Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The first time it happens is a complete accident.

It’s their third year of college. About halfway through going over his review sheet, Zuko decided he didn’t want to study for the upcoming midterms in his own room so he packed up his backpack, grabbed some of his and Sokka’s favorite snacks, and made his way across campus to his friend’s dorm. As he’d made his way to his friend's room, he’d been so caught up in his phone that he hadn’t noticed any of the various decorations scattered on the trees and bulletins that he walked past, representing the holiday that had everyone else’s attention. When he’d shown up on Sokka’s doorstep, a tentative smile on his face and a packet of Flaming Hot Cheetos hanging from his fingertips, Sokka had only looked at him fondly and ushered him in the door. It’s been a couple hours since then, the two of them both becoming fully encapsulated in their work; the only interruption to the peace they’ve created was when Jet came anxiously tearing through the room before shouting ‘aha!’ and leaving just as quickly.

“Wonder what’s gotten into him,” Zuko had said from his position near Sokka’s headboard. Instead of answering, Sokka had rolled over from his sprawl across Zuko’s legs to give him the ‘ it’s Jet, what do you expect?’ look before turning back to his own textbook. That had been around two hours ago, and while the pressure of Sokka draped on his legs and the sounds of calming violin are something Zuko usually thoroughly enjoys, they ran out of snacks about an hour ago. Zuko hasn’t had a real meal since many hours before they had their snack binge, and the day went by so fast he hadn’t realized what time it was until he’d looked up from his notes and saw that the afternoon sun rays had traded places with the moonlight. Also, while he isn’t known for eating all the time, Sokka is very specific about his mealtimes, and the fact that he didn’t notice the change in day either shows he probably hasn’t eaten since lunch either. 

Setting his work to the side, he cards his fingers through Sokka’s hair, tugging gently on the ends to tell the other boy that he wants his attention. Sokka hums in response, not taking his eyes off the code he’s working on, and so Zuko does it again, this time tugging slightly harder. Sokka makes a low sound in the back of his throat, finally turning his head and giving Zuko his attention, eyebrows raised in question. “Wanna get something to eat? We ran out of snacks a while ago and it’s gotten pretty late. We can go to that pizza place up the street that has the custom cheese blend option you like.” Sokka, ever the dramatist, makes a show of thinking hard about his answer, rubbing his chin in contemplation. Zuko rolls his eyes, shoving Sokka so he’s now laying completely on his back across Zuko’s lap, meeting one another’s gaze. Sokka laughs, nodding his head.

“Yeah, I could eat. As long as you don’t make me eat pineapples this time. I tried it once, but I'm not doing it again.” Sokka sits up, and the two of them begin to pack up their materials before shoving their feet into their shoes and sliding their jackets on. The worst of the winter weather has passed, but it’s still pretty chilly at night. They leave Sokka’s apartment, arms interlocked, and quickly make their way across campus down the three blocks the pizzeria is. On their way, Sokka is telling Zuko about some super fancy date Aang had planned for Katara for tonight, mockingly impersonating the way Aang had obsessively asked for Sokka’s help and advice. “I don’t even get what the big deal is; what’s so different about today that’s making everyone act like Cupid shot them in the ass?” Zuko snorts a laugh at his friend, knocking Sokka with his elbow as they reach the restaurant. 

When they open the door, Zuko can’t help but stop in his tracks, nearly falling over as Sokka runs into his back.

The entire restaurant is covered in different shades of red and pink. There are Cupid cutouts hanging from the ceiling, the chairs have ribbons strung on them and the tables have light pink cloth hanging off their sides with what looks to be red and silver glitter spread across the tops. It’s barely seven according to the clock on the wall, and yet the pizzeria is nearly filled, pairings of what must be couples taking up approximately seventy-five percent of the seating. Instead of sports games and drama television, the flat-screens are playing romcoms and family friendly love stories. Zuko immediately wants to run back out the door. Sokka, of course, shoves him further in the door and they sit at the first empty table they come across. Zuko is still processing that apparently it’s Valentine’s Day when a waiter comes up to their table, their usual black uniform shirt switched out for one that depicts cupid shooting an arrow at a pizza. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, pun wise, but at least they’re staying on brand.

“Welcome to Pistachio’s Pizza . My name’s Song and I’ll be helping you guys today. Can I get you guys started with something to drink?” She’s overly friendly, and her wide smile is clearly forced onto her face. Zuko sympathizes; he doesn’t miss working at the Jasmine Dragon on days like this. “Today, our specials include berry sweethearts for our sober friends and the red lotus cocktails for those who want a little extra push for this evening. The red lotus contains vodka, lychee liquor, and cranberry juice.”

“I’ll take a w–”

“We’ll both take a red lotus. And for our pizza we would like a half-and-half pizza with triple cheese blend number 3, bacon and… on one side and pineapples and banana peppers on the other. And please make sure your cook changes gloves before they make ours. Zuko here is allergic to garlic, so please don’t put any on our crust.” The waitress quickly writes down their order, nodding politely to them before she takes off, leaving Zuko to stare at Sokka dumbfoundedly. Sokka, completely oblivious to Zuko’s staring, simply turns his attention back to the movie playing on the television.

“You remembered I’m allergic to garlic?” Finally, Sokka looks back at him, an amused eyebrow raised in his direction. It’s a small detail, one that came up once three years ago, when they’d just found this place and didn’t know they put garlic oil on their crust, and yet… And yet Sokka remembered all this time later, even though Zuko’s usually the one to order and pick up their food because the restaurant is closer to his apartment than Sokka’s dorm. Something inside him stirs at the thought, but he ignores it and raises his own eyebrow back in challenge.

“Of course, I remember, Zu. You’re my best friend, I can’t have you dying over such a small oversight. I nearly had a heart attack the first time we came here and you suddenly couldn’t breathe. I’m not going through that again.” Before Zuko can reply, the waitress is back with their drinks, a saccharine smile plastered on her face as she tells them to let her know if they need anything else before she slinks off to do whatever it is waitresses do in their spare time. Sokka picks up his cup, clinking it lightly against Zuko’s before taking a sip and going into a rant about some exchange student who pretends he doesn’t know what he’s doing to get out of working in pairs. “And he knows I know he’s playing dumb, because he always smirks at me when I inevitably get paired with Kei Lo because no one else will work with them.”

From there, they sit in comfortable camaraderie as Sokka tells Zuko about his engineering partner Teo that has one of the greatest minds he’s ever had the pleasure of working with. According to Sokka, Teo has come up with a harness that allows people in wheelchairs to go hang gliding safely. Zuko’s honestly impressed, it’s not something he’d ever be able to come up with on his own—not surprising considering he’s a theatre major—and Zuko can understand why Sokka would get along with someone that intelligent. In turn, Zuko tells Sokka about Mai’s terrible, yet successful attempt to finally ask Ty Lee out on a date. The two of them laugh about how, now that it’s being said out loud, they can’t believe they didn’t realize what today’s date was. 

Before the conversation can go any further, two fresh glasses of red lotus and an order of their dessert knots appear between them out of thin air. The two of them share a confused look before looking up at Song with a mirroring eyebrow raise. Her smile this time is more genuine, almost apologetic in a way, as she gestures to the shop owner, a stoic middle-aged man that’s been serving them since their first (read: catastrophic) visit. “Mr. Shu has informed me that you guys are regulars, and for that he’d love to grant you these refills and pre-dinner desserts as a thank you for the continued business. And he’s asked me to tell the ‘lovely pair’ that you’ll be getting a specially shaped pizza, free of any upcharge.” Before either of them can respond, she’s off again, lightning quick as she weaves her way between the tables, chatting with patrons as she grabs plates and glasses to take to the kitchen and replacing them with fresh ones. Mr. Shu waves at them, slightly less stoic than he looks ninety-five percent of the time, before turning back to the pizza station and helping his workers with the rush. Zuko breaks the silence.

