Book 2: Earth (Sokka x Reader Love Story)

Book 2: Chapter 18: That's A Fine Mess We've Gotten Ourselves Into

(Y/n) notices that there's a majority of people visiting one area—

The Jasmine Dragon.

Standing before the teashop, ignoring the people giving her dirty looks because she's blocking the entrance, (Y/n) spots a familiar face behind the counter, taking orders and serving tea with a small smile on his face.

It nearly gives her whiplash when Zuko pleasantly serves the customers, not an ounce of that 'GIVE ME HONOUR' rage or the 'I SENSE THE AVATAR, LEMME AT HIM!' scowl.

So, she sidles in the tea shop, and as Zuko turns his back on her to converse with customers on a table, she approaches the counter where General Iroh is humming happily as he plucks leaves to soak in the boiling water pots.

"One moment, dear," he sings, and when he swivels on his heel to find (Y/n), his face breaks out into a wider smile. "I was hoping you got out of Lake Laogai safe! Would you like today's special tea? It's brewed with a secret ingredient."

(Y/n) can't help but smile back. "Is it love?"

"No, actually it's lemon," Iroh says, and adds as an afterthought, "But that's very clever!"

(Y/n) leans on the wooden counter. "I'm actually looking for someone in Ba Sing Se. Has a Master Shang Fu ever come here? Or maybe you've heard of him?"

Iroh's expression turns concerned. "It is very sad what happened to him." (Y/n)'s heart picks up violently, panic washing over her again and again, more than she expects for someone she's met only once. But then he continues, "He used to be a regular, but after bandits broke into his house and hurt him, Shang Fu no longer can move out of his house much."

Bandits? The letter hadn't said anything about bandits.

"How—how bad is it?"

He pats her arm sympathetically. "I do not know much, but from what I've heard, he is very hurt and there is not much that helped heal him. I can give you his address if you want to check up on him?"

(Y/n) accepts it eagerly and thanks Uncle Iroh for the help, sneaks out before Zuko can spot her, and makes her way to the address mentioned.

It's not the best place out there. Squashed between houses that share roofs, but from the look of it, she can tell which one is Shang Fu's house. The door is slightly cracked, and the front steps are scuffed with small rocks, all the signs of earthbending. When she goes to knock, it swings open and an unfamiliar face pops out, eyes narrowed and wary. The man is bulky with short, dark hair, but there's kindness in him as he regards her.

(Y/n) pastes on a smile. "Hello. I was wondering where Master Shang Fu lives."

"Who are you?" Comes the gruff voice.

"Who are you?"

The man scowls. "A neighbour. I check in on him once a day. Now, child, what do you want?"

(Y/n) feels dread. "I'm his daughter."

He perks up instantly. "Kim? He talks about you a lot. Come in."

An ache grows in her, deeply rooted into her being. It stirs something in her, bringing it to the surface and (Y/n) frowns through it. It's strange and unfamiliar because she... she's not feeling it but at the same time, she is.

The closer the man takes her into the house, where there are piles of swept up dust and broken pieces of furniture, the bigger that aching feeling gets.

"What happened here?"

He shakes his head in disdain. "Master Fu came here and wanted to train people for the war." His voice is a whisper as if he's afraid someone's going to jump at him from the shadows. He leads her past a small kitchen and to a screen door where a small lamp silhouettes a sleeping figure on the ground. "The Dai Li didn't like it. Declared him an upriser. Then, they broke in and destroyed everything and they—" He cuts himself off, casting a sympathetic, almost sorrowful look. "He doesn't have long."