Chapter Text
The Western Air Temple provided a sense of serenity early in the morning; something Zuko decided to use to his advantage as part of his training sessions. It was easier to practice breath meditation without numerous distractions from the group…once he dragged Aang out of bed. They happily fell into this daily routine and were always done before breakfast. Strangely enough, Aang was the first one up this particular morning. Perhaps he was finally starting to enjoy their morning sessions together. That gave Zuko a little confidence boost as they started their training.
“Imagine your inner fl- “ Zuko started.
Their focus was interrupted by three Fire Nation Airships rising from the gorge. Their motors disrupted the silence, shaking the very foundation of the temple. The two boys braced themselves as a bomb flew towards them. With a swift motion, Aang used his bending to deflect it into the chasm. The explosion rattled the old stone supports as the two shielded themselves from falling rubble. Smoke lingered in the air as the rest of the group was shaken from their sleep.
“What was that?” Aang coughed, getting to his feet. Zuko shrugged as he dropped into a defensive stance. Whatever it was, they needed to be ready.
A familiar voice cut through the smoke, “Zuko…I know about your little soulmate issue. How traitorous!”
Zuko tensed as Aang shot him a questioning look. How did Azula find them here, but most of all, how did she learn of his soulmates?
He turned to Aang, “Find a way out of here! I'll hold them off. This is a family visit.”
Aang started to protest, but Suki squeezed his shoulder with a nod. She followed Zuko out into the courtyard, guarding his back. The two were facing down a fleet of warships.
Azula smirked, “Oh, is she one of your soulmates?”
“Why should it matter to you? Why are you here?” Zuko yelled back.
“It's not obvious yet? I am here to celebrate becoming an only child!”
Zuko stopped. It felt as if a knife was thrust into his heart, twisting every painful way possible. A hand - Warrior’s hand - pulled him out of his thoughts. He turned to Suki, who gave him a concerned look, “I can handle this, Zuko. You don’t have to fight her.”
“No, this is on me. You need to help the others,” Zuko said, motioning to the group.
With a solemn nod, Suki rushed back into the inner Temple. After everything that occurred at the Boiling Rock, she trusted Zuko to hold off his sister.
He turned to face Azula, “I won’t let you hurt them.”
_________________________________
The attack on the Western Air Temple managed to divide the group in half during their escape. Zuko and his soulmates escaped on Appa, while Hakoda and the others fled through the temple’s tunnel system. They flew into the night and made camp on a cliff overlooking the water. The team somberly set up camp, their mood slightly improving as Zuko brewed some tea. Luckily, he had managed to cram the remaining leaves into his satchel the night before to keep them out of Sokka’s reach.
“Y’know, it's kinda like old times. Roughing it in tents, the stars.” Aang laughed, taking a sip of the freshly brewed tea.
Toph nodded, “Yeah, except now, we finally have decent tea.”
Sokka pouted, “Hey, you can’t knock a guy for trying!”
“We really owe you for that one, Zuko,” Suki smirked.
Zuko blushed. Who knew that the group was missing a soulmate and a tea maker? He was more than happy to fill those roles.
“Plus, the whole soul family is together now,” Sokka noted, “Thanks, Zuko. You really saved us from Azula back there.”
Zuko blinked as the group (sans Katara) raised their teacups in a toast. Toph gave him a light punch of approval. He finally felt part of a group, part of something he believed in wholeheartedly. This must be what family actually feels like.
“Thanks. I don't deserve this.”
“Yeah, no kidding,” Katara snipped, causing the group to fall silent. Sokka shot her a questioning look. She ignored her brother, giving one last accusatory look to Zuko before walking away from the campfire. He decided to follow.
“Katara, I - “
“Don’t -”
Zuko stopped. Katara was glaring at him.
“Everyone seems to trust you now. That’s great for them,” she spat, “Remember how I was the first to trust you? Or have you conveniently forgotten Ba Sing Se?”
Zuko ran his hand through his hair, “I haven’t, and I am trying to make it - everything - right.”
“Well, maybe you should try a little harder. Because of you, my family is separated once again!” She yelled into the night. He could hear the devastation in her voice.
