Chapter 15: All Things Tender: Part 3

He still remembered the bleak night they left the family home— one of his earliest memories that had burrowed deep into his soul and lodged there all these years. He could still picture his mother's somber face, barely visible in the dim light that emanated from his father's torch. Hakoda shared a long, sweet kiss with his wife, his lower lip quivering as he pulled away, his eyes glassy. He looked to their four-year-old daughter, who was sleeping in her mother's right arm while Kya's left hand held tightly onto their five-year-old son.

"We need to get going, my love," Kya whispered, her voice breaking, "If she wakes up, she's not going to budge…"

Which was not news to anyone given little Katara's fierce attachment to her father. Hakoda breathed brokenly, nodding as he shared another kiss with his wife and placed a kiss on his sleeping daughter's cheek. He then turned to his little son, who was holding tightly onto the boomerang Hakoda had previously gifted him, peering at him with deep ocean eyes.

Hakoda knelt down to Sokka's height, and the man placed a shaky kiss on his son's forehead.

"Where are we going, Dad?"

Hakoda tried to smile at him in reassurance, "To a brand new house. This one…this one's getting old. So I bought a new one in a different city."

"But why aren't you coming?"

Hakoda trapped a sob, his attempts at being strong clearly faltering. "I have some…some work here… I'll visit very soon, I will. Every couple of new moons…" He turned to his wife, who nodded.

"But that's a long time," Sokka said.

Placing his hand on Sokka's shoulder, "That's why I need you to keep an eye on your mother and sister for me, okay?"

Little Sokka looked up nervously at his mother. The truth was that he was scared; they had never gone anywhere without their father before. "Anaana, tell ataata to come with us."

"He'll be back as soon as he can, sweetie," Kya dried her face quickly in the dark before smiling into the light, "He's bringing us lots of gifts when he comes back. Isn't that right, dear?"

"Of course," Hakoda brought the apprehensive boy into his arms, straightening his wolf-tail, "Once I finish work, I'm going to ask my boss to give me a bonus. And after that, I'll bring you and Katara lots and lots of new clothes and toys and sweets. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

The moment was fleeting; Hakoda set the boy down as quickly as he picked him up, but he clearly did not want to. And as Kya led her children into the snow-husky carriage, Hakoda spoke with the coachman.

"Make sure they reach safely." Placing a stack of money in their hands, "Let me know you've reached."

"Yes, sir."

Sokka huddled against his mother's arm and blinked at his father. Hakoda maintained his smile, waving with an unspoken promise. I'll see you again. And as the husky carriage took off, he fought to remain in sight. He followed the carriage a little ways, and as it picked up speed, he ran behind them. When he could no longer keep up, he burst into tears, his vision blurred by the onset of his sorrow.

"Anaana," Sokka tugged at his mother's sleeve, "Ataata's crying! Let's go back!"

Kya said nothing, not bothering to hide her tears. She turned her son to where he was facing the front, "He'll be back, sweetie, he will." And she closed her eyes and leaned against the seat, her arms wrapped protectively around her children. Hakoda's sobs trailed behind them for a good distance.

"Wang? Wang, she's asleep."

He opened his eyes, trapping his tears. Yue had fallen asleep next to him, and Ummi, too, was asleep in her cradle.

"Come on," Sela told him. "Let them rest."

He dried his eyes, unwillingly dragging himself out of bed. He draped a warm blanket over Yue and smoothed his hand affectionately over Ummi's hair before tiptoeing out of the room.

"Gansu and I are making some fresh potato-bean dumplings and lentil soup," Sela said, slowly closing the door to Yue and Ummi's room, "We have rice, too, and noodles. I know you didn't have the chance to cook today."

"Oh…thank you, Lady Sela, but you didn't have to—"

"The healer said Yue's going to have to eat iron-rich foods for a few days. She's gotta nurse Ummi, too, so she needs to eat all she can. I'm going to bring more food tomorrow. Don't even think about stepping into the kitchen until you two get better."

