Zuko was beginning to tire of waking up in unfamiliar surroundings. He had spent much of the day in between the conscious and subconscious worlds. There were things he remembered but didn't fully understand such as the relief in the face of a young lieutenant and the cautiousness of the men who lay him down for the physician - the same damn old man with cold eyes and harder hands, he noted this but didn't bother to take into full account.
His mind was trying to make sense of it all. The firebenders weren't the same as those he'd escaped from. He was glad; they were from Heika, and therefore on "his side". Zuko had had suspicions, yet he never believed Heika or any of the other men would act against their superiors, especially one as formidable as Zhao.
He was vaguely awake, the pain in his body was subsiding and he was aware of the steel ceiling above him every time he decided to open his eyes. He let a smirk rest on his lips. Zhao. How the mighty are fallen. It was still a pity he couldn't see the man's face when his officer's took him down.
There was a scraping sound as someone pulled a chair against the steel floor. Zuko didn't think; it was almost automatic when he asked, "Sokka?"
"Sorry, my Prince" said a distantly familiar voice and Zuko opened his eyes to face the new speaker. It was the lieutenant who'd introduced himself as Sen in the woods, before he had fallen unconscious. The man was all bright eyes and smile. "Your friend is being treated and briefed by Heika."
Zuko turned away. He didn't particularly like this man and there was nothing much more to say to him about Sokka. Zuko ignored the twinge of worry and focused on the new issue clouding his mind. "Have you contacted my uncle?"
"Yes, we sent a messenger bird," the man said. Zuko could feel the eyes focusing on his scar and then drifting to the wall behind it. "When he replies, we'll set a meeting point. You'll be informed first thing."
"Good."
Zuko closed his eyes but mad sure to sharpen his hearing. It was going to be okay. It wanted desperately to believe, but is all seemed so easy, so simple.
"How did you do it?" He asked and opened his eyes. The lieutenant was still sitting in the chair and Zuko wasn't sure if the man was simply impulsive or whether he was unsure leaving. Sen was leaning back, looking casual, his eyes bright.
Sen looked up. "Hm? What do you mean?"
"How did you overthrow Zhao?"
The smile widened. "It was very simple once Heika had the right men aboard. They simply disarmed him and forced a surrender."
"You're making it sound easy," Zuko said and made sure his tone was a warning. He wanted to know the truth.
"Fifty-eight of ours were killed," Sen said impassively. "Zhao lost all who swore their loyalty to him - about eighty men - and the rest on this ship don't particularly care one way or another as long as they're safe in their own beds. This was only one ship with two hundred people; the rest of Zhao's fleet has no idea what's happened, as far as they can tell Zhao is fine and still searching for the Avatar."
Zuko stayed silent. Everything was too easy and the light tone in which Sen spoke made the story sound like a deranged fairytale.
"It wasn't easy. If it was, we'd have done it a long time ago," Sen said and paused with his hand on his chin. "It's hard, you know, keeping everything in line, making sure we aren't betrayed, keeping every thing covered. The ship's a riot waiting to happen. Heika can only keep the masses at bay for so long with his eloquent words." Zuko felt himself cringe; he knew what was coming. "We need a leader."
"You don't need me," Zuko said automatically. He wanted to protest the nomination. He had never considered commandeering a ship of rebel soldiers against his father. Zuko swallowed, his throat growing dry, and looked up at the ceiling where blurred images of the lieutenant and himself were flickering with the firelight. The conflict was burning in the pit of his stomach. There was temptation, too, a strange beast tearing at the doubt in him. He sighed, almost wistfully and tried to think of something to say without denying his own interest.
Sen was leaning forward a little bit, grasping at the chair with white knuckles. "We need you, Prince Zuko."
"No," Zuko said finally and firmly. He faced Sen, regretting the ache turning around left on his muscles. "I am not meant to lead this ship. I already have a mission. I am loyal to my father."
Zuko could see the sting his words inflicted upon the lieutenant as the man sat back with a contemplative countenance. His eyes were still bright but dark lashes and lowered lids seemed to dim them. Sen looked up suddenly and stared the prince in the eye. "Well, my Prince, I am still loyal to my country and my people."
Zuko's mind reeled back into the woods when Sokka had asked him a fateful question: who was he most loyal to, his father or his nation? Zuko tried to ignore the image of the Water Tribe boy and focus on his task.
