Archive of Our Own

Days till Summer Solstice Celebration: 50

To the desk of Fire Lord Zuko.

I am writing to you, humbly, to personally thank you for repealing the laws against homosexuality and homosexual marriages in the Fire Nation.

Thanks to you, my son, an expertly trained and high ranking military official, can live freely as himself in his home land that he has fought bravely to defend in the years since you have taken the throne.

I can only ask, that maybe, you will consider giving him a chance amongst the many ladies who are wishing to court you.

- Commander Jiahao

"I think," Zuko paused, looking up from the letter he was holding to where Sokka was pacing across the floor of their room, his thumb still against the bottom of his lip as he looked up, "that repealing the law may have backfired."

"What? Why?" Sokka's hand dropped as he sat on the bed and took the letter from him without reading it, "is another kingdom mad at you for it? Because I will fight anyone about this, you know that-"

"Sokka, read the letter," Zuko cut him off, "please, just…read the letter."

Sokka raised an eyebrow, but turned his attention to the letter; Zuko couldn't stop himself from admiring his blue eyes as they drifted across the parchment, scanning the words and taking them in before letting the letter drop into his lap.

"See what I mean?" Zuko asked after a beat, reaching out to gently squeeze Sokka's bicep.

"Yeah," Sokka agreed, crumbling the letter and tossing it towards the wastebasket before leaning over, his hand gently caressing the right side of his face with a calloused thumb before pulling him in for a deep, long kiss that tasted like salt, the sea and the air of confidence that had found him ever since they had won their case six months before, "but that military guy can't have you. I was here first, you know."

Zuko couldn't help but smile, relieved as he pulled Sokka into another kiss, this one shorter so he could respond, "yeah, I have a pretty distinct memory of someone saying "hey, I'm your new ambassador for the Southern Water Tribe, so good luck kicking me out"."

"Oh please, like you didn't make me your head of trade operations as soon as my dad asked if he could give the job to Malina, just so I wouldn't leave the Fire Nation."

"What can I say?" Zuko found himself shrugging with faux innocence as his fingers traced up Sokka's sides to remove his night shirt, "I happen to like you enough to keep you around."

"Using me for my looks, Fire Lord?"

"Mmm…" Zuko trailed off as Sokka's lips went to his neck, using it as an opportunity to let his right hand tangle around his slowly growing hair, "among other things, yes."

"Well then," Sokka said, pulling away with his voice dropping low in the way that made Zuko shudder with excitement, "I should get to work."

Days until Summer Solstice Celebration: 49

"So is it just a Fire Nation ball?" Katara asked as she threw a couple of breadcrumbs to the turtleducks before her eyes met Zuko's.

She and Aang were in town for minor negotiations involving the budget plans to finish the restorations of the Air Temples, and to see Sokka, but they had carved out a whole weekend for a conversation that would only take a few hours, giving the four of them the chance to breathe for a few fleeting moments, something that was becoming more of a rarity as the years went on.

"The Summer Solstace celebration is going to open to all of the kingdoms," Zuko explained with the same tone he had used since he had found that the Fire Nation had finally rebuilt enough of the budget to bring back the week-long festivities, "it hasn't been that way since before Sozin, but I'm a lot more open to change."

As if on cue, Sokka returned from his mission to the kitchen, a small pouch of fire flakes in hand, and sat beside Zuko, their fingers intertwining subconsciously.

"And that includes the ball," Zuko resumed, returning his attention back to Katara, "I have a speech I have to give, but after that, there will be dancing and refreshments and plenty of nobility trying to find the best political marriage possible."

"You don't sound too happy about that last part."

"Well, to all of these noble folk and to the Sages," Zuko sighed, squeezing Sokka's hand as he spoke, "I still seem like I'm looking for a partner, so my night will be spent politely declining offers of marriage and dancing with everyone except…"

He didn't have to keep speaking, everyone knew exactly who he was talking about.

"So why don't you announce your relationship?" Aang suggested softly before quickly adding as Zuko's golden eyes met his gray ones, "if you two want to, obviously, but isn't that tradition? To announce exciting things about the Fire Nation during the celebration?"

Zuko paused, trying to process what that would be like, to finally be out in the nation he had personally toiled away at for days and nights to ensure safety, to finally be rid of marriage offers and letters and watching as nobility nodded sadly when he had to reject them.

"It's not the worst idea." Sokka supplied softly, gently running his hand up Zuko's bicep.

"I'll consider it," Zuko finally decided, knowing that it would be considered once Sokka and Zuko were locked in their room for the night and they could discuss all of the merits and disadvantages of making their relationship public, "but for now, I'm trying to figure out the best ways to hold the traditions of the Fire Nation sacred, while also trying not to scare off the other nobles and bringing in some multi-cultural aspects."

"And that's where we come in?"

"Hey, I thought you two came to see me!" Sokka gasped, his hand leaving Zuko's to place it over his heart.

"We're here all weekend, Sokka." Katara sighed, her eyes practically rolling out of her head as she splashed a small amount of water into her brother's face and a few droplets soaking into Zuko's clothes as well.

