In the dark Sokka couldn't tell whether the water had been frozen over, or was at peace. Is it odd that he could relate to the ocean? He chuckled, not because it was a funny thought but because it was pathetic. Staring out at the midnight blue slab ahead of him he had an urge to walk on it. To walk away. He watched a tiger seal swim back to the rest of its bob, reminding him he couldn't walk on water. That's what you call a group of tiger seals, right? A bob?
Pathetic was the wrong word. It was too harsh. He was just… alone.
Well, Suki obviously wasn't up here, so maybe she was below the deck somewhere, so that's where he went looking for her.
sokka
She was in matching silk maroon pajamas, obviously expensive, but damaged now. Her breathing was heavy, but her grip on his parka remained tight. Granted he'd heard she'd been in some loony bin for some time, she was not the put-together princess he remembered her being. For starters, her dark hair was in complete disarray. He watched the sweat trickle from her hairline, following it slowly down her forehead. Her pale skin was surprising clear, considering her recent circumstances. Her cold glare made him shiver, which spoke volumes considering their respective nationalities. She was the predator and he was her prey. Her cheeks were flushed and her nostrils flaring. Sokka, having been following the sweat down her face only noticed now that she was grinning.
"Funny bumping into you here," her voice was both menacing and enthralling. With her free hand she clicked her fingers. The entire hand caught light, in her signature blue flames.
Before Sokka had time to react, a dagger pierced the wall he was forced against, just missing his captor. She turned around, scanning for whoever it was she had clearly been fleeing. With her attention no longer on him, Sokka escaped her grasp and pushed her off him. She stumbled back but quickly regained her footing and fired a series of quick blasts at him. Out of practice, he inevitably failed dodging most of the incoming attack. The last hit sent him flying back, falling over onto his back.
"Sokka?"
Sokka was caught off guard when he opened his eyes.
"Hey Suki," he looked up at her, who was leaning over him. Her Kyoshi makeup was smudged and its matching get-up ripped but it was definitely her. She smiled and help him up. Their reunion was short-lived, a slow clap reminded the pair they had unfinished business to attend to.
Azula.
"Back together at last," Azula continued to slow cap, mocking the pair. "Now you can die in each other's…"
Azula trailed off before collapsing, revealing a proud Ty Lee. She rubbed her hands together and placed them on her hips.
"I had everything under control, Ty Lee," Suki rolled her eyes. Ty Lee gave her a look. "But thank you." Ty Lee smiled.
"I'll take her back to her room," Ty Lee crouched down to pick Azula's unconscious body up.
"Let me," Sokka insisted, all gentleman-like.
Ty Lee looked him up and down. His parka, if you could still even call it that, was barely holding itself together. "I think I can handle myself, Cutie."
Suki and Sokka stood quietly watching Ty Lee leave.
"We should talk," Sokka broke the silence.
Suki nodded, "You're right. We should talk."
Sokka's stomach rumbled and the two laughed.
"Maybe after dinner," Suki continued.
chapter two
another reunion, part two
Suki examined her bandages in the mirror.
"My sister can help you out with something a little less shabby after dinner," Sokka was packing away the scattered emergency medical supplies. "You know, healing… and stuff."
"Thank you," he looked up from what he was doing and returned the smile she was giving him. "Really."
Sokka shrugged, "I was almost dinner back there. It's the least I could do."
He stood up and headed for the door.
"Where're you going?"
"I was gonna wait for you outside… while you get changed."
"Oh."
Sokka closed the door behind him and let out a heavy sigh. Should he have stayed? Could he have stayed?
Speak to her.
No. After dinner.
No. Now.
Sokka turned around and stared at his closed bedroom door. He exhaled and reached for the door knob. The door suddenly swung open, catching him off guard. Suki was also surprised to find him standing right outside the door. Her makeup and uniform were off and she stood only in her undergarments. Sokka's eyes wandered down from hers. He scratched the back of his neck, blushing. Her soft skin glowed light blue in the room, only lit by the moon. He looked back up at her face, though it was dim he could tell she was blushing too. Her eyes sparkled.
"Do you…" she looked down at her feet, "… do you want to come in?"
Zuko buried his face in his hands. "I don't know what to do with her," his voice was muffled by his hands.
"Lock her up," Toph said, bluntly, before stuffing her mouth with even more food.
"Your food's not going anywhere, Toph," Katara was disgusted, watching her slurp up a sea-crab leg. "Are you even chewing?"
"I can't lock her up," Zuko shook his head and sat upright. "She's my sister."
"She'd lock you up, if she didn't already try kill you," Katara's attention had moved on from Toph and to the conversation. She still twitched every time she heard Toph slurped up some more.
"If we weren't constantly watching her she probably would've succeeded in doing so," Suki added. "Maybe Toph's right. Maybe she's just-"
"Crazy," Toph finished.
"I was going to say misguided, but yea," Suki shrugged, "maybe there's no saving her."
Katara continued, "Zuko, I don't think I need to remind you that if I wasn't there that day-"
"I know, I know" Zuko interrupted, frustrated. "She's not only a danger to others, us especially, but to herself too. We tried therapy and now the Fire Nation's leading therapist's hospitalised." Toph snickered. Katara kicked her under the table. "Mai thinks maybe she needs to leave the Fire Nation, get treatment elsewhere. Somewhere with no reminders of the past to trigger her and make her unravel like she does."
"Speaking of Mai…"
"We couldn't both come. Who'd be left in charge of the Fire Nation? Momo?"
The table erupted in laughter. Momo had taken a liking to the Fire Nation's forests and had made up his mind that he was staying behind after Aang's last trip there.
