A/N: Second to last chapter. A little humor and seriousness combined in this one. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!


Holiday Cheer

Air_Scooter has signed on.

BoomerangSLICE has signed on.

Air_Scooter: (dreamy sigh)

BoomerangSLICE: I smell Katara.

Air_Scooter: Is she at your house? She was wearing her lavender perfume yesterday.

BoomerangSLICE: No, not literally. She's been at your apartment, hasn't she? You just don't go around 'dreamily sighing' for fun.

Air_Scooter: She came back for Thanksgiving this week, and she said she'd come to visit.

BoomerangSLICE: So, what did you guys do?

Air_Scooter: Well, first we went out to dinner at this fancy Asian cuisine place that I found last month…its got amazing food, and they put lanterns on the tables. And I figured Katara would think that was romantic.

BoomerangSLICE: Lanterns?

Air_Scooter: You know, like candles? Only more colorful and…large. They kind of blocked our views.

BoomerangSLICE: Haha, epic fail.

Air_Scooter: Then we back to my apartment and I put in one of those old DVDs, you know, from that show we all were in back then? What was it?

BoomerangSLICE: Avatar.

Air_Scooter: Right, that one. Well, we watched a couple of those episodes…

BoomerangSLICE: Which ones specifically…?

Air_Scooter: Uh, well…

BoomerangSLICE: Don't you dare lie to me, airhead.

Air_Scooter: Well, we watched--*cough*--The Cave of the Two Lovers, Day of Black Sun Part One, and Sozin's Comet.

BoomerangSLICE: Hey, that's all the ones where you two…you know…

Air_Scooter: Yeah…so?

BoomerangSLICE: It's just a show. You both were just actors.

Air_Scooter: So what? The feelings are real.

BoomerangSLICE: See, I know you two are dating and all…but do you really have to watch…you know…that stuff?

Air_Scooter: What? It's just kissing. And come on Sokka, the show's rated, like, what? Y7?

BoomerangSLICE: Should be rated TV-14.

Air_Scooter: Why?

BoomerangSLICE: Who do you know lets their seven-year-old watch make-out scenes?

Air_Scooter: Uh…no one comes straight to mind.

BoomerangSLICE: Exactly. But it must be fine for seven-year-olds, because besides Zuko and Mai, Zuko and Jin, you and Katara, Suki and I, Yue and I, and also Azula and Chan that one creepy time…there was no kissing! And to say nothing about some of the humor.

Air_Scooter: Okay, I sort of see where you're going with the kissing thing, but the humor? It wasn't crude or anything! How could that be bad?

BoomerangSLICE: The humor isn't 'bad', some of it is just pretty mature, and would go over the head of the average seven-year-old. Sure, the slapstick is funny for anybody, but some of the jokes are pretty high up. But I'm getting off topic…back to the kissing thing. It's really not…

Air_Scooter: Sokka?

BoomerangSLICE: What?

Air_Scooter: I gotta go.

BoomerangSLICE: Oh, no you don't! I'm not finished talking to you! Get back here!

Air_Scooter: I haven't left yet.

BoomerangSLICE: Good. Well anyways, so I'm researching the ratings for these Nickelodeon shows, and…

Air_Scooter has signed off.

BoomerangSLICE: Aang!!

BoomerangSLICE: Oh well. His loss.

PrettyInPink has signed on.

PrettyInPink: Sokka!

BoomerangSLICE: Hey Ty Lee.

PrettyInPink: Oh my gosh…I can't believe it's almost Christmas!!

BoomerangSLICE: Yeah, awesome.

PrettyInPink: Are you not excited?

BoomerangSLICE: No, I'm very excited. Katara and I are going back home to see Dad and Gran-gran and her new fiancé.

IceBlossom has signed on.

PrettyInPink: Your Gran-gran is getting married? That's wonderful!!

BoomerangSLICE: Yeah, isn't it?

IceBlossom: Haha, yeah. Sokka's taken to calling him 'Gran-Pakku.'

PrettyInPink: (laughing)Is his name really Pakku?

IceBlossom: No, it's Robert.

BoomerangSLICE: Bob, actually.

PrettyInPink: Sokka, you're really something else.

BoomerangSLICE: I'll take that as a compliment.

IceBlossom: You should, because it's the closest you'll come to getting one. :P

BoomerangSLICE: Ha-ha, baby sister. So, Ty, what are you doing for Christmas?

PrettyInPink: Oh, I'm going up to my aunts house in Washington State. Blah.

IceBlossom: Why 'blah'? Do you not like her?

PrettyInPink: Oh, no, she's an awesome aunt. I just hate the cold.

BoomerangSLICE: Pack a coat.

PrettyInPink: Thanks for the tip, Sokka.

IceBlossom: Also thermal underwear. :P

PrettyInPink: Uh-huh. Already done. I may not be from the northeast like you two, but I know how to pack for a cold winter.

