it always leads to you (in my hometown)

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/45329818.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/F
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Relationships: Katara/Yue (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar), Aang & Toph Beifong &
Katara & Sokka & Suki & Zuko, Katara & Sokka (Avatar), Katara &
Suki (Avatar), Suki & Ty Lee & Zuko (Avatar), Katara/Suki/Yue
(Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), sokka & suki & toph beifong & ty lee &
zuko, Jet & Zuko (Avatar)
Characters: Katara (Avatar), Yue (Avatar), Suki (Avatar), Sokka (Avatar), Aang
(Avatar), Toph Beifong, Bato (Avatar), Hakoda (Avatar), Jet (Avatar),
Smellerbee (Avatar), Ty Lee (Avatar), The Gaang (Avatar), Mai (Avatar)
Additional Tags: past katara/yue, Toph Beifong & Katara Friendship, POV Katara
(Avatar), Injury, Minor Bato/Hakoda (Avatar), Minor Sokka/Zuko
(Avatar), past ty lee/yue, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Song: 'tis the
damn season (Taylor Swift), i relate songs to fictional characters its a
problem, Past Jet/Zuko (Avatar)
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2023-02-25 Updated: 2023-02-26 Words: 6,702 Chapters: 2/?
 it always leads to you (in my hometown)
by friendsofkorra

Summary

you could call me babe for the weekend

Katara visits home for the winter break and gets a taste of what could’ve been

Notes

so yeah i've been working on this for over a year and i was stuck after writing like half of this
chapter until last night when i was like "oh shit, i can just make it a mini fic instead of a
oneshot and trying to cram all of my ideas into one chapter."

and so voila! the first chapter, of probably between 3-6, unless i get carried away and make it
a whole huge fic (which honestly, i just might.)

enjoy (or don't, i'm not the boss of you).

 homecoming
Chapter Summary

Katara is a gay mess and is very touch and feelings-starved.

Katara peers around the corners of the grocery store aisles, trying to find where Sokka has
ventured off to. After many unsuccessful attempts, they finally find him in the alcohol aisle, a
box of wine in either hand, as if contemplating between the two. “Please tell me you’re not
buying boxed wine,” they say, placing a box of crackers into the shopping cart that he had
taken with him.

“Come on, Katara. I’m a PhD student, don’t be ridiculous! Of course I’m buying boxed
wine,” he replies, placing the slightly larger box into their cart. “Besides, it has one of those
taps on it. Much more convenient than a bottle.”

Katara removes the box from the cart and places it back on the shelf. “I’ve got a bottle of
Pinot Noir in my trunk. We don’t need this.” Sokka whines, though his expression makes it
clear that he’s grateful for a night free of cheap grocery store wine. "--And I’m sure that Dad
and Bato have wine at home. They always have a glass before bed.”

“… is that healthy?”

“I mean, It isn't unhealthy..." Katara's thoughts drift as they see a figure that is all too
familiar, strolling through the produce aisle. Turning to Sokka, Katara hears the words leave
their mouth before they can think of what they're saying. "How about you go grab the cheese
for the charcuterie board tonight. I'll get the fruit."

"O-kayyy? Sokka replies as he glances over his shoulder, trying to find the target of Katara's
distracted daze.

"I'll meet you in a few minutes, okay?" Katara gently shoves him towards the direction of
the dairy aisle and turns back towards where the tragically familiar person had recently stood.
Katara frowns as they make their way out of the aisle and quickly surveys the area around
them. They see a blur of white hair entering a few aisles to their left, and they scurry towards
them. Katara reaches out their hand and pokes their shoulder, and an older woman turns to
face them. "Oh, I'm sorry, dear. I don't want any deals today, thank you," she says as she
places a jar of pickled asparagus into her cart.

Katara's stunned. They were expecting-- well, not this. "Oh! Uh, alright. Sorry to bother you,
ma'am," they sputter. The woman smiles and walks away from Katara, leaving them
dumbstruck and embarrassed in the condiments aisle.
"Katara?" a voice calls out from behind them. Katara spins, nearly crashing into the owner of
the voice. "Whoa-! Careful!" Yue says as Katara stumbles, trying to catch their balance. "I
didn't know you work here," She smiles, a soft chuckle escaping her gentle lips.

"Oh-- uh, no. That was just-- it was just a misunderstanding." Yue hums and nods her head,
displacing her bleached-white bangs. Katara watches, enchanted, as she retucks them behind
her ears.

"I know. How have you been?"

