I do not own.
In my Lu Ten stories, his mom didn't die in childbirth. Everyone does that. :p This is Lu Ten's Eighteenth birthday, sort of going along with the Lu Ten saga, if you like, but not necessarily a part of it.
And everyone loves young Zuko.
35. Rain
Lu Ten had a spring birthday. And every year it rained. Without fail, year after year, the Prince of the Fire Nation woke up to storm clouds and humidity that disagreed with the topknot he was supposed to wear at all times in public.
The really good birthdays meant a lightning storm, when he could run about the palace pretending to exchange blows with some angry god, but that was back when he was a kid.
Nowadays he had school, and lightning was just one more thing to contend with on his way to classes. He was, after all, going to be an officer, and birthday parties were not high on his to-do list, especially after last year when Azula had thrown a tantrum when she didn't get any presents.
Birthdays were days to get drinks with friends and maybe work up the courage to ask out one of the hot female officers, but as a Prince, that was usually too much to ask for. He would have to help his grandfather preside over the feast, because no one did any presiding except for the Fire Lord, and then go through all the awkward reintroductions from fawning nobles.
His dad rarely made it to any of the parties anyways, so it was really useless. Making up for missed birthdays was more personal, and more fun.
This birthday would probably be worse than usual. It was the weekend, and that meant he had to stay in the palace all day, unless he could conjure up some halfway believable excuse to vamoose.
But it was the weekend, so that was too much effort. Lu Ten pulled the covers and an extra pillow over his head for good measure, and tried to sleep away the rest of the day.
But little kids saw fit to wake up at all sorts of ungodly hours, like eight in the morning, as bright eyed and annoying as ever. "Hey, Lu Ten! It's raining again!"
"It's too early," he whined, his voice muffed by the layers of cloth.
"But it's your birthday!" Zuko shouted, indignant. "Don't you want to go looking for your presents?"
"No."
Zuko was silent for a moment. "Are you sick?"
"No."
"You're not happy because your Dad isn't here." Zuko jumped up on the bed, his legs dangling over the edge. "I know I wouldn't be happy if my Dad was gone for my birthday."
"You get used to it after a while." There was going to be no more sleeping, Zuko would see to that, and if he didn't succeed, he would probably employ his sister to do the task, and she would, great spirits on high. Lu Ten would probably need a new room by the time she was finished.
He rolled out of bed, his hair flying in every which direction, and he was in desperate need of a shave. Yeah, the sideburns were in style but he wasn't looking for full-fledged mutton-chops.
"When will I get to shave?"
"When your older."
"How much older?"
"Whenever you start getting fuzzies around your mouth and girls start looking at you funny."
Zuko paused for a moment, fishing for another question. "Does it hurt?"
"Not really."
"What about when you cut yourself?"
"It stings a little."
Pause. Because little kids did that so often. They watched, and they learned, and they asked some of the weirdest questions, but Zuko wasn't much of a talker. It was nice when a kid could appreciate the meaning of quiet. But it was still a little . . . unnatural.
The rain continued to fall, and though it got in the way of the search for presents, it wasn't unwelcomed.
Because in the end, when everything was said and done and the party was over, the rain continued to fall. Even though his dad couldn't be around for his birthday, when it rained, it felt like his mom could.
Oh, God, Lu Ten says all these creepy, prophetic things!! I don't even mean to make him say all that! Pippin, hide me!
Because he does it again, in a few other chapters I haven't posted. Lu Ten should have apprenticed himself to Aunt Wu to avoid the draft. T/-\T Sad now.
Please review!