Chapter Text
The hut was warm when Sokka entered. Something he was grateful for, because after so long out in the cold, Sokka's hands were so rigid he could barely hold the papers he was meant to go over with his father.
Rebuilding the south pole was hard work, and not as rewarding as he had hoped. Sokka had been working on establishing stable trade routes and improving the life of his tribe for a few years now and he was getting frustrated.
It had also been lonely. Katara was travelling with Aang for his responsibilities as the avatar and Toph was spending some time teaching metal bending to children in the earth kingdom and trying to reconcile her relationships with her parents.
Although according to the one letter that Sokka had gotten from her, her mother was still treating her like a little child. Toph had forced a pupil to write the letter and Sokka had been quite confused about a visit Toph had gotten from the 'Fiya lod'.
Sokka took off his coat and his boots and greeted Bato, who lived in the hut with Sokka's father.
“Hakoda said he'd be back by dinner time, Sokka. So just sit down and warm up a bit while you wait.” Bato said.
“Thank you. Have you gotten confirmation that the earth king is content with the agreements or does he want further negotiation?”
“I haven't heard back yet, but I don't have high hopes that he will agree. He seems like the type to capitalise on vulnerabilities of poor people.”
Sokka sighed. He had thought that after the war the world would be magically cured of all evil. Big or small. He had been young then and probably a bit naïve.
Well, he was still young, but maybe a bit less naïve now.
The population of the south pole was small and the question of its survival was still up in the air.
How could his tribe survive if the younger people were leaving for opportunities and their land had nothing to offer economically.
Sokka didn't blame anyone for leaving. He had travelled the world as well and who could blame someone for wanting to live where there's work opportunities and so much more to see than just ice and snow all year.
He put the papers down and sat down in front of the fire. It smelled of sea prunes and Sokka closed his eyes. God, maybe if they finally managed to get the trade routes going he would get to finally eat something that didn't reek of fish again.
Bato looked at him.
“Had a rough day today, huh?”
Sokka closed his eyes. Had it been a rough day? He couldn't tell. It had just been the same as all other days lately. He felt like he had failed his tribe. Like it was his personal inabilities that had led to this. He knew it wasn't true, but that's how he felt.
“Sometimes I don't know what we are doing this for.” Sokka answered.
“The tribe gets smaller and smaller and the people have to leave if they want to get a real job or receive any real kind of education. Any other education than Gran Gran teaching little kids how to put two and two together, really.” Sokka grimaced.
“Hey. Gran Gran also teaches them how to tie up their trousers, so little Kato doesn't lose his while going ice fishing again.” Bato said. Sokka could hear the smile in his voice.
He couldn't help but grin at the mental image. That had been pretty funny.
“Don't get too frustrated, Sokka. I know you're doing your best.”
Sokka was glad that Bato and his father were together now. Bato was reasonable and uplifting, while still remaining realistic. Sokka had always liked him.
“Hm. I just worry about the future.”
“I think we all do.” Bato said slowly. “It feels bizarre to live in a time of peace after only knowing war for so long. I don't know the future of our tribe, Sokka. But I do know that we all still need to heal and that will take a long time. If we live here happily for only a few years more before we are forced to relocate, then so be it, but we can still enjoy our time her now.”
Sokka nodded, mulling it over in his head.
Bato turned to the stove. “Enough of this for today. Did you want to stay for dinner? Or did you agree to go to Gran Gran tonight?”
“I think I'll stay, Gran Gran's been talking about why I haven't got anyone special in my life.” Sokka grinned.
Bato smiled. “Oh, well. Don't blame her. She's getting sentimental.”
“I hope Katara visits soon and brings Aang so Gran Gran can fuss over him. Last time Aang was here she sewed him a coat because she said his was insufficient. And she made him eat sea prunes because she said he was too thin. Aang hates sea prunes and it almost made him puke but he was too polite to say no.”
“Good to know Gran Gran can even force the avatar to do what she wants.”
He looked like he was trying not to laugh.
Sokka leaned in Bato's direction and stage-whispered: “You should have seen his face. I swear it was green.”
Now Bato really laughed and Sokka joined in. It felt good to let some of his worries go, even if it was only temporarily.
Bato let Sokka snack on some sea prunes and some honey. Which, yeah they didn't go together but Sokka was hungry and he liked both things.
While they waited for Hakoda to arrive, Bato and Sokka chatted about the daily life on the south pole. Maybe some people would call it gossiping. But honestly what else was as entertaining in this fairly remote place?
Apparently, the little Kato had gotten into trouble for stealing octopus balls at the market. Well, he wasn't as much stealing them as he was just munching happily away while still standing at the stall and not paying.
Sokka thought it was hilarious and wanted to try eating straight from the display the next time he visited the market.
When Sokka's Dad finally arrived at home he wasn't surprised to see Sokka there. Hakoda hugged his son and ruffled his hair, then he kissed Bato on the cheek and sat down at the table next to Sokka.
“What brings you to my fine hut this evening, Sokka?” Hakoda asked.
“Just wanted to drop off some papers and thought I'd stay for dinner.”
Hakoda smiled.
“We're always glad when you drop by. We still have time to make up that we lost during the war.”
Sokka nodded. When he was being honest, he was glad to spend his evening here. He only had two other options. One was going to Gran Gran and listen to how he should find a nice girl to marry, or how about that former girlfriend with the make up? Why wasn't Sokka with her anymore?
Sokka knew that Gran Gran didn't mean any harm but it was hard to listen to when he felt so isolated at the south pole. And although the break up between Suki and him had been whole-heartedly mutual, it still hurt. Suki still send him letters about her recent adventures and he sometimes wrote back, but if he though about her too much he had the feeling that he had fallen into ice water and his air supply had suddenly been cut off.
The other option was going to his own hut and be alone, which wasn't very promising and lately it had been hard to be alone with his thoughts in the dark.
“I'm always happy to spend time with you too, Dad.”
They talked a bit more about the current events in the world when his Dad suddenly turned to Sokka and said: “I almost forgot, I got a letter from the fire nation today.”
Sokka looked up, puzzled. “The fire nation?”
“It's a letter from the fire lord himself.”
That didn't make any more sense to Sokka.
“You mean it's from Zuko? What is he writing?”
Sokka and Zuko had been quite friendly once, but they hadn't talked in a few months. When they met at official meetings with other high-ranked people, (was Sokka high-ranked in comparison to Zuko? Almost definitely not, Sokka thought) they fell back into their easy banter. But it seemed like neither of them knew how to keep up in letters with each and honestly it wasn't like Zuko was an essential part of his life at any point.
“He said he wanted to visit.”
Sokka almost choked on his water.
“I'm sorry, what? He's coming to the south pole? When and why exactly?”
“In his letter he said it was to keep up diplomatic connections and ensure that our nations are friendly with each other.”
Sokka's was confused as to how Zuko wanted to ensure diplomatic connections with thirty-two people from the southern water tribe. It would make much more sense to visit the north pole with such intentions.
“The letter stated he would be arriving sometime next week, depending on the weather conditions.”
Okay, that was some news that Sokka didn't know how to process. Neither did he know how to prepare for this.
What made Zuko come to the south pole?
Sokka guessed the only way to know was to wait until he arrived and ask him himself.