Standard disclaimers apply.
Warnings : Further references to torture, complete digression from canon.
Sokka wasn't sure what had woken him at first. Then he was distracted from figuring it out by the warm and rather comfortable weight on his chest. Apparently at some point he'd slipped down to a lying position in his sleep and pulled Zuko up to, well, snuggle him. When they were both shirtless. In a totally manly way... Okay, maybe not, but it felt nice anyway. Seriously though, he was going to have to work this out. Respecting, or even being friends with the guy trying to destroy the world's last hope (even if he was only doing it because his father was a jerk and he wanted to go home) was one thing, but happily snuggling the prince of the Fire Nation was wrong on so many levels, it-
But then Zuko sensed his tension and woke up, and Sokka saw fear in his face for just a moment as he remembered where he was... fear that melted away when he saw Sokka, and all the tribesman wanted was to see that look of comfort and relief at his presence whenever he could. Crap this was going to be a problem, and he started to say so, explain that they really had to figure something out that didn't involve being on opposite sides of the most important conflict ever, but was interrupted by the same noise that must have woken him to begin with.
Katara sobbing in her sleep.
He probably wouldn't have dumped Zuko off his lap in his hurry to check his sister, but that didn't have to be tested, because the prince rolled gracefully off of him and into a sitting position almost as soon as Sokka had identified the sound. He held back a surge of gratitude at the other boy's understanding before it could manifest as something embarrassing and unmanly, and moved quickly across the cell to gently shake his sister.
"Hey 'Tara, it's okay, wake up..." He held her as best he could around the chains as she began to cling to him, petting her hair like he always had when they were children and she was scared.
"They were going to... they..." Curse it, now he was all wish I had an Avatar State mad again, and mad at himself to boot. He'd been so angry at what those bastards had done to Zuko, he'd pushed what had almost happened to Katara into the background. And Zuko could take it, he was tough, a warrior, Katara had probably needed him more, really.
"It's okay, sis, it's over, they aren't going to hurt you, we're gonna get out of here and I'm gonna break those guys' faces on the way out. Maybe we'll get Zuko to set a couple on fire too, huh?"
"Zuko?" Oops, back to cold angry Katara, looking over to the other side of the cell with disgust before lowering her voice. "You think we're bringing that monster with us if we have to break out of here?"
And, okay, trying to comfort not argue, yeah, yeah but really? Seriously? She was going to be like this when the guy, any guy, had been hurt that badly, and all because he-
"He thought it was funny." Oh spirits. She didn't think... "He was practically laughing at what was happening, he probably wanted to stay and watch, and you think we should..." But no, that was what it sounded like, that was what Zuko had meant it to sound like because being concerned would have been bad for them all, but couldn't she see that he had just been trying to draw attention, couldn't she...?
No. She hadn't seen the mask pulled down so many times it couldn't be seen as anything but a shield. She'd never heard sympathy in the prince's voice, or regret for needing to kill, or stumbling, awkwardly expressed affection. She'd been worried exclusively about Aang and probably hadn't even noticed Zuko playing 'just a soldier, don't look at me' when they were first brought in, before something became more important (or as he would say it, more urgent) than putting off what would happen to the Fire Prince as an Earth Kingdom prisoner. She couldn't see what he had been doing, had just heard the same thing the soldiers had. Curse it.
"Katara, no, I know it seemed that way, but it was an act, he just-"
"How do you know?" And she was still angry, not just at the prince but at him. "How do you know that was an act and the face he's been showing you isn't? You take a walk with the guy and he gets you drunk for one night and now you know him so well you'll choose him over your family? Put aside the things he's done and risk Aang and everything that depends on him to save the prince of the Fire Nation a couple of extra beatings until he's ransomed?"
Sokka remembered Zuko's words from earlier, that they really were enemies in spite of anything else they might be. He didn't know how to argue with either of them, any logical point to make, and Katara wouldn't accept what he felt - wouldn't even accept what she knew of what he felt, and he was getting a bad feeling that she didn't know the half of it.
So he just held her close and said, "Try to sleep some more, Katara." He'd figure something out.
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He woke again to a soft impact on the side of his head. When did 'Tara start wanting pillow fights again? Wait, where did she find a pillow in prison?
