Gladiator

by Seyary-Minamoto

In a world where the Avatar wasn't found, the Fire Nation took over two nations and they strive to overcome the last one. Water Tribe warrior Sokka seeks to fight for his people's rights, but he's captured by his enemies. His life is no longer in his hands as he fights as a Gladiator, and his fate will eventually depend on the Fire Nation Princess, who needs him for her own ends...

354. Chapter 354: Downtime-Defenses 5

Downtime/Building defenses

5

"Hey, hand me the arctic hen eggs! You're not going to eat them all yourself, Fei Li!"

"But they're sooo good! I could eat them for the rest of my life!"

Sokka smiled as he approached the Palace's dining room: his firebending friends and allies had finally been allowed to join the rest of the Northern Water Tribe Palace's occupants in most common areas. They still kept to themselves, on the most part… but during meals, they would be as lively as Sokka had grown used to from the guards since his experiences with them long ago, aboard Azula's Barge.

They were bound to eat much more than they usually did on that day: the group would begin their work at assisting the Water Tribe shipwrights in building ships to travel south with. Well over a month had passed since the battle: the Water Tribe was still recovering from its consequences, and while the absence of those who had been victims to the Fire Nation's catastrophic attack hurt the people deeply, they were determined to rebuild their lives and honor their fallen as best as possible. Occasionally, some Tribespeople had expressed their support of Sokka's venture: several waterbenders, some too young for Sokka's tastes, had offered to join him when he set out with his team, hoping to be of service during his next battles.

For now, however, Sokka wanted to focus on the same thing his firebending allies would: he entered the dining room with strong footing, offering complicit smiles to everyone who greeted him, even from the less familiar firebenders from Zuko's group.

"Better hurry: if Fei Li doesn't eat everything, I know someone else who will," Rui Shi told the others as Sokka sank in his seat beside him. Everyone laughed, and Sokka elbowed his flank teasingly.

"I've got a lot of work to do. So much exercise, so much thinking… I deserve thrice the meal you get, as far as I can tell," Sokka smirked. Rui Shi rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Whatever you say. Though… they might actually take you seriously if they hear you saying stuff like that," Rui Shi warned him, jerking his head towards the kitchen staff: they were busy distributing food in the large dining room, mainly occupied by warriors and other servants of the Palace. "So, for their sake, don't overwork them more than they already have been."

"I was just poking fun at you, no worries," Sokka said, his smile softening. "You guys ready for hard, manual labor?"

"Eh, the novelty of doing that wore off long ago," Fei Li said, waving a hand dismissively towards Sokka. "We did spend a long time doing manual labor, if in different ways."

"Well, now, Rui Shi's group didn't have it that bad, did it?" Sokka smiled. "Playing music, after all…"

"That's still hard work… but admittedly, not the same kind of work," Rui Shi said. "But that doesn't matter now: of course we're ready. Building those will lead us to rejoin of the main army for the final assault, after all."

"Won't be all that easy to coordinate that final attack from a distance. Still, as long as we have enough fuel for the hot-air balloons, we should be able to continue our communication with Ba Sing Se and everyone else," Sokka said, breathing out heavily.

The messenger they had sent to the Earth Kingdom Capital had returned, sharing that Jeong Jeong had moved out, and that he would be likely to reach the next city in their projected strategies within the next two months. Mobilizing an army of that magnitude all across the Earth Kingdom was no joking matter, more so with the massive airship to maintain, as well as multiple hot-air balloons that the Mechanist had been able to craft after Sokka's departure, and numerous siege weapons. Yu Dao awaited, and once it was conquered, Sokka would be able to rejoin Jeong Jeong there. Then, they would travel along with him and his new forces all the way to the Slate's island, the rendezvous point for all different groups of their army.

There was so much to do, so many things to organize, and Sokka wanted to be in far too many places at once. As always, he pushed himself harder than he probably should have, but he genuinely looked forward to joining everyone at building ships as soon as they finished their breakfast. Kino had said he might also partake in it, Aang and Katara meant to swing by too… Zuko, as much as he was recovering successfully, was in no shape to involve himself in any such demanding activities yet, confined to light exercising in the healing ward for the time being.

But a twist of fate would stop Sokka on his tracks that morning: a warrior approached him just as he rose to his feet, ready to follow Rui Shi to the shipwrights.

"General Sokka, sir!" the warrior called him, bowing his head in a sign of respect. The Gladiator nodded in his direction. "Chief Arnook has requested your presence."

"What, right now?" Sokka blinked blankly. "Did he tell you why?"

"He didn't, sir, but…" said the warrior, eyeing him warily – no matter how important Sokka's daily plans might be, it didn't seem that the Northern Water Tribe would fathom the idea of leaving their Chief waiting when he had specifically called for someone. Sokka grimaced, unsurprised upon picking up on that implication in the man's behavior.

"I, uh… I'll be in his study in a bit, then," Sokka said. The warrior nodded.

"I shall let him know," he said, marching away without another word.

"Are you in trouble?" Taro asked Sokka, who grimaced and shrugged.

"I hope not," he said, turning to the others. "If I'm not, I'll catch up with you guys soon. Go ahead, though… the sooner we get started with building those ships, the better for us all."

Rui Shi nodded, clapping Sokka's shoulder with a firm hand.

"We'll leave the worst of the work for you, so make sure to hurry," Rui Shi promised. Sokka snorted, shaking his head.

"Is that revenge for when I had you building a dragon's armor, by any chance?" he asked. Rui Shi smirked.

"Now that you mention it, it just might be…"

Sokka chuckled, shaking his head as he clapped Rui Shi's back too: he waved at them as they marched towards the Palace's vestibule, off to their new jobs, and Sokka set out upstairs instead, to the highest floor of the Palace, where Chief Arnook awaited him. Sokka couldn't help but wonder why he would be summoned on such short notice, when it was typically him who sought the Chief to set matters in motion as fast as possible. Had anything happened? Dread rose in his gut as he wondered if the firebenders might not be allowed to help the Water Tribe with the ships, after all…

He knocked on the icy wall, announcing himself at the doorway with the open curtain that led into the Chief's study: Arnook had been clearing up his desk when he noticed Sokka. The smile he offered him seemed too friendly for dire news, but Sokka didn't drop his guard, regardless.

"I was told you wanted to see me?" Sokka asked.

"Yes, yes, young man. Please… please, do join me. There is something important we need to discuss," Arnook said, with a placid grin, gesturing at the table where Sokka had taken his seat over a month ago, to explain everything he could to Arnook, Pakku and Yue.

"Is anything amiss with our agreed course of action?" Sokka asked, stepping forward and sitting at the table as expected. Arnook joined him there before long, a strange sort of anticipation plain across the man's visage and behavior. "Or is this… good news of some sort, maybe? Are there more ships we could use, or…?"

"Oh, no. It's not about the mission, General Sokka," Arnook said. Sokka sighed.

"Well, that's good. My allies are on their way to the shipwrights right now," Sokka revealed, and Arnook smiled.

"Good. May their work be solid and reliable," he said, before clearing his throat. "I have asked for your presence because… well, Master Pakku has asked me to think of the future of our Tribe, past this crisis, past the war. That we could ever consider a future without war is… well, nothing short of a miracle. The journey to freedom and peace has not been easy, and it won't be, in the coming weeks, or even months… but at last, we can contemplate how to create the best future for the next generations of the Norther Water Tribe. We have you to thank for that opportunity."

"Well, me and a lot of people who were involved in bringing us this far, but uh, you're welcome," Sokka said, with an awkward smile. Arnook grinned too.

"Your father is bound to be brimming with pride, or he will be, once he learns of how much you have achieved," he said. "That being said… well, from our understanding, the Southern Water Tribe isn't in its best shape, hasn't been for a long time. Would we be right to believe so?"

"Well… yeah, but like you said, peace will change that," Sokka said, nodding. "While I won't lie and pretend that I have a full plan on how to make things better for my people right away, I have no doubts that everything will be better once Fire Lord Ozai is defeated. The war's end will allow us to build proper alliances with other nations, and that might just be the answer, and the best way to truly broker peace between all four nations…"

"I couldn't agree more," Arnook said, nodding. "And I do believe that an alliance between our sister tribes is more than necessary. It's… the only course of action I can fathom, I'd dare say. We have been distant, as caused by the war's dreadful consequences, and it's time we remediate this matter. Occasional, incidental journeys between our tribes are not sufficient to bolster the alliance we should have built long ago. Thus… I believed it would be proper to speak with you of this matter, as you're the Chief's son, and quite likely, his successor…"

"Uh… yeah, I, uh, I have no idea if that's going to happen," Sokka said: he even surprised himself with his reluctance to accept that kind of responsibility. "The Southern Water Tribe doesn't work the way yours does, chiefs are chosen, the title isn't inherited…"

"And who would ever appear worthier of the job than you, General Sokka?" Arnook asked. Sokka grimaced.

"Probably someone who's far more ready to do the job than I am?" Sokka said. "I know it sounds weird, but… I haven't really thought about becoming Chief of the South since ages ago. The concept sounds so foreign that I don't even fathom it happening at all."

