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beckyh2112 is having a anti whump-Zuko meme. It's gonna be good, but I thought it would be fun to explore the... darker side of our favorite fandom, in contrast.
This is not just Zuko-whump meme, per say. All Avatar characters are welcome in order to explore their darkest sides. After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions isn't it? *Grin*
So go on and reply with up to 4 requests. I promise to do at least 1 from everyone, so do your darnest to be dark. (Although I'm drawing the line at rape and incest.)
beckyh2112 is having a anti whump-Zuko meme. It's gonna be good, but I thought it would be fun to explore the... darker side of our favorite fandom, in contrast. This is not just Zuko-whump meme, per say. All Avatar characters are welcome in order to explore their darkest sides. After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions isn't it? *Grin*
So go on and reply with up to 4 requests. I promise to do at least 1 from everyone, so do your darnest to be dark. (Although I'm drawing the line at rape and incest.)
Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
The sun is shining bright and Li tilts his head into it, feeling the warmth on one cheek. But he doesn’t stop for long – he’s due at work in a half-hour, and he wants to make sure he can get there a few minutes before time. That way he will be ready to work the moment his shift starts.
Pao is a very good businessman, a kind merchant for bringing him in and giving him employment. One day, if Li is lucky, he can honor him by taking over more duties. Maybe take over the teashop himself, once Pao retires.
Honor…
The word slips in and out of his head, leaving a strangle ripple of disquiet in the tranquil pond of his thoughts. Li shakes his head and continues on. He must not be late.
He greets customers at the door, shows them to tables and takes their orders. He enjoys his work. Enjoys recommending the day’s special… smiles at a pretty young lady. She looks at him with hopeful green eyes.
If given a choice, Li would probably work through his break. His body is young and not tired, but Ba Sing Se has labor rules and all rules should be adhered.
He is out in the back, sitting on a crate and taking in the last of the dying sun, when Mushi the old tea-maker comes to him. He kneels down, eye to eye, and presses something into his hand. Li looks down. It is a cup of tea.
“A special blend,” Mushi says, and he is staring at him so intently that Li almost feels unnerved. “To stimulate the mind.”
Li drinks obediently. The tea is strangely spicy, but good. Mushi watches him the whole time.
His break is ending – Pao is yelling from the shop that there are more customers. Li hands the now empty cup back to Mushi and quickly puts his closed fist in an open hand in a bow. “Thank you, sir. You have a gift with teas.”
Li thinks that his compliment must mean a lot to Mushi – why else would the man’s eyes tear up? Li offers a smile and then goes back into the shop; time to finish his shift.
After the door swings shut, the man known as Mushi sinks down to the crate. He stares into the empty teacup, and silently weeps.
Re: Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
Re: Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
Re: Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
To make me feel better, my personal headcanon for this has Katara fixing him after sitting down to tea and getting the scare of her... day? She goes through some hair-raising stuff, bit I digress.
At least in Zuko's case "The Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai" means "go serve tea" instead of "go attack the avatar's friends."
Re: Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
I love the way you have Li/Zuko taking in the sunlight, not once, but twice. Latent firebender traits manifesting through the programing? I'm not sure wheter it's more tragic or adorable.
Did Pao meet "Li" before the capture? if so, what does he think of the radical personality change and sudden lack of teenage Zuko moodiness? And, uh, not acknowledging his uncle? Or are people in Ba Sing Se just used to it by now?
I also have this weird little continuation thing (this isn't a request, just me musing) of Zuko, having been snapped out of the brainwashing, getting captured by Azula, in the S2 finale, and he's all set to side with her just as he does in canon, when in desperation, Iroh triggers his programing, and he starts hunting around for tea to serve, and telling this obviously clueless girl there is no war in Ba Sing Se. Azula turns to Iroh and demands to know what the HELL he just did.
Re: Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
And yeah, Li feels the power from the sun... on some level. Poor kid. My thought was that in this AU Pao actually slipped the Dai Li a little coin on the side. If he has control of the nephew, then the fabulous tea-maker who's been bringing so much business into his shop, will also stay.
Re: Li, The Tea Server of Ba Sing Se
*whistles* Pao, you little devil.
Azula and Li In Ba Sing Se
.
.
.
Li’s hands are shaking. He closes his eyes for a moment, takes in a steady breath, but it’s all he can do not to spill the expensive spice all over himself. Old man Mushi is the real genius with tea. He was ever only a server – just learning the art of the trade. He isn’t ready for this… not ready at all…
But that’s not why he’s trembling.
He opened his eyes again, but there’s no sense of peace, because she is watching him. She catches his eye and a smile curves her lips. Somehow, Li thinks it’s not a very nice smile. He drops his gaze again, focusing on the cups.
“Is there a problem?” Her voice is so smooth, but cold. Like steel. Like finely polished blades – two of them, glinting in the sun and –
His hands are still shaking.
“No, Princess,” he mutters, head down, nearly speaking into his cups.
“Good.”
He doesn’t know when she moved, but at some point she did, and now those sharp pointed nails are grazing along the back of his neck. Li tries and fails not to flinch. The Princess is pretty, but her touch feels so wrong… wrong… wrong…
“Make sure you wear your best tunic,” she’s saying, and her nails lightly scratch along his skin. It’s almost a caress. “I want all of my servants to be at their most presentable for the Fire Lord this evening.”
“Yes, Princess.”
She studies him a moment longer, as if awaiting some other reaction. Li only stares at his tea-tray, trying not to think of what the hand stroking the back of his neck was capable of: Everyone heard how she struck the Avatar himself from the sky.
Which is odd, because there’s no war in Ba Sing Se.
After another moment, the Princess smiles again and mercifully walks out of the room.
Li looks down. One of the delicate porcelain teacups has been shattered in his hand. Strange. He didn’t remember picking it up. Didn’t remember squeezing.
One of the shards has dug into the heel of his hand. He pulls it out and watches the blood drip down.
Li fishes out a spare towel and dutifully wipes his tray clean before attending to his wound. The Fire Lord is a very important guest, and all must be made ready.
Re: Azula and Li In Ba Sing Se
Sorry for sticking plot bunnies in your head.
Re: Azula and Li In Ba Sing Se