[Iroh is feeling much, much better about the damage done to the tea shop. Sure, it'll be closed down for goodness knows how long, but what a blessing it is to be surrounded by such kind and caring people!
His nephew has been working shirtless and getting more than a few appreciative looks. Iroh finds it amusing, but it seems to be getting under Zuko's skin, so he quietly heads upstairs to get his nephew a shirt.
[It's really interesting the way fate, or how the deities choose who to pull to the city and where to dump them. In the case of Mai, they must have known what they were doing when the dropped her off here.
For now she is unaware of her current situation and just sleeps quietly, curled on one side with her head resting on the pillow. Her hands are held up near her face, fingers touching against her forehead and a sleek black phone held in her other hand.]
[What's Mai doing here? When did she get here? Why didn't Zuko tell him they were close enough for the young woman to be sleeping in his bed?
Questions, questions, and more questions. Iroh hems and haws as he tries to decide whether to wake the sleeping beauty or to go downstairs and interrogate his nephew.]
[This isn't what it looks like, Iroh. She is fully clothed and on top of the covers, so maybe she's just taking a nap. But it would probably be strange that this would be the first he had heard or seen of her here in the city.
And as he mulls over what to do, Mai shifts, making a soft noise as her body turns, rolling onto her other side. One hand slipping under the pillow so she can nuzzle herself into a more comfortable position.]
[Well, isn't she comfortable! Iroh had been vaguely aware that there was something between Mai and Zuko - she had something of a crush on him as a child - but this! This is unexpected.
He takes a moment to just look at her. She looks so peaceful. She must have been so tired; it seems a shame to wake her up.
Perhaps he should go downstairs and have a talk with his nephew first. He turns around, wincing as the fire-damaged wood groans beneath him.]
[The sound broke through her sleep, but at first all that happened was her eyelids fluttered open. Her eyes stared outward, taking in little of the room, but once her mind was no longer fogged with sleep, she could tell that she was not in her room.
And she suddenly scrambles into a sitting position to look around the room, eyes wide to take in every detail of the room that she does not recognize. Before she could get a complete look around though, she felt the cool press of metal in her hand and she glances down to look at the strange device she had been holding in her sleep.
This reaction came nearly a minute after the wood under his feet gave away Iroh's presence, so it's possible he was gone...]
[Zuko still can't bring himself to look his uncle in the eye, but he turns his head towards him, eyes downcast, pausing in his sweeping. He's confused by the question-- Zuko's lost count by now on how many times he's apologized.]
...No? [Wait, wrong answer.
Zuko turns to face him completely, stepping back a step so he can properly duck his head and upper body forward in a bow.]
[It's nice that Zuko feels repentant regarding his temper tantrum and the damage it caused, but the boy really needs to learn when enough is enough. That applies to both anger and apologies.
Iroh impatiently waves his hands to cut Zuko off and leans forward.]
I mean in your bedroom.
[He jerks his head towards the upstairs meaningfully and arches his eyebrow. This is universal language for "There's a GIRL up there."]
[A language which is the LAST THING ON HIS MIND RIGHT NOW, Iroh.
Zuko is once again puzzled. He lifts his head, meeting his uncle's eye for the first time in hours. He drags his gaze away and looks towards the staircase, straightening up bit by bit to his full height.]
[Zuko protests to the shoving but goes without any other complaints. He thinks Iroh is crazy from the fire and really needs to just go outside and take a deep breath.
Climbing the stairs reluctantly he comes up to his door and takes the handle, turning it to push it open, ENTIRELY UNSUSPECTING.]
The device had Mai's attention long enough for her to assume it wasn't something useful, and she tosses it onto the bed before she stands. Her eyes sweep the room, taking in it's layout, and once she spots a window she goes that way to look outside. Surely that would give her an idea of where she is, even if she has no idea on how she would have gotten there.
She pulls the curtain back, and then freezes at the sight outside of the window. It is something she has never seen before, and even to a certain extent, it's not anything she's ever dreamed of. All the instincts in her that try to warn her of danger are put on mute as she gapes out of the window
( ... )
The hard thunk of the first candle stick against the door frame startles Zuko. It can't be Jet waiting to assassinate him somehow, Iroh clearly called whoever's in his room a SHE. Zuko means to drop into a duck like the ninja that he is to avoid any more projectiles flying his way and ends up taking the second candle stick directly to the face, the impact knocking him back to stagger into Iroh.
