Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Suki stared down the barrel of her smoking gun as her shot rang out, hardly able to believe that… That was it. The single shot she’d held onto for a decade, the one she’d hoped never to have to use, had been fired. 

Her gun felt lighter in her hands, as if firing that shot had relieved her of the weight of ten years, and she couldn’t help but find the thought morbid. Aang had once been her best friend- she would have died for him, gladly- and now she’d shot him.

She didn’t regret it- not when it had given Sokka the chance to end the curse, as well as saved Zuko’s life and helped her keep her promise to Sokka- but she couldn’t believe she’d done it.

As if he were hearing her thoughts, Aang turned to look at her slowly, her own disbelief doubled on his face, and their gazes locked. Time seemed to freeze, the moment stretching on and on as they stared at each other in a stalemate- Aang’s eyes wide with surprise and her own narrowed with grim determination, Aang’s pistol pointed at Zuko and hers pointed at Aang- until Aang spoke.

With bitter humor lacing his words, Aang said, “Ten years, you carry that pistol, and now you waste your shot.”

She shrugged, but it was Sokka who spoke. “She didn’t waste it.”

It was as though Sokka’s voice unfroze time; Aang dropped his pistol and whipped around to face Sokka, who was standing with his left hand held in a fist over the treasure chest and a bloody knife in his right.

As everyone watched, he opened his fist and two coins- stained red with his own blood and Suki’s- fell through the air. 

They landed with a quiet clink, and just like that, all eight-hundred and eighty-two pieces of Sun Warrior gold were returned. Just like that, the curse was lifted.

Aang’s breath caught in his throat and he whipped back to Suki, lips parted in shock as he realized that Suki’s shot hadn’t been wasted at all- Sokka had ended the curse just before she fired.

His eyes followed the line of her gun down to where it pointed at his right thigh, the brown fabric of his trousers already growing dark and shiny with blood, and his leg gave out beneath him. He sank to the ground slowly, and once he was seated with his hands over the bullet hole- though blood was quickly seeping through his fingers and staining his skin as red as wine- his lips twitched upwards in a humourless laugh, just one sharp exhale. Aang was looking off into the distance, his eyes unfocused, and she holstered her gun slowly.

“Aang,” she said quietly, hesitantly hopeful that with the curse lifted, his mind was his own again, but she couldn’t be sure. 

Sheathing her katana, she stepped towards him cautiously, and when he didn’t make any move to- she didn’t even know what she was expecting him to do, perhaps stab or shoot her?- she knelt down next to him. Gently, she pushed aside his hands to place pressure on his wound herself. His blood was slick and warm beneath her hands, and in a matter of seconds, they were coated in red. 

Guilt ate at her as she looked at her hands; while she’d aimed carefully so as to not hit an artery or damage bone, she’d still shot right into muscle. It had to hurt, especially being the first wound Aang had gotten in ten years that he wouldn’t be able to heal with a simple step into moonlight.

“I feel…” His eyes, still clouded with pain, found hers, though she got the impression he was looking at her without truly seeing her. “...Cold.”

“I know,” she murmured sadly. Distantly, Suki knew Sokka, Zuko, and Katara were still there, likely listening to every word, but it didn’t matter. Not when she owed him an apology and several explanations. “I’m so sorry, Aang. For what happened ten years ago, for the curse, for shooting you…”

It was as if her apology cut through the fog in his mind, because one of his bloodstained hands grabbed her wrist. As her eyes dropped to where he held onto her, he said forcefully, “Don’t apologize, Suki. Please.”

“Not even for shooting you?”

He let out a tired laugh. “No, not even for that. You did what you had to do so that you could end the curse.” He paused, then squeezed her wrist once. “Suki, you freed me, and the rest of our family. Thank you.”

She finally looked up, and nearly let out a sob when she saw the haze over his eyes had cleared to give way to- to sorrow, yes, but also relief and gratitude and so much love that her heart ached.

He was back, she realized. Her best friend was back.

“Aang,” she laughed through tears that she couldn’t hold back any longer. 

“Hey, Sooks,” he smiled softly at her, squeezing her wrist once. “It’s good to see you again.”

It was as if the floodgates opened then, and she couldn’t stop her words from pouring out of her mouth as she cried. “Aang, you’re back, you’re back and you’re you again! I was so scared when I saw you; I didn’t know who you were anymore and I thought I might never get you back again, or get to explain what really happened, but the curse is over and now I can tell you. I have to tell you, Aang, I never betrayed you. I never would have, it was all just a huge misunder-”

“Suki,” he interrupted before she could get too much further, raising his hands to wipe away her tears with his thumbs, “it’s okay. Just… Just breathe, and take a minute, okay? And then you can tell me what happened. I think I owe you a chance to explain.”

She sank into his touch and nodded once, then breathed out shakily. As she calmed herself down, she pulled her thoughts together, and by the time her breaths were coming smoothly once again, she knew what to say.

“When you and the crew marooned me, you said it was because you didn’t trust me anymore since I didn’t tell you the location of the dragon’s treasure right away, and someone had discovered it was because I was in contact with the Fire Nation Trade Company to trade you for the treasure. But I wasn’t keeping the location of the dragon’s treasure to myself because I wanted it all for myself and to sail free; it was because I’d stumbled across a scroll that mentioned the curse. Well, I didn’t know it was the curse back then- I just thought it was talking about monsters guarding it, or something.

“Either way, I got scared. I wanted to do more investigating before we stole it, so I didn’t tell anyone and set the wrong course to give myself more time. Before I could figure anything else out, though, you came to me and asked for the bearings.” Suki paused to sigh, looking down. “I thought about telling you about what I’d found then, but I wanted to be sure, so I didn’t. And that night…”

“We mutinied,” Aang whispered, voice thick with horror, “and walked right into the curse ourselves.”

“I’m so sorry. If I had just told you then, Aang, you could have avoided all of this-”

“You tried, Suki. It’s our- my-   fault for not giving you a chance to explain why you didn’t tell us the bearings. And I’m so sorry that I let the mutiny happen. I just… I heard Fire Nation Trade Company and got so scared you were putting our family in danger that I acted without thinking. I did what I thought I had to do to protect them, and instead I-” He closed his eyes tightly and pressed his lips into a thin line, then leaned his head back so that it was resting on the treasure pile; Suki recognized it as Aang trying to hold back tears. “I betrayed you, and I turned into a monster. I turned the crew into monsters.”

“You weren't a mons-” She tried to defend him, but Aang interrupted her again, a tear rolling down his cheek.

“Yes, I was. I did… Horrible things. I’ve killed more than I can count, the one thing I swore I’d never do. I stole from those who had nothing. I sent Harpoon to La’s embrace just for saying I made a mistake. Harpoon, Suki! He was the best of us, someone I looked up to, and I sent him to the depths! I ordered my crew to kill you without even hearing you out, I sent them out to murder the Fire Nation Navy in cold blood, I almost killed an innocent man because he wasn’t who I needed-”

Aang cut himself off with a choked sob and brought his hands up to his face, burying his head in them so quickly that he knocked his hat off.

The bleeding from the wound on his leg had finally slowed down, so Suki pulled her hands away and grabbed onto his shoulders. “Aang,” she said intently, “listen to me. That wasn’t you. The curse twisted you, rotted your soul and corrupted your mind until you lost sight of yourself. But you’re back now. You have another chance.”

“I don’t deserve it,” he mumbled, so sorrowful that Suki’s heart broke. “After what I did to you, and everybody else… I don’t know how anyone could forgive me after all the evil I’ve done. I don’t know how I could forgive myself.”

