Chapter 163: A Routine
"Hey... what's this?" A brown-haired girl with twintails in a green robe stopped in front of a rather impressive shop that stated—
"Jasmine Tea Shop..." The girl muttered with her olive-green eyes glinting curiously.
"There you are, Jin," A scoff sounded not far from her. Many villagers around her, similar to her, took a look at the shop curiously but refrained from entering just yet. Hearing the voice, Jin turned around to face a remarkable woman with golden pupils in a similarly styled robe and her jet-black hair having two locks pulled out to frame her pale face and the rest pulled into a simple bun.
Even wearing something so plain, the woman managed to stand out. Her tall frame and slightly tighter robes made sure to give a visible reason why she stood out. Unlike most, the woman's nails were slightly longer, and her soft pink and plump lips were curved in an aggressive but otherwise cold smirk, "What? Something on my lips?"
Jin shook her head. Compared to HER, she admittedly felt lacking but these were the thoughts that troubled her right before sleeping. Smiling wide, her cheeks pinning in slightly with cute dimples, she gestured towards the shop, "Curious, Azu? A shop specifically for tea! Do you think they have some rare flavors?"
Azu took one glance at the shop and lost her interest, "Not really. It's a tea shop... at best, it's leaf juice. Why don't we do something fun?" Not waiting for Jin's reply, Azu caught her wrist and pulled her close while leaning against the nearest walls. Their lips threatened to touch each other as the brown-haired woman blushed deeply, "Azu..." her tone coy that made Azu's lips stretch wider, "Not here..."
Seeing the girl squirm, Azu only licked her lips. Her golden eyes narrowed as her lips brushed against Jin's, "Who's going to stop me?" And with a sudden flare of coldness in her gaze, the beautiful woman questioned, "Are you going to stop me?"
Jin lowered her head, unable to bear the gaze, and meekly shook her head.
"Good... go, if you want to drink some leaf juice. I'll meet you at your place."
Jin shivered as Azu gave her butt a firm squeeze and questioned, "Won't you join me?"
"Oh, girl, never lose this sweetness. You remind me of a past friend. Ah! How about we go to that circus? You know, the one everyone's talking about."
Jin looked a little weirded out, "But you hate circus."
"I do, but I want you to meet someone. I think you two will get along just nice," the sultry gaze of her girlfriend made Jin question many things but she sighed in the end as Azu took her leave.
'It hurts...' she rubbed her butt where Azu had been squeezing with her nails.
'Her mom and brother are so sweet... especially him... how come she's so terrifying?' With her thoughts turning idle again, Jin entered the shop. At first glance... everything looked so peaceful.
The furniture was no doubt expensive, it was clear at first sight. Her eyes took in the surroundings. Simple earthen walls with no decorations. The pretty woman behind the counter holding a casual smile and definitely not a villager... another pretty woman with an apron over her slightly stomach-revealing top and tighter pants— not an outfit one would wear unless they are super confident and oh, boy... a really pretty boy...
Her gaze lingered on Nik and then she realized... she was the only customer.
The three of them were looking at her and she blushed slightly for three different reasons and the sting her ass had been feeling lessened a whole lot.
"Please take a seat," The boy... no, from his smile and lingering violet gaze, the man spoke in a pleasant tone and Jin found herself sitting in the nearest seat. The shop was probably terrible at what it did but... she could give it a chance, right?
"T-thank you," Jin smiled stiffly and the man nodded with a smile before standing by the door once again. The woman with similar golden eyes that almost all men and women that originate from Fire Nation have spoke in a comforting tone, "Now, now, how did a sweet girl like you stumble into our boring shop?"
Michi didn't even have to lie.
This tea shop was a disaster. The only thing that kept this place running was that its owners and co-owners had nothing better to do!
"Ah, I just wanted to see this shop for myself," Jin grinned, "And this place doesn't look so boring..." Of course, she avoided eye contact during the blatant lie.
"Hmm, then would you like a cup of green tea? It only costs 3 coins."
"Yes, please!" Jin nodded.
Nik also noted the need to add a price board or something. They could probably dig out an earthen slab and carve it to make things easier next time.
Michi didn't linger along and entered the kitchen while Jin's gaze began to wander once again. Since there was nothing better to look at aside from the mature woman behind the counter who seemed to be lost in her thoughts or the man standing not far from her, she mustered her courage and spoke up, "So... why did you guys decide to set a tea shop?"
Blinking in surprise for a second, his smile widened, "It's a funny story really."
And then he paused. Bemused, Jin questioned again, "Well? What is it?"
"We thought it would be profitable."
That took Jin by surprise. And the next second she was smiling, chuckling audibly and shaking her head slightly, "I don't think it's THAT bad," she emphasized and then fell silent... "But I guess you're right."
