Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sokka blinks his eyes open groggily. Light streams in through the open windows, curtains billowing in the breeze.

Just when he closes his eyes again, a warm presence shifts beside him. “Morning, dear.”

He turns on his side to face Yue, who is looking at him with a grin. Several strands of hair have fallen out of her double braids, spread out wildly over the pillow or sticking to her face, and sleep has gathered in her eyes, but to Sokka, she looks like the most beautiful thing in the world.

He kisses her nose, eliciting a giggle from her. “Morning, love.”

She nuzzles her face against his neck. “You’re so warm.”

Sokka laughs, a warm and hearty rumble. “We have to get up soon.”

“Hmm, I know,” she says, voice muffled. “But I don’t wanna.”

He considers for a moment, then hums. “Okay, then we won’t. Not yet. We can spare a few minutes.”

Yue pulls back to teasingly raise an eyebrow at him. “Is that so, minister of plans? Is there space for a few minutes of cuddling in your schedule?”

He pretends to check his watch. “According to my”—he whistles—“calculations, we should have an eleven-and-a-half minute gap—eleven twenty-five now. Twenty-four. Twenty-three. Twenty–”

Yue pulls a pillow over his face to shut him up. She raises her voice over his protests with a grin. “Then we should make the most of our eleven minutes and fifteen seconds, shouldn’t we?”

When he throws the pillow back at her—no real muscle behind it, more for continuing the bit than anything—she just catches it and props it up against the headboard. Then she wraps her arms around his torso and lays her head on this shoulder. He pulls her close against his chest, tight but gentle, and tangles their legs together. He closes his eyes, content. They have a few minutes to spare, indeed.

When they really do have to get up, Sokka helps Yue out of bed. They sneak in a few chaste kisses while they change, but before they get too carried away, Sokka’s stomach rumbles, and, laughing, Yue pulls him to the kitchen.

There, Sokka quickly takes the space behind the counter, leaving Yue to sit down on the barstool on the other side. “Good morning, mademoiselle,” he says with a terrible accent that’s probably supposed to be French? (Yue isn’t quite sure.) “What would you like for breakfast on this fine morning?”

“Good morning, monsieur,” she replies with the poshest accent she can manage, barely containing a grin at his antics. “A fine day, indeed. What are the options for the aforementioned meal?”

Sokka winks, then taps his foot. “Anything you could wish for, madame.” He opens the fridge and pulls a face. “Well, within reason.”

Yue giggles. “Do you have enough ingredients for waffles or pancakes?” she asks, dropping the accent. “I feel like something sweet.”

Sokka opens the fridge again and curses. He turns to Yue with an apologetic look. “No eggs.” Then he lights up, jabbing a finger in the air with what Suki always calls his Idea Face. “But I can make frybread!”

Yue covers her mouth in over the top pretend-shock. “Frybread? For breakfast?” She clasps her hand over her heart. “How scandalous.”

Sokka props his elbow up on the counter. “Don’t you know I’m a rebel?” He takes his fingers through his hair, brushing it back with a smug look like some kind of bad boy in a terrible movie.

“Sure thing, Sokka ‘Hundred Percent Average’ Qairvak.”

Sokka throws her a scandalised look, grasping his heart. “I’m hurt.”

“Yeah yeah, sure.” Yue rolls her eyes, but her fond smile betrays her. “Go bake that frybread then, rebel boy.”

Sokka huffs, to which she blows him a kiss. Breakfast goes as it usually does; Yue stands up, only for Sokka to shoo her away with a, “Nope, not today, ma’am! I’m cooking today.”

To which she takes a page out of Suki’s book and elbows him (softly!) in the ribs. “I wasn’t gonna try help, you idiot. I know all your weird hang-ups about perfect measurements and baking times. I was just gonna grab something to drink.” But for good measure, she kisses his cheek as she slips past him to grab some orange juice from the fridge.

Sokka has just stuffed his last piece of bread into his mouth when the doorbell rings. He hurries towards the hall, and the moment he opens the door, a twelve-year-old launches himself into the air and flings his arms around Sokka’s neck. “Angak Sokka!”

“Whoa, kid!” Sokka spins around in order not to fall over from the sudden increase in momentum. He’s glad he was standing in the middle of the hall—otherwise, several framed pictures hanging on the wall would have met their untimely ends.

When Bumi sees Yue enter the hallway, he drops down from Sokka’s neck at the speed of light and runs towards her instead. “Acuraq Yue!”

“Whoa, careful!”

