AN: Just to let you guys know: I do NOT plan on taking this story down the Zuko/Katara route, however much it might seem like it right now. Just setting Katara up for a potential side story :) While I do like Zutara as much as the next girl, I wouldn't have that happen in a Sokkla story. But I do appreciate you all sharing your concerns! Any and all comments about the story are always appreciated. But yeah just wanted to soothe any worries you all may have about that. Anyways, without further ado!

The New Moon Ceremony was a tradition from before Sokka's time, but he still knew a fair bit about it.

It was a time of unification for the two Water Tribes and it only occurred twice every decade. It was a thing to behold, or so said to all of the stories he grew up listening to. From one end of the globe to another, all waterbenders prepared for the occasion.

The hosting tribe would set aside a portion of their fishery and grain for the celebrations, and every building, hut, and tent in the city would be adorned with banners and lanterns, enough light and color to see from leagues away. The traveling tribe would gather all of the people they could manage to bring, and together they would set on a journey across the ocean to meet with their sister tribe.

When the two peoples came together, it was for weeks of celebrations. Contests and tournaments, grand feasts with spectacles, and most importantly, the spirit ceremony, where all of the people gathered would pay their respects to their ancestors and the spirits who moved the world.

It always inspired awein Sokka, but to now avail. The New Moon Ceremony ended over one hundred years ago, along with most everything else between the water tribes, when the Fire Nation attacked.

His father had never seen one, and neither had his grandmother.

When Sokka was a little boy, before his father left and his mother died, he used to pretend he was a warrior in one of the grand tournaments, brandishing a shield and defeating a foe to the glory of his crowd around him. When the men went off to war, he put those childish fantasies aside, focusing more on becoming a warrior who defended his people, rather than one concerned about applause.

Not that he didn't still want the applause.

It wasn't actually Sokka's idea to reinstate the ceremony, however much he wished that it was.

That honor went to Pinik, one of the ambassadors from the North. Sokka did not normally like Pinik very much. He was too tall, and too skinny, and too concerned about bureaucracy and formality for Sokka's tastes. But when he made the suggestion a few months ago during one of Zuko's council meetings, Sokka was the first to voice his support.

He wrote his father to ask him what he and the village elders thought about reinstating the celebrations, and the answer received sent the rest of the planning into motion.

So that was how he found himself at sea, just two weeks after Katara and Aang's departure, sailing north.

The autumn winds made the trip more rocky than any of them expected. More than once, while waves crashed against the port and starboard, Sokka wished that Katara was with them. She could quell the angry swells of seawater into submission. Zuko and Azula, however powerful they and their soldiers might be, were close to powerless against such forces. Sokka too.

A calm overtook the sea as they passed around the Wuhan forest and towards the northern ends of the Earth Kingdom. The waves calmed and the winds raged less, and for those days they sailed, it was over a still ocean, with happy skies above them.

It was more difficult on those days to ignore Azula.

She had a room near Zuko's at the deepest portion of the ship, whereas Sokka's quarters were closer to the deck. The distance, and Zuko positioned rather inconveniently between them, was very sufficient at keeping them separated. But even if that weren't so, the sailors and guards on board kept a vigilant watch on their Princess, on the orders of their Fire Lord.

One morning, as they were passing the Western Air Temple, Sokka woke up earlier than usual and went to the deck to take in the rising sun. Azula was up already, as she often was at this time, standing along the starboard, watching a dawn of pink and orange burn its way through what remained of the nighttime sky.

She wasn't alone. Two guards were nearby, minding their own business, and not really watching her all that much.

For a moment he thought he was looking at a painting. The sun was peeking over the eastern horizon, and Azula was silhouetted against it. She was a black shadow against a raging and beautiful inferno. The sharp ends of her armor glinted in the glare, casting her in this ethereal shadow. He stopped walking. The sound of the waves crashing only added to the moment, only pushed the pressure in his chest to something even louder, and for a moment Sokka could have bursted.

It was a lovely feeling, to be in love.

He wanted nothing more than to step up behind her and become a part of that beautiful portrait. To rest his chin on her shoulder and wrap his arms around her waist, to press his hips against her backside as they watch the morning glow swallow the dark.

Sokka remembered that he could not. His face fell, and so did his spirits. Sometimes he loved her so much. He hated having to hide it, however necessary it was. He swallowed that choking feeling down and went back to bed.

It would get better once they were actually docked in the North.

There they would have privacy, and an ability to go off and hide together. He could hardly wait for their arrival, but somehow he mustered the patience to make it through.

