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1. The Autumn Festival: Are you trying to woo me?
There were many Fire Nation traditions Zuko was happy to revive after the end of the war, but his favorite had to be the annual Autumn Festival. The celebration began as the sun started to dip lower in the sky, casting Caldera City in a golden glow that grew deeper towards nightfall. Lanterns adorned every narrow street in the market square outside the palace, their light shrouded with smoke from several food stalls lining the roads emitting smells both sweet and savory. Zuko took it all in from a distance, like he did every year, with a warm pride making itself at home in his chest.
Shadowed by a pagoda in the dusk light, he leaned back against a building on a quieter side of the square to watch his people enjoy themselves. With a snort, he spotted a few stuffy ministers gathered on the outskirts of the crowd, standing stiff and out of place among families with boisterous children that filled the air with shouts of delight. The music playing down the street changed to something louder and more purposeful, and he smiled to himself as people began dancing, alone and in groups, the vibrations of drums and their pounding footsteps felt all the way in his hidden spot.
A figure donned in blue caught his eye; his best friend and Ambassador to the Southern Water Tribe. He stood out against the sea of red that took up the streets, looking unimpressed with a much older woman with wandering hands. By chance, their eyes met over the crowd, and Sokka grinned in relief. The woman scowled when he slipped away, weaving through the throng of people until he broke through and strode to Zuko’s side.
“Hey, stranger. I haven’t seen you all night,” Sokka teased, leaning back against the building next to him.
“Sorry. You know how I am,” Zuko said. He took a small sip of the tea he’d acquired from a vendor earlier, eyes going back to people watching.
“Lame, is what you are,” Sokka retorted. “You spend so much time planning these things, but don’t give yourself a chance to enjoy them.”
“Who says I’m not enjoying myself?”
“Me.”
Zuko rolled his eyes. “I think you and I have very different definitions of fun, Sokka.”
“Whatever. You’re still lame,” Sokka laughed, bumping their shoulders together. Zuko glanced over at him to see that he was already looking back, a smile playing on his lips.
“What about you? Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked.
“More, now that I’m with you,” Sokka said.
Zuko raised a skeptical eyebrow. Why did that sound like a line out of a cheesy romance novel?
“Good,” was his simple response.
They stood together quietly for a while, listening to the murmur of the crowd as the sky became darker and a light breeze whistled through the square. It was peaceful. Nobody noticed them in this little spot, hidden from prying eyes and whispered curiosity. With Sokka, he was just Zuko.
He was broken out of his thoughts when Sokka took a small step away from the building and rotated to face him. Zuko started to ask him if he was leaving, but the words died on his tongue when he reached out and ran his fingers lightly down Zuko’s upper arm, stopping to cradle his elbow. The warmth of Sokka’s hand could be felt through the thin silk robe he always wore for the Autumn Festival. Despite the heat pressing into his arm, he had to suppress a shiver at the touch.
“Hey, um...you look really good tonight,” Sokka said. His voice was steady, low, but he looked nervous, eyes darting across Zuko’s face. Zuko...wasn’t quite sure how to respond. For some reason he couldn’t put his finger on, he felt like he’d been in this situation before.
Then Sokka’s hand twitched against his elbow, a reminder that it was resting there, and Zuko was thrown back into a memory from Sokka’s first month as Ambassador more than a year ago.
“I can’t believe Suki dumped me,” Sokka moaned, head cradled in one arm on the table while his other hand kept a strong grip on the half-empty mug of beer sweating in the heat of the tavern. Zuko tried not to be concerned at how large the mug was.
Zuko sipped from his modest cup of water. He didn’t want to get drunk in public, especially when Sokka was already halfway there and showing no signs of stopping. One of them had to hold it together for the night, and it was clear Sokka was not going to be that person.
“I mean, we fought together! We took down an entire fleet of war balloons! But we couldn’t make our relationship work?” He sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I just don’t get it.”
