Dance With Me

Classical music echoed in the grand room decorated in red, blue, white and brown. Lights were dim as people danced; men in suits and formal/traditional garbs of their nations, and women were dressed in colorful gowns that fluttered as they waltzed. Four nations in peace gathered in the meeting hall for their annual debates and the party that followed. The air nation, the water nation, the fire nation, and the earth nation all danced and talked, all equal for the night.
The air nation dressed in white, in fabrics that fluttered like a bird’s wing and feathers flapped lazily as they moved with weightless ease. Their clothes were light so they could feel the air around them, and their abilities brought a summer breeze into the room, making it comfortable and cheery; even a couple wind chimes sang in the rafters to add to the music.

The earth nation was quite opposite of their air counterparts, dressed in earthy colors of brown and blacks, fabric thick to shield them from stray sand storms that often hit in their land. Heavy, but sturdy of the nations, they sat out the graceful music and waited for the more powerful melodies to hit the floor.

The water nation was dressed in heavy, but warm garbs, though they were graceful like the air, moving fluently and flawlessly. Their colors were ocean blue and moss green, use to the artic weather more than this summer heat, but they dealt with it, and most had modified their garbs for the heat; the ones who weren’t concrete set in their ways.

The fire nation wore their name sake well in their bright fiery colors, flickering in and out of the crowd, clothes light and maneuverable; their movements sharp and unpredictable. Their abilities kept little red flames dancing on the torches, kept low for the dim light.

Prince Zuko, of the fire nation, impassively danced with a young lady of his own nation. He was in dark red that evening, the fire symbols on his shoulders and a black belt around his middle. These clothes he wore were ones of ancient warriors of the fire benders years ago. This yearly party was for both keeping the nations at peace and celebrating their nation’s culture.

The young mink that had asked him to dance was dressed in orange and her clothes fluttered freely like a forest fire. He could see that she was trying hard to impress him; she would give him a sly look and throw her hips attractively, twirling around as he held her hand above her head. He was sorry to say that she didn’t appeal to him; she was a sweet girl, also polite and many of his own nation’s men (also some from other nations) gazed at her like a phoenix in a crowd of crows. He could admire her movements, her grace; she had every beautiful element of his nation, but admiring was all his eyes could do.

The song ended and he politely commented that it was a pleasant dance. She seemed a little saddened, but replied the same way. He left her and immediately men swarmed her. Zuko found his way back to the edge of the dance floor and saw his uncle Iroh and his father talking, his father serious and irritated, and Iroh laughing at his expense. He smiled lightly, mentally commenting that his uncle was a crazy old coot. Then his father looked up, their eyes meeting, all fun dying out of Zuko’s eyes and he looked away. Zuko and his father didn’t get along that well in reality. Zuko was the fire nation’s king’s son, so he was viewed as important, and expected to fulfill his duties as a prince.

Zuko could for most of them; he could rule his nation fairly and he knew what his people needed. But there was one, one his father was pushing on him, that he could not do. He couldn’t find a suitable woman to spend the rest of his life will. Zuko didn’t dare tell his father he had no interest in women; that would be foolish to do.

Zuko dove into and through a crowd of earth benders who barely noticed him, to get out of site, looking around the party. He could see the other important and powerful people of the other three nations easily from here. There was King Bumi of the earth nation, a crazy old man, who strangely enough looked good in purple, and was laughing along with Gyatso, the ambassador of the air nation. There was also the quiet and humble water nation ambassador in the conversation, looking rather perplexed, though entertained none the less.

Zuko mused that his uncle would fit in perfectly with the group of laughing elders, though he kept his presence scarce and disappeared into the crowd of dancers once again.

---

Sokka stood quietly by a support pillar and watched the dancers a bit enviously. Every year he found himself here, and this pillar, watching… not dancing. He wore dark blue garbs, and had been wearing a heavy blue coat with white fur edges before he’d discarded it because it was too hot; now he was down to his pants and a sleeveless shirt with a necklace that had been in the water nation for years, one made of leather with teeth of a polar bear and many teeth of a sea lion. He only came because his father had brought him, and he came every year because he was the water nation ambassador’s son.

Sokka’s sister, Katara, was enjoying the festivities more than he, with her child hood friend, Aang, from the air nation. Katara wore a lovely dress, one that was slim with fur hemming, though it wasn’t flashy at all, being in the water nation, the dress was made to keep the wearer warm. The two were dancing to a quick paced music, Aang twirling Katara around and the water nation girl moved easily and gracefully with every move the changing wind threw her.

Normally he felt protective over his sister dancing with someone, but he trusted Aang, he’d known him for what seemed like forever. Besides, how could he to tell the prince of air benders that he couldn’t dance with someone?

Sokka inhaled and then exhaled slowly, a weight of loneliness settling in his gut. His sister had someone to be with tonight, his father had old friends to talk to, but he had no one here, never did. He stood straight, getting off the pillar and headed along the edge of the large room to the door, stepping onto the large balcony that was over a large few acres of land with the ocean on clear view.

