Archive of Our Own

~**______**~

Previously on the Bachelorette

Suki met the families of her final four, but in the end, had to say goodbye to one of them...

“Ty Lee, I’m sorry, I just have to follow my heart.”

“I know, I just wish it could have led you to me.”

“Hey–” a hand at her neck, a kiss on the forehead. “You’re one of a kind. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise–”

~**______**~

Katara looks over to her brother. He’s sitting with rapt attention as if he wasn’t there when all of this happened several months back.

She looks back at the TV as the recap from last week’s episode plays. “I still can’t believe she kept Zuko after meeting with his train wreck of a family.”

“I still can’t believe I didn’t get to be in the hometown episode,” Aang pouts, reaching down to pet the large, fluffy dog at his feet. “Even Appa got to meet Suki!” 

Katara reaches over to her boyfriend and pats his thigh. “Sweetie, you were in Tibet, it’s not like we could’ve flown you in for one day.”

“You at least could have looked like you missed me,” Aang pouts.

Sokka plops down on Aang’s opposite side, briefly massaging his shaved head as if it’s an acceptable substitute for ruffling someone’s hair. “We did,” Sokka insists, leaning back to cradle his popcorn bowl between his knees. “It’s not our fault the producers cut out the bits where we talked about you.”

“Next time you go on TV,” Aang starts, poking Sokka in the jaw. “You bring a cardboard cutout of me. Or of just my face. I’m not picky.”

Katara can’t help it, she snorts. They’ve been hearing Aang whine about not being here to meet Suki for three months now. “Being filmed is weird,” Katara says. “You saw just how much they rearranged dad's house to make it look more ‘homey’. They even brought in their own lamps because they didn’t like how ours gave off too much light. The lamps gave off too much light. Can you believe it?”  

Sokka nods. “They had to bring in their own lighting, it’s for TV. They have a lighting department. It’s their job to care about that stuff.”

Katara rolls her eyes. “Bato is still upset that they made him move his moose head. Like they only wanted to show their interpretation of our family.”

Sokka reaches across Aang’s lap to take her hand. “I know,” he says sadly. “Believe me, I wasn’t a big fan of that either. That’s why I posted those pictures, yeah?”

The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise had been under scrutiny for years. With each passing season finding more and more cast members who come forward to testify to just how scripted the show is. How stressful night one is, with the cocktail party going to nearly 5am with no rest. How the producers sit you down and ask you questions until they get the answers they want to hear.

But Sokka was infatuated with Suki from the moment she stepped out of the limo on Jet’s season. He had to meet her, and he knew it was a longshot when he applied, but against all odds, he got on the show. 

And he of course knew all of this, he and Katara had been watching the franchise as somewhat of a guilty pleasure show since they were young. He knew the risks and stressed every day about what characteristics of his personality the show would latch onto. Would they focus on his energy and play quirky music whenever he got too excited about a date? Would he get nervous and slip up a minor phrase, then get made fun of on the internet for being an idiot?

Sokka knew all of these were risks, knew that what was filmed wasn’t necessarily aired. Read enough of the blogs and listened to enough of the podcasts to understand that the magic of editing could paint absolutely anyone as a villain.

But he honestly, truly, risked it all to find love. And it was clear to fans the moment he first sat down with Suki at the first cocktail party, when she awarded him the first impression rose, that the two of them had a legitimate connection. One that Katara even got to witness during hometowns, and Katara was relieved to find that Suki was as real and genuine as she had come off on TV during Jet’s season. 

And while Katara could never resent him for it, Sokka hadn’t quite realized that he was taking a risk for his family, too. By making it so far during Suki’s season, he had opened them all up to going through this TV stuff that none of them, spare for Sokka himself, had signed up for. 

And being whitewashed for the sake of national TV was not something Katara was at all okay with.

There were certain things that Sokka wasn’t allowed to say under contract while the show was still airing, but he did take to social media to show some What you didn’t see on my hometown date pictures to remind audiences that Sokka has a culture. Has a family and a belief system that is not to be swept under the rug or hidden for the perceived palatability of a wider audience.

Fans rallied behind him, Suki too, in the discussion. Sokka and Suki liked every single post on Twitter and Instagram that noticed that Bato’s tribal tattoos were cropped out of nearly every frame. That family photos had been noticeably absent from every closeup. Trophies from their dads' hunting trips temporarily removed by the film crew. Their hunting tools and family heirlooms —proudly displayed in the living room where most of the filming took place— not visible in a single shot.

