1st straw. [action, open all the way.]

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ He's new still, but you may have seen him. He did have a punishment round on his very second day, after all. Though Jet laid out of the first few days of his classes, citing his concussion as his excuse, he's attended at least a few of them, and he just has one of those faces. Very tanned and boy-next-door, not unpleasant and not one-in-a-million. You may have seen him. ]

[ And you may see him now, as he's scouring the girls' dormitory looking at the name placards beside each door, laboriously trying to read the "sounds" written there. He's not yet to the second floor but is making his way toward the stairwell, deep in concentration.

It doesn't for a moment occur to him that only girls are supposed to be in the girls' dorms. ]

Comments

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

...So, in other words, he did it so he could go home.

[ Jet's stomach feels like an earthbender filled it top-full with lead. Even though he recognizes that it's still inherently selfish, sacrificing others' welfare for one's own like the firebender had done, it's hard to ignore the voice inside that's saying What wouldn't you sacrifice to have your world put right again? ]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[she gives a slow nod.]

He'd been searching for the Avatar, ever since he was banished so that he would be welcomed back to the Fire Nation. After the fight in Ba Sing Se we barely managed to escape, but they thought...

[Katara pauses as she remembers so vividly what had happened: Aang, shifting into his Avatar state, then Azula with that bolt of lightning-- Katara swore that her heart almost stopped.]

They thought they finished Aang, and I guess he was welcomed back as a hero.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ Jet's eyes slam shut. He doesn't want to think that anyone, anywhere in his world, would call that boy a hero. ]

He told me something else. He told me about his face.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Her eyes widen; she has a hunch as to what Jet is referring to and she feels her stomach drop. As much as she doesn't want to admit it, there's a mixture of both embarrassment and a touch of guilt at the idea of Jet knowing what had happened down in the Crystal catacombs.]

... What about it?

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ He paces in circles a few times, arms akimbo, as though alert and searching for something to hit. When he stills, finally, the tension hasn't gone anywhere. ]

He told me that his father did it.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara nearly breathes a sigh of relief-- so it wasn't about her offer to heal the scar. But her eyes widen at his words, clearly shocked by this piece of information-- could it be true?]

What? Well... I'm not sure about that. He never told me how he got the scar.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

He didn't lie about the banishment...Why would he lie about where his scar came from...

[ Jet tilts his head, like a dog listening to far away howling that human ears can't hear. ]

He must have lied, though. He told me he was chasing the Avatar so he could go home, so he could get his father's approval. There's no way any sane person whose father had done that to their face would still be trying to please the old bastard.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

I don't know... the Fire Nation is ruthless.

[After all, they had both suffered by the power-hungry nation.]

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ He agrees there. ]

If anyone could do that to their kid, it'd be the Fire Lord, definitely.

[ His sigh is more of a growl, the sound so frustrated it might as well have been from an animal caught in a platypusbear trap.]

But if he's telling the truth, what the hell was he thinking? Betraying the person who wants to heal his scar for the favor of the person who gave it to him?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[There's a brief flicker of surprise -- so Zuko had told him. Katara then crosses her arms, a sour expression on her face.]

I don't know, but it was a mistake-- I shouldn't have trusted him.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

You give people second chances, Katara. It's what you do.

[ Giving up on doing violence to something, for the time being, Jet finally throws himself down on the ground, sitting with elbows on knees. ]

Leave being suspicious of everyone to me, all right?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[There's a small laugh and a nod at this words. When she regains her composure, Katara looks down at Jet with an almost uneasy expression.]

I know it took me a while to give you a second chance, Jet... and I'm sorry for that.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

Don't apologize. I didn't give you a lot of reasons to trust me back in the valley, but I was glad when you changed your mind.

[ He sighs and drops his head between his shoulders. ]

When we get back home, I'll join you guys, if you'll have me. I know I'll be strong enough to help after what we learn here.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

I--

[What can she even say to that? Katara isn't sure. She takes back whatever words had almost slipped out, and almost in an act of defense she shifts her body away, arms crossed protectively over her chest. She can't even maintain eye contact with him.]

... Maybe. We have to find out if we can even return home.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ He doesn't miss it this time. He's too good at reading people to keep overlooking it. ]

...Katara? Did I say something wrong?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

What? No, you didn't say anything wrong.

[She gives a quick glance over before averting her eyes again.]

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

Then, why won't you look at me?

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[Katara slowly looks over to him and attempts to hide her troubled expression-- she doesn't want to tell him. She doesn't want to say it.]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ He just stares her down, waiting to see if she'll crack. ]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[That look makes her resolve waver. Her fingers play with the hem of her skirt in an attempt to distract herself.]

I just... I don't think you should go home.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ His brows knot up. ]

Katara. I understand that you may not think I can handle myself with the Avatar's team, or maybe that I'm too focused, but I promise you, I know what I'm doing.

[watertides.livejournal.com]

[She shakes her head.]

That's not the reason why, Jet. I just... I think it's better if you stayed here.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ Frustrated, Jet stands and throws up his arms. ]

What's with you, Katara? [ He scrubs his hands through his hair and puffs out a breath. [

You know what, never mind. Just never mind. I'll see you.

[ He turns to go on his way. ]

[watertides.livejournal.com]

Wait, Jet!

[She immediately jumps off of the bench and reaches to grab his arm.]

I'm sorry! I just don't think it's my place to say anything about this.

[tigerheads.livejournal.com]

[ He doesn't shake her arm off violently, but he does exert a gentle pressure to extricate his wrist from her grip. ]

I'm sure you've got your reasons. For now, I just need some time.