"Sokka I'm home!" Katara walked in her house with Zuko behind her as he carried both of their helmets, he took off his shoes once he closed the door behind him and followed his friend.

It was mostly wooden floors as the living room was the first room, to the side was the dinning room and kitchen, the stairs were on the other side with white walls.

"We're in the kitchen!" Toph yelled back.

"Are you sure They're okay with me being here?" Zuko crossed his arms as he didn't know how Sokka and Aang would treat him now after the... encounter they had the other day.

"Guys zukos with me!" Katara called and Zuko jumped a little.

"Okay?!" Toph yelled back again.

They walked into the kitchen and Zuko saw everyone was there including Suki and Aang, he waved awkwardly.

"Pizzas over there," suki motioned to the side for him as Sokka opened a soda.

Sokka and Zuko made eye contact for a moment, there was a small gesture from Sokka that almost seemed like he was asking if he was okay, Zuko looked away.

"Yo I need a hand moving the table, your helping jerk," Sokka told him as Aang seemed surprised as well as Katara. Zuko said nothing and obliged.

"How are you holding up?" Sokka mumbled as he kept his back to Zuko while they walked.

"What do you mean?" Zuko put his hands in his pockets.

"You know what I mean," Sokka scoffed.

"No. I don't." He narrowed his eyes. Challenging him to keep it up.

"Oh should I be more open about the other night? I remember-" "hey kat, I'm going out for a break!" Zuko hollered back before Sokka got any louder.

"Can I come?!" Toph whined.

"No!"

"Seriously? Thought you were cutting back," Katara popped her head out with a pout.

"Never promised it, I'll be back in a little," Zuko shrugged walking out to the front with Sokka behind him.

"Wow she'd be on my ass forever," Sokka snorted a little as they stood outside and Zuko grabbed his pack and lighter.

"What the fuck you want?" Zuko asked with a cigarette in his mouth as he lit it.

"How much to keep your mouth shut?" He inhaled the smoke and gave Sokka a look.

"I-what? Your gonna pay me to not say shit bout the other night?" Sokka asked baffled.

"Yes, I don't want this getting to anyone, I'll give the same to Aang," Zuko reached for his wallet in his pocket.

"Dont, I don't want money," Sokka stopped him quickly but noticed how tense he was.

"I don't like lying to my sister but I won't tell her anything, Aang won't either," he said calmly as Zuko didn't trust him.

"Have you talked to your dad since?" He asked curiously as Zuko handed him the cigarette.

"Yea, I took a job," Zuko nodded softly.

"What?!" Sokka cried out. "Why?!"

"Because I don't want my fucking home getting burned, and I don't want the people I care about 6 feet under," Zuko hissed keeping it down.

"It's just... telling my dad no wouldnt be safe, he doesn't like the word no," Zuko sighed as he breathed in more nicotine trying to relax.

"Upside to it though, I can go to any college I want, if he keeps his promise I'll get the hell out of that business," he tapped his foot anxiously as Sokka crossed his arms.

"Does Katara know?" Sokka sighed.

"Ish, she knows I have a job," he shrugged.

"Is that last night gonna be happening again?" Sokka gulped a little.

"I don't want it too," Zuko pursed his lips.

"I don't want to be like how I was before," he admitted.

"Then don't take the job," Sokka hissed.

"I would love to not take the job but I don't have a choice," Zuko growled.

"Don't worry, I won't be involving your sister in anything of it, I promise," he looked at him seriously.

"If I do, you can punch me as hard as you want in the face," he shrugged and Sokka perked up at the idea.

"No you can't tell her," Zuko said flatly.

"Aw..."

——

"Ugh I can smell you from over here," Katara huffed as Zuko sat on the two person couch with her as he raised a brow.

"And I can smell your bath and body works from here," he shrugged as she placed her legs on his lap as Aang turned on the movie.

"Did Sokka harass you?" She teased scooting closer as she leaned back on the arm of the couch. Aang and Toph sat on the ground as Suki and Sokka snuggled close against each other.

"No, he was just asking questions about my bike," Zuko shrugged crossing his arms.

"Progress," Katara smiled brightly and he nodded.

"Have you seen Grease?" Suki asked Sokka as she scrolled through netflix.

"Duh I have a sister," Sokka laughed.

"Do not even start, your the one that likes chick flicks and cheesy romance movies," Katara pointed.

"What's it about?" Zuko asked curiously. The cover of it didn't look like it took place in Greece.

"You haven't seen grease?" Aang gasped.

"No?" He raised a brow.

"Heather's?" Sokka asked wide eyes.

"Nope,"

"Breakfast club, titanic, parent trap, breakfast at Tiffany's, gone with the wind?" He squealed in horror.

"I feel like some of these are made up," Zuko made a face not believing them.

"You've obviously seen forest gump right?" Katara snorted and he shook his head.

"Turn on forest gump right now Suki," Katara whispered wide eyes.

"I'm on it, fucking heathen," Suki turned it on as Zuko frowned.

"Why does it matter?" Zuko leaned back as Katara kicked him a little.

"These movies are amazing and you won't get any of our references if you don't watch them," Katara huffed a little as Aang sat in front of her with Toph laying on the ground.

"He's probably a book nerd," Toph laughed laying her head on aangs leg to have a pillow.

Everyone stared at him.

"I like to read, so what?" He mumbled embarrassed.

"So you've seen the shining?" Sokka tried.

"I read the shining," Zuko pulled his hoodie over his mouth.

"Why would you read when you can literally watch it?" Sokka groaned as Suki giggled.

"Do you know how hard it was to learn how to read Japanese? I had to make sure I wasn't loosing my damn mind so I read English books," Zuko huffed a little as Katara cooed.

"Why'd you have to learn Japanese?" Suki asked confused.

"... I... lived in Japan..?" Zuko squinted his eyes thinking she knew this.

"I'm bilingual?" He blinked.

"Me too!" Toph raised her hand from the ground.

"In what?" Katara raised her brow at her.

"đá vào mông của bạn," toph smiled.

"... when were you bilingual?" She whispered shocked.

"Is that Vietnamese?" Zuko looked over at her impressed.

"Yes sir," Toph hummed.

"Are you going to watch the movie or not?" Sokka whined.

"This is not over," Katara pointed at the blond girl as they all paid attention to the movie instead now.

"So is it only movies your ignorant in?" Suki whispered.

"Probably not," Zuko whispered back.