[Rewriting) Keeping the fire close [Zuko × Sokka]

Ba Sing Se

Fast forward a couple more months, arriving in Ba Sing Se on a small yawl, Zuko, Iroh and Sokka rowed towards the dock, not caring that much about the yawl, seeing as they probably wouldn't be there long, or at least they said they wouldn't. Knowing how the three viewed the war, and how they viewed the intentions of the fire nation, they wouldn't be going back to the outdated fire nation cruiser.

The young prince had given up on finding the avatar, seeing how Sokka talked about him, it didn't help at all that Zuko wished to meet said Avatar so he could apologize for what his people had done to the air nomads. He also wanted to apologize to Katara, for her mother dying. Knowing how it was to grow up without both parents. Yes, his dad was around when he was younger, but he wasn't a loving and caring father figure he wish he had when he was just a child.

Sokka was excited, he had never been to the Earth Kingdom, and being able to live there, along with Iroh and Zuko made.it even better "What's the tea shop called again uncle?" Iroh looked back to Sokka and smiled fondly, "The Jasmine Dragon" he crossed his arms over his chest, wanting to stay in the boat a while longer "You two should go on ahead and scope out the shops, see if we have any rivals, then get to know the place a little more"

Zuko rolled his eyes "Uncle, you just want us to leave you so you can run to the tea shop, make yourself a couple cups and play a game of Pai Sho" he chuckled a little, to which Iroh nodded and smiled a little more "You've studied me well Nephew. I shall see you two at the shop, don't stay out too late" Sokka smiled and stood up, not wasting any time, he wanted to see the tea shop, go explore the earth Kingdom. "Yeah! We'll see you there uncle, come on Zuko! Wait uh.. I mean...Lee"

Zuko chuckled a little and nodded "I'm coming, I'm coming Sokka" since the water tribesman wasn't well known to the world, he didn't need an alias, but the prince and uncle did. So respectively they were now known by Lee and Mushi. This was something Sokka had to learn to get used to, of course whenever the three of them were alone, and shop was closed up, they could call each other by their real names. They just had to be careful about it.

"Hey Mushi, when you do get to the shop, try not to drink all our supplies please" Sokka chuckled a little, wanting to tease the old tea addict "there shall be no promises, now go and have fun you two," the old man smiled at the teenagers, he knew they were together, ever since Sokka told Iroh about his dream those couple of months ago.

After gathering all their things, which was just a tea kettle, some clothes, Iroh's Pai Sho board and cups, they got off the yawl and started to travel, holding onto their luggage as they walked. The two fire nation men having Asian conical hats to mask their identity, wanting to wait for a while before they showed their faces. Sokka didn't protest too much, he was just happy that he didn't need to wear one of those funnel hats as he called them, if anything he thought it drew more attention to the three of them. But whatever made the prince sleep easier at night.