It's innocent, isn't it? [CLOSED]

[a_perfect_peach]

Characters: Iroh and Pfirsich Rommel
Content: A young soldier has feelings of deep admiration for an older officer. Awkward ensues.
Setting: A military training facility in Ivona.
Time: Fifteen years ago.
Warnings: Excessive awkward and fail.

Comments

[myfavoritetea]

Iroh himself had been sleeping fitfully the last several nights. It was probably not helped by the fact that he'd been spending long hours pouring over maps of various strategic areas, trying to determine the best way to go about his next attack

[a_perfect_peach]

Pfirsich heard the bootsteps coming down the hall and realized that, whoever it was, he should have had his candle out an hour or more ago. He fumbled with the envelope, stuffing the letter hurriedly inside it and lighting the stick of sealing wax from the candle's flame. As the footsteps grew nearer, the wax seemed to drip to the paper more and more slowly, but at last there was enough. The seal of the Ivonan military was brought firmly down into the middle of the molten wax, and Pfirsich placed the letter into the drawer for the morrow.

He hadn't thought to check and make certain that his door was entirely closed to keep out visitors, though. It sat open just a crack, enough to let some of the light flow out into the hall and indicate that he wasn't asleep as he should be.

[myfavoritetea]

Holding a small frame to light his way in the dim hallway, Iroh was so lost in his reverie of the message he would soon leave his son that he probably would not have even noticed the open door... if not for the light. There were a few things that came in handy from being a Firebender. One such was the recognition of a feeling one got when there was a source of open flame nearby. Iroh knew the feel of a lit candle anywhere.

Stopping in his tracks, the Admiral looked around to ensure that he was indeed in the cadet's hallways. It was far past light out, so which of his recruits was daring to be up this... ah, Rommel. He should have known. He shook his head, trying to hide his smile. Probably, young Rommel had heard his footsteps down the hall, and so would very shortly be extinguishing the flame.

"You know," he said to the empty air in the hallway outside the barely-opened door. "If certain cadets are going to run the risk of staying up late, they should probably ensure that their doors are fully closed."

[a_perfect_peach]

To Pfirsich's credit, he did not bolt upright out of his chair immediately when he heard Iroh's voice. If he had, he likely would have woken up the other occupants in the room and banged his knees good and hard on the desk as well. Candle in hand, he marched over to the door in his army-issued and slightly too small pajamas and stood at attention, saluting the General with his spare hand. He was rattle enough not to have noticed that both the letter (though sealed) and the small picture were still in plain view.

"Your pardon, Sir, but I..." he lowered his voice as far as he could, till the whisper was barely audible. "I wanted to finish writing my letter home, Sir."

[myfavoritetea]

Just to ensure that Rommel's real reason had not be a 'visitor' in his quarters, Iroh glanced over the young man's shoulder, noting the sealed envelope and picture. He smiled. Not as if he expected this particular young man to be the type to 'entertain' young ladies in his room after hours, but one never knew for sure.

"I see." Iroh looked at the young cadet thoughtfully, and seemed to consider something. He doubted very much that Rommel would be able to sleep very well now, having been caught in error. And a proper night's sleep was one of the things Iroh always tried to stress upon, particularly when one never knew the type of training he'd be doing the next day... but he couldn't really be too mad at the cadet, not when he himself was also sleepless at the moment.

Pensive, Iroh seemed to decide something. "Perhaps if your letter writing is finished, you would be so kind as to join me in my office for some chamomile tea?" His own letter writing could wait until the morning. Chamomile would benefit Iroh as well.

[a_perfect_peach]

Pfirsich tried not to look too taken aback by the offer. It startled him, and though the thought of spending some time alone in the company of the General was appealing, he vacillated back and forth mentally. On the one hand, it meant that the General thought that he had promise, and wasn't going to chide him for staying up past the officially mandated rest period. On the other...well, on the other he'd likely be nervous about every other thing that he said.

In the end, however, the temptation was too great. Avoiding looking Iroh in the eyes (which, given Pfirisich's height, wasn't too difficult), he swallowed nervously, then replied, "I would, Sir. It's an honor, Sir."

[myfavoritetea]

Iroh tried very hard to not be amused at the cadet's nervousness. He smiled genially up at Rommel (why did the new recruits always have to be so tall?), and gestured out into the hallway.

"We may as well close the door so that your bunkmates can at least get their proper rest." He was chiding a little, but it was not unkind. Really, Pfirsich was very lucky it was Iroh who had caught him and not one of the other officers about the barracks. He had a reputation for being far more lenient. Iroh had been among far too many overly stuffy officers when he'd been a cadet many years ago. He blinked. Had it really been that long? ...Well, maybe it had.

[a_perfect_peach]

"Of course, Sir!" Pfirsich whispered, sliding the door shut as silently as he could.

That smile. Pfirsich blushed a very bright rose color every time that smile was directed at him, no matter how he tried to hide it. Thankfully, it was dark enough in the hall that it would be harder to see, and the General was looking the other way anyhow. So long as he looked anywhere but at Iroh, it would be fine. When they reached the office after a short walk, he stood at attention off to the side of the door. It wasn't his business to open the door, after all, and it kept him out of the way, with more of a chance to work on that infernal blushing.

