A/N:

Will be a short story that covers what the summary says: Each member of the Gaang on Cactus Juice.

(One chapter per member's POV.)

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender

Prologue

No one, at the time, knew Sokka was able to buy and smuggle out some Cactus Juice in Ba Sing Se, and then continue to hold on to it for a lull in activity or celebration of some sorts. He didn't get a chance to open it immediately after they fled Ba Sing Se though, for they all were concerned about Aang's recovery, how they were to travel undetected until Aang woke up, and planning the invasion on the Day of Black Sun.

The first time Sokka even considered his Cactus Juice again was after the invasion while he, Katara, Aang, Toph, and now Zuko, were hiding out at the Western Air Temple. Most days were very routine: hours upon hours of practicing and training and in the evening, lounging about. This regularity got a bit boring to Sokka eventually, and he started to consider breaking out his case of Cactus Juice to spice things up a bit. Instead, though, he decided to be more constructive and cash in his "Life-Changing Field Trip With Zuko" card, afterwards ready to admit that the Fire Prince had become a very valuable and helpful member of Team Avatar.

Activity picked up after that, spending time with his father and Suki, and then being attacked at the temple by Azula. Soon Sokka was the embodiment of worry, yet indescribable happiness, since Zuko and Katara were on a life changing field trip now and Suki was a tent away.

But, his sister made him nervous, especially with all that hate she had towards Zuko. Sokka understood where it came from, and why he was the embodiment of evil (since he was the son of the Firelord) in her mind, but even Sokka, who was Kya's son too, couldn't make himself hate like his sister did. What happened happened, and for him, taking out the Firelord, or the big man in charge of everything, would be revenge enough.

Zuko and Katara, thankfully, both came back in one piece. Katara, much to Aang's relief, did not kill Yan Ra, and was ready to move past and accept Zuko into the group and more importantly, as a human being with feelings and issues of his own. That was the highlight of the week, until the Ember Island Players debuted their rendition of Team Avatar's adventures.

Sokka, at first, was disgusted at the actor's portrayals of the most exciting and life-changing year of his life, but once he accepted that this was just Fire Nation propaganda, he decided to have fun with it and add his own trickster's flair.

Though having fun with making fun of the past year, he was very aware of everyone else's reactions. Toph, excited that she was played by a big brute of a man, was still sensitive towards her best friends' feelings too and showed a real caring side that she never showed after Torture Fest was over. Especially towards Zuko.

Toph had known Katara and Aang and him for a bit now and had a good feeling of their workings and mindsets, but Zuko was roughly a month into his new gig. And to her, he was the equivalent of a piece of paper. Even Sokka, who had been accused of being insensitive, had to admit that Zuko functioned a little "strangely". The boy's emotions changed on a whim, he was periodically, well, delicate, but at the same time had enough capacity for good sarcasm to rival Sokka, the meat and sarcasm guy himself. Sokka, though, didn't like to judge him. He had no right to judge Zuko anyways, now that he was aware of his past motives, blind ambitions, and history of his own.

After they came back "home" from the play, Zuko looked like he didn't know what to do with himself. Spirits, Sokka knew he wouldn't want all of his past infractions and sins to be presented to the world in such an inaccurate, insulting form. And on top of that, the play showed him dying. Dying! Last year, Sokka would have been all over Zuko not being a worry nagging at him all the time, but now, since they had established a brotherly bond between themselves, "Zuko dying" had the same effect as "Suki" or "Katara dying" on him.

But Sokka, who was never good at affection speeches, left comforting Zuko to Toph. (She tended to listen a lot better than he did, anyways.)

The two of them spent roughly an hour on the beach, just sitting there. It didn't look like much conversation transpired between them, but seeing Zuko as pouty and obviously distraught and worried as he was spoke enough to Sokka.

And in that moment, he decided that his time had come. Quickly, before anyone could draw him away to do something or Zuko disappeared on them like he sometimes did, he ran to his room.

The Firelord's vacation house on Ember Island was the most luxurious and plush place he had ever stayed in. Piando's mansion came close to this level of comfort and beauty, but even covered in a thick layer of dust and feeling as if someone had died in the vacation house, the sword master's place of residence couldn't compare. On multiple occasions, Sokka had almost gotten lost from the sheer grandeur of it all. If he hadn't run into Zuko, who seemed to move through his family's house like he was looking for something, only the spirits knew what he could have found or how many meals he would have missed.

Digging under his bed, Sokka searched for his insulated and cushioned satchel that contained two bottles of Cactus Juice. Since he knew first hand how much punch this stuff packed, two bottles, roughly three servings a piece, he had decided would be efficient for anything.

"Guys! I have a surprise for you!" Sokka called, making his way to the main courtyard, carrying his satchel. "I figure that we need a mood booster after that Spirit-awful play that we just had the misfortune to witness."

Toph and Zuko were coming up the main path from the beach, joining Aang and Katara who had been whispering feverishly to each other in the courtyard. Suki came out from her room at the sound of her boyfriend's calls.

"Sokka, you were the one that dragged us to the play." Aang said, looking tired and a bit uneasy.

"And I warned you how bad they were," Zuko added, coming to stand by them with Toph in tow.

"Yeah...Good point. But, I want to make up for it," Sokka continued, wrapping his free arm around Zuko's shoulders. "Now, if you could go find us some nice party glasses good sir, we can all forget this happened." Sokka unlatched his satchel and brought out the two bottles of Cactus Juice. The bottles weren't labeled; since Sokka was smart enough to dispose of their labels so no one knew what their contents were when he purchased them.

"These bad boys I picked up at the market," Sokka started. "I thought we may need a treat, since we're doing the impossible here, but I guess that we could use a good pick-me-up right about now, ay?"

Zuko sighed, slipping away from Sokka's brotherly embrace and stalking off to where the glassware was stored in the vacation house, knowing that it was better to go with Sokka instead of against him.

"Shouldn't we be getting some rest, Sokka?" Katara asked, looking tired even for a waterbender after the moon had come out.

"Oh, the night's still young. And what's a late night? Aang's been working hard enough lately to sleep in tomorrow! I've been watching how hard my man has been training with not one, but THREE bending masters!" Sokka exclaimed, moving over to affectionately nudge Aang. "So, that's why I want Avatar Aang to do the honors by popping the first bottle open as soon as Zuko gets back with our glasses...AHH! There he is! The rate you move around that house of yours! If I wasn't right in the head I would have thought you were an airbender running at light speed!"

"What are you trying to sell us, Sokka?" Toph butted in, crossing her arms defiantly, sensing that Sokka was warming up to something big.

"Nothing! I just know it's been an emotional night, and that I made us go down that direction. What does a guy have to do to make up with his best friends and have a good time with them?" He asked, grabbing the glasses from Zuko and lining them up on the stairs.

Katara eyed him, very aware of the possible motives of her brother as he did this and handed the bottle to Aang. Aang popped it open without a second thought, obviously not really caring, and at this point Katara couldn't have cared less as well. She was tired from an emotional and nostalgic evening and was definitely not looking forward to getting up early tomorrow to do chores and train and fall into her routine again.

"Will you hit me up already, Sokka?" Katara asked.

Sokka smiled, taking the open bottle from Aang and pouring them all a glass. He handed each of them one with only a shot in it, or just enough for each of them to empty the first bottle.

"On three, we all drink. One, two…" Sokka trailed. Everyone got ready. "Three!"

Knowing how potent this stuff was, and wanting to see how he must have acted on this stuff, he barely took a sip while everyone opened up their throats and took it all in one swig. The effect was almost immediate.

A/N: We'll see how this goes...

Not sure how well I'll write drunks...

R+R!