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keelywolfeMy Own Worst Enemy
By Keelywolfe
Sokka/Zuko
NC-17
Notes: Yeah...so, this was supposed to be the last part. Not so much. Plus, I'm already working on the sequel, 'Here There Be Dragons'. So I'm just rolling with it. Ta!
Part Nineteen of a the Taking Turns series. Other parts can be found
No Turning Back
Division of Time
Conflicted
Manly Pursuits
Interlude: Aang
Say Anything
Interlude, Suki
Random Curiosity
Envy Was A Fever
Couldn't Drag Me Away
For the Love of Cheese
Interlude, Toph
As Easy As Breathing
Interlude, Iroh
Stealing Darkness
All That We See Or Seem
Go Your Own Way
Interlude, Jet
because it was getting too darned long.
~~*~~
In the coldest part of the dark winter, when they were all waiting for the return of the Sun, Sokka's gran gran used to entertain them with stories about the sea crow who brought the daylight and how the polar leopard got its spots. Sometimes when they were all huddled together like a warm bundle of puppies in front of the welcoming glow of the firelight, the bitter wind howling like a demon just outside, she would let Katara persuade her into telling a love story, ones that always ended with beautiful women in the arms of their true loves. That was how the best love stories ended.
Which just went to show how much real life sucked because when Sokka was done kissing his lover, he didn't get to fade back into story land, or better yet, a nice bedchamber with thick blankets and plump pillows and a lock on the door. What he did get was an immediate argument with said lover about how exactly he was going to get off the ship that had taken him enough time to get on in the first place.
Just because he'd let Zuko put them on display once did not mean Sokka was willing to go for a second turn and one bum leg did not mean he was letting Zuko carry him anyplace. When both his legs were broken they could discuss it. And he wasn't stupid; he'd seen Zuko's expression when he'd jumped on the deck. It wasn't like he was in any condition to lug around someone who was only two inches shorter and maybe ten pounds lighter anyplace.
Except Zuko was equally insistent that there was no way in hell he was letting Sokka try to walk up the planking that led to the dock. So that left them here, with a group of Water Tribe warriors waiting with astonishing patience for them to get the heck out of the way so that they could go out with the tide.
When it became clear that arguing wasn't getting him anyplace, Sokka decided to settle for the last tool in his arsenal. Stubborn silence and a good glare. It was a shame that
Zuko was also an expert in nonverbal combat and the strength of his glare would have made stone tremble, if it had the sense.
Resolution came from an unexpected source. A hand under his elbow took some of his weight and Sokka glanced up, startled.
"Come on, Sokka, I got you on here, I'll get you off," Bato said, and there was no way that Sokka was imagining the laughter in the warrior's voice. He didn't care, only gave Zuko a smug look, hobbling towards the boards and ignoring how Zuko's lips parted in protest.
That was until the world turned upside down as Bato swung Sokka over his shoulder, balancing him easily as he snagged away Sokka's crutch and handed it to Zuko.
"Hey—" Sokka started indignantly, not quite struggling because as embarrassing as this was, going from this to falling on his ass wouldn't be an improvement.
"You'll retain more dignity if you just accept it," Bato murmured, just low enough that only Sokka could hear him. "A warrior can admit his limitations and you know you can't walk up on your own."
Well, yeah, he knew that but knowing it and being actually lugged out like a sack of fish were two different things. His father stepped up and clasped hands with him, which would have been a lot more honorable if he'd still had one foot on the ground.
"Tell your sister I love her," his dad said, smiling a little, and then, lower. "And be happy."
"Thanks, dad," he said, just as soft. That was all the time he had and undignified tears pricked his eyes as Bato carried him away, his father watching with a sad little smile. It was easier to look back at Zuko, glaring at him as he balanced without difficulty on the narrow board while they walked up to the dock. Zuko's expression beneath the fall of his hair was utterly blank and it was a damned good thing or Sokka might have just gone back down with Bato on the return trip. His dignity had taken enough of a beating today, there was no way he was letting Zuko smirk about it.
The second the world leveled out and he could see stone bricks, Sokka was abruptly back on his foot, Zuko wordlessly handing him his crutch. Three of the lingering guards stepped immediately forward, surrounding them, one of them passing Zuko his Fire Lord hairpiece with a reverent bow. Zuko accepted it with great dignity, tucking it into his robes as if he hadn't just lost it by running and shouting and kissing another boy in front of them all.
Sokka managed to give Bato one last hand clasp before they were swept forward, the crowd parting as if by bending. It was weird to feel Zuko taking his free hand in his, twining their fingers together.
"Should we wait for Suki?" Zuko asked, gesturing at the boat.
"Huh?" Sokka glanced back at the boats, watching as the sails filled with wind. He had to look away, didn't want to watch them pushing away from the harbor. He'd seen that often enough. "Suki? Oh, she's not on there."
Zuko blinked in surprise, resisting Sokka's grip trying to tug him forward. "You were leaving without her?"
