Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Dragon's prey	By : ajj77sunhawk Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Slash - Male/Male > Sokka/Zuko Views: 20843 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar, and I do not make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Hi from Turkey, having a great time, but mnaged some time to write – usually while waiting. Thanks for all the reviews – sooo glad you all saw the escape was in character. Sorry am not addressing individual thanks as I need to go on a tour soon. Hugs!!

As always to BrukleFlesche my Beta THANKS!!!

Special thanks to Kuragari for the Great Piece of art, AMAZING – love you sooo much for this, its really beautiful. Thanks. http://kuragari75.deviantart . com/art/ Dragon-s-Prey-color-161737056

Read, review and enjoy.

Chapter 12 : Need
One second Zuko was coordinating the increasingly frantic hunt, and the next his eyes rolled back as he collapsed in a faint. General Iroh again kept the guards from panicking as they tried to wake the Fire Lord.

He was surrounded by thick smoke, no direction was safe. His responsibilities were great - crushing, like the rocky jagged surfaces surrounding him, there was no softness around the Dragon, no comfort, no place to feel cool. He burned from the inside, warmed the rock, and the Dragon twisted in its own heat. Where to go? He was responsible, he could not fly free. The Dragon was frantic. Where was his Wolf-Hawk, the beast that had suddenly come and given him softness among the stones? The smoke had disappeared in the Wolf-Hawk's bright presence, and the dragon had flown free. The Dragon roared at the loss. His soul felt torn from him.

But even that he could bear. Then the Dragon heard something that was beyond his capability to withstand. In the smoky distance the lonely howls of the Wolf-Hawk echoed. The despair and loneliness in the howl clawed at the great Dragon and it was more than he could endure. He shuddered in pain.

"Sokka!" Zuko gasped out as his eyes snapped open. Trembles of phantom pain ran through the Fire Lord, the pain felt by the Wolf-Hawk reverberating through Zuko. It was intolerable, unacceptable! No matter what he went through, to have his Prey suffer in that way was not something that he would ever allow to continue. His troubled eyes snapped to Savin. "He is still in the city. Block off all exits! NO ONE leaves, not guards, not visitors, not ANYONE! This cannot go on. Search the city again. Find him!"

Groggy and weak, with liquid pooling in his eyes, Sokka woke from his restless slumber. The memory of the dream disturbed him, but it was just a dream, right? His logical mind said it had to be, but his heart was saying something else, and the ache cut straight to his soul. Shivers ran through him. Cold…he was so cold. He made his way out of the shed and sunlight touched his skin, but his body did not heat. The chill was inside him, and he ached – just ached for the lick of flame, ached for the enveloping warmth, ached for Zuko. Sokka groaned, finally admitting to himself that he wanted the Firebender's hands on him, wanted to be held, so damn much.

But Sokka was stubborn. He could not simply give in, so, shunting his pain and need aside, he searched for a way out of the city. There was none, as the city was shut down tight. Sokka, in his disguise, made his way to the sheer rock cliffs, where few guards were, and expertly slipped past them. This edge of the city had a rock wall that bordered on a deep ravine and river. The jump was long and making it was probably suicidal. Sokka sneaked his way to the top and looked down. The water was far, far below. Sokka gulped. Nope, he was definitely not suicidal. He turned away to make his way back down, and that was when his luck finally ran out.

He turned a corner and came face to face with a guard. Shouting for support, the guard yelled that there was an intruder on the wall, and attacked. Sokka dodged and quickly disarmed the guard, taking his sword and knocking him out. But it was too late: the alarm had been sounded and guards were running to the area, uncertain if they would find their Lord's Prey or a random intruder. Their orders were to capture. Sokka ran, his acquired sword in hand, pushing his emotions aside, he prepared for battle. He was a warrior, and there was no way he would give in without a fight.

Zuko could not remember moving faster than he did at that moment. He could not recall mounting up as soon as word came, nor remember the thunderous ride to the battlements and the frantic flight up the stairs. He only remembered seeing Sokka with his back to what seemed a bottomless chasm and surrounded by Zuko's soldiers. The soldiers were trying to disable and disarm the warrior without success. Sokka held his own, but he was being pushed back, closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. Zuko's cornered Wolf-Hawk was fighting for all he was worth; he would not yield. The warrior was magnificent.

