Chapter One

Blind Dates

-

"This... Is beginning to get ridiculous," Zuko stated, pacing back and forth in the small clearing. "I mean... What do they expect?! Me to just... Give into their demands?!" There was a snicker behind him and he spun around to face his two companions, glaring. "You," he growled, pointing at Aang. "This is all your fault!"

"Hey, now-" Sokka started, but Zuko went on.

"If you hadn't decided to save the world, I wouldn't have to deal with this crap." Aang snickered again. A well-aimed tendril of fire knocked the younger boy - man, really - over and off the log he'd perched on. Sokka laughed at his friend, only to topple himself over while avoiding another tendril of fire. "Don't laugh at the Avatar," Zuko ordered, scowling. He sighed. "How did I ever deal with you morons?"

Aang, still laughing, sat up and grinned. "'Cause we're your best friends!" he replied easily.

And really, when the other had that look in his eyes, Zuko couldn't argue with him at all. Didn't mean he couldn't try, though. "Oh, please. What kind of excuse is that?"

Aang shrugged. "It's just a reason. Anyway, I'm sure you'll figure something out, Zuko. You're the Fire Lord, after all," he reasoned. "Who can tell you who to marry?"

Zuko sighed and slumped, plopping down on the dirt. "I guess you're right..." He chewed on his lip thoughtfully for a moment before coming up with an idea. "Hey! What if I'm already engaged by then? Then they can't come up with anything to make me marry who-ever-she-is."

"There you go, buddy!" Sokka said, thumping him on the shoulder. "They can't tell you what to do. You're the awesomest Fire Lord ever!"

Zuko glared at him. "Did anybody ever tell you what an idiot you are?" he asked blandly.

Sokka's smile dripped away and he deflated, looking like a kicked puppy. "Hey, that's mean..." But then he got all excited again. "I know! You can pretend to be engaged to Toph! She's been rather down lately-"

"No way. Besides, she's... Like a little sister or something. Not at all a potential fiance," Zuko interrupted, irritated. "And besides, do you think these guys would be convinced by an act? No, I've actually gotta find a fiance."

"Maybe we could do blind-fold dating?" Aang suggested. "That way, they wouldn't know it was you! It's great, we can have them blind-folded the entire time and-"

Zuko rolled his eyes. "No. Though the concept has merit. Hm..." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I know. How about we ditch the blind-fold idea and just have it like a match-up or something. Just a secret date and neither of us know who we're dating until we meet."

"That's actually rather inventive," Sokka said thoughtfully. "We could call it... 'Secrecy Dating for the Fire Lord'."

"No dice," Zuko said, rolling his eyes again.

Aang tilted his head, considering. "How about we just call them blind dates? And if you like a girl enough, do a second date, and a third. If you don't feel quite right by the end of the third date, move on to another girl."

Zuko nodded. "Yeah. Good idea, except only two dates. Three would be getting their hopes up."

"Okay! It's settled, then!" Aang declared, leaping to his feet with a burst of air. "Let the blind dates begin!"

"Aang and I will interview the ladies, of course," Sokka interjected, puffing his chest out importantly.

Zuko sighed and dropped his head into his hands. "I'm doomed."

--

"Hello! I'm Lee-Ming!" the girl declared with a smile while looking at the two boys.

Sokka and Aang exchanged a look. "Okay?" they said in unison.

"And... What d'you want?" Aang asked, pretending ignorance.

"You're the ones setting up the 'blind dates', right?" she asked happily.

"Yes..." Sokka said, then sighed. "But this guy... He's really mean. He'd hurt you."

She slumped, disappointed. "Oh.... Well, bye then!" She waved and trotted off.

The duo sighed in relief. "He wouldn't have liked her at all."

"No. No, he wouldn't, Aang. That was close."

-

"I like the beach and food and-"

"Next," they chorused, and the slightly plump girl wandered off, not really looking as if she cared.

-

"My hobbies are skiing in winter and surfing in summer. I like to eat dangos, and I think sweet-rolls are nice. Art is a nice thing to look at, but I find it rather pointless-"

"Next."

She slumped and walked away, eyeing a surf-board.

-

"Why am I here? I could be in the graveyard or something..."

"N-next," Sokka said, inching away from the creepy girl.

-

The girl cracked her knuckles and smirked at them. "So... Which one of you am I dating?"

"Sparring partner, maybe, but..." Sokka winced, flinching away as she cracked her knuckles again.

"Next," Aang sighed.

