A. N. : I live ! I miscalculated the fact that the finals started right after my deadline so I had to start writing later than planned, but I'm here, the chapter is here, and next chapter is started. So yeah. This one is a calm one, as you probably guessed from the title.

Lin just won't stop wriggling.

It seems like she is having one of those days – babbling and moving and trying to jump into all and any fires she sees and just generally unable to stay calm.

Feeding her is an almost impossible task. Zuko is so tired. And hungry. Please just eat already…

The old man – Shi, his name was Shi and Jet should really stop calling him old man because now Zuko is starting to do it too and that's just rude – Shi gave them the address of a restaurant so full no one would ever pay attention to them, and even gave them money so they could go. Zuko has no idea what to make of that.

It's obvious that Shi knows something – but what and why would he help ? Or maybe he just pities them. After all, from what Zuko managed to get out of Jet, he had the incredible luck of witnessing one of Jet's firebenders should all just die mood.

Mostly, the old – Shi, damn it – Shi was lucky to survive the encounter. Even if he doesn't know it. Zuko hopes he doesn't know it.

Right now, Jet is eyeing his food suspiciously, either looking for traces of poison or trying to evaluate its spiciness, Zuko isn't sure. Jet probably thinks they're one and the same, anyway.

Zuko wonders what the others are doing. He said he'd take care of Jet today – he really thought it would take the whole day – so there's no problem with being away from them. In theory. Though they are just as likely to run into a Fire Nation patrol as he is and that isn't exactly reassuring. Not everyone can have the chance to be mistaken for a student.

Well. The Avatar is probably still in school – which he finds fun, Zuko still isn't over it. Sokka must be reworking their schedule for the fiftieth time today. That, or he's worried about birds again. Toph said she wanted to play a bit with volcanic stone, which probably means the island will grow a new hill. And Katara – does Katara ever do something that doesn't involve worrying over other people ? Eh, maybe she's training. Or trying to sop Toph from redrawing the island map.

Lin still doesn't want to eat and the food is growing cold. Would re-heating it in front of Jet be a good – no, no it wouldn't. Shame. Zuko hates eating cold.

He sighs and tries again. Come on Lin… Please…

Zuko is close to giving up when Jet offers to take her – he is done with his meal and at this rate Zuko is never going to eat. He shrugs, as if saying it's nothing. As if saying things are the same as they were back on the ferry – spirits, that feels like it was years ago – as if saying nothing changed.

But everything changed. Everything changed and Jet brought the teapot closer to himself before making his offer – but he made the offer and an hour ago they were talking with a veteran and Jet watched Zuko try to blow glass with more or less success.

Nothing is the same, and yet nothing is the same. It's a weird thing to think. That change can mean so much, can destroy bonds and make them stronger at the same time. Maybe you have to be a waterbender to understand these things fully.

Zuko hands Lin over to Jet and – asks if Jet minds that he re-heats his food. A pause. And a shrug. Zuko smiles. Starts eating.

It's good.