Sokkla Sat. Week 7: Reuniting after a long time
It had been five years since he saw her walk past the departures gate at Ba Sing Se International, heading back to the Fire Nation. At first, there had been the daily text messages and the video calls but soon, it tailed off to just a text every two months. Sometimes, it would be six or seven months before he got another message. Despite this, Sokka still held some hope that they would still see each other. After all, she would be graduating soon. Absentmindedly, he took off his bracelet and started to fiddle with it, yellow beads with a solitary blue in the middle. Meanwhile, his earbuds started to play the melody of a certain song, while he waited in the arrivals lounge hoping to catch her after she sent him a one liner last night saying she was coming back.
沒有了聯絡 We lost contact
後來的生活我都是聽別人說 I've only heard about you from others since you left
說妳怎麼了 說妳怎麼過 about how you've been, about how you're doing
放不下的人是我 the only person who couldn't let go was me
As he fiddled with the bracelet, a series of memories came flooding back to him, whilst the song played in the background.
Flashback
Seven years ago
It was a busy shift at the Jasmine Dragon, when Sokka heard his best friend's voice call out to him.
"Hey Sokka, I got a favour to ask you."
"What is it?"
"I want you to deliver this order to the photo studio across town, could you do it?"
"Doesn't Aang normally do the deliveries?"
"Yeah, but his car's with the mechanic's right now."
"Sure."
As he changed out of his apron and picked up the order, he looked up the location on his phone and began making his way there. Entering the studio, he noticed there wasn't anyone in front of the shop, thus he made his way to the back, where he assumed the staff would be. Spotting them, he made his way to them when his foot tripped over some wires, knocking over some lights with an almighty crash. Thankfully, the bags of bubble tea he was carrying did not suffer the same fate but it was a close run thing.
As expected, the photographer was not at all pleased with this, and proceeded to cut loose with a barrage before a female voice stopped him.
"It was an accident, okay, calm down." she reasoned. The photographer left in a huff, leaving the duo standing rather awkwardly.
"Hey, uh, thanks."Sokka replied sheepishly, feeling his cheeks grow super red.
"Don't mention it. Now, are the drinks okay? If not, you've got another thing coming." she replied.
"T-the drinks are fine. Where do you want me to put them?"
"Over here's fine. And please try not to trip over any more wires, it's a pain in the ass to set them up."
"S-sure, yes ma'am!" he stammered, feeling somewhat flustered under the gaze of her golden eyes.
"Say, you look familiar? Don't you work at the Jasmine Dragon?"
"Erm, yes?"
"You don't happen to know Zuko do you?'
"Of course I know Zuko, he's my friend. Though he doesn't act like it when he's on shift. Wait a minute, you're his sister aren't you? Azula, right?"
"So what if I am?'
"No wonder he sent me to deliver this order instead of going himself. I'm Sokka, by the way."
"And what am I supposed to do with that information?"
"Erm, I don't know?" suddenly unable to form a coherent sentence.
Just then, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket, to which he uttered "Oh would you look at that, I gotta go! See you around!", which earned him a shake of her head and an eye roll.
As he left, he couldn't help himself but take another glance at her. Unfortunately, she caught his gaze, prompting him to scramble out as fast as possible.
Back at the shop, Zuko could notice Sokka seemed somewhat distracted as he resumed his duties. Seeing a lull in foot traffic, Zuko flipped the sign outside and grilled him.
'What's up with you? You seemed super distracted, which is very unlike you."
"You didn't tell me that order was for your sis!"
"I didn't think it was important? Oh, I see why you're distracted now."
"N-no I'm not!" Sokka protested.
"Sure, like you didn't almost mess up Ty Lee's order just now. You're lucky she's friends with us."
That night, he could only dream of a girl with milky white skin, a set of golden eyes and onyx hair tied in a long flowing ponytail.
The next morning, he was cleaning up the countertop when he spotted a familiar face come into the shop.
"Oh hey, it's you again!" Sokka greeted, trying to not sound too excited like a hyperactive puppy.
"Yes, it's me. Now I want the signature house blend, large." she ordered.
"Sure, that'll be five dollars."
"Just tell Zuzu I'll pay him later. Now make me that drink, I don't have all day."
"On it!" In all his time working here, never had he taken so much care in crafting a single drink. Yet here he was, bending himself backwards for a girl he barely met the previous day. Putting on the sticker, he decided to be sneaky and write his number on the cup. Finally, he handed over her drink, to which she snatched in a huff and left. As she did so, he noticed she dropped her tag.
"Hey 'Zula!"
"What did you just call me?"
"You dropped your tag!"
Grabbing it from his hands, she growled "My name is Azula, not 'Zula or 'Lala or whatever pet name you decide to come up with, understand?"
Swallowing a gulp, he stammered "Yes!"
"Good." was all she replied, before heading out of the shop.
That evening, he got a text message from a number he didn't recognize. Opening it, it was a pic of the sticker on her cup with his number and a text saying What is this?😠
Whoops, guess my hands slipped , he replied
Sure it did 😒
Alright fine, I was trying to send a hint.
And pray tell, what might that hint be?
That I uh, erm, like you and want to ask you out on a date?, he replied while praying to the spirits that she wouldn't come in and beat him right now or send Zuko on him.
I'm listening…...was her reply.
