Play Nice -- Originally Posted 01/12/2008

Holy crap, we've been writing Avatar for over a year now!? Certainly doesn't feel like it...

I'm going to start copying some of our older FF-safe fics over to this account so I apologize to those of you who are watching us and have already read these. This particular ficlet was our very first venture in to Avatar fic, a short little piece of bromance fluff that we wrote between TWAT and while waiting for pure joy of Boiling Rock. :3

One thing was more convenient about having the newest addition of their rag tag little family -- it was a lot easier to start the evening bonfire. Even if they did still have to gather the wood, at least Sokka didn't have to put up with the jibing and complaining if it happened to take him a few minutes to get the blaze going.

Sokka supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when he found the excommunicated prince sitting before the slowly dwindling fire after everyone had gone to bed. Sokka himself couldn't sleep -- his head was swimming with too many plans and strategies tonight. Which was really, really annoying because he liked sleep a lot more than plans and strategies.

"Hey," he said cheerfully enough as he entered the circle of light provided by the fire.

Zuko looked up from the flames, tried and failed to hide his surprise at being spoken to and -then- tried and failed to offer an easy smile to his new group-mate. "Um, hey... Sokka." How strange, to be using personal names instead of fire-nation insults or other bitter invectives. He tried to remember the first time he'd met the water tribe boy, how he'd looked at the world differently then, but it seemed a lifetime ago. He still remembered the knock he'd taken on the back of the head from Sokka's boomerang though. Funny how it made him feel like laughing now.

Sokka sank down onto the remnant of a column that served as a bench. He scratched the side of his head. Paused, hesitated. "So... you can't sleep either, huh?" Normally the southern boy had little trouble finding more words than were needed. But this was a particularly awkward situation. He hadn't really spent any time around Zuko since he'd shown up on their doorstep.

Zuko hesitated, surprised by the question. He'd assumed Sokka was awake for his turn at watch. "No, I suppose not..." Then, "Doesn't one of you keep watch while the others sleep?" It seemed like the natural thing to do. Fire-nation scouting parties always traded night shifts.

"Uh --" Sokka blinked. "Well -- sometimes! I mean, when we were in the fire nation... but really, who's gonna get at us here? We're practically hanging upside down!" He laughed a little too loudly -- clearly ignoring the fact that Zuko's assassin had nearly killed them all a few days earlier.

In the interest of preserving what tenuous relations he'd managed to build with this group, Zuko avoided pointing out this obvious point, instead schooling his expression one of what he hoped was understanding and then offering a nod.

"Besides, Toph wakes up if somebody drops a pin -- and not just if she has her feet on the ground -- I mean, she is lying down with her whole body on the ground so she can probably feel a dogshark bark six miles away!" He wasn't even listening to himself anymore.

Zuko blinked a little surprised by the way Sokka's words spilled like loose change from his ever-moving mouth. He hadn't had much opportunity to experience this side of the water-tribe boy since most every time they'd crossed paths in the past, Sokka's eloquence consisted mostly of 'Die, fire-nation scum!'. In truth, the boy was downright chatty. "Uh, yeah, probably, I guess," Zuko agreed, quietly cursing himself for the obvious awkwardness he knew was evident in his feeble attempt at laughter.

Sokka's own laugh came out just as awkward, but considerably louder than Zuko's. And then they fell silent again and Sokka tilted his head back to stare up at the stone ceiling (floor?). Why he didn't excuse himself and go back to not sleeping, he couldn't quite fathom. Maybe it was because everyone else had had their turn with him -- Aang trusted him. They'd had their little adventure. Toph trusted him even if she had blistered feet. And while Katara seemed to want to kill him in his sleep, that was at least interaction, right? And since Sokka was kind of, sort of like their leader, it seemed only appropriate that he try... something. Although now they were sitting in uncomfortable silence which wasn't really 'something', per say.

But what do you say to this guy? 'So... how do you think it'll be after we destroy your whole family and country?' 'Hey, remember that time your sister almost killed all of us! That was fun.'

It was a great dawning of genius that Sokka realized something that he could do -- something that he was really good at, too! Boasting. "Hey -- have you ever heard of Master Piandao?" he said with sudden spirit, dropping his chin to look at Zuko again.

Zuko raised a brow, "Of course I've heard of him. My own swordmaster trained by his side for many years." A pause, Zuko's glanced quickly over the faintly quivering form of his evening companion; it was evident that Sokka was about to burst with withheld information. He took the boy's bait and asked the question he figured Sokka was waiting for. "But you're water-tribe, how do you know about him?"

"Well I," he jabbed a thumb into his own chest proudly, "trained under him while we were in the fire nation. He even helped me make a sword."

"Oh really?" Zuko tilted his head curiously, the faintest hint of a grin touching his features. "Your very own sword? And he trained you? How interesting."

If Zuko was patronizing him, he either didn't notice or ignored it. "It was pretty intense," he agreed. "And also, I thought he was going to kill me at the end of it. Do you want to see my sword?" he asked, suddenly excited. "Hang on -- I'll get it!"

