standing watch, an alternate universe gradually building love story
warning: use of coarse language, sexual situations, and adult themes

Suki knows she should be regaining her strength, but she can't bring herself to stay in her bed in the Infirmary for too long. Her face already pales enough when Ty Lee confirms that Suki had been unconscious for two days and healing is a restless endeavor for the warrior. Instead of resting, she creeps through the hallway outside of the Kyoshi Warrior quarters. She just wants to be close to her warriors and to catch up on all that she's missed since her injury. So that is how she happens upon a conversation that doesn't seem meant for her ears.

"I have the right to be here, you know!" It doesn't take Suki very long to recognize her friend's voice. Ty Lee is shrill and upset and it causes the brunette to flinch when a rough, raspy voice nearly knocks her off of her feet.

"No, you don't. These are warriors' lodgings."

"You know what I mean, Zuko!"

Suki doesn't know what it is that brings the two of them to heated tones and yelling, but she isn't quite ready to give up her listening perch. She peeks through the doorway just a sliver and she catches the back of Zuko, his hair down around his face, dressed completely down, fists clenched at his side. Ty Lee is glaring back at him, adorned in a simple Fire Nation outfit. Her hair, however, is done up elegantly. Suki doesn't get to observe much else as the yelling resumes. She pulls back with a silent gasp and listens.

"Ty Lee—"

"I know you've always thought of me as a freak—"

"—That's not true, I—"

"—But I'm nobility too, Zuko!" Her yell silences his stammers and Suki presses her back against the wall. She knew that Ty Lee was the daughter of a Fire Nation nobleman, despite the girl's cheery exterior and very uncouth behavior. She wasn't rigid and emotionless like most children of nobility tended to be. Ty Lee was warm and bubbly. Suki herself had almost forgotten that Ty Lee was of nobility, but from time to time, she noticed that the acrobat carried herself a different way. The day that she had been dismissed for her mother's funeral comes to her mind as she remembers the solemnly demure grace that she summoned. With her hair piled on the top of her head, Suki can't help but notice how regal she is, even in plain clothes.

"Don't look so preposterous about the idea that I'll be at your stupid ball, please. Just because you've known me all your life, it doesn't mean that you have to treat me like an ugly little sister—"

"Ty Lee!"

"My sisters will all be there too. With any luck, maybe you won't be able to tell the difference between us and you can just avoid us all."

Before Zuko can bother with a retort, Ty Lee stomps angrily out of the doorway. Suki darts and slides, crashing into the nearest alcove with a groan that she stifles by biting on her lip hard enough to draw blood. She watches her friend stomp past her hiding place with tears in her eyes, her elegant updo unraveling slightly. It's a long while and Suki tentatively gets out of her hiding place, limping with a tender hand on her ribcage. It is that moment that Zuko chooses to exit the quarters, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Suki suspects he may explode at the sight of her.

"Suki! You should be resting, not wandering around down here." Zuko doesn't have an angry stance, but he stands straight up and gives her a look that she visibly wilts under.

"Can you, uh," she stumbles over her words, holding her hand towards him. He looks affronted, like she's tried to throw a punch. "Help me? Back up to the Infirmary." Her hands move over her ribs. "This hurts. A lot."

He stares at her with wide eyes for a moment before jolting, taking her hand and pulling her to his side. She flushes at the contact, more than necessary. He had carried her to the Infirmary before, but it was a relationship between Fire Lord and guard. Now, he was dressed in common clothes and she was pressed against him, in a hospital gown no less. He was warm and solid, and his presence was a comfort. She leans on him alot and by the time he rounds the next corner to the stairs, he stops.

"Are you okay?"

Weary, Suki tips her head back and blinks at him. She starts to think it wasn't such a good idea to get out of bed. She starts to nod her head yes but her head wobbles loosely, an odd cross between a shake and a nod. Zuko's brows knit together out of concern and he is lifting her again, his thick arm underneath her legs and arm around her back. "Put me down!"

He doesn't listen and Suki huffs, wriggling a little in his grip before she cries out loudly in pain. Another bad idea, she realizes, as Zuko falters along the stairs and nearly drops her. He sets her down so she's seated on a stair and frowns magnificently at her. "You're really hurt, aren't you." His question falls flat and she stares up at him, her indignant look drifting into a slightly sad one.

"I...It's okay. I was doing my job." She offers him a weak smile, but it does little to appease his concern.

"I should really send you away before I make it worse."

The brunette's mouth drops open as the shock takes effect first. Then there is anger, sadness, and understanding as she realizes he is projecting his feelings onto her. She crosses her ankles and reaches out for his hand. He pulls his out of her reach for a moment, shooting her an incredulous look, but her arm remains outstretched and he is resigned to letting her take his palm.

"I'm a warrior. I'm bound to get a little hurt every now and then. I'm also an adult, and if I make a decision, it's because I want to, not because it's any fault of yours. So just...treat me like an adult." She nods with a grin, satisfied that she may have conveyed her secondary advice.

He seems to be thinking through it before he sighs and sits down a stair away from her. She lets go of his hand to place her palm against his back, surprised that he allows it. "I just made a mistake. I thought I was doing the right thing for a friend and I just made a mess of it anyway." Suki tries to divine exactly what went on, but he continues talking. "Ty Lee is…one of my best friends and I don't have many friends like her. But I hurt her feelings because I thought I was doing something good for her."

Suki is silent as she tries to observe the Fire Lord. She has no idea what he's talking about but she can sense his distress; but the moment she brushes her hand against his back, he stiffens. Within moments, he is back on his feet, reaching for her forearm with one hand and his other hand on her back, trying to guide her back to where she needs to be. The warrior follows as quickly as she can, stumbling over a few steps and tiring at the turns of some corners; Zuko is patient and waits with her until she gathers herself and continues.

When they reach the Infirmary, perhaps it is her gratitude or her weariness that causes her to reach a hand up to his shoulder. Her thumb brushes his neck absently. "Thank you," she takes a step back and her fingertips slide between his collar to touch the warm porcelain skin, "Ty Lee is lucky to have someone like you looking out for her. She might be upset now, but she will understand your intentions eventually." Suki feels the dazed smile drifting across her lips and wonders why it is that way.

She turns to head into the Infirmary, slightly pleased with herself, when Zuko's voice snaps through the air like a whip.

"There's a ball," Suki turns to look at the Fire Lord and something about her expression causes him to wilt in embarrassment, "uh, next week. In a week's time. You…are welcome to attend with Ty Lee." A pause. "Well, not with Ty Lee unless you want to, if that's what you decide, but…just ask her." And he's gone.

notes: this is dedicated to Boar Charges Down The Mountain, FairSOLDIERLover, firedragon315, juuvia and PrincessofBadLuck for favoriting/following this story. i'm sorry that this took so long! i got really distracted from it with real life and i had an issue with betaing so i am making it up to you with a pretty lengthy update, i think. plus the slow building plot is starting to escalate into the beginnings of visible shipness.

for those of you who mentioned the ty zuki, i totally didn't intend for that to be the pairing. i just wanted it to seem like a balanced story that didn't revolve around just zuko and suki, hence ty lee, azula, his guardsmen, and an underlying plot unfolding. but if people like that it's drifting to ty zuki, i can certainly continue to spin it that way! like i have in this chapter, i just really liked the dynamic of zuko and ty lee. next chapter will be this illustrious ball! i promise i haven't forgotten the plot either and i promise it all ties in together, just sit tight.