Rather a bit of a time-skip since the last one, and they got married in the intervening time (and you may assume that Sokka cried at their wedding or not; or that Zuko did or not - it simply didn't come up for one of these 'moments').

I love you.

"Well, it looks like everything at the South Pole is going w- Sokka?" Zuko interrupted himself as he came through the open doorway to the balcony. "Sokka, what's that? Did your father send you-"

"Bato." Sokka said numbly, eyes still fixed on the letter. It was short. And it was a little hard to read - Bato's handwriting was . . . it had always been a mess. Sokka swallowed.

"Darling?" Zuko brushed a caress over his cheek, then clasped his shoulder. "What is it?"

"My Dad." Sokka said, his voice breaking. "Bato says- He's- Um." He sniffed and began to cry, his hands shaking and crumpling Bato's letter. "He's . . . really sick, and he's asking for me to come home. To come and- and see him. Before- In case. . ."

Sokka couldn't finish, the words dissolving into rough, wet breaths.

"Oh. . . Darling." Zuko clasped his wrist and pulled gently, and Sokka turned towards his husband, letting Zuko support him as he crumpled.

"My Dad." Sokka choked into Zuko's hair, spilling over his shoulder.

Zuko rubbed his back firmly, up and down, and held Sokka tight as he struggled to breathe through his tears. "I don't know-" he broke off. "I have to go- I can't- Dad could be-" Sokka felt like his world was crumbling around him. He was grown and it had been years and years since his Dad was- But-

Zuko held him tight, and Sokka felt like that embrace was the only thing that was keeping him from crumbling, too. He'd pull himself together, he would - he needed to make arrangements, to pack, to plan, to get himself on a ship - unless Aang and Katara were coming this way before going to the Pole, surely Katara had got a letter too, but it could take longer to get letters to her, with their constant travel, and Sokka needed to go now. . .

"I have to get to the South Pole." Sokka said roughly. Zuko splayed a hand over his back, just below his shoulder blades, pressing him tighter to his husband's body. "Zuko, my Dad- I can't believe- What am I going to do, how can- He's not-" Nothing made sense, and Sokka all but keened into Zuko's shoulder, shuddering in his arms.

"I love you." Zuko said gently, simple and true. Sokka sobbed against him. "We'll go. As soon as arrangements can be made, we'll go." he said firmly, rubbing Sokka's back. "It won't take long to make a ship ready, even for a trip to the South Pole."

"Yes, a shi- We?" Sokka repeated, feeling as though his throat was closing up even as he forced words through it. "But- I know you can't just leave, I mean, just to- just to come with me, and he's- Dad's-" He couldn't finish, struggling to catch his breath.

"Sokka." Zuko said, clasping his shoulders and pushing him away just a little - not enough to break contact between their bodies, but enough that their eyes met. "I love you. Don't be stupid. Of course I'm coming with you."

"Are- Are you sure you can?" Sokka asked, his voice faltering. He desperately wanted his husband at his side, but Zuko couldn't exactly just . . . take off so easily as some people. Most people. Even Sokka really couldn't just leave - he was part of governance here, too, the Fire Lord's Consort had quite a few duties, and it was something of a production when he did travel - but it was easier than for Zuko. And he had to leave. Immediately.

"I'm not letting you go alone." Zuko said firmly. "Just . . . let me worry about everything, all right, darling? I'll handle it." He kissed Sokka's temple and held him close again, his arms closing around Sokka almost tight enough to hurt.

Sokka breathed in and out slowly, once, and nodded gratefully. He let Zuko hold him together, and trusted in his husband to hold together . . . everything else, too. Just- Just for a while.

Brace yourself if necessary - the next chapter is not much of a time-skip, it is set soon after this one . . . and given that, you can probably guess the reason for Sokka's tears.