genessia | viii ⚜ action + voice

ＡＣＴＩＯＮ, ＯＰＥＮＴＯＡＮＹＯＮＥ

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, ＬＯＣＫＥＤＴＯＫＡＴＡＲＡ

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... ]

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Don't—! Don't feel bad. I... I didn't notice it, either. She went out of her way to hide it from everyone.

[ even me goes unsaid. zuko may or may not be a touch hurt that she kept how badly her hand was hurt from even him. ]

...Sorry. [did she guess that much from his words and tone and the fact that he's asking now instead of earlier? Maybe.] Well, she won't be able to hide it from me anymore, so it won't be a problem much longer.

It's not your fault. I should've been paying closer attention.

[ should've noticed that she was missing sooner, but he'd been so wrapped up in work dealing with the dragon situation in fayren that he hadn't noticed something was up until ruby had pointed it out to him. some boyfriend he was. ]

Closer attention...? Zuko, it's not your fault either.

[Does he want to talk? Because she's listening, even if he doesn't exactly want to but you know, if he still needs to.]

[ maybe. but this whole katara not hating him and actively being his friend thing is new, so there's a heavy sigh and a lengthy pause before he continues. ]

She was gone for a week, and I didn't even notice, because I was too busy dealing with political matters in Fayren.

[Then she better try to keep him talking and try not to feel too weird about the whole time confusion thing herself... which she actually usually doesn't, because she's so used to thinking of him as a friend by now!]

Look, I'm not going to say 'a week is nothing' or something like that, but we all know how a week can go fast when people are busy. Besides you had political matters and stuff to do there and Weiss is running a company, that I imagine keeps her busy among other things. We all need some time on our own sometimes, we just can't know if something happens during that time.

I didn't even want this job. I only agreed to be Azula's Deputy Guardian, because I wasn't comfortable with leaving her to her own devices. Accepting meant being close to her and making sure she did right by Fayren.

I would've noticed if I'd just stuck to making tea.

[ there's a thud and the sound of something scraping against the floor as he kicks his desk. ]

Zuko, none of us would be comfortable with leaving her on her own. And being close to her like that is important, so we know if something happens, you can't -- it's no use blaming yourself for doing something so important even when things happen while you're busy there. Things always happen! Sometimes we can't stop them, but we can at least try our best, that they won't happen again.

...You can't know that for sure.

[She jumps a little when she hears the sounds.]

What are you doing?

Nothing. Just kicked the desk.

There are better ways to deal with it than that.

viii ⚜ action + voice

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