FIC: Stealing Darkness (The Taking Turns series)
Stealing Darkness
By Keelywolfe
Sokka/Zuko
NC-17
Fifteenth in a series:
No Turning Back
Division of Time
Conflicted
Manly Pursuits
Interlude: Aang
Say Anything
Interlude, Suki
Random Curiosity
Envy Was A Fever
Couldn't Drag Me Away
For the Love of Cheese
Interlude, Toph
As Easy As Breathing
Interlude, Iroh
Summary: In the previous story, Iroh saw Sokka sneaking out of Zuko's tent in the morning. So what exactly happened in that tent the night before?
~*~
It was the tea that did it, Sokka decided later. It was an old person thing, he knew, that the second they saw someone who didn't already have half a foot in the grave, they had to ply them with food. Not that Sokka was complaining, he'd eaten his share and then some, and his cup had never seemed empty, no matter how many times he'd drained it.
But somehow, even tasty, glorious meat hadn't been able to completely distract him. Time and again his eyes had strayed to a tent at the other end of camp, still and quiet in the too-early morning dimness. He'd seen Katara talking to Zuko before he'd gone in, their dark heads close together as they whispered and his insides had clenched, part of him wanting to run over and join them, tell Zuko himself not to be stupid. If they could forgive him then surely his Uncle would. It was obvious the old man loved his nephew. How his own father didn't was a mystery to Sokka because all you had to do was talk to him to see how brave he was, how strong, how...good.
Sokka had shaken it away, clenching one hand on his bowl as he scooped rice into his mouth. Better to let Katara talk to him because if Sokka did, he wasn't sure what might come spilling out of his mouth, a flood of words that might engulf them both. No, not right now.
They'd been given tents of their own and none of the old people had raised so much as an eyebrow when it had been clear that Suki and Sokka intended to share. It was just as well; they were only going to get a few hours of sleep. He didn't need to spend any precious resting points on arguing that his virtue was no one's business but his own, and, well, whoever he chose to let defile it. He'd barely managed to pull the blanket over them both when he'd fallen asleep.
Except for the damned tea. It couldn't have been more than a couple hours when he woke up with an overwhelming need to piss. Suki was curled against him, understandably exhausted, and had barely murmured a protest when he slipped out from under her arm and stepped into his boots before ducking out into the cool night air.
The moon was low in the sky, a ghostly halo surrounding it, and it gave him enough light to make it a little ways out of camp to find a likely shrub to water. Aching bladder given relief, he yawned hugely as he made his way back to camp, trying to remember which tent was his.
Another dark figure moving silently through the camp startled him and he crouched down automatically, eyes narrowing and his heart pounding. It took him a bare moment to recognize him, tall and slim, and the graceful way he moved was one that Sokka sometimes saw in his dreams.
Really, if he got any soppier, he was going to ask Toph to brain him with a rock.
But somehow, Sokka found himself following, his feet moving after that shadow and when it ducked into another tent, Sokka went with it.
He felt more than saw Zuko startled, the other boy shifting almost warily into a pose that Sokka knew terribly well. He knew them all by heart; months of watching had engraved the various poses of bending into his brain. If he'd had even an ounce of bender to him, Sokka could have been another Avatar.
"Sokka?" Zuko whispered. He sounded a little hoarse, like he was sick or...or maybe he'd been crying, oh, gods, Sokka had been so sure Iroh would forgive him, he'd--
"Make some fire," Sokka said, unthinkingly.
"Make some fire?" Zuko parroted blankly, his hands staying loose at his sides.
"Yeah, I've seen you do it before, in your hand."
Zuko frowned a little, but lifted one hand, palm up. A small flame grew in the cup of his palm, illuminating him. It made his skin golden, his eyes luminous and Sokka couldn't look away from it. Hesitantly, Sokka reached out, felt Zuko shift a little in surprise as he put his hand under Zuko's, the two of them cupping the tiny flame.
"I know it's stupid, but I always want to ask if that hurts." Sokka said in a hushed voice. Zuko's hand felt warm in his, not quite too hot, shielding him from the blaze in his palm.
