A/N

Mood: psyched

Listening To: "Simple and Clean" by Utada Hikaru (a.k.a. ending song in Kingdom Hearts I)

This chapter goes out to my pal, zutara-shewolf777 who's hopping mad about the Jin thing. (for those of you who just said, "What?" kudos to you lol) I'd just like to dedicate this strictly Zutara chapter to her. Long live Zutara, may it rule the avatar fandom!

Now, saying that, I'd also like to say that "Tales of Ba Sing Se", after watching it the second time, is even sweeter and even less creepier. I am not betraying my fandom. I am not bending over backwards to get Zuko paired up with just any old someone, either.

And as if any of you really need another reason to hate me besides the reason mentioned above, I'm also beginning to enjoy future-set Kataang. ONLY future-set, however. The whole little kiddy thing now just makes me queasy, but a future-set pairing isn't too awful. Of course, a future-set love triangle between Katara, Aang, and Zuko would be most preferred… Yum. If any of you know of one, let me know.

Or… If any of you just threw up in your mouths, I apologize. Try not to judge my story by my tastes.

And long live Sokka and his hormones. May he pursue girls for the rest of his life (in vain –cough cough-).

xxx

"Do you have to fidget?" Zuko growled to his companion.

Sokka scowled in return. "I'm not fidgeting! I'm trying to get a better look at that girl over there."

"Which one?"

"The one in pink."

"Hmph. I can see her. You won't like her."

"Why not?"

"Because that's a guy."

"Ewugh!" Sokka exclaimed, shriveling back into his seat.

The two were slumped on a bench on a main street of the city. They'd been more or less pushed into this district by Katara, who was keeping a watch over them to ensure they kept their deal. Aang and Iroh would've liked to come, but they were busy with his training. Sokka and Zuko, determined to stay on Katara's good side, sank onto the first available bench to wait out their sentence. They waited. They bickered. And they grew hungry.

"Let's get something… meaty." Sokka suggested.

Zuko was watching Katara weave her way between clothing vendors, stretching out her palms to touch fabrics and furs. He glanced at Sokka.

"Meat? What a surprise."

"You've got a better idea?" Sokka scoffed.

Zuko's gaze drifted back to Katara. She paused to inspect a green skirt, holding it up to press it to her cheek.

"Do you?" Sokka prompted.

"Yeah. Why don't we go back to the palace and eat?"

"Because Katara said we had to spend the entire day at the market. Look, let's just head over to some sort of cart. Someone's bound to have something we both will like."

"Let's go ask Katara if she'd like anything that we can get for her."

"…Why?"

"It would be polite."

Sokka huffed. "She's the one that stuck us together for the day and under guard! Great manners there, huh? Psh. If she wants something, she can get it herself."

Zuko frowned, but he discontinued the argument as his stomach was louder than any protest he could've mouthed. Sokka led him to a corner café, serving food through a window, much like a permanent cart. The menu board caught Sokka's attention at first, but then the undulating locks of the counter girl beneath begged for his concentration. He elbowed Zuko.

"You're buying lunch if I can get her to go out with me," Sokka winked.

"That's a dumb bet. I won't take it." Zuko curled his lip in mild disgust.

"Fine. I'll buy your lunch if you can get her to go out with you. That'll be interesting!"

"I don't want to go out with her." Zuko snapped.

"Lunch…" Sokka taunted.

"If you haven't noticed, the king sends us money at the end of every week. Buying lunch isn't a problem!"

"Fine." Sokka pouted. "I'll just flirt without any sort of bet." He stepped up to the counter and leaned against it casually. "Hey, name's Sokka."

"I'm sorry…" the girl looked confused. "I don't think we serve anything like that."

Sokka chuckled, but it died as he realized she wasn't joking. "No…That's my name. My name is Sokka."

Zuko snorted behind him.

"Oh!" The girl smiled. "Hello, name's Sokka!"

"Um…Well, see…"

Zuko pushed around Sokka and handed the girl a gold coin. "I'll take the special."

"Great!" She took the coin and stashed it away. "What's your name?"

"Li."

"Hi, Li! We'll have your food ready in just a minute…So… You live in Ba Sing Se?"

Sokka elbowed Zuko away. "We actually live with the avatar."

Zuko wrenched Sokka's wrist behind his back. "No we don't," Zuko whispered.

"You do?" The girl's glazed focus suddenly sharpened. "You live with the avatar?"

"Name's Sokka is a little… confused. He thinks he's the avatar's lemur…" Zuko explained.

"Mm… I've got a cousin like that." The girl nodded.

Sokka yanked his hand away from Zuko's grip. "I'm not crazy!"

"No? Well, you will be when I get through beating your big head against the wall!" Zuko muttered threateningly. His eyes flickered over Sokka's shoulder to a disappointed-looking Katara, shaking her head.

Zuko jerked away and turned back to the girl. "How much longer?"

"Oh, we'll keep my cousin in that ol' loony bin as long as we have to!"

"No. How much longer with the food?"

"Oh. Right. Just a moment or so."

