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1:30pm on a Saturday
“I’ll see you later tonight, okay?” Suki said over her shoulder as she opened the door to leave.
“Can’t wait!” Sokka called after her with unmistakable heart eyes. It was a lazy afternoon at the Jasmine Dragon, and rather hot outside. Iroh’s iced dragon fruit tea was the most populr item of the day as customers came in looking for a chance to cool down. Inside the shop, Aang and Zuko sat across from each other passively playing a card game while Toph lounged in her usual spot in the corner booth.
“Sokka, I can’t even see you and I know you look ridiculous.” She scoffed. Sokka was sitting with his chin in his hands and staring out the window where Suki had just been, a smile still stuck on his face. At Toph’s comment he blinked and leaned back in his chair, waving his hand dissmissively in the air saying,
“Aw, whatever. You’re just jealous Toph.” Without missing a beat, Toph stomped one foot on the ground, sending a spike of rock underneith Sokka’s chair and knocking him over. “Hey, watch it!” he yelled, standing back upand rubbing his back. Aang sighed and stood up, taking an earth bending stance to fix the cracks in the floor Toph had made then sat back down, slumping deep into his chair. He let out a heavy sigh and toyed with one of the cards in his hands.
“Toph may not admit it, but I will. I definitely wish I was seeing Katara tonight.” He said with a frown. Across from him, Zuko stirred his boba tea absently, apparently deep in thought.
“Yeah, me too actually,” he said after a moment, avoiding eye contat “I haven’t seen Mai in two weeks.” He and Aang looked defeated, no longer interested in finishing the game in front of them. Sokka looked at them with one raised eyebrow and scratched his chin thoughfully.
“Ahha!” he beamed, “I’ve got an idea my fellow companions, hold tight!” and rushed to the back room, then appeared a minute later with a whiteboard and marker. Aang and Zuko exchanged a skeptical look.
“This ought to be good,” said Toph from her booth.
“I’ve got a plan to help you all out with your little dilemma.” He teased. “I call it the ‘S.O.K.K.A. system’, and I’d say it works pretty well.” He said smugly as he wrote the letters of his name vertically down the board.
“The ‘S.O.K.K.A. System’? Sounds like you just made that up,” said Toph.
“Shh, Toph. I’m not taking comments from the peanut gallery at this time, thank you.” Sokka said without looking up from the board. “This little acronym should be the answer to all your problems.” He finished writing and turned around to display the board proudly.
“But Sokka, Katara’s your sister, shouldn’t you be coming up with a plan to keep me away from her?” Aang asked.
“As long as you keep your oogies away from me I don’t see the problem.” Sokka shrugged. “Now let’s go over the basics.” He stod like a school teacher and used the marker to point to the first letters. “The ‘S’ and ‘O’ stand for ‘Show Off’ that’s pretty self explanatory. Just do something cool in front of them to show off how smart you are! But act nonchalant when they tell you how impressed you are”
“Oh brother,” Toph said under her breath. Sokka ignored her and continued.
“The ‘K’s’ stand for ‘Killer good looks’ and ‘Knock out humor’ also self explanatory. Just look your best and make ‘em laugh! Works like a charm”
“Sokka, if they’re self explanatory then why do you keep explaining them?” Toph said
“Because I’m a thorough teacher, now pay attention.” Sokka retorted.
“You can’t seriously believe-”
“Shh! Toph let him talk!” Zuko interrupted. Toph blew a piece of her hair out of her face, then crossed her arms and frowned. Zuko and Aang were on the edge of their seats, eyes locked on the board as if it were a scroll full of ancient bending techniques. Sokka pointed at the last letter of his name on the board, saying,
“Last but certainly not least, is ‘Acts of romance.’ These are romantic gestures you make to show them how important they are to you. Pretty easy, really. Now, any questions?”
“Yeah I have one,” Toph cut in once more “What does Suki see in you again?”
Later that afternoon Aang found Katara sitting quietly in the shade of a nearby courtyard, typing determinedly away on her laptop, the cup of iced tea beside her nearly empty. When she didn’t seem to notice him as he approached, Aang cleared his throat.
“Hey Katara,” he croaked
“Hey,” she said after a moment “Do you need something?”
“Just wanted to show you this!” he said, jumping into the air and forming his signiture air scooter. He spun in a tight circle for a moment then, while balancing on one foot, summoned the water from a nearby pool and formed them into balls of ice and began juggling them high in the air. He finished his stunt by bending the ice he was juggling back into water and forming it in a circle above him, then, planting himself firmly on the ground, he tilted his head towards the sky and roared like a fire-breathing dragon, causing the water to dissipate into a fine mist that rained down around Aang. He turned toward Katara with a wide smile spread across his face, awaiting her response.
“That’s nice, sweetie.” She said without looking up from her laptop.
Elsewhere in the city, Zuko ran into Mai while leaving the gym, and they decided to walk the streets together. For some time they walked in the shadowy parts of the city, hardly saying a word to each other. After awhile, when they turned down a quieter alley, Zuko pulled ahead of her.
