Standard disclaimers apply. I don't know anything recognizable. Seriously.
Day 6: Socks (AU time again. This was totally my favorite one to write.)
Sokka was never sure how to explain to his friends that his sister liked socks. No, like wasn't a strong enough a word. Katara was downright obsessed, and he couldn't remember how or why her obsession had started. It was the same when his friend Zuko showed up to do homework from the classes they had together at the local community college. They had just settled on the couch, their text books and notes spread out on the coffee table in front of them, when Katara came down stairs. Zuko's brow creased in confusion, not that Sokka honestly could blame him. His sister was currently wearing a Captain American tee, black shorts and knee-high blue and red striped socks. She seemed completely oblivious to them until she reached the last step.
"Oh, whoops. Didn't know we had company." Katara pulled out one of her earbuds, "Nice to meet you, I'm Katara."
"Uh, Zuko." He blinked, still confused. "Nice to meet you, too."
"Cool. You guys want a soda while I'm getting one for myself?"
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That Friday, after a particularly long and grueling day of classes, Zuko and Sokka found Katara in the living room watching The Fellowship of the Ring and painting her toe nails. From what Sokka had told him of Katara's sock obsession, which wasn't much, Zuko really shouldn't have been surprised by what was on her feet.
"Are those toeless socks?" Zuko's voice held a note of disbelief.
Katara looked up as Frodo proclaimed his name as Underhill at the gate of Bree, "Of course they are." She wiggled her sparkly blue toe nails and showed off her blue, white and grey argyle patterned socks.
"You'll have to forgive her," Sokka said, leading Zuko upstairs to his room to play video games, "She's just plain weird."
"I heard that, you jerk!" She shouted up at his retreating form.
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Over the next two weeks Zuko had seen more types of socks than he knew, or wanted to know, existed. He could tell that Sokka was embarrassed about his sister's obsession, though he couldn't honestly figure out why. It wasn't as if she had weird facial piercings or did drugs or something else equally bizarre. They were just socks. So far he had been most amused by the periwinkle toe socks with fuzzy balls on each toe, which she was currently pairing with grey fleece shorts and an old blue Speed Racer t-shirt. Zuko was beginning to suspect she had a thing for graphic tees and the color blue as well.
Currently the three of them were in various seats, eating Chinese takeout. Katara and Sokka's father was working late at the police station and they had all decided on watching a movie. Katara had insisted that they watch How to Train Your Dragon, to Sokka's protest. The tie was broken when Zuko said he really didn't mind the movie, he actually appreciated Hiccup's sense of humor. He was about to take a bite of his Chow Mein when Katara waved her fork at him.
"Hey, do you have SnapChat?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Just give me your number, doofus."
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By mid-terms Zuko had gotten his cell phone taken away from him a total of four times thanks to Katara. She would randomly send a snap of her current pair of socks for the day, or ask his opinion on which pair to wear that day. At this point, he wasn't sure that he had ever seen the same pair of socks more than once, and it sort of frightened him that one person could own that many pairs of socks. He supposed that there could be worse things, or more expensive things to spend her money on. Shoes for one thing, or even jewelry. He dug his cell out of his backpack and wasn't surprised to see two snaps from Katara. The first was a picture of her smiling face and a thumbs up, the text reading "Good luck!" The second was the obligatory photo of her socks. Today's pair was Doctor Who ankle socks, blue and grey stripes with the word TARDIS on the side. She was into far too many fandoms. Perhaps that was why she had so many socks.
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Winter vacation brought misery to Katara. In trying to prep for dinner one night she had accidently dropped a heavy sauce pot on her left foot, fracturing two of her metatarsal bones and dislocating her pinky toe. She was currently seated on the couch, her foot propped up on several pillows on the coffee table. Her crutches leaned against the side of the couch, but slid to the floor before she could catch them. Curses flew from her mouth as Katara tried in vain to reach them from where she was seated. Zuko stared blankly, a peppermint hot cocoa in hand. He hadn't heard her curse before, much less like what she was currently doing. He cleared his throat to announce his presence. Katara whipped her head about, a blush staining her cheeks as she realized he had heard her vulgar language. Sitting down next to her on the couch, he handed her the cocoa. She sipped the minty, chocolate goodness and rolled her eyes back in satisfaction. She missed the blank stare of Zuko's in doing so. On her right, un-casted foot was a white sock.
