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“Fuck!”
The shout raised Sokka’s attention, making him lift the headset off his head and spin his (super worth the money, shut up Katara) gaming chair towards the bathroom.
“You okay in there buddy?” Sokka said, setting the headset down on the desk. “Fall in?”
When he heard no response, he got up and walked over to the door and slowly opened it.
He saw Zuko, pants down, hands balled up on his knees, sitting on the toilet.
“I started my period.” Zuko mumbled, unable to meet Sokka in the eyes.
“Well that’s okay, baby. Do you want me to run and grab some snacks? Oh wait, do we have pads in here?” Sokka began to dig through the cabinets under the sink, searching for a box that wasn’t there.
Zuko shifted his knees to the side, giving Sokka more room to search. “I don’t think so.” He grumbled, beginning to fold toilet paper in his hand. “I guess I’ll just use this for now.”
Sokka turned to him, hands still shoved into a basket behind two bottles of shampoo. “Use what?” He looked to Zuko’s hands, still confused. “Are you making, like, a makeshift pad? That’s actually kind of genius. But wasteful.” He sat back, pulling his hands up to his folded knees. “I can run to the store right now so you don’t have to keep wasting all the toilet paper in this apartment.” He joked, hoping it would raise his boyfriend’s spirit some.
Zuko blew his hair out of his face as he stood up, shuffling his pants up and readjusting the wad of paper in his underwear. “I’ve been doing this since my first period. I was a child genius, I think.” He smirked at Sokka, matching the other’s smile. Sokka stood to meet him, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.
“I’m gonna run to Walgreens for you, grab the pads and maybe some… uh…” he paused, brushing his hand against the back of his neck. “Not nitrol… the medicine? For cramps? I know it sounds like that.” He began sounding out what he remembered of the word while Zuko walked past him back into the bedroom.
“It’s Midol, I think. And I don’t need any, just need to lie here and forget the world exists for a while.” He laid face down on the bed, turning his head to the side while he stretched out his arm and reached for his phone. “Maybe some Kit-Kats.”
Sokka climbed onto the bed behind him, kissing his head and definitely not squishing him. “Kit-Kats are already on the list, babe.” He slid back and began walking out of the bedroom, grabbing his wallet on the way out. “Anything else?” He yelled from the kitchen, slipping on his shoes and grabbing his keys.
“My partner back as soon as possible.” Zuko added. “In one piece and without catching COVID from the anti-maskers at Walgreens.”
Sokka laughed, pulling the door open. “You got it, buddy.”
~~~
Less than 20 minutes later and with two plastic bags in his hands, (he always forgets the reusable ones they have tucked in the pantry,) Sokka returned to their apartment. Setting his keys back on the hook, he saw Zuko sitting on their couch with a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels in his hand.
“Someone found my secret stash, I see.” Sokka said, beginning to unpack the bags.
“Someone else forgot to save the planet by using the bags that he knows are in the pantry, I see.” Zuko scoffed, nodding towards the bags Sokka was emptying.
“Someone else else forgot to remind his ADHD-ass boyfriend about them.” Sokka shrugged, pouting his lips and grabbing one of the items out of the bag. “But I remembered the Kit-Kats!” He grinned wide, bringing the chocolate to the couch with him. Zuko gave him a loving look, scooching over to make space.
“We’re watching Space Jam.” Zuko said plainly, turning his head back towards the TV. Sokka gave him a questioning look, before settling in and reaching over to grab pretzels out of the bag in Zuko’s hand.
“I think I had a crush on the bunny when I was younger.” Sokka said with his mouth crunching around a pretzel. “Not that Micheal Jordan was anything to scoff at either.”
“You’re so dumb, and I can’t believe I’m dating a furry.” Zuko tilted the bag away from Sokka as he reached over to grab more.
“A furry who brought you chocolate and pads!” Sokka leaned over to kiss his grumpy boyfriend, slyly trying to grab the snacks out of Zuko’s hands.
“Thank you for that.” Zuko gave in, turning his head to kiss Sokka and pulling the bag further out of Sokka’s reach.
“You’re welcome. I love you.” Sokka smiled softly, admitting defeat and slouching back to leave Zuko with his chosen snacks.
“I love you too.” Zuko sighed, finally at peace to eat his snacks and enjoy an, admittedly terrible, comfort movie.
~~~
As the credits rolled, Sokka leaned in further to Zuko’s neck and began to give him soft kisses. “Good movie,” he muttered, bringing an arm around Zuko’s waist.
Zuko paused, realizing his boyfriend was trying to make a move on him. “Is it okay for tonight if we just cuddle?” Zuko asked softly.
Sokka gave Zuko one more peck on his shoulder before leaning away and smiling sweetly. “Of course, fire flake. Cuddles here or on the bed?”
Zuko sat back into the couch cushions and gestured away from himself with the bag of pretzels. “Bed.” He mumbled. “But I’m too lazy to get up.”
Sokka took the bag from him and set them on the side table. “Does someone want me to carry him? Carry him to the bed like a wittle baby?” he teased, still reaching his arms around Zuko to help him up.
Once he got Zuko to standing, Zuko grimaced. “Ew. I can feel it gooping out of me.”
Sokka made a squished up face and asked, “Really? That sounds like ass. Do you want to go change your pad before bed? I bought the nighttime kind too!”
Zuko rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around Sokka’s neck and muttering, “I don’t mean to inflate your ego, but you’re kind of the best. I know I don’t always say it, but I do love you.” He set his forehead against Sokka’s and added, “Very much.”
Sokka’s grin stretched across his face as he took Zuko into a hug that could by all accounts be called a squish.
“Gently!” Zuko choked out, and Sokka loosened his grip, keeping his arms tucked neatly around Zuko. “I’m a little sore.”
Sokka ran his hands up and down Zuko’s back and said, “I know, my hugs can be truly overwhelming at times. Bed, though?” He backed away and grabbed Zuko’s hands to lead him to the bedroom.
As Zuko changed his pad, Sokka took his medicine with the water on the bedside table.
They climbed into bed quietly, and Zuko adjusted his pillow underneath him, laying on his back.
“Proud of you for remembering your meds today.” Zuko said, eyes already shut.
Sokka smiled at his boyfriend, wrapping an arm around his chest as he laid next to him. “Proud of you for being so… you.” He tucked his head into Zuko’s shoulder, letting out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.
Sokka knew Zuko didn’t always have the words to tell him how he felt, but Sokka felt it all the time. He saw it in every time Zuko picked up their clothes off the floor, every time he washed the extra dish Sokka kept “leaving to soak”, every time he let Sokka tuck his head into his shoulder and brushed his fingers through Sokka’s hair. In every, “Do you need anything?” and every, “I put on our show.” In every, “I miss you,” Sokka saw the love Zuko spread out into his life like wildfire.
Tonight, Sokka saw love in the way Zuko let him tuck his head into Zuko’s shoulder without complaint and brushed his fingers through Sokka’s hair as they fell asleep. Tonight, and forever, he felt loved.