not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter thirty two |

It was a couple days later and Saki, Zuko and uncle were back to serving tea.
It was way busier that day compared to the rest of them, and Saki's feet hurt from running around the shop with trays balanced on my arms all day. It seemed word of Iroh's new and better tea had spread around Ba Sing Se fast.

Zuko was being very protective of Saki, even more than he usually was. If a guy started to hit on her, he would quickly intervene before letting letting them even say a second sentence.

Saki was bringing a boy some tea and got called by another customer. She sighed internally, she was constantly being called for or even snapped at by ruder customers. Some even snapped their fingers at her, which she found very irritating.
"Be with you in a second!" She called to them. "Lee, can you get that!" She added to Zuko, who was just about to re enter the kitchen.
"On it." He said, nodding at her.

"Seems busy in here." Said the boy who Saki was serving tea to. He had short, fluffy, brown hair and soft features. On a second glance Saki realised that he was an attractive boy. He had light brown freckles dotting across his nose and he shot her a charming smile. He had to be about fifteen or sixteen and was alone.
Saki smiled to herself slightly.

"Sure is, I've been running around all day." She admitted, shaking her head slightly as she set his tea down in front of him.
"That must get exhausting." He said, nodding at her in thanks for the tea.
"Yup. Can I get you anything else?" Saki asked, looking away from him to check her notepad and pen were still in her apron.
"How about a date?" He asked.

Saki's mouth dropped open slightly and her cheeks flushed red - much to her annoyance.
"S-sorry, that was way too forwards." He said, suddenly becoming nervous.
"N-no it's okay!" Saki laughed, shaking her head and waving her hands reassuringly.
"You're just really pretty, and I wanted to know if you would... like to go out with me sometime..?" He finished, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck as his cheeks turned pink.
Saki saw this and smiled.

"I would love to!" She told him, nodding.
"Really!?" He asked, sounding slightly surprised, he genuinely thought he had messed all of this up.
"Of course!" She laughed.
"I'll pick you up here, tonight? At sunset?" He asked her, practically ecstatic that she had agreed.
"Sounds good!" Saki nodded, unable to keep the smile off of her face.

"I'm Banko, by the way." He introduced himself.
"I'm Chihiro." Saki extended a hand and he shook it.
"It's wonderful to meet you Chihiro, although your name is on your apron." He smirked at her and she looked down, realising that he was right.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Well at least we've had a proper introduction now." She laughed and he couldn't help but join join her laughing.

"Saki! Table six!" Came a voice from the kitchen that sounded like Iroh.
"I'd better get back to work. I'll see you tonight." Saki smiled and waved goodbye and Banko waved back.

She walked away, smiling to herself and grabbed some empty cups off of a table that she passed. She brought them out the back to be washed up and collected a fresh tray of tea.

"What're you so happy about?" Asked Iroh, smiling slightly. Zuko glanced up from where he was washing up, also interested.
"I got myself a date." Saki said, grinning. "And you both doubted me. Shows you."

Zuko's jaw dropped and Iroh glanced at him as Saki walked out of the kitchen, a slight skip in her step.

"I knew they were all hitting on her." He said, practically sprinting to the door and trying to spot the guy. "He better be her age." He muttered, looking around the tea shop.

"I'm sure it's fine Zuko, she has a good sense of judgement. I think someone's jealous." His uncle grinned and chuckled to himself at his nephews amusing behaviour.
"What?! Am not!" Zuko snapped his head back around to glare at his uncle.
"Hmm." Iroh hummed skeptically, pouring tea into cups.
"I'm not!" Zuko tried to convince him.
"Don't worry, if it's meant to be, it'll happen." Iroh smiled at the tea he was poring then turned to smile at Zuko. Zuko sighed, somehow annoyed at his uncle's words.