Salle - Afternoon

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko may have been avoiding his room more often these days which was why he could be found in the salle. He'd started out just practising his dual blades, but once he was satisfied that he hadn't gotten too rust, he'd moved on to do some firebending drills.

At least he had the presence of mind to stick a note warning people to mind the fire to the door.

((Zuko is here to meet a particular someone, but the Salle is open of course.))

Comments

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, that made Teddy feel so much safer about working with him.

He paused outside the room, taking a deep breath before pushing the door open and peering inside. "...crap."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

If it wasn't that Zuko hadn't even noticed Teddy, he might have been showing off as he kicked the air, sending a flame towards the wall. There may have been some issues getting vented there.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Issues. Yes.

Fiery issues.

Teddy swallowed loudly and stepped in. "Hi?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Another punch and then Zuko stopped, turning towards the kid. Right. Teddy. Assignment. Aly was going crazy.

"Hi."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

This was kinda awkward. If this wasn't for a class, Teddy would so be gone by this time. "So, um, about the assignment..."

He was trying, really. The fire was just... very distracting.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko was just thinking that maybe Teddy was just a little bit slow. Which only meant one thing. "I'll protect you."

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy just blinked a few times. "Um. Okay. You sure?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't," Zuko pointed out. No, it did not occur to him that maybe Teddy would like to be the bodyguard.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"I guess not..." Teddy replied hesitantly. "Have you done it before?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"I'm a prince, it usually their job to protect me," Zuko said in a voice that suggested that really Teddy should know this.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Oh." Well, wasn't Teddy's fault! Not like there was a teenage royalty club or something. "A prince? Really?"

That was almost funny.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Zuko said slowly, narrowing his eyes as if maybe he was expecting some sort of laugh.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

And laugh Teddy did. Because it was either that or boggle a lot more. And this seemed friendlier. "That's just too weird."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Nope, that wasn't helping Zuko's mood at all. "Why?" he demanded.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

He wasn't trying to make him angry! Really!

"Because she put the royalty together?"

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko paused and studied Teddy for a moment. If he was royalty, he was hiding it very well. "You're a prince?"

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy cleared his throat nervously. "Emperor, actually."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

There was a long awkward pause in which Zuko just stared at Teddy.

"Were you exiled?"

Yes, that was apparently the logical question.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Kinda?" In a way. "There's a war going on and I'm supposed to stop it."

He didn't sound terribly enthusiastic or confident about this.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Zuko's eyebrow raised a hair. "How?"

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Teddy shrugged helplessly. "If I knew that, I don't think I'd be here."

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

"So you're hiding?"

Not that he was throwing his own issues right back at Teddy. No, he'd never do that.

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

Oh, the issues of the young and royal.

"It was either this or let everyone die because I exist," Teddy replied tightly.

[thebluespirit.livejournal.com]

Well, that shut Zuko right up. "How does that work?"

[notthehulk.livejournal.com]

"Where I'm from, there are two races that have been at war since...well, forever." Teddy sighed. "And my mom is a princess from one and my dad is a soldier from the other. Romeo and Juliet, the aftermath."