’t understand, they’re Fire Nation! You have to believe me!”

The crowd and you could only watch in silence as he was pulled into the cart, the back doors shutting on him. By now, most of the crowd was dispersing, none paying any particular attention to the boy anymore. You squeezed your sides, frowning, wondering what would come of the boy. 

Mushi sighed, shaking his head and turning towards you. “Are you alright, Miss?

You glanced up, giving him a soft smile. “I’m fine, thank you. Do you remember how much my order was?”

“Please,” you heard behind you. You looked over your shoulder to see the manager of the tea shop there, smiling sympathetically. “The tea is free of charge. Consider it an apology for all of the ruckus.”

You shook your head, blushing slightly. “Thank you, that’s very kind, but tables are not cheap to replace.” You pulled out half of the cash you had brought that night and handed it to him with a smile. “If you need to replace any of your dishes, feel free to visit Miss Kang’s Pottery Shop. I can make sure you receive a discount.”

He nodded and wished you a good night, walking into the shop to inspect the damage. Mushi followed, leaving you by yourself. Well, not completely anyway.

You looked back at where Lee had been fighting, watching Lee hand back the swords to the guards he had taken them from.

“You’ve got some serious skill, son. You should consider applying to the police academy, you could seriously make a difference.”

Lee didn’t go as far as to smile, but he did nod and give a small thank you. The guards waved goodbye, and Lee began to walk back to the shop, his mind clearly somewhere else. You watched him come up to you, deciding to talk to him again.

“Are you alright? That fight was… pretty intense.”

He began to focus again, looking at you. “I’m alright, just a little worn out.”

You smiled, a wave of relief washing over you. “That’s good.”

He nodded. “Actually, you seem like you got more hurt than I did. Is that cut okay?”

You blushed, placing a hand over your cheek, feeling the dry blood that had stuck to your face. “Yeah. It stings a bit, but I’ve got some stuff at home that should help.”

“That’s… that’s good,” he said a bit awkwardly. You chuckled softly, walking over to his side so you could go inside with him. 

When you got inside, the manager and Mushi immediately stopped the two of you.

“Hold on you two,” the manager began. 

“Young lady, considering all of the ruckus that has taken place tonight, I was wondering if you’d mind letting Lee escort you home,” Mushi asked, a considerate look on his face.

Your eyes widened, your jaw dropping slightly as you began to blush. You didn’t want to force Lee into any kind of position like that, especially since you had literally met less than an hour ago.

“W-well I… I’m not sure if that would be necessary, sir, especially since you might need Lee to help clean up the shop,” you stammered, looking over at Lee who was equally confused and uncertain about this.

“No, no, I insist. Lee would have no problem walking such a kind girl to her home, especially after the night being so inconveniencing for you.”

You literally got scratched on the face, why was everyone acting like you had lost a limb?

A pink flush came over Lee’s face, his eyes looking anywhere but you as the manager and Mushi began to corner you both to the door.

“Please be careful, but be sure to take your time! The night is beautiful, no need to waste it!” 

And with that, you both were shoved onto the path outside of the shop, the once busy street now completely empty except for the two of you. Your face was hot and red, unable to look up from your feet below you. Lee was looking to the side, from what you could tell, and you had no idea what he was thinking. He was probably annoyed, angry even that he was now stuck with you. First, the crazy kid accused him of being a fire bender of all things and now his uncle and boss were making him babysit you.

He wasn’t looking at you, and he wasn’t moving either. Maybe you could just book it, give him an excuse to go back in and never go to the shop again. Maybe you could just disappear and he wouldn’t make you out to be a burden. Maybe you could just apologize and leave, then go home and forget this whole night had never happened. Perhaps that would be best.

A sigh leaving your companion’s lips quickly made that decision for you, though.

“So… where do you live?” 

~

It had gotten really late. Most of the city was already asleep, with their lights off and windows shut. If it weren’t for the stars that hung up above, you probably wouldn't be able to see the path in front of you. You and Lee had been walking for quite some time now, not a word passing between the two of you. You took a breath, deciding that it was time you said something.

“You were very impressive in that fight back there.”

His eyes widened a bit as he looked over at you, probably surprised you had said something.

“Oh, um… thanks.”

“Where did you learn to do all of that?” 