He opened his eyes to see his tunic and arm wraps in a bundle beside him and heard Zuko's voice hiss from across the cell, "Put your shirt on, someone's coming!" Well that made a little more sense... except for wondering just how flexible the prince was to get the wraps off his feet and throw the whole bundle while tied up. Okay, one thing at a time this early in the morning, and he could explore Zuko's flexibility when they were all out of here, and oh man, he did not just think that.
Sokka resisted the urge to bang his head against the wall in favor of getting dressed as he heard voices approaching. By the time the cell door opened, he was no more rumpled looking than one would expect after spending the night in a cell.
To his surprise, his feet were not held to the floor as they usually were, though the stone lapped up around Zuko as before. Four men entered the cell together, the major approaching Aang with the sergeant who had originally captured them, and the two other soldiers going to lift the prince and carry him out. "Come on, Your Highness," one said with a smirk, "The major has some new tricks he wants you to learn while you're here." As they dragged him past, Sokka caught his eye. You'll be out of here by tonight, he tried to promise silently. Just hang on.
The sergeant, meanwhile, had already begun to unshackle Aang as the Major spoke pompously. "There hasn't been time for a message to Omashu, but the relay corps reported that any message from the Avatar to King Bumi should be given strongest priority, backing up your claim of being his ally. And the data we have on the steel rig escapees confirms your cooperation there as well. So, I am willing to release you, on the condition that you swear an oath that neither you nor any under your command will interfere with those acting under the authority of the Earth Kingdom again." Sokka glanced over at Aang, but to his surprise the monk didn't even meet his eyes.
"Of course, sir, our interference in the first place was an accident, and we'll be sure to be more careful next time! I swear as the Avatar and stuff." He stopped and seemed to think as Katara was unshackled as well. "Um, if you don't mind me asking, what's going to happen to Prince Zuko? He seemed, um, awfully beat up, and even though he's tried to capture us and stuff, I kind of don't think..."
The major's face darkened for a moment, but then he forced an entirely fake looking smile. "The prince was injured trying to escape, and I'm afraid we had to take harsh measures to prevent another occurrence, but as we are negotiating a ransom from the Fire Lord, you certainly don't have to worry about anything serious happening to him in the meantime." Aang looked guilelessly relieved, Katara had the nerve to give Sokka an I told you so look and Sokka just focused on keeping a straight face and not punching anyone. "Now, the sergeant will take you to your animal, and you may continue on your way. I have other things to attend to." As he turned to walk out of the cell, the water tribesman saw that his smile was no longer fake, but the same one he had worn when he trapped Katara among his men.
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"Oh Appa, it's so good to see you!" Aang leapt up and hugged the Sky Bison's head while the giant beast lowed happily. "Did they feed you at all, why don't you eat some grass before we get moving! And stretch out, I know I needed one! Sokka, we don't need to get going yet, Appa should eat!"
"I know," he said shortly as he continued to climb up to the basket. "I need to get some things." He found the bag that he had originally brought from the South Pole and stuffed it with his spare tunic, parka and the last of his facepaint. He hadn't brought much else but provisions, which were long gone, and his sleeping bag which was beginning to smell moldered from too many magic water soakings.
"Um, what are you doing?" Katara asked as he slid down and shouldered the pack.
He took a deep breath and gave a preemptive mental apology to Gran Gran for fighting with his sister. "I told Zuko I would get him out of there and I'm going to do it."
"But Sokka!" Aang said before Katara could respond, "If the major finds out we broke our promise-"
"Your promise," he cut in and didn't bother keeping the irritation out of his voice. "But since you don't have to come and I'm not under your command, I don't see the relevance."
"Oh please," came that famous I'm going to act like I'm your mother even though you're a year and a half older than me voice, "you are not going to run off on your own again just because that soldier treated Aang as the leader instead of you, are you?"
"No, I'm not running off at all, and I don't care what that asshole major thought. I'm just giving the facts. I'm a man of the Southern Tribe and a blooded warrior, and the only person who can swear an oath on my behalf is Chief Hakoda. So what Aang promised has nothing to do with what I'm doing. What I promised is pretty important to me, though."
"So you're going to release one of the biggest threats to us and ruin Aang's relationship with the Earth Kingdom and you don't think that's any of our business?"
Sokka really had been planning on getting through this conversation without shouting. "Zuko isn't going to be a threat to anyone until he's had a couple of weeks to heal, by which time Aang will be at the Northern Water Tribe, and they aren't going to know it's me, so I'm not ruining anything! Give me a little credit here, Katara!"
