Secrets In The Ashes {Zuko x Reader}

The Southern Air Temple / This Town Ain't Big Enough

There's a few things that have changed since officially shirking my stowaway status and joining the crew of Prince Zuko's Fire Nation ship.

Not officially, of course, but we don't really discuss the logistics.

First of all, I eat with everyone else in the mess hall, and even sometimes privately with General Iroh and the prince, though that's often surly and silent.

Secondly, dad has gotten strange with me. He seems to not understand how to navigate this new dynamic. I'm not important, per say, but certainly spending a lot of time with the important people makes me... tangentially important. And it makes him sometimes curt with me, and sometimes overly affectionate when it's just the two of us. I can't tell if he's just worried about my safety or he's jealous of my new status. Whatever it is, it's made that particular relationship strangely strained. I do my best to keep up the status quo, but so far it's woefully fragile.

Thirdly — and perhaps the most odd change of them all — I practice my swordplay outside on the deck instead of in the small space of my room. And I'm not just doing it alone.

No, the prince of my nation is my combat teacher, training partner, and my biggest headache all rolled into one.

"Sloppy. Again!" he shouts.

I've been doing basic fighting drills all morning, something the prince makes me do when he's decided that my fighting is not quite up to par. Which is often. Half of the time he never even takes his own swords out. At least he's never Firebended at me like he's threatened to do.

As we head north, the weather is slowly becoming more bearable. Today the air is pleasantly cool, and the sun is hidden behind clouds. I haven't seen ice in a few days. According to the sighting of land seen early this morning, we'll be at the southern harbor by this afternoon. Apparently, it's owned by the Fire Nation and it'll be the closest place to dock safely to make repairs and get supplies.

Something about stopping there makes the prince nervous, though. Not that he'd ever confide something with me, but I can tell. He's been disagreeable in most of his interactions, and somehow is more aggravating to practice with than usual.

Sweat falls unpleasantly down my back but I continue the movements as fluidly as possible, ignoring the ache in my arms.

"Stop. Again." His words are brusque and angry.

I growl and drop my stance, staring at him. He's standing in front me, stance unbending and eyes just as stubborn.

"That was perfectly acceptable," I argue. I've gotten braver countering him. Or maybe he just makes me mad enough to forget to respect him.

His eyes narrow almost imperceptibly. "That's not for you to decide."

He gets some kind of kick out of torturing me, surely. Which is probably the only reason he even tolerates these training sessions.

"It didn't look half bad to me," General Iroh says. He usually sits on the deck as we practice. I'm not sure if he even pays attention most of the time. Maybe he's there as a babysitter because dad asked, or just to make sure the prince doesn't do anything too drastic.

Prince Zuko doesn't even glance at him when he replies. His eyes are on me, as disapproving as always. If he wasn't my age, I'd think he was trying to be some kind of tough love big brother or something. Instead of snapping at his uncle, he simply works a few muscles in his jaw before speaking.

"Again."

I don't bother hiding in my sigh but continue as he asks. Some days it's all I do. I've hardly actually gotten to practice fighting, which is what I thought I was signing up for.