driftfleet | mingle part deux

[ -- that causes him to put his cup down with a sigh, and he stares down into it. ]

I'm not going to kill her. And the only person who can remove her powers from her isn't here.

[ it's said finally. ]

I defeat her, in the end. And I was ready to kill her, if I had to. But I was able to capture her instead. If I can neutralize her in the same way here, then that's what I'm going to do.

[ Sasuke thinks even that plan sounds optimistic but he isn't going to actually suggest murder, unsure of the proper course but knowing that that's one that's best avoided. ]

I assumed as much. Still, things are different.

Being outside of your home world is a huge variable. Do you think it'll lessen her stress or increase it? [ He doesn't know exactly how gradual or sudden Azula's break from reality had been, honestly. ]

I don't know.

[ it's said honestly, and zuko taps his fingers against his cup, but he doesn't reheat his tea. ]

She doesn't have my father as an influence, but she also doesn't have Mai or Ty Lee.. they're her closest friends. They betray her, at home, to ... they saved me, instead.

[ something zuko can't ever make up to either mai or ty lee, to be honest. ]

It was after that, I think, that she started to... slip. -- I'm just glad I can have a conversation with her.

[ azula, after that, couldn't communicate. ]

[ It makes it clear that he still genuinely cares about her a significant amount despite how he's holding himself together, not sure that he would have the same ability to do what's right over prioritizing his family. He says he can now, sure, but by now they're all-- ]

... yeah. Whether you want to think of it as her needing you right now or as the fleet needing you to keep the peace, there's another burden on your head.

When I spoke to her she was obviously ambitious about the war effort. Being separated from the pressure of that may also help.

[ azula, needing him. the thought is a little ridiculous, but in zuko's time, he supposes it's true. azula needs him to ensure that she won't lash out and take down everyone within her path, or kill innocents. to keep her safe, and keep others safe. zuko will probably have to take care of azula for the rest of his life, if he finds her again.

allen had told him, without quarter, that part of the reason why zuko was so off was because he both loved and hated his sister, and his father. zuko supposes it's true, though he tries to ignore both. he can't rely on hatred (and there is no point in hating either of them), but he also can't allow himself to be tricked into love, either. ozai does not love him, and zuko has wasted enough of his life attempting to force that to happen. it's the same with azula -- zuko is her punching bag. and ozai's.

still, though, azula is his sister. and that, like it or not, makes her his responsibility.

he had lied; his feelings about family are complicated. ]

She's arrived here from a huge victory for the Fire Nation. The Day of Black Sun.

[ he steadily ignores the first part, instead focusing on the second. ]

Firebenders rise and fall with the sun -- and when the sun is blocked, we lose our ability to firebend. The resistance decided to launch an attack on the palace during a solar eclipse, when we were defenseless. The Avatar and the rest of his -- ... my friends went to kill my father, but they ran into my sister, instead. She bought enough time for my father to escape, and by the time the Avatar found his throne room, the eclipse was over.

[ zuko, of course, had been dealing with ozai. but. that's not an important part of the story. ]

As far as she knows, she's kicked the Avatar away from her birthright. She's in a good mood.

[ He knows a deflection when he hears one -- probably because he'd used one near the beginning of this very conversation -- but he allows it without pressing him, equally aware of when someone needs a shove and when they need to decompress.

It's just rare for him to give enough of a shit to not keep needling them anyway. ]

In that case it should secure even more time, assuming that that ends up being necessary. [ A pause. ]

If you want to handle it on your own, that's understandable. If you need help containing her later, however, I'm also willing to do what I can. They're your choices.

[ while zuko is ... extraordinarily grateful for sasuke's offer of help (and it's a little unexpected, given their... whatever they have), he exhales slowly. ]

... the last time I brought someone with me to take down Azula, they nearly died.

[ or. well. azula tried to kill katara. zuko stopped her. but it had been close. ]

I'd rather deal with her on my own, but I don't think I'll have a choice. If it happens.

You said that you defeated her before. Don't forget that in assessing your own capabilities.

[ If someone like Madara showed up here Sasuke would remind himself of the same thing... even while internally trying to suppress a very healthy amount of fear. ]

And I know the risks of every battle that I enter. I'm not afraid of her or of helping to stop a potential threat here.

She wasn't the same.

[ it's murmured, and he taps his fingers against his cup again, in thought. ]

And I never said you were afraid.

