Weird As Hell

It's strange. It gets stranger. And then it explodes. (Not really.) This time? Mace. An omellette. Aang. And… just what did he do?

"What are you doing!"

Katara whipped around at the sound of her brother's outraged screech. I sighed, and held in the urge to scream 'We're a bit busy here!'. It'd accomplish nothing. But, considering the current circumstances…

"Corrupting your little sister," I drawl with a smirk.

And at this, Katara whipped around, staring at me with an insulted expression. "Oh—no, you had better not have been doing this just to piss off my brother," she snarled.

I waved one hand dismissively.

Next thing I knew, I was staring at a can of mace. God, this was going to be painful.

xxxx

I'd never been so proud of my sister as I was at that moment.

I waited for the terse instant that she should have sprayed the mace. The guy had already dodged aside, but was still within range.

She never pressed down on the button; instead, she sighed, looking at that rotten prick with a hurt expression, before stepping toward me slowly.

I wrapped an arm around Katara, and began to steer her toward home. I'll kill him later.

Nobody toys with my little sister… without ending up in traction. Usually from her.

xxxx

What a bastard. I can't believe it… Although, I suppose, I should have expected it. For gods' sakes, he kidnapped me an hour ago. I'm just stupid, I guess.

I just couldn't spray the mace. It's not like he'd tried to hurt me… and that stuff is brutal. I wouldn't do that. I can't. I mean, not only is it like hanging a man for stealing a peanut, but it's also likely to get me sued by his family if he wanted.

And spraying people with concentrated pepper-spray really doesn't make them inclined to listen to your pleas of "Please don't file a lawsuit!"

…He's a great kisser, though.

And before I knew it, we were back home. And then Sokka finally let loose the beast.

xxxx

"I," I said stiffly, "will not talk to you—until you make me a mushroom and jack cheese omellette."

She grinned wryly, and hugged me. I sighed, and shook my head. "Katara, what were you thinking?"

She shrugged, and collapsed onto the carpet. "I… don't know. He's just really, really… something," she said with a slightly wistful look.

I flicked her leg. "Don't get all wistful over that punk on me, or I'll leave and never come back until breakfast."

She grinned. "Shut up, Sokka."

And then someone started knocking at the door again. I swear—this is getting old.

xxxx

The door creaked open—creaklessly, that is. But I think the expression on the face of the boy who opened it was terrifying enough to merit a creaky door.

I blinked, and waved tentatively, the porch light washing over me in a bath of dingy yellow light. Behind the impassive, albeit slightly less foreboding boy, I heard a girl's voice ring out, "'Ey, who is it?"

Wait. I recognize that voice!

"Hi, Katara!"

"Aang?"

I smile broadly, and wave frantically, stretching up on my toes to be seen over the boy.

"Sokka, move! It's Aang—remember, the kid we met two weeks ago?" The boy—Sokka—blinked, then smacked a hand to his face. "Oh, hey! Sorry kid, I didn't recognize you!" he said with a grin, opening the door fully and ushering me in.

Katara stood nearby, lounging around by a fireplace. "Hey, Aang. Whatcha doin' here so late?"

I drew in a slow breath, before dropping to the carpeted floor. "I saw you with Zuko. I thought you hated him..!"

She glanced at me in surprise, before getting a mildly annoyed look on her face. "Look, Aang, it's sweet an' all that you're concerned,"

"—Rightly so," her brother muttered. Katara shot him A Look—the one everyone's parents give their kids.

"—but you don't need to be. The matter is resolved," she said in a clipped statement.

Sokka glanced at her. "It is?"

"Yes, it is!" she hissed.

I laughed lightly. "O-o-o-okay…"

"But really, Katara," I said, a bit more serious, "…you shouldn't be around him."

xxxx

Boy, do I like this kid. We should get together and team up against Katara one of these days; see if we can lecture some sense into her… And then have lunch over at Panda Express!

Mmm. Chow Mein…

…Chow Down!

xxxx

I sigh. "Alright, alright, enough. Everyone here is against me being within ten feet of Zuko, so I won't be!"

Aang and Sokka look not only relieved, but elated. "Good—you have no idea what trouble he is," Sokka began.

"Yeah!" piped up Aang, "He almost massacred me for daring to touch his precious Jaguar! He's crazy!"

I froze, and glanced at Aang out of the corner of my eye. Slowly, I turned away from the fireplace.

"What?"

"Huh?"

"Aang—what did you just say?"

He looks a bit panicked. "I-I… Did I say something wrong?"

I'm silent.

"I… I have to go."

"No, wait—Aang!"

Too late. He's out the door, and off running.

"Crap," I mutter.

I mean… I never believed Zuko when he said Aang tried to push him off the roof, or that they were related. I just thought he had no reason. I figured that Aang had just said something to piss him off…

But… that means… he kinda is justified. Wait—what did Aang do, anyways?