Chapter 5: Confrontations

AN: Just... writing this made me feel very silly...

In the kitchen they worked diligently, but every time they brushed against one another a little shock wound its way across their bodies.

"Ow!" cried Katara suddenly, holding up a bleeding finger. She quickly bent some water and healed it, but she looked angry at herself.

"Clumsy," he muttered, not willing to admit how his heart skipped a beat to see her in pain.

"What was that, sorry?" she asked sweetly.

"Clumsy, Katara," he said slightly louder, focussing on what he was chopping. Katara sighed melodramatically.

"I guess since I'm so clumsy and you're not, you'll have to finish cutting the carrots," she said, grinning mischievously. Zuko raised his good eyebrow and carefully put down the knife he was holding. He could play. He had rarely felt playful but somehow he felt so connected to Katara in this moment that he wanted to be a little silly.

He moved to stand behind her.

"It's really not that difficult Katara," he said, covering both her hands with his and lifting up the knife. He pressed himself against her back. "You just need to stay focussed." He started slowly chopping the carrot as his lips found the back of her ear. He had to make sure to keep any eye on what they were chopping, but he heard her contented hum.

What he didn't realise was that she could also play, and she started moving her butt in circles, pushing up against him, undulating, coaxing him to follow her movements. She could hear his breath become a little more laboured and a hardness grow against her. The carrot had been chopped but he hadn't moved away.

Katara turned her head and her body slightly so she could reach his lips. Instinctively she took his bottom lip between her teeth and pulled gently, watching how his eyes rolled towards her.

"Come on Zuko, stay focussed," she whispered and freed herself from his grasp, taking the chopped carrots and moving over to the pot, swaying her hips and feeling his gaze on her.

She turned to look at him once the carrots were emptied in and she saw his wide eyes narrow slightly and his mouth open to say something, just as the door to the kitchen burst open.

"Smells good sis but you'll have to delay it for a while. I have a date with a certain jerk bender," announced Sokka, grabbing Zuko by the front of the robe and pulling him out before either could protest.

Katara was shocked for a second, but she quickly took the pot off the fire and ran after them into the courtyard. Suki came running from the opposite direction too.

"Sorry!" she called, "I couldn't hold him any longer!"

"Its alright Suki! Sokka, let Zuko go RIGHT NOW," called Katara, running down the few steps into the sunken courtyard. Zuko was making no effort to get Sokka off him, but was looking rather angry. It seemed they had come crashing back to the real world rather unceremoniously from their moments of freedom. Katara's heart was in her throat but she tasted bitterness in her mouth; why wasn't she ever allowed to do something for herself? To just be by herself for a little while! She was not going to take this sitting down.

"I'll let go alright!" Sokka's voice cut through her musings. "Where are your swords? We will settle this right now."

"Settle what!" cried Katara, marching towards them.

"The fact that he was kissing MY LITTLE SISTER!" cried Sokka, looking very upset. Zuko held up his hands and took a step backwards, good cheek burning a bright red.

"I thought we were bros!" Sokka continued accusatorially.

"We are bros," tried Zuko, looking more and more unsure of what was going on.

"Well bros don't get with other bros' little sisters! Come on coward, fight me for her!"

"STOP!" screamed Katara, bending water from the rain barrels and freezing them both. She was furious! 'Fight me for her?!' she thought, Does Sokka have a death wish! Did he not know her at all!

Sokka struggled against the ice but thankfully, Zuko had the good sense not to melt it.

"NOBODY is fighting ANYBODY! I can… uh…kiss … who I want! I'm not yours or anybody else's to be fought for!"

"DAMN RIGHT SUGAR QUEEN!" came Toph's voice from the side, punching a hand up into the air. She had appeared from the side of the house.

Sokka's mouth had dropped though. He had picked up on the hesitation around the word kiss.

"Don't tell me. Don't tell me you've done more than kiss!" He looked frantically from one to the other as if his world were unravelling. Zuko's whole face went red. Katara met Suki's eyes, who gave her a thumbs up and a wink behind Sokka's head.

"That is absolutely none of your business Sokka," she said, putting both hands on her hips. Toph was sniggering.

"You're my little sister! I have to protect you! And now this jerk bender has found a way into your bed… no no no Katara you can't sleep with him! I won't allow it!" Sokka sounded panicked.