Bumi manages to slow down a little—which is no easy feat—and hits Yue at medium speed. “Sorry, Acuraq.”

Yue smiles as she pats his head. “Don’t worry, Kuluk.”

Aang pokes his head around the doorway with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, he took off as soon as we stepped out of the car.”

Sokka claps Aang on the shoulder, then whistles. “No worries, man.” He smiles. “Good to see you.”

“Good to–”

They are interrupted by Katara, who has, apparently, arrived too. She leans on Aang’s shoulder. “Are you hogging all my brother’s attention?”

Aang grins. “I wouldn’t dare.” He kisses Katara on the cheek. “Well, I’d better make sure Bumi isn’t plundering your kitchen.”

“Tell him there’s still some leftover frybread if he wants!” Sokka calls after him as he walks out of the hall. He and Katara share a quick hug, immediately joined by an enthusiastic Kya.

“Hi, Angak!” She grins, then opens her mouth widely, pointing at a missing molar. “Look! It fell out last week! Mom says I’m really early to change them.”

“Wow,” Sokka says. “At nine? That must mean you’re growing real quick!”

“I know! I think I’m gonna surpass Bumi soon.” She makes a megaphone with her hands and calls, “You’d better watch out, Bumi Boy! I’m gonna be your big sister!”

Tenzin, who has apparently been hiding behind Katara, pipes up, “That’s not how age works—” but Kya has already taken off towards the kitchen.

“Hey, Tenzin!” Sokka says. He crouches down to give him a fistbump. “How are you, buddy?”

Tenzin quietly returns the fistbump, nodding.

“Not a man of many words today?” Sokka knocks his fist against his chest, nodding. “I can respect that.” He turns to Katara again. “Do you want coffee? There’s still some breakfast leftover too, so.”

Katara shakes her head. “No thanks, we should really be going.”

Sokka nods. “What were you gonna do again?”

Katara shrugs. “According to Aang, it’s a surprise. No clue what he’s planning, but we could take a tour through the city’s sewers and I’d still have fun because I’m with him, so.”

Sokka pulls a face. He stage-whispers to Tenzin, “Look how oogie your Aana is!”

Katara swats him. “What are you, twelve?” She raises an eyebrow. “And besides, you’re one to talk. You and Yue have been in your honeymoon phase since high school.”

“Says Mrs Middle School Sweethearts.”

Katara rolls her eyes, but doesn’t reply. It’s no use arguing with him. Aang, who is apparently done in the kitchen, walks up beside her and slings his arms around her shoulders. “Ready to go, sweetie?”

“What did I just say?” Sokka whispers to Tenzin, making him giggle.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Katara says. She turns to Sokka. “Tell Yue I’m sorry for making her keep four children in check.”

“Rude!”

Katara gives him a blank look.

Aang smiles. “Anyway, thank you again for looking after the kids.”

“No problem,” Sokka replies, returning the smile. He looks up when he feels a hand on his shoulder. Yue has returned with Kya and Bumi in tow.

“Let’s say bye to your Aana and A-pha,” she says to the kids. There’s a chorus of byes in varying degrees of excitement and reluctance. Kya and Tenzin give their parents a hug, but Bumi just keeps standing next to Yue with his arms crossed. She raises an eyebrow. “Have you suddenly become too cool for hugs?”

Bumi tries to keep a stony face, but eventually breaks. “Oh-kay,” he sighs, and grudgingly joins his siblings, making the adults stifle a laugh.

“Alright,” Katara says when Sokka opens the door. She gives the kids one last look. “Please behave. Bye!”

“Don’t forget to have fun!” Aang calls over his shoulder with a wave.

“You too!” Sokka replies, then closes the door behind them. “Now,” he says, turning to the kids. “Who wants a second breakfast?”

It’s a fairly short drive. They let the kids choose the music in turns. Every song has at least one of the other kids groaning in annoyance, because Why is the only music you like so boring, Tenzin, or Girly music is bad Kya, that’s just a fact (Sokka gives Bumi a stern talking-to after that comment), or This hurts my ears and head, Bumi. Despite several music-induced arguments, they manage to make it out of the car in a good mood. When Bumi immediately takes off as soon as they’ve stepped out of the car, both Kya and Tenzin scold him. He retaliates by sticking out his tongue.

When Yue has settled into her wheelchair, they set off towards the fair together. Despite having been to fairs before, none of the kids can contain their excitement. Kya lists everything she wants to do when they’re there—petting all the animals and winning the cookie contest and Oh Acuraq Yue, I’m so excited—while Bumi tries to convince a happily hand-flapping Tenzin to race him to the entrance.

