𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕

𝑷𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒍

            Chapter Fifty Six
Elora

My husband's smile was broad and easy as he spotted me waiting outside our wing. Midnight had long settled over the Southern Water Tribe, his face lighting up like I was the best part of his day.

"Couldn't sleep without me?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement. The smile stayed until he caught the look on my face—serious, worried.

"Sokka, remember when I called you and Zuko delusional?" I asked, arms crossed, an eyebrow arched.

"Yeah?" His curiosity flickered to life, but there was a smugness behind it. He was already half-expecting what came next.

"Well, turns out, you're not as delusional as I thought."

Victory surged through him like a bolt of lightning. His entire posture shifted, chest puffed with the kind of triumph that only Sokka could manage in moments like this. "I knew it!" His voice was booming with satisfaction, too loud for the quiet hour. "I told you! I knew it! Aang come out here and let me give you a victory kiss!"

Before I could stop him, Sokka darted down the hallway toward Aang's room, fueled by pure, unabashed confidence. "Wait, Sokka—" I tried to call him back, but he was already at Aang's door, flinging it open with all the subtlety of a Fire Nation parade.

And then, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Aang was fast asleep, face red and blotchy, the telltale signs of hours spent crying etched across his features. His usual calm, youthful serenity had been replaced by exhaustion, his body curled beneath the blankets as though they might shield him from the harshness of reality.

The sight hit Sokka like a punch to the gut. His grin dissolved, confusion painting his face as he looked back at me, searching for answers.

"What... what happened?" His voice, no longer filled with that earlier triumph, sounded soft—almost lost.

"You were right about Aang being into Inara," I whispered, stepping closer. "But you were wrong about Inara being into him too."

The reality of it sunk in slowly. The proud grin he'd worn moments earlier now looked out of place, fading as the truth settled over him. Years ago, we had made that playful bet—Sokka, so certain of these two's true feelings, had wagered five gold pieces and dinner duty that sooner or later they'd get together He'd been so sure. And now, standing here, it didn't seem like the victory he'd imagined.

Sokka ran a hand through his hair, standing there, caught between pride and empathy. It wasn't often that my husband found himself speechless.

Sokka

The silence in the room had gone on long enough. Aang was still wrapped in a blanket, gazing at the ceiling like it held the answers to all his problems. Katara and lora sat on each side of him, trying to be a comforting presence, while Toph had joined us, all of us still failing to pull Aang out of his slump after the whole mess with Inara.

I sat up straighter, trying to think of something, anything, to break the monotony. An idea hit me, and I couldn't resist.

"Hey, you know what I want to talk about right now?" I announced dramatically, hoping to spark some life into the room.

The response? Silence. Not even a flicker of reaction from anyone.

"It would be really great if you showed the slightest bit of interest," I added, feeling a little miffed.

"No," Toph deadpanned, not even bothering to look my way not that she could.

"What is it, love?" Lora's voice cut through, soft and curious, drawing my attention away from my mock-glare at Toph.