Sokka was grinning as he trotted back to his room to get the weapon -- it actually wasn't so bad having Zuko around. He hadn't really thought about it but it had been so long since he'd had a guy his own age around. Aang was a great friend and had been a relief after living in his village of women and children, but there were things that they just couldn't share. Aang was 100% bender. Talking about swords to him was like talking with his sister.

When he returned, he made quite a show of drawing the dark black blade, letting the firelight catch it impressively. "It's made of a comet," he bragged. "Pretty awesome, huh?"

Despite himself, Zuko found his eyes drawn to the blade, found himself actually nodded. It was, in fact, an impressive looking weapon. "It's beautiful," he heard himself say, flushed just a little at how silly he sounded and looked quickly away, down at the pommel of his own weapons, laid out beside him. Then he glanced back up, catching Sokka's prideful gaze with a tiny smirk. "But a sword is only as good as its master."

"I know that!" Sokka said, pouting, just a little bit deflated. But then he grinned again, turning the blade over in his hand but watching Zuko over it. "I know it's not as impressive as say, dancing, though. I mean... dancing. Seriously. I'm scared just thinking about it."

Zuko's eyes flashed just a little at the obvious mockery, but he surprised himself by taking the teasing with humor when just a few months ago it would have enraged him. "Dragon dancing," he corrected. "And you -should- be scared. Since I'm as skilled with my blades as I am with my feet."

It was that moment that Sokka decided this Zuko was way better than the old Zuko. If only because the old Zuko would probably have burnt off his hair for the remark that he'd just made. "Better be careful or Toph will start calling you 'Twinkle Toes' too," he warned. Then loftily, examining his blade with a ridiculous expression with brows lifted high. "I dunno though. I thought that dance was really last year."

Zuko chuckled, only a little darkly. "Well facial scars are all the rage -this- year." He stood smoothly and gracefully, his twin blades sliding into his grip with all the practice of a master. The firelight glinted across the silver as he aimed one sharpened point at Sokka's head. "I could help make you fashionable," he offered.

Sokka eyed the other young man suspiciously -- was that humor in his voice? Humor even about his own appearance? It was startling. But he figured it was a good sign. He shifted, taking a stance as he lifted his own blade to meet Zuko's, steel singing against the celestial metal of his sword. "Thanks -- but I have a bag and a belt that make me fashionable enough," he replied easily and with a flicked wrist, took a shot at the other boy. When it was easily blocked with a pleasant clang, Sokka's eyes danced with grin and firelight.

"Suit yourself," Zuko shrugged and lunged forward. He stepped and turned, his blades whirling slowly in his each hand; this was a dance too, a dance of steel instead of fire. As he blocked and parried, enjoyed the pleasant vibration that each contact sent shivering up his arms, Zuko reflected that the other boy really -had- become more skilled since last they fought. He supposed that meant Sokka hadn't lied about his fire-nation master, but then, he'd already suspected, having recognized the blade's workmanship.

The healthy bonfire joined their dance as well, flickering off flashing blades as Zuko gained ground and then was pushed back. Zuko was balanced, Sokka noted. He was a bender -- a good one, but he didn't completely rely on his bending skills. Secretly Sokka respected that and thought he'd want to be like that if he had the capacity for bending. "You know," he said, his free arm acting as a counterbalance as he darted forward to swipe. Zuko caught his blow with one blade and they squared. "Two blades aren't always better than one." He blocked another swing from Zuko's other sword with a loud clang and sauntered back, rounding.

"True," Zuko acknowledged, following the circle they'd laid out with their steps. Straifing as he concentrated on reading Sokka's movements. "Luckily for me, I can fight either way." And with a flick of his wrist, Zuko tossed his left hand sword into his right hand, the pommels of the twin blades connecting with a click even as he completed his stroke, steel ringing sharply against the comet's metal.

His grin was almost natural this time, as Zuko forgot to be self-conscious, forgot that he had joined a group of people who had once (and maybe still) hated him for a variety of valid reasons. Now though... he was just... having fun. Something he hadn't done for a long time. Sparring for the sake of amusement, maybe a little bit of showing off, but not fighting with the heavy inevitability of death or injury sitting painful in his chest. This was just... fun.

"Jeez!" Sokka was laughing at the trick -- the two blades clashing as one made the lighter swords along the same weight as his own heavier blade and the clashes rang loudly, echoing from the stone walls. It was a good work out -- but it was also satisfying to see that he wasn't the only one sweating when the firelight caught a bead or two on Zuko's cheek.

Blades caught hard, all but deafening and held. Zuko was pressing in, gaining ground on him and Sokka had to struggle to keep him at bay. Even so, the water tribe boy's teeth were bared in a feral sort of grin, still confident. But then --

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" The words came in a shrill scream, startling both of them -- but not as much as when a wall of water hit Zuko a split second later.

Where he'd been standing a moment ago, there was nothing but a puddle and then suddenly the fire went out and steam hissed loudly. In the moonlight that was still offered, Sokka could make out that Katara's wave had knocked Zuko into the now soggy bonfire.

"How dare you attack my brother!" Katara raged as she stormed into the room, a ball of water on the ready between her hands.