"I'm-- I'm doing alright," Katara replies. They feel like they’re eighteen again, sitting in the
passenger’s seat of Yue’s pickup, listening to her ramble on about the waterproofed properties
of duck feathers. The moment before their first kiss. "H- how are you?" They ask, cheeks
flushed.

"I'm doing good," She grins. "I'm really good."

"That's incredible," Katara smiles, a balloon expanding in their throat as Sokka appears in the
aisle. "Yue!" he exclaims, abandoning the cart and entrapping her in a hug. "Oh, good idea,
Katara. Zuko loves pickles-- he'll be very upset if there isn't any on the charcuterie board
tomorrow."

"Oh, is the infamous New Year's party back on this year?" Yue asks as Sokka reaches for a jar
of both sweet and dill pickles from behind her.

"You bet! You should swing by! I'm sure Zuko wouldn't mind-- it's at his and Suki’s and Ty
Lee's place. Do you need the address?"

"No, I, uh-- I've got it already," Yue says, awkwardly rubbing her neck.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," Sokka says.

"About what?" Katara asks, jealousy-based interest suddenly piqued.

"Ty Lee and Yue were--"

"It was nothing--" Yue interrupts. "We just hung out a bit, a few years ago. That's all."

A state of melancholy overtakes Katara. Their gut twists and the balloon in their throat
expands further, accompanied by an overwhelming amount of grief pounding in their chest.
They know what 'hanging out' means--they did it with Yue too, many moons ago. "Oh," they
say, their gaze drifting to Yue's shoes. "Um… well, we should go. Dad and Bato are
expecting these groceries," Katara says, grabbing hold of the abandoned shopping cart and
veering it in the direction of the checkout lanes.
"Right, well, I guess I'll see you two tomorrow night," Yue says, a small smile tugging at her
lips.

"Nine o'clock! Be there or be square!" Sokka proclaims as he chases after Katara. Once he
catches up, he asks the very question Katara wanted to avoid: "What was that about?"
"Nothing," Katara answers with a grumble, placing their items onto the conveyor belt.

"Really? Or are you just repressing your emotions so that this difficult discussion doesn't
have to happen?"

Katara sighs. "Why do you act like you're a therapist? You took one psychology course in
undergrad. You're not in my head ."

"Aren't I? You're angry over seemingly nothing, you're changing the topic of conversation,
you won't make eye contact... the list goes on, Katara."

"Fine! Yue and I... we dated for a while. I guess I just... I don't know. I was hit with a wave of
nostalgia, that's all."

As Katara pays for the groceries, Sokka, who has stepped to the end of the conveyor belt and
started bagging them, squeals like a child that was just told they're going to DisneyLand. This
earns him a skeptical look from the cashier. "Can we talk about this later? I just want to go
home."

"Okay," Sokka says, not even trying to suppress his smile. "This is just so exciting! Why
didn't you tell me?" Katara and Sokka grab the bags and make their way towards the exit,
leaving their cart at the cleaning station.

"Sokka- you literally walked in on us making out. Multiple times. We weren't exactly keeping
it a secret."

"I thought that was just you guys being - besties - or whatever!"

"What?'

"I made out with my best friend all the time!"

"You mean Zuko? Your boyfriend? Who you plan on proposing to tomorrow night?"

"Oh shit, that's right. Damn, how did I not even realize?"

"You were too busy fawning over Zuko. It's fine."

”It is NOT fine! My baby sister’s first love—“

”I’m not a baby! And nobody said anything about love…”

”Your face did when you were speaking to her. And about her. And just now, when I
mentioned love.”

Katara turned away from their annoyingly correct brother, unwilling to admit defeat, yet no
longer arguing his point. From the corner of their eye, they notice Yue’s white pickup truck,
covered in mud, as per usual. The dirt roads of their small town are especially wet this time
of year, typically waiting to freeze solid until a month or so into the new year. Something
stirs within the pit of their stomach- this sight was a constant during a period of everlasting
change. At this moment, it felt more like a curse than a blessing. "Can we just go home?"
they grumble, placing their five bags into the trunk of their dads’ Subaru.

"Fine, but I get to pick the music this time!"

"As long as you don't put on Hall & Oates again, then I really could not care less."

"I promise that I won't play Hall & Oates."

Sokka played Hall & Oates. In fact, he played Out of Touch on repeat for the entire way
home, just to annoy Katara. "Sokka, I swear to god, you're never getting music privileges
ever again!"

"I had to! It's Thursday!" Katara rolls their eyes and hands Sokka the bags from the trunk one
at a time. Bato grins from the door of their childhood home and walks towards the siblings,
wrapping an arm around both of their shoulders’. “Bato—“ Sokka wheezes. “Can’t hold on
any longer—“ he says as the bags drop to the floor, the the shattering of the pickle jars
ringing in Katara’s ears.

