Archive of Our Own ^beta

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So... what just happened?"

"Shut up."

"But-"

"Shut up."

"You just-"

"Why aren't you shutting up?"

"You kissed me!"

"Shut up!"

Ok, so maybe he had just a little bit kind of accidentally kissed the Water Tribe peasant, but it wasn't his fault! It was... It was Uncle's fault! And those predatory girls' fault! It was the peasant's fault he shouldn't have been there in the first place how was Zuko supposed to plan for shit like this it wasn't fair!

For the first time since waking up from his spiritual sleep, Zuko deeply regretted encouraging his uncle. It made sense, at the time. Uncle was so good to him. He'd followed him into banishment, saved him time and time again, aided him on his foolish quest for the Avatar, and only ever made the occasional request for himself - an exotic tea, a music night, a quiet dinner with his nephew. Zuko had rarely ever indulged him, so when he had gotten his spirit re-balanced and his mind realigned, he decided to make up for things by doing all he could for his uncle's tea shop. The Great Dragon had always wanted his own little place to brew and play pai sho and flirt with random pretty women; his three great weaknesses all in one convenient building. Zuko had wanted to give him that.

He should never have let Uncle think he was weakening.

How many giggling girls at the tables Uncle sent him to does it take to get to the desperate Zuko center of a Zuko-pop? Let's find out;

One - short brown hair, pale brown eyes, kept leaning too closely to Zuko when she ordered.

Two - dark hair in a tight bun, well-toned arms, kept brushing her hand across Zuko's elbow when he passed by her table.

Three - elaborate hair style, elaborate clothes, elaborate make up, elaborate noises of appreciation every time Zuko leaned over the counter to shout orders.

Four, five, six, seven, etcetera etcetera, so on and so forth all the way up to nineteen. Nine. Teen. Zuko was ready to kill, or at the very least maim, when the boomerang guy had walked into the tea shop.

In his panic at their cover being blown and his very deep desire to have the various girls stop hassling him, Zuko spent a good two seconds coming up with the following brilliant plan;

Kiss the peasant.

Peasant becomes too shocked to blurt out anything incriminating, the ladies of Ba Sing Se think he's in a relationship (with a guy - bonus!), and yeah, ok, maybe Zuko also thought it'd be funny to stretch his acting muscle in that way but whatever that wasn't important. What was important was that the Avatar's friend shut up.

He clearly wasn't going to, but Zuko could dream, couldn't he?

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

It was honestly an accident. Really. It was. And this is how accidents happen:

"Sokka!" That was his name, right? Zuko was pretty sure he'd heard the water witch call him that before. He hoped he'd remembered right as he rushed to the other teenager's side. "I can't believe it! I thought I'd never see you again!" Zuko hadn't played a romantic lead since before his banishment, but he was always good at remembering his script. When Stars Fade, Act V, Scene III. "I can't believe it," he repeated quietly, running his hands over Sokka's shocked face. 'Quietly', but actor quietly. The whole, silent tea shop heard him.

"Wha-" Sokka tried to say, but Zuko shushed him.

"Don't speak," he said, resting his forehead against the other's. "You don't have to speak." Between Two Heartbeats, Act III, Scene II. "Just promise me we'll never be separated again."

"Zu-"

He was about to say Zuko's name. What else started with 'Zu'? The answer to that riddle was 'nothing'. Well, 'zoo' did, but why would Sokka be talking about a zoo? Anyway, the point was that Zuko needed to keep him from talking, and the only way that made sense in his little improv scene was, well, you know.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Must we talk about it?" After the scene's climax, Zuko dragged an in-shock Sokka away amidst the cheers and congratulations of the Jasmine Dragon patrons. (Fortunately, Uncle had hired other tea servers in anticipation of the crowds, so Zuko felt no guilt in leaving.) They stood on the roof of a boutique a few buildings down - the peasant already knew where they worked, he didn't need to know where Zuko and his uncle lived - and the hidden prince had more important things he wanted to discuss.

Alas...

"Yes," the other replied vehemently. "We must."

"I needed to stop you from saying my name."

"By kissing me?"

"...I also needed Councilwoman Fa to stop trying to grab my ass."

The peasant stood for a moment, his mouth hanging open as he thought. "That's fair."

"I'm glad you agree," Zuko said sarcastically. "Can we move on, now?"

"To what?"

"...Clearly I have overestimated your intelligence. You may leave now."

"Hey! I only meant, is this the part where we start fighting or the part where you try to convince me you've had a miraculous change of heart so I shouldn't sell you out to the Earth King?" the skinny teen clarified before muttering angrily, "Jerkbender."

"Oh," Zuko said. "Um... the second one."

"Ok, make your case." Sokka - (Might as well call him by his name, Zuko thought. There really should be a certain amount of familiarity when one's had their tongue in another's mouth.) - crossed his arms and sat back against the lip of the roof.

Zuko paused.

There was really no good explanation for his change of heart. Not one the other would find acceptable, at any rate. What was he meant to say? That he mentally tortured a Dai Li agent until he gave up Lake Laogai so he could use the sky bison as a bargaining chip, only for Uncle to convince him otherwise at the last minute, leading to a battle within his own mind that convinced him such a pursuit of the Avatar was fruitless and he should focus on more simple pleasures in life?

Because that sounded crazy.

And he couldn't lie, because, well, he couldn't lie, and he couldn't think of a character in a situation close enough to his to borrow their skin and feed Sokka their story.

Maybe he could tweak his own story a bit?

Yes, he asked a Dai Li agent for information and went beneath Laogai for... reasons, where he found the sky bison, which he released... because... and...

Ok, that wouldn't work either.

How about, his travels through the Earth Kingdom opened his eyes to the horror of the by the spirits that was cliché; Zuko didn't think he could get through that load.

"There's really no good argument I can make," Zuko said. "Is there anyway I can get you to just accept the fact that I'm a terrible liar?"

"You seemed convincing in the tea shop."

"There's a difference between acting and lying." Sokka looked unimpressed. "Should I take that as a no?"

"That'd be a safe bet."

"So what can I do?"

"...Wanna go shopping?"

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"I never knew your relationship with the Water Tribe boy!" Uncle called cheerfully as Zuko attempted to sneak into their apartment. "Congratulations, my nephew. He seems like a good man. Good looking, too." He nudged the prince suggestively.

"Uncle. Stop." Zuko knew Uncle didn't believe the show he'd put on. The old general had seen Zuko act before. Plus, Zuko was never any good at keeping secrets from his uncle. The sly dragon would've known the moment any 'relationship' happened. The man just felt like being annoying, and Zuko was in no mood.

"Fine. If you must deprive me of my fun." The old man smiled indulgently. "So, what is going to happen to us?"

"To me. And I'm going shopping tomorrow to help Sokka pick out a good practice sword."

"...Why?"

"He's insane."

"Ah."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

He didn't ask about Aang. Not once during their shopping trip did Zuko ask about Aang. He made snide comments about Sokka's love of shopping, gave a tip or two for selecting a good beginner sword, and flirted with Sokka whenever it looked like a girl was about to approach them, but he never even used the words 'Avatar', 'honor', or 'Firelord'.

It was weird. Good weird, but weird.

When Zuko wasn't being a complete ass, he was actually pretty fun to hang around with. Well, maybe 'fun' wasn't the right word for it, but Sokka was enjoying himself. Being the only teenager in the entire South Pole (not counting Katara because hello, sisters don't really count as people), had left Sokka deprived of a healthy social life. Not that he wasn't social - he was clearly quite awesome at making friends - but he only really knew social queues from observation and pure luck in the guessing department.

Having another teenage boy around, let alone another socially awkward teenage boy with an interest in strategy, weaponry, and well-spiced meats, was... nice.

Katara must never know.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So, once we get this stuff into the carriage and sent to my house-" Sokka paused for a brief moment to give Zuko the opportunity to ask where said house was. Zuko did not. "-we can head back towards the Jasmine Dragon and grab some tea, maybe get some jerky on the way, and make plans for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Sokka wasn't sure if Zuko sounded cautious or tired. He decided to pretend it was excitement.

"Yeah, tomorrow! You didn't think I was just gonna let one shopping trip convince me you'd changed, did you?" Sokka could tell that Zuko hadn't so much thought as hoped, but hope was for girls and Aang. If you want something, you have to work for it, and Zuko was going to work for his silence!

