Date

"You want me to do what?"

"Go on a date with Zuko! Come on, it can't be that bad!" Aang pleaded his eyes big and grey. Katara scowled. She hated the puppy dog look. Hated it with a passion.

"Aang, of all things, why do I have to go on a date with Zuko?" She asked bitterly. It wasn't as if she didn't like Zuko. They were friends. Just friends. If she went on a date with that steaming hunk of man then–wait. She didn't even want to finish that thought.

Aang's eyes grew bigger (if that was even possible.) "Because!" He whined. "He and Mai are going through a rough patch, so he needs a little cheering up." He added with a smile at the end. Katara's scowl deepened.

"How does me going on a date with Zuko supposed to cheer him up?"

Aang grinned. "Because you're cheerful, Katara." He said. "You always cheer me up!"

Katara growled. "You never need cheering up!"

Aang realized this and clasped his hands together in a begging nature. "Oh, pleeeaassseeee. He's really been putting a damper on my mood. Just distract him, ok?"

Katara waved her hand dismissively. "Fine, fine, whatever. But what do I get out of it?"

"You get that warm feeling inside from doing good."

"You are impossible."


Katara strolled up next to the firebender, her hands behind her back. "So. Zuko. How've you been?" She asked casually, swaying a little.

Zuko look surprised to see her. "Oh, hey Katara." A hint of a smile. "I've been alright, how abou–"

"Oh, I've been just dandy!"

The fire lord took on a look of confusion. "Uh, okay. So why–"

"You wanna go on a date with me? Really? OK! Same place at eight? OK!" Katara blurted out, her face turning red rapidly.

Zuko shook his head. "Wait, what? Katara!"

"See ya Hotman!"

"Katara!" He yelled after her.

Katara didn't even turn around. "Byyeeeeee!" she squealed while running away.

Zuko raised an eyebrow…his only eyebrow. What just happened?

"Girls are crazy…"


"So. Sugar Queen. I hear you got a hot date tonight." Toph set her hands on her hips and tilted her head at the waterbender.

Katara was picking her nails nonchalant. "Really now? Where'd you hear that from?" She asked without even looking up.

"Twinkletoes."

Katara looked up now. "Ugh!" She screamed. "That backstabbing, double crossing, good for nothing–"

Toph smiled smugly. "Aw, come on Sweetness. You actually think he told me himself?"

Katara stopped ranting to look at Toph thoughtfully. "He didn't?"

Toph kept smiling. "No, he did."

"Ugh. So what do you want Toph?" Katara asked, looking back at her nails.

Toph's grin dropped and she looked pretty damn serious. "Well. I wanna know why you're going on a date with Zuko." Uh-oh. She didn't use a nickname. This was serious.

Katara laughed nervously, her eyes shifting suspiciously. "HA HA HA, HOoo. Uh, no reason."

"Then why is your heart jumping around like a rabarro." It wasn't a question. It was a statement.

Katara gaped, taking a step back and placing a hand on her chest in mock mortification. "My heart is doing no such thing!"

Toph rolled her sightless eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Cut to the chase, Sweetness. If you hurt Sparky, then I'll hurt you right back." She cracked her knuckles threateningly, unaware of Katara's smirk.

"Sounds to me like you're jeaalouss. Toph, you have a crush on Zuko, don't you!" Once again, not a question.

Toph repeated what Katara did moments ago. "I have no such thing!"

At the second, Suki seemed to drop out of nowhere, randomly. "De-Nile isn't just a river near Omashu anymoreeee…" She sang before walking away.

Katara furrowed her eyebrows. "Where'd she come from?"

"No idea." Toph shrugged her shoulders.

"Weird."

The earthbender agreed. "Oh yeah. Anyways. Why the sudden interest in Sparky?"

Katara crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not interested in him, Toph." She said defensively. "I'm just trying to be a good friend by cheering him up."

"Uh-huh. Sure." Toph said sarcastically.

"Whatever Toph!" Katara yelled before pivoting around and storming off.

Toph placed a dirty finger on her chin. "Me?" She asked, talking to herself. "Have a crush on Zuko? Nahhh…"


Suki, Mai, and Ty Lee sat at a table at Iroh's tea shop, gossiping.

"So." Suki started, "Guess what I heard."

"What." Mai's bored, monotone voice.

"The All-Male Circus is coming to town?" Ty Lee squealed.

"I wish." Suki took a sip of her tea. "But no. Guess who Zuko has a date with."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Who."

"Toph?" Ty Lee asked excitedly. "She has such a crush on him; her aura is always such a cute pink around him!"

"Really? That's interesting…" Suki drawled off, adding the new information to her head, "but no. Katara!"

Mai suddenly looked outraged. She drew down her sleeve to show several throwing knives. "What?" She hollered, "That water bitch is dating Zuko?"

Suki set down her tea cup slowly. "Whoa, Mai. You broke up with him, remember?" She said, reminding her.

Mai sat back down, laying her sleeve back down, too. "Oh, right, right. I just don't like that girl I guess." She shrugged, bored again.

"Katara? I love that girl!" Ty Lee giggled, realizing her opinion was the complete opposite of her friend's. "Her aura is so strange!" she exclaimed.

"Strange how?" Suki looked intrigued.

