SORRY for taking so long to finally update this, I was busy the last couple of weeks with school and finals and work and such. But now school's out and it's summer! So hopefully updates will be more frequent! I wasn't sure where I was going for this chapter, and it kind of just wrote itself out, so I hope you guys enjoy! And thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it's really encouraging and I can't tell you enough how I appreciate your taking the time to let me know what you think! Also, I think I replied to everyone, if I missed you I'm so sorry! Just let me know, I'm doing my best to answer all my reviews C: Now without further ado, chapter seven.
SOKKA'S FIELD GUIDE
A Three-Part Series
Part II : So She Choked on the Ring
'Well, how would you propose to Suki?'
'…'
'OK, Is there any way you'd want to get married?'
'…You ever wonder about those people who marry on impulse?'
'You mean elope?'
'Something like that…but with drinks involved.'
'...You mean getting drunk, don't you?'
'What's the harm in a little fun?'
SEVENTH OVER-USED CLICHÉ: INEBRIATED
"Happy birthday, Iroh!"
Usually, when it came to the General's birthday, he insisted on throwing a large celebration for the Fire Nation people and his dearest friends who could make it to the event. Usually, the affair would take place on the streets of the Capital City, and usually, the whole capital city population and various other Fire Nation residents from other districts, would attend. That year however, Iroh had planned a far more intimate celebration for his dearest friends because he was getting far too old to host such a party (though really, it was because the clean-up afterwards had a tendency to last for days).
Iroh stood from the table, wearing his most cheerful smile, and spread out his arms to his guests. "Thank you for coming out on this little vacation with me," he said sincerely, "I am very grateful to all of the friends and loved ones I have in my life, and it means so much to spend my birthday with you. Now that our wonderful dinner is finished I would like to open up the Ember Island Lounge. Come, play, drink and be merry!"
A pair of guards opened the large, intricate doors behind him, revealing several tables where games of Pai Sho, Red Jack, Flaming Roulette (and other games unsuitable to minors) had been set up. Walking around were rather pretty women serving hors d'oeuvres, blazers, fire whiskey, and simple cocktails – not to mention the bar located at the back of the room that served much, much more.
A chuckle left the General's lips and he urged his guests to join the other elite Fire Nation Ember Island members who were currently playing. "Come, come!"
"I…don't think we should…" a tentative Aang said, eyeing the bright lanterns and flickering flames that could lure in the most stubborn of copper piece-pinchers.
It seemed his friend Toph was not in that category, however, seeing as she stood excitedly from the table and charged into the room, "Last one in is a rotten egg!" And was that her evil, maniacal laughter echoing in her wake?
Zuko frowned at the festivities – neither he, nor his friends, were allowed to partake in such practices. Of course, that thought seemed silly considering he was Fire Lord, but that was beside the point. He thought his uncle wanted to have a small, personal dinner. But all he wanted was to take a reckless vacation to Ember Island (which was, in hindsight, quite unlike him). Iroh usually preferred quiet serenity, given, he loved to play Pai Sho and had something of a grand humor.
"What's the matter Zuko?" The waterbender beside him said, wearing an amused and beautiful smile. "It's your uncle's birthday! You should be happy!"
The Fire Lord's scowl deepened. "That old man tricked us. He told me we were having dinner here and that's it."
"What's so bad about being at a casino?" His counterpart reasoned, unable to keep from grinning at the firebender's obvious contempt.
"Well, maybe that we're not of age?"
Katara arched a brow, giving him an infuriatingly adorable look. "What, are you going to have us arrested?" She laughed then, and Zuko's frown vanished, "Come on, what's the harm in a little fun?"
::
It came as a surprise to Toph, Sokka and Aang, that Katara had taken such a shine to the games. She was the one who reprimanded them when they took off with the Blind Bandit charade. She had told them not to cheat people out of their money, not to gamble, but, as it turned out, Katara was eventually swept up with the excitement of it all and (it seemed) was on a very hot winning streak.
