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Zuko was having a nightmare again, the type that was very vivid. In the nightmare he was kneeling before his father's throne, his father's hand on his face. Then came the heat, the type that felt like it was melting your skin off, and in this case it was. Zuko's skin was coming off, he was being burnt again. And it hurt like every other time he has had this nightmare. The heat seemed to drown out everything else until it was all black.
Zuko woke up, chest heaving, sweat and tears rolling down his face. He tried to move, to breath, and get himself under control, but it all felt in vain. His skin felt like it was on fire all over, not just his face. He couldn't breath, he was taking big gulps of air but couldn't get them to go anywhere: couldn't fill his lungs. Tears were running down his face in his panic; the big rivulets dripping off his chin and unto his collarbone. He wanted to scream to awaken Sokka but he couldn't get the sound out. He felt trapped. After finally managing to move, he unconsciously started scratching at his scar in a panic, the glossy skin slowly starting to crack and bleed, blood mixing with tears and burning his eyes.
Beside him Sokka shifted and opened his eyes to peek at Zuko, and taking in the scene, his eyes widened and he sat up instantly, before rolling over to be fully beside him. "Zuko! Are you ok? What's wrong!?", Sokka pulled Zuko's hands from his face and held them tightly to his side and tried desperately to get to him. "Zuko, calm down, please, you're ok.", Sokka said. Zuko's head thrashed to the side and he stared up at Sokka with wild eyes. Sokka immediately understood that Zuko was having a panic attack and pulled him in to his arms before wrapping them around him.
Zuko was still thrashing, crying and struggling to breathe so Sokka, ever being the calm one, attempted to help. "Hey Zuko, it's alright, you're fine, you're safe and being held. I'm right here, just breathe." Saying that, Sokka took Zuko's hand and held it to his chest. "Just match my breathing, you're safe." Zuko fought desperately to match his breathing with is boyfriends own. Then finally he calmed, still sniffling and crying and bleeding, but no longer thrashing. "Back with me now?", Sokka asked. "Yes...", he managed to choke out through the tears. Zuko sank himself further into Sokka's embrace. "Another nightmare I suppose?", Sokka asked, to which Zuko nodded in response. "I'm sorry I woke you up. I didn't mean to.", his voice sounded so scared and broken and it broke Sokka's heart to hear it. "There's nothing to apologize for, you couldn't help it. Plus you didn't exactly wake me up, I just happened to shift and open my eyes and see you. Want to talk about it?"
"He burnt my face-", *sob*, "-Again.", his voice cracked on a sob. 'And everything hurt, and I was scared.", he was back to full on sobbing now, body limp and shaking in Sokka's arms. Sokka already new that he was talking about his father and it hurt to see him like this. "It's ok Zuko, he's not here to do it again, You're safe."
Sokka watched as Zuko attempted to wipe his tears off his face which only resulted in them just smearing across his face and mixing with the blood dripping from his scar. "I'm going to get a cloth to wipe your tears and the blood off, okay?", Sokka asked. "No~, don't leave me, please, I'm scared.", Zuko shifted around in Sokka's arms to face him, looking directly into his eyes. "Please Sokka..., I don't wanna be left alone right now.", Zuko begged and pleaded with Sokka. "Hey it's okay I'm just going to get a rag to wipe your face, I won't be long, promise." Zuko's face scrunched up into a pouty scowl, but he sighed defeated and allowed Sokka to leave.
Sokka got off the bed quickly and headed to the bathroom, stepping out a moment later with a damp rag and salve. He stepped closer to the bed and beckoned Zuko to come to him. Zuko immediately sat at the side of the bed, pushing his tear-bloody face towards Sokka. Sokka first wiped the tears and blood off Zuko's face before applying salve to the scar to stop prevent any infection and reduce the itching. Then he placed the salve and cloth on the table and climbed onto the bed with Zuko, who immediately laid down and curled up into Sokka's arms, letting himself relax with a content sigh. "Sokka...?", asked Zuko, voice almost too soft for Sokka to hear. "Yes Zuko, what's up?", Sokka looked down at Zuko who was cuddled up to him. "A-Am I ugly with my scar, does it bother you?", at that he looked up and met Sokka's gaze, eyes glistening with emotion. Sokka didn't know what to say to that so he sat up, grabbed Zuko's face and kissed his face: his scar, his eyelid, the tip of his nose, his cheeks, and lastly his mouth. "You're not ugly Zuko, you're beautiful, the prettiest person I've ever met and I'm so lucky to have you, so please don't be insecure and belittle yourself, you'll always be perfect.", Sokka laid down, pulled Zuko close to his chest and cuddled him, kissing his temple. Zuko went crimson with the kisses and compliments and instantly melted into Sokka's arms.
"I love you Sokka. I really do.", whispered Zuko.
"I love you too Zuko. I love you so much more." whispered back Sokka and he hugged tighter.