#zuking

Six Months Ago

The exact number of people that had been killed by Iroh Kasai was unknown to almost everyone. It was lost to time and folklore, but most estimated it in the dozens. The government that put him away for life put it at 17. But to most the figure was simply unknown. 

The people who knew him the best knew the true number though: Zero. It was a long story. 

He was Zuko’s favorite relative. He’d not seen him in anything other than the worn out teal of his prison clothes since he was five, not talked to via anything other than a glass partition. It didn’t seem to matter though, as each visit seemed to bring a sense of peace and fulfillment. He made a trip out here every few months, and always looked forward to them. 

“What did you have for breakfast?” Iroh asked with a soft smile. It was the same thing he always asked. He missed the food on the outside and always wanted to know what it is that Zuko was eating. Which always made Zuko laugh. 

They caught up with one another, talking about Iroh’s life in prison, about what was going on with the family. Talking about the family was naturally dangerous, as everything they said was being recorded, so they talked in generalities and often in code, not using anyone by their name. 

There was one person that uncle always wanted to hear about, who Zuko always had a smile on his face while talking about. 

“How is the Mrs.?” 

“She’s good.” Zuko said with a content look on his face. “She’s doing well at work and I’m getting to spend more time with her.” 

“Excellent. I know how important she is to you.” 

“Yeah. There is one thing though. She won’t talk about the possibility of another baby. She’s still so hurt over what happened.” 

“It must be hard.” 

“It is. I love her and I want to try again but there is so much pain there.” 

“I’m sorry about what happened to him, Zuko. I wish I could have done more.” 

Zuko shrugged. “There is nothing that anyone could have done. It was just fate.” 

“Hardly.” Iroh snorted. “What happened to that baby was cruel.” 

“SIDS is cruel I suppose, Uncle.” 

“SIDS?” Uncle Iroh asked, tilting his head a bit. “You think the baby died of crib death?” 

“Well of course.” 

Iroh shook his head with a heavy sigh. “Zuko… People in our family don’t die of natural causes.” 

--- 

Present 

“Suki.”

It wasn’t the fact that Zuko Kasai had said her name, but more the way he said it that told Ayamu he was about to die. 

“What the hell is going on?!” He barked up at her. “You’re one of them?! How long?!” 

“Always.” She said simply, naturally like she’d never hidden anything. 

“And you’re willing to throw your life away for them?” 

“No, not for them.” She said quickly. “For him.” She motioned to Zuko who was still cuffed, looking up at her helplessly. 

“You…” Ayamu breathed. “That baby…” 

“Was mine. My father saw to it that there was no record of it, but yes, he was my son. My son that was murdered by his own grandfather.” 

“And so Ozai was killed for it.” 

Suki didn’t answer, but he knew that is what happened. Everything was starting to make sense now; her odd behavior at the graveyard, curiosity over his intentions, the fact that she would commonly drop out of contact on her days off. He felt like a fool. A few feet away Azula Kasai was running over the events of the past few months in her head, also feeling like she should have known better. 

Ayamu sighed heavily, looking around at the others on the ground,  the warehouse, the guns. “You really think you’re going to get away with this?” 

“I do.” Suki said with a little smile. “And I want you to know that you’re a good man and I’ve always respected you for that.” 

“But you’re still going to kill me?” 

“Yes. And I’m not sorry.” 

With that she pulled the trigger, a bullet hitting Ayamu between his deep brown eyes. He fell over dead before the echoing sound of the shot had dissipated from the vast warehouse. Suki froze, looking as his blood ran from his head, pooling on the concrete floor. 

Azula jumped to her feet, her hands never having been fully handcuffed. “I told you not to do anything stupid!” 

“What the fuck was she supposed to do?!” Zuko barked back, trying to roll himself over so he could get up, his legs flailing around a bit. “He found out and she protected herself!” 

“She killed a cop! This isn’t like killing another family member or a street thug. This is a COP!” 

Suki was still and silent as the brother and sister argued back and forth. She looked down at Ayamu’s limp body, thinking about the fact that she really had just ended his life. She’d meant what she said about respecting him. She liked the guy, and trusted him with her life. A twinge of guilt sank into her gut as she realized that up until a few moments ago he could have said the same thing about her. She didn’t regret what she did. But she was starting to feel like it was too sloppy, that this wasn’t just going to be as simple as blowing off his head. 

“Azula!” She called out, making the bickering siblings stop arguing. Zuko was on his feet finally, Azula having undone his cuffs and helped him to his feet. Suki handed Ayamu’s gun to the sister, who took it unknowing. “Shoot me.” Suki told her. 

Zuko looked at them both confused,“What?” 

Azula seemed to know more than him however, raising the gun and placing a shot in the fleshy part of Suki’s right shoulder. 

“What the fuck!?” Zuko yelled as Suki screamed, falling down into a heap only a few feet from Ayamu. 

“Let her bleed a bit.” Azula said with a flat, almost venomous voice, turning her attention to a clearly confused Sokka who was still on the floor. 

“Suki!” Zuko called out, kneeling by her as she held her injured arm, looking at the bleeding wound. “Are you ok?” 

“Yeah.” She breathed. “Actually no.” 

Zuko chuckled at her comment, taking off his button down and applying it as a tourniquet for her arm. “Thank you for that.” He mumbled. 

“Don’t say thank you yet.” She told him, motioning to a still very pissed off looking Azula. 

“Who knew that you were coming here?” She asked. 

“No one.” Suki insisted, wincing as Zuko tightened his shirt around her shoulder, “I didn’t even know that we were till we got here. 

“Are you sure?” 

“Positive! I had no idea.” 

“Right.” Azula sighed. “We have to get her out of here.” 

Zuko nodded, scooping Suki up in his arms and starting to carry her out to the car they’d arrived in. 

Sokka watched them walk away before turning to Azula. “I take it that was his source.” 

Azula nodded, looking down at the body of Ayamu. She’d taken care to remove or clean anything that might carry evidence of them being there, and was checking around more to see if there were anything else she might miss. They would call in the clean up crew to disinfect the area, to dispose of the body, but she still liked taking things into her own hands as much as possible. 

“Are we gonna talk about what she said about your father?” He asked in a soft voice. 