Nik hummed with a smile and then reverted his attention towards the door.
"So... were you exiled from the inner city, too?" She continued as he shrugged, "Why else would anyone leave?"
"That's true..." Jin sighed and finally quietened down. Even if she was interested... Jin had a few reasons... well, just the one, that stopped her from showing too much interest in someone.
After a few minutes, Michi emerged from the back door while holding a tray and brought a cup of warm green tea to Jin who couldn't help but sniff a few seconds longer.
Smiling at this, Michi stepped back and turned her attention to Nik as they both considered if they should put a 'closed' sign once again and have a room within the manor for themselves.
"It's amazing!" Jin gasped after taking a sip of tea, accidentally spilling some of it on her herself and crying out in surprise.
"It's fine, dear. Use this," Michi smiled, only finding Jin's outburst cute and handing her a small piece of clothing from the pockets of her pants as the girl blushed and cleaned her chin. Nodding in gratitude, Jin spent a few silent minutes drinking her tea in leisure and finally handed Michi three copper coins, "Thanks a lot... Your tea is great."
"Well, I can't take all the credit. Be sure to bring your friends next time, alright?" Michi smiled as Jin hesitated and then looked at the small handkerchief in her hand, "Umm... sure. Can I hand this to you later after washing it?"
"No need to trouble yourself—"
But Jin wouldn't take no for an answer and she rushed out of the shop.
"Do you know her name?" Nik questioned and Michi shook her head with a wry expression.
"Did she just... steal your handkerchief and run away...?" Nik inquired again and Michi nodded. It looks like that is what happened indeed.
"Huh... maybe she will return, who knows," Michi muttered.
"Well... I think we lucked out with one customer entering today. I'm off to train with Iroh..." Nik muttered and left his post. As Iroh had stated, he only trained in basic techniques. And even if Nik could strive for a perfect stance as described in the manuals, it turns out that even these manuals aren't written by genuine masters, and Nik's body wasn't the same as the one described in the book. Each individual would eventually shift the stance in some tiny margins to better fit himself and that's where Iroh's role came in. He could reduce the time needed to eventually master these changes by a considerable amount.
---
"Hey.. uh, hi..." Jin came across a rather handsome and fair-skinned youth. Sharp features, slightly nervous golden eyes unlike his sister but the youth shared his mother's warmth. For a second, the two continued to look at each other awkwardly until Jin smiled, "Hi, Zulon, is Azu in?"
"Yeah, right inside... she never moves," Zulon clicked his tongue and gave Jin some space to walk inside, "And where are you upto?" She questioned while walking with her back facing the wall.
"You know... going out to the farm with Kei Lo." And with his voice raised, he looked towards the door to his sister's bedroom, "Trying to earn some honest living for the family!"
"Zuzu, nobody likes arrogant mediocrity... be a good boy and farm." A lazy voice lashed at Zulon as he snorted and cast a look at Jin again... there seemed to be a sense of reluctance and she noted it. With a bitter smile of her own, Jin whispered, "Goodbye, Zulon... I'll be seeing you around."
She turned around, entering Azu's room while Zulon lowered his head and sighed deeply. He glanced at the familiar swords hanging on the wall and then the blue devil mask's strings still revealed from behind the counter and clenched his fists tightly.
Jin's butter smile still had an enormous pressure over his heart that no amount of breathing techniques could lower and when the giggles sounded from the room, he left.
---
"Boss, what's with the long look? A great harvest is right around the corner! And we can always loot—"
"Hush, you idiots!"
Zulon silently walked with a cheerful brunette youth and two burly men who just happened to have gotten themselves plundered yesterday.
Sun had long set over the horizon and the four men eventually stopped in front of the tea shop as the two men instantly laid out their frustrations.
"Oh, please. I know the two of you..." The brunette youth scoffed at their story, "Zulon, you stay here. Lemme go in and check it out real quick if they actually stole from them."
"Fine, Kei Lo... I'm not in the mood for it either way..." Zulon muttered with a listless expression.
Nodding, Kei Lo entered the shop with a confident smirk. Bold steps. And an overall pleasant aura around him. The moment he entered, he only found a rather young girl behind the corner instead of the woman the two idiots promised. All of Kei Lo's expectations instantly faded as he made his way towards the girl who had her seat tightly tucked into the bench and had earthen ledges to cover the sides for some reason but he didn't think about it much.
"Excuse me, I would like to sort out a matter---"
Kei Lo's words got stuck in his throat as he finally got a closer look at the woman. Her narrow golden eyes, flushed cheeks, and slightly parted but moist red lips made him swallow thickly.
"What?" Although the woman demanded sharply, there was a soft and almost natural gasp in her tone.
