The Burial of My Former Self

Prologue: Suki

The attempts on Zuko's life had gone from bad to worse in a relatively short amount of time. Where before it was mostly letters filled with graphic depictions of malintent or random attacks in crowds quickly dealt with by the Kiyoshi Warriors, the most recent attempt was much more sinister.

So sinister and well planned that, it had incited an uproot of Sokka's life in Republic City, persuading him to finally relocate to the Fire Nation capitol. The passive game of tug-of-war he and Suki had been playing for the past couple of years coming to an end. He knew that they needed a strategic plan to take out the terrorists. And being one of his many strong suits, Sokka intended to see that plan through. 

The move wasn't exactly welcomed.

Suki, who was most often a mild tempered and humble woman, took this as a recognition of her incompetence as the firelord's guard. For some reason, unbeknownst to Sokka, Suki was filled with resentment towards him.

There were plenty of reasons for him to move before. Their relationship could use some mending that distance would only hinder on. Years of this ultimatum weighed on both their hearts, and now he chose to move? Now he chose to give up this fight?

He thinks I can't handle myself.   Suki's mind was plagued with misplaced insecurity. She handed off her self doubt to her lover's shoulders. Letting his decision to move be an obvious  expression of her failure. She had finally won the battle of who was to give up their whole lives for the other, the battle of sacrifice.

She just wasn't ready to see it as that.

Deep down of course she knew that he only wanted to protect his loved ones, especially her, prevent another war from sprouting up from the treasonous seeds, and he probably wanted in on the action too. After all, his job in Republic City was mostly bureaucracy dabbling with various benign nuisances that accompany any developing city. 

So, he moved and resentment nestled itself between half unpacked boxes, and disorganized necessities.

.............

It had been about 2 weeks of living together until Sokka finally had enough. The awkward bouts of silence were deafening. Their routine, more like roommates than that of a couple who had recently taken the plunge of moving in with one another was infuriating. Not to mention the total lack of any physical touch since he had arrived. Even a brush of their finger tips led Suki to snap her hand away. He hadn't even slept in their room, ultimately he decided that the couch was much warmer than whatever cold shoulder was radiating from his girlfriend.

Suki walked into the apartment. It was on palace grounds, provided by Zuko of course, hidden slightly beside the royal garden.

She noticed but didn't acknowledge the fully prepared 3 course meal sitting on their dining room table. Complete with candles, table settings, and napkins folded up to resemble  fire lilies. A whole days work most likely. Dessert was on the counter, it was her favorite.

A beautiful strawberry cake, painted with pink cream cheese frosting, bright red strawberries sitting atop the 3rd tier.

Did he make that?

She rounded the corner and headed towards the bathroom, ready to wash away the day. It had been long and frustrating and definitely her least favorite part of the job. Paperwork.

Sokka leaned up against the counter taking in his work. Years of living alone had forced him to hone in his cooking skills. And he enjoyed it, to be fair. He liked reading cookbooks and learning different recipe's. Baking was a new skill he was trying out and he had to hand it to himself, that cake looks damn good.

With a warm cup of tea in hand Sokka waited. He looked at his new home. Took it all in as he prepared himself for the inevitable fight that was coming.

The front doorway led straight into a large living area, floor to ceiling wooden shelves lined the adjacent walls, in-between them rested a fireplace. Cozy, he thought.

The dining room was really just an extension of the living room, which backed up to the kitchen. From where he was standing he could see all of it. The entrance to his right. The hallway Suki had just disappeared into directly in front of him. And the back door to his left. Opening to their own private patio, fixed with lanterns and a fire pit for late summer nights.

He waited. For what seemed like forever.

Looking back now, he wished he could go back to that exact moment.

The moment where Suki, fresh out of the shower, hair damp against her bare shoulders, wrapped tightly in a crimson towel embroidered with the fire nation emblem, cheeks flushed from the steam of the bathroom.

She was beautiful in every respect of the word. And he was swooning. Before he knew what he was doing, his legs were moving. Tea haphazardly slammed into the counter. A perplexed look from the warrior in front of him growing closer by the second. He put his hands up, fingers combing through Suki's hair, palms resting on her cheeks, thumbs tracing, examining, memorizing the way she feels in that very moment. His eyes search hers, tears welling up in both pairs.

The long awaited reconciliation was well worth it.

AN: Hi!! Thanks for reading! Please comment and let me know if I should keep working on this lol it would be much appreciated 🧡

Art credit goes to Kaiyrah on DeviantArt

*I do not own these characters. All rights go to Avatar: The Last Airbender creators*