"Yeah, well...." Sokka shrugged. "I think she's heading back to Ba Sing Se with her Kyoshi warriors. There's a lot to be done there, you know? We kind of--" He gestured vaguely because they'd kind of what? Broken up? He wasn't sure what he'd call it, they hadn't talked, they'd just...drifted. There was a little ache inside from it, a little guilt but it had happened and what else was there to say?
"I'm sorry," Zuko said soberly. His hands were gentle as he helped Sokka climb the low steps that led from the docks back to solid ground. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have taken to so long to come see you. I thought—"
He trailed away and Sokka swallowed hard. Yeah, he had an idea of what Zuko thought. He wanted to ask about Mai, wanted to ask if Zuko was all right but—yeah. Not here, not yet. It was easier to take refuge in sarcasm, the way he always did.
"Nah, I couldn't keep dividing my attention. All of The Sokka is yours, baby," he leered, pitching his voice just loud enough that the guards would be able to hear. Hey, might as well spread the public humiliation around.
Instead of blushing, Zuko's eyes went hot, shimmering gold sliding down Sokka's body in a way that left him flushed and squirming. "Good," Zuko murmured. "Let's go find someplace quiet where I can put it to good use."
"Yeah," Sokka said dumbly, leaning heavily on his crutch as he lurched forward.
It was sort of weird walking back towards the palace. People were staring and he didn't think it was because Zuko was walking with him. He had an idea that it was because Zuko was walking at all and the guards kept crowding in closer, surrounding them in a little semi-circle as if to make a human barrier around them. Sokka nearly tripped when one of them actually trod on his heel and Zuko finally stopped, turning back towards them. To call his look withering was not giving it enough credit, grown men would cringe beneath the heat of it, and did.
Immediately, the guards took five steps backwards, and then another few doubtfully when Zuko waved them back impatiently.
"I think we've given enough of a free show for the day," he muttered.
"Next time, we'll charge admission," Sokka said agreeably. Still, for all that people were staring, they weren't being...well, weird about it. The new Fire Lord had been in charge for a day and a half, and he'd already been yelling and kissing another boy. In public. If he'd expected some kind of reaction from the people of the Fire Nation, quiet gawking hadn't really been it.
"Everyone seems kind of okay with this," Sokka murmured. Not that he'd expected them to throw tomatoes or something, but really. Weirdness.
"Of course. No one was surprised. People of the Fire Nation are very passionate," Zuko said, waving his free hand absently, the other still holding Sokka's firmly. He was doing it on purpose, Sokka realized, announcing on no uncertain terms and very visibly just what Sokka was to him. He sighed inwardly. Okay, yeah, he loved Zuko but he hadn't known he was going to have to be on display.
He should have, he realized. Being in charge meant you were the spectacle; he'd seen that much in Ba Sing Se, and that meant the people around you were part of the show. He'd had some of that with Aang, everyone crowding the Avatar and his companions and he hadn't been sleeping with Aang. Katara and Aang were both right, he hadn't really thought it through, just what it meant to be involved with all this. He loved Zuko but the fact of the matter was, he was sleeping with the Fire Lord.
This was really going to take some getting used to.
"Passionate, huh," Sokka muttered, "And loud, don't forget loud." They were probably already writing scrolls about their little song and dance back on the dock.
"I do what's necessary," Zuko said, unapologetically. "You were on your way to the South Pole, Sokka. You don't think that was an overreaction, at all?"
Okay, so maybe taking off to travel halfway around the world had been a bit of a hasty decision. Aang had asked him if he was doing the right thing. Why exactly did he have to be right all the time?
"Maybe. But it's not completely my fault, you know," Sokka said, keeping his head lowered and concentrating on the brick of the road. It would be just his luck to trip and break his other leg. "I've been hyped up on your weird Fire Nation brain juice."
Zuko slowed to a stop, his grip on Sokka's hand dragging him along for the ride. "Brain...juice?" Zuko asked, equal parts bewildered and repulsed.
"Yeah, I don’t know, it’s some kind of medicine, for my leg."
Zuko didn't look any more convinced but he just shook his head and started walking again. By the time they made it inside the palace, Sokka's leg was starting to throb in time with his heartbeat and he was leaning on Zuko as much as he was his crutch.
Once, one the braver guards had stepped forward and Sokka wasn't entirely sure if he just wanted to help or if he just didn't like Sokka draped over their Fire Lord but either way, Sokka had glared daggers at the man until he'd stepped back in line with the others.
Yeah, that was right. Obey the Water Tribe, clone boy.
Either way, it was a relief to finally limp his way through the same double doors from the night before, only this time he didn't need a distraction and Zuko pushed him to lean against the wall while he firmly closed the doors. The second after they clicked shut, Sokka found himself off his feet for the second time that day as Zuko swung him up into his arms, ignoring Sokka's squawk of protest. "Hey, you're hurt!"
"Be quiet," Zuko said mildly, only the slightest of winces crossing his face. "I know for a fact that you've been on that leg a lot more than you're supposed to be. If I thought you would have let me, I would have had them send a stretcher down for you."
