The heorot has been getting a lot of use lately. Once again the entire village has gathered inside of it, the only light this time the low burning fire in the open center pit. It gives a glow to the room, normally a comfort, but tonight it just feels ominous to Zuko.
Once again the heorot is filled, and once again Zuko is the reason why.
Zuko suspects it will be his last time in this building.
He has been preparing himself for another banishment. Two nations he'll be banished from. Three unwelcome. Four if he counts the Air Nomads, as surely they wouldn't be welcoming to someone from a nation that tried to exterminate them. That had to have been some kind of achievement in ultimate failure. Some of the few things Zuko is good at is being unwanted, disappointing others, and failure.
So Zuko steels himself and puts up his walls.
Sokka made it easier and harder at the same time.
He was probably acting on alpha instinct, something the Water Tribe boy regularly follows, but Zuko appreciated the calming effect it gave him. It cleared his head enough to think, to go over what he needed to say, to come up with a plan for after. He figured the only place left for him was one of the abandoned Air Temples. Sokka also made it harder, because it reminded him of everything he has to lose. These memories would forever be like holding a rose, beautiful and precious, even as the thorns bit into his skin and made him bleed.
Hakoda had come to collect them too soon, and not soon enough.
Now Zuko sits next to the alpha chief, in what would normally be Sokka's spot at his right side. Sokka sits on Zuko's other side. Seating remains pretty regular besides that.
Zuko had remained fairly calm until everyone had filed into their seats. As soon as the room hushed, Zuko could feel his anxiety returning, his entire body shaking. He hopes no notices. Discreetly, he moves to inhale the scent of the scarf wrapped around his neck, the fur lining pleasantly tickling his skin, but it's the scent that soothes his nerves.
When they got up to leave to the heorot, Sokka had taken his own scarf, the one Zuko got him, and rubbed the whole thing down along his scent glands before wrapping it around Zuko's own neck. The alpha said nothing as he tucked it into place. He simply smiled a tiny smile and led Zuko out. Zuko didn't trust his voice enough to thank him. The scarf helps. Part of him wants to take it with when he leaves, but it is another rose he wouldn't be able to handle, and it was a gift for the alpha that he has no right taking.
Hakoda stands to address the room. "My brothers and sisters, thank you for joining us this evening under the light of Tui, who has blessed us with a clear, bright night, surely a sign of her validation and good will to the Southern Water Tribe." He pauses to let the words filter around the room.
"Around the world, there has been much strife and hardship. Everyone in this room has felt that keenly. Yet it is with pride that I can say our people are not bitter and full of hate. We welcome strangers, and help each other without expecting anything in return. We live by the teachings and guidance of Tui and La, the moon and the ocean, and they give us their blessings, a sign that our way of life is good and honest. This is what we stand for."
Hakoda is good at giving speeches. His words are like a balm to the tribe, making them feel warm, proud, full of love and kindness to those around them. It gives Zuko mixed feelings.
"Now, our resident medicinal apprentice has some things to share with us."
Hakoda sits, and Zuko's throat feels tight. On shaky legs he stands, keeping them locked together and tucking his hands behind his back to hide his nerves. Zuko dares not look at any faces directly, staring just above their heads. The words he had gone over earlier scatter from his thoughts like snowflakes in the wind the moment he stands before them, and he takes time to just breathe and think.
Deciding that no matter how he presents it, it will end up the same, so he just starts talking. "My name is Zuko." He pauses, the admittance sitting heavy in his chest. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. On the exhale, he opens them again and squares his shoulders, head held high, back straight and posture-perfect in a long-ago familiar manner. "Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. I ended up here by accident while escaping the Earth Kingdom."
Like a ripple, hushed murmurs spread around the room, rushed, buzzing, but keeping to those nearest to them. Just like that, Zuko had said the most damning words he could here. Whatever ounce of conviction he had felt earlier leaves, and he casts his eyes down to the floor in a sign of resignation. "I have enjoyed my time here, but I understand the need for me to leave. If the Earth Kingdom finds out, I put the tribe in danger. I will not willingly endanger the people that have shown me such hospitality."
Beside him, Hakoda stands again, and the whispers stop, a weighted hush taking its place.
The silence continues as Hakoda looks around the room. Not glaring, not threatening, just looking, scanning faces, gauging reactions. He's a tall presence of calm and poise, the opposite of Zuko, who feels small and fidgets nervously, waiting. Zuko wishes Hakoda would just hurry up and say it, to tell him he needs to leave. This waiting is torturous, like a guillotine before release.
"Zuko," Hakoda says, the name sounds like he's feeling it out. Zuko looks at him from beneath his eyelashes, not lifting his head. "Would you like to stay?"
