[in garden; locked to snoozles and sparky]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[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.]

Comments

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

I'm telling you-- nothing happened!

[Zuko pinches the bridge of his nose just a little harder and lets the hand fall away, staring at Sokka in disbelief -- Agni-damnit, boy, the new Fire Lord is telling the truth! ... To a degree.]

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Uh-huh. Sokka snorts. Loudly. Then he tosses up his hands up, because, whatever. Katara is still going to get a talking to regardless.]

FINE. She shouldn't have attacked you. I'll tell her that. But you keep your hot paws to yourself, alright fire boy? You're my friend and all Zuko but she's my little sister. So--yeah.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

I tried to see if she was alright, but she just kept smacking my hand away. [It's a mutter of words and Zuko scowls now. He folds his arms over his chest, his stance taking up a defensive one.

It's going to take a bit of getting used to - this whole "friend" thing. But like his Uncle Iroh would say - keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Or something like that.]

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

Yeah well if you had attacked me just before that then I would have smacked your hand away too.

But... I will talk to her, okay? I mean, if you're actually going to join us then she can't be going around attacking you.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

I shouldn't be. It's not... right. [He finishes rather lamely. He's struggling with it still and it shows, but at least the scowl has melted away and he's just clenching his jaw.]

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Who cares what you think, Zuko? Despite the tiff over Katara, Sokka's mind is good and made up--he can see the future, after all. And he's really not listening.] I'm sure your sister will get over it, I mean honestly I don't think she likes you much anyway. No offense. I just don't think she likes anything very much.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

... She won't like me at all if she finds out I was the one to defeat her. [Now he's frowning. He's still not sure if he can even trust the Avatar's word.]

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

... I can see her not exactly loving that. Wait. YOU defeat her? [Blinkblink--AND HAVE A THUMBS UP AND A SMACK ON THE SHOULDER!] Good job!

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Jolts under that smack to the shoulder and shoots him a surprised look. And then scowls. Always count on Zuko to turn surly. Which is always.] That's what the Avatar told me.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

I'm sure Aang's probably right. But if he's okay with it then it means you didn't kill her, either--he's not one for that sort of thing. So, she's probably just locked up in a prison somewhere with your dad...

[Oh so uncaring, Sokka.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[No kidding. Zuko says nothing for a long moment.</small.] ... Are we done here?

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

Um.

[Sokka blinks and looks at Zuko, being all silent.] Hey, I didn't...

[His eyebrows draw toward each other.] Zuko. I'm sorry... I mean. I do get that this isn't easy for you. But I know that you can be a good guy. I know you can.

sob. html fail.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

It's... This is just a lot to take in, alright? [Zuko folds his arms over his chest, eyes averting.]

The last time I saw any of you, we were fighting in the Old Catacombs in Ba Sing Se. I chose my side then.

Are you telling me that I need to rethink my choice?

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

... To tell you the truth, I don't think you really made one then. You just went for the path of least resistance. The way Katara told it, I don't know. She really believed for a minute that you weren't the jerk we all thought you were. To convince her you must have done something right.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[He falls silent, remembering that day. What had taken place before the fight. Quietly, he responds with;] ... We spoke of our mothers. And I told her about my scar...

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Sokka gets serious at Zuko's words. That would have definitely been the way to reach Katara--mom.] Why did you pick Azula?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko finally looks at him, directly. Face to face, eye to eye. He falls into the same silence as moments ago and closes his eyes, head lowering.] It's not something I expect you to understand.

[bendthis.livejournal.com]

[Sokka doesn't bristle at what he might have otherwise taken as an insult. Maybe it's the way Zuko looked at him.] Why not? Explain it to me.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[He opens his eyes and looks at Sokka again, meeting his gaze.] Redemption. Honor. My... father's forgiveness and acceptance. I could stand at his side as his son once again and not some disappointment. Or failure.

Azula had promised me all of that which I had yearned for for so long.

Uncle had begged me not to listen to her. To look into my heart and see what it was I truly wished for. But what I wanted - only Azula could give me.