Reborn As Sokka: Awakening Of the wolf's mind

After a couple hours where Sokka just ate and walked around carrying the massive koi fish, he ran into Suki again, who promptly escorted him to the training dojo.

Along the way, Suki found herself surprised by how easy he was to talk to—kind, straightforward, with that relaxed way of laughing at everything that disarmed her without her realizing.

She even froze when Sokka gifted the koi to a man and his family. Watching him walk away without asking for anything in return made her heart flutter. She couldn't tell if it was because he was something new, so different from the other island boys, or because she was tired of the few guys her age... like that idiot whose only talent was foaming at the mouth. She desperately wanted to erase that embarrassing memory.

But the more she observed him, the more suspicious she grew. He was too good, too perfect. He had to be hiding something.

"Sokka, you're here!" Oma shouted, throwing herself into his arms like they were lovers. Only then did she notice her friend. "Oh, Suki, feeling better now?"

Suki shot her a lethal glare. She hadn't even seen her there and just clung to him like some tavern girl.

"Yeah, I'm fine now... and you seemed real worried about me," she spat, sarcasm dripping like venom. Eventually she sighed and let it go. She had more important things to focus on.

Sokka, with all his experience facing Firebenders, would teach them defense techniques, and Suki would show him the Kyoshi style.

"By the way, I'm not wearing that dress you guys use," he suddenly declared.

"We wouldn't make you wear that," several replied, giving him odd looks. "Why would we?"

Sokka looked down, embarrassed, and didn't explain. Multiple girls internally sighed. Adorable.

Two hours later, the Kyoshi warriors stared at him like he was some spirit. Sokka replicated stances and attacks with such precision and fluidity that not even Suki had managed when she first started.

He was so fast only she could barely keep up. What took them years to master, he absorbed in hours.

Suki coughed to stop him. "That's enough for today... Why don't you show us your techniques instead, Sokka?"

"Sure," he agreed so amiably it made her feel guilty for only stopping him because he was showing them up.

He's too pure... she thought, biting her lip.

She'd tried to halt him out of jealousy, yet he was happy to share his knowledge.

"Just... my Tribe's techniques are pretty basic. Mostly spearwork and physical stuff, nothing special."

Every eyebrow in the room arched. How could someone who copied their style so effortlessly say that?

By sunset, most had left exhausted but happy. Only Suki remained with him in the dojo. She wanted every second she could get.

They were alone. Sokka moved behind her, correcting her form. It got slightly awkward when he had to place hands on her hips, guide her leg, press a palm against her thigh—all to demonstrate fireblast blocks and dodges.

"Like this?" Suki asked, taking his hand and pushing it higher up her inner thigh, so soft and warm Sokka swallowed hard. She'd removed her Kyoshi armor, wearing only a light undersuit.

"Don't need to move your thigh so much," he replied calmly, removing his hand but fingertips tingling. Instead, he gripped her wrist and pulled her back against his chest. "You're flexible enough. If you lean back at the right moment, you can dodge point-blank fire."

"You think?" Suki murmured, voice husky, pressing closer.

"Yeah. Use one leg to deflect their arm while arching back," he explained, not flinching.

"Hmm~" She let herself fall even more against him. Her leg hooked around his, destabilizing him until they toppled backward. Suki straddled him without hesitation. "So... would this be more effective?"

Sokka felt her hips begin slow movements. The heat wasn't from any imaginary flames. He smiled, amused and resigned.

"Well... definitely feels hot," he quipped, smirking sideways at her. "Doubt it's from a Firebender though."

Suki let out a nervous giggle but didn't stop. She leaned in closer, making her intentions clear. And Sokka understood. He wasn't stupid.

Suki wanted to die from embarrassment, but instead of stopping, she slid nearer. He just watched with that calm of his.

"Yeah, though I doubt it'd work well," he said evenly, raising an eyebrow. "If I were a Firebender, I could blast your face. My hands are free, remember?"

'How dense is this guy?!' Suki was tomato-red, ready to combust.

"Sokka—" Another girl's voice cut in abruptly. The sliding door opened unannounced. "You should come eat—"

Suki froze like a statue. Couldn't even breathe. Sokka turned his head casually, as if nothing was happening. It was Katara.

"This isn't what it looks like," he said, raising a hand trapped under Suki.

Katara made a face like she'd bitten a whole lemon and slammed the door shut. "I'll leave you to it."

Suki's embarrassment burst like a dam. She scrambled up so fast she nearly tripped and bolted without looking back.

"Sorry, I gotta go!" she yelled, red to her ears.

Sokka lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, releasing a long sigh.

