Distractions (Sokka x Zuko) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twelve

    "Zuko!" Sokka beamed, shooting to his feet when the Prince walked through the door. But then he paused and bowed a little. "Sorry- your highness- I mean..."

    "You can call me Zuko," He chuckled. "It's nice to see you."

    "Oh my gosh I was so bored without you!" Sokka stood up straight and groaned at the ceiling. "I missed you way too much."

    "What does that mean?" Zuko asked, trying to hide his smile and the red that had just graced his cheeks at the words.

    Why was his heart beating so fast?

    "What? It means exactly what it sounds?" Sokka cocked his head to the side. "I missed you so much that I wanted to swim through the ocean to get to you so we could hang out."

    "That's not what it sounded like," Zuko raised his eyebrow, amused. "At all."

    "Well it's how it felt," Sokka shrugged. "It sucked here without you."

    They paused for a minute, smiling at one another before Sokka's eyebrows shot up and his mouth fell open in a big grin.

    "Oh yeah! I have to show you something!" He ran out the door.

    "Huh?" Zuko turned around just to see the tiniest sliver of Sokka's silhouette leave the doorway. "Wait!"

    He popped out after him and raced down the hall. Sokka was giggling the whole way which made Zuko laugh a little as well. It kind of felt like they were playing tag. Sokka turned into a room ahead and Zuko slid to a stop a few seconds later. Within the room, Sokka dug through a bag and then tossed it aside when he didn't find what he was looking for. Then he moved to the nightstand and sorted through a little pile on top.

    "What are you looking for?" Zuko asked, stepping inside and looking around.

    "AH!" Sokka spun around, obviously he hadn't been aware of the Prince running after him earlier. "Oh! I'm just," He turned back around robotically and continued sorting. "It's a surprise."

    "Alright..." Zuko smiled softly, glancing at the dishevelled room and the several articles of clothing and unintelligible lumps of fabric strewn about the floor.

    The room smelled nice. It wasn't a super clear scent but it was a nice one. Silently, Zuko wondered where it was coming from as he'd never experienced it in the palace before. Or anywhere for that matter.

    "Found it!" Sokka brought his attention back and he noted the piece of paper in his hand.

    He walked over, hiding the paper behind his back with a silly grin on his face.

    "I made it while you were away." 

    "What is it?" Zuko looked down at where Sokka's hands were obscured, his curiosity growing with each passing second.

    "Ta-da!" Sokka held out the paper.

    What is that? Zuko kept his expression neutral but pleasant as he looked at the image on the paper. But the longer he looked, the more confused he got.

    "It's you!" Sokka finally said, oblivious to Zuko's confusion.

    "It's really good!" Zuko smiled at him. "I love it."

    Sokka's face flushed red and he pursed his lips. Unsure of what to say he just held out the paper further until Zuko took it.

    "You really did miss me that much?" He mused, looking at the picture.

    He still didn't really see how it looked anything like him.

    "Yeah I did." Sokka looked away, his face getting hotter.

    "I missed you too." Zuko looked up from the drawing, smiling.

_

    "I feel like I didn't get any better." Sokka huffed from his perch called the flat floor of the training room.

    "I don't think you did either." Zuko shook his head, stifling a smile.

    "Hey!" Sokka tried to act offended but his mouth curved up at the edges. "What happened to your positive reinforcement you jerk!"

    "That didn't seem like it was working." Zuko shrugged, holding a hand out to help Sokka up.

    He let the smile grace his lips. They took their stances. Giving Sokka a quick nod to indicate he was ready, Zuko held his sword in defense. Then suddenly he was being struck and Sokka's parries got way better. What? What was happening??

    Then the most unfamiliar sensation occurred... Zuko's ass on the floor?

    "What?" he murmured to himself, eyes wide in bewilderment.

    Sokka held out a hand to help the Prince up but Zuko just looked at him.

    "Since when did you...?" He raised his brow.

    "Since you gave up the positive reinforcement." Sokka grinned, holding his hand in place.

    Chuckling a bit at that, Zuko took the offer and let Sokka help him up. But his footing was off and he stumbled a bit. Resulting in Zuko being pulled up a bit too close and now his hands were on Sokka's chest and Sokka's hands were on his arms and they were staring wide eyed at one another.

    "Sorry!" Sokka helped Zuko balance himself out and then stepped away.

    "That's okay," Zuko waved it off, confused. Why did he feel... disappointed? "Do you want to go one more time or?"

    "Yeah, let's go again." Sokka's worried expression melted right off and up sprouted a cocky one.

    "Oh look at who's all full of himself now." Zuko grinned, taking his stance.

    Sokka didn't say anything to that, he just took his stance. This time was more alike the others in that Zuko ended up being the victor.

    "I beat you this time." He grinned, pointing his sword at the other boy.

    "Pfft- yeah like that's anything new." Sokka rolled his eyes, nudging the sword away.

    "You are getting better though," Zuko held out his hand to help Sokka up. "You've finally managed to beat me."

    "Yeah, once..." Sokka smiled, taking the Prince's hand. "You know I feel like sometimes you hold out on me."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Like you're holding out on some super cool sword techniques that I could use to actually get the advantage on you so that I always lose." 

    "That's ridiculous." Zuko shook his head, smiling.

    "Is it?" Sokka put his hands on his hips, trying to use an accusatory tone. It fell through though as the smile on his face negated it.

    He began talking about something else, but Zuko got distracted by the opening in his outfit. His tunic was loose and a part of it had folded in on itself. Without thinking twice, Zuko reached over and straightened it out, his hands brushing against Sokka's exposed chest. 

    Warm...

    Looking up, Zuko traced his eyes up Sokka's neck to look at his mouth. His lips were moving in a familiar way and then Zuko snapped out of it. Taking his hands off and stepping away, he felt his senses return to him and noticed Sokka's wide eyed confusion. 

    "What's...?" Sokka trailed off, his eyes dipping down but then shooting up again.

    What did he just look at? Zuko clenched his fists tightly, trying to distract him from the plethora of thoughts that were racing through his mind. It was so distracting but it somehow felt empty at the same time. His heartbeat pounded in his ears.

    "I'm..." He uttered, looking Sokka once over again. "Sorry."

    And before Sokka could have said anything, Zuko was gone.