He nodded, wearing a grateful smile, his eyes glassy, "Thank you…thank you so much…"

Smiling back, "You're part of our family, too, Wang, we told you that. Now stop with this thank-you nonsense and wash up so you can eat. Everything will be ready in a few minutes."

"I kind of want to wait until Yue eats."

"I'll go wake her up and make sure she eats, okay—?"

"It's fine. I'll take her food to her. We'll eat together."

Acquiescing, "Alright, but at least go wash up. And change out of this," gesturing to his tunic, which was stained with blood. He nodded and stepped out, grabbing an old tunic that he'd thrown on the couch yesterday. Piandao was getting ready to leave in the meantime, having strapped his sword to his belt.

"I'll be heading back, Sokka," he said. "Don't worry, there won't be any Dai Li members knocking on your door."

"Thanks again for everything, Master."

"Also, Gansu was talking about arranging security for you through the Gansu Dai Li Department. He said he knows a few people there. I told him it's not necessary and that I took care of everything. I know you want to keep away from the Dai Li."

"Yeah," the tribesman gulped, "This only happened 'cause I wasn't home. I won't be going anywhere."

"Well if at any point you feel something's wrong, or if you need to talk about anything, reach out to me or Gansu or both of us."

"I will."

Piandao made his way out of the home, but he stopped himself on the porch, turning back to his student. In all seriousness, "Sokka…what would you say is your relationship with Yue and Ummi?"

"You know what it is."

"Well how would you describe it?"

Blinking, "They're my best friends."

"If they're your best friends, what was it about them that made you leave behind an entire bloodbath? You've been in love with Yue forever, and I know that, but what is it about Ummi that makes you want to bring the entire world to her?"

"Who wouldn't want to bring the world to my Ummi?"

"Your Ummi?"

Battling the warmth in his heart, "I meant—"

"You don't need to hide it, Sokka. You obviously love the little one. You've known her for almost a week now, and you're obsessed with buying everything for her. We went to sign a property contract and spent the next three hours at a toy store, what else do you want me to think?" Placing his hand over the young swordsman's shoulder, he nearly jumped at the eerie resemblance the tribesman held to his father. He could see Hakoda all over again— dams of stoicism collapsing into floods of love and longing.

"If you don't have any qualms against convincing the world that Ummi is yours and that Yue is your wife… Why not make this lie a reality?" Piandao asked carefully. "Why not ask Yue for her hand in marriage and be a father to Ummi? Have you really not considered this? With all that you feel about them?"

Waves of bliss lapped at Sokka's heart, but the more rational part of him tore at his bottom lip, "I'm over here dreading the minute she'll say she wants to leave…and you're raising my hopes for things that might not happen…A-And how could you think I'm doing all this for that? I love her, but I'm not a monster."

"I'm serious, Sokka, and I'm not trying to say you're caring for her because you're expecting marriage from her. Do you really think she doesn't care about you?"

"She might care, but to say that's love…"

"You never know unless you tell her. Sit her down and tell her that you've cared for her ever since university, and if she agrees, you want the three of you to be a family."

Shaking his head despite years of yearning ripping him apart, "I made a big mistake by not telling her how I feel about her sooner. If I did, then maybe I would've explained to her now that I still deeply care about her. That we could fix all this. That I'll do everything I can to be a good dad to Ummi. But…I don't want to make another big mistake by telling her too soon and scaring them away from me. This isn't what Yue wants to hear right now." Turning away, "And I don't want her to think I have expectations or…or that I'm suggesting this because I'm just another selfish guy who's taking advantage of her situation and wants to spend a night with her or…or that I'm like Hahn or any of his minions."

"When she found out who you were, you were scared that she was going to hate you and think you were just another Hahn. But she didn't. She was only worried about what happened to you and how to restore your future. If she didn't care about you, why would she do that? Wouldn't she have taken to the streets again to run for her life?"

