Archive of Our Own ^beta

All things considered, Zuko should be thrilled. His cousin - more of an older brother, really - was not dead, he was dating his best friend, and no one had tried to kill him in a month.

...Except Zuko was not thrilled, because the aforementioned cousin/brother and best friend/partner did not like each other.

Just the day before, Zuko had walked in on Lu Ten breathing fire at Sokka and Sokka throwing his boomerang to hit Lu Ten's head, just like he'd hit Zuko back when Aang came out of the iceberg. 

He blithely wondered if this is what it looked like to everyone else when Katara still hated his guts, then caught Sokka's boomerang before it gave Lu Ten a concussion. 

"Guys," he said, "can you not do this right outside my meeting room? Or better yet, can you not do this at all?"

They looked at him with nearly identical expressions of mixed anger and fondness.

"Sorry, Koko, but I really don't know what you see in this guy," Lu Ten said. "He's arrogant and rude, and he keeps acting like I'm going to hurt you!"

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. "Right, and which one of us broke into and out of the Boiling Rock with him? No offense, I think I know Sokka better than you do, Bean. And the protectiveness? We fought in the war together, and I don't exactly have a great track record with my family. Honestly, doing this-" he gestured vaguely at their confrontational stances, "-and breathing fire at him probably isn't helping."

Lu Ten glanced at Sokka, who shrugged.

"Look, guys, I love you both, but I really don't have time for this? I'm supposed to be meeting with the minister of agriculture, so how about you two go on a life-changing field trip and come back when you're friends, okay?" He darted into the meeting room, ignoring Sokka sniggering behind him.

That was yesterday.

Yesterday, when Zuko had no idea that his request for Sokka and Lu Ten to go on a life-changing field trip would actually be fulfilled.

Yesterday, before an assassin came uncomfortably close to assassinating Zuko.

Yesterday, before the palace healers said that Zuko would likely be unconscious for a few days.

Yesterday, before Lu Ten and Sokka made eye contact over Zuko's bed in the infirmary and reached an unspoken agreement. 

"So..." Sokka says uncomfortably, very much reminded of the last time he was in a war balloon, during flight to the Boiling Rock. "I, uh... I feel like I should give you context on the whole life-changing field trip thing now that we're. Y'know. On one."

Lu Ten coughed awkwardly. "Yep. That would be nice."

"...How much has Zuko told you about the last year or so?"

"Just that he spent a chunk of it chasing the Avatar, who apparently reappeared, and had a few existential crises before ultimately teaching the Avatar firebending and becoming the Fire Lord."

Sokka blinked. "Wow, okay, that is the most summarised version of events he could have given you." He shook his head. "A lot more than that happened, but I can really only tell you how things went from my perspective. I know some of what went on on Zuko's side of things, but it's not my story to tell."

Lu Ten shrugged, adding a bit more fire to the engine. "I still think you're a prick, but that's very considerate."

"Why, thank you. Anyway, it all started when my sister and I went fishing..."

Lu Ten hated to admit it, but Sokka was a really good storyteller. Even when Zuko was the antagonist in the story, Sokka wasn't painting him in a negative light. He actually did quite the opposite; whenever Zuko did something that could be perceived as evil, Sokka would comment on how Zuko seemed to go out of his way to not hurt anyone, despite how angry and focused he was. 

It was especially noticeable when Sokka was talking about Zhao, who Lu Ten vaguely remembered being an asshole.

In Sokka's account of the last year and a half, Zuko was practically spirit-sent, while Zhao was like the embodiment of evil.

"Why are you portraying him like that? Zuko, I mean. He chased you across the world, and no matter what your relationship with him now, you can't deny that he hurt you," Lu Ten said suddenly.

Sokka looked at him calculatingly. "You're right. He did chase us across the world, and he did hurt us, but he never really hurt us, if that makes sense. As soon as we ran into Zhao the first time, it was obvious that either Zuko was the weakest major threat the Fire Nation had to offer, or he just wasn't trying very hard. We assumed it was the first one, because he seemed pretty desperate." 

Lu Ten frowned.

"And then Zuko joined us, nearly six months later, and we realised pretty quickly that he'd been holding back. A lot." Sokka crossed his arms. "So if you think I'm not being accurate about what he was like back then just because I love him now, then you really don't know him as well as you think you do."

