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Sokka realized that despite being chased around the world by him, him joining the group to teach Aang firebending, and breaking his dad out of prison with the guy, he really didn’t know all that much about Zuko. He realized this at their dinner campfire that night. He was sitting next to his dad and had invited Zuko to sit next to him. Zuko had, but kept stealing worried glances at Sokka and his dad. It made no sense.
Or rather, it made no sense to Sokka until he considered that maybe Zuko’s dad, being the evil Firelord, wasn’t anything like his own father. Sokka didn’t want to consider it because he really didn’t want to imagine his newest friend in pain, but the pieces all fit. Zuko was nervous around Chit Sang, like he was wary of adults. He was almost panicky around Sokka’s dad. Sokka noticed the way Zuko’s hands were shaking, how he kept looking worried, and how he flinched when Sokka’s dad spoke or laughed loudly. Sokka decided to talk to Zuko about this later, but in the meantime, leaned over to whisper in his dad’s ear.
“Hey, dad? Can you do me a favor and speak a little quieter?” Sokka’s whisper was quiet enough that he knew no one but his dad could hear him. His dad turned to look at him concernedly.
“Of course, son. Are you alright?” Sokka grimaced internally at making his dad worry, but he would do what he could to help Zuko without drawing attention to the teen next to him.
“I’m fine, Dad. I’m just right next to you, which makes you sound louder than Appa.” Sokka joked a little, and it seemed to work. His dad smiled a little, but still looked concerned. Sokka turned to Zuko so that no one would get suspicious at him whispering to his dad.
“How are you doing?” Sokka asked. Zuko looked surprised at the question. It made Sokka realize that no one except Aang and Toph had really been nice to him since he had joined the group, which made Sokka feel guilty. He put that feeling aside for now, though, choosing to focus on any reply Zuko had.
“I’m, um. Alright?” Zuko said, but it sounded more like a question. Sokka shook his head, smiling a little in the hope that it would help Zuko relax.
“You barely slept at the Boiling Rock, and barely ate either. One nap and hot meal isn’t really going to fix that. So really, how are you?” Sokka kept his tone light and friendly, but looked at Zuko’s eyes to make sure that the other boy knew that Sokka was being genuine. Zuko seemed to soften a little, before looking behind Sokka and stiffening up. Sokka bit back a groan.
“I’m fine, Sokka.” Zuko said. Sokka didn’t buy it for a second. His hands, which had begun to still, were shaking more than ever. Zuko avoided his gaze, and turned his body slightly towards Sokka - or, more accurately if Sokka had to guess, towards his dad so that if something happened Zuko wouldn’t be caught off guard. Sokka had to calm Zuko down now, away from everyone else so that they could talk freely. He came up with a plan, and put it in motion right away. He wasn’t the plan guy of the group for nothing, after all.
“Well, if that’s the case, then I need your help.” Sokka said, setting his bowl of stew down. Zuko took the cue and set his down too.
“If it’s another prison break, I’m voting you take someone else. Maybe Toph. You two could march in, break the person out, and march back out with no problem.” Zuko groaned. Sokka laughed, shaking his head.
“I think that’s the last prison break I’m going to stage before the comet.” Zuko smiled at Sokka’s comment before glancing at Sokka’s dad and slipping back into a carefully constructed mask of neutrality.
“So what’s this thing you need my help with, then?” Zuko’s voice only wobbled slightly. If Sokka hadn’t been looking for it, he would have missed it. But the sign of anxiety was there, nonetheless.
“I wanna spar. Swords against swords. You up for it?” Sokka stood up and offered his hand to Zuko. Zuko nodded in excitement and took it, standing up as well.
“And what exactly are you two up to?” Katara asked icily. Sokka turned to glare at his sister. He didn’t miss the way Zuko seemed to shrink back towards the shadows at her tone.
