The Guider Effect ☼ Zuko || ATLA

Flamado!

She spun around to face him, shock written all over her features. "You've really been investigating? For me? Sokka, you don't have to-"

"I obviously do if you admittedly can't!" He interrupted, flinging his arms up dramatically before weaving them back around Rein's torso.

Rein shook her head, "I just think we have more important things to focus on. Like getting Aang to the North Pole so he can master waterbending. We're on a tight schedule here, there's no time to worry about me!"

"Kireina, you can bend three elements with so much as a flick of the wrist. You can take out armies solo! You've practically mastered waterbending and airbending, your fire is so hot that you can vaporize humans! What's next? Earthbending? Do I need to bury you for you to tap into that chakra?! Be one with the rocks, Kai, merge with the pebbles." Sokka began to throw small pebbles at Rein's body.

Although she was too distracted at the new nickname she received from Sokka. Much like when Zuko deemed her Reina, it was a name she had never been called before. It was always Rein, never Kai or Reina but she adored both the names she was given.

As she recalled her few bynames, her mind floated back to Zuko like it had been every day. She wondered if he was after her or if he even missed her like she missed him. Sokka slept in every morning, refusing to get up to watch the sunrise unlike Zuko who, more often than not, was already awake and waiting for her on the deck.

Her eyes moved from the fire to the ocean, searching the waters as if she would suddenly see Zuko's ship. Rein knew he wouldn't be there but her heart wished it to be true. She hated the fact that she missed that pompous asshole and his abusive tendencies. But she felt the need to fix him or at least guide him away from the self destructive path he was on. Zuko was the most impulsive, hard-headed, selfish prick she had ever had the displeasure of meeting yet she wanted nothing more than to be with him in his embrace, not Sokka's.

Rein scolded herself for having such derogating thoughts. She loved Sokka, there was no doubt in her mind that she did. But she knew she felt for him to only an extent and there was something barricading her heart, not allowing her to reciprocate those intense emotions that Sokka undoubtedly felt towards her.

"I think I can speak for all of us by saying we need you around. Every time you travel with us, I can feel the happiness radiating off of Aang. And Katara? She looks at you like she looked at our mother. With these wide doe eyes and a smile that could sink a dozen ships, she hangs onto every single word you say." Sokka broke the silence that veiled the campsite, pulling Rein from her internal war.

Rein grinned and chuckled, gazing over at the two sleeping soundly a few feet away. "I would do anything to protect them."

"And they would do anything to protect you." Sokka replied and placed a small peck to Rein's jaw.

"You know, Sok, you may not be a bender but I think you're more powerful than any of us here. What you did back at the village- you saved hundreds of people like it was no sweat. My dumbass would have died trying to stop the lava from even leaving the volcano, but you, gosh Sokka, you just had this genius idea to build perimeter moats to guide the lava away. It amazes me that someone with the goofiest personality can jump into action without a second to lose."

Sokka blushed and hid his face in Kireina's neck. He took a few deep breaths to try and calm his erratic heart beats. Sokka loved the effect the Air Nomad had on him. She was able to wash his worries away just by being in his embrace.

"Your father will be so proud when he hears that you saved that village."

Sokka's head snapped to where the unknown voice came from, squinting his eyes trying to identify the stranger hidden in the shadows. "Bato?"