The Secret Avatar

Chapter Sixteen

Trigger warning
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Sokka sat down on the porch and looked up at the night sky. He turned around when he heard the door open and saw Zuko walking up to him. He sat down next to him and looked at the sky with him.

"You feeling okay?" Zuko asked

"Yeah. Why?" Sokka replied

"You just... seem a little different."

Sokka looked down as a big dog bounded over to the two. He recognized him from one of Aang's pictures. Appa, he thinks his name was.

Appa sniffed Sokka's hand and licked it when he smelled Aang's scent on it. Sokka smiled and petted the dog.

"Toph and I... had sex... earlier tonight..." Sokka said

Zuko looked surprised, "Really? I didn't know you liked her."

"Yeah... I liked both her and Suki at the same time... but I was already dating Suki." Sokka explained as Appa brought him a stick.

"Wow. I didn't know you would move on that fast... Suki left this morning." Zuko said as Sokka took the stick and threw it.

"I didn't either... but I think Suki wanted me to move on with Toph." Sokka replied, "Toph said that Suki told her to help me move on..."

"Wow..."

Sokka was now playing a game of fetch with Appa as he was deep in thought, "I told her I loved her."

"When?"

"While we were having sex. She told me she loved me back... maybe it was just a moment thing though..."

It was silent for a little bit before Zuko spoke up, "You should talk to her."

"I don't know..."

"Trust me. It'll tear you both apart."

"Are you... speaking from experience?"

Zuko sighed, "I've loved Mai since we were kids. But I didn't think she loved me back. She's not one to show emotion." He said the last sentence with a chuckle, "To try and get over her... I... started dating this girl named Jin in middle school. I didn't love her like I love Mai."

"Where are you going with this?"

Zuko was silent for a second before speaking, "Because we didn't talk about our feelings for each other, and because I started dating Jin, Mai got really depressed. I noticed she was showing less and less emotion. I was getting worried about her.
One day, I decided I was going to try and cheer her up. I showed up at her house with her favorite movie and snacks. I called for her and she didn't answer. So I went to her room, but she wasn't there.
I noticed the bathroom door was closed. I opened it and saw her about to stab herself. I grabbed the knife and started yelling at her. I was so scared because the one good thing in my life at that time was going to be taken away. She started crying and told me her feelings for me. I was in shock, but told her how I felt.
We had sex for the first time after that, but we didn't get together. She wanted to get better. So I broke up with Jin and she got better. We started actually dating the year we met you."

Sokka looked at Zuko in surprise, "Wow... I didn't know how much you both went through... you guys seem so happy together. Even Mai who doesn't express her emotion."

Zuko smiled, "She might not express emotion around other people... but when it's just me and her, she expresses all her emotions. She laughs, she smiles. She's just perfect." His smile got wider as he talked about his girlfriend, "The day she almost killed herself was the first time I've seen her truly express herself. Both while she was crying and while we had our first time."

Sokka wiped away tears that were forming in his eyes, "You really love her... don't you?"

"I wouldn't be able to live without her..."

Sokka smiled, "I think I'm going to talk to Toph." He said, "I really, truly love her. She makes me feel things. Like... I feel like... I would do anything for her. I feel like..."

"You can't live with out her?"

Sokka nodded, "Exactly."

Zuko placed a hand on his friends shoulder and smiled, "Think it's safe to go in?"

"I'd rather wait until someone comes and gets us." Sokka replied, "I don't know how many rounds they plan on doing."

Zuko laughed along with Sokka.