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Sokka lazily turns his head to look at Zuko with heavy lidded eyes. Smoke tendrils slowly curl out of Zuko’s parted lips and out of his nose. It idly rises and spreads over them in a fog, filling Zuko’s old room in Uncle’s house.
Dear uncle Iroh is away on a trip and the boys use the excuse that “they need to check on the plants” to spend hours in Zuko’s former bedroom smoking weed and talking largely about nothing.
They watch movies or listen to music, eat all types of junk food they were never allowed to have as children, and just enjoy each other’s company without distractions or responsibilities.
Neither of them point out that most of the plants are fake or choose to acknowledge that the lone real one had dried out a week ago.
It’s times like these, when they’re sitting next to each other on the floor resting their backs against the bed, that Sokka’s mind becomes a starving artist. Being as lit as he is he can’t help but liken his best friend to a dragon.
Another hit… yeah, a beautiful burgundy dragon with a dark mane flowing down his back, keen golden eyes instead of those warm brown ones. Observant as ever, like he knows more than he lets on.
Sokka passes the joint wordlessly. Cold fingers brush against his own.
He envisions large, deadly black talons pinning his arms to his waist as they wrap around him and he feels utterly powerless and subdued in a way he has never been before. His breathing quickens slightly when a hungry mouth filled with sharp, glistening teeth appears to be moving closer and closer. A long forked tongue flickers out to taste him-
Sokka shivers and comes back to reality. He glances guiltily at his best friend for having such strange, intimate thoughts. Zuko, meanwhile, had closed his eyes sometime ago. He remains blissfully unaware and Sokka suddenly itches at the silence.
“You remind me of a fire breathing dragon,” he blurts out.
“I am,” Zuko says without missing a beat. He hardly moves beside his hand and mouth. The end of their shared joint alights with the breath of life.
With Zuko’s eyes closed and head hanging back, Sokka can openly admire his mouth and selfishly desire his best friend's breath of life in his lungs too.
“A great and powerful dragon,” he exhales. “I can tell the future, don’t you know?”
He sounds entirely serious and Sokka doesn't have to imagine how high off his ass Zuko is because he’s right there with him. Somewhere between cloud nine and the edge of the universe, in their own slice of paradise, Sokka smiles and matches Zuko’s calming energy. He relaxes his body and closes his eyes, content to sit and experience the pleasant buzz in his head and his best friend's voice in his ears.
“Are you now? Tell me my fortune then, oh Great Dragon the beautiful, wonderful and wise.”
“Compliments earn you a favorable fortune,” Zuko teases with a sideways glance and the sudden burst of warmth in Sokka’s stomach travels through his chest up to his cheeks. He is a fool in love embracing his role wholeheartedly.
Zuko shifts next to him and Sokka does so as well. Now they face each other with their legs crossed and knees a hair's width apart. Zuko looks deeply into his eyes with a level of concentration Sokka can’t reciprocate. He fidgets with his fingers and looks away. Then he focuses again and smiles nervously. Next he tilts his head and frowns curiously.
Zuko’s stoic face breaks into an adorable smile followed by light laughter. Sokka is captivated.
“Do you really want to know your future?”
Sokka nods and shrugs.
The day his ex-girlfriend of all people brought Zuko into the friend group all those years ago, Sokka had decided then and there to sign his life away to the kind man with the golden smile and he’s never looked back since. What strange thing can Zuko possibly say to change his feelings?
“Okay, then.” Zuko holds up the stubby joint between two pale, slender fingers adorned with thick silver rings and presses it to Sokka’s lips.
Sokka watches Zuko’s gaze focus on his mouth and he allows himself to wonder what the cold rings would feel like shoved deep on his tongue.
“Hold it in with intent for three seconds then exhale towards the ceiling and I’ll read the smoke.”
Sokka wants to laugh but Zuko’s look is grounding him. Well, as grounded as someone who is high as a kite can be. He is supposed to be holding in with intent, whatever that means- probably something Aang taught him- but all he can do is think about Zuko. As usual, whatever. Sokka tilts his head up and slowly exhales the smoke in a thin stream.