“Katara, for fuck’s sake, he just helped me break Dad and Suki out of prison. Cut him some slack. And for your information, we’re going to spar.” Sokka matched her tone. Their dad looked between them, confused. Katara glared at Sokka instead of Zuko now. Normally, Sokka would have tried to calm her down, but he was sick and tired of the way that his little sister was treating his newest friend. Zuko wasn’t playing them this time. Sokka knew it now, especially after breaking both his dad and Suki out of prison with the guy. He knew Katara had her reasons to mistrust Zuko, but she was taking it too far.
“Sokka, please. He’s the son of the Firelord! You can’t possibly trust him!?” Katara stood up too, yelling now. Sokka let go of Zuko’s hand, turning fully to face her. He gave her his best big brother glare, and saw the way her face flickered. His stance on this had thrown her for a loop.
“Katara, Sokka, please settle down.” Their dad said. Sokka didn’t care right now. He was done letting Katara bully Zuko because of mistakes that he was trying to make up for.
“No. Katara, you need to understand that I do trust him. He saved my life, Dad’s life, all of our lives. He’s our friend. You need to back off.” Sokka felt a hand on his arm, and turned to see Zuko’s wide eyes. That made Sokka pause.
“Sokka, please. It’s okay. You don’t need to defend me. I mean, I appreciate it, but please. Just calm down.” Zuko was almost pleading with him. He kept looking between Sokka, Katara, and their dad, who was standing now too. Sokka looked confusedly at Zuko.
“It’s not okay. She’s been ragging on you too much, and you don’t deserve that.” Sokka pointed out. He didn’t like how pale Zuko’s face was getting. Sokka turned back to face Katara and his dad. Zuko’s hand on his arm tightened. Sokka opened his mouth to speak, but got sent a look by his dad. The same thing happened to Katara. Their dad sighed heavily, and moved to put a hand on each of their shoulders. That’s when it happened.
One minute, his dad nearly had a hand on his shoulder. The next, Zuko had moved around Sokka to get in between him, Katara, and their dad. Zuko pushed their dad away from them, not hard enough to send him to the ground, but enough to make sure that he didn’t touch either of them. Sokka was shocked, but Katara was livid.
Sokka heard Zuko’s heavy breathing, saw the fear in his wide, golden eyes. Scratch that, only one eye was wide - the other was burned permanently into a slit. Sokka wondered for the first time if Zuko could even see out of that eye. This wasn’t the time, though, since Zuko was speaking.
“You won’t hurt them. I won’t let you.” Zuko was talking to Sokka’s dad. Zuko’s entire body was shaking in fear, but his voice was firm. Not harsh, but not yielding either. Several things came crashing through Sokka’s mind at once. One, Zuko had seen his dad coming towards him and his little sister, and moved to protect them from their dad. Two, based on the quick reaction, this was something Zuko had had to defend someone - most likely himself - from before. Three, Zuko had Katara and Sokka slightly behind him, still protecting them from a threat that wasn’t there.
Sokka’s hand was on Zuko’s shoulder in an instant. “Zuko, it’s okay. He wasn’t going to hurt us.” Sokka whispered gently, moving to stand between the teen and his dad. He glanced at Katara, but she had been shocked into silence at Zuko’s words, all traces of anger gone from her. He turned his focus back to Zuko, who was looking confusedly at Sokka.
“He was going to put his hand on you, though.” Zuko said. Sokka nodded.
“That was for comfort and to calm us down, not to hurt.” Sokka had always had a vivid imagination. He really wished he didn’t right now though, given all the scenarios playing through his head of what exactly Ozai had done to warrant such a reaction out of Zuko.
“Not to hurt?” The confusion in Zuko’s voice broke Sokka’s heart. He nodded in confirmation. Sokka glanced behind him, at his dad. The man was looking at them with sadness, though not pity. Upon Sokka’s look, he spoke to Zuko.
