(Untitled)

[princeinexile]

There would be a witty, Firebender haiku here as the mun's been itchy to write one. But she couldn't think of one at work. Instead, you have a Firebender looking a little less peaky, sittnig on his couch, with the black and white malamute at his feet. She is alert, and for a change, so is he, though he is occupied with several historybooks borrowed

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[ginsengdragon]

"What are you reading?" Iroh asked from behind the couch, after coming down the stairs.

How did he get there without Zuko noticing?

MAD NINJA UNCLE SKILLS

[princeinexile]

STEALTH UNCLE.

Zuko blinks and looks up at Iroh a moment, staring at him--before he says, "History. Of Wells' world."

Because he was serious about going and staying there and telling his own world to go fuck itself right in the ear.

[ginsengdragon]

"Hmm," he said noncommittally.

Iroh took a seat.

"Their writing is so unrefined," he remarked, opening a book and looking at the English.

[princeinexile]

"It's very ...dryly written in some places. Factual. No calligraphy, no poetry." He likes it just fine. Iroh will hate it.

"Are you still going to come visit with me?" In that other world?t

[ginsengdragon]

Iroh considered this for a long, long time.

Probably longer than Zuko was comfortable with.

And his answer was something else that Zuko wouldn't be comfortable with.

"I am afraid not."

[princeinexile]

...oh.

Zuko just looks at Iroh a long time, and then returns his eyes to his books.

The conversation is now over.

[ginsengdragon]

"Zuko..." he started, because he knew the shutting-down-ending-conversation maneuver he did.

"It's not that I would not want to," Iroh said, "but my way here is a door that suddenly appeared in a tree. I don't know if it will be there tomorrow. That's why I haven't gone home yet--for fear that I would not be able to get back."

To him. There were still many things that needed to be said, and it was possible he'd never see his nephew again to say them.

[princeinexile]

Zuko is quiet, before he says, "You-- could just come with me, uncle. To the other world."

He wouldn't begrudge the man his company. He'd take him with him, again. It would be the least he could do, after all this time, isn't it?

[ginsengdragon]

It was Iroh's turn to be silent, until he finally said, "Zuko, before I die, I want to see the war end."

He did. He wanted to see peace--he wanted to just see what happened.

And he couldn't do that in Wells world.

[princeinexile]

Zuko does not look back.

"We will never see that in my lifetime, let alone what remains of yours, uncle," he says, very quietly.

[ginsengdragon]

Iroh took a deep breath.

"This is where you and I part ways in our beliefs, Zuko, because I think you are wrong. Do you know why?"

[princeinexile]

"No, but you're going to give me some proverb anyway," Zuko says, irritation creeping into his voice.

[ginsengdragon]

Iroh closed his eyes and shook his head.

"No proverbs. No old wisdom. Only what I've learned." Another deep breath. "You look at the here and now and act as if it is the way things will be forever, but history proves you wrong. Before our nation ruled, each had their turns. During Kyoshi's time, it was the Earth Kingdom, long before that, it was the Water Tribe. Why, long ago, even the Air Nomads were considered fierce and dangerous warriors, ones that raided nearby villages as they wandered. Throughout history, there have always been those that conquer and cause suffering, but in the end, the people rise up and overthrow them, and the balance is restored."

[princeinexile]

"Not in my lifetime. Azula will take my throne, and she'll destroy what's left of our people..."

And he can do nothing. THIS is why he isn't going back; he doesn't want to WATCH, he doesn't want to see it all fall apart and wondered if he'd had the chance, could he have been the one thing that stopped it all, could he have made a difference?

But he can't.

So he wants to find... some place... he might.

Or someplace he can accept that it isn't his place... to be that difference.

[ginsengdragon]

"Yes, perhaps that would be true, if the circumstances like these, but when balance was lost, there was always one who could bring it back again," he said, and this part was the part he had feared saying the most.

[princeinexile]

"Don't," there's an edge of desperation there. "... just... don't. Don't say it. Don't tell me. Don't-- don't do that to me."

Don't you dare tell him you believe in the Avatar.

"I'll go to Wells' world. You go back to yours."

And he gathered up his books, and made to leave.