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lacroixqueen · 3 days

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embers and earth ch. 1 (zuko x jin angst)

Summary: jin finds out "lee" is actually firelord zuko, the new leader of the fire nation. angst and mental breakdown ensues

Word Count: 1.2k

Pairing: zuko x jin

Tags: angst, jealousy, yearning, prince x peasant

Author's Note: this was inspired by fan art but I for the life of me cannot find the artist's name just if you are out there just know you inspired this fic so thank u :v

Jin was absolutely furious the day that she found out.

She remembered being over the moon the night before when the Earth King announced that the Hundred Year War was finally over. That the fire nation inherited a new leader who would forge peace between all four nations at long last. She recalled sleeping a little bit more deeply that night. A sigh of relief. A breath of fresh air.

She even had a pep in her step when she ambled into the main marketplace of the Lower Ring in the morning. For the first time in her life, she didn’t need to worry about her safety. She remembered having to escape with her family when fire nation soldiers attacked her village when she was only a little girl. The fear in her father’s eyes. Her mother holding her tight and telling her not to make a sound when she cried.

But today was a new day. A fresh start.

She was picking out the ripest cabbage in the stall when she noticed a couple of Dai Li agents putting up posters around the square. She swore to herself she saw a glimpse of a face that looked all too familiar for comfort. She almost didn’t want it to be true. Because if it was, it would confirm too many questions she would stay up asking herself over and over again.

A small crowd was already beginning to form around one of the posters. She eventually elbowed her way through and made it to the very front. And there it was.

Firelord Zuko. Future of the Fire Nation. Forging an era of peace.

Except it wasn’t “Zuko”, or whoever that was. It was Lee. The boy with the scar from the tea shop. She reached out reluctantly, as if she touched the poster he would come walking off the page. She placed the tips of her fingertips over the purple scar that ran across his triumphant face.

But it’s not possible. Lee said he was of the Earth Kingdom. A traveling circus, was it? Now that she thinks of it, it did sound a little bit too barbaric to be real. But none of that mattered.

She was fascinated by him. She hung onto his every word. Even though it’s not like he had much to say in the first place.

After their date, she remembered how excited she was to see him again. She planned out an entire day with him in her mind, replaying the scenarios in her dreams like she was the director of a play. She recalled feeling a bit ridiculous about it, like some giddy fangirl. But she didn’t care. She had never wanted anything more in her life.

But surprise quickly melted into confusion, which devolved into anger.

How could he? she thought to herself, trying to piece together the puzzle but it still didn’t make any sense.

The last time she tried to reach out to him, she burst through the doors of the tea shop, wearing her heart on her sleeve and ready to confess her undying love to him, without so much of a care in the world. But he was gone. In the blink of an eye, tossed away into the wind.

“Where did he go?” she asked one of the workers, almost dissociated from reality.

“To the Upper Ring,” he replied, sweeping some dust out of a corner. “His uncle got a job offer to run his own tea business. The Jasmine Dragon, was it? Yeah something like that.”

She felt her own blood run cold. She would only ever occasionally venture up to the Middle Ring, but Upper? She wouldn’t stand a chance. She would be ushered out as quickly as she came in. Not to mention she had no idea where this new store was even located.

She was inconsolable for several days, of course, but in the back of her mind she knew she couldn’t cry forever. Because time heals all wounds, as her mother would say.

And she eventually moved on, even though there was always longing within her that she could never quite shake. An ache that pulsated every time she remembered that she would most likely never see him again.

Her thoughts were beginning to spiral at a rate of a million miles per second. Was he lying to her that entire time? Was that what he meant when he said “it’s complicated”?

She paused, her entire body frozen.

Was that how he lit up the lanterns at Firelight Fountain?

She couldn’t even process what was happening, but next thing she knew, she had already scrunched up that stupid poster, much to the crowd’s bickering and dismay, and shred it all up into several pieces.

Tears were beginning to bud at the bottoms of her eyes. So that’s it. He was a firebender this entire time. But why lie about it? Why keep something so important from her, when he knew how much the fire nation had hurt her family.

