𝐆𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 [ᴢᴜᴋᴏ]

Chapter 52

Episode 14, The Boiling Rock: Part 1

"I need to tell you something," Zuko said out of the blue as we were just chilling in his room.

I put the book down on my lap and looked at him, nodding slightly.

He cleared his throat slightly before eying my face. "My father is looking for you for some reason." I tensed and clenched my jaw.

"I overheard him talking with Azula, though I don't know why he wants you. He said something about the past and getting what he wants and that no one can run away from him," Zuko said and stopped for a moment to organise his thoughts.

"He said he had been looking for a girl around our age whose name is Jasmine and he even had something like a wanted poster with a face that kinda looks like yours. Azula connected the dots immediately of course and told him everything she knew about you. Now her second mission beside the Avatar is to capture you as well."

I gulped and bit my lip. Crap, that was something I didn't want to happen. Azula had been a pain in the ass before but now she would come after me more than before.

"And you really don't know why?" I slowly asked and bit my lips slightly.

He knitted his eyebrows briefly. "You already knew all that?"

I nodded slowly. "I found out all of that in Ba Sing Se." I gulped and pressed my lips together.

"My mom was originally from the Fire Nation and somehow she knew your uncle and dad. And your dad was looking for my mom as well, though I have no idea what she did to piss him off." I let out a sigh.

"And I had to find that out through my cousin who I didn't even know existed. But apparently I have family in the Fire Nation," I said and forced a smile on my face.

A dry chuckle escaped my lips. "Ironically, my cousin is your sister's best friend."

Zuko eyed me for a moment before he froze as his jaw dropped. "Mai's your cousin?"

I nodded slowly as his cheeks became slightly pink.

"I knew you always reminded me of someone," he mumbled and I slightly narrowed my eyes at him. Why would he be embarrassed and affected by this?

"Yeah, when I first saw her I was shocked as well," I said and raised an eyebrow as he avoided looking at me.

"Are you okay?" I asked him and tried looking at his face but he immediately looked away again.

"Yeah," he mumbled and I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why don't we join the others? I can try and make tea like my uncle," he suggested and I nodded, deciding to let it go for now.

I helped Zuko with the tea while the others sat around a little fire.

"No one can make tea like uncle, but hopefully I learned a thing or two," Zuko said as he poured the tea into cups. He definitely learned something from his uncle but I'm not so sure if it was making tea.

"Would you like to hear uncle's favourite tea joke?"

I hummed and nodded as I took the tray, curious about the joke.

"Sure I like jokes," Aang said with a grin on his face as I started serving the tea.

"Okay, well I can't remember how it starts but the punch line is: Leaf me alone, I'm bushed."

I stopped in my tracks and raised my eyebrows, looking at Zuko just like everyone else. That boy needs to improve his joke telling skills.

"Well, it's funnier when uncle tells it," the prince said awkwardly, looking down.