This is an adaptation of something I was working on. It was originally entitled 'The Gaang Gets Drunk' but I wanted it to be a part of this ficlet.
I'm kind of unsure about keeping this in the Drabbles. I might need to give it its own title.
Yu-Chi: noun. (Pronounced Yoo-Chee)
An alcoholic drink made from the juice of moon peaches and cactus sap. Completely fictional.
The term 'Frosted' was invented by Fandomme, and don't you forget it!
-Alice
((--))
Drabble Eleven: The Air Temple (III)
Katara and Zuko Shared Perspective
As Katara left Zuko's room, she closed the door softly behind her. She had a slightly satisfied look on her face, which was probably why Hakoda gave her The Dad Look.
"What were you doing in there?" he asked. Katara's satisfied look was replaced by one of frustration.
"Talking about what happened at dinner," she replied.
"So," Hakoda crossed his arms, "What exactly did happen at dinner?" Katara hadn't considered this before. Her father was probably – definitely- oblivious to what had happened in the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. The fight probably seemed completely confusing to him.
"Back in Ba Sing Se, Zuko and I were thrown into the prison together. We started talking, and I talked about Mom and he talked about Ursa. I started to believe that he was a real person," she sighed, "Then, when I was sure we had an ally, he betrayed me and sided with Azula. He left his Uncle behind."
Hakoda's eyes softened. "I think Zuko has more than proven himself."
"I know. It's all fine, now. We've bonded," she gave a lopsided smile. Hakoda's eyes glazed over, and he frowned when she said 'bonded'. Katara said Goodnight to her father and headed off to her own room.
She climbed into bed, and closed her eyes. Her thoughts wandered from Zuko to her father to Aang to Jet, and finally landed on Toph. Toph, Zuko's surrogate little sister. Toph, the fragile little girl. Toph, the greatest earthbender ever.
She sighed and wondered for a moment what it would like to be blind. Would her hearing improve? Toph seemed to have pretty good hearing, and she could recognise footsteps… but was that hearing or earthbending? Katara wasn't sure.
With a small smile on her face, Katara told herself that she'd be able to recognise anyone's footsteps, if she heard them for long enough.
This thought was put to the test moments later, when Katara heard footsteps breaking through the eerie silence that the temple had been filled with.
The footfalls were heavy. A man, she decided. They were quick and swift, and the man walked with purpose. The sound stopped for a moment, and Katara kept her eyes closed and her ears strained. She heard the uncorking of a bottle, and the swift footsteps continued, only lighter. Like a ninja, Katara almost laughed at the thought, before her brain snapped to a name. Zuko.
Katara leapt out of bed, ignoring the dizzy spell that swept over her as she did so. She rushed out the door and almost crashed into Zuko.
"I thought you were asleep," he said, turning to face her. Katara's face flushed. She had thought he was much further away than he actually was.
"I thought you were asleep."
Zuko let out a small chuckle, before looking Katara up and down swiftly. Her face flushed more so, as she remembered that she had rushed straight out of bed in her underclothes.
"What's that?" she pointed to the bottle, trying to take attention off of herself.
"It's called Yu-Chi," he shook the bottle around, and Katara heard a small sloshing sound from within, "… how old are you?"
Katara was a little put off by the question but answered anyway. "I'm nearly fifteen. Why?"
Zuko shrugged to himself, "Yeah. I think you're old enough."
As the Yu-Chi entered Katara's mouth, she realised that this was no ordinary drink. It burned her tongue slightly, and sent a warm sensation to the bottom of her stomach.
"Do you like it?" Zuko asked. The two teens were perched on a rock near the cliff face of the Air Temple, and they were staring up at the moon, which was a waxing crescent.
"It's… different," Katara admitted, handing the bottle back to Zuko, who took a quick sip.
Katara frowned as she looked at Zuko's profile. "Why are you drinking it?"
"Uncle used to drink Yu-Chi all the time. He'd say that it relaxed him. So, one day, when I was really stressed out about finding Aang, he gave me some. It's relaxed me ever since."
"Relaxed? You mean you don't get frosted?"
"… Frosted?"
Katara laughed. "In the Water Tribe, when a man gets drunk, we call it getting 'Frosted'."
"Why?"
"Because he passes out outside and when you wake up his body is covered with frost."
"That's a little morbid."
Katara sighed. "Yeah. A little."
"No, I don't usually get… frosted. Just relaxed."
"Have you ever been frosted?"
"Yes, actually. A few times."
"I haven't," Katara admitted.
Zuko shot her a rare, dazzling smile that made her heart jump at what he was thinking. "Katara, I think it's time you got frosted."
--
Katara let out a giggle, as she shook the bottle. Still some left, she decided. She tilted the bottle back and let the last few drops of Yu-Chi hit her tongue.
"Aw," she whined to Zuko, "there's no more."
He grinned and pulled another bottle from behind his back. Katara giggled and clapped, only to be hushed by Zuko.