“Am I the only one who thought Mr. Shu hated us?”

“Yes, because anytime he’s working we get extra cheese on our pizza without asking and almost never charges us for drinks when we dine in. Do you pay attention to anything when we’re here?” Sokka looks at him with a combination of amusement and genuine worry, like maybe Zuko’s got early onset memory issues. He barely restrains himself, but in the romantic atmosphere Pistachio’s has prepared and the alcohol running to his brain, the words “Of course; I pay attention to you” almost slip from between his lips. Instead, he rolls his eyes at Sokka, who’s taken to the second drink like a lifeline as he picks back up in questioning Zuko about how the play he’s writing for the spring showcase is going. It’s a great evening, every one that he spends with Sokka is, but Zuko can’t help but feel something twist and ache in his chest. As he tells Sokka about the struggles he’s having moving the plot along, he can’t help but notice the rapt attention his friend gives him, though he knows the question was more out of politeness than anything. When Zuko waves his hands to exemplify a point, Sokka’s eyes seem to almost always follow before settling back on Zuko himself, a small smile on his face. 

In the back of his mind, the phrase lovely pair sticks out to him, but he doesn’t think much of it as their pizza and two glasses of water are set down at their table, and they start eating without missing a beat in their conversation. 

(It isn’t until they’re walking back to campus, hands brushing in the cold February air, that Zuko realizes Shu had made their pizza in the shape of a heart.)

Chapter Text

The second time it happens, they’re walking home from college on the one day of the week where their schedules somewhat align. It’s a particularly warm day considering it’s still winter, so they forgo the busy road in favor of the slightly longer route through the park. There are a lot of couples strewn about on benches or blankets in the grass, but Sokka chalks it up to the sudden increase in temperature and shrugs it off. 

After they’d realized Zuko had basically been living in Sokka’s dorm for the entirety of junior year—much to Sokka’s delight and his roommate’s chagrin—they decided to move in together for their last year of college, in a cozy apartment just off-campus. In Sokka’s humble opinion, it’s one of the best decisions he’s ever made; they fit together exceptionally well, and they understand each other better than anyone else. Sokka hates laundry but doesn’t mind dishes; Zuko hates dishes but doesn’t mind laundry. Both of their cooking is… rough, to say the least, but they somehow manage to combine their skills to make surprisingly tasty meals, which means they’ve finally stopped outright relying on takeaway and delivery. They have similar taste in movies, despite the vastly differing opinions they have about them, which just means they always have interesting discussions whenever they watch something together (which is almost all the time). All in all, there’s no one else Sokka would rather be living with.

As they’re walking through the park, chatting about their day, Sokka notices Zuko shivering as he rubs his hands together before shoving them deep into his jeans pockets. Even on such a nice day, and with a hoodie of his own, Zuko is still cold; maybe he was a lizard or something in a past life. With no hesitation, Sokka takes off his jacket—he was getting kinda hot, anyway—and puts it around Zuko’s shoulders, who shrugs it on without breaking the conversation except to mutter a thanks. It’s little things like this that make Sokka realize just how natural it feels to have Zuko in his life as his best friend.

Zuko finishes his story about his new Art History professor and they both break out into laughter, leaving Sokka clutching his stomach. He spots an empty bench, a rare sight on such a crowded afternoon, and takes Zuko’s hand, dragging him behind as he runs to occupy it before someone else snatches it.

“What do you say, we just sit for a minute? It’s a really nice day.”

“Okay.” Zuko complies easily and sits down next to him, their shoulders touching. There’s plenty of space on the bench, but neither of them comment on it. They continue chatting, this time Sokka telling Zuko about his capstone project. Sokka stretches his arm on the back of the bench, his hand brushing Zuko's shoulder.

Their conversation is interrupted when an old lady walks up to them, and Sokka is ready to hear yet another condescending remark about his posture, but that isn't at all what happens.

“Oh, pardon my rudeness, young men, I just couldn't help but notice how lovely you are together!” she says, clasping her hands together.

Sokka is taken aback by her comment, and it takes him a second to really register what she'd said, then another second to actually respond. “Oh, um, thank you!”

“Yeah, uh, thank you, ma'am,” Zuko mimics.

“Of course! It's so nice that you get to be so open with your love nowadays.” Sokka doesn’t really know what to say so he just nods, getting a bit closer to Zuko. Zuko also nods, and puts his hand on his thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Oh, I just wish I could've been this open with my wife when we were your age! We’ve been together for almost fifty years now but we’ve only been married for five.”

It’s only then that they both realize what kind of love she’s talking about. Sokka thinks he should probably clarify that they’re just friends and nothing else, but she’s being so sweet that he would feel bad to let her down. Without being too obvious, Sokka switches from (apparently?) stroking Zuko’s shoulder to squeezing it lightly, hoping his intentions get across.

“We’ve only got two years so far, but we hope to get as far as you and your wife, ma’am.”

Zuko, somehow, doesn’t even seem surprised. Maybe he understands Sokka so well that he knew he was gonna go with it. Whatever it is, Sokka is very grateful he hadn’t just made things awkward. In fact, Zuko even joins in.

“Aw, babe, are you saying we’re gonna get married?” he teases, and it gets a laugh out of Sokka because of the sheer ridiculousness of that statement, but he hopes it doesn’t quite come across that way to the nice old lady. He doesn’t dwell on the fact that actually, the pet name sounds kind of nice and oddly natural.

“Of course, sweetheart,” he says, nuzzling Zuko’s cheek with his nose. Zuko laughs and retracts reflexively, pushing Sokka away playfully. Sokka stores away the thought that even his cheeks are ticklish for another time.

“Oh, aren’t you two just the sweetest!” She shoots them a lovely smile, then straightens out her coat. “Well, gentlemen, I have to get going, but it was lovely talking to you. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!”

They say their thanks and bid her good-bye, then both burst out laughing as soon as she’s out of earshot. 

“I can’t believe we forgot about Valentine’s Day two years in a row,” Sokka manages to say between laughs, his belly aching.

It now makes so much more sense that there are so many couples in this park today, and that the old lady had mistaken them for one of them. Sokka supposes they are sitting quite close to each other, and he literally has his arm around Zuko, so he doesn’t blame her. Plus, it was fun to pretend to be a couple for a few minutes, and it seems it made her happy too. Win-win, really. 

“I can’t believe you told her we’ve been dating for two years,” Zuko says, his words stumbling in his laughter as well. “That’s basically as long as we’ve known each other.”

“I can definitely imagine some alternate universe out there where you’re not straight and instead of being best friends we just started dating.” Sokka has no idea where that came from, but he doesn’t have time to really think about the implications of that statement, because Zuko’s reaction is completely unexpected and he’s taken aback; he shakes his head in surprise and leans away from Sokka, a baffled expression taking over his face.

“Wait, hold on. You think I’m straight?”

This time, it’s Sokka’s turn to stare at him. “You’re not ?”

“Sokka. Sokka, I’m gay. Like, as gay as they get. Did I really never tell you?”

“Dude, I’d remember that.”

Zuko looks… guilty? Confused? For once, it’s hard for Sokka to read him. “Well, now you know, I guess?”

Sokka nods. “Yeah, thanks for telling me, man.”

“I mean, it’s not like… I’m not ashamed of it or anything. Not anymore, at least. I’m just surprised you didn’t know. I didn’t try to hide it or anything.”

Wait, really? Sokka thinks back to the past two years, trying to find anything that should’ve set off the gay alarm bells. And, well, Zuko is pretty stylish, but that doesn’t mean he’s gay. He got the pride flag for the living room after Sokka had come out, so he’d just assumed that was him being a good ally. He tries to think of any guys Zuko might have dated, but he draws a complete blank. Unless…

“Wait. You mean to tell me. Haru !? No… ”

Zuko cringes. “Yeah, uh. That was. A thing.”