“No, Zuko. I would never hurt any child, especially not my own children. I really just wanted to remind them to take deep breaths and to talk the issue out instead of yelling it out. I am so sorry that I scared you and made you think they needed to be protected from me.” Sokka’s dad finished. Sokka moved over and hugged his dad, and felt Katara do the same. Sokka moved back over to Zuko, gently taking his hand. Zuko bowed low.
“I am very, very sorry that I pushed you, sir. I should have recognized what was happening. Please forgive me.” Zuko spoke in a monotone, but Sokka felt the way Zuko shook. His dad motioned for Zuko to stand up, which he did. Sokka took the opportunity to wave goodbye at the rest of the group and drag Zuko away.
Once they had moved into the hallway by the courtyard where the group had been having dinner, Sokka broke into a run. He never let go of Zuko’s hand, running as fast as he could. He leaped up steps and bounded through hallways until they were at the top of the cliff. Even then, he didn’t stop running, heading right for the forest. Zuko kept up easily, running right next to him. Together, they ran through the forest until Sokka spotted a rocky hill. He slowed to a walk, Zuko following his lead. They moved to the back of the hill, where there were vines hiding an opening. Sokka squeezed through, pulling Zuko in with him. Zuko lit a flame in the palm of his free hand, showing a surprisingly big earthen cave that had been formed in the side of the hill.
Sokka had brought sticks in before, having been to this place a couple times when he needed to be alone and not found. They were piled in the center of the room. Zuko lit them with his fire, putting the flame in his hand out. Sokka sat down against the wall next to the vines. Zuko moved the makeshift campfire to the back of the small cave, sitting against the wall across from Sokka. Sokka took a deep breath, before looking at Zuko and saying what was on his mind.
“I want to say thank you. For wanting to protect me and my little sister.” He meant every word. Zuko nodded, but Sokka could tell that Zuko was still scared.
“I hope I didn’t hurt him.” He finally said. Sokka laughed a little and shook his head.
“Definitely not. You didn’t even knock him to the ground.” Sokka pointed out. He thought that it was remarkable, being able to show that level of restraint when Zuko could have easily had his dad knocked out if he wanted. Zuko laughed, but there was no warmth or mirth. It made Sokka shiver a little.
“It would have only made the punishment worse.” The more Zuko spoke, the more Sokka found himself wanting to rip Ozai from his stupid throne and toss him to the Unagi back at Kyoshi Island. Sokka figured Suki would approve, and would probably help him. In the meantime, though, Sokka had to help Zuko understand.
“Zuko, he’s not like that. We aren’t like that. There is no punishment, not unless you count doing all the dishes or laundry by yourself. He would never hurt me or Katara or anyone else he wasn’t actively having to fight in a war.” Zuko’s eyes were wet with tears.
“I think I can believe that. I mean, he apologized. To me. Fa- I mean, Ozai, um, he never apologized. For anything.” Zuko’s rough voice was quiet. Sokka scooted closer to him, gently offering a hand to Zuko. Zuko took Sokka’s hand in both of his, gently playing with his fingers.
“If you want, and only if you want to, you can talk about it. What your life was like with him. I’ll listen.” Sokka offered, voice soft enough that they could both hear the gentle breeze blowing through the leaves in the trees outside of their little cave.
“It’s not… good. My life has been pretty shitty.” Zuko laughed. Sokka cracked a small smile. He tapped his fingers against Zuko’s warm hands in a rhythmic pattern, to the beat of a song. It took Sokka a moment to place the song as one of the ones from the dance party that Aang had insisted they have. The repetitiveness seemed to be helping to comfort Zuko, as his breaths became more even. Sokka smiled sadly and gently.
“I kind of figured, and it’s okay. I’m not going to force you to say anything, but I wanted you to know that I am more than happy to listen if you want to talk. Of course, I am just fine with sitting in silence!” Sokka stated the last bit dramatically, hoping to make the other boy laugh. It worked, and Sokka couldn’t stop thinking that Zuko’s laugh was his new favorite sound. Sokka smiled, and Zuko’s chuckles faded away. He seemed more relaxed than before, though, so Sokka counted it as a win.
