Zuko thinks that's rough, buddy (fireprincezuko) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-03-27 23:12:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, nathan summers (cable), zuko |
Who: Nate + Zuko
When: 3/22
Where: Irvine: Mall
What: Meeting
Rating: Low
Status: Complete
Zuko had been in a terribly foul mood lately -- and he was well aware of it. More so, he was sure Draco was well aware of it too. He'd taken his anger out on the other boy so frequently lately that he was starting to feel a bit, well, guilty.
That was strange all on it's own -- Zuko rarely felt the need to take the blame for anything. He was a headstrong boy who did what he thought best, damn most the consequences. His moods, he reflected, must have been pretty bad for it to come to this.
"This" being the Japanese boy standing in the music and movie section of the local malls' Barnes and Noble. He was looking for something he thought maybe Draco would like for a gift. The problem was, he really didn't know what the blond might like. So. He just stared.
Nate was wandering, looking for presents for his foster mom and his dad, and pondering what, if anything, would be a good one. He had some small clue what they liked, and had gotten that. Now he was peering around for extras. For... something better.
When he spotted the guy, he peered at the man. He looked as clueless as Nate felt.
“Veruca Salt is nice.” He pointed to one album. this place had some older tracks. It was cool.
“What?” asked Zuko, looking from the boy to the album on the shelf, and then back again before plucking the CD up. “...American Thighs?” What?
“Their best work, in my opinion. Don’t let the title fool you. It has almost nothing to do with what is inside. They sometimes make no sense, but the music is good, has a good beat, and by the time it’s done, I’m grinning.”
Nate smiled to the man, and nodded. “Try it.”
Raising an eyebrow at the boy, Zuko gave something akin to a shrug and kept the CD. Because why not? Draco liked a bit of everything. Might as well try it.
“Well... thanks?” he said, because this boy was a little chatty and it was kind of weird to be given music suggestions by a child.
"You're welcome. “ He smiled. “ Music is a good thing. “ Nate was an odd boy. A lot of the time, he acted completely unlike a ten year old.
Zuko was seeing that -- a testament to the fact that he had yet to snap out at the small boy -- something he normally felt no reservations toward doing at children. Or, well, anyone else.
Feeling oddly compelled to continue being polite, Zuko crossed his arms and attempted casual. “So. What are you looking for?”
Nate smiled up at Zuko. “I’m not sure. Something maybe for my foster mom and dad. They took me in when they didn’t have to, and I wanted to find something they might like. I have no clue, however, and have been mostly drifting, listening to different things, and trying to find something that felt right.”
Foster parents? Hm. Zuko didn’t have to frown or pretend to be any more serious than he already was because -- well. He already was.
“Well,” he said, but then came up short for more words. Because he had no real suggestions to make. “Any luck?” he asked, instead.
“Mostly just ideas of what not to get. Probably going to hit the classics section next. At least my foster mom likes that, so one will be happy.” He nodded. It was okay that Zuko had no ideas.
“How are things for you?”
Zuko rose his eyebrow at the boy, vaguely perplexed at -- well. Him. What a strange child. Very mature. “Not amazing,” he said, because he didn’t see any reason to lie to the child. He wasn’t the sort to patronize for no reason, or sugar coat.
Nate smiled at Zuko in a faintly obnoxious way. He knew he came off as odd. But he didn’t care. He liked people and thinking. Nate nodded. “Do you know why they are not amazing?”
Zuko noted the look, but frankly, had grown up with a younger sister and wasn’t quite as bothered as someone else might have been. He was used to -- well. That. The scarred boy gave a lazy shrug - rarely, was he amazingly talkative - and frowned a little. “Life?” he said it in question, although it was generally true. “And dreams.”
Nate nodded then, and hmmed. “Has anyone ever talked to you about the dreams and how they affect people here in the OC?” He looked seriously up at the older boy from his 3 foot 8 inch height, the picture of someone curious and worried about another. All obnoxiousness had faded. “A lot of people are being affected by dreams of other worlds.” A pause, and a nod. “Other thems.”
“I’ve noticed,” said Zuko, who was a bit reminded of himself in this young kid. Overly serious, possibly a little too smart. Then again, it was possibly he was giving himself a bit too much credit. “I’ve talked to a few people who have them, too. Some are good, others bad.” What he really meant was: other people seem to like themselves and their lives in those dreams.
“Yeah. Mine suck so far. Lots of effort, loss, and mess.” He shrugged. “BUt the main thing I learned was that I am not the person in my dreams. I know what he knew, and remember it, and I can do things he could, but I am not him.”
Nate smiled a little at the other. “Don’t let the dream you make the real you feel bad.”
That sentiment nearly made Zuko smile, too. Nearly. “I don’t,” he said, but it was a bit of a lie. On the other hand, it wasn’t the biggest of lies. The older boy clearly had his own worries in this life, too -- and he felt it was obvious for the world to see. After all, the scar on his face was large; a giant near circle of ruined skin directly over his left eye that uglied completely what some might have considered a previously beautiful face. Dreams were only half of it.
Nate squinted, and nodded. Hmmmed. “Okay.” he nodded again. “Good.” Then he grinned. “Life is weird, and sometimes needs a swift kick.”
“Something like that,” Zuko agreed. “Maybe a good fire.” a pause. “Sorry, did I get your name?”
“Nope. I didn’t throw it. I’m Nathan Summers. Dreamer, son of dreamers, and kick ass superhero in my dreams.” He grinned up at Zuko.
Zuko actually did smile at that -- a small, reserved turn of the lips, and it was as much as anyone could get from him in that regard. “Superhero,” he said, a bit wistful. “Cool.” It was clear to Zuko that he was more of a … well. Sympathetic villain, if anything, in his own. “I’m Zuko.”
“Nice to met you,. Zuko. In this life, I’m just an artist, though, so that’s life.” Nate nodded, smiling wider at Zuko.
Giving a snort at the boy, Zuko shook his head. “What can you do,” he agreed, a little lamely. Because when it came down to it, Zuko was sort of lame. But in an occasionally good natured sort of way.
“Mostly, not much. But sometimes, when things get stressful, I can read minds or move things with my mind. It hurts my head, though.” He nodded, smiling.
Well. That hadn’t really been what Zuko had meant. He’d expected no response to his rhetorical question and instead got -- well. That. Zuko might have been more surprised by the answer, except he knew witches and people who owned space ships. His own eventual gift of bending fire was close in his mind.
“That’s-- well. Wow.” he said.
Nate grinned, though it was a lopsided thing. “Yeah. I sort of feel like that sometimes. Thankfully, being distracted by life helps not think about the powers. And I get a chance to just be me.”
Zuko could only nod at that before glancing back at the CD that the other boy had picked out for him. “Well. That makes sense.” he supposed, anyway. “It’s, uh. Been nice talking but I should...”
Nate nodded. “Go ahead. I hope everything goes well for you!” He grinned.
“Thanks,” said Zuko, because what else could you say in a situation like that. “You too. Er. See you around, maybe.”
“See you around!” And Nate wandered off, still not sure what he was looking for.