"But seriously," Zuko continued, "Yes, right now the situation back there's somewhat stable, hence I can be here, but wronging the rights of one hundred years is going to take more than three. My predecessors left a huge mess for me to clean up. " Zuko sighed. "I'm exhausted. This is the only vacation I've had since… who knows when, and this is still work. Anyway, enough of me. I see the South's more than a couple huts now."
"Sokka and I just came from your new place, Katara. It's stunning. I'm assuming that's your doing. I don't see Sokka as being much of an interior designer" Suki said.
"You two stopped by our place?" Katara gave her brother a look that said she knew what had went down. Sokka sunk into his seat.
Hakoda sat up from his seat, grabbing the entire hall's attention. He was going to say a speech. Thank god. Sokka had been saved.
Hakoda cleared his throat and began:
"I'd like to begin by thanking all the chefs, from far and wide, who closed up shop and sailed down here to serve us all tonight," he patted his stomach and chuckled. "I'm not sure if I managed to save room for dessert." The hall erupted in laughter. Aang looked over at the various empty plates and bowls in front of Sokka, proud, then over at Suki – who he'd caught stealing a glance at Sokka – and smiled.
"Next I'd like to thank everyone who played a part, big or small, in making today possible. Everyone from my tribespeople, to my fellow world leaders," Zuko smiled and nodded, "to the salesman who sold us the lovely cabbage we had tonight. Thank you to the construction teams, my second-in-command and best-friend – No, brother, Bato, for balancing out my ability to execute, with his ability to… well, think beforehand." Bato, who was seated beside hakoda, stood up and bowed, causing everyone to laugh.
"Speaking of brains," Hakoda looked over at his children, "thank you to my two beautiful children, who need no introduction. Them and their friends are the reason we're here today. Katara, Sokka, your mother would be so proud." Though Katara was, Sokka couldn't (or wouldn't) cry while everyone looked at him.
"Funny story actually," Hakoda shook his head and smiled, "It was around this time three years ago when Sokka showed me his first designs for this very hall. They weren't the best," Sokka rolled his eyes at the laughter. Suki nudged his shoulder. "But as his father I could see beneath the questionable drawings. I saw the South's future. I saw his." Hakoda was now teary-eyed. "Son, while you might not be ready today, or tomorrow, one day you're going to the Southern Water Tribe's greatest chief. I know it. Your sister knows it. Your people know it."
Sokka smiled. Everyone clapped for him. He struggled to hold the tears back.
"I'm assuming you're leaving with Zuko first thing in the morning," Sokka stood with a drink in his one hand, and his other in his pocket.
"Don't miss me too much during the rest of the weekend's festivities," Suki teased. She took a sip of her own drink. "Seriously though, how long can we keep this going?"
"Keep what going?" Sokka was very obviously playing dumb.
Suki sighed. "I love you… a lot, Sokka."
"But?"
"But I leave at sunrise, and after tonight I don't know when the next I'll be back will be. I don't know when I'll have time to write to you again. I don't want you to just… wait for me. Not that you don't have your own stuff keeping you busy, I just-"
"Don't worry, I know what you mean."
The two stood for a while, watching everyone cheer and dance, saying nothing. Was this really the most appropriate time to be having this conversation?
"I love you too," Sokka was the first speak, "by the way."
Sokka spotted Hakoda gesturing for him to go to him.
"I've gotta… uhm…"
"Go," Sukis smiled, waving him on. "I'm not going anywhere. Not yet."
Sokka sat in the empty seat next to his father. "Dad?"
"Getting closure?" Hakoda asked, referring to Suki.
"That's one way of putting it."
Hakoda put his hand on his son's shoulder. Sokka looked over at his dad. "I wish I could tell you it gets easier, but it doesn't. One day, however, everything just clicks into place. Don't force it. You'll only get yourself burned."
Sokka nodded. Hakoda patted his shoulder and continued, "Anyway, I called you over 'cause I need you for something. The guys in Ba Sing Se, they didn't get back to us. Bato's heading with King Bumi and the rest of the Earth Kingdom's nobility, including your Beifong friend, back to the Earth Kingdom, you know, just to find out what's going on."
"You want me to go with him?"
"Listen, Bato's fully capable of doing this on his own, but I thought maybe you wanted a change of scenery, even if it's only for a week or so."
"What about here?"
"Your sister and I will make sure the whole place doesn't burn down in flames while you're away," Hakoda laughed.
Sokka rolled his eyes. "I'll go."
"Great!" Hakoda patted his son's back and gestured towards Suki, who was standing alone by the bar. "I believe I may have interrupted something."
Sokka walked over to the bar. Suki handed him his drink back.
"Work?" she asked.
"Yea," he sipped his drink, "I'm going to the Earth Kingdom tomorrow with Bato."
"Looks like neither of us are gonna get to enjoy the festivities this year, huh?"
Sokka sighed, "Looks like it."
"At least we still have whatever's left of tonight though."
"The games and market only start tomorrow though."
Suki smirked.
"Where're we going?" Sokka, with one hand covering his eyes, was being led by Suki with his other one. He could tell they were walking on wood. What were they doing on the docks? Now metal. A ship. Eventually they stopped.
"Ok," Suki started speaking, "you can open your eyes now."
Sokka laughed when he saw what her surprise was. Candles were light, rose petals were scattered on the floor and the bed. She rummaged through her luggage and pulled out a rose, or at least what was left of one. She jumped on the bed, sending the petals flying, and bit on the rose's stem. Sokka rolled his eyes and chuckled when she winked at him.
"There's space here for two," she said, still biting down on the stem.
A petal fell on Sokka nose. He blew it off, and smirked.
Sokka waved until he couldn't see her anymore. Katara nudged his arm and smirked. He looked over at her, confused. She rolled her eyes at her brother's lack of the ability to take a hint. "So… you and Suki…?"
"Oh," Sokka looked back out at sea, at the Fire Nation ship, "we broke up."