[Rewriting) Keeping the fire close [Zuko × Sokka]

Tea Time

Sokka nodded and hesitantly stepped into the room, closing the door behind him since he thought that's what the two fire nation men wanted. He stalked over to the table and sat down, crossing one leg over the other, just like Zuko and Iroh had.

"So, tell us young man," Iroh smiled at Sokka while setting the tea kettle down between him and Zuko. "Where are you from?" The old man picked up his cup and sipped from it gently before pulling it to his chest, holding one hand under it for stability.
"I'm from the southern water tribe" the fifteen year old looked towards the prince, still holding a strong grudge against him for kidnapping all of the young men and boys from his home. Iroh nodded gently while closing his eyes, as if to relax more than he constantly was "I see, I see," he opened his eyes and looked across the table to his nephew "and how old are you?" Zuko responded to this look by looking away and sipping his tea, more of angrily slurping it while still trying to be quiet, but he did want to show displeasure with his uncle.

"I'm fifteen" Sokka looked to the table, seeing that there was a tea cup filled for him, he wasn't sure what to do with it, he wasn't that thirsty at the moment, and he didn't want to seem rude by not touching it at all. He hesitantly gripped the cup softly and brought it to his mouth, taking a small sip, smaller than what a baby could hold into their mouth, after swallowing he warm liquid he set the half brown and green cup down onto the table, leaving his hand there to linger for a moment.

"I'm telling you uncle, it's useless to make small talk as if he's an equal!" Zuko slammed his slowly cumbusting fist onto the table, "There is no need to be so angry with the world Nephew, he is your prisoner, with no bending" Iroh closed his eyes calmly like be normally did while conversating with anyone, "so there is no threat of him being here with us in this moment" the old man shrugged and gave a victorious smile while reaching for his cup. This only earned an even more displeased response "I don't care if he can't bend! My soldiers saw him with the Avatar, he was making plots with the Avatar agaisnt us Uncle!"

Sokka knew he should bite his tongue, but he couldn't stand this anymore "Aang, Katara and I were just penguin sledding" he looked between the two, afraid that he would end up getting more lashings and scars. He had gotten used to the abuse after three months, but it still hurt like a mother fucker.

Zuko turned his head slowly and glared at Sokka, angry that this prisoner had spoke without being addressed first. "What did you say?" Sokka leaned back a little bit, ready to get up and bolt out of the room into his own if he needed to. "I...said we were penguin sledding, you know..when you run and grab a penguin and sled on it?" Iroh looked over to the water tribe man, and chuckled a little, "Now, doesn't that sound like fun Prince Zuko?" His face relaxed, obviously shifting his attention from his nephew to this stranger. "Tell me more about what you and the Avatar did" unlike his nephew, the old man had no intention on harming or kidnapping the Avatar, "..ok"

Sokka calmed down a little bit and rested his arms on the table, starting to relax in the comfort in this old man "Aang you see, he's just a little guy and likes to play with the kids whenever I try to train them so we can join our parents in the wars," Iroh got interested in the conversation and turned his body towards Sokka, completely ignoring his nephew who's firsts where starting to smoke.

After a couple of hours Iroh stood up whole grunting a little like the old man he is, picking up the tea cups and kettle "Well, I shall be off to bed" he smiled down at the two teenagers who had started to make small talk. They both looked up to Iroh and nodded "Good night uncle" "good night Iroh" the old man smiled and hobbled to the bedroom door, glancing back at the two boys who were talking about fighting, which evade tactics were the best, what was the best way to make someone think you were going to make a certain move, but then you turn around and do the opposite.

Eventually the conversation shifted from fighting to random things, like their childhood, friends, family, lovers, habits, likes and dislikes.