FIC: Division of Time (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Sokka/Zuko)
Division of Time
By Keelywolfe
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Sokka/Zuko
Rated NC-17
Sequel to No Turning Back
Summary: Set during 'The Southern Raiders.' Zuko needs to talk to Sokka about his sister. It doesn't quite go like he planned.
~*~
They hadn't actually talked about it, this thing they had with Sokka, but somehow both of them knew. Although Zuko had entertained himself with thoughts of charts documenting the proper distribution of Sokka between him and Suki, it wasn't like that. They simply knew when it was their turn, the way that Zuko instinctively knew when the sun had risen even when he couldn't see it.
Zuko would admit that he'd barely talked with Suki at all; polite words exchanged between them and little else. He had nothing but Sokka's reassurances that she didn't mind to go on, that and the fact that she hadn't slit his throat in his sleep. Time alone with Sokka was a precious commodity and they weighed every shred of it between them as starving men would weigh the last scrap of meat. There were unspoken rules and both of them had followed them.
Until tonight.
Zuko lingered near Sokka's tent, just outside of the warm inviting glow seeping through the front flap. He could hear Sokka moving around inside, humming painfully out of tune which meant he was still alone.
There was something not quite uncomfortable in being here. The light was inviting, the tent flap just barely open, welcoming someone to step inside. Someone who wasn't him.
The fact of the matter was, tonight was not his night. And yet, he was here, needing to talk to Sokka.
The problem was he didn't know how to separate 'time' with Sokka...oh, for pity's sake, just say it, he told himself fiercely. Sex with Sokka was what it was, sweaty, dirty sex. With Sokka.
So there was sex with Sokka but also just talking with Sokka and he wasn't clear on the time share of that.
The ridiculousness of this didn't escape him. When he'd made the choice to join with the Avatar against his father, he'd never really even considered the people who traveled with him. All he'd wanted was to do something right for a change. Not to make his father proud or even to make himself happy. Just what was right.
And now here he was, the Avatar's outcast firebending teacher and the occasional sex partner to a Water Tribe boy instead of the play prince of the Fire Nation. The whole situation was a muddled sort of absurdity that could have only happened in his life.
Still, it was what he had and if he were to be honest with himself, he wouldn't change it, not to go back to the hollow comfort of his not-home. If he stood here in the quietness and remembered the look in Sokka's ice-dark eyes the night before, sweet heat just before he'd closed them and came...
He didn't see Suki until she almost ran him over.
"Oh!" Suki startled, before she caught herself. She gave him a quizzical little smile, her head tilted questioningly.
"I just need to talk to Sokka for a second," Zuko said softly, answering her unspoken question. "I won't be long."
"Sure," she said brightly. "Take your time." She gave him a little wave and crept back in the direction of her own tent.
He watched her go, the fading shadow of her back disappearing again into the night.
Kindhearted, to allow him this moment, although it honestly didn't surprise him. Anyone that Sokka could care so deeply about had to be a good person. He didn't quite understand why she was allowing any of this but he didn't dare ask, only grateful that she did.
Zuko took a deep breath and let it out before he finally gave in and ducked into the tent.
"Hel-looo...erk!" Sokka's surprised expression made the heaviness in Zuko's stomach worse. The tent was filled with candles and flowers, perfect for the seduction of a lovely woman and completely unnecessary for an exiled prince.
Suki and he knew, they just knew, and Sokka obviously knew as well that Zuko shouldn't be here, not tonight. He knelt quickly, unwilling to look at the disappointment in Sokka's face at his unexpected and surely unwelcome company.
"I just need to talk for a minute," he said quickly. Better to get this over with.
"Sure, what's on your mind?" Sokka's voice didn't betray emotion other than curiosity and Zuko wondered briefly if he was just a good liar or kindhearted enough that he wouldn't just kick Zuko out.
"It's about your sister--"
~~*~~
The dull pain in Sokka's eyes as he spoke about his mother's death was achingly familiar to Zuko. He'd seen it in his own eyes before, the bewildering loss of one of the only people who'd ever cared for him. Unexpectedly, he thought of his uncle, of the disappointment in his eyes when he'd looked at him and he had to struggle to push that thought away. Not now, he told himself fiercely. He'd made his own mistakes and he was paying for them. This was about Katara and how he could help her.
"Do you remember anything about the soldiers who invaded your village?" Zuko asked, "Like what the lead ship looked like?"
"Yeah," Sokka said, slowly, considering, "Sea ravens, the main ship had flags with sea ravens on them."
