A Midnight Snack

Nightmares and Odd Cravings

Sokka started with a jolt, though he was used to it by now. It had been happening ever since Sozin's Comet, he and Toph just barely hanging off the side of a war blimp, the only the between them and a catastrophic death was Sokka's space sword wedged into the side of the blimp. Almost every night since then, he dreamed that he was just barely hanging on to his sword, only this time he's on his own, and instead of dangling over the ground, he finds he's dangling over an endless abyss. Each time he dreamed it, he always let go. He would fall, blunging deeper and deeper into his fears, and never land.

He laid motionless in bed, staring up at the ceiling for a full minute. He sat up and stretched and pulled on his blue and white sleeping robe. Sweaty and wide awake, he decided that a cup of water would calm his nerves. He left his four poster bed and walked over to the open window of his massive bedroom.

The moon was out and it was bright. He smiled a small rueful smile at memories of what was and what could have been. She looks beautiful tonight, he thought to himself. He felt the cool night breeze from the ocean wash over him, instantly clearing up the sweat he had accumulated from his unrestful slumber. But staring at the ocean reminded him that he was still thirsty. He rolled his eyes at the prospect of having to go all the way downstairs to get the water. Does a beach house really have to be so big? I mean where I come from there's no upstairs or downstairs, just...snow.

They had all decided in the Jasmine Dragon, after Firelord Ozai's defeat, that they would try as often as they could, to see each other whenever they were all free -which was not very often-, but they always found found a spot in the year were they weren't so busy with trying to rebuild from the aftermath of the war. They usually made their decision earlier in the year. This year they had unanimously agreed to go to ember island, firstly because Zuko had a massive beach house, secondly because when they had first come they had such a great time and lastly because Ember Island was beautiful. But right this moment Sokka wished Zuko had a small hut because it meant having to go down every night for a small cup of water because he was too lazy to remember to bring one up.

At first he tiptoed his way down the dark stairs, opting for stealth, but then remembered when Katara had told him there really wasn't a point of trying to be stealthy, because even Appa, a Ten-ton flying bison is quieter than sokka when he tiptoed. Frowning at the memory he set his heels down and began to walk normally. If they don't appreciate my trying to be quiet then why even bother.

In the gloom of the darkness, he nearly tripped over his own feet multiple times. Would it be such a bad thing to illuminate this place just a little? I mean they're Firebenders after all. Just as he thought about it he realized how stupid it was because the house would probably catch fire, burning them and everything else in it.

Lost in thought, he didn't see the vase in front of him, and tripped right on it. "Ow!" He whisper yelled as he nearly landed on his face, his outstretched hands breaking his fall. To his surprise, he looked up and the thing was still standing. He had expected it to fall and shatter on the floor and wake everyone up, but it weighed a ton so it had stayed up and sent him spiraling.

As he sat on the floor, foot aching lightly, he couldn't help but laugh as he remembered their last trip to ember island, and how a scenario just like this one had played out, only that time he was with suki when he went down for his usual cup of water, that time he tripped on one of the seats of the massive foyer and nearly broke his neck. That time she had laughed and laughed until everyone woke up and asked what had happened and they had laughed after she told them. That time she had been his girlfriend.

They didn't have some big fight or cheating scandal. They were both very busy; her rebuilding Kyoshi Island, him rebuilding the Southern water tribe. They were both leaders of their respective communities. They had simply grown apart due to their busy schedules and mutually decided that they were both too busy, and would be busy for a while to be in relationships at the moment. So although they had made the mutual decision to break up, and were still really great friends, and weren't awkward around each other, he still missed her. But he couldn't deny that they both needed time and space to themselves.