(Y/n) had spent the better part of the morning lazing around. There hadn't been much else to do besides train, and she was planning on doing some later in the day.
For the time being, she laid in her room, sleeping in as long as her body would let her.
When Katara knocked on her door and scolded her for "wasting the day away", (Y/n) finally decided to get up.
(Y/n) walked out to the main area where the group had been eating their meals and having their fires. There was a small piles of fruit laid out on a blanket, and she picked up an apple.
She was about to bite into it, then it was ripped from her hand. She bit her finger instead.
"Ow, fuck!" (Y/n) looked at her finger, which was now bleeding from the force of her bite. She looked to Sokka, who was smiling triumphantly at the apple in his hand.
"You couldn't have grabbed a different apple?" (Y/n) asked, annoyed.
"I just like seeing the look on your face." Sokka smirked.
(Y/n) held her bloodied finger up to show him.
"How was I supposed to know you'd try and eat yourself?" Sokka asked, grabbing her wrist to bring her hand closer to his face. "Want me to kiss it better, princess?"
(Y/n) stuck her tongue out and rolled her eyes. "Ugh, don't call me that. Couldn't hurt to humble you, though."
Sokka lightly kissed the tip of her finger, careful to avoid any blood. "Feel better now?"
"Definitely." (Y/n) used some water from a canteen to wash the blood from her finger, and picked up another apple to eat.
She walked with Sokka through the temple, towards some frustrated yelling, no doubt coming from Zuko.
Zuko stood in front of Aang, who sat on a rock watching him. Zuko was supposed to start Aang's firebending lessons today, and they didn't sound like they were going well.
"Hey, jerks," Sokka said, sitting down on the ground. (Y/n) stayed standing, munching on her apple. "Mind if I watch you two jerks do your jerk-bending?"
(Y/n) kicked Sokka lightly in the hip.
"Get out of here." Zuko commanded.
"Okay, take it easy. I was just kidding around." Sokka stood, and (Y/n) decided to follow him out.
Sokka chuckled. "Jerk-bending. Still got it."
(Y/n) spent the rest of her day training, exhausting nearly every challenging training method she could. She got Katara and Toph to help her with target movement, increasing the difficulty as the day went on.
Once the sun started to set, (Y/n) and Katara started dinner. By the time it was dark out, everyone was gathered around the fire with warm soup bowls in hand.
Zuko came into the light of fire, the orange glow from below casting shadows around his eyes.
"Listen, everybody. I've got some pretty bad news. I've lost my stuff."
Toph throws he hands up. "Don't look at me. I didn't touch your stuff."
She totally went through Zuko's stuff.
"I'm talking about my firebending," Zuko hung his head low. "It's gone."
Katara laughs. "I'm sorry, i'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you'd lost your firebending a long time ago?"
"Well, it's not lost. It's just...weaker for some reason."
"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are." Katara spits.
"Ouch." Toph smiles.
Zuko thinks for a moment. "I bet it's because I changed sides."
"That's ridiculous." Katara says, then sips on her soup bowl.
"(Y/n)? Did any of your skills change when you switched sides?" Zuko asks, hoping for some kind of confirmation.
(Y/n) cocks a brow up. "I'm not a bender, dummy. It's not like how i'm feeling affects how good I am. I wasn't born with the skills i've got," (Y/n) sips on her soup bowl. "Besides, I "switched sides" long before I left the ship."
"Right." Zuko mutters.
"Maybe your firebending comes from rage, and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to." Aang suggests.
"So all we need to do is make Zuko angry. Easy enough." Sokka starts to poke Zuko with the handle of his sword, giggling lightly as he goes.
"Okay, cut it out!" Zuko shouts, causing Sokka to flinch and drop his sword. "Look, even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There had to be another way."
"You're gonna need to learn to draw your firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source." Toph says.
"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?" Sokka jokes.
Toph doesn't laugh. "No. Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is."
