*sheepishly takes 'a collection of one-shots' out of the summary of this fic*

Okay, so as anyone but me could have predicted, this story has grown way past what I originally intended it to be. But I'm okay with that. Also, it's becoming the most shamelessly self-indulgent thing I've ever written. I'm okay with that too, so I hope you are!

These chapters just keep getting longer and longer. Enjoy, and reviews are always encouraging! 3

Part IV - Striking Back

The sun was rising — I could feel the glow of it coming through the window, fresh and pale on the walls of my bedroom. But I didn't open my eyes. I didn't want to wake up. I had been having such a good dream.

I snuggled further into my covers, trying fruitlessly to keep the chill out with the thin flannel. I had been so warm in my dream, wrapped in the Fire Lord's robe, of all things. I fixed my mind on all that had happened, as if trying to relive it one more time in my imagination. The strength of his arms, the heat of his kisses… Just a little bit longer, to pretend that I was warm and safe, and cared about by the person I thought of most…

The sun rose slowly but surely. I could feel it break over the horizon as light streamed in, warming the floor and making sleep impossible. My parents would have left already, and soon I would have to take up my usual place at the loom.

"Okay," I muttered to myself. "I'm getting up."

I sat up, opening my eyes. The room was indeed filled with sunlight, glancing off the window panes, catching dust in the air, and — my breath caught in my throat. And glinting off of the gold braid of Fire Nation finery, hanging on the peg by my door.

I stared, and then I began to smile. Leaping out of bed, I crossed the room and grabbed a cuff in my hand, just to make sure it was really there. It was. The silk was cool to the touch, the gold-plated emblem chilled after spending the night in a drafty room. I buried my face in the folds, breathing in Zuko's scent. It was real. It was all real.

Happiness blossomed inside me, growing and growing until I was sure I would jump up and down and whoop for joy. Instead, I took the robe carefully off the peg and wrapped it around my shoulders, laughing to myself. It had all happened, and how much brighter the world looked because of it! I danced around my bedroom, turning and twirling in the sunlight. Real, real, real. He was real.

My reverie was broken by a knock at the door. Catching my breath, I hung Zuko's robe back up reluctantly, the rich smell of wood smoke still clinging to me slightly. Covering my nightgown with my own winter robe, rough and decidedly less fragrant, I made my way to the window; but when I looked out, my stomach backflipped. It was Takan, a basket of bread strapped to his back. Spirits, I hadn't even thought about how I was going to explain all of this to him! I bit my lip, weighing my options. I could pretend I just wasn't home — but that would be cowardly. Besides, I scolded myself, he doesn't even know that all of this has happened. You can worry about explaining later. I was sure the events of the last twenty-four hours would show on my face — how could I hide the giddiness that was threatening to spill out of me at every turn? — but I had no choice. Nothing in his world had changed, and just for a little while, I was going to have to try and act the part.

I took a deep breath, marshalled my feelings, and opened the door.

"Oh good, you're home!" Takan beamed, straightening from his slouch against the doorframe as soon as he saw me. "How'd you sleep?"

"Really well," I smiled back. The cold air from the street drifted in, making me shiver. "Thanks for bringing the bread by."

He nodded, handing it over. "No problem. Listen," he glanced around and lowered his voice. "Seven Lilies tonight? I have some serious gossip to share with you two."

My stomach flopped again involuntarily, the burlap of the bread bag scratching my skin as I tightened my grip on it. "What kind of gossip?"

"Well," he said, wiggling his eyebrows, "you'll hear about it as soon as you go out on the street today, so I guess I'm lucky that I get to be the first to tell you, anyway. The whole city is talking about it."

"Talking about what?" I urged. "Don't keep me in suspense."

"Well," he said again, glancing over his shoulder, "I can't stay very long, because I'm already late meeting my dad at the tailor's. But I'll give you the gist. Remember how I told you last week that I heard the Fire Lord was coming to Ba Sing Se?"

If my stomach had flopped before, it was now positively cartwheeling. I nodded.

"I was right. He showed up yesterday. But you know what people are saying he was doing last night?"

Uh oh. "What?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"He was at the Firelight Fountain," Takan said gleefully. "He was at the Firelight Fountain, in the Lower Ring. And," he continued, with the air of producing a particularly large sweet, "he was with a girl. And not just any girl — a peasant girl, from the Earth Kingdom. And he was kissing her. Pretty thoroughly, too, from what I hear," he added thoughtfully. "What do you think of that?"

My cheeks were burning. I could only pray he didn't notice. "Are you sure that's what you heard?"

"Positive," he answered triumphantly. "A whole bunch of people saw it. Pretty crazy, huh?" he grinned. "I wonder how that happened. Just imagine it — the Fire Lord in the Lower Ring, with somebody like us!"

"Yeah," I said, my mouth dry. "Imagine that."

"Well, I'm sure we'll hear more details tonight at the pub." He hoisted his empty basket back onto his shoulder. "Meet here at eight, walk over together?"

"Yeah," I said, still trying to regain mastery over my tongue. "Yeah, okay."

"Awesome. Tell Yu if you see her. Bye Jin, see you later!"

"Bye," I called. "Good luck at the tailor's!"

And then I shut the door.

My cheeks were still hot, and I pressed my palms to them in consternation. Damn! If Takan was right, and the 'whole city' was talking about me and Zuko, that meant Yu had probably heard about it too. I walked to the kitchen as if in a trance, and tucked the bread away into the cupboard. I really needed to talk to her. If there was ever a time I needed the guidance of an older sister, it was now. But would she think I was wrong for not telling Takan right away? I bit my lip again. I hoped not. How could I have, when he had sprung it on me like that?

Think! I told myself firmly. Okay. First I would wash up. Then I would go find Yu. I would check the market first, and then her house. If I couldn't find her, I would leave her a note. Yes, that was what I would do.

Mind made up, I turned, only to have my thoughts interrupted again.

Tap tap tap!

"Spirits!" I cursed. "What now?"

With quick steps I strode back to the door. I yanked it open, not even bothering to look out the window first, and then immediately wished that I had.

A group of at least ten men stared back at me, headed by a Fire Nation soldier, who bowed low under my gaze. I blushed immediately. To be bowed to, like a superior! It was ridiculous, considering that I was arguably as far under him in station as he was under Zuko. I bowed back, embarrassed.

"Good morning, Lady," he said. "I apologize for calling on you at home with such a large group, but I am under orders."

"Not at all," I murmured. "Can I offer you all anything to drink?"

To serve them all would take every bit of tea my family had, but I couldn't forget my manners. To my relief, however, he smiled and shook his head.

"It's kind of you to offer, but no, thank you. We've eaten already." He motioned to one of the group, who stepped forward with a scroll and a large box in his hands. "These are for you, from the Fire Lord."

I blushed again, curiosity stirring in my stomach, and took them. "Thank you."

"We," he gestured to the group behind him, "are going to be here for a while; we have orders to work on the roof. Please let us know if we can do anything at all for you."

I grasped my box tightly. "The roof?"

"Yes," he inclined his head. "Bad shingles and drafty foundations are not a good mix with the Earth Kingdom winter."

My heart soared even as my stomach plummeted. It would be wonderful to have the house fixed, wonderful to not be cold at the loom during the day, or in bed at night. But there was just no way my father could afford to have the work done. But how am I supposed to say that to a group of men queuing at my front door with construction tools?

The Fire Nation soldier, who had been watching my face, inclined his head again. "The Fire Lord has taken care of the costs, Lady," he said softly, careful tact in every syllable of his voice. "Please don't trouble yourself about that."

Relief, astonishment, and rapture filled me, each in no small measure, and for a moment, I was speechless. Just wait until I get my hands on that boy.

"Thank you," I squeaked.

He bowed. "We'll begin now. Just call if you need anything."

I nodded and retreated back into the house as quickly as I could without slamming the door.

Almighty Agni! I leaned against the wall, hugging my box to my chest, and didn't even try to stop the goofy, blissful grin from spreading over my face. Already my life was changing drastically, and for the better. We had had a bad roof and drafty walls for as long as I could remember. What were my parents going to say when they came home to a freshly repaired house? With any luck, they'd be just as shocked and overjoyed as I was — but that could all wait for later. I closed my eyes and allowed my knees to fold, sinking down the wall into a cross-legged position. My curiosity over the items in my hands was demanding to be satisfied. First, the scroll. I unrolled it onto my knee and bent over the bold, slanting handwriting.

Jin,

I had a wonderful time last night. I've been nervous for weeks planning this journey, and your acceptance took real open-mindedness. Thank you for that.

The men I've sent over are some of my best soldiers and workers. You can trust them. I'm paying my due duty to the Earth King this morning, while I'm here; it would be shameful if the Fire Lord came to Ba Sing Se and did not call on him, at least for an hour or two. I would really like to see you again today — if that's possible, I'll call at your house around three o' clock. If you're not there, I'll know you were unavailable.

