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It starts with a bunch of flowers outside his door. They are red and large and… Sokka doesn’t know much about flowers. In his defence, the South Pole is not exactly know for its abundant flora - he can name all the edible types of seaweed and the best way to prepare them, the ones that make better fuel once dried- but flowers are outside his expertise.
Still they look nice, and he thinks they settle well on the short table in the centre of his room. And it finally gives him a use for the ornate pot in the corner that was probably fired by some historic potter or sneezed on by a famous general.
Sokka’s covering some official business while visiting Zuko, mostly the more technical aspects of trade as opposed to the larger overhanging tariffs, water boarders and merchant rights that are being settled by the higher ups. But he got a nifty title ‘Assistant South Pole Trade Minister’s Convoy to the Fire nation’, so saying it out loud its not that impressive and he's technically only filling in while someone's on paternity leave. Still, his work is important to prevent areas being deprived by lack of trade routes or land becoming unaffordable to local people, who don’t have existing infrastructure for a deep sea port without funding to assist- as he keeps telling Minister Lu! Anyway, point is he’s kept reasonable busy and, more importantly gets to catch up with Zuko in his down time.
They’ve been out of topics worth talking about for weeks but Sokka doesn’t think he could get bored of Zuko’s company even if he wanted to. There's something about his smile, the way his posture finally relaxes when it’s just them and he can be Zuko and not the Fire Lord. But they're both caught up with each others lives now. Which is why it really doesn’t take long for Sokka to land on the flowers, when circling his mind for something new to bring up. He mentions it was nice of someone to drop them off for him, assuming -using his amazing deduction skills- that it was one of the staff. And since no one was around to thank he thanks Zuko, who, presumably had them dropped off.
“What kind of flowers were they?” Zuko asks him, and Sokka can practically see the cogs starting to whirl in the back of his head.
“I dunno,” Sokka squints a little, “...Red?”
Zuko’s face pinches in response. He inhales and looks Sokka in the eye.
“Just… Red?”
“Oh,” Sokka pauses, face lighting up. “And they were big, with yellow bits in the middle.” Sokka finished looking proud.
Zuko pales slightly, before stitching on a neutral expression. Zuko gets up quickly and walks over to one of his book cases, scanning the rows of well worn plays and poetry till he pulled out something. He returns to his seat, still not looking back at Sokka, he opens it and flicks through till he finds the page he's been looking for, placing it on the low table between them and spinning round it so Sokka could look.
“One like this?” He asks Sokka. In front of him is an illustrated picture of the red flowers from that morning- Fire Lilies as the page title announces- Zuko swipes it back before he can read further.
“Yeah those ones. Did you give them out to the ambassadors or something?”
“No! Sokka do you even know what those mean?" Zuko asks.
“I know flowers can be a gift.” His face lights up, “Oh! And you can give them to girls sometimes."
“Fire Lilies are what you send someone when you want to you know, ask them out." Zuko whispers the last past. "It's a traditional way to announce you want to court someone in the Fire Nation. I mean they aren't always used that intensely these days, but yeah..." Zuko trails off awkwardly.
"Oh."
"Was there a note with them?"
"I mean I didn't see one, but we can go have a look if you want." Sokka offers.
"Well, lets go then!" Zuko urges.
They walk a few metres down the arching hallway, back to Sokka’s room (it’s not with the cluster of other ambassadors and various officials at the other end of the palace, instead it’s in the wider part of Zuko’s quarters, but Sokka puts this down to the temporary nature of his position).
“Was there a note on the flowers or…” Zuko trails off, eyes caught on the large piece of cream card, abandoned on the threshold to Sokka's room beside a scattering of red petals. The card is folded once sharply so it’s the shape of an upside down ‘V’ with neat calligraphy spilling down its side. He grabs it quickly, holding it out to Sokka, who takes it, flushing slightly in embarrassment.
“Sokka how did you miss that?” Zuko questioned.
“In my defence the bouquet was huge! And, I was way more focused on setting it up quickly, so I could get to my morning meeting on time.” Sokka replies as he pulls opens one of the ornate doors, revealing the flowers, displayed on his table.
“That meeting was at two in the afternoon.” Zuko deadpans, following him into the room.
“I’m a late riser.” Sokka responds in a tone that tells Zuko he thinks this a perfectly reasonable explanation for rushing in a quarter of an hour late to the occasional meeting.
Zuko cannot help when his mind brings him back to the meeting Sokka called a month and bit back, which Sokka then slept through because he fell back asleep after Zuko woke him up half an hour before. Leaving all the delegates he'd called sitting in awkward silence. The thought leaves the corner of his mouth upturned in a slight smile.
“What’s got you in such a good mood, your Royal Royalness?” Sokka mocks sitting down, legs crossed roughly to read the note.