Sokka was lazily scrubbing crusted food bits from the countertop, glancing around at the crowds that passed them. Pretty face after pretty face caught his eyes, and an idea struck him harder than a badger-mole struck the earth.

"Zuko!" Sokka gasped.

Zuko groaned. "I don't know a 'Zuko'. My name is Li."

"Oh yeah, whatever, listen, I have an idea."

"That's frightening."

"More whatever's. We should have a little competition."

"Really."

"We should see who can bag a date first."

"What?"

"We'll set up a certain deadline, and whoever can get… Oh…Wait! I've got a better idea. What if we made reservations at a restaurant? And regardless of whether we have dates or not, we'll both go there on that night. If someone shows up without a date then he…Has to wear…That!" Sokka pointed across the street at a yellow and black, polka-dotted poncho.

Zuko grimaced. "Wear it?"

"All day! In public!"

"What if we both show up at the restaurant with dates?"

"Then so what. That's not likely, anyway."

"Here you are, Li! Enjoy your lunch." The counter girl handed Zuko his food.

Zuko muttered thanks, and he and Sokka sped away to discuss their plans more carefully.

"Don't you want something to eat?" Zuko asked.

"I think I'll just take some of yours. You've got plenty."

"No, you won't! This is mine. Get your own."

Sokka fished a few coins out of his pocket and grabbed some rolls stuffed with jerky, and continued his contest planning.

"Here, I've got food, happy now?"

"I only asked because I knew you'd just complain the entire time."

"Well, anyway, I think we should get two weeks."

"Two…weeks?"

"Unless that's a problem," Sokka smirked.

"No. It's not a problem." Zuko lied hurriedly.

"So…" Sokka gazed around him. "We'd better get started."

"We can't split up." Zuko pointed out.

"We can if you distract Katara. I'll go find someplace to make reservations, and you keep Katara busy."

"How?"

"I don't know. Think of something, and don't mention the contest."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"What is it with you and questions?" Sokka snapped. "She wouldn't like the idea. Now go distract!"

xxx

Zuko found their old bench and finished his lunch perched on its edge, examining the crowds around him for prospective dates. He attempted to pass a friendly smile or two, but with every twitch of his lips, the object of his attention would either run or turn away. He finally gave up altogether and studied the clouds. He would lose the contest. He might as well just wait for Sokka to return to the bench with reservations.

"Where's Sokka?" Katara glowered above him.

So much for distracting her.

"Hi, Katara." Zuko sighed.

"You've broken the agreement! How could you do that? Where is he?"

"Sit down and I'll explain."

"Where is he, Zuko?"

"I don't know. Somewhere to find a restaurant. Sit down."

Katara reluctantly complied and turned to stare him down.

"We've come to some common ground." Zuko began.

"What's that?"

"We're going to do a contest."

"Is that why he's at a restaurant?"

"Yes. He's making reservations."

"Okay."

"You… don't want to know why?"

"Will it cause either of you bodily harm?"

"No."

"Then that's all I need to know."

Zuko stared at her, dumbfounded. She smiled back.

"If you'd like me to know…"

"No!" Zuko jumped. "No, I just… thought you'd… Never mind."

He stared at his hand, idle in his lap, while she chuckled at him.

"So…" Zuko glanced at her. "You're a girl."

"Well, that only took you a few months to figure out."

"Hm. You know about girls, then?"

"A considerable amount…Does this have a point you'd like to get to?"

He shrugged. "I'm just… curious."

She raised an eyebrow. "You're curious about what?"

"How to… Um… Never mind."

"Try me."

"I… need… a date."

"A date?" She snorted. "For what?"

"For to date, that's what for!" He snapped, turning in his seat to face away from her. "Just forget it."

"Sorry." She patted his shoulder. "I didn't mean to make fun of you."

"That's part of me and Sokka's contest. We have to find dates to take to a restaurant in two weeks."

"Oh…That's it?"

"That's it."

"And you need help finding a date."

"I never said that!"

"It was implied. Well, I'll help you if you 'need' it."

"You will?" Zuko sat up straighter and looked her over. "You won't tell Sokka?"

"No."

"Good. You're not really supposed to know about the contest, anyway."

"Understood. So, tell me what you know about girls."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Is this a test?"

"No! I need to know where to start."

"You might as well start at the beginning."

"Okay. Well… do you have someone in mind that you'd like to take?"

"Erm…No. I was hoping you could help me with that, too."

"Let's just start with how to act first. Stand up. We'll just take a walk."

"We won't be walking in a restaurant."

She jerked him to his feet and wrapped her arm around his. "You'll be my escort. You'll have to walk a girl to a table and then home, as well."

"Okay," Zuko muttered nervously.

"Now-ouch! Those are my toes you're stepping on!"

xxx

Sokka marched triumphantly down the lane, cradling a hideous poncho of the yellow and black polka-dotted variety. In his other hand he clutched a paper ticket, proof of the reservations he'd just made. The waiter that had taken his reservation had looked slightly miffed at Sokka's attire, but a few more coins had made him smile. Sokka went to the place he and Zuko had agreed to meet- outside the central park.

