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Sinking into the Inferno	By : karkass91 Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Slash - Male/Male > Sokka/Zuko Views: 3973 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar-The Last Airbender and I make no profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Chapter 1
- 1
A/N: I don’t own anything. Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing this.
Hakoda grew more worried for his son as the months passed. As the nations were beginning to rebuild their strenuous relationships after the crowning of Fire Lord Zuko, Hakoda could sense a change in Sokka. Their return to the Southern Water Tribe was initially joyous as Katara and Sokka started to rebuild their land. Even the young Avatar often visited to help the tribe rebuild and though he denied it, spend time with Katara. It seemed that their young love was finally being given time to bud and grow. Hakoda had hoped that Sokka and Suki would also find happiness, but it had almost been a year since their return to the tribe and their relationship was stagnant. The tribe leader could often hear arguing from the adjacent igloo, soft harsh whispers between the two lovers arguing about their future. He knew he would need to speak with Sokka soon, before it was too late with Suki. Perhaps they could mend their love for each other. He could only hope, as his son deserved as much happiness and love as his daughter had found with the Avatar.

Suki was a kindhearted, strong woman with an unending sense of loyalty to Sokka. Hakoda could see it from afar, the way she looked him lovingly, the way she cared for his wounds when he was clumsy, the endless love in her eyes when they spoke. They had only recently started arguing incessantly, almost always about their future and what was to come. Suki would press Sokka about marriage and children only to be disappointed when Sokka avoided her lines of inquiry. Sometimes he could catch them whispering heatedly about something else, their hushed tones too quiet for him to understand completely. Hakoda couldn’t make sense of it, neither could Aang or Katara, who had also noticed the change in Sokka. It was disheartening to see the usually comical and fun-loving young man shrouded in such darkness.

When morning broke, Hakoda dressed and headed straight to Sokka’s igloo, determined to talk some sense into his stubborn son. Before he could knock on the door of the ice hut, he heard Suki’s hushed voice whispering.

“I’m sorry, Sokka. I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I love you but… things are different now.”

There was a moment of silence before Sokka responded. Hakoda could hear the anguish in his voice.

“Suki, please. We can make this work! I promise we’ll find a way. Don’t go.”

Sokka sounded different than usual. His breath was labored and his voice was strained, as though speaking itself was draining his energy. Hakoda didn’t have any more time to ponder as Suki aggressively opened the door, slamming it directly into the crouched Chief. He paled, smiling sheepishly at the Kyoshi warrior.

“Chief!” she gasped in horror, “I’m so sorry! Are you alright?”

Hakoda grunted as he regained his balance and nodded, waving off her apology. “Just fine, just fine. Good morning. I need to speak with my son,” he responded, greeting her with a kind smile. Suki’s blue eyes darkened in sadness.

“I…” Suki started, pausing for a long moment in awkward silence before finding her words, “… Thank you for everything Chief Hakoda.”

Her head was lowered, but Hakoda could see the tears pooling in her eyes. He narrowed his eyes, knowing what her words were implying. Suki was leaving. He was too late. Before he could ask her to stay, she was already walking away. He cursed under his breath in frustration, turning to face the igloo his son was hiding in. What could Sokka be thinking?! Suki was a perfect match for him, it made no sense to turn her away.

“Sokka?” he inquired, stepping into the dimly lit home. His son was lying in bed, his body facing the wall. Even lying down, his shoulders slumped downwards in a dejected way. After all these years, it was easy to read Sokka’s emotions through body language. The young water tribesman wore his heart on his sleeve, even now as a full-grown man. Sokka’s knees were curled up into his stomach, his slumped shoulders shaking. He couldn’t turn around to face his father like this.

“Please, I can’t right now,” Sokka whispered hoarsely through clenched teeth.

“Sokka, talk to me. What’s wrong?” Hakoda asked, reaching out and placing a hand on his sons quivering shoulder. Sokka tensed and immediately jerked himself away, moving into a sitting position quickly on his bed. Hakoda could barely contain his surprise at the heat from Sokka’s skin. Something was very wrong. Was he running a fever? The chief moved closer, examining Sokka’s flushed, sweating face.

“Let me find Katara, you’re running a fever,” he said, pushing his thought to have Sokka reconcile with Suki to the back of his head. He reached to touch Sokka’s sweaty forehead, pushing his dark hair aside. Sokka grabbed his wrist, shaking his head no before slumping back onto the bed, curling back up into fetal position.

“No. I don’t want anyone to see me like this,” Sokka whispered, his breath catching in his throat as a wave of blazing heat wash over his body. He shuddered in pain, pushing his hands down at his groin and gritting his teeth. “It hurts,” he whined. Hakoda’s eyes narrowed, suddenly understanding what was happening.

Sokka was 18 now, the age of the second gender awakening. Hakoda had always imagined that his son would be an Alpha male, as he and his forefathers were. It was almost unheard of for male children to be born anything other an Alphas or Betas, especially when breeding amongst the clansman were kept pure. He hadn’t considered that Sokka would awaken as an Omega, a gender meant for breeding. This would be a problem that he couldn’t fix on his own.

All the hushed arguments through thin walls made sense now. Hakoda grimly understood why Suki had left. Omega men could not breed with anyone other than an Alpha, which Suki was not. Guilt overwhelmed him as he watched his son tremble in bed. There was nothing he could do for him. All the Alpha men in the tribe were already mated to their wives and could not be of use to Sokka now. He needed to find his son an unmated Alpha to get him through the Omega heat cycle.

“Sokka, I’m sorry. I chances of you awakening as an Omega were so small, I never took it into consideration. I will find you an Alpha to mate with and ease your pain,” he explained in a guilt-ridden voice, gently patting his son’s shoulder. “This will pass soon.”

