Chapter Text
When Sokka wakes up he already feels pissed. He had just woken up from possibly the coolest dream ever in which he had fought giant robots inside an even bigger and slightly cooler robot to knowing without a doubt that Gran Gran would make him sell fish for the entire day to the same grumpy old men as every other time he had done it. Sokka didn’t think there was anyone in the entire fucking planet who would take that over epic robot fights. No one. It wasn’t that Sokka didn’t like helping out but the once sort of exciting act of gutting fish gets old pretty quick when you’re doing it day in and out. And constantly smelling of fish guts did nothing to help Sokka make friends or keep up with his personal hygiene. All his friends pretended they didn’t mind but Sokka knew that they were all lying through their teeth because it’s exactly what he would do in their situation.
“SOKKA!” Katara shouted from downstairs. “I’ve been up since seven gutting fish so if you could come down and actually help for once that would be great.”
Sokka moaned and pulled the blankets on even further, trying to relax for as long as possible before the inevitable. He flipped Katara off through the floor boards and rolled over onto his side.
“SOKKA! I know you're probably insulting me behind my back so I’m just going to let you know that if you aren't down here in ten minutes I will rip that duvet from your cold, sweaty body myself."
“Could today get any worse.” Sokka grumbled to himself as he attempted to get out of bed and then failed miserably when he got his foot tangled in the sheet and faceplanted the floor. “Of course it can.”
Sokka raked a comb through his messy bedhead to try and get it looking at least kind of okay before pulling it back into a wolftail and deftly putting in a hair tie. Once he had some clothes on Sokka had to admit he did look at least kind of respectable and no longer like he had climbed out of an alley to work this morning. He made his way into the kitchen and began making himself a really shitty but really caffeinated cup of coffee to try and get him through the day. Not that one cup would do it he’d have to make some more up in a couple of hours.
“Hi Sokka. Doesn’t look like all that extra beauty sleep paid off after all.” Katara said as she made herself a tea.
“Fuck you.” Sokka replied in need of a better comeback. Katara looked dramatically offended for a second then smiled at him reminding her brother that they only pretended to hate each other.
“I’m doing the morning shift so if you could come at about one that would be great.” She said reaching for the sugar.
“Then why did you wake me up now?” Sokka asked, passing it to her.
“Because you’re a lazy ass and somehow you managed to sleep in till eleven.”
Sokka started to protest that that was pretty early for him but Katara continued. “And you would have been in bed a lot longer if I hadn’t woken you up.”
“Fine. You win.” Sokka replied reluctantly and gave her a hug before heading out the back door. “See you later!”
“Bye!”
* * *
At first Sokka wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to do with his morning off. Sokka didn’t exactly have many hobbies and the fact that it was a Sunday morning meant that seeing his friends wasn’t really an option. Aang would probably have been awake for hours now but was also probably doing some weird physical exercise that Sokka really didn’t have the energy for. But as it turned out the problem ended up solving itself.
“Hey asshole!” A familiar voice shouted from across the street. Sokka turned round to see Suki heading towards him a grin across her face. “What are you doing up so early?”
“A certain someone woke me up.” Sokka moaned. “But she did do the whole morning shift so I just went along with it. What about you?” He asked suspiciously, noticing the Kyoshi armour she was wearing.
“We went on a night raid.” She said grinning, knowing exactly how happy Sokka would be at the news.
“Awesome! What happened?” He asked pulling them both down onto a wooden bench outside the shop. Sokka listened enthusiastically as Suki recounted the dramatic story of their midnight supply run. She told him how the Kyoshi warriors had kicked the guards asses before stealing a ton of ammo from one of Emperor Ozai’s most important warehouses (which was a bit of a lie) and gotten trapped beneath tons of rubble when a bomb went off barely escaping with their lives (which was definitely over exaggerated, not that Sokka noticed). When she had finished Suki was pleased to see that Sokka looked decidedly awestruck with her story and had remained completely oblivious to the made up parts.
