New Student (Zukka fic)

Part Eight

"Listen up, engineer students! We're starting a new project, and it should be relatively simple. Your task is to design a functioning hovercraft, and then demonstrate it for the class. We will be working in partners for this," Professor Piandao announced. 

Zuko groaned internally. He had taken this engineering course because his uncle suggested it, but he had always struggled with the concept of engineering. Machines seemed foreign to him, and he didn't tend to pride himself on his creativity. He didn't want to frustrate his partner with his lack of talent.

"Hahn and Jet...Smellerbee and Longshot...Suki and Yue..." Suki and Yue high-fived each other excitedly, oblivious to Hahn's grumbling.

"Sokka and Zuko." Zuko finally allowed himself to breathe. At least he wasn't paired with a complete stranger. He turned to Sokka, who gave him an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

Sokka couldn't have been more different than Zuko when it came to this course. Sokka had chosen engineering as his major, and there wasn't any question as to why. His brain fed off of creativity, and he understood inventions from the inside out. It was incredible to Zuko how the guy could figure out how to fix the water fountain in a few seconds, but couldn't solve a 2 by 2 rubiks cube.

The next morning, they stopped by their favorite tea shop and started planning. Sokka had spread all of his drawings out on the table, drowning Zuko in ideas.

"So I was thinking, it's all well and good to build a hovercraft, but why not add a little flair to it? If we buy ten glow sticks and attach them to this wire here..." Zuko was unconsciously zoning out, completely lost as to what Sokka was trying to say.  Suddenly, the last person Zuko expected to see today came up to their booth.

"Well, it's been a while since I've seen you last, huh? About two months, right?"Jet exclaimed conversationally, as if Sokka didn't look like he wanted to murder him right then and there.

Sokka slammed his hands down on the table, glaring dangerously. "How many times do I have to punch you in the face to get you to understand that we don't want you around us?!"

Jet looked briefly offended. "I was trying to help Zuko, really! Why don't you believe me?"

Zuko furrowed his brow. "Jet, I may be somewhat oblivious, but I'm not that thick in the head. Why don't you just leave us alone already?"

Jet quickly slid into the booth beside Zuko, causing him to gag slightly, as he was a little too close for comfort. He was trying to keep his cool, but it wasn't easy with him purposely trying to push their buttons. He shoved Jet away with him, causing Jet to knock one of the tea cups over.

"Leave. Us. Alone," Zuko scathed, visibly seething. Jet wavered only for a moment before regaining his smug demeanor. 

"Sokka, I don't understand what happened between us. While Katara and I were dating, we used to talk all the time. I thought you liked me. But when Katara dumped me out of nowhere, it was like you hated me and you never explained why. It thought you would be on my side!" Jet pleaded, widening his eyes innocently.

If looks could kill, Sokka would've murdered every last person in the tea shop with the look he gave Jet. "Oh, Jet, I'm afraid you misunderstood," Sokka said in a sickeningly sweet tone. "Katara didn't dump for you no reason, she dumped you because she caught you messing with some girl the same way you messed with Zuko. I thought you knew this, but I guess you must've been too drunk."

Jet's face seemed to shift in a millisecond, from innocent to abashed. "W-well...you are right. I did get really drunk at that party. However if Katara had simply brought it up to me, I would've been able to apologize and work something out. Instead, she chose to not even hear me out and jump straight to conclusions. If anything, this is her faul-"

Zuko suddenly stood up and collided his fist straight into Jet's nose, causing him to fall off backwards off the booth and onto the floor. 

"Oooh...."Jet cradled his face in his hands, but eventually withdrew his hands to reveal blood pouring out of his nose. 

The server immediately got up and rushed over to Jet, who was spilling blood all over the tiles. "It's going to be okay, sir, I have some bandages in the back." He suddenly turned his attention to Zuko and Sokka, glaring accusatorily at them. "I'm afraid you're going to have to leave for today. Just leave your check on the counter."

Zuko turned bright red in the face, getting more embarrassed the more people began to stare at them. "Y-yes, of course, I understand. S-sorry about the blood. C'mon, Sokka."

.............................................

"On accounts of reports of misconduct, excessive violence, and disturbances, we have to ask you as a customer to wait until a two month period has passed to return to the premises. Thank you for your business, Pao's Tea Emporium," Suki finished with a sigh. "Sweet Kyoshi, what did you two do this time?"

"Nothing!" Sokka exclaimed angrily. 

Suki shot him a judgemental look, as if to say, really?

Sokka suddenly started to sweat. "Except maybe Zuko punching someone in the face. But he totally deserved it?"

Suki groaned. "Sokka, what did we say about punching people in the face for no reason?"

"Don't do it," Sokka conceded. "But we had a reason! Jet showed up like we were best friends or something! He got way too close to Zuko, and started saying it Katara's fault that they broke up. He deserved it in the end."

"Oh, it was Jet? In that case, it was perfectly fine. Great job, Zuko!" Suki gave Zuko an enthusiastic thumbs-up, but he didn't return it.

"I know he deserved it, but I still feel really bad about it. My uncle would always say that a silver tongue is stronger than a horde of daggers. I should have just said something instead of losing my temper like that." Zuko massaged with his temples with his fingers, trying to stop his rushing headache.

Suki placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I don't think you have anything to be ashamed of. You defended your friends, and that's something you should be proud of."

Zuko ran his hands through his hair, still unsure. "I don't know..."

"No, you should be proud, Zuko! If you hadn't done something, I probably would've just sat there and let him disrespect Katara like that. I aspire to have the bravery you did to take action, rather than just wallow about like I did." Sokka bored into Zuko, his eyes twinkling with pride and inspiration.

Zuko cheeks heated up a little and he lost eye contact with Sokka. "Well...I suppose that's a nice way of putting it. Thanks, Sokka,"  he remarked, smiling cheerfully.

Sokka seemed to stutter at his change of attitude, and he started to turn red as well. "Well," he coughed, trying to disrupt the moment, "I suppose that's due to my natural charisma! Besides, I can always just have make some tea for us all, right Zuko?"

"Definitely not. The last time I tried your tea, Suki had to give me the heimlich because I started  choking on an earring that you accidentally dropped inside. I'll make the tea."

"That's only because I haven't been properly trained! If you give me lessons, Zuko, I promise you you won't be disappointed," Sokka exclaimed brightly.

"Erm...I guess you could you benefit from some lessons. But we won't be using my expensive tea pot, because we're probably going to burn it afterwards."