“No, please. I’ll ride it out. This isn’t the first time,” Sokka gasped, wrapping his arms around his knees to try and quell the fires blazing inside him. Hakoda stilled, wondering how long Sokka had been suffering silence, how long Suki had been keeping his secret and trying to ease his pain whilst knowing they could never truly be with one another. His heart ached for the young woman now, too. Hakoda nodded, respecting Sokka’s wishes. There was nothing he could do now but wait for the heat to pass.

“How long are the cycles?” he asked his son, angry at himself for not understanding the Omega experiences better. He had planned on Sokka awakening as an Alpha male, which would have been easy to explain as he already knew what was to come. Omegas were a mystery to him, as his late wife Kya was a Beta woman.

Sokka took several breaths before telling his father the cycles lasted a week. The first day was bearable, but it gradually got worse as the heat reached its peak in the middle of week before subsiding in the following days. He was on day 3 now, the worst part of his cycle. He had been able to hide in the past months by hiding away and having Suki cover for him, claiming he felt ill or that he had gone on a hunt. Suki did her best to help him, but there was nothing she could do to satisfy his urge to mate with an Alpha. His body craved something that she couldn’t provide, no matter how hard she tried.

“Just give me a couple more days. We can talk then,” Sokka grunted out, “… please buy me some time, dad.”

Hakoda conceded, promising to come deliver Sokka’s meals himself and buy his son a few more days. He needed to find a solution as soon as possible, for the sake of his beloved son.
“The messenger hawks are ready, my lord.”

Zuko nodded impassively at his guard. He’d had messages drafted recently to send to his friends regarding a one-year reunion after the rejoining of the nations. The last year had been difficult to say the least as he struggled to learn how to lead his country, rejoin the nations, and deal with the awakening as an Alpha. He’d felt the changes soon after his ascension as Fire Lord.

His body, which was already lean and muscular from years of training suddenly had a growth spurt. He was several inches taller, wider in the shoulders and back, muscle packing onto his frame easily over the last several months. His legs grew thick and taut and the seamstresses at the palace needed to adjust his sizing several times over the last year. Even his manhood had taken to his Alpha awakening and grown, pushing against his pants almost painfully. He’d need to be resized again soon. The Alpha advisors assigned to educating him about his new awakening advised that the growth should be stopping soon, which was grateful for. He didn’t know how much longer he could take the discomfort of his physical changes.

The advisors also hinted that he would need to find a mate soon as the Alpha in him wouldn’t allow him to stay single for long. They explained that he could mate with either a Beta female or and Omega female, the latter being quite difficult to find. Out of 100 people, 20 would be Alphas, 75 would be Betas, and only 5 would awaken as Omegas. The chances of an Omega male awakening was close to none. Women who did awaken as Omegas were quickly taken by the nearest unmated Alphas, most times without their consent.

Zuko grimaced when he learned that Alphas would quickly succumb to the Omega pheromones, as though the Alpha would turn into animals and mate on instinct. The feeling of disgust knowing that Omegas were raped before they were claimed and owned by another Alpha hit too close to home. Ozai was an Alpha and Ursa was given to him as an Omega woman. He knew his father was not only unkind to his mother, but likely had raped and taken her without her consent.

He’d spent the last month dodging questions about finding a suitable mate to pair off with. Whoever he decided to mate with would end up being Fire Lady, and that thought scared him more than anything else. He found noblewomen so distasteful and annoying already, he couldn’t imagine spending all his free time bedding and mating with some fire nation harpy crooning in his ear about her needs and wants. He already had too much on his mind about ruling fairly over his people and meeting their needs. He would find a mate in his own time and when he was ready.

“Send them out as soon as possible,” he replied to his guard about the messenger hawks, who bowed quickly and left his quarters.

Zuko audibly sighed, sinking into his desk chair and rolling his head forward and backward to stretch his stiff neck. Although he was weary from the days duties, he found himself smiling at the thought of being reunited with his friends. It felt like so long ago that he was spending all his time chasing down the Avatar and his accomplices and now he could call them all his brethren and trusted friends. Much had changed for the better. The nations were finally finding peace after 100 years of war.

The palace was brimming with excitement when the announcement of a royal banquet would be held to honor the heroes of the war. Honored guests from each nation would be invited to rejoin for a night of reminiscing and rejoicing in their victory against Ozai. If this went as well as he hoped, Zuko was planning to make this a recurring yearly ball, where he could rejoin his friends and reconnect. Even though Aang would visit him every so often, he found himself lonely and missing the company of the people who didn’t always bow down and kiss his feet because he was the Fire Lord. Perhaps he could convince them to visit for longer than just a few nights once they arrived.

He stood, finding a sense of calm in knowing he would soon be reunited with close friends, and stepped out of his quarters to continue his duties as the Fire Lord.
Sokka finally emerged from his igloo after the last day of his heat cycle simmered down to nothingness, as though it had never happened. He took a deep breath, knowing he would need to speak with the Chief about how to deal with this new problem. As a child, he was taught about the second awakening of genders, but never seemed to really care.

“So what?! I’m gonna be an Alpha just like dad and find myself a hottie wife to mate with!” he exclaimed, hands on his hips as he triumphantly stared off into the icy distance of South Pole. Katara rolled her eyes at her stupidly confident brother.

“Yeah, sure King Sokka. Come down off your throne before you hurt yourself… again,” she teased, sending a snowball hurling in his direction. It smacked squarely on the back of his head, sending him toppling off his mini ice mountain into the soft snow below. He could hear Katara giggling loudly at him in the back. He huffed at her, his face twisted in annoyance.

“You know you could end up just being a Beta, too. There’s no guarantee you’ll be an Alpha!” she yelled to him as a snowball came careening back at her. She dodged it just in time.

