What I Learned at SRU -62-

What I Learned at SRU
Chapter 62 - Mean It

- Tuesday, February 15th, 2011 -

{The White Lotus}

Zuko scanned through the pages of the previous weekend's edition of the local school paper. By this point, he'd already caught a lot of the headlines, so he decided to start flipping through some of the smaller, more miscellaneous articles while he waited for Mai to arrive for breakfast.

{The building project, in its final stages of construction, will be located in downtown Wayward - a quick trip for students. Tentatively dubbed 'The United Republic,' the establishment will be owned and operated by Saint Roku University and is scheduled to open at the end of the month. Students wishing to apply for part-time work can contact President Zuko Kurosawa for more information via e-mail.}

Bleh. Boring. Why would he want to read about what he was already spending a lot of time on? Next.

{The local indie sensation The Flamey-O's have been accumulating quite the attention this semester, having been recently included as part of multiple local concerts, including last week's Bloomsburg Bonanza-}
Ugh. Music? Pass.

{Philadelphia Fires Continue}
{by Ginnie Ackland}

{A week after the tragic death of a family of three, yet another home was found burned to the ground this weekend by the Philadelphia Police Department. The remains of father and husband Daniel Dawes were found inside, though his wife and son were away with relatives during the fire. This marks the third serious fire-related incident of this nature in two weeks, and authorities have suggested that the events are connected, suspecting arson. The nature of what has been the exact cause of these fires is still under investigation, and no known connection between the victims has been made public. The police say they have yet to determine any suspects or motives behind these incidents. In the meantime, the supposed serial killer behind this arson has been dubbed "The Combustion Man" by various media outlets due to the unknown causes of the fires. Anyone who may have any information on this matter has been asked to contact the PPD for-}

"Hey, Zuko."

Zuko set the newspaper down, eyes tired and wide, and blinked up at Mai's pale skin, an apologetic smirk about her.

"Sorry I'm late," she said as she set her breakfast plate down. "Your food's probably cold," she lamented, glancing at his barely-touched meal.

"Oh, uh...-" Zuko shrugged, taking a sip of his morning coffee and glancing to the bright winter morning outside the cafeteria's window. He yawned wide, scratching sand from his eyes.

"You don't look like you slept well," Mai mumbled with a tint of disappointment, stabbing her fork into a pancake.

"I slept fine," Zuko assured. "It's just...I didn't sleep as much as I had wanted to..."

Mai sighed through her nose as she chewed on a glob of cooked dough. The awkward tension stuck while she swallowed.

"ZuZu, I understand how busy you are, but if you're literally losing sleep over all of this, it might be time to re-think your priorities..." She continued to delicately consume her food.

Zuko shrugged again, slowly shaking his head. He took a mouthful of eggs in.

"Hey..." Mai's eyes narrowed with concern and she reached out a hand to Zuko's, still wound around his coffee mug. Her eyes burned into his. "You're doing it again, Zuko. If you're having problems, you're supposed to talk to me. I'm your girlfriend."

Zuko forced down his eggs and coughed, nearly choking on some. He gave a weak smile in spite of his clumsiness and took Mai's dry, cold hand, squeezing it back.

"You're right, I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"OK, then," Mai said, her expression cooling off. "Then tell me: what is it?"

Zuko took a deep breath, grasping Mai's hand tightly as he ate more food with his other hand. Mai took another bite, as well, giving him some time to formulate his words.

"It's just been busy, and...more stressful than I was expecting," Zuko sighed. "All of this planning and working on the United Republic, on top of everything else I have to deal with...Oh, right, and class? That, too. And then to make things even better I get this group of protesters who are saying that with the way the economy is, the school shouldn't be 'wasting money' on extraneous projects like this..."

"You just need to take things one step at a time."

"And let's not forget Azula," Zuko pressed on, venting out all the steam. "On my heels about how pointless all of this is..." He grunted as he glanced at the paper. "I read about how people are getting killed, and can't afford a living, and how many troops we still have mobilized in the middle east, and...-" He growled to himself. "It all makes me wonder if maybe Azula's right - that I'm just wasting my time here."