“Do you remember,” she asked, slowly shifting so that she was fully sitting next to him, “what you used to say Monk Gyatso taught you about forgiveness?” He nodded, face still hidden in his palms. “Can you tell me?” He stayed silent, and she prodded his hip with the tip of her boot. “Come on, Aang, it’s been ten years without your Air Nomad teachings. I’ve missed them. Please?”

Finally, he looked up at her, a slight smile at his lips. “They used to say… They used to say it’s easy to do nothing, and it’s hard to forgive. I see your point, but Suki-”

“Exactly. The Aang I know would never shy away from the hard thing. So what’s it going to be this time? The easy thing, or the hard?”

He looked at her for a long moment, then laced their fingers together and squeezed. “It’ll take time, and I don’t think I want to return to sea for a while- or can, with my leg. But I’ll… I’ll try to forgive myself.”

Guilt flickered in her stomach as she realized she was keeping him from returning to sea, but she ignored it in favor of sighing in relief and leaning into him so that their temples were pressed together gently. “It’s good to have you back, Aang.”

⚔️☠️⚔️

The deck around Mai was a mess of blood and the fallen bodies of her soldiers, and the air was filled with battle cries and clashing swords. Her forces were dwindling under the constant onslaught of the pirates, but she kept her chin up and kept fighting, as hard as she could. With her sword in one hand and her knives in the other, she slashed and parried and threw and whirled around the deck, losing herself in simply trying to stay alive.

From the corner of her eye, she saw a skeleton approaching her from behind just as she finished disarming the one in front of her. Whirling around on the heel of her boot, Mai spun to face him, raised her right hand, and let one of her knives go. With her left hand, she pointed her sword at the pirate’s neck to keep him from coming closer.

The knife flew through the air, a silver blur in the moonlight as it spun end after end, and found its home right in the pirate’s rib cage- the pirate’s rib cage that, barely a second before the knife hit its target, had returned to flesh and blood.

All movement on the deck froze as blood blossomed around the knife, dark red and glittering in the moonlight.

Mai looked up slowly, hesitant to get her hopes up, but the sky proved what she suspected. The moon was still out, not a single cloud covering it, and the pirates were human. Whatever Suzume had done, it had worked.

The pirate that Mai had hit with her knife seemed to reach the same conclusion, because he dropped his sword and raised his hands in surrender.

One by one, the others followed, swords and guns hitting the deck with a loud clatter.

“Parley?” One of the pirates asked her with a sheepish smile.

With no small amount of satisfaction, Mai responded by announcing loudly, “The ship is ours, soldiers.”

Around her, cheers erupted.

They’d won, and it was over.

⚔️☠️⚔️

Sokka’s feet had just reached solid ground when he found himself with an armful of Katara, his sister hugging him so tightly he could barely breathe. Not that he minded, really- he hugged her just as tight and buried his nose into her hair, thinking of how badly he’d wanted to hug her when they were both in cells, but had been unable to. Now that she was here, solid and warm in his arms, he swore that he’d never take the opportunity to hug her for granted again. He held her to his chest even tighter and sighed in relief.

Finally, it was all over, and everything had worked out; Zuko was safe, the curse was over, Suki and Aang were reunited, and he and Katara were together again.

“Are you alright?” He murmured into her hair. “You were incredible, fighting all of those pirates yourself.”

“I learned from the best,” she laughed and squeezed him once before she stepped back, though she kept a hand on his elbow to help steady him on his injured leg. “And I’m alright. I think it’ll take a long time to forget the sight of those skeletons, but I didn’t get injured or anything… So, our blood was the key to ending the curse?”

“I guess so. Dad must have borne the brunt of the curse since he was the one to steal it from the chest and send it out into the world, but since we share his blood, either of us could have ended it on his behalf.”

Katara hummed thoughtfully, then whacked him on the arm, so quickly that he couldn’t even try to pull away.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“There was no reason for you to sacrifice yourself, and say you were the only child Dad ever had!” She admonished him, arms crossed firmly across her chest. “We could have told the truth and faced this together, but no! You went and did the stupidest thing you possibly could have done- you offered yourself up, not knowing what you’d face, and you left me behind!”

“I was just trying to protect you!” He exclaimed, indignant- why couldn’t she see he sacrificed himself for her? “I didn’t know what Aang would do to you if he knew you could end the curse too. You’re my little sister, Katara, I just wanted you to be safe-”

“Well I just wanted to help you! I didn’t exactly sign up for cursed pirates and blood rituals, but I told you I had your back, Sokka, and I meant it. I thought we were in this together; instead, I ended up thinking I’d never see my brother again.”

He winced, her words cutting him sharper than any blade ever could, and deflated. “I’m sorry, Katara. I was just… Desperate to keep anything bad from happening to you.”

She sighed and let her shoulders relax, her anger leaving her as quickly as it’d come to be replaced swiftly by sorrow. “I know. And I appreciate you trying to look out for me. I was just scared… For good reason, too,” she added. “If Zuko and I hadn’t shown up when we did, you would have-”

“I would have died,” he finished for her quietly. “I was prepared to die, without ever hugging you again or telling Zuko that I...” He cut himself off with a heavy sigh, grabbing his forearms and curling his shoulders. “Well, let's just say I would have had some regrets, had you not shown up.”

She smiled at him sympathetically and reached out to squeeze one of his hands. “Lucky for you, Zuko came to both our rescue and we were able to get here in time. And now, you’ve done one of those things; I think it’s time you do the other.” He opened his mouth to object, wanting to stay with her and make sure she was okay, but Katara just shook her head. “I’m fine, Sokka. Go to him. Tell him.”

Sokka didn’t know how he ever got so lucky as to have Katara as his sister, and he scooped her into another hug. “Thank you, Katara. I love you.”

“I love you too, Sokka.” She pulled away and gave him a small shove. “Now go, before I tell Zuko for you.”

He just smiled and turned away from her, ready to finally tell Zuko how he felt.

Sokka found him easily enough, standing at the edge of the water alone with his shoulders curled in on himself. Zuko looked so small and defeated, despite the fact that they’d won, and Sokka’s heart broke. With a sigh, he began to limp over.

Zuko looked up as he approached, and Sokka was shocked to find there were tears in his eyes.

“Zuko? What’s wrong?”

He shook his head quickly and brushed the backs of his hands over his eyes, as though that would make Sokka forget what he’d seen. “Nothing. How’s your leg?”

Sokka frowned at him, but he knew he couldn’t push Zuko to tell him what was bothering him, so he simply said, “My leg’s fine. It hurts though, now that the adrenaline has worn off.”

“I’m sure. The fact that you were fighting on it…” He shook his head again. “How about your hand?”

Sokka blinked and looked down at the jagged, bloodstained cut that now crossed his palm in surprise. “Honestly, I’d forgotten about it,” he said with a slight laugh. “It really doesn’t hurt at all.”

Still, Zuko frowned. “You should still bandage it.”

“I suppose,” he clenched his hand and opened it again, feeling the wound stretch as he did, and knew Zuko was right. “I’m sure I can find something once we’re back-”

“Let me.” Sokka looked up from his hand at Zuko’s forceful interruption, a frown on his face that softened when he saw Zuko holding a black strip of fabric out to him, looking desperate. “I mean, let me help you. The way you helped me.”

“I- Okay. I’d like that,” he said softly.

The tension flooded out of Zuko’s shoulders as he stepped forward to take Sokka’s hand, his palms soft and warm against his skin. With nimble fingers, he wrapped the makeshift bandage around his palm gently. He looked down as he worked, so Sokka couldn’t see much of his expression, but he still found himself mesmerized by the furrow of Zuko’s brow and the way his hair was slipping off his shoulders and hanging around his face.

