☆ yellow ☆ (zukka AU)

chapter 6

zuko's POV

"zuko, those girls were totally hitting on you!" sokka tells me excited after he pulls me in the back room of the tea shop.

today, uncle had to go and buy supplies for the shop, so he's not here and me and sokka are responsable for making the tea.

"what? what girls?" i ask confused.

"you just took their order! didn't you notice how they were looking at you all flirty?"

"no, they weren't flirting-"

i peek around the corner and see them waving at me and giggling. huh, maybe they were, after all.

"you really are clueless" he laughs. "this is your chance, man!"

"uhm- sokka..." i try to interrupt him, but i stand no chance.

"go ask for their numbers! out of two girls, maybe you'll get one!"

spirits, what the hell is he talking about?

"sokka, you are forgetting something crucial. i don't like girls"

he frowns at me, looking again at the girls sitting at table four.

"what? they are both so pretty, you can choose which one you want"

i rub my temples and take a deep breath.

"yes, sokka, they are very pretty, but i'm gay"

he pauses for a second, no expression in his face.

"i'm sorry, what?" he says.

i have no idea why he seems so shocked, i thought he knew.

"are you for real? you didn't know?" i genuinely ask.

"you never told me!" he tries to defend himself, raising his voice a little.

"i didn't think i had to, i assumed it was obvious!" i almost shout.

i wave my black nails at him and point to the subtle eyeliner i tried to make this morning, as well as the yellow flower resting in my hair.

"wha- ugh, i can't just assume someone's sexuality just because of that! you can be straight and paint your nails, it's not a rule!"

i mean, he's not wrong, but why does he seem slightly mad? is he homophobic? he did sound a bit insulted when suki accused him of being gay.

my legs turn into jelly and i have to lean against a table in order to support my own weight. what if our friendship is ruined now? i thought he knew, i thought he didn't care, and i thought he supported me regardless.

"ok, but i get called slurs almost every day at school, didn't you hear those? didn't you just... connect the dots?" i ask.

"why would i take into consideration what some idiots say? i couldn't assume they were right without you saying it!"

ok, if i'll stay here one more second, i think i'm going to cry.

"whatever" i shake my head and grab a trey with cups of tea on it.

"zuko, wait-" sokka grabs my arm, but i brush him off and proceed walking to serve the stupid tea.

he is mad. he is dissapointed. he will never look at me the same. he won't even want to be my friend again. my heart aches, but i have to put on a smile
for the customers.

"here you go" i tell the girls and place the cups of tea on the table in front of them.

they giggle, giving eachother suggestive looks and then glaring at me.