Sokka came to consciousness to the sound of shouting and snarling, sharp pin pricks of pain stinging from his bare shoulders.
"Get off of him!" Katara's worried shouting prompted Sokka to slowly open his eyes, groaning.
"I want you to land this thing now! I want to go back to my uncle!" The teen above him was snarling, large fangs bared as he poised himself over the Watertribe boy.
"Hey, guys I'm awake!" Sokka snapped, grunting as the weight on top of him shifted. The Firenation boy above him startled before his head dipped lower, peering into Sokka's eyes.
"He's fine," Zuko rasped, searching his eyes, "he doesn't have a concussion."
Sokka whipped his head around to see Aang and Katara standing threateningly, stony expressions on their faces.
"Nobody his age will talk to him, or try to anyways. They're too scared."
"Guys, put your weapons down, I'm fine! I'm okay!" He tried to smile as reassuring as possible before he glanced up at the panicked boy and whispered, "hey do you think you could get off of me? I think you're worrying Aang and Katara," he pointedly glanced at the other two and smiled at them again.
The winged teen above him looked conflicted, a frown marring his features much like the pink scar, "I just want to see my uncle," his head dipped down again to look into the other's blue eyes.
"We can, I promise you will find your uncle. After we land Appa we can get you to a dock and you can send a messenger hawk to your uncle," Sokka attempted to sooth.
The hands gripping his shoulders flexed and those golden eyes searched his face, searching for an inch of lie.
"Fine," the muttered agreement caused Sokka to smile and the pressure on his shoulders ceased. The giant wings twitched up before folding neatly upon the other's back, radiating a calmer aura.
"You can't just expect us to let him be free, Sokka! He tried to kill you and Aang!" Katara cried out, her hands flying up.
Sokka winced as he saw Zuko flinch back, his lips pulling back from his teeth.
"No, no it's fine!" The Water Tribe boy ran over to his sister and Aang, the later being uncharacteristically silent.
"Aang, what do you think?" Sokka searched Aang's eyes, pleading.
"I think..." The bald monk looked up while worrying his lip. "I think...we should help him," he winced, glancing at Katara to see her reaction.
"Am I the only sensible one here? He was going to kill you Sokka! They killed our mother, don't you care?" She pulled Sokka back closer to them as if there was now a physical barrier between the back of the saddle and the front, where Zuko sat crouched over their belongings.
"There's a they now, huh?" Zuko sneered, peeking into Aang's satchel.
"Hey, that's my stuff!" The youngest took a small step towards the firebender, halting his steps as the boy reached into his bag and gave him a withering look, "but you are free to look through it, heh!" He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"Aang!" Katara's hold on her brother became nearly bruising, "I've had enough of this!" She uncaps her bending water, hands a flurry of motion as the water rushes towards the boys arms, his eyes clearly stating his displeasure.
"Katar-" Sokka's warning was useless, the boy's arms already frozen from his elbows down, arms permanently stuck in Aang's belongings.
"That's too bad," the boy's tail curled every so slightly, barring the needle sharp barbs and the softer, almost feather like, tip, "I was about to congratulate you on your bending improvement, but," a bright orange light erupted from the dragon's ice encased fists, growing brighter and brighter with each passing second until-
YOU ARE READING
Pretty Little Monster
Fanfiction(ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AO3 by ME under the username: zimny) Zuko is a monster. He's known this since the moment he was old enough to know. His father had whispered it in his ear as held Zuko's clawed hand in his own. Azula used the word like a whip...
