Genre: Sci-fi

Rating: T

Summary: There's something on the ship, and Jet has a feeling he knows what - or who - it is. (Space-faring AU, Jetko)

More food is missing than should be. Some of the boxes look like they've been clawed open. There's a trail of crumbs leading to below the vent.

This, Sokka thinks, is one hell of a pest.

Jet whistles behind him. "We're gonna have to make a stop soon, if this thing keeps eating all our meat. Kinda need that." They have a garden on board, complete with a variety of vegetables and bush-berries and beans, but it isn't quite enough protein. Not to mention that not everyone's vegetarian.

"No kidding." Sokka stands up, surveying the damage again. "Come on, help me clean up and take inventory."

Jet sits quietly in one of the ship's many hidey-holes, inspecting the bag of jerky he snatched from the trashed storeroom. He wonders if their little stowaway will like it. It's been a while since the last raid, mostly because of Jet feeding him, but he knows he can't sneak enough out to prevent them entirely.

Right on time, he hears a scuttling-stepping sound that can only come from one person. The alien barely fits in the corridor, chitinous plates scraping against the narrow walls, his posture almost ape-like. Dark blues shimmer off his scales. "Evening."

"Evening, Zuko," he says back in his native Arabic. He doesn't know how he understands the alien's chirping, whistling language, or how the alien understands him, but maybe he doesn't need to. What they have is simple and warm and they understand each other where it counts.

He holds out the jerky and Zuko takes it, settling into a sitting position. "Alturian shoki this time. You'll like it, I think."

Zuko gives off a little chittering sound that Jet somehow knows is the equivalent of a hum. "Really." His delicate claws, five fingers like a human's hand, rip a hole in the bag as he lifts out a single piece to try it. "I can smell its spices."

"It's pretty flavorful."

That chittering-hum from Zuko again. He tends to be pretty picky with his food when he can afford to be.

Finally he bites the piece, closing shimmering eyes to better savor it. "Not bad. But frankly could have gone with more spicy."

"You always say that."

"I like spicy."

"No kidding." Jet laughs, then sobers. "Allah, what am I going to do? I have to break the news to the others somehow, but there's no way they'll believe me about everything."

"You'll figure it out. You figured me out." Zuko reaches long arms and gently, gently, pulls Jet into his lap, circling segmented arms around him. "You've got to, for both of us."

He knew. He just didn't know how.

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