Boy in Trouble

It had been a good day for Sokka. With his breakfast, Katara had brought him meat, a bit of jerky she had bartered away from a Yu Yan Archer; the meat was komodo dragon jerky, nothing like the seal that Sokka and most Water Tribe men favored, but it was still tough, salted, dry meat. After that, everyone had come to discuss plans, and while they were still a long way from the Southern Water Tribe, they had the beginnings of a workable course of action; there was a lot more to discuss, but Sokka was finally feeling a sense of progress. Hawky was on his way to the Tribe itself to warn everyone of the incoming New But Mostly Old Evil In a New Suit World Order, and there was no animal Sokka would trust more to save his family, aside from Appa, but the big guy would be needed when they arrived to fight.

Later, Toph had provided a good laugh, after Sokka had been convinced that his sister wasn't actually taking a bath with Zuko. That would just be weird.

Plus, Iroh had been having people sing music into the announcement system all day. That was neat. Not that Sokka was really enjoying all the music that much, because it was mostly a bunch a love songs, but the idea of broadcasting music like that was interesting. It was like a concert or play, but you didn't have to be there to enjoy it! Could the same be done with speeches, or lectures? Sokka was especially intrigued by the idea of somehow broadcasting hunting lessons across the entire Southern Water Tribe, but he'd have to put together a lot of metal pipes that wouldn't rust, and that would be a lot of work. Perhaps there was some way he could send sound via Hawky?

Anyway, Sokka was having a lot of fun thinking about it, and lunch would be here any minute now. How could the day be going any better?

The door opened, and in walked Ty Lee. Whatever it was she thought she was wearing, it didn't even attempt to cover her legs.

As much as it was a nice view, Sokka couldn't help but feel that same sense of doom that came whenever Aang and Katara was about to lead him into a trap.

"Hiya, Cutey!" she chirped. "I'm here to take care of you. Just consider me your private nurse!"

"...riiiiiight." Before he could say anything else, a new song was announced over the broadcast pipes, a piece called 'Boy in Trouble' that would be sung by one of Ty Lee and Suki's Kyoshi Kompatriots. Sokka turned to glare at the pipe's betrayal, and then back at Ty Lee. "Do any of the following know you're here- my sister, my girlfriend, my Toph, or Iroh?"

Ty Lee smiled in a way that made Sokka feel like prey. "Noooooooope."

Toph was just looking for a towel to wipe the sweat out of her hair, and instead found Katara and Suki growling at each other. Great.

"Where are you going?" the Waterbender asked.

"I'm pretty sure you heard me," Suki said primly.

Toph walked right into the makeshift Girls' Bathing room. "I didn't. Repeat it for me so that I can properly appreciate this fight."

Both of the other girls turned to face her with hostile expressions on their faces. It was Suki who spoke first. "I was just going to take Sokka some lunch, and help him wash up. He's been stuck in that bed for a while, and I'm sure he'll appreciate feeling clean as much as any of us. Right, Katara?"

Katara crossed her arms over her chest. "She wants to give Sokka a sponge bath!"

It was a curious thing that, even though her eyes were useless, they still widened whenever Toph was surprised. "A what?"

Katara's voice had more than a trace of satisfaction. "Exactly what I said."

"And I," Suki quickly came back, "don't see how it's any of your business. Sokka's a grown-up now, Katara."

"He also injured, a state he's in because you couldn't keep him safe, and as his healer, I don't think it's wise to risk his recovery because you're bored."

Toph hadn't heard someone speak with so many italics since the last time she encountered Azula. "Wait, that's your argument?"

"Of course. Just because Suki has me doubting her commitment to my brother doesn't mean I'm going to stand in the way of their relationship."

Suki's screech hurt Toph's ears. "What?"

Katara leaned forward. "I'm pretty sure you heard me."

Toph sighed. Truly, karma was an active force in the world. No sooner can someone receive some much-needed wisdom, then they were called upon to dispense some more. "Okay, enough. Time for the Blind Bandit to end the fighting. Katara, Suki is totally into Sokka and it's unfair to start persecuting her because you're upset about Sokka and your Tribe and the fact that Zuko didn't really enjoy your bath at all."

