So this is extreamly long overdue- My apologies. I was out of town for a while and then I had to actual finish writing this darn thing- but I got it done, so YAY! A warning- there are some things I have found that I cannot write. Smut is one of them (It makes me uncomfortable to read or write it, so sorry if that was what you were looking for, I just don't do it) Another thing I have found is that, while entertaining, I can't seem to get drunk people just right. I tried it in this chapter, but I am not sure if this is what drunk people really act like (I have no first hand experience) So forgive me if I did not make this wild enough, I like to think it came out ok, but just a heads up that I had no clue what I was doing, hopeffully you like it all the same! Let me know!
DISCLAIMER: I Own None Of It!
Chapter 21: Why Are We Like This?
Azula was the one to start. She followed her own rule of going light to start out with.
"Never have I ever lived in the Earth Kingdom before."
Everyone groaned and took a drink as she sat there smiling. She may have been there for a while, but to her, living was going to the town or villiage late at night with friends. Trying out different tea shops. Not taking over the entire Nation.
Katara was sitting next to her, so she continued.
"Never have I ever wished I bent another element." She stated, staring at her glass in satisfaction as she saw Zuko, Toph and Sokka take a drink.
"Sokka? You don't bend at all." Katara stated, eyeing her brother for an explanation.
"Exactly! I have wanted to bend another element-any element at all! Besides, this stuff is good." He said, reaching to refill his glass.
Zuko rolled his eyes. He thought for a moment, noticing Azula had still not yet taken a drink. Well. That wouldn't do.
"Never have I ever dressed as a Kyoshi Worrior." He said with a smirk. Azula grumbled but threw back her drink with ease. Zuko's eyes, however, were on Sokka as he also-with slightly more difficulty- downed his third drink.
"uh…Sokka?"
The boy held up a finger, already staring to sway slightly, "Don't wanna talk about it! Toph, You're next."
Toph smirked, being the youngest in the group, she had never experienced anything of the romantic sort just yet, but she knew the others were plenty old enough to have done so. Hog-monkey's surly would fly before she let that chance slip between her fingers.
"Never have I ever been kissed. Not kiss someone, but been kissed by someone."
Every older teen in the room glared at her before drinking.
Seeing their baby sister's down the alcohol, Sokka and Zuko asked, in sync-
"Who kissed you?!"
Azula raised an eyebrow, but just rolled her eyes as Katara blushed.
"I'm a good looking Princess, Zuzu. You should be asking who hasn't kissed me." Azula stated, much to her brother's chargin.
"Katara?" Sokka probed, still staring at the crimson waterbender.
"W-well…There was Jet-"
"JET?!" Sokka and Zuko both choursed, yet again.
Katara shrunk a little in her seat before continuing, "and…Aang."
Zuko tried to not let his body temperature rise too much, but it was getting hard as his mental control was slipping away with each shot he took.
So Katara's been kissed. More then once. By different guys. So what, she's pretty, it makes sense. No need to be jealous. None at all."
Trying to talk himself out of being jealous was not working.
Azula snickered as she sensed the inmistakable feel of a firebender heating up the room with their body heat. It happened quite often to benders who felt strong emotions.
Toph, however, was all to happy to point out the change. "Is it just me, or did it just get like thirty degrees warmer in here?" She smirked again as she felt Zuko shift uncomfortably.
"Ok, so let me get this straight," Sokka said, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his baby sister no longer had virgin lips, "Both Jet…And Aang have kissed you?"
Katara sighed, nodding. "Yes. They did. Can we move on now?"
Sokka seemed to think for a moment, knowing it was his turn. "We will talk more about this when we are more sober. Never have I ever… Set something on fire!"
"So original." Azula muttered sarcastically as she and Zuko took another drink.
Now that one round was up, about a third of the whisky flask was gone.
Katara and Toph were tied with having only had two drinks. Next was Azula with three, then Zuko and Sokka with four.
Zuko was doing ok, he had played this before, mind you and had no trouble drinking. His uncle had let him drink from the time he was banished-though he never really took advantage of it, he was focused on things he deemed more important. But he knew how to survive.
Sokka was a bit worse for wear, he was leaning to the side, his eyes becoming a bit bleary.
