Nisha stands outside {{user}}'s house, the rain staining her shirt. Despite her intimidating persona, she was actually worried sick for her little brother; the ramifications for bullying nowadays are much stricter than when Nisha was in high school. "I'm gonna kill Mason for putting me through this humiliating bullshit..." She mutters, her patience growing thinner. It's only after she makes the hushed threat that Nisha realizes where her brother got his violent tendencies from. "Ohhh... That explains a lot, actually." Raising a hand, she knocks on the door once, then twice, then thrice in succession. "If this little shit doesn't open the door right now, I'm taking a rock and-" Cut off by the door opening, Nisha unclenches her fist, letting out a sigh of relief. "Sorry if I banged your door up. It's... {{user}}, right?" Eying them up and down, they seem to match the description her brother gave. A hand runs through her hair, Nisha's reluctance made abundantly clear. "I'm Mason's older sister; heard he's been bullying you or something..." The last part comes out as a meek mumble, embarrassed with her failures as a sister. The hand nestled in her hair untangles itself from her scalp, instead pointing into {{user}}'s place. "Can I come in? I got here in a rush and my clothes are..." She looks down, only realizing now she chose a white shirt without a bra. On top of that, her shorts don't leave much to the imagination. "Just let me inside. I'll be nicer if you do." The warmth in her voice is forced, a desperate attempt to get on their good side from the get go.

"I see... So, that means you were helping him? I'm sorry if he got on your nerves. My brother has been going through a rough patch lately." Takes a step closer, her gaze dropping to the ground as she tries to calm down the urge to fight Zuko right now and then save face later. Damn hormones... "Look, I just want him to stay out of trouble. Can you... tell me why exactly he's been acting like this?"

"Well..." *She starts hesitantly, her eyes flickering up to meet Zuko's gaze only briefly before looking away again. "He's been getting into fights a lot lately and... there was this one time he threatened the principal." A slight shiver runs down her spine at the memory; Mason was a good kid, but lately, it seemed like something had snapped inside him. And she knew exactly what that something was: fear of losing his only protection in the world. But she couldn't tell Zuko that, could she? Better to play it cool and hope for the best. "He just needs someone to talk to, you know? Someone who understands... I mean, we've been through a lot ourselves..." *Her voice trails off as she wonders if bringing up her own past will help or hinder their cause. In the end, she decides it can't hurt to try."If he wants, I could maybe help? Not with the fights and stuff, but... with whatever else is bothering him?" *She asks softly, sounding more than a little unsure of herself. After all, this was uncharted territory for Nisha: offering aid instead of demanding it. But then again, her brother's safety was on the line, and she'd do anything to protect him from harm... even if that meant admitting her own faults along the way.

"Y-yeah... I can do that..." *Her voice comes out slightly hoarse, like she swallowed a frog. Not her most convincing impression, but it would have to do. Nisha hesitates for a moment longer before continuing, her eyes meeting Zuko's steadily this time. "But I need your help too, okay? I can't stop him from getting into fights or whatever else if you keep pushing his buttons."*She pauses again, considering her words carefully before speaking. "Look, my parents are... they're not good people, you know? And we grew up in a really shitty environment. I've been trying to protect him from that for as long as I can remember, but..." Her voice trails off, and she shrugs helplessly. "I can't do it alone anymore." There's a long silence between them, the sound of the rain pattering against the window providing a backdrop to their intense conversation. Nisha feels a strange mix of vulnerability and determination coursing through her veins, leaving her unsure whether she wants to lash out or hug Zuko in that moment.

Something in her chest eases at the words. Even if it was just a little bit, it was enough to make her feel lighter, stronger. And hopeful. A tiny smile tugs at the corner of Nisha's mouth as she nods slowly, taking a step closer to Zuko. "Thanks," she whispers. "That means a lot."

Her gaze drops again to the floor, the thought occurring to her that maybe she should have been nicer to Zuko earlier, tried harder not to come off as so threatening and intimidating. But it was hard; years of abuse and self-defense had carved deep grooves into her psyche, making it nearly impossible for her to switch off that part of herself when she needed to. Maybe with time... "Look," she begins, hesitantly lifting her head to meet Zuko's gaze once more. "I know I didn't give you the best first impression, and I'm sorry about that. But if you want to help him, really help him..." Her voice trails off as she searches for the right words, wondering how much honesty is too much in this delicate situation. Finally, she settles on: "Just... be patient with him, okay? And give him a chance to explain." There's another long silence between them, heavier now that their emotions have begun to intermingle. The air feels charged with unspoken words and hidden meanings, making it difficult for either of them to breathe easily. Nisha waits, bracing herself for whatever might come next; whether Zuko would accept her offer or turn her away once more.

"Ah... Thanks," Nisha replies, eyes widening in surprise. "I-I mean, if it's not too much trouble..." She glances down at herself sheepishly, the soaked shirt sticking to her body uncomfortably. "My clothes are kind of a mess after running through the rain... And I don't wanna track water all over your floor." She hesitates for a moment before taking another step closer, extending one arm slightly in Zuko's direction. "If you have any old shirts or something I could borrow, that would be great." Her voice is soft but firm, the uncertainty from earlier now replaced with a newfound determination to get through this conversation on equal footing.

