Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It had been going okay since Aang and Katara left for that trip to Kyoshi Island. Sure, Sokka was a little jealous. Who wouldn’t be? It’d been forever since he’d last seen Suki, and his sister and best friend were going to visit her hometown without him! He was stuck here with the giant oversized oaf of a dog and the cat..(?) He never really believed that Momo was a real cat, no matter how many times Aang swore up and down his grossly oversized ears and lithe frame were just traits of his breed.

Speaking of the cat.. Where was he? Sokka sat up from the couch, quickly gathering the Chinese takeout he’d been eating and dumping it into the fridge to keep Appa from eating it. Sokka looked around the room, unsure where the damn cat could’ve gone. He quickly deduced that Momo wasn’t in the kitchen or the living room, so he peeked into Aang’s room to see if he’d gone in there. He glanced around for a moment before coming to the conclusion that Momo wasn’t there, either.

Where the fuck is he? Sokka hurried back out to the living room, only this time he noticed something. He’d forgotten to make sure the door was fully closed when he picked up the food delivery. Momo had left the apartment. He immediately slipped on a pair of slippers and darted out the door, making sure to close it this time so Appa wouldn’t get any ideas. If I were a stupid cat, where would I go? Sokka pondered as he hurriedly began to knock on one of his neighbor’s doors.

That was unsuccessful, they politely told him they hadn’t seen any cats other than their own. So he went to the next door, then the next, then.. Apartment 311. He stared at the mahogany door, working up the courage to knock on yet another door. The things I do for this fucking cat. With an exasperated sigh, he knocked on the door of apartment 311. Silence.. For about a minute.

Then he heard the jiggling of the door’s handle, and a moment later, a face peered through a small crack between the door and the doorframe. Sokka had seen this guy around before. It was a little hard to not remember someone like that. The obvious thing was the scar on his face, the skin discolored and taught. Sokka didn’t even want to imagine what kind of thing caused that big and that severe of a burn. But that wasn’t the only notable thing about this guy– far from it. He had longer hair for a guy, the dark strands almost reaching his shoulder. Not to mention his eyes. Spirits, his eyes were gorgeous. They were the color of cacao, rich and warm. It was a stark contrast to the scowl on his face.

“What do you want?” Were the first words out of the stranger’s mouth. What happened to hello, how are you, my name is? “Hello? Dude? You good?” Suddenly Sokka realized he’d spaced out and had stared at the man for a few seconds.

After blinking a few times, recollecting his thoughts, he smiled awkwardly. “You wouldn’t happen to have seen a, um, peculiar looking cat, would you? He’s an oriental shorthair, got those too-big ears, he’s black and white.. Ring any bells?” An uncomfortable chuckle escaped him as he rubbed his cheek, unsure what to do.

The stranger sighed quietly and shut the door. Rude, much? Sokka thought to himself. After a moment, Sokka was about to move onto the next door, when apartment 311’s door reopened. After glancing up, Sokka almost choked on his own spit. The man was holding momo, who was purring! Momo– PURRING. Sokka couldn’t help but pout a little, feeling jealous over the fact that Momo had never purred for him. “This your cat?” The man asked bluntly, any hint of affection that had been directed towards the feline now absent from his expression as he gazed upon Sokka.

“Shit– yeah, it is!” Sokka exclaimed, feeling a rush of relief come over him as he found Aang’s stupid fucking cat. The exchange was quick and simple, as it should be. Once Sokka had Momo in his arms, he nervously spoke up again, “Um, my name’s Sokka. Can I have your number..? In case, you know, Momo decides to run away again..?” Real smooth, Sokka.

After a brief hesitation, the man nodded. Sokka pulled out his phone for the neighbor to type his name and number into. After the brief exchange, he checked his phone screen. Huh, his name’s Zuko. Never heard that name before.

And that was that. Sokka returned to his apartment, triumphant, with cat in hand. As soon as he opened the door to 307– his own apartment– the giant mass of fluff that was Appa began to bark and jump around. Sokka quickly dropped Momo before turning to give Appa his well-deserved love.

About an hour later, Sokka was lying on the couch again. It was 9PM, Aang and Katara’s plane landed at 6AM the next morning, he really should get to bed sometime soon if he doesn’t want to be a zombie and a danger to everyone else on the road. But instead of doing anything responsible, he pulled out his phone and texted the man who’d been on his mind since they met.

9:04 PM

This is Sokka, your neighbor. I live in 307. Thanks again for finding my cat.