"Well… I believe it will, however," said Arnook: Sokka's eyes narrowed. "And that will enable us to build a proper alliance, a much more profound one, I'd dare say, than the ones that have existed so far. A man of your caliber, of your strength and talent, your devotion to saving this world… well, anyone would want you to be part of the leadership of their nation, right?"

"I'm pretty sure some people would much rather I faded into oblivion instead, so that I'd leave them to rule in peace…" Sokka said, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm not one of those people, however. I see your value… I understand your worth. And I believe that a thorough alliance is in order: yours with the Northern Water Tribe."

Sokka let a moment of silence drift between them: he wasn't so naïve as to not understand what Arnook was getting at, but he didn't speak his mind just yet.

"Well… I'm not the representative of the Southern Water Tribe as of right now," Sokka said, his voice colder than before. "If you want to broker an alliance, you'll have to reach out to my father. I'm sure he will be pleased to draft the terms of a proper trading partnership with your merchants…"

"U-uh… well, perhaps, but that's not quite what I meant," said Arnook, clearing his throat again. "As you may imagine… we had those sorts of connections in the past, yes. The New Moon Celebration…"

"I've heard about it," Sokka said. "My grandmother was actually from the north. She had several stories to share about how things used to be, long ago."

"Ah, is that so? I see," Arnook said: his smile brightened all the more. "Then… perhaps your grandmother would be pleased to see her family returning to its roots after the war ends."

"Returning to its roots?" Sokka repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… alliances can be built between nations, of course," said Arnook, nodding sagely. "But there's one method to do so that is particularly effective, one would say. A method that would ensure that our tribes are joined for good… that we would support each other, stand by each other, in our times of need. And that would be, as you may already suspect, by marriage."

Sokka's brow drew together slowly. Arnook's jovial grin waned at that reaction.

"I… I have hoped to find a better husband for my daughter for a long time," Arnook said. "And if matters don't turn out for the best for you, then surely…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sokka asked, his voice stern.

"Well… you don't really know what will happen, do you? Once you return to the Fire Nation," said Arnook, nervously. "The bond you share with their Princess might be strong, but could you be certain that it will be unbreakable? If she has chosen to stand with her father, if for her own reasons, then it's possible that the Southern Water Tribe wouldn't…"

"The Southern Water Tribe approves of Azula," Sokka said, bluntly. "They would understand why she made the difficult choices she did. They respect her. They even look up to her, in some cases: this scenario you're making up is non-existent, Chief Arnook."

"W-well, perhaps you'd think so, but…"

"Stop right there," Sokka said: it hardly seemed as though the man sitting across him was the one of royal birth rather than him. "I can tell where you're going with this. Chief Arnook…"

"You could build the most solid foundation of alliances between our tribes if you were to marry my daughter," Arnook blurted out: his tranquility was well and truly gone by now, aware that Sokka was not responsive to the idea. "If our two tribes were united…"

"No."

Arnook frowned. Sokka's brow furrowed so heavily it obscured his eyes.

"You're seriously trying to tell me you learned nothing from your past mistakes?" Sokka asked, fiercely. Arnook grimaced. "You forced your daughter to marry a scumbag who abandoned your tribe and betrayed it, and she put up with it once: why would you force her to marry a man who will never love her, for the second time?"

"But you're not like Hahn!" Arnook exclaimed. "You've freed our tribe from the yoke of war after ten years of battles, General Sokka. And you'll go even further than that once you end the war…!"

"And once I do that, I'll return to the woman I do love," Sokka said, firmly. Arnook frowned. "As I always meant to. Is it politically inappropriate? I don't give a damn. If I can't be with her, then I won't be with anyone. If there's one thing life has taught me, it's that a man of principle doesn't compromise out of convenience when it comes to this. I don't want to marry someone just to have a wife: I want Azula. If it's not her, then it's no one."

"Young man, I… I understand you're so much younger than I am, but…"

"And that's precisely why you'd do well to listen to the perspective of someone who sees things far more clearly than you realize," Sokka said, sharply. Arnook sighed.

"You say that, but you don't really see it from a political point of view at all. You're a legend in the making, a hero…"

"And that means I'm the perfect candidate to marry your daughter?" Sokka asked, with a sardonic smile. "And how about the fact that she doesn't love me? Or even likes me as a romantic partner? Does that not bother you in the slightest?"

"Yue… she would grow fond of you quickly enough, I'm sure…"

"You already put her through this once," Sokka snarled. "You made her marry someone over duty. You made her sacrifice years of her life in which hell knows what kind of sorrows she had to put up with because of duty! You know who else did something like that? Ah, that's right: Fire Lord Ozai!"

Arnook froze, staring at Sokka in chagrin: the Gladiator's eyes glowered… but there was pain in their depths, too.

"He found the most convenient match for Azula and forced her to marry him," Sokka said, with a snarl. "He did it to punish her for loving me. He did it because it was tradition, because marriage in noble houses is supposed to be about building alliances and nothing else. Well, here's your reality check, as well as his: the world I intend to build will put an end to traditions that are built on taking advantage of people for someone else's benefit. Yue doesn't need a husband… but if she did? I'm about the worst possible candidate she could hope for. Azula was forced to marry Zhao, just as well: why would you openly make the exact same mistakes of someone like Fire Lord Ozai when, to top matters off, you already have what you want!"

"I… what do you mean by that?" Arnook eyed Sokka with uncertainty.

"You have three grandchildren," Sokka said. "They're good kids. They're great kids, even! The oldest? He looks like prime chief material. Your Tribe is going to thrive under the leadership of that boy once he becomes a man, provided he continues to be as responsible and strong-hearted as he has been so far. Why would you force Yue to marry someone else when she already provided you with heirs? Unless…"

"U-unless, what?" Arnook grimaced. Sokka's eyes narrowed.

"Do you want… kids who aren't tainted by being born to a traitor, by any chance?" Sokka asked, with a snarl. Arnook gasped.

"I didn't say that! Not at all!"

"Good, then. If that's how it is, and your intent on making Yue marry a great hero isn't about making her bear new children who aren't marred by Hahn's treachery? Then the truth is you have nothing to gain by this," Sokka hissed. "Don't force Yue into yet another terrible marriage that will only make her unhappy… because, yes, if I were stupid enough to accept this for political reasons indeed? It would be exactly like that. I wouldn't hurt her, I wouldn't treat her terribly, I wouldn't force myself on her, which I actually suspect Hahn might have…"

"What?!"

"But I wouldn't hesitate to run into Azula's arms the minute I see her again," Sokka said, with a sardonic grin once more. "Your daughter knows I love Azula, she even told me to bring her here for a visit once everything's said and done! She wants to meet her! And you're… you're pretending that I should marry Yue because it's politically convenient? Give me a break…"

"Look, I understand your misgivings…" Arnook said – he seemed far more insecure now, and Sokka certainly took that as a victory. "But I am doing what I believe is best for my daughter. You're a good man! I'm actually trying to amend what I messed up by making her marry Hahn. I was deceived by his charm, by the belief that he was so much more upstanding than he truly was, and the one who paid the worst price for it was Yue. You… you're a good man. Any man, barring the Fire Lord, of course, would be thrilled to see you as his son-in-law! If the Northern Water Tribe were in the hands of a leader like yourself…"

"It will be in the hands of a better one: your grandson," Sokka said, firmly. "But hey, want someone better than that? Hand the reins over to Yue instead. I know tradition in our tribes means that men are always chieftains… but why not have Chieftainess Yue, instead? If I were from your tribe, I'd feel at ease if our leader were someone who was selfless and caring enough to sacrifice her life to save the world! She cares about this Tribe, about your people, more than anything. You've raised her that way… much as Azula also became that kind of Princess for the Fire Nation. She would sacrifice anything to make sure that her people will be safe, even at the cost of her own wellbeing. She did that for me too, she saved me, and only because she did that can I be here now, speaking with you in no weak terms to say that I refuse, outright, to marry your daughter."

Arnook grimaced, backing down as he lowered his gaze. He seemed to be quite upset, who knew if perhaps offended… but Sokka's chest heaved as he scowled heavily, still determined and set on his choice.

"It figures that… that the worthiest man I could have found for my daughter would be the one man who wouldn't want her," said Arnook. Sokka shook his head.

"How about… you just let your daughter find her future partner on her own terms?" Sokka said, simply. Arnook eyed him apprehensively. "You're her father… but you're not the one who dictates and determines her life and everything that happens in it. You already tried this approach once, and you regret its outcome: why can't you fathom doing it differently now? Let Yue find her own happiness, her own peace, in her own way. Ultimately, that's why she should marry someone, not to build alliances or strengthen bonds between nations."