Lu Ten stared at him for a moment before nodding, and Sokka launched into the rest of the story. 

"Wait, what do you mean he tossed himself at a combustion bender on the edge of a cliff?!"

"...Exactly what it sounds like?"

"Hang on, he did what?"

"He challenged Azula to an Agni Kai for the throne during Sozin's comet, then taunted her into summoning lightning, which she threw at my sister, so he jumped in front of it?"

"... I'm gonna kill him."

Sokka cackled.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because my sister did the same thing as soon as she was sure he wasn't going to die."

Lu Ten looked a bit put out by that.

They landed the war balloon outside a small town on the southern coast of the Fire Nation. 

"The last assassin we caught told us that he was a member of the New Ozai Society. Most of them were arrested a little while back after they tried to dethrone Zuko, but a handful of them escaped. Apparently their new base is around here somewhere," Sokka explained. 

Lu Ten raised his eyebrow. "How'd you get that out of the guy?"

Sokka grinned. "Left him alone in a room with Suki for ten minutes."

"...Fair enough."

"Anyway, I'm guessing this assassin came from the New Ozai Society, too."

Lu Ten frowned. "Didn't you say it was the Blue Spirit, though?"

"Yeah?"

"And didn't you also say the Blue Spirit had committed crimes against the Fire Nation before the war ended?"

"...Yeah?"

"So logically, the Blue Spirit wouldn't be a member of the New Ozai Society."

Sokka shrugged. "The Blue Spirit wouldn't, sure, but this one would."

Lu Ten's frown deepened. "You mean they're not the same person?"

"Well, somehow I doubt Zuko nearly assassinated himself."

"Agni's fucking stars, you're shitting me."

Sokka grinned crookedly. "I wish. Anyway, we should do some recon before trying anything. We don't know how many people here are... well, you know."

Lu Ten nodded. They crept down an alleyway, where there was minimal chance of being overheard, and started planning. 

"I should probably find something to cover my eyes," Sokka said.

"Why?"

Sokka looked at him like he was an idiot. "Um? Because they're blue? Which is, y'know, very obviously Water Tribe?" He crossed his arms. "It's not unheard of for people from the Fire Nation to have darker skin, but blue eyes are pretty rare. During the war Katara and I were able to pass it off as us being from the colonies, but now?" He shook his head. "I'm the ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe, and I'm dating the Fire Lord. Most people know who I am."

Lu Ten nodded in understanding. "Right... uh, there isn't much we can do to hide your eyes aside from fully covering them with a mask or blindfold, neither of which are feasible."

Sokka groaned, clearly having reached the same conclusion Lu Ten had.

"I'll have to gather most of the intel, and you'll have to stick to the shadows," Lu Ten said false-sympathetically. 

In reality, he was thrilled Sokka would be less involved with this part. When they returned to the palace, he could say, Look, Zuko, I did all this and Sokka didn't help! Do you see how worthless he is now?

Sokka, meanwhile, was pouting. It was a startling reminder that the kid was only sixteen.

Lu Ten shook his head to clear the unhelpful memories of baby Zuko looking up at him with a gap-toothed grin that were threatening to surface.

It had been jarring, to say the least, to see his cousin seven years older than he remembered.

There were footsteps. That was odd. Sunset was four hours ago, so it wasn't the servant bringing his meal. And it couldn't be Ozai, either - his uncle only ever showed up to torment him during the day. And Ozai hadn't visited in three months, anyway. The last time the Fire Lord had graced him with his presence, it had been to chain him more securely the day before Sozin's Comet, and to taunt him with the knowledge that when his father was captured - when, not if - he would be executed for treason.

"What's even down here?" someone, presumably the owner of the footsteps, said. Their voice sounded vaguely familiar, like something from a half-forgotten dream.

And then the person stepped into Lu Ten's line of sight. They were dressed in what looked like a sleeveless Water Tribe tunic and a pair of baggy red trousers that dragged on the floor behind their feet. A massive burn scar covered the side of their face that Lu Ten could see, partially hidden by their chin-length ebony hair.

In short, they were the most interesting thing Lu Ten had seen in... what, seven years now?

"There's someone here?" the person said, despite the fact that there was no way they could see with a scar like that.

Yet they turned to look at Lu Ten anyway, and his heart leapt into this throat.

