Disclaimer: I do not own avatar: the last airbender
Don't Feed the Cabbage Man!
It was the end of a cool fall day. The wind rustled through the trees bright red leaves. A young couple was enjoying a leisurely stroll around the woodsy area just outside a picturesque small village. They walked hand in hand; the girl had a smile on her face that reflected their happiness.
"Katara," the young man breathed, enjoying merely saying his beloved's name. He gently squeezed her hand to get her attention. "I-"
The young man was cut off by the sudden appearance of a wrinkly old man asking, "Would you like to buy some CABBAGE? Nothing is better on a romantic walk than CABBAGE."
The girl was taken aback by the elderly merchant interrupting a moment between her and the young man she loved. She looked at her beloved to right the horrible wrong of this invasion. Daintily her left eye developed a slight twitch as she saw her beloved prince buying a cabbage from the old man.
"What?" Prince Zuko asked his beloved, unsure as to the cause of her vexation. "This man is a cabbage merchant. Surely I cannot take up his time by refusing the wonderful offer he is giving me."
Katara pouted. She hated cabbage, and Zuko knew it. She waited until he finished paying the man for the cabbage and dragged her love roughly to a more secluded area. Hopefully an area where they wouldn't be interrupted.
"Sorry," Prince Zuko apologized, gazing deeply into the water-bender's eyes. "It seemed like the quickest way to get rid of him. I really wanted to talk to you."
"You want to talk to me?" Katara asked blushing demurely. Normally Zuko didn't say things like that, the young water-bender wondered if perhaps there might be something to it. "What about?"
"Well," Zuko began, slightly blushing- something Katara had never seen before; his eyes scanning the ground nervously. "You see, I've been thinking and –"
"You want to buy some more CABBAGE!" a shrill old voice rang out as a familiar face appeared once again.
Seeing Katara's frowning face, Zuko quickly bought the cabbage again, overpaying the man- hoping that it might convince him to leave them alone. The Fire Nation prince grabbed Katara's hand and led her further away from the village.
The sun was setting; it was a red sun- tomorrow would be a good day for sailing, Zuko thought unhappily. He didn't want to leave, not yet. The prince realized that he should say what he needed to say to Katara tonight.
"Katara," the scarred prince said admiring the sunset. "I have to tell you something. It has been on my mind for a while."
The water-bender smiled innocently, "What is it? You know you can tell me anything."
"Well," Zuko began, pausing to make sure he didn't hear anyone approaching. "The truth is I---"
"Crave CABBAGE?" the wrinkly merchant suggested, holding one of his stock in between the two.
"ARG!" Katara screamed at the old man, her temper had run-out. "What is with you? LEAVE US ALONE!"
Zuko, realizing that while he was angry- an angry Katara was very very scary, picked up the girl he loved and carried her away, ignoring the cabbage merchant's sales pitch.
Finally the young couple, so in love, was miles from the nearest village - in the middle of nowhere.
"So," Katara asked shyly, a slight blush on her face as she moved closer to Zuko. "What did you want to tell me?"
"Katara," the prince began. "I just want to tell you that I—"
"Love CABBAGE!" the cabbage merchant finished. "Special for you this week only, ten heads for the price of a dozen!"
"This has gone on long enough!" Zuko shouted. He had been a good boy, he had restrained his temper up until now, but this really was the last straw. With a motion of his wrist he bent fire and set the peddler's cart ablaze- much to the merchant's distress. The fire burned beautifully and brilliantly on that cold November evening.
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A/N: This is a birthday fic for RedNovember. :)