Read 9:04 PM

A small sigh escaped Sokka as he stared at the nearly empty message log with Zuko. Why did he want the guy to respond so badly? He stared at the chat for a couple minutes before sighing quietly and turning off his phone. He needed to get to bed.

---

Zuko was a little on-edge tonight. It hadn’t been a good night. He’d had to attend a family dinner– always a bad time. His father kept berating him for not being more involved in the family business, kept comparing him to his sister Azula, kept telling him how disappointing he was. When he’d gotten home, all he’d wanted was to crash in his bed for the weekend and pretend that nothing was wrong and that his little bubble of contentment was his reality. But instead of that, he got a cat outside his door, meowing and scratching as if it lived there.

Great. He thought to himself as he stared the creature down. It stared back. After the mini staring contest (that Zuko lost), he sighed and scooped the cat up. I can’t just leave the little guy out here.. I hope he has an owner. And sure enough, about 30 minutes later, he got a knock on his door. Zuko had been in the middle of cooking his dinner, so he had to take a minute to turn the burner off and get the food off the heat before he answered the door. And, surprisingly, there was his.. Crush? That was too strong of a word. He’d seen the guy around a couple times, and– even though he only had one fully functioning eyeball– he could still see clearly that the guy was his type.

So what was he doing at Zuko’s door at 8:06 PM? “You wouldn’t happen to have seen a, um, peculiar looking cat, would you?” Oh. That’s why. Duh, Zuko. He thought to himself as he stared at the man for another moment. Sure, he should’ve said something, but he was tired–! So instead of giving any sort of reply, he just shut his door in the guy’s face. It took him a second to find the cat, since it had taken it upon itself to explore every nook and cranny of Zuko’s apartment, but eventually he picked up the creature and went back to his front door.

He was a little startled by how cute this guy looked when he was reunited with the cat. He fought back a small smile at the sight. Zuko was about to close his door again– for good this time– when his neighbor spoke up again and asked for his number. Zuko swore he felt his cheeks heat up, but he obliged. He typed his name and number into the guy’s phone, and that was that.

He hadn’t expected anything more from the interaction, but surprisingly an hour later, he got a text from an unknown number. “This is Sokka, your neighbor… Thanks for finding my cat.” For some reason, that message elicited a small chuckle from Zuko. He stared at it for a few seconds, rereading it a couple times. Sokka, Sokka. His name is Sokka. He’d never heard of the name before, but he felt like it suited his neighbor– it suited Sokka.

Zuko had meant to reply, he really did, but he got a little distracted by his thoughts. He lied down on his couch and, embarrassingly, thought about Sokka. The guy was really handsome, okay? He had light brown skin, a soft slope to his nose, and a smooth jawline, along with an air of confidence and ease. His hair was a deep brown, long but always tied up in a bun. He’d gotten lost in his thoughts and left his phone abandoned on his coffee table. Oops. He probably wasn’t waiting for a reply, right?

Chapter Text

A small groan escaped Sokka as his eyes reluctantly opened. He blinked sleepily a few times before registering the blaring alarm coming from his nightstand. Rubbing his face, he grabbed his phone and turned off the alarm. 5:49 AM. Shit. He was supposed to be at the airport at 6 AM to pick up Aang and Katara. But his bed was so cozy… surely his sister and friend wouldn’t mind if he was a couple hours late, right? No, Sokka. You do not want to make Katara angry. You know that. He thought to himself, a small shudder wracking through his body at the thought of his little sister’s wrath. 

So, he reluctantly slid out of his too-comfy bed. As soon as the blanket was off his body, he shivered from the cold morning air. Why couldn’t they have picked a later flight? He complained to himself as he picked up the first clothes he saw on his floor that seemed clean enough. After a brief shower and brushing his teeth, he was out. He hadn’t even bothered to brush his hair or tie it up. Nobody was going to see him, right?

That was immediately proven wrong. He walked out of his apartment, yawning quietly as he locked the door. When he turned around, he was greeted by the sight of Zuko in a sleeveless top and shorts. He gawked for a moment, completely speechless, before quickly averting his gaze. Holy shit. Zuko’s hair was messy and wet, as if he’d just showered. His clothes were slightly loose, but accentuated his features well. Sokka swallowed nervously, trying his hardest to not look at Zuko.

---

Zuko had just gotten back from the gym. Yes, it was too damn early to be out and about, but he enjoyed the emptiness of the gym during the early hours of the morning. He never liked going to the gym when it was busy; he always felt too self conscious. Yes, he has a giant scar on his face, no you don’t need to point it out. All two of the other people who go to the gym before starting their day are too involved in their own routines to ever comment on Zuko’s appearance. He liked that about that group of weirdos.