I hope you like this gift. If not, we can go back together sometime and pick out a different one.

Yours,

Zuko

I read and re-read the note twice, my eyes lingering on the signature. "Zuko, please. Just Zuko." Seeing his name written out to me by his own hand, with no seal and no title, set a warmth aglow beneath my ribcage.

"Yours," I read softly. I couldn't help it. I grinned again.

Setting the scroll down, I turned my attention to the box in my lap. It was beautiful, made of balsa wood and embossed with designs of trees and flowers. With eager fingers I untied the green silk around it, letting it fall to the floor. When I lifted the lid, I gasped.

It was a winter robe, but a hundred times finer than any I had ever owned or seen around me in the Lower Ring. Made from more emerald green silk and lined with cashmere, the geometric design reflected duochrome blue in the morning sunlight. Fingers trembling slightly, I lifted it from the crackly tissue paper it was wrapped in and allowed its folds to unfurl to the floor. The high collar was blue silk edged in gold, with a gold fastening and more gold trim around the hem. I lifted a sleeve and examined it, awestruck.

"Dekax," I muttered. "What kind of dream am I living in now?"

From above me, I could hear footsteps on the roof, and men's voices calling to each other. A heavy hammering began somewhere over the kitchen.

I ran to my room, discarding my outer layer, and threw on my new one. It was beyond a doubt the softest piece of clothing I had ever worn, and in a fit of disbelief I rubbed my cheek along the sleeve, marveling at the smoothness of the silk. That he had done all of this in the space of a morning, and done it for me... I gazed at my reflection dreamily, my thoughts falling on his face. And he wants to see you again today.

"You," I pointed at myself in the mirror, "are the luckiest girl in all of the four nations."

But there were things to be done before I could reunite with my Fire Lord. I washed up quickly and left through the back door, the sound of hammering on my roof still reaching me as I turned the corner. I was now so finely dressed that I knew whispers and stares were bound to follow me through the streets of the Lower Ring — but I didn't care. I was going to wear Zuko's gift every winter day until it fell apart on my shoulders.

The market was more crowded than usual, with small clusters of people queued up around stalls, talking. As I passed through, heading for Yu's family's usual spot, snatches of conversation drifted over to me.

"Yeah, that's what I heard, too. At the Firelight Fountain…"

"Does anybody know who the girl was?"

"I don't."

"Me either. No one seems to."

I started, blushing violently. Takan was right — they really were talking about me on the streets. Ducking my head, I hurried through the crowds. Luckily, everyone was so busy discussing the Fire Lord and his mystery peasant from the night before that none of them seemed to notice the strangely well-dressed girl walking through their midst. With a rush of relief, I spotted Yu, closing a sale at her family's stall, and made a beeline for her. When she looked up, her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.

"Uh, wow."

"Yeah," I said sheepishly. "Hi."

"Hi yourself," she answered, looking me up and down in disbelief. "What in the name of the spirits happened last night?" She glanced over her shoulder at the throngs of people and shook her head. "The things I've been hearing today, Jin…"

"I know," I said nervously. "I'm sorry. I knew you were worried so I tried to send you a message."

"I know. I got it," she answered. Her eyes were still wide. "I knew you were okay, at least, but by Tui, I could not be more confused."

"I know," I said again, biting my lip. "I can explain."

"This calls for closing up shop," she declared, and shut her register. "Some things are more important."

Ten minutes later we were walking side-by-side down Dai Street in the morning sunlight. Yu clasped her hands in front of her like a scholar, ready to listen.

"Okay, go ahead. You had better have a good explanation, 'cause I've been trying to think of one for the past day and I've come up with nothing."

And so I began. I told her of my date with the mysterious, scarred boy a year ago, and the pull I had felt towards him. How sure I had felt that there was more to his story. How he had lit the lanterns at the Firelight Fountain and how he had kissed me back, only to leave without an explanation. I told her how I had thought ceaselessly of him, how I had gone back to the tea shop, how I had searched and asked for him and his uncle in the streets. The weight of my words hit me as I spoke, and I was overcome with realizing all over again just how devastated I had been at his disappearance.

"You and Takan have special places in my heart," I croaked. "But after that date… I don't know. When I couldn't find him, I just felt like I'd lost something."

She grabbed my hand. "I know. It's not the same." Her eyes were sad, understanding, and curious all at the same time. "Okay, so you went on a date with a grumpy boy with a huge scar. But I don't understand how he's suddenly the Fire Lord."

I laughed the choke out of my voice. "Well, he seems a lot less grumpy now."

I continued my story, relating my climb to the roof after her warning, and my shock when I'd seen his face.

"I can't even imagine," Yu whispered. "So he just came back later?"

"No. I sat up and told him I was there."

"You did?" She looked at me incredulously. "Damn, girl. You've always had guts."

"Well, I never said that I wasn't nervous," I grinned. "And then I asked him for an explanation, of course…"

When I had finished my story, Yu was quiet for a long time. We walked another block before she spoke.

"What's his name again?"

"Zuko."

She looked at me sideways, a knowing glint in her eyes.

"What?" I demanded.

"You've got it bad, don't you?" She grinned, elbowing me playfully in the side. "Ooooh, you do! I can tell by the way you said his name. Jin's in looooove!"

"Stop it," I giggled, squirming away and feeling the heat rise in my cheeks. "So what if I am?"

"So what, indeed," she said, smoothing her kimono. "The thing is, everybody knows that the Fire Lord was at the fountain kissing some girl last night, it's just that nobody knows it was you. But his soldiers were asking about you by name in the market yesterday, it can't be too long before people put two and two together…"

"That's another thing," I said worriedly. "Takan came by the house this morning."

Her eyes got round again. "Oh, spirits."

"Yeah." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "He said he had some major gossip to tell me, and then proceeded to talk all about the Fire Lord and how he was kissing a peasant girl last night."

"He didn't know it was you, did he?"

"No, and I didn't tell him, either." I looked at her anxiously. "You don't think that was wrong, do you? I was just so caught off guard, I didn't know what to say. I kept hoping that an opening to tell him would present itself, and it never did."

"No," she said slowly. "No, I definitely don't think you were wrong. But he's got to find out sooner or later."

"Yeah. He does. And he wants the three of us to go to the Seven Lilies at eight tonight. Do you think…"

"...that you should just bring Zuko along?" she finished. "Yeah, honestly, I do."

"Really?" Relief washed over me. "I'm glad, because I have no idea what else to do."

"Oh La, this is going to be so weird!" she scrunched up her nose. "I can't hang out at the pub with the Fire Lord!"

"Sure you can," I teased. "If I can kiss the Fire Lord, you can share a round with him."

"I can't believe you kissed the Fire Lord!" she squealed, and for a moment I remembered that we were just teenage girls. "This is completely insane!"

"Shh!" I intoned. "I know, it's crazy, but I don't want all of Ba Sing Se to know."

Yu rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Jin. Have you taken a look at how you're dressed? I'm pretty sure that the only way a merchant brat ends up like this is if she kisses the Fire Lord."

"Oh, and that reminds me," I practically bounced. "Guess what else he did for me this morning?"

"Tell."

"Right after Takan left, a construction crew showed up at my house — they're there right now, fixing our bad roof. He hired them and paid them already."

"You're joking." Yu actually stopped and stared at me.

"Nope," I said gleefully. "No more freezing to death in the winter."

"This cannot be real life," she shook her head. "I hope you're saying your prayers to Dekax."

"Oh, I am," I said fervently. "It's all happened so fast that I'm afraid it's not even real."

She nodded, going quiet again for a minute. "So what's his flaw? Is he ugly or something?"

"Just you wait until you see him," I told her seriously. "I've never seen a more handsome man."

"So… how'd he get the scar?"

I picked at the hem of my sleeve, even though there were no loose threads. "I don't know. It hasn't seemed like the right time to ask yet. I don't even know why he was banished from the Fire Nation."

"It's probably best that you haven't asked," she said wisely. "I bet people ask him how he got it all the time. He's probably sick of it."

We walked and talked until the sun was high in the sky. When I finally dropped her back off at the market, a smile was glowing on her face.

"I can tell how happy you are." She embraced me briefly. "And I've seen you in love before. I don't want to speak too soon, but I think there's something special about this time."

"I think so too," I whispered back as we parted. "I really hope so."

Yu glanced up at the pale winter sky. Her eyes were far away. "Jin," she said quietly, "when the universe, when the spirits move heaven and earth to bring two people together like this, I have to believe that it's special. I know that it is."

- o -

As soon as he saw me, Zuko's face broke into a smile, his golden eyes lighting up. "Wow. You look wonderful."

