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[ That remark shuts Zuko up a beat, catching him visibly off-guard when Hikaru asks "Who takes it like that?" He looks at himself with a strange expression in the mirror, his brow knotting after a second. Why did he take it like that...? That concerns him. That he didn't hear himself, clock this as a twisted automatic interpretation at all... Is he slipping? He's been hanging out with Azula too much. That's his loudest thought. He always falls under her influence unconsciously. He thought he'd been conscious of it, deliberately trying to keep himself in moral check despite everything, like he's still such a good guy, but that's the thing — he never realized he wasn't a good guy back in the day, either. It's an invisible influence. Like he's been drifting and never noticed. He sighs. ]

...I put my foot in my mouth a lot, so yeah. I guess you're right — that's good for me.

[...Did he accidentally step into something uncomfortable? Hikaru notices how the mood of the room changes and he is not so good at fixing this.]

I mean, hey. She already wants to be your friend. Good first step. She doesn't think you're some weirdo and with this new hair cut, she won't be able to resist.

[He's just going to keep going with what they've talked about. Keep it light and easy.]

[ His perpetually moody-and-inwardly conflicted-on-the-flip-of-a-dime friend at least is in a good enough mood today to be easily pulled back from that unnerving little blip. Besides, being told she "won't be able to resist" him is maybe just as shocking, drawing his eyes to Hikaru in the mirror, wider now, a faint flush crawling on his cheeks. ]

Uh—! ...R-Right...

[ Hikaru's the best at keeping Zuko on his toes. Well, besides maybe his boyfriend. Taichi and Hikaru together might give Zuko an aneurysm from the blood rushing to his head. He pauses, composing himself a bit meeting his own eye, before glancing back up to Hikaru with a more open expression, tentative. ]

...Um— What makes you so certain it's like that, Hikaru? With me and Aurora, I mean...

Well, it's certainly that way for you, right? [When it comes to Zuko, it's obvious. If he didn't know before this then how Zuko was acting now would have been more than enough to tell Hikaru what he needed to know.]

And with girls, you just know. [Aurora hasn't exactly given a lot of signs that she's into him that Hikaru can see but she clearly likes Zuko enough to want to get to know him.

So he's just going to fill Zuko with some confidence and wish for the best.]

But how do you know…? How can you tell?

[ He looks vaguely troubled. Uncle could tell right away that the girl in the Earth Kingdom only came to the teashop and looked at Zuko a lot because she fancied him, whereas Zuko had been certain she’d discovered they were Fire Nation and was out to expose them. That bounty hunter woman had mistaken Zuko and Katara as a couple when they were just standing beside each other, as far as Zuko was concerned. He never even noticed Mai liked him until Azula started teasing him about it as kids. As soon as he told Hikaru about Aurora at all, Hikaru caught whiff of this inclination even Zuko hadn’t realized he’d had. He would wonder if he only started thinking like that about Aurora lately because his friends were putting the idea in his head… But Uncle brought it up. Aang brought it up. Gokudera brought it up. All independently. And it follows a pattern of a certain blindness Zuko’s suddenly realizing he has in this department…

Why does everyone else see it so easily? What are the signs? He doesn’t see it in others, nor himself apparently, and he fancies himself a pretty self-aware and emotional guy, thinks he can be very romantic, maybe just that his efforts have been wasted on… Mai and Azula… who, for as much as he loves them, could care less about pretty flowers and small thoughtful gestures. He knows he’s blind to a lot about other people’s perspectives, he’s been dwelling on lately, in the wake of recurring arguments with Azula and failed apologies on his part… “Apologies” where he ends up losing his temper and yelling again, shooting himself in the foot. Same as it was with Mai. He’s sure it’s just them. But it makes him second guess his perception.

Being told over and over by the people who know him best that he has a crush on this nice girl, this nice girl who probably would appreciate pretty flowers and small thoughtful gestures, and being the last to realize it himself… it’s confusing. If everyone else sees it… then surely Aurora sees it, too. What’s it mean about the way she treats him, if that’s the case? Has she made moves without him realizing? Has he made moves without him realizing? Is it totally one-sided? Why can’t he see this stuff as clearly as everyone else can? It’s a lot on his mind. And that shows itself on his face slowly as thought sets in. ]

I can't explain it? You just know. [Says Hikaru, the guy who had not been able to tell he had feelings for Taichi and had not been able to tell that Taichi returned those feelings.

Maybe he's a bit of a hypocrite.

But it's easy to tell when it's with other people. Hikaru can look at someone and figure them out fairly quickly. Himself? Not so much. All of his own feelings confuse him.

He sighs, thinking, as he moves Zuko so he can look straight at him as he does his hair. Right now, he doesn't talk. Better to focus on him as he makes sure he doesn't mess up on his hair. When he's done, he starts talking again as he removes the towel he'd put on Zuko to make sure hair didn't get all over him.]

