"Wake up. Sokka."

Sokka groaned and fidgeted, resisting the voice drawing him towards . . . towards awakeness - he shuddered - even if it was low and ever-so-slightly rough in a delicious way. He snuggled closer to the source of warmth he'd found at his side when he moved.

"Sokka. . ."

Sokka whined a protest, and a soft, sort of gruff laugh reached his ears. He pouted, knowing it was directed at him, and ducked his head a little more into his pillow.

"Sokka, come on."

The voice was still soft, not impatient or harsh. A warm hand curled around Sokka's jaw, and he sighed and twisted a little, toppling onto his back. He opened his eyes just a little, still reluctant to truly admit he was waking up, and found himself looking up into golden eyes. Intense, warm, beautiful golden eyes.

Zuko.

Sokka smiled and snugged his jaw into Zuko's palm comfortably. His thumb brushed over Sokka's cheek, and . . . he realised belatedly that the very warm, comfortable object he had wrapped himself around was Zuko as well. He'd tucked himself close to Zuko as they slept, and was now cuddled closer still.

He pressed his cheek against Zuko's shoulder and hummed happily, closing his eyes.

"Sokka," Zuko said softly, his hand moving down and curling around Sokka's shoulder instead, "move. Please."

Sokka froze, feeling a twist of something cold and tight in his belly despite his comfortable warmth he was tangled in. Of course-

He swallowed. Of course Zuko wouldn't want him - well, he had last night, to be sure, Sokka couldn't doubt that, but further? This morning? Past sharing his body with Sokka, sharing pleasure with him - and yes, Sokka was . . . grateful for that, but he'd hoped. . .

As soon as the request - all of it - sank in fully, Sokka pulled back obediently, curling into himself instead. Zuko moved away immediately when he was free, and Sokka turned his back on Zuko, lying on his left side. He heard a low groan, and then a muted popping sound that made his brow furrow, and peeked back.

His mouth went dry. Zuko was sitting on the edge of the bed, arms folded above his head, back arched as he stretched. Lean muscle and almost delicate-looking bones shifted beneath pale skin - Sokka would think 'not fair' at the condition Zuko's body was in, had thought it a few times, but since he'd joined them Sokka had seen some of the work he put into keeping it that way - and Sokka squirmed a little, watching.

Morning fogginess was fading rapidly to heat and Zuko was- well, hot, but-

Zuko was also leaving. Had at least been gentle about it - waking him up rather than just prying Sokka off, assuming he could have, and doing it so carefully besides - but he had wanted Sokka off him as soon as he woke up, even after. . .

Sokka jerked, turning his face away quickly as Zuko looked over his shoulder, but it probably wasn't fast enough anyway. He bit the inside of his cheek as the bed shifted with a quiet rustle, Zuko moving-

Sokka's mind went blank as a warm, dry kiss brushed his cheek, barely past his jaw. "I'll be out in the courtyard, if you, uh. If you get up before breakfast." Zuko said, and tentatively kissed Sokka's cheek again before pulling away.

He rolled onto his back and grabbed for Zuko's shoulder, startling him visibly. He looked at Sokka, his eyebrow rising. "You- What?" Sokka asked blankly.

"It's dawn?" Zuko said, gesturing towards the window, through which Sokka could see there was indeed some faintly blue-orangey light filtering into the sky, coming from something that could generously have been called 'dawn'. "I'm . . . going outside to practise my shifǎ. I do every morning?"

Sokka blinked, then flushed slightly. Fortunately he knew from experience that it wasn't immediately noticeable with his complexion, so if he could get himself under control quickly enough. . .

"Right. Uh. Enjoy?" Sokka eyed the window again. "If you can enjoy something this early, ugh." He groaned and shook his head. "How." he mumbled.

