Book 2: Earth (Sokka x Reader Love Story)

Book 2: Chapter 14: The Tales of Ba Sing Se

When (Y/n) stands in front of the long mirror to comb her hair and braid it, beside her Katara is adjusting her hair loops, beside her is Aang shaving his bald head, and (Y/n) finds herself staring through the mirror at Sokka, who is using a razor blade to shave off his stubble on his jaw. When he is done, he winks at his reflection.

Mouth dry, (Y/n) turns back to her reflection and tucks back a stray lock of hair. Nodding to herself, she goes to get a drink of water from a pot nearby.

Katara goes to check on Toph, who seems that she can't care less about getting ready for the day. The girls make it out as they argue about cleanliness. Toph spits hard and it lands accurately in a nearby spittoon, that rocks around with the force. It would've been impressive if (Y/n) wasn't in front of it and had to dodge the spittle.

(Y/n) scowls, brushing down her grey tunic. "You could've hit me, you heathen."

"I knew you'd move," Toph replies.

Katara is sighing. "Aren't you gonna wash up?"

"I did!" (Y/n) answers.

"I was talking to Toph. She has dirt everywhere."

"Oh, my bad."

"No, you do need to wash up," Sokka says, sniffing around (Y/n)'s head. "Been dipping in the fish oil again, huh?"

"Not at all. I use jasmine oil."

"No, I mean—"

"Why would I want to bathe in fish oil?" (Y/n) cuts Sokka off, head tilting confused. "Defeats the purpose of a bath, right?"

Sokka rubs his forehead, mumbling under his breath about 'stupid' and 'too cute.'

"We should have a girls' day out!" Katara says enthusiastically. Toph begrudgingly agrees. "(Y/n)? Coming with?"

(Y/n) shrugs. "Sure, why not?"

She feels Sokka moving from behind her but is too distracted by the way Katara's pleased expression morphs into a wide-eyed surprise. Katara coughs. "Um, on second thought, maybe—uh, maybe you'd have something more important to do."

"Not rea—"

"I insist!" Katara says too desperately. Toph beside her is not amused.

(Y/n) studies Katara for a moment too long, enough that the waterbender begins fidgeting. With a building resentment, (Y/n) exhales sharply. She opens her mouth to ask 'why? Why this again?' because this is a perfect repeat of their time at Misty Palms.

Her fingers itch to twist her ring but she stops that as well midway. Letting her hands hang loosely beside her, she plasters on a smile that feels like a grimace. "Sure," she says, "enjoy your day, girls."

As Katara and Toph get to breakfast, (Y/n) tries to leave when something catches her arm. She stops long enough to find Sokka biting his lip. He stumbles over his words before he sucks in a breath. "No, no, don't—don't look like that."

(Y/n) raises a brow. "What am I looking like?"

"Like they're brushing you off because they don't trust you. That's not it."

"Well, then what is it?" (Y/n) snaps to him, and she doesn't mean for the scowl to form on her face, but when Sokka looks uncomfortable, she guiltily looks away and fixes her gaze on the window. Her fingers wring together.

It's stopped when Sokka grabs her hands gently, dragging her to a secluded compartment, his compartment that has his bag in the corner and paper wrappers strewn about like he's being munching snacks at midnight. When she leans against the wall, Sokka crowding near her, (Y/n) notices the strange look he has on his face. It's a mixture of confusion and disbelief.