Ghostleywrites

DC

blurbs

Wally West

He's a munch

Wally with a S/O who likes to eat

Wally's mullet thoughts

Wally West is an ass man

Jason Todd

Drunk Jason Todd

Dick Grayson

Dick with Taylor Swift lyrics

Adrian Chase

He calls you babe

Marvel

Blurbs

Bucky Barnes

Cleaning his arm

Benjamin Pointdexter

Dex x reader x Matt blurb

You’re such an angel and I’m gonna hurt you

The Walking Dead

smut

Glenn Rhee

The Delivery Guy

Headcannons

Daryl Dixon

Platonic!Daryl Dixon headcanons

COD modern warfare

headcannons

plumber!Simon Riley

Simon 'i can fight' Riley

Resident Evil

smut

Leon Kennedy

Wildflowers Don't Care Where They Grow

Leon cuddles

Devil May Cry

smut

Nero Sparda

Sweet Surrender

Stranger things

Blurbs

Eddie Munson and the Wednesday girl

Little lamb

Avatar: the last airbender

series

  The grunting has gotten louder once you’re outside, no longer sounding like a strangled boar. Now the noise is morphing into a sort of out of breath whine not dissimilar to being under someone for a night. Now you’re concerned. Who hikes all the way to the top of a huge mountain in the middle of the night just to do who knows what in front of a school.  You make no effort to conceal your steps as you stomp towards the direction of the depraved sounds. 

  Widening your stance, you bring a closed fist up into the air. There’s a small pressure in your gut as you feel part of the mountain move beneath you. The pathetic sounds stop, only to be replaced by a shriek so high it almost doesn’t register in your hearing range. Rumbling of rock sliding against rock shakes the ground underneath you and a column of earth shoots up. On the top of the newly formed column is a very scared looking man wrapped around the rock hugging it like his life depends on it. He is dressed in blue head to toe and with how much he’s shaking you would think he’s still in his native cold climate.

  “What the fuck man, you almost made me lose my balance!” The man has begun shimmying down the rock trying to get his feet on solid ground again. You want to tell him that the ground is closer than he thinks but it’s funnier to give him time to figure that out himself. He hasn’t yet gotten the chance to look at you as his face is smushed rather comically into the surface of the rock.

  But you don’t need to see his face to know who he is. He gives up on holding on and drops his tight hold to slide down. It takes less than a second for him to thud onto his butt. “Oh! It’s you. Hi!” he exclaims, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. 

 “Sokka!” It isn't everyday you get to see one of the original members of the ‘Gaang’ besides Toph but you wouldn’t forget any one of their faces. Especially not Sokka’s face. You’re half convinced that you’re still in the dream world. It isn’t irregular to have Sokka appear in your dreams. But that’s neither here nor there.  

  “I know, I know. I'll give you a moment to take all my greatness in.” Sokka jokes, stretching his arms out wide and slowly spinning. 

  You scoff and he never finishes as you tackle him, hugging his back. Your arms wrap around his torso and Sokka wheezes. Sokka fights your arms off and turns in a swift movement. He looks at you for a while, taking you all in for the first time in a long time. His face is tan as you remember, he hasn’t changed much since you were kids. The same silly kid, just grown. By the look on his face, his eyes that look at you but see another time, he’s having the same thoughts about you. 

  “Have you developed a staring problem since I last saw you years ago?” This attention makes you feel like an awkward tween again. 

  “Nah. just missed you.” he states, his golden skin practically glowing in the warm shine of the rising sun. He opens his arms again, more relaxed. “Try again?” you nod and step into his reach. Sokka’s arms wrap around your shoulders and yours around his waist. He smells like a warm day, of salt and fresh air and the sea. It reminds you of when you sat close to him on the back of Appa when he flew over the seas going home, the winds cold and biting. He would tell you all about life in his village that he’d be going back to and the kids he used to ‘train’. 

  When you were all still kids fighting against the fire nation you and Sokka had gotten close. Despite his outgoing and sometimes annoying personality, Sokka confided in you a lot. He couldn’t go to his sister and Aang wouldn't understand. His struggle was too different from anything Sokka could compare to. Toph wasn’t much of an option either, sokka saw her as a sister and he wanted to be strong for the group. Sokka once told you in a rare soft moment that you eased his worries so much so he felt comfortable confiding in you. He told you his deepest insecurities and so did you. 

  You’re taken back there now. The two of you kids again feeling the relief of a war well won. A long sigh deflates you, like you had been just waiting to release all the air inside you for a while and you tell yourself that it’s because Sokka is warm in the chill of the mountain's high altitude. And he gives solid hugs. 

