Chapter Text
Sokka knew from the day she was born that as an older brother, loving and supporting his little sister was one of the most important things to him. He loved her with all his heart, and he'd walk through flame while fighting a WWE professional if it meant that she'd be okay.
However, siblings are destined to fight. Whether that be about who got the TV (Sokka has better taste), or who kicked the good ball over the fence (katara obviously), or that someone spends too long doing their hair in the bathroom in the morning (it's not Sokka's fault that he cares about his hair unlike some people - aang, looking at you - who just go bald and call it a day). That's just the way things go, siblings fight. They make up. They fight again.
But not all siblings have to argue custody over their cat with their completely unrelated friend group.
"I'm sorry, but Momo is not your cat!!" Said an exhausted Katara moving her arms to emphasise her point, her jaw dropped in stunned confusion.
"Well I'm sorry, but Momo deserves to have a wine aunt in his life!"
"Toph you're 15, you can't drink." Katara sighs, glancing over at Sokka in slight exasperation. She tugs at her ponytail and releases her sleek brown hair from its tight hold, letting it fall to her shoulders. "It's not like I haven't." Toph says with a grin, she quickly darts out her cane out and trips up Aang, who was busy making goo-goo eyes at Katara. Sokka had already mimed throwing up, but the cane move was good too.
"Come on guys, all of us here have drank before." Suki - the voice of constant reason in the group - places a hand on Aangs shoulder to keep him steady. "Literally we drank all those four lokos on Kataras birthday."
"I haven't drank before!" Aang juts in, regaining balance and standing up straight. Aang used to be the shortest one in his class, always peeking over walls and climbing up to shelves, but then he hit his growth spurt in 9th grade. Now he is steadily catching up with Sokka. It scares him.
"Anyway, to get back to the point, I believe Momo is a group cat! He likes all of you and vice versa. It isn't the craziest idea to just draw up a quick contract-"
"No contracts Sokka!!"
He holds up his arms in defense. "Sorry, sorry, but I think it takes a village. Momo needs multiple influences in his life to become a well-rounded cat!" Sokka brings his soccer bag to his front and grabs his bottle, taking a long swig. Jesus, ever since soccer practice started back up he's really felt the hit, even though he's been playing all summer.
"Come on guys, let's just sit down by the Rick wall and- what the hell??" Aang stops, and so does the rest of the group.
The Rick Wall was Sokka and his friends spot. It's been theirs since middle school. The Rick Wall TM - so called because it has a big graffiti picture of Rick from Rick and Morty, and it's hilariously bad - is a key part in their rituals. Someone had a breakup? Meet for ice creams at the Rick Wall. Their favourite team lost a game? Analyse how they could've won at the Rick Wall. And in this case, relax after the first soccer practice since school started back? The answer should be Rick Wall.
Except there's four people who seem determined to ruin everything they love. Including the once sacred Rick Wall.
Azula and her henchmen.
The girl always has her two friends around - the real happy one and the hot topic one - and her mopey brother. Azula brings them around the place like dogs who hang on her every word, which they probably do. Sokka's always thought that even though Azula was an amazing player - she was the captain of the Dragons for God's sake - but a terrible person. She isn't just your average high school bully, sometimes she's down-right evil. Like one time, Sokka and Katara were out walking Appa with Aang, struggling to reign in the dog as per usual, when Azula and her brother came up behind Aang and shoved him into the nearby creek. They didn't even apologise, just walked away, rocking with laughter.
And even now, she has that same smirk planted firmly on her face as her and her friends sit innocently at the wall - **like they don't know what they're doing. "What the fuck are you guys doing here??" Toph stomps forward, stopping right in front of Azula. Toph crosses her arms and, it would look pretty intimidating if Azula didn't have 4 inches on her.
Azula smiles and side-steps the force that is Toph, glaring expectantly at her friends who almost jump to attention. Her brother - zuko - gets up a little slower then the girls. Zuko looks a little pensive, which is jarring from his usual look of permanent hate and fury of a thousand suns.
