Disclaimer: Do you think Nickelodeon will trade all my nail polishes and stuffed animals for Avatar: the Last Airbender? Cuz I would love to own it! Then Zutara could be made real! Muahahahahahahahaha!

Chapter 7- Shopping Around for a Little Kindness

It is interesting how plans can change so quickly. The thought of escape had been Katara's first thought in the morning, her last thought at night, the only thought that got her through the day. But sometimes, thoughts wander.

I will escape.

I must save Aang.

Zuko's after Aang. I have to get to him before he does.

Zuko is traveling towards Aang.

Hmmm... If I stay on the ship, I will eventually be with Aang.

Then we could escape together.

I won't leave.

They spent the night on the ship and returned to Cidade da Terra a few hours after sunrise. This time Zuko accompanied the waterbender and his uncle from the beginning of their outing. Their first stop was a high-end tailor at the center of the city.

"Oh! Prince Zuko! Look at this shop! It says it has fine antique collectibles," the old man cooed.

"Uncle! Can we get to the tailor before you buy everything in sight?" Zuko said irritably.

"You two just go on ahead of me. I'll meet you there. I have to look at their prices!"

"Fine. Let's go." He pushed Katara in front of him and they made their way to the shop.

It was a small shop, but it attended to more wealthy and extravagant customers. As the two walked in, a woman looking to be in her mid-forties hurried to them.

"Hello! How may I help you today?" she asked cheerily.

"Actually I was wondering if you could help me find a few dresses." Katara examined to room they had stepped into. It was full of colorful fabrics and dresses and suits and she was sure this woman would be able to assist her.

"Oh!" she exclaimed with an upturned brow and turned to look at Zuko. "Buying a gift for your lady friend, are we, young man? Well I can certainly help you there. You just come with me!" The woman grabbed Katara's hand and led her to the back room before either could correct her and left Zuko alone slack-jawed in the main store.

How does this happen to me? Again! How could it have happened again? She's cute, sure, but- no! Stop that! I can't think that!

Why not?

Because she's my prisoner! He argued with himself

So?

So what?

So why can't you think she's cute? You know you want to!

I do not! I have no feelings for her. She is my prisoner and will remain so until I bring the Avatar to my father. Then she will be out of my life forever.

Really? I don't think-

"Gorgeous," he said under his breath. The dress was simple, forest green with a modest neckline over a pair of tan pants, a black sash drawn tightly around her petite waist. How can that make her look so beautiful? He mentally berated himself for such thoughts again. But I have seen noble women dressed in such finery that could flatter a kimodo rhino's curves and yet there she is. Gorgeous. How can that be?

You like her.

I do not!

Then stop looking.

I... I can't.

And why is that?

I don't know…

I do.

"How do I look?" Katara asked quietly.

Zuko tore his eyes away and replied gruffly, "Fine."

"I'd like another dress just like this one in blue, please," she asked the woman politely after changing back into the simple black robe.

"It will be ready around noon. Come back then."

"Thank you!" the girl called as she led the young prince out of the store.

"That was… interesting."

"Well yesterday you did say I was your girlfriend. This is just… revenge!" she said happily. "Come on!" Katara ran her hand down Zuko's forearm until she grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind her. He was ashamed to have not hated the feeling of her cool hand against his. "Let's find Iroh before he buys the whole town!"

Don't you remember! She's your prisoner! You said you didn't like her!

Just... shut up.

Zuko followed obediently, momentarily forgetting who was in charge. Katara led him through the throng of people, until they found the old man haggling with a storekeeper over a solid brown ceramic lemur holding an apple.

"Uncle! If you want it, buy it. If not, leave the man in peace. If you need me I will be out in the town until noon. Then, we will get back on the ship and leave. Understand?"

"Yes, yes. Oh, and Zuko? Buy Miss Katara anything she needs. Now, go on. I have a lemur to buy!" he said impatiently.

The two of them left the shop. Zuko was silently fuming at the idea of buying the prisoner anything she asked for. Katara was pleased and headed over across the street to another clothing store and entered it, not bothering to make sure Zuko was following. Of course he's following. I'm the prisoner She rolled her eyes and began searching for comfortable pajamas.

And, of course, Zuko was following. He felt awkward in a woman's clothing shop and decided to stay as close as possible to the door without being in front of it. As the girl wandered around the store he could watch from his vantage point and could easily keep track of her. Thank goodness.

Katara looked around the store, feeling fabrics and gathering things to try on. She found a long, dark green robe that she could wear over a matching, green, short-sleeved tunic that would stop at her knees with a sash around her waist. The green robe had an embroidered flower chain around the bottom, similar to the sash's design. She also gathered into her arms a pair of loose black pants with a red sleeveless top. The fabric on the tunic, robe and the pants felt like silk or maybe satin, but the red shirt was more stretchy and formfitting. With her items in hand she headed into a dressing room to try them on.

Zuko saw her head into a small box-like room with a mirror with the clothes and pull the curtain shut behind her. Wondering what she would look like, he headed over to the little room and stood outside.

First, she tried on the robe and tunic and saw that it fit perfectly and would do nicely on a ship full of men. Then she put on the top and pants and looked at her self in the mirror. What kind of earth nation shop has fire nation colored clothing? Oh never mind, but I wonder…

"Zuko?" Katara stepped out of the dressing room and jumped. Zuko was standing right next to the door and he too had a surprised look on his face. After she gave her heart a moment to settle and a deep breath, she continued. "Do you think this is too… too showy for the ship?"

