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“Dad, stop, I look stupid.” Sokka complains, huffing and crossing his arms as he looks in the mirror.
Everything about his clothes is too stiff and formal even if it is beautiful.
His robes are a deep blue but all lined with gold, a little too much. Scratch that, a lot too much. Ty Lee had even insisted that he paint his nails gold even if she isn’t here right now. She and Mai go pretty much everywhere together and Mai is currently with Zuko.
Unfortunately, Suki had liked the idea of Sokka’s nails being gold and Katara liked it mostly because Sokka didn’t. The two women had convinced (and by convinced he meant Suki pinned him to the ground while Katara painted them) him to do so. The only reason he hadn’t picked it off out of spite was because Bato had mentioned that Zuko would probably like it.
He couldn’t argue with that.
On top of that, every single person with him had insisted that Sokka keep his hair down, insisting that it looks better that way.
“You look very handsome, I know it isn’t very practical, but you look very nice. You only get married once…hopefully.” Hakoda adds, a sad tone in the last word, likely more in reference to himself and Bato opposed to thinking Sokka’s marriage wouldn’t last.
Sokka scrunches his face in annoyance, laughing a little at the way it looks, continuing to make more faces at himself.
“Sokka, stop that, you’re getting married in less than an hour.” Hakoda tries to keep a serious face while saying so but isn’t particularly successful in his endeavor.
“No offense, but Zuko is very aware of what he is getting himself into. He was stuck with Sokka in prison trying to get you out and even ended up getting arrested becasue of his dumb ass.” Katara chimes in, sitting in a chair near the window, smiling at him with only a little bit of mockery.
When she and Aang get married, Sokka is going to make sure that he gets back at her for this. He is going to do his best to help her look as impractically pretty as possible as long as he can find a justification. She will regret this treachery.
Sokka scrunches up his face again and sticks his tongue out before his dad grabs him by the shoulders and turns him away from the mirror telling him how he’s lost his mirror privileges.
“Sokka, stop that, you’re going to be royalty by tomorrow, start acting like it.” Hakoda grumbles even as he laughs a little, going to ruffle Sokka’s hair but ends up awkwardly patting his head, not wanting to mess up his well-groomed hair.
“We’ll if I’m going to be royalty you better stop bossing me around.” Sokka counters, shoulder bumping his dad playfully.
His dad just shoves his back in response, laughing.
Part of Sokka is excited for the wedding, most of him, actually. He wants his family and friends together to see him get to declare and prove his love for someone he really does love so much. He would just like it more if it could be more casual.
However, this is the compromise that he made with Zuko about not having a traditional royal wedding. The Fire Sages are coming tonight to indoctrinate Sokka into the royal family and validate his wedding with Zuko. On top of that, it doesn’t need to be public. Sokka really just wants people he knows well to be there for something very personal and important to him.
Thankfully, Zuko feels the same way. The only doubt that Sokka has for that is the fact that Zuko has arranged for Azula of all people to come, something he doesn’t understand.
Apparently, she and Zuko had gotten closer over the past two years. She had recovered immensely from so much of what Ozai had done to her. Despite that, she still isn’t exactly stable. However, she had spent the previous night in her old room and the palace isn’t in flames nor has she disappeared into the countryside, so that’s a start. Hopefully.
Thankfully, Azula won’t be present for the more public part of Zuko and Sokka’s wedding. Partially because she doesn't want to be and partially because it wouldn’t be a good look.
Thankfully, Zuko hadn’t told his sister that Sokka didn’t want him there either.
Considering Sokka and Zuko would be officially married by the time their public wedding takes place, there doesn’t need to be an actual ceremony. The only bad part is Sokka will have to dress like this again. The good part is that Zuko is making it just a feast where anyone from any social standing can attend and Sokka gets to plan the entire menu. The only reason why he isn’t making it all Water Tribe food that he knows most wouldn’t like without the acquired taste is because if Sokka were a Fire National and the Fire Lord was allowing the lower class into the palace for a ceremony for the first time in…ever and he didn’t like any of the food, he would be pissed. He might even start a riot. On top of that, ingredients for that aren’t easy to come by here.
Most importantly, Zuko might divorce him. He doesn’t actually think Zuko would go that far for Sokka making a bad menu, but considering Zuko likes theater a bit too much, he would certainly threaten it. A lot. Very loudly and dramatically. Sokka might divorce him out of pure irritation.
Sokka is very excited about being able to share a big meal with people even if it is a bit too formal. He mostly likes the food aspect of it. Okay, that’s the only part he likes. Zuko certainly knows him and was well aware a feast would be the only way to prevent Sokka from complaining the entire time. His mouth will be too full of food to talk.
“You raise your son to be a smart ass and he turns out to be a smart ass, what is this world coming to?” Hakoda chuckles as Suki examines his face for blemishes even though they all know Zuko would only pretend to care if Sokka showed up looking like he had just rolled out of bed.
“Come on, the sun is setting, I wanna be out there before Yue is. I want her to be able to see the whole thing.” Sokka complains, looking out the window at the brilliantly painted sky.
“Oh, so we’re the one’s holding you up after you spend half an hour making goofy faces at yourself in the mirror?” Katara teases, tucking a flower behind Sokka’s ear.
“It was like, two seconds, and that was fun! Both Yue and Zuko would understand that I was attending to important business. They both think I’m handsome just the way I am and don’t need makeup.” He complains, shoving Suki’s hand away, grinning.
“Zuko only has one good eye and it was the dark season when you met Yue, so don’t get too full of yourself.” Katara flicks Sokka’s forehead as she speaks, smirking.
Sokka just flips her off before running out the door towards the courtyard.
Everyone had really outdone themselves for the decorations. Zuko’s only request had been that they hold the wedding in the courtyard because it allowed for privacy and he wanted the turtle ducks to be there. Sokka had wanted as much Fire Nation candy as possible so he could snack on it throughout the wedding. But most importantly, he had wanted it to be held at night so Yue could be there. He’s glad that Zuko wanted it in the courtyard, it would give Yue a the best view they could provide.
Even though Sokka didn’t get a chance to know her very well or for long, when they met, it felt like he had always known her. Whether their relationship would have become something romantic considering Hahn had died during the invasion or they had remained friends, he had cared for her. In a way, it’s kind of how Zuko and Mai’s relationship seems to be now. They both still love each other very much, just not the way that they used to.
The courtyard is filled with paper lanterns. They must be hung by thin string considering it looks like they’re floating in mid air. He didn’t want there to be any harsh lights so that it wouldn’t obscure Yue’s view.
There are tables lining the courtyard filled with various foods. Zuko had paid skilled cooks from the Fire Nation, Water Tribe, and Earth Kingdom to make dishes that everyone liked. He had also managed to find a few people who knew enough about Air Nomad culture to be able to approximate dishes that Aang had described to them from his memory.
Sokka looks up in the sky and he can see the moon peeking around the walls of the courtyard. They won’t start the wedding until she is fully in view, but they need to be ready, they will only have about two hours where Yue will have a full view of the wedding. They need to do everything important during that time.
After her view is obscured, they will likely just mingle and eat until everyone gets too exhausted and goes to bed.
As Sokka is looking around, Zuko, Mai, Ty Lee, Azula, Toph, Iroh, and Aang walk into view.
Zuko rushes towards him, throwing his arms around Sokka. “You look beautiful.” He mumbles into Sokka’s shoulder, hiding his face even though Sokka can feel Zuko’s entire body flushing with embarrassment.
“So do you, turtleduck.” Sokka replies, pulling away, pressing a kiss to Zuko’s lips before resting their foreheads together. “I love you, Zuko. I love you so much.” He can see the flush of Zuko’s face as he talks, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
Pulling back, Sokka looks at his fiance. Someone, likely Ty Lee, had braided hair that would usually be in a top knot into a crown and then woven flowers in it. A crown that is now a mix of moon flowers and fire lilies. He’s wearing his Fire Lord robes, something Sokka doesn’t understand how the man can wear on the regular. He must have polished his betrothal necklace or it must just be Sokka’s imagination that it is shining brighter.
