Zuko

The Jasmine Dragon had been open for nearly an hour, and Zuko had already glanced at the clock more times than he cared to admit.

They usually came at this time. Every day. Exactly on the dot. It had become such a consistent part of his routine that he barely even thought about it anymore. He'd see them walk through the door, hear their usual order, and continue with his work.

But today, they hadn't come.

At first, Zuko hadn't thought much of it. People got busy. Plans changed. Maybe they had somewhere else to be. But fifteen minutes became thirty, and thirty became nearly an hour. Eventually, even Zuko couldn't convince himself that he wasn't worried.

He stood behind the counter with his arms crossed, staring toward the entrance. Iroh had noticed his restlessness long ago but wisely hadn't commented on it.

"They're probably fine," Zuko muttered.

Iroh gave him a knowing look.

"I'm sure they are."

Zuko frowned.

"Then why haven't they come?"

Before Iroh could answer, the bell above the door finally chimed.

Zuko immediately looked up.

The moment he saw them, the tension in his shoulders eased. His expression softened for barely a second before he caught himself and straightened.

"You're late."

His voice came out sharper than he'd intended. He paused, then glanced away, suddenly seeming almost embarrassed by how obvious his concern had been.

"You usually come at this time. Every day."

His eyes returned to them, studying their face as though trying to figure out whether something had happened.

"...Are you alright?"