“Mai, watch this.” And he unsheathed the swords he was carrying on his back and drew them so that they crossed perpandicular to each other in front of him. He then began turning swiftly on his feet and slicing the air in an intricate display of several different forms and techniques of traditional sword fighting. Once he finished his routine he sheathed his swords and looked back at Mai smugly, who returned his look with an indifferent yawn.
“Is that supposed to impress me?”
“You’re not?”
Mai then pulled out her throwing knives and slung them expertly in the air at Zuko, pinning him precisely against the nearest wall by the fabric of his clothes. She then casually strode up to him and pulled oe knife out of the wall and held it up to his chin.
“Not exactly,” she replied.
Meanwhile, Toph and Sokka milled about a downtown market together.
“I just don’t think you’re exactly the ladies man you think you are.” She said.
“If you’re such an expert, then prove me wrong!” Sokka retorted back, and Toph smirked.
“Is that a challenge?” without waiting for an answer, Toph walked up to a nearby girl who was struggling with lifting several metal crates. “Excuse me, do you need some help?” she asked in an uncharacteristicly polite tone.
“Oh that’s ok--” before she could finish Toph had lifted the crates in the air, saying,
“Where do you want them?”
“O-over there.” She pointed to her booth across the street. Toph waltzed over and dropped the crates where she directed, then used her metalbending to open each of the crates at once.
“Wow, thank you!” the girl said enthusiastically. “Thank you very much!”
“Don’t mention it.” Toph replied cooly.
Under his breath Sokka hissed “Show off.”
“Uh yeah,” Toph whispered “Wasn’t that the point?”
Back in the courtyard, Aang was perched on the stone wall beside Katara, twiddling his thumbs in the cool shade of the tree they were under. She had put her laptop away and was now sitting with her back agaisnt the wall leisurely scrolling through an app on her phone, oblivious to her boyfriend’s awkward restlessness. Finally working up the courage, he cleared his throat.
“Wanna hear a joke?”
“Sure.”
“What do you call a fake noodle?”
“I don’t know, what?”
“An impasta!” Aang grinned from ear to ear at Katara who glanced sideways at him from under her sunglasses.
“And I thought I was the unfunny one of the group.” She said curtly, although a smile was threatening to show on her face. She then turned back to her phone, leaving Aang despondent next to her. Suddenly he jumped to his feet, an idea forming in his mind. Quietly he snuck to the other corner of the yard where he then began bending the water from a fountain. He worked tirelessly in the afternoon sun spinning and forming the water into ice until at last he was satisfied with his work. When he was finished he looked for Katara once again, and caught her just as she was leaving.
“Katara, wait! I have something to show you!” He called, catching up to her.
“Aang, can’t it wait? It’s getting hot out here.”
“Just come one!” he said and tugged her arm excitedly in the direction of the fountain. The two ran hand-in-hand to the other side of the yard, Katara doing her best not to giggle at Aang who was breathless with excitement, but when they got to the area he cried out in disbelief. Katara looked from Aang to the melted ice sculpture, back to Aang.
“I’m confused,” she said “it’s just a round block of ice.”
“No, it was a sculpture of us riding on Appa!” Aang could barely hide the anguish in his voice. Katara patted Aang’s back reassuringly.
“I’m sorry Aang,” she said “I’m sure it looked nice.” She wiped the sweat from her forehead and kissed him on the cheek, saying “it’s just too hot for ice scultures today.” Then turned to leave. Aang was left standing alone, his head hung in grief for the wasted hard work he’d done.
“I hope you’re hungry,” Zuko said over his shoulder to Mai as they walked into the Jasmine Dragon “Because I’ve planned a dinner for just the two of us. How’s fire noodles sound? Extra spicy just the way you like?”
“That doesn’t sound half bad,” she purred and Zuko couldn’t keep himself from smiling as he hurried back to the kitchen to begin cooking. He rushed to heat the stove and pull all the ingrediants out from the pantry, then bagan enthusiastically mincing the vegetables. Once everything was cooking, he snuck back out to where Mai was sitting, attempting to look as casual as possible. For a few moments they sat across from each other, an awkward silence hanging between them. Zuko bit the inside of his cheek aprehensively.
“Uncle told me a funny joke the other day,” He began
“Oh?”
“It started out something like ‘A cabbage salesman and a tea shop owner walk into a bar…’” he trailed off, his brow furrowing as he struggled to remember the joke. Mai sat patiently, with only the slight arch of an eyebrow betraying her amusement. “And, well, I can’t remember the middle parts but I know in ends with the bar tender saying ‘gentlemen, that’s unbe-leaf-able!’” He finished and looked bashfully at Mai who opened her mouth to deliver a stinging reply but gasped instead when she noticed the smoke coming from the kitchen.
“Zuko!” she managed to choke out, pointing at the kitchen with wide eyes. Zuko turned and nearly fell out of his chair. Without a word he sprinted to the kitchen and, taking a single fire bending form, snuffed out the fire from the stove. When the cloud of smoke dissipated slightly, a timid sihlouette of a lemur emerged covered in ash.
