Zuko/Sokka x Reader - One shots - Requests CLOSED

The promise of a kiss - Sokka x Neutral!Stutter!Reader

As per usual, my apologies for the delay in posting time. This was requested by @Akashi_Nuro. Thank you so much for your request! I hope you all enjoy!

I haven't written much neutral!readers, so please let me know if anything in this can be improved! :) 

[N/N]: NickName

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You had learned to stay quiet during most conversations, only speaking when was necessary and only ever speaking when you were almost sure you wouldn't tumble on the words coming from your mouth. As a child you had been bullied by your peers for the way you spoke and it had impacted the rest of growing up massively.

You stuttered, not always, mostly when you were nervous or under pressure, but you did and people laughed at you for it. So whenever it wasn't necessary, you just kept your mouth shut so people couldn't laugh at you either.

Times changed when you met Sokka, the warrior on his way to fighting in the 100 year war and willing to sacrifice his life for the people of all nations if it meant freedom. You admired the young man, admired his way of making people laugh, of convincing others to be on his side, of figuring out a way if all seemed to go wrong. But most of all you admired his will to fight.

Yes, it was safe to say you had a crush on him, but never in a million years would you act on this. He was too confident, too handsome, too cute, too sweet, too funny and too talkative for you. He needed someone he could banter with like he did with most people, not the silent, stuttering human being that you considered yourself to be.

You tried to avoid him as much as possible, mostly cause you got so nervous around him, you could hardly utter a sentence without stumbling over your words; but as you had watched him attempt to describe his battleplan in front of all the warriors, you couldn't help but feel sorry for him. His father had taken over and it had obviously hurt Sokka's pride. So you sucked up your nerves and went over to comfort him.

'Hey S...S...S-Sokka', you started, walking up to the young man sitting away from the other warriors. You hated how you always, and I mean always, struggled with his name. It was literally the only time the 'S' sound became a problem for you and you just prayed to the spirits he never noticed. 'I t-think you did well earlier.'

'No, I didn't, [Jo]. There's no need to lie to me', Sokka sighed, disappointment clear in his voice as you took a seat next to him.

The nerves in your stomach were swirling around, your hands becoming clammy, 'I'm not l...l-ying. You really did well.'

'Then why did my dad take over, huh? I was a mess, [N/N] and you know it.'

You wished you sounded more convincing when you exclaimed that what he said wasn't true, but your stupid stutter had you struggling and you hated it.

Sokka smiled at you sadly, getting up and offering you a hand, 'I gotta go, [Jo]. Be careful during the battle okay?'

You nodded and he leant forward, making your breath stop for a moment as he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on your cheek. 'Thanks for trying to make me feel better.'

(...)

The battle you all had prepared for hadn't gone to plan. The Firenation had been expecting you and they had stalled. You were overpowered when the crucial minutes had passed. Too many of your friends had been captured, too many young ones were on the run now.

You had been quiet since you joined the others on Appa, leaving behind the older warriors who had been fighting by your side. Your mind drifting away and back to the moment before the battle, very specifically the very moment you spent with Sokka. The way he had gently held your face and the softness of his lips on your cheek, did nothing but make you feel hot heat creep up your neck and over your cheeks.

Said warrior was very quiet on the way back and you weren't the only one who noticed him slipping away quickly after the group had safely landed at the air temple. You were however, the only one to seek him out.

He wasn't as hard to find as you had expected. Sokka had already claimed a room by the looks of it and when you found him, he just laid on the makeshift bed staring up at the ceiling. You didn't want to startle him, so you opted for a soft knock on the already opened door. Hesitating momentarily.

Sokka looked up, turning to face you and with a small motion of his head urged you to come in. You obliged, easily, and took a seat on the edge of the bed.

The two of you spent the next couple of minutes in silence, each absorbed in your own thoughts. Sokka was the first to break the silence, 'it's all my fault, [N/N]. What are they going to do with them?' He sounded exhausted and when you really looked at him you could see the image of a young boy, grown up too fast into a man he had to be. It wasn't a question that needed to be answered, neither of you wanted to think of the cruel things the Firenation could do to your allies, your friends and honestly after all you all had been through together, your one big family.

By instinct your hand reached out for him and before your mind caught up to the action, your fingers found themselves in his and squeezed his hand gently. The muscles in your throat working on their own accord, 'it's not your fault, Sokka. They shouldn't have known we were coming. It was our best chance and it would've worked because we had the most incredible p-p...lan.'

When your eyes finally met his, you could see their light twinkle returning, a soft smile gracing his lips again as you felt his hand engulf yours.

'W-what?', you mumbled, feeling the heat creeping up your face and the burn settling in your cheeks. You tried pulling back your hand from his grasp, but Sokka seemed to only hold on tighter as he made his way up to a seating position.

'Nothing, you're just really amazing. And it was the first time I've heard you speak without that cute little stutter of yours.'

His words did little to lessen the heat you felt, if not only increasing it more. Your heartrate increased and you wondered if maybe he could hear it hammering in your chest. Your mind drifted to your intwined hands and for a split second you worried if he noticed them becoming slightly damp.

When your eyes finally met Sokka's again, all air left your body for a moment. His gaze flickered between your [blue] orbs and your lips. The hand that wasn't connected to yours wrapped around your waist, gently pulling the two of you closer together until all you could feel and think about was Sokka.

'May I?', he whispered, his face mere inches from yours and you could almost feel the softness of his lips on yours. The small nod you gave him was all he needed before finally connecting his lips with yours.

The kiss was magical, mending the broken pieces of the past day. A rare experience in one's life as two people, two hearts finally find one another and connect in a moment. A confession and a promise in itself: to love and cherish, to fight and protect for many years to come.