Chapter Text
It's been 7 years since the Hundred Year War, or when they defeated Fire Lord Ozai. It's been a few years since the gaang was last together. It felt like all the pressure was on Zuko as Fire Lord, he thought. He had to take all the critiscm and harsh comments on how he ruled the Fire Nation. Boy did he miss his friends, especially his girlfriend who was soon to be his wife, Mai. She had been gone for a while, to handle things somewhere out there, but he couldn't quite remember what exactly It was. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be to handle all the problems in his nation, and the battle strategies he would need to plan with his council just in case a war ever comes their way.
A knock at his door cleared his thoughts. He got up from his chair and opened the door.
"Fire Lord Zuko, someone has come to visit you."
Could it possibly be one of his friends? Or even Mai?
"I'll be there, give me a minute." Zuko waved the servant.
The servant dissapeared and it left Zuko with many thoughts, but he couldn't let them cloud his brain, he most definitely had to look good, whoever it may be anyway. He put on his ornate red and black royal robe, his shoulder pieces which are separate from his clothing, and his royal hair piece, that his Uncle Iroh gave him as a gift. He walked out of his room and was surprised to see Sokka in his palace.
Zuko smiled, "It's great to see you again."
Sokka also smiled, "You too! Wow you sure look fancy, I mean you are Fire Lord and stuff."
"Haha, I get that." Zuko couldn't help but laugh at Sokka's ridiculous sentence.
"Well," Zuko cleared his throat, "Why have you showed up? Shouldn't you be making sure that the Northern and Southern water tribe don't create problems with each other? Like the last time they had problems or something? I mean well that was at least what I heard from Katara the last time we were all together."
"Ah- yes, I mean, Katara is ensuring that nothing bad between them happens, and that Aang is doing his 'avatar duties', but really, Katara does all the work for me. She always tells me she's got it under control and that I don't need to 'create more problems'. Sokka sighed.
Wasn't Sokka chief of one of the water tribes? Zuko couldn't help but feel frustraded for not being informed on these things that happen around him, not just in the Fire Nation.
"Hm." Zuko put his index finger and thumb on his chin.
"So, then what have you been doing lately?" Zuko looked at Sokka curiously.
"Not nothing interesting really. I've been trying to create certain inventions with wings but it doesn't work out most times." Sokka crossed his arms.
"Ah, noted", "Sokka is not very good at making stuff." Zuko mocked him.
Sokka almost immediately defended his inventions, which then again made Zuko laugh even more.
It wasn't very often Sokka got a reaction like this out of Zuko. It was kind of cute.
"What about Toph? I have no been informed about what she has been doing at all."
"She's teaching a metal bending academy."
"I always knew there was something special about he earthbending techniques, didn't she create metalbending herself?"
"Yeah, it's pretty awesome!" Sokka cheerfully grinned.
Zuko almost forgot about what a talented bender that girl is, creating metalbending is definitely impressive for someone her age.
Zuko looked around him, almost forgetting he's in the middle of his palace, everyone was staring at them, were they talking to loud?
"Let's just talk in my room." He grabbed Sokka's arm.
Wait, why did he grab his arm? He blushed and let go of his arm to stop the weird feeling that mad his face heat up, especially thinking about Sokka's cute face and stupid remarks.
"Sorry, was I too loud?" He frowned, looking at the ground.
"No, I love listening to you, it's just the environment."
Sokka's eyes widened. Zuko loves listening to.. him? It made him blush softly, his cheeks almost pink.
"Wow, this is your room?" Sokka cocked an eyebrow.
"Well of course, I'm Fire Lord. Would I not have a big room like this?" He tilted his head down, looking straight in his ocean eyes.
Sokka blushed immediately, clearing his throat, "W-well I knew that!"
Zuko saw the blush on his cheek, but brushed it off.
"Zuko, do you think it's weird if a guy likes another guy?" Sokka asked, the nervousness in his voice giving away how much he likes Zuko.
...
"I-.. I don't know. I haven't really ever thought about something like that." Zuko held his wrist, tightening his grip slightly.
"I think I need to tell you something." Sokka looked him in the eye, his gaze meeting Zuko's.
"I- I think I like you, but more than a friend or best buddy."
The atmosphere was filled with awkwardness. Zuko didn't know how to respond.
He did feel the same way, but it felt wrong to like him, but at the same time he just wanted to kiss his stupid face, it almost reminded him of the same way he felt for Mai.
"I might be feeling the same way too." Zuko blushed.
Sokka looked back at Zuko, surprised and happy for some reason.
"Can I kiss you?"
He covered his mouth immediately, realizing what he just asked his best friend.
Zuko thought about it.
"I mean, how bad can it be?" Zuko replied, trying to nonchalant. Oh how stupid he was.
Sokka put his hand on Zuko's cheek, and leaned in slowly to give him a kiss.
They both leaned back, was this even allowed, was this okay?
Sokka leaned Zuko over his bed, giving him kisses on his lips, to his cheeks, and to his neck.
Zuko gasped.
"Isn't this.. wrong?" Zuko looked away, ashamed.
"I-I guess you're right." Sokka leaned away from Zuko's face.
They both sat on the bed, silence filling the room.
"I need to be better than this." Zuko's eyes narrowed down.
"My people don't deserve a pathetic Fire Lord like me."
Sokka couldn't help but want to comfort Zuko, to make him feel happy.
"I think you're a great Fire Lord." Sokka looked at Zuko's golden eyes.
Zuko couldn't help but feel his tears stream down his cheeks, he wiped them immediately, embarrased completely.
"Hey." Sokka grabbed Zuko's cheek and looked at him.
"It's not your fault, I believe that the problen isn't you, it's just the people in it that new to be changed."
Zuko put his hand on Sokka's hand, "Don't look at me. I cant believe I'm crying as Fire Lord, I'm suppose to be strong."
Sokka hugged Zuko, while he silently weeped on his shoulder.
"Thank you Sokka." Zuko softly smiled, wiping away his last tear.
"Umm.. so what about our kiss? Does this mean we're together?" Sokka asked, interrupting the moment.
"Only if you feel like you want our relationship like this to keep going." Zuko replied, completely forgetting about Mai.
"Yes!" Sokka exclaimed, kissing Zuko.
"I love you Zuko."
"I love you too."