DISCLAIMER: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor am I in any way affiliated with Michael Dante DiMartino or Bryan Konietzko. This story is purely fan-made.

"I wonder if I may have you the honor of taking you on a walk?" Zuko cleared his throat and tried again. "I would like to do you the pleasure of…." He sighed and trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No, I can't say that. Do you the honor? No, wait, do me the honor." He studied his reflection in the mirror. "Or maybe I should leave out the word honor altogether? Doesn't have the best of memories attached to it. Stupid word." He waited until his frustration with the word had abated before rephrasing the request. "I would appreciate a moment of your time to go on a walk. With me. Through possibly the least scenic place in the entire world."

This was impossible. Last night he had gone to bed firmly believing his self-made promise that he would stay away from Katara and let her live her life without any complications from him. A few hours later he had woken up with the resolution that he would at the very least talk to her. That simple decision had lead to musings about what it would be like to see her smile at him again, to hear her laugh, to remember how it felt to have her lips pressed against his.

After an hour and a half of playing out scenarios in his mind, Zuko decided he had to be some sort of masochist. Why else would he actively seek out the company of someone who had not only rejected him, but showed no signs of ever choosing him? He came to the conclusion that, somehow, his family were to blame. After all, what was the point of having the ultimate dysfunctional family if he couldn't use them as scapegoats from time to time?

"It's good to be back on old furball," Toph said, leaning back contentedly on Appa's saddle, her eyes closed against the winds that whipped her hair around. "One more day with my mother and I would've lost it. Like, actually lost it, not just Bumi-style eccentrics."

Aang smiled to himself as he steered Appa's reigns to the left. Soon he and Toph would have to don the heavy coats Toph was currently using as a pillow if they wanted to reach the South Pole without hypothermia setting in.

"My dad, too," Toph continued, raising her voice above the whirling winds. "They both got on my nerves."

"At least you're talking to them again," Aang said, offering words that he didn't think Toph would find too consoling. "That's something, right?"

"I guess."

Toph's dismissive, unenthusiastic reply told Aang that it was time to change the subject.

"You looking forward to seeing Katara?" he called back to her. Momo, formerly asleep next to Aang, chattered irritably at being woken up. "Wasn't asking you, buddy," Aang told the lemur, scratching his ears.

"Can't wait," Toph drawled. "From the clutches of one mother straight into another one. How about you?"

Aang hesitated for a fraction of a second too long to go unnoticed. A newly intrigued Toph tilted her head towards him, waiting.

"I can talk to you, right?" Aang asked after a moment.

Toph knew this to be code for 'I'm about to confide in you, don't screw up by repeating it to everyone' and nodded. Being patient certainly wasn't one of her stronger points, so waiting for Twinkletoes to choose his words over the next minute was annoying.

"She…Katara…she's different." Another pause. "Unhappy." Irritation crept into his tone. "And I don't know why, so there's nothing I can do to fix it."

Interesting, Toph noted. Sounds like Sugar Queen's still moping over her missed train.

Instead of speaking, she nodded in what she hoped was a sage manner. Aang seemed to take this as an indication to continue venting.

"I've tried everything I can think of to cheer her up. I suggested going penguin sledding and holding mass snowball fights and even making some of those sea prunes she likes so much." For some reason, Aang added silently, wincing at the memory of the taste that had etched onto his unsuspecting tongue.

Toph sighed. This was going to be a difficult one to phrase tactfully. So, after about a second of deliberation, she decided to go with her usual blunt tactics.

"Twinkletoes, that's kids stuff. It all sounds awesome, don't get me wrong," she added quickly, "but you know what Katara's like. I think she was born mature and responsible and level-headed and stuff." She shrugged. "I guess playing games doesn't really appeal to her anymore."

Aang was very quiet for the remainder of the journey, but Toph didn't worry about if she'd offended him. By her reckoning she'd just given him a lot to think about, and whatever conclusion he came to would decide her course of action over the next few days. Best not to rush him.

"…just saying, it's weird. I mean, why would he want to go on a walk with you?"

Katara rolled over in her bed, trying to block the voice out. She didn't want to know what Sokka was doing this early, nor did she care. Sleep, she cared about.

"Not like there's anything to see anyway." Sokka continued in a grumble. "Ice and snow look pretty much the same no matter how far you walk."

There was a few moments of blissful silence, and Katara thought her brother had gotten the message and left. Then Sokka's finger prodded her head. Twice.

"Hey, sis, you awake?"

Katara pulled the covers over her head.

"No, Sokka," she answered, her voice muffled by layers of fur. "I'm not awake. Go away. Go annoy Gran Gran or someone else."

"You're kidding, right? She'd kill me."

Katara groaned. "You think I won't?"

"Nope. Aang's pacifistness has rubbed off on you. I hope."

"Pacifistness?" Katara repeated, eyes still tightly shut. "Sokka, at least try and use real-sounding words."

"Yeah, I'll get right on that."

Sokka's sarcastic tone was doing nothing to endear him to Katara. She was about to demand that he leave when he spoke again.

"His Highness wants to go on a walk with you."

Slowly, Katara opened her eyes and lowered the covers. Cold air rushed in around her face and she huddled closer to the furs. A walk didn't sound appealing. A walk with Zuko sounded even less so; the atmosphere would be as frosty as the surroundings.

"He asked me to ask you," Sokka continued, oblivious to his little sister's discomfort, "as if I don't have more important things to do!"