  When Sokka loosens his hold on you, you lean your head back from his shoulder. He has a shit eating grin plastered on his face. It’s contagious apparently because you’re laughing in no time, the initial shock wearing off. 

A long while passes just smiling at each other before you speak up again.  “How did you get here? Why are you here?” you start. “not that I don’t want you here, but you’re here! Wow!” you’re not sure what to say.  

  “Relax punchy. I climbed up and I am here on business actually.” he states this all smug like and he hasn’t stopped grinning at you. Do his cheeks hurt yet? 

  “Ooh! How official of you.” you mock.

  “I know. I think this is going to be my best invention yet! It might change the world, I'm telling ya!” he has started to sway you both, and you only realise now that you have yet to release each other from this embrace. Not that you’re in a hurry to so you keep quiet.

  “Wait, why did you climb up the mountain when there are stairs?”

  “There’s stairs now?! Last time I was here you could only get up here if you were a mountain Llamagoat or had a flying bison!" Sokka’s face drops. 

  “Yeah, we had stairs put in for humans” you laugh into his chest. “Well Mr Mountain climber, what's your business at the Beifon Metalbending Academy?”

“Have you ever noticed that when-” he doesn’t get to finish as a loud crack fills the air and then a giant thud followed by a small earthquake. 

  “Well, fuck me. If it isn’t Snoozles! And my very own second in command, all alone, together.” Toph Beifong’s rough voice echoes in the morning quiet. Sokka drops his hands from you and in a split second, he's placed a good four foot in between you both. “Where’s the other third of this devastating love story? He taking care of the kids at home?” you all know who Toph is referring to but you refuse to comment.

  “Nice to see you too, Tophie. But I think Zuko is too busy being the firelord and all to be taking care of any kids.” bless Sokka, he thinks he did something there other than dig a deeper hole for you.

  “Okay then, what brings you to my esteemed Metalbending academy?” She has never been one for small talk and niceties.

  “I actually need a favour.” Sokka states.

–

  There is something so off putting about watching a man eat food. Especially a hungry Sokka. Apparently when his water tribe ship docked in the western part of the earth kingdom, he wasted no time travelling to Yu Dao. He told you when he arrived, he booked a room and slept the whole day after eating the town's supply of Egg Custard Tarts and then proceeded to scale a mountain when he woke up. So the man was hungry. 

  If there is one thing you’ve learned about sokka, it’s that he cannot keep still for longer than twenty seconds at any given time. This is true even in his sleep, you found out the hard way to sleep away from him less you want bruises on your legs in the morning. Sokka has a tendency to literally jump from project to project. It’s a miracle that man gets anything done but Sokka also has an insane amount of focus as well. It’s really a toss up on what you’re gonna get out of him day by day. 

  He seems just content today as he explains the reason for his visit, the climb might’ve taken most of his energy today. 

  “So you’re saying that you’re going to put actual fucking lightning bolts in peoples homes and call it an improved candle? What a mastermind you are, Sokka, really, you’ve out done yourself. What will he think of next? Holy shit!” Toph can’t get enough of this as you all sit around the diner hall for breakfast. Students mill about, some doing morning chores others talking with peers, most of them sit at tables eating. They are all unbothered by Toph’s exclaims, being here for so long numbs you to all the profanities she shouts. 

  In the early days, a jar from the kitchen was made into a ‘swear jar’ and in no time it was full. But you learned very shortly that this had no effect on Toph. for one she is disgustingly rich, and second, the money just goes right back into the school anyway. So that didn’t work and you have to live with the extreme language now. 

  “Uh no, have you not been listening to a word i’ve been saying. I've been attempting to use lightning to create a source of light. I noticed a while ago when I was in Republic city watching lightning benders put on a show for some festival and one of them accidently hit a metal statue.

  “It caused the area where the statue was hit to glow. And I've been trying to recreate it with natural fire. But it only works so much. I want to make a small piece of metal glow as bright as I saw on that statue.” His hands move erratically as he recalls the moment he got the idea, his face lights up like a child that’s just been given an unlimited supply of sweet treats. Sokka could go on about his ideas for hours but his hunger wins out, picking out meat filled dumplings and filling his plate from the spread in front of you all.

  “Okay, so why do you need a metal bender if you’re struggling with sourcing lightning?” you’re curious to find out more. “You can get small pieces of metal anywhere.” not that you think sokka made a mistake coming here, he obviously has a reason. 

  Sokka nods furiously, he points to you clicking his fingers as he chews a dumpling, you’ve clearly asked the right question. He doesn’t wait to finish eating as he continues.

  “I'm thinking it would be more cost effective if i sourced the metal rods as larger pieces first then refined them myself, you have no idea the prices of imported goods to the southern water tribe these days!” Sokka complains. “ I mean come on, we’re just as far from the fire nation capital as Ba Sing Se, and I bet the prices for imported fine metals are so much lower.” 

