Distractions (Sokka x Zuko) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Seven

    Grumbling, Zuko made his way back to his room. He'd attended back to back war meetings for the last two days and nothing made him more exhausted. That room alone made him feel drained let alone the ambassadors stares and his Father being in such close proximity to him.

    All he wanted to do was spar but it was too late. And his mind had gone awry without the distraction. It had started to fight with itself again and he had the strong urge to see his Uncle. He'd made the right choice coming back with Azula. He was in the right.

    He'd prove it. 

    Draped in his cloak, he walked to the prison. A building he'd approached once before but turned away before entering. The night air was humid and warm, he felt his cloak begin to stick to his skin but paid it no mind as he pushed the front doors open.

    "It's you again..." The guard ahead of him murmured, pointing his spear.

    Zuko grabbed the spear and had ripped it from his hands and broke it over his knee before the guard could even blink. Then he'd pushed him against the prison wall and looked up, allowing his face to be seen.

    "P-Prince Zuko!?" 

    "I'm going in for a visit, and no one is going to know about this." He dropped the guard on the floor and then turned into his Uncle's cell.

    Iroh sat in the center of his cell, turned away. Zuko took down his hood and approached the cell.

    "Uncle, it's me." He spoke softly.

_

    Things were just worse. Zuko flopped on his bed and stared at the ceiling, starting to accumulate a headache with the thoughts that were going through his mind. I'm not wrong! I'm in the right! We could have been together here. Free together. It's Uncle's fault. He didn't join us. He fought against us. He made the wrong choice.

    I'm not wrong.

    I'm not wrong.

    I'm not wrong.

    He didn't go to spar the next day. There weren't any meetings but he didn't want to go. He was too angry. If he sparred then there was a chance he might go too hard and hurt Sokka. That was the last thing he wanted to do.

    So instead he spent the day with Mai. Neither of them were too enthusiastic to do much. So they opted for a picnic at sunset. She looked out at the sea, leaning against the rocks behind them. He did the same, a distance between them.

    "Orange is such an awful colour." Mai drawled, sinking into herself.

    Zuko smiled a little, his eyes stayed on the scenery. 

    "Yeah." 

    They sat in silence for a moment before Azula walked up to them. 

    "I need to talk to you Zuko." She stated plainly, crossing her arms.

    "I'm busy." He sighed, avoiding looking in her direction.

    "It's urgent." She insisted, unmoving.

    "Fine."

    "Oh, Mai, Ty Lee needs help untangling her braids." 

    "Sounds pretty serious." Mai stood up, a little smile on her face.

    After she left, Zuko and Azula met eyes.

    "I heard you went to visit Uncle last night." She examined her nails.

    "That guard told you?" Zuko huffed, moving to stand.

    "No, you did. Just now." She smirked at him.

    "What do you want?" He settled back down.

    "Nothing actually," She replied, her expression turning soft. "Believe it or not, I'm actually looking out for you. If people find out you've been to see Uncle they'll think you're plotting with him."

    Zuko just looked at her, the potential threat of that not really fazing him.

    "Be careful dumb-dumb." She sighed before leaving.

    He returned his gaze to the sun that was almost gone beyond the horizon now. Feeling a lot more relaxed now that he was alone, he mulled over what Azula had said for a bit until the sky turned purple and then black. The stars speckling the inky black, swirling around the full moon.

    "Nope. Nope. Nope." He heard someone mutter from where Azula had come from.

    The voice sounded somewhat familiar so he leaned forwards and looked over. Sokka walked up the cliff and scratched the back of his neck. He hadn't noticed Zuko, just kept walking over to where the Prince was. When he did see Zuko, he jolted before settling again.

    "What are you doing here?" He asked lightly.

    "What no hello?" Zuko raised his eyebrow.

    "Good evening your highness," Sokka bowed, a little grin on his face. "Sorry for interrupting your stargazing."

    "It's fine," Zuko smiled back a bit. "You can join me if you'd like."

    "Alright," Sokka shrugged, making his way over and plopping down where Mai had been before. "What constellations can you see from here?"

     A little taken back by the question, Zuko looked up at the sky. 

    "Uh... well there's the Fire Hen, you can see her beak and open wings," He pointed to a bright star and then traced along a few, Sokka squinting to follow along. "And over there is the seventh Firelord's Dragon, named Kryuu..."

    He pointed out the other constellations he knew, Sokka following along and listening to the little stories that came along with them. But eventually he just looked at Zuko who's eyes had sparkled in light of the moon with each fact and story he told. Eventually he stopped and looked over at Sokka, his expression soft. He didn't seem to mind the fact that Sokka had been staring for a bit.

    "So what were you doing out here?" He asked after a moment.

    "I was just taking a walk." Sokka shrugged, looking up at the moon. 

    Nodding, Zuko also looked at the moon. Enjoying the comfortable silence between them. A while later he looked over to see that Sokka had started doodling with a stick in the dirt. He watched him for a bit, trying to make out what he was drawing but couldn't really tell. A triangle with two lines and a spikey mass on top of it's head. What that could be he had no idea. Deciding not to ask, he returned his gaze to the night sky.

    "Oh look!" he leaned forwards, catching Sokka's attention. "A shooting star!"

    "Aw I didn't see it," Sokka grumbled, putting his stick down and searching the sky. He looked over after a moment, locking gazes with Zuko. "What did you wish for?"

    "Oh... I didn't..." Zuko looked back out at the sky.

    "Well you'd better make up your mind or else it won't come true." Sokka smiled, leaning back against the rocks and folding his hands behind his head.

    Glancing at the carefree guard one more time, Zuko pursed his lips and then looked away.

    A wish, huh....