Day 188

[daughterofursa]

Who: Zuko and anyone!
Open: Open!
When: Day 188, morning
Where: Eastern Bastion
What: Tea time. =)
Format: I'll match.
Warnings: Honor.

It's not uncommon to find Zuko up at an early hour, but she usually spends the time doing something she considers productive--training or otherwise preparing for time on the Skyway. She doesn't leave herself much time for sitting and thinking, most days. She figures it's better that way, since her thoughts so easily turn negative. But this morning, she's trying her best not to let them.

She can be found seated cross-legged on the eastern side of the Bastion, just north of Dragonfield, watching the unaccountable sunrise with a cup of tea in hand. Actually, the whole set is with her, a plain but sturdy-looking earthenware pot and several more matching cups. She hasn't invited anyone to join her, but if any impromptu guests show up, she's decided to accommodate them. That's what her uncle would do, she's sure.

Comments

[daughterofursa]

No kidding.

[She's never heard anyone call her father an asshole before, but it definitely sounds fitting. Her hand lifts halfway to her face before she realizes she's thinking about the scar and drops it.]

You had a second father, right? That's definitely for the best.

[hellpyre]

Yeah. Shiro Fujimoto. He was a priest that knew our mom and adopted us 'cause of her. I don't really know the story beyond that, though. He was kind of a pain in the ass and was always gettin' on my case, but he was a cool guy. Even in the end...

[daughterofursa]

[In the end? So... this is an older loss, for Rin.]

Sorry.

...I think that's how people who love you are sometimes. They don't let you get away with being stupid.

[hellpyre]

Heh... that was definitely Dad. "How many times to I have to tell you?! Think with your mind, not your fists!"

... he said that while peggin' me in the head with a chopstick.

[Shiro was a bit of a hypocrite. But most parents are.]

[daughterofursa]

Uncle didn't raise his voice very often. I don't know how he had so much patience with me.

[hellpyre]

When Dad was quiet, that's when I knew he was really pissed. The man was terrifyin' when his voice was low.

[daughterofursa]

Well... When Uncle was silent, that was the worst. I could only guess what he was thinking, but I knew he was disappointed.

[hellpyre]

Funny how family is good at that sorta thing...

[daughterofursa]

Being disappointed? I think with good family, it doesn't last.

[hellpyre]

I'unno, Yukio kinda lives and breathes disappointment with me.

[daughterofursa]

Really? It didn't look like that the other day.

[hellpyre]

[Rin shrugs.]

I don't think he cares about me any less. Girl or not we're still twins. He just gets really frustrated with the things I do, and I know he wishes I'd stayed in school instead of droppin' out.

[daughterofursa]

Sounds like he just wants you to do well. He seemed to respect you, from where I was standing.

[hellpyre]

[Rin goes quiet at that, staring down at the egg.]

... I doubt that.

[daughterofursa]

Well, it looked that way to me. But my sister would never have trusted me farther than she could throw me.

...and she'd rather throw me. Probably into a volcano.

[hellpyre]

. . . okay Yukio wouldn't ever be that bad.

[Plus she'd probably survive being tossed in to a volcano, even if it would be really really painful.

He'd have to toss her in to a frozen lake.

Or destroy her sword.

Which he'd also never do.]

I'unno my relationship with him is... complicated. More so since he got here since I didn't have a brother back home, I had a sister.

[daughterofursa]

[brb trying to imagine Azula as a boy.

.........

No, let's not do that.]

Is he a lot different?

[hellpyre]

[Yeah don't do that.]

Not really, no. Yukichan was always quiet and polite. Same smarts, same Miesters, same everythin'. Just. A guy.

[daughterofursa]

So why does that make it more complicated than him just being from another world? I'm not sure what you could do with a sister that you couldn't with a brother.

[...that sentence really could have just been "I'm not sure what you could do with a sister."]

[hellpyre]

[You're lucky Rin's not all that perverted, Zuko...]

Welllll... I think it's more... him to me. The same as we're twin girls in my version of things, they're twin boys in his version of things. That on top of just gettin' here and knowin' what happened to our worlds... well he's been hidin' in his room a lot since then.

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko would be so easy to embarrass, too.

She tries to think for a second. She's not good at giving advice, and she has no idea what her uncle would say about dealing with a sibling from another world.]

Have you tried dragging him out and talking to him?

[When in doubt, the straightforward approach?]

[hellpyre]

Mm... a little. I gave him the other egg yesterday and he was actually willin' to have a conversation then. And I keep askin' him to go with me on the Skyway so he won't be completely bored here. It's workin'. ... I think. Maybe he just needs time to adjust?

[daughterofursa]

Maybe.

It could be something he has to work out for himself.

[Though at the end of the world, it doesn't seem like there's much point worrying over someone's gender. If a boy version of Mai showed up, she wouldn't need to hide in her room, would she?

...as awkward as that might be.]

[hellpyre]

[Never underestimate an Okumuras ability to blow things entirely out of proportion.]

Yeah. I don't wanna push him. He's takin' this hard enough as it is.

[daughterofursa]

[It's not like it's a matter of honor, Yukio should just get over it.]

How long has he been here now?