A week into their stay at Zuko's family vacation house, the group sat around a campfire on the beach drinking beer and wine that Sokka and Suki had picked up in town. Sokka had insisted on wearing his fake mustache and beard disguise, even though everyone else told him that it wasn't necessary and, in fact, would only make him look more suspicious. Miraculously, they'd returned with no problems and now everyone was enjoying some much-needed downtime after the long days of training.
Zuko had been pushing Aang hard to master firebending ever since they arrived at the beach house, the two benders training every day in the courtyard. Katara kept up with her waterbending practice too, but her sessions were rarely as long as Zuko and Aang's, which meant she often ended up sitting on the courtyard steps and watching them. That suited her just fine, because they practiced shirtless and it gave her the perfect excuse to admire Zuko's muscular chest and arms as he drilled Aang through the movements, a sheen of sweat making him glisten in the sun. Her biggest struggle—other than jumping him right there in the courtyard, propriety be damned—was making sure no one else saw her looking too closely.
Now on the beach, she observed Sokka and Suki cuddling and laughing across the fire, becoming more touchy-feely the more drinks they had. As Suki giggled and planted a kiss on Sokka's cheek, Katara drained the last of her cup, needing something to distract her from the fact that all she wanted to do was throw herself into Zuko's lap right now.
She was happy for her brother—Suki was amazing after all, probably better than her silly brother deserved—but seeing them together only made her wish even more that she and Zuko could be open about their relationship. The casual touches, the flirting, the sharing a bed at night with no one blinking an eye—she wanted all of it. But it would have to wait, and she knew that.
And so, she found herself sitting between Zuko and Aang around the fire, both of whom seemed to be too aware of her every movement. When she got up to get another drink, both of them leapt up at the same time to grab her a refill.
Toph, however, was closest to the wine bottle that Katara wanted.
"Here you go, Sweetness," Toph said, pouring another glass for Katara. "Unless you'd rather have one of these boys fill it up instead? They seem pretty eager to do it."
"I am perfectly capable of getting it myself!" Katara took the proffered cup from Toph's hand. Aang and Zuko sank back down, looking embarrassed.
"How much is left in this bottle, Katara?" asked Toph, holding it in front of her unseeing eyes.
"About a quarter?"
"I might as well just finish that then, don't you think?" Toph tipped it to her lips, starting to drink the rest straight from the bottle.
"Hey, maybe I wanted some." Zuko protested.
Toph took the bottle out of her mouth with a popping sound. "Sure thing, princeling hotman, here you go." She held out the bottle and grinned.
"I'm not having it now! You've been backwashing into it. And don't call me that!"
Toph shrugged and took another swig. "Your loss. Although, if you ever wanted to come straight to the source…" She pursed her lips jokingly, as though getting ready for a kiss.
Katara stifled a giggle as Zuko began to look very uncomfortable.
"Don't worry, we've got lots of booze!" Sokka announced, tearing his attention away from Suki and back to the wider group. So far, he was the most intoxicated of the bunch. "Hehehe, princeling hotman. I like it! Hey Katara, while you're up, why don't you grab another drink for the Agni-guy?"
"I don't like these nicknames," Zuko groused. "And I can get my own drink."
"Well which one do you like better? Princeling hotman or Agni-guy? Or how about jerkbender? Hahahaha," Sokka chuckled while Suki rolled her eyes and gave him an indulgent smile, before dissolving into giggles herself.
"None."
Sokka ignored him. "Oh, oh I know! Let's play a game of 'Would You Rather'! Remember, Katara, remember? Like we used to play back home?"
Katara felt her face grow hot, thinking of the last time she'd played Would You Rather. Zuko, who had just finished filling up his beer, coughed mid-sip. Refusing to look at Zuko at all, Katara sunk back down to sit in her spot. She noticed Aang trying to stealthily sidle closer to her and she shifted her weight subtly away from him. But she didn't want to get too close to Zuko either. It was too tempting. She wondered how she'd ended up in this terrible seating arrangement in the first place.
Sokka was getting excited now. "I'll go first! SUUUKI! Would you raaaather… hey, you're all out of drink! Would you rather have another beer or another wine?"
"Beer," she replied.
"Okay! Now you have to do it!" commanded Sokka.
"Those aren't the rules, Sokka." Katara said, laughing.
"Yeah, I thought you just had to answer the question, not actually do the thing," said Suki.
"Doo it! Do the thing!" Sokka said, leaning over to get her more beer.