"So is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asks, quieter than he was before.
Toph then explains what the original source of earthbending was, and how she learned from the badgermoles.
Aang explains how sky bison were the first airbenders, and leans over to ask Appa if he could give Aang a lesson. Appa gives him a happy growl in response.
"Well this doesn't help me. The original firebenders were the dragons, and they're extinct." Zuko says.
"What do you mean? Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid." Aang says, speaking like he's some old man.
"Well they aren't around anymore, okay?" Zuko shouts. (Y/n) flinches.
"Okay, okay. Sorry." Aang apologizes.
"But maybe theres another way. The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors." Zuko says.
Aang and Zuko formed a plan to visit the ruins of the ancient Sun Warriors the next day, but the sky was dark and it was getting late. Everyone opted to retire to their beds, and settled in for the night.
••
(Y/n) woke up early against her will. She tried to fall back asleep, but with no success.
She started her day by eating a small breakfast, enough to hold her over until lunch.
The group only ate together for lunch and dinner, while people ate breakfast as they woke up on their own time.
It was a gorgeous day, few clouds in the sky and the air was warm. The light breeze that flowed through the temple was warm, too.
(Y/n) decided to do some physical fighting training, guessing that she had been doing enough target training for the past few days.
She put her hair up into a hairstyle where hair wouldn't get in her eyes, and found some spare wrap that was laying around. She used it to wrap her wrists and her feet, to prevent them from getting scratched up. It wouldn't be worth it to get herself injured when she wasn't fighting any enemies.
There was a tall rock in the area that she deemed good enough to practice on, so she began her training. She warmed up first, then began her fighting. She imagined the moves her opponent would make, and dodged them. She punched and kicked the rock, which just took her abuse towards it.
She didn't know how long she had been training for before someone approached her.
"Blowing off some steam?"
(Y/n) stops her practice and wipes sweat from her forehead. She turns around to see Sokka smirking at her with a hand on his hip.
"Something like that," (Y/n) smiles. "Hey, wanna help me train?"
"And fight you? No, thanks. Suki already beat my ass once, I don't need you coming for me next."
"Suki could knock my ass flat on the ground, i'm sure she did more damage to you than I ever could." (Y/n) says, unwrapping the cloth from her hands.
"Did you see yourself just now? I think that rock has some new dents."
(Y/n) laughs. "Doubt it. Just some light training."
Sokka's brows raise. "Light? You call that light?"
(Y/n) shrugs. "Just wanted to seem more badass. It was more intense than that. Anyway, if you won't help me train, what did you come here to do?"
Sokka clears his throat. "Just wanted to see if you're free at all today."
(Y/n) kneels to take the wrappings off of her feet. "The only thing to do around here is train, so i'm free. Did you have something in mind?"
"Yeah, would you want to check out the land above the temple with me? That's where Zuko was staying before and he said it was pretty nice up there."
(Y/n) nods.
So, she brings her hair back down into the style it was in before, and gets herself cleaned up from her training. When she's ready to go, she meets Sokka by the firepit.
Together, they walk up the stairs that lead to the land above the temples, it was so pretty. There was a light forest, and a small field of pink flowers to the side of it.
"Nice, huh?" Sokka asks, his hands on his hips, smiling out to the sight before them.
"It's so pretty." (Y/n) said, her smile running from ear to ear.
The most simple pretty things never failed to make her smile. And Sokka knew that.
They walked over to the flowers, and sat next to them. (Y/n) lightly ran her hands over the petals of the flowers, and they were soft to the touch.
Sokka brought something out from behind his back, and it was a small blanket that was tied up. He untied it, and laid it out. Fruit sat in the middle, but the blanket was much too small for either of them to sit on.
"Aw, Sokka!" (Y/n) smiled.
Sokka shrugged, his cheeks turning red.
(Y/n) picked a flower from beside her, and tucked it behind Sokka's ear. "You softie."