Zuko didn’t argue; he couldn’t. He decided to let the silence answer for him.
Katara shot him one last glare before rushing off to her tent. He didn’t blame her, though; his family had caused hers so much pain. And Azula…she ruined the small amount of progress he had made with Katara. Despite everything he had done, Zuko had the feeling Katara couldn’t separate the two siblings. He sat alone by the campfire, ruminating on his conversation with her. He had to make things right.
“Are you alright?” Suki asked, causing Zuko to flinch. Although she hadn’t known Zuko for long, she could tell when something was bothering him. She assumed it was a soulmate’s intuition, or something similar. She was still getting used to it all.
“I’m fine,” Zuko tensed. After that last conversation with Katara, he wasn’t sure Suki trusted him either.
Suki was unconvinced of his response, “I don’t buy it. Your sister was just celebrating her new position as an only child. That’s not normal.”
Zuko didn’t answer; he continued to stare into the fire. He barely moved when Suki sat next to him.
“I don't have any siblings,” Suki started, “but if one of my Kyoshi warriors said that to me, I’d be devastated.”
“It hurts, but...I don’t know how to feel. I mean, shouldn’t feel anything,” he sighed, “I turned against everything the Fire Nation stood for, including my own sister, but…”
“She’s still your family.” Suki finished.
“Yeah…”
Zuko let the silence take over. Cicadas and crickets sang in the distance, all familiar sounds of a Fire Nation summer. He remembered drifting off to sleep to these very sounds as Azula counted the glowing fireflies with his mother. Those summers on Ember Island seemed so far away now.
“How did she get you to the Boiling Rock?” Zuko asked, not wanting to dwell on the past.
Suki grimaced, “About a month ago, Appa appeared on Kyoshi Island in terrible shape. We decided to help care for him until he was well enough to find Aang. I guess Azula had been tracking Appa as well. We did our best to fight her off, but we lost. I was taken to the Boiling Rock to be held as a political prisoner.”
“I hope she didn’t do anything -”
“No!” Suki exclaimed, “No, I was okay. I can handle her.”
Zuko sighed, “Sometimes, I find it hard to believe that they accept me…as a soulmate, anyway. That they think I'm too much like them.”
“You risked your life to get us out of the Boiling Rock. That has to count for something,” Suki said, looking directly at Zuko.
“Easy for you to say.”
“So, this is my way of saying that I accept you as part of this group,” Suki said, handing Zuko a knife.
He blinked. Did Suki really want to soulbond with him so soon? Outside of the whole village burning incident (which he regretted very much), did she really trust him now?
“Only if you want to,” Suki smiled.
Taking a deep breath, Zuko grabbed the knife, “Yeah, I do.”
—--------------
When Suki opened her eyes, she found herself in a room that had to be bigger than her entire village. She marveled at the burgundy banners that draped the walls and the massive, ornate, stone pillars that flanked the entryway. A place like this could only exist in her dreams, or a soulbond, apparently. She continued to inspect every inch of the room until a quiet sigh interrupted her thoughts. Suki turned to notice a younger Zuko eating alone at a massive table. He sighed again.
Suki frowned at the sight, “Are you alone?”
She made her way to the table and kneeled to Zuko’s level, noticing how young he really was. He had to be…thirteen? She giggled at his frown and his little ponytail. The absence of his scar made his face softer. Young Zuko was absolutely adorable.
Zuko was pushing the remnants of his breakfast around on his plate with a pair of chopsticks. He kept nudging a half-eaten soft-boiled egg through soy sauce, leaving a trail of yolk behind. The poor egg looked like it had been through enough, Suki surmised. She tapped Zuko to get his attention.
Zuko perked up, “Oh hey, Warrior, I didn’t know you were here.”
Suki tapped his hand, hoping he would stop playing with his food. There were times when her village had to ration portions of food during the winter months, so nothing could go to waste. This was a habit she found hard to break, even during a soulbond.
“I’m not very hungry,” he started, "I'm actually kinda nervous for today.”
“Nervous? Why?” Suki asked, forgetting that Zuko wasn’t able to hear.
