Takes place sometime between The Firebending Masters and Boiling Rock.

"Sokka, I don't think you should go."

Sokka managed to glare at his sister through the coughing fit claiming his ability to speak. Katara must have been serious because she was willing to wait until he could talk again—something she wasn't often willing to do. She even did it without looking impatient, which probably should have warned him that she was actually worried about him and meant that he was probably dying.

"Who else is going to do it, Katara?" Sokka asked. His sore throat made him sound remarkably like Zuko. Sokka was pretty sure he only sounded sick, though, and not at all sexy.

Not that Zuko sounded sexy. At all. That was the sick talking, not his actual functioning brain.

Sokka shook himself out of his rather awkward train of thought and looked up at his sister. He just hoped he didn't look as terrible as he felt or else Katara would never let him go and they'd be without fresh meat for spirits' only knew how much longer.

Katara pressed her lips together in her classic I-know-you're-right-but-I-won't-admit-it look and crossed her arms.

"Fine…but you shouldn't go alone."

Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Why? So that when I pass out in the woods I have someone to drag me back?" he rasped. Holy hells, he sounded awful even to his own ears—like he'd been gargling sand. To Katara he probably sounded like he had just crawled up from his own grave. The sarcasm, then, probably wouldn't get him very far. Not when it was teetering so very near the truth. It obviously wasn't when he saw Katara narrow her eyes in a manner that suggested she was quite ready to revert to her previous argument of him not going at all. Sokka held up his hands in a gesture of placation. "I know, I know. Not funny. But seriously, Katara. Who do you suggest I bring with me on a hunting trip? Aang?"

Katara and Sokka both glanced over at the young Avatar rolling a wind-ball around for Momo to chase. The same Avatar who had looked like he was about to cry that one time he accidently blew a mouse out of the temple into midair. Momo had saved it, of course—then promptly ate it, which had only caused the young Air Nomad to feel guilty.

Katara pursed her lips.

"Okay. Maybe not Aang. What about The Duke?"

Sokka's mouth fell open in horror. Luckily for him, however, The Duke strolled into view in his over-sized helmet with a finger stuck so far up his nose it was a wonder it wasn't coming out the other nostril. Katara grimaced.

"Right…" she sighed and looked back at Sokka. "Look, Sokka, I would really feel better if someone went with you. I don't know if Toph or—"

"What about Zuko?" Sokka asked brightly. Katara froze and stared at him as if he had just sprouted a second head. Or... more likely, like his head had just exploded. Which, quite frankly, it felt like it was ready to do.

However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Zuko had to know how to hunt—at least a teeny bit. Even if he didn't he was a fast learner so he could at least help set the snares. Plus he wasn't a big talker and while normally Sokka could do enough talking for both of them his throat felt like it was on fire. More talking than was necessary was out of the question, even for Sokka. He was also the least annoying of the boys (no offense Aang) which, in Sokka's book, was a major plus right now. Well, it sure sounded as if he had made up his mind.

Katara opened her mouth, probably set to argue until Sokka's voice gave out—which wouldn't take too long—but Sokka beat her to it.

"It's either Zuko or I go alone." Sokka met her gaze unflinchingly then offered a lopsided smile. "Plus, at least you know that if I do collapse in the woods, nothing's going to drag me off to eat me when there's a sword-wielding Firebender around."

There was no arguing against that point, at least. Not only did Zuko look rather intimidating, he was. And if Aang could stand up to a billion-pound raging sabertooth-mooselion mother, then Sokka was pretty sure Zuko could, too. Not that there were too many of those running around above the temple.

Hopefully.

Katara glared at Sokka. Sokka grinned back at her. Finally she threw her hands into the air in defeat.

"Fine! Take Zuko. But if he tries anything—"

"Katara, if Zuko didn't "try anything" while he and Aang were gone on their dance-lesson fieldtrip then I doubt he's gonna "try anything" with me."

Katara glared a moment longer, probably trying to cow Sokka into changing his mind. But Sokka was having none of that. Sick or not, the group needed meat—he needed meat—and Sokka really was the only one skilled enough to go hunting in strange terrain. Hell, in any terrain. The Duke may have lived out in the woods, but Sokka was fairly sure his talent ended at snares and thieving. Haru was a farmer—again, snares, but probably not much else. Teo was out for…obvious reasons. So, really, that did only leave Zuko.

"Whatever." Katara sighed finally and stalked off. Sokka was relieved she had left first—he couldn't help but wobble a bit when he stood up. He grabbed his already-packed bag and went off to find his new hunting partner.

