Disclaimer: "You always talk too much Too little Too late Too much Too little Too late For me to figure out"
(An: Here is the other half, in which we have the fight scenes and the "romance"… I don't know what I was ON when I wrote this, but at least it's something Longerbee.
The Fire Nation attacked that night. We were ready to leave, waiting for Jet at the bottom of the main tree, when an arrow sprouted in the trunk, just missing my head. My bow was in my hands in an instant; an arrow strung, I waited for the archer to make a sound.
A branch rustled to our left. Smellerbee pulled out her dagger. "I've come to get my sword back, boy." Smellerbee's eye twitched, and she pounced. I felt sorry for him, really.
I shot at the next noise I heard and was rewarded with a yell. I fired again, and the scream ended abruptly.
I'd never been good at hand-to-hand combat, but at least the third guy didn't surprise me. There was a crack behind me, and I whirled. Another soldier ran at me. I flipped up my bow, blocking his sword. I had a knife, but I didn't think I could hold him off one-handed. There was a pause as we just stared at each other; this guy was definitely inexperienced. He tried to free his sword, but it was lodged firmly in the ash.
I yanked back, wincing at the splinters. He stumbled, and I slammed the bow into his chest (by then, it wasn't good for much else…). He went down, arms flailing. I felt a sharp pain and realized he'd grazed my side. I tripped as the man tried to get up. He didn't get a chance; Smellerbee stabbed him and turned to me.
"Longshot-" she started, and then she noticed I was bleeding. Her eyes widened. She gently pushed me backwards, away from the body and against a tree. "Stay still, ok?" she whispered, her voice trembling. She opened my tunic and ran her fingers over my abdomen. "You're such an idiot!" But she sounded intensely relieved.
She glanced around for anything to staunch the wound and started unwrapping the bandages on my arms. I twitched away unconsciously; there was a reason I wore those. She glared at me. "It's not serious, but it will be if you don't let me stop the bleeding." I blinked, realizing she was terrified. Was she really that shaken up by the thought of me getting hurt? It was actually rather gratifying.
I held out my hands, and she began again. She paused just past my wrist. I'd known she would. She shook herself and unwrapped the rest, pressing the pad to my side. She unwound the wrappings on my other arm and tied off the wound.
Then she sat back on her heels and looked up at me. "So it's can't?" she murmured. I nodded. She sat down beside me, lightly tracing one of the scars on my arms. "I always wondered why you got sore before it rained." I made a face at her and closed my eyes; I was too tired to argue.
When Jet finally appeared, Smellerbee yelled, "What took you so long?"
Jet ignored her, surveying the scene. "Nice work. What-" He looked at us and frowned, cocking his head. Then he rolled his eyes and hopped to the ground. "What happened to Longshot?"
"He got sloppy," said Smellerbee in the most affectionate tone I'd ever heard her use. She ignored my incredulous stare and tugged me to my feet. "Come on, you can walk."
O-o-O-o-O
All the songs, no matter how stupid, were right: it was a long, long way to Ba Sing Se. Amazingly, though, we got to the ferry that would bring us there without much trouble. We were only attacked once.
I was trying to find a comfortable position on the ground (it was raining, and now I had a new scar to bug me), when an arrow whizzed past my nose. Why do they always shoot at me? I wondered, listening for anything that would tell me where my assailant was.
Smellerbee and Jet were up now, too, Jet drawing his shuang gou, Smellerbee's eyes flicking around the edges of our camp.
A lazy-looking bandit stepped out of the shadows. "Why don't you just give up? I'm sure you're eager to go back to sleep."
I fired a warning shot, my arrow nicking his shoulder.
The bandit heaved a belabored sigh. "Keep that in mind, boys- I did try to warn them," he said, like we were the ones bothering them. Five more bandits melted out of the forest.
Smellerbee suppressed a yawn. "Can we get this over with? I was having a good dream."
The bandit smirked and lowered his arm. Another arrow flew out of the treetops. Jet dodged it and eyed the leader, looking bored.
Rule number one, I thought, searching out the archer, never make the first move. A branch groaned, and the archer fell from his tree, my arrow in his leg.
One of the bandits swore and started for me, and the fight began in earnest. Jet went for the leader, who drew a broadsword. They weren't going anywhere. Smellerbee threw a dagger at the bandit aiming for me. I brought him down with another arrow and a sour look. Sore arms or not, I did not need her help. She shrugged at me and crouched to retrieve her dagger. When one of the men came at her with a spear, she jumped up and swept his legs out from beneath him. The bandit landed on top of his prone friend and swore again as she kicked him in the head.