I turned, gathering the folds of my new robe around me playfully. "You think so?"

True to his word, he had knocked on my door at three o' clock, and had looked so relieved and smitten when I opened the door that it took everything in me not to kiss him for a good long while right in front of his royal guards.

"I know so," he said, settling back against one of our awning supports with a look of utmost satisfaction on his face. "Do you like the one I picked?"

"It's perfect," I smiled. "Thank you so much. I don't know how I can ever repay you for what you've done for me."

He waved a hand, looking vaguely embarrassed. "Please. You're paying me back right now just by being here."

I took his hand and he blinked down at me, surprised. He was in full Fire Lord regalia again today, a red silk robe brushing the toes of his boots and a heavy formal collar around his shoulders. The Fire Nation insignia gleamed gold both on his chest and in his topknot, and more gold embroidery wandered from his collar to the tips of his winged epaulets. He radiated power, and yet as he gazed down at me, he looked so young and shy. Moved, I raised myself to my tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"And I'm so glad that you're here with me."

Pale pink rose to his fair cheeks. "Better you than the Earth King."

I laughed. "What, you don't like him?"

Zuko grimaced, still holding my hand as we left my front door and walked out to his palanquin. "He's alright. He's just… not the brightest, I guess. He hasn't truly been involved in running his country for a long time, so he's still adjusting."

He held the door of the palanquin open for me, and I stared. "What, just get in?"

"Yes," he said, raising his eyebrow slightly. I got the feeling he was trying not to smirk. "Unless you'd rather walk to the Upper Ring, that is."

"The Upper Ring?" I gaped at him, temporarily robbed of speech. "I can't go to the Upper Ring."

"You don't want to? That's okay," he said quickly. "I was thinking we could go to the gardens, or the shops. But we can stay down here, if you'd like. I've heard there are some good restaurants, although you'd know better than me — "

"No, no," I interrupted, embarrassed. "I'd like to go. But I can't. I'm not allowed."

"Sure you can," he said blankly. "You're with me."

"But I don't have a passport, or any papers at all," I said skeptically. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "You'd be surprised what this," he pointed to the gold in his topknot, "lets you get away with."

I shook my head, a sudden wave of seriousness quieting my feelings. "I can't even imagine what that's like." With the help of Zuko's outstretched hand, I stepped into the palanquin. He waited until we were settled inside to answer.

"It can get a little overwhelming for me, too," he said softly. "But the key is knowing the extent of your power, and recognizing when to use it."

Even the palanquin was stunning. The seat, large enough to comfortably accommodate two people, was covered in dark velvet with ornately carved wooden arms. The drapes around and above us were red silk, just as fine as his robes. I tried not to look too much like the stunned peasant girl that I was, but I couldn't help it. I had never seen such luxury in my life, let alone been on the receiving end of it.

"Can I put my arm around you?"

His voice, shy again, cut through my thoughts. Turning, my eyes fell onto his face, so very close to my own, and I felt my heart melt at the sight of the anxiety across his handsome features. Here I am, worrying about finery, and he's nervous about asking to hold me.

"Please do."

His fingers curled around my shoulder just as the palanquin was lifted and I jarred a little, falling even closer against his body. That wonderful floaty feeling was filling my head again and I settled more firmly against him, resisting the urge to purr like a cat; I could feel hard lines of muscle underneath his robes, sense the lithe outline of his body next to me. Most striking of all was his warmth — it didn't matter that the palanquin had no insulation. The heat of him seeped through the fabric between us and into my skin, warming me from head to toe.

"So you really are a firebender, then?" I looked up at him curiously to find my blushing lord already gazing back at me. The palanquin began to move. "I thought you must have been, last year, but I've never actually seen you do it."

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah." I stared as he raised his other hand, forming a fist, and then opened it. Flames, orange and white, danced across his palm. I stared. I had seen plenty of imperial Fire Nation troops in my day and seen plenty of destruction at their hands, but in spite of the fear, the nature of firebending was still striking to me. It wasn't like earth, or water — he had simply willed the fire there, and it had sprung into existence. I watched, fascinated, as the little flames twisted and grew, twirling around each other like skylarks. After a moment, I glanced at Zuko. He wasn't even watching what he was doing — instead, he was looking at me, clearly enjoying the wonder in my face. Our eyes locked, and he closed his hand, extinguishing the flames in a breath.

"Where does it come from?"

The question had escaped me before I had had time to consider it, and I flushed at how naive I sounded.

"What, the fire?"

I nodded, and he furrowed his brow, considering his answer. "A couple of different places, I guess. My uncle could do a better job explaining it to you, but I'll try. The very first thing you learn as a firebender is that bending comes from the breath." He breathed deeply, in and out, as if showing me. "The breath is very important, because without it, you have no control. It also comes from the sun, as well as the heat of the earth. But most of all, firebending comes from within, and that's why it's so different from the other four bending arts. If you're going to be powerful, your inner fire has to burn bright."

As he spoke, he raised his hand again, and a little ball of orange fire bloomed just above his palm. As I watched, it seemed to pulse lightly, almost like a heartbeat. Inner fire.

I looked up at him again. "I guess your inner fire must be pretty hot, then."

He gave a short laugh. I felt my heart skip a beat with the sound of it. "What makes you say that?"

I could feel us beginning to move uphill, the slight bounce of the palanquin making me more aware than ever of the man I was being jostled into. He didn't seem to mind. "Well," I said slowly, "a while back, after the war ended, I heard a story in a bar about a prince who had to battle his firebending prodigy sister."

Zuko looked at me quickly, the flames above his hand going out.

"At the time I thought it must have been exaggerated," I continued, looking back at him. "But I'm realizing that that really happened, didn't it? That was you."

"Yes," he said slowly. "That was me." He had answered my question, but I was taken aback to see his expression growing serious. Uh oh. Had I made a mistake in asking?

"I'm sorry," I said quickly. "If you don't want to talk about it, I understand — "

"No," he interrupted. "It's okay." I watched as his hand drifted upwards and traced the Fire Nation emblem on his chest, almost as if he was only half-thinking about it. "Listen, Jin." He fixed those striking eyes on my face, pinning me with his gaze just as he had the night before. "I don't know how much you know about the war, or the Avatar, or me, for that matter. But you should know that I… that I haven't always made the right decisions. I've made mistakes. Lots of them. And if you ever find something out and decide that you're, well, not interested in me anymore, I'll understand."

His voice was steady, but his gaze betrayed his nervousness. I took his hand gently.

"I don't think I could ever not be interested in you."

He colored, but his voice was deadly serious. "I mean it."

"I know," I said softly. "There's a lot I don't know about you yet." Pulling back from him slightly, I raised my own hand and laid it gingerly on his unscarred cheek. "That doesn't mean I don't want to find out."

I saw his eyes widen as I touched him, and then they closed. "I just don't know where to start," he said quietly. I could feel his jaw move under my palm. "It's not an easy story to tell."

"Well, then don't tell it right now," I suggested. I let my hand drift upward to smooth over his one dark eyebrow, my thumb sweeping along the top of his ear. Unable to resist the heat of having him so close, I leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. They were just as warm and soft as I remembered from the night before. He blinked at me as I pulled away, surprise and pleasure shining out of his eyes, and I watched as he absentmindedly brushed his fingers along his mouth, smiling dazedly.

"Why do you always seem so surprised when I touch you?" I teased. "Is it really that bad?"

"What? No!" he exclaimed, looking horrified. Once he caught me laughing, his features relaxed into a more rueful expression. "I mean, no, of course not. It's wonderful. It's just that… well, I guess I'm not really used to it. Being touched, that is."

I considered this for a moment, thinking of how often I hugged my parents after a long day, how natural it was for me and Yu to hold hands, and even how freely Takan distributed kisses on the cheek to both of us. It wasn't something I had ever thought about before, but perhaps when you were royalty things couldn't be quite so casual.

"Your family doesn't touch you? Other than your sister, of course."

Pain crossed his face. "Well, my Uncle Iroh tries to hug me sometimes."

I giggled again, a picture of the kind Mo-Shi and his surly nephew standing at the counter of a tea shop appearing in my mind's eye. "The key word being 'tries'."

"Hey, I've gotten better!" he protested. "I've definitely learned to appreciate him more than I used to." He shifted in his seat, his arm warm and steady around my shoulders. "But other than him, I don't really have anyone that ever wants to touch me. My father..." his face darkened. "You know what he's like. He'll be in prison for the rest of his miserable life. My sister is insane. And my mother, um, she's not around anymore. I guess there's Mai, my, uh," he cleared his throat, "my ex-girlfriend, but she wasn't exactly the touchy type."

Something stirred in me — not jealousy, exactly, but a defensiveness. "Just tell me if you ever want me to stop. I won't mind."