  “You are so confusing, how can you be so stupidly fucking dumb? That made no sense, metal sheets don't come from the fire nation, you imbecile." Toph insults, she is leaning back on her chair. Her arms rest on the top of the wood and she tosses small metal balls from one hand to another. 

  “Okay so what exactly is your plan?” you ask, trying to distract Sokka from throwing hands. His furrowed brows create a crease in between his eyes that you want to smooth out. He takes a second to glare holes into Toph's skull before turning his whole body away from her. 

  “Well im hoping one of you - not Toph-” he coughs the last part. “Might accompany me to our good old pal in the fire nation to borrow some lightning power.” he states shyly with his eyes closed. 

  “Oh so you want to take my assistant away to go on a lovers’ get away with the dreamy fire lord.” you know Toph is joking but maybe it’s a bit too much at your own expense. The table goes quiet.

  “Okay i said that Zuko was hot that one time when we were all drunk. And in my defense-” Sokka knows that Toph's comment wasn’t about him really, but he is the hero. Leave it to him to try and lighten up any bad mood. 

  “How long will I be gone for? I have my own pupils to teach now.” You doubt Toph will let you just up and leave for an extended amount of time.

  “Oh, I don’t know, maybe two weeks, a month.” Sokka’s eyes dart between you and Toph.Toph. He nibbles on a rice ball as a stiff silence passes over your table.

  “I can’t be gone that long, Sokka. I have students to teach and Toph can’t keep up with all this alone. No matter how great and powerful she is.” you direct the last part to your blind best friend jokingly, she’s grinning like a mad woman now. Always up for a challenge. She raises off of her chair and slams her open palms onto the table. Plates with their food clatter around the table from the force of her.

  “Oh, I accept your challenge. You’re on motherfucker!” this is not what you meant. 

  “No, Toph, i wasn’t saying-” she’s quick to interrupt you. 

  “No, no. you said it sister, you don’t think I can do it on my own.” She points a finger at you accusingly. “I bet that I can last here on my own than you can with your two lovesick puppies!” Toph has never been a person to pull her punches, she all but shouts so even the people at the bottom of the mountain can hear it. It feels like the hall goes silent and your mouth goes dry. 

  You dare not to look at Sokka, but out of the corner of your eye you can see him drop a dumpling that he was about to shovel into his mouth, back onto his plate. It’s blurry but you’re sure his mouth is hanging wide open like a fly trap waiting for its prey to land.

  “Who’s a lovesick what now?” he says, all panicked like. Oh man, this is the worst. 

  “Toph, would you shut up!” you’re standing now just the same as she is. Your hands slam onto the table, you're mindful to not jostle the plates. 

  “Make me.” She challenges, she smiles playfully as she does. And maybe it’s the fact that you’ve been around her for too long, or maybe it’s to do with the fact that one of the people she’s talking to is sitting in between you. He’s taken to sipping on his water, his head swivels from each side of the table as you and Toph exchange words.

  “You know what, maybe I will. Maybe I'll go to the fire nation and have a nice break away from you. I’ll spend my days with my two close friends and I'll be drinking fancy fire nation wine and eating like a queen. All the while you’ll be here, teaching stubborn brats how to kick rocks!”  by the end you’re basically screaming at her. There's a rumbling beneath my feet and you can’t tell if you’re causing a landslide outside, but then again this argument happens bi weekly in some variation or another.

  “Oh, believe me! Those poor excuses you call earth benders will be doing more than just kicking rocks when I'm done with them. Maybe it’ll be good for them that you’re leaving if all you’re teaching them is rock kicking. They might actually learn something” she states. Sokka looks torn between breaking up this fight and slinking away to avoid being caught in the cross fire. But it seems he’s made his mind up. 

  “Alright ladies, i know im irresistible, but there’s plenty of me to go around. I will be here all day!” he jokes, everyone now is standing at the table.

  He seems to have broken you both out of the tunnel vision you both seem to get whenever you argue.

  “Honestly, you earth kingdom ladies are another species altogether.” he’s shaking his head with his arms crossed.

  “Shut up, Sokka!” you both shout at the same time, looking at him with sharp eyes. You and toph look at each other again with kinder eyes. She puffs out a light breathy sigh and you smile. 

  “Alright, punchy, snoozles, it’s been nice catching up and all. But some of us have actual work to do. Bye, fuckers!” she wastes no time, turning to leave and in no time Toph has stomped out of the hall. Many students follow at her heels. 

