Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ever since Sokka was banished from his tribe because he was a firebender, he was sleeping rough and on a rocky cliff. Sokka felt betrayed by his friends and practiced his bending and burnt everything down in order to feel something.

The bedroll on the rocky floor punctured the bottom of the thin bedroll and it quickly woke Sokka up. He woke up in a panicky state before he realised that the bottom of his bedroll got pierced through. His left eye twitched in anger and tiredness and let out a loud groan in frustration since he would have to sleep with a broken ‘bed’.

Sokka thought to himself, “Why does EVERYTHING bad happen to ME.”

He rolled his eyes and Sokka decided to skip sleep today. Sokka looked at the glistening night sky with the moon blazing in the blueish sky.

He rubbed his eyes and with the cold winter breeze blowing, Sokka shivered lightly. Suddenly, he heard slight footsteps behind him and Sokka's instincts made him swiftly snatch his boomerang and instantly turned around and in a split second, he was captured with an elastic(ish?) net. Sokka struggled and screamed noisily; the person that caught him gave him a sharp kick at his back. Sokka let out a little grunt.

He noticed that he still had his boomerang in his partially squished hand, Sokka started to saw his way out of the net. The person that dragged Sokka stopped and dropped the net and Sokka let out a grunt and he landed on his shoulder that ached in pain.

Sokka looked at the person that was looking back at him, the rusty gold eyes and the huge burn scar on his eye. It was Zuko. Zuko took the boomerang and gently slid the boomerang across the stone cliff where it was teetering on the edge.

Sokka yelled at Zuko with an angry expression, “You’ll regret that!”

Zuko stated, “You can’t bend, there's no point trying.”

Sokka frowned and started to smirk subtly; he easily burnt through the elastic rope that wrapped around him.

Zuko’s mouth gaped narrowly, shocked and he realised that Sokka had those rusty golden eyes for a reason. Sokka jumped to his feet and he kicked a flame of fire into Zuko’s face, Zuko dodged the attack and Zuko shoved his palm forward, followed by a gust of a powerful flame. The violent blaze made Sokka off balance and Sokka fell back, Sokka cushioned his fall with his arms. Sokka’s arms ached due to the pressure he put on his arms.

Sokka roared, “FUCK!.”

Zuko walked behind Sokka and started dragging him by the back of the neck of Sokka’s blue shirt. Sokka let out a groan, he grabbed Zuko’s hand and pulled his hand off of his shirt and booked it, grabbing his boomerang and bag in the process.

Zuko chased after Sokka,(obviously) Zuko quickly outran Sokka and let out a fire blast at the back of Sokka’s head. Sokka slowed down and fell to his knees, in pain. The sizzle of burnt flesh filled the fresh, night air一Sokka whimpered while covering the burnt skin with his hand. Zuko used Sokka’s bag and started slamming it onto Sokka’s head, him grunting in anger during the process.

Before Sokka had time to set the bag ablaze, he fell unconscious. Zuko had to quickly figure out a way to transport Sokka, after he thought for two seconds, he had an idea. He crawled his hands behind Sokka’s back and the back of his legs and carried him.

Zuko felt a bit flustered as he walked where he needed to go, Zuko liked how the thin boy looked when he was unconscious. In a platonic way of course.. The freezing breeze made Zuko feel like he was in an ice cube, he started shivering and his walking slowed down.

Sokka slowly woke up and pretended to still be unconscious by falling asleep, Sokka started to tremble. Zuko produced a small burst of fire out of his mouth and it just barely made himself and Sokka warmer.

“I wonder when Sokka is going to be out for,” Zuko mumbles under his breath.

Zuko notices that Sokka starts snoring, “Is he sleeping?” Zuko thought.

Zuko’s eyes start to flutter, he finds some nearby shelter; A cave. Zuko runs to the dark cave with all the strength he had left. He dropped the sleepy boy down and sat down next to him. Sokka instantly woke up, catching his breath.

“I need to ask you some questions. About th-” Zuko said to Sokka before Sokka cut him off.

“I’m not answering anything about that time that you saw me with your stuff,” Sokka spat.

“It's not about that! . . I need to ask you something,” Zuko said.

“What is it!?”

“I need to ask you about the Avatar and his friends,” Zuko said

Sokka felt his heart skip a beat, he didn’t want anything to do with the Avatar Gang anymore. And the boy spoke to Zuko, saying, “I’m not with them anymore.”

“ . . What?.”

“Yup..”

Zuko let out an enraged groan and emitted a small flame in Zuko’s fist and brung the fist close to Sokka’s face while gripping onto Sokka’s chest in rage.

