𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝓪 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓯

𝐈𝐧𝐝. 𝐏𝐫𝐢 & 𝐒𝐞𝐥 . 𝐉𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐓𝐋𝐀 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐒 . 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐚𝐞𝐚 . 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐜𝐭

[jintletealeaf]

❝𝓣𝓮𝓪 𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓬𝓾𝓹 .❞

Ind . Pri . & Sel . 𝓙𝓲𝓷 from the 𝓐𝓣𝓛𝓐 𝓢𝓮𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓼 . Her portrayal is 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓿𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓘𝓷𝓯𝓵𝓾𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓭 by the book The City of Echoes , the series , & by personal headcanons . This blog will 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓼𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓵𝓮𝓻 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝓮 with spoilers from The City of Echoes . Jin is a sideblog & follows back from 𝓓𝓻𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓬𝓽 .

𝓟𝓮𝓷𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓑𝔂 : Taea { { she / her , 25+ } }

𝓔𝓼𝓽 . : May , 2025 .

𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓢𝓽𝓮𝓮𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓗𝓲𝓼 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓽𝓱 : @honorforged { { Zuko 💚} }

𝓔𝓪𝓻𝓽𝓱𝓫𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓡𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓨𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 : @silverfcng { { Xuan 💚 } }

𝓢𝓸𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓝𝓮𝔀 𝓗𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓛𝓸𝓿𝓮 : @airlegacy { { Aang 💚 } }

𝓡𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼 || 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼 || 𝓥𝓮𝓻𝓼𝓮𝓼 || 𝓐𝓫𝓸𝓾𝓽 || 𝓣𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓛𝓲𝓼𝓽

❝𝓦𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓽𝓮𝓪, 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓱𝓸𝓹𝓮 .❞

[die-auster]

[comorbidcorvid]

cozy lil romantic relationships with lil pecks and always taking pictures of each other and lots of smiles n adventures reblog if u agree

[dateagirlsuggestion]

date a girl who gasps when she sees dogs

[fancykraken]

Solar powered Momo 🐈‍⬛☀️

[lujinarchive]

Last batch of my atla characters as kids series

• gaang version

• maizulee version

[honorforged]

Zuko could only stare at her for a long moment. He had expected her to laugh it off, to hide behind that shy smile of hers the moment he admitted how much he liked seeing this side of her. Instead, she stood there flushing scarlet, fingers twisting into his robes, looking at him with those hopeful green eyes as if his opinion alone could decide whether she'd ever dare to be this bold again.

The realization that she'd been searching his face for permission made something in his chest ache. She had planned this. She had borrowed one of the palace attendants simply because he happened to be close to Zuko's height. She had rearranged furniture, tested different pieces, all so she could stand eye-to-eye with him without asking him to kneel or lean down. By the time she admitted she'd rehearsed the entire thing, his heart was completely defenseless.

“You... practiced?”

The image of Jin carefully directing some bewildered guard to stand against a wall while she shuffled ottomans around the room with absolute determination. It was so undeniably her that he felt himself smiling before he even realized it and when she apologized for standing on the furniture and made to climb down, Zuko's hands were already moving, settling gently around her waist, steadying her before either foot could leave the ottoman.

“No,” he said softly, shaking his head. “Stay.” His thumbs brushed absent circles through the fabric at her sides as he looked up at her, the smile on his face growing softer, more hopelessly fond by the second. “Jin...” he breathed. “Do you know what my favorite part of all this is?”  He waited just long enough for the question to settle between them before answering it himself. “It isn't that you surprised me.” A quiet laugh escaped him as he ducked his head for a moment. “Although... Spirits, you definitely did. It's that you cared enough to plan all of this.” His smile deepened.  You spent who knows how long figuring out how to make this work because you wanted to be closer to me.” His fingers squeezed her waist ever so gently.

“I've always loved how gentle you are. But seeing this side of you...” He let out another quiet, almost incredulous laugh. “It’s unbelievably attractive. Only you could completely undo me and then worry about the furniture.”  He leaned forward until only inches separated them, his forehead nearly brushing hers. “So don't apologize.” His voice softened. “If you ever decide to surprise me like this again, I promise you won't hear a single complaint from me.”

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓕rankly , this was probably the { { stupidest } } thing that Jin could have ever done . Not that being bold with the man who held her heart was stupid . In fact , it was anything { { but } } stupid . It was that the realization played in her head about { { exactly } } how she had reached this moment with Zuko , and how it probably sounded absolutely crazy to him . The idea of her borrowing someone who was working , to help her do something as silly as be bold and intimate with her partner . . . She probably sounded like a bao bun that had fallen off a counter and flat onto its face .