He shrugged. 

“I’ve picked up a few things from my uncle.”

You smiled.

“Was he a guard where you used to live?”

He was silent for a moment, his eyes lost in thought. 

“Sort of.”

You looked back down at the ground, not knowing where to take the conversation from there.

You sighed, your cheerful demeanor sinking. You stopped walking, holding your forehead with your hand and taking in a deep breath. Lee took a few more steps before he realized you had stopped. He turned towards you, his brow furrowing in confusion.

You looked up at him with tired eyes and began to speak. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be bothering you so much. I haven’t had anyone to talk to for a while now, I guess I just got a bit ahead of myself.”

He took a minute to think before responding. “Do you not live with anyone?”

You shook your head, frowning slightly. “No. My family sent me away from our village by myself. It was urgent and they didn’t have enough money for all of us to come to Ba Sing Se.”

You blinked, looking at the path in front of you with a blank stare.

“I haven’t heard from them in months. I don’t even know if they’re still alive.”

You closed your eyes and took a deep, painful breath, beginning to walk again.

“Thank you for walking me this far. I can get home just fine from here.”

It was a moment before you heard his footsteps begin to pick up again behind you. Your face contorted into one of confusion, as suddenly Lee was by your side again. You opened your mouth to speak again, about to insist that he didn’t need to walk with you, but he beat you to it.

“I’m sorry,” he began, glancing at you out of the corner of his eye. “I’m not very good with people.”

You hummed, a small smile returning to your lips.

“It’s alright. I’m not exactly a people person, either. I shouldn’t have been so pushy with you in the first place.”

“You weren’t that pushy. At least compared to some people I’ve met.”

You chuckled, feeling a little less nervous being around him.

“Thank you. I’m glad I don’t come across that way,” you mused.

He nodded, and for the next few minutes, you both walked together in silence, with you guiding him down the paths you needed to take home and him being vigilant for any crooks that might’ve been hiding out somewhere. After a while, he brought up conversation again.

“How old are you, exactly?”

You shrugged. “I’m about fifteen. You?”

“Sixteen.”

“You look like you’d be older,” you said, though it came out the wrong way you meant it to. “Not in, like, a bad way, though! Like you just seem more mature, I guess.”

“Um, yeah, I could say the same about you.”

Right, you still looked exhausted. You sighed, reaching up to rub the back of your neck.

“Yeah, I don’t exactly look all that youthful right now. I haven’t slept much lately and work has just been really difficult.

His eyes widened as he began to stammer. “No, not like I think you look old or anything, you look plenty young! It’s just, you look like you could be sixteen or seventeen.”

You gave him a thankful smile, though it wasn’t all that genuine. “Thank you, but I’d have to disagree.”

He looked away from you, unsure of what to say next. You didn’t quite know what to say either, so you changed the subject.

“Hey, I’m sorry if this question bothers you, but did you know that young man that attacked you in the tea shop?”

“Why do you ask?”

You shrugged, feeling a bit stupid for asking. “Well, I don’t know. He just seemed to have recognized you from somewhere else.”

Lee sighed, fiddling with the string on his apron absentmindedly.

“Yeah. We came to Ba Sing Se on the same ferry. He told me about how the Fire Nation killed his parents and such. Then he saw my uncle buy a cup of tea from a vendor and I guess he just thought he firebended somehow.”

You frowned, feeling just a little bit bad about what happened to the boy.

“No wonder he was so dead set on attacking you. He’s probably traumatized.”

He huffed. “Yeah. Probably.”

Your mind kept going back to the young man being dragged back and thrown into the cart with the Dai Li, a knot beginning to form in your stomach. It didn’t seem like Lee knew the gravity of being put into the custody of the Dai Li and just how terrifying of a sentiment it was to you.

“I don’t take it you know much about the Dai Li, do you?” you asked, cautiously, as if anybody could be listening to you right now, as they actually very well could.

He looked over at you with narrowed eyes.

“My uncle has told me enough that I know not to mention the war, but other than that, I can’t say I do.”

You sighed, looking around you for any places someone could be hiding or listening.

“Whenever someone is taken by the Dai Li, they either don’t come back or they don’t come back the same. There have been cases where men who were in the Dai Li’s possession were released with no idea who their own families were. It’s really unsettling and it’s one of those things I hate about being a refugee here.”

