The Jasmine Dragon - Zukka AU

Chapter 12

A/N: My plan is to act like I didn't completely forget about this fic 😊

"Yes Katara, I said I got it," Sokka sighed exaggeratedly. "It's like you don't trust me at all!"

Katara quirked up an eyebrow, which just made Sokka shove her playfully.

"No, I'm serious." he looked into her bright blue eyes. "Do you trust me?" 

Katara groaned in exasperation. "...Yes. Go now. Be free with Zuko or whatever. I'm going to have so much fun without you." 

Sokka beamed right back at her unimpressed expression and strode to Zuko, who was sitting outside his tent trying to melt his boots back together, to no avail. The water tribe boy looked down, clearing his throat. 

"Hey Zuko. Hurry up!" he called.

Zuko started, dropping his boot and setting fire the the entire thing. They both watched it shrivel and burn up on the ground into front of it before one of them has the sense to try and stamp the fire out. 

"Probably not the time, but I think I need new boots," Zuko said, his face pulled into a frown as if he couldn't believe that just happened.

"Actually, Zuko, perfect timing! We're going to the market-"

"We are?"

Sokka suddenly hesitated, his voice taking on an awkward tone. 

"I mean, Katara did ask me to go to pick up some groceries and I guess you could come if you want to..." his voice trailed off at the end, and he blushed from embarrassment. Clearing his throat, he continued. "What I mean is, yes." 

Zuko was flabbergasted. He'd never seen Sokka awkward about anything. Settling that thought for later, he nodded. "Okay." 

-

"...and then Gran-Gran threatened to skin us alive with her bare hands, so we had to come back!"

Oh. Well then. 

Zuko shuddered. He never wanted to get on...Gran-Gran's bad side- she sounded terrifying. The walk to the market had been anything but uneventful, with Sokka rambling about life at the South Pole, not a trace of the awkwardness left. Honestly, Zuko wasn't exactly sure if all of them were true, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"Hey look, we've reached," the water tribe boy said, pulling him out of his trance. 

There were rows and rows of stalls in front of them, people haggling, merchants with harassed expressions, children running around, and the crowds- it was almost too much for Zuko, but he looked back at Sokka, who had an excited glint in his eye and a wide smile. Sokka's eyes crinkled a bit when he was smiling- it made Zuko want to smile a bit, too.

That thought grounded him a bit.

"Zuko, want to meet here in about an hour?" he looked over with a giddy expression, and Zuko nodded.

They parted ways, so they could make sure to get back to the others as soon as possible. Nearing the end of his checklist,  he had only 5 copper pieces left. Well, what to do now? Wandering around the market, he caught a flash of blue in the corner of his eye. Sokka? 

Zuko swiftly turned around to be met with not Sokka, but a collection of Water Tribe weapons.  There were a variety, but the one that caught his eye most was a knife, curved yet jagged, with a blue wooden hilt. He looked at his money, then back at the knife again.

"Excuse me," Zuko called. The man running the stand turned over, the beads in his hair clinking. "How much would that cost?" he asked, pointing to the knife.

The man looked him up and down. "Two-" He hesitated as his eyes landed on Zuko's scar.

"What're you looking at?" he snapped.

A flicker of emotion went through the man's face, almost pitying. "..Nothing." The man placed the knife on the table. "You can take it. I was going to get rid of it anyways- brings up bad memories." 

Zuko could tell he was lying, but decided not to test his luck. He grabbed the knife, and gave a slight bow before almost running away. 

-

Sokka was almost immediately distracted. This was like a fever dream to him- the variety of people, shops, and vendors filled him with a strange sense of nostalgia. He felt like he didn't have to try anymore- he could just disappear amidst these people. Alas- he couldn't stare in wonder long enough, for the list in his hands was still screaming his name. 

One by one, the items decreased, and his bags increase, leaving Sokka looking at the leftover money hungrily, ready to indulge in the luscious, delectable, soft, juicy meat surrounding him. Aang would hate this place. 

Then something caught his eye- a stall, full of little trinkets and sculptures. Right in the middle was a small wooden sculpture of a turtleduck, its innocent eyes wide open. 

Heh, let me get this for Zuko as a joke, he thought grappling at the money in his hand.

The merchant shoved it in his hand roughly and half-heartedly bid him a good day, and Sokka walked in pursuit of Zuko.

-

"Oh..hey, Sokka..." Zuko said, face flushed for some reason. "Ready to head back?" 

Sokka looked at him quizzically. "Hey, what's up with your face? Are you okay? D'ya have allergies or something? I never knew that. Anyways, look what I got! I thi-"

He was cut short as Zuko shoved the shoved the dagger in Sokka's palms, staring straight down towards the floor. 

"For you. I mean, I got it, like as a gift for you...I mean, it's okay if you don't want it though! I mean...here you go..."

Sokka stared at the knife with wide eyes, gingerly picking it up and tracing his fingers through the fine grooves of the hilt. His mouth opened slightly, and he looked down at the other.

"For me?" Sokka asked, taken aback. "Zuko...woah, this is amazing...water tribe quality...where did you get this from?" 

Zuko straightened up, no less red than before. "I- Someone was selling it in one of the stalls back in the market- It's okay if you don't like it though! I can always return it-" 

Sokka wrapped him in a hug, tears welling out of his eyes. 

"Zuko, you have no idea how much this means to me...thank you so much." 

Zuko stiffened up in shock before reciprocating the hug. 

Sokka looked into the bag and drew out the wooden turtleduck and handed it to Zuko. 

"For what it's worth, I got something too. It's not nearly as good, but I'll...definitely pay you back someday!" 

Zuko stared at the turtleduck, and somehow his face turned even redder. His entire body seemed to tremble as he stared at Sokka. 

"Thank you."

---

It was late in the evening by the time they got back to the camp. Katara was practicing waterbending with Aang, and Toph was...picking an unknown substance out of her toenails. It pained Sokka to even think about what was going on there.

Suddenly, a thought struck him.

"Shit!" 

Zuko started, looking at Sokka.

 "What?" he asked, "What happened?"

The water tribe boy sighed.

"We forgot to buy your shoes. How did I even manage to do that?!"

Toph looked over and wiggled her toes at him. Not. Helping.

"It's probably fine."