“Fuck, Sokka! I really don’t want to go back to the grocery store!”

“You will if Yue’s still there,” Sokka teases in a sing-song voice. Bato sends Sokka a look of
warning then turns to Katara, who’s face flushes a dark crimson with rage.
Bato, ever the peacekeeper, says “Sokka, go inside. Katara and I will bring in the groceries,”
in an almost too-calm tone.

“But—“

”Just go, son.”

Sokka hangs his head and murmurs under his breath as he shuffles into the house. “Yue,
huh?” Bato asks once Sokka’s out of earshot.

Katara grumbles. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

”Alright— but I’m here if you do,” he says as he bends down to grab the dropped bags,
clearly not convinced.

“It’s just—“ Bato looks up at Katara. There are tears in their eyes now, and they can’t
comprehend why. “It’s just that it felt— when I saw her at the store, I felt the same as I had
back then… and I didn’t think that I would still feel the same now— I didn’t know I could
still feel that way— about anyone. But she’s moved on, and I guess I just feel— I don’t know.
It’s silly." They wave their hand, trying to play it off as less of a big deal than it actually is.

Bato sighs, abandoning the previously dropped bags to place his hand on Katara’s shoulder.
“It’s not silly— not in the slightest.” He wipes a tear from Katara’s cheek. “You know that
your father and I have been friends for a long time, yeah? Like, since we were kids.” Katara
nods. “I think we were fourteen when I fell in love with him. He didn’t know it at the time, he
was- how do I put this kindly... he was denser than a rock,” he chuckles. “But,” he continues,
“he was still my best friend. And eventually, he met your mother, and they fell in love and
had you and your brother. I was heartbroken, of course, but he was still my best friend, and
your mother was the person that he needed at that moment-- so I learned to live with my
pain- I pushed it down, of course, but it was always there. And then, when your mother
passed, he was broken— you remember, he wouldn’t sleep, he wouldn’t eat— the war
happened, and he set out to fight, so naturally, I followed.” Tears are welling in Bato’s eyes
now, too. “The idiot needed someone who would nurse him back to health if he did anything
stupid. I can remember the day he figured it all out— that I was in love with him. The
dummy had slipped while we were walking the edge of a cliff. I grabbed his arm, but we both
went flying off the edge— thankfully there was water at the bottom— but when we emerged,
still holding on to one another, he looked at me and his face changed— softened, really, and
he asked why I went down with him, but he knew. He understood perfectly— and he
would’ve done the exact same thing for me.”

Bato sighs, wiping his eyes. “My point is,” he says, finally grabbing the grocery bags from
the ground, “that love doesn’t just disappear. I loved your father for decades, I never ‘moved
on,’ even when he was with someone else.” Katara smiles, hugging Bato around the waist.
”What I’m trying to tell you, Katara, is that if your relationship meant as much to Yue as it
did to you, she probably still feels love for you on some level. I’m sure she’s reacting the
exact same way that you are at this very moment.”

”Not true,” Katara laughs through a sniffle. “Yue’s way more cool and collected than I am.
I’m still just the nerdy eleventh grader who had a massive crush on the captain of the ice
hockey team. The only difference now is that all my time is spent writing my freaking thesis
instead of yearning for an older girl. I’m not even sure I know how to have a crush anymore,
it’s been so long.”

“I’m sure with a little practice you’ll be a pro at yearning in no time. Honestly, it only took
me a few minutes to get right back into my deeply infatuated state when your father started
showing his romantic feelings towards me.”

Katara sighs as they grab the remaining two grocery bags from the trunk, closing it swiftly
afterwards. Bato walks towards the house and beckons Katara to follow him. “Come on, it
can’t be all that bad,” he says, placing the grocery bags onto the kitchen counter. Katara
scoffs as they close the front door, a bag in either hand. "It absolutely is that bad! This is the
last thing I need right now. Dr. Yagoda has been on my ass about finishing my report on
Necrotising Fasciitis treatments, and the rough draft of my thesis is due in two months! This
is just another distraction that’s going to end by causing too much procrastination. Besides,
we're only going to be in the city together for a week, and we only have plans to see each
other once: at a party with a bunch of other people. There isn't much progress we could make
over the course of one night. I'm just gonna get my hopes up, and as per usual, we'll go our
separate ways and won't speak to each other for another year."

"It doesn't have to be that way, and you know it. It just takes communication and trust."

"Two things I don't have time for at this point in my life. The only people I trust right now are
my mentor and my lab partners. I can't afford to trust anyone else or I’ll lose focus on what
really matters: my schoolwork, my thesis, my labs."