The bickering between the two siblings gave Aang the chance to stand up and approach Zuko before shaking his hand with a wide, sincere, troublemaking grin plastered on his face, "consider Katara and I your new party planners."

"It's not a party, it's a ball. A sophisticated, formal ball-"

"It's the same thing, right?"

Zuko took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to keep steam from escaping his ears before finally looking at Aang again, his tone deathly serious, "every idea you two come up with has to be run by me."

"Of course, Fire Lord Hotman."

Zuko didn't try and fight back the steam after that.

Days until Summer Solstice Celebration: 45

"Do you have to?"

Zuko sighed, turning around to face Sokka, who was still shirtless and in bed, as he put his hair up in the signature top knot, "yes, Sokka, I have to go to breakfast."

"But it's with that military commander's son."

"And you know that I'm going to listen to him before telling him…" Zuko trailed off, catching a flicker of something in Sokka's ocean blue eyes, "are you jealous?"

"What, no. I'm the catch here, not this high-ranking military guy," Sokka protested, getting out of bed and snatching the crown out of Zuko's hand before sliding it into the hair-tie which sent a flush right to Zuko's cheeks, "and even if I was jealous, you would have no idea."

"Ah, yes, because you are so good at hiding your emotions," Zuko clicked his tongue before pressing a kiss to Sokka's cheek, "look, between this breakfast thing and the celebration-"

"No, no, I know you're busy. I've got work to catch up on anyway," Sokka cut him off, gently gripping the front of his clothes before pulling him in so their lips collided, his fingers just above the starburst of a scar that decorated his chest and making all of the heat in the room rush right to Zuko's face, "blow them away."

"I always do."

And with that, Zuko made his way downstairs to the lavish dining room, forcing himself to take a deep breath and try not to think about Sokka's clear and raging jealously.

He stopped outside of the door, forcing himself to pull another breath into his lungs and pushing his feelings back to put on the diplomatic mask he had grown used to wearing in the past six years since being crowned Fire Lord.

He hated doing this to Sokka, to himself, pretending to take yet another courtship request seriously and only feeling numb when the person's face turned downward in sadness at his rejection.

But even if he and Sokka had gotten past the hurdle of their relationship being completely illegal, there was still the fact that he was Fire Nation royalty and Sokka was related to the current chief of the Southern Water tribe.

And if there was one thing Zuko had gotten good at since being Fire Lord, it was the ability to stall even when what he was stalling on was important to him.

He stretched his arms forward and opened the doors, taking in his guests as he sat down at the head of the table.

He had expected Tao to be standing behind his chair like always, and of course his guests, Commander Jiahao and his son, who already had a trail of red climbing up his neck, were already sitting at the table.

But the fourth guest, sitting on the other side of Commander Jiahao's son, was an unexpected addition; a woman, with distinct features and wearing a dress that looked like one that had belonged to his sister, was sitting at the table like she had been personally invited by Zuko himself.

"I don't believe we've met," Commander Jiahao supplied the words that were filling Zuko's head, as he looked back at Tao whose face was expressionless, meaning that he knew who was sitting at the table, "I'm Commander Jiahao."

"It's wonderful to meet you, sir," the woman, with a voice too high-pitched to be natural, said, "my name is Lihua, I'm the Fire Lord's cousin on his mother's side."

And that, that one sentence, made the realization click in Zuko's head, and he damn near had to bite his tongue in order not to call Sokka out in front of his esteemed guests.

'Not jealous, my ass.'

…

"What the hell, Sokka?!" Zuko shouted as he slammed their bedroom door shut, his fiery glare meeting Sokka's ocean blue eyes that were quickly filling with the same level of anger, "I had that handled!"

"Come on, I just saved your ass!"

"You did not! I can handle myself without you sauntering in, pretending to be some relative of mine, and making a fool out of my guests!"

"I just saved you from considering a courtship with a known gambler, you're welcome!"

"I was going to reject him, Sokka!" Zuko said, tearing the crown out of his hair and letting it crash to the floor, steam practically hissing out of his ears.

"Were you?! Because you seemed pretty damn enamored with his years of dedication to an army that wiped out thousands!"

"Take it back," Zuko demanded, lowering his tone without any of the anger escaping him, even as it swirled into hurt, "You know that's not true, and you don't even believe it yourself, you're just trying to make me feel worse than I already do. Take. It. Back."

It was as if the slow, stern punctuation was what snapped Sokka out of whatever was going on in his head, because his face melted back into the Sokka that Zuko had not only known, but loved, for the last eight years and his eyes went from angry to remorseful.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, sincerity bleeding from his lips, "that…that was too far. I was just trying to-"

"Look out for me?" Zuko offered, taking a step forward and resting his hand on Sokka's arm, "I appreciate it, but between Tao, the rest of my guards and myself, I'm pretty covered on that front."

"I know, and again, I am sorry. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it," Sokka apologized again, pulling Zuko into a tight hug, "let me make it up to you?"

Zuko paused for a moment, running his schedule in his head before meeting Sokka's eyes and pulling him in for a quick, fiery kiss, "yes, but if it's sex related, wait until after lunch. Planning stuff for the Solstace."

