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seven. jealousy, jealousy !

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐄𝐓, wrapped in the soft mist of dawn and the steady roar of the waterfall that crashed down beside their camp. Hini stepped barefoot across the damp earth, her movements tentative in the cool air as she walked over to Sokka. Her skin was still dewy from her morning swim, and she'd barely taken the time to pull on her undergarments, her long, dark hair dripping wet trails down her shoulders.

Sokka looked up as she settled beside him, his eyes softening in a warm, unspoken welcome. His lips curved into a small, crooked smile before he returned his gaze to the map sprawled in front of him. Hini's heart gave a gentle, fluttering ache at the sight of that smile, the way it always seemed just for her - like some small, sacred secret in a world full of danger.

She tried to focus on the map, studying the winding lines and markings Sokka had been tracing. But her mind wandered, drawn to the feel of his presence next to her, the quiet way he murmured to himself while he plotted their course.

Just then, Katara's excited yell pierced the calm air. "Waterbending bomb! Yeah!" Her voice echoed from the top of the waterfall, and in an instant, a massive splash exploded down, sending droplets in all directions. A wave of water crashed into the group, knocking Aang right out of the water and soaking Toph, Sokka, Hini, and the precious map they'd been poring over.

Sokka's face contorted in a mix of annoyance and exasperation. "Sure, five-thousand-year-old maps from the spirit library," he muttered sarcastically, flicking water off his fingertips. "Just splash some water on 'em. No big deal."

"Sorry!" Katara called down, shaking out her hair and bending the water off the map with an apologetic grin.

Hini couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Sokka's dramatic scowl, which only deepened as he caught her giggling.

Just then, Aang approached, still dripping wet. "So, did you figure out what route we're going to take?" he asked eagerly.

Sokka quickly refocused, his finger moving over the map as he explained, "Okay, we just got out of the desert, so we must be around here. And we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is over here." His brow furrowed as he pointed. "Looks like the only passage from south to north is this narrow strip of land called the Serpent's Pass."

Toph frowned, her usual skepticism clear. "You sure that's the best way to go?"

"It's the only way," Sokka replied with an edge of frustration. "I mean, it's not like we have Appa to fly us there." He winced almost immediately, feeling Hini's reproachful stare burning into him.

Katara threw him a glare as well. "Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" she chided.

"Katara, it's okay," Aang said, stepping in quickly to ease the tension. "I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse."

Katara looked at him, surprised but visibly relieved. "Oh... well, okay. I'm glad you're doing better."

Sokka took a deep breath, nodding as he picked up his map again. "Right then. To Ba Sing Se we go. No more distractions."

But as if on cue, three refugees stumbled into view. After a few cautious introductions, the group learned that the newcomers were also headed to Ba Sing Se, and, with luck, could arrive before one of them - Than's wife, Ying - had her baby.

"That's great!" Katara exclaimed with her usual optimism. "We can all travel through the Serpent's Pass together."

The refugees exchanged looks of dread. Ying shuddered. "The Serpent's Pass?" she echoed, her voice tinged with fear. "Only the truly desperate take that deadly route!"

"Deadly route," Toph muttered, punching Sokka in the arm. "Nice pick, Sokka!"

Sokka could only shrug. "Well, we are desperate," he admitted.

"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay," Than said, his voice hopeful. "The ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se."

"And it's hidden, so the Fire Nation can't find it," Ying added, a spark of hope lighting her eyes.

Katara brightened, weighing the options aloud. "Hmm... peaceful ferry ride or deadly pass?" She gave Sokka an expectant look, as if the answer were obvious. He rolled his eyes but kept his silence, his gaze flicking to Hini as if waiting for her thoughts on the matter.

"Let's at least try the bay," Hini murmured, glancing toward the distant mountains. "If it's as safe as they say, it's worth a shot."

With a plan in mind, the group made their way to Full Moon Bay. When they arrived, they were met with the sight of hundreds of refugees waiting to cross to Ba Sing Se. The line stretched endlessly, filled with people of all ages, families clutching their few belongings, eyes hollow with exhaustion and desperation. Hini felt a pang of sympathy as she looked at the families, recognizing the haunted look of those whose lives had been scarred by the war.