“That is so cool! Man, you guys are badass.” He said and then his smile fell into a frown. “Hey, Suki were you fucking with me in the part were one of you almost died and you wept over her dead body before saving her life heroically by doing mouth to mouth?”
“You got me.”
“Yeah, well that’s because you don’t give CPR for a bullet wound you idiot.” Sokka said before his voice took on a more sombre tone. “Heard from my Dad or Bato?”
“Yeah they’re fighting at the fort in Ba Sing Se.” Suki replied quickly to fill the apprehensive silence. “We’re not doing so great though. Ozai has money and power on his side and seeing has he’s the emperor he can get whatever troops he wants. Plus not many people want to fight in a civil war on the rebel’s side even if everyone agrees that Ozai’s a massive dick.”
Sokka stared off into the mountains knowing that his Dad was fighting somewhere out there. Hakoda hadn’t come to visit them in years to try and keep them all safe and although Sokka understood that it would be bad news for them if Ozai found out who the rebel leader’s family were he still wished that Hakoda would come back. Sokka was sick of ‘protecting’ the people back home when there was a real war to be fought. Sokka couldn’t shoot for shit but he had always been good at sword fighting even if he’d never used a real one before.
“You think Gran Gran would let me join?” Sokka asked even though he already knew the answer.
“I don’t think so Sokka.” She replied honestly. An awkward silence fell between the two friends as Sokka cursed to himself that he didn’t have any sleeves to fiddle with.
“Sokka! Oh there you are!” Katara said, turning the corner into the street they sat in. “Hey Suki!” She grinned way more enthusiastically as she went over to give the older girl a hug.
“No hugs for me?” Sokka asked innocently trying to do the best puppy dog eyes he could manage.
“Nope.” Katara replied with a smirk as she punched him playfully on the shoulder. She brushed a hand through her dark hair and sighed deeply. “You better be thankful I took this shift because this one guy was being a total douchebag. He wanted a massive order of fish for god knows what on your birthday and I told him we weren’t open but he just wasn't having it.”
“Oh man Sokka I almost forgot! Happy birthday for next week, I’ll be out on patrol for a couple days so I won’t be able to be there.” Suki said as Sokka pouted up at her. “Don’t worry, I’ll still get you a present.”
Sokka grinned and did a quick fist bump into the air.
“What do you even want for your birthday Sokka?” Katara asked. “You’re so indecisive.”
Sokka thought for a moment. What did he want for his birthday? Food was always a good thing to go for but he always asked for food. Maybe he could think of an actual gift this year. Maybe some nice clothes? It’s not like he had any hobbies. Apart from…
“Do you think you could get me a sword?” Sokka asked cautiously looking over to Katara. “But like a real legitimate badass sword? That I can whoosh around and stab people with?” He continued excitedly pretending to stab people with his pretend sword dramatically.
“I don’t know Sokka.” Katara replied quietly. “But I’ll see what I can do.” Sokka ran up to his sister and wrapped his arms around her. Katara patted his back awkwardly.
“Thanks sis.” Sokka said tightening his grip on Katara until she peeled him off her and hurried over to Suki to avoid it happening again. Sokka kept practicing his less than decent sword fighting moves across the cobbled streets making them far more flamboyant and over the top than they needed to be. Katara and Suki looked on with their arms crossed and disapproving looks on their faces.
“Nice dancing fish boy.”
Sokka straightened up immediately and turned round to look at the three figures standing in front of him. Azula strutted towards him, twirling a long strand of hair around her fingers. She stood very close to Sokka her golden eyes staring into his. Sokka tried to look as tough as possible but he knew there was only one end to this confrontation. They were gonna really fuck him up.
“Azula! Back off!” Katara said angrily, moving to stand in the middle of the two teenagers. Azula pushed Katara aside easily the girl falling down hard onto the cobbles. Azula smiled at her before motioning for Mai and Ty Lee.
“Feel free to beat her up. I have this piece of rebel fraternising scum to deal with.” She said harshly. Sokka watched horrified as Azula’s cronies headed towards the other two girls, Suki trying her best to protect Katara who was still struggling off the ground. Sokka gulped and hated how routine the incident felt.
