First (Zuko x Sokka)

Chapter 9

TW: Alluded to suicide

Zuko's and Sokka's relationship only continued to flourish for the next month. Whenever they had spare time they spent it with each other. Every time Zuko looked into Sokka's smiling face he felt like he was falling in love with him all over again.

Zuko realized he loved Sokka when he took him on a surprise date to a park for a picnic. Zuko sat against a tree while Sokka laid his head in Zuko's lap as he stroked his hair. The leaves were just starting to change colors and they sat in silence admiring the view. Zuko realized two things in that moment. He had never felt this way about anyone else before and there is no place in the world he would rather be than with Sokka. Now he just needed to figure out how to tell him. 

Zuko thought about all of this as he leaned his head against Sokka's shoulder. They were sharing a pair of earbuds and watching the horror movie Ko the Face Stealer on Sokka's phone during a long car trip. Sometimes Sokka's family rented a lake cabin and they had a long weekend because of Avatar Day. Sokka had invited Zuko along and he was excited to spend time with his boyfriend.

Zuko raised an eyebrow when Hakoda put him and Sokka in the same room with one bed. Sokka leaned over and whispered in his ear. "He said it was gonna happen either way so he was just making sure he was out of earshot." Zuko thought his cheeks might actually burst into flames. Sokka just laughed at the aghast expression on his face. 

They had a lot of fun swimming and canoeing on the lake. They lay out in the hammock gazing up at the stars and roasting marshmallows around a small bonfire. Zuko and Sokka stayed up late talking in bed. Sokka revealed that his mother died in a car crash. Zuko explained how his uncle went from conservative to the most supportive person in his family. Uncle Iroh reexamined his belief after his son Lu Ten died and it was written in his note that he couldn't dishonor the family by being gay.

He tried to find the right time to tell Sokka he loved him but he always stopped himself. What if Sokka doesn't feel that way. What if he thinks I'm moving too quickly or being possessive?

Zuko tried not to show it but he was worried that something might be going on with Sokka. Once or twice he would zone out, gazing at Zuko's face. Other times he would find Sokka with the little wrinkle between his eyes he always got whenever he was solving a problem in his head. Everytime he asked about it, Sokka said it was nothing, but that didn't stop Zuko's anxiety ridden brain from worrying.

On their final night in the cabin Sokka and Zuko were holding each other in bed. They lay on their sides facing each other. "Zuko?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you- are you- um. Are you happy with our relationship?" Sokka's tone sounded nervous.

Zuko's heart sank like a rock. Is he not happy with our relationship? Did I do something wrong? "Um. Yeah you make me really, really happy. Are you not happy with it?"

"No! Of course not. I just wanted to let you know that, um, you're really special to me and you have pretty eyes and it's hard to be sarcastic around you cuz you distract me and I really, really like you." Sokka awkwardly rambled and Zuko was thoroughly confused. Sokka saying these kind things made him think Sokka was winding up to end their relationship but he just said he was happy.

"You're really special to me too." The inflections on Zuko's voice made his statement sound more like a question wondering what in the name of the spirits Sokka was trying to say.