hello!!! i have been wanting to write this for a while. this is based off of one of my favorite songs :) i am sorry if you don’t like modern au’s but i just thought it would make more sense with the song!! it is called groceries and it’s by mallrat!! give it a listen :D
read part 2 here!
Real sorry about your broken heart
I'm trying to walk on broken glass
Do it all again for art
Like had to write a song about it
(Y/N) walked up the concrete steps and four flights of stairs to Sokka’s apartment. By the time she reached his hall, her legs were aching, but she pushed through and walked down the hall to the dark grey door with the golden 4D loosely hanging from a screw. She knocked hard against the door, just in case he was listening to music, and tapped the hanging metal to make it swing.
The door slowly opened to reveal Sokka, wearing a baggy light blue sweatshirt and grey sweatpants. (Y/N) smiled sadly as she stared at him. His eyes were puffy, like he had been crying, and he wouldn’t meet her eyes. Her fingers tightened around the bag that was slung on her shoulder.
“Can I come in?” Sokka shrugged, letting her into his apartment. It was oddly...clean. She had been here many times before and had never seen it this clean: no take out boxes strung across the counters, no clothes strung across the floor. It was like he didn’t even live here anymore.
“Katara told me what happened,” she said quietly as she took a seat on the couch. Sokka scoffed.
“Katara needs to mind her own business.”
“Your business is her business, Sokka. She cares about you.” He stood with his back to the door, still not looking at her. She stood, dropping her bag on the floor and moving into the kitchen. “Have you eaten anything?”
He shrugged. “I need to go to the store.” (Y/N) opened his fridge to find a single papaya on the top shelf.
“I’ll take you.” She slung her bag over the shoulder. “Come on, it’s only a block away.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It looks like I do.”
I'll go if you go, if you're cool with that
I'll go if you go, I have hope that you know that
I'll go if you go, if you're cool with that
I'll go if you go, I have hope that you know that
Sokka sighed, grabbing his keys and wallet before they both went down the stairs. When they got outside, Sokka winced at the bright light. “When was the last time you went outside?” He turned his head away from her, avoiding her gaze again. It broke her heart, seeing him like this. Sokka was normally the sunshine in everyone’s day. Funny, outgoing, optimistic. She couldn’t remember the last time he hadn’t smiled at her.
They walked down the sidewalk side by side. She could tell that his mind was elsewhere, as she had to pull him out of the way of people on multiple occasions. “Thanks,” He mumbled as he pulled his arm away. (Y/N)’s fingers curled into her palm, which dropped to her side. She checked her phone to avoid having to start conversation. A message from Katara: Is he opening up yet?
(Y/N) dropped her phone back into her bag as they walked into the grocery store. Sokka grabbed a cart, slumping over the railing as he followed (Y/N) through the store. She grabbed him the usual: bread, some cereal, fruits and veggies. She turned back to look at him. “What else do you need?”
“Um...” He gestured lazily to the other side of the aisle. “Fruit snacks.” (Y/N) smiled, just a bit.
“Mott’s or Welch’s?” She held up both boxes. Sokka thought for a moment before answering.
“Welch’s.” (Y/N) scrunched her nose in disgust. “What’s wrong with Welch’s?”
“Nothing, if you have bad taste.” She tossed the box into the cart, laughing at Sokka’s hurt expression as they moved onto the next aisle.
I just wanna get groceries
I'll pray you wanna get close to me
I'll give it some, give it some, give it some time
But I think we're supposed to be
And if you wanna get groceries
And if you wanna get close to me
Just gimme some, gimme some, gimme some sign
I think that we're supposed to be
They moved onto the freezer aisle. (Y/N) grabbed almost every frozen meal under the sun. She returned to the cart with her arms full, dropping the meals on top of the rest of the groceries. “That’s a lot,” Sokka said.
“It’ll be easy to pop in the microwave,” She explained. “From how your apartment looked it seemed like you couldn’t be bothered to feed yourself.”
Sokka looked down at his hands. “I’ve got a lot on my mind.” (Y/N) stared at him for so long that an old lady grumpily scooted her cart past them.
“Sorry,” (Y/N) said quietly, but she wasn’t sure if she was apologizing to Sokka or the old lady.