Zuko sighed. "What kind of jerky were you thinking of?" His voice was listless. His arguments for lizard weasel jerky were not.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Nephew! I see you have brought your dear Sokka," General Iroh - Mushi, as Zuko had told him - happily greeted them as they entered the tea shop. He was having way too much fun with Zuko's lie, Sokka decided. But then, Sokka could have fun with it, too.

"Uncle!" Sokka greeted just as happily, giving the man an overly exuberant hug. "It's so great to see you again! I'm sorry I couldn't greet you properly yesterday." Sokka pulled away and smirked. "Li and I... had a lot of catching up to do."

Iroh nodded sagely. "I understand completely."

"Stop it," Zuko said, wrapping his arm around Sokka's waist. He said it teasingly, but his grip on Sokka's side was like iron.

"Oh fine, killjoy." Sokka elbowed him and moved to sit down. He tried to elbow him in a way that looked playful but was actually hurtful, but it turned out Zuko had abs of steel and Sokka ended up trying to hide a grimace instead. Curse him.

"As you wish, nephew," Iroh agreed. He was always so calm about everything. Sokka suspected he was dipping into more than tea. "Have a seat with your young man. I will bring you both a pot of youthberry and some wildberry tarts." He gently nudged the Fire Prince toward the table Sokka had chosen.

Zuko leaned down and brushed his lips near Sokka's ear. "Don't pull that crap again, I will get grabby," he muttered, a false smile on his lips for the blatantly watching patrons.

Oh ho-ho, Sokka thought deviously. Challenge accepted.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The Earth Kingdom had a game called Quake. Toph taught it to Aang soon after he learned earth bending and consistently kicked his ass at it. In Quake, two earth benders rode waves of earth directly at each other until one of them became too scared of injury and swerved away.

Sokka and Zuko's life had turned into Quake, and neither of them was swerving.

Sokka would flirt with Zuko; Zuko would make dirty comments at Sokka. Sokka would wrap his arms around Zuko's waist; Zuko would crowd Sokka up against a wall and pretend to kiss his neck. Sokka would grab Zuko's ass; Zuko would not react at all that bastard.

Sokka hated to say it, but he was losing. Zuko had no shame. Or if he did, he was really good at faking it. Sokka's only advantage was Iroh, who Zuko refused to "encourage" - whatever that meant - but with how popular the Jasmine Dragon was, the fake couple had almost no time to properly visit the ex-general, (which was a shame because he had the best oolong tea and baby Zuko stories).

Sokka had blackmail galore, and he was losing. Curse Zuko. Curse him and his perfect ass and his abs of steel and his endearingly dorky personality.

Sokka was having the time of his life.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka was hilarious. He gave as good as he got - or tried to at the very least. He seemed very clueless as to how relationships worked. Then again, Zuko's entire point of reference was plays and Uncle's flirting - (Uncle thought Zuko didn't know about the nice widow woman who visited the tea shop with flowers "for ambiance" every other day, but he did) - so maybe he had no room to talk.

Sokka was smart. He spoke about fantastical things like ships that could fly and firebending that wasn't firebending. He had the science behind all of it figured out. Zuko couldn't follow what he was saying if you paid him, but what he understood seemed sound.

Sokka wasn't just smart with science, either. He was picking up sword fighting with a speed Zuko was deeply impressed with, and Sokka was only slightly annoying about it. He was always eager to learn more, train longer, fight harder.

He was fun. He was charming, in his way. He was smart. He was a warrior.

"Our date tonight is at this great poetry place I know," Sokka announced at the Jasmine Dragon, draping himself over Zuko's back amidst the quiet coos of the regular patrons. "They threw me out once, but the haiku lady won't be there today so it should be fine."

He likes poetry.

Zuko was so screwed, and he didn't care.

He was having the best damn time.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So, what shall we do today, handsome?" Sokka asked Zuko, his hand resting low on the firebender's hip.

"Mmm, I'm sure we can think of something." Zuko nipped Sokka's ear, causing the Water Tribesman to slap him playfully and a crowd of very unsubtle admirers of theirs to let out loud squeals.

During the past week of their "relationship", Zuko had inadvertently managed to earn them a fan club by giving long, poetic speeches about his love for Sokka any time someone tried to ask him on a date. Whoever didn't feel too bad about being turned down immediately joined up with the rest of his would-be boy-/girlfriends, where they would gush about whatever Zuko had said and follow around the couple to "soak up the romance".

It was creepy, but Zuko always worked better in front of an audience. Sokka just thought they were funny.

The fan club had been particularly unsubtle with the arrival of Zuko and Sokka's one-week-aversary since they'd been "reunited". They were all very eager to see what the couple had planned. Zuko was such a romantic, after all. Would he recite an epic poem as flowers rained down around them? Hire musicians to follow Sokka around, continuously serenading him with love songs? Would he propose?

Unfortunately for them, Zuko didn't have a plan. Sokka, on the other hand...

"Well, the Upper Ring Theater is selling tickets to a new show," Sokka said, pressing his body closer to the firebender's. "I think it's called The Bell Ringer. Wanna go with me?"

Zuko froze. Sokka looked at him curiously.

"Did you just say The Bell Ringer?"

"...Yes?"

Zuko dragged him into a shop. The owner was the nice widow woman who kept flirting with Uncle Iroh, and she was always happy to let "Li" and/or Sokka use her back room. She waved at them cheerfully as they passed by.

"Sokka," Zuko said solemnly, holding the other teen's shoulders in a tight grip. "Look at me. This is very important - life or death - I need to know you're paying attention."

Sokka looked back at him, his face suddenly serious. "What? What is it?"

"I have been waiting for the theater to put on The Bell Ringer since Uncle and I arrived in Ba Sing Se. Uncle's expanding the shop so we have no extra money for theater tickets." Zuko stared deeply into Sokka's eyes. "You have to get me in."

Sokka blinked. "That's your life or death issue?"

"You get me into that theater and you will get laid."

Sokka's eyes widened. "E-excuse me?"

"I will have you hearing colors."

"...I'm gonna go get tickets now see you tonight bye!"

Zuko watched as Sokka ran out of the shop, barely sparing the time to wave to Uncle's girlfriend.

"...Yes!" (1)

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Is that a new robe, Zuko?" Uncle questioned as Zuko walked into the sitting room.

"Yes it is, Uncle," Zuko replied, playing with his hair in the mirror by the door before deciding to stick with his original idea of just wearing it down. "What do you think?"

"It is very nice. Really shows off your muscles."

"Thank you."

"Where are you going in something that fancy?" Uncle poured them some tea and waited for Zuko to sit with him.

"Sokka got us tickets to the theater," Zuko said smugly, sipping at his tea. "We're going to see The Bell Ringer and, knowing him, probably grab a bite while we're out."

"You are taking your fake relationship far, nephew," Iroh said knowingly. "Should I make myself scarce tonight?"

There was a knock. "You ready to go?" Sokka called through the door.

"Be right there!" Zuko called back. "And that would be great, Uncle. Go spend time with your lady friend."

Zuko left to the sound of his uncle's sputtering. It was so great to finally get one over on the old general. It was going to be a good night.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The play was beautiful. It was a breathtaking display of independence and strength and Zuko may or may not have cried a little bit when the Earth Kingdom hunchback curled around the nomad woman to die. Sokka wisely said nothing. (2)

After a dinner of perfectly seared shark squid, Zuko lead Sokka back to his and Uncle's apartment. "Would you like to come in for tea?" he asked, holding the door open for the Water Tribesman.

"I thought you hated tea," Sokka said, not making a move to enter.

"I do."

"Then why...?"

Zuko's laugh was more like a quiet exhalation of amusement. "I'm being coy, you idiot."

"You're- Oh!" The non bender rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "When you said... Well, I kind of thought you were joking. I mean, you don't have to..."

Zuko crossed his arms and leaned against the doorway. "Clearly I have overestimated your intelligence." Sokka stared at him blankly. "I like you, dumb ass. Do you want to come inside or not?"

"...I have always wondered what colors sound like."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Colors sounded awesome. The green of the walls sounded like rustling leaves. The paleness of Zuko's skin sounded like thunder. The purple on Iroh's robes the next morning sounded like laughter and as impressed as Sokka was that Zuko got him hearing colors in the first place, he was even more impressed that it lasted so long. He was less impressed with Iroh destroying his afterglow.

