(no subject)
Title: We'll Meet On Edges Soon
Author: poor_choices
Fandom: Legend of Korra
Pairing: Character spoilers for 110: General Iroh/Korra; brief mentions of Mako/Korra and Bolin/Asami.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None I can think of.
Word Count: 1300.
Summary: Formal events in Republic City: not for everyone.
Spoilers: Character spoilers for 110, mentions of events in the finale.
Disclaimer: Lies and untruths.
"Ah, General Iroh!"
Iroh tries not to wince. Of all his duties, formal functions are his least favorite. He hated them as a child, when he attended as the Prince, and they hadn't become any better once he rose in ranks in the United Forces.
At least he gets to wear his uniform now.
"Councilwoman," says Iroh, pasting on a smile. "How nice to see you again."
"It's so wonderful you could join us, General! It's been far too long." She smiles; she'd look like his grandmother, if his grandmother ever smiled. "I'm sure the United Forces keep you very busy."
"Yes, I don't get a chance to come to the city very long. If you'll--" he starts, hoping to extricate himself from the conversation. But the councilwoman lights up, waving to someone behind him.
"Avatar Korra!"
Iroh turns to see Korra standing behind him, looking as if she was trying to sneak out too. She's dressed differently than when he last saw her, a deep blue dress he recognizes as traditional for the Southern Water Tribe. She looks older, more than he might have expected. It's only been a year.
On the other hand, it hasn't been the easiest few years for her.
"Oh," says Korra. "Hey, councilwoman." She blinks, looking at him in surprise. "General Iroh?"
"Avatar Korra," he says, nodding. "It's good to see you again."
"Yeah, you too," says Korra. "What are you doing in Republic City? Is something wrong?"
Iroh tries not to wince. "My father thought I would enjoy the party."
Korra must catch his tone, because she smirks. But she plasters on a pleasant smile quickly enough. "Councilwoman, if you'll excuse us, I really should take the General over to speak to Tenzin. I know he'll want to say hello."
"Of course," says the councilwoman, and Iroh lets Korra lead him away.
"Tenzin is here?"
Korra snorts. "Of course not. He said hello to three people and left before Meelo could break anything." She grins over her shoulder. "I'm going to the balcony to get some air. You looked like you could use some too."
Iroh feels himself relax and smile back. "You're right. Thank you, Avatar Korra."
"Just Korra," she says.
He's hit by deja vu, swift and sudden--himself, at age four, the only child at the Inauguration ball, alone in the corner while his mother and father socialized easily. And then, suddenly, Avatar Aang. Even at sixty-six, Aang had seemed young and carefree, happy.
"You look like you could use some air," Aang had said, and Iroh felt himself blush.
"Avatar Aang! I'm not bored," he said quickly.
Aang laughed. "Just Aang. And it's okay, I'm bored too."
"You look a million miles away," says Korra, smiling at him and drawing him back to the present.
"Seventeen years, actually," says Iroh, smiling back. "I was just thinking about being out here with Avatar Aang."
Korra looks surprised. "You knew Aang?"
"Not well," says Iroh, leaning against the railing. "He and my grandfather were close, of course, but I didn't get to see grandfather very often then. That was the only time I met him. He died a few months later."
"Oh," says Korra, resting her chin on her arms. "Sorry," she adds.
Iroh shrugs. "Like I said, we weren't close. But I liked him." He smiles. "He made an air scooter for me."
Korra laughs. "I'm still working on that one."
"I meant to congratulate you," Iroh says. "On mastering your airbending."
"I wouldn't call myself a master quite yet," Korra admits ruefully. "I'm still not really airbending."
"Oh?" he asks.
"I guess--" she puts her hands up. "When I started, I was using my firebending techniques. The same movements and techniques. Now it's more like waterbending with air. Which is closer to airbending, but--not as traditional as Tenzin wants."
Iroh laughs. "Tradition can be--stifling."
"You think so too?"
"You're not the only pro-bending fan in the world. Congratulations on an excellent season as well." He pauses. "I heard Bolin is engaged."
"Yeah," says Korra. "Him and Asami. Did not see that coming. But they're happy."
"I expected it to be you and Mako. Shinobi mentioned you broke up."
Korra looks over at him, raising her eyebrow. "You were paying attention."
Iroh doesn't allow himself to flush. "I was surprised at how much airtime the Avatar's love life got. Comparatively."
Korra shrugs, lacing her hands behind her head. "Yeah, it didn't work out. The worst part of the whole breakup was the reporters. I was trying to help rebuild the city, round up Equalist cells, and win a pro-bending championship, and all anyone wanted to hear about was whether or not I would ever get another boyfriend."
"What did you say?"
