Life Happens Wherever You Are (Zuko x OC)

Chapter 17

I had spent all morning helping Pao set up his new area for his plants and herbs. We planted some seeds, and watered them, and I talked to him about when to water and stuff like that. I hadn't really talked to Zuko much, I was waiting for him to come to me first.

After not much longer of waiting, he did. "Uh, Mara?" his raspy voice behind me put a twinge in my stomach.

I turned around to look at him, "Yes?"

"I just wanted to apologize for last night," he hung his head, "My uncle convinced me that it was a good idea and I –" he sighed. "I don't know why I agreed to go along with it."

I thought for a moment, he did have a habit of not thinking things through. "Thank you for coming to me. It means a lot. I understand that people make mistakes, but know that you are meant to learn from them. I won't as easily forgive you if you do it again."

What the heck is wrong with me? I shouldn't be letting him off this easily! But then he looked at me, with those beautiful amber eyes... Ugh dammit.

            He smiled at me, making everything melt away. I smiled back at him, and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

"Oh, I almost forgot, I picked up something for you from the market this morning," he ran off somewhere and then came back with a small thing of flowers.

"Oh, they're so beautiful!" I gasped, going up to him and smelling the white and blue flowers.

"I'm so glad you like them, I had the shop lady help me pick them out," he smiled, handing them to me. I smiled at him and tried to contain my joy.

*          *          *

"Mara! Mara, come look!" I heard Pao yelling from the back of the shop.

"Coming!" I called back, setting my tea down and going to where his voice came from.

"Oh, Mara! Look!" Pao rushed me over to our plant area, and motioned excitedly to it.

Barely sticking out of the soil were little green stems with tiny leaves starting to form. I smiled, "Pao that's wonderful! You are doing such a good job, I barely have to help you." I nudged him.

"What's going on?" Zuko came around the corner with a tray of cups, looking somewhat confused. His hair had grown, it was now on his forehead, almost reaching his eyebrows.

I laughed lightly, "Pao was just showing me that we have some baby plants coming up out of the soil."

"Oh, uh, nice." Zuko obviously wasn't sure how to react.

"Nice? It's amazing! Growing right before our eyes!" Pao was very excited.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at me and I laughed quietly.

A little while later, a few men came in, two guards and one man that was dressed a lot differently than everyone else, making us think that he isn't from around here.

Iroh poured them tea, and then started to walk back over towards us.

The men stood after taking a sip, and the one with fancy clothes said, "So you're the genius behind this incredible brew. The whole city is buzzing about you."

Iroh turned around.

"I hope Pao pays you well," the man continued.

"Good tea is its own reward," Iroh smiled.

"But it doesn't have to be the only reward. How would you like to have your own tea shop?" The man said.

I gave Zuko a questioning look.