On Suki's Newfound Realization
Suki's perspective on Zuko's sister after a very interesting sleepover
I suppose it all began when Zuko invited us all over. The whole gang. For one last sleepover before summer ended.
I don't know about the others but I had no idea about how messed up his family was then. Of course we all knew that his mother left when he was little and that his father was unnecessarily harsh. We even knew about his self-absorbed, self-entitled, bitch of a sister, who I had never spoken to before and wasn't planning on it anytime soon for fear of contamination. Zuko promised an empty house though so of course, we all agreed and of course it didn't work like that at all.
I got a lift over to his house with the rest of the gang in Sokka's jeep. All of us piled in with a huge amount of sleeping bags' pillows and food on top of all the other junk he keeps in the back of his car. On the way there Toph asked the all-important question, which oddly enough no one had even thought of previously,
"Why have we never been to Zuko's before?"
Aang and Katara even stopped their faux argument over who was cuter to state that in fact none of us had ever been over to Zuko's. I mean we had all gotten together in each other's houses plenty of times before for many reasons. Katara and Sokka's little bungalow in the suburbs, Aang's apartment overlooking the park, Toph's giant mansion in town. Heck even my overcrowded foster home had been regularly visited for ages now. So why never Zuko's?
We had to check and re-check the address to make sure that the towering wrought iron gates were definitely Zuko's. In the end Sokka called him just to make sure because, while Zuko clearly wasn't poor I never would have matched his baggy hoodies to a house double the size of Toph's. Forget mansion this place was a palace.
If the outside was intimidating with its sweeping drive and its eminent pillars, the inside was magnificent. Deep blood reds and glistening golds made up the walls and most of the furniture was either mahogany or elegantly draped in silks. It was breath-taking.
Of course Zuko standing in his huge t-shirt and ratty tracksuit bottoms completely ruined the effect of the grandeur, breaking us all out of the momentary lapse of coherent thought. Sokka, ever the good friend cracked some horrific joke about the size of the place and how hungry he was while he slung his arm around my shoulders. I guess that was all Zuko needed to overcome his nervousness and shepherd us upstairs to his bedroom, with strict instructions not to go wandering or touch anything expensive.
His room although red just like the rest of the house had pretty obviously been decorated by the 16 year old. It was tidy but not spotless, and there were posters everywhere, bands, martial arts experts and even a footballer or two. His bed was unmade but the large flat screen in the corner was enough to satisfy the guys. Aang and Sokka quickly began to discuss various horror movies while Zuko explained the sleeping arrangements to Katara. As long as no one came home we were free to do as we liked. Toph made herself comfortable on the pile of sleeping bags on the floor, relishing in the lack of adults.
After settling in and watching two horror movies of varying quality, eating about a gallon of ice cream and ten bags of popcorn between us, Aang was the first to crash at around half twelve. Even though he had the most energy during the day, he was always the first to go generally followed closely by Katara. Toph would try her absolute hardest to outlast me at least but about an hour or two after the others she's normally out like a light. I would then be out soon after. For some strange boyish reason Sokka and Zuko never fail to claim that they stayed up the latest. All of us would be asleep by around two, boring, but sleep is one thing that we are pretty sensible about because of all the exercise we do.
At roughly half two, there was a loud banging coming from the hallway. I'm a light sleeper so I woke up just in time to see Zuko jump up and run out into the hall, just to get pushed back through the dark doorframe talking a mile a minute to a hulking figure. All of sudden the room reeked of stale alcohol and I understood why we've never been invited over before. Zuko's father was tall, at least 6'7", he wore a rumpled suit and his eyes were red and bloodshot. His mouth was set in a straight line as his son frantically tried to explain the extra people in his bedroom. From my vantage point next to Sokka on the armchair I glanced around the room at all the others. Mostly they were heavy sleepers but all of us were awake and watching our friend with expressions of horror and distaste painted on our faces.
Sokka looked disgruntled at first, now began to shift around as though to get up and defend Zuko, but a withering stare from the angry figure in the doorway and he froze in place no longer reaching for his jeans. It was at that moment I realised that I had yet to hear Zuko's father speak, all he had done so far was look around seemingly assessing the situation.
A look of tiredness washed over the man's face, probably a reaction to Zuko's ramblings.
"The girls have to stay in your sister's room"
His voice sounded old, resigned but still demanded respect, not at all what I was expecting from the rage filled man who first entered the room. At first I thought Zuko would protest on our behalf but when his father turned to leave he sighed with relief, not annoyance. He turned to us and apologised, "sorry, I thought he wouldn't be home until tomorrow afternoon" he glanced around before continuing,
"I'll show you guys where my sister sleeps". I heard Toph mutter "Great" under her breath while Katara said her goodbyes to Aang.