Oh gods in heaven above… She looks… amazing. A brief mental picture of two young people snuggling in a bed suddenly came to mind. One wore a red shirt, held in the arms of the other, a young man with pale skin. Where did that come from? Zuko promised himself he would berate himself later and replied in a calm voice, "No, it's fine." Fine! That doesn't even begin to describe her!

Shut up, he argued within himself again. She is the prisoner. I do not look at common water peasants or prisoners that way. And since she is both I shouldn't be looking at her at all.

Katara changed back into the black silk robe and brought the clothes out to be purchased. The storekeeper looked at the boy as he paid for her clothing, wondering why he was buying her pajamas, but said nothing other than a "Good day!" as they left.

Katara hungrily eyed a fruit vendor, and Zuko, picking up on her not-too-subtle hints, bought the two of them peaches. They walked over to the shade of an alley between two shops and Katara sat down against the wall to eat. Zuko stayed standing, but leaned against the opposite wall, and he too began to munch on his peach.

They ate in silence and when their bellies were full, Katara was about to haul herself up, when a hand shot out in front of her, and Zuko pulled her to her feet. Katara was, to say the least, quite confused. What was that? Common courtesy or genuine care? I hope it was courtesy… I think…

It was only twenty minutes to noon, and Katara had some things that were very important to buy. Unfortunately, Zuko would not want to come along. As she reached to shop entrance, she turned to Zuko uncomfortably.

"Uh… Zuko?" she asked, grinding her toe into the dirt. "Why don't you just give me some money and wait out here? You won't like it in there."

Zuko scoffed, and pushed her inside. As soon as the door opened, a red-faced prince pulled the young waterbender back out onto the street and thrust some gold coins into her hand.

"I told you, but would you listen?" she mumbled as she stepped inside.

That was wonderful! Just wonderful! Underclothes! His thoughts were full of sarcasm and embarrassment as he pounded his head against the wall outside the shop. I just had to stay with the prisoner.

After only five or ten minutes of waiting outside the door, Katara came strolling out with a small wrapped package in her arms and gave him several gold coins, although obviously less than her gave her, along with some silver and bronze ones too.

"I think we can head over to the tailor now," Zuko pointed out to take the subject far from his latest mistake.

She agreed and followed him back to the store. The streets were becoming increasingly crowded and personal space was almost nonexistent. Zuko suddenly realized that she could easily escape in a crowd like this and turned back to grab her hand and he pulled her ahead of him.

The crowds were closing in and Zuko and Katara were being shoved closer and closer together. The shop was only a few feet away and they burst in from the pressure of the bustling peoples outside.

"Oh, wonderful! You're right on time!" the cheery shopkeeper exclaimed. Zuko stepped forward to pay and then handed Katara two more parcels wrapped in brown cloth with twine binding them closed. The transaction only took a moment and the two teens stepped up to the door, as if taking a breath before jumping into the lake of townspeople. Zuko slipped his warm hand into Katara's slender one and opened the door.

Again, Katara was behind him, her many packages held tightly against her chest with her free hand. They were heading back to the ship, that much she knew from what the young prince had told his uncle. But the suffocatingly thick masses of people were slowing them down. Katara felt the heat in the firebender's hand grow along with his obvious annoyance of the crowd around them. The heat became unbearable before long and she snatched her hand quickly from his grasp.

As soon as her hand left his own, Zuko spun around, ready to pounce on her and drag her back to the ship. She stood there, simply blowing on her palm and daintily shaking it in the wind. I must have gotten madder than I thought…

Just then she looked at him, her innocent, blue eyes locking on his and suddenly someone bumped into Katara, sending her into Zuko's arms, her head resting upon his chest, the beat of his heart filling her ears. Her packages and parcels lay strewn on the ground as she stood there for only a moment in his strong embrace before she pulled herself off of him, brushed imaginary dust off herself and quietly thanked him while stooping to pick up her things.

They stalked back to the ship in silence, hand in hand, for the prisoner would surely escape in such a large group of people, and it wasn't until they broke free of the large crowd that they could release hands, although that didn't mean they did. It seems these two benders' minds were preoccupied and they forgot they could let go. As the ship came into view down at the harbor, Zuko realized their hands were still interlocked and immediately let her hand drop. Katara only blushed at their mistake and walked off ahead of him to her quarters.

Zuko, meanwhile, ambled over to the helm and stared at the maps on the wall.

"Good catch today, Prince Zuko," his uncle congratulated as he entered the room.

"You saw that?" he asked in an offhanded voice without turning.

Saw it, caused it, what's the difference? "Yes I did. Very noble."

"Thank you, uncle."

"And, by the way, nephew?"

"Yes?"

"She did look quite lovely in that red and black number, don't you think?"

Now before anybody thinks anything, Iroh was just following and matchmaking, he's not perverted! That's not a nice thing to think! Mind you, that mental image was of them but they were fully clothed! No lemon from me! And I'm pretty sure there weren't any dressing rooms or stores dedicated solely to women's clothing (both outer and under, tee hee!) but what the hay! I am the writer and what I say goes! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ok now I'm back. I just wanted to explain the title real quick. It's not that Katara is looking for kindness from Zuko, it's just that she is shopping, and he is being all polite and stuff and it's just throwing her off. Is he too OOC? Is Katara?

I feel so bad now. I've read over my story and I'm thinking to myself, no tailor could get together two dresses in just a few hours. And now she has two outfits. Sure, it's more than the on she had, but she has such a lovely dresser in her room. I believe, by the time I finish this story, I should like to fill that dresser up! Any wardrobe suggestions?