"Please don't," he said earnestly, his gaze fixed openly on my face. Then as if remembering himself, he looked down a second later. "That is, as long as you don't want to," he muttered. "It's nice to feel wanted."

Warmth blossomed around my heart. Should I say it? But the uncertainty in his voice had already made the decision for me. "Well, you definitely are," I said quietly. "Wanted, that is."

He looked up and heat rushed to my face as the dual meaning of my words hung in the air, our gazes locking again in that laser-focused way that it seemed only he could produce. There was something stirring in the depths of his eyes, something hot and almost dangerous, and suddenly I wished that I had the breath control of a firebender. Somehow, all of the air had been sucked out of the palanquin, and in an instant the space between us had become supercharged.

"Sir?" There was a light knock on the frame of the palanquin, and we both jumped back. I hadn't realized how close our lips had gotten again. "We've just passed into the Middle Ring."

"Thank you," Zuko called back hoarsely. My eyes widened.

"They didn't even stop us!"

"No," he agreed. "They know that I'm in the city."

"So anyway…" My head was spinning, and I did my best to right it quickly. "You and your sister didn't get along when you were younger?"

"Never," he shook his head. The charge between us cleared as quickly as it had come. "We were just too different. She was always calculating, and I was… well, I was a kid. And she was talented, an unbelievably talented firebender. My father loved that."

There was a bitterness in his voice that I hadn't heard before. "And… your mother?"

A smile ghosted his lips. "She was a wonderful woman. Kind, loving, caring. A real mediator. She had wisdom that none of my father's advisors did, and she did her best to teach it to me. There is strength in being good, and power in being just."

So what happened to her? The question hung in the air between us, but I wouldn't ask it. I wasn't sure enough that he was ready. But even as I made that decision, he was speaking again.

"My father banished her." I was relieved to hear that his voice was quite steady. "She left the Fire Nation when I was just a little kid. But it's okay. I've been collecting information on her whereabouts, and someday soon, I'm going to go find her."

I smiled at the determination in his voice. "I know that you will."

He smiled back at me gratefully and, as if on impulse, reached out and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. "Thank you, Jin."

The sweetness of his getsure caught me off guard, and I could feel myself glowing with his touch. "Am I allowed to ask why she was banished?"

"Maybe not yet," he said carefully. "There's a lot to understand before that part of it will make sense. But my duel with Azula, that, I can tell you about."

"That's your sister?"

"Yeah." He stared straight ahead, as if he was seeing something I couldn't. "What exactly did you hear about it?"

"Well, it was a storyteller's tale. She said that at the end of the war, a young prince faced the daunting prospect of battling his powerful sister. But…" My mouth was suddenly dry as I watched his face. It was very strange indeed to think that the prince in the story and the boy sitting next to me were one in the same. "But she said that as they fought, his sister couldn't land a blow, and that the prince had grown powerful with strength she knew not. She said… it was the only battle his sister had ever struggled to win. At the end, she used lightning even though she knew he could redirect it, because instead of attacking him, she was trying to take down the person with him."

I watched as Zuko's jaw set. "Well, I guess I don't have much to tell you, then. That's all true."

"So that's real?" I asked, trying not to sound too breathless. "You can redirect lightning?"

"Yes," he answered, smiling a little half-smile. "My Uncle Iroh taught me."

"Wow."

He shrugged, trying to look modest. "I owe a lot to him."

"So that's how you became so powerful? Your uncle taught you?"

He squirmed. "Are we really talking about how powerful I am right now? This is embarrassing. But yeah, my uncle definitely taught me a lot during my banished years. He came with me, you know. But the real turning point was when I met the dragons."

My heart stood still. "You met dragons?"

"Yes," he answered quietly. "It's very important you don't mention this to anyone else, because there are still people that would hunt dragons for glory if they thought they could get the chance. But Aang and I met them this past summer, and they taught both of us."

I filed this information away, feeling very small indeed. "I can't believe it. You've done so much. You've seen so much."

He glanced at my face and must have realized how I was feeling, because he pulled me a little closer on the palanquin seat. "Enough about me. What about you? I have my uncle. Who means the most to you in your life?"

I felt all the tact of his change of subject, and was grateful for it. Psychopathic sisters and lightning is enough to try and take in in one sitting — at the moment, dragons are completely overwhelming. "Well," I smiled, "I have my parents. I'm lucky. They're always there if I need something. My mom and I argue sometimes, but we usually can work it out. They're the reason I know how to weave, how to haggle, and why I'm good at playing cards."

"Did they train you in it?"

"Train me?" I laughed at his serious expression. "I mean, I guess. We've played against each other for fun for years and it just sort of rubbed off on me."

"I see," he nodded. "You'll have to show me how sometime. I wasn't allowed to learn in my lessons at the palace."

"I know, it's a commoner's game. But I'll show you tonight, if you want," I offered. "I want you to meet the other two most important people in my life — my best friends, Yu and Takan. We're all going out, and I'd like it if you came."

His eyes were wide as he looked down at me. "You want me to meet your friends?"

"Of course I do. Will you come?"

He looked at me for another heartbeat, and then he smiled. The sun seemed to shine out of his golden eyes, and I could see how happy I'd made him. "Yes, I'd really like to meet them."

"They're both wonderful," I gushed. "Yu is a merchant brat, like me, and Takan is a baker's son."

Zuko frowned. "Merchant brat? You're not a brat."

"Sure I am," I shrugged. "That's what everyone calls us — we're used to hearing it. It's okay. I'm not ashamed of where I come from. I was a refugee, and I grew up in the streets of this city, getting in and out of trouble all the time like the little ragamuffin I am. We've never had much. I'm not embarrassed by that."

"Well, I'm glad to hear you say that. Knowing where you come from matters. But still," he shrugged, "I grew up in the royal palace. I've known some bratty kids. I mean, I was kind of a brat for a long time, my uncle can tell you. You're definitely not one."

"Whatever you say," I grinned. "But either way, you'll be having a little fun with some merchant brats tonight." A thought that had been wavering in the back of my mind for a while suddenly became solid, and I grew serious. "Zuko, do you think that you could do something for me?"

'"Name it," he said at once. "I'll do whatever I can."

"Well," I said slowly, "I don't know much about war, or prisoners of war, or how all of that works. But my friend, Yu… her boyfriend has been missing ever since Ba Sing Se was freed. She's heartbroken. Do you think…?"

He was nodding already. "If he's in a Fire Nation prison, I'll find him. There are still plenty of prisoners that haven't stood trial yet, so it's possible. We're trying to get through all of them as quickly as possible, but," his face was pained, "when there are this many people involved, it's hard to know who's an innocent prisoner of war and who actually deserves to be locked up. My father wasn't particularly careful about making the distinction. What's his name?"

"Moka. He's an earthbender. He's got long brown hair and brown eyes, and he has a bad scar here," I ran my finger from my earlobe to my jaw. "He's originally from the Dan-So village."

"A bad scar, huh?" Zuko stroked his chin. "We should get along just fine, then."

I looked at him sideways, grinning. "Don't think I've heard you make a joke before."

"Well, then I guess you're just rubbing off on me," he shrugged. "If he's in the Fire Nation, I'll find him, Jin. I promise."

The palanquin swayed to a halt, and a knock came again on the frame. "We're at customs for the Upper Ring, sir."

Zuko nodded, pulling back the curtain, and I shrunk down beside him. There were a lot more people around us than I had realized, university students in their scholar's robes and fine ladies with painted eyes waiting to show their passports. The Fire Lord's palanquin had already attracted its fair share of attention, and when Zuko revealed us there was actually a hush of breath. I resisted the urge to squirm uncomfortably.

"How do you get used to all these people always staring at you?" I whispered. "It's intimidating."

"You're just thinking about it the wrong way," he whispered back. "They can't intimidate you if you're intimidating them."

I gazed around doubtfully. More and more pairs of eyes were turning to me, and the 'I don't belong here' feeling was getting stronger. To my relief we began to move again, this time drawing right up beside a stone booth flanked by guards. The woman inside poked her head out.

"Fire Lord Zuko," she bowed respectfully. Then her eyes lit upon me. "Who is this you are bringing back with you?"

Zuko drew his arm from around me and sat up to his full height. "This woman is my special guest. We're going to be giving the boutiques of Ba Sing Se's Upper Ring plenty of business this afternoon. I hope you don't mind."

His voice was polite, his tone casual, but the air of command with which he said it left zero room for argument. He was bringing me, and that was final. Next to him, I tried to look as inoffensive as possible. They can't intimidate you. You're intimidating them. Right.

The woman sniffed, looking uncertain. "Well, if the Fire Lord vouches for her…" she stamped a piece of paper twice, and handed it to one of the guards. "Welcome to the Upper Ring."

