the avar khaganate was very proud of his long braids. they indicated his origin, who he was, who he descended from, they were his connection with his murdered/deceased father, rouran. they were an integral part of his culture, something that set him apart from all the other nations and tribes, something that showed them who they're dealing with. the moment they saw long jet black braids, they knew "this is him".

until one day, he met the eastern roman empire and talked to her. (depending on who u ask, he might've liked her, but who knows.)

'lmao ur braids are soooo ugly. like they're matted and dirty and dry like ewwwww.'

'w-what? matted? where?' avar becomes super self-conscious, takes a braid in his hands and begins to check it out.

'here no no here look I'd show u where but they're so nasty that I feel gross even thinking about touching them'

and the avar khaganate is like : ( he's rlly hurt that she's insulting something so important to him, to who he is, he's also thinking 'cmon I just washed my hair at the anchialus baths and I combed it how could it be dirty and messed up'

and she starts drawing her sword and is like 'maybe I should cut them off : ) them along with ur head'

but then bulgar appears.

'no way avar's braids aren't dirty or matted or dry don't make shit up' (damn what a gooood friend totally ignored the last thing byzantine said dude SHE'S GONNA DECAPITATE UR FRIEND but ur not humans so this is something akin to a scratch to u I guess)

'yes they are WHERE DID U COME FROM'

'the eastern parts of the pontic-caspian steppe but then I moved west'

'no WHERE DID U COME FROM NOW- oh forget it this is just dumb' she's about to walk away.

'yeah just like u.' bulgar roasts her, to which she stops and turns back.

'what did u say?'

'that ur dumb'

she puts her sword back, rolls her eyes, exhales loudly and tries to walk away again. it's not worth it. besides she's already bullied avar she doesn't feel like bullying any other ppl today.

'so u admit that ur dumb?'

she knows that she mustn't give any response to bulgar. I mean she's a bully she knows she's pissed the most when people ignore her and don't pay any attention to her bullying.

then bulgar turns to avar.

'u okay bud? btw don't listen to her. she's just envious of ur awesome long hair. she can't grow her hair beyond her upper back without getting split ends. look at her she got scared when I appeared and now she's retreating. fr tho. ur hair is like black silk. well not exactly cuz it's coarse but it's shiny. like silk. u get it'

the eastern roman empire turns back.

'what did u say?'

'that his hair is like black silk but not exactly cuz it's coarse-'

'NO WHAT DID U SAY BEFORE THAT- oh forget it. ur just so dumb I just don't know- I'm out of words ur just that dumb UR IMPOSSIBLY DUMB.'

'yeah and ur envious of my friend :D '

'NO IM NOT WHY WOULD I BE ENVIOUS OF SUCH NASTY-LOOKING HAIR'

'bitch. u envious.'

'NO IM NOT I JUST TOLD U WHY ARE U DUMB'

'BITCH U ENVIOUS.'

'NO I'M NOT?'

'BITCH U ENVIOUS.'

'NO IM NOT'

'BITCH. U ENVIOUS.'

'NO. I'M. NOT.'

'YES YOU ARE.' then he turns to avar 'yo when u first went into constantinople with ur ppl, all her ppl were staring at u and ur ppl, more exactly, at y'all's braids. they all were so impressed with them that they wanted to grow their hair like u. she wants to have hair like u and is also pissed that they strive to be like u and not like her also once she said that my legs were crooked from growing up riding horses but I know she was just jealous of my great equestrian skills'

'AAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!' byzantine pulls out her sword, they pull out their sabers and so they fight