A/N: Okay, so, my brain can process TA again. (After many long bouts of pouting and not letting me within five inches of it.) If you weren't aware, I do all these themes between chapters (sometimes), so if you get bored waiting, go read some of those. I think they're rather good (sometimes).
Still givin' shout outs to lulunabo because I love her and she's coming home! 8D Also, for some strange reason, with a single exception, all my writing friends are older than me. O_o
IN OTHER NEWS. I'M FIFTEEN AS OF THE 25th OF APRIL.
(Also; Writer's block is a bitch on crack.)
.:Chapter Seven:.
Normality is Just Abnormality's Identity Crisis
Zuko didn't bother even trying to act like he wasn't waiting for the end of school on Friday. He passed the day by impatiently, only slowing down in his English class for Jun's sake before dashing around again. His last period ended and he bolted, not caring who he passed or who passed him, just getting the hell out of bus ride went by in what felt like hours and Zuko didn't think he'd ever been so glad to have reached his stop. Actually he didn't think he'd ever been glad to reach his stop period. He also hoped it wouldn't become a habit, because he really didn't take any sort of joy in the house he lived in and didn't want to start liking any part of it. No, not even the bus stop.
By the time he was back in the house, up the stairs, in his room and collapsed on his bed, only thirty minutes had passed since the end of school; a new record for him. But to Zuko, it felt like he'd just run a six hour marathon.
He was struck, not for the first time, by the wish that things didn't weigh on him so much at times. Simple things that were easily explained away or put to rest for anyone else, but tended to drag him down constantly. In this case, the simple agreement to join Aang Kazekama and his friends at the mall this evening. There had been a single thought running through his head consistently all day and it was rounding back to haunt him now.
*Am I seriously going to do this…?* he thought in the disbelieving tone he'd thought it in the first time.
It wasn't the action of going to the mall that was making his head spin. It was the whole, going to the mall with AANG KAZEKAMA and his FRIENDS that was making it very hard to comprehend his own actions.
Apart from the fact that Aang Kazekama still made him feel slightly queasy, his friends were… Well, they didn't make him want to curl up in a corner and hide his face from the world (if the first meeting was what he was going off of), however they weren't generally the kind of people he'd usually even speak to. In fact, Mai, was the only person he'd ever actually willingly speak to as far as other humans his age went. And maybe Ty Lee. Sometimes.
At any rate, he'd gotten himself into this and he didn't have much choice but to go with it. And considering he'd been agonizing it for the past two days, he figured he had to face the music. That, and Kibou was kneading her claws into him to tell him to get a move on.
"Alright, alright no need to scratch me." he muttered, gently pushing her off him. "I'll get ready…"
She purred and sat back on the bed, tail curling around her paws. He loved his cat, but sometimes he wondered if it was a product of being his pet, or just a generally smart animal that allowed her to pick up on…well….everything.
Zuko ran his hand through his hair as he pulled open his chest of drawers, inspecting the contents and sighing in irritation. And you know, he'd thought there was a reason he needed to do laundry… He looked dejectedly down at the obvious lack of clothes he thought fit to be worn in public by himself and rounded on his closet.
He hated the clothes in his closet. They drew way too much attention to him, made him stand out so much more. Mostly because well, unlike the rest of his plain, ordinary clothes that he hid under hoodies and occasionally baggy jeans, the clothes in his closet… Well, they were more geared towards showing off that despite how much he hid it, he was actually VERY good looking.
Zuko didn't like reminding the world he was good looking. Then people started picking around for the flaws.
Regardless, he opened his closet and looked at the clothes inside. Zuko just stood there for a long moment before sighing and deciding he had no choice but to condemn himself to countless stares.
At the very least, he could find clothes in here that weren't quite as attention grabbing at the others. The funny thing was, he actually liked quite a number of the clothes in his closet, he thought they were quite attractive. He just didn't like the looks he got when he wore them, which ranged from lusty to disgusted.