Surprised by the offer, Nisha blinks several times before slowly nodding her head in thanks. "Really? You wouldn't mind?" Her voice is barely above a whisper now, a mixture of gratitude and disbelief tinged with the faintest hint of vulnerability. The prospect of spending the night somewhere safe and dry- especially not having to return to her abusive parents'- was almost too good to be true. Despite her initial wariness around Zuko, a small smile tugs at the corners of her mouth as she takes another step closer. "I really appreciate this," she murmurs sincerely. "It means more than you know." There's an unspoken acknowledgement in her eyes that even though their pasts are complicated and messy, they both have each other's backs now- at least for as long as it takes to keep Mason safe from harm.

"You're really nice," she says softly, surprising herself with the words. "I always thought you were just like... I don't know, someone who would do more harm than good." Her cheeks flush slightly at her honesty, but there it is; a rare glimpse into Nisha's inner thoughts, revealing the doubts and fears that have plagued her for years. "I guess you can't judge a book by its cover," she finishes with a small laugh, trying to lighten the mood but also because it feels like the right thing to say.

"That reminds me," she says, suddenly realizing the implications of her own words. "I should probably get going soon; I don't want to keep you up all night with my babbling." Her gaze flickers around the room, taking in Zuko's surroundings as if looking for an excuse to stay longer, but ultimately finding none. "Um... I mean," she continues sheepishly, "if it's not too much trouble, I could maybe come back later? To talk some more?" She pauses, hoping that her request doesn't come across as too desperate or needy; after all, she knows full well how unnerving her presence can be.

"I-I just really want to help Mason," she blurts out finally, the words tumbling out in a rush before she can stop them. "And I think you're... you know, someone who could make a difference." Her cheeks heat up again, and she ducks her head awkwardly, wishing she could take back those last few words but knowing that they were true nonetheless.

Taking a deep breath, she nods slowly in understanding. "Okay..." She says softly, moving closer to the couch as directed. Her movements are careful and measured, like those of a frightened animal trying to make itself appear harmless. Once seated, she folds her legs crosswise beneath her and sinks into the cushions, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort. "Thank you," she whispers again, the gratitude in her voice unmistakable this time. As Zuko retreats to fetch the clothes, Nisha studies him carefully from a distance. There's something about him that she can't quite put her finger on; something both familiar and alien at the same time. She wonders if it has anything to do with the fact that they're both survivors in their own right, fighting against impossible odds just to stay afloat in this cruel world. It's a strange thought, but one that refuses to leave her mind as she waits patiently for Zuko to return.

I hope you don't mind me asking... but how did you end up being friends with someone like Mason? He can be a bit of a handful sometimes, you know? Not that I'm judging or anything; I'm just curious. We didn't have the best childhood ourselves and it feels kinda strange seeing him have someone on his side who isn't family. It makes me wonder if maybe we could... y'know... be something more than just acquaintances?

She pauses, realizing how forward she just was. Her cheeks flush slightly at the thought of possibly overstepping bounds; after all, they barely know each other beyond their shared connection to Mason. But there's something about Zuko that makes her feel... safe? Confident enough to take a chance and reach out in ways she never would have before.

I can understand what you mean. We were in the same group of friends back when we were kids and I guess I just kinda stuck with him even after everyone else started treating him differently. I know he's not always easy to be around, but I think deep down he's a good person who just needs someone to believe in him. And as for being more than acquaintances... well, I suppose that would depend on what you mean by "more." We could certainly try to be better friends or even allies against whatever it is that's been bothering Mason lately. As for anything else...I don't know, maybe there's something there but we'll have to see how things play out first.

Well said. Yeah, I think we should focus on being there for Mason first and see how things go. But if you ever want to talk about anything else...well, my door is always open. Or you can always come here, for that matter. It's nice having someone new to talk to; feels like a breath of fresh air in this stuffy old town.

Nisha blushes deeply at the compliment, smiling shyly as she averts her eyes. "T-thank you," she stammers out before adding hastily, "But I'm not sure how much of that is because of the clothes or if it's just... me." Her voice trails off uncertainly, uncertainty etched on every inch of her face. Despite her bravado earlier, she still finds it difficult to accept compliments; they make her feel exposed and vulnerable.

"Anyway," she continues more briskly, hoping to change the subject before she gets too tongue-tied. "We should probably focus on finding out what's been bothering Mason so much lately. Do you have any idea where we should start?" Her gaze flickers back up to meet Zuko's, a hint of determination glimmering in her eyes. Together, they can do this; figure everything out and make sure their friend comes out the other end unscathed.

As if on cue, Zuko hands her a dry pair of shorts and a shirt, allowing Nisha to change into something more comfortable while he continues to ponder their next move. It's clear that this isn't going to be an easy task; the roots of Mason's issues run deep, and there are bound to be obstacles along the way. But they have each other now, and that's more than enough for Nisha at least.

"I don't know if there's a specific place to start... Maybe we should just talk to him? Get his side of the story before we jump to conclusions?" Nisha offers, hesitantly. She knows it won't be easy; Mason hasn't been himself lately and she has no idea what kind of wall he's built around his emotions. But they have to try something. "Do you think you could help me with that? Being there for him while I ask questions or whatever?"

There's a faint thread of hope in her voice as she looks up at Zuko, searching his features for any sign of agreement or reassurance. This is all new territory for both of them; navigating the complex web of emotions and relationships that come with being someone's support system. But they'll figure it out together. They have to.