Sokka's eyes fluttered open, as he heard someone open the door to his and the firelord's bedroom. He had been waiting for Zuko to come before going to sleep, but the comfortable bed had been too much of a temptation to resist. He sat up on the bed and watched as a very tired Zuko walked in and started stripping his formal robes off.
"Hey", Sokka greeted. "What took you so long? I thought you didn't have any meetings after the one with the advisors."
"I didn't", Zuko sighed. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "So you spent three hours with your advisors? What were you talking about?"
"Let me get to bed first?" Zuko snapped, taking his nightwear from a closet. Sokka raised his hands in a demonstration of surrender and smiled sheepishly. Zuko didn't smile back. After a moment he slipped between the sheets next to Sokka. The watertribesman frowned and said: "Sit up, oh mighty firelord." Zuko rolled his eyes, but did as told.
Sokka sat up too and started massaging Zuko's tense shoulders and back.
"So, what were the advisors bothering you with this time?" he asked softly. Zuko didn't answer for a moment, and Sokka didn't push him to.
Finally, Zuko spoke: "You. Us. That's what they talked to me about." Sokka tensed. "They said I have to find a proper bride to marry, sooner rather than later. Someone has to bare me an heir. They've told me that before, but I've always just brushed it off… But now they have found some old law they could rely on to force me into it.
"What kind of law?" Sokka asked, keeping his voice calm. Inside he was everything but, though. Zuko didn't look him in the eyes as he explained: "A law that says I have to be married soon, or else the council can name my closest relative as the firelord. Which means… my sister. They said it didn't matter she was in a mental prison."
Sokka had pulled away the minute he had seen where Zuko's explanation was leading to. "Can't you break the law?" he asked shakily. "I mean, you are the firelord. You have the power to do that, right?"
Zuko looked at him sadly, shaking his head. "I can't break this kind of laws alone, Sokka. You know that. I don't think… I don't think there's much I can do."
Sokka nodded silently. His shoulders had slumped in defeat, and he was looking at their blanket as if it was the most saddening this in the world. It wasn't, of course - Zuko's words were. "Does this mean you're breaking up with me?" he asked quietly.
"No!" Zuko snapped quickly. "We can still be together! Somehow, in secret", his voice faded, and he turned to Sokka desperately. Sokka looked at him in the eyes.
"No", he said. "I don't hide. I'm not going to be anyone's dirty little secret, not even yours." His voice was shaking in an effort to stay collected.
"I would never call you that", Zuko whispered.
"But I would!" Sokka snapped. "And so would everyone else if they were to find out. Do you have any idea what it would do to your political status, if everyone found out that you've been lying and cheating on your wife?" His voice broke at the last word. He bent down and cried, broken bitter sobs.
Zuko pulled Sokka close to his chest, and the younger man buried his face into the curve of his neck. He rubbed soothing circles onto Sokka's back, though his own eyes were slightly tearing also.
"We'll get through this, I know we will", Zuko said, desperation showing in his voice. Sokka didn't respond. He raised his head and kissed Zuko. His lips were soft and passionate, and just feeling them and knowing that the kiss might be one of their lasts made him want to break down.
After a moment Sokka broke the kiss slowly, almost hesitantly. "C'mon, we should get some sleep", he said quietly, pulling Zuko to lay down with him. Zuko wrapped his arms around Sokka's middle, kissing his neck softly.
Sokka smiled sadly. "I love you", he whispered.
"I love you too", Zuko answered. After a day like this, he fell fast asleep, too tired to think anymore.
When Zuko woke up in the morning, it didn't take him long to notice that Sokka was gone. And so were with his traveling clothes, sword and boomerang.
Next to Zuko on the bed lay a note; "I'm so sorry, but I had to leave this way. I know I couldn't have handled saying goodbye, and I couldn't let you get hurt because of me. Marry someone great. I hope you find happiness, you deserve it. I love you. –Your Watertribe- peasant."
This time Zuko wasn't able to contain the sobs that escaped his throat, shaking is entire body.