"The southern raiders," Zuko murmured. "Thank you, Sokka." He started to rise.
Sokka sprawled back on his bedroll, propping his chin on one hand. "So now that you've got what you want from me, you're just going to leave."
Startled, Zuko stopped, still half-kneeling. "But Suki is-" waiting, he couldn't say, not quite willing to acknowledge what she was waiting for. I don't want to intrude, he couldn't say. He was already intruding, invading Sokka and Suki's relationship and no matter how wrong or shameful it was, he couldn't bring himself to stop. He'd given up everything to come here, to do what was right. He'd given up Mai. Couldn't he be allowed this, just this one little thing?
Sokka gave him a wry smile, "You really think five minutes more is going to make a difference?"
It was the first time they'd openly admitted what was going on but Zuko's pride was more distracted by the actual words, "Five minutes!" he sputtered, half stepping away as a hand curled around his ankle.
"If you think you can do better, prove it."
Zuko wasn't sure where Sokka had learned that sultry little voice or how to pout in such a way that his lips seemed to beg to be kissed. Natural talent he supposed; it stood to reason that Sokka would be talented at something. Warm hands drew him down and Zuko followed them, almost mesmerized. He shouldn't do this, he shouldn’t even be here but Sokka's mouth was wet and warm and sweet against his own, and the hand slipping in his trousers was making itself at home in the damp heat there, curling around him. It was impossible not to gasp, to push up into Sokka's grip and the callused thumb pressing just under the tip.
Burying his face into Sokka's chest muffled the urgent sounds escaping him but it couldn't stop them and Zuko had to moan at the pleasure of it, the breathy, dirty little things Sokka was whispering above him, urging him-
"C'mon, yeah, that's it. So hot like this, come on, Zuko."
His fingers caught and held Sokka's tunic, gripping the thin fabric and bare legs were against his own, twined with his as Zuko arched up and came, biting the tip of his own tongue and choking off his cry.
His clothes were clammy with sweat and clinging to him, Zuko noted distantly, the same way he noticed Sokka was busily rearranging him, pushing him over to lie on his stomach, tugging his pants down and shoving his tunic up so that he could glide slim fingers over Zuko's bare back.
"You know, I actually think that was more like two minutes." Soft laughter in his ear.
"Shut up," Zuko said weakly. It wasn’t his fault, he hadn't been expecting an orgasm tonight, it wasn't his turn, dammit.
Stroking fingers turned into lips, Sokka pressing kisses low on his back and Zuko squirmed uncomfortably. "I should probably go."
"I beg your pardon. Some of us are still waiting for our happy ending."
That much was obvious, as Sokka straddled him and showed him with firm pressure exactly what part of him was waiting. It made him swallow dryly, to feel it pressed firmly against his backside even with a layer of clothes between them. Suki was waiting, it was Suki's turn--"
"Suki-" he started weakly, gasping as Sokka rocked his hips against him.
"Nope, just me. If Suki has one of these, it's a recent acquirement," Sokka said dryly, pressing an openmouthed kiss against his scarred ear.
"You know what I mean!"
"Zuko, Suki probably went to bed."
Startled, trying to turn his head enough to look at Sokka. All it did was expose the line of his throat to Sokka's wandering lips. "Why would she--"
"Because you're here."
Because he was intruding. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" That made Sokka pause, hips stilling.
"For intruding on your time with Suki."
"My time with--" he felt Sokka frown against the back of his neck, "You're acting like I'm a slice of cake that you have to divide. It's not really like that. All of us are going through a lot right now and you needed this tonight. There isn't a scale measuring this out, you know."
"But I--"
"Look, I know you haven't been keen to talk about this but since it came up, I gotta tell you. Suki was only coming tonight because she knew you wouldn't."
"She's special to you, you shouldn't have to--" he struggled for an explanation. "Be away from her," he finished lamely.
A soft sigh, gusting damp breath against his neck."You do realize what Suki and I do while you and Aang are practicing firebending, don't you."
"What are you--" talking about, he didn't say, dawning realization. It wasn't a fair sharing of time, Suki was getting an extra portion of Sokka during the day. He'd thought, he'd thought...but Sokka's hand was moving slickly between his legs, one finger sliding inside him and Zuko winced, squirming at the unexpected invasion.
"Relax, will you?"
This they had definitely never talked about. "Not until you explain why I have to be on the bottom!" he panted. That finger pushed in a little deeper and he still hadn't decided what to do about it, but the decision was rapidly being taken away from him.
"Because, this will probably hurt a little and you handle pain better than I do."