Korra raises her eyebrows. "I don't give up that easily." She smirks. "Don't tell me that's all you want to hear about too, General Iroh."
"Iroh," he corrects. "No. I wanted to hear more about reconstructing the city. I was sorry I couldn't be more help."
"Your mother was a real help."
Iroh winces. "You met my mother?"
"And your dad, yeah," says Korra. "They were here for a couple months. They seemed nice. What?" she asks, frowning.
"It explains why she kept sending telegraphs. The Avatar is such a nice girl, have you talked to the Avatar lately, you remember how much you liked Aang," he mimics. "I thought she was just following the news."
Korra breaks out laughing. "The Fire Lord was trying to set the two of us up by reminding you how much you liked Aang?" she asks.
"She didn't have a lot to go on," says Iroh.
Korra smirks. "I had no idea she liked me so much. I'm flattered."
"You can see why I don't come to shore very often."
"You don't like me?"
"No!" he says, far too quickly. He blushes and wonders why he ever got involved in this conversation. "No. I just prefer to avoid my parents' meddling. They both feel I should have married before I left."
Korra shrugs. "What's the rush?"
"I think she thinks it would keep me closer to home," says Iroh. "And she and my father want grandchildren."
"If they want children, they shouldn't be trying to set you up with me," says Korra. "I'm the Avatar. I have a lot to get done before I'm ready to be anyone's mother." She glances over at him. "I like everything else, though."
"Everything else?"
"You know," she says. "Dating, holding hands, relationships, you, sex. Everything else."
Iroh chokes on absolutely nothing. "Sex?" he asks. Somehow, the idea of the Avatar having extramarital relations had never occurred to him. His brain connects back to Aang, and he wonders if that was why he and Katara married so earlier. Then he wants to jump off the balcony. "Wait, me?"
"Both of those," Korra agrees easily. She's smirking. She's enjoying this.
"Avatar--"
"Korra."
"Korra, what are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting we blow this party, go somewhere, and have some fun. And then I'll buy you dinner tomorrow. Somewhere the reporters won't see us."
"Oh," says Iroh. "That would be--nice."
"Great," says Korra, jumping over the railing and airbending down to the ground. "But if you say I remind you of Aang again, we're done!" she calls over her shoulder.
Iroh laughs, incredulous. "I wouldn't worry about that," he murmurs. "You're definitely one of a kind."
Author: poor_choices
Fandom: Legend of Korra
Pairing: Character spoilers for 110: General Iroh/Korra; brief mentions of Mako/Korra and Bolin/Asami.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None I can think of.
Word Count: 1300.
Summary: Formal events in Republic City: not for everyone.
Spoilers: Character spoilers for 110, mentions of events in the finale.
Disclaimer: Lies and untruths.
"Ah, General Iroh!"
Iroh tries not to wince. Of all his duties, formal functions are his least favorite. He hated them as a child, when he attended as the Prince, and they hadn't become any better once he rose in ranks in the United Forces.
At least he gets to wear his uniform now.
"Councilwoman," says Iroh, pasting on a smile. "How nice to see you again."
"It's so wonderful you could join us, General! It's been far too long." She smiles; she'd look like his grandmother, if his grandmother ever smiled. "I'm sure the United Forces keep you very busy."
"Yes, I don't get a chance to come to the city very long. If you'll--" he starts, hoping to extricate himself from the conversation. But the councilwoman lights up, waving to someone behind him.
"Avatar Korra!"
Iroh turns to see Korra standing behind him, looking as if she was trying to sneak out too. She's dressed differently than when he last saw her, a deep blue dress he recognizes as traditional for the Southern Water Tribe. She looks older, more than he might have expected. It's only been a year.
On the other hand, it hasn't been the easiest few years for her.
"Oh," says Korra. "Hey, councilwoman." She blinks, looking at him in surprise. "General Iroh?"
"Avatar Korra," he says, nodding. "It's good to see you again."
"Yeah, you too," says Korra. "What are you doing in Republic City? Is something wrong?"
Iroh tries not to wince. "My father thought I would enjoy the party."
Korra must catch his tone, because she smirks. But she plasters on a pleasant smile quickly enough. "Councilwoman, if you'll excuse us, I really should take the General over to speak to Tenzin. I know he'll want to say hello."
"Of course," says the councilwoman, and Iroh lets Korra lead him away.
"Tenzin is here?"
Korra snorts. "Of course not. He said hello to three people and left before Meelo could break anything." She grins over her shoulder. "I'm going to the balcony to get some air. You looked like you could use some too."
Iroh feels himself relax and smile back. "You're right. Thank you, Avatar Korra."
"Just Korra," she says.
