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Glass Half Empty

XI

A date, Zuko had no idea what one did on a date, let alone how to interact with the person he was going on a date with, never once had he cared that he wasn't as socially adept as his sister, or even Jet for that matter, but now he was beginning to wonder just how disastrous this date was going to be . . . as much as Zuko would like to get this whole ordeal over and done with, that wasn't to say Jin wasn't pretty, she was, it was simply out of his comfort zone, his uncle wasn't having any of his half-assed attempts. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it right and have the time of his life.

Like that would happen, if anything, he was going to make an ass out of himself.

But like always, the younger firebender relented to the wills of his relative and sat down, letting the old Alpha fret over his hair and fuss over his clothing. When the time came for him to meet with Jin, he felt very much like a damn fool, before he could contemplate on how awkward this was, Jin came around the corner, her hair fixed and dressed nicely.

"Hey, wow." she points at him, "Look at you~." she then reaches up with her hand and ruffles his hair, "You look so cute~."

Zuko reaches up, his hand bumping hers as he attempts to smooth his now mussed hair, the young male only arguing on behalf of his uncle's hard work, after all, he wasn't too thrilled with the combed over look either, "It took my uncle 10 minutes to do my hair."

Jin just smiles prettily and wraps her arms around his one and starts leading him away from the front of the shop, he casts on more look over his shoulder at the safety of the teashop, unaware that he was being watched from the dark of the rooftops . . . Jet had been the tiniest bit uneasy when Li had said that he would not be joining them for dinner, the pale teen stating that he already had plans for dinner, and that wasn't what had struck Jet as odd, it had been the way he'd said it that really got to the tan Alpha. Enough so that he decided that he would tail Li to see what it was that made him skittish, and what he saw wasn't what he'd been expecting: Li all gussied up, his uncle's doing it seemed like with how awkward Li looked, it was a little funny and he even thought Mushi would be joining him soon enough, but instead of the old Alpha, some unnamed girl rounded the corner and sauntered straight up to Li. They traded words and she reaches forward to mess his hair up, he notices how Li didn't immediately pull away, and it stung. Nope, Li doesn't do much in the way of putting distance between them, he just lets the girl wrap her arms around him and drag him off Spirits knows where, the guy casting one last look back at the teashop like he were expecting someone there.

"I have plans for dinner, Jet."

Growling low within his throat, Jet jumps from the rooftops and lands in the street once they're long out of sight, he probably should follow them, to monitor their interactions, but he knows that if he were to do so and things were to go further between the two, he would do something that he would either regret, or make a complete mess of everything . . . his Alpha half was warping the entire situation into some kind of challenge, issued from both Li and the girl, and demanding that he hunt them down, pick Li up, take him home, throw him onto his bed, and stake his claim permanently, of course he knew better, or rather, he knew Li would be upset.

But of course Jet would be furious, Li, his boyfriend, was going out with some girl, sure she had a nice body and all, but that didn't warrant the need to cheat on him! And what's more, Li had actually groomed himself, or allowed himself to be groomed, to look his best for the date! He never did that with Jet!

Beyond upset, Jet trudges home . . . that night, Zuko returns to his room after answering his uncle's question on if he had fun, he was feeling all kinds of messed up, he felt soft and content. What was with these Earth Kingdom people and making him feel like he were actually normal?

The next morning, Zuko stares up at the ceiling, he hadn't been able to get much sleep, his thoughts focused too entirely on Jin and the kiss they had shared, it was nice, it really was, but that is why it terrified him. A romantic relationship wasn't something he could take right now, he was . . . still lost and didn't know what to do with himself, sure, he liked to think that his plans were simply on hold until the foreseeable future, but lately, thoughts of what if were beginning to creep into his head and lodge themselves within the cogs of his brain, and he didn't like it one bit, his head felt overstuffed.

Aside from that, he can't stop life, he gets ready for work and idles the day away, he doesn't see Jin, not that he was looking or anything, really, he doesn't know how long he sits in a daze until lunch came and he was excused for his break . . . as soon as he exits the teashop and closes the door behind him, a hand grabs his wrist and tugs him in the opposite direction of the eateries.

