Author's Note: Avatar is not mine.
I do not condone underage drinking, smoking, or sarcasm – but it happens. Plus in my world legal age is 18. :-)
Zuko arrived at Sokka's and Katara's apartment fairly quickly. It was just a few blocks away from his. It was easy to find, a small two story cinderblock building. There was a small auto mechanics place on the ground floor. He took the metal staircase up the side of the building and knocked. Toph's voice called out,
"Sparky? Is that you?"
"It is Zuko."
"Coming." In a minute, he heard the bolt being thrown. Toph opened the door, and stepped back to let him in. "Meathead is unable to answer his own damn door. He is too busy making kissy faces at himself in the mirror."
"Toph, you know that's not true. I only make muscles in the mirror." Sokka's muffled voice called from his bedroom. "Hi, Zuko. Be out in a minute."
"Let me translate. He'll be out in 20 minutes. You up for a game?"
"Guess so." Zuko looked around the small apartment. He was in the main room that had a small kitchenette on one wall, a table piled with schoolbooks and a basket of folded laundry. The walls had some feathered Tribe art on it. Three ironed shirts in hangers were hooked to the back of a chair. There was a faded sofa and next to it was a computer on a makeshift desk of boards and cinderblocks. Toph went over to it and motioned him to sit in the chair. She handed him headphones and a game controller. She flopped on the couch.
"I get the couch, since I am master of the game and all. This is Rail Racer, the chime signals a turn and the buzz is the jump. I'll go easy on you."
"Don't."
"Ok, here it goes." She tapped a few keys on the keyboard and engine noise flooded the headphones.
"Toph, there is nothing on the screen."
"Oh, no! It must be broken!" Toph snorted. "Sparky, my house, my rules."
Four races later, Zuko was starting to get the hang of it. He shut his eyes tightly and could almost imagine the rail track. He was still far behind Toph, but he thought he might catch her soon. Sokka finally emerged from his room, barefoot, with black jeans and a wide studded belt and a black sleeve-less t-shirt. A small part of his normal ponytail had been replaced with tiny little braids. Most were bound back with the rest of his hair in a black leather thong. Two of them were left to dangle by his face. In addition to the white shell necklace he always wore, he had a silver pendant on a long black cord.
"I though you said no t-shirts?" Zuko glared at him. Sokka glanced at him. Zuko had a deep burgundy dress shirt on. The cuffs were rolled to the forearm and it was un-tucked. He had a pair of black chinos and black monk-strap shoes.
"My, my aren't we preppy. I am getting my shirt, keep your pants on." Sokka pouted and went to the pile of laundry where he grabbed a pair of socks and then grabbed a shirt from the ones hanging on the chair. The one he picked was a black short-sleeve with a tribal style design printed on the back in bright blue. "Aren't sisters great?" He shrugged into his shirt and sat down to put on his shoes and socks. "Katara isn't speaking to me for some stupid reason – but still does my laundry."
"Some stupid reason!!! " A loud indignant voice in the doorway caused all three heads to swivel in the direction of the doorway. "Of course. Whatever reason I have would be trivial!!!" Katara threw her duffle bag and backpack down.
"Katara, you are home." Sokka gave her a goofy grin. "It was merely praise…."
"Shut it! You can do your. Own. Damn. Laundry." Punctuating each word with a jab to Sokka's chest. She turned on heel and stalked to her bedroom and slammed the door.
"Katara, I'm sorry. " Sokka was now talking to her door.
"Go away!"
"I am planning on it – you want to go with us? It will be fun."
"Not in your lifetime."
Sokka's spirits sank. He walked out to the silent main room and sighed. He couldn't leave his sister alone like this.
"Uh-uh, Snoozles. Sugar Queen is NOT going to make you bail on us tonight." Toph headed towards Katara's door. "I'm coming in Sweetness!" She barged in without knocking and shut the door again.
"Sorry you had to see that." Sokka slumped dejectedly on the sofa. "I don't know what's wrong. If I knew, I could do something. Not knowing always makes me feel helpless." Zuko just shrugged.
"If she has to deal with it by herself, you should let her."
"I promised our Dad that I would take care of Katara. I will not let him or her down." Sokka put his hands on his head. "Hopefully, Toph and sort this out. I need to feel some pounding music right about now." Sokka smiled ironically. Zuko and Sokka sat in silence; Zuko calmly sitting, Sokka fidgeting and sighing.
