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

New Traditions

One year and around seven months has passed, one year and seven months since Sokka had been captured but the fire nation, since he, Zuko and Iroh left the ship and changed their identities, created a new life for themselves. One year, to the day that the two teenager's had started dating.

"Sokka, watch the congee, we don't want the rice to burn young man" Iroh stated while lifted a small cup of flower tea up to his lips, the warmth from the kitchen was making his body temperature rise, as well as his thirst. "You're right! I'm sorry uncle!" Sokka removed his attention from the jianbing and stirred the rice porridge; making sure that every single piece of rice was perfect and not burnt. This was a special day, and he wanted Zuko to know how special he was to the young Water Tribe Warrior, if he could even be called that now.

Iroh watched his new nephew scramble around the kitchen, it reminded him of when he used to prepare Lu Ten's meals whenever he was sick; the more he thought about it, the more he knew that Zuko was more of a son than a nephew. The signs were obvious, but he didn't dare call the young banished prince son to his face, he wasn't scared of anything, he just knew that father's were a sensitive subject to the now seventeen year old.

"Hey uncle, could you go and wake Zuko up? Breakfast is ready and I wanna set the table" the tanned sixteen years old flashed a smile at the ex-general, causing him to smile in return and nod, standing up from his pai sho table; doubling as the family meal table "of course my dear nephew" Sokka never thought that having fire nation, well.... ex-fire nation royalty call him by nephew would ever seem like a good thing, but it comforted him so much knowing that he wound up with the better of that sadistic nation.

Up in the teenager's bedroom Zuko was laying down on his side, half awake at this point; he was used to the clattering of cooking in the kitchen, but this one seemed much more frantic...much more urgent. He shrugged it off and rolled away from the rooms door, keeping his eyes closed; searching for his boyfriend with his hand, getting a little alarmed when he didn't feel him. The one thing that was even more alarming is that he hadn't heard Sokka's sleep talking the entire time he was half concious. He sat up quickly, his eyes darting around the room his mind racing could the Avatar have come and took him away...is he just going to the bathroom? Is he just playing a game with uncle? thoughts rushed into his mind, it was nothing to worry about; it was just something that wasn't routine.

Once he heard footsteps approaching the room he started to feel better, tossing the think blanket cover off of his body, the young prince stood up took long strides to the door, sliding it open; smiling ear to ear. He expected to find his boyfriend, but instead he found his uncle, arms folding and tucked into the opposite sleeve, like a Chinese finger trap for arms. "Well, it seems like you're up and early" the old man smiled up at his nephew, "come, Sokka has prepared a meal for us"

Truthfully the meal was meant for Zuko only, but out of sheer panic Sokka had prepared a little too much, so it was a family meal; neither of the two teens minded that anyways. It was nice sharing a meal with everyone. It was a new tradition that everyone enjoyed, a nice, calm meal where the three men could eat, wake up and have a small conversation that would eventually lead into a very pleasant conversation about what they would do after the shop was closed, who would be cooking, if they'd go out to the store to replenish their stock. Maybe even just go on a walk through the market place, buying nothing; just see what Ba Sing Se had to offer.