"It doesn't," Zuko said, slowly, his eyes meeting Sokka's across their hands. "It just feels warm. Fire is alive, in a way. It needs air and food, it grows, it dies." The little flame danced in his palm, growing and falling with Zuko's breath and when Sokka reached for it with his other hand, fingertips singeing against the heat, it abruptly went out in the clench of Zuko's fist.
"What are you doing?" he hissed, snatching Sokka's hand, his own fingertips skimming lightly over Sokka's. "Did I burn you?"
Realization was like coming out of the fog over the ocean and seeing the sun sparkle over the clear blue water. Slowly, deliberately, Sokka pulled his hand free, reaching to cup Zuko's face in his hands before he leaned in and kissed the confusion from his lips.
"Zuko," he breathed, so softly, "Burn me."
Zuko jerked, not quite pulling away and his breath came faster, soft blurts between them. They fell to the ground in a slow, confused tumble, arms and legs moving and tangling as they both tried to pull clothes out of the way, at least enough. The feel of bare skin against his own made Sokka shudder, rougher cloth scraping where they hadn't quite gotten it all off, and Zuko made a low noise deep in his throat, biting lightly at Sokka's adam's apple before lifting his head and claiming Sokka's mouth again.
He tasted like tea and salt, the taste of salt everywhere on his face like tears hastily swept away and Sokka kissed it more, wanted to kiss that flavor away. He felt greedy, like he couldn't get enough, like he could take everything Zuko could offer him and more.
It was easy to roll him over, roll Zuko under him, their mouths jarring apart for a moment. Just long enough for Zuko to gasp his name and then Sokka swept his tongue over those soft, thin lips and inside, into the dark, wet softness of that mouth.
His hands trembled over Zuko's thighs, a nervous moment where he almost hesitated, almost asked but Zuko was already arching into his touch, fumbling a small jar into his hand and for once Sokka didn't care where it came from, slippery fingers greedily playing between Zuko's legs and lower, sliding inside to find the sweet spot that made Zuko choke, slim body arching up and the light was dim but Sokka didn't have to see it. He knew the curve of every muscle, the pearl paleness of that skin in moonlight and suddenly, he couldn't wait anymore.
He pushed Zuko's knees up, shuffling forward a little, enough that he could press slowly inside, feel that perfect tightness surrounding him. Sokka couldn't help being tender, rocking inside him and he felt half-asleep still, dazed and lazy with sensation, tight heat around him and Zuko's mouth against his own, their shared breath damp between them.
"So good," Zuko whispered, leaning up enough to steal a slick kiss, tongues sliding together and the heavy scent of their sex filled the small tent, in them, around them as they rocked together.
It couldn't last long, Zuko choking off little whimpers as he palmed his cock, his fist working between them and the shock of wet heat against Sokka's belly was enough to set him off, burying his face in the warm, salty curve of Zuko's neck as he closed his eyes and came. He breathed in the scent of firebender for long moments, Zuko's scent, before he finally raised his head and looked at the other boy, blue eyes the same as golden ones in the dark.
"I love you." It slipped out of him, words escaping from him as they so often did. Sokka could no more have stopped himself from saying it than he could have held those flames in his bare hands. His mouth was stupid sometimes and it blurted out things that shouldn't be spoken but this was different. He had to say it. He wanted to say it. It was a confession meant for dark nights and the sun would be rising all too soon.
Zuko was silent and Sokka was surprised at his own inner calm. It didn't matter how Zuko felt, not really, because Sokka felt how he felt, he loved Zuko and that wasn't going to change.
Finally, Zuko sighed, leaned in to rest his forehead against Sokka's shoulder. It left the line of his neck exposed and Sokka couldn't help but press his face into it, inhaling the warm scent of soft skin again. He let a hand drift up the rounded bumps of Zuko's back, over the smooth skin of his neck and into his hair. It was heavy and slick-soft, slipping through Sokka's fingers like something alive and he loved it. Loved.
"Yeah," Zuko said finally, heavily. "Me too.
There was nothing else to say, both of them holding the other in the silence, until the sunlight finally crept into their tent and stole the darkness away.
