#galaxywept

         suyin holds up a green dress that can be paired with an emerald overcoat.  ‘  all the way from zafou !  ’   she says.   it’s   . . .   pretty,   that’s for sure,   but lin isn’t one to wear formal things,   even if they are going to a wedding.   she just planned to wear her uniform.   it’s either that or a white muscle tee.  her eyes glance down towards the bag of which her younger sister retrieved the outfit,   seeing a smattering of hair products in its contents.   oh,   is this going to be a whole makeover now ?   there’s no way she’s going to let that happen,   even for a wedding.   lin feels her jaw tighten slightly,   and a noise comes from her mouth that is a mixture of a scoff and a chuckle.   ❛   oh,  you’re crazy if you think i’m wearing that.   ❜

         tenzin  came  in  the  station  absolutely  fuming  today.     ran  into  my  office  and  said  i  had  to  talk  some  sense  into  you,     that  the  earth  nation  was  doomed  if  you  didn’t  accept  his  proposal.     gave  me  a  good  laugh   . . .   guess  you  turned  him  down.     i’m  sure  you’ll  be  catching  a  lot  of  crap  for  it,     but  stick  to  your  guns.     i’m  with  you  on  this  one,     and  i’m  proud  of  you.     pretty  funny  to  see  him  riled  up,     too.

          i’m  sure  things  are  pretty  hectic  over  in  zaofu.     wish  i  could  help,     but  you  know  that  i  have  to  stay  here.     mako  says  i  have  hundreds  of  vacation  days  saved  up,     but  i  don’t  really  trust  anyone  to  keep  things  running  in  republic  city.     not  in  the  way  i  do,     anyway.     but  seriously   . . .   if  the  four  nations  can  rebuild  after  the  hundred  year  war,     the  earth  nation  can  survive  the  fall  of  the  monarchy.     if  things  get  too  hard,     you  always  have  a  spot  reserved  for  you  here.     same  with  the  rest  of  your  family.     opal  stops  by  sometimes.     i’ll  tell  her  you  say  hello,     but  i’m  sure  you  tell  her  far  too  many  times.   she’s  doing  really  well.     i  know  you  worry  way  more  than  you  should,     but  you  shouldn’t.     she’s  good  where  she  is.

          point  is   :   don’t  listen  to  what  any  hardheads  say.   you  made  the  right  decision.   you  chose  not  to  seize  power  when  you  easily  could  have.   so  screw  anyone  who  disagrees.     even  tenzin.     don’t  let  him  get  to  you.     let  me  know  if  he  says  anything  else,     and  i’ll  head  to  air  temple  island  and  give  him  a  good  beating.       

          lin.

          it’s taken an obvious toll,   one of which zuko has turned a blind eye and will not admit.   the fire lord’s face has sunken in,   bones bare.   eyelids droop,   a bloodshot gaze staring ahead.   bags under his eyes have now become his disposition.   he looks erratic.   sickly.   tormented.   but how else can he handle ozai’s whispers toying with his mind ?   he has begun visiting his father now,   seeking advice from the man he once instructed aang to kill on sight.   zuko can’t ignore the effects of abuse on him,   how he still wants to prove so desperately that he is worthy.   zuko pushes himself to his limit,   despite his destiny being fulfilled.   there is still so much i must do.

          memories come back to him,   of how he arrived in this bed.   he had been walking alongside suki,   talking about the long list of things he had to get completed.   there was a conflict he had to settle   . . .   and then he heard ozai’s voice.   the word of the fire lord is divine.   and suddenly it came crashing down,   the fatigue,   the exhaustion,   his inner turmoil.   zuko had collapsed on the grounds of the palace.   and he was here.   sleeping.

          ❛   how long have i been asleep ?   ❜   zuko turns to suki,   already present in the room,   a hand going to his head with a slight groan.   it’s still throbbing a bit,   but the pain is easily manageable.   he’s felt worse.   please don’t tell me i’ve been out for more than a few hours.   if it’s been more than a day,   he’s not sure what to do.   there’s so many duties of which to attend,   so many conflicts to resolve,   an entire nation to rebuild.