Why was she acting like some sort of dramatic schoolgirl? It’s not like they were officially together or anything. It was just one silly date. Why did it mean so much to her anyway?

She walked briskly home, attempting, but failing horribly to conceal her tearstained face.

She opened the door to her modest home, without even bothering to close it gently, and stormed up the stairs to her bedroom.

“Jin, were you able to get the vegetables I needed?” her mother called from the kitchen but she wasn’t even able to muster up a response.

She flung herself onto the cot splayed out in the middle of the floor, grabbing her pillow and holding it close to her chest.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she kept telling herself. Why did she care so much anyway? It doesn’t even matter. None of it.

Lee or Zuko, what difference did it make?

He was still going to be a million worlds apart. Whether that was the Jasmine Dragon in the Upper Ring or the palace in the Fire Nation.

She could weep and yearn for her entire life, and then what? He would just descend into the dilapidated shacks of the Lower Ring and sweep her off her feet? She knew the chance of that happening was zero to none. So why hope? Why cling onto this tiny shred of faith that had no meaning otherwise?

She played with the thought a little bit, after all, she was a hopeless romantic at heart. But the fantasy dissipated as quickly as it formed.

It’s best to forget any of this ever happened, she decided for herself after an entire afternoon of contemplation. There’s no use in staying in the past. Besides, he probably never thinks of her these days. He’s busy running his own country, and creating a new era for the world.

After all, why would some Earth Kingdom peasant ever cross the firelord’s mind?

#atla #avatar netflix #avatar the last airbender #zuko #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #atla zuko #jin x zuko #zuko x jin #zuko x reader #zuko fanfic #zuko fic #zuko atla #the gaang #atla gaang #netflix avatar

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imagines--galore · 1 day

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||The Thread of Fate|| Part Seventeen

Summary: Soulmate AU. They say the Thread of Fate connects you to your one true love. It may tangle. It may stretch. But it will never break. Wrapped around your little finger it tightens when it feels your soulmate is close and loosens when they are far. And becomes visible with the colors of your soulmate’s Nation when you finally fall in love with them.

Pairing: Zuko x OroraOC (ATLA)

Rating || Genres || Warnings: T+ Romance. Adventure.

Previous Chapters - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve, Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen, Part Fifteen, Part Sixteen,

A/N: This is just pure fluff. Plain and simple! Also I don't know just how those kissing scenes turn out? Like are they alright? I would really like to hear your opinion on them! I'm a little rusty with those scenes :/

It was late in the afternoon when Orora finally woke. She sat up, the blanket Iroh had covered her with pooling around her legs as she did. Yawning and rubbing her eyes, the young waterbender could still feel a strange tiredness emanating from within her. She'd definitely over-exerted herself when she'd given Zuko such a long healing session. It would take some time before she would be able to recover completely.

For now though, her stomach was rumbling, and all she wanted was food before soaking in a warm bath.

Finally able to blink away the last remnants of sleep from her blue eyes, she frowned curiously when she saw Zuko standing in front of the stove instead of laying down as he had been the past couple of days.

"Zuko?" She called out, voice still heavy from sleep, hair tousled, clothes rumpled and blinking up at him in an adorably half-asleep half-awake state.

He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled.

"You're finally awake. Uncle told me to let you sleep in. You've been sleeping for a long time." As he spoke, Orora slowly stood up. On instinct she walked up to stand in front of him and placed a hand on his forehead.

Zuko fell silent, amber eyes blinking at her in surprise.

Heaving a sigh of relief, coupled with a smile and her body relaxing, she shut her eyes. "Thank the Spirits the fever broke." She muttered, her body swaying slightly. "I was afraid it hadn't." Her voice sounded weak as she fell against him, her head feeling heavy.

"Woah!" His arms came up to grasp her shoulders, steadying her. "Maybe you should sleep some more?" He suggested, not at all opposed to the way she leaned against him, her eyes closed and her breathing relaxed.