Katara didn't voice the retort that apparently he didn't, otherwise he wouldn't have conveyed the message, and instead sighed.

"Tell him…" she paused to consider. Zuko was actively seeking to spend time with her. As long as that time wasn't spent arguing, she considered it progress. "Tell him I'll be out in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes?" Zuko repeated incredulously, rubbing his gloved hands together to ensure his fingers didn't suddenly freeze and drop off. He didn't put it past the temperature to be able to do that.

Sokka shrugged. "Hey, man, she's a girl. Just be glad you're not waiting for Suki, she takes ages putting on all her Kyoshi stuff."

Zuko decided to add this to his decidedly short list of things to be grateful for.

"I'm going to wait inside," he informed his friend, who immediately made a strangled noise of indignation. Zuko rolled his eyes. "In the hallway, you idiot, not in her bedroom."

He left Sokka still making little unintelligible noises at the thought of a boy in his little sister's bedroom and entered Katara's home. It was unremarkable in its décor; there was nothing to signify that anyone with any sort of personality lived here. Then again, blocks of ice weren't known for their self-expression.

Still, he felt like an intruder. It seemed only right that he should let Katara know he was in her home, waiting for her. Otherwise she'd leave her room, she him standing there and no doubt leap to the wrong conclusion as she was sometimes apt to do.

Not entirely sure where her bedroom was, Zuko simply followed the muffled sounds of movement, accompanied by the occasional soft curse.

"Katara?" he called, met face to face with her door.

All movement inside ceased.

"Zuko?" Her voice was cautious as though she expected some sort of trickery. "What are you - I thought you were waiting outside."

"I was," Zuko explained with an awkward shrug that he was glad she couldn't see. "It's cold."

"Well it's the South Pole, so yes, it would be."

Zuko smiled at her quip even as his brain berated him for saying such an insipid thing.

"If you're just inviting me out so you can be pointedly cold and indifferent, you can just save it," Katara warned through the door, causing Zuko's smile to drop. "You're mad, I get it."

"If you're just agreeing to come out with me so you can be annoyingly vague and provocative, likewise," Zuko returned before he could stop himself.

There was a pause, and he knew he'd said something dangerous. The only question was if Katara would take it badly or very badly, the difference being whether or not Zuko would be verbally or physically abused.

The door opened with a click, revealing a bemused Waterbender.

"You think I'm provocative?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"You…provoke me," Zuko replied, hoping this was the right thing to say. It was the only thing he could think to say.

After another tense moment, Katara shrugged and began to walk away. Zuko feared she was angry with him, before she turned and gestured for him to follow.

The young not-quite couple trudged through the town, smiling diplomatically at those they passed and offering greetings to those they knew. At least, Katara smiled and greeted. Zuko inclined his head awkwardly and for the most part didn't make eye contact.

"It isn't like this in the Fire Nation," he told Katara once they had reached the outskirts of the town. "People don't acknowledge me the same way there. I walk past them and some nearly fall over trying to kiss my feet, and the others nearly fall over from fear."

Katara shrugged. "Maybe the Fire Nation is just filled with really clumsy people and you're reading too much into it."

Zuko scoffed, although he couldn't hide his amusement. He could only assume that Katara had done the same thing he had: shoved aside all the tension and animosity of the previous days and weeks and focused only on the few stolen moments they had before reality reared its unwanted head.

"So, why did you ask me to walk with you? I thought you made it clear you didn't want anything to do with me."

Zuko, as ever, had assumed wrong. Evidently Katara had waited until they were out of earshot to begin her questioning. She had stopped walking but Zuko, his mood rapidly decreasing, continued ahead determinedly.

"Did you want to have a long talk about our feelings?" Katara's voice was surprisingly free from bitterness, but held a slightly teasing edge. "One that would end in one or both of us storming off?"

Zuko didn't reply, didn't even turn around until her next sentence,

"I have a better idea."

He paused, half-hoping for possibilities that he hadn't even fully realized yet, and turned, but before he could question her meaning an expertly crafted snowball smacked into his arm. Fragments of snow sprayed onto his face as he looked down in surprise. He lifted his eyes to see Katara forming another snowball. She drew back her arm and prepared to hold it there, but paused to wait for his reaction.

A part of Zuko, a part that was still furious with her, wanted to ask, 'a snowball fight? I think you're confusing me with your child of a boyfriend,' and walk away like the Lord he was.

A much larger part of him had already talked himself into making a snowball and flinging it in Katara's general direction. Katara threw the snow she had already formed and thrust a hand out the moment his own snowball reached her. Zuko's artillery turned against him, until he returned fire, so to speak.

Sensing that this pattern could be repeated for quite some time, Katara grinned.

"No bending?" she asked, holding up both hands in surrender.

"No bending," Zuko agreed. He shot her a superior look. "I'm still going to win, though."

A/N:

Hello all, I'm so sorry about the time it took to update. These last few months have been busy to say the least, and I've definitely had better times. So bearing in mind my Woobie status, please still love me.

I'm sorry if this chapter isn't up to standard, I know it's short, but it's going to take a little longer for me to get back into the swing of things I'm afraid. Ah, how real life messes with us all. Wouldn't it be easier to live in the Northern Water Tribe/Narnia/Underground/…pretty much anywhere but here?

Thank you for your reviews, they are, as ever, very much appreciated. Thank you also for your patience.

Anyone a Labyrinth fan? It's my new obsession.

Have a great week or so until I update next,

- Momo