"She brings this liberation that I just can't define.
Well, nothing comes to mind."
("She's a Rebel," Green Day)
Moonlight shone in through the open shoji screens of the Jasmine Dragon. General Iroh's famous tea flowed freely among Team Avatar and the White Lotus members, who celebrated Zuko and Katara's return from Hi'ra. With the Dragon Emperor's eyes in their possession, they predicted a glorious victory over the Dai Lee. All was going well until someone brought out the rice wine.
Zuko sat next to Sokka, who was bragging about his exploits to the pretty waitresses as drunk men often do. Not particularly interested in listening to Sokka's bluster or getting involved in Sokka's inevitable row with his fiancée, Suki, Zuko let his gaze wander over to Katara.
Katara sat with Toph and Mai. She looked radiant as the heroine of the hour. The one who'd dove to the bottom of the Hi'ra Straights and retrieved the Dragon Emperor's eyes, which earned her the title "Princess Jewel-Taker." Everyone who came over to speak with her was entranced; even the reserved and aloof Mai seemed to adore her.
Mai looked up and met Zuko's eye. Zuko had been avoiding Mai all evening, ashamed of how he'd jilted her, especially since everyone there was gossiping about him and Katara. According to Uncle, Mai had been acting as a spy for the White Lotus. Zuko wondered how she could get past her father, a high-ranking member of the Dai Lee.
"I've got waaaaay more muscle than you, Sugar Queen," Toph slurred. Alcohol had made the little earthbender even louder and more hyper. She flexed her arms to show off the biceps of an Earth Rumble champion.
Katara rolled her eyes. "Oh really?" she said.
Zuko tensed up. There was going to be a scene. Toph and Katara were like sisters: the best of friends one moment one moment, and at each other's throats the next, and Toph loved few things more than needling Katara.
Usually, Katara had the patience not to let Toph get to her, but rice wine had lowered her inhibitions. Katara shrugged off the sleeves of her robe and slapped her upper arms like a wrestler. The women cheered, and the men whistled at her brazenness. A bright flush colored Katara's cheeks. She was breathing heavier than usual, and the men, in particular, were mesmerized by the dramatic rise and fall of her sarashi-bound chest.
Zuko's eyes darted toward Aang. Thankfully, the Avatar had fallen asleep under the table after only one cup of rice wine. It would be embarrassing to see your water-bending master in such a state. And the last thing the boy needed was more fuel for his puppyish crush on the beautiful water bender.
Sokka pumped his fist and shouted encouragement to his sister. "Get her, sis," he said.
The table in front of them would be the obvious place for Toph and Katara to have their arm-wrestling match, but it was covered in cups of tea, rice wine, and bowls of beef hotpot. Suki threw a seating cushion in between the two girls, and the spectators stepped aside to give them room to lie down on their bellies. They clasped hands and placed their elbows on the cushion.
Mai tutted in disapproval, a mimicry of her mother, Lady Michi. Suki acted as the referee and counted down from three to one.
"'Cause if we lost our minds and we took it way too far
I know we'd be alright, I know we would be alright
If you were by my side and we stumbled in the dark
I know we'd be alright, I know we would be alright."
("There's Nothing Holding Me Back," Shawn Mendes.)
Heads throughout the Jasmine Dragon turned to watch the competition. Those nearby drew closer. Women didn't usually behave this way at parties, especially young and pretty ones like Toph and Katara. The men got even more of an eyeful as the usually modest Katara's hair and sarashi came loose.
Zuko put down his wine cup and huffed as primly as Lady Michi. He ought to burn the memory out of every man who ogled Katara's ample cleavage or wanted to card his fingers through her silky tresses. Uncle, usually a stickler for propriety, should put a stop to such shameless behavior. And Katara was Uncle's darling, and he wouldn't want to expose her to lewd comments and suggestions.
But Uncle, who sat across from Zuko, just looked on with a beneficent smile.
Katara bit her lip and dug her fingers into the tatami mat to steady herself. She was holding her own against Toph, who had the upper hand, when…
Suki threw a wine cup at Sokka. He had been telling the waitress hanging on his arm about all the money he'd won in Jigoku-no-Hi (a blatant lie, as Zuko knew it). "Go to Hell," she said.
There was the row Zuko had predicted.
"Suki, wait!" Sokka got up from the table and ran after her. "It's not what it looks like!"
Katara looked up to see what was going on. While she was distracted, Toph pushed her arm onto the mat. The cheering crowd declared Toph the winner. Katara stood and invited Toph for a hug. They embraced and reconciled.
Uncle turned to Zuko. "A strong warrior is gracious in defeat," he said. "And a wise man sees the value in having a strong woman by his side."