“Hey, if Tenzin doesn’t want to do something, you should respect that.”

“I know, Angak. But Tenzy, it’ll be fun–”

At Yue’s stifled giggle, Sokka leans down to lay his head on her shoulder. “What are you laughing at?” he asks, channelling his inner strict-high-school-teacher-with-an-unruly-class energy. “The kids not listening to me? Undermining my authority is a serious matter, don’t you know, and–”

“It had nothing to do with you actually,” Yue interrupts, and Sokka can practically hear the eyebrow raise in her voice. “Egocentric much? Though, now you say it, it is pretty funny. Especially because they do listen to me.”

Now it’s Sokka’s turn to raise an eyebrow. “Oh? Do you have any proof to back up that claim?”

“Sure. Watch this.” Yue raises her voice. “Hey, Bumi, please leave your brother alone. If he doesn’t want to race you, he doesn’t have to.”

Bumi doesn’t seem happy about it, but acquiesces. “Yes, Acuraq.”

Sokka makes a soft, scandalised sound. “How–”

Yue grins at him. “Asked Zuko for parenting tips. Apparently, you need to be direct and say exactly what you want the kids to do. Also, it helps to be the cool aunt.”

Sokka gasps in pretend hurt. “What do you mean the kids don’t think I’m cool?”

“Your words, not mine.”

Sokka taps his foot twice. “Also, I’m pretty sure Suki is the cool aunt. You’re the nice aunt.”

Yue shrugs. “Fair enough.”

When they arrive at the entrance, they’re hit by the smell of fried, sugary, and deeply unhealthy food. It doesn’t matter that they just ate at home: Yue’s mouth waters at the thought of what tasty things lie beyond that gate, and from the looks of it, she isn’t the only one. Bumi stands on his tiptoes trying to take a peek at the stalls, and Kya is trying to convince Tenzin to sit on her shoulders so they can do the same. Sokka and Yue share a smile at the sight.

The kids will have to wait, though; Yue and Sokka have just a little too much experience with having to throw away half the food they bought because the kids overestimated how hungry they were.

When they get through the gate, Sokka turns to the kids and puts his hands on his hips. “So. What do you guys want to do first?”

“The cookie competition!”

“Petting animals!”

“The carnival rides!”

Yue hums. “Who wants to go to pet the animals?” All three raise their hands. “And how about the carnival?” Tenzin drops his hand.

“Okay, how about we deliver the cookies first?” Sokka asks. He snaps his fingers. “Then we can go to the animals, and after that we can split up. How’s that sound?”

All three kids nod, so Sokka takes the map out of his pocket and searches for the location of the cookie competition booth. “Alright, that way.”

The kids follow, looking around at the booths lining the path in wonder. The fair is an explosion of colour, and Sokka and Yue have to keep a careful eye on the children so as to not lose them in the crowd. “Whoa! Look at those!” Bumi points at a cabbage exhibition, all at least twice the size of his head.

“You know,” Sokka says, “cabbages are the reason why your A-pha got banned from the market in town. Like, they’d actually send him away if they spotted him.”

“Wait, what?!”

Sokka launches into a tale involving farmer’s markets, kids playing tag, and furious cabbage merchants, and when he’s done, they’ve arrived at the cookie booth. Kya gingerly, almost reverently, takes a plate of cookies out of her backpack and places it on the counter. Sokka answers the boys’ questions as Yue helps her fill out the form.

“How do you know you’re gonna win?” Sokka asks Kya as they walk towards the petting zoo.

“Because they’re A-pha’s cookies,” she replies with a shrug. “His cookies are the best.” She tilts her head. “Also, I decorated them, and Miss Johnson said I could draw very well, so.”

Sokka nods with an impressed look. “Fair enough.”

The kids spend half an hour petting and naming the bunnies. When they’re done Bumi insists on cuddling the baby goats too. The children sit down on a bench, Tenzin still holding a rabbit in his arms, and Bumi gets handed a brown goat by the old farmer who owns the petting zoo.

(“What are baby goats called, anyway?” Yue asks Sokka.

“Kids, I think.”

“Pffff.”

“I’m serious!”)

