Work Text:
“Alright guys listen up, it’s currently eight in the morning. I’ve asked Suki and Toph to keep Katara distracted till about six or so just in time for our anniversary dinner. Our mission is to make the perfect dessert before they arrive! Any questions?”
“If it's your anniversary dinner, why are we here?”
Aang glanced at Zuko and then at his poorly drawn planning board scribbled in hard to read ink. “To help me make the perfect dessert for me and Katara’s anniversary? Was that not obvious? Should I go over the plan again?”
Sokka snorted from where he lay sprawled out over the couch. Zuko leveled a glare from across the room. “Aang, I think what Zuko’s asking is why do you need us to help make the desert? You’ve cooked for Katrara before.”
“Yeah, but those were all regular meals. They weren’t nearly as important as this one.” Aang insisted, “Also I wanted to make something a little more….personal?”
His cheeks twinged red as he sheepishly rubbed the back of neck. Sokka decided to be nice and spare the younger man from teasing him about his longtime crush on his sister even if they had been dating multiple years.
“Personal as in….what exactly?”
A wide mischievous smile spilt across his face. The kind that made Sokka knew they were already in too deep. “I’m glad you asked.”
Aang yanked the paper over the easel to reveal…..
“A fruit pie?” Zuko deadpanned, massaging his temples in exasperation, “You made me come all the way from the fire nation to Republic City for a fruit pie?”
“Not just any fruit pie. The perfect fruit pie!” Sokka joked.
Aang’s smile fell, “Come on guys be serious about this. I need you two to focus.”
Sokka gave an apologetic shrug before looking closer at the sketch. “Wait, are those….sea prunes?”
Zuko raised an eyebrow, “But, you hate sea prunes?”
Aang instantly lit up, “Yeah, but Katara loves them! Which makes it the perfect gift! What could be better than getting a taste of her home all the way in Republic City?!”
Zuko thought for a moment, “That’s….actually not a bad idea.”
“Yeah, and it's not as over the top sappy as I expected from the two of you.”
“So, you’ll help?”
Zuko and Sokka looked at each other and then shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
That was how ten or so minutes later Sokka found himself dressed in an old apron measuring out the ingredients for the crust’s dough. Aang laid a couple sticks of butter across from him. “How’s it coming?”
“It looks…doughy.”
“Well, it is dough.” Zuko replied from where he was currently mixing the cream fillings.
“Then’s it perfect!” He triumphantly shouted, placing his hands on his hips. “Which is great because we’re making really good time. It’s only ten o’clock.”
Aang's eyes drifted to the door then back down to the batter biting his lip in thought. “Sokka, I need to pick up a few other things for our dinner. Can you and Zuko handle the crust making until I get back?”
“Aang, we broke into the most secure prison in the fire nation. What do you think?”
“Um….”
Zuko leaned over from behind, “He means yes. We can handle it.”
“Was that not what I just implied?”
“Great! Be back in a bit!” he called, rushing out the door. They heard a familiar yip-yip and grumble from Appa as the shadow of a sky-bison flew over the window.
Sokka glanced over at the recipe, “Ok now it says to lay dough flat and roll it out.” He dumped it on the counter, smoothing it over using the rolling pin. Every so often batter would get stuck, curling in on itself instead of smoothing out, causing him to scrape off every once a while with a fork. “Is it supposed to be this sticky?” He grunted.
“Did you flour the counter?”
Sokka stared at him incredulously. “Zuko, we’re baking dough not the counter.”
The firebender facepalmed so hard Sokka was almost concerned enough to ask if he had given himself a concussion. Almost. “You’re supposed to roll the dough out on flour so that it doesn't stick. At least that’s what the chefs say.”
“Well then don’t just stand there get some more flour! Before the rest of the dough eats my rolling pin.” He tried to pull the dough away but it just ended up getting more tangled and more stuck.
Zuko disappeared into the kitchen and came back lugging such a huge sack of flour that Sokka couldn’t even see his face. Zuko must not have been able to see either because he tripped and the next scene of events unfolded like in a slow-motion horror movie.
The bag slipped and crashed to the floor. Large white clouds dusted both men, the kitchen, as well as their freshly made dough. Sokka sneezed, blowing the flour from his face.
When he finally managed to blink through the thick white clouds he noted very large problems. Number One: Katara was going to kill them if she found they had made a mess in the kitchen. Number Two: Their dough-if you could even call it that anymore-looked someone threw it straight into a blizzard back home.
Fuck.
“Okay, not the best thing that could have happened, but we can fix it!”
“The batter or kitchen?” Zuko asked, looking over the mess.
“Both. You grab the mop and I’ll try to deal with this dough.” He made a face as the dough was torn off before he even got the chance to roll it.
“Wait, what about the filling?”
“Just use the stand mixer.”
“Aang said it needed to be mixed by hand.”