"All right, all right," she laughed, taking it from him. "My turn."
The game continued for a while, and the drinks kept flowing until they were all feeling the effects. Katara breathed in deeply, loving the smell of the warm night and the ocean. Staring into the fire, she started to feel just a bit drowsy, and thought how nice it would be to just rest her head on Zuko's shoulder for a minute. Without realizing it, she began to drift toward him.
"Waterbender!" Zuko's voice came loudly beside her, jarring her to her senses. Katara sat up. "Would you rather go to sleep now or stay up and have fun with the rest of us?" The corner of his mouth was twitching in a smile.
Everyone laughed. Katara was relieved that no one seemed to have noticed that she'd been just about to cuddle with Zuko. Hopefully they all just thought she was too intoxicated to know what she'd been doing. And after all, she was pretty intoxicated.
"Stay up. Stay up! I know how to have a good time!"
"I thought you hated fun?" Toph ribbed her.
"I do NOT! I'm fun! And it's myyyy turn to ask the questions now. Sokka! Would you rather give up your fancy new sword or your trusty boomerang?"
Katara smirked as Sokka's mouth fell open in outrage.
"Hey no fair! That's an impossible question."
"It's totally fair," Toph said.
"Sukiii, don't let her make me choose! That's like asking me to choose my favorite child."
"Oh you have children? And when were you planning on telling me about this?" teased Suki.
"You know what I mean! It's a totally unfair question."
Katara said, "Just pick one, Sokka! Remember you started this game, after all. It's your own fault."
"Fiiine! Aarrrrghhhh. I'd toss away my boomerang, because…" Sokka paused for effect, "it would always come back to me!"
Katara rolled her eyes and laughed. "Cheater."
"Aang!" Sokka ignored Katara. "Would you rather have me or Zuko here for a brother-in-law?"
"What?!" Katara exclaimed.
Aang blushed. "Does that mean would I rather marry Katara or Azula? Because that's a pretty easy choice…"
"Nooo. Forget them."
"Hey!" Katara said.
"Forget who you're MARRYING. That doesn't matter. Who would you rather hang out with as your super awesome brother-in-law? It's me, isn't it? You can say me. I'm way more fun than Zuko."
"Hey!" said Zuko.
"Am I wrong?!" Sokka demanded.
"Probably not," Zuko grumbled. "But I have other qualities. Sokka can't teach you to firebend. And I have a beach house."
"I can teach you how to be good with the ladies though!" Sokka pulled Suki fully into his lap as she giggled and made a show of trying to push him away.
"But if you're my brother-in-law, then I'm married to your sister anyway and I wouldn't need any help with the ladies." Aang said, having more wits about him than Sokka at this point.
"Ugh, minor detail," dismissed Sokka.
"So who are you picking?" Zuko demanded, getting drawn into the question.
"I like you both," Aang said diplomatically.
"Come on Twinkle-Toes, if Sokka had to pick between his precious sword and boomerang, you have to pick too," said Toph.
"Okay. Then… I guess… Sokka." Aang hurried on, "Sorry Zuko. I'm picking purely based on, um…" Now he looked at Katara and his cheeks turned bright red. "I mean…"
Katara felt all eyes on her but all she could do was giggle helplessly. With the amount of drinks she had in her, the whole thing just seemed hilarious.
"It's okay, you don't have to explain yourself. The important thing is that you picked the right answer," Sokka said smugly. "Your turn!"
"I'll get you back for that one Sokka," said Aang. "Suki. Would you rather have to eat Sokka's cooking for a week or have to make out with him while he's wearing that horrible fake mustache and beard?"
Suki gasped in horror and laughed. "They're both so awful!"
"How dare you!" Sokka said. "I'll have you know that people think I'm quite dashing in that beard."
"Yeah, as in dashing in the other direction," said Toph.
Everyone except Sokka broke down laughing.
When the commotion subsided, Suki made a disgusted face and said, "I guess I'd… make out with him in the beard. Your cooking really is atrocious."
"Pfft. I think you like the beard," Sokka purred suggestively and waggled his eyebrows.
"Yeah, keep dreaming," Suki replied. "Okay. I have a question for Toph AND Katara. We all know who I'm kissing—against my better judgement sometimes," she added as Sokka made kissy noises at her, "But you two. Would you rather kiss Aang or Zuko? Sorry, Sokka is off-limits."
Katara blinked as her mind raced. How was she supposed to respond to that?
