AU in which The Southern Raiders didn't occur and therefore Zuko and Katara were not on good terms for the last bit of the war.
"She hates me, Uncle," Zuko informed the rather bemused Dragon of the West.
"Who, Mai?" Iroh wanted to know. "I'm sure if you just apologize-" The youthful Fire Lord groaned, resting his elbows on his knees to hold his head in his hands.
"No, not Mai." Frowning slightly, Iroh leaned forward; his nephew's position was muffling his voice dreadfully. "Katara."
"Guitar?" Iroh blinked, leaning forward even further to scrutinize the young man. "What did you say, Zuko?"
"Katara!" There was a moment of silence, in which Iroh carefully considered his options. None were particularly appealing.
"She cannot hate you, Zuko," the old man declared finally, though that was not necessarily true. "She probably just doesn't trust you. You did-"
"Chase her best friend around the world trying to kidnap him, yell at her when she tried to help you, betray her when she tried to help me- I know." Ruffling his already scruffy hair, Zuko sighed, a bit melodramatically Iroh thought. "She told me." At that, Iroh couldn't help but wince.
"You know, Zuko, I am sure she will come around eventually," he counseled his distraught nephew. "You just need to have patience." He almost advised the Fire Lord that certain varieties of tea were known for their soothing qualities, but decided against it.
"I'm not just going to wait around and hope!" Zuko snapped, gesticulating wildly. "I need to make her fall in love with me!"
"Fall in love? But what about Mai?" Zuko completely ignored him.
"I don't know how to make a girl fall in love with me, Uncle!" Now Iroh sighed, resisting the urge to shake his head in disapproval.
"Tying her to a tree was a pretty good start-"
"Should I try that again?" Zuko had perked up, looking for all the world like a hopeful puppyhawk, but as Iroh shook his head the young man wilted.
"-but I'm afraid your handling of that situation left something to be desired," Iroh concluded, frowning.
"What about flowers? Should I give her flowers? Mai doesn't hate flowers."
"No, Zuko! Men everywhere give the women they love flowers!" Zuko drooped further; Iroh decided it was time to take charge. "There is always the old-fashioned way."
"Does it involve tea?" Ignoring Zuko's scornful tone, Iroh shook his head once again.
"No, Zuko."
"Should I ask her out to dinner?"
"Were you raised in the royal court or not?"
Zuko merely looked at him blankly, and Iroh cursed his nephew's occasional stupidity.
"Zuko. Arranged marriage."