Memories

Disclaimer: As much as I try to forget, the North remembers that I don't own A:tLA

"La buddy, I love how sharing you are with your alcohol," Sokka thumped Zuko on the back, and took a large swig of rice wine. "You ain't a lightweight like Aang. It even kinda-sorta-maybe makes up for the fact that you're dating my baby sister, though o' course, only we know that."

"Glad to have your approval, Sokka," Zuko responded dryly, taking his own swig of wine.

"Is no problem buddy!" Sokka slurred, glancing across the campfire to where the girls were seated on the other side. "Was also swell o' you to arrange a meet up for all of us on Ember Island, ya know; for ol' time's sake. Brings back the memories, don't it?"

"That it does," Zuko agreed. "Like that pier over there. That's where your sister first hugged me. There was a stage where I thought she'd never forgive me, and now look at us."

"Yup! I know wha' you mean!" Sokka flung his arm around the Fire Lord's shoulders. "When I first met Suki, she would rather've punched me than kissed me, and actually did when we were on Kyoshi and the Boiling Rock, but not now! She's so kind and funny, and she gets my art, and we're both awesome warriors!"

"Sometimes I still can't believe that Katara and I are together. She's compassionate but fierce, she won't let anyone walk over her, and she can trounce me in sparring matches."

"Spirits, those girls are amazing. We are so lucky we have them."

"C'mon Sugar Queen! Stop bein' so stingy with the booze!" Toph lunged for the wineskin Katara was holding out of her reach.

The waterbender huffed and handed it to a smirking Suki. "No Toph. You've had enough. At least Aang was able to realise how much he'd had and went inside."

"Twinkletoes is a lightweight!" Toph snorted. "Your boyfriend invited us all to Ember Island, and brought this booze to share around, so that's what we're gonna do!"

"Yes, well," Katara replied dryly. "He has a penchant for making idiotic decisions occasionally. Like our first proper interaction, where he told me he'd 'save me from the pirates' and then tied me to a tree. Or at the North Pole when he decided to fight me when we were surrounded by ice and snow."

"I think it might be a male thing," Suki offered as Toph sniggered. "Remember when Sokka first called my training 'dance lessons'?"

Katara snorted. "Yep, and you kicked his butt and made him wear a dress."

Toph cackled. "Oh man, I wish I could've seen that. Hey, remember when he drank cactus juice in the desert and started talking about 'giant friendly mushrooms'?"

"Don't remind me," Katara groaned. "I never want to hear the phrase 'it's the quenchiest!' ever again."

"Why?" Toph sniggered, while Suki struggled not to laugh too loudly and alert the boys on the other side of the campfire. "He has a natural curiosity."

"Spirits, those guys are idiots. They are so lucky they have us."