Zukka pirate au :))
When the first vessel appears, Zuko isn't surprised.
Nor is he by the next few that ascend up from the thick cloud cover below. He had been anticipating this; it was only a matter of time before retaliation came, and Zuko is well aware that there's nothing more pirates love than engaging in showy shenanigans, even over any concerns for fuel conservation.
(He admittedly hadn't been expecting the rest of them. After the twentieth one rises up to surround the ship, he stops counting and starts reconsidering how strong his own alliances are.)
But it's fine, he had made preparations, warned the crew and everything, so when he stands at the helm of the ship he's at least grateful that they all stand at the ready with him.
Granted, there's only so much his crew are willing to do when it comes to getting involved in...this. So, really, there's not that much of a fight before the feared Captain Bonegrave is striding up to Zuko and shoving him against the galver.
"I can't believe you left me behind at Floating Rock!"
"I can't believe you have this many friends," Zuko fires back, because there are more raised flags out in there the sky that he doesn't recognize than he does, which is both pretty impressive and maybe a little intimidating.
(Bonegrave Sokka is an enigma that will never stop leaving Zuko utterly awed.)
"You stole my boat," Sokka snarls, then pushes him harder into the wooden wheel just for good measure.
Zuko viciously grins back at him. "You pissed me off."
"And you stole my boomerang, and my—"
"Heart?" Zuko guesses, smirking, and if Sokka wasn't so angry at him he'd probably be laughing. Instead, he just rolls his eyes and yanks Zuko around toward the open space of the stern.
"Shut it."
Within seconds, Zuko has both his blades drawn and ready. Sokka pulls out his own sword—instantly, Zuko can hear the distant roaring sound of applause from the other ships all around them.
He huffs. Friends who are also a happy audience, apparently.
"Listen. I've come to get my boat back—"
With a rattling clang, Sokka's sword knocks away one of Zuko's.
"My stuff—"
It doesn't take long for Zuko to disarm Sokka, much to the pirates' entertained cheering, but it doesn't matter. It only gives Sokka the opportunity to dart closer and wrap a strong arm around Zuko's waist, pulling him right into his chest.
Zuko quickly drops his other sword to avoid any accidental slicing. His hands come up to steady himself on Sokka's shoulders, his fingers brush against the bright red thread woven into the long braid at his temple.
He glares hard in the face of Sokka's triumphant leer.
"And," Sokka murmurs, leaning in until Zuko can just barely feel the ghost of lips against his own, making him shiver. "I've come to take back everything else aboard my ship."