"It's fine!"
"Whatever. What did the doctor tell you about it?"
"Nothing," Sokka said sullenly, slouching back into Zuko's arms. A certain tightness edged Zuko's lips and suddenly it occurred to him that he might have just gotten that nice doctor who'd given him the brain swirly medicine into a lot of trouble. "I mean, there were lots of other people who were hurt and he was really busy and—"
"We'll have my personal physician look at it later," Zuko said shortly and then he was settling him on the bed, right where she had been sitting the night before. Something must have shown on his face, some discomfort that had nothing to do with the spreading ache in his leg because Zuko's hands went still, resting lightly on Sokka's thigh where he had been settling a pillow beneath his leg.
"I know," Zuko said, quietly, "I said I would talk to you about it." He took a deep breath, moving away enough to strip out of his long robes. Beneath it he was wearing a sleeveless tunic that just reached the tops of his thighs over leggings, and for a moment, Sokka was so charmed by the sight of Zuko's bare arms he forgot that they were, you know, talking. He'd seen him shirtless plenty of times, but the simple lines of his tunic seemed to put his arms on display and the flex and bulge of his muscles as he moved was, to put it bluntly, hot as hell.
Of course, now would be when Zuko wanted to talk.
"I'm not going to lie to you. I do love her," Zuko said quietly, folding his robe across a low trunk at the foot of the bed. "She offered to let me be with both of you and I...I can't do that. It's not uncommon, but--" Whatever he was thinking, remembering, he didn't share it. "I made my choice; I want to be with you."
"Why didn't you ask me to make a choice?" Sokka blurted, wincing inwardly because he never had, the choice had really been Suki's, not his. He might have gone on blissfully unaware, sharing himself between them.
Zuko's smile was thin and unhappy. "That should be obvious."
"Glad you think so," Sokka muttered. He was still a little shaken, trying to puzzle out exactly when this issue had begun and why he hadn't even noticed but Zuko interrupted him by climbing on the bed, those smooth, strong arms sliding around him.
"It doesn't matter," Zuko murmured, his eyes low.
It does, Sokka didn't say, couldn't, not with Zuko's mouth against his, his tongue pressing inside with slow certainty that Sokka couldn't help but fall into. It was different somehow, there was a surety in this that they'd never had before. If he fell asleep here tonight, he'd wake up and Zuko would still be here, there would be no slipping off into the darkness, no other place they had to get to or run from. Just here, in this bed and—
Sokka broke away from the kiss, words spilling from his mouth in a breathless rush, "Is this your room or is it—" your dad's, he couldn't say, is it the Fire Lord's room, who else has been on this mattress or between these sheets and there was a thin line of panic rising in his chest. He'd wanted to stay but he hadn't counted on all this, the past crowding in around him the same way the guards had earlier.
"It's always been my room," Zuko whispered, his mouth busy at Sokka's ear, biting lightly at the soft lobe before sucking it into his mouth. "Just mine."
It made it easier to relax back against the pillows, Zuko's hands between them loosening his clothes, rearranging him and spreading him out, and Sokka just went with them, panting and moaning mindlessly whenever Zuko found a spot that was particularly sensitive. There were bruises scattered all over him; his leg had been his worst injury but he'd done plenty of falling and tumbling, liberally decorating himself with purpled splotches. Warm lips ghosted over each one, the lightest pressure against them and probably should have been embarrassing how hard it made him, Sokka knotting his fingers into the soft spill of Zuko's hair and just holding on.
Zuko drifted lower, ignoring Sokka's hopeful arch to slide down and kneel by his feet, pressing openmouthed kisses to his knee, just over the bandages. Warm lips caressed his inner thighs, soft words murmured into his skin again and again like Zuko was trying to imprint him with them. Through the sweet honeyed haze of desire, Sokka could hear Zuko murmuring, the sweet waterfall of his words nothing more than a pleasant noise until he realized just what he was saying.
Over and over, breathing it into his skin, Zuko was whispering, "I love you, I love you."
Against the warm, bare skin of his hip and inward, nuzzling those soft murmurs into the hot eager length of his cock, punctuating it with wet swipes of tongue that lingered too-long and made Sokka squirm impatiently. Until he couldn't stand to hear it anymore, to see the echo of it in Zuko's eyes when they flicked up to his, following the pull of Sokka's hands as they tugged him up.
"C'mon, this isn't fair," Sokka told him softly, jerking lightly at the clothes Zuko was still wearing. The shirt was hot, no question, but naked skin was better. Zuko stripped off his shirt with surprising reluctance and Sokka's breath hissed between his teeth when he saw the bandages, spirits, what had Azula done to him, but Zuko didn't let him linger over them, skinning quickly out of his pants and moving back to straddle Sokka, settling himself in his lap.
Hot hands between them and Sokka was beyond questioning how they were slick, oily fingers coating the length of his erection and Sokka was arching up into them, needy and aching and trying very hard not to die.
"Wait," he managed, when Zuko shifted his weight up, holding Sokka steady with one hand, his other fingertips resting lightly on Sokka's belly for balance as he knelt over him.