"You said yourself that you've got a whole week. Forget about your thesis for a while, forget
about the labs and the schoolwork. Now is the time to take a step back, evaluate your
situation, and give yourself time to relax and-" Bato's putting a package of dried chickpeas
into the cupboard when a small hole tears in the bag. Chickpeas fall out of the bag and roll
across the kitchen floor in every direction. He sighs and grabs the broom from the closet as
Katara pinches the bridge of their nose with their thumb and index finger. "Look, if you want
to try again with Yue, then you really need to try. I get that it feels like there's no time or
space for anything else in that jam-packed brain of yours, but just give yourself a couple days
free of thoughts of school, just... take it easy."

It's at this moment that Sokka walks into the kitchen. "'Take it easy?' Katara? When have you
ever known Katara to 'take it easy?'"

"Ha-ha," Katara deadpans. "Do you ever shut up?

"Yeah, actually, I do. Anyways, I just came in here to let you know that Zuko and I are
meeting up with Toph, Suki, and Aang at the bowling alley. I'm sure they'd all love it if you
came."

Katara looks at Bato. "Go," he says. I'll finish putting these away." They smile and kiss Bato
on the cheek before following Sokka to the front door to put on their shoes and jacket.

As they approach Freedom Bowl, Katara asks: "Is it disco-bowl tonight?"

"Yeah but that doesn't start until later. It hurts Zuko's eyes, so we always go before it starts.
Plus they always make popcorn with the edible glitter on it, so we always get a fresh batch if
we go early."

"Glitter popcorn?" Katara makes a face of disgust.

"It actually tastes better than you would think. They mix it in with sugar, so it just gives it a
bit of a candied taste. Like Kettle Corn."

Katara hums lightly as they get out of the car. They're the first ones there, so they book the
lane and order all the shoes. "Can we get two lanes at the end, please? We'll need three pairs
of size six, a nine, an eight and two tens. And we'll also need a ramp."

"For sure, no problem," says the guy behind the counter. "It's just gonna be a few minutes for
the ramp, I put it in the computer so someone should bring it by any minute." He looks
around the same age as Sokka, and he has a double piercing on his left eyebrow, two hoops,
one silver and one gold. His name tag says 'Jet.' Katara's about to ask Sokka why they're
getting seven pairs of shoes, but Jet speaks first. "So, is this your partner or..." He asks Sokka.

"Katara? Oh god no! Eugh! They're my sibling!" Sokka makes fake gagging noises, and Jet
chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck. "So-"
"Hello, love." Zuko's soft-spoken voice comes from behind Sokka as he swings around and
gently pecks Sokka on the cheek. Jet blushes from behind the counter. "Oh, hi Jet, I didn't
know you work here!"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Just helping out Smel while I'm on a break from school. She runs the place
with her cousin and uncle."

"Nice," Zuko says before turning back to Sokka. "Did you already get the shoes and ramp
sorted out?"

"Yeah, we're just waiting on the ramp."

"Uh, hello. I'm here too?" Katara waves their arms from beside Sokka. "Just in case you
didn't notice," they say, grinning.

"Katara! How are you?" Zuko asks as he abandons Sokka and gives them a hug. "Sorry, I
just-"

"-Haven't seen your boyfriend in two whole hours? Oh my, how will you ever survive?"
Katara jokes as they pull apart.

“Hey, what’s that smell?” An all-too familiar voice asks from behind Katara. “Oh! It smells
like a bitch in here!” “Come here, Toph. I know you missed me,” Katara says, pulling their
friend in for a hug. “Eugh! As if!”

Katara pulls back with a surprised expression and gave a hearty laugh. “Where did you learn
that? I didn’t think you were one for romcoms,” they say.
“She was hanging round ours when Ty Lee forced us to watch Clueless.”

“‘Forced’ is a strong word, Zuko. You were on the couch before Ty Lee could even say the
title of the movie,” Toph laughs.
“Because there were hot Cheetos! You know they’re one of my few weaknesses.”

“That and cheesy romcoms,” says Suki, who had walked in just when they first mentioned
Clueless. She looks as cool as ever—the top half of her auburn-dyed hair in a bun, a black
flannel over a sage green crop top, black jeans, platform combat boots, and red winged
eyeliner that made it very difficult to look away. “Hi, love,” she says, wrapping an arm
around Katara’s shoulders and giving them a kiss on the cheek. Katara can feel themself
blush as they grin back at Suki. “Hey. Long time, no see.” They try to say it casually, but
something hitches in their throat. There’s always been something about Suki that makes
Katara flustered— they just never had the chance to properly figure out what it was.