"Come on, double flames!" She exclaimed as the roulette wheel spun, a well-dressed crowd surrounding her table. A small glass marble swirled upon the wheel, bouncing along the grooves, the alternating colors of black and red dizzying the hoard of onlookers. The spinning came to a slow and the marble rolled about before finally settling on the only strip with two flames.
Loud applause rose from the table then, Katara's own triumphant yell drowned out by the sea of cheers. "Another round of drinks, on me!" She declared to the crowd, who only cheered once more, louder that time.
A hand touched her shoulder then. "Don't you think you're getting a little out of hand?" Aang asked, giving his friend a worried look.
The waterbender only smiled, though it was clear that her mind wasn't quite where it usually was, and laughed it off. "Don't be silly, what's the harm in a little fun?" The mantra repeated itself silently in her mind, disputing all other logic that would normally hold her back.
Aang turned back to Zuko and shrugged, communicating his failure in getting the waterbender in control. Zuko scowled and pinched the bridge of his nose, making a mental note of never, ever letting Katara drink too much again. "Where's she even getting all these free drinks?" He remarked, receiving another shrug from the Avatar.
"I suppose she has some admirers here in the lounge…?" Aang offered timidly.
Zuko's frown only deepened.
"I think Sweetness has had a little too much," Toph mentioned to her companion as she mimed picking up a glass and chugging it down. "Ah, what am I saying?" A large laugh escaped her lips then, finding the entire event highly amusing, and slapped a hand down on the bar table. "Another Blazer for the lucky one!" She ordered humorously, nodding her head towards Katara.
"Don't you think you've gotten her drunk enough?" Sokka queried, eyes half-lidded but clearly amused.
Toph only snorted, wearing her trademark mischievous grin, "What harm is there in a little fun?" And she laughed again as she sensed Zuko's rapid heart beating. "Make that two, one for the scowling Fire Lord, as well!" She said back to the bartender.
She watched as a pretty waitress set a shot in front of Katara (who absently downed it, much to the crowd's amusement), and then offered the other to Zuko who, after some pestering from his clearly inebriated and jovial uncle, reluctantly took it.
The earthbender's grin widened.
::
"YES!" Zuko's fist pumped through the air in excitement as he splayed down a winning hand in Red Jack. The waterbender cheered beside him, clapping at the royal flush and throwing her arms about the firebender's neck, inhibitions tossed out the window.
Aang looked on from a seat at the bar, concern on his face. "Don't you think they're getting out of hand?" He asked, before realizing that Sokka, too, was quite inebriated and was exchanging drunken slurs with Toph, who, despite the alcohol, managed to make some sense.
"Look, Twinkletoes, this is all in good fun," she said with her signature smile, a knowing and somewhat haughty expression on her face, "and what's the harm in—"
"—a little fun," Aang finished sourly. "I know, I know…I just can't help but feel—"
"So stop feeling!" Toph enthused, handing him a drink that smelled strongly of berries and a hint of what could only be gin, "And have a drink!"
The Avatar decided, as he watched Zuko win another hand and earn a harmless, friendly cheek kiss from Katara, that one drink couldn't hurt.
::
Agni, she looked so beautiful.
And not the typical hair-done-up-perfectly-and-face-painted-just-right kind of beautiful.
But the tousled-hair-bleary-eyed-absolutely-spontaneous-carefree-laugh kind of beautiful.
And the way she was leaning over with that spontaneous-carefree-laughing smile of hers made Zuko's heart lodge itself in his throat where its rapid pounding throbbed in his ears because Agni, she looked so beautiful.
Her hand, warm and slightly damp with what could only be sweat, or else condensation from the cold drinks she held, touched his face, smoothing back a strand of hair that fell loose from his top knot. And then her touch traced down his cheek, the length of his scar, and she was still spontaneous-carefree-laugh smiling at him and the words left his mouth before he could stop himself, let alone comprehend just what he was saying, "Let'ch-ge'-married."
And she laughed her wonderful laugh and squealed yes, and before he knew it they stood in front of an altar, both spontaneous-carefree-laughing as they exchanged I do's, anything that took place between their gambling and laughing and sharing a kiss merely a fleeting blur in their memories.
