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"Suki," Zuko starts, and his bodyguard – though he prefers to think of her as a friend now – immediately snaps to attention, sheathing her fans and walking over to him. "I've been thinking."
"That's never good," she teases.
He huffs, but he's smiling. "Anyway. You know we've been looking closer into some of the clans who followed my father, right?"
"Well, yeah," Suki says. "Where are you going with this?"
Zuko drums his fingers on his desk, ruffling the documents he'd been reviewing. "There's this one clan that I can't figure out. Their loyalties are confusing, I think. They never explicitly supported my father nor have spoken against me, but they were always reliable when things like resources or manpower were needed during the war. Strangely enough though, they were one of, if not the only clans that didn't send at least one soldier with me on my search for Aang. You know, now that I think about it, I think my crew back then came from pretty much every corner of the Fire Nation."
"Maybe they were just playing it safe," Suki suggests, considering it while also subtly trying to steer him back on topic.
"Maybe," Zuko says, accepting the refocus. "But still, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm thinking about visiting them. Would you care to accompany me on this trip?"
"Sure," Suki agrees easily. "What did you say the name of this clan was?"
"The Sei'naka clan," Zuko says, beginning to grab his map to show her the location of their island.
Suki suddenly coughs violently, and if Zuko wasn't already facing her, he would have missed the almost comical way her eyes bugged out of her head. "The–” she sputters, trying and failing to regain her composure. "The– Sei'naka clan?"
Zuko frowns. "Do you know them?"
"Do I know them?" Suki repeats incredulously. "Do I know them?" She gestures to herself, pointing at her Kyoshi Warrior uniform, then to the signature makeup on her face, then to her headdress.
"Uh..." Zuko feels like her question is rhetorical, but he's not exactly known for his perception of social cues. Thankfully, Suki saves him the embarassment of asking.
"Do I know the Sei'naka clan," she laughs, though more to herself than anything. "Of course I do. What kind of Kyoshi Warrior do you think I am? I'd be be blacklisted from the entire island if I didn't."
"Right, makes sense," Zuko nods, even though he really has no idea what he's agreeing with. "So... you're coming with–?"
"Hell yeah I am!" Suki says, before remembering that usually it's considered a great offence to talk to a Fire Lord like that. She clears her throat. "Um. I mean, I'd love to, if you'll have me."
Zuko chuckles. "Of course I will. I mean, I did ask you first, after all."
"Right," Suki nods enthusiastically. Zuko can practically feel the anticipation rolling off her in waves. He can't remember the last time he's seen her this excited. "When are we leaving?"
"In a week," Zuko says. "I still have to arrange transport."
"You should ask Aang to come," Suki tells him. "Then we could take Appa, as well. Saves time and money."
Zuko shakes his head. "I'm sure he's busy right now. We can do just fine without Appa. Besides, I don't think the Sei'naka clan would give reason for the protection of the Avatar. Even if they're against me, I'll be safe enough with you."
Suki's mouth quirks upward in an almost-smile, her eyes flashing as if she's in on a joke that he isn't. "Send him a letter anyway, yeah? No pressure on him, just mention we're paying the Sei'naka clan a visit. The rest will work out on its own."
Zuko just shrugs. "I guess, but I doubt he'll come."
"I'm sure he will," Suki says. Her tone is final but confident, so Zuko lets the matter go.
"Huh," Zuko says, standing with Suki in the royal courtyard as they watch the skybison descend. "Would you look at that."
"Told you," Suki says, not even bothering to hide her smugness.
Aang leaps off Appa before he's fully landed, crushing both Zuko and Suki in a hug. "I've missed you guys!"
"It's only been a month since you saw us last," Zuko says, but he holds him tighter anyway.
"I'm so glad you're here," Suki says.
"So am I," Aang says when they finally pull away. "Has Ty Lee arrived yet?"
"Right here!" says a familiar high voice. Ty Lee steps into veiw, dressed in her signature pink. "I wasn't sure if I should wear the uniform since I'm not an official Kyoshi Warrior yet, but I packed it anyway!"
"Please," Suki says. "You're about as official a warrior as the rest of us are Fire Nation."
"Meaning on a technicality, I am," Ty Lee concludes with a laugh, and Zuko feels like he's missing something. "But I only began training a few weeks ago."
"And you were already more than capable before that," Suki says. "It's just a matter of honor and tradition."
"Right, because Kyoshi of all people respected tradition," Ty Lee remarks.