“Later.” She hissed, her face hardening. 

--- 

Katara’s healed Suki as best she could and tucked her away in Zuko’s bed, saying that she needed to rest. The wound wasn’t bad and would heal well. Suki had been given some pain pills and Katara had instructed that no one was to brother her as she rested. It was the only way she was going to get better. 

Zuko reluctantly agreed, but kept looking up towards his bedroom door, thinking that he should go check on her. 

“I still don’t understand why she needed to get shot.” He mumbled at no one in particular. 

“Because if they find that crime scene and find her blood mixed in with Ayamu, they will think they are both dead.” Azula explained. “Plus she needed to suffer a bit.” 

“Suffer? Why?! She didn’t do anything wrong!” 

Azula rolled her eyes, “Let’s recount how badly Suki fucked up today. One, had that damn phone on her when she shouldn't have. Awfully sloppy for someone who’s supposed to be ‘good’ like you always say she is. She then shot and killed her partner, a cop, who everyone is going to be looking for, along with her. They are going to be all over the news, and every law enforcement in the nation is going to be looking for her. That shouldn’t be too hard to combat, right? I guess she won’t be able to leave your bed like you always wanted. 

“And lest we forget that she blew her very, VERY important cover. This entire plan of your’s with the other families hinged on her feeding you information. She’s not exactly a cop anymore so she can’t exactly get information to give to you and for you to give to the others. So basically, because of your girlfriend we’re fucked and there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it!” 

Aang, Katara and Sokka were standing nearby, unsure looks on their faces as they looked from Azula to Zuko, expecting an answer from him. 

"Don't... don't be mad at her for this." Zuko mumbled. "She acted like she did for me. So it's not her fault it's mine, if anything." 

"So then it's your fucking fault!" Azula barked. "So now you have to deal with this AND you still have to give an answer to Hakoda and you don't have ANY idea." 

"I know." Zuko mumbled. "I'll figure it out." 

"Stop saying that! You won't figure it out! You just keep buying time and then fucking yourself over!" 

"So then what the hell should I do!? Give up!?" 

"YES!" 

Aang had heard enough from both Zuko and Azula. They were still talking, yelling really, with no end or resolution in sight. It was useless and he he didn't wanna hear it anymore. He left them behind, climbing the stairs of Zuko's loft that overlooked the main room. He knocked on the bedroom door twice before walking in, finding Suki laying on the bed. 

"I'm not interpreting, am I?" He asked. 

Suki looked up at him with a soft smile on her face. "I’m as busy as I look." She leaned her head back against the headboard. There were pillows all around her, placed there by an over-attentive Zuko. She had one of Zuko's robes half on, her bandaged shoulder exposed. 

Aang closed the door behind him, closing them off from the arguing downstairs. "How are you feeling?" 

"Well... I did just get shot. And everyone hates me so I guess I'm doing ok." 

Aang chuckled, pulling a chair up next to the bed and sitting. "I suppose that was a stupid question." 

"No, you were just being polite. I appreciate it." 

"It's nothing." He flashed her a grin. "You know I don't hate you." 

"Oh?" 

"Yeah. You did what you did to protect Zuko. I would have done the same thing so I'm the last person who would be upset about it." 

She nodded slowly, "But you have to admit that I didn't make things easier on him." 

"I don't think he'll really care about that." Aang mumbled, motioning downstairs. "He'd do anything to protect you, including taking all the heat for this." 

"I know." Suki whispered, using her good arm to pull her blanket close. "I don't why I feel so crummy then?" 

Aang stood up, pulling one of the pillows away and sitting next to Suki where it had been. "Well try and put it into words… Why are you upset?”  

"Cause I fucked up." Her eyes started to well up with tears. "He counted on me and I messed up and now I can't help him anymore. And because of that I might get him, you, me, all of us killed. So yeah I'm gonna be upset! And I think I’m pretty damned well allowed to be.” 

After saying her name in a soft, comforting voice Aang reached out, taking her good hand into his. She resisted for a moment, stuff against him. After a few moments she sighed heavily, allowing herself to relax against him, her head laying on his shoulder. He kissed the side of her head, laying his head on her’s. 

They could still hear the arguing from downstairs, Azula and Zuko yelling at one another. They just sat together in the stillness of the bedroom, holding one another for a little while.

“I think I have an idea.” She whispered finally. “I’m not sure it it’ll work but....” 

“But it’s worth trying.” He said with a smile, turning towards her. “And I believe in you, I think that we can make it work.” 

Suki gave him a small smile and a nod, “Alright. I’ll… need some help getting dressed.” 

Aang nodded, “I think I can help with that.” He flashed a grin, “You know you’re much prettier in real life than you are in pictures.” 

This made her giggle, cheeks tinting pink. “Here I was thinking the same thing about you.” 

Aang chuckled, reaching out and taking her chin into his hand gently, placing a soft kiss on her lips. 

---

They'd taken a break from arguing to get something to drink. If they kept going like this they would lose their voices and they wouldn't be able to yell. Azula was drinking water, as was customary for her. Zuko opted for something stronger, pouring a stiff mixed drink for himself. 

Katara and Sokka were sitting around the small table in Zuko's kitchen area, talking about what the next move. However this talk was cut short by Suki and Aang walking down the steps from the loft and into the big, main room. 

"You should be resting." Katara scolded. "You'll never heal unless you do." 

"I know." Suki mumbled. "But this couldn't wait." 

"Suki has an idea on how to make your father happy and fix everything." Aang said in Sokka and Katara's direction. 

"Oh?" 

Suki nodded as she walked to them slowly. Zuko noticed how he was handling her delicately, a hand placed at the small of her back as he sat her down at the table, a content and loving smile on his face. 

"So what's the idea?" Sokka asked, arms crossing over his chest. 

"The BeiFongs." 

Azula damn ear spat out the water that she was drinking when she heard the name. 

"You're joking, right?" Sokka laughed. 

"You'd think I shot her in the head." Azula mumbled from by the kitchen sink. 

"I think it'll work." Suki defended. "There is no one else who'd want the Ishida out as much as they would." 

"Wait." Katara cut in, "Who are the BeiFongs?" 

"They are an old Chinese crime family. They were big a generation or two ago, but haven't done much of anything in the past 50 years." Sokka explained. "I assumed that they were all dead." 