  “God, I don't miss that. How we all survived travelling with you two hot heads, I do not know!.” Sokka sighs, slouching back down in his chair, his arms still crossed. And you follow his actions, scooting your chair closer to the table. 

  “We aren’t that bad! Plus it’s not like we’re actually fighting. It’s how we show each other love.” you say fondly. 

  “I know,” he replies. He stares at the door Toph had left from for a while as you pick back up your chopsticks. “You know, for all that you two are similar, you couldn’t be more different.” 

  “How so?” you ask, curious. Sokka sits up now, taking a moment to think before he speaks; a rare occurrence. 

  “Well, for one, you’re a lot prettier.” he jokes, there isn’t a smile on his face. “You’re less shouty, you only raise your voice when you need to and you take the time to stop and say hello to all the little fuzzy animals.” You haven’t stopped looking at him and now you’re wondering if you’ve blinked at all since Sokka started talking. “Toph cares for people in her own way, sure, she’s nice when she wants to be. But you wear all your kindness like armour. You don’t try to hide behind humour or roughness, you’re okay to just be you.” You're not sure you can say anything to this. There aren’t words to express, well, you’re not even sure what you’re feeling.

  “Sokka, i-” you don't even get to finish whatever it was you were going to say. Sokka gets up from the table, his face has dropped from the straight serious expression to a look of embarrassment. 

  “Well, clearly I’m saying too much again. I guess this is what so many hours of no sleep gets you. He chuckles backing away from the table. He spins in a full circle, scoping out the area to assess all the escape routes. When Sokka looks back at you, he opens his mouth but no words come out. Bringing both arms up in front of him, Sokka shoots you two finger guns and then shoots away through the door leading to the bedrooms. 

  Out of all the conversations you’ve had with Sokka throughout the years, this hasn’t been the weirdest one. It’s definitely up there, but it’s something close to one of those raw conversations you two used to share late at night when traveling together. Definitely awkward and one sided but the way he looked at you just now wasn't unlike how he used to look at you back then. 

  You can already tell that today is going to be a headache. It's your turn with the early years group that travels up from Yu Dao twice a week to learn the basic bending skills and you are not looking forward to having rocks pelted at you and dropped on your feet. Lucky Sokka, all he has to do today is sleep and remember to wake up for dinner. You finish eating and then head out to greet the young earth benders.

–

  Sitting inside the hot metal walls of a creaky old engine room on an even hotter day isn’t something one would typically look forward to. But you’ve decided to spend your free time here after lessons for the day ended and no one is forcing you, instead you’re held captive by the sight in front of you.

  Toph had generously offered the school's airship for your journey to the fire nation capital. It had been used to transport building materials, as well as the people working on it, up and down the mountain when she first founded the Metalbending Academy years ago.  

  It sits forgotten on the north west end of the mountain, just outside the walls of the school. It’s where you find Sokka. He’s spent the last three days cleaning and repairing what needs to be repaired. You know this because it’s been two days since you’ve seen him without grease stains on his brow and blackened hands. His tan skin peaks through the dirt and grime when droplets of sweat glide down his temple or the length of his arm. You’ve taken to spending your free time helping him out for that very reason. 

  Toph wouldn’t call it help exactly, she passed you in the courtyard the other day when you were making your way out. You didn’t catch what she muttered out under a very convincing cough but you’re sure it has something to do with the fact that the ‘help’ you’re giving Sokka is entirely selfish. You don’t feel too bad though, it’s a victimless crime and you won’t get caught. Sokka is too interested in valves and pressure gauges to even look your way as he presents his hand for you to pass tools over.

 Sokka’s been tinkering with it for the whole day muttering about ignition failure and burst pipes and blown gaskets, you brought him some food earlier which he basically inhaled and you’ve stayed with him since. You watch as he twists some tool you didn’t care to remember the name of. The muscle of his forearms bulge under the force of his actions, the veins strain under his dewy skin.

  You’ve apparently become deaf under the hypnotising view in front of you because when Sokka calls your name he’s met with only the crackling of the burning fire to answer his call, you do mean to reply but it’s just so easy to fall back into temptation. When the arms that you’ve become very acquainted with start waving wildly in front of you. By the look on his face says it all, you’ve been caught. 

  “Something got your attention, huh?” His smug expression is enough to expel all the good thoughts that you’ve had about him recently. He sits up to flex his muscles while he pulls a very serious face.

  “Nope, just spaced out, sorry” you fight off a smile. Sokka always manages to diffuse what would be an awkward situation by just being himself. 

  “Oh, so you weren’t just staring at me like a hungry polar bear dog looks at a fat seal. 

  “No. Get over yourself, Sokka.” you stand from your position in front of him to busy your hands with straightening out his tools. He hums in amusement. 

