Love Without War

Chapter 4

Sokka almost ran directly into Mai as he skidded to a halt outside the palace gates. "Oh, hi Mai," he said, giving her a little wave. "Sorry, I didn't see you there," his heart sinking despite his common sense. Why was Mai just with Zuko?

She gave him a slight smile, "Somehow, I'm not surprised to see you here."

"You're not?" Sokka squeaked, caught off guard.

"Nope," Mai said tilting her head. "Now if you'll excuse me," she said, I'm going to be late for my date with Ty Lee."

She began to leave before pausing, "Good luck," she called behind her. And with that she was gone, leaving Sokka dazed and confused.

"Date?" he mumbled, "Ty Lee? And did she say good luck? Good luck to who? Me? Does she know what I'm about to do? But how could she?" He drifted up to the door in a bit of a trance. 

But just as he was about to knock, the door opened once again and Zuko froze, avoiding yet another near collision. "Sokka!" he exclaimed, startling Sokka out of his thoughts.

"Zuko!" Sokka replied, equally surprised and awkward. "Uhh, nice to see you."

"You too."

"Can I come in?"

"Yes." Zuko stepped aside stiffly and closed the door behind Sokka.

The two stood in the entrance for a painfully long moment of silence. "I saw Mai leave," Sokka said at last, just to say something."

"Yeah," Zuko said, nodding slowly, "She's going to see Ty Lee."

"Yeah, she said," Sokka replied.

Zuko clasped his hands in front of himself awkwardly and looked at Sokka, "So I-" he began just as Sokka started speaking as well.

"I'm so-" he stopped, "Oh, sorry, did you have something to say?"

"Uhh, yeah," Zuko said and then didn't elaborate.

"Cool, me too," Sokka said.

Zuko blinked, "Oh, right. Do you want to go first then?"

"Umm, okay," Sokka said, taking a deep breath. "Well, I just wanted to say I'm sorry about what happened yesterday. I gave you the wrong impression and made things weird."

"Right," Zuko said, "I actually wanted to as-"

"I'm not done," Sokka said, putting his hand up, "Sorry. But what I'm trying to say is I do like you, and I would like to go out with you, if you still want to."

Zuko gave him a surprised look, "Oh, really? I mean, that's what I was hoping you'd say but I thought I'd have to ask again first."

Sokka laughed sheepishly, "Well, Suki gave me a pep talk and told me I was being an idiot."

"Mai did the same thing," Zuko chuckled. He shifted his weight side to side before holding his arms out, "Hug?"

"Yeah, sure Zuko," Sokka laughed, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Don't laugh at me," Zuko grumbled into Sokka's shoulder, "I don't know what you're supposed to do now. I feel like I don't know how to be a kid."

Sokka smiled as they pulled apart, "I don't think any of us do. But we'll figure it out, together."

"I like the sound of that."