"I wanted to know all of you too—especially you."
"Avatar."
"Ambassador." Aang dipped his head in formal greeting, and then grinned to let Zuko know he refused to act the dignitary. Zuko did not smile; he found it too difficult as an icy wind swept the frozen desert. It was not what Zuko thought of as summer, even if the sun never set.
"Zuko, have you ever been penguin sledding?" Zuko regarded Aang's enthusiasm with a sidelong glance.
"No." His answer was succinct, almost to the point of curt.
"You should try it. It's great!" Aang paused, considering. "Maybe…maybe I could get Katara to come with us…" Zuko turned his head sharply in Aang's direction, his eyebrow raised in surprise. "D'you think she'd come?" Aang asked hopefully, almost pitifully. Even Aang seemed to have realized how preposterous his suggestion was. Zuko didn't answer and Aang looked at his feet, sheepishly. "Well, we could still go." But Zuko knew Aang's heart was no longer in it, so they stood still as the sun shone on without making the air any warmer.
AN: Expect the next chapter later today.