In 106...

[beliefovermisery]

When Katara has nothing to do, she gets up early and 'bends all day. When Sokka is given the day off... he sleeps in.

Like a normal person.

That's where he is now, just rolling out from under his blankets at what is probably a few hours before noon. Who can really tell at this point? Still, it feels late to him and Sokka yawns, groggy as the blankets are thrown back and he searches for clothing. Pants are found, pulled on and tugged up before he gets up and wanders to the bathroom for more morning-necessities.

Visitors will be grunted at in a I'm-totally-not-all-there sort of way, shirtless with his hair floppy in his eyes.

Comments

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"Most rocks don't have nipples," Sokka points out grinning. And then proves, buff or no, he's still a total dork:

He poses, arms up, muscles flexed.

"Am I helping you sexualize?" he asks her, grinning wide.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

For a girl, Paige hits pretty damn hard, and she makes a face. "Glad you inspected!" she snaps, and then manages to blush.

Yes, she tries not to think about the DETAILS OKAY?

"Y' ain't now. I'm thinkin' of cleanin' your clock, mister. Oh, you're terrible!"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"Ow!" But he's still laughing at her, looking totally amused as he drops his arms. "I didn't inspect! They were there!"

He grins at her now, stepping out of the way of another hit. "If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't-- I mean I didn't-- you know... look at you like that, while you were-- y'know, that's why I always wanted you to husk back and--"

Because he thought she was a crazy weirdo using her sexual powers to keep him from arguing with her! He only started liking her when she was CLOTHED.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

Cue a roll of eyes. "You're such a boy."

But at least this one LOOKS at her breasts. That's NORMAL. She shakes her head, and then says, "I know what I want. But -- I don't need to use that to get it."

No matter WHAT Ms. Frost once said...

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"Well, I didn't know that then," Sokka points out, still grinning at her.

But wait-- she came to find him, didn't she? "Did you want help with work or...?" Just curious to see why she had to work and he didn't?

[notahick.livejournal.com]

"...has it occured to you that I might-- just-- y' know, wonder where you were?" Paige asks, cocking one brow.

That maybe she just... wanted his company?

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"...Does right now, just as you said that, count?"

[notahick.livejournal.com]

"No."

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Somehow, he doesn't think that admitting he never thought her intentions might be purely, innocently because of him will score him any points.

Rubbing at the back of his neck again, Sokka moves to slowly plop down on his bedding, shrugging slightly. "You're kinda... dealing with a stunted guy here, Paige. I'm not really used to-- this."

Assertive women? Certainly. Functional relationships? Oh, hell no.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

"...stunted?"

Paige is giving him that Are You That Stupid look again. Because, really, he's saying he's STUNTED? Oh, he's not stunted. She's seen STUNTED. And...

...okay, she feels a little guilty indulging this otherworld fling (and this is what it is, isn't it? An X-Man right of passage, pratically, getting crushes with the natives; or in this case, other refugees) but not ... ... in the way you might imagine.

She feels guilty because she prefers the fling to what's waiting for her at home... beacuse she dosen't really KNOW what's waiting for her at home.

"You're not stunted, Sokka. You're just fine."

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Buh? Why is he stupid? He blinks at her, surprised by the look and tone before venturing quietly, "Fine is a guy that assumes you only come looking for him when you need something?" Because a second ago, she seemed a little irritated that he was assuming that.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

She blinks at that reply, and then says, "Fine is a guy who doesn't mind that I come looking, at all."

That's good, isn't it?

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

More blinking. Before the smile anyway.

"Paige, the guy that minds a pretty girl coming to look for them would have to be a lot more fond of peaches than I am."

Thanks for that bit of cultural information, Zuko!

[notahick.livejournal.com]

"...peaches?"

Houstan, we have a problem. Paige missed that metaphor ENTIRELY.

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Oh, good - someone besides him doesn't know that reference. Sokka just grins and shakes his head. "Nevermind."

And then-- well. She wanted to see him, right? Just him? So surely she won't mind having her hand caught in his and tugged, trying to get her to sit down beside him.

That's okay, right? Despite (or because of?) shirtlessness.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

Paige is busy trying to wonder what peaches have to do with pretty girls. Was this some sort of cultural thing she was missing?

But she gets caught, tugged, and captured easily, but does blush delicately while she gets comfortable there.

But... now what?

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Now... now Sokka gets a hesitant, unsure arm loose around her.

And remembers what Zuko said about leaving people behind.

Which is basically what makes him finally blurt quietly, his eyes on the far wall, "I-- want to go back home eventually."

[notahick.livejournal.com]

She settles in quietly, finding a nice spot to be. "Do you?" she asks. "... I do too." But yet, here they are.

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

He squirms a little, too, making them both comfortable and-- ooh, he really hates this subject.

"...I don't like leaving people," he admits quietly, sounding uneasy. A pause follows before he laughs a little, soft. "Actually, I don't think I ever have left anybody."

[notahick.livejournal.com]

"...but somebody's left you."

That would be the natural assumption, actually.

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

A pause but-- he nods. It's a better way to answer that than to laugh and be bitter.

"...I don't want to hurt you. And--" it has to be said, he admitted it once to Zuko, why is it so hard to say it to her, "I don't really-- want to be hurt either."

He's a coward, namely.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

She's known plenty of cowards... But Sokka doesn't strike her as one.

But she nestles in quietly, and then says, "It's not like we're getting engaged, you know. Just-- filling each other's time in a more pleasant manner then might otherwise be had..."

But... there's attatchment, and emotion... and... sigh. Sticky situation.

"What are we gonna do, then?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

He knows what they should do, but--

Sokka pauses when she says that and drops his chin a little, his arm still light around her. "...I like you," he says simply, quiet, and looks over at her. "But-- I can't stay here. And crossing worlds is..." Silly and weird and waaaaaay too early to be talking about now.

[notahick.livejournal.com]

Yeah.

"X-Men tend to go all over the dimensions... but..."

MAybe not now.

She leans her head against his shoulder, and then sighs.

"...I like you too, Sokka."

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

With her head against his shoulder, he's-- bolder. His arm curls around her and he leans back, temple against her hair.

"It wouldn't... be fair, you know? To..." try anything. Not really.