“CALM DOWN!” Sokka shouted with a voice crack in-between his sentence. A scared look on his face was on Sokka's face with his palms out in fear.

Zuko let the flame cease to exist in his clenched fish and retracted his arm and Sokka’s expression calmed down.

"There was no need to hold on to my chest like .. that!." The terrified boy mimicked the way that the angry boy clasped onto his shirt.

Sokka screeches in pain for the burning scar on the back of his head. Zuko sighs and asks, “Do you know anything before you got y'know.. Removed?.”

“I’m not telling you anything dude. Besides, why do you need to know?.” Sokka said with his skinny arms crossed, trying to ignore the untreated, burnt skin.

“Just tell me or I won’t hurt you or your friends.”

“No.”

Zuko bared his teeth in frustration. Practically all of Zuko’s blood had relocated to his burning face. He took a deep breath, trying not to snap.

"Why can't you tell me?? . . You're basically an enemy for them now!." Zuko spat out with a little growl. The irritated boy's heart starts beating like a drum while still trying to keep a content face but he clearly wasn't.

"I don't like you." Sokka informed Zuko with a slight scowl on his face.

Sokka stood up with a little hoist, Zuko stepped back while still ready to fight. Zuko squinted his eyes, staring at Sokka. The water tribe boy also got ready to fight.

Sokka raised his arms up and thrusted them near Zuko with a large blow of fire coming out of his palms. Zuko blocked the fire with a tornado kick and shoved his leg nearby Sokka and an inferno of flames was produced. Sokka's mouth widened and Sokka just dodged the attack in time, then Sokka made multiple fire blasts to the Fire Nation boy's chest.

Sokka started running out of the cave, with the glaring Sun out in the inferno-looking sunset. Zuko followed him, running after him with clenched fists.

He scooped up his bag and boomerang while he was running and hopped into a nettle bush.

Zuko looked around however, the hidden boy wasn't found. Once Zuko ran off, huffing and puffing in anger; Sokka leapt out of the nettle bush.

Sokka winced in pain, his body was covered in nettles. The stinging pain traveling across his body made him unable to move.

He had red, raised rashes along his arms that made Sokka's arms twitch in agony. Sokka tightened his jaw while just sitting there, sitting through the pain.

The boy in pain tried extremely hard to not scratch the rashes on his arms. He noticed that he was still in his pyjamas and his hair was loose.

Sokka sighed, he needed to get ready to find a new hiding spot since he was spotted by Zuko.

He struggled to move however after half an hour, he managed to have a bit of movement.

After Sokka put his clothes on, he couldn't be bothered doing his hair so he just left it how it was. His red arms still ached and twitched, when he bent over to pick up his bag; a jolt of pain shot up behind his back. 

He looked back, Zuko. Zuko was there with a crossbow. Sokka fell to his knees, slightly trembling in pain. The colour out of Sokka's face drained and his expression dulled, he patted his own back, searching for the arrow that shot up into his back. He felt a thick liquid drip onto his hand, blood.

Zuko gave a grin as he lowered the wooden crossbow, he dropped the bow and started dragging Sokka by his leg.

Sokka felt paralysed as he was dragged onto the rocky, uneven terrain. He scrunched up his face so he wouldn't make a sound due to the pain on his back, face and arms.

Chapter Text

The distressed boy’s body drooped in tiredness. Zuko also started to slow down and took smaller and smaller steps.

It being the peak of Summer didn’t help with the exhaustion the two experienced. The rashes on Sokka’s arms seem to calm down but haven't gone away, Sokka took this opportunity to ponder on an escape plan and about life.

Zuko slightly loosened his grasp of Sokka's neck of his shirt and went into a gloomy, silent forest.

The rustle of the lurid, elevated trees made sleep deprived Sokka’s spine shiver. Sokka’s spine was also untreated and Zuko had pulled the arrow out and he just put protective layering on it. Sokka’s burn was also treated with layering.

The prince found refuge near some sandy coloured rocks. He continued dragging Sokka to the boulders.

Zuko slid down with his back against a boulder, obviously tired. Zuko eased his grip on Sokka and nearly fell asleep.

Sokka stayed on the floor, falling asleep. Zuko sat by the asleep boy, fighting the urge to also fall asleep.

Finally, Zuko lost the battle between himself and his tiredness. He drifted off to sleep, with both of them sleeping next to each other crossing one of their arms to look like an X.

-

Zuko rose up to sit and the chirps of birds filled the area.

