for Zutaraang Week - Day 1 - Confession

Five times Sokka had no idea what was happening (and the one time he figured it out?)

1

All things considered, Sokka would say he's a pretty shrewd guy. Sure, he might not be the most perceptive person in the world when it comes to people's feelings – his first kiss with Suki comes to mind - but he's had a lot of life lived, since then. He would know, for example, if something weird was going on in their little Team Avatar.

"I think Kuei is actually losing it," Toph remarks, once Sokka finishes recounting today's paper to her. Toph is practically the United Republic Council's unofficial sixth member, with the amount of time she spends after her shift here whenever Sokka is present, sharing noodles and news - owing to the terrible mush they serve at the police station canteen, according to her.

"Tell me about it. I know he doesn't have the best track record with this stuff, but I think twelve zeppelins full of bodyguards is a little excessive for a routine national tour."

Toph crosses her legs and rests her feet over the table in front of them, digging her chopsticks into her noodles. Sokka winces at what the other council members might think if they knew the furniture was being used this way. She nods, referring to the other headline today, "It's pretty cool what they're doing with healing in the Northern Water Tribe, though."

"I guess." Sokka cringes a little, even though he agrees. He doesn't know if he'd let anyone mess around inside his veins for any reason. Even if it was going to save his life. Even his own sister. "I'm just hoping I never get injured enough to need a bloodbending surgery." He shudders.

Toph makes a tutting sound. "Don't be such a baby. It's pretty amazing. I'm totally asking Katara if she can help me repel mosquitoes like that."

Sokka raises an eyebrow, his pride a little bruised at the comment. "Well, that would be after it bit you wouldn't it?"

Toph pauses. "Oh yeah. Well, whatever. Where is she, anyway? She said she'd meet us here at the council when she finished teaching today. She's been working overtime since her honeymoon."

Sokka nods around a bite of his seaweed rolls, "I wonder what Aang's still doing in the Fire Nation, too. He went back to the capital with Zuko after we left, right?"

Toph snickers. "I could guess what."

Sokka continues, not really understanding her comment. "Those jerks doing some kind of jerkbending training again?"

Toph cackles again, actually slapping the table this time. "Hah! Good one."

Weird. Sokka doesn't think it was that funny, but he'll take it.

2

Later that evening, they join Katara in her and Aang's apartment. Back on the topic of their recent trip, Sokka waggles his eyebrows at her, "All that time spent in the Fire Nation can't be good for him. You'd better make sure the Fire Lord isn't trying to steal your husband, Katara. You know what the rumours are in certain parts of the city."

Across from him, Katara gives him a withering stare. When Sokka whips his head around to Toph, her hand is pressed over her mouth in giggles.

Toph digs her elbow into him. "Way to be subtle about the new development."

Sokka doesn't understand. "What development?"

At his comment, both of them actually laugh, Katara's skittering into an uncharacteristically high pitch. Sokka finds this development worrying. It's as if they're having a secret conversation, Katara making amused, furtive glances at Toph, who simply stretches with a cocky languidness, and puts an arm around each of them, like she knows the answers to something very important.

Toph coughs. "Oh, nothing."

"You really don't know?" Katara seems flustered despite her laughter.

Toph is whistling, an irritating tune that makes Sokka bristle.

"Hey!" Sokka jumps in, defensively. The more amused the two of them get, the more he panics. He laughs lightly, mimicking them. "I totally know what you guys are talking about. Of course I know."

3

Sokka is on high alert for any odd behaviour the next time they're all together again. Is it something to do with Aang? Is he doing some top secret mission that involves Zuko in the Fire Nation? Maybe it's something that happened when the three of them were in the Earth Kingdom?

Well, they're in the Earth Kingdom again, so maybe something will give. Sokka's planning the rooms for the Liberation Day ceremony in Ba Sing Se. They get invited every year, being key players on the city's side in the war and all. It's not often that they all get to be in the same place at the same time so Sokka takes it upon himself to book them into the same hotel. A few late-night gatherings after the festivities sounds about perfect.