She didn't seem to hear him as she nuzzled her head against his chest, arms lifting to loosely wrap around his waist. "I'm so glad you're alright Zuko." She whispered against him, feeling his arms tighten around her, holding her close. "Uncle told me how you stood for hours to help bring my fever down using your Healing Abilities." His voice was slightly muffled where he had his face buried in her hair, inhaling her scent and just basking in her presence. All of which Orora was reciprocating.

"Had to make sure you were alright. Who else is gonna annoy me every single day?" He pulled back from the gentle embrace to playfully flick her forehead. She batted his hand away, smiling at him, looking a little more awake then a few moments ago. Her eyes shone with an emotion he could not identify. "You're my friend." She said, the tip of her finger tracing along his scar, a touch that prompted him to close his eyes and just savor it, committing it to memory. "And I care about you. I would never have forgiven myself if something happened to you."

Her voice hitched at her own admission, and she finally allowed herself to feel the worry and fear she had bottled away during the course of his sickness. She sighed, dropping her gaze to his chest instead.

Anything to avoid looking at him.

Anything to avoid expressing just how scared she had been.

"Hey?" The sound of his voice, so soft and gentle, had her burying her head in his chest once more. There were no tears, it would take more then him getting sick to having her sobbing, even he knew that. That was something he admired about Orora. Despite the hardships she had faced, and all that she had endured, she never cried about it. "I'm fine now. We're both alright." He reassured her.

It was strange.

Where he would've felt awkward and uneasy at having someone be sad and anxious around him, he instead felt a sense of understanding and patience. She'd been like that with him for so long, the least he could do was reciprocate the feeling when she needed him.

Once she'd calmed down, he felt her take a deep breath to gather herself. "Where's Uncle?" The words were slightly muffled, prompting Zuko to smile at her though she couldn't see it. "He went out to get everything set up at our new apartment." The young Prince responded, gently guiding her towards the small futon sofa and lowering her down so she could sit.

The waterbender made a small sound of confirmation, shaking her head. She felt Zuko move away from her, only to return a few moments later with a steaming cup of tea in front of her. "Here. Uncle said this would help you recover. Its been helping me too."

Grasping the clay cup between her hands, and savoring the warmth that came with it, Orora took a small sip. Zuko, satisfied that she was drinking, took his own cup and sat down beside her. The futon sofa was big enough to fit three people, and yet the two teenagers found themselves a mere inch away from the other. Though Orora only became aware of the fact as she began to regain her strength with every sip she took.

The warm liquid helped revive her, and slowly she felt the fog of tiredness and anxiety lift from her mind, and the heaviness that weighed her down began to dissipate.

"Is this magic tea?" She asked, lifting the cup and sniffing at the content within. Zuko laughed softly. "I wouldn't be surprised if it were. I've had two cups already and I can feel my strength coming back."

Orora smiled. "Don't drink too much though. I don't want you to get too arrogant." She paused. "Well not any more then you already are." Zuko rolled his eyes though there was still a smile on his lips as he did.

"Whatever you think, I have to get my strength if I am gonna resume my position of protector." Orora frowned, turning to look at him.

"Did you get a new job?" She asked, confusion evident in her eyes, which had Zuko laughing softly. "You're still tired aren't you?" He said, his gaze so soft that she actually felt herself blush and look away.

But he stopped her, grasping her chin to guide her back to her previous position. "When I meant my position of protector I meant you Orora. Your protector."

Her mouth fell open, her eyes widened and she stared at him. Oh she could actually feel her cheek growing hot! Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Why're you so surprised? Isn't that what I've been doing since we came to Ba Sing Se?" He asked, his fingers moving from her chin to trace along her soft jawline.

"Well yes." How she regained her ability to speak, Orora had no idea. "But you always said it was annoying, having to look after me like a nanny." Spirits, his touch was distracting!

He shrugged. "It was, at first, but you somehow always made it fun." She rolled her eyes, though a small laugh escaped her. "What every girl wants to hear from their soulmate, that they had fun." Her tone heavy with sarcasm.

A thrill ran through him when he heard her call him that.