"Her own happiness…" said Arnook, grimacing. "I mean, I understand what you're saying. But, well, arranged marriages aren't an impediment for happiness, believe it or not. My wife and I…"

"For every success story of an arranged marriage, there's twice or thrice as many where it ended in misery, as far as I can tell," Sokka said. Arnook sighed. "My Tribe doesn't do arranged marriages, and I refuse to begin doing it when my purpose is to change this world for the better. Your daughter deserves better than this, better than the mediocre marriage you'd impose upon her if I were so weak-willed as to accept this deal just for the sake of politics, or for whatever reason why someone might accept this arrangement. She… she has a life worth living. One the Moon Spirit gifted to her. After what we've been through, after you almost lost her? You should find far more value in letting her make the most of that life as she wishes rather than forcing her to adhere to whatever designs you have come up with."

"I suppose that's how you'd see it… and why deny it? If you're unwilling, this would make no sense," Arnook sighed. "It's only… Master Pakku advised it. He believed it could be a great way to solidify our tribes' union…"

"Then I'll talk to Master Pakku and tell him to shove those ideas up his ass the next time I meet him," Sokka grinned. Arnook winced. "It's tradition? Well, I'm sorry to be quite so harsh, but I'd be perfectly willing to go against all traditions in this world if I could protect my daughter from further unhappiness by doing so. If by doing that, I would help her thrive, grow and live a fulfilling life.

"I'm not going to sacrifice my family for political gain. I'm not going to make arrangements of any such nature when my plan has always been to change this world for the better. This? This is part of what needs to change. The assumption that we have to build these bonds for the sake of politics… what if your daughter falls in love with the least appropriate person for her, huh?"

"W-what…?"

"Same as what happened with Azula: I was never supposed to be an option for her, we did what we did and the consequences are still haunting us. Do you think it was fair? Do you think she deserved to go through everything she did, just because she loved me? Well… I'd like to think you don't. And that, if your daughter dared do anything quite so transgressive… the last thing you'd choose to do is follow Fire Lord Ozai's footsteps to the letter."

Arnook's face fell upon hearing those words: Sokka breathed deeply, a hand upon the table.

"Let her live her life on her own terms. She has a family to cherish, children to raise… if she chooses a husband to help her do so, then I'm sure she'll choose the right man for the job. But that's not me. I have my own family already… and I'm going back to them, at all costs. I love Azula, and it's not because I want to build an alliance between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe through our bond… if that alliance is born, it will be cemented upon solid agreements, not over technicalities and conveniences of marriage. Diplomacy doesn't need to be crafted upon the sacrifices of anyone's children. Enough is enough."

Arnook sighed… but he nodded, in apparent surrender. Sokka breathed deeply, shaking his head.

"If that was all, then… I should go," he said.

"Yes. You… you should," Arnook said. "I'm sorry for taking so much of your time, General Sokka."

"It's fine, I…" Sokka said, rising to his feet.

A sudden thought burst in his mind: a thought connected to the political intricacies inherent in every single choice anyone with as much power and authority as him might make. Suddenly, Arnook's proposal gained a different hue… one that he recognized as he stared at the man from above, heart beating wildly as the possibility took shape in his mind.

"Can I ask… if there's a catch in my rejection of your offer?" Sokka asked. Arnook grimaced. "Because, if that was the plan… if that's the case? I'd like to remind you that… that the firebenders I meant to rejoin now will be building ships that will remain in your tribe's control after the war ends. They're for your people, they will serve their purpose in carrying our forces forward, but they will be meant to return here once the deed is done."

"W-why, yes, of course…"

"If, however, you'll withdraw those resources and all offer of soldiers, however few as you were willing to provide, because of my refusal…" Sokka said: Arnook's eyes widened. "Then say so now, and we'll take our leave so we can find what we need elsewhere. We have no time to waste. Be forthright, and if I'm wrong, say it. I'll be relieved if I am."

"Why… of course you're wrong!" Arnook gasped, affront across his face. "Mind you, as treacherous as… as the Fire Nation may have been to you, it's bad enough that you compared my choices to those of Fire Lord Ozai as many times as you did so far. I would never fathom withdrawing my support to your cause over… over this."

"I see. I'm sorry for thinking the worst," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "I'm, well, on edge constantly. I probably just need to clear my head. Though… it's not only the Fire Nation. The White Lotus has no small part to play in my struggle to trust people not to stab me in the back at every turn… and I can't help but wonder if it wasn't you, but your White Lotus associate, who meant to do exactly that this time."

Arnook frowned. Sokka sighed, shaking his head before bowing towards him.

"My mistake, though. I'm sorry. I… I'll be going now. I hope you have a good day, if you can, Chief Arnook."

"Thank you, General Sokka. I… I shall speak with you on another occasion."

A part of him clenched up, convinced that his guess was not mistaken: Arnook could have very well discussed Sokka's refusal with Pakku, and then they might have made a choice that could have set back Sokka's progress considerably. The Northern Water Tribe's leadership might not be genuinely corrupt, unlike others… but they were not naïve, the way Kuei could be. They were experienced, seasoned men who knew to take advantage of every opportunity of advancement that might present itself. This was but another such opportunity… one that they had known wouldn't work out as easily as that. The question of how far they would be willing to go to secure Sokka's unwanted nuptials with Yue, however, wouldn't be easily answered. Arnook could backtrack now… but he might change his mind later. He might come up with other plans before long. He might retaliate by withdrawing his support, too, even if he promised otherwise right now. Anything could happen… and Sokka couldn't afford that.

But he hadn't thought about it right away: his mind didn't work that way, he guessed, as he stepped out of Arnook's study, rubbing his closed eyes with his fingertips. Politics… he couldn't prepare himself for the worst of them, at least, not to the extent that might have been expected from him. He had wrongfully assumed the Northern Water Tribe would share far more values with the Southern than they did: he knew they practiced arranged marriages, but the thought that they might intend to involve him in anything of the sort had never crossed his mind.

He snarled: she would have anticipated this from miles away. Azula somehow saw people's motivations and intentions so clearly, so openly… she could judge the best way to navigate dangerous political waters, the situations in which to stand her ground just as the ones in which she could yield and wait longer to fight back on another occasion. What would she have done, in his shoes? Had his choice been the correct one? Azula had been forced to marry Zhao because of all the factors he knew about, and perhaps even due to other threats he was unaware of… on this occasion, he, too, was threatened by the possibility of losing the very ally he had come here to obtain.

He hadn't lied upon saying he would leave and find help elsewhere, should it come to that. The Southern Water Tribe was a whole world away… but they were the last bastion, a source of hope and possibilities, with ships that could work for transportation, even if there weren't enough of them to carry the entire Gladiator Army across the sea. Should it come to that, he would go to them. But, curses, how he wished he could have navigated this situation better. If only he had thought about it some more…

A rustling sound next to him in the corridor startled Sokka out of his anguished thoughts: he glanced to his left, eyebrows drawn into an accusatory scowl, only to soften when his gaze met that of Princess Yue.

He lowered his hand, apprehension surging in his gut: he didn't know the Princess all that well, but the way she looked at him now was indecipherable for Sokka. Whether her expression obeyed disappointment or relief, he had no idea… but the Gladiator didn't so much as question the obvious: Yue had listened in on his conversation with her father.

"For how long have you been there?" Sokka asked, bluntly, sparing no time with pleasantries. Yue gritted her teeth, lowering her gaze.

"Long enough," she said. "He… he told me of his intent earlier today."

Sokka clenched his fists, lowering his head: had Yue wanted this? He had trouble believing that could have been the case. Was there any part of her that had accepted this possibility, this outcome, well before Sokka had learned of it?

"I'm sorry if… if I sounded too harsh," Sokka said. "But I thought I would be making the right choice, whether for myself or for you. If you don't agree…"

"I… I don't think we should speak here," Yue said, with an awkward smile. "Please…"

Sokka gritted his teeth but nodded: Yue led him away, marching down the stairs of the Palace, well past the healing ward, all the way out of the building. The brightness of day gleamed upon them as she led him to take his seat by the top of the tall stairs that led out of the Palace and into the city – the steps had been repaired thoroughly by the Tribe's waterbenders after the damage they had sustained during Zhao's assault.

Yue sat too, not too close, not too far from Sokka. She seemed shrunken, Sokka thought, and yet…

"I don't know how to feel about what just happened," Yue admitted. Sokka frowned. "I'd dare say I don't know how to feel about you, in those terms. I… I hadn't even thought about a potential match between us, let alone after you explained what your relationship with Princess Azula was like. My father suddenly sprang this upon me and I… I didn't really let it sink in. I suppose I just… immediately relented."

"You thought it was a done deal just because your father decided it?" Sokka said. Yue gritted her teeth and nodded. "And at no point in time did you ponder if you wanted this for yourself?"

"I… don't think I ever have. With anything," she said, glancing at Sokka: his chest tightened at the despair in her blue eyes.

"You're trapped, aren't you?" he said, fist tight over his lap. "You have to do whatever your father wants you to. Whatever… whatever the Tribe needs you to do."

"That's right," Yue said, with a sad smile. "My life isn't my own, after all. I was brought back by the Moon Spirit. Why would I have been brought back to the living, if not to fulfill a greater purpose? And that greater purpose… it should be about saving my people. It should be about protecting them…"

"Says who?" Sokka said, folding his arms over his chest. Yue lowered her gaze. "You've let them make you believe that, Princess, but I don't think that's the case. The Moon Spirit brought you back, right? Are we assuming that happened because this spirit had enough foresight to believe that it would be killed by Zhao one day, and that you would be the only means through which it could be restored? Is that what supposedly happened when you were a baby?"

