Chapter Four

When they got back to the palace, Sokka only got a glimpse of Zuko (which wasn't a bad thing since he wasn't in uniform) who looked like he hadn't slept in days again. Sokka hurried back to his room to change, Suki and some other warriors came as well, but to fix up their makeup.

    "Sokka, you're on night duty tonight, ok?" Suki confirmed as they walked down the hallway.

    "What does that mean?"

    "It means that you're guarding Zuko- er, the Firelord while he sleeps." She explained.

    "Inside or outside his room?" Sokka arched an eyebrow.

    "Outside."

_

    That night, Sokka stood outside of Zuko's room with another Kyoshi warrior. The full moon's light shone in through a window, the sky was beautiful. He thought about Yue for a bit, admiring the full moon's glow.

    His thoughts were disrupted by the sound of some commotion within the bedroom.

    "He woke up." The Kyoshi warrior beside him sighed, moving out of the way of the door.

    It opened abruptly before Sokka could move, swinging and whacking him in the face. He heard Zuko start to frantically say something but an unintentional noise of pain escaped his own lips, disrupting the troubled Firelord.

    Zuko looked over at Sokka who was now rubbing his nose. His look of fear turned to that of worry (which didn't look very different) and he rushed over to Sokka.

    "Are you ok?" He asked, his voice still raspy with sleep.

    "Yeah, I'm alright... Just a little bruise probably," Sokka chuckled, he flinched, noticing that he hadn't changed his voice. "Uh, I should be asking you the same question though, are you alright Firelord?"

    "Oh," Zuko's look of worry dissipated, now he just looked tired. "I just... Had a nightmare I think," He shook his head. "I'm going for a walk in the garden."

    "I'll go with you..." Sokka blurted, following him.

    The other Kyoshi warrior gave him a strange look but didn't say anything. Him and Zuko left the hallway quietly, the water tribe boy following the Firelord into the garden.

_

    They walked in silence, the moon reflecting off the pond water and illuminating the garden with a soft glow. It was fairly big and there were little to no clouds. Sokka walked a little ways behind Zuko, the Firelord was noticeably distracted by his thoughts.

    "Firelord," Sokka sped up a bit, going to walk beside the other boy. "Are you okay? Really?"

    Zuko stopped walking, looking over at Sokka with a dumbfounded expression.

    "Meng, right?" He asked hoarsely, rubbing his temples.

    "Y-yeah, that's me..." Sokka shot him an awkward smile, putting his hands behind his back.

    "I guess Suki didn't say anything but I haven't exactly been sleeping well lately. Last time I had a proper sleep was..." He trailed off.

    "In... My lap?" Sokka flushed a bit at the memory.

    "Y-yeah..." Zuko muttered, a rosy pink dusting his cheek as well.

    "Sorry if I overstepped my boundaries that time, I just don't want you to get hurt or anything." Sokka explained, not really thinking about what he was saying.

    "I can take care of myself." Zuko gave him a little cocky grin, obviously not meaning to sound harsh by the statement.

     "I believe you," Sokka chuckled, holding up his hands in defense. "It's just that, not getting a proper sleep can really mess with your mind."

    Zuko nodded in understanding, taking a seat by a tree near the pond. He looked out at the still water, taking in the scenery. Sokka admired how peaceful the boy looked, sitting in the moonlight. He turned to look at the water tribe boy and then patted the spot beside him.

    They sat quietly, Sokka starting to get sleepy. He yawned unintentionally and Zuko looked at him.

    "Are you tired?"

    "Perhaps." He smiled.

    "Are you sure I don't know you from somewhere else? I could've sworn we've met." Zuko noted, taking a closer look at Sokka's face.

    "I lived in Ba sing Se for a bit, does that ring a bell?" Sokka responded, half lying.

    "Did you ever go to the Jasmine Dragon?"

    "Oh yeah... A bunch of times..." He was full on lying now, he'd only been there once since the war ended.

    That was when Aang and Katara started dating. He stuck out his tongue subconsciously at the thought. Zuko didn't notice.

