Dinner that night was an incredibly stressful affair, at least from Koza's point of view. Uvi had tried to convince Koza to sleep off what was left of her spur of illness, but upon the girl's insistence, reluctantly sat her at the table. Rather than her normal seat besides Huvanni, Koza found herself sitting at the head of the table and away from everyone else. How appropriate.

"So, Huvanni," Shio Kan began while they waited for Uvi to serve the food. "What kind of work does your father partake in?" Cutting to the chase right off the bat, Koza supposed. She looked worriedly at Huvanni, trying to catch her eye in case she needed backup. However, the Air Bender had some tricks up her sleeve.

"Mostly trade. Father makes connections with big names around the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes, usually sages or nobles. From there they set up deals so they each get access to goods that benefit both parties. Father tries his best to be fair." Huvanni droned off like she had rehearsed the answer.

"Ah, I see. My work involves me collaborating alongside some of the most powerful men in all of the Fire Nation. Perhaps we can all work out a deal in the future with your father." said Shio, gingerly sipping on his hot tea.

"Yes, perhaps." Huvanni repeated, quickly glancing at Koza and dramatically rolling her eyes. Koza hid a snort.

"How is the Fire Lord doing these days? I heard a rumor a few days ago that he was looking sickly." Fulay butted in. Although the question was clearly directed towards Shio, she didn't look at him.

"Nothing but the babbling of idiots. I can assure you, Fire Lord Sozin is doing more than well. In fact, I'd say he has it in him to make it at least another fifty years. Even bet money on it, maybe."

"Have you met him face to face?" Ojin crowed, looking at his father with rounded eyes.

"Indeed I have," Shio said with a smile. "Sometimes we nobility gather to give advice on expansion plans or economic advice. It's politics, nothing personal. When you have a career such as that, you must learn to put your personal admirations aside." Out of the corner of her eye, Koza spotted Fulay and Ojin share a look.

"Dinner time!" Uvi chimed in cheerfully, coming in from the kitchen. Much like the first night that Huvanni had stayed with them, Uvi had gone out of her way to prepare a multitude of dishes: Hippo-ox tail skewers, smoked fish, braised vegetables, dumplings, and super spicy Fire noodles- Shio's favorite.

"The dumplings are vegetarian, don't worry." Koza overheard Uvi whisper to Huvanni as she placed the dishes onto the table. Huvanni smiled in appreciation.

"You've truly outdone yourself, Uvi," Shio noted, helping himself to the Fire noodles. "Thank you very much."

"You're welcome, Master." Uvi bowed her head, refilling Shio's cup of tea and scurried back into the kitchen. The family ate in deafening silence, not a single soul daring to break the rules when Shio Kan was around. Koza kept her head down, trying to avoid eye contact with anyone- especially Huvanni. The revelation she made about her feelings regarding the girl still lingered in the back of her mind, taunting her with every passing second. Would she ever be able to move past this?

"I've missed a home-cooked meal." Shio exhaled as he dabbled the corners of his mouth with a napkin. Now that he had finished eating, they were free to talk. The rule was put in place so he could have silence at a meal, after all. "Let me tell you, you're going to miss those small comforts when you're Capital." He said to Ojin.

"Why is Ojin going to the Capital?" Koza asked before she could realize the implications of the question. Her family all shared estranged looks with one another, coaxing someone else to answer the question so they didn't have to.

"Well… One of my superiors brought up to me an opportunity of having one of my children apprentice at the Capital. Several of the other nobles are doing it, too. Learn and work closely with the professionals, and if the program goes well then they will be offered a full time position. I had decided that Ojin would be the best fit for the apprenticeship." Shio replied, his fingers tapping repetitively on the table.

"He had sent a letter weeks ago telling us the plans. We're both leaving in two weeks." Ojin said quietly, gazing at Huvanni longingly.

"I… see." Koza stated. So that's what Fulay and Ojin had been whispering about earlier in the week… Ojin was offered the opportunity of a lifetime, one that all Fire Nation children aspired towards, and they had done everything they could to keep it from her. "Did you consider me at all?"

"Pardon?"

"For the apprenticeship. Did you have to think about which one of us you would choose, or was I completely out of the running as usually?" Koza demanded. Shio's eyebrow twitched.

"Koza, your brother is older and more experienced than you. He's almost nineteen, he's going to need a job as soon as he graduates from the academy. Most young men started their lives at sixteen, but Ojin decided to take those extra two-year classes, which I'm proud he did but he needs to find fast work if he wants to support himself."

"Right, right. Yeah, that's the reason. Nothing to do with favoritism or anything." Koza's bitter resentment began to bubble out of her voice.

"Koza, watch your attitude." Shio said sternly.

"And we most certainly do not play favorites in this house." Fulay chimed in. Even Ojin gave her a doubting look.

"I just don't understand why it has to be just one. Couldn't you have argued for us both to get apprenticeships? Did you even think about me at all?" Koza couldn't keep the venom out of her words. Shio's face hardened.