The Waterbender actually growled at Toph.

Toph ignored her. "And Suki, you have to understand that Katara is really stressed, and as much as you want some alone time with your boyfriend, we're all a team here and we can't push forward and alienate each other just because we can't have our way. Also, Sokka is still recovering, and as much as he might need a clean-up, you might not be the best candidate for the job. Therefore, since I'm blind and consider Sokka just a friend anyway, I'll give him the sponge bath."

Suki and Katara spoke simultaneously. "No."

Sokka smiled back nervously. "so... what's your plan here?"

Ty Lee began doing what Sokka could only describe as stalking around his bed. "Oh, just change your bandages, check your pulse. You've been lying there for a while, so your muscles could probably use a massage to keep them from getting sore and weak. And it's been a while since you had a good wash, so I could get some warm water and a sponge-"

"NO THANKS," Sokka found himself interjecting. "I'm, um, not allowed to touch water. Katara said it could... disrupt the healing magic she's given me. So, maybe another time. Okay?"

"Oh, okay. I wouldn't want to hurt you. I'd much rather heal you, Cutey. So, which would you rather first- new bandages, or a nice massage?"

Sokka couldn't help but wonder which option would get Ty Lee out of the room quicker.

"What? Why are you both mad at me?"

Suki and Katara were pacing in a circle around Toph, each exactly 180 degrees apart from the other (however they managed that, considering that neither one of them even knew what the word 'degrees' meant in any context). The Kyoshi Warrior spoke from behind Toph. "As much as you'd like us to believe that you wouldn't enjoy getting your hands on Sokka, I think we're both too smart for that."

Katara stopped walking. "We are? Wait, why?"

"Haven't you seen the way she looks at Sokka?"

Katara looked at Toph, looked back at Suki, looked at Toph, looked back at Suki, threw one more look at Toph, and then finally settled on Suki. "Is this a blind joke?"

"You know what I mean!"

"Oh, Suki, this is getting bad." Katara actually smiled tentatively and stepped back from Suki. "Do you know what the word, 'paranoid,' means in any context?"

"You little Waterbending-"

The sound and chaos of a two-person brawl kept Toph from hearing the rest of that statement, which was too bad, because the Earthbender was sure it contained a lot new words she'd like to hear in their proper context.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Wakakakakakakakakakakaka! Ty Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"

The Kyoshi acrobat looked up from her attempts to re-tape Sokka's ribs. "Yes?"

"You're a great girl with a wonderful personality and fantastic legs and you're killing me with your ham-fisted attempts at practicing medicine!"

"Oh." She took a moment to think about that. "So, we should move on to the massage?"

Toph dove into the brawl, and emerged with an angry growling member of the Southern Water Tribe in one hand, and a paranoid hissing Kyoshi Warrior in the other. "Ladies, please. Even I'm embarrassed for you. You're acting like you're half my age."

Both stopped. Suki raised a hand tentatively. "Don't you mean, 'half our age?' "

Toph vehemently shook her head. "Nope. You're acting a few years lower than that, even."

Katara sighed. "Toph's right. This is ridiculous. Suki, I'm really sorry. It was just... I had a really nasty shock when I saw Sokka in such a horrible state, when I arrived to save you guys. I... he's my big brother, and even though it seems like he should be the one protecting me, he's always been in my life, and after our mother... and he ran off without getting his leg healed, and I was worried when I found out about Ozai's plans... all my worries came to a head there. I know you did the best you did, but sometimes I can't help but think that if I could keep him under my care all the time, he'd be better off." She laughed. "I guess all that means that Sokka sends me into 'over-protective sister' mode far too often."

Suki smiled back at the Waterbender. "I get it. Really, I should be more understanding of that, not try to force myself into your family dynamic. The way you two were signaling to each other when we were boarding the ship..." She laughed. "I shouldn't get jealous of that. I do think it's a partially my fault that Sokka got so hurt, but I want you to know that I really tried my best to keep him safe, and you can always count on me to give that my all. I know I can't make up for my mistakes, but I just wanted to do my best now to make him feel better."

Suki and Katara reached out to hold hands, their eyes bright and forgiving.

