not from around here | Zuko X OC

| chapter thirty |

Saki was sat on the floor of a ferry, eating something out of a bowl. Honestly, she had no idea what it was, but it tasted like shit.
Judging by Zuko's facial expression, he agreed.

Saki was sat in between Zuko and uncle, who we're standing, leaning over a rail.
Saki could only just rest her arms on the rail anyway because of her height, so she gave up and sat on the floor.

The three of them were on the way to Ba Sing Se, where they would make new lives as refugees.

Saki was looking forward to being able to have a place to stay, even if it was a tiny apartment with only one room, or somewhere with loud neighbours. She didn't care. Just as long as it had a shower or bath or somewhere to wash and a kitchen.

"Who would have thought after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace..." uncle said sadly, causing Saki and Zuko to look at him. "As a tourist!" He put on a hat and shot Zuko a huge grin.

"Look around. We're not tourists, we're refugees." Exclaimed Zuko, taking a sip of his food. "Ugh! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this!" He huffed.

"I'll admit, the food tastes like shit, butttt once we get off the ferry, on the train and into Ba Sing Se, it's smooth sailing. We just have to work our way up, get a good job, you know. Stuff like that." Saki said, very excited at the prospect of living with a job and a house and shopping for food instead of eating whatever they could scavenge.

"But we will still have to live like refugees, eating like this!" Zuko exclaimed angrily.
"Not if we work hard." Saki told him comfortingly, hoping he would share in her excitement at their future.
"I don't want to work hard! I want to be able to actually have something come to me easy for once." Zuko whined.

"Don't we all?"
The three of them turned to see a boy with short brown hair, and a piece of grass or something sticking out of his mouth.

"My name's Jet and these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot." He said, gesturing to his friends beside him.

"Hey." Said one and the other just nodded.
"Hello." Said Zuko, simply.
"Hi." Saki said, examining them all cautiously.

"Here's the deal. I hear the captain's eating like a king while the refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?" Jet told us.
"What sort of king is he eating like?" Asked uncle Iroh suspiciously.

"The fat, happy kind. You want to help us "liberate" some food?" He asked Zuko.
Saki glanced from Jet to Zuko.
Zuko glanced down at her and she shook her head slightly.

"I'm in." He said, throwing the bowl over the side of the boat as Saki slapped her forehead with her palm.

Jet left and Zuko went to follow but Saki grabbed his arm as she stood up.
"Lee, I don't think this is such a good idea."
"But it's not fair that he's eating like that and we're left with scraps! I want you to eat properly." Zuko told her defiantly.
"I know, I know. But some things in your life won't be fair, and I know you're angry, but please don't. You might get caught or hurt. And I really don't want you to get taken away from me or hurt Zuko." She told him, looking at him with big eyes that showed her worry.

He looked down at her and then at Jet, who was waiting. "I'll bring you something back." He walked away.
"Don't bother." Saki said and turned back to look out at the sea. She was irritated by how much Zuko wouldn't listen to her. It was for the best for both of them however she didn't see it that way, she was too worried about what would happen to Zuko if he got caught.

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