"Katara --"

"I KNEW you couldn't be trusted! I tried to tell them!" A wet lash whipped across Zuko's cheek as he rolled away from the smoldering embers into a crouch. He didn't rise to fight, though the arm he threw up protectively burst into defensive flame. "Never! Trust! A Fire! Bender!" Each word was punctuated with a strike of her water whip.

"KATARA!" Sokka snarled, leaping on his sister to grab her arms. Her whip splashed to the floor and across Zuko's shoulders limply. "Knock it off! Are you crazy?! He wasn't attacking me!"

"What would you call it!?" Katara shrieked back at him, struggling in her brother's grip.

"We were sparring! Jeez! Calm down!"

By now, most of the rest of their crew had gathered between the sounds of swordfighting and the screaming fight and were lingering in the entry with concern.

"What!?" Katara's face blanched and her eyes narrowed. "Are you stupid, Sokka? Why would you do that? What if he lost his temper -- have you already forgotten? FIRE BENDER?"

"Have YOU already forgotten?" Sokka snapped back hotly and pointed at their friends in the doorway. "AANG is a FIRE BENDER. Are you gonna beat him to a pulp too? Get a GRIP!"

Katara still seethed in Sokka's hold, but when her eyes met Aang's a little of the anger went out of them.

In the meantime, Zuko was once more on his feet, his flames extinguished and aside from an angry red mark across his cheek and a slightly singed backside, he seemed none the worse for wear. He did, however, drop to his knees before the water-bender, placing his dual blades on the ground before him. "Forgive me," he spoke, voice steady and clear though his face still turned to the floor. "I wasn't thinking. You had every right to protect your brother and every reason to think you needed to."

"Protect me!?" Sokka squawked indignantly before Katara could put in a word. "I don't need protecting! Doesn't anyone notice that I have a sword too!?" He released Katara to pointedly wave the weapon in a fashion that didn't exactly show off his sword fighting prowess.

Katara glared down at the prostrate prince, then at her brother and stormed away. Sokka stuck his tongue out at her back and then when she harumped through the watching crowd, he caught Aang's eye and gave him a pleading toss of his head. Toph and the Avatar hurried after her to deal with the aftermath. When the rest of the group stood there, gaping, Sokka glared at them and made some violent shooing motions and they pouted but disappeared back into the darkness.

"Uh..." Sokka turned back to Zuko to offer him a hand up. "Sorry about that... Unfortunately, I can't even say I'm adopted or anything..."

Zuko hesitated, but took the other boy's hand. Every gesture of friendship helps, he reminded himself. It's not about needing help to stand, it's about letting them know you trust them. Maybe someday he'd earn their trust in kind.

"It's okay," he heard himself say. "I meant what I said to her... I mean, except the part about protecting you. That was mostly for her benefit." He found it was easier to smile this time. "Still, maybe we can do this again some time? It might be good for both of us to practice. You know, for fighting the-- the fire lord and all..."

"Oh yeah, yeah, definitely," Sokka replied with a vigorous nod. "I mean -- if you're not too busy with Aang. Training Aang. Fire bending. You know."

"Oh, right. Yeah, of course." A pause. "I mean, you know, he's already pretty good so I don't think it'll take much to teach him. Well... lightning's tough though. I mean I haven't even really..." He trailed off, caught Sokka's eye and quirked an awkward smile. He was babbling as much as the water-tribe boy now. Maybe it was contagious? "Haha..."

Sokka laughed too, rubbing at the back of his neck. Then he glanced toward the door and grimaced. "I hope she doesn't freeze my sleeping bag again. It really sucks having a water bender for a sister sometimes."

Zuko cringed in sympathy, then found a seat again and relit the fire with a flick of his wrist. "Try having a -fire bender- for a sister. Trust me, I'd take your sister over Azula any day."

Sokka grimaced a little at the idea. "Yeah, you win that one. At least my stuff is soggy, but not cinders." He offered a grin and looked at the relit fire -- Really, it was pretty convenient. "Well..." he hesitated, lingered. "I should probably... you know... go check on her."

"Huh? Oh-- oh yeah. Um. Sorry, again. You know, about that." Is this what being good was about? Living in a constant state of extreme awkwardness? It was going to be harder than he thought.

"No, no, no!" Sokka insisted with a wave of his hands. "Seriously, don't be sorry. It was... it was fun. Don't worry, I'll work it out with Katara. She's just so hot headed that you might be able to teach her fire bending. But anyway... thanks. Uh -- good night!" he called over his shoulder as he ducked into the stone hallways.

"'Night!..." Zuko returned lamely, but the water-tribe boy was already out of sight. A shiver took him then, his soggy clothes and the chill night reminding him that he had just been hit by a rather large wave. With a sigh he turned back to the fire, tried to remember what it felt like to be totally confident and in control and managed to surprise himself by realizing he couldn't actually remember a time like that at all.

No... wait, he corrected. There was one time. The day he walked into his father's throne room and severed the last ties to his home. Not the whole time --really he'd barely kept his hands from shaking--... but just for a moment, when he shot back the lightning blast that would have killed him, when he turned and finally, finally walked away. His first step.

Maybe this being good thing wouldn't be so hard after all.