    Sokka sank into the armor and kimono he was wearing, it was warm but the guy next to him made him feel even warmer. They leaned against the tree and the water tribe boy felt his eyelids growing heavy. Zuko's head fell onto his shoulder and the Firelord wrapped his arm around Sokka's shoulders, pulling him in to nuzzle his face into his neck. If he wasn't already half asleep, Sokka probably would have gone into a blushing fury, but instead he just leaned towards Zuko and let himself fall into unconsciousness.

_

    The next morning, the sun's reflection on the water woke him up. He opened his eyes to find himself lying on Zuko's chest. The latter was awake, his hands clasped together on Sokka's back. He was looking at the sky, seeming to be in another world mentally.

    "Mornin' Firelord." Sokka said, looking at Zuko's peaceful expression.

    He liked how it seemed like Zuko was at ease with him. It made him feel important and needed.

That was a sense he didn't feel very often with Aang and Katara. Zuko flushed, he looked down at Sokka.

    "Ah, good morning Meng..." He propped himself up on his elbows.

    "So I guess we fell asleep outside then huh..."

    "I guess..."

    "I should probably get going to be honest, if your girlfriend found us she'd probably get upset." Sokka excused himself, standing up and then lending a hand to Zuko.

    "Oh um... I guess Suki didn't tell you... Mai actually broke up with me..." Zuko mumbled awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck.

    "Oh... Sorry..." Sokka uttered, embarrassed.

    "Do you have a boyfriend?" Zuko asked softly, he seemed to want to keep the conversation going despite the awkwardness.

    "Well," He thought of Suki. "No."

    It was slight, but Zuko seemed to light up at the answer. While Sokka felt conflicted with what he just said. Why'd he lie?

_

    For the next day, Sokka didn't see Zuko. He didn't even catch a glimpse of him. Suki told him that the Firelord was stacked up with war meetings, which was a term that lay a unsettled feeling over the water tribe boy.

    He finally saw the Firelord when he walked out of the war room. He looked troubled and angry as he stormed down the hallway. Sokka ran after him without a second thought, his girlfriend's eyes on him until he was out of sight. She too felt conflicted, but about much different things.

    "Firelord? Are you ok?" Sokka asked once he had caught up to Zuko.

    The angry boy looked over at him and his expression softened. He slowed down to a stop to look into Sokka's eyes.

    "Meng," He breathed, softly, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Sokka's face. He looked away, the troubled look returning. "I... I'm fine it's just-"

    "It's ok," Sokka said softly, letting his voice relax subconsciously. "You don't have to tell me if it bothers you too much, as long as you're safe."

    "No, it's not that, it's just... The earth king is waging war over Yu Dao..," Zuko explained, still moving around anxiously. "I really don't want to fight anymore, that's not what the deal was with Aang, but... I can't just let this happen! Yu Dao doesn't want to separate."

    Sokka touched Zuko's shoulder, grabbing the boy's attention. He took a step closer and tried to soothe him a bit, rubbing his hand back and forth on Zuko's shoulder.

    "Maybe, try to explain things?" He offered, absentmindedly moving his hand to rest on the side of Zuko's neck.

    "I already tried, but the last time I did it Aang almost killed me." Zuko sighed, touching his forehead.

    "Wait...what?" Sokka breathed.

    "I tried telling him that I couldn't go through with the deal because the earth kingdom people and the fire Nation citizens had been living together in harmony for almost a century and don't want to separate... But Aang said that maybe Roku was right and a deal was a deal, activating the avatar state... If Katara wasn't there to calm him down..."

    "Yeah thank goodness for their oogieness." Sokka mumbled, a tiny grin spreading across his face.

    "Pardon?" Zuko looked at him, confused.

    "Oh nothing, I'm just glad you're ok," Sokka smiled. "So, then what are you going to do?"

    Zuko's expression turned grim and a slight frown emerged on his lips.

    "I guess if the earth king really wants a war... I'll have to give it to him."