Don't Play With Fire | Zuko x Sokka

1 | Boomerang Boy

!! again, don't read this story if you are sensitive to the topics mentioned in the description!!

"No, idiot! You hold it like this!" Zuko groaned, showing Sokka the correct position for his grip. Sokka let the sword drop to the ground. 

"Well, I'm sorry I don't practice ten hours a day like SOME people!" Sokka yelled back. Zuko smacked his hand over his forehead. 

"Maybe you SHOULD!"

It had only been a week of Zuko living with them, and it was getting unbearable. Well, for everyone except Aang. Zuko had been teaching Sokka more fighting techniques in addition to teaching Aang to fire bend. His uncle's advice and his visions of his destiny finally convinced him that it was time to stop chasing an impossible goal. His father wasn't going to let him come home. The only way to take back his throne and stop the destruction of the world was to teach the Avatar. Aang was convinced Zuko had changed, Toph seemed indifferent, Katara either avoided or argued with the prince, and Sokka as always thought they were all insane and wanted to downright murder Zuko on the spot. When he'd first showed up, Aang had presented the fire prince as a "surprise".

"Are you crazy? He's going to kill us when our backs are turned! I say we beat him to it!" Sokka yelled, infuriated. Zuko tilted his head. 

"Kill me?" 

"YES! EXACTLY!"

"I'd like to see you try," Zuko said, sprouting small flames from his fingers. 

"Ooh so scawy," Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Says the guy with the boomerang," Toph said under her breath. 

"Not really helping my case here," Sokka shot at her. 

"Look, I'm here because I want to defeat my father and take my throne in the fastest way possible. Which means I must train the Avatar. I'm not going to kill any of you, seeing as there's really no point," Zuko said coldly. Sokka's mouth gaped and Katara fumed. Aang just shrugged like that made perfect sense. Toph, as usual, was indifferent, and the first one to speak. 

"Sure Mr. Fire Prince, whatever," she said, and turned away from the clearing, maybe to gather food, but more likely to go throw rocks at something. Katara breathed out slowly, not saying anything, and followed Toph into the woods before she attacked that stuck up brat. Aang smiled. 

"Sounds good Zuko! When can we start?" the avatar asked cheerfully. Zuko sighed, dreading teaching this hyperactive, overly-cheerful child. 

"Meet me in an hour. And don't be late," Zuko said firmly. Aang put both his thumbs up and smiled, following the others into the forest with Momo on his shoulder. Sokka's mouth still hung open. They were really gonna let this prick act like this? 

"Look here, fire fingers, you can't speak to my friends like that. What the hell is your problem anyway?" Sokka said, exasperated. Zuko rolled his eyes, unimpressed. "You're not even a prince anymore! Why are you still acting like a stuck up brat?" 

"Look, boomerang boy, just because I said I wouldn't kill you doesn't mean I won't hurt you," Zuko fumed. To his surprise, Sokka laughed.

"Oh yeah? How?" he smirked. He was friends with the Avatar. Zuko couldn't do anything to him! Zuko spiked at the other boy's attitude, resisting the urge to blast that smirk off his attractive face. He stepped forward and grabbed Sokka's shirt in his fist, going nose to nose with the other boy. Sokka flinched back but was stuck in the prince's grip. After a second, his face changed to confusion. Nothing's happening? he thought. All too soon, because the smell of burning fabric filled the air not a moment later. Sokka looked down at Zuko's fist, now smoking as the water tribe boy's shirt practically disintegrated in his grasp. Zuko let go suddenly, turned on his heel, and walked angrily away. Sokka stood there in shock for a second before ripping off his half-burned shirt. The shirtless boy pressed on the red patch in the center of his chest slightly. It burned. He groaned, kicking the dirt and letting out a series of angry rumblings.