Zuko ran a hand through his hair again, sighing softly. He grabbed a pair of pants, which were unfortunately, form fitting, stared at them for a minute, before letting the last vestiges of resignation set in. He stripped down to his underwear, pulling on the pants and checking himself in his mirror. He grimaced as he was once more reminded that despite how toned he was, he still had hips and curves.
He loved his mother, he just wondered why her figure had to be passed down to Azula AND him.
Looking for a shirt was an agonizing ten minute process that made him wonder where half of the things in his closet had even come from and why he didn't remember them. Every shirt he picked up was either attention grabbing or too damned tight for its own good. He felt like a girl getting ready for a date, and that made him feel rather sick.
Kibou seemed almost amused as yet another shirt was thrown back into his closet. Zuko, lost in muttered curses about clothing, didn't hear the door open, but Kibou did. She leapt lightly up onto his pillows, closest to the corner, wary of the figure standing in the doorway.
"Going somewhere brother dearest?"
Zuko just about jumped out of his skin, rounding on his sister.
"What's it to you?" he snapped, surprised to hear actual annoyance in his voice.
Azula stepped into his room and Kibou backed up further on his bed. Zuko made no move to do anything at all, just standing there shirtless staring at his sister. Azula looked him up and down appraisingly and said;
"Well, I seriously doubt you're going on a date. So where to, what's the occasion? You never wear that stuff." she gestured to his closet.
Zuko scoffed and turned away.
"Not that it's any of your business, but Aang asked me to go with him and his friends to the mall today."
"And you're actually going?"
"Couldn't come up with an excuse not to."
Azula hummed her understanding, examining the clothes in his closet. He grumbled under his breath, chucking the shirt he'd been holding back into the closet and running hand through his hair for a third time. Why in THE HELL could he NOT find a normal looking shirt?
"Here."
Zuko looked up in surprise as something was shoved under his nose and managed to grab it before his sister dropped it. He held the article of clothing at arm's length, and found it to be a long sleeved black shirt with a hood on it. He hadn't even known he owned that shirt.
"…Thanks." he mumbled, tugging it on, before turning to look at himself in the mirror.
"I don't know what you're agonizing over." Azula drawled. "You look good in everything you know."
"Yeah that's the problem." he muttered in irritation, but nonetheless decided he liked the shirt enough to keep it on.
"Weirdo." Azula said, turning to leave. "I'd suggest those combat boots you never wear and a choker as well brother, just a suggestion."
She closed the door behind her as she left.
Zuko looked himself over, wishing he could come up with better additions to his current outfit and when he couldn't, sighed. It would probably help if he ever actually made an attempt to look good, but Azula was the one with the real fashion sense. So, without further mental complaint, he pulled out his old combat boots (again, where in the hell had he even gotten them?) and opened the top drawer of his dresser.
Perhaps most would call it girly, but yes as a matter of fact, he did have a drawer with jewelry in it. Zuko happened to be one of the males out there confident enough in his masculinity to wear bracelets and necklaces and earrings and whatnot. Mostly because he actually liked how they looked on him. In this case, he pulled out a simple black band of velvet that clipped in the back. Azula had given it to him when she decided chokers didn't suit her.
Once he'd pulled on the shoes and choker, he looked at himself, and reluctantly admitted he actually looked rather good like this. He just hoped not TOO good…
Zuko plucked at the sleeve of his shirt, wondering why it was so long (is covered the bottom half of his hands unless he pushed the sleeves up). Maybe it was a style or something, didn't matter, it still looked fine at any rate.
Last thing to do was brush out his hair and make sure his bangs continued covering his scar. Once sure, he nodded to himself with a soft breath. And now, all he had to do, was wait for Aang to-
At that very moment there was a shrill ringing sound and he turned to his cell phone, picking it up and flicking it open. There, sure enough, was the flashing name "Aang Kazekama" with "one new message". He opened the message and blanched.
'We're outside. :D -Aang'
"Shit." he hissed.
