Disclamer : Avatar the last airbender does NOT belong to me in any way. It belongs to its creators and owners. Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko, and Nickelodeon. This is just a fan fiction.

Author's notes :
First, please let me apologize if I made any mistake in my use of english, spelling or grammar, for it is not my mother tongue. Plus, I have no beta-reader. But I put my heart in making it pleasant to read. I'd be glad to both correct this text and improve myself if you could point gently in a review any problem in my writing. But if you just want to say it was good, go ahead ! that'd be a great encouragement !
About the story : well, lieutenant Jee appears in 3 episodes, and he doesn't even get the quarter of fan-love that some others do when they apprear in only one or two episode(s). That is just UNFAIR ! He's as endearing as any one of them ! Of course, he may not be as young and stuff, but still ! This injustice had to be fixed ! So here's a piece of fan fiction just for Jee, recounting his way from his most strinking childhood memories up to the fateful Siege of the North ! and I truly hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it !

enough with the talking, now...

Prelude : Brand New Boots

The man was sitting casually, still quite wide awake despite the late night hour. The only thing betraying his drinking and tiredness was the haze in his unfocused look. He had been there for hours. He had ordered some fried noodles, and a bottle of strong rice wine that he had been sipping since his arrival. He was still holding a half-filled goblet of it in his left hand, his right being unusable : it was immobilized by the intricate wrapping around his fractured arm.

The innkeeper was quite surprised there was still someone up at such an hour. All the other customers were lying drunk on the wooden tables, asleep in their booze, or even rolled over onto the floor. As it usually was, mater of factly, when the night was getting quieter. The place had been so noisy a few hours ago, everybody bragging and barking… Now only the noises that could be heard were a drunkard coughing faintly in a corner and the crackles of the fire in the hearth.

She rose from her sit near the counter and imperturbably waded through discarded empty bottles and various dirts. Her heavy black lacquered zori made a light yet clear-cut sound on the floor, and her loose silky worn-out skirt's scrapping was also quite noticeable. But the man did not turn around to acknowledge her as she sat right in front of him.
- Looks like you're not from around here.

Finally he seemed to have noticed her. He slowly turned his head to face her, and found himself lingering his gaze on the curve of her bare shoulder, and then flowing down on her collarbone, where the smooth candle-light-golden skin disappeared under a black and ochre cardigan. The woman was in her thirty, with dull black hair pulled back in a messy sort of top knot, and small wrinkles in the corner of her dark eyes. He dimly remembered it was her who he had ordered food from.
- I already paid you, don't you remember ? he spat bitterly.
- Well I do. The innkeeper answered. I just wandered if you wanted some company. I can see there's something running across your mind. Wanna talk about it ? I'd pay you another bottle to go with the talk.
With that she pointed to the previous bottle the man had ordered, which was almost empty. The man only glared at her warily. So she went on explaining herself on such an unexpected kind gesture.
- You don't seem to be one of those greasy snoring filth I have to deal with everyday. The job pays off, but there's not much interesting conversation to expect, and sometimes I just miss some… you know, social life.
She smirked, then lifted from her chair and headed to a back room, only to return a few moments later with a bottle of nice rice wine and another goblet. She sat back and filled it up with the freshly opened bottle and raised her drink in the air before taking a large sip of it.
- So what's your name stranger ?
The man avoided eye contact for a second before answering.
- Jee.
- Well, Jee. My name's Oyone, tenant of this ratty tavern. What brings you in town ?
- I'm just wandering. He said looking in his cup before drinking the last of it.
Oyone refilled it immediately before she added in a low teasing tone:
- I heard a few fire nation ships had grounded near the An Yu fishing village about a month ago. All of the soldiers are supposed to have returned by now though. I believe they were part of those lucky survivors of the failed siege of the North Pole, but, some say a couple seems to have deserted. Well, you know, who should trust gossips ! Nice grey shirt and pants by the way. Though they don't really match your obviously brand new boots.

Jee shot a cold glare at her, his lips pressed in a stern scowl.
- Oh don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Neither will those. She said motioning to the sleeping customers behind her. They don't even remember where they are when they wake up… at noon.
She raised an eyebrow and smiled, but to Jee it looked more like a smirk. He frowned and detailed her.
- Too bad I have nothing to tell you !
- Ow, come on ! You should have though about that before paying me with fire nation money.

Oyone cracked a small smile, a real one this time. The corner of her lips were not constricted in a taunting face anymore, and made her mouth look soft and smooth. Jee chuckled. He knew it was useless, but he still replied just for the sake of it :
- So what ? As long as it's money, 'shouldn't bother you. I don't have to tell you how I got it, do I ?
The innkeeper stared right back at him as his expression softened just a bit. She unconsciously racked her front teeth on her lower lips before answering.
- No, you don't have to. But maybe you should.
- Why ?
- Why not ?

Jee let his look trail off on the few drunken asleep forms around him, the discoloured wooden tables, the plain walls where the fireplace's light was displaying. His gaze then fell in the bottom of his goblet, which he moved a bit to see the light flicker over the alcohol it held. He took a sip and breathed out slowly.
- All right. Where do I begin ?
- How about the beginning? It's usually a good place for to start.

Oyone bent forward on the table, laying on her elbow and forearm, and revealing a bit more of her collarbone's skin.