Break
His sister's control over herself when she is near the prince is phenomenal. Even Aang has called him 'mean' more than a few times (quite an insult, in Aang's mind). She does not rage at him (it only delights Zuko, who, it seems, is only proficient at arguing). She does not protest any of his actions (he will learn that crossing a river by using slippery rocks is not a good idea). She'll heal his small cuts because an infection would slow the group down. She'll share their supplies with him because not to do so is just not feasible.
When Zuko and Iroh had first begun to travel with them, Sokka had told Katara not to trust them, especially Zuko, who had shifty eyes and was not much older than Katara and a Prince at that - Sokka knew how easily she fell prey to older, leader-type boys. But she had reassured him – "Sokka, I can't imagine giving him my back" – with such hate in her words. He trusted Zuko more than Katara (Zuko was really too useless to be much of a threat now).
Always, she was polite, but distant. And so Katara shocked (and pleased) Sokka when she began to yell at Zuko, standing over him and pointing her finger (and clenching her other hand, and stomping her feet and also, sometimes, waving her arms around like a flightless bird). Maybe she'll hit him, Sokka thought gleefully.
"No! No, no, no, no, no, no. And that's final."
Always, Sokka was torn between letting Zuko tease Katara – after all, angering Katara was tiring work and Sokka needed to take a break sometime – and giving that spoiled brat a good beating with the sharp edge of his boomerang for even daring to speak to his precious, sweet baby sister. And Sokka would not admit this, but he had begun to – to enjoy Zuko's company, well, that is, if he wasn't trying to give orders or hunt or speak or train or do anything else, and that made his decision harder.
The choice is this – should he let her unleash five months of her frustration for a useless, space-taking, supply-dwindling, stubborn, rude, hopelessly self-centered, (did he say useless?) Prince? …
(Sokka paused, for once enjoying the sound of Katara's angry voice.)
Should he step in and try to calm Katara down?
Sokka looked at Iroh, and the retired General held his gaze for a few long seconds before returning to his carving.
Nah.
A/N: I enjoy Sokka's character and his relationship with his
sister so much. Not very Zutara, but after Jet, I just can't image Katara
trusting easily, especially Zuko.
Zuko's uselessness and frustration in Cave of Two Lovers was hilarious (for
some reason, I'm sure we all expected him to be a better fisherman) and I just had to capitalize on it.