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“Y’know,” Yue turned back to Sokka, smiling softly, her features bathed softly in starlight. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to be up there, alongside the moon.” She reached down, gently picking up another chocolate dipped strawberry, her arm of silver bracelets clanking together.
“Not sure how much I’d trust you in space.” Sokka raised an eyebrow as he leaned in to kiss away the spot of chocolate caught in the edge of Yue’s full lips. He shot her a teasing grin. “Looks like you can’t even properly finish your food.”
She shot him a glare, shoving him sideways onto the picnic blanket. “You know what I mean.” Her eyes seemed to glaze over for a moment as she gazed up at the moon. “Can’t you imagine how beautiful it must be up there?”
“Yeah,” Sokka almost whispered the words, his eyes never leaving her face. “It must be breathtaking .”
Yue turned back to him again, her brow slightly creased now, as her once-soft tone became strained. “When I die, I hope to go up there.”
“That won’t be for a long time.” Sokka had intended the words to be decisive, but his voice shook as his eyes drifted back at the white-and-blue paper bracelet around Yue’s too-thin wrist, the hospital blotting out the stars behind them.
She only tipped her head, smiled in that sympathetic, selfless way she had. “I will, Sokka. You know I will.” She raised that same bracelet-wearing arm skyward, her fingers tracing the moon in a soft caress. “And when I do, you’ll find me up there .”
୧‿̩͙ ˖︵ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ ︵˖ ‿̩͙୨
Sokka adjusted his helmet, his gloved, bulky hands reaching out to the button- speckled dashboard before him. He moved his way across the sparkling lights as if he’d been born aboard a spacecraft, but his hands still shook. They’d been shaking since he’d awoken that day.
It felt as though he’d been anxious to arrive since he and the other astronauts had boarded three days before. He’d been counting down the hours meticulously, pacing back and forth, so much so that another one of the crew members, Suki, had warily suggested he take a couple extra hours rest that night. When he did sleep, it was dreamless, light.
The first time Sokka had felt truly awake was when that beautiful silver sphere of light and crystalline rock drifted into view of the viewport early that morning. Since then, he’d been glowing with excitement, fighting tears with every minute. With every mile they came closer, and he could swear he saw her, her smile, her lips, her essence in the hills and valleys of the moon ahead. Yue’s photo was tucked into the frame of his helmet, and in the corner of his eye, he swore he could see her smile softly at him as the ship finally began landing procedure. With the gentle whoosh of the airlock, Sokka finally allowed himself a moment to cry.
As heavy boots pressed into the dust and rocks of the almost untouched heavenly body, a boy wept, reunited with the love of his life once more, if only for a moment.