"Han, would you like more soup?"

"No, Mom, I'm fine," Han replied, holding up his hand. Shen and the Lu family were sitting at the table eating dinner. As Shen slowly ate his rice, Mrs. Lu continued to shoot dirty looks at him. Whenever he glanced back, her fake wide smile returned. He knew she didn't like him—it was obvious—but she could at least be open about it like Chief Lu. He glanced at Han's father. He was reading the new edition of the Elemental Times. He threw it down onto the table.

"Have you seen the kind of shit these people are doing?"

"Mind your language, Hong." Chief Lu ignored her and slammed his fist on the table.

"They're defacing statues, Su! They got paint all over City Hall." He pointed at Shen. "This is all your doing."

Shen tried to maintain a sense of composure. "Well I have no affiliation with those people. I've been awfully busy these last weeks," he said calmly.

"Don't hit me with that tone. We have been nothing but kind to you."

Han rolled his eyes. The police chief turned to him.

"What do you think about this Red Hand, Han? You've been awfully quiet." Han seemed like he was zoned out.

"Yep, they're quite the problem," Han replied.

"Are you even paying attention?"

Han sighed. "I'm just… I'm just a little tired, alright?" He finished one last bite of food before standing up. "I need to lie down for a bit…" As he left, Chief Lu opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. Everyone remaining at the table finished their food quietly.

###

Han laid on his bed as Shen booted up the computer on Han's desk. The Future Industries emblem glowed on the screen. As it turned on, he clicked on a folder titled "Sus."

"How many names do we have so far?"

"About a dozen." Shen and Han had been looking through online reports over the last few weeks and created files on as many high-ranking members of the police force as they could. Maki had worked to develop her own list, with files on many of her associates. Hopefully, with help from President Hiro, they would be able to investigate government officials as well.

He remembered the conversation they had with Maki back at Air Temple Island. Jinora had left long before that, as Tara and her siblings were making trouble again.

"A simple phone call won't do," Maki had said. "Those can be tracked easily. We need to talk to him in person, privately."

"Can we set up a meeting with him?" Han asked.
"No, he's often too busy, and besides, we need as few people knowing about this as possible."

Shen piped in. "Maybe we can set up an event where I have an excuse to talk to him." The three sat in thought. Finally, Shen spoke.

"Maybe an interview—we could do it jointly."

Maki's eyes lit up. "I could set you up with a friend of mine."

"Who do you have in mind?"

"Kenji Kaba, you've heard of him?"

"Unfortunately, I have." Shen's grandmother was a fan of his, always turning on the TV before she went to bed to watch his show. She found him dreamy, though Shen couldn't see it.

"Kenji would love you on the show. An interview with the president and the Avatar? He couldn't pass that up." They then came up with a plan for Shen to talk to him: Shen would be scheduled to go on TV with the president, and before the show starts, he would try and get his support.

"You have to be quick," Maki had said, "or else the show will start before you can talk to him."

"Alright," Shen replied. "We have a plan."

Shen was brought back to the present moment. Han was still lying in bed. He glanced up at a news article on Shen's screen—"The Red Hand Strikes Again" it read. He looked back up at the ceiling.

"Damn, that Red Hand sure knows how to sneak past police."

"Yeah," Han murmured.

"He would be good to have on our side."

"I suppose."

"Maybe we can contact him some way?"

"Yeah, that's good." Shen looked at Han concernedly.

"Are you okay? Whenever we talk about this guy you always seem upset." Han sat up from the bed and looked at Shen.

"I guess, I'm just kinda…" he paused to think. "Scared. He's been targeting police officers' homes, and I don't want us to be next." Shen put his hand on Han's shoulder.

"Don't worry, Han. If that guy dares come here, he'll have to get through me."

Han smirked. "They would most definitely kick your ass."

"Oh, yeah? What if I did this!" He leapt from the chair onto Han, pinning him to the bed.

"Get off of me," Han pleaded.

"Not until you say I'd kick their ass," Shen teased.

"Never!" Han twisted his body, throwing Shen beside him. The two lied on Han's bed, glaring at one another. Han cracked a smile and Shen began to giggle.

###

Shen stood in the nothingness. Floating in front of him was Raava, swaying back and forth.

"Hello, Raava!" Shen greeted, smiling. The spirit did not respond.

"Raava?" Shen reached out to touch her white body.

"Beware the ones whom you trust. They deceive you," Raava murmured.

"What do you mean? You said I needed to make allies."

"Beware the ones whom you trust. They deceive you," she repeated. Her body turned red, and it morphed into a large glowing hand. Shen tried to scream but was suffocated in its bloody grasp.