The sound of the chair scraping against the floor caught the prince's attention. Sen was standing, his bright eyes regarding the prince without contempt or admiration.
"I don't expect you to answer at the moment," Sen said and turned toward the door. "I may not understand to the utmost extent but I understand it is a difficult choice to make. I was not a part of the twenty-first battalion; at the time my father was a general. He still is."
Zuko didn't miss the twinge of distress in his voice and nodded once. As Sen took a few steps toward the door Zuko called out, "I want to see Zhao in a few hours."
Sen nodded without looking at him. "Of course."
The firebenders were nothing Sokka had expected them to be.
"So…" Sokka let the hollow clank of firebender boots fill the silence before the double doors were pushed open and voices assaulted them. "You did all this?"
He was staring into the mess hall of Commander Zhao's ship, a sight he never expected or really considered seeing. There was a multitude of men, most young, sitting in the crowded rooms, on chairs or a table edges. Many of them were talking and some laughed. There were those who watched with a detached aloofness that gave Sokka the impression they were not completely comfortable with the situation, what ever it was. He was still surprised he wasn't bound, beat, and thrown back into the hull, this time with some guards.
"I can't take complete credit," Heika said with an obvious smile in his voice. The wrinkles at the ends of the firebender's eyes crinkled.
Sokka continued to fight the unnerving feeling crawling around in his stomach, it had grown and ravaged his insides ever since the first firebender stumbled through the brush and stopped to stare at his prince's collapsed form. After that, nothing seemed to make sense.
There was a lieutenant, uncharacteristically young and exuberant, who stumbled after the first man and introduced himself as Sen and swore his loyalty to Zuko. Sokka watched the expressions on Zuko face for clues. The firebenders were being cautious - he expected they would be, after all, everyone was aware of the ferocity of a trapped animal - but they were also being respectful. Most of them, anyway.
He and Zuko exchanged looks that clearly showed each other's uncertainty. Then Sen had mentioned he was sent from Commander Heika - Commander Heika - who was docked in the bay, who had recently sent him and some fresh troops to replace the men Zhao originally sent. Zuko's eyes flashed and Sokka wished the prince would have said something to him before a few of the benders led him away.
Sen was an earful, but it had its advantages. He spoke constantly of the new Commander, telling Sokka how Zhao had - finally - unknowingly appointed a survivor of the two hundred, one of the thirty-two, to a position with enough prestige and power to transfer men in and out of the ship. All of it went perfectly, the lieutenant informed him cheerily, none of the transfers bothered Zhao - the Admiral was concentrating on finding the prince and the Avatar. The tasks had drawn his attention from those close to him and he had too much faith in himself and not enough respect for his men. Just desserts, Sen said. Just dessert, but he refused to tell Sokka any more about Zhao and what happened to him. He said he would find out and Sokka wasn't sure if he really did want to, because Sen's eyes and smile scared him.
Sokka concluded that in the week after their escape from Zhao's ship a massive mutiny had begun - and as Sen proudly stated - "with Heika leading the way".
As he stood in the mess hall, with the said commander, Sokka couldn't help but feel apprehensive. The atmosphere was tense and he could feel eyes focusing on him and his blue clothing. He didn't belong.
Whether or not Heika noticed his discomfort, he couldn't tell. He was led passed the men, some of whom looked up with interest or turned away after regarding him and the commander. He was led passed the tables into a private dining chamber where a round wooden table and chairs were positioned under a large map of the world.
"Yes," Heika said. "This was my doing but I didn't act alone." He sat and motioned for Sokka to join him. "You understand that Zuko has followers, when you two escaped one of them, a lieutenant named Enjou, challenged Zhao. He was killed along with two other men, both other them were just following orders which came specifically from Zhao's own mouth. He showed no tolerance for life, especially the life of his own men, needless to say the act brought the morale down, spirits were tested, loyalty too."
The doors opened and a few men dressed in similar beige uniforms came in caring platters of food. Sokka felt his stomach lurch and grumble in anticipation. How long had it been since he'd eaten? Time was vague and slipped through his grasp. He'd spent the morning with Sen, who'd tossed him some dried meat, mentioning how low they were on supplies. Something about a skirmish with earthbender forces and a tent burning down, Sokka didn't pay particular attention - he was eating.