-

"Having any luck?"

Sokka and Aang looked up, blinking upon seeing Katara and Toph standing there. Aang grinned and waved. "No," Sokka answered. "None. Not one of these girls seems to fit the bill..."

"What about Katara?" Toph suggested thoughtfully, idly taping a bare foot against the ground. "They seem to get along well enough..."

Aang brightened as Katara's eyes widened. "There's an idea!" he declared, grinning at his girlfriend (though she couldn't see it). "Katara and Zuko would be the match of the century!"

"Wh-what?! Are you guys crazy?!" Katara demanded.

Toph shrugged. "Nope. But you guys would make an awesome match..."

Sokka smirked and reached forward, grabbing his sister's wrist and yanking her along. "Time to pretty you up for tonight, sis."

"I'm going to kill you!"

-

The room was silent for a long while after Zuko's first date arrived, looking irritated and harried. She figited under his gaze, occasionally glancing back at the doors their three scheming friends had disappeared through. He was glad that for once, her glare wasn't focused on him. Instead, his mind was trying to figure out how this was supposed to be a good idea, and if it turned out to be one, what he should do about it. After all, the two of them had clearly defined their friendship a very long time ago, even before his father fell and he became Fire Lord.

So, once again, he was brought back to wondering how this was a good idea. What had been going through those three idiots' minds when they concocted this ludicrous plan and then shoved a very anxious Katara on him, after three days of getting his hopes up with promises of a perfect match. What unbelievably ironic idiots, he mused, still staring at her.

Apparently, though, the staring was getting to her and she finally threw her hands up. "What! I know; not what you were looking forward to, but it's not my fault!" Katara shouted, looking annoyed and nervous all at once.

He hesitated, but then sighed and motioned to the place he'd set up for tea. "I never said it was, Katara," he pointed out as they seated themselves.

She scowled at him, though he could tell she wasn't really mad at him. Probably more nervous and embarrassed by the situation than anything else. "You didn't have to. It's in your eyes," she said.

Zuko wondered where she got this stuff. "Actually," he corrected, pouring them some ginseng and raspberry tea. "I was wondering what those three have been smoking."

Katara snorted. "I heard Aang found some sort of plant growing at the Air Temple. Maybe that's it."

He chuckled softly, and just like that, the tension was broken. To prove it, he lifted one hand with a smirk and pretended to start smoking something. Katara laughed and lifted her cup to her mouth, amused as he allowed himself to fall over backward, pretending to be stoned. "You really are still a kid, you know that?" she teased, smiling.

Zuko sat up abruptly, making her blink. "I'm offended," he declared, though the amusement in his eyes proved otherwise and she relaxed. "To lump me in with that group of idiots-"

"You are one of that group of idiots," she interjected.

He scowled. "Am not."

"Are too. Look, I can prove it." She leaned forward suddenly, poking a spot on his shirt just below his collar bone. "What's that?"

He looked down, wondering what he'd gotten on his shirt and how it could distract her from making a point- And she jerked her finger upwards, flicking his nose in the process. "See?" she said smugly, sitting back.

Zuko sat there blinking for a minute before he realized what had happened. "Hey! That's cheating!" he protested, frowning as she laughed at him.

"Just goes to prove you're one of them."

"So are you," he retorted, crossing his arms.

Katara gasped indignantly. "Am not!"

"Are too," he echoed. "By the way, you've got fuzz in your hair."

Eyes widening, she turned toward the closest reflective surface; a mirror on the wall. After a few moments' searching, she found nothing and scowled at his now smug expression. "Now who's cheating?"

"Excuses, excuses," he replied, scoffing and leaning backwards.

Katara growled and stood. "See? This is why this was a really bad idea," she snapped.

He stood as well. "I'll say. Fire and water shouldn't mix."

She moved her arm gracefully through the air, showering him with two cups of very warm - though not hot anymore - tea. "You know what? You're right!" she returned as the liquid went up in steam around him. "We're so different, it's ridiculous. And what's more, you'll never get a girl on your own, so why don't you go ahead and take that arranged marriage, 'kay?" She shoved at his chest, knocking him off-balance, though he kept his feet. Barely.

"Get the fuck out," he snarled.

"Gladly!" She walked quickly to the door and slammed it closed behind her.

He knocked the low table over, growling angrily. "Fuck this. I'm just gonna take the damn treaty," he muttered. Those morons. Like he needed this shit.

-

Chapter one finished. Tell me what you think! XD