But her attention was soon drawn to a loud, exasperated voice ahead. "I told you already... no vegetables on the ferry!" yelled the ticket lady, her gaze sharp and unyielding. "One cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se! Security!"

A sudden commotion erupted as a massive platypus bear trundled out of nowhere, smashing through the cabbage merchant's cart with a brutal swipe of its paw. The merchant, wide-eyed and frantic, wailed, "Ahhh! My cabbages!" as he was dragged off by guards.

They stepped up to the ticket booth, where Aang shuffled awkwardly to the front of the group. "Um, five tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please," he said, trying to sound confident.

The ticket lady's expression didn't budge. "Passports?"

Aang froze. "Uh... no one told us we had to have passports."

Sokka quickly stepped in, throwing a friendly arm around Aang's shoulder. "Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!"

The ticket lady arched an unimpressed eyebrow. "I see fifty Avatars a day," she said flatly, motioning to a small group of children nearby dressed in poorly stitched robes and blue arrows painted on their foreheads. "And, by the way, not a very impressive costume." Her gaze shifted to Momo, who peered up at her with wide eyes. "Besides, no animals allowed. Do I need to call security?"

The platypus bear chomped down on the remnants of the cabbage cart in the background, and Momo squeaked, hiding behind Aang.

Aang chuckled nervously. "Uh, that won't be necessary..."

"Next!" the ticket lady shouted, her patience thinning as she waved them off dismissively.

Hini grabbed Toph's hand softly, sharing a silent understanding. Hini stepped forward, her back straightening as she drew out her passport.

"My name is Hini Beifong. This is my sister, Toph, and we'll need five tickets, please." Her voice was calm but firm, a tone she'd practiced in the wealthy circles back in Gaoling.

The ticket lady's demeanor changed instantly. Her eyes widened as she took in the golden seal of the flying boar embossed on the passport. "Ah, the golden seal of the flying boar! It is my pleasure to help anyone of the Beifong family," she said, bowing slightly.

Toph, grinning, took advantage of the moment. "It is your pleasure," she declared, a mischievous glint in her eye. She gestured grandly to the others. "As you can see, I am blind, and these three imbeciles are my valets." Her hand waved dismissively over the rest of the group, a gesture that made Hini suppress a smirk.

"But the animal-" the ticket lady started to say, her brow furrowing as her gaze settled on Momo.

"Is her seeing-eye lemur," Hini interjected smoothly, feigning a solemn expression. The lady pressed her lips into a thin line, clearly out of arguments, and sighed.

"Well, normally, it's only one ticket per passport," she conceded. "But these documents are so... official. I guess it's worth five tickets." She stamped an approval seal on their tickets with a reluctant sigh.

"Thank you very much," Hini said with a polite nod, quickly leading the group away from the counter before the ticket lady changed her mind.

Once they were safely out of earshot, Sokka let out a triumphant laugh. "All right! We scammed that lady good!"

But before he could finish basking in their success, a hand gripped his arm, pulling him back. "Tickets and passports, please," a stern voice demanded. They all turned to see a security guard glaring at them.

"Uh, is there a problem?" Sokka asked, his voice taking on a nervous edge.

"Oh, I've got a problem with you," the guard replied, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I've seen your type before. Sarcastic, thinks he's hilarious... and let me guess, traveling with the Avatar?"

Sokka blinked, taken aback. "Do I... know you?"

The guard rolled her eyes, smirking. "You mean you don't remember?" She stepped closer, and without warning, kissed him on the cheek. "Maybe you'll remember this!"

Hini's eyes widened as she watched Sokka's face light up with recognition. "Suki!" he exclaimed, grinning as he pulled her into a hug.

The group followed Suki to a quieter corner of the station, and Hini, standing back a little, couldn't ignore the sinking feeling in her chest. Sokka's whole face had changed when he saw Suki-his usual playful smirk softened into something warmer, something... different. She tried to brush it off, but a subtle ache remained, gnawing away at her.

