{~Avatar~} One Shots and Preferences

{Sokka} Promise

Genre: Angst (not really?)

TW: none.

Summary: Sokka is about to leave for Boiling Rock, but he has to say goodbye first.

Notes: my first Avatar one shot!!! Sokka is one of my favorite characters, and I had fun writing for him, so you can definitely be expecting more of him. I've also got a Zuko fic coming up too, so I'm excited for that, though you can expect little drabbles and one shots before that though. Also, I wasn't sure what I wanted to classify this as, as I don't see it as angst, but I guess that's what fits best, so whatever. Enjoy!

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There. Everything he thought he would need was packed up and ready to go. He had the map, some food, and a flask of water, which would be enough to get him through the trip to Boiling Rock. He'd just have to figure it out from there. 

Sokka tied up the sack, throwing it over his shoulder and looking back at the others. Everyone was still asleep, meaning they wouldn't notice him leave. They had been so exhausted lately, he doubted they would wake up hearing Appa, which meant he could slip away completely unnoticed. They wouldn't think anything of it and he'd be back in a day or two with his dad.

Unless something went wrong.

Sokka's confidence faltered for a moment, as his mind drifted to the possibility of nothing working out right. What if he didn't make it back? How would the others feel, thinking he had just gone fishing and then didn't return. How would you feel?

He made his way to the room you were staying in, his eyes falling onto your figure. You were fast asleep in your sleeping bag, breathing softly and probably dreaming, completely and totally unaware that he was about to leave on what he knew would be a dangerous mission. The thought of you waiting for him to come back thinking he would only be gone for a few days only for him to never show up again broke his heart. And when he added in Katara doing the same thing and everyone else as well, it only shattered his heart even more.

Sokka sighed. He couldn't do that to you. You were already so nervous as it was. You had lost your parents in a Fire Nation raid of a small Earth Kingdom city, and when you went through the forest escaping your village, you had lost your brother. When the group had run into you, you were on your own and had a hard time opening up to them. When you finally did, you were always so nervous you were going to lose them, whether it be from their reckless actions, or yours. That's what made him decide he would tell you and only you about his plan, that and the reassurance that if anything went wrong or something unexpected happened while he was away, you could tell the others, and you could all come up with something to help. He knew you would understand his reasons, as you knew the pain of not knowing whether or not someone you loved was okay, and that wouldn't stop him, though you would try so hard to convince him to do it himself. He had to do this. He just had to.

He made his way over to you, kneeling down and shaking you gently. You groaned softly, opening your eyes with a confused expression.

"Sokka? What's going on?"

He shushed you quietly, holding a fingers up to his lips to tell you to be quiet. You blinked, confused and unsure, but obeyed him.

He took a breath, saying your name softly, his tone serious and stern. You immediately looked more concerned, sitting up and giving him a worried, but attentive look.

"I'm going to find my dad," he finally said, his face showing how serious he was. Your brows furrowed, eyes widening.

"What? Sokka, you don't-"

Sokka cut you off.

"Zuko said that he is probably in this Fire Nation prison. It's near here, so I'm going to take Appa and go find my dad."

Your eyes danced around the room as you processed this, your breath becoming slightly heavier. You placed your hand on his, looking back into his eyes.

"Sokka, I love you, but that sounds incredibly dangerous."

He nodded solemnly, grabbing your hand and squeezing it lightly.

"It is... but I have to do it."

Your expression softened, your eyes searching for some sort of clue of what he could possibly be thinking that would make him do this. There were probably dozens of questions racing through your head, and, as if he had been able to read your mind, Sokka began to answer them.

"The Invasion Plan was my plan, and it didn't work out. Because of my mistakes, my dad is in the hands of the Fire Nation, and I don't even know if he's alive. I've got to find him. To make up for what I did."

You wrapped your arms around your stomach, hugging yourself tightly as you processed all of this. Sokka watched you silently; your expression, though solemn and laced with worry, was still unreadable to the boy. He knew this would hurt you. He knew that it would scare you and bring back memories of things you didn't want to remember.

But it would hurt you more if you didn't know and he'd never be able come back to tell you.

You let out a shaky breath, finally looking back up at him. Your eyes were slightly welling up with tears, ones that you wiped with the sleeve of your shirt. You hated that he had to do this, but all the same, he had to go. You knew he didn't stop you when you went looking for your brother after Ba Sing Se, and being able to do that finally gave you closure. How could you rob his chance to find closure for himself?

You smiled, at least as much as you could.

"I... I believe in you Sokka. Please, please stay safe. And remember to use your head."

Sokka smiled, pulling you into his chest for a hug. You wrapped your arms around him, tucking your face into his chest in a tight hold. After a good few seconds of embracing, you pulled back slightly to look up at him again, just as he began to speak again.

"I need you to promise me you won't tell the others. I need to do this on my own, and I don't want them to be worried. I'm only telling you now because I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something bad happened and you spent the rest of your life thinking I went missing on a fishing trip."

That last line made you crack a small smile and chuckle, though you almost immediately turned back to serious and concerned.

"Promise me you'll come back," you whispered, gazing directly into his eyes. His expression softened as he cupped the side of your face.

"I promise."

Sokka then pressed his lips to yours in a short but loving kiss that left you wanting to hold him back, to continue to argue with him about going just to keep him there longer. But you didn't.

And when Sokka pulled away and whispered "goodbye," you didn't try to stop him.

No matter how worried you were, you had faith Sokka could take care of himself.