It's fucking Alaska… the whole world knows that parts of Alaska are wilderness. And while their family was certainly not an “off grid” family, hunting was still a huge part of the family traditions and celebrations. So the absolute cowardice of the producers who wouldn’t even acknowledge that aspect of them… it sickens her.

Her dad had taken it harder than the rest of them. Where she and Bato were livid, dad was just sad that his family had to be adjusted for TV. That Gran-gran’s stories were cut from the final airing, that his husband hardly got any airtime because he was sleeveless and proudly displaying his tattoos. Katara couldn’t believe a fucking trash TV show could do this to them. That it left Sokka in a place of trying to rectify it for the lot of them, but only in ways that didn’t violate his contract. It isn’t fair. 

Sokka has been on no less than seven podcasts in the last week to try and keep up with it. Flooded his Twitter and Instagram with countless photos of their home, family dinners, hunting trips, tattoos. Daily fun facts about how their family still identified as belonging to a ‘Tribe’, their practice of carving betrothal necklaces, a show and tell of Bato’s favorite hunting trophies. 

With the exception of last week, Katara had always just recorded the episode and steered clear of Sokka’s social media posts until she and Aang could watch with him the next day. Usually she had to work at the hospital on Monday nights, but after how the filming had gone for their hometown episode, Sokka had the foresight to ask Katara to trade shifts last week so they could all be together when it aired. Dads and Gran-gran included.

For this week, it was just the three of them, Sokka gently asking Katara to trade shifts again. They were at hers and Aang’s apartment instead of at dads’ house. This wasn’t a family emergency type of watch party, so at least Katara was reassured in the fact that it was something that Sokka did that was Big, and not ‘our family is having its culture erased for public consumption’ Big.

Katara squeezes her brother’s hand, then releases him, taking a deep breath. “I still don’t understand why you’d want your baby sister with you while we watch Fantasy Suite week,” she says dryly. “I better not have to see you running shirtless in slow motion again.”

Sokka laughs, passing her the bowl so she can scoop out a cupful of popcorn. “No promises,” he says. He has his phone on the armrest next to him, face down. Katara definitely knows something is going down this episode, but none of the spoiler blogs seem to know what. It’s been a very tight-lipped secret, which is highly unusual for Bachelor nation, who often have all the tea days before the episode airs, but even the previews for this episode have been vague.

They turn back to the TV, which has finally stopped running the recap and ‘preview’ for tonight's episode, and is showing Suki on a balcony, staring off into the distance.

(Katara never used to think much about these kinds of scenes before Sokka. He told her that the producers gave them a lengthy math problem to solve mentally in order to get a good “thoughtful shot”. Later on they’d sit them down and ask some questions to build a monologue to play over the footage.)

~**______**~

“I can’t believe it’s already Fantasy Suite week.”

A zoomed-in shot of Suki applying her makeup in the mirror.

“It feels like just the other day I was meeting everyone, and now I’ve met all of their families."

She picks up a pen and piece of paper on the vanity, begins to write, but the angle doesn’t show what’s on the paper.

“It was really hard saying goodbye to Ty Lee, I’m so thankful for everything she’s taught me about being open and loving and free. I never thought I could enjoy PDA before her.” The camera shows her taking a deep breath, before walking to exit her hotel suite. “But I know my feelings for the other three, and I’m really excited to get to know them better this week, away from the cameras.”

~**______**~

“Bow-chicka- wow-wow! ”

Aang cries out when she and Sokka elbow him from opposite sides.

~**______**~

Yue, Sokka, and Zuko are sitting in the common area of the house. Sokka and Yue are sitting beside each other, Zuko on the opposite end of the room.

Zuko has a book in hand.

The camera shows Sokka looking at Zuko with an unkind expression, then looking away.

Cut to Zuko not noticing.

Sokka looking pointedly at Yue, who shrugs, a mix of ‘I don’t know’ and visible disinterest. 

An overlay sound of crickets chirping.

There’s a knock on the door, and all three heads snap up.

Zuko wordlessly stands up, placing down his book. He is still not looking at Sokka, who glares at his retreating back.