He nodded. “I can see why. I don’t understand what the Earth Kingdom would have to gain from banning the mention of the war, though.”

“Neither do I, but it happens nonetheless.”

The conversation could’ve gone on for hours at that point, but by now, you had finally reached your quaint, little apartment. You stopped at the door and turned to him fully, folding your hands together and smiling. 

“Well,” you said quietly, looking up at him with tired eyes. “Thank you for walking me home, Lee. It was really nice meeting you.”

He nodded. “It was nice meeting you, too. I’m sorry I didn’t give the best first impression.”

You giggled quietly, shaking your head. “It’s okay. I’m definitely going to be visiting the tea shop again soon, so I wouldn’t say you left a horrible impression on me.”

“I’m sure my uncle will be happy to hear that.”

you smiled, taking your key out of your pocket and unlocking your door. Lee took that as his cue to leave, turning away from you and beginning to walk down the road you both took. You opened your door just a little bit, glancing over your shoulder back at Lee. You puffed your cheeks out a bit as you left the door ajar, walking over to him and calling out his name.

He turned back to face you, his face blushing a soft pink when he realized how close you were. With that, you planted a soft kiss on his cheek, whispering a meek “goodbye” before running back into your house.

You slammed the door, your face hot and bright red as butterflies soared around your chest. You groaned, sliding down the door and hiding your face in your hands. You couldn’t tell if you felt more euphoric or embarrassed. Whatever, it didn’t matter right now. You’d leave the shame and embarrassment to your future self, as right now, you were exhausted and needed to go to bed.

What a way to end the day.

[i-imade-a-thing]

Amphibia: Thai Feud & Adventures in Catsitting Details

Ok these 2 episodes are really fun and chill to watch! Seeing how each of Anne's parents interact with the Plantars are really interesting! I also like how they're researching about a way back to Amphibia in the background while they're doing their shenanigans. Anyways, here's some details I noticed while watching the episodes!

Thai Feud

The counter in the background include coffee beans, green tea, cereal, bowls, and coconut milk

Polly put her hands together while saying thank you (guess hop pop or anne taught her well!)

Sprig's shirt have pikachu

The list on the fridge include "La Kroy" and ham

Their new wifi password is "Boonc-1567"

In Hop Til You Drop they needed to buy oat milk and eggs, which is present in the fridge in this episode

Sprig breathe fire after eating spicy food, just like in Best Fronds

A cup with butterfly pattern can also be seen (Mrs. Boonchuy like butterfly)

There's also box of onions and ramen in the background

The dvd "Starzgate" is a reference to "Stargate", and the dvd "Quantum Hop" is a reference to "Quantum Leap"

In this entire episode, Ranat(thai wooden xylophone) is played in the background

They have order from GrubDub (reference to Grubhub), To-go, online, and Ub-r (reference to Uber)

There's a Buddha statue, candles, and incense in the background

A box with the named 99 Rancher(market they went to in New Normal) can be seen in the background

Ned is wearing Romance Academy 7 shirt, a reference to Gravity Falls

Ned seems to really like noodles

The restaurant also have certificates in the background, one for restaurant certificates and others for award?

Pad Ka Pao is a dish where they mainly mix Thai Basil, chilis, and meat together, and Kao Pad is basically fried rice

Their restaurant is open from 10:00 to 11:00

Their special menu are crab fried rice and tom kha gai (coconut milk, tom yam ingredients, and chicken)

Thai on the Go restaurant menu include Chicken Satay for $10, rice bowl for $12, pad thai, boba tea, and egg roll for $1, also free wontons!

