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

Hair cuts

After grabbing an extra pair of pants for Sokka, and a shirt that he could use to dry off, the young prince turned around so his friend could change in privacy. Though he did wonder how the younger of the two's branding was doing, and how his back healed up. He tapped his barefoot agaisnt the ground, making soft patting sounds when they made contact. "you almost done?"

"Calm down, I've been done, I'm just picking" Sokka rolled his eyes and chuckled a little, walking over to the bed while looking at and picking at the scabs on his branding, his legs spazzing out a little whenever he successfully pealed off a deep embedded dry blood patch that stopped him from bleeding.

"Don't do that dumbass" Zuko chuckled and took his arms that were crossed over his chest and let them dangle as well and sway while he walked towards the bed, sitting down next to his friend, gently slapping his hand that was peeling off his scab "stop, it's only going to get worse"

Sokka whimpered playfully, displaying wide puply eyes while puffing up his cheeks and pushing out his bottom lip "but it's itchy" the banished prince shook his head "I don't care, stop it" he smiled a little, making Sokka break his upset character, causing him to laugh "jeez, this storm is bad" they both sighed and nodded "...yeah..." Zuko stood back up and went to his nightstand, picking up his hand held mirror "do me a favor and help me shave my head? I'll help you with yours"

It was true, Sokka's hair had grown out to about his shoulders, the parts that were shaved down when he had first boarded the ship was at his jaw, he thought about it for a moment, tilting his head from side to side with a bobbing like motion. "Yeah, I could use the shave, come here" the 15, almost 16 year old, patting his lap while spreading his legs, wanting Zuko to sit on the floor so he could work stably, sitting a little higher to reach and see all of Zuko's head that he needed to fix for him.

Zuko understood Sokka's motion, but it puzzle him for a moment, normally whenever he saw people doing that, it was grown men and women wanting their children to sit in their laps so the young ones didn't get into trouble. He walked over to Sokka and sat down on the floor, crossing his legs and tucking them under himself. "The blade should be on the edge of the bed, try not to cut me"

"I'm going to murder you" Sokka smirked and joked, putting Zuko in a choke hold, pretending that he was actually going to hurt his new and only friend on the ship. "I'll be careful" he changed his attitude and smiled, patting the pale teen's head while leaning back on the bed, grabbing the blade from the corner then sat up, making sure he didn't whack the prince with his legs "alright, so how do I do this? Do I grip it all with one hand?"

"Yeah, just hold it all, do it like you would do yours" "but I never did my own Zuk, I had my sister or gramgram help me with the back" this saddened them both, it saddened the prince because he ripped his only friend away from his people and his family, and it saddened the water tribe warrior because he missed everyone back in his village, his gramgram, his dad, his sister, Aang...even though he hated doing this, he put those thoughts aside and scooped up Zuko's pony tail of hair and held it tightly, pulling it upwards to work on the back of the Prince's head.

The golden eyed boy closed his eyes and breathed out deeply whenever his hair was pulled, balling up his fists that were resting on his legs, his breath quickening while he swallowed nervously. This was one of the very first moments of silence between the two, Sokka continued to pull and tug on Zuko's hair whenever he needed to change the area he was working on, he nicked the other once in the back of the head, but took the cuff of his pants leg to soak up the small dollup of blood that was threatening to fall down. If it didn't fall, then the black haired teen wouldn't know what happened.