Seventh flame [Voice/Action]

[restoremyhonour]

So.

Anyone got any ideas as to how to pass time when you can't leave your bed? I need something to do before I set the house on fire.

[Zuko has spent the last 2 and a half weeks in bed recovering. He's now at that point where he's been told to stay in bed for a few more days, but has enough energy that he doesn't want to. Come talk to him,

Comments

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[And the days have settled into a routine - she checks on Zuko practically first thing, gets everyone else set off, then goes back to spend some time healing and feeding Zuko. She tries to spend more time doing this in the morning, where he's stronger, and now she comes in with breakfast and a basin of water.]

Good morning. How are you feeling today?

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[restoremyhonour]

[And Zuko will give her the same reply she's heard the last few mornings.]

Fine. Can I get up today?

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[markofthebrave]

[And he's going to be like this again. Ungrateful, spoiled--]

Yes, to stretch for a few minutes. [Pause.] Do you think you're strong enough to sit up and have breakfast, or do I need to feed you again?

[And yes. That was necessary.]

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[restoremyhonour]

I can feed myself. [Grouch, grouch, grump, grump. Yes he's going to be like this again. Zuko will struggle with the bed for a moment, as he arranges himself to sit up comfortably. Once he's comfy he'll hold out his and to Katara.]

Pass it over. [And that's not coming out totally rude.]

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[markofthebrave]

[Normally? She would help him sit up, and prop the pillows under his back. But today, she is just going to stand there and watch. Because it's been a long two and a half weeks, and his attitude is starting to make her very, very tired. And also? She's not passing it over.]

Please.

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[restoremyhonour]

[Zuko will continue to glare at Katara for a little bit longer.]

Fine.

Please give me my breakfast so I can feed myself.

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[markofthebrave]

[He is so lucky this isn't oatmeal. Because it would be on his head right now. There is some muttering as she walks over to him.] ungrateful... spoiled... I thought he 'rises with the sun' ... jerk.

Here. Eggs, sausage. [She puts the tray on his lap casually. There's really very little awkwardness left between them when it comes to body space.] Tea.

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[restoremyhonour]

Yes please. [See he can be polite about somethings. He'd love to mutter back at her, but that probably wouldn't end well. So instead he thinks really, really loudly annoying, bossy, strict, keeping me in ben when I'm better, stubborn. He will start tackling the breakfast once Katara puts it down. It takes more effort then it should, but he'll work at it stubbornly until he manages to eat all of it.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[Zuko doesn't need to say them out loud, Katara can read them all over his face. And in the attempt to rescue this from being one of those mornings, Katara is going to leave and go into the kitchen to bring him back tea. When she reenters, she's not much calmer, but she's at least made the attempt.]

Here you go. [She places the tea on the tray and moves over to his windows, opening the curtains.]

Will you be too cold if I crack the windows open a little? Some fresh air would do you good.

[Action]

[restoremyhonour]

[And Zuko has time to get over the annoyance of having been unable to feed himself over the last few weeks, and get enough proof from the current meal that he is indeed well enough to feed himself again. Katara will get a nod of thanks for that tea.]

I'll be fine. [The weather isn't too bad out side today thankfully.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[And so Katara opens up the windows the barest crack. She won't let it stay open for too long, because he's still very frail and the last thing she needs is for him to catch a cold.]

You finished most of your breakfast. That's good.

[And she moves to take the tray away.] When you're done with your tea we'll have another healing session.

[Action]

[restoremyhonour]

[Sigh. More healing. Surly it should be finished by now. He's doing so much better.]

Okay.

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[And so Katara will sit in the nice comfortable chair she'd had Sokka drag into his room for all those long nights where she watched over him, not sure if he'd make it. He'd be a little bit more enthusiastic about her healing then, jerk. After he finishes his tea, she stands up and walks over to him.]

Ready? Think you can get your shirt off or do you want help?

[Action]

[restoremyhonour]

I can get my own shirt off thanks. [And while he will struggle slightly doing it, he'll get his own shirt off. He's trying to prove to you that he's fine Katara.]

[Action]

[markofthebrave]

[She is not convinced, and has to stifle the urge to go over and help, but she knows that if he's going to get better he needs to actually start exercising - and until basic movements like dressing quit wearing him out, that was the most exercise he was getting.]

All right. [Now that he's done she bends the water out of the basin and on to her hands, approaches, and sits across from him. He'd taken many of the wounds face-on, and though this was still a little bit awkward to just... sit there and be stared at, it was still better if she could touch the area directly above the wound. And so she did, starting from one of the ones on his shoulder.]

[Action]

[restoremyhonour]

[Of course she isn't convinced. It doesn't stop Zuko from trying. He's sick of being in bed. However as she starts her healing on the wound on his shoulder Zuko sighs in relief. He's got some idea of how long healing up would have taken without her help. It still feels a bit weird to have Katara sitting there across from him like that when she was healing him, especially not knowing where they stood since the last experiment, but he wasn't going to bring that up yet. Better he may be feeling, but not well enough to move house if that's what ended up being what he should do.]

How much longer do you think? Before they're all healed up?