Sokka smiled. "Do I look pretty?"
"The prettiest."
(Y/n) and Sokka each picked up an apple, and ate them in silence as they looked out to the view in front of them. On the other side of the cliff, there wasn't a forest or a field of flowers like this side had. It seemed relatively flat, but it was still a nice view nonetheless.
After they finished their apples, they put the seeds on the ground to either be eaten by animals or decompose into the ground.
"This is so nice. Thank you, Sokka. I've needed this." (Y/n) said, laying her head down on the blanket.
Sokka scooted closer to her, and lifted her head so that her head would be laying on his thigh as he outstretched his legs. "So you like it?"
"Of course I do. What makes you think I wouldn't?" (Y/n) looks up at Sokka as he mindlessly brushes hair from her forehead.
"I don't know. I just...yeah. I didn't know if it would be enough for you." Sokka mutters, his other hand finding her scarred arm and tracing it.
"Of course it's enough, Sokka. I'm not asking you to do anything but be here." (Y/n) whispers.
Sokka sighs. "I know."
(Y/n) smiles, and her eyes flutter closed as Sokka's soft touch could be felt on her arm and forehead. His touch still never failed to send shocks through her body, and butterflies fluttering in her stomach.
(Y/n) didn't really need to ask the question, but she wanted to.
"Sokka, is this a date?"
Sokka cleared his throat. "Well, uh..."
(Y/n)'s eyes shot open. "It is, isn't it?"
"I guess so, yeah."
(Y/n) sits up, her back facing him. "I thought I said that I wanted to wait until the war was over."
Sokka was so confused. Why was she refusing to put a label on what they were? What even were they? Was she as confused as he was?
"You never said I couldn't take you out on a date." Sokka justifies.
"I know, but I...you're making this difficult." (Y/n) still had her back turned to him.
"Difficult? I'm really not understanding your logic here, (Y/n)."
She regretted asking the question now. She should've let the peace flourish, but she just wanted to wait. "I just wanted to wait for things to happen between us."
"Why wait? We don't know what's going to happen and I can't stand not knowing how you feel." Sokka puts a hand on her shoulder, and (Y/n) stands. Sokka quickly stands after her.
(Y/n) faces him, looking more hurt than angry. "I've told you, Sokka. I know it makes no sense and that it's stupid but I can't put any name to what we have just in case I mess it up."
"Mess it up?" Sokka mumbles.
"What if something happens to you? What if Katara can't bring you back again?"
"What difference on our relationship does a label make?" Sokka's brows furrow, and his face is twisted in confusion.
"It makes no difference! I know that, but it makes a difference to me! I can't explain it, it just does."
Their voices were getting louder, but they didn't understand why.
"What are you afraid of?" Sokka asks.
"I'm afraid of losing you, dammit! How many times do I have to say it?" (Y/n) shouts.
"I'm afraid of losing you, too." Sokka pats his open palm to his chest.
"I couldn't tell people I lost my boyfriend. That sounds so tragic, but not as tragic as it would feel." (Y/n) explains.
"What?"
"It would hurt so badly to have to tell people we only were dating for a few weeks before you died." Tears were stinging in (Y/n)'s eyes.
She was being stupid. She knew she was. She was trying so hard to justify what she wanted but she just couldn't find the words.
"What difference does that make compared to telling someone your friend died?" Sokka asked, hurt and confused. His voice was loud, but not with anger.
They were both begging one another to hear each other.
"I can't tell people I lost the only man i've ever loved!" (Y/n) yelled.
Sokka stared at her in shock. She stood there, her face hot and tears flowing down her cheeks. Her face was twisted in pain, her mouth scrunched inwards to prevent sobs from escaping her throat.
Sokka quickly embraced her, and she melted into his arms. They both kneeled to the ground, (Y/n)'s head buried in Sokka's chest as he rubbed the back of her head to soothe her.