He hadn’t been expecting to see anyone on his way back to his apartment– it was too early for anyone other than students and masochists like Zuko to be up. And yet, here Sokka was, looking like he just rolled out of bed and still somehow looking gorgeous. For some reason, it hadn’t really connected that Sokka would have long hair. Yes, he saw Sokka’s hair all the time, but it was always in a bun that kind of disguised its true length. It probably went below his shoulder bone. 

“What are you doing?” Zuko questioned bluntly. He never was one for words– hopefully Sokka was able to see that he wasn’t being malicious. Zuko stared at his neighbor, eyebrows furrowed as he tried to think of any possible reason for someone like Sokka to be out at this hour. He’d never seen Sokka at this time before, so he was confused. 

A yawn escaped Sokka– another clue that he wasn’t usually one to be up at this hour. A second later, the answer Zuko was searching for came, “I’m picking up my sister and her boyfriend up from the airport.” Sokka ran a hand through his hair and shook his head lightly. “I gotta go right now, or my sister’ll kill me.” He smiled weakly at Zuko, yawning again as he left. Cute.

---

The drive itself was uneventful. When he got to the airport it was a different story. He was 30 minutes late picking up Aang and Katara. “Where the fuck were you?” Were the first words that Katara spoke to her older brother after not seeing him for a week. The new generation is doomed. “Aang and I have been waiting out here for, like, an hour! I can see my breath– my breath! And you made us sit here and wait and freeze to death!” 

“Katara, babe, calm down–” Aang hurriedly butted in, trying to prevent his girlfriend from causing a scene at the airport. He smiled uncomfortably at Sokka before directing all his attention back to Katara. “He’s here now, that’s all that matters!” That didn’t seem to appease Katara, but she didn’t make any more of a fuss. Thank the spirits for Aang. Sokka thought to himself as he lugged their suitcases into the trunk of his car. 

During the drive home, Aang kept things from getting awkward by babbling about the trip and all the amazing things they did. “--And Katara and I decided to hike that trail Suki told us about. You know the one?” Aang was succeeding in filling the silence, but was not succeeding in preventing anyone from getting more upset. What the fuck? They knew I wanted to go on that hike the next time I went to Kyoshi Island! Sokka knew it wasn’t malicious, but it still pissed him off.

When they got to the apartment, Sokka was tasked with taking all the luggage in. I was the only person who didn’t go on the damn trip– why am I doing this? He complained to himself as he heaved the suitcases into the elevator. He dumped them unceremoniously on the floor of their living room and headed for his bedroom without another word. Sokka’s one rule was that Katara couldn’t stay over– that was weird for him– but today was the exception. He was not driving to Katara’s place then back to his and Aang’s. He just wasn’t.

---

Zuko was lounging on his couch when he saw a message from Sokka pop up on his screen.

---

2:44 PM 

Momo misses u ):

---

What the hell? Zuko hadn’t expected to get a text from Sokka out of the blue. A small chuckle escaped him as he opened the chat and saw the cat– Momo– scratching at what he assumed to be Sokka’s front door. Holy shit– that dog is a giant. He’d noticed Appa almost immediately.

With a small sigh, he turned off his phone and went to bed. He woke up to his 5:30 AM alarm the next morning, made his breakfast, and was out the door by 6 AM. He was immediately jumpscared by the sight of a sleepy Sokka standing outside his front door. He almost punched Sokka in the face before realizing who it was.

With flushed cheeks and narrowed eyes, Zuko began his interrogation, “What the fuck are you doing outside my apartment at 6 AM?” Maybe he’d misjudged Sokka and he was a stalker– or worse, maybe Sokka knew his father. His mind was flooded with the image of his cute neighbor actually working under Ozai. It made him nauseated just thinking about it.

“Oh, um. Hi, Zuko.” Sokka fumbled for something to say, to explain himself in this situation. He didn’t really have anything but the stupid truth. “It looked like you, um, went to the gym yesterday around this time. I thought.. Um, if you wanted to, we could go together..?” How could I have immediately assumed this dork worked for my father? Zuko snorted quietly to himself, before quickly shutting himself up. He didn’t want Sokka to get the wrong idea.

A small noise escaped him, but he quickly realized that wasn’t an adequate answer. “Uh, okay. Sure..?” He replied just as awkwardly. What in the world is happening right now? He thought to himself as he and Sokka headed out to the gym. 