Sokka glanced at a few couples on the balcony who seem to have come here to be alone, or at least more alone than inside. He walked across the balcony and leaned his elbows on the chilly stone railing. He let his gaze fall on the setting sun that turned the sky a warm rose color, then violet before it blended into the blue, almost black sky with one or two stars blinking at him.

He felt the empty loneliness curl in his gut again as a certain irony repeated itself again this year; the perfect sun set and no one to spend it with. He breathed out silently, wondering how long he’d spend in this spot this year.

---

Zuko slipped though the crowd, finding himself of the dancing room and onto the quiet balcony. He’d waved off any more invitations to ask by the other women, dancing 3 times already, he felt no more obligation to do so again that night. Stepping outside a cool breeze hit him, ruffling his clothes and whipping his hair around. It was most defiantly cooler outside, even if there was a breeze inside from the air benders; body heat by so many people still made it unbearably stuffy to him.

He looked around at his surroundings and only found one soul joined him on the barren balcony; a water nation teen by the look of this outfit, about Zuko’s age also. He watched him a minute, enjoying the view; not of the lovely star filled sky, but his eyes were on the one watching them. The other teenager had darker skin and his clothes were also ruffled by the wind, brown hair twisting and whipping in the wind like his. Zuko found him familiar; of course the other might also be forced to these parties as he was, but he’d never taken notice. A boy leaning against a pillar with a lonely look in his eye did seem to cross his memory, but that had to be years ago.

Zuko slowly approached the other, casually, looking at him. The water nation teen’s back was curved as he leaned against the stone railing, one leg supporting him upright while the other was lazily bent, resting incase he decided to shift to the rested leg. It was a little obvious that he’d been there a while, his arms tucked close to his body to keep warm because he’d been outside so long.

The fire nation prince rested his own arms on the railing only a few inched from the other, smiling lightly, though the other hadn’t noticed him yet, which was fine by him, it was clear that the other was deep in thought.

“The party is inside, you know," Zuko said nonchalantly and the other‘s head whipped around, jumping a little, his body tensing.

It took Sokka a minute to register what the fire bender had said, coming out his daze after a moment, a blush spreading on his cheeks for being caught away from the other people. “I know,” he replied quietly, “It’s a bit too crowded though.”

“Very true,” Zuko agreed, resting his chin in a hand, looking Sokka in the eye, “Mind if I join you?”

Sokka had to break eye contact, but he nodded. He didn’t like being the center of attention. He knew Zuko, not personally, but he was a very popular fire bender, being a prince and all. But he was handsome also, skilled and charming; when he wanted to be that is. Sokka had seen glimpses of Zuko over the years, dancing with the women, talking to some of the ambassadors and royalty. He had to admit to himself, he did have a small crush on the other, but he knew it was silly to hope for anything to come out of pursuing any real relationship. Zuko had duties as a prince: marry, have children, things he couldn’t do. Besides, Zuko liked women; he’d seen him dance with them. Beyond that, there were still misgivings about international relationships and two men being together, particularly among the older people and tradition holders.

They quietly stood there, a couple lagging seagulls cawed noisily in the dark, only a purple hue was over the horizon where the sun had once been, the perfect sun set dying again that year. Sokka tried to will his heart to slow down, but it thumped loudly in his chest, he was surprised Zuko didn’t hear it.

Zuko himself was having doubts about continuing any conversation. Sure, he liked this water nation teen, he wanted to get to know him, but... but what if the darker skinned teen didn’t like men as he did; word would spread, eventually getting to his father, and he didn’t look forward to that “conversation”, though it would be more yelling and burning than talking, he could be sure about that, of course, he couldn’t really waste all of his time worrying about his father, he had better things to do.

“I haven’t seen you around here,” Zuko started with a simple safe topic, like getting to know the other’s name, “What’s you’re name?” Sokka looked back to Zuko, a bit more ready to communicate now.

“Sokka, of the water nation,” he replied, and then said a little sheepishly, “And you’re Zuko, prince of the fire nation, right?” Zuko was a little amazed that Sokka knew him; he had actually expected Sokka to be a new comer to the place.

“I am,” he confirmed. “Do you come here yearly?”

“Since I was 6,” Sokka said, finding the conversation to be easy so far, not uneasy about answering anything. “My father is the water nation ambassador.” Zuko finally found everything clicked into place; of course Sokka seemed familiar, it seemed so obvious now. His own father had always introduced him to the important diplomats, mostly when he was younger. He could recall now Iroh saying the water ambassador had a daughter and a son his age. He never got to know any of them though, his father insisted he get to know the current highly valued people instead of the future ones, also his father bothered him about a bride instead of making friends.

