But what nobody expected, including the firebender himself, was for Zuko of all people to develop feelings for her as well. Like Aang, Zuko was his own brand of obvious. If it had been Toph or Sokka who insisted on holding a grudge against him, he would've played niced well enough for civility's sake, but left it alone. Changing someone's opinion, especially their opinion of you, took effort — and Zuko went above and beyond to prove that he was sorry and that she'd been right about him in Ba Sing Se, that he had changed and there was no reason to keep hating him.

"They'd have to notice we were gone first," Zuko counters, settling back against the cave wall at her right now that the winds have changed the rain's direction. It's a tight squeeze and it has Zuko's shoulder and hip pressing against hers. "They probably think you've got some weird waterbender thing going on with the rain and I just enjoy wallowing in my misery."

A shrug. He wallows, but he's not doing that right now.