Zuko ain't so bad [zukaang]

Convincing Sokka

Sokka's POV 

For about two weeks we've lived in the tiny village. Nothing incredibly exciting has happened. Toph and Aang have taken to disappearing during lunch breaks, leaving directly after jobs are done for the day. Their cover story is that Aang is teaching Toph his culture's stories and whatnot. I usually stop listening at this point.

Aang hasn't seen one toad in the time that we've been here. The townsfolk have become wary around him. Always asking if he'd seen a toad. The answer was always no. So he has stayed with Zuko for the past week. Katara has tried and failed to get Aang to stay with us. Both he and the town insists that he stay with Zuko.

Uncle has started working with Katara. Apparently he's an amazing tea maker. They work together making new drinks as treats for the workers. They come by the healers hut often, to cheer up the patients. Katara was not happy at first with her arrangement with the fore bender. But after a week with him, she begrudgingly admitted she liked his company. After much pestering from me and Toph.

The healers hut has never looked better. In between making people laugh and just cheering them up. I've learned a lot. Like how to make the cling for their bandages. That stuff is fascinating! The weavers make the threads so thin and sticky that it only sticks to itself! Alright anyway, Annabelle has come around a lot.

Always bringing news of Aang's and Zuko's relationship. Of course I listen, but I'm still kind of against them getting together. Sure Zuko has more than proven he's changed. Yet I'm still not all that sure about it.

As I finished cleaning up a vacant cot in the hut. The main nurse came up to me. "Kal, Annabelle wants to take you for the day." I raise an eyebrow. Sure Annabelle comes over for things like lunch, and we talk. This is something she's never done.

"Ummm thanks head, I'll go and meet her. I guess." She nods curtly and goes back to her duties. She doesn't like me all that much. I quickly wash off my hands in my soap bucket, and tug off the smock all the nurse's are given.

Annabelle was waiting for me at the door as usual. "You need to help me with something dear." She was grinning like a lemur given some fruit.

"With what exactly?" I said crossing my arms. She rolled her eyes as if it were obvious.

"My ship has a leak and it needs to be fixed."

"You have a ship?" I asked dumbly.

"No, Kal you fool. I need your help bringing Daka and Chip into the middle of the canyon after lunch." She said a little aggressively.

"What makes you so sure I want to help you?" She rolled her eyes again.

"If I prove that they are meant to be together will you help?" I think about it for a bit. Sure Zuko has shown no intention of capturing the avatar. And Aang is always weirdly red and clumsy in Zuko's presence. That doesn't mean that they should get together though. Even now Zuko can't erase everything he's done to hunt us down. Hiring multiple parties to try and capture Aang. Destroying any chance at rest we may have. Destroying Suki's village. ESPECIALLY destroying Suki's village. I just don't know if he can truly be trusted.

Would going with Annabelle really hurt though? I think she's a little batty, but she makes stupid stuff interesting. Besides I'll get the afternoon off.

"Come on kid I don't got all day." The d woman says, tapping her foot against the hard dirt impatiently.

"Fine." She did her odd lemur grin again.

"Wonderful, come along then." She spun on her heel and waddled away. I sighed deeply. This was going to be a bad decision isn't it. I trot after her.

We reach main street and she leads me to a hut. I'm guessing it's her own hut. It's almost identical to our own, except there's only two cots against the back wall. She sits by the fire pit, and I join her.

She then proceeds to tell me all of her evidence.

So apparently Aang and Zuko were roped into a children's game, that ended up with Zuko flirting and Aang flustered as heck. This I have to admit is side evidence.

"Are you sure Chet flirted? He doesn't seem like the kind of guy to just walk up to someone and ask their hawk's address." Annabelle snorted.

"This was the first time I've ever seen Chet flirt. The results were priceless. Daka was all red and stammering."

Aang red and stammering? I've only seen him like that a few times. Once when he rushed into our hut after coming from... Zuko's hut. Then again when Katara asked for details...

Shit. Annabelle's right isn't she?

I groaned aloud. "Fine. I'll help you lure Daka and Chet to the canyon." I mumbled. Annabelle whooped in delight, and began telling me her plan. It sounded pretty good, I added a few things that the old woman hadn't thought of.

Aang and Zuko won't know what hit 'em.

That kind of sounded evil. 

(A/N) 
Alright the plan is in action. And thank you guys for reading this far into the book. I thought it wouldn't get any attention since it's such a unpopular ship. 

word count: 912 (short chapter yikes)

{unedited}