KIDA WOULD NEVER ADMIT IT, BUT SOKKA HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN BETTER AT SWORD FIGHTING.

His moves are much less predictable. In sword fighting, it's absolutely crucial to be unpredictable, to keep your opponent on their toes -- that was something Kida had learned from her mother, and apparently, Sokka had learned from Piandao as well. It's clear that he learned a lot from his training, and it helps that his sword is custom made to fit his capabilities. Of course, Kida's is too: a sword engraved with a dragon on the gold hilt, that is the perfect combination of beauty and power. The weapon is light and easy to handle, allowing for fluid movements, and is also strong enough to deliver a final strike. Kida's heart flutters when she thinks that this sword was made for her by the boy she loves, but she won't let those feelings interfere with her determination to win against said boy like she has so many times before.

Sokka lunges forward; Kida dodges, then attempts to strike, only for him to dismantle the sword from her hand.

"Ha! I win this time," Sokka announces triumphantly, though slightly out of breath.

"Only if I surrender," Kida scoffs.

Kida is quick as she tries to grab her sword from the ground, but Sokka is quicker. He uses Kida's momentum against her, using his foot as a barrier to cause her to tumble to the ground. Sokka swiftly pins her underneath him, so that she's trapped between his legs, one of his hands holding her wrist down above her head while the other grasps the sword pointed underneath her chin.

Sokka tilts his head and smirks. "Now do you surrender?"

"No," Kida replies instantly. Blowing a piece of hair out of her face, Kida scans her surroundings. Her sword would be reachable if Sokka didn't have his hand pressed down on her wrist, and there didn't seem to be any other options without causing him serious damage. "Fine," Kida grumbles. "You win."

"Sorry, I don't think I heard you," Sokka taunts. "Who won?"

"You really want me to say it again?"

Sokka pretends to think about it for a second before replying: "Uh, yeah."

Kida rolls her eyes. "You win," she declares, her words dripping with annoyance.

"Aw, don't be mad," Sokka teases. "What, you don't like being underneath me?"

Feeling her cheeks heat up, Kida, whether involuntarily or not, releases a flame from the palm of her hand. Sokka lets out a yelp, removing his hand from Kida's wrist. Kida takes the opportunity to reclaim her sword. Kida pushes Sokka off of her. She stands up and Sokka follows suit, both having their swords at the ready.

"Hey!"

Kida smirks. "What, you don't like being burned?"

 "We said no firebending."

"Ever hear the saying, 'all's fair in love and war'?"

"As a matter of fact, I have not," Sokka scoffs.

"Well, this is the perfect example of it." Kida gestures between herself and Sokka. "Love." She then points to the swords. "War."

"Aw, you love me?" Sokka questions, his tone mocking.

Kida shakes her head, but laughs breathlessly. "Shut up, Wolftail." Based on the growing shadows around them, it seems as though a few hours had passed. Sure enough, when Kida turns the sun had started moving closer to the West.

"We should get back to camp," Sokka states as though reading Kida's mind. He sheaths his sword, and Kida does the same to hers.

When Sokka starts to walk back towards camp, Kida catches his hand with hers. "Wait. Before we go....I"

"You love me," Sokka interrupts. "So, why don't you go tell the team?" He smiles and starts to walk away, a joyful bounce in his step. Kida rolls her eyes, but catches up with him anyways.

"And lose the bet that was your idea in the first place? No. Freaking. Way," Kida declares. "I was going to say that I definitely won that last round."

Sokka's jaw immediately drops. "No way, you cheated!"

"I did not cheat!" Kida defends, using her hands to emphasize her point. "I just used certain skills to my advantage."

"We said no firebending," Sokka declares, frowning.

"You said no firebending," Kida points out. "I said: 'let's stop talking and start fighting.' I remember it word for word!"

"What are you two knuckleheads arguing about this time?" Toph asks as the two finally reach the team's camp site. "Another one of your stupid bets?"

As Kida walks over to greet Appa, she answers: "Well, yes." Kida pets Appa a few times before adding: "And the fact that Sokka is a sore loser."

"Me?" Sokka exclaims. Momo, who had jumped onto his shoulder, is startled by the noise and jumps onto Aang's instead. "At least I didn't cheat!"

"Okay, you two, cut it out," Katara interjects. "We've got to go get some dinner."

»»---------------------►

THE TEAM GOES INTO A NEARBY VILLAGE, BROWSING A MARKET TO BUY SOME FOOD.

"Sokka, I think there's a girl looking at you," Aang teases. The group is examining a fish stand, but Aang points at the corner where a girl about Kida's age is staring intently at the group. There's a boy beside her, the two whispering back and forth.