"Close but not all." Suki said. "The daughter is looking to get back into the game and I think that if you give her the chance to take out the Ishida she'd jump on it." 

"What even makes you think that the Ishida CAN be taken down?" Sokka asked. 

Suki gave a small smile, like she was divulging a hidden gem of information. "Cause they're broke." 

"Broke?" 

She nodded, "The move away from the mainland has cost more than they expected or planned for. They are pouring money into this new territory while ignoring their existing businesses. They have no money in reserves and can't even pay their underlings. 

"You take out Long Feng and the other heads and the rank and file will flock to whoever's willing to give them a paycheck, no matter who the family is. They are all hired goons anyways. No one is related by blood unlike the other families, so the loyalty is shaky at best. It'll remove them from Japan and then the Beifongs can take over their dealings in China. 

"And then your family can work the drug market here in Japan. They will supply you and you can use the new members to help with the dirty work. You’ll get rid of the Ishida and make more money, what’s not to love?” 

Katara and Sokka looked at one another with an impressed shrug, “I suppose it’s something.” 

“We should at least bring it to our father. I think he’ll be down for the idea.” 

“And the story checks out.” Zuko added. “We were thinking that the Ishida had something to hide. Now we know what. If Bato got in he’d find out that they were all bark and no bite. No wonder they shut him out.” 

“But then why kill him?” 

“Ayamu thought it was in part to cover up that they were out of money. But he mostly thought it was a message the the other families." 

"What kind of message?" 

"A declaration of war. That he saw the writing on the wall and took a preemptive strike." 

"But we weren't planning on going to war with him, so Bato died for nothing." 

Suki nodded slowly, "I'm sorry to say." She gave them a sad smile. 

Katara's head hung, "Damn." She mumbled. 

"So... where do we go from here?" Zuko asked. 

"Wait." Azula interjected, having not said anything in awhile. "Are you guys buying this?" 

"Yeah." Katara told her. 

"Why wouldn't we?" 

“Because this is the same girl who blew away a cop like three hours ago! She started this entire damn mess with her cover and now it’s her that’s in charge?!” 

“I never said I was in charge.” Suki barked. “I just had an idea and it seems to be the best one that anyone can come up with. Unless you have something else in mind, Azula?” 

Azula didn’t have anything to say and she knew it, so she kept her mouth shut. 

Zuko stood tall, the serious look covering his face, “Then it’s agreed.” 

“Agreed.” Sokka and Katara echoed. 

“Whatever.” Azula mumbled. For the first time in recent memory she wasn’t happy that Zuko’s plan worked out. 

--- 

“We have to get you out of the country.” Zuko told Suki as he put her back in bed. “They will be looking for you.” 

“I know.” She sighed, settling herself back amongst the pillows and blankets. “I hate it that I can’t go to my house and get my things.” 

“What do you need?” Aang asked as he sat at the foot of the bed, “We can replace it.” 

She shook her head, “It’s momentos and stuff, nothing that can be replaced.” 

Zuko gave a heavy frown, “I’m sorry.” 

Suki shrugged, “It’s nothing. I lived light anyways. I had the feeling that this would happen sooner or later so I didn’t get attached to things.” 

Aang and Zuko exchanged sad looks before turning their attention when back to Suki. “We can make new memories with new momentos.” Aang said with a soft grin. “Together.” 

“Yeah.” Suki breathed, relaxing against her pillows “I’d like that.” 

“You can stay with me at the temple until we can get you out of the country.” Aang offered to her. “The police won’t look there and there is plenty of room.” 

“That’ll work.” 

“We can get you all the new clothes and things that you need.” Zuko offered. “Just think about what you’ll need and we’ll get it.” 

“Thank you.” Suki said with a sleepy smile. “Both of you.” 

They all exchanged smiles, Zuko finding a seat between Aang and Suki on the edge of the bed. “Sooo.” Zuko said, an unsure look on his face. “How are we gonna, you know, do this.” 

“Do what?” Suki asked, tilting her head a bit. 

“This.” Zuko motioned to the three of them. “I mean I’ve been in a monogamous relationship with the two of you and-” 

“You can’t be in a monogamous relationship with two people.” Aang pointed out. 

“It’s true.” Suki added with a grin. 

Zuko rolled his eyes, “You guys know what I’m talking about.” 

“We know.” Suki smiled. “We just like to mess with you.” 

Aang nodded in agreement, “It’s so much fun. It’s like you’re hot AND entertaining.” 

“Here, here.” Suki said with a soft giggle, the action drawing a blush to Zuko’s face. 

“Well thank you but we still don’t have an answer to this.” 

“To what?” Aang asked. “I don’t see anything that needs an answer.” 

“Same.” Suki said with a smile. 

Zuko looked back and forth between the two of them, his face gathering in confusion. “What the hell are you guys talking about?” 

Aang gave Zuko a smile, climbing to his knees and crawling towards Zuko on the bed. He kissed him quickly on the cheek before moving past him and to Suki. He settled himself in next to her, cuddling up against her sweetly. Suki bit her lip, her head laying against Aang’s shoulder. Aang took her hand into his, his eyebrows raising at Zuko. 

It took him a few moments to realize what what going on, what they were saying. His face lit up when he realized it, an actual, real laugh rolling from him. “Hot damn.” He mumbled. 

“Any questions?” Suki asked in a soft, distinctly sultry voice. 

“None.” Zuko said, joining them in their embrace. 

---

He's moved from the cot in the closet to her bed, giving her the space that she needed in the morning. Azula no longer cared if he slept in either. In fact after all the action that happened during the night she felt like letting him sleep in. He needed it. 

Azula also needed the time alone. She was busy punching the hanging bag in a rhythmic pattern, each time she hit the bag it feeling like part of her worries and anxiety were leaving her. She figured that if she hit hard enough and enough times that she'd stop feeling like this. 

Feeling like a fool, like she'd been a willing participant in scam that'd been committed at the expense of her own family, her own father. Feeling like she should have known, that she did know and did nothing about it. 

"Did I know?" She asked her bag. 

It didn't answer, it didn't have to, she already knew. 