I glanced at Jet and the leader; they were pretty evenly matched. Jet was fast with his shuang gou, but the broadsword could parry them without a problem.
Smellerbee was assailed by two at once. I fired at the closest one; the arrow buried itself in his back, and Smellerbee took him out. She pulled a face at me. To emphasize that she didn't need my help either, she slammed her knee into the other bandit's chest and knifed him in the side.
The last man, who had been trying to help his leader, saw me with another arrow taut and Smellerbee sizing him up. Wisely, he ran.
"Smart," commented Smellerbee, sitting on the one she'd kicked in the head. While it was a good idea in theory, it wasn't so much in practice. He flung her off, using his momentum to sit up and to slam her into a tree. There was a nasty crack; I had an arrow nocked and pointed at his throat in an instant. If he'd hurt her... Smellerbee swore loudly in the background, and I breathed an inner sigh of relief. The man stood, holding his hands out.
"You'd better run," yawned Jet in the background, wiping blood off one of his shuang gou. "Longshot never misses, and those arrows can puncture armor. I'd hate to think what they could do to you at point-blank range."
He fled, and I dropped my bow in my haste to get to Smellerbee. She was dazed and couldn't quite focus. Jet bent and began to feel along her arms for breaks. "Greenstick," he decided after a moment. She didn't resist until he started to undo her chestplate.
"No!" She tried to move out of his grasp, but Jet was stronger.
"Calm down, would you? Modesty's a lot less important than a possible cracked rib."
"At least let me do it, then," she snapped. She undid the straps and managed to take it off one-handed, swearing when it jostled her arm. "There, ok?"
Jet's reaction was eerily similar to mine: a blank stare. Wasn't he supposed to be good with girls? I didn't have a prayer. "Um…?"
She ignored him and got up. "Yeah, I'm a girl. So if you don't mind, I'll inspect myself." She turned her back and reached up her shirt, feeling for anything unusual.
Jet looked at me and noticed I was already looking away. "You knew!"
"He found out by accident," Smellerbee replied. "He kept it a secret because I asked."
"Four years, Smellerbee, four years! And you never thought to tell me?"
Smellerbee shrugged, looking uncomfortable. She closed her shirt. I glanced at her. "Nothing's broken but the arm. Quit worrying about me. I can take care of myself." I knew she was upset, but that stung. I liked protecting her. It was different in the fight; right now, she was just trying to irk me. She looked at Jet. "The same goes for you. It's not that big of a deal."
"Were you just planning to be a guy for the rest of your life?" Jet demanded.
"I meant to tell you eventually," she mumbled, turning red. "But it's not easy to bring up. 'Morning, Jet, how are you? I'm fine, too. Oh, and a girl. How about that, huh?'"
Jet pinched the bridge of his nose. Mortification was the only thing that made him look like a teenager. "But I undressed in front of you."
"Oh, suck it up. It's not like I looked… much." Jet blinked. "That was a joke."
He sighed. "Longshot, splint her arm." I raised an eyebrow. "Because! I am going back to bed!"
I rolled my eyes and picked up a suitable-looking stick. I sat beside her, and she held out her arm without meeting my eyes. I started wrapping it, keeping my face mild. She flinched, and I looked up, and for a second, all I could do was stare at her. "We need to stop meeting like this," she mumbled. I shook myself and started again. When I finished, I started to get up. I didn't want to take any chances on doing something stupid.
But she yanked me down again with her good arm. I blinked. "I don't feel like moving and you're warm, that's why," she replied, resting her head on my shoulder. "Now things are going to be all awkward." I carefully put an arm around her, trying to avoid her bruises. "It doesn't bother me that much, though." She yawned. "Maybe it's because you're here. You always accept me." I glanced down at her, my eyes wide, but she was asleep. I didn't close my eyes for a long while, watching the moon. I knew that if I stared at her, I wouldn't get any rest.
O-o-O-o-O
Smellerbee didn't relax around Jet as she had me- did that means she still had a crush on him, or that our friendship was stronger? In fact, she didn't talk much at all in the next few days; she seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. This suited me and Jet just fine.
He didn't seem that bothered by Smellerbee's revelation; Jet was the sort who could shrug and move on once the initial shock had passed without much trouble. It wasn't like she acted like a girl, after all. The only time she ever did was when offended, but even then her honesty was boyish.
