(no subject)

[princeinexile]

The closer to the moon it gets, the more Zuko avoids the bar. Soon he'll go outside to see if he changes or not-- but the wolf is rattling it's cage inside, and the moon swells and it's like his breath is harder to take for it--

So he sits in his room and sulks.

He still hasn't met his puppies. Are they even his puppies anymore? He supposes they shouldn't be. He did kill their mother. Guilt.

Yup, just another guilty, moody day at Casa de la Zuko.

Comments

[alwaysroomforhope]

The puppies are outside. That's where they spend most of their time - they like to run.

But Steph's had enough running. And Zuko's being cranky again, isn't he? It's like a Bat-sense, only it's more of a cranky-sense.

Knock, knock.

On the window.

Skaterugs, baby.

[princeinexile]

Yes, there's Zuko. Being CRANKY.

Sulk sulk sulk sword sharpening (no really that isn't a euphimism) sulk sulk sulk.

BUT LOOK.

THROUGH WHAT YONDER WINDOW BREAKS.

STEPHANIE!

And all that rot.

He's blinking but at his window soon enough, peering out at her. "...what are you doing?"

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Visiting you. Look, it's all bright sunshine and blue sky out here, isn't it great?"

COME OUT AND PLAY.

AND NOT SULK.

[princeinexile]

Sulk sulk sulk sulk.

"You couldn't come by the door?"

Zuko, purposefully obtuse.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Doors," Steph says firmly, "are for those without skaterugs. Come on, it's so nice out."

There could be making out in the sunlight. Don't firebenders like sun? She blinks wide blue eyes appealingly at him.

[princeinexile]

Yes, but werewolves like the moon, so these days he's a little conflicted.

"Do you need me to grab my rug, or can you fly that thing with both of us on there?"

And if so, can we somehow have skaterug sex later?

[alwaysroomforhope]

"I can fly it with anything on," Steph says, grinning. "You just have to hold on tight. And not mind getting all squished up. I mean, there's not much personal space."

Because, y'know, he's totally going to object to getting up close and personal with his girl. In mid-air.

[princeinexile]

Yeah. So much. So much that close means like an ass barnacle.

Zuko is there and situated. "Fly on, Robin!"

[alwaysroomforhope]

Skaterug sex is so on the agenda.

Steph pumps a fist in triumph as they hit the sky. Item #1 - Mission Get Zuko Out Of His Suite - accomplished!

Now for Item #2. Grass, puppies and snogging, although not necessarily in that order.

[princeinexile]

Zuko just makes that 'hurk' noise people do when they're suddenly in motion when they weren't a secnod ago. But he holds on for dear life...

Even if he probably could handle a fall at this height and speed.

Really.

[alwaysroomforhope]

She'd catch him. And then never quit skiting about it, even if he hadn't needed to be caught in the first place, ninja that he is.

It's nice to be flying all snug against her boy, especially in this kind of golden-sunshine weather. She misses him when he goes all sulky!

So. She swoops out over the lake, and then soars down to a landing on the lawn, near where Gheri is busily trying to eat Gifr's tail. There's lots of yipping and excited panting as they come in.

[princeinexile]

"Spirits, they got big fast."

Little does he realize they're going to be the size of ponies. PONIES! He hops off the rug and tilts his head. Hello. I've missed you. Even if he barely got to see you. You've grown!

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph beams, hopping off the rug and catching it to tuck into her pocket. She'll just sit back here while he gets familiar with his puppies.

See, if Katara could see this, the way he cares about the little things, the people who can't care about themselves - he's not really the big bad at all.

Yeah, that'll be Steph, sitting over there on the grass watching him adoringly. It's almost pathetic, really. She just looks so happy.

[princeinexile]

The puppies are-- not skittish at all. They come over to sniff and paw and wriggle and there Zuko goes down in a heap of oversized paws, slobber and gray fur.

...Katara would probably be very weirded by a prince rolling around in the grass with puppies. But he is glad; they tell him their names and eh gives them his, and he is glad, briefly, for the moon in his throat. They know who he is-- but they also know who Steph is; he is male, alpha, older -- papa -- but she is the careataker, who nutured and gentled -- mama -- and thus do they become a pack of four.