Soulmate.

"Well coming from me that's a big thing since I've rarely had any fun." Never once did he stop the gentle stroke of two fingers along her cheek. "I focused so much on making sure I didn't offend my Father that I never really had time for fun." He shrugged.

Orora pursed her lips, pouting slightly as she pushed his hand away with a small humph. "Why do you have to go and do that?" She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Zuko frowned at her in confusion. "Do what?"

Inhaling deeply, the young girl dropped the harshness of her expression to instead look at him softly. "Make me sad by reminding me just how much you've missed out." A pool of guilt settled in his stomach as he turned away from her. "I'm sorry." Her heart very nearly broke at the sadness in his voice. "I don't mean to."

Now it was her turn to guide him to look back at her. Though she did so with a firm hand against his cheek. "Well since I didn't have much fun growing up either, maybe the both of us can make up for it together?" She offered. Zuko simply nodded in acceptance, smiling at her, so open and unreserved with his feelings. "And it wasn't your fault. None of whats happened in the past was your fault." She reminded him, hoping he would somehow come to believe it as well. Zuko sighed. "I know it'll take time for me to accept that." He said, much to her surprise. She'd expected him to say something along the lines of her being wrong.

Her forehead creased. "You seem different, Zuko." He shrugged in response. "I feel different. Like some sort of weight has been lifted from my chest." Not liking how idle his hands were, he grasped her free hand between his own and began to play with her fingers.

She smiled shyly. "Well, I like this new you." She admitted, to which he raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And you didn't like who I was before?" He asked, his tone teasing as he intertwined their fingers together while her hand moved to stroke along the bottom edge of his scar. "No, I did. But I like you smiling and relaxed." She smirked, a teasing glint shining in her blue eyes. "Rather then broody and uptight."

Zuko let out a sound of protest. "I was not!" He denied to which she just laughed, before closing whatever distance was left between them and pressed her lips against his.

And this was one caress that did not stop there. Because when she tried to pull away, he followed her lips with his own, melding them together once more. And this time, to make sure she didn't pull back too quickly, he raised a hand to place at the back of her head. Orora had to tilt her head back slightly, eyes fluttering shut as she lost herself to the simple, yet somehow, exquisite pleasure of just kissing him.

Her arms moved to wrap around his shoulders. Zuko let out a sigh of contentment when the act had her pressing more firmly against him. He leaned further into her, pushing her back slightly, distracting her with his kisses until little by little, she was leaning back completely and was laying on the futon sofa with him hovering over her.

Their legs were still hanging over the side of the futon, but that didn't stop the new position from becoming more intimate. Breaking the kiss to allow them both to breath, though he didn't pull away, Zuko's eyes asked a question that needed no words. Understanding, Orora gave a small nod, despite the blush that blazed across her cheeks.

Pulling his hand out from behind her head, he placed it against the side of her face. His lips grazed hers, but only briefly. Slowly he began to trail them along the side of her jaw, placing sporadic kisses as he went. His eyes were closed, but he felt her reaction. Her breath hitched, and a shuddering gasp left her lips. But that wasn't what he was focused on. Zuko was more focused on just how soft her skin was, and how warm she felt against him. A raging fire seemed to burn within him, slowly growing with each kiss.

Something he hardly noticed.

His attention was on his Soulmate as he kissed along her forehead, moving down to her nose, skipping her lips in favor of pressing a kiss to her chin instead.

The first press of his lips against her skin had her gasping in surprise. She hadn't expected it to feel so warm. Not a very apt description, but then her brain was a little too overwhelmed with emotions she had never felt before, so coming up with proper vocabulary was out of the question.

Gentle and slow, two traits that were so unlike him, and yet, he found that they came so easily to him when it concerned Orora.

Her hands moved from his shoulders to the back of his head, and remembering the sound he had made in the alley, she let her nails run along his scalp. Once again, the reaction was instant. Though his sound of approval was followed by a particularly deep kiss.

And not on her lips.