“Hmm...I wonder if your Dad’s died yet? I doubt those rebel soldiers can last much longer.” She said, grinning as she stepped closer to Sokka. “I’m sure it won’t be long before my father beats them and he’ll behead every last one of them. Even someone as talentless and disposable as your father.”
Sokka tried not to shout at her that his Dad wasn’t disposable, that he was the rebel leader for fucks sake. But he had enough common sense to keep his mouth shut, not wanting to put his pride over his family’s safety. Ozai was sensible enough not to threaten every rebel family there was in fear of persuading more people to revolt. But he doubted that protection would extend to the General’s kids. Getting beaten up and humiliated was far better than being killed.
“At least my Dad isn’t some oppressive nuthead like yours.” Sokka said as he stared her down. To his surprise it was Azula who drew back first.
“For a moment I was wondering if beating you up would be a waste of my time.” She said contemplatively as she picked at her perfect nails. “But would it be a waste of time if I really enjoyed it?”
Azula lunged at Sokka using her weight to topple him over. He tried to wrestle free from her grasp desperately but her legs pressed onto his and her arms shoved his behind his back almost effortlessly. Sokka tried to look up at her and wasn’t surprised to see that there was not a hair out of place.
“What do you want?” Sokka said angrily still struggling against her weight. She cocked her head to the side innocently as if considering that for the first time.
“Nothing.” Azula said smashing his face back into the gutter. “I’m getting more enjoyment out of this than money could buy.”
Sokka went limp, knowing that if he had been able to he would have faceplanted with the sheer embarrassment of the situation never minding the fact that Azula had probably really fucked up his face. He hated the fact that his Dad had been right about what he’d told him. Sokka doubted he would last five minutes in the army with how easily he had been beaten now. He’d probably spend the rest of his life gutting fish at this rate. On the other side of the street, Suki and Katara were putting up a much better fight but he could see that they were tiring out a little faster than their opponents.
“I can’t see what’s going on over there but from the sounds of it you guys are getting totally wrecked.”
Sokka sighed in relief at the familiar voice as Toph walked towards them. Azula looked over towards Toph and grinned, letting go of Sokka. He got up quickly and took a couple steps backwards to be safe.
“Hey Toph.” Azula began nonchalantly. “I know you can’t see this but I’m giving you the finger right now.” She said, doing just that as she towered over the smaller girl. Somehow Toph managed to look not bothered at all by the situation.
“Hey Azula.” Toph said mockingly. “I know you can’t see this but you’re a pompous sadistic brat who likes to beat people up to get away from her Daddy issues. Also my psychic powers tell me that you look like shit today.”
“Ooooooo.” Sokka whispered from behind them.
“Fuck her up Toph!” Suki shouted from the pavement.
Azula stared at Toph for a few more seconds at a complete loss for words. Now it was the younger girls turn to smirk as Azula opened her mouth in shock. Sokka had never seen someone get so completely and utterly wrecked. Thank spirits for Toph.
“I’ve wasted enough time on you peasants.” Azula said spitefully. “I’ll be back and when I’m done, none of you will be able to see.” She beckoned her friends and the three strutted of back down the street to whatever shit hole they came from.
“Toph, that was awesome!” Sokka shouted lifting her up off the ground. “I’m so happy you rocked up and kicked their butts!” Toph sulked and struggled free of the tight hug.
“You guys would’ve been totally fucked without my help.” She said as the others nodded in agreement apart from Katara who started to frown.
“We’d have managed just fine!” She said although without much conviction.
“Don’t get pissy missy.” Top replied but she smiled all the same and punched Katara playfully in the arm. They all looked back at where the three had left and Sokka felt Katara put an arm around him. Sokka hated how weak he felt. He hated that in a real fight his life would be over instantly. And he hated that he could be walked all over like that and have to rely on his small fifteen year old friend to save him. He wasn’t the strongest he knew that. But this had kind of been a wake up call.