We left a very pissy Sokka and a bewildered Aang as we followed Zuko down the hall towards a door at the very end. As we walked I saw the look of disgust on Katara's face and repulsion on Toph's. Azula, Zuko's sister was from our experience not a nice person and none of us wanted to spend the night in her bedroom, probably listening to her complain and tease us all night. Even though she goes to the posh, all-girls school instead of the local secondary we still saw her around and I never really liked what I saw. She always seemed to be laughing at her friend's expense or looking maliciously around as though she were stalking her prey. I was snapped out of my pessimistic thoughts as we reached the door and Zuko knocked while turning to look at us pityingly. He mouthed "I'm sorry" as he opened the door.
The first thing I was struck by was the scent of the dark room, it smelled of hairspray, perfume and strangely toast. As the door opened wider and the light was turned on I was hit by an odd contrast. The whole house so far seemed to be red, black, and gold or made up of dark wood, this room was painted a light purplish pink and had white and blue fixtures. It wasn't at all the torture chamber I had pictured, it was just a normal, I'll be it very neat teenage girl's room. There were books, and make up taking over shelves and a huge notice board with pictures of Azula and her two sidekicks as well as a class timetable and postcards. There were a few seemingly random pictures side by side of blue flames but on closer inspection they spelled out A-Z-U-L-A within the fire. In fact the most unusual thing about the room was that on top of the double bed next to the window there were three girls instead of one. All in various stages of undress, asleep, practically on top of one another.
Azula was the first to stir, she was wearing an oversized t-shirt over her underwear and as she untangled herself from her lackeys she didn't appear at all fazed that her brother and three strangers could all see most of her and almost the entirety of the girl in the pink bra lying sprawled across her bed.
"What Zuko it's nearly three am and we have school in the morning"
I had always expected Azula's voice to sound more raspy and less clipped and calculated as it did, especially at 3am when my voice was heavy and thick with sleep.
"The girls can't stay in my room dad's home" Zuko replied backing out of the room with his hand on the door handle.
"So I have to take in your friends because dad doesn't trust you with girls?"
If looks could kill Zuko would be on the floor as his little sister stared him down.
"Yep, bye "he called as he made his hasty getaway back through the white painted door. Although he was careful closing it a hanger on the door handle made a tiny clanking sound waking Azula's henchwomen.
"Ladies we have guests" Azula stated to the waking girls as they slowly began to take us in. They both looked at us as though we were slugs not extra people, before one smiled brightly and the other sighed "sleep wherever" and pulled the covers up over her string top and shorts.
"Do you know our names?" asked Azula, ignoring her sidekicks.
"Nope" replied Toph cheekily popping the 'p', "do you know ours?"
I could have killed her for being so rude to people we had to share a room with,
"Uh-huh, Toph, Katara and Suki right?" called the pink bra girl as she climbed off the bed and gave us a huge smile, way too big for three in the morning, "We're Azula, Mai and me Ty Lee!" she continued after Katara's nod at our names.
"So how come you were all asleep so early?" asked Ty Lee again beginning to practically skip around the room, presumably looking for clothes.
"I mean we have school in the morning but you're still on your break aren't you?" Azula picked up from where she left off as Ty Lee found a tiny pink top and pulled it on over her head.
"We were tired" I defended, trying not to stare as Ty Lee got stuck on the top and it wouldn't pull all the way down to make her look even a little bit decent.
"Ty just put on a dressing gown, you're scaring them" drawled Mai, sitting up and looking almost vaguely amused at our attempts to look anywhere but the enthusiastic girl's body.
"Kay-Kay Mai-Mai" Ty Lee replied while throwing a short pink robe over herself. As Mai looked fit to vomit at the words Mai-Mai.
"Well now that we're all awake we can chat can't we" Azula began smirking at Katara, who looked uncomfortable.
"Why are you all here if you have school tomorrow?" Toph questioned while she unrolled her sleeping bag and Katara wrapped herself in a blanket. Mai looked around for a moment before saying her deadpan answer,
"It's complicated" and settling herself back into the sheets on Azula's huge bed.
"Then simplify it" replied Toph being her usual cheeky, annoying self. Katara and I settled into our sleeping bags. It was going to be a long night.
After glancing around at her silent friends and a very subtle gesture from both, Ty Lee was the one to speak
"You can't just simplify everything" she exclaimed, almost angrily but quickly snapping her big smile back on. Azula was even looking slightly ruffled by Toph's brash remark. Mai didn't give anything away, but her eyes were assessing us, probing for our weaknesses.