Sokka was still asleep, snoring. Zuko hated the fact that he slept next to Sokka out of all people. Except, he slept the entire night with him. Next to each other.

Zuko shook the thought out of his mind and couldn’t possibly think that he would like Sokka.

The awake boy sat by Sokka’s side, patiently waiting for him to wake up.

After what seemed like a year, Sokka woke up and practically shrieked when he saw Zuko by him.

Sokka and Zuko both jumped to their feet. Zuko locked his gaze onto Sokka. He quietly admired how he looked. However, he knew that he absolutely hates Sokka. But no. He can’t like him. There's just no way.

“Why were you just staring at me? That was a bit creepy y’know especially with that face,” Sokka said with a slight frown on his face.

“I was- wasn’t,” Zuko said with a serious tone with his arms crossed.

Sokka raises an eyebrow.

“Alright, quit the daydreaming and let’s talk about why am I in a forest?!” Sokka emphasized.

“Because I need you to answer where the Avatar is in a place that’s far away from your route so that you can’t run off with a plan,” Zuko replied, with his body leaned against the boulder he slid down on before.

“Wait. You know my route!?” Sokka exclaimed with a slightly creeped out look in his eyes.

Zuko nodded, he pulled out a map of places to stay planned in advance. The dotted lines connected to one place after another. Zuko raised his eyebrow when he saw an X on a mountain.

“Stop looking at it!” Sokka snatched the handmade map, rolled it up and stashed it back into his bag.

“I need to ask you some questions. Preferably now would be a great time to relax and answer them,” Zuko face relaxes but still not enough to look content.

“Fine, I’ll answer your stupid questions,” Sokka rolled his eyes as he sat down.

Zuko followed, arms still crossed.

Sokka’s back and his head twitched at the same time, sending a shot of aching behind him. He hid the reaction the best he could, but it was still noticeable.

“So, do you know where the Avatar is?” Zuko asked, his arms uncrossed.

“Barely, all I know is that they are going to the North Pole or whatever,” Sokka rolled his eyes with a clear frown on his face.

Zuko seemed more interested. “Could you tell me more?” Zuko’s eyes looked at Sokka with a hopeful look. Sokka had never seen Zuko look that hopeful before.

“Couldn’t tell ya,” Sokka said, picking his nails precisely.

“You can scramble off now, good luck on your little adventure,” Zuko hope drained from his eyes, at least he knows where their target location is.

Sokka grabs his bag and slumps it over his shoulder, he jumped to his feet and starts walking away.

Zuko, with him still sitting; he lets out a steam of fire from his hands that just about missed the standing boy’s calves.

Sokka starts sprinting off instinctively while still clutching his brown, raggy bag.

With Zuko sitting down, he lets out a relaxed sigh. Zuko looked up at the sky, blazing with baby blue and gloomy grey.

Zuko thought about his path in life, why does he want his honor back if he could just live in a quiet cottage by himself. NO. He wants to be a prince again and regain his honor. He needs to capture the Avatar. Zuko leapt up and let out a ball of fire to a nearby tree. The once alive tree was now burning, the fire escaped to other trees like a plague. Zuko scowled as he watched the forest burn right in front of him.

-

Sokka took a deep breath in as he pulled out his slightly torn map and observed the dotted line to the next location. The next cliff is that way. He gritted his teeth, the cramping burn on his occipital closes in on itself causes an inflamed pain that twitched through out his body; the pain makes him stop abruptly in his tracks.

The agonised boy’s face grimaced, he slouches over while covering the affected area with his hand. The sandy path ahead stretches out for miles and miles.

He straightened his back and kept on walking, hand still grasping onto his scar. The wind suddenly strengthens and Sokka looked in the sky. It was Appa.

Sokka’s eyes widen as the bison lands nearby. With an echoing thump, Appa landed as Aang and Katara hopped out of the saddle. Katara spotted Sokka, her brother. The one that she abandoned. He looked like he was in pain, he looked like he was betrayed. That look in his eye, something happened. Something bad.

“Wait, Sokka’s here,” Katara said to Aang.

Aang turned around and looked to where she was looking, there he is. The brother that they abandoned, his body language looked like he was injured.

“Hey Sokka, why are you here?” Aang yelled, with a seemingly happy expression.

Sokka didn’t reply, he winced as the burn tightened even more. He fell to his knees, his face squirming.

Katara and Aang started rushing over to help him, sprinting as fast as they could.

Once they arrived, they started to treat him with Katara’s healing and Aang's bandages. Sokka looked pleasant but not as pleasant as before they found out that he was an ashmaker.

