Sunburn

12

"Ha, ha! Nothing like a fat man dancing for his dinner! Here ya go!" The man cackled loudly pleased with his cruel entertainment and then tossed the gold coin on the ground and walked away, still chortling to himself. His intentions weren't baleful, but they were definitely humiliating.

Iroh picked up the coin and tucked it away then sat back down as he smiled serenely as if nothing had happened.

"Such a nice man." Iroh commented in a placid tone, unaware of the angry glare Zuko was leveling at the retreating man's back. Zuko wanted to claw at his face. It was hot and uncomfortable and they had nothing and now they had to humiliate themselves for a living. And to make matters worse things between him and Tsai were.. Well he had never seen her act so weird before. There was definitely something on her mind as of the late.

"Where is Tsai anyways?" He complained folding his arms across his chest as he looked around the street. She had the habit of going absent for long periods of time. She never said where she was going or with who. She just claimed it was 'important' and would vanish without a trace. He had to admit the curiosity was beginning to prick at him because she always came back with a handful of coins just for them to get dinner.

 It was then a small coin purse fell into the hat. The purse over flowered with gold coins and they spilled from the overflowing bag.

"It's not much, but I managed to get some gold coins for it."

Iroh's eyes went wide. Zuko didn't realize that he jumped to his feet. Her eyes were swollen from crying and cheeks stained with dry tears. Despite it she had a smile on her face. One which was sad and pained.

"Tsai," Zuko said in a low voice his eyes slightly wide. "Your hair..."

Her long red locks which would've typically reached her midback now reached just below her jaw. You could tell it had hurt her, cutting it. Her pride to let go of something so dear and precious to her. Shedding a sacred part of her identity. She wore a bandana over her hair leaving only a few strands slipping out. They seemed a little darker without the length and volume the locks used to possess. 

"It draws too much attention. Besides, it'll grow back soont." She smiling despite her emotional pain. Her hair had always been a key part of her. Of her construct identity. It had always been something she prided herself in. Being the assumed only person in the world with such a strange tone. It was what made her her.

Iroh then rose up to his feet.

"Beauty is reflected in the light of the heart and you remain luminescent as always," he said smoothly with most wisdom placing both of his hands on her cheeks in a way that reminded her of her grandfather. It made her heart ache. "You look as lovely as ever child," he smiled at her. At this point she was just happy to have contributed something to the group, to have put food on the table, which had been something she had never ever done before. It was no small accomplishment for her.

Zuko looked at his uncle and cursed himself. How was it that the old man was so damn smooth? He had to say something. Anything. He struggled with himself as to find the most eloquent word on what to comment. 'It's pretty,' he thought of saying.
No, it was too simple. 'Looks nice,' sounded way to dull.
'You look like the blinding sun!'Now that sounded like something his uncle would say- but then again it was nonsense.

"It-" He began and squeezed the back of his neck as he shifted nervously. "It looks a lot better!" He ejected. He saw the look on her face as she touched her freshly cut tips confused.

Wait did that sound like he meant it looked bad before?

 "I mean- it," he lowered his head. "It looks nice," he finally admitted quietly.