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“Your hair is getting long.”
Zuko glances over at Jet, eyes trailing the casual way he leans up against the wall of the alley. Jet’s arms are crossed and the piece of wheat he always seems to have sits between his lips. When Zuko just shrugs, Jet raises his eyebrows, pushing off the wall to place a hand on Zuko’s shoulder.
“I’m just saying, it looks good,” Jet adds, smirking over at Zuko without a care in the world.
“Thanks,” Zuko mumbles, shrugging Jet’s hand off his shoulder and peering around the edge of the wall, trying to focus on anything besides Jet scoffing beside him.
If you had asked Zuko how he came to be hiding in a dark alleyway with Jet, he would not have the answer. All he remembers is trying to stop Jet from getting involved with a petty thief before finding themselves running through the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se trying to escape from the Dai Li.
“Yeah, you’re welcome,” Jet replies, though Zuko can’t help but pick out the annoyance in the other boy’s voice. The way Jet resorts to casualness, as if shrugging off Zuko’s comment completely. As if he is bothered, but trying not to show it.
Zuko turns his head to look at Jet who is leaning up against the wall once again, his arms crossed over his chest, his foot planted on the wall for support. He seems to be chewing the piece of wheat urgently, distractedly, as he pointedly does not look back at Zuko.
“Did I… insult you, in some way?” Zuko asks, stepping away from the opening of the alley to make his way towards Jet. “I’m really confused here.”
“No, you didn’t insult me,” Jet answers without hesitation, a cool laid-back tone to his voice. “Just don’t get why you won’t take the compliment.”
“If you hadn’t noticed,” Zuko says, patience beginning to wane thin, “we’re kind of hiding from the Dai Li here. We could get in trouble, and I’m not one for getting my uncle worried because of the mess you got us into.”
“Mushi will be fine,” Jet states, waving his hand. “You’re putting too much thought into this.”
“You’re the one all grumpy because I didn’t accept your compliment the right way,” Zuko huffs back, leaning up against the wall on Jet’s left and running his hand through his hair, noting that Jet was right, his hair is getting longer. Zuko can’t even remember when his hair was this long.
“Hey, man, I was just trying to make conversation.” But Jet’s words sound oddly clipped, and Zuko can’t help but feel there’s something else lingering below the surface of Jet’s cool demeanor.
They sit there in silence, tension growing thick around them, as if Zuko could take one of his dao swords and cut through it like a taut rope. He looks over at Jet out of the corner of his eye, watching the other boy roll the piece of wheat between his thumb and forefinger, a small frown on his face. When Jet catches him and shoots him a sly smirk, Zuko’s heart flips in his ribcage before he looks away awkwardly, his cheeks flushing.
“Do you really not know how to take a compliment?” Jet questions, turning so that he is leaning on his shoulder, raising an eyebrow over at Zuko.
Zuko just shrugs, unsure of how to answer.
“Come on, Lee, you’re a handsome guy,” Jet states, giving Zuko a playful shove in the arm. “You have to see that, right?”
“I mean… Why would anyone find me handsome?” Zuko retorts, turning his head to face Jet head on, his scar prominently on display for Jet to examine. He feels Jet’s eyes trailing his face, taking him in, the frown back on his face, though Zuko is unsure of why.
“Listen, Lee…” Jet begins before the words seem to catch in his throat. He shakes his head, rotating his boy so he is leaning on his back again. For once, Jet seems to be at a loss for words: no witty remark, no sarcastic comment. Nothing.
And Zuko isn’t sure how he feels about it.
“My hair hasn’t been this long in years,” Zuko tells him, brushing away a piece of hair that fell into his eyes. “I had to shave it off when I - when I was burned.”
Jet hums beside him, closing his eyes as he absorbs Zuko’s words. It’s strange, having Jet actually listen to him for once as opposed to having Jet lead the conversation. Though Zuko was hesitant to accept the other boy’s friendship, he’s not actually sure where he would be without him.
In a way, Jet provides an outlet for him to accept his current life, to escape the poverty and hard work he is so unaccustomed to. He and the other Freedom Fighters provide Zuko with a sense of purpose, a sense of individualism. They provide him with friendship.
And friendship is something Zuko needs right now.
