AN: Whatever you're expecting. Stop expecting it.
Beer and Battery
"-and what's this one?"
"Fell out of a tree when I was around eleven."
Song smiles and pokes the next scar, lightly nudging his cup away while he isn't looking. "You fell out of a lot of trees."
"It was all good practice. Bet you anything, I could climb one faster than anyone here."
Zuko rolls his eyes as he listens before Mai fits her way into his lap.
"Having fun yet?"
"Not exactly."
"Oh? I thought you were so excited about going on a double date with these two." Mai drawls, prying Zuko's cup from his hands and taking a sip herself, "though, I did think she was joking when she mentioned they were dating now."
"Why's that?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
Shrugging they both look back over and Jet's pivoting left and right lifting up his shirt and showing off more scars that line his torso.
There's two pool tables and a bar in the kitchen. Chairs line the walls and couches are off in the next room with the television blairing loud music and through the door wafts the scent of smoke. Jet perks up when he sees one of the tables have been arranged with cups and there's a couple of guys bouncing the ball and forth.
"You wanna play with me?" Jet asks.
"No, I don't really-no." Song smiles and shakes her head.
He shrugs before straightening out the ends of his shirt and making his over to Mai, "you're my partner."
"For what exactly?"
"Beer pong."
"What do I look like playing a stupid game with a bunch of drunk guys?"
"Dunno, but you got better aim than anyone here, might as well. If you're not up for the beer i'll just have yours."
Zuko answers more to keep Mai from playing than anything else, "I could do it, my aims alright."
"Do you even know how to play? No, do you even drink?"
"He's been on the same cup for the entire night." Mai says, lightly tapping the cup with her nail, "I'll do it, but if it gets boring i'm gonna quit."
Ignoring Zuko's further protests Mai gets up and follows Jet to the table, while Song settles in next to Zuko to watch.
By the time the game starts, the boys let Mai have first try and she smirks nonchalantly aiming for the furthest most cup. She makes every one the first round and Jet only needs to down about half that on their end.
By the time it ends they call for a last round, and on each end one of the two are slurring their words and hanging loosely onto the edges of the table. Jet's still smiling despite muttering incomprehensible curses as Mai rolls her eyes.
"You could just give up." Mai sighs, picking the ball out of one of the cups and grabbing a napkin to wipe off the beer.
"Please, we were just getting started. Besides, by the time this ends, you'll be calling me daddy."
"I doubt it."
It doesn't take long for Zuko to tune back in, "she has a boyfriend."
"You heard him, she has a boyfriend, and you're definitely not her dad." Jet says as he sways.
"Should I be asking who's your daddy?"
"What the fuck did you just say?"
Watching as Jet tenses Mai sets the ball and the napkin in a cup and settles back in next to Song, "boys are idiots."
"What's happening?"
"Jet's going to fight a guy."
As if on cue he stumbles over with a messy swing grazing the bridge of his opponent's nose. From there they exchange, with Jet weaving clumsily and the other boy landing hits where he can. The fight attracts the attention of the entire party, and before long it becomes six against one and Jet begins to struggle.
"All this over a girl, man? Thought she was dating the other guy, didn't know she swung between the two of you."
That's all that was needed before Zuko's flown from his seat and joined in the brawl himself.
Song looks at Mai as she fidgets with her dress, "Shouldn't we do something?"
"As harsh as it sounds, Zuko deserves it." Mai shrugs, leaning back into her chair, "if it gets too bad we'll do something of course. But other than that, they could use the lesson."
"Mai!"
"What?"
Before long they're both on the floor, beaten and bloody and Mai finally gets up going over to kneel next to Zuko and pushing a few strands of hair out of his face, "done?"
"I-obviously, Mai." Zuko growls, groaning as he tries to shift his weight.
Mai hoists him up taking half of his weight as he leans on her. Meanwhile Song convinces one of the other party goers to help her drag Jet to the car.
o.o.o
The room is a blur, and all Jet can make out is the beeps of machines and the dull roar of voices in the room. His arm hurts, and when his vision begins to focus he can see the tubes, and just off to the right there's Zuko, hair pushed back into the smallest of ponytails, and a spoon hanging out of his mouth.
"Where am I?" Jet groans, sitting up.
"Where do you think?" His voice comes out muffled before he takes out the spoon setting it in a pudding cup and reaching for a pair of glasses, "you've been out since the other night."
"What?"
"The other night."
"Yeah, I remember that, but how long was I out?"
"Since then. I just told you."
"Fuck. Where's Song and Mai?"
"Food court."
"Heh, so she actually came to visit me?"
"After dragging us to the hospital? Yeah."
"She really likes me."
Zuko rolls his eyes and turns the channel before reaching for another pudding cup.
"Pudding?"
"It's chocolate."
"But, pudding?"
"Yeah?"
"You have like ten cups over there."
"So?"
"You're fucking weird, bro."
Zuko shrugs wrapping the blanket around his shoulders, "cold in here."
"I'll just ask the nurse for more blankets." Without thinking, Jet gets up, tearing the needle from his arm and collapsing onto the floor.
"Should've just pressed the button."
"Fuck the button! NURSE!"
Zuko sighs and presses, listening to the machine beep and trying to hold in a laugh as Mai and Song walk back in.
"What's going on?"
Jet's writhing on the floor clutching his arm before Song rushes over and presses a napkin to it to stop the bleeding.
"He wanted a blanket."
"You're supposed to press the button."
"I know, dammit!"
Mai sighs, settling into Zuko's bed and taking his pudding, "boys are idiots."