"We," Azula comes up to the rest of the group, "are just sitting at our spot. Its perfect isn't it?" She gets up in Sokka's face, her sharp features even more intimidating this close. Sokka shoves her back slightly. "Yeah, it is perfect. That's why it's our spot. Not yours. Get out." He stands strong, squaring his shoulders and not backing down. Azula tilts her head in mock-sadness. "Oh that's such a shame.. we wanted to say our goodbyes to the wall on its last day but, sure, have it."
"What-what do you mean last day?" Says a worried Aang from beside Katara.
Azula grins, not one of joy but of pure malice, relishing in the misery of others. "Didn't you hear? This wall is getting knocked down. It think it's something to do with the youth always loitering there? Or maybe it's because of the horrid graffiti on it..."
"They can't knock this down!! It's- it's-" Katara scrambles, shoving her way to the front. "It's a key part of.. this community!! Those loitering teenagers aren't doing anything wrong. I bet you're just jealous that we have actual creativity in where we hang out and not just our daddy's stupid mansion!" Katara fumes. She's already had a bit of a bad day and this is making her set off slightly. Sokka stands beside her in what he hopes is a power-move, tilting his chin up.
"Who ever said I am having this wall knocked down?"
"Oh please! It has Principle Ozai's money written alll over it!"
"So what if I just, told him casually about a useless wall that was being scribbled on, that needed to go?"
"Go to hell Azula!" Katara grinds her teeth and clenches her fists. Azula merely smiled and sighs. "I'll see you there. Oh, and your mother too."
That was the final straw for Katara. She leaps at Azula, who dodges and pins her to the ground with her hand on her upper back. Katara splutters and tilts her head all she can, glaring at Azula with a tidal wave of insults ready to go. Azula releases her and straightens easily, brushing off her shoulders. "Alright, that's enough of that, Zuko! Mai! Ty Lee! We're going."
The group trudges off, leaving Sokka and the others to help up Katara and mumble insults they'll never hear.
Apart from toph, who yells after them, "Motherfuckers!!"
They all sit at the wall, for apparently the last time, Katara rubbing her sore back. "So.. that's it then?" She says, looking back at the Rick graffiti who Sokka swears looks sad for them. "No more wall... where are we going to hang out then?" Katara says, sighing deeply and leaning her head against the cobbled walls.
"What about the 7 eleven?"
"No seats."
"That tree?"
"Too small, can't fit all of us."
"My house?" Toph suggests.
"Well it is big.."
"And my parents are never home."
"Okay," Sokka says, "New hang out spot, Tophs sick house. Agreed?"
The group break out into a chorus of dampened 'agreeds', still mourning the loss of their Rick wall. They sit in silence for a few moments, before Aang speaks up.
"We need to knock Azula off her pedestal. She's been so much worse ever since the championship started back up again. Everyone knows you're gonna win, you don't have to rub it in our faces.." He crosses his arms and rubs the back of his neck.
"I wish there was some way we could beat the Fyre Academy. I mean, there's some good players scattered over the schools. St Oma and St Shu's have some good ones, right Toph?" Katara looks to Toph, who's laying down with her feet against the wall.
"Just call it Omashu like a normal person." Katara glares at toph, who then sighs. "Yeah, we really do. But the whole team isn't that strong, we have a lot of weak spots."
"Same with the Wolves." Sokka offers, "I mean our team is really adaptive, like they can adjust to any new challenge thrown at them but that's.. kinda it." Suki looks at Sokka apologetically, then says, "I mean the warriors are great but I don't think we qualify as a real team. The school doesn't support it all that much you know."
Everyone sits in their own misery, about the Fyre Academy winning for the 20th year in a row, the loss of the wall, and the unaddressed remark about Sokka and Katara's mother. Sokka knows Azula was only saying that, but it still got under his skin.
Suddenly, Aang sat upright. "Guys!! I have an idea. We should form our own team, between all the schools!" Everyone looks skeptically, but that doesn't faze Aang, who rises to his feet with scary ease. The kids always been weirdly light on his feet for a goalie.
