How You Doing Insane Gang!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

"Alright Wolves! The first game of the season is this Saturday which is two days from now, normally I wouldn't draw attention to this since we would have lost but now with our two new additions we have a chance at a winning record or at least break even." Hakoda stalked up and down the line of players.

"I want everyone to focus and be mindful in preparing for the match-up...that means to cutting back on your greasy burgers Sokka."

Sokka huffed leaning on his stick. "Aw, man."

"Be ready to grind tomorrow boys."

At the dismissal, they skated their way to the locker room. Haru unbuckled his leg pads, massaging his legs as he went. "Hakoda must really expect us to win with you two joining us, he's never worked us that hard before."

Sokka cracked his back. "True that."

Hahn, the second line winger, actually caught Aang when his legs turned to jelly once he got off the ice.

"Woah! Thanks, Hahn, high school hockey practices are harder than what I'm used too."

Jet was already out of his shoulder pads. He sat down on the bench in front of his locker to take the tape off his stick. "Oh yeah, take a look at Sozin,—he motioned towards his partner with his head—strutting in here like practice is about to begin."

Zuko scowled and hit him with the blade of his stick as he passed him on the way to his locker. "I don't strut. I'm just used to more rigorous practice."

Sokka zipped up his duffle bag beside him. "Wait, you're telling me that was easy for you?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it was a little relaxing. My practices with the Blazers were three hours instead of two, and usually twice a week we would spend training solely on endurance. My father also made me do weight lifting on the weekends when I didn't have practice or games."

"Just because we don't to some fancy-schmancy training doesn't mean ours is bad!" Sokka tried to lighten the mood.

Zuko tried to contain his smirk. "Alright, you stick with that." He reached over to slap his thigh. The captain gasped in pain failing at reeling in his reaction to not give Zuko any leverage.

Even though he was the last one in the locker room, he was the first one out of there since he wasn't wincing in pain every two seconds removing his gear.

"Where are the other two?"

Zuko jumped in surprise. His bag slipped off his shoulder and landed on the cement with a thunk.

"Katara!" His cheeks heated up without his permission. He tried to cover it by reaching down and picking up his bag.

"What are you doing here?"

She stood there with her hands casually crossed.

"Sokka is my ride, so I usually just watch you guys practice."

"Oh um, they're probably gonna be in there for a little bit, they're pretty sore from practice."

She raised an eyebrow, "And you're not?"

He shook his head. "No, not really, my father made sure of that."

There was an awkward pause and Zuko scratched the back of his neck. Katara bit her lip. "Zuko—"

Sokka shouldered the door open with Aang holding onto his shoulder to support himself. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Katara!" He whined with every step, "Help me with him!"

She rolled her eyes, moving past Zuko to let Aang put the brunt of his weight against her instead of Sokka. Aang tried his best of not letting his cheeks heat up.

Zuko saw this as an opportunity to escape with Katara unable to chase after him.

"Good practice guys...I will see you all later." He not so subtly booked it to his truck.

Katara had no choice but to watch him go. "Come on guys."

Sokka handed her the keys to his car. "Here, you're driving, I can't feel my legs."

"Oh my god, you guys are such babies."

"How was practice nephew?"

Zuko shrugged as he set his bag down by the door. "Same old, Coach worked us on endurance and the rest of the team couldn't handle it."

Iroh set his cup of tea down on the coffee table in front of him. "How are you feeling?"

Zuko stretched his arms behind him before taking a seat on the leather couch across from his uncle's rocking chair. "Not even sore, father made sure to it."

Iroh nodded in understanding. "I do not question your physicality Zuko, I was referring to your emotional wellbeing."

He turned his head away. "I'm doing as well as I could be."

"Tell me...how are you and that beautiful blue-eyed girl, Katara?"

"I don't have time for this Uncle." He replied sharply, making a move to stand up.

"What do you have to lose Nephew?"

Zuko twisted around. "I can't worry about that kind of stuff when I have to get this team into winning form. Besides—glancing down at his feet—I have too much holding me back in the city."

Uncle bent over again to take a sip of his tea. "You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back."

Zuko wetted his lower lip, his eyes in a stare before snuffing and turning in to his room.

Next chapter will be there first game so stay tuned for next week.

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Stay Crazy.