“No way! I have strong genes, I’m gonna be just like dad and the other Chieftains of our tribe. I’m gonna be the best Alpha Chief EVER! You’ll probably end up being a Beta,” he retorted back, shrugging his shoulders comically and dodging a big splash of bended water being hurled at his face.

Katara’s cheeks were flushed pink from their playtime and she paused, considering her brothers words. “You’re probably right. But that’s the way it’s always been. I hope I can find someone to love me like Dad loved mom.”

Sokka paused his onslaught of snowballs, then grinned widely at his younger sibling. “No one’s gonna want you with that crappy waterbending!” he laughed at threw another snowball at her.

Katara huffed angrily, pulling another water ball up from the snow below her. “I’ll show you!” she exclaimed as she hurled another bended water ball at her brother.

His lips curved into a smile, recalling his ignorant younger self. If only he had known, he could have asked more questions and prepared better. He hadn’t even considered that he would awaken as a Beta, much less an Omega. He was so sure he would be an Alpha that he had nearly asked Suki to marry him right before his 18^th birthday. The months leading up to his awakening with Suki were so blissful, they were too good to be true. She was all he had ever wanted and they often planned about their future together, speaking of marriage and how many children the Kyoshi warrior would bear him.

He knew something was wrong following his birthday. His body hadn’t changed like his father said it might and he didn’t feel any stronger or more… Alpha-like. In fact, he felt more timid than usual, more reserved and complacent than his younger years. He soon suspected that he was in fact a Beta male, which wouldn’t have been too bad. Beta males could still mate with Beta females and live normal, happy lives. He knew Suki wouldn’t care either way and would be happy with him. He found himself comfortable with being a Beta, even though he’d looked forward to awakening as an Alpha all his life. He was very, very wrong.

His first heat cycle was a surprise to both him and Suki. He recalled her waking him up in the middle of the night because he was groaning loudly in his sleep, tossing the covers off both of them and exposing Suki to his blazing hot skin. She thought he had caught a fever, but before she could go find Katara to heal him, she saw his raging erection pressing against his pants and immediately knew what was happening. There had been more than one Omega Kyoshi warrior awakened on Kyoshi island before and she recognized the symptoms. Suki was quick to cover Sokka’s nether regions and press a cold compress to his forehead. Tears welled in her eyes when she realized that as an Omega male, they could never be mated to each other.

She explained what she could to him of his symptoms and knowing Sokka, tried to gently hint at the fact that he was an Omega.

“Impossible,” he responded to her with hooded eyes and a husky voice. “Suki, please. It hurts, I need you.”

She already knew what would come of this, but she couldn’t say no to Sokka. They spent the night making love, Sokka trying to find his release in her warmth. By the time dawn came, he was still pumping tiredly inside her, angry with himself for not being able to bring her to release or sate his own needs in her. He couldn’t understand. Just days prior, they had been intimate with no issues at all. Their lovemaking had always been gentle and kind, with Sokka somehow finding restraint in the way he cared for Suki’s body. She knew a side to him that no one would ever see. The man that was so funny and brash to the outside world was so soft and gentle in bed. When his heat cycle started and they tried to sate his desire, he was much more rough and needy with his desire. She wasn’t surprised though, as she had seen the Omega heat cycle first-hand before.

Over the next few months, Suki stayed by his side. They stopped being intimate altogether and it put a strain on their relationship. They found themselves overworked during the day trying to help rebuild the tribe only to argue with each other at night, mostly about their future and how they would make things work. Suki would try and explain to Sokka that they couldn’t be together as they had discussed before, simply because the Gods wouldn’t allow an Omega and Beta to mate successfully. Sokka would retort back that he still loved her and wanted no one else but her, even though his body longed for something different. He cursed the Gods for awakening him as an Omega, as though they were up in the sky laughing at him.

When the Chief discovered what his son had been hiding, Sokka felt such shame. What would his father think of him now? There was no way he could ever be the tribe leader as an Omega. Would he disown his own son? The thought broke Sokka’s heart. He hoped he could explain to his father that regardless of his awakening, he would never give up leadership of the tribe to another Alpha. Even in his current state, he would find a way to be the leader he always wanted to be.

Sokka knocked on the Chiefs door and entered quietly, making sure he wasn’t being watched or followed. He was being paranoid, but he couldn’t risk anyone listening in on their conversation. Hakoda was sitting at his desk, a warm smile on his face at seeing his son well rested and in a healthier state.

“Sokka, it’s good to see you up and about,” he greeted his son, ushering him to take a seat. The last few days had been awkward at best as Hakoda visited his son to give him meals and wipe the sweat from his brows. He had forbidden anyone to enter Sokka’s igloo and warned that he was quite ill. Katara was the first to try and heal her brother, but Hakoda warned her not to enter, as she may also catch his “contagious fever”. Katara didn’t believe her father but didn’t question his judgement. She requested to see Sokka as soon as he was well again.

Sokka sat, not knowing where to begin the conversation. “Chief, I… I’m sorry I didn’t tell you as soon as I found out.” He bowed his head in shame. His hands curled into fists in his lap, tears already pooling in his eyes. He tried to blink them away as he continued, “… I was hoping Suki and I would be able to figure it out on our own without burdening anyone else.”

Hakoda regarded his son in silence, not showing any emotion across his worn face.

“But that didn’t work out for either of us, and I feel I’ve lost her forever. I… I don’t know what I feel anymore. Everything is different now. I don’t feel like me,” he continued, head still lowered. He was afraid to meet his father’s eyes in fear of the repercussions of hiding his awakening. “I understand if you can’t allow me to be next in line as Chief of the tribe. Being an Omega… it changes things.”

“Sokka, look at me,” Hakoda responded, his voice gentler with Sokka than it had been in years. Sokka’s blue eyes met with his father’s, his cheeks wet with tears.

