(closed) first impression theater

[elfuego]

WHO: Zuko & Sansa
WHEN: During lockdown
WHERE: Sansa's balcony
WHAT: Zuko falls off the roof while batmanning and meets the new arrival to Team Macaluso.
WARNINGS: None yet

The curfew was ridiculous. Zuko didn’t know a good number of the people he traveled with, but he figured they couldn’t have gotten this far being dumb enough to try and kill the most powerful man in the city.

Or maybe some of them were that foolish and brash, and he didn’t know any better.

He hated the not knowing, it ate away at him, until eventually pacing the floor in his room wasn’t enough. Like so many evenings before the stupid curfew, he saw no reason to stay behind and let another weird night in this place go by without him trying to catch a piece of what was going on.

Getting out of his window and onto the roof was as easy as putting on a sweater by that point, and he knew the layout of it well enough that he could move quickly and quietly across it.

Unfortunately, the confidence he had in the knowledge of his surroundings was proven to be somewhat misplaced moments later, as a tile came loose under his feet and Zuko found himself skidding off the side of the roof, his arms circling while he fought to steady himself.

Tipping off the side of the roof he fell a surprisingly (fortunately) short distance, landing hard on his back on the balcony outside another bedroom not far from his own.

Zuko sprung back to his feet, so annoyed with his rotten luck that he forgot himself, and glared up at the roof he had fallen off of instead of making his apologies to the person residing in the room he had landed outside of and cutting a hasty retreat.

Comments

[notsansa]

His curiosity was natural, but Alayne still hesitated to share. She shouldn't if they were meant to be on the same side; all of them with alternate identities, but she also knew that the more people who know a secret, the more chances for it to be revealed. She was still too ignorant in the ways of this world to risk being outed for whatever reason by any of them... But he'd already seen her hands, and she'd already told him the half-truth, so what was tme point in concealing the rest? He might have just asked around after departing, and that would be worse, so with a very short sigh she confessed the ridiculous reality.

"Not for six years. I am to self-immolate at the age of twenty years. I expect our goals will be met long before then."

Or else she was definitely going to abandon everyone, no hard feelings. That was why she had to use this time to her advantage, and learn what she could, so that if she did end up on her own, she wouldn't ever be helpless again. Even now, she knew she was lucky that a friendly visitor happened to be who dropped in. ...Well, as friendly as expected when he likely just injured himself, despite brushing it off.

Tucking a strand of long hair behind her ear, Alayne dared to step closer to him to show she wasn't afraid and motioned to the lavish pillows nearby for him to sit; a tacit apology for her unkind reaction towards a scar that must have brought him terrible pain in the past. She glanced it over again before continuing to speak, reminded distantly of another man in another life of a girl named Sansa Stark. When was the last time she saw him? It had been another surprise visit in the night in her chambers... But that had been terrifying. This was not so much, though she remained tense.

"Does...the identity given to you generally involve walking along the roofs? Are you a spy? I suppose you couldn't answer truthfully if you were. But perhaps I can help, if you were looking for something specific."

[elfuego]

Her cover story got worse the more he heard about it. He had hated the hours spent at court, listening to words of wisdom from some of Taravast's most long-winded old rich men but as boring as it was, it wasn't anything as harsh as the prospect of self-immolation.

At least she had six years - he liked to think this group would get it together and find a way out of this well before that - then again, he also didn't know anybody that well to make that judgment based on anything but hope. She was younger than him, and because of that he couldn't help but feel somewhat protective. Even if getting out of this mess really took six years, he didn't think he would be able to sit idly by if Alayne was called to make good on this insane cover.

"What?" Her question about the identity he'd been given pulled him back to the present, and he shook his head, frowning while he worked to quell his embarrassment. "No," Zuko said finally. "I don't like this stupid curfew." Ignoring the way her eyes returned to the scar on his face he diverted his attention towards the pillows she had indicated him to sit on.

He faltered for a moment, uncertain, before taking a seat on the edge of one of the massive cushions, looking as though he were trying to remain ready to spring to his feet in a moment's notice should he need to. "My cover is that my father is a rich, important shipping magnate," Zuko began, the flat tone of his rough voice indicative of his displeasure for the story he had been given. It struck just a little bit too close to home.

"All the old businessmen in this city think it's true, so they try and suck up to my father by talking to me." As crown prince, he was used to things like that happening, but after putting that life aside and becoming a traitor to the Fire Nation, with no idea if he would ever get to go home again, it felt strange to play the role of somebody's honored son.

[notsansa]

Despite being the one to offer him a seat, she still felt somewhat awkward joining him. This would be unheard of in proper society, lest her reputation be questioned, but there's nothing normal about the situation they'd been thrust into. So she grabbed the nearby bread knife again, this time with the plate of bread and cheeses, and smoothed her skirt with her free hand so that she could sit across from him. It was near enough the fire to offer warmth in the building's strange chill, but not so close to seem dangerous. She felt keenly aware of it any time she witnessed his horrible scar.

To hear that he had risked his own safety just because he didn't like the curfew, it made her think of something Arya would have done. The parallel left an unpleasant taste in her mouth, not knowing if it was longing or resentment, so she was eager to take in the rest of what he had to say. Alayne had no sister, after all.

"It seems the names of our false fathers carry weight in this kingdom. I never met Don Urbano, hearing that he died before my arrival, but his name seems enough to draw kindness out of the Witches. Now I suppose I also have a stepmother and uncle, but...I don't really know anything about any of them."

At least she'd already had a rapport with Petyr before becoming his daughter. This was a form of acting completely without a net, and it had been...rather lonely. Feeling like she must have seemed pitiful to even complain about not knowing anyone, she covered her embarrassment by cutting off a slice of bread, then tearing off a bite size for herself.

"I've never met someone for the first time in my bedchambers. I suppose this means we must become fast friends, or else this might be deemed a harmful stain on my reputation."

There was a smile hidden behind her piece of bread, sensing his own discomfort for whatever reasons he had, unable to resist a gentle tease.

[elfuego]

Not expecting to be treated quite this graciously, considering he did land on her balcony unwanted and uninvited Zuko looked momentarily surprised when she brought over a plate of food, and though he didn't take anything he met her eye enough to dip his head slightly in an appreciative nod.

A moment later his expression darkened again, the mention of 'false fathers' making his thoughts drift towards the matter of his real father before she brought up the relatives her cover story had come with. Alayne's situation got weirder and more intricate every time she presented him with another detail.

"Relatives? Who? People from this place, or, from the group?" Depending on who it was, she might have gotten lucky. Zuko didn't know that many members of the group he had been traveling with since the Stairs of Sighs, but there were a few that had left a good impression on him.