That causes Zuko to fully look up, surprised. Such a simple question, but it takes Zuko's breath away, squeezing his lungs, his heart. He's not sure why Hakoda would even bother asking before sending him away, but Zuko is going to be honest. Hakoda deserves his honesty.
"Yes," he answers in a breathy whisper, voice raw with emotion and longing.
Hakoda places a hand on the omega's shoulder and gives Zuko a grin before he turns to the crowd. The hand on his shoulder squeezes firm, but not with the intention to hurt. "Then it looks like tonight, under Tui's blessing, we'll be welcoming a new member into our tribe. Welcome, Zuko of the Southern Water Tribe. May you carry your new brothers and sisters in spirit as we carry you in ours. Your footprint joins ours tonight."
Zuko is speechless, mind blank as fresh snow. He can only stare at Hakoda, wide-eyed and mouth hanging open in shock. The chief looks back to him with a smile of warm amusement at the expression directed towards him. The dark blue eyes shine with sincerity and kindness.
The world starts to catch up to Zuko as someone shouts "Skol!" - he thinks it might have been Bato - and various forms of "Welcome, Zuko of the Southern Water Tribe," echo throughout the room, a dull roar of acceptance. This is what it means to live among the Southern Water Tribe. The people, who treat each other like family, are kind, forgiving, and they make their decisions based on the person and their actions. Before them stands not the Fire Nation Prince, but the trustworthy young man who has lived peacefully among their wives, sisters, mothers, and children while they were away. This gentle young man, who apprentices under their oldest, frailest member, and treats their wounds and illnesses with doting concern and care. This earnest young man, who looks at the tribe with eyes that show kindness and a sense of respect, and a longing to be part of that. This shy young man, who has been nothing but polite and sincere to them, who freely offers his help around the tribe. This humble young man, who would be willing to put his own life in danger before risking the tribe. This is the person they see.
Zuko swallows back heavy emotions even as his golden eyes mist over, looking more like the sun reflected in a pond on a clear day. "Thank you," he manages to whisper to Hakoda.
The alpha chief pats Zuko's shoulder and steps back just before Sokka wraps the omega up in a hug. Katara and Aang join a blink later, all three holding Zuko between them in an embrace. They stand there, still-welcoming voices active around them, Zuko overwhelmed by the feeling, being seen for who he really is, letting himself be held and accepted and welcomed. His tears fall freely, but they're good tears.
"Thank you," he whispers, over and over into a shoulder. "Thank you." He can't say it enough.
Zuko's not sure how long they stood there before there's a tap-tap-tap on his shoulder. It's Marga.
"I expect to see you bright and early, young man. I have a new shipment of herbs that need work," is all she says with a kind smile. She toddles off as soon as Zuko nods to her.
He realizes he's smiling. Zuko feels happy, accepted, wanted.
Zuko is home.
-----
-----
Zuko wakes up bright and early, but not with the sun today. The moment he lay down last night after moving Miko into the cat's basket, the day caught up with him and he fell into a dreamless sleep, his body shutting down for much needed rest.
He knows he slept way past his usual when even Aang is up before him. The air bender is not a morning person. Zuko stumbles over to his usual spot around the fire and Katara wordlessly serves him a bowl of rich fish broth soup and a piece of bannock. They've been making dumplings, bannock, and seaweed noodles a lot more since realizing Aang is a vegetarian. Water Tribe and Air Nomad cuisine seem at odds with one another. The warm broth helps Zuko wake up a little, but it is a chilly morning.
There are only nods to one another in greeting, everyone seeming a little unsure what to say, how to start their morning. It's that awkward stage of not knowing how to interact with each other after change. Katara shudders and rubs her arms briskly before she ladles herself another warm bowl of liquid heat. She abruptly drops the ladle (thankfully back into the pot) when Sokka bursts into laughter.
"Sokka!" She cries before recovering the ladle, giving him a disapproving look.
Hakoda raises an eyebrow. "Son?"
Sokka manages to control his laughter enough to explain himself. "Oh, Tui and La, I was just thinking back on that blizzard where we couldn't find the spark stones and the fire had gone out. We had our own personal fire bender and we still would have frozen if Katara hadn't found them." He leans back on his hands, chuckling.
Zuko snorts, remembering that awful day, which does seem silly now. The story seems to break the spell of silence, chuckles coming easy to them, even to Hakoda and Aang who weren't there, the idea itself humorously absurd.
Miko's in a fish basket. He is a very unhappy snowshoe cat (even after his large helping of puffin seal) who refuses to stay in bed, but needs rest. Zuko sympathizes with the feeling on a personal level.