"Will do." Sokka agreed, getting a wicked grin on his face before pulling Zuko in for another, just as passionate, kiss, his hands instantly going to his hips in the way that always made Zuko flush bright red.

…

"I've been thinking," Sokka's words punctured the post sex afterglow, with a hand gently tangled in Zuko's hair as he rested his head on his bare chest, "about what Aang suggested."

"You cannot seriously think that letting a bunch of Valley Doves into the ballroom is a good-"

"Not that," Sokka shook his head, his hand still in Zuko's hair, "about announcing our relationship."

"Oh."

"Zuko, I know you're worried about the political climate, I am too," Sokka's assurance didn't do much to sooth his nerves as he pulled himself from the bed, his mind racing as he paced, "but I'm ready to take that step, together, whenever you are."

"It's not that," Zuko sighed, rubbing his face as he sat back down on the end of the bed, letting his face rest in his hands as the truth finally worked its way to the surface after years of lying in wait, "I don't want to tell the entire nation, the entire world, before I tell my uncle."

"Your uncle doesn't know about us?" Sokka prodded softly, moving over so he was resting his hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"It's not because of you," he insisted, a quick jolt of panic working its way through his system, "He's always supported me, but the law against homosexuality had been implemented during Sozin's rule. It became so normalized that most civilians weren't aware of how damaging it was until the last year of my father's rule when the protests outside of the boarders began. Even after we were exiled, and became refugees in the Earth Kingdom, I still couldn't tell him. I never even thought that it was a possibility."

Sokka nodded, his hand sliding down from his shoulder to intertwining with his fingers before lifting his hand and pressing a soft kiss to the back of it, "but now it's real?"

Zuko nodded, "and I have no idea if he'll even accept me, accept us."

"There's only one way to find out," Sokka's voice was gentle and soft, even as he spoke with an air of no-nonsense, "and I think you know what that is."

"But what if…" Zuko paused, swallowing back tears as the thought penetrated his mind before finally looking back into ocean blue eyes, the eyes that had never let him down, the eyes that were more of a home than the Fire Nation ever would be, "what if I lose him?"

"I get that, but what will you lose if you don't tell him?"

Days until Summer Solstice Celebration: 38

Zuko knew that the only reason he had been given permission to leave the Fire Nation so soon before the celebration he insisted on planning and throwing was because he had said to his advisors that he was going to visit his uncle.

And for once, the look shared between his advisors, the look of 'he only goes to see his uncle when things are going wrong' didn't fill him with the usual guilt that tended to eat away at him when he made the realization that he struggled to make time for his uncle.

This time, he knew that it would easily work on his staff even if the anxiety of the visit was trying its hardest to consume him, to call the whole visit off, to turn right back around and tell Sokka "no".

But, the look on Sokka's face that told him that he was there and the reassuring hand on his shoulder, that was enough to give Zuko the strength to make the journey to The Jasmine Dragon, a bustling tea shop nestled in the heart of Ba Sing Se.

The two of them had ditched their formal wear for casual greens and browns that could almost have them pass as locals.

"Are you ready?"

"I think so," Zuko nodded, getting a look of reassurance in the eyes he knew so well, the ones that knew him better than he knew himself, before Sokka let go of his hand and pushed the doors open.

That was when Zuko realized their fatal mistake; the two of them had arrived in the midst of the lunch rush and there was nothing that would be able to pull his uncle away from his customers.

"Zuko!" He was pulled out of his thoughts by his uncle's voice, being pulled into a familiar, warm hug that was much briefer than usual, "I'm so glad you're here, nephew," he paused to push aprons into his and Sokka's hands before adding, "you knew I was in my time of need and not only arrived, but brought help."

And with that, he was back in the kitchen, leaving Zuko and Sokka to exchange a look between the two of them.

"Do you know how to use a cash register?"

"Obviously," Sokka said, haphazardly tying his apron on with overconfidence strong in his eyes, "look at who you're talking to."

Zuko raised an eyebrow as muscle memory took over with tying his own apron, "and you know how to convert Fire Nation and Water Tribe currency into Earth Kingdom coin?"

"I'm sure I can figure it out," Sokka said, trying and failing to straighten his apron which had Zuko going behind him to straighten the ties and smooth out the fabric, "thank y-"

"You can run orders, my love." Zuko whispered before making his way to the counter, unable to stop a laugh from escaping as a result of Sokka's betrayed gasp behind him.

…

By the time the shop closed, and the two of them were in the small guest room that was clearly meant to be an office, Sokka was dragging his feet toward their makeshift bed.

"How did you do that every day for months?" Sokka questioned as he climbed in, pushing his body against Zuko's like he was desperate for warmth despite the late spring heat seeping into the building, "I did that for one day and can barely keep my eyes open."

"It gets easier," Zuko spoke softly, taking down Sokka's hair as he spoke, the dejected feeling that had lingered since they stepped foot into the shop finally making it's way to the surface, "I couldn't tell him. It was so busy and I just…I couldn't get the words out."

"Hey," Sokka said softly, his hand traveling up to Zuko's hair as he turned to face him, "It just wasn't the right time, okay? The shop was busy and all three of us were overrun. You'll find the right time, I promise. Even if I have to barricade the door and keep your uncle's most loyal customers away from their tea all day."

