Happy Holidays, kiddos. Another chapter, yep yep. I'm not sure how well this one will fly, either. I originally wrote this bit along with the last chapter, which was why I wasn't sure if it was good work. Hence, again, if anyone seems OOC for unexplained reasons, or if something doesn't make sense, please inform me. Thanks!
Oh, and to Two Limes in a Coconut: yes, this will be romantic Toko. It'll just...take a little while to get to the juicy stuff, I guess. XD
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or its characters.
"I'm sorry, Suki, I didn't wa---"
The strike from hand to face resounded and echoed off the balcony, bouncing off alleyways and rooftops in Ba Sing Se like an erratic bird trying to take flight. In a growl, the Kyoshi leader spat out, "Don't you ever keep information involving my warriors, my sisters, from me, Zuko. Ever."
Electric anger lit in the air, but it wasn't from Zuko. No, Zuko hung his head, letting his cheek sting where Suki had slapped him. It was obvious that he felt he deserved the pain, the degradation. A Firelord being struck by a lesser warrior? In the past, it would have been a shame and a disgrace to the nation. Now, however, rage was blossoming from an enraged earthbender and not from a country of firebenders. The sudden shift of emotions brought Suki to turn and face her new opponent. Toph stomped over to Suki, causing the balcony to shake and shift enough to shake loose crumbling bits of rock from above. The Blind Bandit's shoulders were tense and her fists clenched; she was on the verge of striking the Kyoshi from an indiscernible mix of protectiveness and anger.
"Look here, Fan Girl, don't take your issues of responsiblity over Monkey Girl getting hurt out on Sparky!" Suki, somewhat shocked by Toph's outburst, opened her mouth to calm the younger woman, yet Toph stopped the words with a deadly index finger aimed at the older woman's face, "He just lost his wife and his kid is currently in the hands of Azula! Give the guy a break, his life is in a vice and you slapping him isn't going to take away the torture Ty Lee suffered through! Be thankful that he was even able to save her after Azula had her claws in her!"
Zuko's eyes wandered over to Toph, somewhat shocked at her protectiveness. Yet, he was warmed by it. He had a friend in the earthbender and it felt good to have someone he could count on so well. It was almost enough to make a smile curl at his lips, but remorse reminded him that all the terrible things happening were his fault. If only he had killed Azula, if only he had been there for Mai and Keiji...
The blind woman huffed, bringing her accusatory finger to rest back with the rest of her fist, and glared at Suki. The warrior blinked, mouth opening and closing, unable to get any words out. Her eyes were wide as she realized that, for once since her children had been born, she had let anger get the best of her. Old revenge for Azula, irritation at Zuko for not being informed, and disappointment in herself for allowing her fellow warriors to fall into such fearsome hands had boiled in Suki's mind for only an instant and concocted a fuel of dark rage. And, it took a usually juvenile, mischievous, impish earthbender to deliver some sense into Suki.
"You're right," sighed the woman, smiling wanly at Toph, knowing that the blind earthbender could feel the weak vibration. Toph stood up straight, crossed her arms, and nodded once, as if to say "damn right". Suki turned to Zuko, opened her mouth once to murmur an apology, but looked away, ashamed she had hit a mourning man from her own guilt and animosity. Yet, no words were needed. A heavy hand on Suki's shoulder brought the Kyoshi leader's eyes up to Zuko's scarred face, shocked to see a slight smile on his lips. Everything was forgiven, since there was no need to apologize. All was understood.
Yet, still feeling the need to compensate for the slap, Suki sought out a way to help Zuko, "The kids are asleep and Aang would want to know about this, you know that." The quick jerk of his hand away from Suki's shoulder spoke volumes to the intuitive warrior, "We're your friends, Zuko. We'll help you anyway we can."
The Firelord turned his back to the women, shoulders braced against their pleas as his hands returned to the cold stone of the baloncy railing. No, he was set. He wasn't going to ask Aang, Sokka, Katara, or Suki for help. Their lives were too precious, as were the lives of their children and children-to-be. Toph, he could ask, but a writhing feeling - as if octieels were mating in his stomach - made him debate on even requesting her help. He almost feared to, it seemed.
"Oh, for the love of Omashu," snapped Toph, fed up with Zuko's guilt. She stormed up to the man and grabbed him by the arms, forcing him to look at her. He fought her away, though, anger replacing his sadness as the need to be left alone bubbled up in him. It was too much for one night. Toph wasn't one for being denied her right to speak, though, and simply resolved the matter by earthbending the rock beneath their feet to momentarily disappear, sending both earthbender and firebender into the dining area below.
The Fire Lord let out a string of curses, knowing impeding impact would knock him or the girl, now wrapped protectively in his arms, unconscious, if not dead. He didn't stop to think what advantage this would have on Toph's side, since instincts were scrabbling to put together a life-saving plan. The only sound he heard, once the hole opened up, was Suki's gasp and the air rushing by his ears. He clenched his eyes shut, ears sharpening as he picked up the crackle of flames, the shriek of surprised workers below, the clink of plates being dropped or disturbed. Both warm and cold, the wind against his skin and whipped at his robes. Which, by then, the Fire Lord realized, with emabarrassment, that the fall had been lasting much longer than it should have.
