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

Chapter Six

    "You slept in?" Sokka echoed, accompanying the other boy down the hallway.

    "Yeah... Sorry if I worried you." 

    "No, that's ok, I overreacted," Sokka laughed a bit at himself for how emotional he'd gotten over a little text. "I thought you didn't like me anymore."

    The words had apparently slipped out as Sokka immediately tried to take them back. Zuko chuckled at Sokka's flustered stammering  and he reached over to touch his shoulder. Immediately shutting him up.

    "It's fine, Sokka. I still like you." That came out wrong... But he decided he was too tired and in pain to come up with some other formation of words to replace it. 

    Neither of them said anything after that. It was sort of pleasant. Sokka normally found himself grasping at conversation starters whenever silence lay between him and someone else, but it was oddly comfortable with Zuko. He wanted to return the saying. He wanted to tell Lee that he liked him, too. But maybe it would come off the wrong way? Did friends normally say that to each other?

    They reached the nurses office within the next few seconds. Sokka knocked on the door immediately while Zuko proceeded to shrink himself down to hide his face as much as possible. The door opened to reveal a hunched over lady who looked ancient.

    "Well hello boys, how may I help you?" She asked, looking over them both.

    Sokka put his arm around Zuko's shoulders and moved his bangs out of his face, displaying the dark purple bruise on his nose. Feeling his face warm with the sudden contact, Zuko looked at Sokka who had a stern expression. What happened to the light that usually reflected off his eyes? He noticed Zuko staring and smiled at him, lightly brushing his thumb over his scar as he put his bangs back in place. The nurse beckoned them in, oblivious to the wordless exchange that had just played out in front of her.

    As Sokka pulled ahead into the room, Zuko stared dumbfoundedly at his back. What did that mean? Did he accidentally touch his scar? Why did he look at him like that? Biting his lip, he brought himself back to reality and followed Sokka inside.

    She pointed to a bench, wordlessly ordering Zuko to sit. She grabbed a bag of ice from the freezer and held it to his head. Turning her attention to his nose, she inspected it for a moment before she turned to look at Sokka.

    "You can go back to class."

    "Oh, actually, I had a nosebleed too? I was wondering if you might be able to figure out why." Sokka interjected quickly.

    "Well, which one are you?" She asked.

    "What?"

    "Which soulmate are you?" 

    "I... what do you mean?" He stammered, glancing at Zuko who was also confused.

    "The feel the pain or the feel the feelings?"

    "Oh... I haven't found my soulmate yet."

    She raised her eyebrows in disbelief, looking to Zuko and then back again. With a low hum, she turned back to Zuko.

    "Maybe it was just dry." She said, a hinge of sarcasm lacing her tone.

_

    "Keep the ice on your nose and head until they stop throbbing. Take some Tylenol if it gets worse, and go home," The nurse instructed as the two left. "Oh, and if you throw up, go see a doctor."

    After they were alone in the halls again, Sokka looked over to Zuko. He was closer now since Sokka was holding the ice to his head, but he also seemed more open in a way. Looking lost in thought, Sokka decided not to interrupt his zoned out pondering.

    When they got outside, Zuko finally realized what was happening around him. He sunk into Sokka's hold on him. Everything was numb to him except the warm touch on his shoulders. It was what seemed to ground him. Scrunching his nose a little bit, we winced at the pain. It was itchy with all the dried blood up there but he didn't want to take care of it for two reasons: it would hurt like a bitch, and he'd be picking his nose in front of Sokka. 

    "So how'd you get to school?" Sokka asked, looking around the parking lot.

    "I... rode my bike..." Zuko sighed.

    "Can you get anyone to pick you up?"

    "My Uncle's at work." 

   "Alright, my house it is." 

    "Oh, no you don't-" Zuko cut himself off. "You- I can just walk myself home... It's like, 15 minutes."

    "And mine is like, 5." Sokka argued smugly, raising his eyebrows.

    Deciding not to argue, Zuko shrugged, following the other boy's lead. Once again, the air between them was silent. Sokka felt a little awkward dragging him to his house, but he wasn't about to let him walk home on his own. Sure, he could walk him, but what if Zuko collapsed? (What a cheap attempt at trying to convince yourself it's alright to kidnap a guy you met yesterday.)

    "So, what's your tea shop's name?" Sokka asked lightly.

    "The Jasmine Dragon...," Zuko mumbled, looking at the sidewalk. "It's not that interesting..."

    "I mean hey, a job is a job." Sokka shrugged.

    "Yeah...," Zuko trailed off, he didn't want the silence to come back. "What do your parents do for a living?"

    "Oh, well my dad has his own business, he's travelling right now," He paused. Would it be weird to mention that they'd be home alone? "And uh... my mom's... dead."

    "Oh, I'm sorry...," Zuko uttered, should he tell him? "Mine's also gone..."

    "What about your dad then?" 

    "Um..." Zuko bit his lip, suddenly feeling his scar more than the fading pain in his nose. 

    "Sorry, I won't prod," Sokka stated immediately, reading the other boy's expression. "You don't have to tell me."

    "Thanks..." 

    "What about siblings?" 

    Zuko felt a grim smirk edge his lips. This guy really liked seeking out touchy subjects, huh? Feeling his emotions leave his body, he sighed. 

    "I've got a sister..." He finally mumbled.

   "Oh same! Aren't they a pain?" Sokka beamed.

    "Yeah." A tiny exhale laugh left Zuko's lips.

    He just wanted to lie down.