He was so effortlessly beautiful, and Sokka couldn’t hold it in any longer.

Sokka opened his mouth to speak, right as Zuko tied the last knot and said, “There. Much better.”

“Zuko,” he ended up saying after a brief pause, barely more than a shaky exhale as Zuko’s fingers drifted down his palm until their fingers were tangled together.

Zuko looked up, eyes so beautiful and gentle it made Sokka feel as though he couldn’t breathe, and his jaw opened and shut several times as he tried to speak. The words were right there, right on the edge of his tongue, and yet he still couldn’t say anything. 

It was as though holding the words inside for so long had made them impossible to say, as though he wouldn’t know who he was if he was parted from the truth of his feelings, as though he was still terrified that Zuko didn’t feel the same, as though the way Zuko was looking at him was too much because he was engaged to Mai -

“Yes?” Zuko asked softly, thumb rubbing across his knuckles. “What is it, Sokka?”

His gaze was open and anticipatory and full of love, and Sokka-

Sokka couldn’t tell him. 

Not when he was engaged to Mai, not when Zuko and Mai loved each other, not when Mai had found Zuko and came to Sokka’s rescue.

“We match now,” he said instead, the broken pieces of his heart like glass in his throat.

Disappointment flashed across Zuko’s face, though he masked it quickly with curiosity, and Sokka’s heart shattered into a thousand more shards of glass. “What?”

“Our palms,” Sokka said, forcing the words out as he held back tears. “We’re going to have matching scars on our left palms.”

Zuko looked down at where their fingers were still tangled together. “Oh,” he murmured. “I see… Listen, Sokka, I thought-”

He was interrupted by a crash, and they both looked to where it had come from- Suki had apparently knocked several pieces of treasure over while she was picking out things to take, and she was now trying to put the fallen pieces back. Her efforts were only making it worse, though, and she knocked over several more things as they watched.

With a sigh, Zuko slipped his hand out of Sokka’s and took a step back, tears once again shining in his eyes. “We should return to the Intrepid.”

“Of course.” Sokka clenched his hand as it returned to his side, trying to keep some of Zuko’s warmth with him, and nodded as though he didn’t feel like crumbling to pieces. “Your fiancee will be wanting to know you’re safe.”

Zuko exhaled, loudly enough that Sokka could hear that it was shaky with tears, then turned and began walking towards the jolly boats. 

And though every part of him was yelling for him to reach out and stop Zuko, Sokka watched him go. 

He stood there, numb, for several long seconds, until there were footsteps behind him. Shaking himself out of his stupor, Sokka wiped away his unshed tears and turned to face Suki, who was holding two golden fans and wearing a matching headpiece that reminded him of the setting sun.

“If you were waiting for the opportune moment,” Suki said, gesturing after Zuko, “that was it.”

“I can’t. He’s engaged, he loves Mai, and they’ll make each other happy. It’s what’s best for them; I can’t mess that up,” he said, his words sounding hollow even to his own ears.

“You really believe that?”

“I have to.” It was too painful otherwise.

Suki shrugged. “I think you’re making a mistake, but that’s your choice, mate. Now,” she raised her voice so that they’d all hear her, “if you’ll be so kind, I’d be much obliged if you’d drop me off at my ship. A deal is a deal, after all.”

“What about Aang?” Sokka asked as Katara came over, the man in question limping next to her and holding onto her arm.

“Ah. Well, you see, he’s having a… A bit of an identity crisis, if you will. See, the curse corrupted him and twisted his mind so much that he doesn’t feel he knows who he is anymore. So he said if we can just bandage him up- which I already did, seeing as I’m the one who shot him- and drop him in a jolly boat, he’ll go on his way and find himself again. It’s a spiritual journey, I suppose you could say.”

“And you don’t mind? You just got him back,” Sokka pointed out, studying the captain- or former captain, he supposed- curiously. 

Aang definitely looked different, with a gentler set to his shoulders and a softer expression on his face than he’d ever had since Sokka had met him; it was almost difficult to believe he was the same pirate who’d threatened to kill him or thrown his father overboard. The cut on his palm  wouldn’t let him forget, though, and Sokka clenched his jaw tightly and averted his gaze- Suki could be glad to have her friend back, but he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to forgive Aang.

Suki shrugged again. “I know he’ll find me when I need him most. Now,” she clapped her hands together as Aang and Katara joined them, Aang shifting to lean against Suki heavily, “I’m eager to be returning to the ship I’m once again captain of, so let’s get going!”

Katara grimaced. “About that…”

“What did you do to her?” Suki and Aang asked simultaneously.

“We didn’t do anything,” Katara sighed. “It’s just… When Zuko broke me out, he let Toph, Ty Lee, and the others out too, thinking they’d help us. But when we got to the deck, they sort of… Well, they stole the Dragon and left us with just a jolly boat.” Suki was silent, her face more crestfallen than Sokka had ever seen, and Katara added on quietly, “It was mostly Ty Lee, really. Toph said she was just following the Code, like you told her to. But Ty Lee was cashing in on that ship you owe her.”

“I see,” Suki said finally, flicking the fans in her hands open and close. With a heavy sigh, she snapped her new fans shut once more. “Well, they’ve done what’s right by them. I can’t expect much more than that.”

“Bloody pirates,” Aang supplied, his voice teasing even though he looked just as upset by the loss. Suki gave him a tired laugh, and Aang’s frown deepened- with that simple exchange, Sokka could see how they were once best friends.

“I’m sorry, Suki,” Katara said gently, a hand on her shoulder. “I know you care for Ty Lee-”

“Eh, things between Ty Lee and I have been over for a long time,” she interrupted with a shrug. With a meaningful look at Katara, taking her in from head to toe in a slow once over, she added, “Besides, there’s someone else who’s recently caught my attention.”

“Oh spirits, here we go,” Aang muttered, rolling his eyes fondly.

Sokka had to swallow down the urge to be sick- he may be grateful that Suki helped them, but flirting with his sister was a step too far.

“Who-?” Katara tilted her head slightly, eyes narrowed in confusion. She quickly caught on, though, and her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. Suddenly unable to hold eye contact with Suki, she fiddled with the end of her braid. “Oh. That’s uh, wow. I mean, I’m flattered, but we hardly know each other and you’re a pirate-”

“Relax, love,” Suki smiled genially. “I was just-”

“Suki, I am begging you to stop flirting with my sister,” Sokka interrupted, desperate for this to end. “Please.”

“Wait, sister?” Sokka heard Aang ask Suki quietly. “What does he mean, sister?”

“Oh, as if you weren’t too busy making mooneyes at Zuko to even notice I was there, fighting two immortal pirates alone,” Katara shot back, preventing Sokka from hearing Suki’s response.

“What? I was not- That’s ridiculous, why would you-” He spluttered for a moment, then gave up searching for a way to defend himself and sighed. “Actually, no, that’s fair.”

“Ah,” Aang said suddenly, looking at Sokka with a strange glimmer in his eyes. “So that’s why Zuko introduced himself as Zuko Amarok. I see now.”

“What?” Katara screeched, looking between Sokka and Aang with wide eyes. “Sokka, you didn’t tell me that! Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“I don’t know. There wasn’t really time,” he shrugged, the fact that Zuko’s first instinct had been to use his last name a painful reminder of what he’d just ruined.

“But-”

“It doesn’t matter anymore, Katara,” he snapped, suddenly unable to bear talking about Zuko any longer. “We’re never going to be together.” She went silent, her eyes wide, and he sighed. “I’m sorry. Let’s just get back to the ship. It’s been a long few days for all of us.”