An hour or so passed by with them doing various workouts, spotting each other when they lifted weights, idly chatting while walking on the treadmill. Zuko was surprised how much they had in common. They both only had one sibling– a younger sister, their families could be a little controlling at times, and they studied at the same university.

After showering, changing, and driving back to their apartment complex, Sokka did something unexpected. “Do you want to come over to my place?” Sure, it was just down the hall, but it felt like a big step. Sokka wants to spend more time with me. Zuko thought as he nodded shyly.

—

“Do you want to come over…?” Play it cool, Sokka. Don’t make this weird. He was kind of surprised when Zuko nodded in agreement. In reply, Sokka smiled shyly at Zuko and led the way back to his apartment. “Momo’s going to be ecstatic.” Sokka added with a quiet laugh, unlocking his front door and pushing it open.

They were greeted by the deep bark that belonged to none other than Appa. A meow followed soon after. Sokka lightly pushed past the pets and glanced over his shoulder to see if Zuko would do the same. He did, though it was significantly more difficult for him. Momo had decided to cling onto the leg of Zuko’s sweatpants. That elicited a small laugh from Sokka as he shut the door behind his guest.

“Dude, who’s that?” Right, Aang’s home. Sokka internally face palmed as he turned to face his roommate. He glanced around their living room for a moment, no sign of his sister. He really hoped she’d gone home already. Katara and Aang were the only two people who knew Sokka was bi, and only Aang didn’t make it a big deal. Katara was great– a real ally– just a little overbearing. She lectured Sokka on using protection, getting tested regularly, and using his judgement to try to avoid getting into troubling situations. He appreciated the concern, but most of the time he wished she’d just chill like Aang.

Sokka laughed shyly and replied, “This is Zuko. Um, he lives in 311. He found Momo the other day.” That seemed to be good enough for Aang, who just nodded and went back to looking at his phone. A near-silent sigh escaped Sokka– the first hurdle of the night had been overcome. Or so he thought.

“Just remember what Katara said: use protection. Oh, and don’t be too loud.” WHAT THE FUCK. AANG, WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? Sokka’s face flushed a deep red as he whipped his head around to stare at Zuko. His lips parted silently– how the fuck was he supposed to explain this? This was not the time nor the place to come out to someone he’d just met. He didn’t want Zuko to get the wrong idea. Oh spirits, oh spirits, he hates me, he thinks I lured him here to fuck, he thinks I’m a predator.

Instead of any of those negative reactions Sokka had already started coming up with, Zuko snorted. Then covered his mouth in a futile attempt to stifle more laughter from escaping. After a moment, he gave up entirely, and doubled over laughing. It’s not funny, asshole. Sokka grumbled internally, though he felt the corners of his own lips tugging up. I’m glad he’s not weirded out by this. A small sigh escaped Sokka’s nose as his gaze flicked from Aang to Zuko. Today was going to be a good day.

Chapter Text

Sokka’s place was surprisingly cozy. Zuko wasn’t sure what he had expected, but this wasn’t it. He was startled to see some guy with a buzzcut and tattoos of arrows, but he quickly learned two things; a) his name was Aang, b) he was pretty chill. He was caught off guard by Aang teasing Sokka about using protection, but Sokka’s reaction made Zuko crack up. 

He wished he had a friend like Aang. Or a friend, period. Enough of that. He scolded himself, following Sokka’s lead of sitting and plopping himself down on a beat-up, blue bean bag chair. Momo climbed into his lap and purred happily as he made himself comfortable. That elicited a small puff of laughter from Zuko. Apparently everyone in this household was friendly— even the pets. 

“So what do you do, Zuko?” Aang questioned, startling Zuko slightly. He’d been lost in his thoughts, and it took him a moment to realize Aang had asked him something. Aang’s head tilted slightly as he waited for an answer

An awkward smile spread on Zuko’s face. He really hated being the center of attention— it never seemed to mean good things. He couldn’t really talk about himself without putting these guys in danger, so it took him a moment to figure out how to respond. “I work part-time at my uncle’s café, and I’m also studying political science.” 

Thankfully that was a good enough answer for Aang. Sokka seemed to be watching Zuko curiously. The intensity of his neighbor’s stare made Zuko’s cheeks flush slightly. Spirits, why is he looking at me like that? Zuko silently wondered. 

---

Sokka hadn’t expected Zuko to be studying political science, but he guessed it made sense. It honestly just made Zuko seem even more intriguing to Sokka. He wanted to learn more about this mysterious boy next door. “Are you close to your uncle, then?” Sokka asked cautiously. He knew that family could be a touchy subject for a lot of people. 