"You didn't even look at me…I thought…"

"Because I couldn't handle what they had done to you… Spirits, Sokka, they're monsters…What have they done to you…?"

"If she didn't run when she found out about your past, what makes you think she'll run when she finds out you have genuine respect and love in your heart? She trusts you with her life, Sokka; why would she run or think you're just in this for her body?" Piandao questioned calmly. "Son, I understand Yue might not need a husband right now, and she has every right to feel that way with everything she had seen and been through. But what's also true is that Yue and Ummi both need a stable environment for their well-being. Raising a child by oneself is difficult as it is, but doing that while on the run from a dangerous gang? She can't possibly do this on her own. And she's refusing to accept help from others."

Sokka held back a fresh stream of tears. "Well even if she doesn't run from me…do you really think she would want to marry this?" he gestured to his scarred self beneath his tunic. "She doesn't deserve this. Even if nothing physical happens between us, she still doesn't deserve to wake up every morning to this atrocity."

"If she was really afraid of what you call an atrocity, she would've ran off a long time ago."

But Sokka ended up shaking his head, trampling his own heart, "I'm sorry, but I can't. Even if I ask her, and even if I tell her I'm asking with no expectations and with only the best intentions… If she starts to see me in a whole different light…for the worst, I mean…I might never get to see them again, and I will hate myself forever."

"How about I talk to her and make this suggestion? Leave you out of it—?"

"No, Master, please. I don't want this topic brought up in front of her. I'm gonna work really hard and keep constant guard, and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure what happened today doesn't happen again. I will annihilate Pakku and every remaining Hound if I need to, but I am not ruining our friendship and trust. I can be a dad to Ummi and try to keep the situation stable without it being official."

Piandao took a deep breath, nodding, "Alright…But just be sure to keep them close to you. Pakku did all of this because he was suspicious. He was unsuccessful today, but tomorrow? Or the next day? It is not new for him to tear families apart for the Spirit-damned cause of the Hounds, and it's no surprise if he comes for Yue and Ummi again." He eyed his student, who looked on in horror, "I haven't known Yue and Ummi long at all, but I never want to see them in this kind of situation again. And I know you, especially, don't want to see them like this again. So just be careful."

He held out another dumpling to her lips to feed her, but she shook her head, "That's enough for me. You eat."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm full."

"You want a bit more soup?"

"No, Sokka, I'm fine."

"If there's anything else you need, just let me know. I'll get it for you, okay?"

"I will, now eat. It's getting late."

He turned to the table beside the pelt couch and grabbed hold of the box that he had bought in the afternoon, taking great care to be quiet so he wouldn't wake Ummi, who was still asleep in her cradle. He opened the box and held it out to Yue, revealing several little assorted cakes. "I got them earlier. Since you love them so much."

She gave him an appreciative look, taking a small cake, "Thank you." Offering him one, "Here, you take one, too."

But the gash on his palm was relentless, and Sokka could feel the blood trickling from his wound and starting to stain the white gauze wrapped around his hand. "I will," he assured, placing the cake back in the box with his uninjured palm, "I'll, uh, be right back. Just a minute."

He hurried into the kitchen, the gauze peeling off as it was quickly drenched in blood. He hissed and threw it off of him, soaking his hand in some cool water. By the time he cleaned his hand and turned back around, he saw Yue waiting for him by the door, wearing a knowing look on her face as she held a fresh roll of gauze and bandages in her hands.

"I, uh…I was just…" putting his hand behind his back, "I'm okay…"

But she didn't buy his words. She took him by his arm and led him to a seat on the pelt couch. She blinked away the moisture in her eyes and slowly wrapped the gauze around his bleeding palm.

"It's okay, Yue, I'll do it, I…" he trailed off as a stray tear slipped down her right cheek, stinging her small cuts on its way down. He brushed it away with great care, "It doesn't hurt, Yue, really—"

"Stay put," she said, adding some dumplings onto a plate and pouring some soup in a bowl.

