'Let me see them,' Katara demanded, holding each side of Zuko's forearms.

Zuko closed his lips firmly, shaking his head, attempting to free himself from his friend's grasp, but with no avail. A light blush covered his cheeks, and his dark hair was even messier than usual.

'Come on,' Katara insisted, 'they can't be that bad.' Her tone was soft, and she took her hands back from the t-shirt Zuko was wearing.

He promptly turned his back to her, now facing the inside if his locker, rummaging through his books, his face buried between them.

'They are that bad.' Even though he was speaking to the inside of a cubic metal box, Katara could notice the slight lisp he had acquired, and wondered if Zuko's efforts to stay quiet and hidden all day were justified.

But she wasn't letting him out if this one.

'Well, if you won't comply,' she crossed her arms mischievously, 'I'll have to rely on extreme measures.'

Zuko immediately understood what she was going to do, and only had time to drop his books and wrap his arms around himself before she started to tickle him furiously. He struggled and squirmed, but it wasn't long until Katara saw a flash of metal appear between each of his lips, as he reacted to her moving fingers in his armpits.

'A-ha!' She exclaimed. Zuko picked up his books again, straightened his hair, turning his back to her once again. However, Katara wasn't one to give up so easily.

She moved to his side and placed a hand on his shoulder. 'Why are you being so weird about this?' She asked. 'We've known each other for years! You're my best friend!' Zuko sighed. 'They're just braces, everyone has them!'

'They look awful.' Zuko closed his locker and looked down, as he started walking towards the exit. Katara ran a little to catch up with his pace.

'Well, I'd tell you they don't, but you won't even let me see them!' She complained. They both sat on a garden bench, outside the school gates.

Zuko had his knees against his chest and held his hand in front if his lips as he spoke, 'do you really want to see them?' Katara nodded. 'Fine.' He rolled his eyes and removed the hand from his mouth and opened his lips in an awkward smile.

Katara looked, carefully studying the elastics and wires running through Zuko's teeth. He had chosen dark blue ligatures. 'Do they bother you?' She asked. He nodded.

'They hurt a little.'

Katara felt relieved that Zuko could now look her in the eyes and no longer seemed so ashamed of his new braces. 'How do they feel?'

Zuko seemed to think for a little. 'Tight, I guess. They're really uncomfortable.' He scratched the back of his head, the blush from a few minutes before wanting to come back. 'The orthodontist said it wouldn't hurt as much in a few days.'

Katara nodded. 'Yeah, and the lisp should probably disappear by then.' She added. Zuko suddenly looked mortified, burying his head between his knees. 'Oh, you noticed...'

'It's not very perceptible,' she tried to sound cheery, 'I only noticed because I'm so used to your voice.'

Zuko's head rose again. 'You never said anything about what they looked like.'

Katara shrugged, the smile returning to her face. 'I think you look cute. And dark blue fits you, but you should totally try red braces.'

Zuko smiled, glad that his day wasn't going was bad as he thought it