Zuko grabbed the closest bag (a gray shoulder bag that he wanted to complain vehemently was a purse but had given up eventually). He managed to throw his cell phone, wallet and notebook into the bag, knowing there had to already be at least one pen inside. He paused to kiss Kibou's nose before leaving the room, making sure he'd grabbed his keychain, and locking the door from the inside.
"Love you Kibou, be safe." he told her and got a happy meow in response.
Zuko dashed downstairs, straightening his hair one last time. He passed Azula as he went by the living room, screeching to a halt when she called out "hold it!".
She rose from the couch, walked over to him, looked him over with a frown, and ruffled his hair. Zuko squawked indignantly and she smacked his hand away before he could flatten his hair again.
"There, now at least you look a little less like you're going to a funeral."
"Shut it."
There were no goodbyes exchanged between them as he left the house, closing the door behind him. He glanced around and, upon spotting the car a house over, which was never there, made his way towards it. As he approached, the window on the passenger's side was rolled down and he was met by a grinning Aang.
"Hey there." he chirped, and Zuko nodded to him. "I woulda come up to the door but figured you'd rather I didn't. Hop in."
The door to the back was opened and Zuko did indeed get in, having already spotted the empty seat. He ended up between the door and the blind girl (whose name he'd forgotten), and buckled himself in quietly.
"Uh, quick introductions, that's Toph next to you, Sokka on her other side, Katara's driving, and I seriously hope you know who I am." Aang said with a grin. "Jellybean?"
Zuko raised an eyebrow, then shook his head no and Aang shrugged, popping a green bean into his mouth.
"Your loss."
"Your sweet tooth actually." Katara said, reaching over and into the bag of jellybeans as she pulled back onto the road. "With all the sweets you show up with I'm gonna get fat."
"I don't MAKE you eat them." Aang argued, eating a pair of red beans.
"Yeah well how do YOU stay so skinny." Toph asked, leaning over and snatching the bag altogether.
Aang made a disgruntled sound but obviously knew better than to try to take his candy back. Zuko just watched the exchange with minor interest, noting mentally down the dynamic between the friends.
They drove in moderate silence, though he was glad to find that it was anything but awkward. In the end, he took a small handful of jellybeans when Toph offered, more because she was being nice to him while she seemed to reign over everyone else in the car with an iron fist. Well, not really, but she seemed a lot tougher on them than she was being on Zuko at any rate.
Katara didn't turn on any music, much to his relief, as that generally just made things all that much more awkward. Like elevator music. Elevator music was invented by someone who had no concept of just how awkward a bad rendition of The Beatles "Love Me Do" can make things when you're standing in a four by three metal box with five other people. Zuko would know from experience.
Eventually voices must be heard however, when one is trapped in a car with four other people besides yourself, it is inevitable. It was Toph who spoke first, and she spoke in a teasing manner, but with an air of sincerity that had Zuko been drinking something, would have made him choke.
"So, you're modeling for Aang, huh? He gotcha posing for him nude?"
Zuko tried hard to pretend he hadn't just gone red in the cheeks and choked on air. (Luckily, unlike liquid, one cannot die from choking on air, unless they stop breathing.)
"Tooooooph!" Aang whined, and when Zuko glanced at him he saw a flush on the other boy's cheeks as well. "I TOLD you not to ask questions like that!"
"Oh, so, what, you are drawing him nude?"
"I AM NOT!"
Toph yelped as she was pelted with several jellybeans at once and snarled, leaping over Zuko to wrap her arms around Aang's neck. Aang squawked helplessly as she tightened her grip, flailing and trying to get her off.
"Hey! I am DRIVING here!" Katara snapped. "Could you two at least TRY to act your ages! NOW!"
"Apologize Twinkle toes!"
Aang gasped for breath and said;
"Never!"
"APOLOGIZE!"
"NEVA!"
Zuko calmly grabbed Toph's belt and tugged her back into her seat. The girl sat back without complaint, looking up at him with sightless eyes questioningly. He patted her knee and, just as Aang was rubbing his throat and about to thank him, leaned forward and gripped his ear. He dug his nails into the artist's ear and said in the same calm tone he always used;
"Apologize?"