"Hey, it's okay, ikkingutima," he said, taking the heavy soup container from her, "You need to rest. I'll help myself. Here, have another cake—mmph," he found that he was cut off by the cake she plopped into his mouth, quieting him as she reached for a pair of chopsticks with her left hand, holding a dumpling up to his mouth. He chewed without protest, overcome by devotion as she fed him one by one. He moved aside the bouquet he had bought earlier, granting more room between them. Her attention wandered to the flowers.

"I know you like flowers, so…"

She held back another tearful glaze. She didn't realize her hand had a mind of its own until her fingers brushed his chaotic hair away from his face as he chewed. She could still remember the night her life turned upside down — the night she hastily left the Ba Sing Se University campus. She could also remember the note she had left behind in hopes that he would read it, unaware of the fire that would consume her feelings whole.

It was a strange feeling to be sneaking out without him. Nearly every night, they slipped out of the overbearing walls of the upper ring, whether with or without purpose, and escaped the snobby luxuries long enough to be themselves in public. Nameless and faceless as they traversed bazaar after bazaar, scaled restaurants and snack stalls, snuck into haiku competitions without permission and elaborate plays without tickets. And the sweet adrenalin that jolted through them as they raced back to the upper ring and snuck into their dorms before the crack of dawn.

And here she was now, alone and set to catch a train by foot, suddenly on the course for home a million miles away. And she was not certain when she would be back; that depended on her father's condition. And all she could do was try to control the quiver in her fingers as she scribbled up a note last-minute, pouring out her affections.

…I'll be back as soon as Father starts feeling better. I don't know when that will be, but I estimate a week or two at the latest. I'll be thinking of you.

See you soon, Sokka. I'll miss you.

And in the throes of desperation, she may have even scribbled in, I love you, before crossing through it, shaking her head, "No, I need to tell him in person…"

But again, the uncertainty. It ate away at her. She tore off the crossed-out portion of the parchment, scribbling into the blank space, With love, Yue…

The time candle sparked ten times, pulling her out of her thoughts. She had fed him the last of the dumplings in her daze, she realized, as he reached for the soup and slurped it up.

"Sorry we ate so late," he told her, keeping the dishes aside for now, "I would've come earlier, but Sela said you were…nursing…"

"Yeah…"

With a degree of confusion and a concerned frown, "Was she being nosy or something? I know she means well, but she kind of gets involved and stuff… I can imagine she'd go off the rails about birth and ask you all kinds of questions…"

"No, it's not her," Yue shook her head, "I was actually dry nursing Ummi earlier when we were taken to Ibbein." Shrugging, "Basically I can't feed her, but it's a way I can calm her down…And they didn't believe she was mine back there, so…"

His eyes softened, streaks of worry shooting through, "Did you tell them she's ours?"

She nodded, "Of course. I told them exactly what we planned to say, but Pakku was convinced that can't be the case. And Ummi was just so agitated by everything that was happening…There was nothing else I could do to calm her down and try to convince the Kyoshi Warriors that she's mine at the same time…"

His palm resting on her uninjured cheek, "They didn't tried to hurt you on their own, did they?" If they did, they're dead.

"No," she shook her head, "They were only trying to restrain me for the most part. No one actively hurt us."

"Did anyone talk to you?"

"That Kyoshi woman who came and took me with her," Yue said. "She said if I cooperated, she would make sure I wouldn't get hurt. She said it's better off for me to be independent instead of living with you."

A fuming glare took over him as he stared at the ground, "What else did she say…?"

"She said she would give me a job at the Women's Center and enroll me in whichever university I wanted if I wanted to continue my studies. She also said she would find…foster parents… for Ummi…"

His glower deepened as he saw the heartbreak in her eyes. She swallowed a whimper as she looked at the infant, "But I don't understand how even those women had it in them to let the chaos escalate. I thought they would be more understanding about locking up a mother and child…"

Shaking his head in disgust, "They're no warriors. They've disgraced Avatar Kyoshi herself. They don't even deserve to wear those uniforms."