He waved him off, “Aang’s a traditionalist. It’ll be fine!”
Zuko looked as though he wanted to argue, but Aang was supposed to be back soon, and they were running pretty pressed for time…
He shrugged, dumping the filling into the mixer and setting it on high.
“What happened to you two?” Aang asked, clutching a small bouquet of blue and white flowers. He looked his friends up and down, boasting flour everywhere from their clothes to their faces.
“Just a small cooking accident-oh wow. You’re really going all out for this anniversary date aren’t you?”
Aang bushed hard, “Er-well it’s an air nomad custom to-” He tried to glance behind Sokka into the kitchen. “What happened while I was gone.”
“Turns out the firelord has two left feet,” Sokka shrugged, “but we did manage to finish the crust and the filling’s almost done too!”
The kitchen ,to put it nicely, was still a mess. Flour despite Zuko’s best efforts still stubbornly clinged to cabinets and windows. The pie crusts set off to the side were dry and crumbled at the slightest bit of pressure. The filling mixture was lumpy and thick with chunks of whole sea prunes scattered throughout.
“Sokka! Katara can’t see this!”
“She can’t?”
“No! The pies look horrible, the kitchen’s a mess, we need to start over!”
“Start over?” Zuko furrowed his brow. “Aang it’s one o’clock. This took us almost five hours to do, and Katara’s going to be back at six.”
Sokka frowned, “I thought we were doing a pretty good job. I mean I don’t think Katara’s going to be that worried about the texture. Besides, it tastes pretty good to me.”
“It’s not for you!” Aang snapped, “And we aren’t going for pretty good, we're going perfect!”
“Don’t blame Sokka. You were the one that disappeared for almost three hours. Shopping for useless junk.” Zuko interjected.
“It is not useless junk.” Aang said through gritted teeth, “I’m sorry I actually want my anniversary gift to turn out well.”
“Okay!” Sokka chuckled nervously, “Maybe we all just take a ten minute break? Play a quick round of pai sho drink some tea? It’s just a pie, right?”
“It’s not just a pie!’ Aang shouted suddenly. “It’s-y’know what? Forget it. I need to go.” Aang stormed out slamming the door so hard one of the picture frames crashed to the floor.
“....Well that’s new.”
Zuko looked at him, “Is it just me or does Aang seem really stressed about this one anniversary date? I know they’re celebrating ten years but-”
“It feels like something’s off?”
“Yeah.”
“I know what you mean. I’m going after him.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Sokka shook his head, “No need. I have a feeling I know where he is.”
The area around the gazebo was quiet, the only sound coming from the rocks that skipped across the water’s surface before sinking to the bottom. Sokka leaned against one of the poles before Aang sighed.
“I’m sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like I was blaming you.”
“It didn't bother me much, and I think Zuko’s more upset at having to get the flour out of his hair than at you for yelling.”
Sokka turned his attention back to the harbor. The boats of Republic City sailed across the smooth, calm waters. The afternoon sun glinting on the ripples of Yue Bay.
“....I’m going to propose to Katara tonight.”
“Wait really?”
“I got permission from your dad last time we visited. That’s what the gifts are for. Old air nomad tradition for the family of the spouse. Some are also for Katara herself.”
“....If you're worried about her saying no you should know Toph has had to listen to hypothetical wedding plans for at least two years every time they go drinking.”
“To be honest, I’m more worried about what’s going to happen if she says yes.”
When Sokka didn’t respond, Aang took the opportunity to continue.
“I have so many responsibilities not just to Republic City but to the world. We aren’t going to live in the south pole. She’s going to sacrifice being with her family, her people, her culture. So many people are already judging. They think the air nomads stand the best chance if I marry some rich noble’s daughter or nobody at all! And that is only what’s happening right now! What’s going to happen when it’s years! When air temple island is finally finished! When we have kids or-”
“Dude, breath. You’re spiraling.”
He sighed again leaning against fresh wood railings. “I just want her to be happy here.”
“First of all, you're an idiot. Of course Katara’s happy here! She gets to teach waterbending and help with healing sessions at the hospital. Yeah she’s not as close to our tribe any more but she’s making a real difference in the world. I get to see how different the city is each time I come! Katara’s not abandoning her culture and neither are you. You’re creating a new one together.”
“Yeah but-”
“Second, who cares what those people think? They’re only after their own best interests, not your or hers. Air nomad culture is centered on freedom. It has the best chance of surviving if you follow your own freedom. And yeah, while there might be troubles later down the line. I know you and I know Katar, you too are never going to stop fighting for each other. Plus if there’s anyone I have to trust my sister with I’m glad it's the Avatar.”
“Thanks Sokka. You really think she’ll say yes?”
“For the sake of your four covered kitchen, I hope so. Now come on, we still need to finish that pie of yours. No promises that it’ll be perfect though.”
“I don’t think it needs to be.”