"Ahh, you guys don't have to answer that," Zuko said, rubbing his neck.
"Yeah, we don't need to—" agreed Aang.
"No way, IT'S THE RULES!" Sokka broke in, enjoying everyone's discomfort far too much.
"Zuko," Toph said without hesitation.
Zuko buried his face in his hands so he didn't have to look at anyone.
"How about you, Katara?" asked Suki.
Aang looked at her hopefully.
"I have to go to the bathroom!" Katara blurted, jumping up from her seat. "Keep playing without me."
She practically bolted up the pathway from the beach to the house.
When she came out of the bathroom, she found Toph leaning against the wall outside.
"That was not smooth, Sugar Queen."
"Excuse me?"
"I know your little secret."
"What are you talking about?" Katara laughed nervously.
"You and Zuko."
"WHAT?! I mean…" she tried to make her voice sound casual, "Wh—what about us?"
"I know you're together, dumb-dumb. Don't bother denying it, either."
Katara twirled a strand of hair in her fingers, wishing she could think more clearly right now. "Shit! How did you find out?"
"I can tell when people are lying, remember? And I can also tell when people's hearts speed up every time the other person comes around. I couldn't figure out why you were so mad at him, at first. But I pieced it together. It was the only thing that made sense. And now, it's obvious you two made up and are hiding it from everyone. Aren't you?"
"Damn it Toph! You shouldn't just go around reading everyone's minds, it's creepy. Yes, fine, you're right, yes we are together. I—I love him, okay?"
"Whoa, love? Jeeze Katara. Here I was about to congratulate you on finding yourself a little action on the side, and now you're telling me you're in love with him?! Does he know that?"
"Yes," she said, hoping she didn't sound too much like a lovestruck teenage girl.
"Ah well, good for you." Toph sounded a little wistful. "I said I'd kiss him, and I stand by that, but I'm happy for you two. I'll keep your secret."
"Thank you Toph! Thank you, really. It's important that Aang doesn't find out for now."
"I know you think so Katara, but I think you should just tell him."
"What? No, I can't. Not so close to the comet. He can't afford to be distracted."
"I think he can handle it. He's grown a lot lately, you know. He's more mature than you think."
"I don't doubt that, Toph. But I just… I think we should play it safe for now. Promise you won't say anything?"
"Not a word." Toph smiled wickedly, "But I can I just say, good job! I may be blind, but even I can see that Zuko is a hottie. Flameo hotman is right!"
"Toph!" exclaimed Katara, pretending to be scandalized—but she was actually pleased and flattered.
When they got back to the fire, the game had changed. Everyone was now playing Truth or Dare—at Sokka's behest, naturally.
"Katarraaa, you're back!" said Zuko happily.
"Katara's baack!" Aang agreed.
The two of them were now sitting next to each other, clearing have shared some kind of bonding moment while Katara and Toph were away. Thinking it was probably better if she didn't sit next to Zuko, as drunk as she was, Katara took a spot next to Aang. Toph sat beside her.
"Katara! You never answered who you'd want to kiss!" Sokka pointed at her dramatically before unsteadily swinging his finger around to Toph. "Toph said Zuko. I think we should make them kiss! Kiss, kiss, kiss!"
Toph bent a spattering of sand to drop onto Sokka's head. "Shut it, loverboy. Just because you and Suki can't keep your lips to yourselves doesn't mean the rest of us have that problem. And Katara's not answering the question so forget it. I already answered it. Next."
Katara looked at Toph gratefully. It was nice to have the immovable earthbender on her side for once.
"You guys. Are no fun." said Sokka, starting to hiccup. "Soooo, Zuko, truth or dare man?"
Zuko narrowed his eyes, wondering which option would get him into less trouble. "…Truth."
"Okay. Okay okay okay. Remember when we saved my dad from that Fire Nation prison? We saw your sister there, remember? And her two friends? Tell us, for real, did you have a thing with either of them? That one girl seemed to have a thing for you." Leaning away from Suki, he yell-whispered behind his hand to Zuko, "And I think the other one has a thing for me!"
Suki swatted him on the nose.
Zuko shot a guilty look toward Katara. She quirked an eyebrow.
"Uhh, well." He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Her name is Mai. I… dated her. Briefly."
"Oh, diid you?" Katara said, too inebriated to think better of calling him out in front of the group.
"But uh, it wasn't really anything. And I broke up with her when I left the Fire Nation to come find you all!"
