A Gift from Tui [ Sokka x Ocean Spirit ]

~ A Gift from Tui ~

𓆝 𓆟 𓆞

Sokka dragged his feet across the snow, heavy and slow. He sighed, his breath visible due to the coldness of the Pole, as he rubbed his eyes, red and puffy.
He looked up at the moon, glimmering in the night sky, showering Agna Qel'a with beautiful white light. So, so far away.

It hadn't been long, but he already missed her.

He resumed his walk around the destroyed tribe, failing to find his friend and sister.
When he turned around the corner of an icy wall, he spotted a crowd. It was a sea of people, all gathered around something near the shore. He raised an eyebrow, approaching the whispering and mumbling, curious as to what was happening. He could barely see anything through the little spaces that the people left between one another, but he could make out one thing: a body, laying on the ground.

He tried to push his way in, getting grabbed by the arm by Katara, who pulled him in, not without difficulty. He steadied himself, and stood besides his sister and the young Avatar.

—What's going on?— he asked seeing the waterbender's worried expression.

—A body washed up on shore...

He was confused by that. He knew people had died during the attack. He saw the corpses being carried away, he helped with them. It shouldn't be surprising to see one more.
Then Katara continued: —They're dressed like the water tribe but... no one knows who they are.

He made his way around his sister, finally getting a good look at the subject in question. They seemed mostly ordinary, with clothes a bit more elaborate than what the others were wearing. They had a necklace made out of whale bones, one just like his, and they wore the fangs of some sea creature as earrings. And their skin... It was tan, darker than his, but had lighter spots on their face. Three vertical lines from the bottom of the lip towards the chin, and on the forehead, a diamond shaped mark.
It reminded him of something, but his mind was too clouded to remember correctly.

—Are they... alive?— he wondered, noticing the rise of the covered chest.

—Well, they are breathing— the monk said.

—It doesn't seem like they have water in their lungs despite being underwater for who knows how long. But they haven't woken up.

As if on cue, eyelids shot open, and the stranger's naked feet lock onto the snow, as their body, limp and flexible rose like a zombie. The torso flopped forward, jet black hair covering their face and arms hanging on each the side. They straightened. Dark navy irises meeting with Sokka's.

The water tribe warrior froze, leaning slightly backwards to try and gain some personal space, the wall of murmuring people blocking him.

—Um, hey!— the airbender smiled— My name is Aang! This is Katara and that is Sokka— he fidgeted with his fingers, looking up at the taller figure with squinted eyes— ...Do we know each other?

There was no response.

—Hello?— Sokka waved a nervous hand, feeling unable to break eye contact with the now arisen corpse. Their gaze was weirdly familiar, their eyes looked at him with recognition.

They stepped forward, grabbing Sokka's face with a strong hand and squishing his cheeks before suddenly slamming their lips against his.
His eyes became wide open and his body trembled, wanting to push the other off but having trouble moving at all, until they themselves let go of him.

Aang and Katara exchanged looks as both their jaws dropped, pointing at Sokka and the stranger with complete disbelief. The villagers imitated their gestures with many questions of their own.