He simply remained sprawled there. Alone with his thoughts as he sighed. "This is problematic..."

I sighed and got up after Suki rushed off. She'd gotten too cocky, thinking she could set the pace... until someone interrupted and left her speechless.

Now I had two options: follow Katara or go after Suki. The choice was obvious. A potential girlfriend could never compare to family. Besides, if I hurried, I could do both.

Without a second thought, I sprinted. My speed and agility were my proudest assets. I kicked off the ground, scaled the side wall, and felt gravity's grip loosen. As I began descending, I vaulted onto the dojo's roof without hesitation.

Even with night covering everything, my balance was perfect, like I was born for this.

I weaved across rooftops, barely breathing. With each leap, I felt I could conquer the sky if I wanted.

I caught Katara in under a minute. Landing sharply before her made her jump.

"Kya!" she squeaked, clutching her chest before recognizing me. "H-hey..."

So cute when flustered. I patted her head and purposely mussed her hair.

"Misunderstanding, sis. Nothing's going on with Suki... yet."

At first she seemed relieved, then her expression twisted.

"Yet?"

"Well, you never know," I shrugged, making an exaggerated hand gesture. "You might end up sisters-in-law, who knows."

Katara snorted and lightly punched my arm.

"Yeah, right. Like anyone would marry someone as dumb as you."

"I'm wounded," I mussed her hair more in retaliation. She whined and tried swatting my hand away, but I kept dodging and disrupting.

"Besides, dating comes first. Marriage's way off," I added with a grin.

By now Katara had enough and kicked at my leg. I saw it coming miles away and easily sidestepped.

When she realized it was hopeless, I got serious, gave one final forehead tap, and turned.

"Go," she said, trying to sound mocking as she fixed her wrecked hair. "Go find your beloved now~"

I chuckled low. With Katara calm, it was time to finish what I'd started.

I sprinted to a tree, scaled the trunk, and leaped roof to roof again—faster, surer than before—straight to Suki's house.

---

[Suki POV]

I couldn't believe what I'd just done.

I entered my room, slammed the door, and collapsed knees-first onto the bed, burying my face in the mattress.

"So embarrassing!" I whispered, punching the quilt.

I crawled fully onto the bed and hugged a pillow like I could disappear into it. My face burned. What would the other warriors think seeing me like this? And what would he think...?

A light tap at the window froze me. I turned, still clutching the pillow. There stood Sokka, leaning on the frame like it was nothing, with that half-smirk that twisted my stomach.

"Hope that poor pillow survives," he said, arms crossed, amused.

"W-what are you doing here?" I stammered, trying not to sound like a child.

"Checking if my favorite warrior murdered her pillow yet," he answered, tilting his head. Moonlight lit his face, and I knew he was looking at me like he could read my mind.

"It's nothing," I mumbled, hiding partly in the fabric. "You can leave if you want."

"Leave?" he repeated, eyebrow arched. "Right when I'm enjoying it most."

He pushed off and entered uninvited, slowly walking to sit at my bed's foot. He propped elbows on knees and watched me like he had all the time in the world.

"No need for that face," he said, voice lowering, almost soft. "If you want, I can pretend nothing happened." He snapped fingers and smiled. "Poof, forgotten."

I couldn't help a nervous giggle.

"You make me look like a silly girl," I murmured, hugging the pillow tighter.

"Silly?" He leaned slightly closer, so near I felt his chest's warmth. "I'd say... dangerous."

I choked on my breath and bit my lip. Looked down.

"Stop staring like that..." I whispered.

"Then stop hiding like that," he countered, leaning just enough our foreheads almost touched. "Nothing to hide, right?"

I swallowed a sigh. Lifted my gaze to find his eyes locked on mine, so calm it was infuriating.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to sound stern.

"To make it up to you," he answered instantly, relaxed. "For all this. For exposing you, as you say."

I rolled my eyes, though my cheeks still burned.

"And how do you plan to do that?"

Sokka tilted his head theatrically and stretched a hand toward me.

"I'm inviting you. To something better than punching pillows."

"Like what?" I asked suspiciously.

"Star-gazing," he said, like revealing life's secret. "Just you, me, and no pillows involved."

I tried holding his gaze but ended up laughing, defeated.

"You're so simple..." I murmured, but my hand was already seeking his.

When our fingers brushed, he pulled me up effortlessly. I rose abruptly, feeling his other hand at my waist.

"Hold on, Kyoshi," he whispered in my ear, that teasing spark making me shiver.

Before I could protest, he leaped with me through the window. One jump, cold wind on my face, a branch crunching underfoot.

When he finally released me, I sat beside him. Sokka reclined with hands behind his head, watching the starry sky like everything was this easy.