"She probably just wants to buy some fish or something," Kida dismisses with a wave of her hand.

"I don't know," Katara adds, sneaking a glance over at the girl. "She looks like she's interested in more than just fish."

Aang giggles. "Like, maybe a date?"

"You know, I don't think I could ever date someone from the Fire Nation," Sokka states pointedly.

"Like someone from the Fire Nation would ever want to date you," Kida quips.

Sokka tilts his head. "Are you siding with the nation that we're trying to bring down?"

"Say it louder!" Kida mocks, though she looks around to double check that no one is listening. "I don't think everyone in this Fire Nation market heard you!"

"You two are ridiculous," Katara sighs.

"Hi!" the girl from before greets cheerfully. The whole team turns to stare at her, smiling brightly at them. "I'm Aiko!" The girl has dark hair, freckles, and a bright smile with a dimple on her right cheek. She was definitely cute, and Kida definitely wanted her gone.

"Well, hello Aiko!" Sokka says, equally as cheerfully. He extends his hand to hers. "I'm Sokka. It is lovely to meet you." Kida has to resist rolling her eyes as the two shake hands.

"Actually, I'm here for you." Aiko points to Kida.

Kida furrows her brow. "Me?"

"Yeah! My friend Takashi wants to ask you out." Aiko points towards the boy she was standing with before, who waves shyly. Then, she tilts her head back towards Sokka. "But, you're kind of cute, so maybe I will ask you out."

"I don't know," Sokka and Kida say at the same time. Their gazes meet briefly before turning their attention back to Aiko.

"We can go on a double date!" Aiko muses excitedly. "Are you free tonight?"

"They'll be there," Katara answers before either Sokka or Kida can reply.

"Awesome! Let's meet over there at that restaurant in about an hour. Can't wait!" And with that, Aiko walks away.

Kida turns to Katara in disbelief, and Sokka has a similar feeling based on the look on his face. "What did you do that for?"

"You guys need a night off!" Katara exclaims, finally paying for some fish. The team starts to walk back towards camp.

"Yeah, you've been training non stop," Aang adds, walking between Kida and Sokka.

"Well, that's because..." Sokka falters. "Because...." Kida thinks that Sokka might finally crack, but instead he offers: "Because the invasion is coming up."

"Yeah," Kida agrees, clearing her throat. "Because the invasion is coming up."

Aang reaches up to pat each of them on their shoulder. "Which is exactly why you deserve a break."

"And, frankly, we could use a break from your arguing. So, you're going on this date," Katara concludes.

"Just don't reveal anything," Toph warns. "That wouldn't be good for anyone."

Kida catches Sokka's gaze, but he simply shrugs.

»»---------------------►

ABOUT A FEW HOURS LATER, KIDA AND SOKKA ARE SITTING ON SEPARATE BENCHES WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE DATES. Dinner was awkward, as expected, with both Kida and Sokka at first uncertain, but then determined, to make this date work. They each made attempts to wear the other one down, like how Sokka had worn his hair loose, and Kida made extra sure to bite her lip as often as she could. All's fair in love and war.

Neither of them was giving up, to the point that when Aiko suggested that each couple have some alone time, Kida and Sokka enthusiastically agreed.

The silence between Kida and Takashi is not necessarily uncomfortable. Takashi is definitely as shy as he seemed before, but it was the kind of quiet that Kida liked, contemplative and serene. He was occasionally funny and had a cute laugh and even cuter smile. Their double date feels like something normal teenagers would do if they weren't fighting a war, which was strange to think about. But, there wasn't any spark, any desire to get to know more about Takashi, to be closer to him, or spend more time with him after this. Sure, he was nice, but Kida would much rather have had a normal teenage experience with someone else. From the other side of the park, Kida can hear Aiko laugh at one of Sokka's jokes, and she realizes that that was where she wanted to be. They had a night off, and this is how they chose to spend it?

"I'm sorry," Takashi suddenly says. "I can't do this."

"Me neither," Kida admits.

"No, you don't get it," Takashi pleads. "I'm in love with someone else." Takashi takes a deep breath. "It's Aiko."

"Then go tell her," Kida suggests.

"But, she's my best friend! She's been my best friend for...forever. And I'm leaving to go to university --"

"Then, what do you have to lose?"

"I...nothing, I guess." Takashi stands up abruptly. "Thanks, Kiko."

"It's Kida, actually....." Kida mumbles but Takashi is already gone, walking with determination towards Aiko.