"A little privacy, please," he requested, snuggling further into Zuko's arms. Firebenders were so deliciously warm.

"Apologies," Iroh whispered. "I was simply checking on Zuko. It is unusual for firebenders to sleep so late."

"...How late?"

"It is almost noon."

"Shit! I have a war meeting!" Sokka made to jump out of bed before remembering his situation. "...Could you maybe leave please? I have to go."

"Of course." Iroh nodded in acknowledgment. "Enjoy your meeting!" he continued loudly, startling Zuko awake and then walking away innocently.

Zuko let out a great yawn. His bedhead was so cute.

"What meeting?" he asked, his body slowly growing even warmer as he shook off the last of his sleep.

"I have to see the Earth King," Sokka said. "About... stuff."

"Look, you don't have to tell me about anything you do for the war effort," Zuko assured him. "I don't expect sex to turn to trust. Go to your meeting, come see me at the shop if you can. We can get some more sparring in during my lunch break."

"Thanks." Sokka kissed Zuko on the cheek, (because he could - there really should be a certain amount of familiarity when one's had sex with someone), and started to dress.

"For future reference, if you have to go somewhere and I'm asleep, I'd appreciate a note or something," Zuko said as he also began to pull on his clothes. "Oh, and we're dating now."

"Are we?"

"Yes."

"And what if I don't want us to be dating?"

"Well then, I guess I could stalk you instead. You know how good I am at that."

"Aaand we're dating. I'm so happy, hotman!" Sokka pretended to tear up. He was so proud; Zuko had made his first joke! (he desperately hoped)

"Never mind, we're not dating."

"No take-backsies! And on that note, have a good day at work, sweetheart." Sokka kissed Zuko's cheek once more before leaving.

So, they were officially dating, huh? Time to break out the annoying pet names! And maybe, it was also time for Sokka to finally have that talk with Suki he'd been putting off.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

He didn't mean to put off talking to Suki. Honestly, he didn't! He was so excited when he first heard the Kyoshi Warriors had arrived - he wasn't even sure if he would've been able to wait for the first war meeting to end to talk to her - but by the time he and the generals had come to a good stopping point, Sokka had worked himself up into a panic. Sure, they had parted on good terms - very good terms - but what did that even mean? They kissed. Were they dating, then? Were they supposed to start dating? They were in the middle of a war; was dating really what either of them should be focused on?

Sokka liked Suki - he really really did - but he had been feeling a bit anxious about seeing her, so he'd stopped at the new tea shop to get something to calm him down. And we all know how that turned out.

It got harder to find the resolve to talk to Suki after that. Oh, hey, remember that ponytailed jerk who burned your village down? I'm kind of in a fake relationship with him because he claims he's changed and this is the best way to keep an eye on him right now. And also it's kind of funny to do and he's good company. And he knows it's a fake relationship - it was his idea! - so don't worry about that part. Also, he no longer had a ponytail, so there's that too.

Yeah, that sounded like a fun conversation to have.

So Sokka kept putting it off. Between war meetings, hanging out with Zuko, and dealing with his fan club - The Likka Lovers, as they called themselves - Sokka had honestly not had time to seek out Suki. At one point he'd completely forgotten that he needed to talk to the warrior at all.

But no more. It was time. He'd thought things through. He'd made his decision. He liked Suki, truly, but he liked Zuko, too. Liked him more? Sokka didn't know. Liked him better? Well, yeah. Sokka didn't actually know anything about Suki. He knew she was pretty, she was awesome, and she could totally kick his ass six ways from Sunday. But that was it. If he hadn't had Zuko, it would be enough - enough to build on, at least.

But he did have Zuko.

Zuko, who was the biggest theater nerd in the three nations. Who actually hated tea, but pretended to tolerate it because of his uncle. Who, every time he spoke of "honor", actually meant "my father's love". He was great with animals, but only held any real affection for turtleducks. He could write poetry without trying, but only if he wasn't trying. He crossed his fingers before going through a doorway because of a superstition his cousin taught him. He was both terrified of and for his sister, because the spirits only knew what Ozai had put her through without Zuko there to keep her from bearing the full weight of the Firelord's unwavering attentions.

Zuko was a dork wrapped in angst and the desire to do the right thing but not the ability to always know what the right thing is. And he was Sokka's. Sokka was not letting him go.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The meeting was over. The plans were finalized. All they needed to do was wait for the rest of the GAang - good one, right? Katara couldn't complain about that one - to come back and for the messenger hawks to distribute the coded messages.

And for Sokka to talk with Suki.

"Suki," he rehearsed as he walked through the halls of the palace, "I know that when we last spoke, certain... implications were made - and I had every intention of honoring them! - but... things changed. Things... happened. Yeah, that sounds good. Ok, what else? Um..."

"Hey there!" a perky voice said from behind him.

Sokka jumped and turned around. It was a Kyoshi Warrior. He didn't recognize her by name - granted, he only actually bothered to remember Suki's name - but she was very familiar. Probably one of Suki's more elite warriors, then. She had a high braid and a big smile and Sokka desperately tried to recall who she was. He could swear he knew.

"Um... hey."

She stood very close.

"You're cute." And she was very blunt.

"I kind of have a boyfriend," Sokka told her, holding his arms up as if to ward her away. She pouted. "Look, have you seen Suki? I need to talk to her."

"Who's Suki?"

Wait, what? "Who's Suki?" How did this girl not know her own leader's name? How was that even possible? How...

How did Sokka know this girl?

"...Suki is the laundry mistress," Sokka said, thinking quickly. "Yeah, I spilled some tea on my tunic last time I was here. She said she would have it cleaned for me by now. Have you seen her? Old, wrinkled, hair in a big bun?"

"Nope! Sorry!" she replied brightly. "But I'll send her your way if I spot her! What name should I give her, cutie?"

"Just tell her it's the Boomerang Guy," Sokka said, quietly backing away. "She'll know who you mean. Gotta go, bye!"

Who is this woman?

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko and Sokka were relaxing together at the firebenders' apartment. Sokka seemed aggravated with something and no amount of subtle prodding could get him to talk. Zuko assumed it had something to do with the war and decided to let it go. Sokka didn't want him to know, and that was fine. Frankly, Zuko didn't want him to know. He'd had his problems before with doing the right thing. He'd messed up every time. He turned down Aang's friendship. He'd denied Katara's healing. He'd turned away the Freedom Fighters, and yeah, it turned out he'd dodged an arrow with that one, but one in a lifetime was not good odds.

More than Azula, more than failure, more than his father, Zuko had always been so scared of his own thoughts, scared of his own beliefs, because at one point he couldn't even tell what they were anymore. To have your own mind turn against you... Zuko didn't think anything could be scarier.

Except this. This was scarier.

"Toph. Put. The boulders. Down."

Zuko rued the day he ever spoke in front of that girl. Granted, he was in great emotional turmoil from the attempt on his uncle's life, but he really could've been calmer about it if it meant preventing this. Apparently, the little earthbender girl never forgot a voice. Also, apparently, someone had told her the voice she'd heard that morning in the abandoned town - and that afternoon asking who she was to be breaking down the door like that - belonged to an enemy.

Zuko would bury his face in his hands were said hands not encased in a rock prison. Actually, he would more likely jump out the window and run far away. She would probably find him - because that was her thing, if her presence there was to teach him anything - but if he could get far enough away from civilization, he could use his firebending and gain a fighting chance.

"Sokka. Step. Away. From the firebender," Toph replied, hefting her weapons higher.

"That firebender is my boyfriend," Sokka told her.

Toph froze. Sokka froze. Iroh - who Toph seemed to like for some reason and who she had thus left free - froze. (not that it mattered; he was less than helpful)

"Pfft."

"Uh... Toph?" Sokka poked the earthbender's shoulder. Her arms dropped. Her boulders dropped. She dropped. And started laughing hysterically.

"He's your boyfriend? Aaah ha-ha haaah!"

"Well," Sokka said, clapping his hands together as Toph rolled around in sheer joy. "She's taking it better than I expected."

"Yeah, great, whatever." Zuko rolled his eyes. "Just get me out of here or I'm dumping you."