Azula was fine, long nights of playing this game with Mai and Ty-Lee had led to a spectacular tolorence level, but she wasn't about to get cocky- she knew her limit.
Katara was also holding up well. She had never really drank much, but she knew that waterbenders always had higher tolorence levels. If need be she could bend everyone in this room sober with just a flick of her wrist.
Toph-having been the sneaky child she was- knew how to drink, not only thanks to getting ahold of her parents stash when they were away, but some of the servants around her estate would play games like ths with her when her parents were gone. Needless to say, she also had a good tolerance level.
Only poor Sokka was going to have a rough time least his sister have mercy on him by the end of the night.
"Me again. Time to dig a little deeper. Never have I ever nearly killed someone."
"What?" Katara asked, looking to the girl beside her.
Azula looked right back, "We are in a war. It's possible for accidents to happen. I personaly have never killed anyone, but perhaps I have come close."
Katara just shook her head. She shifted her legs a bit, making Zuko move slightly in the process as they both took a drink.
She thought back to the last two days she had spent with him. Those men they had encountered certiantly counted, right?
Toph left her glass alone, sure she had ruoughed a few people up, but she never had to check for any vitals.
Sokka also left his glass alone, he had never really hurt anyone, not to that point anyway.
Then again, thre was Combustian Man…
Before he could make up his mind, Katara spoke. " Never have I ever…" She looked to Azula. Ooh this was going to be good. "Had a crush on someone who was once considered the enemy."
Azula, Sokka and Zuko all blanched.
Like she predicted, Azula took a drink, slower then she had downed the others. What she was not expecting was to see her brother and the firebender resting against her legs to also take a drink.
She didn't want to think about any implications just then. This was just to tease Azula. And maybe Sokka, now that she thought about it-who knew, maybe Sokka was drinking for Azula?- But she was not clear headed enough to deal with any Zuko related revelatios.
She willed curiosity not to get the best of her. Who could it be? An Earth Kingdom girl he met in Ba Singe Se? Someone he met on his travles? Hersel-
No.
Nope.
No, not going there right now, won't even consider…no-nope!
Azula was also trying to reing in her curiosity. So, the young Water tribesman had had a crush on somone in the Fire Nation-where else would they be from, the Fire Nation was everyone's enemy right now.- Was it her? Ty-Lee maybe? The bouncy acrobat had taken an interest in Sokka before, but could that be it?
Zuko, not wanting to be questioned, quickly moved on, "Never have I ever been arrested before."
"Does getting captured by your pirate buddies count?" Sokka asked, recalling the time when he had been shot down with a net thrower after Katara had stolen that waterbending scroll.
Zuko thought for a moment, "I had no jurisdictional authourity there, neither did they, so…no?"
Azula shook her head, wanting to hear that story at a later date.
Katara and Toph took a drink. They were about to let it go when Katara spoke up, tapping Zuko's head. "Hey-you were imprisioned too, remember. You have to take a drink."
Zuko was confused for a split second before he remembered. Ba Sing Se. Had he been more in his right mind, he would have noticed this was the first time she had brought up their imprisionment together without any malice or distaste. She was only bringing it up to beat him at a game.
"Oh..Right." He took his drink, knowing he was going to hate himself in the morning at this point.
Next up was Toph. The older teens were secretly dreading what she would ask, so far she had proved ruthless in her questioning.
The small earthbender smirked. "Never have I ever let a tweleve year old girl play a drinking game."
"Hey-you co-uh-ould have walke-ed out with Aa-ang." Sokka slurred, even as he threw back another glass.
Azula shook her head-then regretted it imediently as it rattled her fuzzy brain. She dutifully took another drink, reaching for the almost-empty whiskey flask.
"I can help everyone sober up later, i-if you want to.." Katara giggled as she too took another drink. Waterbender or not, now she was starting to feel the effects.
"Please tell me this is the last round." Zuko practically pleaded as he took a drink.
Toph just smirked, "We have a bit left to go, and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet!"
"I got o-one!" Sokka yelped as he tried to slyly smile at the group, "Have I never ever lost my virginity."
Zuko's face grew red, and he hoped he could pass it off as the effects from the drink. He sheepishly took another drink.
Katara raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as she stared at the back of his head.
