Author's Notes: Time for the next installment of Big Brother! In this episode, Sokka eats a sandwich and manages to act spiteful at the same time! Toph is... her usual self! Mamoru plays counsellor! And of course, fluff abounds!
And a heartfelt thanks to Invaderk for beta'ing!
Drop a review on the way out, please!
Alisa (dying from over-use of exclamation points)
Big Brother
the series
Tunic
Knock, knock, knock.
"Sokka, answer the door!"
"You answer the door!"
"I'm getting dressed!"
"I'm making a sandwich!"
"It's your house, numbskull, now answer the door!"
With a rather large meat sandwich in his hand and mumbling something about bossy women under his breath, Sokka shuffled out of the meager kitchen of his small Earth Kingdom home and into the entrance hall. Hoping it wasn't his young female neighbor asking for "help" again, he threw open the door and found himself nearly eye-to-eye with a pair of stunning brown orbs.
Holding back a sigh, Sokka stepped out of the way and allowed a young Earth Kingdom man to enter. With cheery brown eyes, dark wavy hair, tanned skin, and a bright smile, the seventeen-year-old was undoubtedly handsome and looking better by the day. Compared to the young man's sweet naiveté, Sokka felt far older than his twenty years.
Sokka bit into his sandwich and said thickly, "Hi, Mamoru."
The young man smiled upon recognition. "Hello, Sokka! I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here. Well, I went to the Bei Fong's in Gaoling but they said Toph had left so I came to your house instead 'cause Toph told me where you live and I just wanted to know: do you know where Toph is?"
By now they had reached the kitchen and Sokka had settled down at the tiny stone table. He swallowed another bite of sandwich and pointed a thumb behind him where Toph was launching herself out of the hallway.
Mamoru caught her and spun her around several times as Toph laughed, her hair streaming out behind her. When he finally set her down, her arms stayed around his neck and his hands didn't leave her waist. Sokka bit into his sandwich rather spitefully.
"What're you doing here, Mamoru?" Toph asked, sounding anything but displeased.
"I came to visit you!" Mamoru replied. "Ah, actually, I came to ask Sokka where you were staying, but I found you here! I'm so lucky!"
"Yeah. I'm glad to see you, Mamoru," she said, standing on tip-toe to hug him once again.
"I'm happy to see you, too, Toph!" he said brightly, returning the hug.
Sokka noted rather dryly that their hug was resemblant of a hug shared between the Avatar and his sister—one that was more than just friendly. He was just considering throwing a chunk of meat at them to break it up when they pulled apart.
"So, d'you want some tea?" asked Toph, wandering over to the cupboard to fetch some cups. She pulled two out and turned to the boy. "Mamoru?"
"Mmm, Toph?" said Mamoru slowly. "What are you wearing?"
Her hands went to the long blue tunic draped on her body. "What about it? Does it look bad or something? I told Sokka that if he ever let me out of the house looking like an idiot—"
Mamoru bit his lip and Sokka answered blandly, "I think he's referring to the fact that you're not wearing any pants."
Toph brushed her legs together and shrugged. "Guess I'm not. I knew I was forgetting something."
"But—doesn't that bother you?!" cried Mamoru.
Toph pulled out a teapot, her thighs peeking out from under the tunic. "Not really. It's not like I'm not wearing underwear or something." She pulled up the tunic to reveal tight, mid-thigh shorts as proof.
Mamoru squeaked and turned away, his cheeks tingeing pink.
Sokka chuckled at the boy's reaction. "I think you embarrassed him, Toph."
Her eyebrows knit together in confusion. "Why?"
"Because you're in your—!"
"Hey, is that my tunic?" Sokka cut in, observing the shirt with narrowed eyes.
"That would explain why it's so big," Toph said, and lifted the edge of the tunic to her nose and sniffed. "Yep, it's yours. Even smells like you, too."
"Ohh, it smells like Sokka?" questioned Mamoru, now over his embarrassment. He brought his face down to Toph's shoulder and Sokka couldn't help but frown at how close the boy's face was to a certain area that Sokka didn't want him having anything to do with.
"Ah, you're right!" exclaimed the Earthbender.
Toph slapped his face away (Sokka couldn't help but grin) and pulled a bag of tea from another cupboard. Mamoru, who seemed slightly offended at being scolded, sat by Sokka at the table and rested his chin in his hands as Toph drew water for the tea.
Jamming another bite of sandwich in his mouth, Sokka managed to ask, "How'd you end up with my tunic, anyway?"
"Light the fire," Toph commanded. She tossed two spark rocks at Sokka, who easily caught them. "I must've mixed up some of our clothes."
"You did the laundry?" asked Mamoru. "That's so impressive!"
"Didn't do a very good job, though," Sokka muttered. He struck the rocks together, his tongue poking out of his mouth in his concentration, but to no avail.