Zuko watched Sokka sympathetically as he downed another gulp of beer. He wasn’t sure what to tell him; he was just as shocked as Sokka when he found out that Suki had broken up with him.
Sokka set the mug back on the table with a heavy thunk. “Don’t you have anything to say?” he demanded, staring at Zuko from across the table.
Zuko blinked in surprise, scrambling to find words that would comfort his friend. “Me? Uh—That’s rough, buddy?”
While Zuko face-palmed inwardly, Sokka’s blank stare vanished as he barked out a startled laugh.
“You’re really bad at comforting people, you know that?” Sokka sighed, amused, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Zuko smiled sheepishly.
“Trust me, I’m well aware.”
Sokka shifted in his seat to observe the bar’s patrons. He had a look on his face that Zuko didn’t like, because it was the look he always got when he was planning something.
Without tearing his eyes away from the bar, Sokka declared, “I’m going to woo someone tonight.”
Zuko choked on the sip of water he’d just begun to swallow. “What?”
“You heard me.” Sokka spun back to face him, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Oh, come on! Why not? You don’t think I can woo someone?”
“No, that’s not what I—”
“Do you know how to woo someone, Zuko?”
Zuko sank lower in his seat. Sometimes, Sokka was insufferable.
Without waiting for an answer, Sokka barrelled on. “First, you gotta smile at them a lot. Like, your best smile,” he said, leaning across the table with a crooked grin. “Then you make some small talk, laugh at everything they say even if it’s not funny, blah, blah, blah...”
Zuko was beginning to tune out, but jerked back to attention when Sokka suddenly reached across the table and laid a sweaty hand over his forearm. “—but the real magic happens when you touch them. On the arm, or the hand, whatever. Maybe compliment how they look. Then they’ll fall in love with you,” he finished confidently.
Zuko remembered that night vividly. Sokka, in the end, never left the table. They talked for a long time, then stumbled back to their rooms at the palace in the wee hours of the morning.
Still, what Sokka had described was eerily similar to what was playing out right in front of him.
Zuko cleared his throat, looking pointedly at the hand on his arm and back at Sokka’s expectant face.
“Are you trying to woo me?”
Sokka winced. “Um. Is it working?”
Zuko’s lip trembled. He would not laugh. He wouldn’t.
It slipped out of him anyway. He covered his mouth, grinning, but there was no keeping it to himself. Sokka’s face morphed from confusion to annoyance as Zuko fell back against the stone wall of the building behind him, wheezing.
“You’re an asshole,” Sokka growled, pulling his hand away to cross his arms.
Zuko only laughed harder when Sokka glowered at him.
“I- you- spirits, ” he gasped, clutching his stomach with one arm. Some of his tea sloshed out of his cup onto the ground. “You were trying to woo me!”
“I’m leaving,” Sokka announced, spinning on his heel to walk away.
“No, wait!” Zuko fumbled, setting his cup down and reaching out for Sokka’s wrist before he could get too far. He tugged until Sokka turned back around, sighing. The giggles still making his chest hitch faded at the frown he saw, but he didn’t let it deter him.
“What, Zuko?” Sokka asked, sounding resigned.
“It worked. It was working.”
Sokka narrowed his eyes. “Then why’d you laugh at me?”
“Remember the night Suki broke up with you, and we went to that tavern?”
Slowly, realization dawned on Sokka. His cheeks darkened and he let out an embarrassed noise that was half-groan and half-laughter. “Fuck, you remember that?”
Zuko smirked. “Of course. I remember everything.”
Sokka looked up at him through his lashes, shy. “So. It was working?”
Zuko considered him for a moment. He’d always thought of Sokka as his best friend, but it hadn’t gone unnoticed how handsome he was. Zuko never thought to pursue it, though. Sokka was his friend, and he was physically attracted to him. Those two facts had coexisted in his head for years, and they'd never amounted to anything more.
He grabbed Sokka’s other wrist in a loose hold, swinging their arms between them. “Yes, it was.”