Kida watches the scene unfold: Takashi probably declaring his love for her, Aiko squealing excitedly and wrapping her arms around his neck, bringing him into a kiss. The two hold hands as they walk away, Aiko waving goodbye to Sokka before they disappear into the night. Sokka walks over and sits next to Kida on the bench. Instinctively, Kida moves closer to rest her head on his shoulder and he laces his fingers through Kida's.

"So that felt weird, right?" Kida asks. "Going on dates with other people, I mean."

"Who apparently were secretly in love with each other," Sokka adds with a laugh. "I guess we all were trying to avoid the truth."

Kida lifts her head off of Sokka's shoulder and meets his gaze. "And what is that truth?"

"That you and I," Sokka declares. "Also are secretly in love with each other."

Kida sighs. "Yeah, about that. This is a stupid bet. I don't like keeping secrets from the team and feeling like our relationship has to be hidden."

"I just kept thinking that we could have had this night together," Sokka admits.

Kida hums in agreement. She tucks a piece of Sokka's hair behind his ear as he gently cups her cheek. They kiss, quick but passionate, and then Kida pulls away.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Kida wonders.

"That you cheated earlier?"

"Sokka!"

"Fine, fine, we'll talk about that later." Sokka grins cheekily, and Kida can't help but smile.

»»---------------------►

"SOKKA AND I BOTH HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU," Kida starts. She and Sokka stand in front of the team, the three of them sat down around the fire pit. Momo and Appa are already fast asleep, but when Kida and Sokka got back from their date, Katara, Aang, and Toph were all awake and eagerly awaiting details.

"We're dating!" Sokka finishes.

For a moment, there's only silence. Then, Aang exclaims:

"Monkey feathers!"

"What?" Kida stammers, taken aback by his response.

Katara grins. "You each owe me ten copper pieces."

"Again, what?" Sokka questions. Aang reaches into his pocket, and Toph does the same but more reluctantly.

"I hope you know that you're stealing from a blind person," Toph grumbles as she places coins in Katara's hand.

"It's not stealing if I win," Katara states triumphantly. "We had a bet going on when you were going to finally tell us," Katara explains, counting the money she won. "I said it would be before the invasion."

"I said it would be after," Aang adds. He rubs the back of his neck with a laugh. "I guess I shouldn't have pushed you to go on that date, huh?"

"And I thought you two knuckleheads would be too chicken to ever tell us," Toph says.

Sokka and Kida glance at each other, then back at the group. "Wait...you all knew? This whole time?"

"Of course we did! You would always leave for your training sessions." Toph emphasizes those last two words.

"We did that before," Kida points out.

"Maybe, but, before, it seemed like you actually hated each other. Or, like you were actually trying to hate each other. And now? No one's that happy after training, especially if you don't like the other person," Katara recounts. Kida feels her cheeks heat up and adjusts the collar of her shirt, while Sokka chuckles awkwardly and shifts his weight from side to side.

"Um, okay, maybe we weren't as subtle as we thought we were," Kida states. "But, I also feel like you read too much into it."

"What do you expect! We're not blind."

"I am," Toph counters.

"Right, sorry."

"Whatever, I see with my feet, and what I saw at night was a lot of you sneaking around and —"

"Toph! There are innocent ears here," Sokka says, covering Momo's ears, though the lemur is sleeping, and he has no idea what was happening.

"Well, whatever, we thought we might as well make some money from all that sneaking around."

"Wait, instead of confronting us, you made a bet?" The three nods, and Kida turns to Sokka, crossing her arms. "I think we've been a bad influence."

"Oh, you definitely have," Toph assures. "You each owe me ten copper pieces."

"Ten?" Sokka asks in disbelief.

"It's called payback, Captain Boomerang," Toph asserts.

"Okay, so we all definitely need to have a talk about boundaries," Kida realizes. She sits down next to the fire, and sighs. "But, as long as our relationship doesn't change anything about our team. That needs to come first. At least for now."

"What does it change?" Katara asks. "You already argue like an old married couple."

"Yeah, when are you gonna pop the question, Sokka?" Aang wonders.

"Um, boundaries," Sokka says, sitting down next to Kida.

"I bet he's already got the whole thing planned, but he'd definitely screw up at the last minute," Katara pronounces.

"I'd take that bet," Toph accepts. She leans over to Kida and Sokka, and whispers, just loud enough for everyone to hear: "How many kids are you going to have?"

"Boundaries!" Sokka and Kida shout simultaneously, their friends laughing at the night starts to fade away.

»»---------------------►

author's note:

HI I LOVE THIS CHAPTER I HOPE Y'ALL DO TOO PLEASE COMMENT AND VOTE IF YOU CAN <3