Laundry place in the background is name "Laundry Plus"

There's also a paper that said "File Your Taxes :)" at Tax place

"I know what you're doing and I get why" *look at hopping mall*

NED IS LISTENING TO "WELCOME TO AMPHIBIA" HOLY COW

Sticky notes in the background include: "Check lights", "clean stove", "wash hands", and "order 1 pad thai"

Keyblade from Kingdom Hearts is seen with other car keys

Super Wario Kart is a reference to Super Mario Kart

Guy Fieri Boglehead is seen above steering wheel

Mae is EMBODIMENT OF ASIAN PARENT, waiting for other people to leave and when moment is right, scold you (personal experience lol)

Adventures in Catsitting Details

This picture is probably taken when they first decided to take Domino in

"I'm sorta family now so..." continuity from Thai Feud

The color cousin Stanley used is called "Plantar Orange"

The phone said the time is 11:24

Domino 2 is mentioned

Both the bus stop and the bus itself have advertisement for "Suspicious Island 2, 2 SUS"

Domino still look agitate in this scene

The mom from Hop til you drop and Emily(she also appeared in Hop til you drop and Thai Feud) can be seen on the bus

One of the dude on scooter is wearing ear pod

Some of the store they passed by include "Sushi Dump" and "Mister Washy"

The little dance they did is reference to Kirby's dance

The artist lady from Hop til you drop is seen in the pet shop

Shiba Inu, Pitbull terrier, and chuhuhua....all meme dog lol

The phone now said its 1:00

There's a sign that said "Slime Burger" in the background

Also there's a "Found" poster with 2 or 3 figures....

In the Shawarma store, the soda dispenser dispense soda called "Mtn. Don't", a reference to Mountain Dew

Karen joke lol

There's a 20% off sale in one of the menu

Catering poster can also be seen

Mr. Boonchuy's scooter license plate is "H5B9K"

And that's Thai Feud and Adventures in Catsitting! Both of these are fun episodes and seeing how each of Anne's parent react to the Plantar is really cool, especially when Mr. Boonchuy tell the Plantar they don't own them anything.

[rejectedbytheempty]

The Blue Spirit

Pairing: Zuko x Reader

Word Count: 2,268

Warning: Assault

Summary: Reader is walking home when they are attacked by thugs, then a mysterious stranger in a blue mask saves her, leaving without a word.

A/N: This is my first Zuko fic so I hope you guys like it and don’t be afraid to show it some love, I appreciate every comment, like or reblog I get, hope you enjoy

You pulled your arms closer to your body as the wind blew stronger sending chills down your spine. It was nearing midnight and so the streets of Ba Sing Se were eerily empty, spare for the dim glow of lanterns that lined the walls. 

You were walking home from the antique shop where you worked, closing up shop had taken a little longer than you anticipated. One particular customer simply needed to stay past closing time to pick the perfect antique table for their bedroom. You hoped their table was worth you walking home, in the dark, alone. 

You were almost home when you heard footsteps coming from behind you. Your heartbeat began to thump in your ears, your breathing became more erratic. 

You walked slightly faster, trying to assure yourself that they weren't following you, you were making this up. 

The footsteps sped up with your pace. 

You glanced over your shoulder to see three guys following you, one of the guys was holding something that glinted slightly from the glow from the lanterns, it was a knife. That sent a jolt of fear rippling down your body and you quickened your pace even more, hoping that you could make it to your house before those guys made it to you. 

You glanced back again and they were gaining on you, fast. Then, you ran. You only made it a few feet before one of the men grabbed your shirt and yanked you back. 

You tumbled onto the hard cobblestone, your head colliding with the unforgiving ground. Your vision gathered black spots and your thoughts slowly became overtaken by a loud buzz. You could feel yourself being dragged backwards and as your vision slowly began to clear you realized you were being dragged into an alley. 

Through the drone that clouded your thoughts you managed to realize that you needed to act now. You began to scream but were cut off by someone's hand to your mouth and a knife to your throat. 

"If you scream again, I will slit your throat" they hissed harshly. 

You nodded and they took their hand and the knife away. They picked you up by your shirt and stood you up on the wall, the brick rubbing harshly against your exposed skin. A tear fell from your eye and one of the men wiped it away with their thumb. 

"Now don't cry, little girl" he said and the other two men laughed.

You squeezed your eyes shut, you wanted to be anywhere but here, anytime. Please, you begged to whatever higher power was listening. Your eyes flew open when you heard the sound of metal falling onto the pavement. 

"Who's there?" called one of the men, brandishing his knife. No one answered but the swirling of the wind.  

"I'll go and check, you two keep an eye on the girl." He walked out of the alley and turned the corner. It was silent for a moment but then you heard a faint yell and what sounded like metal clanging on metal. 