Sokka stopped the swinging motion by tangling their fingers together. Zuko’s heart jumped.
“Do you want to come up to my room?” he asked, hesitant and still shy.
Zuko nodded, face flushed red. “Yeah. Lead the way.”
They snuck away from the festival and walked the short distance to the palace gardens to sneak in the back. Their hands stayed intertwined the whole time, Sokka tugging Zuko along at a quick pace. The corridors were dark and empty, most of the palace staff celebrating at the festival. When they were nearly to Sokka’s room, Zuko heard the heavy boots of a guard close by. Not wanting to be babysat for the rest of the night, he shoved Sokka into a tiny alcove before the guard could spot them.
“Zuko!”
“Shut up,” Zuko hissed, pressing a finger to Sokka’s lips.
He felt Sokka’s lips move, like he was about to speak again, but he stayed quiet when he heard the guard’s footsteps approaching. Sokka’s back was against the wall, and Zuko crowded closer to him in the tiny space, tentatively resting his hands on Sokka’s hips. Sokka’s breath hitched; it sounded like a boom of thunder in the otherwise silent palace. The guard paused in the hallway for a few agonizing moments before continuing on his route.
Zuko relaxed when the footsteps completely faded, slumping against Sokka’s chest. Sokka huffed a laugh and wrapped his arms around Zuko's waist.
“What was that all about?” he whispered into Zuko’s hair.
“Didn’t wanna be followed. I've been avoiding them all night.” Zuko murmured. He tilted his head up, lips pressing to the spot just beneath Sokka’s ear. He could feel his pulse, thrumming under his mouth.
Sokka gasped, hands fisting in Zuko’s robe. The sound made molten heat pool low in his belly.
“Okay, let’s go. C’mon,” Sokka urged. Zuko laughed when he was pulled back into the hallway.
They hurried the rest of the way to Sokka’s room, eager and equally excited. Zuko couldn’t remember the last time he felt so exhilarated, but he wanted to savor it for as long as he could.
He found himself pushed up against Sokka’s door as soon as it closed behind them, and then chapped lips were on his, and everything after that was Sokka, Sokka, Sokka.
In retrospect, it didn’t go how he thought it would.
He thought it would be a desperate thing, quick and simple. But it wasn’t that at all.
Not when their hands ran over each other, gentle, exploring, fingers fitting into dips and curves like puzzle pieces. Not when they fumbled awkwardly and laughed together. Not when their kisses were messy and sweet and made his head spin. Not when Sokka breathed you feel so good into his neck, over and over, quiet words meant only for him.
Afterwards, when they were both sated and tucked under the sheets together, Sokka spoke up.
“Do you want to do this again?” he asked quietly, fingers tracing patterns across Zuko’s bare back.
Zuko looked at him, the light from the oil lamp casting flickering shadows over his face. “Uh, I’m gonna need a little bit if you want seconds.”
Sokka snorted out a laugh and covered his eyes. “No, idiot. I meant, do you want to do this another time?”
“Oh.” Zuko paused, choosing his next words carefully.” I...I didn’t know that was a possibility.”
“It is if you want it to be.”
Zuko shifted closer to rest his head on Sokka’s chest. “Okay. Then yes.”
There was no hesitation as he answered. No second-guessing. Just the truth, slipping out before he could think of the consequences. For once, he didn’t care that his mouth ran faster than his brain. It felt right. But there was a tiny part of him that made the decision seem final, like he was sealing his fate for something he couldn’t quite see yet.
“I was hoping you’d say that,” Sokka said into his hair, a smile heard in his voice. His fingers tapped Zuko’s back. “Can I kiss you again?”
In answer, Zuko sat up and slotted his mouth against Sokka’s. He could get used to doing that.
2. The Meeting: Let me take care of you.
Most of Zuko’s time as Fire Lord was spent in meetings. They became dull and tedious after a while, depending on the topic. With Sokka by his side, however, they were much more bearable.
When Sokka wasn’t being a shithead, of course.