He tried carrying Miko in his regular sleeping basket, but the cat didn't like the movement and would try to jump out. So after some group thought, Miko was - carefully - shoved into a small fish basket with a blanket, the lid hooked shut, and strapped to Zuko's back. Miko protested loudly at first, but eventually settled, and now as Zuko sits in Marga's hut, the cat has calmed enough to take a nap, probably dreaming of sweet retribution.
"Zulee, dear, could you turn this into a paste for me? My old bones aren't agreeing with me today," the beta woman asks as she offers over the mortar and pestle with hands that shake with age.
Marga cannot seem to remember Zuko's name, even after he had corrected her on multiple occasions. She continued to treat him just the same otherwise.
"Yes, Marga," he replies as he accepts the tool.
Zuko doesn't correct her anymore.
×÷×÷×÷×÷×÷×
In a rare moment where he has the upper hand, Hakoda sidles up to his unsuspecting son. Sokka, suspicious of nothing, continues to pull fish from the net, so Hakoda delivers the blow. "Katara tells me you've been courting a certain fire bender."
A fish flies out of Sokka's suddenly clenched hands into the air above their heads. Neither notice as it lands with a wet splat some feet away.
"Whaaaat do you mean?" Sokka's voice has a higher pitch to it, obviously flustered. "I've just given him a few gifts. To be nice. He deserves it." His words are deflective as he continues to pull fish, now twitchy and rigid in his movements.
Hakoda rests his hip against a full barrel and crosses his arms. With smooth casualness, he starts to verbally lay his trap pieces down, "Ah, yes, that's why they're worth so much. High quality furs, and those polar bear dogs especially. Not to mention building him his own room; the carvings were just because you felt like it, right? Not at all a show of devotion or craftsmanship. And showing off proof of your hunting and trapping skills; a wild snowshoe kitten, just a casual gift, huh?"
The alpha chief pauses, a shit-eating grin forming, directed at Sokka, and springs his trap. "And calling him your omega."
Sokka turns a few shades darker and sets the net down, lost in his thoughts, but strangely calm. Hakoda waits, age and experience telling him his son needs a moment.
"I may have started courting without realizing it," Sokka admits quietly. Then as an afterthought, mumbles, "but he probably doesn't realize it and likely doesn't feel the same way."
Hakoda looks the other over to verify his suspicions he has about his son's feelings towards their newest tribe member. Sokka's expression and body language says it all. "Then if you want to continue courting, you need to make him see. Do things between just the two of you. Share touches. Be receptive. Listen."
Sokka turns to fully face his dad, his expression open, ready for advice. "How? I don't know where to start. What do you think I should do?"
Hakoda thinks for just a moment. "How about sparring?"
Sokka balks. "I can't willingly hurt the omega I'm trying to gain the favor of. Like, I know he can fight, but I can't bring myself to do it." He scowls.
"Zuko comes from a completely different set of beliefs. It certainly looks like he can hold himself. I've seen him spar with Aang." Hakoda tilts his head back, a wistful smile on his face as he watches the clouds drift by. "I realized I loved your mother the day she flipped me onto my back to win an argument."
"Probably where Katara gets it from," Sokka mutters. Hakoda smirks.
Sokka fidgets anxiously, at war with his thoughts. A few harsh movements. He kicks a snow drift. He rolls his shoulders in an exaggerated fashion, then rolls his neck as well, finally ending with clapping his hands together like he's closing a book. "Fine, yes, he's really good at it and I'll think about it," Sokka snaps.
Hakoda nods approvingly. It's a start.
-----
-----
"So, I realized as your dad, Zuko, I'm going to have to ground you. One month of taking care of Spit," Bato announces casually over sea prune soup one evening.
Zuko chokes on his soup. "Wait, what? Why?! And why do all your punishments have to be a month?"
"Fine, two months. And for lying." Bato continues to sip his soup as if they were talking about the weather.
"I didn't lie! ...When did I lie?" Zuko looks flustered, but calms as confusion quickly sets in in its place.
Everyone else is watching to see where this goes. Zuko didn't even deny being Bato's son this time.
"You lied about not being a bender."
"No, I didn't." Zuko frowns.
"Yes, you did." Now Bato looks up from his soup. He slurps a spoonful loudly while staring directly at Zuko, daring him to continue to deny it.
"No, I said I didn't bend, not that I wasn't a bender." Zuko sits up straighter, arms crossed, counter-daring Bato to argue that.
"Oh, he's right about that," Aang supplies helpfully, slapping his fist onto the open palm of his other hand. Katara and Sokka agree with Aang.
Zuko smirks triumphantly at Bato, chin raising just a little.
Bato sets his soup down and crosses his arms as well, staring down his adopted son. "Fine. But you still lied about your name. Two months of taking care of Spit."
Zuko's jaw drops, flabbergasted. Bato arches an eyebrow.
Zuko doesn't argue it.
