AtLA Modern: Year 1, Gen. 1

Chapter 8

Zuko and Sokka arrived shortly after Dai. She and Katara were on the couch, but upon seeing Sokka and Zuko arrive, Dai scoffed and rolled her eyes, moving to a chair.

Katara waved at Zuko. "Hey."

Zuko nodded. He glanced at Athlea. "Did you join any sports?" he asked awkwardly.

Athlea didn't move, not even her eyes. "Yeah, I did. Volleyball, bending edition or whatever."

"Now there's some tension in the air." Toph grinned.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Good. You'll be able to beat Azula. Good luck with her as captain." He grabbed a controller as Sokka set up the game and they leaned forward, playing already.

"Hey, Sokka! Zuko!" Aang greeted from the kitchen, smiling.

Dai joined Aang in the kitchen. "Salad?" she asked, starting to make her own.

Aang nodded. "Yup! I don't really eat meat. Religious reasons." He quickly finished his salad and took a bite.

Dai nodded. "I don't either. Health and morality reasons."

"How can you lie without meat?" Sokka asked. Dai rolled her eyes.

"Who knows," Toph muttered.

"Just used to it." Aang chuckled.

After a moment, she raised an eyebrow. "Well, Sokka's here. Time to go to my room." She took her salad and walked away, waving a hand.

"Oh, come on! Don't hate me!" Sokka sighed, his eyes on Dai. Athlea frowned.

"Too late!" Dai called, slamming her door.

Athlea set her phone down, finally looked up at Zuko. "If Azula tries anything, you can find me in jail for killing her."

Zuko shrugged a shoulder. "Sounds good to me," he told Athlea.

"Ha! I like her." Toph crossed her arms.

Katara sat between Zuko and Sokka, taking Sokka's controller. "I wanna try," she said. Moments later, they were killed. Zuko glared at her, and she slowly handed the controller back, smiling nervously.

"Oh, come on, Katara! We lost now!" Sokka facepalmed.

"Don't you guys do anything else, other than gaming?" Athlea asked. "You seem like two introverts that whine about not having girlfriends, but all you do is sit inside playing video games. At least Zuko travels, judging from his Instagram feed, but you?" She crossed her arms, eyes on Sokka.

Sokka nodded. "You didn't have to call me out like that, Athlea, thank you very much."

Zuko glared at Athlea. "Sokka's the one complaining about not having a girlfriend, not me. Besides, I do my homework, at least."

"Keep glaring like that and you'll see me fist in your face. Video games are nice, but you two have no social life."

Zuko blinked at Athlea, his face emotionless. "Terrifying," he said, his voice monotone.

"Don't. Test. Me."

Katara glared at the two. "Knock it off. If you two can't quit arguing, I'll talk to the dorm admin and make sure Zuko can't come here any more."

"What's the dorm admin going to do, Katara? He doesn't give a fuck about the others throwing parties, nor animals. And let me remind you Zuko here can pay his way in, even if he's denied entry. Realistically speaking."

Zuko glared back at her, standing. "I don't know what your problem is, and I don't know why you say rich like I can control over that or it's such a bad thing. Jealousy is a poison, you know."

"Hey! Hey! I have a social life! And social skills!" Sokka protested.

"Which can hardly be seen."

Katara shook her head. "I can't. I literally can't. I'm out." Apparently giving up, she headed to her room as well.

Toph laughed. "I'm enjoying this."

"Me too," Aang agreed.

"Doing your homework means nothing. I say every Friday we gather, all together, and have movie nights, or go out, and have fun." Athlea was still going.

"I like that. I would love me some clubbing," Toph agree.

Aang nodded. "Yes! Music, dancing!"

"Two people agree with my idea," Athlea pointed out.

Zuko blinked, glancing at Athlea and smiling. "That'd be fun," he agreed. He glanced at Dai's door and yelled, "Some of us need to come out of our shells!" Her door opened briefly enough for him to get sprayed in the face before it closed again, and she giggled. "Right," he muttered, wiping his face with his sleeve. "Two days from now, then."

Athlea rubbed her temples for a second, nodding and heading to her room. Sokka turned to Zuko. "Well, man, you seem to be getting on Athlea's nerves a lot, huh?"

He grabbed his coat and moved to the door. "Sokka, you can come over to my house until Ms. PMS gets over her girl problems." He glared at Athlea, slamming the door behind him and walking to his car.

Katara gritted her teeth, glaring after him. "Nicely done, everyone," she said, glancing out of her door before going back into her room.

***

Athlea let out a sigh, the apartment quieter now, running a hang through her black hair. Before she could reach the living room, she stopped, glancing at Dai's room. She stood there for a few seconds before taking a step forward, knocking gently. After a moment she slightly opened the door, popping her head in. "Dai...?"

Dai jerked her head up, flicking a hand across her cheek, though that couldn't hide her red cheeks and blotchy skin, nor the redness of her eyes. "Yeah?" she asked, her voice cracking. She sniffed, blinking quickly, her eyes flitting between the corner of the room.

Athlea took a deep breath and slowly stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Dai leaned back slightly. She moved over, looking at the shrine Dai was standing in front of, candles surrounding images of a girl that could've been her twin; Yue. Athlea grabbed the burnt out candles and dumped them into a garbage. After a moment, she sat down on the bed, where Dai slowly sat next to her. "You can let it out," Athlea finally said, turning to look at Dai. "I can be your shoulder for the night." She smiled.

"One of my roommates won't quit sexualizing me and every other girl he sees. The other keeps arguing with a rich boy who sits there and watches his sister bully me every day at school. My father is grieving thus he hasn't spoken to me in a week because Yue was always his favorite, and my best friend and sister is dead." Dai bit her lip, her face twisting as she started to cry again. "What's there to let out?" she half-joked, wiping her face on a sleeve.

Athlea scooted closer, putting an arm around Dai's shoulders and pulling her closer so that Dai's head rested on her shoulder. She leaned closer, her other hand wrapping around Dai's chest.

***

A/N so something that we really skimmed over in this AU is the backstory. there was never a war, and thus there ARE other airbenders. Yue's death will later be revealed.