Again."
When Azula was little, she spent a lot of time with her father.
"Again."
"I'm tired. Can't we finish later?"
"Weariness shows weakness, Azula. Do it again, you must get it right."
Azula wished she could play with her mother and Zuko. She often saw them running together, her mother wearing a blue mask and chasing her brother through the courtyard while Azula trudged to the pavillion where she trained. But she also knew her mother hated her. She saw it in the way her eyes lit up when looking at Zuko, as if gazing upon a golden fire late into the night, and how they dulled in comparison when looking at her. And besides, her father said Zuko wasn't worth being around. He was too weak.
She was, however, allowed to play with Mai and Ty Lee. They were highborn, her father said, and good allies to have. So every week she got to play with them. Mai was sour and boring most times, but Ty Lee was fun and often played tricks with her. Mostly, Azula liked getting up to mischief with them. They were never caught anyways.
Azula ran through her forms again. She liked how the fire warmed her face and arms, like a hug. She only remembered being hugged once, when Zuko played with her in the sand at Ember Island.
Azula was tired.
"Ozai." Azula tripped over her feet as she became aware of the newcomer. Her mother. "May I borrow Azula?"
Azula looked to her father and stood a bit taller. He liked when she did that.
He didn't look at her mother when he answered. "Bring her back after lunch."
Azula slipped away, following her mother down the steps and into the palace. Azula felt a sliver of anger bubble up. "Don't you know you're not supposed to interrupt while I'm training?"
Her mother looked down at her, smiling despite her sad eyes. Her eyes were always sad. "I wanted to eat with you today. In the garden."
Azula frowned, but said nothing.
Azula didn't usually go into the garden. Seeing the flowers made her angry, they always seemed to get more care then she did. She didn't think that was fair, seeing as she was more important and more beautiful and overall more useful than any stupid flower ever could be. Seeing the pretty little things made her wants to snip the petals off, but her mother liked them and if she interfered with her mother, Azula thought maybe Zuko would kill her.
In the middle of the garden was a little glass table, four chair poised around as if meant to seat four people. Four people would never be seated at once.
"Well, what's for lunch then?" Azula asked impatiently as she hoisted herself onto the seat.
"The cooks will bring it out soon," her mother answered.
"That didn't answer my question."
Her mother only laughed and held her hand out across the table. Azula stared and grasped it tightly, suppressing a flinch at the differing temperature. Azula's hands were always hot, blazing like the fire inside her.
Her mother's hands were cold.
~ ~ ~
Azula remembered the garden. When she was little, the flowers were beautious enough to make Azula jealous. Now, with no one to take care of them the flowers were only holding on slightly. One out of five flowers bloomed, and the others failed to thrive.
Azula thought that would make her happy, but it only made her mad.
Zuko had replaced the tiny circular table with a long rectangular oaken one. It had enough seats for the avatars entire team and then some. Azula herself was seated on Zuko's right hand, with the kyoshi warrior named Suki across from her and The Avatar beside her.
Presently speaking was the water tribe boy, Sokka. "-dao trained me for three days, and I'm pretty good if I do say so myself."
Zuko nodded. "I tried to get him to train me when I was eight but he turned me away. I don't think he wanted to train the Firelord's son."
Katara furrowed her brows in confusion. "Couldn't your father have commanded him to train you? He couldn't say no to that."
Zuko nodded. "He did...for Azula."
Azula felt all eyes turn to her and she shrugged. "I never cared much for toys. Swords were no different."
Sokka's mouth fell open. "You turned away that opportunity?"
Azula nodded blankly.
"Huh."
The Avatar - Aang - popped a pepper in his mouth. "If you had swordsandfirebending, I don't think it would've been easy to get to Ozai."
Azula smiled at that. "It already wasn't easy."
Aang sighed at that. "Heh, no. I would havewaymore scars," he waved his arms for emphasis.
"While we're on the subject," Toph cut in, putting her chin in her hands, "why don't you tell us how you got your scar, m'lord?"
Zuko dropped his fork in surprise, quickly bending down to pick it up. He banged his head as he came back up, and for some reason that made Azula more angry at the little earthbender than it made her happy to see her brother get hurt. When had she begun caring? "Why is that any of your business, peasant?"
Zuko placed a hand on her shoulder, comforting. "It's okay."
Azula glared at the guests before turning her gaze to her food, nose upturned haugtily. She caught Katara's glare.
"Um," Zuko fiddled with the fork, "it was m-Ozai."
Suki gasped. "Ozai did that?"
Zuko nodded.
A barage of questions and remarks launched themselves at him, Azula couldn't tell what came out of who's mouth.
Why did he do it?
What did you do?
I'm gonna kill him!
Azula caught her brothers gaze momentarily. His golden eyes were sad.
Sad like their mothers.
Azula launched herself upright, hands braced on the table. "Burn me, Zuko!"
The table fell silent, and Zuko's eyes,his eyes,caught hers. "What," he asked, barely a whisper from his mouth.
"I shouldn't have let him burn you, I shouldn't have let him banish you! Ineedyou to burn me!"
Zuko's face turned grim. "It wasn't your fault, Azula. You were eleven."
Katara gasped. Suki cautiously formed a half-question. "But that would make you...thirteen."
Zuko only looked at her, his gaze a confirmation on it's own. Then he turned back to Azula. "You couldn't have done anything."
"But I washappy.Father stood above you while you sobbed, I saw the flames, heard the screams, smelled the burning and all I could think was that youdeservedit, and you didn't, it was me who deserved it! I deserve it more now, please, PLEASE, BURN ME!" The last bit escaped her as a forceful screech, anguished and guilty. She sank to her knees, uncaring that eyes were on her. "I'm sotired."
Weariness was weakness.
Azula sobbed. Her head tilted downwards but she couldn't see the dirt for the tears blurring her eyes. She felt someone step above her, and she expected to see Ozai standing above her, cold yellow eyes glaring into her in disappointment and hatred.
But it was Zuko.
Zuko.
She launched herself at him and they latched together, Zuko whispering of her worthiness.
And for once in her life, Azula actually did feel worthy.
M. M. M. M. M. M. M. M
As it turns out, winning the Avatar's trust was easy. All Zuko had to to was help defeat the assassin he sent to kill him. The Avatar- Aang, Zuko reminded himself- agreed to let Zuko teach him firebending. Well, the group agreed as a whole. Actually, everyone but the waterbender, Katara, agreed. She still hated Zuko, and he really didn't blame her. If the person who had chased him around for multiple years suddenly agreed to help him out, he would be suspicious too. He expected that.
What he didn't expect was how friendly the others were to him.