"So then why would I want to do it at all?"
"Suki swears it will feel great."
Suki was probably trying to get rid of the competition, Zuko thought sourly.
"Then why don't you do it with Suki?" That was not a whimper. He might not be a prince any longer but he was certainly a warrior and warriors did not--"Ah!"
"There, that's it," Sokka murmured almost to himself but Zuko would have agreed frantically if he could have spoken, yes, that was it, it was definitely it, one slick finger became two and both of them pressing just there sent him flying, made him scramble up on his knees to feel it better and when Sokka slipped his fingers out, Zuko's moan was pure protest, fading off as he felt something larger, hotter, pushing inside him.
"Oh," Sokka said, weakly, his forehead pressed sweatily between Zuko's shoulder blades, his hands on Zuko's hips as he edged inside. It did hurt, Sokka had been right about that, but the pain just made Zuko want to spread his legs further, push back against that invading pressure and get it just there, just there. There.
He had to move, had to push back into every thrust and the sounds Sokka was making echoed in his head, down his belly and straight to his cock, fisting it in his own hand and moving frantically with Sokka, needing this, and it was so, so good.
~~*~~
The moon was low in the sky by the time Zuko crept out of Sokka's tent. He'd left the other boy snoring, snuffling into the folds of his blanket as Zuko silently dressed. He winced a little at the unfamiliar ache and his knees still felt a little rubbery but all and all, it was nothing that wouldn't fade. Almost, he wanted it to last a little, some tangible sign that this was happening.
But now wasn't the time. With quiet steps, he made his way to Katara's tent to wait outside. Sokka had been a minor detour for the evening, now it was time to focus on Katara. Unwillingly, his eyes were drawn to another tent, still and silent in the growing predawn light. If Suki was in her tent, she was as silent as the grave, not a whisper of breath from her.
No, he told himself fiercely. Katara needed to avenge her mother and he was going to help her. Elbows resting on his knees, Zuko drowsed as he waited for Katara to wake up.
It wasn't until the next night that he thought about it again, sitting in Appa's riding basket and watching Katara at the reins. That little ache was nearly gone, barely a reminder whenever he shifted his weight. Sokka was probably with Suki right now, he knew that, and it was all right. It was fine.
Tonight wasn't his night.
-finis-
Next Chapter
By Keelywolfe
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Sokka/Zuko
Rated NC-17
Sequel to No Turning Back
Summary: Set during 'The Southern Raiders.' Zuko needs to talk to Sokka about his sister. It doesn't quite go like he planned.
~*~
They hadn't actually talked about it, this thing they had with Sokka, but somehow both of them knew. Although Zuko had entertained himself with thoughts of charts documenting the proper distribution of Sokka between him and Suki, it wasn't like that. They simply knew when it was their turn, the way that Zuko instinctively knew when the sun had risen even when he couldn't see it.
Zuko would admit that he'd barely talked with Suki at all; polite words exchanged between them and little else. He had nothing but Sokka's reassurances that she didn't mind to go on, that and the fact that she hadn't slit his throat in his sleep. Time alone with Sokka was a precious commodity and they weighed every shred of it between them as starving men would weigh the last scrap of meat. There were unspoken rules and both of them had followed them.
Until tonight.
Zuko lingered near Sokka's tent, just outside of the warm inviting glow seeping through the front flap. He could hear Sokka moving around inside, humming painfully out of tune which meant he was still alone.
There was something not quite uncomfortable in being here. The light was inviting, the tent flap just barely open, welcoming someone to step inside. Someone who wasn't him.
The fact of the matter was, tonight was not his night. And yet, he was here, needing to talk to Sokka.
The problem was he didn't know how to separate 'time' with Sokka...oh, for pity's sake, just say it, he told himself fiercely. Sex with Sokka was what it was, sweaty, dirty sex. With Sokka.
So there was sex with Sokka but also just talking with Sokka and he wasn't clear on the time share of that.
The ridiculousness of this didn't escape him. When he'd made the choice to join with the Avatar against his father, he'd never really even considered the people who traveled with him. All he'd wanted was to do something right for a change. Not to make his father proud or even to make himself happy. Just what was right.
And now here he was, the Avatar's outcast firebending teacher and the occasional sex partner to a Water Tribe boy instead of the play prince of the Fire Nation. The whole situation was a muddled sort of absurdity that could have only happened in his life.
Still, it was what he had and if he were to be honest with himself, he wouldn't change it, not to go back to the hollow comfort of his not-home. If he stood here in the quietness and remembered the look in Sokka's ice-dark eyes the night before, sweet heat just before he'd closed them and came...