Bumi’s goat is a bit unruly, though, and kicks him in the stomach. Not enough to truly hurt, but still enough to make him yelp. Tenzin looks up from his rabbit and promptly holds it out to Kya. “Can you hold him?” Then he slides closer to Bumi and gingerly moves his arms, guiding them into a better position. “You’re holding him too loosely,” he murmurs. There’s a gentleness in his voice and movements that makes Sokka and Yue give each other endeared looks. “He’s scared he’s gonna fall. Here, hold him like this.” And sure enough, the goat seems more at ease. The kids stay like that for a little while, Tenzin and Bumi petting the goat and Kya holding Tenzin’s bunny.

When the kids eventually get bored, they discuss how they’re going to split up. Sokka ends up taking Kya and Bumi to the carnival, while Yue and Tenzin browse the stalls.

“Do you want me to push you, Acuraq?” Tenzin asks when they’ve said goodbye to the others.

“Oh no, don’t worry, Kuluk,” Yue says with a smile. “But it’s very kind of you to ask.”

They walk slowly. The others are gonna be at the carnival for a while, after all, so there’s no need to hurry. Tenzin looks at the stalls with medium interest, until they come across a booth of what appears to be handmade children’s toys. He jumps up and down as he points at it. “Acuraq Yue, can I pleaseee look at that one?”

She smiles at his excitement. “Of course!”

He runs towards the booth, and when she gets there too, he’s already inspecting the wares. What Yue had thought to be toys turn out to be animal figurines in all shapes, sizes and colours. “Look!” Tenzin says. He holds up a wooden figurine in the shape of…a fish?

“Oh, what’s that?”

“A rainbow trout! Did you know they have smaller teeth than other trouts? It’s because they eat more insects than fish, so they don’t need them as much. They do have vomerine teeth like other trouts, though, which grow on the roof of their mouth!”

Yue shakes her head. “No, I didn’t know that,” she says. Then she smiles. “You know, that’s really smart of you. Do you know a lot about fish?” She picks up a blue figurine that looks like a worm, though it’s carved with admittable craftsmanship. “What about this one?”

Tenzin beams.

He goes through all the fish figurines and tells Yue facts about them, or makes her guess what species they are. Yue, who, admittedly, doesn’t know a whole lot about marine life in general—never mind specific details about obscure species—only guesses the anglerfish, whale, shark and salmon (though that last one was more of a lucky guess than anything). When she catches Tenzin staring longingly at the blue worm figurine (apparently a siphonophore, though how a six-year-old can know that word, let alone pronounce it, is beyond her), she looks at the price tag of the toy in front of her, then leans down to get to Tenzin’s height. “You know what? I’ll buy you one, but you need to choose one for Kya and for Bumi too. How does that sound?”

Tenzin nods excitedly. He ends up choosing the worm thingy for himself, the anglerfish for Bumi, and the manta ray for Kya. He has a swing in his step when they’re walking along the booths again. They also end up buying a pair of dark blue beaded earrings for Sokka. (Yue eyes another pair for herself, but manages to resist the urge to buy them. Let it never be said she has no self-control.) When they finally get tired, Yue and Tenzin take a break on a bench. “So,” Yue says, turning to her nephew with a mischievous smile. “Are you hungry yet?”

On the other side of the fair, Sokka is sitting on a bench with Bumi and Kya. They’re sharing an extra large portion of fries, though Bumi is talking more than actually eating. While Kya sighs and rolls her eyes like her brother infodumps about aviation history every single day, Sokka doesn’t know much about it and is happy to ask questions every once in a while, which Bumi answers with the excitement of a kid’s first time visiting a candy store.

They’ve been on just about every ride the carnival owns, and while Sokka enjoys them too, he’s been feeling sick since fast-spinning cart number twenty-seven. The kids are having fun, though, and that’s what matters.

“Alright,” Sokka says when they’re done eating. He taps his foot. “Are we done here, or do you want to go on more rides?”

“The teacups!”

“The pirate ship!”

“And the bumper cars!”

Sokka raises an eyebrow. “Haven’t you been on those already?”

Kya and Bumi put on their best puppy-dog eyes. “Pleaseee?”

Sokka laughs. “Alright then,” he says as he gets up. “But you’ll have to go alone this time. I don’t think my knee can handle another cramped cart or bench.”

After the teacups, pirate ship, and bumper cars, the kids have finally had enough. But before they meet back up with Yue and Tenzin, Sokka gets distracted by a booth displaying—admittedly very shiny—wares, and before he knows it, he’s asking the vendor if she can wrap the thing he’s just bought up as a present. He texts Yue and quickly gets a reply. “Yue and Tenzin are this way,” he tells Kya and Bumi, and motions for them to follow him.

