A minute later, which felt more like hours, Sokka dropped to his knees, the spear planted in the snow for support, sweat pouring down his entire body despite the cold. 'I was right, Katara... this guy is terrifying,' Sokka thought, seeing from the corner of his eye that Ikari was watching him calmly, as if he hadn't made any effort at all so far. 'I hope... I survive.' He clenched his teeth and stood up.
**********
Ikari watched Sokka closely throughout the entire training. Even while holding back, limiting the strength and speed of his strikes, he noticed the boy's raw potential. Sokka was reckless and clearly had no experience, but he handled himself surprisingly well for his first time facing an opponent.
Twice, Sokka even tried to counterattack. They were laughable strikes, but they showed how strong his spirit was—because even dead tired and with injured hands, he still tried to fight back.
'He's good. He'll be a valuable addition to the forces of the Southern Water Tribe,' Ikari sighed and looked up at the sky, seeing the sun already high above, marking noon. 'We'd better stop for today and go have lunch.' He lowered his gaze to Sokka, who was sprawled on the ground, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths.
"Haaah… haaah… haaah…" Sokka panted, drenched in sweat, his clothes clinging to his body. His hands were red and swollen, especially on the palms, where the impact from the spear striking against Ikari's staff had been the hardest.
"You alright there, buddy?" Ikari asked, crouching beside him.
Sokka lifted his head with effort, his eyes half-closed. "Alright? I… I can see the light, Ikari," he murmured weakly. "I think… the spirits are calling me… to an eternal nap."
Ikari let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Really? Right now, just when we finished the warm-up?"
Sokka went pale and abruptly sat up, snow sticking to his back. "Warm-up?!" he exclaimed, his voice cracking. "T-that was just the warm-up?! I can't even feel my body anymore!"
Ikari laughed again, amused by the reaction. "Weren't you dying two seconds ago?"
"My indignation revived me!"
"Alright, alright," Ikari raised his hands in a placating gesture, still smiling. "I'm just kidding. We're done for today."
"How... how can you joke about something like that?..." Sokka muttered, looking at Ikari as if he were the cruelest being in the world.
"Sorry. Sometimes I like to scare people." Ikari slid his arms under Sokka's, carefully helping him up. "Let's head back to the village. Can you walk, or do you want me to carry you?"
"Don't... even think about it," Sokka grimaced, trying to straighten up "Aren't you... satisfied with already beating the crap out of my warrior pride?" He took a step, but his legs gave out, and he collapsed forward.
Ikari reacted quickly, grabbing him by the shoulders before he could fall into the snow. "What were you saying again?"
Sokka sighed, completely defeated. "Carry me... in the way that hurts my masculinity the least."
Ikari chuckled, holding Sokka with the arm that was gripping his staff, while with a subtle gesture of his free hand, he made Sokka's spear fly from the snow into his grasp, guided by a gust of air. Sokka's eyes widened, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "That... was awesome."
"Thanks," Ikari said with a faint smile, starting to walk slowly toward the village, Sokka leaning on his shoulder.
"What else... can you do with that airbending?" Sokka asked, curiosity winning over his fatigue.
"Many things," Ikari replied enigmatically.
"Thanks for the clarification."
"You're welcome."
"I was being sarcastic..." Sokka muttered.
"So was I," Ikari said, winking. Sokka huffed, but a tired smile curved his lips as they walked, the snow crunching under their feet.
When they reached the village, they were greeted by a group of children who pointed at Sokka, whispering and laughing among themselves.
"Ikari... why are they laughing at us?" Sokka asked slowly, his tone mortified.
"I think they're just laughing at you..."
"They saw you mopping the floor with me, didn't they?" Sokka murmured, his face red with embarrassment.
"I wouldn't say it was exactly like that... but yeah, probably," Ikari admitted with a crooked smile.
"Can you use the wind to blow them away?" Sokka suggested, half-serious.
"...I'm not going to do that."
*******
After leaving Sokka in Gran-Gran's care — who seemed to know exactly how to treat her grandson's sore muscles — Ikari decided to be useful and went to help Katara serve lunch, which consisted of the same fish-and-seaweed soup from the night before.
