A/N Zutara Month 2018, Day 9: Fake Dating

Is this late? Yes but considering I still do stuff for prompts like 3 years ago sometimes I figure it is ok to post this a day late.
I won't be doing many of these this year but I couldn't help myself to take part with some of them.

Bad Liar, Good Intentions and Absolute Commitment

It all started when Ty Lee announced she was getting married.

Zuko and Ty Lee had known each other a very long time and while she was surrounded by sisters, she had found a brotherly connection with Zuko. So even if she was marrying his ex-girlfriend, he was happy to stand and support her.

He just wasn't quite prepared to do it alone. A fact he learned very quickly.

He hadn't realised how much of a problem it would be until he attended the engagement party stag. Mai's parents and more conservative relatives all seemed to want to convince him to break them up.

So, he lied.

He was so sick of people who barely paid any attention to him when he WAS dating their daughter / granddaughter / niece trying desperately to mend a relationship with absolutely no care for how toxic and dull it had been. So, he lied but he'd never been particularly good at lying.

He was talking to Mai's aunt (more accurately she was talking at him) and feeling insanely stuck as she harped on about it all being unnatural. Then she looked at him with piercing amber eyes and asked "Mai used to love you, are you here to win her back?" and he was trying to say no but the woman kept nodding solemnly then winking at him and it reminded him of one of the ladies his uncle would woo.

"Did she ever see you all dressed up, surely a handsome young man like yourself in a well fitted suit declaring undying love and a desire to be together would be enough to set her free from that enchantress' spell." he hated that. The woman had been whispering about his scar and how ugly it made him back in the day but now she would say it adds character.

By this point he is a fair few drinks into the night and she is the 7th relative to try this on him and he is fed up and drunk enough not to keep all the anger management course teachings from his adolescence in mind.

"Ok lady listen. Ty Lee is not an enchantress. She might be into horoscopes, astrology and auras but she's not magic. Ty Lee is a wonderful woman and you should feel so lucky that she'll be joining your family. I don't think I've ever seen Mai smile this much." She looked unconvinced and halfway through her now signature nod and wink he blustered "Besides I have a serious girlfriend."

"Really? Where is she now?"

"Uhh something really important came up at work and she couldn't make it."

The aunt arched her brow at him and he forgot how normal people blink. Should he blink or would that be suspicious?

Thankfully it was this precise moment that Ty Lee placed perfectly manicured hands over his eyes for him to 'guess who'.

"Is it the bride-to-be?"

"which one?" She practically squeaked

"Mai." she threw her hands off with a laugh and elbowed him in the side muttering 'very funny'. Then she turned to the middle-aged woman staring at her.

"Are you having a nice time Aunty Fen"

"Indeed. Zuko here was just telling me about why his girlfriend could not attend." The woman's angular eyes are narrowed at him and her arms cross.

Ty Lee's eyes grew into saucers and she grabbed him in a hug.

"You didn't tell me!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise?"

"Oh Zuko I'm so happy for you!"

Her enthused reaction was enough to earn an eye roll from the older woman as she left the conversation.

"I noticed your aura getting all splotchy like you were uncomfortable, thought I'd come over. Little did I know you'd be dropping a bombshell."

"I wouldn't say bombshell…"

"You haven't seen anyone in AGES."

"Yeah but that was by choice…"

"Come on Zuko, we both know you haven't been thriving lately. Like the company is doing great and your dedication to it is amazing but," she places a hand on his shoulder, "I'm so glad that you're letting someone in to help you remember to have a life outside of it too."

He got home and stared at the clock, 20 past midnight. Tomorrow he'd have to start looking into his options for wedding dates. Maybe he could hire someone. Regardless the wedding was 4 months away.

It's three weeks later when Mai slides into the other side of his booth at his usual lunch spot that he remembers and it properly occurs to him that he is going to have to commit to his drunken lie. He'd be surprised that she knew where he'd be at quarter past twelve on a Tuesday but they did date for years.