"You would do that?"

"I would do anything for you," Sokka assured him, a yawn interspersed with his words, "you can do this. On your terms, at your pace. And I'll be with you, promise."

Zuko nodded, squeezing their hands together the same way Sokka had on the steps that afternoon and briefly wondering just how he had gotten so lucky despite every bad card life had dealt him, "thank you."

"You're welcome," he said, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek before rolling back over so his back was pressed against Zuko once again, "goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Days until Summer Solstice Celebration: 37

When Zuko woke, with the few rays of sunlight illuminating the room he was sharing with Sokka, bathing the two of them in reassuring, golden light like Agni herself was willing him awake, he obeyed the rays like he always had.

After all, the days were ticking closer and closer to the summer solstice, his fire bending growing stronger with every day that went by and filling him with a confidence that he usually left to Sokka to exude like it was second nature.

But he knew what Agni wanted from him, what Sokka wanted from him and what he needed for himself and had since the end of the war.

So he stood up, quickly changing into the Earth Kingdom clothes that his uncle kept in that spare room and began to leave, but not before kneeling down beside Sokka, unable to keep his lips in a straight line as he pressed them to his unkempt, loose hair that was framing his face like a portrait.

And for a moment, a fleeting moment, he found himself pausing, wanting to wait for Sokka to wake, to give him that boost of courage that he desperately wanted.

But he knew better to wait, knowing that by the time Sokka pulled himself to wake up, his uncle would be elbows deep in customers and they'd have to spend another day that Zuko couldn't spare, despite how much he wished that he could, with the knowledge that it just wasn't the right time.

But Zuko also knew himself, and that if he didn't take the opportunity that was laid out so neatly in front of him, he would never take the chance.

So he pushed himself through the door and down the stairs, unsurprised to see that just like he had, his uncle had also not missed the opportunity to catch the first glimpses of Agni's rays as he stood over the stove.

"Uncle?" Zuko asked, his mouth growing dry from both the morning and the sudden wave of nerves flooding through his veins at a rapid speed.

But his uncle, who was consumed in whatever he was preparing, didn't seemed phased as he turned for a brief moment with an unwavering grin on his face, "Zuko, you should try this blend. I'm telling you, the combined flavors between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation are unbelievable!"

Zuko had never been as much of a tea connoisseur as his uncle; while he had spent the early days of his youth consumed by royalty and honor and trying his hardest to capture Aang, his uncle had found more pleasure in exploring the culture, the traditions and most importantly, the cuisine of every place they visited.

But as he grew older, settling into the heavy weight that was being the Fire Lord and the lighter but just as valued weight of being Sokka's partner, he found himself growing more willing to sit at the table and try whatever new dish or drink had captured his uncle's attention.

"Sounds good," Zuko nodded, his fingers unconsciously going to the hem of his sleeve as his uncle grabbed the china cups, "and while we have our tea, I need to talk to you."

"Of course, of course. You know, Zuko," Iroh insisted as he set the dishes on the table before gesturing Zuko to sit on one of the cushions, already bringing over the pot, "tea is only as good as the company you share it with."

Zuko nodded as he sat down, remembering those words leaving his uncle's mouth many times as they traversed together in exile; he stayed silent as his uncle busied himself with filling the cups and sitting down next to him, the nerves only weighing more and more with every passing moment.

In fact, it took Iroh's gentle prying and several sips of the earthy, gently spice-filled tea for Zuko to find the words that had been weighing on him for years, "so, you wanted to talk?"

"Yes, I…I guess, um…" Zuko stuttered, taking another sip of his tea like it was filled with the courage that Fire Nation liquor had provided him with on more than one occasion, "you know that Sokka is one of my closest allies, a friend, even?"

The soft smile didn't surprise Zuko, even if it also did not do nothing to calm his nerves either, "I did gather that from you two coming here together."

"Right, right," Zuko let out a nervous chuckle before taking a deep breath, meeting his uncle's eyes and finally letting the words that had been trying to break out of him for years free, "we're together, Sokka and I. He's…he's my boyfriend."

As he spoke, he found his eyes closing almost involuntary, like a part of his subconscious was determined to prepare him for rejection, the same kind of rejection that he had been raised with.

But when a few breaths passed between them and there was no noise, Zuko found it in himself to pull himself together and open his eyes again.

He wasn't met with confusion, or anger, but rather a soft tone, a mix of gentle inquiry and maybe even tinged with a quiet guilt as he was pulled into a hug, his uncle's beard against his cheek, "I'm so sorry that you felt like you couldn't tell me, Zuko."

"It's okay, uncle." Zuko assured him, his face still buried against his shoulder.

Iroh squeezed tighter for a moment before finally pulling away, his hand reaching out to brush the stray bangs from Zuko's face that had Zuko feeling much younger than he was.

"You'll have to tell me everything, you know," Iroh clicked his tongue after a beat, seemingly recovered from the small amount of palpable guilt, "not just anyone gets to date my nephew, after all."

"Weren't you the one who set me up with that Earth Kingdom girl?" Zuko asked, his cheeks instantly flushing red now that the anxiety had ebbed away with every beat of his heart.

