Book 3: Fire (Sokka Love Story)

Book 3: Chapter 10: Zuko Gets Choke-Slammed Into A Wall

Zuko clears his throat. "Uhm, I'm here, too."

(Y/n) and Sokka snap at him and that relieved look is washed from her face, replaced with fury. "Oh, I remember," she says sharply, eyes narrowed, and Zuko suddenly looks as if he wants to be a part of the wall he's pinned against. "You let Azula hurt Aang and Sokka."

"(Y/n)," Sokka interjects instantly, pressing a palm to her shoulder, but she flinches, making a pained sound and he takes his hand off immediately. "We don't have much time here. As much as you want to kill him, we need to be quick about this."

(Y/n) grits her teeth. For a moment, Sokka is genuinely afraid she would hurt Zuko, but when Zuko meets her gaze, sincere and sorry, he says, "I'm sorry I didn't do better. But I'm trying to make up for it now."

He's released with a sigh, and when Zuko shoots a small smile, (Y/n) only points to the door, and given no choice in the matter; Zuko quietly exits the cell, head bowed in shame. The moment he's out and the door closes on them, (Y/n) loosens up subtly, just in the way her eyes clear up and she finds it easier to smile at Sokka.

But he isn't smiling, and his hand is tightly clutching at a leaf – oh. The pretty leaf is dry and losing its colour along the edges, and he thrusts it at her. "A leaf isn't a proper goodbye." His voice trembles and (Y/n) finds herself holding her breath as Sokka crosses the distance between them, letting the leaf flutter to the ground. "And if you ever do that again, I will be so angry at you – and I will be upset, and-and I will make sure you never get to steer Appa – and..." 

Sokka falters when he realizes he doesn't have any legitimate threats, but mostly because (Y/n) is smiling at him – a little lovingly, a little brokenly, but his heart thunders in his chest and he can't come up with anything more than: "A leaf isn't a proper goodbye..."

(Y/n) nods softly, finally realizing just how torn up he was about this. "Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't – I wasn't thinking and oh—!" She finds herself in Sokka's arms, tightly wound around her and squeezing her as if she'd slip out of his grasp. Sokka knows how slippery she really is. Pressing his nose to her neck, Sokka sighs like the happiest guy in the world.

"Hug me back," he whines when she remains stiff and frozen, but then (Y/n) is laughing softly, pressing into his arms, and burrowing herself into his chest, breathing in deeply as her hands hook around his neck. She melts into it like hot wax from a candle, and a shuddery breath leaves her, puffing against his neck.

The next thing he hears is a sniff, small and near silent, but he doesn't mistake the sudden wet drops landing on his shoulder. Sokka's grip tightens, a shaky breath leaving him. "I'm gonna get you outta here."

"I know," (Y/n) croaks, trembling as she tries staving off her tears, but when he pulls back, her cheeks are already wet with them and her lips are pressed tightly together, and Sokka can't take it. "I know," she repeats, "I just missed—missed you so much. I thought I was going crazy."

"I'm sorry it took so long," he murmurs. Sokka cups her face, pressing soft, light kisses to her forehead as his thumbs wipe away her tears, before he starts smacking kisses onto her cheek, first the left and then over the bridge of her nose, kissing lightly on the tip of her nose, and that's when he hears the first snort, and he beams as he pecks kisses to her right cheek as he grabs her nape gently, cradling her head up to meet his gaze. (Y/n)'s eyes are screwed close, and despite the tears, she's biting a smile on her lips, huffing a laugh lightly as he ends with a final kiss to the smile crease on her cheek, resting there longer and languid, letting it sink into her skin before Sokka pulls back, carding fingers gently through the hairs at her nape.

"That's better," Sokka says, a thumb drifting to run against her smile, and finally, (Y/n) opens her eyes, soft and open, looking some parts embarrassed and some parts gleeful. Slowly, she stands straighter, reaching up the small height between them to press her forehead against his, and Sokka doesn't realize he'd been holding in a breath until it's loose, his heart fluttering wildly in his chest and his stomach turning over with happiness. "You know I'd never leave you here."