A Kiss in Ba Sing Se: Lovers

[A/N: This is an A/U story. Toph is a competent young lady unless Katara is involved. From the moment she realized her true feelings, she has felt as though she has to compete for Aang's affections. A kiss between Katara and Aang now prompts her to pull out all the stops if her feelings are to be reciprocated.

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights or titles to the characters of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Wholly owned by NICK!]

(Warning: This chapter alludes to incest. It speaks of a secluded past and a close and often confusing relationship between siblings. This is not unusual when children are raised in isolation and have suffered traumatic loss.)

Chapter 3

Connections

(The same evening that Toph is injured. The Water Tribe siblings have returned to the inn.)

Katara sat in her room at the inn, crying as she had been doing for most of the night after leaving the unconscious earthbender lying on the futon at the Jasmine Dragon.

"Come on, sis, eat a little something. I have some sea prune jelly; you're favorite."

"You eat it, Sokka. I haven't seen you take a bite either," she admonishes him, not looking his way.

The blue-eyed man takes in a long breath. "I guess neither one of us is hungry," he sighs loudly, setting the jar of jelly to the side. "I know you're upset Katara, but it was an accident, okay?"

"No Sokka, it is not okay! Nothing about this is okay! I lost control. Don't you understand, Toph almost died! Does any of this sound okay? Suki is right; I'm a monster! A bloodbending monster!"

Her sibling quickly kneels in front of her, placing both hands on her knees. "You're no monster! Don't you ever call my precious little sister a monster? You got tricked into becoming a, a bloodbender!"

"Yes, Hama tricked me, but it didn't stop me from using it when I was hunting down Mom's killer, did it?"

"Sis, you were angry, upset. It was clear you weren't thinking straight. But, look, you didn't kill him or Toph! Yeah, you scared the piss out of him, but you didn't take his worthless life, now did you Katara? That shows you're not a monster!"

"No, it doesn't! When I looked at that sad little man, I wanted to pin his sorry ass to the ground, but, then I thought about you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, you. I didn't want you to be disappointed in me. Your opinion of me matters more than anyone else's Sokka."

"Wow, and here I thought it was Aang's silly clichés that stopped you."

She shook her head, gazing into his sea-blue eyes. "No, that was all nonsense. It was you. We have always been together, big brother. You can lift me higher or bring me down lower than anyone, with just a look," she whispers.

Sokka's cheeks flush. "I know," he whispers back, giving her legs a slight squeeze.

"Is it okay to say that I love you, big brother?"

The young man smiles. "Sure, no one is around but us, little sis."

Katara leans forward and hugs him. "I love you more than life," she says into his ear, before sitting back enough to look into his wide tearing eyes.

Sokka pulls her into a firm embrace. "And I love you, Katara. I'll always be here for you, no matter what."

As they release, she takes the opportunity to deliver a small peck on his lips.

"Hey! What was that?" he growls, trying to look upset and hide the noticeable blush.

For the first time, Katara smiles and giggles. "Consider it a reward."

"Reward? Reward for what?" Sokka asks as he pulls his lips in.

This time it was Katara's face that turns magenta. She fully expected him to wipe the kiss off. But to see him take it into his mouth, caused her heart to skip.

"What's wrong sis? Your face is all red! Are you getting sick or something?!"

Before the waterbender can answer, Sokka pushes up and places his forehead to hers.

Katara's heart starts to pound loudly in her chest as her eyes flash back and forth. "Sokka! What the hell are you doing!"

He places a small kiss on the tip of her button nose. "Gotcha!"

The waterbender jumps up, knocking her laughing sibling on his butt.

"What the!"

"Hey sis, turnabout is fair play. You can consider it your reward!"

"Reward for what?"

Sokka's smile drops as his eyes narrow. "I asked you first."

Katara swallows as she gracefully sits down, nervously ironing out her dress over her legs.

Sokka sits on the floor, crossing his legs in front of him.

"First off Sokka, how much of that conversation did you hear between me and Toph?"

That look of disappointment she feared flashed across his face as Sokka looked away.

Just the glance was like a dagger in her heart. "That much, eh?"

"Enough to know, you weren't yourself, Katara," he remarks in a grieved tone.

"I think I was myself, the self I try to hide most of the time," she confesses, leaning back on her hands. "Are you disappointed in me? Are you as ashamed of me as I am of myself?"

His eyes fell upon her downcast gaze. "My disappointment doesn't define you, sis. You have done so many wonderful, heroic and, and even epic things, that a single bad day isn't going to change how proud I am of you!"