"Ow!" Aang squeaked, batting at his hand without success. "Okay I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry!"
Zuko looked to Toph, and seeing her grinning, deemed his work done. He let go of Aang's ear and the artist whimpered, holding it with a wince.
Toph on the other hand, had thrown her arms around Zuko's shoulders.
"I love this man." she proclaimed cheerfully.
Zuko tensed. He didn't know what had brought on the uncharacteristic actions of just two minutes ago, or why he wasn't currently spazzing at having another human touch him. It struck him, only as Toph let him go, that for a moment, just a moment, he'd let down his defenses. For a just a little while, he'd forgotten to be Zuko the high class model and just been…Zuko.
It was with some trepidation that he looked back at Toph again as she settled back in her seat. Her eyes met his, and just as he had feared, there was understanding in the glassy orbs. He hadn't said a word, yet she'd understood everything going through his head.
Toph just smiled softly and laid a hand on his knee, winking at him. Her hand left his knee and she sat back, kicking her legs up on the storage area between the two front seats. Zuko's heart was thundering and he tried desperately not to let it show that he was having an internal battle of wills. Zuko hadn't been out around people in so long, and he desperately wanted a chance to show his mask that not everyone was bad, but mask Zuko would hear nothing of it.
One too many times, one too many people, it reminded him, and then suddenly, the more open side of him was gone again. He could tell, out of the corner of his eye, that Toph noticed the difference. She made no motion or sound to show she'd seen any change, but he could see it. And for now, it would be their hoped it would stay that way.
The mall was packed when they arrived, not that Zuko had expected much different. It was after all, a Friday afternoon. Regardless, Katara managed to find a parking place and they all piled out of the car. Aang stretched the minute he was standing straight and Zuko took a moment to appreciate just how tall he was. He looked rather gangly from afar, but truthfully, he was just really tall and rather skinny looking.
It was a rather odd and random observation, one Zuko wouldn't usually expect himself to make. He didn't generally go into depth thinking of how people looked. Being that that was what he was most often judged on, he tended to ignore that part of people. But Aang, he was such a contrasting person, he demanded that kind of observation from pretty much anyone. (Or so Zuko deemed as people passed, eyes straying towards the tattooed male.)
His personality was so open, happy and just…nice, with no good reason but BECAUSE. Yet appearance wise, he might as well be the direct opposite. Tattoos, piercings, clothes that could really only be labeled as "punk" or dare he say "rocker"… And yet again, he always had that small gentle smile on his lips, that laughing sparkle in his eyes… Aang Kazekama was a walking contradiction.
Zuko wasn't sure if that bothered him or not. But then again, he wasn't sure if Aang Kazekama bothered him or not.
"So!" Toph chirped. "Where to first?"
Aang laughed and sent Toph a grin.
"Why bother, you're going to drag us off somewhere." he said in a tone that suggested this was nothing new.
"Right you are my good seeing eye humans! TO THE SLUSHIES!"
Zuko raised and eyebrow as the troupe made their way through the parking lot towards the mall. Sokka hung back to walk beside him, and Zuko was glad Aang hadn't. At the very least he was more comfortable around Katara's brother than around Aang. Which was weird, because he'd known Aang longer (if you could count their awkward meetings as knowing).
"Toph's got a rather large obsession over slushies." he explained. "Specifically green apple ones."
Zuko's eyebrow rose further.
"Aren't those really sour?"
"Yeah I don't get how she likes them either."
Zuko managed to avoid any fans that might have appeared by sticking closer to the group than he would have by instinct. He had been hanging back, but when he started hearing the hushed and excited whispers of teenage girls he quickened his pace. He figured it was probably the fact that three of the four other teens looked rather menacing on first glance that kept the fans back. And Sokka just looked like a bored skater.