"You know?" he said without looking at me, that tone mixing joke and truth. "You could stay here with me all night. I promise no one will bother you."

"You say that to all girls?" I shot back, half-amused, half-intimidated by his nearness.

He gave a low chuckle.

"Nah, but I could." He turned, looking sidelong at me, eyes so clear under the moon. "I like you better when you're not hiding it."

I just rolled my eyes so he wouldn't notice my blush. But part of me... wished he'd keep talking like this all night.

"Idiot," I muttered, pushing him gently.

Sokka laughed and let himself fall back onto the tiles, patting the spot beside him. I sat, my heart still thundering.

He turned toward me, propped on one elbow.

"So, what's a Kyoshi warrior's usual routine?"

I cleared my throat, glad to discuss something I actually controlled.

"Well, mainly we stop thieves, bandits, or common criminals." I exhaled. I'd be lying if I said Sokka's behavior—so relaxed and so... close—didn't make my heart race a bit. Okay, a lot.

"We're not really attacked by the Fire Nation," I continued. "We trade with merchants who deal with them. Plus, our island's small and poses no threat."

"Also, technically you're not Earth Kingdom, so that helps," Sokka added, in that tone implying he knew exactly what he was talking about.

I turned to look at him. Smiled, impressed. It was easy to underestimate him... but every time he spoke, he proved that behind that mischievous grin was a mind that worked fast.

"What about you?" I asked, leaning slightly closer.

"Hm?"

"Any dreams or aspirations?"

I saw something ignite in his gaze. Something big, something that didn't quite fit his joking demeanor.

"Yeah, I've got plenty of big dreams and aspirations," he said seriously, with a calm that made me hold my breath. "I want freedom. I don't want the South Pole's people suffering under the Fire Nation's tyranny again. And I want to end this war."

There was something he wasn't saying. I caught it in his voice, though he made no effort to hide it. He had his own secrets. Oh well... everyone had secrets, right?

Though... wait.

I just told him everything about me.

Great going, Suki. So dignified.

In the night's silence, my mind returned to that midday image: Sokka carrying that huge fish over his shoulder, his bare torso, the defined muscles... and the scars crisscrossing his skin.

I gathered courage to ask, though my voice trembled slightly.

"H-how did you get those scars?" I blurted, not thinking if it was painful for him.

Sokka barely turned his face toward me and shrugged, like discussing the weather.

"Hmm... lots of things, really." He ran a hand along his side, brushing one of the longest marks. "The big ones are burns. Got them trying to shield my mother from a Firebender. Dumb of me... assumed my body was a good shield."

The last part came with a crooked smile, but his voice held buried rage and frustration.

"D-did you save her?" I asked, almost whispering.

Sokka was silent a few seconds. I noticed his jaw tighten before answering.

"Yeah... at first." His words came slow, measured. "But later... she died. Her wounds got infected."

Something squeezed my chest. I watched him clench a fist, restraining something bigger than pain.

"From other attacks, our tribe spent years without enough supplies." His voice was deep, firm, like reciting an overfamiliar truth. "When that happened, we barely had enough to treat serious injuries. She could've been saved... but chose to use everything on me instead."

I didn't know what to say. My throat tightened momentarily.

"I'm sorry..." I managed to murmur, feeling foolish for how inadequate it sounded.

Sokka glanced at me sideways and took a deep breath.

"It's fine." His voice regained some of that teasing calm that made him so... him. "Failing to save her was my biggest failure... but I learned to live with it."

He let out a short laugh, like needing to break the tension.

"As for the others—" he added, pointing to finer lines on his side, "—those are from polar bear dog bites, leopard-caribou... and a spirit lion."

"A spirit lion?" I repeated, unable to hide my awe.

Sokka chuckled softly, proud.

"Yeah. Some crazy spirit possessed a giant snow lion to claim a spiritual shrine. I ran into it by pure bad luck during a fishing trip and... well, it went badly. For him, of course." He grinned like sharing a funny anecdote. "I ended up with several broken bones, nearly lost a leg... but kept his near-indestructible hide and bones."

I rolled my eyes skeptically but couldn't help smiling back.

"What's your tribe like?" I asked, trying to sound casual though curiosity prickled my tongue. "Is the chief still there?"

Sokka looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

"Thought your mom told you I'm the tribe's chief," he said, eyebrow raised, clearly amused by my surprise.

"You're... the Southern Water Tribe chief?" I repeated, unable to keep disbelief from my voice.

"Yeah." He shrugged like stating the obvious. "I'm my tribe's protector, just like you protect this island."

I bit my lip, intrigued.