Zuko responded as if he heard her question, “There’s this war meeting today. I really want to get in, so I can prove myself as a future leader, you know? I’m just not sure if I can actually get in…”
“That does sound intimidating,” she answered. A Fire Nation War meeting was the last place on Earth she wanted to be.
“And -”
Zuko was cut off by Azula entering the hall. She was younger, but Suki was surprised at how different she looked. Her face was rounder, she hadn’t lost all her baby fat, and her eyes weren’t as…intense. Azula’s younger self seemed happier. Despite all those differences, Azula was the last person Suki wanted to see.
“We have to be quiet now,” Zuko whispered as Suki grabbed his arm.
“Talking to yourself again, Zuzu?” Azula said, sounding a little too smug for Suki’s liking. Her grip tightened around Zuko’s arm. She would listen, but not intervene.
“I am not!”
“It sounds like it to me,” Azula snickered, “You really should dump those imaginary friends of yours.”
“Why are you here?” Zuko asked, ignoring her last statement.
“I just wanted some sesame buns,” Azula answered innocently, wandering over to the remnants from a large breakfast spread. Azula greedily grabbed the last two buns from a wooden platter, shoving one into her mouth.
“Say, don't you have a war meeting to prepare for? You wouldn’t want to miss that.” She said, strutting out of the room. Suki watched her leave with a glare.
Zuko let out a deep sigh as Azula left the hall, “I don’t understand why you don’t like her. She can be mean…”
Suki looked at Zuko expectantly, loosening her grip on his arm. He looked tense.
“But Mom said that we should try to get along,” Zuko sniffed, “before she disappeared.”
Suki’s gaze softened. He was just a kid who tried his hardest with the hand he had been dealt. She knew that it would never be enough. Suki slowly started to rub Zuko’s back, causing him to relax. He wiped his eyes with his sleeve and let out a deep sigh.
“I should probably get ready,” Zuko sighed as he walked out of the dining hall.
The soulbond faded into another scene: a crowded hallway full of Fire Nation generals passing her on all sides. Some wore somber expressions on their faces, while others joked with lower members of the court. If these generals could see Suki in the tattered prison uniform she was currently wearing, they would be absolutely mortified. She smirked as she started to look for Zuko.
Turning, she noticed Zuko conversing with an older man. Suki inched closer trying to dodge the Fire Nation Generals scattered throughout the hallway, forgetting that the inhabitants of this world could neither see nor touch her.
“Thank you for getting me into this meeting, Uncle. You have no idea how important this!”
Suki examined the general Zuko was speaking with. That was his Uncle? There was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t place it. He seemed different compared to Ozai and Azula, jovial almost.
“Yes, Nephew. Just remember, you cannot speak out of turn,” his Uncle mentioned, “these old folks are a bit sensitive, you know? They take offense to everything.”
“Yes, of course, Uncle.” Zuko said, bowing with enthusiasm. They stopped before the entrance of the war chamber. Zuko looked up and took a deep breath.
“Are we going in?” Suki asked. For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling of dread.
Zuko shook his head and passed through the door. He managed to give the guards a glare as he walked by. Suki snorted as she passed by the guards.
She gasped at the size of the room they had just entered; it had to be bigger than the previous dining hall! The chamber was illuminated by fire, casting shadows in corners of the room. Generals rushed past Suki, clamoring for their seats around a large map of the Four Nations.
This is the room where it all happens, Suki thought. The shadows in the room made it hard to make out the faces of the generals, making them more intimidating than normal.
“Appropriate for the Fire Nation,” Suki muttered. She decided not to sit next to Zuko, instead choosing to stand over him. Suki crossed her arms, sizing up those gathered in the room. Some looked like they had never seen a battlefield before. How typical of those in charge: they would never volunteer to fight, but they didn’t mind sending others to get killed. She rolled her eyes.
“I now call this meeting to order,” A general cleared his throat. Suki narrowed her eyes.
“As you know, the assault on the Earth Kingdom is nearing its final phases. Enemy defenses are concentrated here,” the general said, pointing to a spot on a map, “Which is a battalion of their strongest earthbenders and fiercest warriors. So I am recommending the forty-first division here.”
