Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jet chews stiffly on his piece of straw , he can’t relax there’s to many people , to much noise , to many sounds . He’s tense and can’t calm down, he feels a hand land his shoulder and he jumps turning towards the person as he reaches for the sword on his back . He relaxes slightly as he notices its Smellerbee “ Sorry Bee , I’m just jumpy to many people you know .”

She tells him “ It’s okay Jet , I wanted you to look over there .” Then she points off in front of them , at first Jet doesn’t see what sees pointing at then he catches sight of him . He’s slightly taller then Jet with shaggy black hair . He still doesn’t see what’s interesting and he goes to say so to Smellerbee when the boy turns and exposed his right side , a burn cover his right eye and ear , causing his eye to be permanently squinted and his ear is miss shaped . Jet would be surprised if he could see or hear at all on that side .

Jet nods to the girl “ I see him , he’s a survivor all right and a fighter a burn like that would kill most people , you have to have one hell of a will to live to come back from that . After we get on the ferry let’s find him I want to speak to him to see if he’ll join us .”

After getting nods from both Longshot and Smellerbee he contunied to track the boy with his eyes not wanting to lose him to the crowds .

They make it on to the ferry , Jet leads Smellerbee and Longshot to where he last saw him. After searching the deck for a minute he sees him next to a older man with grey hair . As they grow closer Jet sees the old man has brown eyes while the boys uninjured one was Firenation Amber . Jet thinks he’s a war child that’s how he survived the burn , war children rarely are benders those that are don’t last long however they are resilient to the fire because in a way they were made to handle it .

Jet approaches from his injured side wanting to see if the other had any hearing or sight on that side no matter how liminted it maybe . As he gets close enough he says “ Hey there ...” that’s all he gets out as the other boy turns on his heel and clocks him in the face with his fist , knocking Jet straight to the floor .The older man calls “ Nephew” as he places his hand on the his right shoulder and pulls him back a few feet incase he try’s to go go after the other boy again .

Onces he’s sure the boy won’t attack again he turned to Jet who was once again standing and said “ I must apologize my nephews actions were uncalled for .” Jet waves him off and says “ it’s all right I saw the burn I should have announced myself from farther back so I didn’t startle him . I’m Jet” then he points to his comrades in turn and said “ This is Smellerbee and Longshot.” Thr old man replies “ I am Mushi , my nephew is Lee . .

Jet says “me and friends came over to talk to your nephew , war children have to stick togather After all.” The old man gets a look of understanding on his face and cast his eyes over Jet , Smellerbee and Longshot , seeing Longshots amber eyes and Smellerbees coloring be saying .” Very well nephew I will just be over here if you need me .” Before he walks off aways .

Jet says “ Lee you got the short end of looks department didn’t you , the eyes , the complexion . The only thing you have that doesn’t scream fire is your hair . You need someone to help you out and help you bend in .”

That causes Lee to snort and say “ You don’t want someone like me in your group . I’ve been doing fine on my own with uncle anyway .”

Jet replies “ Someone like you by that you mean a half breed right . I got lucky I took completly after my mother . Longshot got the eyes and Smellerbee the complexion . So it’s easier for them to pass as pure earth . You ok the other hand will need more help . It would make sense war-children going to Ba Sing Se togather . Instead of alone where one that looks so much like fire might be taken as a spy .”

Lee grits his teeth and says “ No , I don’t need help .” Then walks over to his uncle . Jet tells Smellerbee and Longshot “ We will seek him out in the city , no matter what he says he will need help blending in his to much of a soldier to not need it .” Smellerbee says “ Alright Jet.”

As Zuko makes it over to his uncle , he steps close and says “ Uncle they think I’m like them , a war child .” He uncle replies “ I know Nephew , it works in our favor , to pass you off as a war child . So no one suspects the truth . That boy does not look like someone that takes no for a answer . They will come looking for you again multiple times if that’s what is takes for you to agree to let them help you . When they do , don’t agree the first or even the second time . Make them try again and again before you agree . Do you understand Nephew .” Very unwillingly Zuko says “ I understand Uncle .”

