This chapter is going to be very long ;)
Thursday October 4th, 1900, 11:00
Zuko was speaking from the same place where he had spoken on becoming Fire Lord. It was just as warm too. Fire Nation summers never ended and he was a bit hot because of the nerves he had. He wanted very badly to put down any confusion about the decision he had made the day before. He just redefined marriage and, in earnest understanding, wanted to dispel all of the concerns his people had. Their concerns were real, of course. Technically, he did not need to explain himself at all. He was, is, and until the day he dies shall be an absolute Prince, knowing no equal in the land, and submitting to no other princes (not yet to the Southern Water Tribe prince, but soon). He, being, by very far, the most powerful man on Earth was doing his people a favor, in actuality.
He did not feel that way at all, of course. Every single morning, when he rose from his bed, he did so with fear and trepidation. It was not a fear that paralyzed him or arose from fright. It was a sort of foreboding that arose from a respect of the People. He knew deep within himself as all Fire Lords did, that without the love and good will of the people, he was worth less than the dirt over which they tread. Without them, he was nothing. This Nation was fearfully and wonderfully made and it was his job to keep it alive and in good health. He had plenty of help, but the buck stops with him.
He would be nothing and mean nothing if it were not for them on his side. They seemed very much to like him, though there was no scientific polling to suggest this, though Hashi had suggested it. All he knew was this: Anecdotally, Zuko heard that the name "Zuko" had become very popular for boys being born. That was unprecedented. He also heard that in this interim before his official portrait is made and reproduced, millions of children were drawing his likeness and putting them in the classrooms where his father's likeness once hung. They seemed eager to get to know him, to fall in love with him. The knew his story, but they wanted to know him, the flesh and bones. The idea of the benevolent Fire Lord ruling as some sort of deity was over. His father proved once and for all that the Fire Lord and the institution of the Monarchy was not beyond reproach, but was real, functioning and flawed. It would need to modernize and do so quickly. 1900 made everything different and 1901, or the start of the twentieth century, would probably prove even more revolutionary.
He knew this next fact intimately as well. This decision has changed something fundamental about his country. He had to get out in front of whatever would come. He understood that many in the older generation would not understand or accept what he did, but that they would submit dutifully to their Sovereign. The young were in many ways similar, too young to accept or understand, but still loyal. It was the people in the middle, those who had the means and ends to dissent. He was not going to crush dissent, because he was not his father. He would be nothing like his father. He would speak to hem and try to get them to understand. That was all he would do. He would listen and not demean them. Any dislike of this would blow over. It would have to. He hoped it would.
He approached the microphone and the attentive audience had stood up again. These words were going to be important, so he picked them with care. It was his first essay in this long test. And he had millions of people grading him, silently. At least he had Sokka standing behind him, giving him silent, unending support. Sokka was certainly scared, himself. He hoped that the people here were more accepting than the people of the Southern Water Tribe would be. He was afraid for himself and the feelings that he had for his Zuko. (Ooh, possessive pronouns)
"Good morning." Zuko started, immediately breaking with the tradition of a Fire Lord's speech, "I come to speak to you today regarding the headlines that you no doubt saw on your evening newspapers last night and on explained in greater detail with the morning paper. I know that this news must have been surprising. Indeed, receiving the questions from this case astonished me too. The year 1900 is turning out to be a moment of drastic changes. A question has never gotten to the Fire Lord so quickly after he has taken the throne. In these unprecedented times, an unprecedented Fire Lord are being asked question that most of us never considered, let alone formulated.
"I have taken pains to come to this decision and I considered it without passion or emotion," Zuko had to lie here. There was a great amount of passion and emotion here, though it was, a of that moment, not only hidden but guarded.
"I sought only to read the law in the same neutral way that many of you do when you serve on a jury. I have also taken advice from only those whose sole purpose and aim is to aid me in the interpretation of the Constitution. Ours is a very complex one. We have not written it down, but it is learned and understood by all of us to be a living, breathing, flexible thing that acts in the service of the rights of all, rich or poor, urban or rural, noble or common, Sovereign or subject. Those principles are made and sustained by and for all of us. While It lives and breathes, It remains true to certain inalienable concepts and rights life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
"Those three fundamental pieces of our way of life are the dictates to which I must submit. The question that I answered concerned was not a question of law but one that I had to considered as a chancellor. There is no strict legal basis to this question. Marriage was not firmly defined in any law. Indeed no statute explicitly said that marriage could only be entered into by one man and one woman. Marriage was only, in the eyes of the law and constitution, a contract.
"These question concerned equity and would have been better posed to the Chancery Court as in a local Court of Equity. I know that it probably would have ended up in my lap if it went through that channel as well. I took this decision very seriously, knowing that the choice I made would have repercussions for many. I will now explain my reasoning behind it, because I promised that this government would be transparent, and transparent it shall be. This question was asked by two sane people, who both passed a test to ascertain that their minds were 'in the most excellent and prime condition to take forward the work of civilization.' These, as you know, are the words used to describe anyone who passed the Standardized Armed Forces Psychological Examination. These two men had served in this war with bravery, honor, and steadfast loyalty. They put their lives in the line every moment of every day for the last ten years of their lives. They did so without complaint and without blemish. Their discipline records are clean and both were given an honorable discharge from the Fire Nation Army.
"They are decent and respectable in every way. Instead of loving women, they love each other. This sort of homosexual attraction and love has never been considered or codified illegal. I know this, if they had even a fraction of the love I had for Lady Mai, it would be wrong to stop them from freely expressing it. I would have had no one stopping me from marrying Lady Mai and I know the depths of love that two people can have for each other. Therefore out of fairness, I cannot deny these two men, or any two consenting adults the right to marry. I also cannot say that the marriage has any different or lesser standing. Those two men, like any man and woman are now, and ought to be free to marry the person of their choice. My Government will henceforward endorse that right.
"Furthermore, that right will not be infringed and will be protected by My Government. No one shall discriminate on those grounds. The answers to these questions shall be enacted immediately. These were the only fair answers that I could reasonable reach. I commit them to you."
There was a moment of silence as the crowd thought it over. Zuko looked into their eyes, wondering, hoping that the people would accept this. He hadn't felt so scared since he looked into his father's eyes before he burned him. Another beat of silence passed before he heard someone in the audience, start clapping. Then another, and then maybe ten more people joined in. Soon enough the entire crowd was applauding some were whistling. Zuko even saw some same sex couples in the crowd making out. Zuko felt an overwhelming sense of relief. He turned to Sokka, who was nodding in approval.
7:23 PM
Sokka heard a knocking on the door to his bedchamber. It was lucky that the knocking came then and not two minutes later. Sokka was just about ready to tug his cock to the thoughts of the Fire Lord riding him. Sokka was in preparation mode when he heard the tapping. He was already semi-erect, big but pliable, rubbing through the silk robe and silk boxers. He was on the verge of becoming completely committed to getting the job done. He was at that stage where he could stop the pleasure without feeling completely let down. In that sense he was lucky
"Fuck," he muttered as he readjusted himself and made his way to the door, rapidly becoming flaccid under the clothes. He wondered who the hell would want to see him now. He, of course, would not have minded if it was his Zuko, but Zuko would have called. After a few seconds, Sokka reached the door, and gave himself a few more seconds to let the boner subside. He took a deep, sharp breath, and the last of the manifest bulge had subsided. For all he knew, it could have been his father.