“This is my fault, son. I should have considered that this might happen, no matter how small the percentage. I wasn’t there when you needed me, when I should have been. Although I wish you had come to me sooner, I should have noticed the signs.

This doesn’t change who you are, Sokka. You are still my son, and you will be the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe when the time is right. For now, we need to find a solution to get you through your heat cycles until you can find the appropriate mate,” Hakoda explained, a warm smile on his face as he reached out to pat Sokka’s trembling shoulders. “You will get through this, son. All will be well.”

Sokka could hardly contain his sniffles, angry with himself for showing so much weakness in front of the Chief. “My next cycle isn’t for another month, so we have a little time,” he said, clearing his throat and drying his wet eyes. For the first time in months, he felt hope.

Hakoda nodded, pulling out a scroll delivered to him earlier that morning from the Fire Nation. “This is an invitation from the Fire Nation inviting us to a banquet to celebrate the one-year reclamation of our nations. It came from Fire Lord Zuko himself. I think it may be of use to us to reunite with the other nations and gather information on how to help you… discreetly, of course.”

Sokka sat quietly, wondering if he even wanted to tell his closest friends about what was happening to him. “No one but Aang, Katara, Toph, and Zuko can learn of this. We’ll tell them all together in the Fire Nation, with no prying eyes or ears. I’m sure we can find a solution together,” he said, coming to realize he would need more support than the Chief to get through this. He needed his friends and family’s support.

Hakoda nodded in agreement. Although he was happy that the nations were finally reuniting, not everyone would be as understanding to their situation. He trusted Sokka’s judgement. Most of all, he wanted to see his son happy and his old self again. He hoped this trip reuniting old friends would bring his son some form of contentment, even if it was temporary. “We set sail tomorrow, then. Go find Katara, son. She’s been worried about you.”

Sokka nodded, standing and giving his father a short bow before leaving to find Katara. The Southern Water Tribe had come a long way in the last year. Members of the Northern Tribe including Master Pakku had returned to the south rebuild. He and Gran Gran were remarried in the following months and had finally found the love and peace they both deserved. The tribe now resembled a smaller version of the majestic Northern Tribe. Ice canals and rivers were carved, creating a more modern looking tribe. With more Alpha benders in the South, there was a much higher mating rate and more children were birthed in the last year than the South had seen in many years. It warmed Sokka’s heart to see his tribe thriving as it always should have.

A few minutes later, he found Katara training with Aang, the two of them wading in icy waters and bending water at each other. “Hey, guys!” he exclaimed, happy to see his sister and friend after a week of isolation. The benders dropped their training immediately, rushing over to see Sokka.

“Where have you been?!” Katara immediately chided, smacking Sokka lightly on the chest. Her eyes were filled with worry even through her scolding. Aang smiled widely at her side, happy to see his friend up and well. Katara knew something was up, but she didn’t know if this was the right time to bring it up. Sokka was finally out of his igloo and seemed to be in good spirits for the first time in months. She’d have to press him about it later.

“I’m glad you’re feeling better Sokka,” Aang said with relief, patting Sokka on the back.

“I’m fine! I was just a little sick. Did you miss me?” he asked with waggling eyebrows. Katara scoffed, crossing her arms across her chest, although she couldn’t hide her smile.

“I… I’m sorry to hear about Suki,” Katara said quietly, making sure the benders around her couldn’t hear. Sokka did his best to hide his slumping shoulders and sad face. He nodded, not wanting to talk about it. Katara and Aang didn’t push it any further. As far as they knew, Suki had fallen out of love with Sokka and chose to leave before things progressed further. They were happy that he was finally out and about.

Sokka grinned snidely at the couple, “Guess who go an invite to the Fire Nation?”

He didn’t wait for a response when their eyes lit up.

“Me! From Lord Jerkbender himself! You guys can tag along too, if you want,” he said with a toothy grin, holding up the scroll with Zuko’s neat handwriting on it. “I bet Toph will be going too,” he added happily, hoping to see the feisty Earthbender. It truly had been too long.

They read the scroll, Katara rolling her eyes at Sokka. “This is an invite for all of us Sokka, not just you.”

“Well I read it first, so its definitely my invitation,” he retorted, resting a foot on a nearby rock and putting his hands on his hips. In a very Zuko-like voice, he turned back to look at them coolly, “… you peasants should be happy that I, Lord Sokka of the Water Tribe, am allowing you to come along.”

Aang doubled over in laughter, “That’s a great Zuko impression!” he snorted. Katara couldn’t help but join in on the silly giggling.

“It’s been so long since we’ve seen Toph and Zuko! How exciting!” Katara exclaimed, grasping Aang’s hands in hers. A blush flushed across the Avatars face as she yanked him towards her ice hut. “We’re going to pack!” she exclaimed. Aang waved a quick goodbye to Sokka as his girlfriend dragged him off. He didn’t seem to unhappy about it.

Sokka returned to his room shortly after, packing up his belongings also. The ride to the fire nation would take at least a week, giving him only 14 days after arrival before his next heat cycle started. Would they be able to find a solution in that time? He could only hope.
Zuko jolted awake from his slumber, covered in a thin sheen of sweat. He breathed heavily, the heavy erection between his thighs straining against his thin pants. Most mornings he would rise with the sun, in every aspect, but this morning was different. His need for sexual release was stronger, more desperate than it had ever been. He glared down at his erection, willing it to go away as he needed to start his day.

Perhaps some meditation will help.

He sighed inwardly, climbing out of bed, ignoring the throb between his legs as he went and sat cross-legged on a thin mat facing the window with the rising sun in the distance. He closed his golden eyes, running a hand through his dark hair before settling into his meditation. After several minutes, he was able to calm himself enough to will the erection away, his member softening and flaccid between his legs. Thank Agni.