Katara's blood drained from her face though as she saw Aang emerging into the courtyard too, grey eyes wide and flicking between her and Zuko, a confused frown on his face. She bit her lip.

"Sokka!" came an angry voice from his other side. Suki. Thank La for Suki, thought Katara - and she was looking appropriately thunderous. Sokka visibly swallowed and shrank back in his icy prison. "Katara is a woman who can make up her own mind what she does and with who - how dare you tell her what she can and can't do! If you're trying to restrict her maybe you should fight her! And then try me for good measure. I thought we'd taught you that back on Kyoshi. I'm disappointed Sokka." Suki crossed her arms and looked away, cutting Sokka's tirade right down.

Toph whistled.

"You've lost this one Snoozles, sorry. Sugar queen can go around sleeping with who she wants. Can we get some food now?"

"Wait, Suki, I'm sorry! I know I know, but she's my little sister you know? And he's supposed to be a bro!" he turned his head back to face Zuko. "How would you like it if I tried to sleep with your sister?"

"On second thoughts, this just got better," commented Toph, taking a seat on one of the steps.

There was a tense silence before everybody burst out laughing.

"Alright alright, maybe trying to sleep with your sister is a bad example…"

"Sokka, can you imagine, even just for a second, me trying to tell my sister what to do? And anyway as a bro I would warn you that you do not want to get involved with that!"

Sokka chuckled. Katara tentatively released them from the ice, making sure they were both dry but keeping the water to her command.

"Alright but my sister is not a psychopath… usually…" Katara narrowed her eyes at him, shifting her fingers to show him the water at his feet was still under her control. He yelped and stepped away from it. "What I'm trying to say is I don't like this and you better not hurt her!" he crossed the gap to Zuko and jabbed him in the chest with his finger. Then his eyes widened. "Unless it was a one-time thing! It better have not been a one time thing taking advantage of my sister you little —"

"Sokka…." Came Suki's warning voice. Sokka looked at her, took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Even if it was a one-time thing I understand that if you are both consenting to it then that is your business," he recited, but when he opened his eyes he narrowed them again. "Doesn't mean I have to like it! Watch your back jerk bender. If I catch so much of a whiff of you doing something she doesn't want to do, I'll make sure its the last thing you do!"

"Pfft, come on Snoozles, this is Sparky we're talking about! Apart from the fact Sugar Queen could totally blood bend him senseless whenever she wants, he's not the type to do anything dishonourable," called Toph, who was now picking at her feet.

Her words seemed to calm Sokka down considerably and he straightened, all aggression gone from his posture.

"Oh yeah! Well, had to be said," he said, smiling sheepishly at Zuko and shrugging. "Come on bro, lets get some food, I'll get over it eventually," he said clapping an arm around Zuko's shoulders and heading towards the kitchen. Zuko shot Katara a bewildered look.

"Um, thanks?" he said, uncertainly.

"Yeah well, we're bros right? I just want you to know you've really pushed it today so you'll have to be extra nice to her, ok?" he was saying as they disappeared inside.

Toph jumped up and sauntered over to Katara, giving her a punch on the arm that was likely to bruise.

"Nice one Sweetness. Was wondering when you'd lose the V. Gimme a few years I'll catch up to you two. That kind of control over men must be intoxicating! Fan girl, you've got it perfected with Snoozles!"

Suki was joining them and blushed.

"I didn't do anything, I just explained to him that he couldn't try to control…."

"Save it Fan, its good that you're saying all the right things, but we all know you could make him do whatever you want. Come to think of it, Sparky already does whatever you want Sugar Queen… you sure you've just started sleeping with him now?"

"Toph! Zuko does what I want because …"

"Oh please, its cause he's thinking with his dick, just like Snoozles. Honestly. Try it, go buy something revealing and watch them grovel at your feet…"

Katara and Suki exchanged a look.

"That's not actually a bad idea…could be fun…" started Suki.

"And we do need some new fire nation clothes, our old ones are falling apart…" added Katara. Toph laughed.

"Oh boy this is going to be good! Just make sure I'm far enough away so I can't hear you when you do the do!"

"If." Said Suki, smirking.

