17 - [voice] Return to the land of the living

[forged_anew]

[Zuko turns his communicator on, but there is only silence for a long time. He doesn't really know what to say. After a while, he speaks, voice quiet and flat.]


I'm... back.


[.......]



I apologize for having worried you.


[And that's it. The communicator shuts off with a soft click.]

Comments

If you'd like to, sure. Zuzu needs quite a bit of cheering up. :<

[forged_anew]

[shrug]

...healthy, I guess.

bawww zuukooo ;;

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[He looks at Zuko in confusion.]

You guess?

[forged_anew]

[Zuko doesn't look up, correcting himself in that same dispassionate tone.]

I feel fine.

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[He doesn't believe that for a second.]

Yea, and I'm a nine toed bearmonkey.

[forged_anew]

I'm not lying.

I'm healthy now.

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[Le sigh]

That's not what I'm talking about. You seem really upset, when you should be happy to be back.

[forged_anew]

[...]

[He finally looks up, eyes burning with anger, sadness, confusion... He's not happy at all, Sokka.

Angry emoboy explosion in 3... 2... 1...]

How can I be happy that I hurt everyone I wanted to protect? How can I simply forget I just died a miserable death and by all laws of nature should have stayed that way but was only brought back because some scientists wanted to play with me some more?

And they took away my Firebending again! Everything I wanted to do, the people I wanted to keep safe, I screwed it all up! Not only am I still absolutely useless, I also upset everyone I care about.

So, no, Sokka. I'm not happy. I'm back, and it's great I'm not a pile of bones in the ground, but I'm not happy.

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[Sokka listens quietly, and stays silent for a while after Zuko's done.]

Yea, everyone was worried, but it's because they care. I'm sure they're all just happy to have you back Zuko. And, I'd much rather you be alive than a pile of bones, but that could just be me.

I'm sure you can get your chip removed again. After these infections calm down anyway. It's not like it's stuck being gone.

[forged_anew]

[Zuko looks away, biting his lip. Of course, Sokka was right but... he really, really, really hates being this useless.

But now he's... kind of afraid to get his chip out again. Especially since Muraki...

He sighs heavily, burying his face in his hands, voice muffled by his palms.]

I know it's because they care, Sokka. It's still... hard.

And I am thankful to be alive. But...

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[Sokka smiles sadly. He's not really sure what he should say that would make his friend feel better.

Yea, he's got nothing]

I know...

Hey, why don't we go do something fun?

[forged_anew]

[Zuko doesn't look up, mumbling]

Sure. Like what?

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

Well...We could build a catapult!

[forged_anew]

[...]




...Why?

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

To catapult things?

[forged_anew]

Like what?

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

Giant snowballs!

[forged_anew]

And who or what are we catapulting these giant snowballs at, Sokka?

[Oh, look, the depressed deadpan is going away, slowly being replaced by his usual you're-an-idiot tone]

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[That was a good sign. Sokka grins]

Anyone, and everyone.

[forged_anew]

[a slightly frustrated sigh]


I hardly thing it's the best idea to antagonize our neighbors.

...maybe we could do something else instead?


[Because he still likes the idea of distracting himself with something fun but doesn't feel like being all that social. And lobbing snowballs at everyone counts as social.]

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[Crap. Most of his Ideas involve pestering the neighbors.

Time for Plan B!]

Well, what do you like doing that's fun?

[forged_anew]

[Fun? What's that? :| ]

Uh...



Training?

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

Training is...okay, it helps people get stronger. But, I don't think it counts as fun.

[Zuko needed to cheer up, and Sokka was quickly running out of ideas.

Until he remembered his meat.

Meat made everyone happy.]

I know! I got some meat in exchange for those horrible cookies! I bet that'll cheer you up! It might need to be cooked though

[forged_anew]

[Zuko looked up at that one. He hadn't eaten actual food in ages. He hadn't even had meat since he'd been here. And he'd had nothing at all since coming back to life, so he was officially starving.]

Seriously?

Actually... that sounds great.

[meat4all.livejournal.com]

[Sokka's grin widened.]

Yep, now all we have to do is figure out how to cook it. Those stoves seem like they would work well.

[forged_anew]

[Nod, and, hey! He finally gets up from where he's been moping on the couch all day]

Yes, we have a stove. I wish I had my Firebending... It should work just fine.