markofthebrave | [ Action, Voice ] .037

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[ Action, Voice ] .037

['sup, Luceti. Hope you're not the curious type of person, because if you are the filter on this is so thin you could sneeze and break it. Someone is singing, this early afternoon, singing a lullaby softly and into their journal. The feed will cut off before the crying starts.]

Little child, be not afraid...

[Later in the afternoon, there is an unfamiliar woman with a familiar set of blue-toned wings and waterskin at the south-most bridge. There's only so much hiding in one's room that can be done when the memories are thick and the silence is very, very loud.]

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[In a way, he'd been glad the inner turmoil of turning into his dad had been interrupted by being overshadowed by the embarrassment of the situation and the immediate distractions of Winry/Fenimore (in whatever timeline). It hadn't really sunk in until later and even when it did, he just... accepted it. It was a cruel joke and no, he didn't laugh. Life in Luceti went on. At least it was kind of like their dad was around. It was the thinking back to those two years with their dad gone where that small doubt would always creep up that maybe Hakoda wouldn't ever come home that really bothered him. Only now it was Sokka's constant doubt that he'd ever get home again.

... but seeing his mother like this would be a lot easier if it hadn't been for Luceti. He'd lost her twice now.]

I didn't exactly warn you either.

[Katara's hands flex on the bridge's railings, the gloves hiding the fact that her knuckles will have turned white. She still doesn't look at him, choosing to stare out into the river instead.]

It can't go on much longer. Most experiments only last a week. And even if it goes on for another one... one more week isn't so bad. We can do this.

[...right?]

[He really feels like he should say something that will make everything better. Nothing comes to mind. Not even something funny that they can both laugh about.]

... yeah. I mean, sure. Easy. We're still us. So we can handle this, no problem.

[...so now would be the part where Katara thinks that she should maybe offer to stay out of Sokka's way, in case it hurts too much. But that seems too much like letting them win, and she's in her mother's body. She can't disgrace it by doing something like that.

...but she's still not looking at him, even if it's gotten easier to see Sokka behind their dad's face. She can't stand so much about this, but just as much as her own pain is the thought that she'll be walking around, hurting Sokka just by being there.]

Right. Mom and Dad wouldn't fail. So we won't either.

[And damn the Malnosso anyway.]

[She's right about that. They wouldn't fail. Hakoda wouldn't be stumbling over words trying to find the right thing to say, either. He's know exactly what needs to be said and it would sound impressive.]

Yeah... besides, it could be worse, right? It could've ended up the other way around.

[Humor, never fails him. Besides, if he had ended up as their mom and Katara as their dad? That would've been very awkward. At the very least, when he shifts his position to look at her, he's able to look unbothered.]

[That makes her laugh, even if it is a little choked.

And she does manage to glance up at him now.]

That would have been so wrong.

Better than me turning into Gran Gran.

[Oops, he made himself sad. Someone else he hasn't seen in awhile. But he forces himself to smile anyway.]

No, that would have been hilarious.

[Sorry, Sokka. It would have been. And what is the best reset out of sadness besides horror?]

For you, maybe. But then you'd be Pakku.

[And that would be just awful.]

Why? Just so our bodies would be married?

[And this is when Katara realizes 'Ohgawd, she's in her mom's body talking to her brother in her dad's body.' That's a wince. And a step in the opposite direction.

NOT A COUPLE HERE, NO SIR.]

That wouldn't have happened.

[Leave it to Sokka to say it out loud anyway as he ends up falling in step behind her.]

Well technically speaking, these are our parents so-

-so that doesn't mean anything! We're just in the bodies of two people we care about - like you said, it could have been anyone. But just because you would turn into Gran-Gran does not mean I would turn into Pakku.

Okay, okay! I was kidding, anyway. We'd both become Gran-Gran and then we would around and be cranky together.

[They'd be like those old Fire Nation twin ladies. Dazzling Luceti with their snark!]

[Oh good, that's much less weird.]

...that would be kind of hilarious too.

[He's done it. He's pulled them both out of their funk. Now as long as he doesn't bring up anything uncomfortable to remind them of the situation...]

Hilarious up until the back pain catches up with us. [He can hear Gran-Gran complaining about her aches and pains clearly, like it was yesterday.]

Do you really think that would happen?

I've been dad for a few days now and it's already harder to get up in the morning than my Suki days. When we all get home, I'm gonna have to do more hunting for his sake.

[...oh dear, now you've done it - struck at something that she's been holding back so far. 'When we all get home-'

She wants to go home. She wants to go home so badly. She wants to go back to where things make sense and she gets her happy ending, darn it and there are no horrible scientists to keep messing with her heart or friends who disappear and reappear two years of their time later -

She wants to go home.]

Yeah - well. With the village full of men, there should be more people to help again.

[He wasn't even thinking that way. It's easier to deal with being stuck in Luceti if he pretends going home is an inevitability, not a question. Even if that cynical part of him often doubts it. And becomes a little more convincing, week to week.]

Yeah, but they're not exactly young either.

[Scoff.]

They're not that old, Sokka.

Maybe they don't think so, but they didn't exactly gain twenty years overnight.

[It's a wonder we old people even make it day to day!]

They're just old - it's not like they're missing a leg. But if you want to do extra work around the village, I'm sure no one will stop you.

Doing all the work... just like old times. [Except no, Katara did all the work.]

[Eyeroll]

Yes, that's exactly how I remember it.

What? It's true!

[Manly dad shrug.]

Say, can you still waterbend like this?

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