"How could you say that?" Mai was quick to retort, her feelings stung. "Lots of people here look up to you - need you..."

"But there's so many more people out there who also need someone...Maybe that someone is supposed to be me."

"Hold up a minute," Mai huffed, shaking her head at his words as she retracted her hand. "Zuko, I know you have...grand aspirations, and all, but...Seriously: one step at a time. And stop trying to make it sound like what you do here is so pointless..."

Zuko blinked at her fickle attitude, his mind lingering on the way her trimmed black bangs gracefully hung over her forehead.

"OK," he puffed out, rubbing his eyes some more. "I didn't mean it like that...I want to be doing more good, or...something..."

"Grand aspirations," Mai muttered with a doubtful sideways glance.

"You make that sound like it's a bad thing," Zuko grumbled with perplexation.

When Mai's eyes turned back to him, a thin brow raised, he read her expression through the context:
Do you want to end up like your father?

"There's nothing wrong with focusing on smaller things," was what Mai's mouth said. "They aren't inherently less important."

"Right..." Zuko took a swig of coffee. "I understand that, Mai, I...-"

"I'm not mad at you."

"I know..."

"But I don't want to see you fall into the same pitfall your father did."

"But I'm not going to," Zuko insisted, pained by his girlfriend's hint of doubt.

"Zuko...Your sister used to say the same thing when we were younger..."

Zuko's stomach churned with unease, which he covered with some more eggs. He clenched his fingers around Mai's tightly.

"My sister didn't have someone as amazing as you tokeep her on the right path..."

Tok-tok-tok.

Toph rolled over in her bed slowly, her stomach sensitive to movement.

"cOmE iN..." she groaned out as loud as she could.

Clicktsnik.
eeeekk...

"Toph?" It was Suki. That was...kind of surprising. No one had come to visit Toph in some time, unless occasional pop-ins from Jane counted.

"hEy..."

"Whoa...Are you OK?"

eeeekk...
Clicktsnik.

"nN...-" Toph was cut short by a tingling sensation in her throat, eliciting a harsh cough. "hEgH...nOt WhAt i'D cAlL iT, nOoO..."

"Gosh..." Toph could barely hear Suki sitting down in Katara's chair. Fuckin' ears had to be plugged up, too... "I heard you were sick, but...I didn't know you were stuck in bed..."

"iT's WhAtEvEr..."

"Well...Maybe we should discuss this some other time, then, when you're feeling better."

"wHaT iS iT...?"

"A while back I sent you a voicemail - not sure if you got it or not - about me helping you get some work playing music around the area. I mean...it...seems a bit pointless right now, given your condition, but...-"

"sUrE..."

"What's that?" Suki hadn't heard - fuckin' voice was nearly gone. Urghh.

"sAiD yEa...LeSsDoOiT..."

"Oh. Of course. That's...great. OK. I know you're sick, but it'll take some time to make some arrangements, anyway."

"kAy..."

"Umm...All right. Let me know when you're feeling better, and...we'll work something out. Get you out there."

"MmM-hMm..."

"OK. Well, I hope you feel better soon."

"yOu AnD mE bOtH..."

"Then you can hang out with us next time we go out. I felt bad that you got left out last time."

"...hUh?"

"But I guess you wouldn't have had much fun, anyway, being sick and all..."

Skfff.

"Is there anything I can do before I leave?"

"uHh...n-NaH...aHm GoOd..."

"OK. Rest up, make sure you're getting lots of fluids. Have a good night."

"yEp..."

Sitting in the floor lounge, doing homework on her own, Katara scanned her contacts list once again after a while of waiting.

[Skype tm]

[Tuesday, February 15th, 2011]

[Chief_Hakoda] - [Offline]

Argh. Dad must've been too busy tonight to get online...She'd left her Skype open all evening through her homework, but still no dice. Wait, what was this...?

[fortuneteller114 - hi katara. you ok?]
[9:47pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Oh, hey, Meng. Sorry, I've been busy.]
[10:19pm]

[fortuneteller114 - its fine. you holdin up ok?]
[10:21pm]

Katara hesitated at her keyboard. She sneezed into a tissue and wiped at her nose.