Azula gasped- far too loud, as she asked with a slur herself, "Zuzu…who's the poor victim?" She giggled as Katara snorted next to her, her laughter shaking her whole body and jostling Zuko.
Zuko shook his head, "N-no one." He said, stuttering more out of embarrassment then being drunk.
Azula leaned over to Katara and whispered-again, far too loud- "I bet it was Mai. They were a thing, you know."
Katara knew that, but still she felt her heart rate pick up for some reason she had no explination for.
At this point, Toph was in the lead, having only gotten 3. Katara and Azula were tied with 5. Sokka had 6 and Zuko 9.
Needless to say Zuko and Sokka were not feeling their best at that time.
"Ok… last round." Azula pushed on.
"Ugh. Katara, I'm taking you up on your offer." Zuko groaned, leaning his head back aginst her knees.
She smiled down at him-a smile he had never seen on her before. "Don't worry- I would have done it without consent anway." She said as she begn trailing her fingers through his hair. She hadn't even realized she was doing it, wether that be from her foggy head or just because it felt so natural. Some level of her subconscious was telling her this was just…right.
Azula started giggling again, this time joined in by Toph-though Toph's laughing was a bit more stable-sounding- as they observed the two.
Sokka ddin't even notice what was going on, he was so out of it.
"Ok, ok. Never have I ever pulled an all-nighter." Azula said giddily. Her sober-self was going to slap her for acting like this, but oh well.
"How is that embarrassing?" Toph asked, not touching her drink. She had been hoping to get a bit more trashed then this, but whatever- she would live with laughing over how her friends were making idiots of themselves.
Azula shrugged, "I dunno. Just so we can learn more. About each other!"
"I'm sure everyone in here has pulled an all-nighter. Thanks to you actually." The little girl rebuttled.
"Guess I have to drink as penalty then." Azula said, sloppily reaching for her drink again.
"Me n-ow?" Katara asked sluggishly, her nails still raking across Zuko's scalp. He gave a hum of acknowledgement, and she thought for a second.
"Ooh, never have I ever slept all day."
"Does doing so because you're sick count?" Zuko asked from her lap, she shrugged in a 'if-you-want-it-to' sort of way and he reached for his drink.
Azula also did. She was catching up to Sokka and she could feel her inner-fire raging at the fule. She would probably end up breathing fire on accident at some point. That thought alone made her start giggling agin, this time uncontrlably.
Katara raised an eyebrow, "What's-so funny?" The waterbender asked, slurring her words together.
Azula waved a hand, trying to catch her breath from her giggle-fit. "N-noth-hing haha."
Katara shrugged and tapped Zuko's skull again, "Hey sparky-you're-e yup- up!"
Zuko opened his eyes, his vision was slightly blurred, so he just shook his head.
"Um…never have I ever…Learned bending from the masters of my bending form."
"Ha! Non-benders rule!" Sokka yelled, pumping a very wobbly fist in the air.
"That's not fair-Wait! You have to drink too, Zu-zuzu. You were with us." Azula said smugly, or she tried to seem smug, but her smirk was too wide and kind of crooked.
Zuko sighed and reached for his glass again.
Azula and Toph also took a drink.
Katara thought for a moment, "I learned from like…3..4 and a half different masters- do I still count?"
Azula grabbed Katara's glass and shoved it into the other girl's face, "mmm sure does, drink up 'Tara."
Katara took the glass. "Tara? Where'ded you get that one…"
Zuko leaned his head back against her knees again. "I called you that…after I dropped you off here."he said, pointing at the ground.
Katara giggled, "Tha's cute of y-you." She slurred, and-not knowing what she was doing- bent down and sloppily kissed his forehead.
Azula really started laughing while Katara just giggled after sitting up straight again. Zuko was just frozen.
"Alright love birds- my turn." Toph stated, "Never have I ever danced with Twinkletoes before."
The little earthbender smirked as she felt Zuko and Katara take another shot. She just hoped Katara would be able to bend them all back to normal after this.
"Last question-es!" Azula shouted, looking to Sokka.
Sokka took a deep breath, then, "Never has I ever liked someone from the Fire Nations. Like that."
