16. Matters of the Heart [offline] [backdated]

[angle_on_it]

[Returning from his meeting with Jet, Sokka stops at #4 Queen Anne's Row in hopes of catching his sister before she can slip away under the cover of broad daylight.]

[He enters the house with no pretense, immediately calling through the very empty rooms instead of seeking her out.]

Katara, I'm home! Are you still here?

Comments

[kyasdaughter]

[And Katara slips in from the next room, nursing a cup of water and giving Sokka a sour look.]

Do you have to shout?

[angle_on_it]

[Oh, right, hangover. Sokka smirks and closes the door behind him.] Only if I want you to hear me. [A pause.] How ya holding up?

[kyasdaughter]

My head hurts and my stomach's upset. Never drinking punch again.

[angle_on_it]

Punch is okay, it's the alcohol that sucks. [Except, he sometimes secretly likes it, of course. Sokka heads to the windows, pulling the makeshift curtains closed to darken the room.] Do you want me to make you some soup? Before we talk? [Can't forget the reason he's here, after all.]

[kyasdaughter]

No. No - it's fine. I'm fine, I mean. And I'm really sorry about last night. I really shouldn't have let things get.. out of hand like they did.

[Katara will secretly be grateful when the curtains are pulled, goign to find a seat.]

[angle_on_it]

[Sokka's not without mercy, of course. He finishes with the curtains and takes a seat nearby.]

You might not remember, but we talked a little about this last night. And... I talked to Jet this morning. I'm not looking for apologies, Katara, just answers. Clear answers.

[kyasdaughter]

[She remembers, and it's enough to make her flush slightly, drawing the cup to her lips to pull another long drink of chilled water from it.]

I'm not dating Jet.

[angle_on_it]

Okay. [Good to know, right? But he knows that's not all.] So, your feelings for him are...

[kyasdaughter]

[Katara sinks a little in her seat and stares at her water. If she's not talking, she's not lying, right?]

[angle_on_it]

[Sokka smirks, scoots closer, puts an arm around her.] I had a inkling. Are you okay with that?

[kyasdaughter]

No.

[Katara sighs, leaning into her brother when he puts the arm around her.]

I hate it. I hate how complicated it makes life here.

[angle_on_it]

[Sometimes he forgets she's younger. At times like these, he's reminded just how young Katara really is.]

You don't think it would be just as complicated back home? [He gives her a little squeeze.] Love's a complicated thing. Is that the only reason you hate it?

[kyasdaughter]

I'm not in love with him. [Immediately, her tone is a little defensive, though she seems to relax when he squeezes her shoulders.] It's just - why do I like him? Because he's the one that's always there when I have nightmares? Is that selfish of me? What's going to happen when I leave? When he leaves?

[She fidgets, uncomfortable.]

We're in a war for our lives. I don't have time to be figuring out - feelings.

[angle_on_it]

[Sokka stares for a second, but soon a laugh escapes him. He doesn't mean to, but it happens anyway.] So much for being a kid, huh? You've got one serious side to you when it counts, little sister. Just try to remember, it's only a war as long as you've got something worth losing.

So, you're not in love with him. [Statement. Jet had claimed the same, hadn't he?] You've just confused your feelings because you share a home and time and interests, because he lays in your bed and holds you, because your tongues sometimes try to occupy the same space. Gee, I wonder why you can't figure things out. Those are some pretty domestic activities for just friends, don't you think?

Maybe you need to consider exactly how much you want to share and how much you don't. Once you decide that, it might make things a little easier to figure out.

[kyasdaughter]

[When he laughs, she lifts a hand to push playfully at him - but she's clearly just embarrassed. She isn't used to her personal life being laid out there like that.

No, wait, scratch that. She isn't used to having a private life.]

-- I'm okay with sharing things.

[Her voice is still small.]

I'm okay with sharing everything. I know he's not - perfect, and I'm not, either, but it's a matter of - [Katara makes a soft, frustrated noise in her throat.] - admitting that to him would make me vulnerable. The Animus would find a way to use it to their advantage.

[angle_on_it]

You don't think you're already vulnerable? [But then he holds up a hand to stop himself from going on.] Anyway, it doesn't matter. You've got to live for you first, okay? I'm not saying go out and marry Jet, so don't think I am, but it's okay to risk a little to get what you want. You can't always put your wants and needs in the background.

[...Sokka is the worst at deterring things. Thankfully he's got Jet's assurance that there's nothing serious between these two. >.< ]