The Tea Shop-(Zuko x Reader)

Where to Go

"Well Zuzu are you going to introduce her or not," She hisses, chilling me to the bone for many reasons.

My feet are stone, planted to the ground, my body is completely still as I go pale. The only thing I can feel is the hot blood rush through my veins and my heart beating out of my chest. I have no idea what is going on or who this girl is, but I know it can't be anything good. Her bright pink lips show a smirk but her eyes gleam with fire. I can't see Lee or Mushi's expression but by their body language, I can tell they are on edge, maybe about to fight.

I stare at the cold iron doorknob and wonder how far I can run before the Dai Li catches me, I already know it's not far enough to matter. The people of the upper ring wouldn't even care anyway, they aren't like my people. These people wouldn't spare a passing glance, my people would draw a sword instantly if it meant a good fight and a stab at the people who made them the way they are. But I'm not home right now, right now I'm trapped in the building I've wanted to be in for a week, the building I imagined a future in, right now I'm trapped in my own skin.

I stare at Lee and Mushi, screaming for help in my head, thinking that they would hear me telepathically. Suddenly I get a glimpse of movement, Mushi's hand is waving towards the door. Does he think I can get away? Or does he have a plan? Either way, I might as well try to run instead of standing here meekly for them to do whatever they are here for. I bound to the door and slam the handle down, pushing the door with all the weight of my body before flinging myself down the stairs as tears well in my eyes.

I can't look back now but I hear a commotion inside. This is it. Any moment now and I'll be pushed to the ground and surrounded by Dai Li agents. All of my muscles tense as I propel myself forward with each step. I get to the other side of the street and look back to the tea shop, wondering why I'm not being arrested right now.

Fire. bright red and orange flames spill through the open windows and gaping door, they eagerly devour the ginormous white building, staining all that it touches in a sickening grey. How could it catch fire so quickly? What could have caused this? I wish I could spend more time staring but I quickly remember my objective. Run. I instinctively run for my new home in the upper ring, in my warm safe bed, with Lee...Who I thought was Lee.

I burst through the front door and slam it behind me with enough force to shake the ground beneath me. I latch the deadbolt and get a side table, dresser, chair, anything I can grab in a matter of seconds and push them in front of the front door. I close, lock, and shut the curtains of every window in the house. I run into my room and push my dresser in front of my door before crawling under my bed and letting out the tears that I've been holding back for so long. Thoughts of confusion and anxiety swirl in my mind as I curl myself into a ball.

Did they get eaten by the fire like the rest of the tea shop? Did they escape and run somewhere without me? Are they really criminals? Are they looking for me or trying to get into the house? I'm left alone with my thoughts for what feels like hours, wondering why the name Zuko feels so familiar but so unfamiliar at the same time. The house is eerily quiet, not a single creak in the floorboards, only the reverberating pound of my heart. Suddenly my door swings open as my dresser gets tossed aside like a piece of cloth.

"Oh, there you are," a familiar hissing voice rings. "I was going to let you go but not that I see how important you are to him well...it seems a lot more fun to do this."

I freeze, trying to make myself invisible as I'm grabbed by one of the agents. I wriggle and kick, trying all I can to tear myself away from him, but suddenly a sharp ringing shoots through my head, my vision immediately goes dark and I feel myself slip away.

I'm awoken by my own shivering, my back aches against the concrete below me, I trace my hand along it, feeling the granulated dirt and dust pile on my hand, covering it in black dust. My head pounds along with my heartbeat as I hear that ringing again. I'm too afraid to see where I am but I slowly open my eyes. I look up at the high concrete ceiling and low black bars above me. There's a single barred window, only showing me a glimpse of the purple night sky. There's a door on the opposite side of the room with a slit in it even smaller than the window. I can see a faint torchlight glow through it. I use my hands to push myself into a sitting position and I groan. My head spins as my eyes droop, I must've gotten hit hard.

"H-hello?" I finally speak, hearing my voice echo through the small room.

Narrow eyes suddenly stare at me through the slit in the door.

"Finally you're awake, well make yourself at home, I figured this is an upgrade from your last place," Her laughter echos loudly as she disappears.

"Wait!! Why am I here?!? And where is Lee?" I yell as I hear her footsteps fade away. She stops, "Wow you really are as dumb as you look. My brother lied to you, your "Lee" Is actually the fire prince Zuko." Her footsteps continue to fade.

I stand cold. I refuse to believe it. Your brother...The fire prince...This doesn't make sense. The Lee I know isn't fire nation, The Lee I know would never lie to me. But the more I think about it the more sense it makes. The fact that he was so closed off first, how he never told me where he came from, the sudden fire in the tea shop, even his scar, it all makes sense.

I sit down and hold my head in my hands. He lied to me, he never liked me, he never even told me his real name. Our relationship was based on a lie and now I'm stuck in a cell because of it. Dehydrated tears pour down my cheeks as I think, I sob loudly and uncontrollably. I got myself into this mess...This is my fault.

The next chapter will be uploaded very soon! I just thought tis would be a better, smoother stopping point ;)