"If you tell anybody I said this Sokka; I'll freeze you solid for all eternity! But, La-damn, I wish you weren't my brother sometimes, you're so cool!" she exhales coquettishly.

His jaw drops open as heat consumes his entire body. "…"

"Don't look at me like that, Sokka. I'm still your sister!"

"How am I looking at you?"

The waterbender crosses her arms over her chest. "Like, like I'm a big slice of pig-cow ham! You're practically drooling with your mouth gaping open!"

He rubs the back of his neck. "I, I know, but – well, you know, uh, before Aang, before…"

Katara softly smiles as she relaxes. "I do know. I remember when it was just, 'us', you and me, in that little hut."

"Now you're really weird. That was, well, a long time ago, an-and we were kids, goofing around. We both should forget all that nonsense!" he nervously states. "Is it getting hot in here? Maybe we should open a window."

Her eyes lowered. "It's not hot, Sokka and you brought it up. Should a girl forget her first kiss, even if it was with her brother?"

He begins to nod vigorously. "Yes, most definitely. Kisses between siblings before, uh, sixteen doesn't count! You should totally forget anything like that ever happened!" Sokka swipes his hand over the front of his head as if discarding a hat. "Just put it out of your mind, Katara! We were dumb, lonely kids."

"You forgot horny," she added.

"What?"

Katara tapped her chin. "Horny. I said, horny. Do you remember what started, 'our', goofing around, dear brother?"

"Huh, being locked up with you for a solid week because of that blizzard?"

Katara nods at first and then shakes her head. "NO! Well, partly. But you relieving your, tensions, next to your dear, innocent little sister is what I'm talking about!"

Sokka grimaces. "I honestly thought you were asleep. I would never have…"

She looks benevolently at him. "I know dear brother. It really wasn't your fault. You were driven mad by youthful desires as you gazed on the sleeping form of your adorable sister."

I don't know about being driven mad or that adorable part.

"Even back then, I knew I was a temptress you couldn't resist, dear brother."

"What are you talking about Katara?"

She looks about as if someone could overhear them. "Just so you know, I heard you doing, ah, you know, waxing the tent pole, several times. I even took a peek on occasion. Gran-Gran told me all boys your age did that until they got married," she admits with a devilish grin.

"Hey! Did you tell Gran-Gran? I can't believe you told Gran-Gran about my, eh, personal time, Katara," he snaps at her.

"I don't know why you're getting all upset, Sokka. As you said, it was a long time ago, and you were just a horny kid."

"I never said horny; you said, horny Katara!"

"Does it really matter who said it!"

He nods vehemently. "It does matter! Words matter Katara. Why did you tell Gran-Gran! What possible reason would you have for telling her about that?"

"It was a small hut, Sokka! You weren't exactly quiet! I heard you moaning and shaking the mat at night. It scared me. Besides, if you didn't want me to know what you were doing, you could have taken it to the outhouse!"

"I couldn't get to the outhouse, and neither could you! There was a frick'n blizzard, and it was dark all the time! I couldn't see where I was going if I tried!" Sokka crosses his arms in complaint.

"I'm talking about before the blizzard, Sokka!"

"Oh, so you knew?" he asks sheepishly.

"How could I not? You'd press your back to mine, call my name, and if I didn't answer, you started breathing all weird and shaking the futon. You only stopped after making these, howls or groans, some freaky noise or other," she details, pointing a finger into his face.

Sokka looks like a cornered little boy. "What was I supposed to do? Locked up like that! Hearing you pee in that pail or when you were washing up…"

Katara jolts up, glowers at him. "You-you, heard me pee?"

"Of course, I did! Or did you think that animal hide in front of the commode was soundproof, Katara?"

"B-but I never heard you go! That's so not fair, Sokka!"

"That's because I'd did my business out the back door. Didn't you see all that yellow ice and brown snow?"

She scowls. "Yes, but I just thought it was some polar-bear dogs or artic fox-coons looking for scraps, pissing and pooping out there."

He grinned proudly. "Nope, just me! Like you said Katara, it was a small hut, and it seemed real small when you took a dump! Pew, I didn't know a girl could lay it out like that! It definitely wasn't stink-proof!"

"SOKKA! That was rude! I held it in as long as I could! I was so embarrassed, even with my brother!"

He bows his head to her. "Sorry, sorry. I know it was tough being stuck with your silly brother for all that time, too. You never said a thing about it."

Katara leans back once more. "I was trying to be, well, a good wife."

"A good wife?"