“Nothing," Zuko replies, Sokka only hums in response. Zuko folds his legs beneath him as Sokka settles to read it, eyes quickly scanning through the text.
“Do you know a Mayor Fang?” He asks after a moment.
“Yes, she holds an important role in one of the major Earth nation cities. She’s been an elected official for several years, one of the youngest in history. She’s here to try and implement some new educational exchanges.” Zuko recites from some preparatory research or briefing, that has clearly been swimming in the recesses his brain.
“Cool.” Sokka responds, clearly only half listening to Zuko’s explanation. “Well, she’s invited me out on a date.” He announces, looking over at Zuko expectantly.
“Oh.” Is all Zuko could bring himself to respond, mouth suddenly, uncomfortably dry.
“Well,” Sokka prods, “Do you think I should... go?” Face looking a little too expectant for Zuko’s nerves.
“You should…” Zuko pauses, considering what to say, there is a large welling part that of himself that wants to demand Sokka stay. which is ridiculous.
He’s gotten better at thinking on his feet, but there’s something about Sokka’s gaze that turns his thoughts badger-bee honey slow, “Do what you want to.” He finishes weakly, it feels like the kind of thing Uncle would say better.
'You must consider your desires divorced from unwise council or your heart will mislead you.' yeah, that would sound better.
“Thanks,” Sokka tells him, one eyebrow raised, pulling Zuko out of his thoughts and sub-par Uncle impression, “I guess I’ll go then since I have no reason not to.”
"Yep." Zuko agrees and tries not to let it sound strained.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The night after Sokka’s date, Zuko pours tea for them, focusing on it with more intention than he ever had before. Neither had spoken yet.
“So? How was it?” Zuko eventually croaks out, tightly clutching a teacup that has started steaming noticeably more than Sokka’s.
“The date?” Sokka checks, as if it could be about anything else, “It was pretty clear after, like ten minutes there was nothing between us. She’s cool though-“ the rest became fizz in Zuko’s ears as something uncannily close to relief bubbled within his chest.
“Anyway, by the end of the night we’d both had a little too much saké, so there I was acting as wingman while she tried to hit up this hot guy sat at the bar. Turns out, he’s deaf so this whole time she’s flirting and chatting him up, he didn’t even know! But they started writing each other notes so who knows? I was already packing up to leave by then.” Sokka finishes with a shrug.
Zuko looks at him with blinding bewilderment.
“Hey, they were talking! Well writing- whatever - my job as a wingman was done.” He finished crossing his arms in front of his chest.
“No that’s not-“ Zuko scrubs a hand over his good eye, before giving up on whatever defence he’s about to make, Sokka will probably have already pounced on another topic before he could even formulate the words he wants to say.
Their normal rhythm resumes, conversation flowing smoothly, it’s not till later that evening, when Zuko’s looking up at the enormous canopy instead of sleeping that his thoughts snag. Because there is a reason he’s so invested in Sokka’s love life. And Zuko knows it. Zuko knows he's in love with Sokka. He just has no idea what to do with this realisation.
Until, he does.
So Zuko does what he has done since his coronation. He researches till he knows the best angle to attack this issue from, sure this is his love life not political negotiations, but why differ from a winning formula.
He creeps out of bed, lights a warm, orange flame, cupping it in his left palm as he stalks down the bookcase, selecting the most romantic plays that collect in his mind. Having amassed the pile, he moves to his desk, lights a lamp and gets to work writing notes.
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“There’s a ball happening next Friday-“ Zuko brings up trying to appear casual, because generally speaking, meeting someone at a ball is a done thing from his… ‘research’. He is also admittedly very tired from the night before. Which is why he's currently lying about a non-existent dance to Sokka.
“You need someone with superior fashion sense to help you pick an outfit? Don’t worry about it, I’ll clear my schedule. ” Sokka assured him.
“What- No. My clothes aren’t that bad- and anyway I barely get pick out any of them-“ Zuko splutters indignantly
“Hey, it’s okay I get it. It can be hard to admit you need help, Sokka tells him, clapping Zuko on the shoulder, “don’t worry I’ve got it covered.” Sokka assures him. “I’ll even come with you if you want company. Where is it?”
“No it’s here, I’m hosting it. There must have been a mix up with the invites which is why no one has gotten any yet.” This is a lie. There is still no ball. Zuko does not know why he has decided to double down on this.
“Right… I mean I don’t think I have any meeting or anything so I’ll definitely go. It’ll be fun.” Sokka finishes, smiling at Zuko, and for a moment Zuko feels as if he’s laying out in the sun, just basking. He then remembered that, in general, you are supposed to respond to things people say during conversations.
“Yeah,” Zuko coughs as his throat works against him, “fun.”
“Okay I’ll see you there I guess.” Sokka tells him, with a shrug
Zuko sees him out, gently shutting the door behind him, before sinking back against it. Great, now he has to plan a ball for next Friday.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Pretty Sauvé right?" Sokka gives a spin. His clothes are fire nation style silk but weaved in a deep blue with white accents.
