Work Text
Sokka kicked at a stone, hitting it so that it flew off and hit the wall with a crack. Behind him, Zuko groaned. “Would you not?” grumbled the recently-crowned Firelord. “This is a sacred place.” “It’s got Sozin’s ashes in it, pretty sure it’s not sacred anymore,” Sokka retorted, pointing to the small urn that stood on its plinth.Zuko rolled his eyes. “It’s still not polite to disrespect one’s ancestors,” he managed to say. Sokka looked over with an incredulous look. “Bit weak with that argument there,” he hummed. Zuko just glared. Still, Sokka stopped kicking at the loose stones that randomly littered the floors.The two lapsed into silence – one that wasn’t quite uncomfortable but it wasn’t comfortable either, it was just a silence. The pair looked to one another, and they shuffled slightly closer together. It was cold, and there was no light coming from any source other than Zuko’s hand. At least that hid the blush Sokka was sporting. Zuko was so close, and Sokka’s imagination was running wild.Small, golden-orange flames danced in Zuko’s palm, lighting up the small cavern around them. A line of painting urns lay off to one side.“Zuko…” Sokka began. “No Sokka, I don’t have any food.” “No, not that!” groaned Sokka. “I was wondering why you moved all your dead relatives in here.”Zuko went silent. Not a good sign, if Sokka knew any. Then, the Firelord slowly moved from where he had been leaning against the cold stone wall so he could properly face Sokka. “The only relatives in here are the ones who died during the One Hundred Year war. Uncles, aunts, distant cousins and tyrants.” “I didn’t know you had other relatives – did any survive the war?” Sokka asked. “No,” came the blunt reply. Sokka looked up, and he saw the pained look in Zuko’s face. Sokka whispered a quiet ‘oh…’ and the two returned to silence.***“Alright, I can’t deal with it!” yowled Sokka after another twenty minutes. “Can’t deal with what,” grumbled Zuko, looking over at his friend. Sokka tried not to melt at the honey gold of the Firelord’s eyes. “The silence. It’s killing me!” “No it isn’t,” snapped Zuko with no heat. “Don’t be dramatic.”In lieu of reply, Sokka clutched his heart and gasped, flailing in the air for a long moment before collapsing on his back. Dust flew everywhere; Sokka leapt back up.“Ick! Ew, this whole place is as clean as an Earth Rumble bathroom!” he exclaimed, trying to brush his back dry but failing as he hopped about. Zuko rolled his eyes, and stood up. He strode over and placed a hand on Sokka’s shoulder, finally stopping the hyperactive young adult long enough to spin him around and use the edge of his flowy sleeves to brush the dirt and dust away. There was a slightly odd wet patch from a damp part of the crypt floor mid back; Sokka wondered if the lingering heat was from Zuko’s hand or just his mind trying its best to imprint the moment into his memory.“You’re being a child,” chastised Zuko with no heat. “Says the man who threw a tantrum when the Fire Sages tried to say they wanted to give his father proper Fire Nation funeral rites and got us accidentally locked in this crypt.” “How was I to know it only opened from the outside! And that none of the Fire Sages are firebenders now, so we have to wait for Aang – who is somewhere near Crayfish Town – to come and get us out.” “Well yes – but you are the Firelord. Isn’t part of your-fieriness’ duties to know these things?” “Your… what?”Sokka rolled his eyes and flopped down against the wall.“Dude, I’m bored.” “Yes, so am I.” “We should do something to pass the time – how big is this crypt?” “Large. It holds my ancestors, as well as a number of decorated generals and admirals. Don’t ask what they were like.”Sokka, noticing a couple of the dates on the urns, decided that that was probably for the best.Zuko sighed after a few more minutes and moved to stand beside Sokka. “Here, I’ll teach you a few firebending katas while we wait – even if you can’t firebend, it’s good for your breathing and for finding balance in your mind.” “I’m very balanced!” spluttered Sokka, leaping to his feet and nearly collapsing instantly. Zuko leaned forwards, holding out an arm to catch his closest friend. Sokka blushed at the raised eyebrow the Firelord sent his way, and acquiesced.Zuko shrugged off his heavy robes, revealing his toned arms and form-fitting tunic. Sokka hoped that it was Zuko’s firebending that made the entire crypt feel about twenty degrees warmer, and not the flush that was blossoming on his cheeks.“We’ll start with a few basic meditative poses – Aang taught me these to help me with my… uhh…” “Chakras?” suggested Sokka cheekily. “Yeah, Aang tried to get me to do his yoga thing, but it’s crazy. The human body doesn’t run on chakras, it runs on blood. I was actually doing some research into it the other week with a few of the Northern Water Tribe healers and Aang – we were talking about the fact that blood doesn’t only have water in it, but air too. I think you’d be helpful too, we think there’s something else going on with the muscles, but it’s not related to earth, air or water.” Even as Sokka spoke, he dropped into the first position with ease; despite his reservations, he had indulged their friend and learnt the moves.Zuko led the duo through a series of languid, easy yoga moves, showing off his flexibility and natural strength. Sokka did his best to follow along, but it was hard when every move made the best features of the Firelord more apparent.Why had Zuko decided to wear a tight, sleeveless tunic of all things?The crypt seemed a little less spooky after the pair finished. Zuko was coated with a thin sheen of sweat, having continued on from the end of the yoga poses with a set of extremely complex katas that were filled with flips, kicks and a core strength that Sokka could only dream of.