Um. This is a bit weird. Bear with.

Disclaimer.

That Night At Karaoke

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Sokka throws an arm around his sister's shoulders, and his words are emphasised by elaborate hand gestures and a devilish grin. "I'm the plan guy, remember? Trust me, this is a brilliant idea."

Three hours later

"And… an' I will always love youuuuu!"

Katara winces at the wobbly, out-of-time and off-key note. It's getting to the point where listening to any more of Zuko's drunken singing might physically cause her pain.

"Yeeeah!" Sokka roars from beside her at the bar (she winces again at his volume), his beer sloshing dangerously against the sides of the glass as he cheers on his friend. "Zzzzzzuko! Zu-man! The Zukonator!"

Katara drags a hand over her face. "This was a terrible idea," she grumbles to herself, taking a large gulp of lemonade. Why in all hells did I let that idiot talk me into this?

Zuko sways dangerously on the stage with an odd-looking grimace, and Katara wonders if he's about to throw up.

"And I… really reallyreallyreally hope you have all you dreamed of," he caterwauls, and his voice cracks on the last note. "And I wish you… joy and… h-happinessssssaaahhhaaaaaaagh." Zuko breaks into a pathetic sob, clutching groggily onto the microphone stand as he doubles over with a mixture of tears and nausea.

"But…" the young man mumbles, "But above all this I wish you LOVEEEEE!" he wails, and Katara is forced to cover her ears.

I understand that he's heartbroken over Mai, but does he have to express himself so… she wrinkles her nose. Noisily?

"Toldja," Sokka shouts over the ruckus of the karaoke bar, and Katara can tell from the disoriented glaze in his eyes that he's completely smashed out of his brains. "Knew this wou' be a real good idea. I – I almost forgot for at least an hour tha' Yue's gone to Canada! Completely!" Katara raises an eyebrow as he bursts into near-hysterical laughter. The thought of having to deal with drunk, crying Zuko and drunk, crying Sokka simultaneously is enough to make her want to cry herself.

Katara's thigh vibrates. She withdraws her cell from her pocket and a sad smile tugs at her mouth when she sees the sender. The message is sweet and rambling; Aang's signature style.

Hey sweetie 33 how's it going? how's Sokka and the gaang? gig starts in 20 mins. me & the band can't wait, it's our biggest crowd yet! being on tour is so busy, sorry I haven't called in a while xx miss you so much sweetie, think of you every day xx33

A sigh slips past Katara's lips. She's happy for Aang; of course she is, how could she not be? He's on tour, living his dream. I just wish… he could live his dream a little closer to home.

"You want a top-up?"

Katara's head snaps up at the gruff voice of the bartender. She looks at the lemonade – the glass is almost empty. "Yes – actually, no. Could I get a, um…" she gestures to Sokka. "What he's got?"

The man nods curtly and turns away.

"… Darliiiiiiiiiiing, I will always looove yooouuuuu." Zuko sobs loudly and stumbles off the stage, barely catching himself on the wall before he topples over completely – but before he reaches the bar he's already puking onto the floor.

Katara pulls a face in disgust as Sokka staggers over to pat Zuko sympathetically on the back.

"'S okay, bro," Sokka slurs, and a few drops of beer slosh onto Zuko's shoulder.

Zuko wipes his mouth on his sleeve and sinks to the floor. "Mai," he mumbles at no one in particular. "She… she left me! She left me, Sokka and… tore my heart to pieces…"

"Yeah, buddy. Yeah. I getcha."

Sokka is unduly reminded of his own ex-girlfriend, and his face falls – as does the hand holding the beer, and it spills all over the dirty maroon carpet. He doesn't appear to notice.

Katara watches the emotional (and somewhat disgusting, because the stench of puke is beginning to overpower the smell of alcohol hanging in the air) scene unfolding before her. She heaves a deep sigh, thinks well damn it all and downs the rest of her beer in one go.

"Hey," she calls over to the saddened duo, standing up defiantly and slamming her glass down onto the counter. "You guys want another drink?"