Part of Katara was warning herself that this would come back to bite her, but she had to do it. She lifted her glass and took a shot, watching out of the corner of her eye as Zuko and Sokka-why was he doing this? It was his question- did the same.
So, Zuko liked someone from the Fire Nation.
Whyyyyyyy did she care again? Did she just take a shot- stupid brain, why?!
Azula gasped, "Katara I knew you loved me!" The Princess said, throwing herself at Katara in a drunken, joking manner, placing sloppy kisses on the waterbender's cheek.
Katara giggled as she let Azula maul her, falling over slightly. In the process, she got one of her legs out from behind Zuko's back, and ended up hooking her knee over his shoulder. He grabbed her calf to steady her. She in turn, grabbed his head to anchor herself.
Toph began giggling, saying something about winning, while Zuko shook his head at Sokka.
"You loose Sokka. You even look drunk."
Sokka held up a finger, "I'm not as think you drunk I am."
Unbeknownst to the inerberated group, the young Avatar was watching them.
They wanted to play a game? Fine.
They wanted to laugh and have a good time with out him? Fine.
But he wasn't going to watch as they drank their logic away.
And a small prank wouldn't hurt.
He knew Katara could heal them from their state and that deep down, even drunk, Katara would sober up enough to do it.
They would all thank him for this later.
Sneaking outside, just outside a window, he bent a large bout of air and fire together. He created a writhing ball of energy and aimed it at the ground.
The desiered effect was achived as a large blast sounded upon impact.
He peeked in the window, watching as his friends froze, looking around for the sorce of the noise.
As predicted, Katara snapped to her senses and bent up some water from a nearby vase.
She -shakily at first- ran the glowing blue water over her head and body, freeing herself of it's toxins. Aang nodded to himself and directed another blast at the ground, this time with a tad more force.
Katara sped up, grabbing Azula's head and giving her the same treatment. Once the Princess was fixed, she shook her head and looked around as if waking up in an unframiliar place.
"What was that?" She asked Katara, who had moved onto Zuko.
"I don't know." She replied once she was done with the Prince.
"We better find out. Mai might be back." Zuko said, standing up in a perfectly fine condition.
Katara nodded and continued onto Toph. But the Blind earthbender shook her head, "'m fine- I told you all I would win." She stated, grinning.
Katara roled her eye's but encased the small girl's head in water anyway. "We're not taking any chanses! Azula, go find Aang!"
Azula nodded and ran off. Zuko headed off to his room to get his swords.
Katara made her way over to her brother.
"No! I…don't n-need your magic water!"
Katara grunted as Sokka roughly pushed her away by the shoulders. "We don't have time Sokka!" She yelled at him, forcefully grabbing his head.
Once his mind was clear, he frowned. "Sorry Katara." He said somewhat sheepishly.
She just smiled as he stood, "Well, you did better then puking this time!"
"Ha. Ha. C'mon we better check this out!" He said, just in time for another blast to go off.
Azula reached the bottom of the stairs, panting. Zuko was right behind her.
"Aang isn't in his room!"
"No." Katara said, dread slowly filling her up.
Zuko was at her side in an instant. He laid a hand on her shoulder.
"He might be outside already." Katara just nodded and hastily followed him out the door with the others trailing behind.
Well, others minus Toph, who was still sitting, "uh…guys?" She was able to see past the door and knew exactly what was happning.
None of the older teens listened-already in too much of a panic. Together, they burst out the door-
To find Aang rolling around on the ground, laughing.
This went on for a few moments as the older teens tried to piece toether what was happning.
Then, Zuko grabbed Aang by his tunic and hoisted him off the ground. The younger boy immediently stopped laughing upon seeing his teacher's face.
"What's going on?!" Zuko demanded, not letting go of Aang.
"uh…gotcha?"
Azula, Katara and Sokka collectivly groaned.
"That's it! I'm getting drunk again!" Sokka stated, turning on his heel and stalking back into the house. Azula was tempted to join him, but decided she would have to deal with a naughty student first.
"Aang," Katara began, admonishing, "What were you thinking? We thought we were under attack. Then when we couldn't find you, we thought something had happened! We were all panicking!" She ended up shouting.
"Not me!" Toph piped up, sticking her face through one of the windows. "I saw it a mile away."