"If I had demanded more than what I was given, that would practically be begging to get the opportunity taken from your brother. Is that what you want? For him to be as much of a damn disappointment as you are?" Shio shouted, slamming his fist onto the table. The plates clattered together at the impact and Koza flinched. Time seemed to freeze, not a single aghast face daring to move.

"Who wants custard tarts?" Uvi's sing-song attitude chimed as she stepped into the dining area carrying a tray of beautifully yellow tarts. Fulay, Huvanni, and Ojin all turned their heads to look at her. "Oh, am I… interrupting something?"

"No, Uvi. We were just finished." Shio said darkly, keeping his furious gaze fixated on Koza.

"...Ah. W-well, I do hope you enjoy. These tarts are… imported…" Uvi's voice failed as she set down the tray and hurried back into the kitchen without even bothering to clear the remaining plates. The tension in the room was so heavy Koza felt like it was physically weighing her down. She allowed her eyes to dart towards Huvanni, who was staring down at the tart stiffly. The thing she had been begging and pleading for for days, and now she couldn't even enjoy it because Koza had ruined it. Just like she always did.

"I think I'd like to be excused." Koza said quietly.

"Yes, that'd be best," Shio growled in response. "I have important matters I'd like to discuss with Huvanni and Ojin, anyway." Trying to ignore the crushing feeling in her chest, Koza slid back her chair and hobbled up the stairs, blinking away the hot tears that threatened to spill out.

"I sincerely apologize for that behavior, Huvanni. Koza has always been something of a difficulty." Shio's voice echoed from below the staircase. Koza ran into her room and slammed the door shut before she could hear anything else. Two weeks, she just had to get through two weeks…

She sat on her bed and stared at the ground for quite some time, trying to calm herself down by thinking of something else. Anything else. Maybe she could try to graduate three months early. Then she could move out sooner, find a job somewhere… Somewhere far away. Maybe her and Huvanni could leave together, live somewhere they both could be safe. Of course, it was wishful thinking.

Knock knock. Someone was at her door. She had a funny feeling of just who it was.

"Huvanni, please. I think I just want to be alone right now." Her voice was dry and weak. The door creaked open and footsteps entered the room. Koza gritted her teeth together.

"Huvanni, I said-!" She stopped. It wasn't Huvanni standing in the doorway, it was Ojin. He stared at her blankly as if he was just as surprised as she was. "Oh. Sorry, I thought you were Huvanni." Koza decided to be the first to break the silence.

"I figured. She's still down there getting lectured by Father. ...You two are really close, huh?" Ojin asked casually. Koza prayed that her face didn't flush at the question.

"You could say that."

"Has she told you anything about her personal life? Like… I don't know, future plans? Aspirations? If there's someone back home she's seeing?" He asked, fidgeting in place.

"Can you be any more subtle? ...No, she hasn't." Koza admitted with a sigh. Ojin's eyes lit up, though he tried to hide his excitement.

"I see. Alright, nice. Very nice." He murmured, getting lost in his thoughts. Koza began to grow irritated.

"Okay, you heard what you wanted to hear. Now would you kindly get out?" She was on the verge of shouting at him. Ojin's delight fell off of his face.

"Actually, that wasn't why I came in here."

"Then why? To-to brag about the new opportunity Daddy Dearest chose for you and not me? Gonna mock me because you're so successful and loved and I'm not?" Koza stood up, her upper lip curling like an animal's. Ojin didn't falter under her fury.

"The opposite, actually. I wanted to tell you that I personally think it is wrong of Father to choose one of us over the other. We're brother and sister, we shouldn't be put up against each other like a couple of dogs." Ojin said calmly, meeting her eye.

"You've never minded before. In fact, you love it when they make us compete. Because then you get to prove over and over how much better you are." Koza cried.

"I know," Ojin said guiltily. "Mother and Father always raised me to believe that I need to be the best. That as their only son, it's my duty to be better than everyone, including you. But it's not fair that they… that we treat you that way. It's a bit embarrassing that it took a lecture from Huvanni to get through to me. She's very knowledgeable about peace making." He said.

"When did you two talk privately?" Koza asked, her heart sinking.

"Today during the carriage ride to school. She… had a lot of opinions on how things should change here," He replied sheepishly. "But she's right. You deserve the same amount of respect that I'm given."

"So what're you going to do about it?" Koza asked. Ojin blinked.

"Huh?"

"You're saying it's wrong for Mother and Father to treat me like they do. So what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't understand…" Ojin said cautiously.

"Are you going to tell them that? Demand from them that I should get equal treatment? That I deserve opportunities just the same? Or maybe even refuse the apprenticeship?" Koza demanded. Ojin said nothing, staring at her wordlessly. "That's what I thought. Don't feed me that garbage, telling me you've 'reformed' or whatever. You don't care about me at all, you're just trying to impress your little crush by mending the bridges our 'evil parents' destroyed between us."

"No I'm not!" Ojin shouted, his cheeks a bright crimson.

