Chapter Text
The loud horn from a ship docking in the distance wakes Sokka from his deep sleep. He hadn’t slept as well as he did last night in a long time, school tending to consume his life. The stillness of the room almost made him go back to sleep until the audible sound of his bedroom door opening and closing made him pause.
Opening his eyes, his heart froze for a second when he saw Zuko standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. Memories from the previous night slowly came forward, reminding him of the situation the other boy was currently in. He was kicked out of his home. His abusive home.
“Good morning, Zuko,” he smiled, hoping it could put the ex-heir more at ease. Although they’d slept the whole night on the same bed, Zuko’s body language reminded him of their first encounter together: anxious and tense.
“Hey,” Zuko softly replied.
Sokka patted the spot next to him on the bed, his heart speeding up when the other complied and sat down.
“Have you been awake long?”
“Uh- yeah, since 6 in the morning. I just got back from the restroom,” Sokka noticed the other was avoiding eye contact but decided not to mention anything. Of course he’s still going to be upset, he went through a traumatic experience last night.
Looking at his digital clock on the bedside table, he realized his classmate had been awake for three hours. He felt like a bad host for leaving him on his own for that long.
“You should’ve woken me up! I wouldn’t have minded,” he told him.
“I couldn’t have. I don’t want to be rude,” Zuko stressed. “You’ve already done enough by letting me stay the night, I didn’t want to wake you.”
“You can ask me for anything. I won’t ever get upset,” Sokka assured happily but deep down, he was upset. The long term abuse Zuko underwent became apparent in his tendencies. Apart from the bruises and scars, the abuse left an emotional toll on the other boy. It was clear to Sokka that Zuko would need extensive therapy.
“I was thinking.. I really think you should stay longer. It’s safe here, and you can save the money your mom left you for something important,” he added.
Zuko scowled, arms crossed in front of his chest.
“I told you that I’m fine. Why do you keep insisting?”
“Zuko, please. I want you to be safe. We graduate in less than 3 months, it won’t be very long till you can go and dorm! Or wherever makes you feel comfortable,” he insisted.
“I don’t know, Sokka,” he sighed. Sokka followed with a sigh of his own but another idea popped in his head. He felt a little nervous bringing it up, not sure if Zuko’s uncle was similar to his dad. But he remembered the smile Zuko let out when he first mentioned his uncle and the regret on his face when he said he hadn’t spoken to him in so long.
“What about your uncle?”
Zuko’s eyes widened, almost as if he had forgotten he had an uncle. The boy stayed silent, deep in thought for a few moments, before he lowered his head.
“I couldn’t. It might be too much for him. My cousin passed away a few years ago and I’m sure having to care for me will bring up painful memories. I can’t just barge into his life like that and expect him to take responsibility for me when he’s already dealing with so much.”
“I’ve met your uncle a few times when I’ve gone to his shop. From those few times, I know your uncle would not see it that way. In fact, I’ve heard him talk about a nephew a few times,” he said, connecting the dots. Of course, he must have been talking about Zuko. Not that he knew back then but he knew now. He wanted Zuko to know how much his uncle cared for him.
Zuko doesn’t reply right away, instead staring at his hands as he fidgets.
Another ship horn rings in the distance and soon after that, voices can be heard coming from the hallway. His family is awake now. Zuko must’ve heard them as well, immediately stiffening as footsteps get close to the door. They pass by and go into the bathroom.
“My other dad, Bato, is probably leaving to work soon,” he informed Zuko. This doesn’t seem to relax him but he nods anyway. He’s aware that bringing up the topic of dads might still be a sensitive subject but he just had to let him know in case Bato poked his head in.
Oh shit. He hopes he doesn’t poke his head in, he has yet to explain the situation to them. After a few moments, he groaned realizing that Zuko’s car was parked in front of the house. Zuko’s expensive car. His dad must have seen it already when he left for work.
Zuko turned to look at him when he groaned, an eyebrow raised.
“Sorry. I’m a little hungry,” he lied. He didn’t want to worry Zuko about the fact that his family was still unaware of his presence. He’d probably panic and leave right away.
When the bathroom door opened and the sounds of footsteps began to fade away, Sokka jumped at the opportunity to finally tell an adult in the house of the current predicament he was in.
“I’ll be back, I’m going to get water. Do you want me to bring you some?”
Zuko nods and Sokka gets up, slipping out and running to the living room.
Bato’s sitting on the island reading an article on his phone, a cup of orange juice beside him.
“Hi, good morning,” Sokka starts off, walking to the cupboard to grab a glass.
Bato nods in acknowledgment and continues reading.
