Work Text:
"Your elbow is sagging again. Pay attention."
Sokka huffs but adjusts his posture as he swings.
Zuko grunts as he deflects Sokka's attack, then paces back into a defensive position.
"Better." Zuko comments, "Remember, any little defect in your stance can affect your entire follow through. If you need to go slower, tell me. A quality in a strike is more important than the quantity."
Sokka nodded, "Makes sense. Let me try one more time and then we can take a break."
Zuko nodded back, "Okay. Come at me."
Sokka has known Zuko for a decent amount of time now. He first met him when Aang invited him to join their group for lunch while on campus. He was awkward, but with Aang as a buffer, the time didn’t pass by too painfully. He continued to be awkward the more time they spent together, but everyone soon found it endearing and learned when to step in to help Zuko navigate life in school.
While Zuko spent a good amount of time with them on campus, he usually spent time with only Aang outside of school as far as Sokka knew. So while Sokka had known Zuko for about a year now, this routine of meeting outside of school to practice with swords was new.
It started when the gang of them were wandering around the university's annual fair. They were having a fun time; playing games, going on rides, and eating greasy, deep-fried foods. Zuko spent a good part of the day taking pictures and selfies. When Aang asked, he told everyone that he was sending them to his boyfriend who was too busy with work to come visit the fair himself.
It was when they were passing a stall run by one of the sports clubs that Sokka learned a bit more about their new friend.
“Step on up! Try your hand at this test of strength!” One of the volunteers cheered, “Ring the bell and win a prize!”
Sokka had been intrigued, and the group followed him as he walked closer to see the challenge.
“Just ringing the bell?” He asked.
The volunteer turned to him with a smile, gesturing to the classic set up of a hammer and bell.
“Yes, sir. We have a ten pound weight here. Send it up all twenty feet to ring the bell and choose a prize. We have some easier goals for other prizes as well to keep things fair.” The volunteer reassured.
“What kind of prizes do you have?” Zuko asked, walking up beside Sokka.
The worker gestured to the board propped behind them, “Fulfill the challenge and you can choose between a few gift cards loaded at two hundred dollars or two tickets for VIP seats to Ba Sing Se’s orchestra concert."
Zuko perked at the mention of the tickets and stepped forward.
“I’ll give it a try. My boyfriend would love to see that concert.”
“How romantic,” Sokka crooned, “Going to win your man a date, Zuko?”
Zuko huffed and shoved his jacket into Sokka’s arms and Sokka obligingly took it with a laugh.
Aang gave a cheer behind them, “Yeah! You got this Zuko!”
Zuko gave them a smile and took the large rubber mallet from one of the staff members helping with the booth.
He took a moment to weigh the hammer in his hands before stepping up to the strike pad. Sokka watched him shift his weight before bringing the hammer back. With a deep controlled breath, Zuko braced himself before swinging the mallet down with a sharp exhale. The weight shot up like a rocket and Sokka and his friends cheered as the silver bell rang.
The volunteer clapped and stepped forward to collect the mallet, “That was cool! You’re the first person to get to the bell actually!”
Zuko seemed to be floundering at the praise, so Sokka came up to help him out. He slung an arm around his shoulder and cheered, “Hell yeah! Now you can woo your man!”
"Don't say it like that!" Zuko scoffed, but he gave Sokka a thankful smile.
Though even with Sokka’s help, this didn’t stop Zuko from retreating as fast as he could as soon as he was handed the envelope with his well earned tickets.
Sokka gave his hand a try at the game and only made it halfway. He received a book of coupons for his troubles before they left.
“Hey, Zuko, how were you able to hit that thing so hard?” Sokka asked as their group made their way towards the craft tables.
Zuko was on his phone again, probably texting that boyfriend of his to tell him about his prize. He gave a hum of acknowledgement before slipping his phone away to give Sokka his full attention.
“I started working out when I started taking classes. I’ve also been sword fighting again. I used to do it a lot as a kid, and my boyfriend competes, so he’s been helping me pick it up again.” Zuko explained.
“That- That’s cool as fuck!”
That’s where Sokka started begging to be taught. It took some convincing and Aang’s baby faced pouting, but Zuko soon caved and they planned out a practice schedule.
