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

Tea Time 2

"How long have you been up uncle?" Sokka picked up the small half black and half green cup, one hand under it while the other held it, "a couple hours, and you young man?" Iroh took a sip from his cup before picking up two tiles that had the fire nation symbol on them, "I just woke up, I had a bad dream"

"Ah, I see. Bad dreams are nothing but anxieties that we have yet to address," the old man closed his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest while tucking his hands into his sleeves. Sokka nodded in understanding, looking at the table sadly while he took a sip of his tea. He was afraid, afraid that he would have to forever leave his sister and Avatar to be with Zuko, but his mind was stuck im-between, not sure which one he should choose, which one would make him happier. He knew there was no way Katara would want Zuko in her life, seeing as his people did kill their mother, and all of the airbenders, the monks and...Gyasto... There was no way in this life, or the next thousand life times the Avatar would have that he would forgive Zuko and his nation for what they did...

"Uncle..I'm not going to lie to you. If you were interested in someone from a nation who had terrorized your tribe for one hundred years, they took you away as a prisoner, after almost a year on the ship you started to like them, and wanted to be with them." Sokka set his cup on the table, looking Iroh dead in the eyes, pure fear and worry in his eyes that were tearing up. "And your sister and best friend both had people that they loved dearly killed by the nation your lover is from, and you had to choose..what would you pick?"

Iroh smirked a little, chuckling while opening his eyes to see Sokka's that were almost leaking, "young man, that is for you to decide. You don't need to choose just one" he unfolded his arms and grabbed his cup, picking up like the teenager "You just simply have to come up with a compromise, I'm sure Prince Zuko wouldn't mind trying to get along with your sister and the avatar, if he truly loves you" he took a small sip, leaving Sokka pondering, looking down at the table.

"Uncle...what if it doesn't work out? What if I do have to choose? What if I can't choose?" He put his hands on the table, starting to become alarmed "What if they don't want me anymore? What if my Katara and Aang hate my guts!? What if Zuko hates me!?" He started to cry, bringing his hands up from the table to hold his head. This made the old man frown and sigh "this is something you'd have to bring up with the prince himself, I do wish you luck" he grunted softly as he stood up, wobbling a little before finding his balance "Do not let this get in the way of your relationship with my nephew, I can tell that he is much happier with you around, even whenever it's just him and me, he's so much more chipper, calmer, listening to my instructions while I teach him bending." He smiled down at the teenager "and for that, I thank you greatly, once we arrive at Ba Sing Se, we can talk more about the future, but for now, all we can do it wait"

Sokka looked up from tears that were pooling in his hands and saw the old man, a little distorted due to the clear liquid in his eyes, he smiled a little while nodding, then used his arm to rub his tears away "..thank you Uncle...goodnight, and thank you for the tea..."