An OC x Zuko (ATLA) fanfic.
Laina Xu (A name she uses to conceal her true identity) is a spy working for the Dai Li, tasked with tracking and reporting Fire Nation ships. Undercover, she is moved from her post on the Northern fleet to the crown pri...
The sun had gone, and it was nightfall. It happened to be music night on the ship, and the crew were getting ready for it. I usually snuck away to my room and had a terrible night's sleep because of the loud drums and blaring horns from various different instruments.
Iroh had somehow managed at dinner to convince me to join for once, even if I was just going to listen. He said that Zuko had agreed to join for once, and that may have been the driving force for me to begrudgingly agree.
I sat awkwardly on my stool, Zuko being a no-show. The fire crackled as the crew set up their instruments.
"Do you sing Miss Laina?" Iroh asked. I perked up, waving my hands frantically. "Oh, no, I can't sing a note to save my life." I wasn't being humble, I sounded like a dying platypus bear when I attempted to sing.
"Do you dance?" another crew member asked. Like always, when it came to telling white lies, I was terrible. I sighed in defeat.
"Yes, yes I do," I admitted.
"Well, play a beat and giver her some music!" Iroh cried out happily.
"Wait!" I called out. The music stopped abruptly.
"Do you have two fans I could use?" I asked. Iroh quirked a brow and handed me two.
"I always keep a spare," He winked at me. "But why do you need them?" He asked.
"I only know how to Han Dance; Dance with fans," I answered. He raised an eyebrow but nodded. Starting a beat with his Tsungi Horn. Soon the circle joined in.
I tapped my foot and rested the fans on my hips. I sharply moved my head to the beat, raising and arm with a harsh yet fluid motion. I jumped up and extended the fan out, moving my hips to the beat. I swung it around and extended the other, fluttering both out in unison. I danced on as the music slowly began to pick up.
Soon enough, I was jumping and flourishing my fans around in concise movements. The drums pounded, and I waded through the air, finishing with a close of both my fans. I stood in my end pose, panting.
The circle stayed silent, and I started to sweat even more, worried they hated it. Suddenly they burst out in claps and cheers. I smiled brightly, enjoying the praise. I had to learn the Han Dance when I was with the Dai Li as an outlet to improve my reflexes by reacting to the beats of the music. But even if it was forced, I always enjoyed it.
"That was magnificent! Please, dance more for us." I nodded shyly, not minding it. The time flew by. It was a mix of dancing, love ballads, bar songs and Tsungi Horn solos that blared out proudly into the night.
It was about one in the morning when music night finished, and I trudged back to my room exhausted. I collapsed on my cot and was knocked out, not having thought about Zuko yet.
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I woke up groggily the next morning, yawning and running on 4 hours of sleep. I remembered music night and how Zuko wasn't there. I sat down at my table and tried to rub my eyebags away. I took my towel and walked to the bathroom. A crew member groaned at the sight of me going in.