“Alright,” Katara agreed quietly. “Let’s go.”

With Sokka leaning on Katara and Aang leaning on Suki, the four of them went to meet Zuko at the jolly boats, and they put the cave behind them.

Not a single one of them looked back as they rowed away from Si Wong Island.

⚔️☠️⚔️

The Intrepid was waiting for them in the bay where Zuko had left it, and soldiers threw down a rope ladder for them as soon as Sokka steered their jolly boat so it bumped up against her hull. Zuko grabbed the ladder before anyone else could, eager to get out of the boat and, though he was ashamed to admit it, to get away from Sokka. 

He’d been avoiding even looking at Sokka since their conversation in the cave, even going so far as to sit on the other side of the jolly boat while Sokka took the oars. It hurt him to do so, especially when all he wanted to do was sit next to Sokka, to feel his warmth against his side and know that they were both alright, but it was just too painful. He’d been moments away from telling Sokka that he loved him, and thought Sokka was going to as well- had been hoping for it- but then they’d been interrupted and Sokka had brought up Mai, and Zuko knew they’d missed their chance.

Which… It was fine. They were both safe, Zuko was engaged to Mai, and they’d go back to the way they were- best friends- once they were on Ember Island and everything was behind them.

For now, though, he just scrambled up the ladder, wanting nothing more than to hug his uncle.

Luckily, the moment Zuko set foot on the Intrepid, he found Iroh waiting for him anxiously, and he was pulled into an embrace immediately. Iroh’s hair and clothing were disheveled, though he didn’t look harmed otherwise, and Zuko relaxed into him, relieved.

“Oh Zuko,” Iroh breathed, squeezing him tight, “thank the spirits you’re alright. I was so worried when I saw you were gone, and then the fighting broke out and I didn’t know where you were-”

“I’m sorry, Uncle,” he said quietly. He felt bad that Iroh had been so worried, but at the same time, he couldn’t regret sneaking out- not when it meant Sokka had been able to end the curse and was now safe. “But I hope you can understand why I snuck out- I couldn’t stay here while Sokka and Katara were in trouble.”

“Of course I do.” He pulled away and dipped his head at Sokka and Katara, who had just reached the deck. “I’m very glad to see you both safe. Thank you for what you’ve done to make sure my nephew was returned to me.”

Zuko blinked at the way his uncle was behaving, as though he hadn’t refused to go back for them earlier that same day, though he didn’t dare say anything- not when the subject of piracy had yet to be brought up.

Sokka smiled slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, it’s not a big deal, Governor. It was nothing, really-”

“I would say the exact opposite, Mister Amarok,” Mai said from Zuko’s elbow- he startled, not having heard her approach. “In fact, I would say what you did is a very big deal. Yours as well, Miss Amarok. After all, you both committed several acts of piracy.” 

“What?” Zuko whirled to face her in betrayal. “Mai, please, don’t do this!”

At the same time, Sokka bristled and said defensively, “Arrest me if you want; I don’t regret what I did.”

“However,” Mai said loudly, stopping them both from saying anything more, “the Governor and I have discussed the matter and decided that clemency shall be granted in this case. Both of you are model citizens, and we recognize that these were… Extenuating circumstances.” 

The fight rushed out of Zuko and he let his shoulders drop, and he saw Sokka and Katara relax into each other.

“Thank you, Commodore,” Katara breathed.

“Oh, good,” Suki said suddenly. They all looked at her, apparently no one having heard her land on the deck. “I do love some good clemency. Now, if you could just drop me at Pohaui, Commodore, I’ll be on my way and we can part as unlikely friends.”

Mai raised an eyebrow. “Oh, not for you, Suzume. Seeing as you make a habit of piracy and are a wanted woman, you’re coming with us to Ember Island where you’ll be heading straight to the gallows.”

Zuko’s heart dropped- he supposed he should have seen it coming, but he thought that all Suki had done for them would have allotted her an exception, just this once. 

“Commodore, you can’t,” Sokka objected, stepping in front of Suki. “She led me to Zuko, as was part of our deal, and then she went one step further and came back for me. Without her, you’d likely have fallen to Aang’s crew; we couldn’t have ended this curse without her.”

Mai fixed Sokka with a hard look, one that Zuko knew was more Commodore Kubo than Mai. “I’m sorry, Mister Amarok, but as an officer of the Fire Nation Navy, I have a duty. Regardless of this curse you speak of, Suki Suzume is a criminal and guilty of countless crimes that she must answer for. Lieutenant Jee, the irons, if you would.”

Jee stepped forward and secured the shackles around Suki’s wrists, and she gave Sokka what she probably thought was a nonchalant shrug- Zuko saw through it, though, to the defeat and sadness in her eyes. “Don’t worry about me, mate. I knew it was coming.”

Suki was led away to be locked in the brig, and Zuko ran a hand through his hair in frustration; he knew Mai was just doing her duty, but he couldn’t help but feel betrayed. He’d grown fond of Suki when they were marooned together, and Sokka was right- so many things would have been impossible without her. Sokka and Katara wouldn’t have found him without her guiding them, Sokka would have been killed by Aang had she not distracted them, Zuko would have been shot by Aang had she not fired first… Time and time again, Suki had come to their rescue, and now she was being repaid with execution.

Sokka glared at Mai as Suki disappeared below deck. “You’re making a mistake, Commodore Kubo,” was all he said as he wrapped his arm around Katara, and together they walked away to treat Sokka’s knee.

Mai looked at Zuko with a subtle plea in her eyes, but he just shook his head and turned, unable to think of anything to say to her. 

⚔️☠️⚔️

The beat of the war drums filled the air, long rolls that were followed by two sharp taps echoing slightly off the walls of the fort and ringing throughout Ember Island’s bay. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining brightly up in a brilliant blue sky, the ocean sparkling beneath it, and Suki hated it.

Maybe if it were dreary and grey, she wouldn’t be upset, but no- instead, it was the perfect day, and she was going to die. She would love nothing more than to be hanging off the rigging with the ocean mist hitting her face and the wind in her hair, but instead she stood on the hanging platform, staring morosely into the distance with her hands tied in front of her and the noose just a step away. 

All because she’d tried to do the right thing and help a man save the person he was hopelessly in love with. 

Not that she regretted it, really, especially since helping Sokka had brought her back to Aang. At least she’d gotten to hug him again, before she died- the one silver lining in all of this, she supposed.

At her side, an officer unrolled a scroll and began to read, “Suki Suzume-”

“Captain,” she groaned, tilting her head up to the sky, “Captain Suki Suzume.”

“-you have been charged, tried, and convicted for your willful commission of crime against the Fire Lord. Said crimes are numerous in quantity and sinister in nature, the most egregious of these to be cited herewith: piracy, smuggling, falsification of letters of marque and reprisal, impersonating an Officer of the Fire Nation Royal Navy, impersonating an Officer of the Earth Kingdom Royal Navy, impersonating a Sage of the Fire Temple-”

“Oh yeah,” Suki laughed slightly- she’d forgotten she did that, but as she thought about it now, she realized it had probably been one of her shining moments. 

She glanced over at the hangman, who was waiting to pull the lever that would send her to La’s embrace, but the man didn’t laugh, and she looked back ahead awkwardly. As she did, she spotted a figure in a dark blue futou pushing their way through the crowd waiting to see her executed, and she rolled her eyes when she realized it was Sokka- trust him to wear a lavish hat to her execution.