-----
-----
"So, I thought taking care of Spit was supposed to be a punishment?" Hakoda leans sideways to ask Bato as they watch Zuko walk around the village with Spit nesting on the omega's head, preening them both. Zuko looks rather happy.
"That bird hates everyone. Do you know how many times it's puked in my face?" Bato answers with a mixture of astonishment and frustration. His arms are crossed, acting rather petulant.
After a pause, Bato speaks again, "Do you think it would be a punishment to take him off Spit duty, or would that be a sign of dad weakness?"
Hakoda slaps a hand to his face.
-----
-----
Before Zuko, Katara, and Aang can leave to explore the tundra for the day, Sokka races to catch up with them. "Wait, wait, wait!" He gasps, catching his breath, hands on his knees. "I have something I need to ask Zuko."
The omega in question raises his one eyebrow. "Yes?"
"Would you like to spar with me?" Sokka blurts out, sounding like that wasn't what he meant to say, but he doesn't backtrack on his words.
Zuko blinks, giving Sokka just a moment in case he wants to take it back. It also gives Zuko time to get over his surprise. This is a big step for Sokka.
When the stubborn alpha doesn't say anything else, merely waiting for a response, Zuko smiles. "I'd like that," he answers.
The joy that lights up Sokka's face reassures Zuko that this was actually happening, and Sokka wouldn't back out at the last chance.
The pairs separate, Aang and Katara are still keeping to their original plan, and Zuko and Sokka head to an open area to spar.
Before they're out of sight from one another, beta and alpha share a knowing and encouraging wink and a grin at each other over their shoulders, though both think the congratulations are meant for themselves and not the other. Neither seem to yet realize the other's secret crush. They were rather dense in that regard.
The actual sparring process took a little bit of time to figure out what they could do. Obviously Sokka cannot bend, nor does he do katas. He has a basic understanding of hand-to-hand combat, but is not experienced in it, unlike Zuko. They set that idea aside for possibilities. The alpha is pretty skilled with his boomerang, for throwing and using it as a melee weapon, but Zuko knows nothing about boomerangs. Sokka has decent experience with his club, hunting experience with a spear, and minor combat experience with a sword. Zuko suggests they spar with swords, as apparently the omega also uses them.
Sokka has a minor internal meltdown about going straight to swords, but the glint in Zuko's eyes keeps his mouth shut. Then he remembers how he trained the young ones. "Until we get a feel for each other, how about we use wooden practice swords?" Sokka goes for casual, hoping he doesn't offend Zuko.
The omega just shrugs. "Grab me two."
Swords in hand, they both practice separately for a few minutes, warming up and testing the weight and balance of the weapons. Satisfied, they face off against each other. Sokka readies himself as he would do with his club, set defensively in front of him in a horizontal position. Zuko crouches low, one blade low, another high, both in front of him and ready to defend or attack as needed. Sokka notes it's a good stance.
Usually Sokka is the first to make a move against an opponent, eager and full of bravado. He hesitates this time, reservations still in place.
Zuko, apparently, has no such problems.
Just a few paces into their circling, he rushes Sokka in an upward swing, trying to knock Sokka's weapon away to jab at his exposed middle with his second sword. Sokka manages to dodge the jab by twisting away.
The alpha continues to dodge, parry and block, hesitant to strike back, but losing those reservations with every hit. It helps that Zuko is fast and Sokka genuinely is having to put in effort to keep up.
When the alpha starts to throw in some test swings of his own, he's pleasantly surprised to see Zuko respond just as quick on defense as he is on offense, and Sokka starts to spar more earnestly.
They trade blow for blow, and Sokka has to think and act faster to keep up with Zuko's dual strikes. Still, when Sokka puts more weight, more muscle into his attacks, he sees the match favoring himself more. Zuko's quick, but Sokka can throw off his balance or knock a weapon further out with a heavy strike to expose weaknesses. Sokka knocks Zuko's dual block wide, and the omega rolls backwards to avoid the backhand return swipe.
Sokka is having a good time, he realizes. Training with the warriors is necessary, but he feels so out of their league. Teaching the little ones to fight and defend is important, but obviously no challenge to himself. Sparring with Zuko... This feels good. Sokka is challenged without feeling inadequate, and he can actually push back without fear of hurting Zuko, which he is starting to realize won't be a problem. Zuko is really, really good, focusing on the spar, the moves, the reach, the shifts in stance. There is an intensity to Zuko, but he moves gracefully, freely. It is mesmerizing to watch. Those golden eyes glimmer like star fire.
Suddenly, a foot hooked around his ankle trips and knocks Sokka onto his back, and he's pinned down bodily, wooden sword at his neck, staring up into those very star fire eyes. A shiver of excitement runs up his spine, and Sokka thinks he understands what his dad meant about his mom.