Sokka laughs so hard he has tears in his eyes. “Didn’t know you liked mustaches, Zuko.”

“I don’t! He didn’t have it in his pictures on tinder, okay?”

Sokka keeps laughing, watching Zuko get redder and redder. “Hmm, maybe I should grow one too?”

“Oh god no—”

Sokka unties his hair and puts a strand of it above his lips, pouting to hold it in place. “Is this a good look?”

Zuko takes one look at him and bursts out laughing too, finally giving into the ridiculousness of the situation. “Please never do that again.”

“Aw, are you saying you don’t want me to be your type—”

“That is not my type, Sokka.”

Sokka laughs again, and ties his hair back into his wolftail, then promptly puts his arm around Zuko again as if nothing had happened. 

“Well, babe, should we head home?” Sokka says. Even though his tone is teasing, the pet name slips out naturally, but that’s for future Sokka to deal with.

“Please never call me that again. But yeah, I’m getting kinda cold even with your jacket.”

They get up from the bench and Sokka keeps his arm around Zuko’s shoulder for another second, giving it a squeeze before finally letting go.

They walk home, the conversation along the way filling with other little things that should’ve made it obvious to Sokka that Zuko was gay, who cringes at any mention of any of the guys he’s dated, but retaliates by bringing up Sokka’s exes and failed dates too. 

Sokka supposes that’s one way to spend Valentine’s Day.

(And if he misses the feeling of Zuko tucked into his side a little more than he should, well…that’s also for future him to deal with.)

Chapter Text

“Are you on the way, yet?”

“Yes, Sokka–” 

“Because, I can skip my seminar and come get you from the airport. Fuck, I should’ve come to get you from the airport.”

“Sokka, I am literally in my Lyft .” Zuko sighs, a light smile on his face at his friend’s frantic energy.

“What would Gran Gran think if she knew I abandoned you to–”

“Sokka. ” On the other end of the line, Sokka stops talking, teeth clacking together as he snaps his mouth shut. “Take a breath.” He waits for his friend to continue, letting out a huffing laugh at Sokka’s antics. “I am quite literally en route to you already, please don’t skip your seminar, Gran Gran will kill me for interfering with your grades.” There’s a snort of laughter from the driver at the same time that Sokka mumbles something that Zuko can’t quite catch. “Katara is meeting me on campus and we’re both going to be there in time for your presentation. Stop pacing, you’ll wear a hole in your shoes.”

“How did you know I was–”

“Because that’s what you always do when you worry you’re going to bomb something. You’re a natural speaker, any time you talk your audience hones in and absorbs every word you say, and your sister and your best friend will be right in the center row so if you start to tumble you can see us and know how to get back on track. You’re going to do fine, Sokka, you’ve been working on this for months.” Zuko shifts uncomfortably in his seat, suddenly too hot from the combination of his winter coat in the heat of the car and the embarrassment from how earnest and enamored he must sound. It’s been eight months since Sokka got his early acceptance to Fairbanks’ marine biology program, and with him fast tracking his degree, he never had time to visit Zuko during holiday breaks. To be fair, this is Zuko’s first time flying across the country to see his friend, as well, but he had never wanted to intrude. Sokka chose Fairbanks to be closer to family, in addition to it having a brilliant ocean sciences program, and Zuko knew he spent most of his time on campus. Zuko barely had time to visit Sokka this weekend, but his presentation was important to him, which made it important to Zuko, and so he’d fast-tracked all his essays and assignments to get permission from his professors to miss a half a week of courses to be there for his friend. 

“There’s no way I’m that transparent—”

“You really are—”

“There’s no way I’m that transparent, but if I were , I would thank you for calming me down and making me feel better.” Zuko smiles, knows that Sokka is smiling too based on his tone, and blushes when he catches the eyes of the Lyft driver. The car takes a turn, and suddenly, Zuko is looking at a very intricate and beautifully designed campus. He ignores the fluttering in his stomach from being so close yet so far from Sokka. “Look, I’m about to pull up to campus now. I’ll find Katara, and we won’t even take a tour. I’ll come straight to you, okay?” 

(Things between them have shifted since Sokka left to complete his masters, and while it makes all kinds of emotions twist and turn inside Zuko’s stomach, he’s not sure his friend feels the same way, and so he spends approximately seventy-five percent of their interactions shoving those feelings as deep down as he can manage while also not trying to allow his feelings to make things too awkward. This is a very thin line to walk, but something about Sokka is just so all-encompassing, that Zuko doesn’t even realize he’s already crossed it. He would do anything for his friend, including flying across the country on his one free weekend to watch one of the most important speeches Sokka is going to give in his masters-seeking career.)

Sokka lets out a breath, causing Zuko to hone back in on his friend rather than stare forlornly out his backseat window. As the driver pulls up to the curb, he spots a familiar flash of blue, and he hurriedly grabs his suitcase as he mumbles out a quick thank you and stumbles out of the car. The sound of the door closing must grab Sokka’s attention. “Thank the Spirits, you’re here? Is Katara there? She didn’t stand you up, did she?” Zuko can’t help but to roll his eyes and huff out another laugh as he approaches the girl in question.

“Katara is right here, and I’m hanging up now.” Sokka starts to indignantly protest, but Zuko follows through on his threat so he doesn’t hear him. When he gets close enough, Katara smiles brightly and throws herself at him in a hug. He can’t help but hug her back tightly. He hasn’t seen her in almost as long as he hasn’t seen Sokka, and with her and Aang going to school together halfway around the world, they don’t get to talk as much either. “Hey, ‘Tara.” 

“Let me guess—my bonehead brother thinks he’s going to tank his speech.” She pulls back, linking her arm with his as she pulls him in the direction of their main lecture hall. Zuko can’t help but laugh at how easily they’re both able to read Sokka, even if there are different feelings attached to their knowledge. They walk the rest of the way trading stories of how school is going and before he knows it they’re walking into the auditorium and quickly making their way to a middle pair of seats. Zuko pulls out his phone, taking a Snapchat of him and Katara to send to Sokka with the caption we’re here; didn’t i tell you to stop pacing . Before Sokka can reply with what Zuko is sure was going to be a witty one-liner, the lights in the auditorium go dim and someone walks out to the podium—probably the head of the Marine Biology department.

“Honored friends, family, and other guests. Happy Valentine’s Day, and thank you for joining us today for our annual Innovative Minds Conference. Our first presentation will be given by Sokka Amaruq, an early admittance student who is receiving both his masters and doctorate as a part of our dual enrollment program. Sokka's greatest achievements as a student are as follows…”

-x-

“That is why, with my proposal, I hope to not only cease the endangerment of the vaquita, but also to repopulate and completely reverse their classification as recognized by the World Wildlife Fund. Thank you.” With Sokka’s closing words, the entire auditorium erupts in applause, a standing ovation sweeping through the crowd. Zuko can’t help but join in, a wide smile on his face as Sokka stands proudly in front of the stage’s podium. Zuko can see him searching the crowd, and when their eyes meet, Sokka breaks out in a bright grin of his own, eyes shining with endearment and happiness. Without thinking twice, Zuko raises his hand in a wave, making his smile smaller and softer around the edges. He mouths “congratulations” to his friend, and when Sokka waves back and slightly dips his head, Zuko knows he understood, even though there’s no way he can hear over the slowly dwindling applause from his audience. 