"Wait?" Zuko asked, stroking his fingertips down the shaft in a way that made Sokka suck in a sharp breath, shivering with the little rush of pleasure.
He swallowed hard, heard the dry click in throat, "Wait, you aren't...I didn't..." he bit his lip, frustrated, "I don't want to hurt you."
"You do, a little," Zuko said, closing his eyes as he slid down, guiding Sokka inside him. "I don't mind."
If he'd had the presence of mind, Sokka would have asked what the hell that was supposed to mean, but the tight heat surrounding him stole any sense he had away, hot slickness squeezing him like a vice and Zuko made a little, almost pained sound, like maybe this was little deeper than he'd expected and Sokka had to kiss away the sudden tightness in his face, choking on things he wanted to say.
Then Zuko rocked forward, a little, and back down hard, and Sokka's mind flamed white-hot, gods, so good, this was so good and he'd never expected to have it again, should have been on a ship, ready to breathe in cold arctic air again. Instead, he was here, in the fire nation, and the Fire Lord was above him, his head thrown back as he moved, his weight across Sokka's thighs holding him down.
He reached between them, his hand tangling with Zuko's around his cock and then let his fingertips ghost lower to where they were joined, pressing inward so he could feel himself sliding inside. Couldn't arch into it, Zuko all but pinning him to the bed and the light behind Sokka's eyes went golden, like the eyes that were closed above him as he shifted to clutch desperately at Zuko's thighs, felt the strain of muscles even as his own nails bit lightly into the pale skin.
"I love you," Sokka choked out, finally, because it was true, and if the words made Zuko convulse suddenly, hot wetness spilling between them, then watching Zuko come tipped Sokka over the edge, grabbing Zuko's hips and yanking him down, jerking helplessly as he tried to get just a little deeper, a little more and had he really been expecting to live without this?
Zuko slumped against him, damp breaths harsh against Sokka's ear and it wasn't until he shifted, restlessly, that Sokka realized he'd been clutching him close, so tightly that his arms ached when he let Zuko go. He didn't go far, just climbed under the blankets wearily and snuggled up to Sokka's side in a way that made him raise mental eyebrows.
Snuggling. Huh. That was new.
He blinked a little when he realized Zuko was actually intent on sleeping.
"Hey, wait, we were talking, here!" Sokka protested, talking down to the dark nest of hair resting on his ribcage.
"No, we aren't." Came the muffled reply. "We talked. We had sex. Now we sleep. It's the proper order of things."
"You talked," Sokka huffed. "How is this going to work, anyway, don't you have to, I don't know, provide an heir to the nation or something? What about—"
"Sokka, I think it's a little premature for you to be hinting for a commitment ceremony," Zuko mumbled, his lips brushing ticklishly against Sokka's side.
"What? I stayed in the country for you," Sokka said, outraged. Not that he really wanted anything like that but it was the principle of the thing.
"You've stayed for about twenty minutes," Zuko murmured dryly, "Would you like your medal now or can it wait?"
"You—" A hand covering his mouth silenced him and he glared at Zuko from above it.
"Sokka, I have council meetings this afternoon with representatives from various countries, including finishing the one I ran out of this morning when I was chasing you down. I have a dozen more ambassadors coming from other cities that I need to make arrangements for, reparations discussions are ongoing with a dozen different military units being reassigned to help with rebuilding. Can we please discuss the rest of our lives later?"
Sokka's response was muffled and it was just as well because he wasn't sure about the profanity laws in the fire nation.
Zuko's eyes darkened. "Either be quiet or I'll give your mouth something else to do."
If he hadn't been pretty exhausted himself, he might have gone with it. But now that last night's lack of sleep was catching up to him, Sokka decided, reluctantly, that a little nap might not be out of order. He did roll over though, for the mean pleasure of hearing Zuko grumble as his living pillow moved away. But when he shifted onto his side something cold poked him and Sokka had to fumble under the blankets, his fingertips finding something smooth-edged and hard. He pulled it out, squinting at it. It was the little jar of lubricant, oh sorry, cut-and-burn ointment that Zuko always had with him.
"Where do you keep that stuff, anyway?" Sokka yawned, shoving it off the side of the bed to clatter to the floor. He dimly hoped he hadn't broken it, the stuff was pretty versatile.
"Firebenders can form a small pocket universe outside of reality to use for storing small items," Zuko told him sleepily.
Sokka's mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"
"No."
It took it a moment to filter through the Zuko had actually made a joke, and not just any joke, but a good one and Sokka had actually fallen for it.
There was only one proper response to that. He tugged the pillow out from behind him and whacked Zuko in the head with it.
Bright golden eyes flared open, glaring at him. "Oh, you are so going to pay for that."
If the guards outside could hear the laughter and sounds echoing from within their lord's chambers, their expressions didn't show it.
Not much, anyway.
