The Tea Shop-(Zuko x Reader)

Jasmine Tea

As I sit with my hot cup of jasmine tea, swirling my finger around the daintily painted gold lip of the milk-colored glass teacup. I stare at the soft rise and fall of the tea leaves as I make the water ripple. Even if the sun is beating down, making me sweat and look for shade, kissing my skin with a summer glow, I still enjoy the warm, bitter, herbal taste of my favorite tea.

The day has been rough, like many other days, I got up before sunrise and started my long, hot, and difficult day out in the sun. My labors of open to close work have made me weary and unmotivated, although I'm grateful for the job I have, I won't be able to live off it any longer if customers continue to dwindle.

I've been working at a fruit stand for years, but because there are so many restaurants and identical fruit stands all over Ba Sing Se my stand has been failing miserably. If I'm lucky I get a traveler or two, but lately my luck has gone dry. It has gotten harder to scrape enough Yuan together to even pay rent, and so I go to my last bit of tea for comfort.

I watch as the golden sun sinks slowly down into the horizon, blanketed by magnificent shades of pink and orange, staining the little puffs of cloud pink. This beauty, however, is fleeting, the brilliant orange and pink hue is replaced by purple as the sun finally sinks, ending this painfully slow day.

I wake up earlier than usual today, I want to make sure I'm able to get a little tin of jasmine tea before heading to work. I know I should be saving every copper piece I have for rent, but tea is the only good thing in my life.

I stop by Pao's tea shop, the only tea I can afford. Mr.Pao and I have been good friends for the past few years since I've regularly picked up tea there every week. I walk in, expecting his usual vibrant hello, but instead, I hear an old, kind voice, "Welcome!" A calm sweet looking old man says, "What kind of tea would you like?" I'm caught off guard, "since when has Pao had enough money for employees?" I think to myself

As I'm greeted my gaze is met by a peculiar looking boy, he has a deep, angry scowl fixed on his face and a large burn on the left side of his face, encompassing one of his amber eyes. I stutter for a minute, "uh-well..where is Mr.Pao?" The old man's smile stays the same, "he's preparing tea in the back of the shop, is there something I can do for you?" I stare at the boy as the old man talks, until the boy locks eyes with me, showing an even meaner face.

I quickly look at the old man, "Just a tin of jasmine." I quickly say, embarrassment rushing over me. The old man asks the boy to hand me the tin of jasmine behind the table. I swiftly grab it from him and drop a silver piece on the counter as I rush out of the shop. Why am I embarrassed? Did I do something wrong? Maybe he was offended because he thought I was staring at his scar? My mind races, trying to find reasons for why I feel like this.

All day at work my mind fixes on the image of the boy in the tea shop. "Why am I so fixated on a mean-looking boy?" I ponder. At the end of the day, as I close up shop, I think about going to the tea shop to say hi to Pao since my visit this morning was cut short by the fear of possibly being stabbed by a refugee who apparently doesn't like people looking at him.

I walk in right before the tea shop closes, I'm greeted by the same, kind, smiling face, "did you finish the tea already?!" The old man jokingly laughs, which I return with a kind smile, "no not yet, but I'd like to speak to Mr.Pao please." I say trying not to look directly at the boy. The old man opens the splintered wooden door, "Pao you have a customer who wants to speak with you!" Mr.Pao makes his way to the counter, when he sees me a smile beams across his face.

"Well I'm glad to see you here, I was afraid you weren't coming this week." He keeps his happy smile, "well money has been a problem lately for me, but it seems like you're making more than enough." I eye the new employees, "well because of Mushi's amazing tea skills I've been getting customers from all over!"

I'm surprised, Mr.Pao is the only person I talk about my feelings and struggles with. A concerned look crosses his face, "But has work still been bad? I knew Jung wasn't making enough to have you work for him!" He stares at the counter contemplatively, holding his chin in his hand, "why don't you come work for me instead! You won't have to work long hours anymore and you'll actually get paid, what do you think?"

I stare in shock, I've never expected to get a job anywhere but the fruit stand, out of excitement I blurt, "ABSOLUTELY!!!" The old man laughs happily, "great! Then I expect to see you here bright and early tomorrow morning?" I nod happily but I can't help but notice the expression on the boy's face. Not only is he staring at me with anger, but I see worry and fear in his eyes. What's his problem?

**(A/N): I'm sorry for the lead up being so long, this is my first real story so I'm still trying to get the hang of things, but regardless I hope you Enjoy!!!**