"If you weren't, then you'd actually do something to help me. But you won't. Because you don't want to. You think that if you come in here and pretend like you're on my side, I'll forgive you and we can all live like one big happy family, you get to go on and be successful, and of course you get the girl of your dreams. Well that's not happening, so you can forget about using me to win Huvanni over. Because guess what, I know her better than you ever will. And she would never fall for a selfish, pompous jerk like you." Koza shouted, getting right up and close to Ojin's face.

She clearly had struck a nerve with her last taunt. Ojin's entire face burned an angry red. He opened his mouth to retort or deny or say anything, but no words came out. He gritted his teeth, trying to will himself to say one last hurtful remark before storming out of the room without so much as a peep. Koza watched him go before slumping to the floor, taking a deep breath.
She hated to admit it, but yelling at him felt really good. Like all those years of pent up jealousy and anger had finally drained out of her system.

Koza remained on the floor for most of the night, her knees curled up to her chest while her head rested against the boarding of the bed. She kept dozing off and snapping back awake, repeating that cycle for two hours. She hadn't even changed out of her dress, though she found she had no energy to do so. The moon was still high in the sky when Koza's door creaked open as light footsteps trodded inside.

"Koza? ...Are you on the floor?" Huvanni whispered not all too quietly, staring down at the dark figure of her friend. Koza stretched out her legs, which had grown stiff and cramped from the uncomfortable position.

"Looks that way, yes." She replied, looking up at her. Huvanni was wearing a long light blue nightgown that flowed around her thin figure like silk. Uvi probably lent it to her while she stayed with them. "What are you doing up so late?"

"I couldn't sleep. I was so worried about you. I know you probably don't want to talk about what happened, but I just wanted to make sure you're alright." Huvanni urged, sitting down across from her.

"That's just how Father acts. It's nothing I'm not used to." Koza said with a shrug.

"That's terrible. Nobody should be 'used' to treatment like that. Your father has no right to make you feel unwanted."

"Yeah, well, as much as I'd like things to change, the old man's stuck in his ways. Most days he doesn't even acknowledge me, so I guess that's better somehow. Ojin came up earlier to try and 'make peace,' but he didn't actually want to help, just make it seem like he was." Koza scoffed, rubbing her arms. She thought for a moment then continued. "He has a crush on you, you know that, right?" Huvanni laughed loudly, then quickly covered her mouth.

"How could I not? I don't mean to be rude, but he makes it… a little too obvious, you know?"

"Oh yeah?" Koza asked, shifting her legs around to regain feeling in them.

"I mean, he looks at me a lot throughout the day. Especially at dinner, and if I happen to return the favor he looks away again. If he catches me alone he talks about how rich and powerful he's going to be someday, and you should see how red his face gets." Huvanni giggled.

"You should go out with him to a restaurant. Then you'd get to see him flaunt his money around and order the most expensive thing on the menu, even if he doesn't like it." Koza grinned wildly.

"Maybe I'll do it just to get him off my back. ...Ojin's sweet, he really is-"

"Not true."

"-But I just don't really like him in that way, you know?" Huvanni smiled sadly. Koza inhaled.

"Is there anyone you… do like?" Koza timidly asked. Huvanni tapped her finger against her chin.

"Recently? Uh, no I don't think so. The last time I remember having a crush was when I was ten, though. Boy, I was completely head-over-heels, it was so embarrassing." Huvanni laughed. Koza smiled.

"Tell me about it." She insisted.

"Jeez, alright, if you wanna hear that boring stuff. Well, we were the same age, so both ten at the time. We shared fruit together, prayed right next to each other, and always made sure to pick flowers together. I thought she was the sweetest, kindest, most amazing person I had ever met. I ended up growing out of it, but I went mad for like, a good month."

"Wow, that sounds… wait, she?" Koza asked, a bit alarmed. Had she misheard her? Huvanni smiled a bit nervously.

"Surprise. I like girls! And guys. Honestly, I like everyone. Well, maybe not everyone in that way, but I have held hands with both males and females throughout my life. Scandalous, isn't it?" Koza's mouth hung agape and her heart began to pound. Huvanni… did like girls? So did that mean… she actually had the slimmest of a chance?

"N-no! Not at all. I'm totally okay with it," Koza said, then froze. "Not that there's anything wrong with it, I mean you can like whoever you want to. At least I think so. A lot of people around her don't but I do." Koza stammered over her words so quickly she barely even understood herself. Huvanni watched her stumble with an amused expression.

"Thanks for the seal of approval," she laughed. "Actually. I'm glad you won't treat me any differently. The Nuns raised us to be open and expressive and that it didn't matter who we loved, as long as we loved with every bit of ourselves. Things are… quite different here."

"Tell me about it.." Koza muttered.

"Well, if you're doing okay, I'll leave you to your wallowing. Good night, Koza." Huvanni said and stood up, stretching out her arms.

"Good night." Koza bid and watched as the blue silk ghost weightlessly departed out of her room and into the dark.