He takes one of Zuko’s hands in his own and immediately realizes that there isn’t any paint on them. “Ty Lee didn’t make you paint your nails?” He asks, a little more than a bit offended.
Chuckling, Zuko shakes his head. “No, but yours look nice.” He brings Sokka’s hand to his mouth, kissing each finger. “If it makes you feel better, she wanted to paint my scar gold.” He shrugs at that, suppressing a small smile.
Sokka can’t help but to laugh.
“I didn’t really mind that, but Toph rediscovers that I have a giant scar on my face once every few months and tries to climb on me because she wants to touch it or something. Today she just wanted to punch my other eye so that, and I quote: ‘they would be matching.’” Zuko shakes his head as he speaks.
“Hey sparky, I’m just trying to help you out here, you just don’t have an eye for fashion.” Toph chimes in, spitting on the ground.
“You don’t have eyes, period.” Zuko grumbles, receiving a hard, totally not affectionate, punch in the arm for that comment.
As the two squabble over who can see better considering Toph has her earthbending to see and Zuko has really bad regular vision, Sokka looks up at the sky, smiling as Yue comes into full view. He can’t help but wish that she had at least gotten a chance to meet Suki. Better yet, her, Mai, and Ty Lee, three of the most powerful people, the fact that they are women and nonbenders being irrelevant. Even if she could just be here, really be here for tonight, she would love it.
“Come on you guys, she’s here, I need to become royalty so Katara can’t tell me I’m not a prince in front of her ever again.” He whines, taking Zuko’s hand.
“I’m sorry that she couldn’t be here in person…I can’t imagine how much bravery it took to do what she did.” Zuko says more to himself than to Sokka, looking up at the sky.
Sokka is well aware that Zuko feels guilty for Yue’s death. Felt like if he hadn't been a distraction, more forces could have been used to fight Zhao, that Yue would have never had to save Tui.
Whenever Zuko had expressed that remorse in the days prior to the wedding, Sokka had just held him, unsure what to say that wouldn’t be only a half truth, knowing it would only make Zuko feel worse.
“Well, now she can watch just about anything anywhere.” Sokka says softly, kissing Zuko’s cheek as they walk towards the Fire Sages, Shyu standing in front of them, smiling.
“Thank you, Sokka.” Zuko gently squeezes Sokka’s hand as he talks, giving him a small, but warm and genuine, smile.
Shyu begins talking, telling Sokka about the roles he will be taking on as husband of the Fire Lord and expectations he is meant to uphold, having Sokka to swear to follow these once he is part of the royal family.
Zuko has been informing Sokka of everything that would change if Sokka were to actually marry him, seeming more nervous that Sokka would want nothing to do to him as if the firebender wasn’t worth the change. Sokka hand started pressing kisses to Zuko’s face and neck to get him to stop worrying that Sokka would just leave him just because of some public formalities.
Despite being prepared for this, when Shyu says it all out at once, Sokka can’t help but feel intimidated.
He is well aware that too much won’t change under the assumption that a new war doesn’t start or Zuko is unable to serve as Fire Lord very suddenly but is still alive and is projected to return to his position at some point, but still, it is quite daunting.
Finally, Shyu begins talking to Zuko about how Sokka will become part of the royal family and if Zuko, Iroh, and Azula were to all die with no heirs that Sokka would begin the new royal bloodline and making sure that he is aware of it.
He is well aware that because Zuko is royalty, all of this is important and part of the legal process to actually marry the Fire Lord, but it doesn’t mean Sokka doesn’t find it stupid and boaring. He just wants to eat food, exchange gifts, and rub his royal status in everyone’s faces and watch regret come over Zuko’s entire body.
It feels like forever when Shyu finally swears Sokka into the royal family and marries them. Sokka can’t help but to laugh as Zuko just starts pressing kisses to Sokka’s face, clutching Sokka’s hands like his life depends on it.
“I love you, turtleduck.” Sokka whispers, pressing a kiss to Zuko’s mouth. “Also be prepared for me to usurp your throne because I now have a taste for power and want more.” He teases, kissing his husband again.
Chuckling, Zuko playfully shoves him before Sokka grabs his hand dragging him towards the tables filled with food.
Yue has stayed in the sky far longer than she was supposed to. This worries a few people about altering moon patterns, but it only makes Sokka feel more confident that she is actually able to see what is happening and knows that he wants her to be here. That he wished he had been given the chance to get to know her better before she lost her human form to save the world.
He really wishes that Yue could have been here to even at least eat the food, it is amazing.
Zuko had managed to get actual sea prunes in the Fire Nation and have them still taste as fresh and delicious as they would at home. Sokka had honestly assumed that ocean kumquats would be used due to accessibility.
Considering no one else has any sense of taste, Sokka, Katara, Hakoda, and Bato have the whole dish to themselves.
Someone also managed to make the best five flavor soup that Sokka has ever had in his entire life. The ratios are perfect. The only reason that he doesn’t stuff himself with it is because there are so many other foods that he wants to try, especially the Air Nomad foods. Besides fruits, vegetables, and nuts commonly consumed by the culture, Sokka had never had Air Nomad cuisine before and might not get another chance.
According to Aang, the cook followed his instructions very well and the food is very authentic and reminded him of home. Everyone but Katara pretended to not see the tears shimmering in the airbender’s eyes as he ate the food of a people who the world had all but forgotten about.
By the time that Sokka moves away from Zuko and talks to Aang, his friend is smiling, eating vegetable filled dumplings. Sokka tried them and couldn’t hide his disappointment. He doesn’t like them nearly as much as real dumplings (Aang had berated him, telling Sokka that dumplings were just the mechanism and didn’t need to be filled with meat to be dumplings. In response, Sokka had grabbed Fire Nation dumplings and loudly talked about how much he loves real dumplings while shoving them into his mouth. Thankfully, that had made the airbender laugh).
What Sokka absolutely loves are the fluffy fruit pies and macaroons. If Air Nomad food could be this good, maybe it could be more common to start making it at the palace. Aang could always have the food of his culture and Sokka could fully enjoy it (even if it has a severe lack of meat).
As the night continues, Sokka is almost sure that Yue shines brighter. His suspicion is quickly confirmed as he is not the only one who sees it. It becomes a topic of conversation, attention going to the guest of honor who was able to stay far longer than Sokka thought was possible.
As Yue grows brighter, Sokka feels like he can feel the world differently. He feels like the turtle duck pond is humming in a way that he can feel in his core. Something that seems almost innate. Like he could touch it with his consciousness and energy opposed to just his hands. He feels like he has more control over his body but like he is also sitting outside of it. He feels a spiritual connection to Yue so strong that it almost feels physical.
The moon grows brighter, the world falls into place and disappears from view simultaneously and then, nothing.
Fingers gently run through Sokka’s hair, warm breath on his face, and can hear a quiet, mournful voice. He can feel breath against his cheek, hotter and drier than most anyone else’s breath would ever feel. He can hear the familiar, soothing, raspy voice in his ear.
It’s hard to make out exactly what Zuko is saying, but Sokka is also pretty sure that the firebender isn’t really saying anything in particular. It all sounds like fragments of sentences all mashed together that were once all part of a cohesive idea but never came to fruition. Were never able to become anything other than a possibility.
Sokka groans softly, eyes flickering a little. Nothing feels particularly wrong, he just feels like he has a massive hangover despite not even drinking last night. Hopefully he can just take it easy today, drink some water, take a hot bath, mope until Zuko snuggles with him and reads him stories all day, and hopefully tomorrow he’ll be good as new. Did I just eat something weird? He asks himself, unsure what had happened.
“I don’t think my body likes eating vegetable dumplings. You need to ban them in the Fire Nation.” Sokka grumbles, opening his eyes enough to see Zuko’s face near his own, dark circles under his eyes and worry etched in his face.
“Sokka!” He yells a little too loudly, making Sokka’s head jump.