As we moved through, Zuko sat back and closed the curtains, looking satisfied. "I told you it'd be okay."

"You did," I let out the breath I'd been holding. "You've learned how to joke, now let's hope I can learn some of this royal poise stuff from you."

He looked at me oddly for a moment, as if considering something, and then nodded. "You'll get used to it."

He had promised to give the Upper Ring plenty of business, and he followed through wholeheartedly. I adored shopping, usually such a rare luxury, and he seemed determined to indulge me; every small exclamation was noted, every admiration of a dress or a pair of slippers quickly fulfilled. There was some guilt on my part — he had already fixed my family's roof, after all — but every time I protested at his generosity he would fix me with those earnest golden eyes, and I would melt.

"You need some silks, too," he decided, scanning the walls of the shop. "It's still warm in the Fire Nation during winter."

"Zuko," I whispered, turning as the shopkeeper pinned up folds of brown linen around my feet, a tailoring needle between his teeth. "I don't need more silk, you already got me that winter robe. Are you trying to burn through the entire Fire Nation treasury in one day?"

"If I was going to spend it on anything, it'd be this," he declared. "What color, do you think? Brown, maybe? Or no, you're getting the linen in brown…"

I blushed, glancing down at the shopkeeper. He was clearly trying not to smile.

"Actually, probably green would be best. It sets off your beautiful eyes."

I didn't think I could blush any hotter, but he kept proving me wrong. "Are you just trying to melt me into a Jin puddle, or what?"

"Maybe," he murmured, still examining the racks. "Could I —?"

"Go right ahead, Fire Lord Zuko," the shopkeeper mumbled around his mouthful of pins.

Zuko lifted a dress, a wrapper, and a tunic off the wall, all in a beautiful emerald. When I he turned, I made a face at him. He only made a face back.

Despite all my protests, we walked out with two new dresses, the brown linen and the green silk. I stammered my thanks out once and then fell silent, lost in the absolute novelty of having something — a couple of things — that were new and beautiful, and all my own. He, however, wasn't deterred. He asked me about everything over the course of the afternoon, from my friends to my family to my market stall, and everything in between. I was gobsmacked by the sheer amount of gold he was spending, but he seemed only able to focus on one thing — me. That fact alone was enough to knock me off of my feet, linens and silks be forgotten.

I was learning about him, too, watching him as we made our way down the avenue of shops. It became clear to me that, dignified and kind though he was, light-heartedness was not something that came easy to the Fire Lord. He would smile through his questions for me, laugh when I teased him, and then frown as if someone had poked him in between the eyes when a shop attendant offered him a drink. His grumpiness made me want to giggle, but I stifled it. It was endearing in an exasperating sort of way.

"Thank you," I whispered as we waited by the palanquin hours later, as Zuko's guards loaded it down with my various boxes and bags. "I can't believe it. I feel like a princess."

"Anything for you," he answered. When I smiled up at him, he smiled back and took my hand. The softness in his eyes took the breath right out of me, and before I knew it, the question that had been echoing throughout my head all day was coming out of my mouth.

"How can you do so much for me so willingly? You barely even know me."

He considered this for a moment. It occurred to me how challenging I'd sounded only after the words were in the air, but he didn't let go of my hand, which I took as a good sign. Instead, he turned his head to look out over the city, stretching infinitely below us out towards the mountains. It was getting late — the sun was already beginning to set. Soon, we would have to meet Yu and Takan.

"I'm choosing to trust my instincts," he answered finally. "I told you already that I've made a lot of mistakes. Well, not trusting my instincts, that was a mistake I made for a really long time."

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"I don't know what it is about you," he said softly, turning his gaze back to my face. "I know that we only went on that one date, and I wasn't exactly charming. But afterwards, for some reason, you just kept coming up in my thoughts. For months. I'd be training, or talking to someone, and then I'd just randomly think of you. Or, I'd… you know… see the way people would act around me, and wonder if you would do it differently. Better."

I blushed, my stomach giving a pleasant swoop. He had been thinking of me the same way I had been thinking of him? "Really?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "All the time. And for some reason…" he exhaled, tangling our fingers together more closely. "I don't know. I just feel… comfortable with you. Like I can tell you… things I wouldn't tell other people." He looked at me doubtfully. "Do I sound crazy?"

"No," I shook my head. "Not at all. It's a relief to hear you say it, actually."

"Well, I'm glad. I just want to do nice things for you because… well, because I like you," he shrugged, his cheeks pinking. "A lot. You saw something in me when I felt worthless, and I'll never forget that. I felt like I deserved nothing, but you saw value in me, somehow. And because of that, I just want to give you what you deserve."

If my heart had swelled any more, I would have been levitating off the ground. "I like you too," I whispered. "A lot. And I always knew that you were special."

If anything, he blushed even darker. "Listen, Jin, there's something we need to talk about. It's nothing too bad," he added hurriedly, catching sight of my face, "but it's reality. I came here not knowing if I was going to find you, or if you were even still living in the city. I didn't plan to be gone very long, and I can't stay — my country needs me."

Disappointment thudded into my stomach, cold and sudden. This wasn't goodbye already, was it? "I understand."

"I was hoping, though," he continued carefully, watching me, "that you might want to come visit me in the next couple of months."

Just as quickly as it had come, the disappointment vanished. "Visit you?" I exclaimed. "In the Fire Nation?"

"Yeah," he said awkwardly. His hand was nervously tracing the emblem on his robes again. "I know it's far, but I could secure a passage for you that wouldn't be too bad — "

"Of course I want to come!" I threw my arms around him, beaming. I couldn't help it. "Zuko, that would be amazing, I've barely ever been out of the city! When do you think I could come? Next month? December?"

He blinked down at me, surprised, and then slowly began to smile, his arms going around me too. "I think that next month sounds wonderful."

- o -

Back in the Lower Ring, violet twilight was hanging over the rooftops. The temperature was dropping by the hour, and I clung tight to Zuko — he was like a portable heater, taking a breath and cranking up his body heat whenever I shivered. As we got closer and closer to my street, though, a crease appeared on his forehead and he started fiddling with his robes again.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he muttered. "I'm just… I'm kind of nervous to meet your friends."

I blinked and resisted the urge to laugh, which I didn't think he would appreciate. It was adorably ridiculous, though — the Fire Lord, nervous to meet two Earth Kingdom peasants after a day out buying silks and linens. "Don't be," I reassured him, stroking the back of his hand. "They'll like you."

"Do they know that you're bringing me?"

Busted. "Um, Yu does. Takan doesn't know about all of this yet."

His frown deepened slightly. "He's in for a surprise, I guess."

"Yeah," I agreed. "A big one. I'm kind of nervous, too. We're in this together."

He gave my hand a quick squeeze, and I had a moment of foreboding. How was Takan going to take this one? How was I going to explain? But there was nothing to do about it now. Any chance to break the news gently had slipped me by that morning, and now I was just going to have to ride it out.

When we drew up to my block, Zuko knocked on the frame of the palanquin, which stopped at once.

"I think we should walk the rest of the way. If they're waiting for us at your house, I don't really want to ride up there in this," he gestured around us. "It seems like a little too much. I can have your packages delivered tomorrow morning."

I nodded in agreement, privately thinking that with the way he was dressed, it wouldn't make a difference if we rode up to my house in a golden ostrich-horsedrawn carriage. I disembarked carefully, holding up the hem of my robe, and took his hand again.

"You all are done for the day," he was telling his head guard. "I can see my own way back to the house tonight. Go rest."

The guard bowed, but I could see uncertainty in his face. "Are you sure, Lord Zuko? We would be happy to act as protection, if you need it for the evening — "

"That's alright. Thank you for your concern, but," he patted the dual swords strapped to his back, "I think we'll be okay."

The man bowed deeply, and the guards turned, heading back up the street. Zuko turned to face me, spreading his arms.

"How do I look?"

Again, I almost laughed at the anxiety in his face. Instead, I gazed up at him, taking a moment to examine his features. His jet-black hair set off his golden emblem beautifully. His cat's eyes flashed in the growing dark like twin lanterns. His scar, narrowing his eye and darkening the side of his face, made him look more dangerous than the dual broadswords.

"Have I ever told you," I whispered, "that you're the most handsome man I've ever seen?"

Even in the dark, I could see his blush.

"Stop that," he whispered back, taking both of my hands in his own. "Don't you know that lying to the Fire Lord is punishable by law?"

"I'm glad to know that I'm perfectly safe, then."

He was quiet for a moment. And then —

"So the scar. It… doesn't bother you?"

This was uncharted territory for him. I could hear it in his voice and feel it in the tensing of his shoulders, and I measured my next words accordingly.

"No," I said slowly. "No, it doesn't bother me. It's a part of you, and I like you."

