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

Chapter 13: Late

          The next day was oddly uneventful. An entire day at sea, the waves completely calm. Y/N mostly kept to herself, drilling waterbending moves on the main deck, and playing countless games of Pai Sho with Iroh. 

          Zuko stayed in his quarters for most of the day, but Y/N did see him come up every now and then to receive letters from messenger hawks, only to disappear again for hours. 

          Y/N brought in a platter of food for him a little after noon, noticing he hadn't eaten. She had noticed the candles on his table always being lit whenever she came in. He was mediating. A lot. 

          She sat with him for a bit, but obviously he was off in his own little world, spacing out and being strangely chill and quiet. Eventually he stopped responding, falling asleep on his desk, at which point Y/N quietly left. 

          She came to the conclusion that he hadn't sleep well last night, and given that this was a travel day, it was good he was getting in some more rest. 

          They had gotten to this weird place, where Y/N didn't completely trust him, but he seemed to trust her, letting her roam freely on the deck, and not watching her closely when they took quick stops at ports.

          Sometimes their conversations went like they had been old friends since childhood, others were tense, when he was in a bad mood, and Y/N had to be ready to dodge spurts of fire or random furniture. 

          She had no clue how to feel about this guy. 

          Y/N went to bed fairly late, accidentally not realizing how late it was getting when she was reading in the small library on the ship. Well, saying library was too much. A couple of shelves filled with scrolls and a cushion in a small room near Iroh's sleeping quarters. 

          She had found very recently updated maps, and quickly dug in, updating her previous memory and confirming new war movements. 

          Y/N rolled up a map, and spotted the hourglass sitting on the table nearby, and quickly put everything away, realizing how late it was. She quickly checked the main deck, and noticed they were stopping at a port for the night, peacefully bobbing in the waves.

          She now lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, the only light a flickering candle on her bedside table. She let her mind wander, not sure if she was tired or not, but nearly jumped out of her skin when she hard the light footsteps in the hallway.

                             —|〰️〰️〰️|—

                                Zuko's POV

          Zuko cringed as one of his shoes made a tap sound on the metal floor of the ship. He carried his mask under one arm, carefully making his way up and out of the ship. He paused for a moment, and whipped around, almost sure he had heard the tiniest squeak of a door opening.

          He stood there for a minute, listening, but there was no other sound in the dead silence. I must have been hearing things. He began moving again, carefully through several hallways, then up the stairs to the main deck. 

          "Hello there." Zuko nearly jumped right out of his skin, his mouth opening to scream, but he was so terrified that nothing came out. He whipped around and relaxed a little, seeing Y/N standing there, barefoot, wearing a comfortable robe he had given her. Her hair was a little messy, but somehow looked fine, little bits shining in the bright moonlight, also illuminating her face.

          "Nice ninja getup." She commented quietly with a smile. "Sorry, I thought you heard me following you, I didn't mean to put you into cardiac arrest. Close your mouth, it's not very attractive to have it hanging open like that."