Human, with all the base needs of an animal -- food, sex, shelter...

[princeinexile]

He was human.

He was also glaring at the couch. The terribly incriminating couch. That had been host, recently, to a pair of heavy, older people. Heavy older people who weren't here anymore, thank god, but were there last night.

Zuko's imagination is filling in the blanks for the rumpled cushions-- and-- and--

---yeah, he hit the shower to get the heebie jeebies off pretty quick. Then he began to studiously clean the apartment of anything that shouldn't be visible -- goddman fish went back into the bathroom to hide under the sink in the Box, and a few more things went into the case under the bed and Zuko was idly realizing he's definitely gone beyond his wildest dreams where sex was concerned here in Milliways. It was like one of those -- films they showed that had X in the rating in Wells' world...

Thinking about his own sex life -- or lack thereof recently -- at least kept him from pondering his uncle's sex life any further. So the radio's on, the apartment's been straightened, and the prince is cooking. Because he can. Mmm, curry!

Comments

[alwaysroomforhope]

Everyone downstairs is human too.

They've all been human for a while, actually. Steph's been putting off bringing Gheri and Gifr back, though, because shame. Oh, God, there were old people and her underwear and if Zuko's uncle answers the door she's going to die.

But Robins are not cowards! Right? That's in the rules.

...if she still had her key she'd totally just shove them in and leave. But no. There's knocking involved. Dammit.

[princeinexile]

THere is curry on! But Zuko answers the doors and... Oh.

"You know," He says, turning around, "Wells is taking care of the dogs right now."

And possibly permanently.

He's going to ignore her and cook. Because he can.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph scowls at his back, torn between thank god it wasn't iroh and man.

And ignores the smell of curry. It makes her stomach growl. (Surviving avalanches is hungry work.)

"It's just been full moon," she points out crossly. "I figured since I took them from here I should bring them back. Besides. Ineedtopickupmystuff."

[princeinexile]

"Oh."

Yeah. SO STIRRING THE CURRY NOW. YUP. CURRY. AND STUFF. YUP. NOT AT ALL THINKING ABOUT HER STUFF.

"Fish is in the bathroom."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"You can keep the fish," Steph says sulkily. "What'm I gonna use it for?"

"...don't answer that."

Yeah, you stir that curry, Prince Sulko. Steph shoves her hands in her pockets and heads for the bedroom. The Box is somewhere. Somewhere within reach of Uncles oh God

She sticks her head back around the door, and - hesitates.

"Uh. Your uncle. Did he say anything?"

[princeinexile]

Zuk has to doubletake. "Uh, what else would you use it for?" Hello, vibrating fish do HIM little good. But when Uncle comes up, he scrunches his face. "No. He was gone by the time I could open the door. Him and his lady friend."

MUST NOT THINK ABOUT IT.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Oh God, they didn't," Steph says. BIG EYES.

[princeinexile]

Zuko hunches over the stove and says nothing.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Oh, God, they did."

Steph shakes her head as if that'll help get rid of the mental images.

"...I wish I didn't know that."

She disappears back into the bedroom.

There are noises as of clothing being rummaged through. She misses that pink jacket, dammit.

...Well, at least the OLD PEOPLE distracts her from being woestruck at the gathering-her-things job.

[princeinexile]

curry is finished and dished and Zuko sits down at the table. The dogs look at him woefully and he sighs, and gets up and gets them fed, too -- big heavy canned dogmeat and kibble and --

--yes head-patting and smiles and he loves them, big dumb things.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Coming out of the bedroom, Steph hesitates in the doorway, and then leans against it and wraps her arms around herself silently. Just watching.

...with totally not a God-I-miss-you look on her face. At least, she'll deny it for ever otherwise.

(God she misses him.)

The dogs are so excited to have Daddy back! It's painfully sweet. Steph sort of wants to kick them and say he's not staying!

[princeinexile]

Ears are ruffled and heads patted and then he sits down and they eat and it's like the awkward moment at the divorce household with the kids eating dinner with dad -- he had to have his career, you know, he didn't want to have kids, she should never have gotten pregnant, but...

...but...

His eyes stay on his plate.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph puts the bundle of stuff down.

"...that curry smells good."

Because she has to say something and break the most awkward silence ever. Curry's gotta be a fairly safe topic, right?

[princeinexile]

"More on the table," he says. And there is. And Jasmine rice.

... it's the best invite you're going to get, Steph.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It's much better than Does it? Huh. Bye! which is ... what Steph probably would've said, situations reversed.

She does that hesitating thing again - teetering on the edge of flight - and then shrugs, and gets herself a plate from the kitchen.

"Thanks."

She's just gonna sit on the other side. The dogs can sit between them and play.

[princeinexile]

You do that. Zuko's gona sit at the table and eat.

The only other place to sit is the Couch of Wrinkly Sex. SO YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD AND SIT THERE.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph hasn't made the connection yet.

Bright girl.

She's sittin'!

And picking at the food a bit, 'cos it's really just an excuse to not leave. Which she isn't actually admitting to herself.