Then , Zuko looked at her with that complete and utter look of { { awe } } that made her heart nearly { { explode } } into a million , tiny butterflies . He looked at her that way , and Jin wasn't sure if she was to { { run } } to the nearest room and never come out , or hold on to his robes tighter to pull him against her as they kissed once more .

Gingerly , Jin nodded while her fingers anxiously { { pulsed } } against his biceps . ❝ W - Well , I - . . . Yes , I practiced . ❞ She admitted , almost as if she were admitting fault for a crime she had committed . Jasmine eyes drifted from his golden hues , glancing down at the antique ottoman that she had claimed as her standing point . Her toes { { curled } } into the plush ,velvet fabric as she moved to take { { half } } a step backward just seconds before Zuko's arms were around her waist and pulling her { { right } } back to where she belonged .

She looked up at him in slight shock , head falling to the left as puzzlement flooded her gaze . ❝ Stay ? ❞ She repeated the small word , only for a question - filled hum to leave her lips when he said her name . In the quiet between them , Jin's eyes returned to their path of searching Zuko's as he spoke . She watched his gaze for any { { shift } } that might have told her that this entire thing had been awful , or for something that told her that Zuko hated this entire thing . Instead , when Zuko asked her what her favorite part of this entire thing was , all she could do was slowly shake her head .

His laughter was warm , and it made Jin subconsciously { { duck } } beneath its tone in shyness and love . Sure , her cheeks deepened in color , but Jin { { also } } began to smile in a way that mimicked his . Her fingers nervously pulsed within scarlet and gold fabric , giggling at the sensation that followed the little squeeze he did around her waist . As he drew nearer , sweet jasmine remained fixed on honey gold . Her hands slowly drifted upward until they held his jaw and their foreheads nearly brushed one another . Once again , Jin gave him a small nod , this time { { mingled } } with a tender smile .

❝ I promise not to apologize for standing on the furniture . . . If , it means getting to do this a lot more . ❞ She didn't give either of them time to { { think } } . Jin just pulled him forward towards her , her lips finding his in a kiss as deep as the love she held for him . She held the kiss here for two thundering beats within her chest , before her hands melted from behind his face into her wrists crossed behind his neck and her fingers interlocked in his obsidian strands .

If tea became bold with heat , perhaps she { { too } } could be bold around a flame .

[takemetoparisbaby]

you're pretty weird for a girl who tried to be normal her whole life

[jintletealeaf]

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓟𝓻𝓲𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 𝓕𝓮𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓷 𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 ?

𝓕𝓮𝓪𝓻

🌿 — 𝓘n longing, you feel fear. You're uncertain and wary of what your feelings may betray you too. You don't enjoy the feeling of not being in control of your own self, you ask, "why can't I just stop?" There's a cold feeling in your chest, your hands become clammy, you know you behold this desire too strongly, but the feeling goes nowhere. Rationally you think, "this desire is foolish and I don't need it," but that doesn't work for long. Secretly you yearn for that you seek, trying to hide it even from your own self, fearing that if you even let yourself know what you crave, nothing will be the same. Sometimes it's lonely. Sometimes you wish you could tell someone.... anything. You reference it vaguely in conversations, a joke that only makes sense to you, but is actually the longing veiled in fear. Your desire is forbidden, unattainable, by your own standards or someone else's, but it lurks in the back of your mind, persistent, deafening in the way that silence often is. Fear not my love, take a deep breath. You will find your peace.

𝓣agged by : No one , I stole it from myself 💚 𝓣agging : @honorforged , @silverfcng , @bladeslinger , @earthsight , @dienli , && you ! steal it from me ! 💚

[museinspo]

“See the worst of me, and try to love me despite all the dark you find.”

— Tyler Knott Gregson (via thelovejournals)

[pinardenizs]

Love Game in Eastern Fantasy 1.08 (2024)

[honorforged]

A disbelieving laugh escaped him, soft and breathless as he lowered his gaze, shaking his head while warmth crept into his cheeks. “I thought I was being careful,” he admitted with a crooked, self-conscious smile.