"Oh Fan Girl, leaving them hanging? That's evil. I love it. You know I've never given you enough credit really… right, where's Twinkletoes? Oh right already inside eating. Lets go before the three boys eat all the food!"

"Want to go shopping tomorrow morning?" asked Katara.

"It would be my pleasure!" replied Suki, giggling.

The food was finished and they were all sitting in silence. Sokka patted his belly contentedly. Zuko and Katara were studiously ignoring one another, just waiting for Aang's reaction.

"Guys, I wanted to ask you something," started Aang.

"What is it Aang?" said Katara kindly, starting to collect some plates. She was subconsciously holding her breath

"Well I don't really understand why you were so mad at Zuko," he said to Sokka. "I mean we all slept together all of the time when we were travelling… I don't get why Zuko sleeping with Katara is such a big deal?"

There was complete silence while it clicked in everybody's minds that Aang must have not heard about the kissing.

"Oh, boy," said Toph quietly. Laughter was on everybody's tongue but Aang was being so genuine and confused they all bit it down.

"Um… how did the monks tell you babies were made sweetie?" tried Suki, shooting Sokka a pleading look.

"Oh! They said the girl monks and the boy monks, or girl and boy nomads would sometimes meet and play some special games to make the baby," he said.

"Right… well… what we mean when we say sleeping together is not sleeping next to each other… its playing those games…"

Aang frowned.

"You're making a baby with Zuko?"

"NO!" shouted everybody. Zuko looked just as panicked as Sokka.

"Um no Aang, its just that those games don't need to end in a baby you know? When two people like one another very much they will sometimes just play those games for fun… because they feel good…without the baby at the end," Suki looked satisfied with that explanation.

"Oh! Well I also… like… Katara, so can I play the game?" he asked, turning his wide eyes to Katara.

Katara choked on the water she was drinking, Toph having to hit her on the back to get it back up.

"Right, Snoozles, since you found him first you're going to have to take him out and explain it properly," demanded Toph.

"Toph I can't do that!"

"Yeah well 'playing a game' didn't quite cut it did it? Come on just explain to the kid how it all works, then we can stop with these misunderstandings - I don't think Sugar Queen can take much more embarrassment," she said.

"Hey! I'm right here! And we're the same age!" cried Aang, getting agitated at whatever he wasn't understanding.

"Yeah but unlike you, I spent my time kicking ass at the Earth Rumble with my ears open and a hell of a lot of people telling me what's what. Look, you were at the temple, you missed out on the whole dad-son talk. So Snoozles is going to step in here and be the mature one, isn't he," finished Toph. She was getting second hand embarrassment on behalf of Katara and Zuko - and it had stopped being fun.

Sokka hung his head.

"Alright. But Zuko has to come with me too. Manly chat. Aang, Zuko, lets go!" He stood up to leave.

"Sokka, I'm sure you can do this—"

"You owe me, jerk bender, this is your fault —"

"How is this my fault! If you hadn't paraded my personal life around in front of everybody —"

"Just help me out!"

"Fine!"

"Come on Aang!" they said in unison, leading the way to the other room.

After the guys left Katara groaned and buried her head in her hands.

"This was not meant to happen," came her muffled voice from behind her fingers.

"Yeah well it wasn't my fault so I still deserve my double portions," said Toph, helping herself to some more food from the pot.

"I'm really sorry Katara," offered Suki, biting her lip.

"Not your fault Suki, we should have been more careful. Argh, I'm going to KILL Sokka! And Aang… oh La, Aang!" Katara's eyes kept flicking to the door to where the boys had gone.

"You know," said Toph between mouthfuls, "there is a place in the corridor upstairs where you can hear what's going on in the living room."

Suki and Katara exchanged looks.

"Alright you continue getting double portions - show us where!" said Katara quickly, pulling Toph up from her seat. Toph smirked.

"Anything you say Sugar Queen!"

They tiptoed upstairs as quickly as they could, until Toph stopped and touched her ear, indicating they listen. Suki lowered herself to the ground where the sound was louder. She indicated Katara to look at something on the floor when she found the two little spy holes. They tuned into the boys' talk in the room below.

"… So when you get those times happening to you," Sokka was saying, motioning to his trousers, "well it can mean that you find somebody physically attracted or you … uh … like them very much."

