"They're Firebenders! You have to believe me!" Jet's shouts rang through the streets, and the bystanders glanced at each other nervously. A Firebender in Ba Sing Se was simply unheard of.

Zuko gripped the hilts of his borrowed swords tightly to keep his hands from shaking, trying not to let guilt or nerves show on his face. His heart was racing and it had little to do with the intense fight he and Jet were in the middle of.

The crowd behind Jet parted and a couple of grim-faced Earthbenders appeared. Zuko could tell by looking at them that these soldiers meant business, and he felt a thrill of fear for Jet. Sure, it was annoying to be attacked in a tea shop, not to mention their cover could have been blown, but this was getting too serious. He didn't want Jet arrested.

Zuko looked desperately over his shoulder at his uncle- he would know what to do. Iroh met his nephew's gaze and sprang into action, slipping into his charade of the gentle, helpless old man.

He hurried over to the Dai Li, who already had Jet restrained.

"Please, don't listen to him! He doesn't know what he's saying," Iroh said. He laid a hand on Jet's shoulder, as if to comfort him, but it also made sure that the soldiers couldn't whisk him away all of a sudden.

"He's had a rough time lately. Drank a little too much tonight. Let us get him to bed so he can sleep it off," Iroh continued. "We don't want to cause any trouble."

The Dai Li conferred with each other through a few measured glances. Jet was silent, unable to move much, and looked like he didn't want Iroh touching him.

The stone handcuffs around Jet's wrists crumpled, and he was free.

"It's late. If he causes any more trouble, let us handle it," one of the soldiers said. Iroh smiled and thanked them, offered them tea, while Jet rubbed his wrists and scowled at Zuko. He gathered his fallen swords and put them carefully away.

"This isn't over."

Zuko stared levelly back at Jet's glare, even though his words had sent a chill down his spine. What else would Jet try to do to expose them?

It occurred to Zuko that he would probably never, as long as he lived, have a quiet and peaceful life.

Things at the tea shop went mostly back to normal. Mundane, boring normal, filled with steaming cups and thirsty lower ring citizens whose faces Zuko could never bother remembering. A life of servitude didn't suit him, but for now it was better than sleeping in the dirt.

He wondered sometimes where Jet had gone off to-maybe it wasn't far. There were days at the shop when Zuko would feel an unsettling prickle on the back of his neck, like he was being watched. Sometimes things in the apartment would be moved when Zuko swore he hadn't touched them. One day he found a piece of straw on the floor. He told himself it was there accidentally, had probably clung to a pant leg, and he was being paranoid.

Then Jet showed up at the tea shop.

Zuko didn't see him come in. A big group of teenagers had sat down just before and Zuko was in the back, making their orders. He pushed the curtain aside, tray laden with cups, and his eyes fell on Jet. The other boy had obviously been waiting for him- as soon as their eyes met, the corners of his lips curled into a grin. Zuko did not like the looks of that. He turned away pointedly and wished that he was doing something that took more concentration.

The entire time he served the table their tea - and he took his time with it - Zuko felt Jet's eyes boring into his back. When he was done serving them, he meticulously wiped down a nearby table, stalling all he could.

Jet's stare was infinitely distracting, and after a while Zuko couldn't ignore him any longer. Pao, he noticed, was staring at this new customer with concern, possibly trying to remember where he had seen his face before. Zuko didn't want Jet to start a scene. He gave in and went to talk to him.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko kept his voice low. Jet was still smiling and looking at him in a way that couldn't mean anything good for Zuko.

"Didn't you know that this place is rumoured to serve the best tea in the city? Maybe I just wanted a cup. Green, please."

Zuko slapped the rag he still held onto the table.

"You're not getting any tea. Not until you tell me what you're really doing here," he said.

Jet considered him, his ever-present piece of straw twirling deftly between his lips.

"Alright, I'll tell you. I want a rematch," Jet said. Zuko scoffed and picked up his rag, flicking it over his shoulder.

"No. I'm not fighting you again."

"Scared that I'll beat you? Or, better yet, make you Firebend so that everyone knows who you really are?" Jet looked far too cocky; Zuko only wished he could take him down a few pegs in a fight.

"I'm not a Firebender," Zuko said through gritted teeth. Constantly having to deny something that was such a deep part of him was growing tiring, and Zuko hated it. Even when he was at home, with only his uncle for company, he couldn't bend. It was for the best that they practised this restraint, especially if Zuko was actually being spied on, but he missed it.

Speaking of spying. Zuko spread his hands over the table, leaning in closer to Jet.

"Someone's been watching me. Going through my things. That wouldn't be you, would it?" Zuko gave him his best glare, and Jet met his eyes easily, still twirling his straw. Their faces were so close together that the tip of it brushed Zuko's nose, and he pulled back, suddenly uncomfortable.

"It's you!"

