Falling For You ✰༄ ѕσkkα

Water || Thread Of Manipulatuon

"Did you eat enough? Need any more water? You can have some of mine—"
"Sokka, I'm okay! Besides, you watched me eat."
"I know," he mutters while dejectedly looking at his cup. His arm is supporting my back, gently rubbing up and down in a soothing manner that he must've picked up from Katara.

He draws in a breath, hesitating before speaking. "To be completely honest, you kinda scared me a bit Y/n."

I almost spit out my water, "What? How?"
"Well, when you said those things I," he sighed allowing his head to droop. "I got scared you were gonna do something. Something that would hurt both of us. All of this stuff is weighing down on you, and you never even told anyone about it. How can I help you if you don't tell me these things?" By the time he's finished, Sokka hid is face in his hands.

"Sokka... I'm sorry. I don't want to be a burden to anyone here."

"But you're not. You're not."

We resumed eating, listening to the growing ambiance of the forest's nightlife. Eventually we finish the rest of our dinner, the Water Tribe boy taking the responsibility of carrying back the barren wooden slab. Our cups rest stacked together in my hands. He gently hit my shoulder with his elbow, "Thanks for talking to me. Even if it was a lot of yelling."
"Yeah. And crying."
"Ah, how could I forget."

He snakes an arm around my shoulders, drawing me into his side as we walk back towards the main area. When the large table is in view, he lets me go. Most of the lanterns have lost their flames, so it was easier to hide within the blanket of darkness shroud around us. Katara and Aang were missing, along with most of the others. Jet however, had been lounging on a sturdy branch, starring at the sky.

"You're back. Finally." He slides off his perch, casually plucking the empty cups and board from our grasps. "Everyone else is asleep. The other two are situated up there, and there's an empty space on the next platform over. I don't think any of the littluns have taken it."
"Thanks."
"I'll wake you bright and early so be ready. And as for you," Jet tucks a loose piece of hair behind my ear, "get some rest. Alright?"

I felt my lips part while I draw an inward gasp at his forwardness. I don't know how to respond, if there's even a correct way. Why is he trying to mess with me? I thought he was more interested in Katara! What am I supposed to do? All I could come up with was to send a sideways glance to my friend, filled to the brim with the most confusion I've felt in a social situation.

Jet's smile played off an innocent and charming personality, but Sokka was having none of it. He captures my forearm in his hand, all the while being incredibly tense. If a single glare could kill, Jet would be dead ten times over. "Yeah, yeah. Let's get going." His voice was forceful, sneering at the other boy who stood before us.

When we had gained some distance from the teenager of the woods, I let out the laugh I've been holding in. Sokka just questionably looks at me, not stopping from his set course to our sleeping arrangements. My footing is staggered due to the force of my giggle fit messing with my usually steady balance. I faintly notice Sokka granting an amused huff to be heard before he turns to face me.

"What? Is there something going on in that lychee nut sized brain of yours?"
"You looked like you were about to explode! Oh my god! This is what you looked like." I gather my strength to hold back my snickers while re-creating an exaggerated version of Sokka's expression. I repeat his words while making my voice tone deeper to amplify the effect.
"No! I did not. You're totally just imagining things." He waved his hands around with minimal effort to retort back at my obviously true statement.
"You really hate Jet, don't you?"

He gives me a look saying are you serious, before allowing himself to join in the small amount of laughter left in my system. After a few more minutes of stumbling around in the dark, I basically crashed into Aang who was sleeping in a bundled heap on the uneven planks of a platform. Katara was completely knocked out, resting atop a makeshift cot that was obviously homemade. We crossed a short rickety bridge before entering the shack that wasn't overrun by any of the aforementioned "littluns".