Thank you for the song recommendations ~ I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.

"I can't believe I saw my Uncle flirting with that woman."

"Our Uncle," Jet reprimands with a teasing smile, "And besides, Mushi was young at one point."

"But still – she was – her voice was nasally and she was – crabby."

"That sounds an awful lot like someone I know," Jet hums, toying with Zuko's hair, "And I still love them despite their flaws."

"Excuse me?" Zuko hisses, tone offended as he smacks Jet's hand away from his personal space, "First off, my voice is not nasally and second, keep your hands to yourself."

"But Li!" Jet whines, almost draping his body over Zuko until he remembers his injuries and opts for squishing Zuko's cheeks together, causing the firebender's mouth to pucker like a fish's, "I just love my baby brother so much!"

The scowl Zuko gives him contrasts greatly against the silly look in such an absurd way that Jet starts laughing pretty loudly at his faux-brother, his laughter not once faltering even as the embarrassed/angry teen slaps his hand away pretty harshly. As Jet starts to calm himself, he fights the urge to bring Zuko in for a kiss, especially when he spots both Smellerbee and Longshot approaching them. Plastering on his best people-person smirk, he gives the duo a wave while Zuko refuses to do anything that shows that he acknowledges the two as he's still pouting prettily.

"Hey guys," Jet greets charmingly, "What's going on?"

"Nothing really," Smellerbee speaks for both herself and Longshot, "But when we saw you two, we just had to come over and see what it was that had you laughing like some crazed madman."

Jet grins at Zuko who glares at him, "Don't you dare."

Jet's grin falls dramatically, he turns to Smellerbee and Longshot, "Sorry guys, but Li here is being crabby."

"I have no problem with admitting that I'm crabby."

"Oh? Like that woman with the nasally voice, right?"

"I swear to God that I will kill you one day."

"Yet here I remain ~ !" Jet crows throwing his hands up in the air and capturing the attention of bystanders, Zuko snarls something particularly nasty under his breath before he storms away, most likely going back to his Uncle. Once his love is out of sight, Jet chuckles, "Really, he says that so many times that it might as well be a term of endearment. So, what are you guys doing once your inside?"

Longshot shrugs while Smellerbee speaks, "I don't know. Just live I guess, find work most likely. What about you?"

"Same thing I guess." Jet frowns, the idea of working in some place day in and day out doesn't sit well within his mind, "Or maybe Mushi and Li will work while I run rampant through the streets of Ba-Sing-Se, who knows?"

Smellerbee snorts, "God forbid the actually let you do that."

"Yeah," Jet guffaws, "By the time Li actually lets me do that is the day this war ends."

Smellerbee blinks, "You don't think the war will end?"

"I - ," Jet sighs, running a hand through his hair, "It's been going on for a century now. Who's to say when it'll end?"

"The Avatar." Smellerbee states, "He's back you know, we met him a while back when he was in the forest we were traveling through at the time." she says, Jet can't help but key in on her features, "His friend was hurt pretty badly, but he was okay."

"Oh?" Jet murmurs mechanically, brow arching curiously, "Did they say what happened?"

"I think they said something about running into the Prince of the Fire Nation and his guard-dog, Jet or Lion-heart, his name is."

Jet was instantly thankful that Iroh had persuaded him into using an alias, even if the name is fairly stupid, "Right. Look, I know the Avatar's back and all, but I heard he was just a kid. And yeah, maybe he'll kill the Fire Lord and restore peace to the world or whatever destiny's got in store for him, and maybe he'll fail, get himself killed and the war goes on – I really don't care so long as I have Li in my sights and nothing more happens to him."

"You're his brother. Not his keeper." Smellerbee frowns, "There are things you just can't stop."

The fact that she sweeps a hand over her eye in a mock imitation of Zuko's scar has Jet bristling, his hand twitches for his shuang-gou but before his fingers can brush against the weapon's handle, the rumbling of stone catches his attention. Looking over his shoulder, he spots the incoming train, Jet turns back to Smellerbee with Longshot now standing protectively before the girl, and the two boys' eyes meet before Jet sneers and leaves the two with a muttered later thrown over his shoulder. Finding both Iroh and Zuko before the train could fully stop, Jet spots a discarded cup with a spilled liquid pooled about it and the smell of tea lingering in the air.

"Butter fingers?"

"No." Zuko hisses through gritted teeth.

The firebender gives him a look that tells him that he'll tell him later, giving a nod, Jet watches the stone train stop before them.

oOo

Having checked out their ridiculously small apartment and gathering a few decorations to make it seem homely, Iroh, Jet, and Zuko stand before a man named Pao, each wearing an apron over their clothing, or in Iroh's case, still trying to tie his as the strings are too short to come together. The man, Pao, steps back and takes in the appearance of his three new workers with a pleasant smile, for the shop owner, he was glad to know that Mushi hadn't been lying when he'd said that his nephews were handsome young lads, as the two boys would surely attract the female populace which in turn would bring in more money as women usually had groups of friends.

"Now you three officially look like tea-servers." Pao says happily, "How do you feel?"

"Ridiculous."

"Awkward."

"Is it possible that you have a larger size?"

Both Jet and Zuko turn to Iroh while Pao smiles, "I have some string in the back. Here, have some tea while you wait."

Jet peers into the steaming cup before glancing at Zuko's cup, "You want mine?"