-finis-
Next Chapter
By Keelywolfe
Sokka/Zuko
NC-17
Fifteenth in a series:
No Turning Back
Division of Time
Conflicted
Manly Pursuits
Interlude: Aang
Say Anything
Interlude, Suki
Random Curiosity
Envy Was A Fever
Couldn't Drag Me Away
For the Love of Cheese
Interlude, Toph
As Easy As Breathing
Interlude, Iroh
Summary: In the previous story, Iroh saw Sokka sneaking out of Zuko's tent in the morning. So what exactly happened in that tent the night before?
~*~
It was the tea that did it, Sokka decided later. It was an old person thing, he knew, that the second they saw someone who didn't already have half a foot in the grave, they had to ply them with food. Not that Sokka was complaining, he'd eaten his share and then some, and his cup had never seemed empty, no matter how many times he'd drained it.
But somehow, even tasty, glorious meat hadn't been able to completely distract him. Time and again his eyes had strayed to a tent at the other end of camp, still and quiet in the too-early morning dimness. He'd seen Katara talking to Zuko before he'd gone in, their dark heads close together as they whispered and his insides had clenched, part of him wanting to run over and join them, tell Zuko himself not to be stupid. If they could forgive him then surely his Uncle would. It was obvious the old man loved his nephew. How his own father didn't was a mystery to Sokka because all you had to do was talk to him to see how brave he was, how strong, how...good.
Sokka had shaken it away, clenching one hand on his bowl as he scooped rice into his mouth. Better to let Katara talk to him because if Sokka did, he wasn't sure what might come spilling out of his mouth, a flood of words that might engulf them both. No, not right now.
They'd been given tents of their own and none of the old people had raised so much as an eyebrow when it had been clear that Suki and Sokka intended to share. It was just as well; they were only going to get a few hours of sleep. He didn't need to spend any precious resting points on arguing that his virtue was no one's business but his own, and, well, whoever he chose to let defile it. He'd barely managed to pull the blanket over them both when he'd fallen asleep.
Except for the damned tea. It couldn't have been more than a couple hours when he woke up with an overwhelming need to piss. Suki was curled against him, understandably exhausted, and had barely murmured a protest when he slipped out from under her arm and stepped into his boots before ducking out into the cool night air.
The moon was low in the sky, a ghostly halo surrounding it, and it gave him enough light to make it a little ways out of camp to find a likely shrub to water. Aching bladder given relief, he yawned hugely as he made his way back to camp, trying to remember which tent was his.
Another dark figure moving silently through the camp startled him and he crouched down automatically, eyes narrowing and his heart pounding. It took him a bare moment to recognize him, tall and slim, and the graceful way he moved was one that Sokka sometimes saw in his dreams.
Really, if he got any soppier, he was going to ask Toph to brain him with a rock.
But somehow, Sokka found himself following, his feet moving after that shadow and when it ducked into another tent, Sokka went with it.
He felt more than saw Zuko startled, the other boy shifting almost warily into a pose that Sokka knew terribly well. He knew them all by heart; months of watching had engraved the various poses of bending into his brain. If he'd had even an ounce of bender to him, Sokka could have been another Avatar.
"Sokka?" Zuko whispered. He sounded a little hoarse, like he was sick or...or maybe he'd been crying, oh, gods, Sokka had been so sure Iroh would forgive him, he'd--
"Make some fire," Sokka said, unthinkingly.
"Make some fire?" Zuko parroted blankly, his hands staying loose at his sides.
"Yeah, I've seen you do it before, in your hand."
Zuko frowned a little, but lifted one hand, palm up. A small flame grew in the cup of his palm, illuminating him. It made his skin golden, his eyes luminous and Sokka couldn't look away from it. Hesitantly, Sokka reached out, felt Zuko shift a little in surprise as he put his hand under Zuko's, the two of them cupping the tiny flame.
"I know it's stupid, but I always want to ask if that hurts." Sokka said in a hushed voice. Zuko's hand felt warm in his, not quite too hot, shielding him from the blaze in his palm.
