Ahhhh a new fic, and I havent even finished my last one...
But I just had to write this. Its so much fun.
It was going to be a one shot but now its too long and involved so, yeah heres a new fic.
Hope you like!
Anyway, its not meant to be a long dragged out fic, so it may all seem a bit fast, but, meh, whatever.

"If you poke me one more time with that stick, Sokka, I'll…"

"You'll what? Jerk bend at me?"

"Urg…"Zuko let out a frustrated grunt and rubbed his temples. "Sokka, you're not making this any easier…"

"Yeah, well, you're on our side now, so whether you like it or not, you'll just have to learn to live with me."

Or I could kill you in your sleep… Zuko thought to himself.

It had only been half a day since the others had left to get food. Katara had said they would be gone three days at least, and it had been decided that, being an exiled prince, number two (second to Aang) of the Fire Lord's 'must capture' list, Zuko should stay behind.

Not that he had much choice.

And Katara being Katara, did not want to leave him alone. Not wanting to send Aang, Toph and Sokka to go shopping for fear of them buying majic beans instead of food, the young water bender told Sokka to stay behind with the Fire Nation prince.
(earlier)

"I want you to stay and keep an eye on him."

"Aww, Katara. I wanted to come so I could…"

"Sokka! It doesn't matter what you want. I don't trust Zuko as far as I could throw him. What if he sets traps for us? What if he runs to tell the Fire Lord where we are? What if he steals our stuff?" Katara put her hands on her hips.

"Steals our stuff? Steals our stuff? Katara, what stuff? Some dirty rice bowls and some firewood?" Sokka gave his sister and exasperated look.

"Yes! No, I mean… That's not what I meant…Look, just stay here and keep him out of trouble." She emphasized her point by jabbing her finger in the direction of the sleeping teen.

"Katara…" Sokka sighed, "Aang trusts Zuko. Maybe you should, too?" He looked away at Katara's murderous expression.

"Sokka! I can't believe you! You're standing up for him now, too? Even after what he's done to us?" Katara was fuming.

"Katara, I'm just saying, that, well, maybe…"

"Maybe what, Sokka? Maybe he didn't mean to send an assassin after us? Maybe he didn't mean to attack our village? Maybe it was some other Fire Prince who chased us around the world, trying to capture Aang?" Katara crossed her arms angrily.

"He did say he was sorry for all that…" Sokka tried to reason with her.

"He's sorry? I'm sorry! Sorry that my own brother trusts the stupid Fire Prince more than his own sister!" And with that, Katara stormed over to where Aang and Toph sat talking, "We're leaving. Now."

"What? Now?" Aang looked confused.

"Yes. Now." Was all she said before grabbing both their hands and marching off in the direction of the village. She turned back and shouted to Sokka, "And we are going to the hot springs. Aang and I need to practice some bending. So we'll be back in two or three days."

Sokka opened his mouth to protest and say he wanted to go to the hot springs too, but decided against it. Maybe some time alone with Aang and Toph would do her good. Plus, two whole days with out girls around meant he could let loose. He could fart when ever he wanted!

Oh… but two days alone with Zuko… This was going to be weird…

From his spot next to the fire, Zuko opened his unscared eye and considered the other teen. Having heard the entire argument between the siblings, he wondered why Sokka would defend him. Not that he cared. Quite the opposite, in fact. Any help in getting the Ice Queen, as he had dubbed Katara, off his back was welcome.

Sokka made a frustrated sound and turned back torads the fire.Zuko quickly closed his eye and pretended to sleep.

Slumping down onto his own sleeping mat, he looked over at Zuko. "You're still asleep and yet you're already causing problems…" Sokka mumbled more to himself than to Zuko. But Zuko heard.

He didn't want to be a problem to the group and he did appreciate the fact that the boomerang-throwing goofball had defended him, but whatever he thought he should say to the other teenager could wait a few more hours. It was entirely too early for conversations, especially ones of the emotional kind. So he rolled away from the fire and promptly fell into a light sleep.

Sokka sat for almost two hours, just watching the fire and his sleeping companion. Getting bored, Sokka grabbed a stick from the firewood pile and, leaning over, gently poked Zuko in the back of the head with it.

"Hey, Zuko… you awake?"

"No." Came the muffled response.

"Oh... ok. Hey wait a minute… If you're not awake, then how come you answered?" He gave the sleeping teen a suspicious look.

When Zuko didn't answer, Sokka jabbed him in the ribs. Zuko jerked up and glared at Sokka.

"You're on our side now, Zuky, Your 'Evil-Fire-Bender-Stare-Of-Death' doesn't work on me anymore." The water tribesman grinned and poked the stick into Zuko's shoulder.

"If you poke me one more time with that stick, Sokka, I'll…"

"You'll what? Jerk bend at me?"

"Urg…Sokka, you're not making this any easier…"

"Yeah, well, you're on our side now, so whether you like it or not, you'll just have to learn to live with me."

"And do not call me 'Zuky'." Zuko sat up, ran a hand though his hair and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Why not? It's cute." Sokka said matter-of-factly.

