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Last night was...

...last night was just what Mel needed to work out some of her issues right now :-D?

Since coming back, she's been doing rounds of the farm with a determined eye, making lists of things that need doing, doing some of the more urgent things; maybe she's spoken to you about what you need to do, but it's possible she hasn't yet caught upon all the gossip.

Now, as Hana and Loo play together in the grass, she's sitting and staring comtemplatively at a car that once flew. Funny how, even though one may have a genius mechanic for a brother and live with still more, there are some things for which help still cannot be asked for.

Mel wants to make it work again, and she's not sure where to start.

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Sokka does not get it. Because despite being a genius mechanic (because of?) he is occasionally back asswards when it comes to relationships.

"Yeah, sure," he replies easily, brows lifting now, not sure where she's going with it. "He was helping me research back when-- a while back."

Not that it had been much help, but Sokka had appreciated the effort.

"Ran into him after dinner," Mel explains. "Hana adores him, so we got talking, and after the twins were in bed we decided we both had an itch needed scratching."

A blink.

A frown.

A very confused brother.

"What's that supposed to me-"

LIGHTBULB.

Sokka will be over here, listening to his brain break into tiny little pieces.

Mel's missed Sokkabrain-breaking.

She grins, and elbows him. "The longer you react like that, the more I'm going to keep telling you these things."

Sokka goes bright red and scowls at her, elbowing her in return. "I'd react like that less if you'd ease into it instead of just throwing it at me to watch me squirm," he grumbles.

He's-- not sure what to make of it. There's Zuko, his brother, off in some other dimension without his wife or his daughters, but... well, that was almost two years ago now. And in Eden, he hadn't been... himself. Exactly.

He can't blame Mel, but at the same time, his Loyalty Gene is splicing a bit.

Mel keeps her smirk up just long enough to let him know what she feels about him squirming, but after that, it fades again, and there's more of her general sullenness.

She hugs her knees, looking back at the car.

"He's not going to come," she says. "I can't keep telling myself he will."

The sullenness alone has Sokka trying to lighten up on his expression. When she curls up and speaks, he feels about two inches tall.

He glances over at the girls and, finding them occupied, scoots over to wrap an arm around Mel's shoulders.

"I'm not blaming you."

"Be nice if you could, though," Mel says, but she's really talking about herself. "Keep think I should feel guilty, but I'm over that."

He looks at her sharply, worried. "Well, you're gonna have to keep wishing," he sees, squeezing her shoulders. "I'm not blaming you. It's been... it's been a long time."

God knows how rarely he thinks of Paige anymore.

"So long's you had fun," he's grinning, even if red-faced, teasing her, "then it's fine."

A pause and his grin is slightly more wicked.

"Of course, as your brother, I'm obligated to check the guy out. Make sure of his intentions and stuff."

"He has the same intentions as me," Mel says firmly, although she's smiling because that's how the sibling thing works.

"Have some fun, and don't get in the way of the girls."

"Iiiiiiii don't know about this," Sokka informs her with a Vry Suspicious frown. "I'm not sure I approve either. I better go hunt him down, have a few words. Y'know, a man-to-man talk."

"OK," Mel says cheerfully. "But it you get in the way of a second round, I'm gonna have words with you."

Uh, third round, technically.

"Hey, hey, hey, do I get in the way of your sisterly duties? If, as your brother, and only concerned with your well-being, I have to go loom at him for a while and talk about how much I'll kill him if he hurts you at all, you're so not allowed to argue wit that."

'Cause Sokka says so.

And also, he is completely serious.

100%.

Oh Mel totally believes he's serious. Hence the smirk.

"You need a box for the looming?"

Sokka's Upset Face is also vry srs.

"No, I do not! I'm tall!"

Actually, he's reached six feet and may or may not continue growing. But now that he thinks about it, he's not sure if Dean is that much taller.

But he spends so much time on his knees with engines or twins. Mel loses track.

"Right, sorry. You are tall, you're right."

She's so apologetic.

Steph could argue something similar, but that's a different sort of kneeling.

Sokka is scowling. He is so hurt, so betrayed.

He is so giving her a noogie.

You'd think he'd know better than to get into a fight with superstrong sisters. Especially ones that have been training with the Black Canary, seriously.

Sokka rests assured in the knowledge of all brothers: even if their sisters can beat the shit out of them, guilt and love will keep them from doing it too much.

Besides, Sokka's been doing some training, too. He's no match for her in close wrestling quarters, but he still gets in a few good ones.

Besides, Mel's had lots of practice in not breaking brothers.

She's still going to win, though.

"How's she doing?"

Or they cold talk more about Mel's sex life.

Sokka deigns not to answer based on the innate unfairness of being held completely still by his tiny sister.

Scowl-scowl.

Maybe if she let him go a little?

Sokka still doesn't really want to answer. But he will on the basis that Mel tells people that he fought his way free and didn't actually need to be released.

"She's... okay," he says after a moment, glancing back at the farmhouse. "She seems happy."

Obviously, the way she keeps running around and hugging everyone.

Mel tries not to look too unsurprised that he's not ecstatic about it himself.

"Glad to hear it."

Instead she'll pretend 'she seems happy' is EXACTLY THE SAME as 'we're all happy'.

SOKKA APPRECIATES THAT.

He nods and looks over at the twins, smiling as he watches them play. It's not that he's unhappy to have Katara back, it's just...

He already has a sister. He left her behind in Apocalyptica. This girl, this sister, she just-- doesn't feel like his. He barely remembers the sweet, hopeful, optimistic girl without that flash of not right behind her eyes.

It feels like he's stealing something he doesn't deserve, that he already lost. It's not a good feeling.