He still hadn't spoken. Her words echoed in his head like it was the echo chamber. She loved him, and she was so afraid of losing him that she refused to make anything official until he was guaranteed to be safe after the war.
(Y/n) hadn't realized it, but over these past months, somewhere along the way, she had fallen in love with him.
He had fallen in love with her, too.
(Y/n) squeezed him tight. "I'm so, so sorry. You don't deserve me yelling at you like that. I just can't explain it."
Sokka kissed the top of her head. "I get it."
"You don't have to. I apologize for yelling, truly. You've worked so hard to prevent our fights and maybe I haven't held up my end of the deal." (Y/n)'s cries were subsiding.
"I forgive you. And you have, I promise. We haven't fought in a long time, right? This was only because we were frustrated with our feelings," Sokka whispered. "Toph would probably throw up if she heard all of this emotion."
(Y/n) giggled then sniffed. "Yeah, she would."
"You're so great, (Y/n). I would wait forever for you, so if waiting until the end of the war is what you want, i'll do it." Sokka said.
"You really don't have to. I know i'm asking a lot and it's dumb, but—"
"That sucks 'cause i'm gonna do it anyway." Sokka squeezes her, and lightly tickles her side.
(Y/n) squeaks and squirms out of his grip, then sits up to look at him. He was so handsome, and he still had the pink flower tucked behind his ear.
They noticed the sun getting lower in the sky, but not yet turning everything pink and orange. They began to pack the remaining fruit onto the blanket, and then tied it up.
"We used to not talk for days after our fights, look at us now." (Y/n) smiles, holding the tied blanket in her arms. They began their walk back to the stairs that led down into the temple.
"So much easier with good communication."
(Y/n) snorted. "I wasn't good with communication today."
"Yet I still ended up understanding what you meant, even if you couldn't find the words." Sokka smiles at her.
"Maybe you just get me."
"I'd have no excuse to not get you. I've spent too much time with you." Sokka jokes.
They reached the top of the stairs, and (Y/n) spun around to face Sokka. "Seriously, thank you for today. It was lovely."
(Y/n) pressed a light peck to his lips, and then continued down the stairs.
Sokka stood still, but quickly clued in again and began to follow her. "What's that? Number 3?"
"I think so!"
••
Aang and Zuko came back once the sun had set, both equipped with powerful firebending.
They did formations in front of the group, bending as they went.
"With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable." Aang said as they continued.
They ended in a powerful pose with their fists together.
Everyone applauded at the demonstration.
"Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there." Sokka said.
"It's not a dance. It's a firebending form." Zuko corrected.
"We'll just tap dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord." Sokka smirked, using his index and middle fingers to imitate a person walking.
"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old." Zuko defends, storming over to Sokka.
"Oh, yeah?" Katara pipes in. "What's your little form called?"
Zuko grimaces. "The Dancing Dragon."
Everyone giggled at the name of the form, and Zuko looked like he wanted to get angry, but he didn't.
(Y/n) smiled as she saw his restraint growing. She could tell he was growing fond of the group, little by little.
••
Later that night, after everyone had gone to bed, Sokka poked his head into (Y/n)'s room.
She looked sound asleep, her body riding and falling with each slow breath.
Sokka tip toed over to her, and inlet down by her cot. He moved hair away from her cheek, and kissed it lightly.
"I love you, too." He whispered, barely audible to anyone but him.
(Y/n) still heard it as she was half asleep, and she heard Sokka leave her room. He didn't know she heard it, but she did.
And he meant it.
She knew he did.
°
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hi friends!!!
wooo another chapter!!
sorry this one is so short, it's just filler but it's like good filler? i think?? idk lmao
i hope you liked this chapter! i was nervous writing it cause lol little bit of angst hehe
thank you so so much for reading!! AND 1k ON THIS STORY HMSNWKWBDNEOWN
thank u ilysm:,)
~sage <3