"I am not 'cute'." Zuko grumped.

Sokka blushed. "I never said you were cute. I said the name was cute." He replied defensivly.

"Whatever." Zuko said nonchalantly as he grabbed Sokka's stick, snapped it in half and threw it on the fire.

"Party pooper." Sokka sulked.

"Yeah, well I have a reputation to live up to." Zuko sat cross legged in front of the fire. Reaching out, he scooped a small flame out from the fire and twirled it though his fingers. After a moment, he realized that Sokka was staring at him.

"What?" He asked, suspicious of the other teen's attention.

"Nothing…" Sokka replied and looked back to the fire.

"Whatever." Zuko focused his attention back on the flame in his hand. After another minute of staring at the fire in silence, Sokka chanced a glance back at the Zuko.

The fire bender was still spinning the small fire around his fingers when he noticed Sokka staring again.

"Geez! What are you staring at?" Zuko snapped.

"Nothing!" Sokka tried again, but Zuko raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him. "I just…" The water tribesman coughed to cover his words. "It's cool…"

"What?" Zuko had heard what the other teen had said but found Sokka's embarrassment at complimenting him amusing.

"I said 'it's cool'." Sokka sighed in defeat.

"What's cool?" Zuko asked, feigning ignorance.

"Your fire bending. It's cool."

"Zuko smirked. "Cool is hardly the word to describe someone's fire bending, Sokka…"
Sokka huffed, "You know what I mean."

"Yeah." Zuko looked back at the small heat in his hand and closed his fist around it, putting it out in a puff of smoke. "Thanks."

Sokka looked awkward and turned back to the main fire, "Don't mention it…"

"No. Seriously. Thank you for everything." Zuko said, looking intently at Sokka.

"Everything? What everything?"

"Letting me join your group. Giving me the time of day." He paused and considered whether he should continue. "And thanks for standing up for me to Katara."

"Well, everyone deserves a second chance… Wait, you were listening then? I thought you were asleep!" Sokka turned now and met Zuko's eyes accusingly.

"Well you two were going at it like a pair of frog monkeys. It was hard not to hear. But, yes. I was listening. Sorry…"

"Whatever, don't be. I meant what I said."

Zuko just nodded.

The two teens sat in silence for a while, both deep in their own thoughts when Sokka's stomach let off a hungry growl.

"I guess its time we found some breakfast." Zuko offered, ignoring Sokka's embarrassed look.

"Yeah…But Im so sick of rice…"

"There has to be some eggs in the forest somewhere."

Sokka nodded enthusiastically and while Zuko changed from his bed clothes and put on his boots, he strapped his boomerang on. When Zuko noticed it, he smiled and said, "Going to boomerang the eggs?"

"Cant be too careful… Plus we might find a bear pig for some bacon!"

Zuko rolled his eyes but kept smiling at the other teen. He noted that Sokka seemed to have a pessimistic view on everything.

"Right! Let's hunt some eggs!" Sokka announced and started in the direction of the forest, followed by Zuko who was shaking his head at the antics of the other teen.

"Awww, Zuko, We've been out here for ages. Let's just go back and have rice.." Sokka complained as he squatted down to rest.

Zuko was about to voice his agreement when bush nearby russled followed by a snort-growl.

Sokka lept up, motioning for Zuko to be quiet. Zuko nodded and moved into a fire bending stance. Sokka shook his head at the other teen and held up his boomerang.

Zuko nodded in agreement and relaxed his pose. Sokka then started to mime at the fire bending teen. What he was trying to get across to Zuko was that he should send a jet of fire into the bush to frighten the animal out, and even though Zuko got the message, it still looked like Sokka was doing some kind of crazy dance. The Fire Nation teen couldn't help the smile that spred over his face at the other boy's behavior.

Sokka, thinking Zuko dwasn't getting what he was trying to say, tried again to mime it.

"Ok!" The Fire Nation teen mouthed as the other boy began his third rendition. Zukko held up three fingers and counted down. When he reached one, he sent a blast of fire into the bushes, sending the bear pig into a panic as it ran out, straight towards Sokka.

Quick as lightning, Sokka let loose his boomerang. It sconned the animal right in the head knocking it out.

Sokka let out an excited woop and leapt into the air; jumping towards his new found hunting partner, he glomped the fire nation teen.

Zuko stiffened immediately. He was not used to affection, especially not from Water Tribe people, especially not from a Water Tribe male.

Not returning Sokka's hug Zuko said, "We need to bleed it before it wakes up."

Sokka looked a little dejected at the Fire Nation prince's failure to return his excitement, "Right…" He said solomly, letting go of the rigid man in his grasp and skulking over to the still animal.

With his sword in one hand, he lifted the animal up and cut its throat. Unfortunatly for Sokka, it bled more than he thought it would. His shirt and pants were now covered in blood.

"Bugger. I just washed these." Sokka pulled a face at his soiled clothes.