"But... how do you protect them from here?"

Sokka's gaze shifted to the stars, his tone turning firm, almost sharp.

"By ending this war. And ending anyone in my way."

A slight shiver ran down my arms. There was something in how simply he said it... a quiet, undeniable force.

"Why you?" I pressed, unintentionally lowering my voice. "Why are you the leader?"

He exhaled lightly, like recalling something distant.

"Because my father left to fight about five years ago," he began, voice calm yet weighted with history. "The tribe was left without men to hunt or fish. When food grew scarce, I brought it back. Eliminated threats that never should've been there, built homes, improved others. Made us stop surviving... and start living." He smiled faintly, almost with contained pride. "After that, they chose me as chief. Gran-Gran says we now have more supplies than in decades."

I listened without interrupting, feeling a strange warmth swelling in my chest. It was impossible not to feel proud of him... and something more I refused to name. That he could laugh, joke, and smile after all that... made him even more admirable.

"My tribe's safe," he added then, like downplaying it. "Left Tiga in charge."

I don't know where it came from, but my question escaped before I could stop it:

"Who's Tiga?"

Sokka looked at me and let out a soft, amused laugh.

"Relax, Kyoshi." He shook his head, amused. "She was the youngest woman in the tribe after Katara. Helped me keep everything running, so I left her in charge with Gran-Gran... and some warriors I trained myself."

I looked away, feeling silly for letting jealousy slip so easily. But his smirk, full of mischief, made me roll my eyes and laugh quietly.

We spent the rest of the night under the open sky, talking about things I never thought I'd share with someone I'd just met. He told me about his mother in a steady voice. I, in turn, ended up sharing about my childhood friend who left for the Earth Kingdom when we turned fifteen.

Between stories, the night slipped away as if the war, the island, the sleeping village below didn't exist. It was just us, the cool breeze, and stars that seemed to listen in silence.

At dawn, I opened my eyes feeling something soft draped over my shoulders—a blanket. It took a second to remember I was on the roof, and another to realize I wasn't alone.

Beside me, Sokka was still there. He seemed wide awake, as calm as ever. I watched him a moment and realized he was supporting his weight... with just one thumb?

I snuggled deeper under the blanket, suppressing a laugh.

"Looks like you've been practicing all night..." I murmured, still half-asleep.

Sokka turned his head toward me with that half-smile I knew so well. He raised a finger, bent his elbow, and straightened it again, like showing off.

"Yeah, I always wake up early. No matter when I sleep," he replied, as if balancing on a roof with one finger was normal.

I rolled my eyes, amused, feeling his hand brush my cheek.

"You should sleep a little more," he whispered.

"Only if you stay here," I answered, letting his voice's warmth envelop me.

He gave a small laugh, shifted closer, and draped an arm behind my back.

"Then I'll stay as long as you want, Suki," he said. Not "Kyoshi." "Suki." Something melted inside me hearing him say my name like that—so simple, so his.

I don't know how much longer we stayed up there, the sun finally peeking over the sea's edge. I only know that when I opened my eyes again, I wasn't wrapped in the blanket but seated at the village's communal table, with a dish I'd never seen before.

Across from me, Sokka held a wooden spatula like a weapon. His face was dusted with flour, wearing a proud grin from ear to ear.

"Rise and shine, sleepyhead!" he said, tapping my head gently with the spatula. "Hope you're hungry."

I looked at my plate. A stack of golden, steaming circles with something sweet on top. They looked... perfect. Smelled even better.

"What's this?" I asked, still half-skeptical.

Sokka puffed his chest.

"They're called hotcakes. Told you my cooking was out of this world," he joked, giving me a look I didn't quite understand.

Around the table, several Kyoshi warriors and villagers looked equally surprised, whispering and sampling these "hotcakes" like royal delicacies.

"For the whole island?" I asked, eyebrow raised.

"Well, almost all of it. I thought everyone deserved to try something new… but you're the first."

I felt my face flush a little when he took a piece of hotcake with his fingers and brought it to my mouth. I hesitated for a second, but I opened my mouth and tried it. Sweet, fluffy… delicious.

"And?" he asked, looking at me with those eyes that seemed as proud as they were playful.

"It's amazing," I replied, unable to hide a smile.

Sokka leaned in a little more, as if no one else existed around us.

"I'm glad you like it, Suki," he said slowly, pronouncing my name again as if savoring it on his tongue. "I like saying it that way better."

I couldn't help but laugh, covering my mouth with my hand so I wouldn't choke on the bite. And for the first time, while the girls around us kept trying that impossible recipe, I thought maybe a future with him… didn't sound so impossible either.