"So."

[princeinexile]

Zuko has.

So he sits HERE. Where it's SAFE FROM UNCLE COOTIES.

"Hnnh."

He doesn't have much to say.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Most awkward meal ever.

"Okay," Steph says eventually, after toying with the curry for eternity longer, and waiting for Zuko to appear to have finished eating. "Um. That was really nice. Thanks."

She gets up, and reaches for his bowl. Good Guests Do Dishes.

(Most awkward dish-washing ever, coming right up?)

[princeinexile]

"You don't need to wash," because that's silly. He's here and it's his place and you don't live here anymore! He gets up, leaving his behind, to -- glower and loom.

(He should not be able to smell her. He doesn't want to anymore.)

[alwaysroomforhope]

"'s okay."

She needs something to do with her hands.

Somewhere inside the Voice of Reason is reminding her that hello, he dumped you, Stephanie. How pathetic can you get, still wanting him?

The Voice of Reason is not very loud. (Surprise.)

[princeinexile]

Neither is his. "No, really." He's reaching over. Turning off the water. "It can keep, Stephanie," he says with an edge of irritation.

Mustn't touch.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"I don't -"

- look at them carefully avoid touching. That kind of puts a crimp in the turn-the-water-back-on plan. Steph's hand falls back.

"- okay."

Why is he standing so close to her, that's not fair, she can smell curry and felt (felt?) and firebender -

"Um."

This is Stephanie, not moving away. Or meeting his eyes. That would also be bad.

[princeinexile]

He's not sure why he's seeking them -- to dare or challenge or snarl, of course. Right? That could be all that's at play here. Irritation at her for being so presumptuous, acting like they're--

--he's--

--got something.

"You."

Can... go now?

[alwaysroomforhope]

Just irritation. And ... Steph's had a tiring day. That's all. (Avalanche. She's bruised all over.) That pretty much explains it.

Not even just hormones, because that would mean admitting to feeling something.

Which -

- she totally doesn't.

"Yeah."

She should go. But - he's - in the way.

Okay. Going. Totally going. She'll just - put a hand on his arm to get him to let her past.

[princeinexile]

Except that he's totally staring at it.

That it not conducive to her quick escape. In fact, his steps back are rather slow.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It's just a hand, Zuko. A bit battered-looking at the moment, a bruise starting on the wrist, short nails. ... Old scars. A ... silver bracelet ...

Steph's steps ... sort of stopped, too.

He's so warm. She'd - not forgotten, but - it's always. A surprise.

(The Voice of Reason's contribution: you are so going to regret this if you stay a moment longer, Stephanie - hey, stop, what are you doing with that shovel - augh - let me out!)

[princeinexile]

She looks at him and her and her and it's -- so. damn. long.

His mouth is dry when he opens it, but -- he says nothing. He just waits. Quiet.

"You should..."

Go. Go home. Leave him alone. This isn't... what he wants.

He wants to go home to honor.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It's just like before, Steph thinks dimly, where she can't tear herself away even though - even though they both know -

"...this is a bad idea," but she's moving closer, tiny steps, hand shaking a little bit on his arm.

[princeinexile]

"...everything I do... is a bad idea," Zuko replies with a bittersweet misery.

Doesn't stop him from not stopping her, though. Remarkably passive, that boy. It's sort of like letting the tide roll in...

[alwaysroomforhope]

You could flail at it and try to push it back. Or you could just - go with it.

Steph whispers "I know," and stretches up that little bit to kiss him. It's not like she could stop herself at this point anyway. It's not, one feels obliged to point out, her brain that is in control.

She means to just - kiss him and then go away. She does. Did. But. There's need, and hunger, and - something - and her hand tightens on his arm, instead.

[princeinexile]

It's nice to be kissed; he aches to know some one-- still holds on to him as ... something they want, something they crave. It's like the warm scent of wood smoke before a meal, the sound of wind through the gardan. Takes you back somewhere, shakes you...

He's not fighting her.

[alwaysroomforhope]

It's like - close your eyes and remember, even though you know you'll have to wake up in the end. It's not real, it's not going to last, but while you've got your eyes shut to the world, it's something like happiness.

Not enough like. But something.

She pulls back, just a fraction - just enough that she can look up at him, with that combination of fear and want and need.

Just - for now.

[princeinexile]

Oh don't do this.

This is a horrible, bad, very unwise idea. All the same somehow his hands are light on her hips, soft and sweet and oh god, why is he leaning in, looking for it now?

Why?

...

...because, quite honestly-- Zuko goes after what he wants.

Even when -- especially when -- it's bad for him.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph breathes again, deep and ragged, and comes to meet him there, and it's all so - familiar, and heartwrenching, and wrongrightwrongrightwrong.

This isn't a happy thing. This is: if I can't have everything then just give me a taste -

She shifts her eyes, wordlessly: bedroom?

[princeinexile]

Taste; he thinks abruptly of Jin's mouth, light and sweet, on his.

And here.

Here's all he gets; this is it. This may be all he ever has, with his destiny and his complicated.




He can't say no.