38. Compromises

A/N: Yes, I'm alive. It's been, forever since I updated. Oh, well, here's another one. I have the next six or seven lined up, so more updates are on the way. Anyways, I humbly thank you all for your kind reviews, as always. They mean so much to me, and that's why I do these. That, and of course, my love for all things Zutara. :)

….I blame this one on Abby. She knows why. :P

Katara was against the idea from the beginning.

She couldn't understand why her husband had insisted on growing that ridiculous beard, but she could not talk him out of it. He argued saying that his ancestors had all had beards, in spite of the fact that she thought he looked much more attractive clean-shaven. While Zuko was trying to grow his beard, he resembled a strung out cactus juice addict from the lowest ring of Ba Sing Se, although at least he still bathed daily, so that was a plus.

Well. If Zuko was going to insist on this silliness with growing facial hair, then she would just have to out wait him until he saw it her way. And she was going to use the greatest weapon she had at her disposal.

As much as she was loathe to do it, she would be forced to withhold intimacy and affection until he shaved.

At first, Zuko, with much grumpiness at his wife's sudden frostiness towards him, endured it. She would get used to the beard.

However, without his wife's touch for six days, on the seventh, he finally relented and took a razor to his face, and then emerged from their bathroom, minus facial hair.

"Happy?" he'd asked, sulkily.

Katara merely smiled in answer and kissed him deeply, dragging him back to their bed.

And it was at that moment that Zuko fully comprehended what Uncle meant about the benefit of compromises in marriage, and decided that he wouldn't mind being the first Fire Lord in his family line without a beard.

A/N: I know, I know, this is a bit silly, but I think Zuko looks better without facial hair. I think Katara would prefer him that way too. And we got to see Katara's manipulative streak. XD

This one's a little shout out to Abby. Our RP/convos inspired this. XD