“You look great.” Zuko tells him, and isn’t sure if the dusting blush on Sokka’s cheeks is imagined or not.
"You're looking pretty good too." Sokka tells him with an elbow nudge, moving to join him in front on the mirror.
Zuko disagrees, with all the official Fire Lord stuff he looks like his Father. More than normal. His expression wavers.
"Its no Fire Lilly, but I stole this from the garden for you." Sokka tells him and pins a yellow Ambrosia to Zuko's front. Part of it stings because he's sure Sokka doesn't know what it means, but the larger part of his heart swims. Because his father never pinned bright flowers to blood red robes. Zuko catches his expression in the mirror, smile matching Sokka's, his father never smiled like that either, it's like his mother’s smile.
But Zuko doesn't know how to say that so instead he tells Sokka:
"Don't let Gardener Ming catch you,"
"Hey we evaded you for years, I think I got it." Sokka tells him with a laugh, and Zuko lets out a spluttering indignant noise and shoves him out of the way, without any weight behind it.
The dance is nice, if a bit sparse (a week is not a lot of notice) but Zuko's Assistant was able to rustle up some nobles and most of the people currently staying at the palace. It’s the equinox in a few days and that seems as good of an excuse for a party as any. The music is well played and there’s a pleasant hum of chatter, but no one is dancing. The party is not the kind of thing you fall in love at, it’s the kind of place you network and organise your next political move. Zuko has decided to camp mournfully in the corner and talk to strangers till Sokka returns from stuffing his face at the refreshment table.
"You cannot mope here all night, it's a dance!"
"I can, it’s my party." The response sounds childish even as he says it. Sokka ignores him.
"Come on, lets show these guys how its done."
Sokka takes his hands and Zuko lets himself be pulled into a clear spot on the dance floor. Sokka keeps his grip and begins to spins him round. The world around them whirls and twists till all he can see is Sokka who is currently grinning like nothing could ever be wrong. When they stop Zuko feels dizzy, but Sokka's smiling and slinging an arm over his shoulder. It works too, people have started to join them from around the edges of the hall. The dance is a success. Just not for Zuko, who gets to watch as Sokka mingles easily into the crowd, dancing with one of the other Ambassadors and leaving Zuko to a friendly and fast approaching woman who politely asks him to dance. Zuko accepts and shuffles through the movements he only half remembers, till they part and she moves on to talk to someone else.
That night, Zuko looks at the list he made before, then firmly crosses out 'Ball' with his brush.
Abduction, already tried that for several years. Cross.
Curse, not real. Cross.
Dragon guarded tower. He doesn't think the sun warriors would be keen to lend him a dragon. Also where would he get a tower? Sleep deprived Zuko cannot be trusted to make lists. Cross.
Faking his own death. Convoluted and not particularly romantic, though with the ever higher mountain of paperwork it is a tempting option. Zuko runs a hand through his hair. Cross.
Mistaken identity. He's heard Sokka’s stories of Wang Fire, and it wouldn't be too hard to rustle up a fake beard, but his scar is pretty distinctive. Cross. The brush has started to scrape as the ink on it dries.
Love triangle seems hard to execute at best and like something he’d loose Sokka to at worst. Zuko re-dips the brush into ink. Cross.
Getting trapped together, that is maybe doable, but very tricky with a personal guard trailing him whenever he leaves his quarters.
The only thing left on the list is 'Bold declaration of love', Zuko circles and then crosses this option out too. He want's this to be a Zuko thing, not a Fire Lord Zuko thing. He's also not sure he has the nerve. Zuko sighs and drums his fingers against the parchment, covered in crosses. How was this a good idea? Half these plays ended in separation or death. Very romantic and bittersweet separation or death but still.
In the end he circles back to the start of this whole mess.
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The next morning (eleven, technically still morning) Sokka wakes up to a bouquet of Fire Lillies outside his door. This time he looks carefully for a note and finds it, written in Zuko's careful handwriting.
He makes his way to Zuko's room, where Zuko is sat staring into a cup of tea as if it will reveal all the Spirit's secrets and avoiding some paperwork.
"Yes I will go out with you, you complete idiot." Sokka announces.
"I'm the idiot?"
"Yep." Sokka pauses, and his expression becomes more affectionate. "My idiot." Then Zuko is abandoning the tea, standing up and closing the distance between them. His fingers find their way into Sokka's hair and Sokka's hands are on his neck and they finally kiss. It's warm and loving and everything Zuko's been trying to stop imagining for the last week.
"I love you." Zuko mutters into the narrow air between them, foreheads pressed together finally free to speak his feelings.
"I love you too." Sokka returns. Neither of them feeling the need to move from where they stood.