[AquaGirlKatara - Not really...=_=; I'm sick...]
[10:22pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Plus everything else...]
[10:22pm]

[fortuneteller114 - aw. i'm sorry. HUUUG.]
[10:22pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Thanks. ^^ ]
[10:22pm]

[fortuneteller114 - what about tophie?]
[10:23pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - I'm not really sure...Why?]
[10:23pm]

[fortuneteller114 - oh...guess she's keeping busy then.]
[10:23pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Well, she's really sick, too. I'm sure it's not personal if she hasn't talked with you.]
[10:24pm]

[fortuneteller114 - no, it is. we're not talkin right now.]
[10:25pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - I see. =/ You're not the only one...]
[10:25pm]

[fortuneteller114 - i know. things sound trickty w/the breakup thing]
[10:26pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Yea. They are...]
[10:26pm]

[fortuneteller114 - i got mad and kinda freeked out on her..]
[10:26pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Ha...Toph seems to have that effect on people...^_^; ]
[10:27pm]

[fortuneteller114 - exactly.]
[10:27pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - BRB]
[10:28pm]

[fortuneteller114 - kk!]
[10:28pm]

Katara sneezed again, filling another tissue with gunk. She groaned as she dropped it into nearby waste basket and retreated to the floor's kitchen one room over to fix a bowl of tomato soup in the microwave. She took the couple minutes of downtime as she waited for it to cook to ponder her circumstances yet again. Sokka was ignorant about what was transpiring between her and Aang, but even Suki had seemed suspicious about it...Could she not get involved with someone without complications? Was it simply not possible? Urgh, and what was she supposed to do with it, anyway? She couldn't bear the idea of leaving Toph devastated over the matter...But on the other hand, leaving Aang to dry after the surprisingly courageous advances he'd made didn't seem too good an idea, either. She hadn't had any contact with Aang in a couple days now. The time was giving her space to consider how she really felt about him...Right from the start, a year and a half ago, she'd always looked at him as a timid, lost little kid who she'd look after.

But that simply wasn't the case anymore.

["-BEEEEEEEP-"]

Katara was startled by the loud sound of the microwave, but quickly recovered, cupping the hot bowl in her hands and slowly making her way back to the couch of the lounge, careful not to spill any.

[AquaGirlKatara - I'm back.]
[10:33pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Soooo...Why did you and Toph argue?]
[10:33pm]

[fortuneteller114 - just the same stupid junk she won't stop doing...]
[10:35pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - She wants to get better. I know she does.]
[10:36pm]

[fortuneteller114 - me too. but using me to make herself feel bettr isn't goin to help.]
[10:36pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - I think you're right. She needs some space right now.]
[10:37pm]

[fortuneteller114 - well that's what i'm giving her.]
[10:37pm]

Katara lightly blew at her soup, which looked about ready to consume by now.

[AquaGirlKatara - I understand.]
[10:38pm]

[fortuneteller114 - so what's going on with you? i saw in your fb you seem upset?]
[10:39pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Everything's strained lately. Just social awkwardness, and then school on top of that.]
[10:40pm]

[fortuneteller114 - ah i get it.]
[10:40pm]

[fortuneteller114 - so what's the deal with you and aang anyway?]
[10:40pm]

Grruuughhh...

Katara's disposition twisted even further into the realm of irritation as she slurped her soup.

[AquaGirlKatara - Huh?]
[10:41pm]

[fortuneteller114 - tophie seems convinced you two have a thing now...?]
[10:42pm]

Katara was progressively getting more fed up with all of this gossiping about her and Aang's business.

[fortuneteller114 - i noticed you two aren't talking on FB lately, either...]
[10:42pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - We kissed.]
[10:43pm]

Wait, shoot...Argh, why did I just type that out without thinking? Ugh, gotta clarify...

