Heat was not one of Sokka’s favorite things.

He had grown up in a frozen world, where “warmth” was merely something you needed to survive. But Sokka was happier in the cold. The idea of living in a place that was hot all the time was not only unappealing to him, it was almost unbearable.

So when the group reached the Fire Nation just as summer was beginning, Sokka wanted to leave almost immediately. The heat hit him like a brick wall, and he began to crave the icy winds of home.

He couldn’t imagine ever wanting to live there.

His mindset changed very quickly.

Five years later, he stood on a balcony jutting out from the side of the Fire Nation palace, watching the blazing sun slip below the horizon. “’Zula?” he murmured to the elegant golden-eyed woman in his arms.

“Yes?”

“I’m glad we stayed here for the summer.”

She turned a bit and stroked his jaw, managing to make the action both tender and sensual. “I’m glad I finally managed to convince you of the superiority of Fire Nation summers.”

“Yeah, but we’re heading back to my home in a few months,” teased Sokka. “The heat gets to me after a while.”

Smirking, Azula nuzzled his neck and purred, “Well, I’m sorry the Fire Nation is not of your taste.”

“Well, parts of it are,” said Sokka with a  grin, reaching down to kiss her playfully. “Like you.”