[ That remark draws an amazed look from Zuko, who looks back up at Gokudera startled by the sentiment. He knows him better than the Tenth or Yamamoto? No way. It makes him realize — Gokudera knows him better than any of his friends from home, too... even the Avatar. It earns a silence, chewing over how to respond to the accusation about Azula inevitably attacking him again, too. That unnerves him, and makes him angry all anew at the fire princess for having gone over his head like that back then. He watches his feet as they walk once more, startled expression softening into a scowl. ]

...Azula knows if she attacks you again, it will damage her relationship with me. She doesn't want that. I did a poor job explaining to her what happened that night we fought. She tended my wounds when I got home. But we've talked about it more than once. She knows how important you are to me, even if she doesn't like it. I barely talked to her for well over a week after that, I was so mad. ...She doesn't want that.