𝔸𝕖𝕪𝕖𝕟𝕟𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕊𝕚𝕝𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕒𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕟: ℤ𝕦𝕜𝕠 𝕩 𝕆𝕔

Chapter 29- The Grand Opening of Jasmine Dragon

Aeyenna crouched near a shallow basin, her hands moving instinctively as she practiced freezing and shaping the water.

Behind her, Zuko stirred in his bedroll, groaning as he sat up slowly, still recovering but far more alert than he'd been days before.

Inside the small kitchen space, Iroh moved about with ease, humming softly as he stirred a pot over the fire.

Aeyenna looked over her shoulder. "Sleep okay, Fire Prince?" she teased lightly, arching a brow as the corner of her mouth curled into a grin.

Zuko blinked, brow creasing, until a familiar scent drifted to his nose. He sniffed the air and sat up straighter. "what's that smell?"

Iroh smiled without turning around. "it's jook. im sure you wouldn't like it."

Zuko pushed himself up, still blinking sleep from his eyes, and took another deep breath. "Actually, it smells... delicious. I'd love a bowl, Uncle."

He reached out with steady hands, surprising Iroh. For a moment, Iroh didn't respond, his expression caught somewhere between disbelief and curiosity before finally handing him a bowl in silence.

Aeyenna's eyebrows lifted as she glanced at Iroh, noticing his reaction. Neither of them had expected that.

Iroh studied Zuko closely. "Now that your fever is gone... you seem different somehow."

Zuko stood and made his way to the table, his posture lighter than before.

"It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture... and today's the grand opening of your tea shop."

As he passed Aeyenna, he bent down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. She gasped lightly, caught off guard, but her features quickly melted into a gentle smile.

"Things are looking up, Uncle."

Zuko sat down and began eating his jook. Iroh watched him for a moment longer, then smiled—warm, surprised, and quietly proud.

⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻

Iroh had already left, slipping out just after dawn to get the shop ready for the big opening. The faint smell of jook still hung in the air, but the apartment had gone quiet since.

Aeyenna stood in her room, combing through her damp hair as she looked at herself in the small cracked mirror. She adjusted her collar and smoothed the sides of her robe, still barefoot, still debating which earrings to wear, like they'd really notice under all the steam and bustle of a packed tea shop.

She heard the faint creak of a door, then soft, deliberate footsteps.

Zuko.

He didn't say anything at first—just leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes didn't leave her.

Aeyenna glanced up. "You're staring," she said lightly, arching a brow.

He pushed off the frame and stepped inside. "Can you blame me?" he murmured.

She bit back a smile.

"You're taking your sweet time," he said, voice low.

Zuko stepped into the room without invitation, closing the distance between them in a few long strides. He slipped behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. His head dipped slightly, lips brushing the side of her neck.

"You look perfect already," he murmured against her skin, his voice soft and warm.

Before she could reply, he leaned in and pressed a slow kiss just below her jaw, his lips brushing the curve of her neck. Her breath hitched, the warmth of it catching her off guard.