Then you watched as the man was thrown into the wall, screaming as he flew through the air. He crumpled onto the ground like a sack of potatoes. 

One of the men gave a battle cry and began running down the alley and turned the corner sharply. All you could hear was the sound of repeated punching and the occasional grunt. 

Your eyes widened as you saw a beaten and bloodied version of the man you just saw running down the alley trying to crawl away but was dragged back. There was a dull thunk that sounded like the hilt of a sword hitting  someone's head and then the sound of a body falling to the ground. 

The last man left pulled out a knife, grabbing you off the wall and pulling you in front of him. He pressed the knife firmly to your neck but you could feel that his hand was shaking. 

"Come out now and I won't hurt her" the man said, his voice shaking more than his hand. From around the corner walked a man with a blue mask that grinned almost eerily. He was holding two swords, flecked with blood. 

The blue-masked man moved forward but stopped when the man pressed the knife harder into your neck. You inhaled sharply through your nose and bit your lip to keep from crying out. 

"Don't move any closer, and drop those swords." The masked man gently laid down his swords. Before you could even register anything the masked man threw a knife, hidden in his boot, and struck the man holding you right through his temple. 

He toppled backwards and the knife he was holding clattered to the ground. You looked back at his body in shock and then back at the masked man. 

"I- thank you" you said. The masked man simply bowed his head at you and then he ran off into the darkness and you were alone, again. You managed to stumble all the way back to your house and laid right down on your bed. 

You stared at the ceiling as the night's events replayed in your head over and over again. You tried to think of something else but it was like it was blocked off, you were stuck. You lay awake the whole night, every time you closed your eyes you saw their faces and their laughs echoed tauntingly in your ears. 

The sun drifted through your curtains, the light shining onto your bleary eyes. Groaning you pulled yourself up into a sitting position on your bed, your head was pounding and your whole body ached. All that you wanted was a good cup of tea to settle you down but when you got up to look you had none left. 

You decided that you would go to the place down the street which you heard had great tea. You got dressed and tried to make yourself look as presentable as possible before you made your way to the tea shop.

Even with the sun hanging in the sky the streets still appeared ominous to you. Each basket could hold an armed man and each alley reminded you of the night before. You shook your head, squeezing your eyes shut and breathing out to calm yourself down and then breathing in while opening your eyes again. 

You just have to make it to the tea shop, you assured yourself. With more self-pep talking you were able to make it to the tea shop, The Pao Family Tea House. 

Just breathing in the aroma made the tenseness in your body melt away. You stepped in the shop and were greeted by a nice old man who led you to your table. 

"What kind of tea would you like?" he asked cheerfully. 

"Ginseng, please." 

He grinned and said, "Good choice, ginseng tea is my favorite, my nephew will be back with your tea soon." 

"Thank you" you said and he left to go prepare the tea. Soon after a young man came out of the kitchen with a tray of tea in his hand. He handed out the tea to all of the other tables, the last cup of tea being you. 

When he came up to your table he looked slightly surprised for a moment but then caught himself and his face went back to a relaxed position. 

"Here's your tea" he said, placing the tea on the table and then he quickly turned around and began walking the other way. 

"You kind of seem familiar, do I know you from somewhere?" you asked, he did remind you of someone and you just couldn't place it and, judging from his reaction of his surprise when he saw you, he probably knew you too. He turned around again to face you. 

"What? No, I've never met you before, what are you talking about?" he said in a nervous voice that got suspiciously higher than it was before.

"No, I'm sure I recognize you from somewhere and you looked like you recognized me when you first saw me." 

The young man smiled awkwardly and said, "Sorry, you must be mistaken, enjoy your tea!" Then he quickly walked away before you could even open your mouth to respond. You then shrugged and began to enjoy your tea, which was better than any tea you had ever tasted before. 

Once you had finished your tea you were feeling much better than you had last night, in fact you were beginning to think going back to bed wasn't such a bad idea. You paid your bill and then left the tea shop feeling much more relaxed than when you came in. 

You were beginning to walk home when you heard the old man and the young man from the tea shop talking from the window that led down the alley. You would have ignored it but then you heard two words that piqued your interest, blue mask. You began walking closer so you could hear their conversation better. 

