The School of Ba Sing Se (Zukka Highschool Au)

Chapter 10

<Zuko>

It was the Monday after... all that happened. I already missed Sokka, but I think this break will be good for me.

I had talked to Uncle when I got home from the party. He gave me some wisdom.

"Imagine relationships like a kite in the wind." Uncle had said. "If the wind is too fast, the kite will break. If the wind is too slow, the kite won't fly. The wind needs to be at the perfect pace for the kite to soar."

I didn't quite understand what he meant, but it made me feel better. Especially since he had given me Jasmine tea after it.

I walked up to Bolin at the bus stop, thinking about Uncle's wisdom.

"Hey, Zuko!" Bolin said. "How's it hangin'?"

"Uh, okay, I guess." I said.

Bolin started talking about something, but my attention drifted to the boy with the ponytail. He was staring at his phone. Soon enough, however, his gaze also drifted to mine. When our eyes met, I looked away quickly.

Bolin noticed this. "Are you and Sokka okay?" He asked. "You guys are usually inseparable."

"Not really, no." I admitted. "Something happened at Suki's Halloween party last Saturday and we kind of haven't talked since."

Bolin gasped. "Did you kiss him!?"

Oh, yeah! Don't know if you knew this or not, but Bolin and Korra don't  know that Sokka and I were dating. Oops!

"What!? No!"

"Dang it!" Bolin cursed (okay, I know it's not a curse, but Bolin doesn't curse). "I owe Korra 50 Yuans now!"

"You guys... were betting on Sokka's and my relationship?" I asked. "That's just low."

"Psh, you should see the other things Korra and I bet on." Bolin laughed. "This one time I bet her 5 Yuans that Pabu could do a flip, and she agreed."

"Lemme guess. Pabu did a flip?"

"Yeah! And I got 5 Yuans!" Bolin seemed oddly excited about 5 Yuans. But then again, this was Bolin.

I looked longingly over at Sokka again.

"Spirits, Zuko, you're so gay!" Bolin sighed. "Just ask the man out, already!"

I snickered. "Lemme guess, Korra owes you 50 Yuans if we get together?"

"No, of course not!" Bolin looked offended. "Mako owes me, Korra, and Wu each 50 Yuans if you guys get together!"

"Wow." I looked up. "Hey, the bus is here."

***

<Sokka>

Zuko didn't sit at the lunch table on Monday.

Or Tuesday, or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I hated it. I just wanted him to talk to me. But, of course, I wouldn't rush him. How could I? With what he's been through? I couldn't think of it.

He'll talk to me when he's ready. I know it.

It was now Saturday. Exactly one week after... all that happened. I was laying on my bed, tossing a ball into the air and catching it. I didn't feel like going anywhere. Not without Zuko.

Someone knocked on my door.

"Come in," I called.

"Sokka, can I ask you something?" Katara asked, cracking open my door.

I caught the ball and sat up, patting the spot next to me.

She closed the door and sat down. "It's about Zuko." She said.

I tensed up. "What about him?"

"He, uhm, he told me about you two... falling apart." Katara told me. "I- he and I are friends now, and I was just wondering..." She trailed off.

"What is it?" Did Zuko tell her that we were dating without my say?

"I- I know you guys aren't really friends anymore-" Oh thank the spirits, he didn't tell her! "-but is it okay if I hang out with him? I don't want to cause any trouble..."

"Oh, that's it? Yeah, that's fine. I thought you were gonna ask if you could ask him out or something!" I laughed nervously.

Katara gave me a look. "Why would I do that?" She said, flatly. "He told us all he was gay. Also, he's not my type." She smirked and raised an eyebrow at me.

"What?"

Katara shrugged. "Oh, nothing." She stood up. "I'll leave you be. See ya later, Sokka!"

***

<Zuko>

Katara and Aang had agreed to hang out with me at the Jasmine Dragon. We were sitting at the table talking, and somehow the conversation ended up on parents.

"My, uh, my mom disappeared when I was little." I said, looking down at my half-empty tea cup.

"I'm really sorry, Zuko." Katara sympathized. "I lost my mom when I was little, too."

I nodded. "My mom was a good person. She would take me to plays and movies and she was always the one to comfort me whenever my father got... violent." I paused. "She disappeared a few years before this happened." I gestured to my scar. "I just hope she's doing well, you know, if she's still alive."

Katara smiled, but it soon faded. "I... I'm sorry about your father." She said. "Mine left soon after my mom died."

"Do you know where he is?" I asked.

"No, not really," She answered. "All Gran-Gran told us was that he went off to fight in some war with his friend, Bato."

"Bato?" Aang cut in, speaking for the first time in our parent conversation.

"Yeah," Katara said. "Do you know him somehow?"

"I- I think so. What's your dad's name?" He asked.

"Hakoda."

Aang stood up and slammed his hands on the table. "Two men named Hakoda and Bato helped save Gyatso and I when we were fleeing the Air Nation!"

"I- I didn't know you were from the Air Nation, Aang." I admitted. "Uhm, I wanna say, on behalf of the Fire Nation, I'm sorry what we did to your people."

"You're not like the Fire Nation, Zuko." Aang told me. "You have nothing to apologize for."

My eyes started tearing up. "I know, but I-"

"Okay, Zuko, I'm sorry for interrupting, but uh, Aang just said he's seen my dad and his friend. Can we please get to that?" Katara asked, her eyes pleading.

I nodded. My mind drifted elsewhere as they talked.

Wait. What did Sokka do with my mirror?

—

It was Monday again.

I grabbed my lunch and went to find a table.

As I walked around to find a seat, I looked at the lunch table where Sokka and the rest of the gang sat.

Sokka looked up from poking at his broccoli and made eye contact with me. I quickly turned and started to walk away.

Someone ran up behind me and rested their hand on my left shoulder. "Zuko, wait!"

_______________________________

Sokka, what did you do with this man's mirror?

also we get some Katara and Zuko friendship action!!! yay!!!!

also, also, Hakoda may not be dead! 👀

yeah, there's a lot to unpack here.

stay tuned! -Em