Their kiss was so gentle, and so innocent. They held it for what seemed like forever but not even close to long enough all at once. He found himself drawing her closer, his hands sliding around and pressing into her back, tracing his fingers over her and let so much focus melt into the kiss. He knew if he thought too much about what he was doing, he would stop. He would come to his senses and realize how dumb he was being and stop. But he didn't do that. He didn't want to do that. He didn't want to go back to the reality where he was on such a journey that robbed him of normal teenage things, like this. He didn't want to go back to the reality that didn't have Katara.

He would miss her too much

Finally, the kiss was slowly broken, lips achingly parting from one another as of neither of them really wanted to end the kiss. But they had to. He almost regretted the embarrassingly naive things he'd thought about as their lips had been in contact, but those thoughts ended when Katara giggled softly when her mouth was no longer so occupied, and rested her forehead on his chest, arms falling and hands resting on his shoulders. At first, he thought she was laughing at him. Maybe he wasn't such a good kisser.
A little pout formed on his face, and his cheeks grew red, averting his eyes.

"Laughing at him? Katara made him.. Forget about everything he was tied to doing.
He almost pushed her away, almost stubbornly sat by himself again when she lifted her head, and smiled genuinely at him. "It's hard to keep imagining you're face as the enemies, when its so adorable." She crooned, and his face went red, averting his eyes embarrassedly. "How could you say that?" He huffed. "I am not." He concluded, but felt a smile he couldn't hold down tug at the corners of his mouth when she leaned up, and her lips pressed a kiss to his cheek; to the semi-scarred one.
"Maybe it's just me being a dumb teenager. But I don't think you're.. As bad as you want us all to believe you are." She murmured, standing before him, a few inches shorter, and looking up to meet his eyes. "Just.. Confused or conflicted." She murmured. "I don't think you're a bad person." She finished quietly. And he smiled a little. He wasn't a bad person. /He knew he wasn't, he knew it was true he wasn't really so bad all along, but there was something in hearing someone say it that made him feel better. There was something in hearing her say it that made him feel better.

"I guess you'd be right to say that." He murmured quietly. He could see the top of her head due to their height difference, and he could lean in and kiss her forehead gently, so loving and gentle. He wished he was capable of making such little gestures sweet and caring. Like she had when she kissed his cheek. She was so perfect at these things; he saw how Aang acted around her, how he looked at her and how much he cared for her. No wonder he did, Zuko thought. She was caring and sweet. But all the same, she was beautiful and strong and capable. She was such a complex person, and he didn't know how he used to sum her up into simply a waterbender. Katara smiled at him. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by a loud, booming sound. A wall of the crystals cracked and blasted open, and there were Aang and Uncle. Both of them must've forgotten how close they were, how wrapped in one another arms so closely they were, because it seemed the Avatar and Uncle were trying to figure out what exactly they were doing, if this was some sort of fighting. Zuko quickly recoiled from her, but looked to her. And she had a look of loneliness when he wasn't there. She had a look of sadness in her eyes, but she still smiled at him. She still smiled. She smiled because she knew he didn't leave because he wanted to be away from her, but because there wasn't a right time to be by her right now. How did he understand her just by these looks? A part of him was convinced that he was just trying to convince himself of having some sort of connection to her. But maybe he was. Maybe he was interpreting this correctly. Maybe for once, he was doing this instinctual thing right. He didn't dare smile back as he was facing the two that just burst in, but he stared at her, trying to get past some look of compassion.
Katara made her way to Aang, who pulled her into a hug, and Katara hugged back. A strange feeling gnawed at his stomach, but he pushed it away. It was probably nothing. He was about to ask Uncle what he was doing here, and why he was here with the Avatar; and just what was happening. But of course, more people followed into the catacombs. And it was none other than Azula, and her Dai Li agents. He narrowed his eyes a bit, until she spoke.
Locked away in prison with a peasant? That's a new low, Zu Zu." She taunted him, her usual smirk on her red lips. He hated it. He hated that cocky look on her face, on her face that looked so much like his because they were SIBLINGS and he just- just hated it!

Until she started speaking again, of course.

"Father sent me here. He says he misses you. And regrets your banishment." She told him, and her face drifted to a normal expression, a true expression. One he had convinced himself was real for some reason. "He wants you home." She finished

The words rang in his He wants you home./em His father wanted him back home? Everything that had happened, that he'd gone through and experienced; it all seemed to melt away. His father wanted him home. He had to go home. He needed to go home. What else was there to think about? This was what he'd wanted for so long; there was no way to stay here rather than go.

"He wants me home?" He asked quietly, and his voice had sounded smaller and more childish than he expected. He was like that little thirteen year old boy he used to be, so excited and happy that his father wanted him back. That he might even love him. That he could be accepted back home again! He could be the Crown Prince again, next in line for Fire Lord.
He was so excited over all of this, so much so he hardly thought about the fact that emAzula always lies. Something about this time felt real though. And he would side with her.
He looked to his Uncle, who was as pure and right minded as Katara. His own words rung in the back of his mind

I don't think it would be to our advantage to travel together anymore

It wasn't to their advantage to travel together anymore. He looked to his sister, and he walked to her side, resulting in a satisfied smirk upon her face, but he made no expression. His Uncle looked at him with a look he'd never seen him direct towards Zuko, and it was something of a fallen warrior. Something of someone just betrayed by their closest friend. Uncle had been there for him for a while, but he couldn't cling to him forever. He couldn't keep playing his little cat and mouse game; he needed to return home. If Uncle was as disappointed in him as he looked.. well then he just didn't understand! He didn't know what it was like to lose something so precious to you, something you cherish for so long, only for it to be taken from you in an instant. It was a horrible, taxing feeling. And if Uncle didn't understand why this was the right way to go, why this had to be the right side to be on, then he didn't understand him. This was what he needed to do. This was about something important.

This was about honor