Chapter Text
Sokka really hated his soulmate. Even before he knew his soulmate was Fire Nation. Sokka hated his soulmate because of all the pain they caused him. Almost everyday he'd feel a phantom burn on his body.
The first time it happened, Sokka was eating dinner with his family. Suddenly, with no warning, the skin on his shoulder felt hot. For a six-year-old who'd never been burned it was the most painful thing he'd ever felt.
That was the day he was sat down and told he was only half of a soul. A scary concept for Sokka at that age.
"You can feel your other half's pain. You share a soul and are connected through the spirits." Gran-Gran explained.
At first Sokka was worried for his soulmate. Then he was getting burned every other day. Then everyday. Then more and more. And Sokka hated the pain.
"I wish my soulmate would just die!" Sokka screamed as another burn pressed against his stomach. The third one that day.
"Sokka," his mother said pulling him into a hug, "it's not your soulmates fault."
But it was! If they'd stop being burnt Sokka would too! Why were they always hurting? Why burns?
That's when Sokka figured they must be captured by the Fire Nation. Sokka had to help! He imagined a princess held in a scary tower guarded by evil firebenders. He saw himself rush into to help, knocking the fire nation out of the way.
His rescue plan came to a stop when a new type of burn heated up his wrist. This burn wasn't hurting him, it was soft. Gentle. Like a warm kiss.
So he pulled up the sleeve of his parka and saw a strange new tattoo forming. This scared him. He was 9! He couldn't have a tattoo!
When he showed his parents, trying to explain that he didn't want it and he hadn't asked for it, they got really quiet.
"Mama? What's wrong? I'm sorry! It... It just showed up! I-I don't know how!" He said quickly when his mother looked away. His father set his jaw and walked out.
Again, he was told about soulmates. This time soulmarks where included into the talk.
Sokka hated his soulmate. Besides the pain, the two swords crossed on his wrist had Fire Nation handles.
From then on he ignored the pain and never brought it back up. Never showed his wrist. And hated all things Fire Nation.
______
Zuko really liked his soulmate. His soulmate never got themselves hurt. And Zuko couldn't really bear much more hurt.
He knew everytime he messed up his soulmate felt it, and he hated that he was causing them pain.
He tried to tell his father this. It only caused more pain. He never brought it up again. He didn't want his soulmate to hate him before they even met!
The only person who was happy for him was his mother. He was able to talk to her about it. He'd come up with stories of meeting them and how they'd look. She'd just sit and listen, telling him that it probably wouldn't be so extreme.
The first time he tried to fantasize his soulmate was the day after it was explained to him. The was sitting with his head in his mothers lap, talking fast like seven-year-olds do. "-then I'd save him from the-"
"Him?” His mother asked interrupting Zuko. "Not her?"
"Noooo girls are mean and gross!" Zuko explained. Because they were. Girls were really gross and mean, girls were like Azula.
"Well. When you grow up your feeling about girls might change, so don't just think your soulmate his a boy. They could be a very pretty girl too." His mother said. Zuko missed the panic in her eyes.
"Eww. No thanks."
"Zuko. Listen to me. Don't tell anyone else you want your soulmate to be a boy." She was squeezing his arms, looking him in his eyes.
"Fine. Mother, your hurting my arms."
"Sorry. Just wanted to make sure you knew." She let him continue talking, listen more closely. Seeing if there was anything else that would hurt him.
Later that day, while practicing his bending moves he was letting his mind wonder. He went back to what his mother said. Why? What was wrong with his soulmate being a boy?
He slipped and messed up. His punishment was watching an execution. His mother made sure he wasn't burned that much.
That's when he learned why.
There were two women. Accused to loving each other. They burned. Zuko felt sick. Why was this love bad? Why did they die?
He asked his cousin and was told to be quiet. He was told that it was because people didn't understand it. He was told to never let his father know he thought it was stupid.
That's why he was so afraid when a blue boomerang showed up on his wrist. Girls didn't use boomerangs.
That night he hurt a lot. He sent a silent prayer to the spirits to spare his soulmate this pain. Zuko liked his soulmate and didn't want him to hate him before Zuko had even met him.