AtLA Modern: Year 2, Gen. 1

Chapter 8

After a while, Zuko and Athlea drove to a restaurant, Magnolia Flowers, where he led her to a table and ordered a couple of drinks. Glancing around at the golden-hued restaurant, he turned back to her, his eyes striking in the lighting. "How do you like it?" he finally asked.

She had a smile on her face. "I love it," she said, nodding. "It is very... nice. I've never been here before."

Zuko brightened at her response, earning a soft giggle from Athlea. "I've come here a few times with Azula and Ursa." He blinked as a waitress arrived, ordering himself a water before turning back to Athlea. "Their Earth Nation food is like, really good."

"Oh, is that so?" She glanced at the menu. "Then I shall take my fiancé's word for it and order myself some crab puffs for the starter." She returned her gaze to him, her smile reappearing.

Zuko nodded, grinning. He glanced down at the menu, pursing his lips together for a moment before he turned back to her. "I think I'll just have some dumplings," he added. The waitress returned, and he glanced up at her, ordering their food and some wine for them quickly.

Athlea smiled as she set her menu down. "You know, I think I'd rather stay away from the wine."

Zuko tilted his head. "Why's that?" He took a sip of his water, leaving the straw unopened on the table.

Athlea looked at him and smiled softly, gazing away before facing him again. "I don't like getting tipsy or drunk, you know that." She grabbed her glass of water and took a sip.

Zuko shrugged, raising an eyebrow. "Right, but you've always liked wine," he pointed out.

"Indeed, red wine is my favorite. I've always liked it. Good observation skills."

The waitress returned and set their food down, and he nodded at her, thanking her before turning back to Athlea, eyes narrowed. "No wine for Thea? Something's wrong."

"There's nothing wrong. Why would there be?" Athlea looked at her food and took a bite from her starter. "This is good."

Zuko shrugged. "You tell me," he teased. He leaned back, taking a bite of his own food, brows furrowing in slight suspicion. "Don't tell me I knocked you up this early into college," he joked, snorting. Then he stopped, looking up at her and blinking. "Okay, now you really have to tell me that's not the reason you're skipping out on the wine."

Athlea chewed, watching him innocently before swallowing. "My dad would kill you," she said with a shrug, blinking and crossing her legs.

Zuko laughed nervously, nodding. "Yeah, he would."

"I don't want you to have to carry me home drunk."

He smirked, tilting his head to the side. "Wouldn't you, though?" he teased, grinning and taking another bite.

She took one more bite from her appetizer. "I like it when you carry me, yes." She looked down at her food, her face becoming serious. "I am late," she suddenly announced, raising her head to look at him again.

Zuko smiled. Then his face went blank, and his jaw dropped slightly, eyes wide. He cleared his throat, looking at his plate and cutting a dumpling. "It's just a scare, probably," he muttered. He set down his fork, giving her a look. "Why didn't you tell me?" He crossed his arms.

Athlea pressed her lips together. "You said it yourself, it's just a scare," she said with a shrug, and then giggled. "I just wanted to tease and scare you a bit. I'm three days late, but it shouldn't be anything serious, no?" she asked with a smile as her hand moved to the menu again.

Zuko raised an eyebrow, shaking his head and taking another bite. "Right," he muttered, glancing at his own menu. "Probably something I should know though, given that we're, you know, full time in college, still have yet to get a steady income, and so on?" His brows pulled together and he looked at her again.

Her blue eyes turned over to him, "Well, I'm not stressing about it. It should be fine. If I thought something was going on, I would've told you." She returned her gaze to her menu. "And if something did happen, it would be fine either way," she continued calmly.

Zuko snorted, shrugging. "You're the woman. Whatever you say. It's not like we're being stupid about it, anyways." He shrugged again. "What are you gonna order?"