Zuko levels an annoyed look at Jet, "I don't even want mine. What makes you think I want yours?"

"Just asking." Jet bites out, "No need to get pissy with me."

"Well maybe you should think before you say something stupid."

"Oh that's just rich coming from the one who never thinks things through."

"That's enough you two," Iroh scolds, "This is our first day on the job and I will not allow us to get fired all because you two are having a spat. As you may need reminding, we need the money." he takes a sip of his tea only to spit it out, catching both Jet and Zuko off-guard, "This is nothing more than hot-leaf juice!"

"Uncle," Zuko begins, exasperated, "That's what all tea is."

"How could a member of my own family say such a horrible thing?!" Iroh exclaims dramatically, Zuko frowns while Jet snorts, Iroh grabs the teapot as well as Jet and Zuko's cups, "We are definitely going to need to make some changes around here!"

Jet reclines on a nearby bench, "Please tell me that we don't have to work right away."

"Nope," Pao says as he enters the dining area with two strings in hand, "You three will work later tonight, for now, I'll be giving you the rundown of what goes on, what to expect, what customers are not tolerated, and where things are located."

But as cruel as fate is, Iroh had taken it upon himself and made it his sole mission to make the dingy little teashop as welcoming and appropriate as he could, after drilling some tea-making lessons into both teens' heads, only to run off with Pao in tow to run some errands and buy a few things for the shop – Jet certainly hopes Iroh is using Pao's money rather than their meager allowances.

"It's almost time for us to start working." Zuko hisses irritably from his place behind the counter, "We've been here all day!"

"What have you got to complain about?" Jet snaps from his position at one of the tables, his vambrace and bandages sitting on the table surface, he holds his burned forearm up to reveal red angry skin, blisters, and clear liquid coating the burns, "You're not the one who has to work with a fucking burned arm!"

Now Zuko's no stranger to burns, but Gods, "Shouldn't you cover that up?"

"Why?" Jet sneers, grabbing a clean roll of gauze, "Sick of looking at it already?"

"No," Zuko snaps, "In a place like this, it could get infected. And it doesn't look very sanitary."

"I guess you would know, huh?" Jet says meanly, "After all you've got a gigantic scar covering up half of that pretty face of yours. But poor, unloved Prince Zuko, you were so doped up on painkillers that you couldn't even feel your face."

Zuko blinks, wide-eyed, before scowling viciously, "Fuck you, Jet."

Jet outright laughs, "You already have, Princess."

Nostrils flaring, Zuko spins on his heel and disappears into the back, leaving Jet to silently clean his burn with tears of pain welling up within the corners of his eyes. God, he should apologize to Zuko. After wrapping his arm up and managing to slip into his vambrace, he forces himself to his feet and makes for the kitchen area where he spies Zuko standing at the sink with his hands stuffed into soapy water, water that shouldn't really be steaming like that.

"You know you shouldn't be doing that."

"So what?"

Jet snaps, "Someone could catch you."

"It's just hot water, idiot."

"What is - ?!" Jet bites his tongue and holds his breath before sighing heavily, "Look, I came to apologize, for what I said earlier."

"I don't want to hear it." Zuko spits, the water starts to boil, "Now leave me alone."

"Just listen, I - ," Jet sees the water start broiling, he grabs Zuko's arm and pulls him away from the water, "Stop that!"

SMACK!

"Don't you dare touch me again!" Zuko shouts, "Now get out of here and leave me alone!"

Jet blinks, he can feel the skin of his cheek heat up, "What is wrong with you!?"

"What's wrong with me?!" Zuko starts, "You have no right asking me that! Not after what you said! I don't care if you're here to apologize to me, I won't hear it and I sure as hell don't want it! Now leave before I get angrier!"

"You're always mad!" Jet barrels on, "No matter what we're doing! Or where we are! You're always acting like some pompous Prince! And in case you forgot Prince Zuko, you're no longer royalty! You're a disgrace! No one wants you!"

Tears spring to life in the firebender's eyes, "Leave."

"Zuko - ,"

"We're through." Zuko rasps angrily, he points to the door, "Now leave, me, alone." Jet reaches out but Zuko snatches a plate from the sink and tosses it at Jet who ducks as it shatters against the wall above him, "LEAVE!"

Heart cracking, Jet takes a step back, eyes trained on Zuko's expression before he spins on his heel and leaves the kitchen, but before he can really exit the establishment, both Iroh and Pao burst through the door with some boxes in their arms. Luckily neither men tries to hand them off to him, not even Pao who'd been having him doing various chores before, but when the man's eyes flit to Jet's bandaged arm, he realizes that Iroh must have told the Earth Kingdom man about his wounded arm.

"Fan," Pao starts, "Please wipe the tables down once more before we open."

"Okay."

"Li ~ !" Iroh calls out, "Be a good Nephew and help me store these in the backroom ~ !"

Jet watches Zuko exit the kitchen, he doesn't look like he's been crying, in fact, he looks more pissed than he had before, the 17 year old isn't sure if that's a good thing or not – when things slow down and Zuko has yet to talk to him, let alone look at him, Jet feels panic take hold of his heart. So when they get the okay from Admiral Pao, a name Jet had given the man, a name in which Pao had happily accepted, the three leave for home. As they're getting into their separate futons, Jet tries again:

"Zuko, I'm sorry."

"Leave me alone."

Poor things :(