Shen woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. He turned to his side, where Han usually was, seeking comfort, but saw that he was not there. He felt a cold breeze come from the window. He looked up. Climbing out the window was a shadowy figure, their body cloaked in black, save for their red ski mask and single red glove. The stranger bolted outside onto the fire escape ladder.

Shen followed the figure, wearing nothing but a sweatshirt and boxers. He chased the figure up the ladder and onto the roof. They stood in the middle of the roof, looking both ways as if thinking about where to go. Shen leapt onto them, pinning them to the ground.

"What the hell did you do to Han?" he said through gritted teeth.

"I–I didn't do anything to him." Their voice was low and gruff.

"Bullshit!" Shen spouted a flame from his hand and brought it closer to the person's face. "Tell me or I'll burn that stupid fucking mask onto you." Through the ski mask, their eyes widened in fear.

"Shen! Stop, it's me!" Their voice changed, and Shen's fire went out as he recognized it.

"Han?" The stranger pushed Shen off of him and ripped off the mask, revealing themselves. Han lied against the railings of the roof, panting. A can of red spray paint rolled out of his sweatshirt pocket.

"You're the Red Hand?" Shen said flabbergasted.

"I– well, yeah."

"You should have told me."

"I didn't want you thinking differently about me…" Han rubbed the arm Shen had sat on. He walked towards him, putting his hand on Han's shoulder.

"I wouldn't have! You're still an amazing person." Shen sat down next to him.

He smirked slightly. "I never thought you'd be a bad boy."

Han scoffed. "With a dad like mine, it's not like you can think too fondly of police."

"You dislike him that much?"

"You're telling me that after living with him for months you still think he's bearable?"

Shen snickered, "Fair enough."

Han glanced at Shen. "So… you really do care about me, huh?"

"Of course!" Shen replied. "I thought I lost you…"

"You think I'm that weak?" he teased.

"No! Not at all." Shen paused. "I honestly really really care about you…"

"Hey," Han interjected. "I care about you, too." They stared into each other's eyes. Shen almost lost his breath as he looked in awe. Even in the moonlight, Han's eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Your eyes are really pretty," he murmured. He blushed, realizing what he had just said. "I– uh, sorry about that. I was just—"

Han grabbed Shen's face and pressed his lips against his. Shen moved back, away from Han.

"We can't do this…"

"What do you mean?"

"What if your parents find out about us?"

"Fuck my parents." Han's eyes seemed like softly lit embers, dancing with determination. "Who cares what they think? If we want to be together, let's be together."

"No," Shen said, standing up. "We can't. Things are too crazy. My interview and the trial are later this week."

"What about after?"

"There might not be an after." The two sat in silence.

"You are an amazing person, Han, but anything between us… it won't be real. I'm sorry, I really am."

"I know you like me," Han said, as Shen began to walk away. He stopped.

"Excuse me?"

"The way you stare at me, the way you acted around me when we were still getting to know each other—it's so obvious. If you deny that… you're just lying to yourself."

"I don't like you." Shen didn't know if he was trying to convince Han or himself. Han could hear the shaking in his voice.

"You're scared, aren't you?"

Beads of sweat dripped down Shen's face. "What? No…"

"I get it. This is new for me, too. But, you have to be honest about your feelings."

"I am being honest!" he snapped. "You are nothing more than a reminder that I am stuck in this stupid city, surrounded by stupid people like you. So no, Han, I'm not madly in love with you, like you seem to think. You know what?" The anger in his voice was palpable. "I hate you." Shen almost immediately regretted what he said, as he saw tears form in Han's eyes.

"Wait, Han—"

"Shut up! You've done enough damage." He slipped on the ski mask and began making his way to the fire escape ladder.

"Hey, don't go!" Shen shouted, grabbing Han's shoulder. "How are you going to get past police?"

"Oh, so now you care?" He pushed Shen's hand off of him. "Just leave me alone, Shen." He pulled the hood of his sweatshirt over his head and moved down the ladder and into the street.

Shen froze where he stood. The silence of the night made the pounding of his heart drum in his ears. He slumped against the roof railing and slid to the ground.

Why had he done that? It was a genuine question to himself. It was certainly an outrageous thing to do, but what purpose did it have? He had wanted this—had wanted Han—for so long, and for a second, he finally did.

But he knew, deep inside, that knew it could never be real. Or was it that… he didn't want it to be real? It was for the best, the voice in his head spoke.

But it wasn't. He had no one else to turn to now.

But you do, the voice said again.

"Who?" Shen spoke into the night. Then he remembered someone. He stood up from where he sat, wiping the tears from his eyes. He looked out into the bay, where the statue of Avatar Aang stood solemnly. As the wind blew, he could almost hear the chanting of the monks.

"Jinora and Maki," he whispered to himself. "Gotta talk to Jinora and Maki."