witchesreign | [in garden; locked to snoozles and sparky]

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[in garden; locked to snoozles and sparky]

[While Garden was docked in Dollet, Zuko had no care to wander out like the rest of the cadets had eagerly and curiously done. He stayed inside. Inside his dorm room was more like it, flipping through the pages of one of his textbooks. There was a faint scowl growing on his face and his page-flipping picks up the pace until he's slamming the book shut and shoving it to the other side of his bed.

His roommate was out; he had the entire dorm to himself.

There's a faint noise at the main door of the room itself and Zuko tilts his good ear towards it, listening intently. As silent as ever he rises from the bed and quietly stalks out of his room and into the front area to see a piece of slightly crumpled paper at the door. Crumpled as though someone had struggled to get the paper into the room from underneath the door.

Zuko moves to it and crouches, snatching it up, pulling it open to read familiar characters:

Good Guy,
I think we should talk. Come alone, the training center, 1130pm. Tell no one.

From,
Another good guy.

A quick step out into the hallway reveals no one there and Zuko narrows his eyes, the paper crumpling in his fist as he curls it slowly.]

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[Sokka is pleased with his plan. It's not like he's missed the jerkbender's bad jokes and awkward company, but... okay. He sorta has. In that way that you miss an annoying little cousin that you have to play with but then when they're gone you're alone and playing by yourself is DEFINITELY no where near as fun as playing with someone else.

Um, yeah. Something like that.

Plus, while it's good that the nightmares have been steadily petering off, now Sokka has a lot of time to think about other stuff. Like what happened with Azula the first day in Climbing class. The look on her face. Sokka kinda wonders if maybe she's not so evil crazy as he thought--and that's a bad thought to have but having Zuko back on the right side might... he doesn't know. Make her better? Or maybe worse. But there's Katara to think of, and now Toph and Aang too. Not to mention that since Ace disappeared Sokka's been thinking that maybe his time is limited. He has to do something.

And so; his well crafted note. A subtle nudge. There's no way that Zuko can resist meeting him, even if it's just to come yell at him (or throw some fire but Sokka hopes it won't come to that) about how he's not a "good guy." See? Perfect plan.

In the training center at 11:30, Sokka waits just inside the doors, pacing a little back and forth across the grass.]

[11:30, and Zuko turns the corner of the low hedges to make the trek to the white long stretch of white corridor. The Training Center. Ever since he arrived in Garden he had never really bothered to seek this area out much, taking his firebending exercises out into the courtyard where there was plenty of ample space. And where he didn't run the risk of burning the structure down from the inside with all the foliage.

He pauses just in front of the doors and they slide open, the detectors sensing him. He steps in only to stop in his tracks at the sight of Katara's brother pacing just a few feet in front of him.

Zuko narrows his eyes slowly. And says nothing. Just glares.]

[Sokka might not think some things through as well as he could, but he's a boss at tactical planning. Hence the training center. Where Zuko could burn the Garden down if things get out of hand. Of course that's assuming that the Fire Nation boy still has a heart to care about it--but Sokka bets he does.

His head turns at the sound of the doors hissing open and... hmmm. Well, that's about how he thought it would be. Even after Zuko came over to their side he still glared at everything he could.

... Or MAYBE that's just the scar and he's really smiling on the inside!

Yeah, right.]

Hey! Uh--funny seeing you here, huh?

[Zuko pulls out the half-crumpled paper from the pocket of his pants and holds it up for Sokka to see.]

... So. Talk.

[Shoves the paper back into his pocket, not taking his eyes off the other male. If Snoozles here tries to lie his way out of writing the note, Sparky's not that stupid. He'll know.]

[Well, hey. Sokka's okay with getting down to business. He crosses his arms over his chest and puts on a Very Serious Look.] Okay, so. You're a good guy. [Direct attack!] You're one of us. Team Avatar. I know my sister's all down on the idea but I promise that she'll come around! You know how she can be.

... Or maybe you don't... but you will! I mean. In our world. Well not our current world, I mean, but the world that we actually come from with the platypus bears and flying bisons and sea prunes and Benders and--

-- Stopping Azula from frying you doesn't make me one of you. [Zuko cuts him off suddenly. He's about five seconds from turning to leave.]

Is this really why you called me here? You're wasting my time. And your breath.

[Didn't it? Why would a Fire Nation prince care about two Southern Water Tribe kids otherwise? Sokka knows that Zuko gets it--even if he gets it way, way, way, WAY deep down.]

I don't think I am. You're the one who actually showed up here tonight. Maybe you're just waiting to be convinced. I can tell you about how you took on your dad, did some fancy [waggles fingers] redirection of lightning that you learned from your Uncle. Or about how you sent Combustion Man after us--which for the record? wasn't cool--but then when he wouldn't back down you fought to help us. Want more? I have a ton.

I-- You--! The only reason I showed up here was because of your stupid love note! [Pulls it out of his pocket, crumples it, and sets his fist on fire before chucking the disintegrating paper ball of fire at Sokka.

That's what he thinks of your love, Sokka. That's what he thinks!]

Edited 2010-07-28 13:31 (UTC)

[Love... note? One of Sokka's eyebrows hike upward but that's before he's yelling and jumping back to avoid the FIERY ASH AIMED AT HIS FACE.]

Don't do that!! Look, you stopped Azula from roasting me--why'd you bother if you don't believe me? AND IT WAS NOT STUPID IT GOT YOU HERE AND THAT WAS THE PLAN.

[With the hop back that Sokka took, Zuko stepped forward to recover that lost distance.]

