Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 4: Air (The Master of the Lion Turtles)

Chapter Thirteen: The Final Night

ZUKO POV

The mood light seeped into the barn through the gaps in the wooden walls, lighting the space around Zuko with strips of silver and blue. 

He shifted under the blanket he had been lent. His robe, shoes and bag from Druk's saddle lay beside him, invisible in the shadow. His hair tickled his face slightly. He should really cut it soon - it was starting to remind him of his father - ugh. 

He flipped himself onto his side and sighed. Sokka lay beside him, sound asleep. The light seemed to turn to liquid on his face, highlighting his cheekbones and turning his skin into melted bronze. The steady rise and fall of his chest helped Zuko relax. He found himself entranced by the way Sokka's lashes brushed his cheeks, how his lips had parted slightly, and the way his loose hair fell over his forehead and sprawled out beside him. Spirits.

He had tried to fill Sokka in on the situations he'd dragged him through throughout the day. He had explained his relationship with Lee and his family. Sokka had listened whilst changing out of his outer layers.

"The way you spoke to him," Sokka started, pulling his shirt over his head, exposing his tanned back, "he must have really impacted you?" The light had trickled over his skin, highlighting the definition from his muscles and shoulder blades. Zuko had sat, cross legged, behind him and rested his head in his hand, content to admire the man before him. 

"He was really the first person that made me really question if what my father was doing was right." Sokka chuckled. He turned to face Zuko, letting his hair down as he did so. It framed the sides of his face perfectly - a gold frame on an already perfect portrait. 

"He was the first thing?" Zuko knew was he was referring to. He dragged his eyes away from Sokka, hoping his lingering gaze wouldn't give him away. He lightly brushed his fingers against the scar on his face. "Hey," Sokka whispered, "I understand. Abusers have a way of doing stuff like that - twisting your mind and how you see them. If Lee was the first person to open your eyes, then I'm just glad you met him. We might not be here today if you hadn't." 

Zuko let his eyes roam over Sokka's sleeping face once again. Tomorrow they would return to their friends and this adventure would be over. Tomorrow they'd have to return to reality. Should Zuko say something before then? No. He couldn't risk it. Besides, there was one more day before his trip down memory lane was truly finished. 

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 Sunlight became visible through Zuko's closed eyes, turning his vision red and yellow. He scrunched his eyes shut and brought his hand up to his face to provide some shade. He sat up. The barn around him slowly came into focus. Sokka was gone but his tunic and jacket were still folded beside his blanket. There was the sound of talking and laughter coming from the farm outside. Zuko dragged himself to his feet and set about making himself appear as Fire Lord-y as possible.

He pushed the door to the barn open and walked out into the light. It was still early but Lee was already running around the farm, screaming and laughing, Sokka fast on his heels. Zuko couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips. Sokka managed to grab Lee by his waist and lift him up onto his shoulders, the two of them pink in the face from the combination of the sun and their giggles. Sokka had left his shirt in the barn, the only item on his top half was his traditional choker, ivory pendents attached to a leather strap. 

His skin had turned from melted bronze - like the night before - to that of a copper statue. Zuko lent against the barn wall. He could stay like this forever, a peaceful life on a farm with a family. No wars. No responsibilities. Did he just think that? A family? Sokka?