It was known that the Aihara family was behind the death of Ozai, her father. While they didn't take credit for the death, the style of the excitation had them written all over it, there was no need to take credit. Normally Azula would have nothing to connect her brother with the death, except for the fact that her brother just so happened to be the lover of the family's heir-apparent. She knew deep in her that Zuko must have had something to do with Ozai's death. He simply MUST have. She just didn't know why. 

Until yesterday. 

She'd been 14 when she held her nephew, and only seen him twice before his death. Even though she was an oddly un-emotional girl, she couldn't deny the strong connection she felt to him. He had red hair like his mother, but there was something that reminded her of photos she'd seen of her and Zuko as babies. He'd been such a sweet thing, and even though he was a big baby, he still seemed so tiny and fragile to her. So perfect. 

Azula mourned him, privately of course. She hated that his life had been taken so soon, before it even got a chance to start. He didn't deserve the short life he had, nor did the family deserve the lingering pain that his death caused. 

So when she'd heard that Ryo's death had been murder and not crib death like she's always been told, she really did feel like the air had been momentarily sucked out of her lungs. The fact that all that pain she felt, both them and since had been artificially, inflicted by her own father, was like losing the baby all over again. 

There was another lingering feeling that she was having issues with, and was hoping that with each punch of her bag it would go away. 

She hit it until she felt like her hands would start bleeding. She lunged against the bag, holding onto it with a weak hug head resting on it. 

"You know you're gonna break your hands doing that." 

She growled to herself, remembering for a moment that part of having a room mate was that they talked sometimes when you didn't want them too. Boyfriend or not. 

"I'm fine." She mumbled to herself, pulling herself up off the bag. 

"Why are you upset?" He asked, reading the hard lines in her chin and shoulders. 

"It's nothing." She turned towards Sokka who was standing in the door, going to walk past him. 

"Hey." He said in a soft voice, hands going to her shoulders. "You know you can talk to me about stuff that's bothering you, right?" 

"I know. But nothing's wrong with me." 

Sokka sighed, giving her a sad little smile. "But we both know that's not the case." This made Azula roll her eyes, but only made Sokka more insistent. "We're together now Azula, for better and worse. And part of that is that you get to talk to someone else about what it is what's bothering you. That's what I'm here for." 

Azula looked down, nodding slowly. "I know." 

"I love you." He told her with a soft smile, brushing some sweat covered hair out of her face. "And I'm here for you." 

"Thank you." She breathed. 

"So?" He asked with a smile, "What's on your mind?" 

Azula swallowed hard, looking into his deep blue eyes. "It's all fucked up, ya know? About my dad and my brother and the baby."

"It's very fucked up." 

"What's worse is that... If what Suki said yesterday was true, that Ozai really did kill Ryo, then.... he deserved to die. I would have done the same thing if I were Zuko." 

Sokka frowned heavily, but nodded slowly. "Anyone would have." 

"Then why am I so angry at him?" Azula whispered in a harsh voice, tears swelling up on the bottom of her eyes. 

Sokka sighed, wrapping her arms around him and holding her close, lips pressing to the side of her head. 

--- 

His scar vanished, the red light that flooded the hallway almost matching the color of the abused skin. He walked with a proud swagger that you didn’t see with many japanese men, let alone Yakuza. Most of his peers in the underworld were older men. Grizzled by years of the war between the families, and they acted as such. But not Zuko. He walked and acted more like a soft spoken rock star than a Family boss. He had no idea of any of this, which more or less added to the appeal. 

Behind him, in the crimson coated hallway, walked two men who knew this better than anyone. Azula wasn’t the only muscle in the family. Mak was a distant cousin and had been around all of Zuko’s life, and been in his corner all the while. He was Zuko’s closest ally outside his sister and lovers. 

When Zuko was unreachable, or otherwise busy, Mak was in charge of things. Not only did he do the dirty work, but he was trusted like few others in the family were. He was the only one outside the siblings who knew about Suki. Not only her true identity but aided Zuko is his visits to her.

Mak was a keen and powerful ally, however it was the last man in the line that arguably was the most powerful and useful. Almost no one knew his real name or where he'd come from, even Zuko just knew him by his moniker, Damien. He was one of the few known Combustion benders. 

He'd been trained by the Aihara family in his youth, for his rare Fire Bending ability was powerful but hard to control. Even under Gyatso's tutelage he was uncontrollable, always problematic in nature and attitude. He was on the verge of either being kicked out, killing himself, or leaving. That's when Aang introduced Damien to the Kasai son, Zuko.  

They understood one another. Damian carried many scars on him, results from his failed attempts at combustion bending.  And much like Zuko's own scar they were reminders of his past, both for better and worse. Zuko had helped him before a better bender. He no longer hurt himself by mistake, and had a much keener use of his ability. He owed his life to Zuko, and he'd been devoted to him and the family ever since. 

Aang had asked Zuko once if he'd befriended Damien for the sake of the friendship, or to have a combustion bender on his side. Zuko thought about it for a moment, then simply smiled behind a lightly clenched fist. 

He always took Damien on things like these, things that he knew would require some back up. And Mak was the one who brought the issue up in the first place, so he was naturally going to be there. 

The effect was specific and powerful, as apparent by the woman in her 20s scampering away from the front desk. 

"Where is she?" Zuko baked at her, not adding anymore context, not needing to. The woman coward, pointing in the direction of a back room. Zuko nodded to Damien, silently giving the man his orders. The almost seven foot man nodded, dipping down another hall way with no further explanation. 

Zuko and Mak disappeared into the room the woman had told them about, going through a few more doors till they arrived at a back office. They meet an older woman, dresses sharply with her hair pulled back in a tight bun. Zuko needed to say nothing as he walked in, she knew what was about to happen. 

"I will pay you!" She barked, standing. 

Zuko and Mak stood shoulder to shoulder, looking at the woman. 

"Things have been slow! The girls are lazy! I can pay you now!" She continued, clearly frantic. "Double what I owe!" 

Mak was the first to move, reaching into his breast pocket to pull out a small notebook, reading over it for a few more long moments where the woman pleaded for another chance. 

"You're three months behind." Mak finally said, interrupting. "And, as if that wasn't enough, you recently bought a new car for yourself. A new BMW, if my notes are right." 