Cut to Sokka in the interview room, his age and information in the bottom left corner of the screen.

“A big, huge date is coming up this week and this guy is reading in the middle of the day. Like he’s too cool to interact with us.”

Back to the scene, Zuko walks off frame, and Sokka rolls his eyes.

Back to the interview.

“And as much as I don’t want his [[BLEEEEEEP]] name on that card, I’d love to get him out of the house for a bit. We’ve only been back for a few days since everyone’s hometown dates, but he’s already on my last nerve.”

Zuko walks back into the frame, holding the envelope. He opens it.

Sokka in the interview space, head down, crossed-fingers held up as he whispers.

“Me or Zuko, me or Zuko, me or Zuko.”

Zuko looks down at the card, then at the room. “Yue.”

Sokka in the interview space, his head in his hands.

Back to the scene.

“Let’s ride off into the sunset. Suki.”

Yue has a big, spreading smile across her face. Sokka pulls her against his side and presses a kiss into her hair. 

Zuko passes the envelope to Yue.

~**______**~

Katara can’t help it, she immediately starts laughing. Sokka nods, his jaw tense as if he anticipated as much.

During some of the rare off-camera time of the hometown date, Sokka had pulled her aside to complain about Zuko. At the time, she couldn’t quite understand her brother having a rival, of all the ridiculous things to come out of the show. He’d sworn up and down that he was the villain of this season but trusted Suki enough to not want to interfere. That he’d show her his true colors eventually.

But instead, Zuko made it at least to Fantasy Suite week.

And while their fierce discontent for one another was especially visible on the show, Katara found that Zuko was most certainly not the villain. Twitter speculated that the two boys were actually staging most of their arguments and disagreements, as they seemed to come out of nowhere and last longer than they should.

It’s been a very “Team Jacob/Team Edward” kind of vibe, but a lot of people, Katara included, maintained that both boys were just idiots. Sensitive and quick triggered when it came to each other for some reason. Usually both wrong in their arguments. 

Sokka maintains that if it weren’t for the show’s zero-tolerance policy against violence, he would have decked Zuko night one.

There were a few very funny episodes, like any of the ones that pitted the two against either other. Such as the episode where they had to roast their fellow competitors, but only picked on each other, whilst the other competitors picked on them. June’s slam poetry roast, which she titled ‘Get a Room’ was certainly one of the most memorable parts of the season. 

Then there were the physical competitions—body slamming each other in basketball, getting paired up for an arm wrestling contest. 

Any competition out there, it was always about these two.

Sokka swears that none of their rivalry was staged. They genuinely hated each other from night one.

~**______**~

Cut to Yue in the interview space.

“I’m excited for my date with Suki. I told her last week that I was falling for her and then she kissed me…” she pauses, bringing a hand to her face to try and cover the wide grin spreading. “I know that she can’t exactly say it back, but… that kiss said a lot.” 

Cut to Zuko and Sokka watching Yue stand up and leave the room. 

Back to Yue in the interview space. 

“But I am a bit worried about the boys.”

The cricket sound resumes playing.

Zuko on the couch, visibly scowling at the book. 

Sokka, arms crossed, opposite him. His legs are crossed, too, and he’s glaring directly across at Zuko. 

The cricket chirping ends.

Yue in the interview space, head shaking minutely. “There genuinely might not be a house to come back to tomorrow.” She goes rigid, then looks directly at the camera. “Ohmigosh, that's so presumptuous isn’t it? That I’m not coming home until tomorrow? I mean I’m confident in us but I didn’t mean to imply…” She sighs. “Too late to take it back, huh?” Yue shrugs slowly, a guilty smile on her face. “Sorry, dad.”

~**______**~

Sokka checks his phone, smiles at it, then puts it back down.

The smile lingers.

“Don’t tell me the memes are starting already,” Aang says. He must have noticed it, too.

“Not yet,” Sokka says. “But I’m sure they’re coming.”

Katara opens her own phone, and the first thing that comes up on her feed is from one of the big Bachelor fan accounts. The post has a swipe through of several memes from the first 15 minutes of the episode.

-------------------

-------------------

...Hm. Katara thinks.

~**______**~

Suki’s voice plays over a scene of her walking around a ranch. She’s wearing blue jeans, a black ribbed tank top, and a navy-and-white plaid button down. She has her hands in her back pockets. 