His thoughts lingered on the lanterns, and his smile deepened with quiet embarrassment. At the time, he'd been so consumed with wanting to give her one perfect evening that he hadn't stopped to consider what he was actually doing. Firebending had always been as natural to him as breathing. He had spent his entire life shaping flames without thought, and in trying to create something beautiful for her, he'd forgotten that what was effortless to him was suspicious to people here. Looking back, it seemed almost laughably obvious.

But the amusement slowly faded from his expression, “You could have reported me to the Dai Li; they  would've paid you a lot for turning me in.” His eyes searched hers, not with suspicion, but with genuine wonder. “Why didn't you?”  The question came easier than the answer his own mind kept reaching for.

Because the past had taught him people looked after themselves first. Loyalty lasted only until a better opportunity presented itself. He had spent years watching people sacrifice one another for status, approval, money, or just to survive, until it had become the rule by which he expected the world to operate.

And yet Ba Sing Se had challenged that belief at every turn.

The people he'd come to know in the Lower Ring had so little compared to the nobles who lived above them, but what little they possessed, they shared. The Silver Fangs risked imprisonment not for wealth or glory, but to steal food, medicine, and blankets for people they'd never met. Uncle had been welcomed into the neighborhood as though he'd lived there his whole life. Strangers looked after one another because someone had to.

And Jin had known exactly what he was; she had seen through the lie almost immediately, understood the danger that came with it, and instead of selling him to the Dai Li to protect herself, she had protected him. It still didn't make sense, though it should have, by now. Jin was proving it over and over again, yet some frightened, battered part of him still waited for kindness to reveal itself as something with strings attached.

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓐s it often did , the teashop boy's smile made the little tea leaf's spirit { { soar } } , She slowly shook her head , doing her best to let him know just how much she { { admired } } what he had done , regardless of how reckless .

❝ Maybe you were , ❞ Jin shrugged , ❝ But no one can hide who they truly are forever . ❞ The irony of that statement settled { { deep } } in her soul as soon as she said it . He had hid that he was a Firebender this entire time , but Jin . . . She hid so much more before her kind eyes , and gentle smile . They both risked prison for revealing who they were . One risked the Dai Li taking them away , and the other risked waking up on the front lines of war on the eve of their own death . Neither were pleasant , and { { neither } } were deserved .

The moment he asked his next question , Jin froze . She had a { { sea } } of reasons why she didn't turn him in -- with many of them clawing at her mind as she tried to decide if she was going to tell them to him , or not . Her gaze broke , head dipping { { downward } } to allow her bangs to hide her eyes . Down to the left her gaze drifted , the tight hold on her hanfu returning as she { { twisted } } the fabric in her hands .

❝ Because you were nice to me . ❞ Jin began , looking at a random crack in the floor . ❝ You talked to me , and while I know you didn't talk to many people , you still took the time to talk to me . You made me feel like it was { { okay } } to be who I was , even if I could only afford one cup of tea . You made yourself a home here in Ba Sing Se . The { { least } } I could do was keep your secret . Besides . . . ❞ Jin slowly inhaled through her nose as her hands fell to her sides .

❝ No one deserves to be punished for revealing who they are . . .❞ She whispered , closing her eyes .

[honorforged]

He couldn’t hide behind the name Lee anymore. Not from her. And Zuko wondered how long Jin had known the truth as his confession came spilling out.

Even now, as she looked at him, his fingers absently worrying at the edge of his sleeve before falling still he could see she doesn’t see the Fire Nation’s disgraced prince. @jintletealeaf saw the awkward boy who stumbled over his words and smiled more than he ever thought himself capable of. If she’s known all along... then every kindness she'd shown him had been offered with the truth already sitting quietly between them.

Looking back now, the signs felt embarrassingly obvious in the way she sometimes looked at him as though weighing words she never spoke or the moments where she had never seemed surprised when conversations brushed dangerously close to his past.

“How long have you…” He spoke softly. “How long have you known I was a firebender?”

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓗is voice rolled from his voice with a curl of steam from a fresh cup of tea . His confession came out { { clear } } as day , and all Jin could do was stare up at the boy who said it . Slowly , as the confession fully { { registered } } in her mind , Jin just began to smile . Her jasmine - green eyes broke their hold , hands finding her sage - green robes as a way to keep herself focused .