He sure hoped not.
He reached out and grabbed the knob, turned it counter-clockwise and pulled the door open. He was surprised to see who it was.
"Hashi?" Sokka asked, interested but no longer surprised. "Come on in." He gestured for Hashi to come into the room. Hashi was holding a big red book under his arm and had few of those ballpoint pens that Sokka had tried. They sure beat a quill and beat fountain pens too.
Sokka caught a glimpse of the gold lettering on the front of the epically large book, a tome more like.
HIS MAJESTY'S ROYAL LEDGER it read.
Sokka was even more confused.
"I'm sorry, if I have disturbed you."
"No, you haven't. I was only reading."
"If I could just put this down somewhere." Hashi half asked, half stated.
"Sure," Sokka snapped back to reality, "Sure, that thing must weigh a ton." Sokka guided him to one of the tables in the front of the room. It was big enough for the two men to sit at, just as he had sat next to Zuko over tea, or that exotic thing Sokka enjoyed, coffee.
"More cumbersome than anything," Hashi said off-handedly. "Near enough a ton."
Sokka had started to forget that the Fire Nation had a different accent and different word choice for things. He was so used to it that he probably started to talk like them. The next time he spoke to anyone outside he would definitely have to ask if Zuko was rubbing off on him. That would probably be the case, not that he minded. It would just be interesting to see how the Fire Nation was starting to change him. He hoped only that he has changed Zuko too and showed him some of the Southern Water Tribe spirit.
Sokka rejoined the present when he heard the thud of ledger hitting the mahogany table. He was jolted by the sound, and was glad that Hashi's back was towards him. Hashi didn't need to see him flinch that way.
"So, Hashi, what can I do for you?" Sokka, asked walking towards the table to sit beside him.
"The Chancellor of His Majesty's Exchequer does a monthly report on the condition of the economy. That includes, in very general terms, the expenses of His Lordship's Household."
"Oh?" Sokka said, sitting down in a chair on the nearest side to Hashi at the square coffee table.
"That report and that of the Report from the Governor-General of the Royal Bank of the Fire Nation gives a good picture of how the economy did in the month prior. It tells us and the public about inflation, unemployment, employment, pension payments, growth varying sectors et cetera, et cetera. That helps us, and all the people make decisions about what to do with their money."
"I see."
"Of course, it is actually more simple than I make it sound. We try to encourage people to spend their money in as different places as they can to keep the economy moving in all sectors. The most important thing is that people have money to spend and that they spend it."
"Certainly." The Southern Water Tribe's economy was not as complicated, but worked mainly with the free market system as well. It wasn't as big or diversified, but free enterprise was what he was taught.
"Right now it's imperative as the Exchequer is about to start doling out service annuities for the soldiers returning now and for making good War Bonds sold for the effort because the people have the right to collect their money back. It's going to be expensive and the Chancellor and Governor General want to make sure that the budget to the Royal Household is sustained."
"I understand."
"So, Master Sokka, for the report that is due to be published tomorrow I just need to ask you a few details about the expenditures you incurred in the month of September."
"Expenditures?" The Water Tribesman did not like how complicated this sounded. "What do you mean? I mean, I know what the word means," Sokka chuckled, "But, I mean, what money am I supposed to be spending here?"
"Hmm. What I'm saying is, have you withdrawn from your account?" Hashi grabbed a pen and was ready to write in the amounts.
"Account? I don't have an account in the Bank of the Fire Nation. Do I?"
"Yes, didn't you know?" Hashi, put his pen down, scratched the back of his head, and sat back in the chair. He was usually sure of himself, but now he was quite confused by this. "Weren't you the one who opened it?"
"No, I don't have a clue what you're talking about I didn't even know that this country had a central bank until when you just told me."
"You haven't a clue. Really?" Hasi ashed the question squinting in confusion. He knew that Sokka was telling the truth.
"Yes, really." Sokka answered.
"You have an account in this Ledger. In fact, you're the second line in the book under the Fire Lord Himself."
"Wait, what? Can I see it?"
"That is most irregular to let anyone but the Chancellor or the Governor see this, but I suppose I can let you see it. I need to figure this out myself." Hashi said, rotating the book so that Sokka could read the figures in it.
Hashi started to explain the layout of the charts in front of him.
"Well, I might as well explain it all to you. The Fire Lord trusts you so I shall too. On this top line, of course is His Majesty. His monthly income written out and his monthly expenditure. The net left over which is then put into the Bank and so on. So for September, he spent only a fraction of what his predecessor on the throne spent. I never thought I would see a Fire Lord spend less than 100,000 pounds in a month."
"Pounds?" Sokka was interested. Was that the actual name of the currency?
"Yes, that's technically what the currency is called. No one says it, they just call it by whatever metal is being used. A pound is one gold piece. The money is pressed and pounded hence pounds."
"Ah."
"And a big silver piece is worth half a gold piece, a medium-sized silver piece is worth one-quarter, a small silver piece is worth one tenth of one quarter. A copper piece is worth one-hundredth of the gold piece."
"Why not decimalize the currency?"
"What do you mean?"
"You already have fractions that work out perfectly into one hundred parts like, pence or cents."
"You already have a penny, a dime, a quarter, a half pound, you might as well just use the decimals."
"That is something to be considered. It would make accounting much easier than writing out all of these fractions, I might even use that for recording the statistics for October" Hashi realized aloud, "So, down here, on your line, you have an account worth one million pounds."
"A million gold pieces?!" Sokka almost shouted. He looked down at the ledger and glaring next to his name was the seven digit number in red ink.
"The interest compounds at a rate of about ten percent per month. That being said, this Fire Lord has been so fiscally conservative, he could live off of the interest that you receive."
"Zuko's living lavishly to me. I mean look at this place. And he's putting in electricity, and telephones amd all sorts of technology."
"Master Sokka, Ozai spent about 100,000 on clothes in the last month of his reign alone."
"Goodness, I just send down the clothing I have to be laundered. Those machines you have are impressive."
"They are very advanced machines. Even so Sir, their use are palace expenses, not yours."
"I eat here, and all the other things come part and parcel with the palace. I haven't needed to spend any money outside of this place. Everything I do is a service of this palace. I don't suppose that any of that counts towards any personal expenditure."
"No."
Sokka got up, "You know what? I'm going downstairs to get a massage and use that spa. Oh, and have some ice cream"
"That doesn't count either," Hashi chuckled.
"Dammit."
Friday, October 5th, 1900, 07:30
Sokka was getting dressed when the phone in his bedroom started to ring. He ran to it, but did not pick it up immediately. He didn't want to appear to eager. He smoothed out the robe he was wearing, inhaled a disproportionate amount of air, let it go and then reached for the telephone. He let it ring one more time before he put the speaker up to his ear and the receiver up to his mouth.
"Hello," he answered.
"Yeah, uh… Sokka?" Zuko sounded nervous on the other end and that made Sokka nervous.
"Yeah, what's up?" Sokka said trying his best to sound collected. The success of that objective is still debated
"No, nothing, it's nothing. No, I tell a lie, it is something. It's not like something really big, but it's not small either."
"So, it's something?"
"Yes it's something."
"What is it then?" Sokka was not being reassured in the slightest.