"Times change, Zuko," Iroh shrugged, pouring himself another cup of tea, "now, tell me how long this has been going on."

…

After their long conversation, which ended when Iroh realized that the opening rush was coming up on him quickly and enlisted Zuko's help, he let himself fall into peace within the familiarity.

Boiling water, washing dishes, it felt like a comfort over work compared to being the Fire Lord, and if there was one thing he craved as the Summer Solstace ticked closer and closer, it was calm.

A good portion of anxiety had ebbed away with the first rays of sunlight, leaving him with his usual flutter in his chest, but he knew that he would feel much better once the celebration had ended.

Just as his uncle was getting the last of the tables wiped, that was when he heard the familiar 'thump' down stairs that could only belong to Sokka, which instantly had him turning to greet him.

And sure enough, there he was; tying his hair back while blinking the remainders of sleep away from his eyes, looking as beautiful as he had the day after the end of the war.

"Someone's in a good mood," Sokka yawned, pulling Zuko into a warm, gentle side hug before pressing a kiss to his cheek, "hit your caffeine quota for the day already?"

"I told him."

"And?"

"I mean, I'm sure he'll interrogate you before we leave, but it's good," Zuko insisted, returning the kiss from moments before, "we're good."

"How is that good?"

"It means he wants to make sure you're not gonna slit my throat," Zuko shrugged, only to add when he saw Sokka's gaping mouth, "hey, your dad interrogated me, on a fishing boat, without my guards present, in my second year of being the Fire Lord. I think you can handle it."

"Oh yeah, just sit down with a guy who thinks I'm gonna assassinate my boyfriend and has the nickname "The Dragon of the West"," Sokka said, his sarcasm bleeding from his lips, "what could go wrong?"

"Hey, it'll be fine," Zuko assured, pausing to squeeze Sokka's hands, "he doesn't actually think you'll assassinate me."

"I mean, I've only saved you from…" Sokka paused, muttering under his breath and counting fingers until it seemed like he could hear his cringing, which had him looking up with a shrug, "my share. If I wanted you gone, you'd think I'd just-"

At that point, Zuko reached forward and covered Sokka's mouth, effectively silencing him as the first 'ding' of the bell rang through the Jasmine Dragon before saying in a hushed whisper, "time to stop talking about assassinating me or you'll be sentence to jail and dish duty."

Only for Zuko to feel the warm salvia on his hand, instantly wrenching it away from Sokka's face, shaking the spit away all while Sokka laughed behind him, "what are you, five?!"

"No, I just didn't know that the Fire Lord couldn't handle a little spit."

"You are so-"

"Nephew, I need another set of hands!" Iroh shouted from the kitchen before adding, "and tell your boyfriend to come too!"

And with that, the two of them made eye contact with each other before Zuko pointed a finger and said, "this isn't over, Sokka."

But Zuko was just met with the famous shit-eating grin that belonged firmly plastered on Sokka's face and, "I wouldn't expect anything else from you, my love."

Days until Summer Solstice Celebration: 27

No one had planned for Sokka and Zuko to stay in Ba Sing Se for eleven days, not even Sokka and Zuko.

That was the explanation they offered when they returned to the Fire Nation only to be instantly pulled apart so Zuko could catch up on preparations he was supposed to make days ago.

But if the two of them were being honest, they got so caught up in the domestic nature of sharing a bed and working together under Iroh that Zuko considered, very briefly with no serious thought in it, abdicating the throne so they could continue to actually build a life together without prying public eyes and demands of courtship.

But with Sokka's assurance that they were going to make their relationship work in the Fire Nation, he relented into going home to finish planning this celebration that had been his idea in the first place.

He also begged his boyfriend not to let him come up with any more grand ideas like this because within an hour of being home, he realized exactly why he had taken an extended vacation.

If he could stop staring at various shades of white and red for tablecloths for the ball, he'd be the happiest man in the entire Fire Nation even if he had to be publicly closeted for the rest of his reign.

"Are you satisfied with the pearl and fire brick?"

It could have been parchment and candied apple and Zuko still would have said yes because tablecloths, admittedly, were the last thing on his mind.

That wasn't entirely true though, he really wanted everything to be perfect down to the fine details, but he was very sick of tablecloths to the point where he sank down into the throne as soon as the royal designer left, letting his temple rest against his right hand.

The moment of peace was, of course, interrupted by his boyfriend striding into the throne room with a plate in his hand, but the food was the last thing Zuko was looking at.

Because Sokka was wearing a deep maroon fitted doublet, brand new brown pants and black, pointed toed boots and it was the hottest thing that Zuko had ever laid eyes on.

Naturally, that set off his boyfriend into showing off his fresh ensemble with a grin which had Zuko pulling himself to his feet.

"I figured that I needed to give the regalia another go for the ball. There's a cloak that goes with this but I don't want to get it dirty before-"

Zuko cut him off by grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him to his lips, still getting that lingering taste of ocean air that Sokka could never truly cover up but also never made an effort to.

And when he finally pulled away, that grin was still plastered on Sokka's face as he chuckled, "so I take it that you like this better than the dress?"

