Prince Lu Ten of the Fire Nation

[sonxfiroh]

bythelotus‌:

sonxfiroh‌:

bythelotus‌:

His own smile fades a bit at his son’s questions. 

“I’m afraid what I work on tonight does need to be completed sooner. I’m to join Jiang Li’s campaign in three days’ time.”

Lu Ten knows that his father is expected to join on these things, and that this is something to be expected, he does. Still, it makes him weary just thinking about it. The long nights and days that Iroh spends on the road, away from the palace.

Away from Lu Ten’s mother and sister.

“I wish this war would just end already,” he says.

He knows that it’s s foolish thing to say, that in fact if he were to be caught exprwwing such a sentiment the consequences could be dire…But it is just him and his father here, and no other ears to pry in on their conversation.

“As do I, my son,” he agrees, knowing they were safe in sharing such near-treasonous thoughts privately. 

“I wish I had more time here with you and the girls, and your mother.” He sighs. “I have already missed much of your and Su Lin’s childhoods; I don’t want to miss any more of Min’s. And with your mother’s health being as it is…” He shakes his head sadly. Orders were orders.

“We must make the most of what time we have together. I believe we’ve both earned a break for the night, don’t you?” He motions toward the tea tray.

He rolls his eyes at his father’s insistance but Lu Ten feels a smile tug at the corners of his mouth anyway. He is tired, and there is much to do that could be better looked to with fresh eyes in the morning, he will admit.

The young prince lets out a sigh.

“Very well,” he relents, untucking his feet from under himself so that he can shuffle on his knees to where the tea tray sits. 

He turns with it in his steady hands, settling it between them to pour his father a cup first, and then himself. 

“If it helps,” Lu Ten broaches after a moment in silence, “neither I nor Su Lin blame you. We know what it means to be Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. If you did not see to your duties what kind of man would you be for us to admire?”

[sonxfiroh]

bythelotus‌:

sonxfiroh‌:

“I wonder what Grandfather would do if he heard you say that,” Lu Ten teases.

He smiles up wearily at his father, pressing his hand against the older man’s at his shoulder.

Lu Ten falls silent, the smile slipping off of his face slowly as his attention roves from his father’s kind face to the tray of tea that sits not too far away. He lets out a sigh.

“I want…the Generals to take me seriously,” he tells Iroh, “I’m afraid that if I don’t prepare for absolutely everything then — then they will just dismiss me…Which they have every right to do. I mean what real practical experience do I really have?”

He laughs despairingly.

“Luckily for me, he has retired to his own chambers hours ago,” he says with a weary laugh.

Iroh sits beside his son, listening as he voices his concerns about his work and the officers. Fears that he remembers well having himself; wishing to prove himself as a fighter, prince and leader; wanting to make his father and nation proud, live up to their expectations.

“My son,” he says with a tired smile as he gently squeezes his shoulder once more. “You are already a fine prince and fighter. They will see in time, if they do not already. But you need not worry so much as though you must have it all ready the moment the sun is up. Give yourself time to live, to rest.”

It’s easier said than done, he thinks, having the time to live and to rest. He doesn’t think that his own father does as much all that often either. Still, a wide yawn tugs at Lu Ten’s jaw, making it pop. 

He shakes the sleep off of himself, blinking hard.

“What about you?” he asks anyway, “What are you doing up this late, if grandfather’s already abed?”  

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

His own smile fades a bit at his son’s questions. 

“I’m afraid what I work on tonight does need to be completed sooner. I’m to join Jiang Li’s campaign in three days’ time.”

[sonxfiroh]

Lu Ten knows that his father is expected to join on these things, and that this is something to be expected, he does. Still, it makes him weary just thinking about it. The long nights and days that Iroh spends on the road, away from the palace.

Away from Lu Ten’s mother and sister.

“I wish this war would just end already,” he says.

He knows that it’s a foolish thing to say, that in fact if he were to be caught expressing such a sentiment the consequences could be dire...But it is just him and his father here, and no other ears to pry in on their conversation.

[sonxfiroh]

waterxearthxfirexair mentioned you in a post

@ sonxfiroh  “You’ll come back, right?

Lu Ten laughs brightly, bending down to lift Min up in his arms, bouncing her into the air briefly before he catches her once more. 

“What a question!” Lu Ten says. “Of course we will come back. I can’t very well miss my best girl’s birthday can I?”

