Took a while.


Glass Half Empty

VI

Head feeling like it were stuffed with cotton, tongue uncomfortably dry, and thoughts racing, he realizes too late what is going to happen if he doesn't find a calm place to ride out the storm of oncoming feelings. Someone brushes against his arm. Immediately remembering Li, he looks at the smaller teen from the corner of his eye . . . he couldn't just abandon Li or cut their time short after he'd brought him out, he didn't want to, even if it was stupid of him . . . he just wanted Li around, which meant the other would bear witness to an ugly relapse.

He feigns indifference, even as the tips of his fingers start to chill, "Want some noodles?"

Li looks up at him, looking him over before he shrugs, "Sure."

It isn't what Jet originally intended to eat, but he knew a great place that wasn't an open floor plan like the rest of the restaurants which meant the place he had in mind would provide him with just the tiniest bit of privacy to soothe his mind, to work the images of fire burning his world to ash away . . . Li stops and Jet isn't about to leave him behind since Li's presence was actually helping soothe his frayed nerves, so he stops as well. But Li is starting to bristle like the stray cats Jet had seen wander the streets, his eyes narrowed and staring intently at something, or someone. Just as Jet turns, he spots a familiar face in the crowds, and it isn't what he needs right now, especially with Li's metaphorical hackles raised and looking like he'd either run or punch the approaching person who waves at Jet in a manner the dusky teen had seen the other use when trying to prompt men and women to give him a tumble.

"Jet~," the slim male purrs, "~fancy seeing you here."

"Siyu." Jet slaps on a carefree smile. "I could say the same of you."

"It's odd seeing a coworker or customer outside of business hours, let me tell you." Siyu finally spots Li standing stiff at Jet's side, the courtesan arches a delicate brow. "And who is this? A friend, or a friend, of yours?"

"His name's Li, and he's a friend."

"I see." Siyu sticks his hand out for Li to shake, pretty smile in place, "I'm Siyu. I'm also a friend of Jet's."

Li is now looking at Siyu's hand like it were the single most disgusting thing he's ever had the displeasure of laying his eyes upon, he even sets a foot behind the other as if he were ready to put some much needed space between them. Siyu sees this, then again, you would have to be blind to not see the look on Li's face, not when he has his thoughts written across his face, so Siyu lets his hand fall back to his side and is now eyeing Li critically, Li simply scowls:

"You're an Omega."

Siyu narrows his eyes, "And?"

Li meets his gaze, scowling as he says, "You reek."

"It's called pheromones." Siyu jeers, Jet tenses when he realizes that Siyu's scent is becoming stronger, Li notices as well considering that he recoils from the sudden intensity of Omega pheromones. "I take it you're one of those people that think Omega's should be decent and proper."

Li is covering his nose and mouth with both hands, "No, I'm not. I just hate Omegas."

Siyu blinks in surprise, then huffs, turning to Jet. "Some friend you have, that's the first I've heard of someone not liking Omegas." his expression turns sweet as he sidles up to Jet, "What about you~?"

Jet smirks down at the flirty male, "It depends."

Siyu smiles, "On~?"

Li outright snarls, loud and out of place, it scares Siyu enough that he jumps and it makes Jet tense because he'd only ever heard guttural sounds like that back in the forests during skirmishes with Fire Nation soldiers . . . but the fact that the sound came from Li, who's looking like he's going to seriously maim someone, makes Jet's heart pound and blood rush south. It was crude and was seriously sending chills down his spine.

Pulling himself together, he slips behind Li and sets his hands on his shoulder, the guy was tense, "It was nice seeing you, Siyu." he starts guiding Li away from the Omega. Once they're away from the other, Li rips himself out of Jet's hold, smacking his hands away. "Li."

"Now you reek." Li spits, caustic. "I hate it."

Jet fights against the urge to roll his eyes, "I'll wash up when I get home."

Li keeps silent and they move on, outside the restaurant, Li finally speaks, "Make it to go." Jet arches a brow in questioning, Li scowls to his right. "We're heading to your place to get that smell off."

Jet wants to reach out and touch, but he knows he'll get a bruised gut if he tries, "All right."

G-H-E

Opening his eyes, he stares at the ceiling of the washroom . . . true to his word, he had readied himself a steaming hot bath, the waters scalding and tinting his skin with red splotches, the pain had eaten away at the memories threatening to overcome him. Being home also helped . . . but as it was, he was getting sick of the stuffy air, so he decides to get out and get dressed, besides, he hadn't smelled like Siyu for a while now.

Stepping out of the bathing room, he sees Li sitting at the table, already digging in to his own meal, Jet huffs, so much for camaraderie. Padding across the wooden floors, he takes a seat on the futon opposite of the other teenager and starts helping himself, which is until he notices that Li has stopped eating and is now staring at him:

"Something wrong?"

Li frowns and sets his utensils down, "You said . . . we're friends, right?"

"Yeah." Jet stirs his food with his chopsticks, "I'm pretty sure I've said that time and time again."