“-sailing under false colors,” the officer continued, “arson, kidnapping, looting, poaching, brigandage, pilfering, depravity, depredation, and general lawlessness. And for these crimes, you have been sentenced to be, on this day, hanged by the neck until dead. May the spirits have mercy on your soul.”

Suki swore half of those crimes were made up- though she was sure she knew what only half of them meant, so perhaps that was why some of them didn’t sound right to her. Either way, she didn’t get a chance to bring it up and inquire if she deserved to be hanged for brigandage, whatever that was, before the hangman stepped forward and placed the noose around her neck. 

The drumroll grew to a crescendo as the rope was tightened, though she barely noticed- there was some sort of commotion in the crowd, and people were shouting and being jostled around by whatever was happening. 

As the hangman placed his hand on the lever, a powerful voice shouted, “Move!”

The crowd parted to reveal Sokka, his sword raised above his head as he prepared to throw it.

The last thing Suki saw before the trapdoor gave way beneath her feet was his black blade hurtling through the air.

⚔️☠️⚔️

Sokka didn’t mean to be late to Suki’s hanging, but his morning had passed in a haze of building up his courage for what he was about to do, which turned into him frantically changing his outfit countless times to expel some of his excess energy. Before he knew it, the echo of the war drums had reached his room and he’d realized how late he was- in a rush, he’d strapped his meteorite sword to his waist and sprinted to the fort. 

And so here he was, showing up late in a mix of two different outfits and with a half baked plan floating around his head. He pushed through the crowd to get a good vantage point, sighing in relief when he saw he wasn’t too late; the officer had just started reading Suki’s sentencing, and she hadn’t been moved over the trapdoor yet.

He still had time- not that he knew what, exactly, to do. He needed some sort of distraction, that much was clear, but what-

He heard a squawk, and looked over to where it came from curiously. It sounded familiar, somehow, and he soon saw why- Bông’s iguana-parrot was perched on one of the flag poles. Sokka smiled to himself, knowing that the creature’s presence could only mean one thing. And suddenly, he knew exactly what to do.

First, though, he had a confession to make. A confession that would double as a goodbye.

He turned swiftly on his heel, and reached the bottom of the stairs leading up to where Mai, Iroh, and Zuko stood just as the officer finished reading Suki’s sentencing. The three of them looked at him curiously, and he dipped his head respectfully.

“Governor Huo. Commodore,” he greeted swiftly, both of them returning it with a polite nod.

He paused and turned his gaze to Zuko, his heart pounding. He couldn’t believe he was really going to do this, but as he stared at Zuko, beautiful as ever in his deep burgundy robes, Sokka remembered what he’d promised himself so long ago- that he wouldn’t let Zuko go without telling him how he felt.

“Zuko,” he said softly, savoring the feeling of his name on his tongue and Zuko’s gaze on his face. “I should have told you everyday from the day I met you.” Zuko’s eyes widened slightly, and Sokka took a deep breath- it was now or never. “I love you.”

Mai and Iroh both looked from Sokka to Zuko, their jaws dropped in shock, and Sokka just barely saw Zuko’s expression- stunned and hopeful and relieved and tender- before he turned on his heel and strode back into the crowd.

He pushed the onlookers aside roughly, several of them shouting angrily at him, but he didn’t have time to be gentle or even throw an apology over his shoulder- the noose had been tightened around Suki’s neck, and he barely had any time left to save her.

He pulled his sword as the hangman grabbed the lever, and suddenly desperate, he roared, “Move!”

The crowd parted quickly, giving him a clear path to Suki, and he let his sword go just as Suki dropped through the trapdoor.

⚔️☠️⚔️

Zuko listened to the long list of Suki’s crimes with growing horror- he hadn’t wanted to attend, but unfortunately his status as the governor’s nephew and the commodore’s betrothed dictated that he had to. And so there he stood, once again standing in the sweltering heat as he waited to see his not-quite-a-friend hanged. 

It was awful, seeing the defeated slump of Suki’s shoulders as she awaited her fate, and as the officer continued reading, Zuko’s anger only grew. With a hard voice, he said, “This is wrong.”

“Zuko, I’ve told you,” Iroh sighed impatiently. “Commodore Kubo is bound by the law. As are we all.”

He’d known exactly what his uncle’s response was going to be- they’d been having this argument for three days, ever since they ended the curse- but it still made him clench his jaw. There wasn’t even anything else he could say to try and get them to change their minds; he’d already tried everything.

Zuko simply grit his teeth, knowing he was radiating enough anger that both Mai and his uncle would be able to tell exactly how he felt, and watched on.

There was movement from the corner of his eye, and Zuko glanced over to see Sokka striding towards them with his chin held high. There was determination written all over his face, and Zuko’s eyes narrowed. After eight years, he knew exactly what the hard line of Sokka’s mouth meant; he was planning something.

“Governor Huo. Commodore.” Sokka paused then, staring at Zuko with a gaze so intense it made him shiver despite the heat. “Zuko… “I should have told you everyday from the day I met you.” Zuko’s heart stopped in his chest- was Sokka actually about to…? “I love you.”

Zuko’s lips parted in shock and he was sure the world had been pulled out from under his feet- he’d been waiting so long to hear Sokka say he loved him, and now he had, and Zuko could tell him-

Sokka turned on his heel and walked away, heading towards the stage Suki stood upon, and Zuko watched him go in stunned confusion.

He could feel Iroh and Mai’s gazes on him, but was unable to do anything but watch and stand there, mind and heart racing as he tossed Sokka’s words around and around. He couldn’t even pin down a single emotion- there was relief that Sokka had finally said something, giddiness that Sokka felt the same, hope that he could tell Sokka how he felt, anger that Sokka had chosen now to say something, confusion as to why it sounded like a goodbye, desperation for Sokka to come back so they could talk about this-

He could hardly believe that after everything they’d been through, after all the times they’d almost kissed or confessed to each other, Sokka chose to finally tell him how he felt at Suki’s execution, in front of his uncle and betrothed, and then leave without giving him a chance to respond.

The next time he got his hands on Sokka, Zuko thought to himself, he was going to kill him. And then he was going to bring him back and ask him what on earth he was thinking, confessing like that, and then he was going to kiss him forever, and then he was going to kill him again.

He frowned as Sokka continued working his way towards the platform- he didn’t know what Sokka was up to, but something in his gut told him things were about to get messy. 

The drumroll grew louder as the noose was placed around Suki’s neck, and Zuko found himself unable to watch any longer. Suki’s sentencing broke his heart, but he’d tried everything he could think of. Short of helping Suki escape-

He spotted a familiar green iguana-parrot just taking off from a flagpole, and it was as if everything clicked at once. If Sokka’s confession sounded like a goodbye, it’s because it was; he was going to help Suki escape, and was pushing through the crowd to reach the stage.

It seemed Mai had the same realization he did, because she stepped forward and ordered, “Soldiers, stop him!”

Desperate to give Sokka more time to get to Suki, Zuko did the only thing he could think of: he grabbed his uncle’s arm tight and gasped, “I can’t breathe.” Then, he let himself fall backwards as though he had fainted, landing on the cobblestones with his eyes closed.

“Zuko!” His uncle shouted, crouching down next to him barely a second later.

There were screams from the crowd, and though Zuko wanted nothing more than to look and see what Sokka was doing, he didn’t dare open his eyes yet. Rather, he let his uncle fuss over him and listened as Sokka roared, “Move!”

There was a high whistle, like metal flying through the air, eclipsed by his uncle muttering, “Come on Zuko, wake up.”

Zuko sat up then, bolting upright just in time to see Sokka with his arm outstretched, his meteorite sword flying through the air end after end. 

