Okay, this just needed to be written. It started as a simple scene, but kinda progressed from there. Also, there's Zutara, but it's more of an afterthought.

I Kissed the Fire Lord

Jin did what she had to survive. When the Fire Nation took over Ba Sing Se, she kept her head down and went about her daily routine, doing her best to stay out of unwanted eyes. She had even started to get used to the change when her world flipped 360 once more. The war had ended. It was like a dream come true, one Jin could hardly believe. But even she bore witness as the Fire Nation left Ba Sing Se, and King Kuei took his rightful place on the throne. The war really was over.

The picture on the attention board surprised Jin, however. For about ten seconds, all she could do was stare. What else was she supposed to do? Oma and Shu, it was Lee. Except his name wasn't Lee. It was Zuko. Fire Lord Zuko.

Jin was still in shock when she met up with her friend, Seri, later that day. "You alright?" she asked, casting her friend a vaguely worried look.

"Yeah," Jin muttered, eyes wide. "Just…remember that guy from the tea shop?"

"You mean Lee?" Seri asked with a snicker. "The one who ran off after you kissed him?"

Jin tried to scowl at the teasing, but her mind was still on that picture on the attention board, the official declaration of the end of the war, and the new Fire Lord. "Just…follow me," she said after a moment, dragging her friend towards the center of town. She led Seri right up to the picture proudly displaying the young teen in Fire Nation official clothing, a crown of flame in his hair pulled up into a top-knot, and a very familiar scar across his left eye. "Look!" she stated, snatching at the painting and shoving it into Seri's face.

For a long moment, Seri simply stared. Then she gently took the paper from Jin's fingers and held it closer for further examination. Then she flipped it upside down, for whatever reason, before tilting her head to the side, as if a different angle will make the boy in the picture not be Lee. Or Zuko. Whatever.

"Oh my spirits!" Seri eventually exclaimed, throwing the paper up into the air. "You kissed the Fire Lord!"

Jin felt her cheeks heat up as she, too, realized that she had indeed kissed the Fire Lord. "Well, he wasn't the Fire Lord at the time!" Jin shot back lamely. "He was only the prince!"

"So?" Seri questioned, a huge grin on her face. "You kissed the Fire Prince!"

"Shut up!" Jin growled, crossing her arms.

Seri looked confused. "Why are you upset? This is awesome!" At Jin's blank expression, she continued. "Just think! You'll get to tell your future kids that you kissed Fire Lord Zuko! Every boyfriend you ever have will have to compete with Fire Lord Zuko! You get to brag to everyone that you asked out Fire Lord Zuko! And he said yes!" she added excitedly.

"Okay, okay, I get it! Be quiet!" Jin hushed her, glancing around nervously. People were starting to look over. Fortunately, either they didn't understand Seri's wild rantings, or they didn't care, because no one was coming up to ask questions. Yet. Even still, Jin was starting to grin. It was a little cool when she really thought about it. She tilted her head to the side and commented, "It actually makes a lot more sense, now that I think about it. Remember how I told you he told me to close my eyes, and when I opened them, all the candles were lit?"

"He must've firebent them!" Seri exclaimed, catching on. "He firebent in a city that hates firebenders. For you!"

"Well, he also looked very Fire Nation-y," Jin continued. "He had the gold eyes. I just assumed he came from the colonies, and was trying to escape the war." She had also suspected him of being a firebender, long after their date and he and his uncle moved to the inner ring to open the Jasmine Dragon. It was a brief thought, to explain his odd behavior and the candles, but Jin had dismissed it. Honestly, why would a firebender come to Ba Sing Se?

"Hmmm…" Seri tapped her chin as she thought of spirits-knows-what. "If Lee is Fire Lord Zuko, then wouldn't that make his uncle General Iroh?"

Jin froze. General Iroh, Dragon of the West, who laid siege to Ba Sing Se for 600 days. Jin had been a very small girl at the time, seven when the first attack happened, and nine when Iroh finally gave up and went home.

"The Dragon of the West was in Ba Sing Se and no one ever knew it," Seri mused. "And he opened up a tea shop." She paused for a moment before adding, "I wonder if he'll ever open up the Jasmine Dragon again."

