For Zutara Week 2016-Fever
Disclaimer:Not mine, not now not ever. Too bad.
Zuko didn't remember much about the past few days. He knew that he and Katara had traveled to the Fire Palace to fight with Azula. He knew that Azula was…off. He knew that she shot lighting at Katara and that he jumped in front of it. He knew that he should be dead.
But that was not the case. Katara must have healed him. He looked around the room. It was one of the bedrooms closest to the courtyard. Since it wasn't the infirmary the Fire Sages must not be happy with him. Or it could be that he was so close to death he couldn't be moved. From the pain in his belly that exploded whenever he moved or breathed, Zuko guessed it was the second one.
He tried to go over his memories. He remembered blue eyes and hands changing his bandages. He remembered someone crying and touching his face. He remembered talking. Was it him speaking? Yes, he thought so. Katara had her hair up and she was looking out the window. He called her beautiful and she tensed up. But he didn't stop talking, he told her how her felt. Oh spirits! He actually confessed to the Water Tribe girl. Zuko shot straight up wincing from the starburst on his middle. No wonder no one was in the room! Katara probably ran straight back to the South Pole. She would not want his love.
He had to get to her. He slowly moved his feet over the bed and tried to stand up. Tried. He ended up on all fours on the ground. He groaned and heard Toph yell. "Sparky's awake!"
Suddenly he heard a stampede of feet approaching. He looked up. Sokka was standing in the door way with his arms out blocking the whole gang.
"Nope! Me and Zuko here need to have a little chat. Man to Man."
"Sokka come on! You can barely walk with that leg. Let me help." Katara huffed, knocking into her brother's arm.
Sokka held tight. "Sorry Sis. Not this time."
"Sokka I swear I will-" Katara was cut off as Toph pulled her backwards.
"Sugar Queen you need to relax. These 'men' need to have this little chat. Let's go."
Sokka stayed in the doorway with his arms out until the yells of Katara and Toph couldn't be heard anyway. He narrowed his blue eyes at Zuko.
It was Suki who broke the silence. "Aang how able we go make sure that they don't kill each other. I'm sure these two cripples will be fine."
"Uh, sure Suki." And they left the boys staring at each other. Sokka's glare was like that time where they first met. Zuko would never admit it but it was unnerving.
It was Zuko who broke the staring contest first as he twisted himself around in order to pull himself back onto the bed. Sokka didn't help, he didn't even more. And for once he didn't even speak.
Minutes passed and the pain in Zuko's chest was growing. He wasn't sure if it hurt because of the lightning strike or Sokka's death glare.
Sokka slowly hopped to the chair by the window. Something about this struck Zuko as strangely familiar.
More staring.
More silence.
Minutes passed.
"I guessed you figured out that Katara healed you. But did you know that it was me who changed your bandages everyday while Katara healed the fighters. She made me do it because she did not trust anyone else. My leg may be broken but I was happy to help my little sister."
Zuko didn't like where this was going. The pit in his stomach grew heavier.
"My little sister who you kept calling out for. My little sister who cried over you when your fever was so high those first two days. My little sister who you apparently 'Love and cannot live without'. My little sister who I apparently look like from behind!"
"Oh." Was all Zuko said. That was all he could even think of. "oh"
Sokka smiled. "Oh. Yes. Dumbass. You confessed your undying love for me. Because you thought I was Katara."
"Shit."
Sokka smiled wider. "Yeah, that too. Take a breath though bro. Katara will kill me if you die before you tell her how you feel."
"Wait what? You're not going to suffocate me with my pillow or anything?"
"Hahaha no! You're going to be my brother- in-law soon!"
Zuko flopped down from his sitting position. "I thought you were going to hurt me, man. How do you even know Katara likes me?"
"Well first of all, I had to scare you. It's the sacred duty of every brother. Second, I know my sister. She's crazy for you. Also I had Toph do her 'reading people's heartrate and emotion through her feet thing'. And Suki knows because I told her. And she approves."
Zuko was overwhelmed. In the span of a week he fought an Agni Kai, been struck by lightning, been so fevered that he couldn't tell Sokka from Katara, and confessed his love for the wrong person.
Sokka hopped over to the bed and put his hand on Zuko's shoulder. "My brother, I hope you remember your incredible confession to me because I'm about to send Katara in."
"Shit."
"Maybe you increase the one word answers. Girls like that." Sokka laughed as he hopped out the room. Surprisingly, he was easily able to dodge the pillow Zuko sent after him.
I'm all over Sokka and Zuko being best bros. I love their friendship almost as much as I love Katara and Zuko. I hope they didn't seem too out of character!