“Alright. If you’re sure.” Zuko said nervously. Sokka nodded, leaning back against the cave wall next to Zuko, now. He kept tapping the rhythm on Zuko’s hand, reminding him that he was there and that Zuko would be okay. Zuko nodded, took a deep breath, and began his story.
“Azula was always his favorite. He told me that while she was born lucky, I was lucky to be born. I was a crappy firebender, too - she would always do everything perfectly, and I couldn’t. In the Fire Nation, there are a couple methods of training. The one I was taught was called the Sozin method. It’s where if you get something wrong in your training, you get burned.” Zuko took a deep breath. Sokka was hating Ozai and everyone who had ever hurt Zuko more by the second. He moved his hand from tapping against Zuko’s to rubbing gently up and down his arm. Zuko leaned into the touch, taking another deep breath before continuing.
“He burned me a lot. It was always the Fire Sages - my teachers - who would burn me for the mistakes lightly. Then Father would find out, and burn me worse. Azula would sometimes burn me too, during the ‘games’ we played. Her burns were always the least severe, though. Father knew and said she should have burned me harder. He was always trying to get us to hate each other and fight each other. He said it made us better.” Sokka was livid at Ozai, and was convinced at this point that Aang wouldn’t even have to face him. Sokka would gladly take the bastard down himself. He was worried that Zuko would think that the anger was at him, though, so he calmed himself down and nodded at Zuko to continue if he wanted.
“Mother used to try and stop it. Then she left.” Zuko told him the entire story - how when he was eleven, he had a cousin who was killed in the siege of Ba Sing Se, and how his father had used that as an opportunity to take over the throne. How his grandfather had told his father to kill him, and Zuko was sure that he would have if his mother hadn’t stopped it. How after she left, everything only got worse. Sokka held Zuko closer and closer as he continued, until they were practically cuddling. Sokka didn’t care, though, deciding that Zuko deserved all the comfort he could get.
“That wasn’t the worst bit, though.” Sokka wasn’t sure how it could get worse. He let his hands run through Zuko’s wild hair, combing out the tangles as he continued to listen.
“When I was thirteen, I wanted to go to a war meeting. I wanted to prove that I could be a good heir, and a good Firelord. Uncle let me in with a promise that I would be silent. I was, until a plan was stated.” Zuko was shaking, so Sokka moved back to rubbing his arms. The shaking became a little less violent. Sokka took it as a win.
“The plan was from a high ranking general. He wanted to use the 41st division, who were entirely new, young recruits, and send them against one of the best Earth Kingdom battalions as a distraction. Then two experienced divisions would sneak around from behind and wipe out the Earthbenders. He wanted to use them. He said ‘what better to use as bait than fresh meat?’” Zuko was crying now. Sokka was too. If someone had suggested that in his tribe, his dad and every elder would have tossed him out of the tribe entirely. It was just pure evil.
“I couldn’t stand for that. I stood up, and said ‘those soldiers love and defend our nation. How can you betray them?’ I didn’t know that Father had already approved the plan. I didn’t know that he cared nothing about sending kids to their death. The 41st division was filled with kids, Sokka. The oldest was 19. The youngest was 15.” Sokka squeezed Zuko into a hug, silently mourning all the lives lost to the war. He had realized, being in the Fire Nation for the last few weeks, that the citizens of the Fire Nation were being hurt and used in the war the same way that the rest of the world is. But this was a different level of insanity - using a group of kids, some of whom were his age or younger, as a distraction knowing that they would be killed? Sokka was so proud of Zuko for standing up for his people. He also figured that the action hadn’t flown with the Firelord.