"Yes, dear."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Toph would not stop laughing. Not for meat kabobs, not for deep-fried dough, not even for Uncle's best tea blend, would Toph stop laughing. In the past twenty minutes, it had tapered off, more giggle fits than her uncontrollable laughter from earlier - not that you were allowed to call what she did "giggling" - but she would not, or could not, stop.

She also would not refer to Zuko or Sokka by name.

"So, Sokka's Boyfriend," she began, snorting into her tea, "how'd you know Iroh?" Iroh, who had been quietly sipping his tea and - Sokka was positive - inwardly cackling at them.

"He's my uncle."

She snorted again and tilted her head toward the ex-general. "You're related to the 'ponytailed jerk'?"

Zuko blinked. "The what?"

"No-not - nothing, that's nothing," Sokka said quickly, waving his hands around for spirits only knew why. "Just - it's nothing. So! Toph! How'd the visit with your mom go?"

"It was a trap. I escaped. By inventing metalbending. Because I'm great like that." Her own magnificence seemed to snap her out of her giggle fits. Or maybe she could sense the men's incredulous expressions; Sokka never could really tell with her.

"Metalbending?" Zuko asked, his voice very faint.

"Yeah," Toph replied carelessly. She stretched out leisurely, propping her hands behind her head. "Bending. But metal." She shrugged. "No big. We can talk about the wonder that is me later. I wanna hear how you two ended up doing the dirty!"

"Aren't you a little young to know about stuff like that?" Zuko asked.

"Aren't you a little royal to be doing stuff like that?" Toph shot back. Sokka had no idea what she meant, but he knew the beginning of a Zuko rage when he saw it and hurriedly interrupted;

"It all began last week..."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So let me make sure I got this." The teens nodded, Iroh having left earlier, torn away only by the needs of his shop. (Sokka was half-convinced he would close the Jasmine Dragon early in an attempt to get back to the apartment before the drama ended). "Sokka's Boyfriend who wasn't his boyfriend yet got Zuko's Boyfriend who wasn't his boyfriend yet to pretend to be his boyfriend to keep random girls from hitting on him, and Zuko's Boyfriend who wasn't his boyfriend yet agreed so he could keep an eye on got Sokka's Boyfriend who wasn't his boyfriend yet and make sure he'd really changed his ways but then you two ended up dating."

"...Yyye-es?" Sokka wasn't sure he followed, but what he could make out sounded right.

"You two idiots faked it 'til you made it," Toph clarified.

"Oh. Yeah, that's basically what happened, yes."

"You had better not tell Sugar Queen without me there."

"That's fi-"

"Not so fast, Sokka," Zuko cut in. He turned to Toph. "What's it worth to you?"

Sokka gaped at him. One did not simply bargain with Toph. You gave her what she wanted or waited for her to kick your ass into giving her what she wanted. There was no third option.

Toph gaped at the firebender, too. (ok, more like at the wall behind the firebender, but Sokka knew what she meant). Then she smirked. Then she smiled.

"I like this one." Had Uncle's tea not been so delicious, Sokka would've spit it out. "I'll get back to you on that, Sokka's Boyfriend. Now come on, Zuko's Boyfriend!" She grabbed his arm and made for the door. "Time for you and me to do some girl talk!"

"I don't want to girl talk!"

"Look, resistance is only cute when your lover boy does it, now move it."

"See you later baby I'll visit you at work bye!"

Toph cackled. "'Baby'! Oh, this is great!"

The door closed.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So, on a scale from one," Toph held her hands an inch apart, "to ten-"

"Damn it, Toph!" Sokka yelped. "You're twelve!"

"No, I'm not." Toph scoffed. "I don't even have one." (3)

"Jesus Christ, what is wrong with you." It wasn't a question, and Toph did not deign to answer it.

"I see you've watched The Bell Ringer," Toph said instead.

"It's my lovely's favorite play." Sokka sighed dreamily. "We saw it a few days ago. He spent an hour and a half telling me about the religion created for it. Interesting stuff."

"Your 'lovely'?"

"I'm trying out different pet names."

"Have you tried 'pookie'?"

"Not yet."

Toph was always so easy to talk to, despite her extremely intrusive questions. She never minced words; she had no setting other than 'blunt'. That was exactly why Sokka wasn't sure he wanted to ask, but he knew he had to;

"What did you mean by 'too royal to be doing stuff like that'?"

Toph paused. Shit, this is gonna be bad.

"I know I've said it before, but you don't know anything about high society," Toph began. "Now, I don't know how things work in the Fire Nation, but in the Earth Kingdom, high society doesn't engage in same-sex relationships. They don't make kids, which is what's considered important." Toph paused again. Sokka didn't know if it was supposed to give him time to brace himself or if she just didn't want to say what she needed to, but it just made the tension Sokka was feeling so much worse. Toph didn't pause. Shit, this is gonna be bad. "Sparky, disowned or not, was raised to be high society, and if Fire Nation society is anything like Earth Kingdom society, he's only supposed to see boyfriends as some fun before finding a wife."

Oh.

"Not that I think he does!" Toph said quickly. "He really doesn't seem the type to do anything half-assed, let alone for fun."

Well, that's fair. Sokka didn't think Zuko had ever done anything purely for amusement. Well, except trick the Jasmine Dragon patrons into thinking they were dating. And playing Romance Quake. And the really great sex they'd been having and maybe it was time to talk to Zuko.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka was curled under a sleeping Zuko's arm after yet another round of really great sex. They hadn't talked about what Toph had said. Sokka hadn't even brought it up. He meant to - he really did - he just couldn't find a proper opening to bring up the topic.

Maybe he should just accept that he was bad at not procrastinating relationship talk.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Toph was a demon. Not a soulless, evil demon from the fiery depths of hell like Azula was, but a demon nonetheless.

"Hey, could you screw Sokka into confusing his eyes and ears again? I want him to describe colors to me in words I understand."

"Iroh's pretty awesome. When I'm older and hotter, you might have to start calling me 'aunt'."

"So, I know it might seem like I was the one who destroyed that other tea shop and you are totally justified in thinking that because it definitely was me but I had a really good reason."

Ok, so that last one was actually pretty funny and the explanation was one of the best stories Zuko had heard since he'd read Between the Walls of Ba Sing Se, but those were three of the tamest comments Toph had made since she'd decided she to accept Zuko as a friend.

Her questions about his and Sokka's sex life did not bear repeating. Her suggestions for his and Sokka's sex life beared exploring. (And might Zuko ask, once again, How does she know about sex in the first place, she is twelve?)

But she was Sokka's friend - best friend, maybe, what with Aang being in love with Katara making Sokka and Aang's interactions slightly awkward - and Zuko really wanted her to like him. She seemed the type to destroy a relationship if she didn't approve of her friend's significant other. Zuko could respect that. Toph used that to trap him. He could respect that, too.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Originally, they were going to the fruit stand for chopped ash mango and moon peach drinks. Originally, they were going to visit the park where Toph would show off her ability to see through the earth's vibrations (and goddamn was that amazing). Originally, they were going to watch a bunch of earthbenders play some game that involved getting a ball into a net until Toph learned enough about the game to place some bets and rig everything. (Zuko didn't exactly approve of gambling, but he really wanted to get reservations at the nice new restaurant that allegedly served Water Tribe food; it was his turn to plan date night and he needed some funds)

Then Toph "saw" something very much like the Earth Rumble she'd once ruled happening in the Lower Ring. It was too late for her to enter, but not for them to get tickets. It wasn't too late for Toph to find the bar the contestants went to afterward, either. And it certainly wasn't too late for her to loudly insist that the only way to fix their boring performance was if they'd all fought her at once, then "maybe the people could've gotten their money's worth".

"Did you have to start a bar fight?!" Zuko shouted over the sound of punching and earthbending.

"You've been hanging out with me how long?!" Toph shouted back, throwing a man easily three times her weight clear across the room. Zuko knew she was using earthbending, but it was still damn impressive.

"That's fair." Zuko jumped and kneed a man in the face. He would never tell Toph - she clearly needed no encouragement - but bar fighting was pretty fun. Well, winning at bar fights is pretty fun, Zuko thought as he flipped someone over his back.

Eventually, the two of them took down the entire Earth Rumble Knock-off line-up. Toph stole the championship belt and raised it above her head victoriously.

"And the winner is the Blind Bandit!" she cheered, one foot resting on the stack of beaten bodies she'd compiled. "You're welcome, and good night!"

