An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 62: An Unforgettable Date

The two were seated at a table on the balcony of the second floor of the restaurant that wrapped around the entire warehouse, leaving a rectangular gap open in the middle to look down at the first floor. The building used to be used by the Fire Nation's military complex, housing weapons for use against the other nations during the hundred-year war.

Now that the war was over though, many of these warehouses stood empty despite Zuko's best efforts to attract new industry to the Fire Nation. Even after making peace, companies were still hesitant to set up shop in the Fire Nation.

It was a surprise to Zuko when he had glanced at a request to buy and rezone this abandoned warehouse right next to the waterfront. It was more expensive than the other warehouses and it needed far more repairs, but an unknown buyer provided all the necessary funds and a thoroughly detailed plan for how the building would be restored and modified.

He couldn't lie, the finished product looked better than he ever would have imagined it to look. The space was open and inviting, the walls were painted in a warm orange and tan pattern that made the previously dark and dingey space feel entirely different.

"Not exactly what I was expecting when you said it was a southern water tribe restaurant located in an old warehouse," Sokka said after they had sat down, taking a moment to examine their surroundings.

"I knew the place was supposed to be nice, but even I didn't know it would be this fancy," Zuko admitted, feeling oddly out of place yet at the same time uncomfortably at home.

Despite growing up royalty, Zuko never enjoyed going to five-star restaurants with chandeliers, waiters in suits and guests dressed like they were at a prestigious event. He much preferred hole in the wall restaurants where he could tell the chefs didn't come from money but sure knew how to cook.

"Good thing I don't have to foot the bill," Sokka said with his signature smirk. Zuko gave him a disappointed look but was interrupted by their waiter arriving.

"My apologies for my inexcusable tardiness," said the waiter who looked as if he was a clone of every other waiter in the restaurant with slicked back black hair, an oddly sharply defined jawbone, and a familiar scent that he couldn't identify.

"What can I provide you two gentlemen for refreshment? Our specialty is sparkling glacial water imported directly from the south pole," the man said without moving a single muscle in his face save for his mouth.

"Uh, I'll just have a normal water not imported from the south pole," Sokka said and gave Zuko a weird look. Zuko asked for the same and the waiter rushed off towards the spiral metal staircase that was left intact from the building's previous life.

"Well, that was weird," Zuko said, his slightly raspy voice becoming more distinct as he lowered his voice.

"Yeah, that guy seems just a little bit off," Sokka said, his eyebrows narrowing as he thought more about the strange man. "Are all fancy waiters like that guy? If so I'm happy to stick with small restaurants with fly infestations."

"Normally they're pretty uptight, but I've never had a waiter like this guy before," Zuko said.

He stopped talking when out of the corner of his eye he saw their waiter coming back carrying a silver tray with two tall and narrow glasses of water. The man set each glass down perfectly symmetric from one another.

Zuko looked at the glass in front of him and then up at the man and saying, "We ordered plain water."

The glimmer in the man's eyes momentarily faded, replaced by what Zuko thought was a hint of fear.