Katara bent water on to the plates, pushing food and sauce off and down the waterfall. She smiled as she added each dish, or rather, flat rock, to the stack. It felt good to have these clean things, to have control over this small part of the group's life.

Lately she was feeling like she was lost in a tornado, everything was flying and she could do nothing to help herself or others. Especially herself. Her emotions were out of whack. They had to be. Why else would she be feeling this... thing.

Ugh, Katara, stop.

She stood up quickly and carried the "plates" back into the caves. She couldn't think about that. The more she thought about it, the worse it would get. She knew what infatuation was like. She had experienced it before. No good came of it.

As she turned down a tunnel, she saw a tall, lanky figure walking towards her. With the light behind him, she couldn't see his face; but she knew that walk. Her heart dropped right into her stomach and she felt her pulse begin to pound with anxiety.

Okay, this is not a big deal. It's just stupid Zuko. There is no need to have a panic attack, for Yue's sake!

She took a deep breath and swallowed her cotton mouth down before speaking. "Hey, where are you going?"

The figure stopped suddenly, as if surprised. "Katara?"

She laughed shakily, "Uh yeah? Who did you think it was?"

Zuko chuckled also, "I, uh, didn't even know anyone was there."

"Oh... Brooding again?" She said with that harsh tone that usually slipped in when she spoke to him. Though lately, it was happening for a different reason.

She heard him sigh. "I guess so, if thinking about what your life means now is what you want to call brooding."

"Yup, that's it!"

"Do you always have to be so sarcastic?"

"Hey, I learned from the best."

"Now do you mean me, or the tiny earthbender who eavesdrops on everyone?"

Katara couldn't help but chuckle at that. He laughed too and finally walked towards her. She wasn't sure she wanted him to. But she did. Oh yes, she did.

"Can I help you with the plates? Aang was making a big fuss about you getting lost and he wasn't focusing on my instructions. I had to tell him I'd come look for you if he'd do thirty minutes of meditation." He reached forward and took half of the stack of rocks from her arms.

Katara was taken aback by his courtesy and so was too shocked to stop him from taking the plates. It may have also had something to do with the fact that he was not wearing a shirt.

"Come on, don't just stand there like a lump of dirt." He remarked with annoyance as he walked back the way he came.

She rolled her eyes and trudged on behind him.

As if I could ever be infatuated with that.

She cursed her eyes for staying glued to his bare back the whole way back to camp.

Might continue! I haven't written anything in a while, and am very bad at long fics. But I think I might add on to this. (:

Reviews would be lovely!