-finis-
By Keelywolfe
Sokka/Zuko
NC-17
Notes: Yeah...so, this was supposed to be the last part. Not so much. Plus, I'm already working on the sequel, 'Here There Be Dragons'. So I'm just rolling with it. Ta!
Part Nineteen of a the Taking Turns series. Other parts can be found
No Turning Back
Division of Time
Conflicted
Manly Pursuits
Interlude: Aang
Say Anything
Interlude, Suki
Random Curiosity
Envy Was A Fever
Couldn't Drag Me Away
For the Love of Cheese
Interlude, Toph
As Easy As Breathing
Interlude, Iroh
Stealing Darkness
All That We See Or Seem
Go Your Own Way
Interlude, Jet
because it was getting too darned long.
~~*~~
In the coldest part of the dark winter, when they were all waiting for the return of the Sun, Sokka's gran gran used to entertain them with stories about the sea crow who brought the daylight and how the polar leopard got its spots. Sometimes when they were all huddled together like a warm bundle of puppies in front of the welcoming glow of the firelight, the bitter wind howling like a demon just outside, she would let Katara persuade her into telling a love story, ones that always ended with beautiful women in the arms of their true loves. That was how the best love stories ended.
Which just went to show how much real life sucked because when Sokka was done kissing his lover, he didn't get to fade back into story land, or better yet, a nice bedchamber with thick blankets and plump pillows and a lock on the door. What he did get was an immediate argument with said lover about how exactly he was going to get off the ship that had taken him enough time to get on in the first place.
Just because he'd let Zuko put them on display once did not mean Sokka was willing to go for a second turn and one bum leg did not mean he was letting Zuko carry him anyplace. When both his legs were broken they could discuss it. And he wasn't stupid; he'd seen Zuko's expression when he'd jumped on the deck. It wasn't like he was in any condition to lug around someone who was only two inches shorter and maybe ten pounds lighter anyplace.
Except Zuko was equally insistent that there was no way in hell he was letting Sokka try to walk up the planking that led to the dock. So that left them here, with a group of Water Tribe warriors waiting with astonishing patience for them to get the heck out of the way so that they could go out with the tide.
When it became clear that arguing wasn't getting him anyplace, Sokka decided to settle for the last tool in his arsenal. Stubborn silence and a good glare. It was a shame that
Zuko was also an expert in nonverbal combat and the strength of his glare would have made stone tremble, if it had the sense.
Resolution came from an unexpected source. A hand under his elbow took some of his weight and Sokka glanced up, startled.
"Come on, Sokka, I got you on here, I'll get you off," Bato said, and there was no way that Sokka was imagining the laughter in the warrior's voice. He didn't care, only gave Zuko a smug look, hobbling towards the boards and ignoring how Zuko's lips parted in protest.
That was until the world turned upside down as Bato swung Sokka over his shoulder, balancing him easily as he snagged away Sokka's crutch and handed it to Zuko.
"Hey—" Sokka started indignantly, not quite struggling because as embarrassing as this was, going from this to falling on his ass wouldn't be an improvement.
"You'll retain more dignity if you just accept it," Bato murmured, just low enough that only Sokka could hear him. "A warrior can admit his limitations and you know you can't walk up on your own."
Well, yeah, he knew that but knowing it and being actually lugged out like a sack of fish were two different things. His father stepped up and clasped hands with him, which would have been a lot more honorable if he'd still had one foot on the ground.
"Tell your sister I love her," his dad said, smiling a little, and then, lower. "And be happy."
"Thanks, dad," he said, just as soft. That was all the time he had and undignified tears pricked his eyes as Bato carried him away, his father watching with a sad little smile. It was easier to look back at Zuko, glaring at him as he balanced without difficulty on the narrow board while they walked up to the dock. Zuko's expression beneath the fall of his hair was utterly blank and it was a damned good thing or Sokka might have just gone back down with Bato on the return trip. His dignity had taken enough of a beating today, there was no way he was letting Zuko smirk about it.
The second the world leveled out and he could see stone bricks, Sokka was abruptly back on his foot, Zuko wordlessly handing him his crutch. Three of the lingering guards stepped immediately forward, surrounding them, one of them passing Zuko his Fire Lord hairpiece with a reverent bow. Zuko accepted it with great dignity, tucking it into his robes as if he hadn't just lost it by running and shouting and kissing another boy in front of them all.
Sokka managed to give Bato one last hand clasp before they were swept forward, the crowd parting as if by bending. It was weird to feel Zuko taking his free hand in his, twining their fingers together.
"Should we wait for Suki?" Zuko asked, gesturing at the boat.
"Huh?" Sokka glanced back at the boats, watching as the sails filled with wind. He had to look away, didn't want to watch them pushing away from the harbor. He'd seen that often enough. "Suki? Oh, she's not on there."
Zuko blinked in surprise, resisting Sokka's grip trying to tug him forward. "You were leaving without her?"
"Yeah, well...." Sokka shrugged. "I think she's heading back to Ba Sing Se with her Kyoshi warriors. There's a lot to be done there, you know? We kind of--" He gestured vaguely because they'd kind of what? Broken up? He wasn't sure what he'd call it, they hadn't talked, they'd just...drifted. There was a little ache inside from it, a little guilt but it had happened and what else was there to say?