Zuko broke from his potion beside Mak, starting to circle the room, observing the area but still listening to his cousin. 

"A new Audi for your husband too, and a holiday in Hawaii for the both of you and some of your girls." 

"Always wanted to visit." Zuko mused to himself, flipping over some papers on her desk. 

"Seemed to enjoy herself too. A two week holiday turned into six." 

Zuko nodded, picking up a framed picture of her husband. 

"Boss!" A deep voice yelled, rolling back into the office. Zuko looked up, knowing Damien's voice anywhere. He hardly ever spoke, and when he did there was a good reason. He left the office, following the voice to another room towards the back. Damien  was standing in the door, and motioned for Zuko to enter. 

There was a room like this and everyone of these establishments. The girls usually stayed in the back rooms, huddled together, living together in a small space while they were not actively working. It was to be expected. However what Zuko saw had nothing to do with the room, and everything to do with the women in it. 

"Take any you want!" The madame called from behind Mak and Damien. "Free of charge!" 

All of the girls were standing in a line, as if waiting to be presented to him. Zuko walked to one of them, taking her face into his hand. He studied her intently, the girl flinching at the contact. He looked over over, finding a smooth face covered with skin that was fresh, young, too young. He frowned. 

"How old are you?" He asked, knowing the answer, even though she wouldn't say it. 

"They are all LEGAL!" The madame yelled. 

Zuko let go of the one, moving onto the next and then the next, finding that each one looked just as young, if not younger than the next. 

"All of them?" Mak asked, his voice not sad but matter-of-factly. 

"Enough of them." Zuko replied. He stepped back, looking over all of them with his arms crossed over his chest. 

He saw Suki in them. Not the Suki that was back at the temple that he wanted to get back to desperately, but the one he'd known tucked away in the home of their tutor, with flushed cheeks and skin too young to know the kind of touch he'd given her. Years ago when she told him that they’d been victims of one another he hadn’t believed her. How could he when all he felt was love? But now, over the years, looking back on it as an adult, his mind had changed, and he believed what she had said. 

Without another thought he reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a switchblade. He went back to the first girl, taking his knife to her face. 

The girls all screamed, including the one in his hand. Because of her movement his cut wasn't perfect, but it was there. It wasn't deep enough that it would need medical attention, but deep enough that it would scar, deep enough that they would never lose her mark. 

The action was repeated one by one to all the girls. It didn't matter if they were of age or not to Zuko, he knew what needed to be done. Damien had to restrain a few, even Mak held one that was crying hysterically as Zuko cut her. But in the end they were all done, all marked. 

"Listen to me." Zuko told them all, standing before them as he wiped his knife clean with his silk kerchief. "I've marked you today for one simple reason. If I ever see you, or your mark, in a place like this, ever again, I will kill you." They all shrieked a bit. "I will not hesitate. I will not show mercy." 

He held his blade and kerchief in his hand loosely a he spoke to them. "Go home to your mother. Marry a man who works hard. Have children. And never let me see your mark again." 

He turned on his heels and quickly made his way to the Madame. He held her face with one hand, the other taking the blade to her throat where he slit it in one quick motion. She gasped, but not quickly enough to stop blood from spitting out her lips. 

The girls screamed in horror as she hit the floor, dead. Zuko looked back to them, eyes fixated on all of them and none of them at once. With that he turned and left, stepping over the body of the Madame in the process. Mak and Damien followed, leaving the girls alone with the madame. Zuko's blame was once again cleaned and tucked away before they reached the car. 

"I thought you weren't going to kill her." Mak asked Zuko, sitting in the backseat with him as Damien drove. 

"I wasn't." Zuko admitted. "The plan was to rough her up a bit, send a message. But then..." 

"The girls."

Zuko fell silent, but nodded. He wanted to get to the temple, where he knew Aang and Suki were waiting, where things made sense, even as fucked up as they were. 

---

She was the last piece of her mother that he had, and much like the water she bent her presence was cooling and calm to him. He didn’t care about her past, or about how many she killed, all he cared about was the smile she wore every time they saw one another. 

The loss of Bato had been hard on him and the presence of his beloved daughter helped to calm him, even if the news she bore wasn’t the best. 

“I don’t understand why Zuko let her blow her cover. For a man that seems to in control it feels sloppy.” 

“I agree.” Katara shrugged, sitting on the lush chair of the sunroom of her father’s house next to him. “He can’t even control his own woman.” 

“Right.” Hakoda shrugged, looking over at Katara with a sheepish grin. “But then again, I can’t control you, does that make me a bad leader?” 

Katara chuckled, “That’s hardly the same thing.” 

“Isn’t it?” Hakoda smiled. “I also can’t be too mad about it. It seems like she was protecting him, and in this business it pays to have people who are willing to protect you.” 

“Even at the cost of losing a cover like that?” 

“A cover, a life, a future.” Hakoda nodded slowly, “Sounds like love.” 

Katara rolled her eyes, looking at the glass of water she was holding on her knee. “Whatever. I have to go shopping for her after I leave here. She has nothing so I need to go and get some things for her.” 

“That should be fun, I know how much you like to shop. Just don’t go crazy with all that fancy stuff.” He made a motion to her clothing. 

“Fancy stuff?” 

“Yeah, fancy stuff. I get the credit card bill you know.” He laughed. 

“You’ve never had to problem with it before.” Katara smiled, 

“Well I don’t have a problem with it. I want you to have those things after all. But it might be a little much for a woman who’s not as fancy as you.” 

“You know I’m not sure if you’re insulting me or not.” 

Hakoda reached over, patting her on the shoulder. “You know I love you, Katara.” 

“I know.” She mumbled. “So I guess I need an answer for what to do with Zuko’s plan.” 

Hakoda looked out through the open walls of the sun room, eyes scanning the horizon. The house was placed on a large land area that he and Kya had bought before the kids were born. It was away from the hustle and bustle of the city, of the Yakuza. He had an apartment in the city that he stayed in, but he mostly stayed here in the estate. It made him happy, it brought him peace, it helped him think. 

“If I say no… then the alliance will be broken and we will be thrown back into war. You’re brother is involved with a Kasai, who I happen to like even though you don’t trust her.” 

This drew a groan from Katara, but another dry chuckle from Hakoda. 