As the crowd finally dies down, the director from the beginning comes back out on stage, shaking Sokka’s hand and pulling him into a respectful and friendly hug. Sokka makes his way off-stage, and Zuko and Katara file out of the lecture hall with the students who have class or had possibly come just to see Sokka talk. Zuko wouldn’t be surprised if most of them were the latter, Sokka is extremely charming and magnetic, afterall. When they get into the lobby of the lecture building, Sokka is already there, engaged in a conversation with what looks like a combination of classmates and department heads. Though some of the conversation’s participants are clearly superior in rank to Sokka, they look as if they’re all old friends, laughing with one another in between seemingly serious moments. Zuko takes a moment to admire his friend, who is clearly in his element, and can’t help the fond look that he knows is taking over his face. 

Since Sokka left for his graduate program, the two of them have mainly kept in touch through texting, FaceTime, and because Sokka has the soul of an old man, the occasional handwritten letter (and gift). While all of these are great, there’s nothing quite like seeing his best friend in person. Sokka’s filled out greatly in the last few months; no longer is he the lanky boy who could barely hold a hockey stick in junior year; he’s really grown into his muscle and height well. It’s something Zuko can appreciate, and if the elbow in his side and Katara’s subsequent smirk are anything to go by, he might be appreciating his friend a little more openly than he usually would allow himself. Silently, he pleads for her to drop it, and while she gives him a sympathetic smile, he knows she wants to tease him until she’s run out of jokes about how idiotic he is. Suddenly, a large and solid figure nearly knocks Zuko to the ground, arms wrapping around his waist as he’s lifted into a spinning hug. He’s spluttering, and he can hear Katara laughing, but none of that matters when he hears “Zuko! ” spoken both enthusiastically and gently in his ear. The soft smile on his face comes naturally, and he wraps his arms around Sokka’s neck as he’s lowered back to the ground. 

(If there’s one thing Zuko missed most of all it’s this; it’s being wrapped in Sokka’s embrace, the smell of cedar rolling off of him in waves as his natural body heat kept Zuko warm during nights where the cold made his scar hurt too much for him to sleep. It’s the strong feeling of his friend’s arms holding him upright as they drunkenly stumbled home from one of Toph’s parties. It’s Sokka’s inability to ever greet him normally, hands lingering where they don’t on anyone else, Zuko letting him into his space when he would push away anyone else. His heart is hammering in his chest, and it is only Sokka pulling away to greet Katara in a similar, if less enthusiastic fashion that brings him back to reality.)

“I’m so glad you guys made it! Well, Katara you live here, I knew you were coming, but Zuko,” Sokka turns to beam at him, ignoring his sister’s offended guffawing. “I can’t believe you flew all the way from Rhode Island after a day full of classes and work. How are you not completely exhausted?” He sidles up to Zuko’s side, eyes full of worry. Probably subconsciously, he’s placed a hand on Zuko’s side, sliding it under the edge of his hoodie. Somewhere, Katara chokes on her own laughter. Zuko can’t be bothered to worry. “Seriously, Zuko, did you get enough—”

“Excuse me,” a soft, firm voice interrupts them, and the two of them turn their heads towards the voice. (Their bodies don’t move an inch. The warmth of Sokka’s hand would almost feel too hot if he wasn’t already starting to get cold again from the constant open and close of the building’s door.) The voice in question belongs to who must be another student, possibly an undergraduate if their look of wonder despite it being the second semester of the year is anything to go on. Zuko tries not to judge too much, he was in their shoes once before. The student’s eyes glance down to Sokka’s hand on Zuko’s waist, but they don’t make a comment. “I just watched your Innovative Minds presentation,” they say to Sokka, “and I just wanted to say that I thought you did a really good job. Um…”

Sokka smiles at them, genuine and earnest. “Thank you. Hopefully the government likes it as much as you.” Zuko can’t help the fond snort he lets out as he rolls his eyes. Sokka glances over at him, a look of fondness on his features before returning his attention to the student. “Are you interested in marine biology…?” Sokka tapers off, as if asking for their name. They catch on immediately.

“Ita.” They run a hand through their pink hair, shyly looking at their shoes. “And I wasn’t… until today. You made it sound so interesting and important; I never knew there were so many endangered species out there. It’s really quite sad.” They frown, shaking their head before reaching in their pocket and holding an envelope out between the two of them. Sokka grabs it with his free hand, the other one still occupied on Zuko’s waist. “My boyfriend and I won this contest for dinner and a show at this fancy restaurant downtown, but he wasn’t able to get off work. You guys seem really nice, and our other friends went on a ski trip for the weekend, so… would you like to take our place?” It takes a minute, but Ita’s words catch up to Zuko, and he wants to melt into a puddle on the floor. Katara (who Zuko absolutely did not forget was still there) is trying less and less to conceal her laughter. Sokka snaps his gaze over to Zuko, a warm and understanding look on his face.

Not again .

It’s not that dating Sokka is a problem, far from it, Zuko just doesn’t understand how this keeps happening to them. How do they keep being mistaken for the couple Zuko wishes they actually were, and why does it keep happening on Valentine’s Day? Glancing down at the envelope, then at Ita, Zuko reminds himself that he can’t really be upset about this turn of events. Ita is very kind and well-meaning. It’s not their fault Zuko has been in an existential crisis since last Valentine’s Day. He and Sokka lock eyes, and it takes only a few short moments for all the fight and protest to leave Zuko’s body. Instead, he nods slightly, trying to ignore the thudding of his heart against his chest as Sokka beams at him before turning back to Ita. This time, he turns his entire body, placing the envelope in his pants pocket and reaching a hand out. (The hand on Zuko’s waist holds firm, sliding to rest in the small of his back. Sokka’s handprint feels like it’s being permanently etched into his skin.) “This is very kind of you. I’m so sorry you and your boyfriend can’t go, but if you’re absolutely certain, we’d love to go in your place.” Their new friend beams, gripping Sokka’s hand with his own. “Actually, how about we exchange numbers? If in a few years, you’re still interested in marine biology, I’d love to help you navigate the field, maybe even bring you on an expedition or two if I get approved.” 

It’s Ita’s turn to beam, and suddenly the two are talking fast like old friends. They exchange contact information, falling into a conversation that Zuko can’t quite keep up with, so he settles for letting his eyes roam the room. They land on Katara, who’s got a teasing smirk on her face despite the genuine concern he can see shining through her eyes. As subtly as he can, he shakes his head; it’s moments like this, when Zuko feels like he’s going to catch on fire from the inside out, that make him glad he decided to confess his feelings for Sokka to Katara out of all their friends. Toph can be sensitive when she wants to be, but she’s much more the tease you ‘til you’re a tomato type than anything. And Aang is a hopeless romantic—Zuko doesn’t think he could handle the endless “love is a beautiful thing, you shouldn’t hide it” speech from one best friend in reference to his other best friend. Suki is… not an option. It maybe should feel weirder, telling his crush's sister about said crush, but he and Katara were friends before he even met Sokka. They’re incredibly close, almost like siblings themselves, and he knows he can go to her about anything. 

“Thank you so much again for the tickets, Ita, we’ll be sure to thoroughly enjoy ourselves.” Sokka’s words pull him back to the present, tuning into the fact that a) Sokka’s fingers have started tracing shapes on his back and b) a young boy with wild black hair has sidled up to Ita’s side, so close it looks like they were glued together. Sokka reaches out his hand again, but instead of a handshake, Ita goes in for a hug. Surprised, Sokka can’t help but to pull his arm from around Zuko’s waist, but he laughs at pats his newfound friend on the back all the same. Who Zuko assumes is Ita’s boyfriend rolls their eyes in exaggerated fondness. When they pull apart, Ita tucks themselves into the newcomer’s side before they nod goodbye and head towards the door. Sokka turns back towards him, pulling the envelope out of his pocket and holding it up to his face. Zuko (instinctively) mirrors his stance. There’s something in Sokka’s eyes, an expression Zuko can’t quite read, but it disappears before he can think too much about it. “Wanna be my date, Zuko?”

