Focused Fire (ATLA)

“Suki, join us, please.”

The royal couple had just finished breakfast and the morning briefings when Azula gave the sudden request. Despite her puzzlement, Suki followed the princess and Xing into the royal bedroom. Usually she’d be standing watch outside with the other bodyguards, pointedly ignoring the bumps and crashes and fiery bursts that leaked out.

Xing said a word to the other bodyguards outside before he locked the door behind them as Azula turned to squarely face Suki. “As you know, the big day will be coming soon,” she began with an even seriousness. The near monotone of her voice made Suki worry. “You’ve been a good friend, and a reliable bodyguard thus far. However…”

Azula paused for a second to stare straight into Suki before sighing the rest of the sentence out. “...I’ve only recently realized that you might not have been properly…incentivized and rewarded for your selfless aid.”

Confusion swept against Suki’s mind for a few seconds as she processed the words. Was Azula suddenly having doubts about her loyalty? What brought this on? “It’s not a-”

The princess cut off her words with a raise of her hand. “No. It’s not alright. We’ll be heading into combat again, and you’ll be tasked with ensuring my wellbeing. My life will likely be in your hands. And your life will be dependent on how much of a threat the enemy perceives me to be. I would be a poor employer, and a poorer friend, if I did not acknowledge the great risk you’re putting yourself in.”

So Azula wasn’t doubting her loyalty, but feeling bad about Suki’s role as bodyguard? This was getting more puzzling by the minute.

“So. Suki…” The princess’ eyes narrowed into an intense stare, and Xing stood beside her with an unreadable expression. “How much do you like Xing?”

It took seconds before the Kyoshi Warrior realized her jaw had dropped, and she was staring with eyes boggled at Azula. And then Suki began to blush against her will, and her gaze instinctively averted from Xing.

“Answer the question, Suki. Honestly.”

“I-I…” Her eyes flickered to the prince’s neutral gaze, and then returned to Azula’s more patient attention. “I’m not-”

The princess let out a great sigh. “Remember what I said earlier about Xing? The one where he’s off limits? I’ve rescinded that. So, do you like Xing?”

“I-I don’t-”

“Fine, if it’s going to be this difficult… Xing.”

“Are you sure of this?” Uncertainty finally peeked through in his otherwise stony expression, and Suki felt a pang of panic. 

Azula’s answer was nonchalant as she nodded to Suki. “I am. You should be asking her that.”

There was an urge to shrink away as Xing’s gaze rested on Suki, but she remained rooted to the spot, even as he took a few steps closer towards her. “Suki, please look at me.”

She couldn’t deny his voice. Suki’s nerves were alight with uncanny embarrassment as she met the Scorpion’s gaze. He raised an open hand and slowly brought it towards her face. A great part of Suki’s mind screamed for her to run, but she remained transfixed, her attention shifting between his fathomless golden eyes and his hand.

“May I?” he asked softly, and Suki found her view bobbing up and down as she nodded without thinking.

The contact on her cheek was oh so gentle, as if he were inspecting a fragile piece of glass. Suki heard herself gulp and the blood rush through her ears. She should lean into his slow caress. Or hold his hand. Or…or do something! Anything, instead of being as still as a statue!

At the corner of her vision, noted Azula, with her arms folded in front of her, rolling her eyes.

“Oh, for spirits’ sake… Suki, Xing is going to kiss you. Nod if you want it or-”

Suki was already licking her lips and nodding dumbly before the sentence finished. 

“See? It’s not that hard.”

Xing’s lop-sided smirk sent a giddy tingle rushing down and swirling in her chest. Her eyes remained wide and fixed on the prince as he leaned in. Her chest thrummed from her rapidly beating heart, her breath became shallower the closer he got, and her mind’s coherency crumbled away.

Then his lips brushed against hers, and then pressed against them.

Suki somehow managed to stiffen some more as she closed her eyes. Her toes curled and hands balled into fists. She couldn’t untense herself, otherwise she might melt into a puddle of embarrassment and delight.

