A/N: This ficlet, while short, came to me as easily as can be. I enjoyed writing it, so enjoy reading it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Happy Reading!


Kiss of Death

His first real kiss had been with the Princess of the Northern Water Tribe. The kiss had been unexpected, to say the least, seeing as he'd just finished bashing himself for being a 'Southern peasant'. She'd grabbed him, pulled him in, and kissed him. And boy, had that been something wonderful! Yue was sweet and kind and… passionate? Yes. Her kiss was not necessarily that, but she herself had been. Passionate for her people and passionate for life and loyalty. This passion carried her through her everyday life, through her duties as Princess and through her engagement. In the end, though, Sokka's hopes and wishes that he could spend forever with this woman faded in a blinding white light. The Princess, who he had had fallen for instantly, died in his arms. He'd felt her body go cold, the way that the dead do, until she'd disappeared. Then, when he'd thought that he would never see her again, she appeared in a glowing form. She shared with him a ghostly kiss before leaving him for the last time.

Time passed, and Sokka was reunited with an old friend. As much as it hurt to think of Yue, he knew that he would have to move on. His kiss with Suki had been just as unexpected, but this time it was he that launched the surprise attack. In addition, it had been far different than his kiss with Yue. Suki was a warrior – aggressive, strong – and he had been taken aback by how different her kiss was. Not that it was any less amazing, of course, but it was just different. Suki didn't die in his arms as Yue had, but it did not make her death any easier to accept. When they had returned to Kyoshi and the leader had told them of the female warrior's battle with Azula, he had wept. At her funeral, he leaned over and placed one last kiss on her painted lips with vow never to love again.

This vow, however valiant, could not withstand the test of time. Little by little, the strong-willed Earthbender picked at his hardened exterior until she finally broke through and reached his heart. Toph's kiss had been the most unexpected of all; she'd thrown herself at him and kissed him, though her target was missed and she'd kissed the side of his face. An awkward laugh later, he'd gotten off the ground, helped her up, and kissed her in return. In the next months, he shared many kisses with her, some innocent and others fiery, and a handful ended abruptly with a surprised yell from Katara or Aang. Even in those times Sokka couldn't help but smile, for it seemed that he had finally overcome death and reached love once and for all.

He knelt on the ground in the Fire Lord's chamber, oblivious to the eyes watching him from every direction as he held the cold Earthbender close to his chest. Meaningless prayers and words and curses spilled from his mouth as rapidly as the tears spilled from his eyes, for he knew now what had come to be. With a shuddery breath, he lowered his head and placed a final, lingering kiss on her lips as the rest of her life slipped away and left him with nothing. He let his head fall back and asked aloud what he had done to deserve such a cruel punishment.

Now, as much as time had passed, he still does not let go. He knows that if he allows himself to get close to any woman ever again, the consequences will be dire. He knows not what he has done to deserve what he has been cursed with, but he knows that he must live his life alone if he wants those he loves to be safe. Because that is the life of a cursed man, a marked man.

Sokka of the Water Tribe, cursed with the kiss of death.

ooo

Fin.


A/N: Angsty, I know. to make matters weirder, I winced when the Document Manager said that this story had 666 words. D:

Anyway, I heard the phrase 'kiss of death' and it made me laugh. Poor Sokka - his girlfriends always seem to die or vanish.