"Yield?" Zuko asks, oblivious to Sokka's thoughts.
"Definitely," the alpha replies in awe.
Zuko raises his eyebrow at the response, but removes himself from atop Sokka - the alpha pushes down the pang of disappointment - and helps him to his feet.
Once up, Zuko looks at the wooden swords in his hands, lost in thought. "I've gotten pretty rusty," he mumbles aloud, unintentionally.
That snaps Sokka out of his daze. "That was rusty?! Zuko, you're good! Like, super, awesome good! That was good. You're good," Sokka praises him openly, excited now, bouncing from foot to foot to release some energy, only settling as he says that last half with calm admiration, fondness obvious in his ocean blues.
Zuko blushes, and Sokka's heart flips.
"Um, thanks." Zuko scratches his smooth cheek with one finger.
"Want to go again?" This time, Sokka won't hold back.
"Yeah," Zuko responds with a smirk, looking confident in a sexy way that Sokka is sure he is unaware of, but definitely does things to Sokka's mushy brain.
They go several more rounds before they're too tired to continue and call it for the day.
Zuko won every time.
Sokka becomes a lot more involved in Zuko's days after that. More than he ever had before. Not that Zuko minds. He enjoys their newfound hobby of sparring regularly. Instead of Aang and Katara waiting for Zuko after apprenticing under Marga, now it's Sokka. Alone.
Often, he comes with a snack, something that's not just seal jerky or bannock. Sometimes it's muktuk, fried or pickled because Zuko can't stand to eat it raw. Sometimes it's a steamed dumpling stuffed with sea prunes or some kind of meat. Other times it's akutaq, which is a treat that took some getting used to, but now Zuko will eat willingly. The one Zuko really likes is the acorn bread, the nutty flavor standing out among the other Water Tribe foods.
Sokka enjoys seeing Zuko's reactions to the foods he hasn't tried before. He makes a mental note to request more acorns on the next trade day. And maybe more dried fruit to add to dishes.
Zuko also appreciates the help with chores. He loves Asu and Kote, but taking care of them is a job all by itself. Thankfully, as they got older they were able to wander the local territory, taking their less desirable messes elsewhere, but they came back to sleep in the stable, which needed to be cleaned regularly.
Miko would only let Zuko brush him though. Besides the accepted offerings of food, Miko tolerates Sokka, but snubs him regularly, only listening to calls when it benefits the cat. Miko only really behaves around Sokka if Zuko is nearby. Sokka often reminds Miko if it wasn't for him, the cat wouldn't be dining on puffin seal regularly. The playful bickering with the cat amuses Zuko.
Zuko handles Spit by himself. The bird had squawked in alarm when it saw Sokka approach, and, well, spat all over the alpha before landing and nesting on Zuko's head to coo lovingly. Zuko had laughed loudly at Sokka's indignant expression, and although he was gross and smelly, Sokka decided it was worth it to make Zuko laugh.
-----
-----
What confuses Zuko is the meal times. Usually Katara serves everyone, her and GranGran having made the meal, and Katara is young and mobile enough to dish it out to everyone. Sokka, however, has made it a point to serve Zuko's meals himself. And only Zuko's meals. He wonders if it is an alpha thing.
What really got Zuko, though, is when he finished his serving, Sokka would snatch up his bowl and refill it for a second serving. Not wanting to waste food, Zuko would accept it. Often their hands would touch in these food serving interactions. Between the touches and being given multiple servings, Zuko grows embarrassed to the point he'd angle his bowl away from the alpha when he was close to finishing, or even held it aloft with a blurted "No!" when Sokka reaches for it.
This causes multiple reactions, from Katara's eye roll and sigh, to GranGran and Hakoda's shared smile, Aang's confusion, Bato's laughter, to Sokka's polar puppy eyes. Agni, the polar puppy eyes do him in every time, and with a grumble, Zuko would hand his bowl over for a refill. This causes Bato to laugh harder.
"Why are you here every evening?!" Zuko snaps at Bato during one of those times.
"Gotta spend time with my son and second family sometime," the beta answers with a wink.
"Then why only the evenings?"
The glint in Bato's eyes, followed by three groans lets Zuko know he just asked the wrong question.
"Why, my dearest son, I didn't know you felt that way."
Bato starts coming around for every dagmal as well after that.
-----
-----
In contrast to the strange meal time behavior, and what Zuko privately enjoys most, even above their sparring, is when he and Sokka head out into the tundra alone. Unlike with Katara and Aang, they don't take a polar bear dog, and they're not sight-seeing or looking for fun. They don't even take Miko.
