01 [action]

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[Jet’s walking around, only half paying attention as he scans the letter in his one hand.  It’s about the third time he’s done this now, and nothing seems to be registering.  Which frustrates him more than worries him.  They can’t explain how he got here or how he got back, but they could leave a letter just to inform him of it, huh?  How convinient.
 
A little more aggressively than he intends to, he stuffs the paper into his pocket and lets his hand linger there.  He lets his other hand find the other pocket as he quickens his pace.  A thousand thoughts are racing through his mind, and by now he's practically jogging in hopes of a familiar face.  Were the others here?  He’d been fighting (with?) Aang, right?  Maybe he got sucked into this place or whatever.
 
Walking along the Fisherman’s Horizon, Jet goes to call out the names of his friends but stops.  What use would it be?  What if it would endanger them or somehow lure them here or--
 
Temptation gets the better of him and he ventures out more, frowning and pursing his lips.]
 
Guess this is home.

Comments

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[He picks up the peculiar look and frowns a little, given their past he wonders what she's thinking right now. If he's bothering her with his problems or she really is happy to see him and help him the way she usually is with...people.]

How long have you been here?

[And listening to that last part kind of freaks him out. Both his brows raise as he eyes her curiously.]

People like who? You're not telling me something, Katara.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

A little more than a year.

[His last question has Katara tensing just a touch. She isn't the best liar (in fact, she's quite horrible at it), but that doesn't mean she isn't going to try.]

You know... people who might recognize you from when you were attending class here.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

But I just saw you...right before I got here.

[That time compression mumbo jumbo doesn't make sense yet, so more confusion crosses his face. But it's soon replaced by amusement. He laughs a little to himself.]

Katara. I'm a good liar. You're not.

Now tell me.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[There's a mixture of emotion at his words; embarrassment because it was somewhat true and a bit mocking, and also hurt because it caused unpleasant memories to resurface. Her cheeks flush, and she gives a small tug of her arm to break off his hold on her.]

Yeah, I didn't forget that expertise of yours.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[Well, that turned around fast. Really fast. Fast enough for him to step in front of her to meet her gaze. It's a sympathetic stare and a faint frown. He still feels like he owes her, and he never made it out of Lake Laogi to do that.]

I'm sorry what happened before. You know I am, I helped you guys. And I went to Ba Sing Se to start fresh...I mean it, Katara.

I'm sorry I hurt you.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara immediately feels bad; she shouldn't be getting mad at Jet, not now and especially not when he had apologized before for his actions. She's wearing a bit of a guilty look now, but she tries to give him a small smile to let him know she's still not mad about it. Or at least not as mad as she once was.]

It's okay, Jet. I shouldn't have snapped at you.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

Just promise you'll forget about it.

[But he starts walking. Promises don't mean as much as they should to him, but he knows she has every right to be mad.]

Who'll know me around this place?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[It isn't something she can so easily forget... but his question has her thoughts veering, dread filling her up.]

Oh, uhm... I'm not sure. A lot of people have left since you disappeared, so the people who might recognize you may not even be here anymore.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

But you're talking about one or a few specific people, right? C'mon, stop being such a tease.

[He shrugs his shoulders and looks over to her, smirking a little.]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Even while Jet speaks, Katara is mentally debating on how to go about this. Tell Jet so that he doesn't do something irrational if he somehow bumped into Zuko himself? Then again, Jet would probably do something irrational regardless. But maybe if Jet saw that she didn't hold Zuko accountable for all the things his father, then maybe he would come to realize that the firebender isn't the bad guy...

Eventually, she gives in. Heaving a sigh, Katara cautiously speaks:]

Well... Zuko's here.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[No, Katara, Jet is far from irrational. In fact, he likes to think his motives are all very-well thought out. He isn't just attacking, he's attacking the enemy or something.

Just don't question it.]

And Zuko is...?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[... Right. It was hard to remember that Jet didn't know Zuko's actual name from his time, considering how much time they had spent hating on one another during Jet's brief time at Garden in the beginning. There's a bit of relief for Katara though, that at least Jet hasn't immediately darted off to find the firebender.]

Just someone you don't get along with very well.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

From home? Refresh my memory.

[He looks to her more obliviously than anything. Really, Jet was aware he had enemies, and this one had to be of Fire Nation descent...right?]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

Well... I don't know how you two know each other, but you kind of hate him. But he's not a bad guy.

[Katara feels bad, but she goes straight to the obvious when identifying Zuko. Which means she's pointing to the left side of her face.]

He has a big scar.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[Jet literally freezes in his tracks, letting his brows furrow. Of course, before she motioned the scar, he didn't have a clue who she was talking about.

Unfortunately, that's all it took for him to understand.]

...Lee?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[While Katara never knew about the fake name Zuko had used during his time in the Earth Kingdom, she doubts that there's anyone else who possesses the distinctive feature that Zuko has. So she just nods, but worry and dread is already beginning to pool in her stomach.]

Yeah. But he's not a bad guy!

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[He can almost feel his temper boiling, his fists clenching and his jaw locking. The irritability he had before? The one she eased him out of? It was back. His tone is very curt.]

You don't have to tell me how much of a bad guy he is, Katara.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[That has Katara frowning, as well as her brows furrowing.]

Jet, I said he's not a bad guy. He was just confused.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

You don't even know what happened between him and me! He's a firebender, Katara, he's not safe.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

I might not know what happened between you and him, but I do know he's changed from what he use to be. I've had my share of unpleasant encounters with him in the past as well but he's not the same anymore.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

And you're willing to help anyone you feel needs it, I'm not!

[He pauses a moment.]

I'll be the judge of how much changing he's done.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[A mixture of both annoyance and alarm has Katara reaching out to grab Jet's arm; she's afraid that he might just bolt off and look for the firebender himself.]

I was furious with him when I first got here. But he's changed a lot while he's been here.

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

[Oh he's about to, and the physical contact makes him tense. A lot. But it's enough to hold him back for now.]

I take a lot more convincing than you do.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

Are you sure about that?

[Her question is coupled with a look that clearly says he shouldn't challenge her.]

[fn-rebel.livejournal.com]

Didn't take much to convince you when we met.

[...ok, he wants to take that back.]