::
Grr-uugghhh-erghh.
She scowled.
Grrrr-uuugghhh-ergh.
There it was again.
Ngyahh-grrr-ugh.
That incessant snoring.
Katara peeled a single eye open, squinting it instantly as light penetrated her vision, and she grumbled into her pillow, damp from what she assumed was drool. Too lazy to lift her head and reluctant to open her eye again, the waterbender let out a groan of helplessness, burying her face deeper into the pillow, attempting to drown out the gurgling noise coming from whoever was asleep beside her.
Grr-uugh—
She growled then, gripping her pillow on either side, "Oh, for the love off—shut—" and slipped it out from beneath her head, promptly smacking the bed's other occupant, "—up!" And she repeated the motion again and again, because La did her head scream with pain and irritation and her temple throbbed with protest at being awake and perhaps beating the living daylights out of whoever dared wake her up would appease her. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
A hand snatched her weapon away and a bleary-eyed firebender glared up at the girl. "You're the one yelling!" He snarled in turn, shutting his eyes as sunlight seared through his lids. "What the hell is the matter with you!"
"Me? You're the one snoring like an elephant-rooster!"
"Says the shrieking parrot-monkey!"
The pair shared furious glares, both looking like absolute wrecks. Hair undone and tangled, faces blotched and trails of dried drool tracing down their chins, eyes red and puffy, and smelling far too strongly of alcohol. As if on cue, they cringed at their pulsing headaches and uneasy guts.
"What happened?" Katara asked first, throat painfully dry.
"I feel like I just fought with a door," Zuko replied, cursing at the spinning room, "And lost."
The waterbender closed her eyes and saw only the darkness behind her lids. "I can't remember a thing." And her hand shot out, pointing an accusatory finger at the Fire Lord. "What did you do?"
"Me?" Zuko scowled, "You're the one who got out of control with your gambling and drinking."
"I did not—what's this?" Katara blinked as her gaze fell upon her outstretched hand, a band gleaming against the dark skin. "This isn't mine."
Zuko followed eyes and stared dumbly at the ring sitting on her ring finger.
Oh no.
Silence.
Oh no.
And snippets of the other night came rushing forward.
Oh no.
Zuko leapt out of the bed as the waterbender's fist came flying at his face. "I didn't do it!" He exclaimed as she growled at his escape. "It wasn't my idea!"
"Like hell I'd do this!" Katara snarled angrily, up on her knees as she flailed her arms to reach the offending firebender who must have gotten her drunk and tricked her into marrying him. "I would never agree to marry you!"
Zuko told himself that statement didn't injure his pride, "Katara, I promise I would never—"
"Not like this!"
"What?" He asked, catching one of her fists of fury. "What do you mean not like this?"
The waterbender fumed, struggling to free her hand. "Like this! Drunk! I don't even remember a thing about last night. Who asked? How was it brought out? How was the wedding? This is not how I hoped it would be!"
Zuko's face softened then, "But…you would agree to this? Marriage, I mean...? You did...hope for it?"
Katara frowned, though the rage in her eyes was gone. "Of course."
"Let's do it then," Zuko said hastily, "Let's get married."
A pillow smacked him in the face then, drowning out Katara's frustrated, "We're already married!"
'You really think that's such a good idea?'
'Eh, maybe not the most romantic, but it sure takes away the stress.'
'Yeah, until the next morning!'
'Nah, that's just how married life is. A whole lot of nagging.'
'…Looking forward to it.'
I had some reservations about the idea for this
I mean, would Iroh really invite them to a casino?
But he seems like the light-hearted and joyous type...
so I went with it.
Besides, Vegas weddings amuse me and I couldn't resist!
Hopefully everything panned out alright,
and if you think the actual marriage part went by too fast
It's because I was writing with some perspective to the characters
Meaning, it was a blur to them, and all rushed
so I just mimicked that aspect in the writing itself
So I did it on purpose :P
Thanks for reading!
Flick.