Chapter Text

Zuko wakes to the shaking of his body , he thinks for a moment he is back on the ship he spent three years of his life on . But when he finally opens his eyes he sees his uncle shaking him to get him to wake up . Seeing him awake his uncle speaks “ I have to leave for the tea shop soon , I need you go to the market and pick up supplies “.

I replie “ Yes Uncle “ as the man finishes getting ready to head to the tea shop the both of us had found work in . “ Thank you Nephew , I have the list on the table and breakfast is on the stove it should still be hot if you eat soon .” As he finishes speaking he walks out the door to the apartment .”

I sit up to actually get out of bed , standing I pull on the undershirt I had discarded before I went to sleep yesterday . Walking to the stove I serve my self a bowl of rice and fish . Before siting at the table . I pull the list of supplies closer to me as I start to eat . Fish, vegatables , fruit , meat , tea , soap soap, spark rocks . All the things we were missing or running out of . I finish eating and put my bowl on the counter . Before I move to the door to put my shoes on . Making sure I had both the list and my money pouch . As I shut the door behind me , I twist the knob to make sure it locked like it was supposed to .

I make my way towards the market hoping to get done before it got later in the morning and it started getting busier . Once I made it there it was still fairly early so I started my shopping by getting the much needed spark rocks getting more then one so they never went missing again . Then headed to the area of the market that sold finsh . It took longer then I thought it did to haggle with the fish monger because when I stepped away from the stall holding the bag of my purchases . There was a much bigger crowd then before . Everyone was pushing and shoving , everywitch way , all the venders where yelling trying to get people to stop and buy there wares . I started struggling to breathe , I had to get out of there .

I started to run though the crowd , I had voiced yelllng after me to watch were I was going and to slow down . I didn’t care , it was to loud to busy and I couldn’t breathe I needed to be any where else . I ducked into alley leaning against a wall I dropped the bag of fish and sank to the ground myself , I closed my eyes to see if it helped control my breathing .”

After I moment I heard “ Lee can you open you eyes?” My eyes shoot open to see Jet kneeled down about a foot in front of me with Smellerbee and Longshot standing behind him . Once Jet sees my eyes open he asks “Can I touch you?” Not feeling able to speak I shake my head no . Jet says “ that’s alright you need to breathe with me then , breathe in and out . In though your nose out though your mouth . In and out . After a few rounds of breathing with Jet telling me when to breath in and out . I’m breathing much easier and my chest isn’t pounding at a million miles per hour .

Feeling able to speak again I tell Jet “ Thank you .” Jet stands and says “ You aren’t the first I’ve helped though a panic attack and wouldn’t be the last . “ As he finishes speaking , two city guards stepped into the alley “ My name is Han my partners name is Yami . Every thing alright here .” Jet speaks before I get the chance to “ Yes Sir , Lee was just shopping and lost track of time and the market got busier then he was expecting , he had to many people on his bad side and panicked . We got him calmed down and we will help him home .”

At Jets words the guards both turn their attention to me and my scare . I flinch slightly when I see their gaze stays there. Jet seeing that speaks again . “ If that’s all we will be on. Our way .”

Han regains his focus and says “ If you have everything under control . I see no reason we need to stay . “ He then leads his partner back out of the alley .

Zuko turns to Jet and says “ I told you I don’t need you help , that I wasn’t going to join your group .” “ From where I was standing you had worked your self into a panic attack you couldn’t get out of . You needed help then , it will happen again . Do you really want to be alone when it happens . Don’t join us right away . Hang out for a while see what we do , then if you still say no . Lee we will back off , no questions asked .

Zuko looks at him , then thought about what his uncle said about it being better if people thought he was a war child , and what better way then being friends with a group of them . So he relucantly says “ Fine, a few days , If I don’t like what I see I’m out and you’ll all leave me alone .”