"Wha-?!" he sees Jet, "Jet? What are you doing?!" he sees the other's hand on his wrist, dangerously close to his scent gland, or rather, touching it if it weren't for the clothing in the way, "Let go!" the prince tears his wrist away and glares at Jet, something is off about the other, it unsettles Zuko enough that he feels his hackles begin to rise and hisses at the other, "What do you think you're doing?"

"I saw you last night." Jet says, voice too serious for Zuko's liking.

Jet watches Li's angered expression turn to confusion, then a look of dread flash within his eyes, he looks around like he were expecting someone to be listening in on them, or even looking for a possible escape route, but everyone is going on with their business and Jet is going to let Li escape, when Li looks back at him, he looks guarded and ready for a fight.

"What were you doing? Following me?"

"No, I just happened to be walking in the neighborhood." Jet doesn't like the reserved expression Li is attempting to wear, looking like he were ready for a fight . . . it eases Jet's anger a tad, not like that Li really thinks Jet would hurt him over something like this, it was just one date, not like they did anything, right? "Was it your uncle's idea?"

Li blinks, looks at him, still looking like he were ready to fight for his life, or run, "What?"

"The date with that girl, was it your uncle's plan?"

"Date?" Li now looks confused, before realization dawns on him, "O-Oh, yeah, that was . . . what does it matter?"

"Why does it matter?" Jet repeats in a low growl as he crowds into Li's space, Li doesn't back down, but he's now tense, "You're my boyfriend, of course it matters to me."

Li's eyes widen and red overtakes his cheek, the tension in his body leaving him as he stares up at Jet, "I'm . . . what?" he looks lost, oh so lost, "When . . . when did that happen?!"

"When did . . . ?!" Jet is looking at Li, completely incredulous, "You're joking, right?"

"Do I sound like I'm joking?!"

No, he sounds a tad distraught.

"Why the fuck do you think I've been kissing you?!"

"I . . . ! I don't know! I didn't think that it was because we were in some relationship!"

"I even told you I liked you!"

"When?!"

"The night I stayed at your place!"

"I . . . !" Li looks contemplative, then lets out a frustrated huff, "I kind of zoned out."

"This is fucking ridiculous."

Li looks unsure of what to do, and honestly, Jet doesn't know what to do either . . . this entire time, Li had been letting him hang onto him because he'd thought they were friends, sure, friends would often do that kind of stuff if they were really close, like childhood friends, but usually kissing on the lips or touching the scent glands were forbidden because it was so much more intimate, what the fuck kind of friends did Li have to even think that's what was going on?

"I still want you." Jet says in the end, he sees how Li looks embarrassed at his blatant declaration, "Do you want me?" Li is just blinking owlishly at him with those wide eyes of his, "As in, more than friends."

Li purses his lips, "I don't know."

Zuko doesn't know what to do, this entire time Jet had been thinking they were dating?

And of course this had to come up after Zuko had just told Jin that things were complicated, and they were, and he couldn't just turn her down and accept Jet, could he? That would be rude and unfair to her, and he still wasn't sure what he wanted with his life at the moment, but if he refused Jet, did that mean things would sever between them? Would he care if it did?

"I don't know." Zuko murmurs, "I just . . . just give me some time to think, okay?"

"All right, Li." Jet speaks softly, "Just know that I'll be waiting for your answer."

Zuko refuses the urge to bite his lip, "And . . . what if I say no?"

"It'd hurt," Jet starts, "but I would understand."

Zuko looks up at Jet from underneath his lashes, unaware of the effect it had on Jet, "And . . . we would still be friends though, right?"

Jet smiles gently, "Of course."

Zuko looks away, "Okay." he then sighs, "I have to get back to work."

Jet knows Li doesn't necessarily have to as they had only been talking for a handful of minutes, but he nods, allowing the smaller teen to walk away. Running a hand through his hair, he decides that he'll do something productive instead of waiting for Li's answer, like learning a thing or two about Omegas, and the best place to do that would be at the brothel, he would be ready to take care of Li should Li decide that he would like to give their relationship a try.

I've got a bit of free time which is rare . . . .