Honor, Love, and Dragons (Zuko x OC)

Tales of Ba Sing Se

The Tale of Ivana and Zuko

~~~

Ivana took a deep breath trying to relax as she served tea to the customers at Pao's shop. She and Zuko had a huge fight this morning over him not cleaning up after himself after dinner the night before. It was something small, but it blew up into a huge argument. Iroh was no match for either teens' fiery temper. So they went to work, not speaking a word to each other.

Zuko still had his hand bandaged from the week before. That was another thing they fought about. He wasn't healing like he should have been and Ivana wanted to find a healer to help him. He refused. Ivana glanced at him. He's been so self-destructive lately.

"Ivana," Iroh called her over. She went up to the counter, her tea tray tucked under her arm. "I was thinking we could go out to dinner this evening. I heard of a wonderful noodle shop a few blocks away. Interested?"

"Is Prince stupid coming?" Ivana huffed.

"No. Just the two of us. Though, I'll probably have to meet you there. I have a few errands I need to run," Iroh explained with a smile, "Oh, and don't tell Zuko. You know how he gets."

"I'd love to," Ivana smiled. I've been wanting to pick his brain about a few Earth Kingdom customs. This will be a perfect time.

Ivana finished his shift without so much as a hiccup. She went back to the apartment with Zuko. They walked in silence. Ivana was fine with it until they got back to the apartment and he followed her into their bedroom. "Can you go somewhere else?" she asked in a huff.

"No, I have to change," he grumbled.

"Change in the common room! I have to do my hair." Ivana said, going to the mirror and attempting to pin it up like she used to. She was so focused on it, she didn't notice Zuko staring. "Spirits! I can't do anything with my hair anymore!" She threw her hands in the air before whirling around.

Zuko quickly busied himself by grabbing his clothes and leaving the bedroom. Ivana huffed before changing into her nicest tunic. She left the room, taking a small pouch of coins with her. Zuko was gone, so she locked up the apartment before heading to the restaurant.

Ivana felt her eye twitch when she walked into the restaurant and spotted Zuko instead of Iroh. She walked over, trying to stay calm and not make a scene. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here?" Zuko asked her.

"I asked first, stupid."

Zuko squinted at her. "Uncle invited me to dinner. He told me not to tell you."

"He told me the same thing..." Ivana groaned. "He's trying to get us to talk. To be fair, it's not fair for us to argue around him all the time," she said, sitting down across from him.

"I guess you're right," Zuko grumbled. The waiter came by a dropped two bowls in front of them. "I had ordered for Uncle."

"Well, I'll doubt he'll mind." Ivana shrugged, taking a bite. Zuko did the same. They ate in silence, both refusing to look at each other. They finished their noodles before Zuko finally broke the silence.

"I'm sorry," Zuko said softly.

"Since when do you apologize?" she huffed before pausing, "I didn't mean that. I'm sorry too." They sat in silence for a few minutes before Ivana spoke again. "So, how do you like the city so far? I mean, you only leave the apartment for work and the market, but uh..." Ivana shrugged. The fact that they'd been friends and inseparable for so long made small talk difficult.

"Not my favorite," Zuko shrugged, "Though I suppose you love it."

"Yep, I still don't understand how you can't be fascinated by another culture. I mean the fact that they have spark rocks in itself is kinda cool," she said.

"I'm fascinated. I just also want my life back. I don't want this."

"Maybe you need to take what life gives you, Zu- I mean Lee," she said, looking down at her teacup. "You've always strived to make your destiny happen, but what if it was never your destiny at all? Maybe it's something else that you can't see yet," she said gently.

"What do you mean? My destiny is the only way I'll get home," Zuko said, getting a little irritated.

"Zuko, do you really want to go back to a man who scarred your face and said you brought shame, even though all you did was try to protect your people?" Ivana said quietly, knowing he may blow up at her. Surprisingly, he didn't. He stayed quiet, looking down at his own tea. "I just... I don't want you to get hurt again. That was a really scary day for me. I thought you... I thought you were dead," she whispered the last part, refusing to make eye contact with him.

"You never told me that," he said, looking up at her. "You never told me your side of that day at all."

"Then I will if you want to hear it. Just not today. Let's enjoy the peace," Ivana said, looking up at him with a smile. He nodded, understanding. "Okay, I know you aren't a fan of the city, but what's your favorite thing?"

"Probably that Uncle is happy," Zuko said without missing a beat. Ivana smiled.

"He is really happy."

"What's your favorite thing?" Zuko asked her.

"Honestly? The fact that it's so peaceful here. That and the noodles. So much better here," she grinned.

"Excuse me, sir? Would you and your girlfriend like dessert?" the waiter asked, interrupting them.

They looked at each other. Their entire lives people were either joking or mistaking that they were together. It was getting old having to correct them. "We aren't together," they said at the same time, causing them both to look away in embarrassment. 

They left the restaurant and headed back to the apartment. "So should we give Uncle an earful?" Ivana joked.

"Nah, I have a better idea," Zuko said with a small smile. He explained the plan to Ivana before they made it home. They walked inside the apartment and Zuko slammed the door shut behind them, acting like he was upset. Iroh was sitting at the coffee table, playing Pai Sho with himself.

"Uh, I can't believe you didn't even tip the waiter," Ivana shouted at Zuko.

"Whatever! At least I wasn't making oogley eyes at him,' Zuko shouted back.

"You're still fighting?" Iroh asked, concerned.

"Yes!" they yelled at him.

That was when they regretted their plan. Iroh stood up and yelled at them,"Sit down! Now!" Zuko and Ivana looked at each other before hurrying to do as they were told. "Listen! You two have been fighting nonstop since that boy attacked us. It's not healthy! I realize the close quarters are not ideal, but that's no excuse!"

"Um, Iroh-"

"I'm not done! Now you normally fix your problems yourselves, but now I have to be involved-"

"Uh, Uncle-"

"I'm still not done! You two are going to talk through your problems. No yelling. No fighting. Just a conversation. Zuko, you start."

"Uncle, we made up. We were just trying to pay you back for tricking us," Zuko said slowly. Ivana gave him an innocent smile.

Iroh gave them a big belly laugh. "I suppose I deserved that. You both should get some sleep, we have an early shift tomorrow. I'm going to clean up my dinner and then I'll be in." The teenagers nodded, heading for the bedroom.

Ivana elbowed Zuko playfully, "We almost got our asses handed to us thanks to you."

He nudged her back with a smile, "You went along with it."