“Um, yeah. He’s like a father to me.” was Zuko’s response. It was clear to Sokka that Zuko was uncomfortable talking about himself. I get that, Sokka thought to himself as he smiled. 

Despite his roommate sitting right next to them, Sokka awkwardly decided to scoot a little closer to Zuko. Immediately he noticed his neighbor’s cheeks flush lightly. That made him smile again. 

The rest of the time Zuko was at Sokka’s place, they chatted about random things and played some games. That night, Sokka flopped onto his bed and sighed happily. Zuko’s so cute. He thought to himself as he hugged a pillow to his chest. He pulled out his phone and sent Zuko a text. 

---

Today was really fun

Can I see you again tomorrow?

I’ll wake up extra early to go to the gym with you :)

Read 9:12 PM

---

Sokka bit his lip as he stared at the chat between him and Zuko. It was clear that Zuko wasn’t much of a texter. That’s okay. Sokka sighed to himself, shutting his phone off and resigning himself to a night of hopelessly pining over his neighbor. 

---

Yeah. It was nice. 

You don’t have to go to the gym with me. Let’s meet at my uncle’s café instead. I’ll send the address. 

Sent 10:16 PM

---

Sokka was startled awake by his phone buzzing. Who the fuck is texting me at 10 PM? He groggily questioned, picking up his phone to check. He was blinded by the light of his phone screen for a moment before he squinted and saw that it was Zuko. Immediately he wasn’t grumpy anymore. He quickly turned off his early alarms, a small smile tugging at his lips as he imagined his day with Zuko tomorrow. 

---

It’s a date <3

Read 10:18 PM

---

What the fuck? Zuko nearly chucked his phone after reading that text. Straight dudes really have no clue how their words come across, huh? Zuko didn’t even want to begin to try to respond to that. So he didn’t. That’s how it usually went when he texted people. 

Zuko had a hard time falling asleep that night. It’s a date. It’s a date. It’s a date. That simple sentence kept repeating in his head as he tried to figure out what Sokka’s intentions were. Eventually his eyes closed for the final time that night. He woke up, went to the gym, showered, and clocked into his shift at his uncle’s café. 

He was in a bad mood when Sokka entered the building. Zuko had just finished trying to politely explain that the café didn’t make coupons, so there was no way that they were getting a free matcha tea. They’d huffed in annoyance and put their wired earbuds back in their ears. They’re probably listening to Clairo right now, Zuko scoffed to himself. He was startled when he looked up and saw Sokka staring at him. 

“You.. came?” Zuko questioned hesitantly. He stared at his neighbor for a moment before turning around and calling out, “Uncle, I’m taking a break!” He then hastily untied and removed his apron, then met Sokka on the other side of the counter. He was probably making googly eyes at Sokka, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. 

---

Of course Sokka came. He’d been thinking about this all day. He’d done nothing but pester Aang into helping him look nice. He was really acting as if this was a real date. Hell— he’d never put this much effort into any date before. “You’re the one who invited me.” Sokka replied with a nervous chuckle, his gaze darting away from Zuko before quickly returning. 

Spirits, does he think I’m trying too hard? That I’m desperate? Sokka panicked internally, but externally he had a small smirk on his lips. Zuko’s cheeks heated up a little, presumably from Sokka’s reply. Sokka pushed the hair out of his face and shot Zuko a more intentional smile. He’s cute. Crossed Sokka’s mind briefly. 

---

Zuko was a little glad when Sokka was gone. Yes, he enjoyed Sokka’s presence, but it was a little overwhelming. He could always feel himself blushing and staring and losing his train of thought whenever he was around Sokka. They’d had a good time together at his uncle’s café, but honestly Zuko was a little exhausted. Every day since that cat showed up at his door, he and Sokka had interacted in some sort of way. He wasn’t used to having anyone other than his uncle show up that consistently. He’ll probably get bored soon. Zuko bet, wiping down a table as he thought. 

He was suddenly pulled out of his head by a painfully familiar voice. “Zuzu, who was that boy?” Azula. Zuko could feel his scar start to feel itchy as soon as he became aware of his little sister’s presence. Hell, his whole body could’ve broken out in hives and he wouldn’t have been surprised. His immediate family tended to have that effect on him. 

“Does it matter? Am I not allowed to have friends anymore?” Zuko snapped back, looking at his sister with narrowed eyes. For as much distance as he tried to put between himself and his immediate family, they always managed to weasel their way back into his life. 