He didn't see Suki until she almost ran him over.
"Oh!" Suki startled, before she caught herself. She gave him a quizzical little smile, her head tilted questioningly.
"I just need to talk to Sokka for a second," Zuko said softly, answering her unspoken question. "I won't be long."
"Sure," she said brightly. "Take your time." She gave him a little wave and crept back in the direction of her own tent.
He watched her go, the fading shadow of her back disappearing again into the night.
Kindhearted, to allow him this moment, although it honestly didn't surprise him. Anyone that Sokka could care so deeply about had to be a good person. He didn't quite understand why she was allowing any of this but he didn't dare ask, only grateful that she did.
Zuko took a deep breath and let it out before he finally gave in and ducked into the tent.
"Hel-looo...erk!" Sokka's surprised expression made the heaviness in Zuko's stomach worse. The tent was filled with candles and flowers, perfect for the seduction of a lovely woman and completely unnecessary for an exiled prince.
Suki and he knew, they just knew, and Sokka obviously knew as well that Zuko shouldn't be here, not tonight. He knelt quickly, unwilling to look at the disappointment in Sokka's face at his unexpected and surely unwelcome company.
"I just need to talk for a minute," he said quickly. Better to get this over with.
"Sure, what's on your mind?" Sokka's voice didn't betray emotion other than curiosity and Zuko wondered briefly if he was just a good liar or kindhearted enough that he wouldn't just kick Zuko out.
"It's about your sister--"
~~*~~
The dull pain in Sokka's eyes as he spoke about his mother's death was achingly familiar to Zuko. He'd seen it in his own eyes before, the bewildering loss of one of the only people who'd ever cared for him. Unexpectedly, he thought of his uncle, of the disappointment in his eyes when he'd looked at him and he had to struggle to push that thought away. Not now, he told himself fiercely. He'd made his own mistakes and he was paying for them. This was about Katara and how he could help her.
"Do you remember anything about the soldiers who invaded your village?" Zuko asked, "Like what the lead ship looked like?"
"Yeah," Sokka said, slowly, considering, "Sea ravens, the main ship had flags with sea ravens on them."
"The southern raiders," Zuko murmured. "Thank you, Sokka." He started to rise.
Sokka sprawled back on his bedroll, propping his chin on one hand. "So now that you've got what you want from me, you're just going to leave."
Startled, Zuko stopped, still half-kneeling. "But Suki is-" waiting, he couldn't say, not quite willing to acknowledge what she was waiting for. I don't want to intrude, he couldn't say. He was already intruding, invading Sokka and Suki's relationship and no matter how wrong or shameful it was, he couldn't bring himself to stop. He'd given up everything to come here, to do what was right. He'd given up Mai. Couldn't he be allowed this, just this one little thing?
Sokka gave him a wry smile, "You really think five minutes more is going to make a difference?"
It was the first time they'd openly admitted what was going on but Zuko's pride was more distracted by the actual words, "Five minutes!" he sputtered, half stepping away as a hand curled around his ankle.
"If you think you can do better, prove it."
Zuko wasn't sure where Sokka had learned that sultry little voice or how to pout in such a way that his lips seemed to beg to be kissed. Natural talent he supposed; it stood to reason that Sokka would be talented at something. Warm hands drew him down and Zuko followed them, almost mesmerized. He shouldn't do this, he shouldn’t even be here but Sokka's mouth was wet and warm and sweet against his own, and the hand slipping in his trousers was making itself at home in the damp heat there, curling around him. It was impossible not to gasp, to push up into Sokka's grip and the callused thumb pressing just under the tip.
Burying his face into Sokka's chest muffled the urgent sounds escaping him but it couldn't stop them and Zuko had to moan at the pleasure of it, the breathy, dirty little things Sokka was whispering above him, urging him-
"C'mon, yeah, that's it. So hot like this, come on, Zuko."
His fingers caught and held Sokka's tunic, gripping the thin fabric and bare legs were against his own, twined with his as Zuko arched up and came, biting the tip of his own tongue and choking off his cry.
His clothes were clammy with sweat and clinging to him, Zuko noted distantly, the same way he noticed Sokka was busily rearranging him, pushing him over to lie on his stomach, tugging his pants down and shoving his tunic up so that he could glide slim fingers over Zuko's bare back.
"You know, I actually think that was more like two minutes." Soft laughter in his ear.