Zuko watches Jet lift the bowl and guide the noodles into his mouth . . . he feels something akin to contentment and it was suffocating him. As far as Zuko could tell, he wasn't going to be getting out of Ba-Sing-Se anytime soon as there were walls and restrictions aplenty, no one talked of the war or the Avatar, and Dai-Li constantly prowled the streets. Jet . . . wants to be his friend. Surely there was no harm in befriending the Earth Kingdom male, and if, if, the time came for him to leave, he could do so with little trouble since it was doubtful that he would ever see the peasant urchin if he were to continue his original mission of hunting the Avatar, plus having a friend from here would definitely help lend credibility to his refugee cover.

He'd have to avoid the deep conversations and the prodding questions that were sure to come.

Although, deflecting and lying wasn't one of his best . . . talents.

Was he over thinking things?

Or was he not thinking things through enough?

Did it matter?

Probably.

Probably not.

He'd just have to cross that bridge when the time came.

For now, he was starting to feel that ridiculously childish urge to mark Jet as his, like he'd done when he was a kit claiming his toys as his own, not that it stopped Azula from taking his stuff, and Jet was his shiny new toy . . . until Zuko decided to discard him. Would Jet mind if Zuko scent marked him? Would his scent glands even work?

It's been so long.

Turning his forearm over, he stares at his wrist a moment or two before he starts rubbing his fingertips against the sensitive skin, it feels weird, his scent gland not used to being . . . well, used or even touched. It takes quite a while until the tiniest bit of an oil like substance sparsely coats a small portion of his wrist. Zuko pauses. And takes to staring at his wrist. Doing this meant . . . that he was comfortable with his Omega half, which was a spirits damned lie because he could already feel the bile rising within the back of his throat, the thought of weakness beginning to crush him.

"Is that you?" Jet asks out of nowhere, breaking Zuko from his self-loathing, he watches the taller teen lean forward; nose tilted the tiniest bit into the air before he sits back once more. "You smell . . . good."

Zuko feels, oddly warm at that comment, "Um . . . thanks?"

Now Jet is staring at him, he starts to shift under his heavy stare, "Are you okay?" the Earth Kingdom Alpha finally asks, "You're looking . . . paler than you usually are."

"I'm . . . ," there's nothing wrong with giving Jet the tiniest snippet, is there? " . . . no, no I'm not." Zuko returns to staring at his wrist, fully aware of Jet's entire attention being solely focused on him, "It's . . . been a while since . . . my scent glands were used."

"Everyone has scent glands y'know," says Jet, he pokes at the cut meat in his bowl, "It isn't exclusive to Omegas."

Li snorts, harsh and biting, "But how many advertise that they're Omegas?"

Jet chuckles, low and somber, "We're a fine mess, aren't we?"

Li looks at him, "What are you talking about?"

Jet contemplates the choice between explaining what he meant, or letting it all go, he just smiles, "I'm tired."

He lets it go . . . talk of the Fire Nation would only stir up the memories he'd fought back earlier and bring the tainted emotions to light, not to mention that it would make Li clam up . . . the Fire Nation have done so much.

"I'll go then."

"No."

"No?"

"Nap with me."

Li's face scrunches up at the thought, still adverse to touch as ever, "Why would I do that?"

"We're friends." Jet shrugs, he gets to his feet and stretches his arms high above his head, "It isn't unheard of for friends to take naps together."

"Only if they're close." frowns Li, "I barely just acknowledged you as more than a nuisance."

This startles a laugh from Jet, "You do you then. I'm hitting the hay."

Zuko watches Jet breeze past him and enter a room that was most likely his, he notices that as the door closes, that the door is open just the tiniest bit, an invitation should he decide to join the other in his midday nap. Looking to the front door, he realizes that he's seriously debating on joining the brunette. Frowning, he rises . . . and just stands there.

He wanted to.

That feeling of wanting another's touch is still there, has been there since last night, and this was his chance to . . . what?

Curl up with Jet like a pair of cats basking in the noon sun?

Shutting his eyes, he growls to himself and starts for the door, as he is about to open it, he pauses and curses, pulling away violently, he spins on his heel and makes his way towards the bedroom door. Sliding it open, he spots Jet lying on his back, arms behind his head, legs crossed at the ankles, and shirtless?

Either Jet was quick to rid himself of his shirt.

Or Zuko had been standing in the other room long enough for him to remove his top in a casual manner.

"If that's how you sleep, then I might be the slightest bit concerned for you."

Zuko startles, he watches Jet open his eyes and look at him, he feels a prick of embarrassment being the sole occupant of that dark gaze before he finally forces himself to move, he takes a cautious step towards the futon and kneels at the edge where he hesitates, still watching Jet watch him. They keep the staring match going for what seems like minutes when Jet snorts and shuts his eyes, rolling over on to his side. Free of his gaze, Zuko crawls on to the futon and settles at the space beside Jet, several inches between their bodies to prevent accidental touching.

At first, it's awkward because he feels stiff and out of place at Jet's back, then realizes that he's probably making a big deal out of nothing and deigns to make himself more comfortable by removing his outer robe and setting it aside, to show that he wasn't as uncomfortable as he felt. Just the tiniest bit freer; he rolls on to his side and shuts his eyes.

And it was sometime during their nap that they do end up curling around one another like a pair of cats indeed basking in the warm noon sun.


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