Little Soldier Boy

Nightmares

Sokka laid awake on first watch while he was chewing on fire jerky bored, he hated when it was his turn to take watch, Zuko always took watch at night. It was so boring.

Until there was a gasping cry from the side, sitting up and heard Zuko mumbling in his sleep. He picked up a few words and knew it was a nightmare.

Zukos eyes snapped open with a sharp gasp, sweat ran down his face as he stared at the night sky, catching his breath and covered his face. Taking another deep breath before pushing himself up.

"Rough night?" Sokka raised a brow and Zuko yelled surprised.

"Oh your still awake? I can take the rest of the night if you need," Zuko gulped.

"You miss your parents that much?" Sokka pursed his lips. "Don't worry I miss mine too, mom and dad,"

Zuko glared and shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about it, just nightmares it wasn't real," he stood up to take a walk, but noticed Sokka stood too.

"Zuko I know how hard it is to be put in the war and torn from people you love, you know our mom is dead like yours and it's not easy with both parents dead-" "they're not dead," Zuko cut him off with his head down.

"But you said you don't have family," Sokka remembered from the beginning.

"I.. don't have much... I said my mom's not around," zuko crossed his arms as he started to walk towards the cliff by the shore. In a few days the southern water tribe would be docking here to fight the ambush of the fire nation.

"She's not dead?" Sokka looked surprised.

"I don't know, she was banished, forced to go away forever, I'd like to think she found her peace somewhere far away, I hope she might even be waiting for me," Zuko sighed with a soft look on his face.

"I truly don't know," he felt the ocean breeze against them as they watched the water crash below.

"Is that what your nightmare was about?" Sokka perked up.

"No," Zuko touched his scar.

"Oh,"

They were silent for a while, they never really got to talk one on one like this, they were less than a year apart in age and had only so much in common.

"You going to be okay with the invasion?" Sokka asked sitting finally since neither of them could sleep.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Zuko sat with him.

"Stuff you mentioned in the past, or if you have a plan for the future," he shrugged.

"I'm going to find my uncle once the fire lord is killed, but I can't really go back I think, my uncle will help me but with the war being so fresh there's still a chance that I'll be killed for betraying the nation," the pale boy pursed his lips. It's been about a week since he heard last from his uncle but with the invasion it was probably for the best.
But as the first born prince, the nation could put him to death for treason.

"What do you think is going to happen? When this is all over?" He asked quietly.

"I uh I don't know, I guess I never really thought it would be over, I assume I'd stay with my dad and help him now that I'm older, Katara probably will go back home to help the tribe," sokka shrugged unsure.

"Send her back? I can't believe Katara would want too," zuko felt a little surprised. Yet disappointed.

"I'm just guessing, I don't know what she would actually do," he didn't seem worried about his sisters future, he knew nothing bad could happen to her, he felt safe thinking that.

"She's strong, you know that, I don't think she'll just go back to your tribe so easily, not when there's still a lot to do after the war, there still won't be balance,"

Sokka thought about it and Zuko was right, the fire nation won't have a leader unless that older brother of his takes over, unless he's just as evil as Ozai and his two children. Or would the entire royal family be killed to stop the blood line..? Who would be in power next? Azula is just as cruel as her own father and if the prince has been in the palace along his father's side who knows how he is.

"We'll worry about that when the time comes, the other nations will help bring harmony, especially now that we have the northern tribe," sokka rubbed his face feeling a headache from all the stress.

"Yea, don't think about it till after," Zuko sighed.

The two jumped surprised hearing Aang scream awake, the older boys immediately sprinted back as everyone was awake now due to aangs scream.

"What happened?!" Sokka asked frantically.

"It's okay, it was just a dream, I still have my pants," Aang sighed relieved.

Toph and Katara looked annoyed and rolled back over to go to sleep.

"Why are you two awake?" Aang looked over at the two older boys.

"We're keeping watch," Sokka tilted his head to the side.

"But since there's three of us awake would you mind if I go to sleep?" He yawned walking over to his bed.

"Go for it," Zuko gave him the thumbs up.

"I'm going to get started on my training anyways," Aang took off his head and and shoes.

"It's still night?" Zuko frowned leaning against the tree.

"It's better to train at night, your brain will take it all in better cause your suppose to be sleeping," Aang bounced a little as there was clear anxiety in his face.

"No," he disagreed.

"I don't know how it is for airbenders but it doesn't matter when you train, just go rest," the fire bender blocked Aang from going to train.

"But-" "no buts, we have four days till the invasion you have to rest," he told him sternly.

"Zuko I can't sleep," Aang whined.

Zuko rolled his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Do what you want, I'm going for a walk," Zuko waved him off and went on his own.