"Shut up," Zuko said weakly. It wasn’t his fault, he hadn't been expecting an orgasm tonight, it wasn't his turn, dammit.
Stroking fingers turned into lips, Sokka pressing kisses low on his back and Zuko squirmed uncomfortably. "I should probably go."
"I beg your pardon. Some of us are still waiting for our happy ending."
That much was obvious, as Sokka straddled him and showed him with firm pressure exactly what part of him was waiting. It made him swallow dryly, to feel it pressed firmly against his backside even with a layer of clothes between them. Suki was waiting, it was Suki's turn--"
"Suki-" he started weakly, gasping as Sokka rocked his hips against him.
"Nope, just me. If Suki has one of these, it's a recent acquirement," Sokka said dryly, pressing an openmouthed kiss against his scarred ear.
"You know what I mean!"
"Zuko, Suki probably went to bed."
Startled, trying to turn his head enough to look at Sokka. All it did was expose the line of his throat to Sokka's wandering lips. "Why would she--"
"Because you're here."
Because he was intruding. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" That made Sokka pause, hips stilling.
"For intruding on your time with Suki."
"My time with--" he felt Sokka frown against the back of his neck, "You're acting like I'm a slice of cake that you have to divide. It's not really like that. All of us are going through a lot right now and you needed this tonight. There isn't a scale measuring this out, you know."
"But I--"
"Look, I know you haven't been keen to talk about this but since it came up, I gotta tell you. Suki was only coming tonight because she knew you wouldn't."
"She's special to you, you shouldn't have to--" he struggled for an explanation. "Be away from her," he finished lamely.
A soft sigh, gusting damp breath against his neck."You do realize what Suki and I do while you and Aang are practicing firebending, don't you."
"What are you--" talking about, he didn't say, dawning realization. It wasn't a fair sharing of time, Suki was getting an extra portion of Sokka during the day. He'd thought, he'd thought...but Sokka's hand was moving slickly between his legs, one finger sliding inside him and Zuko winced, squirming at the unexpected invasion.
"Relax, will you?"
This they had definitely never talked about. "Not until you explain why I have to be on the bottom!" he panted. That finger pushed in a little deeper and he still hadn't decided what to do about it, but the decision was rapidly being taken away from him.
"Because, this will probably hurt a little and you handle pain better than I do."
"So then why would I want to do it at all?"
"Suki swears it will feel great."
Suki was probably trying to get rid of the competition, Zuko thought sourly.
"Then why don't you do it with Suki?" That was not a whimper. He might not be a prince any longer but he was certainly a warrior and warriors did not--"Ah!"
"There, that's it," Sokka murmured almost to himself but Zuko would have agreed frantically if he could have spoken, yes, that was it, it was definitely it, one slick finger became two and both of them pressing just there sent him flying, made him scramble up on his knees to feel it better and when Sokka slipped his fingers out, Zuko's moan was pure protest, fading off as he felt something larger, hotter, pushing inside him.
"Oh," Sokka said, weakly, his forehead pressed sweatily between Zuko's shoulder blades, his hands on Zuko's hips as he edged inside. It did hurt, Sokka had been right about that, but the pain just made Zuko want to spread his legs further, push back against that invading pressure and get it just there, just there. There.
He had to move, had to push back into every thrust and the sounds Sokka was making echoed in his head, down his belly and straight to his cock, fisting it in his own hand and moving frantically with Sokka, needing this, and it was so, so good.
~~*~~
The moon was low in the sky by the time Zuko crept out of Sokka's tent. He'd left the other boy snoring, snuffling into the folds of his blanket as Zuko silently dressed. He winced a little at the unfamiliar ache and his knees still felt a little rubbery but all and all, it was nothing that wouldn't fade. Almost, he wanted it to last a little, some tangible sign that this was happening.
But now wasn't the time. With quiet steps, he made his way to Katara's tent to wait outside. Sokka had been a minor detour for the evening, now it was time to focus on Katara. Unwillingly, his eyes were drawn to another tent, still and silent in the growing predawn light. If Suki was in her tent, she was as silent as the grave, not a whisper of breath from her.
No, he told himself fiercely. Katara needed to avenge her mother and he was going to help her. Elbows resting on his knees, Zuko drowsed as he waited for Katara to wake up.
It wasn't until the next night that he thought about it again, sitting in Appa's riding basket and watching Katara at the reins. That little ache was nearly gone, barely a reminder whenever he shifted his weight. Sokka was probably with Suki right now, he knew that, and it was all right. It was fine.
Tonight wasn't his night.
-finis-
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