Disclaimer: I don't claim Avatar The Last Airbender, nor it's characters.
Another thing; this chapter is really bad, I know, but chapter two is MUCH better, as I hope the rest will be also.
The Cause of the Sulking
It was the day before Sokka asked Zuko about where the water tribe warriors where held, that Sokka bravely challenged the Fire ex-prince to an honorable SwordBending match.. and then was defeated multiple times after learning that Zuko had trained his early teen years under Master Piandao.
Sokka had managed to preserve some of his pride though, in the fact that he got Zuko to admit that their match was, indeed, 'SwordBending' and also got to see the expression on Zuko's face as his boomerang hit the back of his head, sending his swords flying from his hands- it was priceless. But his glee was short lived as he recalled just how easily and quickly Zuko had defeated him, and his mood turned more somber.
Over the next several days, everything happened in a rush, he and Zuko rescued his dad and Suki from the firenation prison, then they were attacked, separated, and forced to flee the western air temple and make camp in some field, then Zuko and Katara took off for a day. After that, there was, finally, a nearly quiet day but for Aang's fire and earth bending lessons. That night, after dinner, Sokka decided to show off his Haiku. It would help calm everyone down from the eventful past week.. and it was also partly just so he could remind everyone of his amazing talent that he had found in Ba Sind Se.
It was the first time Zuko heard him do poetry, and because of that, he had apparently thought it necessary to comment during it. He had said that Sokka's choice of sentences were not poetic. It being an obviously false opinion, Sokka declared them to be very poetic, and glared at Zuko. When he saw that his words had no effect on him, he rightly challenged Zuko to a Haiku match, which Zuko accepted with a sigh.
After reminding each other that Haiku was done in syllables of five, seven, then five again, they started.
"Your royal teaching
makes you think you are clever
But yet to be seen."
Sokka smirked at Zuko, and Zuko calmly replied,
"Not surprisingly
I learned to speak fluently
correct poetry."
He smiled slightly, and Sokka frowned in return.
"Yet you did succumb
to my name of sword bending
You thought yourself dumb."
Sokka crossed his arms, and smirked again. Zuko's eye twitched.
"I have learned Haiku
You have learned nothing of it
What is it to you?"
Sokka blinked.
"I will answer this..
Haiku is fancy speaking
That is all it is."
Sokka looked around at the others sitting around the fire hesitantly as he finished. Zuko sighed.
"You apparently
do not know Haiku, Sokka
So I am tiring."
Sokka turned his attention back to Zuko and glared at him. With renewed confidence, he continued.
"These are words with rhyme
what else can there be to it?
So I am doing fine."
Everyone stared at him. He stared back. Zuko smiled. He counted his Rhyme on his fingers: "These are words with rhyme." So that's five. "What else can there be to it?" That's seven. "So I am doing fine." That's.. six. He realized he had accidentally said 'I am' rather than 'I'm'. He looked up from his fingers at Zuko, who was grinning down at him in what seemed like a rather arrogant fashion to Sokka.
Notes: I don't know anything about Haiku poetry honestly, and it is just a small part of this story, but even so, I apologize to anyone who finds this a cringe worthy experience of a first chapter, and hope you'll ignore it and go on to the next anyways.
This is my first attempt at fanfiction, so I understand there's a lot of mistakes- pointing them out would be appreciated of anyone who has the time. Any other type of reviews would be nice too, of course.