A blast of flame exploded between Sokka and the advancing soldiers. "Get back! Stay back!" Zuko snapped as he landed between them. Savin landed beside him and herded the guards back. The Dragon focused on his Prey.

Blood pounded in Sokka's veins. No, no, no. Fighting the soldiers was bad enough, now he had to fight— No! A part of his mind desperately screamed, but still his hands were steady as he raised his sword.

Zuko stared at Sokka. He was so relieved; he wanted, needed to hold on to his Prey and never let him go, to chain the other to his side so that he would never experience the choking fear again. He needed to grab hold of Sokka and hold on, needed to touch and hold his sacrifice, and feel the sweet relief wash through his body. Sokka was the sacrifice, the sacrifice had no choice, its destiny was surrendered to the needs of the Fire Spirit, and nothing could come between the Dragon and its Prey—nothing, that is, except…the man Zuko was.

His Wolf-Hawk, his Sokka, was fighting so desperately for his freedom. Cornered, all avenues cut off, still he fought. The fire of his spirit blazed in deep blue eyes, desperation in every muscle of the beautiful form. The warrior was doing everything in his power to escape.

Zuko would have happily slaughtered anyone who stole Sokka's spirit and caused the youth more pain. The penalty for harming the Dragon's Prey had always been death, and reading the sheer despair and pain in those deep eyes, Zuko felt his heart shred into a million pieces.

The two men stared at each other, the Fire Nation army surrounding them, but they might as well have been alone.

"You want to leave so badly, Sokka? Are you so unhappy to be with me?" Zuko said softly, his words only reaching Sokka and a handful of the soldiers nearest to the two.

"Zuko, no. It's not about that. You are mistaken; we are just getting more and more caught in the mistake. You just can't see it right now. Once I'm gone you will find someone better, someone more suited to you. You'll see. It's best for everyone if I just leave, Zuko. Please!" Sokka whispered, the pain clawing at him. If it hurt so much now, how much more would it hurt when Zuko found his true Prey? Sokka had to leave; things always seemed to be better for everyone else once he was gone. He was only suited to being a wanderer, to be a tool, do a job, and leave. In the end, his people had all been happy to see him gone. It was selfish of him, but he could not stand to wait for Zuko to realize Sokka was no longer needed. He had to leave NOW!

Moisture gathered in Zuko's eyes, but he refused to allow his tears to fall. He would not use emotional blackmail to hold his warrior, and his tears would come later. Zuko chained the raging Fire Spirit inside him, and his shoulders sagged in defeat. "Guards, stand down! If the Warrior Fire wishes to leave, do not get in his way," Zuko stated loudly. Sokka simply stared at Zuko, unblinking and uncomprehending.

A wave of discontented mutters ran through the Fire Nation soldiers; they wanted the warrior to be theirs. The Lord could not lose such a prize.

The Fire Lord looked into the troubled blue eyes and smiled sadly. "My Dragon needs you, Sokka, but I- I…cannot bear to see you in pain. I love you too much for that. So if that is what you want to be happy, then leave, Sokka, I will not stop you. I only ask that if you leave, you never return while I draw breath, for I doubt I will have the strength to make such an offer again." Zuko's voice was for Sokka's ears alone, and the conflagration consuming him twisted and tormented every cell of his being, for he was allowing his salvation to slip his grasp and fly free. But no one, not even he himself would be allowed to collar and chain his beautiful Wolf-Hawk. Zuko would be satisfied if he could be sure Sokka was happy and free.

Sokka stared at Zuko, still wide-eyed and tense, the words hardly registering. Zuko was letting him go. Yes, of course he was, it was for the best, after all. Sokka lowered his sword and his head dropped slightly, shaggy brown hair covering his eyes. He was exiled from here as well.

"Yeah, okay. I won't make trouble for you, Zuko. And don't worry; I'm sure you will find what you need real soon. I know you; you will find your real Prey and secure the future of the Fire Nation. You will do it, Zuko. I know it. You don't need me, you'll see," Sokka said softly as he half turned. His eyes were cloudy and he was so damn cold. He wanted to run, but suddenly he found he could not move. He just wanted Zuko to leave, to go back where he belonged so that Sokka could find a dark corner to curl up and hide in. He could not find the energy to move, so, head down and eyes hidden, he stood, partially facing away from the Fire Lord.

