#crosspin

uhhhhh ... this is awkward .... haha.... bro .....

i'm in love with you and all these little things

They moved together to the music. As Sokka reveled in the amount of physical contact Zuko was giving him in such a public place, the crooning alto moved onto the song’s chorus, and Sokka took the swelling music as an opportunity to guide Zuko through a slow spin. A few feet away, Sokka saw Aang, who Katara was clinging to with every bit as much ferocity as Zuko was to Sokka. Aang caught Sokka’s eye and flashed him a happy wink; Sokka grinned in return.

Once again, this was inspired by @crosspin​ / @tan-ho​‘s beautiful work Protective (reading protective 5 times a day is self care)

84. "Going somewhere?"

The plan is foolproof.

Or, it would be, if not for Katara’s uncanny ability to sense that there is a plan to begin with.

He almost makes it to the door this time. He’s got his keys squished uncomfortably in his back pocket to prevent any jingling, his phone is on silent, he doesn’t even put on his shoes - and yet. And yet.

He’s reaching for the doorknob when the porch light flicks on outside.

Busted.

In a voice like frostbite, Katara asks, “Going somewhere?”

Sokka’s shoulders cave in. He turns slowly on his heel, like if he puts it off long enough she won’t be standing there with that look of absolute derision on her face. He doesn’t even need to see it anymore, it’s etched into his mind as deeply as his own name.

But he turns, because he always does, and she’s there in the dining room doorway, because she always is.

She lifts a cold eyebrow at him.

“Zuko’s,” he says. It comes out like an apology.

“And what does Zuko want at this time of night?”

“Um,” Sokka says, because she already knows the answer. “Company. Let’s go with that.”

Here’s the thing: Katara never stops him. She would never do that to him. What she would do, though, is make sure he knows that she knows exactly where he is, what he’s doing, and with whom. And she’s always up again when he gets back, so he doesn’t even get to enjoy the afterglow for any longer than the car drive home.

It’s not that Katara doesn’t like Zuko, or that she doesn’t approve of their relationship or their night time dalliances. If anything, the opposite is true. She’s friends with Zuko, and she knows Sokka loves him, and she thinks it’s cute that Sokka’s boyfriend still bootycalls him four years into the relationship - she’s just an asshole about it.

“Okay,” she says, in that same airy voice she always uses, “have fun. Tell Azula I said hi.”

“Azula doesn’t like you.”

[ID: Two screenshots from The Princess Bride. The first one is of the little boy sitting in bed. The grandfather is saying, “Let’s see.. where were we?” The second screenshot is of said grandfather, looking at his grandson. He says, “Oh yes. In the Pit of Despair.” End ID]

there does seem to be a strangely high ratio of tall to short around here...

Hello... icelandsboots here 

After many many many years of not touching art, quarantine has got me and crosspin feeling some kind of way and we’re back in business ! ! 

Please go check out her excellent, marvelous, and stupendous Zukka fic--Baby Hotline, please hold (me close to you)--that inspired this piece and gave me an excuse to practice painting. Tell her I sent you!! 

this is re: this post that says in midnight sun, edward isn’t allowed to play board games with his brothers because he can read their minds and cheat 

i 100% agree. this is a genius level thought. 

i must add that i think it would be sokka’s idea to try this ploy, because come onnnnnn how can you NOT try to use your mind-reading boyfriend to win in board games against his vampire sisters? are you supposed to nOT do that????? 

but yeah, sokka would definitely get banned and katara would get invited to play in his (and zuko’s) place