Obviously I made a big mistake in stopping her.

[Okay, okay let's all calm down and be reasonable here. Sokka likes his face very much and he would rather not see it melted off by his friend...

His friend.

Sokka's body relaxes, his expression (for once) quiet.]

Then go ahead. Burn me. If that's what you think you should do then do it. I won't even stop you. [He's pretty sure he's serious about this, because Zuko won't do it. Right?]

[That would make him no better than his father. And that's a path Zuko vowed he would never go down. No matter what the circumstances were.

As annoying as Sokka is, and can be, Zuko doesn't see that as a valid reason to just burn him, not even when the water tribe youth is giving him permission.]

Because you can't.

[Trying to cover up his disbelief with a scowl, Zuko points to the scarring on his left eye.] You think this is some kind of joke? To be burned and scarred by fire-- it is the worst pain you could ever imagine feeling. It never leaves you. The pain. The scars.

You're more foolish than I thought.

Edited 2010-07-28 14:08 (UTC)

You don't think I know what pain is? How it never goes away? [Oh and that's real disbelief in his voice, real anger as he steps forward.] I know first-hand that fire's not a joke, Zuko. Fire destroyed my village. My family. FIRE did that. But you know what? It taught me a lesson, too. You have to fight for the people you care about. Your friends. You have to keep fighting because a home isn't important if you don't have anyone there with you.

You. Are. My. Friend. [He actually pokes Zuko in the chest with each of the words.] So if it takes getting burned to make you remember that, then go ahead. It's a pain I'm willing to live with.

[. . . So that little speech kind of stuns the Fire Nation prince. Zuko just stares at the other boy, practically eye-to-eye level, bright gold to bright blue. The jabbing to his chest is also a little unexpected and he allows himself to step back in surprise on the last finger jab.

He doesn't exactly understand all of this. He never really had friends. All he had was his mother. His mother and his sister. Ty Lee and Mai were frequent visitors growing up but only because of Azula. Zuko never... had friends. Even while chasing the Avatar.

Only his Uncle Iroh.

Zuko sets his jaw and knocks Sokka's hand away, his voice quiet:] You're wrong. I don't have any friends.

[Sokka lets Zuko knock his hand away without comment. Like the prince's, his voice comes down a notch as well--but when he answers it's with no less conviction.] I'm not wrong, Zuko. You stuck by me when I needed a friend and I trust you. No matter what, I'm your friend.

Edited 2010-07-28 14:42 (UTC)

[The set in his jaw only tightens. Why does this guy keep persisting?!] You barely know me and yet you're willing to trust me so easily?

All I've ever do is hunt you and your sister and the damn Avatar. I've never helped you. Ever.

The thing is that because of this stupid time compression that I do know you, Zuko--you just don't know me. I know why you were hunting Aang! Not that honor is a great reason for trying to destroy a guy's life and end the world but hey, I get it.

Okay, so maybe none of did want to trust you when you first showed up talking crazy about having turned over a new leaf and wanting to teach Aang firebending but Appa liked you! You'd freed him in Ba Sing Se. I know you know you did. And then there was Combustion Man. And then you went to Boiling Rock with me and helped me break out my dad.

Zuko, I don't trust anything without reason. Believe me, you might not know it yet? But you've given me plenty of reasons.

And what does your sister have to say in all of this? Her and I didn't exactly start out on the greatest of terms, not with me-- uh- [Zuko immediately trails off. The hard look lessens as his brows knit; he tries to take all of this in instead, unsure, conflicted, confused. Doubtful.

How can he know Sokka's telling the truth? He seems pretty determined... And he seems like he really does know him...]

Wait. How did you know about the flying bison? How did you know it was me?

{{ooc; look at us, typos galore!}}

[Yeeeaaahhhh Katara. Well. That was a bridge Sokka would have to cross, wasn't it? He's glad when Zuko brings up Appa because that lets him just... kinda... ignore the subject of his sister. For now. Just for now!]

Because you told us. [Duh.] And when you first showed up, Appa licked you. It's kinda a dead give-away since, you know, usually he doesn't like guys who have thrown fireballs at him.

[[All the cool kids are doing it!]]

... Then it seems you and Appa have a lot in common.

[Relaxes a little further and folds his arms over his chest. Both because Sokka hadn't tried to follow up on the comment about Katara and because they were talking about Appa ... and Sokka had a way with either annoying the hell out of someone with his sense of humor or breaking the tension.]

But if you even think about licking me... [Zuko lets the unspoken warning hang between them, narrowing his eyes.]

Edited 2010-07-28 15:25 (UTC)

You might be made of meat but that doesn't mean I like Zuko-flavor. [Sokka shakes his head. Ew.] Besides, I know first hand what it feels liked to be licked and I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Bison-licked.

Different story with Suki. [Nudge nudge.]

[His face twists into a disgusted look. Ew. He really did not need to hear that.]

I do not need to hear this. I don't even know this Suki. But I can guess.

I also didn't come down here to listen to you talk about that.

[Sokka crosses his arms over his chest.] She's a Kiyoshi warrior. You know how Azula duped the King of Ba Sing Se? She took Suki's outfit, threw her into Boiling Rock, and pretended to be her.

Anyway. Do you want me to tell you more about how you're part of Team Avatar? Because I can do that.

If you won't tell me now, you'll just tell me later. Either way, it's inevitable.

[He's not sure he really wants to hear it. But ... he'll stay and listen to what Sokka has to say. Zuko still finds it ludicrous that he would join the Avatar. Not when he spent so many years tracking him.]

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