"It's something good."
"Good?"
"Yes, good." Zuko said.
"Good." Sokka answered, the word now feeling awkward in his mouth and resounding worse in his ears.
"Yeah, it's a surprise, like a good surprise." Zuko was sweating on the other end of the line. Seriously, Zuko was sitting on his bed shaking like a leaf, his palms getting so sweaty that he could not hold the mouthpiece still, and his heart racing. The raging, throbbing boner wasn't helping him sound calm to Sokka either.
"Okay, I like surprises, good surprises."
"Oh, yeah, cool. I, uh, just meet me outside in let's just say, uh half an hour. Yeah, you know, by the Southern Gate. And make sure to bring your sword, you'll need it"
"Sure. Ok then, I'll bring the space sword."
"Okay, good, it's a plan, see you there, bye."
"Luvya, bye," Sokka said quickly, not thinking. Sokka didn't even hear it, and so he had no reaction on his end.
Zuko hung up and he exhaled quickly. He was finished getting dressed and wanted to take one last look in the mirror. He had gone to the spa earlier in the morning. He had his hair cut, and every square inch of his skin buffed and smoothed over. He smelled like vanilla. Why? Because he chose it.
And why did he choose it? Sokka liked vanilla ice cream.
He walked to it and felt a little silly dressed in all these royal clothes. He looked at his face, he was blushing a little and wanted desperately to stop, but his nerves at this surprise he had. If this went right, he was going to get the prize that he had been seeking for a while now.
"Wait?!" Zuko stopped in his tracks and sitting back down on the bed. "Did he just say he loved me? No I misheard him."
He got up and continued preparing for a moment, "No, no, you heard it, Zuko. You know you heard it. He said it, 'luvya', I know he did." He sat back on the bed as he considered the implications of his slip."Yeah, he just slipped up, that's all. It was like platonic, friendly not sexual. Yeah, I mean he's Sokka. There's nothing homosexual about him. He's on the straight and narrow."
The butterflies in Zuko's stomach started to flutter more than that had been already. "He said he loved me. This can't be happening." He clasped his hands together, shut his eyes and lifted them up to his face in a strange nervous prayer "This might actually be happening. Please all those good angels and spirits in Heaven above let him love me back. Please, please, please let him love me back." He opened his eyes and realized that he should get moving. He wiped a tear of hope and fear away. He had never felt this strongly about anyone and he knew that he was going to burst if he didn't know.
He knew that his odds were small, but something in him, burning like an eternal flame held out hope.
"Just relax." He said to himself.
"Zuko," Sokka was very befuddled, as he squinted in the warm sunlight. "What is going on? What's this surprise?"
"Wait," Zuko said, having regained his nerves from his mini meltdown. His nerves held as he continued to speak, "The surprise is on it's way. At least part one of it is."
"Part one?"
"You heard me." Zuko smirked, the innocent seeming praying boy was replaced with an imp whose only thought were carnal desire.
"Wait, do you hear that?" Sokka cupped his right hand up to the corresponding ear. It sounds like ostrich horses and a marching battalion of soldiers. Sokka turned around and saw four ostrich horses pulling a cart and several dozen soldiers marching in step. They were wearing black uniforms and held the swords ready. Another unit came out, dressed in red, all with instruments in hand. Some more emerged on ostrich horses and rhinos.
"We're going on a Royal Progress down to the bay. It's about three miles, through the town and down to the ocean."
"Wow," Sokka was amazed at the display. The carriage came up to them. The two guards riding on the carriage in the back descended and opened the door on either side. Sokka got in on the left and Zuko on the right. The doors were closed again and the two guards saluted on either side. Sokka had to stifle a laugh. He had never been saluted by a man wearing a powdered wig before. It was ridiculous looking. The carriage was small, ornate, but small so their bodies were touching. Sokka smelled something sweet. Like vanilla ice cream and he liked it. "All of this is amazing." He said. He maneuvered to take the sword off. His sword (well it's handle) was poking Zuko, and he didn't like the metaphor.
"This is only the beginning of the surprise." Zuko said. He was hoping that everything he told his people to do at Ember Island was done.
The wigged guards did not get back onto the back of the carriage. They were going to stay the the palace and two new people would let them out at the destination. The gate opened.
Sokka looked over at Zuko. He was on the side with scar and looked on, still astonished by how good looking Zuko was even with the scar. "I have something to ask you Zuko?"
Zuko tensed up slightly and looked over at the Water Prince, "Yes?"
The carriage started moving forward
"Hashi came to me last night."
"Oh?" Zuko's nerves were making him jealous without cause.
"He showed me-"
"Yes?"
"He showed me the Royal Ledger and that I had an account worth a million pounds."
"I… sort of set that up."
"Yes?" Sokka asked, "Why?"
"Well I uh… if you wanted to buy something, I didn't want you to come asking me."
Sokka squinted in a mix of consternation and shock.
"Sorry, that didn't uh, come out right. I just wanted you to have some money to spend on yourself. If you wanted something for yourself you could get it and not involve me is all, not that I mind. You can buy anything you please without my interference, because frankly what you buy is none of my business. Anything you want to do, you can, you know, just do it."
"Why so much Zuko?"
"I just wanted to make sure you didn't want for or need anything while you were here. I hope you weren't offended."
"No, it was just a surprise. A good surprise."
"I set up the account last month and I totally forgot to tell you. With all these things going on it's hard enough to remember what day of the week it is, let alone things like that."
"Well, today is Friday and apparently I have money in two countries. All I need is an Earth Kingdom account, and I'll have the trifecta. As for you, you are the master of suspense. I have absolutely no idea what is going on right now."
Zuko took a bit of comfort in that, "So you mean I'm in control right now."
Sokka sensed what he was doing and gave the worst answer possible, "It most assuredly appears that way."
Zuko squirmed and Sokka loved it. "Well I could have just as well blindfolded you," the Fire Lord started, "It would still be the same. You don't know what's going on."
"No, I don't. You're quite right. I have no clue what's coming next. That, Zuko, describes how I've lived my whole life. Blindfolding me would have been interesting. Uncertainty excites me, it makes me perk up. "
"Oh, does it?" Zuko was losing this game. It was okay, he wanted to.
"Yes, and since you've promised me that the surprise is good, I am very much looking forward to it. I know I can handle it."
" It ? And you don't know what it is. You're a bit cocky, aren't you?" Zuko's tone didn't betray his flirtatiousness.
"Cocky? Maybe… but I don't disappoint, I always rise to the occasion." Sokka's voice was thick with euphemism. The sexual tension between them was going to have to be released soon. Zuko still did not know if Sokka was flirting or having a regular conversation. His nerves prevented him from hearing Sokka's very forward manner of speech.
"You always rise to the occasion?" Zuko asked.
"Never fallen short."
"Good, there may be times when I will need you to help me out and your ability to be ready for action will be invaluable"
"Help?" Sokka liked this, Zuko and he were in a beautiful dance of innuendo.
"Yes, Sokka, help, there are some things that need to partner, someone there to help, give a helping hand, or you know or-"
"No, I don't know." Sokka smirked.
"Provide assistance. Which at times may require some physical prowess or dexterity."
"I aim to please and succeed every time in doing so."
"You have pleased me greatly with the assistance you have already given. With things getting more complicated, I know that I will need more of your assistance day and night."