"I'm telling you, uncle, the girl knows, she was in the tea shop, the one I saved last night from those thugs" the young man said in a worried voice. 

"I wouldn't worry about it, you were wearing your blue mask so she can't have possibly actually known who you are" the old man reassured him. 

"Do you really think so?" 

"Yes, now go get that tea that table three ordered, that woman is not going to be very happy that it's taking this long." The young man sighed, 

"Yes, uncle." 

You were left stunned in an alley, again. 

That man saved you and he wanted to hide it? Why? About a million thoughts were racing through your head. I need to go back into that tea shop and thank him, you rationalized. You walked back into the tea shop and were greeted by the old man again. 

"Back for some more tea?" he asked. 

"Actually, I'm here to see your nephew" you said and the man's expression changed to a more sly look. 

"Oh, I see" he said, winking at you. You're face lit with realization at what this man thought you meant and you began to explain yourself when he cut you off. 

"No need to explain yourself, he's in the back organizing some shelves."

You opened your mouth to tell him why you were actually here but you decided against it, closing your mouth and nodding your head at him thankfully and then you made your way to the back. 

Iroh sighed and shook his head as walked away, "Young love." 

You walked down the hallway to where a door was open, you walked inside to see rows of shelves and the young man on a ladder putting more boxes on a shelf. 

"Hello?" you asked and the young man jumped, dropping the boxes he was holding and they came tumbling to the ground. 

He turned to see you and said, "What are you doing back here, this is for employees only." 

"Well, your uncle said that I could find you back here." 

The young man muttered under his breath some choice words about his uncle. He then climbed down the ladder and started picking up the boxes, once he had them all in his arms again he turned to you and said, "Sorry, but I'm really busy, maybe you could come back later and ask me your question then." 

He started to climb the ladder again when you asked, "Even if it's about last night when you saved me in that blue mask?" 

He dropped the boxes again and whipped his head around to face you, completely in shock. 

"I- I didn't save you last night, who told you that?" he said as he desperately tried to come up with an excuse, his face turned more serious, "whoever said that was lying." 

You looked up at him dubiously, "Well, you need to get your facts straight because that's not what you told your uncle just a couple minutes ago." 

His shoulders fell and he looked defeated, "You heard that?" You nodded and he climbed down the ladder again. 

"Why didn't you tell me it was you?" He looked around the shelves as if looking for an answer. 

"Well.. not everyone agrees with what I do and I don't want to ruin the life me and my uncle have built for ourselves here. I'm sorry for not telling you." 

Your look softened and suddenly you felt very guilty. "No, I'm the one who should be sorry, you saved my life and here I am trying to ruin it." 

He smiled halfheartedly at you and picked the boxes up again, "Well, I guess I have to get to work again." 

"Oh, right, um, of course, and don't worry I won't tell anyone about your secret." He nodded and began climbing the ladder again. You began leaving the room when you turned on your heel to face him. 

"Sorry, one last thing" you said and he turned around again, looking slightly exasperated. 

"Thank you." 

He smiled and nodded his head to say you're welcome. You then walked away, a small smile tugging on your lips and you couldn't see it but Zuko had one as well.

You were finally able to walk back to your house and you collapsed onto your bed, falling asleep almost immediately. It was going to take a lot of time and healing but you felt you were going to be alright, and you had almost all of it owed to one Blue Spirit.

[madsthewordclown]

Fire Lily Pt. 2

warnings: none

Eventual Zuko x Reader, ~1.8k words

summary: Y/N’s new beginning starts with a job at a tea shop in Ba Sing Se. She’s surprised to learn her coworkers are familiar acquaintances. 

Yay for part two, friends! I’m trying to get some later chapters done in advance, but in case you couldn’t tell, I’m kind of improvising? But isn’t that what all writing is? Enjoy!

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt. 3 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5

“Papa, Papa, Papa, look at what I can do!” Y/N ran over to her father as fast as her little legs could carry her. Bihun followed closely behind her, matching her enthusiasm.

“Look at what Y/N can do, Dad!”

Their father chuckled, setting down his ink brush and pulling out his desk chair to let his children sit at his feet. “What do you have to show me, sweetheart?”

Bihun pulled out a candle he had been hiding behind his back, excitement clear on his face, eyes wide in anticipation.