She then caught sight of a piece of paper that had fallen to the ground. She picked it up and read over its contents, furrowing her eyebrows, "Is this the letter I supposedly wrote?"

He said nothing, recalling just how shaky he had gotten when he first read that letter, having feared the worst. She noticed his discomfort, reaching out and holding his hand.

"I was so terrified that this note was for real," he whispered, the lump in his throat causing cracks in his voice, "For a second, I had no idea what to do. I knew you wouldn't leave like that, but…" Glaring at the ground, "And then I saw that Kyoshi pin and I knew…"

Squeezing his hand, "I'm not leaving anytime soon. I still need to pay you back."

He frowned, "I told you, you never have to pay me back. I'm the one paying you back, happy?"

"We'll fight about that later," she sighed, "But anyway…I still need to make sure you actually study for the state engineering exam. I still need to see you as Ba Sing Se's top engineer. I need to make sure you move on as smoothly and peacefully as you can with your life. I have so much to do. You're stuck with me until you get sick of me and specifically tell me to leave."

"And why would I get sick of you?" he frowned, his eyes glazed. "Why would I tell you to leave? I nearly had a heart attack when I read that note…" His tears spilled, and he turned away, racked with guilt, "It's all my fault. It's because of me you and Ummi were in danger…"

"Well you're in danger because of us," she told him solemnly, brushing away his tears as she felt her own swim to the forefront, "I was so scared that something happened to you. That Kyoshi woman said you were attacked by Snake-Bloods and left to bleed out in the street…She said she was going to take us to you…And nothing else mattered at that moment. There were so many thoughts running through my mind." Shuddering from the thought of her nightmare, "I was afraid Hahn had caught up to you. I thought I was the reason this happened to you…But I still couldn't walk away. I couldn't just… let go like that…"

"Nothing's gonna happen to me, ikkingutima," he softly kissed her hand. "From now on, I'm never gonna leave you two alone here. Even if we need to run to the market and get something, we'll go together, or I'll get someone else to drop off what we need. But I'm not taking risks."

"This really isn't about you," she gulped, shakily casting another look at the vulnerable newborn. "It's not your fault I happen to be a horrible mom."

Frowning, "Yue, no, ikkingutima, that's not—"

"It's because of me that Ummi's always in danger," Yue let a sob escape.

"Yue, it's not because of you," he felt a deep lurch in his heart.

"It's my fault for getting off at the wrong stop," she wept, "It's my fault for trusting Hama, and it's my fault for blindly following that Kyoshi woman. I've been so useless and stupid this whole time, I—"

"Hey, don't talk like that about yourself," he said. "You were misled, okay? That's not your fault. You're a great mom—"

"I couldn't do anything to save my father and my sister…And now I can't even keep Ummi safe… What kind of person am I? What kind of mom am I?" she heaved broken sobs, her cuts stinging with more of her tears. "Spirits, Sokka, I don't want her taken away from me…She's all I have…"

Sokka dried his eyes and held her by her shoulders, "Yue, just look at yourself. Think about everything you did today to break out of that place, everything you did to go against that many people. You're the bravest mom I know. You're a super mom… If anyone's horrible at anything here, it's me. I was a horrible friend. I shouldn't have left you two here—"

"I told you this isn't your fault," she frowned.

"Well it's not yours, either," he told her, soft yet firm. "The universe is being a dick right now, that's all. You're a wonderful mom, Yue. You know what they say; it takes a village to raise a child. It's hard enough raising a baby by yourself, but running from gangs in the meantime? That's not easy at all. Ummi is super lucky to have you as her mom, I can guarantee you this. And I can also guarantee you that no one is taking her away from you."

She took a deep breath, looking from him to Ummi. She didn't say anything for a moment, lost deep in thought.

"They think they can play me like a puppet, but I'm not having it. If she's his only motivation for quitting on us, then I'll see to it that they never see each other ever again."