Ty Lee tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Well, unless she's happy, her mood is always different from her color." She explained.

Suki pumped a fist in triumph. "So I was right about denial!"

Mai looked up over her tea cup. "You wanna go to De-Nile?" She asked. "It's pretty boring, but I guess we can go."

"No, that's not what I–yeah, sure, whatever."


"So. Zuko. I hear you're seeing my sister. Care to explain?" Sokka asked casually, at the same time using a cloth to clean his boomerang.

"What? No, I'm not–"

The warrior glared at the firebender. "Don't even try denying it. Toph told me."

Zuko groaned. "Damn that earthbender!"

"So it's true?" Sokka put away his cloth.

Zuko threw his hands up in exasperation. "You just said Toph told you!"

"Instincts." Sokka shrugged. "Anyways. Why are you screwing my baby sister?"

Zuko's face became blank. "I'm not screwing anybody."

Sokka put away his boomerang now, too. "Well, La, Zuko, you should be. You're such a mental case, you should be relieving stress."

"So you want me screwing Katara?"

The boomerang came back out. "'Screwing' and 'Katara' are never allowed to be used in the same sentence!" He yelled.

Zuko stuttered, "But I was just–"

"Listen up, Mr. Fire Lord." Sokka shoved a finger in Zuko's chest. "You hurt my sister and I'll kill you. Got it?"

The teenager scoffed, "I'd like to see you try to kill me."

"Do you have a death wish? I will call down Yue and have her smite you." The brother gestured to the sky.

"…never mind."

Sokka grinned smugly. "That's what I thought, Fool."

Then, as he walked away, "Water Tribe–out."


Iroh set down a warm cup of tea in front of the young fire lord. "So, Nephew, I hear you are seeing a beautiful Waterbender tonight." He said, not lifting his eyes from pouring tea.

Zuko groaned and cradled his head in his arms. "Why does everyone know this?"

Iroh patted him on the back. "News travels fast, Zuko." Then he grinned. "So how did you ask the young lady?"

"I didn't even ask her, she asked me!"

Iroh frowned. "Oh, so the young lady has taken the lead? That is shameful, Nephew."

Steam started to roll off the firebender. "I didn't even say yes! She ran off before I could say anything!"

Iroh smiled again. "Maybe you make her nervous, Nephew." He lifted his eyebrows suggestively.

"You think I make Katara nervous?" Zuko lifted his head from his arms.

Iroh stopped, dead in his thoughts. "Wait, the young lady is Katara?"

"…yes?" Zuko said questioningly. What was wrong with Katara?

Iroh gave a hearty laugh. "Oh, Nephew, you are so very screwed."

"Figuratively speaking…right?"

Iroh took the pot of tea and walked away, still chuckling.

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Nephew."


"Psst. Father."

"Ughhh."

"Father."

"Ughghghhhhhhh."

"OZAI!"

"Oh, Ursa, give it to me! Wait, what? Azula?" Ozai looked up, his eyes wide.

Azula put her ear against the wall. "Yes, it's me father."

"Are you a ghost?"

She frowned. "No, I'm in the cell beside you."

"Oh, yes, of course." Ozai cleared his throat. "What do you want? I was having the most wonderful dream." He said with a dirty smile on his lips.

"Ew, father, that's disgusting." Azula looked disgusted. "Anyways. Zuzu and that peasant waterbender are going on a date!" She whispered harshly, giving a gagging noise to make her point.

"Hmm. My failure son has good taste." The crazy man said thoughtfully.

Azula snarled. "What? Ew! Father!"

"What? He does!" Ozai yelled from his side of the wall.

"Now I'm going to have nightmares all night." Azula pouted, slouching against the cell.

Ozai smiled. "Well, I'll be sleeping good…"


"So. Katara. Where were you planning on us going this evening?"

Katara shrugged looking everywhere but at Zuko. "Uhhh. I don't know. Where do you want to go?"

Zuko did the same. "Um. I don't know…"

Katara finally looked him in the eyes. "…this is unbelievably awkward."

"It is, isn't it?" The Fire Lord asked, relieved.

Katara used her hands wildly. "Yeah, I mean, us? Together?" She gave another nervous laugh, "HA HA HA HOoo."

Zuko furrowed his eyebrows at the girl's strange laugh. "Yeah…so you just wanna go to the royal gardens?" he asked, offering Katara his arm. The waterbender took it with a smile.

"Sure, Sparky."

LATER…

"So why did you ask me out?" He asked, while ripping a piece of bread and tossing it to the turtleducks.

Katara pet one that was close to her. "Aang thought it would cheer you up." She said, feeding the bread to the animal in her hand.

Zuko looked crestfallen. "Oh, I see."

Katara smiled at him. "Yeah…" Her smile became bigger. "But there's no rule that says we can't hang out as friends, right?"

Zuko gave her a small smile. "Right."

"…"

"…"

*zutara make out scene*


A/N: DATE! Muahahaha, seems i can't stop writing crack fics. Although this isn't mega crack. It's more like...i dunno what it is. But yes, Ozai is a dirty old man. My favorite part is Katara's nervous laugh...that is in no way the same as my own nervous laugh. HA HA HA HOoo.. :D happy zutara week! And sorry for the name change on this story, I just feel like i should actually give it a title instead of "Zutara Week '10", ya know?