"Aang come on-"
"No I'm serious! Think about it, each team from the schools have their own flaws, but if we all work together then we could have a chance at winning the Elemental cup! Come on, even though there's no St Yangchens soccer team anymore, in sure we'll have enough players!" Aang talks passionately, using a lot of gestures and and jumping on the spot.
Sokka thinks about it for a second, considering the logistics.
I mean, it wasn't crazy. The soccer league has been dominated by the Fyre Academys Dragons for two decades, two decades too long. This could actually work. And, if there was one thing Sokka knew, it was soccer. He'd played since he first knew what it even was, growing up with stories of his fathers glory days as captain of the Atlatic Insitute's Wolves. Hakoda was the last person lift the Elemental cup before the Dragons took control. It always put a little pressure on Sokka to be just as good as the current captain, but hey, if his dad could do it so could he!
It couldn't be too hard to just be your dad, right?
Aang looks across to the group hopefully, "come on guys, this could be fun!" They look at eachother, considering wordlessly, until Suki stands up and nods. "I'm in. So are the warriors. Let's do this." Sokka follows, along with Toph and Aang. They all look expectantly at Katara, who stands up with an exasperated smile. "Alright, let's rock this bitch."
"Hey! You two did watch mean girls. I told you guys to save that movie for me!" Sokka protested.
"Come on, hands in gang!"
"Don't say that."
"Why not?"
"We're not in a coming-of-age movie twinkletoes."
"Well I'd argue-"
"Hands in guys, come on!" Suki interrupts.
They all put their hands in, and lift them up in a cheer. Maybe it's a little stupid, Sokka thinks, but it's fun. Like this new team should be. "Okay, what should we call our team?" Aang says as they walk towards Tophs house. "I was thinking Team Unite!"
"What was your second option?"
"Awe come in! I think it isn't that bad!"
"Well I like the name."
"Thank you Katara!"
"Can you guys stop flirting? We have a house to wreck."
Sokka sighs laxly, letting muscle memory bring him and his friends to Tophs house. Even if they didn't have the Rick Wall or the wins, they had eachother and Tophs parents' 60 inch TV.
*************
Zuko is thinking.
That in itself isn't new, Zuko thinks all the time. Perhaps too much. However, in this occasion, it's an issue. A massive issue.
Zuko is reconsidering everything he ever knew.
For all of his 18 years, Zuko has been in a constant state of thought. Whether that be in anger, grief, anger again, sadness briefly, more anger, he's been thinking. But not like this. Not like this all consuming whisper of a thousand ideas and voices that withdraws his focus from more important things, like where he's going, what classes he has, and what his sister's saying.
"Zuzu?? Are you even listening to me?" Azula snapped fingers in his face, sharp brows drawn into eachother.
"Hm? Oh, yeah. I am."
"Then what did I just say??"
"Uhm.."
"Thought so. Mai, tell him." Azula said dismissively, waving a hand in Zuko's direction. Mai blinks, then starts in her monotone voice. "Azula was talking about tactics for this year's season. She wants to know if there's a chance you could work harder at your stamina. It's lacking apparently." Mai returns to her original position, walking towards... where? Zuko still didn't know.
"My stamina is just fine."
"Tell that to coach Zhao."
"Well coach Zhao has it out for me. He made me run **twelve laps** before training then complained when I was tired."
"And why were you tired?"
"Because I just ran twelve laps-"
"Because you have low stamina."
Zuko sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets and trudging along with his sister and her friends. The autumn chill whips through the air, making Zuko wish he'd brought a scarf. Ty Lee is almost **skipping** along Mai's side, how does she have so much energy all the time?
The break in the conversation leaves Zuko to his tortuous thoughts again.
Zuko is gay.
