Tea For Who? - OPEN

[uncle_iroh]

Who: Iroh and whomsoever wants to find him
Which: Open Log
Where: Not far from the fountain
What: Iroh enjoying sharing tea with strangers.
Warnings: Possible angst, themes of loss, possible war/death/betrayal mentions.




Iroh had found that he had been able to help people during the crisis in a number of ways. But one of them had been tea and talking. Just being there for people with a calming drink and an open ear. So he was trying that again now, once again by the base of the fountain.

Between conversations he was sipping his own tea and considering what it might take to open a tea shop here. For however long he was going to be here, that was...

For anyone who wanted to find him, he is near the fountain with a small comforting camp fire over which the tea pot is heating and a pair of large picnic style baskets, one of snacks and one of teas and tea fixings. So that he can have enough for every taste and stay a while for whoever showed up without over steeping the tea.

Comments

[uncle_iroh]

Lacking an immediate attack, he swallowed the tea so that he could speak as he slowly rolled onto his side then sat up; keeping his eye on her. As though he had to watch her at all times to be sure.

"We all have our strengths, mine happens to be tea," he said as if defensive. Let her keep underestimating him. "Did you come here for some?" he asked, knowing that she would never say yes.

[itstillhurt]

She narrows her eyes at the invitation. As if he would ever-

"If I came for tea, I wouldn't have waited until your back was turned."

...which, she realized halfway through saying it, was obvious, but was also a tacit return to exactly the subject she'd been hoping to avoid. As always, she's struck with the uncertainty about whether his foolishness was an act designed to manipulate people or the genuine article. As usual, she settles on a mix of both.

Best not to question it too deeply.

[uncle_iroh]

"Then what were you waiting for?"

[itstillhurt]

Infuriating fool-

"Obviously, I was intending to leave the box and walk away before you saw me, sparing us both the need for this conversation. I didn't count on your clumsiness."

Snappish and irritable as ever, of course. She huffs and folds her arms.

"Anyway, you have it now."

[uncle_iroh]

"And what exactly is this it that I have, aside from being in a box. Or is the box itself the point?" He had not looked at it, had not looked away from her. As though he would not ever dare look away from her when she was present.

[itstillhurt]

She knew it. She knew he would be ridiculous about this. This was the whole reason she'd tried to avoid him seeing her.

Would you trust it?

She suppressed the immediate flash of frustration and instead simply rolled her eyes.

"A sinister trap, Uncle. A diabolical machination."

[uncle_iroh]

"That much is obvious, but one likes to know his doom before he accepts it, generally."

[itstillhurt]

Once again, she's struck by the question of whether he was being obstinate or clever. As usual, she decides it doesn't matter, because the result is equally frustrating either way. With an aggravated huff, she finally snaps-

"They're rice cakes, Uncle!"

[uncle_iroh]

He let himself look perplexed and dim. "I'm not sure how rice cakes are a sinister trap..." he scratched his head.

[itstillhurt]

"It was a joke, Uncle! They're obviously not a trap, they're-"

She grits her teeth, regains her composure, and glares in no particular direction.

"...they're meant to be eaten with tea."

[uncle_iroh]

"I see... and why exactly would you be giving me something to eat with tea?"

[itstillhurt]

That gets an eyeroll and a sneer.

"... Is this a joke? You're obsessed with tea, it seems fairly obvious."

She knows exactly what he actually means, of course, and that only frustrates her more, but this entire affair is already humiliating enough.

[uncle_iroh]

"It may seem obvious, but things rarely are as they seem. And so I ask again, why are you choosing to give this to me?"

[itstillhurt]

"If I'd known you were going to be so difficult about it, I wouldn't have bothered."

Of course, she had known- and she knows exactly why, too- but that's only making her more annoyed about the entire affair. She huffs and eyes the box, half-tempted to take the stupid things back, but what would she do with them?

Why had the ridiculous fool spotted her? Why hadn't she just dropped them on his doorstep overnight or something? Ugh, this was the worst.

[uncle_iroh]

"Then why did you bother?" With the implied since you always find me difficult hanging in the air unsaid.

[itstillhurt]

"It-"

...why was she bothering with all this?

It had been a frustrated rhetorical question when she asked herself before, but now it's a nagging doubt. Why would she ever subject herself to this ridiculousness? She'd seen them and bought them for him without even asking herself why.

But the Boiling Rock would freeze over before she'd admit that, so-

"Is it really important?"

[uncle_iroh]

"From how you are reacting, I now suspect that it is. To you, even if not to me."

[itstillhurt]

"And you suddenly care deeply about what's important to me."

The sarcastic barb comes out immediately, instinctively, but it doesn't make her feel any better. If anything, it only frustrates her more. With a sigh, she adds-

"I don't know why I did it. Is that what you wanted to hear, uncle?"

[uncle_iroh]

"If it is the truth, then yes. Now that you are having to think about it, what ideas suggest themselves?"

[itstillhurt]

"Why do you even care about-"

She cuts off her own frustrated question with another huff, then glances at the ground.

"It..."

As soon as she realizes what she's about to say, she trails off, and when she speaks again it's much quieter.

"It seemed like what Zu-zu would do."

[uncle_iroh]

"And that made you want to do it?" he asked, brows raising in surprise. Real? Feigned? Who can say.

[itstillhurt]

Part of her wishes the ground would open up and swallow her. Another part of her wants to just attack him to stop his infuriatingly thorough interrogation.

She resists both impulses.

"He's not here. It-"

She scowls.

"I decided to do it in his stead."

[uncle_iroh]

"Why?" Sometimes the simplest questions could cut the deepest.

[itstillhurt]

She wants to snap at him again, how is she supposed to even answer that?

But she has an answer. It's stupid, it's irrational, but-

"...I owed him that much.

[uncle_iroh]

"You bought me a treat... because you felt you owed something to Zuko?"