"But how can I be the most handsome man you've ever seen?" he asked quietly, doubt in every syllable of his voice. "It's so ugly. I'm pretty sure most men you see don't have half of their face burned off."

I was grateful that he couldn't see me very well on this dark street corner of Ba Sing Se. If he had been able to look into my eyes in his moment of vulnerability, I was sure that I would have lost my heart to him for good.

"No," I agreed. "They don't. But most men aren't you. Your scar… it's not ugly. It's just skin. And it balances you, somehow. It's strange to try and picture you without it. When I first met you, it was one of the things that made you stand out to me, made me curious about you. And without it… I don't know. You'd almost be too handsome. It makes you, you."

He was silent for a moment. And then he wrapped me into his arms, pulling me flush against his body. I offered up no resistance, melting into his warmth and his rich smoky smell. The silk of his robe rubbed softly against my cheek.

"Thank you," he whispered, tucking my head under his chin. I could feel his heart racing against me. "I'm glad that you think so."

We stood that way for several long moments, his heart rate gradually slowing. It must have taken real courage for him to ask me that. When we parted, the air between us felt even clearer, somehow, like a hurdle had been conquered.

"Okay," he said, squaring his shoulders. "I'm ready. Let's go."

As we made our way down the street, though, it was my heart's turn to race. The only light now was coming from the lanterns on peoples' front doorsteps, sliding over us and dimming as we moved away. I could see two figures under our awning, conversing with each other as we moved closer. They hadn't noticed us yet. A hundred feet away. Eighty feet away. Sixty feet, forty feet, twenty feet…

I couldn't stand it anymore. "Yu! Takan!"

They both looked up as we closed the remaining distance, and I watched as their eyes moved from me to Zuko and widened in unison. I chanced a glance at him myself. There he was, sweeping along next to me in his floor-length silk robe, with gold gleaming on him everywhere from his boots to his chest to his shoulders to his topknot. Broad-shouldered, lean-waisted, and concealing his nerves well under a regally composed expression, he looked royal in every sense of the word. I gulped. This was about to be weird.

Neither one of them spoke immediately as we drew up in front of them. Yu looked a little paler than usual but was smiling faintly, while Takan's face was red and bore an expression that looked as though a badgermole had recently taken flight in front of him.

"Hi guys," I cleared my throat. "This is Yu, and Takan. Guys, this is Zuko."

Yu sank into a low bow. "I'm honored to meet you, Fire Lord Zuko."

Zuko immediately looked uncomfortable, but I only had eyes for Takan. He had bent into a bow too, but not as deeply as Yu, and straightened much quicker. His eyes were wide, and he looked at me as if to say, what in Agni's name is going on?

"Please," Zuko said awkwardly, "just Zuko is fine." He bowed back to both of them, much deeper, I was sure, than any Fire Lord was technically supposed to bow to Earth Kingdom peasants. "I'm glad to meet both of you, too."

"I know this is a little strange," I began, pretty awkwardly myself, "but I thought we could all go out together tonight, and show Zuko what the real city of Ba Sing Se looks like."

"I can't wait," Yu said, and I looked at her gratefully. "We're going to have so much fun."

Zuko's eyes were traveling from me to Takan, who still hadn't spoken. A crease appeared between his eyes. "I'm going to, uh, go change," he muttered. "It wouldn't be very smart to go out like this."

And he ducked into the house, filling me with appreciation at being left alone with my friends and panic at being left alone with my friends.

"Okay," Takan burst out as soon as the door had closed. "Can someone please tell me what's going on here?"

I bit my lip. "Takan, I'm sorry. I know that I should have told you this morning — "

"So you're the girl everyone's been talking about all day?" he gaped at me. "You were with the Fire Lord last night?"

I nodded reluctantly. "I just didn't know how to tell you. I met him last year when he was staying in the city disguised as a refugee. I didn't know who he was. He came back to look for me."

"What? How come the rest of us didn't hear about this?" he crossed his arms, frowning. "I'm pretty sure I would have remembered if you had met the damn Fire Lord."

"Well he wasn't the Fire Lord then," I pointed out. I could feel heat creeping up my cheeks. "Back then, he was just a random boy that I met in a tea shop. I went on one date with him and never saw him again."

At this, Takan scowled even more. "You went on one date and he came all the way back to Ba Sing Se eight months later to look for you? That's a little strange, don't you think?"

"I don't know," I said defensively. "I don't think it's that weird." I would have explained how that one date had been enough to keep Zuko and me on each others' minds for months, but somehow, that didn't seem like the tactful thing to do.

"Well, it seems kind of suspicious to me. How can you be sure he's being honest with you? What if he just wants something from you?"

"Oh, please, Takan." Now it was my turn to cross my arms. "What could he possibly want from me that he couldn't get somewhere else? What do I have that he needs? His poorest servants probably have twice as much money as I do."

Takan shrugged. "I don't know, Jin. He's from the Fire Nation. Those people have a tendency to be kind of scheming."

"Maybe they do," I conceded. "But I trust him, Takan. I really do. I can tell he's genuine. If you choose to not believe me or give him a chance, well, okay, then. I can't do anything about that."

I should have been angry, but instead, a weird mixture of defiance and hope was burning in my stomach. Takan was looking incredulous, and more than a little irritated. And it was aimed at me. I couldn't remember a time when he'd been angry with me before, and I found myself urging him on in my head. Come on, Takan. Tell me that I was wrong. Tell me that I should have told you about it this morning, or last spring when you asked me if I'd met someone. Yell at me a little bit. I know I deserve it.

Instead, he breathed deeply, in and out, and his frown gradually unknotted. "Okay. I trust you, Jin."

I blinked. "You do?"

"Yes," he nodded. "I believe you, and I'll try to give him a chance. I understand why you didn't tell me before."

In that moment, any possibility I had held onto of romance between us disintegrated on the evening breeze. He would not challenge me. He wouldn't stand up on his own indignance. Oh, Takan. A steadfast friend, a good friend — but that was all. My heartbeat tapped out a bittersweet rhythm and I took his hand cautiously, apologetically. He didn't pull away.

"Takan, I really am sorry," I muttered, and I meant it. "I didn't mean to keep you in the dark. This has been just as insane for me as it is for you guys, and I haven't been sure how to handle it. I hope that you can forgive me."

He breathed in and out deeply again, and then gave me a small, rather sad smile, squeezing my fingers gently. "Of course I can forgive you, Jin. It's just… really, really unexpected."

"I know," I breathed out, relieved. "It really is. But I hope you'll end up friends." I released him and turned to Yu. "What about you? You haven't said much yet."

She had been watching us with the intensity of a cat owl, but now she smiled. "Well, I like him already."

I hugged her, more relief sweeping through me. "You guys are the best."

I pulled away just as the door opened again, and Zuko came back out, meeting my eyes questioningly. I nodded, giving him a small smile. Everything's okay. He spread his arms just as he had done for me fifteen minutes before.

"So, how do I look?"

He certainly cut a very different figure. He had forgone his royal robes for a green tunic and pants, and his fine leather boots had been traded in for rough brown ones. His hair was down and unadorned, dark and shaggy and falling into his eyes. Only the swords remained, strapped to his back in the very same position. He no longer looked like the Fire Lord — he looked like the handsome seventeen-year-old boy that he was, the normal boy he had been when I'd met him. My stomach did a little flip, and I decided that I liked Normal Zuko just as much as the Fire Lord.

"Perfect," Yu declared. "No one's going to suspect a thing, unless they know that the Fire Lord has — um, well — "

"A huge red burn on his face," Zuko supplied reassuringly. "It's okay. I hope not many people do, because it's pretty hard to hide."

Yu blushed and glanced at me abashedly as if to say, damn, I walked right into that one. "I'm sorry, Zuko, I didn't mean to… I apologize. But I'm sure that no one is going to notice, most of us in the Lower Ring only knew what your name was when you were crowned. Information trickles down pretty slowly."

Takan nodded in agreement. "I had no idea what the Fire Lord looked like until tonight. We'll be fine."

I eyed the two boys suspiciously. Takan wasn't looking thrilled, but civil enough. Zuko's expression was friendly, but that crease was still firmly between his eyes, and the air between them was just a little stiffer than the rest of us. I glanced at Yu, who was looking back at me. Let's hope they grow out of it.

"Shall we go?"

"Seven Lilies, here we come," Yu grinned, and we set off down the street together.

It was strange indeed, walking towards our usual haunt with Zuko now a part of our group. There were four of us again, but still no Moka. With any luck, that'll change soon. I glanced at the boy next to me. While Takan and Yu laughed and joked, he was looking around the alleys of the Lower Ring like he was seeing them for the first time, and taking in as much as he could. Crowds bustled and shouted around us, and street performers and con men were beginning to appear on the corners. Night had fallen in Ba Sing Se.

