An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 26: The Confrontation

"I have no idea what you are talking about," the head of the Dai Li told the group after they barged into his office unannounced.

"He's lying!" Toph shouted and surrounded him in a block of stone. "where's our friend?"

"If I had to guess," the Dai Li director said menacingly, "he is probably being loaded onto a transport that will take him outside of the city and well out of your reach."

"Where is this transport now?" Aang demanded to know. Toph tightened the grip the stone had on the director making him let out a squeak as the air was forced out of his lungs.

"It is being loaded just outside the palace walls," the agent admitted, "but you'll never get to him in time."

"Thank you for your cooperation," Toph said coldly. She wrapped a piece of metal around his mouth and the three ran out of the room to find where Sokka was being taken.

"there are three main exits from the palace," Aang said as they ran towards the palace walls.

"Then we'll have to split up. Aang you take the southern gate, Toph you take the North, I'll take the western gate," Zuko said and the three split up.

Despite only getting a few hours of sleep at most, the adrenaline kept Zuko going. He could see up ahead a large transport being loaded up with a large metal container. He shot out fire from both hands and pushed his body to run faster.

Two Dai Li agents took defensive stances and shot out stone fists towards him. He blew up one of them with a quick blast of fire, but the other nicked his shoulder. In response he shot off a volley of fire towards the agents who had to use Earth bending to propel themselves out of the way.

He was almost to the carriage. He could make it. A few more stone fists shot his way and he had to somersault to avoid getting struck by them. He reached the carriage and pressed his back up against it as two more Dai Li agents leapt down from a nearby roof and pressed their attack.

He was pinned down with nothing to defend himself with and to his disappointment four more Dai Li agents shot up from the ground in front of him. After a few futile attacks of his he was struck with two stone fists that pinned him to the transport.

"You can't attack me! I'm the Fire Lord and the Fire Nation will see this as an act of war!" Zuko shouted hoping to convince the advancing Dai Li agents to stand down.

"Not anymore," one of them said and smiled in a way that sent chills down Zuko's spine. They were right. He had given up his status as Fire Lord temporarily and yielded it to his uncle. He was just another Fire Nation civilian who had attacked Earth Kingdom secret agents.

He was about to surrender when suddenly the Dai Li agents were sent flying high into the air, shot up by pillars of rock that appeared from underneath them.

"You can thank me later sparky!" Toph said. She released him from the stone that had pinned him down and they ran over to open the carriage's doors.

Zuko leapt up into the transport and Toph ripped off the metal door that was holding Sokka prisoner. Their friend fell out of it and Zuko caught him in his arms.

"You came to rescue me," Sokka said in a hoarse voice.

"Of course I did," Zuko said in what he hoped was a comforting way as he helped Sokka out of the big metal box and onto the street.

"You know, sparky wouldn't have been able to save you if I had not shown up and saved him," Toph interjected and crossed her arms.

"Thank you too Toph," Sokka said and coughed, "being in such a small, enclosed space for the whole night hurt."

"Tell me about it," Toph said and punched Sokka in the arm, "I've been locked up in one twice!"

"You guys are alright!" they heard Aang shout from the entrance to the palace grounds. He ran over to them and gave Sokka a big hug. "I was worried about you when a group of Dai Li agents attacked me and there was no sign of you."

"How come no Dai Li agents wanted to attack me?" Toph asked and seemed offended.

"They knew better than to fight the greatest Earth bender in the world," Sokka joked and they all laughed. Toph punched his arm again and he complained it hurt.

"Let's get you back to the house so you can rest," Zuko said and they all nodded in agreement.

When they got back, Zuko carried his beaten and injured friend to his room and set him down on the queen-sized bed.

"Why am I in your room?" Sokka asked, his voice still a little hoarse.

"Because I'm not letting you out of my sight again," Zuko said and sat down on the bed next to him.

"Zuko, about last night..." Sokka started to say but Zuko shut him up by pressing his lips passionately into Sokka's.

Zuko pulled away and smiled at the beautiful water tribe boy. He laid down next to Sokka who was in shock and rested his head against Sokka's.

"I was so afraid you didn't feel the same way about me after I kissed you," Sokka said quietly. "That's why I ran away, and that's how the Dai Li were able to ambush me. I'm so sorry for what happened."

"Hey, stop trying to apologize," Zuko said and grabbed Sokka's hand and held it. "It's my fault I didn't try and go after you last night."

Sokka's eyes were full of sadness as well as fatigue, and Zuko told him, "You should get some rest."

The water tribe boy looked over at him and hesitated for a second before he asked, "This is going to sound weird... but can I lay on your chest? If it's not okay I understand, I just..."

"Of course you can," Zuko said warmly. Sokka's eyes lit up and his amazing smile finally returned. He rolled on his side and laid his head on the firebender's chest, placing his right palm over his heart.

Zuko felt a strange flurry of emotions. He wondered how long Sokka had felt this way about him, and he asked himself when he started to feel something for the water tribe boy too.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," Zuko said quietly as Sokka started to drift to sleep.

"I don't make any promises I can't keep," he replied in a dreamy voice that made Zuko's heart feel warm. He finally knew what it felt like to close the infuriating distance between the blue-eyed boy and him, it felt like home.