Aang talked a mile a minute all the time. Despite being the Avatar, destined to bring balance to the world, he behaved as a typical overactive twelve year old would. He literally bounced off the walls and talked to anyone within range, even Zuko, about anything. Zuko learned quickly that the best thing to do was nod and listen politely because he could not get a word in edgewise.
The earthbender, Toph, was the opposite. She didn't talk too much besides cracking a few jokes, and she was very relaxed. It made sense, Zuko supposed. They were masters of opposite elements.
The nonbender, Sokka, was in the middle. He talked to Zuko about strategy and the Fire Nation. Zuko found that Sokka was very practical and very smart. He also noticed that Sokka was almost as old as him, and it made the others seem younger. How had Sokka managed to be the adult of the group for so long?
Katara did not talk to Zuko. The closest she came was glaring at him anytime he got too close with another member of the group. She wanted nothing to do with him, which was fair. He didn't push it. He didn't want to find out what would happen to him if he did.
Zuko found a place to sleep away from all the others. Katara gave him a look that almost bordered on approving, but the other three looked confused. Aang grabbed his sleeve to tug him back to the group and his hand brushed against the skin of Zuko's arm.
It was just for a second but it was too much.
Zuko froze and tried to control his breathing. He fought the nausea that had started to well up and tried not to hyperventilate. His breathing was too loud and his blood rushed in his ears and-
"Zuko, are you alright?" Aang asked from behind him, worry in his voice.
He could not lie, and he knew it. So he said, "Good night," and stalked off to find a room in the temple.
No one noticed his hands how his hands shook, even when he clenched them into fists.
--
Unfortunately for Zuko, he quickly realized that last night's incident was not isolated. Their little group was very, very tactile. And Zuko was very, very not.
He watched how Aang climbed on the others. How Sokka would casually sling an arm around someone. How Toph punched people on the arm instead of doing anything gentle. How Katara hugged with all her strength.
Well, at least Zuko didn't have to worry about that last one.
But he was worried. He did not want that. He hadn't wanted to be touched since he was thirteen years old and maybe even before. The only person he could stand was Uncle, and he had-
Zuko was not going to think about that now.
Instead, he put all his thought into making himself useful. He did his fair share of the chores. He taught Aang how to firebend. He did not speak unless spoken to. Zuko knew he was supposed to teach Aang how to firebend so he could defeat the Fire Lord. That was all.
And Aang was a good student. Eager and willing to learn, but he frequently got ahead of himself and complained about the basics. He reminded Zuko of himself when he was first learning, only Aang was much better.
His father's voice echoed in his head. Stupid. Worthless-
"Good lesson, Sifu Hotman!" Aang's voice brought him back to reality.
"Don't call me that," Zuko said.
As usual, Aang ignored him.
"High five!" Aang shouted.
Zuko had no idea what that meant, but all he saw Aang's open hand fly close to his face. He caught his wrist hard and tried to calm down with deep breaths. His heart hammered so hard in his chest it hurt.
Aang looked confused. "Do you not know what a high five is?"
Zuko tried to answer, but no words came out. He dropped Aang's wrist and walked away.
--
Aang didn't try to touch Zuko again, which he was grateful for. Instead, he looked at him with a strange, sad expression that made Zuko squirm. Of course there was a downside.
To make matters even worse, the others began to get a little closer to him. Even Katara, who would not talk to him, could finally stand to be in the same room. Toph gave him small punches on his arm randomly, which he actually didn't mind.
Sokka was another story.
Zuko understood some of his situation. After months on the run with his younger sister, and two twelve year olds, Sokka wanted to spend time with someone he could relate to. Zuko could respect that, and he liked Sokka. He was smart, and funny, and he didn't mind that Zuko didn't say much. But Sokka liked to touch people. All the time. And Zuko felt like a jerk for moving away or freezing up every time.
After sparring, Sokka would put his arm around Zuko's shoulders, and Zuko knew he meant well. That didn't stop his skin from crawling when Sokka's arm touched the back of his neck.
Or Sokka would tap his arm to get his attention. Zuko tried not to flinch, usually unsuccessfully.
So Zuko had the brilliant idea to avoid Sokka. He sat across from him instead of next to him at meals, and he avoided him as soon as they finished sparring. He saw the hurt on Sokka's face but ignored it. It was better for both of them. Zuko could avoid the contact, and Sokka didn't have to pretend to like Zuko. Win win.
Of course it would not be a win win.
Zuko was pretending to be asleep when he heard someone sit on the ground way too close to his face. He bolted up and lit a flame in his hand.
Sokka swore and moved out of the way before Zuko headbutted him. "What are you doing?" he hissed.
Zuko was at a loss for words. "What?"
"Why did you look like you were ready to attack me?"
"Because I was? In case you haven't noticed, we're on the run. We could be ambushed at any time," Zuko hissed back.
"Oh," Sokka said. For the first time since Zuko had met him, there was an uncomfortable pause.
"Why are you avoiding me?" Sokka whispered after a while.
Zuko didn't answer.
"What am I doing wrong? I thought we were on ok terms for a few days and you just… stopped being around me. What happened? What did I do?"
"You didn't do anything," Zuko hurriedly reassured him.
"Then what's your deal?"
"I don't like being touched, ok? And you're really touchy, so that's why I didn't want to be around you."
Sokka sat back, confused. "Why didn't you say anything?"
"What?"
Sokka chuckled, which only infuriated Zuko. "You could have asked me to stop, and I would have."
"Oh." Zuko was embarrassed to admit he hadn't thought of it.
"Can we still be friends now that I know?"
Friends. Zuko didn't think he had ever been someone's friend, and Sokka just said it like it was nothing. "Of course. I like you a lot, Sokka."
"Well, who wouldn't?" Clearly, Sokka was back to his old self. "But seriously, you gotta tell me if I'm making you uncomfortable. I'm not gonna be mad or anything."
Zuko didn't really believe that, but he nodded. Sokka reached out to touch him on the shoulder, but thought better of it at the last second. He gave Zuko a quick nod and went back to his bedroll.
A treacherous part of Zuko wanted the contact, even if it felt awful.
--
Sokka had the decency to refrain from giving him the same looks as Aang, but Toph didn't, despite her blindness. It was almost uncanny. At least he didn't have to worry about his facial expressions around her.
When Aang and Katara went off to waterbend and Sokka went out to hunt, Toph found Zuko attempting to make tea. He wasn't nearly as good as Uncle was, but Zuko had always been good at trying.
"What's your deal, Sulky?" Toph asked, blunt as ever.
"I'm not sulky," Zuko replied in what was probably a very sulky tone.
Toph snorted. "Yeah you are, but that's not the point. Why are you so scared all the time?"