They find Yue and Tenzin sitting in the shade of an enormous evergreen tree. “Hi, babe,” Sokka greets Yue, and kisses her cheek. He pretends not to notice the kids pretending to vomit behind him.

“Hi guys.” Yue smiles. “Are you kids hungry? I could go for some food.”

Kya and Bumi turn beetroot red. “Uh, no thank you, Acuraq,” Kya says, not meeting her eyes.

Yue looks surprised. “Really? But it’s been hours since breakfast.”

Bumi has discovered a sudden interest in the pine needles on the ground. “We, uh, ate a lot of frybread at yours.”

Sokka shrugs. “Alright then.” He turns to his youngest nephew. “Would you like something, Tenzin?”

Tenzin turns equally red as his siblings and stammers a no thanks.

“Well, more for us, then.” Sokka offers Yue his arm. “Shall we, milady?”

“Certainly, milord.”

They both have to fight back a laugh as their eyes meet. They had planned to buy the kids one item of food while they were split up but tell them not to tell their aunt/uncle and siblings. They may be in their thirties now, but they still have the same desire for pranks as they had in their youth—though, that was usually Sokka roping Yue into (harmless!) mischief, while this time, it was Yue’s idea.

Back at the food stalls, Sokka and Yue get deep-fried halibut to share, and the children want something to drink, so they buy them terribly overpriced sodas. They are tasty, though, Sokka finds out as he steals a sip of Bumi’s, much to the latter’s dismay. As he and Yue eat, he sees the kids whispering back and forth as if they’re spies, sneaking a glance at Yue and Sokka every so often. When he asks what it is they’re whispering about, they sheepishly confess they want to go on the ferris wheel.

Sokka looks at Yue, who shrugs. “Why not?”

And so they trek back to the carnival grounds. When they get into the car (the kids insist on having their own) dusk is settling over the area. Sokka and Yue hold each other as they’re lifted up, looking out over the fairgrounds as the stalls become nothing more than pinpricks of light flickering far below. When Sokka turns his head to look at Yue, she’s looking down with a soft smile. She looks ethereal. Illuminated by the moon and surrounded by stars, though at this moment, she shines the brightest of all.

Oh, before he forgets.

“I have something for you,” he says as he pulls out the package from his bag. He whistles. “Just a little present, nothing much.”

Yue smiles. “Well, coincidence has it that I have something for you too.” She grabs something from her bag too.

“Open it at the same time?”

“Sure.” They give each other the presents. The package is gift-wrapped in slightly familiar blue paper, and feels light in his hand. He hears the gentle tearing of paper, and then Yue is laughing. He looks up in alarm. “Are you okay? Is something wrong with the present? I can give it back if–”

“Just open your present,” Yue shushes him. She’s grinning.

Apprehensively, Sokka peels off the sticker stuck over the edge of the paper, and folds the package open. Inside are circular earrings, beaded with a pattern in alternating shades of blue. When he looks up at Yue, she’s already wearing the present he bought for her: also earrings, completely the same except for the colour.

They both burst into laughter.

“Oh, the others are gonna love this,” he manages when they’ve calmed down somewhat. “Suki’s already saying I’ll pull up to a social event one day wearing the exact same outfit as one of you by accident.”

Yue gives him a mischievous grin. “I think I heard her and Zuko placing bets on who it’ll be.”

“Oh, bastards!” he exclaims, but he’s laughing again, and Yue joins him.

When they’ve calmed down again, the ride is almost over already. Soon, they will have to get off the wheel and wait for the kids. They’ll be tired, so they’ll all get back to the car and eat at a roadside fast food joint halfway through the journey because the kids got hungry.

“Do you think the kids planned this?” Sokka asks. “Getting us on the ferris wheel alone?”

“With the way they were whispering?” Yue raises an eyebrow. “Oh, definitely.”

Sokka shakes his head with a chuckle. “Kids these days.”

He doesn’t need to look at Yue to imagine the look she’s giving him. “As if you weren’t at least three times worse.”

“Were?” He gives her an affronted look. “I’ll have you know my mischief skills are still intact, thank you very much.”

Yue doesn’t reply. She just lays her head on his shoulder and lets out a hum. It’s quiet for a moment, before she whispers, “I love you.” Her smile is audible in her voice.

Sokka leans his head against hers. They’ve said it both a thousand times before, but that doesn’t make it any less true. They’ll have to get out of the car in a few minutes, but not yet. For now, they’re wrapped safely in this bubble, this little pocket of time. Happy and together. “I love you too,” he says.