Koete ↠ Sokka

Chapter 9: The Damned - Part 1

The walk to Jet and Katara was a tiresome one, feeling way longer than it should have. Aang wouldn't stop going on about how cool he thought Jet was, and it annoyed both Sokka and Charlie to no ends. She felt like she was babysitting a hyperactive toddler.

They found the couple setting a large wooden table with dishes of cooked food in preparation of the feast they'd be having that night. It was so domestic. Charlie raised her eyebrows at the display.

"Charlie!" Katara smiled, finally tearing her eyes away from Jet long enough to process her and Sokka standing side-by-side. "Where have you been? Jet just showed us around his hideout, it's amazing.

"So we've heard," Charlie replied, wrinkling her nose slightly and peering over the table of food. "What's the occasion?" she asked casually.

"A toast—to celebrate our step closer in defeating the Fire Nation," Jet said casually, placing down a bowl of bright red berries.

"Right..." she drawled out, rolling her eyes.

Just then, Smellerbee and Pipsqueak came hurrying around the corner. They pulled Jet to the side and talked in hushed tones between themselves. Charlie would have crept closer to them to hear the conversation, but she noticed Katara giving her a strange look—or more so, the orange mess that sat atop her head. "I thought Sokka said you went to brush your hair?"

Charlie tensed, glancing back and forth between her and Sokka, who let out an extended, "Uhhhhh."

Sensing that he would be no help, she turned back to Katara and nodded her head. "Uhh, yeah," she said in as convincing of a tone she could muster. "Yeah, turns out, I couldn't find my brush, so uh, funny that!"

Katara's quizzical look only deepened when she narrowed her eyes slightly. She was smart enough to make sure Jet was still out of range when she replied. "You sound like Sokka when you lie."

Sokka let out a highly offended gasp, throwing his hand to his chest. "Hey, I'm a great liar!" he argued, voice cracking slightly. Katara raised an eyebrow, letting out a light scoff.

"No you're not. Remember the time you ate seven servings of arctic hen then tried blaming it on a wild polar bear dog?" she drawled out in a tease at the absurdity of the situation.

"It could have happened," he muttered with a pout, twisting his head away.

"Okay, first of all—that comparison was rude," Charlie interjected, holding up a finger. "I'm a fantastic liar. And second, even if I was lying, it's most likely for a good reason. I could have had a vision."

Katara blinked at her. "Did you have a vision?"

"Would you believe me if I told you Jet's a manipulative sociopath who's going to blow up a dam with four barrels of blasting jelly and flood an entire town?"

"No."

"Then never mind."

When Jet turned back to the group, he wore a troubled expression, but suppressed it almost immediately with a smile. "Smellerbee, why don't you show these guys to their treehouse?" he suggested, making Aang perk up in excitement.

"We get our own treehouse?!" he beamed, hopping from foot-to-foot.

"Of course," he said, a proud smirk spreading across his face. "You guys should put down your stuff and relax for a while. Meet back here for dinner at sundown."

Charlie pursed her lips and turned to leave, following after Smellerbee who walked slightly ahead of them, put paused when Jet called out to Katara.