Zuko smiled crookedly, and Sokka swallowed, feeling wobbly somehow even though he was lying down. His smile was . . . unfairly adorable. Sokka had barely seen it before and he wasn't prepared for this. "I'm a firebender. I wake when the sun rises. I rise with it." Zuko bent close as he spoke, his voice soft enough to feel as though it was caught close between the two of them.

Sokka slid a hand over his nearer shoulder, and let out a soft sound, startled but pleased, when Zuko leaned that last little distance and kissed him gently, a warm brush of lips on lips. It was an almost feathery caress, but it lingered.

"So," Sokka said, feeling a little bolder, "you . . . rise with the sun?" he teased, squeezing Zuko's shoulder and glancing down his body. Sokka's hand headed that way too, pointedly, his fingers trailing lightly over smooth, warm skin.

Zuko frowned slightly, even as he shivered under the caress. "I don't think that's a firebender trait?" he said quietly, head cocked, and Sokka blinked at him, then broke out into snorting laughter. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." Sokka snickered, pulling at some of the shaggy hair dangling by Zuko's temple with his free hand. "You're just. . . Nothing." he said, still laughing a little. Zuko was still giving him a confused look, but it faded as Sokka's fingers stroked teasingly down over the ridged definition of his stomach muscles, towards the top of his pants.

Zuko splayed a hand over his lower belly in return and Sokka's muscles twitched under the light pressure, pushing up into it as Zuko leaned lightly on him. A tremble fluttered in the pit of his stomach. "Hm. Definitely not a firebender trait." Zuko said absently, looking down at Sokka's hips under the thin, worn blanket - and the, uh, rise under it - and Sokka laughed, head tipping further back on the pillow.

He calmed after a moment, though he was still warm with amusement and . . . something that could be fondness, he thought with less surprise than he would have expected. Even after last night. "The practising at sunrise thing though . . . firebender stuff?" Sokka asked, trying to remember why he'd been woken in the first place.

"Yes." Zuko said, dipping his head briefly, expression sobering. "I'll be outside. If you, uh, feel like . . . getting up. Or." He shrugged awkwardly, looking away, and Sokka took courage from the bold lack of reservation in Zuko's touch and the prior light kiss, leaning up to steal a kiss of his own.

Zuko hummed, closing his eyes - their golden gleam hidden away briefly - and lingering again with his lips soft against Sokka's. His fingers drifted in a light caress over Sokka's cheek, and then he dropped his hand. Sokka had just enough time to see the dusky flush on Zuko's pale, unmarked cheek before he rose, stepping away with a fluid stretch.

Sokka watched him leave the room - they'd put Zuko in a room of his own, of course, one up a couple of levels and away from the rest of them, even before taking into account that the original Team Avatar had camped together out in the ruined courtyard. Sokka felt a little bad about that now, but Zuko hadn't protested - then again, now that he was closer to the other boy, Sokka thought Zuko really wouldn't have protested no matter what they did to him.

He'd thought at first that the offering up his freedom, the helpless gesture - Zuko had knelt and bowed his head, had been defenceless - had been a ploy, but. . . Sokka sighed, feeling a little guilty - in his defence Zuko had certainly done plenty to them to warrant not being trusted. Although. . .

He hadn't really lied. Tracked them, ambushed them, fought them, yes, even tried to manipulate them before, but when he'd offered words or bargains he hadn't lied. Now Sokka knew him, he couldn't help but wonder, just a little, if that was because Zuko was aware how abominable he was at even the smallest lies.

More, though, he had realised that Zuko was at heart an honest man - an honourable man.

It hadn't been a ploy, that surrender - Zuko had been desperate to get them to listen, to help, and after seeing what he was willing to go through even for Sokka's goal - the one he hadn't told Zuko he'd half-expected to be a suicide mission - Sokka couldn't be surprised by the dedication and sacrifice he had shown.

Sokka turned onto his side again, sighing thoughtfully. He let out a disgusted sound as he realised he really was awake now, too awake to drift back to sleep so easily. He gave up, yawning and pushing himself upright. He slid out of the comfortable bed, which was still warm, and found himself shivering. There was a light chill in the air so early, though he'd hardly noticed it before.