A nice apartment suite at the top of the Royal Earth Hotel does the trick (The Earth King's favour for the Avatar, of course). Katara and Aang get the big room, on account of being recently married. Toph - never a fan of Ba Sing Se - just scoffs and says she doesn't care as long as there aren't too many rules, so Sokka gives her the one farthest from the door, with a nice balcony so she doesn't feel too stifled. Sokka's happy to take the second nicest room with Suki.

He only learns at the very last minute, when they're heading home after the first day, that Zuko has ditched his royally uptight entourage and will be staying with them too.

"But we're all in one apartment," Sokka frowns. He doesn't want the poor guy to get left out.

"I think it'll be alright," Zuko says. Oddly, he glances quickly at Katara on Sokka's other side for some kind of assurance and back again.

Sokka puts his chin in his hand, thinking. It's safe to say that it's so late at night they can't exactly go knocking for the Earth King and ask for a bigger suite. "Wait! We'll get Toph to earthbend another bed! Don't worry, Mr Fire Lord, we'll find you somewhere." He puts a friendly arm around Zuko.

"I– uh– actually I can-" Zuko, for some reason, looks deeply uncomfortable.

Toph interrupts, utterly gleeful. "Well, with recent developments," she emphasises, clearly aiming her words at Sokka, "this apartment's just the perfect size!"

Sokka laughs, trying not to sound alarmed. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?" Everyone is looking at him; Zuko with his hand over his face, Katara, Toph and even Suki wearing matching looks of mischief.

He wished Aang was here and not entertaining whatever big Earth Kingdom officials there were back at the festival. That kid would definitely have his back, and tell him what's going on.

"Sokka," Katara says, trying to sound firm, but Sokka can't help but scowl at the trace of amusement he detects in her voice. "It'll be fine. You don't have to worry about it."

4

It's almost midnight and Aang still isn't back. Sokka sits in the middle of his bedroom, racking his brain. Toph and Suki are hanging out in the common area, nursing dizzy heads and tea (there was more than enough alcohol back at the festival) but he needs to be away from the chatter. Think. What could possibly be going on that they all think it's so funny to hide from him? Zuko had almost told him back there.

That's it! He'll just ask Zuko straight. Maybe take him out to the balcony, under the pretence of having a hearty catch-up, man to man, over the ongoing fireworks.

Sokka marches to his destination, knowing he heard Zuko's voice in the kitchen earlier. Sokka swings the door of the kitchen open, "Zuko, I thought you might– Katara?!"

Zuko is there. And so is his sister. And Katara's arms are around Zuko's neck, both of their cold teas forgotten on the counter. For a split second Sokka thinks he might just have caught them in the middle of a deep conversation. But no– he'd be fooling himself, it's as clear as day. Zuko's hands are wrapped around her waist, and his hair looks recently loosened from its style, and his expression is soft. Katara's hair is messy from where she was – and Sokka feels faint – pressed against the wall. Neither of them heard him, clearly. He looks down into his own cup in his hand to check it isn't cactus juice.

"I thought… you...might like to come out for the fireworks," he squeaks. And promptly leaves.

His mind is reeling. Suki or maybe Toph says something to him as he takes a seat in the common room, but Sokka doesn't hear it. He's going through a hundred different thoughts with every passing second. He swallows. What's he going to say to her? I want you to be happy? I know if something happened between you, I'd have to take your side. But do you really think it's fair to…?

"Sokka–?"

But you just got married and…

"Sokka!"

Sokka almost jumps off his seat. He turns. Oh, crap. It's Aang. He's back.

"What's up? Are you alright?" Aang's eyes widen, taking in his state.

Crap, crap, crap. What should he do. "Um," Sokka mumbles. "Katara– Zuko– kitchen?"

Aang's brows furrow minutely, but he clasps Sokka's shoulder and says, "Awesome," heading in that direction.

Suki and Toph are watching him intently. Is this what– ? Is this what they were–? What is wrong with all of them? Aang returns a moment later with a steaming cup of tea in his hands. Calm as a summer breeze.

"Did you, are they– are you–" Sokka says, feeling sweat beading on his forehead.

Aang's about to open his mouth and answer (oh no) when his expression changes and Sokka whips his head around just to catch Suki making a no motion, waving her hand across her neck. Sokka's head is a jumble.

"What are they up to in there?" he squeaks, changing tack.

