Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA or its characters

40

Aang trudged wearily through the front door, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. The day had been long, and he was looking forward to a mind-erasing nap before Katara returned home. As he passed into the kitchen to grab an apple from the bowl on the counter, he froze at the sight of a massive bouquet on the kitchen table. He wandered over, leaning over the bouquet to inhale the flowery scent. "Mmm," he hummed appreciatively. Gently, he cupped one of the soft white blossoms. "How beautiful."

The sound of a throat clearing behind him caused him to turn. Sokka stood behind him, leaned against the kitchen island, arms crossed and foot tapping. A guarded expression clouded his face, his eyes a murderous sort of cobalt. "Aang," he greeted abruptly.

Aang blinked in surprise. "Sokka," he answered.

"I see you're admiring the flowers," Sokka said crisply.

He nodded, turning back to them. "They're very beautiful," he complimented. "I love ranunculus. Peonies, too, but ranunculus are my favorite."

"What are you talking about?" Sokka snapped.

"Ranunculus... the white and cream flowers. I imagine it listed them in the description on the website."

Sokka's expression darkened even further. "Well, I wouldn't know."

"Okay..." Aang responded, perplexed.

"It came with a note," Sokka continued. "I read it."

"Yea, I was wondering where that was," Aang said, turning back to the flowers. "They're far too extravagant a gift to send without a note."

"It was an illuminating note," Sokka said through clenched teeth.

"Are you alright, Sokka? You seem... put out."

Sokka pushed off the kitchen island, stalking almost menacingly toward Aang. "'Put out' is one way to describe the way I'm feeling. Or maybe, 'furious' or possibly even 'enraged'."

"Oh?"

"The note said, 'I love seeing that ring on your finger'. Now, why on earth would there be a bouquet on my table with a note like that?"

Aang backed away from Sokka nervously, his mind racing. "I'm guessing the flowers aren't from you, then. Do you think I bought these flowers?"

"Didn't you?"

Aang almost laughed, but held it in, for fear of Sokka's reaction. "You think I can afford flowers and a ring?"

"I wish you couldn't afford either," Sokka snarled.

"I can't afford either," Aang answered, his hands going up defensively as Sokka gained ground.

Sokka lunged for him, and Aang deftly avoided him, his urge to laugh at this rare example of Sokka's idiocy growing stronger.

"Stay still," Sokka complained.

Aang grinned. "If I stay still, will you let me explain?"

Swiftly, he lunged again, and Aang stilled to allow Sokka's arm to wrap around his neck. He brought Aang low in a headlock. "Explain away, you smug bastard," he growled.

"I didn't buy those flowers," Aang began, his voice slightly muffled. "I have no idea where they came from. When I first saw them, I thought that you bought them, for Suki."

Sokka's grip loosened. "Oh," he said lamely. "Well, if you didn't buy them, and I didn't buy them-"

"-then, where did they come from?" Aang finished for him, his voice still muffled. "I was thinking the same thing."

"What the hell is going on here?" came Suki's voice from the doorway. She strode into Aang's limited field of vision, her hands on her hips and a perplexed expression on her face. "Sokka, what are you doing to him?"

Sokka immediately released Aang, contrite. "I thought he bought those flowers back there," he explained quickly, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at the massive floral arrangement. "But, he didn't."

Suki faltered. "What- you mean, you didn't buy them?"

"Me?" Sokka repeated, aghast. "Wait- did you see them?"

"I brought them in. They were on the doormat outside our door this morning." she admitted.

"You saw the note, too?"

She nodded.

"Oh, Spirits," Aang breathed, covering his mouth with his hand to stifle his laughter. "Did you think that Sokka got them for you?"

"Yes," she breathed, nodding again. "And, I'm guessing Sokka thought that you got these for Katara?"

Aang nodded. "Where's that note, Sokka?"

Fumbling around in one pocket, Sokka pulled out a crumpled card and smoothed it out hastily.

"Spirits, Sokka," Suki complained. "You didn't like the note, so you crumpled it? You animal."

Sokka opened his mouth to fire back, but Aang cut across him. "Does it say who it's from?"

"Nobody thought to read the sender line?" Suki sighed, exasperated.

"You didn't check it, either," Aang reminded her. He immediately looked away to avoid the murderous expression she fixed him with.

Looking down at the note, Sokka shook his head. His eyes narrowed in scrutiny, then suddenly he flushed, a deep frown on his lips. "You said this was on the doorstep, Suki?"

"Yea."

Sokka sighed and held up the card for them to see. "It was mis-delivered. It was supposed to go to Apartment 3F."

At this announcement, Aang could no longer contain his laughter, and he curled over himself, hands wrapped around his stomach in the throes of mirth.

"Let me preface this conversation by saying that I am not in love with your boyfriend," Toph said nervously, her hands twisting around her cane.

Katara nodded, then realized Toph wouldn't be able to see her. "That's a relief," she said faintly.

"I shouldn't have lied, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even told Aang about it; it wasn't worth mentioning. I don't know why I did that," Toph explained. "I was trying to get away from my parents, and I knew any association with him would upset them."

Katara's mind raced. She was disappointed that Aang lied, and mentally filed away her plans to have a very thorough conversation about his decision to keep this from her. But, she could admit that, in the grand scheme of things, this wasn't that big of a deal. And though the cause of this shallow pool of disaster was centered around the small girl in front of her, Aang was the one who managed to deepen the pool and then promptly drown himself in it.

"It's alright," she answered finally. "Though I can't imagine why he kept it from me. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal."

Toph gestured to her emphatically. "See? That's what I said. But, I guess your brother told him that it wasn't a big deal, so he could keep it to himself."

"Did he?" Katara muttered darkly before shaking her head. It appeared that a conversation with her brother was due shortly after her conversation with Aang. "What do your parents have against Aang, anyway?" she asked, changing the subject before her temper got the better of her.

"Oh, that?" Toph asked dismissively. "My parents hate Aang. They think he's, like, some dangerous underworld criminal, all because he couldn't afford his rent after some girl dumped him on his ass-"

"I'm sorry, what?" Katara exclaimed. "That's the first I'm hearing of this."

Toph frowned deeply. "I feel like I should just stop talking."

"Yes, I think you probably should," Katara said acidly, gathering her bags and standing. "And Aang should probably start. Please, excuse me, ladies. It seems I have a lot to discuss with my boyfriend." She began to stride away but stopped, turning back to the table. A feeling of guilt overcame her; this was her first introduction to Toph, a good friend to Aang. And, despite Aang's rather serious series of missteps, people who were important to Aang were important to Katara. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Toph," she said in as polite a voice as she could muster. "I hope we meet again, under better circumstances."

Toph's look of discomfort fell away, replaced by a wicked grin. "Sure it was. And I'm sure we will."

A/N: there's a reason that honesty is the best policy.