"Come on, Sokka. Who were we going to marry? I guess you had your choice of the widows, but they were all like ancient! I didn't have anybody unless I wanted to wait for ten years!"

"Twenty-ish is not ancient Katara. Kila always smiled at me when I walked past her. She was, well, cute."

The waterbender rolled her big blue eyes. "Give me a break! Kila, really Sokka? She had three kids from three different guys!"

"I don't see anything wrong with that! She was married to all three!"

"Yes, she was. May I remind you how she got to be a widow, three times in a row? First husband, an expert fisherman, known for being very cautious, drowns in a fishing accident, tangled in his own nets! Second husband, our cousin, Soto, who just happened to be the best sailor in the tribe, lost at sea! And the third one…"

Sokka raises a hand. "I know, found frozen in his outhouse before the spring thaw. He hated the cold and made his own heated outhouse. It was a work of art. So cozy! I got to use it a few times."

"So how does one freeze in a heated outhouse, dear brother?"

Sokka nods, rubbing his chin. "That is one of the great mysteries of our times. He had plenty of coal on hand, and yet the fire was extinguished. Hmmm, it was a nightmare chipping him out of there! You know everything freezes if you don't have a fire."

"Gross!"

Sokka holds up a finger. "Gross, but oh so true!"

Katara shakes her head and sighs. "That doesn't matter Sokka. The point is Kila is a banshee! She sucked the life out of those guys. Didn't you hear dad said he never saw happier corpses, besides cousin Soto, who nobody could find! A sure sign of a banshee!"

Sokka sighs. "First, there are no such things as banshees. B, those were just unfortunate coincidences, Katara. And three, they're made worse by small-town gossip of jealous old seal-hens! Kila was always extremely nice to me!"

Katara shakes her head as if schooling an ignorant child. "Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. Sure, she was 'nice', and you're a dumbass! She was just fattening you up to be her next meal!"

"No way! I was just a kid! I mean she, uh, was well proportioned, but what could I do for her?"

"Hmm, let me see? The son of the chief with man-size, uh, man parts. Young dumb and full of, well you know what. Just the right bait for a horny ghoul!" The waterbender's eyes narrow. "I saw that hungry look in her eyes every time you were near. I bet she had a special recipe reserved, just for you. She would give me the stink-eye because I was protecting you! Banshees have no power over women!"

"Really? And here I thought you were just jealous and clingy."

Katara's eye twitched as her jaw stiffened. "And why would you think that?"

Sokka shrugs. "Hmmm, maybe it was because you were always by me." He startles. "Oh, I get it! You were my protection, right?"

Her smile resembles more of an annoyed snarl. "Yes brother, I did it all for your protection. It's a fact that banshees have to consume a man's soul before they can have babies, you know. One man, one baby!" Katara emphasizes holding a finger up on both hands. "Kila has had three husbands and has three babies! Get it, genius?"

Sokka shivers as fear plays across his face. "Don't say things like that Katara! That creeps me out! Math doesn't lie!"

Katara holds back a smirk. "Oh, don't worry dear brother, I would have married you myself before I let that sea snake take you!"

"Thank you, Katara, hey wait! Did you say, marry me? This isn't about that promised we made back then, is it?"

Her cerulean eyes shift away. "Whatever are you talking about Sokka?"

He stands to his feet in one swift motion. "Don't play games with me Katara. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"I thought you said we were going to forget all that, 'goofing' around."

Sokka firmly rubs half his face in exasperation. "Don't go there, Katara!"

She stands and holds out her hands to her side. "Go where? I haven't gone any place. I'm right here, Sokka! Where am I going?"

He starts to pace, looking into her face periodically. Finally, he stops. "Katara, I love you; I do. I'm your brother, and that was ancient law, the old ways, even for our people. People who marry that close are shunned, even in the Water Tribe, north or south. We talked about this!"

The waterbender shrugs. "I have no idea what you're bringing that up for," she states incredulously. "Do you know Gran-Gran explained to me how water healing works after that night?"

Sokka slaps his forehead soundly. "I knew it! I knew it was about that! Katara, I apologized! I begged, I cried, I even brushed your hair for an entire month!"

"I thought you liked doing my hair," she sulks, playing with her loopy.

"Okay, I do, but going over this every time you feel down about yourself is, hard Katara."

"Who suggested that we go running out into the snow, naked as newborns, after that storm?" She demands, poking an icy finger into his broad chest.

Sokka sighs, defeated. "I did."

"And who carried his sister outside, in the dark, in the cold, even though she was against the whole idea?"

"I did, but you weren't naked at least, Katara."