IceBlossom: Very good. Hope you have a Merry Christmas, Ty.

PrettyInPink: I will. Thanks you two. See you soon?

BoomerangSLICE: Wait, when?

IceBlossom: At the New Years Avatar Reunion? Don't tell me you forgot, Sokka.

BoomerangSLICE: I didn't forget…it just…slipped out of my mind.

IceBlossom: Right.

PrettyInPink: Haha. Well I'll see you guys. Until New Years, au revior.

PrettyInPink has signed off.

BoomerangSLICE: I have to go, too, Kat. Work. I'll text you later?

IceBlossom: No, you won't.

BoomerangSLICE: Yeah, you're probably right. Anywho, later peeps.

IceBlossom: I'm only one peep. And don't act cool.

BoomerangSLICE: Fine, I won't! Bye.

BoomerangSLICE has signed off.

melonLord has signed on.

melonLord: Is he on? Is he on?

IceBlossom: Oh no, Toph, you just missed him.

melonLord: Are you serious? I've done that at least four times this week. Would you call me the next time he's on?

IceBlossom: Well I'm not on every time he is. I wouldn't be a good informer.

melonLord: Sadness.

IceBlossom: Can't you just text him?

melonLord: I told you, I lost my phone, and I don't have the money at the moment to get another one.

IceBlossom: Why?

melonLord: Because I lost my job two weeks ago.

IceBlossom: You're kidding! Why?

melonLord: I punched a customer.

IceBlossom: I repeat: why?

melonLord: He was stalking me. Wouldn't leave me alone. Asked me out five times.

IceBlossom: You didn't like him?

melonLord: He was nice enough at first, but it got creepy.

IceBlossom: How?

melonLord: Like, he'd wait until the end of my shift and follow me home…when I took my lunch break, he'd turn up at any place I went…wait for me outside of the women's' bathroom…

IceBlossom: Yikes.

melonLord: So it got to the point where I couldn't handle it anymore so I…sort of roughed him up a bit to get my point across.

IceBlossom: Toph, what'd you do to him.

melonLord: I think I might have broken his nose…his arm…maybe a couple ribs.

IceBlossom: Oh my gosh…

melonLord: So I got the boot…end of story. I barely paid my rent this week doing odd jobs for people in my apartment complex.

IceBlossom: You're still looking for a job?

melonLord: Looked all over town. Even outside the metroplex. Can't find a single wanted sign. Stupid recession.

IceBlossom: You need a place to stay?

melonLord: I think I'll manage.

IceBlossom: Visiting your parents for the holidays?

melonLord: Oh please, no. I told 'em that I'd settle for a few hundred bucks this year. No lavishing. I'd rather pave my own way.

IceBlossom: I guess I know what to get you now, then?

melonLord: Oh, no, you don't have to get me anything at all. You've got your tuition to pay, I know.

IceBlossom: I insist, Toph. If you're going through rough times, we can pitch in a little for you. How much is your rent?

melonLord: Oh no, you don't need to give me anything. Nothing. Don't need it. I'll find a job soon. Saw a doughnut shop the other day that might be hiring in a couple months.

IceBlossom: What about one grand? Will that be enough? We can all contribute. Don't worry.

melonLord: I'm not a charity case, Katara! I'm doing fine!

IceBlossom: You aren't going to scare me away, girl. We'll come up with some money. Meanwhile, are you coming to the Reunion? You know what, you should come up here for Christmas. That'll bring down a little on your electric bill, because you won't be using the heater. You can join us in Chicago. Sokka and I will pick you up on the twenty-second. How about that?

melonLord: I don't need handouts! I can make my own way. I'll be fine!

IceBlossom: This isn't about handouts, Toph, It's about family. Come on, you'll like it. You know Suki won't be there.

melonLord: (perking up) She won't? Why?

IceBlossom: Her family insists she spend Christmas with them, and Dad and I won't let Sokka get away on Christmas. So you should definitely come up.

melonLord: Maybe…

IceBlossom: Come on! It'll be great! Sokka's bringing his guitar. You should bring yours up too. He's learning this new Christmas song.

melonLord: Eh, I guess I'll come.

IceBlossom: That's the spirit! We'll fly out there and pick you up at seven.

melonLord: Oh, don't bother coming out. I'll catch a ride to the airport and fly up.

IceBlossom: Oh, we'll come anyways. Sokka has a bunch of frequent flyer miles left over from that sweepstakes he won last year. We'll come out. Don't worry about anything.

melonLord: All right, Katara. Catch you then.

IceBlossom: I'll text you with the flight information…oh wait. Lost your phone, right? I'll email you, then.

melonLord: Okay. Talk to you soon. Merry Christmas!

IceBlossom: See you! Merry Christmas!

melonLord has signed out.

IceBlossom has signed out.