Suki’s arm is still wrapped around their shoulders when Aang walks in, chatting animatedly
with Yue. Katara’s stunned, still as a statue when Jet hands them their shoes and when
Pipsqueak, one of Zuko’s old classmates from high school, brings over the ramp and engaged
in a conversation with him for so long that it ended with Zuko inviting him and the rest of the
“Freedom Fighters” to the New Year’s Eve party.
Yue’s still talking with Aang, and the group has now wandered over to their lanes at end of
the alley, (Katara guided by Suki in their stunned state), but Katara can feel her eyes on them
as they enter the names into their lane’s scoreboard.

AANG
SUKI
KATARA
YUE

“No Katara, write something funny!” Sokka calls from the next laneover. Katara sighs as they
look at the other group’s scoreboard.

ZOOMIES
SOCK
DWAYNE JOHNSON

Katara sighs, rolling their eyes as they change the names to the regular nicknames on the
scoreboard.

FART BRAIN
SHE WOLF (courtesy of Sokka)
THEM WOLF (also courtesy of Sokka)

…They don’t know what to put for Yue. ‘Pretty girl?' ‘Take me now?' They look over at Yue,
who glances between Katara and the scoreboard with anticipation. “Here, allow me,” Suki
says. She leans in front of Katara, her hair right in their face. Katara’s heart skips a beat and
they nearly swoon at the scent of Suki’s coconut conditioner. After a moment of
contemplation, Suki writes “BETTY WHITE.”

Suki sits up, grinning and Katara smiles. “I don’t get it,” Yue says. Sokka’s laughing from the
other table and is offering Suki a high-five, which she graciously accepts.

“I think it’s because you have white hair,” Katara says.

“Are you saying I look like Betty White?” Yue asks Suki.

“Hey! Betty White was a total babe in her prime!” Suki flashes her award-winning grin at
Yue, and Katara can feel something burn deep within them.

“I wasn’t aware Betty White had a ‘prime.’ She’s still hot!” Sokka says.

“Ew, Sokka! She’s like— older than Gran Gran!“

“She’s a GILF.”

“Please stop.”

“So what I’m hearing,” Yue intervenes, a certain elusiveness in her voice, “Is that you think
I’m hot.”
“Pfft— uh— uhm-“ Katara sputters as Suki says “Absolutely.” Yue chuckles as she looks
between Katara’s flustered expression and Suki’s confident one. “You two make a cute
couple,” she smiles.

“Oh— uh— we’re, uh—“

“Thanks! We definitely would be a cute couple. If we were one— but alas, we’re not,” Suki
says, leaning her head on Katara’s shoulder and caresses their hair, causing a deep crimson to
rise in their cheeks.

“Guys can you quit your flirting so we can bowl already?” Aang asks. “It's your turn, Suki.”

“Already?”

“It has been for the past fifteen minutes! at least! The other group’s already at round three!”

“-And we have Sokka and Zuko on our team, who have been too busy sucking each other’s
faces to bowl!” Toph nearly shouts from the other table. “I may be blind but I'm not deaf! I
can hear your fucking saliva sloshing around, you horn dogs!” she shouts, waving a hand in
front of her face, John Cena-style.

“Oh shit. Sorry, Aang.” Suki sits upright and stands up, leaving the table, and simultaneously
leaving Katara with a (literal) cold shoulder.

“It’s okay! At least you’re not all making out like Sokka and Zuko.”

“Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of opportunities for that,” Suki winks, picks up her bowling
ball, and to top off her smoothness, scores a strike. As the group congratulates Suki for the
first strike of the night, Katara takes a few deep breaths, collecting themself before standing
up to take their turn. They smile at Suki, who just rose from taking a bow, as they approach
the lane.

“Nice one,” they say awkwardly, their breath hitching in their throat when Suki grins back at
them. “Thanks,” she answers.

There’s a moment where Katara is uncertain of their next move. Do they offer her a high-
five? Do they continue on as though Suki didn’t just melt their insides and take their turn? Do
they full-on make out with Suki in the middle of the bowling alley?

Their choices disappear as Suki walks past them, and with her passing comes a slight brush
of fingers. Katara, too flustered to even think straight, grabs the wrong bowling ball. A 16
pound ball, one that was already in the lane and none of them were strong enough to bring all
the way back to the rack, falls on their toes. With a stabbing pain in their foot, Katara shouts,
raising concern from their friends. As Sokka and Suki lift the ball from Katara’s foot, they
know immediately that something is wrong.

“Katara, are you alright?!” Sokka asks, worry evident in his voice.