Before Sokka can ask his fiance, no, his husband, to not be so loud, Zuko throws his arms around Sokka, clutching him close. “Oh, thank Agni, you’re okay, you’re okay. I was so worried something bad happened to you, but you’re okay.” Zuko mumbles more to himself, pressing kisses to Sokka’s face as he speaks.
Sokka is sure that he can feel hot tears splash on his cheeks as Zuko talks, likely from pent up stress and worry about Sokka’s wellbeing. He doesn’t even know how long he’s been out, it can’t have been that long.
“See, I told you he’d be alright, please stop doing that while I’m here at least.” Sokka hears his father’s voice to his other side outside of his field of vision.
Unfortunately, he feels Zuko pull away some with the request from Hakoda, but at least the firebender is still clutching Sokka’s hand for dear life. Holding him like Zuko is worried that Sokka might dissipate into thin air if he even loosened his grip a little bit.
“Sorry, Chief Hakoda. Just got carried away.” Zuko’s voice is soft. The firebender had never been fully comfortable around Hakoda, but they have been getting along better as time has gone on. It doesn’t seem like it stems from any genuine dislike for each other, Zuko just has a lot of trouble trusting new people on a personal level.
With the limited details that Sokka knows about Zuko’s childhood, something Zuko is not keen on sharing much with anyone, he figures that it will be a lifelong barrier built on trauma and self preservation.
Sokka turns his head, looking at his father who is walking towards the pair now, sitting on the edge of the bed across from Zuko. Sokka can tell by his father’s expression that the man was really worried about Sokka. That he was just trying to keep on a brave face for Zuko. Something the man had done for Sokka when he was younger as best he could. Something Sokka had done for Aang when the Avatar had accidentally killed someone or injured them beyond recovery as he hid the evidence from the airbender.
“How long have I been out?” Sokka grumbles, sitting up on his arms as Hakoda helps prop him up against the wall with pillows. “Can I have some water?” He continues as his eyes fall on the picture on the bedside table.
“You passed out at your wedding, slept the whole next day, and it’s late morning of the day after that. Not too long, you’ve slept longer, but enough to cause real worry.” Hakoda explains while Zuko pours Sokka a glass of water, handing it to him.
Sipping it, Sokka tries to think about what had happened the night of his wedding. What he mostly remembers is the way that the water felt like it was singing in his veins. He notices now how as the water moves down his throat it feels alive almost.
Not in an uncomfortable way. It feels alive in a way that he is connected to it. Like it has a past and holds the memory of where it has been. Like it has a notion of where it will go. It’s very odd. Did I drink cactus juice again? He wonders, vaguely remembering how his senses were hyper focused but also nearly nonexistent.
“Love, can I tell the servants that you’re up? They’ll bring you whatever you need, just please rest today. Both the palace healers and Katara said that nothing seems to be wrong, but just promise me you’ll take it easy even if you feel fine. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.” Zuko cups Sokka’s cheek as he speaks, offering a small, but genuine smile.
“You don’t have to twist my arm to lay in bed for a day or two and be served food. Will you stay with me though? Maybe read to me? Or just tell me stories? I like it when you’re here.” Sokka really just wants Zuko to snuggle up to his bare chest and for Sokka to be able to run his fingers though Zuko’s long, thick, silky hair. However, he does not want to say that in front of his father, and he is sure Hakoda would appreciate Sokka to keep those details from him.
Zuko smiles, moving to kiss Sokka before his eyes flit to Hakoda and he moves back, squeezing Sokka’s hand again. “I’ll need to talk to the council and have them take charge for a few days. I can’t just not do my job.”
“I know, turtleduck, you’re a very important, serious Fire Lord.” Sokka teases softly, bringing Zuko’s hand to his mouth, pressing it to his lips.
“Sokka, I love you, but can you not do that? I already have to see your sister and Aang smooch, I don’t need to see you do it too.” Hakoda grumbles more to himself, chuckling softly.
Sokka blushes. Zuko just gives Hakoda a quick glance before quickly removing his hand from Sokka’s. If Sokka hadn’t become so attuned with Zuko’s emotions, he wouldn’t notice the hint of fear as he looks between Hakoda and Sokka. However, Zuko stands, nodding once to Hakoda and walking quickly from the room.
Before Sokka can say anything or even ask his father what exactly happened, Hakoda starts laughing like someone had just told him a particularly funny joke and he was not just sitting in an empty room with his son.
“Dad…are you alright?” Sokka asks, wondering if his father was officially losing it. The man had started his life fighting the Fire Nation, trying to protect his children from forces sent by the Fire Lord who directly affected their tribe and family, while also being somewhat supportive of Katara’s hope that the Avatar was still alive. Now his son is married to the Fire Lord and if things continue going well for Katara and Aang, his daughter will marry the Avatar.
Does me being married to Zuko make me the Fire Lord too? Sokka wonders before remembering that Shyu had referred to him as ‘prince’ the other night. So he is the Fire Prince. Still a noble and very respectable title.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, just still find it funny that your boyfriend, or, your husband, can stand up to enemy troops without batting an eye but scurries away when I just don’t want to watch my kid make out with someone while I’m right here, grown and married or not.” Hakoda chuckles, taking Sokka’s hand. “Even if he’s an odd one, if he’s good to you and you’re happy, I’m happy for you.” His dad clarifies.
Sokka sits up a little more, his not hangover headache beginning to fade some, meeting his dad’s eyes. He’s really glad that his father is supportive of who Sokka loves and wants to spend his life with and that all he really seems to care about is Sokka’s well being and happiness. If his father needed to take a moment to accept that Sokka would be marrying another man or that that man was the Fire Lord, he didn’t show it. Most importantly, his father had shown him love and support and tried to do the same for Zuko. Unfortunately, their interactions had been few and far between even if the two men seem to get along pretty well.
What he is confused about is his father’s first statement about finding Zuko’s mistrust of him amusing. They had never really discussed it, but considering Hakoda knows that a lot of people in Zuko’s life have abused and sold him out and that there are still people coming for his head, Sokka always assumed that Zuko just had trust issues and that it was never anything personal. Now he isn't sure if his father had taken it personally or if he just thinks that Zuko isn’t good at socializing, which would be an accurate assumption, but doesn’t understand that Zuko doesn’t trust him.
“Dad…you do know that Zuko doesn’t really trust you…right?” Sokka asks, partially hoping that his dad just thought Zuko was awkward and stressed about other things, which again, would be an accurate assumption.
Thankfully…or maybe not, Sokka isn’t sure, Hakoda looks surprised, shaking his head. “No…did I do something to him? I just kind of thought that he didn’t like socializing with most people and that where we might not be close we’re on good terms.” Hakoda looks confused as he speaks, still holding Sokka’s hand.
Sokka shakes his head. “You didn’t do anything, there have just been very few people in his life that he can trust. He just kinda assumes that people are out to get him unless he has some solid proof that they aren’t going to hurt him or sell him out. I don’t know everything that he’s been through, but the stuff that he can’t hide about what his father did to him is only a fraction of what that man did to him. You know that Ozai is a disgusting, horrible person, imagine having him as one of the few people you were allowed to interact with for thirteen years and thought he cared about you?” Sokka asks, just wanting to get to the point. He knows that Ozai is a big part of Zuko’s low self esteem, anxiety, depression, anger, fear, and trust, or lack thereof.
Hakoda sighs softly, moving closer to Sokka, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. “I kinda feel like an asshole that I never really even thought about how having a pure evil tyrant as a father must have been. I’ll talk to him when I get a chance. I promise that I’ll get to know him better, I should have gotten to know him before now, as opposed to just knowing him through his relationship to you.”
Sokka smiles, feeling relieved, glad that his father is making this easy. He wasn’t particularly worried considering Hakoda has always been good at diplomacy and working with people who have seen the true horrors of the world. A small bit of him had been worried that his dad might take it personally that Zuko didn’t trust him opposed to the two just not having really spent time alone together. Sokka had almost always been with them, making it different. Giving Zuko a buffer and drawing Hakoda's attention away from Zuko even if unintentionally.