Ba Sing Se was grander than Y/N could have ever imagined. The wall was even more magnificent than the stories made it seem. It stretched on as far as her eyes could see, and it was taller than she had pictured. It was taller than her family home—maybe even taller than the Fire Nation’s watch towers.

Y/N was thankful to have found accommodations in a small room above a tea shop. She didn’t even have to sell her cup for it—the owner of the shop offered to let her stay on the condition she worked in the shop. It seemed that they were pretty short-handed.

Y/N awoke early for her first day on the job, feeling intensely grateful for having a warm bed to sleep in. She hadn’t realized how much she missed having her own bed, her own room. Sure, her new home wasn’t nearly as grand as her old one; the floorboards creaked, and it was just large enough for a bed long enough for her to sprawl, but she had a door with a lock, and a roof over her head, and a window overlooking the streets below. It was the best she could’ve hoped for.

Pao handed her an apron and began explaining her duties. “Here is a list of our menu items,” Pao said. “I advise you to learn it. Take customers’ orders and report them back to me, and then serve them their tea on a saucer. Prices are on the menu. Just try to be pleasant, please?” Y/N got the sense that Pao’s previous employees hadn’t done very well with the latter request.

Y/N heard the bell on the front door jingle. She and Pao both turned their heads. To her surprise, she saw Mushi and Lee. Only one of them was smiling. She had assumed she wouldn’t see them after departing the ferry. They hadn’t sat near her on the train into the city, and it was so large she figured the odds she’d see them again were low. Jet had promised to contact her, though.

“Ah, our two newest employees!” Pao clapped with delight, grinning widely. “This is Y/N. Y/N, this is Mushi and his nephew, Lee.”

“Actually, we have already met.” Mushi smiled at you. Lee’s grimace never left his face, but his did make eye contact with you for a moment. “I’m excited to be working with such a delightful young woman.”

“Thank you, Mushi.” Y/N couldn’t help but to like Mushi. How could she not? “I could say the same about you.”

Pao proceeded to give Mushi and Lee the same speech he had given her as Y/N tied her apron around her waist and looked over the menu Pao had given her. The overload of information made her head spin, but she didn’t have much time to process as the bell chimed once again.

“Our first customer of the day!” Pao announced. “Let’s get to work!”

The day went by faster than you had expected. The work was a little bit exhausting, dealing with entitled customers and being on your feet constantly. But you found that having Lee around to help made it a bit easier.

He wasn’t exactly the greatest server, as he couldn’t seem to stop acting like a grump, but it was fewer customers for you to deal with, and his social blunders provided a few moments of comic relief. You were both still learning the ropes, and he seemed to be as fast of a learner as you are, but he wasn’t exactly as socially inclined, and it seemed like he got irritated with customers fairly quickly. You were sure he was about to pour a steaming hot cup on a poor fellow who couldn’t quite pronounce ‘ginseng’ correctly.

“Great work, team!” Pao closed the door to the tea shop with a smile as the sun sunk lower in the sky. “I’ll see you all again bright and early tomorrow. Feel free to make yourself a cup of tea before you go if you’d like!” With that, Pao walked across the shop and briskly closed himself into the back room.

“It was wonderful to work with you, Y/N,” Mushi said pleasantly.

“Likewise,” Y/N smiled.

“Perhaps you and Lee could go explore the city in your spare time,” Mushi suggested. Y/N didn’t miss the glare that Lee sent his way. “I’m sure there’s plenty for young people to do.”

“Maybe we can sometime,” Y/N agreed. She wouldn’t mind having someone to walk around with, and she couldn’t deny she was curious about the boy. It was clear he had been through a lot. He was a refugee, and someone had to have given him that cold exterior. And that scar.

Lee wasn’t done glaring at his uncle, it seemed. His mouth had formed into a defined scowl. Mushi finally seemed to take the hint.

“Perhaps some other night,” Mushi amended. “I’m sure you are tired from your first day.”

“Have a wonderful evening,” Y/N dismissed them politely, giving a small wave as the pair turned to leave.

“See you tomorrow!” Mushi called as the door shut behind them.

Y/N sighed as she took off her apron and hung it on the hook by the back wall. Despite the ache in her feet, she didn’t feel like going up to bed just yet. The sun had just barely set, and she could feel her little knife tucked securely into the waistband of her green Earth Kingdom dress. If all else failed, she could defend herself.