Ummi has seen nothing but hell, and you couldn't do a single thing about it.

"Hmph. You're certainly selling the role of his wife."

"That child is Hakoda's blood, Pakku—!"

"And where's your proof?"

"If they think Ummi is Hakoda's granddaughter, they won't hurt her."

"Yue…I would give anything to make sure you feel safe and at peace," he told her quietly, sincerely, "And if that means getting rid of Pakku…then I'll do it."

She grew alarmed at the suggestion, turning to him and noting the firm resolution that wavered in his eyes.

"Because of you, he quit our mission!"

She shook her head, "No…that's not… you don't need to take that direction. You need to focus on your career…" And she held his arm, a look of solid seriousness taking over her as she turned to him, holding her breath. "Sokka…I need you to be brutally honest with me. You're not seeing anyone right now, are you?"

He blinked, taking a moment to confirm what he just heard before shaking his head, "No. I'm not. Why?"

Peering into his eyes with a blip of nervousness that ran inconsistent with her determined look, "Will you marry me?"

"Will you marry me?" He gawked back in utter shock, her question replaying over and over again in his addled brain. He slipped into utter curiosity next, all while positively blooming into a throb of incredulous elation that was threatened to be snuffed out, "Uh…I'm sorry, I think I misheard you. I-It sounded like you…"

She didn't correct him, knowing fully well that he understood her rather clear enunciation, and he continued to blink at her, adrenalin charging through him. He felt like he was made only of his pounding chest, like he was no longer a man but a pulsing heart. Ummi stirred from sleep just then, her tiny arms and legs wiggling and stretching, a whimper briefly catching their attention. Yue's heart lurched in her direction as Sokka gently picked her up and handed her over to the restless mother.

"Yue, are you seriously asking me this…?" he asked anxiously, his palms growing sweater every second.

And Yue could only nod, "I know this is a major life decision, but don't panic, okay? Look, I…I'm not asking you this out of ill intentions or…or because I'm desperate for a man or for intimacy," came her preamble. "I'm not asking you this because I'm afraid of society thinking I'm a dishonorable woman or…or because I want to mooch off of you or impose any responsibilities on you that you don't need… And I certainly don't want to keep you trapped in an unwanted commitment. I'm only asking you this as Ummi's anaana."

Turning to his still-shocked form, "That being said, I'm not asking you to live as my husband or be a father to Ummi. I-It doesn't have to be forever. It doesn't have to be…legitimate…if you don't want it to be… We'll still be friends. It's not like anything has to change between us. This is just…just for people to think the story we made up is real…"

For a few more seconds, she struggled to find the right words, failing to articulate what she herself hadn't thought through all the way, but she was careful to give as many disclaimers as she could.

"I was okay with playing along to the idea of us being married," she said. "Of Ummi being ours. Because we know who we are to each other, and we trust each other. And we don't obsess over what other people would think of us. But what happened today…it happened because the Hounds didn't believe us. And the thing is…I can't stay with Ummi in the same city as those Hounds and live a life in fear every day. But… I feel like with a marriage, as nontraditional as it may be… this way, we can stay here and be a part of each other's lives. At least, long enough to pick ourselves up. Long enough for you to pass the engineering exam and for me to gain footing in my job. Long enough for you to find someone you want to move on with…if that's in your agenda…"

She was expecting a brief instance of spastic anxiety from him in the least, but as she had noticed ever since they saw each other again, he— well, his exterior, at least— was calmer than she expected him to be.

"I won't ask you to do anything. All I want is for those Hounds to look at us and think, 'Maybe we should leave them alone.' Lives lost cannot be brought back, but marriages can be undone if need be. And as I said, nothing has to change between us. You don't have to take this seriously. I don't want you to think this is a binding forever thing and freak out; we can end this whenever you want. The last thing I would want to do is force you to look at me in a different way and try to make an unexpected union work. And frankly, I can't envision myself as being a wife to anyone." She held Ummi closer to her heart, "A-And I'll take care of Ummi exclusively. I won't ask you to do anything for her. You don't have to worry about that."

