hotel: zuko

[shaft]

Comments

[cuedoves]

We're not strangers.

[ a beat. time for claude to suffer yet another rude teenager. ]

But you do look..... old, now.

[shaft]

... I'm only 5 years older, you know!

[ huffs ]

Unless you met a two year-old version of me.

[cuedoves]

[ zuko considers this....... he decides baby claude would be weird. ]

You have a beard.

[ (spoon voice) ]

[shaft]

Yeah, puberty eventually deigned to let me grow facial hair.

[ WHO IS THIS ]

[cuedoves]

Eventually.

[ wow.... ]

Do you remember me?

[shaft]

[ squints at him ]

No... I don't recall having met you.

[cuedoves]

[ sighs ]

... So you're one of those... doubles, or whatever. Maybe this you won't be as annoying.

[ thanks zuko ]

[shaft]

[ Claude just laughs, because Zuko is 16 so snark is to be expected. ]

I was quite the rascal when I was younger, so I don't blame you for thinking that. I'd like to think I'm much more mature and respectable now.

[cuedoves]

Rascal...

[ zuko repeats, dubiously. the rest of that is dubious, too. ]

Well, whatever. I'm Zuko.

[shaft]

Nice to meet you, Zuko. Which of the previous worlds are you from?

[cuedoves]

You, uh... too, I guess. [ now he's just embarrassed rather than grumpy... ]

The castle. We kept, uh, losing our memories. You?

[shaft]

[ he's just a BABY...

anyway that sounds terrible, and claude frowns ]

The school. Our memories were unaffected thankfully, but our "hosts" routine had their identities stolen.

[cuedoves]

The school... that's the first I've heard of it. Still had the trials and everything, right?

[ hm. that sounds bad. ]

Yeah, our hosts got messed with it, too. It was pretty bad.

[shaft]

[ He nods. ]

Every week. But we're seasoned now at least. Hopefully we'll be able to use what we learned to dismantle this game before it goes too far.

[cuedoves]

... Maybe.

[ zuko is cynical, he doesn't seem so hopeful. ]

You.... You know Hilda, right?

[ she's like his vassal or something ]

[shaft]

[ blinks ]

Yeah, of course. Was she there too? Where you were with the younger me?

[cuedoves]

.... Yeah.

[ so it is the same claude after all... he seems like he's debating saying something, but then decides against it. ]

She's really strong.

[shaft]

[ ... that makes him laugh ]

She is, I don't even know why she bothers with the helpless act anymore. [ Oh. ] Oh, but wait. You met her as a teenager still?

[cuedoves]

Probably to get everyone to do things for her.

[ but he sounds fond, and.... heterosexual. ]

Yeah. So... you know her when she's older, I guess.

[ that makes sense. ]

[shaft]

[ He is Noticing. ]

Yeah, she's the same age as me where I'm from. Though she'd probably smack if you called her old.

[cuedoves]

I know better than to insult Hilda.

[ he seems a little heartened by the idea of future hilda existing ]

[shaft]

But you have no qualms insulting me?

[cuedoves]

You're not my girlfriend.

And you're not scary, either.

[ he sounds proud when he says that ]

[shaft]

So you two were dating? [ He looks so interested... Gossip!! ] Wow, I never thought Hilda could tolerate a guy for that long.

[cuedoves]

Guess she just had to meet the right guy.

[ shut the fuck up zuko ]