Azula rolled her eyes. "Regardless, I must agree with my counterpart-what were you thinking young one?"
Aang gulped, knowing that if Azula was starting to sound like a mother, then he definetly screwed up.
Zuko-who was still holding him by his tunic- gave him a little shake and raised his eyebrow.
Aang sighed and hung his head. "I just…Saw you guys drinking. I've never seen any of you like that. It was ridiculous! We're in a war and you guys are-"
"Trying to ease the pain of that truth a little." Azula cut him off.
Katara sighed and stepped towards the two boys. She grabbed Zuko's shoulder and squeezed, letting him kow it was ok to drop their student. When he did so, they both stood there looking at him.
Aang had never known what it felt like to have disappointed parents until that point.
Zuko sighed, "Let's just go to bed. Just for this- you're getting up extra early tomorrow."
Aang nodded and reluctantly followed his teachers back into the house.
/\
"What are you doing?" Zuko asked as Sokka ducked into the firebender's room after the youngest of the group had gone to bed.
"Our sisters are in the next room. I want to know what they are talking about."
"Probably just boring girl stuff. Or what they plan to do after taking over the world." Zuko muttered, going back to hanging his swords up on the wall.
Sokka scoffed and moved along the wall, looking for cracks and holes he could see through.
He laughed lightly when he found one. Looking through, he found it was covered by something- a picture maybe. Unfazed, he put his ear up to it to try and hear better.
He heard 'Zuko' and, 'My brother' a few times, but nothing more then that.
"Told you, nothing interesting." Zuko said as he settled on his bed with one of the old scrolls from his book case.
Sokka grumbled, but brightened a little when he peeked through the hole again- seeing that someone had moved whatever was in the way.
Succsess!
Which was short lived, when he heard Azula say something about peeping, and then something was being jammed into his eye socket.
The Water Tribesman yelped and reeled backwards, Zuko looked up and started laughing as he watched Sokka fold over, cradling his eye.
He laughed even more when Sokka opened the door, revealing their sisters-he tried to ignore that Katara was wearing next to nothing- who were standing there with their arms crossed.
"I wasn't 'peeping' I was eavesdropping!"
Azula rolled her eyes and said something more, then the girls were gone and Sokka was left rubbing his eye and glaring at a still chortling Zuko-who had ended up on the floor.
"That's what you get." He said after he had caught his breath.
Sokka just huffed and sank to the floor next to Zuko.
"I was trying to figure out if they were talking about the game."
"What about it?" Zuko asked, sitting up against the bed.
"Despite being drunk off my boomerang- I rememeber what I asked. Never have I ever like someone from the Fire Nation? Katara took a drink. Katara said, never have I ever liked someone who was once an enemy. Azula took a drink…And so did you."
"Er…right, well."
"You like my sister." Sokka stated matter-of-factly. Zuko rolled his eyes.
"Who doesn't? But you can't judge. Despite the fact that this makes me question your sanity, I know you like Azula."
"Woah woah woah! I'm not jumping into anything just yet…I think. But no. I'm not judging. Ever since we left home, Katara's been drawing the attention of just about every guy we meet. And yes, it's annoying and my big brother instincts love to take over sometimes. But back home? She would be engaged already."
Zuko nodded. That's how it was with royalty in the Fire Nation also, they were usually promised from birth in marriage. He and Azula somehow never got that. Not that he minded. Now he was free to choose who he wanted to marry. And he had his eyes on someone already…
"And the both of them might like the both of us…We could be brother-in-laws!" Sokka shouted excitedly.
Zuko just shook his head. "You do realize that if we all got married, it would look like one big political agreement, right?"
"Better wait till we kick your dad's butt for any wedding's then."
Zuko just nodded.
"Well, I'm going to bed before this can get awkward. Night!"
Zuko waved the other boy away, his thoughts turning over in his head for the rest of the night.
/\
"So," Azula said once Aang and Toph were asleep, "You kissed Zuzu."
Katara dropped her blue toga to the ground. She had been changing into her sleep wear-she didn't mind Azula being in the room, back home all the women took baths together while they gossiped in steam-filled huts. Azula didn't really care either, she just wanted to address the issue of her brother and new best friend.
"What!? When?"