Aang laughs evasively, a hand scratching the back of his neck. "Oh, you know. Talking."

"Mhm," Sokka says. Next to him, Suki clasps his arm and gives it a squeeze. Good. He needs that.

5

Sokka's feeling a little calmer the next day. Mostly, he's tried to put it out of his mind. Enjoy the festivities. But when they're all seated together in the vast courtyard in Ba Sing Se's palace, and Aang gets up to give an opening speech, he feels the guilt weigh in the pit of his stomach.

"Some of you may be aware I spent weeks this summer in Daoshu after the record-breaking earthquake. Witnessing the resilience of the Earth Kingdom's people, over and over again…"

Poor kid. Always so earnest. Sokka zones back when Aang is finishing up, once he manages to get his worry under control.

"...in this great country, of both happiness and hardship. It's been a crazy year, full of things both amazing and terrible. I want to hand over this ceremony to the mayor on one particular note. I've learnt so much through the years since the War and this year, in Daoshu. The thing about disaster is you never know when it'll hit, even when you've been safe and protected for so long. We can't control the strike of tragedy, but we can control what note we want it to leave us on.

"That's why there's nothing more crucial than knowing what's important– the people we love. Write to your mom and dad and tell them you miss them. Visit your grandparents, your grandkids. Tell your kids how proud you are. Hug your friends!" The crowd raises its voice in a string of whoops.

Aang leaves behind his solemn tone and fully grins right at their group, in the midst of the crowd. "And you better tell that particular person exactly how much they mean to you." An even bigger cheer shoots through the audience. Sokka feels Suki take a heartfelt sigh next to him at those words. He turns to her, curious. Her eyes are glittering with feeling from the whole speech, but the twist of her lip means she's thinking of something more specific than that. "Isn't it so great that it all worked out?"

Sokka could scream, if he wasn't in the middle of a captive audience. What?

He takes advantage of the ensuing applause to leans behind Suki and look at his row of friends. A few people are glancing at Katara; they're probably thinking about the wedding. But Katara is only looking at Zuko, beaming at him, her hands clutching his in his lap, and Zuko is absolutely, completely, without a doubt blushing. Even Toph can't help a small smile, patting Zuko's shoulder on his other side.

Again, what?

"Psst. Suki."

She cranes her head towards him to hear him over the crowd. "Yes?"

"Listen… I act like I know what's going on – with Zuko? And Aang? Katara? The three of them? But I'm not sure I have any clue at all."

Boy, does it pain him to admit it.

Suki draws her eyebrows together in consideration, and then raises them all too suddenly understanding."Sokka…" she starts, gently, trying not to laugh. "You really haven't realised, have you?"

+1

He would not have guessed in a million years. Nope. Never. What a world, huh?

"When were you gonna tell me?"

Katara's patting his back in sympathy. It's nicer than the first five minutes she spent just laughing. "Toph thought it would be funny once… and your reaction was so hilarious, we just kept going with it."

Sokka scratches his head, still trying to put it all together. "Wait– how long?"

Katara stretches her arms out in front of her. They're sitting together far from the rest of the party, snatches of music and murmurs still audible in the night air. "Since we were in Daoshu."

"At least I got that part right."

He has a thousand questions running through his head - only some of them he actually wants to know the answer to – but only one surfaces. "Are you, you know, happy?"

Katara sits up straight, nodding, like she has to prove something to him. She doesn't, of course, but it makes Sokka's mood lift. Like, a lot.

"Yes. Oh, you don't even know."

"And Aang?"

Katara shifts into an affectionate smile. "Honestly, I think he's been in love with Zuko longer than I have."

Woah. That is very strange to hear. And hearing her talk so nonchalantly about her husband and the Fire Lord is different to– well, maybe his entire worldview. But he'll get over it.

"You know," Sokka says, once he's spent a few minutes digesting, "I don't know if it's him or Zuko who lucked out on this one, then."

"It's me," Katara says before he even finishes his sentence, a breathless grin on her face. "I'm the one who lucked out."

That's when Sokka knows he won't have to worry. And it maybe takes the edge off the humiliation he's endured. Still, the sting remains.

"Katara?"

"Yeah?"

"You have to help me get back at Toph."