I'm so excited!!! I honestly wasn't sure this fic was going to get any reactions so thank you so so much to everyone who is reviewing and following the story! It really means so much to me!!! I hope this chapter lives up to everyone's expectations!
Zuko was sitting at his usual table in the corner of the cafeteria, staring into his bowl of mush and fervently hoping that none of Chu's cronies were going to come over and try to beat him up. It wasn't that he was scared of them, he was confident that he could take just about anyone in this prison except for Chu…. On a day when he didn't have several broken ribs. Still Zuko couldn't exactly say he was surprised when he heard someone approaching. He looked up, but instead of the lackey he was expecting, a girl slid into the seat opposite him. Not just any girl he realized, but the girl he had so stupidly tried to save yesterday. "Warrior" his treacherous brain supplied. No, no, no! Zuko did not need to be giving her a nickname, that would mean he cared who she was and that would break one of his most important rules - Don't. Care. About. Anyone. Ever.
Zuko shook his head and turned his attention back to the girl sitting in front of him. She was looking at him with a strange expression on her face, a mixture of curiosity and distrust. Zuko stared back, holding eye contact and scowling, hoping that she would go away without saying anything. He should have known he wasn't that lucky. The girl takes a deep breathe like she is steeling herself to step into the path of a charging Komodo Elephant and opens her mouth. "Hi, I'm Suki" she says it with a sort of grimace like she can't believe she's doing this before plunging on ahead, speaking without pausing and its painfully obvious that this speech has been rehearsed several times. "I wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday, I mean I'm sure I would have figured something out," yeah right "but that's not the point, the point is you don't seem half as bad as the other people in here and I want to know more about you." Warrior, no Suki, finishes with a look of relief that Zuko can relate too, he has always hated talking to other people. It's always so awkward. Zuko then realizes that Suki is watching him like she's waiting for something and he remembers that she wants information about him. Zuko knows one thing for sure, that's NOT happening. "Umm my name is Lee and I'm in prison for murdering babies and old people." Suki's face twitches with what he hopes is suppressed horror but the longer he looks at her he realizes she's trying not to laugh. Zuko tries again " I've also burned down tea shops." Suki looks like she's about ready to burst at the seams and Zuko thinks that maybe he should try a different tactic. So he does what he does best, stands up, gives her the most scathing glare he can muster and stalks off into the crowd, people parting before him as he stalks toward the courtyard.
Zuko groans and tries hard not to light the nearest rock on fire when he sees Suki weaving her way toward him. The girl is persistent he has to give that to her. Zuko tries hard not to flinch when she leans herself against the wall on his blind side but doesn't succeed completely and is rewarded by stabbing pain from his ribs. Suki glances at him when he lets out a hiss of pain but otherwise doesn't acknowledge it for which Zuko is grateful. "So", Suki is very pointedly avoiding looking at him. "You're a horrible liar. I want to know your real name, how old you are, what you did to end up in here, and how long you've been here." Zuko growls and grits his teeth. Who does she think she is, demanding answers from him, he almost sets the hem of her pants on fire (but he doesn't no matter how much he wants to). Instead he settles for growling " I don't have to answer any of your questions" some far away part of his brain, the part that ended him up in this prison missing half his face whispers that she seems trustworthy and it might be nice to have a friend. But Zuko stopped listing to that voice a long time ago. " It was stupid for me to intervene yesterday and it cost me more than you realize, I don't want to have anything more to do with you so leave me alone" Suki's eyes flash wide for a moment when he says that but quickly narrow into anger, " I thought you might be different from the rest of the scumbags here, I thought you might still have a code of honor, I guess I was wrong" and with those words and a final glare she turns on her heel a walks stiffly away. Zuko is frozen, her words echoing around in his head. He shakes himself, he can't afford a friend or an ally or even an acquaintance, caring only makes you weak and reckless. His ribs can attest to that. Even though he repeats that mantra over and over in his head, the only thing he can see when he close his eyes is the shocked, hurt look on Suki's face as he told her that his intervention had been a mistake. Crap, he thinks why does this feel suspiciously like caring.
Despite his best efforts Zuko is plagued by thoughts of Suki for the next week and he breathes a small, involuntary sigh of relief every time he catches a glimpse of her, whole and unharmed. He has no clue why Suki concerns him so much but finally he can't stand the small voice in the back of his head anymore and makes his way over to her. Zuko can see the moment when she realizes that he is heading for her because she stiffens, but to her credit she keeps her face impassive as he leans on the wall next to her. Zuko cleared his throat awkwardly. What in all of Agni am I doing " so….. I'm Zuko" no reaction, "umm look I'm sorry about what I said" why is he doing this again? " I ju- I just, well I'm not the best with people." She shot him a dry look out of the corner of her eye "Really? I hadn't noticed". Zuko resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall. "Well what I came over to say was…." What HAD he come over to say " I'm glad you're still alive?" Oh Agni help him. "I'm touched". Zuko spluttered on for another minute before Suki decided to put him out of his misery, "Please stop I can't take the second hand embarrassment any longer". Zuko scowled. "I accept your apology, was there anything else you wanted?" Zuko hadn't thought this far ahead, Uncle had always teased him about his inability to plan ahead in the games of pai sho that they used to play. Zuko makes a splint second decision and decides to tell Suki all the things he wished someone had told him his first month here, which prisoners and guards to avoid (all of them), and all the unspoken rules that he had learned by trial and error. When he can't think of anything else to say he snaps his mouth shut and glares at the ground while Suki gives him a searching look. Finally she responds. "Okay" is all she says but Zuko can hear the gratitude and curiosity behind the word and simply nods. He doesn't want to spend anymore time around her, now that he's done his best to prepare her the voice in his head will stop nagging him, right? So he merely nods stiffly and turns away. Firmly putting Suki out of his mind, he's given her the instruction manual, whether or not she has the tools to build her own little niche at Boiling rock isn't his problem. At least that's what he tells himself.
Zuko felt a little OOC in this chapter but I tried to keep him as gruff as I could while keeping the plot moving along. I'm not the best at dialogue but hopefully that will improve as the story goes along. Right now I think Zuko is just remembering how terrifying his first few months at Boiling rock were and his sweet, little awkward turtleduck self has decided that Suki needs protection. I like to think that he saw her cornered by Chu and he went into big brother mode and now he's stuck there except he doesn't know her so everything is awkward. LOL as you can see I'm still figuring out this version of Zuko, trying to find the right balance for all his characteristics is hard so bear with me. Hopefully next chapter will be smoother. I also have plans to explore Zuko's injuries more, don't worry he gets help! I have the basic plotline laid out but if you have an idea/suggestions I'd love to hear them!