“I’m really looking forward to spending the day with Yue. She and I always have so much fun, and our relationship has such a strong foundation. It feels like I’ve known her for years.”

Suki sitting up on a wooden post fence. She looks to her left, and the sun casts her in a warm glow. She smiles.

“I really liked meeting with her family, and I could really see a future for us, but there are still several things I need to hear going into tonight to be sure.”

The polite smile breaks into a big grin when she spots Yue, who’s dressed in a similar outfit. Red tank, red and white plaid button down, blue jeans. She has her hair in a high ponytail. Both girls are wearing brown cowboy boots, which become visible when Suki hops down off the fence and both girls quickly close the distance between each other.

Suki scoops her up and kisses her, Yue laughs, cupping her cheeks. They’re both smiling into the kiss.

“But I’m also going to get many smooches first.”

~**______**~

“They’re so cute together,” Aang sighs. “I’m so happy that they end up getting engaged!”

Aang casts a sharp glance to Sokka, trying to catch him reacting in any kind of way to his words.

But Aang’s been doing that for weeks now, and Sokka hasn’t fallen for it once.

“Buddy,” Sokka says, checking his phone covertly. “You don’t quit, do you?”

“I’m just saying, you gave it your best shot. They’re in love, game over.”

“Just watch the damn show, Aang,” Sokka says.

~**______**~

Sokka outside working out. He’s shirtless and using free weights.

Cut to Zuko poolside. Book still in hand.

Sokka looks in Zuko’s direction, then looks away.

Zuko peers over his sunglasses, then back down at his book.

Zuko in the interview space. “It’s honestly like he’s trying to start a fight.”

Sokka in the interview space. “—always staring at me.”

Zuko: “—giving me dirty looks.”

“—acting like he’s too good for the rest of us.”

“—always showing off.”

“—I’ll give you something to stare at.”

Sokka sets his weights down. He crosses to the pool, smirking at Zuko. Zuko looks up, frowning. Sokka starts running, does a cannonball into the pool and sends a small wave of water right to where Zuko is sitting. Zuko jumps up, only his legs getting wet, but glares at Sokka anyways.

“What’s your [BLEEP]ing problem??”

“Sorry, bro,” Sokka says. “If you don’t want to get wet, don’t sit by the pool!!”

Sokka in the interview space. “Was it the most mature thing to do?” He shrugs. “No. But it felt really good. I’ve been dealing with his bullshit for weeks now.”

Cut to Zuko storming back into the house. He slams the door. 

Much of what Zuko is saying is intelligible because of multiple censoring sounds.

~**______**~

“Wow,” Aang says as it goes to commercial. “Talk about living long enough to see yourself become the villain .”

Sokka shrugs. “I said what I said.”

“Over a book, though!?”

Katara snorts. “If Mrs. Linchfield was watching, she would understand.” 

“Hey,” Sokka says, affronted. “It’s not my fault she was the most boring English teacher on the planet.”

“All I’m saying is, she wouldn’t be surprised.”

“I’m not watching with you guys ever again,” Sokka says, pulling out his phone. “Now shut up while I tweet.”

~**______**~

Zuko in the interview space. “Sooooo we’re both out here because normally, we get a date card by now.”

Sokka and Zuko are sitting in the living area. They’re opposite each other, the same seats as earlier in the episode. Both men have their arms crossed and are not looking at each other.

“It’s pretty much the last place I’d want to be right now. But… what else is there to do?”

Sokka tapping his foot on the ground. He repeatedly looks over his shoulder to where the door is known to be.

“I already finished my book.”

Cut to an outdoor scene. It’s night-time, and Suki is waiting at a small round dining table. She’s wearing a purple suit— three-quarter sleeves and a low plunging neckline.  Her hair is in a messy, styled bun. She has a fan necklace and matching dangle earrings. 

She looks up from the table, smiling, then pushes her chair back to stand up. 

The camera cuts to Yue. She’s wearing a silver, one-shoulder cocktail dress. Her wavy hair falls over her shoulders, she has on a silver necklace with a moon pendant. Her smile is wide and stretches her cheeks. Her high heels click on the pavement as she approaches Suki.

When the two girls meet, Suki—in a pair of flats—rises onto her toes to kiss Yue on the cheek. 