“Just make sure to talk to him after I’m back to full health. Zuko gets stressed when I’m not doing well. I got a fever a few months ago and he started crying. He was so worried the worst might happen. He’s very protective of me and stresses himself out when there isn’t anything he can do to help me even if the healers take care of it and tell him it’s not a big deal.” Sokka explains, smiling, feeling lucky to have someone who cares about him so much even if Zuko can be a little excessive sometimes. Luckily, most of the time, he doesn’t smother Sokka with his worry, making sure to listen to what Sokka wants and needs more than anything.
Laughing, Hakoda gently claps Sokka on the back. “Don’t worry, I was planning on talking to him when he’s calm and in a good state of mind. Also, at least this means I don’t need to give him the post marital shovel talk. I just need him to know that he’s family. Makes it easier.”
“Thanks, dad, it’ll mean a lot to him. I think it might help him some too.”
“Good. You should go take a bath. You smell bad and it will probably make you feel better. Also, someone should be here in case you pass out again. I doubt that will happen, but I’m not leaving my son to potentially drown when that could be easy to prevent.” Hakoda insists.
Pinching his face, Sokka groans. “I’m a grown man and I don't want my dad watching me take a bath.”
“I’m not going to watch you bathe. I was planning on sitting at the edge of the bath house, read my book, and occasionally glance over to make sure that your head is still above water and I don’t need to do anything. Anyways, if you’re that self conscious, wear underwear, I don’t care, just bathe. You smell like my crew did after months with no bath and only a few changes of clothes and I’m sure a hot bath will do you some good.”
Rolling his eyes and groaning, Sokka concedes.
“Sokka, you’re acting like you’re fifteen again, stop it.” Hakoda teases, writing a quick note to Zuko about where he and Sokka would be and leaving it on the bedside table before helping Sokka stand, maneuvering one of Sokka’s arms over his shoulder for support.
“I can walk, dad.” Sokka insists, almost immediately proven wrong when he pulls away and almost stumbles over his own feet within a few steps.
“I’m sure you can, but for now, you’re probably just sick or something and just need a few days and then you’ll be back to normal. Maybe Yue didn’t like the fact that you married someone else and it’s her way of calling you a jerk.” Hakoda teases.
“Not funny, dad, Yue wouldn’t do that. She’s a very nice woman and was probably happy to see me marry someone I love who was supportive and happy to have her at our wedding.” Sokka grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose to alleviate some of the pounding in his head. It’s better than before when it blurred his vision some, but it still doesn’t feel good.
“I was only joking. You said Zuko will go into angst comas occasionally, maybe when you got married you started getting them too when you make good choices.”
“Do not tell him I called them that, he might divorce me. You know, that is the least concerning theory so I am going to operate on the assumption that that is what happened.”
“That’s my bonafide genius son.” Hakoda mocks, shaking his head as the two walk into the bathhouse.
True to his word, once Hakoda helps Sokka to the side of one of the baths, the man walks to the side of the room, sitting on a bench, and opening his book, beginning to at least appear interested in whatever is written on the pages.
Despite the fact that Hakoda has seen Sokka naked before just due to the tight living quarters they grew up in, it still isn’t something he is comfortable with unnecessarily. He strips down to his underwear, climbing into the hot bath.
Usually, Sokka isn’t a fan of how hot the water is, firebenders need the water to be hotter to actually feel a good enough temperature distance. For Sokka, and most everyone else, it is just a few degrees away from too hot. Today, however, the heat is exactly what his stiff body needs to relax. He can already feel the tension subsiding after just a few minutes.
He begins to swim around the tub, sniffing containers to the side filled with soaps. He finally settles on one that smells like fire lilies, Zuko’s favorite flower. He washes himself with it pretty quickly before he goes back to swimming around the bath in circles.
As he swims, he can feel the same odd connection with the water that he had before. He can swim faster, the water at the tips of his fingers seem to be moving with him opposed to being moved away like it had always felt.
Perplexed, Sokka stands in the middle of the bath which comes up to his collar bones. He had seen Katara play with water most of his life, something she always does when she is in a large body of water is push it away from her, propelling her the other way. It’s a stupid idea, but he can’t get it out of his head now. It feels more like a thought someone else had planted in his head than a conclusion he had come to.
Shrugging, not seeing the harm in it, Sokka copies the moment he has seen his sister do so many times when they are swimming for any reason.
Instead of just creating a little wave in the water like he always has in the past, he feels power and strength move through his body, feels a command that seems so natural and innate but also somehow foreign. He can feel his feet being lifted off of the tiled floor beneath his feet as the power of the water moves him backwards.
The feeling of control and strength only lasts for a moment, ending when he smacks into the hard wall beneath him. “Fuck!” He immediately yells. “Fucking fuck shit that hurts.” That is definitely going to leave a bruise on his back, maybe Katara will be nice enough to heal it.
Maybe I can heal it . He thinks, dazed eyes lighting up, barely hearing his father’s voice coming closer. No, no, that’s stupid, all I can do is end up hurting myself with this and I can’t even scratch my own back.
Before he can come up with any other bad idea, he feels arms hook under his underarms and pull him out of the water. “Sokka, shit, what happened ? Are you okay?”
“ ‘m a waterbender dad…Katara can suck it.” He mumbles, laughing, unsure if he is hoping that his sister would be jealous about not being the only waterbender in the South Pole or would be excited to be able to teach her brother. Maybe it could be both? He could tease his sister and they could have a bonding opportunity.
“Okay, okay, let’s get you back to bed, we’ll figure this out later.” Hakoda sounds more worried than like he doesn’t believe him. “You stay right here, don’t sit up, don’t move, don’t…bend any water, just stay right here like this. I’m going to go find some guards…can’t carry you as a grown ass man anymore.” He says quickly, worry very evident in his voice. “You gonna be okay alone for a few minutes?”
Sokka nods, giving his dad a thumbs up. “Also get Katara, hurts like a bitch.” He grumbles, really not wanting to deal with bruising of deep tissue for the next few weeks on a large part of his back of all places.
“Yeah, I’ll ask someone to go get her once we get you upstairs.”
Sokka nods once. “And get someone to tell Zuko that ‘m just a little banged up is all, he’ll freak out and immediately assume that I’m at death’s door if he catches wind that I’m hurt.”
Hakoda chuckles while standing. “I’ll make sure to do so. Stay right here.” The man requests before leaving the room.
Thankfully, it only takes a few minutes for Hakoda to come back into the room with two strong looking guards. One of them wraps their arms around Sokka’s upper body while the other takes Sokka’s legs.
It would have been nice if they could have carried him bridal style, but at least this means he is muscular enough now that one person can’t carry him around with ease. He giggles at the memory of Pipsqueak picking him up by his wolf tail even if it had really hurt.
It’s not the most comfortable ride, but they make it back to Sokka’s room and the guards lay him on the bed as gently as they can, maneuvering him onto his stomach so that Katara can access his injury easier.
One of them goes to go find Katara and the other to inform Zuko of what happened with specific instructions to tell the Fire Lord that Sokka’s injuries are surface level, benign, and won’t be hard to recover from especially with Katara’s help.
“So, Sokka, do you really think that you’re a waterbender or are you fucking with me?” Hakoda asks, taking Sokka’s hand in his own, giving him a worried expression.
Looking up, Sokka realizes that his dad must have not seen the force of the water that knocked him back into the wall and that he was too wrapped up in his book. Sokka can’t think of another way that he could have thrown himself into the wall with so much force especially with water to slow his impact. Then again, it likely seems less possible for Sokka to have suddenly become a waterbender overnight. It's all a bit ridiculous.
“I pushed the water away from me like I’ve seen Katara do a million times when she’s in a body of water and it just threw me back. When Katara heals me, I’ll prove it to you. I’ll make a water boomerang.” Sokka jokes. The look on his father’s face is equally amused and concerned.
“Okay, okay, we’ll figure this out together. I’ll stay here until you’re better. I promise I won’t leave you here.” Hakoda promises, squeezing Sokka’s hand, giving him a worried smile.
