Chapter Text
Umi eyes her third drink with determination. The last two were strong, but not enough to best her. She took another long sip of the drinking, nodding at the bartender in gratitude. She was very much enjoying the drink in her hand when General Iroh approached her.
“Oh, General Iroh, what brings this surprise visit,” she asks, still not putting down her tankard.
“Please, call me Iroh. It has been so long since I’ve seen you. Please, will you do me the honor of joining me for dinner to catch up?”
She finishes her drink and sighs at the discomfort in her stomach. “Well I am hungry. Sure, I’ll join you for dinner. Are you still traveling with the Prince?”
“I am. His bending has improved since the last time you saw him,” he proudly states.
Iroh offer his arm to her, one to be courteous and second to help her keep balance at her obvious drunkard state. She takes her arm and they leave her favorite bar.
“Umi, your tab,” the bartender yells after her.
“Just bill Prince Zuko,” she yells back, accompanied by Iroh’s laughter.
They walk towards the ship docks, talking about the latest world news.
“I’ve seen Bumi the other week,” she tells him.
“How is the King doing,” Iroh fondly asks.
She gives him a frown and groans, “Agni, I swear each meeting with him I’m left confused at his antics.”
Iroh chuckles at their mutual friend, “Yes, he is quite the wild sort is he not?”
She can clearly see the ship and the crew on the deck. She exhales deeply, and lowering her voice she tells Iroh, “I had an audience with your brother last month.”
Iroh glances to her, “Did you now.”
“He isn’t kind, his majesty. He asked me again,” she annoyingly says, rolling her eyes. “I declined like I did the last time and instead he asked me to train Azula. She wasn’t too keen on the suggestion. I only had one training session with her until she dismissed me. She didn’t like that I beat her in a simple sparring match.”
Her dual didn’t end well for her. Out of spite, Azula tried to banish Umi only to be stopped by Ozai. It was probably the first time her father favored someone other than her.
They arrived at the pier shortly after. Umi narrows her eyes at the metal ship. She’ll never say it out loud, but she distastes what her country has become. She has traveled Earth Kingdom and can see what their enlightenment has brought. And the two heirs of the crown will only add to the destruction. Azula is detached and cruel, and Zuko is hunting down the embodiment of peace.
And speak of the devil, here he comes, his signature scowl on his face.
“Uncle, what is she doing here,” he yells at Iroh, venom in his voice when he mentions Umi.
“Nice to see you too, your highness,” Umi greets him, using the same venom Zuko had in his voice.
Iroh steps between the two teenagers, trying to ease the tension in the air. “Master Umi is here to join us for dinner, nephew. She is a guest and we will treat her as such.”
Without saying a word, Zuko stomps his way inside the ship. Iroh and Umi follow right after him.
“We can have dinner in my quarters,” Iroh steps aside next to a metal door. “Wait for us in here. I will tell the ship’s chef to send our supper here.”
Umi goes inside the room and nods at the retired General. It’s a small room, not something she thought a former General and once heir to a throne would be in. It is a simple, humble room. Though she didn’t expect his living space to be lavish. Zuko’s on the hand, she wonders if his room is decorated with Fire Nation emblems and propaganda. His bed is probably wrapped in the most expensive of silks.
“Spoiled brat,” she mutters under her breath. She pulls out a metal flask from her pocket and before she can enjoy the warm liquid the door opens and lo and behold, there he is, still with that angry look.
“There is a saying the longer your face remains like that it will eventually stay like that forever,” she tells him, narrowing her eyes.
“Drunk,” he coldly says to her.
Ignoring his insult, she takes a drink of her favorite spirit and tells him, “I prefer the term liquor connoisseur. You should have some, it’ll loosen you up. Besides, I don’t get drunk. I run too hot to be inebriated.”
He scoffs at her and takes a step to her. She does the same. A playful teasing smile spreads on her face. She can’t help herself. It’s so easy to rile up the Fire Nation Prince.
“Do you think I’m hot, Zuko,” she asks him, saying his name in a sultry tone and trying to hold in her laughter at his reaction.
