A/N: Okay, this is a two shot. I got the idea from the story 'components of love' by Eiune (it's a really good story by the way). T'pring is my OC. She's Aang's twin sister. I might or might not do the story idea I have in my head about her, depending. This is set when the Gaang are adults, and Zuko is in his early twenties. Well enjoy and PLEASE REVIEW!

Disclaimer: Avatar never has, doesn't now, and never will belong to me. Again, I got the idea from Eiune.

Chapter One-String

Zuko stared at the challenging task before him. Yes, he was a talented fire bender, and quite capable with a pair of broad swords (sp?). Yes, he had faced countless assassins and other vicious opponents. Yes, as a teenager, he had helped the avatar and his friends defeat his own father, one of the most talented ('And ruthless', Zuko reminded himself, 'Very, VERY ruthless') fire benders in the world. But Zuko knew this task was one of the hardest things he had ever attempted. He stared at the seemingly miles of cord he has to weave. And Aang had said it shouldn't take him more than a few hours. Zuko snorted. He would be lucky if it didn't take him more than a few years. As Zuko sat down to work on the intricate knots Aang had showed him (It had looked so easy when Aang did it.) Zuko remembered the events that got him into this mess.

Flashback

Zuko took a deep breath, stumbling slightly as Sokka gave him a gentle nudge. Zuko tried not to remember all the times he had seen the Avatar in battle. Aang, sensing Zuko's presence looked up from his work.

"Hey Zuko, just working on the Temple restoration project. Are you feeling alright? You look a bit pale."

"I'm feeling fine Aang, it's just that… I've known T'pring for a while now, and I was just wondering if you might let me marry her? Not that we need your permission or anything, NO that's not what I meant, I just mean that she's very independent and…" He decided that it was best if he stopped speaking. Zuko mentally slapped himself. It had sounded so much better when he was talking to the frog.

Aang was silent for a moment. Zuko braced himself for the worst. Aang burst out laughing. "THAT'S why you were so worried? Come on Zuko, it's not like I'm like Sokka or anything" Sokka gave a cry of indignation. "Of course you can marry T'pring!" His expression became thoughtful. "Though you do need to make her a traditional air nomad betrothal necklace." And with that Aang dragged Zuko off to show him exactly how to go about making said necklace, leaving a very irate Sokka to wonder why he had ever let Katara break that air bending nuisance out of that iceberg in the first place.

In another part of the Air Temple (where they were staying) handed Zuko a large mountain of books on various weaving techniques. Aang explained that there were two parts to a necklace, the base and the stone. The base symbolized the base of the relationship. The color of the stone was less definite. The color could be symbolic of a trait you liked about said person or it could be a color that invoked happy memories.

"The only downside of the whole symbolism thing is that the girl might not appreciate your choice of symbolism." Aang joked. Zuko did not laugh. After a rather awkward silence, Aang suggested that Zuko pick out a pattern. Zuko picked out a very simple (it had looked simple) pattern and Aang had quickly demonstrated a few simple techniques. He then led him to one of the more remote rooms in the temple, and sat Zuko down with enough rope to bind a large hippopotamus.

Zuko was interrupted from his musings by the sudden absence of rope from beneath his fingers. After checking the candle clock (AN: from the episode the Northern Air Temple) Zuko had realized Aang was right in saying that it would only take him a few hours. He hadn't thought he could do it that quickly. His elation was short lived however as he looked down at the necklace he created. He didn't think it could even be called a necklace. It was lumpy and uneven, and looked more like a lump of muddy spaghetti more than anything else. Zuko was still staring at his creation when Aang walked into the room. ('More like floating than walking' Zuko thought wryly.)

"Nice Necklace" Aang commented.

Zuko snorted for the second time that day.

"Don't worry, it's supposed to be like that" Aang reassured his friend.

"You mean it's supposed to look like the person weaving it had no fingers and had to do it with their toes." Zuko questioned.

Aang gave Zuko an exasperated glance. "No, the lumps symbolized the rough spots in your marriage…."

"We're going to have awful lot of rough spots then." Zuko muttered under his breath.

Aang ignored the interruption. "….and the fact that you don't need to have a perfect relationship to make your marriage work. So why don't you put this away somewhere safe and get a good night's sleep. You'll need it 'cause tomorrow we're going to get the stone."

Zuko groaned at the excitement in the airbender's voice. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

I don't know what that thing Zuko was talking to in the episode 'The Western Air Temple' really was, so I just typed in frog.)
Do you like it? Do you hate it? It's easy to tell me. All you have to do is press that little blueish/purpleish button down there...