人多的時候 ,就待在角落 I stick to the corners when in crowds
就怕別人問起我 afraid of people asking me about you
你們怎麼了 你低著頭 what happened between you two, why are you bowing your head
護著我 連抱怨都沒有 standing for me without complaining
電話開始躲 從不對我說 Started hiding our phones, not telling each other
不習慣一個人生活 Not used to being apart
離開我以後 要我好好過 怕打擾想自由的我 You wanted me to move on after I left, not wishing to disturb your freedom
都這個時候 你還在意著 Even after all this, you still care about me
別人是怎麼怎麼看我的 how they look at us
拼命解釋著 不是我的錯 As you explain to them, it wasn't my fault
是妳要走 you wanted to go
When the texts stopped coming, his friends and family started noticing a change in Sokka's mood. Yet when they asked, he brushed it off with some offhand comment on how she was probably too busy. It was probably a pointless exercise, but deep down inside, he knew a part of him still cared about her.
It was a whirlwind romance to be sure, a bubble tea barista and a photographer but against all odds, the two somehow hit it off on their first date and from then on, the duo were practically joined at the hip and insufferably mushy and sappy together that even Ty Lee had enough and practically shoved them both in a room and locked it from the outside out of desperation. Naturally, the duo took it as a challenge and began to be as vocal as possible in their declarations for one another, their groans and moans very much audible even through the walls.
Alas, all things must come to an end. And end it did, as he saw her stroll past the departure gates all those years ago.
眼看著你難過 Seeing you looking sad
挽留的話卻沒有說 without any comforting words said
妳會微笑放手you merely smiled and let go
說好不哭讓我走 saying you promised not to cry and let go
When the song reached its chorus, Sokka found it incredibly hard to not hold back his tears and left quickly to the nearest restroom. There, he locked himself in the nearest stall and cried out tears that he had been choking back after all these years. When he finished, he washed his face and dried it, hoping that his blue eyes weren't too red when he met her. After all, he promised her that he wouldn't cry.
Making his way back to his seat, he glanced at the arrivals board, hoping to spot any inbound flights from Caldera. As luck would have it, there was one coming in, but located at the other end of the terminal. Picking up the pace, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him, hoping against hope that this was the flight that carried her whilst the song in his ear built up as it neared its end. While doing so, another round of flashbacks raced through his mind at the same speed his legs were carrying him.
Six years ago
你什麼都沒有You don't have anything
卻還為我的夢加油 but you still supported my dreams
心疼過了多久 Despite this long heartache
還在找理由等我 you still found a reason to wait right here for me
As Sokka was coming home from a long shift one evening, he found her sprawled on the couch, fast asleep. As he moved to carry her to her bed, he spotted a flyer advertising a degree in photojournalism from the Royal University of Caldera lying on the coffee table. Even though the University of Ba Sing Se was closer, the Calderan institute had much more gravitas and weight behind its degree, which was why Azula was aiming to get into it.
A thought then formed in his mind as he carried her gently in his arms to her bed. After tucking her in, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and closed the door. He then switched on his computer and navigated to the website listed on the flyer. Steeling himself, he clicked on the 'Register' button and began typing, his fingers flying over the keyboard.
Two months later, on Azula's birthday, an envelope bearing the crest of the university appeared in their mailbox. As Sokka had to get up early, he spotted the envelope and opened it. Briefly scanning through it, he knew this would be the biggest birthday present he could ever give her.
Later that night, after the celebrations, he told her "I have a surprise for you. Now close your eyes."
"What is it?"
"You'll see. But no peeking!
"Fine." she partly grumbled, wondering what sort of gift he could possibly have come up with.
Placing a sheet of paper in her hands, he told her "You can look now."
Reading through the sheet, she didn't even finish before wrapping her arms around Sokka with tears of joy in her eyes.
"Oh, Sokka, this is the best gift you could ever give!I love you so so much!"
"There's one more thing, come." he said, dragging her by the hand to her bedroom. There in the middle of her bed, was the latest DSLR that she had been eyeing for the past four months.
Turning to look at him, she put her hand over her mouth and sobbed.
"What's wrong honey?'
"Nothing, it's just, I-I-"
"Shhh, enjoy your gift. Nothing but the best for my princess." he whispered in her ear as he held her from behind.
"But Sokka, this-this is, I- I don't even know how to repay you." she replied.
"As long as you'll have me, all this is nothing to me."
At that, she turned him around and pulled him in for a deep kiss, telling him how much she was thankful for him as her hands began to wander around. When they broke for air, she whispered huskily in his ear words that made him blush madly and made his member stiffen.
"Well then, I suppose that'll do." he replied, before shutting the door behind him as his hands move deftly to remove her of her clothing.
Coming back to the present, he finally reached his destination, just as the passengers were picking up their baggage from the carousel. Scanning around, he desperately looked high and low for a girl with the bangs and golden eyes. As he looked around, he felt someone poke his right cheek. Turning around, he did a double take and mouthed "A-Azula?"
"Yes, it's me, silly."
"Come here you troublemaker!" he cried as he held her in a tight rib crushing hug and spun her around, happy that they were reunited after so long. For her part, she merely closed her eyes and kissed him back hard as if to say sorry for all the times she never called back.
Settling her down gently, he asked her "What took you so long?"
"I was busy taking care of some things."
"Like?"
"You'll see. Now hold out your hand and close your eyes. No peeking!"
With that, she pulled out a ring from her pocket and placed it in the palm of his hand.
"You can now open your eyes."
Staring at the circular object, Sokka asked "Is-is this what I think it is?"
"Yes, yes it is."
"You shouldn't have."
"So is it a yes or a no?'
Sandwiching her face with his hands, he frenched her before replying "What do you think?"