Hot Leaf Juice

Chapter ten: modern-day

just a filler you can skip. it doesn't affect the story but I thought it would be cute. plus you learn something about zora. but you'll learn about it either way so feel free to skip!

Zora

"Azula, why do you even want me and Zuko to go? Besides, I'm supposed to go out later with Lu Ten."

"Because I think it'll be a great sibling bonding experience."

"Mom won't let you go unless we go, huh?" Zuko responded, seeming bored.

"Whatever. Are you going to come or not? Mai will be there," Azula said, trying to entice Zuko to go.

"If you can convince Zora, then sure."

"No." I responded dryly while gripping my bag tighter. This is not what I wanted to spend lunch discussing. I just wanted to eat my lunch in peace. Of course, Azula had to order a sibling meeting. "Besides I already told you, I'm meeting up with our cousin later for dinner! I'm not going to cancel just because YOU want to go to some beach party with your friends after school. I barely get to see him anymore because of his college schedule."

"Why wasn't I invited?" Zuko asked, looking in my direction.

"You didn't ask, just text him" Zuko nodded and pulled out his phone.

"You can invite him!" I looked at Azula weirdly and so did Zuko.

"Since when do you want to hang out with Lu Ten? And why in his right mind would he want to go to some stupid highschool party?"

"Since now. Because he could spend time with all three of us. Oh, also if you don't go, I'll tell everyone."

"You wouldn't," I deadpanned tensing up. Of course, Azula had to be the one to find out. Zuko looked at me curiously. I tell him everything and to not tell him something for once was seen as very weird.

"Oh but I would."

"Fine, whatever."

"Great! I'll text Mom in our group chat and we can all meet up at the gates after school," Azula skipped off, happy she got her way like always while Zuko turned to face me with a nasty glare gracing his face. I let out a sigh and before he could even ask I looked around and opened the nearest classroom door and pulled him in before shutting the door.

"Why did you just-"

"You want to know what she's blackmailing me with don't you?" I effectively cut him off and he just stared at me waiting. I let out a sigh and shakily held my hands in front of each other. "Azula got a hold of my journal and found out who my crush is. I had talked to Lu Ten about it earlier and had written about it, she's been blackmailing me with it since."

"That's it? You let her blackmail you over a stupid crush? Just let her tell him," Zuko said while rolling his eyes.

"It's not that simple, Zuko"

"And why not?"

"Because it's not a he." It was silent for a while.

"Oh man," I looked at him curiously cocking my head like a puppy. "If that chick breaks your heart, I can't do the stereotypical big brother thing and beat the shit out of them." I smiled widely at that.

"You mean you don't?"

"What? Hate you? Despise you? I'm not disgusted?"

"Yeah?"

"Nope. I don't care. As long as you're happy why should it matter?" He questioned looking at me like I was stupid. "You're still my baby sister" I hugged him tightly sniffling a little. "But don't tell dad"