I woke up and decided to make everyone cry today.

TW: character death but nothing too graphic

Somewhat cannon convergent. (With ATLA and LOK, not comics)

Tokka

Sokka had had two of his lovers die in his arms. First Yue, his first love. And then later, Suki, his young wife.

He had sworn to never love so deeply again.

The universe was definitely out to get him- self-inflicted my ass Aunt Wu. Some greater power wanted him to be alone and miserable and downright not happy. So fine, if that was how it had to be.

He married himself to his work, to inventing, to building a new nation, to leading people and creating peace. He of course spent time with his niece and nephews. He saw a lot of himself in Bumi. He tried to be a good role model for them.

But something unexpected happened; Toph got pregnant.

She refused to tell them by whom. Just simply said he wasn't in the picture anymore and she was fine Snoozles leave me alone.

Sokka knew she wasn't fine.

Toph had a little girl, Lin, and ended up being surprisingly protective of her. Maybe she'd be a good mother after all. (They all had their doubts- even her.)

But Toph was handling being a single mother well. He tried to help her when she let him. Hey Chief Deadeyes, you missed a spot.

After a year or so, it seemed that he had gotten a little too into the small family routine with her... He had developed feelings. Or maybe revived them, if he was being honest.

And feelings were bad. Feelings meant something bad would happen, for sure.

So Sokka decided to ignore said feelings. He threw himself back into his work, or went to visit his father in the South Pole for weeks at a time. He'd take his nephews and niece traveling with him, telling them grand war stories or how he met their Aunt Suki on Kyoshi Island.

But ignoring those pesky feelings only worked for so long...

Eventually Toph got fed up with him. You and I both know what's going on here, Snoozles. You gonna let fear hold you back?

And so he caved. Maybe the universe would be kind to him this time.

Their love life was kept on the down low- the political mess it would be if people knew a councilman and the police chief were lovers! They were both fine by that though. Toph wasn't one to gush about her love life, and Sokka just didn't want to tempt the universe into ruining it.

It was a bit harder to maintain the secret when she got pregnant with another girl. She went with the same story that the father wasn't in the picture.

Even though he was. He was there with her every step of the way. He was ecstatic to have a daughter- two daughters- they're both yours as far as I'm concerned, Councilman Meathead. And they... they were happy.

And then the bad thing happened. Aang got sick. They always wondered if being stuck in an iceberg for a hundred years would have an effect on him.

Katara was absolutely crushed- they all were. It just wasn't fair. His children were still too young to lose their father.

Sokka spent more time with Katara after he passed. She was an absolute mess. He knew what it was like to lose your significant other.

Does this grief ever go away?

Not really, sis. But eventually it gets easier to breathe.

A few years passed, and they needed to find Aang's reincarnation. Sokka volunteered, the new avatar should be reborn in the South Pole after all.

I am not going to that hunk of ice, Snoozles. Besides, someone's gotta run this place, and watch our girls, and make sure Sweetness doesn't drown herself in her own tears.

Thankfully he convinced Zuko to join him. They both were aware of the Red Lotus group, some thugs claiming they'd steal the Avatar. They'd be ready for them if they dared try.

Korra was an absolute delight of a toddler. He was man enough to say that he shed some tears (And hey- Zuko did too!). There was just something familiar about her. Kin... Aang.

When the Red Lotus attacked, they were ready. Two skilled swordsman who had fought in a war together, best friends and brothers to the very end.

Who knew the end would be right then.

Sokka had seen the blade of ice heading for Zuko's back and didn't think twice when he pushed Zuko out of the way. He didn't think ice through his chest would hurt and burn quite so much.

The look of terror on Zuko's face was not the last thing he wanted to see.

It seems the universe really was out to get him.

He could feel his own blood freezing around him when Zuko frantically knelt next to him at the end of the fight. You've gotta take care of the girls now, Jerkbender.

Sokka was so remorseful... Poor Katara. How would she handle losing her husband and then her brother, so soon when she hadn't fully grieved Aang yet?

And his stubborn Toph... the father really wouldn't be in the picture now. His daughters, Lin and Su... maybe they'd start to get along better so they could comfort each other.

I'm sorry Toph. Looks like the universe didn't want me to be happy after all.