They slipped into the Ba Sing Se, unnoticed by everyone, and spent the last of their money on a crutch, a week’s rent in the worst part of town, and a stupid vase full of stupid orange flowers. Zuko hobbled at his uncle’s side, who slowed down to keep pace with him, and wanted to sink into the street. He didn’t question how Uncle had found them both a job so quickly with all the refugees pouring into the city, or what he was supposed to do with only one and two thirds legs. At least his uncle had let him take off the makeshift bandage and pin his pant leg up.
The streets teemed with people, animals, and dust in the middle of the day. Zuko heaved a sigh of relief as they ducked into a gloomy little teashop, but then the owner marched over to them with a pair of folded aprons in his hands. “You must be Mushi’s neph- You didn’t tell me he only had one leg!”
“Yes, but he’s a fine tea maker.” He clapped Zuko on the shoulder. “You don’t have to stand up to do that!” Zuko wanted to know if his uncle knew just how obvious he sounded when he was lying. The teashop owner shifted his eyes to Uncle, dubiously, but Iroh just smiled. “He has a gift.”
Zuko wanted to sink into the floor again, but instead, he just snatched the apron out of his hands and yanked it over his head.
"You must forgive my nephew,” Iroh smiled smarmily. “It’s a recent injury. He’s still a little bitter.” Zuko shot him a poisonous stare. “Uh, Does this possibly come in a larger size?”
“I have extra string in the back.” The teashop owner poured two cups of tea and handed them to his new employees. “Have some tea while you wait.”
As soon as the man had bustled away, Iroh took an experimental sip. “Eeow!” his face twisted, and his eyes bulged with horror. “This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “Uncle, that’s what all tea is.”
“How can a member of my own family say something so horrible?” Uncle grabbed the teapot and sent the tea flying out the open window mournfully. “At least you can’t do any worse!”
Zuko glared. “Uncle, have you gone insane?”
“Well you have to make the tea,” his uncle patted him on the shoulder. “You can’t serve it.”
Zuko’s glare deepened, and Uncle just steered him into the kitchen, and for the next several hours, went over and over the baby steps of tea making as Zuko sulked through each attempt and quickly hid his smile when he finally got it right.
Zuko hurt his leg on the run and it won’t heal 2/?
The streets teemed with people, animals, and dust in the middle of the day. Zuko heaved a sigh of relief as they ducked into a gloomy little teashop, but then the owner marched over to them with a pair of folded aprons in his hands. “You must be Mushi’s neph- You didn’t tell me he only had one leg!”
“Yes, but he’s a fine tea maker.” He clapped Zuko on the shoulder. “You don’t have to stand up to do that!” Zuko wanted to know if his uncle knew just how obvious he sounded when he was lying. The teashop owner shifted his eyes to Uncle, dubiously, but Iroh just smiled. “He has a gift.”
Zuko wanted to sink into the floor again, but instead, he just snatched the apron out of his hands and yanked it over his head.
"You must forgive my nephew,” Iroh smiled smarmily. “It’s a recent injury. He’s still a little bitter.” Zuko shot him a poisonous stare. “Uh, Does this possibly come in a larger size?”
“I have extra string in the back.” The teashop owner poured two cups of tea and handed them to his new employees. “Have some tea while you wait.”
As soon as the man had bustled away, Iroh took an experimental sip. “Eeow!” his face twisted, and his eyes bulged with horror. “This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice!”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “Uncle, that’s what all tea is.”
“How can a member of my own family say something so horrible?” Uncle grabbed the teapot and sent the tea flying out the open window mournfully. “At least you can’t do any worse!”
Zuko glared. “Uncle, have you gone insane?”
“Well you have to make the tea,” his uncle patted him on the shoulder. “You can’t serve it.”
Zuko’s glare deepened, and Uncle just steered him into the kitchen, and for the next several hours, went over and over the baby steps of tea making as Zuko sulked through each attempt and quickly hid his smile when he finally got it right.
~*~