"I'm sorry," Zuko said soberly. His hands were gentle as he helped Sokka climb the low steps that led from the docks back to solid ground. "If I'd known, I wouldn't have taken to so long to come see you. I thought—"
He trailed away and Sokka swallowed hard. Yeah, he had an idea of what Zuko thought. He wanted to ask about Mai, wanted to ask if Zuko was all right but—yeah. Not here, not yet. It was easier to take refuge in sarcasm, the way he always did.
"Nah, I couldn't keep dividing my attention. All of The Sokka is yours, baby," he leered, pitching his voice just loud enough that the guards would be able to hear. Hey, might as well spread the public humiliation around.
Instead of blushing, Zuko's eyes went hot, shimmering gold sliding down Sokka's body in a way that left him flushed and squirming. "Good," Zuko murmured. "Let's go find someplace quiet where I can put it to good use."
"Yeah," Sokka said dumbly, leaning heavily on his crutch as he lurched forward.
It was sort of weird walking back towards the palace. People were staring and he didn't think it was because Zuko was walking with him. He had an idea that it was because Zuko was walking at all and the guards kept crowding in closer, surrounding them in a little semi-circle as if to make a human barrier around them. Sokka nearly tripped when one of them actually trod on his heel and Zuko finally stopped, turning back towards them. To call his look withering was not giving it enough credit, grown men would cringe beneath the heat of it, and did.
Immediately, the guards took five steps backwards, and then another few doubtfully when Zuko waved them back impatiently.
"I think we've given enough of a free show for the day," he muttered.
"Next time, we'll charge admission," Sokka said agreeably. Still, for all that people were staring, they weren't being...well, weird about it. The new Fire Lord had been in charge for a day and a half, and he'd already been yelling and kissing another boy. In public. If he'd expected some kind of reaction from the people of the Fire Nation, quiet gawking hadn't really been it.
"Everyone seems kind of okay with this," Sokka murmured. Not that he'd expected them to throw tomatoes or something, but really. Weirdness.
"Of course. No one was surprised. People of the Fire Nation are very passionate," Zuko said, waving his free hand absently, the other still holding Sokka's firmly. He was doing it on purpose, Sokka realized, announcing on no uncertain terms and very visibly just what Sokka was to him. He sighed inwardly. Okay, yeah, he loved Zuko but he hadn't known he was going to have to be on display.
He should have, he realized. Being in charge meant you were the spectacle; he'd seen that much in Ba Sing Se, and that meant the people around you were part of the show. He'd had some of that with Aang, everyone crowding the Avatar and his companions and he hadn't been sleeping with Aang. Katara and Aang were both right, he hadn't really thought it through, just what it meant to be involved with all this. He loved Zuko but the fact of the matter was, he was sleeping with the Fire Lord.
This was really going to take some getting used to.
"Passionate, huh," Sokka muttered, "And loud, don't forget loud." They were probably already writing scrolls about their little song and dance back on the dock.
"I do what's necessary," Zuko said, unapologetically. "You were on your way to the South Pole, Sokka. You don't think that was an overreaction, at all?"
Okay, so maybe taking off to travel halfway around the world had been a bit of a hasty decision. Aang had asked him if he was doing the right thing. Why exactly did he have to be right all the time?
"Maybe. But it's not completely my fault, you know," Sokka said, keeping his head lowered and concentrating on the brick of the road. It would be just his luck to trip and break his other leg. "I've been hyped up on your weird Fire Nation brain juice."
Zuko slowed to a stop, his grip on Sokka's hand dragging him along for the ride. "Brain...juice?" Zuko asked, equal parts bewildered and repulsed.
"Yeah, I don’t know, it’s some kind of medicine, for my leg."
Zuko didn't look any more convinced but he just shook his head and started walking again. By the time they made it inside the palace, Sokka's leg was starting to throb in time with his heartbeat and he was leaning on Zuko as much as he was his crutch.
Once, one the braver guards had stepped forward and Sokka wasn't entirely sure if he just wanted to help or if he just didn't like Sokka draped over their Fire Lord but either way, Sokka had glared daggers at the man until he'd stepped back in line with the others.
Yeah, that was right. Obey the Water Tribe, clone boy.
Either way, it was a relief to finally limp his way through the same double doors from the night before, only this time he didn't need a distraction and Zuko pushed him to lean against the wall while he firmly closed the doors. The second after they clicked shut, Sokka found himself off his feet for the second time that day as Zuko swung him up into his arms, ignoring Sokka's squawk of protest. "Hey, you're hurt!"
"Be quiet," Zuko said mildly, only the slightest of winces crossing his face. "I know for a fact that you've been on that leg a lot more than you're supposed to be. If I thought you would have let me, I would have had them send a stretcher down for you."
"It's fine!"
"Whatever. What did the doctor tell you about it?"
