action - quad

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Standing at the edge of the Quad garden Zuko's eying the strawberry bushes his previous Home Economics class had planted weeks ago. He's got his arms folded over his chest and a confused glare on his face as he stares down at the plants.

It's been bugging him for a while now... what could he get Katara? What would she like? Flowers seemed too... fast, too soon, he wasn't sure about the flowers. Not right now. And so here he was glowering at the strawberry bushes as though that alone would change his mind.

Were they ripe enough to pick? Could he even use his fingers to pick them? What if he squished them from plucking them too hard off the stems? What if Katara had an allergy to strawberries? What if he brought her a basket of them and he ended up putting her in a hospital bed?!

All sorts of negative thoughts were running through his mind, he's that distracted that if anyone came by he might not notice them at first.]

Comments

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes, however, immediately draw to the basket he had just kicked so carelessly into the plants and she immediately lifts her gaze back to him, a scowl on her lips.]

Zuko! You have to be careful, it takes a lot of work to take care of those plants!

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Scolded like a child. Zuko tries to mask up the flare of irritation by scowling back at her and going to pick up the basket.]

You don't think I know that? I was in your class, remember?

[Brushes off the basket.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Of course she remembers-- she still cares after the flower plant that he had given her, the one he had potted in that very class.]

Right. Why were you looking at the strawberry bush?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Side glances at her.]

...uh. Why not?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara crosses her arms; she knows something is up.]

You were having a pretty intense staring contest with it.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

Maybe the strawberries have eyes and we don't really know it...

[Lame, yeah, but still.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[That was an unexpected answer, and Katara has to suppress a small giggle at his response. But she quickly sober up, even if there's a still a small smile curling her lips.]

So you were having a staring contest with the bush?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

...maybe I was.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Right. Now Katara was leaning forward to examine the bush a little more closely, and upon spotting a ripe berry she carefully plucked the fruit from the bush only to bring it to her lips to bite.]

Mm-- they're ripe! And really good.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

Then they're good for picking?

[This news perks Zuko up because now he knows he can pick the strawberries. Just for her.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara nods as she pops the rest of the strawberry into her mouth, her cheeks flushing a bit from the sweetness of the fruit.]

They are. Do you want to try one?

[Before he can protest, though, Katara had already reached down to pluck another plump and ripe berry, holding it out for him to take.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

Uh-- [But there she is already holding it out for him. He reaches out to take it from her, cheeks heating up as their fingers brush and he quickly pops the strawberry into his mouth.]

I guess they are, yeah...

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[The light contact of their fingers brushing against each other has Katara flushing as well, though she recovers quickly at his answer. Cocking her head to one side, she looks at him with a curious expression.]

Do you like strawberries? [Come to think of it, there was a lot about him she that doesn't know about.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

They're good, but they're nowhere near as good as the moonpeaches that grow in the Fire Nation.

[Zuko averts his gaze down to the patches of strawberries and carefully steps around them, crouching down to busy himself with the purpose of his being there: to pick her strawberries.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

I had moon peaches a couple of times when we were in the Fire Nation. They're really good, too.

[Unsure of what to do now, she watches Zuko in silence before finally speaking up.]

Uhm... do you want any help?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Hearing that she's already tried the fruit, Zuko pauses in his berry picking to look over at her, surprised by the news.]

You have..?

[And then he shakes his head, forcing himself to look away again and busy himself with the strawberries.]

...I'll be fine.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Now she was unsure if he even wanted her to be there in that moment; but seeing how he didn't seemed that bothered, Katara sat herself on one of the stone benches beside the garden.]

When we were hiding in the Fire Nation, we found a moon peach tree and picked some of the fruits to eat.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko can't help but look over at her again. He tries not to make a face.]

By 'we', you mean you and Aang?

[Ping. Teeny spike of jealousy. But he pushes it down because now's not the time to think about that!]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara is a bit surprised by the question, but she tries not to frown at his tone.]

'We' as in all of us-- Toph, Sokka, Aang.

damn you f or messing with our headcanon >8(9

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

I see.

[A noncommittal sound and the firebender goes back to casually picking his berries.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[That question alone had her rubbed the wrong way, though she tries not to let it show. Instead, she crosses her arms as she watching him pick his strawberries. Which was kind of a strange situation, all things considering...]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[He can feel her eyes on him, watching his every little move with his berry picking. Zuko pauses before reaching for another strawberry to pluck and glances over from the corner of his eye feeling very self-conscious now that she's ... just sitting there ... watching him...]

...you're watching me pretty closely.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara gave a shrug.] There isn't anything else to do.

... Unless you want me to leave? [Answer that carefully, Zuko.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

...well... no. [Frowning. Badly. Focuses on his strawberry picking now and adds in a quiet mutter:] ...I was picking them for you.

[And because he's done and filled up most of his little basket, Zuko carefully steps around the patches and moves over to where she's sitting, holding out the basket. He may have squished one or two but the rest are all nice and red and just right.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[... Oh.

Well, she hadn't been expecting that answer. Her cheeks heat up a little bit in a mildly embarrassed yet pleased blush, and she looks up at Zuko with a smile.]

Thank you.

[Taking the basket, Katara then scoots over a bit on the bench, a silent invitation for him to sit next to her.]