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

[forged_anew]

[More silence for a long time, then a quiet response.]

Yeah...

I guess... that's the only good thing about this place.

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

[...]

Then why did it take only one day for you to come back, and Yoh's still dead?

[forged_anew]

Yoh...? Oh.

[...]

I don't know.

I was told it normally takes one day.

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

Why....?

[...]

Make sure Haru knows you're back.

[forged_anew]

I'm sorry, Toph. I... don't know.

Haru? Well, I suppose he'll hear this too...

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

He was... pretty upset. [A light scoff, but nothing notable.]

[forged_anew]

I... see.

[Aaand more brooding silence over making everybody so upset.]

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

[They can tag team on their awkward silences. Here's another.]

How're you feeling?

[forged_anew]

[...]

Healthy.


[That means only his body feels fine. :| ]

:3 keywords!

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

[...]

Stop kicking yourself, moron. Nobody's mad at you--nothing's your fault. Your back now, and that's all that matters.

[forged_anew]

[Wow. That was unexpected, coming from the Toph who still (mostly) hates him.]

...I didn't think anyone was angry with me.

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

[She's warming up to him--sort of.]

Then you don't have any reason to beat yourself up.

[forged_anew]

I just... I don't like being useless again. And I don't like having upset everyone.

I wanted to protect those people, and I hurt them.

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

Then toughen up. So a few bad things happen--nobody's perfect. You're worse off moping than at least trying. The only person you're letting down right now is yourself, so get you butt into gear and find something to help with if you have to.

[Motivational speech much?]

[forged_anew]

[Oh, wow. He just got told off by a twelve-year-old. This time the silence is less brooding and just more... speechless. When he speaks, he still sounds a little down, but also with a determined edge to it. And he's secretly kind of happy Toph cares.]

You're right, Toph.

...I need to man up. Being a horrible boyfriend to Mai some more isn't what she needs right now. I'll...work on it.

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

Good; I don't want a sissy as a neighbor.

dsfgklfdmgjl LOVE FOR THE ICON AND THE FRIENDSHIP \o/

[forged_anew]

[Oh, wow, you got a little chuckle out of him. That's skill.]

Gotta make sure I'm manlier than the little girl next door.

YOURE GETTING THERE BB!!!

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

It doesn't take much to be manlier than Ren.

[forged_anew]

[Hey, another little chuckle. You're good.]

Thanks, Toph.

[roxrkool.livejournal.com]

No problem. [Now she just needs to take her own advice.]