Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar

Warning: Rated for a reason, contains explicit male/male scenes

Author's Notes: My sincere apologies for the utterly ridiculous delay. Real life, huh?

Noting Displacement

Chapter 6

Working in an Earth Kingdom teashop was a different sort of stress. It wasn't anxiety over being discovered because there were no officials patrolling in the refugee areas and Zuko doubted that anyone would even care. Ba Sing Se seemed built around the idea of keeping the peace. There were worse crimes than being an enemy or a spy. The ultimate crimes were things like public fighting or drunken behaviour. Anything that disturbed the peace was quelled in an efficient and almost instantaneous manner.

Nor was it the physical labour or the hours that scraped at Zuko's temper. Training was several times worse than any of his duties and Zuko naturally rose with the sun as a firebender. Even without a direct view of the sun, he could always feel its heat flooding his limbs and aligning his Chi.

No, the stress that he was subjected to was daily interaction with other individuals. Zuko quickly came to realise that 'customers' was a way of saying 'idiots' and after working for a few meagre hours he already knew more about tea and the process than any one of them.

They ordered such stupid combinations of flavours. Zuko was aware of this even before he had started working. Of course it did not occur to him that this was his Uncle's influence. While Zuko was not a proficient brewer, he knew the theory extremely well.

Zuko was closing down and just finishing wiping off the table tops, (barbarians! why didn't they use the tea mats?) when someone slipped in the front door. He was sure that he had locked it. He turned around to explain politely that they were closed and if the 'customer' was that desperate for tea they could go home and make their own. It wasn't a customer. It was Jet. Zuko felt something flare in his chest, as if he were about to firebend.

"Jet," he stated. He was pleased by the way he managed to keep his voice level. That an uneven voice was even a possibility was source of deep irritation, though.

"Can we talk somewhere private?" Jet asked.

Zuko certainly admired the tenacity of the freedom fighter. Jet just didn't give up. Zuko allowed himself a small smile. It was a rare expression for him, but entirely justified given the circumstance.

"Of course. There's my room or…"

"That'll be fine," Jet grinned.

There was something slightly off about Jet's grin, but Zuko couldn't quite place it. He was used to seeing predatory overtones, but this was something different. There was a sort of anger or desperation or something…. Zuko accepted that he wasn't good at reading faces. He shrugged and led Jet upstairs. Whatever it was, it was probably unimportant.

Zuko smiled faintly when he heard Jet close the door behind them. The freedom fighter walked up and stood behind Zuko. The banished prince suppressed a shiver as warm breath blew against his burnt ear. Jet's arms wound around Zuko's waist and the pale teen decided that in some circumstances, being held could be almost comforting rather than an attack on his personal space.

"Li?"

Zuko pressed himself back against Jet's chest.

"Hmm?" He enquired, without paying all that much attention. He could feel the gentle rise and fall as Jet breathed. Perhaps Jet would be able to stay the night. Zuko decided that Jet was a more effective relaxation technique than meditation.

"I know what you are," Jet asserted.

For once Zuko didn't need to struggle to maintain his composure, he had a pretty good idea what Jet was talking about.

"Oh, and what am I this time? A driven individual? An outcast like yourself?"

He felt Jet's lips against the side of his neck and then felt them curve upward. It was the same sort of grin from before. There was something indefinably wrong with it.

"Well?" Zuko prompted, tilting his head to the side and granting further access. He wanted to get over the freedom fighter discussion so that they could move onto other things.

"You're a firebender, Li."

Zuko's eyes widened and his heart raced. Jet didn't know, couldn't possibly know. He tried to draw away but Jet's arms tightened. A part of Zuko's mind that wasn't occupied by the horror of his situation, marvelled at the way in which something that was once comforting could suddenly became caging.

He took a steadying breath. "Stop messing around Jet, I'm not a firebender."

"Liar," Jet purred in his ear. Zuko flinched.

"If this is you're idea of a convincing argument you are sadly mistaken. I am not a firebender." He turned around in Jet's arms and looked up at the tanned youth.

"Do I look like a firebender?"

Jet grinned in that unsettling way again. "You like a firebender who had a nasty teacher."

Zuko couldn't help the flash of rage in his eyes. Jet was clearly grasping at straws, but he struck a nerve just the same.

"You don't know anything," Zuko snarled. "Just get out and leave me alone before I force you out."

"What, are you going to set me on fire? Are you going to burn me, Li?"

Zuko paled. That was the last thing he wanted and not just for pragmatic reasons.

"I couldn't do that even if I wanted to Jet, but you know I can fight. Why don't you sleep off the insanity before one of us does something they'll regret?"

Something flashed across Jet's face at the word 'regret'. He stepped back, but not very far. Zuko backed away, keeping one eye on Jet and one eye on the corner where he kept his swords. The expression on Jet's face was finally clear enough for Zuko to read. Jet was angry. Who he was angry at and why, was another matter altogether.

Zuko thought furiously. Complete denial was the only sensible course of action. There was no way Jet could prove anything. Zuko had been so careful. He still seethed at the way he was forced to light fires the mundane way. Every time he used flint and tinder, Zuko felt gutted. Fire was a part of him, not something that struggled against his efforts. Everyday his control slipped a little more and he knew that even now, the room was heating up due to his stress.

"Jet, you're being ridiculous. Don't you think you would have realised before now if I was a firebender?"

