[Action] .005

[markofthebrave]

[After a romantic evening where they innocently fell asleep together, Katara wakes up first. It takes her a moment to place why she's outside. They always fell asleep fully clothed when they were traveling, so that was nothing new, but why was someone's arm is wrapped around her waist? And when she does remember, Katara absolutely freezes.

She feels sick and deeply violated, and she's not sure she's ever been more humiliated in her life. She can't turn around and look at Zuko -- she's just going to move as quietly and stealthily as possible, out of the tent and as far away as she can.

Regardless of whether or not she succeeds in escaping without waking him, as soon as she can she is going to find a quiet place on the outskirts of the village, hole up against something, and lose it.]


Worst. Town. Ever.

[After she's done crying and has tried to pull herself together? ...she knows she really should find Toph. And she'll get up to do that, eventually. Feel free to stumble across her as she's finishing up crying or as she starts looking for Toph in the late afternoon.]

Comments

[markofthewise]

[He'll notice her. Unfortunately very little sleep means his brain isn't exactly processing at full speed just yet. Oh, it's just his sister. He gives a halfhearted wave at the same time his stomach starts growling. Ugh, decisions.

He decides to forgo eating for just a minute to say hello. She might be hungry too. So he heads on over, failing to fight back a yawn as he nears.] Hey.

[markofthebrave]

[Curse you and your selective perception issues, Sokka.] Uh, hey.

...so how'd it go with Toph?

[markofthewise]

[Toph? Who's Toph?

Oh wait, the girl he was fixated on all night while working, until he found himself strangely fixated on how much he missed Suki? Yeah. He remembers that.] Better than I expected. [But he'll just leave it at that. Unfinished thread and all that.]

[markofthebrave]

...well that's... good. [OK, obviously she needs to find Toph now. Have a searching glance during which Katara determines that Sokka is mostly fine, if exhausted, and probably not noticing that he doesn't look like he's noticed she's not herself yet. Ouch. But good. Let's see if a smile and a cheerful wave can help maintain that impression. Pretending this past week never happened? Sounds good to her!]

OK. See you later, Sokka! And you'd better get some rest, you look awful.

[markofthewise]

[Oh good. Katara is happy. His expression is almost blank as he works this out. If Katara is happy and upbeat, then the experiment must still be going on. Which means... wait, the experiment was over, wasn't it? He had thought it was, based on his own pattern of thought. Wait, did that mean she actually did like Zuko? That certainly seems like it would add up. Except it was Zuko. And Katara. Maybe the heat from the smithy and his restlessness had left him delirious and the experiment was still on? Perhaps he only stopped thinking about Toph because of how hard he hit his hand with a hammer when he lost his concentration earlier that night. Did his forehead feel hot? He couldn't tell, since he had a glove on. Checking his own temperature never was much good anyways. Maybe he did need some sleep. But what about food? He needed food more. Some steak sounded absolutely amazing right now. Covered with spices and served with some sort of fizzy beverage... whatever those things were called. Salta? Salsa? Soma? Well, whatever it was, he wanted the orange one.

Wait, Katara is still there. Didn't Sanji tell him something about her? Something really important? Instead of a real response, just have a dumbfounded muttering of:] Errr....

[markofthebrave]

[See, now? Now would be the perfect time for her to escape. Except she knows that look. She'll snap her fingers a couple of times in front of his face.]

Sokka. Snap out of it. Go get something to eat.

[markofthewise]

[He blinks a few times, suddenly brought back to reality.]

Oh yeah, food. [Now he squints his eyes at Katara with his newfound clarity of mind about soda. No wait, about Katara.] Are you sure? You look like you need [Dinner? Sleep? A hug? A good joke? A heart to heart talk? Steak?] ...something. Is the experiment still on?

[markofthebrave]

[At the mention of 'the experiment,' Katara will actually take a half-step back.] If it was, do you think you'd be able to mention it like that?

[She makes a movement with one arm as if she's pushing him away.] I'm going to find Toph.

[markofthewise]

[He steps aside, at first just out of the natural flinch reaction of an incoming punch. The look on her face though makes it more and more apparent that, yes, the experiment is over.] Alright, Katara. But after you do... if you need me, I'll be here.

[...] Well, not here here. Probably in bed sleeping here, but I meant here in a more... you know what I mean.

[markofthebrave]

[Have a small wry 'What am I going to do with you' look, Sokka. And a light sigh for good measure.] I think it would probably be better if we just forgot this whole thing ever happened.

When I think about it, it gets me so-- angry doesn't even begin to cover it. [No, it's something more along the lines of furious, devastated, humiliated, ashamed, vulnerable, and lost. She hadn't even known she could feel what she felt for Zuko, and now...]

[markofthewise]

[Sokka nods. Still a little weary, but more clearheaded than a few minutes ago.]

... I didn't want it to end. I wanted it so bad. I thought if I didn't sleep, maybe that things could just stay the same and Toph and I could both keep on being happy. [He bows his head.] Of course, it didn't work that way.

[markofthebrave]

[She didn't want to talk about it. Why is he making her talk about it? Katara gives in and hugs him right in the middle of the street.]

...It might have made us happy, but it wasn't real, Sokka. I know Toph well enough to know that she wouldn't want this kind of happiness if it wasn't real. None of us does, not really. She's strong, she'll get over it. So will you. So will I.

[markofthewise]

[There's a moment of deliberation on his part. After the heartfelt hug (which he needed as much as she did, regardless of whether he'd admit it or not), he'll do his best to defuse the situation the only way he knows how. With humor!]

Well at least Aang and Momo wasn't here. That's one couple nobody wants to see!

[markofthebrave]

[Sigh. She's glad he's feeling better. She's feeling rather hollow, herself, even if she is convinced that what she said was the truth.]

That's disgusting. You obviously need more sleep.

[markofthewise]

Yup. I'm going to eat, sleep, and then just forget all about last week. You should do the same.

[markofthebrave]

Isn't that what I just said? Ugh, nevermind. I'll see you later, Sokka.

[markofthewise]

[Shrug.] Seeya, sis.

[And he'll be off to have some delicious steak, which he'll probably fall asleep eating until Aku shows up. Go Team Avatar.]