"She did not know whether she was attracted or repelled, but only that she was deeply moved."
Sokka wanted to rub his own face in the snow, life was that hard. Treaties. International committees. Local disputes. Festivities. Trade (foreign and domestic). Hunting parties. The fact that he was the Avatar's best friend. His family. So many things that seemed to clamor for his attention. He felt lucky that Katara was capable and tried to help with his work load. However, in some ways Katara needed more attention that anyone or anything else, though she didn't ask for it.
"Lord Iroh asked if he could send his ambassador here, for a change." Katara choked on air and dropped the pieces of parchment she had been examining for Sokka.
"What?!"
"It's only fair. We've—I guess I should say I've—" (here Sokka gave Katara a hard stare for emphasis) "always been the one to do the traveling." He continued to stare Katara down, but she made no move to speak. "If you'd have come with me in the Spring…" Sokka's thoughts went unfinished; Katara was shaking her head.
"It's no use, Sokka." Her words were quiet but firm, spoken with her eyes averted. Sokka wanted to smack his forehead, but he had given up that habit the moment he became a man. Besides, childish antic that it was, it would not have helped in this situation.
"Stop it, Katara. Stop it! Aang told me about Omashu. He said you hardly spoke, even to him, and you practically ran away from anything even remotely red! How do you think that looks to our allies?" Katara stared at the frozen wall behind Sokka, not looking directly at him, but rather to the side.
"I don't know what you want me to say." Sokka rubbed his stubbled chin in frustration.
"I don't want you to say anything unless it's what you want to say." Katara's gaze finally drifted towards his, though she did not move her head. Sokka ignored the hollow feeling this suddenly induced. He tried again. "I just—" Katara nodded swiftly and left before he could finish, her feet crunching in the snow.