“So, um, I have to tell you something.”
“About the boy you snuck into the house without permission or warning? Yes, your dad already told me,” he says without looking up from his phone.
“Okay wow, how did he find out?”
“Sokka, did you forget we have cameras at the front door? Now I’m not saying that by asking permission we would have agreed to let your boyfriend spend the night-”
“Wait, he’s not my boyfriend! At least not yet,” he muttered.
“As I was saying, asking permission would not have guaranteed him being able to spend the night but it would have been the right thing to do.”
“It really isn’t like that though! Bato, I can’t tell you everything for the sake of his privacy but let’s just say he’s no longer living at home as of last night. It all happened so quickly and there was no way I was gonna let him sleep in his car after he reached out to me,” he explained.
Bato had put his phone down in the middle of the explanation, a frown on his face.
“That’s some serious stuff, Sokka. You could have woken one of us up but I’m glad the boy had you to reach out to. How old is he? Was leaving his choice?”
“He’s already 18… and I’m not sure?” As much as he wanted to tell him what he knew so far, he felt like Zuko wouldn’t take that well. Especially because he wanted Zuko to stay for longer.
“Hmm. He may not be seen as a child by the state but definitely still a child in my eyes. Leaving home isn’t a one day decision. I’m glad he has you as a friend but you’re both still young, there’s times when an adult is needed. He can stay here while he tries to figure out the next steps.”
Sokka nodded. As a seventeen year old, he knew the situation was too much to handle on his own and he’s glad to have the support of his dads. Now to tell Katara.
Maybe later.
“I’m sure your father will agree to let him stay here for a bit. We’d like to meet him just so we can introduce ourselves and to make sure he’s 100% safe. Just come down before dinner later once we’re all home,” and with that Bato stood up, ruffled Sokka’s hair, and went out the door for work. He’d most likely call his dad on the way to work.
He spent the next few moments recentering himself before filling two reusable bottles with water and grabbing two bananas. By the time he made it to his room, he was more composed and ready to talk more with Zuko regarding the next steps.
“I brought you a banana too,” he smiles as he hands the other the water and fruit as he sits down on his bed beside him. The shorter boy shyly grabs the items and mumbles a thank you. They don’t speak as they eat their small breakfast, the noise from the harbor being the only sound breaking the silence.
“Zuko, I spoke to one of my dads this morning-” he pauses at seeing Zuko’s panicked face. “No, don’t worry! I didn’t tell him a lot, just like.. an overview?”
“It wasn’t yours to tell,” Zuko snarled.
Sokka took a step back, a bit hurt at the other’s aggressiveness.
“I’m sorry but you do realize we are under my dads’ roof? It’s their house, they need to know when there are guests over!” After a pause, he sighed and sat back down on the bed.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to get defensive,” Zuko whispers. Sokka snapped his head towards him, a bit surprised. He was preparing to apologize himself but after hearing Zuko apologize, he felt the tension slip from his body.
“No, it’s fine, I get it. I wouldn’t want strangers knowing my life story either but Zuko, believe me when I tell you I didn’t go into detail. I just mentioned you’re not living at your house anymore. They’ll.. most likely assume though,” he said.
Zuko just nodded as he played with the banana peel in his hands.
“I just wanted to say that I- I really enjoyed our hangout on Tuesday,” Zuko’s soft voice broke the silence.
Sokka gasped and looked at the other boy who was staring down at the banana peel in his hands.
“I don’t want you to think that I didn’t. I was just upset and I was already having a bad day.. and when you told me you saw what had happened in the hallway.. I don’t know. I was just scared,” he continued.
Sokka grabbed the banana peel from Zuko’s hand before cradling his hand.
“Zuko, I meant what I said that day. I did not choose to hang out with you out of pity.. yes, I’ll admit that the incident did cause me to reach out to you but it wasn’t pity, it was more like.. protectiveness? I know we didn't talk before that day but it wasn’t like it was the first time I saw you.. I always found you a bit.. attractive?” He was rambling, Zuko needs to stop him like NOW.
“You think I'm attractive?”
“Yes! Like I said, I meant what I said that day. Everything I said, including wanting to take you out on a date,” he decides to just be honest.
The smile that stole his heart slowly began to appear.
“Once I have everything figured out, I’d like to take you on a date,” Zuko said, a light pink dusting his cheek.
His own cheeks began to heat up. No one had ever asked him out on a date before, usually he initiates.
“I’d like that.”
He knew the road ahead was going to be long for both but especially Zuko. Living arrangements, college, his father, therapy, and so much more needed to be discussed before dating can be on the table. But the fact that Zuko even had it on the table was enough for him.