Chapter Five "Science"

Zuko jumped up from where he was lying next to Sokka. He started to sprint away as fast as he could possibly go.

He knows!

"Hey!"

Zuko jumped over a small bush as he rushed down the mountain.

I'm so sorry Uncle, I've wrecked everything.

"Stop!"

Now we have to leave and find a new life. Things were going so well here but I had to go and fuck it all up.

"Zuko!"

Arms grabbed around Zuko's waist and he was tackled to the ground. They rolled over a couple times and then stopped with the attacker on top. Zuko's arms were pinned back behind his head and he couldn't move. Sokka sat on top of him holding down his Zuko's arms. Zuko could feel Sokka's complete weight on top of him, he was close, close enough for Zuko to feel Sokka's breathing. Zuko's heart was beating as fast as the drums in the tiger-leopard dance.

Sokka looked down at him glaring.

"Calm down," he said.

Zuko quickly glanced around to see if there was anything that could help him. He struggled against Sokka trying to get up. Sokka pushed him back down. With one arm he held down Zuko's arms behind his head and with his other hand he held Zuko's jaw tightly and forced Zuko to look at him. Zuko could feel Sokka's hot breath on his cheek.

He's so close. Zuko thought.

"I said... calm down..." Sokka growled. His voice was soft and rumbly.

Zuko was trapped. He didn't have a choice. He stopped struggling against Sokka. Sokka nodded.

"Good," he let go of Zuko's jaw, but he didn't let go of Zuko's arms.

"I'm not going to dub you in," Sokka said.

"...What?" said Zuko.

"I'm not going to tell on you," Sokka said.

"Why?" Zuko asked.

"Because I trust you,"

Zuko was speechless. He felt as though all the air had been knocked out of him. Sokka trusted him? Why? Zuko had tried to kill Sokka, and his sister and the avatar multiple times.

"How long have you known?" Zuko asked.

Sokka sighed. "Since I came in asking for a job," he said.

"You've known since then?... Why didn't you tell anyone?" Zuko asked.

"I wanted to see what you and Iroh were doing here, at first I thought you two were planning to assassinate the earth king. But you two really were just selling tea. I figured that out pretty quick," Sokka explained.

"Why did you stay?"

Sokka smiled "Because it was fun, selling tea and taking orders. Iroh is a good boss... and you were... fun... to annoy," He added quickly.

"Can you get off me now?" Zuko said, he was getting uncomfortable being held in the vulnerable position that he was.

Sokka smirked "I dunno, I kinda like you this way," he said.

Zuko blushed. "Get off me," he said.

"I'll let you up as long as you promise to not run away," Sokka said.

Zuko nodded.

"Cool."

Sokka let go of Zuko's arms and got off him. Zuko sat up and rubbed his wrist where Sokka had held him. They looked at each other, Neither one of them said anything until Zuko spoke.

"So what happens now?" He asked quietly.

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck "well... me and the gang have plans: we'll stick around for a while as we're looking for appa and then we'll try and talk to the earth king,"

"The air bison is missing?" Zuko had seen the posters of Appa around town.

"Yeah, Aang's been really depressed lately, we've been looking all over the city for him. Tomorrow I'm going to talk to Iroh, let him know that I know. I'm going to quit as well," Sokka explained.

"You're quitting?... why?" Zuko asked.

"I don't want to draw any more attention to you and Iroh's shop, you'll be safer that way," Sokka said, he looked out over the city. A nightbird's call could be heard from a distance.

"... Will we ever see each other again?" Zuko asked quietly.

"... It would be better for you if we didn't," Sokka replied.

"Oh... right..." Zuko said.

He followed Sokka's gaze and watched the flickering lights of the city. He felt upset. The night had lost its good feel to it. The happy lights and laughter that came from the city felt empty and far away. The lanterns had almost floated away out of sight. All of it was disheartening.

Something was stirring inside Zuko's stomach and he felt sick. He glanced at Sokka, he was watching the city flicker and buzz, he looked sad. Zuko desperately wanted to say something or do something that would make everything better, but he didn't know what to say. He struggled to find the right words.

"So... this is our last time together..." He said.

Sokka turned to Zuko and smiled.

"Hey... don't put it like that... it's more of a "Till we meet again" not a "Goodbye forever"," he said.

"So we'll meet again?" Zuko asked, his stomach lurched.