Somehow, his mouth had slid down to the sensitive area just under her jaw and had continued to slide down until it reached that soft juncture of her throat. And that was where he kissed her, teeth gently sliding along her skin. The area proved a little too sensitive, prompting an entirely new wave of feelings to overcome her every sense.

Overwhelmed, but not wanting him to stop, she placed a hand on his cheek, urging him to shift upwards, where she lifted her head to meet his lips in one final kiss. "We should stop." She whispered against his lips, eyes opening reluctantly. Though she was glad she did. Her blue eyes fastened on Zuko's face hovering above her. Committing that image to memory, she watched as he gave a reluctant nod. Sensing his disappointment, she brushed his hair away from his forehead.

"Don't worry. We can pick up later." She winked, grinning at him. Smiling back, Zuko slowly sat up, pulling her along with him as he did, not letting go of her hand even after she was up.

Finishing the last of her tea, she glanced around at the still unpacked apartment. "Come on. Lets finish packing up. I'm sure Master wants us to move into the new apartment sooner then later."

"Oh yeah, he actually said we would be moving in today."

"And you're telling me now?!"

"Well yeah? I wanted to keep talking to you."

".........."

"And kissing you."

".........."

"What?"

"Just shut up, Zuko."

————————–

It didn't take long and between the both of them, they had everything packed and ready to go. It was mostly kitchen utensils, clothing and blankets. Iroh had told Orora they would be buying new furniture when they moved to the Upper Ring. Of course everything that was of sentimental value was packed up.

Within an hour, Iroh had returned, and glad to see Orora already up and about, he had declared they would be moving that very evening.

And so, the next morning, Orora opened her eyes to the sight an unfamiliar ceiling and an empty room. Yes, she had her own room. Granted it was small, but it was her own to do as she pleased.

Excited to begin the new day, she splashed water onto her face, having bathed the night before, and after making sure she was presentable, exited her room.

"Morning Master." She greeted, adjusting her comb so it would keep a few unruly strands of hair away from her face. "Good morning my Student. I hope you had a good nights sleep." He picked up a bowl to pour in the Jook he had been preparing. "Today is the grand opening of the Jasmine Dragon." Orora couldn't help but smile at how excited Iroh was.

"Of course I did and I'm certain it will be a huge success." She added, as she accepted the bowl and sat down at the table, her eyes content as she gazed out of the open window. The new apartments were far bigger then the ones they'd been living in. And though Orora would never complain, she preferred the apartment they had now. She had grown up as the daughter of a noble, so she was accustomed to certain luxuries. And while Zuko had voiced his disdain about the small size of the apartments in the Lower Ring, she had stayed quiet. She'd just been glad to have a roof over her head, and had taken note to point it out to Zuko every chance he had complained.

Footsteps sounded from behind her, prompting her to glance over her shoulder to see Zuko exiting his own room.

"What's that smell?" He asked. Iroh looked up from where he had been stirring the pot. "It's Jook. I'm sure you wouldn't like it." He added, knowing his nephew's preferences.

Zuko, however, walked up to the stove, bent down slightly and sniffed the steam that rose from the pot. "Actually, it smells delicious. I'd love a bowl, Uncle." He said, holding up a bowl and smiling pleasantly.

Iroh frowned in confusion, though began to ladle the food into the bowl. "Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow." He said, handing Zuko back the now full bowl.

"It's a new day." The prince stated, moving to stand behind where Orora sat so he too could look out the window while he ate. "We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new tea shop." He smiled at the older man. "Things are looking up, Uncle."

Master and Pupil glanced at one another in surprise as Zuko began to eat from his bowl. Iroh only smiled before turning his attention back to the stove. Orora sipped from her bowl, smiling at the taste as she did. It was simple, but whatever Iroh had added to it elevated the flavors somehow.

Though that smile turned to a look of utter shock and surprise when she felt a pair of warm yet familiar lips press to her temple. Zuko had leaned down over her shoulder and stolen the kiss.

