𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕

𝒓𝒊𝒑𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

             Chapter Fifty

Elora

"Did you know?" The question hung heavy in the air, my voice trembling with hurt as soon as Sokka closed the door to our bedroom. His expression shifted from confusion to guilt as he turned to face me, the flickering candlelight casting shadows across his troubled features.

"What? Lora, of course I didn't know they were saying these things—" Sokka began to explain, but his words fell short against the weight of my accusation.

"That's not what I'm asking," I interjected sharply, my heart pounding with a mix of anger and betrayal. "Did you know that people would think less of me when you brought me here, letting me share a room with you and all of that?"

"I don't care what people think—" Sokka started, but I cut him off with a vehement shake of my head.

"I asked you, did you know?!" My voice cracked with emotion as I demanded an answer for the second time, louder than I intended. Sokka recoiled slightly, his hand trembling as he took a deep, unsteady breath.

"Yes," he whispered, the admission hanging heavily between us like a dark cloud. It felt like a betrayal, a breach of trust that threatened to shatter the fragile bond between us. Anguish and disappointment surged through me, leaving me reeling in its wake.

Without a word, I turned away, the weight of his confession pressing down on me like a leaden cloak. But before I could take a single step, Sokka reached out, his fingers closing around my arm with a desperate grip, anchoring me in place.

"Sunshine, please let me explain," he pleaded, his voice thick with emotion. Despite the turmoil raging inside me, the sight of his pleading eyes softened my resolve, stirring a tumult of conflicting emotions within me.

"Let me go," I said, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and sorrow as I attempted to pull away. But Sokka shook his head adamantly, his grip tightening ever so slightly.

"No, listen, please," he implored, his voice cracking with raw vulnerability. Tears glistened in his eyes, mirroring the ache in my own heart. "I didn't think it would be like this. I knew some would disapprove, but I didn't think anyone would say these things. I... I didn't think. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

✾ ✾ ✾ ✾ ✾ ✾

"My heart just threw up—this can't be happening," Aang's dramatic reaction as he clutched his chest with exaggerated flair drew a mixture of amusement and concern from Katara, Toph, and myself as we sat gathered around his bed.

Our gathering, though initially intended as somewhat of a slumber party, had taken on a somber tone—a slumber mourning, if you will.

Toph's no-nonsense demeanor cut through Aang's theatrics as she delivered a sharp smack to the back of his head. "This isn't the time for your Selora dramatics, Twinkle Toes," she scolded, her words tinged with a hint of affectionate exasperation.

"Guys, I'm fine. A little sad—actually, a lot sad—but I'm fine," I said through my tears. They all looked at me, clearly unconvinced.

"Lora, you two will make up in no time. I'm sure Sokka's already planning the biggest apology gesture. He's an idiot, but he knows when to turn his brain on," Katara explained gently, rubbing my back.

"And if he doesn't, I'll earthbend a boulder up his—" Toph began, but Aang quickly put his hand over her mouth.

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves," he interjected.

"No, no, let her finish. I like that plan," I said, waving Aang off.

"Lora!" Aang said in loud disbelief. "We're not gonna plan to violate Sokka, right, Katara?" He looked to her for support, but Katara stayed silent, causing Aang to gasp dramatically. Toph and I immediately burst into laughter.

"What? He deserves it a little bit," Katara said, laughing as well.

"See, Twinkle Toes, even Katara is on board. You might as well join us on the dark side," Toph said as we continued to laugh.

"Wait, no! Don't listen to her. Stay right where you are, shitlicker," I said, giving Toph a playful kick.

"Oh, so now you don't agree with me?" Toph teased.

Ignoring her, I grabbed Aang's hand, who was now laughing too. "You belong in the light," I told him, and Katara nodded in agreement. "But we're still violating Sokka," I finished, and we all fell into laughter again.

Sokka

"I can't believe I let this happen," I muttered, running a hand through my hair, currently drowning in self-loathing as Zuko and Inara joined me in my dad's empty study.

Zuko, leaning against a bookshelf, watched me with a calm yet concerned expression. "You can't control what others think or say, Sokka. You can only control your own actions. You did what you thought was best."

Inara, sitting in a chair near the fireplace, looked up from the book she was pretending to read and nodded in agreement.

"You should've seen the look on her face," I said, slumped in my chair. "It's kinda like the look Mai gave you when she dumped you."

Zuko turned, raising an eyebrow. "She didn't dump me!" he said defensively, as both Inara and I deadpanned at him. "Okay, maybe she did dump me, but how did you know what look she had on her face? You weren't there!"

"No, Inara explained it to me in detail," I said, and Zuko turned to Inara, glaring daggers.

"What? It was funny," she said, shrugging nonchalantly. I snickered, the tension in the room easing just a little.

"Look, Zuko, it's fine. We've all had our moments and come back from them. Look at me, I started eating salads a few months ago," I said, trying to reassure him. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as Zuko came to sit down next to me.

"That seems like a lie," Inara remarked, still flipping through the pages of her book by the fireplace, her expression barely changing as she spoke.

"No, it's true. But it's just the dressing," I explained, and Zuko raised an eyebrow, his skepticism clear.

"Actually, mainly protein."

"What kind of salad are you eating?" he asked suspiciously.

"Just chopped-up pieces of meat," I admitted, sinking further into the chair. Both he and Inara shared a look, as if that was exactly what they expected.

"You know what, you're right. We're men, we've felt pain, and we've survived. Look at me, I'm still watching Mai drool over some idiot," Zuko surprisingly agreed. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, trying to psych himself up as we both nodded enthusiastically, attempting to convince ourselves while Inara just raised an eyebrow, her eyes glinting with mild amusement.

"Yeah, exactly. How could you be interested in a boy when you can have these ripe berries?"

"Stop pointing at my testicles, Sokka,"

Inara loudly closed her book, the sound echoing in the quiet study.

"And that's my cue to head to bed," she said, standing up. She shot us both a look, shaking her head with a small smile as she left the room, the door clicking softly behind her.