Is it just a coincidence? (Sokka x Zuko) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Five

    When he finally got to the courtyard, he had about 10 minutes to eat. Opening his bag, he only had an apple that he didn't eat yesterday. With a shrug, he pulled it out and rubbed it on his sweater. He'd be able to get something on his way home. 

    Jet tossed a baseball in the air, a sickening grin spread across his face as he stared across the yard at the unsuspecting Zuko.

    "Hey, you guys wanna see something funny?" He asked his group of friends.

    "Yeah!" They all cheered, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

   "Watch this." 

    The baseball flew out of his hand and sped towards Zuko who was eyeing the apple, pondering where to bite next. The flicker of movement caught his attention and he turned his head just as the baseball hit him right in the face.

_

    Picking at his food, Sokka sighed for the millionth time. His phone was out on the table in case he got any notifications. With the excitement gone, all he felt was tired. Toph said something about there only being 10 minutes left of lunch and she left to get ready for her next class. Katara and Aang also packed up their things and left after saying bye to Sokka.

    With a final grumbled sigh, he stood up to leave too. Packing up his lunch he felt a sudden pain on the bridge of his nose. It got worse, searing through his face to the back of his head. Wincing, he touched his nose lightly. It didn't hurt any more than it already did which was weird, but he was still trying to grasp the situation. His hand flew to his nose before he could think twice, holding it closed. Thick red blood seeped out despite his hold on it and dripped onto the table.

    "Katara!" He yelled at his sister who was almost out of earshot. "Look after my stuff, I gotta go to the bathroom!"

    "What? Why?" She called back but he was already speeding off.

    He rushed into the bathroom, leaning over the sink, he let the blood flow out of his nose and drip into the basin, staining it red. He turned on the tap, last thing he wanted was to scrub dry blood out of the sink. The bathroom door opened and another person moved to lean over the sink next to him. 

    Looking over, he saw Lee also leaning over the counter, his nose also bleeding. Sokka had to blink a few times, trying to make sure he was seeing things right.

    "Lee?" He uttered, ignoring the faint metallic taste that just passed through his lips.

    The other boy looked up, blood flowing down his face from his nose which was badly bruised. His expression was a mix of anger and shock with a twist of pain. But it all dropped to utter awe when he noticed that it was Sokka looking back at him.

    They looked at each other's faces. Sokka felt his lips curl up into a wide smile. A laugh broke his lips at the situation. He laughed and he couldn't stop. It wasn't until he was gasping for breath when he realized that Lee was laughing too. It was a soft laugh. Light and happy. He actually snorted a little bit, then coughed a bit as he'd just inhaled blood. That made Sokka laugh more and they just split their sides together in the boys bathroom. 

    Once they'd calmed down, Sokka grabbed some napkins and handed one to the other. He took it with a smile. Despite the red smudges going down his face, he was still a sight to behold. Sokka took a second longer to look at him. He hadn't exactly realized how attractive he was. Even leaning over the sink with a blood soaked napkin to his face. Forcing himself to look away, Sokka looked at the sink, watching the water wash away the blood. It was the first time he'd thought another guy was attractive... And he didn't know how to react to it.

    "So why's your nose bleeding?" Zuko asked, taking the napkin off to see if he was still bleeding himself.

    "Not sure. It just kind of happened?" Sokka uttered. "I was just sitting and my face started to hurt. Next thing I knew," He wiped his nose, then looked at Zuko in the mirror. "I'm bleeding like a goddamn waterfall from hell is in my face."

    Zuko laughed again, his sides hurting immediately. He hadn't exactly caught his breath yet. But he laughed still. It was just so comfortable with Sokka. 

    "Why's yours bleeding?" Sokka asked.

    "Oh.. um," Zuko stopped laughing, the light leaving his face. "Well..."

~ A few minutes earlier~

    Pain throbbed through his entire head. Tears welled up in his eye, looking down to see what hit him, he spotted the culprit; a white baseball at his feet. Blinking the tears away, he looked up to see Jet smirking back at him. The pain seemed to diminish for a moment with the adrenaline that just rushed through him with the anger he felt at the sight of Jet's ugly face. Maybe he would have walked over and punched him this time. Maybe... That is, if his nose didn't start bleeding then and there.

    "Are you okay?!" Some random person called.

    "I'm fine." He said back a little more aggressive than he'd planned. 

    He made his way towards the bathroom, passing Jet and his cronies who laughed at him.

    "Maybe watch where you put your face next time." Jet prodded as he passed.

    Shooting him the angriest glare he could muster, Zuko pushed past him, saving his words for something better. What a shitty day.

    What a fucking terrible day. 

    Again, he was staring at the sink. But this time he wasn't thinking of snakes, he wasn't wondering where it went. How did he even get here? His mind was so clouded with spite and fury that he hadn't even controlled the motions needed to get him to the bathroom.

    "Lee?" 

    He knew that voice... Looking over, he saw the blue of Sokka's eyes and his anger completely diminished as if he were some sizzling piece of lava that'd just been dipped in cool water. He wasn't sure what to even say right now. They were both in the same boat. Both of them bleeding.

    Sokka started laughing. It was contagious. All of the memories and thoughts of ever being angry left him as he laughed too.

~

    "Um... Some guys were tossing around a ball and I got hit by accident." He lied.

    He was an absolutely terrible liar, but Sokka didn't know him well enough to see through them, no matter how bad they were. Though technically, that wasn't all a lie. He was just lying about the accident part.

    "That looks really bad," Sokka muttered, reaching out and touching Zuko's face. "Has it stopped?"

    "I think so..." He trailed off, losing himself in those blue eyes again as they examined his nose.

    Sokka tilted his head around a little, getting different angles of his nose. Reaching behind his head, he ran his hand through the back of Zuko's hair and then his expression deepened into one of worry.

    "Did you hit your head?" He asked him.

    "I... might have?" Zuko muttered, thinking of the tree.

    "You've got a little bump here." 

    Sokka lightly pressed a spot on Zuko's head, earning a wince from the scarred boy. He quickly pulled his hand away.

    "Sorry," He breathed. "We should get you some ice." 

    "Sounds good to me."