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Sokka was 11 when his father came home with a pale, injured boy bundled up in his arms. The war had changed courses when Sokka was 9, when after his mom had been killed in a raid his father, Chief Hakoda, had decided to finally take further action against the ashmakers. The Southern Water Tribe became more than just a thorn in the Fire Nations side and had them genuinely scared they might not win this war… but of all the things Sokka had seen his dad do in this war, bringing home a child—a firebender—was the most surprising. Sokka didn’t know how to feel when his dad had first brought the boy home, the left side of his face had been badly burned and their healers made it clear that his chances of survival were slim.
But his dad—his hero—who could’ve just let the ashmaker die, and rot like the fire navy had done so many times to them… just… didn’t… Sokka remembered the first few weeks where he’d sneak a peak where the boy was staying and he’d find his dad rubbing the boys back, offering gentle shushing as the boy struggled to breathe and sniffled. Sokka was ashamed to admit looking back that he’d been upset, why should this random ashmaker get to live? When so many had died at the hands of the Fire Nation?
All those feelings of anger promptly evaporated however when his dad formally introduced the boy—Zuko—was his name, Zuko had clung to his dad’s side, Hakoda’s hand on Zuko’s back as he’d gently nudged him towards Sokka. Zuko looked so small… there was a bandage on his left eye, his burn still not fully healed and he looked so much paler than anyone Sokka had ever met… all the anger that Sokka had felt kinda just—evaporated—to the point where Sokka had taken Zuko’s hand in his and had dragged him around the village, giving him a full tour.
Sokka like Zuko, the firebender didn’t talk much… or at all… but that was fine—Sokka was a rambler anyways—and he actually laughed at Sokka’s jokes! He still remembers fondly the first time he’d cracked one and Zuko had burst into a fit of giggles, leaving Sokka speechless for a second before having pulled the boy into a bone crushing hug, leaving both boys breathless. Katara took a bit more time to come around, the death of their mom hit her hard… she felt guilty—like it was her fault that their mom had died trying to protect her…
Sokka never found out what made Katara come around but… it didn’t seem… good…one morning he’d seen Katara drag Zuko over to their dad—Zuko’s mouth had been moving but he couldn’t hear what he’d said… but he saw the way his dad’s face had hardened at whatever Zuko had said… But later that day his dad left with a few other men—refusing to tell Sokka where he was going…
Hakoda came home with blood on his hands.
Katara didn’t say anything.
Zuko cried and threw up.
Sokka never found out what happened, just that for the first time in weeks he’d gone and rubbed Zuko’s back to soothe him to sleep… his shoulders trembling as he silently cried.
Katara and Zuko got along after that, Zuko started showing her some firebending katas that Katara managed to twist into her own techniques to use for waterbending. Sokka had started dreading the day that Zuko might have to leave, he clung to the firebender, they did almost everything together… they all did… they celebrated Zuko’s birthday like they would any other and his dad started teaching Zuko to hunt right along Sokka… and it became clear to him that Zuko wasn’t leaving anytime soon… not if Sokka had any say—not if Hakoda had any say—
Sokka was 13 when just like Zuko was—had started going threw puberty, he didn’t exactly want to talk to his dad on the subject, mostly because he’d overheard his talk with Zuko and didn’t exactly want to go through the horrifically awkward explanation of bodily changes and hormones and whatnot… it had been late at night, when it happened… him and Zuko had been having a sleepover when Sokka had ahem—been thinking and may have gotten… excited. He honestly didn’t remember what he’d been thinking about before embarrassment and horror had creeped in. Zuko had obviously noticed and Sokka felt like dying—
Zuko—sweet Zuko—had offered to… help… the two had basically no knowledge of sex however. It was sloppy, just mindless humping… and Sokka had tried focusing on the tiny mewls and noises Zuko let out as the two laid curled up, limbs tangling together as the two preteens awkwardly tried figuring what in Tui and La’s names they were doing— before Sokka finished. The two laid there for a while afterwards… the two sweaty, and yet Sokka couldn’t bring himself to pull away from Zuko… his eyelids feeling heavy as the two fell asleep comfortably in each other’s arms.
Sokka was 14 when he realized something, it had been his birthday—his 14th—he would go Ice dodging with his dad! He was a man now, If he did say so himself! His dad had clasped a hand on his shoulder and said he was proud of him, Katara had teasingly ruffled his hair and Zuko… Zuko had found him when it had started getting dark. Zuko, ever the introvert had stood there for a moment before offering a small smile and a ‘Happy Birthday, Sokka’ and Sokka… his eyes couldn’t help but trail down to Zuko’s lips—wait what—he’d hurriedly shaken his head but not before Zuko had seemingly noticed.
