Sokka wakes to a loud crash.
He jolts up, hand extended towards his boomerang on the nightstand. But when he hears his lover cursing, he realizes it's a drastic overreaction. You can take the kid out of the war, he thinks.
Groaning, Sokka emerges from the nest of sheets on the bed, clad in only his undergarments. He pads over to the bathroom, yawning. He finds Zuko crouched over a shattered glass, glaring as if his eyes will make it catch fire. He looks up at the sound of Sokka's entrance, face softening.
"Hey, sorry for waking you," he apologizes, putting a hand out to keep Sokka away. "There's glass everywhere, don't come in here."
Sokka yawns again and leaves, returning with a broom. After Zuko sweeps the pieces into the glass, Sokka realizes Zuko's only wearing a poorly-tied robe. He waggles his eyebrows. "So, you gonna take a bath?" He asks suggestively.
Zuko chuckles. The robe falls and he steps out of it and into the bath, looking back at Sokka in invitation.
Sokka follows suit; It would be quite rude to decline.
...
Sokka's got some ambassadorial duties to attend to in the morning, so he meets Zuko for lunch.
It's a pattern they've fallen into: they'll eat their food, complain about the advisors who've gotten on their bad sides that day, Sokka will jump Zuko, and they'll make out in some odd corner of the palace until Zuko's advisors come for him again. Often they're aghast at the intimacy shown between the two men. After all, repealing a law doesn't automatically change everyone's minds about who is acceptable to love. Zuko will snap at them to leave, and he'll straighten his outfit before kissing Sokka on the cheek, quickly whisking away to his next duty.
And Sokka will pout. After all, it's hard when your lover's duty is first to his nation and second to you.
...
Iroh comes for his yearly visit, and since Zuko's occupied doing Fire Lord things, Iroh spends his time with Sokka.
Sokka's always liked the man. Iroh brings serenity to almost any situation, a trait uncommon in Fire Nation citizens Sokka's noticed. He's certainly the wisest person Sokka's ever met, and his tea is killer. It reminds him of the stuff Gran Gran would make on cold nights, and he tells the other man so.
"Ah, yes. It makes sense that you were raised by such a wise woman. It takes skill to make a good cup of tea." Iroh's eyes sparkle as they do before he begins questioning Zuko, and Sokka gulps too much tea down in distress, choking. Iroh slaps him heartily on the back while he coughs, laughing. "Not so fast, Sokka. I'd hate to have to tell my nephew you choked on my tea."
Sokka smiles sheepishly at the other man. "Yeah, I don't think he'd be too happy about that."
Iroh laughs again, clutching his belly. "Zuko is rarely happy, unless he's around you, it seems." Iroh ponders this for a second, then continues on his earlier train of thought. "So, Sokka, do you think you'll be returning home any time soon?" He asks, looking slyly over his mug.
"Since Katara and my dad have come out here a few times, I don't really feel the need to go back to the tribe right now," he admits. Iroh hums happily in response.
What Sokka doesn't say is that he's already home. Zuko is his home.
...
A few days later, Sokka accidentally hears Zuko and Iroh arguing again.
"--getting more insistent, Zuko, especially with how public you're being. They asked me to talk some sense into you."
"How does this make sense, Uncle? I told you, I won't force anything on him."
"Nephew, please. Your throne is unstable right now. Your people would appreciate some security."
"And I would appreciate it if everyone kept out of my personal life," Zuko hisses.
Sokka runs down the hall, breathing heavily.
...
A few days later when they're in bed, Sokka's fingers tracing circles on Zuko's back, he broaches the topic.
"So... What's the Fire Nation's policy on marriage?"
Zuko's muscles grow taut under his hand and Sokka's ministrations still. After a moment Zuko relaxes and responds, seemingly attributing the question to Sokka's natural curiosity. "Well, as you know, it used to be illegal for people of the same gender to get married. We changed that." Sokka nods in response. "Citizens usually marry when the sun is highest since it's the source of our power." He pauses before continuing. "In my family, Fire Lords often marry for politics rather than love." He stills again. "I'm still getting used to the idea that I can marry whoever I want."
Sokka presses a tender kiss between Zuko's shoulder blades, pouring all of his love into the motion. "Yeah," he mumbles, laying his body on Zuko's, bringing his arms around to his stomach. "You get to decide your own fate, now."
...
Toph's visit comes abruptly and disruptively.
She bursts into a meeting about supplies for the colonies, slamming the doors into the walls. "Did you losers miss me?" She yells.
"Toph!" Sokka exclaims. He turns from his position behind Zuko and is promptly tackled to the ground. Zuko dismisses his advisors: he knows there won't be any more productivity today.
"Hey," Zuko smiles at her. She steps over Sokka's dazed form to give Zuko a crushing hug.
"So, I see you finally admitted you have the hots for each other."
...
The three of them decide to drink in Zuko's--and Sokka's--quarters.
Sokka and Toph are roaring with laughter, pleased to again have someone who understands their childish humor. Zuko is chuckling off to the side, nursing a bottle of a particularly fiery whisky. The irony is not lost on Sokka.
"So, have you guys seen sweetness and twinkle toes recently?" She cackles. "I'm pretty sure if they were a bit older they'd have tied the knot by now."
Sokka leaps at Toph at the mention of his sister getting hitched, tackling her back into Zuko. They drunkenly wrestle, Zuko loudly complaining about getting dragged into the mess. Toph doesn't ask about their future. As a kid from a rich family, she knows what it's like to marry for political or monetary gain.