"I will provide as much as I can whenever I can"
"It is admittedly very generous, Sokka. You have been very, very helpful."
"Thank you," Sokka answered.
"No, Sokka, thank you. You're boldness and confidence has inspired me greatly."
"My boldness?"
"You say that you're not cocky, so I'll say you're bold. Every part of you is bold." Zuko was skirting the line here.
"Well, I am glad I inspire you so much. You inspire me too."
"Do I?"
"Yes, you are so noble and I dare say virtuous that you inspire me. Despite the past I really do believe in your inherent innocence. An innocence that stirs up feelings of great fondness for you." Sokka was trying to get under Zuko's skin. It worked.
"Well, Sokka, I don't know how innocent I am and I would hardly call myself virtuous. I have many flaws."
"Like what?" Sokka asked.
"Help me out in only the way you can and you'll find out all the intimate details of my behavior." Zuko checked that one very well. He still was not certain whether or not Sokka was flirting with him.
Sokka was on the defensive now, "And how intimate should that be?"
Zuko leaned closer into Sokka, "Close."
"I-"
The band started to play and the two of them moved apart again, looking out and waving at the crowds that had started to gather on either side of the concourse. The crowds on Sokka's side were cheering just as loudly, and it started to dawn on the Water Tribesman. He had somehow gotten a place in the people's hearts as well. Sokka was in the heart of the Fire Nation.
They arrived at the dock. There was a grand steamship moored alongside. Sokka still could not fathom where they were headed. He boarded the ship with Zuko and was greeted by a crew all dressed in white. He shook all their hands. It shocked him that he was just as popular, respected and revered as their Sovereign. It made him wonder what the newspapers had been saying about him.
What did people think of him?
It had only been some weeks and Zuko was loved, Ozai was loathed, Azula was forgotten, and now Sokka was at very least accepted. It made everything he was taught about this country incorrect. These people weren't the nasty conquerors and imperialists that he had been taught. He had seen love here, was falling in love here, and was at peace for the first time in his life. At peace, next to Zuko, the love of his life.
At peace, thousands of miles away from home, among the people he had called enemy for most of his life.
Out here, on this boat, he now traveled into the ocean, the sapphire blue waters of the tropics, peace was still.
After an hour and a half, some land started to appear over the horizon. The land looked familiar to him, but he had seen so much land over the last year that everything looked as if he had seen it before. He probably had seen it.
When they reached the shore the memories were flooding back. He was still definitely in the Fire Nation. It would have certainly taken more than an hour and a half to leave those waters.
"Welcome to Ember Island" Zuko said.
"Oh-"
"I was thinking thinking that you needed a break."
"We both do. We both deserve a chance to rest and relax."
At the Fire Lord's Mansion, 11:30
The duo were standing in the living room.
"I thought, Sokka, that coming back to this place, being self sufficient the way we were might help you to relax."
"Relaxation. That is a good surprise." Sokka was loving Zuko's mind more and more by the minute.
"First thing first, I'm ditching these stupid robes," Zuko said already starting to unfasten the shoulder spikes. I made sure that they put clothes in the room next to the master bedroom for you. Your room is right next to mine, it's almost as big, so you know..." Zuko was walking away as he continued to strip.
When they both came outside after changing, the courtyard was changed, done up a little. First, it was grass instead of concrete. The big shade tree was still there and was keeping the area cool for them. At the far end of the courtyard there was a large rotisserie big enough to roast a pig. It was empty for now, but Zuko had a plan for that. He was a firebender and there would be a meat delivery soon. They were dressed way down. They were both wearing shorts that came to the knee and was made of the thin black material of what we now call track pants. They were shirts that were the predecessors of t-shirts, made of the same material but red in color.. The neck was cut into the shape of a 'V' as well.
"This is nice," Sokka said kicking off his shoes, which happened to be like the sandals the Sandbenders wore in the Si Wong desert "I like this. An oasis from all the pressures of politics. A place to escape." He curled his toes into the grass and loved how it felt
"And be free and have a gay time." Zuko said, not knowing that was the word Sokka had picked to describe his feelings towards the Fire Lord.
"Or two, or three." Sokka's internal dialogue was telling him to kiss Zuko, but he held back. His nerves were being frayed in a bad way. He was getting scared. The repercussions of that made him balk.
"You just say the word," Zuko walked away from him towards one of the chairs under the tree.
Sokka had been practicing with his sword for about an hour. The shirt had come off a long time ago. Zuko was reading, well pretending to read his book as he peered over the top edge to look at Sokka's glistening body, as the sweat twinkled in the sunlight that passed unfiltered through the leaves.
Zuko was through with the waiting, "Are you done playing with your sword yet."
"Playing?" Sokka stood straight up at the innuendo and the insult. He brushed some of the hair out of his eyes, "I'm not playing. This isn't a game, Zuko. I'm a Master trained by Piandao himself." Sokka's voice was calm.
"Looks like you were playing to me." Zuko said flippantly.
"This is a serious martial art! This took many hundreds, no thousands of hours of practice to perfect these forms!" Sokka was hot and now bothered by the Fire Lord. He didn't realize it then, but in that moment he had lost. Zuko was the master of this moment. Sokka would receive his mastery over Zuko later.
"Still looks like you're playing with it to me. You're all rigid, but I'm no expert."
"Obviously." Sokka was pissed the fuck off.
"He's so cute when he's angry," Zuko thought. He stood up from the lawn chair, used he is feet to remove the canvas shoes, took off his shirt, threw it down and started towards the object of his affections. "I know something I am an expert at."
"What?" Sokka was still miffed.
Zuko continued approaching,"When you put the sword away, I'll show you."
Sokka was still upset, he walked past Zuko, bumping shoulders with him. Zuko yielded only slightly at the pleasant contact. And Zuko love how Sokka smelled, it simply reinforced how manly Sokka was and how much he would enjoy being beneath him.
Sokka sheathed his sword and leaned it against the tree. He went back out onto the center of the grass and joined Zuko. "So what are you so good at?"
"Wrestling," Zuko said, "The way you were playing with that sword, I bet I could take you down right now."
"You? Ha… I'd love to see you try. You're shorter, you don't have as much muscle. I could have you pinned in ten seconds. You're built like a dancer or a swimmer, not like a wrestler."
"You wish," Zuko was guiding this where he wanted. He couldn't have written it better :)
"Yeah, right," Sokka said.
"Oh," Zuko pivoted putting his plan into full motion, "I wanna wager this."
"Hmm."
"Whoever taps out first has to do anything, and everything the winner says for the rest of our weekend here." Zuko said.
"Anything?"
"Anything." Zuko said with a smirk. "Deal?"
"Deal."
They both got into the fighting stance, shoulders squared hunched. The ground was even and nothing external to them made the fight unfair. When basing this fight only upon the words and not the tone on which they were delivered, this was simply a rassle, a friendly competition of masculine strength.
Putting the homoerotisism to the side, forgetting that he was very fond of Zuko, Sokka viewed this as a redemption. Zuko had inadvertently, or so Sokka thought, challenged his manhood, called him weak. Sokka, forgetting all the mushy feelings he had for the Fire Lord, knew that the best way to prove how much of a man he was by dominating and completely owning another.
"Ready?" Sokka asked.
