Life Happens Wherever You Are (Zuko x OC)

Chapter 12

It was about halfway through the next day when we seemed to finally be coming up on Ba Sing Se. Zuko was standing at the edge of the boat looking out on the water, and I was standing a bit off to the side, debating whether or not to go up to him. When I saw Jet approaching, I knew it wasn't the right time.

            "You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were," I heard Jet say.

What? He knows? I started to panic, seeing Zuko's eyebrows furrow with worry.

"You're an outcast, like me. And us outcasts have to stick together." Where is he going with this? "We have to watch each other's backs, because no one else will."

Zuko quickly glanced over at me, and we made eye contact. I nodded at him, telling him that I was ready to fight if it came down to it. I had a whole ocean below us at my disposal.

"I've realized lately that being on your own isn't always the best path," he glanced at me again. I smiled internally.

They fell silent and stared ahead of us as the walls of Ba Sing Se came into view. Hopefully, something better awaits us on the other side.

*          *          *

            We walked up to the podium and handed the lady our passports. She studied them suspiciously.

"So, Mr. Lee, Mr. um... Mushy, is it? And Ms. Mara."

"It's pronounced Moo-shi," Iroh corrected.

I hid a smile and glanced at Zuko who raised an eyebrow at me.

"You telling me how to do my job?" the lady questioned, leaning down at us.

I grimaced, hopefully not.

"Uh, no, no," Iroh went up to the podium and leaned against it, "But may I just say, you're like a flower in bloom. Your beauty is intoxicating."

I shoved down a laugh and smiled warmly at her, nodding in agreement.

She smiled, "Mm, you're pretty easy on the eyes yourself, handsome." Then she growled at him.

Zuko put his hand on his forehead in embarrassment as I shoved down another laugh.

"Welcome to Ba Sing Se," she stamped our passports.

Iroh walked back over to us and Zuko snatched his passport from him, "I'm gonna forget I saw that."

Iroh grinned, and I laughed as we walked away and through the opening into Ba Sing Se. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up as we walked through, so I glanced behind us to see Jet watching us walk away.

"Zuko," I said quietly.

We stopped just around the corner, but Iroh kept walking.

"What is it, Mara?" he turned to face me.

"That guy, Jet, and his group. I get a real bad feeling from them. I understand the reason why you worked with them on the boat, but," I stopped and sighed, looking down at the ground. Why would he listen to me?

"Hey," he said gently, stepping closer to me, "What is it?"

I looked back up at him, "If he asks you to join them, please don't."

Zuko nodded at me knowingly.

Once through we seemed to be in some sort of waiting room with tracks in the middle of it. We sat down on a pillar on the left side of the tracks, waiting. For a while.

I felt the hairs on the back of my head stand up again, which told me that Jet was in the room. Not too long after it was confirmed. He sat down on the other side of Zuko.