Under the Cherry Blossom ↠ Zuko x OC ✔️

07 | City of Walls and Secrets

Arlington, Zuko, Peanut, and Uncle are walking down a street in the lower ring of the city. Uncle is holding a large vase with several orange flowers placed in it.
"I want our new place to look nice in case one of you brings home a special someone." Iroh gives Zuko and Arlington a small nudge on their elbows.

"Jet seems to have taken quite a liking towards you Arlington." Iroh mischievously smiles. Zuko frowns and Arlington rolls her eyes.
"Sure, but I don't like him." Arlington honestly says.
"Aww but you two would look cute together." Uncle Iroh pouts. Zuko's frown deepens, clearly not happy with his own uncle trying to set Arlington up with Jet.
"Nah. Now Peanut here, he's my special someone." Arlington pets the little dog.

"How about you Prince Zuko? See any girls of interest?" Iroh smiles.
"This city is a prison. I don't want to make a life here." The Prince keeps his frown.
"Life happens wherever you are, whether you make it or not. Now come on, I found us some new jobs, and we start this afternoon." Uncle Iroh picks up his pace and speeds ahead of Arlington and Zuko.

"Hopefully it won't be that bad." Arlington grabs Zuko's arm in attempt to get him to walk faster and catch up to Uncle.

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'I should've expected this. Of course Uncle would find us jobs in a tea shop.' Arlington wears a long green dress with a dainty apron.
"Well, you certainly look like official tea servers. How do you feel?" The shop owner, Pao, smiles.
"Ridiculous." Zuko frowns along with Arlington.
"Stupid." Arlington is fine with dressing nicely, but dresses just aren't her thing. She's more of a 'nice dress shirt and pants' type of girl.

Iroh desperately attempts to tie the string behind his back. "Uh, Does this possibly come in a larger size?" He asks.
"I have extra string in the back. Have some tea while you wait." The tea shop owner pours two cups of tea and hands them to his new employees before heading to the back of the shop.

Iroh takes a sip from his cup, but quickly pulls it away, his face contorted in disgust.
"Eeow! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!" Uncle exclaims.
"Uncle, that's what all tea is." Zuko rolls his golden eyes. Arlington snickers.
"How can a member of my own family say something so horrible? We'll have to make some major changes around here." Uncle Iroh picks up the tea pot and dumps the tea out the window.

For the rest of the day, Arlington sulks around for two reasons. One, Peanut had to be tied up behind the tea shop. Two, she's upset about how her life is going so far. 'Never knowing what's going to happen next is frustrating.' Arlington places a tray of tea on a customer's table. 'And I hate working as a waitress! You have to like, make small talk with people. Ew.'

She briskly walks back to the kitchen, the wooden floor slightly squeaking when Arlington steps. Arlington pulls out her pencil and pad that she's suppose to take orders on, and begins writing multiples of 5 all the way to 1000.

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After work in the tea shop, Iroh shows Arlington and Zuko the apartment they'll be staying in. It's small, with only two rooms. The main room consists of a kitchen with Iroh getting ready to make tea and a cot that Zuko's lying in. Another cot is set up across from Zuko and some mats are placed together on the other side of the room in order to make another bed. The second room really isn't a room at all, with its cramped bathroom residing in it.

Arlington chose to sleep on the mats, liking that it was in a corner. She rhythmically pets Peanut. The little dog has almost drifted off to sleep in Arlington's lap.