A small giggle escaped Azula, “Come on, Zuko, don’t be like that.” She grabbed her brother’s hand and pulled him out of the café. She led him into the alleyway behind the Jasmine Dragon. That wasn’t anything unusual or unexpected from Azula, unfortunately. “I thought you said you were done dating boys.” Azula commented teasingly, crossing her arms and leaning against a wall. “Father’s not going to be happy.”

“Don’t you fucking dare—“ Zuko raised his voice, instinctively taking a step towards his little sister. He knew this would happen. This always happens. He’d finally start to have his own life and be happy, then Azula would find something about Zuko to tell their father that makes him mad. This time it was that Zuko is gay. 

As soon as Zuko got too close, Azula slapped her older brother across the face. “You forget who you’re talking to, Zuzu.” She scoffed quietly. “I’m just looking out for my big brother. You should be grateful, really.” 

All Zuko could think to say was, “Fuck you.” He was sick of this family. He was sick of his sister and father controlling his life. Without any hesitation, Zuko lunged forward and punched his little sister. 

Azula retaliated by scratching his face with her sharp, red, perfectly manicured nails. That fucking hurt. Zuko pushed his sister off of him, reaching up to touch his cheek where a little blood rolled down the skin. Azula wasn’t done; she didn’t start this, but she would finish it. She pushed Zuko to the ground, stomping his stomach once he was down. She then kicked his head, causing a sickening crack as her foot landed on his nose. 

“You’re fucking pathetic, Zuko.” Azula sneered, “no wonder father’s so disappointed in you. You can’t even hold your own in a fight against your little sister.” She gave Zuko one last good kick for good measure before adding, “I’d break up with that boy if I were you.”

Zuko’s entire body hurt, but he protected anyway, “I’m not fucking dating—“

Azula cut him off, “Doesn’t matter. You’re into him, he’s into you. End it, or father will. Your choice.” She smiled at her big brother, then turned around and walked away. Zuko did nothing but lie on the ground for a while. End it, or father will. Who do they think they are? Zuko scoffed quietly as he finally forced himself to get up. He hobbled back to the café where Iroh greeted him with concern. 

After getting Zuko’s wounds tended to, Iroh calmly spoke to Zuko, “We both know that your father isn’t one for bluffs. Be careful, nephew.” Zuko knew that well. The scar on his face was proof of the seriousness of his father’s threats. He didn’t want to get Sokka involved in this, but.. he didn’t want to lose the first friend he’d had since, well, ever. 

Chapter Text

Sokka was happy about being able to visit Zuko’s place of work. He felt like he and Zuko were getting closer, and he wanted to keep getting to know his neighbor. He hummed quietly to himself as he unlocked the door to his apartment, smiling at Aang as he walked past. His roommate gave him a confused look– Sokka was never so joyous and whimsical– but Sokka couldn’t bring himself to care. He was on cloud nine as he happily flopped onto his bed, snuggling with the pillow he’d begun to associate with texting or thinking of Zuko.

—

Thanks again for inviting me.

I had a lot of fun.

Let’s do it again!! 

Maybe we can go see a movie?

Sent 7:00 PM

—

It was a little odd, not getting an immediate reply, but maybe Zuko was busy. I hope he responds soon. I want to see him again. Sokka sighed happily into his pillow, burying his face in the fabric and dozing off. The next morning, he woke up and checked his phone. No reply. Sokka pouted to himself. Oh well, he’s probably busy. 

Sokka went about his day as usual, except for the fact that he obsessively checked his phone whenever he could. On his way to class, no reply. At lunch, no reply again. After he got home, still no reply? Zuko, what the hell? Sokka huffed to himself. Maybe he didn’t see it. Or maybe he did and forgot to respond. 

—-

Hey

What’s up? ;)

Sent 8:03 PM

—-

“Hey, Aang,” Sokka called out, throwing his bedroom door open and hurrying to the living room. As usual, Aang was draped over the couch on his phone. “Can you, um, give me some advice?” 

Aang perked up, pushing himself into a sitting position. With a cheeky grin, he patted the cushion next to him. “Of course? What’s up?” He questioned casually, stretching his arms out in front of him and yawning softly. 

“You remember Zuko, right? A little older than me, black hair, brown eyes..” he paused for a second. He didn’t want to use the scar as a descriptor, even though it was the most memorable feature on Zuko’s face. 

It took a moment, but eventually Aang seemed to remember. “The scar dude?” He asked mindlessly. Sokka promptly shot Aang a glare, and he got the memo to not mention the scar. “I take that as a yes?” 

