Ba Sing Se Boarding High

The Dating Scene

*Aang POV*

This has got to have been the most awkward week in existence. These two girls keep staring at me in gym class. I think their names are On Ji and Meng. And the guys are no better. They keep talking about how much they would like to do... stuff with the girls. And Sokka is no better. He's supposed to be more mature than the ninth graders, but he joins them! At least Toph and Nebula aren't weird. Except Nebula isn't talking to me for some reason. I have no clue what I did, but they're pissed at me. The least awkward thing this week has to be the Kyoshi conversation with Toph, and that's saying something. It does NOT help that I'm going through a growth spurt and my voice keeps cracking.  When I get back to the dorm I take off my shoes and flop on my bed. Zuko walks in next.
"You okay Aang?" I just groan. "I'll take that as a no. What happened?"
"Just the most awkward week in the history of awkward weeks,"
"Sorry Aang, but I'm keeping the Awkard King crown. I'm sure I've had more awkward weeks,"
"Well, you can keep the crown, but this has to top some of them off,"
"You sure?"
"YEs," I rub my throat. Not again!
"Ah, I see. Puberty," I glare at him. "I'll explain. What you're calling awkwardness is actually hormones affecting your perception. It'll end eventually," 
"Thanks, Zuko. I feel all better now," I can be sarcastic too.
"Hello? Who are you and what have you done with Aang? Did you seriously just use sarcasm?" apparently not believably. Sokka decides that this a GREAT time to waltz through the door.
"Did someone say Aang and sarcasm in the same sentence?" He asks. I groan into my pillow.
"Aang is enjoying the greatness that is puberty and hormones," I glare at him harder.
"Why can Zuko do it but I cAn't?" agh!
What? I was being totally serious," Sokka laughs at Zuko's joke. I throw the pillows at them. 
"Okay, someone is cranky. At least you're not a midget anymore. You'll be chatting about sex and getting horny in no time,"
"THAT DOESN'T HELP SOKKA!" 
"I guess I touched a nerve there. You'll be fine Aang," I continue glaring at Sokka and Toph walks in. She doesn't tend to ask.

She takes note of the fact that Zuko and Sokka are losing it laughing.
"Why is Twinkle Toes grumpy? Did you guys steal his food or something?"
"Nah, he's just experiencing the joys of puberty," Toph raises her eyebrows.
"I know that feeling. At least it's not girl puberty,"
"How do you know about this?! YoU're YOunger than mE!" 
"True, but girls start puberty before boys. But this isn't why I came. There's some girl outside who wants to talk to you Fancy Feet,"
"Why does Aang get two?" Sokka looks at Toph.
"Because he does, Snoozles," Sokka turns bright red but doesn't bother arguing. 

On Ji is waiting for me when I get outside. Wonderful. I just hope she didn't hear me screaming. The fake smile is back on. Let's go.
"Hi On Ji. What did you need?" 
"Hi, Aang. I was wondering... I was... WILL YOU GO ON A DATE WITH ME!" this is weird. I have no clue what to say.
"Umm, sure. Where do you want to go?" The best plan I could come up with. 
"How about the Jasmine Dragon on Saturday?"
"Sure, what time?"
"Does three work for you?"
"YUp," crap. Good thing it was only a small one this time.
"See you Saturday then!" She walks off. I notice Meng around the corner. They high five. I walk back into the dorm.

"What'd she want 'Fancy Feet'," Zuko says mockingly. Why did I decide that these were good friends?
"She asked me out," Everyone's laughter stops. They all stare at me (Minus Toph, she just looks surprised).
"What? You got a GIRLFRIEND! When's the date?" Sokka grabs my face.
"Why is that so unbelievable. And she's not my girlfriend yet. It's at three on Saturday,"
"Where?" 
"At the Jasmine Dragon," Zuko breaks into laughter. "What's so funnY?" he laughs harder at my voice cracking. I feel like crushing all of them.
"Nothing, just my Uncle Iroh owns that shop,"
"Wait, Iroh as in the principal?" Toph asks.
"Yeah. Tea is his passion. And I'm working a shift that day, at that exact time," I groan. Seriously?
"I am so going then. Wanna come Toph?" Sokka looks at her.
"Nah, I'm busy Snoozles. Have fun at Sparky's shop," Ugh. WHY?

TIMESKIP TO SATURDAY (I don't do many time skips, but I'm not filling the gap of two days.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I wake up to Sokka whacking my head with a pillow. The one night I don't have nightmares and he wakes me up.
"What? It's like 7 in the morning. It's Saturday,"
"That's nice, but you have plans. You have to look nice for your first date," Right. The date. I get up and airbend myself out of bed. Sokka falls off at the sudden movement. I laugh. Payback.
"Jerk. Go take a shower," I trudge off to the washroom. After showering I put the concealer under my eyes. The whole world doesn't need to know I hardly get any sleep. I walk out, still in my pyjamas. 
"Are you going like that?"
"No, but I have like five hours before 3," 
"You have to pick her up! And be early,"
"Why?" Zuko groans from his bed and throws a pillow at Sokka.
"What are you even doing up? It's like seven!" 
"Date 'prep'," I put air quotes around prep.
"Ah, I see. Sokka, I told you NOT to do it at 7 in the morning,"
"Too late. He's awake,"
"I could, y'know, go back to sleep," I'm still exhausted.
"Nope! We've got coaching to do,"
"Can't I just be myself? And wear nicer clothes than usual?"
"That won't cut it. You've got to use chivalry,"
"That sounds like the most heteronormative concept on the planet," Zuko says as he sits up in his bed.
"Yeah, Sokka. I thought you were a raging bisexual?" I add on.
"Yes, I am. But chivalry on a first date is essential," He throws his hands in the air. 
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. We were joking," Zuko stands up and goes ruffling through my drawers and takes out a grey flannel and a blank orange tee-shirt. "Put these on," He hands them to me. I go to change in the washroom, but Sokka stops me.
"Just change out here. You're a guy, you can go shirtless," I start panicking. I would prefer for them not to see the scars on my arms. I went through a bit of a self-harm issue when I first came to Ba Sing Se. Gyatso stopped me, but there are scars. Shit. But I can't come up with a good excuse, so I take off my long sleeve. I can feel Sokka and Zuko staring. I quickly put the shirts on.
"Aang..." Zuko is about to say something, but I cut him off.
"NO! I'm not talking about it," I pull a pair of khakis out of my drawer, get them on in the washroom and storm out.

A/N I told you there would be angst. Why do I have this concept? Because my mind is permanently broken from PTSD, depression, anxiety and autism on the side. My creativity has a dark side. You don't even want to know some of the nightmare sequences I've thought of for Steven Universe Future. I don't write the darker, goriest stuff. And I haven't done self-harm personally, in case you're concerned.