"It's far too complex for that, just leave it. Would you like some toast? There was no popcorn so we made some earlier" Azula added again finishing what Ty Lee had started before Toph could do any more damage. The cover up piqued Katara's interest, she loved drama and gossip.
"Just tell us" she whined, sounding like a child while ignoring the toast comment.
"Well if you insist" Azula smirked, Ty Lee's smile fell and Mai became very still.
"Mai's parents don't notice if she leaves even though she's practically an only child and Ty Lee's do even though she's not," she went on glancing at her friends who appeared to have let out an inaudible sigh of relief.
"I thought it was complicated," Toph began impertinently.
"I simplified it" was Azula's coy reply as she stared down our smallest friend, daring her to say more. I have never been happier for Toph's blindness not letting her see Azula's challenge.
"Toast" Ty Lee squealed as she hopped up breaking Azula's harsh gaze, and began to put bread into the toaster over by the dresser. Mai got up and gracefully walked over to help. Inexplicably they appeared to be having a silent conversation which was quickly changing Azula's facial expression. Her calculating stare was replaced by a lightness as she watched her friends make us all toast.
I think Katara and Toph were just as intrigued as I was but it seemed rude to interupt so we let them have their moment as we spoke in quiet whispers about our situation. We decided in the end, (and with much reluctance on Toph's part) to just make the best of it and let them keep their lives private. We all knew that there was more to it than Azula said but we left it alone, finally convincing Toph not to invoke Azula's wrath and that it's none of our business anyways.
After we finished off the toast that was practically thrown at us by Ty Lee, Azula decided that it was time to sleep and turned off the light before Toph could argue. It was hard to fall asleep. I don't know about Toph or Katara but even though earlier I was out like a light I lay awake for what felt like hours. Long enough to hear Ty Lee crying and the other two trying to cheer her up in the dark without waking us. That's when it hit me that these girls were best friends who no one knew well enough and that's how they liked it. I decided to keep this realisation to myself as I drifted off.
It was five thirty when I was woken by an ear-splitting alarm. Loud enough to hear shouts down the hallway telling Azula to turn it off but not loud enough to cover them up. We were all woken then and I realised there was no going back to sleep as the lights were switched on. The three girls got up and began their morning activities. They were weirdly used to each other.
Azula went straight to the bathroom as Ty Lee began stretching and Mai doing her hair into an elaborate style. I was reminded of the stench of hairspray in the room the night before. Immediately upon Azula's return with flawless hair and make-up, Mai left presumably to brush her teeth as Ty Lee styled her hair and painted her nails while she waited. Azula got dressed into her uniform, a grey pleated skirt and white blouse with a red tie and cardigan. Mai returned and Ty Lee departed for the bathroom, the pale girl changed into the same uniform, being careful not to mess her hair. After Ty Lee returned and threw on her uniform and Mai perfected her winged eyeliner I could see why they were so intimidating.
They were perfect. All three had athletic bodies and perfect skin. They were blessed with their deep eyes and shiny locks. They exuded confidence. They were smart, sporty, and stunning. What girl wouldn't want to be them?
They picked up massive handbags, they were obviously above real schoolbags and strolled downstairs at exactly six o'clock. Their timing was impeccable. We followed still in our pyjamas. I was intrigued by the familiarity of their routine and as Toph put it "we're up now might as well eat".
Katara went to get the boys and I could hear them following us as we traipsed down the stairs and into the kitchen. I don't know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn't all three girls fetching completely different breakfasts as they chattered away about nothing. None of them picked up on the six of us in the doorway, listening as they were themselves completely. It was an odd moment where Ty Lee asked if Azula wanted an egg while Mai smiled at a joke Azula just made about a teacher. They seemed peaceful and much younger than last night when they had their guard up. I hadn't even noticed.
I figured this was private, between them, so I cleared my throat as loudly as I could. As if a spell was broken, Ty Lee was bouncing and humming while Mai was apathetic and Azula above us all again. It was an incredible transformation, from being relaxed to rigid in a heartbeat.
And so began my grudging respect for these girls, who I don't know but feel privileged to have seen. Sometimes I wonder why they built the walls and created the air of mystery around them. Was it too keep everyone out or just a few people in particular?
I don't pretend to know everything but I know a lot more than most. So when others dismiss them as frigid bitches or mock them because they don't know, I always say:
"Don't talk of what you don't know"
I don't think those perfect girls know I do this and I don't care. I just hope that they know that not everyone's against them and there'll always be someone around to talk to and that's all they need to know, isn't it?