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]

[Did he just really ask that? Katara gave him a look that clearly reflected how unimpressed she was.]

For your information, I was the one who did the rest of the group's laundry while we were journeying. Besides, what do you do with your dirty laundry? Have someone else do them?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[Zuko frowns and has the grace to look a little embarrassed. He scowls at her and then down at the basket of strawberries as if they were the culprit of their now sticky situation.]

...Uncle...

[A quiet mutter and grumble. Yep.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[...]

You had your Uncle do your laundry? But he's your elder!

[Katara is in complete shock; after all, she and Grandma had shared chores together but she always made sure to take on anything that would be remotely strenuous for her elderly grandmother.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

It wasn't like I made him! He was always gone with the basket before I could stop him!

[Major scowling now in her direction.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

How do you get your laundry done here without Uncle to do it for you?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

...Uh. The same way you do?

[CRICKETS.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

... So you do do your own laundry?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

Augh. Yes. Fine. I do my own laundry.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

That wasn't so bad to admit, was it?

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[He shrugs.]

...I guess not.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Satisfied with his answer, she reaches for another strawberry in the basket to eat.]

[pyromatics.livejournal.com]

[He says nothing as she does, reaching for his own strawberry after her.]