“What-” his uncle muttered, the sighed heavily when he realized Zuko had simply pretended to faint as a distraction.

Still, it seemed his distraction and Sokka’s efforts had been for nothing- the hangman pulled the lever, and Suki fell through the trapdoor.

⚔️☠️⚔️

Suki squeezed her eyes shut tightly as she felt the trapdoor open beneath her feet, ready to greet the spirits, when there was a loud thunk. She stopped falling with a sudden, painful jerk, her feet landing on something narrow- when she finally gathered the nerve to crack an eye open and look at what was happening, she realized it was Sokka’s sword. He’d thrown it not to cut the rope, but so that it stuck out of the wood just below the trapdoor and gave her something to stand on, caught halfway between the stage and the cobblestones. Her boots slipped across the black metal as she fought for balance, her bound hands swinging wildly in front of her and the rope around her neck a persistent reminder that if she made one wrong move, she’d meet her end.

As Suki got her feet beneath her and the gathered crowd began screaming and scattering, Sokka had pulled out another sword and rushed forward to attack the hangman. The hangman met Sokka blow for blow, the force with which he wielded his axe forcing Sokka to go on the defensive. They fought around Suki as she struggled to stay steady on the sword, and tried frantically to catch Sokka’s eye so that he would cut her free from the rope. He didn’t see her, though, all his attention going into ducking around the swinging axe.

Beyond them, Suki could see Mai and her soldiers approaching, their bayonetts at the ready, and she struggled even harder- if she could just get her hands unbound, she could take the noose off-

A strong strike from the hangman forced Sokka’s blade to the ground and he dropped it, then leaned backward as the man aimed for his neck. The follow through of the swing sent the blade back over the hangman’s shoulder, right towards where the rope of the noose was secured to the gallows; Suki just had time for her eyes to widen before the blade cut through the rope as though it were water, and then she was falling again.

She landed in a heap on the ground and groaned, her bones and muscles aching as she pulled the noose off and tried to get to her feet. In her head, she cursed Sokka- she appreciated the rescue, she truly did, but did it have to come with so many scrapes and bruises at her expense?

At the exact moment that she managed to finally stand, there was a loud thud, and she looked up to see that the hangman had been pushed off the stage and was laying on the ground, having landed on top of several soldiers. She realized she had the perfect opportunity to get away while they untangled themselves, and taking back all of her complaints about Sokka’s method for setting her free, she raised her hands to the sword that was still stuck fast in the wood and cut through the rope. Once her hands were free, she gathered all the rope from the noose in her hands.

Sokka front flipped down from the stage at the same time as she emerged from underneath it, and Suki spared a moment to roll her eyes at his dramatics as they began sprinting towards the edge of the fort that looked out over the bay. A group of three soldiers was approaching them head on, and in a split moment, a plan formed in her head.

“Sokka! Catch!” she shouted, tossing one end of her rope to him.

He caught it swiftly and they stretched it between them, never breaking their stride. They caught the soldiers right around their stomachs, and a sharp tug sent each one crashing to the ground. Four more rushed at them, two coming down the stairs while the other two emerged from behind a pillar. The two on the stairs reached them first, and Sokka and Suki tripped them with their rope so that the soldiers fell down the rest of the stairs. 

Then, in unspoken agreement, they split off from each other- Sokka went around the right side of the pillar, while Suki went around the left. They met on the other side of it, shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers trapped on the other side of it. Suki pulled on her end hard, and a painful sounding thud told her one of the soldiers had hit their head on the stone.

The two of them barely had time to catch their breath before they had to jump back into the fight, soldiers descending upon them like fire ants at a picnic. They were outnumbered and outgunned, but they did their best with their fists and rope, backs still against the pillar. They swung and ducked and fought around each other, remarkably in sync, and in just a few moments, there was a clearing big enough for them to get to the pillar directly across from them- if they could do that, then the ocean was just a few steps away.

Hope bloomed in Suki’s chest and she took a step forward at the same time as Sokka did, only for her to see a soldier out of the corner of her eye, sword raised as he ran straight for them.

“Roll!” she blurted out, hoping Sokka would understand.

He did, and together, they dropped to the ground and somersaulted across the hallway, popping up right in front of the pillar. They pushed their backs to the stone just in time for several more soldiers to appear- at this point, Suki wasn’t even sure where they were coming from, not that it really mattered. 

She punched one of them in the face hard enough that she felt their nose break below her fist, as Sokka kicked another in the stomach, then she ducked around to the other side. She could see the ocean just a few steps and a long drop away, glittering blue in the sunshine, and she grinned to herself as she grabbed a soldier by the arm and swung her into two others, the three of them landing in a tangled heap. Sokka, meanwhile, had managed to get his hands on a sword, though Suki was quickly realizing it didn’t matter.

They were back to back, surrounded by dozens of soldiers that were all pointing bayonets at them, and Sokka’s single sword wasn’t nearly enough to get them out of this situation. His blade hit the tip of each bayonet as they spun in a circle, the clicks a mocking reminder of how close Suki had come to escaping, and she sighed- at least they tried.

As she resigned herself to heading back to the gallows, Mai spoke from the other side of Sokka. “I expected some manner of ill-conceived escape attempt, but not from you.”

The commodore’s voice was low and stony, and Suki peaked around Sokka’s shoulder curiously. 

Mai held her sword to Sokka’s throat, staring at him with a hard glare that Suki recognized as disappointment, but Sokka didn’t seem phased. He simply held his chin, gazing right back even as the governor and Zuko appeared behind Mai. Governor Huo looked equally disappointed, his lips pressed into a thin line, while Zuko’s skin was pale and his eyes were wide with worry.

“On our return to Port Royal, I granted you clemency, and this is how you thank me? By throwing in your lot with her? She’s a pirate!”

“And a good woman,” Sokka finally responded, lifting his chin even higher as he dropped his stolen sword.

Suki couldn’t help her smile- she’d known Sokka liked her, even if it took them being surrounded and outnumbered for him to admit it. Not that she needed him to say it to know, considering he’d shown it by trying to save her from death, but still. It was nice to hear.

“If all I’ve achieved here is that the hangman will earn two pairs of boots instead of one, so be it,” Sokka continued. “At least my conscience will be clear.”

Tucked behind his uncle, Zuko was trying valiantly to hold back a smile at Sokka’s words, his eyes glittering with pride.

Mai, however, was not as impressed. Rage made her voice shake as she said deliberately, “You forget your place, Amarok.”

“It’s right here, between you and Suki,” Sokka responded, deadly quiet and purposeful.

There was a long silence, broken only when Zuko finally stepped forward. With everyone’s eyes upon him, he took Sokka’s hand and turned to face his uncle and betrothed. “As is mine.”

At any other time, Suki might have cheered, but one look at Sokka’s shell shocked expression told her the sentiment wouldn’t be appreciated. Instead, she simply watched from behind Sokka and Zuko.

“Zuko!” Governor Huo said reproachfully, then sighed and turned his head to the soldiers. “Lower your weapons.” No one moved, and the old man snapped, “For spirits’ sake, put them down!”

It was just like that day on the docks, Suki thought as the soldiers slowly lowered their bayonets- once again, Zuko Huo had saved her life by stepping between her and his uncle and betrothed.

The thought of Mai made Suki stop short- though Zuko hadn’t said anything regarding his feelings about Sokka, anyone could understand what stepping in front of loaded bayonets meant. Anyone could understand that Zuko had made his choice. 

