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Sokka felt like nobody appreciated his sense of humor.
Every time he tried to tell one of his hysterical and witty jokes, either Katara told him to zip it, or Toph threatened to bury him alive. Aang was too polite to ever voice his distaste, but Sokka swore he could hear Aang heave a sigh when he threw a punchline at them. And when he did manage to tell a joke, nobody laughed, or they continued to talk as if he'd never spoken. He craved laughter and smiles from people whenever he told his obviously hilarious jokes.
And then you came along.
Aang, Katara, Toph, and Sokka had to make a pit-stop in a middle-class town in the Earth Kingdom. Much to Sokka's chagrin, they had to stay at least a few weeks, as Aang had fallen ill with a mysterious disease, and no amount of healing from Katara could cure him. Villagers emerged from their homes to marvel at the Avatar, and, of course, his trusty flying bison. Aang was in no condition to talk; every time he opened his mouth to speak, he turned an odd shade of green and immediately closed his mouth, so Katara did the talking for him. Toph bended the nearby rocks into stairs while Sokka and Katara wrapped Aang's arms around their shoulders.
The airbender's head lolled from side to side as the Water Tribe siblings stepped down from the bison carefully. The sudden shift in Aang's stance caused his pale skin to turn a sallow hue of green.
"Welcome, guests! My name is Zhang, and it is an honor to have the Avatar stay in our humble town," a withered man greeted serenely as he bowed deeply to Aang, who groaned in response.
"We apologize for the sudden visit, but we had to stop. Aang has become infected with some kind of sickness that is immune to healing," Katara replied, trying her best to bow back.
"Nonsense!" the man boomed, clapping Sokka a bit too hard on the back. "Stay as long as long as you want! My granddaughter will escort you to one of our finest houses. (Y/N), come here, please!"
You stepped lightly forward, your movements graceful and flowing. Your vigorous sword training had evidently paid off. You stood besides your grandfather and bowed to the teens in front of you. "Welcome. I'm (Y/N), Zhang's granddaughter, but you probably already knew that," you rubbed your neck, slightly embarrassed. "If you would follow me, please."
You led the group through the streets of your beloved hometown, greeting familiar people now and then, oblivious to Sokka's burning stare.
"She's super pretty, y'know," Sokka whispered, a tad too loud, to Toph, who simply shoved him.
"Thanks," you giggled, turning to smile at the young warrior, your cheeks turning a faint rosy tint.
Blushing at getting caught, Sokka remained silent for the rest of the walk, the quiet only interrupted by Aang's dry-heaves. After a minute of roaming the urban landscape, the quintet stopped in front of a lovely manor, its posh walls gleaming in the sunlight. Of course, Toph rushed inside first, eager to have a nice afternoon nap, followed by Katara, Sokka, and Aang. However, Sokka stayed behind to hold the door open for you, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by Katara.
"Well, I'll leave you all to it! I hope to see you all around soon," you beamed at the group before making your way out of the house. You were only halfway gone when Sokka had caught up to you.
"Hey, (Y/N)!" he called, panting slightly.
You turned, surprised, to face the non-bender. "Yes? Did you have a last-minute question?"
"I did, actually. Have you been to the healer's lately? 'Cause I think you’re lacking some vitamin me," he smirked, proud of his smooth pick-up line.
You stared blankly at the boy, and, for a moment, Sokka began to internally panic, before you burst into a fit of laughter—the sound sparkled with delight, like a baby's cooing. To any other person, the sound might have been considered normal, but to Sokka, it was like music, like a chorus of angels singing for and to him.
"I may definitely be lacking some 'vitamin you,'" you replied, still giggling. "Why don't we fix that? I know a great noodle stand just on the edge of a pristine lake."
"Sounds great!" the idea of food being present appealed to Sokka greatly.
"Wonderful! It's a date," you bit your lip at the word before turning away, agilely and elegantly making your way home.
A dopey grin spread on the young teen's face as he practically floated back to the magnificent estate. It was right then and there that he vowed he would hear your laughter again and again.
