*All important disclaimer! I don't own anything! This was made for fun! Anything from the show or the real world not mine! Any reviews or helpful suggestions are accepted. Anything rude will be ignored. Characters a mostly OC, a bit of my alter ego's might slip in here and flames on the pairings or how Emotional Aang might be will be totally ignored. This is a Zutara story, I never cared for KatAang even when the show was going on. Aang will grow up I promise so please bare with me. Any helpful suggestions are appreciated. All haters and flamers please take your mean reviews and use them to thaw your cold hearts.*
The next week and a half went by in a blur. Aang had called the morning after the fight an apologized. Hakoda took a couple personal days from work and went shopping with Katara and Suki. Sokka seemed to follow them everywhere like a lost puppy. Suki thought it was cute. Katara woke up in her full sized bed with two messages in her voice mail. The first was Toph, letting her know she was enjoying her time with her mother, and to have fun with Angles, her little nick name for Aang. The second was Aang, he'd like to take her out to lunch, just the two of them to talk. Katara sent Toph a text telling her to call her later. She sent Aang a text saying to pick her up in a half an hour.
Breakfast was light, bacon and eggs made by Suki once again. Gran Gran hobbled towards the front door. "Got bingo with the girls today. Wont be home till late." Katara giggled as Sokka shook his head. Suki wearing a peach tee shirt and denims turned to the siblings, "Bingo all day?" Katara in her blue tank top and denim knee length skirt burst out in laughter. Sokka spoke through his eggs in his brown sweater and jeans. "Gran Gran doesn't need that cane. She is probably more fit than you or me or Katara. Just dad worries about her, so when she's out with the girls we tell dad she went to bingo. When really she's bungee jumping or jumping out of airplanes to snowboard down a mountain."
Suki giggled as she brought her used pots and pans to the sink. "Hey Suki, I'm going out with Aang today. Mind hanging alone for awhile?" Katara asked from across the island. Suki nodded and side glanced Sokka from her glass of milk, "I think I can find something to entertain myself with." A small thud from the front porch echoed down the front hall and into the kitchen which thankfully pulled Katara from a disturbing thought.
Her day with Aang made her remember why she started dating him in the first place. Aang was cordial and polite. He held open doors and pulled out chairs. They stopped for lunch at The Oasis. Katara waved at Coco, a girl from high school she and Aang knew, with her long brown hair tied back in a blue bandanna. She flushed and waved back as she sunk into her seat. Katara and Aang sat at the bar and ordered their usual meals. "Oh my goodness I haven't had Sea Cucumbers in ages!" Katara exclaimed as they waited for their orders. Music played and many large flat screens adorned the walls of the place. Katara's cell phone went off and she glanced at Aang apologetically. "Hello?"
"Whose your daddy sugar Queen! You know that four bedroom apartment on campus! Well dad made some calls and guess who gets it next semester!" Katara squealed, "Oh spirits! Toph that is amazing!" Aang tilted his head questioningly. Katara covered the mouth of her phone, "Toph managed to snag the apartment on campus we've been looking at. Isn't that great!" Aang nodded but his smile did not reach his eyes. Toph said she'd call later with more details and they hung up. Through out their meal Katara could feel eyes on her. Every time she looked no one was staring. Aang kept glancing over towards Coco's table. Something felt strange to her, but Katara ignored it and tried to enjoy her meal with Aang.
After diner Aang brought Katara to his home that he shared with his Uncle Gyatso. "Uncle is away on business for the next couple days." Aang said awkwardly as Katara looked around the living room. She smiled and turned to him knowingly. "Aang we're adults now, there is no need for embarrassment." Aang blushed darkly and rubbed the back of his head. He helped her with her coat and offered a glass of wine. "Uncle Gyatso said it was for special occasions and our reunion is special to me." Katara laughed and accepted the glass.
The next morning Katara woke in Aangs small arms. She smiled at him, it wasn't as awkward as the last time they'd had sex. 'But still I wish he would stop asking me if I was OK,' Katara thought to herself. She checked her cell phone and found no new messages. She stood and gathered her cloths to shower in Aangs' shower. When she emerged she found Aang frantically talking into his phone. "Everything alright Aang?" He jump at least three feet. He hung up his phone and turned to her, "Oh nothing, just Uncle making sure I'm alright. How about some breakfast!"