  “Hey, you’re hot. I’m very hot so it’s only natural to look.” well, that’s getting put away until you can dissect it further.  

  The fire in the engine hissing out steam is the only sound in the room. You find Sokka still looking your way when you spare a glance his way. His gaze is intense but unfocused deep in thought. 

  “So, I gotta ask. I know me showing up out of the blue was kind of a surprise and all but are you sure you’re okay with this?” he fiddles with the tool in his hand, oil from the engine stains his fingers. 

  “You don’t need an excuse to come see us.” you turn to face him. “Besides who wouldn’t love a vacation with the best inventor in the southern water tribe!” 

  “You know that isn't what I meant.” Sokka says, deadpan.

  You sigh. “I'm fine Sokka. It’s not like Zuko did anything wrong anyway, we were kids and it was a very confusing time for him back then. And it’s not like I didn't know about Mei, if anything it was my fault.” you think back to your time at Zuko’s family home on ember island, it was fun for a time. The Gaang had played on the beach all day and you remember watching a very bad rendition of the group's adventures. You particularly remember laughing at Sokka's character the most. The actor had captured his essence perfectly and also butchered it. 

  You, like everyone else, weren’t happy about your character though, she had been written as a small side character. And sometimes that’s how you felt back then. You didn’t really have a purpose to the group and you’re sure that if it weren’t for the help of Toph teaching you how to earth bend alongside Aang. before her, you felt like a useless stowaway to the group. When Aang and Katara were learning how to water bend and you were stuck twiddling your rocks, well almost as you couldn’t do much more than lift small pebbles. 

  When Zuko joined the team, you didn’t really have much to go on, other than the stories the other told you, how he was obsessive and hell bent on capturing Aang to restore his honour. Besides the scar over his eye, he wasn’t at all how you pictured. His hair was longer than described and he seemed more awkward than anything, you felt kinda sorry for him even though he was evil. He was trying to make up for his past, and he was cute so that helped you warm to him even after he had accidentally hurt Toph. 

  A shrill gasp breaks you from your mini flashback. 

  “So something DID happen on ember island! You guys were so cagey after that night by the fire pit. Did you guys kiss?” he shouts, and his voice echoes in the metal chamber. Sokka’s eyebrows shoot into the atmosphere and he wiggles his fingers in front of his face. You’re sure if he was lying on his stomach his legs would be kicking in the air. 

  “No.” you realise after you say it so quickly how much of a liar you sound like.

  “Oh, you totally did. I'm not sure who I'm more jealous of actually! Is he a good kisser? I'm gonna ask him about this when we get to the palace!”

  “Would you stop, Sokka! Please, it was years ago and I'm pretty sure it ruined our friendship.” you whine into your hands. 

  “That is not true! last time i saw him he was asking about you.” Sokka says as a matter of fact as he climbs back under the engine. His voice becomes muffled. “I think you have more of a problem than him, buddy!”

  “If that’s true then why am I the only one who doesn’t get letters from him. I have to read his letters to Toph out to her, for crying out loud!” The heat of the burning fire is starting to get to you now. 

“Are you aware of how correspondence works? It’s funny because you can not only receive letters but also send them too! Can you imagine that!” Sokka shouts over the sudden grating from something inside the engine. “Not good! Pass me the circle looking thingy!” you hurry to comply. 

  “He obviously doesn’t want to talk to me! Why bother?!” you shout over the deafening grating noise you hate to complain like this but it’s Sokka's fault for bringing it up anyway. 

  “Oh come on! You sound so pissy right now, how about you send him a letter and tell him we’re coming to visit! That’s a start, right?” he asks. The metallic grinding stops all of a sudden. There’s a beat of silence, as silent as an air ship engine can be anyway. He slides himself out from under the engine grinning ear to ear. “Oh yeah! Who’s the best mechanic you know! It’s me isn’t it?”

  “You’re the only mechanic I know, Sokka” what an idiot. 

  “Well yeah” there is a pause in conversation for a while as Sokka stands and starts to clean his dirty tools with a rag. All he seems to be doing though is smearing the dirt around the surface of his tools as the rag is in no better shape. 

  “But seriously, it can’t hurt to try.” he shrugs, moving onto the next glaring problem in the airship. famous last words. 

–

  You do find yourself later that night standing at the dragon hawk posts door tightly clutching a sealed scroll. The hawk that is responsible for carrying such a heavy letter stares you down. She’s probably wondering the same thing as you’ve been staring at her through the doorway not daring to enter. 

  Her head moves slightly to the side as footsteps approach. You can tell it’s Toph, if there was one one the masterbender ever taught you it was how to see without actually seeing. She has a very specific pattern, her bare feet press down to the ground when she walks, digging in to really feel the earth around her. She walks with a sense of purpose even if she doesn’t have anywhere to be.

