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Zuko had never been a heavy sleeper, years of survival and distrust had seen to that. So his subconscious had his eyes snapping open when the weight of his husband disappeared from beside him. He blinked, expecting early sunrise and encountering only pitch-blackness. "Sokka, are you alright?"
A low rumble answered him, "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, I will be quick." Zuko could only just make out his outline in the dark beside him and lit one of the candles next to him with a wave of his hand. Sokka was sitting on the bed with his legs over the edge, pulling his long hair into a loose braid.
Zuko stretched and rubbed a hand down his face as his eyes adjusted. "Where could you possibly be going at this hour? What time is it anyways?"
Sokka laughed and twisted around, leaning down to press a quick kiss to Zuko's temple. "About four in the morning? Ty Lee is in the city and promised me a sparring session while she is here. This is the only free time she has." He sat back up and continued his work, finishing the braid and tying it off.
Zuko admired his husband's bare back in the candlelight as Sokka stretched his tattooed shoulders out. The toned, warm skin always called to him as much as any firelight did to a moth. He sat up as well, manuevering himself just behind Sokka and running a delicate hand down the notches of his spine. His fingers made their way to the large scar that wrapped around Sokka's hip. "Would you like a hand with this before you go?"
Sokka had suffered a deep wound to his hip a few years prior, and while it had healed and was not outright painful anymore, it was often stiff and unyielding until it was warmed up properly.
"I was going to stretch it when I got there, but since you are awake and offering, absolutely." Sokka leaned to the side slightly to give Zuko better access.
Zuko took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, fueling his warmth into his left hand. As heat flooded into it, he pressed it firmly into Sokka's side, reveling in the sound of appreciation that came from his husband.
"Oh, you are my favourite firebender." Sokka groaned as Zuko began to knead carefully along the edges of the scar.
Zuko smiled, pressing a kiss to the base of Sokka's neck. "I better be. I would hate to see my competition." He wrapped his free hand around Sokka's waist, resting it just above his navel. Sokka's hand covered it and entwined their fingers.
"Mm, no competition. No one would ever come close." And it was true. They had been to hell and back together more times than any two people ever should. And they were stronger together for it. Zuko sometimes couldn't come to grips with the depths of his affection, it had taken him a long time to accept Sokka's feelings for him without waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sokka of course, was endlessly devoted and patient while Zuko adjusted. Now he felt as if he would never get enough of the other man. He swallowed thickly as he was distracted by his own thoughts.
He tapped Sokka's hip gently. "Good?"
Sokka stretched his leg out slowly, testing. "Yes, very much so." He brought Zuko's hand up to his mouth and pressed a short kiss to his palm. "Thank you, I should get going though, and you should get back to sleep."
"Or, and hear me out on this-" Zuko's hand wrapped more firmly around Sokka's stomach, "You could come back to bed right now and do some more exercise with me?" He pressed a lingering kiss to Sokka's shoulder blade.
Sokka huffed out a laugh and half turned in Zuko's arms. He quirked an eyebrow, "Didn't get enough of me last night?" He hooked Zuko's jaw with his fingertips and pulled him in to kiss him properly. Zuko came willingly, weaving his own fingers into the loose braid to hold him where he wanted him. Heat curled down his spine and settled in his gut. He let one of his own legs stretch out and over Sokka's hip, holding him closer.
Zuko gentled the kiss and pulled back, leaning their foreheads together. "Never. Given the option I would stay in this bed with you for days on end if I could."
"Very tempting. I think our ceiling would disagree with you though." Sokka smirked.
Zuko loosened his hold on Sokka, flicking his gaze upwards. He suddenly remembered a rather specific event that had happened the night before.
Scorch marks. On the ceiling.
From him.
More specifically, his mouth.
Whoops.
Sokka nipped at his cheek.
Zuko shoved him off the bed.
"We are not going to talk about that. We are going to forget that it ever happened."
Sokka grinned from where he was now standing, "Absolutely not. I have set a new standard for us. Is sex even good if your partner doesn't lose control and try to burn down your bedroom in the throes of passion? Incredible."
Zuko threw a pillow at his head.
Sokka caught it easily and dropped it on the floor. "For real though. I love you, but I made a promise." He swooped in to kiss Zuko one last time before pulling on his gear and making his way to the door. He stopped in the threshold and raked his gaze down Zuko's body, now flushed red with embarrassment. "I should be back in an hour or so though, if you do not have any early fire-lord duties today?"
Zuko did.
He would push them later.
"Hurry back."