"I suppose you're expecting gratitude." She drawls but the soft quirk at the corner of her lips tells him that she really is grateful.

"I didn't realise how many of your relatives were capable of being nice to me."

"It was only because they wanted something for you."

He grimaced, "Yeah, I'm sorry about that."

"If it bothered me, I wouldn't have involved them in the first place. We could've just eloped." The engagement ring twinkles on her finger. "But I did have to sit through a breakfast a week after the stupid party where they all tried to convince me it was all a huge mistake."

"Charming,"

She snorted with amusement. "She's lucky she's worth it."

"I was very suspicious but Ty assures me that you're not lying about having someone 'special' in your life. I mean you had all the tell-tale signs of a lie and you're getting all anxious right now. She thinks you're trying to suppress it and didn't want to encroach on us or something but she's been seeing it in your aura for months."

He blushes and starts getting coy.

"Look I don't care. Your friendship with her has forced us to keep in contact but I just want to tell you I'm happy for you. We weren't the best for each other but you're a good guy Zuko."

He can't hide his surprise and she let herself smile, "I downed a drink at the bar before I came over. I just wanted to thank you for not letting my relatives fantasise that you being there is their way out of having a 'deplorable' niece." With that she gives him a genuine smile, "I'm glad you're coming and I look forward to meeting her."

Then she slips out of the bistro as easily as she swept in.

Then it truly hits him that he has to get organised and he texts the first person he could think of.

It's 5:30pm and Zuko is sitting at Sokka's kitchen Island in a minor panic recounting what is going on and asking for advice. They're halfway through setting him up on the dating app Ember when Suki comes home with Katara in toe. Sokka had mentioned in his 'come over' text that Suki was out with his sister but he'd kind of assumed they wouldn't be coming back together.

It had been over a month since he'd last seen Katara. Between him running a business and her work as a paramedic they didn't really get much time to catch up. They speak often though, usually phone calls or text messages or just the occasional tag in something funny or cute. She's even prettier than he remembered and her smile still does that thing to his heart that makes him both terrified and confident he could do anything. However, with everything going on and the selection of pictures Sokka had curated for his profile he is confident he could melt into the floor with embarrassment.

"Hey Zuko. I didn't know you'd be here, what's up?"

"He's in crisis mode Suki." Sokka announces, grabbing the phone straight out of his hand and thrusting the incomplete profile in his wife's face.

"Ember? What are you doing making an Ember? Coco told me she heard you have a girlfriend now"

Both men let out a groan and Zuko slouched onto the bench.

"What?" Suki looked genuinely confused and as Zuko opened the corner of his eye Katara seemed a little shaken up.

"I didn't know you were seeing someone Zuko… did something happen?" She was doing her whole 'I'm not that interested or concerned' act which means she'd probably gotten grumped at recently by Toph for being too overbearing. After a second, realising she'd been too quick to ask questions, she stares at the floor, fascinated at that moment with her feet.

"HE'S NOT and nothing will happen unless you ladies let me think and create the perfect bio" He scratches the back of his neck. "All I can think of is WANTED, A date for a girl who is practically my sister's wedding to my ex-girlfriend's but I don't think that's witty enough…and I think the grammar is off…"

"This is for the wedding?" Suki looks over at Zuko then back to Sokka. "Is it really necessary? You and Mai don't have any ill-will these days."

"You weren't at the engagement party Suki so you didn't see it; Mai's family were practically begging me to break them up. I had to do something."

"I don't think Ember is the way to go…" Suki grabs the phone and scrolls with a visible look of dissatisfaction. Katara, peered over her shoulder as Suki switches back from looking at possible dates back to his profile and passes it back.

"I could do it."

All eyes flick to Katara. He can practically see he working out how to respond before she puts her hands on her hips and says "What? It would be way more believable if you have rapport with the person and since we're friends that shouldn't be a problem."