Sokka teaches Zuko how to read the land. The alpha shows how to tell where edible tubers will grow, and what bushes will produce safe, harvestable berries. He explains how the melts will expose parts of land, how to tell when a pass will open or close, and how to tell where it's safe to step and where it's not. Sokka also teaches him how to track and follow animal movements. This is why they left the animals behind.
"Here, see this?" The alpha guides Zuko over to crouch beside him, placing a hand on the omega's back. Sokka has been really close lately, friendlier. Like with the food, the contact is noticeable, and while the meals seemed accidental, these are more intentional. It makes Zuko feel strange in a way he can't name, not used to casual contact. Not like hugs, or a pat on the shoulder or back, which are usually quick and obvious in their intention. No, these touches linger, firm enough to notice, to still feel after they're gone, but gentle enough to make Zuko question their meaning.
Sokka has always acted as he thought an alpha should. Perhaps this is him working on more of a friendship? They have been growing closer. Zuko thinks he would enjoy a close friendship with Sokka, like with Katara and Aang. But while he and the air and water bender go to have fun - snowball fights, exploring, racing the dogs - this friendship with Sokka is different, quieter, personal.
"Got it?"
Zuko blinks, and realizes he's been staring at Sokka as the alpha explains whatever it was, swallowed up in his ocean eyes and serene expression while talking, focused on whatever it was in front of them. Shit, that's been happening more too. Caught, his face heats up, quickly turning to see whatever it is he was supposed to be looking at. Fur, apparently.
Sokka chuckles and explains again. "It's shed. Likely a buffalo yak. See the color and the course texture?"
Zuko nods.
"Ok, now see how it's caught on the shrub? We can tell what direction it was heading by how it snagged. Looks liiike," Sokka turns his head to nod his chin in a direction, "thataway."
Then Sokka takes Zuko's hand, removing the mitten as he does so, like his own, to guide it to the fur. He keeps his hand over Zuko's, feeling the animal's fur between their fingers together. Zuko thinks he can't be any redder than at that moment. "Yup, feels like buffalo yak. One more thing to check."
Zuko's proven wrong when Sokka closes his fist around Zuko's, trapping the fur to bring it up to his own nose to sniff. "Yup, smells like one, too. Might be a small herd nearby. Smell it."
Sokka pushes their combined hands with the fur towards Zuko. The omega squeaks as it's pressed to his nose, but he's - sorta - saved from further embarrassment as the musky smell and fur tickles his nose and he pulls back into himself to sneeze.
"Yeah, kinda hard to forget that smell," the alpha sniggers.
Zuko glares at him, but it comes off as more of a pout, and he's pretty sure the heat hasn't left his face yet, ruining the effect.
Sokka laughs and shoulder bumps him. "C'mon, let's see if we can find them."
They find more signs, leading further and further away, but a sudden change in wind direction prompts a new lesson that it's time to head back before they get caught up in a brewing storm.
With how free and light they felt, it certainly didn't feel like they were out-racing a storm.
-----
-----
"It's like a field snack," Sokka explains as he picks up an egg from a nest they found and holds it up to the sun. "Yeah, undeveloped yet. Perfect."
"Uh, what?"
Sokka proceeds to shake the egg vigorously, scrambling the insides, much to Zuko's horror.
"What are you doing?! That's a baby!"
The warrior pauses, looking a little like he got caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. "No, it's," he waves his hand in a circular motion to collect his thoughts, then when he notices it's the one with the egg, he stops quickly. "It was laid recently. The baby isn't formed yet. But this is a good meal if you're out and don't have any food with you. I wanted to show you."
Zuko looks at him doubtfully, so Sokka takes out his bone knife and picks at the top to chip a hole in it, ignoring Zuko's expression as he does so. Tui and La, he already feels guilty about it now!
"Ok, ok, for emergencies only then, and I'll only do one to show you. See?" Sokka tips the egg back, slurping a mouthful from the fist-sized egg.
"It's rich in energy. C'mon, try it." He offers it out. Zuko eyes it dubiously before he accepts the egg. Accepts, but doesn't eat, just stares into the hole at the scrambled raw egg. He already looks a little pale.
Then, after one deep sigh of resignation, Zuko tips the egg back for a swallow, eyes widening almost immediately before he shoves it back to Sokka, turning away to cough and gag. He manages to keep the egg down somehow.
"Hey, good job. I'm glad you tried it," Sokka tries to sound encouraging, sipping some more egg.
"Agni, that was terrible. It was warm. And slimy." Zuko wipes his mouth with the back of his mitten.
"Well, yeah, they have to stay warm, otherwise they die."
"You already killed it! A baby!" Zuko looks positively flustered, angry but still seeming on the verge of throwing up.