"But we do value honor," Suki says.
"How very Fire Nation of you," Zuko says, just because he needs to say at least something. The laughs he gets in response are louder than he thinks is warranted for such a lame joke, but he'll take it.
"Speaking of Fire Nation," Aang says. "We should get going. I can't wait to meet the clan."
"Yeah, you specifically can't wait," Suki jokes as she lifts her and Zuko's bags up onto Appa. "Definitely Aang the Air Nomad and not another, cooler, more relevant person."
"Hey!" Aang protests. "I'm just as cool as she is!"
Suki and Ty Lee level Aang with the exact same unimpressed look at the exact same time. Zuko doesn't know who they're talking about, but even he recognizes the statement as blatantly untrue.
"Yeah, no, nevermind," Aang says dejectedly.
"Maybe one day," Zuko says, putting a hand on his shoulder in a stiff attempt at comforting him.
Aang brightens. "Thanks, Zuko!"
"Don't give him false hope, Zuko," Suki says as she climbs up into Appa's saddle before reaching down to help him.
"You're biased!" Aang complains.
"The truth is never biased!" Suki shoots back.
Aang feigns annoyance, but that boy can't pretend to be mad at his friends to save his life. Zuko can hear the smile in his voice as he commands, "Appa, yip, yip!"
They're greeted by a small crowd when they arrive, touching down in the small town square. Suki dismounts first, then helps Zuko down. He doesn't need her help, but he takes her hand for propriety's sake. Ty Lee, however, has no concerns of this as she gracefully leaps down from Appa. Aang is last, lowering himself with airbending until his feet soundlessly touch the ground.
"Fire Lord Zuko." the woman at the front – presumably the matriarch – greets him with a deep bow. "We are honored to welcome you to our clan. My name is Meisang. Please, come to me if you should need anything."
His back itches to bend forward and return her bow, still unused to having people express such deep respect for him. He wishes it were more acceptable for him to return the favor. He's thought about talking about it with his advisors, but he's recently been lacking the patience to deal with their outraged cries about status and dignity.
Instead of bowing back like he wants to, Zuko settles for a smile, already relaxing as he senses no outward hostility. A welcome reprieve from his previous visits to other clans. "It's an honor to be here."
She turns to Aang next. "Avatar." She bows to him similarly to how one would greet a family member. Actually– it's exactly how family is greeted, which has Zuko's brows furrowing in confusion. "We've long awaited the day where you would grace our clan with your presence again. No matter when, you're always welcome here."
"Thank you," Aang says, returning her bow. "It's good to be here." With the light breeze around them, gently ruffling Zuko's hair into his ears, it kind of sounded like Aang had said It's good to be home.
(As the Avatar rises, Zuko is almost able to convince himself of the rich shade of green in his eyes, but its replaced by the signature airbender grey too quickly to be anything but a trick of the light.)
Then, Meisang turns to Suki with a smile so warm it catches Zuko off guard. "I would recognize a sister anywhere, even without the makeup."
To the surprise of apparently no one but Zuko, Suki steps forward and hugs her. Meisang accepts it as if she were expecting it, slightly leaning into the embrace. "I can't believe I'm here," the Kyoshi Warrior says. "I've heard so many stories."
Meisang laughs as they step back. "I'm sure you have." Zuko cant help but feel like he's lacking essential context. But before he can think to ask, Meisang faces Zuko again, nodding at him. "Please, allow us to lead you to your quarters, Fire Lord Zuko. I'm sure you and your companions have had a long journey."
Ty Lee takes her place by his side as they start their short journey to the royal accomodations. Suki, though still within reaching distance in case of emergency, is slightly behind, talking with some of the people that came to welcome them. Zuko has never seen her this friendly with anyone so quickly in his entire time knowing her, much less anyone from the Fire Nation. It took her a full month after the war just to stop glaring at him.
Aang, who's walking four paces in front of him, is making easy conversation with Meisang. If Zuko didn't know better, he would describe their body language as familiar. Comfortable. And he does know better, but he also knows Aang. Aang might be friendly and welcoming to all, but Zuko has seen how he interacts with the people close to him. This is it.
Zuko whispers to Ty Lee, "am I the only one here confused about what's happening?"
She laughs at him. "Oh, Zuko," is all she says.
He's overwhelmed with the childish urge to cross his arms and pout. Somehow, he manages not to, though her continued laugher tells him she knows that he wanted to. Every time she looks at him, it sets her off again, which continues all the way to the Sei'naka royal housing suite.
