I was jolted awake the next morning by Jet barging into the room with a loud BANG as the door hit the wall. I was relieved to see Zuko lounging on his own bed instead of with me in mine. That would have been awkward.
"You won't believe what happened!"
He stood there, looking at us expectantly.
"Spit it out then!"
Zuko clearly can't have been awake for very long because he's still grouchy, and Zukos almost always grouchy first thing in the morning.
"USO has declared war on the UN." He gives Zuko a filthy glare before continuing. "Ozai's army have already invaded and taken control of Finland. From the looks of things, he wants to secure the north first – hey! What're you doing?"
I've leapt off the bed, pulled my suitcase from under it and started to fill it with clothes from my dresser without thinking. No, no, no! This cannot be happening!
"I need to go home. They need me and … I can't just leave them!"
I throw things in haphazardly, not paying any attention to what I'm doing.
What if they're dead?
A small hand grips my shoulder. "Sokka, they'll be fine as long as they know you're safe. That'll make them keep going. If you're there, they'll just give up. You don't want them to do that, do you?"
I shake my head and freeze up. I am dimly aware of Jet leaving and someone sitting me on the edge of my bed.
"They could get out still, before the fire army invades!"
This earns me confused looks from my roommates.
"But…I thought…" This was Aang of course; Zuko hadn't spoken since Jet broke the news to us.
"Huh? No. No! They're in… I'm from Norway. The far north, just above Finland."
Understanding settle on Aangs face, and Zuko goes back to his brooding.
"Then there is still a chance…have hope, Sokka!"
Lessons were suspended that day, but the one after the presence of the war was very much there.
Martial arts and gym was using more modern weapons, and dodging faux bullets from a machine gun. They still hurt when you got hit though.
Swordplay was using our chosen weapons to deflect bullets, and the battle plans we were studying in battle strategy had been updated significantly – to within the last decade.
Alternative weaponry now involved explosives: creating them, dismantling them, hijacking guidance computers and diverting them to a neutral location. You get the idea.
The only thing not compulsory was nuclear warfare and how to survive in case of nuclear fallout, which had taken over meditation – but it didn't matter, everyone went to it without fail.
"Lookie here, boys! Why are you still here, traitorous scum? Shouldn't you be off enlisting to the fire army?"
People started this ever since the war broke out. Zuko stopped defending himself – he ignores everyone, Aang and I included. Watching him do this to himself…it hurts. A lot.
"Stop it! How would you like it if you were in his position?"
"Oooh, lover boy to the rescue!"
I watch them saunter off, a slight blush staining my cheeks. Zuko left without saying a word. I returned to our room, despite knowing the iciness I would face if Zuko was there.
"Why'd you do that? Why'd you stand up for me when you don't know anything…?"
I stay silent, watching him watch me from the sanctuary of his bed. Eventually he broke eye contact, staring petulantly at the wall.
"You wouldn't if you knew, so just stop. You'll only hurt yourself." The pregnant pause cannot end fast enough.
"What? What don't I know, Zu?"
I sit next to him on his bed and wait. "Okay, but this goes no further than us, swear it."
I do so and watch him repeatedly clench and unclench his fists.
"My dad." He gets out eventually. "He's … he's the overlord of Ozaius." He whispered the last bit, but I still heard it.
"Why would that make me feel differently about you?"
He ignores me, and continues with fire in his voice. "I hate him! I hate what he's doing! I wish – "
"– Zu. Zu, look at me." He reluctantly raises his head to look me in the eye.
"I. Don't. Care. You can't help who you're related to. All that matters is that you're here and not there."
"Why? How can you not care?"
Aw, god. Here it comes. You're making me say this, so don't go all batshit on me!
"Because I love you! All of you! I love you because you're you! Not for who you were, or what you are – for you."
From the look on his face, bringing up the L word was too soon. I turn my head to hide the teas that threaten to spill over. There is silence. I contemplate making a hasty retreat, but a pale hand cups my cheek and turns me to face him.
Our lips crash together in a passioned frenzy, enjoying the accidental nicks of teeth that came with it. I'm overpowered quickly and pushed to lay on his bed. He breaks away and starts to work creating a hickey on my neck.
"Zu!" I whine, my body betraying me and making my hips buck up in desperate need of friction.
He responds by grinding downward and slipping a hand up my shirt to fiddle with my piercing. I impatiently tug off his shirt and pull him back to taste him again. God, I love how he tastes!
"Holy shit!"
That wasn't Zuko or me, what with our lips being otherwise engaged. I tear myself away from him, only to wish I hadn't. I lock eyes with Aang, seeing the confusion written clearly all over his face. I open my mouth to say something, but he's already gone.
The strained silence in the room stretched on and on…
I think of the conversation we had a couple of days ago. "Please tell me that didn't turn you on." He scowls. I return to my own bed and read while he sleeps.
A small chink of light floods into the room from the hallway outside. I glance at an alarm clock. 1AM. the light shrinks to nothing, and the only light left emanates from the lamp above my head. Bed springs creak slightly and everything is silent.
"I'm sorry … Sokka, I didn't mean to go off like that, I swear!" He pauses, and I strain to listen for more – if there is any. "I don't know why…I don't know what came over me!"
He's upset. Crap, I didn't mean to do that to him.
"It's okay, Aang. Just…just don't tell anyone, 'kay?"