They checked out at the front and then carried armfuls of groceries back to his apartment. As they walked up all the stairs, (Y/N) wished that Sokka would move to a building like Aang’s, with a nice elevator. Instead he chose the building with the most stairs in the universe.
They finally reached Sokka’s apartment and placed all of the groceries on the counter. (Y/N) began putting things in their proper place. She had been here enough times to know where he liked his things.
“You don’t have to do that,” he said quietly. She didn’t turn back to look at him this time.
“I know. I want to.” She moved to the stove and put a teapot on the burner. “Sit down, I can make us some tea.”
He would normally argue playfully with her, but this time he didn’t say anything. He sat on the couch quietly and pulled his feet up, resting his elbow on the armrest.
“Why’d you come?”
“Because Katara called me. Asked me to check in on you.”
“But why you?” (Y/N) cleared her throat.
“She knows I care about you.” The teapot started to shout, so she took it off the burner and poured it into two cups with tea bags. She brought one over to Sokka and sat in the rocking chair beside the couch. There was so much space in between them. It wasn’t normal. They used to be so close. She remembered sitting on that exact same couch with him, laughing at one of his jokes while something on Netflix played in the background. Now it felt like she was sitting with a stranger.
I wish that I could let it pass
I don't mind that you put it last
I made it worse, I put you first
We're laughing like it didn't hurt
I'm in the dirt, I'll make it work though
Sokka stared at the mug in front of him. It was a cheesy souvenir shop mug that read “World’s Best Boyfriend” and as sad as it was, it brought tears to his eyes. He used his sleeves to wipe them away before (Y/N) saw, but he was too late. She came to his side immediately and sat close to him. She didn’t want to encroach on his personal space, but she wanted to let him know that she was there.
“I didn’t read the mug before I gave it to you, I’m sorry,” She whispered quietly. Sokka shook his head.
“It’s fine, really, I’m fine.” He gave one large sniff before turning toward her, but he still wouldn’t meet her eyes.
“Sokka...” She pulled her knees up on the couch. “It’s okay to not be okay.”
“I just-” He wiped his nose. “Why did she have to leave?”
(Y/N) let out a large sigh. The distance between her and Sokka wasn’t without reason. After years of pining, he and Yue finally started dating. They were a cute couple, (Y/N) had to admit, but it hurt her too much to see them together. She had been in love with Sokka for as long as she could remember. They had even kissed once, a year ago, at Zuko’s birthday celebration. There had been alcohol involved, but (Y/N) had thought it might change things. A week later, he and Yue started dating and (Y/N) stopped coming around Sokka’s place as much. She would see him at gatherings and act like she was happy, but on the inside her heart was heavier than ever. She separated herself from their friend group for a while and whenever anyone asked she just claimed she was really busy from school. It was easier that way, not seeing anyone.
But just as quickly as they got together, they separated. Yue packed all of her belongings and left without so much as a goodbye. And while she felt a little relieved when Katara had told her their relationship had ended, she couldn’t help but feel so sad for Sokka. He was the kindest human she had ever known and he didn’t deserve to feel like he had done something wrong.
“Maybe she needed a fresh start,” (Y/N) said.
“Without me.” He played with the frayed edges of his sleeves.
“Sokka, Yue loved you a lot. Loved you so much that sometimes it made me sick. But sometimes, people need to leave to get their own stuff figured out. I guarantee it wasn’t because of you.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because you treated her like she hung up the moon and stars for you.” (Y/N) felt a lump forming at her throat. Whenever she thought about them, it made her sad. “You’re a good person, Sokka. And Yue knows that. But take it from me, maybe it just wasn’t the right time.”
Sokka looked into (Y/N’s) eyes for the first time that day. He stared at her for a few moments and she stared right back, her gave immovable. Sokka was a go-with-the-flow kind of person, but (Y/N) was more of a rock. She especially needed to be a rock for him right now.
“I’m glad Katara called you today,” He admitted. “I missed having you around.”
A smile rose on (Y/N’s) lips. “Me too.”
This sucks, I'm lovesick, too important to rush this
I'd miss our kiss if it ever left my lips
No one I know is sticky on my mind when I go
Except ya, but you're just friends with Miss Independent
And this sucks, I'm lovesick, too important to rush this
I'd miss our kiss if it ever left my lips
No one I know is sticky on my mind when I go
Heart broke, but I spend it, 'cause I'm Miss Independent