That thought alone has turned his entire life plan around, what was once a carefully curated path chosen for him is now an utter shit-show that Zuko doesn't know if he even wants anymore. He's grown up his life being told he will be the Principle of Fyre Academy one day and will bring greatness and glory to the school - zuko has no idea why it's so great, it's just a Principle job - but now, that Zuko is graduating this year he has to face the descion of truly deciding what he wants to do. While there's the obvious familial pressure, he's not too sure he wants to be the feared Principle his father is, but a different one. Someone who's a legitimate educator that cares. And, not to mention his blatant aversion to dating women. His father would never accept him, Zuko knows that much. So, he would end up having to marry some woman he doesn't truly love. Which, used to be a somewhat appealing thought to Zuko. He thought it was his duty, and if he were to honour this family he should marry a woman.
But he isn't too sure anymore.
Zuko has always tried to do what's best for the family, for their image, but this is too much. Surely he shouldn't have to sacrifice who he is just to be loved, surely? But, then again, his father is not a forgiving man. Never has been. He for sure wasn't forgiving when the-
"Zuko? Are you okay?" Said Mai, concerned enough to wrangle Zuko out of his thoughts. He didn't even realise his fingers were brushing his scar.
"Yeah... yeah I'm fine."
"No you're not.."
"I am so just- leave it alone."
"Zuko-"
"Mai!" Azula yells from a few paces ahead. Zuko sighs and nods in Azula's direction. "Go. You're needed."
"Fine. But this isn't over." She walks over to Azula's side, falling in step with the other two. Zuko watched the three walk together, seemingly fine. God why couldn't he be like that. Fine. Normal. Then, Zuko came to his senses. Did he really just call Azula normal?
Turns out they were walking back to his house, Zuko truly wasn't aware. He heads straight up to his bedroom and drops his stuff. And thinks. He thinks so much that by the end he's sick of thinking. Thing is, he can't stop. So now Zuko is just miserable.
Like usual.
Dinner is spent in silence, with Ozai paying no heed to either of his children. Zuko can see it visibly dampen Azula's spirits when Ozai ignores her mentions of tactics for the team. That's the issue with Azula, she craves her fathers attention and praise so much that when she doesn't get it, something that she's been conditioned over time to require, she flips out on everyone. Specifically Zuko.
"Get out my way!!" She sneers as Zuko tries to ask her where his headphones are. He gives up and walks outside in silence.
Zuko doesn't know where he's going really, he just walks. Eventually he reaches a large oak tree by the school. He sighs and sits down on one side of it, resting his unexpectedly weary head against the rough bark. His ponytail prevents him from fully relaxing. Zuko can't bring himself to undo it.
He slips his eyes shut, distantly remembering something about not falling asleep outside because you could freeze to death, and Zuko feels a little pang of guilt when he realise he'd welcome it.
Zuko was just about to succumb to his rather convenient death, when a familiar voice started on the other side of the tree.
"Zuko?" Said a very confused Sokka. He's sitting against the tree with a hard copy with a dozen complicated equations sprawled across it in his lap. His wolftail is coming undone slightly, leaving a few stray strands over his face. All in all he looks quite wind-rumpled.
"U-uhm.. sokka?" Zuko frantically sits up, trying not to look like he was about to accept death. "What.. what are you doing here?"
"Homework. Uhm. You?"
"Just.. sitting."
"Right.."
A few seconds of unbearable silence pass, and before Zuko knew what he was doing, he'd opened his mouth to speak. "I'm... I'm sorry about Azula. What she said about your mother was mean. And I'm sorry about the wall thing too."
Sokka looked over at him from the other side of the tree, a little stunned. He blinks, looking at Zuko like he had two heads. "You uhm... I'm sorry for interrupting your homework.. I'll go." Zuko shifts to get up, and starts walking steadily away from the tree.
"Didn't know you were capable of empathy." Sokka says skeptically, eyeing zuko up.
"Well... I'm trying. I think."
"Oh. Well, thank you for apologising for her, I guess?" Sokka furrowed his brow, seemingly very confused. Zuko decided to not take offense to that.
"I'll go now.. if thats-"
"Yeah, yeah, uhm. Bye zuko?"
"Bye sokka."
Zuko didn't go straight home, he walked around the town for a while longer. The evening sun has disappeared and all that was left was cold and cloud.
Only when Zuko was in bed did he think about what he was going to do before Sokka talked to him.