A/N: This idea has been circulating in my head off and on since I saw the DeviantArt 'Itchy' by Aleccha, and it was supposed to be something cute and innocent in the beginning, like the picture, but well... it didn't turn out quite like I thought it might. The rating is for the innuendo that this one-shot pivots on, and if you like it, be sure to leave me a review!
Beards
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Katara stared at the Pai Sho board with intent, humming idly as she plotted her next move. Across from her Suki sat with her elbow propped up on the low-lying table, cupping her cheek in her hand as she watched the waterbender with tiring eyes. She couldn't remember when they'd even started this game anymore.
Katara's humming stopped when a small smile came to her lips, and Suki followed her hand with mild interest as the waterbender went to move a tile but then didn't pick it up. Suddenly, Katara frowned instead as she hovered over it briefly before decidedly pulling her hand back, rethinking her move.
Suki sighed as this had been the cycle of what felt like an hour now; making way to move a tile before second guessing the move and settling back into her seat, too stubborn to call it quits. With only the patter of the rain on the windows to fill the silence, the Kyoshi warrior wasn't sure how much longer she'd last before dozing off.
"Oh, come on Sweetness, it doesn't take this long to do something!" Toph groaned, surprising everyone that she was even still awake as she lay prostrate on the floor beside Suki. Katara shot a look her way, knowing well the earthbender wouldn't see it.
"I'm thinking Toph."
"Hey, have you guys seen Sokka lately?" Suki asked with a frown, finding the silence aside from them a bit suspicious as her boyfriend was nowhere to be seen. Katara ignored her and Toph grumbled something about him taking a nap, or something of the like.
As if on cue, the sound of a door opening caught their attention and Sokka suddenly appeared from the bedroom, pretending to act casual as two pairs of eyes were quickly drawn to the extra hair stuck to the lower half of his face. Suki rolled her eyes upon seeing it.
"Don't you think you're a little old to be playing with that stupid beard still?" She asked him, somewhat annoyed to see its comeback from the chest she'd thrown it in some years ago.
"I'm not playing with it, Suki, I'm just trying to see something," he said matter-of-factly with a finger up to her as he sat across the low table from her, sitting cross-legged next to Katara instead. Suki stared at him with narrowed eyes.
"What could you possibly be trying to— wait, no. NO." Her eyes widened suddenly with realization and she groaned. "Sokka, we've been over this! Just because Aang has one doesn't mean you need to grow one too."
He huffed childishly. "Suki, it's MY face, and I for one think I would look great with a beard!"
"Yeah, the only one," came Toph's voice from behind the table with a snort. He made a face at her all the while stroking his beard protectively.
Suki pinched the bridge of her nose, exasperation in her drawn out sigh. She opened her mouth to argue with him, but before she could, there was a sudden noise at the front door. Everyone looked up to see Aang coming in.
Without hesitation, Sokka flocked to his side. "Aang! What took you so long?"
"Sorry, I got held up with one of the— wait, is that the beard I think it is?" The airbender paused mid-step through the doorway to give Sokka's fake beard a look over, and a smile quickly broke across his face. "It is! I haven't seen this thing in a long time. You know, you would look great with a beard Sokka!" He added on with an approving nod, oblivious to the daggers being sent his way by Suki.
Sokka grinned smugly as he threw an arm over Aang's shoulders and pointed to him with glee. "See! Even Aang thinks it suits me!"
Suki just shook her head. "I give up," she muttered, throwing her palms down onto the table in defeat. Aang observed her in slight confusion and glanced at Katara who only shook her head with a hand wave to say, 'don't worry about it.'
He tipped his chin to acknowledge it but was still a little curious. He pushed it aside as he turned back to Sokka. "Why are you wearing that anyways?" Vaguely he heard the sound of Katara facepalming.
"I wanted to see how I would look sporting one of these," Sokka explained as they moved back closer to the table where the girls were. He gestured to the Kyoshi warrior as he continued. "Suki kept saying it wouldn't suit me, so I wanted to prove her wrong."
