[ITP HOSPITAL SHENANIGANS]

[capthlock_rage]

[in a hospital bed, poking sullenly at a jello cup :/]

((This is not awesome enough to be in the main comm, but all are welcome to tag in. ♥))

Comments

[capthlock_rage]

... I guess that runs in the family.

[iseeyouflaming]

You two are nothing alike. Don't even try to compare her to you.

[capthlock_rage]

You don't know what you're talking about.

[iseeyouflaming]

What the hell could you two possibly have in common like that?

[capthlock_rage]

. . .

[iseeyouflaming]

Look. You hug puppies; your sister sets them on fire.

[capthlock_rage]

Well, that's not exactly proof, but...

[iseeyouflaming]

You know what I mean, Zuko.

[capthlock_rage]

I do. But...

[shakes his head]

It's not just about intent. Results matter too.

[iseeyouflaming]

...what did she say to you?

[capthlock_rage]

[... looks away]

[iseeyouflaming]

Zuko.

[capthlock_rage]

Okay, just... be prepared, all right? Because... I think... after this, you won't like me very much anymore.

[iseeyouflaming]

[reaches over for Zuko's hand]

That's not going to happen.

[capthlock_rage]

[capthlock_rage]

I said the wrong thing. Really, really wrong. I didn't mean to, I was speaking from my heart, but -- my father --

... Because of me, a lot of people are going to get hurt. Probably worse.

[iseeyouflaming]

[confused, but go on]

[capthlock_rage]

[taking your silence as judgment, BUT GOING ON]

At the war meeting, before I left home for good, my father asked me what I'd learned during my time in the Earth Kingdom. He wanted to know... how best to stop the rebellions. So I told him the truth.

I said that the people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong, and that you can endure anything as long as you have hope.

[iseeyouflaming]

[I'm listening]

[capthlock_rage]

It's not what I meant, I thought -- maybe he'd see, maybe he'd understand who we're fighting. That you're not the enemy, you're people, good people, and you're brave and noble and honorable and will fight to the death to protect what you love.

[capthlock_rage]

[hands clench in the blankets as he looks away]

But-- he didn't. To him, and to my sister, it meant that the only way to win this war is to destroy people's hope. When Sozin's Comet comes, he's going to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground. All because of me.

[iseeyouflaming]

[iseeyouflaming]

[iseeyouflaming]

What?!

[capthlock_rage]

Azula said it was because of what I told Father. That if I had kept my mouth shut, she never would've come up with the plan, and he would have just -- nothing like this would be happening...