As they gathered in the quieter area, Suki started catching up with them, her eyes bright and her voice animated. Hini took a breath, trying to focus on something else, but every time Suki laughed or touched Sokka's arm, she felt her shoulders tense a little more.

"You look so different without your makeup!" Katara observed, a friendly smile lighting up her face. "And the new outfit."

"Yeah, the crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them," Suki replied, rolling her eyes before glancing at Sokka with a teasing look. "And look at you, sleeveless guy! Been working out?"

Hini bit her lip, an exasperated groan slipping out as Sokka puffed up a bit, stretching his arms in an exaggerated way. "Ah, you know, I grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then," he said, trying to sound casual. Hini rolled her eyes, crossing her arms and pointedly studying her nails, though she couldn't stop her gaze from flicking back toward him. She caught Sokka glancing her way, his brow creasing slightly as if noticing her reaction.

"Are the other Kyoshi Warriors around?" Aang asked, oblivious to the tension.

"Yeah! After you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people," Suki explained. "We ended up escorting some refugees, and we've been here ever since." She reached out to pet Momo, who had clambered up next to her. "Hi, Momo! Good to see you too!"

Hini forced a smile, though her chest tightened as she watched Suki scratch Momo's head and talk to him warmly. Everything about Suki seemed so effortlessly friendly, so at ease. It was like she fit into their group naturally, as though she'd always been there-and the way Sokka was looking at her only made it more obvious.

"So, why are you guys getting tickets for the ferry?" Suki asked, glancing between them. "Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?"

Katara's expression dimmed, and she looked down. "Appa is missing," she explained quietly. "We hope to find him in Ba Sing Se."

"I'm so sorry to hear that," Suki said gently, her gaze shifting to Aang. "Are you doing okay?"

Aang's shoulders tensed, frustration seeping into his voice. "I'm doing fine. Would everybody just stop worrying about me?"

Before anyone could respond, a distressed voice called out from behind them. It was Ying, one of the refugees they'd seen earlier. "Avatar Aang, you have to help us! Someone took all our belongings - our passports, tickets, everything is gone!"

Aang immediately stepped forward, determination in his eyes. "I'll talk to the ticket lady for you."

They approached the ticket booth again, but the ticket lady's face hardened as she recognized them. "No passports, no tickets!" she snapped, slamming a "denied" stamp down - this time directly on Aang's forehead.

"But she's pregnant! All her things were stolen - you have to make an exception!" Aang insisted, his voice almost pleading.

The ticket lady folded her arms, her face set like stone. "No exceptions! If I started giving tickets away to anyone who asks, there'd be chaos! And you know what chaos leads to? The downfall of civilization!"

Aang's eyes narrowed as he considered his options. "What if we gave them our tickets?" he suggested, desperation creeping into his tone.

"No!" the ticket lady barked, her patience fraying.

"But-" Aang began, only to be cut off by her sharp tone.

"Next!" she shouted, refusing to meet his eyes.

Aang turned back to the refugees, his face resolute. "Don't worry. You'll get to the city safely - I'll lead you through the Serpent's Pass."

The refugees exchanged nervous glances but nodded, trusting in Aang's confidence. Just as they began moving away from the ticket booth, a familiar voice called after them.

"Wait! I'm coming too!" Suki said, stepping forward with a determined look.

Sokka's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" he asked, hesitating.

Suki tilted her head, looking slightly hurt. "Sokka, I thought you'd want me to come."

He stammered, his gaze flickering away for a split second toward Hini, who stood off to the side, her face carefully blank. She looked as if she wasn't listening, but Sokka couldn't shake the feeling that she was.

"I do," Sokka said quickly, turning back to Suki. "It's just..."

Suki's eyebrows lifted in silent challenge. "Just what?"

Sokka shifted awkwardly before sighing, shaking his head. "Nothing. I'm glad you're coming."

A faint smile softened Suki's expression, and she gave him a nod. Hini glanced away, her expression unreadable as she trailed behind the group, her steps a little heavier than before.