Zuko tightened his grip on the teapot. "I'm not scared."
"Yeah, you are," Toph said. "I can hear your heart rate. Even when I just asked that question it spiked super high. It's like that when any of the others are close to you."
"Oh."
"I can only really 'see' where you guys are and get a general idea of your size. So anything you do with your arms," Toph waved her arms around her head, "I can't see. I can guess, but I can't see. So what's your deal?"
Zuko knew he couldn't lie to her, but she might not push him. He settled for saying, "I don't want to talk about it."
"Avoiding it like an airbender, I see," Toph said with a chuckle. "I respect that, Sulky."
"Toph! What are you doing?" Katara called out.
Toph turned back to Zuko and rolled her eyes dramatically. He smiled just a bit.
"Can't I have a conversation around here?" she yelled back to Katara.
She turned her focus back to Zuko. "I'll see you around, Prince Sulky." And she got up and left.
Zuko noticed she didn't punch him on the arm like she normally would have.
He also noticed he wanted her to.
--
Things were getting better, Zuko saw in the next few days.
Aang would gently bump shoulders with him after firebending training, never making skin to skin contact. Sokka always announced his presence first, and only tugged on Zuko's sleeve as a last resort. Toph kept punching him, but he knew it was out of love, and they never really hurt anyway. Katara warmed up to him a bit more, her voice less acid when she had no choice but to talk to him.
But then they went to Boiling Rock.
Surprisingly enough, the actual time he spent in prison wasn't the worst part of it. Zuko knew how to handle himself in a fight. He managed to survive the cooler using the lessons Uncle taught him. He really bonded with Sokka, and was glad he considered him a friend.
No, the worst part was the ride back in the gondola and the airship.
Logically, Zuko knew Hakoda was a good man. Sokka was a good liar, but there was no way the admiration and love in his tone when he talked about his father was fake. Zuko should know. And Hakoda looked at Sokka with praise radiating from his face. No one could fake it that well. Ozai couldn't.
But that didn't stop Zuko from watching Hakoda as closely as possible. It didn't stop him from making sure he was always in his line of sight. And it didn't stop him from shutting down, either.
Zuko knew it was stupid. He was supposed to be better now, right? Ozai couldn't hurt him anymore. Not every father was like Ozai. Sokka and Katara would be safe. Hakoda wouldn't h-
"Prince Zuko?" A deep voice from his left startled him back into reality with a flinch he hoped wasn't too noticeable. Stupid. He should be more vigilant on his blind side.
He turned to face Hakoda head on, willing himself to make eye contact. "Chief Hakoda, what is it?"
"I just wanted to say thank you for breaking us out of prison, and for watching after Sokka," Hakoda said with a soft smile on his face. "I can't imagine what it was like to risk as much as you did for us."
Unable to speak, Zuko nodded and waited for the conversation to end.
"I'm glad you're on our side now." Hakoda reached to put his hand on Zuko's shoulder.
Zuko tried to make the motion smooth, but as soon as he saw Hakoda's face fall, he knew he had flinched too hard to pass for normal.
Stupid. Weak. Coward. His father's voice echoed in his mind. Zuko focused on his breathing and tried to quell the rage boiling in his chest. Why couldn't he be normal? Why couldn't he stop being afraid? He wasn't in danger of that anymore.
He would take the danger of being with the Avatar over the danger in the palace any day.
Hakoda moved back over to Sokka for the remainder of their ride back, never taking his eyes off Zuko.
--
The temple wasn't much better.
Zuko had to be more careful. He made so much progress and didn't want the others to notice his weakness. His fear.
So he focused on his breathing. He kept his hands steady. He made sure he moved the same, talked the same, and even ate the same. While Zuko couldn't lie, he could act, and he used it to his advantage.
All the while he watched Hakoda, Sokka, and Katara. He checked to see if Sokka and Katara moved differently to hide injuries. He knew what that looked like. He kept Hakoda in his line of sight as much as possible. He knew that coming from behind made attacks easier.
But as he watched them, he saw he logically had nothing to worry about. Unless they were world class actors (better than the ones on Ember Island), they were all fine. Sokka and Katara were safe. Hakoda was nothing to worry about.
And yet Zuko kept watching.
He thought he had himself under control. He made sure to be himself around the group. He did not prepare to talk to Hakoda alone.
So when Hakoda approached him as he was making tea, Zuko had to steel himself more than he'd like to admit.
"Prince Zuko-"
"Please, just Zuko."
Hakoda cracked a smile that did nothing to ease Zuko's nerves. "Just Zuko, then. Are you alright?"
Well, that question certainly caught Zuko off guard. He had prepared himself for the worst when he saw Hakoda walk over. Why are you watching my family? or Do you really think I'm such a horrible person?
"I'm fine, Chief Hakoda," Zuko choked out, happy that it managed to at least sound normal.
Hakoda chuckled. "If you're 'just Zuko', then I'm 'just Hakoda', ok?"
Zuko nodded.
"But I just wanted to make sure you're alright. Sokka was telling me how you became so friendly to him and the kids, but he also said that ever since we got back, you've been quiet. Is anything bothering you?" Hakoda asked.
And spirits, Zuko wanted to come up with a reason. He wished, not for the first time, that he could lie like Azula. He wished he could say something, anything to end the conversation right here and get Hakoda off his case.
But his heart rate started to spike and he just felt angry again. He did not want to lie to Hakoda. He did not want to have this conversation. He did not want his palms to sweat, he did not want to hear his pulse in his ears, he did not want to feel bile in the back of his throat, he did not want, did not want, did not want-
Zuko put on his practiced smile from years at the palace and replied, "Nothing's wrong" with an ease so forced it sounded fake to his own ears. He stood up with the tea tray in his hands.
They shook so badly the cups rattled.
"Hey!" Hakoda called as Zuko began to walk away. It wasn't loud by any stretch but it echoed painfully in Zuko's ears. Zuko kept walking back to the group seated around the fire, hoping he could make it in time when a hand reached around his bare forearm and time seemed to stop.
For one, the anger he kept suppressed deep in his chest exploded out of him. He wrenched his arm out of Hakoda's hand.
Hakoda's grip was too hard and while it didn't hurt yet, all Zuko could think was How bad will the burn be this time?
The anger did little to settle his nerves, but it helped to make them much, much worse. His hands would not stop shaking. The tea tray crashed to the ground.
All Zuko could hear was shattering porcelain.
Then he heard himself scream, "Don't touch me!" loud enough for probably everyone to hear.
And then the panic set in. His breathing was out of control and everything was too much and he needed to scream or punch something or burn something but that would not help. Father would only be more angry.
Father's not here, he told himself. And he was right. Ozai wasn't there physically, but he wasn't sure if the bastard would ever leave his head.
