#writing this in one quick draft bc im in a car for four hours so not my uhhhhh best but it was quick and fun | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

petricorah · 1 year

Text

Easy (a tiny zukka fic)

Sokka was, without a doubt, the smartest person Zuko knew--and he was a complete fool.

Zuko wasn't really sure how he could be both.

He had seen Sokka create some of the greatest plans and inventions, things Zuko could never dream of thinking up in a thousand years, and yet--

He'd also chosen to be with him. Which was markedly the most foolish decision possible.

"Hey," Sokka said, knocking Zuko's shoulder with his own.

They were sitting on the roof of one of the buildings near the palace, overlooking the Fire Nation city. It was the only place his advisors couldn't interrupt them. The sun had set a while ago, but the sky was just bright enough to make out Sokka's concerned features.

"What are you thinking about?" Sokka asked. "You got that look on your face."

Zuko's nose scrunched up. "What look?"

Sokka waved his hand in the air like he was grasping something intangible. "Like you're waiting for lightning to strike."

"I'm not thinking about anything," he grumbled.

Sokka snorted a laugh. "Come on. You're going to have to do better than that."

Zuko's frown deepened and he looked back over the city. Of course Sokka could read him.

Smoke curled from his fingertips. It was easy to pretend with the others. He always wore a scowl, so when he was in a bad mood, no one was the wiser. Except for Sokka. Somehow, Sokka could always tell the difference. He was always there, trying to make things better. Trying to be there for him. Being good to him, and Zuko wasn't...

Zuko didn't deserve him.

"I think we should end this."

"Yeah, it is getting pretty late," Sokka said, stretching his sore arms casually.

Zuko knew the wrappings and the compression sleeve on his arms hid countless battle scars. Several of them he'd gotten because of Zuko. Either inflicted by him as a teenager or now, from Sokka protecting him as the firelord.

"I'm exhausted," Sokka continued. "Suki and I spent the whole day sparring. Every time I think I get the upper hand, I end up flat on my butt--"

"No." Zuko's mouth tasted like ash. "We should end this. Us."

Sokka stilled, then dissolved in a confused chuckle. "What?"

Zuko's jaw clenched. "It was a mistake to begin with."

"What are you talking about?" His smile was gone now.

Zuko forced his gaze away, not wanting to see the pain creeping up on Sokka's features.

"We're over."

Sokka was a messy crier. Right now, his face was probably pinched like a lemon, with tears welling in his eyes--

"Nope."

Zuko blinked and looked at him in shock, but Sokka's expression was almost breezy.

"I don't accept," Sokka said loftily, leaning back casually like they were talking about what food to eat for dinner. "You'll have to try again some other time."

"Wha--are you even listening to me?" Zuko scrambled up to stand over him. "I said it's over. We're breaking up!"

"And I'm saying you better try harder," Sokka shot back. "Otherwise you're stuck with me."

Zuko closed his trap in surprise.

Sokka crossed his arms in a definitive nature that Zuko had grown accustomed to. It meant he was standing his ground, and that not even Toph could budge him. It was quite helpful as an ambassador, but now...

"That's not how it works!" Sparks ignited in his palms, prickling his skin.

Sokka got up, facing him on the edge of the roof.

It was dark now, and the only light was from the lanterns dimly illuminating the streets, and the lights bounced off Sokka's features as he spoke. "What, you think I'm going to let someone as great as you slip from my fingers that easily?"

Zuko's expression broke, and any semblance that he had control over this conversation shattered with his face.

"Yeah," Sokka said softly, and his shoulders dropped. "That's what I thought this was about." He reached forward, slowly taking his hand. He smoothed over Zuko's palm, putting out the smoke that threatened to erupt, even though the heat singed his gloves. "I'm not easy to get rid of," he murmured, tracing over his fingertips, blackened from ash. He tore his gaze up, meeting Zuko's eyes. "But you're easy to love."

Love?

Zuko knew that any relationship with him, romantic or not, was anything but easy. Zuko's throat closed with bile, and the only thing he felt other than his heart pounding in his chest was Sokka's warm touch.

Sokka smiled, and leaned forward, his thumb brushing against his scarred cheek. "Loving you is the easiest thing I've ever done," he said. "It's easy when I make you smile, and I think about how that's all I ever want to do. It's easy when I wake up in the morning, and I'm trapped under your heavy arm that's a thousand degrees."

In spite of everything, Zuko's face twitched into a hesitant smile.

"It's easy when I see you help your people. It's easy when you listen to me drone on and on about my inventions, and when you laugh at all my bad sarcastic jokes." He closed the space between them, and all Zuko could focus on was his voice.

"And it's easy to love you now. Even when you're trying to push me away because you don't see the person I see."

Zuko's eyes flicked back and forth. Agni, he was the one who was going to ugly cry, wasn't he.

He hugged him, and Sokka staggered back from the weight, parts of the roof crumbling off beneath their feet.

"Roof, roof! We're on the roof!" He said, laughing, and finally found his footing with his heel partially over the edge, but he was smiling. "I love you, Zuko."

"I love you, too," Zuko said, mumbling against his neck as he held him tightly, and he didn't let go.

#writing this in one quick draft bc im in a car for four hours so not my uhhhhh best but it was quick and fun #myfic #zukka #zukka fic #i still have my modern au that's completely planned out but i always choose drawing lol #also i did this on mobile if the formatting is weird in sorryyyyy #the prince and the fool

425 notes · View notes