Emptyness is inflammation (zuko/oc fic)

Fights and Music Nights

(Rie Pov) (The Blue Spirit.)

Two slow days had passed. It is now midday, as talk about the preparations for music night circulate over the boat, Zuko is found restless, looking through his telescope while the boat is been docking at the port of a small fishing village. 

I'm losing a game of Pai Sho to Iroh again. I should've never let him search for that stupid tile.

Lieutenant Jee joins him on his lookout "We haven't been able to pick up the Avatar's trail since the storm," He says as he points at our current location.  "But, if we continue heading northeast –"

Lieutenant Jee is cut off as our boat is quickly covered in an enormous shadow. A massive Firenavy ship is passing us slowly.

"What do they want?" Zuko asks, annoyed by its presence. 

"Perhaps a sporting game of Pai Sho" Iroh says as he passes me a helmet. "Cover your face," Iroh reminds me. 

A plank slowly lowers upon our ship. I share a look with Zuko as he joins us. 

Three intimidating men walk down the plank, the one in the middle which I assume is a herald is holding a scroll in his left hand. They walk onto our ship and stand before us. I look down at my tea so I'm they cannot see my face.

"The hunt for the Avatar has been given prime importance." The herald says as he rolls out the scroll. "All information regarding the Avatar must be reported directly to Admiral Zhao." He continues. I choke on my tea. Admiral Zhao?

"Zhao has been promoted? Well, good for him!" Iroh says as he moves a tile on the Pai Sho board. I look at the board and count his points. I groan. 

"I've got nothing to report to Zhao. Now get off my ship and let us pass." Zuko spits sullenly.

"Admiral Zhao is not allowing ships in or out of this area." The herald replies. Great, how am I gonna get out of this one?

"Off my ship!" Zuko yells angrily. The three men leave our ship as the plank is now slowly raised again. I exhale in relief.

I move a tile as to save my skin, but as soon as my fingers leave it Iroh looks at me with a shit-faced smile. "Excellent!" He says as he takes the chips that lay on the table. "But, you're improving. I'm certain you will win if we play again." 

"... Fine." I say, Iroh grins as he puts my tiles back into basic order. "You begin," Iroh suggests. "No, you begin!" I tell him. "That is not the game works," Iroh states. I grin as I slap an instruction book onto the table. "Are you sure about that?" Iroh frowns as he makes the first move.

Some time had passed as it is now afternoon, Zuko is pacing over the deck mindlessly, I really feel for him, but he doesn't want to talk to anyone about it. "Zuko," I say, but Zuko doesn't seem to hear me. "Hey! Zucchini!" "Don't call me that!" He yells as he turns to me, fists clenched.

"You know what you need to do? Get some frustrations out." I say. "How?! Don't tell me to sit down and have tea!" Zuko sneers. "Fight me," I state. Zuko is taken aback by my request, as he is now calculating. "I want you to fight me!" I now demand.

Even though we fight verbally often, Zuko always said no to sparring with me since I got here, and I have never really known the exact reason why.

"Okay." 

I'm kind of surprised to hear him agree. "Okay, let me put on my stuff," I say, quickly running into my room, and putting on my traditional Agni Kai gear.

As I make my way upstairs, word had spread around the boat, and the crew was standing around the square.