Sokka nodded "yes... when the avatar finally makes peace throughout the four nations... I'll come find you," he said.

Zuko felt a rush of warmth for Sokka run through him like how a sunbeam warms you up. He reached out and grabbed a fistful of Sokka's shirt. He pulled Sokka in and kissed him. Then he realised what he had done and shoved Sokka away from him. He clapped his hands over his mouth and his entire face went red.

WHAT THE HELL DID I JUST DO?!

"Sokka I'm so sorry! I don't know what that was! I-" Zuko tried to apologise but stopped when he saw Sokka's face.

Sokka was smiling at him. His cheeks were red and he chuckled.

"It's okay... I was trying to build up the courage to do that," He rubbed his neck nervously.

Zuko covered his face with his hands, he felt so embarrassed. He hated the feeling. Sokka reached out and held Zuko's face in his hands.

"You are adorable," he said.

"Shut up," came Zuko's muffled voice.

"Can I kiss you?" Sokka asked.

Zuko's heart skipped a beat. "Yes,"

Sokka pulled Zuko's hands away and leaned in. His kiss was soft and gentle, it was short, a simple kiss on the lips and he pulled back but it was enough to make Zuko's heart thump and his stomach flutter. But Zuko wasn't ready for it to be over yet. He pulled Sokka back in.

It was a little awkward at first, they were both nervous. But they got braver, going from gentle to fiery. Zuko felt Sokka's hands running through his hair, the feeling was euphoric. Zuko's arms wrapped around Sokka's neck, closing the little distance left between them, he didn't want to let go.

Sokka's hands were entwined in Zuko's hair and Zuko was exploring underneath the back Sokka's shirt. Their kisses were getting intense and demanding, and ever so slightly messy. It was getting hot, unnaturally hot.

"Aahh!"

Sokka broke off from Zuko and pulled away, rubbing his shoulders.

"What's wrong?" Zuko asked. He was terrified he had done something that had pushed it too far.

"Dude... I think you burnt me a little bit," Sokka said, he pulled the collar of his shirt to the side to reveal two slightly red handprints.

Zuko put his hands on his cheeks, sure enough, his hands were hot to the touch.

"Fuck, I'm so sorry! I didn't even know I was doing it," He said.

"Hey, don't worry... it's kind of cute," Sokka grinned at him.

"Cute? Sokka I hurt you, how is that cute?" Zuko asked.

"Fire-bending is emotional right? You burnt me because you must be happy, like really happy." Sokka said.

Zuko looked at his hands, It made sense. Sokka was looking at Zuko with a curious gleam in his eye.

"Hmm...I wonder..." he said.

Before Zuko could ask Sokka what he was talking about Sokka leaned forward and kissed Zuko on his cheek, the burnt side. Zuko blushed and to his surprise a tiny shock of electricity zapped Sokka.

Sokka rubbed his face and grinned. "Fascinating," he said.

Zuko put his hand on his scar, it felt like static electricity. "Yeah," he said.

"In the name of science I must kiss you again," Sokka proclaimed while holding one finger in the air.

"In the name of science?"

"Yes, in the name of science!"

"Really?" Zuko grinned, he couldn't help it.

"Yes! For science," said Sokka.

"Well, I'm not the kind to get in the way of science,"

"Excellent!"

Sokka pulled him back in. Zuko allowed himself to get lost in the maze that was Sokka. All he could taste was Sokka, all he could sense was Sokka, all he could feel was Sokka. Zuko was careful not to burn him, he could feel his fire rushing through his blood, burning him, warming him up... but in the same way the morning sun warms up the earth.

Zuko felt safe with Sokka's arms wrapped around him, he finally felt happy, he finally felt like Zuko. Not Hong Lee the refugee, not the banished Prince that brought shame upon himself, not the blue spirit. But himself... He truly felt that he... was Zuko. 

"Sokka, where is that hand going?"

"Shh, it's for research purposes,"

"Uh-huh,"

*zap*

"Ouch!"

"Sorry!"

"Don't worry, I thought that would happen,"

"Then why did you do that?"

"I was... curious,"

"Is that what you call it?... curious?"

"Yes, and now I'm even more curious,"

"... Sokka!"

"You can tell me to stop anytime,"

"... okay... keep going... "

"In the name of science!"

"Would you please stop saying that,"

*end of chapter ;3*

Plus I'll make a bonus chapter