A/N

Although this story is in chronological order, I am leaving gaps within the time, days and even weeks. This was going to be a drabble series when I first thought it up, but a story called a little louder.

And because of my "every hundred hits" thing I made up in the frenzy of last night, I'm posting this now. Also, I have thirteen reviews, and that just happens to be my favorite number. Enjoy!

xxx

Sokka rolled over in his sleeping bag, tired, but unable to shut his eyes against his thoughts. The moon winked at him from above a haze of clouds and forest canopy, taunting him. He sighed and turned away from it.

Zuko couldn't sleep, either. He sat up against a tree, watching the rest of them sleep. He learned a lot about each of them from how they spent their night hours. Katara and Aang bunched themselves up and slept with their mouths closed, telling Zuko that they were disciplined benders and sound sleepers. Sokka usually was sprawled out, limbs astray among the furry mass of his bedroll, which told Zuko that his very thoughts were in disarray constantly, as well as his actions. He was unfocused.

And apparently, he couldn't sleep.

Sokka gave up his attempt at rest and rearranged himself upright.

"Can't sleep?" he asked Zuko.

Zuko shook his head.

The two hadn't talked much for the past few days. After Katara had hitched a ride with him, Sokka had distrusted Zuko beyond a point he never thought he could have reached. Not only was Zuko a threat to Aang's success as avatar, but another set of eyes focused on his sister. Sokka had clamped himself onto Katara's every move, even going so far as to stand guard over her while she bathed. His ever-present behavior was irritating her somewhat, but a small, sisterly part of her understood his protectiveness and dealt with it silently.

Zuko had begun to notice the deadly stares aimed his direction from the other boy, but hadn't given them any heed. Sokka had never made an effort to befriend Zuko before, so the absence of speech wasn't too much of a problem either, and Zuko didn't try and push him into any friendship.

They studied each other. Despite the few weeks that had already passed without incident, both expected to wake up with the shine of a blade in his face. Zuko wouldn't be shocked if Sokka's paranoid ways would eventually lead him to push Zuko out of their parade with nothing so much as a dream as a reason. Sokka slept sandwiched between Aang and Katara every night, should Zuko decide, in one late night rage fest, to kidnap them.

Their coexistence was wrapped in a hatred for each other's heritage and past. Within every stare and snide comment passed, there was an undeniable wrath that both wished to relinquish.

"So… what are you thinking about?" Sokka asked casually.

"What about you?"

"I asked you first."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, trying to choose a safe reply. "Ba Seng Se."

"Hm."

"You?"

Sokka didn't lie often. He exaggerated, made himself seem wiser than he was (which usually ended up making him seem dumber than he was), and gave a lot of sarcasm. However, lies were not a part of his being.

"Yue." Sokka whispered, letting his eyes drop to the fire in front of them.

Zuko blinked, waiting for the other to elaborate.

"Do you remember the princess at the North Pole?" Sokka asked.

"I was there for the avatar, not sight seeing."

"The girl with the white hair that was with Katara when you went to capture Aang?" Sokka tried irritably.

"Oh, yes, I remember."

"That's who I'm thinking of."

Zuko took a stab at being sincere. "So you were… friends?"

"We were in love."

"What happened?"

Sokka wrinkled his nose. "Weren't you there?"

"Not really… After Zhao left I followed him."

"He killed the moon spirit."

They paused for a moment, and seeing as his earnest approach had worked before, he thought he'd try again.

"If it helps… Zhao is dead." Zuko muttered. "And I got a couple good hits to his face before he drowned."

Sokka's eyes lit up. "He drowned?" He looked away, retrospective. "That's kind of ironic."

Zuko nodded. He neglected to tell Sokka that he'd tried to save him. It must've slipped his mind…

"But what does the moon have to do with the princess?" Zuko asked.

"She gave her life to the spirit." Sokka took a shuddering breath. "She became the moon."

"That's quite a sacrifice." Zuko murmured sympathetically.

"It was my fault."

"Your fault that she has the honor of saving the world? Water benders can't bend without the moon. My fa-… The Fire Lord would've had little competition after that. She saved the entire Water Tribe."

Sokka's brow wrinkled. "Yeah, she did… But she shouldn't have had to."

"But she did."

Sokka wanted to be angry with Zuko for stating such a thing, but the only emotion he could grasp and adhere to was gratitude. Zuko was right.

Sokka sank back into his sleeping bag. Maybe he wasn't so bad, after all. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to step inside Zuko's insight for awhile.

Zuko shut his eyes, exhaustion finally claiming him. Maybe Sokka wasn't too much of a brainless, prejudice oaf after all. Maybe Zuko could learn a thing or too from him.

Each drifted into sleep, and when they awoke the next morning, there was less bickering.

"Did you two work something out?" Katara asked.

"Maybe," each echoed.

A/N

And NO! This was not a suggestive guy on guy pairing. I find that Zuko and Sokka's friendship is an important element to Zutara.