Title: A Little Lesson in Waltzing

Author: Narcotic Dollie

Genre: Fluff. No, it's not actually a genre, but it pretty much sums this one up.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. Sorry to get your hopes up.

Time Line: Au, set in a universe were everyone just gets to enjoy high school

Warnings: Shounen-ai

Summary: In which Sokka recruits Zuko to help him master dancing before an upcoming dance and their relationship takes a huge turn. One-Shot, Au, ZukoSokka, ZukoxSokka

A Little Lesson in Waltzing

He was not entirely sure that he was going to be able to do this.

Of course, he had accomplished many things in his lifetime that he had not thought possible at one point or another. For instance, he had never dreamed he would pass his home economics class, but he managed to slide by, with a few more burns than he had gone into the class with. Or that time when he had to convince his sister's boyfriend, an energetic bright young man named Aang, that the giant Koi fish at the zoo weren't for surfing.

But Sokka might have just come face to face with the task that he just could not do.

"One two three, One two thr--, the floor isn't going anywhere Sokka, you don't have to stare at it so much," teased a low voice, causing his bright blue eyes to snap up and glare into amused golden ones.

"If I don't keep an eye on the ground then I'm going to waltz all over your feet," he growled out, stepping on Zuko's foot as to emphasize his point. The other teenager didn't flinch, a slow forming smirk making its way across his face. Sokka felt heat lazily creeping up the back of his neck, and averted his gaze, trying to concentrate on what he was doing.

Sokka had never been taught how to dance, and didn't really have any desire to learn now. However, with the upcoming Christmas dance, Ty Lee and Suki both had insisted that he at learn to waltz properly. So, swallowing his embarrassment, he had reluctantly asked one of Kataara's friends if he would teach him how to waltz. How could Zuko say no?

"You'll look like an idiot if you stare at the floor all night. Just follow me," Zuko said smoothly, his eyes dancing in amusement.

"I don't see what's so funny about all this. Beside, I'll be leading at the dance, right? I won't be able to 'just follow', so why even bother with this?" Sokka asked, once again looking up to fix Zuko with a glare.

"You have to learn the steps before you can lead and the best way to do that is to follow," Zuko explained, his hand dropping lower to rest on the youth's hip, causing said youth to jump. Zuko raised an eyebrow, his smirk growing wider as Sokka averted his gaze again.

He couldn't understand why he was being so jumpy, Zuko was his sister's friend, and he should feel at ease with him, seeing as how they were together a lot. Maybe it was the way his gold eyes glinted mischievously, or mayhap it was just the fact that he had said more in that half hour of practice than he usually said in an entire week. Regardless of what it was that was making Sokka so anxious towards Zuko, one thing he was sure of. There was something very, very different about him today.

"So, which girl are you planning to impress with your amazing new-found dancing skills?" the taller, older boy asked, swirling them around the room with ease, his hand moving oh so casually from the other's hip to the small of his back.

"I don't really want to dance with either of them, but there is this little blind girl…," Sokka trailed off, too distracted with the question to notice the moving of Zuko's hand. "…I think her name is Toph. She always seems so sad, and I thought maybe dancing with her would cheer her up."

"That's very considerate of you," Zuko said as the music changed from a waltz to a slower kind of song. Without any kind of indication, not even so much as a blink, Zuko pulled the younger closer so that their bodies were pressed flush against each other, rocking back and forth slowly to the new rhythm.

The blush that Sokka had fought back moments earlier saw its chance and quickly conquered its host's face, making him resemble more of a tomato than a boy. His breath quickened and his heart hammered in his chest, loud enough that he was positive that the other youth could feel it. 'Calmdowncalmdowncalmdown,' was his mental mantra, his eyes looking every where but at Zuko. 'We're just practicing, quit spazzing.'

"Since this is a school dance, there probably will only be a few times that they play the waltz," Zuko explained in a low sort of baritone, his breath just barley ghosting past Sokka's ear, causing something very electric to make it's way up the tan student's spine. "Mostly, when a slow song comes on, this is how high school students dance together." The blue eyed one nodded, just now daring to sneak a glance at his dancing partner. At that moment, he decided that the other looked extremely regal for someone of his age, and Zuko couldn't help but think that the other looked unbearably adorable for a boy. And so, with this tiny revelation, Zuko took his other hand and moved it from Sokka's shoulder to cup the back of his neck, guiding the boy's head to rest under his chin.

"Zuko?" Sokka said quietly as they stood there, no longer dancing, the older one merely holding the younger one gently against his chest. His heart beat was now beating heavily in his own ears, and he swallowed nervously, squirming in the warmth of the embrace. It felt very nice, he could not argue with that, and so he tilted his head upward to look up at his fellow student, his eyes full of question. The other peered back, his golden eyes swimming with an emotion that Sokka thought he recognized, but wasn't quite sure. So, to test the waters, he did something completely unexpected, something that Zuko never thought the other would initiate himself.

Standing on his tip toes, Sokka leaned forward and pressed a small, tentative, open mouthed kiss on the place where the pale prince like youth's jaw connected with his neck.

There was mostly silence for a moment, except for the music that played softly in the backdrop, and Zuko just stared at the other, eyes wide with disbelief. Then he laughed, loud and rich, his usual smirk replaced with a very honest smile.

"I didn't think you had it in you. I take it this means you like me as well?" Zuko asked, and he was greeted with a nod. "Well then," he said, his voice becoming a shade huskier, "Let me show you what a real kiss is like."

Zuko and Sokka never made it too the dance. : - )