¤ 13 - Just a dream

[honorinflames]

[there is no Christmas in Zuko's world but, somehow, elements of the holiday have crept in, mixing obliviously with the holidays he knows. The result is both peaceful, and impossible.
After the formal work of the morning--addressing the court, attending ceremonies and a festive meal--the royal family finally gets time to itself. The garden air is

Comments

[sexyhitchhiker]

'Zuzu?'

[honorinflames]

Ugh. It's a nickname that--

[wait, he glances around for the source of the new voice]

[sexyhitchhiker]

That?

[acting like she totally belongs. yeah.]

[honorinflames]

[he's a little surprised when he sees her, but... no scowl. Aside from the little one regarding his nickname anyway]

--that my sister calls me.

[sexyhitchhiker]

Cute. [a bit of smirk]

[honorinflames]

[This face.]

It's not.

[sexyhitchhiker]

[heh]

Not gonna go play, Zuzu?

[honorinflames]

[he rolls his eyes at the nickname, but his expression evens out as he looks towards his family again. Despite the fact that it looked like some contrived painting, with them all dressed up in their formal royal best, all together against one picturesque backdrop... there was a genuine happiness in there. Like any family at their closest moment]

I will. In a little bit.

[sexyhitchhiker]

[shrugs and sits down next to you, following your gaze]

Is that Iroh?

[honorinflames]

[he nods] Lu Ten is supposed to stop by later, too. The soldiers are coming home for the holiday.

[sexyhitchhiker]

[headtilt]

Who's that?

[honorinflames]

His son. My cousin.

[sexyhitchhiker]

Never heard Iroh talk about him. Just you.

[honorinflames]

[something wavers-- either about him, or the little world they're currently in. But it holds, and the whole topic slips obliviously from Zuko's mind before he can dwell on that distant twinge of confusion]

It'll be nice to see Lu Ten again. It's been a long time.

[sexyhitchhiker]

[a small smile; weird topic changes are perfectly normal, after all]

A nice family reunion, then.

[honorinflames]

Yeah. It's hard to get everyone together at once. Everyone is always so busy, you know?-- with lessons, and the war, and all these ceremonies... [there were other problems too, big ones, but he can't recall them at the moment]