𝐭𝐰𝐨
二
i wish i was a
normal girl
normal girl | sza
02:38 ───────────●───── 04:13
⇆ ↻ ◁ 𝕀𝕀 ▷ ↺ ♡
When Zuko and Iroh arrived back to their apartment, they decided to have dinner before heading to bed.
"So," Iroh paused, "do you think that girl from the tea shop is pretty?"
"Uncle, enough," Zuko grunted in frustration. He knew he wasn't going to stop teasing him.
Iroh grabbed his chopsticks, "You know Prince Zuko, I really wish I could see my wife again. There's no better feeling than being in love, the feeling is truly indescribable."
"Uncle, I just met her, I don't even know her name and you think I'm gonna fall in love with her?"
"Don't most people who fall in love start out as strangers?" Iroh asked.
Zuko rolled his eyes up and sighed, "I'm going to bed."
living so
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
good
The next day, Zuko and Iroh were once again working at the tea shop. The mysterious girl didn't show up that day.
Days went by and she hadn't returned anymore which made Zuko wonder where she was.
Maybe it was for the best that she didn't show up again, that way Iroh would leave Zuko alone with trying to find him a girlfriend.
But about one week after her last visit, she finally showed up to the tea shop once again.
When she walked in, Iroh immediately smiled widely and looked over at Zuko. She made her way over to the counter and opened her mouth, but before she could say something Iroh interrupted her, "Same as last time?"
She smiled at him, "Yes, thank you."
"If you don't mind me asking, what is your name my dear?"
She raised her eyebrows at the sudden question, "Vivi," she replied.
"Oh like the princess?" he questioned. She popped her eyes, "Uh, yeah. My parents named me after her," she lied.
"Well I'm Mushi, and that boy over there serving tea is my nephew, Lee," he pointed behind her. She looked over her shoulder and her eyes met the scarred boy.
Zuko lifted his eyes and glanced at her before he looked away awkwardly. She turned back around to Iroh, "Well nice to meet you two," she handed him his money.
"Your tea will be ready soon, take a seat."
Vivi sat at the same table she sat at last time and waited patiently. She thought it was kinda weird that he asked for her name, did he recognize her?
She should've come up with a fake name.
Or maybe he doesn't recognize her and she's just being dramatic. Most people don't even know how her and Kuei look like, much less in the lower ring.
Her thoughts were then interrupted by the sound of the door opening. "I'm tired of waiting, these two men are firebenders!" a young man walked in, pointing at Lee and Mushi.
Vivi looked at the boy with perplexed eyes, she then glanced over at Lee and Mushi. Why does it matter if they're firebenders?
The boy then stepped in and reached behind himself to grab his swords. "I know they're firebenders! I saw the old man heating his tea!"
"He works in a tea shop," a man next to Vivi's table came to his defense.
"He's a firebender I'm telling you!"
The man exchanged a look with the man sitting across from him, he stood up, "Drop your swords boy. Nice and easy."
"You'll have to defend yourself, so everyone will know. Go on, show them what you can do," he smirked.
Vivi looked in between them still confused as ever before Zuko stepped forward, "You want a show? I'll give you a show!" he grabbed the man's swords from his side.
He then pulled the empty table in front of him and kicked it towards the boy. The boy jumped over the table and attacked Zuko.
Zuko then jumped on one of the tables and the boy sliced the table he was standing on in half. Zuko jumped off and the boy went in for another attack, making him crash through the window. Vivi then stood up and her and Iroh raced outside.
"You must be getting tired using those swords, why don't you go ahead and firebend at me?" he pinned Zuko to the ground.
"Please son! You're confused! You don't know what you're doing!" Iroh widened his eyes.
"Bet you wish you he could help you out with a little fire blast right now," they continued their fight.
"You're the one who needs help!"
The boy then backflipped and stood on top of a well, "You hear that? The fire nation is trying to silence me! It'll never happen!"
He went in for another attack before two dai li agents showed up, "Drop your weapons!"
Vivi widened her eyes and stepped back inside the tea shop. She looked down and stepped outside, quietly sneaking off before the dai li agents saw her.
Once she was out of sight she walked faster and hopped inside the tunnel she made. When she arrived back into her room, she changed into more comfortable clothes.
