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After Sokka was told his proposal necklace looked like Momo made it, he decided to up his game. The following month he spent just watching the Otter Penguins to see how they selected their stones. Most pf the stones were just smooth and round, which is what he had used, but he noticed a specific stone was preferred.
Sokka then spent the next month combing the shore to figure out what made some stones better than others. Colour seemed to be the big deciding factor. The problem was every time he saw a good stone, an otter penguin saw it first and took it away, or when Sokka was able to get the stone first, the otter penguin would steal it from him.
Occasionally, he had to make cover stories for why he had scratches and bite marks or when his coat was torn. After many months and many unsuccessful trips to the shore, he was finally able to get his hands on the perfect stone. It shined brightly in the light and the colors seemed to shift and move. Sokka took some leather he had stored. He then had Toph help, using some of the meteor metal, to make a small clasp to hold the stone.
Once all the pieces were together, the last action was to engrave the stone. He knew he only had one chance at this and used sketches before finalizing his design. He combined the Fire and Water symbols. The outer rim had the flames stretching out. In the center, where the normal circle swirl in the fire symbol was replaced with the water symbol. It looked like the Water was surrounded by fire.
Sokka wrapped the necklace tight in the softest furs he could find. Sokka held onto the necklace for what felt like ages, waiting for the perfect moment to propose. Waiting to be alone so it was just the two of them. He finally found his moment; on the night of the full moon, on the day of the summer solstice. It was perfect, when the moon was at the fullest and the day was at it’s longest.
“I got you a gift, to commemorate when our journey finally ended the 100 year war. And hopefully with this, start a new journey,” stated Sokka with a shaky voice. The gift was accepted but no further talk about it happened that night.
As Zuko was walking through town the next day, alone for the first time, he could hear the whispers and feel the stares of the villagers. He couldn’t make out what they were saying, hoping they weren’t afraid of him as he was a fire bender and his last visit was very pleasant. He eventually ran into Katara who ran up to him upon seeing him.
She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to the side, “Congratulations! I am so happy for you.”
Zuko raised an eyebrow, “uh, thank you?”
“So spill. Who is it?”
Zuko stops walking, “Who is what?”
Katara sees the confusion on Zuko’s face and quickly pieces together what is going on, “You haven’t heard people whispering about you?!” she scream whispered.
Zuko nodded slowly, “Well, yeah, but not what they’re saying. I thought they remembered the last time I was here without you guys around me. With the ship and fighting and searching for an old man that was actually a kid.”
Katara gasped, thinking to herself that Zuko has no clue, “Zuko, I need you to think hard. What does your necklace remind you of?”
Zuko thought for a moment, “Well, it kind of looks like yours?”
Katara nodded, “and what does that mean?”
Zuko thought hard and was silent for a moment before shrugging, “it’s a family treasure?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Well, when were trapped in the cave, I remember you mentioned you received yours from your mother.”
“uh-huh,” Katara nodded, trying to lead Zuko to the answer.
“So since I go this from Sokka, I assumed it was a family treasure. To show I am a part of the water tribe now?”
Katara gasped and turned red, shaking her head.
“If it’s not that, the what is it?” Zuko was very confused.
Katara just walked away, shaking her heard, “no, nope, no, uh uh, nope, not my job, no, no, ……” continuing to talk to herself as she walked away.
At that same moment, Sokka rounded the corner. Katara pointed a sharp, threatening finger at Sokka, shaking it in his face, “You Idiot! Why didn’t you? You didn’t tell? Why I!” only able to get partial thoughts out.
Sokka stood there with with his hands up, “I don’t know what is going on but I didn’t do it.”
Katara waved her arms, causing the snow to form around Sokka in a pillar, then pushed it towards Zuko, “Explain! Now!”
Sokka began to stutter, “Well, it’s, like, um, this. Katara, what happened was-”
Katara, cutting him off screaming, “Not me! Him!” and stomped away.
Sokka called back, “At least release me from the snow.”
Katara flipped him off, “He will unfreeze you if he feels like it.”
Sokka and Zuko stared at each other in silence for a while for Zuko spoke, “So I guess you need to explain something to me?”
Sokka blushed, “I guess but can you unfreeze me first. This is really cold.”
Zuko crossed his arms, “uh, no.”
“No?!”
“no”
“Why not!?”
“Well since I got up this morning, the whole town has been talking about me”
Sokka blushed brighter as Zuko continued, “I thought it was cause I am a fire bender but Katara made it clear that it’s about this gift you gave me.”
Sokka nodded and turned his gaze away from Zuko, “Yeah probably.”
“So what is so special about this necklace? I thought is was a family gift, like Katara’s, but she pointed out it’s nothing like that. So what’s the truth? Is this one of your pranks?”
“What? A prank? Nooo, no, no, no, no. It’s nothing like that!”
“Then what’s the truth.”
Sokka mumbled to himself, “I thought you knew, I thought I was clear.”
“Sokka! Tell me the truth, or you’re going to stay frozen.”
Sokka looked up to Zuko, “Well, it’s kind of like a family gift.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Well it’s a gift you give when you ask someone to join your family…..”
Zuko nodded slowly, “To show that I am accepted in the Water Tribe? But Katara said it wasn’t that.”
“Well, it is and isn’t like that.” Sokka again began to mumble to himself, “why is this so hard?”
Sokka breathed deep before continuing, “The necklace is used to ask you into my family….”
Zuko nodded slowly but still confused.
“.…as in marriage. I was trying to propose to last night. But I didn’t do it right. I wasn’t clear enough. I thought I was and I thought you knew what the necklace was about because we found out Katara’s necklace was from Pakku proposing to Gran Gran and you were there but not for that part but I didn’t remember that. So I thought you knew but clearly you didn’t and I must have embarrassed you. You have been walking around with everyone staring and you didn’t know why. You probably would have said no-”
As Sokka was spiraling, fast speaking, and freaking out, Zuko was blushing bright, causing him to heat up and melt the snow. Neither of them noticed the Sokka was freed until Zuko leaned in and kissed Sokka, “Yes, Sokka, I will join your family.”
Sokka smiled as tears of joy welled up in his eyes. “I mean, they literally can not be worse than my family,” Zuko joked, trying to break the tension.
Sokka laughed and grabbed Zuko’s hands tight, “Now hold me so I can warm up.”
As they walked back into the street, Katara had gathered their friends and most of the town.
The whole town stood silent until Sokka raised their clasped hands. The town cheered and people began to scurry in different directions.
Zuko, now again confused, walked over to Katara, “Now what is happening?”
Katara rolling her eyes, “Well since he didn’t explain everything!” pointing sharply at Sokka, “now that it’s completely official and public, the town will make a feast for the new couple. A heads up would have been nice, Sokka.”
Sokka smiled, blushing, rubbing his head, “Well I didn’t know when I was gonna do it, it was spontaneous.”
Katara walked away, sighing, “You’re the biggest idiot.”
Sokka watched her walk away. Zuko grabbed Sokka’s hand, giving it a small squeeze, “That’s rough, buddy.” They laughed together and kissed.