His lips began to move, and the tension snapped when Suki heard herself make a most…unseemly sound. Xing’s strong, neck-crushing hands were on her shoulders then, propping her up as the Kyoshi Warrior remembered to breathe, and her limbs went slack with relief and…something else.

The contact- the kiss lasted for wondrous seconds before Xing pulled away, leaving Suki gasping softly and staring longingly at him.

“I hope you liked it?” he asked once he drew back enough for her to take in his smile. It was a very, very nice smile. Was it always that soft and gentle?

“I…uh…y-yeah…” Embarrassment kicked in as her brain still struggled to reconnect with her body. But Xing’s hand lightly rested on her cheek to stop her from turning away. It was all too easy then to be lost in his eyes.

“Good, good.” She almost mewled when his fingers began moving slowly against her face. “Well, Suki, as Azula said, we wish to…acknowledge your selfless deeds, and your friendship. So, we’ve been talking, and we’ve agreed to extend you an invitation…”

Suki gave a quiet nod, still not trusting herself to speak just yet.

Xing’s hand fell away, and then Azula’s was suddenly lightly pulling her attention over to her.

“Would you be interested in…joining us, Suki?” the princess asked in a curious, probing tone. “It’d mean…sharing…” Bodyguard and princess exchanged deep, questing stares for a moment. The current flux of emotions in Suki unlocked for her a greater appreciation of Azula’s looks. She’d always known for an objective fact that the princess was pretty, but right here, right now, with the giddy tingle running circles in Suki’s head, Azula’s sharp features and her keen, commanding eyes seemed more than just ‘pretty’. Admiration of the princess’ competence bloomed into…something.

And then Azula leaned in, and Suki was far less stiff this time (though there was also far less noise made). Surprisingly, it only felt a little different from Xing’s, and only a little less pleasant. Not, not less pleasant…less intense. Maybe it was her mind recomposing itself. Maybe it’s because Xing was…Xing. 

Azula’s lips were softer, but her movements were firmer, more demanding. Her grip on Suki’s shoulders was also not as…reassuring as Xing’s, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. Suki still felt disappointment when the princess ended the kiss. It’d take time getting used to this new avenue of…pleasantness, but Suki found herself looking forward to it.

Azula tossed an enigmatic smirk at Xing’s direction before returning her attention to Suki. “Do you think you’ll need much time to consider the invitation?”

It was a rhetorical question.

The trio established some promises, and they also agreed to hash out the finer details later, to give Suki more time to consider her stance…as well as clear her head a little. What was important was that she now had a ‘reservation’ in the young royal family.

Suki left with a light heart, ignorant to the fact that she was practically skipping off to her room to take a break that involved burying her face in her pillow and screaming her joy into it. She also didn’t notice Koshi and the other bodyguards giving her a second’s glance, and a couple of them letting out sighs before tossing pouches to their fellows.

*****

“That was…better than expected.”

“Which part?” Xing asked with bright amusement. “The one where you kissed Suki, or the one where you basically have her tied to us?”

“Don’t be cynical about it,” Azula chided as she absently brushed at her lips with her thumb. “I appreciate Suki as…well, as more than a friend now, but she’s more than a mere pawn. Besides, we’re above the petty games of nobles and Fire Lords, aren’t we?”

“That’s true,” Xing conceded as he walked up beside her and wrapped an arm around his princess’ shoulder. 

“But yes. She was…nice.” Azula gave her fiance a thoughtful look. “Different from you, but still nice.” A part of her also wondered if Xing felt the same way, but then a simple glance at him gave her the answer.

He was about elated as any man (or boy actually) was in that situation, but her fear of being replaced was unfounded. The fondness in Xing’s eyes didn’t dim at all.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. This will be interesting though…”

Azula rolled her eyes even as she leaned against Xing. “Of course it’ll take work. But don’t tell me you’re not keen on it.”