Then again, he hadn't been alone in the bed before, and the company had kept him warm and snug.

It took him a bit longer than it probably should have, but he eventually found his own pants crumpled and kicked against the base of the stone shelf the bed rested on. Sokka would have made his bed on the floor of the room, but this was Zuko's space, and he supposed while there was less space, the shelf was actually smoother and in better condition than the slightly weathered, cracked floor.

He dressed fully before leaving the room, vaguely wishing he had at least a light jacket with him, but only for a moment. He knew he would warm up now he was moving around, and it wasn't actually cold or anything. He shivered again, rubbing one hand over the bare part of his opposite arm, and quietly went looking for Zuko.

The courtyard was empty - or, at least, it was empty of broody firebenders. Aang, Katara, and Toph were scattered around the remains of the fire from the night before, still sleeping. He wondered if he would wind up having to explain where he had been the night before to his sister - his empty bedroll was not far from hers - and winced.

Appa was further out, closer to the ledge, with Momo curled up on his head. The others were in rooms, but mainly on the same floor, a few on the one above - Sokka had crept carefully through on his way out here.

No one else, even when they'd returned with Sokka's dad, Suki, and Chit Sang, had chosen - or been pushed into - a room anywhere near Zuko's, which was almost on the top floor. Far from where Team Avatar had settled.

They hadn't trusted him, but really, placing him up there had been more of a slight than a precautionary measure, Sokka thought now. Putting him out of sight and away from them didn't make him less of a threat. If anything, it offered him more unsupervised time to plot or slip away and do anything he liked without being caught.

Sokka retreated back into the pagoda before he could accidentally wake anyone, wondering where- Ah, he thought.

He wound his way up instead of down, all the way up, and found the bridge - narrow, and almost completely lacking in railings, which appeared to be its natural state and not a result of a hundred years of neglect; he knew airbenders had lived here but really guys - to the nearest other pagoda.

Making his way down through it, Sokka felt more like he was invading the quiet territory of . . . someone else. The monks who had once lived here, perhaps. The pagoda they had settled in was damaged and now it was full of them and their chatter and their belongings. This one seemed nearly whole, and . . . silent. Still. It didn't feel abandoned, though, just. . .

Waiting, perhaps?

Waiting for a people who would never come back, maybe, Sokka thought sadly. No one left but Aang, and someday, the next Avatar, who would have to learn airbending from legends and the memories of their past lives.

And then Sokka stepped out into the courtyard below the pagoda and found Zuko, a slender figure in the centre of a whorl of flames. As Sokka had seen when he left, he hadn't bothered to get dressed beyond his pants, and his muscles rippled as he moved smoothly through strong, solid forms. The light of his fires as they blossomed, grew, and faded away only highlighted the grace and power in every tightly-controlled movement.

It wasn't scary any more, Sokka realised - perhaps belatedly - to watch Zuko call up fire or even throw it. It was just . . . Zuko. And it was beautiful, in a way, he thought, creeping closer.

Zuko looked different these days, when he was firebending, than he had before. And Sokka had certainly seen him do it plenty in the past, if never in quite such calm circumstances.

And right now - alone, not training Aang, not probably uncomfortably aware of being watched by the rest of them - he looked peaceful, maybe even happy. Sokka perched on the edge of the still fountain and simply watched him, not wanting to disturb.

Sokka realised a few moments later that it was probably a bad idea to have essentially snuck up on Zuko - Toph's alarm and her burnt feet, the night after Zuko had first come to them, returned to him, and Sokka had seen Zuko react to being startled first hand in the Boiling Rock, too. He still didn't move, though, just watched.

"You're awake." Zuko said softly, some time later, and Sokka startled, nearly falling into the somehow still clear water in the fountain below him.