“I’ll show you so much fucking water, you won’t want to go back to the Water Tribe.” Sokka grumbles, wishing Zuko were here right now. He could hold Sokka closer, press gentle kisses around where the forming bruise is and just keep him company. He really just wants his husband to be with him above most anything else.
Hakoda chuckles a little, not letting go of Sokka’s hand. He isn’t about to admit it, but he’s grateful for his father’s presence. Sokka may be a grown man, but he isn’t above familial bonds. He isn’t old enough to not feel better when his dad is around.
It doesn’t take long before Zuko bursts into the room, a panicked look on his face, rushing over to Sokka’s side, clutching Sokka’s free hand like Zuko had just heard he is dying from some terminal illness. Not just that Sokka hand banged himself up in a bathtub and just needs to rest a little. “Love, are you alright? How bad are you hurt? She said it wasn’t bad but is it really not bad or are you just…I dunno, not doing well?”
“Turtleduck, I’m fine, I’m fine.” Sokka says softly, squeezing Zuko’s hand. “It’s just a bad bruise. Katara should be here soon, she’ll heal me, and in a few days it will be like nothing ever happened. I’m fine. You’re fine. It’s going to be okay.” Sokka assures his husband. It can get a little annoying with how concerned Zuko will be about Sokka’s wellbeing, but Sokka isn’t in the least bit of doubt that Zuko cares.
Zuko exhales slowly, resting his forehead on the bed. “Just after the other night and now this…I've been really worried. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. I really don’t. I love you.”
“Hey, Zuko, son, it’s alright. You’re working yourself up. Just take some deep breaths, he’s going to be okay. Please calm down.” Hakoda urges gently, trying to meet Zuko’s eyes.
Zuko nods quickly, not saying anything or raising his head, holding Sokka’s hand tighter.
The three men are quiet for the next several minutes until Katara walks into the room along with Aang, likely because she assumed that whatever was going on wasn't serious. “Hey, I heard you fell and hurt yourself.” She teases, sitting in the bed next to Zuko, resting a hand on Sokka’s back. “Doesn’t look too bad, may need a few healing sessions, but the first one should get rid of most of the pain and stiffness that will accompany the damage during mundane daily activity.” She assures him, pressing water to his back.
The throbbing pain begins to subside quickly and he relaxes. “See, turtleduck, I’m gonna be fine. Nothing to worry about.” He assures his husband, wishing Zuko could calm down some. Maybe he can convince Zuko to talk to a therapist, maybe the people at Azula’s hospital would know someone who could come to the palace every so often, just work with Zuko’s stress and general mistrust of people. It might do a lot for him after everything he’s been through.
Zuko raises his head a little, pressing a kiss to Sokka’s knuckles.
“Sokka, you gave Aang and I so much shit for being affectionate for years but you’re allowed to do this in front of me? Disrespectful.” Katara teases, sticking her tongue out at Sokka.
“First of all, Zuko kissed me, second of all, he kissed my hand and wasn’t being all oogie, third of all, we’re married, Katara. Get fucked.” He chuckles a little before turning over a little before sitting up, grinning. “Wait, Katara, I think that I might be a waterbender!” He yells, grinning.
Katara’s expression goes from amused to concerned. “Sokka…are you feeling okay? Did you hit your head?” She asks.
“He said that he hurt himself because he propelled himself backwards using waterbending like you do, I kinda thought something embarrassing happened and he was fucking with me, but…Sokka, if this is some kind of joke, it’s not funny. Stop. You passed out and slept for over a day and now hurt yourself. This is your last chance to come clean without me getting really mad if this is some kind of joke.” Hakoda warns, resting a hand on Sokka’s shoulder.
Sokka shakes his head, honestly feeling a little offended that no one would even give this a chance. Sure, it’s outlandish, but he and Katara also found the Avatar, traveled across the world, Sokka had a relationship with a woman who is now the moon spirit, ended a war, and now Sokka is married to the Fire Lord. Their whole life has been weird. It’s not the most outlandish thing that has ever happened to them. “It’s not a joke, if I’m not a waterbender it’s because something weird happened. Katara, give me some water and show me the most basic move you can. If I’m not a waterbender, I won’t bring it up again, okay?” Sokka promises, really hoping he is one. He mostly just wants to be able to summon water and not need to get up or splash it in peoples’ faces when they’re annoying.
Katara sighs, nodding, levitating an orb of water a few inches above her palm. “Try and take this from me. Move it towards you or anywhere, I won’t be doing anything to make it move. Aang, I don’t think you will, but you don’t move it either or I’ll be pissed.” Katara gives the airbender a warm smile instead of a threatening glance, mostly because she trusts he won’t start playing pranks when he knows she’s worried that Sokka has lost his mind.
Sokka focused on it, copying Katara’s hand movement, closing his eyes, trying to reach out to feel the water.
Usually, he would find the fact that Zuko would try to drag Sokka into meditation sessions when Zuko assumed that Sokka was stressed or needed to recenter annoying. However, dating someone who would meditate at least once a day and would get Sokka to do it at least once a week is helpful now.
It makes it easier to try and feel the presence of the water at the edge of an energy surrounding his fingertips and his consciousness. It makes it easier to focus on memories that aren’t actually his…or things that feel like memories. Memories with Yue.
Despite the young woman not being a bender herself, he has a vague, graney memory of her teaching him the movements, how to command the water. She doesn’t look the way she did when he knew her, she looks the way she did when she sacrificed herself, when he saw her in the foggy swamp. Sokka can see and feel her guiding him through motions he had seen Katara do but in a way that he could actually understand. In a way where he is learning, where he is doing it.
In his false memory, they are sitting together by the edge of the spirit oasis. She is teaching him how to turn the water into the shape of a turtle duck and then solidify it into ice, the water version of what Zuko will do with fire…except it just stays as fire, it doesn’t turn into ice. He can hear her voice more clearly than he can see her as she talks to him.
“I wish I could have been there in person…your wedding was beautiful, thank you for thinking of me.” Yue smiles at him, her face more full of joy than he had ever seen when she was alive.
Sokka wants to say something, but he isn’t sure how or what he could.
“I hope you like my gift to you. I hope you can use it to heal our tribes. You can give this to your husband.” She leans forward, pressing a kiss to Sokka’s cheek before dissipating.
“Yue!” Sokka calls, wanting to bring her back, wanting to help her get a chance to actually live her life, something Zhao robbed her of. Yue may have given her life willingly and with pride, but she would have never been put in that position without Zhao.
He can feel tears rolling down his cheeks, can feel arms around him clutching him tight. “Sokka, please talk to me, please wake up. What’s going on, please talk to me.” Zuko pleads softly.
Sokka opens his eyes, vision blurred with tears.
The very first thing he notices is that everyone is looking at him with utter shock. The second thing is that there is almost a sharp pain of cold resting in his cupped hands.
Looking down, Sokka sees an ice turtle duck sitting in his cupped hands, the same one that Yue had taught him to make.
A wide grin spreads across his face at what this means. It means that even if Yue is dead on earth, her spirit is alive. It isn’t just Sokka speculating that she is living on with Tui, it isn’t him hoping that she can at least watch over the world she once lived in, he knows it. He is irrefutable proof that Yue is really still out there.
Instead of addressing the shock of everyone around him, he holds the turtle duck out to Zuko, trying to prompt the firebender to stop squeezing the life out of him. Zuko loosens his grip but doesn’t let go, resting his head on Sokka’s bare shoulder.
“It’s a turtle duck.” He mumbles, likely unable to address the fact that Sokka is a waterbender now and feels the need to state the obvious.
Sokka nods, resisting the urge to kiss his husband, not needing anymore teasing from his family. “Yue taught me how to make it. Bending was her wedding gift to me…this is her gift to you.” At that statement, Sokka knows that he sounds crazy, but he doesn’t care, he continues. “She really is still alive out there somewhere.”
