An Innocent Spark [Zukka]

Chapter 70: Lost in the Darkness

The moon rested high above the sea as Sokka manned the helm and took them farther out to sea. They had been out on the water for hours, and Zuko had fallen asleep on the deck at some point. Sokka took a break and let the boat drift, hoping if it changed course, it would make it harder for their attackers to track them.

He carried his sleeping boyfriend down the steps and into the small bedroom underneath the bridge of the boat. He laid Zuko down on the bed and covered him with a thin blanket, rubbing the firebender's shoulder in an effort to calm his subconscious.

He returned to the upper deck and stared off into the relatively calm ocean, watching the small waves crest and fall as they neared the boat. The moon was bright that night and eventually he had to acknowledge it.

"I know what you're thinking," he said out loud, "after all this time my life should have settled down."

"Maybe you're shocked I ended up dating a man, especially since the man is now the Fire Lord," he went on to say. "I love him Yue. I love him more than I ever thought possible. I hope you're not mad at me, but I have never felt so happy before. He's a little rough around the edges but so am I. He understands me in a way only you did."

He sighed and questioned what he was doing talking to the moon as if Yue could hear him, but maybe, just maybe she could.

"It doesn't matter much since our world keeps falling apart around us. It's like the universe doesn't want us together, but I was an idiot and already found out the hard way that isn't the answer," Sokka went on as if telling the story of his life since Yue had sacrificed herself. "The whole Fire Nation turned against him, and I can't help but feel like it's my fault."

He paused for a moment and looked out towards the sea. It was unusually calm, and the moonlight reflected off its surface. Despite all the chaos happening in his life, being out at sea helped calm his anxiety.

"What if our love causes Zuko to lose the throne? I'll never be able to forgive myself," Sokka said, looking back up towards the moon high up in the sky.

"You aren't responsible for any of this," Zuko said, coming up the stairs behind Sokka. "I chose to legalize same-sex marriage, and no matter what happens, it was the right choice. People like us have been forced to live in fear for so long for the same reason we're running now."

Sokka turned around quickly, caught off guard by the fact that Zuko was awake and had heard him all but talking to himself.

Zuko walked up slowly to the bow of the boat where Sokka was standing. He gently wrapped his arms around Sokka and hugged him lovingly. Their heads rested against one another's and the way Zuko was holding him made his heart melt like butter. The gentleness of it and the love he felt in that moment was irreplaceable.

"I would leave it all behind if it meant I could spend the rest of my life with you," Zuko whispered, and began to sway gently from side to side as they kept on hugging.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that," Sokka said. He was less afraid now that he could feel Zuko so close, but the thought of being why Zuko's rule might get overthrown haunted him.

"When you broke up with me, I had a lot of trouble falling asleep," Zuko said, and Sokka couldn't help but feel terrible, "during those long nights I stayed awake and wondered what it would be like to give up the throne, to spend the rest of my days with you away from the politics and pain. Some nights I still dream of that."

"You were meant to lead your nation," Sokka said as they swayed, "without you there would be no hope for the Fire Nation to advance."

"My uncle would have been an incredible leader, and I'm trusting him to be that leader until we make it back," Zuko said.

The silence settled over them for a while. The moon's brilliant light illuminated the two against the darkness of the water below them. From a distance no one would have known they were two men, holding dearly to each other as the world seemed to implode around them. Sokka wished the rest of the world would see them like Yue saw them in that moment. They were two people madly in love, nothing more, nothing less.

"Sokka..." Zuko said, "if you say the words, I'll still give up the throne to be with you. We can sail this boat wherever we want and make a new life for ourselves."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sokka said and freed himself from Zuko's arms. He took a few steps before Zuko responded, "I'm being serious. You mean more to me than the crown, more than the whole world."

"It's getting late," Sokka said, running his fingers over the hair that had begun to grow back on his head.

"Why don't we call it a night and let the boat drift while we sleep?" Zuko asked, "there's no land for hundreds of miles and the wind is calm."

As nice as spending the night sleeping in a warm bed with Zuko sounded Sokka was terrified they would be found if they didn't keep going.

"The mob got what they wanted," Zuko said and gently pulled Sokka towards him so he could look into the water tribe boy's blue eyes. "I ran like a coward and now all that's standing between them and getting the law overturned is the army and my uncle."

"Iroh won't back down from a fight," Sokka said mostly to remind himself rather than Zuko.

"I hope he's alright," Zuko said, "spirits only know what the protestors have done since they tried to kill us."

"All we can do now is focus on getting you to safety," Sokka said, "then we can focus on how to deal with all of this."

"So are you going to stay up, or will you come to bed with me?" Zuko asked, his wording made it seem like Sokka had no real choice in the matter.

"We'll leave the motor on low," Sokka said, surrendering to Zuko's persuasion.

Zuko smiled in a loving way and watched as Sokka climbed up to the bridge and turned the motor on low, steering them east towards the Earth Kingdom. Sokka climbed down and grabbed the firebender's hand.

They walked down the steps and into the small bedroom. Sokka let go of Zuko's hand and hugged him, closing his eyes and holding on tightly.

"I love you to the moon and back," Sokka said. A tickle in the corner of his eye turned into a single tear, not one of sadness but of a love stronger than any assassin, stronger than any army.

"I love you even more than that," Zuko said, his comforting voice calming the last bit of nerves left in Sokka's mind.

No more words needed to be spoken that night. They climbed into bed and Zuko wrapped his warm arms around Sokka.