"You don't have t-"

She laughs, "I know but come on Zuko, it's what, 3 months away now? We all know you take a bit of time to warm up to people so it would be a lot easier if it was someone you know well already. You could go with Toph but she HATES formal events and I would be shocked if she could make it through the night without stomping one of these relatives that were trying something and Suki is already invited and Mai and Ty Lee KNOW she's married to Sokka."

He can't think of a reason why not. He looks at Sokka and he is resting a hand on his chin and stroking a metaphorical beard in thought.

"Unless there is some reason why you wouldn't want -"

"I would love it if you were my fake girlfriend." It spills out of his mouth way too quickly and everyone is looking at him.

"Fantastic, It's a date."

Then she winks at him and he wonders what on earth he's gotten himself into.

In the following days she applies for the day (and day after) off and when it's approved, she sends him a selfie to announce it. She's still in her uniform and is sitting in her car but she looks so happy and excited. "WE ARE ON! BRING ON THE WEDDING".

He makes it his background and tells himself it's just a part of selling the story. They catch up for dinner the following Friday because she's very concerned about them both having the same story. They're sitting across from each other, feet touching under the table and he has to remind himself it's all sort of fake. The butterflies in his stomach don't feel fake and neither did the anxiety he felt as he changed shirts twice ahead of picking her up but alas. It was all a favour she was doing for a friend and he was more than content with having her as a friend.

It is just as he takes his first bite of his main that she randomly blurts out, "So are we in love?"

He chokes and she looks mortified and starts getting up and ready to Heimlich but it isn't necessary.

He wheezes out a "What?" and she shyly tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and says "for the wedding… I just wanted to know…"

"Uhh, well I guess I said it was serious…."

"So yes?"

"Umm yes." He's beet red and she's nodding way more than a normal person would.

"Cool," She seems to steady herself, still imitating a bobblehead. Then after a very deliberate breath she looks him dead in the eye and says softly,

"I'm in love with you."

He feels like he blacks out for a second and he can't quite believe that it just happened. That she said that to him. He would later rationalise to himself that she was just reiterating it so she could get used to the idea. In his darkest moments he thinks it was her trying to convince herself it was even possible.

It is Katara's idea to make the story of how they got together as close to reality as possible.

"Like maybe that day where we all went ice skating a few months ago and you fell on your ankle and I helped you out and we got hot chocolates at that cute little cafe while the others stayed out… maybe when I helped you back into your apartment that night maybe after saying thank you… you kissed me."

All he can manage is an "oh...yeah ok". He thinks about it for a second, smiling at the thought. He remembers the day. He also remembers looking down at her lips as she helped him sink onto the couch and again when she sat beside him holding ice on his swollen ankle. He snaps out of his stupor after a moment. "That works well it was around the time Ty Lee was telling me about her plan to propose."

"Perfect!" she wraps a curl around her finger then lets it go.

"So, where was our first date?" He feels emboldened by her blush and he remembers that she's been single just as long as he has been.

"Well… Where do you think you would take me?" she bites her lip and he subconsciously mirrors it.

"I think somewhere like this, get dinner, some drinks, maybe share a dessert and if it went well maybe a stroll through the park afterwards."

She smiles softly "That sounds nice. Let's go with that."

They finish their meal, splitting a decadent chocolate brownie and ice cream (he only takes a few bites, he knows how much she loves sweets). She suggests they take that walk before heading home. They split the bill, he opens the restaurant door for her and as she walks through, she intertwines their fingers and holds his hand.

He walks her to the door of her building, and she gives him one of those empowering scary smiles and a quick hug. While he's the step below her they're almost the same height and he thinks about how easy it would be to wrap his arms tightly around her and maybe kiss her. He wonders how she likes to be kissed. He smiles at the thought that she'd probably want to take control. As if she could read his thoughts, she looks a little shier, stepping backwards as they part and grasping the door handle with her hand bent behind her back.

"I love you."

His brain short circuits for a second and her smile falters, "Now you say I love you too… we should get used to it so we don't sound weird at the wedding."

"Oh right, sorry." He knows he's scarlet red.

"So when I say, 'I love you' you say..."