Katara tries to move their foot but can’t. Tears form in their eyes but they push them down. “I
need to go to the clinic,” they choke out over the lump in their throat. they accept Sokka’s
arm for support. “I don’t think I can walk.”

“Here, get on my back,” Suki says, squatting down in front of them. Katara leans onto Suki’s
back and bends their knees, allowing Suki to grab hold of them and stand up. Katara can see
the concern rising in their friend’s faces as they watched their pathetic attempt to not jump or
put weight on their injured foot.

“Come on, I’ve got a friend at the clinic down the street, I’ve already texted her,” Yue says,
pulling out her keys. “We can take my truck.”

Suki follows Yue, carrying Katara to the painfully familiar pickup, and Katara allows the
tears to fall down their cheeks. She props Katara onto the back seat, letting them lay down
before shutting the door and hopping into the passenger side. Yue starts the truck and they
take off.
 bruised toes and fractured hearts
Chapter Notes

i was listening to laufey and folklorevermore as i wrote this. sorry.

slightly shorter chapter bc i was STRUGGLING at the beginning. but we pushed

through. months later. we did it.
despite me saying on tumblr that i would edit this heavily, i, in fact, did not edit this at
all because it is 3:14 a.m.

thank you and goodnight.

See the end of the chapter for more notes

The last thing Katara expected when they woke up was to be face-to-face with Yue's ex-fling.
As their eyes flutter open and they groan, they squint at the rectangular fluorescents on the
ceiling of the clinic with a dull ache behind their eyes. "Wh-?"

Katara can't get a word out before Sokka's shouting in their ear. "THANK GOD YOU'RE
ALIVE!"

"Sokka? Wha-" They falter at the sight of the empty chairs next to her brother's recently
vacated seat. "Where're Yue and Suki?"

"They're in the waiting room," Nurse Ty Lee says from beside the gurney. "We only allow
family and significant others in the room while you're unconscious. Your fathers are on their
way."

Katara groans. "Oh, no, don't bother them, I'm fine," Katara says, their fleeting attempt to sit
up disrupted by both Sokka and Ty Lee's hands on their shoulders, pinning them down.
"Seriously," Katara groans. Their lungs betray them with a sharp intake of breath as Ty Lee
begins to palpate their foot.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry. Let me know where it hurts," she says, as though she's not
purposefully applying pressure to the most painful area of Katara's injured foot.

Katara lets out a staggered breath and says "Well obviously it hurts where you're putting
pressure on it." There's a tone of sarcasm and anger in their voice that Ty Lee doesn't pick up
on, but Sokka, clearly understanding the cause of the additional attitude, gives them a look of
warning, as if telling them to be nice.

"Alright, thank you. I'm going to continue palpating, let me know where the pain is the
worst," She says.
For what seems like an eternity, Ty Lee palpates up and down and underneath their foot,
along the side of their calf, and the their heel. Katara, gritting their teeth through the pain,
describes where, what type, how deep, and how bad their pain is in every area of the test,
then is brought for an X-ray, which was thankfully offered in the clinic by one of Zuko's
family friends, a deadpan woman named Mai who Katara had met a few times prior.

"Well, your X ray doesn't seem to show any breaks, but you can't be too certain this early
after an injury. We'll schedule you for another X-ray after the new year, once the swelling has
gone down," She's telling Katara as she wheels them back to the treatment room. "We could
technically do a tuning fork auscultation, but I honestly doubt this is anything more than a
bone bruise- and that's worst case scenario."

"Good," Katara sighs. "The last thing I need is a break."

It's two o'clock Sunday, and Katara's laying in their childhood bed. New Year's Eve, and
they're under the blankets with their braced leg elevated and iced. They sigh as they scroll
through Yue's Instagram profile, a pit digging deeper into their gut the farther they stalk into
the past.

It's useless, they know. Everything has changed, they couldn't get back to how they were, no
matter how much friendly flirting they partake in- and no matter how flustered it makes
Katara.

They come across a picture of the two of them, they're asleep on the hammock in Hakoda and
Bato's backyard. Thought this was cute <3 photo creds to Sokka, who tried to use this as
proof that we never let him use the hammock.

A small smile creeps onto Katara's face as they remember this moment perfectly- despite
being asleep at the time. They had gone to the beach that afternoon, and the time in the sun
had made them drowsy. The two friends had laid down on the hammock, as they normally
did in the warm summer afternoons, and Katara had fallen asleep with their head in the crook
of Yue's shoulder. They hadn't realised that Yue had fallen asleep as well, but her arms and
legs were wrapped around Katara's body, as if she somehow knew that they would soon be
leaving her behind.

