The Ruka Wild ↠ Book 2 > A:TLA

22

Ruka (2)

It was another night in the tea shop. A better night than the last few to be quite honest. First, I haven't seen Jet since the station and second, Zuko and I have gotten much closer since we've arrived. We can genuinely laugh with each other and not have so many awkward moments and just really... be in the moment. But don't get too ahead of yourself, Ruka...

"Jade, that young man over there needs his tea." Iron winked at me. Instantly, Zuko snapped his head at the table. "I'll take him his tea."

I placed my hand in front of him while chuckling, "I've got it." I took the tray from Iron then walked over to the said table.

"I'm sorry for making you wait," I apologized. "Here is your tea."

"You didn't make me wait." He shook his head. "I asked the older man to have you bring it to me."

"Oh?" I said with my brows lifted. I hugged the tray while asking, "Can I ask why?"

"I've finally gained the courage to talk to you."

"I'm sorry?"

"I've been coming here for a few days now and every time, I try to work up the courage to talk to you. When we do interact, it's just you giving me my tea and I say 'thank you' and you respond 'you're welcome' then walk away." He explains. "Then I try again the next day."

I smiled while reaching my hand out, "I'm Jade."

He grabbed ahold of my hand and gently shook it. "Kage. Are you busy now?"

"Um..." I looked over my shoulder at Iroh who still stood beside Zuko. Iroh quickly nodded at me and grinned while Zuko had his lips in a thin line, brows furrowed, and arms crossed. I turned back around and shrugged, "I think I have a few minutes."

"Great." Kage smiled. Before I could sit in front of him, a sound of glass breaking made me stop. I turned my head at the noise and saw a broken plate and cup on the floor in front of Zuko.

"Oops." He said before kneeling down and started to pick it up with his hands. I sighed before walking toward him, "Lee, stop. I'll get a broom."

I went to the back of the shop and grabbed a broom and a dust pan then walked back to Zuko and the broken glass. I started to sweep up the glass into the dust pan, which Zuko held. "If this happens next time, don't use your bare hands. You could've cut yourself."

"Right, sorry." Zuko said. I picked up the dust pan and before I could throw the glass away, the shop's door to the house outside quickly slid open and in stepped a boy I hoped
I'd never have to see again.

"I'm tired of waiting! These two men are fire benders!" He pointed to the uncle and nephew. As Jet pulled out his hook swords, I dropped the dust pan and the glass onto the floor. I stood there shocked - my eyes wide and my lips parted.

"I know they're fire benders! I saw the old man heating his tea!" Jet yelled.

"He works in a tea shop." One of the customers said.

"Y- yeah, it's his job." I said.

"He's a fire bender, I'm telling you!" Jet continued.

"Drop your swords boy - nice and easy." The same customer said while he and a few others stood up from their tables.

"You'll have to defend yourself." Jet said to Iroh while stepping toward. "Then everyone will know. Go ahead, show them what you can do."

Zuko grabs a pair of dual swords from one of the customers and gets into a fighting stance. "You want a show? I'll give you a show."

A fight then broke out by Zuko kicking over a table at Jet, but he easily jumps over it and strikes at Zuko.

As they continued, I tried to knock some sense into Jet. "Jet, please, think about you're saying and what you're doing!"

As expected, he ignored me. I turned around at Iroh, gaining his attention. "Do you give me permission to water bend?"

"What?"

"Do you give me permission to water bend!?"

Iroh nodded. "Yes."

Using the water from the tea around me, I created octopus tentacles around my arms. I grabbed ahold of Jet's foot and arm, lifting him up into the air and throwing him to the wall, which caused a hole with him flying out. Zuko followed Jet out.

"Please, son! You're confused! You don't know what you're doing!" Iroh yelled. I ran over to them and just as I was about to send another blast at Jet, he throws me back against a brick well using his hook swords.

I moaned in pain while rubbing my head until my eyes popped open. A well!

I hopped onto the well and lifted my hands. A few seconds passed before a whole pool of water quickly rose from the well. I extended my hands in front of him and the blast of water hit Jet, making him fall to the ground.

Jet slowly stood up and tried to strike again, but two men in high status uniforms ran over. "Drop your weapons!"

"Arrest them! They're fire benders!" Jet said.

"This poor boy's confused. We're just simple refugees." Iroh said.

"This young man wrecked my tea shop and assaulted my employees!" Pao yelled. "It's true sir, we saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city." A customer defended.

Iroh blushed, "Oh, that's very sweet!"

"Come with us, son." The men stepped forward and as they did, Jet swung one of his hook swords back at one of the men, but using his hand that seemed to look like it was made of rock, he caught it.

As they arrested him and took him away, Jet continued to argue, "You don't understand, they're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!"

Once they were gone, I walked over and picked up his hook swords. When I saw Zuko from the corner of my eye, I asked, "Who were those guys?"

"Dai Li agents." Zuko responded. "You don't want to get in their way."

"Noted." I said.

Side note: Hi everyone! It's been longer than a month since I've updated and I'm so sorry! I'm not going to give you guys some lame excuse like I was busy or something because I really wasn't, haha. I took a little break from updating, but I'm back now! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Until next time!