The nations would be arriving by boat today for the banquet. Zuko felt the excitement rising in his chest as he readied himself for the day. His personal servant Jie had laid out his royal outfit for the special day so he could properly greet his incoming guests. It was like what he had worn when he was crowned Fire Lord. Dark red and gold robes fit comfortably over his body and he reminded himself to thank the seamstress later for the re-fitting of his clothes. He suspected this would be the last time he would need to be re-measured as his Alpha growth was seeming to slow considerably. He pulled on his pointed boots and pulled his hair back into a formal knot, reaching into a box by his bed-stand to place the Fire Lord crown atop the knot. He glanced into the floor length mirror attached to the wall, wondering if his friends would even recognize him. The Alpha changes had managed to make him seem even more intimidating than he had ever been, one of the only things he enjoyed about his recent growth.

A loud knock on his door jerked his gaze from the mirror to the intruder. “Enter,” he called coolly, his eyes softening when Iroh strode through the doors.

“Why, you look so handsome Fire Lord Zuko,” he said warmly with a wide toothy grin. “Your guests will be arriving soon. I came to fetch you. The Fire Lord can not be late to his own party.”

Zuko nodded, his heart beating heavier with excitement. He had been meaning to ask his Uncle about the worsening sexual desires he had been experiencing, but that could wait until after the banquet. After a year of hard work, he wanted to enjoy the day. “Let’s go, Uncle,” he said with a nod. They both exited and made their way out to the greeting hall of the palace, where they would reunite with old friends.

The palace was bustling and noisy today as the servants readied the banquet décor and food, all of them giving a short bow as Zuko passed them by and returning to their duties. Zuko nodded at them, acknowledging their hard work. The palace had seen great changes in the last year with Zuko as Fire Lord. He was much kinder than Ozai had ever been and the servants and guards had learned to give their respect to the new lord quickly. They could all see that while he was firm in his choices and strict when he needed to be, he didn’t hold the same malicious intent in his eyes that Ozai had. Many of the female servants had developed crushes on the Fire Lord and blushed fiercely when he looked their way or acknowledged their work. Zuko seemed unphased by it, or he didn’t really care.

When they arrived in the greeting hall, many of the guests had already arrived. The sea of people parted and bowed as Zuko and Iroh stepped forward, greeting and shaking hands with each nobleman and noblewoman that arrived. Most of these nobles were mated Beta’s and Zuko could feel them tremble at an Alpha’s touch when he shook their hands and greeted them with fiery amber eyes. The weaker of the Beta’s could barely get a word out upon his approach, though he still politely greeted and welcomed each guest. Iroh chuckled quietly behind him, apologizing to the more affected nobles and asking them to excuse the sudden change in the Fire Lord as he had recently awoken as an Alpha. It seemed that the word of Zuko’s change hadn’t spread out through all the kingdoms yet.

“He smells so good,” Zuko heard an Earth Kingdom noblewoman whisper into her female companion’s ear. His lips curled into an arrogant smirk, recalling the advisors mentioning that Alphas leaked their own distinct pheromones. It was a distinct smell that would attract Betas and Omegas, the latter more-so.

“It’s spicy, smoky, and sweet. Do you smell it too?” the woman asked in a hushed tone as he neared them, slowing to hear the other woman answer. His eyes remained forward, pretending he couldn’t overhear them.

“Yes, sister. The scent of an unmated Alpha—it’s intoxicating,” she breathed quietly in response.

“Welcome. I hope you find your time here enjoyable,” Zuko said, meeting their eyes and grasping their hands to shake. They quivered before him, their Beta senses compelling them to mate with the Alpha. They both nodded fervently, their voices caught in their throats as he moved on, Iroh gleefully following. The older general was hoping that his nephew might find a suitable mate amongst the waves of nobles this evening. The longer Zuko waited to mate, the more uncomfortable his ruts as and Alpha would become.

Zuko and Iroh continued to move through the bowing crowd, Zuko’s eyes peeled for his friends. Suddenly, there was a low trembling under his feet before a loud hand cracked on his back, knocking the wind out of him. He didn’t need to look to know Toph was by his side, greeting him in the only way she knew how. “Heya Hotman!” she exclaimed happily, continuing to clap his back.

The entire hall hushed quietly as they watched the Fire Lord greeted so informally by the much smaller Earthbender. Though Toph was known as the nation’s Master Earthbender, not every noble had met her before to understand her rambunctious personality. Zuko annoyedly caught Toph’s wrist before it could clap on his back again before turning to her with a small smirk on his mouth. “Toph, it’s been too long--,” he started, only to be cut off by the younger woman. Her cloudy green eyes almost seemed to read his as she tilted her head up towards him.

“You got taller. And more muscle-y,” she commented without shame, her wrist still caught in his grasp.

Zuko held back the laugh in his throat, responding an equally unashamed voice, “You haven’t changed at all.”

Toph huffed, shrugging her shoulders. “I can still whoop you. Wanna try me?” she asked in a mischievous voice, the nobles around her gasping at her brash tone. She yanked her hand out of his grasp, her bare feet shifting slightly into a defensive stance.

“Let’s have dinner first. The others should be arriving soon,” Zuko chuckled, patting the top of Toph’s head. She conceded, pushing his hand away. “Yeah, whatever excuse you can make ‘cause I know you’re scared of me.”

Zuko couldn’t stop his laugh this time. The nobles continued to murmur amongst themselves. Their normally stoic leader could actually smile.
It felt great to be on Fire Nation land and not be captured or attacked on sight. Sokka grinned as he stepped onto the Fire Nations docks followed by Katara, Aang, and Hakoda.

“I think we’re a little late?” he said questioningly, his hand on his chin as he looked off into the distance.