"W-well, I… I don't know," Yue said.

"Well, Princess Yue: if that was your destiny, that destiny is well and truly broken right now," Sokka said, with a shrug. "Not only was Zhao about to kill you first, and then the spirit… he ultimately failed to do so. And you're still here while he's not. The Moon Spirit is still swimming in its pond. How would it make sense for you to have been brought to life by the spirit just so you could die when destiny apparently changed as it did?"

"I don't know. I… I don't know," Yue admitted, shaking her head. "I've always sought to meditate near the spirits, and I've… I've always felt like they're my friends, strange as that might sound. But there's always been a boundary… one I assumed was natural. Perhaps it isn't quite that simple. Perhaps I… I simply didn't understand their wishes for me?"

"I suspect you didn't. And I also don't think it's your fault that you didn't," Sokka said, eyeing her compassionately. "I've seen what evil, corrupt spiritual entities can do… I've faced off against that kind of spirit with cruel intentions, with nothing but destruction as its purpose. So, if such destructive cruelty exists… perhaps spirits such as the ones in that pond are spirits of creation and compassion. Spirits that want to give life, rather than take it. Perhaps the Moon Spirit knew it would face deadly danger one day, and it used you as some manner of insurance to keep the world spinning, to keep balance between the spirits and the human world somehow… but, frankly, I have the feeling that they simply were kind. The Moon Spirit may have been moved by the affection your parents felt for you, it may have even known you could have brought good things to the world, and it might have saved you so that you could do those things. I'm sorry if I'm messing up by jumping to conclusions, but… I refuse to believe that anyone's destiny could be as simple as existing for the sake of dying, whether for their people, their leaders or their family. You… you deserved a full life, Yue. A life you can experience for yourself as best as possible. I can't believe the Moon Spirit brought you back for a darker purpose."

Yue's breath caught: her hands shook slightly, and Sokka stopped talking. His words might have caused deep turmoil in her heart. She bit her lip, glancing about herself in confusion: her city, her hometown, was well on its way to restoration. It wasn't the same as it had been, long ago… but much of the damage from the battle had been repaired already.

"If… if I had died, nothing would have been better," Yue whispered. "If I had taken the Moon Spirit's place… I wouldn't have been able to save all the lives that were wasted that night, even if I'd done that. I know this, objectively, logically, so…"

"You know… you and Azula don't have a lot in common," Sokka said. Yue gritted her teeth.

"Well… I'm sure that's not a compliment," Yue said. Sokka chuckled, shaking his head.

"It's not an insult either. You're different, and that doesn't mean you're not valuable," Sokka said. "But there's one thing the two of you have in common that… that terrifies me. That makes every alarm in my heart go out of control. Azula… she had power, chances to change the Fire Nation, and I even pressured her to use those chances to the best of her ability. Before I knew it, she was turning the world into a better place, saving people's lives, teaching them new ways to live, I'd dare say… and I was quite so stupid as to not understand the dark side of pushing her in that way."

"The dark side of it…?" Yue asked.

"I kept egging her on about what she could do to change things… there were, of course, a few times when I realized I had to protect her, instead," Sokka said. "I knew her father was a danger to her, but he's still her father. He taught her to offer him her absolute loyalty, that her life was not more important than the continuation of Fire Lord Sozin's legacy. I rerouted that for her, in a sense… and she learned to value her people well above the twisted ideology her father lived and breathed by. But… when it came down to it? That meant she was ready to die for her people. She was ready to sacrifice herself for anyone who might need her help. She wasn't suicidal or so, but she certainly had no sense of self-preservation… a terrible habit I can't really fault her for, since I'm guilty of that, too. As far as she was concerned, the Fire Nation mattered so much more than her life ever could… and I never realized how terrifying it was for her to see the world that way until I was holding her weakened body, as that chi corruption attempted to consume her life force.

"I… I thought I'd never be more scared than I was that day. But the truth is… ever since she left me in the South Pole and returned to the Fire Nation, every damn day has felt like a prolongation of that nightmare. Every single day that goes by, I curse the universe for ever making her believe that she didn't matter more than her people. The Fire Nation… it's not cursed, it's not an irredeemable place or people, but as I watched over her, dreading that she might never wake up again? I… I couldn't help but resent it in a whole new way. Because… her life mattered so much more to me than that of anyone else. Without her, nothing made any sense. I needed her to survive… I didn't have any clue of what to do to ensure that she did. And that's what I'm putting up with now, too… when I have no idea what she's doing, what horrors she's facing. Every single day, the uncertainty of whether she's safe or not tears at me. I just… I just want to protect her from the world, damn it. Because if this world is so cruel, if it's such a damn nightmare that her loyalty to her people, her selflessness and willingness to save lives mean she will be sacrificed for some vague 'greater good'? Then… fuck this world. It's not worth saving if Azula's life is the price for it."

Yue's eyes widened as she heard him speak so impassionedly: again, the stark difference between a man willing to go to war to save the woman he loved, and the man she had been stuck with, who had left everything behind for comfort's sake only, made itself apparent. Princess Azula truly had been fortunate… she surely understood just how much, too, if Sokka was right to say that she and Yue shared a few similarities.

"My point is… neither you nor her deserve to build your entire identities, your purpose in life, upon the belief that you have to die for the sake of your nations," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "And because I've had to face this with Azula already, and it devastated me, still does… I have to beg of you, Yue: don't do the same thing. Don't believe, for a second, that your life doesn't matter. There are so many people out there who… who are so much better off just because you're here. Your children, your people… even your father, curses, no matter if he can't seem to understand it, all of them need you. Their lives are better because you're part of them. So… when your father tells you to sacrifice your happiness for the betterment of the Tribe? Think twice before you jump to do as he says. You have a right to choose for yourself. You have every right to make the decisions that suit you best. And marrying me? That… I assure you, that makes no sense for me or for you. You don't want me… and I don't want you."

The words should have been painful, perhaps, for they amounted to rejection… but somehow, Yue wound up smiling upon hearing them. She bit her lip slightly, eyeing him with disbelief.

"Seems suitable that… that the man who best fits the Water Tribe's standards for a perfect husband, chief and hero would happen to be completely certain that he doesn't want me," Yue said, with a chuckle. Sokka grimaced and shrugged. "No, don't… don't feel bad. I… I'm actually relieved. I didn't realize it, but… I am. You're right, I… I don't want you that way either. I barely know you! I… I would never want to be an obstacle for your happiness, much less when I owe you my life. And… and your happiness is with her. With someone who has won your heart, just as you won hers."

"That's right," Sokka said, with a small smile.

"I'm sorry, though… that you have been suffering so much, for so long," Yue said, earnestly. "I can only hope that the day of your reunion is so much closer at hand than you think it is."

"Heh… if only the universe would listen to you," Sokka sighed, though he still smiled sadly. "I can't betray her. I had the feeling your father was about to say that she'd already betrayed me first by marrying Zhao, but fortunately he knew better than to do that. I know she did it for her own reasons… most likely to protect our daughter, as well as keeping Xin Long alive. I was hurt by it… of course I was. But after seeing Zhao for myself, there's no doubt in my mind that her pain, her sorrow, has been infinitely worse than my own. How could I ever think political excuses could ever justify turning my back on the person I love most?"

"You're making the right choice," Yue said, nodding. "Not just regarding me, but… in general. I don't know much about love… but I know far too much about marrying someone for the wrong reasons. Hahn was a terrible lesson to learn as early as I did, I suppose… and while I don't think you could ever be as awful as Hahn, no matter how disinterested you might be in a marriage you're forced into, why would I ever subject you to being shackled to me when I know you want something, someone, that I could never be?"

"Exactly," Sokka said. Yue sighed. "And if you're stuck with me? Then… you'd be with someone who won't love you, and your sense of loyalty would force you to still focus on being the best wife you can be, while never finding or experiencing true love of your own. That sounds unfair, doesn't it?"

"I can only imagine you would just… run off to her as soon as you're free to do so, too," Yue smiled sadly. "Unlike how it is with Hahn, I'd actually understand it in your case. I'd be the other woman, not her. You belong with her… and I should look for someone with whom I belong too, if I want to."

"Well, that's always important," Sokka said, with a weak smile. "Thinking about whether you want a partner or not. Your father might think it's necessary… but if you don't, you shouldn't force yourself to be with anyone just for the sake of it. I mean, it could be because of your kids, maybe? You might think they should have a father, I don't know. But frankly… they're really good kids. You've raised them well so far, so I'd dare say you're doing a great job as a parent all around. So much so that… well, what I told your father about you inheriting his throne doesn't feel like a stretch to me."

"I… I did hear that. I thought you were just making a point…?" Yue said: suddenly, she seemed apprehensive of Sokka's opinions. He chuckled and shrugged.