  “You know she can’t go anywhere unless you give her that letter. Right?” Toph’s deadpan voice carries above the squawking of birds. Her shoulder connects hard to the stone wall as she settles next to you. 

  You had spent too long staring at the blank paper trying to figure out the right words. You knew what to write but there was so much left unsaid and maybe you wanted to let it out. Writing it all down sounds a lot easier than airing it out in person, so why was it so hard to say: 

 ‘Hey Zuko, I know we never talk anymore and it’s probably my fault but anyway I'm coming over with Sokka, another person I used to have a situation with. But down worry we’re here on business. How’s Mei doing? Got any kids yet?’ yeah that would be a bit too random. You’re not stupid, you know that you will have to talk to him occasionally. But what if he doesn’t put you and Sokka up after all you’re practically strangers to each other now. 

  Sokka says that the airship should be in sailing condition by mid day tomorrow and it will take about two days to get there. This bird will fly faster and lighter to the fire kingdom and if you send her now Zuko will have plenty of notice by the time you arrive. 

  “I know. It’s just…” it sounds so stupid to say out loud you’re a grown woman. 

  “You’re afraid if you send that letter Zuko will get mad and kick you out of the palace. Or maybe you’re scared that he actually wants you there and you’re going to have to see Zuko happy with Mei. Or maybe it’s the fact that you need to talk to him and make an effort.” you look at Toph and for once she’s actually being serious. This is starting to feel like an intervention or something. 

  “How did you know?” you ask.

  “How did I, a master earth bender with the ability to sense a person's heartbeat with my feet, know that you’ve had it bad for Zuko since we were kids? And I'm not even going to mention Sokka.” Toph smiles. Of course she loves to gloat with the intention to playfully put down the other person. 

  “Right.” you say with a big sigh. You look back at the bird waiting, ever patient. The scroll is small and fits into the tiny pouch with the Beifong crest resting on the bird's chest. You tuck it in and secure the hood over the tiny bag. She hops onto your out stretched and and you make your way outside. The fire nation is positioned south east of the school so you point the little birdy in that direction to help her off. With a flutter of wings and a small leap of faith she’s off into the night and you watch as she grows smaller. There’s nothing to do now but sit and worry until you get there.

  “What did you write anyway?” Toph asks as she waits behind you. 

  “Wouldn’t you like to know, Blind Bandit.” you tease. 

  The bird is gone from sight now so you turn to Toph. you’re not really in any mood to talk with Toph so you wish her goodnight and turn to your room. 

–

  The day you leave is like a normal day, you go to breakfast and you teach your morning lesson. Sokka knocks on your door when you’re packing nice clothes for the palace. A few of your students come out to the airship to see you off. Toph hangs back, leaning against the School’s wall. She wants to act tough in front of the students. But you know she is going to miss you. You’ll miss her too. 

  If she isn’t going to come to you then you’ll go to her. After you’ve fought off the little ones clinging to your round thighs. 

  “I wont be gone long.” you speak up when you reach the wall.

  “I know.” Toph replies. 

  “I’ll bring you back some fire cakes.”

  “Okay.”

  “Okay.” you turn back to Sokka and the airship but before you can take two steps away Toph attacks. She tackles you to the ground in a bear hug. You grip your arms around her like you're trying to squeeze the bending out of her. The hug is over as quick as it began. Toph lets you go first and uses her bending to lift you both off of your backs. 

  “Don’t die or whatever.” is all she leaves you with before she rounds the students up and leaves for the school's walls.

  “What. Am I not important enough to get a goodbye!” Sokka calls from somewhere behind you.

  “Goodbye Mr. Sokka!” the young benders shout from over the wall. Silence follows.

  Now you’re actually alone with Sokka. He's tinkering with some ropes on the deck. “Alright punchy. Are you ready to go?” he asks, his hand stretches out for you to take. You do and he lugs you onto the ship. It doesn’t take long for him to manipulate the controls and in no time you no longer feel the comforting surface of the earth grounding you. 

– 

  Travelling with Sokka comes easy to you, even with all the years since the 100 year war ended. Sokka is the type of guy you don’t forget so it comes to no surprise to yourself that you remember all his preferences and quirks. He likes to wake up slow in the morning, taking the time to fully wake up before even thinking about doing anything for the day. You remember how he likes his tea.

  There are three bedrooms on Toph’s airship but last night you and Sokka had stayed up so late catching up you both eventually just crashed into a makeshift pile of blankets and you’re surprised to find no bruises decorating your legs like Aang’s tattoos. You’re hopeful to think that this might be a habit that Sokka grew out of. 

