AVATAR | the taste of ink {zuko, sokka}
So, they were in the forest just above the temple, and Appa was snoring nearby.
“What about this?” Sokka held up a red plant and eyed it curiously. “Think we can eat it?”
Zuko blinked. “Honestly? I have absolutely no idea.”
“You,” Sokka said, dropping the plant, “are the greatest help I’ve ever had.”
Zuko snorted and went back to stalking a small rabbit. “Right back at you, oh talented hunter friend of mine.”
“… I take great offense to that,” Sokka grumbled, bending down to a berry bush.
“The truth hurts.”
“Bite me.”
“I’ll pass.”
And it went on like that for a while. Eventually, though, it started to get dark, and they were having a hard time seeing what, exactly, they were grabbing. Sokka had an armful of berries stored in his helmet and Zuko had tied his cloak up into makeshift bag that was holding several small fluffy creatures Sokka immediately - much to his horror - associated with Foo-Foo Cuddlypoops. They were walking back to a still sleeping Appa when Zuko stopped. “Hey, wait.”
“Dude,” Sokka said, squinting. “It’s dark, there are hungry animals out here, and I can’t tell if that growling sound is my stomach or a ferocious beast.”
“It’s Appa,” Zuko deadpanned, pulling something up from the ground. “He snores.”
“… I see.” Sokka watched as the exiled prince’s silhouette walked back to him. “What did you grab?”
“It’s this flower my uncle told me about,” Zuko explained. “Apparently, it makes good tea.”
Sokka thought of Zuko’s tea and shuddered. “Fabulous.”
“Don’t kill yourself with excitement or anything.”
“The only killing happening around here is going to be done by your tea, thanks.”
Zuko’s hand lit up. “Thanks,” he said dryly. “I appreciate that. Now, let’s see…” he held his hand close to the plant and looked it over. “Uncle says you can tell if it’s good for making tea if the leaves taste sweet.”
Sokka stared at the plant, wide-eyed. “Uh, Zuko?”
“Mhm,” Zuko said, swiping his finger over one of the leaves.
Sokka winced when he pressed his finger to his mouth. “I don’t think that’s edible.”
Zuko grimaced. “No kidding - it tastes like -”
“Poison ivy?” Sokka supplied, edging away. “Man, your tongue is going to itch in the morning.”
Zuko dropped the plant and spluttered. “You could’ve warned me before I tasted the thing!”
“… I was too busy being amazed by the fact that you thought you could make tea.”
“Oh, shut up.”
“What about this?” Sokka held up a red plant and eyed it curiously. “Think we can eat it?”
Zuko blinked. “Honestly? I have absolutely no idea.”
“You,” Sokka said, dropping the plant, “are the greatest help I’ve ever had.”
Zuko snorted and went back to stalking a small rabbit. “Right back at you, oh talented hunter friend of mine.”
“… I take great offense to that,” Sokka grumbled, bending down to a berry bush.
“The truth hurts.”
“Bite me.”
“I’ll pass.”
And it went on like that for a while. Eventually, though, it started to get dark, and they were having a hard time seeing what, exactly, they were grabbing. Sokka had an armful of berries stored in his helmet and Zuko had tied his cloak up into makeshift bag that was holding several small fluffy creatures Sokka immediately - much to his horror - associated with Foo-Foo Cuddlypoops. They were walking back to a still sleeping Appa when Zuko stopped. “Hey, wait.”
“Dude,” Sokka said, squinting. “It’s dark, there are hungry animals out here, and I can’t tell if that growling sound is my stomach or a ferocious beast.”
“It’s Appa,” Zuko deadpanned, pulling something up from the ground. “He snores.”
“… I see.” Sokka watched as the exiled prince’s silhouette walked back to him. “What did you grab?”
“It’s this flower my uncle told me about,” Zuko explained. “Apparently, it makes good tea.”
Sokka thought of Zuko’s tea and shuddered. “Fabulous.”
“Don’t kill yourself with excitement or anything.”
“The only killing happening around here is going to be done by your tea, thanks.”
Zuko’s hand lit up. “Thanks,” he said dryly. “I appreciate that. Now, let’s see…” he held his hand close to the plant and looked it over. “Uncle says you can tell if it’s good for making tea if the leaves taste sweet.”
Sokka stared at the plant, wide-eyed. “Uh, Zuko?”
“Mhm,” Zuko said, swiping his finger over one of the leaves.
Sokka winced when he pressed his finger to his mouth. “I don’t think that’s edible.”
Zuko grimaced. “No kidding - it tastes like -”
“Poison ivy?” Sokka supplied, edging away. “Man, your tongue is going to itch in the morning.”
Zuko dropped the plant and spluttered. “You could’ve warned me before I tasted the thing!”
“… I was too busy being amazed by the fact that you thought you could make tea.”
“Oh, shut up.”