Sokkla Saturday Week 9 (Part 2): 告白氣球 (Confession Balloon)
塞纳河畔 左岸的咖啡 On the left bank of the River Seine, a coffee in my hand
我手一杯 品尝你的美 留下唇印的嘴 I can still taste you on my lips
Sokka's POV
It had only been the second day of the trip and Sokka was already regretting accepting Aang and Katara's invitation to join them in Paris for the holidays. After all, it had seemed like a good idea at the time since he'd been looking for an excuse to travel as he did not wish to be cooped up in the dorms over the holidays. Besides, he figured he could visit his sister, who had been doing a study abroad program in Paris as well as keep an eye on Aang, as the kid was more than capable of saying the most filthiest things under the layer of innocence.
As the duo engaged in more smooching whilst walking down the left bank of the Seine, he had enough and ducked into the nearest cafe, desperate to escape watching his best friend exchange saliva with his sister. Ordering a cup, he sat down to sip when Azula arrived on the scene, looking for a spot to escape the same thing. Spotting the seat in front of Sokka empty, she asked if she could share, to which Sokka obliged without looking up from his phone. Bored of scrolling his phone, he looked up and saw it was his roommate's sister seated in front of him, dressed in a simple elegance that put some of the local Parisians to shame.
Azula's POV
It was supposed to be a sibling bonding trip, though the fact that it was in Paris certainly raised a lot of eyebrows from their friends, who weren't above making crude jokes about their sibling relationship when they asked about their break plans, though wisely it wasn't directly to her face, lest they'd be crispified or electrocuted. Potentially both if she was not in a good mood.
She was here strictly for the architecture, or that was what she told herself.
At the last minute, Zuko more or less told her Mai would be tagging along, which put a dampener on the whole 'sibling bonding' aspect. "Please tell me both of you weren't gonna make out in the catacombs" she sighed while rolling her eyes.
"So what if we were?" Mai shot back.
"How a theater student ended up with an emo forensic science undergrad is beyond me." Azula replied whilst shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose.
Coming back to the present, she decided she had enough of tagging behind them and ducked into the nearest cafe, which to her dismay was packed save for one seat unoccupied. Unfortunately, the person sitting opposite her was her brother's roommate, which wasn't the most ideal scenario. After all, she had tried to rationalize away her (in her opinion at least) pointless and infantile crush on the boy, telling herself he had no endearing qualities about him save his comedic talent.
Having no choice, she reluctantly took up the seat opposite and hoped he wouldn't try to strike up a conversation with her.
花店玫瑰 名字写错谁 Buying roses from the florist, afraid of getting your name wrong
告白气球 风吹到对街 微笑在天上飞 A confession balloon is loose in the air
你说你有点难追 想让我知难而退 You played hard to get, in order to throw me off
As they both stared at each other, shock and curiosity passed over their facial expressions as each of them tried to come up with some explanation as to why the other was in Paris.
"Oh hey it's you?"
"Yes it's me, what of it?"
"So what brings you here? Romantic getaway with a lover, perhaps?"
"So what if I am, what does it matter to you?" she replied, her ponytail and bangs swaying in time with her head tilt.
"Chillout girl, just tryna break the ice here." Sokka replied, whilst putting his palms up in surrender. Privately he found it very cute when she pouted her lips like that, but he chose to keep it to herself.
"I'll answer if you answer, what are you doing here?"
"Because I regret being the third wheel? Ugh, those two just, ew. But enough about me, what about you?" You're not the only one who can play this game, girl thought Sokka.
"This was supposed to be a sibling trip, well at least it was until Mai showed up."
"That emo girl from forensics?"
"Wait how do you know her?"
"Because Suki is in criminal justice and she shared a class with her?"
"Why isn't she with you?
"Because she's not my girlfriend? I mean, I could ask the same about you and Chan." Privately she was somewhat relieved that Sokka was single.
"Why the fuck does everyone think I'm with Chan? Spirits above, that kid is just a piece of walking meat and no brains." Inwardly, Sokka's heart leapt a bit as he too, had been harbouring a crush on his roommate's sister, though unlike Azula he was less proficient at hiding his feelings.
