A vibrant sun beat down on unsuspecting students, intense rays threatening to singe its victims. Hard earned sweat lingered and sought refuge on a well defined face. Labored breaths saturated the morning air. Muscles complained of soreness and pleaded for rest.

But Aang refused to succumb.

To his disappointment, his extra mile had borrowed more time than he had anticipated. And he'd be late if he started walking now. He jogged towards the bleachers, eyeing the hand towel he left on the seat. With agility comparable to that of a lemur, he snatched the towel and made his exit from the field.

With phone and towel in hand, he navigated his way across campus, albeit with little success. The combination of being a freshman and the unending twists and turns of the university's walkways only served to foster confusion. When he had looked at the brochure, the picture alone was intimidating, its campus boasting high rise buildings and maze-like walkways. But being there now, in person, thrust onto the grounds of the university itself, it was overwhelming to say the least.

He continued jogging, the directional signs spitting out instructions for the bewildered. Without hesitation, he adhered to them, turning a corner into the Residence Halls. The outline of a building in the distance captured his attention, huge lettering across the front revealing itself to be his destination.

Sokka's tray was a plastic island occupied by a mountain of seal jerky at its center, leaving no space for vegetation or even a bottle of water.

He set his tray down with care and looked towards Katara, confusion painting the features of his face. "Katara? I didn't know you were coming. Suki invited you?"

Her brain stumbled for an excuse, the day still premature. If there was one thing Katara was not, it was being a morning person. Even if her youth, she had always surrendered to sleep. And now, with her pursuit of majoring in medicine, countless days and nights would be spent memorizing black ink on paper. In short, sleep followed her everywhere.

Suki came to Katara's rescue, her excuse awkward in its execution. "Sokka! Hi! Katara, um... needed a friend to talk to? Yeah, that's it."

Confusion left and suspicion took its place. Sokka placed his tray on the square table and seated himself perpendicular to Katara and Suki. He inhaled deeply, preparing himself.

"Yeah?" He asked with rhetoric.

With fork in hand and elbow on table, he pointed at Katara. "Is that hickey near your neck why you needed a friend?"

Where Suki had failed to notice, Sokka discovered it almost instantaneously. It was only a faint blemish slightly disrupting the flawless chocolate skin of her clavicle... but it was still evidence. Evidence of the night before, evidence of her want. Want for what though? Sex? Comfort? She didn't know. It was too early to tell.

Katara's silence only prodded Sokka to continue. "I just don't get it. Really I don't. You know they don't care for you. So, what could you have possibly been thinking?"

Inside, Katara was fuming. Words inspired by anger, born out of spite, sat impatiently in her throat and awaited their release. But they died at her lips. She knew the words would only worsen the situation, and any defense she built would quickly crumble under the weight of reason.

"Katara? Don't you have anything to say?"

Spirits, his persistence was infuriating!

"What do you want me to say?", she responded. "That I'm sorry? Because I'm not. It's my business, not yours."

"Then why were you talking to Suki about it?" He paused. "You know what, never mind, don't tell me."

Carefully, he chose his next words. "Look, I just want you to know I care about you. I don't want to see you get hurt."

"Sokka, I'm not some helpless little girl. I'm 19, not 10."

"And I'm 21. That doesn't mean I don't make mistakes."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you saying what I did was a mistake?"

"You tell me! I'm not the one fucking people I don't know."

"I do know him! He's my boyfriend!", she lied.

He saw right through it. "No. He's not. You haven't had one in years."

Suki had heard enough. Though she was accustomed to the bickering, the siblings' war of words would not cease unless a mediator was present. And ever since high school, she had fit that role with ease.

Gently, she brought the latte up to her face, closed her eyes, and took in the cinnamon scent.

"Sokka, I think you've said enough. Katara's choices are not yours to judge. So, please - she took a sip of her drink and laid her hand over his - drop it."

A groan was heard and a smile was seen. Sokka was frustrated and Katara was satisfied. Thankfully, the argument had been suppressed. But Suki knew better. She had only quelled one battle in a series yet to come.

Aang reached the doors leading into the dining hall and pushed through. His entrance was met with a cool breeze and sunlight peering through glass walls, as if welcoming him. Stepping aside, his eyes searched for the familiar blue ones.

He was relieved to see Sokka's wolf tail, ever so present in the sea of students occupying the tables. He walked over to his friend.

"Spirits! This campus is a literal maze. I think its the signs. They're misleading." He took the seat opposite from Sokka, his feet finally relieved of duty. "Um, did I miss something?"

Author's Note:

I'm an asshole, I know, making you readers wait another chapter for the Kataang meet. And it's probably too much to ask, but I would really appreciate if you could leave a review letting me know your thoughts on this chapter. Was there too much detail and not enough dialogue? Or the other way around? Constructive criticism is definitely something I could use considering I'm not a writer. I'll try and get another chapter out tomorrow. I just wanted this chapter to explore Sokka and Katara's relationship as well as answer some of your questions in terms of their ages. Peace.