"Hey!" said Toph sharply—water sloshed on the table as she set down the teapot. "You're the one making a blind girl do the laundry!"
"It was your week to!" retaliated Sokka, now giving up the spark rocks.
"Just because you—"
"Can I ask a question?"
They both turned to Mamoru, who was lighting a small fire under the teapot with the spark rocks. He set the rocks down, blew on the fire to get it burning, and turned to the pair.
"Toph, would you please sit down?" he asked, gesturing next to Sokka. She sat with a frown on her face and Mamoru announced, "I'm going to make tea!"
Sokka sighed as the Bender began bustling around the kitchen. Reaching for his sandwich, Sokka was surprised to find that it was gone—or rather, that Toph had picked it up. He sighed again and a teacup dropped in front of him, and another in front of Toph. Mamoru settled across from them and poured the tea while Toph finished up Sokka's lunch.
"Now, on to my question," Mamoru said, taking a sip of his drink. "Toph, why are you staying here with Sokka?"
Toph shrugged and slouched across the table—Sokka frowned and nudged her. He didn't want Mamoru thinking it was attractive or anything, the way her dark hair spilled across his tunic.
She ignored Sokka and said simply, "I needed a place to stay, and he had room."
"You could have asked me!" Mamoru proclaimed. "We have plenty of room at home!"
Toph shrugged the idea off. "I'm not staying in Gaoling. Too close to my parents."
"What's wrong with living by your parents?" he asked, looking confused.
Sokka chuckled and answered, "It's because Toph does so many things her parents wouldn't approve of."
"You do?" exclaimed Mamoru, shocked.
"Yep. You know, Earthbending, Earth Rumble, traveling with the Avatar—they don't like that stuff," Toph explained.
"Not to mention drinking," added Sokka with a smirk.
"Drinking?" repeated Mamoru faintly.
"Yep. She was completely smashed," Sokka reminisced. "It was kinda funny."
"Shut up." A tiny curled fist met Sokka's chest. "It only happened once."
"And you were jabbering away for hours," he continued, grinning at her. "Then I seem to recall you passing out on my bed."
"And I seem to recall you passing out right next to me," Toph shot back. Then she grinned. "But it was kinda funny." She chuckled for a moment, then her head popped up. "Hey, you ever gone to a bar, Mamoru?"
He gave her an apprehensive stare. "No..."
"Me an' Sokka, we'll take you tonight! It'll be fun, just the three of us. Right, Snoozles?" Toph said, giving him a punch to the arm.
"Right," agreed Sokka. "Just make sure you enjoy the silence while she can still think straight."
"Well... okay, I'll go," said Mamoru reluctantly. "But can we go out for a cup of tea now, Toph?"
Sokka raised an eyebrow. "What about the tea—"
"Sure," said Toph, pushing herself up. "Let's go."
Sokka rolled his eyes. "Clothes and hair, Toph."
She stopped half-way to the door. "Right. Pants. I'll be right back."
"And bring a brush!" Sokka called after her.
"Yes, mother!" Toph shouted back. There was the sound of shuffling, something falling (Mamoru jumped at the sound but Sokka waved him down), and then Toph reappeared.
She was still wearing the blue tunic, but had tied it off with a belt. Long green leggings covered her legs and she was attempting to pull a brush through her tangle of hair. Sokka tutted and stood up.
"If you're gonna wear my clothes, at least wear them right," he said. Walking over to her, he fiddled with the belt and it fell from her waist. "Don't move."
"What's he going to get?" asked Mamoru curiously. His eyes followed Sokka as he crossed the room and until he disappeared.
"Who knows," said Toph, who had abandoned the brush and was now braiding her hair. "It's Sokka. Don't try to understand."
The Water Tribe warrior reappeared a minute later, a long blue sash trailing behind him.
"At the South Pole, we wear our belts a certain way," Sokka said, measuring the belt out. "Katara showed me how to tie a girl's belt once, but spirits' know I don't remember. I guess you're just getting a guy's. Arms up!"
Giving a small sigh, Toph raised her arms and felt her eyes widen as Sokka pressed himself against her to loop the sash around her waist. He drew back and attempted to tie it, but frowned when he realized he didn't know how to tie it from the front. He pulled the sash from her waist and tapped his chin with a finger.
"Lemme see," he muttered. "Maybe from the back..."
He circled her and tried not to get too close as he looped the belt around her waist twice (it was far too long) and carefully tied it in the front. He would have left his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear how pretty she looked if Mamoru hadn't been watching them with those eager eyes. Instead, Sokka ran his hands along the belt to straighten it and turned her by the shoulders to face him.
"There," Sokka said, horrified when his voice cracked. "Now you look like an official Water Tribe warrior."