Jet's expression slipped for a moment and Zuko caught a glimpse of pain and sadness. Zuko's eyes narrowed. That particular expression didn't suit Jet in the least. Zuko preferred the anger.

Jet sounded weary when he spoke next. "Look, Li, I just have to know. For my own sanity, just tell me the truth. I wouldn't go to the authorities or anything. I don't trust them. It would just be about us; between us, like always. Just tell me the truth."

Zuko's heart rate increased again and for a moment a wild desire to admit the truth nearly overcame him. He took a deep breath. There was too much at stake. Besides, Jet was charismatic and there was no guarantee that he was speaking the truth himself.

"I am not a firebender, Jet. You're wrong."

For a heartbeat, Zuko almost expected the freedom fighter to believe his words. Despite everything he still wanted Jet. He just wanted things to go back to being simple. He wanted the brief struggle for dominance and he wanted the release. Most of all he wanted Jet's real grin. Zuko grimaced inwardly. That last one was a stupid thing to want.

Jet was still for a moment. He seemed to be wavering on the edge of something. The conflict streamed across his face in a way that was obvious, even to the banished prince. The next moment Jet's expression broke into a snarl.

"You're lying!"

The tanned youth sprang across the room like some wild animal. Before he could even turn or reach for his broadswords, Zuko found himself pinned between the wall and Jet's armoured weight.

The freedom fighter's eyes looked wild. Zuko met his gaze without flinching.

"Now what?" Zuko asked quietly.

Jet didn't move. Zuko felt the rise and fall of the other's chest as he veritably panted. Jet crushed his lips against Zuko's and bit down fiercely on his bottom lip, drawing blood. Zuko hissed slightly at the pain and the sudden taste of copper in his mouth. He returned the kiss nonetheless. Fighting had been part of… this… since the beginning. Only the reasoning had changed.

Jet broke the kiss first and gave a bitter laugh. "I can't believe you still want this," he spat.

To emphasis his point, the freedom fighter pushed his leg between Zuko's and applied pressure to his obvious arousal.

"You're one to talk," Zuko retorted, suppressing a moan. "You don't know if you want me or if you hate me."

"Does it have to be one or the other?" Jet replied softly with his disquieting not-quite-grin.

Zuko's heart hammered even harder. There were so many ways this situation could go wrong. There were so many reasons to push away before the danger escalated and someone really got hurt. Both teens stood there, watching one another. Neither of them ever really backed down.

Zuko felt a bead of blood trail over his bitten lip and slide down his chin. He swiped at it with his tongue without really thinking. Jet focused on Zuko's lips and tongue and shivered slightly.

"Hot in here, or is that just you, firebender?" Jet asked.

Zuko scowled. It was an expression that most people would back away from. Jet stayed right where he was with his leg tensed.

"Turn around," Jet stated quietly.

There were so many reasons to try and calm things down and reassess. There were so many reasons not to provoke the freedom fighter.

"Make me," Zuko replied in the same soft tones.

Jet withdrew his leg and flipped the fire prince around. Zuko had enough strength to fight this and with his training, perhaps even enough to throw the other off. He didn't.

Jet pressed himself against Zuko's back and placed a few kisses along the prince's neck with mock gentleness. Zuko shuddered and felt the lips against his neck broaden into an approximate grin.

Tanned hands ran down Zuko's back and up under his shirt. Breath hissed between clenched teeth. Both individuals were barely in control of themselves. The situation was beyond either of them.

Jet yanked down Zuko's pants. The prince tensed despite himself. Gentle fingers alighted on the scarred side of Zuko's face. Zuko turned his head and took Jet's fingers into his mouth. He sucked on the digits and then bit down, almost hard enough to break the skin, but not quite. Jet hissed, but waited until Zuko released him.

The preparation was rough, but thorough. Jet also took his time entering Zuko. When he was fully sheathed, he whispered in Zuko's ear.

"You're so hot inside, Li. I know you're a firebender."

"You're insane," Zuko bit out.

Jet let out a strained laugh. "Probably, but not as insane as you."

They were both breathing heavily. Their voices were strained and they could barely articulate. Jet thrust slowly and Zuko couldn't hold back a moan, even as he cursed his lack of control. Jet was panting and after a few slow thrusts, he couldn't hold back and began to move in earnest. It transformed into another sort of fight as both males tried to make the other one finish first. Jet reached around to stroke Zuko and the prince clenched down as viciously as he could. This had the net effect of both of them climaxing simultaneously; each as stubborn as the other.

Zuko collapsed against the wall, his legs shaking and Jet collapsed against him. To the outside observer, they might have looked peaceful and contented. Moments later Zuko slid out from beneath Jet and stretched out on his bed. Jet turned around and leant his back against the wall.

"This changes nothing." The freedom fighter clearly tried to growl, but it came out more as a groan.

Zuko nodded wearily. "I thought as much. You seem pretty confused."

Jet tried a half-hearted snarl. "I'm not confused, I'm right. You're a firebender and sooner or later, I'm going to take you down."

"Will that be before or after you take me against a wall again?" Zuko pressed.

Jet pushed himself off the wall and made his way to Zuko's window.

"Shut up, firebender."

Zuko lay awake and tried to sort through his writhing thoughts. Something had to be done about Jet before things got out of hand. The freedom fighter was stubborn and determined and he was bound to escalate things. Zuko had enjoyed seeing Jet; he had even enjoyed the battle, he just didn't want the inevitable escalation. The only thing he hadn't really liked was seeing the pain and sadness in Jet's expression.