First burn

Never get use too

Katara walked through the halls excitedly as she wore a red cloak but had water tribe clothes underneath as she let her hair down with the loopies she once wore with a braid. Today she got to see the north pole, something she dreamed of ever since she found out she was a water bender. The only water bender of her tribe though...

Her gran gran told her story's of the northern water tribe, of the benders that defended their home while in her younger years the southern water benders where taken...

Katara walked down the halls and saw two servants in front of zukos room as it was just before dawn, she couldn't help but grow eager to get through the morning to pass time closer to noon.

She walked up to the door ignoring the servants and knocked on the door shyly but smiled excitedly. She gets to go learn to be a water bender soon.

He's probably still sleeping- Kataras thoughts were cut of when the door opened seeing zuko scratching his messy hair like he just woke up but was surprised seeing the water bender.

"Did something happen?" Zuko asked slightly concerned.

"Um, no, you seem awake actually..." Katara blinked surprised as he let her into his room, closing the door behind him.

"I usually get up early," zuko said turning his back to her as Katara noticed first time he was shirtless, she's seen him many times shirtless but she never cared due to him training and servants fawning, she's never been the kind of girl to drool over a man, but she was also never around shirtless guys or guys in general. His back was firm and muscular but Katara noticed small scars from training accidents probably. Everyone gets scars, she had one on her leg from accident falling through ice when she was younger but sokka grabbed her before she fell all the way through.

But his body was hidden away when he pulled a robe around him.

"When are we leaving?" Katara beamed brightly.

"In an hour to get to the shore but thw departure is at noon, it'll take four days to get there though," zuko told her as Katara could only seeing half his face, the side that wasn't painfully scarred. She wondered how he got it, how long he's had it.

When zuko turned to pack warmer clothes as he didn't mind Katara hanging around with him, Katara scared at the scar on his face instead.

She didn't want to be rude but she's never seen a scar like it, she's never met fire benders except for when they took her mother... but it was obvious zuko scar came from a fire bender, it was sharp and on the edges it faded to pink rather than the harsh red before it went into his hairline. Zuko looked up catching her staring and Katara looked away, casting her eyes down.

"Don't worry if your staring," zuko brushed it off as Katara looked at him guilty.

"Sorry I didn't mean too.." was all she could make out.

"I'm use to it," zuko rolled his eyes.

"How old were you?" Katara asked gently.

"Thirteen," zuko gulped a little as he looked at the mirror on his dresser with Katara in the back looking back at him. "It's hideous, I don't really like talking about it,"

"Got it," Katara pursed her lips nodding.

But Katara didn't let go of the look in zukos eyes when he stared at his own scar and turned away almost like it was in disgust.

"Zuko," Katara called before he went to the bathroom attached to his room. He looked at her raising a brow not saying anything.

"I don't think it's hideous, it's unique," she said softly. Zuko took a moment of hesitation before nodding and going inside there bathroom, closing the door.

He let out a soft breath as he felt like he could actually breathe again like his chest released a knot. He walked to the mirror with a gold frame around it. Zuko stared at the mirror looking at his face.

He remembered the reveal from when he was thirteen, taking off the bandages with his uncle. The fresh scar. The fear that spiked in him for the first time since the duel with his father when he thought his left eye was blind but within a week his fear left. 

His rough hand touched the scar and crawled up to cover half of his face. Looking at himself with his one gold eye that was actually normal, his remaining eye brow that wasn't permanently gone. He saw features of his mother in him but also his father. He looked normal though. Zuko removed his hand and saw the angry scar still there.

Zuko closed his eyes leaning his head down remembering the five years of regrets from the day he even begged to be at that war meeting. The three years of banishment. The worst two years of being home.

There was just something's he'll never get use too.