She knows their love is fragile, susceptible to the whims of Zuko's advisors.
...
Toph's exit is equally boisterous.
She barges into their room before even Zuko's awake, while the sun is still down, and tells them she's grown bored.
"Can't stay in one place for too long, ya know?"
Zuko stays in bed longer that day, mourning her departure.
...
Their first big fight is about whether they should send for the Kyoshi warriors.
"You're being stupid!" Sokka exclaims. "How many more assassination attempts will it take to get it through your thick skull!"
"I'm still alive, aren't I?" Zuko seethes.
"Despite your best efforts!"
"I'm not pulling them over here because the Fire Lord can't take care of himself." Zuko tells him.
Sokka throws up his hands and storms off.
...
He's never fully appreciated how warm Zuko kept the bed until he's shivering in his own, long vacant one. He pulls up the covers and burrows under them.
...
He finds Zuko at the turtleduck pond the next day.
The all-powerful Fire Lord suddenly looks like a kid, again. Shoulders slouched in uncertainty, sitting cross legged by the pond, he looks like his age for once. Sokka reminds himself of the impossible burden on his shoulders. "Hey," he says softly.
Zuko doesn't turn. "Hey."
"Look I-- I'm sorry. I just want you to be safe."
Zuko moves to face him, still holding a turtleduckling in his lap. He continues staring at the creature in his lap. "I know." Sokka sits down a few feet away and Zuko sighs, placing the duck back besides the pond. Their eyes finally meet. He looks exhausted. "I'll send Suki a letter." Sokka can't take it anymore; he moves forward, wrapping his arms around his lover.
They sit that way for a long time.
...
With the Kyoshi warriors arrives Suki, Ty Lee, and Mai.
Sokka grips Suki tightly, savoring her presence. "I've missed you so much," he tells her. Even though they aren't together anymore, she's still his best friend.
She hugs him back just as fiercely. "I've missed you too."
Sokka expects to feel jealousy when he looks at how Zuko and Mai interact, moving in a way only two people intimately familiar with each other do, but he can see in their eyes it's a different kind of closeness. They went through heaven and hell together, and still walked out alive. He suspects Suki and him look similar.
Besides, he doesn't miss the way Mai holds on to Ty Lee's hand even after she's helped her off the ship.
...
Dinner is a festive event, but Sokka becomes drained by the magnitude of company.
He motions to Zuko that he's going outside for a bit and Zuko nods, shifting into the smile that he reserves only for Sokka. On the balcony, he's pleasantly surprised to find Suki. She's leaning on the railing, looking up at the moon. Sokka joins her, sending a silent hello to Yue.
"Do you love him?" Suki asks. Sokka would be taken aback by the abrupt nature of the question if it were anyone but her.
"Yeah," he replies. "It's taken me awhile to fully realize it, but yeah."
She turns to him, eyes glistening. "I'm so happy for you."
He wraps his arms around her and they stand there, thinking about all they went through to get here. Despite it all, they can still live: they're not broken.
...
A week into their stay the Kyoshi warriors stop an attempt on Zuko's life before the Fire Lord even registers it.
Sokka tries not to be too smug about it.
...
Now that Suki's around, Sokka has a nice distraction when Zuko's busy.
They'll spar until they collapse, laying on the floor, laughing. They spend the rest of their time exchanging stories of the past months. Sokka's glad of her company, but her presence confirms something else for him; a part of him had wondered what his life would be like if he and Suki were still dating.
He doesn't wonder anymore: he knows he's made the right choice.
...
Bundled in the warmth of their bed, head buried in Sokka's chest, Zuko pops the question.
"Do you want to get married?" he asks, voice muffled by Sokka's abs. Sokka's hand at his neck stills, gripping the hair there.
"Um, what?" Sokka asks, dumbfounded. "Can you repeat that?"
"I'll be okay if you say no," Zuko's rambling. His grip around Sokka's torso tightens. "I was just wondering if you would--"
Zuko quiets as Sokka's hand maneuvers his head so that they're staring at each other. Sokka rushes forward, hands cupping Zuko's cheeks as he kisses him fervently. He pulls back, resting their foreheads together.
"Yes. Yes, of course I'll marry you."
...
The wedding is a huge affair.
With Zuko's status, there's a significant amount of planning that has to go into the event, and the mingling of their nations' traditions poses an added challenge.
But after months of aggravating, endless organization, he stands before the Fire Nation and weds their leader.
From his perspective on the dais, he can see everything. He can see Suki, holding back tears and beaming, standing next to an equally jubilant Ty Lee and a more reserved--but equally pleased--Mai. He can see his sister and father, looking on him with all the pride in the world. He sees Toph, supporting a crying Aang, trying to look disinterested. He can barely catch her jovial smirk.
But most of all, he can see the intense emotion in Zuko's eyes, the way his hands slightly shake in anticipation and fear. He knows Zuko is worried he'll wake up one day, and that this will all be a fever dream, but it's not. Every day that Zuko wakes Sokka will be besides him. This he knows.
...
At the reception after, when Aang and Katara are flying--not literally, but close--around the dance floor like maniacs, and Ty Lee is coaxing Mai towards them, and Suki is twirling Toph in the vicinity, Sokka turns to Zuko; his husband.
He's got his arms around Sokka's neck, head resting on his shoulder. They sway in the halls where his father abused him and his nation betrayed him, where he was banished from to complete an impossible task, where they would have been illegal years ago.
But they dance nonetheless.
After all, there's a whole future waiting for them.