The first time he came here, with Aang and Katara, he was blown away by the splendor of the Northern Water Tribe. He felt something similar take root in him when they pulled into shore a second time. It was hard not to think of Yue, when he was so close to her home.

The closer their ship travelled, the more often Sokka found himself awake at night, staring at the moon with something like love and something like sadness. He knew it wouldn't be easy to return here, but he was surprised by the way it impacted him, deep down in his bones.

He thought he could be making it up, but it seemed to him that the moon seemed brighter here, in her home. Maybe it was wishful thinking, but it brought him comfort all the same.

"It's frigid."

Azula stepped up beside him. The great walls of ice loomed ahead of them and tall spires of hard snow poked up from behind the barrier. The soldiers were bustling around behind them in preparation for landfall, so nobody looked twice at the two of them speaking.

"It's not even winter yet." He responded, turning and watching a strand of her hair be blown by the wind. "But you're right. It is cold. I'm getting used to your Fire Nation weather. I wish all of these people weren't around. I think I could do with a warm up."

"Oh, and I suppose you expect me to do the warming?"

"Well I definitely don't expect Zuko to do it."

She laughed. Then, glancing over her shoulder to make sure they weren't being watched, she leaned against his side, her head falling against his shoulder. It lasted for only a brief moment, and though he still shivered, he could feel his insides glow hot.

"Are you excited to see your father?" She asked.

"Definitely. It's been over a year." He perked up at the change in conversation. "I wonder if he beat us here. He told me that he was bringing my Gran-gran, and Pakku, along with him. Have you ever met my gran-gran?"

"No, but I have heard of her." Her smile fell just a tad. "I've heard the story from Zuko of you two's, er, first meeting."

Sokka grimaced. He didn't like that memory any more than Zuko did. The both of them went well out of their way to avoid speaking about it, in fact.

"You know, I think if she knew the truth about us, she might even like you." He murmured. "Gran-gran… she's got wisdom that the rest of us just don't. She sent me and Katara off with Aang, after we found him. She's a smart lady. I guess it was Gran-gran that really saved the world. Aang never would have made it without us, after all."

"No doubt." Azula murmured. "You don't plan on telling her, do you? About us?"

"No, no," Sokka waved his hand. "Gran-gran is an understanding woman, but she's also a terrible gossip. She would tell Pakku, and then it would only be a matter of time before your uncle found out." Although- Sokka thought back to their time in Ba Sing Se. Perhaps Iroh already knew.

"Oh, I'm sure the old coot already suspects," Azula said, with an old bitterness leaking into her tone.

"Whether he does or doesn't… I don't want my… grandpa? Step-grandpa..?.. to be the one to confirm those suspicions to him."

The sound of ice cracking met Sokka's ears. He and Azula turned around and spotted four waterbenders skating across the surface of the sea from the other side of the boat. They were less scary to him now than they were the last time he'd seen them. They were there to guide the ship safely through the harbor, which a half hour later, they did successfully.

Azula inhaled a sharp breath of air when the city swallowed them up.

"Welcome to Agna Qel'a, Princess." Sokka said, smiling down at her. It was luxuriant, but in a more sleek fashion than the grandeur of the Fire Nation. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is." Her voice sounded strangled. "It really is."

"Sokka," said a warm voice, "I hoped that you would come."

Chief Arnook, Yue's father, stepped forward and wrapped him in an embrace.

"Of course I came." He responded. "I wouldn't have missed this for the world."

Behind the two men stood a great entrance to the celebrations. Set up within a newly built section of icy walls were the festival grounds. Already tents were being erected and smoke from the cooking fires danced lazily up to the clouds. There was an abundance of noise. Shouts, as construction commanders shouted their orders, and the sound of grinding ice as the waterbenders built towers and poles where nothing was there before.

"It looks like you guys are going all out for this." Sokka commented as they pulled apart.

"Oh, we are." Arnook replied. "It'll be the first New Moon Century in… what was it, one hundred and six years?" He turned now, to his wife.

"One hundred and eight." she corrected, stepping up now to greet Sokka herself.

"Chieftainess Natidi-" He said as he bowed his head before her, but she cut him off before he could finish.

"Oh, enough with that, sweetheart. Just call me Natidi." And then she took his hands into hers and pulled them to her chest, right where her heart was. "It is so good to see your face."

"Natidi." He said, smiling wider. "It's really good to see yours. Both of yours. Really… I don't think I even have the words."

They both shook their heads, and cast comforting smiles in his direction. Sokka smiled sheepishly, and then lifted a newly freed hand to idly tug on the end of his wolf's tail. "I was wondering… has my father arrived?"