[ but he's also not going to allow his friends (??) to put themselves in danger, when azula is far from the pretty little princess she likes to waltz about as. azula is his problem, and no one else's. ]

Neither are you, are you?

[ Zuko's also had the chance to fight other people, to get stronger, and to learn more than he likely knew when he fought Azula before. ]

It's merely something to keep in mind. If you want to fight her alone... well, it's as I said. That's your choice. [ He doesn't need to say he'll intervene if it spreads to involve others; Zuko's heard those tired words enough already no doubt. ]

I don't want to have to fight her ever again, but if anyone has to deal with her, it's going to be me.

[ part of the reason is that their first agni kai was supposed to have been their last. it was symbolic, and hugely important, and it should never be replicated. it had bene destructive, nearly gotten people killed, and azula had only been barely defeated.

that being said, both azula and zuko deserve the opportunity to prove themselves to each other, and to handle their family business as privately as possible. zuko doesn't want anyone else to be the one to strike her down, if necessary. ]

... I appreciate the offer, though.

[ Sasuke merely shakes his head, dismissing either the gratitude as unnecessary or the explanation as unneeded. Helping would only be the right thing to do, falling in line with a number of promises he's made to change. The fact that it's Zuko isn't even the main motivator. ]

I understand. [ Before he looks up again. ] It's your fight. [ If anyone jumped between himself and Naruto when they were getting ready to clash, they'd either end up debilitated or dead. ]

Just win.

[ just win. like it's that easy.

zuko knows he's being overly hard on himself because he's tired, exhausted, scattered -- and he knows when he gives himself time, he'll have a brighter outlook. right now, he can't even control his powers, and without an ironclad focus, he'll die in five minutes.

still. he does have one advantage over azula, and that is information. with information comes confidence, even only a little. and so, -- ]

I already have.

[ it's said finally, and though zuko sounds tired, he sounds sure.

and, finally, he reheats his tea in order to take a sip. ]

Oh, now you're willing to agree with that...

[ He holds in a sigh when he leans forward, resting his elbow on the table, but his tone still isn't hostile. In all honesty he's not overly concerned about the fight, because in his own experience that's usually the easy part.

It's the build-up of worry and anticipation, the paranoia, and then the emotional collapse when it's over that are harder to deal with. A physical clash can only last so long. ]

... what a piece of shit week.

[ there's a soft snort of laughter, breathy, and really not all that happy, but it's either you laugh or you cry. ]

It could've been worse.

[ he overcooked the tea leaves, to his annoyance. ugh. ]

Sure.

My previous incarnation could've shown up also. [ ugggh ]

[ zuko pauses before speaking, because that hadn't been the answer he expected. hm. ]

...I was thinking my father and the rest of your family, but now that you say it, i don't think I could deal with two of you.

[ zuko would never sleep, between the two of them apparently deciding to attach themselves to him like a fucking parasite. ]

One of you is enough, I think.

[ ... oh. So he doesn't know. ]

You thought I was talking about myself? That would be a fucking disaster. [ To massively understate it. ]

I was... talking about Madara.

[ oh ]

That would be worse.

[ ZUKO HAS HAD ENOUGH OF MADARA TO LAST SEVEN LIFETIMES AND HE'S NOT EVEN FROM NARUTO ]

[ Yeah well try learning that you were reincarnated from him after he stabbed you and left you to die, that rudeass bitch. ]

He'd probably try to take my eyes again. I'd be blind, you'd have to fight your father... [ Somehow talking about the worst scenario makes him feel weirdly better. ]

[ god madara is such a piece of shit zuko nearly forgot how much he hated him until right now thanks sasuke ]

An eclipse would happen. Somehow.

[ pause ]

But it would only affect me, because that's just my good luck. And you'd be useless, because Madara would probably take your other arm in addition to your eyes.

[ ... ]

I could kick him back into his grave. [ musing... ]

I defeated him once. I'll have to be more than limbless and blind to be stopped. I've already dealt with the latter and I'm dealing with part of the former right now.

[ zuko rolls his eyes at what he perceives as pointless speculation, and he reheats his tea with a hiss of steam, letting sasuke consider his own butchering of madara. he'd normally tell sasuke to let it go, but. you know.

fuck madara, seriously. ]

... Madara and my father could've met.

[ as he sips his tea

dwell on that, dude ]

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