Small talk-Zutara

(Pairings: Zutara, Taang.)

Silence. Such an awkward thing, isn’t it? Especially between enemies…  No… ‘Former’enemies would be the correct term actually. Real enemies wouldn’t be sitting side by side at the dinner table finishing off their supper. And one of them wouldn’t be desperate to strike up a conversation…


The Dragon of the West couldn’t stand the silence! He kept tapping the table, hoping the gentle rhythm would clear the anxiety clouding his inner thoughts. The never-ending tension kept buzzing about, tainting the atmosphere. All around him, people were silent. They all sat there like they were pretending to be dormant statues, failing at their impersonations when the temptation of toying with their food or a nervous fidget would run through their bones. Being a man of his charisma, he just couldn’t let the game of pretend go on with the youngsters.


Remembering his breathing exercises the old man calmed himself.


‘Strike up a conversation!’A voice echoed from the far corners of his mind. ‘Anything will do! Just keep it going long enough to get rid of what ever is ruining this wonderful meal.’


His eyes captured the sight of the blossoming woman sitting next to him. Katara was always pleasant conversationalist! Now all he needed was a topic…


“So…” He began, still unprepared. The sweet waterbender met his greeting with a gentle smile; beaming blue eyes focused on him. He wished she didn’t do that… now it was harder for him to think…  Thank Agni, the old Dragon’s faithful eyes found something! “…Who’s the lucky boy?”


Her face rippled over with bewilderment.


“Huh?” Was her first response, “I’m sorry Iroh, I don’t understand.” Although his question was oddly familiar…


“Your necklace.” Iroh grinned, staring at pebble. “Water tribe women are given a necklace like that from their betrothed to mark an engagement, is that not true?”

Katara burned bright red at the indication, fumbling with her words. Why was it so complicated to explain to the old man? It was so simple to deny romantic ties to Yugoda back in the North Pole…


“Well, yes, but-”


“WHAT?!” The prince of the firebenders slammed his fists on the dinner table, rising to the offence. All eyes shot a stare at him. “You are engaged!? ALREADY?!”


“Zuko, please,” Katara tried to reason but-


“But you’re only 14! YOU ARE FAR TO YOUNG TO BE ENGAGED!” Zuko’s volume of voice rose with his anger, outraged by the injustice. People just can’t get married as they please! Marriage is a sacred commitment that should be entered with the utmost care! What would a teenager know about entering a pledge for life like that?! It was mad! Mad!


“Excuse me, but I don’t think that would be any of your business-”


“I will not stand by and let you make a mockery of wedlock! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!” A crazy twitch pulled at his eyelids, with every new disturbing thought of Katara and her, ‘husband to be’.  


The prince kept going on and on, not noticing the people around him. Toph and Aang couldn’t stop giggling at the scene Zuko was making! The idea of interrupting Zuko’s little lecture had occurred to them… But witnessing the banished prince making a fool of himself, was too much fun to watch! And Sokka… The water tribe boy just sat there, his mouth agape. His sister’s name and the idea of marriage should never be mentioned in the same sentence or in his presence. Ever…


‘…I think I liked the silence A LOT better…’ Iroh smacked his forehead.


“And who is this so called ‘betrothed’ of yours?!” Zuko hissed. His eyes taking a dragon’s form as he glared down at Katara. “I would like to meet him! Maybe I could smack some sense into the foolish boy! THE IDIOT! PROPOSING MARRIAGE AT A TIME LIKE THIS! DURING A WAR FOR AGNI’S SAKE!”


“Zuko!” Katara screeched as her face tingling pink with embarrassment.  


“It’s an arranged marriage, isn’t it?” Zuko questioned, not really waiting for an answer. “Why would a free spirited woman like you want to be tied down to a man at this time of her life?” Katara really didn’t know whether to be compliment or… creeped out by Zuko’s deductions!  


“IT’S MADNESS! MADNESSS!” He yelled like a mad man, tugging on his hair. “I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT, YOU OUT OF ALL THE PEOPLE HERE WOULD HAVE SOME SENSE KATARA!”


“Um, Zuko I think you should calm down…”


“Calm? CALM?!” Iroh regretted intervening… “ I WILL NOT BE CALM!”


“Oh boy…”


“This is not right!” Zuko insisted on making a big deal about the so-called ‘engagement’. “I am going to do everything in my power to stop the wedding, even if I have to make a scene at the ceremony!”


“Oh Agni…”


“ZUKO! SHUT! UP!” Katara had enough of this stupid prince! He had such a nerve to yell at her like that! “I AM NOT ENGAGED TO ANYONE! THIS NECKLACE WAS PASSED DOWN TO ME FROM MY MOTHER!” Her voice grew tired, so it was time to conflict the final blow. “YOU IDIOT! WHY WOULD YOU CARE IF I GOT MARRIED ANYWAY?!” She collapsed back into her seat, breathing heavily. But her fierce gaze never left Zuko.


He kept still… Very still.


“… Umm…” Once, for this entire evening, Zuko was lost for a comeback. “I have no idea…”


“I think it’s obvious.” Aang smirked into his plate, tossing his food around with his fork. “He was jealous.”


“… What!” Zuko hissed, stabbing his eyes into Aang’s form. The all knowing Avatar grinned wider, setting his pointy tool down.


“You didn’t like the idea of Katara getting married to someone else.” Aang explained. “And I knew, before I started liking the misses here,” He said jokingly, setting his hand on Toph’s shoulder, the woman who was right under his nose all along. “That I would have reacted the same way when I had a crush on Katara.”


Katara’s expression turned blank. “… He had a crush on me?!” She squawked like a chicken, absolutely stunned at her best friend, the little boy she’s known for ages, the boy who was practically family, had a crush on her?!


“Well it was pretty obvious!” Toph grunted spearing her food, feeling a little envious of the attention Katara received from Aang.


“I would never become jealous over Katara!” Zuko declared. “She can get married to whoever she wants, at the appropriate time in her life and I wouldn’t care! Besides, it’s not like I…” A cough choked his lungs and a red glow burned his cheeks. He cast his head away. “Like her or anything…” He choked on his own saliva.


“I can tell you’re lying…” Toph teased, taking a sip from her drink.


The banished prince put on a bonfire of red for his dinner guests, especially when his eyes met beautiful blue ones. “No, I’m not, I-”


“Please, your heartbeat is going a mile a minute.” The Blind Bandit protested. “That’s the same pace Aang’s heart went through when he started liking me.”


“…” Nothing came out of his mouth. He couldn’t think of anything to say. Anything! “… I have to go…”


And he sprinted off, escaping from this disastrous dinner! What a nightmare…


But somehow, seeing the look in Katara’s eyes at the indications of romance and the lovely little blush on her cheeks, it was worth all of the abashment that was handed to him tonight…


“Hmm…” The Dragon of the West combed his beard with his claws, eyeing after his nephew. Maybe my choice of dinner conversation hasn’t gone so stale after all…


Oh yes, the information Iroh retrieved tonight would be very useful indeed…


And maybe help him finally bear some grandbabies…



Unfortunately for Sokka of the Water Tribe, “What the hell just happened?”  


END.


Avatar The Last Airbender © Nickelodeon

Story © zstar