Day 295 [Open]

[daughterofursa]

Who: Zuko and anyone
Open: Open!
When: Day 295
Where: Dragonfield
What: Rejection hurts.
Format: I'll match
Warnings: Honor

When it comes to rejection and disappointment, Zuko's had years of practice. It should help that it wasn't really a rejection exactly, just nothing changing. Aoi didn't reject her as a person. They're still friends. Awkward friends, for the moment, as anyone who joins the morning swim lessons can probably attest to.

But this is the first time she's tried to handle it without getting angry. No one did anything wrong, so there's no one to be angry with, not even herself this time. She didn't do anything wrong, right? She doesn't think so, but there's still this feeling that won't go away, and maybe it is her fault.

What would Uncle tell her? It's hard to imagine. He only ever tried to talk to her about boys, and she always changed the subject.

She made tea for herself anyway to see if it would help, but in the end she just winds up sitting with the cup forgotten in her hands. Kizuna plays nearby, attacking various plants by the shore.

Comments

[daughterofursa]

[Or like... being sisters? But vacation from killing each other works too.]

I guess, if you ever need to talk, I can listen, too.

[fireburn]

[well yeah....that too...]

Thanks, but I'm. Fine, really.

[daughterofursa]

[Well that was somewhat less convincing than Azula usually is.]

You sure?

[fireburn]

[she's quiet for a moment]

Do you really believe home is gone?

[daughterofursa]

...

No one can say for sure. But it feels like it is.

I'm not counting on finding a way back.

[Please do not take this as confirmation and flip out kthx.]

[fireburn]

[it's okay there are a few factors here:

1. its zuko and zuko makes poor life decisions
2. this zuko is a girl so even if her world was dead, azula's might not be. and azula's is superior obviously because is where shes from]

That doesn't trouble you?

[daughterofursa]

Of course it does.

But I've been there before. Wanting to get home so badly, I lost sight of who I was. I wasn't there for the people I cared about either.

I need to focus on what I have.

[fireburn]

What else do you have here?

[daughterofursa]

There's Kizuna.

[Zuko nods to where the little dragon has resumed playing since Mommy and Azula seem to be having a nice chat this time.]

And my friends. [...and family?] People even seem to respect me.

[fireburn]

And you don't think you could have that back home?

[gee i wonder why not]

[daughterofursa]

...maybe. With a lot of work.

But that's not really the point.

[fireburn]

What is the point, then?

[daughterofursa]

Even if we never make it home, I can still have a life here.

[fireburn]

[it takes her a long time to reply.]

Then I'm happy for you.

[it's such a lie but whatever.]

[daughterofursa]

[Yeahhh, Zuko is doubtful how much happiness is actually going on there, but it's nice of her to say it? Kind of?]

You could, too.

I mean, you're getting along better than I was.

[Which is not that surprising. In part because it's Azula and that's what she does, and in part because one of Zuko's earliest experiences here involved prying a dead body out of Rin's arms and you couldn't call that "getting along well."]

[fireburn]

Oh? What happened when you got here?

[daughterofursa]

I just meant you're handling it.

[She doesn't want to talk about Night. Or how she was actually still injured when she first arrived, thanks to Azula.]

I guess- that's always kind of been the difference between you and me.

[Except when it comes to failure. Zuko can handle that a lot better than her sister, because she's used to it.]

[fireburn]

You're being awfully nice today.

[bc zuko is a nice person whereas she is not]

[daughterofursa]

So are you.

[Miss "I'm happy for you." When has she ever said that without boatloads of sarcasm?]

[fireburn]

We need each other here. I can't avoid that.

[daughterofursa]

[Well, maybe Azula needs her, but Zuko was getting on just fine without her.]

I'm not complaining. Sometimes different is good.

[fireburn]

[wow rude]

Not like this.

[daughterofursa]

[She loves you?]

Is it that bad to need help from your big sister?

[fireburn]

[azula is quiet for a moment.]

It is bad to need help from anyone.

[daughterofursa]

It doesn't make you weak, you know.