The food was excellent, although anything would have tasted great after tromping around in the forest for a week with and irritable prince. Sokka found himself consciously eating as Heika explained his transferring of men and the covert speeches he'd made toward the other, less enthusiastic crew members - technicians, cooks, and soldiers alike had been briefed and offered a ship without Zhao. Not many of them had taken the offer; in fact only about three percent of the ship's occupants supported the idea. Some had warned Zhao, but by that time, there were enough high-ranking officers to block any messages to generals and, in the end, take Zhao down.
"Where is he?" Sokka asked and wondered if Zhao had been thrown in his own dungeon. It wasn't a very good idea, considering how Zuko had managed to procure a key.
"He's unfortunately alive but guarded," Heika said and absently adjusted his eye patch. "Prince Zuko has requested to speak to him later this afternoon."
Sokka looked up, the name sparking interest. It had been over twelve hours since he'd last seen the prince dragged off by Sen's troops. He would admit Zuko had weighed heavily on his mind as of late. Where was he? Was he all right? How bad was the poison? Sokka felt a rush of worry flood through him and he absently pushed a clump off rice across the plate.
"Is he going to be okay?" It was all he could say without sounding overly concerned. After all, why should he be concerned with the prince? He was a tribesman, and although the firebender in front of him didn't radiate the distrust the men in the mess hall had, he guessed there was some form of diversion between them. Physical, cultural, national - and yet he felt no such difference between himself and the prince. It was odd, how he could sit and eat with a firebender and then think of the similarities between himself and the Fire Nation's prince. A prince because banished or not, Zuko still carried royal blood.
"He'll recover smoothly, the poison isn't a quick acting substance. It pervaded his system through physical exertion, most likely, otherwise it would have taken more time to spread." Heika took a sip of the tea in front of him and watched the steam pool in the air. "I heard he stole a vile of the antidote before he escaped on the night of the thunder storm. He didn't give it to you, by chance, did he?"
"No." What happens in the forest stays in the forest, besides Zuko didn't need any tarnish on his reputation. Sokka decided to forgo the merit for selflessness, it was still considered weak to some and Sokka wasn't sure how will the prince would react to him letting it slip. It was a secret, like the trust and caring he'd admitted too. It wasn't something to be tossed quickly to inquiring Commanders, no matter what they fed you.
"Odd," Heika said and leaned back. "It was reported that you were poisoned also."
"Well, I guess I just have a higher immunity," Sokka shrugged and utilized the advantages of his teen years: lying with a straight face. "Besides your guys pumped me with the antidote once they figured out Zuko was poisoned." That was true.
Heika nodded slowly and Sokka wondered if he believed him.
The dinner continued in silence until Heika set down his chopsticks a bit noisily, purposely catching Sokka's attention. Sokka caught the man's good eye and raised and inquisitive eyebrow.
"During your journey," Heika asked. "Did Zuko mention anything about his plans for the future - for his kingdom."
Sokka felt his blood run cooler and set his own utensils down. It was a typical firebender move, he thought, trapping your prey and going mercilessly for the kill. Heika had brought him in for information on Zuko. Sokka was worth nothing more than what he would tell about the prince. It was insulting.
"Nothing you don't already know," Sokka said with a shrug. "He wants to capture the Avatar and restore his honor." It wasn't a lie this time, Zuko had said so many times and he wouldn't deny it.
Heika sighed and Sokka wondered if the answer he had given was insufficient.
"It's disappointing," Heika said in a discontent voice. "Without him, without Zuko as a leader all our efforts will fall apart."
Sokka wasn't sure what the man meant, but before he could ask Heika continued, "Not many of the men on this ship will continue to stay neutral under my command. As a Tribesman you might not understand. Firebenders are very loyal, fiercely loyal, especially to the honorable and those of royal blood. Although I may possess one trait, Zuko possesses both. In order to keep this ship from falling into the hands of another general or the Fire Lord himself, the men need a leader they feel they can truly respect - someone worth respecting."
Sokka shook his head in understanding. "And you want me to convince him?"
Heika nodded only once. "You are close to him, I can tell. Even the first time we met I could tell. You possess the same spirits."
The last sentence stopped whatever Sokka was about to say. Were they really the same? He had mentioned it many times to Zuko during the journey. What they'd experienced, it was similar. What they'd endured. Similar.
"No," Sokka said suddenly, surprising himself. "We're not, but we can understand each other."
Heika studied him with scrutinizing eyes. "You are close?"
