Triplese7en asked: What if Zuko fought back against his father in the Agni Kai?

Since Ozai is Ozai, he'd still win, meaning Zuko would get his scar, but would not be banished. While that wouldn't make Zuko as angry and hurt as he was in canon, it'd still be a very traumatic experience that would sour his opinion of his father - who would just be living his life like nothing happened and he had not just disfigured his son.

Zuko would be as insecure about his scar on this AU as he was on the show. Even though his father was "merciful" and stopped being mad after giving the "appropriate punishment", he still has to bear the weight this defeat brought him. He has to put up with the stares, with people refusing to look at him, with the cruel jokes… everyone looks down on him now.

Everyone but Azula. She is still a pain in the ass and there's no such thing as a low blow for her, and she didn't exactly comfort him after the Agni Kai like Iroh did… but she's the only one he seems to have gained some respect with it. She mocked him for his failure, but actually offered to help him improve since proved himself worthy of it when he at least tried and fought as bravely as he could despite facing a much older, more experienced, deadly opponent.

Azula stares at his scar a lot, and he doesn't completely understand why… or at least he pretends he doesn't. He tries to ignore the strange way her eyes light up when she touches it, be it with his permission or not - especially without his permission. Azula doesn't bother with the denial. She finds it attractive. Erotic even. As she goes through puberty she often fantasizes about burning him.

One day, while they're sparring and she has him pinned to the ground, she puts her hand on his naked torse, warning him she'll give him a scar. Zuko doesn't even flinch. She smiles, calls him a good, clever boy and kisses him passionately. He is too shocked to properly kiss back or to stop her. Once she finally pulls away, Azula says she will burn him. Eventually. She is going to toy with him in some other ways first.