[fortuneteller114 - oh! O_O ]
[10:43pm]

[fortuneteller114 - wow...guess that makes sense tho.]
[10:43pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - But we're not involved or dating, it was a mistake, I would nev]

Katara's fingers stopped moving when she noticed what Meng had written. She paused, contemplating Meng's thought. "Makes sense?" Then Meng added more.

[fortuneteller114 - i mean it just always seems like there's something there w/you 2.]
[10:44pm]

Katara deleted her previous thought before she posted it. Why did even the long-distance person assume this? Katara wasn't...some floozy or something, home-wrecking and such...

[AquaGirlKatara - We're not dating or anything. I don't really know why it happened.]
[10:44pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - To be honest I feel like it was wrong. Like we shouldn't have. I'd never want to hurt your cousin like that.]
[10:44pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Please don't tell anyone about this.]
[10:45pm]

[fortuneteller114 - it's ok i get it, katara. i won't tell anyone. that's your business.]
[10:46pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Thank you.]
[10:46pm]

[fortuneteller114 - that explains why aang's been acting so weird, tho.]
[10:46pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - Yea...]
[10:47pm]

[fortuneteller114 - geez. that really is a tricky sitch.]
[10:48pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - =_=; I know...]
[10:48pm]

[fortuneteller114 - so do you have feelings for him?]
[10:49pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - I don't know.]
[10:49pm]

[fortuneteller114 - that's why you two haven't been talking then. you guys aren't sure?]
[10:49pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - More or less...]
[10:50pm]

[fortuneteller114 - i hope you figure that out soon.]
[10:50pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - What if I do, though? Then what?]
[10:50pm]

Katara typed out, [We can't just] but Meng was quick on the draw.

[fortuneteller114 - you date him, silly. ]
[10:50pm]

Sniffling, Katara rubbed her sore throat before eating more soup, deleting her previous half-sentence, and trying again.

[AquaGirlKatara - But Meng, we have to think about Toph's feelings. Doing that to her? It's...just not appropriate.]
[10:51pm]

[fortuneteller114 - neither is cheating on your bf. or all buncha crap tophie does.]
[10:52pm]

Hm. Not a bad point.

[fortuneteller114 - i love her but she's been making stupid choices. her feelings aren't your rsponsibility right now.]
[10:52pm]

[fortuneteller114 - YOURS are.]
[10:52pm]

Katara sighed, scratching her hand through her disheveled hair while wistfully humming along to the music she had playing.

[AquaGirlKatara - I appreciate your thoughts, Meng.]
[10:54pm]

Katara couldn't accept the idea of ignoring how Toph would be affected. But Meng was Toph's cousin...and Katara knew that she was the only family member Toph had expressed actually feeling attached to. So the girl's opinion wouldn't get ignored, either.

[fortuneteller114 - think about what you want and no one else. that's how you'll really figure it out.]
[10:55pm]

[fortuneteller114 - once you do, whatever you feel? you tell em either way. it's all about saying it like you mean it.]
[10:55pm]

[fortuneteller114 - and hang in there. everyone will make it out ok. HUG]
[10:55pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - All right. Thanks, Meng.]
[10:56pm]

[fortuneteller114 - have a good night.]
[10:56pm]

[AquaGirlKatara - You, too.]
[10:56pm]

- Wednesday, February 15th, 2011 -

Katara entered the room to catch Toph at her keyboard practicing with her big, green headphones. Having come back from her shift of correcting papers for students, she was mentally fatigued. Coat, backpack, shoes, hair...She took everything down and collapsed into her chair. She was feeling a bit dazed, still ill, and took out her bag of Wood Frog cough drops to start sucking on one. The things didn't taste very good, but they helped clear her passages, and that was the important part. As she finished the drop, Toph wrapped up her practicing.

"yOu'Re BaCk..." Toph's hoarse voice caught Katara while she was browsing through YouTube.

"Oh..." She turned around in her chair. "Hey, Toph..." Her own voice wasn't exactly healthy, but wasn't nearly as bad as Toph's.

"oUt HaViNg FuN?"

"Umm...No, I just got back from work, actually."

"mM. sO wHeN aRe YoU gUyS aLl GoInG oUt AgAiN...hUh?"

