The sky of the North Pole was alit by a mist of blood that drowned the sun as the small piece of tundra beneath them was stained red beside the wreckage of the ship that lay broken on the shoreline to be palmed by the auburn tides.
Or was it the South Pole? Had he never left? Which end of the world was he?
Doesn't matter.
Another out of the circle and bled into the center.
"Hey," Sokka chuckled hoarsely, "you're late, Flaming Lord."
The despicable ringing in his ears was back from time's coffin and his teeth grated against each other.
The man chortled bloodily. "Heheh, it seems you've caught me in a 'sword-ed' situation."
"Damn you…" Zuko cursed over his breath.
Sokka's head strung forward. "C'mon, don't make that face. It's not that bad. Recovery will just need a 'lung' time."
"Damn you, damn you, damn you, damn you…"
"Keep that attitude up, and you won't be the only one on 'edge'—"
"SHUT UP! You were supposed to wait! You were supposed to wait…"
The horrifying little grin followed his face to the side. "Wait…? Kughahaha……" Slowly, Sokka's torn, rigid hand pulled him down by his throat, "I've waited long enough, I'm sick of it. Nobody waits anymore."
Zuko felt his eyes clench unbearably as he looked into the liquid black vines that sprouted from Sokka's left eye.
Sokka snarled. "Don't cower away! Look at me!"
Ignoring the pain in his veins and wishing the grip on his neck wasn't weakening, Zuko returned his gaze to the dark bloom and the steely blue in the warrior's glare.
"Promise me……that you will not fall. Do you understand? I don't care how much or whose blood you have to shed. You will keep walking. You will put one foot in front of the other. You will walk and you will bleed and you will breathe. Vow to me. DO NOT FAIL."
Something boiled inside him and he clamped around the blood-graced man's neck in turn. Indignation erupted in him and he wanted to do nothing but scream Hypocrite onto his face but it soon gave away to anger and absolute fury.
The red snow around them blew into crimson vapor and ascended into the skyward abyss.
"I swear upon my honor," Zuko declared evenly, "I swear upon the blood in my veins and this scar on my face. I WILL NOT FAIL."
They froze like statues, hand on each other's throat as they and the world bled.
Then ever so—painfully—slowly, Sokka simpered………steel blue eyes to rusted copper.
His grip fell limp.
"Hey……………!"
No response.
"……………………damn you."
…moon bleeding tears.