Sokka hated getting recognized.
It happened all the time. He'd thought that he would enjoy the attention. He'd looked forward to being famous. And he might have enjoyed the attention, if any of it had been for him.
It had been easy to avoid it over the winter. Wear a cloak, pull the hood up. But it was blisteringly hot in Ba Sing Se these days and wearing a cloak would just look sketchy. So he grit his teeth and went about his business and tried to be pleasant.
"Hey, aren't you Water Tribe Guy?"
Sokka sighed inwardly. Water Tribe Guy. Yeah, that was about the level of it. He glanced at the guy standing next to him at the swordsmith's shop, giving him a curt nod. "Generally I go by Sokka," he said.
"Sokka, that's right, of course!" He grinned, excited to be meeting a celebrity. "You're friends with the Avatar, right?"
Crap, here we go. "Yes."
"Man, he kicks some ass! I wanna shake his hand, man, is he with you?"
Thankfully, the swordsmith's assistant had reappeared with Sokka's newly-sharpened boomerang wrapped in a parcel. Sokka took it and turned to go. "No, he isn't with me," he said. I kick some ass too, you know, he thought but did not say as he left.
Next stop, the market. He'd promised to pick up some lavender oil for Suki. The aromatics shop was clogged with young women and girls. He suppressed a groan.
1...2...3...4... He'd gotten to eight before one of them squealed. "Hey, it's the guy! Water Tribe Guy!" And just like that, he was surrounded.
"Uh...hi," he said, mustering a smile. "The name's Sokka."
"Ooh, Sokka! You're, like, best friends with the Avatar!"
"He's so dreamy, can we meet him? You could hook us up, right?"
Sokka backed up a bit. "Uh...the Avatar's kinda busy..."
"Your sister's dating him, right? Are they, like, totally in love? It seems like they are."
"Yeah, are they gonna get married? That would be soooo romantic..."
"You'd have to ask them," Sokka stammered. "Look, I just need some lavender oil..."
"Ohmigosh is that for Suki? I am totally applying to the Kyoshi Warrior school when I'm old enough."
"My brother's got the biggest crush ever on Suki. It's really kinda pathetic."
"Tell your brother that Suki's spoken for," Sokka said, a little snappishly. His temper was fraying already.
"Your sister is so completely awesome, I saw her at a waterbending demonstration and she beat like five Earthbenders at once, it ruled so much, I so totally wish I was a Waterbender!"
"Omigosh, wasn't that awesome? And after she'd won, the Avatar ran out and twirled her around and he gave her this big dramatic kiss and she got all swoony and I wastotally dying, seriously. I so wanna be her."
"Yes! My sister is awesome! And she is awesomely dating the Avatar, who is also awesome, as is Suki!" Sokka exclaimed. "Could I just get my lavender oil so I can get back to all their awesomeness, please?"
The girls parted, reluctantly, and let him get to the counter. The woman who took his money gave him a sympathetic look. He escaped with the oil and took the back way to the house.
Bai, the housekeeper, was arranging some flowers in the kitchen when he stormed in. "Sokka," she said, warmly. "Would you like some pork dumplings? They're fresh."
"No, I don't want any pork dumplings."
Bai frowned. "Are you feeling all right, dear?"
"I'm fine. Is my sister here?"
"No, Master Katara and Master Toph went out."
"Is anybody home?"
"Avatar Aang is in the living room, I believe."
"Good. Fine." He put down the lavender oil and went down the hall. "Aang!"
"Yeah, in here."
Sokka careened into the living room, where Aang was sitting on some cushions in front of his writing desk, alternately reading from some scrolls scattered around him and writing on the parchment on the desk. His brow was creased in concentration. "What are you doing?"
"I'm attempting to respond to the latest of the Earth King's crazy ideas without just saying 'Not in a million years, moron.' What are you doing?"
"Get up. Let's go practice."
Aang looked up at him for the first time. "What? Now? I'm kinda busy."
"You need a break. Come on. Up and at 'em."
Grumbling, Aang bended himself to his feet. "Do I have to?"
"Yes! You have to!" Sokka stalked out of the room and went to his own, where he retrieved his sword. He swung it around his shoulders a few times as he went back down the hall and out to the garden, where Aang was waiting with a sword of his own. For the past few months, Sokka had been teaching Aang some sword techniques. It was useful practice for Sokka to translate what his own master taught him and relay it to Aang. Aang had been equitable enough to the lessons, even though he had little use for sword skills. It was good exercise, at least, he'd reasoned.