Next time I spend time with Toph, Zuko decided as they journeyed back to the Upper Ring, I'm bringing my broadswords.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka was gonna do it. He was going to talk to Zuko. He'd procrastinated in every way he could think of - he'd helped Uncle with his inventory and restocking, he'd bought Zuko every play scroll he could get his hands on, he'd taken Toph to every fighting ring they could force or buy access to. It was time to talk about his relationship. He shuddered at the thought.

"Zuko, honey, I have a question," Sokka said from his position draped dramatically across the prince's chest. They were at the firebenders' apartment. Toph was doing whatever Toph did - picking fights or being a badass, whatever - and Iroh had found a group of musicians in the public square. He'd taken his tsungi horn and disappeared for the afternoon.

"How many pet names are you going to use on me?"

"As many as it takes to find the right one," Sokka answered. "Now for my question."

He rolled off of Zuko and sat up. He stretched. He picked at his clothes.

"Are you going to ask a question or...?" Zuko raised his eyebrow, which wasn't really fair because Sokka had always wanted to be able to raise a single eyebrow and now here Zuko could do it with no effort but then he did get half his face burned off to be able to do that and Sokka should probably stop stalling.

"Am I fun?"

"Does Uncle love tea?" Zuko replied incredulously.

"No," Sokka said, shaking his head. "No, I mean... am I... just a bit of fun?"

"...You've spoken to Toph, haven't you?"

"Never mind, you don't have to say anything. Let's play pai sho!" Sokka got up to get the board, only for Zuko to grab his arm as he tried to escape the awkward situation.

"I hate pai sho, now sit down." Zuko tugged him back onto the couch.

"You hate everything."

"I don't hate you."

"...I don't hate you, too." (4)

Zuko wrapped his arms back around Sokka's shoulders. "I'm not going to say I'm in love with you and I'm not going to say we're going to be together forever, but I didn't start this relationship with an expiration date on it."

"Which means...?"

"I have no plans of dumping you to go find a wife so I can make people I don't like happy. Maybe we'll break up, maybe we won't, but if we do, it won't be because of stupid societal expectations."

"You are so sexy."

"I'm aware."

"You are less sexy."

"No take-backsies."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka hummed happily as he and Toph shopped for groceries.

"Did Sparky screw your brains out again?" she asked, carefully inspecting a plum before placing it in her basket. Her earth basket. That followed her around. Because carrying things was for poor people or something, Sokka didn't know.

"Yellow is birds chirping," Sokka replied. "And also I talked to him about the society thing."

"And you're practically skipping. I told you he didn't do things half-assed!" Toph crowed smugly. "Certainly didn't do you half-assed," she muttered under her breath, grabbing a few more fruits.

"I heard that," Sokka said in an annoyed voice before saying brightly, "And no, no he did not." Sokka put a full pig chicken in Toph's basket. "Totally not changing the subject or anything, but remind me again why you won't just eat at the palace."

"I have a problem with authority, duh."

"Wait!" Sokka stopped in the middle of foot traffic. Grumbling people shifted around him as he thought. I'm forgetting something. Something to do with the palace. Shit, what is it? Work it out: palace, Earth King, guards, councilmen...

A group of giggling fan club members walked past. They looked to be a part of the new Toph branch. They seemed to think Sokka and Zuko had adopted her as a little sister. Zuko, relationship talk, still need to talk to Suk- the Kyoshi Warrior!

"Toph! I need you to check something with me!" he said, grabbing her shoulder for the brief second she allowed it to be there.

"Check what?"

"There's this really weird girl in a Kyoshi Warrior uniform at the palace," Sokka told her.

"And?"

"She asked me who Suki is."

Toph smirked. "Let's go."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Liiiiiiii - hey, Uncle! - Li Li Li Li Li Li-" Zuko grabbed the Water Tribesman and stuffed a sweet roll in his mouth.

"Chew, swallow, calm down, then speak," he said as he took payment from an older couple. "Thank you for your patronage. Please return soon. Chew," he repeated when Sokka just stared at him blankly.

"Lychee tea and make it snappy!" Toph ordered as Sokka stood, dumfounded.

"From you, I want the money up front."

"Li!" Sokka finished off his sweet roll quickly, which was a shame because it was a really good pastry bought special from a shop on the other side of the Upper Ring. "Can I speak with you alone please?"

"Sure," Zuko agreed. "I have a break coming up anyway. Toph, cover for me."

"What's in it for me?"

"You can do what you want with anyone who tries to skip out on their bill."

"Tell Uncle I say hey!" Toph made herself a stone seat and settled down behind the register. "Next customer, please!"

"Come on." Zuko lead Sokka through the kitchen and into the storage room, not acknowledging his uncle's playful order to avoid contaminating the ingredients. "Now, what's so important?"

"I think your sister is in Ba Sing Se."

"..."

Zuko couldn't breathe. He literally could not breathe.

Azula can't be here, he thought desperately. Not here. Not now.

Not when he and Uncle had finally found a life that kept them both content. Not when he had finally let go of his throne. Not when things were going so perfectly. He hadn't been so happy since his mother had been around. Azula couldn't ruin this like she ruined everything else.

"Li?" Sokka said frantically, cautious of any fan club members who may have been eavesdropping. Again. "Li, are you ok?"

Zuko gasped. "I don't know."

"Uncle!"

All went dark.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Zuko." Uncle? "My nephew, are you alright?"

"Wha... What happened?" Zuko tried to rise, only for Uncle to push him back again.

"Do not try to get up so quickly," he instructed.

"Yeah," Sokka said from wherever it was he had been hiding. The kitchen, apparently, judging from the bowl of soup he was carrying. "You just woke up. Take it slow, pookie."

"You can cross that one off your list right now," Zuko ordered. "Now what happened?"

"You had an angst overload," Toph said.

"You had a panic attack, Zuko," Uncle clarified. "Sokka has filled me in on his suspicions."

Uncle helped Zuko sit up and Sokka fed him the surprisingly ok soup he'd brewed.

"What do we do, Uncle?" Zuko asked between bites. Azula was strong and cunning and ruthless. Zuko was no match for her, especially not with the way his new life had forced him to neglect his training. What if she found him? Found Uncle? Found Sokka? Sokka had never fought Azula before, not really. He didn't know what she was truly capable of.

Uncle sighed. "That, my nephew, I do not know."

"But we are gonna find out!" Sokka insisted, his determined voice clashing with how he gently fed Zuko more soup.

"And when we do," Toph continued, "we are gonna kick some butt."

Zuko smiled. Sokka and Toph might not fully understand the extent of Azula's power, but Azula didn't know what they were truly capable of either.

And oh, would she find out.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Azula may be great at striking terror into the hearts of men, but Zuko was an expert at coming and going undetected. Even his esteemed sister could never spot him when he didn't want to be spotted.

And it was Azula. It was most definitely Azula.

Disguising herself as a Kyoshi Warrior; how apropos. All that make-up was surely the only way to hide her enormous presence. And how completely sacrilegious, what with her horrible plans for the Avatar and whatnot.

As if it wasn't bad enough that Azula had found her way into the Impenetrable City, she'd brought Mai and Ty Lee. Zuko had never been close to them, (childhood crushes notwithstanding), but when he'd been sent away, the two girls had been quite formidable opponents. According to Sokka, Mai had only gotten better at her knife throwing and Ty Lee had learned chi blocking.

They had to warn the Earth King.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

The Earth King was an idiot.

"You're telling me you're the prince of the Fire Nation?"

"You're telling me you told some random people all the invasion plans?" Sokka shot back before Zuko could say anything.

"You said they were trustworthy!"

"That doesn't mean you tell them everything!"

Not only were they all screwed, they were super screwed. Screwed beyond all reason. Screwed harder than Sokka the night before.

Zuko had been spending too much time around Toph, but he would deal with that later.

"Look!" Zuko interjected. "We can play Who's a Dumbass later. Right now, we have an emotionless hell spawn to deal with."

"What's 'hell'?"

"Focus!" Zuko shook his head, exasperated. "Jesus, how are you the head of the Earth Kingdom?"

"'Jesus'?"

"Your Majesty! Call. Your guards."

And Zuko had thought all of high society had seen The Bell Ringer. Not what he should've been focusing on at the moment, but seriously, how had King Kuei gone all this time without watching The Bell Ringer? What did he do for fun while he was hidden away in the palace to keep him ignorant of everything around him? Zuko had thought his cage was meant to be rather gilded, but how gilded could it be without any play scripts? Did he just hang out with his bear all day? Where did he even find a bear, anyway?