Which brings them to the present, three months later, with Zuko kicking Sokka’s ass.
With a grunt, Sokka lands on his back with his sword scattering away from his grip. Zuko sheathed his own dao and reached a hand out to help Sokka stand, which he readily accepted.
“Thanks man.” Sokka said, walking over to retrieve his sword and properly handled it to carefully prop it up against the wall.
“You’re getting better.” Zuko commented as he offered a water bottle.
Sokka gladly took the cool, sweating bottle and started chugging, “Thanks,” he gasped after taking his drink, “I feel like I still need to work on my foot work though.
Zuko took some time to take his own drink, “Your movement is fine,” Zuko reassured, “It’s the directions you choose that’s the problem, but we’d have to work on predicting your opponents to get more into that.”
Sokka nodded and the two fell into a comfortable silence as they cooled down.
However, their break was rudely interrupted when Aang burst into the room with way too much pep for what Sokka knew was his leg day routine.
(Sokka and Zuko tried to join him one time. They ended up skipping class the next day.)
“Hey, guys! Wow, I keep forgetting how big this room is!” Aang exclaimed, bounding around the room before joining them by the bench. Sokka nodded and continued drinking his water as Aang and Zuko chatted.
“Oh, by the way! I passed someone on my way here.” Aang grinned, elbowing Zuko in the side, “He told me he would stop by once he took care of some business upstairs.”
Zuko blinked in surprise, but soon began smiling.
“I didn’t know he’d be here! He’s usually stuck in the office around this time.”
“Who?” Sokka asked as he placed his water bottle on the bench.
Zuko’s smile grew wider, “My boyfriend.”
“Oooh! I finally get to meet the love of your life!?” Sokka crowed.
Zuko blanched, “Why would you say it like that?”
Sokka grinned, “That wasn’t denial.”
Even though Zuko’s punches would probably leave bruises along his arm, Sokka couldn’t regret teasing his friend when he made such hilarious faces.
“There you are, sweetheart.”
Sokka jumped at the sudden voice and turned to see an older man enter the room and walk straight to Zuko without giving even a passing glance to him or Aang. And if Sokka jumped in surprise at this man entering the room, he is absolutely floored when the man takes Zuko by the chin to place what looks like the most chaste yet possessive kiss that Sokka has ever witnessed.
A kiss.
From this man.
This man that is definitely older than Zuko.
Definitely older by a lot.
“What the fuck.” Sokka whispered as he watched Zuko be released but stay within the man’s bubble.
“That’s Piandao,” Aang explained as the two lovers interacted within their own little world, “Zuko says they’ve been dating for a few years now.”
“Aang, that guy looks older than my dad- why are you not freaking out about this!” Sokka whisper-shouted, gesturing to the, admittedly, ooey-gooey scene in front of them.
Instead of realizing the problematic situation that Zuko was obviously in, Aang just raised a brow to stare at Sokka with confusion.
“I’ve hung out with them a few times now. They really like each other. And Zuko explained his situation to me, so I understand how they got together. It’s kind of a funny story, now that Zuko’s in a better place.”
“So you admit that there are unhealthy power dynamics here!” Sokka accused.
Aang shrugged, “I didn’t say that, and that’s not what’s happening. But I also don’t see an issue with uncommon relationships like other people do. If the both of them are consenting and happy, what’s the issue?”
Sokka was about to tell Aang exactly what the issues were but stalled when he heard laughter. He looked back over to the couple and found Piandao holding Zuko up by the arms to keep him from falling over laughing. Sokka could do nothing but stare as he witnessed his surly, awkward friend laugh whole-heartedly for the first time since knowing him. It was kind of amazing.
Sokka looked from Zuko wiping tears from his eyes to the older man smirking down at him and let himself think over Aang’s words.
He gave a sigh and looked over to a smug Aang.
“Shut up. As long as they’re happy right?” Sokka said. Aang nodded with his annoying face. Stupid monks and their accepting philosophies.
“Hey, Zuko! What am I, chopped liver? Are you going to introduce me to the love of your life or not?” Sokka asked loudly.
Sokka reveled in Zuko’s embarrassed squawk and reddening face as Piandao smirked.
“Stop saying it like that!” Zuko shouted, and Piandao laughed.
“Still not denial!” Sokka shot back.