They were in the final stretch of a discussion on revising trade routes with Cranefish Town, an up and coming coastal Earth Kingdom city. It had mostly become a debate between two members of his council, Riku and Shen, who couldn’t agree on a new route. Zuko could barely get a word in among their bickering.
“If we take this passage at Fire Fountain City and travel along the southern coast of these islands, we can avoid—”
“I know we can avoid the Shu Jing triangle, but the route will be too long!” Shen interrupted. “The odds of a trade vessel disappearing there are too low to spend the extra money on fuel and supplies that your route would require.”
Zuko opened his mouth to interject, but a hand on his knee beneath the table stopped him. The argument continued without him, because he was too preoccupied with that hand squeezing gently above his knee, slowly creeping up his leg and pausing at his inner thigh. He held himself stiffly in his chair, refusing to look at the menace to his right. He could feel his cheeks growing red, breath coming out shakier as Sokka’s hand began to massage in firm circles, edging dangerously close to the crease between his thigh and groin.
He must’ve made a small sound, because suddenly Shen and Riku, along with the rest of his council, were both looking at him with concern.
“What was that, Fire Lord Zuko?” Riku asked.
“Nothing! I didn’t say anything,” he choked out.
Sokka’s fingers trailed teasingly in the direction of exactly where Zuko wanted him. As subtly as he could, Zuko closed his hand over Sokka’s before it could travel any further, squeezing hard enough to hurt. He dug his blunt fingernails into Sokka’s palm for good measure.
Shen squinted at him. “Are you feeling alright? You look—”
“I’m fine. Please, continue.”
He was unable to concentrate for the remainder of the meeting, too busy trying to quell the arousal that Sokka had summoned with a simple touch of his hand. Zuko made sure to keep their fingers tightly intertwined in his lap, not sparing him a glance.
Once his council came to a stalemate in their decision, Zuko proposed they continue the discussion at a later date and adjourned the meeting. Then he was flying out of the room. He could feel Sokka hot on his heels. Still, he didn’t look at him, or speak to him for the entire walk to his study.
Zuko dumped his scrolls on his desk and spun around when he heard the heavy wooden door shut. There Sokka stood, a smug grin on his face.
“I’m going to kill you.” Zuko seethed.
Sokka sauntered up to the desk and cocked a hip against it. “Kill me? What did I do?” he asked innocently, but the way he licked his lips and gave Zuko a once over betrayed that he knew exactly what effect he had.
Zuko closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “You can’t do that to me in a meeting, Sokka.”
“You could’ve stopped me. But you didn’t, did you?” Sokka said, voice low and teasing. It sounded like an invitation.
Zuko dropped his hands from his temples and glared over at his...friend? Fuck-buddy?
“I misspoke earlier. You are going to kill me.”
“Oh, don’t be like that. C’mere,” Sokka said. He sat on the edge of Zuko’s desk and gestured at the empty space between his legs. “Let me take care of you.”
Zuko swallowed hard at those words. They hadn’t been doing this for very long, this casual arrangement they had, but Sokka already knew just what to say and do to make Zuko melt.
He undid the clasp for his heavy outer robe and shrugged it off before stepping into Sokka’s grabby hands. They tugged him forward until he was snug between Sokka’s legs, trailed over his shoulder blades and up his neck to cradle the back of his head. It was probably messing up his tight bun, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care when Sokka reeled him in for a hungry kiss. Zuko sighed into it, shoulders dropping slightly.
“There you go. Better?” Sokka whispered. Zuko hummed, kissing him more insistently even as those lips curled up into a smile beneath his. It made his stomach flutter, to feel that smile and know he had caused it. Distantly, he wondered if it was normal for him to think that way about his best friend that he was fucking, but there was nothing normal about their situation. So he let it go, and let Sokka take care of him like he said he would.