Toph nodded with satisfaction. "Great. Now that you're all sorted, I'll just take a sponge and go finish up with Sokka-"

"TOPH!"

Dodging with a broken shinbone, a broken arm (with broken hand and finger bones), broken ribs, various other broken bones (it got really hard to keep count near the end, there), and various smaller injuries that had finally gotten over their infection and were still in the process of healing... was not easy. Even so, it was amazing what a mix of adrenaline and motivation could accomplish. Even the most devastated of non-Bender humans were capable of great feats at the height of desperation; the histories of all four nations were built of such moments.

Sokka was currently hopping around the infirmary on his good leg, a confused Ty Lee (with her evil, sexy outfit) trailing behind him. "I'm actually a pretty good masseur. All that work with my training with Dim Mak and finger pokes and chi flows and stuff actually has a lot of crossover with good massage technique, and I took a little time while I was in the circus to learn more about it because the strongman- his name was Huan and he was kind of nice in a burly kind of way- was always pulling muscles and if he couldn't perform then we'd have to WATCH OUT FOR YOUR LEG!"

Sokka twisted instinctually at the warning, successfully keeping his broken shin bone from colliding with a misplaced stool, but unbalancing himself to the point of toppling to the floor. He quickly thrust out his good hand and successfully stopped his fall, but a second later the Water Tribe warrior realized that he couldn't get himself out of the perlious position without hurting himself. He looked up at Ty Lee. "Um, no massage, but could you help me back into bed?"

Ty Lee's smile, which had never left her face, grew toothy. "Suuuuuuuure."

Sokka had to admit, Ty Lee was strong, and he enjoyed the close physical contact more than he would ever let on. The Kyoshi Acrobat had to lower him gently onto his bed, and Sokka didn't realize the dangers of such a procedure until Ty Lee was crouched over him with her (very nice, very bare) legs pitched on either side of him, her arms wrapped around him and her chest pressed lightly against his own.

Of course, that was when the door opened and an audience walked in. Suki, Katara, and Toph all carrying trays of food, stopped and stared at the display. (Then Sokka remembered that Toph was blind and was likely reacting to Suki and Katara's heartbeats.)

No one spoke.

Then Ty Lee flashed her smile again. "I'm helping!"

Katara and Suki both frowned, and the latter stalked forward. "I'll. Just. Bet."

Sokka figured that was a good moment to speak up. "I swear... I am in so much pain right now... holding on... too tight..."

"Oh!" Ty Lee quickly set him down and extricated herself from his body. "Sorry! They startled me!"

"Ahhhhhhh," was Sokka's eloquent confirmation.

"I don't know what's going," Toph intoned with a hollow voice, "but it sounds really wrong."

Katara rested her fists on her hips. "See, this is what I was talking about. Someone who doesn't know they're doing could easily-"

"I HAVE MY FANS IN MY BELT AND I SWEAR BY AVATAR KYOSHI HERSELF THAT I WILL KILL ANYONE (but Sokka) WHO IS STILL IN THIS ROOM IN FIVE SECONDS!" Suki's face was red from the shouting, and as if on cue, the broadcast of the 'Boy in Trouble' song came to a close. The Kyoshi Warrior grabbed Ty Lee's ear, and dragged the acrobat off Sokka's bed. "That means you, Legs. No touching my boyfriend, with any part of your over-exposed body, without a written order from me or a world leader. Now SCRAM."

It was a testament to the ferocity of the declaration that everyone- even Toph- listened to her and quickly trotted out of the room. As the door slammed shut, Ty Lee commented, "How did she get the song to stop like that? I didn't think we could talk to the bridge through that-"

CLANG.

Sokka was alone with his furious girlfriend, and he felt his blood freezing as she locked the door. She turned to face him, and fear paralyzed him from voicing any of the excuses his brain was furiously stamping out and sending down to his mouth.

Abrubtly, Suki smirked and lifted a sponge from the tray she had carried into the room. "So, lunch first, or sponge bath?"

Sokka felt his blood return to normal temperatures, and smiled in relief. "I am so glad you came to save me. We seem to be making a habit of that."

"Feel free to break that habit any time, Mr Ladies' Man."

"Ooh, I like the sound of that."

"Sokka..."

To Be Continued...