"Nothing," Sokka said sullenly, slouching back into Zuko's arms. A certain tightness edged Zuko's lips and suddenly it occurred to him that he might have just gotten that nice doctor who'd given him the brain swirly medicine into a lot of trouble. "I mean, there were lots of other people who were hurt and he was really busy and—"
"We'll have my personal physician look at it later," Zuko said shortly and then he was settling him on the bed, right where she had been sitting the night before. Something must have shown on his face, some discomfort that had nothing to do with the spreading ache in his leg because Zuko's hands went still, resting lightly on Sokka's thigh where he had been settling a pillow beneath his leg.
"I know," Zuko said, quietly, "I said I would talk to you about it." He took a deep breath, moving away enough to strip out of his long robes. Beneath it he was wearing a sleeveless tunic that just reached the tops of his thighs over leggings, and for a moment, Sokka was so charmed by the sight of Zuko's bare arms he forgot that they were, you know, talking. He'd seen him shirtless plenty of times, but the simple lines of his tunic seemed to put his arms on display and the flex and bulge of his muscles as he moved was, to put it bluntly, hot as hell.
Of course, now would be when Zuko wanted to talk.
"I'm not going to lie to you. I do love her," Zuko said quietly, folding his robe across a low trunk at the foot of the bed. "She offered to let me be with both of you and I...I can't do that. It's not uncommon, but--" Whatever he was thinking, remembering, he didn't share it. "I made my choice; I want to be with you."
"Why didn't you ask me to make a choice?" Sokka blurted, wincing inwardly because he never had, the choice had really been Suki's, not his. He might have gone on blissfully unaware, sharing himself between them.
Zuko's smile was thin and unhappy. "That should be obvious."
"Glad you think so," Sokka muttered. He was still a little shaken, trying to puzzle out exactly when this issue had begun and why he hadn't even noticed but Zuko interrupted him by climbing on the bed, those smooth, strong arms sliding around him.
"It doesn't matter," Zuko murmured, his eyes low.
It does, Sokka didn't say, couldn't, not with Zuko's mouth against his, his tongue pressing inside with slow certainty that Sokka couldn't help but fall into. It was different somehow, there was a surety in this that they'd never had before. If he fell asleep here tonight, he'd wake up and Zuko would still be here, there would be no slipping off into the darkness, no other place they had to get to or run from. Just here, in this bed and—
Sokka broke away from the kiss, words spilling from his mouth in a breathless rush, "Is this your room or is it—" your dad's, he couldn't say, is it the Fire Lord's room, who else has been on this mattress or between these sheets and there was a thin line of panic rising in his chest. He'd wanted to stay but he hadn't counted on all this, the past crowding in around him the same way the guards had earlier.
"It's always been my room," Zuko whispered, his mouth busy at Sokka's ear, biting lightly at the soft lobe before sucking it into his mouth. "Just mine."
It made it easier to relax back against the pillows, Zuko's hands between them loosening his clothes, rearranging him and spreading him out, and Sokka just went with them, panting and moaning mindlessly whenever Zuko found a spot that was particularly sensitive. There were bruises scattered all over him; his leg had been his worst injury but he'd done plenty of falling and tumbling, liberally decorating himself with purpled splotches. Warm lips ghosted over each one, the lightest pressure against them and probably should have been embarrassing how hard it made him, Sokka knotting his fingers into the soft spill of Zuko's hair and just holding on.
Zuko drifted lower, ignoring Sokka's hopeful arch to slide down and kneel by his feet, pressing openmouthed kisses to his knee, just over the bandages. Warm lips caressed his inner thighs, soft words murmured into his skin again and again like Zuko was trying to imprint him with them. Through the sweet honeyed haze of desire, Sokka could hear Zuko murmuring, the sweet waterfall of his words nothing more than a pleasant noise until he realized just what he was saying.
Over and over, breathing it into his skin, Zuko was whispering, "I love you, I love you."
Against the warm, bare skin of his hip and inward, nuzzling those soft murmurs into the hot eager length of his cock, punctuating it with wet swipes of tongue that lingered too-long and made Sokka squirm impatiently. Until he couldn't stand to hear it anymore, to see the echo of it in Zuko's eyes when they flicked up to his, following the pull of Sokka's hands as they tugged him up.
"C'mon, this isn't fair," Sokka told him softly, jerking lightly at the clothes Zuko was still wearing. The shirt was hot, no question, but naked skin was better. Zuko stripped off his shirt with surprising reluctance and Sokka's breath hissed between his teeth when he saw the bandages, spirits, what had Azula done to him, but Zuko didn't let him linger over them, skinning quickly out of his pants and moving back to straddle Sokka, settling himself in his lap.
Hot hands between them and Sokka was beyond questioning how they were slick, oily fingers coating the length of his erection and Sokka was arching up into them, needy and aching and trying very hard not to die.
"Wait," he managed, when Zuko shifted his weight up, holding Sokka steady with one hand, his other fingertips resting lightly on Sokka's belly for balance as he knelt over him.