A affirmative nod from the Fire Lord.
"Three, two, one. Go!"
The two bodies collided with a thud and it was quite evident that Sokka had the advantage. Sokka manage to get his arms around Zuko's hips, and appreciated for the first time how small his waist was. Sokka bore down on him a bit trying to get Zuko to fall.
Zuko, even at the disadvantage, was strong. He shifted his power upward in an attempt to shift back Sokka's shoulders. After a bit of persistence Sokka's footing was starting to give, but he didn't slip.
Sokka let go of Zuko in an attempt to regain control. That allowed him to parry off Zuko's pushing. Zuko fell slightly off balance and moved too far forward to keep him stable. He starting falling forward and to the water tribesman's left. Sokka shifted his shoulders to his right, as to not fall down with and end up under Zuko.
Zuko's fall didn't last for long as his jumped up slightly, lifted his feet, and floated almost flew to Sokka's left side.
Zuko landed again and was now able to destabilize Sokka's footing. Sokka was still leaning back to dodge the fist attack when Zuko hit him with another with attack from a few degrees over. Sokka fell down. Zuko pounced on him and had him pinned. Ground and pound, without the punching.
"Too small, huh?" Zuko said, wiping his hair from in front of his eyes.
"Fuck you," Sokka muttered, still pissed.
"Someone's ego a little bruised, huh?" Zuko chuckled.
"Aaaaahhhh," Sokka screamed and with all his remaining might, he overturned Zuko. Sokka was over him now, his hair in a violent disarray. He wiped it from in front of his eyes now. "What the fuck is your problem, man?" He cursed and it made Zuko stiffen, well it made his boner stiffen and twitch. The Fire Lord smirked. He had played Sokka like a game and won handily.
"I can't move." Zuko was completely under Sokka's power, it felt so good and so right that he wanted Sokka to fuck him right then,
"So, you gonna tap out?" Sokka had him pinned holding Zuko's wrists down to the grass
"Yes," Zuko said calmly. He hit the grass beneath him.
"Ha!" Sokka said, "Now the Fire Lord is my personal slave for the next two days. First thing's first. Apologize for the playing with my sword thing you said."
"I'm sorry that you didn't like what I said about you playing with your sword." Zuko was still beneath him and was still teasing him.
Sokka leaned down leaving their faces only a couple of inches apart. He grabbed hold of Zuko's wrists so that Zuko was truly immobilized. "NO, I mean it. You need to say you're sorry." The hate was dripping off his voice. Their eyes were in full contact and their noses we only about a centimeter apart. Zuko knew that this may be his only chance to start this thing. He sent up a quick prayer to whatever spirit controlled love.
"I'm sorry," Zuko said voice gravelly, and shall we say carnal, "Let me make it up to you."
Sokka's eyes opened wide when he realized what this was. He got up and off of Zuko.
"No, no, no, no no, not now, not now, n...not fucking now," Sokka said having risen completely to his feet. He ran his hands through his hair in nervousness, paced back and forth in front of the still prone monarch. "Fuck," Sokka spat out the word walking off briskly back into the house.
Zuko's plan didn't work. Zuko didn't want to start crying, he didn't want to have those convulsive gasps but Sokka inadvertently ripped the Fire Lord's heart out of his chest. In that moment Zuko wished that a hole would just open up beneath him and swallow him. He started screaming in vain. There was nobody around. He ordered for there to be no guards about to hear him. "Every time! Every, single time! Another thing blowing up in my face!"
8:00 PM
The sun had set but the sky was still lit. It was dusk and the two had not seen each other or talked to each other. When the meat that Zuko had ordered showed up, he turned it away. He wasn't hungry and Sokka did not seem to be hungry either. Zuko had his sixth cry of the day on the sofa he ha in the room on the second story. It overlooked the spot where his heart was destroyed. He looked down there and the sheathed sword was still leaning against the tree. He walked out onto the balcony and felt the gentle Fire Nation breeze blowing through his hair, still damp from the long shower he took. He saw the branches of the tree dancing gently in the wind and wished he could be at peace the same way that tree was. No cares in the world, just peace and restfulness. He looked again at the sword.
Zuko knew that he should probably bring it inside, so he went back into his room, shutting the balcony doors behind him and closing the curtains thereto attached. He went into the hallway, actually bothering to put on some sandals. He simply did not care any more. He would probably live and die a virgin king. The idea was starting to ring louder and louder that this whole love thing, no matter if it was romantic, platonic, or familial wasn't meant for him. It never, ever seemed to work for him.
His mother was dead. His father, who only loved his sister, was dead. His sister was insane, probably baying at the moon as he though. The woman he thought he would marry was dead having been killed by his crazy sister. His uncle, whom he had stabbed in the back, was on the other side of the planet. Now Sokka had walked away from him and he felt much poorer for not having seen him in so many hours. He wanted to see Sokka even if the Water Tribesman hated his guts now. Even if all Sokka did was beat him to a pulp he would feel better.
Zuko turned the corner on the stairs and still did not see Sokka, so he continued on through the living room and out onto the grass. He looked down to where he had ditched his shoes. They were nowhere to be found. It was odd, but that was of no concern now. He walked over to the sword, grabbed it carefully and brought it back inside. He shut the doors and locked them behind him. He set it down on a mahogany table to the right of the doors. Then he closed the red curtains so that no one could see into the house.
He sat back down on the couch feeling afraid and vulnerable, the same feeling when his father burned and banished him. He lay down on the couch looking up at the ceiling, wondering what would come next. He wondered how he was going to move forward after he destroyed a true friendship in a selfish plot for lust. His guilt was starting to eat him up.
He heard footsteps approaching, and against his better judgment, he sat up to see Sokka approaching him. He looked up at Sokka's eyes. Something was off, they looked puffy to Zuko. Wait, had Sokka been crying too? No, it had to be his imagination. Sokka was mad, not sad. Zuko avoided the eye contact and hoped that Sokka wouldn't have anything more to say. His hope was dashed very quickly.
"Zuko," Sokka's voice was cracking a little with a mix of nervousness, and sadness, "we need to talk."
"Yeah, we have to figure this out." Zuko sat up. He gestured for Sokka to sit beside him.
"Yeah," Sokka made his way around to the couch and sat to Zuko's right, "I need to talk to you, you know and settle some things."
"I… um… I'm sor-"
" No, Zuko let me talk."
"Sorry," said the Fire Lord.
"You have shown me great kindness and hospitality over the last weeks and in many ways I have enjoyed myself more than I had any time in my life. I mean I never thought I would be living in a great big palace in a room that almost seems bigger than the village I grew up in. I'm eating, drinking, living like a king. I go outside and I am treated as if there is nothing different about me. Your people seem to love me because I am helping you.
He continued, " Almost everything in my life has gotten appreciably better. Materially, as I have pointed out before, I had never experienced so much luxury and nothing suggested before all of this that I could have or should have. Intellectually, I know that I have made many advancements, reading more of your literature, discovering your philosophy, finding the real reason why this war happened.
"The reasons that Katara and I found Aang in the iceburg. Why me? You were born into the Fire Lord. Why you? You spent a great part of your life trying to prove your worthiness by finding Aang . I tried to prove mine by trying to be a soldier, fighting and perhaps dying in glory. But for some reason, you and I were destined to cross paths, violently at first, and with great hate for what the other stood for. You saw me, no doubt, you saw me as someone who only acted to obstruct what you thought was your destiny."