Zuko whirled around, expecting anger, screaming, probably a blow or two.
Apparently, tonight was full of surprises.
Hakoda looked so sad that Zuko had no idea how to respond.
"Do you want me to help me clean that up?" Hakoda asked softly, like talking to a cornered animal.
Which was exactly the last thing Zuko needed.
"No," he said, and while it came out much louder than he meant it to, at least he kept himself from yelling.
He would ignore the way his voice shook for now.
Hakoda put his hands up in surrender, and backed away slowly, It just served to infuriate Zuko more, but the anger already began to dissipate. Zuko picked up the broken teacups and willed himself not to cry. He had already shown enough weakness for one night.
--
Thankfully, no one talked about the incident the next day, thought they all must have heard at least part of it. None of them treated him any differently either, which he was grateful for.
He didn't want to know how he would react to their pity.
Instead, he distracted himself from his own problems by helping Katara confront her mother's murderer. It turned out the once great commander was nothing more than a sad, weak, old man.
He imagined Ozai was on the ground instead of Yon Rha. If it were up to him, he didn't know what he would have done.
But this was Katara's quest, and she needed to make the decision. When she chose not to kill him, Zuko couldn't say he was surprised. Katara was a better person than he was, and he was happy she didn't do something she would later regret.
He was surprised when she hugged him. The spirits took pity on him by making sure there was no skin to skin contact, but the hug was by no means enjoyable. It felt confining, but she let go before he began to feel too trapped.
"What's wrong? Are you ok?" Now that he was on Katara's good side, she fussed over him like the mother hen she was.
"I'm fine," he said, but he was so confused that it sounded like a question.
Katara frowned. "You stiffened up really badly when I hugged you. Are you sure you're not injured or anything?"
If only it were that simple.
"No, I'm not injured," Zuko said.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Katara asked softly.
Zuko's anger flared at the pity in her voice, but she continued:
"You need to be in good shape to fight," she said.
The fury died in Zuko's throat. "I'm fine, Katara."
She hummed thoughtfully, "Normally, I'd push it, but it's been a long day, and I think you're in good enough shape for now."
Zuko sent a silent prayer of thanks to Agni.
"Let's head back," he said as he climbed on Appa.
--
Zuko couldn't say he was good friends with Suki, so he was surprised when she sat next to him on the beach at Ember Island.
"What happened to you?" she asked bluntly.
"What do you mean?" He couldn't help the coldness of his tone or the way his hand rose up to his scar, even if he tried to disguise the movement by brushing his hair out of his face.
Suki's eyes went wide. "Not that," she amended quickly. "I mean your reactions to certain things."
"I don't get it," he said, even though they both knew he was lying.
"I understand if you don't want to talk about it, but at least don't play dumb with me," Suki said, all judgement out of her voice. "We're not gonna hurt you. Not even Katara."
Zuko smiled a little at the joke before he sighed. "I don't know if I'm ready to talk about it."
"Ok," Suki said, looking out at the ocean. "I'm not going to push you to do it. Just… know that you're safe here. And we all love you."
She reached out a hand to comfort him, but drew it back and just nodded instead before walking across the sand to talk to Sokka.
Maybe Suki really was his friend, Zuko thought as he tried not to get choked up.
--
The Gaang sat around the campfire on the beach, eating, exchanging stories, and doing their best to distract from Sozin's Comet, which was due in a few days.
Zuko was very, very worried and tried not to let it show. He tried to pay attention to the story Aang was telling about his friend Kuzon in the Fire Nation, but that only sent him back to thinking about the upcoming battle.
Aang was going to have to face his father, who would be extra-vicious due to the power of the comet. Zuko pushed the thought out of his mind and tried not to let the fear consume him. Aang was going to win. Aang had to win. There was no way he would lose, but even if he did-
Nope, Zuko would not concern himself with that right now.
"Hey Zuko," Aang asked. "What was it like growing up in the Fire Nation palace?"
Zuko shrugged. "It was nice. Better than living on a ship or as a refugee."
He didn't mention how he fought to stay out of sight from his father unless he was sure he could impress him. He didn't mention how he never even managed to do that. He didn't mention the constant training, his sister's excellence, or his mother's kindness before she disappeared. Nice wasn't a good word, but it was noncommittal, which was better than lying.
"Wait, what? Sparky, you lived on a ship?" Toph asked.
"And when were you a refugee?" Sokka chimed in.
"Um," Zuko began eloquently, "I lived on a ship for three years, after I was banished from the Fire Nation. I was a refugee with my uncle in the Earth Kingdom after the battle at the North Pole."
"That's all we get? No more details?" Sokka said.
Suki locked eyes with Zuko from across the fire. "You were banished?"
And now everyone stared at him expectantly.
"Come on, Zuko, how bad could it be?" Aang asked in a voice way too bright for the situation.
"Banishment is pretty bad, Aang," Katara said from next to him.
"Hey Sparky, you don't have to tell us if you don't want to," Toph said with uncharacteristic softness. She went to punch him lightly, but Zuko couldn't handle it and he flinched out of the way.
He saw Suki's eyebrows raise for just a second before she settled her expression back into place.
"I disagreed with a general's plan for a battle in the Earth Kingdom. My father thought it was disrespectful, and he banished me for it," Zuko whispered, staring at his feet the entire time.
"For how long?" Katara asked. "How long were you banished?"
Zuko didn't mean to laugh, but a small, derisive one escaped his mouth anyway. "Until I found the Avatar."
"But Aang didn't come back until like a year ago!" Sokka interjected. "How could the Fire Lord have known he was around, unless…"
"... he didn't mean for you to come back." Suki finished her boyfriend's sentence.
Zuko looked up. Katara clapped her hands over her mouth in horror. Sokka looked furious, and Suki stared at her feet. Aang and Toph looked way too sad for kids their age.
"That's not the only thing he did to you, is it Sparky?" Toph murmured.
"No, it's not."
They all waited for him to continue. Zuko gathered his strength.
"Before I was banished, my fa - Ozai - declared that I would fight an Agni Kai, a firebending duel. I thought it was against the general whose plan I opposed. It wasn't."
"No," Katara gasped quietly.
Zuko nodded once before continuing, "It was against Ozai. I didn't fight him. I couldn't. I dropped to my knees and begged for mercy. If only I knew then that he was incapable of that."
"Is that how…?" Aang asked, all the brightness gone from his voice. It was almost painful to hear him that dejected.
Zuko took a shaky breath.
"Yeah. That's how I got my scar." He ignored the way his voice shook and the tear falling down his cheek.
