I very much enjoyed writing this one so I hope you all enjoy reading it.

Chapter Rating: M
Chapter Warning: Brief descriptions of sexual themes, language, cuteness
World: Set in the most common Jetko timeline - Jet doesn't see Iroh heating his tea, they're living in Ba Sing Se, the works. This is early in their relationship
Word Count: 701

When Jet shoved Li harshly against the wall in his small rented room, he wasn't expecting the usually-quiet boy to say anything. The few prior times they'd done this, Li had gone along in all good graces, never once uttering a word. He'd make noise, sure, but speaking wasn't a thing he did while his mouth was preoccupied with Jet's lips or his neck or, better yet, his cock.

So when Li tore his mouth away to pant out words, actual words, Jet was thoroughly surprised.

"The light," he whispered, so softly Jet was unsure if he heard him correctly. He tilted his head in question and Li looked away from his face, not meeting his eye. "Can you put the light out?" he asked and suddenly, he seemed so...shy.

It was obvious Li wasn't the most experienced of young fellows out there, seeing as Jet had to coax everything out of him with almost painful slowness, but it wasn't like he was typically a timid person. Anger simmered under everything he did and the pride rolled off of him in waves. He was quick to set off, quick to speak his mind and almost impossible to change.

Jet couldn't help but grin at him as he reached to brush the hair out of his face, careful to keep his hand on the unscarred side of it. "You're not getting shy on me, are you?" he teased. Jet wasn't one to keep his mouth shut in a situation like this, even if it would probably be better.

Li didn't say anything, simply continued glaring at the floor. Jet rolled his eyes but shrugged. "If that's what you want," he said as he pushed away from the wall to put out the oil lamp that hung on a hook next to the door.

Jet didn't know whether or not to be offended. Was it something about him? Maybe Li wanted to pretend he was someone else. Maybe Jet wasn't good enough and he was ashamed of what they did together. Maybe he actually didn't think Jet was all that attractive and didn't want to look at him when they fucked.

...Nah, that couldn't be it.

He stalked back to where Li was huddled against the wall and wasted no time in reclaiming his lips. The small noise of surprised that was caught between them was music to Jet's ears. So what if he didn't know what reason this boy had for not wanting to see him? Didn't make any difference to Jet.

At least, that's what he told himself.

As a matter of fact, he thought about it the whole time. While he was pulling layers of fabric off of Li, while he was pinning his body beneath him on the thin cot, while he was leaving marks over his pale skin, while he was shoving his fingers into Li's mouth and even when he was fucking him ruthlessly into the creaking floorboards, making him moan with reckless abandon.

He wondered. That whole time.

It was exhausting, really. To the point that Jet was grateful for it being so dark. He didn't want Li to see the lines of thought etched into his face, to realize that his mind was entirely elsewhere.

It was only after, both of them sprawled on their backs, panting like koi fish out of water, that Jet could stop thinking about it.

"It's not you."

Jet turned toward Li's voice, trying to make out the outline of his face, though it was futile.

"I just…" Li continued, but he hesitated, as if he were trying to pick the right words. "I just like the dark. It's...safer," was what he finally said. Then he was turning over, giving Jet his bare, closed-off shoulders before he pulled the blanket up to his chin. He said nothing else before falling asleep.

Jet stared at what little he could see of Li for a long time, thinking. It still didn't make any sense, not really. But at the same time, it did. It made sense to Li.

Eventually, as Jet stared up at the ceiling, listening to Li's deep breaths beside him, the dark began to feel safe to him too.