Jin stared at her friend, eyes wide. "Seri!" she cried.

"What? He served really good tea," Seri replied. "Besides, wasn't he one of the ones who helped take back Ba Sing Se on the day of the comet?"

Okay, yeah, that was true. A small army of really old, really powerful guys in blue and white had invaded the place and took out Fire Nation soldiers left and right. There was general panic at first, but then citizens wanting their home back began to join the fight as well, and hordes of earthbenders fell upon their Fire Nation oppressors, while the remaining Wall Guard took up arms and helped protect the people. Jin herself had been holed up in a random shop with Seri during this time. At one point, a Fire Nation soldier had burst in, a wild look in his eyes, and Jin had shakily stomped hard into the ground, trapping the man in two boots of rock. Seri had then done the honors of knocking the man out with a clay pot. Good times.

"If he ever comes back to Ba Sing Se," Seri continued, "I'm asking him about his nephew." She threw a smirk at Jin and added, "And see if there's an opening for Fire Lady."

"Seri!" Jin cried, affronted. "We went on one date. And he ran off afterwards!"

"Only because he was a banished prince who's probably never been out with a girl before!" Seri countered. "Don't you remember the reports? Fire Prince Zuko was banished when he was, like, twelve or something! And he's like, sixteen now!"

"So?" Jin grumbled.

"Sooo," Seri drawled. "You're probably the first girl he's ever kissed. And," she went on, "If he really was banished, then that meant he was wandering around doing who-knows-what with no one but his uncle! Although why his uncle was with him in the first place, I have no idea. Or why they came to Ba Sing Se. Or why he went back to the Fire Nation after they took over. Hmmm…now I really hope Mushi comes back. I think we need to have a nice, long chat with him. And get all the dirty little secrets on the Fire Lord!"

"Seri!"

Many Years Later…Well, not that many. Only like, two. Or three. Okay, four…five.

Seri looked over the royal announcement with a frown. "Wow Jin. That's rough," she finally stated. She shook her head sympathetically and added, "I can't believe Zuko ditched you for that Water Tribe girl."

"Seri!" Jin groaned. "How many times do I need to remind you? One date, one kiss, and one awkward gift of a discount on tea!"

"Still," Seri insisted. "I think he totally should've come back and swept through the city, looking for the one girl who loved him when nobody else did."

"I did not love him!" Jin growled. "I went on one date with him! It was a simple crush!"

"Hmm…I don't buy it."

"Besides!" Jin huffed. "Doesn't this mean anything?" She shoved the ringed hand into her friend's face.

Seri only shrugged and replied, "Not married yet. And neither is the Fire Lord. Curious, how your weddings are happening so close to one another…"

Jin very nearly wanted to smack her forehead. "They're five months apart!" she grounded out. "I don't think that counts as being close!"

"Whatever," Seri grumbled with a role of her eyes. Before they brightened as she asked, "Hey, I don't think I've ever told Rikko about your little naughty moment with the Fire Lord."

Jin's eyes widened in horror. "Oh spirits, Seri, please, no!"

But Seri was already off, rushing towards the Earthbending Institute where she knew Rikko would be. "Seri, please stop!" Jin begged, racing after her through the crowded streets of Ba Sing Se. When she reached the local school for earthbeners (it's where Jin first met Rikko), Seri was already inside, a wide grin on her face.

"Oh Rikkoooooo!" she called in a sing-song voice.

"Over here!" a young male called, and Jin followed Seri out into the courtyard where a shirtless Rikko was practicing his earthbending. "Hey beautiful!" Rikko said with a grin, wrapping his arm around Jin and pulling her into a kiss.

"Oh, and what am I, chopped liver?" Seri grumbled.

Rikko rolled his eyes and said, "Nice to see you too, Seri."

The young woman shrugged and replied, "Well, I didn't come to make small talk."

"Oh Seri, please don't tell him!" Jin begged.

"Tell me what?" Rikko narrowed his eyes, looking both curious and suspicious.

"Nothing!" Jin shouted, eyes widening.

