The Lies of the Phoenix

Chapter 1

~Zuko's Perspective~

"Well, here we are," my uncle said proudly, parking his car by the curb outside a quaint yet modern little cafe. "What do you think, Zuko?"

I glanced out the window before sighing. "It's... great, I guess."

My uncle sighed and when he spoke again I could hear the sadness in his voice. "Zuko, I know this is hard and it's not much, but I just hope that you can learn to enjoy it here."

"No, it- it's great, Uncle. Just... different," I said, absentmindedly rubbing my left eye with my fingertips.

Uncle Iroh reached over and swatted my hand away. "Zuko. You know what the doctor said! You're not supposed to touch it!"

"Relax," I told him. "It's been weeks. I feel fine now." It wasn't a complete lie. In the five weeks it had taken Uncle Iroh and my father to reach an agreement about me moving in with him, the scar had healed quite a bit. Physically, I did feel fine. Emotionally? That was a different story.

I got out of the car, slinging my satchel over my shoulder as I closed the door. There wasn't really much in it: just a notebook, a couple of pens, my phone, and... something else. Something that could probably get me killed. That was pretty much all I had brought. Not that I had really had much to bring anyway. My father didn't really care about me after all...

I shook the thoughts off and Uncle Iroh unlocked the front doors of the cafe. I peered through the glass, trying to get a look at my new home. Home. The word still felt unnatural to me. I guess that was what happened when you were raised by a psychopath.

Uncle Iroh finally managed to unlock the doors and swung them open, grinning widely. "Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon, the finest tea shop in town."

"Isn't it the only tea shop in town?" I asked him, smiling slightly.

Uncle Iroh chuckled and winked at me. "Shhh! We don't want to give anyone any ideas," he whispered conspiratorially.

I laughed with him before he grew serious again. "Trust me, Zuko," he said, placing a steady hand on my shoulder. "Everything will work out fine."

I hoped so.