He looks down before steeling himself and looking her in the eye and saying "I love you more". She looks taken aback and blinks a few times.

"Yep sounds believable." She turns the handle behind her back, opening the door. "Thanks for the lovely night Zuko. I'll call you."

She does.

The following day. They make plans to go shopping together for their outfits so they don't clash dramatically.

When the day finally rolls around, she's exhausted after a particularly hard series of shifts and calls to reschedule.

"I'm so sorry Zuko. I honestly just want to just sit on the couch I can't deal with the prospect of going shopping right now."

"I totally understand Katara, is there anything I can do to help?"

"No no, don't worry about it."

He shows up at her door 30 minutes later with a bag of take out and instead of finding him a suit they just sit on her couch, eating and criticizing reality television. She falls asleep on the couch and he carries her to bed and tucks her in before letting himself out.

They run out of time to reschedule and their time off doesn't seem to match up so eventually she just suggests he send her pictures of the suit he gets and she'll pick something up that will go with it.

He takes 4 pictures in the change rooms and 8 at home trying to find an angle that looks good to send her. He hates taking pictures of himself. He considers just sending one of the clothes hanging or across his bed but he finally just groans and sends one off.

You're being stupid Zuko, she's just your friend. It doesn't matter that much.

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't thoroughly enjoying their 'fake dating'. He loved having a reason to talk to her all the time he could. I loved hearing her say 'I love you' even if it haunted him when he couldn't sleep at night. He loved knowing how it felt to hold her hand and run his thumb across her knuckles. He'd always found her to be one of the most incredible, inspiring and strong people he knew. She was unapologetically herself and he loved that about her so, with her permission and prompting, he started telling her he loved her often and ardently. It didn't really matter that she thought it was meant platonically or as a part of their ruse. He wasn't sure he could remember a time he felt so much love in his heart than he did when she was around.

She text back a pair of emojis, heart eyes and a wink.

"Looking good Hotman"

He smiled at his phone.

The dark navy-blue suit wasn't something he'd normally go for but he thought she'd like it. It was a relief that she did.

A few days later she sent him a close-up picture of some fabric and the news she'd found something but she wanted it to be a surprise. It was a turquoise and looked light and soft but that was all he could tell and the possibilities left him thinking about every possible style it could be.

It feels like the lead up to the wedding goes in slow motion until it is suddenly there and it occurs to him that this is it. Katara is his 'girlfriend' today but tomorrow it'll be over. He got used to accepting disappointing truths a long time ago so he decides to just enjoy it while it lasts.

When he arrives at Sokka and Suki's to travel there together she is still in the bathroom doing the finishing touches on her make up. He's talking to Sokka, trying to convince him to not insert himself in their lie because he'll make it way more elaborate than it needs to be when she finally comes out. Her dress is floaty with a v-neck and fades from the turquoise to a seafoam green. When she turns to hold the wall as she fixes the buckle on her shoes he notices the rather low back.

It's prettier than anything he could've imagined and he can't help himself from whispering "you look beautiful" into her hair when she hugs him in greeting.

Suki insists they all take a few photos together before they go.

They're looking back over them when Katara points and says "send me that one". It's the four of them crammed close together to fit together in a selfie.

They have their arms wrapped tightly around each other beside Suki who is smiling nicely while Sokka takes the picture pulling a goofy face. They look like a real couple and he isn't even thinking about how it is just an arrangement when he says "send it to me too."

Katara had been playing the role almost too well. Every time she smiled at him and held his hand, he felt his heart yearn and it was becoming very unfortunate because she was doing it all the time. All of Mai's relatives that had been trying to set him back up with her were looking reluctantly accepting as he introduced her to them, her arm hooked through his. It all sounded so honest coming from her.

The ceremony is beautiful. The brides each have a bouquet, Ty Lee's a combination of whites and pinks and Mai had deep plum and burgundy ones. The flower arrangements everywhere else were a combination of all 4 colours, marrying nicely together.

"I love how their dresses capture their personalities," Suki whispers.