The store at which Toph was determined to buy her precious slushie was surprisingly empty when she barged in. The rest followed her through the glass door, and Zuko took a look around. It looked quite a bit like an ice cream parlor to be honest, only with slushie machines instead of soft serve. The owner seemed to know Toph and was already filling the largest cup with the green icy drink.
"Same for you lot too?" he asked over his shoulder.
"Yeah us too." Katara agreed.
"What about you kid?"
Zuko jolted, wishing suddenly that the lights in the store weren't so bright. It was easier for his dark clothes to blend in in dimmer lighting.
"Uh…"
Aang, using whatever magical powers God had given him, was suddenly by Zuko's side. He smiled pointing to the menu hanging from the ceiling.
"It may be a bit assuming to say, but you like tea, don't you?"
"…Yeah." Zuko agreed.
"There's an awesome green tea milkshake here. My treat."
"I can-"
"I insist."
Zuko was glad, for what felt like the umpteenth time, that it didn't show that he was now thoroughly flustered. Instead he just nodded and leaned back against one of the tables to await their orders.
When the various cold drinks were finished, each person took their own, save Zuko, who was handed his milkshake by a smiling Aang. He took the drink hesitantly and unlike the rest of the group, didn't try it right away. They bid farewell to the store owner and headed back into the throngs of people milling about the mall on a Friday afternoon.
No one was really in a hurry, least of all them, and so they just quietly trailed along through the mall, chatting and looking around. Zuko did eventually take a cautionary sip of the milkshake, and, much to his shock, found it actually was quite good. Note to self, inform Uncle Iroh of this creation's existence. They already had a few milk teas, and iced teas, on the menu, but no one had ever really combined the two. His uncle would surely be interested.
It was with some surprise that Zuko realized that suddenly an hour had passed, just walking and talking (more walking and listening for him) and not much else in the company of Aang Kazekama and his friends. Even more to his surprise, he found himself not feeling awkward like he'd assumed, but rather comfortable. Not really enjoying himself, but having a nice enough time just listening to the friendly banter and adding to the conversation every then and again when he saw fit.
They ambled about the mall for a while longer before Katara pointed to a shop at the end of the section they were walking through.
"See, told you it opened this month!" she said smugly to her brother and Aang cheered.
Zuko cocked his head to the side in confusion, still sipping on his considerably more melted (now that an hour had passed) milkshake. Katara caught the look and smiled at him, pointing more directly to the shop she was talking about.
"It's the new chocolate place. Supposedly it's very high class, and very expensive, but totally worth the money." she explained.
Zuko nodded, sipping up the last of his drink and throwing the empty cup into the nearest bin. Chocolate was something he was rather fond of, and as Katara walked purposefully in that direction, he decided, hell with it, might as well treat himself. He hadn't had very many sweets in quite a while and to be honest, he was rather missing them.
It probably helped that he had the kind of body that just perpetually did NOT put on any weight unless he quite literally just sat on the couch and didn't move and ate only junk food. As Zuko had never tried this, this was just an assumed situation.
The chocolate shop was quaint, and pleasantly homey on the inside. Not frilly and cute like some of the stores, obviously advertising to young girls, but well lit and decorated in soft colors. None of the fancy ribbons and black lacquer inside Godiva stores and the like, just pale oak tables and warm red walls. Zuko liked the shop instantly.
The group parted once they walked in, each going towards their own particular interest in sweets, Toph following Aang who apparently liked the same things as her. Zuko himself ended up by the truffles, but passed them by rather quickly, as every time he bought truffles Azula stole them all.
This landed him in front of a long table with boxes on top of it, each filled with packages of little round chocolates filled with different creams. As Azula didn't like dark chocolate, or mousse filled white chocolates, Zuko thought these were a safe enough bet. He didn't want to buy these chocolates, which seemed to be heading in the expensive-ish direction, only to have his sister eat them all.
He picked up a package of the dark chocolates, delighted to see they were filled with more dark chocolate, and read through the ingredients. It was a habit of his, seeing as he was often on the look out for new things for his uncle to make. As he did, he found his eyes straying to the white chocolates and bit the inside of his cheek.
