A/N: Day 12, Prompt 18 – "Judgmental Much?" Read, review, and enjoy! The hits and reviews keep me writing!

Katara and Zuko were in Mai's garden, the normal place for them to be on a Tuesday afternoon. Katara was watering the plants using the waster from the fountain, and Zuko was on his knees, pulling weeds.

Usually, they would be talking, but today, the garden was filled with silence. It was a comfortable silence though, and neither of them seemed to mind that the other was off in space, thinking about something or another. Katara accidentally splashed Zuko with a small bubble of water, and he just wiped it off with a smile, returning to his work.

It was most definitely peaceful out here.

"You really do have it good, now, Zuko," Katara said offhandedly, pulling the water toward the group of Fire lilies. Zuko had told her this would be the last week they were in bloom until next year, and she wanted to make sure that none of them withered before their time.

He didn't even look at her before answering, "What do you mean?"

"Life here seems really peaceful, now. I'm sure during the war it was always hustle and bustle, but now it's just… calm."

"It's not as calm as one might think," he retaliated quickly.

Katara threw up her hands in defense, not that Zuko was actually looking at her. "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant it seems really calm around the palace. My dad was the leader of our village, and when Sokka and I went to visit him earlier this year, he was really busy."

"Oh?" Zuko asked, looking at her with interest. "Are you saying I'm not busy?"

"I didn't mean it that way, either, Zuko! I'm just saying, my dad had to hear complaints from everyone in our tribe. Any time two people couldn't come to an agreement, he had to be consulted. With you, there are courts, and only disputes with nobles can be appealed to your judgment."

Zuko scoffed slightly. "So you think that I'm not important? The Fire Nation is a huge nation, Katara, I can't be expected to settle all the disputes. Not like in your village, you know."

"Judgmental, much?" Katara retorted, her anger getting the best of her briefly. "I was just saying, I must be nice to be able to concentrate on more than just the squabbles of every person in town, Zuko."

He blinked in surprise, clearly wondering how it had turned from a joke into an argument. But if there was one thing he had learned about Katara that he had to deem most important, it was this: If she is angry and looking for an argument, the best way to surprise and placate her is to be nice about it.

"You're right, Katara. It's actually really nice to be able to concentrate on more than just what my citizens are arguing about. It must be hard on your father; I respect him greatly for being able to deal with all of those arguments."

Katara stood, openmouthed, staring at Zuko. "You… you really think so?"

Zuko nodded. "Hakoda is a good man, and I do respect him. He also has two great children who have changed the world. I am lucky to know all three of you."

He had, at this point, returned to his de-weeding of the garden. Katara's cheeks turned pink from the compliment, and she was glad Zuko couldn't see.

"Katara, is the sun too much for you? Your cheeks are coloring," he said with a smirk on his face.

She smacked him on the back of the head with a whip of water, and then he looked up at her. "I just wanted to make sure that you weren't going to die of a heat flash or something, Katara," he said.

"Yeah right," she replied, bending down so she could sit next to him, having finished her watering a while ago. "But that you for the compliment, Zuko. It means a lot that you feel that way about my family."

It was his turn to blush, and he had to turn his head quickly so she wouldn't see. He only had a few more weeds before he was done, and then he wouldn't have an excuse to turn away from her.

"If it helps, my dad feels the same way about you. He respects you, I mean. You're a good leader, Zuko. You've helped to restore faith in the Fire Nation. There are people who are slowly coming around to the idea of world peace because of you and… Aang. You're a world leader, and you're good at it," Katara said, staring at the ground. I just thought I should tell you, you know, to return the compliment."

His blush intensified, and he felt like an adolescent. He was twenty three, for Roku's sake, he should not be acting like this. "Thank you, Katara. It means a lot to me that you think that."

She shrugged. "It's the truth, Zuko. Anyone would tell you the same. And Zuko, you really need to get out of the sun. Your face looks like it's been sunburned," she added with a mischievous grin.

He just smiled and shook his head as she walked off.

A/N: Kayso – Internet is up and down all the time now. I hope we get it fixed because it's annoying to be doing something and then, bam. Plus, when it's down I get distracted by other stuff, mainly reading, and then forget to post drabbles. But anyway, I hope you liked it. I didn't have a lot of inspiration for it, and was going to make it a lot shorter, but I didn't.