❝ Since . . . The first time I saw your eyes . ❞ She started honestly , tightening her hold on the fabric a little more . ❝ I know there are many people from the four nations in Ba Sing Se , but there are few with eyes like yours . . . ❞ Jin's smile brightened a little more as her laughter bubbled from within , ❝ And even { { fewer } } who would dare to run a teashop while the Dai Li are watching their every move . ❞ As her words came to an end , Jin's voice { { softened } } while her eyes lifted to his shoulder . Sincerity lingered in them , her hands { { stalling } } their hold to fall limp instead . Blush { { painted } } across the bridge of her nose and onto the sprinkling of freckles on her cheeks as memories began to play .

❝ And since . . . Our date . ❞ Now , it was { { her } } turn to confess . ❝ I have seen people light those lanterns before . It always takes them a while , because they want to get each light { { just } } , but you . . . ❞ Her eyes found his , then . ❝ . . . You lit them so quickly . I closed my eyes , like you had asked , and the next minute the fountains were lit in the most { { memorable } } way . Only a Firebender could light that many lanterns as quickly as you did . So , for how long did I know you were a Firebender . . .❞ Gentle laughter hummed through her lips as Jin looked at his shoulder , then at his hands .

❝ I guess you could say . . . A while . ❞

[bladeslinger]

[instert fancy graphic here]

@jintletealeaf asked: Jin smiled as she hummed to herself , hands clasped behind her back as she bounced on her feet . As she often did , she smelled of fresh - baked pastries and Jasmine tea from a shop she frequented far too much for her own good . As they passed that little tea shop , Jin's steps slowed , her gaze soft , as she looked at the boy with a scar over his left eye that told a story she hoped she'd be lucky enough to know , someday . For now , she breathed a sigh , ❝ Do . . . You think he knows I exist ? ❞ She asked quietly . ❝ Probably not . . . ❞

“Yeah,” he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I think he knows you exist. Hard not to notice you.” But then his voice lowered and became more serious. “Still… I don’t know, Jin. There’s something about him that doesn’t add up. I met him at the train station with this old guy, his uncle, I think, anyway, he’s not just some tea shop boy. I think he’s a firebender. I just can't prove it, yet.”

He saw the protest forming on her face and quickly added, softer this time, “I’m not saying this to ruin anything. I just… don’t want you getting hurt. Alright?” He forced a grin and nudged her shoulder. “Besides, if he doesn’t notice you soon, that’s his loss.”

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓢he tilted her head to the left a little in curiosity , but that didn't stop the way her eyes lifted within something { { hopeful } } when his voice did that thing that made her heart flutter . She bit her bottom lip then looked down at her hands .

❝ It's not hard to not notice me , Jet , ❞ Jin replied honestly , ❝ Ba Sing Se is full of girls , many from the upper rings . In a crowd of thousands , I'd be missed like rice on the sidewalk . ❞ Which , she clearly was by the boy in the teashop . Jet said he couldn't put his finger on him for one reason , but Jin had { { another } } reason that she was certain something about him wasn't right . Maybe it { { was } } for the same reason , but as far as Jin saw , the whole city was full of people from various nations . . . In her eyes , where they came from never mattered , just who they were was people .

❝ Maybe he's just trying to get his bearings ? ❞ She looked up at him , watching how his eyes focused on the teashop like he was { { searching } } it for answers . ❝ What if we're his new home , and he is just trying to get comfortable ? I don't think that makes him a Firebender , do you know ? ❞ She gently bumped into him as her way of nudging his shoulder back .

❝ Well , if it's his loss , then . . . I don't know who will notice me . It's okay if it's no one , Ginseng keeps me company most of the time . ❞ She gave him a smile that didn't { { quite } } reach her jasmine hues as she glanced in the shop one last time , then turned away from it .

❝ Come on , we should go . Someone will think we're strange for just standing outside like this but not actually going in . ❞

[bladeslinger]

Jet huffed out a quiet laugh through his nose. “Yeah… I’m still getting used to that.” His voice dropped low, careful knowing the shadows could be listening. “Feels weird keeping something like that under wraps.” He stopped himself there, the ghost of something darker flickering across his expression. The old Jet who hunted firebenders for sport and wore vengeance like armor wasn’t someone he liked to remember.

“I’m trying to be smarter now,” he added after a moment. “Keep people safe instead of making things worse.” His gaze flickered toward Jin, softening a little. “Guess that includes Xuan now.” Unable to let a moment sit too long in sincerity too long; he tilted his head with a half-smirk. “Though between you and me, you seem to talk about him a lot. Should I be jealous, or…?” There was a teasing lilt to his tone.

