Zuko and Jet argue over music
AN: So this is pretty much extreme fantasy fan fiction. Zuko, Jet and awesome music? Yes please! If you have never heard of the band PAVEMENT than I strongly suggest that you go to youtube and listen to them right now instead of reading this. Try out 'Frontwards', 'Grounded', 'Cut your hair' or 'Carrot rope' for starters. Zuko and Jet are HUGE FANS.
"For the last time uncle, I'm not going to play the tsungi horn!"
Zuko slammed the sliding door shut and glowered in the dimness of his bedroom.
From the room below (though gratifyingly muffled) came the sounds of his uncle's favourite tune, 'four seasons four loves'.
"Ugh! He growled in frustration. Music night had been a pain on his ship and now that they were in Ba Sing Se, his Uncle had reinstated it with his new friends. All of them were as old as he was and with tastes in music that ran to long and insipid love ballads.
Zuko slid to the floor, reaching blindly under his bed until he found what he was looking for, his music player. He wound it up and let it go. He sighed in relief as 'Stereo' by Pavement began and the awesomeness drowned out the droning from below.
Before long, Zuko was dancing around the room singing badly and loudly.
"But high-ho silver ride
High-ho silver ride
Takes another ride to make me
Oh, get off the air
I'm on the stereo stereo
Oh my baby baby baby baby baby babe
Gave me malaria hysteria"
He was so absorbed in the song that he failed to notice, a certain freedom fighter drop lightly onto his window sill.
Zuko turned around and found himself face to face with Jet just as the song finished. Immediately he took a defensive stance.
"I'm not here to fight you fire bender."
"For the last time I am not from the Fire Nation I am just a refugee same as you."
"Mmm" Jet answered noncommittally. "So I see you like Pavement. Brighten the Corners. That's one good album."
'Shady Lane' was well underway by the time Zuko realised that Jet had slipped from the window sill and was now pawing through his collection of music.
The room was palely lit with light from the full, round moon and the lamps that burned in the street below. The light played over the features of both of them.
Casually, Jet flicked the player forward so that 'Blue Hawaiian' came on. "Ah, I love this song…"
Zuko's eyes narrowed. "What do you think you are doing coming in here and taking over? What about 'Transport is arranged'?"
Jet quirked an eyebrow at him, "Yeah I pretty much die when Malkmus sighs at the end of that. We'll hear that after. What? Your not so angry that you're going to firebend are you?" Jet smirked as Zuko glared at him before he fell to the floor and laid back against the wooden boards.
Zuko crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He was certainly not happy about Jet swanning about in his room. But it was kind of… nice to have someone to share Pavement with. All to soon it seemed, the album was finished. After 'Fin' faded out there was an awkward silence for a moment. Jet leaned on his arms and looked up at Zuko.
The light caught his face beautifully and Zuko found his heart beating faster, "Err… Terror Twilight?" He asked, huskily.
Jet rearranged the grass stalk that he was chewing on, "Sounds good to me. People totally underrate that album, but it has 'Cream of Gold'…"
"And 'The Hexx'" Cut in Zuko passionately, "It's better than Crooked Crooked Rain despite what the rest of the world seems to think."
Zuko sat down next to the freedom fighter who had laid back down again nonchalantly. Zuko sat straight backed, through out the entire playlist until Jet seemed to grow fed up with him just as 'You are a light' began to play and grabbed the prince's arm and pulled him down so that he lay beside him. They laid there in silence. It seemed that Jet wasn't the type to sing but just listened with his eyes shut most of the time. Zuko watched him, light traced the curves of his cheek bones and along his jaw. Zuko had the greatest urge to trace along that line of light with his hand.
During 'The Hexx', Zuko edged closer to Jet, just a bit. He wondered whether the other boy had noticed at all.
And then 'Carrot Rope' came on and Zuko couldn't help it. Jet may be happy to just lay there passively but Zuko wanted to sing damn it!
"Harness your hopes to the folks
with the liquor with the ropes,
Red, red ropes, periscopes
They've got everything you will ever need
stored under the chair"
Jet's eyes snapped open and began to laugh but in a good natured kind of way. Eventually he joined in as well and sang just as badly as Zuko.
The song ended and they looked at each other.
"Well, I guess I'll be going now. Thanks for the night, I guess I'll see you again soon." Jet clambered onto the window and was gone before Zuko could even reply.
The exiled prince stared out over the rooftops, into the night. Wondering where the freedom fighter had gone and when he would be back.