Also a one-shot? I... had to write something based on 'in another life' so here you go.
Katara sighs. There are tears in her eyes, but she's keeping her distance of three feet. Like always, being ever so careful. Can't get too close to something this dangerous, everyone knows that. "But I love you," she whispers. "Please, you have to know that."
He nods. "I know."
She wraps her arms around herself, but doesn't move in so he can put his hand on her shoulder, or give her a quick hug. Might make him blow up-you never know. "Then why can't we give this another shot? Why can't we at least be friends?"
He shakes his head, and keeps his temper at bay. "Because we both know it won't work. You love me, but you're afraid of me. You know if you get too close… something bad will happen. And I don't want you to get hurt, either."
She shakes her head back at him. "No, that's not how it works. We both love each other. We both know we can do this. We can make it work." This she says, keeping her three feet away. "Maybe it won't be perfect, but no relationship is perfect. I can… I can leave when things get tense. I can talk to the less dangerous politicians-"
"No." It comes out like a growl, like he's crazy, and he immediately wants to take it back, but before he can tell her that, she's already flinched back from him. She says she loves him, but she's so scared of him. That's not how relationships are supposed to work. "Katara, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. But we both know there are no 'less dangerous' politicians."
She smiles a watery smile. "Okay, so it was a bad idea. But can we give it a chance? To come up with bad ideas, to share them with each other, and to find better ones? If that's not the best idea, maybe there's another one? A better one? And if I can't come up with it-"
"Sokka can. You can talk to Sokka if you need help coming up with ideas. You can talk to Zuko if you need a friend, or anyone from your tribe. Or Suki or Toph-they'll listen."
Her smile droops. "Please. They want you to stay, too. They know you can handle this. It'll be okay, I promise."
And what about when it isn't? He's hurt people before, people who trusted him to be calm. He's hurt Toph, and Zuko, and probably their whole team. "Katara, I love you, and that's why I came to you first. I need you to tell them that I'm leaving, because I am."
She looks up at him, her eyes full of despair. He's never seen her look like this, so lost. But she still stays three feet away. Just in case. "Please. Stay."
But she already knows he's going to leave; he can see it in her eyes. She's probably known this entire conversation. He knows he can't come back, either. He can't put so many people he loves at risk. So, he gives her one last smile, but shakes his head. "Maybe in another life."