And though Iroh's back was turned, Orora couldn't help but stare at him, a little shocked at his bold move. Zuko's lips were pulled into a smug smirk. Her mind conjured up images of his face when he had been leaning over her just yesterday. It didn't help that all those feelings she had felt yesterday came rushing to the front. Her cheeks to reddened and her heart leaped in her chest at his gesture and the reminder of her promise to him.

Later, they would continue later.

Iroh turned at that moment, and caught the shift in her expression.

"Are you alright Orora? You look a little flushed." He observed, making a bowl for himself as well.

She straightened, turning to look at him. "I'm fine Master!" She all but squeaked, prompting Zuko to let out a small chuckle. Orora, cheeks still red, pursed her lips in annoyance and pushed her chair back purposefully, catching Zuko in the stomach as she did. The Prince groaned, clutching his stomach, while the girl smirked in satisfaction and finished off her breakfast. Iroh raised an eyebrow in question, though neither teenager answered his silent inquiry.

"I'm going to go get ready then." She said. With one final annoyed look at Zuko, one which he returned with a smirk, she walked off to her room.

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The grand opening of the Jasmine Dragon was a success.

Several dignitaries came, including their sponsor, not to mention the crowd of loyal customers Iroh had attained since working in the Lower Ring. Of course they were the ones from the Upper Ring since Lower Ring citizens were not allowed in the Upper Ring. It had bothered Orora a little bit, but nothing could be done about it.

Instead, she focused on fetching tea, brewing tea, making sure cups and plates were clean. Then there were the confectioneries Iroh had ordered to serve at the opening. Her Master was busy speaking with future customers, so he had put her and Zuko in charge of making sure that everything went smoothly.

Wearing a new green floor length silk kimono in dark green with gold accents, Orora smiled and chatted politely with anyone who addressed her, taking orders and making sure every kind of tea was hot and freshly brewed. Zuko was in charge of the rest of the staff. The other servers, hosts and cleaners in the back. It was rather fascinating to see him take charge like that. He had only been introduced to them in the morning and yet he had taken charge as if he were made for this role.

Then again, he was a Prince. He was taught how to take charge his entire life. Maybe now he would take charge of his own destiny as well. Realizing that perhaps she was staring, Orora moved to look away, only to pause as his amber eyes caught hers.

Despite the din of the chatting patrons around them, for a moment, everything seemed to fade away. She raised a hand, waving at him almost shyly, which was ridiculous because when did she ever feel shy around Zuko?! Still, he smiled and waved back, feeling his heart jump in his chest at her smiling back at him.

She looked so pretty in the dress she wore, he thought to himself, as she turned her attention to the tea she was making. Maybe later, when things had calmed down, they could both sit together and talk like they always did.

Or kiss, his mind supplied, reminding him of their little encounter yesterday. He had no idea where his boldness had come from, but she seemed to like it. And, truthfully, he had liked kissing her. Every aspect of his being had been focused on her, and just her. Her mere presence had that effect on him, but kissing her had only increased it tenfold.

And not only that, but he wanted to kiss her again because he liked it.

Seeing color flicker at the end of his finger, he wasn't at all surprised to see his string flickering a soft blue hue.

It reminded him of something.

Something niggled at the back of his mind, something that had happened while he'd been sick.

Something that involved her.

Maybe a dream?

Or a dream within a dream.

He wasn't sure.

He couldn't remember.

Before he had time to contemplate any further, a server called out to him, looking more then a little lost. Loosing his train of thought, Zuko walked over to help, forgetting about what had just happened.

After a few hours, the excitement died down significantly. The huge crowd started to dissipate, and now there were only a few customers sitting, drinking tea and chatting. Iroh and Zuko both stood at the head of the room, with Iroh smiling proudly.

"Who thought when we came to this city as refugees, that I'd end up owning my own tea shop?" He said. "Follow your passion, Zuko." He advised his nephew. "And life will reward you."

Zuko smiled at him. "Congratulations, Uncle." Iroh nodded, closing his eyes briefly in satisfaction. "I am very thankful." He admitted.

"You deserve it." The young Prince continued in a warm tone. "The Jasmine Dragon will be the best tea shop in the city." His Uncle had worked so hard to make a good life for them, and now it was all paying off.

