Katara sat at the end of the pier, her toes trailing slowly in the foamy water below, quietly craving frozen ice, and drifting snow, rather than this bath-warm, foamy sea. She blinked back tears, before turning at the light footsteps she heard - and felt - against the wooden dock.
"She left," Zuko said, sitting beside her. She looked at him, before cocking her head to the side in confusion. "Mai," he clarified, "She said she would leave. I just… never expected her to do it."
"Oh," Katara said, "I'm sorry."
Zuko shrugged. "She went to her parent's mansion on the other end of the main island. She said that… she basically said she didn't love me, I guess."
Katara didn't say anything, only pulled up a small stream of water from below and began to play with it in her lap. She froze it, formed it like a penguin, and held it tightly between her palms.
"I thought it would be best to talk to you," Zuko said suddenly, looking away from her.
"Why?" she asked, "You never talk to me anymore."
Zuko flinched. "I know, and I'm sorry. But… everyone else would have something to say. Aang would tell me to follow my heart, Uncle would tell me it's for the best, Sokka would make an idiot joke, Toph would ask if now she could beat Mai into the ground… I wouldn't be able to take any of that."
"So you'd rather take my silence?" Katara asked, glancing up at him.
"Yes," he admitted, nodding, "Anything but words."