“Momo! What did you do!?” he cried. Momo held up a single charred almond cookie in his hand as an offering to Zuko, who slapped it away saying, “Bad Momo! Get out of the kitchen!” Behind him, Mai peered out apprehensively from behind the door.
“Everything ok?” She asked.
“No,” Zuko replied, his cheeks hot with embarressment. “Sorry, I guess no homemade dinner tonight.”
Toph leaned informally against the vendor’s table while she chatted with the girl. Occasionally she’d use her earthbending to lift her cup of iced tea in the air, grabbing it casually from the air before delicately lifting it to her lips to take a sip, all without turning her head away from the merchant. The girl sat on the other side of the table with her face resting in her hands looking up at Toph, tiny giggles escaping from her from time to time as she and Toph talked throughout the afternoon. She seemed completely oblivious to any customers that ventured over to her tent, all who eventually would wander elsewhere once they realized the vendor was preoccupied with other matters. Sokka, however, was not oblivious, and sat in a chair in the far side of the tent, practically seething.
“And that’s when I told ‘em to get lost.” Toph finished another one of her stories with a smirk.
“Wow, that’s incredible!” The girl gasped and Sokka could almost swear he saw both girls blush.
“By the way Ayame, I want you to have this,” Toph stomped the ground and caught an empty metal bottle that had rolled over to her feet. She breathed in deeply, then crushed the bottle in her hands. When she opened them again, the bottle had been formed into an intricate sculpture of a rose, complete with dew drop details and thorns poking about down the stem. “Here.” She said, handing it to the girl who’s blush deepened as she recieved the gift.
“Wow, Toph,” She breathed “Thank you.”
“Well this has been a fun day at the market and all, but we really should be getting back, don’t you think Toph?” Sokka said as he stood up and stretched.
“I think that’s a great idea. Ayame, why don’t you come with us?” Sokka gawked at her
“I bet she’s got more important things to do-”
“I’d love to come with you!” Ayame said enthusiastically, and took Toph’s outstretched hand. Together they started making their way out of the market.
“But what about-”
“Shh, Sokka, we’re not taking comments from the peanut gallery at this time, thank you.” Toph said.
The sun was setting when Iroh returned to his shop after his trip to the farmer’s market. He opened the door cheerfully, whistling a happy tune to himself and greeting a soot colored Momo with a pat on the head as he walked to the back of the shop.
“Sorry uncle, the kitchen is a bit smokey. There was a fire.” Zuko said as he passed him.
“That’s ok my nephew, accidents happen. You know, a wise man once said—” he stopped when he noticed the forlorn look on his nephew’s face. Across from him sat Mai with her elbow propped on the table, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand and looking somewhat awkward. I was then that he noticed with a quick glance around the peculiar scene at the Jasmine Dragon. In one of the booths alongside the far wall was Aang who looked almost as upset as Zuko as he sat crossed-legged next to Katara. Not too far off at one of the tables sat Sokka and Suki who were playing a card game, both of them sneaking the occsional amused look at Toph and Ayame who had seated thenselves in the far corner botth and were delightedly talking away with a plate of cookies between them. Iroh raised one eyebrow, then beamed as he got an idea. “Zuko, why don’t you and your friends go out on the balcony seating to watch the sunset while I fix everyone some dinner?” He offered, and then eagerly began working.
Once the couples were outside, he set mugs of tea at each of their tables, then placed candles between each of them, using his firebending to quickly light them all. He made quick work of dinner, a spicy vegetable and tofu soup with lemon cakes for desert, and once everyone was settled and eating, he got out his pipa instrument and began playing the most romantic set he knew.
“It was awfully nice of Iroh to make us this dinner,” Katara started, and Aang glanced up from his soup at the sound of her voice “And it was nice hanging out with you today.” She finished shyly.
“The days always seem sweeter and easier when I’m spending them with you.” said Aang, and Katara felt her cheeks flush a rosy shade of pink.
“Got any more jokes to tell?” Mai asked after taking a sip of her tea
“No, I don’t have any more jokes to butcher.” Zuko corrected and Mai chuckled
“Good.” She said, then leaned over and planted a quick peck on his lips. “I prefer your more serious side anyway.”
“Thanks again for inviting me here,” Ayame said, tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear as she spoke.
“To tell you the truth, I can’t believe you actually wanted to come. I’m not very good at this sort of thing.” Toph said with uncharacteristic modesty.
“Really?” purred Ayame “Could’ve fooled me.”
“They’re so cute,” Suki said to Sokka with another glance at Toph and Ayame.
“Yeah? I taught her everything she knows.” Replied Sokka with a sly smile and Suki pretended to roll her eyes with feigned annoyance.
“What would any of us do wthout you Sokka.” She said and leaned in to kiss his cheek.
The day rolled into a quiet, cool evening, and after dinner the group of teens stayed outside to gaze up at the stars that were just appearingin the night sky, snuggling up against one anoter and holding hands as Iroh’s music playing soothingly away in the background.