“Yeah, that’s him. Um, so.. normally we text at least once a day..” Sokka began, flopping onto the couch and sighing softly. “But he hasn’t replied to me in, like, a whole day. He hasn’t even read my messages.” 

Aang gave Sokka a look as if to say, clingy much?, but he didn’t say anything about it. After a moment of thinking, Aang replied bluntly, “maybe he’s just busy? His world doesn’t revolve around you, ya know.” 

Sokka’s face scrunched as he gave Aang another dirty look. “I know that, asshole—“ he defensively butted in, then sighed quietly. Maybe I am being too needy.. Sokka thought to himself. 

“Sokka, can I ask you something?” Aang prodded gently, shifting to face Sokka fully. Aang lightly grasped Sokka’s hand, which startled him. After a pause, Sokka nodded hesitantly. “Do you have feelings for this guy?”

Sokka immediately ripped his hand out of Aang’s grasp, cheeks flushed. He was figuratively clutching his pearls. “What?” He squawked with humiliation. That was an answer enough for Aang. He’d had a hunch, but he was glad to have confirmed it. 

A small, teasing coo escaped Aang. “You like hiiimmm~” Aang giggled, grasping Sokka’s arm and shaking his friend, “He’s cute– I get it!” That only got him yet another glare from his roommate. Aang was happy for Sokka– he really was! After a few more minutes of teasing, Aang smiled sweetly and patted Sokka’s head. “Give it some time. If he continues to not respond, maybe give him some space? If you’re concerned, you do know where he lives.” 

Sokka nodded silently, a small pout on his lips. He knew that Aang was right, but it was so annoying! Did Zuko lose interest in me already? We’ve only been hanging out for, like, two weeks.. Not needing any more teasing or advice from Aang, Sokka forced himself to stand up from the couch and dragged his feet back to his room.

—

I hope you’re okay.

Text me soon, alright?

I won’t bother you anymore.

Sent 10:05 PM

—

Zuko sighed as he stared at the notifications popping up on his homescreen. Sokka, again? He questioned silently. He was lying in his bed, on his back, staring at the ceiling as he tried to figure out what the hell to do now. I feel bad, Zuko thought to himself, rubbing his face as he shut his phone off. I need to get out of this place. He sighed softly, sitting up and quickly throwing on a pair of pants before cautiously exiting his apartment.

No Sokka, phew. It sucked that Zuko had to avoid his one real friend, but he didn’t want to put Sokka in any more danger. Once he was out of the apartment complex, he wandered the streets of the city aimlessly. A little while later, he found himself at a lake. Has this always been here? Zuko questioned silently, spotting a small dock and heading towards it. 

This is sketchy as fuck, thought Zuko as he cautiously put his weight on the rickety wooden boards. He was in a reckless mood, and he began to walk down the length of the dock. Once he reached the end, he sat down and hugged his knees to his chest. 

Zuko stared into the water, reflecting on his reflection. He asked himself the question, “What’s the right direction to go?” I don’t know. He thought to himself. I don’t know what to do. I wish I could talk to Sokka. Before he even knew it, his cheeks were damp with tears. He wiped them away, but they were replaced by more soon after. Eventually, he gave up trying to prevent himself from crying, and he just buried his face in his knees.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat on that dock. After a little while, his tears dried up, but he didn’t move to leave. It was a cold, autumn night, but he didn’t leave. Not even when his face grew numb and his body shivered. At some point, he noticed a faint movement from his peripheral. He turned his head, and almost started crying again. Turtle ducks. A small smile spread on his face as he watched the animals go about their business without a care in the world for Zuko’s presence. They were his favorite animal– they reminded him of his mother. I miss her, too. Zuko sighed softly, resting his chin on his knees and hugging himself. 

“Zuko?” He heard his name. He immediately perked up, whipping his head around to the source of that voice. That fucking voice that had been haunting him for the past two days. What the fuck is Sokka doing here? Zuko’s thoughts all flooded his brain at once, but one kept pushing to the forefront; he probably saw me crying. How embarrassing.

—

Sokka had just gone to take out his trash when he spotted Zuko walking towards the lake. Honestly, he was a little concerned about Zuko, so he followed his neighbor. And he was glad he did– he wanted to be there for his friend. He gave a small, sympathetic smile as he cautiously made his way towards Zuko.

Jesus, I do not trust this dock. He was doing this for Zuko.. “Are you okay?” Sokka asked sweetly, carefully plopping down next to Zuko. He looked at his friend, his eyebrows furrowing when he noticed the red, puffy, teary expression Zuko was wearing. Without thinking, Sokka gently wrapped his arms around Zuko. He didn’t ask any more questions, didn’t push Zuko for an answer, just hugged him and stroked his back gently.