"Fuck you." Zuko said, unable to stop a smile from gracing his lips, one that only grew when Sokka just shrugged and said.

"I mean, if you insist."

Zuko pulled him in for another kiss and hoped that his entire staff was on their lunch break for just a few more minutes.

Days until Summer Solstice Celebration: 1

By the time that Zuko had all but fallen into bed, with one more night between him and one of the most defining moments of his reign, he had fully expected Sokka to already be asleep.

Ever since they had returned from Ba Sing Se, they had to hit the ground running to get everything fully prepared and planned and for the most part, they had achieved that.

Well, except for the speech that Zuko was going to make at the ball, the speech that put his soul on display for the entire world to see, that was still a work in progress.

And even when he had put Sokka on the task of sifting through the hundreds of letters from Katara and Aang full of suggestions, he still couldn't put quill to paper without eventually tossing the draft in the trash.

And yet, Zuko was ready to just say "fuck it" and fall asleep while Sokka was still pacing the floor, anxiety clear in his movement.

This wasn't how things usually went for the two of them.

"Sokka?" Zuko asked, waiting until he was face with two wide, ocean blue eyes, "are you okay?"

"I…I don't know," Sokka admitted after a beat, his fingers shaking against his upper arms, "I kind of feel like I'm going to be sick, or explode."

"Okay, okay," Zuko said, pulling himself to his feet and striding a couple of paces to encase Sokka's cold hands with his warm ones, "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Sokka's nod was pitiful at best, which gave Zuko all the more reason to fill the silence between them.

"We can just stand here, and you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to but if you want to, I'm listening; and you're safe, and Tao's outside so no one is going to barge in here, and we're okay."

If Zuko was being honest with himself, he had no idea what he was talking about, but everything he was saying had been said to him by Sokka and it tended to work on his frayed, warped nerves.

But he couldn't stomach seeing Sokka like this, so he could only hope that it worked just as well on his nerves.

And when he finally broke the silence with a soft, broken, "I'm terrified," that sounded like it was bordering on tears, Zuko couldn't stop himself from letting go of his hands to engulf him in a tight hug.

"Of what?"

"Of what will happen after Friday."

And he didn't have to elaborate, that fear had been weighing on Zuko since Aang first asked them in the courtyard about the possibility of making that announcement.

"Well, we don't have to," Zuko offered after a beat, "I don't even have my speech written, and I'm pretty good at fighting off courtships."

"But-"

"Sokka, this is our decision," he cut him off, only pulling himself away from the hug to look into his boyfriend's eyes, "not mine, not yours, ours. And if you don't want to, if you're not ready to, then that's okay."

"It's not that I'm not ready, I just…" Sokka trailed off, pulling away to sit on the edge of their bed with his head in his hands, a motion Zuko took as an invitation to sit beside him until he finished his sentence, "I just don't want this to go badly, that's all."

"Sokka, I could breathe wrong and someone would threaten to assassinate me over it," Zuko sighed, offering his open hand which Sokka took in an instant, "if we focused on how badly this could go, we would never be able to be together outside of this room."

"But you, our relationship…you're one of the most important parts of my life, Zuko."

"Oh, you better make sure that your sister doesn't hear you say that, she'll probably try and drown both of us."

"I mean it, Zuko," Sokka insisted, squeezing his hand for emphasis, "losing this, losing you, would ruin me, and that's without your entire nation, the entire world, scrutinizing us. Hell, half of your court only treat me with respect because they know that you would remove them from their positions if they didn't."

"Sokka," Zuko sighed, running his thumb over his knuckles, "I will do anything to protect this and protect you from all of that, you know that."

"I do. But you have to take every hit and blow that comes against us and that…that doesn't seem fair."

"It's not," Zuko agreed, pulling in a breath, "I don't know the last time life was fair to me, if it ever has been, but I have you and I have our relationship which keeps me fighting for us. Will you let me keep fighting for us?"

Sokka stayed silent for a few beats, his eyes still teary even when he pressed his face against the sharp angle of Zuko's shoulder and rested the weight against him, "only if you let me take some of the burden."

"Deal," Zuko couldn't help but chuckle, "and do me a favor?"

"Yeah?"

"Point out every single person in my court who views you as less, so I can deal with them accordingly."

"Zuko-"

"I mean it," Zuko insisted, gently putting his fingers under Sokka's chin so he could press a quick but gentle kiss to his lips, "it's damn near treasonous to treat the partner of the Fire Lord like that, especially when that partner is also a member of the court."

"Agni, I love you."

"Agni?"

"Dammit," Sokka chuckled after a confused look crossed his face for a moment, "your Fire Nation stuff is rubbing off on me."

"Well, your Water Tribe stuff is probably rubbing off on me too," Zuko smiled as he spoke, "now for the sake of Agni, Tui, La and any other god I'm missing, can we please go to sleep?"

"Yeah," Sokka nodded, any trace of the anxiety no longer lingering in his features, "yeah, let's get some sleep."

Day 4 of the Summer Solstice Celebration

The opening ceremony was nothing short of spectacular.

Zuko's opening speech to the kingdom, and to the world, with the Avatar next to him, about peace and unity and crossing the threshold into the era of peace that he had been working tirelessly on for the last six years made everything feel lighter in his chest as the fireworks signaling the beginning of the week-long event went off above his head.

