The Prince and The Jock

Midnight Fights

Sokka's POV

After what Zuko's dad did, I refused to let him go back to that house. Even though he protested, I demanded he stay with me for the weekend. Besides if what he says about his dad is true, then he won't care. "Okay, I'll stay but I don't have clothes or anything", he reasons with me. "You can borrow mine", I reason. He nods and I help him up, holding him as we walk pack to my house. I open the door and bring him to my room. "What about Katara, how is she gonna feel?", he questions. I shake my head, "Who cares? It doesn't matter what she thinks, all that matters to me is that your safe with me", I answer.

When we make it to my room, I give him one of my shirts. Watching slowly as he takes off his close, leaving him in just his boxers. I stare at the small scars and bruises on his back, an overwhelming feeling of guilt washing over me. Those marks are from his dad, someone I couldn't protect him from. Some are from my "friends", people who I didn't protect him from. All because I was scared. Maybe he was right.. maybe it was about time I told the truth. But what would that mean for me? Would that mean I'd be kicked off the team? No, I had to tough it out to the end of the season. Besides, there's nothing saying this would stop what's happening to him.

"Like the view", he teases and slips the shirt on. He brings me out of my thoughts. "What if I said I did?", I tease back. He turns around, a smirk on his face and a glint in his eye. "Sokka, baby, come here", he says. I have no idea what he's planning but I go up to him. But the way he said my name, it was different. "Yes, love?" "Let's go on a picnic tomorrow." What? That was random. "A picnic?" I don't get it. "Yeah, we haven't been on a date in a while. Let's go on a picnic", he answers. When I look up at him, he has a smile.

But I can tell it's broken. I don't understand what he's getting at. I mean thus could very well just be a date but I know there's something else. I'm not gonna question though, he doesn't look up to explaining anything to me. "Okay, let's go a picnic", I say. He gives me a light kiss and then heads to my bed. I take off my shirt, follow him and lay down. He spoons me and we both almost immediately fall asleep.

Zuko's POV

I woke up in the middle of the night, I mean I did fall asleep in the mid afternoon so it kinda makes sense. But Sokka was still out like a light, I smile softly. Excited for the picnic he agreed to go on with me. Even though I hate the sun, and grass, and bugs, and just the outside in general, I was excited. Because I was gonna spend time with my boyfriend. We rarely ever get to go on dates out because he's always worried that his team will see us. I grumble at the thought. I've tried to forget about this. Maybe it's just the mood I'm in but I'm angry he'll barely even be nice to me at school. I get that baseball makes him happy and I'd never tell him this but.. if he really loves me then why does he choose baseball over me?

I leave the bed, untangling my arms fully from Sokka's body. I've been in his house enough to know where the bathroom is, so that's where I go. I lock the door and turn on the light, staring at myself in the mirror. I stare back at myself. My cheek is bruised in the only part of my left side that isn't my burn. It stares back at me. I remember the day clearly when it happened. I have nightmares about it sometimes, but I'd never tell anyone, not even Sokka. Telling him would show how weak I am. Still though, the nightmares eat me up. A lot happened that day. I got my burn mark, my mother left, my sister began to hate me.. all of that in the span of 24 hours.

As I continue to stare at myself in the mirror, I hear a light knock on the bathroom door. At first I panic, thinking it's Katara but then I relax. Knowing that if was Katara the knock sure as hell wouldn't be soft. Without really looking away from myself, I unlock then door and open it. To no surprise a sleep and shirtless Sokka walk in, he closes the door and locks it back and then goes in front of me. I feel obligated and wrap my arms around his waste and rest my head on his. Our slight height difference makes this perfect for us. "Staring yourself in the mirror I see, handsome", he smirks. "Handsome isn't the word I would use", I say. He hits my arm with his hand, not hard but enough to get his point across. "Hey, that's MY boyfriend you're talking about!"

