At school everyone sat together at lunch as Zuko head his head down while sleeping, his scarred side facing up at he was silent while he slept.

Katara hit Sokka as he was going to throw a crumpled up bit of napkin at him and he whined.

"Is he alive?" Aang looked over him curiously.

"He's fine, he's just back on medication, his uncle was telling me it can make him a little more sleepy," Katara smiled at Aang to reassure him.

"Oh okay, do you think it's to loud in here?" He asked again as Sokka leaned over the table and snapped in zukos scarred ear.

He didn't move.

"Ah shit he's dead," Sokka announced.

"Leave him be," Suki swatted his hand away as she was the one next to Zuko and Toph was on his other side.

"He was trying to fight off sleeping all of history, it was kind of funny," Katara giggled remembering how his head kept leaning to the side and he had he snap his eyes open to wake up again.

"Hey Zuko, you should eat something," Katara called over to him but he didn't move. Suki tapped his shoulder gently and he grunted as a response.

"Dude," Suki nudged him more. Zuko rolled his head to the other side and glared up at her with his golden eyes.

"What?"

Suki froze a little fearful and motioned to Katara behind her.

"Can you not hear me before?" Katara raised a brow at him not caring if he wasn't happy to be waking up.

"No?" He narrowed his eyes and rolled his head back the other way so his scarred ear was up.

"Zuko wake up," she reached over Suki and shoved at his shoulder.

"What?" He sat up quickly as he glared at her.

"I'm talking to you, can you not hear me?" She huffed a little crossing her arms.

"No? That's the point," he pouted rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"No?" Toph made a face.

"I'm like 95% deaf in this ear," Zuko yawned as he pointed to the scarred side.

"And partly blind in that eye too," he mumbled tiredly as he rested his chin against his palm.

Katara sat up a little straighter as it almost made her blood boil, knowing the truth made her angrier than sad. He lost his hearing? And his sight because of his father? How does he just say it so casually too?

"You should go home if your this tired, there no point on staying if your not going to learn anything," Katara told him shaking her head a little.

"Nah I'm fine, I'll just grab an energy drink before class," he yawned again.

"Oh Katara, look," Suki gasped going on her phone.

"Look at the dress I got for the dance next week!" Suki leaned over Katara at lunch as everyone sat together.

"Oh my god that's cute!" Katara gasped.

"Oh so you show her but not me?" Sokkas jaw dropped.

"I told you I want it as a surprise," Suki batted her lashes at him and he groaned.

"Are you going Zuko?" Aang asked excited.

"Are you?" Zuko scrunched up his nose a little.

"Yea we're all going! Sokka and Suki are the only dates but we go as a group anyways," he explained and Zuko pursed his lips.

"Sounds fun, you guys always seem to have a good time," he nodded still drowsy.

"Are you not going?" Katara turned to him.

"I'm not a party person, not a fan of crowds," Zuko waved her off but everyone whined.

"Hey edge lord, you're coming," Toph called down to him.

"Yea you gotta come," Aang pulled on his shirt happily as Zuko looked at them confused.

A month ago these people hated him. At least three of them did, maybe Aang didn't hate him but he was terrible to the kid. He apologized when he was drunk and Aang was never cruel, and Sokka has been a friend it felt like, even Suki was kind. He didn't deserve how they treated him, he wasn't a good person before yet they wanted his company.

"I'll see," he mumbled nodding and they all cheered while he put his head down embarrassed of them.

"I still need a dress, mine last year is to small," Katara shrugged a little and Sokka smirked down at Zuko.

"Sorry I'm busy, otherwise I'd take you," he said loudly and Suki raised a brow.

"It'll probably be like a couple hour thing, you- ow!" Suki hit the table when Sokka kicked her from under. He shook his head at her as she glared.

"But if your busy," she gritted out and he smiled nodding.

"Ok?" Katara looked at them confused.

"Do you have a suit Zuko?" Suki smirked down at him catching onto her boyfriend now.

"Yes," he ate some chips.

"Wait really?" She didn't expect him to be ready.

"And dress shirts and dress pants, I know how to tie my own tie, and I own cufflinks," Zuko said flatly as he glanced down at her.

"...really?" She asked again.

"I'm going to sell the cufflinks," he shrugged.

"Can I have them?" Toph beamed brightly.

"No,"

—

"What about this yellow one?" Katara held up a dress as Zuko held three already at the dress store she dragged him too.

He shook his head.

"Look at the bottom," he motioned to the ruffles. He didn't like the color on her.

"Oh yea, good call," she put it but on the rack.

"What about that white one?" He motioned and she smiled grabbing it.

"Is this a long dress or shirt dress kind of dance?" Zuko asked confused.

"Long, so you can't just wear a nice shirt and jeans," Katara took the dresses from him as he sat on the couch in the fitting room by the mirror. He flipped her off as she went into the room to try the dresses on.

"Jokes on you, I'm already planning on wearing these jeans," Zuko leaned back as he went on his phone.

"No you fucking are not!" She called through the door.

He chuckled and waited for her to finish, he heard her knock on the door, he raised a brow confused when she peaked out awkwardly.

"I can't get the zipper," she blushed embarrassed.

"Oh my god," he sighed getting up and she opened the door as she turned around but held the front of the dress over her chest.

It was a navy blue dress that had a sweetheart neckline and had an A line skirt after her waist, it was simple but elegant. Zuko blushed pulling the zipper up to her shoulder blades seeing there was black lace around the torso like a corset.

"How does it look?" Katara walked past him to look in the bigger mirror outside. She smiled brightly looking at the dress and twirled a little.

"You look beautiful," Zuko looked at her softly and her smile grew.

"Really?" She squeaked a little and went back to the mirror, pulling her hair out of the braid to see how it would look down.

"Of course, your one of the most beautiful girls I've ever met," Zuko smiled a little, it just felt natural to say, it was true.

Katara paused a little and looked at herself in the reflection, Zuko behind her, she watched how he didn't look at her through the mirror but kept his eyes on her, he looked calm, relaxed, but the way he was looking at her.

"I think it's pretty," she gulped a little.

"It's beautiful," he insisted.

"Ha.. thank you," she blushed more.

"Do you not think so?" Zuko asked as he sat back down.

"I don't know," she covered her cheeks a little feeling how warm she was.

"It's not the dress is it?" His smile dropped a little. "Do you know how beautiful you are kat?"

"P-please um stop," she shook her head. He stood up again and walked over to her.

"Just trust me, I know what I'm talking about," Zuko whispered.

"So look in the mirror as say it," he smirked grabbing her shoulders and turned her.

"Zuko that's stupid," she whined even more embarrassed.

"It's just us, come on," he pushed her hair over to one shoulder and moved out of the way.

"No, I'm not doing it," she covered her face going back to the changing room.

"I'm not unzipping your dress until you do it," Zuko crossed his arms standing outside the door.

It slowly opened and she growled annoyed going back to the big mirror.

"I'm pretty," she put her hands on her hips looking in the mirror.

"Eh, that's not what I said," Zuko didn't budge.

"It feels narcissistic," she glared.

"It's not, I promise, just say it," he smiled smugly and she pursed her lips a little.

"You really think I'm beautiful? That's a little bit over the top," she hesitated. It shouldn't be this hard to say  a word but it felt impossible to say.

"No, it's an understatement, your gorgeous," he smiled to reassure her.

The more he said it the more she believed him. It was weird to hear it from someone that's not family. It feels like your family has too, they know you but it didn't feel the same from when someone else calls you beautiful, maybe because they didn't have too...

"I look beautiful," she smiled in the mirror.