“You look stunning,” Suki says, helping her into her chair. 

Yue’s smile brightens. “You too,” she says. “Sheesh— can you pull off every color?”

Suki laughs. She takes her seat and leans her elbows up onto the table, folding her hands. When she stops laughing, she smirks. “I guess I mostly avoid orange,” she says. “But I think you’ve officially upstaged me for life in silver.” 

“Stop—” Yue reaches across the table to push at Suki’s arm. Suki’s smirk grows wider and her position doesn’t change. “I mean it,” Yue adds, still smiling.

Suki relents. She unfolds her hands and takes one of Yue’s. She runs her thumb over her knuckles, looking down at their hands before looking up to meet Yue’s gaze. 

Yue exhales, humming a small sigh. “You’re so rude,” she says fondly. “You make it way too easy to fall for you.”

“Hmm,” Suki smiles, bringing Yue’s hand to her lips. “I could say the same.”

~**______**~

Next to them, Aang fails to contain a squeal. The episode continues to run, showing Suki asking her about all the hard-hitting questions she mentioned— family, future, career goals, where she would see them if they were to get engaged— but Yue answers them gracefully. 

Katara can’t help but wonder what Sokka’s answers to the questions will be when he gets his date later in the episode. It’s clear from the way that Yue answered them that she thought about all of these before, but it’s hard to imagine her brother engaged to anyone. 

Given, rumor has it that Bachelor in Paradise is already filming and Sokka isn’t there, so it’s possible that Sokka could have been secretly engaged at this point, but it’s just so hard to believe. Sokka’s always been goofy and big-hearted and positively mushy in his past relationships— at least the one’s she’s seen, she knows not all of his past partners made the ‘meet the family’ cut— but it’s hard to picture him engaged.

Suki was absolutely lovely, she definitely could see their chemistry in person and in the episodes leading up to this one, but Sokka is still just so… Sokka. He has a serious side, sure, but what would it take for him to propose to someone? Is there something going to happen later in this episode that makes it clear that Sokka is in love with her? 

None of the contestants have told Suki more than that they’re falling for her. Not even Yue, who, in one of her confessionals in the last episode, admitted that she already knows she’s in love with her. 

And Suki seems to be making smart decisions and being very honest about her feelings, using eloquent descriptors or sweet metaphors to describe how each of her final three— four, really, because Ty Lee’s elimination was shocking— make her feel. And all four of them were distinct, meaningful descriptions that always felt earnest to even the most skeptical fans.

And yet, watching Yue and Suki now…

No one right now in the episode is saying the ‘big scary L-word’ that the show always dances around, but Katara suddenly hopes that Suki breaks up with Sokka this episode. 

Because the next episode means meeting Suki’s family and asking for permission for marriage. 

Because if Sokka proposes, she’s going to say no.

It’s so clear here. No amount of editing could hide the beautiful chemistry between Suki and Yue, and it wasn’t what she saw live between her and her brother. 

She looks over at her brother, trying to hide the sympathy from her features, but Sokka doesn’t look sad. He doesn’t look resigned. He doesn’t even look like he’s having some aha! moment. 

He’s watching Suki and Yue in love like it’s any other TV show, not his girlfriend or lover or whatever with someone else.

Damn him and his poker face. When did Sokka get so good at lying?

She’ll have to grill him about it later.

The scene ends with Suki handing an envelope to Yue. Yue takes the envelope and reads the letter inviting her to spend the night in the Fantasy Suite and excitedly accepts, hugging, then kissing, Suki. 

Katara can’t help but smile as the two women walk hand-in-hand off camera before the show heads to commercial.

“Dude,” Aang breathes. “I’m so sorry.”

Sokka rolls his eyes. “Haven’t we done this already, Aang? I’m not giving away the ending.”

“You don’t have to,” Aang says. “It’s pretty clear that she chooses Yue.”

Sokka stands up. “I’m getting a lemonade, does anyone want anything?”

Katara and Aang shake their heads. Sokka takes his phone with him, immediately typing a message as he disappears into the kitchen.

Aang turns to her. “So?”

Katara sighs. “I just hope Suki didn’t let him propose.” 

Aang nods solemnly.

Sokka returns a few minutes later, sans lemonade, his face still unreadable. Only because he’s her brother does she notice the little extra pep in his step. 