Zuko nodded, not knowing where this overview was going to lead. Sokka's retelling of the story thrilled him, yet filled him with dread. It would be his luck for there to be a sad ending. His emotions at this point were so dark that Sokka saying no would only fit the nihilistic farce he had written for himself. Somehow he felt a bit of hope. His emotions were a fucking mess.
Sokka's talking which was starting to sound more and more as a soliloquy, went on and Zuko looked into his eyes hanging on every word.
"I saw you as a symbol of depraved imperialism, greed, and selfishness. But the thing that bound us is that neither of us hated the other person. We hated what the other symbolized, not the actual flesh and bone that acted and wanted to achieve his goal. We desperately wanted to stop what the other represented. In any other time I'm sure we could have been friends."
Zuko took a deep breath, he thought that Sokka was ending the possibility of them being friends. He stopped himself from letting tears well up as he continued to listen. What he was sure of was this: He wouldn't let Sokka see him cry. He had embarrassed Sokka enough.
"But this lifetime is different than any other lifetime ever. A century of war is over. People are installing electric lights in their homes, we have telephones, any two people can get married. Nothing like these new and exciting times have ever existed, and nothing quite so bold in this country will exist again. I had to re-evaluate what I had thought and believed before. Everything I was taught is bucking up against this change. I find that I get stubborn and intransigent and when I think again about everything, including the philosophy that I thought drove humans and what we do. I once said to you that I thought that many things were up to fate and that destiny was something predetermined, charted out by the stars in the beginning.
"Everything that has happened in the last weeks has shown me that we, humans, all people, have the ability to choose their own fate. The wind my try to push our boat in a certain direction but you or I or anyone who wants to controls the rudders. We do all the steering. So it is quite clearly up to every individual involved how they will proceed in all aspects of life. We can choose, greed or generosity, war or peace, hate or love .
"That brings me back to what I said a moment ago about my life improving and those betterments being very appreciable in almost every aspect in my life. One aspect of my life that has not gotten better is my emotional being. Ever since I have stepped into that palace my emotions have been so raw and twisted. I've known no peace since this war ended and I don't know if I'll ever know it. It would give me a little peace of mind if you would accept my apology for walking off the way I did. I shouldn't have just left you on the ground like that."
"But Sokka it was m-"
"Please just say you forgive me." Sokka begged.
"I forgive you, even though I'm the one who's supposed to be apologizing. I just sort of freaked out, and I shouldn't have- "
"No, it's me and let me tell you why I walked off. I don't know how to express myself really well. My parents didn't really emote well and dad not at all after mom... I uh… I was never good with dealing with my feelings. I don't know how to express anger or fear or disappointment or love at all. The words don't come out. The demonstrations aren't much better. I keep a lot in that I ought to say but I was raised that way. I mean war kind of takes a lot away and I… I mean... W-what happened today Zuko was me not being really good with uh…" Sokka started to scratch the back of his neck, "telling people how I feel. I wish I knew how to like say it for myself and use my own words. Today you threw me off guard, I uh..." Sokka was getting flustered.
"What?"
"I hope that what I say next can finally set straight what I think about you and what I think we should be. Zuko I don't want it to be just the way it was. Today changed that so completely that the old way we dealt with each other is dead and it's time for something new. You know, something better, for you and for me/ I don't know how to say it so I'm going to borrow this from somewhere Zuko, some of the most powerful words I ever, ever heard in my life"
Sokka grabbed Zuko's hands and scooched closer to him. Sokka was now looking deep into those golden eyes he had come to love. He saw that he had hurt the man behind them and he wanted to do more than make amends. He wanted to make Zuko feel good.
"I- I-," Sokka struggled, a little afraid of what he was going to say, "I love you, Zuko" Sokka felt like a weight had been lifted with the admission of those words.
Zuko's eyes opened wide and he couldn't help but grin like he did when he was happy.
"I know that you weren't expecting me to say it but I am deeply, embarrassingly, frustratingly, completely in love with you. I think about you every second everyday when I wake up I think about wanting to see you. And I hate every time I have to leave you. Day and night I think about you. I love you, Zuko, and, " Sokka leaned in, "I can't wait any longer to show you,"
"Sokka, you told me that you loved me on the phone this morning. You didn't mean to, but you said it," Zuko exhaled his despair and inhaled relief and lust filled his mind much in the same way he wanted Sokka to fill his body, "You said it now. My question is this: Are you going to prove it?" Zuko leaned in. "Well are you?"
Sokka didn't even answer he just went in for the lips he had dreamt about for the longest and put his hand on the royal dick through the shorts, his sceptre as it were.
It was a bit of a blur how they got up the stairs. Sokka had Zuko pinned against the door to Zuko's room, they were in full Fire Kiss as they called it, using their tongues. They had long forgotten any ceremony and they were both grinding into each other. Zuko fumbled behind him for the knob to open the door. He wanted to go to bed with Sokka immediately. If Sokka was half as good a lover as he was a kisser, Zuko wouldn't want to leave the bedroom at all.
He found the knob and pushed the door open, or rather he fell backwards as Sokka held his face in his hands. Zuko felt the passion that had been building up for months. His cock had never, ever been so hard and he wondered what Sokka's looked like. The wondering would come to an end soon. Sokka broke off the kiss.
"Too many clothes," he said in gasps, kicking off his shoes first.
"Yeah," all Zuko could do was agree as he took his shirt off.
"Zuko," Sokka whispered in his ear, "I want you."
Zuko shuddered, yearning to be possessed by his love. He took off his shirt and unceremoniously threw it away from him. The Sokka looked down at the perfect set of abs and the perked light brown nipples and was certain that he wanted to see more. He kissed Zuko again, just a peck this time as he felt Zuko lifting up his shirt.
It was Zuko's turn to have a peek at his prize and he love every inch of what he saw. Sokka's chest was glistening with sweat and Zuko pulled them even closer.
They were now in full contact as they took some more steps towards the bed. The kissing grew more intense as Sokka held Zuko's face in his hands. The bed had no footboard, so they climbed into it lips still locked. Sokka was on top as seemed natural to the both of them, and by now he was rubbing Zuko's cockthoriugh the fabric of the shorts. Zuko, no surprise, was warm to the touch and had ample down below to call himself a man.
Zuko moaned into Sokka's mouth and ground his hips into Sokka's touch. Sokka loved how responsive Zuko could be. They separated for a moment to breathe a bit. Zuko got ready and slipped off his shorts, and reaching forward and started to tug at Sokka's shorts. They did not come down as easily as he would have liked. He visibly pouted at that fact.
"Somebody's excited," Sokka said, after witnessing the effort and after looking down at Zuko's cock. It was better than he ever dreamed. Sokka estimated that it was about seven and a half inches long. Not being circumcised, Zuko's cock was pale and a bit veiny, with the a nice red head that was already leaking pre-cum like a faucet. Much to Sokka's delight, that textbook about firebenders he read was right. Zuko was hairless down there, completely smooth. He, Zuko, or rather his sizable dick, was visibly throbbing, and Sokka salivated at the sight.