"Are you okay?" I murmured.

"Great," he answered, and flashed me a smile. The crease on his forehead disappeared, and I was struck by just how wonderful it was to see him willingly in this world. In my world.

"It's going to be crowded tonight," Takan warned us as we reached the front of the pub. "There was a fight at the amphitheater earlier, and I'm sure everyone's probably come for a drink. You all ready?"

"Ready," I declared. "Bring it on."

Yu and Zuko nodded in agreement, and Takan pushed the gate of the courtyard open. Even out here in the cold, we could hear the dull roar of conversation and clinking from inside. There would be no playing for lychees on the cobblestones tonight. I glanced at Zuko again. He was looking composed but nervous, out of his element, and I felt a sudden wicked thrill of excitement. I get to show him how we do it here in the city slums.

I grabbed his hand. "Come on. Let's go!"

When I opened the door, the smell of roasting duck and wood fire hit us all, and we moved into the noise and warmth. Takan was right — it was crowded, and the card tables were all occupied. Honey wine and beer were flowing from every tap, and loud, raucous groups of people were eating, drinking, and gambling. Zuko's eyes widened, and I tried not to feel too gleeful.

"Let's get a table," Takan shouted over the noise, and led the way towards the only open booth. "I need a drink!"

Zuko slid in next to me, Yu slid in next to Takan, and fifteen minutes and a pitcher later we were all a little more relaxed.

"I kept telling him it was a different kind," Yu was saying, "but he kept insisting you're not supposed to eat kakis until they're super soft." She rolled her eyes. "Those old men never want to listen to me."

"Ah, don't worry about them," Takan said, divvying up the contents of our second round into everyone's cups. "They don't give me the time of day, either. Always telling me the bread's old, even if it just came out of the oven half an hour ago."

"Well, he ended up buying five of them anyway, and reassured me he wouldn't eat them until they got squishy," Yu shrugged. "If he's going to pay me a silver piece to let his fruit go bad, that's not my problem."

We all laughed, and I took a gulp of my beer, feeling pleasantly warm. It was apparent that Zuko wasn't accustomed to drinking as much as the rest of us, but he was holding his own, not embarrassing me, and I was proud of him for that. We were holding hands under the table, and I could feel whenever he thought something was particularly funny, because a pulse of warmth would travel from his fingers straight up my arm. I was finding it hard not to continually stare at him, and I was starting to realize that Yu was right — I did have it bad, and what was more, I didn't care. Every time I looked at him and he looked back, golden eyes shining through his shaggy black bangs, my insides turned as soft as the silk he'd so stubbornly bought me. I couldn't find a single feature that didn't make me feel a little hot around the collar, and he hadn't said or done a single thing to annoy me or make me doubt the way I was feeling. And the way I was feeling… well, it wasn't a way I had ever felt about anyone before.

"And he was yelling and yelling at me," Yu was laughing, "and then my mother got home, and he took the blame."

"He actually took the fall?" Takan took another swig of his beer, looking impressed. "Wow, I love my sister, but I don't love her that much."

"What can I say?" she said proudly. "My brother's a saint. But I got into all kinds of trouble back in those days."

"What do you mean, 'back in those days'?" I teased. "Last time I checked, those days haven't ended."

"Hey, now," she pointed a finger at me. "Do you really want a discussion about getting in trouble, Miss Mischief?"

I stuck out my tongue. "Ha, ha."

"Miss Mischief, huh?" Zuko smirked. "I kinda like that."

"No, you don't," I told him, while Yu and Takan laughed. "I was an angel as a child and I'm an angel now. I refuse to hear anything different."

"Well, I definitely wasn't," Zuko snorted. "I used to get into all kinds of trouble, my uncle can tell you."

"Like what?"

"Well, when I was little, I used to sneak into the palace kitchens," he began, draining his glass. "They were right next to the nursery, so it wasn't too far of a crawl. Anyway, one day I somehow got into the dumpling basket. The head cook found me on the floor with a dumpling in each hand. I couldn't get up, but I wouldn't let go of either one of my dumplings, so I just sat there and screamed until my mother ran in."

"Stubborn," Yu giggled, while Takan chuckled.

"It's his inner fire," I said, drawing the words out dramatically. "His drive for dumplings just can't be stopped."

"Hey," Zuko shrugged, refilling his glass himself. "Dumplings are serious business."

I smiled. Way to take some teasing, Fire Lord. After his story, Takan had one about falling into a flour sack as a kid, and then Yu told us about the time she'd swindled her way into a week of free rice at age nine. Soon, another pitcher had vanished from in front of us, and Takan was calling over a fourth. "You guys go ahead," I hiccupped. "I still want to be able to play cards tonight, and I think I might have better luck winning if I can keep my eyes open."

"A little showing off, eh?" Yu gave me a light kick funder the table. "Well, I can't blame you. She's good," she told Zuko. "Won us all dinner, drinks, and enough to feed our families not too long ago."

"Hey, now," I protested, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks as they all looked at me, Zuko's one eyebrow raised in interest. "Don't go talking me up too much, what if I have a bad night?"

"Oh, I don't think you will," Yu said. "And even if you do, we won't judge you, will we, boys?"

Takan nodded in agreement, but Zuko smirked. Despite my best efforts, I stared. Spirits, he was gorgeous, and that crooked little half-smile made him look like even more of a bad boy than usual. "I don't know, Yu. I've heard an awful lot about these gambling skills. I think I need to see the proof for myself."

My mouth dropped open. "Are you doubting me?" I punched him lightly in the shoulder, and he laughed, grabbing my wrist. "I'll teach you to doubt me."

"Game on," he grinned, a challenge shining out of his eyes, and I would have been lying if I had said I wasn't just a little bit turned on. I squirmed away, twisting my wrist out of his grasp, and planted my hands on my hips.

"Alright, then. That man over there is waiting for an opponent. What do we think?"

"Hmm," Yu squinted at him. "Cheap tunic, but the belt is nice. Hammered copper, looks like."

"Decent shoes, too," Takan muttered. "Real leather. He's got to have a little bit of money. I say go for it."

"Agreed."

The assessment was complete. I drained the remainder of my glass and stood. "Alright, then. Let's go."

We made our way over, Takan toting the pitcher, and I arranged myself cross-legged on the cushion across from my copper-belted opponent. "Good evening, uncle. Would you mind if we played?"

The man sized us up, eyes moving over me and my three companions, and grinned. "Not at all. Just as long as this is a solo effort from you, niece. No team players."

"No," I agreed, "definitely not." Zuko settled himself on my right, Yu on my left, and Takan held all of our backs as well as the pitcher. Yu gave her quick consent to deal, and we began.

It was definitely different, playing with Zuko at my shoulder, but I tried my best to not be distracted. I could see him studying the hand closely, could feel his eyes when they fixed on my face. I got off to a slow start — the first three hands went to my opponent, four silver pieces coming out of my purse, and I could tell that he wasn't regretting agreeing to play me. Doesn't matter. I set my jaw. Let him get comfortable, let him start taking those bigger risks. I'll be waiting.

Yu dealt the cards for the fourth hand, and I saw his left eyebrow twitch. "Let's up the stakes," he grinned, and a moment later a gold piece was shining from between his fingers. "Are you game?"

"I'm game," I answered, producing my own. "I call."

I could feel Zuko's eyes on me, and I resisted the urge to turn and wink at him. Focus on what you're doing, Jin. He gave you a challenge, are you really going to fall short? Yu dealt the flop, and the man across from me threw two gold coins into the pot. "I'll raise two more gold pieces."

Confident, are we? I examined my cards. I had the beginnings of a flush, with the two and six of Drops in my hands, and the Fool and the eight on the table. "I'll call, and raise another two."

The stakes were rising, and I knew that I wasn't being taken seriously. Come on, Dekax. Please let me win this one.

Yu dealt the turn, and my opponent checked. Zuko's eyes were trained steadily on him across the table, and for a moment I wondered how anyone, including myself, could focus with those eyes on them. Maybe this is a team effort, after all. I smiled to myself; I could visibly see him squirming under that golden gaze. Whether he knew it or not, Zuko was playing his part in this game.

The river was dealt, and my flush was complete. Ace of Drops. To my pleasure, I could feel Zuko heat up by a few degrees beside me — he knew I'd completed my hand. He was learning! Another gold piece was thrown into the pot, and I called. No need to do any more.

"Hands down."

My flush… and a straight. I grinned triumphantly, sweeping up the contents of our largest pot yet, and my opponent's jaw dropped.

"Well! Very lucky, that one."

"Probably," I conceded. "Let's keep going."