Out of habit, she refreshes Twitter, but is shocked to find that no new Tweet or Retweet has come in from Sokka during the commercial break.

Did she read this all wrong? Is he just getting a bad edit like their family episode? Is he happily engaged to Suki and texting her about it?

This is ridiculous. Katara is livid that there is still another twenty-eight minutes left in the episode—

Wait.

Twenty-eight minutes is not enough for two more fantasy suite dates. 

So maybe someone does get sent home.

Two someones?

~**______**~

Sokka in the interview space. “Gotta say, love Yue and all but it’s pretty hard knowing she’s getting laid while I’m stuck with the broody librarian.”

Zuko drums his fingers against the arm of the couch. He’s looking up somewhere off-camera. The camera pans to a clock ticking, then back to Zuko.

“And the worst part is, I’m bored out of my gourd. Like I’m bored and Zuko’s here existing and I’m honestly about to pick a fight out of pure boredom.”

~**______**~

“Quick question,” Aang chimes. “Are you bored?”

~**______**~

Sokka in the interview space, he tips his head back, groaning: “I’m so BOOOOOOOOORED.”

~**______**~

Katara snorts out a laugh, Sokka sends her and Aang a dirty look but it only makes them laugh harder.

~**______**~

“Hey jerkface,” Sokka says.

Zuko looks up scowling.

“Ha. You answer to jerkface, now.”

“Well unless you were talking to yourself—”

“Nope,” Sokka says, popping the ‘p’ sound. “Just you.”

“Any reason why?”

“Mostly just to piss you off.”

Zuko uncrosses his legs, leaning forward and glaring at Sokka. Tense music starts playing.“You seriously have nothing better to d—”

“No, I don’t,” Sokka says. “And neither do you. Because we’re both waiting for a date card to show up, remember?”

“Whatever,” Zuko says. “I’m not gonna let you rile me up just cuz you’re bored.”

“Of course you are,” Sokka says, waving his hand. “If there’s anything I do know, it’s that I know how to get under your skin.”

“Well, you said it yourself, then,” Zuko returns. “There’s truly nothing you know.”

“Listen pal, you need to work on your comebacks. Didn’t you learn anything from the roast?”

“What I learned is that you—”

“Are way cooler than you? Obviously.”

Zuko stands up abruptly. “Interrupt me,” he warns. “One more [[BLEEEEP]] time.”

Sokka stands up, grinning. “Or what?” he says. “You’ll read me a book? That’ll teach me.”

“I swear to—”

“Come again?”

“That’s it!” 

Zuko takes two stomping steps forward. He reaches out and clutches the collar of Sokka’s polo. 

Sokka fists the shoulder of Zuko’s shirt.

The tense music is louder than before. The camera cuts to Zuko’s closed fist at his side. Sokka’s face, his jaw clenched. Zuko’s face, eyes narrowed. 

~**______**~

“Oh my god,” Katara gasps. She’s seen that look before. She can’t believe she’s about to watch her brother throw hands on television. Out of boredom no less. “Sokka,  did you get fucking banned for starting a fight?”

“I did not start anything,” Sokka snaps back.

~**______**~

Sokka in the interview space. “I don’t know how it happened.”

Cut to the two of them in the living area. Both men have one hand rigid at their side, but each test the grip the other has, rolling their shoulders. They’re glaring, the camera cutting back and forth between close ups of their faces, their gazes shifting constantly, searching the other with narrowed eyes.

“One second I’m weighing up the consequences of decking this jerk on national TV.”

The camera cuts out, showing the two of them from the waist up.

The music stops.

“And the next…”

Their shoulders relax for a moment, but then they surge forward.

Sokka and Zuko meet in a hard, fast kiss, grips shifting on each other’s clothes so that the two men are flush against one another.

~**______**~

Katara is choking. Holy fuck she’s going to die choking on water.

Aang thumps her on the back, but Katara manages to get a hold of herself. She looks up and sees Sokka curled into the corner of the couch, both hands covering his mouth and he’s staring up at her with wide, fearful eyes.

Good.

She stands up, plucking one of the throw pillows from the couch and gripping it with two hands before swinging it at her idiot brother. Sokka blocks it with his forearms, but Katara swings again because what the fuck.

“Katara!” he shrieks.

“You didn’t even tell us!” 

