AtLA Modern: Year 2, Gen. 1

Chapter 7

"NO! NO! NO!" Hugyeja protested, jabbing the buttons on the controller. "God fucking damn it!"

Next to her, Wei was much more calm. "I told you, this is a game of technique."

"You literally just key smash the whole time. That's how everyone plays every game."

"And why you lose every time," Toph muttered.

Dagi raised an eyebrow. "Every game has its own technique."

Wei beat the round and glanced around while Huggy slid back into the couch, arms crossed. "Anyone else wanna try?"

Sahel smiled and raised his hand. "I want to!" he announced happily, grabbing the controller.

"Show 'em how it's done, Sahel," Dagi said with a grin.

Wei shook her head, grinning slightly, leaning forward and starting another match. Huggy changed spots to a chair so Sahel could sit on the couch. "I'm just gonna win again," Wei giggled. Another match started, and they began to play.

Dagi raised an eyebrow. "You seem to sure of yourself. Sahel is the best player of this game, no joke."

Wei rolled her eyes. "Well, according to Huggy, it's Sokka, but I'm starting to think it's me, because Huggy plays with Sokka and I beat her easily. And I'm beating Sahel." She grinned, nodding at the screen where it displayed the score, five to three.

Sahel looked very troubled look on his face, frowning. Dagi blinked a few times, his left eye twitching. "Excuse you," he said, lips pressed together. You're very... ahem... good," he said hesitantly.

Wei giggled at his slow admittance, stopping and leaning back as the screen announced that she had beaten Sahel. She glanced up at Dagi, raising her eyebrows. "I told you. Technique." She bit her lip, grinning.

Sahel set his controller down in silence. He leaned back into the couch, fists in his lap. Dagi looked from his best friend to Wei and blinked. "Or you cheated... That's a possibility," he said, pointing at the screen. "This? This is not a possibility. He never loses!" he said, voice high.

Wei turned and blinked at Sahel. She grinned, turning toward him and leaning back against the arm of the couch, her legs bent, feet on the couch. "Awww, okay, I won't beat you again," she promised, while Toph and Katara burst out laughing.

Dagi raised an eyebrow. "That's straight up embarrassing," he pointed out, lips pressed together as he watched Sahel lean further into the couch. "You embarrassed my best man! Look at him, he's like a sad puppy," he said with a laugh.

"Shut up!" Sahel said, pouting now.

Wei giggled, glancing at Dagi, then Sahel. "Uh... oops. Sorry I'm better?"

Toph cackled. "Sahel got his ass kicked by a girl!" she teased.

Wei smiled at Dagi's and Toph's teasing, shaking her head. "So sad," she cooed, joining in.

"How is that any better!?" Dagi asked, facepalming.

Sahel rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "The point isn't who beat me, it's that I got beat at my favorite game." The firebender pouted and finally stood up.

"Soo... Wei, you're new to the school, huh?" Dagi asked, raising an eyebrow, a grin on his face. "If so, how do you find your roommates so far."

"Well, I got in for metal bending, so obviously I'm a fan of Toph."

"Everyone likes me," Toph pointed out, heading to her room.

Wei tilted her head. "Ehhh..." She turned to Dagi again. "Honestly, I've only really talked to Toph, Dai, and Huggy. They all seem fun, though."

Dagi laughed at her words. "Can't believe you left the Avatar out of it. I mean, Katara sure, strict, motherly, blah blah. But the Avatar!? And Sokka? You left Sokka out? Damn, girl."

Wei furrowed her brows. "Well, like I said, I haven't really talked to Katara or Aang. And Sokka doesn't even live here, so..." She raised an eyebrow, giving him a look.

Dagi raised an eyebrow. "Well... you should." he said after a second of silence. "The previous roommates plus everyone now? Best group, best team ever. You gotta socialize, gotta meet them," he suggested with a grin. "Though we did have a few misunderstandings, I may say, in the past, they are very cool people." He nodded. 

"Right," Wei responded, shrugging. "I can find my own friends," she pointed out. "I don't need to be friends with your group just because I live with some of them." She stood and ruffled her hair, moving into the kitchen for a drink of her own. "And don't think Toph forgot to tell me about what happened last year. I wouldn't call that a misunderstanding." She raised an eyebrow, glancing at him, filling a glass of water.

The grin vanished from his face and was replaced by an annoyed look. "You're in no place to judge, missy, given that you don't know anything. Nor should you have been told anything." He crossed his arms.

Sahel frowned and set his glass down. "That's inconvenient. I'm sure there was no need to discuss about our past affairs."

Wei pulled herself onto the counter, a can of V8 in a hand. "I'm not judging," she said more gently. "But it's not something that I'm going to ignore, either." She furrowed her brows at them. "It's not like I control what Toph tells me. She's my best friend, anyways. She should be allow to talk to me about whatever she wants." Mumbling, she added, "Not like I was demanding to know your pasts."

Dagi rolled his eyes. "Right, right..." he said, running a hand through his hair. "Last time I check we don't open our mouths to anyone!" he yelled toward Toph's room, then shook his head. Wei flinched, turning away.

"However you perceive it is up to you." Sahel said, much calmer in contrast.

She turned her gaze to Sahel, then back to Dagi, leaning her head on her hands, head tilted, eyes narrowed. "It seems just like bad luck, but Dagi here is making it seem like he feels guilty about it." She hopped off the bar, shaking her head and walking to her room, tapping Dagi on the nose as she went. "I'll talk to you later, when everyone is done yelling, Sahel! Nice to meet you!" She shut the door behind her.