"The guards aren't coming," Toph said suddenly, interrupting Zuko's nonsensical thought process.

"What do you mean?" Kuei asked.

"I mean, we're boned harder than Sokka last night."

I knew I was spending too much time with Toph!

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Of fucking course the Earth King - no, he was too stupid to call a king - of fucking course Kuei would tell the servant he sent to get the guards that the Fire Nation Prince was with him. Of. Fucking. Course.

Zuko never used to swear so much. Toph was a terrible influence.

"Hello, Zuzu. Do you like my new Dai Li?" Same cruel smirk. Same razor sharp claws. Same unfeeling eyes. She was built as a monster, and what parts weren't inherent, she'd cultivated herself. "They may be Earth Kingdom, but they have a killer instinct that so Fire Nation."

"Let's skip the family reunion and get straight to the butt kicking," Toph said, smacking a fist into an open palm.

"Seconded!" Sokka called. He unsheathed the sword Zuko had insisted he bring and held it ready.

"Agreed!" Azula shot a bolt of lightning and all hell broke loose.

"Just like old times, is it not, Zuko?" Uncle asked as he took down two enemies at once, as was his habit.

"Now is not the time to reminisce." Zuko destroyed the earth hands that tried to trap him. He and Uncle fought in perfect sync; Sokka and Toph fought in near-perfect sync. Azula was watching with satisfaction. Even without her contributing and with Toph's clearly far superior earthbending, the Dai Li badly outnumbered them, especially with the dead weight that was Kuei hiding in the corner.

"This way!" Uncle knocked a hole in the Dai Li's ranks, hefted Kuei over his shoulder, and ran down the unblocked hallway.

"Move it!" Toph threw all their opponents away from them at once, but it only bought them limited time; Azula and the Dai Li weren't far behind them. Sokka, seeing the hallway ended with a large window, threw his boomerang ahead and knocked out the glass.

He's really good with that thing, Zuko thought as Sokka caught the weapon. Now is not the time to be finding that attractive.

"Let's go, people!" Toph yelled, bending a platform of earth for them to climb on to. "Keep your arms and legs on the earth slab!"

They raced out the window. Uncle dropped Kuei and began throwing fire at their pursuers. Sokka stood at the front, swiping at the earth cuffs flying at them. Toph prepared to get the platform moving.

Zuko hesitated.

He had done nothing but run since Azula had tried to bring him back to the Fire Nation in chains. He ran so far he'd even left Uncle behind, only to nearly lose him forever in a ghost town. He'd never been such a coward before and he hated it.

He could keep running - physically, he could run for as long as he damn well felt like - but spiritually, could he really stand to keep doing something so unlike himself? He didn't want to run anymore.

"It's time to end this."

"Zuko, no!"

"Goddamn it!"

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka didn't want to be mad. He really really didn't. Azula didn't fight fair, of course not, but Zuko should've seen that coming. He knew his sister better than Sokka ever would, and even Sokka knew Azula wasn't going to let Zuko win.

On the other hand, he and Zuko were trapped in some crystal cave thing with no idea if Toph and Uncle were in any position to help and no chance of escape themselves without working together. (And also he hated thinking fuck so close to Zuko for such unpleasant reasons.)

And also also, the little dumb ass was injured. It was kind of hard to stay mad at an injured person, especially when you couldn't tell the extent of the damage. Not for the first time, Sokka wished he had his sister's magic (and it was magic, no matter what she claimed), then maybe he could heal Zuko and start planning their escape. As it was, Sokka was too worried to go looking around to assess their options. What if Zuko was badly injured? What if he started seizing or something? What is Azula showed up?

"You better be ok, honey bunnyfly. I've grown too attached to you."

"D'ncuhm'thuh." ...'Don't call me that'?

Then Zuko's head rolled to the side and he was unconscious again.

He woke up for two seconds to complain about the pet name I used? That's what gets him moving? Sokka smirked. My time has come.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Cuddly turtleduck."

"Mmm..."

"Snookums."

"Uuh."

"My precious poodle monkey."

"Uugh."

"Sugar snuggle butt."

"Uugh."

Sokka started trailing wet, obnoxious kisses over the firebender's face. He was sure Zuko was actually awake but going into another angst overload. Except, you know, an actual angst overload, not the panic attack Toph had called an angst overload. Sokka had to cut off the angst now, while there was time, and get Zuko working with him on their escape.

Sokka had always been an expert at distracting people from their problems. Just ask Katara.

Ok, not Katara, she would lie so as not to encourage his antics. Ask Aang. Aang would tell the truth.

"My beloved dragon warrior."

Zuko lifted his head slightly, looking at Sokka out of the corner of his good eye. "That one's not so bad."

"That's the one I'll settle on if you move your perfectly toned ass and help me find an escape route." Sokka smacked said ass and helped his boyfriend sit up.

"I am so stupid."

"Could you say that again around witnesses?"

"I should never have confronted Azula. I've had to neglect my training to live here and she was always better than me, anyway." Sokka wrapped his arm around Zuko comfortingly. "I am just so tired of running away."

"I know, dragon. I'd be sick of running, too." Sokka rubbed his back and kissed him gently on the cheek. "Which makes me feel extra shitty about what I'm about to say next; we need to get the hell out of here."

"You've slipped those Bell Ringer references into your regular vernacular quite nicely."

"And you're using big words to distract me from helping you. Let's go." Sokka stood and pulled Zuko to his feet. "We need to split up and look for weak points. Stay in shouting distance, dragon."

"...You know, now that I think about it, I don't think 'dragon' is going to work, either. Uncle is called 'The Dragon of the West'."

"That's fair. What else spits fire?"

"I'll get back to you on that."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

There was no way out. No way out without earthbending, at least. Their prison was a completely enclosed cavern with no way of telling how long they would have to dig to get to the surface, but knowing Azula, it was long enough that they would get caught by Dai Li before they ever got close. They needed Toph. Or Aang. Preferably Toph, what with her being closer and better at earthbending and not a pacifist.

"So what do we do now, Ani?" Sokka asked as he collapsed onto the ground. They had been searching for hours for a weak point before finally calling it quits.

"Now, I work on my forms. I have a lot of catching up to do." Zuko started to stretch and go through his breathing exercises. "You try to find something you can use as a weapon."

Of course, they had taken away his sword and boomerang. Sokka missed the sword - he had been getting really good with it - but losing his boomerang really stung. He'd had it for years. It was a present from his father before the chief left to fight in the war. Sokka had had that boomerang right by his side for years. He almost didn't know what to do without it.

Almost, but not quite. He had to stay strong. He had to get away. He had to punch Azula in the face even though she was a girl and he wasn't supposed to hit girls but she barely counted really and she so deserved it and wow was Sokka getting off topic. A weapon. Right.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

They sat around the fire Zuko had built. There wasn't much point, since they had no food to cook and Zuko could keep them both plenty warm with his innate flame, but it helped them feel better.

"How'd training go?" Sokka asked. He, himself, had found a few things he could use as a decent club, but nothing that would be effective against benders. He would have to rely solely on his smarts for this one. Good thing he had so much to tap into.

"Fine. I didn't forget anything, muscle memory and all, but I haven't improved any and I was already so far behind." The fire flared slightly, and Zuko sighed heavily, upset at his unintentional display of emotion.

"It'll be ok, Ani." Sokka rested his head on the firebender's shoulder. "You know how hard it is to keep Toph or Uncle contained. They probably escaped and are planning our rescue right now."

"You're probably right."

"I'm always right."

"What about the time we went to that 'dance club' you'd heard so much about but-"

"We do not speak of that if we wish to get laid."

Zuko cracked a small smile. And Katara always complained about Sokka telling jokes at inappropriate times. She knew nothing of distraction and that's why she was always getting kidnapped.

(Sokka was only kidnapped twice and that was because he was helping someone else who was getting kidnapped so it didn't count.)

"By the way, 'Ani'? At first, I thought you were saying 'honey' but you'd already used that one."

"Uh..."

Zuko bumped Sokka's head off his shoulder and forced him to look the older teen in the eye.

"Come on," the ex-prince said. "If you've settled on a pet name, I should at least know what it is."

