Cross-Cultural Communications by praiseofshadows [Avatar, Zuko]
Title: Cross-Cultural Communications
Author: praiseofshadows
Words: ~358
Theme: Table 1: #4. listen closely
Fandom: Avatar
Warnings: PG-13ish for stupid, attempted humour; spoilers for episode 312 and up
Disclaimer: Avatar is not mine.
Sokka knew he shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but really anything that made Katara and Zuzu huddle together and whisper like they were friends or something was worth listening to.
“I just think,” Katara was saying. “we should do something special for Toph.”
Zuzu looked blank. But then she always looked blank. Except when she was pissed off about something. “Why?” she asked.
“Because it’s her first period!” Katara said, a bit more loudly than she intended. She flushed and looked around to see if anyone had overheard her. Sokka hunched further behind the air bison sculpture.
Zuzu continued to look blank. “Her first what?”
“Period,” Katara continued. And then she got what Sokka when he was feeling big-brotherly thought of as her adorable “I-want-to-learn-about-other-cultures” expression and when he was annoyed as her “curious freak” expression. “Er…menstruation? Moon blood? Y’know, the blood that comes out from -- ” here she gestured between her legs “-- there every month?”
Zuzu gave one of her one-shouldered shrugs that could mean anything from “I don’t want dinner” to “My father is an evil bastard and needs to be stopped.” “Um...no?”
Sokka figured his expression must look as confused as Zuzu did at that moment, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. He remembered last time she had looked like that: last night, when he’d told her that slugs were a Water Tribe delicacy, and she really ought to try one.
“Zuzu,” Katara said, “You do know where babies come from….don’t you?”
“Of course I do!” Zuzu snapped, obviously bristling at Katara’s slightly condescending, slightly exasperated tone. She went red, like she did when she was trying to pretend she was keeping her cool. Actually, now that Sokka thought about it, he knew quite a bit about Zuzu’s body language.
He wasn’t sure what he thought about that.
“Babies come from the storks!” Zuzu said, triumph in her voice. She narrowed her good eye and mimicked Katara’s tone. “Everyone knows that.”
Sokka’s first impulse was to slap his hand against his forehead. But he followed his second impulse, which was to sneak away as Katara gaped like a fish.
And then, once he was safely far enough away from Zuzu's angry fists, he promptly made himself sick with laughter.
Author: praiseofshadows
Words: ~358
Theme: Table 1: #4. listen closely
Fandom: Avatar
Warnings: PG-13ish for stupid, attempted humour; spoilers for episode 312 and up
Disclaimer: Avatar is not mine.
Sokka knew he shouldn’t be eavesdropping, but really anything that made Katara and Zuzu huddle together and whisper like they were friends or something was worth listening to.
“I just think,” Katara was saying. “we should do something special for Toph.”
Zuzu looked blank. But then she always looked blank. Except when she was pissed off about something. “Why?” she asked.
“Because it’s her first period!” Katara said, a bit more loudly than she intended. She flushed and looked around to see if anyone had overheard her. Sokka hunched further behind the air bison sculpture.
Zuzu continued to look blank. “Her first what?”
“Period,” Katara continued. And then she got what Sokka when he was feeling big-brotherly thought of as her adorable “I-want-to-learn-about-other-cultures” expression and when he was annoyed as her “curious freak” expression. “Er…menstruation? Moon blood? Y’know, the blood that comes out from -- ” here she gestured between her legs “-- there every month?”
Zuzu gave one of her one-shouldered shrugs that could mean anything from “I don’t want dinner” to “My father is an evil bastard and needs to be stopped.” “Um...no?”
Sokka figured his expression must look as confused as Zuzu did at that moment, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. He remembered last time she had looked like that: last night, when he’d told her that slugs were a Water Tribe delicacy, and she really ought to try one.
“Zuzu,” Katara said, “You do know where babies come from….don’t you?”
“Of course I do!” Zuzu snapped, obviously bristling at Katara’s slightly condescending, slightly exasperated tone. She went red, like she did when she was trying to pretend she was keeping her cool. Actually, now that Sokka thought about it, he knew quite a bit about Zuzu’s body language.
He wasn’t sure what he thought about that.
“Babies come from the storks!” Zuzu said, triumph in her voice. She narrowed her good eye and mimicked Katara’s tone. “Everyone knows that.”
Sokka’s first impulse was to slap his hand against his forehead. But he followed his second impulse, which was to sneak away as Katara gaped like a fish.
And then, once he was safely far enough away from Zuzu's angry fists, he promptly made himself sick with laughter.