There was no one to greet them at the docks and it was nearing evening. He almost didn’t care; he was just happy to be off the ship. A week spent with Aang and Katara drooling over each other was enough mushy love for him. It reminded him too much of Suki, though he didn’t let his sadness interrupt their romance.

“Yeah, we’ll probably be able to catch dinner if we hurry,” Aang replied. On cue, Sokka’s stomach rumbled and he grinned widely.

“I hope they have Fire Flakes!” he exclaimed, happily following Aang. Katara and Hakoda chuckled, following the two young men leading the way to the palace.

They arrived at the palace within the hour, greeted by the guards and allowed in. Zuko had made it clear that his guests from the Water Tribe must be treated with utmost respect. When they entered the main greeting area, it was already bustling with many nobles, but Zuko was nowhere in sight.

“Excuse me, has Fire Lord Zuko already passed through here?” Aang asked a nearby servant. The man faltered at the sight of the Avatar, fumbling over his words.

“Y-Yes, Avatar Aang! Fire Lord Zuko is in the throne room, awaiting you, Lady Katara, Master Sokka, and Master Hakoda. You have arrived just in time!” he said with a bow, his right arm thrust out towards the throne room. Aang thanked him and the group passed by.

“I wonder if there will be dancing after,” Katara whispered to Aang, both their cheeks flushing red with excitement as they climbed the stairs up, Sokka close behind them. He rolled his eyes, using both hands to push them up the stairs more quickly.

“Hurry up! I’m starving and I can smell meat!” he said excitedly, almost breaking into a run as they neared the entrance. Aang and Katara complied with Sokka’s persistent hands, rushing through the doors into the main room. Before Sokka could enter, Hakoda grabbed the back of his son’s shirt and yanked him backwards.

“Hey, what’s the deal?!” Sokka exclaimed with an annoyed scowl at his father.

“Son, are you certain that you’re ready to discuss your awakening with this group? You must be sure, for we cannot take back what will be shared,” Hakoda said, his eyes leveling with Sokka’s. The young water tribesman tensed for a moment, then relaxed in his father’s grip. They had avoided the conversation on the trip across the seas to the Fire Nation. Sokka needed a break and Hakoda hadn’t pressed the issue.

“Yes, I’m ready. I trust them,” he finally answered, nodding. Hakoda nodded and they both entered together.

Aang and Katara had already found their seats beside Toph, hugging the young Earthbender and chit chatting away about how long it had been and what they had all been up to. Zuko was seated on the other side of the table, a small warm smile on his normally cool face as he listened to them chat.

Hakoda turned to greet Iroh, who was seated at the end of the dining table to give the friends privacy to reunite and reminisce. He was pouring himself a cup of tea and gladly pulled another cup out of his sleeve upon seeing Hakoda approach.

“Chief Hakoda, what a pleasant surprise. I was under the impression Lord Zuko only invited his friends. It is wonderful to see you again,” he said warmly, pouring a cup of tea for the Water Tribe Chief. Hakoda took a seat and the cup of tea, clinking it against Iroh’s before knocking the entire cup back, sighing heavily after.

“General Iroh, it’s a pleasure to see you again. We have much to discuss,” Hakoda responded before glancing over at his nearly skipping-with-excitement son. Sokka had reluctantly turned to swiftly bow to Iroh, excited to leave and go greet his friends.

“Oh? Hello, young Master.” Iroh responded thoughtfully, stroking his chin as he greeted Sokka. He hadn’t spent much alone time with the boy in the past, but he knew that something was different. Something about him seemed softer—more reserved and timid. He didn’t dwell on it for long, knowing that the young man wanted to reunite with his old friends.

“Sup,” Sokka responded absentmindedly, his eyes distracted by the spread of food on the other side of the dining table. Hakoda grunted, elbowing his son in the ribs. Sokka winced, bowing his head apologetically. “Sorry, I’m starving!”

Iroh chuckled, waving the young man away with a gentle hand. “Go and be merry. This is a wonderful day indeed.”

“You’re late, Snoozles!” Toph called, waving her small arm at him as she stuffed a big bite of food into her mouth.

“Fashionably late, and that’s Mr. Snoozles to you!” he jested back, happy to see the feisty Earthbender was the same as he had remembered.

“Sup, Lord Jerkbender! Whoa, you finally hit puberty, huh?!” Sokka greeted Zuko, his blue eyes meeting the Fire Lord’s pointed golden stare. Sokka was happy to see his friend, but jealousy bubbled up in his chest. Zuko had clearly filled out in the way Sokka had hoped to. The water tribesman could tell the Fire Lord had grown taller, even though he was sitting. His muscles seemed to ripple beneath his royal robes. Even his jawline seemed more defined, as though it were cut from stone.

Sokka resisted the urge to roll his eyes, not wanting to show his obvious jealousy as his body hadn’t matured the way he had expected it to. The awakening as an Omega made his body more supple than it had been in prior years. While he was still lean and muscular in his own right, his hips had widened slightly, his once muscular rear filling out until it was plump. His skin was distinctly softer, even softer than Suki’s. It became smooth and unblemished, old scars fading away into nothingness upon his awakening. It was hardly noticeable since he was always clothed in a warm parka at the Water Tribe, but Sokka could see the changes in his own body.

Sokka plopped down beside Zuko, his hands already reaching to fill the empty bowl in front of him.

“Sokka,” Zuko greeted coolly, though there was a small smile tugging on his lips. Finally, they were all reunited.

Sokka grinned widely and turned towards the feast before him, eyeing the Fire Flakes next to Zuko. He reached for them but halted almost immediately, his hand trembling as a breeze from the adjacent open window carried a scent he couldn’t ignore. It was an intoxicating scent---like honeyed spiced wine, the most sensuous musky cologne, like sex. The wind from the adjacent window passed through the hall and the scent invaded his nose again.