Oddly enough, Smellerbee barely glanced at him during that time. I caught her studying me often, though, but I tried not to think about that. It had been two years, and nothing had happened between us. It was doubtful that would change.
Looking back, I was always wrong when it came to that girl…
O-o-O-o-O
I enjoyed the ferry ride to Ba Sing Se. The two refugees Jet befriended were nice enough, and it really did seem like we were on our way to a fresh start.
"Being a girl is hard," Smellerbee muttered, on the night Mushi confused her for a boy. "I'm not any different, but it changes everything. I know it's unavoidable, but that doesn't mean I have to like it, right?" I looked down at her, raising my eyebrows, and she made a face at me. "You already told me that. I know it doesn't matter what other people think, but-" she paused, looking at me oddly, "-sometimes it does." I wrinkled my nose, confused, but she had already walked off.
In the morning Mushi appeared bearing a teapot, cups and a sheepish grin. Lee trailed along in his wake, looking disgusted. Smellerbee eyed him, skeptical. Mushi sat down in front of her and poured a cup of tea as he said, "I realize that words will do little to make up for my grievous mistake, so I was hoping I could tempt you with a soothing cup of," he held up the drink, "jasmine tea?"
Lee, behind him, rubbed his temples. "Uncle, not all of life's problems can be solved with tea."
Mushi looked horrified. "The day I believe that is the day life is not worth living!" Smellerbee rolled her eyes and took the cup. Mushi beamed at her and held out another to me. "And every lady needs a stalwart defender!"
I blinked, and Smellerbee almost choked on her tea. "'Stalwart defender'?" she asked, lips twitching.
Mushi shrugged as I took the cup. "They can't all be winners, my dear. Lee, would you-"
"No," said Lee, his face flat.
"Suit yourself." Mushi poured himself a cup and took a long sip, looking rapturous. "If only the captain had had some ginseng. This morning would have been perfect." Lee's eye twitched. Mushi ignored him and looked at me. "So, are you as skilled with the longbow as the short?"
I grimaced, taking a drink of my tea. Smellerbee gave up and collapsed in helpless giggles. It took her several minutes to calm enough to explain my opinion.
O-o-O-o-O
They really were all right, which was why Smellerbee was so incensed when Jet told us his suspicions. "So much for changing," she muttered when he left. "I mean, it's nice that you don't change. But him? He's just being stubborn." I cocked my head, and she closed her eyes. "I'm trying to change… I'm just…" She looked at me, her wide eyes pleading. "I'm not very good at it." She looked at me a moment longer, then shook her head, looking annoyed with herself. She walked away, leaving me with the feeling I'd just missed something very important.
O-o-O-o-O
Life in Ba Sing Se was different, but not in a bad way. We had enough money to rent a one-room place to stay, and jobs weren't hard to find. Smellerbee, however, was annoyed by Jet's inability to let his misgivings go. "He's putting us in danger," she murmured, staring at the moon on our first night in the city. "The people here are really picky about their peace. If he makes trouble, we'll lose everything." I looked down at her, surprised that she would think anything could ever make me leave her side. "I know, but still. Thinking about it scares me." I slipped my arms around her waist. Don't worry, I wanted to murmur in her ear.
Even if I could speak, I wouldn't have gotten the chance. She brushed my cheek, and then she was kissing me. And that made all of this just a dream. A good dream, but a dream nonetheless, and I would wake up in our house in a minute and probably spend the rest of the night awake, listening to her breathe.
And then I shifted a little, and my quiver scraped my back. That never happened in dreams. My eyes flew open, and I backed away.
Smellerbee turned very red and ducked her head. I could feel myself blushing as well. "Um…" Realizing what she thought, I tilted her chin up and made her look at me. "I told you I wasn't very good," she murmured, avoiding my eyes. "I mean, I tried to think of a way to tell you, but I thought you knew, and-" She paused, meeting my disbelieving gaze. "What?"
I shook my head, amazed that she had been friends with me for so long and still thought words meant anything. I leaned forward and kissed her. Smellerbee seemed surprised, but she was willing enough once the shock wore off.
O-o-O-o-O
It was hard, walking away from Jet, but we did. "After all," Smellerbee murmured, leaning against me, "why bother changing if you're going to be half-assed?"
(Definitely not the fic I was intending to write. I guess it's well enough in its own right, though.)