"I'll take the bear pig back to camp. You go down to the river and wash your clothes before it stains." Zuko suggested. Sokka gave him a suspicios look. "I promise I'll come down to the river when I'm done... So you can keep an eye on me." He offered.

"Ok." Sokka agreed and passed the animal to Zuko, now hardly bleeding at all.

As he reached the river, Sokka took of his shoes and waded in up to his thighs. The water was cool but not cold.

Why Katara has to practice at the hot springs and not here makes me wonder sometimes… He thought in passing as he took off his bloody shirt and began to scrub it. Red is not the best colour on blue… He scowled at the stain.

Sokka was still scrubbing at his shirt when Zuko arrived at the river bank with two sets of dry clothes in his arms. He hadn't announced his arrival to the bathing water teen and decided to just observe instead.

He watched as Sokka scrubbed his shirt, then wring it out and fling it over his shoulder; he watched as Sokka took his pants off, leaving him wearing only small light blue undershorts.

Zuko noted to himself that even though the other teenager seemed scrawny, he was in fact well toned. The muscles on his back moved effortlessly as he scrubbed hard at his stained pants. Zuko bit his bottom lip and narrowed his eyes at his companion, who was still blissfully unaware that he was being watched. Zuko's mind started to drift to places it hadn't been in a while…

The Water Tribe teen had always intrigued Zuko. He was the only one among the group who could not bend, he had to rely on brains and brawn alone. Zuko wasn't too sure on the brains part, but the mostly naked teen before him definitely had brawn.

While Zuko had been lost in his thoughts about the Water Tribe man before him, he hadn't noticed that Sokka had turned around and noticed his presence.

"Draw a picture, it'll last longer…" Sokka said sarcastically, pulling a surprised Zuko from his thoughts.

The Fire teen quickly composed himself, scoffed and dumped the clothes on the cry bank. Picking up a faily big rock, he blasted it out into the river where it landed right in front of the other teen, covering him in its splash. Zuko laughed.

With narrow, angry eyes, Sokka grabbed his now wet again shirt and lobbed it at Zuko, hitting him square in the face.

Zuko, now wet and angry himself, launched himself into the river at Sokka, who was crying with laughter.

The two young men wrestled together above the water, trying to push the other into the river. While it was more a play fight than a serious fight, neither man wanted to be the first to end up in the drink.

Finally they both fell sideways, pushing each other down so as to be the first to surface. Running out of air, both Sokka and Zuko broke the surface and gasped. Breathing heavily, they stared at eachother for a moment.

Then Sokka grabbed the Fire Nation teen's wet shirt roughly and pulled him forwards, pressing his lips against Zuko's.

Neither teen moved. The kiss was sudden and even Sokka wasn't sure why he had done it. Their bodies didn't move, their lips didn't move, their tongues didn't move, but as Zuko stared at Sokka's closed eyes, he realized he didn't entirely not like the feel of Sokka cool body pressed against his.

Needing air, Sokka pulled away. He opened his eyes to see Zuko's emotionless face. Not realizing he still had a firm grasp on Zuko's shirt, he looked away from the Fire teen's blank yet somewhat questioning gaze.

"Sorry... I don't know why I did that."

Zuko blinked, "Whatever. It wasn't that bad." He replied.

Sokka's face snapped back to see Zuko smiling at him. The water teen gave a sheepish smile back and blushed.

Placing his hands over Sokka's, which were still entwined in his shirt, Zuko stepped forward and leaned in.

This time the kiss was a lot more enthusiastic. Tongues worked against each other, teeth clicked and both boys pressed into each other, trying to get more contact.

They broke apart again and looked at one another hungrily. Neither knew what the hell was going on but both knew it felt right, and damn it felt good.

Zuko let go of Sokka's hands and grabbed his hips, pulling the other teen forward. Sokka finally let go of Zuko's shirt and ran his hands up under the material , coming to rest on the fire teen's warm chest.

Zuko pulled the other teen hard against him and felt Sokka's hardening erection press into his. He wasn't exactly sure what giving the other teen an erection meant, or how far this was going to go, but when Sokka ran a timid thumb over his nipple and he felt his own cock twitch with a need that mirrored the Water Tribe teen's, he knew he didn't care what it meant.

Zuko leaned in and kissed Sokka again. Sokka decided that it was totally unfair that Zuko was much more dressed than he was and moved to take off the fire teen's shirt.

They had to break the kiss to get Zuko's shirt over his head and, once Sokka had thrown the offending material at the riverbank, Zuko lent in and sucked at Sokka's neck. Sokka stifled a moan as, biting and sucking, the exiled Prince made his way up to the water teen's ear.

"Sokka…" He breathed huskily into the other man's ear, "What are we doing?" He asked as Sokka's hands made their way down and began working on Zuko's belt and pants.

"I don't know…" He answered as he finally got his companion's belt and pants undone. But Zuko grabbed one of his hands.

"Sokka. I'm not wearing any undershorts…" The Fire teen warned, and continued to kiss at Sokka's neck.

"Good." Was all Sokka could manage to get out before he pushed Zuko's pants down.