It was a quieter morning in the tea shop, only a few regulars came in at this time. Mari was putting away clean cups behind the counter, while Iroh was making tea besides her. Coming into this job, she figured it would be boring and energy wasting. But she now found it sort of fun, and relaxing in a way. Most of the customers were nice and she even knew some of the regulars by name. Except for one though. She was a pretty girl, ordered the same lychee tea everyday, and would tip extra whenever Zuko served.
Probably not a coincidence.
"We have a problem." Zuko whispered setting an empty tray down on the counter. Both Iroh and Mari turned to Zuko "One of the costumers is on to us. Don't look now, but there was a girl over there at the corner table. She knows we're Fire Nation." Simultaneously, Mari and Iroh both turned their heads to the corner table.
"Didn't I say don't look?" He grabbed Iroh's arm, pulling him to look away.
"You're right, Zuko. I've seen that girl in here quite alot. Seems to me like she has quite a little crush on you." Iroh smiled.
"What?" Zuko gasped, turning to Mari as if wanting to know from a girl's perspective if this was true.
Mari only shrugged her shoulders with a laugh.
"Thank you for the tea." Said a voice.
The three turned around to see the girl from earlier behind them, money in her hand. And per usual, an extra tip.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"My name is Lee. My uncle and I just moved here."
Thanks for mentioning me, Zuko.
"Hi Lee, My name's Jin." She smiled.
Iroh poured tea for Mari, pretending to be unaware of the conversation. Mari brought the cup to her lips, an amused grin on her face.
"Thank you, and well. I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime." Jin asked.
Mari choked on her tea, stifling a laugh.
"He'd love to!" Iroh said butting in.
"Great! I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown." She exclaimed before leaving.
---
"Uncle, No!" Zuko yelled from the closet as Iroh tried to force a pair of ugly green pants on him.
Mari got up when things when silent, hoping Zuko hadn't killed his uncle. She knocked on the closet door, and it slid open reveling Zuko in tightly fitted pants with an ugly look on his face. Mari fell to the floor in laughter.
"Oh god, Iroh, I'll handle this one." She said eyeing the other options Iroh had set aside, all more questionable than the next. "Alright." She tapped her chin as she looked through the clothes. She reached down for the best looking ones.
Zuko gave her a concerned look at the outfit choice but she quickly dismissed it with a wave of her hand before he could make any rude remarks. "It'll look good. Now put it on now or you'll be late." She smiled and closed the closet door.
Zuko stepped out in looser fitting pants than before, paired with a nice green dress shirt and shoes.
He cleans up nice. Very nice, actually.
"Oh, Prince Zuko!" Iroh gushed from behind Mari. "You look so handsome." he said, starting to tear up.
Zuko rolled his eyes at his emotional Uncle. "I feel like an idiot."
"You look like one too." Mari smiled jokingly, getting up and walking towards him, pushing his shoulder's back slightly. "Stop slouching."
Mari continued to adjust his outfit while Zuko stood still, watching her.
He noticed the way she bit the inside of her cheek when she was adjusting his collar. And how she constantly moved strands of hair out of her petite face as if they were disrupting her focus. He noticed the way her eyes softened and her smile widened at the final result.
She backed away slightly, proudly. The movement causing Zuko to break out of the trance.
"You look good." She said softly with a smile. He didn't say anything, the two just stared at each other for a little while, before Mari cleared her throat and looked away, a soft blush spreading at her cheeks. "Uh- I promised Iroh he could do your hair. Sorry." She said shyly.
Zuko turned his attention to his Uncle, with a giant goofy grin on his face, who had a basket filled with combs and different size brushed.
It took Iroh ten minuted just to comb and gel down Zuko's poor head. By the time he was finished, Zuko was wearing a very out dated gelled down middle part and a scowl, matching the disaster on his head.
Mari looked outside the window and noticed the sun was no longer in the sky and it began to grow dark. "Zuko, you're late." She called.
Iroh and Zuko emerged from the bathroom and Mari again, had to stop herself from laughing at the hairstyle.
"Good luck." she smiled opening the apartment door.
Zuko nodded before walking out, Iroh trying to follow behind, in which Mari pulled him back into the doorway.
"This is Zuko's date, not yours." She said with a laugh.
Iroh sighed "He's so grown now."
Mari nodded and she looked to see Zuko walk to the tea shop to meet Jin.
Mari took a deep breath in, a weird feeling tickling at her side. She was happy Zuko finally possibly had a reason not to hate the world every day, but she couldn't help but feel the slightest bit jealous. And she couldn't put her finger on why.
---
"He should be back by now!" Iroh said by the windowsill. Zuko had only been gone for 3 hours, Mari didn't expect him to come home so soon. Iroh on the other hand was dying to know what was happening. He'd been waiting by the window since he left.
"Iroh, why don't you take a break. Come have some tea." She pleaded, trying to persuade the old man to relax a bit.
"Later, Mari." He paused. "Actually, would you mind pouring me a cup."
Mari shook her head with a smile before pouring him a cup of hot tea and sitting back on the couch.
They heard the front door open and Iroh immediately pulled his head out from the windowsill and pretending to groom the plants hanging from it.
"How was your night, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, as if he had not been waiting for his arrival for three hours.
The boy only ignored him, walked into his room, and slammed the doors shut. Signaling it most likely didn't go as well as he planned. This thought made Mari guiltily pleased, although she tried not to show it, she sat up more on the couch a small smile forming on her face.
"Must've not gone too well." She said, trying to sound sympathetic.
The door to Zuko's room opened once more slightly, revealing the side of his face. "It was nice." He murmured softly, before closing it again.
Mari's shoulder's and mood dropped immediately.