“What if he leaves, Azula? I know I can’t stop him, and I won’t…but what if I’m not good enough for him anymore? I know I’m already not…but what if this is it? He’s gonna leave and I have to just let him because if it ends badly people are going to pick sides and then everyone is going to leave me.” Zuko whispers, digging his fingernails into his sides, trying to keep his breathing calm, refusing to let tears form in front of his sister. He’s already sitting on her bed worried about his relationship when only a few years ago she was trying to kill him. They had only been on good terms recently.
“You’re getting all of this because the moon spirit, who is his ex-girlfriend, gave him waterbending? How am I the one in a mental hospital?” Azula scoffs, leaning against the wall near the door, sipping tea.
Zuko growls in frustration, shaking his head. “It’s not funny, Azula.”
“I’m not joking, you just sound crazy right now. It sounds like the facts are that Sokka is now a waterbender because…well I guess spirits can grant bending, something I didn’t know was a possibility, and that while he is figuring logistics out he wants to just be with his sister, who is family and is a waterbender, and his father who is a world leader and, again, family. Somehow, from that, you are getting that he is going to divorce you, I’m not understanding the logic in that jump here, Zuzu.” As his sister talks, she uses her tea more as a prop than a drink.
“You don’t get it.” Zuko grumbles, looking down, forcing tears back. Azula had never been in a serious relationship before. She doesn’t understand.
“Yeah, I don’t, because it’s ridiculous. Wanna have Sei mediate this? I will bet you…something, I dunno what, that she will agree with me.” Azula finishes her tea, setting the empty cup down on her desk before sitting down on the bed next to Zuko. “But seriously, it’s going to be okay, brother. I know this is unexpected and in uncharted territory, but I know that your Water Tribe peasant loves you and that this isn’t going to change that. It might change a few things in terms of responsibilities for him, it might not change anything besides him confiscating the turtle duck pond when you annoy him…so probably you’ll lose the turtle duck pond indefinitely, but you aren’t going to lose him.”
Zuko can’t help but chuckle softly at the image of Sokka lifting the pond above his head and running through the palace halls cackling with glee. Instead of saying anything about that, his mind goes back to Azula’s earlier statement. “Whose Sei?” He asks, lifting his head again, the threat of tears subsiding.
Azula raises her eyebrow, giving him a small smile. “My therapist. Remember?”
“Oh…Yeah.” Zuko says distantly. His agreement with Azula had been that she could stay at the palace if her therapist was willing to stay and they had daily sessions together. On top of that, Azula would need to return to the hospital if she got into physical altercations with anyone (Zuko had made it very clear to the staff that his sister is in recovery and if any of them were to try and push provoke her they would be immediately fired as it would not only be cruel but dangerous), if her therapist suggested she return for any legitimate reason, or if she tried to visit their father. Zuko knows that she wants to see him, that she wants to confront him or something, but Sai had strongly advised against it citing that Ozai was her lifelong abuser and manipulator and when she is just getting into a healthy mental state she is still fragile and could regress.
“Brother?” Azula starts after a moment of silence.
“Hmm?”
“Have you ever considered talking to someone…like I am?”
Zuko opens his mouth to protest but Azula continues. “I’m not suggesting that you get hospitalized.” She adds quickly. “Just saying maybe it might be good for you to talk to someone every so often instead of getting so wrapped up in your own head. Like, look at you, literally all that has happened is something crazy has happened to Sokka and he just wants to be with his sister and father, something very normal, and you’ve convinced yourself that he wants a divorce. On top of that, you managed to throw in that you have no worth to anyone and that no one would ever choose you when they have over and over again. You’re not in the same place that I was a few years ago, but you’re not well.”
Very awkwardly, Azula touches his shoulder. Even if they have been talking more the past several months, physical affection is still foreign between the siblings.
“Sai can be the mediator. If she says I’m crazy, I’ll talk to her about talking to someone, okay?” Zuko concedes, shrugging Azula’s shoulder off of him, not really wanting to be touched right now.
“Thank you, brother.”
“Also, for the record, Sokka isn’t a peasant anymore, he’s a prince, so you two are on the same level.” Zuko halfheartedly jokes, letting out a breath, relaxing.
Azula just makes a fake hacking noise.
“Sokka, are you sure you’re okay to be doing this? Just yesterday you were having trouble walking around without help and threw yourself into the bath wall. Should you be resting?” Zuko’s concern is sweet, but honestly, Sokka feels completely better. Actually, he feels better than he ever has.
“I’m great, I really wanna see what I can do. You have your fire, I wanna be able to do things too.” Sokka squats down near a small pond (not the turtle duck bond, Zuko had made Sokka promise not to ‘terrorize’ them even though all Sokka had wanted to do was give them a gentle, circular current. His husband is far too dramatic about these kinds of things.) and swirls the water around under his palm.
Part of him wishes that he hadn’t immediately admitted that Yue was teaching him how to use his waterbending. Sokka remembers how upset Katara had gotten at Aang when he was learning waterbending faster than her at first (even if now his sister will likely be the most skilled waterbender in the world once Pakku dies, something he knows Katara is looking forward to even if she won’t admit it. It isn't because of the title, it is out of spite. To be fair, Sokka isn’t the biggest fan of the man either.) and he would love to be able to get a similar reaction out of her even if just for a little.
However, just about everyone knows that Sokka has a cosmic waterbending teacher directly connected to Tui. He has a jump on Katara in terms of learning but he has no idea how his skill will progress. It could give him a chance to become better than most people, give him a chance to teach them previously unknown skills, or just be at average skill. As far as anyone is aware, this is the first time a spirit has given humans the ability to bend opposed to the lion turtles. Are they spirits? He isn’t sure, Aang wasn’t very clear. It hadn’t taken long for the entire palace to know what had happened. At this point, Sokka is sure all of Caldera City does, it will only take so long until news spreads, distorted or not.
Zuko doesn’t respond, he just looks down at the pond blankly, looking more worried than anything.
Despite being infatuated with his new ability, Sokka stops playing with the water, taking Zuko’s hand, trying to meet his husband’s eyes. “Turtleduck, are you alright?” Sokka asks, leaning forward, pressing a kiss to the rubbery skin under Zuko’s left eye.
Sighing, Zuko meets Sokka’s eyes, moving closer. “I’m happy for you, I am, please don’t think I’m not…I’m bad at expressing things properly.” He begins. Sokka isn’t sure if that is a good or bad start, but at least Zuko is self aware at being socially inept and emotionally stunted.
“Just been wrapped up in my own head about it and I was talking to Azula and she said that I should talk to someone like she does but not in a hospital.” Zuko admits slowly.
Before Sokka can chime in that he agrees with Azula on that, something he never thought he would even be considering , Zuko continues talking after a brief pause.
“Also…your dad is acting weird around me. He’s been completely avoiding me. Like intentionally. He’ll see me and turn the other way or something. Does he hate me? I understand if he isn’t thrilled about us being together but I kind of thought we had an understanding that even if we might not have a great relationship, we both want you to be happy and taken care of.” Zuko admits, resting his head on Sokka’s shoulder, exhaling slowly. “Is it because he knows you’re too good for me now? Like he has proof from Tui?” Zuko adds the last thing under his breath, pulling at the grass.
Sokka can feel a pang of pain through his chest at what must go through Zuko’s head all the time. He begins to gently run his fingers through Zuko’s long, beautiful hair, waiting for Zuko’s body to relax against his before he starts talking. “Please don’t be upset with me for any of this, or well, just don’t yell at me, if you’re upset we can talk. It came up after I woke up from my beauty sleep that you don’t trust my dad and I told him that. I told him that I would like him to spend time with you one on one and even if you don’t necessarily get super close, it would be nice for you to feel comfortable around him. I asked him to give you some space while we figure out what’s going on with me, but I must get my intelligence from my mom, I didn’t tell him to avoid you.” Sokka jokes, well aware his father is a very intelligent man, just…can’t always show it.
Instead of getting angry at Sokka for exposing the fact that Zuko has trouble trusting people, Zuko just goes completely still and silent, no longer pulling at the grass by the pond.
“Turtleduck, can you hear me?” Sokka asks, worried that…well something happened. He isn’t sure what.