  When you woke up, he was still softly snoring, muttering about a turtleduck stealing his left sock in his sleep. Maybe you sat there for a moment huddled in your blankets just appreciating how grown your friend looks now. He’s always been a pretty boy so it’s easy for someone like you to be absorbed into him. When he sleeps you can actually chance to look at him for longer than two seconds without him being smug and teasing you. 

  His eyebrows are relaxed and his mouth hangs open slightly as he breathes softly. He looks like a kid again, not that he looks old anyway but maybe it’s the fact that watching him like this brings you back to your traveling days when he would sleep a little longer than the rest of the group.

  “What did we say about your staring problem, babe?” Sokka’s voice sounds tired and croaky and slow, you want to thank sleep for making your morning ten times better. One of his eyes peaks open and he turns on his back to do a big stretch arching like a cat. You did have a reply on your tongue but you take an extra moment to observe him. Sokka’s blanket slides down his body as his legs stretch out and he has somehow taken his shirt halfway off during the night. Well, you’ve already been caught, no point in trying to hide it. 

  “Say what you want but im starting to like this objectification thingy.”

  “Babe, we’re doing Babe now?”

  “Trying something different.”

  You spend the morning with him like the night before until there is nothing left to say. The conversation lulls to a stop but the silence isn’t painful or awkward. You orbit around each other together but separate, doing tasks like navigating and steering the ship, you read and he’s tinkering with god knows what small device. 

–

  On the second night of your flight, you find yourself alone in the galley stirring a pot full of stew. It’s just about finished. You haven’t seen Sokka in a while, usually when there’s food he sniffs it out like a blood thirsty Shirshu. There’s only a handful of places he could be. You start in the engine room and then the bridge, he isn’t in either. The bedrooms are empty too. 

  The main deck of the airship is tidy, ropes line the rails coming down from the balloon. It’s empty except for necessary equipment and Sokka resting his arms on the railings at the bow.

  He’s looking up at the moon. At Yue. You decide it’s best to leave him alone. Before you even take two steps away, he calls out to you. 

  “Stay.” He doesn't turn around. You’re unsure if you should stay where you are or meet him at the railing. It feels wrong like you’ve interrupted something meaningful and you can’t take it back. You make your way up anyway. 

  Sokka is still, you’ve only ever seen him looking so alone a handful of times. When the princess of the northern water tribe sacrificed herself your group had taken it to heart heavily, especially him. For days sokka was a shell of himself, sitting on the back of Appa, barely moving for days as you travelled to the earth kingdom. He ate but only when prompted and slept but only when his eyes were too heavy to fight his exhaustion. You find yourself climbing the small staircase to the bow. 

  When you look at him now by your side, he looks just as he did back then. A heartbroken boy looking up at his first love, always in sight but never close enough to touch. It breaks your own heart in a different way. You have nothing to say to Sokka that could make him feel any better. You doubt he wants those words anyway. So you stand there next to him and look up to the moon. Princess Yue, as beautiful as ever. 

  “Do you think she’s still in there, aware of how grateful people are of her?” he exhales a shaky breath that sounds like an exhale of laughter, but you know better. He isn’t talking about the people of the northern water tribe and it makes you ache. You turn your head down to the railing where your fingers pick at the splinters of wood. You catch sight of small pools of water, droplets of anguish that collect together and soak into the cracks of the old ship. Sokka’s own hands grip the rail like it’s the only thing keeping him from finding a way up to her. 

  “Do you think she looks down here at night? Does she miss it?” he whispers, you know what he’s really saying. ‘Is Yue looking down at me, like how I look up at her? Does she miss me like I miss her?’ you can’t let yourself speak, it will only hurt you both more than you already are hurting. You want to give in to that jealousy you felt whenever you saw them together. But you know now that it isn’t fair.

  “Sokka… Yue is the moon spirit." That's all you can say. You see Sokka’s face crumble to the side of you and his head hangs. You have to continue. “I think she knows. Whatever you want to say to her, whatever you’ve been feeling all these years when you look up, she knows. And I think she feels the same.”

  “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t fair. Especially to you.” He looks at you for the first time tonight and you’re compelled to do the same. The tears in his eyes continue to break free and run down his face and to the floor like he’s been keeping them prisoner for too long. 

  “We were kids back then, it’s okay.” Is all you say.

  “No it’s not, please. Tell me?” The way he pleads, like he doesn’t want the pain to stop because then his connection to Yue will lessen. There’s a desperation in his voice, all his anger, regret and sadness has crashed in on him and the only way to get through it is to ride through the waves. 

  “Sokka.” your voice is stern. “Look, we’ve already talked about this. And it nearly cost us our friendship.” he shakes his head and the tears stuck in his eyes shake free from him. 

