No Time To...

Unforgiven

"Mai and I stayed back for a few weeks when Zuko went with iroh to help the white lotus," Katara had a glass of sake and everyone shared the bottle at a large table in a tavern.

"That's how we came up with the peace alliance with omashu and my parents, king bumi was very open to the idea after the comet," mai nodded calmly.

"Wow I never would've thought you two would get along," Suki was impressed as she sipped her cup of saki.

"If Katara can get along with Toph she can get along with anyone," Sokka laughed as they all smiled at the joke.

"Watch it and I might be replacing you with mai," Katara smiled into her cup.

"What would dad say?!" He gasped.

"This one doesn't yell for no reason?" Zuko offered and everyone burst out laughing.

"I wish it could be like this more often, it's so hard finding places that let whoever in, I'm so glad my eyes are grey so I can lie where I'm from," Ty Lee whined a little leaning against mai.

"Keep it down, it might be a safe pub but doesn't mean everyone in here agrees," mai hissed a little as Zuko scanned the room for listening ears.

"It's my friend, he'll keep the peace," Zuko nodded softly.

"Is that why the alcohol is free?" Toph elbowed him smiling.

"Yep," he smirked a little.

"So whats our place tomorrow with the team trip?" Mai asked curiously looking at Sokka.

Sokka explained to her how they'd be backup for taking Azula down and making sure she stays down, Ty Lee would be able to make sure she can't bend so she'd be waiting for the moment she can paralyze her. They knew Azula was more dangerous and unhinged now. And seeing Katara and Zuko again may make her even more dangerous for vengeance.

Katara noticed Zuko get quiet as he swirled his drink and finished it off before standing to get another bottle for the table. She felt something wrong, like an old instinct, to get up and follow him but she stayed down.

"Here," Zuko filled her glass a moment later catching Katara by surprise.

"Wow that was fast," she hummed pleasantly as he sat next to her.

"I'm not drunk so I'm pretty fast still," he smiled back softly before looking down.

"What's bothering you? Azula?" Katara asked finally.

'just thought about how our near death experiences seems to be with each other,' Zuko wished he could say, but he couldn't. He couldn't do that to her, bring it up again. But part of him was scared someone will get hurt tomorrow.

But he just shook his head instead.

"Just enjoying the moment," he smiled at her.

Katara blushed a little with a smile, maybe it was the alcohol that made her feel loosened up and feeling like her old self again. Maybe it's being with people that she loved again.

"Do you remember what it use to be?" Katara sighed softly just for Zuko to hear.

"What we use to be?" He raised a brow. She hummed nodding as she drank more.

"We were great," Zuko grinned at her.

"Not just in battle but our strategy were great, we fought amazing together, we were great together," Zuko couldn't take his eyes off his exe as Katara had red on her cheeks.

"Yea, and tomorrow we get to do that again," she smiled with a calm expression before looking back at Zuko.

"I think I've been slacking so I'll need you to have my back," he chuckled.