Burnt Out - Zuko x OC

Lukewarm

"Thanks for your contribution, the army appreciates your support—" His hands fell short of the bags. The girl opposite the counter had grabbed them and was holding them just out of reach.

"I don't think so, Gow." Zuko looked over his shoulder at the girl. Actually looked at her, for the first time, and was surprised to see that she was around his age. She held the same expression as when he asked for so much and offered so little, the expression of nothingness.

The soldier gritted his teeth and held out his meaty hand, "Hand them here, girl."

His frustration though, that seemed to excite her. The corner of her mouth lifted into a smirk and her free hand raised a single finger. It seemed as if that finger had a string attached to it. When it moved, so did a fist sized rock from behind the counter.

"How about we play Rock, Paper, Sword for them? You remember who usually wins that game, right?" Her smirk widened into a full blown grin. Her pearly white teeth perfectly complimented her sun-kissed skin and jade colored eyes.

The soldier huffed, dropping his clenched fist to his side and turned his back on the pair, "You better leave town. Penalty for staying's a lot steeper than you can afford, stranger."

She rounded the counter and helped Zuko tie the bags to his saddle, "Thanks for not ratting him out. I'm trying to teach him obedience, but.."

The child peeked out from over the animal's back. Wild hair and no front teeth, this kid was nothing like Zuko was at his age. She knew him, maybe she was his sister. Zuko didn't respond, he mounted the animal and nudged it with his foot, but it didn't make a move.

The girl was looking up at him from beside the ostrich horse's neck, holding onto its reigns so it knew to stay put, "I've got to show this one home. I'm sure his parents would be happy to serve you dinner."

Zuko didn't want to agree, but his screaming belly wouldn't allow him to protest.

"Come on, they owe you."

He was soon being led through a clearing between pig sties. Cow pigs, that is. And pig sheep, and pig roosters, and various other pig-like creatures. The girl, whose name he still didn't know, disappeared into the small home and soon two adults came out. They didn't mention her and she didn't reappear.

He'd barely tuned into the conversation being had in front of him in time to respond. A family stood there, a family of three that was lacking one more. Their oldest son who was off at war. They expressed their gratitude toward Zuko for sticking up for their youngest.

The boy's mother spoke, "Supper's going to be ready soon. Would you like to stay?"

He wanted to. Good lord, how he wanted to sleep on something other than a dirt floor.

"I can't. I should be moving on."

Call it "mother's intuition", but the woman could tell that his heart said something different than what his mouth spoke. She offered him work and he agreed, climbing up onto the roof along with her husband. Zuko hammered away at the barn shingles while the child berated him with questions.

"Where are you from?" and "where are you going?", but Zuko wasn't giving many answers. He looked down through the damaged roof and into the lofted building. Above the hay and feed was a small, makeshift room. Essentials, mostly. A bed, chest of drawers and oil lamp. And then footsteps — barely noticeable unless you were paying attention, and he was. Zuko watched the girl from above as she entered the loft and unbuttoned her dress, sliding it off her shoulders. He almost turned away, having just noticed the discolored marks on her back when—