"I should be at work." Zaji worried, sitting on a cushion and looking down at his tea.

          "Work? We're currently on the move, and you aren't working the controls. What do you have to do, stand around and look scary?" Y/N snorted, taking a sip of her tea and making her move on the Pai Sho board.

          "I'd say that's half the job." Zaji admitted with a small smirk, making his move and watching Y/N's disappointed realization that she had messed up. "And Y/N loses again."

          "Wow, thanks, I hate you too." She said sarcastically, biting her lip and studying the board, trying to find a good move to make. "Geez, I suck at planning ahead. I haven't won a single game of this." She tentatively moved a piece forward, keeping a finger on it as she contemplated the possible consequences.

          "I was going to win anyways, but that's probably the best move you could've made." Zaji moved his last piece into place the moment Y/N took her finger off of hers. She laughed at herself, face planting on the table, making the tea cups rattle slightly.

          "Listen, listen..." She laughed as Zaji snorted. "Listen! I only started playing like two weeks ago or something." 

          "You've played like 100 or more games with General Iroh, and still didn't manage to win against a 18 year old recruit." Zaji pointed out, and Y/N groaned, resetting the pieces.

          "Again, I'll get it eventually."

          "I admire your determination, but I won't go easy on you."

                             —|〰️〰️〰️|—

                                Zuko's POV

          By the time Zuko woke up, it was already evening, and he was starving. He rolled over on his mattress, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. A quick glance at the hourglass told him the time, and something occurred to him. 

          She never came with the tea. He sat up, looking at the table. Everything remained undisturbed, nothing moved aside to make space for a platter or anything. 

          He slowly stood up, glancing at himself in the small mirror on the table before exiting his room. Dinner had already passed, and the sun was setting, but he could hear laughter, music, and the clanking of metal. Confused, he followed it, and found himself in the cafeteria.

          The tables had been moved as far off the the side as possible, only one still upright, with three men, including Iroh, playing various instruments. The rest of the crew danced on the main floor or watched from the side, all wearing casual clothes instead of their armor, laughing and eating snacks or drinking tea and punch.

          It took only moments for Zuko one spot a twirling figure in the middle, dancing in perfect time to the beat. 

          Y/N wore her Fire Nation silks, laughing as she switched partners from Lieutenant Jee to a young soldier, both beginning to circle each other with their hands held up, wrists lightly touched together. Her H/L H/C hair swayed lightly, catching the light of the flickering fires set about the room.

          A new song started, one with a stronger beat and much less horn, and the men standing off the the side joined the middle, beginning to dance, as the pair in the middle began as well, Y/N standing out for her different footwork, but it somehow blended perfectly with the Fire Nation steps used by the young soldier with her.

          Zuko could only stand and stare from the doorway as Y/N smiled widely, her feet speeding up as the song did, moving impossibly smoothly yet quickly across the floor, taking the young soldier with her. He couldn't quite recognize the soldier, but his name was quickly beginning to rise in chants from the forming circle, Zaji.

          Y/N put her hands on Zaji's shoulders, telling him to stay still, and began a strange dance around the formed circle, the taps and slides of her shoes making a rather that complemented the music playing. Zuko couldn't imagine how amazing it would sound had she'd been dancing where it probably originated from, on ice.

          Even being on metal, she slid gracefully side to side, yelling joyously as everyone else joined in again, Zaji spinning her and tossing her around, laughing.

          Zuko entered the room, only a few soldiers noticing and giving each other nervous looks.

          "What's going on in here?" Zuko asked Iroh, who was taking a break from the horn, given that all the dancing was just to drums. Iroh smiled up at him.

          "What does it look like? Dancing! Everything has been so tense recently, the crew needs it. Y/N seems to fit right in, doesn't she? Or rather, stand out. She brings a new atmosphere, dancing Watertribe footwork along to Fire Nation music. It's quite impressive, and Zaji seems so somehow be able to keep up!" He laughed, watching as Zaji dipped Y/N low to the ground, allowing her to slip a little so he could flip her over, landing her perfectly on her feet.

          Zuko glared at the dancing men as they all cheered, the song ending and Y/N and Zaji taking a pose, both laughing as Zaji almost dropped her, making her yelp in fright. 

          A calmer song started, and most people dispersed to grab something to drink or eat, talking amongst each other. 

          "Look who's here! You must have slept well." Y/N smiled as she sipped some water, walking up to Zuko, who glowered down at her.

          "Are you the cause of this?" He asked, and she rolled her eyes.

          "You say that like I set your entire ship on fire, and we're sinking. Yes, I am the start of this catastrophe, Ki knew how to play the drums, and Zaji and I wanted to dance, people just noticed and joined us over the course of the evening, so don't feel bad for not getting invited, there wasn't a schedule or anything."

          "So you come to my ship and start partying?" Zuko asked, his voice rising. So this is what you were doing, you said you would come and check on me. Y/N frowned, leaning on the wall next to him and finishing her water.

          "Your crew is ready for any orders, all drinks are obviously non alcoholic, and we're being responsible about it. If you need something, we aren't busy. I just noticed how uptight everyone always is. You should join us for a bit." She offered, noticing Zaji walking up, carrying three cups of some sort of punch. 

          Y/N took one for herself, and handed the third to Zuko, who hesitantly took it. She moved to take a sip, but Zuko stopped her.

          "Wait. How do you know it isn't poisoned, drugged or anything?" He said, looking at Zaji for a moment.

          "Zuko, Zaji is one of your soldiers, trust him with your life." Y/N reminded him. "We don't even have access to that kind of stuff on the ship, are you feeling alright? I know you hit your head earlier..." she peered at him closely, and Zuko splashed the punch at her face, only for it to be waterbent right back into his cup moments later.

          "Stop that. You're being a jerk." Y/N warned, drinking from her cup. "Come and dance with us for the next song."

          "No." Zuko said flatly, putting the drink down on a nearby table. 

          "I mean, I'm dancing, with or without you, but I encourage you to join me. What? Do you not know how to dance? I can teach you." Y/N set down her cup, recognizing the current song was coming to an end. 

          Zuko glanced at Zaji, who stood there uncomfortably, looking eager to get back to the dance floor instead of listening to the conversation. He looked to be a year or two older, he was taller, and had a stronger build, handsome features and slightly curly black hair. 

          He opened his mouth to say no again, but then remembered the huge smiles on Y/N and Zaji's faces when they danced together. 

          "I can dance." He stated, looking at Zaji in the eyes before he could think about what he was saying. "I'll dance for one song. That's it." 

                             —|〰️〰️〰️|—

                                Y/N's POV

          Y/N collapsed on her bed, dead tired. Zuko had ended up dancing for the remaining time people were there, which was for maybe two hours, about 26 songs. 

          He had been right, he could dance, amazingly well, too, but the sour look on his face for the first two songs had been hilarious. Y/N pointed it out, and he eventually lost the stinky attitude, teaching her several Fire Nation partner dances and dancing with her.

          Several crewmen asked her to preform a traditional dance, to which she gladly complied, icing the floor to set the normal stage for herself.

          Overall, the night had been a blast, and she had managed to catch Zuko smiling a bit, mostly during the partner dances. He hadn't said anything before leaving, simply dispersing with the rest of the crew to go to bed.

          Y/N slept extremely well from her exhaustion, but almost hit the ceiling when she woke up to the sound of metal being ripped to shreds.