Zuko also heard a couple warning bells in his mind; Sokka being the ambassador’s son. Word would most defiantly spread faster if he were to try to court the water ambassador’s son. He pushed the warning feeling away though; he didn’t want this night to be completely about his father’s rules and meeting old dictators, he wanted to have his own fun.

“So do you normally stand out here, it seems quite boring,” Zuko commented and Sokka’s gazed from the other’s yellow orbs to the intricate railing made by earth benders.

“Well, actually… yes,” he was ashamed to say he had no courage to talk to people, and had no desire to ruin other people’s conversations with his presence. The settled hole of loneliness made itself known again almost immediately. “There’s nothing really else to do but meet the boring old diplomats.“

Zuko chuckled at the soft sarcasm; funny Sokka felt the same way about being here as he did. There didn’t seem to be much else to say, so they watched the rest of the sun light disappear over the horizon. Sokka found himself smiling lightly as he watched the last color leave the sky, feeling easy in Zuko’s presence, liking the fact that he wasn’t standing there alone in the dark.

Zuko liked Sokka’s presence as well, though he wasn’t one to stand around and do nothing. He wanted to do something, talk about something. He heard the sound of a good song starting and he got to urge to dance. Dancing would be nice, though he wasn’t going to do it alone.

Sokka felt his hand was taken and his head snapped up and his eyes landed on Zuko, a blush on his face. He was pulled away from the railing and saw Zuko was smiling, stepping backwards to the beat of the music.

“Dance with me,” he said and Sokka swallowed a little, Zuko taking his other hand in his, pulling them closer. Sokka found the sentence wasn’t an order, it wasn’t making him do anything against his will, but it wasn’t a question either. The dance was mellow, one that required two people dancing to be close to one another. The song reminded on of a storm, sometimes fast and furious, though at others, fluent and calm.

Sokka felt his face heat up as they danced, eyes on the floor, feeling very self conscious about his dancing, he didn’t practice much. He was even more embarrassed when he felt Zuko’s one hand leave his and rest on his side and the hand still holding his, knitted their fingers together. Sokka laid his hand on Zuko’s shoulder, finding nowhere else to put it.

They danced smoothly together, Zuko leading him along easily. Sokka felt his heart race and his eyes slowly rise to meet Zuko’s, unsure of what to do. When his blue eyes met Zuko’s yellow he found Zuko didn’t seem embarrassed at all, nor mocking him for being embarrassed himself; he just smiled lightly, waiting for Sokka to be comfortable with it.

Zuko liked to dance, he just didn’t get to do it often with the people he wanted to. He’d led them to a dark spot on the balcony, so people couldn’t see them and make judgments and Sokka could feel less aware of the things around him as well. He admired the way Sokka moved with him, true to his water nation nature, Sokka was a quick fluent learner, matching Zuko’s dancing. Graceful, smooth, lovely; Zuko found himself staring at Sokka.

Sokka made himself relax and found that he enjoyed the dance, in the middle of the song, his eyes fixing on Zuko’s mouth, first reason, to not get lost in Zuko’s deep yellow eyes; second reason, he wished he could have those lips touch his.

The song came quickly to an end, and by that time they were completely comfortable in their dance, bodies nearly touching. As the last few notes played, their eyes met. They hadn’t realized how close they were, they hadn’t realized that they could feel the other’s breath on their faces. Almost in a trace Zuko leaned forward, head tilting to the side, lips not even an inch apart. Sokka felt the other’s lips close and he didn’t protest, instead he waited, almost expecting the lips against his. But as soon as soft lips touched made the slightest bit of contact, he pulled away; the song had ended.

At first he was puzzled, and he opened his eyes fully to see Zuko looking towards the door, they’re bodies weren’t touching at all. He followed Zuko’s gaze, seeing no one, that is, until an older man, a fire nation man stepped out and looked at Zuko. Sokka swallowed a little noisily; realizing is was King Ozai of the Fire Nation; a tall, firm, pride-filled man with a malicious look at first glance.

“Zuko, it’s time to depart.” he said and Zuko bowed slightly out of royalty traditions.

“Yes, father,” he replied and Ozai’s cold eyes fell on Sokka, who felt a chill roll up his spine. Then he left, leaving the two alone once again. Zuko and Sokka exchanged forlorn looks, but then Zuko smiled, as if nothing happened. “It was pleasant meeting you, Sokka,” he said. “Perhaps I will see you next year.” Sokka smiled back but he didn’t want to see the prince leave, a sad shadow hung over his smile.

“Perhaps.” He said and with a final, wider smile from the fire bender that made Sokka’s insides flutter, Zuko left. The water nation teenager had to grasp for the railing behind him for balance, feeling his legs had significantly weakened, but he felt so strangely happy. Dancing with a prince, he never thought it would happen. Sokka looked back up at the stars and smiled fully. He determined that these yearly parties weren’t too bad any more, and he would wait for next year, just so that he could hear Zuko say ‘Dance with me’ once more.