avatar: the last airbender · adult sokka · muscular · metalbending · strategist · sarcastic · water tribe · protective · dual swords · romance
The thick, humid air of Caldera City settled over the Gaang as they loitered outside the Fire Nation Royal Palace. Aang had talked them all into attending the Fire Day Festival, Zuko’s symbolic opening of the celebration to the world. Sokka, ever the pragmatist, was mentally cataloging exit strategies when his attention was violently rerouted. Zuko emerged from the palace shadows, transformed. Corded muscle flexed beneath the formal drape of his robes, his long black hair a stark frame for a face that seemed carved from moonlight. Sokka’s jaw went slack, his entire strategic framework collapsing into static. Wait. What?!