A/N: This a mostly fluff chapter while I try to figure out where the plot is going from here. Don't hate me for the lack of anything important happening here. Byez!

Sokka approached the Duke and Pipsqueak. They jumped up to attention, "Sokka! The prisoner is asleep."

"Thanks for watching him guys, I've got it from here," he flashed them a smile as they nodded and walked past him.

He brushed the tent flap open, slipping in as quietly as possible. The dim light of a flickering candle lit the room. Zuko lay half in shadow, black hair falling over his closed eyes. From this angle, there were no scars to be seen. Sokka sat down next to him, brushing a hand over his cheek, "We're so alike, you and I. We both have scars to mark us out as traitors, and neither of us did anything wrong."

He placed a soft, feather-light kiss on the man's pale forehead, then lay down next to him, curling against him. Zuko stirred, "Sokka."

"Sh..." he murmured, nestling against his chest, "Just sleep."

A hand wrapped around his waist, pulling him tight, "Love you."

"I love you too," Sokka replied, but Zuko was already asleep.

The Watertribe boy sighed and closed his eyes. Sleep was slow coming, but the gentle warmth of the firebender kept his fears far away, for the moment.

-o-

Zuko woke at the crack of dawn. He frowned, he had dreamed that Sokka had come into his tent last night and fell asleep next to him. Roughly, he shook his head, dislodging the cobwebs of the night. Then he sat up, and looked down. Sokka was there, sleeping, his mouth slightly open, a trickle of drool running down his cheek.

The exiled Prince laughed, then bent down and kissed Sokka's cheek, then his mouth. The boy groaned, and rolled over. Zuko grinned wickedly, and began to run his fingers lightly over his tan skin. Sokka shifted, groaning again.

"Sokka," he whispered, "Sokka, wake up."

The boy didn't open his eyes, but his breathing hitched, and a hand lifted and weakly swiped at him, "Go 'way, wanna sleep."

Zuko moved until he was directly over his lover, his lips brushing his ear, "Wake up love. Rise with the sun."

Sokka began to stir, his eyes cracking open, "World's nicer when I'm asleep."

The firebender softened, climbing off the boy, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not here," he mumbled, looking towards the shadows already passing in front of the tent. Zuko nodded, "Where then?"

Sokka stood shakily, stretching his cramped muscles, "Let's grab some breakfast, and I'll show you."

The boy led him to a long white tent, motioning for him to wait outside. Minutes later, he emerged with steaming buns wrapped in paper. He handed one over, already biting into his.

They ate as they strolled through the camp. They walked out of the camp, into the forest. Once out of sight, Sokka took his hand shyly and led him through the maze of trees. They emerged at the same pool Sokka had hid in before Zuko had been 'captured'.

They settled down on the mossy bank, the smaller boy leaned over, trailing his fingers in the water. Zuko waited patiently for him to speak. Without looking up, and barely even moving his lips, he began his narrative, "I was 'summoned' before the Council. They cast me out of the Tribe, and they would have killed me, except Aang showed up, and adopted me or something."

"How did they find out?" Zuko asked gently.

"I got stabbed in the ambush. Katara fixed me up. She must've told my dad," he shrugged carelessly, "I guess she just didn't care."

Zuko looked at the boy. Sokka's eyes were dry, his mouth set in a quivering line. Tentatively, he reached out a hand. Questioningly, the boy took it, and found himself pulled into an embrace. Abruptly, all of the feelings he had been holding in rose to the surface. His shoulders shook in an effort to suppress them.

"You're safe here," Zuko whispered in his ear, "You don't need to hold it back."

That was all it took. The floodgates opened, and sobs began to shake the delicate boy. Zuko sat there, memories of his mother rising to the surface. Just as she used to, he began to rub Sokka's back, murmuring nonsense words into his caramel hair.

Even after the sobs and tears stopped, they stayed like that. Eventually Zuko pulled back and lifted Sokka's face. As gently as he could, he kissed the salty tear tracks away. Finally, when all the tension had fled from his lover's body, he asked, "So, you're the Avatar's...son?"

That produced a watery chuckle, "Big brother I think."

They stood up. Sokka turned his head shyly away, before his whispered, "Thanks Zuko."

He shrugged, "I owe you far more than a little comfort."

Another silence fell, then Sokka's gaze flickered to the water. He looked over to the firebender, than said casually, "So...water fight?"

"You're such a child," Zuko rolled his eyes.

Sokka huffed, then leaned down quickly, flicking water over him. The normally straight-laced Prince glared at the boy, before tackling him into the water. They splashed and shrieked, before crawling, doubled up in undignified giggles, onto the bank.

Zuko stared in awe at the soaking, ridiculous, childish, brave Watertribe, before saying reverentially, "I love you, so much."

Completely oblivious, Sokka answered, "I love you too."