Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Only in Dreams ❯ Only in Dreams ( One-Shot )

It was late—maybe midnight—Sokka thought to himself, glancing at the full moon above him. He was walking alone in the midst of the deserted Northern Water Tribe capitol. The sheer ice walls surrounded him as he trudged aimlessly about. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the movement of a pale blue parka-clad figure on one of the many ice bridges that connected the landscape. He held steadfast in his hope that it was, indeed, her.

You can't resist her
She's in your bones
She is your marrow
And your ride home

“Yue, is that you?” he shouted into the nothingness, his breath evaporating into the surrounding mist.

Upon hearing her name, she turned and began walking towards him, a pleased look gracing her delicate features. Sokka restrained himself from running to her—he didn't want to look hopelessly immature and overly excited in her presence. As she approached him, he could barely contain the joy bubbling inside of him.

Her smile was radiant as he greeted her. “Yue, I've been looking for you. Where have you been? How am I supposed to get back home?”

“We'll just take the gondola!” Gesturing at the small wooden boat resting peacefully on the water below them, she replied with a small giggle as her eyes sparkled brightly in the moonlight.

You can't avoid her
She's in the air
In between molecules
Of oxygen and carbon dioxide

As they descended the stairs, Sokka couldn't help the giddy grin that appeared on his face as they drew near the dock. Yue returned his look with a small smile, her eyes hidden behind thick lashes. Soon enough, they were silently cruising along a small canal, appreciating the quiet comfort of each other's company.

Suddenly, Sokka found himself standing on the steps of the large tribal lodge in the center of the city. Unfortunately, Yue was no longer with him, but, for some reason, he instinctively knew that she was already inside waiting. He quickly ascended the stairs and made his way into the large edifice, already impatient to see her again.

As he entered the building, he heard traditional tribal music emanating from one of the large rooms. Making his way towards the music, he soon found himself at two large, heavy-looking doors made of transparent ice. He easily pushed his way through the entrance and scanned the room for her likeness. When he spied Yue, he felt breathless as she stood there in the moonlight, wearing a white dress of flowing silk. She turned to him in silent greeting, waiting for him to approach her.

You walk up to her
Ask her to dance
She says, “hey, baby I just might take the chance”
You say, “It's a good thing
That you float in the air
That way there's no way I will crush your pretty toenails into a thousand pieces.”
Only in dreams

“Yue, you, uh, look beautiful,” Sokka mumbled, desperately trying his best not to garble his words.

She beamed a warm smile at him and uttered a simple “thank you.” She stood there expectantly staring at him for what seemed like hours, but really proved to be only a short moment.

Realizing that the music was still playing, Sokka realized that this was finally his chance to dance with her. With a small bow, he smoothly asked, “Would you like to dance, Princess Yue?”

She quickly giggled into her hand and curtsied back to him, “Of course, Sokka.”

Taking her extended hand, he began to swirl her through the air gracefully. It never occurred to Sokka that he had no formal dance training and, yet, he seemed to be a natural virtuoso at it.

Jokingly, he acknowledged his lack of expertise, “It's a good thing you're so light on your feet, Yue, because I'm not exactly graceful when it comes to this kind of stuff.”

“Don't worry about it, Sokka. Let's just enjoy this moment,” she whispered into his ear, sending a small shiver down his spine as he realized just how physically close he and the Northern Water Tribe princess were.

Soon, the music ended, but they continued to glide across the floor, lost in the moment. Slowly, they came to a standstill underneath a skylight, revealing a shaft of light from the full moon above them. Knowing that this was his perfect moment, Sokka clasped her hands to his chest and looked into her clear blue eyes. He momentarily considered confessing his love for her, but before he could open his mouth, Yue leaned into him, her lips closing in on his.

As he readied himself for the expected kiss, Sokka shut his eyes. When he didn't feel her lips on his, he reopened his eyes, still expecting the princess to be there. Instead, he opened his eyes to the thatched ceiling above him.

Nearby, Aang and Katara were quietly sleeping in their shared hut. The fire in the middle of the room was slowly dying, a thin trail of smoke rising up to the small opening in the ceiling. Reluctantly realizing that he'd only been dreaming, he sat up in his bedroll, an elbow supporting his weight as he ran a free hand through his unbound hair. Still feeling her phantom form against him, he momentarily sighed and regretted that it was all in his mind. Rising from his position, he went outside to get some fresh air and clear his mind.

Only in dreams
We see what it means
Reach out our hands
Hold on to hers
But when we wake
It's all been erased
And so it seems
Only in dreams

Gathering his thoughts, he leaned against a tree and ran a palm down his face, wiping the thin sheen of sweat that still remained on his brow.

Looking up at the full moon above him, he whispered in vain, “Do you forgive me, Yue?...Because I haven't forgiven myself.”

 

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Author's Note: “Only in Dreams” is one of my favorite Weezer songs and it is from their first self-titled album, affectionately known as `the blue album.'