She shivered at the recollection. "I might as well have been! You threw me into that drift in my nightshirt! And what happened next Sokka?"

He timidly scratches the back of his head. "My memory is a bit vague. I just recall you cussing a lot and threatening to lock me out of the hut and let my balls freeze off."

She places her hands on her hips. "So, you don't remember me crawling out of that drift, looking like an ice wolf, half frozen?"

"Uh, okay, yeah, that was pretty funny. I think that was the first time I heard you say, La-damn and Tui-fuck at the same time."

"What about my cry of pain when I slipped on the ice and did a full frontal split! Was that hilarious?"

Sokka winces and seethes. "No, that was not funny. Not funny at all." His eyes start to water. "I felt so bad. You were bleeding. I didn't know what to do. You wouldn't let me look."

"Of course, I wasn't going to let you look, pervert! There's a difference between looking at it and looking in it!"

"I know that, now," he mutters. "I felt bad you were hurt, I did!" he affirms wiping at his eyes. "You were saying how you couldn't get married. That you were ruined forever."

Katara places a hand on his shoulder. "And that's when my big brother says that he would marry me, no matter what. And you got down on your knees and pledged your heart, body, and soul to me, just like they do during the wedding ritual. You made me so happy, Sokka. I didn't even mind the pain anymore. That's when we kissed. It made my head spin."

"Mine too. But I didn't know if it was from the kiss or just coming back into that warm hut," he added.

Katara seems annoyed.

"That's right; we kissed at the doorway. It had to be the kiss," he affirms with a wide grin, back-peddling.

The waterbender relaxes with a soft loving smile. "The next day, I told Gran-Gran what happened and that I was a full woman. She explained to me that accidents didn't count when it came to that. She also told me how to fix that little issue."

"So, technically I'm off the hook, sis?"

Katara shook her head. "You know as well as I do, a vow before Tui and La is binding. If I insist, you have to Sokka."

"Are you calling this in?"

She walks up and places a gentle kiss on his lips, holding it for a few seconds. "Tempting, but no, not now. I also refuse to free you. By Tui and La, kiss me like you did that night, dear brother!"

Without hesitation, Sokka takes her face into his hands and plants a long lingering kiss on her forehead.

"That's not how we did it that night, dear big brother."

He looks into her eyes with undisguised affection. "I know, but this is how a brother kisses his sister. His precious little sister."

"Suki has spoiled you."

"I can't deny that," he laughs, rubbing his cheeks to hers.

Katara places her hands on his arms, feeling his powerful biceps, leaning into him as their faces touch and she winces at his light bristles.

"Whatever happened to that baby-faced little boy," she sighs as they rest the foreheads together.

"He's still here, just inside of me."

Katara closes her eyes, taking in his voice and closeness. "Please don't leave me alone tonight Sokka. I feel..."

He pets the back of her head. "I'll be in the room right next to this one, sis. If you need me, just come over. I'll even leave the door unlocked."

She shakes her head. "That's too far away. And I need somebody to wash my back. I got all sweaty earlier."

"You're a waterbender, do you need someone to wash your back? Can't you just use your magic water?"

"Remember your vow, big brother, or would you prefer I call you, husband, maybe?"

"Fine, I'll stay."

"And?"

"And wash your back."

Katara claps gleefully. "I'll go fill the tub for us!"

"Uh, I just said I'd wash your back, Katara. I didn't say anything about taking a bath with you…". His rant ends as he looks into her pouty face. "Damn Katara, you're not being fair! Blackmail isn't showing love, dear sister."

"I know." She giggles excitedly, heading for the bathroom.

Sokka resigns himself and goes to his room to retrieve a robe, nightshirt and get a stiff drink of Water Tribe moonshine he kept for such occasions. "Suki, oh boy, where are you, girl?"

He begins removing his clothes from the party and putting on his robe. He writes a note explaining that he will be in his sister's room if Suki did return, and places it in the center of the desk. Sokka extinguishes the light and leaves the darkened room.

Almost as if scripted, Katara pokes her head out of the bathroom door, her shoulder's bare.

"Give me a sec; I have to get a couple of towels."

Sokka nods, tight-lipped. Maybe I should ask at the desk if Suki got another room? The thought vanished as the bathroom door swung open, as if by magic.

"Come on in! I'm ready for you to wash my back," she announces boldly.

Sokka strolls in, casually looking at the quaint facilities. Katara is sitting on a low stool. She had a towel wrapped about her hips, and another draped over her bosom, maintaining her modesty. It was as he expected of his sister. As adults, they didn't bathe together regularly, but they did do it on occasion. It was a part of their culture they chose to maintain. This isn't so bad. If she weren't so pushy, I'd probably pamper her more.