That face... even with the burn scar, even after seven years, he'd know that face anywhere. The near-spitting image of Uncle Ozai, with just a hint of Aunt Ursa... 

"Zuko?" he whispered.

The person's good eye widened. "Lu Ten?"

Yeah, that was definitely Zuko. 

Zuko hurried to the cell door and shot a concentrated jet of fire into the locking mechanism. A moment later he wrenched the door open and quickly did the same to Lu Ten's shackles. "How long have you been locked up here?" he asked as he melted the last one.

Lu Ten dropped like a sack of potatoes as soon as he wasn't being held up anymore, landing directly in Zuko's waiting arms. "Since the siege," he said. "Speaking of which, did we win?"

"Oh, uh..." Zuko helped him sit properly. "About that... Uncle Iroh called it off as soon as he found out you were dead. But uh, I guess you're not dead?"

Lu Ten rolled his aching shoulders. "Yeah, no, definitely alive. Pretty sure I wouldn't hurt this much if I was dead."

Zuko snorted. "I know the feeling. Anyway, let's get you out of here." He tucked himself under Lu Ten's arm and helped him walk down the hall.

"You seem very calm considering you thought I was dead."

"Oh, believe me, I'm losing my shit, I'm just very good at not showing it."

Lu Ten frowned. "...You've grown up a lot in the last seven years, haven't you."

Zuko sighed. "Something like that."

"-re Starter, you with me? Hey!" Sokka snapped his fingers in Lu Ten's face.

Lu Ten flinched instinctively, slapping the hand away. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Were you saying something?"

Sokka glared at him. "Yeah! We've got a lead!"

"Wait, already?"

"Yes, which you would know if you were paying attention. Soldier up, Fire Starter."

Lu Ten scowled. "Fuck you."

"Zuko tries."

Lu Ten smacked him. 

Sokka raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, not actually, but I wanted to see the look on your face."

"He was wearing your shirt," Lu Ten blurted. "When he found me. Zuko was wearing your shirt."

"Well, yeah. We both got so used to sleeping with other people nearby that after his coronation, it just made sense for us to share a room. And, y'know, nightmares and all, neither of us tend to be the most coherent when we wake up. Zuko just kinda throws on whatever's closest to the bed and starts wandering."

"...So that's how he found the secret hallway."

"Yeah. Anyway!" Sokka clapped his hands. "The lead. We have one. Follow me."

"So... where exactly did you find this lead, Oh Great and Mighty Investigator?" Lu Ten drawled.

Sokka rolled his eyes. "While you were busy zoning out, I listened to a conversation from an open window on the second story of the building we were next to. Apparently, there's going to be a meeting tonight in the abandoned weapons factory on the northern edge of the town. Here's what I'm thinking: we disguise ourselves and infiltrate the meeting, get names, see if anyone gets credit for nearly killing Zuko."

Of course Sokka had to be a good strategist. 

Lu Ten really hated that Zuko had good taste. Instead, he focused on the one flaw in Sokka's plan. "You still have distinctly Water Tribe features. That hasn't changed in the last twenty minutes."

"No, but Zuko's got a standing arrest warrant on anyone associated with the New Ozai Society. It wouldn't be very suspicious if I walked in wearing a hood that kept my face in shadow."

"Wow, you've really thought this through," Lu Ten remarked.

Sokka crossed his arms. "I planned the most devastating blow against the Fire Nation in a century without even knowing if our full forces would show up, and that invasion came really close to being successful. These bastards hurt my partner. Of course I fucking thought it through."

That was an irritatingly good point.

Lu Ten scowled. "Look, I was one of the main strategists during the Siege of Ba Sing Se, and I was twenty. Forgive me for being a little skeptical of a sixteen year old."

"Well, forgive me for being a little skeptical of a member of Zuko's family that I know next to nothing about! I don't know if he's told you, but his mother and your dad are the only people in your family that have never tried to hurt him!" Sokka snapped. "Forgive me for being protective!" 

Lu Ten froze. And blinked. And blinked again. "Grandfather, Uncle Ozai, and Azula have all tried to hurt Zuko?"

Sokka scowled. "Let's see, Azulon ordered his death to punish Ozai after he suggested taking your dad's claim to the throne after you 'died,' Ozai is Ozai, and Azula shot him with lightning during Sozin's Comet, so yeah! They've all tried to hurt him!"

"Ozai was the one who gave him the scar, wasn't he."