Katara was confused, and couldn't tell if Toph was being spiteful or...what.

"I...I don't know, we haven't really...-"
"gOnNa LeAvE mE oUt AgAiN, tHoUgH, rIgHt?"

"Are you talking about last weekend?"

"YeA, tHaNkS fOr ChEcKiNg To SeE iF i WaNtEd tO gO..."

"Toph, it...-" Katara rolled her eyes. More snippy hostility from her roommate. Exactly what she was hoping for when she got home. "It was Sokka's idea." She sputtered out a couple coughs. "We went to a movie. You've been sick. And, frankly, you've been giving off the impression you don't really want to hang out." She took a tissue and clamped at her nose, which was starting to run again. "Dot tuh menchun...-" She snorted gunk out in the tissue. "-...that you and Aang are supposed to be giving each other some space to avoid all the trouble." Let's leave out the part where we all had temper tantrums, anyway, shall we? She doesn't need to know.

"sO nOw I jUsT dOn'T gEt tO sEe AnYoNe. SoUnDs FaIr..."

"No, Toph, ergh..." Katara sniffled, reaching for another tissue. "There wouldn't have been room, anyway, and...movies aren't really your kinda thing, right? Besides, it's...not like you have any money right now to go to one..." Yea, that was a good reason. Everyone didn't need to always be paying for her. It was her own fault she didn't have any spending money.

"gRrMm..."

"B-but I mean...things will get better, right? I'm sure you and Aang will get past everything, and...-" God, I sure hope so... "-...Suki is going to try and help you find work playing your music. So soon you'll have some spending money, and by then we can probably try to get everyone together again."

- Thursday, February 17th, 2011 -

June's shifty eyes glared at her student worker from the opposite corner of the room. The red-head seemed to have a permanent scowl glued to her face all shift. Sokka handed her a slip of paper detailing a wrap order, so she broke away from her staring and went to work on it.

"Hey - what's eatin' you?" June inquired. She received no response as Jane continued to tend to a bacon cheeseburger on the grill. "Jane. Hey." She snapped her skinny fingers. "Talkin' to ya, here."

"Yea?"

"Somethin' crawl up your ass, or what?"

"No."

"Then wipe off the grump. Sick o' lookin' at it."

Jane's face scrunched up with rage for a brief moment before she sucked in a breath and slowly breathed out, calming herself. Their backs were facing each other, so June didn't notice this detail, but Jane was nevertheless confused. What did her fucking manager care? She was doing her job, wasn't she?

"You're not gettin' sick, too, are ya?" Sokka wondered as he came back from the next room with a finished milkshake.

"Nah," Jane replied with a shake of the head, adjusting her uncomfortable cap.

["Billie,"] came Sokka's voice over the speaker system. ["My milkshake is bringin' that boy to the door."] Some chuckles from the students that populated the restaurant. The one who ordered the shake came up and grabbed it with a grin as Sokka nodded to him, then turned around to face his friend.

"Better not be sick," June said with threat. "I'll send your ass straight home."

"I'm not," Jane insisted in a grumble.

"Then what's got your boxers in a bunch?" June taunted casually, finishing up the wrap she was on. Jane flipped the burger and the accompanying bacon. As she reached for a slice of cheese to slap on it, she sighed.

"Just people yankin' my fuckin' chain, all right?" she snipped, not budging her gaze from the grill. June sent a dull and confused glance to Sokka, who shrugged as he accepted the wrap.

["Yo, Cassandra. Got a tunafish wrap with your name on it. Literally."]

"You ever try yanking back when they do that?" June retorted.

"Yea. Doesn't usually work out so well."

"Uh-huh. Enjoy your brooding, then."

"Sure thing," Jane murmured with some dejection.

"I'm off to the bathroom," June advised with a nonchalant wave coupled with a yawn, sneaking out the back door.

"Ginger, lighten up, eh?"

"Back off..."

"All right," Sokka defensively surrendered with a shrug. He checked to make sure there was no line, then leaned against the front counter and stretched out his arm. He waited a moment, watching Jane wipe sweat from her head.