There was no way he'd lose this contest. Zuko might as well just put on the poncho now and get it over with.

'A girl with Zuko is like an artic hen leg in Aang's mouth,' Sokka thought to himself.

He spotted Zuko lurking by a small flowered hedge and headed over to him. Zuko erupted in laughter with his companion (for Sokka could see someone now) and bowed mockingly. Whoever he was with made him smile bigger than a child on his birthday, and Sokka quickened his pace, worried that the prince had found a date before he had.

Suddenly Katara came into Sokka's view, and his panic melted into amusement.

"Well, here you go, Zuko," Sokka interrupted their conversation to brandish the poncho "Your new outfit."

"What's that for, Sokka?" Katara asked, feigning innocence.

"Oh, just a little inside joke." Sokka punched Zuko's arm. "Right…pal?"

"Sure." Zuko winked at Katara.

xxx

Zuko suddenly found himself hanging onto Katara's every word. That evening after dinner, the two disappeared into his room to plan out a course of action for wooing a girl into dating him.

Aang, most of all, was not amused.

"What are they doing?" Aang asked Sokka, perched on the other boy's bed.

Sokka shrugged, folding the poncho on top of his bureau. "Does it matter?"

"It doesn't bother you that they're… getting along so well?"

"You said just yesterday that you wanted them to get along. Don't complain."

"I'm not… I'm just worried one or the other will get overly friendly."

"Katara and Zuko?" Sokka scoffed. "You've got to be joking."

"Not entirely."

"Well, don't worry. You're pairing fire and water. Polar opposites!"

"Hm… I guess you're right. I'm just a little paranoid."

"A little?"

"Ever heard of too much advice, Sokka?" Aang smirked. "So what's that hideous thing for?"

"You'll like this. Zuko and I are in a little friendly competition."

"There'd better be a good part to this, because so far I'm not liking it."

"In the next two weeks, he and I will try and find dates. Whoever can't find one has to wear this."

"That's… dumb."

"Again, you're complaining about what you've instituted!" Sokka threw up his hands. "We're getting along and cooperating."

"You're competing."

"Eh… competing…cooperating… They're the same thing."

xxx

"Got all this so far?" Katara asked, for the third time. Once more, she was granted a vacant stare.

"Sure." Zuko muttered.

"Well, you don't look like you've got it. It's not a science! It's more like…poetry."

"Hm."

"Ever read poetry?"

"A Fire Nation prince isn't really expected to recite a stanza at his coronation or anything."

"Good point. Well, it's not something you have to structure. You really can't decide how a situation will turn out. It depends on the other person's chemistry, too."

"So why are you here teaching me?"

"Because there are certain things I can teach you that will be universally accepted for any girl." Katara answered.

"Oh."

She sighed. "This a lot easier to learn through experience."

"Oh."

"Two weeks, Zuko?"

His lips twitched. "What? Am I that unlikely to be taken?"

"No, no! I didn't mean that… You just seem to make things… more complicated than they are."

"Oh, really?"

"Stop taking offense to this! I'm not meaning anything by it!"

"Fine."

She sighed. "I think you'll do fine, but you have to believe that yourself. It will show in your demeanor if you think poorly of yourself."

"I don't think poorly of myself."

"Hm." She pursed her lips and glanced away.

"Okay… A little."

"I want you to know that I think highly of you."

"You do?"

"Of course!"

He rolled his eyes. "I've done so much to support you, right?"

"More than you know." She smiled softly.

xxx

Despite his wild protests, sleep did not claim Zuko that night. He tried sleeping without his bedcover. He flipped upside down, held his head over the edge of the bed so long it made him dizzy and his lips numb. He propped himself up in the corner of his room. He even crawled out of his room and slumped into the sunken lounge. But no position could coax his mind to rest.

The contest itself did not bother Zuko. The consequences of a loss were slight, and he could hardly count a piece of clothing among his fears. The thing that bothered him was the way his heart jumped into his throat when Katara took his arm. The way her eyes lingered onto his made him quake, and that's what frightened him. This feeling was weakness, vulnerability. And of all the eligible girls in Ba Sing Se, he had to pick this girl? This old enemy of his?

He would have liked to say that it would be easy to ignore her, but he couldn't. His own heart was a nag, reminding him throughout the darkened hours of the night that he could not turn away from this girl.

What if she meant something? Zuko shifted this thought around for awhile in his mind. Could he? Was it possible? What if just for a little while? Not long… Just a few days maybe or a week. Sure, a week would be fine. He'd court her for a week to test the feeling. Maybe afterward he'd look back on this and laugh, "What a ridiculous idea."

Or maybe…

Maybe the week would grow into something a little longer. Maybe this experiment might morph into something a little more personal…

A/N

And thusly, I am proud to say, is the introduction of where I actually begin to enjoy this fic. Triumph is mostly mine.

Thanks for all the review, guys. I am very, very encouraged.

-huge cookie to the Aftermath fans-