“So, no, I guess I don’t know how to take a compliment because for the longest time this scar has defined my life and every time I happen to glance at my reflection I still get startled at how ugly it is,” Zuko admits, feeling a small weight fall off his shoulders at his admission.
He’s never even told uncle how he feels about his scar, and yet here he is, pouring his soul out to some guy who he met on the ferry?
Jet blinks his eyes open, looking over at Zuko with a sort of sadness in his eyes, a sort of pity. Not only that, a flash of anger.
“Don’t feel bad for me,” Zuko snaps, his voice sharper than he attended.
“I don’t,” Jet says, stepping closer to Zuko. “I just… I don’t know.”
“Yeah, well, don’t worry about my fucked up past,” Zuko scoffs, feeling Jet stiffen beside him. “I’ve been told to move on with my life, so I guess that’s what I’m going to do.”
Suddenly, he feels Jet’s hand on his chin, the rough calluses on his fingers running along Zuko’s jaw, turning his head so that he is facing him properly.
“You don’t have to get over it,” Jet tells him firmly, his eyes hard. “You don’t have to be anything.”
“I - I know,” Zuko stutters, his heart beginning to pound in his chest with the way Jet is looking at him. He feels the way Jet’s fingers tighten around his chin, as if refusing to let go.
Jet opens his mouth to say something, but he closes it suddenly, an idea growing in his eyes. Before Zuko can realize what is happening, Jet is bringing his free hand closer to his face, causing Zuko to wince. Jet’s hand pauses in mid air, a concerned look one his face as he studies Zuko.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Jet whispers, running a hand through Zuko’s hair, pushing it out of his face with his fingers.
Zuko feels his shoulders stiffen at the weight of Jet’s actions, unsure of how to feel about the way Jet smiles softly down at him.
If Jet knew about Fire Nation customs, about how hair is seen as sacred, if -
But Jet doesn’t know, nor will he ever know, and Zuko tries to keep himself as calm as possible as Jet continues to stroke Zuko’s hair, a satisfied look on his face.
“There,” Jet claims, “now it’s not as in your face.”
Zuko swallows. “Thanks.”
“As for this -” Jet taps Zuko’s scar “-it doesn’t make you any less attractive than you already are, got it?”
“I’m having trouble believing you,” Zuko finds himself gritting out as Jet strokes a finger along the edge of the scar.
“Oh? Why’s that? Jet muses, leaning down closer to Zuko’s face.
“I just am,” Zuko replies, the words stuck to the back of his throat.
“Maybe this will change your mind.”
And suddenly Jet’s lips are pressed against his, his thumb rubbing Zuko’s jaw as he kisses him slowly and with purpose. Zuko’s never done this before, yet Zuko instinctively returns the kiss, opening his mouth for Jet to slide his tongue along his, causing Zuko to moan. He tilts his head to the side to give Jet better access, feeling his heart welling in his chest as Jet pushes his body flush against him.
But the kiss is over as soon as it begins, Jet releasing Zuko’s chin and taking a step backwards so they are no longer pressed together. Zuko just blinks at Jet, his cheeks warm as Jet licks his lips with a casual shrug.
“I hope that proves it,” Jet says, facing away from Zuko, his own cheeks turning pink.
“Uh, yeah,” Zuko stammers out, rubbing the back of his neck. “It - it did.”
“Good, good.”
An awkward silence falls between them and while Zuko finds he is unable to look at Jet, he can’t help but smile to himself as the feeling of Jet’s lips linger on his own.
“I, uh, I think we’re okay to come out of hiding,” Jet says suddenly, making his way to the opening of the alley and peering out. “If you want to go back to your uncle. I’m sure he’s worried about you.”
“I’m sure he’s fine,” Zuko finds himself, causing Jet to raise his eyebrows in surprise. “But maybe we should wait here just a little longer? You know, just in case.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Jet agrees enthusiastically, making his way back to Zuko, his hand falling on his hip to pull him close. “I think waiting a bit longer is a good idea. You know, hidden where no one can see us.”
“Absolutely,” Zuko replies as Jet pulls his body flush against his. “So we can do whatever we need to do.”
“Agreed,” Jet says before his lips are on Zuko’s again, this time more forceful.
As Zuko parts his lips for Jet, his own hands falling on Jet’s waist, he finds that he doesn’t really mind the position he’s in now.