"But it only happens randomly to me, or when I sleep sometimes," Aang said, "I don't think it happens when I look at somebody!"

"Not yet," came Zuko's curt reply.

"Yeah, Zuko's right! At some point it will happen when you like somebody in that way. And then… uh… well… a girl doesn't have one like we do… they have sort of a… hole… and it feels nice. Zuko? Take over?" Sokka's whole face had gone red. Zuko groaned.

"When you get excited because of this special person, and she also gets excited because of you, you can … uh … stick it inside of her. And… you have a special time with that person…" Zuko looked at Aang expectantly.

Aang's brows were furrowed. Zuko sighed.

"Why don't you - I don't know - draw him a diagram or something," Zuko snapped at Sokka, crossing his arms and looking away angrily.

"Yes! That's a great idea," cried Sokka genuinely, picking up a brush and a piece of parchment from the table. Zuko groaned. "Aang, ask what you want while I draw you some diagrams!"

"I've just… never seen that happen!"

"Oh Agni. No Aang, its something private between a man and a woman. Or a man and a man. Or a woman and a woman. But we can leave those for now." Aang looked even more confused at Zuko's answer.

Sokka, meanwhile, was drawing on some parchment on the coffee table, directly below where Suki and Katara were looking down on the scene. They both had to stifle their laughter. Zuko had angrily stalked over to look too and they heard him choke slightly and his shoulders vibrate from laughter, but he made a galant effort to not mock Sokka.

"Right Aang," started Sokka, calling him over.

"What's that?" asked Aang, pointing at the thing that was supposed to be a penis.

"What! Can't you tell! That's your… you know… penis…" explained Sokka, almost whispering the last word. Katara rolled her eyes as Toph stifled her giggles and Suki sighed, exasperated.

"And this," he continued, "is the lady version. It's whats there instead of a penis. See how it goes inwards?" He indicated a very poorly drawn hole going inside the outline of a woman from the side. There were no details and definitely not anatomically correct. Katara could only imagine the type of punishment Yugoda would dish out for such a botched diagram.

"So we put this," he pointed at the penis, "inside of here. Like this see?" He flourished his last diagram that they thought was meant to be a man on top of a woman.

There was a silence as Aang took in the drawing, trying to understand where one person ended and the other began. The top of his head had gone red in a blush.

"That's disgusting!" he pronounced finally. "Why would you do that!"

"Because it feels good and if you… like the person you are doing it with, it gives both of you a special time, just the two of you," tried Zuko, looking visibly worried. "Its… its what comes after kissing…" he added.

Various emotions flashed over Aang's face but still with this undertone of disgust.

"Does that mean you love Katara?" he whispered, looking Zuko straight in the eyes.

"I… uh… I really like Katara… I love her like we all do but a bit more…" His face had turned a colour to match Aang's and he was rubbing the back of his neck, looking away. Sokka seemed worried.

"There are different kinds of love, Aang. We love friends and we love family but to be in love… that's… sometimes you're not sure if you are… I thought I was in love with Yue, but after spending time with Suki I know that's not true… because I … feel more for Suki than I did with Yue. Now I think I'm probably in love with Suki but I didn't know that immediately,"

"I feel the same about Mai and Katara," said Zuko quietly, "I thought I loved Mai, but I felt nothing for her compared to how I feel about Katara."

Upstairs, Toph pretended to retch while the other girls tried to keep a small tear from falling. They silently continued watching.

"But…" started Aang, "I love Katara… but I don't want to do that! When two people l-really like each other, do they always want to do this?"

"Um. I think you're a little young to want to do this, Aang," said Sokka gently. "Maybe one day you will want to, but you sort of grow into it… into liking people in that way. So when we say she doesn't like you in that way, its partly because she doesn't want to do this either."

"But you like her," said Aang quietly, turning to Zuko again, "and she likes you. And you both want to do this… sleeping together thing?"

"Uh. Yeah."

"Then I think you don't like her like I do. I think the way we… like… her are different?" said Aang finally. Zuko looked relieved. "I… I didn't realise that's what people did!"

"Well… not at your age anyway," butted in Sokka, "but I'm glad we now all understand what's going on here, right? Helpful diagrams are the best!" He clapped both on the shoulders and grinned. Zuko groaned and slapped his hand on his forehead.