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Sokka adjusted his collar for the tenth time, even fixing his braid which he had put one of the beads Suki had given him earlier in dating, shifting on the cushion as he glanced around Suki’s childhood home’s warmly lit dining space. The wooden walls bore the marks of generations—family heirlooms, painted fans, and delicate calligraphy scrolls. The scent of grilled fish and jasmine rice lingered in the air, grounding him.
Across from him, Suki sat beside her mothers, Meilin and Hana. Meilin, the taller of the two, carried an air of quiet authority, her sharp eyes missing nothing. Hana, softer in demeanor, had already refilled his tea twice with an encouraging smile.
Sokka swallowed. He’d fought in wars. He’d faced down Fire Nation soldiers and planned invasions. And yet, sitting here, about to propose, his palms were sweating.
He watched Meilin carefully set a lacquered bowl of steaming rice before him. His heartbeat thumped in his ears.
The tradition was simple: The girl would serve a bowl of rice to her suitor. He would eat half, then return the bowl. If she smiled and finished the rest, his proposal was accepted.
Suki’s hands were steady as she slid the bowl toward him. He looked up, and she gave him a slight, knowing smirk—like she was daring him to do it.
He picked up his chopsticks, exhaling slowly before taking a bite. The rice was soft and perfectly cooked, and he focused on its warmth, the moment’s weight. Halfway through, he set his chopsticks down and slid the bowl back toward her.
Time stretched unbearably as Suki glanced down at the rice. Her fingers curled around the edge of the bowl. Then, instead of immediately taking a bite, she looked up, her expression shifting.
“Sokka,” she started, her voice quiet but firm. I love you, and I want a future with you. But… I want to finish school first.”
It was like being doused with cold water. Not a rejection, but not the answer he’d expected. His throat tightened as he struggled to keep his expression neutral. “Oh. Yeah. No, that makes sense.”
Suki’s eyes softened. “This doesn’t mean never. Just… not yet.”
Beside her, Hana smiled gently. “Commitment is a lifelong thing, dear. There’s no harm in waiting until you’re both ready.”
Meilin, however, raised an eyebrow at Sokka. “And what do you think about that?”
Sokka sat back, drumming his fingers on his knee. “Well… I don’t love it,” he admitted. “Not because I don’t respect her decision—I do. But I thought… I guess I thought we were already at that point.”
Suki reached across the table, her fingers brushing his. “We are. But this is a huge step, and I want to ensure we’re both where we want to be when we take it.”
He let out a slow breath, squeezing her hand briefly before pulling back. “Okay. If we’re waiting, then… what if we move in together instead?”
Suki blinked, then let out a soft laugh. “That’s your counter-proposal?”
“Yeah. I want to start our life together, even if marriage is a little further down the road. No more back and forth between dorms and apartments. A place that’s ours.” He met her gaze. “What do you think?”
She studied him for a moment, then slowly picked up the bowl of rice. Instead of eating all of it, she took one more bite and set it between them.
“I think,” she said, voice light, “that we can start with that.”
Hana clapped her hands together, beaming. Meilin nodded approvingly.
Sokka exhaled, tension leaving his body. “Well,” he muttered, half to himself, “at least I didn’t have to fight a badger-mole for your approval.”
Suki grinned. “Don’t speak too soon. My moms do like a good challenge.”
Meilin smirked. “Oh, we’ll get to that.”
Sokka groaned. Hana laughed. And just like that, the weight in his chest eased.
It wasn’t the outcome he had envisioned.
But looking at Suki, smiling at him from across the table, he realized—
It was still a yes. Just… in their own time.
After dinner, they stepped out onto the wraparound porch, the night air cool against Sokka’s skin. The calming crash of waves against the cliffs below mixed with the chirping of insects, a quiet hum of life around them. Lantern light cast soft, flickering shadows across Suki’s face as she leaned against the wooden railing, her hands resting on the glossy surface.
Sokka rocked back on his heels beside her, exhaling. “Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, “since I apparently have extra time before we make it official, maybe I should start carving something for you.”
Suki turned one brow, lifting. “Oh? You’re finally getting around to that?”
He rolled his eyes. “Hey, I’ve been busy! But now I’ve got time to actually make something good. The only problem is, I’m not sure what to use. Ice would be cool—no pun intended. But obsidian could be nice too, all polished and sleek.”
She hummed, tilting her head. “Ice would melt eventually.”
“That’s what makes it special,” he pointed out. “It exists for a moment, then it’s gone.”
Suki gave him a look. “That’s beautiful, but if you’re carving something for me, I want to keep it.”
Sokka laughed, bumping her shoulder lightly with his own. “Alright, so no ice. Obsidian, then? It’s tough but can be shaped into something really sharp.” He waggled his eyebrows. “Like my wit.”
Suki snorted. “Or your stubbornness.”
“Same thing.”
She rolled her eyes but smiled. “I like the idea of obsidian. It’s strong, dark, and sharp. Kind of like a good blade.”
“Or like you,” he added.
She smirked. “Flattery will get you nowhere, but continue.”
He grinned, leaning against the railing beside her. “I want to make something meaningful. Something that reminds you of us.”
Suki’s gaze softened. “Then whatever you choose, I’ll love it.”
That warmth spread through him again, the same feeling he’d had when she ate that bite of rice—when he realized they were still choosing each other at their own pace.
“Alright,” he said, stretching. “Obsidian it is. And I promise, no tacky hearts or ‘Sokka + Suki’ engravings. Unless…”
She gave him a playful shove. “Unless you want me to throw it at you.”
He laughed, catching her hand before she could pull away and kissing her knuckles. “Duly noted. I’ll make you something worthy of keeping forever.”
Suki smiled, lacing her fingers with his using her free hand to play with his hair. “Good. Because that’s exactly what I want.”