Sokka’s legs trembled and he felt a familiar unpleasant fire ignite in his groin. “Fuck,” he muttered under his breath. His face was already flushing red, sweating beading on his forehead. The thought of sating his hunger was forgotten as his blood boiled in his veins. He covered his nose quickly, shuffling away from the group of people staring at him confusedly.

“Sokka, there will come a time when you stumble upon an unmated Alpha. From what I’ve learned, you won’t be able to deny the call. The Omega Kyoshi warriors I’ve spoken to described it as though their bodies betrayed them. You won’t be able to withstand being in close proximity and neither will the Alpha. It won’t matter who it is, and your feelings won’t matter. The call to mate will be too strong.”

Suki’s voice rang in his head as he recalled their earlier conversations where she educated him on what she knew. He’d chosen to leave this bit of information out when he spoke to his father before, as it was too embarrassing. He knew now he’d made a huge mistake thinking that he would have the willpower to withstand an Alpha’s pheromones. He felt drunk, his brain foggy and filling with lewd thoughts of being filled in ways unmentionable.

Who was it coming from? It couldn’t have been Aang or Katara as they had yet to awaken, plus he’d spent the last week trapped on the same ship with them. According to his father, blood kin could not smell each other’s pheromones anyway. Was it Toph? No, she was also too young. His eyes glanced at Iroh, who was deep in conversation with the Water Tribe Chief. They were downwind from the aggressive scent, so it wouldn’t be possible.

He slowly turned his gaze to the hard body sitting beside him. “Zuko? W-when?” Sokka gasped between heavy breaths, not able to elaborate on his question at the risk of breathing even more of the heavy Alpha pheromones. Sokka hunched over to try and hide the painful strain in his pants. His eyes widened when he felt his ass clench unwillingly, a warm wetness dripping down his cheeks and dribbling down his thigh. It was an unfamiliar desire and it deeply unsettled him. His eyes stayed locked on Zuko, who seemed frozen in his spot.

“Dude, what’s the matter?” Toph asked, feeling Sokka back away from the food and scooting away. “Zuko isn’t gonna bite.”

“Sokka?” Katara asked, her face twisting into worry.

Aang’s face quickly turned to panic when he realized what was happening. The monks had educated him about the second gender awakening before, though the occurrence of a male Omega was near impossible. Not only were the chances close to none, it was an extremely unfortunate coincidence that the only nearby Alpha male was also unmated. On his trips to the Fire Nation in the last year, Aang had learned of Zuko’s awakened state and seen the changes in the Fire Lord himself. He never thought it would be such a problem, so he didn’t bother telling the Water Tribe about it. He immediately regretted his decision.

The Avatar’s gray eyes flitted between Zuko and Sokka before he made his choice, making his way towards Sokka. He needed to protect Sokka from Zuko at all costs, otherwise their friendship would surely be destroyed in a matter of minutes.

Before Sokka could answer to Toph and Katara’s concern, Zuko slammed his hands onto the dining table and stood abruptly. The group jumped in surprise, Hakoda and Iroh stopping their conversation and turning their attention towards Zuko.

“You—why do you smell like that?!” Zuko asked, his hand clapping over his nose. Sokka’s triggered heat cycle induced its own distinct scent. It permeated the air thickly, though it seemed only Zuko could smell it. “It’s impossible,” he gasped, trying not to inhale. His eyes glazed over in unwanted desire, every muscle in his body urging him to ram his aching sex into Sokka, guests be damned. He desperately tried to deny his unquenchable need, willing himself to move away.

Aang reached Sokka, grabbing him by the elbow and dragging him towards the door to exit. Hakoda and Iroh were quick to understand the situation before the others were, both standing and moving between the two young men.

“It’s not possible,” Zuko hissed again, also now backing away towards the wall. He quickly adjusted his robes to hide the weeping erection straining in his pants, raging even worse now than it did that morning. The Omega scent was overwhelming and heady. His body warred between aching with desire and disgust with himself for the lewd thoughts racing through his head.

“Chief Hakoda, please remove Master Sokka from the room immediately, get him as far away from the Fire Lord as possible,” Iroh ordered, his hands pressing Zuko against the wall. He had a terrible feeling the young lord would soon be clawing his way out of his uncle’s grip to get to the water tribesman.

“Calm yourself, Zuko,” he urged softly. Zuko snarled in response but didn’t argue. The scent was lessening now as he watched Sokka being pulled away, though his rampant desire wasn’t quelling.

Hakoda and Aang yanked Sokka off his feet and dragging his trembling body out the door. A nearby servant hurried over before the nobles could see. It was a young woman with dark hair and equally dark eyes. She flinched at the sight of Sokka, her face flushing immediately in understanding.

“Bring him this way, please,” she urged, pointing down a long hallway. They complied, half dragging Sokka towards an unmarked room. The servant hurried them inside, closing the door behind her. “The scent shouldn’t escape this room as long as the door is shut. I’ll bring some suppressant tea right away.”

“Suppressant tea? That exists?” Hakoda asked, grateful for the servants help.

“Yes, sir. I’ll brew a cup quickly to settle the heat,” she explained before leaving and shutting the door behind her.

Aang and Hakoda laid Sokka in the bed, stripping off his shirt to try and cool him. They hovered over him, then glanced at each other. Sokka groaned, turning away from them and pushing insistently on his groin. The pain was so unbearable, he couldn’t speak.

“How long have you known, Avatar?” Hakoda asked quietly, more curious than angry. He knew that the Avatar and Katara had both yet to awaken, so why would the Avatar have knowledge on the Omega cycle?

“The monks educated me a little on the awakening of the second genders before, but I never thought I’d meet a male Omega in my lifetime,” Aang replied, his head lowering.

“I knew about Zuko being an Alpha. I should have told you all, but it didn’t seem like it mattered. I was wrong,” he continued.