"About two weeks ago." said Natidi, turning her head towards one of the mid-sized ice buildings. "He should be over there, with the rest of the southerners. I've had a room made up for you there. I thought you might like to stay with your people, but if you'd like, I can put you somewhere else."

"Thank you, but it's alright." And it was, though there was a small part of him that loathed staying further away from Azula than he had too. But it would be suspicious to say otherwise. "I'm more than happy to stay near my father."

"Good, good.." she said, finally letting go of his hands.

"So, Sokka, I've heard from your Pinik that you're staying in the Fire Nation." Arnook said.

Sokka nodded. "Yeah, I am. I'm… an ambassador, I guess." It still felt weird to think he had such an official title. "For the Southern tribe. I represent our interests in the Fire Nation during this rebuilding time."

"Well don't sound so surprised about it," Arnook said gently. "I think you make for a fine ambassador. You're well traveled, you are close friends with both the avatar and the Fire Lord, and you had a personal hand in ending this war. If you weren't already working, I might have snatched you up myself."

Sokka glanced away bashfully, but could not hide the grin that spread wide across his face. "Thank you, Chief. That really means a lot coming from you."

Arnook opened his mouth to say something else, but it was at that moment a Fire Nation soldier stepped up to the both of them.

"Fire Lord Zuko and his sister the Princess Azula await your greeting, Chief Arnook."

Arnook glanced at Sokka. "I shouldn't be worried, should I? The last time the Fire Lord was here.."

Sokka shook his head. "Don't be worried. Zuko wants this to go as well as I do, and you too, I'm sure."

A line of firebending soldiers moved to stand off to the side as finally, Zuko left his ship. He wore fine regalia. Maybe a bit too fine in Sokka's opinion, but at least Zuko had the good grace to look uncomfortable about. He descended the slipway slowly, his heavy robes dragging just slightly behind him. Flanking him to his left was Azula, wearing her regular attire and with a somewhat sour look on her face.

To others they may see contempt, or a sense of superiority. Sokka might have thought the same, if he didn't already know better. The look on her face, he could read it well now, was that of anxiety. He stared in her direction and tried to catch her eye, but she stared resolutely forward, as resigned to her duty as Zuko was in front of her.

"Chief Arnook." Zuko said, pushing his palms together and bowing low to the ground. It was perhaps too low for a Fire Lord to bow, but Sokka knew that it was out of respect.

Chief Arnook must have thought so too, because he returned the bow just as low. "Fire Lord Zuko. We welcome you to Agna Qel'a, and under much more welcoming circumstances than the last time."

"Thank you." And the warmth in Zuko's voice was genuine. Sokka wondered how long he'd paced back and forth across his room in worry over this conversation. "You are welcome in our capital city any time you see fit to visit."

"Much appreciated." Chief Arnook gestured to his wife, who moved over to make her own greetings.

"Chieftainess Natidi," Zuko said, bowing once again, "thank you for this warm welcome."

Sokka noticed quickly that Natidi did not correct Zuko about the usage of her title. And he noticed, also, that her returned bow was actually rather stiff. "Fire Lord Zuko. We are honored by your arrival."

Natidi's tone of voice was nowhere near as warm as it was while she spoke to Sokka. He glanced at Zuko, watched the beginning of an uncomfortable grimace form on his friend's face, and then looked sideways at Azula.

Her teeth were clenched. She was stiff, and uncomfortable. Again, he tried to meet her eyes.

This time, however, her gaze locked onto his. For three short seconds it was just the two of them. Azula with her tenseness, and Sokka with his warning eyes, begging her to keep calm.

And so she did; keep calm, that is. She forced a smile onto her face, and bowed herself.

"Well," Arnook began, casting a sideways look at his wife before glancing back to Sokka. "I'm sure that you all would like to get settled and rested after such a long journey. There will be a feast tonight in the Fire Lord's honor. I look forward to seeing you all there."

The chief of the Northern Water Tribe swept away, his wife and retinue following close in his wake. There were servants left behind, who were beckoning them forward now to be taken to their rooms.

He and Azula met eyes and gave one another a sad, wistful smile. It was much easier to sneak around when they were in the comfort and privacy of the fire nation palace. It was different here. Too many eyes, and too many mouths that would ask questions if they were to notice something out of the ordinary.

They said their goodbyes without words, and then Sokka was being ushered to the building that Natidi had pointed out to him. It was made of ice like most other buildings here, with strong wooden beams to support the perimeter. According to Natidi this was where the southerners were being housed for the duration of the ceremony. He thought of his father, who for not the first time, he had not seen in years.