It also made up for the fact that he, Aang and Toph, who had shown up right after the speech, were constantly being pulled away from Katara and Sokka for varying levels of emergencies that coincided with their individual ranks.

"I just feel bad about it." He admitted as the three of them made their way out of the city hall and back into the busy streets of vendors.

"About bailing on Sokka and Katara?" Toph asked, her unseeing gaze staring straight ahead.

"I'm not bailing, I just…" Zuko trailed off, trying to find the words that weighed heavily on his chest, the words that expressed just how much he wished he was guiding his friends through the city he knew like the back of his hand.

"I understand, Zuko," Aang filled in the blank with a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Katara and I have been trying to take in all of the time we have before things change."

What a cryptic statement. A statement so cryptic that Zuko knew, he just knew that-

"What do you mean by "things change"?" Toph asked, only now turning around, "what's changing?"

"Oh, nothing."

Zuko sucked in a breath because he knew two things to be true. That Aang was an awful liar, and that it was impossible to lie to Toph.

"Don't lie to me, Aang. Otherwise I'll tell Zuko about what you're plan-"

Before Zuko could interject with a demand of what Aang was planning, he was cut off by Aang reaching over to cover Toph's mouth before blurting out what obviously had been eating at him.

"Katara's pregnant."

And that made Zuko and Toph both stop and take a moment for what Aang had just said.

"That's why I heard six heartbeats!" Toph realized before punching Aang in the arm, "I thought someone was trying to kill us! You need to tell me next time!"

"I don't know about a next time," Aang chuckled while rubbing his arm, "besides, we only found out a couple of weeks ago and we both made the decision to tell you all in person before the news broke."

"Congratulations, Aang," Zuko smiled, reaching over to pull the Avatar into a quick hug before a thought dawned on him as they pulled away, "who's telling Sokka?"

"Oh," Aang's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head, "Katara told him the day we got here."

That, naturally, sent Toph into another shocked outburst, "why didn't you tell me first?! I'm great at keeping secrets!"

"Katara wanted to tell Hakoda and Sokka first!"

"Fine," Toph scowled briefly before a wicked grin crossed her face, "I'll just have to get you back by teaching your kid the ways of the all-mighty melon lord."

And with that, she flung a tiny handful of gravel she must have pulled from the ground at Aang before laughing as she ran into the crowd like she was twelve years old again.

That wasn't shocking to Zuko; Toph had spent so much time in the Fire Nation right after the war that they had gotten good at predicting the other's movements.

What Zuko hadn't predicted was Aang saying, "oh, she's done for" with zero malice in his tone as he chased after her while narrowly avoiding a cart full of cabbage, much like the young Avatar he had hunted for years as a teenager.

Leaving Zuko with no choice but to relish in the feeling of lightness in the air that he had played a hand in cultivating before chasing after the two of them, his foot catching on the edge of the same cabbage cart when he ran past it.

Day 6 of the Summer Solstice Celebration

Zuko took in a deep breath as he adjusted the crown nestled in his hair.

This was it; the entire week filled with politics and celebration and spending cherished moments with his friends had been leading up to this moment.

In less than an hour, he'd be unfurling the roll of parchment sitting on his desk and announcing the most important thing in the world.

That he was forever closed off to courtships, before asking Sokka to join him at the head of the room, taking his hand and holding it high in the air like a the champion of a fight that had resulted in victory.

He had managed to stay calm this whole week, but now that there we no longer hours separating him and his ballroom, he couldn't deny the swirl of anxiety filling his veins.

"Hey."

A voice broke off his pondering, the voice that had been by his side for so long, and he couldn't help but greet the voice with a tense smile.

Because there was Sokka, in the outfit he had shown off with a large grin a month ago, closing the gap between them and intertwining their fingers together.

"Are you feeling okay?" Zuko asked, brushing a stray hair away from Sokka's face from where it had fallen out of the hair ties before letting his free hand stay on his cheek, "about tonight?"

"I'm still nervous, but…we need to do this," Sokka affirmed, letting Zuko keep his calloused palm on his soft face, "not for the Fire Nation, not for the Southern Water Tribe, for us."

"For us." Zuko agreed, finally letting his hands drop, pulling away from Sokka's gentle fingers as he turned back to his desk and scooped up the parchment.

"What about you?" Sokka prodded after a few moments of silence passed between them, "are you doing okay?"

Was he?

"I think so," Zuko paused to tuck the parchment into his sash before meeting ocean blue eyes, "I mean, I'm a little worried, obviously, but this week has gone so much better than I could have even imagined. This is just the last piece of the puzzle."

Sokka nodded, a glint in his eyes that Zuko knew meant that maybe, just maybe, he wanted to say something else.

But whatever it was, he shook it away when Tao entered the room with a single nod that told Zuko one thing in nothing but a glance.

Time to go.

Zuko held up a finger, begging for one more brief moment to have Sokka all to himself, before putting his hands on his face and kissing him, heat and hurry in the moment but just as precious as always.

And when he pulled away, to be led to the ballroom, Sokka said something so quiet that it was clearly just meant for the two of them.

