[Minato noted Zuko's response in a detached sort of way, strangely satisfied even as he worked through his own emotions. His words had hit home. He understood Zuko more than he thought.
Zuko wasn't the type to talk. People dealt with pain differently, and Zuko wasn't used to letting anyone see his weaknesses. But he also wasn't the type that would work through his pain alone.
So Minato would have to talk for him. It was that simple.
The kid's close to tears and jumpy as well--Minato doesn't purposefully touch him yet, as he starts to speak.]
Watching that demon wreck everything... I had felt helpless, at first. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to stop it, or to save my wife as she went into labor. The hardest part was to work through that, to force myself to be strong in the face of what was happening. Others depended on me.
[He glances at Zuko.]
I could have stayed that way forever, letting that fear consume me. But I didn't--I couldn't.
[The words "And neither can you" are left unsaid, but Minato's gaze speaks them.]
The only thing I could do was work with what I had. The others couldn't do it. Only I was young enough, and strong enough, to have a spirit that could match the demon--a necessity to make the sealing technique work at the cost of my life. But even then, there was something my shinobi could do--they fought for me, to buy me the time I needed. If I hadn't of been for them, I never would have succeeded. It was a team effort. I had to rely on others in order to save them. As powerful as I was, I couldn't do everything myself.
[The words "And neither can you" are still left unsaid, but they're louder now. Minato's gaze then softens.]
I haven't fully gotten over the pain of my death, or of the loss I felt when I came here and realized what had happened in my absence. But I'm not letting the grief, pain, or fear consume me, either. I have to move forward, bit by bit.
[This time, the words are "And so do you."]
Zuko... I already know how strong you are, and how strong you're bound to become. There's no need to hide behind a false curtain of pride. Not with me.
[commentlog \o/] / another novel~
Zuko wasn't the type to talk. People dealt with pain differently, and Zuko wasn't used to letting anyone see his weaknesses. But he also wasn't the type that would work through his pain alone.
So Minato would have to talk for him. It was that simple.
The kid's close to tears and jumpy as well--Minato doesn't purposefully touch him yet, as he starts to speak.]
Watching that demon wreck everything... I had felt helpless, at first. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how to stop it, or to save my wife as she went into labor. The hardest part was to work through that, to force myself to be strong in the face of what was happening. Others depended on me.
[He glances at Zuko.]
I could have stayed that way forever, letting that fear consume me. But I didn't--I couldn't.
[The words "And neither can you" are left unsaid, but Minato's gaze speaks them.]
The only thing I could do was work with what I had. The others couldn't do it. Only I was young enough, and strong enough, to have a spirit that could match the demon--a necessity to make the sealing technique work at the cost of my life. But even then, there was something my shinobi could do--they fought for me, to buy me the time I needed. If I hadn't of been for them, I never would have succeeded. It was a team effort. I had to rely on others in order to save them. As powerful as I was, I couldn't do everything myself.
[The words "And neither can you" are still left unsaid, but they're louder now. Minato's gaze then softens.]
I haven't fully gotten over the pain of my death, or of the loss I felt when I came here and realized what had happened in my absence. But I'm not letting the grief, pain, or fear consume me, either. I have to move forward, bit by bit.
[This time, the words are "And so do you."]
Zuko... I already know how strong you are, and how strong you're bound to become. There's no need to hide behind a false curtain of pride. Not with me.