3. The South Pole: I can think of a few ways to warm you up.
Zuko loved spending time at Sokka’s home in the Southern Water Tribe and learning about his culture. It was a welcome change of pace from his strict, exhausting schedule in the Fire Nation. Here, he felt like he could stop and breathe.
The one thing he would never enjoy about the South Pole, however, was the cold.
It always startled him how absolutely frigid it became, especially at night. They had only arrived the day before, and Zuko spent the night shivering in Hakoda’s guest room despite the heavy furs covering him and the fire burning low in the small space. Still, it wasn’t enough for him to sleep comfortably, and he’d spent the next day exhausted.
He wasn’t faring any better his second night. He glared at the dying embers in the fireplace, low on fuel, and decided enough was enough.
Zuko silently crept through Hakoda’s home until he reached Sokka’s room, pulling aside the thick hide and slipping inside. It was just as cold as the guest room, and his body trembled as he padded across the room to Sokka’s snoring figure.
He sat down on the edge of the furs and gently shook what looked to be a shoulder of the Sokka-shaped lump on the bed.
“Sokka?” he said softly.
“Hmm? Zuko?” Sokka croaked, poking his head up and blinking blearily at him. Zuko could just barely make out his features in the pale moonlight. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m cold. Can I sleep in your bed?”
Wordlessly, Sokka shuffled to the other side of the bed and lifted the covers for him. Zuko slid beneath them, breathing out a sigh of relief at the warmth that enveloped his body. He stretched his legs out until his toes brushed Sokka’s ankle. Even through the thick layer of socks and sleep pants, Sokka still hissed and jerked away from the touch.
“Spirits, Zuko, you’re freezing!”
“I know, I’m sorry.” Zuko whispered. A shiver wracked his body as he started to warm up.
Sokka must have felt it, because he moved closer to wrap an arm around Zuko. His hand slipped underneath Zuko’s shirt to rub his back, and it felt like a hot brand on Zuko’s chilled skin. He moved closer, tucking himself into Sokka’s warm chest.
“Hey,” Sokka mumbled, voice still syrupy slow from sleep, “I can think of a few ways to warm you up.”
Zuko grinned, sliding a leg between Sokka’s and bringing their bodies flush together.
“Yeah?”
In lieu of replying, Sokka rolled on top of Zuko and pulled the furs over their heads, capturing his lips in a searing kiss that did, indeed, make warmth bloom over his entire body.
Later that night, after Sokka fell back asleep curled up in Zuko’s arms, Zuko lay awake. He was comfortable, and warm, and sleep should have come easily. Instead, he was staring at the ceiling, eyes burning from exhaustion and the realization that his feelings for Sokka ran deeper than he wanted to admit to himself.
When sleep finally took him, he dreamt he was falling.
4. The Turtleduck Pond: You suck at lying.
The Turtleduck Pond in the palace gardens was always beautiful at night. He liked visiting during the day to actually see the turtleducks, but there was something about the way moonlight rippled on the water, the sedges around the pond waving back and forth in the night air, crickets chirping softly, that brought Zuko peace when he was craving it.
Lately, he certainly needed it.
A week had passed since he and Sokka returned from the Southern Water Tribe, and he’d buried himself in work ever since. Whenever he had free time, he avoided all the places Sokka would think to look for him, taking his meals alone in the palace kitchen or spending late nights in the library rereading his favorite plays. Only the non-romantic ones, though.
Still, he couldn’t escape from himself, or the way his heart started beating faster when he thought about Sokka. Sokka’s hands. His lips. His pretty eyes. His intelligence, kindness, and humor. The way he kissed Zuko. It was all tangled up in his head, one big mess of sappy feelings that he wasn’t supposed to have. In hindsight, he should’ve seen this coming.
He ripped piece after piece of grass out of the ground in frustration, too busy tying them in knots to notice the footsteps approaching.
“I knew I would find you brooding out here.”
Zuko jumped at the sound of Sokka’s voice, looking over just as he plopped down next to him. Sokka met his gaze evenly.
“Do you need something?” Zuko asked stiltedly. Inwardly, he winced at his tone.