"Ah," Ummi cooed and found her fingers, sucking them contently as she blinked at him. His heart softened, melting into a puddle.

"I know I'm probably sounding like an opportunist right now, but I don't know…how else to lighten the Hound burden at least a little bit. I don't know how else I can protect Ummi. And if you think this is absolutely crazy or would end up being an inconvenience, if you think this is wrong, then just say no. But I hope… I hope this doesn't change our friendship. I hope it doesn't change the way you think of me—"

"Of course not, Yue," he squeezed her hand, overwhelmed by several feelings at once, "I totally understand where you're coming from…and I—"

"Then take some time to think about this," Yue said, "Or if it's too overwhelming, then just say no—"

"Yes."

She blinked, "Yes?"

"I-I'll marry y-you, Yue," he blurted out, his entire being pulsing with anticipation and concern and a self-jab, You could've said that a lot smoother, Sokka.

"Are you sure?"

"Uh huh, uh huh," he nodded, "Yes…B-But only as long as you feel good about this decision." A ray of concern, "I don't want you to force herself into this just because…"

"No, I'm not," she said, sighing, "I'd rather this be with you than someone else."

His chest twisting and turning in untamed emotion, "You've thought this through, right? You're sure about this?"

She nodded, "Again, I won't ask you to do anything—"

He reached out and held her hand, a jolt of courage shooting through, "Yue, we've done everything together. And if we're going to do this, too… Why can't we just raise Ummi together?"

His question caught her off guard. He looked into her eyes, all sincerity pouring forth, "I want to raise Ummi with you."

For a moment, he feared he said the wrong thing, his heart threatening to stop, but she spoke quietly, hesitantly, "I'm not here to rub my responsibilities on you. She's my daughter. My responsibility. I need to be able to take care of her and provide for her—"

"Come on, now, don't be selfish. Sharing is caring," he said, gentle and anxious, "I love Ummi, too, Yue. And I want to take care of her, too."

"I want to take care of her, too." Yue bit her lip, "Sokka, just because we're sitting through a ceremony doesn't mean you have to—"

"But I want to. You're my best friend, and you've always been family. Ummi is no different."

"You've always been family." She didn't know how to respond.

Squeezing her hand, "I promise, I'm always gonna be here for you two. We're always gonna be in each other's lives. Wherever the future takes us, however we are."

Yue's protests were stuck in her throat, a tide of warmth washing over her heart.

"If you're really sure about taking this step," Sokka looked at her, "When do you want to…?"

Letting out the breath she'd been holding, "As soon as possible."

"I don't know how else I can protect Ummi."

"And I know you, especially, don't want to see them like this again."

He was almost hesitant but suggested anyway, "The Water Tribe temple should be open right now…"

Looking at him, her pulse pounding through her ears, "Then let's go."

It was an hour past midnight by the time they fed and changed Ummi and made themselves presentable to enter the temple. Yue had donned a long-sleeved tunic to cover the wraps around her injured arm, and Sokka wore the nicest tunic he owned, slinging a baby carrier over his chest atop which Ummi lay, her head resting comfortably against him.

It was a calculated visit. Sokka, fearing the Hounds' personal investigations, relayed to the priests that they were sitting through "another" ceremony despite a year of marriage, claiming they lost their legal documentation and needed to sit through a ceremony over again to apply for a new marriage license. Hence, at his own request, the certificate of solemnization provided under the laws of Ba Sing Se was dated one year earlier.

The ceremony was short as it was speedy and still meaningful. There was no time for an elaborate stretch of time in the throes of desperation, just a demand for the main rituals that would quickly seal the union. Before long, Sokka and Yue were ushered into their identical vows.

I will love and cherish you. I will hold our family close to my heart. I promise to be your trusted companion, continually in life and eternally in the Spirit realm.

