I've finally updated some, so don't worry, be happy, do-do-do-do-dododo-dodododododo-dodododododo-dadadadom! Yeah, I'm half asleep, but I got it up!


The wind blew over Appa's saddle, which held Katara and Sokka; Aang being seated on the flying bison's head. Katara and Aang chatted cheerfully and Momo was content to sit in Katara's lap and get his belly rubbed. Sokka sat quietly in the back, arms resting on the edge of the saddle, half lidded eyes focused on nothing, quiet since he got on the flying bison. Katara glanced at her unusually silent brother and her smile fell. Sokka was most defiantly different since he came back from the job he'd taken in Haruka.

Both Katara and Aang had been ready to get on Appa and look for him early in the morning because the cart came back with no Sokka and after a storm like that, they were understandably worried; but he'd come into town in a hurry and found them, telling them they had to leave right away because the fire benders would be there soon, Sokka had no doubt that what ever they had that night wouldn't stop Zuko from coming after Aang. So they had left, and so Sokka had fallen into his current silent, lonely position in the back. At least Sokka was pouting or angry when he was quiet before so they knew what was wrong, but now… He just seemed sad.

Katara had never seen him like this, she wondered if he got sick or something during the storm; but Sokka usually didn't act depressed when he was sick. She glanced at Aang who seem to have noticed Sokka's mood as well, looking back to her and he shrugged helplessly, having no clue either. Momo chirped and looked up, curious to see what had stopped his pampering.

"Hey, Sokka, are you feeling alright?" Katara asked, concern clear in her voice, but got no response so she tried a second time, this time a bit louder. "Sokka!" This time she got a response, Sokka looking up and over at them

"What?" He asked, having been in deep thought

"I asked if you were feeling alright," She said and Sokka's mind wondered back briefly to his previous thoughts, when he and Zuko separated. No, he wasn't feeling alright, because even though he was back with Katara and Aang, he still dwelled on the one he had with Zuko. So even though he was back with his sister and friend, he still felt a pocket of loneliness in him. Sokka forced a smile on his face and waved the concern from his sister off.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He asked and his sister gave him a suspicious look.

"You're an awful liar Sokka," She said and Sokka's fake smile dropped, "What's wrong? You haven't been yourself."

"Yeah," Aang chimed in, putting quite bluntly, "You're usually complaining about being hungry or just plain complaining." He saw Sokka case a glare at him and looked back to the sky in front of him, deciding to keep quiet and steer Appa. Katara looked back to her brother after Aang spoke, still concerned despite the avatar's attempt at humor.

"What's wrong Sokka, you're not usually this quiet," the water bender sand and Sokka's eyes shifted to the open sky to avoid eye contact, "Sokka..."

Sokka wouldn't tell his own sister that he'd slept with Zuko; he knew she wouldn't accept that. Despite their childish arguments and comments, they knew each other and accepted each other. Sokka was a bit skeptical about her water bending, but he knew she was good at what she did. He knew she would accept him, but Zuko was a completely different matter. Zuko had fought them, insulted them, trying to take Aang away. At moments he wondered what he'd seen in Zuko to make him feel so different, but then he would remember the night and the fait traces of that warm body over his. He shook his head, not wanting to bring up the memory.

"I... had a rough night." He said, referring to the night he took the job, and it wasn't too hard from the truth, he'd fought a bunch of bandits, carried a fire prince to a run down hut through the rain, had minor injuries from that, then on top of it all he lost his virginity; even though he preferred not to think about it like that. He now saw it amazing that he didn't collapse on the way back to the village and it was more reasonable that he was dazing off.

The Villagers had congratulated him upon his return; they had finally been able to defend themselves from the bandits once the giant of a man had been taken down, the rest of the bandits fell like dominos. The man had defiantly been a challenge, and the reward had gotten the group a decent amount of money that could help them along the way. The villagers had tried to insist on a party, now that their Cargo Road was clear they we're short on supplies, but Sokka had urged their leave, he really didn't want to see Zuko again so soon.

"I was suck in the rain and had to spend the night in a soggy old hut," Again, mostly the truth, hopefully that was enough to convince them he'd had a poor night. They seemed to accept it and brushed off the subject, finally placing Sokka's behavior with a reason. Katara seemed less lenient to let the subject go, sensing something wasn't clicking with Sokka's mood and his story, but soon enough she was back to talking with Aang, leaving Sokka to his thoughts.

And his thoughts doubled back to last night, making Sokka inwardly groan, resting his forehead on the edge of Appa's saddle. What had he gotten himself into?


...zzzZZZZZZZZZZZZ... -I've had a light head all week, Please review!-