Compromise
Oneshot
" Zuko, will you come help me start a fire?" He looked at Katara, his mind blank of all possible responses. This was the first time she had spoken to him since he and Iroh had escaped from Ba Sing Sae and Azula almost a month ago. They decided helping the Avatar was their best bet since they were already traitors to the Fire Nation. Might as well help bring it down, Iroh had reasoned. As they had approached their, well, more Zuko's, former enemy's camp, he could already feel their accusing eyes boring into him and hear their haughty questions. But it was either that or certain death with Azula. They chose the Avatar. Their reactions had been what he expected – all except for Katara's. She had just stared at him, a combination of hurt, anger, and something else…regret, maybe?, crossing her face in an instant. But then, it had hardened, leaving an expressionless mask in its wake. She hadn't looked him in the face since. He knew she was upset and confused by his actions. But what could he say to her? He could hardly justify his actions at Ba Sing Sae to himself, let alone explain to her the years he'd spent fighting for his honor again. To have it handed to him on a platter like that was so deceptively easy, and him sitting here on the hard ground in the middle of nowhere with a group of children he'd chased for two years of his life was proof of the deceptive part. So, when she asked for his help, he was shocked.
" Why do you want my help?" he asked flatly. He knew he sounded a little conceited and that she could freeze him to a tree without a second's hesitation, but laying down what little pride he had left was too much to ask of him this soon.
" Because," she replied just as evenly, although he heard a bit of derision in her voice, " I bend water, not fire. Besides, Sokka was freaked by me supposedly almost burning him last night that he's hid all the matches, flint, and anything else used to start a fire so that I won't 'set all of the Earth Kingdom on fire.'" She looked him in the eyes. He saw the same internal struggle in her, but the battle ended a few moments later. Compassion's flame glowed faintly in her ice blue eyes, along with a spark of inspiration.
" Tell you what, let's compromise." Confusion caused Zuko's eyebrows to come together slightly in a frown of suspicion at her words.
" I guess that could work…" his expression became darker and he stared at her intensely, a thousand thoughts competing for his attention all at once.
"What do I get?" Katara smirked, anticipating this question.
" I'll show you how to keep my brother from feeding you to Appa for breakfast if you start the fire." The corners of Zuko's tugged into a small, rusty smile.
" Okay, deal."
A/N: What I see here the beginnings of a ZUTARA relationship! Finally a longer drabble for those of you who like them longer. The first few were experiments at best, I think.