Ty Lee had layers of ruffle in the skirt while Mai's was sleek and modern.

They all cry during the vows although Sokka denies it.

At the reception one of the brides approaches him with a glass of Champagne in each hand. Katara had disappeared off with Suki (asking first if he minded) to get punch and perhaps have a dance.

"I always knew you two were into each other." She says with a cheeky smile.

"I don't know about that" he takes the other glass and they silently cheers.

"Don't play dumb with me Zuko, it's my wedding day. I used to feel a little threatened by her y'know. Maybe I still do…"

His head flicks around and he looks aghast. She takes a slow sip from her drink. "Yeah, my wife said something about a three-way and between you two and Suki and Sokka it's hard to know which combination of people she was talking about."

He chokes on his sip.

"I guess marriage didn't change Bi Lee."

He watches her blush and laugh, "I wouldn't have wanted it to."

"I've never seen you so happy Mai."

"Yeah… that's her fault." She looks off wistfully at her bride twirling around with Tom Tom on the dancefloor. At that moment Ty Lee looks at her too – as if she sensed the eyes on her – and she waves at her to join them. She lets out an exasperated sigh but the smile on her face betrays her. She downs her almost full glass and passes it to Zuko.

"All I'm going to say Zuzu is that you should let yourself be happy. Do yourself a favour and hold on to that one."

Her words prompted him to find her which wasn't difficult because she really stood out. She was laughing and dancing with Suki, loosely hold her hand as she was spun around. Sokka was watching happily from the buffet table and tapping his feet on the floor.

The song ended and was replaced by something slower, smoother and sweeter. Off to his left the brides were slow dancing forehead to forehead and then, without him even consciously noticing - he was beside her and asking Suki if she minded if he stole her for this one.

"I didn't know you danced." She whispered as they swayed.

"My mother always enjoyed it so she taught me when I was little."

"I like the look your get when you talk about her," she reaches up and cradles his cheek with her hand. "You look younger almost."

He raises a brow at her and she quickly amends, "Not that you look old normally. Just stressed."

He laughs and leans forward, pulling her even closer and whispering, "I'm not stressed now." His lips grazing the shell of her ear. "And I have you to thank for that."

She smiles brilliantly at him.

Over her shoulder he makes eye contact with Ty Lee who winks and gives him a thumbs up.

They stayed out into the small hours of the morning. At one point taking shots with the brides before they made their leave. He calls them a cab and without even thinking about it gives the driver her address. He walks her to her door again and she's still a little tipsy because she held his hand all the way there.

"Thank you for coming with me"

"I'm glad I came. We should do this again sometime."

"I'd be happy to be your pretend boyfriend if any of your exes get married."

A weird ripple goes over her expression momentarily and then she smiles and says "I'll keep you in mind. Goodnight Zuko."

Then she kisses him…

On the cheek. Close to the corner of his lips but not quite there. Close enough for her scent to make him lightheaded and the gentleness to make him doubt it even happened. He's the step below her and just as he thought it makes her the perfect height.

The smiles she gives him as she goes up the last step and into her building is different to any, he's ever seen on her. A combination of happiness and disappointment and promise of something he can't quite put his finger on.

When he's sure she's out of earshot and the door has clicked shut he stares at it for a moment.

He mumbles "I love you more" then he turns and buries his hands in his pockets.

He feels emptier as he walks down the stairs and gets back in the cab. He keeps wanting to ask the driver turn around but he just goes home, staring out the window and wishing he was braver.

A/N This got away from me a little. There was so much more that I wanted to put in but it was getting long and it was already late anyway. Like where is Azula? I had ideas but it is meant to be a Zutara fic not a MaiLee (is this their ship name?) one.

I hope you liked this little modern world AU. I was trying to work out whether or not I wanted it to be in the Avatar universe or not but I figured it would be easier and better match all the cheesy christmas movies I've been watching if it was a little more modern/real world.
Maybe if people want it I'll do a follow up because obviously this ends very unsatisfyingly.
I hope you liked it :)

Update - continued in 'Courting'