The two had stood there awkwardly for what felt like hours before Zuko took a hesitant step forward and pressed his lips gently against Sokka’s—it wasn’t super hot—just… awkward… as you’d expect from two teenage boys, but it wasn’t sweet in Sokka’s humble opinion… they held it for a moment before they pulled back and just stood there again for what seemed to be an eternity before Zuko promptly turned bright red and hurriedly scurried away—probably to go find Hakoda and burry his face in the man’s parka to hide his embarrassment. But Sokka just stayed put… his fingertips coming up to his lips, processing the feeling of kissing someone—of kissing Zuko, of all people… not that he didn’t like it! No… no quite the opposite—not that he’d ever admit to that…
After Sokka’s dad took him Ice dodging—after he turned 15–his dad started letting him come to meetings with the Earth kingdom and Northern water tribe discussing the war with the Fire Nation… who despite having no allies stood their ground relatively well. Sokka had been ecstatic, he was doing his part, he was being a warrior—but anytime he left Zuko would get this… look… he seemed sad—or upset… which Sokka didn’t understand, yea Zuko was technically from the Fire Nation but he’d been living in the South Pole since he was 12! The Fire Nation caused his scar and the tribe had all but adopted Zuko by this point! It didn’t matter if he was a firebender or not, Zuko was Water Tribe.
After Sokka’s first few meetings Zuko started asking if they talked about the royal family, he seemed to specifically want to know about The Dragon of the West, wanted to know what they were planning to do with the royal family after the war was over. Sokka dosent even remember what he said because the moment he did Zuko burst into tears and started screaming at him, Sokka just remembers standing there in confusion and shock as Zuko cried. It felt wrong to see him so upset but Sokka hadn’t had time to say anything—to apologize—Before his dad had come in, having heard Zuko screaming and scooped the firebender up, even at 16, Zuko was still being scooped up by Hakoda when he was upset. It would’ve been endearing any other time…
That was the first time Sokka questioned the war from a different perspective, because if the Fire Nation faced ruin Zuko would be upset, if the Water Tribes faced ruin his family would be upset, it dosent matter who won or lost because someone would lose something, someone would lose their nation—their home—but there was little Sokka could do now, so he let it go, he buried it deep inside himself and prayed to forget his doubt. Because this was war and the Fire Nation wouldn’t wait for him to make up his mind… The war waged, time passed, the uncertainty was buried under his duty to his people.
Six years, six years of meetings and fighting and war. Katara had become a waterbending master, he and Zuko still hung out and Sokka wondered when Zuko got so pretty—no! Stop it Sokka!—He didn’t really bring up the war around Zuko… it seemed like the firebender didn’t want to be reminded of his past home… of the life he must’ve left behind to come to the South Pole. But still, time seemed to pass crazy slow and crazy fast at the same time… like seriously he was 15 literally like—or at least what felt like a week ago—now he was 21, an actual man and not whatever he thought he was at 14—Oh Tui and La, he was just a baby—
His dad had asked a few weeks before what he wanted to do for his birthday, if there was anything he wanted… he didn’t know what he was thinking honestly when he—
‘I want Zuko.’
His dad pretty much smacked him upside the head and basically said they weren’t the Northern Water tribe and if Sokka wanted to carve a necklace and plan something he was happy to help but he wasn’t about to give Sokka a whole person against their will. So yea, Sokka felt pretty stupid after that… but it did make him get off his ass and start making Zuko a necklace… it took him a few tries but he eventually picked a design and went with it, it was a fancy carving of the sun—he didn’t know much about the sun spirit but they seemed important to Zuko… so they were important to Sokka too.
His heart had been pounding when he asked, had pounded at the silence as Zuko stared down at the necklace before his hands had reached up and pulled his hair aside—asking Sokka to help him put it on—Sokka remembers the wide grin that had crossed his face as he wrapped the necklace around Zuko’s neck. It was private and perfect and he couldn’t help but pull Zuko into a hug, the two standing there under the full moon as Zuko nuzzled his face into Sokka’s shoulder.
Sokka thought his life married to Zuko would be perfect, the war was still there—in the background… but he tried focusing on Zuko. Imagining their future together… but it all seemed to hit him a year later. They were finally going to bring the Fire Nation down for good, a Solar Eclipse was coming and they were ready… he didn’t tell Zuko, no one did, because Zuko still had Fire Nation blood, he still cared, and the last thing anyone wanted was to upset him. But someone couldn’t keep their mouth shut and Zuko came to Sokka the day they were supposed to leave for the invasion begging him to reconsider, saying there had to be another way for peace.
Sokka remembers watching Zuko fade into the distance, an unreadable expression on his face as the invasion force sailed to the Fire Nation—hopefully for the final time…
“You don’t love me do you?”
“Sokka… I do love you…”
“But I love my people too…”
Sokka just really wanted Zuko…