But now, Aang looked a little impatient with the whole thing. "I still don't know why you think it's so important I learn this stuff," he said.
"You might need it! What if you're somewhere you can't bend?"
"You mean somewhere with no earth, fire, water or air?"
"Yes, exactly!"
Aang sighed and got up off the rock he was sitting on. "Great. So the next time I'm in outer space, I'll be ready to defend myself if I'm attacked."
"No need to be a smartass."
"Just following my Sifu's example," Aang said, smirking.
"First positions," Sokka said, holding up his sword. Aang did the same. Sokka swung and Aang parried. They went on for a few exchanges. "You're opening your left side. It's a giveaway to what you're about to do." Aang made an adjustment to his stance and swung again. One thing about Aang, Sokka had to admit, was that he was a quick study. "That's better."
They sparred in silence for a few minutes, the only sound the clash of their blades. Aang was countering him effectively and getting in a few good attacks of his own. Sokka intensified his efforts, swinging faster and harder. Aang bit his lip, concentrating. Sokka drove him back with three backhanded swipes. Aang tripped on the edge of a stone and stumbled backwards, catching himself with a cushion of air. "Spirits, Sokka. Take it easy!"
Sokka realized he was breathing hard and sweating. He'd been going at the kid pretty intensely. "Sorry. Got a little carried away."
Aang shrugged it off. He examined his blade. "You know what Zuko says?"
"Oh, I'm begging you. Thrill me with the Firelord's wisdom."
"He says you're so keen to teach me swordfighting because it's something you can do that I can't."
"Hence the me teaching you instead of the other way around. I mean, it's not like you can teach me bending."
"Exactly. Zuko says..."
"To hell with Zuko!" Sokka exclaimed. "What's he know, anyway?"
Aang was looking at him in that way he sometimes got that made Sokka feel like the Avatar could see right through him. "Sokka - you know you're important, right? To us? To me?"
"Sure. Whatever."
Aang sighed and lifted his blade again. "When will Cheerful Sokka be back?" he asked as they parried and thrust.
"Soon. Just gimme a few more minutes to be petulant."
"No problem."
Another few moments went by, the only sound the high-pitched scrape of metal on metal, and their footsteps and breathing.
"You know what this is really about, don't you?" Aang finally said, keeping up the pace.
"What?"
"Katara."
Their swords met between them, their faces less than a foot apart. "Everything doesn't have to be about Katara, you know."
"Not everything is. But this is."
"How you figure?" He came at Aang again with an attack he'd yet to teach him, which was pretty dangerous, but Aang defended himself easily.
"You'd like to hate me and be angry with me because of her but you can't quite justify it, so you're...how did Zuko put it? Sublimating."
"More insight from Zuko? Do you talk to him about everything? I thought I was your best friend!"
"You are. But I can't talk to you about you." Sokka was getting suspicious. Aang was smoothly countering every move he made, even moves Sokka had never used on him.
"I don't know from sublimation but maybe I do want to be angry."
"Why? What'd I do?"
Sokka dropped his sword to his side. "What'd you do? What'd you do? My sister, for one!"
"Hey," Aang said, his face going dark. "You get your allowance to be bitchy once in awhile like everyone, but back off."
"Oooh, sorry, Mister Avatar. Didn't mean to offend. She's my sister. For years we counted on each other for everything and then you came along. How do you think it feels to sleep down the hall from her knowing that you're in there screwing her?" Oh, shit. That was over the line.
Aang took two steps, reached out and grabbed the front of Sokka's shirt, yanking him forward. Sokka waited for glowing but it didn't come - not that Aang couldn't look plenty pissed without it. "Don't talk about Katara that way in front of me," he said. "And if anybody else had said that, you'd be just as mad."
Sokka sagged. "I know. I'm sorry."
Aang let go of him and stepped back, his anger going as quickly as it came. "What is eating you? This is more than a bitchy moment."
Sokka sat down heavily on the grass. Aang took a seat at his side. "I used to be the most important guy in her life, you know," he said, forcing the words. He'd barely admitted this to himself. "I was the first thing she thought of. I was the priority."
"You're still important to her. You know that, right?"
"I know. But..." He looked over at Aang. "You're her whole world now."
Aang shook his head. "That isn't true. And it shouldn't be. Nobody can be everything to their partner. It isn't healthy."
"You are way too well-adjusted for fourteen."