(He doesn’t know if he nods or talks or how the rest of the day goes. He couldn’t tell you anything about the show, what kind of food the restaurant had, or even what they talked about during intermission. Afterwards, his greeting and conversation with GranGran and Hakoda pass by in a blur, Zuko barely remembering to kiss the older woman goodnight before Sokka leads him to his room, and they get ready for bed. What his mind chooses to focus on instead, as he stares at the ceiling of constellations Sokka put up when he was ten, is the fact that, despite how much time goes by, the heat from Sokka’s hand lingers on his back until he drifts off to sleep that night.)

Chapter Text

Master’s degrees in hand (and doctorate, in Sokka’s case), Zuko and Sokka decide that despite their vastly different fields of expertise, living on opposite sides of the country is too much for them to handle. So they take the most logical step, moving in together in the only city they can both find work in their respective fields: New York. Sokka almost immediately finds a teaching job at NYU (he still can’t quite believe it, even though it’s already his second semester as a professor), and Zuko has been spending his time mostly doing odd jobs in between various Broadway auditions. Recently, he’s managed to get a more permanent position as an editor for a publishing firm, which Sokka knows isn’t even close to what he wants to do, but it pays the bills in the meantime.

It’s Valentine’s Day again, and it’s the second year in a row they won’t be spending it together. Last year, it was because they were both too caught up with their degrees (and, well, as much as Sokka would like to, it’s not like they’re dating or anything, so there was no reason to meet up for Valentine’s Day specifically anyway). This year, it’s because Zuko has a date.

Sokka pretends it doesn’t hurt, but it does. He’s only realized quite recently that he has feelings for Zuko that go beyond just friendship. It was easy to ignore them while they were away from each other; as much as he missed Zuko, he attributed it to having basically lived together for two years before grad school, and having spent most of their time together even before that. But when they moved to New York, something shifted, and suddenly all Sokka wanted was to hold Zuko's hand, kiss him silly, and wake up to his face illuminated by the morning sunlight. 

For a while, he even thought it may be possible. He could see Zuko stealing glances at him, and smiling when he thought Sokka couldn't see him, so warm it heated up the whole room. So Sokka had crafted the perfect plan to confess: take Zuko out on the best date of his life on Valentine's Day (which at this point is kind of their Thing anyway), and at the end, as they're walking home, surreptitiously take his hand and tell him everything. 

It was a perfect plan, but Zuko had to go and completely ruin it. Just as Sokka had been about to put his plan into action, Zuko had told him that he has a date for Valentine's Day with this guy from Tinder named Chan. He’d even shown Sokka his profile, and sure, he was kinda cute, but he didn't seem like he would be Zuko's type at all. Way too much of a jock, Sokka had no idea what they'd even talk about. Like, yeah, Zuko likes working out and stuff too, but it's not his whole personality like this guy. It's definitely not Sokka being jealous. Okay, maybe a little bit, but he really doesn't think Chan is a good fit for him. (Then again, Sokka thinks he himself is the best fit for Zuko, but Zuko apparently doesn’t, so maybe his judgment isn’t to be trusted with this decision.)

So now, Sokka is stuck at home on Valentine's Day, with nothing but his own feelings and cheesy rom-coms to make himself feel better, while the love of his life his crush is out having the time of his life with Chan the jock.

Bowl of popcorn in hand, wearing his most comfortable sweatpants and Zuko's grad school t-shirt that somehow ended up in his closet, Sokka scrolls through Netflix’s selection of rom-coms. He settles on Just Go With It. It’s mildly entertaining, if a bit cliche, and he even manages to forget for a bit about the whole Zuko and Chan thing for a bit. 

About halfway through the movie, Sokka’s smartwatch starts vibrating. Who’s calling him at this hour? It’s 7 p.m. on a Sunday, for fuck’s sake. He lifts his wrist half-heartedly to check who it is, ready to let it ring and deal with it tomorrow, but he’s surprised to see Zuko’s contact name on the screen (my valentine💕; and doesn’t that just rub salt in the already stinging wound). He pauses the movie and fumbles for his phone; Zuko never calls unless he really has to, so something must have happened. He finds his phone between the couch cushions and slides to answer before it stops ringing.

“Hey, are you on your way?” comes Zuko’s voice. He sounds… worried?

Sokka furrows his brows in confusion. Has he missed something? “Zuko, is everything alright?”

“Okay, well, hurry up, they’re gonna cancel our reservation if you don’t show up. I’ve already ordered your drink.”

Sokka still has no idea what’s going on, but he goes with it, hoping Zuko will explain later. “Okay, sorry! I’m on my way.”

“Alright, see you soon. Bye.”

“Bye!”

Zuko hangs up, and Sokka immediately goes to text him.

The reply comes just a few seconds later.

Sokka blanches, reading the text again. Chan ghosted him!? He ghosted Zuko!? Sokka can’t believe it. 

Sokka knows Zuko will just tell him not to, so he sets his phone down and runs to his room and picks out some clothes that he thinks are date-appropriate (even though this isn't a date; he's just helping out his best friend). And sure enough, when he checks his phone again, he is greeted by a flurry of texts from Zuko.

He can hear Zuko sigh exasperatedly from all the way home, but Sokka does get a text with an address, which he copies into Google Maps as he runs down the stairs to his car. Nine minutes, perfect. He gets into the car and puts his phone on the car mount, then starts driving towards the restaurant.

He gets there just a bit quicker than nine minutes, thanking whatever gods of traffic lights there are out there, and dashes into the restaurant. He scans the room for Zuko, and spots him basically sulking in a corner, scrolling on his phone. He genuinely looks sad, even heartbroken, and Sokka wants to punch the everliving shit out of Chan all the more.

He quickly sits down at the table, but Zuko doesn’t seem to notice him. He takes advantage of this to get a good look at his expression—and he realizes that this close up, Zuko doesn’t look sad as much as he looks angry, which makes sense; anger is one of Zuko’s emotions Sokka has been privy to the most, it’s how he tends to express any negative feelings he may be having. And, honestly, Sokka doesn’t blame Zuko for being angry. He’s quite angry himself, how darethis Chan dude ditch Zuko, and on Valentine’s Day at that?

Sokka gently taps his hand on the table, causing him to look up in surprise. His face lights up the second he sees Sokka, features softening and lips stretching out into a small smile. “You really didn’t have to come.”

Sokka rolls his eyes. “I’m not letting you waste a hundred dollars, Zuko.” He picks up the menu, flipping through it absentmindedly, putting a clear end to the conversation. He can hear Zuko chuckle and do the same. And that’s the end of that.

“I still can’t believe he ghosted you on Valentine’s Day of all days. Or that he ghosted you at all, really. What an ass.”

“Yeah, I’m fucking done with online dating. I guess I’ll just be single forever.”

It takes everything for Sokka not to confess right then and there, but Zuko doesn’t need that on top of everything he’s dealing with, so he holds himself back. “Dude, don’t say that. You’re a fucking catch, you’ll find someone. Online dating is overrated anyway.”

Zuko opens his mouth to say something else, but they’re interrupted by the waitress. By the exasperated look under her customer service smile, Sokka guesses she’s the same waitress from before, when Zuko had called Sokka. “Welcome to Il Drago Danzante! What can I get started for you on this lovely evening, gentlemen?”

They rattle off their orders, Sokka just randomly picking out the first thing that looks good off the menu, and the waitress leaves them once again. 

“I’m gonna go wash my hands, be back in a sec,” Sokka says, heading to the restroom.