Sokka untied his shorts and shed them kicking them off the bed. They were naked now and they went back to making out. Their tongue were trapped in a sensual dance as they both stroked themselves slowly, almost enjoying this contact to much. Sokka was still on top when Zuko started the process of rolling them over. Zuko sort of flipped over, going from supine to almost a crawling position. Sokka ended up on his back, with Zuko in the crawling position.
The Fire Lord broke off the kiss, he turned around and started to crawl down the bed, giving Sokka a very nice view of his ass, again, no hair in the back either, or on the legs for that matter. Zuko crawled around and found what he thought was his proper place between Sokka's legs.
He stopped at Sokka's nipples and kissed them quickly, rubbing his hands simultaneously up and down Sokka's washboard abs. He made a trip down Sokka's torso with his tongue before resuming his journey to Sokka's length.
"Oh, fuck," Zuko moaned when he got close to the prize. An impressive nine inches of hard, precum-oozing, uncut Southern Water Tribe cock greeted Zuko and he wondered how he was going to handle it. Zuko realized the rumors were true when he wrapped his hand around the base. The girth was also impressive as Zuko felt like he was grabbing a warm steel rod wrapped in silk. He played with it for a bit, and he could feel Sokka grinding into his hands. Zuko slapped the massive dick on his face a couple of times resulting in some precum being left on his lips. Zuko licked it up and was intoxicated by the flavor sweet flavor it had.
Zuko stuck out his tongue and licked the precum right off the tip of Sokka's straight brown sword. He swirled his tongue around the small slit and started to lick under where the foreskin and glans met. Next, Zuko started to run his tongue up and down the length of the organ in front of him; he was teasing Sokka. Sokka was getting enough pleasure out of those light stuff to not care, but soon Zuko was going to prove another thing that Sokka had read.
Allegedly, according to that fantastic book, firebenders had no gag reflex.
Zuko, shortly after, put that notion to the test for Sokka. Zuko had been practicing on cucumbers he sneaked from the kitchen to make sure he didn't leave any bite marks. And though it was true that there was no gag reflex, he didn't want Sokka's cock to take any damage from carelessness. Zuko opened his mouth and started to bob up and down. Sokka leaned back in ecstasy, reveling in how warm and wet Zuko's mouth was.
"Oh, fuck, that's hot," Sokka moaned, his back arching up. He reached down and grabbed the back of Zuko's head and started to guide Zuko's head down lower and lower on his cock. Zuko had taken to keeping himself hard with regular strokes with his left hand. They weren't necessary movements as the thought and now reality of Sokka's dick in his mouth proved stimulus enough.
Zuko after a minute and half of effort was finally able to get able to what Zuko called 'deep throat' Sokka's manhood. His nose was now firmly planted into Sokka's pubes and he love the taste of it. Since he wasn't gagging and struggling he enjoying the feeling of that rod in his mouth. His gratification was heightened at the realization of Sokka's enthusiasm, with the latter pushing former's head down onto his sex with increasing speed and vigor. For a few more minutes the Fire Lord indulged the Water Prince's desire bobbing up and down on latter's region with gusto. He loved how Sokka managed to rub his hair while he forced pushed Zuko's face into his crotch. Sokka managed to meld gentleness with forcefulness, a quality that has already earned Zuko's undying affection. He made sure to look up into Sokka's eyes as he serviced him. Sokka could only look away from those golden eyes as they stared heat into him.
Zuko reached up and removed Sokka's hands from the back of his head. Zuko came up for air, or in more accurate terms, to pause for a moment to assess his performance. Sokka looked longingly at Zuko as the Fire Lord adjusted, and sat up slightly, grabbed Sokka's meat by the right hand, hit the moistened cock against his face again. He licked, more like sucked on his left middle finger, getting it satisfactorily slick and started playing with that sweet hole Sokka had dreamt about.
"I told you I was good with a sword," Zuko said lustfully, "But what are you gonna do with it?"
"Get over here," Sokka almost commanded, sitting up against the mahogany headboard of the very large bed. Zuko crawled from where he was and made his way up to Sokka face to face.
"I have some lubricant in this drawer on the nightstand. It's vanilla flavored." Zuko said reaching over and retrieved a glass bottle of clear liquid. Zuko popped off a sort of cork and held the bottle an inch from Sokka's nose. It smelled like vanilla just as Zuko said. "I know what you want to do," Zuko smirked, "And I know what you want to taste."
Sokka grabbed the bottle from Zuko's hand, "I don't want to taste vanilla," he said sealing and placing the bottle on the bedside table, "I want to taste you . "
At that moment, Sokka grabbed Zuko by the hips and pushed him down. Zuko was now supine on the bed Sokka was prone, but was behind Zuko. He looked at Zuko's cock, with great interest before taking it into his mouth. Sokka's skill was a natural at this, and Zuko noted how wet the blowjob was. Water Tribe indeed. Zuko moaned aloud. "FUCK!" Zuko said when Sokka licked up the bit of precum that formed.
Sokka didn't stay on Zuko's cock for long, not for lack of interest, but out of greater interest in being inside the Fire Lord.
"Flip over," Sokka commanded. Zuko complied, presented his sweet ass to his lover and before he could ask he felt a pair of hands pulling his asscheeks apart.
He, Sokka, took one of the cheeks in each and and pulled them apart. Zuko had dimples on these cheeks too. He looked down at the pink hole in front of him and felt his cock twitch. Sokka stuck out his tongue and went straight for the prize.
Zuko tasted good, clean but the sweat that has started to form there, gave Zuko a particularly masculine flavor that Sokka did not need to get used to. It tasted just right to him. It soon went from gentle swirling to putting his tongue inside that warm hole. Zuko started grinding into the sensation as he started to feel that warm moist flesh reach into him. Zuko grabbed the sheets in front of him, crumpling them in his hands with ecstasy. Sokka found out that Zuko's personality in bed was the opposite of the quiet, reserved, almost silent Fire Lord that he had fallen so in love with.
Zuko's moaning was loud and emotive, as Sokka removed his tongue. He had gotten Zuko sufficiently wet, but he wanted to make sure that Zuko was completely ready. He took his right index and middle fingers and put them in front of Zuko's mouth, on Zuko's lips to be particular. Zuko took the fingers into his mouth and sucked on them lovingly.
Sokka took the now moistened fingers and inserted them slowly into the Fire Lord. Zuko flinched a bit at the sensation. It didn't hurt but he wasn't getting any pleasure out of it until when Sokka started making some scissoring motions...
"OH FUCK, SOKKA" Zuko screamed convulsing, but thankfully not cumming, "What was that?" Zuko had played with his ass before, it felt good, but not that fucking good. Sokka for his part was shocked that his touch could have such a profound impact
"You mean this?" Sokka touched, no, massaged the spot again that got the big reaction, "YES, YES, YESSS, FUCK."
Sokka knew that his lover was ready for what he had to offer. He nudged Zuko a bit and Zuko knew what to to do. He crawled up close to the headboard of the bed and remained on all fours, what would later be called, 'doggy-style' by Zuko (sokka would hate that term later). Sokka got behind him, reaching over to the drawer and grabbed another bottle of lube from it. He opened it, held it up to his nose, and sniffed. It was just what he was looking for. Unscented.
"Is this edible?"
"Mmhmm," was all Zuko could manage nodding in the affirmative. He knew all of the lube was edible.
