Conflicted
By Keelywolfe
Sokka/Zuko, hints of Sokka/Suki
Rated R
Summary: Set towards the end of The Southern Raiders. Just how did Team Avatar end up at the Fire Lord's vacation house, anyway?
Third in a series:
No Turning Back Division of Time Notes: Wow, the muse is flowing with this one so I figured, why not just go with it? I hope you enjoy. :)
~*~
It was the warm scent of brewing tea that woke Sokka, drifting into his tent and curling tantalizingly around them. He lifted his head from where it was buried in Suki's smooth shoulder and inhaled deeply, as if he could pull the tea inside himself through scent alone.
If someone was brewing tea that smelled that wonderful it could only mean one thing: Zuko and Katara were back. Something in his belly gave a silvery leap, like a fish, and Sokka slit open his eyes to look up at the dark canvas that made up his tent. There was warm fur at his feet, Momo curled up against his toes, which, okay, he'd only been joking when he'd asked Aang if he could borrow the lemur for a week but darned if the little critter hadn't managed to attach himself to Sokka whenever he could.
"Mmmm," Suki stirred next to him, stretching beneath the blanket so that warm expanses of bare skin rubbed against Sokka in an entirely pleasant way. "Smells like Zuko is back. That's a relief."
"Yeah," Sokka said agreeably, "I was starting to get worried about him and Katara. I mean, I know they can handle themselves but a whole group of raiders--"
Suki rolled over to look at him, a smile curving her lips. "I meant that it's a relief to have some decent tea again. I don't know what Aang did when he brewed it, but," she shivered delicately. "It wasn't a good thing."
"He scorches it," Sokka said absently, inhaling the fragrant air again, "Zuko says that you have to get the water hot but not boiling otherwise it ruins the leaves."
The blanket shifted as Suki wriggled up to prop her head on her hands, pulling up high enough that Sokka's bare feet slipped free and into the cool air. He pulled them back under, grumbling under his breath even as Suki laughed softly. "So that's what you and Zuko talk about? Making tea?"
"We don't actually talk that much," Sokka muttered.
That sweet little smile twisted into something closer to a smirk. "Oh, really? He told me the other night that he just needed to talk to you. He was in there with you for a really long time, it must have been some talk."
"What can I say, I'm a great conversationalist," Sokka said breezily. "Haven't heard a single complaint yet."
Abruptly, a burst of wind flung the tent flap back and Aang darted inside before they could even get the blanket straightened between them.
"Sokka, Zuko is bac--ack!" Interesting to see that even Aang's tattoos would darken if he was embarrassed enough. Zuko was standing right behind him and his blush was fainter, for all that his skin was shades paler than Aang's. His only response was to politely avert his eyes, studying the tips of his boots with the sort of concentration usually reserved for training exercises.
Well, this was just too much fun to let go so quickly.
"We know, we can smell it," Sokka called cheerily, sitting up enough to let the blanket slide dangerously close to his lap.
A slightly horrified look crossed Zuko's face and with a thumb and forefinger he pulled the front of his shirt up to his nose, sniffing tentatively.
Suki laughed, holding the blanket in front of her as she sat up, "We meant the tea. You always make such wonderful tea."
"Thank you," Zuko said with obvious surprise and pleasure. His eyes flicked up at Sokka and his blush deepened.
"Um, yeah," Aang stammered. "Tea. Um, while you and Katara were gone, we were trying to figure out where we should go from here."
"Yeah, we need to go someplace safe, where they won't be looking for us," Sokka said thoughtfully, pressing a finger against his lips as if he was considering all the options available to them. He cast a sly glance at Zuko from beneath his lashes before he licked the tip of his finger, rubbing the damp tip against his lips.
Muscles in Zuko's jaw flexed and tightened, his nostrils flaring slightly as he drew in a sharp breath. He turned quickly away, looking out across the water. For a second, Sokka was worried he'd gone a bit too far but Zuko turned back, a thoughtful crease to his brow.
"I know a place we can go. No one will look for us there. Katara is already there, waiting for us. After we faced the man who," he hesitated, glancing at Sokka, who gestured impatiently for him to continue. "The man who killed your mother, she wanted to be alone for a while and it was on the way. I don't see why we couldn't just stay there." He shrugged a little. "The house is dusty but it would be a roof over our heads."
"Wait, wait, wait," Sokka shook his head. "I am the man who makes the plans. I am the man with the map. So you can just come over here and tell me where this place is and I'll figure things out from there." He patted the blanket between him and Suki, hopefully, because for the past two days that was just the place he'd really wanted Zuko to be.