Once he’s washed his hands, he takes a second to compose himself. It’s not the first time he’s been in a romantic situation with Zuko, it’s not even the first time on Valentine’s Day, but it’s different this time. Because now, Sokka has realized that he is absolutely and irrevocably in love with Zuko, and it hurts more than he wants to admit that none of it is real. The red lighting in the restroom is taunting him, he can’t even escape the romantic atmosphere here. He’ll have to constantly remind himself throughout the dinner that he isn’t on a date with Zuko, and it makes him wonder if it really was worth it to come after all. But then he remembers how dejected Zuko had been when he arrived, and how he instantly relaxed when he saw Sokka; it’s not about you, Sokka, it’s about Zuko, your best friend, who got ditched on Valentine’s Day. So you will suck it up and make it through this dinner without making it awkward, he tells himself in the mirror.

Somewhat refreshed, he leaves the restroom and walks back to the table. He notices someone next to Zuko—a man, tall, almost leaning over him. He looks older than Zuko and Sokka combined, though his receding hairline, which he’s making no effort to conceal, could be adding quite a few years. That, and those damn mutton chops. Who in their right mind gets mutton chops in the 21st century!? Not that Sokka is particularly known for his impeccable fashion sense, but even he knows mutton chops aren’t something anyone should be sporting in this day and age.

Zuko looks extremely uncomfortable, and when he catches his gaze, he knows a rescue must be made. He runs back to the table and sits down, taking Zuko’s hand in his reassuringly. Zuko squeezes it, and Sokka has to constantly remind himself it’s not real, it’s not real, it’s not real.

“Sorry I took so long, babe. Who is this?”

“This is Zhao, we work together. Zhao, this is Sokka.”

Sokka removes his hand from Zuko’s, immediately craving its warmth, to shake Zhao’s. “Nice to meet you.”

“You as well.” He immediately turns towards Zuko to talk to him instead.Wow, manners.He leers over him, like a predator watching its prey, his eyes darting between his eyes and his lips. Sokka resists the urge to punch him, if only to avoid causing a scene. “I didn’t realize you were out on a date, sorry if I came on too strong.” The look in his eyes isn’t apologetic at all.

Ah, there it is again. To be fair, this was supposed to be a date, just not between the two of them, so maybe he should’ve expected this would happen. For the fourthtime. If Sokka didn’t know better, he would say it was a sign that they should actually be together. And also, why does Zuko only seem to attract assholes? First Chan, now this old guy who didn’t even have the courtesy to try to talk to both of them, since he’d so rudely interrupted them. His ingenuine apology made the sour taste in Sokka’s mouth even worse.

“It’s… it’s okay.” Zuko says, even though it’s clearly not. Sokka takes his hand again on the table, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. Zuko relaxes slightly into the touch, and it makes Sokka’s heart rate skyrocket. Dammit, Sokka, this isn’t about you.

“Hmmm.” Zhao's displeasure at Sokka's presence is clear not only in his stature, but also in his tone. “Should this… date not go well, you know where to find me. And, if not, I expect to see Sock at our next office party, yes?” he says, and it’s getting harder and harder for Sokka not to deck him in the face.

“Of course, Zhao,” Zuko grits through his teeth, squeezing Sokka’s hand just a bit too hard—it’s not quite painful, but it is a bit uncomfortable. Zuko’s probably also trying not to punch him, especially since the consequences for him would be worse than being banned from this restaurant.

“Well. I’ll see you tomorrow, Zuko,” he says, eyeing him up once again hungrily. Sokka wants to vomit. He turns to Sokka with a sneer. “Sock.” Finally he leaves, and even his walkpisses Sokka off.

“It’s Sokka,” he grumbles behind him, just loud enough for Zuko to hear, who chuckles.

“Thanks for saving me. Again,” Zuko says. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Sokka’s traitorous heartbeat picks up again, even though the confession is nowhere near romantic.

“Don’t mention it. I’m your best friend, it’s like, in my job description. ‘Stand up to greasy assholes hitting on Zuko ’, right next to ‘ prevent Zuko from losing a hundred dollars because his asshole Tinder date stood him up’.”

Zuko laughs, this time wholeheartedly, and it’s unfair how beautiful he looks. And maybe it’s a bad idea, a horrible idea even, but Sokka lets himself imagine for just a second that this is a real date. That the romantic setting isn’t mocking him, but adding to the atmosphere. That Zuko likes him back, and wants to be with Sokka. That after this, they will go home together, cuddle together on the couch, finish that ridiculous rom-com Sokka was watching earlier, before going to sleep together, embracing each other like nothing else in the world matters. And, well, to Sokka it often feels that way when he’s with Zuko, but it would be nice to share the sentiment with him.

He’s shaken out of his thoughts when the waitress returns with their food, but he can’t be mad; it smells absolutely delicious. He lets go of Zuko’s hand and grabs the cutlery to dig in. Wait, he was still holding Zuko’s hand? It’s already been a few minutes since Zhao left, but Zuko hadn’t made an effort to let go until now. Not even now, since it was Sokka who let go. Does that mean something? Or maybe Zuko just needed extra reassurance? They’ve never been shy about touching each other, but still, the gesture felt much more romantic than their usual physical contact. Have they crossed a boundary? 

“Sokka?” Zuko asks, concerned, leaning towards him, head slightly tilted. “Everything alright?”

“Peachy!” Sokka says, probably a bit too loudly. Several heads turn towards them. He cringes and clears his throat. “Sorry, uh. I guess I was still processing the whole Zhao thing. You have to deal with him every day at work?” He’s adjusted his volume this time, and people stop staring.

“I think I’m gonna quit soon,” Zuko says. “I think I’m gonna pass this audition, it’s for a pretty big role. I can’t say too much yet, but I think I did well.”

Sokka’s grateful for the change of subject, but he’s even happier for Zuko. “Great job, buddy!” The nickname tastes foul in his mouth. “I know how much you’ve been wanting this. I’m sure you’ll get it.”

The smile Zuko gives him is just a bit too fond, but Sokka decides not to dwell on it. His heart has had enough today already. Instead, he allows himself to enjoy the rest of their not-date, letting the boundaries between them stay blurred just for tonight. It will all go back to normal once they leave the restaurant, anyway, so it won’t hurt.

When they get home, all Sokka can remember is Zuko’s laugh, playing on repeat in his mind. He ignores the pain deep in his chest, a burning desire, a love undeclared.

Chapter Text

“And, cut!”

As the lights dim to signal the end of the company’s very last dress rehearsal, Zuko can’t help the large grin that takes over his face. This is something he’s been working toward for years, and finally he gets to achieve his dream. Director Kuei claps his hands, and the house lights come back on with a flourish. There are tears in his eyes that Zuko thinks are mostly for show, but right now he’s going to ride this high all the way through the opening night in two days. A little over a year ago, he came in to audition for a piece he’s always held love for, and now he’s going to actually be able to perform Love Amongst the Dragons for a real audience, as well as his closest friends. He couldn’t be more ecstatic.

“Absolutely brilliant work, everyone. This may be my best bout of directing, yet.” His pet mastiff, Bear, barks his own approval and Kuei absently pets his head. “Before everyone leaves today, please be sure to pick up the tickets you requested from Yue. Take tomorrow to rest and get in the headspace of your character. I want everyone here at two o’clock to do final fittings and makeup. Thank you, everyone!” With those words, everyone in the company applauds their director and the upcoming success they’re certain to have. Shortly thereafter, everyone disperses into small groups, talking animatedly about the opening night performance.

“Good shit, Hikawa. How’s it feel to be the star of the show?” He turns just in time to redirect the impact of Yue’s fist into his shoulder. She’s grinning at him from ear to ear, a pride in her face he’s only used to seeing from… well, from Sokka. He rolls his eyes at her antics, and pulls her into a hug as they head towards the dressing rooms to get their stuff. She lightly nudges his shoulder. “I’m serious, Zuko. You’ve been working towards this since you ditched your pre-med track sophomore year of undergrad. You’re going to absolutely nail opening night.”