The tide had turned. I won the fifth, sixth, and seventh hands. By that time, a small crowd had gathered around our table — we were betting far more money than anyone else in the pub, and in the absence of any other entertainment, we were the most interesting thing going. I lost the eighth hand, but it didn't matter. By that time he was playing timid, having lost so much already, and the damage had been done. It wasn't long before he vacated the seat, and it was quickly filled by another man, eager to try and win some of my collected pots.

The crowd around our table grew until it felt as though everyone in the Seven Lilies was watching us, drinking and whistling and calling out random bits of advice.

"Quit calling! Just bet, don't show her your cards!"

"Check!"

But Dekax must have been with me, because after my flush hit the table, it was like I couldn't lose. I won hand after hand, and the coins piled up beside me. When I glanced at Zuko, he was smiling.

"I guess you're showing me the proof."

"Don't flatter yourself," I whispered back. "I just like making money."

The night had grown late, and I was playing the last hand of the evening against a dark-haired man with a clever face. He was good, there was no doubt, and I fell victim to his bluff once or twice. For the last hand, though, and for a small pile of silver and gold, I was determined not to lose. Four of Gusts, four of Stones, and the Lord of Flames sat between my fingers. On the table, the four of Drops and the three of Flames. If I could just get one more Lord…

"Last one," Yu declared.

Yes! Lord of Stones. Another three gold pieces were thrown into the pot, and I prayed it was only a bluff. I wouldn't fold. Unless he had better than a full house…

"Hands down."

A full house and… three of a kind.

Takan whooped. I smiled and bowed to my scowling opponent, collecting my coins. "Thank you for the game."

My focus was now purposefully broken, and the sound around me turned back up, the dull roar of the busy pub filling my ears again. The crowd around us was chittering and arguing excitedly, and I even saw some money changing hands. Gambling on gamblers. The man across from me, for his part, said nothing, but simply gave the four of us a resentful once-over, and headed for the door. I was too light-headed with victory to care, but Zuko frowned.

"That's not a very honorable way to accept defeat."

"Defeat is defeat," I shrugged, laughing. "He can keep his honor. I have his coinpurse."

"Maybe."

"Come on, Zuko," I grabbed his hand, smiling up at him. "Tell me I didn't let you down. Tell me you're proud."

His frown melted. "Of course I'm proud." With that, he grabbed me around the waist, picking me up for a quick spin of victory. I couldn't keep my giggles down, and before I knew it, he was laughing too, with his arms around me, looking like the most valuable Lord of Flames I could imagine. "You came through completely."

"She always does," Takan agreed. I was relieved to see a marked lack of annoyance at our show of affection — on the contrary, he wore only a small smile. He just wants you to be happy. My heart panged, and I wriggled out of Zuko's arms to throw my own around Takan.

"Thanks for having my back."

"Always," he promised, hugging me back. And I knew that he meant it.

We left the Seven Lilies quite as raucous as the crowd we were departing from, laughing and teasing and talking loudly. It was late — the streets were quieter now, darker, with many front porch lanterns having been snuffed out.

"I hate dealing when you play," Yu was complaining. "I always feel like I'm letting you down if I put down bad cards!"

"But you didn't let me down tonight, did you?" I teased, shaking my coin purse. "So no need to feel guilty."

"Please," Takan rolled his eyes. "You couldn't get bad cards if you tried. I don't know how you could tell that first guy wasn't bluffing. I thought he was for sure."

"It was his eyebrow," Zuko spoke up, and we all looked at him. "What?" he shrugged. "It was. It would twitch whenever he got good cards."

"You're right," I said, appraising him with newfound appreciation. "I'm impressed. Maybe you are worthy of being my pupil, after all."

"Worthy?" Zuko placed his hand on his heart dramatically. "Is the Fire Lord not good enough for you? I'm hurt."

I opened my mouth, vowing to reply as snarkily as I could, when a voice from the shadows beat me to it.

"Fire Lord? Now that's very interesting…"

I blinked, and before I knew it, five men were melting out of the shadows. Dekax! I cursed to myself, automatically shrinking against my friends, a cold shiver of fear trickling down my spine. I didn't know we were making a tradeoff!

In an instant, all light-heartedness was gone from the air, and we were surrounded. Automatically, Takan, Yu, Zuko, and I went back-to-back. Well, you wanted to show him how it's done in the city slums, I thought to myself bitterly. Why not end the evening by getting mugged?

"Fire Lord, did you say, boy?" the man who had spoken before ran his thumb down the blade of the large, rusty knife in his hand, smiling at Zuko. "I thought you looked familiar. What are you doing down here in the Lower Ring, and in such poor company?"

Zuko looked at him as though he was something disgusting he'd found stuck to the sole of his royal boot. "What do you want?"

The man laughed. "As haughty as I'd expect! Well, you see, my brother lost quite a bit of money to your friend here tonight," he nodded at me, eyes roving over my form in a way that I didn't care for at all. "So we came down to the pub, and I couldn't help noticing that almost everyone was losing quite a bit of money to her. I'd be very interested in examining that purse of yours further, girl."

My heart sank. I had earned quite the chunk of change, and I had been planning on giving it to Yu and Takan. But if it meant we all left with our ears still intact…

I made a move to untie my sash, but Zuko stayed my hand. "Don't, Jin. That money is yours." He turned to the men around us, his eyes burning fiercely in a way I hadn't seen before. My breath caught in my throat. "And you… you all need to leave us alone, if you know what's good for you."

I could feel Yu shaking slightly against me, and the stiffness of Takan's back would have rivaled an iron poker. Zuko, what are you doing?

The man with the knife laughed, his peals of laughter echoing through the quiet street. "That money won't be hers for very long. And you…" his eyes glittered. "So young. I had no idea. All the better. We'll take the purse, and take the Fire Lord for ransom. How does that sound?"

Zuko considered this for a moment, cocking his head to the side in a way that made his bangs flop into his eyes. "Not very good. You should rethink that."

And then all Agni broke loose.

Before I half-knew what was happening, Zuko had drawn his swords from his back and shot a spinning kick at the head of the leader, so quick my eyes almost couldn't follow. The man crumpled, the knife clattering to the stones, and the other four leapt forward. Takan tensed, ready to help, but Zuko didn't need it. He whirled and jumped, silent and deadly, knocking one man out with a hilt even as he ducked under the swing of another. I could only clutch my purse, speechless, wanting to help but not knowing how.

The knife was scooped up by the last conscious mugger, and Zuko leapt out of the way of its arc, swinging the flat of his left blade to knock the man in the back of the head. Instead of crumpling, he growled and swung again. This time, Zuko parried, the clang of their blades ringing through the alley. The man jabbed experimentally, but he was clearly outmatched. Stab, slash, swing — Zuko parried them all and then locked their hilts together, twisting until the knife fell to the ground. With his other hand, he swung at the side of his face. THWACK! The flat of the blade made contact, hard, and the man fell.

The silence was ringing, and we gaped. He hadn't needed so much as a spark.

"Hmph," Zuko grumbled, sheathing his swords with a metallic scrape. "You'd think that if you wanted to take the Fire Lord for ransom, you'd come a little more prepared."

"Um…" Yu exhaled shakily. "That was… kind of amazing?"

Zuko glanced at the three of us, as if just remembering that we were there. Takan was staring, still standing stock-still. Yu had sunk into a crouch, trying to regulate her breathing. And I was just hanging onto my purse, trying to process what I had just seen.

Zuko blushed.

"Uh… it was nothing," he muttered, striding over and offering Yu his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she answered, taking it and rising to her feet. "I'm just… wow. Terrified, and… impressed?"

"Stop it, Yu," I said, trying hard not to tremble. "You're going to burn his cheeks right off."

If anything, Zuko blushed darker. "That's already been done."

Yu let out something in between a choke and a laugh. "How can you joke about that right now?" She took a great gulp of air, flexing her fingers. "I'm fine."

Turning, Zuko released her and wrapped an arm around me protectively. "How about you? Are you alright?"

The warmth of his skin burned right through my tunic, and only Takan watching could have kept me from giving into adrenaline and kissing him with reckless abandon. "Yeah. I'm okay. Thank you. For, uh, that."

"No problem." He turned his eyes to Takan hesitantly. "Alright?"

Takan nodded, looking impressed in spite of himself. "Just fine."

We all stood in shocked silence for a moment.

"Well," Zuko said awkwardly, "I guess I should drag them out of the street."

"Why bother?" Takan said in disgust. "Leave 'em. They can move themselves when they wake up sometime tomorrow afternoon."

"You know what?" Zuko prodded one of the men with the toe of his boot. "You're right. Let's go."

And as we turned from the scene to head back home, with the warmth of Zuko's hand burning just above my hip, a thought occurred to me. There had been no need to wonder what he was doing, after all. I had watched him, heard him as he told me to keep the money that was rightfully mine. I had listened when he refused to give in. I knew what Zuko had done.

He had struck back.