there's a fog upon L.A.

[innerfirewithin]

Characters: Zuko (innerfirewithin) and Akira Inugami (not_a_damn_dog)
When: Early morning.
Where: Outskirts of the city, the fringes of the Wastes.
Rating: PG-13, just to be safe.
Summary: Zuko is in a bad mood. Zuko asked Adstringendum who wanted to spar with him. Akira volunteered. Zuko cannot believe his luck. Things do not go exactly as Prince Zuko plans.

Comments

[not_a_damn_dog]

"About time you got here," said a voice from behind him, "I've been waitin' around. Glad you decided to come here, Zuko. So, you ready to do this. Wanna' lay out some ground rules?"

[not_a_damn_dog]

"Things happen, Zuko," he said, "No matter how you might feel, we've got bigger problems than our very short history. I don't hold any dislike against you, and I wish you'd drop your dislike of me. I need to know you're the type of guy that can get shit done, if another crisis goes down. There's a world of difference between killin' some mindless beast and killin' a man."

[innerfirewithin]

Zuko stared at Akira incredulously. Was the werewolf actually lecturing him? Over whether or not he could be counted on to defend himself in a crisis? Was this conversation actually happening?

"How old are you?" Zuko snapped, his daggers vanishing in a hiss of smoke.

[not_a_damn_dog]

"Me?" he asked, "I'm 16. Why?"

[innerfirewithin]

"Sixteen." Zuko snorted to himself, crossing his arms, his expression becoming even more aggravated. "You're sixteen and you're lecturing me like you're my father." The word 'father' was almost spit out, with a fury that Zuko normally doesn't show, even to those he dislikes. "You want me to stop disliking you? Try talking to me like an equal, not an idiotic toddler who's never seen a battle, or a conflict. I know what's needed to survive in this place and I don't report to you."

[not_a_damn_dog]

"What the hell crawled up your ass? It was a simple question."

[innerfirewithin]

Zuko stopped himself from picking up his robes, his fingers just barely brushing the fabric. They were trembling. Everything about this individual pushed every single one of Zuko's buttons... and he hated him for it.

His lips curl into a scowl.

"It's not a simple question to ask someone who's had half their face burned off," Zuko said curtly, picking up his robes and his swords. He slid his arms into his robes and attached his swords to his back. No, he still hadn't forgiven Akira for the slight against his face. "Maybe you should think before you act like such a moron to people you don't know. I've seen more than you could even imagine, Inugami. Don't ask me about my personal life again."

[not_a_damn_dog]

"Yes, Zuko," Akira said, "I'm sure your life was just awful growing up. I guess we both pull of the whole 'angsty loner' vibe so well, it's just part of who we are. I apologize for not respectin' your need to feel sorry for yourself."

He regretted saying it as soon as it left his lips. He hadn't meant to get that personal with it, but at least it was better than another face insult. Akira had been in a bad mood before, due to general boredom and wanting to see Hinata again. Zuko's own surliness had only increased his own. He hated the fact that sometimes he still reacted like an animal. If you dealt with wolves calmly, they were fine. If you showed anger or discomfort, it agitated them as well.

[innerfirewithin]

Zuko stopped himself, his back towards Akira. His fingers slowly curled into fists and he turned slightly, the scarred half of his face glaring with a fury towards Akira that Zuko normally reserved for members of his own family, but he said nothing. He didn't need to say anything. Everything he wanted to say was concealed in that one expression.

You think I want you to feel sorry for me? Say another word and I'll show you how pitiful I really am.

[not_a_damn_dog]

"You shouldn't give someone that look unless you intend to do somethin'."

[innerfirewithin]

Zuko rolled his eyes and shifted his swords on his back. "I should have sparred with Sasuke," Zuko muttered, looking irritated, mostly with himself. He had ruined a good opportunity to spend his morning doing something productive. Instead, he was arguing, with a man he despised, and nothing had been accomplished. "It wouldn't have been a waste of my time. You didn't come here to spar with me," he added, turning to face Akira, his eyes burning with anger. "You came here to prove a point. I don't want to be your friend, I don't want to get along with you. I have no interest in any of that. You know that. Why did you waste my time?"

[not_a_damn_dog]

"Because I thought you could get that this was bigger than some grudge," he sighed, "But apparently, you still too stuck up to get that."

[innerfirewithin]

Was that 'snapping' the sound of Zuko's temper? Entirely possible.

"Stuck up?" Zuko muttered to himself, clenching his fists tightly. Just let it go, Zuko. Let it go. Uncle would say that it wasn't worth it to get -- no. He was tired of this.

"No shit this is bigger than some grudge!" Zuko snapped, striding towards the werewolf, stopping until he was only two or three feet away. "You think I don't get the bigger picture? You think I wasn't there three weeks ago? Have you even talked to Yuca?"

He only paused to take a breath.

"You don't get that some things shouldn't be talked about. You're right, I don't like you. Do I let that get in the way of what I have to do here? No. I do what I need to do, to keep the people I care about safe, and to keep this city safe. You're so caught up in this idea of me being this stuck up spoiled brat that you haven't even bothered to ask me about anything else besides--" Here, he holds up his fingers. "One, why can you breathe fire and two, what's that hideous thing on your face? Are you really so

[not_a_damn_dog]

"Well, I'm really sorry about that. Where I'm from, people can't DO that shit, so excuse if I'm curious about you havin' super-powers, while bein' a normal human. Excuse the fuck outta' me for havin' curiosity. So your face got scarred, so what?"

He reached forward, poking Zuko in the chest.

"Why don't you stop bein' so goddamned sensitive about it? You're not the only person who have ever had some kinda' accident. Most people get around it, you still obviously let it bother you too much."

[innerfirewithin]

"It wasn't an accident, my father did this to me!"

The prince's eyes widen at the confession before his face contorts into a scowl. 'Fuck.'

He shoved Akira's arm away from his chest.

"And don't touch me," Zuko added in a quieter snarl.

[not_a_damn_dog]

"..." Akira stood there for a moment, blinking, "...Wait, your old man did that? Why the fuck would he do that?"