Fire and water: Sokka x reader x Zuko

Tales of Ba Sing Se

(Y/n)s pov:

"Welcome to Pao's family tea shop, my name is Ming how can I help you today?" I greeted with a overly nice plastic server smile, giving a short bow to the man that sat in the table in front of me.

"Depends are you on the menu Ming?" The man asked with a chuckle, leaning on his hand as I had to stop myself from reeling in cringe.

"I'll take this table Ming" Zuko hissed out, standing in front of me, glaring at the man with gritted teeth. "Jasmine, green, oolong or black?" Zuko asked the man with a snarl.

"Hey the lady was serving me, shove off buzz cut" the customer said with a chuckle and a roll of his eyes, I sighed in annoyance.

"Zu- Lee, I think table 3 has some customers for you to serve" I stated with a fake smile, trying to deescalate the conversation. "Now what tea can I get you?" I asked with a grin, pushing Zuko towards the other table, he reluctantly grumbled and stomped off.

"One hot jasmine cup, oh and one of those sweet little fruit tarts sweet cheeks" he replied with a smug grin, staring at me like a piece of meat. I nodded with a smile and headed back towards the kitchen area to get his tea.

I dropped my smiling zombie expression as I got into the kitchen, muttering to insults to myself as I took the teapot labeled jasmine off the fire.

"That guy was eyeing you up like some common girl" Zuko grumbled, pushing past me to get to a different pot of tea with a scowl.

"I am just a common girl remember that Lee" I warned with a small sigh, grabbing a plate and a small tray to place the food and drink on.

"Well he still seems like a creep, you gonna let him talk to you like that?" Zuko asked with a scowl, I rubbed my temples in frustration.

"He does seem like a creep, I'm gonna serve him as best as I can and get him out of the shop as soon as possible" I replied with a roll of my eyes, placing the lychee nut tart on the plate.

"He says anything else weird and I'm kicking him out myself" Zuko grunted with a scoff as I picked up my tray and walked out and made my way to my table.

"Here you go sir, hot jasmine tea and a lychee nut tart" I stated with a smile, placing the cup of tea and plate on the table in front of me.

"Thank you miss- ooops" he stated with a smug smile, flicking his wrist spilling the hot tea all over my mid drift and torso.

"Oh no problem, I'll just go grab another apron" I stated with an uncomfortable chuckle, taking off the tea covered apron and folding it in front of me.

"Why? You look perfectly fine without it" he stated with a sleezey chuckle, his eyes drifting up and down my body.

"Hey leave her alone!" Zuko yelled, walking over to us with a glare, Iroh put himself between the customer and Zuko.

"Ming, Lee I think it's time for you two to take your lunch break, I'll fetch this gentleman another cup of tea" Iroh stated with a warning glance at the two of us, I nodded wordlessly. Pulling on Zuko's hand as I quickly walked back to the kitchen to dispose of my apron.

"That disgusting elephant rat creep" Zuko growled with furrowed brows, I could feel his hands heating up in anger.

"Zuko calm yourself, don't worry about guys like him" I whispered with a sigh, throwing my apron in the wash basket and heading back upstairs as he grumbled and cursed. "Sit down and eat something" I stated with a shake of my head, leaning on the kitchen counter.

"What about you?" He grumbled with a scowl, glaring at the table as he sat down. I sighed and shook my head to signal I wasn't gonna eat.

"So, what have you been doing out in the world?" Zuko asked with a grunt, tapping the table with a small glance up at me.

"Well I've travelled around, from the northern water tribe to Ba Sing Se now, crazy isn't it" I stated with a small smile as Zuko frowned more, almost like he knew something I didn't.

"Seems we've been on a similar path" Zuko remarked with a horse voice, I ran my hand into my pocket, pulling out the black ribbon I tied my top knot with.

"Were you- were you at the siege?" I asked with a sharp inhale in, weaving the the shiny black ribbon around my knuckles.

"I was" he replied coarsely, looking up at me with a less intense glare then usually. "You weren't" he stated with a small tut, I nodded with a small glance of suspicion.

"I wasn't, the aftermath it was- it was sickening" I stated with a small sigh, continuing to fumble and fold the ribbon around my digits.

"Oh come on (y/n)" Zuko muttered with a tired sigh, placing his head down on the table as I glanced down at my hand with watery eyes.

"I visited a really cool canyon place on my travels, it was peaceful, you would've liked it" I stated with a small smile, looking up at him as I slipped the ribbon back into my pocket.

"When you dropped off the map, why didn't you tell me you were alive, why did you leave me in the dark?" Zuko asked with an almost forlorn tone, it was probably the nicest way I had heard him speak while I was here. He raised his head from the table to listen to my response.

"It was a risk" I admitted with a sigh of shame. "If the carrier hawk got intercepted by someone else or even one of your sailors reading it before you could blow my entire story" I explained with a glance up at him, his expression wasn't one of acceptable nor was it the unfiltered anger he showed me before.

I sat down next to him at the table, placing my hand on his. "I never wanted to leave you to think I was dead, you are one of my only old friends I have left Zuko" I admitted with a somber gaze, his eyes flickered from our hands to my face.

"Things got lonely after your letters stopped coming through, I- I missed talking to you" Zuko stated with a stutter, almost like he wanted to stop himself from speaking. I scooted closer with a small nod of agreement.

"Nephew amazing news!" Iroh's voice boomed as the old man practiced bounced up the stairs, stopping himself as he notice Zuko and I jumping away from each other and snatching our hands away. "Oh I'm sorry I leave you two alone" Iroh stated with a big grin, I spluttered out an explanation as Zuko tutted in annoyance.

"Your not interrupting anything uncle, what's your news?" Zuko asked with a scowl, returning to his guarded personality, forever angry at the world.