His Uncle shook his head. "No." He stated, turning to look at his nephew. "I'm thankful because you decided to share this special day with me. It means more than you know." There were tears in his Uncle's eyes. Tear of happiness. Mirroring that joy, Zuko was not at all opposed to the loving embrace his Uncle pulled him in.

"Well now I'm feeling left out." The laughing voice of his Pupil chimed in a little behind them where she had just exited the small kitchen where she'd left some tea brewing. Iroh simply let out a hearty laugh, opening his arm in invitation. Orora, smiling joyfully, wasted no time in wrapping one arm around her Teacher and the other around her Soulmate, bringing them all together in a warm embrace. "I am honored to have you as my pupil, Orora. Thank you for filling our lives with such joy when we sorely needed it."

Zuko could see the utter joy in Orora's eyes when she heard his Uncle say those words to her. Coming from a family that had wanted to bend her to their will, having two complete strangers accept her was surely something she had never imagined. "And thank you for accepting me Master. It means the world to me."

Iroh smiled at her in return, the young girl he considered his own just as much as Zuko was.

His little family.

Pulling back from the embrace, the young firebender nodded in determination. "Now let's make these people some tea!" He said, already walking away.

Iroh nodded. "Yes, let's make some tea!" He stated joyfully, moving to man the several burning stoves alongside Orora.

————————–

The day was finally done, and the last of the customers had left. Iroh had just waved them off while Zuko sweeped the front steps of the shop. A tedious task, but he had seen Orora do so multiple times throughout the day, and had only followed her lead on it.

An approaching figure had him frowning in confusion as the man reached his Uncle and held out a scroll.

"A message from the Royal Palace." He stated in a dignified tone. Iroh glanced at Zuko in confusion, though he took the scroll. As he untied it, the Messenger was already walking away. Zuko watched as his Uncle read through what was written, a shocked expression overcoming his face as he did.

"I ... I can't believe it!" He gasped out loud.

A little worried, Zuko stepped forward. "What is it, Uncle?" He asked, barely having taken a step before his Uncle turned to him, smiling from ear to ear. "Great news!" He exclaimed, waving the letter in the air. "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!"

Zuko stared at his Uncle in shock as well, before smiling at just how excited he was. Before he could even offer his congratulations, his Uncle had rushed off, probably to prepare for tomorrow.

Shaking his head, Zuko continued to sweep, almost missing the familiar steps as Orora approached him. "Whats got Master so excited? A new Pai Sho Tile?" She asked, laughter evident in her tone as she looked over her shoulder to where the older man was rummaging through cans of tea and such.

She was still looking at his Uncle, hands on her hips. Standing right next to him at the entrance, Zuko was, once again, given the chance to simply stop what he was doing at look at her.

After the long day, some of her hair had escaped her comb, but she was hardly bothered by it. Her clothes were a little rumpled, and she had removed her apron, but she looked just as beautiful as, really any other day.

Leaving the broom to lean against a corner, he reached out to gently take her hand in his. Orora glanced at their hands before looking up at him in confusion. She wasn't given any time to voice her thoughts though, since he tugged her outside the shop and behind one of the front doors where it was significantly darker.

But more importantly, where no one could see them.

"Zuko, wh-"

"You said we could pick it again up later." His smirk had her going weak in the knees as she stumbled back, her hand finding purchase on the wall behind her.

Zuko stepped forward, resting his forehead against her own, noses brushing, lips just barely apart, bodies grazing.

"Its later." He whispered.

Their eyes met and held. Her hand reached out to grasp his. Their fingers intertwined. Their breaths mingled.

Neither of them knew who was the first to lean forward, to initiate what could only be labeled as a heated kiss.

Whatever hesitance and shyness either of them had felt had gone out the window the moment their lips fused, meeting fervently, over and over, leaving them both light headed and panting for breath.

But it wasn't enough. It still wasn't enough.

