Jet knocked on the door as he held flowers in his hand, he saw a car pull up with a man inside and looked at him confused as the man walked out in blue jeans and a white tee shirt. His hair was past his ears with half pulled up in a pony tail.

"Who are you?" Jet asked confused.

"You have flowers, I'm guessing for Katara?" The man looked jet up and down. He nodded not backing from the door.

"You her boyfriend or just trying to ask her out?" He walked closer.

"Uh just asking her out, trying the more romance approach than before," jet smirked at him but the man grabbed the flowers from him curiously.

"She hates roses, try lillies, or don't try asking my daughter out," the man frowned a little and jets face dropped a little.

"Your Kataras father..?" He whispered.

"Hakoda, get off my porch kiddo," the man chuckled as he went for the door and left Jet outside while taking the flowers with him.

Hakoda took off his shoes as he heard someone in the kitchen and someone upstairs. He smiled softly hearing the sound of life in his home, missing his children after being gone for three years. He inhaled softly and went to the kitchen hoping to see one of his beloved children.

"Sokka? Katara?" He walked to the kitchen.

He locked eyes with the Japanese teen that was cooking as the radio was playing, Zuko stayed silent as he didn't move from stove.

"Whatcha doing there?" Hakoda didn't recognize him as any of his children's recent friends, they definitely would've told him if they had a scar covering his face.

"Cooking...?" Zuko offered to show him.

"Why do I keep finding random boys on my property?" Hakoda covered his face.

"Dad!" Sokka ran down the stairs hearing his voice.

"Sokka," he smiled brightly as he embraced his eldest in a tight hug.

"What?! Dads home!" Katara gasped running out of the bathroom on the same floor.

"I was trying to surprise you two," he laughed loudly as he pulled Katara into a tight hug as she was close to tears.

"These are for you," Hakoda gave his daughter the roses and she smiled brightly.

"I love them, I missed you so much," Katara held them but leaned against her father.

"So who's the cook?" Hakoda whispered to them.

"That's Zuko, he's Kataras friend," Sokka waved him off. Zuko waved awkwardly not realizing there would be a father coming home tonight.

"Hi,"

"Boyfriend?" Hakoda looked at him.

"Nope," Zuko shook his head.

"He's a rat Katara decided to keep," Sokka teased.

"Yea basically," Zuko agreed.

"Nice to meet you Zuko," Hakoda walked over and shook his hand. He noticed the tattoo on his arm from under the tee shirt and frowned a little seeing it was covering another tattoo under.

"Nice ink," Hakoda nodded.

"Thanks, got it when I was sixteen," Zuko pursed his lips a little and Hakoda looked at the tattoo again.

"Got a hella cool sleeve on my leg," he lifted his leg to show his own tattoos covering his entire leg up to his knee.

"Nice," Zuko smirked impressed.

"He also rides a bike," Katara smiled brightly seeing her dad approving him.

"That's what I like to hear, I've tried convincing Sokka to start learning soon but never could," Hakoda chuckled.

"So what's for dinner?" He sat at the counter.

"Kat picked out some pasta, I-it's a thank you to your children..." Zuko told him nervously a little as Katara checked on the bread in the oven.

"Thank you for what?" The older man asked curiously as Sokka rolled his eyes.

"Theyve been helping me a lot with some personal issues, kat has done way to much for me," Zuko gulped as he didn't like having all eyes on him in the middle of the kitchen.

"Sounds like my Katara, she always goes above and beyond with helping people," Hakoda gripped her shoulder and shook her a little as she blushed brightly embarrassed.

"I remember she tried bringing home a baby bird that fell out of its nest, she cried when I told her we didn't know where it's home was so we spent the whole afternoon finding out which tree had the birds nest," he laughed as Katara whine and Sokka snorted.

"What are you laughing at? You wanted to fight the tree that let the baby bird fall out of its nest!" Katara looked at her brother.

Zuko smiled softly at the family as he watched them laugh and make fun of each other, he could tell by the way they ganged up on each other that they missed their father. Katara helped him finish dinner and they all eat together.

"Do you cool often Zuko?" Hakoda hummed happily at the food as it was impressively good for a teenager.

"My uncle and I switch cooking a lot or if he's busy I usually make dinner, I took some culinary classes at my old school," Zuko nodded softly as he tried not to butt in the reunion. He wished he could leave them to be alone but he didn't want to be rude.

"His uncle owns the new tea shop down town," Katara said and drank some water.

"You live with your uncle?" Hakoda asked confused a little.

"Yep, and my cat," he nodded.

"Sorry to hear bout that," the adult hissed a little guilty and Zuko shrugged.

"Don't be, it's much better with him," Zuko offered a small smile. "There's nothing to be sorry about,"

"Well your uncle is lucky to have such a good cook with him, thank you for making dinner, sorry for not giving a heads up, I'm sure this is a little awkward for you," Hakoda laughed a little shaking his head

"He's always awkward," Sokka scoffed.

"Hey Zuko you never told us how you got that cool scar? Was it like something crazy?" Sokka piped up as he could tell his father was questioning it too.

"Uh, no?" Zuko made a face, scrunching up his nose.

"That's not your business," Katara smacked the back of his head as Sokka yelled in pain. Zuko didn't take it personal and smiled while he kept eating.

—

Zuko helped clean the kitchen as Hakoda went to take a shower and Sokka went back to his room, Katara dried and put away dishes as Zuko washed them.

"My dad really seems to like you," Katara smirked at him smugly .

"I feel bad, it was your first time you've seen your dad in a long time and I felt like I was invading your family," Zuko kept his eyes down.

"Hey don't worry about it, no one knew he was coming," Katara put her hand on his arm gently.

"He's a teddy bear, Sokka is a lot like him, you two got along great," she smiled as Zuko gulped a little, his stomach twisted a little.

"I'll let you guys have the rest of the night then, I'm going to head out," Zuko smiled back softly.

"You don't have to go," Kataras face dropped.

"My uncles probably expecting me soon," Zuko chuckled a little and put the sponge back as Katara put the towel back. Both of them blushing a little when a slow song on the radio came on.

"How did you get that scar Zuko?" Katara inhaled deeply as she kept her back to him. Zuko stood straight as his back was also to her.

"It was a long time ago, it doesn't matter," he rasped a little.

"Was it an accident?" She pursed her lips knowing she was pushing her boundaries.

"No, it was on purpose,"

"You did it on purpose?" Her heart stopped.

"I... didn't do it..." he looked down. "I deserved it though,"

"Why?" She asked taking a step back a little.

"I was disrespectful," Zuko whispered.

Katara could feel his presence closer and turned around just as Zuko did as well. They were an inch apart, their chests almost touching. Kataras eyes were wide as she stared up into his golden ones.

She slowly reached up and touched his cheek with her fingers brushing against his scar, her thumb moved up and caressed the rough texture of his damaged skin. Zuko brought his hand up and overlapped hers to hold against his face, he closed his eyes leaning into her touch.

"You've said I've been the first person for a lot of things to you," Katara smiled gently up at him.

"Am i the first to touch your scar?" She whispered.

He nodded.

"I think it's handsome," Katara couldn't help but smile feeling him under her hand. He was fighting the urge to smile.

"Your also the first person that's going to know more about me, more than jin," he whispered.

"It was my father,"

"Huh-" "it was my father who gave me the scar,"