"If anyone – especially your Dad – finds you out here, my head is on a pike," he said, taking the first sip of the newly-opened Yu-Chi.
"I'm not frosted, yet," she complained, "merely… tipsy."
"Tipsy?"
"Like the world is tipping a little. But not frosty. No, not yet," she slurred, grabbing the Yu-Chi and taking too big sips in her mouth. The liquor hit her like a train, and her stomach felt all sloshy and warm. Katara sighed with contentment.
"Sit back and let it kick in," Zuko told her, lying back on the rock. The two benders lay back and looked up at the waxing crescent above them.
"Do you think he ever talks to her?" Zuko asked suddenly, after a brief silence where the only sound was the passing of the bottle.
"Who talks to who?" Katara responded.
"Sokka. And Yue. Do you think he ever talks to her?"
"I don't know. He's no really into all that magic mumbo jumbo."
"But he saw her become the moon. Didn't he?"
Katara leant up on her elbows, "How do you know so much?"
"On the way to the Boiling Rock, Sokka shared some interesting stories with me. Like how Aang mastered the Water Whip before you could even get a string up."
Katara slapped him playfully, "I mastered waterbending in less than I year. I think I deserve a round of applause, not disparagement."
"Yeah. Trust Katara to use big words when she's frosted."
"I'm frosted?" Katara squealed happily, "How can you tell?"
"Because of the way you talk. You're less… motherly. Now you're more like Katara."
"You don't know me," she said seriously.
"I've been chasing you guys for almost a year, and living with you for two weeks. I think I've picked something up about your personalities," Zuko smiled.
"Okay, Mister Big Shot. Who am I?" she asked.
Zuko sighed. "You're the mother. You feel an overwhelming need to protect everyone. People don't like it, because they think that you're babying them. They're not defenceless, and you don't realise that. But, when it comes down to it, everyone needs a mother, and you're always there.
"You're very determined, and a little self-righteous. People think that your seriousness means you're no fun. Well, obviously they were wrong about that one. When you get really mad, your nostrils flare up and you get all tense. Being tense is completely against your nature, though. You're meant to be all flowy, like water. But your maternal instincts get in the way of that. But then again, like water, you're unpredictable and your mood-swings are legendary."
He looked at her, awaiting a response.
"Wow," she finally said, "You got me nailed." Zuko laughed, thinking of several different ways to interpret her statement. Nailed. He shoved the thought from his brain.
"I'm pretty insightful, too," Katara slurred.
"Oh yeah?" Zuko challenged, raising his good eyebrow.
Katara cleared her throat. "You are very single-minded, and when you've made a decision, you usually stick to it" – she shot him a look- "Usually. You're very sensitive, but you keep a lot of stuff bottled out. You used to release it by fighting us, because your bending used to be fuelled by anger and hurt. Now that you've started to forgive yourself, your emotions have started to become clearer. You're not only angry. You can be happy or sad or excited.
"You're very sarcastic, and you do great impersonations. You're not easily impressed. Something tells me that you're the jealous type."
She looked to Zuko, to gage his reaction. He had his eyebrow raised, and his eyes widened a little.
"Well… yeah," he agreed, not disagreeing with any of it. Katara let out a small laugh of triumph, and took another daring sip of Yu-Chi. A thought popped into her head.
"You're really the jealous type? Do tell."
Zuko didn't reply, but he said, "Doesn't it feel good to not be the mother for once?"
Katara sighed and closed her eyes. "Spirits, yes," she admitted.
"We have a long day tomorrow," Zuko said.
"I really don't care. I'm happy right where I am, sitting on a rock drinking Yu-Chi with you."
That was the last thing Katara remembered, before the twittering of birds woke her up. Groaning, Katara opened her eyes, where a pinkish light was filtering through the trees above her head. Her back hurt. And her neck and arms. That's what you get for sleeping on a cliff face, she figured.
Wait? A cliff face?
Her mind rushed through the previous night at such a pace that it made her head ache. Of four things she was sure. 1) It was morning, 2) She was thawing (the after-effect of being frosted), 3) She needed to make breakfast soon and 4) Zuko was fast asleep next to her.
Really, he was more under her than next to her. Her legs had manoeuvred their way so that they were over his toned chest and her head had been resting right near his knees.
Katara looked at him for a moment, considering how she would wake him up. Frowning, she thougt some very indecent words, and did the most Katara-esque thing possible.
She kicked him. Hard.
"Ow! What the fu-?"
"Wake up, you idiot! It's morning, and I have to make breakfast and Aang will probably wake up soon and Toph is probably wondering where you are and I am so sore from sleeping on rocks and I cannot believe you got me frosted!"
One of Zuko's hands reached to his chest, where Katara had kicked him hard in the ribs, and the other reached towards his head, where he was also thawing.
"Good morning to you, too, Sweetness," he said dryly, pulling out an empty bottle from underneath him.
Ow. So that's where that was.