The Fire Within - an atla fanfic (Zuko x OC)

Mama

I sat down on the bed in the room I had been given, looking around at the familiar layout. The rooms in Zhao's ships were almost identical to those in Zuko's; there were just more of them. The only difference between my room on Zuko's and the one on Zhao's was that this one had a closet near the corner and window, as well as its own bathroom.

Iroh and I had snuck Zuko in a few hours ago, and now I was sitting in here so I wouldn't have to go talk to Zhao. I wish I could go talk to Zuko, but Iroh was very clear that I shouldn't go see Zuko at all since it might give away that he is here. Kinda dumb if you ask me. All I ever did on Zuko's ship was talk to Zuko, so I really couldn't think of anything to do. I glanced out my window in boredom at the endless sea until I heard a knock on my door.

I thought for a moment. It sounded a lot like Zuko's knock. What was he doing here? I ran over to the door and opened it, ushering him to come in quickly. He took off his mask for the uniform and I closed the door carefully, locking it. "Zuko, what are you doing? Don't you remember what Iroh said?" I questioned in a hushed tone.

"Yeah, but I was bored." Zuko responded, looking around the room.

"Did you think about what we are going to do when we get to the North Pole?" I asked.

"I'm going to leave in the middle of the night and sneak out on a rowboat." Zuko explained quietly.

"Ok, well I'll go with you." I replied.

"No you will not." He responded.

"Yes I will."

"You'll freeze to death." Zuko shot back at me.

I scoffed. "I thought firebenders didn't freeze."

"I never even told you that, firebenders can totally freeze. We can just control our heat better."

I shrugged. "Well, then I'll just control my heat better."

Zuko shook his head in frustration due to my stubbornness. "You can barely even set a match on fire, how do you expect to learn to do that?"

"That's what you are here for." I responded with a small smirk.

He sighed in response and gestured for me to come closer. I walked closer and he took my hands in his. "Imagine your energy inside of you like waves on a beach." He instructed.

I nodded, my smirk turning into a look of concentration. I imagined the energy in me moving like the way the moon pushes and pulls the tides.

"Now think of the waves growing bigger, stronger, angrier." Zuko continued.

I let out a breath of concentration and thought of the waves becoming more destructive, more powerful. Angrier. I envisioned my father's ugly face and scrunched my face in anger.

"Ow!" Zuko said, letting go of my hand and shaking his quickly. "You aren't supposed to heat up that much."

I blinked in realization. "Sorry, Zuko, I think I got too focused. But I learned how to do it!" I said, adding in the last part with excitement. I reached my hand out for a high-five, and Zuko looked at it for a moment in confusion.

"High-five." I stated, and he slowly clapped my hand. I shook my head slowly. "We'll get there eventually."

Zuko smiled slightly. "I'm surprised you actually learned that, I didn't think you would."

"Oh, wow. So you think I'm that bad, huh?" I replied, pretending to be hurt.

"You just learned you were a firebender." Zuko explained matter-of-factly.

"You aren't wrong." I said, giving him a playful punch in the shoulder. "You better watch out, next thing you know I'll be the best firebender in the world."