Thankfully, Zuko nods, but he doesn’t say anything.
Sighing, Sokka moves onto the more difficult question, the one that he knows Zuko will like the answer to even less. “I’m sorry about this, but I really do think you should talk to someone, Zu. You were abused by a man who was supposed to love and take care of you, he threw you out of your home after torturing you, you were a child soldier, you lost your cousin and mother, and have really just been through a lot. I can see it affecting you a lot and I hate how much it must be hurting you. I want you to be able to be happy, to trust people easier, and just not be so weighed down by your past. If talking to someone like that can help your sister, someone who tried to kill you seven years ago and you now can have a heart to heart with, imagine what it can do for you?”
Sokka really hopes that Zuko doesn’t snap at him for that, he doesn’t want to start an argument. Zuko may have a reason to not want Sokka to have said anything to Hakoda, but he is more worried that Zuko might think that Sokka is saying he is crazy and should be locked up with Azula or put in prison like Ozai. His family doesn’t have the best track record.
Again, Zuko doesn’t respond, at least not at first. They both sit in silence for almost a full minute, Zuko resting his hand on Sokka’s knee and rubbing his thumbs in small circles in about half that time. “Are you going to leave me? Now that you can do this? I know I don’t deserve you…I know I really don’t now…please be honest. I can take it.” Zuko says quietly.
Sokka had been half sure that Zuko had said something about Hakoda thinking that Zuko didn’t deserve to be with him, but Sokka had assumed he had misheard it or misinterpreted the meaning. He had hoped that at least. “What?” He asks, unsure where Zuko got that idea and who was trying to get Zuko to believe it.
“Are you going to le–”
“No, I heard you Zuko, I just…who said that to you? I’m not going to leave you. If I would want to leave you just because something that doesn’t alter the nature of our relationship came up I wouldn’t have married you. I love you. You’re who I want to be with. I promise.” Sokka assures his husband, pressing a kiss to the top of Zuko’s head.
“I love you, too. I don’t want to lose you.” Zuko’s voice is strained and cracked and Sokka can feel the hot, wet patch forming on his shoulder almost certainly from tears. Instead of saying anything, Sokka pulls Zuko closer, resting his back against a tree, pulling Zuko between his legs and just holding him.
Sokka is well aware that Zuko doesn’t like people seeing him cry and doesn’t want to humiliate his husband further by saying anything about it or getting him to lift his head. Zuko just needs to cry for long enough that he can get some of the pressure off of his chest and can get his emotions under control again. For now, he just needs to be loved and supported. He just needs to be held.
“Did someone tell you I was going to leave you because Yue gave me waterbending?” Sokka asks, really doubting that someone close enough to them would use Zuko’s low self esteem to break him like this. However, if there is someone cruel enough to do that, Sokka doubts that Zuko will admit it without prompting, likely feeling like he’ll be isolated if he tries to expose them. He can’t let Zuko suffer like that.
Thankfully, Zuko shakes his head. It was just some conclusion that Zuko must have done so much mental gymnastics to jump to, but had convinced himself of it nonetheless. He wasn’t happy about Zuko inviting Azula to their wedding at first, but if she could convince him to get help for hating himself this much, Sokka is ready to invite her to every social gathering they have. Zuko can’t keep doing this to himself.
“Well, I want you to know that Yue is happy that we’re together. She was happy that I married someone who wasn’t jealous of who I had been with in the past and trusted me to still be close with people I loved and still love you. She was happy that you were more than willing to arrange everything around her ability to be there. She taught me how to make the ice turtle duck for you as a collaborative wedding present.”
Sokka is genuinely happy that there aren't any odd feelings about Sokka still being close with Suki, wanting to spend time with her, and being alone with her. He feels the same for Zuko’s current relationship with Mai. That they still love each other, just in a different way now.
He doubts he could ever really be with someone who couldn’t trust him to be friends with his exes. Suki is still a very important part of Sokka’s life and he loves her, just not romantically anymore. She’s one of his best friends and he always wants her to be a part of his life, friend or girlfriend. It makes it so much easier that Zuko just trusts him. Zuko doesn’t give his trust easily, but when he does, he doesn’t mess around.
Sokka exhales slowly into Zuko’s hair, humming softly.
Eventually, Zuko slowly lifts his head, pressing a kiss to Sokka’s cheek and wiping away the moisture from his face. “So…what is it you want to do with your bending? Do you wanna learn to heal? Make ice boomerangs? Prank your sister?” Zuko asks, trying to lighten the conversation. That’s a step in the right direction.
Sokka grins, liking the idea of making water boomerangs, but that can wait. “Your uncle is still here, right? When does he go back to Ba Sing Se?” Iroh seems like the kind to take well to a joke.
Zuko shrugs. “He’s still here, gonna be here for a few more days, not sure when he’ll leave.”
“Come on, I wanna mess with your uncle’s tea.”
“Okay, I will admit, it was funny in theory, but now that my father can’t bend anymore, my uncle is the most powerful firebender in the world and you know how much he loves his tea. When I annoy my uncle he loves tea more than he loves me, so do not throw it in his face.” Zuko warns, unable to keep a shit eating grin from his face at the thought of Sokka using his new bending just to ruin Iroh’s tea.
“Yeah, so Iroh always loves his tea more than he loves you, I got it, he still has a good sense of humor.” Sokka teases, peaking around the corner at Iroh playing a game of Pai Sho with Toph.
For a while, he had been confused as to how the blind earthbender was able to play the game. It wasn’t until a closer inspection at an odd looking board he had found while visiting the Jasmine Dragon with Zuko that he understood. Toph had made her own pieces, all larger with unique shapes for each piece opposed to just carvings in the top, it makes it easier for her to tell them apart. Then, the board has a painted checkered pattern on the top for Iroh and an indented one on the bottom for Toph. Each corresponding color has a different depth.
Despite going through all of the effort to make an inclusive game and pieces for the game, Toph never put much effort into learning how to play the game. She mostly just added new pieces with chunks of rock laying around and disintegrates Iroh’s.
Not surprisingly, the old man doesn’t seem to mind Toph’s unwillingness to learn how to play the game properly. He seems to just like playing the game and to see whatever ploy Toph will make to “win”.
Zuko elbows Sokka in the side at the comment of him always annoying Iroh. “Fine, but don’t throw it in his face. If you burn my uncle you won’t have a chance to divorce me.” Zuko grumbles, crossing his arms, huffing a little, a smile still dancing on his lips.
Sokka reaches his hands forward, mimicking the memory or Yue’s movements, splashing Iroh’s tea all over the Pai Sho board and getting a good amount on the old man’s beard and robes. Sokka can’t stop himself from laughing as Iroh jumps up, cursing in words Sokka had never heard the old general use before.
Toph just continues to sit calmly in her seat, sipping her tea, grinning wildly as she puts her other foot down to ‘see’ the scene better.
“Zuko did it!” Sokka yells, before running down the hall, cackling as he can hear both Zuko and Iroh yelling after him. He is going to enjoy this.
He nearly gets to the stairwell before Zuko tackles him to the ground, laying on top of him. “Uncle! I’ve captured the traitor!” Zuko calls, laughing as Sokka tries to shove him off. Zuko is always so much heavier than Sokka remembers. He looks so thin but he’s all lean muscle and is heavier than Sokka.
“He was in on it! Zuko was in on it! He could have stopped me and he didn’t!” Sokka yells as Iroh approaches the two, Toph following the old man, still sipping her tea.
“Under the assumption that you didn’t burn my uncle!” Zuko retorts, pinning Sokka’s arm down so he can’t use it to try and push Zuko off of him.
Leaning forward, Sokka licks Zuko’s hand, giving him a little bit of slack and more room to struggle out from under his big idiot. “I didn’t burn him! I ruined his Pai Sho game. Toph gets to ruin the game all the time, it was my turn.” Sokka pouts as Iroh stands next to the two young men on the ground. If they weren't in the middle of a hallway with people watching and were wearing less clothes, Sokka would definitely be into this. He blushes at the thought, hating himself for it.