"It's short for 'Ani Hyuntikwalaski'." Zuko blinked. Sokka sighed and continued; "It's the Water Tribe name for The Thunderers, a clan of powerful storm spirits. Way back when we lived alongside the spirits, the Ani Hyuntikwalaski lived in the skies and commanded the thunder and lightning." (5)

"I can't shoot lightning, Sokka." Zuko looked embarrassed by the admission. "I've tried but I have 'too much inner turmoil'."

"I know you can't," Sokka said. "I probably would've seen it by now if you could."

"Then why...?"

Sokka blushed and desperately tried to convince himself he didn't. "That first night we spent together... your skin sounded like thunder." Zuko smirked. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"You thought it."

"Oh, you can read minds now?"

"Yes."

"What am I thinking, then?"

"'God, my boyfriend's sexy'?"

"...Lucky guess."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"I know the rule is not to talk about war stuff," Sokka said, "but the war kind of just bit us both in the ass."

"I'm not involved with the war anymore, Sokka."

"Yes you are," Sokka insisted. "Banished or not, you are the rightful heir to the Fire Nation throne. You were born involved in this war."

Zuko poked at the fire. He didn't want to be involved in the war. Not anymore. Not again.

It was still cliché as all hell, but his travels through the Earth Kingdom had shown him something; the world hated the Fire Nation, and the Fire Nation deserved it.

"Fine, I can't be involved in this war anymore."

"Why?" The fire flared. "I don't mean anything by it," Sokka soothed as the fire died down again. "I just think this is something you need to work through, and the best way to do that is by asking yourself questions. I figured it'd be easier for you if I asked them, instead."

Sokka hesitantly scooted over to Zuko and nudged him a few times with his shoulder. Zuko frowned but wrapped his arm around the Water Tribesman.

"In the Fire Nation schools, we are taught that we're the best, that our country is the strongest, the wealthiest, and the most advanced," Zuko said. "We are told it is our duty to lead the world into a new age." Zuko tightened his hold and Sokka snuggled closer. "But it's a lie. All I was ever taught was a lie. The world hates us. They're afraid of us, and they should be. We've ruined their lives and we're told they should be thankful. I can't support that."

"So why don't you join Team Avatar?" 'Join me', went unsaid, but Zuko heard it. He was sure Sokka had excluded it to avoid emotional manipulation, but knowing Sokka cared enough to do that really just made it worse.

"I can't betray my father like that."

"You're father's kind of an asshole."

"He's my father," Zuko said fiercely before he sighed, defeated. "And he wasn't always like this."

It was that damn crown. Ozai hadn't exactly been Father of the Year before, but he hadn't been so bad until he'd been named Fire Lord. It was a heavy burden, leading an entire people, and his father had never been one to bear loads of others. He shouldn't have been named next in line. Had Uncle still his birthright, this senseless war would have been over already.

"We really were a family, you know. Once upon a time."

"So you admit you're not a family now."

"...Why are you doing this?" Zuko whispered sadly.

"Because you deserve better."

Zuko had chased Sokka and his family all over the world to turn a child over to a man Zuko knew would spare no mercy, and the Water Tribesman said Zuko deserved better. How had he gotten so lucky? How had this beautiful person picked him?

"Can we just get some sleep now, please?"

"Of course, Ani."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko wrapped his arms tighter around Sokka, burying his nose in the nape of his boyfriend's neck. He smelled like dirt and frustration but Zuko didn't care. Sokka was there. He'd come after his dumbass. He cared.

Zuko was going to mock him so bad when they got out.

He heard the sound of rocks shifting and tried to relax his muscles. If the Dai Li thought he was still asleep he might be able to take them by surprise.

"Wake up, pretties, we need to haul ass." Toph?

"Toph!" Apparently, Zuko wasn't the only one faking sleep.

"That's right! Toph and Iroh; salvation is here!" Toph bent the earth beneath them, shooting them both into the air. Zuko landed on his feet. Sokka did not.

Zuko rushed to help him up. "Baby, you ok?" Hey, if Sokka wasn't going to use the pet name, Zuko might as well take it for a spin.

"Fine, I'm fine."

"Move it, lovebirds. We questioned a Dai Li agent to find this place," Toph told them. "Azula's planning a coup against the Earth King. They're gonna take out all the generals and bring down the walls of Ba Sing Se."

Zuko found himself unsurprised.

"Aang and Katara are waiting a few chambers over," Toph continued. "We figured you might not want them walking in on you two snuggled up together."

Zuko found himself very surprised. The two of them agreed to stay back?

"I sent them in the wrong direction when we split up to search. They may be under the impression you two are in a suspended cage somewhere." (6)

Well that explained it.

"You two go on ahead," Uncle Iroh said, gesturing to Sokka and Toph. "Go help your friends. I must talk with Zuko." They left. Sokka looked back at Zuko only once. Zuko tried to smile encouragingly but was only half sure he'd done so convincingly as the two disappeared from the cavern.

"Why are you working with the Avatar?" Zuko asked as soon as their footsteps had faded.

"Not right now, nephew." Uncle placed his hands on Zuko's shoulders. "It is time we talked. You are not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been."

Zuko smiled. He'd already known what Uncle was saying. He'd never felt so right before. Not since he'd last spent time with his mother. Not since his face had been unscarred. Zuko had changed and changed again and finally, he had become someone he was proud of. Someone Uncle was proud of. Someone, he believed, his mother would have been proud of.

"And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny. It is time for you to choose." Uncle smiled, his eyes filled with joy. "It is time for you to choose good."

And then the crystals encased him.

"Uncle!"

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle," Azula said as Zuko took a stance in front of the trapped general. Two Dai Li agents flanked her. "But Zuko, Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?"

"Release him immediately." Zuko was outnumbered and outranked. Had they not taken Uncle out, the two of them might have stood a chance, but at the moment all Zuko could do was make empty demands. Why had they split from the others? Why? Uncle couldn't have waited to talk until after they'd escaped?

Damn it all.

"It's not too late for you, Zuko," Azula continued, ignoring Zuko's order as she always had in the past. "You can still redeem yourself."

Redeem myself?

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you," Uncle urged him.

Right. Zuko could forge his own redemption. He didn't need Azula's scraps. It didn't matter how much easier it would be to take them. He had always fought, and he was so tired of it, but he could damn well fight some more. It would be so simple... But it wouldn't be me.

"Why don't you let him decide, Uncle?" Her voice was as sharp as ever until she turned to Zuko, suddenly speaking with a plea, with a weakness, hidden in her tone. "I need you, Zuko."

Zuko froze. What?

"I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation History, and the only way we win is together."

Azula is lying.

"At the end of this day, you will have your honor back."

Azula is lying .

"You will have Father's love."

Azula. Is. Lying .

"You will have everything you want."

Why does Azula always lie ?

"Zuko, I am begging you."

Uncle never lies.

"Look into your heart and see what it is you truly want."

Uncle never lies, not to me. Never to me.

What do I want? I want my honor. I want my home. I want what's best for my people. I want what's best for the world . I want this whole thrice-forsaken war to not have happened in the first place. I want to travel back to Sozin's time and punch him in the face.

...I want my family.

"You are free to choose." Azula left. Azula's Dai Li left. (7)

But only one member of my family has always wanted me.

"Uncle." The Great Dragon was never meant to look so weak, look so desperate. Desperate over Zuko. He was the only one who'd always cared. "How do we get you out of this?"

And the Dragon smiled.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"So, you didn't let Katara catch us because...?"

"What, I can't be nice?"

Sokka blinked. Toph couldn't see, but she knew. He knew she did.

"Fine." Toph glared at nothing, but Sokka was sure it was meant for him. "I figured we had more important things to worry about. I want to have the spare time to bask in the havoc Katara is going to bring."

"Yeah, that makes a lot more sense."

"Shut up."

"Yes ma'am." They walked in silence. For about a minute. "Their timing is pretty perfect, huh?"

"Yeah it is," Toph agreed. "They got your letter at the best possible moment."

"I guess in all the crap that's happened recently, at least we have that going for us. And you said I was overreacting about mailing them when we saw Ty Lee," Sokka said mockingly.

"No, I said you were overreacting about us running to tell Zuko," Toph corrected him.

"And I was right about that, too!"

"That led to us going to the Earth King which led to Azula finding out your boy toy-"

"Man toy."