These things really were kind of expensive, and he really didn't want to buy two packages, but he was stuck. White or dark chocolate? Oh why couldn't he be one of those people who only liked one kind of chocolate instead of secretly having a horrible sweet tooth?
"Hey."
Zuko almost jumped out of his skin, but turned his head to find Katara standing next to him. She smiled at him, pointing at the white chocolates.
"If you get the dark chocolates, I'll get the white ones and we can split them halfway." she offered.
Zuko blinked, letting his brain process for a moment. He really wasn't used to people just…genuinely being nice to him for no good reason. Nor was he used to girls not clinging to him and or ogling him unless they were close friends. Katara honestly just seemed to be being nice though.
He nodded.
"Okay, sure, why not…" he murmured and she smiled again.
After Sokka and Aang dragged Toph away from a box of walnut chocolates with cayenne pepper in them, they managed to pay and leave. Katara caught up with Zuko, cracking her package of chocolates open as she did. Zuko did the same and they traded half the pack each, much to Sokka's amusement.
"Does this mean you won't be stealing my chocolates anymore sis?" he joked and Katara scowled at him.
"You never eat them anyway."
"I do too!"
"You leave them sitting on the counter for a week and then complain when you finally notice they're gone two weeks later!"
The squabbling siblings were tuned out when Aang caught up to Zuko as well.
"So you like dark chocolate?" he asked.
Zuko nodded, unwrapping a chocolate and popping it into his mouth. It was a little unnerving to feel Zuko's eyes still on him as he did, but tried to ignore it. He was meant to be enjoying a bit of downtime here, but this whole…other people around him who didn't want to use him thing was a bit new. He couldn't help being a little tense.
"You know, you seem like the type to like sweets." Aang commented airily.
Zuko was about to ask what gave him the impression, when he found the white chocolate he'd just unwrapped swiped from his hand. He very narrowly avoided squawking in indignation as he watched the white bauble of sweetness disappear into Aang's mouth. The artist smiled cheekily. For his trouble, he got smacked over the back of the head before Zuko could really think about what he was doing.
Inwardly, Zuko freaked out when he realized what he'd just done, only to calm when Aang started laughing, hand on the back of his head.
"I guess I sorta deserved that!" he said, still laughing.
They found themselves walking aimlessly around the mall again, chatting idly and exchanging sweets. Zuko ended up stealing two of Aang's orange chocolate squares, much to the artist's displeasure, but he just ignored him and ate them anyway. Toph had laughed her ass off at Aang's pouting once his chocolates had disappeared into his model's stomach for a full five minutes.
Somehow they ended up back on the first floor again, and were stopped by a crowd of people squealing over a display in a window. Interested, they walked over, only to be caught by the sight of a herd of golden retriever puppies, hopping around and flopping over one another, pawing at the window and yipping. Zuko, animal lover that he was, couldn't look away, and was glad he wasn't the only one in the group transfixed. Toph in fact, seemed to be the only one who wasn't caught by the cuteness, but that was most likely because she was blind.
Around the six minute mark of just staring, Sokka yelled and they spun around to see what he was looking at. It turned out to be a poster for the new Amnesia: The Dark Descent expansion that would be out in a month or two.
"I've gotta preoder this!" he said in an almost hysterical manner, and Katara rolled her eyes.
"Why, so you can cry yourself to sleep again? Seriously, you didn't stop screaming for days until you finished the damn game. And then a week after that."
"That's the point sister dearest, it's meant to scare the pants off of manly men like myself! ….I MUST HAVE IT!"
Katara just shook her head.
"I dunno…" Aang said, biting a corner off of the chocolate bar he'd just opened (which was filled with hazelnut cream. "Supposedly the puzzles are really tricky and if you don't do it right the game ends entirely; no saving."
"It's not that bad." Zuko commented. "It's more you really have to listen to what she's saying and use logic, and obviously play through the whole way. It kind of helps to remember what happened in the original game though."