[sonxfiroh]

bythelotus‌:

sonxfiroh‌:

“I wonder what Grandfather would do if he heard you say that,” Lu Ten teases.

He smiles up wearily at his father, pressing his hand against the older man’s at his shoulder.

Lu Ten falls silent, the smile slipping off of his face slowly as his attention roves from his father’s kind face to the tray of tea that sits not too far away. He lets out a sigh.

“I want…the Generals to take me seriously,” he tells Iroh, “I’m afraid that if I don’t prepare for absolutely everything then — then they will just dismiss me…Which they have every right to do. I mean what real practical experience do I really have?”

He laughs despairingly.

“Luckily for me, he has retired to his own chambers hours ago,” he says with a weary laugh.

Iroh sits beside his son, listening as he voices his concerns about his work and the officers. Fears that he remembers well having himself; wishing to prove himself as a fighter, prince and leader; wanting to make his father and nation proud, live up to their expectations.

“My son,” he says with a tired smile as he gently squeezes his shoulder once more. “You are already a fine prince and fighter. They will see in time, if they do not already. But you need not worry so much as though you must have it all ready the moment the sun is up. Give yourself time to live, to rest.”

It’s easier said than done, he thinks, having the time to live and to rest. He doesn’t think that his own father does as much all that often either. Still, a wide yawn tugs at Lu Ten’s jaw, making it pop. 

He shakes the sleep off of himself, blinking hard.

“What about you?” he asks anyway, “What are you doing up this late, if grandfather’s already abed?”  

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

@sonxfiroh 

“Get some sleep, Lu Ten. A man needs his rest.”

[sonxfiroh]

Lu Ten’s back is in knots. It drives him to distraction, just how much discomfort being hunched over a desk for an entire afternoon can cause him. His eyes itch incessantly, complaining at overuse.

Isn’t youth supposed to allow him a certain amount of leeway where his body is concerned?

He doesn’t even hear his father enter the room, too distracted by his aches and pains and trying to concentrate on the papers he is responsible for. He mutters an expletive under his breath, reaching over his shoulder to work at a knot with the tips of his fingers.

In the end it only works to make his fingers sore.

Lu Ten jumps at his father’s voice, turning sharply to look at him. He winces, holding a hand to the kink in his neck, looking at his dad through one eye.

“I know, I know,” he says quickly, “just…just a little longer.”

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

The Crown Prince carries the tea tray in silently. He looks at his boy with sympathy, knowing the all-to-familiar aches  and pains of royal paperwork and study. Ah, the life of a young prince. 

He sets the tray on a nearby table and places a hand on his son’s shoulder, rubbing gently. 

“These papers and reports can wait another night; you will be better off looking at them with clear and rested eyes.”

[sonxfiroh]

“I wonder what Grandfather would do if he heard you say that,” Lu Ten teases.

He smiles up wearily at his father, pressing his hand against the older man’s at his shoulder.

Lu Ten falls silent, the smile slipping off of his face slowly as his attention roves from his father’s kind face to the tray of tea that sits not too far away. He lets out a sigh.

“I want...the Generals to take me seriously,” he tells Iroh, “I’m afraid that if I don’t prepare for absolutely everything then — then they will just dismiss me...Which they have every right to do. I mean what real practical experience do I really have?”

He laughs despairingly.

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

@sonxfiroh 

“Get some sleep, Lu Ten. A man needs his rest.”

[sonxfiroh]

Lu Ten’s back is in knots. It drives him to distraction, just how much discomfort being hunched over a desk for an entire afternoon can cause him. His eyes itch incessantly, complaining at overuse.

Isn’t youth supposed to allow him a certain amount of leeway where his body is concerned?

He doesn’t even hear his father enter the room, too distracted by his aches and pains and trying to concentrate on the papers he is responsible for. He mutters an expletive under his breath, reaching over his shoulder to work at a knot with the tips of his fingers.

In the end it only works to make his fingers sore.

Lu Ten jumps at his father’s voice, turning sharply to look at him. He winces, holding a hand to the kink in his neck, looking at his dad through one eye.

“I know, I know,” he says quickly, “just...just a little longer.”

[sonxfiroh]

waterxearthxfirexair‌:

“Okay…” she whimpered, falling silent as she took his words in. “Papa looks so sad sometimes when he looks at me or Su Lin…is it because of Mama?”