"You think you're going to be able to do this alone?"
"I have a plan!"
"Your last plan was to go to Zuko for help, who are you going to get buddy buddy with this time, Admiral Zhao?"
"How can you even compare those two!"
"Gee, because they're both violent firebenders out to capture Aang maybe?"
"ENOUGH!"
Oh, fine, he gets the glowy eyes when he's mad... Okay, Aang is mad enough for glowy eyes, let's calm down a little.
"This isn't worth you two tearing each other apart about! You still love each other, so listen and accept what the other feels!" The glow had gone, but Aang was still in full I'm the Avatar so listen up mode. "Katara, Sokka's right that I have no ability to swear an oath on his behalf. I kinda knew that was an out in what the major was asking, and I was okay with that because he seemed kinda slimy. And if Sokka thinks it won't hurt my reputation with the Earth Kingdom, I trust him."
His triumphant smirk was interrupted, unfortunately. "And Sokka, I know Zuko is your friend, and it seems that he's got some honorable traits, but he does have a single minded purpose to bring me home to his dad. No matter what shape he's in, we're in more danger with him out of prison than in it. I don't think it's safe for Katara and me to hang around the place he last saw us and wait for you to somehow rescue him, get him somewhere safe and get back to us. What if he captures you? What if he sends someone to follow you? We've already lost over a day to this mess, and we've got Zhao on our trail, too."
The young monk looked at his feet and Sokka knew he didn't want to say what came next. "I think you need to decide what is most important to you."
He closed his eyes, wishing life made even the slight amount of sense it had before the plant monster and the forest and the beach. "Getting you trained and defeating the Fire Lord is the most important thing, Aang." He heard Katara take a breath but continued on, "But Zuko's situation is the more urgent matter right now." He fixed his sister with a serious gaze before she could object. "You're right about the delay and the danger though. That's why I want you two to get moving to the Northern Water Tribe."
The two both burst out with objections and even Appa didn't seem to like the plan, but Sokka waited it out and tried for his best calm, rational voice when they let him talk. "We're less than a day from Northport and after that it's all ocean. You won't need me for hunting or guarding the camp, and Appa will make better time with only two of you. When you get there, you'll have dozens of warriors to protect you. You don't need me there, and I can make myself a general pain in the ass to Zuko and Zhao, and maybe lay a few false trails so they don't know you're already at the North Pole." Katara still looked cranky, but Aang was clearly thinking about his logic. "We'll meet up in Omashu in the spring when you're ready to learn earthbending, and have lots of crazy stories to tell each other."
His sister wasn't looking at him, which probably meant she was going to admit he was right. "I don't like this, Sokka."
"It's not my first choice either. But I need to do this, and I need to keep you and Aang safe, and this is the best way to do both."
There was a long moment of no one looking at each other, and then they all moved in for the hug at once.
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Sokka panted as he ran through the woods, again wishing there was room to work out on a flying bison. He wished for a few other things, like that he hadn't left the map with Aang (who could never read it anyway) or the ability to fly. Zuko had definitely had the right idea about that. Seriously, Sozin had probably wiped out the air nomads because he was jealous that they could fly and he couldn't.
The trees were thinning out, maybe he'd picked the right direction for a port. The encouraging thought allowed him to pick up the pace a little and he was moving fairly fast as he came around a curve in the path...
Running literally smack into a group of Fire Nation soldiers.
"Where do you think you're going, Water Tribe?" one asked as he picked himself up off the ground.
"He certainly doesn't belong here," another put in.
Okay, time to test a theory. Stand up straight, deepen voice as much as possible, look confident and like he's in charge.
"I need to see General Iroh. Take me to him, immediately!"
And what do ya know, it worked...
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A hour later Sokka had learned several important things. The first was that Zuko's uncle came across at first meeting as a totally harmless and jolly gentleman who probably would be happy to serve him tea and talk about his life for a few hours regardless of national affiliation or the whole "need to capture the Avatar" thing.
The second was that that particular impression went away really fast when the Dragon of the West found out his nephew was in trouble. In fact, the side of Iroh that Sokka's news revealed was so far from 'harmless' that in spite of his own desire for revenge, the water tribesman found himself extracting a promise that there would be no more violence than needed to free the prince before he would show the general where the earthbenders were.
The third thing he learned was that Fire Nation armor was very annoying to put on and the fourth was that rhinos weren't nearly as easy to change clothes on as a sky bison.
