𝘼𝙈𝙀𝙍𝙄𝘾𝘼'𝙎 𝙎𝙐𝙄𝙏𝙀𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙍𝙏𝙎 | 𝙯𝙪𝙠𝙖𝙖𝙣𝙜.

𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚.

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⠀"How's the first day going?" Katara asked over Aang's shoulder, a slight grimace on her face as she prepared for Aang's depressed sigh. Aang was a straight A kid in highschool, but Katara could see Aangs burnout from a mile away. Today was only the first day of their journey through college. "It's going well..." he breathed out all at once, looking through all the papers and syllabus' in the grips of his fingers, "but I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do after all of this, yknow? I worked hard to get here but the more I think about it the more I don't want to be here." Katara leaned in as Aang spoke, listening intently to Aangs issues was one of her specialties. "I understand why you'd have regrets, but the year just started! maybe to find out where you want to go, you should take this time to tone down the studying. Meet new people, study things besides what you have to write reports about?"
⠀Aang nodded, his shoulders low and his head even lower. Although the conversation ended in silence and with him parting ways with Katara with a mere wave, they both knew Aang took the comment to heart.

He took it so deep to heart that as a tall boy dressed up had to toe in designer names the people in this small town had only heard of took a seat right next to him, he hadn't even looked up from his twiddling thumbs in his lap. The rest of the class, however, slid to the front of their chairs to get a better peek at the new kid in town. The angry scar that slathered a quarter of his face and cascaded over his eye didn't do much to ward of unwanted attention.
⠀Eventually, Aang looked up. The brooding presence next to him was piercing enough to heave him out of his existential crisis. "You're new to town, aren't you?" Aang asked out of genuine interest, void of the judgment Zuko's mind had screamed at him to be anxious of. "How'd you guess?" Aang gave a soft smile and stuck out his right hand across his body, so that the boy on his left could shake it. "It's a small town, it's hard to forget a face. Plus few people except for those living in surrounding towns decide to come to this rinky-dink community college." Zuko took Aangs hand after a moment of hesitance and Aangs boyish smile took over whatever was left of the gloomy look he wore earlier. The corners of Zuko's lips upturned, ever so slightly, because a smile like Aang's was extremely contagious. Just as Aang thought he had made a solid bust in the others exterior, Zuko promptly turned away after their handshake once the teacher had made his presence known. Aang's focus lingered on Zuko for a minute before he pulled out his notebook and got on with the introduction to the class.

Occasionally, his sensitive ears could pick up on the people in front of him, beside him, and even behind him making comments about his seat partner. 'Did you see how he just blew Aang off?' a comment he heard when the teacher walked in. 'I hope he doesn't ruin our precious Aang, I mean, he had to have gotten that scar from somewhere.' Another comment beside him when the teacher turned his back, 'He has to be some sort of thug.' another he heard when the teacher excused the class and everyone began packing their bags. He hoped Zuko didn't hear it, but they weren't necessarily making their judgments quietly. He wanted to tell him that this was just a small town thing, that he got the same kind of hushed rumor hazing when he moved here with his foster parents in middle school..but he was back to being intimidated. Zuko stealthily weaved his way out of the room before he could even open his mouth.

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⠀Aang rested his hand on his cheek, the loud clashing voices of the rest of the restaurant an annoying soundtrack to Sokkas explanation of their first day. The only thing that made crowded places like this bearable was Sokkas amazing story telling, even when he told stories of boring things he always managed to make things interesting as he used his hands, arms, and body to tell the story in detail. Katara just looked annoyed, not impressed to hear about Sokka's wonderful feat of eying up the new girls in town. A loud 'HEY' erupted from Sokka as Katara thumped Sokka's temple with all the strength she had in her hand. "Hey, you guys, this is a new restaurant, at least try to behave since it's our first time here." Aang said blandly, his energy and amusement for the day long since drained. "What has you so sour, sourpuss?" Sokka quirked his eyebrow, the first to inquire as to why Aang was also killing the mood. "I met someone I thought I could get along with today, but I don't think they liked me too much. Plus, one of my professors already gave me homework."
⠀Just as Sokka and Katara got to work lifting the mood to lighten Aangs spirits,  the boy who was seated next to Aang in his psychology class was now asking for what drinks they'd like. Sokka ordered the first carbonated sugary drink he could think of, Katara ordered water, and as Aang's eyes flickered up to their server to put in his request, all that came out was a "Hey-" he suddenly felt embarrassed and slightly off guard, but as he watched Zuko take an ever so subtle step back, he could only imagine how the other felt. "I-I'll take a sweet tea." Aang finally blurted out.

Zuko straightened up after he had taken all their drink orders, "Wise choice. My uncle's tea is the best in the house." Before Aang could say anything back, Zuko was off to the back and Sokka and Katara practically leapt across the table to ask questions. "Hey, that's the guy Suki was telling me about!" Katara said with lighted curiosity in her eyes. Sokka seemed a little less impressed with Zuko than the rest of the group at the table. "When you said you met someone, is that who you were talking about? He just looks like a stuck up rich kid who hasn't left his emo phase. I mean come on, is it even food safe for his hair to be all up in his eyes like that?"
⠀Sokkas criticisms were quickly shut up by Zuko placing their beverages on the table a little louder than necessary. Katara and Aang now both embarrassed that their friend got caught making stupid assumptions glared daggers at Sokka. The last thing they heard from Zuko that evening was a quiet "I'll be back in a minute to take your orders," before a chubby older man with a grey beard came out to take their orders instead. Aang wanted to ask where the other boy went, but he could probably guess.
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⠀❴A/N❵

hello, this is my first ever released chapter of a fan fiction i have written. it's a little choppy, and i have yet to figure out how to connect the plot points i've created, but i hope you enjoyed it enough to finish the first chapter to stick around for the next one!

thank you,
IR.🍃
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also, credit to the fanart in my cover belongs to tumblr artist:
mochipanko

please go check them out!!!
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