He stopped being annoyed with her almost immediately after her first bout of laughter, though. He'd gotten over it as soon as he realized how much he missed this. How good it felt to have her back, after all this time and all they've done.
He'd missed his friend.
After they get settled into the designated chambers where royalty stay upon visits, Meisang and him agree to talk politics tomorrow. Tonight, a small gathering is being held to welcome the Fire Lord: a miniature feast in his honor.
The feast is lively, hosted in a large outdoor courtyard. Though eating only begins after Zuko arrives and settles in, and a lot of people come to welcome him, not many stay to continue into deeper conversation with him. He hopes his relief at that fact doesn't show too obviously on his face.
Aang is in his element, happily socializing; Ty Lee is flirting with anyone she can; Suki has miraculously long lost the tension in her shoulders as she interacts with a few people. Zuko can't quite marry the Suki that so strongly dislikes the Fire Nation to this Suki, the one that's talking with these men and women with a smile on her face.
Zuko accepts the drink Meisang offers him as she sits next to him, but he doesn't drink from it. He watches the rich red wine swirl as he gently fiddles with his cup, enjoying the comfortable silence the matriarch's presence gives.
"Suki?" says a voice in the crowd, loud enough to draw his attention. "Is that you?"
Like a whip, Suki turns to the woman approaching them. She recognizes her instantly. "Aunt Jia?"
Zuko turns as well to see an older middle aged woman with slightly tanned skin, streaks of grey in her light brown hair, and – most notably – light green eyes. He doesn't see more than that before Suki tackles her in a hug.
Zuko smiles at the show of affection, though its broken off as 'Aunt Jia' notices him and gently breaks away from Suki. She bows deeply, an unfortunate side effect of him being Fire Lord. "Apologies for the informality, Your Highness. It is an honor to meet you."
"An honor to meet you as well," he says politely. He considers, not for the first or last time, if he could get away with banning people from bowing to him. "You're, uh– you're Suki's aunt?"
"Not by blood, no. I just trained her," Jia replies.
"Just trained me?" Suki repeats, shaking her head fondly. "She practically raised me. She's underselling herself."
Jia laughs. "I missed that attitude."
Suki elbows her playfully. "You'd miss it less if you hadn't left, you bum." Her smile sobers suddenly, but still remains. "I get it though. We got your letter. I hate it, but I get it."
"Why did you leave?" Zuko finds himself asking. He winces at the poor delivery, but Jia doesn't seem to mind.
"Long story short, I got into quite a bit of trouble with some Fire Nation army folk when I visited the mainland. I managed to get away but I knew the soldiers I pissed off were stationed near the docks for the forseeable future and were looking for me. I couldn't risk trying to go back and leading them to the island." Jia shrugs. "It's simple, really. I was unsafe, and the people I cared about were unsafe because of me. So I left."
"To the Fire Nation?" Zuko asks without judgement. Just curiosity. Why flee from the Fire Nation to the Fire Nation?
"Not to Fire Nation, My Lord. To the Sei'naka clan." Jia spares a glance at Aang, happily mingling with the partygoers and showing off his favorite pebble spinning trick to anyone who'll let him. "I knew I would be welcome here."
And if that isn't the most cryptic bullshit he's ever heard. Zuko has never felt more out of the loop in his life, and he unfortunately gets the very strong feeling that whatever context needed is basic, well-known information. Well-known information that is not, in fact, known to him.
"We're family," Meisang says from next to him, as if it's the only explanation needed. "Family looks out for each other."
"I'll drink to that!" Suki cheers. She raises her drink in a toast. "To family!"
The sentiment is echoed enthusiastically by the crowd. Aang's voice carries the loudest, boosted by emotion and something else behind it that doesn't seem entirely Aang. Inexplicably, a shiver runs down Zuko's spine.
Zuko, despite his confusion and feeling obviously out of the loop, ends up genuinely enjoying the night. It's the most fun he's had in a while.
He thinks he understands, at least a little bit, how easy it is to feel comfortable here.
After the festivities wind down (taking his good mood with it), Zuko finds himself sitting on the edge of his plush bed, rubbing his temples in frustration as Suki and Ty Lee say their goodbyes and finish their customary safety check.
"Can someone tell me what in Agni's name is going on?" he whines not unchildishly as the two women enter his room with a stack of cards to play with. "I feel like I'm in a fever dream."
