The Last Hope ~ Book Two ~ sokka x reader x zuko

The Tea Shop

'y/n! what a pleasant surprise!' smiled iroh.

he invited me in and we sat around their kitchen table.

'are you feeling alright y/n?' he asked, offering me some jasmine tea - which i accepted.

'better than last time.' i chuckled, 'and sorry for that by the way. it must've been kind of annoying seeing me like that'

'it made me more sad than anything else' he said, 'you always seemed so proud before - not that that was a bad thing of course. it just felt like a part of you had gone.'

i nodded, 'i couldn't remember the war, so that was probably why i couldn't remember you guys. and - believe me - if id met you at any other time, you wouldn't be here'

he laughed it off and offered me some of the food he'd been preparing.

after a long pause i said, 'is lee alright?'

he looked down, 'he is unwell, but he should be fine soon'

'oh. im sorry'

'no need to apologise'

he went back to his pot and i poked around my food, hoping zuko was alright.

suddenly, the door behind me creaked open and zuko entered.

'what's that smell?' he asked, still half asleep.

'it's jook. i'm sure you wouldn't like it.' said iroh doubtfully.

but zuko bowed over the pot, smelling it.

'actually, it smells delicious. i'd love a bowl, uncle.' he said.

i was confused to say the least.

so this was what the prince was like?

i couldn't have guessed.

'now that your fever is gone, you seem different somehow.' said iroh, ladeling some of the jook into a bowl

'it's a new day. we've got a new apartment, new furniture, and today's the grand opening of your new tea shop. things are looking up uncle.' said zuko, turning to sit next to me at the table.

'hi y/n' he beamed, having some of his food.

'uh hi'

i looked at iroh who was apparently pleased at his nephews sudden change in behaviour.

huh.

'if you will forgive us we need get ready to open our new tea shop, you may stay here if you please and we can go together' said iroh, taking mine and zukos bowls and washing them up.

'thanks mushy' i smiled.

i waited at the table for them silently, until i screamed, fear overwhelming me.

'y/n what happened?' asked zuko as he and iroh rushed up to me, zukos shirt not on.

'just a thing' i said, clearing my head and laughing a bit, 'won't happen again, sorry'

zuko calmed down and went back to his room.

'is this aang?' asked iroh once zuko was out of earshot.

i nodded, 'he's dealing with emotions i guess - i hate this part of the cycle'

---

we arrived at the shop not too long later and i ran up to them in the kitchen once they'd opened.

'how's business?' i asked, smiling and putting an apron on.

'it's great!' zuko beamed, seeming genuinely happy that their shop was doing well and i couldn't help but smile back.

'ill be right back' i said, going into the back room to wash up some cups.

what had happened to zuko?

'thanks for the help y/n' smiled zuko, helping me out.

'no problem, whatever you guys need me to do'

he washed up the last of the cups and took my hand, 'are you... okay with what happened the other night?' he asked.

i tilted his chin up and smiled at him, 'yeah'

he chuckled and went back to the main part of the shop.

at least we were clear about something.

i picked up a few of the cups and brought them out to iroh.

'thanks y/n' he said, pouring tea into them.

'uncle, i need two jasmine, one green and one lychee!' called zuko

'i'm brewing as fast as i can!' said iroh, 'y/n can you get me some more cups please?'

i nodded and turned around to catch a glimpse of someone running away from the shop.

i took off my apron and handed it to zuko.

'ill be back' i said, sprinting down the street to see a plait flowing behind the girl.

katara.

i ran back into the shop, guessing what she'd seen.

'im sorry i have to leave' i said, waving goodbye to zuko and picking up my staff.

but i put it back down again and quickly dried some cups with air bending so i could bring them out to iroh.

'sorry i couldn't help more.' i said, hugging zuko quickly.

'goodbye y/n' i heard him shout as i rushed round the corner.

shit whered she gone.

i raced back to our house, hoping she was there but before i could open the door, a vision of aang leaving the temple clouded my vision.

'oh spirits' i muttered, throwing the door open and looking around.

katara wasn't there.

---

i paced around the room, wondering what i should do next.

but i finally came to the conclusion of getting aang.

if he was on his way back, he'd be here soon. and me sitting here doing nothing helps no one.

so i took my glider and flew up.

'aang you better be here' i whispered.

as i flew over the city i looked down at the tea shop and saw iroh looking up at me.

but i carried on : i needed to find aang before he did anything else stupid.

---

i flew over the hills of the earth kingdom for hours, making me fly so much further than i thought i would have to.

and i was almost at chameleon bay before i caught any sign of him.

'AANG!' i screamed, gliding alongside appa

'Y/N!' shouted sokka, beaming.

i landed on appa and hugged him as tightly as i could.

'are you okay?' i asked, checking for cuts and bruises, 'did you get hurt fighting?'

'calm down calm down im fine' he said, chuckling.

i brought my attention to aang.

'what happened?'

'katara'

i nodded and whispered, 'and your chakras?'

'im fine - i opened them but we need to help katara' he said.

something wasn't right.