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓙et's words settled in her in a strange way , but not necessarily { { bad } } . He always manged to brush things off when it came a specific girl . The light in his brown eyes { { faded } } a little , his charming smile dipped . It was like . . . Without saying much about her , Jin knew { { everything } } that she needed to know about the girl that held Jet's heart . She had to have been pretty , since Jet himself was cute , but . . . Beautiful , like the sea beneath sunlight . And she had to have been smart — { { brilliant } } in every definition of the word . She had to be a girl worth fighting for , and clearly was someone he { { was } } fighting for . Either way , she let it die , but that thought still lingered somewhere distant in her mind .

❝ I'm glad that includes Xuan , maybe you two will become best friends , when this is all over ? Like I said , ❞ Jin shrugged a little , ❝ He's really nice . ❞ In the blink of an eye , Jet's smirk returned , and Jin just shook her head as she tried to force the smile through the blush that wanted { { desperately } } to rest against her cheeks .

❝ Wh - What ? No . Jet , I - No , we're just . . . ❞ Friends . Acquaintances . Allies . Enemies . ❝ . . . Just , ❞ Her fingers toyed with her hanfu gently as her eyes dipped . ❝ . . . We just know each other , that's all . ❞

[honorforged-archive]

@jintletealeaf said: Jin got an idea . Not a bad idea by any means , but an idea . Her jasmine green eyes looked up at Zuko before she promptly grabbed the nearest ottoman in their room . Without saying a word , she grabbed his wrist then pulled him towards the door . Using both hands , she positioned him so that his back was against the wall , then turned over her shoulder . She made her back to the ottoman and then pushed it until it was in front of Zuko . She stood upright , her feet just peeking beneath her emerald and green hanfu . Jim then adjusted her long , thick brunette hair before placing one hand on Zuko’s shoulder , and using it to stand upright on the ottoman .

Now that that was completely out of the way , and she was looking down at him , Jin placed her left hand on the door beside Zuko’s head . Her right hand , she used to hook her index finger under her love’s chin , holding his gaze as sh pulled him forward into a kiss . Her cheeks dusted pink , while her right hand moved to hold Zuko’s lower jaw . She bit back the urge to smile , to draw back , hold his gaze , and ask him how she did . Instead , she allowed herself to melt into the kiss further . Her tongue trailed his bottom lip possessively , letting it explore the entrance of his mouth as she deepened the kiss .

Zuko didn’t realize what she was doing until his back met the wall with a quiet thud, knocking the breath from his lungs. His hand was still in hers, warm and sure. Jin was usually gentle to the point of shyness, all soft smiles and lowered lashes. This version of her moved with an intent that sent a heat straight through him. His amber eyes followed her as she pushed the ottoman into place, every deliberate motion drawing his curiosity more and more. When she turned her back to him to adjust her hair with that unhurried grace, his jaw tightened. She knew exactly what she was doing.

Her hand landed on his shoulder with light possessiveness, and when she stepped up onto the ottoman, suddenly closer to his height, Zuko’s breath caught. The familiar, intoxicating scent of jasmine wrapped around him, his fingers curled reflexively at his sides, and fire stirred low in his gut as something hot and reckless stirred in him at her boldness.

Zuko sucked in a slow breath through his nose, his jaw tightening as that confidence of hers hit him and sent his pulse racing so hard he had to brace a hand against the wall. “…Jin,” he roughly murmured her name, his gaze briefly flickered to hers, then [involuntarily] to her lips before returning to those enchanting green eyes, and as if caught doing something illicit, a faint flush crept across the scarred side of his face. He had to fight the urge to pull her closer just to prove he was still in control. “—When you’re suddenly this bold,” he said, a little breathless and clearly caught off guard, “it’s… really effective.”

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓑lush blossomed across her pale cheeks at Zuko's words , her smile finally making an appearance . Against his shoulder , her fingers { { twisted } } into his Fire Nation robes as she did everything she could to keep balanced on that pesky ottoman . Jin searched his gaze , jasmine eyes steady in deep amber as she waited for something to tell her to stop . She wasn't normally this { { forward } } . She was a lot more reserved than this , a lot less bold in her mannerisms , but she wanted to do that — she wanted to show him that the small girl from the teashop had something a little more { { bright } } inside than even she knew what to deal with .

