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[princeinexile]

It's a beautiful sight in the bathroom. Really. Turtleduck poop and one very much put upon malamute who is cuddled up with five baby turtleducks.

"...why didn't you tell me that's all they needed?" he asks the dog accusingly. "I've been sleeping in the bar!"

Xu Ning looks apologetic, but can offer no excuse. She does, however, seem to wish to foist the ducks off on their daddy so she can go get some sleep of her own.

They begin to cry almost as soon as they are disrupted by the dog's rising and padding off.

Comments

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph gives Xu Ning plenty of space. Still not sure how the dog feels about her. When she's out of the way, though, Steph goes to kneel down by the turtleducks, avoiding the poop with NINJALIKE DEXTERITY.

"They're adorable!"

Look out, Zuko, you have competition. She'll leave you for turtleduck babies without a second thought.

[princeinexile]

Xu Ning goes to groom her forelegs like a cat might in a corner. She is miffed. She is always miffed when Stephanie is involved.

Zuko just rolls his eyes and goes to get a some bread. It's next to a jar that chirps. Bar provided crickets, but they don't get those until, y' know, the bathroom door is shut so they don't get everywhere and CHIRP ALL FUCKING NIGHT.

"There are three girls and two boys. The boys bills are darker."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph pets, tentatively at first, and then with more confidence.

THE CUTE OVERWHELMS HER.

"This one's called ... Jemima," she decides. "And this one's Tabitha, and this one's ... I guess it has to be Beatrix."

That's for the girls!

"And so these guys have to be Tom and Peter, of course."

But secretly one of them's Zuko Junior.

[princeinexile]

They cry and cry and cry for touches and one of the boys (I think that is Peter!) latches to her finger and pinches her HARD.

He must be Zuko Jr. Trying to win love with biting.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It worked for Senior, so it must be a viable plan!

Steph goes >(, though. "Hey, little guy, no. No eating Aunty Steph's finger, or she'll eat you." Careful detachment, and more petting.

She only has two hands and there are five turtleducks! Lucky they're small. Hurry up with the food, Daddy, the kids are hungry!

[princeinexile]

This is strange bread. Bread with bits of... stuff in it.

They look vaguely like bugs. All hail bar!

But Zuko sits down, and they realize who has the food, and suddenly his lap is LOADED WITH THE BABIES. EEEEE. "TAke some and help!" He's sort of swamped.

HERE TAKE SOME BREAD!

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Fickle creatures," Steph says sternly. "You won't get petted!"

Of course, once she's got a handful of (bug?) bread, their affections are restored. Tom and Junior race each other up her knees. She giggles.

"They tickle!"

Has he been feeding them all on his own till now? Steph thinks that is possibly the cutest thing ever. Also, Steph wishes she had her mask on, so she could take a picture of the big bad fire prince with his lap full of CUTE.

[princeinexile]

"Of course they're fickle. Right now the only thing they worry about is being kept warma and being fed!" Zuko says with laughter,

That would hardly be the least incriminating picture Zuko's had at the bar; the last one invovled Veronica Mars and Stuff On My Cat-- only it was Zuko. Somewhere, there's a picture of the prince asleep at a table with army men all over him.

Somewhere.

Best not to ask where.

But little paddle feet are pawing up her front, long necks extending for bug-bread and yes, those toes have small digger claws on the ends, thick and yes, a little sharp. At least, they tend to gouge.

Zuko quietly exists in a state of plausible deniability and just feeds his slightly more docile girls. "TAbitha, and --how are you going to tell which is which?"

[alwaysroomforhope]

"The bitiest one is J ... Peter," Steph says, as if it's obvious, cuddling them. Sharp little claws hold no fear for Robins! Possibly for Robins' shirts, but not for the Robin herself. And she's got lots of shirts. It's okay if this one gets holes in. "The other one is Tom."

"And ... maybe we could put ribbons on the girls to tell them apart?"

Jemima would have a blue one. She can't remember what colour Tabitha should have, though.

"Do you have ribbons?"