  “I need this, I'm sick of feeling like this kicked puppy. You’re just like me, yeah?” his hand comes up to your chest where your heart beats fast. “You help everyone but yourself. It’s been a while hasn't it?” it’s selfish of him to ask, it’s selfish of you to comply. 

  “Okay, yeah. It isn't fair. It wasn’t fair when you looked at her like you looked at me, and I was cast aside because she was the new and shinier toy! It wasn’t fair that she died and I still felt angry at her. And it really, really wasn’t fair that you wouldn’t even look at me after.” you walk away from him only to turn back and again. You feel itchy now under his gaze and the moon’s glow. 

  “And maybe I didn't handle it well. And I shut you out when you wanted to talk. But fuck you Sokka, for making me feel like i mattered. And what really kicks is even now you look at me like you used to.”   

  “You caught that, did you?” He smiles sheepishly. 

  “Hard to miss, Mr ladies man.” you joke. It was a long time ago and you don’t really blame anyone for anything but you’ve been holding that one in for a long time too. Sokka walks to where you’ve ended up, just in front of the stairs to the main deck. 

  “For what it’s worth I am really sorry” he says.

  “Yeah. I know. I'm sorry too.”

  The two of you stand there, you don’t really know for how long. You stare at Sokka and he stares right back. Something changes in his expression as his eyebrows relax from their pinched position on his forehead, his mouth fills out from being firmly pressed together. His eyes no longer hold sorrow that he’s been carrying with him since fifteen. He looks at you now like you’ve saved him, at least for a little while. 

  You don’t say anything when you feel his bare hand bump into yours. You look down and he doesn’t take it back, instead he slowly brushes his fingers trace from the tips of your own fingers up to the palm of your hand, brushing over the faint lines there. He settles at your wrist after tickling the sensitive skin there only for his hand to trickle down yours. His fingers intertwine with yours. It’s a tentative exchange, he’s giving you time to take your hand back. 

  You don’t.

  When you look back up at Sokka, he’s already doing the same. You’re not sure what’s happening but the way he’s looking at you is enchanting in a way that pulls you in closer and closer until your face is a hair’s width from his own. Until there isn’t any space and his mouth is on yours. It’s a soft kiss, like he isn’t sure he should be kissing you but you don’t push him back. Sokka grows more confident and the hand that isn’t holding your own flies up to your wide hip. You go to him when his hand pulls you in. His body is warm despite the brisk night air. You chalk it down to his southern water tribe roots, being practically immune to the cold. His lips burn into yours as the kiss grows ever desperate, like you’ve both been waiting twelve years and some change for this. And well, although you’ve had lovers and flings in the past, there was always a part of you attached to the past. The what ifs.

  What if you and Sokka had gotten a chance? What if Zuko didn't feel the need to go back to a life that showed him no mercy? Could you have made it work? Which one would you have chosen? Would they have even wanted to be with you?

  There’s a myriad of questions rolling around your head, it slows your kiss. Sokka pulls back, there’s a furrow in his brow again. The moon light reflects in Sokka’s eyes. Would it be so horrible of you both to kiss under the light of a former lover? You met Yue, if only for a brief day or two. She was a selfless princess who gave her life for the survival of her people. So yes, in a way she would be happy to see Sokka being happy you suppose. But then again you don’t know what this is.

  “Should we have done that?” you don’t need to mention her name, he knows what you mean. 

  “I didn’t spend much time with Princess Yue but I know that she wouldn't want to see anyone hurting.” Sokka takes a step back from you, his head slightly turned in the direction of Yue.  “I'm sorry that I kissed you, but I should've done that a loooong time ago. I know you feel the same.” he says as he turns his head back to you. 

  “Dont say sorry.” you plead. 

  “Okay. I don't regret it. But I don't regret Yue either.” Sokka is laying it all out in front of you now, it’s what you’ve been asking for a long time. You smile through the tear welling in your eyes because you can’t think of anything to say or do. Sokka sees this and leads you into a hug. In silence you are both secure in the arms of each other. 

  “You haven’t cracked a joke all night.” you laugh as you break from his warm embrace. 

  “Hey, i can read a room.” he sniffles, his hands coming up to his eyes to wipe off the tears shed.

  “I made stew.” you say. You let sokka follow you into the galley. You eat in silence, letting the post cry calmness wash over you. Sokka is surprisingly quiet too. 

When you yawn out, it breaks that silence. It’s Sokka that leads you through the airship's halls and into one of the bedrooms you had set your bags into. He makes no move to leave you, even going as far to sit on the edge of the bed as you pull the sheets down. When you settle, there's a large space still. He climbs in after you without question.