“It was disrespectful, to speak out of turn like that. I had called the general’s honor into question. There’s only one way to settle that - an Agni Kai. It’s a firebending duel, ending in first burn, or it’s supposed to be. These days, ever since Sozin, it’s usually been to the death. There used to be regulations around it - for example, no one under the age of majority, 16, could participate. But I was royalty, and the regulations were long gone. So I had to fight. I said I wasn’t afraid of fighting the general, because I wasn’t. I knew I was right, and that he was old and hadn’t fought in years. I thought it was an opportunity to make my Father proud.” Sokka thought he knew exactly where this story was going to end up - with the general burning Zuko’s face in the duel and giving him the scar. He was prepared to comfort Zuko through it. He wasn’t prepared for where the story actually went.
“The next day, I was in the arena. There was a crowd - every noble and servant, and every major military figure in the Fire Nation had come to watch. It was public. Agni Kais were supposed to be private. Another regulation Sozin ignored. I stood and turned to face my opponent. I had miscalculated.” Zuko took a deep breath, and Sokka’s stomach dropped. What did he mean, miscalculated?
“It was the Firelord’s war room. I had disrespected him. I had to fight my father.” Zuko wasn’t shaking anymore, but was eerily still. Tears streaked down his face - but only from the right eye. Sokka wanted to kill Ozai more than ever before. It wasn’t fair! How could anyone do that to someone else, especially their own kid?!
“I couldn’t fight him. I got on my hands and knees. I begged him, tried to tell him that I was his loyal son. I said that I only spoke out of turn because I wanted to protect the Fire Nation. He told me to rise and fight. I couldn’t. He said ‘You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher.’ He cupped my left eye, and burned me. I screamed, and he kept going. He didn’t stop until after I passed out. I woke up on my ship, unable to see anything but fuzzy shapes or hear anything on my left side. Uncle was there with me and told me that I had been banished and that I couldn’t return to the Fire Nation with my honor until I had captured the Avatar. I only realized a few weeks ago that that meant that he never wanted me back.” Zuko finished.
Sokka looked at Zuko, both of them crying hard. “You didn’t deserve that. Any of that. You were trying to do the right thing and save your people, which is what a real leader is supposed to do. You were right. He’s a monster, and I won’t let him hurt you ever again if I can help it.” Sokka was doing his best to control his anger, not wanting to scare Zuko. Zuko looked at him, good eye wide.
“No one’s ever… I mean. I’ve never heard anyone say that I was right.” Sokka was shocked. It had been years, and no one, not even his Uncle, had said that Zuko did the right thing? He made a mental note to have a conversation with Iroh if Sokka ever saw him again.
“Well you were. I’m so sorry that all of that happened to you. You didn’t deserve any of it.” Zuko nodded, but Sokka figured that after that crappy of a home life, he probably didn’t believe it. He moved his hands slowly, telegraphing his movements, as he brought his hands up to hold Zuko’s face gently. “I mean it, Zuko. You are a good person, and have been this whole time. You never tried to actually hurt any of us, just capture Aang. And you only did that because you just wanted to go home. You could have been cruel and burnt down my village, or Kyoshi Island, or the North Pole, but you didn’t. You are inherently a good person, and even Ozai couldn’t snuff that out of you. I am honored to call you my friend.” Sokka looked into Zuko’s eyes the entire time he spoke. He didn’t care that he was crying. He needed to be there for Zuko.
“I… you… can I have a hug?” Zuko’s voice was small and shaky, and so unlike the firebender normally that it made Sokka cry harder.
“Of course.” Sokka held open his arms properly, and Zuko launched himself into them. They stayed like that for hours. Sokka held Zuko and Zuko clung back, each simply enjoying the other’s comforting presence.
“Please don’t tell the others, yet.” Zuko said after a while. Sokka nodded, looking at him seriously.
“It’s not my story to tell. I won’t say a word unless you want me to.” Zuko nodded, relaxed in a way Sokka wasn’t sure Zuko had ever been before. Eventually, Zuko fell asleep against Sokka. Sokka put out the fire and carried Zuko out of the cave, back to the temple. He laid Zuko in his bed in the room he had been staying in, before heading back out to the campfire. Everyone but Katara was asleep.