"As close as a Water Tribesman and Fire Nation prince can get, I guess," Sokka answered and refused to acknowledge the night before or the dark cell in the hull of the very ship in which he sat. Zuko was the prince of the Fire Nation, banished or not. He would have responsibilities that could never include Sokka. And Zuko was a boy.
Heika leaned back in his chair again and Sokka chose to stare at the spot just the right of his head. "You must understand, Sokka, we are the arms and legs of the nation. If we refuse to move, if we stand against the heart or the brain, we can end the war. Zuko is young, he's well known, and he epitomizes the abuse and neglect the lower ranking officers are suffering through. Long-term warfare is never prosperous; the old men are tired and the young men are ill equipped and ready to leave the battlefield alive and honorable. All they need is someone suitable to extent that option."
Sokka couldn't' argue with him. An end to a hundred year war that had taken his mother, his people, and perhaps his father was more than welcome. He could be the key; he could unlock the door. "Fine." There was no way to deny the temptation of an end to the bloodshed. "I'll talk to him but don't expect anything, it's not like he listens to me."
"Thank you, Sokka," Heika said. Heika smiled and Sokka noticed the creases at the corners of his eyes and how the light caught the dark circle. The man was tired, overworked. "Prince Zuko isn't the easiest person to converse with, let alone convince, I don't expect him to come forth exuberantly a few minutes into your conversation."
"I wouldn't expect anything exuberant out of him unless it involved the Avatar," Sokka said with a slight smirk.
He opened his mouth to continue the conversation but there was a sharp knock at the door and a soldier peeked in without an order to enter. He immediately tensed and said his message quickly, "Sir, the prince is going to see Admiral Zhao now. He asks for your attendance and the tribesman's."
"Of course," Heika said quickly and dismissed him. The commander turned back to Sokka. "Well, this should be interesting to say the least."
Sokka found all he could do was nod back. He didn't know why Zuko was going to confront Zhao. It would be unpleasant.
When Sokka saw Zuko it was in a dim hallway leading to the room Zhao was being held in. Heika and himself had joined with Zuko's party of three and progressed toward the holding area, which appeared to be the former Admiral's office. Sokka was left lagging in the rear while Zuko led the way, from the way the light fell on the prince's face Sokka could tell he was radiating wrath. It would not be a pretty confrontation.
Sokka glanced again at the prince. Zuko had only acknowledged him with a slight nod before marching down the hallway without any sign of his previous condition. Sokka wondered if it was the confrontation or if they had already emotionally parted ways.
He heard the door being thrown open before he saw it. Zuko stormed into the room without acknowledging the guards at either side of the steel entrance. Heika nodded to them and entered before Sokka. Both of the men who had escorted Zuko stayed behind, at the door, which was closed loudly after the Tribesman.
Sokka had never been in an official office of any kind. It was lavish, polished wood and gold leafing adorned the furniture while bright tapestries hung from the wall behind the desk. There were various cabinets and drawers, many contained scrolls or unfilled papers of some significance. At the large mahogany desk sat Zhao. His hands were shackled together with a similar manacle to the one Sokka and Zuko had worn.
The Admiral raised his head and stared, glowering, at Zuko as the prince entered. Sokka noticed the staring contest begin wordlessly as Zuko entered and walked in front of Zhao. Sokka couldn't tell if the pure hate flowing from the prince's features was from the memory or the man in general - both, most likely… Sokka assumed he would portray similar loathing toward the men who defiled his mother. They, fortunately, died by her hand.
"Prince Zuko…" Zhao drawled, drawing the name out as long as he could. His eyes shifted for the prince to Sokka and the teen felt his face instantly form an abhorrent glare. "…An the Water tribe peasant, I see you both survived."
"You shouldn't underestimate us, Zhao," Zuko said as calmly as he could. Sokka could see his fists beginning to smoke. "Underestimation. Assumption. It gets you into trouble."
Zhao scoffed and glared back to the prince. "You're one to talk."
Zuko shrugged off the comment and drew a wrapped dagger from his belt. Sokka immediately recognized it at the earthbender's weapon. Zhao watched Zuko was cautious eyes.
"What are you going to do, Prince Zuko?" Zhao asked with a smirk. "Killing me, an unarmed, shackled man, would be dishonorable."
Zuko stepped forward and raised the dagger, plunging it into the rich mahogany wood of the desk. Zhao had leaned back, his eyes still watching the prince warily. His smirk, though, was gone.