❝ Did - . . . Did you really like it ? ❞ She asked quietly as she pulled her hand from her shoulder so her hands could clasp in front of her lap . ❝ I umm - ❞ Bashful eyes looked down and around herself as she looked at the ottoman she was standing on . ❝ I'm sorry for standing on the furniture . It's just , you're really tall and I . . . I wanted to make this work , somehow . ❞ The color of her cheeks deepened even more as she felt the need to { { explain } } exactly how this even came to be .

❝ And I - . . . I didn't want to { { bother } } you for to do this . So I planned it in advanced , sort of ? ❞ She explained as she lifted her eyes to his again , using her hands for emphasis while she talked . ❝ I borrowed one of the guys you hired for me , and he's { { about } } your height , so I asked him to stand about - ❞ A quick glance down , ❝ - Where you are . - ❞ Eyes back to his , ❝ And I moved different pieces of furniture over until one made me about your height and - ❞ When she realized she was rambling , Jin just looked down .

❝ I . . . I can get down now . I'm sorry . This feels like something we should do not . . .out here . ❞

{ { @honorforged } }

[silverfcng]

His jaw had been set tight enough to crack stone, but it loosened when she took his hand. The warmth of her fingers against his drew his eyes down to where she clutched his sleeve, then back at her face, searching for hesitation, for the doubt he was so afraid he might see in them, but all he found was her. “You shouldn’t have been left crying by anyone,” there was no anger in his voice now, “Reasons or not.”

He exhaled through his nose, gaze drifting past her for a second as if he could see the outline of the boy they’d known as Lee—now an enemy who’d helped infiltrate and overtake their city. “I don’t know what kind of person he is,” Xuan admitted. “Maybe he was kind to you. I believe you when you say that.” His fingers tightened slightly around hers. “But kindness doesn’t erase what he is or what he’s done.” He looked back at her then, and the steel in him softened. “But this—” he lifted their joined hands slightly, “—this isn’t about him. It’s about me being an idiot.”A faint, self-aware huff of breath escaped him. “I’ve spent most of my life assuming I’m… replaceable.” His shoulders shifted, uncomfortable with the confession. “The upper ring is full of guys like him; rich, important, who get everything they want and I’m..” he stopped himself. “Just Xuan,” he finished instead.

Memories of that night she was left brokenhearted came to his mind, unbidden, and his ears burned faintly at the reminder of how he took care of her. “I wasn’t sort of mean,” he muttered. “I was absolutely mean.” But there was the ghost of a smile tugging at his mouth now. “And I gave you my jacket because you looked like you were about to freeze,” he added, softer. “Not because I thought it’d make you like me.” His thumb brushed lightly over her knuckles.

[jintletealeaf]

🌿 — 𝓗e had a point , though she didn't want to admit it . She shouldn't have been left crying by the fountains , especially when they were a place that she so { { often } } dreamed of meeting her forever person at . Yet , here she was — the tip of her nose red from crying , eyes glossed over from tears that still threatened to break , while her fingers clutched onto his sleeve like a lifeline she needed to survive . She said she wasn't in love with him , and that { { wasn't } } a lie , but . . . the way her heart was breaking felt like it was telling a different story .

❝ He had his reasons . . . I can't - ❞ She looked over her shoulder once , then looked down at the cobblestone path . ❝ . . . I can't blame him for that . ❞ It didn't feel fair . A { { lot } } didn't feel fair , but , for some reason , Jin couldn't bring herself to blame Lee for it . After all , Xuan had { { also } } made her cry . . . He just didn't know it . Regardless , when he lifted their joined hands up between them , Jin couldn't help but to { { stare } } at them , before finding his gaze completely .

❝ Xuan , you weren't a - ❞ Jin started , letting her words fall in silent protest as she looked at him . She sniffled as she listened to him speak . She wanted to cut in , and say more , but she had a feeling that him saying how he felt was harder for him than he was letting on . Slowly , the small girl from the teashop began to smile .

❝ You're not just Xuan , ❞ she corrected , ❝ You're much more than that . I know the Upper Ring has done a lot of bad , but . . . That won't ever change who you are . You're not replaceable , Xuan , I hope you know that . ❞ Her lips pulled into a brighter smile as she caught a { { glimpse } } of the rare sight of him smiling back at her .

❝ I might have been about to freeze . . . but it did more than give me warmth — it made me see that maybe you didn't think I was annoying after all . ❞ Her green eyes fell down to their hands , watching the way his thumb brushed against her knuckles with the utmost of care . ❝ And that . . . maybe we could be friends . ❞