broken_hearts_57, your Zukka oneshot request! (Ignore the title. Like, block it from your mind. I couldn't think of anything-)

*spoiler alert for Avatar: The Last Airbender*

*like seriously I do not want to spoil anything so if you don't know what happens with the Blue Spirit don't read this*

I really need to rewatch Avatar because I forgot what happened to the Blue Spirit and what exactly happened to the mask anyway, but also if I managed to guess right this could still be spoiler-worthy, also in who the Blue Spirit really is-

And since I forgot what happened, if this looks weird... it's for that reason-

Zuko's hand trailed absently through the pond, the tips of his hair just barely avoiding brushing the water. Ripples spread through it, the turtleducks letting out tiny squeaks as they bobbed up and down slightly.

A smile curled Zuko's lips at the fluffy creatures, and he let out a breath.

"What are you grinning about?" Sokka's voice sounded behind him, and Zuko twisted to face him. There was a strange leap in his stomach as he met Sokka's eyes, but he ignored it.

"Nothing," the firebender answered, sitting up as Sokka settled beside him, elbows resting on his knees. "Just... happy that it's all over."

Sokka gave a hmm of agreement, his head tilted thoughtfully to the side. "Have all the loose ends been tied up?"

Zuko scanned his memory for all that had been done over the past year, fingers tapping against the edge of the pond. "I think so. Everything has been as fixed as it could be, or is in the process."

"What about the Blue Spirit?" Sokka asked casually, his finger tracing a circle in the pond, sending ripples through the water.

It took Zuko a second to place the name, why it sent nervous, paranoid jitters through his limbs. It had been so long ago, but he couldn't keep his eyes from widening with shock and his fists from tightening.

"What's wrong?" Sokka moved a little closer, and it took Zuko a second to push out the images flashing through his mind.

(a mask flashing as it fell through the air, Ursa tugging their hands as they watched a show, dual swords slicing and moving through the air-)

"Nothing," Zuko remembered to answer. "I'm fine. Just... surprised."

"Did you not catch him?" Sokka's head tilted, a glimmer of interest shimmering through his eyes. "He just... stopped showing up, didn't he."

Zuko side-eyed him, wondering if he'd discovered who had really been the Blue Spirit. Trying to block out the flashing of swords as they slashed through Aang's chains.

"He's gone," Zuko said vaguely. "Forever. Why?"

"You mean he's dead?" Sokka avoided the question, his hands moving to rip up individual strands of grass at his feet.

Zuko watched Sokka's fingers deftly pluck out each piece of grass and arrange them on the edge of the pond. "You could say that."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sokka looked up again, and Zuko ignored the swoop in his stomach as their eyes met. His cheeks heated slightly.

"Why do you want to know about him?" Zuko held Sokka's stare curiously. He wasn't exactly sure why he didn't want the other to know that the Blue Spirit had been him, but continued to avoid the question.

Sokka broke their stares, clearing his throat before answering, "I dunno. I just... think he's cool. He rescued Aang and all. Maybe he could've shown us who he was."

Zuko's eyes rose as Sokka's cheeks darkened slightly. Was he... blushing?

(the doors burst open and his eyes flashed under the mask as he beheld the avatar, head shooting up from where he was slumped, chained)

(swords flashed, and then the mask was disappearing under the water, spinning into the murky waves)

"Really? You like the Blue Spirit?" A voice sounded behind Zuko, and both of them whirled to see Aang and Katara's grinning faces staring at them. "Did I hear right?"

"What?" Sokka blustered indignantly. "I do not-"

"You do!" Katara smirked at her brother, and he glared at her.

Aang lifted his eyebrows at Zuko, and the firebender scowled at the other, begging him not to say anything. The airbender decided to ignore him, of course, and quipped: "Such a shame we don't know anything about the Blue Spirit. So elusive, isn't he... with those swords... and that mask..."

Zuko was suddenly very conscious of the dual swords he kept in his room, the room that Sokka had been in on occasion, the swords that Sokka had commented on once or twice.

Thank god that mask wasn't there.

(vanished under the water...)

"Yes," Zuko cleared his throat, ignoring the way Sokka's eyes fixed on his. "Very elusive. Can we move on, now?"

"No!" Katara said at the same time Sokka said, "Yes!"

"Come on," Katara teased. "What about the Blue Spirit do you like? Perhaps the... elegant grace in which he stabs people? The flowing hair?"

A smirk towards him told Zuko the waterbender was perfectly aware of who the Blue Spirit really was, and he sighed through his nose, flaming face all too noticeable.

It matched Sokka's, he saw, not without a hint of satisfaction as Aang chimed in. "Perhaps the way he manages to do flips without messing up said hair?"

"Okay," Sokka eyed them. "How do you know this? We've hardly interacted with him, I doubt you would've noticed that while being rescued from prison-"

"Well..." Katara's mouth formed the words, and Zuko's eyes widened. He gulped as the waterbender's eyes flicked to him, question in her gaze. She wouldn't tell her brother if he didn't want her to.

So Zuko shook his head subtly, and the shapes Katara's lips had first formed didn't match the words that she eventually said: "Oh, you know, I pay attention."

Sokka rolled his eyes, his cheeks still blushing as he stretched out as if without care before standing up slowly. "Okay."

Aang wiggled his eyebrows at Zuko suggestively, and the firebender scowled at Aang as Sokka strode away, a little faster than necessary.

Zuko swallowed, but there was a lump in his throat that hadn't been there a second before, and he gritted his teeth at the amused looks on Aang and Katara's faces as he lifted himself to his feet to catch Sokka's arm.

"Hey, I want to show you something," the firebender mumbled, feeling his breath catch in his throat as Sokka met his eyes curiously. "Come on."

Sokka frowned, but allowed himself to be tugged towards Zuko's rooms as the young Firelord attempted to ignore Aang and Katara snickering behind him.

"What's this about?" Sokka said when they reached his room, but Zuko just let out a sigh.

"Now... know that this isn't... awkward or anything. Just..." Zuko warned, his cheeks heating as Sokka's head cocked to the side curiously. He nodded slowly.

Zuko turned his gaze onto the twin swords hanging above his bed, curved and gleaming. Every time he saw them, the same images flashed through his mind.

(a blue mask falling, disappearing, as the same swords moved in an intricate dance-)

Zuko retrieved the swords, and the hilts settled into his hands naturally from years of use. He turned to see Sokka's eyes stuck on the swords, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to puzzle out what Zuko willed him to figure out.

It's me, the firebender wanted to say. It was always me.

But he didn't, and Sokka looked up with confusion in his eyes. "They're nice swords..."

Zuko rolled his eyes, and the words tumbled out before he remembered who he was and who they were and that under no circumstances could he voice them- "It's me."

"What-"

"Sokka." Zuko breathed out, exasperated, even as time slowed and spun and stopped and started again. "I'm the Blue Spirit. It's me."

I did not proofread

Not sure if I'm super happy with that ending, but whatever, I don't feel like rewriting lol

So yeah! I don't have any super strong Atla ships (like, I'm okay with Kataang and Zutara and Sukka and everything) but I do like Zukka, especially since I've been flooded with fanart recently-

Hope you liked it! I tried to get the characters right but it's harder for a show so-