He's hit by deja vu, swift and sudden--himself, at age four, the only child at the Inauguration ball, alone in the corner while his mother and father socialized easily. And then, suddenly, Avatar Aang. Even at sixty-six, Aang had seemed young and carefree, happy.
"You look like you could use some air," Aang had said, and Iroh felt himself blush.
"Avatar Aang! I'm not bored," he said quickly.
Aang laughed. "Just Aang. And it's okay, I'm bored too."
"You look a million miles away," says Korra, smiling at him and drawing him back to the present.
"Seventeen years, actually," says Iroh, smiling back. "I was just thinking about being out here with Avatar Aang."
Korra looks surprised. "You knew Aang?"
"Not well," says Iroh, leaning against the railing. "He and my grandfather were close, of course, but I didn't get to see grandfather very often then. That was the only time I met him. He died a few months later."
"Oh," says Korra, resting her chin on her arms. "Sorry," she adds.
Iroh shrugs. "Like I said, we weren't close. But I liked him." He smiles. "He made an air scooter for me."
Korra laughs. "I'm still working on that one."
"I meant to congratulate you," Iroh says. "On mastering your airbending."
"I wouldn't call myself a master quite yet," Korra admits ruefully. "I'm still not really airbending."
"Oh?" he asks.
"I guess--" she puts her hands up. "When I started, I was using my firebending techniques. The same movements and techniques. Now it's more like waterbending with air. Which is closer to airbending, but--not as traditional as Tenzin wants."
Iroh laughs. "Tradition can be--stifling."
"You think so too?"
"You're not the only pro-bending fan in the world. Congratulations on an excellent season as well." He pauses. "I heard Bolin is engaged."
"Yeah," says Korra. "Him and Asami. Did not see that coming. But they're happy."
"I expected it to be you and Mako. Shinobi mentioned you broke up."
Korra looks over at him, raising her eyebrow. "You were paying attention."
Iroh doesn't allow himself to flush. "I was surprised at how much airtime the Avatar's love life got. Comparatively."
Korra shrugs, lacing her hands behind her head. "Yeah, it didn't work out. The worst part of the whole breakup was the reporters. I was trying to help rebuild the city, round up Equalist cells, and win a pro-bending championship, and all anyone wanted to hear about was whether or not I would ever get another boyfriend."
"What did you say?"
Korra raises her eyebrows. "I don't give up that easily." She smirks. "Don't tell me that's all you want to hear about too, General Iroh."
"Iroh," he corrects. "No. I wanted to hear more about reconstructing the city. I was sorry I couldn't be more help."
"Your mother was a real help."
Iroh winces. "You met my mother?"
"And your dad, yeah," says Korra. "They were here for a couple months. They seemed nice. What?" she asks, frowning.
"It explains why she kept sending telegraphs. The Avatar is such a nice girl, have you talked to the Avatar lately, you remember how much you liked Aang," he mimics. "I thought she was just following the news."
Korra breaks out laughing. "The Fire Lord was trying to set the two of us up by reminding you how much you liked Aang?" she asks.
"She didn't have a lot to go on," says Iroh.
Korra smirks. "I had no idea she liked me so much. I'm flattered."
"You can see why I don't come to shore very often."
"You don't like me?"
"No!" he says, far too quickly. He blushes and wonders why he ever got involved in this conversation. "No. I just prefer to avoid my parents' meddling. They both feel I should have married before I left."
Korra shrugs. "What's the rush?"
"I think she thinks it would keep me closer to home," says Iroh. "And she and my father want grandchildren."
"If they want children, they shouldn't be trying to set you up with me," says Korra. "I'm the Avatar. I have a lot to get done before I'm ready to be anyone's mother." She glances over at him. "I like everything else, though."
"Everything else?"
"You know," she says. "Dating, holding hands, relationships, you, sex. Everything else."
Iroh chokes on absolutely nothing. "Sex?" he asks. Somehow, the idea of the Avatar having extramarital relations had never occurred to him. His brain connects back to Aang, and he wonders if that was why he and Katara married so earlier. Then he wants to jump off the balcony. "Wait, me?"
"Both of those," Korra agrees easily. She's smirking. She's enjoying this.
"Avatar--"
"Korra."
"Korra, what are you suggesting?"
"I'm suggesting we blow this party, go somewhere, and have some fun. And then I'll buy you dinner tomorrow. Somewhere the reporters won't see us."
"Oh," says Iroh. "That would be--nice."
"Great," says Korra, jumping over the railing and airbending down to the ground. "But if you say I remind you of Aang again, we're done!" she calls over her shoulder.
Iroh laughs, incredulous. "I wouldn't worry about that," he murmurs. "You're definitely one of a kind."