The very first comment on the post, of course, was Sokka trying to defend his point. The next
comment, however, caught Katara’s attention. They hadn’t seen it when they had initially
seen the post. Beneath Sokka’s original comment, Yue had replied “shut up idiot.” Then,
below: “sorry ur not madly in love like we are.”

Struck with a sudden feeling of nausea, Katara places their phone face-down on the bed next
to them. Years later, after the months of questioning the terms of their situation, Katara was
more confused than they were during the relationship itself.
Determined not to face their issues today, they decide right then and there that they won't be
attending the party. They text the "BoomerAangs" group chat (named by Sokka, who won't
let any of them change it), sending their apologies, but they're not feeling so hot. Sokka, ever-
so excited, has other plans. Immediately after the text is sent, the door to to their room is
slammed open, deepening the already formed hole in the stopper-less blue wall. Wearing a
navy blue suit sans tie (he claims they make him warm, but Katara has unwillingly seen the
way that Zuko's cheeks flush when Sokka's top buttons are undone), Sokka stands in the
entryway of their bedroom, eyes wild. "Up and at 'em, Katara!"

They groan, pulling the sheets over their head in protest, but Sokka yanks them clean off the
bed, sending their phone flying onto the carpet.

"Come on! You have to come! Who else is going to record the engagement?"

"Fuck, I forgot about the proposal," Katara grumbles, propping themself up on their elbows.
"Also: Aang? Toph? Suki? Yue, who you invited literally yesterday- don't think I forgot about
that. Literally all of them are going to be there."

"Yeah, but I can't tell Aang about it beforehand because he can't keep a secret to save his life;
he'll be sus all night. Toph's laughter will ruin the audio, and, I hate to say this about my best
friend, but Suki is truly horrible at filming. She shakes too much! I don't know how she used
to paint professionally, because any video she records looks like she's falling off the side of a
mountain!"

"Fine, I'll come, but that's the only reason why."

"Not even for the charcuterie board? We have brie and honey."

"Okay, you know I love brie. But that's it. For real."

"Oh you love brie? The same way you loooooo-" Katara throws a pillow at their brother,
hitting him square in the face. "Ow! You're going to mess up my hair!"

"Sokka you have the same hairstyle every day."

"Yeah, but today is special. I can't look bad."

"Whatever. Get out, I need to change."

"Okay! I'll be downstairs. Wear something sparkly, it's a festive occasion!"

Katara looks down at their all-black pyjamas and grunts. Something Sparkly is not part of
their aesthetic at the moment. They instead opt for a periwinkle top with ruffled short sleeves
and a sheer torso (something not typical for their wardrobe, but they had seen it at the mall
the week before they left for university, and ended up forgetting it in their closet) and pair of
dark brown dress pants. After tying the top half of their hair into a bun, they apply a black
eyeliner with some previously untouched translucent sparkly gold eyeshadow to appease
Sokka, then hobbled downstairs, where they put on a comfortable pair of sneakers (The
apartment was a no-shoes household, so it didn't really matter what shoes they wore).
"Now that's what I'm talking about! Some festivity!" Sokka shouts as he saunters into the
hallway, phone in his hand, undoubtedly FaceTime with his soon-to-be fiancé. He taps the
screen and points the camera at Katara. "Don't they look nice? I wish they'd put this much
effort in when I ask them to go literally anywhere else."

"Hey, take it easy on your sister, they don't have our good looks," Hakoda says from the
doorway to the kitchen.

"I look more like you than Sokka does" Katara retorts.

"Well I guess that makes Sokka the ugly one!" He offers a high-five to Katara, which they
begrudgingly accept. Hakoda, though the father of two children and nearly in his mid-fifties,
is "young at heart," a term Bato uses to describe their father's child-like sense of humour
(namely when he makes fart jokes). As a chuckle emerges from the person who isn't actually
in the room with them, Hakoda looks at Sokka's phone screen and waves. "Zuko, my man!
How's it going?"

Sokka looks at their father and furrows his brows. "Dad, the camera's not even pointed at
you, stop waving." He taps the screen again and points at the corner, where his and Hakoda's
faces are. "Hey! Why are we so small?"

"Because it's not a selfie, dad, it's a video call."

"Wait- can I do that on my phone?"

"Dad I've already explained FaceTime to you like four thousand times. Just get Bato to make
the call for you."

"I'll have him call Katara at the countdown, that way we can-" bloop "-watch as you
propose."

"Dad!"

"Oh my god we have to go. Dad you are so annoying, you literally almost ruined it. You're
lucky I hit the mute button when I did, or else Zuko would know, and it wouldn't be a
surprise. We are leaving. I will see you tomorrow night."