"Just a shitty situation." And there it was, as Sokka expected. Women often needed just enough space when they were fussy, but they'd often spill their beans just when they wondered if you really cared or not. "Katara's sending mixed messages and...then there's someone else who just...-" She let the rest fade away while she used her spatula to stack the burger onto a paper plate. "But I'm fine," she said with a firm look, passing the plate to Sokka, who nodded solemnly. Better her sucking it up and facing things for what they were than freaking out, as far as he was concerned.

"Gotcha," he replied, taking the food and its tag and setting it on the counter. After calling out for the student and watching them take their food, he stood, scratching at his goatee. He recalled Aang's frustrated attitude as of late, and the way Jane seemed to be getting jealous over all this Katara/Aang business. Maybe he could do something about it. "So you're feeling torn between two people."

"I...-" Jane's eyes darted away from Sokka's glance. "No, I'm...-" A passive shrug and she let the rest roll off into nowhere.

Pff. Lying. Typical Jane, right?

"You want me to talk with Aang?" offered Sokka with a blunt, exhausted tone. It wasn't that he wanted to get involved, it was that he wanted to see all this nonsense end. Jane's face went red, her eyes sparking with indignation.

"What?" she grunted, appalled. "Why would-?"
"'Cuz he's been actin' a little odd lately, and seems to be under the impression that you're avoiding him."

Sokka was amused by Jane's confused expression.

Sure, keep on playing dumb, Freckle-Face.

"I'm not-...!" She spat out in a rush, jerking her head in a quick shake. "That's fuckin' retarded, you don't know what you're...-" Words faded into mumbles as she bobbed her head to the counter behind Sokka. A pair of customers were waiting, so Sokka whirled back and took their orders, letting the subject go for the evening but contemplating how to alleviate the situation.

"Sorry, Mai. I dunno," Ty-Lee apologized with an airy shrug from behind the coffee machine. "Haven't seen her all night."

"That's weird," muttered Mai, drumming her black-nailed fingers along her notebook's cover while that somewhat familiar blonde kid played violin on stage. "Wonder why she wouldn't show..." She spoke these words to herself more than anyone else, as Ty-Lee hummed playfully, crafting a coffee concoction.

"Hey, Mai!" Ty-Lee chirped as she set a drink on the countertop. "We should watch more TV tonight, doncha think?"

"Erm...Sure," acknowledged Mai with a shrug, still thrown off by the lack of guitar-playing blind girl.

"Double Mocha Latte~" sang Ty-Lee out to the crowd of customers, cutting through the sweet, sad violin notes. Mai sidestepped as a customer retrieved their drink.

"I vote for more Lie to Me," insisted Mai's roommate, which received a nod in reply.

"Yea, all right..." Hm. Ty was pretty into that show lately. And it was more than just 'OMG that Dr. Lightman IS SOOO HOTT' - although Mai knew fully well this was a factor. Regardless, the girl actually seemed into the show for the way it analyzed human emotion and physical reactions, which were concepts more intellectually involving than Mai might otherwise give her beloved friend credit for. The more she dwelt on it, the more Mai noticed that Ty-Lee seemed to be trying to exercise the principles from the show into her daily life, with mixed results. It was entertaining, especially when Ty-Lee practiced face-reading on Zuko, since he was a very easy target to read accurately, and also easily flustered.

"-gonna rag on me 'cuz I ordered a 'Bloody Zebra?'"

"No."

Mai suddenly realized that while she'd gone off into thought, a pair of familiar young men had entered the Jasmine Dragon.

"But the whole reason I ordered it is 'cuz I wanted to hear you complain about how violent a name it is."

"Uhhh..." Aang shrugged, his hands nervously in his vest pockets. His eyes sauntered off, intersecting Mai's, then lit up with relief as he waved. "Oh! Hi, Mai!"

"Hey, Aang," Mai greeted with a nod of the head, pleasantly surprised. She took a couple steps forward to approach them. "Hello, Sokka." Sokka, in a black overcoat, reciprocated her nod.