“Peasant,” he sneers, stepping away from her. His cheeks are still red and he tries to hide his demeanor but trips on his uncle’s rug. Umi is quick and grabs his arm and pulls him towards her, landing himself directly in front of her.
If it’s even possible, his scowl deepens and he pushes her away. The usual graceful Umi, trips too and falls on the bed with Zuko standing over her.
“You Highness, if you wanted me on a bed it should probably be yours and not your uncle’s,” she teases him, propping herself up on her elbows.
“Get over yourself. I wouldn’t lower myself,” he spits.
He moves away from her as she sits up. Neither of them say a word until Iroh returns with a cart of food rolling in behind him.
“Time to eat,” Iroh excitedly announces. Zuko is still in his funk, but not Umi. She can’t help but get pulled into Iroh’s cheerful aura.
She closes her eyes and smells the assortment of dishes, “It smells wonderful, General Iroh.”
They food is placed on the table and they take their seats; Zuko next to his uncle and Umi directly in front of him. They servants places the food in front of them, Iroh already told them what each preferred. The trio eat their food, Iroh and Umi occasionally talking about meaningless topics. When the two talk about the Fire Nation, Zuko looks up from his still full plate.
“You’ve been at the Palace,” he asks, wondering why she out of all people would be there.
He hasn’t made a sound since they started to eat. She was in the middle of placing the food in her mouth when he spoke. “Yes, a little over two months ago.”
He doesn’t say anything, just stares at her to continue. She takes the bite of the food she was holding and pats her mouth. “I wasn’t there for long. Maybe two or three days. His Majesty asked me to spar with Princess Azula.”
“You fought Azula,” Zuko asks in disbelief. He hasn’t seen his sister firebend since his banishment, but he has heard about how far she has advanced. Even before he left, Azula was a prodigy.
“Umi has became a Master since the last time you saw her, Prince Zuko,” Iroh says casually.
She chuckles warmly, “I wouldn’t have if weren’t for your teachings.”
“And did you win,” Zuko presses.
Her smile disappears and looked back to Zuko questioning gaze. “Yes. The training spars turned to an actual fight and for a while, your sister tried to kill me. When I won, she banished me, but the Fire Lord didn’t let her.”
There is one thing he knows for certain, no one can beat Azula. “Why did my father invite you there in first place,” he asks her.
She freezes at his question. She looks to Iroh, pleading with her eyes to help her.
Iroh loudly pats his stomach. “This was most wonderful. Master Umi, allow me to walk you back to…where exactly are you staying?”
She nervously laughs, raising her right arm and placing her hand behind her head, “About that. I’m not staying anywhere. I’ve just been traveling.”
Iroh eye’s widens as if she just said something utterly terrible. “That is no way for a lady to spend her nights. Please, stay here on the ship. At least for tonight. I insist.”
“Uncle,” Zuko shouts, getting up from the chair. “We are not letting her sleep here. She can just go back to the wilds.”
Iroh ignores his nephews shouts and guides Umi out his quarters. They follow deeper into the hall before halting in front of a similar door to his. “Please, make yourself at home.”
“Thank you, Iroh. For this and for saving me from that awful conversation.”
Iroh smiles at her, “Have good night’s sleep, Umi.”
The room isn’t special, just a standard small room equipped with a bed, desk, and a wardrobe.
“At least I’m not sleeping on the dirt this time,” she sighs. She removes her shirt and tosses to the side. Then bending over to remove her boots. When she stands up, the door busts open. The cold new air brushing her exposed back.
Zuko loudly gasps seeing her. Not because of the lack of clothes, but what covers her body. Umi closes her eyes, but doesn’t say anything. She continues like nothing happened and she reaches the shirt she thrown on the floor and puts it on.
She doesn’t turn to face him when she speaks, “What is it you want, Zuko?”
For a moment he is stunned. The image of her body still burnt in his mind. He forgets why he there and closes the door to leave. He walks absentmindedly to his own room. He remembers the last time he has seen her, almost two years ago. The last time they sparred, she had removed her top but her back wasn’t like this. Or was it? He can't remember her back scarred like that. They weren't scars from just training, normal scars from firebending training. Some look newer than others.
He doesn't fall asleep easily tonight. He lies awake on top of his bed, wondering what happened to Umi.