“Papa’s just sad that you’re growing up so fast,” he lied. Lu Ten smiled calmly at Min. “He really secretly wishes that we’d both stay little forever, you know. And he doesn’t get to be home that much, so he misses us.”

[sonxfiroh]

waterxearthxfirexair‌:

sonxfiroh‌:

waterxearthxfirexair‌:

Min slowly walked around the desk and sat beside her brother, tears beginning to fill her eyes. 

“Is it my fault she’s gone?”

Lu Ten tsk’d, pulling her a little closer under his arm. 

“No Min-min. It’s not your fault. It was time for her spirit to return to the spirit realm, to be with Agni. That’s all. But she gave you to us before she left…” He reached forward with the edge of his trailing sleeve, wiping gently at the tears collecting on her cheeks. 

“So that we could still remember her, and make sure that you grow up strong.”

The young girl sniffled s she clung to her big brother. “But Zula said that-that she only got sick because of me, that I was sick as a baby and Mama refused to just leave me with the healer to care for…” 

He pressed his lips together into a thin line.

“Don’t listen to Azula, Min-min. She’s just trying to upset you. She doesn’t know how to play nice with other kids...and I think she’s jealous of how close you and mom were because she thinks that her mom doesn’t love her very much.” 

He dabbed at her cheeks again, letting his little sister rest against his side. 

“If you don’t react then she’ll get bored and stop teasing you.”

[sonxfiroh]

waterxearthxfirexair‌:

sonxfiroh‌:

waterxearthxfirexair‌:

@sonxfiroh 

“Will you tell me about Mama?” Min asked her big brother. “Please, Lu?”

“Hnn?” He looked up from his papers, squinting at the little girl from where he was bent over his desk. Lu Ten rubbed at his aching neck.

“What about Mama?” He leaned back against his palms on the floor, offering her a lopsided smile, “You know I’ve already told you everything I remember.”

Min slowly walked around the desk and sat beside her brother, tears beginning to fill her eyes. 

“Is it my fault she’s gone?”

Lu Ten tsk’d, pulling her a little closer under his arm. 

“No Min-min. It’s not your fault. It was time for her spirit to return to the spirit realm, to be with Agni. That’s all. But she gave you to us before she left...” He reached forward with the edge of his trailing sleeve, wiping gently at the tears collecting on her cheeks. 

“So that we could still remember her, and make sure that you grow up strong.”

[sonxfiroh]

waterxearthxfirexair‌:

@sonxfiroh 

“Will you tell me about Mama?” Min asked her big brother. “Please, Lu?”

“Hnn?” He looked up from his papers, squinting at the little girl from where he was bent over his desk. Lu Ten rubbed at his aching neck.

“What about Mama?” He leaned back against his palms on the floor, offering her a lopsided smile, “You know I’ve already told you everything I remember.”

[sonxfiroh]

Grief | Closed Rp

fireloved:

GOT sentence memes // @sonxfiroh

[x]

Ursa gently rested a hand on his shoulder, trying her best to comfort the other. “I remember the death of my own mother… It’s not something you will ever get over.”

And it certainly wasn’t. Ursa still yearns for her mothers advice, her touch… her smile. Growing up the daughter of the Avatar made her mother a strong woman. Someone Ursa looked up to.

“…But you can still live on when you keep her memory close.”

He offered his aunt a weary smile for the encouraging words, but in truth they did little to assuage his feelings of guilt and helplessness. What good was medical school when, in the end, none of the doctors were able to help her, and he was still too far away from the end of his own research for it to do her any good? 

Lu Ten’s hand closed around hers briefly, squeezing at Ursa’s fingertips. 

“I’m trying...to be strong for dad,” he admitted, “he’s suffering more than me he’s -- all alone in that penthouse for days on end, sitting in the dark. Sometimes he won’t answer his phone and I worry -- “ 

Lu Ten dropped his head into his hands, breathing out a heavy sigh. “Honestly I..When you and uncle Ozai and the kids showed up the other day I was relieved that it was” civil “happening because I’m at my wits’ end.”

And his teacher had excused him from class indefinitely. Until your period of mourning is over at least, and you are able to pay attention to what you are doing.

It made sense, but he still couldn’t help but feel a little slighted. His classes and residency had been the only thing keeping him going when his mother had gone to hospital. They’d been the only thing that he’d had left when she’d died, aside from his father.

Now he just had the giant emptiness that she had left in her wake, and the knowledge that his father was not himself infallible. That he was, in fact, more human than super human. 