Aang returned Katara home about noon. She kissed his cheek goodbye and he flew off on his glider. Katara walked in and passed the living room but stopped mid-step. She backed up and on the couch snuggled quit content were Suki and her brother. It appeared they fell asleep like that for the television had the DVD menu still up. Katara closed her mouth and mumbled to herself, "I don't want to know." Upstairs she changed into a pair of dark denims and a white tank top. She sat on her bed and logged into her computer. A loud PING greeted her.
Pyrechampion01: hey water-bender.
Daphne's_rain: hey! you alright?
Pyrechampion01: Yes and no. As you know tomorrow is thanksgiving. And family time isn't really on my fathers to-do list. And something has my sister in a mood so I've been avoiding everyone all week.
Daphne's_rain: I'm sure it wont be that bad. Didn't you mention some of your sisters friends are coming?
Pyrechampion01: I'm actually considering faking sick and getting the hell out. You ever get the feeling something REALLY bad is going to happen?
Katara thought back to her meal with Aang. Something had felt wrong, and Katara was going to figure it out. She knew that Coco had had a crush on Aang long before she and him had started dating. But Coco was nice and sweet and never let her hurt feelings get in her and Aang's friendship.
Daphne's_rain:Yea I've felt like that before. But you were so excited to see your sister. Something is up. And I understand if you don't want to talk about it but I am here when you do.
Pyrechampion01:Thanks Tara. Hey maybe I'll drive down and see you guys. Hehe. Might be more fun.
Daphne's_rain:*Smile* yea that would be fun. And I could give you your coat back. I should go. Suki and Sokka are awake and I wanna bust them snuggling on the coach!
Pyrechampion01: Oh this story I'm gonna have to hear!
Suki was bright red when Katara came downstairs and screamed "BUSTED!" Sokka sulked quietly for the remainder of the day. Katara took Suki to the supermarket for some last minute Thanksgiving supplies. Suki chewed on her lip as they passed the stuffing. "Tara, did I do something wrong? Sokka seamed upset." Katara patted her friends back, "No worries Suk. It's just he might be feeling upset with himself." "Why? We didn't have sex. Just snuggled. No laws against that." Suki complained as she placed three boxes of stuffing in their cart. Before Katara could explain she moved her cart and ran into another. "Oh I'm sorry... Coco! Hi!" Katara exclaimed. The young girl was about 5'4 about two inches shorter than Aang. Her long chocolate locks were held back in her usual blue bandana.
"Katara...uh... hi." Coco mumbled as she maneuvered her cart aside. "How are you! I'm sorry I didn't come over and say hi the other day. You and your friends seemed to disappear. OH this is my friend Suki. Suki this is Coco, a friend from high school." Suki and Coco greeted each other. "Well Katara as much as I'd like to catch up I have more errands to run. So nice seeing you again Bye!" With that Coco took off. Suki and Katara stared after her. "She seemed in a hurry." Suki said. Katara nodded, "I didn't think she'd be that upset I didn't stop by." The two quickly finished their shopping and drove back home about an hour later. They carried in the groceries into the kitchen only to find Sokka passed out face first on the island with an Arctic Wine bottle laying next to him.
"Oh my, Sokka!" Suki exclaimed as she laid her bags down and ran to his side. He was hardly understandable as he shifted and fell off the stool. Katara sighed and set her bags on the counter. "Suki help me haul him up." With teamwork the girls hauled Sokka up and out of the kitchen then up to his room. The two walked back to the kitchen in silence. "Did I upset him?" Suki asked as she sat at the now vacant island. Katara coed, "No not at all. It's just... well... Sokka is still in mourning. He lost his wife about two years ago." Suki seemed to go pale as she processed what Katara told her. "Oh..." Was all she said on the matter. The two girls made a light diner and ate in silence. Hakoda asked were Sokka was and Katara said he wasn't feeling well.
Gran Gran had a knowing expression and Suki excused herself. Katara walked up the stairs with a bit of diner and some aspirin for Sokka. She knocked softly and was answered with a loud groan. Sokka laid askew on his bed, head hidden under a pillow. "Well Sokka I expect you up and about in an hour. Also you're gonna apologize to Suki because she is kicking herself. I had to tell her why you drank yourself stupid. Honestly! Of all people I would expect you to avoid alcohol." "It wasn't booze that killed mom, it was the jerk off driving the car." Sokka retorted hoarsely. "And you had no right to tell Suki about Yue!" Katara rolled her eyes and set the food on the nightstand. "Yes I did, she is my friend Sokka. I think she likes you, she was really upset. I'm not saying you have to do anything, but I know Yue and mom wouldn't want you drowning out your feelings this way." Katara left her brother to ponder her words and battle a hangover.