𝐆𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 [ᴢᴜᴋᴏ]

Chapter 36

Book 3

Episode 1, The Awakening

It's been about two weeks since our lost fight. I haven't spoken to anyone properly, I haven't eaten properly. Basically I shut everyone out. I just didn't want to talk to anybody.

Even after two weeks I still felt as if everything had happened just a day ago. And I was not in the mood to answer stupid and superficial 'are you okay?' or 'do you need anything?' questions.

After flying out of Ba Sing Se, Sokka suggested meeting up with our father and his fleet.

Together, they decided to get a Fire Navy ship and uniforms as a disguise. It would be safer to be on sea since no on would be suspicious.

And Aang could take all the time to heal without us worrying about running away from the Fire Nation. No one would hunt us anyway because everyone believed the Avatar was dead.

At first Katara and especially my father tried to talk to me. My sister seemed to be angry and worried about me. Dad was just worried and sad that I wouldn't talk to him or anybody else. I hadn't even greeted him properly.

It was just that I got so angry because everytime I looked at him, the truth came to my mind. And I somehow blamed him for not telling us.

After ignoring my sister and my dad all the time, they eventually gave up.

The only one not leaving my side even though I was ignoring everyone was Sokka.

Whenever he was free and not planning the invasion he would just silently keep me company. He didn't try to talk to me but only sat by my side.

And whenever there was a meal, he would bring me food as well and would eat with me and made sure I ate at least a bit.

I was grateful to have Sokka as a brother and that's why I started to talk to him but only to him. I felt guilty for ignoring him when he was looking after me the whole time.

It was another normal day and there was a knock on the door before Sokka entered the room with a smile on his face and breakfast.

He sat down on the ground in front of me and handed me the food he had brought. "Good morning," he shot me a warm smile.

"Good moring," I greeted back and took the plate from his hands, "Thanks."

It was silent for a few minutes. "You know you can tell me everything right?" Sokka said and I gulped as my eyes watered.

I only nodded and whispered a 'I know'. I wanted to tell him everything so badly, maybe not the Zuko thing, but everything else about our mother.

But I didn't know if he would believe me. And if he did, it would only distract him from the whole invasion thing and we couldn't afford to fail this plan.

I didn't want to be the reason for another defeat. After all that is over, I would tell him. But our first priority was the war. No one needed exra silly distraction.

"Thank you, Sokka," I said and looked up from my plate, "For everything." I smiled at him.

He had a fake smug look on his face and playfully punched my shoulder, "That's why I am the best brother in this world."

I let out a small laugh and slightly shook my head. But before he could react that I finally laughed, Toph barged into the room.

"Aang woke up but he was so shocked he fainted again," she told us.

Sokka jumped up. "See you later," he told me before rushing out of the room. I was left behind with Toph and we were consumed in an awkward silence.