You talk about her a lot and the way you do, the words you use to describe her. You get embarrassed when someone mentions her? It's things like that. And with her, she was excited when I told her that you wanted to get to know her and hang out with her. It's those kinds of things. You probably get excited over her the way I did about Taichi. [That's a little embarrassing to admit so he coughs.]

Uh, you're done. By the way. [He moves away from Zuko to let him look in the mirror. It's as similar as last time, though Hikaru had gone a bit shorter like Zuko had thought he might want.] Sorry if it's too short. It doesn't look bad and it'll grow out if it is. I figured going bald probably doesn't leave you too worried about short hair.

[ The lapse of focused silence is welcome, letting his thoughts set in on the matter, however dissatisfied he is with the answer "I can't explain it, you just know." Zuko doesn't "just know." He just closes his eyes and feels the sensations of the haircut, until he feels the towel removed and Hikaru begins to speak again. He opens his eyes cautiously, listening first as he watches Hikaru's reflection in the mirror before his own.

It all makes sense what he says, though, and Zuko can't really dispute it. So he doesn't have any response denying it locked and loaded. But as he leans forward toward the mirror to inspect himself from many angles, he's stopped short by the little joke Hikaru cracks, and spins round to shoot him a look face-to-face. It's a bit of a scowl at first, typical Zuko pout, but he can't disguise a twitch of a smirk at the end, surprisingly good-humored about it. He'd offered himself up on the chopping block with Hikaru about this so long ago, after all. It was a laughable haircut in effect; that was part of the point of the punishment. That it was so unflattering. ]

I didn't go bald, Hikaru — my head was shaven...!

[ Shooting a lingering teasing look out of the corner of his eye, though, he turns his attention back to the mirror, inspecting himself from the right side of his face, before running a hand through his hair. ]

It's fine, though. My hair grows fast. So it's probably better to start short like this...

[ He leans back again, standing upright with a final look of appraisal, before turning back to Hikaru with an unusually open-faced expression, and an even more unusually vulnerable, self-effacing question... one, for all their "styling" work together over the past year, he'd actually never asked outright: ]

...Do I look good?

[It's much funnier to say that Zuko has gone bald and at least Zuko can take the teasing. More than a year ago now, they almost got into a physical fight but Lunatia had really done wonders for them. All thanks to one ocean and so that is why Hikaru listens to that question and feels some type of way. Him asking this so openly makes Hikaru's heart wrench and not entirely in sadness. But that he worries about it and really, it's a normal thing for a teenager. Hikaru knows that much.

For Zuko it just feels differently.]

Yeah. You do. [Sincerely he says this and means it, no jokes in that one simple sentence. He wouldn't lie or make fun of him like this.]

Seriously, don't change a thing. Or I don't know, worry about it. Aurora is gonna love the hair. You totally beat out the bears she hung out with.

[Okay, maybe one joke.]

[ There's barely the ghost of a smile on his lips at the confirmation, but his face falls slightly being told his good looks will outshine, um... a bear. He rolls his eyes, letting a smirk show itself more openly with a light little "tch" of a laugh, as he runs his hands down the sides again. ]

Gee, I'd hope so... I'd like to think I'm better looking than a—

[ His head snaps back to shoot Hikaru another look suddenly, brows knitting slightly as a thought comes to mind. For once, he's actually beat Hikaru to the punch teasing himself by accident by reading into shit that's not even there. Look at the leaps and bounds of progress(?) Hikaru's made on poor Zuko's humor. Doesn't mean he's good at being funny or anything yet, but. He can. Sort of take a joke. More than before, at least... ]

Wait! Was that a crack about the bear thing!? In Lunatia! You didn't tell her about that, did you—?!

[ sjfjksdjk if anyone would be okay with knowing you turned into a baby bear for a weekend, Zuko, it'd be Aurora, calm down... ]

Honestly? Don't think she would care if she knew you did but I didn't. I'm trying to hook you up, not sabotage it here.

[Hikaru is using his powers for good.]

But I think that'd be pretty hard. She doesn't seem like she'd be too bothered about much when it comes to you~

[Okay so Aurora hasn't said anything quite like that but Hikaru is going to fill Zuko with as much confidence as he can. Sometimes that's all you need to just go and do something. Zuko needs to be confident and make the first move. Hikaru is sure that it'll work out.]

[ His expression softens a bit at that, and he glances to the side shyly. It's weird to acknowledge this crush, to call it what it is, talking with his friends about acting on it... "I'm trying to hook you up, not sabotage it here." Hikaru'd been the first to put this idea out there, from the very first time he'd mentioned Aurora right after he'd first met her. She's so different from the other people he's fancied, and that makes him nervous. He hasn't told her much about how dark his life has been. She hasn't told him much about hers, either. They just talk in the here and now, light conversations, and that's what he likes so much in part. How easy it is to not think about that stuff with her.