"What do you mean?" Ty Lee asks as she shamelessly plops herself next to him and begins shuffling the deck.
"How are you guys so comfortable and familiar with each other? You've never even met before!" He turns to Suki, his tone petulant. "You know they're Fire Nation, right? You hate the Fire Nation!"
Understanding blooms on Suki's face, followed by bewilderment and then amusement. She coughs, but Zuko knows an attempt to hide a laugh when he sees one.
"You know, for someone who dedicated three years of his life to hunting down the Avatar, you're shockingly uneducated about his history."
"What do you mean?" Zuko frowns.
Suki rolls her eyes, though not without affection. She then proceeds to tilt his entire worldveiw a few inches left in just a few words. "Avatar Kyoshi's last name was Sei'naka. Honestly, how did you not know this? This is like, Kyoshi 101."
It's all Zuko can do to ask lamely, "what?"
Suki snorts. "You'd think Fire Nation royalty of all people would know that Avatar Kyoshi married your most accomplished and well respected Lieutenant in Fire Army history. If I were you guys I'd brag about that forever."
"The youngest person to ever earn the position," Ty Lee sighs dreamily.
"Exactly!" Suki says. "Talk about a point of pride for your country."
"Wasn't Lieutenant Rangi the youngest to ever earn her ranking?" Zuko asks, his history lessons coming back to him.
"Zuko," Suki deadpans, and he finally connects the dots.
"Oh." He pauses. Takes a moment to think. "Oh."
"Suki," Ty Lee says through her giggles. "I think you broke Zuko."
"Oh," Zuko says again. "Is that why–" he gestures to Suki, then vaguely gestures around them.
"Yes," Suki laughs. "Like I said. We're family."
"So that’s why your aunt Jia–"
"Mhm."
"And is that why Aang–"
"Yes," Suki says again, still laughing.
"Because he's the– because, you know, she–"
"Yes," Suki says for the third time, trying her best not to look thoroughly entertained. Ty Lee, however, has no such reservations. She's rolling around on the bed, hitting the fist against the mattress and crying with laughter.
This is exactly how Aang finds them minutes later: Ty Lee dying of laughter, Suki looking like she just gentle-parented Zuko into a revelation, and Zuko himself still currently having said revalation.
"He just found out," Suki explains in lieu of greeting him. "About Kyoshi and Rangi."
Aang raises an eyebrow, shocked. "Seriously? This is literally Kyoshi 101. Like, day one, class one, lesson one, chapter one."
"Thats what I said!" Suki exclaims.
Zuko groans, sliding his hands down his face and falling back onto the pillows. "Agni, I get it, I get it, I don’t know anything about the Avatars."
"Well, isn't it Sei'naka clan 101 too?" Ty Lee asks. "Did you put, like, any research into this? I mean, an Avatar marrying into their clan? The legendary Avatar Kyoshi, no less? If I were them I would put that shit front and fucking center."
"It probably is," Suki says. "It's not like they're hiding it, either. There's a whole damn garden dedicated to Kyoshi in the middle of the island. It’s quite beautiful, actually. Lots of fire lillies."
"There is?" Zuko asks.
Ty Lee laughs again. "Honestly, Zuko, your lack of self-preservation and research skills would be sad and quite alarming if this weren't so funny."
"Whatever," Zuko huffs, leaning further into the pillows.
"Let him sulk," Ty Lee says, patting Zuko's arm affectionately. "I'm sure he's had a big day."
Suki grins but offers nothing more as she picks up the cards to resume shuffling.
It's only a little while later when Zuko shoots upright suddenly as another realization strikes him. Aang, Suki and Ty Lee startle, dropping the cards they'd been lazily attempting a game with. Zuko points an accusing finger at Suki. "Thats why I thought your fighting was familiar! You're literally using Fire Nation moves! You're copying our style of fighting!"
"Uh, no," Suki says, crossing her arms. "You're copying us. We use our mother's personal fighting style; she taught the original warriors herself. We inherited it by birthright. You're the ones who had to resort to a piss-poor excuse of a recreation to even attempt to get shit done. If you're going to steal her moves at least have the decency to get them right."
"I- Well-" Zuko flounders, trying to defend himself.
"She got you there," Aang admits.
"Suki - 1, Zuko - 0," Ty Lee says cheerfully.
Aang pats his knee supportively. "That's rough, buddy."