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

[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.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[A weight's been lifted off of his shoulders once she accepts the basket and smiles. Maybe even seeing the blush on her cheeks gives him that fluttery stomach feeling.

Zuko hesitates for a split second before dropping down onto the bench next to her. He glances over and then glances away.]

You're welcome...

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara is still blushing faintly as she picks a strawberry out from the basket. Luckily she had a bottle of water with her; bending out a couple of drops to clean the strawberry, she hesitates before turning to face Zuko, holding it out. Seeing that he isn't even facing her, though, she nudging his thigh lightly with her knee.]

Here.

[And she isn't holding it out for him to simply take; she's holding it up level to where his lips would approximately be, essentially feeding it to him.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko only looks over when he hears her speaking and stops dead at the strawberry that's in front of his face. He leans back just a bit, eyes crossing as they look down at the fruit.]

Uh. What about it?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Is it not obvious? Katara stares at him for a moment, before giving the strawberry a little wave before him.]

I'm offering it to you.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

No... you're trying to feed it to me.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Now she's blushing, but she tries to mask it by huffing loudly.]

So? Do you want it or not?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

I've just... I've never had anyone uh...

[Okay, shutting up, and doing so by leaning forward to snag the strawberry with his teeth. He bites into it, his face warm.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara is blushing now as well, and for some reason she has to avert her eyes when he bites down on the fruit. Once he's eaten it, she drops the stem down onto the bench to pick up another strawberry, biting into it herself for something to do.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Awkwarddddddddd. Zuko looks away while chewing. Swallowing seems so hard to do with the lump of nervousness lodged in his throat, but he does so anyway, loudly, awkwardly trying to clear it.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[She hears that little clearing of throat, but she's still busy eating her strawberry as she's still a bit embarrassed. An arm is crossed over her chest as her eyes glance over to the side, anything to not have to meet his gaze.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[It only makes sense when Zuko plucks up a strawberry and brings it up for her to bite, she made him eat one so it's only fair. The tip accidentally bumps her bottom lip and he mumbles an apology, going from avoiding looking at her and sneaking glances.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[... Well, Katara wasn't expecting that. Her eyes widen as she glances down at the strawberry only to look up at Zuko. It's when she notices his flushed cheeks and his rather awkward demeanor does she lean forward to bite into the fruit.

Why does courting have to be so awkward??]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[It's only so awkward because of who they are, their past situations back in their world; it's something Zuko tries not to dwell too much on whenever he's trying to meditate.

Another glance her way and he doesn't notice that he's staring at her, or more so her mouth and the way her lips are wrapped around the fruit before she takes her bite. Zuko swallows heavily and quickly pulls his hand away, letting the other end of the strawberry fall away.

...Crap!

Brief flash of inwardly flailing! He should probably grab it up again before it stains her clothing! Crap crap!

Zuko does it, his hand shooting out to try to catch the piece of fruit with lightning fast reflexes. And ends up brushing her left breast, oops, with his knuckles.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Okay, Katara certainly felt that. Her cheeks heat up to an impossible shade of red and out of reflex she leans back, completely embarrassed by the situation.]

What-- what are you doing!

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko jerks back at her exclamation in surprise, strawberry squished in his fist, some of the juices bleeding out from between his fingers. He stares at her, confused, oblivious.]

St-stopping the strawberry from staining your clothing! What did you think I was doing!?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Well, it's better that he's obvious! Or else Katara would be really mad. She tries to hide her embarrassment by crossing her arms over her chest, her body a bit tense.]

Nothing. Don't worry about the strawberry, I'll get the stain out in the laundry.

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Too late. It's already begun to drip down onto her clothing.]

...you know how to uh- wash clothing? As in... servant's work?