"-is in Ba Sing Se and that we knew she and her minions were disguised as Kyoshi Warriors."

"...Shut up."

Toph turned to Sokka menacingly before suddenly stopping and forming an earth platform beneath them.

"No more time to dawdle!" Toph yelled over the rushing wind as she sent them racing through the Crystal Catacombs. "Azula just found Aang and Katara."

Shit shit shit shit shit - wait.

"Did you just say 'dawdle'?"

"I've been spending too much time with Iroh."

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

It took longer to find their missing friends than it really should have. Toph and Sokka had decided to take the long way around to find them, originally, to give them a chance to discuss how to break the knowledge of Sokka and Zuko's relationship to the two benders. They'd thought they had time. That mistake had taken them seven chambers away from Aang and Katara, a far cry from the two they had started at.

Sokka tried to get Toph to tell him what was happening with their friends, but she kept shushing him so she could concentrate. Sokka couldn't take it; he couldn't take the not knowing, the unrelenting suspense. Was Aang ok? Was Katara ok? Was Zuko ok? Not that he was more concerned about Zuko's well being than he was about his family's, but Azula was around, and according to Zuko she was a master of manipulation. Sokka had faith in Zuko - he did - but Zuko had no faith in himself. He might just fall back to the familiar rather than face the opportunity to change and risk failing.

They finally arrived at the cavern where their friends were fighting. Sokka was never happier to be wrong.

Aang and Katara were facing off against the Dai Li. Zuko and Iroh fought Azula. Sokka was so proud.

Zuko landed a nice hit on Azula, who growled angrily when he laughed at her tauntingly. Sokka was so turned on.

"Let's go, Snoozles!"

"No!"

"What?" Toph said incredulously, discretely twitching her foot to throw off a Dai Li agent's aim.

"They have it handled, but you and I need to set up an escape route," Sokka told her.

"But-"

"But nothing! Can you not fight just this once?" Sokka yelled, ready to just shake some sense into the twelve-year-old.

"Fine. But I hate you." She formed a new platform and sent them flying toward the cave she and Aang had formed to get into the caverns. The Dai Li had collapsed it, but it wouldn't take too long for her to carve it out again.

"Lying's a sin, Cookie."

"'Cookie'?"

"What, you're the only one who can have nicknames?"

"Mine make sense."

"Cookie, like 'tough cookie'." Sokka gasped dramatically. "Toph Cookie!"

"I will kill you."

"And there's that lying agai- Aah! Don't hurt me!"

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Zuko was fighting his sister. He was fighting his sister, which was preventing her from fighting the Avatar. The Avatar was being protected by Zuko. Who was fighting his sister, Azula. Who was trying to kill the Avatar but couldn't because of Zuko. Who was fighting her. Which helped the Avatar.

Zuko couldn't wrap his mind around it and decided only a minute into the fight not to try. Azula was too good. He had to keep his wits about him.

Or she'd win. And then go after the Avatar. Who Zuko was helping.

If Zuko had known how dating Sokka would lead to him being confused about everything he'd ever thought he'd known about himself or his life, he wouldn't have done it. (might not have done it) (probably would have reconsidered) (who was he kidding; Sokka was his now and there was no going back) (plus, Uncle was happy, which is always a good reason to do something)

"What is wrong with you, Zuko?" Azula yelled at him, firing off another blast. Pun intended. Zuko was spending too much time with Sokka. "Do you like living like a peasant?"

"I like it better than living with you!"

Then Azula shot lightning at him and Zuko decided not to try any more witty banter. It was really more of a Sokka or Toph thing, anyway. He also decided to completely ignore whatever Azula was saying to try and get in his head, which had the added bonus of annoying her, even if it also made her fire stronger.

Oh well, can't have everything.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

How many hits on the waterbender does it take to get to the desperate Avatar center of an Aang-pop? Way less than it should have been, if Zuko counted correctly (six), but he was a little preoccupied with his own fight to take any sort of inventory of Team Avatar's injuries.

They hadn't been fighting nearly as long as they could've, but Aang seemed to realize what Zuko had known all along; there was no way in hell they were winning. Aang and Katara were too tired from their long journey back to Ba Sing Se, Zuko and Uncle hadn't had any opportunity to keep up with their training, Sokka didn't have any of his weapons, and Toph couldn't help while she was fixing Plan B.

More Dai Li would show up - not-exhausted Dai Li - with Mai and Ty Lee right behind them, and if even half of the things Sokka had told him about those girls was true, they might as well just bend over at that point because they were fucked.

But Zuko digressed. Aang was getting desperate, and it was showing. His bending was getting sloppy and his dodging was getting slower until finally he just locked himself in an earth cocoon.

Zuko wanted to break it open and drag him out - how dare he just hunker down when they were fighting for their lives? - but then a light started shining through the cracks of the cocoon. And then Aang was floating away from it, his eyes and tattoos glowing.

Is this the Avatar State?

It was incredible, the awesome power emitting from the last airbender. Zuko was in awe. He was humbled. He was amazed.

He wasn't paying attention to Azula.

"Aang!"

The scream the child let out would haunt him.

Katara caught the fallen Avatar and rushed him away on a powerful wave. Iroh took the Dai Li officers out from behind. Zuko took one last look at his sister - at her cruelly satisfied smirk that he had known so well - and rushed off. She wouldn't chase him. She had what she wanted.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Katara healed Aang, but he wouldn't wake up.

King Kuei had escaped, but Ba Sing Se had fallen.

They were all alive, but every single one of them had a bounty on their heads.

What do we do now? Zuko thought, looking back at the soon-to-be destroyed city they had flown away from. He had left everything. He had burned his last bridge. He had betrayed his father.

"Your father betrayed you a long time ago." Sokka smiled gently at Zuko's confused look. "Mind reader, remember?"

"Get out of my head." Despite his words, Zuko's voice was soft and his lips curved into a small smile.

"Make me."

"Excuse me." Oh yeah, other people.

Oh shit, other people.

"Not to detract from the seriousness of Aang's near dead condition," Katara continued, oblivious to the widely grinning Toph and Uncle shushing each other and giggling, "but one, why are Zuko and General Iroh here in the first place, and two, why is Zuko cuddling with you?"

"...He's warm?"

"And you're sweating."

Katara glared at them. She had nothing on Azula - Katara wouldn't really kill them - but shit she was scary.

"Uuuuhhhh..."

Sokka glanced at Zuko out of the corner of his eye, but all Zuko could think was that Sokka better not be expecting Zuko to jump in with an explanation. Katara was Sokka's sister and Sokka's responsibility. Katara wouldn't hurt her brother; Zuko was a whole other matter.

"Hmmmmmmm..."

Sokka wasn't going to say a damn thing.

"Toph, you wanna field this one?" Zuko said to the earthbender.

"They're dating!" she burst out, finally losing her control over her laughter, Uncle joining her once he'd seen the look on Katara's face.

"You're dating my brother?" she said faintly. "You're dating my brother?" She couldn't seem to say the words in a way that made sense to her. Her expression hardened. "You're dating MY brother?" But her ability to put a different emphasis on each word would be very impressive under normal circumstances.

"Remember our deal, Toph!" Zuko said desperately. Katara had snapped out of her shock quicker than he expected her to and her reaction was not favorable.

"Can't do anything about Sugar Queen from up here, Sparky."

"YOU!" Katara shrieked, her voice filled with rage as she reached for her water pouch.

Uncle stopped laughing.

"What? What's happening?" Toph asked, shaking her head back and forth as if that would tell her anything.

It was going to be a long flight.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Sokka

-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-

"Katara, no! I like him!" Sokka cried, moving to cut off Katara's view of his boyfriend. "Plus, we can't fight on Appa! Someone could fall off." The waterbender reluctantly lowered her arms. "Plus plus, he's cute." Sokka looked at Zuko with a lovesick expression more commonly seen on a child experiencing their first crush.

Would Zuko try to top it?

"You're cuter." Zuko cooed, cupping Sokka's face in his hands and rubbing their noses together.

Of course he would.

Toph started howling again as the lovers began making nonsense sounds at each other. Iroh looked on indulgently - as was his habit. Katara looked ready to vomit off the side of the sky bison.

This was definitely not helping Sokka's case with Katara, but he was sure she would get over it.

Well, ok, maybe not sure, but hey, Sokka could dream, couldn't he?