Open Your Mind

Chapter Forty

Zuko yawned as he walked out of his room and into the main room of the new apartment he shared with Xiaodan and his uncle. He caught sight of Xiaodan sitting at the small table near the window, sipping quietly from a bowl while she looked out the window with a small smile on her tattooed face.

"What's the smell?" Zuko asked curiously, rubbing at his eyes as he walked over to his uncle, who was standing in front of the stove and stirring a pot of pasty, white liquid.

Iroh glanced over at his nephew as he stirred the thick white liquid, "It's jook. I'm sure you wouldn't like it."

The former Fire Nation general took a step to the side when Zuko moved to stand in front of the stove, sniffing deeply.

"Actually, it smells delicious." Zuko complimented as he straightened and grabbed one of the bowls from the counter and he held it up, "I'd love a bowl, Uncle."

Iroh stared at him strangely for a moment then ladled a spoonful of the jook into Zuko's bowl, "Now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow."

"It's a new day. We've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new teashop." Zuko replied with uncharacteristic optimism as he walked over to the table, pressing an affectionate kiss to Xiaodan's cheek before he sat down beside her.

The white-haired jerked her head around to stare at the smiling prince with wide orange eyes, the surprise kiss on the cheek having effectively snapped her out her daydreaming. She eyed him curiously as he smiled at her then he looked out the window, placing his hand on hers on top of the table.

"Things are looking up, Uncle." Zuko said lightly and he took a sip of the rice porridge in his bowl, Xiaodan's hand still clasped gently in his.

Xiaodan glanced at Iroh with a quirked brow, but the older man just shrugged one shoulder and smiled softly at his nephew before turning back to the pot on the stove. The white-haired girl looked at Zuko again, blushing slightly when he caught her eye and smiled at her. She coughed quietly and ducked her head, hiding her small smile behind her bowl of rice porridge.

Xiaodan quirked a brow and looked up at Zuko curiously when he took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together as they followed Iroh out of their apartment and towards Iroh's new teashop.

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Firebug?" She asked with a wry smile of bemusement.

Zuko smiled down at her briefly before looking forward again, "I'm fine, Xia. Why do you ask?"

The white-haired Airbender held up their joined hands and quirked a brow at him, "You're...more affectionate, I suppose..."

"Is that a bad thing?" The scarred teen asked, his own brow quirking upward as smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Well, no, not necessarily. I mean, it's fine, a little strange, but fine. I don't mind if you want to hold hands or do other coupley thin-"

Zuko got her off mid-ramble with a soft, chaste kiss, his hands coming up to cup her face. Xiaodan blinked in surprise for a moment then her eyes drifted shut and she kissed him back warmly, lifting her hands up to rest on his shoulders. Zuko pulled away first and gave her a half smile as he watched her eyes flutter open, the orange orbs looking slightly dazed. He gently brushed a stray strand of her white hair out of her face, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead before taking her hand back in his and leading her through the street after his uncle, who had stopped a few feet ahead of them.

Iroh quickly turned around and began whistling innocently when the two teens approached, his hands clasped behind his back as he continued walking towards his new teashop, winking slyly at the female Airbender.