Sokka reaches for a towel and wraps it about his waist before hanging up his robe.

"Hurry up! I don't want the water to get cold," Katara demands with a girlish grin.

"I'm coming," he replies, kneeling behind her. He gazes at her slim but muscular back and shoulders. There was no hiding the battle scars that over four years of warfare wrought. A particularly large gash right over her left shoulder blade brought back fearful memories. Sokka leaned over and gently kissed it.

"You do that every time, Sokka."

"Does that bother you, sis?"

She shakes her head. "No, but I know looking at it makes you sad."

"On the contrary, seeing it lets me know you're alive and how fortunate I am to still have you with me," he states, beginning to suds up the sponge and firmly work it across her back as she holds her hair forward.

"You keep talking like that, dear big brother, and I might fall in love with you again."

Sokka stops for a moment. "You don't love me now, Katara?"

"Don't be silly, Sokka. Go a bit to the left, right at my waist."

"Hmm, getting a bit chubby?" he asks, pinching a small roll of flesh from her side.

"I am not! I've been this same size for the last two years!"

"If you say so," he quips as a stream of water from the tub drenches him.

"You needed to rinse off anyways," the waterbender laughs.

Sokka shakes his head, making sure the cool spray hits the middle of her back.

Katara arches in reaction. "Oh, that's a dirty trick, mister!"

"You doused me first, Miss Magic Water."

"Let's switch places so that I can do your back, Sokka."

"Is this a trick?" he asks, hearing her too chirper tone.

"A trick? Don't I always do your back too, dearest big brother?"

Sokka pauses. "Huh, yeah, but sometimes you can be, well mischievous too."

"Hurry up and switch. No, peeking!"

"Why would I want to peek at you? I've seen it all before. Unless you've grown something new, like horns or a tail, Katara."

The soapy siblings trade places as Sokka re-secures his towel.

"Maybe I should have let that banshee have you if you like horns and tails, dear brother."

Sokka's eyes roll up into his head as she begins to scrub his back. Instead of her hands, she uses the towel, draped across her breast, sliding her torso against him.

"No fair," he groans in ecstasy. A booby wash, just like in the tomes! This is, is, so freak'n awesome, even from my sister! Should I be feeling guilty right now? She is my little sister! Sorry Suki, but this feels great. You'd be so mad sis if you knew I barely notice that towel!

"Did I surprise you?" she whispers into his redden ear. "Does it feel good?"

"Yessss," he purrs.

"Are you excited about your little sister; you perv?" she wistfully asks, slapping him on his back. "Or is there a prickle-snake in your lap."

"Ow! Teasing should only go so far, Katara. I am a man now, and you're a maiden. Temptation knows not blood, nor does it honor bonds."

"That was almost poetic, Sokka. Are you saying I can't peek?" she asks, reaching forward for his towel.

He reflexively grasps her wrist, feeling Katara's hand shaking. "Not so much, you can't, but maybe more like, you shouldn't, sister. Spirit only knows what you would unleash. Prickle-snakes have a nasty bite."

Katara had to strain to pull her wrist from his firm grip. She sees the red ring and feels the slight ache it leaves behind. What conveys his feelings the most is the stern look in his unwavering expression.

They stare at one another for a while as she massaged her sore joint. He was finished with the game she was playing, and she knew to push him no further.

A deluge from the tub fell over the siblings. It felt crisp and refreshing, clearing minds and releasing the tension between them.

"That felt good, Katara," Sokka exhales with a warm smile as he moves the hair from his face. "The tub is only half full now. Do you still want to get in?"

Her brother's manly expression and charming smile, disarm her. She couldn't say that she hated the feelings boiling up inside her, but it did make her uneasy. She nods her answer.

They get in, back-to-back. The bender adds more water, heating it as it flows in. Once the refill was complete, Sokka took hold of her hand, intertwining their fingers.

"I will never hurt or shame you Katara," he says, speaking in the opposite direction. "I will even protect you from yourself - if you let me. Do you hear me, sis?"

She leans backs so that their heads touch. She nods.

"Hold on to that vow, if it makes you feel more in control and certain. I don't mind. But, just know this; I'll always be here for you, vow or not. I'm not dad. I'm not going to disappear, and you don't have to do anything to make me stay either! You are now and forever will be my precious sister."

He squeezes her hand as he feels her small frame shaking and the gentle, shuddering sobs echoing throughout the room.