She slid her eyes over to Mai, and despite having very little love for the commodore, Suki’s heart broke a little. Mai’s jaw was working as she looked at Sokka and Zuko, and Suki saw her eyes flicker from their faces to their intertwined hands for the briefest of moments. Her dark eyes were shining with something like devastation and resignation, and her grip on her sword had slackened in her sadness.

With a deep breath, Mai asked softly, “So this is where your heart truly lies, then?”

Zuko nodded weakly, and though Suki couldn’t see his face, she could imagine the sorrow in his eyes- she knew his love for Mai ran true and deep, and that Zuko never wanted to hurt her. “It is… I’m sorry, Mai.”

Mai dropped her chin and pulled her sword away from Sokka.

Suki was about to echo the movement when she saw a flash of green and red on one of the fort’s cannons, and she looked up sharply, holding her breath in disbelief. It couldn’t be, she had to be imagining things-

But no, Bông’s iguana-parrot really was there, lifting off from the cannon to circle in the air above them. 

And if Bông’s iguana-parrot was there, then the Black Dragon wouldn’t be far behind.

Suddenly, she understood why Sokka’s plan seemed so scatterbrained- he likely hadn’t even had one, until he saw the bird. 

“Well, I’m actually feeling rather good about this,” she said, clapping her hands together and emerging from behind Sokka and Zuko. She went up to Governor Huo, stepping close enough that he recoiled. “I think we’ve all arrived at a very special place. Spiritually, familially… Financially.” She stepped over to Mai, next. “I want you to know, I’m on your team, love. Know that.” The commodore raised an eyebrow at her, and she quickly walked away. 

She passed Sokka and Zuko, the two of them wrapped up in staring into each other’s eyes in the sappy way new couples do, then stopped and turned back. After everything, leaving without a word to them just seemed… Odd.

“Zuko.” He turned and looked at her over his shoulder, hands never letting go of Sokka’s and a small smile on his face. She paused for a long time, contemplating all the things she could say, but realized they all seemed too final. And though she couldn’t say why, she thought she’d be seeing them again- a goodbye wouldn’t do. Instead, she just said, “It would never have worked between us, darling.” He raised an eyebrow at her and she winked. “I’m sorry.” 

She took a few more steps, up onto the first of the stairs leading to the same wall Zuko had fallen from just a few days ago, and saw Sokka duck his head slowly out of the corner of her eye. She paused again to just look at him- standing there with his arms around the man he’d sailed across the ocean and nearly died for, a silly hat on his head and head bowed as if disappointed Suki hadn’t addressed him- and smiled softly. 

“Sokka!” He looked up sharply, and though Katara usually looked more like Hakoda, the expression on his face was so much like his father’s that her breath caught. “...Nice hat.”

Sokka smiled, a small, lopsided smile, and she knew she’d said everything that needed to be said. She whirled around, ran up the steps, and turned just before she stepped up onto the low wall.

“Friends,” she announced, stepping backwards slowly, “this is the day that you will always remember as the day that you al-”

She was cut off as she took one step too many and bumped into the low wall, startling herself enough that she flailed backwards. Before she could regain her balance, she flipped over the wall and went crashing into the ocean far below.

As she surfaced, spluttering and pushing her hair out of her face, she couldn’t even be mad- she’d gotten away, Sokka and Zuko were together, and a familiar ship with black sails was emerging from around the edge of the island.

With a broad grin, Suki began to swim towards the Black Dragon.

⚔️☠️⚔️

Today was supposed to be a victorious day- Mai had captured a notorious pirate and was about to rid the seas of her, her fiance and her friends were home safe, they were about to begin the preparations for their wedding, she’d proven she earned her position in the Navy… Everything was supposed to be working out.

Naturally, the opposite was happening.

Naturally, she was losing everything.

Sokka had helped Suki escape, Zuko had pretended to faint to help them get away and then chose Sokka right in front of her, and Suki was swimming towards her freedom. It was just one thing after the other, and Mai was worn down to her bones.

Her duty to the crown didn’t rest though, as she was reminded when Lieutenant Jee asked, “What’s your plan of action?”

Her head throbbed at the question and she breathed in deeply, closing her eyes and fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose- such a motion was hardly becoming of a woman in her position, and her soldiers looked up to her to be cool and collected. But truthfully, Mai’s mind was numb, it was taking all her effort to keep her expression level, and she didn’t know what to do.

“Commodore?” Jee pressed.

She knew, of course, what she should do- arrest Sokka for piracy, order the ships prepared, chase after Suki- but she was just so tired. She was tired and weary and heartbroken, and she didn’t have a clue where to begin with all of that.

Thankfully, the governor seemed to take pity on her, because he interjected, “Perhaps, on the rare occasion that pursuing the right course demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course?”

The question was a bit abstract, but Mai thought she understood what Iroh meant; every act of piracy Suki had committed since they met her was to help Sokka, Zuko, and Aang. Sokka and Katara committed acts of piracy to save Zuko. Sokka and Zuko committed acts of piracy to spare Suki’s life. If Mai let Suki go and refused to arrest Sokka, then it would be piracy in the eyes of the law as well. And yet, it was the right thing to do, wasn’t it?

Mai smiled, and in that moment, her decision became clear. Besides, if the governor himself thought that letting Suki go was the right course of action, who was she to disagree?

With her mind made up about Suki, her thoughts turned to Sokka and Zuko, though it didn’t take her long to decide what to say- not when she was going to do what was right in this situation, too.

“Mister Amarok,” she said loudly, spinning on her heel to face him.

He grimaced, but stepped away from Zuko, whose face immediately wrinkled with worry. He tried to hold Sokka back, it seemed, but Sokka turned to him and Mai could hear him whisper, “It’s alright. I have to accept the consequences of my actions.”

Sokka stepped away again, and this time Zuko let him, though he didn’t drop Sokka’s hand until they were too far apart to hold on to each other any longer. Even then, Zuko’s hands stayed outstretched for several seconds, reluctant to let go.

As Sokka approached, Mai unsheathed her broadsword and studied it. It really was the perfect weapon, the gems and blade glittering in the sunlight and the weight perfect in her hands, and it had saved her life countless times since she received it. 

Mai knew she had Sokka to thank for that.

They might all pretend Piandao was fine, but everyone knew the truth; everyone knew that it was Sokka who made all the swords that came out of the forge, that it was Sokka who crafted the most gorgeous weapons in the entire Fire Nation, that it was Sokka who was there day and night amongst metal and coal, that it was Sokka who poured everything he had into his art.

He was a good man, Mai thought as she eyed her reflection in her blade, perhaps one of the best she’d ever met. If Sokka showed him even a fraction of the love and care he showed his swords- though there wasn’t a shred of doubt in her mind that his love for his swords was simply a drop of what he felt for Zuko- then he would make Zuko incandescently happy. And that was all she truly wanted.

“This is a beautiful sword,” she said once he’d stopped in front of her, his chin up and eyes focused on her face, determined to face what was coming his way- she admired it, and it reassured her that she was making a good decision. “I would expect the man who made it to show the same care and devotion in every aspect of his life.”

They’d always had an understanding of each other, as swordsmen and people who loved Zuko Huo; after Zuko, Sokka was the person who could read her best. And so she knew that she didn’t need to say more for him to know exactly what she was saying- they had her support and all her love, and she was happy they’d found each other after all these years.

“Thank you,” he said resolutely, with a small nod that showed her how much he appreciated and respected her.

It soothed some of the aching in her heart, and with a small smile just for him, Mai turned to go, sheathing her sword as she went.

“Commodore,” Lieutenant Jee stopped her before she could get too far, “what about Suzume?”