She pulled him against her, wanting to feel him against her, though she miscalculated her own strength, leading to Zuko stumbling into her, their feet nearly tangling before her back found the wall, and they steadied one another. Neither of them were bothered by the slight stumble.

It didn't take long for Zuko to leave her lips and move to kiss her jaw, but she overtook him. So instead of Zuko kissing along her face like he had the day before, Orora began to brush her lips along his face.

She had to push herself up on her tiptoes to reach him properly, but she didn't mind. So long as he kept holding her like that, and allowed her to shower him with affection. And Zuko? He was adoring every moment of having her attention on him.

"You don't have to...." He muttered, pulling back briefly to gesture at his scar.

He had been a little nervous as her lips traced along his scar, but those feelings were quickly pushed to the side when her lips pressed against his scarred eyelid. "Your scar is only a reminder of your kind heart Zuko." She pressed a hand to his chest, feeling his heart beating rapidly just under her fingertips. "No matter how people might view it, or how you might view it, to me its the most beautiful part of who you are."

A hopeful smile brightened his features, as he brought his hands up to grasp her face and kissed her passionately, leaving her all the more breathless as he began to trace a path of kisses down her jaw to her neck.

This time when Orora trailed her fingers to his head, she didn't just stop with just a simple scrape her her nails against his scalp. Instead, she gripped the soft strands of his hair, and once Zuko's mouth pressed a kiss against that small sensitive area of her neck, she couldn't help but grip tighter.

Zuko let out a muffled growl against her throat, never letting up from his sweet ministrations. "If I pass out, its because I can barely breath." She whispered breathlessly, to which he smiled against her throat.

"Don't worry, I'll be more then happy to carry you back inside." He teased, to which she giggled, though the sound tapered off into a low moan as she felt his hot breath against her ear.

The sound of a throat being cleared rather loudly had their moment cutting short.

Both teenagers sprang apart, wearing mirror expressions of horror and embarrassment at the sight of Iroh standing there, hands on his hips. "If we are to meet the Earth King tomorrow, then I shall need both of you to help me." Though he tried to appear stern, neither of them could deny the laughter in his voice at having caught the them.

Orora blushed a bright red. "We'll be right there Master." Iroh simply humphed in reply. "See that you do." He stated sternly, though the twinkle in his eyes was a clear indication that he didn't really mean it.

He moved to step back inside the shop, but then stopped and peaked out briefly. "Though I am glad you two finally decided to let fate take it's course." With a wink that had Zuko groaning, and Orora hiding her face in her hands, Iroh walked off, chortling to himself.

"That was so embarrassing." Orora's muffled voice reached his ears. The mortification of being caught started to dissipate and he turned to pat her shoulder. "At least we have his blessing." Still more then a little humiliated, Orora punched his shoulder lightly. "I would've preferred he gave us his blessing over dinner, not while we were kissing like we were." She gestured between both of them, prompting Zuko to smirk at her words.

"And how exactly were we kissing?" If she were a firebender, Zuko was sure steam would be coming out of Orora's ears. For someone who adored physical acts of affection, she could get rather unsure and embarrassed about then when it began to get intense. Then again, he was just as unsure as she was.

This was a first for him, just as it was for her.

"Just shut up Zuko." She grumbled, stalking past him and back into the tea shop. He followed after her, coming to a sudden halt when she stopped just as the threshold. "Wait! What did Master mean, meeting the Earth King?"

Zuko shrugged. "Oh, yeah, we got an invitation to serve tea to him tomorrow."

"What?!" She screeched, rounding on him. "And you're telling me just now?!"

"Yeah?"

"Couldn't you have mentioned it before?"

"I was a little distracted by a certain waterbender."

"Argh! Zuko."

"A very pretty waterbender."

"Stop it!"

"Why? I thought girls liked this sort of thing?"

"Not out in the open like this!"

"Well I can always whisper in your ear."

He stepped forward, a teasing smile on his lips as leaned down towards her ear, almost as if he were about to whisper a secret.

And all he got for his trouble was a sudden bubble of water to the face, courtesy of a very flustered, but pleased looking, waterbender.

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