"Not my story to tell, buddy."

"Oh, spirits, it was."

Sokka sighed. "Look, if you want to murder him, get in line. Right now, we need to focus on getting disguises so we can go to that meeting!"

"Right." Lu Ten's stomach sank as he realised that he wouldn't get all the credit for gathering intel after all.

"Fire Lord Zuko?"

Zuko forced his head up from his mountain of pillows. "Hakoda! Thank the spirits, we have a lot to catch up on."

Hakoda raised an eyebrow at Zuko's current state of bed-riddenness. "I'll say. What happened?"

"Oh, assassination attempt," Zuko said, waving it off. "I got the guy to retreat before they killed me, but Sokka and Lu Ten-"

"Wait, who's Lu Ten?"

Zuko paused. "Oh! Right! You don't know yet! Okay, so my uncle had a son named Lu Ten. Everyone thought he was killed during the 600 Day Siege of Ba Sing Se, but it turns out Ozai just imprisoned him in a secret hallway in the palace, which I found a couple weeks ago. Anyway, he and Sokka do not get along at all, which is really annoying, but the most concerning thing is that they're both gone? Like, I woke up about an hour ago, and the healer said that Sokka and Lu Ten left in a war balloon to go on a life-changing field trip, which, great for them, maybe they'll finally get along, but I'm pretty sure they're hunting the assassin and that is a problem because they're both stupidly overprotective and at least one of them is going to come back injured!"

Hakoda blinked. "You're really bored, aren't you."

"Oh, spirits, yes."

"Right. Well, I'm sure they won't do anything too stupid..."

"Gimme the-"

"No, give me-" 

"It's mine, you prick-"

"Shut up, it's mine-" 

"Give it!"

"No! It's mine!"

"No it's not, I'm the one who grabbed it!"

"Yeah, well, I considered it first!"

"But you didn't bloody well take it, did you?"

"No, but-"

"Then it's mine!"

"My name was his second word!"

"Oh, is that what this is about? For the record, my second word was the same as Zuko's."

"What, 'Lu Ten?'"

"No, 'bitch.'" 

"Fuck you!"

"Fuck you!" 

Zuko and Hakoda both suddenly got a sinking feeling that both Sokka and Lu Ten where being idiots.

They'd finally sorted out their wardrobe. Sokka and Lu Ten both ended up wearing hoods that shadowed their faces, because it would be less suspicious if they were both hiding their identities than if they went to the meeting together and only one of them was going for anonymity. 

The meeting started fifteen minutes after sunset, so they showed up five minutes early, just in case. 

Apparently almost everyone in the little town was a member of the New Ozai Society. 

"How many of these people do you think are actually Ozai supporters, and how many do you think are just afraid of the changes Zuko's implementing and want things to go back to what they're familiar with?" Sokka muttered.

Lu Ten looked at him oddly. "No idea. Is now really the best time?"

Sokka tried not to feel offended. "I'm sorry, I just thought it would be something we should consider, because Zuko doesn't like doing things to his people without enough reason. The majority of the people in this room are probably innocent!"

Lu Ten huffed. From the look on his face, he was annoyed that Sokka was right. Again. 

The meeting started then, and all conversation faded into silence.

"Welcome, supporters of the true Fire Nation!" someone, a man, said. "We have struck a devastating blow to the imposter Fire Lord since our last meeting, but unfortunately, the traitor still lives."

Sokka felt himself clenching his fists. How dare he call Zuko an imposter and a traitor? He won the throne through a perfectly legal Agni Kai, recognised by the Fire Sages, and everything Zuko had done since his coronation was for the good of his people and the world as a whole!

Lu Ten put his hand on Sokka's shoulder, shooting him a Look. 

Right. Undercover.

"Thanks to Huazo's incredible skill, we came closer to ending the imposter's life last night than ever before!" the man continued. "Now, while Huazo was undercover in the palace, he learned something interesting. It seems Prince Lu Ten is alive."

Surprised murmurs broke out in the room. Lu Ten stiffened.

The man cleared his throat to regain the room's attention. "It is unfortunate, but it seems the Prince's loyalties lie with the false Fire Lord."

A collective groan of disappointment.

"However, this may yet work in our favour! Huazo discovered that the boy cares deeply for his cousin, as well as the ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe. Hence I propose a new plan: kill Ambassador Sokka or Prince Lu Ten, and the false Fire Lord will break."