He smiled. "A hundred and fourteen. And if you think I'm well-adjusted I must be doing a good job putting up a front."
"How can I be mad that I'm not my sister's Number One Guy?" Sokka said. "How messed up is that? We're supposed to find other people and make them our priority. I did it, too! Is Katara mad that Suki is the most important girl to me instead of her?"
"Not that she's mentioned, no. But she is a little critical of Suki, haven't you noticed?"
"They get along fine."
"Sure, fine. I don't think they'll ever be best buds, though. Not like us," he said, nudging Sokka's shoulder with his own.
Sokka smiled. "Best buds, huh? Still?"
"Don't be a jerkface."
"Who's a jerkface, Arrow Boy?"
Aang went quiet. "Do you hate it that she's with me?" he asked, sounding like he feared the answer.
"Seriously?" Aang nodded. "No. I mean, I think part of me would hate it no matter who it was. But because it's you, I hate it as little as I can. I trust you. I know you love her." Aang looked down and nodded. "I know you'd never hurt her, and I know you'd do anything to protect her. I just worry that - well, she'll be a target. Because of who you are."
Aang met his eyes. "You think I don't worry about that, too? It keeps me up at night."
"But hey, I mean, if the Avatar makes her a target, then that's also what makes you the best person to protect her, right?"
Aang shook his head. "You know if she heard us talking about her like she has to be protected, she'd kick both our butts."
"Oh, hell yes." Sokka looked over at him. "It's a good thing you're so - amiable."
"Amiable? Sounds like something you'd say about an old lady."
He laughed. "Yeah, it does, a little. It's true, though. You're just nice. Which is why I can manage to deal with you dating my sister, and being world famous while I'm just Water Tribe Guy, and of course that you've been totally lying to me about this swordfighting business."
Aang gave him a very unconvincing wide-eyed innocent look. "What do you mean?"
"You never needed me to teach you swordfighting, did you?"
Aang looked like he might protest, then he just sighed and stood up, twirling the sword expertly around his wrist before sliding it back into its scabbard. "No. The monks believed in being well-rounded. I didn't just learn Airbending. They used swordfighting as exercise, and to teach us balance. Plus some Airbenders like to use wind swords. You have to learn with a real sword first."
"Uh huh. How good are you?"
"My last testing I was a Zhi 8. That was just a few weeks before I ran away."
Sokka's jaw dropped. He said this like it was of no consequence. "Zhi 8? There are only ten Zhi grades!"
"My footwork wasn't what it should have been."
"You were twelve! I'm only a Zhi 5! You were almost a master!"
"I'm a fast learner."
Sokka got up and sheathed his own sword. "Why did you pretend? To humor me? I don't need your pity, Aang. Don't patronize me."
Aang looked alarmed at the suggestion. "No! I never meant - that isn't what it was. I wanted to practice with you."
"So you pretended to be a beginner so poor old Sokka could feel good at something. I get it."
"No, no, no. This is all messed up," Aang groaned, putting a hand over his eyes. "I did need to learn. I just wanted us to have something specific we could do, you know, regularly."
"What the hell did you need to learn? How to make someone look like a fool? How to fake being bad at swordfighting?"
"I needed to learn man stuff, all right?" Aang burst out. "I mean, I know that to the world I'm the Avatar and I'm supposed to be all-knowing and everything but most of the time I'm just clueless about what I'm supposed to do. I lost the only father I ever knew. I don't know how to act or how to be or how to make Katara happy, or how to stick to what I believe in when everything's so damn complicated all the time, and sometimes I don't even know what I believe in anymore." He sat down on a rock like this speech had exhausted him.
Sokka was aghast. "You're serious, aren't you? You did all this because you needed a role model for how to be a man?"
Aang looked up at him and sighed. "Well, you're the best man I know."
His chest tightened up to hear that, but he couldn't resist getting in one more shot. "And I guess Zuko was unavailable."
"Maybe you didn't hear me. You're the best man I know."
Sokka looked away, blinking a little. Got some dust in my eye. Damn dust. "Okay," he said, quietly. He harrumphed and squared his shoulders. "Get up. Break's over."
Aang frowned. "Huh?"
"Let's work on that totally mediocre footwork of yours, huh?"
He grinned and bounded to his feet. "Sounds good, Sifu Sokka."
Sokka pointed his sword at him for emphasis. "But don't expect me to discuss your sex life with my sister."
"Oh, no. I wouldn't do that." Aang smirked. "Zuko is good for some things."