Zuko is focused. Sokka is confused so he looks at the smoke as well, trying to pick out shapes or letters or whatever it is Zuko pretends to see. He sees maybe a mushroom cap? And is that… a snake? Zuko has always talked about getting a snake, maybe it means something.
The smoke quickly loses its shape and Sokka grows bored with the hazy fog. Curiously, Zuko remains quiet for many consequent breaths. Sokka is half convinced Zuko just forgot what he was doing and zoned out.
“Hm, I see,” he says finally. “It is good fortune.”
“Really? What is it?”
“You will be consumed by a fire,” he says faux sagely and nods.
“What?”
“Yes. That is what I read in the smoke.”
“Of all the things…” Sokka sighs in exasperation. “Who the fuck says that?”
They both burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of Zuko’s words.
“It’s fucking true!” Zuko says through the last of their giggles. “You will be consumed by a fire… though, perhaps it has already happened.”
“Oh fuck off! What does that even mean, anyway? You smoke too much, Zu. Take a nap or eat some chips or something,” Sokka laughs.
“I’m a dragon, you asshole. Why would I lie?” Zuko rolls his eyes and Sokka wants to pluck them out with love. “Besides, there wasn’t, like, a definition written out in the smoke or anything… but there might be another way we can find out what it means,” he teases.
Now it’s Sokka’s turn to roll his eyes. “Okay, fine. What’s next, you want me to touch some cards, maybe throw a few stones?”
“So skeptical for someone so devoted to science. One would think you’d keep an open mind to new ideas.”
Zuko sits seiza-style in front of Sokka’s seated figure and places his hands on the other boy's knees. The atmosphere shifts. A silent question has been asked.
They lean closer and closer, finally coming together after yearning in silence for so long and Sokka holds his breath in anticipation. His eyes are wide and he suddenly doesn’t know what to do with his trembling hands. Zuko crosses the distance and gently presses their lips together while smiling softly.
Feeling his smile rather than seeing it, Sokka understands this is not a kiss but a reassurance. This is unexplored territory for the duo. Zuko whispers between them, maybe for the both of them, “breathe.”
Sokka feels Zuko’s breath of life stoke the flame that roars desire inside his stomach. He welcomes the heat threatening to erupt from deep inside.
Zuko’s hand slides to cradle the back of Sokka’s head and presses them together almost desperately. Sokka grips Zuko’s shirt tightly and moves closer with the same fervor. Lips part, tongues collide, teeth scrape, and the only oxygen they need is each other. Zuko is tugging on his hair now and Sokka’s hands are on Zuko’s waist, pulling him over himself without a second thought.
Sokka feels Zuko’s stomach clench when his fingers slip beneath the burgundy shirt. They shudder together. Above, Zuko pins Sokka to the floor with his hips and Sokka welcomes the weight and warmth.
Sokka’s hands and limbs feel heavy with honey as they rub Zuko’s back and slowly trail down towards the dimples at the bottom of his spine, nearly touching the leather belt- ohh his head turns sharply and mouth parts open of its own accord as Zuko kisses and suckles his way up Sokka’s collarbones and throat. He finds the spot on his best friends neck that elicits a deep, primal groan from inside his chest and-
It’s too much. It’s not enough. They need more. Zuko grabs Sokka by the jaw and faces his head forward. He is pleasantly surprised by how pliant his ocean eyes is beneath him. He experimentally moves the ragdoll boys’ head this way and that in dark amusement before he roughly brings it forward and licks into his mouth. Sokka catches his tongue and kisses deeply. Zuko attempts to pull away but sharp teeth latch onto his bottom lip. The moan that followed could’ve come from either boy, honestly.
Zuko finally pulls away and rubs his thumb across Sokka’s cheekbone. He will never be able to stop touching him now that he knows he can. Sokka’s skin prickles at the sensation. He welcomes his delicious end.