Instead, he looked up at the group - no, his friends. Katara was crying openly. Sokka looked absolutely furious. Suki was solemn, meeting his gaze with nothing but support in her eyes. Toph stayed uncharacteristically quiet. Aang looked like he was about to throw up.
Then he actually turned around and retched.
"I'm gonna kill him!" Sokka roared. Suki's hand shot up to try to pull him back down.
"I'm gonna join you," Toph said, but her voice was flat.
Katara paused from patting Aang on the back. "So that's why you don't like when people touch you?"
As if he didn't spill enough about his personal life in one sitting.
"Skin to skin is the worst, yeah. It reminds me too much of…" Well, they already knew what now.
"I'm so sorry," Suki said, quietly.
Zuko shrugged, but he supposed it didn't look too casual when it was combined with his crying.
"You're also touch-starved, too, aren't you?" Katara continued, looking at Aang, who was done throwing up his meal.
"What?"
"We need to touch other people to function properly, but if your trauma took that away from you…"
"...you're not gonna be alright," Sokka finished, his anger dissolved into something colder and more determined.
"We won't push you," Suki said, an echo from Zuko's earlier conversation with her.
"I know."
Aang faced the fire again, drinking water to rinse the vomit from his mouth.
"You do know how messed up that is, right? You didn't deserve that," he said, voice breaking at the end.
Zuko wiped the tears from his face and ignored the nasty words in his head. "I know that now."
"Good," Toph said, breaking her silence. "I know shitty parents. My parents were a different kind of shitty than your dad, but how they treat us isn't who we actually are. I'm glad you know that. It's hard to believe that when they constantly contradict you."
Zuko swallowed. He wasn't sure if he could ever really get used to contact, but if being touch starved was bad, he might as well try, right?
"Can I… can I have a hug?" he asked tentatively.
"Are you sure?" Katara asked, eyeing him carefully.
"I think as long as no one touches my face, I'll be ok."
Toph grabbed his waist tightly, but gently enough that Zuko could move out easily if he wanted to. Sokka walked over next to him and slung an arm around him. Zuko saw how he tried to relax himself, but he was familiar with barely restrained anger. It felt good that someone was angry for him, for once.
Suki came over to his other side and put one of her arms around his back. Katara hugged him from the front, careful not to let her head touch his face, and Aang squeezed himself into the middle of the hug.
"Whenever you're ready to let go," Suki whispered into his ear.
Zuko pulled away after a few minutes, a little while after he became uncomfortable. But for the first time in a long time, the possibility that he didn't want to crossed his mind.
Hakoda likes the Fire Lord.
That isn't a sentence he ever thought he would think outside of cracking sarcastic jokes with his crew members. Even then, he wouldn't have said it because it was too ridiculous.
But now, the war is over. That isn't something he can think about without associating it with his own father and grandfather, both returned to the sea, or Kya, his beloved wife taken too soon, or Bato's arm, or leaving his own children behind to go and fight in a conflict that had started a century ago.
The war is over. He is at home for the first time in years. The Fire Nation is no longer an enemy. He has seen his mother for the first time in years. The Earth Kingdom is no longer an ally born of necessity. His daughter is dating the Avatar: an Airbender who is somehow still a child.
(Now that he thinks about it, he should probably get some details on the aging thing. His knowledge about spiritual matters is a little rusty because violent imperialism will do that to a culture, but he's pretty sure the Avatar ages like a normal person. Pretty sure.)
But yeah, Hakoda likes the Fire Lord. It makes sense, since Sokka is dating said Fire Lord.
He never, even at his most imaginative, could have come up with that sentence. Perhaps he should have opened with it instead.
Zuko is a good kid. Sure, he's conceited and angry and stubborn, but he's also smart and selfless and ruthlessly kind. He makes Sokka happy, and that is the only thing that matters to Hakoda.
Hakoda likes Zuko. Zuko, very decidedly, does not like Hakoda.
He gets it. He wishes he didn't. But Hakoda can't forget the anger, the disgust, the fear on Zuko's face at the Western Air Temple.
He has tried, but the sound of shattering teacups and the poor kid's face (his hand-print burned, 16 year old face) are seared into his memory. It makes him think of too many other things he tried to forget, things from before the war snatched him from his home and family.
So Hakoda busies himself with other tasks. He makes up for those years away from his family. He marries Bato. He rebuilds the Southern Water Tribe.
Hakoda knows, intimately, that Zuko does not need his boyfriend's dad, basically a stranger, to meddle in his life, even if it is with good intentions. So he gives him space.
Years' worth of space.
Hakoda is in the Fire Nation palace. Without his crew. Without a weapon, save for the knives always (even after the war) concealed in his boots.
A little over two years ago, he would have given his life to see this place torn to the ground. Now, he admires the architecture as he makes his way to the council room.
The walls are a deep red with tapestries and paintings hanging at various intervals to break the monotony. Red pillars accented with gold support the white marble ceiling. The floor of this hallway is a black volcanic stone the servants call "obsidian". It is so dark and shiny that the entire room is reflected in it, revealing a mirror world that distorts slightly with every soft step Hakoda takes.
Not bad, Hakoda thinks to himself as he continues to walk. But it could use a little more blue.
He stops in front of the doors Ming, a guard, had given him directions to. These doors are dark cherry, stained a deeper red, and decorated with large, admittedly garish gold dragons.
Ok, those are a bit much, he thinks.
"Here for the meeting, Hakoda?" the guard next to the door asks him. She's a Kyoshi warrior in her identical uniform, but he instantly recognizes her eyes and voice.
He would be a pretty bad dad if he didn't.
"Suki!" he greets his son's girlfriend with a mock salute that makes her laugh. "Give me the rundown, please."
Sokka is more than capable of handling the majority of the diplomatic work rebuilding the world requires. If the occasion calls for it, Katara comes to help him. This time, for the first time, Hakoda is here himself. He would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. After years of "slash first, ask later" his hands itch for a sword faster than his mouth forms words.
And Suki is the best person to give him this information. On her frequent trips to the South Pole to visit Sokka, she has proven herself to be smart, kind, and just a really fantastic girlfriend.
And she may have endeared herself to Hakoda through her knowledge of fishing and sailing.
With a pang, Hakoda realizes he doesn't have that same connection with Zuko. Shit. Does that make him a bad dad if he doesn't know anything about his son's boyfriend?
Wait, refocus. He has to go into an international meeting, and he cannot afford to make an ass of himself. He tunes back into what Suki tells him.
"Ok, obviously Zuko and Sokka, but there's Iroh, the Northern Water Tribe ambassador, Tukkuttok, and his entourage, the Earth Kingdom ambassador, Xue, and her delegation. No Aang since he's with Toph negotiating a nasty territorial dispute near Gaoling, no Azula or Mai since they are helping tsunami relief efforts on Ember Island, and I don't think there are many provincial representatives since this is a bigger scale meeting. That should be everything."