Lu Ten sniffled, and turned to look at his aunt a little better, dropping his hands from his face. “You’ve never talked much about your mother,” he invited.

@fireloved

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

% /sonxfiroh

Send “%” for a CURIOUS text.

[text: Lu Ten] Could have sworn I saw Zuko blush when I mentioned Mai and her family joining our next dinner with your grandfather, do discuss her father’s recent promotion…know anything abut that?

[sonxfiroh]

[text: dad] Everyone knows about that. 

[text: dad] Zuko’s been in love with Mai since he was six.

[text: dad] Where have you been? ;P

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

ø /sonxfiroh

Send “ø” for a LATE NIGHT text.

[text: Lu Ten] We need to find a way to get your aunt and cousins away from Ozai, none of them are safe there.

[sonxfiroh]

[text: Dad] Though I don’t disagree, did something happen? 

[sonxfiroh]

Pride

[sonxfiroh]

bythelotus‌:

sonxfiroh‌:

@bythelotus

Lu Ten’s stomach still complained in anxiety, but he reached up and squeezed his father’s hand at his shoulder. Iroh’s words sat warm in the middle of his chest, growing outward, despite Lu Ten’s pervasive shame. 

“Thanks dad…” He turned, slipping his reedy arms around him. At twelve, he’d finally had his first growth spurt, but it had only served to make him a little taller, and his arms still did not quite fit around his dad’s middle. 

“Will you…help me work on the katas? I want to do better next time…” Perhaps it was too much to ask of the crown prince, but Lu Ten always preferred to train with him over any of his tutors.

“Any time,” Iroh replied with a smile, ruffling the boy’s hair as he returned the embrace. 

“I would be happy to,” he replied, pulling away slightly. “Though I’m afraid it cannot be for very long. I will only be home for a week before I must join Major Shinu’s campaign.”

Lu Ten didn’t quite manage to keep his expression from falling. Only a week. Then his dad would be gone again and Lu Ten would be left with the staff to look to him alone.

“I understand,” he managed after a moment. “A week...A week will be more than enough, I am certain.” He forced himself to smile. His father was busy and important. It was an honour even to have a week to train with him, and Lu Ten knew this. 

[sonxfiroh]

Pride

bythelotus:

[x]

“So long as you try, even if you make a mistake, you have not failed.” He placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “I know how hard you work at this, Lu Ten, as you do at everything. Whatever your uncle says or thinks, I’m proud of you.”

@bythelotus

Lu Ten’s stomach still complained in anxiety, but he reached up and squeezed his father’s hand at his shoulder. Iroh’s words sat warm in the middle of his chest, growing outward, despite Lu Ten’s pervasive shame. 

“Thanks dad...” He turned, slipping his reedy arms around him. At twelve, he’d finally had his first growth spurt, but it had only served to make him a little taller, and his arms still did not quite fit around his dad’s middle. 

“Will you...help me work on the katas? I want to do better next time...” Perhaps it was too much to ask of the crown prince, but Lu Ten always preferred to train with him over any of his tutors.

[bythelotus-deactivated20221203]

‘i let you down.’ /sonxfiroh

“Never,” the old general answered firmly. “My son, you have never–could never–let me down.”

[sonxfiroh]

“But I failed,” Lu Ten disagreed. “I was an embarrassment. Even uncle Ozai said so...” His ears had gone hot at the memory of his father’s brother murmuring to his wife about Lu Ten’s lacklustre performance of the katas. 

[sonxfiroh]

Family Feud | Closed RP

bythelotus:

[x]

He hugged his son a little tighter at that, thinking of the rooms Lu had seemed to be walking away from: Ozai’s.

“Any time,“ he quipped before turning serious once more. “My son, you know you can tell me anything…“

@bythelotus

Lu Ten drew back slightly from his father’s arms, dark gold eyes turned down toward the polished floors below their feet. His expression smoothed, his tongue darting out momentarily to wet his bottom lip. 

“Even if I told you, there’s nothing that we can do. Zuko and Azula aren’t your children,” he answered quietly. “It just -- it drives me mad, watching how he mistreats the boy. How did he get like this? How is it that you could be so different from him, father, when the two of you grew up under the same roof?” 

His voice rose. Catching it, Lu Ten cleared his throat, flushing a little in shame at his outburst. 

“I’m sorry, father, I know that he is my uncle and he deserves my respect...” He looked away once again.