"I knew it!" Sokka said triumphantly. "Niiiiice."
"Is that the one with the throwing knives?" asked Aang, miming the action of throwing something.
"Yeah," Zuko replied, trying to covertly look at Katara to gauge her reaction to all of this.
"She is pretty!" said Aang brightly, holding up his hand to give Zuko a high-five. When Zuko reluctantly met his hand, Aang continued, "If a bit gloomy. Perfect for you!"
"Who says I like gloomy girls?" Zuko challenged.
"Well, you know… I just figured…" Aang trailed off, clapping Zuko on the shoulder.
Sokka chimed in, "Yeah! You're really, um, what's the word… sullen!" He nodded to himself authoritatively. "You can be sullen, you know, Zuko."
"Yeah, well, that doesn't mean I like gloomy girls all the time, okay? I happen to like, uh… nice girls. Yeah." Zuko's cheeks were turning pink with embarrassment.
"Nice girls?" Toph prompted, a knowing grin on her lips.
"Nice and, pretty—no, beautiful! I like girls that are kind and brilliant and talented and beautiful."
Toph elbowed Katara in the ribs, until Katara hissed at her to stop. No one noticed.
"Aye, don't we all," agreed Sokka pensively while Suki smiled happily. "Aaaanywhoozle, who's going next? I guess it's your turn now Zuko."
"Katara, truth or dare."
"Dare," she said, feeling bold. Thinking again of the last time they had played Would You Rather, her mind started going into all the possibilities of playing a private game of Truth or Dare with Zuko. She'd have to keep that in mind for another night.
"I dare you to go give Sokka a smack for everyone. Sober him up a little," Zuko chuckled.
"Gladly," said Katara menacingly, stumbling to her feet and across the circle.
"Whoa, hey, hey now! What's with all the hate? I am the fun-times master here—none of you would be having any fun without me around!" The pitch of his voice went higher, "I even got us the booze! Take mercy on me, oh sister of mine!"
"You wish," Katara said, bending some water out of the ocean and gently smacking Sokka across the face with it. The best part was that his head got soaked in the process.
The game went around a few more times before it was Sokka's turn again.
"Okay, Toph—truuuuth or DARE?" he asked.
"Dare. Duh."
"I dare you… no, I dare ALL YOU GIRLS… to go skinny dipping. Right now!"
"You're on!" Toph said.
"I didn't agree to this!" protested Katara.
"I agreed for all of us! Anyway when's the next time you're going to get a chance to skinny dip on a Fire Nation beach, Sweetness? Well, you might, but the rest of us won't!" Realizing she'd just said something potentially revealing, Toph hurried on, "And I need you guys there to make sure I don't drown! I'm blind and I can't swim, remember? Let loose a little, come on."
"Yeah, go skinny dipping!" Aang cheered, swaying where he sat next to Zuko.
Katara looked at Zuko for help, but he only smirked.
She said, "You know what, sure! We'll have a great time skinny dipping right over there on the beach, and none of you boys are allowed to look."
Aang gave her an up-and-down glance and swallowed heavily. Zuko watched her with a little grin playing at the corner of his mouth. Katara knew that look, and it made her stomach erupt in butterflies. But now certainly wasn't the time for that.
"Come on, Toph, let's go. Suki, are you coming?" Katara said, pulling Toph down to the beach.
Suki laughed and chased after them. "On my way."
"Zuko! You're in charge of making sure no one looks. On your honor!" Toph shouted over her shoulder, then threw back her head and laughed wildly.
The boys sat by the fire, listening to the shrieks and giggles of the girls as they plunged into the cool ocean water.
O – O – O – O – O – O
Back in her room, Katara still felt incredibly drunk. It had been such a fun night and she felt so lucky to have such an amazing group of friends to share it with.
As she lay in her bed, her thoughts kept going back to Zuko, tormenting herself with everything she couldn't have right now. She imagined sitting between his legs in front of the fire. Pushing him down into the sand. Kissing that damn sexy smirk off his lips. Going skinny dipping with him.
Katara bit her lip. Heat suffused her body.
Everyone was probably passed out already. Would it be so bad if she were to just sneak over to his room for a little bit? No one would even notice.
Katara cursed her door when it creaked as she cracked it open. Sticking her head out, she looked up and down the hall for any sign of life. It was dark and quiet.
She crept across the house to Zuko's bedroom.
Carefully, she opened the door and slid inside.
