paradisalost | ¤ 17 - Last one standing

[he hadn't heard from him in a while. It was worrying, but... he never expected him to actually be gone. So much so that the blank door doesn't register right away.]

It can't be...

[he opens it, finds the room empty, and stands there for a hanging moment] ...No.

[a minute goes by, and he wavers on his feet. He almost drops to his knees and lets this hit him in a defeated rush. ...Almost. Instead, something inside catches him. He knows his uncle wouldn't want him to let rage overtake him, but... well, Iroh is more than a world away now. The fire builds, and he remembers someone suggesting that he should just take the castle down, brick by brick. It had been a tempting idea at the time... and now, what was stopping him?

So, like a certain similar moment a few months ago, a fiery explosion rocks one of the castle hallways. This time, it's lucky floor number 9. With a roar, a fireball blasts into the hallway from room 913, and continues from there.

He'd really like nothing more than to burn this place to the ground.]

((ooc: Floor 9 is on fire! Anyone who wants to join in stopping him, try to keep it all in one thread. For everyone else reacting, yelling, having their stuff burn, comment away anywhere~ mod-approved destruction))

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[by this point, he's well on his way back to his own room, stalking darkly through the halls. He'd burned off some of his anger, but it just doesn't seem like enough. Nothing is fixed, so... it's still boiling infuriatingly just below the surface]

[finally spots him, and walks quickly to catch up.] Oi!

[pauses just long enough to glance over his shoulder at her, before he keeps going]

[finally catches up, though she's still trailing behind you a bit.]

[once he hears that she's still following him after a few moments, eyes still focused down the hall where he's headed--] What do you want?

Just hanging. [a random stranger told me to follow you]

...

[he finally stops in the middle of the hallway and just looks at her. Have anything to say now?]

[nope. But she's pretty practiced at being stubborn, so she's not going anywhere.]

Why are you following me? ['hanging' isn't going to cut it]

[goddammit]

'Cause that's what friends do. [Apparently. At least according to that girl.]

[he blinks at that, a little surprised. not exactly what he expected to hear.]

...I don't need anyone following me.

It's for my sake. [guiltrip'd]

...Your sake?

Yup. [pride, you has it]

How?

My own peace of mind.

I already told you, I'm not going to set anything else on fire!

[turning away again, and continuing to stalk down the hall toward his room]

[That works. Whatever sounds less wimpy.

lalala, still following you.]

[he does not get why she's still following, but he's pretending that she's not, walking up to his room and heading inside regardless of whether she catches the door and continues to follow or not]

[does so easily, and uh. Invites herself in.

Goddammit. Now what? Why isn't there a manual for this sort of thing?]

[now what, indeed.

His room has gotten closer and closer to his one from home over time, half Paradisan and half Fire Nation now. The window on the far wall has been made more elaborate, widened to give a clear view out over the grounds, and this is where he heads. It's the perfect brooding spot]

[peering about. The last time she was in here, wheat products were everywhere (along with a wayward cricket).

Looking at this wall hanging thing as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. Seconds pass and. Fuck it.]

Who was it?

[he can't really play dumb, here. It was obvious enough what had gotten him so upset, especially to someone who had been around for the last outburst, so...]

...My uncle.