Sokka stops, egg to his lips to think about that. It seems this lesson is more for Sokka in the end. He tips the egg back to finish it off and tosses the empty shell behind his shoulder.
"Right, yup, I'll swear off egg slurping if it makes you feel better. Now let's get out of here so we don't keep the parents from their nest any longer."
Zuko grunts but nods his head and they leave the area.
-----
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"It's," a pause to bite his lower lip in thought, "a small group. And young ones," Zuko observes as he studies the hoof prints.
Beside him, Sokka nods in confirmation. "Good, good. What else?" They keep their voices low as they speak, just above a whisper.
Zuko tilts his head, studying the depressions in the ground. "They slept here. Heading that way," he nods in the indicated direction, "probably looking for water. The melt will collect there."
Sokka smirks, places his one finger separated from the mitten to his lips, and nods in that direction as well, offering Zuko point. The omega leads them, following the clues the tracks leave, keeping the wind in their favor, and soon come to a rocky formation, hearing grunts and bleats ahead of them.
They pause, Zuko unsure how to proceed. They aren't hunting, just tracking. Sokka nods to a ridge. Once on top, they can see into a clearing surrounded by large, craggy rocks. Inside is a small group of caribou yak cows and their calves, grazing lazily on the exposed grass. One of the cows is still round, the group likely waiting for her to give birth before returning to the main herd.
Zuko stares with delighted cat owl eyes, the animals unaware of their presence, much like how Zuko is unaware of Sokka watching him.
They sit and watch the animals longer, smiling as the calves wobble and try to run and leap and kick on new legs, bleating happily at their newfound freedom.
Zuko's unsure when he and Sokka started leaning into each other, but it feels nice, so he doesn't pull away. The moments like this, peaceful, quiet, just the two of them, give a special and unique sort of comfort that soothes them both.
These are the moments they enjoy the best.
-----
-----
In return for teaching Zuko valuable life skills about the environment he now calls home, Zuko offers to train Sokka how to defend against fire benders. "Not that it sounds like you'll ever need to," Zuko mutters after his suggestion. It's a poor exchange, Zuko thinks. The skills Sokka taught him can be used daily, while Sokka would likely never use the knowledge Zuko could give him. He doesn't have much else that's special, besides their now regular sparring, but anyone could teach that if they really wanted to.
Sokka, however, readily agrees with it, sounds excited even. Momentarily stunned, Zuko can only nod.
"Unlike fire benders, you can't cancel or redirect the flames, so you have to be able to read the bender's movements to predict and prepare for their attack," Zuko tells the young warrior as they stand in the training area. He has his arms crossed, standing tall, the very picture of confidence. Sokka is stood opposite him, bright-eyed and absorbing the information like a sponge. Sokka really is eager to learn, which gives Zuko a boost to his determination to make sure Sokka is prepared, no matter how unlikely he'll need it.
"Fire bender techniques are quick and agile, and although we can produce flames from our hands, feet, even the respiratory system, a lot of our moves are determined by our stance, especially our footwork. We implement a lot of kicks into our style," Zuko explains before he readies himself into a stance. "You should become familiar with the style to be able to better predict it. Follow my lead."
Sokka mimics the position pretty spot on. Maybe with their hand-to-hand sparring, Sokka's caught onto a few things without realizing it.
Zuko nods in approval. "Ok, the fire bending style focuses mainly on attack, rather than defense, but the right offense can be a good defense. See, in this stance here, if the bender attacks like so," he starts to sweep his leg forward, "you can counter like this...."
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-----
Sokka is getting pretty good at predicting and countering fire bender moves, accentuated by puffs of smoke meant to mimic an actual fire attack. His own determination is further fueled by the fact that smoke to the face really, really is not fun. His eyes are now ringed with black soot, face smudged, and he's pretty sure he may yet cough up an actual lump of charcoal at some point tonight.
Sokka wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Well, maybe a few things, but he's already working on that.
As a non bender, Sokka had never realized how excluded he felt until he was doing actual fire bender katas and learning about things he can't do but could now fight against. He never realized that feeling, but just as quickly now feels like he is part of that inner circle. Just the really, really lame individual of the circle.
"Hey, maybe we can just pretend I'm a bender that somehow lost their bending," Sokka jokes while ducking low under a kick.
Zuko rights himself and takes an extra half-step back, frowning.
"What?" Sokka laughs. "Ok, ok, I won't insult the great fire bending art. But, hey, why don't we turn up the heat a bit? For real. I think I can dodge a few actual flames now."
Zuko's frown deepens. "No. Not for training."
"Why not? Just a little-,"
"No."
Sokka pauses, studying the omega before him, tense and serious. His eyes flick to the scar for a second, then to those heated golden eyes set on him.
"Ok," the alpha relents, "you're the boss."