“I like her killer edge.” His lips curled into a smile, tone light. “Reminds me of someone else I know.” 

“If you say so.” Katara mumbled, lips twisting in an annoyed frown. “Go on…” 

“I can’t see your brother throwing her to the side at this point in time. So even if we go back into war, he’s not likely to choose a side. Doing so would alienate her and he won’t have it. I don’t think Azula would be so idealistic. She won’t turn her back on her brother, but that’s not to say she’ll stay out of the fight. She’ll offer him support, that much I know.” 

“Which would be problematic.” 

“To say the least. The biggest problem lies not with the Kasai’s, but with the Aihara’s. They are and have always been the most dangerous of the families and I was always personally grateful for their neutrality. I had been under the hopeful assumption that Ozai’s death was an anti-Kasai movement, retribution towards the family. However knowing what we know now, about Zuko and Aang’s relationship and the baby that was supposedly murdered, I see now that it was a pro-Kasai, a pro-Zuko move. He may not control the family, but he might as well.  

“So fact of the matter is that if we say no, we go to war against the Aihara and Kasais, as well as the Ishidas, all without your brother.” 

Katara nodded, “And the other option…” 

Hakoda nodded. “We accept their offer. We work with the Bei Fongs. Expand our business. Make more money.” 

“Seems cut and dry. But It may not pan out though. The Bei Fongs may get cold feet, may not be interested.” 

Hakoda shrugged, “And if those things happen we’re back where we are now. So what do we have to lose?” 

Katara sighed, “I suppose you’re right…” 

“I know I’m right.” He smiled. 

“Right.” She groaned again. “I’ll let them know…” 

--- 

“Come mer’ you!” Aang growled, lunging for her. 

“Stop it!” She laughed as he tackled her softly, pressing her down on the bed before placing a string of kisses along her collarbone. 

“Come on, you know you like it.” He mumbled into her skin. 

“Yeah.” Suki sighed, wrapping her legs around his hips. “I think I’m partial to it.” 

His kisses lead a trail up her neck, hand groping and caressing her as he did so. He’d never get over how good she felt. He’d only been with Zuko for the past decade or so, and had grown used to the hardness of his body, the lines that jut and cut against his own. So to hold Suki, who was flesh and curves, was a refreshing change to him. He saw the benefits of having two lovers, really. 

“I just got dressed.” She sighed into his lips. 

Aang withdrew the hand he’d placed in her shorts, a disappointed pout on his face. “But these are my clothes.” 

“You’re point?” She pushed him off her so that they were both in a sitting position. Aang kissed her again, this time with a sad little sigh. “I’m gonna get new clothes today anyways, so then you won’t have anything to hold over my head. Even though I don’t think I’ll like what she picks out for me. She’s much too… frilly for me.” 

“Well I think you could also be frilly if you wanted to.” Aang kissed her on the shoulder. “Frilly would look nice on you.” Aang looked at the clothes she had on; a pair of his old shorts, and a ripped t-shirt that was one of the one’s Zuko left here at the Temple for himself. She’d been wearing more or less the same thing since she’d gotten here a few days ago. He thought she looked so beautiful, so perfect. 

With daily healing sessions from Katara her shoulder was healing well. She was resting comfortably in Aang’s room, with him constantly checking on her. She slept mostly, watching TV between naps. Truth be told she felt like she’d gone through a mental and emotional marathon. Killing her partner was never something she thought about doing, let alone planned to. She mourned for not only him but for her old life and everything that she’d worked for. She took pride in being a cop, and now it was all gone. 

It was a lot to take in and a short amount of time to do it. It’s why she’d spend most of her time at the temple curled up in Aang’s bed, crying from time to time. 

Zuko was taking care of things around town, coming back to the temple when he could. He, along with Aang, soothed Suki’s fears and dries her tears. They both supported her, doing everything they could to make her feel better. They’d make love, the three of them, and kiss away all the fears that they could. The best thing for her to was just to be held by them, her body lovingly cradled between their strong figures. It was the only time that she felt right, that she truly felt things would be ok. 

“You’re beautiful no matter what.” Aang whispered to her, kissing her on the cheek softly. 

“Yeah.” She sighed. “Me and my frizzy hair and loose morals.” 

“Hey.” He scolded gently, kissing her on the lips softly. “I think you’re great. And I don’t care about those things.” 

“I know.” She said with a soft smile. “It doesn't matter to you.” 

“No.” He took the side of her face into his hand, turning her to face him. “The only thing that matters to me is that you’re here, and that you’re safe. And you’re both those things, right?” 

“I am.” 

“So I know that things kinda suck right now. I know that you’re frustrated. But things will be ok, they will work out. I know it.”

Suki leaned in and kissed him quickly, pulling away with a soft smile. “Thank you.” She breathed. 

“You’re welcome…” Aang nodded. “We should have sex again.” 

Suki let out a roar of laughter, falling back down on the bed with Aang following her down, kissing her as many times as he could manage before there was a knocking at the door. 

“Yes?” Aang yelled back at the door. 

Katara’s voice replied, “It’s me. I have clothes.” 

Suki snarled, looking at Aang. He gave her another kiss, lifting himself up off the bed and to the door. Suki sat up in the middle of their mussed up bed, legs crossing in front of her. Aang opened to door and Katara came through it, huffing as she carried a half dozen large bags. Suki knew right away that her fears had been founded. The bags read Burberry, Guuchi, Christian Louboutin, Michael Kors and Barney’s, all not the kind of places that Suki would even think about shopping at. 

“Are those my clothes?” 

Katara nodded, sitting them on the bed by her. “I wasn’t sure what to get you, so I got you things that I would wear.” 

“I was worried about that.” Suki mumbled, opening one of the bags and finding a shoe box. She popped it open, pulling out a pair of insanely high, white heels with red soles. “Well these would be good for self defence.” Aang had sat next to her on the bed, Suki pretending to jab the heel in his neck. Aang laughed, pulling out another shoebox that housed an equally impractical pair of heels. 

“Well they will add a few inches to you.” 

Suki put them back in the box with a shake of the head, “You’ll have to return these. I can’t wear them.” 

“Why not?” Katara asked, popping a hip. “Those are great shoes.” 