Sokka laid back in the grass and looked up at the moon. His voice was small the next time he spoke.
“Did I do something to upset you?”
Zuko’s nose scrunched in confusion. “What? No, why would you think that?”
“You’ve been avoiding me all week.”
Fuck. He noticed.
“I’ve just been busy,” Zuko lied.
“You suck at lying,” Sokka said.
Zuko huffed and flopped backwards to lay in the grass next to him.
“Seriously, is it something I did? I don’t—”
“It’s not because of you, Sokka.” Lie. “I’m just...working through some stuff. Don’t worry about it.”
“Well, I’m gonna worry about it if you keep ignoring me.” Sokka pouted.
Zuko’s hand had a mind of its own, and before he knew it, he’d reached out to intertwine his fingers with Sokka’s.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
Sokka sighed, and rolled onto his side to face him, not letting go of his hand as he did so. Zuko did the same to mirror him.
“It’s okay. Just don’t shut me out anymore, alright? I hate it when you do that.”
Zuko nodded. For a moment, they just stared at each other, Zuko’s eyes roaming over Sokka’s handsome face. He was meant for moonlight, Zuko thought. It made his eyes shine and his skin gleam in the darkness, like it was soaking up the pale rays blanketing them.
“What are you thinking about?” Sokka whispered, a smile slowly making its way onto his face.
Zuko gulped. “Nothing.”
“You suck at lying,” Sokka repeated, squeezing Zuko’s hand.
Zuko refrained from telling him that he’d already successfully lied earlier, instead choosing to scoot closer and plant a kiss on Sokka’s lips. Sokka melted into it with a sigh that ended in a moan, igniting a fire that followed them all the way to Zuko’s bed that night.
Only one coherent thought lingered in the back of his head throughout it all:
I’m so fucked. No pun intended.
5. The Jasmine Dragon: You have a good heart.
Usually, Zuko didn’t like spectating pai sho games. But if it was Uncle and Sokka playing, that was a different story.
Sokka was good at pai sho, but not as good as Iroh. Playing against Iroh was a genuinely fun challenge for him, which meant he was completely focused on the game. Zuko had to be careful not to get caught staring at his crossed arms, the way he chewed on his lip in concentration, eyes narrowed on the board like a hawk looking for prey.
They were in Ba Sing Se for an annual week-long summit that drew leaders from all over the Earth Kingdom into one place to discuss general negotiations between their nations. Sokka didn’t really have to be there, but his input and support were valuable to Zuko, so he always came along anyways. Having Sokka’s company during his off time was just an added benefit, whether that was spent wandering the streets of Ba Sing Se or pestering Iroh in the Jasmine Dragon.
Zuko watched Uncle raise an eyebrow as Sokka finally moved a tile across the board. This was one of the longest sessions between them that he’d sat in on, and his patience was waning with the daylight. He wanted to go back to their hotel and make out with Sokka like he’d been daydreaming about doing all day.
“Interesting choice, Sokka. It just won you the game.”
Sokka perked up. “Wait, it did?” he asked excitedly, eyes darting all over the board. Zuko peered down at it to see that Sokka had, indeed, won.
Iroh smiled at him. “I was expecting you to use your white lotus tile, but you went a different route. Well done,” he said, sounding proud.
Sokka laughed. “I almost did, but my heart was telling me not to.”
“Ah, yes. You have a good heart, Sokka. You should always listen to what it wants.”
Iroh’s eyes drifted to Zuko as he gave his sage advice, and Zuko froze under the scrutiny. Maybe he hadn’t been quite so subtle in his ogling as he’d thought. He looked down at his lap, hoping his hair hid the blush crawling across his face.
Sokka yawned and turned to Zuko as Iroh began to clear the board. “You ready to go?”
They said their goodbyes, Sokka promising they would be back tomorrow night for another match. Uncle hugged Zuko extra tight before they left, murmuring quietly enough for only their ears, “You have a good heart, too, Zuko. Follow it.”
