The Tent (Zukka)

Chapter 18: I think I love you

A/N: This will probably be the last main chapter :(  but there will be epilogue 

"You'll be fine okay?" sokka reassured as they left the bathroom. The fire nation nodded in response and they approached the table where the others were sitting. 

"You're back!" aang smiled greeting the boys. 

"Yeah hey guys sorry about that" zuko said awkwardly. 

"It's ok!" replied katara. 

"Yeah! Are you alright?" suki questioned. 

"Yeah yeah I um just didn't feel well" zuko made an excuse.

"Oh I'm sorry" 

"It's fine, I'm okay now" zuko looked at the sokka grateful for his help. 

"Yeah. Let's eat!" sokka encouraged. 

"Yes someone tell Ty lee the food was amazing" aang commented. 

"You can tell her yourself, aang" katara laughed. 

                                                                        *****

"So same time next summer?" katara joked once they had finished. 

"Why not?!" aang said agreeing. 

"If zuko will have us of course," suki added. 

"Um maybe," zuko respond. 

"Yeah no pressure let's make it through this summer first,"  sokka didn't wanna stress zuko. 

"Can I get you all the check?" Ty lee questioned after clearing their plates. 

"Yes please thanks. The food was great," replied aang. 

"Yeah thanks ty lee, it was um nice to see you. Oh and tell Mai I'll be home soon and we'll talk to her then, alright?" zuko explained. 

"Okay!" she replied. 

"So who's paying?" sokka asked once Ty lee had left. 

"Not me" Toph replied. 

"Right well someone's gotta do it" katara said. 

"Was that you volunteering?" Toph bickered. 

"Look I got it you guys" claimed suki, "to thank you for welcoming me into y'all's group this summer"

"No no I can't let you do that" aang protested. 

"Yes, yes you can" suki said taking the check and paying. 

"Have a good night!" Ty lee called on the gangs way out. 

"You sure you're alright sparky?" Toph asked zuko quietly walking out beside him. 

"What you suddenly concerned about me?" 

"Stop but yes" 

"I'm okay now, really. I told you I just got sick. Sokka was there it was all good"

"Uhmm of you say so. You sure you guys weren't just making out in there?" 

"No! No we weren't!" he laughed at Toph. 

"Okay okay! Whatever you say sparky" 

"Yes why don't you believe me?!" zuko half joked. 

"Cause idk you said you didn't feel well and then proceed to eat an entire stake"

"I said I didn't feel good!" zuko wasn't just gonna give Toph the real reason, "I can give you details if you want?"

"Eww no thanks" 

"That's what I thought."

"You can't deny you and him earlier today though" 

"I don't know what your talking about" zuko denied. 

"Sure okay, does the time I came into get towels while you guys were obviously about to bang make it more clear?"

"Shh!" zuko began, "we're not discussing that here or ever-"

"So he doesn't deny it?" Toph joked. Zuko only rolled his eyes in response. 

"You wanna check out the peer?" aang asked the group redirecting both their attention. 

"Sure good idea!" replied suki. 

                                                                         *****

The waves rolled onto the beach that night and the moon shone over the water casting a sliver glow on the breaking water. The stars sparkled brighter and they ever did on the man land. 

"I was gonna go watch the waves, you wanna come?" sokka asked zuko, the others distracted by a pod of seal crabs that were sleeping beside the peer. 

"Yeah sure," zuko smiled at the others taking his hand, it was too dark for anyone to notice anyways. 

They walked onto the beach feeling the sea breeze and snuggled up to one another as they sat watching the tide go in out. 

"Sure is pretty here" sokka commented. 

"Yeah I guess so" 

"You're so lucky you got to come here every summer as a kid, I mean for the place not all the shit that went down"

"Right yeah true my dad is a dick" zuko chuckled. 

Sokka laughed, "I can't deny that" 

"I'll miss the ocean back home though"

"I thought you said you didn't do 'water-based actives'?" 

"Well now I know that you'll be on the other side of that ocean somewhere"

Sokka smiled, "that was cheesy" he laughed. 

Zuko did too, "stopp I know" he cuddled closer to the other. 

They sat in silence for a few minutes watching the tide go in and out until sokka heard zuko shudder, "you cold?" he asked. 

"No no not really" zuko denied. 

"Here" sokka said giving zuko his hoodie. 

"Um thanks" zuko blushed in the moonlight. 

Sokka gulped, "look um there's something I've been meaning to give it you"

The fire nation boy turned to face the other, his attention had been caught. Sokka reached for the box in his pocket and explained, "so I um saw this when I went out shopping with Toph and I didn't know when to bring it up-Toph doesn't know of course-but you don't have to tell why or anything but I-I saw the marks on your wrist and just thought that this might help," he open the box revelling a red, orange, and gold woven bracelet, "you don't have to tell me how or who you got the cuts from but I figured that if what I think is going on is that when you are thinking of doing well um, just that you could look at the bracelet and maybe think of me first" 

Zuko was taken back, he was overwhelmed but not like he was earlier, in a good way like he'd never known to someone to care for him like sokka did. He had iroh but this was different this was. 

"I-I don't know what to say, thank you" he managed to get out holding his wrist for sokka to tie the bracelet around, covering his scars. The fire nation boy paused for minute before continuing, "sokka I-I think I love you"

"I mean duh I'm awesome" 

Zuko laughed, "I mean it"

"I know, I love you too" he replied leaning into zuko. The fire nation boy could see the gang only a few feet away walking over to meet them but he kissed the boy anyway. They didn't need to hide in a tent anymore.