“I wonder where Aang is,” mused Zuko, flopping down just a little closer to Sokka than was socially appropriate. Sokka blinked and did his best not to scream.He’d been crushing on Zuko for a while, sure – but this was actually going to give him a nosebleed and cause him to pass out. The pair were sitting on Zuko’s formal robes, probably tarnishing it beyond repair, and the Firelord didn’t care, instead tugging Sokka further onto it.“He’s probably on his way now,” replied Zuko easily. “I don’t mind waiting – at least I’m not alone.”Sokka looked away, feeling the words on his shoulders like boulders.“Wouldn’t you rather be here with Mai?” “Nah, she and I broke up.” “Wait, really?” Sokka spun round, grabbing Zuko by his shoulder. “Why?!” “We just didn’t have the same plans for the future,” admitted the Firelord quietly. “I… I wasn’t in love with her anymore.” “Oh… are you alright?”Zuko smiled softly, and leaned against Sokka. “Yeah, it helped me find something out about myself.”Sokka’s heart skipped a beat. Zuko was leaning on him. “Sokka?” “Yeah?” “Would you… stay?” Sokka chuckled nervously. “I think we’re stuck here until Aang arrives,” he retorted, trying to come off as comedic but falling flat. “No… I meant afterwards. Stay. With me. I… I like you. A lot. And maybe I’d like to see whether or not we could be something… long term.” “Uhhh…”Zuko sat up, and stared Sokka straight in the eye.“Sokka, I like you. And I know you’ve been staring at my biceps for the past hour – why do you think I wore this shirt?” “You… oh… uh… I like you too. A lot. Please stop me before I start rambling.”And so Zuko did. By kissing Sokka on the lips, slow and languid and yet with a subtle heat behind it that didn’t come from Zuko’s firebending abilities.So maybe spending a night stuck at the Fire Temple wasn’t so bad after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
One Year Later...
Former Prince Iroh enjoyed a very peaceful and pleasant retirement in Ba Sing Se, serving tea and indulging in his worst vices (women and Pai Sho) with not a care in the world. Sometimes, he dispensed advice to the various youngsters who found their way to his tea shop; but more often than not, he just relaxed knowing that his days of caring for a teenager were long over.His nephew was ruling over the Fire Nation with his best friend – Water Tribe Ambassador Sokka – at his side, the Avatar and his girlfriend were out bringing peace and harmony to the world, and Toph was somewhere causing chaos in between teaching her students metalbending.Altogether, while the friends had been split up and sent all around the world, they were still helping usher in this new era, and letting the older generation finally slow down, to finally retire. And Iroh enjoyed his retirement, getting letters from his nephew every month filled with all the positive changes he was making to the Fire Nation – and all the fun he was having with his best friend too!“It’s so good that my nephew has made a friend his age,” Iroh would say to anyone who would listen. “I always worried that he was too awkward for it!” None of the people forced to listen to the proud uncle drone on about his ‘darling nephew’ dared mention the fact that prior to joining Team Avatar, Zuko hadn’t had any friends his age because he shot fire at everyone.One month, however, Zuko’s usual letter didn’t arrive.Iroh waited impatiently on the balcony of his tea shop for the firehawk to swoop into view all through the next day. The day after, he asked at the local post office, in case the bird had been misdirected. The day after that, he sent a letter to his nephew.It was an entire week before he heard back – and even then, it wasn’t really a proper reply. It was an invite.“Dear General Iroh, you are cordially invited to the wedding of His Royal Highness, Firelord Zuko of the Fire Nation?!” spluttered Iroh, only reading the first line of the ridiculously flamboyant invite before dropping it on the table in shock.“My nephew is getting married?!” The bellow was so loud that people turned to stare up at the tea shop from the street! Which meant that it was exceptionally hard for the rest of the staff to calm Iroh down enough to get him to brew and serve tea for the massive rush of wealthy Ba Sing Se socialites who came charging in to catch the hot gossip first.A rather clever busboy swiped up the offending letter and hid it in the kitchen before a snooping young woman could snatch it for herself.Unfortunately, said invite managed to get spun round several times in the ensuing chaos, finally getting swept behind one of the ice boxes used to keep the ingredients for the teacakes cold.Iroh did not have a great afternoon. When the rush finally began to slow, a firehawk swooped down, depositing itself on the back railing and screeching until someone fed it some meat and took its letter. Iroh snatched up this letter with gusto, reading through it with widening eyes.