"I didn't think you'd ever own something as plain and boring as a white sock."
"I know, it really sucks." She sighed, "My cast is a plain, boring white so I figured I'd have a sock to match."
Zuko thought a moment. The plain sock looked thoroughly ridiculous on her foot, compared to her normally outrageous socks. It was the equivalent of the Mad Hatter not having his hat. Katara watched him think, trying not to laugh at the funny faces he was making, as he concentrated. Suddenly he grinned, and Katara wasn't sure if she should be worried or not.
"I'll draw on your cast. Anything you want," He paused, "Within reason of course."
It was a brilliant idea. She had seen some of the doodles in the margins of his note paper, and he was fairly talented. Thinking of the possibilities, she remembered a box of colored Sharpies in her room that were begging to be used on her cast. She grinned and explained the location of the Sharpies, and he readily complied with getting them from upstairs. When Hakoda came home from work he found them both on the couch, facing each other and with Katara's casted foot in Zuko's lap. Sharpies were scattered about the couch, floor and coffee table.
"Hello, Zuko. Where's Sokka?" he asked.
"With Suki, I think." Zuko replied, looking up from his doodle of the Cheshire Cat. "I haven't actually seen him today."
"Can I ask what you're doing here then?" Hakoda demanded, edging around to see what the boy was doing to his daughter's cast.
"Don't be rude, dad. See? Zuko's making my cast not-so-boring!" The grin on her face melted Hakoda's heart, after having seen her so depressed since getting the cast on. "Now it's on its way to being awesome instead of boring."
It was then that Hakoda got a good look at the cast. Two other drawings, one of Iron Man's mask and the other the Triforce from the Legend of Zelda games, joined the Cheshire Cat. Zuko flexed his hand as he finished up the doodle.
"All right, gimp. I think I've done all that my hand can take for today."
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Three weeks later saw her beautiful cast removed, which she had sent a snap to Zuko of before and after. Katara would be confined to a walking cast for another two weeks, but at least she could wear her socks again. Heck, she was thankful to be able to sleep in her own room stead of the downstairs guestroom. Katara stretched out on her bed, reading Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It was her birthday today, so she was completely allowed to be lazy. She was about to start a new chapter when a knock sounded at her door. She yelled for whomever it was to come in. Katara sat up when Zuko entered the door, a small bag in his hand. He made his way to her bed and sat down on the edge.
"Here, happy birthday." Zuko set the bag into her hands.
"Aw, you shouldn't have." She peaked inside the bag and noticed two pairs of socks inside. Katara pulled out one pair and then the other. Both pairs were above the knee, one pair was white with images of the leg and foot bones and the other was a black pair was a bow at the top and crossed lace pattern down the front. She squealed happily and hugged Zuko. Footsteps pounded down the hall as Sokka raced to see what she was squealing about. Katara let Zuko go as Sokka reached her door.
"Dude, what are you doing in my sister's room?" He glared suspiciously.
"Giving her birthday present to her." He replied, Katara showing off her new pairs of socks.
"Dude, don't encourage her."
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After six months of knowing Katara, Zuko was convinced that he had seen it all when it came to socks. They had become close friends, closer than he and Sokka were. They had weekly movie nights, with Sokka supervision of course. Zuko had laughed it off, reminding him that he and Katara were just friends. When he arrived at their place on Saturday, he was greeted by an excited Katara at the door. She must be in such a good mood because they were going to continue their Harry Potter marathon tonight. As he followed her into the living room, one thing stood out – the room was suspiciously Sokka-free. Katara spun to face him, grinning.
"Life is too short to wear matching socks." And with that piece of wisdom, she gave him a quick kiss. As she turned back to sit on the couch, Zuko noticed that her socks were indeed mismatched today.