Zutara One-shot Number: I don't know. Enjoy.
Zuko was no chef, but he was pretty sure that the stuff in his bowl was not food.
He swirled the so-called stew around in his bowl, poking at the congealed lump with his chopsticks. A similar expression had flitted across the waterbender's brother's face, but the smart man had already downed it when Katara --yes, that was her name-- had glared at him. The Avatar --Aang-- had also eaten his quickly, but Zuko had seen the look on his face afterwards. This was not one of the girl's best meals.
He stared at the mass in his bowl, wrinkling his brow in distaste. Zuko had been forced to eat bad food in his many travels, but this was just torture. Thank Agni that he hadn't been the only one to face it... she wasn't just picking on him, this time.
"Why aren't you eating?"
Zuko blanched at the angry tone, and he glanced up quickly. The waterbender was staring down at him fiercely, and the whole camp had gone quiet. Out of the corner of his eye, Zuko saw Toph taking the time to throw her stew into the bushes behind her, and give him a smirk. He frowned angrily, but his current situation kept him from running over and throttling the blind girl, all the while chanting 'It's not fair!'
But he wasn't a child, and he would face the angry girl... and her stew. "I'm not eating because this... stew looks like it was made by ostrich-horses!" he blurted out. The whole camp gasped in unison, glancing from Katara to him, and back again. Haru, Teo, and the small kid with the helmet fell into a heated conversation in whispers. Zuko was able to catch snatches of it:
"No, Katara could totally kick his ass..."
"... you kidding? Look at the size of him! He could totally take her out!"
"You're forgetting it's Katara."
The conversation stopped for a second after that comment, and then started right back up.
"Yeah, Zuko's going down."
"Poor man."
"He never teased me about my chair... Then again, he never talked to me, so..."
Zuko turned back to Katara, who was reddening. "Listen, pretty boy, if you think you can just waltz in and insult my stew, you're dead wrong. My stew was good, and everyone here knows it but you!"
Katara turned back to the rest of the camp, who had turned away at the mention of the "good stew". They were now deeply engaged in conversation, or in the washing of dishes.
Katara growled, and turned back to the startled firebender. "Well, next time, you can cook!" she yelled, and then stomped out of a room, the tea freezing in everyone's cups as she left.
Zuko stared at his tea cup, and quickly heated it back up. The camp was staring at him again, and he looked up, his eyes fierce. "Don't tell me you guys liked it." he scoffed.
"Well, no, but... we don't tell her..." said Aang awkwardly.
Zuko rolled his eyes, and turned back to his tea. She was a strange one, that Katara. She insults me, she threatens to kill me, she gets all "mega bitch" on me, and now she calls me pretty boy.
It was most definitely a strange little circle, and no matter how he tried, Zuko couldn't stop focusing on one thing: She had called him "pretty".
Oh Agni, please don't let this be love.
A/N: Posted this on LJ first, and here second. Hope you all enjoy! XP
Su-Su
