#flmaeo-hotman

[flameo-hotman]

write the 'firebenders give off extra body heat' headcannon into a zukka fic! sokka (and by extension, katara) growing up at the south pole sleeping in groups to retain warmth. one night riding appa when the wind is sharp and cold, sokka accidentally falls asleep ON zuko. sokka doing the 'oh your hands are WARM!' move on zuko. people keep unconsciously shifting closer to zuko around the campfire on chilly nights. ensuing confusion/affection follows.

Fire Benders Are Made For Snuggles

Their group was currently flying away from the Western Air Temple and en route for Ember Island. Zuko was sitting as far away from Katara on the saddle as he could due to the glares she was currently giving him. He wasn’t scared of her. He was just cautious and did not want to give her any excuse to hate him more than she already did. Did he wish he had made a different choice back in Ba Sing Se? Of course, he did, but there was nothing he could do now to go back and change that. He could worry about earning her forgiveness once this whole ordeal was behind them. Not that he felt he deserved that forgiveness.

Really, why anyone had forgiven him was a mystery. Except for Toph, maybe, because she hadn’t been there for most of his time hunting her friends. But she had forgiven him for burning her feet, which once again was something he didn’t understand.

Still, having friends, because that was what they were, was nice. He hadn’t really ever had friends before. Sure, he had spent some time on Ember Island bonding with Azula and her friends, but that didn’t really count. Not when he had thought they only tolerated him for his sister’s sake, but then Mai had gone and confused him during the Boiling Rock and betrayed Azula to save his life, and Ty Lee had done the same to save Mai’s life…

Still, what he had with Aang, Toph, Suki, and Sokka was different. It was deeper. He glanced at Sokka and felt his stomach do that weird little flip it had been doing since their hot air balloon ride to the prison. It had been the first time he’d been alone with the guy and Sokka wasn’t treating him like the enemy. Sokka had said some hawk bat crazy shit about his last girlfriend turning into the moon, which Zuko wasn’t even about to figure out because what in Agni’s name was that even a metaphor for? Was that the water tribe way of saying someone’s girlfriend had died? He knew according to his uncle the Northern Water Tribe Princess was with the spirits now, but Uncle always said cryptic things that were proverbs for finding a deeper meaning in life.

Looking at everyone else in their little group didn’t bring up the same feelings it did when he looked at Sokka, so maybe he just felt closest to the Water Tribe Warrior. Was this what having a best friend was like? Your stomach filled with giddy joy and the sight of them sent your chi racing?

Sokka saw him looking and smiled, before getting up and walking over to plop down next to him. “It can get cold up here, and I figured that you-” Sokka went quiet as he leaned into Zuko’s side and then full-on groaned, “Toasty! You’re like a human heat pack!”

“Uh…” Zuko stammered, “I’m a fire bender? I run hot?”

“You weren’t this toasty in the cooler.” Sokka pointed out.

“Yeah, because it was a cooler? It’s meant to keep fire benders too cold to bend?” Zuko offered in explanation before Sokka pulled him into his lap and wrapped his arms around him. Zuko had felt himself panic for a moment, his heart hammering, but then Sokka hummed contentedly into his ear, “You’re like a gift from the spirits.”

Katara snorted at the blush that was suddenly burning the fire bender’s face, “Yeah, if murderous traitors are what you’re into, then I guess Zuko is a gift from the spirits.”

Zuko decided to ignore that comment, but Sokka didn’t, “Hey, the guy risked a lot by coming here, and he has been nothing but helpful since he joined us!” 

Katara made an unhappy sound before she went back to ignoring the fire bender.

Sokka snuggled closer into Zuko’s warmth, with a happy sigh of, “I hope you’re comfortable because I am never letting go of you know that I know how amazing you are to cuddle.” 

Zuko didn’t know how to respond to that, so instead, he relaxed and shifted to make himself more comfortable. It felt nice… Zuko couldn’t remember anyone ever holding him like this.

Sokka removed one of the arms from around his waist to start petting his hair and Zuko turned his face to press it into the other’s neck, the remaining tension draining from him.

“You’re hair is ridiculously soft.” Sokka scoffed, threading his fingers through the silky strands. “How is it this freakishly soft?”

“Hair treatments… Good conditioner…” Zuko sighed with a small smile, and he nearly shuddered at the soft scrape of nails against his scalp.

“I call dibs on living with Zuko when this is all over.” Sokka declared dreamily, before shifting so they were laying on their sides, with Zuko pulling himself closer into the embrace. When Sokka’s finger’s slowed and stopped, he nudged his scalp back against them, and Sokka snicked, “Greedy” before resuming his ministrations.

Zuko felt sleepy now, and for once in his life, he didn’t fight its call. Falling asleep cuddled up against Sokka.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22462120/chapters/53700247