"So, uh, do we have a plan?" he asked as he settled the helmet to hide his Water Tribe features.
"Yes," Iroh replied calmly as he dismounted and headed towards the base. "I will distract the majority of the troops while you make your way into the prison building and bring Prince Zuko out." He handed Sokka a horn like the one he had taken off the Yu Yan. "When you get back to the rhinos blow one short and one long and I will join you."
"Okay, that sounds good..." He couldn't help but notice that flames were already glowing from the old firebender's hands, starting to circle around him and pulsing with his breath. "Er... how exactly are you going to distract them?"
The general was already walking away as he said calmly over his shoulder, "I am going to smash their miserable encampment to ashes and rubble. That should distract them."
"New rule," Sokka muttered to himself as he headed the other direction before cutting towards his goal. "Do not mess with Zuko when his uncle is around. Just saying..."
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Sokka ducked into the shadow of a building before taking a chance and sprinting to the prison entrance. An explosion echoed from the other side of the compound and he had already seen several soldiers leaving to help with what everyone seemed to assume was an entire patrol of firebenders attacking. Not that he blamed them.
Quick run down to the cell where they had been held before - empty. Okay, he was pretty sure the men who had taken Zuko that morning had turned further down the hall when they left rather than towards the outside. So, he just had to move that way and check rooms.
The hall ended in an intersection with another before he found any sign of the prince. Which way to go? He hesitated a moment and then he heard it. A sharp sound halfway between a crack and a slap. Then another. It came from the right and Sokka headed that way, unsheathing the short sword he'd borrowed with the uniform. As he neared the end of the hall, he heard the voice of the sergeant.
"...lose any men, the major's gonna take it out of your hide." A grunt of effort and another sharp crack. "Maybe he'll be in a more forgiving mood if you've learned to introduce yourself the right w-" Sokka had thrown open the door by then, and was charging the man before he could even fully process what his eyes were taking in. Zuko kneeling, chained facing the wall, blood running down his back. The sergeant with his outer robes off, having built up a sweat in the stiflingly small room. He turned at the intrusion and swung the whip in his hand at the tribesman, but it was an awkward angle and it barely stung as it wrapped around his arm, slipping off and leaving a darker red stain on the Fire Nation uniform.
Zuko's blood, he thought and that rage came back again, but this time he was free and had a sword in his hand. He swung hard, feeling the blade bite into the arm that the soldier instinctively flung up to defend himself, slowing it so that the impact with his head wasn't immediately fatal. Sokka could fix that, though. He yanked the weapon free and turned it in his hand to stab rather than swing. "You bastard," he heard his own voice distorted by the face mask, and the sound was so strange and alien that it stopped him for a moment - the moment it took to realize that the sergeant was no longer a threat and anything he did now would be murder.
"Curse it." He replaced his sword and searched the downed man quickly for keys. Lifting the mask he spoke gently to Zuko as he searched for a fit to the shackles. "Hey, you ready to get out of here?" He was concerned when the other boy didn't respond, he had a glazed look in his eyes somewhere between meditative and catatonic. The chains fell away, but the prince still didn't move, eyes focused on something beyond the walls of the room. "Come on, Zuko, I don't know if I can carry you, come back okay?" He gently cradled the pale jaw as he had the night before in the cell and gazed at him for a long moment until the golden eyes seemed to clear and focus on him.
"Hey." It came out as a dry croak. "Your turn to dress up?"
He fought back a laugh that would probably turn into a sob if he let it. "Yeah, I figured it was only fair. Listen, do you think you can stay on your feet for ten minutes? Just that long, then you get to sleep for a week, I promise. I know it will hurt..."
There was a look he couldn't quite identify in those beautiful eyes. "Will you be there while I sleep?"
He felt like he'd been hit in the chest, not breathing for just a second. "And when you wake up."
Zuko put one arm around his shoulder and grabbed a bolt in the wall with the other hand to help haul himself up.
"Let's get out of here."
A/N : Iroh's "distraction" plan is unapologetically ripped off from the first episode of Buffy season two, where she says she's "going to kill them all. That ought to distract them."
A/N2 : Do people think I need a beta? I've been mostly re-reading and spell checking, and I don't feel like the errors that remain are painful... and I like being able to post when I'm done rather than waiting on another person... but if folks feel like there's a lot of room for improvement, I could look for one for the future.