Y/N checked to make sure she had the spare key Pao had given her. She had tied it into a necklace on the end of piece of string—she had always had trouble keeping track of things. After once again assuring she had her key, and her knife, Y/N opened the door of the tea shop, and stepped out onto the streets of Ba Sing Se.

Ba Sing Se was somehow both more and less intimidating at night, Y/N realized. The city had been practically bursting with activity when she’d arrived, and the sheer number of people was terrifying. The massiveness of the city was enough to turn your stomach.

Ba Sing Se at night was more peaceful. The lanterns illuminated the streets beautifully, but even so, there were plenty of dark alleys and corners, and the faces Y/N could see weren’t exactly pleasant. Even if the city was praised as a haven, Y/N had already seen plenty of people struggling. She noticed a scrappy-looking man standing under a street lantern, his eyes shaded by a wide hat. She kept a hand over where her knife was tucked as she walked by.

“Hey,” a voice called. Y/N jumped, pulling out her knife as she whipped around. She recognized the black eyes and the shaggy brown hair.

“Oh,” Y/N sighed in relief. “Hi, Jet.” Jet raised an eyebrow at her and smirked.

“Is that how you carry a knife?”

Y/N looked down at her hand. The knife was a bit awkward to hold. She adjusted her grip self-consciously.

“I could teach you how to properly use that, if you wanted. Or we could get you something better,” Jet offered, plucking the knife out her hand. “But I don’t have much money,” he admitted, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck.

“I have a job,” Y/N felt herself blushing as Jet carelessly flipped her knife between his hands. She had almost cut herself when she pulled it on him. “But I’m working for a place to stay. The only money I take is from tips from customers.”

“Look at you,” Jet smiled. Y/N wondered if it could be considered a smile; all the boy could seem to do was smirk. “Got everything figured out and it’s only your second day in the city.”

Y/N shifted on her feet. “I would really appreciate it. If you could teach me, I mean.” She thought about the meager pile of bronze pieces she’d received during her shift. “I can’t pay you, though.”

“I’ll come find you tomorrow after work, then,” Jet nodded, finally handing the knife back to her. “See you then, Y/N.”

“I can’t pay you,” Y/N repeated, but Jet was already walking away. He turned his head back to look at her.

“Who said anything about paying me? Anything to help out a friend.”

Y/N made her way back to the tea shop without incident, and the spare key was still secure around her neck when she got to the door. She went through the back room to the little staircase that led up to her room. She nearly tripped as she climbed the stairs. Her feet almost cried in relief as she finally leaned back onto her bed.

Y/N turned over and leaned over the side of the bed to pull her pack out from under it. She set it on the bed next to her and reached her hand in to take inventory of her belongings. She felt the cold metal of the gold cup and lifted it out of the pack.

Bihun held the candle, arms outstretched to keep it far from his face. Y/N’s brow furrowed, her gaze not leaving the candle’s wick. Their father watched on.

Concentrate, Y/N had thought. She took a deep breath—a deep, warm breath, and lifted her hand, pointing her finger at the candle.

The feeling in of the emerald in her hands reassured Y/N that the cup was still intact, but she couldn’t see it in the darkness. It was silly; the cup was fine, and even if it wasn’t, it retained plenty of value without the jewel. But she wanted to read it, the name that was above that jewel.

The letter from the Earth King’s palace sat open on her father’s desk. A partially filled scroll sat beside it. A portrait of their family—her father, her mother, Bihun, and Y/N all smiling widely in their best clothes. Matching eyes. Matching robes.

Concentrate, Y/N thought again. She took a deep warm breath and lifted her hand. The flame she produced was small, but she could still see it. She ran her eyes over the engraving on the cup—her family name, over and over and over.

Y/N breathed out, and the tiniest spark shot from the tip of her finger. The candle held the flame as she jumped up in delight. “Papa, papa, I did it!”

“You did, sweetheart,” her father said, blowing out the candle and pulling his children into his chest, hugging them tightly. “You did.” He wasn’t smiling anymore. The letter he had been writing was tossed into the fireplace.

Pt. 3 | Pt. 4 | Pt. 5