Zuko blinked when he realized that all eyes in the group were on him.
"…What?"
"You play video games?" Sokka said in a mystified tone.
"…Yeah."
"You play Amnesia?"
"I played it through three times for fun…"
"You've played Justine?"
"I did some modeling for a Fictional Games production so they gave me the expansion early…."
Sokka looked like he either wanted to grovel at Zuko's feet or punch him. Katara was giving her brother a weird look, Toph looked indifferent, and Aang looked mildly impressed. Zuko didn't get it. So he posed in front of a camera for a few hours, went home, had a mini-emotional breakdown, and got a free video game out of it? So?
"…I can lend it to you, if you want…I almost got to the end but I made a stupid mistake, and I haven't had the time to play it through lately…"
Suddenly Sokka looked like he might kiss him.
"Really?"
"Yeah, I'll bring it to school Monday…"
"You're a saint!"
Zuko shrugged it off, though inside he was blushing and mumbling he most certainly WAS NOT… But his mask kept that inside him and wouldn't let it show. It was too bad too, because Aang's smile would have just gotten wider had he seen that display of… humanness, from the usually stoic model.
It wasn't that he thought Zuko was stuck up, or prissy, or anything like that. It was just that he seemed very…cut off. Like a very good movie that just suddenly ended without tying up the loose ends, or a door that was slammed closed in the middle of a hallway. Something was missing, end every time he got a little peek at it, it made him want to see more.
Today, he'd gotten the best results long term, though really, he'd seen the most of what he might call the 'true Zuko', that day while they were working together. When Zuko became lost in his writing, he seemed to drop off the face of the earth. Into another plane entirely where he wasn't so… Aang didn't want to say 'scared of the world', but not concerned about keeping up the façade he most often had.
Aang wondered how to make that more permanent, as Sokka swung an arm around Zuko's shoulders, chattering excitedly about video games, and Zuko responded with interest.
One way or another, after traipsing around the mall for another two hours, Katara noted that it was dark out and they had to be getting back if they wanted Zuko to get home before ten. Zuko wanted to say it really didn't matter and he'd really rather stay out with them, but something clogged his throat, and he just nodded mutely. When he realized that he couldn't even manage to say he wanted to spend more time with people he was becoming acquainted with, he felt quite a bit like having one of his worse releases, but held it in. Enough time to hate the way he was later.
They piled back into the car, and Zuko somehow ended up front with Katara this time, Aang and Sokka squabbling about whether Malik or Ezio were better. (Personally, Zuko preferred Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and would therefore have to go with Ezio.)
The drive towards Zuko's home wasn't as animated as the one to the mall, and seemed a bit dismal in his opinion. That could have just been him though. He hadn't had actual…fun, with other people outside his tightest circle in…how long? Far longer than should have been allowed by human standards. They were after all supposedly "social" creatures or whatever.
They were about halfway there, when Zuko's phone buzzed, making him jolt. He'd been staring out the window at the city lights and hadn't been expecting the vibration against his thigh at all, and in the end, acted a bit like a scared cat.
He fumbled his cell phone from within his pocket, flipping it open to see what had caused it to buzz. Apparently, his sister had text him, for whatever reason. This made him rather nervous, as Azula and he tended to keep a mutual belief that they just SHOULDN'T contact one another ever.
Opening the text, he felt an uncanny amount of relief as he read her words.
'Party at our place. Cat's in your room and I locked the door and windows so no one can get in.' -Azula
Which, loosely translated, meant, he had no home for the night.
"Uhm…Could you maybe change where you're taking me?" he murmured.
Katara gave him a questioning look.
"How come?"
"Azula's having a party…which means I'm not allowed home, so…"
To his surprise, Toph cheered.
"Sweet! That means I can abduct you after all!"
"Uhm…what?" he asked in confusion.
Aang laughed softly, and Zuko avoided eye contact entirely.
"I guess you really were out of it, huh?" he said. "Toph's having us all stay over at her place tonight. Her parent's are sort of rich, so her house is huge. You can stay with us, if you want."