A cheer erupted from the room. 

Sokka and Lu Ten exchanged glances. 

This was so much worse than they thought it would be.

"So..." Zuko fiddled with the hem of his bedsheet. "Anything interesting happening at the South Pole?"

Hakoda shrugged. "I mean, aside from me proposing to Bato-"

Zuko shot upright, only to hiss in pain and clutch his side.

Hakoda gently pushed him back down. "Take it easy, kiddo."

Zuko scrunched up his nose in irritation. "Fine. But you have to tell me everything!"

"Yeah, yeah, okay," Hakoda chuckled. "I like to think it was very romantic..."

"This is bad," Sokka said. "This is very bad."

"Understatement of the century," Lu Ten muttered.

They'd retreated to the war balloon as soon as the meeting ended, the moon now high in the sky.

Sokka frowned. "Zuko's going to be confined to bed for a while yet. If someone sneaks into the palace to try and kill one of us, only to find out we're not there and Zuko's still recovering..."

"Then they might finish the job," Lu Ten finished. "Shit."

"Yeah. Shit."

Lu Ten sighed. "So, our next course of action should either be taking down the New Ozai Society here, or going back to the palace and-"

He broke off as Sokka suddenly shoved him to the side. A moment later, he realised why. 

Embedded in Sokka's stomach, right where Lu Ten had been just seconds earlier, was a knife. 

Part of him wanted to gape - Sokka wasn't overly fond of him, yet he'd quite probably saved his life anyway, but the soldier in him knew better. Instead Lu Ten whirled around to the direction the knife had come from, where the leader from the meeting and Huazo stood, looking grim.

"I thought you two looked new," the leader said, dangerously quiet. "Don't you know our meetings are by invitation only?"

Lu Ten slipped into a firebending stance. 

The leader chuckled humourlessly. "And to think, the two newcomers are the just the people we're looking for! How long do you think the savage will take to bleed to death? My guess is ten minutes at most."

Lu Ten spared a second to glance at Sokka. He'd gone pale and clammy. 

Bad.

"It's unfortunate Zuko isn't here," Lu Ten said levelly. "If he were, you might walk out of this alive."

Huazo lunged then, another knife in his hand. 

Lu Ten blocked it with his forearm, easily falling into the katas that had been drilled into him since childhood.

"Fire Lord Zuko! Chief Hakoda!" 

They both turned to see Zuko's head of staff running in, breathless.

"Kiyoko, what's wrong?" Zuko asked.

Kiyoko braced herself against the wall. "Ambassador Sokka and Prince Lu Ten's war balloon has been spotted."

Zuko and Hakoda exchanged a glance. 

"I don't care if I'm supposed to stay in bed," Zuko said pleasantly, "I am going to that village and dragging them back by their ears."

"On one condition," Hakoda replied.

"Mm?"

"I go with you."

"Sure thing."

Left. Punch. Down and to the right. Punch-punch-kick. Dodge. Kick. Block. Stomp on his foot and kick him in the groin.

Okay, so maybe he was improvising a bit.

He grabbed Huazo's head in a grip that Iroh had told him to only use in emergencies, and, with all his strength, snapped the man's neck while he was distracted. 

Huazo dropped like a gnat-flea.

Lu Ten turned his attention to the leader, who was already lunging with a ball of flame in his hand -

- only to drop as well as a familiar blue object slammed into the back of his head. 

Thank the spirits for Sokka's boomerang.

On the ground, Huazo groaned. Apparently breaking his neck hadn't killed him. 

Well. Easy problem to solve. 

Lu Ten pressed his foot to Huazo's windpipe and leaned. 

Didn't take long for the guy to die after that, and then he did the same to the leader.

Sokka coughed weakly.

Right. Shit. 

Lu Ten knelt at Sokka's side, pulling out the knife and pressing down on the wound. 

Sokka hissed. Blood spilled over his teeth.

"Stay with me, kid," Lu Ten muttered. "Just hold on, everything's gonna be okay."

"Don't lie," Sokka wheezed. "I've faced the end before. I know I'm going to die."

Lu Ten glared at him. "Not on my watch, you're not."

"It's okay. I don't mind."

"Don't you fucking dare, you prick," Lu Ten said. "You're not going to break my little cousin's heart."