“It’s in a week!” he suddenly exclaimed. “I need to leave at once!”He read on, and his eyes filled with tears. “And my nephew wants me to give him away! I’m so honoured!” Iroh, in his excitement, completely forgot the fact that traditionally, the bride was the one given away at weddings.***Zuko kissed Sokka on the lips, enjoying laying about lazily on the chaise lounge while waiting for dinner. For once, the day’s work had been finished early, allowing the pair to enjoy some time to themselves without any outside interruptions.Ever since their night at the fire temple, their relationship had only grown stronger, Sokka and Zuko spending their time together guiding the Fire Nation towards a brighter future.Sokka had adored that pun when he first made it, and now it was on all the propaganda posters made by the palace to celebrate the Firelord.There was a low rumbling in the distance, and Zuko regretfully untangled himself from his fiancé, sitting up and straightening his robes. “Toph’s here.” “Ah.”Sokka only just managed to move a respectable distance away before Toph burst into the room, trying her best to sense where they were.“Get off the bed, Sokka.” “How did you know?” groaned Sokka, flopping backwards onto the ornate four-poster bed before standing up and heading over to hug his friend. Zuko beat him to it, giving Toph a strong bearhug before stepping back to let Sokka do the same. “Twinkle toes has been teaching me about ‘air currents.’ He’s still a bit of a wimp, but now I can sense people by their breathing!” “You terrify me,” admitted Sokka easily, sweeping in to hug the younger girl.Zuko went to go find them some tea, only for an attendant to arrive with a tray. The Firelord pouted at the tea set, as if upset that he wasn’t able to collect it on his own. Knowing Zuko’s independence streak, it was likely true.The palace guards were still short one commander after Zuko had caused him to tear his hair out by disappearing constantly to go fight crime like some wealthy nighttime vigilante.“Tea, Toph?” “Sure! Now tell me – when were you two planning on telling me you were fucking?”Sokka turned as red as Zuko’s robes, while the Firelord fumbled with the teapot, only barely managing to save it from shattering. “Toph!” “Your heart’s beating like a taiko drum!” cackled Toph, punching Sokka in the arm. Zuko placed the teapot down and tried to take several deep breaths.“We’re getting married, Toph.” “I know that,” snorted Toph, flopping down on the floor and bending a backrest up for herself. “Katara read me the letter. She’ll be here tomorrow, by the way – she went to go get Suki first.” “Suki!” cheered Sokka. “So she’ll make it?” Toph just grinned back.Zuko poured the tea again, this time waiting for any signs of Toph dropping another fireball on the conversation.It was good to have all his friends coming back for the wedding.***Iroh caught the first airship back available. It was not a fast journey – airships couldn’t make the full trip from Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation without having a full staff of firebenders aboard to fuel the furnaces, so instead they stopped overnight in Crayfish Town. Iroh stayed aboard the airship bound for Caldera that night rather than see the bustling town, though he got very little sleep.“Who is my nephew marrying again?” quizzed Iroh aloud, going to find the invite.It wasn’t there. It was under the icebox back in Ba Sing Se – though Iroh was unaware of this fact.Needless to say, Iroh didn’t sleep much during the rest of the journey, and arrived at the Firelord’s palace in a bit of a manic state. All of his nephew’s friends was present: Aang was chatting with Katara while using his airbending to float egg custard tarts over to himself, Toph was regaling one of her recent fights to Suki the Kyoshi Warrior and Zuko’s ex-girlfriend Mai, and Ty-Lee was trying to teach Sokka some more of the pressure points she used to disarm her enemies in battle. Chief Hakoda dozed quietly near the corner.Zuko himself was sitting between Katara and Suki, looking pleased as a parrot-crow to have all his friends back with him.“My dear nephew!” exclaimed Iroh excitedly, rushing forwards to wrap the Firelord in a hug. Zuko patted him on the back. Ever since their reunion outside Ba Sing Se, Iroh had made sure to hug his darling nephew every time he saw him. To remind Zuko how loved he was, and how Iroh would never, ever stop loving him.Well, maybe unless he became a homicidal maniac, but even then, he still tried to spend time with Azula when he came to the Fire Nation so perhaps not.Iroh pulled back from his hug, and placed a big, sloppy kiss on his nephew’s cheek just for the joy of watching him splutter indignantly and try to wipe it off. Behind them, Sokka howled with laughter. Iroh was so happy Zuko had such a close relationship with the Water Tribe Ambassador.Suki offered Zuko a handkerchief. “Here – the aunts in the village love kissing my cheeks so I always carry one around.” “Thank you.” Zuko took the handkerchief.Was Zuko marrying Suki? What a nice match! And she was the leader of an elite fighting force