The warm aroma of freshly brewed tea wafted through the little Earth Kingdom teahouse, mingling with the quiet murmur of conversation and the clinking of porcelain cups. Zuko stood behind the counter, his hands working methodically as he poured another round of jasmine tea. His posture was stiff, his focus sharp but inward. Life here was simple, quiet—exactly what Uncle Iroh wanted for them after weeks of wandering. Zuko, though? He wasn’t so sure. He was used to battles and the hunt, not… this. But at least it kept them under the radar.

He glanced up, out of habit more than anything, and caught sight of her again. The girl. She was sitting near the corner of the room, her posture relaxed but her gaze… intense.

Eyes fixed on him like he was the most interesting thing in the room.

His fingers tightened slightly around the teapot. Was she a spy? Did she somehow know they were Fire Nation fugitives? He glanced sideways at Uncle Iroh, who was happily chatting with a customer. Zuko leaned in close, speaking just loud enough for his uncle to hear.

“Uncle,” he muttered, his tone low. “That girl in the corner… she keeps staring. Do you think she knows who we are? Or that we’re Firebenders?”

Iroh barely glanced up, his eyes twinkling with something annoyingly cheerful as he handed off a steaming cup to the customer. Then, he turned to Zuko, wiping his hands on his apron. Instead of looking alarmed, as Zuko expected, his uncle’s lips curled into a small, knowing smile.

“Oh, Zuko, you have much to learn about people,” Iroh said, his voice a quiet chuckle.

Zuko frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” he snapped, but kept his voice low.

Iroh leaned in, “She doesn’t know you’re a Firebender, my nephew. She’s simply… interested in you" Iroh said with a chuckle, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. “I believe the term is… a crush.”

Zuko froze, his mind stumbling over the word.

A crush? On him?

Why?

“And young hearts rarely need a reason,” Iroh added, his voice brimming with amusement.