Not An Optimist

Mel had forgiven him and that was huge. Sure, she hadn't said it in so many words, but she'd hugged him, held on, smiled...

It was more than he could have asked for.

On the other hand, Zuko couldn't look at him without sincere disgust on his face, Paige had been avoiding him since... well, since, and he hadn't spoken to Katara since the council ended.

He'd spoken to Jim, though. That alone had made their comparable silences before bed all the more awkward.

He's in their room now, though, coming down from one of the higher floors. He's not sure what he's supposed to be doing - if he's allowed in the engineering room anymore, allowed outside the building to train, and he doesn't want to search Paige out, so... He goes to the top floors, exercises by himself, wears himself down, sketches in his book, eats when he can and... thinks.

Now? Washing his face. Thinking is tiring work.