Without thinking, I let something slip. "If I'm your boyfriend then how come no one knows." "Ugh this again", he groans. Shit.. well now what? "Never mind, just forget it", I say. Everything was nice until I had to ruin it and by what Sokka said told me he was annoyed. "No if you wanna talk about it then we can talk about it", he sighs. "You were literally just annoyed that I brought it up so now you wanna talk about it?" "Well yeah, I don't wanna talk about it but you obviously do which means we need to talk about it".

I'm pretty sure we're both annoyed now. Sokka annoyed because of the conversation, and I'm annoyed because he's making a big deal out of it. I mean seriously. If I don't mind not talking about and you don't want to talk about, let's just leave it", I growl. This situation is foreign to me. we hardly ever fight, which is how I can tell this is serious.

"You're the one who brought it up!", he argues. Buy this point he's removed himself from my arms, his back facing the door. "You know what fine, you wanna talk about, let's talk!" "Great, let's!", he calls back.

He gives me a glare and I give him one. "Fine, I don't like how you're so worried about baseball", I'm practically yelling at this point. "Because I like baseball, okay!? And if people found out I was dating you, then I would get kicked off the team! You know how people are!", he matches my tone. "So you're ashamed of me is that it!? You'd rather completely ignore my existence at school than lose baseball!" "Why does it matter!?" "Because that means you don't care about me!", I finally scream. "That is not what it means, dammit", he says. He stopped yelling, his fist was clenched and his eyes were closed, his teeth gritted.

"Well it sure as hell feels like it", I say. He looks up at me, anger prevalent on in his eyes. Now I've done it. "YOU'RE SUCH AN ATTENTION SEEKER", he yells. Not like before, this time he really yells. I stop, my mouth agape. He's never yelled at me before. He's never been this mad at me before. For a split second, he reminds me of my father. And seeing the anguish probably evident on my face, he goes soft once more. "Zuko, baby, I-I'm sorry..I don't-".

I cut him off by grabbing his wrist and backing him up against the door. At the moment he yelled how I was an attention seeker, he reminded me of my father. Whether or not he was right, didn't matter to me. He was supposed to be my escape and he just sounded like my greatest fear, my father. And that sent me way over the edge. To the point where I snapped.

I didn't grab his wrist hard, not enough to hurt. I didn't want to be my father and physically hurt the people I was supposed to love. But we stayed there like that for a few seconds. My hand on his wrist, the arm that I held over his head. His body pinned against the door. And me, standing in front of him, my covering my face. Not looking him in the eyes.

I couldn't tell if he was scared. I knew he was sorry, Sokka has a habit of letting his words fill up with his emotion. That's how I knew he was sorry. Because when he was apologizing not only did he look sorry and guilty but he also sounded it.

I finally look up at him. He had a mix of sadness and guilt with a hit of fear in his eyes. That's when I let go. I had done enough, I didn't want him to be scared of me. As soon as I let go, he immediately hugged me. "I'm so sorry Zuko. You just made me so mad and I knew that would hurt your feelings. I'm so sorry, I'll never say anything like that to you ever again. I didn't mean it", he frantically said into my shoulder.

After what felt like an eternity, I hugged him back. "I know, Sokka, I know. It's okay, I forgive you", I say. I really did. "Just everything that happened tonight...I lost myself. And I promise I don't think you care more about baseball than me", I begin. That's a lie, but only a small one. "I know you love me". "No, you're half right. I should stick up for you more and not totally ignore you. They make think it's weird but as long as no one knows we're dating, we can both have what we want!", he says. His smiles back and I'm happy about it. This is the longest I've gone without seeing his smile since we started dating.

Although I'm not totally happy with what he said, I'm incredibly happy and grateful he's at least going to stop flat out ignoring. If this is the best I can get for now, so be it. And with that, we went back to bed. But even with the fight over and our apologies said. There's still a tension, not a big one. Both of us notice it, but neither of us say anything. We just stay how we are, in our own happy moonlit word. Hoping that this small bit of tension, will be gone almost as soon as it appeared.