#sukiluvvs

"Sokka!"

Sokka wakes up gasping, feeling like the smoke that was suffocating him in his dreams has followed him until he's able to register where he is.

He sits up in bed, taking a few deep breaths and avoiding eye contact with Zuko, who had woken him up. "Sorry," he says, his throat still tight, and his voice cracks. "Bad dream."

Zuko shuffles closer, laying a hesitant hand on Sokka's back, and the warm skin-to-skin contact is soothing. He focuses on it as he keeps breathing, and eventually Zuko says, "You have nothing to apologize for. Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now," Sokka sighs, the flashes of Toph's scared face still there even as he presses the heels of his hand into his eyes, trying to ignore the pain in his leg that he felt in the dream and is seeping into reality. "Can we talk about something else? Anything."

He finally looks at Zuko, who looks concerned, but smiles when they make eye contact. They lie back down, on their sides so they are facing each other, hardly any space between them. Zuko starts talking, at first clearly grasping to find something specific to talk about until he remembers a story that he forgot to tell him. Sokka listens intently, occasionally reacting to the story, and as it ends he watches fondly as Zuko's blinks get heavier and heavier.

"Thank you. Get some sleep," Sokka whispers, moving forward to kiss his forehead.

"What about you?" Zuko mutters.

"I'm better now. Promise," Sokka says.

"Wake me up if you need me?" Zuko asks, eyes closing.

"Of course." He settles into the sheets, smiling as he continues watching Zuko's peaceful face.

"C'mere," Zuko says, hands reaching out blindly for Sokka to get closer, and Sokka's smile widens as he complies, then rolls onto his other side when he realizes what Zuko really wants. Zuko wraps his arms around Sokka from behind, hugging Sokka's back against his chest, holding him firmly.

I cannot go to the ocean I cannot drive the streets at night I cannot wake up in the morning Without you on my mind So you're gone and I'm haunted And I'll bet you are just fine Did I make it that easy To walk right in and out of my life?