viii ⚜ action + voice

[banishment]

ＡＣＴＩＯＮ, ＯＰＥＮ ＴＯ ＡＮＹＯＮＥ

Zuko hadn't been to work in a while. He took a temporary leave of absence following Weiss's kidnapping and subsequent rescue, determined to keep a watchful eye on her in case Torchwick was foolish enough to go after her again. But time had passed and Torchwick had yet to make a move, and Weiss had recovered enough that he felt comfortable with backing off a little. (Besides, he was sure she knew that he had essentially spent the past month tailing her.) And while the dragon problem in Fayren wasn't as much of a dilemma as it had been, it was still something that required attention.

Which was why the Deputy Guardian could be found in various parts of Fayren throughout the day, from the streets of the city itself to the more mountainous and forested areas where the dragons tended to dwell. It was important to ensure that the native populations remained unharmed and those human-like dragons that had seen to capturing virgins were eradicated.

ＶＯＩＣＥ, ＬＯＣＫＥＤ ＴＯ ＫＡＴＡＲＡ

You said we were supposed to be friends now, that you forgave me for what I did in Ba Sing Se and, you know, everything else? If that's true, then I would like to ask you for a favor.

[ awkward... ]

Comments

[melodiouspacifist]

He laughed a little bit at the reaction. "Sorry, it kinda just popped into my head you know?" Demyx did not have much of a filter or much consideration for the feelings of others. He didn't need to.

"I'm just saying in the story usually the princess finds the prince, even if she's poor or enslaved or...whatever! And then they live happily ever after. No fairy tales in your world?"

[banishment]

Filters are something you're going to have to learn, Demyx.

"We have them, but reality's far from what stories would have you believe."

[melodiouspacifist]

His expression shuttered a little. "Yeah, nothing's ever as good as it seems huh?"

Demyx seemed to be thinking about something. "It's funny, the things I remember, like fairy tales. Not like I've read one since I was this big."

He held his hand around his abdomen. "I must've always been a dreamer." That felt right so he decided it was true.

[banishment]

Heh. You're preaching to the choir, Demyx. The life of a Fire Nation royal was far from what the world expected it to be. Living in the lap of luxury was not worth being raised by a cruel and twisted hand.

"I used to be," Zuko admitted. "But I got a couple doses of reality that made me stop living in fantasy what-if worlds."

[melodiouspacifist]

"The what-if worlds are a lot better than what's going on around me. It's easier to think about than my situation. Reality kinda sucks sometimes." Demyx sighed a little.

"All I want is to relax and play my sitar all day."

[banishment]

"It's not for me," he said. "I might rule a country one day."

Big emphasis on might. Even if Aang's arrival has prompted Zuko to change his mind about being so certain of his impending death, he wasn't quite certain he'd ever wind up on the throne. And, more importantly, he didn't want to. He supposed he would, if it came down to it and there weren't any other options, but in his mind, his uncle was the rightful heir to the throne. Not him. Who better to be Fire Lord in the wake of Ozai's madness than Iroh?

"I don't have that luxury."

[melodiouspacifist]

He grinned. "Probably not if you want to be in charge. I don't want anything like that. I'd rather hide away somewhere, like say, here and play my music. I don't want to be in charge but I don't really wanna follow orders either you know? Just...be somewhere else for awhile. After that? I don't know."

[banishment]

"Being her must be like being on vacation, then," Zuko said.

[melodiouspacifist]

"It's a great vacation! My boss is always on my ass about something and all I ever do is work. I have been on a streak of failed missions too, so the likelihood I'm gonna be in trouble is pretty high. Perfect time for vacation."

[banishment]

Zuko didn't say anything, but the thin line his lips pressed into might as well have indicated that he was in some sort of trouble back home. If questioned, he'd cite the war and the strain it was putting on his nation, not the reality of his situation where he was a traitor to the crown who'd turned his back on the Fire Nation to join the Avatar's opposing forces. He didn't need that getting back to Azula.

"Things do get back here, so don't completely let your guard down."

[melodiouspacifist]

Surprisingly as blunt as Demyx could be, he didn't pick up on that. Facial cues weren't his strong point. He arched an eyebrow.

"Bad, huh?" His tone was all too innocent. He looked at his sitar, it was the only thing he had on him after all. There wasn't a chance he would let his guard down but he wanted to seem harmless.

[banishment]

"Yeah," Zuko confirmed. "It's not as peaceful as you think."

[melodiouspacifist]

"It seems peaceful but I'll bear that in mind." Demyx smiled.