“I couldn’t!”

“I thought you hated him!”

“In my defense,” Sokka says, catching the pillow. “So did I.”

Aang hums thoughtfully from where he’s standing behind her. Seems he'd wisely gotten himself out of dodge when Katara leapt up a moment ago. When she turns, she sees him stroking his chin, nodding. “I totally see it now,” he says. 

She turns back to Sokka. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Uh… I’m sorry?”

“Damn straight,” she says. Katara sits back down on the couch and stares blankly at the commercials. Beside her, Sokka is typing furiously, no doubt trying to keep up with the accounts blowing up right now.

She can’t even look right now.

Sokka’s a bigger idiot than she ever gave him credit for. 

How the hell could he not tell the difference between hate and attraction? It’s not like they’re 15 year-olds anymore, or that flirting via aggression is anywhere near appropriate.

Was it a lie? Was their contempt for each other staged?

No. That’s not fair to Sokka. He’d never pretend to be anything other than himself, probably wouldn’t even know how.

“You’re an idiot,” Katara says after a long while.

“Yep,” Sokka says. 

“So is Zuko,” she adds.

“Yeah.” Sokka puts down his phone, taps his fingers on the arm of the sofa. Aang is still standing off to the side, watching them, and she knows Sokka is waiting for her to look at him. Eventually, she does, and finds that he’s wearing a nervous expression as he watches her. 

It’s something important, then.

She gestures for him to say whatever he’s holding back.

“Okay if we do a video call?”

We. Aang, herself, Sokka, and his reality-TV-show-rival-turned... turned... wait.

“Are you two dating?” she asks.

Sokka smiles a little, and it takes a little bit of the edge off her anger at him keeping things from her. “Yeah, kinda,” he says. “But we’re not going public until the finale. Only friends and family right now.” After a moment he adds, “He wants to meet you both.”

Aang bounds over to them, jumping up to kneel on the couch between them, facing Sokka. “Really?? Me too?”

“Of course,” Sokka laughs. “He’s heard a ton about you and our cross-country camping adventures. He has a place he recommends for our next hike, too.”

“Wow!” Aang cheers. 

“So… Katara?”

Both boys are looking at her. 

It doesn’t make sense. Hometowns were filmed a little over three months ago, meaning Sokka’s been hiding this secret relationship for around ninety days? 

But it’s sweet how Sokka’s nervous right now, and she thinks that Zuko is a nice enough guy based on what she’s seen.

It's just… they went on the show to date Suki and somehow ended up dating each other? It’s a lot to take in.

She takes a deep breath, releasing it on a sigh. “Yeah,” she says, smoothing her features into a reluctant smile. “He can call.”

Sokka leans over past Aang to plant a kiss on her cheek, and she grimaces playfully, ultimately allowing it without smacking him again.

But it’s a near thing. 

Sokka sends a quick text, and then a moment or so later the phone rings with the FaceTime request. Sokka’s face lights up when he answers it, not at all unlike how it did when he introduced them to Suki a few months back. “Hey babe,” he says. He swivels so that she and Aang are visible in the frame over his shoulder. “This is my sister, Katara, and her fiancé-– Aang.”

Zuko’s hair is longer than it was in the episode earlier. Twitter has been excitedly tracking its growth since they first clocked that he wasn’t cutting it around episode 4, but where it had been barely dipping below his ears in this episode, it's now nearly brushing his shoulders, even with the front few strands pulled back.

“Hello,” he says, waving. “Zuko here.”

Sokka scoffs over his… boyfriend’s muttered ‘But I guess you already knew that…’

They talk for a few minutes. It seems to be some kind of extended commercial break. Zuko asks her about some of the things she discussed on the hometown episode, and a few more things that he must have heard from Sokka himself— her baking, her job at the hospital. 

He asks Aang about bird watching and nature hikes, as well as some video game that he and Sokka play. Aang makes Sokka swipe away from the call momentarily and sends his contact info to Zuko, then practically squeals with delight then he gets a text from him. Aang also makes them smile at the video call, and has Sokka take several photos of the call. Then, when he realizes that they’ll be only of Zuko, has Zuko snap a few and send them to Sokka.

Much to her surprise, it’s really easy—not at all uncomfortable like Zuko’s introduction—between the four of them.