"Wait?" Zuko asked, stroking his fingertips down the shaft in a way that made Sokka suck in a sharp breath, shivering with the little rush of pleasure.
He swallowed hard, heard the dry click in throat, "Wait, you aren't...I didn't..." he bit his lip, frustrated, "I don't want to hurt you."
"You do, a little," Zuko said, closing his eyes as he slid down, guiding Sokka inside him. "I don't mind."
If he'd had the presence of mind, Sokka would have asked what the hell that was supposed to mean, but the tight heat surrounding him stole any sense he had away, hot slickness squeezing him like a vice and Zuko made a little, almost pained sound, like maybe this was little deeper than he'd expected and Sokka had to kiss away the sudden tightness in his face, choking on things he wanted to say.
Then Zuko rocked forward, a little, and back down hard, and Sokka's mind flamed white-hot, gods, so good, this was so good and he'd never expected to have it again, should have been on a ship, ready to breathe in cold arctic air again. Instead, he was here, in the fire nation, and the Fire Lord was above him, his head thrown back as he moved, his weight across Sokka's thighs holding him down.
He reached between them, his hand tangling with Zuko's around his cock and then let his fingertips ghost lower to where they were joined, pressing inward so he could feel himself sliding inside. Couldn't arch into it, Zuko all but pinning him to the bed and the light behind Sokka's eyes went golden, like the eyes that were closed above him as he shifted to clutch desperately at Zuko's thighs, felt the strain of muscles even as his own nails bit lightly into the pale skin.
"I love you," Sokka choked out, finally, because it was true, and if the words made Zuko convulse suddenly, hot wetness spilling between them, then watching Zuko come tipped Sokka over the edge, grabbing Zuko's hips and yanking him down, jerking helplessly as he tried to get just a little deeper, a little more and had he really been expecting to live without this?
Zuko slumped against him, damp breaths harsh against Sokka's ear and it wasn't until he shifted, restlessly, that Sokka realized he'd been clutching him close, so tightly that his arms ached when he let Zuko go. He didn't go far, just climbed under the blankets wearily and snuggled up to Sokka's side in a way that made him raise mental eyebrows.
Snuggling. Huh. That was new.
He blinked a little when he realized Zuko was actually intent on sleeping.
"Hey, wait, we were talking, here!" Sokka protested, talking down to the dark nest of hair resting on his ribcage.
"No, we aren't." Came the muffled reply. "We talked. We had sex. Now we sleep. It's the proper order of things."
"You talked," Sokka huffed. "How is this going to work, anyway, don't you have to, I don't know, provide an heir to the nation or something? What about—"
"Sokka, I think it's a little premature for you to be hinting for a commitment ceremony," Zuko mumbled, his lips brushing ticklishly against Sokka's side.
"What? I stayed in the country for you," Sokka said, outraged. Not that he really wanted anything like that but it was the principle of the thing.
"You've stayed for about twenty minutes," Zuko murmured dryly, "Would you like your medal now or can it wait?"
"You—" A hand covering his mouth silenced him and he glared at Zuko from above it.
"Sokka, I have council meetings this afternoon with representatives from various countries, including finishing the one I ran out of this morning when I was chasing you down. I have a dozen more ambassadors coming from other cities that I need to make arrangements for, reparations discussions are ongoing with a dozen different military units being reassigned to help with rebuilding. Can we please discuss the rest of our lives later?"
Sokka's response was muffled and it was just as well because he wasn't sure about the profanity laws in the fire nation.
Zuko's eyes darkened. "Either be quiet or I'll give your mouth something else to do."
If he hadn't been pretty exhausted himself, he might have gone with it. But now that last night's lack of sleep was catching up to him, Sokka decided, reluctantly, that a little nap might not be out of order. He did roll over though, for the mean pleasure of hearing Zuko grumble as his living pillow moved away. But when he shifted onto his side something cold poked him and Sokka had to fumble under the blankets, his fingertips finding something smooth-edged and hard. He pulled it out, squinting at it. It was the little jar of lubricant, oh sorry, cut-and-burn ointment that Zuko always had with him.
"Where do you keep that stuff, anyway?" Sokka yawned, shoving it off the side of the bed to clatter to the floor. He dimly hoped he hadn't broken it, the stuff was pretty versatile.
"Firebenders can form a small pocket universe outside of reality to use for storing small items," Zuko told him sleepily.
Sokka's mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"
"No."
It took it a moment to filter through the Zuko had actually made a joke, and not just any joke, but a good one and Sokka had actually fallen for it.
There was only one proper response to that. He tugged the pillow out from behind him and whacked Zuko in the head with it.
Bright golden eyes flared open, glaring at him. "Oh, you are so going to pay for that."
If the guards outside could hear the laughter and sounds echoing from within their lord's chambers, their expressions didn't show it.
Not much, anyway.
-finis-
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 02:35 am (UTC)Sokka's mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"
"No."
*cracks up*
my first thought was exactly like Sokka's - "Are you serious?"
no subject
Date: 2009-03-02 12:26 am (UTC)