roots • [ general iroh II x oc ]

Come With Me

The kiss was a maelstrom of emotion.

Frustration, desire, anger, passion, love, all combined into the way their lips crashed together.

His hands left her face, one moving to the small of her back, and pulling her closer against him. The other moving to the back of her head, tangling into her damp hair.

She was stunned for a moment, unable to move, but then her hands moved to rest upon his forearms. Her fingers gripped his clothes and she started to push back the kiss, moving her lips against his.

Aria pulled away and looked at him, her eyelashes carrying water droplets, her eyes glossy and shocked.

He looked down at her, seeing her face for the first time after that kiss.

Her eyes were wide and glossy, the water from her eyelashes falling silently down her face.

He watched her face silently, hoping to see some sort of recognition on her face; some hint that she knew how much he loved her.

"I love who you are Aria, not what you've done, or where you can from. That's more important than anything." He lowly said to her, his thumb tracing over her cheek. "Please, don't push me away. For once, just trust me."

Her heart was still racing in her chest, the words she heard him say sinking slowly into her mind.

She couldn't say anything, still too stunned and confused, and his thumb tracing her cheek was not helping her muddled thoughts.

"I— " Her words stopped.

She had always been so guarded, so cautious and distrustful of anyone's intentions.

But Iroh was offering her an ultimatum, a decision. Would she choose to push him away, as she's always done to everyone else, or would she let him in?

"When did you first feel this way?" She mumbled. "What changed things?"

The rain was pounding against then ruthlessly. Making their clothes stick to their bodies, their eyes flutter open and closed.

He thought about it for a mere moment. "Truthfully?"

Aria nodded. "Truthfully."

"I knew I didn't not like you when you fell asleep on my chest, the night I patched you up. But love? I knew I loved you when I saw fate brought you to the dock tonight."

Aria shook her head and smiled, a scoff rolling off her tongue. "Still convinced that this is fate?"

He nodded and let the water drip down his face, looking down at her. "I know it is. You don't?"

"Im actually starting to think you might be right."

Iroh smiled and laughed. "Can you say that again? I didn't quite hear you."

"This is a nice moment, let's not ruin it." Aria shook her head and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing herself in her top toes and kissing him.

Their noses rubbed together as theirs lips danced against one another's. He ran his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him by the lower portion of her back.