She couldn't stop thinking about that boy and how upset he was at the possibility of Lee and Mushi being firebenders. Even if it were true, why was that bad?
no fighting,
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
no stopping
Vivi was currently getting ready for Bosco's party that was going to take place in about two hours. She was at the spa getting a manicure and pedicure before Bora walked in.
"Vivi, your stylist is asking if you want to wear the dark green or bright green gown tonight?" she asked.
"The dark green one is fine," she replied. The manicurist and pedicurist then stood up, "You're done Princess Vivi," they both bowed to her.
"Thank you," she smiled at them. Vivi stood up and followed after Bora. They both walked to her room, "I hear the avatar is in the city," Bora revealed.
Vivi raised her eyebrows, "Really? The avatar? That's so exciting!"
Vivi had heard of the avatar's return through Bora and how he had disappeared for a hundred years. Rumors say that he was frozen in an iceberg near the southern water tribe.
Vivi does believe the rumor, she's read about the legends of past avatars and how powerful they become in the avatar state. Of course since they're technically half spirit, that's what let him survive that long in the iceberg.
She finds avatars so fascinating and is just a little bit jealous of them. She thinks it would be so amazing to be born as an avatar. Of course there would be a lot of pressure but something about being the most unique and probably most respected person on the planet sounds pretty amazing.
"Has he come to learn earthbending?" Vivi asked as they entered her room.
"I'm not quite sure, I just know that he got an apartment in the upper ring. A public servant helped him and his friends get settled into the city."
Someone then knocked on the door, which they immediately recognized as Vivi's stylist, Minjee.
"Come in," Vivi replied.
Minjee walked through the door with the dark green gown in her hands, "Here's your dress your highness."
"Thank you Minjee," Vivi grabbed the dress and went over to her closet to change, "I'll be out in a minute."
Vivi shut the door and changed into her gown. When she had it on she looked at the ground where she had created the tunnel.
She so badly wanted to go out again tonight but after that boy had his meltdown the other night, it kinda scared her a bit. She also meant to tell Bora she had been sneaking out, but she hadn't found the right time yet. Maybe after Bosco's party she would tell her.
Vivi walked out of her closet and Minjee then grabbed a necklace and placed it around her neck.
Vivi placed her headpiece at the back of her head and then dropped her arms, "Okay, let's go."
Vivi and Bora headed to the party and it was completely filled with people from the upper ring. They would all go up to her, bowing and greeting her. Vivi was used to interacting with people from the upper ring and it would always annoy her how fake they were.
They only respected her because she was the princess. She knows if she wasn't they would treat her the same way they treat the people of the lower ring.
"Not until we see the king!" a waiter shouted. Vivi and Bora turned to their right, they then curled their eyebrows as they saw a public servant push the waiter.
The waiter was pushed into another waiter who spilled some tea over a guest. The lady obnoxiously screamed and the waiter widened his eyes.
"Sorry! No! Don't shout!" he blew air on her using his hands and right foot. Vivi and Bora widened their eyes at the action.
"I-Is that?" Vivi pointed.
"I'm a hundred percent sure," Bora replied.
"The avatar?" the lady blinked, "I didn't know the avatar would be here." All the guests grew quiet and looked over at him.
The avatar looked around awkwardly and waved, "Watch this everybody!" he flew over to the main table where Bosco was sitting. He bended the tea from the guests' cups and created a ball of water to show off his skills.
Everyone then awed and clapped before Bora whispered, "Kuei is coming."
Vivi looked over her shoulder and waited for her cousin to make his appearance. The guests then got quiet and the avatar stopped his show, "Greetings your majesty!"
He created a ball of air and rode it towards Kuei before his guards took him away. Vivi raised her eyebrows and looked over at Bora, her eyebrows curling in confusion.
She then looked over her shoulder and saw some dai li agents take a female guest. She stood there speechless before she saw Long Feng step in front of the avatar.
The two then disappeared from the party and Vivi looked back at Bora, "What was that about?"
"I have no idea."
Vivi grabbed Bora's arm and they went back to her room. She shut the door and locked it. Vivi took a deep breath, "Listen, there's something I need to tell you."
Bora tilted her head, "What is it?" she asked. This was her chance to tell her, but something was stopping her from telling her.
Maybe she should wait for some other time to do it?
What if Bora would get mad about it? She knew she trusted Bora with anything but for some reason the words weren't able to come out of her mouth.