“Yeah for you. I can’t do anything with a heel.” Suki started inspecting the rest of her new things, each thing worse and more impractical than the next. The things were frilly and delicate, the kinds of things that she’d never be able to move around in. Sure the things were pretty, lovely even. But they weren't for her. “All of these have to go back.” 

“Even the jewelry?” 

Suki looked at the bag from Barney’s, looking at the few pieces that she’d been given. Suki sat a few aside, but put most of them back in the bag. “They just aren't for me.” Suki said with a shrug. “What the hell am I gonna do with a diamond studded choker?” 

“You wear it.” Katara snapped, pulling the bags away from her. “At least normal people do.” 

“Well then I guess I’m not normal.” 

“I’ll say.” Katara snarled. "At least tell me that the underwear and bras are ok." She gave Suki a pink bag which the women looked at. 

"These might be..." Suki pulled out a very small, very lacy thong. "What the hell?" 

"Now those I like." Aang said with a grin. "As one of your boyfriends I say you should keep them." 

Suki gave a soft smile, looking through the other things. "They are nice and fancy but... didn't you get me anything normal?" 

Katara reached into the bag, pulling out a lace see-through bra. "This is everyday." 

Suki rolled her eyes, looking at Aang. "These will work for... special occasions." She blushed a little bit. "But I will need some other things. I'll make you a list before you go out again." 

"You ok to go shopping again?" Aang asked Katara. 

"I'm always up to go shopping." She said. "Oh, and I have some good news. My father is good with the new course of action." 

"He was alright with it? I thought it would take some convincing." 

"Well, he had to convince me." She shrugged. "I still don't think it'll work but he's convinced." 

"I'm sorry you feel like that, but I'm glad that the family is onboard." 

"Whatever." Katara said with a sigh. "I guess we'll see what happens." She was packing the clothes and shoes up in the bags. "I suppose I have to go back and return these things." 

"I'll make a list of things for you to get." She looked at Katara, lifting herself off the bed. "And stores that you can find them." 

Katara cut a glare as Suki walked from the bed room and into Aang's small sitting room. Aang closed the door behind her, saying that he needed to talk to Katara. 

"Leave the underwear." He told her. "And that one blue-green dress with all the shimmery stuff on it. It'll look nice on her." 

"But she hated it." 

"Yeah I know. She's just preening her feathers." 

"She's what?" 

"You're more glamorous than her and you come in with clothes that are above her and she got defensive. She’s… wanting to reject that." He gave a shrug. "It happens." 

"Sure." Katara looked at the door where Suki was sitting behind. "Do you really love her?" 

Aang blinked at the question. "I... never said I did? I just meet her." 

"Then why are you doing this with her and Zuko? I mean you could be with anyone and you choose to have to share your lover with someone else." 

He shook his head, "I don't see it like that. It’s true I just meet Suki, but I still feel like I have a connection with her, through of Zuko. I love him and have gladly shared my life with him for the past decade and want to be with him forever. She'd part of him and has been long before I was. I couldn't think about asking him to leave her for me. What kind of partner would I be if I did that? And I care about her, I know her through him and I have a connection that's not something to be taken lightly." Aang smiled to himself. "And I know that I'll love her in time, I have no doubt of that." He hadn’t expressed his feelings on the matter out loud yet. Doing so banished any relinquishing fears and reservations that he had. 

“Sounds dumb.” Katara sighed. “But… as long as you’re happy.” 

“I am.” He grinned. “And the sex is… unique.” 

Katara fought a blush, letting her curiosity taking control of her mouth. “Do you all kinda... “ She made a motion with her hand to the bed. “Pile on and go for it?” 

Aang laughed, running his fingers through his thick hair. “It’s a bit more…. Elegant than that but yeah.” 

“Weird.” She mumbled. 

Aang shrugged, "If I put in a good word for you you might be able to watch." He wiggled his eye brows, turning on his heels and walking though the door and back to Suki. He, oddly enough had started to miss her and wanted to be near her again. 

---- 

"I'm gonna show you what's up so hard." Sokka snarled down. "When I'm done with you, you're going to be BEGGING for me to stop." 

Azula tilted her head, looking at him with narrowed eyes. "What?" 

"Oh. You heard me." He smirked again. 

"You're so strange." 

Sokka let out a menacing laugh, attacking the plate he had in his hand with the scrub brush, mania in his eyes. 

"There is something kinda sexy about it." Azula said to herself, watching her boyfriend do the dishes. He had light blue on gloves on as he cleaned, the textures finger tips of the gloves tight around his own fingers. Except for the two pinky fingers, those hung loose, the rubber grips having lost their usefulness. 

"Can I ask you about them?" 

"About what, babe?" Sokka asked, glancing over at her. 

"Your fingers." 

Sokka looked over at her surprised. It was a common thing for members, mostly males, of most families to have these wounds. It started back with the old Samurai families, when masters would order their students to cut off tips of their fingers as a way to be punished for a transgression. The idea was that the shorter your finger was, the less powerful grip you’d have on your weapon, the more dependent you would be on your master, the less likely you’d be to leave the group. As times changed and the elegant katana was replaced by a brass knuckles and pistols, the tradition stuck. Hakoda had the tips of his own small fingers missing, more so than Sokka did in fact. 

"Why do you wanna know?” He asked. “I thought you'd be used to this kinda thing." 

Azula shook her head, "Kasai's don't cut fingers, they burn." 

"Ah… That explains your brother's face.” 

Azula leaned against the counter, facing him. “That was a whole thing. Usually the punishment will be something minor, a burn on the arm or the like. But my father...” She swallowed hard. “He went overboard with it. Burnt half of his face off, nearly killed him, no one was ever the same.” She rolled her eyes, batting away the onslaught of honesty with a sarcastic brush of the hand. “Ozai Never gave Zuko a punishment after that.” 

“Makes cutting off fingers seem a bit more reasonable.” Sokka mumbled from the cup he was washing. “I actually think of them as a badge of honor. If not for them I wouldn't have grown as a man and as a leader. I would never have gotten the respect that I have.” His strong shoulders shrugged. "Much like your tattoos." 