"I know you're not used to the concept of women in power, but… who knows? Maybe the world would be a way better place if more of you had taken the leadership of nations before," Sokka said. "I believe the Fire Nation would definitely be in the best of hands if Azula were Fire Lord… though, whether it deserves her or not, that remains to be seen. But I'd trust someone who's ready to live for her people, to fight and save them, to protect them and do her best to see them thrive, to be a nation's leader. And while I have no doubts Amarok might grow up to be that person… isn't it likely that he'll learn even more quickly how to become that kind of leader if his mother teaches him by example?"

"You really think I could ever be… the most qualified person to succeed my father?" Yue asked, uncertain. Sokka shrugged and smiled.

"You don't have to do it if you don't want to. But yeah… I do believe you could be."

Yue breathed deeply: somehow, his belief in her was daunting. She couldn't feel completely comfortable with the concept, perhaps because it was so foreign, such a novel idea…

But there was something else about it that bothered her at once. Something she couldn't pinpoint right away, but her mind turned towards that direction before she realized it, regardless.

"Being a leader… requires a lot of responsibilities and pressures. As much as traditions can be broken at times, they couldn't possibly be broken constantly, or else a culture would be lost completely," Yue said, gritting her teeth and glancing at Sokka. "If… if everything worked out perfectly, and Princess Azula did succeed her father, would you rule the Fire Nation by her side?"

Sokka winced at the question. Yue trembled, eyeing him warily.

"I mean… you're not Fire Nation. You would be a Water Tribe man, and… w-well, I don't know if they'll accept you in the Fire Nation's higher class right now," Yue said. "Do you think… that she would break every tradition to keep you by her side? Would you want to be there, or… would you rather take her to the Southern Water Tribe, maybe? You could, perhaps, marry there instead, and… and live out your lives with your daughter in peace. Would they be okay with that? With you marrying a Fire Nation woman? Would she be alright with forsaking her potential as a leader to her people to stay with you, or...?"

"Woah, I… I have no idea," Sokka said, with a nervous smile. "That's a lot of questions that… well, I have pondered on occasion and I have no answer for them just yet. Ultimately… I think whatever she wants to do, I'd accept. I'll be arriving in the Fire Nation as an enemy leader, after all. I don't know if I'll be a villain or a hero… I don't know if she'll make choices that will go against my preferences. If… if she didn't think I can be forgiven after everything I've done? Then… then there'd be no future for us, even if imagining that is almost impossible for me. I… I want to believe that won't happen, but I ought to keep the worst-case scenarios in mind, too. Anyway… if everything worked out for the best, it'd be up to her to decide what she wants to do. If she'd rather leave the Fire Nation, she would have a home in the Southern Water Tribe, for sure. But if she became Fire Lord…"

"You'd stay with her," Yue concluded. "And that would mean… you'd spend your lives fighting against all those who believe you shouldn't be together."

"Well, after this year, I'm pretty sure I've dealt with enough of that to learn how to handle it," Sokka sighed, shaking his head. "But I understand what you mean. You want to know if… if Azula would privilege her people's traditions over her relationship with me. Well… I don't believe she'd settle for marrying anyone appropriate just to appease her people, considering she hired me so long ago precisely so I could help her avoid that. And if someone's willing to defy the Fire Nation's ideology and beliefs… it's certainly her. So, well… it might be hard to believe, but I do think that, if she were Fire Lord, she would fight whoever needs to be fought to keep me with her. Well, provided she still wants me, but anyway…"

"Well, I don't know her, but I believe she would," Yue said, with a soft chuckle. "Then… do you think I could do the same?"

"The same?" Sokka asked. Yue's cheeks heated up. "What do you mean?"

"I-I mean… even if I didn't become Chieftainess, of course. If… if I could break tradition, and find someone outside my nation that I… want to be with?"

Sokka raised an eyebrow, and Yue glanced at him nervously as a slow smile spread over his face.

"Well… if it's the person I think it is?" Sokka said – Yue tensed up. "I'd dare say he'd be thrilled to know you're thinking about him that way. As for whether your father would accept that or not, though… who knows? Technically, Kino saved your life in the battle and has been an invaluable ally for us. But, indeed, he's Fire Nation… so it'd be up to you to decide whether you want him in your family and your home or not, right?"

"I… I do, I guess, but in a sense…" Yue said, biting her lip. "Well, for starters I don't really know if I'm making the right decision. If I'm interpreting things correctly, so to speak… because I do enjoy being with him, and he's brought happiness to my children in wonderful ways. I thought Amarok would never warm up to him, but he even asked me this morning if they would play with him later today… Kallik and Shina adore him, too. But… this isn't his home, actually. And the Fire Nation isn't, either. It's… it's the Southern Water Tribe."

Sokka's eyes narrowed as Yue sighed, pulling her legs up and resting with her crossed arms over her knees.

"They embraced him there in ways I don't know if the North ever would," Yue said. "Not even for my sake. My father's bound to be uncomfortable… Master Pakku, even worse. Even if Kino wanted me… would he want to put up with the judgment, the cruelty, the rejection from everyone else? I… I don't know if it would be any easier than that for him. I don't know how the South did it…"

"I don't either, myself," Sokka smiled sadly. "I wasn't there to see how they came around and accepted him. But… I don't know. Maybe ask him what he'd like to do?"

"Wait, ask him?" Yue blinked blankly. "Y-you mean, just… walking up to him and asking if he wants to be with me?"

"Well… I thought more along the lines of how he made things work in the South, but you could very well do that too," Sokka chuckled: Yue gasped, cheeks flushed.

"I-I don't… I don't know about that. I don't think I know how to be so forward about what… what I might be feeling. I don't even know for sure that I do, maybe it really isn't love just yet, it's probably too soon…" Yue said, shyly. Sokka chuckled, folding his arms over his chest.

"You know something?" he said. "It's fine if you're not sure. It's fine if you're just trying your luck. He might be the one for you… but maybe he's not! And if he's not, it won't be the end of the world if you tried your luck with him to see if you were a good match. You're allowed to test the waters, to see if this is what you want or not. That's part of living life, as far as I can tell."

"You say that… but it sounds like you were completely confident that you were meant to be with Princess Azula," Yue smiled. Sokka sighed.

"Well… to be honest, that's different," Sokka smiled. "I wasn't looking for love, and neither was she. Kind of hit us when we weren't paying attention."

"Did you make the first move, or… did she?" Yue asked. "I just want to know, w-well… if I should wait or not. If I should make my intentions clear, maybe, or…"

"You don't have to do it the way anyone else did it," Sokka said, with a raised eyebrow. "But, if you really must know, uh… it's safe to say she did it, in our case."

"Really?" Yue asked, eyes wide. Sokka chuckled.

"Yeah, she wasn't easily daunted away from making wild decisions… and she certainly made one of those when she decided that she wanted me," Sokka said. "But she and I, uh, we're not exactly the norm anyway. Things between us happened before we knew it. I mean, the physical attraction was always there, if you ask me, but by the time things started out, we'd bonded over personal matters and grown to see each other in a different light. Wasn't enough right away, of course, I fucked things up in my own way, she wasn't really ready for a relationship either… it wasn't a smooth ride for a while. But once we were ready… well, without a shred of a doubt, those were the best years of my life. I finally could love her, and she loved me back. Nothing in the world could ever measure up to that."

"It's… intimidating when you put it that way," Yue chuckled. "I don't know if I'll feel like that over Kino…"

"I think love's different for everyone," Sokka said, reassuringly. "And frankly? Azula would be the first to tell you that she and I are no examples to follow. She said that to Rui Shi, back when he was struggling with love too… we were a crazy mess for a long time. Too stubborn, too prone to conflict… but as time went by, we found true balance. And sure, we would bicker, we would disagree on things, but the way we did that changed a lot. Once we understood each other better, everything seemed to make sense. And I know that might sound too idealistic if I phrase it that way? But my point is, we didn't have all the answers right away, so…"

"Then, you weren't really sure she was the one for you?" Yue asked. "I mean, after your relationship truly began…"

"Oh, no. I was sure by then, absolutely," Sokka chuckled. Yue raised an eyebrow. "I'm giving you a ton of mixed messages, aren't I?"

"Kind of," Yue laughed.

"Look… it's up to you to decide if you want to commit to Kino in whatever way," Sokka smiled. "He's a dork, and a well-meaning one. You might not know him too well just yet… but you will get to know him so much better if you give him a chance. Azula and I? Our relationship didn't really begin until, what, a year after she hired me? So we knew each other fairly well by then, we'd faced lots of difficult things together… it meant that, once our relationship changed, we were far more ready than either you or Kino would likely feel right now. But that's the point of getting to know him some more. If it works… then go for it. If not? Well, uh… try to end it without breaking his heart, I guess?"

"That sounds painful anyway," Yue said, with a sad smile. "I… I don't really want to think about what would happen if it didn't work."

"Hmm. That's a good sign," Sokka smiled. Yue bit her lip.