Zuko manages to grab onto the door frame just in time to keep himself from completely falling into his uncle, and that's when the third candle stick connects smartly with his chin, leaving a sharp throb in its place once it falls away to the floor at his feet to roll away.
Thankfully his nose didn't break, however, the warmth that does trickle down onto his upper lip is unmistakable. As is the taste of metal on his lips. The firebender's momentarily dazed and finds his vision blurring as he stares at the ground and forces his head to lift, staring across at the slender figure that can't decide whether to split
( ... )
His nephew has been working shirtless and getting more than a few appreciative looks. Iroh finds it amusing, but it seems to be getting under Zuko's skin, so he quietly heads upstairs to get his nephew a shirt.
That's how he discovers Mai on his bed.]
Oh my!
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For now she is unaware of her current situation and just sleeps quietly, curled on one side with her head resting on the pillow. Her hands are held up near her face, fingers touching against her forehead and a sleek black phone held in her other hand.]
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Questions, questions, and more questions. Iroh hems and haws as he tries to decide whether to wake the sleeping beauty or to go downstairs and interrogate his nephew.]
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And as he mulls over what to do, Mai shifts, making a soft noise as her body turns, rolling onto her other side. One hand slipping under the pillow so she can nuzzle herself into a more comfortable position.]
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He takes a moment to just look at her. She looks so peaceful. She must have been so tired; it seems a shame to wake her up.
Perhaps he should go downstairs and have a talk with his nephew first. He turns around, wincing as the fire-damaged wood groans beneath him.]
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And she suddenly scrambles into a sitting position to look around the room, eyes wide to take in every detail of the room that she does not recognize. Before she could get a complete look around though, she felt the cool press of metal in her hand and she glances down to look at the strange device she had been holding in her sleep.
This reaction came nearly a minute after the wood under his feet gave away Iroh's presence, so it's possible he was gone...]
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Ahhhh....Nephew.....is there something you want to tell me?
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...No? [Wait, wrong answer.
Zuko turns to face him completely, stepping back a step so he can properly duck his head and upper body forward in a bow.]
I'm sorry, Uncle. I'm really really sorry--
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Iroh impatiently waves his hands to cut Zuko off and leans forward.]
I mean in your bedroom.
[He jerks his head towards the upstairs meaningfully and arches his eyebrow. This is universal language for "There's a GIRL up there."]
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Zuko is once again puzzled. He lifts his head, meeting his uncle's eye for the first time in hours. He drags his gaze away and looks towards the staircase, straightening up bit by bit to his full height.]
Uh- what? What about it?
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There's a certain someone up there. Why didn't you tell me she was here?
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Sh-she? [He echoes in surprise, looking between the stairs and Iroh.]
Uncle... I think the smoke and heat from the fire got to you. I went to bed alone last night-- like I always do.
[Yes, Iroh, Zuko HAS to add that. But he's looking over at the stairs again.]
Maybe we should find you a chair to sit. Or get you outside into the fresh air.
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Like you always do! See for yourself!
[He lovingly shoves Zuko up the stairs.]
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Climbing the stairs reluctantly he comes up to his door and takes the handle, turning it to push it open, ENTIRELY UNSUSPECTING.]
I'm telling you, Uncle, there's no--
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The device had Mai's attention long enough for her to assume it wasn't something useful, and she tosses it onto the bed before she stands. Her eyes sweep the room, taking in it's layout, and once she spots a window she goes that way to look outside. Surely that would give her an idea of where she is, even if she has no idea on how she would have gotten there.
She pulls the curtain back, and then freezes at the sight outside of the window. It is something she has never seen before, and even to a certain extent, it's not anything she's ever dreamed of. All the instincts in her that try to warn her of danger are put on mute as she gapes out of the window ( ... )
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The hard thunk of the first candle stick against the door frame startles Zuko. It can't be Jet waiting to assassinate him somehow, Iroh clearly called whoever's in his room a SHE. Zuko means to drop into a duck like the ninja that he is to avoid any more projectiles flying his way and ends up taking the second candle stick directly to the face, the impact knocking him back to stagger into Iroh.
Zuko manages to grab onto the door frame just in time to keep himself from completely falling into his uncle, and that's when the third candle stick connects smartly with his chin, leaving a sharp throb in its place once it falls away to the floor at his feet to roll away.
Thankfully his nose didn't break, however, the warmth that does trickle down onto his upper lip is unmistakable. As is the taste of metal on his lips. The firebender's momentarily dazed and finds his vision blurring as he stares at the ground and forces his head to lift, staring across at the slender figure that can't decide whether to split ( ... )
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