Playing With Fire ~ a Zukka Fanfiction (Avatar The Last Airbender)

Chapter One (1)

Playing With Fire ~ a Zukka Fanfiction

Chapter One

---Sokka's POV---

Dad, Zuko, Suki and I had just arrived from The Boiling Rock. The others in the Gaang ran to welcome us, both them and us, glad we were together of  course safe and sound. Katara pulled me in for a hug the moment my feet touched the cold rock. She then huggged each one of us, as a warm welcome, even Zuko, something that made the avatar boy jealous, to say the least. Yeah, it's pretty obvious that Aang has a crush on Katara. As for my sister, I really wish I knew how girls think. I'm completely clueless about her feeling for Aang, or any other boy generally.

Toph hugged me a little tighter than she did with the others, but I guess that's because we're best friends. She must had been worried sick for all of us,even though she tends to look as a tough girl who never shows her emotions.

"I'm gonna get dinner ready" Katara smiled, glad and relieved we were all together, safe and soundto.

"I'll help you" Suki said  and followed her, but my sister stopped her,

"You should get some rest Suki. You must be really tired from the trip. Aang and Toph will help me tonight"

Suki gave her a tired, but at the same time relieved smile. She didn't want to look tired or less tough. Sometimes, she tried to compete Toph, which I find slightly annoying. Well, a lot of things annoy me on her lately.

"Ha! Count me out Sugar Queen! I'm gonna practice my eartbending!" Toph laughed, refusing to help my sister with dinner. She started earthbending rocks and throwing them on the walls of the cave.

"It's okay. Aang is still going to help me, right Aang?" Katara looked at the avatar, without losing her hopes, knowing that Aang will on her side 'till the end. The avatar smiled in agreement and ran after her, as she dissapeared in the cave.

Suki went to sleep after my dad and Haru went on a stroll with his friends. I  awkwardly looked around, searching for the person I wanted to see. I spotted him sitting on the edge of the cliff. He was looking away, over the clouds, gazing at the horizon, like he was sinked deep in his thoughts. He looked sad and that was making my heart aches and created a knot in mu stomach, for an uknown reason. Why am I even worried about him?I mean, he is in the Gaang now, but he used to procecute us. How does Aang even trusts him?

However, while we were in The Boiling Rock, Zuko and I came closer to each other. We talked and we shared a lot of things. We didn't reveal our darkest secrets or something like that and I was the only one who was speaking all the time, but I realised that Zuko wasn't bad. He wasn't bad at all. Actually, I maybe liked him a little bit, just a teeny, tiny little bit. Yes, that's it Sokka. No need to get confused.

My feet walked me next to him, absentmindly. I sat down next to him. Zuko didn't react, like he hadn't notice me sitting next to him. I looked at the direction he was gazing at, trying to understand what was keeping his mind so busy. The only thing I saw was clouds, so I got a bit confused. I mean seriously, what kind of sane person stares at clouds?

"What are you looking at?" I asked him quietly, trying to break the silence that was threatening to sink us. Zuko didn't stop staring at the clouds silently, nor did he acted like he had heard me. I was seriously starting to wonder if I was invisible.

"Um...are you mad at me?" I asked him again, my courage and confidence fading away as he continued to stay completely silent. Zuko is a lonely person, quite mysterious if you ask me. He is one of the people who prefer to keep their feelings inside them, double locked in their hearts. I didn't know him that much, but it was something anybody would notice about him. And honestly, his mysterious aura was something that attracted me. What? What am I saying? I must be really tired after all....

"Sorry, Sokka. I am not mad at you"

For some reason, my heart skipped a beat when I heard his, deep, whispery voice, but I guess that's because I wasn't expecting him to answer.

"I'm mad at myself" he whispered so quietly that  his voice hardly managed to make any sense in my ears. It was more like he was talking to himself and not me. I looked at him with a confused look on my face, not completely understanding the meaning of his words, which sound depressing and sad.

Zuko brought his knees up to his face and wrapped his arms around them, burrying his face under his black messy hair and behind his arms, like he didn't care that I was next to him, looking at him. I didn't know what to do, or what to say, since he was completely ignoring me.

Then, I saw something dripping on the rock we were sitting, under his arms. Then another drop fell on the cold stone and Zuko grebbed his legs tighter, trying to hide it.

I felt a strange pain in the place where my heart is and I felt the knot on stomach tighten, as my eyes widen when I realised what was going on.

I-Is...Zuko c-crying?

"Z-Zuko.." I stuttered quietly, trying to comfort him but at the same time, trying to not embarass him.

"Hey Sokka! Zuko! Dinner's ready!" Katara's voice echoed in my ears and then I heard her footsteps running towards us, her feet hitting the cold ground. She suddenly stopped when she spotted us.

"Um... is everything okay guys?"  she asked me, gesturing at Zuko with a move of her head who was still sitting with his head burried under his hair and covered with his arms. I smiled at Katara, who was staring at me with a confused look on her face. She then rolled her eyes and left.

"Zuko...are you coming?" I asked loudly, trying to break the awkward silence and cheer him up. I didn't like to see him like that. Weak and fragile. Zuko is strong and harsh, not sensitive... it made me feel awkward and strange.

"There will be meat!" I said louder when I saw that he wasn't reacting at what I was saying to him. The smile I had forced soon faded away. I sighed and tried to got up and then I  suddenly felt his hand landing on my stomach, forcing me to stay on the ground.

"Z-Zuko..?" I stuttered, confused and shocked

"Thanks" he whispered, quietly, but enough for me to hear it clearly. He looked up, facing me, his amberish eyes, golden, staring into mine. His lips transformed into a small, faint smile which made my heart skipped millions of beats for some uknown reason.

He quickly got up and offered my his hand to catch  and get up. I took his hand and he lifted my body from the ground, leaving me speechless.

"Let's go" he said and walked to the rest of the Gaang who were seated around a big campfire. I followed him, surprised, to say the least.

I realised I hadn't ask him why he had thanked me.

I was already busy wondering why did my hand feel so hot when he touched it.