"He saw me once. In the swamp," Yue said, brushing her hair back, behind her ear. Sokka raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if that was supposed to mean anything… I don't recall having dreamt of him, to say one thing, but he saw me. It could have been chance… but what if it wasn't?"

"Huh. What if it wasn't?" Sokka repeated, raising his eyebrows. "Heh, the clever guy didn't tell me about that. I mean, I know he said he saw a lady in the swamp, and it wasn't Toph, it was a different girl from the one Aang saw, but still… I didn't know it was you."

"Toph…?" Yue asked.

"Another of our friends, the self-proclaimed best earthbender in the world," Sokka smiled. "She might not be wrong about saying that, too. She didn't join us here because we figured the environment wouldn't be a great fit for her, so she went to the southern Earth Kingdom instead. At any rate, though… I don't know if the swamp's vision makes things different. It might not mean much? But I think… it's up to you if you want to make it more meaningful. I'd say it only matters if you want it to matter."

"Huh…" said Yue, biting her lip… then failing to stifle a smile with it. "I… I see. I suppose… I was waiting for you to say it did mean something. Which means that… that I wanted it to. And maybe that's enough. Maybe that's… that's all I needed to go forward. I… thank you, Sokka. I… I don't know what I'll do yet, but thank you."

"If this means you might just be closer to feeling real peace and happiness… I can only say you should go for it," Sokka smiled. "Even if it didn't last forever… if you truly want this, I know it will be worth it."

Yue smiled, nodding before pushing herself up to her feet. Sokka followed her example, breathing deeply and running a hand over his hair.

"Well, then… I should go catch up with the others, over at the shipwrights," Sokka said. "If you plan on going for it right now, well… I'm not sure where Kino is, but if he happens to be with the others, I can let him know you want to talk to him?"

"I'll check if… if he's here somewhere," Yue said, with a shy smile. "If he's there, though, don't worry. Just tell him I'll talk to him after he's done working, maybe?"

"Sounds good to me," Sokka said, nodding in her direction. "Have a good day, Princess Yue."

She nodded as Sokka took off, her heart pounding: she had never made such strange, perhaps even risky choices before. The notion that she had been granted life by the Moon Spirit so she could experience it in full certainly hadn't crossed her mind before. There had always been a weight hanging over her, at least ever since the Fire Nation's relentless decade of warfare against the North had begun… she had known she would need to make the greatest sacrifice to protect her people.

Now, though, she wondered if she'd commune better with the Ocean and Moon Spirits than ever before. If, perhaps, sitting to meditate with them would bring her greater peace once she began living life at the fullest, if that truly was their wish for her…

She returned to the Palace, apprehensive and nervous: she picked up on noise of heavy footfalls upon approaching Kino's room. She breathed deeply, briefly pondering taking a few more hours to think about it… but if she thought about it too much, her courage would falter. The realization brought her to breathe heavily before knocking on the door.

"C-coming! Sorry, sorry, I overslept, I didn't mean to…!"

Kino's unnecessary excuses brought a smile to Yue's face as he opened the door, still fitting his parka properly over his body – resulting in the left sleeve dangling loosely, while the other one was in place over his right arm. Yue couldn't help but chuckle at the awkward sight, whereas Kino flinched and blushed, reeling back and slipping his arm properly into place.

"S-sorry. Uh… I thought it was Sokka, or maybe the guards," he said, with a grimace. "I said I'd help with the ships, I shouldn't have overslept, but…"

"It's okay. I'm sure they… they will accept it if you arrive a little later," Yue said, apprehensiveness surging in her gut – would he join them at the shipwright at all if their conversation paid off?

"Oh, well… I hope so," Kino said, smiling awkwardly and straightening out the parka. "Is something going on? Do you need my help, or… were you just checking on me? Thanks, if you were… wish you could've knocked about ten minutes ago, haha, but that I wasn't up yet is my fault, not yours…"

"I, uh… I'm glad you overslept, if anything," Yue said, with an unusually guilty grin. Kino blinked blankly.

"You are? Uh… huh. Well, if it means we get to talk some more, then I agree, heh," Kino grinned awkwardly, hands in his pockets. "Feels like days are nicer when I can spend more time with you… a-and your kids too, of course! I mean, well, you've definitely made this whole period in the north much nicer for me. If I hadn't wound up spending time with you, or with your kids, well… I would've been a bigger mess than I already am."

"Because of Prince Zuko, I take it?" Yue asked. Kino sighed and nodded.

"But he's healing! No need to be down in the dumps about what happened anymore," Kino said, with an awkward smile. "So, uh… what do you need? Or maybe you don't need anything at all?"

"I… needed to talk to you alone," Yue said. Kino's eyes widened.

"W-well… we are alone," he said. Yue smiled.

"May I… come inside?"

That certainly changed things.

Kino's cheeks flushed at once: he was a fool, he had no doubts that he was. She was a Princess, a pristine, beautiful, graceful woman who was about half a head taller than him, and he was a nobody. He had to remind himself of that, again and again, because his foolish heart had no business making more of this than it was: yes, Yue was pretty, the prettiest girl he had known, perhaps, but she had plenty of handsome warriors in the Water Tribe to choose from and he'd do best to keep that in mind. Whatever she wanted now, it couldn't be anything personal…

"S-sure," he said: his persistent attacks on his own self-esteem ensured that he offered Yue a sad, resigned smile as he stepped out of the way, closing the door behind her.

His expression, of course, confused Yue. She entered the room anyway, but she raised an eyebrow at him as he fidgeted awkwardly before her.

"Uh, so…?" Kino said, eyeing her warily.

"Is something the matter?" Yue asked. Kino winced. "Do you… not like the idea of being alone with me?"

"W-what? No! That's not it, I just…!" Kino exclaimed: his face fell as he gazed at her, and he sighed heavily. "Okay… look. I'll just be perfectly honest here and say that I'm, uh… not the greatest catch out there and the world has constantly told me so. That's why, well… being alone with a pretty girl makes my stupid heart flutter in stupid ways because I start making more out of this than it is! And I just… had to tell myself to stop thinking too much. Whatever you need, I'll help you out with it. And I'll keep my stupid impulses in check while I'm at it, too."

"What kind of stupid impulses?" Yue asked, with a slight smile. Kino's cheeks flushed.

"Why are you asking me that?" Kino grimaced. "That's only going to make me think about it more!"

"What if I… if I said it's fine for you to think about it?" Yue asked, laughing softly. Kino's eyes narrowed.

"You… what?" he said. "Y-you… you think it's okay for me to imagine that you wanted to lure me into talking privately in my room so you could, uh, do unspeakable things to me? Because that doesn't sound entirely right…"

"Unspeakable things?" Yue repeated, laughing again as Kino blushed and covered his face with his hands.

"I'm so glad you're so good-natured that you think it's funny…" he sighed. "If I'd ever said anything like this out loud to any other girl, I'm sure she would've knocked me out with one blow by now. I'm not proud of being like this, okay? S-so, well, it might be better if we speak elsewhere and that way I'll stop being dumb…"

"I don't know if you're being dumb… but you're not wrong about me finding it funny," Yue chuckled. Kino grimaced. "What do you think I could've wanted to speak to you in private about?"

"Umm… m-maybe… the war! You wanted to learn more details about how we won in any of the cities we've reconquered, haha," Kino said, with an awkward smile. "Or, uh, you want advice on Kino sledding! Which, in your case, would be Yue sledding, so your kids can ride your back like they rode mine…? B-but to be honest, I don't know if you should do that, it might mess up your outfits… think about it twice before you go Yue sledding with them! For real!"

Yue blinked blankly, and Kino's eyebrow twitched: this situation grew more confusing by the minute, and the fact that Yue only seemed to find things funny confused him further.

"Did I get it wrong…?" Kino said, with a small voice, as Yue covered her mouth upon laughing again.

"Oh… this is so much harder than he made it sound like," Yue chuckled, looking at Kino earnestly. "Perhaps I should do the talking, but… it's not easy either. In short, though, I… I learned this morning that my father had rather surprising ideas for my future. Ideas that revolved around… setting me up for marriage with General Sokka."

Kino yelped: his fluster faded, and now he appeared genuinely outraged in a matter of instants. Yue raised her eyebrows at his reaction.

"No! Not a chance! I-I mean… Sokka has Azula! There's no way he'll ever forget about her, he's crazy about her! She's his whole world and… and he'd never want to marry anyone else. But if he did, t-then you… you wouldn't ever be the most important person in his life. And that's not fair! You… you deserve a guy who can give you his everything, and Sokka, great as he may be, won't be that guy for you. Yue…"

"Is there a chance that maybe someone else would be?" Yue asked, raising her eyebrows. Kino froze. "I… I overheard my father's entire conversation with General Sokka on the matter… and as you predicted, General Sokka shut down this entire enterprise. He and I spoke about it afterwards… we're in agreement that it would have been a bad choice. And he encouraged me to live my own life, to not marry someone out of convenience, or for political purposes… to try my luck with love, with happiness, with finding peace in my own terms."

"That… that's good. That's great! See, that's why Sokka's the best," Kino grinned, hands on his hips. "I knew he wouldn't be swept up into something like that!"