Zuko felt his throat clog again. Half of him wanted to politely say no and that he really wanted to take the time with his uncle, though thank you for the offer, and the other half of him wanted to scream no and get out of the car right then. Neither ended up happening however, when Toph pouted.
"Pleaaaaase? Come on, I have the new Mortal Kombat…"
More than the interest in the video game, it was the pouting that got to him. Or so Zuko convinced himself because really, what else could it be, let's be honest. It most certainly wasn't Aang Kazekama's pensive eyes fixed almost knowingly on him in the rearview mirror, not at all. At any rate, Zuko found himself nodding mutely to the offer.
Toph cheered again, Aang smiled, and Zuko found himself wanting to melt into his seat.
They ended up back at Toph's house around nine, and indeed, her wealth showed. Zuko would have gaped, had his father's house (the "family house") not been bigger than the mansion he was standing in front of.
Toph insisted they go around back, and Zuko assumed they were avoiding her parents, something he understood well enough. He didn't question it, instead following the whole group to a back door that led down into what Zuko assumed was a basement of some sort. She descended the stairs first, and Zuko would have gone last had Aang not tugged on his sleeve and pulled him after himself. As they waked down the stairs, Toph flicked on the lights and Zuko blinked the little blotches of light from his eyes.
Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, he was only half surprised to see a den like area, complete with carpeted floor, entertainment system and several couches, beanbags and armchairs. Looks like he wasn't the only one who liked avoiding their closest family members whenever possible…
Somehow, they ended up in a miniature Mortal Kombat championship, which Zuko politely declined joining in with. When Sokka insisted on a round, just for kicks, Zuko accepted, and promptly beat the living crap out of him. Sokka sort of gaped at the two characters on the screen as Zuko beat him to fatality for a third time in a row.
"How in the…?"
"Long hours of boredom." Zuko replied.
And long hours of trying to lose himself in some kind of repetitive action that wouldn't end up harming him if he did it for too long. But, well, same difference, right?
After that another two hours of video games went by, and somehow he ended up helping Sokka beat Toph, who, for someone who was blind, was very good at video games. Had he been paying attention to the world around him instead of focusing on Toph and Sokka's rematch, he would have noticed Aang smiling softly at him.
Eventually, they all started to crash, and Toph told him to grab a spot and she'd get the blankets (as there were already pillows everywhere). Katara had already curled up on an armchair, and Sokka seemed content to flop out over three beanbags, while Aang had laid himself out languidly on one of two couches. They were pressed into the corner, and it was really more one couch that was in the shape of an L, and Aang alone took up half of it.
Zuko, too tired to listen to the part of him screaming that the possibility of actual human contact was terrifying, curled himself up on the other half of the couch. When thrown a blanket, he caught it and pulled it over himself, snuggling down against the soft suede. He didn't feel quite right, not having Kibou with him and not being at his uncle's, but he didn't feel as bad as he thought he would have normally.
Zuko's eyes fluttered shut slowly, and the last thing he heard was Aang Kazekama murmur;
"Sweet dreams Zuko…"
A/N: AHAHHAHHAHAH! I DID IT! HAHA! I DID IT! 8D IS ANYONE PROUD OF ME?
Noooope.
=_=
Okay yeah excruciatingly long wait, I know, I'm sorry, I have no idea what happened, the world just keeps catching up to me. I mean seriously, it's like the whole world just suddenly popped out of nowhere and said HERE HAVE SOME PROBLEMS IN FACT HAVE A WHOLE SHIT TON.
So yeah.
Anyway, hopefully the next chapter will be up soon, but I must get several requests and some other things out of the way first. After that I'll be free to get typing.
And before ANYONE doubts me, I have up to chapter 11 all planned out and guess what? THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE TRUE PLOT BITCHES.
Well part of it, anyway. _
Anywho, peace off, bless your faces, I almost put a Tobuscus reference during them talking about Amnesia but resisted.