"Bye! Have fun!"

Katara flips the cassette tape in Sokka's stereo as they wait for him to come out from the
party store. A personalized playlist of the best pump-up songs from when Katara and Sokka
were kids flow through the car sound-system, heavy bass thudding against the arm that
they've rested on the inside of the door. From the passenger seat of of Sokka's '86 Aerostar,
they watch through the store window as their brother smiles at the cashier, undoubtedly
cracking jokes about the weather and holidays and whatnot. They've always admired how he
can put on a happy face, even when he's scared shitless or about to propose to his longtime
boyfriend (or both).
The interaction is quick. Happy and full of laughter, but quick. Sokka pays for the balloons, a
bundle of silver stars and midnight blue and lilac spheres of different sizes, and cracks
another joke to the cashier. They smile, handing him his change and the bundle, and Sokka
rushes out, throws the balloons into the back of the van, and crashes into the driver's seat of
the van.

"Did I miss Maneater?" He asks as Katara presses play on the tape player.

"Which one?"

"Either. Both."

"Hall & Oates, yes. Nelly Furtado, no."

"Fuck. I could really use some Hall & Oates right now. I'm about to shit my pants," he says,
squirming in his seat as he clutches the gearshift, preparing to pull out of the lot.

"Wait, Sokka. Don't go yet."

Sokka lets go of the of the shift, sinking into his seat. He turns his head and torso to Katara.
"What's up?"

"I just... I wanted to say that I'm proud of you," they say. "You're my older brother, and I've
watched you grow up from a goofy little asshole to this person who cares so deeply and loves
so truthfully and... I'm just glad that after everything we went through as kids- with mom's
death and dad's... absence... that you've grown into such an amazing person. I know that you
are going to be the best husband to Zuko-" they swallow a lump in their throat and chuckle "-
and the most annoying newlywed. I love you, dude."

Katara and Sokka are both trying their best not to cry, so as not to ruin their makeup.

Sokka leans over to Katara, wrapping them in a soft hug. "I love you too, doofus. Thank
you." They pull apart, and Sokka sits back in his chair, only his head turned in Katara's
direction. "Well that definitely made my shits go away."

Katara chuckles, a finger under each eye to prevent tears from ruining their makeup. "Gross.
Let's go get you engaged."

As Katara and Sokka reach his apartment, they come across their first setback of the
evening.

"The stairs- how could I forget about the stairs?" Sokka is saying as Katara look towards the
top of a 20-step flight of stairs. Sokka and Zuko live in on the top-floor of a duplex, no
elevator or accessible entrance. Which meant that Katara was supposed to climb said flight of
stairs- which was going to be difficult, considering they can't even bear weight on their
injured foot.
 "Alright, I'm just going to have to carry you," Sokka says, placing the weighted balloons back
into his car.

"No way," Katara says. "I'll just take your car and go back to the house. I can still drive with
my good foot."

"I think you're forgetting that I drive manual. Which equates to both feet, dumbass. Now get
onto my back. It'll be just like when we were kids."

"Fine, but you better not drop me like you did back then. Idiot."

Sokka squats in front of Katara, who hesitantly leans into his outreached arms, lifting their
injured leg so he could grab it, before jumping with their good one. They put their arms
around Sokka's neck and he leans towards the car and lets Katara grab the balloons. By the
time they finally manage to slide the van door closed ("I shouldn't have picked you up so
early!"), and get up the stairs, Sokka is sweating and panting like a dog in the summer,
despite it being nearly freezing temperatures and not wearing a winter coat. He passes Katara
into the closest pair of arms he can finds, instructing them to bring them to the couch, and
reaches for a glass of punch. After taking a sip he lets out a sigh. "Thirst quenched. You guys
want some?" He asks Katara and their carrier.

"No, I've got a glass, thanks," Yue says, placing Katara on the couch. She sits down next to
them, giving them a once-over. "Nice shirt, I remember when you bought that one. Glad I
finally get to see you wear it," she says with a smile that is all-too stomach-churning.]

Against any sense of self-preservation Katara thinks they have, they stutter, feeling a rush of
heat rise to their cheeks, "Y-yeah, I thought it was about time."

"It suits you. I'm really happy you could make it, Zuko said he wasn't sure if you were
coming."

They look down. "I wasn't really up to it at first, but Sokka convinced me."

Yue grabs their hand and though they thought it impossible, Katara's cheeks are burning even
hotter and redder.

"There's so much we need to talk about."

Chapter End Notes

it's 3:05am the next day. I have done some minor editing.
Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!