She looked over her shoulder, towards the ship disappearing into the horizon, and raised one eyebrow. “Oh, I think we can afford her a day’s head start, don’t you?”

Her lieutenant looked bewildered, but she just gave him a curt nod and strode out of the plaza.

Tomorrow, they’d return to the seas to chase after Suki.

Today, though, Mai was playing pirate.

⚔️☠️⚔️

Zuko watched the plaza slowly empty out as the soldiers followed Mai’s departure in a sort of haze, scarcely able to concentrate on anything except how relieved he was to finally have Sokka’s hands in his own. 

As well as he knew Mai, when she’d called out Sokka’s name, he hadn’t been able to tell what she was going to do- her face had given nothing away, and though he’d hoped it wouldn’t end with Sokka’s arrest, a wave of fear had still washed over him. All he could think was that he was going to have to watch Sokka walk away not knowing how Zuko felt- not knowing that Zuko should have told him how he felt everyday, too.

But everything was fine, it turned out, and Sokka was in front of him once again.

They stood together, hands clasped between them as they stared at each other. They still hadn’t gotten the chance to speak yet, between Suki’s departure and Mai trying to decide what to do, but he didn’t truly feel they needed to- not when Sokka’s eyes hadn’t once left Zuko’s face, not when Sokka’s features were soft with adoration, not when Sokka’s thumbs were rubbing gentle circles on his knuckles.

Zuko smiled up at him, and he knew that it was probably sappy and lovesick, but he couldn’t bring himself to care- especially when it made Sokka visibly melt, his cheeks darkening and his eyes crinkling at the corners as he beamed.

“So,” Iroh’s voice pulled Zuko’s attention away from Sokka and he looked at his uncle, standing at the edge of the steps with an approving smile, “This is the path you’ve chosen, is it? This is what will make you happy?”

Zuko looked back at Sokka- the man he loved so fiercely that his chest ached, who he would go to the Spirit World and back for without a second thought- and nodded. “Nothing could make me happier.”

His uncle didn’t say another word, simply chuckled warmly and walked away.

Finally, they were alone.

“Hello,” Zuko said quietly, unable to stifle his smile.

Sokka’s hands squeezed his and he breathed back, “Hi.”

“I can’t believe that’s how you chose to tell me you love me.”

It wasn’t at all what he meant to say, but when it made Sokka blush and laugh, he couldn’t bring himself to regret it.

“Yeah, that maybe wasn’t one of my best plans... I was just thinking that if the escape worked, then I might never see you again. I didn’t want that to happen without ever telling you how I felt.”

“Well, I thought it was charming,” Zuko reassured him, his heart clenching at the sincerity in Sokka’s voice. “I will say, though, that I didn’t truly get to enjoy your confession in my shock.”

“Well, in that case…” He freed his left hand to place it on Zuko’s cheek and leaned in closer, his eyes swimming with passion and love- Zuko shuddered under the intensity of his gaze. “Zuko Huo, you are my entire world- I should have told you everyday since you pulled me from the wreckage of that ship. But I didn’t, and now all I can do is tell you everyday going forward; I am in love with you, with everything I am and everything I have.”

Zuko’s heart threatened to beat out of his chest in his elation and he leaned into Sokka’s touch, laughing wetly through tears of happiness. With his newly freed hand, he gently tugged Sokka’s hat off his head. “Oh, Sokka… I love you, too. I always have, and I always will. You are everything to me, and I’m sorry it took me so long to tell you.”

Sokka’s eyes drifted shut for a moment as he breathed shakily, and when he opened them again, they were shining with unshed tears. “I’ve been waiting so long to ask you this, Zuko, so please… May I kiss you?”

Zuko grinned and pulled his other hand free to tug Sokka closer by the collar of his shirt. “I’ve been waiting so long to say yes- please do.”

His eyes glittering, Sokka leaned down to press his lips to Zuko’s, and just like that, Zuko felt as though he was finally home.

It was nothing fancy, just a simple give and take as their mouths moved together, but there were eight years of unspoken love behind it, of bandaged knees and hushed whispers, of shared dreams and breathless laughter, of pinky promises and hidden feelings. It was sweet and gentle and perfect, and Zuko couldn’t imagine that he’d ever lived a day without knowing that Sokka’s lips were as soft as they looked, or that he would let Zuko take the lead, or that he would dip his head so that Zuko didn’t have to go up on his tiptoes. And he couldn’t imagine that he’d ever go another day without kissing Sokka, because it was everything he’d ever wished for and more.

When they finally separated, they did so slowly and without going too far from each other- rather, Zuko wrapped a hand around Sokka’s neck to pull his head down and press their foreheads together, chest rising and falling gently as he tried to calm his breathing. 

“Hey,” Sokka whispered, making Zuko open his eyes to meet his adoring gaze. “I love you.”

Just like that, Zuko lost his breath all over again. “And I love you.”

⚔️☠️⚔️

The Black Dragon pulled up alongside Suki in the middle of the bay, her crew yelling and waving at her from the deck- their joy was contagious, and as she grabbed onto the rope that had been thrown down for her, she did so with a broad smile on her face.

With a shout of “Heave!” , she went flying into the air over the deck, and landed next to the helm in a sopping wet pile. Still, it didn’t matter- she was home.

There was a loud bark and the sound of nails scrambling across wood, and Suki sat up just in time to see Appa sprinting up the steps towards her. He barreled into her, tail wagging hard enough that his entire body was wiggling, and he was licking her face mercilessly, and when he barked again, his front paws lifted off the ground as he jumped excitedly. 

“I know, buddy, I missed you too,” she laughed, scratching behind his ears. There was a huff of laughter from in front of her and Suki looked up, grinning broadly when she saw Toph standing there with her hands on her hips. “I thought you were supposed to keep to the Code.”

Toph shrugged and wrinkled her nose. “Eh, we thought they were more actual… guidelines.” With a chuckle, she swung a hand out and offered it to Suki.

She took it gladly and Toph hauled her to her feet, and once she was standing up she saw more of the crew had come up to join them. She grinned at them, then smiled even wider when she saw Bông standing there with her hat in his hands. He offered it to her with a kind smile, and she dipped her head gratefully as she took it. When she placed it on her head, it was though a part of her had been returned, and she said warmly, “Thank you- all of you.”

“Captain Suzume,” Ty Lee said, standing by the helm with Suki’s coat in her hands. As Suki looked at her, she walked over and draped the familiar brown jacket around her shoulders, then continued, “The Black Dragon is yours.”

Suki walked over to the wheel and ran her hand across the wood reverently, struck suddenly by the fact that she had everything she’d ever needed- the Dragon’s deck beneath her feet, her captain’s hat upon her head, her crew at her side, the open ocean before her… She was free.

She paused, though, as she realized that everyone was staring at her, which simply wouldn’t do- not when the ocean was beckoning her forward. With a quirk of her lips, she looked up from the wheel and barked, “On deck, you scabrous dogs! Hands to braces! Let go to haul and run free! Bring me that horizon!”

Her crew leapt to action, all shouting at each other as they rushed to secure the riggings, open their sails, and prepare the Dragon for their voyage. She stayed put though, and as they began sailing forward, she sang under her breath, “We’re devils and black sheep…”

She flicked open her compass and as she contemplated what she wanted- which really, all she wanted was a heading, it didn’t matter where to- she continued, “We’re really bad eggs…”

The needle finally came to a stop, pointing straight towards the golden horizon, and she finished, “Drink up, me hearties yo-ho...”

With a smile on her face and the salt breeze in her hair, Suki gave the wheel a turn to head them in that direction; it was time to answer the ocean’s call.