Seri had an evil grin on her face as she answered, "Well, it's about a past love interest of Jin's."

"It was one date!"

"Um…" Rikko was used to Seri discussing Jin's past boyfriends—which were few, to her credit—but by the way Jin was acting, he wasn't entirely too excited for what Seri was about to tell him.

"Anyway," Seri stated, "It was oh, maybe five years ago, back before the war ended-"

"Seri, I will give you anything to stop talking," Jin said very seriously.

"-and there were these two refugees, Lee and his uncle Mushi. They worked at the little tea shop down at the end of the main road, you know the place."

"I remember that," Rikko nodded, eyebrows scrunched up. "Mushi made really good tea."

"Yeah, well, Jin over here developed a little crush on Lee the waiter," Seri continued.

"I will uninvited you to the wedding if you don't stop," Jin threatened.

"Oh, please, I'm the maid of honor!" Seri brushed off, before turning back to Rikko. "So, Jin asks Lee out on a date, and he's totally awkward, y'know, breaking dishes and running off after Jin kisses him."

"He was trying to show me how to juggle," Jin muttered grumpily. "I realize now he never knew how to juggle in the first place…"

"Okay…" Rikko looked completely confused.

"Well…" Seri's grin reached her ears now. "It was just one kiss, one date, not that big of a deal, right? Except that Jin's cute waiter boy wasn't actually an Earth Kingdom refugee, but…" She paused for dramatic effect while Jin silently pleaded for her to not say the next sentence. "…The banished Fire Prince Zuko!" Seri ended gleefully. "Who's now the Fire Lord!" she finished.

Rikko blinked.

Seri allowed the young man a moment to process the information before she excitedly exclaimed, "Jin kissed Fire Lord Zuko!"

"And she's never let me live it down," Jin added gloomily.

Rikko blinked again, very slowly. "Um…yeah, I honestly have no idea how to respond to that."

"Good," Jin grumbled, glaring at Seri.

The other girl just shrugged and added mischievously, "If you want the other half of the story, Zuko's uncle, Iroh, runs the Jasmine Dragon up in the inner ring."

"I knew visiting him was a bad idea," Jin muttered.

"He and I like to share, ah, interesting stories over a nice cup of Ginseng tea," Seri said very seriously, though there was a slight twitch in her lips.

Rikko took a deep breath, tried for an awkward looking smile, and said, "Well, so long as I don't have to fight the Fire Lord or something…"

"Oh, he's getting married in the summer," Jin assured him. She snatched the royal proclamation Seri still held in her hand and held it up. Her face suddenly morphed into concern as she asked, "This doesn't change anything, does it?"

Rikko grinned and wrapped his arms around her. "Of course not. I love you." He leaned in to kiss her, pulling her close to him.

"Awe, man! Y'know, that was cute, like, the first time you guys did that," Seri complained, "Now it's just plain gross. Get a room!"

Rikko broke away from Jin and rested his forehead against hers. "We will have to do something about Seri though" he murmured.

Jin glanced at her friend making retching noises. "Agreed."

Sometime later, doesn't really matter how long. Less than a year though.

"Great news!" Seri exclaimed, barging into Rikko's modest home where he and Jin were busily setting out the final details for their wedding happening in the coming month.

"What is it this time?" Jin sighed.

"Hey, didn't I say 'good news?' Anyway, I went up to the upper ring today to talk to my good friend Iroh-" Rikko and Jin groaned in unison. "-and he agreed to cater for the wedding!" she finished.

"I thought the Jasmine Dragon was just a tea shop," Rikko sighed.

"It's really grown over the past few years," Seri told him very seriously. "Jin wouldn't know; she refused to come back after that one time. But now it's also a restaurant of sorts, where they serve authentic Fire Nation and Water Tribe meals!

"And!" she continued, a disconcerting glint in her eye. "Iroh said that he could pull some strings, and get Fire Lord Zuko himself to officiate the wedding!"

"No," Rikko and Jin stated at once.

Seri pouted. "Awe, c'mon! You guys are no fun!" Her frown deepened as she added, "I guess I should probably cancel on his wife being a bride's maid too."

"I already have my bride's maids!" Jin grumbled.

