Zuko and Katara were taking a walk together just chatting to enjoy each other's company, they did it often that it was routine at this point. There wasn't as much to do in the palace as adults and they didn't like being alone sometimes. Zuko stayed in normal clothes than his royal robes when he was out and about, but they saw a general or someone from the military ranks.

"Admiral," Zuko stopped as he kept a hand over Kataras that were wrapped around his arm.

"Prince Zuko, lady Katara, pleasure to properly meet you," the man with large side burns nodded softly to her.

"The pleasure is mine admiral," Katara smiled kindly.

"Your father is expecting you, the meeting?" Zhao raised a brow at the prince.

"That's not until later," Zuko frowned.

"It's later, and your late," the man crossed his arms.

Zuko glared at him knowing zhao takes pleasure in making sure he's humiliated.

"Fine, I'll be back later tonight kat," Zuko sighed looking at his wife as he let go of her.

"Enjoy your meeting," she smirked at him. Zuko flipped her off from behind as he walked with zhao out of the garden.

"Can't believe a woman would actually want to touch you, marrying you was even more of a surprise," zhao grinned wickedly back at Zuko.

"At least women actually find me attractive, how's your wife? Oh wait, you never had one," Zuko walked ahead with his hands behind his back.

"At least I didn't get desperate enough to have one forced too," zhao scoffed annoyed.

"I'm eighteen and married to someone I actually care for, you don't want to have this conversation admiral," Zuko smiled to himself a little knowing he easily can get under zhaos skin.

"Watch it boy," zhao growled.

"It's prince to you, know your place admiral," Zuko glared back. "No matter your position in the military your not above the royal family,"

"Youre not respected Zuko, don't act as if your place matters in that throne room," zhao grabbed his shoulder to spin him around.

"You insult my position as prince you insult my father, do you think you deserve to be more respected than the fire lord? Sounds like treason to me," Zuko stayed calm as he hid his smile a little.

Zhao gulped a little pulling his hand back, startled by how Zuko didn't back down, the children of the fire lord are right under him, technically second due to them being able to take the throne.

"Just because your eighteen and married doesn't make you any more of a man as you think you are when you were thirteen," zhao scoffed.

"Find a new insult zhao, my scar is old news to insult," Zuko waved him off going to the throne room for the meeting.

—

Men were laughing obnoxiously loud as Ozai even had a small smile on his face with a cup of liquor in his hand, a successful meeting with grown men that had nothing else to enjoy but war victory and alcohol.

"Zuko you've barely finished the second cup," Ozai raised a brow at his son.

"Sorry father," Zuko nodded a little as he held the glass of wine. He watched the older men boom in laughter.

"Do you not see this as a victory?" Ozai questioned.

"I don't enjoy drinking," Zuko said flatly.

"General Lin brought this wine all the way from the southern colony's, drink in respect," Ozai demanded In a low tone. Zuko glared but finished the second glass of wine anyways.

"Zhao thinks he deserves more respect than me, I find it disrespectful in a way to you father," Zuko hummed knowing he was tipsy already, it was the first reason why he stopped drinking at first.

"Why are you telling me?" Ozai chuckled a little as a servant filled his sons cup again.

"We both know he hold his ego higher than he holds his fists, a man that's had a problem with a child that's grown, it's odd if that's the biggest thing that can anger him," Zuko twirled the glass a little and sipped his wine keeping an eye on zhao.

"I found it amusing, as well as when he found your Agni kai enjoyable," Ozai nodded sipping his own glass. Zhaos morals have always been questionable but he was a man willing to spill blood with ease.

"Earth kingdoms pain is understandable for a man like him to enjoy, but a child of the man that rules his own nation, I've never trusted him for that, if he doesn't respect a lords spawns then how much respect could he have for a lord?" Zuko grinned into the cup feeling the buzz in his brain that allowed him to speak freely and not worry of the punishment.

He drank more seeing his father was truly listening. The glint in his eyes as they landed on zhao. He was thinking about it. Zuko smiled finishing his third glass.

"But I may just be over analyzing, ever since the attack on my wedding night I may just be paranoid of other's loyalty since we never found the traitor," Zuko shrugged allowing himself to have a fourth cup. This is as free as he'll ever speak with his father. His smile faulted for a moment at the thought of his father maybe even respecting him...

But it grabbed ozais attention.

"You are smarter than you let on prince Zuko," Ozai tilted his head to the side watching his generals.

"Before You leave do bring a bottle for your wife, we have plenty to spare," he waved the boy off.

"Father?" Zuko questioned a little. His father was acting strange... kind even. But he saw the red staining his cheeks, he was getting a little drunk as well. He's never seen Ozai drunk, not even tipsy.

"You know I hate nothing more than a traitor, to be looked as a fool for the trust id give to someone," Ozai growled a little.

"Yes father," he nodded.

"Young Prince Zuko, how's the married life treating you kiddo?" A drunk general cackled.

"For an arrangement, little lady has a nice face and an even nicer body," another howled in laughter.

"What I wouldn't do if I was young with a girl like that," he chuckled finishing his bottle.

"Keep your thoughts to yourself general, my wife's a respectful woman," Zuko glared over with a his cheeks red from being drunk and his eyes narrowed.

"Aw give an old man an imagination," he waved the prince off.

"No," Zuko chugged his glass. His eyes felt heavy and the room spun.

"On the fifth glass?" Zhao snorted noticing.

"General Lin has good taste in wine," Zuko had his glass filled again.

"I'm only on my third and I cannot stand," general Lin cackled leaning against another drunk commander who laughed with him.

"I'll get to six," Zuko grinned.

"Fire lord who knew the young man could hold his liquor so well," Lin giggled with his eyes closed.

"Mmm," Ozai grunted as he sipped his wine.

"I doubt he'll hold it," zhao rolled his eyes. Zuko looked at him and chugged the glass with ease and set his cup down.

"I can walk," Zuko stood up with his head tilted to the side glaring at zhao. He grabbed the bottle he was given and opened it while walking out of the meeting.

"Good night everyone, get home safe," he waved back as he opened the door and dropped the cork to the wine bottle to drink it on the way back to his room.

He took a few gulps of the bottle as he tried to ease his irritation. He could stand anyone in that room, the entitlement, the merciless intentions to the innocent. Holding his tongue was difficult so he drank.

It was hitting him now, the spinning, his face incredibly warm, head felt heavy.

"You look like shit," he heard his sisters voice.

"Zula?" Zuko rubbed his head looking to the side seeing Azula.

"Oh my Agni your drunk," she gasped amused.

"Mm Lin, wine, zhao is a dickhead, being with old guys," Zuko tried explaining as he leaned against the wall and drank more of his bottle.

"Do you know where your room is..?" Azula raised a brow.

He nodded confidently.

Then looked around at where he ended up.

"Where am I?" Zuko blinked confused.

"Not by your room," she sighed with a grin.

"My rooms by Kataras," he told her as if it was obvious.

"I miss kat..." his lip puckered a little in a pout.

"Can we go see her?!" Zuko gasped pushing off the wall wide eyes basically filled with stars at the thought of her.

"Do what you want," Azula waved him off.

"Zula come with me!" He attacked his sister in a hug as Azula yelled surprised.

"Get off me!" She tried to squirm away but zukos grip was like iron with his face down in his arm.

Azula growled as she walked and Zuko followed, it was almost a drag but it was enough to get him in the right direction.

"Ugh your such a child,"