And Other Fairly Stupid Tales

Day 1

Relief

"Katara."

"Hmm?"

"I don't think your grandmother likes me."

Katara looked up from the low table where she'd been rubbing salt onto strips of turtle-seal meat and met Zuko's eyes. "Why do you say that?"

"She's been looking at me weirdly ever since we got here," he told her, warily glancing around the room to make sure the woman in question wasn't around to overhear him. "I feel like she's constantly judging me."

"Oh, that's because she is."

Zuko was taken aback by the waterbender's nonchalant agreement. "What? Really?"

Katara shrugged. "Gran-Gran's like that. But don't worry, she'll eventually tell you what's on her mind."

The longer Zuko spent in the South Pole, the more convinced he became that Kanna did not care for him. No matter what he did, or where he went, she was there; silently staring.

She stared at him when he helped Sokka craft hunting spears.

She stared at him when he gave Toph piggyback rides across the snow.

She stared at him when he discussed war reparations with Hakoda.

She stared at him when he helped Katara clear snow away from the entrance of the newly built Chief's Hut.

She stared at him when he chatted with his friends.

She stared at him when he passed her in the hallway.

She stared at him especially hard whenever they sat down for meals.

"Hey Zuko, did you want another whale-kabob?" Katara asked, proffering up the platter.

Zuko shook his head. "No, that's alright, I'm-" he caught sight of Kanna's face, her droopy old eyelids radiating disapproval, and he hastily reconsidered. "Actually, I think I will have another, thanks."

She also stared at him especially hard when he practiced his firebending with Aang, which was what he was doing at present.

Zuko shifted uncomfortably as the old woman's eyes drilled into his bare back. He had made it a part of Aang's training to practice regulating his own body temperature in the frigid antarctic climate, and thus, they had all their lessons shirtless. Katara watched as well, sitting next to her grandmother at the edge of the bending field.

He tried to ignore both of them as he flipped out of the way of one of Aang's blasts and spun on his arms, whipping his legs around to send a large wave of fire back at his young pupil.

He heard Kanna mutter something, followed by an aghast cry of "Gran-Gran!" from Katara.

Unable to help himself, Zuko turned his head around to see what they were doing. Kanna was watching her granddaughter with a smug expression on her face, and Katara was holding her flaming red cheeks, looking positively mortified. What were they talking about?

His attention was abruptly returned to his opponent when the heel of Aang's foot connected hard with his solar plexus. Right over his barely healed lightning wound. He crumpled to the ground with a strangled yelp and curled up into the fetal position, clutching his midsection.

"Zuko! Are you okay?" Aang cried, falling to his knees beside him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you there."

Zuko just groaned and rolled onto his back in the snow, panting hard.

"What happened?" Katara called as she rushed over, concern written all over her face.

"I accidentally kicked him in his lightning scar," Aang explained guiltily.

"I'm okay," Zuko gasped out, "I just got distracted for a moment and didn't see his attack."

Katara put her hands on her hips and glowered down at both of them. "You!" she said, pointing at Aang, "Just where were you aiming? You need to be more careful!"

Aang shied away from her, looking even more guilty.

"And you!" she rounded on Zuko, "What were you thinking? Sparring when you're still this injured! You told me it didn't hurt anymore!"

"It was fine before Aang kicked it," he protested. "...Mostly."

"Argh!" Katara threw up her hands and both boys cowered beneath her ire.

At Katara's direction, Zuko was hoisted up, her and Aang each taking one of his arms, and half-carried back to the Chief's hut.

"What happened?" Suki asked as they came through the front door, followed by Kanna.

"Boys!" Katara huffed in response as they passed.

Zuko was brought back to his room and deposited on the bed.

"Aang, go heat some water," Katara instructed brusquely.

"Yes ma'am!" he responded quickly before rushing from the room.

She watched him leave and then turned back to Zuko. "I'm going to go grab some bandages, just in case. Don't you even think about moving until I get back." She pegged him with a warning glare before exiting herself.

It was just him and Gran-Gran then. All alone.

He slowly turned his head to look at the older woman. Kanna stared back wordlessly, her half-lidded eyes intent on his person, her withered old lips pulled down in a frown.

He stared at her.

She stared back.

His eyes flickered briefly away and then back to her.

Hers didn't waver.

The minutes dragged on. Where were Aang and Katara? Shouldn't they be back by now?

Zuko's suspicion that Kanna really didn't like him grew stronger with each passing second. That look on her face was clearly disapproval.

The thought that Katara's – and Sokka's – grandmother didn't care for him dismayed him more than a little. What if her not liking him caused her grandchildren to dislike him as well? Moreover, this was the woman Katara respected the most in the entire world. He had a feeling that if she came out and told Katara directly that she didn't approve of him, Katara would take her words seriously and possibly distance herself from him.

Zuko's anxiety rose. He didn't want that.

He met the elderly woman's eyes again with panic. His friendship with Katara – a friendship he'd worked his royal hiney off to gain, and valued greatly – was riding on this woman's opinion of him.

Kanna just stared back.

He couldn't take much more of this. Maybe it would be best just to ask her himself what her problem with him was. Katara had said that she'd eventually tell him, but it had been days, and she hadn't uttered so much as a word to him. This was the perfect opportunity to raise the issue with her. If she wasn't going to tell him now, she probably wasn't going to tell him at all.

It was at that moment, that Kanna finally deigned to speak to him.

"Fire Lord Zuko," she said in her gravelly, stoic voice.

Zuko straightened up as best he could, lying on a bed, and answered, "Yes, Honorable Grandmother?"

Kanna's eyes swept over him briefly before returning to his own. "You're too skinny. You'll need to put some meat on those bones if you're going to provide me with healthy great grandchildren."

Relief washed over him. So she didn't dislike him after all! She just thought he–

The implication in her statement hit him, and he shot up into a sitting position. "Wait, what?" However, the quick movement aggravated his wound and he fell back down with a string of curses. By the time he was able to see straight again, the old woman was gone.

As Kanna walked leisurely away down the icy hallway, she heard her granddaughter's voice from the room she'd just left. "Zuko, what's up with you're face? Do you have fever or– Ah! I told you not to move!"

Her face split into a grin and she cackled.

Happy Zutara Month, everyone! I hope you all enjoyed Relief. Not the most quality piece of work, but hey, that's not the point. I'm going to try and write something for as many of the days as I can, between working on the next chapter of TCA and the demands of teH rEaL wOrld.

Also, I apologize, but there will be no stinky cheese men in this collection. Only other fairly stupid tales. (and a few very stupid tales)

Join me tomorrow for Day 2, Luminous: in which Zuko attempts to be suave.