"You were right," Yue chuckled. "He says… my life should not be about waiting for the moment when I have to sacrifice myself to restore the Moon Spirit. And as much as it's difficult to fathom, after I've spent so many years believing that to be my purpose… I want to believe he's right. I want to believe that there's something else for me, that maybe there's someone out there who might be… a good match for me. Someone who… who my children can cherish, someone who wouldn't choose anyone else over me, or his self-interest, or… or his ambitions."

"That sounds good!" Kino grinned. "I… I'm really happy to hear you're making these decisions, Yue. I'm sure you'll find everything you're looking for…"

"I… I somewhat hoped I already had."

Kino froze: he blinked blankly, as Yue's gaze gained an affectionate quality he hadn't anticipated that it might. His jaw dropped, and he shivered as a rush of energy seemed to seize him, pooling in his gut and bursting in his chest…

"Y-you're… huh. W-well… t-that's good! If you did, I mean," Kino said, swallowing hard. "I… uh, I give you my blessing. Wait, should I give you that? I-I mean, what am I saying? Who am I to give someone like you a blessing? Just ignore me…!"

"I don't want to ignore you," Yue smiled: she stepped closer to him, and Kino tensed up…

Her hands rose, brushing his curly bangs carefully until her fingertips touched his warm skin.

Kino seemed incapable of uttering a word, eyes wide as plates as Yue bit her lip, nervous, feeling an urge to withdraw her hands at once. She resisted it, though… even if she couldn't help but convey her hesitancy in other ways.

"I… I'm not sure that I know what I'm doing," she admitted, lowering her gaze bashfully, as color tinged her cheeks too. "I don't know if I dare go forward any further, b-but… if you wanted this too, then…"

"If I… want this, too?" Kino repeated, shivering under her touch. "Y-you… you did come here to… t-to…"

"To do unspeakable things to you?" Yue finished, with a soft laugh. Kino's cheeks flushed. "We probably could leave that for some other time. If you wanted to."

"If I…?!" Kino yelped, covering his mouth with a hand: Yue winced upon noticing the tears in his eyes.

"Kino…?" she asked: finally, she lowered her hands, gazing at him with uncertainty. "D-did I do something I shouldn't have? O-or said something I…?"

Kino shook his head, still covering his mouth with his hand. He lowered his head… and he breathed deeply. Yue stood in place, uncertain of what to do: her heart pounded painfully, alarms ringing in her head, screaming that she might have made an unforgivable mistake…

Until he straightened his posture up again, and his brown eyes gained a determined quality that Yue hadn't seen in them often.

"I'm… inexperienced. Entirely," he said. Yue blinked blankly. "I don't think I'll have any idea of what I'm doing if… if you really want this with me. S-so… w-well… just keep that in mind. If you're okay with that, then…"

"Then?" Yue asked.

"Then I think I… I think I will kiss you now."

Yue raised her eyebrows, and her cheeks flushed more intensely now, much like Kino's did. She bit her lip… and she nodded.

Kino swallowed hard, stepping forward, stretching his neck as high as he could, just as Yue lowered her head: she didn't seek him out, perhaps apprehensive once their brows touched. Kino appeared to be moments away from hyperventilating…

It didn't stop him from leaning in, brushing his lips clumsily against hers.

It was clear that he wanted to kiss her passionately, in a display of manly assertiveness that he absolutely didn't have under control. He was truly inexperienced, lips quivering against hers, but he didn't pull away. She didn't let him do so, either.

Her hands cupped his face, keeping him in place as she kissed him back, helping him unravel what he needed to do once her lips pressed against his in a smooth rhythm. The friction between them caught him off guard, so soft and tender and shockingly pleasant…

He whimpered slightly, arms locking around her waist as he continued to kiss her, following her example beat by beat, learning what he needed to do by practicing it upon her. Yue sighed in delight, fingers brushing against his hair, sliding down to the nape of his neck…

He broke off the kiss, breathing heavily as his head fell on her shoulder. Yue bit her lip: she could still taste him on her lips, and her cheeks flushed further upon realizing how different that had felt compared to the only other man she had ever kissed. Where she had often wondered when it would stop with Hahn… now, she was genuinely taken aback by Kino's need for breath. She chuckled, pressing her face to the top of his head as Kino shivered in her arms.

"I… I kissed you," Kino said, chest heaving. "I kissed you! I…!"

He pulled back, startling Yue as he rolled back a sleeve of his parka, pinching himself painfully: Yue winced as he cried out in pain… and then his cheeks flushed darker yet as he looked at her anew.

"I'm… I'm awake. I wasn't still oversleeping, I… y-you're really here. You really… kissed me," he said: Yue gasped when the first tears spilled down his cheeks. "I…!"

"Kino…" she said, stepping forward and brushing his tears away with a thumb. "You… you really do underestimate yourself, don't you?"

"I…! I…!" Kino whimpered, tears spilling further…

He couldn't seem to stay upright anymore: Yue gasped as he dropped on his knees, sobs shaking his shoulders as she knelt with him, too. As confusing as his current reaction might be, though… those tearful eyes gazed at her as though he had never laid them upon anything more precious to him.

"I can't believe I…" he said, shivering. "You… you like me?"

"I… I might just," Yue said, with a shy smile. "Do you like me, too?"

"Y-you…!" Kino gasped, before a laugh broke out of his lips. "You don't even need to ask, I…! You're the most beautiful woman I know, inside and out, and I…! I've tried to ignore it, okay, but I definitely had a crush on you and now I… n-now I… holy shit, I kissed you. Holy shit…!"

He couldn't seem to decide between laughing and sobbing, so he wound up doing both things. Yue chuckled, touched by his earnest reaction… and she wrapped her arms around him, reeling him in for a hug, as they sat together atop his bedroom's rug.

Kino's arms wrapped tightly around her, and his laughter soon grew more prominent than his tears: her gentle embrace, the kindness with which she reassured him, and the next kisses she dared press, first upon the top of his head, then on his cheeks, and then on his lips anew, sent the most unprecedented tingles of fulfillment throughout his body. He had craved this closeness… he had craved this opportunity, the possibility of experiencing love for himself, of feeling that he mattered to someone. He had given up on such hopes, though… and just as he had, the most extraordinary woman had chosen him. For whatever reasons she had, illogical as they appeared to be right now, she had chosen him, and she kept doing so as their lips met anew, multiple times, as she taught him how to take those exchanges further by letting their tongues meet and twirl together, smoothly. The pleasure their every touch and kiss elicited within him was far more complex, far deeper than the physical: could he truly be so meaningless, so worthless, if someone as wonderful as Yue had developed this kind of interest in him? Had she been right to tell him that, as much as he might think otherwise, he was yet another extraordinary member of an extraordinary team, rather than the odd one out?

Perhaps she was wrong to think so… but Kino's heart pounded fast and hard in his chest, for she had chosen to believe that. He had a shot at love, with someone he had never expected would be within reach for the likes of him… and she liked him. She truly had to like him to sit on the floor as she did, kissing him, arms locked around his neck…

Kino didn't join the shipwright team on that day at all: after what felt like hours of tranquil bliss in Yue's arms, she had put their dalliance on hold, since she needed to check on her children. Kino joined her in doing so… just as he joined their family for their meal, as Amarok had wanted him to, some weeks ago. He didn't do anything bold in front of the children… but Yue did dare take his hand over the table, sharing a knowing, caring smile with him as he smiled more brightly than he ever had.

He only met the rest of his group again by dinnertime – the guards were exhausted after a long day of physical work, one that Sokka, Katara and Aang had joined them in. The first steps for building one ship had begun, but they hadn't made as much progress just yet – that would change when they gained more experience and became more efficient. Kino's absence had been noticed, too: Rui Shi had asked if he was alright, Aang and Katara had laughed when he had shyly stated that he had slept in… but Sokka had given him a knowing look. One he had no choice but to follow up on, once dinner was done.

"I figured you'd join us eventually… I'd like to think things went so well that that's why you didn't," Sokka said, as the two of them marched together to their rooms, after Kino asked if they could have a private word.

His crimson cheeks gave away that Sokka's suspicion had been spot-on. Sokka chuckled, and Kino whimpered, running his hands over his hair.

"H-how did you do it?" he asked. "How did you manage not to… n-not to combust with happiness when you and Azula started out? B-because I feel like I'm about to lose it! I… I don't know how to process this, I… I never thought this would happen to me. And with HER?! I… I would let myself fantasize about it at times, sure! B-but that's all it was, right? Thinking about cutting my palm with her was just… a silly idea that didn't mean anything. W-wondering if her kids would accept me as their stepfather was supposed to be one too, b-but…"

"But now it's way too real?" Sokka asked, amused. Kino snorted, smiling brightly at him as tears gleamed in the corners of his eyes.

"How… how do you ever convince yourself that you're worthy of this kind of happiness?" he asked. Sokka blinked blankly.

"Wow. Well… that's a heavy question," Sokka said, hands on his hips. "In my case? I… I never really succeeded at it."

"You didn't?" Kino asked, disheartened.