"You don't remember?" She asked, sitting on Katara's bed, "It was right after his question. I called you Tara, you asked where I came up with that, Zuko said he said it first, you called it cute and kissed him."
Katara scoffed as she pulled off her tights and folded them on top of her toga, "Yeah. On the forehead. So?"
"So I was right. You like him." Azula stated triumphantly.
Katara dropped her clothes to into the large dresser in the corner of the room, "Um-has Sokka introduced you to cactus juice? I don't like Zuko. Not like that anyway." Despite her words, her face was heating.
You're not lying, you're not lying, you're not lying.
Her little mantra wasn't helping her blush.
"Well, then why did you take a drink when your brother asked about liking someone from the Fire Nation?"
Crap!
Katara scoffed, "Please. For all you know, I could be talking about Master Piandao. Or uncle. Or your dad! Or you!"
With each suggestion, Azula's face slowly morphed into a look of pure horror. "Ok, one-I can see the appeal with Piandao, if you like older men. Two, creepy. Three-no, please no! I would rather we loose to my father then have you interested in him. And four- well, I'm flattered but I can see right through it. You like my brother. Plain and simple."
Katara turned to the firebender, "You are wrong."
"Stop denying it love! You don't just kiss someone-and then drink to that sort of question-and say you don't really have feelings for them."
"We were drunk, and it was just on the forehead. I kiss my friend's faces all the time! Watch-"
Without warning, Katara grabbed Azula's head and smashed her lips against the girl's forehead.
Azula flailed for a second-the last person that kissed her forehead was her mother- then patted Katara's shoulder before shoving her away, "Ugh! Ok I get it! …Are you wearing my perfume?"
Katara giggled, "I found it in the sitting hall-It's nice."
Azula rolled her eyes as Katara sunk onto the bed beside her, "Right. Back to the subject-"
"I do not like Zuko like that!" Katara said, enunciating each word.
"We are in a safe place you know. I'm sure no one can hear us."
Katara glanced at the door leading to the Prince's room and smirked, "You know, if it's such a 'safe place' I'm sure you wouldn't mind opening up about my brother."
Azula's fair skin whitened even further, "W-what?"
"So, you like my brother." Katara stated, giving her best imitation of Azula.
"No. Not a chance."
"There is no use in dynining it Azula. Us girl's pick up on this sort of thing you know."
"You're right, we do. That's how I know you have feelings for my brother. Drunken or otherwise!"
"Well you-"
Katara was cut off when Azula put a finger to her lips.
"Azula, what-" Katara tried to talk around the girl's finger, but was shushed.
Azula had her head down, as if listening to something. "The walls have ears." She said as she slowly moved from the bed to a small portrait hung on the wall that Katara had not noticed before.
Azula removed the sheer canvas from the wall, revealing a peephole. Azula turned back to Katara and waved her over. Katara slid off the bed and quietly made her way over.
Azula sighed and said in a louder voice, "I thought we have been through this Zuzu. Peeping is rude." With that, she jammed her finger into the little hole. Katara was surprised to hear a pained yelp come from the other side of the wall.
"Wait, that sounded like-"
The door opened to reveal Sokka rubbing his eye, and Zuko rolling off his bed in laughter in the background.
"I wasn't 'peeping' I was eavesdropping!"
"And how is that any better?" Azula asked, crossing her arms.
Zuko was trying to pick himself up off the floor, but failed each time a new wave of laughter took over.
Katara laughed along with him, but threw her hands in the air, "That's it! I'm sleeping in Azula's room! Goodnight!"
Azula just shook her head, closed the door and put the canvas back on the wall. She stripped down to her scarlet red wrappings, much like Katara and followed the waterbender back to her own bedroom. Just like old times, when she would have sleep overs with Mai and Ty Lee.
She found herself missing those days as she lay next to her sister.
She couldn't help whispering, right before she drifted to sleep,
"You like him."
"Well, you like Sokka."
Neither denied it as they fell asleep.
So there we have it! As always, please let me know what you thought- I love reading what you guys have to say, it really helps when you leave feedback! And it is great to be back! I'm hoping to get the ext chapter up soon, you won't have to wait too long! That's it for now, Later Lovelies!
Writer Out! ~0-0~