And he's always liked that about Hikaru, too. Hanging out with Hikaru makes him feel like a normal teenager somehow, even though he knows everything... Maybe because they got it all completely out in the open almost right off the bat, it's been a weight lifted that most of it doesn't need to come up again; there are very few surprises left in Zuko's stories that might come up in conversation, unlike with most people. Hikaru'd be more surprised by normal stories about how he'd done mundane, happy, teenage things, more than likely... The edge of a smile traces his lips as he looks back to his friend, leaning against the sink counter a little. ]

...We have a lot of plans of stuff we wanna do together. She wants to teach me how to cook. [ He lets out a little puff of a breath, which totally counts as a laugh for Zuko. ] I hope I don't sabotage myself... We're gonna cook outside. I told her I might burn her house down.

[ Man, that joke can only land so well with Hikaru. Aurora didn't think Zuko was being as literal as he really was, more than likely... ]

[Hikaru hears that and laughs, absolutely understanding the joke.] So she doesn't know about how you burned our apartment down? Or when we burned the tent down? Hah. Good luck but she probably knows what she's doing. No arson for you.

[He's rooting for you, Zuko.]

You know, though, there's some ways to make this really work. This could be romantic. [He's really trying to help here.] Brush your hand against hers here and there when you're doing stuff. See how she reacts.

...She already touches me all the time... Something like that won't matter.

[ His eyes dart to the side as he admits that, a faint trace of color rising to his face. ]

She, uh— touches my hands sometimes, and calls me by name a lot.

[ Why "calls me by name a lot" registers as something particularly romantic, who can say, but more than anyone else, she addresses him directly, peppering "Zuko" into their conversations like a spice, and every time she says his name, it makes him catch his breath, and he doesn't know why. No one else addresses him so directly over and over except, like... servants. But that's completely different. He can't explain why he thinks it means she likes him, but ever since their very first meeting when he first gave her his name, it's been the case, and it's confused him. ]

[Hikaru stares.]

Are you serious right now? She touches you all the time, says your name a lot, and seems to want to hang out? Zuko, she's into you. She's really into you.

[He knows subtle things go over his friend's head so it's good he's here to help Zuko out because damn.]

I-I dunno! I just thought she's extra nice?! She's done all that ever since we first met!

[ He sputters a bit, glancing aside. He knows he's dumb, okay, Hikaru, he doesn't need his nose rubbed in it...! ]

Zuko, you're taking longer than I did.

[Which isn't fair because if it hadn't been for Taichi doing the flash mob then he would have taken a little bit longer.]

I know, I know! I have my reasons, okay...

[ Vaguely enough, casting his glance aside with a slight pout. ]

C'mon. As much as I like hanging out in a bathroom with you, let's talk somewhere else.

[ Deflecting with humor. He's learned a new trick! ]

[Hikaru waits until they're out of the bathroom to start on his interrogation.

But as soon as they are sitting down:]

So what is taking you so long?

[ He groans, shooting Hikaru a look, but after holding it for a poignant silent moment, just deflates in a deep sigh, hanging his head. ]

It's complicated. I don't wanna talk about it. But— ...yeah, it's complicated.

Okay I get you don't want to talk about it but don't you think that talking about it might help? It doesn't have to be right now or anything but. It could help? Aurora can't just wait forever.

[What foreboding words these end up being.]

[ They are foreboding, even in this moment, and the way they get under Zuko's skin is clear all over his face as his expression darkens and sours. ]

...I know that. There's an— issue... that I need to figure out first. But talking about it will just... make it worse. I can't explain. I'm sorry.

[ He glances aside, his thoughts clearly storming inside, but lets out another, softer sigh. ]

But I know you're right.

[Hikaru would like to talk about this but it says a lot that Zuko isn't opening up. It kind of makes Hikaru all the more curious because what doesn't he know about Zuko?

Whatever this is apparently.

But it says a lot for their friendship that Hikaru isn't pestering him. Only sighing.]

You know how to make me curious. Damn. But fine. I'll keep trying to butter Aurora up for you. Keep throwing good things about you her way.

[ His face softens, looking at Hikaru with some indiscernible emotion; moved by his loyalty, respect for Zuko's privacy, encouragement for his happiness... and a vague longing like he wishes he could talk about whatever this mystery is, but is clearly biting his tongue as he decides against it again. He sighs once more and collapses backwards into the couch, splaying his arms out over the back as he looks up at the ceiling. ]

Once, just once— I want something in my life to be simple. Straightforward.

[ Drama queen... He knows full well he does it to himself, is the worst part. ]

Then make things more straightforward. I mean, there's only so much fate can do. If you want things to be more simple then make them.

[Which is why easier said than done. ]

...You're right. It's— been hard to see clearly. That's all I'll say. But—

[ He pauses, brow knotting, keeping his eyes fixed on the ceiling, though his tone of voice thickens, a certain melancholy laced through it. ]

...I know doing the right thing is usually hard.

[ So annoying how cryptic he's being! ]

...And I know I like Aurora. She's a good person. She'd be good for me. I just— hope I'd be good for her, too.

[ At least that much is clear but what's he on about? Always the gravity... ]

✮✮ un; tenjikubotan ✮✮

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