/is trying so hard not to have Iroh sound like a dirty old man

[myfavoritetea]

For the sake of the cadet's modesty, Iroh pretended for all the world like he could not see the blush as he opened to door to his office. He entered the darkened room, and transferred the flame in his hand to the lamp on his desk. The lamp, having recently been lit, sprang back to life quickly and bathed the room in a warm glow.

"Come on in and have a seat. We certainly do not want anyone to catch us," he grinned conspiratorially, laughing quietly. "They might make me peel potatoes again!"

But he is one, Moria! Just not this kind, probably. XDD

[a_perfect_peach]

Pfirsich ducked through the doorway and followed the General into his office. He'd had a growth spurt recently, and the current situation only made him feel more awkward and less able to do anything with grace or agility. He settled for a chair that was the least in the light as possible and sat down stiffly, breaking an anxious grin and laughing at Iroh's joke.

"I've had that happen once or twice before, Sir!" he replied too quickly, the words tumbling out of his mouth before he'd really thought about them. "Though polishing boots is the worst, I think."

Well yes, that goes without saying

[myfavoritetea]

Iroh laughed merrily and tried to ignore the cadet's nervousness. Really, the boy needed to calm down or he'd never get to sleep. With that thought, he busied himself with the tea. Finding his previous pot gone quite cold, he emptied its contents with a small frown and made a fresh pot. Chamomile, this time. No stimulants needed, not at this hour.

"I never minded polishing boots. But then, I would always heat the polish when the officers weren't looking. Makes the job so much easier." He grinned. Not that he had gotten in trouble all that often as a cadet... in his family, he couldn't afford to. Not when his father was... Iroh halted that train of thought. No sense in dwelling too much on the old man.

[a_perfect_peach]

Pfirsich closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to focus on the scent of the tea as it steeped. He'd had chamomile tea often enough in the past, and maybe if he could just focus on the light floral scent, he could get through it. He'd have a quick cup of tea, thank the General, and then go back to bed, without dawdling or anything.

Except...except there was General Iroh, laughing and smiling as he poured them each a cup of tea. And General Iroh, coming closer with the cup and holding out to him, his hand so close that he could feel the warmth radiating off of his commander's skin. Pfirsich grinned back as much as he could, given their proximity to one another. "It does, doesn't it?" he said, laughing a little before sipping his tea. "I should try and remember that for the next time, I think, though I don't have your skill with heat, Sir."

btw, this trick? totally works.

[myfavoritetea]

"Oh yes. The trick is to light the boot polish on fire very quickly, and then immediately extinguish it. It makes the polish much more malleable."

He was aware he was blathering on about nothing, but the cadet had asked, and Iroh always said that information was the best way to get a firm grasp of any situation. Not, of course, that this particular bit of information was extremely useful except for getting out of punishment quicker, but....

Why in Reial was Rommel so nervous? It wasn't as if he were truly in trouble. Perhaps he had received distressing news from home recently? He had been writing a letter... He decided to breach the subject carefully.

"I remember the last time I enjoyed tea with your brother. He got so excited about his latest campaign that he stood up too quickly and upset my teapot."

Awesome! :D

[a_perfect_peach]

Would his hands shake more if he set the teacup and saucer down, or if he kept them in his hands? Pfirsich opted for the first choice, then looked down at his hands, crossed neatly on his left knee, while the General spoke. While the shaking seemed equally bad either way, at least if he set the cup down, the china didn't clatter and bring more attention to his nervousness than he truly wanted.

At the mention of his brother, he managed to actually make eye contact with Iroh and laugh a little. "That's Erwin for you. He likes to play with his armies as if they were toys, and run them about pursuing missions." He felt rather protective toward his older brother, reckless as he was, and it showed in the warmth of his voice. "I think a little calm tea now and then would do him a world of good."

[myfavoritetea]

Iroh raised an eyebrow. Calming tea did not seem to be doing anything for Pfirsich. The poor cadet was shaking like a leaf. Perhaps he was cold? Iroh increased the flame on the candle a bit more. "I know quite a few admirals and officers like that. Treating one's men as if they are only pawns or pieces of a Pai Sho game... it is a coping mechanism- one of the hazards of command. ..I prefer to know the names of my men, when possible. I want them to know that I respect that they are willing to give their lives for our country."

[a_perfect_peach]

The warmth, Pfirsich thought, did help a little. He wondered what would happen if he edged his chair a fraction of an inch closer to Iroh's desk. It wouldn't be close enough to where he couldn't look away if he needed to, but a little closer shouldn't hurt. Carefully, so as not to scuff the floor, he scooted his chair closer, then pulled the little table that held his teacup along with him.

His eyes filled with admiration for Iroh as he heard him speak. Ordinarily, Pfirsich would have reprimanded anyone who spoke so of his brother, but this was the General, and he had to admit that he had a point. "And we very much appreciate that, Sir." He decided to be brave, and gave a little smile. "Very much. We all look up to you so much. The letter was just...just something to let Erwin know of all of the things that have been happening with me, really. That's all."