"I never said it wouldn't suit you," the woman in question said impatiently. "I just don't want it to feel like I'm making out with Momo anytime we kiss. The last time you tried to grow one, it was the itchiest thing before you finally shaved it off."
Toph snickered. "To be fair, I'm not sure whiskers even count." That got a chuckle out of Katara and Sokka shot her a dirty look, ignoring Toph's comment entirely.
Rolling her eyes, Suki looked to Katara for backup. "Tara, am I wrong? You used to tell me how much you hated Aang's beard when it was growing in."
"Suki!" Katara was jaw-dropped by how quickly she'd been thrown under the bus by her friend. She smacked the warrior's leg beneath the table with her foot, but it was too late. The airbender's eyes had already gone wide with hurt and confusion.
"Wait, what? You never told me you hated it," he said, and Katara had to quickly pick her mouth up off the floor to frantically shake her head.
"It wasn't that I hated it, it was just a bit scratchy when it was coming in is all sweetie. I really like it now!"
"Did you hear that Suki? She likes it now! You just need to give it more time!"
"Sokka, were you not listening? That's not the takeaway of what she said."
"Oh really? Then what is, huh?"
Katara felt her eye twitch.
"Would you both just stop it already?!" She exclaimed loud enough to be heard over the bickering couple. With everyone's attention now on her, she relaxed back into her cushion and groaned. "Look, it doesn't matter about Aang and I, okay? Yes his beard was a little itchy in the beginning, but it's fine now. You guys are making a bigger deal out of this than there needs to be."
"You're telling me that his beard," Suki pointed to Aang, "really doesn't bother you anymore? Really?"
"No. In fact, I hardly even remember it's there anymore. The only time I'm reminded of it is when it tickles… my… "
The room suddenly got very quiet and Katara trailed off as her gaze subconsciously fell on Aang, realizing a little too late just what she'd been about to say. He stared back with wide eyes, the faintest tinge of pink on his light cheeks that seemed to only be darkening the more seconds that went by in silence.
Toph's wicked chortle broke it as she sat up alarmingly fast. "What was that Sugar Queen? I think you cut out a little too soon on us there," she said, the smirk so glaring in her tone that no one had to look at her to know it was there. "Go ahead, finish what you were going to say. I dare you."
"Kill me now," she muttered, quickly putting her hands over her face as she felt the heat on her cheeks just intensify in response to Toph's laughter. Swallowing hard, Katara forced a smile on her face as she looked back to the Kyoshi warrior.
"Um, how about we finish our game instead? Look!" She quickly moved the first tile she laid eyes on. "It's your turn now. About time, right?" She chuckled nervously.
Suki's mouth was still hanging open slightly, and the edge of her lips twitched as she fought back a smile. She didn't respond right away, and a quick glance over to Sokka told Katara that he'd realized what she was about to say also as he eyed Aang's beard with horror in his eyes. Her smile disappeared.
"Actually, you know what? You're right Suki," the tribal warrior said with a startling calmness about him that caused everyone to eye him precariously. "Clean shaven is the way to go. Aang, where is your razor?" He turned to the airbender with a smile that was a bit too innocent.
"What do you need the razor for? I thought your beard was fake."
Sokka chuckled darkly. "Oh, it is, my dear friend," he said as he put an arm around Aang's neck. Meeting the avatar's eyes, Sokka frowned. "But the razor isn't for me."
Suddenly, it was chaos as Sokka tightened his arm around Aang with a vice-like grip and in mere seconds was dragging him off towards the bathroom, his voice raising to meet the heated protests thrown his way as he did so. Both Katara and Suki jumped up to resolve the situation, all the while Toph was forced back onto the floor by her laughter as she listened to the scene unfold.
It was on this day that Wang Fire's beard was officially retired, it's bushy brown hairs never to be seen or mentioned again.
