summary: Every once in awhile, Katara would go to the bar. Every once in awhile, guys would try to pick her up. She was starting to get sick of it, until a shy guy caught her attention. //Kataang. Oneshot. AU//

a/n: I was in the mood to write some Kataang. And to use some pick up lines. (x

The italicized middle part is like flash back-y.

disclaimer: I do not own Avatar—never have, never will.

To Pick Up A Girl

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It wasn't like she sat at the bar for hours—Katara just needed to let loose for little bit, even if she was by herself drinking a minimum of two drinks. She was looking for a place without any distractions like work or bills—the nearby bar was just the place.

Usually, Katara would sip her drinks leisurely and head home. Sometimes, though, guys would hit on her. It wasn't like she wasn't used to it—she was. But it got a little tiresome after so many guys eyed her suggestively and approached her with so much confidence. She'd roll her eyes and scoff, leaving the guy empty handed.

- x -

Katara had barely sat down on a stool, asking the bartender for her usual when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She swivled the chair around only to find her "good" friend, Jet.

"What do you want?" she spat.

Jet put on his smug smile. "Nothing. It's just…" His grin widened. "Do you work for UPS? I could have sworn I saw you checking out my package." He turned his head to his goons—who were just as pathetic as he was—and wrapped an arm around Katara.

Katara scoffed and shoved his arm off of her. She grabbed her glass and splashed it in his face. She smirked and listened to his friends laugh at him as she left the bar.

- x -

Katara slung her purse over her shoulder as she saw, out of the corner of her eye, a familiar face—Haru. She remembered working on a project with him during high school—and the major crush he had on her. She figured he was over it—they were both adults now. She smiled warmly.

Before Katara could greet him politely, he blurted out, "Is your father an alien, 'cuz you're outta this world."

Her mouth fell open slightly. His face turned a beet red.

Sitting at a booth, a group of guys watching, sneered. She figured they were his… "buddies."

Katara looked at Haru in disbelief, she thought he was better than this, giving into peer pressure, letting his friends push him around like that. "See you around, Haru," she said, turning her back on the bar.

- x -

One night, for whatever reason, Toph took her out to the same bar, at a late night hour on a Friday night. Katara stuck to her two drinks while Toph downed four every ten minutes—she was amazed the girl still kept her balance.

The hours passed quickly. At one point, Toph hiccupped, "Lo-ooh-k who's comeen'!" She pointed lazily in the direction of a shadowy figure heading towards the two girls.

Katara recognized the silhouette as Zuko, one of her friends. His body swayed and his head was tipping back and forth. Katara covered her mouth, hoping to cover up the giggles too.

"Heyy, Zoook-oh!" Toph said, taking a swig of yet another drink.

"Hii, gals," he replied, smiling lopsidedly.

"What are you doing here?" Katara asked.

"Just, y'know, hangin' out."

"Who did you come here wi—" Katara started, but Zuko interrupted her.

"I hope there's a fireman around, cause you're smokin'!
," he said, looking between Toph and Katara, in a perfectly straight voice.

Toph burst into a fit of laughter, banging the counter top. Katara rose an eyebrow—Another pick up line?—but a few giggles escaped.

"You're drunk," Katara said to Zuko.

"So—hic!—what if he is?" Toph stood up next to Zuko only to end up leaning all her weight against him.

"You're both drunk," Katara rephrased, shaking her head, but she was smiling.

"Zuko! Toph!" someone called. "C'mere!"

The two tipsies turned around. "Heeey!" They said simultaneously, moving in the shadows without saying good-bye to Katara—which was fine with her, that is until somebody stumbled out of the darkness.

Katara jerked her head back in surprise. "Somebody" turned out to be a guy by the looks of his short black hair. He wasn't particularly "out-of-this-world" attractive, but he definitely wasn't not attractive.

His eyes—a strikingly grey—locked with her for the shortest moment before he turned around and whispered just loud enough for Katara to hear, "I don't know about this…"

"You don't know anything!" the voice hissed back. "Just go!" The mysterious guy was thrust forward into Katara's face, causing both of them to catch their breaths.

His cheeks were tinted pink. She could only imagine how red her face was.

"Hi—um," he stuttered, backing away a little bit. "You don't know who I am, but—um—"

"Just say it!" the shadow whisper-shouted. Katara recognized the voice as her brother's, but she didn't waste a moment wondering why he was here—she was waiting for the guy to speak again. He didn't for a short while.

Katara would have been impatient. She would have rolled her eyes. She would have scoffed. She would have left the scared guy right then and there. But she didn't.

He took a slow breath and started tentatively, "Your eyes are—are as blue as the ocean—and baby I'm lost at—at sea."

Katara couldn't help but crack a smile. At that, his eyes sparkled and shone, and he stood up straighter, puffing out his chest a bit.

Even though he used a pick-up line—and Katara was pretty much sick of those—he didn't come on strong, like he was the king of the universe. He wasn't pressured or dared (he may have needed a little push in the right direction) to talk to her, he wanted to. He was unsure—that's what made him cute.

"Hi," she said, "I'm Katara."

He grinned. "Aang."

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A/n: Hehehe! I had fun writing this. (:

Tell me what you think? Thanks!