“Sokka!” She stood up quickly, but her voice was quiet. Sokka moved to grab his sleeping bag.
“Katara. I’m sorry about yelling at you earlier.” He apologized, though he knew that she was being too hard on Zuko with even more certainty now. She nodded.
“I’m sorry too. Um, how is he?” Sokka’s eyes widened and he straightened up, sleeping bag in his arms.
“He’s sleeping. I’m going to stay with him tonight.” Katara looked a little concerned, but nodded.
“Look, I still don’t trust him, but… he did try to protect us both. Even though dad would never hurt us.” Sokka knew that Katara’s mind and observation skills were just as sharp as his. He sighed and set his sleeping bag back down, and moved over to hug his little sister. After hearing how Zuko was forced to fight Azula, he needed the comfort and familiarity.
“Katara, he’s good. Really, truly good. Better than you know. We can trust him.” Sokka said earnestly. Katara looked up at him, hesitation and doubt written across her features.
“You are really sure? You completely believe him, that he won’t hurt us or Aang again?” Her voice was quieter than usual. Sokka put both his hands on Katara’s shoulders, and looked at the face that looked so much like their mother’s he could barely separate the two in his mind anymore.
“I have no doubts about him, not anymore. He’s safe, Katara. We are safe with him.” Sokka could tell that she wasn’t completely sure, but she seemed to be more open to the possibility since Zuko had moved to protect her and Sokka. She hugged him, and he hugged her back fiercely. “Get some sleep, Kat.” He smiled, picking his sleeping bag back up. She smiled tiredly, and nodded.
“You too, Sokka.” Sokka nodded, quietly making his way back to Zuko’s room. There, Zuko had woken up, and smiled at seeing Sokka. Sokka smiled back gently.
“Hey. I was just grabbing my sleeping bag. I was hoping it would be okay if I crashed with you tonight?” Sokka was nervous. He really didn’t want to make Zuko uncomfortable. Zuko’s smile widened, and he laughed a little.
“I would be honored, Sokka.” Sokka smiled, and moved to sit on the bed, dropping his sleeping bag on the ground. He held open his arms, and Zuko dove into him again. “I know that it was a lot to hear. Thank you for listening.” Zuko’s voice was muffled slightly, but Sokka still heard him clearly.
“Anytime, Zuko.” Sokka replied with a small smile of his own.
“How are you doing, after hearing all of that?” Zuko asked after a small pause. Sokka’s heart swelled. Even after everything he had been through, Zuko still thought of others and asked how Sokka was doing. Sokka knew he would do everything he could to protect Zuko, without question from now on.
“I mainly want to do two things.” Sokka said. Zuko pulled away slightly, looking at Sokka with a little concern. Sokka smiled sharply. “I want to keep hugging you. And, I really want to hit that bastard Ozai so hard that he’s launched into the sun and can never hurt you again.” Zuko laughed, making Sokka’s smile turn genuine and soft. Zuko opened his arms this time, and Sokka dove in.
“I think we need to leave that second one to Aang.” Zuko chuckled. Sokka shook his head as best he could, given it was against Zuko’s warm chest.
“Nope. Firelord isn’t his problem anymore. I’mma punt the jackass harder than earthbenders punt a ball.” Zuko laughed outright at that, and Sokka joined in.
“Thank you for this.” Zuko said again, sighing and leaning against Sokka. Sokka looked at Zuko right in the eyes.
“No, thank you for trusting me enough to tell me.” Sokka said seriously. Zuko nodded, before rolling Sokka over onto his side so that they were both lying down. They fell asleep like that, Sokka’s sleeping bag forgotten. They were safe together, and Sokka was completely serious and genuine. He would never let anyone or anything hurt Zuko again. Not if he could help it.