"It is often said the Spirits etch the fate of mortals onto their foreheads," the priest announced. "And as your lives and fates are intertwined, may you touch your foreheads for the duration of this short prayer."

Their foreheads touched, eyes falling to a close, traces of tears hidden behind stubborn eyelids. At the instruction of an assisting priest, their right hands gently intertwined, mindful of each other's injuries. Ummi's tiny form was perched between the valley of her mother's bosom and the slope of her father's broad chest, her spit-bubbles staining the man's tunic.

"And now you may mark your foreheads to symbolize your union."

Sokka fumbled to dry his tears against the shoulder of his tunic before she could open her eyes. He dipped a shaking finger into the red pigment, marking her forehead with a traditional crescent moon, and she followed suit, marking his forehead with a squiggle resembling a wave. Unspoken adoration seeped from their gazes, pouring into their longing souls.

"This union is sealed," the priest announced as he tied a small jasmine garland around their intertwined right hands, "by the Spirits of the Moon and Ocean. From this moment forth, you are married. Legally, that is," the priest chuckled, having bought into their story, "May the Spirits grant you a lifetime of happiness. Though I'd say you're already on the way there with your little one."

Indeed, it was a dream come true, tucked away behind layers of time and circumstance.

"Psst. Ums. Ummi. Ummi-bear. Ummikins. Ummings. Ummi-shummi-lummi. Ummi-cuddly-poops."

Ummi, who was nestled in her sleeping mother's arms, peered at the tribesman who came into her view. Her tiny fist had somehow gotten stuck in the silk curtains of Yue's long white locks. Sokka chuckled and slowly draped Yue's hair aside, freeing the newborn's hand.

"You wanna hear a secret?" he grabbed the bottle of milk on the bedside table and gently brought her into his arms, dormant happiness flooding to the forefront.

"Ummi," Yue shifted sharply in her sleep, her forehead marking smudged atop her forehead. She was soothed, though, with Sokka's soft, "I got her. Get some rest, ikkingutima."

He took Ummi out into the hallway, barely recognizing himself in the mirror that passed by. He took his seat by the lotus lanterns that she loved so much, his own smudged marking glimmering as a reflection in the lotus-shaped lamps.

"You wanna know something really cool?" he kissed the top of her nose, "If you add 'Ah' and 'taata' together, guess what we get?"

She blinked at him.

"Ataata! That's exactly right!"

"Ah."

"Good, good! You're thirty-three percent there. Just two more syllables. Like this: Ah-tah-tah. Well, really one more syllable but you say it twice, so I guess you're really fifty percent there?"

She cooed, attempting to nibble at his shirt, her mittened hand draped over him.

"No, paniga, milk's over here," he laughed, holding the bottle to her lips as she drank away. "Alright, so for homework, I want you to start practicing how to say ataata—"

A whimper left her.

"Fine, no homework, no homework. But if can, try to call me that, okay? Please? It's very important."

"Ah," the bottle slipped from her lips. He guided it back to her mouth. "I know, I know. I said you can call me whatever you want, but you see, your anaana thinks this is a temporary thing…and if she wants it to be temporary, then that's fine…But the thing is, it's not the right time for me to tell her I've been in love with her since we were fourteen. Just in case she doesn't want this to be a temporary thing, you know? I can't exactly let her know I'm down for forever, too, just yet. Assuming you'd be okay with that." Raising his eyebrows smugly, "Though, to be fair, I think you like me."

She continued to blink at him.

"That's why I need you to put in a good word about me. I need you to tell her, 'Hey, anaana, I think ataata's a decent guy. He's not expecting much. He just wants us to always be together.' You think you can do that for me?"

He saw that her attention shifted elsewhere, and she was staring at the lotus lanterns again, slowly batting her sleepy eyes. Waves of pride and love ebbed within him. "Hey, Ums," he kissed the top of her head, cuddling her squirming form, "Ataata loves you. So, so much."

A/N: Happy Father's Day :)