0o0

Sokka found Zuko fairly quickly. When he wasn't training Aang or eating with the others, the Firebender rarely left his appointed room. As usual, the door was open—a simple gesture, but one that Sokka at least understood clearly. He may not seek out the company of the rest of the group—either by his own desire to avoid them or his assumption that they'd rather avoid him—but he was not about to shun them if they came looking for him. Always available. Ready to help. Out of the way.

Rather depressing, actually, now that Sokka thought about it.

When Sokka got to Zuko's door, he peeped his head around. Sure enough, there he was, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his eyes closed. Meditating, probably, judging by the candles lined along the floor in front of him. Sokka couldn't help but watch in fascination as each little flame grew and shrank in time with Zuko's calm breathing. There were five and not a single flame moved out of sync with the others or Zuko. It was an impressive show of control—at least for Sokka. For a regular Firebender maybe not. So maybe just keep the fact that he was impressed to himself.

Sokka prepared to clear his throat—thought better of it since it would probably hurt—and instead opened his mouth to offer a tentative greeting.

"I know you're there." Zuko spoke before Sokka could find anything to say. The Firebender took a last deep breath before he opened his eyes—the flames extinguishing themselves at the same time he breathed out again. "What do you need?"

"Um…well, you, actually." Sokka said, then grinned nervously when he saw Zuko blush. Sokka felt his own skin grow hot. He shook his head and chuckled. "No, no. That's, uh, that's not what I meant. I mean—"

Sokka was cut off by a sudden bout of coughing. He closed his eyes—he was half-convinced his eyes would pop out if he didn't, despite Katara telling him he was an idiot for believing "everything" The Duke told him—and buried his face in his elbow. He used his free hand to prop himself against the doorframe. The coughing lasted only a few seconds, but it left Sokka feeling exhausted. He took a ragged breathe and sagged against the frame, relieved once again that Katara wasn't around to see him.

Sokka opened his eyes and was surprised to see Zuko standing within touching distance, a hint of concern on his unburned features.

"Are you okay?" Zuko asked. Sokka nodded. He didn't trust himself to speak right now, not with his throat feeling so raw and abused from all the coughing. He took a few more breaths before he found his voice again.

"Ah—sorry about that." Sokka winced at the hoarse quality of his voice. He coughed once to clear it, pleased when that didn't lead to another round. "Um…what was I saying? Oh, right. I'm going hunting, but Katara thinks I need a babysitter. So I…sorta drafted you to come with me. That okay?"

Zuko looked surprised. Then pleased—which, in turn, surprised Sokka—then wary.

"Katara doesn't mind?"

"Katara minds the fact that you breathe." Sokka winced at how harsh that sounded, especially when he saw Zuko flinch, but since it was kind of the truth it was hard to take back. "So… yeah. She does mind, but it's not her call. It's mine. She says I need a partner and I say it's you. If you're up to it."

Zuko looked Sokka up and down and raised an eyebrow.

"If I'm up to it? You hardly look like you're up to it."

Sokka frowned, doing his best to ignore the way his skin grew hot with embarrassment. He really had been trying to hide how crappy he was feeling. With everyone pointing it out every spare second they had then he was obviously doing a piss-poor job.

"Look, it's bad enough I get this from my sister. I don't need it from you, too, okay? This group needs fresh meat and I'm the meat guy. So if I don't go, no one gets anything. Don't come if you don't want to. I don't really care. Just do me a favor and stay out of sight for a few days so Katara at least thinks you went with me, okay? Call it a vacation. Or whatever."

Sokka hadn't meant to sound so snappy, but really…this was grinding on his nerves. Yes, he was sick. Yes, all he really wanted to do was go to bed for a week. Yes, it felt like there was a tigerdillo using the inside of his throat as a scratching post. And, yes, one more coughing fit like that and he was fairly certain he would break a rib. But he was also the guy who had been in charge of an entire village for over two years. He was the guy who had brought back pretty much the only meat for his entire tribe. He was the guy who had done just that feeling worse than he was now. He may not be able to contribute a lot for their rag-tag little group, but he was going to damn well try. Even if it killed him.

Which, hopefully, it wouldn't.

Sokka turned to leave, but a hand around his arm stopped him. He turned to glare at Zuko, but was stopped short by the look of shame on the older boy's face.

"Sokka—I'm sorry. It wasn't my place to… What?"

Sokka hadn't realized he was staring. He blinked and shook his head, trying to toss aside distracting images of golden eyes.

"Nothing… Sorry. It's just… I can't actually remember you ever saying my name before. It was…" Nice. Wonderful. Perfect. "Weird."

Zuko frowned.

"I'm sure I've said it before."

Sokka cleared his throat, wincing at the pain it caused. He made a mental note to stop doing that for a few days.

"Um, yeah, I'm sure you have. Anyway, I've got to get going." He turned to leave again only to realize that Zuko had never actually let go of his arm. He turned back with raised eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Just let me pack."