That got Zuko's attention. His head snapped up, eyes widening and the faint blush still staining his cheeks flared to a crimson that nearly matched his shirt. "It's...it's called Ember Island...just...it's that way..." he gestured somewhat wildly at the ocean before he spun on his heel and walked quickly towards the fire.
"You left Katara alone on a Fire Nation island!" Aang's outraged voice faded as he darted after Zuko, the tent flap falling back into place.
Flopping back onto the bedroll, Sokka slapped his forehead with one hand, "Stupid, stupid," he muttered.
Suki leaned over him, her expression was somewhere between amused and sympathetic. "Figured you just had to try, didn't you."
"He told me he liked girls!"
"That doesn't mean he likes all girls," Suki said. She drew up her blanket covered knees and rested her arms on them. "You shouldn't push him, he--"
The tent flap parting stopped her and they both looked up to see Zuko, a small tray with two steaming cups on it in his hands. He didn't look at either of them, only slipped inside and held the tray out, offering.
"Aang wants to get going so we check on Katara," he said quietly.
"Okay," Suki said easily, taking one of the offered cups. She held it up and inhaled deeply before gingerly sipping. "Mm, thank you. Much better than Aang's."
"You're welcome." Ever polite, Zuko offered the tray to Sokka.
"Yeah, thanks," Sokka roughly snatched his own cup, hissing as hot tea sloshed over his hand. He set the cup down, sucking on his stinging fingers. It was almost an accident that he glanced up and met Zuko's eyes, saw the sudden surge of heat crackling in his gaze as he watched Sokka draw his wet fingers from his mouth.
It was an endless moment, golden eyes focused on blue, and Sokka's mind went blank, no quip or clever remark forming to break the tension. He just couldn't look away, sinking into that warm gold like honey and a slow burn formed in the pit of his stomach and lower.
The faint sound of Suki sipping her tea made them both blink, Zuko shivering faintly before he nodded quickly to them both and backed out of the tent. Sokka watched him go silently, shaking his head a little. There were faint beads of sweat rising on his forehead and he wiped at them with the back of his hand.
"Interesting," Suki said as she stretched, setting aside her cup and reaching for her clothes. "I was going to say he's been through a lot, but I'm not sure if that's the problem."
"Yeah? Then what is his problem?" Sokka rolled over and pawed through their tangled clothes looking for his own leggings.
Suki shrugged delicately. "Who knows? All I know is that he has been through a lot, leaving his home and his family, then what happened between you two in the prison."
"Yeah," Sokka said, subdued. It wasn't a memory he particularly enjoyed, the feelings that rose in him when he thought about it were conflicted at best. He couldn't regret it because it had given him Zuko but he couldn't forget the laughter of that guard, the feeling of sweat creeping down his face from his hair, Zuko's swollen lips, the glint of his eyes in that dank little room.
A gentle hand on his shoulder tore him from the memory. Suki smiled down at him with warm sympathy. "Come on, Aang is waiting."
She slipped out of the tent and Sokka followed, still carrying his boots as he yanked his shirt over his head. He barely had it settled when something grabbed the back of his collar and jerked him backwards, his boots flopping to the ground.
"Erk!" His surprised squawk was cut off by a vicious mouth, teeth cutting into his lips as he was slammed into the ground and a hard body settled over his own. All he could do was clutch at the hard hands sweeping feverishly over him, opening his mouth to the savage tongue stabbing at his own. Tasted sweet tea and faint blood, and oh, a knee pressing firmly between his legs just where he needed it.
It was gone as swiftly as it came, Zuko tearing away from him and stumbling back. Sokka stared at the other boy, both of them panting desperately. Zuko looked away first, hands clenching into fists with a faint rush of sparks.
"Tonight," Zuko grated out through freshly swollen lips and Sokka nodded dumbly, lying on the ground with his own mouth bruised and a heavy ache between his legs. A sharp nod and Zuko stalked away.
Sokka took a deep breath and blew it out, another, before he gingerly stood up. "Been through a lot," Sokka muttered. Yeah. His mouth was sore and when he licked his lips he tasted coppery blood from a small cut. Yeesh. And Suki said he shouldn't push Zuko?
He grinned suddenly, scooping up a boot and hopping on one foot as he tugged it on. Tonight, yeah.
He could wait.
-finis-
Next Chapter