No Time To...

Tension

"Does anyone else feel bad for leaving Zuko with appa alone?" Sokka whined a little as they all sat at a bar to get food and maybe a drink. Katara had a glass of alcohol already which made everyone uneasy but no one stopped her since it was only one glass.

"He insisted, and being this close to the capital he has a valid reason," Toph scoffed and ordered herself a drink after three days of traveling with these idiots again. They wanted to get some food before making camp, in the morning they'd be able to go to the air temple within a half hour.

"Alright, since he's gone then, what the hell has been You and zukos problem all trip?" Sokka raised a brow at his sister as Katara sipped her drink.

"What do you mean?" She didn't pay him much attention as she swirled the whiskey in her drink.

"Bickering, you've gotten into screaming matches every night when we set up camp, glaring, cutting each other off, you guys fucking hate each other, it's worse then when Zuko first joined the group," Sokka narrowed his eyes and Katara frowned. Toph tilted her head down to mind her business while Suki was curious as well noticing how angry they were with each other.

"I just forgot how much of an asshole he is, we barely could stand each other before," Katara sighed clenching her glass.

"No you guys were friends, and after Zuko almost died You became partners in crime almost, till You both disappeared two years after the comet," Suki softened her look when Katara didn't look at any of them.

"We got into a bad fight while back, somethings just can't be fixed," she said calmly.

"What was it about? I'm sure you guys can work it out," Sokka reached for her shoulder but Katara slammed the empty glass on the bar annoyed.

"Not everything is okay and easy to work out, people get in fights and say and do shit that can't ever be taken back, I fucked up and that's on me, after everything is done I don't ever have to see him again, I'm not even going back to the white lotus camp with you guys," Katara snapped harshly turning to Sokka and Suki on her right. Toph sat on her left quietly as she knew better what really happened.

"Just calm down, I get it," Sokka put his hands up wide eyes.

"You don't, things have gotten so much worse since Aang left and You haven't even see it all, it's ugly off the boats and on land," Katara glared at her brother.

Sokka couldn't help but shut up, he could see more scars on his little sister, she had some on her arms, two scars on her neck that must've been from threats. She was so grown up and it scared him a little, the way she drank, the way she walked and would kill someone with her stare. She went through something that changed her, and after all these years she's been alone.

"I'm sorry Katara, I just wanted to see if it was something I could help with, its been a long time," Sokka nodded understanding she wasn't ready to talk.

"I know, I'm not mad at you about it," she looked down disappointed in herself.

"It's been a long day, let's just get food and go back to camp and sleep," Suki touched her boyfriends shoulder with a soft smile.

—

"So you've been with kat alone these few years?" Zuko sat in front of a fire with appa next to him.

"Happy to fly again big guy?" He raised a brow. Appa groaned back.

"I don't mind it, I like how quiet above the clouds are... you're still really slow," he shrugged and appa groaned again pushing Zuko over.

"Oi," he laid on his side glaring back at the bison.

"Be nice to appa, he's done so much," Suki teased as everyone walked back to the camp and Toph tossed a bag of warm food at him to each.

"Thanks," he huffed sitting back up.

"I feel like we all just talk to appa like a person, little conversations," Katara smirked a little walking to her area.

"He's a great listener," Sokka agreed.

"I wouldn't say he's great at listening," Zuko narrowed his eyes at the bison again knowing appa has interrupted him one to many times. Only to be pushed again by appa.

"Bad bison no!" He cried out making everyone smile a bit.

"Aww he just missed you," Suki teased sitting at the fire with them as Zuko pushed himself up again.

"At least momo would just sit on my head and not shove me," Zuko wiped the dirt off his shirt.

"Oh shit I forgot about that little bastard, he's been with Aang," Toph snapped her fingers.

"What's the life span of lemurs?" Sokka snorted leaning against appa.

"Who knows how old he is before you guys found him," Suki nodded leaning against him with her head on his shoulder.

"That's very true," Katara covered her mouth hiding her small laugh and Zuko raised a brow at her. Seeing her ears were a bit red and how she hid her smile.

"Your drunk," he gasped sitting up wide eyes.

"Hey! Shh," she snapped her fingers and pointed back at him.

"Your so much more bearable when your drunk," he smirked back and Katara laughed a little.

"She had a few drinks," Toph giggled.

"Damn if I knew you were drinking I would've came with," Zuko sighed disappointed.  Katara dug in her bag and tossed a bottle to the fire bender.

"Loosen up pretty boy," Katara cackled and Zuko took a swing.

"When's the last time You got drunk Zuko, huh?" Katara raised a brow at him leaning on her knee that was pulled to her chest.

"Summer five years ago when I got black out drunk," he huffed taking another swing of the alcohol.

"No way, at ember island?" Katara gasped remembering.

"Ember island," Zuko nodded with a grin.

"Wait so when was the fight then? You two were traveling together five years ago?" Sokka looked at the two as Katara was feeling a little to good with alcohol.

"It's almost been six," she mumbled.

"Bingo," Zuko agreed.

"When did Katara start drinking?" Suki whispered to her boyfriend.

"As soon as I turned sixteen," Katara smiled proudly.

"The colony's know how to party," she giggled at Zuko.

"Peaceful places," he laid down with his hands behind his head.

"So you two did travel together after you disappeared?" Suki looked at them, the two being tipsy seemed to get rid of a lot of the hatred tension between them, looking at the good memories.

"Yea we went everywhere, back to the fire nation, back to the southern tribe, whale tale island," Katara listed and Zuko smiled at the scenery of their adventures.

"Your grandmothers a hoot," Zuko hummed making Katara laugh again.

"Things weren't always bad," Sokka breathed relieved.

An awkward silence.

"Not always," Zuko nodded. Katara had a sad smile looking away.

"So what happened then?" Sokka asked again.

"Fights happen," Zuko closed his eyes. "Friends get in fights all the time, it's normal,"

"Sokka I told you to drop it, it was a long time ago, and has nothing to do with anyone else except Zuko and I," Katara groaned dropping her smile.

"Let's... let's just get some sleep, tomorrow we'll head straight to the temple and see what we can find," Toph changed the topic for them and everyone agreed to just sleep it all off.

"At least we didn't bring up the unagi again," Zuko rolled over and Katara gasped.

"You said you wouldn't bring that up!"