"As much as I desire it, Zhao, I will not kill you," Zuko said through clenched teeth, his hand was still resting on the dagger's hilt; his body was leaning over toward Zhao. "I already have honor and you're right, it would be a shame to tarnish it." Zuko leaned in closer and Sokka was barely able to hear what he said. "It's you who has lost honor, Zhao. You've lost your men's respect and now you've lost everything. You have nothing, Zhao. This…" He tilted the dagger toward Zhao. "…Is your redemption. May the gods have mercy on your soul."
The room was silent.
Heika was impassively watching scene play out. Sokka was almost sure his face mirrored both shock and satisfaction. There was a poetic justice to the past minute. The feeling, like fluttering wings, grew in Sokka chest. Hope. He looked over at Heika and wondered how to tell him there was no need to convince Zuko anymore. He had made his decision.
---
It wasn't something he could do easily. And Sen was right, it wasn't an easy decision, but when Zhao's body was taken out of his old office, the jade and gold hilt embedded in his stomach, wrapped, and preserved as best it could be until they reached land, the decision was sealed.
Zuko didn't feel gratified by the admiral's death. His finger still ached to wrap themselves around the man's neck and choke the last living being out of him. The dagger and three hours of contemplation had done the older man in and in the end it was the right thing to do. The most merciful. He snorted at the thought. Besides, Zuko reasoned later, he doubted he could have touched Zhao in any way, ever.
Things were finally falling into place. He uncle's bird had arrived with a return message just after Zhao was disposed of into the red sunset. A rendezvous point was set for tomorrow. And despite the looks Heika and Sen were giving him and the current situation - his obvious break from his father's side and his quest - there was something Zuko was sure he had to resolve. He found it sulking on the upper deck, staring out in the direction the sun had set in.
"Sokka."
Sokka turned toward his with an inquisitive look. The tribesman had gone ignored for the good part of the day. Zuko was busy; Zuko was going to be commanding the ship. He had new responsibilities. "So, finally have time for me?"
Zuko frowned and clenched a fist, ignoring the comment. "We need to talk. Walk with me."
Sokka shrugged and fell into step next to him as they headed down a long hall, walking almost aimlessly. "What do you want?"
"We'll be reaching the ports by this afternoon," Zuko said mechanically and kept his eyes on the area in front of him. "You'll be free to leave."
He didn't have to look at Sokka to tell he was disappointed. The tribesman's steps faltered a bit, but he caught back up and asked, "So, that's it then?"
"You'll be remunerated for, of course," Zuko said quickly. "And you can tell the Avatar I'm no longer chasing him. I have other things to worry about."
Sokka sighed and stopped, this time facing the prince fully. Zuko was forced to turn and look him in the eye. "That's not what I meant," Sokka said disgruntled. "I meant, it this how our friendship ends?"
There was an uncomfortable silence around them that hadn't existed in the forest. Zuko frowned. "You of all people should understand there are things we cannot change. My place is here, with these men who've risked everything for me and a chance at peace. Your place is with the Avatar."
"I understand," Sokka said and dropped his eyes. "It's just not fair."
"When has life ever been anything close to fair?" Zuko said and turned toward the empty hallway. His room was a few feet away and he felt like walking to it and through the door, so he wouldn't have to listen to the silence and look at Sokka.
"Yeah." Sokka was also looking down the hallway. "I guess this is goodnight."
Zuko nodded without looking at the tribesman and took a few steps forward. He could hear Sokka following behind him and closed his eyes, regretting the idea of his friendship with the tribesman. The whole ordeal was over with, Zhao was dead and they were safe. For now. There would come a time that he would have to stand and fight his father and sister. It would be best to have any allies, no matter how insufficient they were, by his side. A revolution was something he could not do on his own.
"You know," Sokka said as Zuko stopped at the steel access. "It's pretty ironic. The only friend I have that's my age is a firebender. I mean, Aang and Katara are still like kids, they don't see the world the way we do." He stopped and Zuko turned to face his with an impassive expression. "It's pretty harsh out there, isn't it?"
Zuko nodded and kept his eyes trained on Sokka's face. He studied him intently, trying to decipher exactly what the other was saying. But Sokka continued anyway. "It wasn't that bad - the journey, I men - besides the whole impending doom thing and starvation, it wasn't that bad. Well, last night was pretty bad, too."
