Life in Ba Sing Se was not bad at all. Each day, I felt a strange but welcome sense of calm and peace working as a simple girl at the tea shop. I had to admit, I was also enjoying spending so much more time with Zuko. Even if he still felt paranoid about our security as fugitives, he seemed to be enjoying himself a lot more than before. It made me feel really happy for him.
"Oh, thank you for helping me with this, Hana. The shop's been so busy, it has been getting challenging to take everyone's orders," Iroh said, as I handed him the slip from the table I just tended to.
"No problem. I'm glad to see Zuko's been trying to fit in lately," I said, giggling as I watched him juggle a little too many cups as he handed them to the customers. He looked miserable, but in a charming way.
"I agree. He's been doing so much better lately. I suspect it has something to do with the huge crush he has on this girl that comes here regularly," Iroh said, making my stomach churn.
"W-What?" I tried not to sound so obviously disappointed, but it was impossible. I tried to think who this girl could possibly be, but I had no idea of who he was talking about. Most of the regular customers were older men. Whoever she was, she was now my least favorite person. "I mean... How nice."
Iroh stared at me for a few seconds before he burst out laughing. "Oh, I'm just messing with you, Hana. I am obviously talking about you."
I widened my eyes, feeling my cheeks blushing. "I... I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't try to deny it, young one. I'm old, but not blind. I can see the way you've always looked at him," Iroh said, as we both glanced towards him, while he still struggled to carry all of the cups. "Take my advice. Don't waste your time letting insecurity direct your life."
I sighed, knowing he was right. I had allowed my own insecurities to keep me from telling Zuko how I felt, how I had felt our entire lives. I supposed, ever since we were kids, I had always believed that a prince like him would never be with a random peasant like me, and a few years ago, that might've been the case. But things were different now. Zuko was no longer a Fire Nation prince like before, and right now, we were both two random fugitives in Ba Sing Se. If there ever was a time to give it a try, it was now.
I smiled, looking at him as his evident grumpiness showed while he tended tables. I bit my bottom lip nervously, trying to muster enough courage. Finally, I felt my feet walking towards him, taking some of the cups from him to help him out.
"Thanks," he muttered, as he walked back to the counter with me.
"Hey, I've been thinking... We've been working very hard lately. What do you say we go out somewhere tonight?" I asked, trying to sound the least nervous I possibly could.
Zuko seemed a bit confused. "Go where?"
"Well... I don't know. Maybe for a stroll around town? Or for something to eat?" I suggested.
"I don't understand, we have plenty of food at home," Zuko said, sounding completely confused.
"He would love to join you!" Iroh said, answering on behalf of his clueless nephew.
"Great. Then it's a date," I said with a smile. Zuko's eyes widened.
"A... date?"
I simply left after that, unable to hide the giddy smile forming on my face.
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I didn't do anything too crazy to get ready for my date with Zuko. I merely let my dark hair down and put on some earrings I had. As excited as I was, I knew I couldn't expect Zuko to immediately feel comfortable to go on a date with me. As much as we cared for each other, our relationship had mostly been as friends ever since we were little. Sure, I'd always had a crush on him, but our friendship had always come first. If I wanted it to go well, I was well aware I couldn't pressure him too hard, or he would be scared away.
I walked out of my room, only to see Zuko already standing by the living room. I could tell Iroh had had a hand in helping him get ready, because his hair was combed in a funny flattened way that felt really out of character for him.
I couldn't stop myself from giggling. "Nice hair."
"It took Uncle ten minutes to do my hair," he replied.
"And I love the gesture," I said, walking towards him and messing it back up so that it looked normal again. "But I can't let you walk out of the house with that."
Zuko seemed baffled, but allowed me to remove the hairstyle. "You look... Good."
"Thanks," I said, taking his arm and guiding him outside of our home and onto the busy street.
We decided to go have some dinner at a nearby restaurant. After taking our order and bringing us back our food and drinks, the waiter left us alone at last. I noticed Zuko nervously poking at his dumplings. It was pretty obvious he was really nervous.
"So... This feels nice. If we remove the fact that we're the world's second most hunted teenagers, it almost feels normal."
"I guess."
"I heard some customers mention the Ba Sing Se Annual Lights Festival. I know that it could be risky, but I was thinking of entering and giving a fireworks show as a performance. I'm kind of missing using my bending for something different than heating up tea cups."
"That sounds fine."
I narrowed my eyes at him, getting increasingly annoyed at how absent he was. "Oh, and by the way, I've decided to get a pair of horns and become a flying bison."
"Oh, good."
I slammed my hands on the table, finally making him look up from his food. "You're not listening."
"Sorry. I guess I'm just... Nervous. This is the first date I've been in."
I widened my eyes. I wasn't expecting to hear that. "Really? I thought... Well back home, you and Mai..."
"We had a thing, but she was always too scared of Azula to ever give us a chance. Other than her, you're the only other girl I've ever... I mean, other than you, there's no other..." Zuko sighed heavily. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like I'm not interested. I like you, Hana. I really do. We've just been friends for so long, I'm scared to say something dumb and ruin it."
I smiled, reaching out to take his hand and squeezing it gently. "You say dumb things all the time. I'm used to it by now."
He smiled back at me, making my stomach do a flip. We finished our food and left the restaurant, deciding to go for a stroll around the streets. Ba Sing Se was a perpetually busy city, I'd come to learn. Even this late at night, its citizens were walking about as if it were midday.
"Remember when we were little and we used to chase around the turtle ducks of the palace?" I asked, suddenly breaking the silence.
"Yeah, I remember. Azula would scared them and make them run around, and it was up to us to fix the mess before anyone found out."
"But it wasn't always just Azula doing the mischievous things. We used to throw rocks at them at the pond, thinking it was fun to see their little scared faces. It was Lady Ursa... Your mother, who taught us it was wrong," I said, feeling as if it were only yesterday. But I knew it had been a really long time since then. So much had happened since the simpler days of chasing little turtle ducks. "Other than you and Iroh, she was the only person to ever accept me as part of the family."
"She really liked you," Zuko recalled. I could tell he still was uncomfortable talking about his mother.
I couldn't hide my giggle. "Remember that time Azula and her friends forced me to play the apple game?"
Zuko scoffed. "She wanted to practice her aim by shooting an apple on your head. She's crazy."
"Mai and Ty Lee were all for it. After the apple caught on fire, they pushed me into the fountain. I was so upset," I recalled, as I remembered the little girls' laughter. "But then you came to the rescue. You were so mad at them for doing that to me."
"They always took advantage of you because they knew you couldn't fight back. It made me so angry," he said, and I could tell he meant it.
I laughed. "Well, I think Azula was jealous. We both had great potential to be powerful firebenders, but she used her powers for destruction, while I used them to entertain and make people happy. That made her so angry."
"She should be jealous. You are a greater firebender than she'll ever be," Zuko stated bitterly.
"I think we both know that's not true. Azula has always been an incredibly strong fighter. Her technique and fierceness is unparalleled," I said before turning to face him. "But you always have been better, because you fight to protect the things that are important to you. It's what I've always liked about you."
Zuko gave me a thoughtful look. I simply took the time to appreciate his presence with me, gently reaching towards the scar on his face. I felt him tense for a moment, but then he relaxed, taking my hand in his and finally smiling.
"I'm glad we did this tonight."
"Me too."