AU: Street Eden

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

People who have known Sokka since he was fifteen, sixteen, or even seventeen have often shared a common hope - that he will, eventually, calm the hell down about his work. Or at least cut down on the questions and excited babbling.

At thirty-four, Sokka is dangling from the roof of one of the two-story buildings in Eden, sitting in a sling constructed entirely of scavenged blankets, replacing a broken bulb in one of the lights they'd long installed on the street. The source of the blood they found on the walls from the beginning was known now and, honestly, they all felt better knowing there was light on the street in the middle of the night.

So.

Dangling Sokka from a roof, replacing a bulb and checking out the wires. Possibly whistling. Though it might be a yowling animal of some sort. As Zuko likes to say, Sokka couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

Comments

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

With much the same expression on his face as he greeted her sister, Sokka looks up and smirks at his slightly-older niece. "You know," he starts, setting his hand tools into the pockets of the sling he's sitting in, "every time you start a greeting like that, I always think you want something. And then you finish it that way and I realize you're just a brat."

In reply, he whistles louder. It should be a familiar tune to Louise, though what song it is happens to be a complete mystery, what with the lack of tune in a bucket.

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"I do," Louise says with the same brattish tone, only now she swings her legs over again and lies on the roof, head resting on her hands as she watches him.

"I want you to stop whistling. Also, have you seen Hana?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"I will continue to whistle until my ego is sufficiently flattered."

o/~

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

Louise rolls her eyes and pouts. "What was wrong with 'Lord of the Spanner'?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"Well, if I actually had a spanner here, it would be effective," he replies, smirking and putting an arm up against the sling to lean his head against it. "But since I don't, I'm hardly the lord of it."

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"Lord of the weirdass blanket sling thing," Louise offers grudgingly.

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"That'll do." Gesturing at her with his screwdriver, Sokka grins at her. "She was up here a little while ago. What d'you need?"

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"She missed training," Louise answers, smirk fading slightly. "Dad got pretty mad, but I said I'd talk to her, find out what was up."

She sighs, and turns her head so her clasped hands are on her cheek instead.

"She tell you about Harry?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Okay, Hana left that part out of their conversation. Which is why Sokka sighs and shakes his head, slumping in the sling. "Yeah, she mentioned him. I wouldn't say that's why she missed training, though - she should be on her way to talk to your dad, anyway."

He hopes.

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Well, I'm glad I'm up here, then," Louise says quickly. But one arm slumps, dangling against his sling.

"Did she say what was really up?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"Out of the way of the ensuing flames, yeah - I might join you on the roof in a minute, just in case they get tall enough to reach the sling."

When she goes about dangling, he sighs again. He thought it was hard trying to take care of Katara but he'd never come anywhere near difficult until it came to getting stuck between two sisters when they're fighting. "We talked for a while, yeah. Let her come to you about it, though, Loo. I know you think it's hilarious when your dad has a heart attack, but think of someone else for a change - it's really annoying for me to have to hear him whine later on."

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"She

won't

," Loo whines, angrily. "She's been all sulky for days and snaps at me when I ask what's up. Did I do something?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Reaching up, Sokka catches hold of her dangling hand and shakes his head. "No, honey, you didn't do anything. She's just having a hard time right now and is taking it out on you. I know it sucks but she isn't trying to hurt you."

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"So much for twins being close," she says, squeezing Sokka's hand tightly. "I'm worried, Sokka. Is she OK?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Laughing a little, Sokka tilts his head as he looks at her. "You're as close as any other siblings, I promise. And she's fine, just confused about some things. I'm hoping she actually did go find your dad and wasn't just saying that to get me off her back."

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

Louise slumps a little, clearly at a loss to what this might be. Then her eyes snap open wide.

"She's not pregnant, is she?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

He'd been just about to release her hand and go back to work but that question has Sokka's chin lifted sharply so he can stare at Louise in something close to, but not quite, horror. "No! Of course not!

"...she's slept with someone?"

At the most, he's hoping that it's only been ONE someone.

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"I don't know!" Louise blurts out defensively. "I... OK, probably not. But still, what's so big that it's go-and-talk-to-Dad time?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Slumping in his sling again, this time in relief, Sokka looks at his oldest niece for a long moment before speaking.

"...remember when you got your first moon and after crying about it for a week, came and told me? Do you know how many times I had to fight with Hana about why I wouldn't tell her what was going on with you?"

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"Hana has

not

just started," Louise snaps back. "I know that, at least."

Yeah, she's not getting it.

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

No, she's not. This is when Sokka reflects on just how useful growing up with Katara was.

"No, but I bet you would've lit me on fire on the spot if I'd just told her what was bothering you the first time she asked."

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

Louise pouts at him again, then slumps in concession.

"You promise she's OK?"

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

"If she needed you," Sokka begins, squeezing her hand and slumping himself to catch her gaze, "I would tell you in a heartbeat. And bring the rope to help you secure her for the following intervention."

'Cause he's just that good of an uncle.

[fire-frays.livejournal.com]

"You'd better," Loo says, grudgingly letting the subject go, "'cause I just whipped Dad's ass at twin swords."

[notanoptimist.livejournal.com]

Sokka stares.

And blinks.

And releases Louise's hand to grab onto his sling and lean waaaaaaaaaay back to peer down the street. "Shit. You think I can warn her from here?"