Not Equal To

Chapter 3: Flicker

A man stood towering in front of him. Long dark hair falling down his back and a long soul patch of a beard shaped like a knife. The man was 8 feet tall, glaring down at Zuko with fiery eyes. Zuko could feel the heat of a roaring fire growing around him, slowly creeping in, devouring everything in its path.

Zuko couldn't move his head or body, he was frozen amid the heat. He could feel anxiety growing heavy inside him, scraping its way through his body. Zuko knew he was showing fear... He can't show fear... Never show fear....

Too late. The man saw the fear in his eyes and began to laugh. It was a deep, all-encompassing laugh that made Zuko shrink into himself, anxiety pulling him inside.

The fire sped up, closing in on him, a giant circular wall of fire. It moved past the man, encompassing him in the flames but doing no harm to him. Zuko could see the man's silhouette grow larger behind the blaze. Or maybe he was shrinking.

A hand reaching out. Fire moving in. Eyes moving frantically. The hand reaches the left side of his face. Fire touching—

Zuko shot straight up, gasping for air, and clutching his chest. He reaches up to touch the scar that covers most of the left side of his face. His breathing fast and fractured.

Sokka stirred beside him, coming out of his slumber and quickly realizes Zuko is hyperventilating. "Hey. Hey," he consoles. "It's alright. You're okay. Breathe." He took a deep breath and Zuko did his best to follow suit. "Was it your dad again?" He nodded slowly, choking on his breath. "He can't hurt you, you're with me now. And if he comes near you, I'll beat his ass." Sokka kissed him on the temple and caressed his scar. "I'll never let him hurt you again." There was a sadness that seeped into his voice.

Sokka pulled him to his chest, stroking a hand idly through his hair and pressing kisses to the top of his head in between calming shushes. Zuko was tense, right hand still clutching at his chest, left hand frantically thrown around Sokka, holding him tight. His breath still hitched; throat so tight he felt that if he moved his head it would snap. Sokka held him tight, he'd begun to hum. Zuko is thankful for the calming vibrations.

Breathe... Fire.

Breathe...    Father.

Breathe...        Burning.

Breathe...              I'm frozen.

Breathe...         Listen.

Breathe...      Focus.

Breathe... Sokka.

His breath slowed down, and his throat began to open again. He melted into Sokka. Grounded. He inhaled deeply through his nose, holding it for a moment before slowly exhaling it through his mouth. He repeated that cycle a few more times before he felt he could sit up again, pulling away from Sokka.

Shit, I was crying? Sokka's maroon shirt was soaked with his tears. He looked down, "Sorry about your shirt."

"Hey, don't worry about it." He pulled the shirt over his head and threw it in on the floor beside the bed. Fuck. Zuko was staring, Sokka just smiled. Sokka's brown skin glowed in the moonlight filtering in through the big picture window. Shit. Zuko met his eyes.

"Okay," he said weakly. "Thanks."

"Anytime baby." Damn. "I'm just glad I could help. I wish you didn't have to deal with all that shit. If I could go back in time and change what happened I would."

Zuko half smiled, "But then I wouldn't be the same person."

Sokka shrugged. "Maybe so, but I like to think you'd still be mine." He winked and kissed him. Yours. Zuko sighed and laid back down, resting his head on the soft pillow. Sokka flopped back down, turning to face him propped up on one elbow. Zuko turned to look at him and Sokka placed a kiss on his forehead, then his nose, then on his lips, lingering for each kiss. Sokka wrapped his arms around Zuko, pulling their bodies in close, and rested his forehead on Zuko's. Zuko fell asleep faster than he expected, Sokka rubbing circles on his back and stroking his hair. This is nice...