"We've got this."

Those three words, words that slotted themself in the same role as "I love you", were like Fire Nation liquor right to Zuko's veins and gave him the courage to leave Sokka in their chambers to greet the crowd in the ballroom.

In fact, that simple sentence kept him light on his feet for the first hour as he went around and shook hands, made small talk and made sure to hug Katara tightly and congratulate her and Aang again.

It was only when he made his way to the front of the room, unrolling the sheet in front of him, that he thought he could feel his throat close up.

"Good evening, everyone," he projected, stalling until he looked up to see Sokka next to Aang, Toph and Katara, giving him a thumbs up that forced air back into his lungs, "I first would like to say, thank you all for coming to celebrate the Summer Solstice with us."

Like Sokka had said, "we've got this."

"As we all know, this celebration was originally used not only as a way to display Fire Nation culture, but as a way to invite the world into the exciting things happening within the Fire Nation as well. It has been well over a century since this celebration allowed the world inside, but that is one tradition I do not plan on forsaking."

Zuko paused to look at the ceiling, to ask for one more plea with Agni herself that they wouldn't be met with an instant revolt before once again bringing his vision back into the crowd.

"I am excited to announce that I have found my forever partner, the one who will be at my side during my rule as Fire Lord."

…

When Zuko finally escaped the festivities, food and congratulations, he made his way up to the balcony just above the ballroom.

Unsurprisingly, he found his boyfriend already standing there, his eyes fixated solely on the full moon.

He never knew how to address this with Sokka, even so many years later; Yue had been to Sokka what Mai had been to him, at least that's what he had gathered from how many nights Sokka sat under her light in silence.

So he didn't; he watched in the wings and waited for his boyfriend's intuition to catch onto the fact that he had a set of lingering golden eyes on his back.

"Looks like you managed to escape." Sokka's voice was gentle, his eyes still focused on the night sky as he slid to the left, giving Zuko room to stand by him at the railing.

"Yeah," Zuko took the few steps and rested his wrists on the railing, "did I look like I was going to faint the whole time?"

"That actually might have been my favorite speech you've made as Fire Lord."

"That's only because it mentioned you," Zuko joked, slipping the crown out of his hair to give his scalp a small reprieve, "but you and I both know that Aang can only hold them off for so long."

"It helps that Katara gave you permission to announce the baby yesterday," Sokka mused, "nothing like the Avatar's child to soften the blow of the hottest man in the Fire Nation no longer being an option."

"I guess you're right," Zuko smirked, gently nudging Sokka's shoulder with his own, "but we might need to get back downstairs before Aang makes good on his promise to release valley doves in the ballroom."

"Wait, before we go," Sokka said, taking his hands before Zuko could put his crown back on, "I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"In your speech, you called me your "forever partner". You really meant that?"

"I mean, I added that wording in there so I could fully eliminate the possibility of more courtship letters, but…" he paused, squeezing Sokka's hands tighter, "I hope that we can be that for each other, if you'll let me."

Sokka nodded, briefly chewing on his lip while glancing up briefly at the moon, before returning his blue eyes to Zuko's golden ones, "can I give you something?"

"I don't see why not, unless it's a visable hickey. We'll never hear the end of it from your sister."

"She's not one to talk," Sokka huffed, reaching into his pocket before adding, "close your eyes."

Zuko rolled his eyes playfully before complying, waiting for something cold or slimy or any number of pranks his boyfriend could pull on him in the rare moments where he couldn't see a thing.

He didn't do any of those things; all Zuko felt was gentle hands guiding something across his neck before a small, metal clasp held it in place.

"Okay, open them."

Zuko did, his fingers instantly going to the foreign object resting just below his collarbones, a small rock resting there.

"I figured you would want it to be a bit longer than Katara's, but it has two carvings on it; the symbol of the water tribes on the lower half, and the symbol of the Fire Nation on the higher half."

"When did you have time to make this?" Zuko's whisper that he barely managed to choke out still got caught in an awestruck crack, his fingers catching in the intricate grooves.

"The last time we went to Wolf Cove, I ended up talking to my dad. I asked him about you, and our future, and if he felt like I could maybe be half of the husband to you that he was to my mother. His response was to take me on a trip to the Northern territories and show me where the stones that they carve betrothal necklaces out of wash up on the shore. The Southern Water Tribe doesn't typically make them for our partners, but given how intersectional our relationship is, my dad and Pakku came to an agreement."

"Betrothal?" Zuko's voice was still a mess as he was still stuck on that word, and how could it not be? For one of the first times in his whole life, someone chose him and was now vowing to stay no matter what.

"If you'll have me," Sokka affirmed, finally pulling away from his hands to reach over and put the crown back into his hair, shining dimly in the moonlight, "all I could ever want for the rest of my life, is to spend it with my best friend."

Zuko, no longer trusting his throat to make noises, let alone distinguishable ones, finally managed to nod before falling into a familiar hug with his face pressed against Sokka's collarbone.

And when he finally pulled away, and his fiancé pressed his lips against his, and all he could taste was the ocean, he sank into the familiarity as a stray tear of joy ran down his right cheek.