Zuko and Suki

Suki, leader of the Kiyoshi Warriors, followed the court page into the banquet hall. Zuko always held meetings with his friends there because the atmosphere was friendlier than the throne room.

Zuko was anything but friendly, however. He burst into the hall fuming-not literally, as Suki was glad to see. Zuko angry was nothing new, but it was bizarre to see him ranting in the full robes and crown of the Fire Lord. "I can't take anymore of this!"

"Zuko?" Suki asked with a mix of puzzlement and concern.

"Oh," he replied, recovering somewhat. "Hello, Suki. It's very good to see you." He sat in his dining seat and placed a rooled-up scroll on the table. She picked it up before he could stop her.

"Hey," she said, "it's you."

Zuko growled. "Azula's boyfriend painted that. She sent it to me as a gift."

"He's a really good painter."

"Good?!" Zuko was incredulous. "He made my scar ragged, my hair spiky..."

"Well," Suki said, "it's better than Sokka's right?"

Zuko gave her a dark glance. She read his meaning right away: that's not saying much. "Ugh," he grunted, "Azula's been sending me a lot of gifts that I don't want."

"That's better than sending lightning, right?" Suki smiled hopefully.

"At least I can send lightning back," he snapped. "When she wanted to kill me, she was difficult. Now that she's trying to be nice, she's insufferable."

Suki tried to hold back her laughter, but she just couldn't do it. "I'm sorry for laughing. It's just she's as bad at being good as you are. As you were."

Zuko put his head in his hands and groaned. "It takes a lot of getting used to." He picked his head up. "That won't stop me from presiding over their wedding. Now, what can I help you with, Suki?"

"I've got two problems," the lovely leader said. "One is political." She hesitated despite herself. "our village is still recovering from your...visit a couple of years ago. To make things worse, out stocks of medicine are running low, and our healers are saying that this winter could be especially bad."

"I'll be glad to help out, Suki."

"But," Suki added, "this was my idea: I'd like you to deliver the supplies in person. It would go a long way toward making Chief Oyaji trust you."

"You have my word," Zuko replied without hesitation.

"Great," Suki said with a smile. "My other problem is a personal one. It's about Ty Lee."

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked, concerned.

"Did she seem a little off the last time you saw her?"

"Not really, but we were all focused on my sister's announcement and what happened with Izumi. Ty Lee can be hard to read sometimes, anyway. I'm sorry, Suki...I just don't know Ty Lee as well as I should. Mai would know better. So would...Azula."

"Maybe they can help me," Suki said blithely. Ty Lee's been distracted since before the dinner. She started out as my best recruit, and she's taught us alot. I've advanced her over warriors that have been with me longer because of it. But I think she wants to go back to the circus. I've only heard the story about why she joined it ten times."

"I hate to say it," Zuko said, "but I was afraid Ty Lee would have trouble fitting in. But I know one thing: she responds better to a friend than a leader."

"I try to be both to my girls, Zuko. But I think I understand. I'll give it my best." She cast her eyes downward, then back to his. "I never thanked you for helping me out of the Boiling Rock. Thank you."

Zuko waved this aside. "I was just there to help Sokka. It was all his idea."

"He said he couldn't have done it without you."

"Knowing him, he would have found a way."

"Is that a smile?" Suki teased.

"Maybe."

"Well, don't break your face." Suki winced. "I keep trying to improve my banter, but-"

Zuko held up his hand. "People tell me I wouldn't know a good joke if it bit me, so I'm no one to judge. Besides, Sokka's...silly. You being serious gives him balance."

"Which one of you is the serious one? You or Mai?"

Zuko raised his eyebrow. "That's funny, in a disturbing way." Then, a thought: "I am."

A middle-aged woman entered. "Sire?"

"Yes, Ying?"

"You wanted to know when the children were to be fed."

"Thank you, Ying."

"May I help, Zuko?"

"Certainly, Suki."

Ying led the young lord and leader to the nursery. Zuko lifted Izumi up from her cradle and Suki did the same to Lu Ten.

"Say hello to Suki, children."

Suki rubbed their heads affectionately. "Hi, babies."

Ying, an experienced nanny, helped the teenagers feed the children.

"Zuko, is something wrong?"

"No, Suki. But it is really weird. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to the children."

"Mm," Suki hemmed, "Ty Lee told me what almost happened with Izumi."

"Careless," Zuko said in a self-condemning manner.

"But Azula saved her. Maybe she's not so insufferable?"

Zuko smiled tenderly. "Maybe."

"Is this Masa as nice as Ty Lee says? I promise I won't repeat what you say."

"Other than Aang and my uncle, he's the nicest man I know. I'd trust him with my life. I do trust him with Azula's. And the children love him." Zuko paused. His face wore an amused expression. "It's like someone took parts from Aang, Sokka and my uncle and made a person out of them."

Suki giggled. "That's an image."

"Any other problems?"

"No, Zuko. I knew I could count on you. I wonder if I'll ever have children."

END