So I want to prove to Crocverse fans that I know what I’m doing and I’m not just sitting on my ass saying “Hahaha I’ll write it.”
So as a tribute to Crocverse Goddess @nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice, a tidbit of Crocness that’s been floating around my head all this week.
“Uncle, remind me again why you decided to open a Croc store.”
It was suffocating, really, standing in a store with shelves upon shelves of Crocs. Zuko shuddered, feeling for all the world that the Crocs were staring at him. That was what the holes were for, right? To watch people? He wished he could just go home.
Then again, did he have a home anymore?
His uncle Iroh smiled at him over a cup of tea. The steam rose in a way that framed his face, giving his appearance a dreamlike quality. The dark circles underneath Iroh’s eyes were a little less prominent than they had been for the past few years. Gaining custody of his nephew had taken a lot out of him, and for that, Zuko felt a little guilty.
But not guilty enough to accept this Croc store bullshit.
“Nephew, give it a chance. You know life isn’t always a straight path. We must try to bring kindness and good energy wherever we can, and so through this store, we will.” He took a sip of his tea and placed the cup gently on the counter in front of him. Trundling around the counter, he patted Zuko’s shoulder. “You’ll grow to love it here. I’m sure of it.”
Zuko managed a weak smile before Iroh went to straighten up the shelves. He didn’t dare tell his uncle that he didn’t want to be here, in this store with these stupid Crocs. That he was sure he wouldn’t be able to make any friends. That deep down inside, a small, small part of him wished he was back with his father.
He gingerly raised a hand to the puckered skin on the left side of his face. Ever since the incident, he hadn’t been able to look at a fire. He wasn’t sure if he would ever Firebend again.
The bell over the store entrance jingled (since there were no doors but storeowners needed to know when customers came in), and Zuko peered over his shoulder to see a bunch of middle-aged men ranging in size from woefully skinny to delightfully pudgy. They brought with them the smell of muddy water and humid air, and Zuko knew right away these guys were from the nearby swamp. He was going to have to get used to this smell.
Iroh suddenly appeared beside him, his fingers brushing against his elbow - a warning to be polite to these men, no matter how much they irritated him. “Welcome! How may I help you gentlemen?”
Zuko drew in a deep breath (and therefore the smell of the swamp) and pasted on a fake smile.
This new life was already too Croc-y for his taste.
I hope this was good enough for the majesty of the Crocverse! Once life is a little less hectic, I promise I will put more time and energy into bringing this verse to life! :D
