okay imagine sokka being adamant that izumi was going to be a nonbender based solely off the fact that she's a complete natural at nailing people with her toys, and when everyone pushes back on him he then starts saying she'll be a waterbender, just to be contrary
(naturally, she does end up being a firebender lol)
it's not actually something that bothers him bc it's not like this will stop him from teaching her all his moves, and tbh this just gives him more fodder to tease his little fire-breathing family
but then one day izumi comes up to him with a bowl of soapy water and a small hoop that instantly catches his attention (for better or worse, he's not sure just yet)
"papa, watch!" and with a ridiculously pinched look of determination, she slaps the hoop into the bowl and then blows through it, creating a cascading wave of bubbles that float between them and pop against sokka's arms and clothes
"i'm a waterbender!"
her excited laughter and bright grin as she keeps blowing bubbles is overwhelming, and it fills sokka with so much adoration that he can't help but scoop her up to blow a few raspberries against her cheeks and laugh into her hair. "well aren't you just a little bender of all trades, princess!"
she shrieks, giggling and wiggling in his arms as she tries to get back to her dropped hoop. "no, wait! now your turn! i want you to blow one like a boomerang!"
sure, he's not entirely sure how to create angles in a bubble with only a round hoop, but it's not like sokka's gonna say no to that, and so he happily accepts the soapy hoop and blows into it for his daughter
—
"was this your idea?" he asks zuko later while they watch her valiantly try to make the biggest bubble she can, and zuko just chuckles
"no, she figured out bubbles are made from water on her own. i just provided the soap and helped her practice, since she wanted to impress you"
just then, the giant bubble releases itself from the hoop to wobble in the air for a few seconds—only to immediately pop when a thrown stick spears itself in its direct center to the sound of izumi's delighted cackling, and she doesn't waste a second in picking up the hoop to do it again
and sokka can do nothing but stare and laugh when she succeeds again, and then again, before darting out to drag her in and pepper kisses all over her little face
"yup, you can definitely say i'm very impressed, my little moonbeam!"
