[Voice]

[sokkafangirl]

Hey, Luceti. I've been thinking- with so many people coming in from all the different worlds, there must be all kinds of cultural differences between us, right? So I have a question

Comments

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[Sokka was a little disappointed to come back from his mission and not be returned home. Worn out from fighting and tons of walking, he staggers home, hoping there's some leftovers from dinner he can find. Not quite bothering with his journal yet, he makes his way inside (none too quietly) and starts digging for food in the fridge.]

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

[Suki's been waiting for him in the hopes that he'd return soon, so when she hears the sound of someone rifling through the fridge, she wanders out to meet him. Rather than the surprise hug from behind that she's grown so fond of, she waits and watches him quietly for a moment, studying his movements. Is he hurt? How tired is he? Should she wait to give the bad news?]

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[Sokka turns around with a bowl full of something. It needs reheated, but he's going at it cold. He swallows what he has when he sees Suki.]

... hey! Um. I was going to stop in, I am just really hungry. [Otherwise he would have found her first, really! But otherwise, he just looks a little worn out. His hair is kind of a mess and barely even in its usual wolf tail. His armor looks like it will need mending and there's some blood stains here and there (not all of them his), but otherwise, he's fine.]

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

[She takes in the state of the armor, the hair, the blood. Sorts out whether or not that means he's really okay. Her expression is probably more serious than it ought to be - relief, because she's been worrying about him, sorrow that he missed Yue's departure by not even a day, anger that he'd been sent out alone - but after a moment she decides that, while he's alive and standing, he can be one without the other. Stepping over, she tucks her arm gently through his and tugs him towards the table to sit.]

It's okay, I don't mind that you waited. I heard you come in, that's all.

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[Sitting sounds like a pretty good idea. So he follows her over and lets himself slouch into it. After the marching he did all day, that sure feels nice.]

You'd think they would have the decency to leave me in my own bed. Or something. [But. Talking further is sacrificed in favor of a few more spoon fulls of food.]

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

I can't imagine them being that nice to anyone. [It's been established that the Malnosso are Grade A jerks.

Taking the seat beside him, she reaches out to start tugging at his armor, unfastening it piece by piece to set it aside for repair and cleaning, which can come later. She's more interested in seeing what's under it.]

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[He won't resist her doing so. And he'll do his part to make it easier, but he really, really is hungry. What's underneath is fortunately just fine, save for some bruised areas. He's better off than the last draft he was on, at least.]

They usually do it on drafts!

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

Maybe you're just having a bad night. [She can relate. Though obviously her day hasn't been nearly as difficult, notable by the bloodstains and the bruises under his skin. It's worrisome, but not overly so, since he's not bleeding to death all over the floor. Finishing up with the armor, she disappears into the kitchen briefly to fetch some ice in a cloth, pressing it against the worst of the bruises.]

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

Yeah, maybe.

[But. Something is wrong. He knows he's not in the best shape and that Suki was worried about him. But she's not as happy as he expected. A few bruises wouldn't usually stop her from at least sneaking in a kiss. When she returns with the ice, he catches her hand.]

Hey, is everything okay?

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

[She's quiet for a long moment, her expression uncomfortable, reluctant, and, as hidden as possible... sad. She holds her hand against the cloth, shivering at the chill, and it's at least half a minute before she finally answers him.]

Yue was sent back.

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[The moment he hears those four words, it's as if everything stops. His eyes widen in realization. He wants to accuse her of lying. To ask her if it's a joke. But there's nothing in her eyes that suggest that's the case. Immediately he gets to his feet, brushing her aside. He knows Suki wouldn't lie to him, but he has to see it for himself.

He crosses the house quickly, but hesitates at the door to her room. Right now, nothing would make him happier than to open the door and have her get angry at him for not knocking. But he doesn't knock. He pushes the door open. And there it is. An empty room. Untouched. Bare and quiet, as he's seen it so many times before. But it's never quite felt like this before.

He leans against the doorframe with his elbow, burying his head in his arm and mutters a curse.]

... I should have been here.

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

[She follows him quietly, standing beside him in the doorway. She'd seen the room already, gone in several times since she had found it like this. It doesn't get any easier each time. After a moment, she lifts a hand to touch his back, offering up her support as best as she can.]

You know it wouldn't have changed anything, Sokka...

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[He almost wants to pull away. Because he doesn't feel like he deserves it. Standing up straight again, he pounds his fist into the side of the door.]

It isn't fair! She doesn't have anything to go back to! She gave up everything, the least she could have had was something... anything here.

[She couldn't even have love here. He may not regret being with Suki, but he hated that Yue had to be there. Seeing all of it.]

People have been here for years. And what does she get? Barely even half a year. Some second chance that was. She deserved a chance to have some kind of life here. [And now... now she gets to go back to falling in love with Sokka and losing her life because of some Fire Nation bastard.]

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

[Suki doesn't try to stop him or get in the way; she knows he needs this, even expected him to do this. Yue's departure was bound to hit him harder than anyone else. She keeps her hand on his back, though, patiently waiting, though the worry is clear on her expression.]

She got to see you again. I'm sure that counts for something to her.

[Action - Late Evening]

[markofthewise]

[His fist is still tight and he wants to take out his anger on something. To think he wasted his time working for those damn Malnosso when he could have been here. Maybe it wouldn't make a difference, but at least he would have been around.]

... there's snow on the ground. Did she at least see the first snowfall?

[Action - Late Evening]

[sokkafangirl]

I'm sure she did. It started snowing sometime last night, and she wasn't gone until this afternoon.

[A small comfort, but hopefully it'll help some. Sokka certainly looks like he could use that right now.]