Vivi looked down, "If you could find out why the avatar is here, please let me know."
"Okay," Bora stared into her eyes, "well, if you don't need anything else, I'm heading home."
"Okay, good night," Vivi waved her goodbye. She sighed when Bora closed her door and fell back on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
She turned her head to her closet door and she thought it was still pretty early, the tea shop could still be open. Vivi got up from her bed and snuck out.
When she arrived to the tea shop, the lights were off. She realized it was too late and decided to head to one of the market stands to buy some food.
She ordered some more fried dumplings, handing some coins to the worker.
"A basket of dumplings please."
Vivi lifted her olive eyes to meet Lee's amber ones. Zuko widened his eyes and his face felt warm again.
"Oh, hi, you're Lee right?" Vivi awkwardly smiled.
"Yeah," he replied uninterested.
Zuko grabbed the basket of dumplings and began to walk away. Vivi watched him walk away before she followed after him, "Excuse me, whatever happened to that guy that attacked you the other night?"
He raised his eyebrows at her, "Uh, he was arrested."
"Why'd he care so much? If you and your uncle are firebenders, why is that a problem?" she asked as she walked with him.
Zuko furrowed his eyebrows, was this girl serious? Or did she believe that just because someone is from the fire nation, it doesn't automatically make them a bad person? "Uh, I don't know."
"I went to the tea shop but it was closed already, what time do you guys close?" she turned her head.
"About an hour after sunset."
"Oh, okay. I'll see you tomorrow then," she turned her heel and walked away, "good night."
Zuko watched her leave, his cheeks growing red, "Good night."
wanna be a type of girl you
⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
take home to your mama
The next day at work, Zuko had been wondering when Vivi was going to show up, considering she said that she would be here that day.
Maybe she just didn't have time that day? It was already about thirty minutes past sunset and she hadn't arrived.
"Alright, I'm heading home for the day. I'll see you there," Iroh walked past Zuko, "remember to lock the door when you're done," he reminded him.
"Okay," Zuko said as he swept the floor. He spent the last thirty minutes of his shift getting everything cleaned up and placing the chairs on top of the table so he could mop the floor next.
Once he was done with that, he turned off the lamps and opened the door. He widened his eyes as he ran into Vivi.
"Am I too late again?" she looked up at him.
He looked down at her, "Uh, yeah kinda."
She sighed in frustration, "Okay," she turned around.
"Uh," Zuko turned around, "I-I can make you a cup," he scratched the back of his head, "if you want," he looked at her awkwardly.
"Really?" He nodded and she smiled at him.
He opened the door and let her walk in first. He walked over to the back but took a seat off the table so she could sit.
His heart pounded quickly, he didn't know why he felt so nervous around her. Vivi looked around the tea shop as he made her the tea.
Once Zuko was done, he went over to her table and placed it in front of her. "Thank you," she took a sip.
"So why do you always show up so late at night?" he asked curiously.
"Oh," she looked down, "I go to Ba Sing Se university and my classes end late."
She wasn't necessarily lying about that but the reason she would arrive so late was because that was the best time to sneak out of the palace. "It's also just family issues," she took another sip.
"I understand," he replied. Vivi looked up at him with her eyebrow curled, "Really? You seem to get along fine with your uncle?"
"It's not my uncle, it's my father and sister."
Vivi noticed he had become so serious after he said it. She blew on her tea and looked up at him again, "Your uncle seems like a nice man."
"Yeah, he is."
Vivi drank the last bit of her tea and pulled out some coins from her pocket. "It's fine," he refused.
"No here, take it. You made me a cup even after the shop was closed when you didn't have to," she grabbed hand and placed the coins on his palm, cupping it and then letting go.
Zuko looked down at their hands and back at her. His cheeks felt warm and he looked away.
"I'll try to come much earlier in a couple days, I'd come tomorrow but I have to do something," she stood up and placed the chair on the table.
"Thank you again, Lee," she waved him goodbye.
"Good night," he replied.
˖ ݁𖥔.☁︎.𖥔 ݁ ˖
a/n:
zuko already blushing like control yourself 😭
i have a lot of drafts saved already but i'll post new chapters when i'm feeling nice :)) but you can always expect a new chapter every monday for sure.
thank you for reading <333