When the war ended and Sokka returned with Zuko to the Fire Nation, his father returned south for a homecoming that was long deserved. The village needed rebuilding. Their people needed rebuilding. Sokka liked to imagine he was doing his best to assist with that. More than once he had convinced Zuko to send workers to assist in the development of his home, and it was as a result of his own hard work that the southern tribe was delivered shipments of bread and other food to fill their bellies. Hakoda, however, was there to see it all done. A part of him was jealous of his father for that, but that never lasted long. It was hard for the jealousy to stick when there was so much about his life right now that he enjoyed.

"Where are the men?" Sokka asked as they stepped through an icy wrought gate, glancing around curiously as if he thought his dad would be waiting on the stoop to welcome him.

"Inside, in the warmth I imagine." answered the servant, who glanced over his shoulder. "You're Sokka, right? The avatar's friend?"

His chest swelled, and then he nodded. "Yep. That's me." And if he sounded proud, it was because he was.

"And you really stay in the Fire Nation? Like all of the time?"

"It's not so bad once you get used to the heat," he mentioned as they approached the door. "I think I've even gotten used to it actually. I'm pretty cold right now, actually."

The servant shrugged. "It's not so bad. It's still only fall. I've never been to the Fire Nation, but I don't think that the heat is for me."

"Well if you ever get the chance to go, you should." Sokka pulled open the door.

A grimace appeared on the face of his guide, like he'd just swallowed something sour. "I don't think so. I don't… I don't think I would like it there. Or the people. My brother died fighting against them."

"Oh," Sokka said, hesitating now before he walked in, "I guess that makes sense. My mother died by them too, but… we're all trying to make the world a better place now. Fire Lord Zuko especially."

"That doesn't do my brother much good though, does it?"

Oof, Sokka thought. But he nodded all the same. "No I suppose it doesn't. Anyways, er, thank you for showing me the way."

The servant nodded, leaving Sokka now alone with the cold wind and his uncomfortable feelings. He cast those feelings aside, focusing instead on his excitement at seeing his father and grandmother.

And speaking of-, "Is that my grandson letting in that draft?"

"Gran-gran!" He found himself spinning on the spot, rushing towards her with the excitement more fit for a boy than a man, but he didn't care a bit.

He threw his arms around her and she him.

"You've grown a head since I saw you last. When was that, I can hardly remember?"

"Too long," He murmured, pulling away when she did. She gave him a look of appraisal, and he felt oddly that she knew too much about him from that one glance alone.

"Yes. Too long." Her weathered hands came to grip at his arms. "But you look good. Strong, and healthy. Happy too, I think. The Fire Nation must be treating you well."

If she only knew the half of it, he thought with some irony. "They are. I'm enjoying it there a lot more than I thought I would."

"Good, good. And what of your sister? When did you see her last?"

"Not so long ago, actually. Maybe a few weeks, or a month? Something like that. She and Aang flew into the capital and spent a few days there before flying off again for more avatar business."

"Well I hope their business brings them south. And you too. It's been so long since I've had all of my family in one place. Though I have most of you here with me now, so there is that to be thankful for."

"Yeah, Dad and Pakku are here, right?"

Gran-gran nodded. "Hakoda is up the stairs in his rooms. Pakku is here as well, but not in this building. He's reuniting with some of his old students, I believe, and even giving some lessons to the new instructor. He doesn't believe their new teacher is up for the job."

"Classic Gramp-gramp," Sokka said, grinning as he used the name Pakku had refused to answer to, "always thinking he knows best."

"He's much better now in his old age, but there are some things that just can not be changed."

Sokka laughed and then reached to hug his grandmother once more.

"Go on now," she urged when they separated. She gave him a shove towards the stairs, one that was surprisingly strong for a woman of her size and age. "Your father will be thrilled to see you."

And so Sokka hit the stairs two at a time, in long and excited strides until he found himself standing outside of his father's bedroom door. He lifted a fist and rapped it hard against the door, three times.

"Who is it?" Rumbled a voice from inside.

Sokka grinned. "Your son."

There was a shuffling sound, and then the door was being wrenched open. Strong arms grabbed onto his shoulders and he found himself crushed against his dad's chest. Sokka went still for a moment, surprised by the suddenness of it all, and then he wrapped his arms around his father and let out a happy sigh.

AN: I seem to have recovered some sort of inspiration for this story. Three chapters in a single year, haha. Hopefully it won't take too long to get 'O' released. I have the outline for it all finished, so I'll try to sit down this week and get it out. As always, thank you for sticking with me through this. Any reviews would be appreciated.