#flameohs

Druk was acting strange.

He's been aloof- not really to his bonded, no. Never to Zuko. But his behavior was notably different. He would pace around the palace balconies, his gaze distant as he stared out to the horizon with a twitching tail.

The great beast was, for a lack of a better word, twitchy. He would raise his head and flare out his furred ruff, rumbling low in his throat like a volcano about to erupt.

But it didn't seem to be aggression.

writing prompts currently accepting !

In the heat of the moment, your muse says something insensitive to mine. Send "I didn't mean it" for my muse's reaction.

The old man froze as the angry words crossed his nephew's lips. His eyes grew wide as he stepped back as though slapped.

Without a word, Iroh turned and walked out of the room to the hallway, hands reaching to grasp the open windowsill. Tears filled his eyes as he took several deep shuddering breaths.

Zuko was prone to angry outbursts, often lashing out verbally when his emotions ran heavy. Iroh was usually able to take the teenager's vitriol in stride, understanding the true source of the outbursts. They had rarely hurt so much as now.

When Zuko threw his cousin's death in his uncle's face.

Iroh hadn't heard Zuko's approach, struggling to keep his emotions in check and his tears at bay. He straightened and slowly turned at the softspoken words. "I didn't mean it." He nodded slightly, buying himself a few more moments to compose himself.

Zuko stepped into the avatar's Republic City office after just wrapping up a one-on-one meeting at the request of Ambassador Okpik of the Northern Water Tribe. He was very unhappy at the slowing of reparation repayments from the Fire Nation, which Zuko didn't blame him for. The Fire Nation had did a number on the Northern Water Tribe.

He was stretched thin, though. There were reparations to be paid to the Southern Water Tribe and the Earth Kingdom and to restoration projects in the Air Temples, as well as dues to the United Republic of Nation. Not to mention, the cost of keeping the Fire Nation afloat, restoring things Sozin had shuttered, and projects to undo the totalitarianism his forefathers had instilled. There was inflation steadily increasing on top of it all, too.

Zuko had paid what he could, but simply did not have the full funds to offer.

"Okpik is furious," Zuko announced with a sigh, not having bothered to knock. He sat down in the swivel chair across from Aang's desk and slumped into it. "I told him I'd pay interest on what's owed when I can, but nothing is working to quell him," lamented Zuko, propping his elbow on Aang's desk to lean into his hands with a deep sigh.

"I'm really nervous, Aang," admitted Zuko, still leaning into his hands. "He accused me of being just like my father," he muttered, his fingers twisting in his hair. "I said I'd send laborers to help with restoration projects and resources and materials, but he just wants the money, and he wants it now, and it just does not exist."