With that thought in mind, Sokka grins as an idea comes to his head. He leans close to Zuko’s ear so Iroh or Toph can’t hear and mock him for this for the rest of his pathetic life. “Pin me down like this when we’re alone with less between us.”
“You’re disgusting.” Zuko grumbles, getting off of Sokka, playfully shoving him as he does.
“What did snoozles do?” Toph asks, leaning against the wall, smirking. “Spit in your ear?”
“No, he’s just being gross.” Zuko grumbles, crossing his arms, hiding his flushing face.
Sokka stands up, laughing, forcing himself not to ask loudly if it’s only embarrassing because Iroh, who is pretty much Zuko’s father, is standing just a few feet away from them. He can’t stop himself from enjoying this just a little longer. “Come on, we’re married . It’s not gross.” He teases as Zuko playfully shoves him, still blushing, eyes averted to the ground.
Thankfully, Sokka can hear Iroh chuckling, clearly having an idea what Sokka had been saying and finding some humor in it.
Toph on the other hand is grinning like she had been painted on her first wanted poster, something she had kept despite not knowing what it looks like. She does however show it to new students at her metalbending academy, Sokka isn’t sure if it is a power move or if she is just proud of it. Knowing her, it could easily be both. “Come on, Sparky, don’t be a prude.” She teases.
“I will burn your feet, Toph. Again.” Zuko grumbles, crossing his arms, face almost as head as his clothes, hiding his face behind Sokka.
Toph seems to want to say something else, but Iroh nods to Sokka and takes Toph’s hand, leading her back to the game. Sokka is glad that he did, likely sensing that where it’s funny now, Zuko probably won’t find it funny for too much longer.
Before Sokka can turn around to look at his husband, Zuko wraps his arms around Sokka’s waist and rests his forehead against Sokka’s shoulder. “You’re an asshole.” He mumbles, lifting his head and pressing a kiss to the back of Sokka's neck. “I still love you though.”
“I love you too, turtleduck.” Sokka replies, taking one of Zuko’s hands from around his waist and bringing it up to his lips, pressing gentle kisses against his knuckles. “I love you so much.”
Zuko just lets out a small noise, moving closer to Sokka, seeming content with just the gentle affection and proximity. “Can I talk to you, love? Somewhere private? It isn’t bad, just personal.” Zuko eventually mumbles.
“Of course.” Sokka gently pulls out of Zuko’s embrace, taking his hand as the two men walk down the hallway towards Sokka’s room.
The two spent most nights in Sokka’s room. Zuko claimed that he liked the soft Water Tribe blues more than the Fire Nation reds. Sokka believes him, but there is the unspoken reason that Zuko doesn’t want to sleep in the Fire Lord’s room. He doesn’t want to stay somewhere his father did, where his mother’s whole life was taken from her because of her lineage, where most of Zuko’s misery began. Sokka isn’t sure if Zuko just isn’t ready to talk about that yet or doesn’t want to admit it. Doesn’t want it to be real.
When they walk into the room, Sokka closes the door behind him before cupping Zuko’s face in his hands and pressing a kiss to his lips.
Zuko drapes his arms around Sokka’s neck, quickly kissing him back before pulling away and resting his forehead against Sokka’s. “The personal thing I wanted to talk to you about wasn’t a makeout session.” He teases, quickly kissing Sokka again and breaking it before Sokka can react, smiling.
“I know, turtleduck, I just love you so much and you're so beautiful…what did you want to talk about?” He leads Zuko towards the bed after Zuko removes his hands from Sokka and the both sit down, hands still touching, Sokka’s thumb gently running over the back of Zuko’s hand.
“I’m just going to talk right now and I don’t want you to interrupt me even if you’re just wanting to comfort me, we can talk after, I just want to say everything that’s been on my mind and make sure you completely understand where I’m coming from, alright?” Zuko asks, kissing the curve of Sokka’s shoulder instead of meeting his eyes.
He’s confused to say the least, not quite sure what Zuko would need to talk about, but hopefully he’ll explain it. “Uh, sure, I promise I’ll keep my mouth shut. One of the few times I can promise that, turtleduck.” He jokes, wanting to lighten his mood a little bit, hoping for the best.
Zuko squeezes his hand, taking a breath but still not meeting his eyes before speaking.
“I know I brought this up earlier, but I just…I need to know. I know that you now have a direct connection to Tui through Yue and I know that maybe she might want to share wisdom and techniques with you that you might want to share with the world. It might make you a guru or a waterbender master of sorts because of a connection no one else has ever really had as far as history knows. If you need to go and do something else with your life, I understand and I don’t want to hold you back. If whatever you need to do isn’t compatible with…with us, I understand.” At that, Sokka can see a tear shining in Zuko’s eye even if the firebender isn’t looking at him. It would certainly explain why Zuko has been acting so weird, but it’s also unbelievably sad that he genuinely seems to think that Sokka is just going to leave him so easily.
“I know you have a lot to offer the world and have done a lot to help it so far and I don’t want to hold you back. I understand if things might change some, but I want to be a part of your life. I know how that looks might change, but I want you to know that I love you and that isn’t going to change even if some things are. Okay, that’s what I needed to say…sorry.” Zuko finishes softly, not looking up.
“Zuko…do you seriously think I’m going to leave you just because I have some weird connection with Tui? You promise that someone didn’t say that to you?” Sokka finally asks, wrapping an arm around Zuko’s shoulders, trying to get a look at his husband’s face, only able to see a few wet splotches on his robes from tears falling, long hair covering anything else.
Zuko just shrugs. “No one said that…talked to Azula the other day. She said that I was being crazy and should talk to someone like she does. Maybe it would help. I don’t know.”
Sighing, Sokka brushes Zuko’s hair behind his ears. “Love, can you look at me?” He asks, needing to see the firebender’s face.
Zuko slowly looks up. His face is tear stained and expression is absolutely miserable. He really isn’t doing well. “Turtleduck, I don’t think you’re crazy, but you have really low self esteem… really low, and I’m worried about you. I know that you and your sister have had a really hard life and never really got a chance to just be you until you were pretty much an adult. I don’t know much about therapy past not giving Aang many helpful sessions, but maybe you should try talking to someone. It might help. I promise I’m not going to leave you unless you turn into a raging asshole like your father. I’m certainly not leaving you because Yue gave me a weird, but really cool, wedding gift. I love you.” Sokka gently brushes tears from Zuko’s eyes with his knuckles, giving him a small smile.
“I’m sorry. I should have known I was being stupid. I love you. I’m sorry.” Zuko says quickly and quietly, not moving his head but averting his eyes.
“Turtleduck, you don’t need to apologize. I just want you to promise me that you’ll talk to someone to try and unlearn whatever your asshole father put in your head about you being worthless and not seeing that you’re the best thing to ever grace this earth.” Sokka jokes, pressing a quick kiss to Zuko’s lips.
Zuko lets out a soft, sad laugh, giving Sokka a small smile as he brushes at his tears. “I promise.”
Smiling, Sokka wraps Zuko in a hug, pulling him close. “I also want you to talk to me when you start thinking that I don’t want to be with you more than anything else in the world. We just need to talk to make sure that you understand that I’m not as affectionate with you one week because I’m tired and stressed and not because I love you less than before. Communication is good. You promise that you’ll talk to me and not sit on things? I don’t want them festering.” Sokka whispers.
“I promise.” Zuko’s voice is muffled as his face is buried in the crook of Sokka’s neck.
“I don’t know what is going to happen in the future, but I know that things can get crazy and difficult. No matter what happens, you’re who I want to figure this mess out with. After everything we’ve been through, don’t you think we deserve a gentle love?” Sokka asks, running his fingers through Zuko’s long, thick, black hair.
Thankfully, Zuko nods. “Please…there’s nothing more I would love than that.” Zuko mumbles, wrapping his arms around Sokka’s waist.
No matter what would happen in their future, they can have some kind of constant. A constant not just for stability but content. Even if it holds the craziest turns, they have a safe haven.