"It doesn't," Zuko said, slowly, his eyes meeting Sokka's across their hands. "It just feels warm. Fire is alive, in a way. It needs air and food, it grows, it dies." The little flame danced in his palm, growing and falling with Zuko's breath and when Sokka reached for it with his other hand, fingertips singeing against the heat, it abruptly went out in the clench of Zuko's fist.
"What are you doing?" he hissed, snatching Sokka's hand, his own fingertips skimming lightly over Sokka's. "Did I burn you?"
Realization was like coming out of the fog over the ocean and seeing the sun sparkle over the clear blue water. Slowly, deliberately, Sokka pulled his hand free, reaching to cup Zuko's face in his hands before he leaned in and kissed the confusion from his lips.
"Zuko," he breathed, so softly, "Burn me."
Zuko jerked, not quite pulling away and his breath came faster, soft blurts between them. They fell to the ground in a slow, confused tumble, arms and legs moving and tangling as they both tried to pull clothes out of the way, at least enough. The feel of bare skin against his own made Sokka shudder, rougher cloth scraping where they hadn't quite gotten it all off, and Zuko made a low noise deep in his throat, biting lightly at Sokka's adam's apple before lifting his head and claiming Sokka's mouth again.
He tasted like tea and salt, the taste of salt everywhere on his face like tears hastily swept away and Sokka kissed it more, wanted to kiss that flavor away. He felt greedy, like he couldn't get enough, like he could take everything Zuko could offer him and more.
It was easy to roll him over, roll Zuko under him, their mouths jarring apart for a moment. Just long enough for Zuko to gasp his name and then Sokka swept his tongue over those soft, thin lips and inside, into the dark, wet softness of that mouth.
His hands trembled over Zuko's thighs, a nervous moment where he almost hesitated, almost asked but Zuko was already arching into his touch, fumbling a small jar into his hand and for once Sokka didn't care where it came from, slippery fingers greedily playing between Zuko's legs and lower, sliding inside to find the sweet spot that made Zuko choke, slim body arching up and the light was dim but Sokka didn't have to see it. He knew the curve of every muscle, the pearl paleness of that skin in moonlight and suddenly, he couldn't wait anymore.
He pushed Zuko's knees up, shuffling forward a little, enough that he could press slowly inside, feel that perfect tightness surrounding him. Sokka couldn't help being tender, rocking inside him and he felt half-asleep still, dazed and lazy with sensation, tight heat around him and Zuko's mouth against his own, their shared breath damp between them.
"So good," Zuko whispered, leaning up enough to steal a slick kiss, tongues sliding together and the heavy scent of their sex filled the small tent, in them, around them as they rocked together.
It couldn't last long, Zuko choking off little whimpers as he palmed his cock, his fist working between them and the shock of wet heat against Sokka's belly was enough to set him off, burying his face in the warm, salty curve of Zuko's neck as he closed his eyes and came. He breathed in the scent of firebender for long moments, Zuko's scent, before he finally raised his head and looked at the other boy, blue eyes the same as golden ones in the dark.
"I love you." It slipped out of him, words escaping from him as they so often did. Sokka could no more have stopped himself from saying it than he could have held those flames in his bare hands. His mouth was stupid sometimes and it blurted out things that shouldn't be spoken but this was different. He had to say it. He wanted to say it. It was a confession meant for dark nights and the sun would be rising all too soon.
Zuko was silent and Sokka was surprised at his own inner calm. It didn't matter how Zuko felt, not really, because Sokka felt how he felt, he loved Zuko and that wasn't going to change.
Finally, Zuko sighed, leaned in to rest his forehead against Sokka's shoulder. It left the line of his neck exposed and Sokka couldn't help but press his face into it, inhaling the warm scent of soft skin again. He let a hand drift up the rounded bumps of Zuko's back, over the smooth skin of his neck and into his hair. It was heavy and slick-soft, slipping through Sokka's fingers like something alive and he loved it. Loved.
"Yeah," Zuko said finally, heavily. "Me too.
There was nothing else to say, both of them holding the other in the silence, until the sunlight finally crept into their tent and stole the darkness away.
-finis-
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