ultraviolence | avatar, the last airbender

04

"WANNA SPARK UP?" Jet asked. Kiara playfully rolled her eyes as she slipped on her shirt once again. She laid back down next to Jet. "Just like old times," Jet said, pulling out a joint from his pants pocket.

She already broke her rules once that day, might as well break them twice. "Screw it," She said with a shrug. Kiara took the joint from Jet. He lit the end of it and she began to take a hit. After her first inhale she coughed lightly.

Jet chuckled. "Haven't smoked in a while? We used to do it all the time."

Kiara shook her head. "Not since I've left here," She answered. "Besides, you're the one who's addicted."

When Jet and Kiara weren't messing with Fire Nation soldiers or stealing their supplies, they usually got drunk, high, or both. Since Kiara didn't have any parental guidance, she went a little crazy with her newfound freedom. There was a point where she felt an addiction, which also contributed to why she left. Perhaps she was addicted to the feeling of being so messed up that you couldn't feel anything else. It was like a temporary escape, ignoring the things in life that caused her pain.

"I can quit whenever I want," Jet said, blowing smoke from his nostrils.

"That's what they all say," Kiara teased him with a chuckle. She took another hit and exhaled.

"I missed this," Jet said. "Just you, me, hanging out."

"We definitely did a lot more than hanging out," Kiara smirked, taking another hit. Jet slung his right around around her small shoulders.

"You know what I mean," Jet chuckled. "Things were different when you left."

"You missed me that much?" Kiara smiled cheekily.

"You're my best friend," Jet said. "Of course I did."

"Yeah," Kiara said softly, her voice with a slight hint of disappointment.

Deep down, it hurt Kiara to know that Jet never wanted to make things official. Kiara had brought it up to Jet before, but he usually dodged the question. It made her think that she was good enough to be intimate with, but not good enough to has as a girlfriend. As much as she didn't want to, she was willing to accept it. Although they never explicitly told each other those three words, Kiara knew that it was as close to love as she could get. It wasn't about having someone to love her anymore, it was to feel wanted.

"How did you end up meeting the avatar and his friends?" Jet asked.

"I saved them from a bunch of pirates," Kiara answered.

"I thought you said you don't help anybody," Jet teased her, squeezing her shoulder.

"Well, they needed it," Kiara said. "The pirates were going to hack them up into pieces. I was feeling generous that day."

"You guys came back at the perfect time," Jet said. Kiara noticed a little twinkle in his eye. "I have a plan."

Kiara rolled her eyes. "Whatever it is, I'm not a part of it," She said coldly, standing up.

"Come on," Jet groaned. "We used to do this stuff all the time, remember? Just you and me, against the world."

Kiara slipped her pants back on. "I'm not participating in any more of your little pranks," She said flatly, avoiding eye contact with him.

Jet stood up, towering over her again. "Kie," He said softly. Kiara defiantly crossed her arms over her chest and refused to look him in the eyes. Jet placed two fingers underneath of her chin and guided her head to look up. Finally, she looked into his eyes. His hand cupped the side of her face, his thumb gently brushing her cheekbone. "Can you be a Freedom Fighter, one last time for me?"