Seri leaned close to Rikko and whispered loudly, "Note how she did not oppose to the Fire Lady being a bride's maid, simply to the fact that she's already picked them out."

"Oh, shut up," Jin growled half-heartedly.

"Fine, fine, I know when I'm not wanted!" Seri exclaimed in false hurt. She stomped out of the home, and Rikko and Jin relaxed. Until Seri's voice came shouting in from outside. "I'm guessing you don't want the Avatar to give you his official blessing either!"

"Seri!"

About a month later…ish…Maybe.

Jin was grinning from ear to ear. She was married! She really was married!

Rikko stood beside her, his fingers entwined with hers. He hadn't left her side since the ceremony, and Jin wasn't going to change that anytime soon.

"Congrats!" Seri shouted obnoxiously, embracing the two dramatically. "And, hey, is the food great? Or is it great?"

Jin rolled her eyes, but the smile never left her face. "Yes, I suppose the food is good. Tell Iroh thanks for me?" She just managed to spot the old man through the crowd, serving up a variety of both exotic and more familiar dishes.

It was some time later, while Jin and Rikko were both sitting at a table and enjoying said food, when an oddly familiar voice filled Jin's ears.

"Uncle…what are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm catering a wedding!" came the cheerful reply of Iroh.

Jin froze. Slowly, ever so slowly, she craned her head and spotted a tall man, with broad shoulders and black hair that hung loosely over his scarred face.

"What is it?" Rikko asked, turning as well. He spotted the young man standing beside Iroh, and made one good guess on who it could possibly be. "Oh boy."

"Maybe if we don't say anything, he won't notice us." There was only one flaw in that plan: Seri.

"Iroh!" the young woman called gaily, marching towards the old man. She passed by Jin's table and snatched at her arm, dragging her out of her seat.

"Oh spirits, Seri, no!"

Rikko quickly followed, looking like he wanted to pull Jin back, but not too keen with the idea of playing tug-of-war with his new wife.

"The bride wanted to tell you how great the food it!" Seri exclaimed loudly, pulling Jin up to the bemused looking tea maker. "And this must be your nephew!" she stated, a bright smile on her face. "I remember you from the tea shop!"

Zuko blushed at that. "Right…that," he murmured.

"I bet my friend Jin here remembers you too!" she added with a grin.

Zuko's face scrunched up in confusion, and Jin wondered which would be worse: him remembering her, or him forgetting her. But then his gaze shifted to her's, and his eyes widened to the size of saucers. Rikko tensed next to her, sending a murderous glare over to Seri.

A pretty, young Water Tribe woman came up, looking confused. "Uhhhh, Zuko?"

"Well, this should be a nice little reunion," Seri stated triumphantly. "Fire Lord Zuko, meet Rikko, Jin's new husband!" She looked to the Water Tribe woman and added, "And you must be the Fire Lady! Why don't you meet Jin here?" Seri looked positively gleeful. Before running off, she quickly said, "And I'd just like the record to show that I did not invite those two." She jabbed her thumb at the Fire Lord and Lady, before racing away.

"Was that an insult?" the Fire Lady asked.

Jin was frozen to the spot. Zuko was too. It was odd, seeing him like he was. He was wearing s simple black, sleeveless shirt with matching black pants, and his hair wasn't up in a formal top-knot like at his pictures were. On one hand, Jin was used to seeing him like this, in ordinary clothing. On the other hand, it was strangely daunting to see the Fire Lord looking like any other normal citizen.

It was Rikko who saved the day. "Well," he said, "I think we can all agree this situation has sufficiently gotten as awkward as it possibly can. Now I'd rather not give Seri the satisfaction of a dramatic scene, so how 'bout we all just go on our merry way, and when this is all over, I will personally see to Seri's untimely demise." He bowed formally to Zuko and his wife, saying, "My Lord, Lady." To the amused looking tea maker, he said, "And Iroh, the food really was wonderful." With that, Rikko took Jin by the arm and calmly led her away, back towards their table. Jin let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

"What was that all about?" they heard the Fire Lady ask as they walked away. Seri so was going to get it later.