Opening his eyes, he looked wildly around, and noticed that the Avatar was there, a curious grin on his face attempting to hide the confusion in his eyes. Another thought struck the Fire Lord, and he pushed Toph away, which shoved the girl out of the small cyclone the airbender had conjured up, and onto the floor. Flustered, face flushed, Zuko felt a fool. A fool for everything.
"What's going on, Zuko?" asked Aang as he scuttled over to his now lowered friend.
"Azula is the one that killed Mai and she took Zuko's kid with her!" yelled Toph, getting to her feet in a flash. Aang's eyes widened and a gasp came from Katara and Sokka, where they had been enjoying a piece of cake with Iroh. Toph wasn't about to let Zuko venture into the world, after a lunatic, with no support from friends or family.
"Shut up, Toph!" snarled Zuko, angry at the woman for not allowing him to fix what he broke. It was his fault, and now he was more certain than ever that he shouldn't allow anyone else to help him.
"So it's true?" yelped Sokka, getting to his feet and rushing over to Zuko. Iroh followed suit, at his old man shuffle. The female waterbender, on the other hand, remained where she sat. Her blue eyes staring into th depths of the cup of tea in her hand and obvious worries taking place in her storming thoughts.
Zuko's yellow eyes spun about the room wildly, taking note of the fear, the hurt, the worry in all present faces. The smell of burning pastries from the kitchen, of stale tea, of grimy oil from the torches, of burning candles filled his senses. Blue eyes, grey eyes, brown eyes, amber eyes all were watching him, intently. The man was caught between running, finding his sister, slaughtering her, and relinquishing the whole tale, the real tale, to his friends.
His heart was pounding, Zuko couldn't get enough air to his lungs, his eyes were welling up with tears from confusion and guilt. He couldn't tell them, couldn't ask them! He couldn't! Their children, their lives, themselves were too important to each other, to him, and to the whole world. Zuko refused!
"Nephew," Iroh's voice was ragged and dry, despite his annual intake of tea, but it still held a vigor that gripped at Zuko's mind and drew his attention, "It will hurt your friends more to find the truth at your funeral, rather than to hear it from your lips."
Zuko's mouth dropped open, ready to deliver a scathing remark, yet nothing came. His head felt heavy, his knees felt weak. The Fire Lord fell to his hands and knees, head hung as his brain became heavy from thoughts of penitence. From behind the curtain of his dark brown hair, Zuko stated, "It's true. Azula is back and she has my son."
He expected nothing from them. Lies, he had fed them lies, and now the emotions that had been strung out between them were dissipated. Zuko felt he had used up all their sympathy, all their love. It was evident in th silence that engulfed the room, safe for the occasional crumble of a small stone from the above hole. But, he heard Aang drop to the floor in front of him in a swish of cloth, and looked up into the Avatar's face. A frown was set into the airbender's face, yet it wasn't a displeased one. It was one of hurt, of searching, of perserverence. The questions hung in the air between Avatar and Fire Lord, on a wavelength that only they could read.
But, Zuko looked away, wishing to ignore the prying inquiries. Wherever his yellow eyes fell, though, whether it be on friends or family, the Fire Lord could not find a single place to pull away from the crushed looks featured on everyone's face. Their eyes all asked the same, in varying degrees of softness and determination. Only Katara's eyes remained locked to her cup of tea, on the brink of tears. Zuko knew the waterbender thought that Aang was about to throw himself into the adventure, and was worrying for the Avatar's life as memories of past encounters with the banshee that was Azula filtered into her brain. The princess had almost suceeded in killing him once, what would stop her from a second chance?
Yet, when his eyes fell on Toph, she returned his gaze. Whether she knew or not that he was actually looking at her was a mystery to the man. From the way the soft green eyes stared back, Zuko could feel her prodding at him, pushing at him, to tell them. It almost felt like she wanted to be there by his side, coaxing him out of his guilt ridden burrow, like a shy badgermole. The Fire Lord could only imagine how frustrating it was for her to remain at a distance, since it gave her no advantage of pummeling him until he finally let everything out.
Everyone here was his friend and they deserved to know of the dangers that the future could present. Especially if he was defeated. At least, with a head's up, they would know what to expect. Otherwise, the exiled princess could blindside any of them, knowing that they were a soft spot in his heart. Azula was known for going for the soft, vulnerable underbellies of her opponents.
"I didn't want to ask you all to risk your loved ones, your children," started Zuko in a raspy murmur. He told them of everything from his kneeling position on the floor. Of his child, of his dead wife, of his sister, of Ty Lee. And, when the tears of pain and gratefulness overtook his eyes, when words failed him - both in apology and thanks - the earthbender had found a way to weasel closer, and brush those tears away with her small, calloused hands.
Thanks, again, for reading! Please, inform me of any mistakes I may have made.