“The Earth Kingdom?” Suki asked, bile rising in her throat. Didn't her country suffer enough already? Thousands of villages were practically starving from embargoes placed months ago.
“How do you expect these soldiers to possibly win? The Earth Kingdom forces do outnumber our own,” a general next to Suki asked.
The general laughed, “Them? They'll be used as a distraction while another force attacks from the rear. What better to use as bait than fresh meat?”
Suki took a step forward, “Monsters, all of you - ”
She was caught off guard by Zuko quickly standing in front of her. He wasn’t as tall as present day Zuko, only coming up to her shoulders in this world. His fists were clenched and he wore an expression of pure anger on his face. She was taken aback by his look.
“You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?”
Suki’s eyes widened. Zuko was supposed to remain silent, and yet he decided to defy a direct order from his Uncle. She knew there would be consequences, but to stand-up to a room full of high ranking officers, that took courage beyond belief.
“You’re full of surprises,” she observed, placing her had on his back.
“You dishonor this war council with your childish outburst, Prince Zuko. These matters must be settled with an Agni Kai,” a general commanded.
“Fine. I accept,” Zuko growled.
“I’m with you,” Suki said. Warriors fought together, didn’t they? She would stand by his side for this challenge.
The world slowly morphed into an huge arena full of spectators gathered on both sides. It was quite impressive, but Suki wasn’t sure why this type of room was needed in the royal palace. Maybe it was the opulence of it all? She she took her place behind Zuko, standing guard over his kneeling figure. The whole setup seemed unusually cruel, even by Fire Nation standards.
The crowd hushed as another figure entered the arena. It was hard to see, but they didn’t resemble Zuko’s supposed opponent. The figure was taller and had a bigger build than the general she observed in the War Chamber. Suki squinted, trying to make out the figure in the distance. But, the shadows obscured her vision.
“At the ready,” she whispered when a gong rang out through the arena. As the figure moved out of the shadows, her heart stopped. Suki recognized that imposing figure; Zuko had to fight his own father. The whole setup was a dirty trick.
“Cowards,” she spat.
Her Kyoshi training begged her to do something: attack, defend, retreat. But the real question remained: what would Zuko choose to do? Backing down from this fight would have serious repercussions in high court. Suki looked at her soulmate, who was frozen in terror.
“Protect yourself,” she ordered, watching Ozai move closer. It was clear that Zuko wasn’t going to fight. She nudged him with her elbow. He didn’t move. To Suki, it seemed like he couldn’t move. The Fire Lord drew closer.
“You will fight for your honor,” Ozai commanded.
Zuko looked up at his father, tears streaming down his face, “Father, I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son.”
Suki acted on pure instinct, stepping in front of Zuko to shield him. She braced herself for impact, forgetting in this world the current course of events was fixed in time. Suki could only bear witness to what had happened to her soulmate.
“You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher,” the Fire Lord growled, raising a flaming hand toward Zuko’s left eye, right through Suki’s ghost-like form.
Agonizing screams caused her to flinch. She stumbled backwards, watching Zuko writhe in pain on the floor. After a few seconds, Zuko’s figure became still. Suki crawled towards her soulmate, placing a hand on his limp body. He seemed so small, so broken as he lay there.
“Help him, damnit!” She yelled, trying not to cry. No one in the arena dared to move, dared to take pity on their Prince.
Suki turned to see Azula grinning from the stands. She narrowed her eyes as the world turned white.
________________________________________
Suki opened her eyes to the dying campfire. She was still tightly gasping onto Zuko’s hand. He was watching her with a cautious expression, gauging her reaction to what she just witnessed.
“You’re nothing like them,” Suki said. Images of Ozai and Azula at the Agni Kai flashed through her mind. Sure, Zuko had his moments before he joined the team. But, he was never quite as ruthless as his family members.
Zuko pulled his hand back, “You really think so?”
“Yeah, and I’m never wrong.” Suki smirked, looking up at the stars. The cicadas had stopped their singing; the night was silent. Although she was miles from her village, her soul was content. She loved this little family that fate brought together.
“I want you to know we’re your family now. Whether you like it or not,” she smiled.
“I think I can handle that,” Zuko remarked.
They slowly watched the campfire fade into the night.