(no subject)

[princeinexile]

Stephanie was not in Zuko's room; there was evidence of her being here, though-- the puppies place had been settled in, and there were some of her clothes here. Zuko ignored it all and stagged toward the bathroom and turned on the shower on SCALDING.

... he'd be in there a while. Don't worry, he won't drown!

Comments

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

It had been a long and...worrisome journey. Step after step, mile after mile, tracking the prints of the osterich-horse, until he'd reached that small town where the trail had disappeared. Where a family was trying to recover from their livestock being destroyed by a vicious wolf.

Worrisome.

Over time, a door had opened for him, as Iroh knew it eventually would, and he found his way back to Milliways. The first place he went was Zuko's room, and sure enough, someone was in the shower. There was steam billowing out under the door, and that made it obvious as to who it was.

Iroh found the kettle and started making tea.

Of course.

[princeinexile]

The young man eventually staggers out o the shower in -- well, not much. Boxer shorts for comfort. He still can't get the taste of gore out of his teeth, but-- what do you do, anyway?

But-- wait--

Tea.

"U--uncle!"

ZOMG UNCLE HE COULD HUG YOU. THAT IS HOW EMOTIONAL HE IS RIGHT NOW, wobbling into the kitchen to LOOK AT YOU WITH BIG SAD EYES.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

"I made some tea." He saw those sad eyes: what else could be said under these circumstances?

Tea fixed all ills.

[princeinexile]

Zuko comes closer, but does not reach out, bridge the gap, or embrace the old man. He just looks-- tired.

A gust of wind and he might cross that distance, but the air is still today.

"Thank you," he says simply.

For the tea, of course.

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

Iroh didn't need wind. He was the Dragon of the Freakin' West, baby--he had wings. Fuck wind.

Iroh put the tea service down on the table, and approached his nephew slowly. "I was tracking you. I followed you all the way to that little Earth Kingdom village--was that when you came back here? I lost your trail then."

[princeinexile]

Zuko is very still, very weary; he doesn't move as his uncle approaches, watching him with a drawn, wan face.

"Sort of. I -- went beyond it, but -- had to back track. I went to find you. There's..."

He looks awkward now, and then says, very quietly, "I have a problem I can't fix on my own. I need your help."

Zuko has never been good at asking for help.

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. He'd fix it as quickly as possible and then let it go as if he'd never asked. It was best for Zuko's pride that way.

[princeinexile]

"You knows-- Wells' condition. It can be -- transfered, someone infected-- by a bite. He-- didn't-- mean to-- but--"

There was a swallow, and-- Zuko lifted his head. He wouldn't cower over it like a child! That was foolish. He ground his teeth, looked away, and then look back at Iroh.

"He bit me and passed on the infection. I'm a wolf inside now. It--comes out--under the moon. Arithon has bound it, but... the moon--"

He feels it, like some waterbender would.

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

Which wasn't necessarily a horrible thing, understanding the flow of the tides, feeling the moon.

If you weren't a Firebender.

Iroh had studied Waterbending technique and one thing he had learned from his studies and practice was that some things could be shared and understood, some techniques could be passed on.

But at the heart of it, A Firebender would always be tied to the sun. The moon was too calm, too placid, it stilled the natural fires.

Aside from being firghtening and traumatizing, it was for that reason the whole wolf thing really wasn't going to work.

Iroh nodded in understanding. "You will have to meditate with me, and study very hard. You have the spirit of a wolf tied to your own, and the only way to fix the spirit is to go to the spirit world--you must learn to spirit-walk with me."

[princeinexile]

What little air Zuko had left in him sort of... leaves him. He seems to deflate.

It's what he expected to be told.

But he straightens a moment later and nods, before he says, "I won't disappoint you."

Even if he probably will.

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

He won't.

"You won't."

Another pause and really, former general and heir to the throne though he was, Iroh was a naturally affectionate man.

He stepped forward crossing that gulf between then and gave Zuko a big, warm hug.

[princeinexile]

Zuko startles a little at the motion, but really-- shouldn't he expect it? Iroh has always loved him, protected him, since...
You know, ever since my son died...
He was still for a moment; he'd -- lost this, somehow, he realized. He wasn't-- sure anymore. Stephanie was different; it was sexual, or had that undercurrent there, and-- this was--
Uncle, you don't have to...
This was, for some reason, hard. But he lifted his hands around the old man's waist, settling them for a moment; his head bowed but the contact still light. He wasn't a little boy, who could throw his arms around family anymore. This was the best he could do.
I think of you as my own.
A moment later, he slowly began to untangle himself. "I'll do my best."

[ginsengdragon.livejournal.com]

Iroh let go, briefly resting his beefy hands on his nephew's shoulders, reassuring him with their weight, before finally letting go and moving to sit down and have his tea.

"Is Stephanie well?" Iroh asked.

[princeinexile]

"Uh."

You know, he's only been human an hour or two. He honestly hasn't seen her.

"I don't know," He finally says. "I'm sure Wells will tell her where I am, though."