Pao's triumphant call turned many of the heads in the shop, and Zuko looked over to see him pointing dramatically at Jet. The owner of the tea shop followed his finger over to their table, and jabbed it in Jet's face.

"You're that mad boy from that night, who assaulted poor Li and destroyed half my shop!"

Jet sunk down in his chair, eyes darting left and right, seeking an escape. Zuko wouldn't let him. Iroh had heard the commotion and wandered over; he stood next to Zuko and looked on.

"I demand you pay for the damages! You're lucky that Mushi vouched for you, but you're not getting away from me." Pao tapped his finger impatiently on the table, just as Zuko had done a moment before, and rambled about broken tables and windows. Jet looked more and more like a cornered tigerdillo with every passing damage.

"Look, I don't have any money!" he finally burst out, interrupting Pao mid sentence. "So I don't know how you expect me to fix anything, but you should really be thanking me, because these workers of yours are F-"

Uncle stepped forward, to patch things over yet again.

"You know, things are getting busier around here. Why don't you give this young man a job, so he can work off his debt honorably?" he suggested.

Pao looked like having Jet as his employee was the last thing he wanted. But Jet, after shooting Zuko a satisfied look that he didn't understand, nodded and stood.

"That's an idea. I'll work off the damages."

Pao was trying to decide if he should argue. "Well…Things have been hectic around here, not that I'm not complaining." He gave Jet a once-over.

"You're to be here an hour after sunrise tomorrow, and if you don't show up I will be pressing charges."

Jet nodded again, his eyes on Zuko. "I'll be here."

The three of them watched Jet leave, and Zuko waited until Pao had gone to the back room before he rounded on his uncle.

"Why did you do that? He attacked me!"

Iroh was already busy clearing off a nearby table.

"We need the help. It really is getting busier around here. I've heard so many compliments, word must be spreading," he said, pausing in his cleaning to indulge in a proud smile. Zuko was still pouting.

"You two got along so well on the ferry," Iroh continued, turning to Zuko with a meaningful look. "Maybe if you give him another chance, he'll figure out that we mean him no harm."

Zuko wanted to object, but he didn't know what to say. He didn't know how to explain his strange feelings towards Jet to himself, let alone his uncle. The two of them had a good time on the ferry. They worked well together, and Zuko admired Jet's leadership. But the strong interest Jet took towards him made Zuko uncomfortable. He wasn't used to people being so forward, and after months of being on the run from the Fire Nation trying to avoid notice, any sort of attention felt wrong. Jet had to have been spying on him. If only uncle hadn't Firebended that stupid cup of tea. Now they were supposed to work together. Things could only go downhill from there.

To everyone at the tea shop's surprise, Jet showed up for work on time the next day. Zuko had to give him props for his reliability. Then he was put in charge with showing Jet how things worked around the shop.

Zuko barely got by serving tea; he didn't know the first thing about customer service, and he rarely paid attention when his uncle talked about tea, so he knew little about brewing it.

He took Jet to the back room and waved his hand around vaguely.

"This is where we brew the tea. Just keep it clean, make sure you're making the right stuff..." He shrugged. "There isn't much to it."

Jet, who looked weird with an apron on instead of armor, hardly spared the room a glance before looking back at Zuko.

"I find it hard to believe that you turned down being a Freedom Fighter for all this," Jet said.

"Well, I did," Zuko said, annoyed. He didn't want to have this conversation. How could he explain to Jet that him becoming a Freedom Fighter would be completely hypocritical?

"I don't get it," Jet went on, leaning against the doorway and crossing arms. "This isn't the place for you, Li. You're meant for better things."

"Stop acting like you know me," Zuko said, hating that look Jet was giving him- like he could see right through him. He really was too perceptive. But strangely, this time, Zuko didn't feel like he was unfortunate for attracting Jet's attention. It was somehow flattering.

He swallowed, and attempted to steer the conversation into slightly safer territory.

"Even if I did join, what would there be to do? No one mentions the war in Ba Sing Se. Everyone is free here."

"There's always a need for us somewhere," Jet said. "It's just hard to spot sometimes because the people in charge want everyone to believe otherwise."

Zuko could hear the morning rush starting in the shop- Pao was going to need him soon.

"I'm not going to get into a discussion about politics with you," he said. "We have to get to work." Emphasis on the 'we'. Zuko didn't want Jet slacking off.

He grabbed a pot of tea at random but, before he could leave the back room, Jet reached out and snatched a handful of his apron, pulling him back against the door frame.

"Lemme just get one thing straight with you," Jet said, pressing Zuko hard against the wood. "I didn't come here so I could pay back that old man. I came because you and I have unfinished business together."

Zuko didn't appreciate getting pushed around in his own tea house. He shoved Jet away from him with a scowl.

"I don't have any business with you." Then, tea in hand, he went out into the shop and started work, feeling Jet's eyes on his back the whole time.