Sokka didn’t say a single word as Katara and Aang spoke to each other while they were treating his burn.

Sokka abruptly stood up and started walking away.

“Hey, where are you going?” Aang screamed, his hands cupped around his mouth.

“Home,” Sokka replied with a cold tone.

“ .. So can you come wit–” Aang tried to say but Katara interrupted saying, “He’s a monster! You can’t just let him in after he admitted to being an ashmaker!” Katara claimed, tears started to well up in her eyes.

Sokka stopped and turned around, his fists were clenched as burning rage started to build up in his chest.

“You don’t need to remind me,” Sokka claimed.

“I will gladly remind you AGAIN!” Katara cried out with anger in her voice, she let out a heart-breaking sob. Aang tried to comfort her, by taking her back to Appa. But no, she will never let a monster like her brother be set free.

Katara runs up to Sokka with water floating next to her hands. Sokka swiftly prepared an oval of fire. With a quick thrust with his hands, he knocked Katara to the ground. Katara’s water splashes onto the yearning sandy path. Katara’s hands were burnt, Aang rushed over with a water whip and slammed it on Sokka’s head.

Sokka’s face scrunched up in pain, a fire whip was produced from his hand and whipped the whip directly at Aang. Aang fell to the ground, groaning from the pain.

The firebender ran hoping that they wouldn't get back up in time.

Chapter Text

A quiet rustle echoed through the marked path. Sokka scrambles for water in his bag. Really? Nothing? Sokka sat, panting like a dog. His legs ached and his throat was pleading for water.

He thought about what Katara said to him earlier. Ashmaker. Monster. Monster. Monster. The word vibrated in his mind, Sokka’s tears swelled up, his teary eyes clearly visible. He was called a monster by his own sister. But no, words can’t hurt him, he's a warrior. He can’t cry. But now he’s alone, he can let it all out.

He guessed that words do hurt.

Of course I’m an ashmaker. I wish I was never born. Sokka put his hands in his face. Tears started dripping down his face. He cried, Sokka was shaking. Ashmaker, monster. Sokka felt a hint of gladness that he was banished from his tribe. The starvation that his dad made him go through was agonising. He wondered why nobody intervened. The pain that he had to go through. However, it’s in the past; he should’ve gotten over it. Right?

-

Zuko wandered through the empty, barren field. He didn’t know how to get to the North Pole without a ship. He trailed through the field until he was met with a dead end.

He leaned on the wall weakly as he slid down until he was sitting down, leaning. Zuko’s burn scar cramped, the surprise attack of immense pain made Zuko grimace.

The flutters of the alive, large bushes grew louder and louder. Zuko quickly noticed this and hopped back up to see any more suspicious activity. But wait, the person is moving so quickly. This must be the Avatar.

A figure appeared in front of Zuko, it was Aang. Aang looked friendly and his staff was nowhere in sight.

The universe finally blessed Zuko.

Zuko readied his dual swords, he tried to pounce on Aang. Aang swiftly dodged the attack and started running, flying, riding?.. It looked like a ball of air. Zuko whips a blaze of fire at the ball of air.

Aang tumbled to the floor, however he quickly picked himself back up and kicked a shot of air into his face.

Zuko crashed into the ground, his back ached from the impact. “Wait!” His hands clutched to the ground, his fingers arched.

The airbender stopped and took a couple of steps back to make sure that Zuko didn’t try to firebend again.

“Do you know where Sokka went?” Zuko asked, slight twitches from the back pain were visible.

“I’m looking for him too!” Aang stared at Zuko before deciding. “Do you want to team up to go look for him?”

Zuko looked at Aang in utter disbelief. Him? Really? “W-well uh.. I’m just going to go by myself..” Zuko raised his hand to scratch the back of his head. His blurted out sentence made him regret it, that was his golden opportunity to catch him off guard. But he just wanted to find Sokka.

The firebender picked himself up and started walking the other way, Aang watched him as he started walking away and also split up with his glider.

It was strange how he gave up capturing the Avatar for Sokka. He shook the thought out of his head but sprinkles of wonder were left behind.

-

Sokka took heavy deep breaths while still with his head in his knees. He looked up and started wiping the active and dripping tears down his face. Sokka’s knees were wet from crying and his eyes were red and his cheeks were pink. That was an over reaction, why did he cry like that!

His still yearning throat bites him back and Sokka starts searching for water. He lifts himself up and starts walking around the place, trying to look for any liquid.

Crunchy noises and footsteps were heard by Sokka and he started to ready his space sword. He was slightly timid to fight, with the whole crying red face.