They stayed like that until Zuko reluctantly melted into the embrace. Then Sokka pulled back slightly, just enough to lightly brush away a tear from the corner of Zuko’s eye. That action made Zuko tear up again– “No! Don’t cry– please..!” Sokka pleaded; that was the exact opposite of what he wanted! He wanted to make Zuko feel better! 

That elicited a small chuckle from Zuko. He looked up at Sokka with a sad smile, then spoke quietly, “I’m sorry. It’s just– my family– you– I..” he cut himself off, biting his bottom lip as he tried to figure out what he was supposed to even say to begin to explain this situation to Sokka. Thankfully, Sokka was patient with him. “We need to talk. Like, urgently.” He finally settled on saying. 

Sokka was concerned, but he nodded anyway. At least he’s talking to me again. He thought to himself as he stood up. He then extended a hand out to Zuko, helping him up from the uncomfortable, damp wood of the dock. He squeezed Zuko’s hand, stubbornly holding it in his grasp, and led Zuko back to their apartment complex.

He wasn’t really sure why, but Sokka decided to bring Zuko back to his apartment that he shared with Aang; potentially a mistake. Aang, as usual, was lounging on the couch with Momo in his lap and Appa curled up on the rug in front of the sofa. When he looked up and noticed Zuko, he gave Sokka a curious look. That was immediately met with a light shake of his head.

“Do you want Aang to leave? We can also go to your place. Sorry–” He cut himself off when Zuko smiled weakly and shook his head. Aang kindly evacuated the couch once Sokka gave him a menacing glare, instead opting for the much safer and much less comfortable option of one of the shitty bean bag chairs they had lying around their living room. 

—

It felt like forever that Zuko was explaining the situation, but really it hadn’t been that long. “So, um, yeah. Basically what you need to remember is that my family is dangerous, to put it lightly, and for some reason you’re their newest target.” Sokka stared blankly at his friend for a moment, blinking as his brain tried to process the overwhelming amount of information that had been dumped on him.

Zuko could already tell what Sokka was thinking; “why did I get close to him? Is it too late to move away? Why me? What did I do?” He’d come to expect that sort of reaction whenever things like this happened, which unfortunately was not uncommon. But instead of any of those responses, Sokka instead replied with, “I’m so sorry, Zuko. I didn’t know.”

That startled Zuko, why is he apologizing? Zuko asked himself as he scooted a little closer to Sokka. Without thinking, he reached out and gently grasped a strand of Sokka’s hair. “You did nothing wrong. I’m sorry for avoiding you for these past few days. I was.. I was scared you’d get hurt because of me.”

“Zuko, I.. I really appreciate the concern, but please talk to me about these things.” Sokka’s tone was full of understanding, his expression soft and sympathetic. It almost made Zuko feel annoyed with how Sokka was acting, but he couldn’t bring himself to be mad at Zuko. He hesitated for a moment before adding softly, “I care about you. I know we haven’t known each other for that long, but.. I’m really drawn to you.”

Aang cleared his throat, shifting his position on the bean bag and crossing his arms. His face gave away that he was unamused as he butted in, “Can you guys, like, not confess your love and make out on my couch?” Both Sokka and Zuko’s faces flushed as they remembered the presence of the third person in the room. 

Sokka grabbed a pillow and chucked it at Aang, who simply caught it and snorted quietly. Zuko stared Aang down with a blank expression for a moment before he smiled faintly. “I wish I had friends like yours. My only friends are you and my sister, and she tried to kill me.” That got Sokka to fling himself at Zuko, pulling his neighbor into a tight hug.

“I’m so sorry, Zuko. Seriously–” He began, but Zuko quickly cut him off with a light, affectionate smack to the back of the head. Sokka smiled sheepishly, resting his cheek on Zuko’s chest. Aang was third wheeling again, but he knew it was hopeless to try to pull those two out of their lovey-dovey trance. 

Instead, he stood up from his bean bag and repeated the first words he’d said in front of Zuko, “Don’t forget to use protection. I don’t want any mini Sokkas running around.” 

“We can’t even have kids.” Sokka replied harshly, staring Aang down with a death glare. If he wasn’t so comfortable in Zuko’s arms, he probably would’ve gotten up and smacked Aang for his relentless teasing. 

With Aang in his room, the mood once again turned peaceful and cozy. Sokka knew that this wouldn’t last forever, but he was just happy that he was able to have Zuko in his embrace for at least a little while.