☀ 03, closed log

[flammatory]

Who: Zuko (flammatory), Iroh (jasmineofthewest) and Karkat (bethehugejerk).
Location: Starts with meeting Karkat by the coral, then goes to Iroh's residence.
Time: Evening sometime?
Style: Action tags.
Status: Closed.

[Zuko wasn't completely inconsiderate, and had asked his uncle first if he'd mind having a guest over for the express purpose of teaching him how to make tea. Of course, the answer was exactly what he'd expected, so here he was, waiting to meet Karkat out by Lamufao so he could walk him over to Iroh's apartment.

Maybe he'd give up on the island and move down here to be with his uncle... He didn't really want to, but the draw of staying with him again was pretty strong. He didn't like being separated from the only person he knew from home, and as time went on, being underwater was getting less unsettling.

His arms are characteristically folded, and he has a thoughtful frown as he waits, considering this.]

Comments

[bethehugejerk]

[Karkat did not really expect he would ever want to learn to make tea so much. Maybe as an incidental thing, just something to know, but now he has more reason to figure it out. Learning it from someone who actually knows his stuff is all the better; and if that person is important to his friend, that's just another good point.]

[So, on the appointed day, Karkat heads to the Plaza as agreed upon. His hair is fixed now and was in fact on the same day he awoke, timing for once working in his favor. What color the streak was may stand forever as a mystery. But as it is, he waves when he spots Zuko, and heads over - stopping only one for a passing touch to the coral. No reason not to take the chance with his dedication to not sleep for a long time after his coma.]

Hey.

[flammatory]

--Hey. [His thoughts are interrupted, but it's probably just as well. Zuko was never someone to come to a decision quickly. His arms unfold, and he takes a step toward him, and then is leading them off toward whatever the appropriate direction is, assuming he'd follow. No reason to stand around.]

So why do you want to learn how to make tea, anyway? [It's definitely not on Zuko's to do list, that's for sure. The bit that he knows already is more than enough for him.]

[bethehugejerk]

[Karkat follows without issue. They can always chat on the way there, and it saves making Zuko's uncle wait overlong for their arrival.]

[The question is a good one, though he sounds a touch awkward as he answers.]

So I kind of got argued into asking my best friend's ancestor to have tea sometime. We're going to chat, and he's going to teach me to bake some stuff, and I figure it might actually help to know how to make tea instead of just imposing on him.

[flammatory]

[Zuko isn't at all worried about making Iroh wait, he's just an impatient kind of guy. He gets antsy when he goes too long without moving.

He raises his eyebrow at the tone, but he can definitely understand feeling weird about getting roped into having a polite sit down with some random adult.] As long as you're getting baked goods out of it, I guess... I don't get what everyone's obsession is with tea, but at least you'll have something to talk about when it gets awkward. [He's just assuming it'll inevitably get awkward.]

[bethehugejerk]

He apparently likes it, and one of my "sisters" [Airquotes.] got me into drinking it.

[I.e. Nepeta bribed him into tea parties with other baked goods.]

I've got other stuff to talk about than tea and baking; the awkwardness is more atmospheric for certain reasons that are complicated to go into. I'll get over it.

[flammatory]

[Zuko's a bit distracted putting some mental puzzle pieces together, anyway.

They turn down a street.] ... Do you mean Nepeta? There can't be that many tea-drinking trolls, can there? I've only talked to her once and she already roped me into a tea party.

[bethehugejerk]

[He keeps walking as he talks.]

That would be her. In Sgrub--that game we played--her land was the Land of Little Cubes and Tea. Imagine a small planet primarily consisting of sugar cube mountains with tea pots everywhere. It is entirely as ridiculous as it sounds, but every land was based around a theme, and that was hers.

[flammatory]

Sugar cube mountains-- what?! [Zuko cringes in aggravation even as they're walking, and it's just as well that Iroh's apartment building is in sight now.]

She said there wouldn't be too many people. It's just called a party, right?

[bethehugejerk]

That's what I said.

[He is not even close to joking. He does, however, stop and raise a brow at Zuko at the latter question.]

Wait, what does that have to do with the party?

[flammatory]

Not the boat party, the tea party I agreed to go to! What did I get myself into? [He's second guessing his earlier agreement now that he's had time to think on it, his basically anti-social pessimistic nature coming out in full force.

He stops dramatically waving his hands around long enough to open the door to the building and let them in.]

[bethehugejerk]

What do you think, moron, that she's going to dump a mountain of sugar on you? That was ages ago and it was in the game. You'll be fine, so quit whining.

[They're here now, though, so hopefully that should settle the issue. He turns to head in through the open door.]

[flammatory]

[He goes right on whining despite being told not to.] I'm terrible at getting along with people. This is going to be a disaster.

[But yeah, he'll let it drop with that one final grumble. Their destination is on the first floor, so he bypasses the stairs, and they're very quickly at the door. Zuko doesn't bother knocking, just opens it and ducks in, calling out.] Uncle, we're back!

[jasmineofthewest]

[Iroh's pretty much been waiting excitedly, already gotten everything set up in prep for meeting Zuko's friend. It isn't often he meets Zuko's friends!

It isn't often Zuko has friends.

He comes into the room with a wide smile on his face at the call.]

Hello!

[If he's surprised to find out that said friend is a troll, he doesn't show it, and bows in greeting.]

[bethehugejerk]

You'll be fine, Zuko. If she likes me, she'll like you.

[Yes, he just had to get in the last word and reassure his friend. But anyhow! Through the hall to the door, and after Zuko ducks in, Karkat follows.]

[Is this what an uncle is supposed to be like? Some old dude with a beard? He's seen facial hair before certainly, but dang that's a lot of it. Not sharing the culture, he doesn't return the bow; in contrast his posture straightens.]

You're Iroh, right? I'm Karkat Vantas.

[flammatory]

[Zuko shoots Karkat a scowl for getting in the last word, but someone has to be the mature one here and stop the argument first -- and bizarrely enough it's him. They have things to do, and anyway, he is feeling a bit better about being roped into that tea party.

He closes the apartment door behind them and stands off to the side, letting them introduce themselves without interruption.]