Unexpected Love

Zuko-Part 5

I hurry away from Sokka and Suki. I don't know what I expected. After all they're together. But with all that stuff he said today about how he only liked her as a friend. None of it makes sense. I'm so confused and surely he must have been messing with me, using me. I reach up and notice my face is wet. I walk quickly passed the ground and the flickering of the campfire. 

"Hey Zuko. Want some seal jerky?" I hear Katara say, but she feels so far away. I keep walking. 

Then I hear Sokka yell my name and I stop. "Want some seal jerky Sokka?" calls Katara. Then I scramble away hoping Sokka will get roped in by the group. "Suki? Seal jerky?" I run up the stairs and see Suki hurry past the campfire after Sokka. 

"Wow. Tough crowd," says Aang. 

I need to loose him. I can't let him find me. I run down a hall, making a quick turn left, then right. Then I find myself in the giant Pai Sho table and I duck into the dark room. I hear Sokka's voice echoing down the halls. I lean against the cold concrete wall and let myself slide down onto the ground. I hug my knees to my chest and begin going through everything that happened. 

I wish Uncle were here. I miss him and his senseless wisdom. Though I guess it's not senseless if it's wisdom. I wish he could help me pick through all that happened today and help me decipher it all. What does it all mean? 

I lean my head onto my knees and drift off into sleep, exhausted by the emotional day.

When I awake I groan because despite what Aang says, the ground is not more comfortable than a bed. I stand up and wander by way back to my bedroom. 

When I walk in I see Sokka with his head in his hands, on my bed. Despite being hurt by him my heart melts when I see his veiny hands tugging as his long hair. I'm too numb at this point to want to deal with this so I turn on my heels and walk away. 

When I'm halfway down the hall I hear Sokka call my name, but this time his voice isn't worried it's desperate. I turn to look at him. His eyes are tired from crying and he has bags under his eyes. Even though I know I should be bad at him I can't feel anything.

 I walk back, passing by him and entering my room. I walk to the window and place my hands on the concrete. I lean into my hands and think about how Sokka had pressed me against the bison's saddle. Then I think about how he'd pressed Suki against the wall. I think of his hand on her chest, of her moaning and biting her lip. "Am I some kind of joke to you?" 

"Of course not." 

"Then why are you messing with me?" I have to calm myself so I don't raise my voice. "I understand she's your girlfriend and all so why say all those things to me, why do all those things to me?"

"I'm sorry you had to see all of that." He leans into me and I stiffen. "I doubt it changes anything but she kissed me first. And anyways the entire time I was kissing her it didn't feel right. I was thinking about you." I turn to face him. Looking into his eyes I search for the truth. 

"Is that true?"

"Yeah. I couldn't get you out of my mind. I was kinda pretending it was you..." He trails off. I don't say anything. I only lead him to my bed and have him lay down. I know he's tired and I know now isn't the right time to have this conversation. I lay down in front of him and wrap his arms around me. I snuggle into him and fall asleep comforted by his words.