Zuko was in bed, shirtless and in pajama pants. He sat up when she came in.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed. Still, he couldn't help but sound pleased.
"I had to see you. Everyone's asleep, don't worrrrrry," she whispered, tiptoeing across the room to the edge of his bed.
Zuko swung his legs out of bed and stood, grasping her shoulders. "You should go back to your room."
"You don't want me here?" she pouted.
"You know I do! Fuck, do you have any idea how sexy you looked tonight? And I have to pretend like I don't even notice! I love you in Fire Nation outfits. So… dare I say it… hot." He snaked a hand around her bare midsection. She hadn't bothered to change out of her two-piece Fire Nation day clothes yet.
Katara sniggered at his bad pun, allowing him to draw her close.
"I bet you'll love me even more out of them." She started trying to pull off her top.
Zuko grabbed her hands. "We shouldn't. We agreed to hold off until after the comet."
Katara stuck out her bottom lip.
"Did you really date that Mai?"
Zuko's brow furrowed with deep concern and he ran a hand through his hair. "Yes. I… I thought you didn't want me, Katara. If I had known, I never would have—well, a lot of things would have been different. But it's like I said. I broke up with her when I left. She was… she was what was expected of me. And she was nice to me. Mostly. She cared about me, and I guess I needed that pretty badly."
"I care about you. Did you…" her voice faltered. "Did you sleep with her? I just… need to know."
"No. No, I couldn't. We only really kissed, and even that… Well, every time I kissed her, I only missed you more." He braced himself, "…Are you upset?"
"Not upset." Katara shrugged unhappily. "But I don't like the thought of you with anyone else."
"I don't want to be with anyone else. I love you."
"Good," Katara hummed. Her head was spinning a little. "Then you won't mind if I help you forget about her…"
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss before he could come up with a reply.
"You're a really good kisser, you know that?" she exclaimed, forgetting to keep her voice low.
"Shhh. Katara, you have to be quiet."
A mischievous twinkle came into her eye. "I can stay quiet… but will you be able to?"
Feeling bold in her drunkenness, she sunk to her knees in front of him, pulling at his pants as she went.
"Wha—" Zuko sputtered. "What are you doing?"
"You'll see." Katara got his pants around his ankles and started kissing his upper thighs.
Zuko's cock twitched eagerly.
"You're drunk, waterbender."
"So what? I know what I want." She pushed him to sit on the bed, nestling herself on her knees on the floor. He had just enough time to think that he should probably stop her—it wouldn't be good if they were caught—before the capacity for such thoughts was driven from his mind entirely. Grinning, she locked eyes with him, then licked slowly from the base of his cock to the tip.
His penis sprang instantly to full attention.
"Aaaah," he moaned.
"Don't be so loud," she smirked, licking her way up his cock again.
Zuko's hips bucked slightly, before he could rein in his control. The sensation was, all at once, incredibly pleasurable and a tease of what was to come. Lust shot through his body. No one he'd been with before had ever shown much interest in doing this—and he'd never pressed the subject. Now, here was his waterbender, his Katara, who he wanted and loved so badly that it hurt, willingly dropping on her knees for him. The idea alone was enough to drive him wild.
Still torturously slowly, she licked again, tasting him, feeling the smooth skin of his hard cock with her tongue. When she got to the tip, she swirled her tongue in a circle around it.
"That feels… so good," he whispered.
Eyes wide and lips parted, Katara pulled back to study him with a teasing expression. He looked exquisite, all lean muscle, quivering with anticipation of her next move, his pupils blown wide as he watched her.
She began to plant sloppy, wet kisses on the head of his cock, taking just a little more into her mouth each time her lips came down.
"Fuuuuuck, waterbender."
A loud knock came at the door.
Startled, Katara raised her head. Yet… she knew she should be worried about being found out, but in her current state of inebriation she couldn't help but think that it was just a little bit funny. And exciting. A buzz surged through her at the thought that whoever was on the other side of the door thought Zuko was alone and had no idea what she was doing to him right now.
Zuko, however, looked panicked.
"Who is it? What do you want?" he said in a strangled voice.
"Zuuuuko!" came Sokka's voice from the other side of the door. "I want to talk strategy!"
"N-now?" Zuko motioned for Katara to go hide in the closet.
Katara grinned and held a finger up to her lips. Then, she dipped her head and took Zuko's entire cock deep into her mouth. The sudden feeling of her mouth, slick and hot, enfolding his shaft ripped a groan from deep in Zuko's throat.