"'Ey, there, Doom-n'-Gloom. Lookin' sharp today," he pointed a finger at her hair, which was tied up in a messy bun held together by a makeshift chopsticks: a pen and pencil.

"Thanks," she replied dryly.

"No," disagreed Ty-Lee from the machine she was working at. "What's really looking sharp tonight is your coat," she tittered. Sokka smirked, adjusting the coat's collar.

"It is, isn't it?"

Mai rolled her eyes at his 'suave' demeanor. What a tool. Didn't he have a girlfriend, anyway? Ty-Lee...didn't know any better, but he ought to. While she prevented herself from barfing at Sokka and Ty-Lee's smalltalk, she noticed that Aang looked rather lost in thought, no-doubt down on himself after what she had heard happened at the movie theater.

"So, Aang - how's Toph doing?" Mai wondered, hoping to get his mind off of himself while simultaneously finding out why the musician was absent.

"Erm..." Aang blinked, dumbfounded for a moment. "I, uhm-...She's pretty sick, I guess. I heard her voice is practically gone."

"Oh." Mai nodded, glad to have the pieces click together. "That's too bad..."

"Yea..."

"Hope she gets better soon."

"Me, too." Aang's expression was lathered in doubt and guilt, which refocused itself on Sokka in irritation as the young man accepted his coffee from Ty-Lee, both of their faces gushing with sexual tension.

"-so this weather's no big deal for me, really. I grew up in harsh, frigid-"
"Sokka," Aang cut him off in impatience. "You have your coffee now. We going?"

"Eh?" Sokka gaped at Aang, coffee cup in his hands. "Er, y-yea." He sheepishly waved off Ty-Lee. "Sorry - gotta jet. Nice seeing you ladies!"

"Bye~"
"Good night."

As they exited the double-doors and emerged up through the stone steps to the cold campus, Aang shook his head.

"What's wrong with you?" he grumbled to Sokka, who seemed puzzled. "You pull me aside to...to scold me about how I'm conducting my love life, and then you do that?"

"Whaaaat?" Sokka bemoaned incredulously. "That was-! That was flirting."

"Flirting."

"Shameless, harmless flirting."

"Oh, and I suppose Suki would be just dandy with that?"

"Umm...Yea. Probably."

"Probably."

"She'd be fine. Geez, Bro, what's your deal all of a sudden?"

"I don't have a deal. You just...shouldn't be doing that."

"I didn't do anything. I talked. That was all."

"You ogled."

"I ogled," Sokka repeated, eyebrows raised in gaping bemusement

"Yes, you did."

"Were you ogling me ogling her?"

"I-...! What?"

"Because that's pretty messed up, Aang."

"No! No, I was-...Urgh, stop being stupid."

"See, and you're still acting all weird now that we're talking about girls again."

"No, I'm not."

"I'm telling you, I think Shamrocks has a thing for you, so if you like her back, then you should just tell her, and get it-"
"I do not!"

"Riiiight, because having sexual fantasies about your friends doesn't mean anything."

"I didn't have...-!" Aang fumed, his hands rumbling with aggravation. "I don't have feelings like that for Jane," he clarified with resolve.

"Uh-huh. So you're getting all touchy over some other girl you like?" Sokka theorized rhetorically.

"I-I didn't say that," Aang swiftly sputtered, sighing out a cloud of steam into the evening air.

"There's nothing wrong with liking someone after you break up, Aang," Sokka nonchalantly advised. "Just don't do anything rash about it unless you really mean it."

Aang had slipped into that silent, unresponsive mode he fell into when he didn't want to discuss something.

"Because you can't just take back that kind of thing," Sokka went on solemnly. "But you also shouldn't waste time, because there's only so much of it you get, my friend..."

A/N: The stuff between Mai and Zuko is sort of inspired by a scene they have in the upcoming canonical comic I read recently entitled "The Promise (Part 1)," which just happened to tie in well with what is going on with Zuko right now. Meng's SKYPE name is a reference to the episode she appears in: Episode 1 x 14, "The Fortune Teller." The news story about the serial killer is, of course, a nod to the technically un-named character from Season 3 of the series.