Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or its characters.

28

Aang flicked his wrist, checking the time. He still had an hour and a half before his next client; an appointment he wasn't looking forward to. His gym had assigned him to Ms. Morishita for one personal training session weeks ago, and since then, the older woman had determined that she could no longer do so much as a single exercise without Aang's personal assistance. She required frequent demonstrations, and her machinations in getting him as close to her as possible bordered on obsessive. Aang knew that he was decently good-looking, but he wasn't sure his appearance warranted the level of attention that Ms. Morishita dedicated to him. But, she always left him excellent reviews, and as a result, his gym had scheduled him for more sessions with her. Combined with his significantly lowered rent and much better eating habits, his debt for his eviction was nearly gone.

He dropped heavily onto the couch, flipping through the channels, attempting to kill time before his appointment. In the background, Suki's bedroom door opened, and she stumbled out, pillow lines on her face from what Aang was certain was a very satisfying nap. She sat down a few couch cushions away, propping her feet up on the coffee table. They sat together in companionable silence, before Suki rolled her head lazily towards Aang.

"So," she began in an almost bored tone of voice, "I couldn't help but notice that you and Katara are sleeping together."

Aang sputtered, coughing to clear his throat. "I'm, uh... No?" He nearly rolled his eyes at himself. Lying had never been a strong suit of his- lying, or confrontation. It was part of the reason he had folded so quickly when Sokka had asked him about his homelessness. But this was different: Katara wanted to keep it a secret, and he was barely going to make it four hours. He began to sweat. "I mean, of course not."

Suki gave him a pointed look, one eyebrow raised.

Once again, he folded immediately. "Yea, alright. We are."

She smiled in triumph. "I knew it. I saw her leaving your room this morning."

"Oh," he said, blushing.

"I'm happy for you guys."

He sighed, relieved. "Thanks... but don't tell Sokka yet, okay? Katara's worried that he might be a little weird about it. She wants to break it to him gently."

"I completely understand that. And, she might be right- I'm honestly not sure," Suki mused. "But, I'll help you, if he is weird about it."

"Thanks, Suki."

"You're welcome," she said, turning back to the TV. "I'll arm wrestle you for the remote," she murmured after a moment.

"You can just have it," he said, laughing. "I was only trying to kill time."

Suki grinned impishly as she snagged the remote, switching immediately to 'Ba Sing Se's Most Eligible'. She had mere seconds to enjoy her guilty pleasure before Sokka trudged through the front door. Quickly flipping back to the wildlife show Aang was watching moments before, she drew a finger across her neck, glaring openly at Aang, a threat for him to keep his silence.

"I have had a day," Sokka said, tossing his keys and wallet in the bowl by the door. "And, Suki, you won't believe this, but there is actually a new bakery opening up a few blocks away."

"Get your sweatpants ready," Suki laughed.

"And my bra," he teased, jumping over the back of the couch before pressing a kiss to her cheek. "So, what were you guys talking about before I came in?" Sokka asked.

Aang frowned, his heart racing as he thought of an answer, but Suki came smoothly to his rescue. "We were just talking about how wonderful it was that he and Katara were so understanding and accepting of our relationship," she said sweetly.

Sokka gave a casually appreciative shrug. "Yea, it was really nice."

"Super nice," Suki added.

"It... it was nothing," Aang answered lamely.

Suki leaned comfortably against Sokka as the front door shut quietly behind Aang. Sokka slung an arm around her shoulder, and she found herself drawn into his warmth.

"What did you do today?" he asked over the droning of the television.

Suki grinned impishly. "You're looking at it."

"Sluggard."

She stretched languorously, her arms above her head, before eyeing him. "You're just jealous," she answered haughtily. "You had to use your brain while I was ensconced in peaceful oblivion from the moment I woke up, until now."

He laughed. "Of course I'm jealous; 8 AM classes do not agree with me. I barely stayed awake for the lecture."

"There's a sure fire way to fail a class," she said, frowning.

"I don't fail classes," Sokka scoffed. "I took down some notes- I'll look up any questions I have online. In fact, that class could have been an email. I'd much rather have spent the morning the way I spent last night." He waggled his brows suggestively. "And also, the way I spent yesterday afternoon, and yesterday morning..."

Suki grumbled, pulling away from him. "Well, I was happy for the break. Turns out that fucking your roommate-come-boyfriend at all hours of the day and night takes a toll on the body."

He blanched. "Spirits, you make it sound so crass."

"Is that not what we were doing?"

"I mean, yea, it is, but you don't have to say it that way," he laughed. "What happened to 'steamy historical romance'? I don't think they would have cared much for your phrasing."

She snorted derisively. "They would have insisted on marriage first, I think. Or at least courtship. And the most 'courting' thing you've done is made breakfast." She frowned. "Actually, come to think of it, I made the breakfast."

He shrugged. "I ate it; and I made your bed afterwards. That's gentlemanly."

"I'd have kicked your ass if you didn't eat the breakfast I made you, and your bed-making doesn't count; you're the one who unmade it." She waved him off with a flippant gesture. "That's hardly the stuff of a white knight."

"I don't think your modern feminist ideals are particularly in line with the way things were done back then- unless I'm mistaken, and you want me to call for the minister now?"

Suki shuddered delicately. "Given the fanfare that took place just for me to decide to date you, I think it's safe to say that we're a long way off from matrimony."

"So I should take down the countdown calendar, then?"

"You can leave it up," she said, laughing. "And set it to Friday... our first date."

"Oh?" he blinked in surprise. "We agreed to a date?"

She nodded, smiling. "Just now. Don't worry, you were very suave."

He grinned back at her, and her heart melted a little at the look in his eyes, the way she could see herself reflected in the deep pools of blue. Surrounded by warmth, surround by him. "Pick you up at 8?" he asked.

She settled back under the crook of his arm, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'll be the one in any color but white."

A/N: back for a little bit. Missed you guys.