And both boys seem especially smitten with each other, falling into easy banter and chiding each other playfully here and there.

Right as the commercials end, a female voice calls on Zuko’s end. “Okay time’s up, lover boy, now it’s our turn.”

Zuko turns back to them. “Ready to meet Mai and my sister?”

“Born ready,” Sokka says smiling. “Why do you think I’m wearing my favorite polo?”

Aang gasps. “You didn’t wear it for me?”

“Sorry buddy,” he says, standing up from the couch and rubbing Aang’s shaved head. He turns back to the camera. “Say bye to Zuko!” he tells them, and Aang and Katara wave and say their goodbyes as Sokka disappears into the kitchen again. “Hey, is Ty Lee there, too?”

A cheery feminine voice calls back, but Katara can no longer make out the words.

“No fair,” Aang says, pouting and crossing his arms. “I wanna meet Ty Lee.”

“I have a feeling you will,” Katara says, patting his shoulder. 

“I guess,” Aang sighs, leaning back into a proper seating position on the couch. He turns to her, smiling. “I’m happy for them.”

Katara smiles back. “Me too,” she admits. “But I can’t make it too easy for him. He did lie to us, after all. I think we can get some mileage out of this.”

“Katara, you’re so mean,” Aang says, but he’s still grinning. He leans in close, cupping her cheek to seal their lips together chastely. “I really like Zuko.”

“Me too,” she repeats, and, because she can’t help it, adds: “You would’ve liked Suki, too.”

Aang grabs his chest, wounded, before leaning in with a devious look on his face. The kind that always proceeds a dangerous tickle fight. She manages to diffuse it, apologizing through tears of laughter, but only because the show is back on. 

~**______**~

The scene opens on Suki and Yue together in bed. Suki is laying on her back with Yue’s head on her shoulder, leaning into the embrace. 

Suki’s voice plays over her leaning to kiss Yue’s temple.

“Yue and I took a big step last night.”

Yue reaches up to poke Suki on the nose, smiling, then leans to follow it with a kiss.

Cut to Suki in the interview space. “Two actually.” She gives the camera a small smile. “I told her that I’m falling in love with her.” Suki is blushing, she brings a hand to cover up her mouth.

Both women are sitting up in bed, dressed in plush robes with breakfast trays over their laps. They clink their flutes of mimosa together before leaning in to seal their lips. 

Yue’s voice plays over soft music.

“This is really it.”

A scene of the two of them on the balcony. Suki and Yue are side by side, Yue with her arm around her and Suki’s head on her shoulder.

“Spoiler alert dad— pretty sure I’m getting engaged next week."

The music plays for a while as they watch the sun rise, then fades into quiet.

Yue speaks. “Did you really not even send a date card last night?”

“Nope,” Suki smirks. “Didn’t need to.”

Yue nudges Suki with her elbow, smiling. When Suki looks up, Yue leans in to press their lips together. After they part, Yue sighs. “I sure hope they didn’t destroy the place,” she says. “The tension in there yesterday was unbearable.”

“I’m sure they’ve gotten it out of their systems by now.”

Yue frowns. “How do you figure?”

“Well,” Suki says, turning to her fully. She rests her hip on the balcony. “Either they fought it out or banged it out. My money’s on the latter.”

“No way,” Yue gasps. “Zuko and Sokka!?”

Suki nods. “Twenty bucks.”

Yue grins, taking Suki by the hips and stepping close. Suki wraps her arms around Yue’s waist.

“I’ll take that bet.” 

Cut to Zuko sitting up in bed. He’s sitting to the right side, reading a book with the covers on the left turned down. Morning light is coming in through the windows.

“Are you kidding me!?”

Zuko looks up. The camera pans to Sokka in the doorway, wearing a pair of dark gray sweatpants. He is frowning at Zuko, arms crossed over his bare chest. 

Plunky music starts playing.

Zuko shrugs, smirking, and brings the book closer up to his chest. “You going to do something about it?”

The camera swivels back to Sokka. He returns the smirk, lowering his arms, then crosses the room to Zuko’s side of the bed.

Sokka presses one knee into the mattress, leaning down as he pushes the book down slowly. Zuko tilts his chin up, grinning, and lets one hand release the book and lift up to Sokka’s neck.

The camera fades to black.

The episode credits roll.

~**______**~