Prompt #18: Cut: "Sever" (rating: K+), Omoni
Title: Sever
Author: Omoni
Rating: K+
Words: 472
Genre: General
Char/Pair: Zuko, Iroh
Warning: Slight spoilers for The Avatar State.
Summary: In a moment of ending, Iroh contemplates a new beginning.
Sever
In all of his years, Iroh would have never guessed that he would have to use a knife in this way - least of all the knife he gave to his beloved and neglected nephew in an attempt to give him courage.
He had been so careful - so careful - while in the public eye; he knew his brother's cunning better than anyone else in the world, and knew that he would look for any kind of slip to incriminate him. And so Iroh played the eccentric, the fool, the well-meaning former general who had lost most of his mind in the loss of his son.
Truths. But only half-truths. And even then, they shouldn't have been enough to damn him. No, all it took was his presence at the biggest failure the Fire Nation navy had seen in decades. Not his direct command, or his own orders. Just his simple being there.
Well, Ozai had finally found the means. He had found the perfect way to be rid of his troublesome brother as well as his only son.
They knelt side-by-side, official exiles together. From the corner of his eye, Iroh could see the torment and frustration on Zuko's face, see the yearning to change the unchangeable in a single moment. But it was Zuko who pulled the knife from beneath his shirt, and it was Zuko who unsheathed it and held it to the base of his phoenix tail.
Iroh remembered the fight over that. He had pleaded with Zuko to shave the rest of his head, to just let the hair grow back naturally, and that bald-headed phoenix tails weren't that fashionable anymore, and would just call more attention to him. But Zuko had fought him on it: "If I can't wear my phoenix tail in some way, I'm just admitting my own defeat!"
Zuko squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his teeth, before slicing the knife through that last remnant of his heritage. He held it in his hand, his eyes blank, before holding the knife out to Iroh. He took it, and made less work of it. For Iroh, the moment his niece had thrown fire at him, it was done - his exile was already complete.
Wordlessly, as if orchestrated, the two tossed the remains of their loyalty to the Fire Nation into the Earth Kingdom river, watching in silence as the rush of water took both topknot and phoenix tail away.
That part of their lives was done. There was no going back, now. Iroh was actually somewhat buoyed by this thought, for his first real speculation on realising this was, quite simply, What will come next? What will it bring, and how will it change us?
Deep down, Iroh hoped for good things. In this moment, it was all he could do.
Author: Omoni
Rating: K+
Words: 472
Genre: General
Char/Pair: Zuko, Iroh
Warning: Slight spoilers for The Avatar State.
Summary: In a moment of ending, Iroh contemplates a new beginning.
Sever
In all of his years, Iroh would have never guessed that he would have to use a knife in this way - least of all the knife he gave to his beloved and neglected nephew in an attempt to give him courage.
He had been so careful - so careful - while in the public eye; he knew his brother's cunning better than anyone else in the world, and knew that he would look for any kind of slip to incriminate him. And so Iroh played the eccentric, the fool, the well-meaning former general who had lost most of his mind in the loss of his son.
Truths. But only half-truths. And even then, they shouldn't have been enough to damn him. No, all it took was his presence at the biggest failure the Fire Nation navy had seen in decades. Not his direct command, or his own orders. Just his simple being there.
Well, Ozai had finally found the means. He had found the perfect way to be rid of his troublesome brother as well as his only son.
They knelt side-by-side, official exiles together. From the corner of his eye, Iroh could see the torment and frustration on Zuko's face, see the yearning to change the unchangeable in a single moment. But it was Zuko who pulled the knife from beneath his shirt, and it was Zuko who unsheathed it and held it to the base of his phoenix tail.
Iroh remembered the fight over that. He had pleaded with Zuko to shave the rest of his head, to just let the hair grow back naturally, and that bald-headed phoenix tails weren't that fashionable anymore, and would just call more attention to him. But Zuko had fought him on it: "If I can't wear my phoenix tail in some way, I'm just admitting my own defeat!"
Zuko squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his teeth, before slicing the knife through that last remnant of his heritage. He held it in his hand, his eyes blank, before holding the knife out to Iroh. He took it, and made less work of it. For Iroh, the moment his niece had thrown fire at him, it was done - his exile was already complete.
Wordlessly, as if orchestrated, the two tossed the remains of their loyalty to the Fire Nation into the Earth Kingdom river, watching in silence as the rush of water took both topknot and phoenix tail away.
That part of their lives was done. There was no going back, now. Iroh was actually somewhat buoyed by this thought, for his first real speculation on realising this was, quite simply, What will come next? What will it bring, and how will it change us?
Deep down, Iroh hoped for good things. In this moment, it was all he could do.