“I’ll be lying if I said so,” he admitted with a chuckle. Sure, he’s been regarding Suki with admirable ‘politeness’, even more so than Ty Lee in fact, but Azula would bet her place beside him if Xing didn’t enjoy exploring this new relationship at least as much as she did. Suki’s competence and her history with him probably ticked off a few of his boxes. The girl being eager to all but throw herself at him also helped.

Azula herself wasn’t too picky; she admired Kyoshi Warrior enough and Ty Lee was…still sorting herself out. Sure she could just pick some handmaidens to discreetly figure things out (with Xing’s approval, of course), but this was more…fun, for everyone involved. 

At the same time, the princess made a strong, conscious effort to continue ignoring the political benefits of tying a vaunted Kyoshi Warrior to Ba Sing Se.

“Though, with how much you’re kissing your thumb right now, I suppose I’ll have to quickly find you new bodyguards so Suki can be reassigned and you two can continue to…explore this new interest of yours?”

Azula lightly smacked her prince on the chest. “You make it sound like I’m some desperate and lonely spinster from the theater plays.” She let out an annoyed huff and then muttered, “It’s not like I have the time right now, anyway.” And it’d be rude to do any exploring with Xing left out entirely. 

“Quite true. Speaking of which, my princess…” Xing placed a light kiss on her forehead, and then another one on the tip of her nose, and finally a firmer one on her lips. “We’ve got a meeting coming up soon with the delegation from the Northern Water Tribe?”

Azula couldn’t help sighing. It’s either some form of work or another. Well, on the bright side, everything is coming to a head. The big day was just a couple of weeks away. The couple began to leave their room to head for the throne room. “Right… You said there’s some Southern Water Tribesmen as well?”

“Yeah, King Bumi was generous enough to pass along a message to Sokka’s and Katara’s father. I’m actually surprised they actually made it here at all.”

Azula wasn’t. Not with how occupied the Fire Nation navy must be now, more than ever, in maintaining the sea lanes between the home islands and the Earth continent. Enough regions managed to enact Azula’s order for scorched earth to endanger the invaders’ supplies if the neverending stream of convoys stopped. It made those particular areas of water practically impenetrable, but also opened up the rest of the ocean for the Water Tribes and Earth Kingdoms to move about more freely.

All the levity suddenly fled as Azula pieced together the overall plans and came to a somber realization. 

“We’ve got the Water Tribes tolerating us, an all but official ally in Omashu who leads a confederation of Earth Kingdom states, the rest of the Earth Kingdom is in no position to threaten us… It hurts knowing we’d still achieve all of that without my father’s idiotic mess. We could’ve leveraged all that diplomatic power to ensure a solid peace plan…”

Xing took her hand and gave a comforting squeeze. “It is not your fault for striving to rule the colonies as a princess should.”

“I know,” she lied.

Xing stopped and turned to Azula with a sad smile. “It is my fault for not fully considering your father’s insecurities as I offered you this path. I’m sor-”

She stopped him with a finger on his lips. “Don’t. I bear responsibility for willfully ignoring my father’s idiocy. I was a fool to overlook it, to think that he’d be content with praise and appeasement…” She thought he was like her old self, simply seeking affirmation by her lessers of how great she was. “I should’ve known I held merely an echo of my parents’ flaws.”

“Azula…” Xing said in a warning tone as they returned to that familiar stomping ground, and she waved him off even as she dispelled that dour train of thought. It wasn’t proper to speak of such things in front of the bodyguards and nearby servants anyway.

“I know, I know. I’m not them…” She leaned in to give him a quick but appreciative peck on the lips. “Thanks, Xing. For being with me.”

“You make it hard to do otherwise, my princess.” The princess rolled her eyes at the cheap flattery, and they continued their walk to the throne room to receive their guests. Leaving behind the intimate topic, Azula returned her focus to the matters at hand.

“Remind me again, the Northern Water Tribe princess, the Avatar’s friend is engaged to her, right? Can we use that as an option to thaw out relations quicker? Pledge some protection to the boy or host her here to give them some time together?”