"Nope," Sokka sighed, before smiling slightly. "All that mattered was… was that she had chosen me. She wanted to be happy with me, and… and that meant I would devote the rest of my life to ensuring that would be the case. Enough people questioned her judgment…"

"But now you've proven just what kind of incredible leader you are," Kino said, with a determined nod. "The Fire Nation prizes strength and results above all else… as far as they're concerned, the success you've had so far in the war ought to mean you're perfect for her."

"I wish it were as easy as that," Sokka said, with a sad smile. "But anyway… make the most of it, Kino. Yue is trying her hand at living life on her terms… and you get to be part of that."

"I do, but… I think I'm a bit of a mess," Kino said, with a sad smile. "I didn't really think about this, that maybe Yue liked me because… w-well, we're in the middle of fighting a war. I didn't want to… to burden anyone with the same pain Suki has to bear with, you know? Waiting for Zuko to return? I thought… it might be okay if I didn't find anyone until the war ended, or sometime after that, o-or… ever. So now, well… maybe I'm overthinking it, but I'm worried about leaving again, when it's time to go fight in the war. I… I don't want Yue and her kids to feel lonelier without me, or… or, if something happened to me, well…"

"Don't think about that," Sokka said, clapping Kino's shoulder firmly. "Or, if you do, then… maybe think about it differently. I mean… you're our friend, and a valuable part of our group, but if there's something all of us understand, it's love. If you have the chance to be with her… you don't have to come with us when we set out again."

"Wait, what?" Kino's eyes widened. "You mean, that I could… stay here?"

"If you wanted to," Sokka said, raising his hands defensively. "I just… I know how hard it is to make this kind of choice. In a sense, I wasn't really given the choice, as Azula was gone and I… I had nothing left but to go to war to return to her. But I don't know, maybe if things had been different, I…"

"You would have chosen not to go on this journey?" Kino finished for him, eyes wide. "Then… the world would be no different. No better. If you hadn't done this…"

"I know, Kino, but I'm just saying… I'd understand if you didn't want to go," Sokka said. "When you experience genuine love… there's nothing more painful than losing it. There will be a future beyond the war, I know that for sure… but if you want to secure your future, as well as theirs, I wouldn't hold it against you if you didn't join us for the final push. That's all."

Kino gritted his teeth, a fist tight by his thigh: the conundrum Sokka had posed for him certainly seemed a difficult one to unravel.

"Would you really have chosen not to do anything?" he asked, softly. "You would have stayed with her… and done nothing?"

Sokka frowned. Kino bit his lip, shrugging.

"I'm not judging, I… I guess I just have a hard time believing you would have been that placid," Kino said, with a sad smile. "But… I have to think about it. I don't know… it doesn't sound right, at least, not right now. But maybe you have a point. I… I'll figure out what to do over time, though. I'll join in with building the ships next time, for sure! And I'll decide if I'll come or stay… but more than anything, Sokka: thank you."

"Oh," Sokka blinked blankly, smiling again. "You don't have to…"

"I do, I… I'm really glad to be your friend," Kino said, with a heartfelt smile. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, or the next day, but… I'm grateful that I've known all of you. That I… that I was given all the chances I was given. I hope I can live up to them, every time. Thank you…"

Sokka swallowed hard and nodded: Kino grinned before entering his room, leaving Sokka standing in the hallway, an unnerving, twisting tension springing to life inside him…

He entered his room, sighing as he undressed, landing face down on the bed in only his bottoms. He grimaced as he turned around, a hand resting upon his brow…

Her familiar fragrance filled him up as the gentle weight of her head fell upon his chest.

"That wasn't a nice question to ask you."

"I know, right?" Sokka said, sighing and rubbing his eyes with his fingertips. "I… I'm not even close to being as strong as he thinks I am. Or as lots of people seem to think I am. He really believes I would've set you aside and jumped forth to fight this war alone…?"

"Well, in his defense, he doesn't know me all that well…"

"He should by now, Princess Jing. But it's still not fair," Sokka sighed, opening his eyes to glance down at her.

He couldn't help but smile as he found her with her chin resting atop her crossed forearms. She gazed at him with a spark of mischief and cleverness he could only treasure… no matter if this was but another mirage.

"They don't realize that they're idealizing the wrong guy," Sokka whispered, fingers trailing over her hair. "If… if I came across you on a battlefield, I'd be down on my knees for you in an instant. If I found you again, and the world were going up in flames, I would run to take you into my arms and perish in the fire with you without a second thought. I… I don't know if I have the strength to make the right choices for the world, Azula. I don't know if… if I would have it in me to take a stand for anything if I had the chance to see you again. If your father knew that, well… shit, he'd be thrilled to know that he can stop me as easily as that, huh? But I just… I'm tired, love. I'm so tired of not having you with me. Of only seeing you in dreams, or in strange moments like these, rather than spending every second by your side. I… I miss you. I miss you so much it feels like it's killing me. A year without you is… it's too damn long. It's a nightmare. Nothing I've done will ever seem to be enough until I'm holding you again, and… and I'm not sure I'll have it in me to care about anything else, once I do."

"It's fine if you feel vulnerable right now," Azula whispered, her hand trailing over his neck, his collarbone, a gentle smile upon her face. "I do too, more often than you can imagine. I agree, though… a year without you is far too long. It makes no sense to me that we've been apart for as long as we have been. We shouldn't have been, but… what you're doing is so much greater than us, Sokka."

"The longer we're apart, the more convinced I grow that… that nothing ever could be," Sokka whispered. Azula snorted, eyeing him skeptically. "Don't give me that look, I'm serious here."

"You're not," Azula whispered, leaning closer, kissing his lips softly. "You're as bad as I am, aren't you?"

"In what sense? How are you bad, to begin with?" Sokka said, seeking more kisses that she offered promptly as they spoke.

"Hmm… by making good choices only because I wanted them to benefit me personally, in the long run," Azula said, with a cheeky smirk. Sokka slowed the kisses, eyeing her with a crooked eyebrow. "You once said you were happier if I made good choices for the wrong reasons, rather than making bad choices for good reasons, right?"

"Uh… yeah?" Sokka blinked blankly. "Not entirely sure how bad choices can have good reasons behind them, but…"

"You'd be surprised," Azula whispered. Sokka grimaced. "Either way, if I'm your motivation, so be it: you're changing and rebuilding this world into the one we dreamed of, love. You're… you're crafting a future where we might finally be in each other's lives for good, with no more fear of what might happen if we're torn away from each other. Because… no one will tear us apart. By then… we will build the future we want to build, Sokka."

"Maybe, but… I feel so weak sometimes," Sokka said, gritting his teeth. "I can't help but second-guess… but wonder if maybe I'm only making things worse. If maybe I'm doing things you'll never forgive me for. And when I remember our better days… we were tempted to stay in Shu Jing, weren't we? To forget and forsake the world… to turn our backs on it and simply stay together. Neither of us wanted to leave, remember? And… and now, I can only envy us for what we had in those days. How does that make sense? I don't even know, but I… I would have made a different choice, I know that now. I would have never let you go, I would have forsaken everything if I knew that was the only way for me to always be by your side. So… when he asked, I knew I was supposed to say I would have chosen to fight in the war. I had to tell him that I would fight the Fire Nation forever if need be… and I keep fighting, Azula, because if I stop, if I take my time to take in reality, I'll lose my strength. I'll falter, I… I'll never be able to fulfill everything I've promised I will. I know I've done terrible things. I know I'm responsible for… for so much no one should forgive me for. You, for sure, shouldn't forgive me for any of it.

"And that's why… if I were given the choice to do things again right now, I'd only choose whatever course of action would allow me to be with you for good. And it's selfish… it's probably unforgivable, when I'm supposed to be fixing so much of what's broken, when I'm trying to save millions of lives, but that's still how I feel. I know you would think I'm an asshole, considering how I pressured you to change the world, Azula, but I just… I'm so tired. I miss you so much, and I'm so tired…"

Her ghostly fingers couldn't clean up the tear that escaped his eye: Sokka brushed it hastily, meeting the gaze of this vision of Azula, who offered him compassion and understanding he couldn't find himself worthy of.

"Then rest, my love," Azula whispered. Sokka gritted his teeth, but he closed his eyes as she pressed kisses upon his lips. "Rest… and forget the world and its expectations. Sleep… and I'll find you in your dreams again."

He sighed, closing his eyes, feeling her heart beating close to his own. Feeling her energy, distant as it might be.

"You're not alone, Sokka: you never will be."

It was little relief to hear those words from a mirage… but Sokka clung to them, to it, for the rest of the night, as he sought the woman he loved in the respite of unconsciousness, where the world no longer mattered. Where he could return to her in a dark blue armor, and she would greet him with her gold: where they could stand side by side, facing every challenge life sent their way and prevailing against them. Where he could be her gladiator, where she could be his Princess… where he could simply be Sokka as she was Azula, where their love would go uncontested, unquestioned, free.

Tears still spilled down his face as Sokka breathed out and drifted into sleep, following Azula's mirages into deep, comforting dreams.