Find Me | Zuko x reader | Avatar the Last Airbender | Book 1

Chapter 3: Jerk

          "You have to be kidding." Y/N sighed, looking at the tiny prison room in front of her. It had a thin mat on the floor, with solid metal walls and a roof barely tall enough to stand under. "I dig your boat out in 15 seconds and this is what I get?" 

          "You can understand why I don't trust you." Zuko said defensively. 

          "General trust? Yes, I do understand, but we both have obvious goals here, and meeting mine doesn't have to mean your downfall." Y/N crossed her arms, refusing to step into the room.

          "You threaten me??" Zuko turned on her in an instant, gritting his teeth and raising a fist in the air. Y/N threw up her hands dramatically.

          "I question the authenticity of your motives, given you are so uptight about my presence." She said simply, lowering her hands once the prince took a step back.

          "I detest your insufferable presence." Zuko spat, still looking as if he might attack. "But I have not lied to you. I need the Avatar to restore my honor, and my throne." Y/N smiled lightly, which somehow made him even more tense. Lighten up, I'm not going to bite your head off.

          "Look, ponytail-"

          "Do not mock me."

          "I'm not. It's an observation. I will say, however, it isn't very becoming of someone like you, but-"

          "Get to your point, tribe scum, or I'll burn a hole through your skull."

          "So intense. That would take awhile, you know, but I'm impressed you even have the patience to consider-"

          "WATERBENDER!"

           "Alright, my idiot siblings are going to get themselves killed, so I want quick transportation and a way to stop them from continuing on their little destiny quest of doom. All that is you, so I shouldn't assassinate you or sink the ship. I'll stay up on the main deck most of the time, so you'll know where I am."

          Y/N finished her little tangent, crossing her arms and waiting for a response. The banished prince stood there for a few moments, studying her. 

          "I may be on the other side of the war, but merciful spirits, you can breathe in front of me without letting down your guard. Are you having a heart attack? I hope you aren't, because then the choice of saving you or not would be a logical and moral dilemma." She spoke slowly, cocking her head to one side. Zuko finally moved, one of his eyebrows twitching as he quickly turned away from her.

          "Just get on the main deck and out of my sight."

          "Yessir."

          "Don't test me."

          "Forgive me, blowtorch, for being respectful."

                             —|〰️〰️〰️|—

          "Don't feel bad, you're doing amazing for a first-time player. This is only your third game." Retired General Iroh, or just Iroh according to him, was destroying Y/N in Pai Sho.

          She had heard of the game once from Father, him describing it as an "old people game". He wasn't wrong, but despite that and her quick and brutal losses, Y/N found her enjoying herself.

          "Thanks, but you're still crushing me." She laughed, moving another one of her pieces, only to realize it clashed with one of his, and she moved it back to rethink, biting her lip. "Yikes. And I thought I was so close, too."