Zuko could not move. He stared at Sokka. The former Water Tribesman had said all the right things, but he looked more miserable than he had earlier. Zuko needed to know Sokka would be alright before he left. "Sokka, what do you need to be happy, tell me. Please tell me, and I will do everything in my power to make it come true. Sokka, what do YOU need?"

"I need for the peace to hold, for the nations to prosper," Sokka replied immediately, an instinctive and wholly truthful answer.

Zuko knew that but still he felt his temper rise, "I didn't ask what Sokka the warrior wants, I asked what Sokka the person, the man wants. Tell me what you want, what you need, Sokka."

"I.. I.. don't know what I want, not anymore. I know I don't want to hurt anymore. What I need…" Sokka paused, he drew in a painful breathe as his voice caught, Sooka almost could not say it… was he allowed to have needs? It had been so long since anyone had asked him that. He had been looking after others needs for so damn long, he was a warrior serving the people, and his needs just had not seemed to matter. His breathing was labored.

The silence stretched out, no one moved. Sokka had to finish the sentence.

He let out a sobbing laugh, though he would never allow tears to fall. He raised his head. Sokka tried to smile, but failed miserably, his dry eyes were haunted. "I need … I need to go home, that's all. But I don't have a home – not anymore. No place that I can go to no matter what, no one that waits for me to return, that stops…. SPIRITS I'm pathetic!! I'm sorry Zuko, it doesn't matter." Sokka turned away again, he squared his shoulders. "I guess I just need Goosey, and I'll be going."

The energy around Sokka was heavy but strong. Still there was an air about him that had not been present in their youth, a fragility that had developed in the years of rejection. It was a vulnerability coated in strength, hidden in determination and colored by sacrifice. Finally Zuko saw it, and finally the Fire Lord understood, he had made a mistake- two big ones. The throw away comment to match wits with Sokka when he tried to escape was possibly the worst thing he could have said to his blue eyed friend. Zuko was not going to ever make that mistake again.

One cannot force and cage a warrior of the water nation…

"Sokka!" Zuko said loudly, the change in the tone of the conversation so sharp and sudden that Sokka jerked back to stare at Zuko.

One had to ask the water nation warrior to stay…

Zuko spread his arms, "Come home Sokka, please, come home to me. You belong to me, with me, please come home." Zuko let all the longing, need and love he felt for the Warrior reflect in his voice.

If possible Sokka seemed to freeze further, then he began to shake violently. He took a step towards Zuko, swayed and stopped. "I… I… can't.."

"Then home will come to you." Zuko whispered as he took the two steps necessary to bridge the gap between him and the silent shivering youth. Sokka did not resist as Zuko's arms curled around him, gently, delicately, but with the strength of pure titanium. Sokka's face came to rest in the crook of Zuko's neck, his hands curled around the Fire Lord's arms.

"Zuko! Please don't let me go, even if it's for a greater good, and I feel I have to go, don't let me just walk away. Please! Please need me! Need me enough to stop me! Just once, stop me." Sokka whispered in despair. How many dreams had he had of his father, Batek, some one, anyone stopping him when he left; of Katara and Aang finding him and forcing him to go home. But it had not happened. Instead they had rejoiced in his absence and worse- had not even noticed he was gone. No one had stopped him, and each time he had the dream, his soul had died a little more.

His heart breaking at the layers and layers of pain in the warrior's words, Zuko's arms tightened around the slim frame. "Don't try to leave me again Sokka, it hurts too damn much not to have you by my side. We belong to each other, and I will never, ever be able to watch you walk away from me. Understand, this.." Zuko released the Fire Spirit, and steely possessiveness wove through the love he had for the warrior. "YOU ARE MINE!!"

Zuko yanked Sokka's head back, "MINE!!" and his lips slammed down on Sokka's, power and heat coursed through the both of them, as Sokka hands went around the Fire Lord.

Savin and the soldiers were the only ones privileged to watch the translucent Dragon rise from the Fire Lord and curl possessively around the Warrior. Then they watched in awe, as the spirit of a giant silver Wolf-Hawk seemed to emerge from the ex-Water Tribesman. The Wolf-Hawk nuzzled the Dragon, and the two spirits lifted their heads and roared together.

---tbc—

So does it fit?? Im doing this on holiday so please Review!!!
- 10
- 11
- 12
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Dragon's prey