"You don't think you were a bit hard on him, do you?" Katara asked, her tone slightly irritated, as she turned the ladle to fill another bowl that Ikari handed her. Her eyes reflected concern as she remembered the exhausted state Sokka had been in, lying in his grandmother's tent and groaning with every movement.
"To be honest, I held back quite a lot," Ikari replied, taking the freshly filled bowl and already reaching for an empty one. "Sokka's only like that because he's never really trained before. His body isn't used to the impact of weapons, especially on the shoulders and hands. But next time it'll be easier. The muscles will get stronger over time."
"Really?" Katara bit her lower lip, unsure, as she handed over another full bowl. "Just… don't hurt him too much, okay?— And please, don't tell him I asked you that," she quickly added at the end.
Ikari chuckled softly. "Alright, no worries. My lips are sealed," he said, mimicking the gesture she had made the night before. It earned him an amused huff from Katara, who shook her head, trying to hide a smile.
The two continued working in silence, filling the bowls with soup, their rhythm flowing in harmony. Despite that, Katara seemed lost in thought, her movements automatic as her mind wandered. After a few minutes, she broke the silence, hesitant. "Ikari… did you sleep well?"
He raised an eyebrow, surprised by the sudden question. "Huh? Yeah, I slept well. What about you?"
Katara felt her face heat up, her eyes locking on the pot of soup as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. "Y-yes!- I mean, no! Wait, it wasn't bad!- I just…" She stumbled over her words, her voice dropping to almost a whisper. "Sorry for sleeping in your tent. I didn't mean to… I just… I guess I was so tired after our conversation that I passed out without realizing."
'She was worried about that?' Ikari thought, tilting his head "You don't have to apologize, Katara. It wasn't a bother at all. Actually, it was nice to have some company… even if you did snore a little," he teased.
"I did not snore!" Katara exclaimed, her face now completely red. She lightly smacked his arm with the ladle, splashing a bit of soup onto the floor. "You're terrible!"
Ikari laughed, dodging a second strike. "Easy, easy! I'm just joking."
"You don't joke about something like that!"
"Sorry! I was just trying to lighten the mood."
The two looked at each other in silence for a moment. Then, both started laughing at the same time.
*********
After lunch and another round of stories about his "adventures," Ikari took Katara to his small boat anchored by the shore, ready to keep his promise of teaching her a few bending tips.
"Ohh, that makes things so much easier, Ikari!" Katara exclaimed, her blue eyes shining like sunlight reflecting on the water as she watched Ikari bend the air with smooth hand gestures, filling the boat's sail and propelling it forward at an impressive speed. The cool sea breeze brushed against her face, mingling with the excitement bubbling inside her.
Ikari smiled, keeping steady control over the wind. "Right? You should be able to do something similar once you can bend water. Speed up the boat with the waves and stuff."
"True!" Katara nodded eagerly, almost bouncing in place. "I can't wait! I mean, just imagine—controlling water the way you control air!" Her voice overflowed with excitement, and she gestured with her hands as if she could already see the waves obeying her commands.
Ikari's eyes widened and he spoke quickly. "Katara, don't move your arms like that!"
"Huh?" She froze, confused, her hands still raised in the air.
He sighed, glancing around to make sure nothing had changed in the sea. "I'll explain when we're a little farther from the shore."
"Okay?…" Katara replied, her excitement dimming slightly under the scolding. She turned her gaze toward the horizon, watching as Ikari skillfully steered the boat around ice floes and icebergs drifting in the frozen sea. However, the monotony of the scenery soon made her lose interest, and her eyes wandered across the boat. It was a small vessel, without any decoration or personal belongings—just weathered wood, the sail, and a few ropes.
Losing interest again, Katara looked back at Ikari. But feeling that staring in silence might be awkward, she decided to start a conversation. "So, Ikari… this boat is really yours?"
"The boat?…" Ikari closed his eyes at the question, recalling for a moment how he had gotten it.
********
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, images or songs featured in this fic. Additionally, I do not claim ownership of any products or properties mentioned in this novel. This work is entirely fanfic.