This was written for a 'Dare' at PaintedBlue. The prompt was to write a drabble/short story where Katara has to eat some sort of questionable Fire Nation food at Zuko's insistence.

Of Bugs and Slugs

It looked like a bug. A really, really big bug.

Katara picked up her fork and gave an experimental prod to the … thing's shell. She was relieved that it didn't move, but that didn't change the fact that the so-called Fire Nation delicacy she was supposed to be eating looked like a vibrant orange version of a canyon crawler. A really, really ugly canyon crawler, with crispy antennas and curled up legs, and—oh spirits, how was she supposed to eat this thing? It was even worse than the food the swamp benders had tried to give her that one time, and even then she had settled for a possum-chicken kebab.

Her eyes shifted to Zuko, who was dressed in full Fire Lord regalia, and looking very formal as he sat at the head of the table. She noticed that he didn't have one of the bug things on his plate; instead, he was enjoying what looked like some kind of spicy noodle soup. Why couldn't she have spicy noodle soup?

"Hey, Zuko," Katara said in a low voice, leaning closer so she could speak to him without attracting too much attention. "Where can I get some of that soup?"

Zuko looked up from his plate, good eyebrow rising slightly. "You don't like your flame hopper?"

Katara scrunched up her nose. "I can't say I'm really in the mood for fried bug."

"Flame hoppers are a Fire Nation delicacy."

"So people keep telling me," she muttered, repressing a scowl.

Zuko met her gaze steadily. "That dish was specifically chosen to welcome you, our new Southern Water Tribe ambassador, to the Fire Nation. If you don't eat it, you'll be seen as offending me and every other person in this room."

Katara stared around at the party guests, all of whom had proven themselves to be strict followers of protocol (which really just meant that they would likely kick up a huge fuss should she do anything even the slightest bit untoward). Then her gaze fell back on Zuko, who simply raised his eyebrow a fraction higher, as if to ask what she was waiting for. The waterbender gulped and stared back down at her plate. Her bug-infested, horribly unappetising plate.

Reluctantly, she picked up her fork and dug it into the flame hopper's side. Juice squirted and dribbled out from the hole in an orange ooze; Katara had to cover her mouth to stop from gagging.

"I really don't think I can eat this," she said, placing her fork down and turning back to Zuko.

His mouth twitched, but then he returned to looking grim and serious. "You know what will happen if you don't."

Her stomach plummeted. Right. All of the Fire Nation officials would think that she was purposely trying to offend them, the Fire Lord, and probably their whole country and culture. Then they would all hate her, as they no doubt already did for the simple fact that she was Water Tribe. She sighed. It looked like there was nothing for it.

Cringing, and still trying not to gag, Katara picked up the flame hopper and took a bite out of its side. The taste was revolting, like rotten meat mixed with mango, and it had her pulling faces that would have put even Sokka to shame for the overt disgust she displayed. It was a relief when she finally managed to swallow the food; unfortunately, the taste still lingered.

"It's good, right?" Zuko prompted.

She didn't notice the glimmer of amusement dancing in his eyes; instead, she smacked her lips a few times in distaste and then reached for her glass of water, making a noncommittal sound of agreement. When she finally summoned the courage to take her next bite, Zuko ducked his head and busied himself with his soup, though his shoulders were shaking slightly.

Katara ignored him and focussed on chewing as quickly as possible, for the taste was so much worse this time, as if she'd got an extra dose of rotten meat. It was repulsive. She could feel the juices sliding along her tongue and bits of shell getting stuck in her teeth, and—

She clamped a hand over her mouth, not quite able to muffle the retching sound that escaped her lips. To her surprise, Zuko let out a sudden bark of laughter; a sound that seemed to go on and on and on, like a mocking bell ringing in her head, until the normally dignified Fire Lord had to bury his face into his arm to stifle his amusement. Katara's cheeks flamed with pink, both out of anger and embarrassment, for now some of the other officials were chuckling as well, while the rest just seemed to be staring at her—and Zuko—in horror. No doubt they thought it was her fault that their Fire Lord had lost his usual poise and was now hunched over the table, shaking with laughter.

"Zuko," she hissed, dropping her fork none-too-gently on her plate and gripping his arm. "What is going on? And get a hold of yourself!" she added. "Everyone is staring at us!"

He raised his head, and she was disgusted to see that there were traces of tears in his eyes. It wasn't that funny!

"Y-you actually ate it," he managed to gasp out. "I didn't think you would, but—"

Her eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

A cheeky grin curved his mouth. "You know that time I came to visit you and Sokka in your village, and you insisted that I had to eat those stewed slug things?"

"They weren't slugs, they were stewed sea prunes, and—"

"Well, they looked and tasted like slugs to me," he said bluntly.

There was a moment where they two of them just stared at each other, and then the pieces of puzzle at last seemed to fit together and Katara let out an angry gasp, pointing her finger at him in accusation.

"You—you set this up, didn't you?"

He spread his hands in an appeasing gesture. "Hey, you made me eat Water Tribe slugs; I made you eat Fire Nation bugs. Now we're even."

Katara glowered. They most definitely were not even. Not at all. She would make him rue the day he tricked her into eating a flame hopper.

But first she would have to get rid of that awful taste.