Distractions (Sokka x Zuko) [COMPLETED]

Chapter Nineteen

    Zuko looked at Sokka for a moment before turning to Aang and Katara. He'd just pleaded his case and glancing at Katara and Aang, it was not working.

    As Katara (predictably) begun yelling at him, Sokka anxiously watched the exchange. Should he be doing something? Cutting in and defending him? But he wasn't even sure that Zuko was actually on their side. Sure he was doing what he said he would, but it could be for the wrong reasons. Who knows, maybe he wanted Sokka to do that so everyone would let their guard down and then he could capture Aang... But then why did he come alone.

    "I've done some good things!" Zuko protested. "Like in Ba Sing Se when I found your bison, I set him free! That's something!"

    Appa roared, going up to Zuko and licking him. Zuko wiped the thick coat of slobber out of his eyes and Sokka had to try really hard not to burst out laughing. 

    "Appa does seem to like him." Toph spoke up, shrugging.

    "So what? That doesn't make up for the time when he captured Aang or used my mother's necklace to track us!" Katara urged.

    "I know I've done some terrible things," Zuko started. "I shouldn't have done them, and I shouldn't have sent that fire nation assassin after you. I'm go-"

    "Wait you sent combustion man after us?!" Sokka exclaimed.

    Zuko looked at him, shocked to be hearing the tone he was using. 

    "Well... That's not his name but-" Zuko started, awkwardly trying to get out of it.

    "Oh sorry, didn't mean to insult your friend." Sokka crossed his arms, frowning.

    "He's not my friend!" Zuko shouted back.

    Sokka just stared at him. Unsure of what to think. It was before they had gotten to know one another obviously as Sokka had interacted with Combustion man before he enlisted in the military and moved to the capital. But it wasn't something he could ever picture Zuko doing. 

    Perhaps he was just looking at him through rose-tinted glasses now. Logically, Zuko could have, would have and did do that. He just didn't want to believe it...

    "Why aren't you saying anything?" Zuko turned to Aang, his tone somber. "You once asked if we could be friends..."

    Aang softened slightly at that, lowering his staff just a little bit.

    "You know I have good in me." 

    Looking at Katara who kept her eyes on Zuko and then to Sokka, Aang just had the most confused expression. Sokka guessed that his own wasn't very reassuring though since Aang turned back to Zuko sternly.

    "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done." He stated, his expression hard.

    "Why can't you see I'm not that person anymore?" Zuko stepped forwards.

    "Back it up." Toph stood straight, hands on her hips.

    Zuko, defeated, kneeled.

    "If you won't accept me as a friend then maybe you will as a prisoner." He held up his hands.

    What are you doing? Sokka looked between him and the others. 

    Katara bent her water out and splashed him off balance.

    "No we won't." She declared.

    "Leave." Aang demanded, frowning down at the Prince.

    And so he did.

_

    Clearly Sokka hadn't said anything to the others. Zuko figured that much as soon as they saw him. He was glad to see Sokka, but the feeling didn't quite seem mutual since Sokka's expression had twisted into one of shock and confusion at his presence. And then he'd gotten mad at him... Sure it made sense as to why. But why?

    Zuko grumbled under his tent, mulling over what he did wrong and what he should have done instead. There probably wasn't anything he could have done. 

    What was he supposed to do? 

    Rustling in the bushes beyond his camp broke his train of thought and he sat up. Looking into the darkness towards the noise, he rubbed his eyes to try and focus.

    "Who's there?" He called out, looking through the shadows of the leaves for the source of the rustling.

    It was right on the edge of his camp, whatever it was. So he sprung to action.

    "Stay back!" He bent a few fireballs in that direction

    "It's me!" Toph called back, standing up but then stumbling back onto a blast. "Ow!"

    She fell back and Zuko quickly realized what he'd done.

    "You burned my feet!" She yelled before crawling away.

    "I'm sorry!" He made his way over, dodging a few hunks of rocks she threw back at him. "Let me help you! I'm sorry!"

    "Get away from me!" She threw more rocks, finally hitting him. "Get away!"

    Crashing to the ground, Zuko staggered to sit up.

    "I didn't know it was you!" He called after her. "Come back!"

    But she was gone. 

_

    The next morning Aang and Katara were concerned about Toph's whereabouts. Sokka was more focused on eating though, he figured she was fine wherever she was. But then there was a loud crash and the sound of falling rocks.

    "What was that?" Katara made her way over to the source. Sokka and Aang close behind.

    Around the corner, Toph crawled out of a tunnel, slipping and falling on her side once she'd cleared the pass.

    "Toph!" Katara noticed her feet which were a bright red. "What happened!"

    "My feet got burned." She responded, not moving from her awkward position on the floor.

    "Oh no! What happened?" Katara bent out some water to wrap around the earthbender's feet and it quickly began to glow.

    "I just told you. My feet got burned." 

    "I meant how." Katara huffed.

    "Well... I kind of went to see Zuko last night..." She started.

    "You what?" Aang gasped.

    "Huh?" Was all Sokka could manage to say.

    "He did this?" Katara scowled.

    "Well... He did, and he didn't..." Toph shrugged. "It was sort of an accident..."

    "But he did firebend at you." Aang confirmed.

    "Yes..." She huffed back.

    "There, that's all I can do for now. I wish I got to work on them sooner." Katara bent her water back into her bag.

    "Me too..." 

    "Zuko's too dangerous to be left to his own devices," Aang stated, helping Sokka pick Toph up. "We'll need to go after him."

    "Well he already offered to be our prisoner, we could just do that?" Sokka suggested. Then it would be easier to talk to him...

    "We'll figure something out." Katara sighed, following the three of them out to the fountain.

    Dipping Toph's feet in the cool water, the earthbender sighed a breath of relief.

    "Oh yeah, that's the stuff," She smiled. "Now I know how you guys feel. Not being able to see with your feet stinks."

    Before anyone could respond to the comment, a familiar crackling sound was heard and one of the pillars around the fountain exploded. Sokka immediately scooped up Toph, looking for the source.

    Combustion Man.