"You're the best," he tells her.
"I know," she says teasingly. "But you really should go in, they're starting soon."
She opens the door for him. The seating arrangement is so much like the one at home, it leaves Hakoda confused for a moment. He had expected two long tables with a throne on the platform at the far end of the room. Instead, one large round table seating all the guests takes the majority of the room. The platform is empty, the sconces behind it dark.
Sokka, thank Tui, sits closest to the door and has saved him a seat. That saves him time he otherwise would have used to awkwardly look around the room.
"Hey, Dad!" his son exclaims as he sprints towards him and envelops him in a hug. Hakoda lets out a little "oof" at the impact. As he hugs Sokka back, he sees that Sokka is almost as tall as him.
The thought is bittersweet, and while he would like to think on what it means, he has international business to attend to.
Fire Lord Zuko stands. To be honest, with his right side facing the door, he had blended in with the rest of the Fire Nation citizens at the table. Now that he looks at Hakoda head on, it is impossible not to recognize him.
His gaze is fixed on Hakoda's hands, watching his every move. Hakoda hates it, but he does not blame the boy.
"We were expecting Katara," he says. His tone is empty of blame or anger, containing only what is understandable confusion.
Sokka finally steps back from their hug. "Yeah, Dad. Is she okay? Did something happen?"
"She's fine," Hakoda reassures him. "I told her I would take this meeting instead. It's time for her to manage the tribe on her own, temporarily. She needs to get a feel for it."
"My sister, the first waterbending chief in five generations!" Sokka says proudly.
"If she is elected," Hakoda reminds him.
"If she is elected!"
"And I'm not stepping down just yet."
"Of course, Dad. The women elders wouldn't know what to do with themselves if they didn't have you to boss around anymore."
Hakoda barks out a laugh, and Sokka joins him until the two of them are the only ones in hysterics in a room full of foreigners.
A member of the Northern Water Tribe delegation coughs impatiently. Hahn, his name might be.
Hakoda and his son lock eyes and compose themselves into the world leaders the war forced them to become.
The meeting starts as they take their seats. Hakoda is two seats away from the Fire Lord.
A little more than two years ago, he would have instantly killed the man. Now, he watches as Zuko, eighteen years old, barely out of adolescence, leads a nation into a thriving peace.
That went well, Hakoda thinks as he stands from his seat and stretches. Minimal screaming, nothing was thrown, and we didn't start another war. All in all, a good first day.
This did not mean that he was looking forward to the meetings to come. Treaties and payments and negotiations were fickle, tedious business. But this day went well, and that's all he really could ask for.
Hakoda stays for a month. In that time, the palace receives many visitors.
A few days after Hakoda arrives, Aang and Toph land in the courtyard, having settled a land dispute that could have easily become (a much smaller) war.
"What can I say?" Aang says about it with faux nonchalance. "It's all part of being the Avatar."
He easily slides off Appa and waits at the bottom to help Toph climb down.
"Easy for you to say," she snipes at him. "I'm the one who had to brief you on the history of the conflict on the ride over."
"Cut me some slack! I was dead for a century, Toph."
"No, you were cuddling with Appa in an ice bubble for a century," she says as he helps her to the ground. The moment her feet touch the earth, she becomes infinitely steadier.
Aang pouts, and in that moment, it's so easy to remember he is only fourteen years old. "It's a lot less cool when you put it like that."
The way Toph laughs reminds him that she is fourteen, too.
She suddenly turns around, and with a squeal of "Sparky!" takes off for the edge of the courtyard.
Hakoda watches as Zuko, barely one step into the courtyard, accepts Toph's full speed hug without so much as losing his footing.
The Fire Lord loosely rests an arm across her back. "Good to see you too, Toph."
Aang uses a gust of wind to vault himself over to them, landing easily on Zuko's back. "Sifu Hotman! How are you?"
Zuko tilts his head back to look up. "I could have you executed for that, you know."
"But you won't," Aang says cheerfully.
He heaves a heavy sigh. "No, I won't. But only because it would be bad diplomatically."
"And you would really start a tradition of Fire Lords killing Avatars," Toph points out. "That's not good when your nation really loves tradition."
Zuko hums in agreement and continues to stand there with the most powerful earthbender in the world and the Avatar latched on to him. As if it is normal.
It is then that Hakoda starts to realize that this is not the same boy from the Western Air Temple.
One week later, Azula and Mai arrive. There is considerably less fanfare.
Reparations talks have stalled, so the meetings that day were frustrating. Hakoda leaves the council room and stops dead in his tracks when he sees the two of them standing in the hallway as if nothing is wrong.
As if they had no complicated involvement in the war at all.
The war is over, Hakoda reminds himself. It is times like these in which he tends to forget it.
"Well?" Azula asks with an arched eyebrow. Of the two, she has changed the most. Her face is bare of makeup and dotted with a few acne scars. She is dressed in simple pants and a tunic, the sleeves of which are rolled up to her elbows. Most shockingly, her hair is cropped short like an Earth Kingdom man's.
Hakoda remembers hearing that a year into her rehabilitation, she tried to burn it all off.
Azula looks healthier. Less rigid. A little rebellious. More like the sixteen year old she should be. Could have been, if, according to Katara, she wasn't made a weapon.
"Get out of the way," she snaps. "We want to see Zuko."
Well, some things require more than two years to change.
Hakoda moves to the side and positions himself against the wall, next to the Kyoshi warrior guarding the door. Zuko exits the council room and stands in front of the doorway.
The silence is less tense than he expects it to be.
"Zuko," Mai says, sounding bored as she always does. She still wears her hair the same; she only looks a little bit older in that some of her remaining childhood softness has disappeared. "Did you know that the Southern Water Tribe chief has knives in his boots right now?"
Hakoda does not dare to react.
Zuko does not spare him a glance. "No, actually. Should I be worried?"
Mai laughs, a real sound breaking through her ever-present mask. "Absolutely not. I could pin him to the wall before he could lift one of his feet. Although, you do need to be more vigilant."
"That's what I have guards for." A Fire Nation guard makes his way to the door. "Speaking of, Ty Lee, your shift is over."
The guard next to Hakoda relaxes her posture momentarily before springing back up. "Thank the spirits!" she squeals, and crosses the hallway to embrace her girlfriend.
"Ugh," Azula says as Mai and Ty Lee kiss. "Didn't I tell you 'friends first, lovebirds second'?"
Still kissing Ty Lee, Mai flips her off.
