squirrellysemantics | (fic) Basic- part 3 (Reply)

Title: Basic - part 3
Modern day AU - Basic training
Fandom ATLA- I do not own ATLA and make no money from this.
Inspired by the dog tag pic by

luco_millian . And holy crap you need to see the colored version.
Rated R mostly for swearing.
Pairing eventual Sokka/Zuko

Needs to be read in order to make ANY sense whatsoever. Part 1 and Part 2

Bouncing on his heels, Sokka was full of questions. “Was that your dad? Did he bring the stuff? I can’t believe they let you have a family member visit during basic. Man, who did you have to blow to get permission for that?”

Zuko snorted as he fiddled with the neatly wrapped gift the mystery man in the floppy hat had delivered. “That was my uncle, I don’t know yet and no blowjobs were involved. My uncle is going to be out of the country for the Christmas Exodus and he wanted to visit before he left.” He removed the elegant red ribbon surrounding the package. “He has a little pull. He’s a retired O-10.”

Sokka almost swallowed his gum. Why the hell was the nephew of a retired general starting out as a lowly E-1? Zuko should have gone straight to officer candidate school. He was damn sure smart enough and with that kind of family connection it would have been a walk in the park compared with the shit storm he would get as an enlisted man.

The pop of tape being broken dragged Sokka’s focus back to the box in the other man’s hands. They both leaned in close to peer inside. Zuko jammed the lid down as soon as they identified the three small bottles of whiskey inside.

Sokka broke into a wide grin. “Your uncle is fucking awesome.”

“Yeah, he is.” Zuko tapped the top of the package distractedly. “Where are we going to hide this stuff?”

“Hide?” Sokka asked, not bothering to mask his incredulity. “We just got the supplies we need for successful completion of our mission!” His smile got even bigger. “It’s time to get down to business!”

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“Hey Sneers! How’s it hangin’?” Sokka plopped his tray of chow down next to the young private and took a seat.

“Low and to the left, dude, low and to the left.” Sneers stuck a forkful of nasty mashed potatoes in his mouth and managed to coherently speak around it. “What’s up?”

Hooking one finger, Sokka gestured for the other man to lean in close and dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Look, I know you’re splitting a night guard shift with Jenkins tonight and I need to ask you a really big favor.” The dubious look that Sneers shot him was not unexpected.

“Well, you know that Public Affairs chick that works in the CO’s office?”

“Tylee?” Sneers's bushy brown eyebrows shot into his hairline. “That girl is smokin’ hot.”

Sokka scooted closer. “Yeah, well I might get a chance to know her a little better if I can meet up with her before wake up call tomorrow. I just need you guys to leave a little more time in between bunk checks.” He flashed the small bottle of booze tucked into his hip pocket. “I’m willing to give you a small token of my appreciation.

Greed showed itself plainly when Sneers realized what it was.

Phase One: complete.

-----------------------

The scowl on Zuko’s face said he did not at all approve of Phase Two. “How come you’re the one who’s pretending to get laid and I’m the one that has to suck up to Jeter?”

“You can’t back out now!” Sokka tried to press the second bottle of whiskey into the other man’s hand for a third time.

Zuko pulled his hand away and stuck his bottom lip out in a full pout. “You didn’t tell me about this part!”

“C’mon!” Sokka tried to plead his case once more. “He knows I think he’s a wacko. And he likes you! Kinda. Sorta. Still! It’ll be less suspicious if you’re the one giving him a peace offering.” He put on the big blue eyed puppy dog look that he was proud to say had successfully gotten his sister to do his laundry for him for the past ten years. “The douchebag is totally paranoid twenty four seven! We need him a little buzzed if we’re going to be able to pull this off.”

Minutes ticked by.

Zuko let out a puff of resignation and took the small bottle that was held out for him. “So who’s the third bottle for?”

It would be hard to describe Sokka’s smile as anything other than wicked. “That’s for our victory celebration.”

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The metal bunk creaked loudly as Sokka shifted on his thin mattress, trying to warm the small plastic case in his palm. He counted the passing of seconds, listening for the light snores of the rest of his platoon catching up on what little sleep they could. The barracks usually roared to life at the crack of dawn and it was thankfully still dark out. Sneers had just passed through making sure everyone else snug in their little beds. He gave Sokka a big thumbs up.

It was time.