He ducks his head in an attempt to hide his blush, but Yue sees right through it. She reaches up to ruffle his hair as she pulls away to grab her bag. As Zuko grabs his own, he can’t help but dwell on her words. When he’d gone into his undergraduate years at NYU, he’d been miserable, following in the footsteps of a father that didn’t love him whose opinion he still cherished. Then, one random fall afternoon, Azula had shown up with tears in her eyes, a bruise on her cheek, and a bag in her hand and any desire he had to win over his father had vanished. The two of them didn’t always get along growing up, Azula even going as far as to mirror their father’s sentiments. But Zuko had always loved his sister unconditionally, and he would submit himself to his father’s berating words before he ever let him make Azula cry again.

Yue and he met his second sophomore semester, when he’d officially gotten his major changed and he’d started taking more advanced theatre courses. She’s the best sound technician he’s ever met, but her heart would always belong with public health and Zuko knew all about following dreams. Theatre work was just a hobby for her, and he loved any time they were able to work together. He’s shaken out of his memories by something hitting him on his head. “Earth to Zuko, what’re you thinking about?” Before he gets a chance to answer, his phone rings. Zuko sighs as Doja Cat’s Mooo! blares from his speakers. That can only be one person.

“Sokka, when and how did you get a hold of my phone to make this shit my ringtone?” Yue giggles into her hand as she links their arms together and pulls him out the exit door and onto the street. He doesn’t bother waiting for an answer as he continues. “Have Katara and Aang landed yet?” 

“Hey, Zuko!” Aang’s cheery voice echoes through his speaker, causing him to wince. “We’re so excited to see your play! I’m so proud of you!” Zuko can’t help the small smile that forms on his face. He doesn’t know why he ever bothered trying to get his father’s approval when his friends’ support makes him feel this warm. 

“Thanks, Aang. I know you guys have to drive up to Syracuse for that conference, but I’m very happy you’re all here. Thanks for coming.”

“Of course, Zuko, you know we wouldn’t miss this.” Katara’s voice is soft and earnest. “Toph and Suki should be landing soon, and we’ll be getting back to town late tomorrow night.”

“Stop boring Zuko with an itinerary, ‘Tara, he doesn’t care.” The sound of a slap resonates through the phone. “Ow! Babe, tell Katara to be nice to me.” Zuko can hear the pout in Sokka’s voice, but right now all the blood has rushed to his ears and he feels himself freeze. After what feels like hours, but is definitely only a few seconds, there’s an elbow jamming into his side. He shakes himself off and rolls his eyes, even though Sokka can’t see him.

“Both of you be nice. I want you back in one piece for Friday’s performance.” There’s another jab in his side, and when he looks at Yue her eyebrows are raised expectantly. “Oh, yeah. Yue says hello, and can you please bring her one of those moonpie things from the bakery you like, Aang.”

“Hi, Yue!”

“Yeah, of course!”

“Are you sick of being around Zuko all the time, yet?” Another slap. “ Hey !”

“Leave Zuko alone. It was nice talking to you guys, but we have a conference call to join before we get upstate. See you in two days!” Before Zuko can respond, the call ends and he’s left juggling the sound of Sokka calling him ‘babe’ around his brain.

“Oh, you’ve got it bad, Koko.” She deftly avoids his elbow when he tries to retaliate, laughing at him all the same. “I could feel the heat from your cheeks from down here. Still haven’t made your move, huh?” He feels his cheeks heat up again as they finish their trek and get in Zuko’s car. There’s a light frost on the window, just enough that they can’t pull right off and he’s stuck with the tension of Yue’s question hanging in the air.

“You know why I can’t.”

“Yeah, because you’ve concocted some bullshit notion that not only does Sokka not like you back, but that it would also ruin your friendship if for some reason he doesn’t.” She rolls her eyes, and he sticks his tongue out at her in a very mature way. “You’re an idiot. Actually, both of you are idiots, and I want to smash your heads together sometimes.” 

“Yue—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know you don’t wanna talk about it. Whatever.” She flicks her hair over her shoulder, looking at her nails in annoyance in a way that reminds him a lot of Azula. “You’re not as emotionally stunted as you want people to believe. In fact you’re very emotionally mature, so stop acting like a baby.” She turns to face out of the windshield, clearly done pestering him, and so he does the same. He knows that Yue is right, that he can’t hide behind the mask he’s put up all this time. Even if his feelings are unrequited, he’s doing not only himself but Sokka a disservice by sitting on these feelings for longer than is definitely healthy. He puts the car in drive, and heads in the direction of The Jasmine Dragon.

He’s going to tell Sokka the truth.

-x-

He does not tell Sokka the truth.

In the two days during which Sokka, Katara, and Aang have their secondary trip, Zuko has talked himself out of exposing and acting on his feelings. His friends, unsurprisingly, think he’s an idiot, and he’s pretty inclined to agree. Early Friday morning, he wakes to a text from Sokka that reads ‘it’s opening night! can’t wait to see you in all your acting glory. there’s a surprise waiting for you in the living room. 💞’ Confused as to how Sokka was able to sneak anything in the house without waking Zuko because he’s got all the stealth of an elephant, he blearily pushes his way out of his bedroom and makes his way downstairs. It takes him a minute to make the connection, but sitting perfectly poised, with a faux bored expression on her face as she inspects her nails, sits Azula. 

Immediately, all the drowsiness he felt from a semi-restless night of nerves disappears, and he jumps over the loveseat to scoop her into a hug. “‘Zula!” She swats at him, and he sets her back on the floor. “What are you doing here, I thought you couldn’t get out of work this weekend?”

“Well, I couldn’t miss your first show, could I?” She says it with a smirk, but Zuko can see the glow in her eyes that she’s happy she’s here. “Plus, your boyfriend can be highly persuasive  when he wants to be, and he somehow convinced the school to give me an entire week off. So, it looks like you’re stuck with me.” Zuko pulls her into a hug once more, and the two of them lose themselves in each other’s presence. Zuko showers and changes, and the two of them go to a family-owned diner near the theatre. Azula tells him about her newfound interest in oil paints as a medium rather than water colors. Zuko tells her about his nerves and catches her up on how their friends are doing.

“I really am glad you’re here, Azula. It means a lot to me.” She doesn’t respond, but reaches across the table to squeeze his hand. It’s all the answer he really needs. 

The show starts at a quarter-past six, but because Zuko has to be there early, he has Azula drop him off and lets her keep the car to get around until she has to be back with everyone else. “Preshow is at five. I’ll have Yue drop you off a ticket at the box office. Don’t leave when the curtain closes, we’re having a cast party and everyone’s friends and family are invited. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

With that, he presses a kiss to her forehead and ignores her gag of disgust as he rushes out of the car and around to the back entrance. Stopping at the box office to check on his tickets, Zuko quickly makes his way backstage for final fittings. The next few hours are spent going over minor sections they were struggling to make flow and by the time five o’clock comes around, all of Zuko’s nervous energy about having his sister and friends see him perform professionally for the first time has turned into pure adrenaline. When the house doors open, he stands behind the curtain as his body vibrates with barely retained energy. After about twenty minutes of solace, a familiar and comforting presence finds its way to his side, and he finds himself relaxing. 

“Hey, stranger.” He turns, finding a smiling Sokka at his back. “I’m looking for someone—he’s yay tall, professional brooder, secretly the world’s biggest anime fan. Oh, and he’s the lead in tonight’s play; have you seen him?” Everything in Zuko’s body relaxes, and he can’t help but to throw his arms around the other man’s waist as he wraps him in a hug. He feels Sokka return the gesture, something soft scratching at the back of his neck. 