Hakoda tenses, waiting for Azula to snap, but all she does is roll her eyes.
"Disaster relief efforts went fine, thanks for asking," Azula says to Zuko.
"I had no doubt."
She looks at him, disbelief plain on her face. "Oh, so now you have faith in me?"
"Fuck no, but I trust Mai."
"Asshole."
"Bitch."
The two of them smile at that, and for the first time, Hakoda can see the resemblance between the siblings.
What on earth am I witnessing right now? Hakoda thinks to himself. Because from what I know, there should be screaming or bleeding at this point.
Mai hugs Zuko. "It did go well, but if I don't bathe in the next five minutes to get the sand out of my clothes, I'm killing someone."
"Make it Azula?" He has the gall to sound hopeful.
Mai only smiles in answer as she pulls away.
"Not you too," Azula says, and then turns to Ty Lee. "What's next, another betrayal from you?"
Ty Lee, worried, opens her mouth to answer, but Azula cuts her off.
"Kidding," she says. "The healers said that making jokes could help."
Everyone lets out an audible breath.
"Oh come on, I haven't even hallucinated in the last six months! It's not like I'm going to start throwing lightning again."
Zuko turns to Mai. "Go take a bath."
"Yeah," she says with a firm nod.
As they part ways, Azula only nods at Zuko. He nods back while Ty Lee grabs his hand and pulls him into a different direction.
Hakoda tries to ignore his confusion in favor of being proud that these kids (because that is what they are) have a support system within each other.
Even if it is strange to him.
On one of the days in which no meetings are scheduled, he finds his son sparring Suki in the courtyard.
Sokka advances on her with his sword, but she easily parries with her fans. Suki then goes on the offensive, but Sokka rolls out of her way and behind her, springing up and taking the offense again.
They are both extremely talented. The thought becomes bittersweet when he remembers why they had to be.
Zuko sits on one end of a bench in the shade of a cherry blossom tree. Hakoda takes the other end. They do not speak.
"Ok, ok, I need a break!" Suki calls, laughing. She crosses over to the bench and takes a swig out of the water skin she left on it. "Zuko, do you want to take a turn? I need a minute."
"No, I don't really feel like it."
Her brow furrows. "No-touching day?"
He nods, his gaze fixed straight ahead.
"Okay," she shrugs, then calls back to Sokka, "I'm gonna be a minute, so hold on!"
"Suki, did I tell you about the fishing trip Bato and I went on?"
"No," she says, excited and intrigued. "But you can after I tell you about the sailing race we had at home."
"Deal."
The two of them launched into an excited discussion, lasting way more than just a minute, much to Sokka's annoyance.
Hakoda only saw the strange, sad look on Zuko's face as he went to leave.
Bato,
Katara wrote to me and said she was coming for the anniversary. She said she is putting you in charge for the few days she will be in the Fire Nation. Don't let my mother and the other elders be too hard on you. I know they will likely tease you mercilessly.
As I'm sure you've guessed, that is not why I have written to you. Even in another country halfway across the world, I know you can read me better than that.
I don't know how to get through to Zuko. I've tried giving him space, but I don't know if it has helped any. He is much, much, better than he was years ago, but I feel as if it looks like I favor Suki over him.
I won't confront him. I am not that stupid (as much as you make fun of me). I guess what I'm asking is if I can tell him. It's your story, not mine, and I would like your permission.
I hate to end on something we would both rather forget, but I'm not good at filling space with pretty words. That has always been your strength.
Your loving husband,
Hakoda
Katara arrives a few days prior to the anniversary of the comet.
The second anniversary of the comet, Hakoda reminds himself. Though for months he has said the war ended two years ago, in a few days, that will actually be true.
Hakoda, Sokka, Suki, and Zuko stand at the docks to receive her. No other guards, and the others are busy tending to whatever responsibilities they can manage from the palace. This is intimate. This is for family.
"Dad! Sokka!" she shrieks with excitement. She doesn't even wait for the boat to reach the dock. Instead, she jumps off and creates a wave for herself to ride into shore.
Three years ago, Hakoda had been away from his tribe, his family, with the certain, crushing knowledge that his daughter could never receive proper bending instruction.
Now, she is the waterbending master who taught the Avatar.
She reaches the docks and immediately crushes Sokka in a hug.
"Ow, you're stepping on my toes!"
"Shut up, and let me have my moment."
"Everything alright?" Hakoda asks her as she hugs him.
"Aside from Gran-Gran bullying Bato, then yeah, everything is fine. We all miss you and Sokka, but it's nothing we can't handle."
Zuko positions himself within view and watches his hands again.
"Well," Hakoda steps back and grabs her by the shoulders. "I'll be home in a week or two, and then we can get Gran-Gran to stop bullying Bato. Even if she does mean it with love."
Katara smiles at him before hugging Suki, who excitedly tells her about how much she liked the last scroll Katara let her borrow.
"Can I hug you?" she asks Zuko.
He nods once, and she gently places her arms around him.
He swallows thickly, making no move to hug her back.
Hakoda,
Help. Your mother is harassing me. If you thought the days leading up to our wedding were bad, you should hear her teasing now. Of course, she will deny it all as soon as you get back. But we both can see through her act.
I will be alright. You married a warrior, after all.
You only think I am better with words because I actually use them. Talk to him. Like you said, don't be accusatory. You learned with me what not to do.
You can tell him if you think it would help.
Because I am better with words, I can end on something different. You're doing the best work for our tribe. You are truly amazing, and I am so lucky to have you.
But you're luckier to have me.
Your loving husband,
Bato
It is the second anniversary of the end of the war. Of the comet. People celebrate in the streets. People mourn in the palace.
Iroh takes Azula to visit Ozai for the first time, only because he refused to let her go alone. When they return to the large parlor everyone is seated in, her face is red and streaked with tears, but she smiles viciously. Victoriously.
Mai and Ty Lee, sitting together on the floor, move to comfort her, but she shakes her head.
"No, not today. I can't have either of you touch me today."
Iroh and Azula move to a table and play Pai Sho. They do so without speaking.
It is the first time Hakoda has heard her speak without snark or malice. She only sounds exhausted.
The other two girls continue to talk amongst themselves. Ty Lee braids Mai's hair as she sharpens a knife. Others are spread out on the floor around them, an impenetrable circle of defensive steel.
Toph keeps her feet planted on stone the whole time, even as she lays on the floor and pretends to sleep. She refuses to be blind. Not like she was on the airships.
Aang, from his seat on the floor, tries to talk about something else, anything else. He tells stories of the monks and nuns before the war, what foods they ate, holidays they had. He talks about traveling to different nations, meeting Kuzon and Bumi.
He is aware that no one is really listening. But he can't have silence. Not today.