His blanket muffled any noise as he popped open the small case. He dipped his fingers into the little wells of camo paint and hastily smeared the practiced pattern across his face. There was little light to see what he was doing in the tiny mirror, but time was of the essence. Checking again for bare spots, he seemed satisfied. Sokka gave the mattress in the bunk above his head a nudge through the springs. A hand appeared over the edge, fingers waggling expectantly. He placed the case in it. In no time at all, the mattress shifted and Zuko slipped silently to the floor, face heavily patterned in greens and browns. Sokka rose just as silently to join him.

There was probably forty five minutes until the next bunk check came through. They gave each other a little nod and got moving.

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“Attention!”

The whole platoon scrambled into position, most of them still half finished with that morning’s shave as Zhao stormed in. Sokka hustled to his footlocker, stuck just in his pants and socks.

“Gentleman.” Zhao paced in front of them, voice dangerously soft and sinister. “Christmas is almost here and some of you were kind enough to leave me a present.” Tension was coiling through the air. It felt like getting stuck next to a pit viper. The vein throbbing in Zhao’s forehead was ready to blow. He turned simperingly sweet. “Unfortunately my gift had no note to tell me who I should thank.”

Pausing in front of Zuko, the DS inhaled sharply. Drill sergeants said they could smell fear, but Sokka had always thought that was a joke. “There’s just one tiny little thing I’d like to know.” Zhao turned beet red and rounded on them all, bellowing “Which one of you fucking homos left me a bare assed Private Jeter duct taped to the flag pole outside my office window this morning?”

There was nothing. Dead quiet.

“So that’s how it’s going to be?” The tap-tap-tap of Zhao's boots on tile floor was the only sound as he stalked through the line of men, looking for any hint of weakness. Reaching the end, Zhao tugged on the edge of his uniform jacket like he was making sure there were no exposed chinks in his armor. “I’m going to find out who’s responsible and make them pay. In the meantime, you little bitches had better be ready for a twenty mile hike after PT.“ He brushed away an imaginary hair on his shoulder. “Dismissed!”

The platoon exploded in a mix of groans and laughter.

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The wait for a hot shower was killing him. Sokka had resigned himself to the fact that they were going to get smoked hard after the Jeter incident but it didn’t mean he was any less tired after the long hike. Zhao had made sure they had missed evening chow and the hunger pangs weren’t helping.

Zuko finally showed up, looking a little red in the face. The atypical broad smile on his face was a little concerning. "Hey!" he exclaimed cheerfully. "You look like you need to get rehydrated!" He clumsily pressed his canteen to Sokka's mouth.

The unexpected burn of alcohol hitting the back of his throat made Sokka cough. "You started without me!" he hissed as he caught his breath, a little annoyed, a little amused. Zuko let out a tiny laugh as Sokka dragged him to a back corner for as much privacy as they could get in the nearly empty group showers. Grabbing the canteen, Sokka took a huge swig. The heat in his belly was exactly what he needed.

They didn't have much time left to shower so they passed the whiskey back and forth as they rushed to get clean before lights out.

This new chatty Zuko was hilarious, stream of consciousness pouring out of him as he finished brushing his teeth in the shower. "God, did you see the look on his face? I thought Zhao's head was going to blow! I mean..” He mimed an explosion. “Booom! Today was great! I might not be able to move my legs tomorrow but still! Totally worth it!"

Sokka laughed. "I need to get you drunk more often!"

With a vigorous nod, Zuko stretched up to hit the water spigots. Wet, soapy tile and alcohol induced incoordination were a bad combination. Limbs went everywhere as Zuko battled against gravity on a slick surface.

Not wanting to explain a drunk private’s concussion to Zhao, Sokka grabbed for an arm. He didn't realize how hard the whiskey had hit him until he lost his balance as well.

Down they went.

As if they hadn't just been showering right next to each other, Sokka was suddenly bashful over just how much lean, wet, naked guy there was being crushed underneath him. “S...sorry," he stammered, not quite trying to get up.

Zuko looked like he didn't mind at all. In fact, his eyes… Jesus, they were gold and honey and amber and right there.

Sokka’s eyes fluttered closed when he felt lips touch his. This was so not a girl. Firm, dry, and hints of stubble. He could taste the godawful combination of whiskey and toothpaste.

It felt different. A good kind of different. A nice kind of different. Nice like the –maybe we could do this for a few hours - sort of nice.

But his survival instincts kicked in. Sokka looked at his watch. An adrenaline rush brought him to full alertness. “We’ve got ten minutes to lights out!”

This burst through Zuko’s haze in a hurry. They scrambled and got the hell out of there.