"Assholes,"

a fourteen year old boy flipped off the administration of his new school in a new country at the end of his first day. He turned around with a fresh new healed scar covering half his face while he wore the school uniform, unbuttoned at the top and the tie hanging around his neck loosely. 

He suddenly slammed into a girl that was walking past and they both fell to the ground, the boy sat on his knees holding his head that had spiky short hair. 

"Oi what the hell?" He growled as his gold eyes looked at the girl who held her forehead in pain where they collided at, she had her choppy layered brown hair in two braids over her shoulders with side bangs covering her forehead. 

"Seriously? You look out," the girl whined rubbing her forehead and pouted looking at the other boy. 

"Whatever," he huffed but the girl quirked her brow. 

"You're new," the girl cocked her head to the side but held her hand out for him. 

"I'm Jin," she smiled dropping all hostility and the boy frowned still. She rolled her eyes standing up and held out her hand for him still. 

"Zuko," he mumbled taking her hand and let her help him to his feet. 

"Kind of late to start high school," Jin looked at him curiously as they walked out of the school together.

"I've been.." Zuko gulped a little as he touched his scar hesitating.

"I won't tell anyone anything, no one needs to know if you been in like a hospital cause of that," Jin smiled up at him noticing he stayed silent with his fingers on the scar that faced her. Obviously it was new.

"I was in a mental hospital actually," Zuko looked down hugging his body a little.

"I was close," Jin winked up at him. Zuko pursed his lips a little and allowed a smile.

"I- uh you don't wanna be my friend, I'm not a good person," Zuko sighed looking away but squawked when Jin punched his shoulder instead. 

"Yea and who says your not a good person? Who is a good person?" Jin snorted as Zuko rubbed his arm looking away nervously.

"Uh I don't..." he bit the inside of his cheek.

"Don't be like that, you have an American accent, but this is Japan, so what happened in the states stays in the states, deal?" Jin smirked a little as Zuko rubbed his arm blushing softly with surprise.

"Okay?" 

-three years later- 

"You're moving back?" Jin sat on the floor playing with durk in zukos room as he was fiddling with his fingers anxiously. 

"I don't want too," Zuko inhaled deeply as he chewed at his bottom lip a little as he sat backwards on his chair. 

"Is your uncle forcing you or something?" She made a face. 

"No, it's my father," he closed his eyes and Jin paused, slowly turning to him wide eyes. 

"Zuko no-" "either he takes full custody of me and sends me to the military and or let everyone press charges on me for three years ago, or uncle and I can move back to that town, either way..." Zuko covered his face as he started to find troubles thinking straight and breathing started to get harder. 

"I-I can't Jin, I cant go back," he inhaled deeply but his hands started to shake. 

"I have to go to that school, that town, my sisters going to be there and my father has easy access to me," zukos eyes started to sting a little but felt Jin's arms wrap around him quickly as she stood next to him. He gripped her arm a little not wanting to leave her.

"You call me, you will call me any time you have a panic attack, you start heading to the dark place, you call me when Ozai speaks to you, got it?" Jin hugged his head to her chest as he nodded like a child.

"You promise me you have to call me okay?" She said sternly and he nodded again.

"If anyone tries to hurt you, you let them get the first hit... then you absolutely fucking deck them," she whispered in his fluffy hair and Zuko laughed a little against her.

"Don't laugh I know you can, I remember that one punch that knocked a guy out who tried cat calling me," she grabbed his hair and forced him to look up at him as he chuckled.

"I know, I know," Zuko sighed swatting her hand away as Jin fell back on the bed with a sigh.

"So when are you leaving?" She asked with a groan. 

"In two weeks," Zuko gulped but screamed ducking a boot that was chucked at him.

"Two weeks?! You American bastard!" She screamed.

"I found out yesterday!" Zuko cried as he used durk as a shield knowing she wouldn't attack again.

"You dumb ass why aren't you out with friends?" Jin was face timing Zuko as he had his computer open with her face glaring at him.

"Oh my god we're not doing this again?" Zuko had his arms crossed leaning back in his spinny chair.

"Yes we are You anti social little man!" 

"I-I made like one friend kind of?" Zuko shrank in his chair pouting. 

"Kind of?" Jin didn't understand. 

"... she keeps following me but like she's not the worst?" Zuko raised a brow offering his best friend.

"Acceptable," she nodded in approval. 

"Wait she? Oh shit tell me more!" Jin gasped moving closer to the screen. 

"Uh.. her names Katara, she's been the nicest person at school so far, kind of reminds me of you," Zuko smirked at her and Jin gasped. 

"I'm one of a kind," she huffed. 

"You both are sassy, she's very mothering though, a bossy mother hen," he rolled his eyes as durk rubbed against his legs below. 

"Someone needs to keep you in your place," Jin snorted. 

"Yea but I don't know, something feels off about her," he sighed a little looking up. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I don't know, it was just so sudden and to positive even after knowing what I did, those kids from a while ago are probably her friends, it doesn't make sense," Zuko pursed his lips as he frowned a little.

"I was pretty positive when we first met," Jin shrugged playing with the ends of her hair. 

"You bullied me into our friendship," Zuko said flatly. 

"You're so sensitive," she waved him off. 

"Look, what's the worst this Katara chick can do?" Jin asked seriously as Zuko thought for a moment.

"As a person in general? People can do a lot Jin, like she could rob the tea shop all I know," Zuko shrugged a little as he picked up durk and held him to his chest as the cat putter rubbing against his chin. 

"A monster," she rolled her eyes sarcastically. 

"What are you really afraid of Zuko? You've even said to me.. what do you have to loose? You're already applying to come to south Korea for college with me," Jin looked at him concerned. 

"I'm not making friendships here when I'm going to be gone in nine months anyways," Zuko scoffed a little but she gave him a look.  "It's a waste of time to even try,"

"Is that it?" Jin asked knowing there was more. 

"I just... I don't want to get attached to this place, I don't need someone here I want to go back too, once I graduate I'm never coming back and there's nothing my father, Azula, no one can make me come back, uncles moving back to Japan when I go to college, that was my home, not here," he sighed looking up again at the ceiling. 

"I know... I don't want you to be alone or miserable thought while your there, it'll hurt you more than you know Zuko," she gulped looking at her best friend.

"I'll be fine," he assured her. 

"Don't be afraid to open up Lee," Jin smirked at him and Zuko groaned.

"I'll try, I'm going to bed," Zuko smiled at her softly and Jin nodded.

"Finally! You're sleep schedule is the worst, it's almost dinner time here, go to bed," Jin groaned as he laughed at her. 

"I will, night Jin," he nodded and she stuck out her tongue.

"Night lee lee," she teased as they ended the call.