Katara, sitting on the couch behind her boyfriend, tries to listen to him. She does, truly. Eventually, he becomes background noise as she bends the water in her cup into the same patterns over and over again. When she notices that it glows with healing (there is nothing to heal here, everyone is safe here) she lets it splash down.
She sits on her hands for the rest of the night.
Sokka splays himself out on the couch, injured leg propped up. He tinkers with something metal in his hands, something Hakoda doesn't even pretend to understand. He doesn't even look at it, just stares into space as his hands remove and reassemble the parts, never making the same motion twice.
His head is in Suki's lap. She rubs his shoulder as she hums to herself. Hakoda doesn't know the song. He wonders if she does. It doesn't seem like it.
Sokka's legs are laying across Zuko's lap. The Fire Lord has taken his hair down, removed his crown. It covers the scar on his face. Despite the summer heat (and Fire Nation summers are brutal , Hakoda has noticed) he wears long sleeves and has fastened his tunic up to his neck.
Hakoda himself sits on a couch across from his son and partners and tries not to think about how he is watching children try to cope with the aftermath of a war they never should have been involved in.
One by one, they go to bed. Until it is just Hakoda and Zuko sitting on the couches across from one another.
Hakoda rests his hands on his knees. Zuko watches.
"I had a friend like you," he says to break the silence.
Zuko holds up a hand. "Is this one of those stories where you are the 'friend', or is this actually a friend?"
"He was actually a friend."
"Okay. Like me, how?" Zuko asks. As if they both don't already know.
"I had a friend whose mother beat him." Wow. That was blunt as anything. Two sentences in, and Hakoda already wishes Bato were here. He continues anyway.
"She beat his father, too. To the point where when he left to go to war, there was something else on his face instead of the usual fear and solemn determination. His face held regret, and something I will never forget."
"Relief," Zuko whispers. It is something more certain than a guess.
"Relief," Hakoda affirms. "When his father left, there was no one to take the beatings but him. We saw the bruises. We saw the flinches. But because he was clumsy, because he was training to be a warrior, none of us thought anything of it."
Zuko swallows almost painfully. Hakoda supposes this isn't the right time to have this conversation. But is there ever really a right time for this?
"I didn't know for years, and I was his best friend. He told no one until after she died. He told me only after I did the exact wrong thing of getting angry at him for keeping secrets."
Hakoda hates remembering how stupid he was then. How, one moment, they were screaming at each other, and the next they were both crying.
"That was pretty stupid of you," Zuko mumbles, then ducks his head in embarrassment.
Hakoda chuckles, keeping his voice down because it is late at night. "Oh, absolutely it was. That day, I learned exactly what not to do in pretty much every situation."
Zuko chuckles, too, and Hakoda takes that as his sign to continue.
"Even after, he always flinched. Even after, he never wanted to be touched. Even after, he never wanted to be around my mother."
"Did he ever get better?"
Hakoda nods. "It took me six years of knowing him to be able to give him a hug. Ten years for him to feel safe around my mother. It took him years, but he got better, Zuko."
A beat of silence. Then, "Will I get better, too?"
"You will."
Zuko takes a sip of tea that has long gone cold. "What happened to your friend?" he asks, his voice thick.
"Oh, I married him."
Zuko chokes on his tea. "Oh. Why?"
"Because I love him. Because he's strong and kind and smart and funny."
"Why are you telling me this?" Zuko asks.
Hakoda replies, "Because I wanted you to know that you're safe."
"Oh." A beat, then, "I know that, but I don't know that yet. Does that make sense?"
"My husband said the exact same thing to my mother, years ago," Hakoda says, and it's true.
"I thought you didn't like me," Zuko whispers.
Wait, what? "What made you think that?"
"Because you and Suki are so close, but we aren't? You didn't really want to talk to me, but you and her talked about fishing and sailing all the time."
Hakoda remembers when, a few weeks after the war ended, Sokka came up to him and told him that he was dating both Suki and Zuko. Hakoda tried not to let his confusion show and had just been happy for his son. Immediately, he asked Katara if, the next time she and Aang stopped at a library, she could get some scrolls on the subject. She was confused by the request, but did it anyway.
Hakoda read them, and while the concepts were still foreign to him, was able to understand his son better and be truly happy for him.
And, oh, yeah, that research is what made him realize that he loved Bato.
"I was trying to give you space after the Western Air Temple."
"Oh." Realization dawns over Zuko's face.
"Zuko, you're a good kid. You make Sokka happy, and that's all that matters to me. So yeah, I approve of you. I like you."
"Thank you."
Hakoda starts to stand, but Zuko continues to talk.
"Sometimes I don't think I'm good enough for them. I mean, I have my issues and I'm scarred, but they're perfect, you know?"
"My husband's arm is completely scarred. He almost lost it, and even now doesn't have full use of it," Hakoda says. He has never spoken this aloud, has never needed to. "And we both have nightmares. He is good enough, and so are you."
Zuko nods, sighted eye a little teary. Hakoda knows from experience that he does not believe what he says now.
But he will.
"Besides, Sokka is far from perfect. The amount of embarrassing stories I have about that kid is wild. Tomorrow, before I leave, I have to tell you about how he tried to eat his first boomerang."
Zuko laughs loudly, once, before quieting himself, so he doesn't wake the others.
"Suki is perfect."
"Yeah, I can't find anything wrong with her," Hakoda admits. "Just like I can't find anything wrong with you."
He doesn't wait for an answer this time. He is leaving in the morning, and he wants some sleep. Hakoda gets off the couch and takes two steps toward Zuko.
"Goodnight," he says, and hovers his hand.
Zuko nods.
Hakoda ruffles his hair like he would his own son's before walking the long hallway back to his room.
He stands on the ship, looking back at the dock, as it starts to fade with the distance. From here, he can still make out every face in the crowd that saw him off:
Toph, the most powerful earthbender in the world, who defied every single expectation forced on her.
Aang, the Avatar, forced to grow up too soon, but he still maintains his childhood.
Suki, the warrior, the leader, who is letting herself be just a girl, for once.
Mai, good with knives, better with that mask she is slowly dismantling.
Ty Lee, the cheerful acrobat, finding her place in a world now empty of war.
Azula, the prodigy, the princess, the girl who is working every day to make herself into something more than a weapon.
Zuko, the banished prince, the Fire Lord, the boy healing his nation and himself.
And his own children:
Katara, a master waterbender, his daughter, fiercely protective and dangerously kind.
Sokka, a master swordsman, his son, fiercely protective and dangerously smart.
Hakoda turns away from the dock and out toward the sea with the knowledge that these kids, his kids, really are going to be okay.