Toph merely nodded her head in his direction and strode stiffly to the door. Mamoru immediately jumped into action.
"Ah, Toph, you look so pretty all dressed up like this!" he cried. "Wouldn't you say so, Sokka?"
Sokka blinked at Mamoru, who gestured at Toph and mouthed something Sokka didn't understand.
"Hmm? Oh, yeah... you look nice, Toph. You look—" He struggled for a word and settled on an easy one. "—cute."
She nodded her head curtly at him and he watched as she widened her stance slightly and focused her body on him. With a jolt Sokka realized that she was trying to see if he was lying or not.
Sokka nearly jumped in his hurry to move. "C'mon, you two, you don't want to be late!" he cried. A hand in the middle of each of their backs, he quickly ushered a bewildered Mamoru and a surly Toph to the door. "Don't stay out too late and don't get into any trouble! Have a good time!"
"Thank you, Sokka!" said Mamoru. "We'll be sure to have a good time just for you!" He gave Sokka a warm smile and opened the sliding door.
Toph walked out the door without a word and Mamoru gave Sokka an apologetic look before patting his shoulder comfortingly.
"Hey, Mamoru," said Sokka slowly, his eyes following her dark head as Toph strode away, "just... tell Toph I'll make dinner tonight, okay? Dumplings, if she wants."
Mamoru raised his eyebrows for a fraction of a second, as if questioning Sokka's motives, then smiled. "You can make dumplings?"
Sokka returned his gaze to Mamoru, gave a half-grin, and replied, "Sort of."
"Mamoru!"
The Earthbender jumped. "Ah! Gotta go, Sokka, the lady calls! But—I'll be sure to tell her, okay?"
Sokka ruffled the boy's hair. "Thanks, kid."
Mamoru grinned and dashed off to meet Toph, where he started talking enthusiastically. Sokka shook his head and slid the door shut.
He hadn't lied when he said Toph was cute, he just hadn't stated all of the truth. When he had seen her in the blue tunic (his tunic), he couldn't help but think that she looked almost—almost beautiful, with her hair down and pale legs peeking out like that. He didn't want to say that to her, though; it seemed so much more intimate than he wanted it to be.
So instead he gave her the half-truth, and now he was afraid that she knew that. Hoping that a peace offering would work, Sokka decided that he would make dumplings, her favorite. If they really were taking Mamoru out, then he needed her in a good and friendly mood or she was sure to pick a fight with him.
Besides, he wanted his tunic back and she might "accidentally" lose it, or perhaps wear it just to spite him. It was his favorite, after all (and it would smell just like her, that scent he still couldn't figure out).
An image danced in Sokka's mind and he shook his head.
Spirits, she looked good in his tunic. Maybe he would have her do the laundry more often.
"Mamoru!" Toph shouted, getting more than fed up with waiting for him while he chatted with Sokka. Whatever it was could wait.
He came dashing up to her, a bounce in his steps, and began chittering immediately. "Sokka said he's making dumplings for dinner tonight! I love dumplings, don't you, Toph? Those are your favorite, right? It's so thoughtful of Sokka to make them for you! You should thank—"
"Mamoru."
He cringed at the harsh tone of her voice. "Yes?"
Toph grabbed his arm and began pulling him along. She was practically stomping and Mamoru had never seen her face quite as pink.
"Did you see," she said, sounding furious and desperate at the same time, "the way he was touching me? Like, like—like he was… teasing me or something!" Her hands curled into fists and Mamoru pulled his arm free from her grasp. "What is his problem?"
The boy quickened his pace to keep up with Toph. "He just wanted you to look nice!"
"Cute! Of all the things he could have said, he picked cute! He wasn't lying, you know," she spat, "but he wasn't telling the truth."
"Maybe," said Mamoru cautiously, "maybe he thinks you're more than cute."
"Then why wouldn't he just say that?" raged Toph.
"Maybe he doesn't know how to say it," the boy suggested.
"Toph, you look pretty! Toph, my tunic looks good on you!" she mimicked. "See, it's not that hard!"
"Toph," said Mamoru gently, touching her arm, "sometimes it is hard. Especially with a girl you like." He paused, and she turned her face to him questioningly. He giggled lightly. "But not for me! 'Cause you are so cute, Toph! I promise!"
Her face grudgingly slipped out of its frown. "I guess," she mumbled.
Mamoru grinned and laced his arm with hers. Then he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Why'd you put on his tunic, Toph?"
"I already told you, I didn't know it was his," she said loudly.
Mamoru chuckled quietly. "You knew it was his, didn't you, Toph?" he murmured smoothly. "You knew it was his and you put it on anyway."
Toph gave the arm weaved through hers a punch. "Shut up."
Mamoru smiled in triumph. Her voice had told him everything.