"So, tell me about the band that is playing tonight." Zuko asked.
"It's the Freedom Fighters. They are wicked good, but a bit on the emo side. Do you know Bee Rebel from school? It is her band. She is the short little junior who keeps petitioning to allow girls on the wrestling team. Aang, Katara and I went camping with them once."
"They sound familiar. Weren't they in the news?"
"Yeah, their manager, Jet, was killed in a shootout with the police. He was a real creep – couldn't keep his hands off Katara, and broke her heart. It is weird to think I sat around a campfire with someone who is dead, who I wished dead…" Sokka shook his head fiercely as if to dispel the gloom. "Despite that – on the nights they play the Jug, we have a tradition. If we can sneak in, we see them play and then us, Bee, and her brother Lao goes to the Tangelo afterwards."
"Why do you have to sneak in? Aren't you eighteen yet?" Zuko asked.
"My birthday is next month.. What is taking them so long?" Sokka got up and headed over to the closed door. As he was just about to knock, he heard Toph's voice hiss,
"You don't have to come with us tonight – think on it. But you will tell him or I will. You have until Monday, Sweetness."
Sokka retreated quickly into his room and grabbed a hoodie. Toph came out.
"All set, c'mon Snoozles and Sparky!"
"Later, Katara!" Sokka called.
"Bye." Katara's voice was flat.
At the Jug, it was easy to get in. Sneers and Bee were still carrying in amps and instruments. Toph carried in the keyboard with Bee and then staked out a table next to the speakers. Zuko and Sokka helped with the rest of the gear. Sokka helped Pipsqueak, a 6 foot 6 giant, put together his drum kit. Zuko helped run cables. As they finished with sound check, Zuko found his way to Toph.
"Not bad, Batgirl."
"Yeah, you better grab a chair while there is still one. This place is filling up fast." Zuko looked around the milling crowd.
"What about Sokka?"
"He is getting drinks with Lao." Zuko didn't miss the bitterness in her voice. He wanted to ask her about it, but he saw Sokka walking up to them, followed by a tall skinny man with large brown eyes and a short dark ponytail at the base of his neck. Both had drinks in their hands.
"One Mai-Tai for you, Toph." Sokka set the fruity smelling drink in front of her.
"Thanks, Meathead." Sokka turned to Zuko.
"I didn't get a chance to ask, so I got you a beer. And – this is Lao "Longshot" Rebel. Bee's big bro. Lao, Zuko. Zuko, Lao." Both Zuko and Lao nodded at each other. "We are going to check on Bee."
"See you after the show, Meathead."
"We'll come back." Sokka pouted.
"Go ahead. I have Zuko with me." Lao pulled on Sokka's sleeve and he turned around and followed Lao backstage. Zuko's eyes narrowed.
"What the hell is going on?" he whispered through clinched teeth. "I get the distinct impression I am being used."
" But only for your body, Sparky." Toph smiled and he turned red. "No. You aren't being asked to babysit a 15 year old blind girl, if that is what you are insinuating. You can go watch your uncle practice the sunghi horn if that sounds more exciting."
"No, that's not it." Zuko scowled. "Spill it."
"I just knew if Lao was here, Sokka would bail on me." Toph stirred her drink absently. "Sokka is my best friend. I don't want to begrudge him anything."
Zuko just looked confused. Toph continued.
"You weren't busy, you don't get on my nerves, and don't care that I'm blind. So I though we had a chance to have some fun."
"You want to date me?" Zuko asked timidly. Toph giggled.
"Are you asking me? I hardly know you – that wasn't my intention. I'll just settle for friends, unless…"
"No, friends are good." Zuko smiled. "But this doesn't explain Lao."
"It doesn't?" Toph laughed. "I might not be on a date, but Sokka certainly is."
"Oh." Zuko nodded in sudden understanding.
"Sokka isn't sure himself – if he was, he'd not have taken me here, but he certainly sounds like he'd like it to be. I hope that isn't freaking you out."
"Why should it?" Zuko smiled. "It isn't often I get kidnapped by a 15 year old blind girl who is a lot of fun, and…" He leaned closer, "drinking her Mai Tai way to fast."
"Touché, touché."
Author's Note - Toph's audio games are real, you can find them on blindadrenaline dot com and audiogames dot net and listen to an NPR segment here - www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php?storyId6669943
Editted to correct horrible errors.