Zuko could beg to differ, but he stayed silent. Near death experiences weren't considered not "that bad". It was only that night, under the pine, before Sokka had held him that he feared death. He had known he would live that morning. He knew he would be found by the firebenders, it was what would happen to him that was the mystery. And now, the next night, it was over. Zuko hated the fact that he still could feel Sokka next to him.
Sokka' head snapped toward the sound of firebender boots and Zuko reached over to his door, opening it and entering before the soldier had rounded the corner. There really was no need for secrecy; they were merely discussing the end of their journey. There was nothing secretive or taboo being committed. Zuko acknowledged this and stood still as Sokka closed the door.
"You could stay," Zuko said suddenly, without really thinking his words through. He winced inwardly and watched the other boy's face as Sokka turned toward him.
"Stay?"
"It will take more than a few rebel firebenders to stop this war, Sokka." Zuko wasn't looking at him again. He eyes were searching the room absently - looking over the small table, desk, shelves and futon. "We'll be icons, examples of united elements."
Sokka smiled and his voice was lighthearted. "I never knew you were so poetic." But his smile faded. "I honestly don't know what to do. I have at a place with Aang and Katara, but now I have a place with you."
Zuko felt his heart skip a beat and wondered what it meant. He leaned toward Sokka a bit more, so that he could look clearly into the tribesman's blue eyes. "Sokka…" He trailed off and rethought the words quickly. "You are my friend, my only friend." He swallowed once. "I told you a cared about you and I do. What ever choice you make, I will respect it."
"Damn, Heika and Sen are rubbing off on you," Sokka said quickly and Zuko could see he was trying to suppress a light blush. Zuko quickly turned away and stared across the room again. Sokka stayed still. "Thanks… for saying that, you know."
"Sure." Zuko could feel the tension in the room; it was crackling and sparking like lightening between them. He had a vague idea why but decided to ignore it.
"I guess I'll see you in the morning." He could hear Sokka turn and the folds of fabric moving across his arm as he reached for the door. Zuko would later blame his action on the stress, the tension, and the fatigue that had plagues him for the past week. He knew it was mainly the feeling in his stomach and chest that spread throughout his being, telling him it was now or never.
His hand caught Sokka on the shoulder and turned the tribesman so that his back was against the door. Zuko had seen the next action many times before when he was younger and when his men stopped at ports for women. He leaned forward catching the back of Sokka's neck with his left hand and securing the teen's waist with the other. His lips landed a bit off their mark, but he doubted Sokka had noticed because the other boy turned his head almost instinctive and kissed him back without hesitation.
Somewhere in-between an arm wrapping around his waist and a thumb running roughly across his jaw, Zuko caught Sokka's tongue in his mouth. The feeling was familiar, like the night in the cell, but intensified and wanted. He was vaguely aware that he should breath and pulled back enough to catch a breath of air before leaning in to kiss Sokka again. Hands were working at the leather ties at his sides; his own hand, he realized were running through the folds in the Sokka's jerkin.
It was hard to think rationally whilst kissing and undressing someone. Sokka finally pulled away as Zuko successfully undid the tie at his waist. Zuko was coherent enough to realize his chest plate was half hanging off.
"Sorry… I never…" Sokka panted and looked at the halfway undone knots. Zuko shrugged it off and pulled at them himself, the chest plate fell to the floor with a hallow bang. The noise seemed to startle reality back into their oxygen-deprived minds, Sokka's gaze immediately dropped to the floor and his cheeks burned. Zuko was sure the heated feeling on his own face must have been blush.
Sokka closed his eyes and leaned against the door, his chest was still heaving and Zuko could see it through the halfway open jerkin. He looked away quickly and Sokka seemed to sense his eyes.
"I didn't think… I didn't know you…" Sokka was stumbling over words. Zuko wasn't sure if he anything to say at all. It was an awkward moment; it should have been, especially after what they'd been through - what he'd been through. The bandages, the waterfall. Zuko frowned; saving the fool from himself would be a merciful thing to do.
"Just shut up and kiss me." Zuko sighed and grasped the front of the tribesman's clothes, drawing him closer, and smirked. "Idiot."
To Be Continued In…
Chapter Fourteen: And Nothing Else Matters
The end has finally come and Sokka's made his decision (with the help of Aang and Katara, of course).
[edited 03.16.2009]