Chapter two: goodbye for now

The next few weeks past by, leaving team Avatar in a haze. The war was over and the world wasn't wasting any time with the celebrations. The team had returned to Ember Island for a real relaxation, rather than spending all their time forced to ready themselves for the defeat of a cruel ruler. At first Zuko had opted to stay behind, convinced that has the new fire lord there was things to be done. Treaties to be signed, new laws conceived, and it wasn't until Katara had literally dragged him out of his office and threatened to water whip him into the next year, that the young fire lord had agreed, reluctantly, to let Iroh take charge of business

"I'll be back in three weeks Uncle." He had told the old man, as he put the last of his luggage on the avatar's flying bison. He wanted to say more, but the other's were waiting impatiently to get going. He took one last look at his uncle as he climbed up, settling down by the water bender. Katara waved goodbye to Iroh as Aang got Appa up in the air. Sitting back down next to Zuko, she smiled. "Everything will be fine Zuko," she reassured him. "Iroh will take care of things and we'll be able to really relax for once." Zuko loved the girl's smile. It made him want to smile despite everything stressing him out. She always had a way to find something good about everything even when they were all constantly running for their lives. He wanted to know how she did it… how she could be positive about everything and anything… and how she seemed to be a constant clarity in his life.

The ride was short, and before nightfall the team was setting up in their rooms as Katara got going on dinner. Somethings, they realized, would never change. Zuko was perfectly fine with that. As he watched her from behind, he couldn't but help letting his eyes wander over her petite form. She seemed happier, he realized, now that the war was over. And who wouldn't be? But now she hummed to herself as she worked, she danced little dances and swayed those hips of hers that made him want to reach out and join her in whatever far off world she must have put herself in.

But he stayed behind, leaving her alone, afraid he would disrupt her, and pull her back to reality. He loved watching her, and was very much content to continue. A smile pulled the corners of his lips upwards as he leaned against a pillar, his arms folded across his chest. Oh how he loved watching her, especially when she had no idea he was. So he thought.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare at me all night?"

Katara's voice was small yet clear, and caught him so off guard that Zuko jumped back a little surprised. He shook his head laughing weakly, his mind scrambling to come up with a good reason for why he was watching her in the first place. Nothing came to him, and Katara turned around smiling at him. There it was again. That smile that seemed to send him off the edge he had been standing on since day one. Since the day that she had forgiven him completely for everything that had happened.

She raised an eyebrow at him and smirked. Zuko was still standing there, staring, he realized. But he knew he couldn't help it. She was beautiful… a goddess. It was stupid, he knew, but he said the first thing that came to mind. "What are you making? It smells good." This only caused the waterbending girl to laugh out right and turn back to the makeshift stove. "I don't know really, just something that I threw together. Gran-gran had taught my mother how to cook, and though I don't remember her much, I do remember the smells that always encased our igloo for dinner. When I was old enough, I asked Gran to teach me, and she was willing."

Zuko pushed himself off of his pillar and hesitantly made his way to Katara, peering into the pot, his senses kicking into overdrive and washing him in pure heaven. Whatever it was, it smelled amazing. Katara dipped the spoon in the pot and brought it back up. "Gran said it was an old fire nation recipie. Very hot, very spicy. Wanna taste?" Zuko smiled more to himself than her as he swiped a finger through the sauce like substance on the spoon, and still meeting her gaze, slipped his finger in his mouth. The smell was nowhere near as amazing as the taste. Katara had been right. Very hot, very spicy. He let his eyes slip closed for just a second savouring the taste on the tip of his tongue before meeting her gaze again. "She's right."

Katara felt her chest tighten as she watched Zuko taste the food, slipping his finger into his mouth and closing his eyes. She bit her lip, nervous, for what she didn't know. He was just tasting after all. But something got to her, as she stood there watching him. Then he reopened his eyes and met her gaze, and the tightness only got worse. Those eyes of his, were so beautiful. Beautiful and painful at the same time… though the two of them were close, she knew that those golden eyes of his would never look at her the way she wanted. She licked her lips and cleared her throat looking away. Zuko thought he should say something to interrupt the silence but before he could Sokka came bounding into the clearing yelling about something that Toph had done. Silence interrupted.

Katara went back to the dinner, and Zuko went back to his pillar, as Sokka ran to hide behind his girlfriend. Zuko couldn't help but glare at the water tribe boy, his arms crossed on his chest. But as he thought about it, he didn't understand why he had gotten so mad… Regardless, things were set to change, he could feel it in the air around them and he could feel every time he looked Katara's way. Pulling away from the pillar he left, heading to him room to await dinner.

The weeks went by faster than anyone wanted, and before long sad goodbyes were being said, crushing hugs distributed. "You'll write, won't you?" Katara had asked leaving her arms wrapped around Zuko's neck a little longer than normal. "Of course I will. Every single day. I'm already thinking about the first one which you'll receive before you even board the ship." Zuko laughed slightly giving the girl one last squeeze. Katara frowned confused as he pulled out a folded piece of paper from his tunic pocket. "Don't open it until the ship's left though or else it won't give me time." The water-bender's brows knit together in confusion, but before she could say anything else, her father yelled at her to hurry. "You should go Katara. I'll see you soon." She threw her arms around his one last time before running off in the direction of her father's water tribe ship. And Zuko watched her go, his world clouding over.