Fourth Floor Common Room | Evening | 1/26

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley had spent too much time cooped up in her room. She decided to come out to the common room, and started to occupy her time by putting together ingredients for an omelet. Her efforts, however, didn't turn out so well. She burned the first one, and by the time she got to trying it again, she actually ended up burning her hand.

With a scream, she flung the frying pan off the stove. Which thankfully wasn't hot enough to actually start a fire or anything when it clanked across the floor, leaving an eggy, cheese splatter in its wake. She was just so angry that she couldn't manage a simple meal, as she ran her hand under cold water from the sink. Her tears were both of pain and frustration. She just felt so useless, right then.

[ooc: Open! Feel free to distract the poor girl.]

Comments

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

Azula was walking around the dorms when she heard the scream. Curiosity drew her to the sound just in time to see the frying pan on the floor then to Hayley. "You seem distressed."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I burned myself," Hayley said, scowling at the mess on the floor. "Cooking is so stupid."

She was going to throw accusations at the act of cooking, so she didn't feel bad about failing at it.

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't know about cooking, I've never done it," she remarked. Azula went forward and reached out for the pan and picked it up. "The pan is hat for a non-Firebender."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...you can just pick it up?" Hayley said, in awe. "It doesn't hurt, at all?"

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"Of course," she replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "A little heat doesn't hurt me."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I guess not," Hayley said, remembering exactly how she'd felt about Azula. "I sure wish it didn't hurt me."

Her hand was going to sting for a few days, that was certain.

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"A little pain is a good reminder you're alive," she said, placing the pan back on the stove. "You should clean up that mess."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I'll get to it," Hayley said, struggling to stand her ground against Azula. "I just need a minute or two. That's okay, right?"

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

Azula raised an eyebrow then shrugged. "Suit yourself, if you want to remain in such a messy state for a minute or two more, that's your decision." She turned to the couch and sat, crossing her legs. "I'm certainly not ordering you or anything like that."

She smiled, "You are your own person after all."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Hayley said. Thinking she wouldn't mind orders from Azula, but... no, she was her own person. "But it's not that bad. I mean, I didn't get any of it on me, at least. That woulda... been worse."

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"It would." She moved her hand around, "Imagine if it were sizzling and it hit you. It would surely burn."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Well, I already burned," Hayley said. "But yeah." She nodded. "I guess I ain't really a good cook or anything. Another thing to scratch off the list of potential jobs."

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

Not that Azula cared but she hated it when people left a job unfinished and quit so easily (unless they were her enemies). "You're giving up so soon? You haven't even started."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"I burnt my hand!" Hayley protested. "Plus this was my second try. It just didn't come naturally, I guess."

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"Did you think I became a Firebending Master by shying away from pain?" Azula retorted.

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...it hurt to become what you are?" Hayley said, a little surprised. "Really?"

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"Sacrifices have to be made if you want to be great."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley actually thought that sounded like good advice.

"...I'm gonna wait until my hand is better," she said. "But I'll try again."

"Cause I should. Not cause you told me."

She felt like making that point.

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

Just because she was a megalomaniac sociopath didn't mean she didn't give good advice once in a while. "That's practical."

She tipped her head back and noted, "You certainly seem to make a point of saying that. I feel like I should be offended."

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"Oh I don't want you to be offended," Hayley said quickly, practically throwing out her resolve. "I just... you know, I keep gettin' told I shouldn't do stuff because other people want me to. And I want to do that."

Ironic, that.

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

It was and of course Azula noticed.

"Let me get this straight: People are telling you not to follow other people and you're following their advice because... they told you to?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...Because they're right, though," Hayley said, quickly. "Aren't they? I mean, it was the nice people who told me that, so I figure they were telling me for me, not for themselves."

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"Nice people?" Repeated, affecting a hurt voice, "Are you saying I'm not nice?"

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

Hayley choked down her guilt at that voice, and actually stood her ground. "I didn't say that."

[azuldragon.livejournal.com]

"You didn't need to," she said, still looking hurt. Then sighed, "It's alright, I'know I'm a monster. Go on, listen to your friends."