Azula had on a tank top, and looked down at her heavily tattooed arms. She had never really thought of the correlation. For her the tattoos were expected and natural for her. Her own father had them, had her entire life. Zuko started getting his when he was only 15, boys were usually allowed to get them young after all. So by the time Azula turned 16 she was eager and ready to get her’s. She’d been so excited to get her first ink. 

However the sight of the grouping of needles going into the skin on her arm proved to be too much for her. She passed out cold. 

She woke up after a while, the female tattoo artist tending to her. Azula was annoyed with herself actually. She’d been all excited for this tattoo, for years even. And she passed out like a bitch. She told the tattoo artist to keep going, even if she passed out under her. It was a weird tattoo session to say the least. The sessions after that were better, and Azula had arms, shoulders and a back to show for it. 

“Did you pass out when you got your fingers chopped?” Azula asked. She’d told Sokka about her tattoo experience the other day, which he’d listed to but laughed at a little bit. He found it cute and endearing, in an Azula kinda way. 

“I didn’t.” He told her with a sott smile. “I didn’t cry or anything. I actually watched it happen.” 

She squirmed, imaging the thought of watching an appendage being cut off like that, “Did you have to?” 

“Watch it?” 

“Your finger being cut?” 

“Nah.” He shrugged. “Just wanted to.” 

“So you’ve always been into pain.” 

“It’s not so much about the pain as it is the thrill.” Sokka chuckled, taking his gloves off and sitting them to the side. “Well in a way. When I was a kid it came out in risk driven behaviors. Fast cars, guns, fighting, you know the like. But as I’ve gotten older it’s become more… established you could say.” 

Azula raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?” 

Sokka nodded, slowly, thoughtfully. “They are very… specific in nature.” 

Azula moved towards him, slowly picking up a towel that was sitting nearby, twisting it into a rope. “I see.” He purred, going to stand behind him. Sokka turned away from her and towards the sink, glancing back at her with a smile. “I wonder whatever it is.” She took the rag, ying it around Sokka’s wrists. She wasn’t gentle, she didn’t need to be, never with him. 

“We shall just have to find out.” Sokka mused, smiling almost slyly. 

Azula tighten the bounds, smiling as she put a hand on his back, bending him over the sink. She followed him, leaning in and nipping at his earlobe playfully, “We shall.” 

---- 

The next day Suki was in normal, respectable clothes, and she'd never been happy to be so. She would have been in her fitted jeans and hoodie, lounging in bed and eating ice cream, but today there was a mission to be had. She smoothed her green lace top over her fit figure, stealing a glance from Zuko who was fixing at his tie. 

"You look nice." He said over to her, smiling softly. "You look like yourself." 

"I feel like myself." She said, looking over at him, "In many ways." 

"Oh?" 

She nodded, her eyes soft as she looked at him. "I feel like I belong here, by your side." 

Zuko reached out, taking her hand into his and kissing her on the side of her head. "You do belong here, you always have." 

Her entire body sighed, grinning happily. 

"You guys ready?" Aang asked, walking in the door to the small side room that they'd changed in. 

"We are." Suki said with a sure nod. 

Aang nodded, walking to them and taking each of their hands into his. They stood together, the three of them linked. "I want you both to know that no matter what happens out there we will have one another. And we will figure this out together, no matter what “it” happens to be." 

They all nodded in agreement, knowing before he said that that it was in fact the truth. They dropped hands, but walked through the door together, as one. 

They meet Sokka, Azula and Katara already in the room. They were all dressed in their suits and ties, proper attire for a meeting of this caliber, of this importance. This was after all not just about the current alliance, but about the future for everyone involved in their world. 

“Is she here?” Azula asked, tone impatient. “She was supposed to be here half an hour ago.” 

“She’ll be here when she’s here.” Suki assured her, standing between Zuko and Aang. “She’s a bit of a…” 

“A free spirt.” Aang added, smiling over at Suki. They were the only two that knew anything about her, the only two who knew what to expect. 

She eventually arrived, only being introduced to the group after surrendering her weapons and being searched by some of Sokka’s men. She came in escorted on the arm of a man looking much larger and powerful than many in the room. Toph Bei Fong was tiny, and rather unassuming because of her size, statue and dress. In fact Sokka had to hold back a laugh upon seeing her. Azula cut him a glare for it. 

Zuko took the lead, as he usually did. “Toph Beifong.” He bowed. “My name is Zuko Kasai, thank you for agreeing to meet with me and my associates.” 

She just gave a shallow bow, her eyes wide and blank, evidence of her blindness. She pulled herself away from her escort, just enough to be able to take a step forward on her own, the escort leaving the room with a bow. “You should be thanking me. After all you have found yourself in quite a predicament and I seem to be the only person that can help you.” 

Zuko made a small noise of consideration, his brows creasing. It was true, in a way, but it wasn’t the ony side of the story. 

“I beg your pardon, ma’am. But you find yourself in an equally problematic position. Yes, we need your help. However you need us as well.” 

“Oh?” She tilted her head just so, her expression curious but amused. “I do?” 

“No one gives a shit about the Beifongs.” The statement rang in the quiet room. The gathered group looked between Zuko and Toph, tension clear and quickly mounting. “Your family hasn’t been anything in decades and now suddenly you want to be part of this? You don’t juet get to walk into everything that we’ve worked towards for years without being invited. Without being allowed in. So yes, Ms. Beifong, we need you, but you need us even more.” 

Things held still in the hair for a long moment, no one sure of what was going to happen. 

It was Toph who first laughed, first broke the silence. “Normally I kill people who disrespect me like that... “ 

“But you’re not going to kill me.” Zuko said quickly. 

“No, unfortuniatly not this time” She sighed, “I can read the room better than that even if I am blind.” She motioned to the gathered crowd. “And if anything I’d say you are well on your way to your goal, even without my help. So I will be glad to add to it.” 

“How so?” Zuko asked. 

“Well… As far as I can tell this is the first time, in a long time, all the families have been under the same roof with no hostilities or threats of violence. And I would hate to break up such a love fest.” She said this with a bit of a dramatic flair and roll of her pale eyes. 

Zuko cleared his throat, bringing the conversation back to himself, “Well… I welcome you to our alliance then.” 

“Whatever.” Toph sighed, pulling her hand away. “Who’s got the booze?” She asked. “I don’t trust anyone till I’ve drank with them.”