"Well. You, uh." Sokka hesitated as Zuko turned towards him, then shivered. What was he going to say? You left? That didn't sound needy at all, Sokka thought, snorting.

Golden eyes, bright even in the predawn light - surely the sun was fully up now, but here, in the canyon, it was still grey-blue and dim with only a few golden hints of sunlight - fixed on his face. "It was kind of cold." Sokka finished weakly, which was true, but. . .

Zuko blinked, then his face did something complicated Sokka thought might have been almost a smile. Zuko wasn't very good at them, but it was sort of cute how bad he was. If Sokka didn't think of how sad it was that Zuko - who was, after all, just . . . barely older than he was - had evidently smiled so little in his life that he barely seemed to know how.

"I didn't think of that." Zuko said, and it was almost . . . apologetic? "It does get chilly up there, I suppose."

Sokka felt worse, then. He had only felt the chill once he was alone, and it had been fine, he just got up, but . . . Zuko had been staying up there alone, every night.

"Here, I-" Zuko hesitated, though he was only a step away. Sokka rose to meet him, inching awkwardly closer.

"What?" he asked.

Zuko rested warm hands - very warm hands, spirits - on his arms and then drew him closer, letting out a breath that fanned heat like that which rolled off a campfire over Sokka's shoulder. "I didn't think of it, I'm sorry." he said, which took Sokka a little while to process, because most of his mind was occupied with ooh this feels good as Zuko rubbed up and down his arms and then tentatively hugged him.

Zuko was hot, even more so than he had been last night - although Sokka hadn't been at his most observant, then, admittedly, being rather distracted and . . . heated up himself - and while the chill Sokka felt had been mild anyway, this was delicious.

He folded his arms around Zuko's waist without thinking, lost in the feeling and happily basking in it, and only belatedly thought of what Zuko had said. Should have known?

"Zuko, do you. . ." Sokka frowned, leaning back a little, enough to meet Zuko's eyes.

Zuko met them squarely, an intense gaze Sokka might have been fazed by if he was prone to that sort of thing. "Do you get cold up there? You should have-" he stopped. What, Zuko should have said something, after they'd quite obviously put him up there?

Zuko let out a soft huff Sokka realised was a laugh. "I don't get cold so easily." he denied, and Sokka thought of the curl of flame from his mouth when he'd been tightly folded around his core in the cooler, sheltering himself.

"Firebender thing?" Sokka asked, one corner of his mouth quirking upwards.

Zuko nudged his nose against Sokka's gently, almost playful, and Sokka grinned. "Mm. Firebender thing." Zuko agreed, a slight smile curling his lips. He glanced down at Sokka's mouth, but didn't close the now-miniscule distance between them.

"This is an awesome firebender thing." Sokka admitted, squirming a bit with the only half-intentional effect of rubbing himself against Zuko's wonderfully shirtless body. "I admit, your jerkbending doesn't impress me much," a blatant lie, Sokka thought, though he did think all the benders he knew put far too much value on the magic silliness, "but this is pretty sweet."

Zuko snorted, his breath hot against Sokka's face, but he didn't pull back, so he could hardly be too offended. Sokka pulled at him, giving in to impulse and kissing Zuko again.

He was relieved when the response was a soft sound of surprise followed by a slow, lazy kind of kiss, one of Zuko's hands sliding up his back to rest between his shoulder blades. Sokka had really enjoyed the night before - and recently he had actually found he really liked Zuko, to his great surprise - and he'd hoped it wasn't something Zuko planned to forget. Actually he had rather hoped it might be something they would keep doing.

As Zuko deepened the kiss gently, their bodies twined together in the slowly spreading golden light of a new dawn, Sokka thought it seemed very much like Zuko wanted it - whatever it was they had done, were - to continue too.

Sokka moaned happily, sliding one hand up to cup the back of Zuko's head.

This was written for a prompt word/challenge, 'Golden'.