[princeinexile]

This is your 'are you stupid?' look for the day, Steph.

Does he have ribbon. No!

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Maybe Katara will lend us ribbons, then." No problem!

She turns her attention back to the turtleducks. Junior is clawing at her stomach. He really is the bitiest one.

"No wonder you were sleeping in the bar. They're so ... energetic!"

[princeinexile]

"We don't need to get anything from Katara!"

GRR ARGH GRR!

[alwaysroomforhope]

"She's nice, though," Steph protests. "And she looks like the sort of girl who'd have ribbons."

And the acquisition of ribbons is vastly important.

[princeinexile]

"She's not nice!" Zuko protests veheremently. "She's my enemy!"

Sometimes he forgets this 'no business in the bar' rule.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph gently dislodges Junior from her shirt and distracts Tom with more bread.

"But she's a nice enemy. I bet she'd lend you ribbons if you asked nicely."

[princeinexile]

There is much violent shredding of bread.

"I'm not asking her for anything!"

[alwaysroomforhope]

Jemima and Tabitha and Beatrix appreciate the shredding, if not the violence. So does Junior. He claws his way over Steph's knees to get in on the action.

Tom is quite happy to stay cuddled in Steph's lap, though. HE knows who's in charge here.

"I'll ask, then. That's okay."

So that's settled!

"Is there more bread? We're gonna run out soon."

[princeinexile]

Bits of bread is scattered-- some is snatched from his hand by who might be Beatrix, because she is awfully fierce. Snap snap snap!

"You shouldn't ask her for anything. She'll tell you lies about me," he says. Well, they won't ENTIRELY be lies, but...

Either way. Shouldn't talk to her.

[alwaysroomforhope]

:o! Steph is offended on Katara's behalf. "She would not. She's nice. I bet you'd be friends if you gave her a chance."

Steph is firm in her belief that everyone can be friends if they give it a chance. The only exceptions are people like Joker or Black Mask. They don't get chances.

[princeinexile]

"She isn't 'nice'. She's a mudblooded Waterbender peasant. And-- she keeps trying to feed me!"

... yes, he's offended because she's trying to be nice to him and feed him and pity him. ISN'T THAT HORRIBLE? "She's Nothing I want to know! I abhor her. She's a prodigy brat, and she travels with the Avatar."

So there.

The turtleducklings do ont like arguing, and bite at fingers and cry because Zuko overheats and jostles them when he gets all tempermental!

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph is laughing at him. But she's pretending to only be laughing at the turtleducklings biting.

He doth protest too much. Steph just knows they're all going to end up happy friends. She can feel it in her bones.

... or is that Tom pooping on her leg she can feel.

"Ew! No! Bad turtleduckling! Aw, man..."

[princeinexile]

Now it's Zuko's turn to laugh. "Good thing we're in the bathroom. You can clean up."

The tub, however, is full of water. And a few turds. Cause you know, he's gotta rinse it out soon, and hasn't yet. He begins to move the turtleduck out of his lap and going to get her some paper towel.

Laughing every step of the way.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Jerk," Steph says, but she can't help but laugh a very little herself.

Tom looks guilty. Steph ruffles his fuzzy head. "It's okay, little one. You didn't know any better. I'm not angry reall - hey. DON'T YOU DARE DO IT AGAIN." She holds him out, away from her, ignoring the angry quaaa of the others.

THEY FEEL IGNORED.

"...Zuko?" Sheepish. "Do you have any spare trousers I can borrow?"

Not walking around in pooey pants, kthx.

[princeinexile]

"Put them in the tub and let them swim," He calls back and then comes back with paper towel to clean her jeans and -- wait what?

YOU WANT IN HIS PANTS?

"Nothing that'll FIT you." Sure he's not that tall, but still! He goes off to dig into his clothing, and then tosses a set of sweat pants at her and then starts to gather turtleducklings. Into the tub and stop crying, you're fed and cuddled.

THey seem to feel a little better about this.

'cept junior. He chases his sisters and nips them.

[camwyn]

(Totally belated, but...

Saw this. Thought of you.)