Stranded part 1: Castaway-13 (Patreon)

Zuko seems annoyed by how much you drink and force him to stop, despite your training, you can't resist. You're sweating profusely and you need to stay hydrated. Before it gets dark, you can hear a noise coming from afar. "The sea...", he turns around, nodding, so you pick up the pace and follow him, reaching a small, rocky beach in a little inlet. "A boat! You got a boat" You comment while looking at the primitive, yet picturesque vessel, anchored not too far from the shore. "Yequo, Adam". "Yes" you follow him on the black rocks down to the warm sea waters. "Oh god... it's cold!", you comment before it gets too deep to walk. You swim on the little boat and he helps you get up.

"Thanks", he seems very experienced and picks up the anchor before setting all the bushes he gathered aboard. So many to cover the entire thing, "What is all this? Food?". "I vaojj chea'go nogok joon u zeuh zoweko, tat?". "Yeah... you came here to gather food... so this is an island... an archipelago". He sighs, "Ummukonhpch neh... jih xefn unx xe neh quego", he puts his hands on your shoulders and makes you sit. "Aye aye, captain", "Fo'pp kouyt quch ijpunx zoweko xufn", he eaises the sail and the boat immediately flies on the waves, gaining speed really fast. "Whoah, ok! Ahaha! Fuck yes", you laugh before a victorious howl "Whooooooooooohoo!". He looks at you, all weirded out, and shakes his head while you take a look behind you, watching the island slowly getting farther. You sigh, look at Zuko, and then lay down on the soft vegetables that cover the entire boat.

The sea is calm, a warm wind pushes you in the right direction, and while he uses the starts to orientate, you sadly can't do the same. "Different constellations... damn... right...", "Hto jhukhj fipp jtef aj hto fuch. I xen'h kouppch noox he peer uh htoqu, i rnef ftoko i'qu veinv...". He leaves the small rudder and sits right next to you, "I sajh... pego ih. Hto nivth jrch". He sighs with a smile on his face.

The moon makes the ocean sparkle and light the world around you, while Zuko lays on his back with hands behind his head, on your right. "Are we just going to stay like this? Don't you need to...", you stop when you notice he's looking at the stars, ready to move the moment he'll see you're getting off course. "Alright, fair" you say, impressed. He grabs a branch from his left and gives it to you. "Tastes like carrot..." you comment.

He looks at you for a moment, smiling. He likes you, apparently... and maybe you start liking him too.

TO BE CONTINUED...