After the war

Apologies

So far at every evening meal there had been a screaming match between the couple, and in one particularly bad one, Zuko had thrown a bread roll at Sokka's head, which had resorted in a food war and ended in the two boys covered in various condiments, noodles and sauces. Sokka had a piece of potato stuck in his ponytail and Zuko's face and head was covered in sticky rice. The reason the food war had started was because Sokka insulted Zuko by calling him 'ash breath' again.

Zuko particularly regretted this fight because now Ra had retreated to a drawer in the firebender's room and wouldn't come out. But, more importantly, he had walked by Sokka's new sleeping arrangement and heard the water tribe boy crying. That had completely broken Zuko's heart. But every time the firebender thought about apologising, he remembered the dreamy look in Sokka's eyes every time he defended Yue's honour, and then he dug his heels in even more. Though he never wanted to accidentally firebend at Sokka again, that had been the worst moment of their fights, seeing the horrified and betrayed look on his boyfriend's face.

It was their fourth evening meal together during their fight. The boys expected this one to be no different from the last three, though neither one felt the sudden urge to throw food at the other tonight.

"Sokka, you've been really rude to Hahn and Fong today, I think you need to apologise" Zuko spoke in a low voice, looking down at the table, tapping the plate with his knife. He was attempting to be civil.

"Why should I Zuko? Or have you forgotten Hahn's motives behind his arranged marriage to Yue? Or what Fong did to Katara and Aang?" Sokka turned to look at the Firelord, dropping his fork onto his plate and resting his palm on the table.

"Because it makes me look like I'm becoming a wedge in the integration of the nations, and more importantly, it sets doubt in the other nation's minds of my support to the harmony restoration movement! I do not want another war on my hands!" Zuko whipped his head up to look at Sokka, he could feel his hands getting hotter by the minute and he was suddenly filled with panic. If he set fire to the table by accident Sokka would never go near him or trust him again.

"So, you want to sacrifice my integrity, what I believe in, to save face?" Sokka's voice was rising and he stood up, knocking his chair over in the process.

"What Fong and Hahn did was horrific, and if I'm being perfectly honest I don't want them here either after you told me what they did to you guys, but if I throw them out it could look like we're rejecting the integration movement, I'm already on thin ice with the rest of the world, this goes beyond the grievances you have with them, you need to make peace with them!" Zuko's voice was also rising and as he stood up he heard the clattering of his chair hitting the floor.

"It's not all about saving face Zuko! They're both terrible people and I'm not apologising to either of them!" Sokka was yelling now and taking a step towards Zuko.

"You are defying a direct order from the Firelord!" Zuko also took a step forward.

"I don't care if I'm defying an order from the worst Firelord to ever be in charge of this country!" Both of the boys were yelling at each other now. Sokka took another step towards Zuko.

"There have been worse Firelords than me and you know it!" Zuko yelled angrily taking another step towards Sokka. The boys were stood toe to toe now, faces inches away from each other.

"I am not apologising to either of them! All you care about is saving face and looking good, you don't care about how those two have affected me personally! You say you care about the wellbeing of your citizens, well here's some news for you Firelord, I am your citizen now, so start stepping up and acting like an at least halfway decent ruler and care about me and how I feel!" Sokka's fists were balled up in anger as he spat his rant out into Zuko's face.