No. [ he'll never properly discern himself as a leader among friends. he isn't the fire lord with them — he may take to the leadership role out of duty and his own desire to spread peace over the world, amending for the mistakes of his father and his father before him, but he never wants to abuse his power. ] I'm saying that as your friend.
[ he doesn't know what he was expecting. did he want her to fight him on it? to stomp her foot and inform him he had no right to tell her what to do? even toph, at her most wilful, would, in her own way, give into him. zuko may consider a lot of people to be friend potential — and he'd even lay his life on the line for anyone, even a mere acquaintance — but only for those he truly likes and respects would he jeopardise a mission that he can easily accomplish in order to save someone else. ]
[ he's glad she doesn't say anything. it'd be too confronting otherwise. ]
Morla will be able to figure out a way to stop it. [ she has to; he believes so much that it's her essence within the lasso that will stop the jabberwock. why else would she request they bring it back to her? ] But I doubt it's going to come to that. If you know you can touch it, I believe you. And I'll try and help you in any way I can — maybe that's what it needs, anyway. [ he shrugs. ] A touch.
It won't have that chance. [ and it's with confidence he'll need to begin to feel, he says: ] I won't let it.
[ lasso of obedience, remember? zuko will make it lick her hand with no teeth. if it so much as thinks to harm her, he'll damn morla's own rules and burn the jabberwock as if he's a dragon himself. it doesn't deserve to die — he thinks it should be given a chance to live, but zuko's too easily swayed to anger when someone he cares for is in danger. before, that'd been too muggy, rendering him blind to those who flanked his sides unwaveringly, but no, with a plethora of worldly lessons under his belt, he knows someone or something like ozai doesn't deserve leniency (even though he often grants it, regardless). ]
[she has to. she has to trust her allies, those dragged across time and space to be here, to rage against the forces of light and order lest they all lose everything far too soon.
(maybe, they're friends. it's a word she's hesitant to overuse, unless she knows the sentiment is the same she'll never voice it.)
she would trust him regardless, from what he's taught her, what she's seen with him -- but this cements it. they have to do this.]
[ and that's the diamond in the rough — trust. she trusts him. she trusts him to ensure her life isn't crushed beneath the foot of a jabberwock, just as zuko reciprocates with his hand in hers, knowing she'll have his back regardless of what's to transpire. ]
[ it's a scary thing, but it's one that instills him with confidence. ]
I'll try and keep an eye out for it. But once I'm done here, making sure those things aren't coming back, I'm going to the Station.
[ it's with hesitancy he even adds: ] One of those things got me. [ he's quick to add: ] I'll be fine. But the Station's less in shambles than the infirmary at the castle is.
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[ if you jump, i jump, jack. ]
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Understood. If it fails, we leave at once.
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[ he's glad she doesn't say anything. it'd be too confronting otherwise. ]
Morla will be able to figure out a way to stop it. [ she has to; he believes so much that it's her essence within the lasso that will stop the jabberwock. why else would she request they bring it back to her? ] But I doubt it's going to come to that. If you know you can touch it, I believe you. And I'll try and help you in any way I can — maybe that's what it needs, anyway. [ he shrugs. ] A touch.
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[newly born, even. what a way to be born.]
If it bites my hand off, then we'll know it isn't working.
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[ lasso of obedience, remember? zuko will make it lick her hand with no teeth. if it so much as thinks to harm her, he'll damn morla's own rules and burn the jabberwock as if he's a dragon himself. it doesn't deserve to die — he thinks it should be given a chance to live, but zuko's too easily swayed to anger when someone he cares for is in danger. before, that'd been too muggy, rendering him blind to those who flanked his sides unwaveringly, but no, with a plethora of worldly lessons under his belt, he knows someone or something like ozai doesn't deserve leniency (even though he often grants it, regardless). ]
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[she has to. she has to trust her allies, those dragged across time and space to be here, to rage against the forces of light and order lest they all lose everything far too soon.
(maybe, they're friends. it's a word she's hesitant to overuse, unless she knows the sentiment is the same she'll never voice it.)
she would trust him regardless, from what he's taught her, what she's seen with him -- but this cements it. they have to do this.]
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[ it's a scary thing, but it's one that instills him with confidence. ]
I'll try and keep an eye out for it. But once I'm done here, making sure those things aren't coming back, I'm going to the Station.
[ it's with hesitancy he even adds: ] One of those things got me. [ he's quick to add: ] I'll be fine. But the Station's less in shambles than the infirmary at the castle is.
You call, I'll come.
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[it's more than she gives most, to say that aloud. but if he could make her a promise, she could give him that much.]