An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 55: The Boy who cared

Another shout came from down the hall, and since Sokka was closer it was clear it was Zuko who was in trouble. He rushed down the hall, bursting through Zuko's door without bothering to knock.

Zuko was shaking and writhing in his bed. Sokka didn't hesitate for a second and ran over to Zuko and shook him until he woke up.

"Zuko are you alright?" Sokka asked anxiously. The firebender was still shaking slightly which worried him.

"What do you care?" Zuko said angrily and rolled over, still shaking and obviously not okay.

"No matter what you think of me, I still care about you and I don't want to see you like this," Sokka said, a slight defensive edge present in his voice.

"What if I don't want you to care about me anymore? If you really cared you wouldn't have left me like you did," Zuko said.

The words sunk deep and it took Sokka a few seconds before he was able to say, "I'll always care about you whether you want me to or not. Breaking up with you the way I did was the biggest mistake of my life, but that was in the past, right now all I'm concerned about is making sure you're okay."

Zuko was silent and wouldn't even let Sokka touch his arm to try and get him to turn and look at him.

"It's the nightmares again, isn't it?" Sokka asked softly, desperately wanting to touch Zuko to comfort him, to run his fingers through his now shoulder length hair that had been in a topknot earlier.

A sigh from Zuko was all Sokka needed to know he was right. The thought had not even crossed his mind that the nightmares might come back after he left. The awful nightmares that had plagued Zuko for months only stopped after they had started spending more time together, and Sokka felt so selfish for being the reason why they haunted him again.

"Zuko, I am so sorry for what I did to you. If I could go back in time and change what happened I would do it in a heartbeat," Sokka said. "But I'm here now and I don't want to waste anymore time hurting each other."

"That's rich coming from you considering you're the one who caused the most pain," Zuko said. His words stung and Sokka sighed softly, knowing he deserved it.

"Are the nightmares worse than before?" Sokka asked, ignoring Zuko's words because he knew they didn't come from a place of hatred but one of pain and betrayal.

Zuko didn't say anything but he nodded and let out a breath he had been holding.

"I can stay here for tonight if you want me to," Sokka said.

"I don't need your protection. I can take care of myself just fine," Zuko said, pulling up the covers to cover part of his face.

"I'm not here to protect you," Sokka said and sat on the edge of the bed next to Zuko who didn't move over to make space for him. "I'm here because I love you and I don't want you to suffer alone anymore."

"I think it's time for you to leave," Zuko said. Sokka's heart sank, but he did as he was told. He stopped in the doorway and briefly looked back at Zuko, but his eyes were closed tightly and so Sokka shut the door quietly and made his way back to his room.