Zuko cleared his throat loudly to cover all of the sounds he was trying desperately not to make. "Ahh, um, you want to do that now? It's, uhhh, not a good time. It's late. Ddd-don't come in here."
She bobbed up, lavishing attention on the head of his cock and swirling her tongue over the sensitive tip, tasting the evidence of Zuko's arousal before plunging back down. Zuko had to bite his lip to keep silent. He looked down at her and then immediately wished he hadn't—because Katara was looking up at him, the embodiment of beauty, with her blue eyes seductive and playful, and her lush lips wrapped around his cock. The sight was more intoxicating than any amount of drink.
"Psssh, never too late to talk strattteeegy! Come onnnn, I have ideashh!" Sokka slurred.
Zuko could not handle this. He tried to gently push her off, but Katara only shook her head with his cock still in her mouth, then went back to her work of driving him delirious with her swirling tongue and deliciously hot lips.
He somehow managed to reply, "I… mmmm … ahh, I'm not feeling so good, man. Come… ahh, back in the mmm..mmorning."
Katara started moving her head up and down faster, enthusiastically, increasing the suction with her mouth. Zuko gripped the sheets so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"Yeah, you know, you don't sounnd so good, buddy."
Katara was thoroughly enjoying the way Zuko was falling apart under her attentions. She brought a hand to the base of his cock and curled her fingers around it, sliding her lips down further.
"Y..yyeah." Zuko could barely get out the words. His brain was being overwhelmed with pleasure and the only thing he wanted to focus on was Katara's maddening mouth. "Ahh, uhh, too mmmany drinks."
"Sleep it off buddy! Okaaay, nighty night Zuko. Strategy sesh in the mooooorning!"
They could hear Sokka stumbling down the hallway back toward his and Suki's room.
Zuko tipped his head back and closed his eyes, doing everything he could to contain another moan. His whole body tensed up, pleasure searing his synapses as the pressure built and built. He lost himself to the feeling completely, until nothing mattered but Katara's mouth on him.
His hands fluttered gently through her hair, and then she felt his palm exerting light pressure on the back of her head, guiding her to just the rhythm that he needed. Katara felt lightheaded and tingly with excitement, happy to oblige.
She savored the sensations of his heavy cock in her mouth, her lips—just a little numb—fitting around it snuggly, her tongue tasting him. She sucked his cock messily, the alcohol making her sloppy. She loved the way he writhed and fought to hold in his noises; and it drove her to push him more, to see how much he could take and still keep quiet. She loved the way he looked, breath coming hard, muscles taut, losing himself in every swirl of her tongue and movement of her head. She loved being the source of his pleasure.
Panting hard, Zuko's hips began to jerk. Knowing he was on the verge, she took him even deeper into her throat and swallowed around the smooth head of his cock.
Uncaring what he sounded like anymore, Zuko released a grunt from deep in his throat, which turned into a swear, and then her name. His hips snapped forward as he lost the last bit of control he had over his body. Katara felt the tremor race through him, and then he was spilling into her mouth, down her throat. She kept going, swallowing it up, drawing out every last bit of pleasure she could from him until he was shaking.
Katara looked up just in time to see the look of total adoration on Zuko's face, before he crumpled backward onto the bed, gasping. Slowly, she sucked her way off his cock one final time, swallowing the last dribble of cum as she did.
Beaming impishly, her lips swollen, she slid onto the bed next to him.
When he was finally able to form coherent thoughts again, Zuko propped up on an elbow to look at her.
"How was it?" she asked innocently. "You really weren't very quiet, you know."
"Just you wait. I'll get you back for this, waterbender." His eyes danced dangerously but they were belied by the hazy smile plastered across his face.
"I look forward to it."
Katara skipped back to her own room feeling delightfully wicked. Zuko wasn't likely to forget about that anytime soon.
A.N: If anyone is wondering why Mai still helped them at Boiling Rock even though her relationship with Zuko is different in this AU, I chalk it up to her still really caring about him. Even though she could tell he wasn't really into their relationship, she still grew up with him and didn't want to see Azula kill him. She's got a soft spot for him. I couldn't find a way to work this info into the chapter naturally, so it's here for anyone who might want to know.
Anyway… this chapter is pure self-indulgence on my part but I hope you enjoyed it too! This is one of my favorite chapters with its fluffiness. And does anyone else think drunk Sokka would be really fun to hang out with?