(BONUS CHAPTER)

It was a lazy morning. It was quiet in the jasmine dragon. Only about six or seven people in total, they were all sipping tea and quietly chatting. Iroh blended a fresh batch of loose-leaf jasmine tea, he felt quite peaceful. Zuko was upstairs asleep, Iroh had given him the day off as Zuko was exhausted.

Zuko had not come home from the lantern festival until around four O' clock. He had stumbled inside, mumbled "Hello," and collapsed on his bed, he had been dead to the world since. Iroh decided to let Zuko have the day off so he could sleep in. Iroh had also noticed some pretty impressive bruises around Zuko's neck, Zuko must of had a fun night.

Around eleven Sokka came in and asked to talk to Iroh. They sat down together and Sokka explained that apparently, he had known it was them all along. But he was not going to tell anyone who they were, he was quitting too because he felt Iroh and Zuko would be safer that way. 

Sokka thanked Iroh for the work experience and all that Iroh taught him. After Iroh got over the shock of finding out that Sokka knew all along he thanked Sokka for working with him and being a good friend to Zuko.

"Yeah... A good friend..." Sokka grinned as he rubbed his neck.

Iroh noticed that Sokka's neck also had a few bruises and a couple of decent bitemarks.

"Zuko has bruises too, did something happen last night? He asked, watching Sokka.

Sokka's cheeks went red and he looked away and chuckled. "Ha ha...uh, we got in a street fight with some idiots. Yeah, they were being real jerks and needed some sense knocked into them. But no one got too badly hurt though," Sokka explained. He said it a little too quickly.

"Mm-hmm," Iroh sipped his tea, there's only one way to get bruises like that and it certainly isn't fighting.

"I know Zuko would fight anyone in a heartbeat but you? I would have thought you wouldn't be as impulsive."

Sokka laughed "it seems you are wrong sir," he said.

"Apparently so," Iroh agreed. "Well anyway, We must have you for lunch if this is your last day," he said.

"Sorry sir, but I think it would be safer for you guys if I didn't stick around too much," Sokka said.

Iroh nodded "Of course. Thank you, Sokka." He stood up and shook Sokka's hand "We will never forget your kindness."

Sokka smiled "it's no problem, it's been a pleasure Mushi," Sokka winked as he said Iroh's fake name.

Sokka looked around the shop and then smiled nervously at Iroh "Can I say goodbye to Zuko?" he asked.

"Of course, he's upstairs sleeping but he can wake up now. It's almost lunchtime," Iroh said.

Sokka beamed and ran to the door which concealed the stairs leading to the house above to the tea shop. Iroh chuckled to himself. He cleared a table's empty plates and went back to his tea blends.

The service bell at the counter rang and Iroh walked over to it. But no one was there.

"Down here!" a small voice called. A little hand reached up and pushed two copper coins onto the counter.

Iroh leaned over the counter to see a small boy about six or seven. The boy wore a middle-class child's tunic and brown pants. He had long raven black hair that was tightly woven back into two long dutch braids, He was clean and tidy except for his feet which were bare and a little dirty. Iroh smiled at him.

"Hello young man, how can I help you?" he said.

"One taro sweet bun please," the boy said. "My Dads are outside buying hair ribbons but I was getting bored so they said I could order something for myself if I wanted"

"One taro sweet bun? Right away sir," Iroh said as he opened one of the baskets with sweet buns on display.

At being called "sir" the little boy beamed at Iroh. He rocked back and forwards on his feet.

"So your parents are outside buying ribbons?" Iroh asked as he closed the lid on the basket.

The little boy nodded. "Yeah, fancy ones. They're getting them as a surprise for my sisters, my sister Hirri beat her pole-fighting finals! And my other sister Yoti, she just passed her dance exams! They're twins," the boy said.

Iroh nodded as he wrapped the sweet bun in a bamboo leaf. "How wonderful, congratulations!"

"Thanks, my dads are really proud! My Daddy said that when I'm older I can learn dancing if I want, but I want to go to Horong earthbending school because I can already move stones. Dad says I keep messing up his rock garden but he doesn't mind," The boy took a breath and then continued.

"I'm the only one in my family that can earthbend. My sisters said that's because I was adopted when I was little but I don't remember, my sisters say I was only two when they found me. Just my sisters took care of me until our Dads showed up. I can't really remember that either but my sisters do."

"How lucky you are! One often finds family in the least expected way. Here we are, one sweet bun for you, young man," Iroh smiled as he handed the boy his taro sweet bun and change, the little guy sure liked to talk.

"Thank you! Yoti's friend Telang says you have the best tea in the city! I don't like tea but i do like your taro buns. And we don't actually call him Telang, we call him freckles because he has so many freckles. I hope I get freckles when I'm older. Do you know people with freckles?" the little boy asked as he put his change in his pocket.

Iroh leaned on the counter "I've met many people with freckles," he said.

The little boy nodded "I have too, there's heaps of people in my class with freckles, Li, Riri, Xakmi, Vimi-'' he counted on his fingers.

"Xeshi? Are you in here?" a voice called from outside.

"I'm in here Daddy! There's also Toha, Ishta," the little boy, Xeshii, rattled on.

A man walked inside and put his hands on Xeshi's shoulders, "Sorry about that, he can be a bit talkative," He smiled at his son and ruffled his hair.

"Daddy, you're gonna mess up Dad's braids. He worked really hard on them," The boy whined as he flatted a few loose hairs on his head.

Xeshi's father was about in his mid-thirties. He wore a light green sleeveless tunic, dark black pants and pointy shoes. He was clean-shaven and he had wild black hair that fell untamed over his shoulders.

Iroh's heart stopped. He had seen this face before. He looked from the little boy Xeshi to his Father, unable to comprehend that it was real. The man shifted uncomfortably, Iroh was staring with his mouth wide open.

"We better get going, thank you for serving my son-"

"Xaamah?" Iroh asked in disbelief.

The man froze. He looked at Iroh closely. Iroh took off his cap and held it to his chest.

"Is Zavri with you?" he asked.

The man's eyes widened with shock. But then he smiled and shook his head. "I'm sorry sir, you must have me confused with someone else, my name is Shotah," He said.

He pointed to himself and then pinched the air with his forefinger and his thumb with the rest of his fingers out.

I Am Okay.

He then pointed outside. "And my husband's name is Xu," He made the same hand pinching signal.

We Are Okay

Iroh's eyes began to fill with tears. It took everything in his power to not crumple to the floor crying. He had been sure that Xaamah and Zavri were dead...

No... Xaamah and Zavri indeed had died...These men were Shotah and Xu.

And they were finally safe!

Iroh smiled as silent tears rolled down his face.

"Ah... of course... My mistake," he said.

Iroh walked around the counter and pulled Shotah into a tight embrace. Shotah hugged him back tightly.

"My mistake,"

*End of chapter >:3*

*If you are seeking more, I am currently writing a soulmate Zukka modern AU, which I won't be posting until it's done but it's coming along slowly! (UPDATED 4/3/2024: IT'S FINALLY DONE)

If your thirst for my works needs to be quenched faster than that then I have a DracoXHarryPotter fanfic that I wrote quite a while ago before this one. *