Sokka just smiled, and a droplet of blood rolled out of the corner of his mouth.

"Why did you - why did you push me out of the way? You don't even like me, and I've been legally dead before."

"Because Zuko and Iroh love you," Sokka said weakly. "If anything happens to you they would break."

Lu Ten scowled. "They love you too, you bastard, what do you think will happen if you die?!"

"I thought you didn't like me."

"I didn't! But then you grew on me. Like mould."

Sokka snorted. And winced. And coughed up blood. 

"SOKKA!"

Lu Ten twisted around to see Zuko, who most definitely should not be out of bed, and a man who looked rather like Sokka, but older. 

"What happened?" the man demanded. 

"Knife - same guy that attacked Zuko - pushed me out of the way-"

The man shoved Lu Ten aside and pressed his own hands to Sokka's wound. "Hold on, Sokka, you're gonna be just fine, you hear me? Just fine!"

"It's okay, Dad," Sokka whispered. "I know I won't be fine."

Lu Ten uncomfortably watched the man - Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe - began to cry. 

"Sokka-"

"It's okay, Dad," Sokka repeated. "I'll tell Mum you say hello."

"No," Zuko spat, furiously wiping tears from his good eye. "You're not going to fucking die, Sokka. I won't let you." He knelt beside to Hakoda and looked up at the moon. "Yue?"

Oh. Right. Sokka's first girlfriend turned into the moon. Lu Ten glanced at Hakoda, only to find him looking very confused.

"Yue, please-" Zuko's voice cracked, "-please-"

The moonlight dimmed ever so slightly, and then something bright and white and glowing appeared next to Zuko. 

"Yue," Zuko said softly. 

The spirit smiled, cupping Zuko's face in her hand. "Hello, Zuko. Chief Hakoda."

Hakoda blinked. "You're the moon spirit," he blurted.

Yue giggled. "Yes. Tui gave me life when I was a baby, so when Tui was killed I gave it back." She looked at Sokka, a loving expression on her face. "Your son taught me that there was more to life than my duty to my people. He was my first and, sadly, my last love."

"Hi, Yue," Sokka murmured. 

"Hi, Sokka." She glared at him. "You complete and utter idiot, what were you thinking?! If you weren't dying, I would smack you upside the head!"

He said something indecipherable.

Yue sighed, stroking his cheek. "You've always been so protective, haven't you." 

Another indecipherable... something. 

Yue leaned down and kissed Sokka's forehead ever so gently. "It's not your time for a while yet, so don't you dare die early, do you understand?"

He nodded, just barely. 

"Goodbye, Sokka." Yue vanished. 

A strand of Sokka's hair turned white, and then Hakoda prodded Sokka's side with a dumbfounded look on his face.

"How-?"

Zuko smiles up at the moon. "Thank you," he told her. 

Lu Ten approached tentatively. "I'm sorry."

"Nope," Sokka said, sitting up. His wound had completely disappeared. "You're not allowed to be sorry."

"But-"

"No."

Lu Ten frowned. "I-"

"Shh." Sokka pressed a bloodied finger to his lips to shut him up. "No. You would've done the same thing for me."

"Well, yeah, but I'm twenty seven and you're sixteen, you have more life to live than I do! I was legally dead for seven years, remember? It would make more sense for me to also become literally dead!"

Sokka crossed his arms. "Yeah, but Zuko-"

"-Loves you," they said simultaneously. 

Zuko cleared his throat. "Right, now that you've established that I love you both, can we go? I feel a bit dizzy."

They both looked over at him just in time for him to slump over into Hakoda's arms. 

"Oh, shit," Sokka said. "Forget the assassin, the healers are going to kill me." 

Hakoda glared at him. "Too soon."

"Sorry."

Zuko woke to something warm pressed against his side. Part of him wondered if the events of last night had just been some weird infection-induced fever dream - it wouldn't have been the first time. 

He did not expect the sight that greeted him when he opened his eyes.

Sokka and Lu Ten were squished together on a chair that really wasn't big enough for both of them, both resting their heads on the side of Zuko's bed while they slept.

Sokka had a streak of white in his hair.

So that happened. 

Despite the fact that Sokka almost died the night before, Zuko couldn't help but smile. His two favourite people - besides his uncle, of course - were finally getting along.

Zuko rolled onto his side, curling around them, and went back to sleep feeling happier than he had in a while.