"Where have you been, smiley-pants?" Katara teased, patting Aang's back soothingly, who was currently retching into a bucket. Not even his fellow companion's revolting sounds could dampen Sokka's mood.
"Oh, nowhere," he replied airily, drifting off into his room.
"Okay, okay, how about this one," Sokka waved his hands, a motion that hinted for you to pay attention. You cleared your throat, which was slightly dry from laughing, and inclined your head to show that you were listening.
"What kind of shorts do clouds wear? Thunderwear!" Every joke that Sokka had cracked never failed to send you into hysterics. True, they were dorky as hell, but you were a sucker for corny jokes. You tried to stifle the sound of your giggles with your hand, but that didn't really work. Today, your laughter was all silver, a windchime dancing in the breeze. Somehow, it was much more lovelier than yesterday.
Nearby customers glared at your noise, but you didn't care, and neither did Sokka. You enjoyed spending time with him, and he enjoyed spending time with you. Over the course of the next few days, you and Sokka became very close. The two of you bonded over the fact that both of you trained with swords, and he very much appreciated that you appreciated his sense of humor. He really felt like you were the one for him, and he really wanted you to come along on their trip.
Of course, he never said that. It had only been two weeks. Who would give up everything they know just for a boy they met half-a-month ago? He vented all of his feelings to Katara, who listened keenly.
"So, what do you think I should do?" he asked anxiously, fidgeting with his fingers.
Katara took a moment before answering. "I think you should tell her. She really seems to like you, and we really like her. I mean, she's the only one who laughs at your jokes! Are you really going to pass up on that?"
Sokka scowled at her dis of his jokes; many people found them funny. Not people they knew, but many people. But, ultimately, he knew she was right. Aang was steadily recovering from the illness, and Sokka was running out of time.
The next day, he had told you to meet up at the clearing in the forest where you preferred to train, and prepared to reveal his true feelings.
But first, he just had to hear your lovely laughter. In case you did turn him down, at least he made you laugh first. He sat next to the bubbling stream when he heard familiar footsteps coming up from behind him.
"Hey," you called, perching yourself next to him.
"H-Hey," he responded, his voice cracking with nerves. You raised an eyebrow, but before you could ask him what was the matter, he interrupted you. "What do you call a hippo-cow with no legs? Ground beef!"
Despite your slight concern, his words didn't fail to suppress the laughter than bubbled on your lips. For a moment, that's all Sokka could see. Your lips.
After you regained control of yourself, you cleared your throat. "So, what's up? I'm sure you didn't drag me all the way here just to tell me a joke, right?"
Sokka stared at the fish that splashed around in the stream, twiddling his thumbs. "Uh...well...you see...you’re kinda, sorta, basically, pretty much always on my mind.."
His words sent a thrill through your spine, your cheeks flushing.
He swallowed thickly before continuing. He suddenly reached towards you and held your warm hands in his abnormally-clammy ones. "Listen, I really, really like you, and I know this is sudden, but I'd love it if you joined me on our expedition."
Waves of shock washed through you. Sokka likes you. He wants you to come with him. Sokka likes you. He wants you to come with him..
The words swirled over and over in your head until the forest swirled with them.
"Er—(Y/N)? Did you hear what I said?" Sokka waved his hands in front of your unfocused (Y/E/C) eyes.
"I heard every word," you murmured, almost inaudible.
"So...what do you think?" he cringed at his choice of words.
You turned your gaze to the boy that sat in front of you. Impulsively, you suddenly leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to the boy's lips. The kissed was so short-lived that he didn't have time to kiss back.
Realizing what you had done, you immediately covered your mouth in embarrassment. "Oh my Spirits! I'm so sorry, I—"
Sokka didn't allow you to apologize. He swiftly grabbed your hands in his and kissed you back, letting go of your hands you cradle your face. He kissed you until the forest began spinning again. Just as you were running out of breath, he pulled away, and you realized you weren't the only one breathing harder than usual.
"Is that a yes?" he smiled softly, intertwining your hands with his.
"Without a doubt."