A. N. : I think someday I might just end up writing stories about the time Jet spent in the forest.

Preparing food is hard.

Uncle is teaching Jet how to brew tea, all the while keeping an eye on the duck, and Zuko is making meatballs. He liked chopping vegetable better, at least then he knew what he was doing and the texture wasn't… ugh.

Lin is strapped to his back and it's kind of strange – he is so used to having her on his chest after all. He can feel her drooling on his shoulder and he doesn't know what's worse between that and the raw meat.

The meat makes a squishy sound – okay, this is definitely worse.

He must be making a really disgusted face, because Jet laughs at him and says he wouldn't have fared well in the forest, what with having to actually prepare the beast before eating it, and did he ever tell about the time he ended up accidentally hunting a platypus-bear ?

What.

Jet tells his tale, then another, and he's a great storyteller so Zuko doesn't realize that time passes, and suddenly he is done and sitting at the table with Lin on his lap, and they're all waiting for the others to arrive.

They do, and Jet jumps to his feet and hugs them like he hasn't seen them in years, and the table is a bit cramped once everyone is sitting, but really it's fine this way, and Zuko serves them tea while Jet goes on with his tales – Smellerbee adds a sarcastic comment here and there and corrects him when she feels the story is getting too self-aggrandizing.

They toast – to the Jasmine Dragon – and Zuko is pretty sure Longshot didn't even bother mouthing the words, but he raised his cup and nodded, so at least the feeling is there.

They chitchat for a while and then eat. The duck is perfect, the noodles deliciously spicy – too spicy for Jet apparently –and Smellerbee asks who made the meatballs – none of them are the same width, it's almost miraculous – they all laugh and Jet pats Zuko on the back – guess you're not going to be a cook anytime soon – and even he has to admit these are really bad.

This goes on for some time, and once they are all done with their meal – Zuko hasn't had a stomach this full since he was banished – and lazily drinking tea, or whatever Jet is doing on the floor – digesting, he says – Uncle stands up and starts talking.

Having a tea shop of his own has always been his dream, and he must thank the spirits for this. He would also like to take this chance to work around people he appreciates, if they accept – Jet doesn't bother getting off the ground and simply raises his thumb, which, Zuko guesses, probably means okay in Earth Kingdom – or have the opportunity – he looks straight at Zuko and where the hell is this speech going ?

Uncle knows there is no opportunity so long as the babysitting problem hasn't been solved, so unless he has an idea –

Oh spirits no.

Jet raises his hand just as Zuko snaps his heard toward Uncle, but he was probably expecting the objection and doesn't give them the time to speak their mind – he asks Longshot if he wants to look after Lin when Zuko – Li – works.

And while Longshot is without a doubt responsible enough for that, Zuko thinks it would be better for Lin to spend her days with someone who will talk to her. Or in front of her. So she can learn. No offense.

Longshot shrugs and looks at Uncle with both eyebrows raised – listening but not impressed.

But Uncle seems to have expected that too, since he adds that of course, Smellerbee could help.

Being the practical person she is, the only thing she does is ask about her hypothetical salary. Jet makes and offended noise at that – he really spent too much time away from civilization – Longshot smiles, and Zuko pinches the bridge of his nose. There's really no way to reasonably object without talking about the bending thing, and today already saw too many explanations happen to his liking. And most of them didn't go well.

But even without arguing they will have to talk about it !

Zuko grunts and looks to Jet for some kind of support – maybe he could convince the two to refuse – but Jet just shakes his head and gestures Uncle. Great. Just – wonderful.

Smellerbee looks at them, dumbfounded. Why are they so opposed to this ? Zuko – Li – she can understand, kind of, with how much of an overprotective dad he is, but Jet ? Doesn't he trust them ?

And for once, Jet doesn't seem to know what to say.

He doesn't have to – Lin sneezes on Zuko's sleeve, and what is it made of to catch fire that fast –

Jet grabs the bucket and almost throws it along with the water before Zuko can manage to say anything. Uncle looks baffled. Lin starts crying. Longshot has jumped to his feet and Smellerbee now has a knife in her hand.

Zuko is pretty sure the spirits want his head.