The tightness to Zuko's stance relaxes just a tiny amount, Sokka notes.
-----
-----
Aang eventually finds out about Sokka's special training and wants in on it too.
"But I'm the actual avatar, with an actual capability to produce actual fire. It's like, my job!" The air bender whines after Zuko refuses to teach him any fire bending moves.
"No. Fire requires control and restraint. You're..." Zuko looks Aang up and down, who is bouncing on his feet, not hiding his disappointment in the least. "Neither of those," he finishes.
Aang deflates. "Well, what can I do?"
"Meditate. Try to do so diligently without so much as bouncing your foot after a couple hours and then we'll talk."
"Aw, man!" Aang cries as he throws his hands above his head. For a monk, Aang hates meditating for more than a few minutes, let alone hours.
-----
-----
"Hakoda, my friend," the confidence in Bato's tone let's everyone know the beta is about to pull some of his usual shit, "It is only as your dearest, most loyal and handsome friend, that I can be so honest with you when I tell you that my son is much, much cooler than your son," he finishes smugly, arms crossed, eyes closed and an open lopsided grin on his face as be basks in his own glory.
Hakoda simply groans and lays his head in his hand.
Both Zuko and Sokka stiffen in embarrassment at being compared in such a way.
Katara cackles. Aang is more modest in his chuckles. GranGran smiles and toddles off to bed, patting Sokka on the shoulder for condolences as she goes. It's late and she's too old for this.
"Uh," Zuko can't think of anything to say to that. Sokka doesn't even try.
"Sokka, I love you, but I'm not giving in to Bato's shit," Hakoda grumbles, giving the beta a scathing glare.
"I understand, Dad." Sokka responds mildly.
"That's ok, because as the better dad as well, I'm going to list exactly why!" Bato's grin widens.
"First, he's my son. That already raises the bar pretty high. Second, he's like some animal whisperer. Could probably turn a polar leopard into a house cat. Also, have you seen this kid fight?!" He gestures his arms in Zuko's direction.
"Way to do your old man proud! But I'm not that old. Seriously. I'm rugged for my age. Ruggedly handsome!" Bato winks. There's a few groans from the group.
"And speaking of, he obviously gets his good looks from ol' Daddo, here: me. And on that note, he's the Fire Prince, for spirit's sake! And a bender! I mean, it's fire, nobody's perfect, son, but still a bender. By extension," Bato leans over to look at Hakoda seriously, who is almost afraid of what will come out of the beta's mouth next, "that makes me royalty too, as dad of the prince. I outrank you, Hakoda."
"Bato, get your sorry ass out of here," the chief bites out. His eye twitches.
"Oh, no! You can't now, chiefy!" Bato raises his hands to waggle them in mock surrender before slapping one across his own knee and laughs.
"S-Sokka's pretty cool, too," Zuko tries. The circle turns their attention to him.
"Oh?" Hakoda prompts, trying to gain some sanity and balance back into the room.
"Yeah, he, he's really brave, and strong. He took care of the tribe for years. And he's nice. And smart. Really smart." Zuko picks up speed as he starts listing Sokka's good qualities, earnest in his opinion. He misses how Sokka is looking at him, keeping his attention on the two older men in the room.
"And he's a good tracker and hunter. And he's getting better at using his sword. I've been helping him! Nearly every day. He can wield his sword pretty good now."
And just like that, the mood shifts again. Zuko blinks in confusion as Hakoda groans again and Aang starts laughing. Katara has a slight flush to her face and Bato's eyes have darkened, looking at Zuko very seriously.
"Uh, did I say something wrong?" Zuko turns to Sokka for confirmation, who has turned a few shades darker. Sokka averts his eyes quickly.
"So, Sokka's gotten better with his sword?" Snickers Aang.
"Well, yeah. I mean, I still end up pinning him every time, but it takes longer now." Zuko tilts his head, more confused, when Aang guffaws louder.
"Well, it's good to know Sokka's not easy," Aang teases as he wipes some tears of laughter away. Hakoda is rubbing his face briskly with both hands.
"Well, at first he was, but we've been working on his stamina-,"
"Zuko," Bato starts, still looking very seriously at the male omega, "you are not to let Sokka's sword anywhere near you. You are my innocent boy."
"Uh, we were planning to spar with the sword tomorrow-,"
"To bed with you! Both of you! Hakoda, I'm staying here tonight."
"By spirits damnation you will-,"
"Tut tut! Gotta protect my boy! I've let him live under your roof as it is!"
"My room's already crowded with Aang in there now."
"Not to worry, as I am standing guard out in the commons."
Hakoda may have let out just the smallest of indignant cries.
Luckily, Bato only spends the one night. Something about Miko dropping a dead gopher mouse in his open mouth in his sleep.