too, she would be so wonderful for his nephew!Mai chuckled softly, and Suki turned back to Toph’s story to listen to the young girl retell the tale of how she decimated an entire battalion of Earth Kingdom soldiers in a sparring match.Iroh reminded himself to never anger her.Ty-Lee finished her lesson with Sokka and bounced back over, draping herself over Zuko with a bright grin.Was Ty-Lee the person Zuko was marrying? She was a close friend of his, and they’d grown up together. She was also an excellent fighter, and she was so bubbly that she’d bring Zuko right out of his shell! She too would be wonderful for his nephew!Zuko invited his uncle to sit anywhere he wanted to – so Iroh happily found a seat next to the Avatar and pulled his into a conversation about the conservation of the Western Air Temple. Iroh had been putting a lot of effort into lobbying for donations in Ba Sing Se, and apparently it was really helping the project pay workers to clean and restore the architectural masterpiece.In the background, Iroh watched as Katara sniggered about something with Zuko, the two of them hiding their laughter behind their hands. They were sat very close together; wait. Had Katara broken up with the Avatar? Was she the one his nephew was marrying?That was wonderful! Katara was a master of her element, a talented fighter and healer, and a great motivator. She’d be a great match for her nephew!Katara turned back into their conversation, and added her own thoughts in on the project, talking at length about how she was working with other waterbenders to find blockages in the pipes that had been dug to reach the natural springs deep in the hills.This conversation naturally morphed into talking about recent improvements being made down at the Southern Water Tribe. The last of the tribe had been moved out of the tents they’d been living in, now able to live in proper, permanent ice-based structures built with the expertise of the Northern Water Tribe.As they talked, Iroh noticed Aang climbing all over Zuko, asking him something in low tones. Wait – was Aang the one Zuko was marrying?! Had his nephew been lucky enough to marry the Avatar?! Wow, he was such a lucky uncle, seeing his nephew join hands in holy matrimony with the Avatar himself! No, Iroh didn’t care about his nephew’s preferences. He loved his nephew for who he was! And he wouldn’t care about grand-nephews and nieces yet – he’d get those through pestering his nephew into adopting some little ones.Aang left Zuko alone to go find some more vegetarian food, and Hakoda arrived. Maybe it was Katara after all – no, wait.Zuko was hugging Hakoda??Ok, this match he was less certain of.“Nephew… I love you and respect your choices… but please tell me you are not marrying Chief Hakoda of the Water Tribe. I understand that it is politically advantageous, but he’s a little more… uh… experienced than you.”The entire room fell into a deep silence, the kind that engulfed everything.Toph - of course - broke it, howling with laughter so loud it shook the ground. “SPARKY AND HAKODA! This is too good! Spirits above!” Sokka also began cackling, making his way over with two glasses of punch.Zuko turned a very interesting shade of crimson and tried to hide in the folds of his robes. Hakoda let go of Zuko like he’d been burned by the firebender, leaping backwards several feet.“I am not marrying the Firelord!” “Uncle, did you not read the invite?” whimpered Zuko from inside his hiding spot. “I read that you were getting married and came right away!” Sokka, still laughing, handed Zuko a drink before pecking him on the cheek.Oh.
Oh.
“So the Ambassador is more than your ‘treasured friend’. I approve! He makes you happy – I can tell from your letters! He is a wonderful young man – a talented bureaucrat at his age, a strong swordsman and most importantly, I can tell he loves you.”Zuko continued to blush, only for a very different reason. Iroh sprang to his feet and rushed over to hug the pair.“And yes, my dear, dear nephew. I will walk you down the aisle.”Iroh couldn’t have been happier for his nephew’s choice in spouse, even if he hadn’t gotten them right in the first place. Ah well, it just showed how wonderful his nephew’s friends were.***Zuko thought he had gotten away from all the madness of the afternoon, lying in his bed with Sokka by his side. “Dear…” Never mind. “Why did your uncle not know we were in a relationship?” Zuko winced, looking down at the sheets. “When we started dating… well, I had to be careful cause of the public, so I tried to drop hints in my letters. I talked about you more and did that whole poet-simile thing from those old romance scrolls Uncle likes. He seemed so supportive, so I thought he’d figured it out!”Sokka snorted and tried his best not to laugh at his awkward turtleduck of a fiancé. He completely understood where Zuko was coming from – but it was still hilarious.“Your uncle thought you were marrying my dad.” “Please stop.” “Never. This is the greatest day of my life – I will never let you forget it!”Zuko smirked, flipping over to pin Sokka to the bed. “This is the greatest day of your life? Well then, I guess I’ll just have to work even harder to make the wedding more memorable.”Sokka couldn’t argue with that, instead pulling his fiancé down for a kiss.