Eventually he is over with her, sprawled with his head on her legs, and puppies that come over to nudge, sniff, and occasionally flop before play becomes a better option.

"They're happy and healthy," he says to Stephanie. "Thank you for taking care of them... but I think they can come back with me now -- though I may have to ask Bar for a bigger suite."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"They like it outside better anyway," she says, running her hands through his hair softly. He has nice hair. "They're not really inside dogs."

And she's slightly relieved, too. Steph likes dogs well enough, but she isn't really a Dog Person. Still ... "I can still come play with them, right?"

[princeinexile]

"We'll go outside a lot," Zuko says. Full moon is coming up -- they'll spend days out together, like it or not. But he rolls over and blinks at her.

"Well," he says. "I know you have... a suite..."

But there is the Big Question there. "But if I can get something bigger-- and you a key..."

...he is totally asking you to move in on one of those Permanent Basis sort of things.

In a delightfully idiotic, stilted sort of way.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It takes a moment for Steph to realise, and then she goes !!!!

And then :/.



Because what if what if they hate each other soon, or what if he - wants to, wants to do something stupid like marry her or something, or what if she has to leave, or what if - she's still just a little frightened of that 'commitment' thing, what with the Billy Thing and all, and this would really be - a change. If they were living together, then it means it's more than just a, a hormones thing, it means she'd really like him, and maybe even there's maybe even the l-word involved, and ... she doesn't want to trap him into anything, or anything, and and and what if what if what if ...

"...okay!"

:D!! again. Consequences, whaaaa? Those are for other people! People not Steph!

[princeinexile]

OH DON'T START OR ZUKO WILL STOP GOING WITH THIS ANIMAL INSTINCT THING AND HE WILL GO BACK TO HUMAN ANGSTING.

But he isn't. There is more impulse these days, mroe instinct. She mothers, he fathers-- they're puppies, that's okay, right? And -- that's that.

He smiles for her-- rarely does he like this wide even for her, and rolls over, nuzzling her hip.

"I don't know how to get a -- suite thing. Do we ask nicely of Bar? Or something?"

[alwaysroomforhope]

See, even if she hadn't already decided to ignore any potential consequences, that smile would've done it for her. There's very little Steph wouldn't do to get him to smile like that.

Not that she'll ever admit it, of course. But it's truth, all the same.

"I think so. I did last time I moved." There's a big answering smile on her own face, too. Just a little silly. "Bar's good like that."

[princeinexile]

"Alright," Zuko says, and reaches up to touch her face. "We'll have to talk to Bar, then."

Zuko doesn't like talkig to Bar. Maybe Stephanie should! After all, Bar is connected to her sister's boyfriend. This is a leg up on the whole thing. They could get a really nice suite that way!

[alwaysroomforhope]

Will it have a balcony? There's gotta be a balcony, or how's she gonna dive into the lake in the mornings?

"I'll ask her later," Steph promises.

She's all squeeing inside. But you'd never know.

Okay, you'd totally know.

[princeinexile]

"Okay," Zuko says, and nuzzles her again. He is happy now! His girlfriend is moving in with him! Like, really! Not just having a key to the suite, but really really!

Yes, he's excited. Which is why he's smiling still.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It's a Big Step! Steph is more excited than she knows how to deal with.

So clearly this calls for wriggling around until she's in a position to drape herself all over him and kiss him. With feeling.

"'s gonna be awesome!"

[princeinexile]

This leads to rolling in the grass and rumpled make out.

That's always win in Zuko's book. Especially with the supercharged werewolf libido that is always ready.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It's never not win in Steph's, either...

At some stage, though, there's a bit of a pause - wait, we're outside, I bet Mel's sitting on her balcony and laughing, maybe we should just settle - and she slows down, content as well to lie on the grass with him.

And still with a huge big smile, when they're not connected at the mouth like Siamese twins. Because - squee!!! - really!