"HE DID WHAT?!"
Zuko stormed down the stairs leading to the main deck, fury and literal steam emanating off of him. He thundered across the deck, his eyes quickly found his target. Kohaku was sitting with several others of the crew eating from rice bowls in the sun with peaceful puffy clouds behind them.
Zuko didn't slow in his pace as he hurled a fireball right at his pretty little face.
"Now, now, Zuko. This isn't the way to handle the situation!"
Zuko ignored his Uncle, who was scrambling down the stairs after him.
The other men fled before Zuko's rage, and Zuko saw pure fear plastered on Kohaku's face. He grabbed the other man by the collar and shoved him right up against the edge of the ship.
"WHO GAVE YOU THE AUTHORITY TO GIVE A WAT-ER-BEND-ER WATER?" Zuko punched out what should have been the most obvious part of Kohaku's idiocy.
Kohaku, like most of the crew, was older than Zuko, but Kohaku was the closest in age than any other crew member. His overall youth and closeness in age had caused problems since he stepped foot on Zuko's ship. This was the last straw. He was going to throw him over the ship.
Zuko could see in the his eyes that Kohaku knew what conclusion he had come to.
"Please, Zuko!"
Zuko growled and prepped the heave him over.
"I mean, Prince Zuko! Please, Prince Zuko! I didn't have the authority, but she was dehydrated! She was going to die of thirst and would have been useless!"
Zuko's fist tightened and he heard Uncle Iroh steps approach from behind.
"Prince Zuko, listen to the man. He had a good reason! Don't do anything too hasty."
Kohaku gave Iroh a thankful glance.
"I didn't ask for permission because I knew you would say no. I figured it would have been easier to ask for forgiveness for stepping out of turn. I wouldn't have the gall to defy an order given by you, my lord."
Zuko glared into his eyes, his damned amber eyes, just like Zuko's mother's eyes. Iroh placed a gentle hand on Zuko's shoulder, already sensing that he had decided to let it go.
"Young Kohaku was right, Zuko. The girl had not ate or drank since we took her. We need her healthy if she is going to help us."
Uncle Iroh was right of course, he was always right. Zuko released Kohaku's collar but glared with as much hatred as he could.
"The next time you decided to 'over step', I will throw you off this ship. And I will enjoy doing it."
Zuko stormed away from Kohaku, his uncle followed him down the stairs that led to the bowels of the ship. He came down the first landing of stairs and came up short next to the door that led to Katara's cell.
Zuko couldn't bring himself to look at the girl, but barked out an order instead.
"Uncle, bring the girl to my room."
His uncle turned to look at the girl sitting quietly in her cell and then back at Zuko.
"Of course, Zuko. But for what reason?"
Zuko dared a glance in Katara's direction, "For tea."
"For tea?"
"Yes, Uncle! For tea. Now bring her."
Zuko didn't wait for his Uncle to unlock the girl's cell, he wanted to be in his room waiting for her to arrive. He had been awfully harsh to the girl, and he did want her to help him. She clearly was able to hold her own in a fight, and wouldn't respond well to intimidation. If yelling wouldn't get to her, maybe being kind would.
Zuko pulled out his tea pot as soon as he entered his room. He poured the water in and slowly began to heat the pot, just like his Uncle had shown him many years ago. Uncle Iroh had told him that the best tea came when one took their time heating the pot. It allowed the tea to soak, and pick up the flavor of the pot. If one heated the water too quickly the tea was thin and disappointing. Never before had Zuko wanted to make a damned good cup of tea.
Uncle Iroh's laugh echoed from down the hallway accompanied by a soft sort of giggle. The sound made Zuko's heart flutter, and he nervously patted his hair down.
"Ah, here we are my dear!" Uncle boomed as he lead Katara into Zuko's room.
"I do hope this 'meeting' goes better than the last…"
"Uncle! I can hear you from here."
Uncle Iroh chuckled, patted the girl, and closed the room with a soft click.
Zuko watched Katara nervously fidget with the end of her long braid in the doorway. He gave a nervous gulp before speaking, this was his chance to make a better impression of himself. So she would help him, of course.
"Please, have a seat."
"I won't help you hurt Aang." Katara said in response, albeit in a soft tone.
Zuko looked her over and she did seem worse for wear. She had circles forming under her eyes, and bruises on her arms.
'Oh heavens, did I do that to her?'
Zuko turned his head to make himself look busy with the teapot, but he also didn't want to see those marks on her body either. Zuko had a temper, but he would never enjoyed hurting women.
"I know. Please, have a seat so we can talk."
Katara gave him a suspicious glance, but sat in front of the table on the floor.
Zuko saw that her dark braid nearly touched the floor as it lay draped along her spine.
"What kind of tea would you like?" Zuko coughed out, trying to sound as pleasant as he could.
"Any is fine. As long as it's not poisoned." Katara retorted sarcastically.
Zuko tried to suppress a smile, but still ended up with a dorkish half smirk.
'Poison would be the easy way out...for me too.'
Zuko slowly, and purposefully, poured the tea in her cup and placed it before her. Even though she had circles around her eyes, she was still sort of pretty with her hair loopies.
'Come off it, Zuko. Just because she's the first girl your age you've talked in ages doesn't mean you have to be a pig about it.'
"I know you won't help me catch Aang, I understand more than you know about loyalty. But, as you so graciously reminded me the other day, I am a fugitive of the fire nation. In fact, that's why we're so far out at sea. We spotted one of my sister's ships just as we were leaving the Earth Kingdom's shores."
Zuko took a sip of tea, mostly to break eye contact with Katara's sapphire eyes. But he knew she had to see how much he meant his next couple words.
"Katara, I didn't mean to hurt you. And I still don't want to hurt you. I can't just drop you off on some godforsaken shore! I wouldn't do that to anyone." Zuko placed his cup down, and watched Katara's chest rise and fall. "So, until we find a suitable place to leave you, will you show me your waterbending technique?"
Zuko made sure that his eyes were smoldering-the girls back home couldn't get enough of the smolder.
The pause in the air was uncomfortable. Zuko could see Katara thinking through what he said to her, and hopefully that she believed him. Azula was the one good at deception, not him. He always wore his heart on his sleeve, no matter how hard he tried not to let it show.
"So, I'm stuck with you?"
"I didn't mean to take you. I don't want anyone else to get hurt by my hand. Just until we find the best place to drop you off at where you will be safe.
Katara sucked in a deep breath, and crossed her dark arms across her chest. Zuko saw those awful hand shaped bruises on her upper arms and truly felt a sincere pang of guilt. He reached across the small table, almost touching her but not quite.
"I-I'm sorry, about those. Really."
He watched her glance down at her arms and then at his outstretched hand, her eyebrows crinkled.
"And you want me to show you how I waterbend?"
"If you would be so gracious."
"What would I get out of this? It sounds like a lose-lose for me. I'm still a prisoner, and you're still going to use me a bait for my friends."
"You wouldn't have to stay in that cell any longer, I would find you a bed." 'god knows where though..' "You would receive the best food, of course as my guest."
Zuko reached out and gave her hand the lightest of touches.
'Her skin is so soft'
"I promise never to hurt you again. I just want to see you off safely."
Zuko watched as her face relaxed, and saw that he had broken through her defenses.
'If only Ba Sing Se was as easily infiltrated'
"What do you say, Katara? Uncle would also be very pleased to have some new company."
"...alright."
Katara removed her hand out from under his and took her first sip of tea.
"You have a deal."