“You made it.” He pulls back slightly, looking Sokka directly in the eyes. He can briefly tell that Sokka’s undercut has been freshly done, and his braids look like they’ve been rewoven into a new style. He’s wearing a light layer of eyeshadow on his lids, and the color makes his blue eyes really stand out. Zuko might just faint. 

“Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss your first major performance for anything; not even the stuffy environmentalists who approved our expedition yesterday.” The thumb on Sokka’s empty hand trace circles on Zuko’s neck, and it takes everything for him not to—

“Wait, you got the approval? Sokka, that's amazing!” Belatedly, he realizes how close they are to one another. The feelings he’s been harboring for the past five years come rushing to the surface, and Zuko is ready to take the risk. He glances down at Sokka’s lips, takes a deep breath, and—

“Yo, Hikawa! Kuei wants to see you.” The two of them jump apart at the sound of the extra voice, and Zuko curses that his hair has to be worn up for this performance as he’s sure his skin is bright red. He turns to see the most irritating cast member, and unfortunately his opposite in the play, coming towards them. The newcomer looks between them, a smug and cunning look on his face. “My bad dude, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.” He sidles up to Zuko’s side, way closer to him than Zuko has ever allowed or been comfortable with, and sticks a hand out to Sokka. “What’s up, dude? I’m Hahn.”

Zuko knows immediately that this will not go well. 

Sokka, short-tempered and typically quick to rise to bait, lets a cool and almost indifferent expression take over his face. “Nice to meet you; I’m Sokka, Zuko’s best friend.” Zuko ignores the pang he feels at the label, though logistically he knows he has no right. They may have just shared an intimate moment, but nothing about their relationship has ever been defined past that cursed word: friends. He wishes he’d acted before Hahn showed up, because he knows now he won’t do it.

“Oh yeah, you’re the marine biologist right? I was never a big fan of animals, but that’s pretty cool I guess.” Suddenly, he reaches up and wraps his arms around Zuko’s neck in a way that should suggest familiarity but makes Zuko feel anything but. “Sorry to interrupt…whatever you guys were doing but I gotta steal his royal highness away. Director Kuei wants to look at everyone's wardrobes and do a final huddle before the curtains open. Toodles, Socks.”

“Hahn, wait—” He tries to pull back to give Sokka a parting hug, but his costar’s hand is firm in its grip. When he turns to look at his friend, there’s an indecipherable look on his face and his body seems to be slumped in a defeated position. Something Zuko can’t distinguish hangs limply from his fingertips. “I’ll find you before the party. Thanks for my gift, love you.”

Hahn and Zuko turn a corner, and finally the other man lets go of him. Zuko, eager to get away from his smiley cast-mate, pushes further away. When Hahn makes no move to actually take him to Kuei, Zuko raises an eyebrow. “What the fuck was that, Hahn? You were completely rude to Sokka.”

“Relax, dude, your idiot boyfriend will get over it.” He gives Zuko a once over with his eyes, chuckling as their gazes meet. “You could honestly do better.” He turns away then, walking in the direction of the dressing rooms. “Kuei may not want to personally see you, but we do have our huddle. Move it, Hikawa.” When Hahn walks off, Zuko has to forcibly restrain himself from straight up tackling him to the ground. He might have talked himself out of confessing, but if Hahn had been just five or ten seconds later in his interruption, all his reservations would’ve disappeared. 

Instead, he gathers himself before walking through the dressing room door, pasting a smile on his face as he listens to Kuei’s final notes with thoughts of Sokka—dejected and forlorn—running through his head. 

-x- 

“Zuko!” The man in question turns around just in time for his gaggle of friends bursts into the cast room as they charge toward him in excitement. They wrap around him in a group hug, making him laugh at their antics but still hug them back all the same. “You did absolutely amazing out there. We’re all so proud of you.” Aang’s cherry demeanor is contagious, causing Zuko to smile. 

Toph chuckles as she says, “Well, I’m assuming you did good, but all I had was Suki’s commentary to go on so who knows.” Zuko snorts a laugh at his friends as he steps back and turns back to one of his co-stars. 

“I apologize for them. They were raised by wolves.” The girl laughs, though it’s slightly covered up by the other’s indignant shouts. “Jin, this is my family. I apologize now for any inappropriate behavior they might act out.” Quickly, he makes individual introductions before Jin steals the girls and Toph away to meet some more of the cast mates while Aang has to step out to take a work call. With just him and Sokka there, things should be tense after the interaction before the show, and while Zuko’s the type to harbor that kind of energy, Sokka never has been. 

“You were amazing out there, Zu. Honestly, it brought me to tears in some parts.” He looks around the room and drops his voice to a faux whisper. “Don’t tell anyone though, you know I’ve got a reputation to uphold.” Zuko snorts, shoving Sokka’s shoulder playfully. He tries not to let his gaze stray to Sokka’s hands, his curiosity ready to betray him. “Wanna get out of here?” Sokka has a soft, earnest look on his face, a nervous smile on his lips. Zuko’s heart melts at the sight. 

“Yeah, I know just the place.” He grabs Sokka’s wrist, pulling him through the throng of people and to the stairs that lead to the theatre’s balcony. The theatre’s location makes the scenery perfect; in the distance the Brooklyn Bridge shines over the river, the moon and stars force their shine through the city’s lights, and the bustling of the streets can just barely be heard from this high up. 

“It’s beautiful,” comes Sokka’s voice from right behind him. When Zuko turns to answer, he finds that the other man’s gaze isn’t on the city at all, rather he’s looking directly at Zuko himself. It brings a blush to his cheeks, but he doesn’t lower his gaze. Instead he welcomes it, only looking away to glance at Sokka’s lips briefly. His thoughts from earlier in the evening come rushing back to the front of his mind, and he has to restrain himself from stepping forward and capturing his friends lips in his own.

“Yeah, it is,” he replies instead, not breaking eye contact. He backs up some, and Sokka follows him almost like a magnet. “During rehearsals, if I was feeling too overwhelmed or if Hahn was getting overly obnoxious, I would come up here for a break and a breath of fresh air.” He smiles at Sokka’s snort at the mention of Hahn. “Nobody else really comes up here, but sometimes Yue would join me and do her casework while she kept me company.” 

“Thank you, then. For sharing this with me.” He gets silent for a second, body fidgeting like he does when he’s worried about the outcome of his lecture in his classes. Then he says, “I, um, got these for you,” as he thrusts a bouquet of flowers into Zuko’s face. He just barely avoids whacking Zuko in the nose, but it goes unnoticed. Wrapped intricately in deep pink paper is a combination of alstroemerias and roses. Their colors contrast one another almost perfectly, and the intention behind them fills Zuko’s heart almost to the brim. “I know they’re not much, but—”

“Sokka,” he says breathily, reaching up to gently grab the bouquet. For a moment, their hands touch, and the world feels like it’s stopped spinning. Zuko wants to bask in the contact like he needs it to survive. But then Sokka’s hand drops to his side, and while the contact is gone the feeling that came with it lingers on. “Thank you, Sokka, they’re beautiful.” He breathes in the flowers, their scent sweet and fulfilling. When he looks up at Sokka again, he makes sure to have a reassuring smile on his face. He reaches out his empty hand. “Stay with me a while?” 

As Sokka takes his hand, Zuko wishes he wasn’t such a coward. He pulls them over to the edge of the roof, carefully sitting the flowers behind the ledge so they don’t fall off the side. They sit there together in companionable silence, enjoying the sights New York City has to offer them. The party carries on without them downstairs, but neither of them are in a hurry to get back. It feels like barely any time has passed when Zuko hears Sokka say, “Happy Valentine’s Day, Zuko. I’m so proud of you.”

He smiles as he says back, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

Neither one of them lets go.