Moving Day

[princeinexile]

With the latest trip to the mall bringing them back more matresses -- and a lot more goods, what with a functional car and all -- Zuko was able to clean up his apartment a little and place a proper bed in the bedroom, rather then sleeping on a heap of self-made cushions before the fire place. But then he settled in the place and -- with some help,

Comments

[notanoptimist]

Sokka's had a busy day, what with finding out he's branded and all. It leads in to a sort of restlessness that has him wandering through the apartments, poking into things-- like Zuko's room.

With Mel there.

"Hey," he says softly, his head in the room as he knocks softly - and belatedly, one might add. "How is she?"

[princeinexile]

Mel is visible -- it's a short hall and an open door to the bedroom where she's been placed. Zuko watches her sleep; she's laid so natural, head turned just so; but she's so still under the blankets.

The prince nurses a cup of tea, but blinks quietly. "Uh. She's -- healing. Simon, Katara-- they all say-- she's healing. But she doesn't wake up. She didn't move or murmur or anything, when we moved her. Was-- like transporting the dead, but.... she was warm."

His voice is strained, but -- he needs to hang on, and be strong.

[notanoptimist]

They all do, really.

"...You should hear Katara babble about it," Sokka says quietly, shuffling in a little further to lean against the doorway. "She and Simon can't figure out what's making her heal so fast. Something that should have taken her months to heal from, she's gotten through in days."

She shouldn't even be alive, really.

[princeinexile]

"But she's quiet inside," Zuko says. "She doesn't wake. I talk to her, I played for her... I sit and I..."

He waits.

He rubs his face, and then shakes it off. "... I'm sorry." He shouldn't be so weak.

[ginsengdragon]

Iroh made his way into the apartments, silently standing in the doorway and watching his nephew sit there and watch Mel, his face a touch sad, because of his nephew's pain.

[princeinexile]

Quiet a while, the young man glanced over. "...uncle, it's been -- weeks, since we got here. Wes spent a few on the raft, and I've been here... months, now." He tilts his head. "Three years came and went, when I wasn't even think about it. My birthday will be in no time."

He seems morbidly thoughtful on that, and says, "... if things had-- been normal, I'd be married by now, wouldn't I?"

This is going somewhere. Zuko never says anything that idly.

[ginsengdragon]

"Yes, you would have. Most likely to Sheng Xi's daughter," said Iroh softly, looking at his nephew inquiringly.

[princeinexile]

"And by now, we'd have a child, certainly, if we were fortunate. Or at least, the start on one," he says quietly. "That's what it would have been like."

A beat. "Xifeng was very pretty. I liked her. She had skill with origami; when I turned fourteen, do you remember? She made the four dragons, and the ten beasts of the noble houses. I -- felt bad, leaving them behind."

There'll be a point to this.

"Then, it would have been my mandatory tour. Some -- officer's position somewhere, till I was blooded. That's how it worked; bedded and blooded and you're a man, and that's -- the way things would have been. If things had -- been normal."