"Uh... did those two bozos from yesterday trouble you miss?" Kei Lo instantly changed his tone and plastered a grin while leaning against the counter as she mustered, "There were two men who came in yesterday... drank tea and overly tipped us."
"Ah, I see," despite the obvious bullshit, Kei Lo nodded and continued, "So? What's your name? Never seen you around the village."
"It's... M-...Mai-Lin," Her face seemed to flush at his presence... this was a good sign.
He's still got it!
"Hmm, nice to see you, Mai-Lin," Kei Lo smiled, "My name is Kei Lo. If anyone around here is troubling you, just say I'm... Zulon's, no, scratch that, say you know Azu."
"Azu?" There was a brief moment of hesitation in her voice as Kei Lo nodded, "Oh, yeah, she's the baddest of the village. If you meet Azu, two things to note, one, she always lies. And two... she's a beast. Alright?"
"Yeah..." Mai... Lin, drawled in her usual tone as her shivering thighs were kept hidden by the earthen slabs around the table.
"Glad we could sort this out, Mai-Lin... I'm going out with my friends to the tavern... but maybe I can stop by tomorrow evening."
"Do as you like..." Mai muttered with a heavy blush.
'Ah, hard to get, huh~!'
Pumping his fists internally, Kei Lo walked out of the shop and met with the remaining trio.
"So?" Zulon inquired with a bored expression.
"It's their fault," Kei Lo shrugged, and as the two men scowled, and begin to argue, he caught Zulon's neck between his arm and cheered, "Come on, drinks are on me! The girl behind the counter is a total babe and into me!"
"Fuck you all..." Zulon muttered, "I hope she leaves you after one proper look."
"Now, now, no need to project your circumstances on me," Kei Lo snickered.
---
"Huff, thought he'd never leave!" Mai moaned, shuddering and collapsing against her counter as she looked down to see her clothes parted and a pair of lips lapping down on her needy little cunt. A pair of devilishly violet eyes reflected from the dim glow now that she pulled back slightly and HE stared at her with a sense of perfect submission. The kind she would have when staring at him and this tickled her fancy. Sure, she could get used to this but she hadn't been the one to propose such an idea.
Done with his training, Nik was the one who wanted to have a slightly risky situation, and who better to do this with other than Mai who rarely broke her expression? Iroh was meditating by this time as usual and gave Nik the perfect chance to have Mai all for himself.
Who knew someone would enter...
It was the cherry on top!
Feeling her hands playing through his hair, Nik smiled as Mai's lower lips shuddered and spasmed for the umpteenth time, cummin on his lips and tongue and as she recollected her breathing, he pulled himself out from between the table, "Heh~ So, Mai-Lin, I see you've got an admirer for yourself, I'm gonna end up jealous."
She snorted through her nostrils, huffing, "Don't be stupid. As you said, we need customers. And I don't see any fools lining for you. At least, I've still got it."
Nik smirked, "Aw... if that's what you wanted... I could get us a line by tomorrow but I don't think I can sneak under the table when the shop is full and you're occupied in the kitchen."
"I'll wait," Mai smiled, "It's not like this is going to be the last one... besides, if Mom does open a shop, I will be helping her out so there you go..." blushing slightly, she muttered, "Me and mom both..."
"We need to get the two of you a shop asap!" Nik roused, making Mai smile.
Poppy and Michi had turned to the bed, too, like others.
In Suki's and Toph's regards, there have been slight discoveries but it wasn't anything related to the prison so they would continue at it.
"Say, I heard about the Tavern... want to come with me?"
"A bar filled with booze and men who would have the same things to say or do when they approach me... I'd rather sleep." Mai muttered and dressed while Nik dried the wet mess around them.
"Fine, fine," Nik shrugged, "I'll go by myself. As you said, booze and... women," he coughed, "I wonder what trouble I'll get into."
"Before you do, I need to get into my room," Mai was wholly indifferent as she raised her hand but as he took it, she pulled him close, "Get into any trouble you want... one flick and I can turn that trouble into 10 times the mess..." And with a peck, she eyed Nik with a smile. Chuckling, he sent her in. It's just as Mai said... her ability was truly envious. Maybe he should try and find Flower of Fertility to have it possess him...
"You will... turn into a... girl..."
"Great, now you speak!" Nik groaned as Mokshi fell silent after its warning.
"Mushi, I'm going out. You'll be alright on your own?" Nik entered the kitchen and found Iroh placing the ninth cup in front of him in a half-circle with a silent grin and gave Nik an 'ok' sign.
"That much tea?" Nik looked at the Fire Lord as if he'd been a drug addict finally kicking that damn withdrawal away.
"Ah... just for the scent... it calms me." Iroh took a big sniff and fell into a meditative stance with a grin once again.
Like an addict.
***
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