Sokka smirked, knowing that Zuko was getting frustrated and was ready for the cock. Sokka applied a generous amount of lube to his prick which by now was ready for release. He applied some more to Zuko's ass, and stuck in a finger to make sure that he was still relaxed.
Removing the finger, Sokka scooched up to Zuko's ass, and pressed the head of his cock along Zuko's crack before he settled on Zuko's rear entrance.
"Are you ready?" Sokka asked, careful not to hurt him.
"Mmhmm," Zuko nodded again, though he sounded a little nervous.
Sokka gently pressed into the hole allowing a few centimeters to enter. He felt Zuko clenching and spoke gently to him, knowing that in some ways this was quite a daunting experience for him. "Zuko, relax, I'm not going to hurt you. Flip over."
Zuko flipped over and was looking up at Sokka. Sokka lifted Zuko's legs and propped them up on his shoulders. Bending down, Sokka kissed Zuko again to reassure and relax him, while pressing the head of his cock onto Zuko's hole. His strategy worked as he started to feel the tension relax, and more of his cock slid continued to clench slightly, though Sokka understood why. He only continued the gentle insertion. After a bit of trying, Sokka managed to get completely inside Zuko. He disconnected from the kiss. "Are you okay?" Sokka asked wanted this to be pleasant for both of them. It was already quite nice for Sokka, having his cock surrounded by warm flesh.
"Yeah," Zuko was straining a bit. It hurt but he was trying not to let it show. He grit his teeth, as he started to get used to it. He put his firebending to work and started to use the muscle and breath control that was important to the art. Sokka noticed the difference as Zuko started to relax more completely. Sokka started to slowly pull out to get a rhythm going. Zuko was starting, at last to derive some pleasure out of if. Sokka picked up his pace as Zuko started to moan. After about a minute of this Sokka started to hit the spot that was driving Zuko so crazy. Zuko started to grind his hips into Sokka's cock.
"Fuck me," Zuko started to grip into the sheets under him. Sokka readjusted a bit and was now paying his full service to Zuko's 'good-spot' a term he would shorten later.
Sokka noticed that Zuko's ass was getting warmer, not just from the friction, but Zuko was using his firebending to get that ass warm. Taking this as encouragement, Sokka picked up the pace even more.
Zuko's toes were curling in ecstasy over Sokka's shoulders. Zuko crossed his legs behind Sokka's neck as his feet still flexed and swayed in absolute pleasure. The only sound in the room now was the rhythmic slap of Sokka's ball's hitting Zuko's ass. Well that was until Zuko started his dirty talking. And it turned out Zuko was a loud fuck.
Sokka continued his ravaging of the Fire Lord as Zuko started to yell, putting his hand on his cock, but too enthralled to bother stroking it.
"FUCK MY LITTLE FIRE NATION ASS, SOKKA."
Sokka took this as heartening. He turned out to be majorly silent when he was fucking. The only thing out of him was an occasional grunt, accompanied by the word 'fuck' whispered under his breath periodically.
"FUCK ME!"
Zuko took a deep breath through his nose and exhaled smoke smoke through his nose.
Sokka was getting somewhat close to the end. Zuko was getting towards the end of his rope too.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, Sokka you're gonna… (gasp) you're gonna make me cum."
Sokka did something evil, he grabbed Zuko's cock in his hand and started to stroke him mercilessly. He wanted them to finish together the same way they started together. Sokka felt how Zuko was tightening up around him. He was getting Zuko closer to the edge as he was starting to get close too.
He used his other hand to play with Zuko's nipples alternating between the left and right. Zuko was still screaming. "OH, FUCK," he shouted as Sokka started only to stroke the top of Zuko's dick, paying special attention to the head.
"I'm cumming," Zuko announced, his breathing hitched.
"Me too," Sokka moaned through gritted teeth.
Zuko spoke again between gasps, "Cum inside me, Fuuu-uuu-uu-uck!"
Right at that moment Zuko's body started convulsing as the first spray of cum erupted from his cock as he felt nothing but love for the man whose was fucking him. Zuko's cum went all over his chest and face, with some of it landing on the headboard behind him and in his now mussed up hair. Sokka continued to stroke him off as jet after jet of hot cum flew out of him. Wickedly, Sokka played with Zuko's tip after he finished, only extending the monarch's ecstasy. As he was still spurting, Zuko's hole tightened around Sokka's manhood and the southerner struggled to stay upright as waves a pleasure ripped through his body and several spurts of thick white cum filled up Zuko's ass.
Sokka pulled out, gently rested Zuko's legs on the bed. Sokka walked over to the drawer opposite the bed and grabbed a couple red of towels that placed there quite conveniently. He walked back over to the bed and fell down on it beside Zuko on the Fire Lord's right.
"That was…" Sokka started between gasps, "hot." He handed Zuko a towel
"Yeah," Zuko said, wiping the ejaculate out of his hair and off his chest, "I kinda been dreaming about that for a while now."
"I uhh, you wanna like uh… go on a date or something?" Sokka said half laughing.
"We did it backwards," Zuko chuckled, "Sex first, then dating."
Zuko snuggled up onto Sokka's side. Zuko put his head on Sokka's chest, right on his pecs. The scar felt intersting aginst Sokka's bare skin, but he did not mind it. It was part of Zuko, so he loved it unreservedly. Zuko heard and listened to Sokka's heartbeat. It was still fast with passion. Zuko used his index finger to play with some of Sokka's chest hairs.
"I'm just happy I can finally do what I've been dreaming of for the last few months. I finally get to be with you," Sokka said, his voice cracking a little, "I'm sorry… it's just, I hurt you so much-"
"You already made up for it."
"I don't mean just s-" Sokka started
"Sokka, you told me that you loved me," Zuko said looking up, " That's all I wanted. I know it wasn't easy for you. It wasn't easy for me, but now I know what you were going through and I shouldn't have been so impatient."
"And I shouldn't have been so evasive." Sokka said.
"I have you now," Zuko said with a grin on his face.
"But what are we going to do, Zuko?" Sokka wondered aloud, "I mean when we get back to the palace and you have to be the Fire Lord again. I can't go too long without seeing you, and being with you."
"Sokka, we can't risk being found out. We have to see each other at night and we can't let them see how we love each other, not now. I don't want you to be my secret."
"But that's how it has to be," Sokka said with a bitter reservation dripping off his voice, "We have to keep this quiet. I'll love you no matter who knows it."
"So," Zuko started, "We have to come up with a story for what we did today. You know, why we came here."
Sokka fabricated something very quickly, "We came to negotiate a trade deal..."
Zuko finished Sokka's thought, "Trying to ensure that normal intercourse is restored between the countries."
Sokka chuckled, "Intercourse, that'll be our little joke."
"There's nothing little about it." Zuko said with a pervy smirk, "I thought you were going to split me down the middle. What do you feed that thing?"
"You." Sokka answered.
"Well if he's up for seconds, just let me know. I feel incomplete without you."
"You know," Sokka chuckled. "I am still feeling a bit peckish."
END PART ONE
This is the end of Part One, some big political and personal issues are going to arise for the New Fire Lord in Part Two, and some of our old favorites will be coming back in the flesh. Remember the Star Chamber? Remember the Colonies? What brings another leader into town? And who is the Hashi guy and what is he about?