"Seems like you and me are in the same boat here."
"So it seems. What are you suggesting?"
"We are in Paris after all."
"And? Does geography really matter? I mean, you could confess to your crush in Antarctica and it'd make no difference."
"You are the least romantic person I've ever met, and I've met Mai. Which I think, says a lot."
"Maybe I just have high standards." she teased, twirling a bang with her finger.
"Is that a challenge I hear?"
"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Surprise me." With that, she got up and proceeded to leave before Sokka asked "I didn't get your number."
"You're a smart kid, you should be able to figure it out." and sauntered off, the scent of her perfume lingering in the air like a tease.
礼物不需挑最贵 只要香榭的落叶 I don't need the most expensive gifts, as long as the falling leaves of theChamps-Élysées
营造浪漫的约会 不害怕搞砸一切 Set the tone for this date, I'm not worried about anything
拥有你就拥有 全世界 Because having you means the world to me
亲爱的 爱上你 Ever since I fell in love with you
从那天起 甜蜜的很轻易 From that day forward it was easy to be sweet
亲爱的 别任性 Don't be stubborn my beloved
你的眼睛 在说我愿意 Your eyes are already said 'I do'
Having managed to wrangle her number was one thing, getting her a surprise gift to knock her off her game was a totally different matter. After all, what do you get a girl that has everything, Sokka mused as he lay on his bed. Suddenly, a thought popped into his mind and the wheels in his mind began to turn.
The next afternoon, Azula felt her phone buzz and she pulled it out to a text from Sokka, asking her to meet him on the Champs-Élysées. Curious as to what tricks he had up his sleeve, she obliged. When she reached the avenue, she saw a balloon float gently in her direction, a letter attached to it.
Opening the letter, she found it contained a set of clues that led her to the Arc de Triomphe, where Sokka awaited with a rose in the lapel of his coat.
"You know, I was beginning to think the balloon would have been blown off course but it made it into your hands. I wonder why." he mused.
"So, any particular reason you brought me here?"
"Well, I'd ideally like to march down the avenue triumphantly with your hand in mine, but only if you want to."
"That has to be the cheesiest pickup line I have ever heard."
"I'd like to see you try and come up with one on the spot."
"No thanks, I'd rather march down the avenue holding your hand."
"Really?"
"I'm waiting, Sokka."
Without warning, he grabbed her hand and spun her around into his arms before remarking "How's this for a twist?", before giving her a soft kiss on the nose that turned her cheeks bright red.
"I-"
"Speechless?" he teased. What happened next caught him off guard as Azula sandwiched his face between her palms and delivered a full on lip lock that stole his breath away. When she broke the kiss, it was her turn to smirk at Sokka, a twinkle of victory in her eyes.
亲爱的 爱上你 Ever since I fell for you on that day
恋爱日记 飘香水的回忆 Our memories are written in this perfume scented diary
一整瓶 的梦境 An entire bottle of hopes and dreams
全都有你 搅拌在一起 With you they are intertwined
亲爱的 别任性 Please stop being so stubborn
你的眼睛 在说我愿意 Your eyes are already said 'I do'
4 years later
As they strolled down the same avenue, hands intertwined, Azula asked her fiancé "Hey Sokka?"
"Yes?"
"How did you figure out I was crushing on you?"
"Y'know, I had my suspicions but-"
"But what?"
"Your eyes. They told me all I needed to know. What, you think I was going in blind?"
"Judging by how narrowly you missed kissing that tree, I'd say you just might be."
"What a shame that would be, because then I'd miss out on your smile."
"Oh stop it." she replied, cheeks blushing.
"Stop what? Showering you in hugs & kisses? Sorry, but you signed up for a lifetime of it when you decided to get engaged to me."
"Oh my, however shall I manage." was her sarcastic reply, to which Sokka merely rolled his eyes and ignored as he moved to give her a quick peck on her cheek. High above them, a pink balloon floated high across the city, a message tied to the end of the string.