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They kissed slowly, hesitantly, as if unsure what was infront of them was real. Zuko was astounded- he couldn’t believe someone would kiss him so gently, to love him so gently. He pulled back, just a little, to gaze at the boy in front of him. Tan skin, nearly unblemished save for the thin scars of fan blades and kunai. Blue eyes that seemed to drink in the plan skin, angry scar, and brown eyes that are Zuko. Zuko’s lips parted, so say something, that he was sure would be stupid, but couldn’t find his voice before Sokka descended upon him.
Sokka kissed Zuko’s lips again with gentle need before directing plush lips to Zuko’s scar, his forehead, his neck- Agni above- his neck. Sokka had guided Zuko on to his back and the blue-eyed boy was now giving gentle kisses all over Zuko’s body that had him hot. Zuko had really never felt so loved- not with Mai, not with Jet, or even Jin for all the easy going and light she was. Tears unwittingly Welles in his eyes and spilled forth before he could control himself. Sokka paused his lips on Zuko’s wrist as the tears caught his attention.
“Hey,” his voice was soft and gentle. Zuko didn’t know if he deserved all the gentleness Sokka gave to him. “Is something wrong? Do you want me to stop?”
Zuko internally cursed himself when a flicker of rejection flashed across Sokka’s face, he didn’t want to see Sokka hurt and his tears weren’t because anything was wrong, quite the opposite.
“No, nothing’s wrong. I….,” Zuko hesitated, he’s not used to such honesty. Especially growing up with Azula and his father, lying was far easier and much preferable to telling the truth. His scar was a painful reminder of that. “I’m not used to gentle and it overwhelmed me.”
Zuko tugged Sokka closer to him, so that they are both laying down and tucked Sokka’s head into his shoulder. He held him there for a moment and hugged the tan boy closer to him as his tears slowly subsided. His voice was scratchy as he next spoke, “I love how gentle you are with me. I’ve never felt this way with anyone before.”
Sokka smiled against Zuko’s red shirt and let himself rest on the older boys shoulder. He was afraid of rejection and for a moment he felt as if Zuko was going to reject him- just like everyone else did. Sokka might be the jokes guy, the guy with a plan, and even the responsible one, but he often felt ostracized even from those roles. No one liked his jokes, except maybe Ty Lee but he was never sure if she was sincere or not, his plans rarely got listened to, and more often he was simply looked over for responsibility.
It was something else when a person he loved rejected him. Suki loved him and he loved her, but in the end she wanted to stay on Kyoshi Island with the Kyoshi Warriors. She left Sokka and even when he wanted to follow she had made it clear she didn’t want him to. It hurt him more than he could put into words. Just the same when Yue left him- rejected him- for her betrothed when she didn’t like the guy. Sokka knew it was how things were done and he knew that her sacrifice to become the moon was imperative, but it didn’t lessen the sting of rejection when she had no doubts about doing so.
“You too,” was all Sokka could muster in reply to Zuko. He probably sounded like an idiot, but now he was holding back tears. Zuko’s lips pressed lightly to the top of Sokka’s head and pale, skinny fingers undid the ponytail in his hair.
The two rested there, holding each other and letting their emotions bleed out through actions. What could Sokka say to Zuko that he didn’t already say? What could Zuko say to Sokka that he hasn’t already conveyed through touch? There was something much more peaceful about their silent communication with each other that neither felt with others. Something more meaningful than anything they’ve done with others.
Eventually night broke and morning came as they slowly awoke. Sokka and Zuko both looked at each other with a gentleness both needed before sharing a soft kiss.
“Thank you,” Sokka murmured softly. “For being with me. For staying with me.”
Zuko rested his forehead against Sokka’s as he replied,” You don’t have to thank me for that. We’re in this together and if we thanked each other for everything the other did that we’ve been secretly craving and wanting, all our words would just be ‘thank you.’”
A laugh sounded from the other boy at the sheer eloquence of the fire-bender. Not that Sokka thought Zuko couldn’t speak well, but he remembers the ‘Uh, hi I’m Zuko and I’m good now.’ speech. He kissed him again and once more for good measure after his brief laughter subsided. Sokka smiled at Zuko with such a fondness Zuko’s heart skipped a beat and the fire that normally raged inside him calmed. Zuko returned the fondness in a gentle caress of Sokka’s cheek and another light kiss to his soft lips.
The world felt right as they left Zuko’s tent and greeted the morning- together.