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Sokka walks into the room first and sits on the hotel bed. The dark blue sheets feel soft under his hands. Shoes and socks are discarded first then his shirt thrown on a chair. He hears the door finally close as he lays down on the bed. With the soft click of the closing door he closes his eyes, hands resting behind his head.
Zuko arrives at the edge of the bed and just stares at the boy. How the hell can he be so comfortable he asks himself. He goes to speak but the words disappear before they can escape his lips.
“Come, lay next to me.” Zuko hears the other boy mutter as his own eyes are glued to the window of the room. City lights flicker and he wonders how he got into this situation.
“Where?”
“Well, right here -- next to me, duh.” Zuko’s eyes shift from the window to Sokka, the boy’s eyes still closed.
Zuko nibbles at his lip as he removes the jacket he had on. Folding it carefully before placing it on the chair next to Sokka’s haphazardly thrown shirt. As he approaches the bed shoes come off. He stands in front of the empty space on the bed. How the hell did he get here?
Zuko thinks back to this afternoon. He had been studying with Mai and Aang at the library, focused on his list of cinematographic terms until he felt Aang’s chair bang into the table.
“SOKKA!!! WHAT’S UP??!?” Zuko wonders if Aang remembered that they were in the library’s designated quiet zone. He looks up to see who the hell Aang is yelling at as he catches a glimpse of Mai turning up the volume on her headphones to the max. A pang of guilt hits Zuko, he probably shouldn’t have invited Aang to study, knowing how loud the boy can randomly become. Said boy is hugging a taller boy Zuko failed to recognize.
“Sokka, this is Mai and Zuko, they’re also film majors but in your year. We’re studying for our final for Film Melodrama. Honestly, I don’t know why they hadn’t taken the class before. I mean I’m a freshman and I don’t think the class is that hard. Maybe they were scared of the old professor or something but even if the old prof ---”
“Aang, shut the fuck up!” Mai hisses at Aang who abruptly remembers he is in the middle of a library.
“Oop, I’m sorry. Sokka sit here!” Aang points at the chair next to Zuko. In a hushed tone, Aang formally introduces Mai and Zuko to his friend. “This is Sokka, we went to the same high school and you remember my friend Katara? Well this is her brother, he’s a junior like you guys!” Zuko can feel Sokka’s gaze lingering on his face while Aang rambles on. He turns his face when Sokka begins to speak.
“Nice to meet you, Mai. Zuko. I’m in the School of Engineering studying aquatic engineering. Sorry about Aang, hope you’ve gotten used to his random spurts of energy.” Sokka smiles at Zuko as he finishes his sentence. Mai gets up, books in hand and smiles at Sokka.
“Well, it was nice to meet you Sokka, but me and Aang have to make our way to Global Cinema. It’s across campus and this little boy is gonna make us late. Pack faster!” Aang shoves his books into his bag as he scurries to try and catch up with Mai who is already walking up the stairs.
“BYE ZUKO, BYE SOKKA!!” Several people around their table groan. After waving frantically at the younger boy, Sokka turns his attention back to Zuko. “He’s a loud one, but you gotta love him.” Zuko wishes he left too, sitting with a stranger wasn’t his favorite thing to do.
“Haha, yeah, I love Aang even when his loud side comes out.”
“Do you wanna go get food with me?” Zuko looks at Sokka, he can’t be serious. They just met like 5 minutes ago and he’s already inviting Zuko for food? “I’ll pay, so you don’t have to worry about spending money!”
Zuko blinks at Sokka, wondering how Sokka could think that spending money was the reason he was shocked.
“I mean, I just met you like 5 minutes ago… We don’t really know each other.” Zuko looks at Sokka while he’s glancing at his watch.
“Okay, so we can get to know each other while we eat. C’mon my favorite Korean place closes soon!”
Zuko doesn’t know what compelled him to pack his bags and follow Sokka to his car. Zuko doesn’t know what compelled him to enjoy the meal with a random friend of Aang. Zuko doesn’t know what compelled him to agree to going to a hotel room for the night with Sokka.
As he stands at the edge of the bed, he can see Sokka patting the empty space next to him. Zuko stares for a second before he gingerly crawls onto the bed, filling up the empty space next to Sokka.
They lay there, Sokka doesn’t seem to think this is weird. He enjoys the warmth coming from Zuko’s body. What he doesn’t enjoy is the silence between them. “So… tell me more about you.”
Zuko turns his head to look at Sokka, the boy's eyes are still closed. He swallows before he speaks. “Uhm, well, I uhm, I’m 20, I’m a film major, uhm, I’m gay” Zuko’s eyes widen as he says the last part. Why the fuck did he say that.
“Me too.” Is all Sokka says in response.
“Oh cool.” Zuko wonders what evil he committed in a past life to be in the position he was in at that moment.
Sokka finally opens his eyes and turns to look at Zuko. “I like you.” Zuko takes a sharp breath and stares at the ceiling, avoiding Sokka’s eyes.
“Thanks.” Zuko doesn’t know why he doesn’t get up and leave. After a pause, Sokka now staring at the ceiling too, and lets out a sigh.
“You know we didn’t come here to fuck, right? You look nervous, sorry. Honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t leave when Aang did, and instead stayed to talk to you. I don’t know why I invited you to dinner, and I don’t even know why I’m laying in bed with you, shirtless. But here I am. Next to you.”
Zuko doesn’t know why but tears begin to form. “I- I don’t know what to say. Sorry.”
Sokka chuckles, “Nah, it’s fine. Don’t say anything. Just stay like this, next to me.” Zuko does just that. They lay together in silence for a while. Their warmth mingles with each other.
“Tell me. Do you like me?” Sokka’s voice is soft and delicate.
“Yeah, yeah I like you.”
“Then kiss me.”
Both boys turn to each other. Eyes finally meeting. Zuko’s lips part and Sokka dips into them. It’s an innocent, sweet kiss. Sokka can feel a smile creep onto Zuko’s lips while they’re still kissing, and it makes him smile too.