Hakoda regarded the Avatar quietly before resigning to an understanding nod. Sokka reached a shaky arm outward and gripped Aang’s sleeve. Blue eyes met gray and Sokka rasped, “It’s okay.”

Aang could only offer a small, sad smile. “I’m sorry, Sokka. I promise I’ll help you find a way to fix this.”

A soft knock on the door broke their conversation. Aang opened the door revealing Katara and Toph, their faces twisted in worry. “Is Sokka okay? Someone needs to explain what’s going on!” Katara asserted, Toph nodding next to her.

Hakoda pulled them into the room, quickly shutting the door behind them. “Where is Zuko?” he asked them first.

“They dragged Hothead to his quarters. The party’s off,” Toph replied, her toes feeling for Sokka’s vibrations on the ground. She felt the tingle of his labored breathing on the bed and could sense his discomfort. For the first time ever, she didn’t have anything else to say.

Hakoda visibly slumped in relief, sitting in a chair adjacent to the bed Sokka was curled up in. Aang moved to stand by Katara, and they all faced the Water Tribe Chief, awaiting an explanation. He paused, regarding the three quietly before starting at the beginning. He explained how he stumbled upon Sokka in his latest heat cycle, the admission that Sokka was awakened as an Omega, Suki leaving, and that the invitation to the Fire Nation was also an opportunity to find answers.

The three benders listened without interruption, Katara only beginning to cry once she came to understand how much pain Sokka was in.

“Can I try and ease the pain?” she asked softly, approaching Sokka.

He was huffing into the sheets, his knees curled up into his chest. Her cool hand reached for his forehead and she recoiled at how warm he was. It felt like the worst fever she’d ever seen before. She quickly went straight into the attached bathroom and emerged with a wet towel, her hands bending the moisture into ice. She placed it on Sokka’s forehead, whispering her apologies for not being there sooner for her brother. There was nothing her healing powers could do to ease the burning in him.

It was just a few minutes later when the servant returned to the room with the suppressant tea. Katara bent the liquid into Sokka’s mouth and he drank eagerly, desperate to quell the heat in his loins. It only took a moment before he was feeling better and was able to sit up on his own. He could feel the fire in his veins dwindling down to the smallest flame, almost invisible but still present.

“Can we just take some of that home?” he asked, eyeing the empty teacup.

“That’ll fix it, right? I can just take it once a month and not need to find an Alpha to mate with,” he reasoned, nodding at what seemed like sound logic. “I can just be a bachelor for life and still lead the Water Tribe!”

“That is not possible, unfortunately,” Iroh’s voice responded. The group turned to find him standing in the doorway, his face more serious than they had seen in a long time. “The tea is effective for the first use, but the user will continually grow a tolerance to it, rendering it obsolete. You will need to find a mate, Master Sokka, and soon.”

Sokka’s eyes darkened in despair. He didn’t want to be mated to an Alpha. He was supposed to be the Alpha! His fists clenched in his lap.

“I apologize for my nephew’s behavior. His stubbornness prevented him from taking a mate when he awakened earlier in the year. As an Alpha, the scent of an unmarked Omega triggered his most animalistic instincts to mate,” Iroh apologized sheepishly, rubbing his chin in thought. Iroh already had a plan cooked up, but he knew it was too soon to reveal.

“Well, you all must be weary from your travels. Please, get some rest and we will revisit this tomorrow at breakfast. Master Sokka, I am assigning Jie to attend to you for the rest of your stay. She is one of Lord Zuko’s most trusted servants,” Iroh assured.

Jie, the dark-haired servant, stepped forward and bowed deeply.

“It will be my pleasure to serve you, Master Sokka. I will show Lord Zuko’s honored guests to their rooms and come back to give you another serving of tea in the morning. Sleep well,” she bid, ushering Toph, Katara, and Aang out of the room. Sokka gave his friends the most reassuring smile he could muster.

“I’ll be okay, guys! Captain Boomerang will always find a way,” he asserted, pumping his arm up and flexing at them. They all flashed smiles at his antics, chuckling on their way out.

“Hakoda, if I could bend your ear…” Iroh whispered, pulling the Chief aside outside. “I have an idea that may be beneficial to my nephew, your son, and both the Fire Nation and Water Tribe.”

Hakoda acquiesced, following the older General and listening to his hopeful plan.

Sokka settled into the silence of the guest room. He picked up the empty teacup by his bedside, the final drops of liquid in the cup seemingly laughing at his fucked-up situation. He huffed in anger, throwing the teacup against the wall. The porcelain shattered, but Sokka felt no better. He needed to regain some sort of control over his life. Everything was being taken away from him—his choices didn’t seem to matter anymore. He would have to be some Alpha’s mate; he would have to live his life permanently attached to someone he would likely never love. His heart ached for Suki, though he knew they would never be able to rekindle what was lost.

His shoved the dark thoughts to the back of his head, turning his focus on how he could get out of this as unscathed as possible. If he had to mate with an Alpha, it needed to be someone he could trust. This person would have to be able to let him live in the South Pole with his tribe, as he would eventually become Chief. He didn’t need love—he needed someone that would be there to quell his monthly heats and then leave him the hell alone.

But who?

Zuko flashed across his mind and his face flushed at the thought. He pushed his knees together as heat swelled within him again, albeit much more tolerable than before. He squashed the feeling of desire down and stood from his bed, his legs stronger now. He needed to speak with Zuko alone. The Fire Lord was first and foremost, his friend. The longer he waited to talk to Zuko, the more awkward he knew it would be. He didn’t want their reunion in the morning to be amongst the entire group as he wouldn’t be able to say what he needed to say. Resolved, he put his shirt back on, took a deep breath, and snuck out of his room to go see Zuko.
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Sinking into the Inferno