Zuko slipped out of the embrace, mumbled a goodnight, and hurried out the door with Sokka. The hotel they were staying at was halfway between the Jasmine Dragon and the palace. It was a nice night, and Zuko let the fresh air cool his flushed face during the walk. By the time they entered the hotel and climbed the stairs to their floor, Zuko was calmer.
Any semblance of inner-peace he’d gained disappeared when Sokka, instead of going to his own suite, followed Zuko into his room and began talking
“Did you hear that stuff Iroh was saying about listening to your heart, or whatever? Man, he’s so—”
Zuko could not talk about this. In a panic, he cut Sokka off with a hard kiss, backing them up until Sokka’s shoulders hit the door. Sokka gasped, hands coming up to cradle Zuko’s face. Zuko gently took his bottom lip into his mouth, soothing over the spot where his teeth had been with his tongue, and pushed his hands under Sokka’s shirt.
Sokka broke away, chest heaving, and tilted his head back against the door. Zuko took advantage of the exposed skin on Sokka’s neck and dove in. With a whine, Sokka moved his hands to the back of Zuko’s head and held him there. He mouthed his way up Sokka’s neck with purpose, stopping at the bolt of his jaw.
“Less talking, more kissing,” he whispered in Sokka’s ear.
“But you love when I talk,” Sokka breathed, pulling Zuko closer, closer, closer.
Knowing Sokka was thoroughly distracted, he smiled.
“Yeah, I do. Now let’s put that mouth to good use, hm?”
+1
Zuko woke as the sun rose, a sliver of light peeking through the gap in the curtains. He pressed his cheek into Sokka’s bare chest and closed his eyes against it. It took an enormous effort to tear himself away to make a pot of tea. Their clothes were discarded all over the room, a trail from the door to the bed, and he pulled on what was closest: his pants from yesterday, and Sokka’s soft shirt. It was too big for Zuko, the long sleeves slipping over his hands. It smelled just like Sokka.
Quietly, he went through the process of brewing jasmine tea for them in front of the large bay window in his hotel room. He had a lovely view of the Upper Ring, but he was too absorbed in watching how the sun’s rays played across Sokka’s skin to care.
When the tea was finished, he carried the tray over to the nightstand on Sokka’s side and set it down gently. Sokka stirred as Zuko climbed over him and sat cross legged in the center of the bed, his own teacup in hand.
“You woke me up,” Sokka groaned, wiping a hand down his face. He glanced at Zuko. "Mm, and you're wearing my shirt."
Zuko pointed to the nightstand. “I made you tea,” he said.
Sokka propped himself up on his elbows and reached for his cup. Zuko averted his eyes from the way all of Sokka’s muscles shifted under his skin from the movement.
A contented hum left Sokka as he took his first sip of tea.
“I think I’m in love with you.”
Zuko’s heart skipped a beat. “You what?”
Sokka only looked at him, hiding a smile behind his cup. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and they were so full of warmth. All for him.
He fumbled, unsure what to say or what to do with his hands. Sokka sat up more and took his teacup away to put both of them back on the tray. Without anything to hold, his hands shook.
“Do you really mean that?”
“Yes, Zuko,” he laughed. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t mean it.” He took one of Zuko’s hands in his, raising it to his mouth to gently brush his lips over Zuko’s knuckles. Zuko made a wounded noise.
Maybe the first thing he should have done was say it back, but he was cupping Sokka’s jaw and leaning down to kiss him before any words came out. It was different this time. The familiar heat was still there that had been present for every other kiss they'd shared, but Zuko didn’t feel like he had to hide anymore. He gave himself over to Sokka with his mouth, and Sokka readily accepted everything he had to offer.
Zuko pulled back and pressed his lips to the sleep-warm skin of Sokka’s forehead. “I love you too,” he said.
Sokka’s hands tugged him in for more; more kisses, more hands on skin, more whispered confessions between them. Zuko happily obliged.