Emptyness is inflammation (zuko/oc fic)

Winter solstice P2

It's night, I'm woken up by some commotion outside. How late is it? As I quickly put on a robe and put my ear to the door. Someone's walking in here. As the steps come closer, I feel a bit fearful, I hate the dark.

I get into my fighting stance as I wait for the steps to be right at my door. I swiftly open it, "Who do you think you're playing with?!" I yell loudly. Suddenly I notice the figure in front of me is Zuko. "Shh! Do you want to wake the whole crew up?!" He hisses.

"What are you doing up so late?" I ask him, confused. "Why those... Clothes?" I continue, pointing at his full black outfit. "I went for a walk." Zuko answers.

"You did not. Tell me what you did." I demand inspecting him closely. "I went for a walk!" Zuko pushes.

I narrow my eyes at him, and pull him into my room, locking the door behind me. "You're not leaving until you tell me what happened," I warn. "Stop this stupid Zhao impression and let me out"  Zuko hisses.

I stand in front of my door. "No."

Zuko groans, "Can't I do anything without you knowing of it?!" "Well, you can except for things that are illegal!" "Why do you think what I did was illegal." "I don't know, you're kinda giving off this illegal feel" I say, pointing at his all-black outfit.

"I went to the chief of the small town I saw the Avatar leave from." Zuko confesses. "What'd you do?" "I asked him if he knew where the Avatar went." I frown at that.

"So you're saying that you went out in the middle of the night, in an all-black outfit, to knock on the door of the chief, he opened up, and you kindly asked 'hey chief, how ya doing,  Prince Zuko here, I was wondering if you'd seen the avatar around' " I say, imitating  Zuko's voice.

"I do not sound like that! And yes kind of." 

"And by kind of, you mean you threatened his life?"

Zuko's eyes widen as I guessed right. "Can I leave now?"

"Zuko I swear if you keep on doing this crap you have to at least be a bit more subtle." I frown. " Wear a mask or something," I suggest.

Zuko nods as I open the door. "Don't tell on me."

 "What are we, children?" I ask him, bemused.

 Zuko narrows his eyes at me. 

"I won't." I say.

The next day, we set sail early towards the firetemple. I walk towards Zuko and Iroh as they're having a discussion. "I have no choice, Uncle," Zuko says, looking through his telescope.

 "Have you completely forgotten that the Fire Lord banished you?!?!?  What if you're caught?" Iroh says with a look of anguish.

"I'm chasing the Avatar. My father will understand why I'm returning home." Zuko says, turning to Iroh.

"Well, your dad doesn't seem to be the understanding type." I chime in.

"You give him too much credit," Iroh adds.

As Zuko turns back to the telescope, his eyes widen. "There they are! Helmsman, full steam ahead!"

In the distance, I indeed see the Avatars flying bison.

"Rie, ready the catapult!"

I roll a big wood block into it, as Zuko approaches. We lit it and Zuko yells:"On my mark.........Fire!" The soldier cuts the rope, the fireball now flying towards the Avatar.