The Unpredictable Fire Adventurers [General Iroh II x Reader] [Legend of Korra]

『a wise uncle

A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaack! One month early, but I got tons of planning and writing done this week. No joke, I kept going back to the comments and bathing in them that it was hard not to get excited about this story again. Man, it feels so good when you've spent all this time laying the foundation for the plot and now we can fully appreciate the story and growth of the characters. Plus, it's like almost 50 chapters in and NO RELATIONSHIP??! We should change that ;) (justnotnowbutsoon)

Thank you for being patient and really nice about my hiatus from the story. I really do appreciate and love all of you guys and will do my best to continue participating in the comment threads. Bless and enjoy the story!

PS: I'm attaching a little collage to give you the gist of who the group is. Clearly, the girl silhouette on top of the cliff is the reader huehue. And imagine Haku as Haru with really funny facial hair that's barely there. //im evil

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Seated at the tea shop's pavilion, the three boys of the group contemplate yesterday's events. Tonraq and Haku, having been outsiders to the giant fiasco, stare at Iroh's lifeless body. Not much was recounted by Iroh during breakfast, just that everything was fine and the group was still together. However, neither seem convinced by Iroh's aloof attitude throughout the day.

"I thought you said she was over it," Tonraq brings up gently.

The serene atmosphere surrounding the forest does little distract Iroh from his pain, and he hears Tonraq's prying clearly. "She is," comes Iroh's curt reply. "Everything is alright."

It's obvious he won't utter a word if they beat around the bush. While Tonraq considers his next question, Haku blazes through without a care for the boy's feelings. "You look depressed even though she said she'll continue traveling with us." Haku dips his chicken finger into some sauce and chews on it haphazardly. "Your uncle can cook some delectable finger food!"

Iroh shrinks into his chair and crosses his arm.

Tonraq glares at Haku to silently chide him, but the boy is now gobbling up Iroh's share of food. Knowing it to be a lost cause, he decides to be forthright with his questioning. "Did she turn you down?"

Haku drops his food, allowing it to fall unceremoniously onto his lap. He gawks at Iroh then at Tonraq. "W-What?! Did I miss something?"

Iroh sighs and allows his head to fall and slam onto the table. "Yeah..."

"Wait... What's happening?!" Haku begins to slap Iroh's back a few times, hoping for a quick answer.

"She said we were never meant to be," Iroh mumbles against the wooden table.

"After you told her how you felt?" Tonraq continues to pry. Iroh shakes his head--it's more like a roll on the table, but Tonraq understands the gesture. "You still didn't tell her?"

Iroh snaps his head up and he wears a look of exasperation. "How could I? She basically said my efforts are futile."

Haku grabs his head as he yells at the sky, "UGHHHHHHHHH!!!! M-MY SHIIIIIP!"

"Huh?" Tonraq and Iroh give Haku an odd stare. 

"Uhh...I was rooting for you two," he pouts.

"Excuse me," a familiar voice cuts in. The three boys turn to see Iroh's uncle standing near their table. "May I have time with my nephew?"

Haku and Tonraq eye Iroh for a reaction. When he nods his head for them to leave, they disperse and head inside for more food. Fudo takes one of their chairs, his gaze kind and sympathetic towards his nephew.

"Hey."

"I heard what happened," Fudo starts. Iroh breaks eye contact and places his head once more on the table. "You know, I went through the same thing you did."

"You messed up as much as me?" Iroh drones out his question.

"Ehh... A little worse than you."

Now that intrigues the boy and he rolls his head to look at his uncle. "I doubt that."

"Well, I'm in my mid-40's and without a family of my own. You're still sixteen--"

"Seventeen."

"You're still seventeen and exploring the world. The girl you love is still there with you, and you still have time to let her know how you truly feel."

"She already said it wasn't going to happen."

"But that wasn't her answer to YOUR confession. She never responded to your feelings, and you didn't respond to hers either," Fudo explains. "Iroh... Don't wait until she's married to finally admit how you truly feel."

Iroh raises his head, his eyes widening at Fudo's comment. "Did that happen to you?"

A sad smile forms on his lips. "I live with too many regrets, and I'm partway through my lifetime. I just had to tell her despite the rate of success being zero... But at least it was heard."

"Why didn't you tell her before?"

"I was afraid my title might hinder her," Fudo says. "I'm sure that sounds familiar to you."

Iroh nods his head. "It's a real concern."

"Yes, valid but not something that is up to us to decide for someone else... I forgot that the woman I loved was too strong to allow anything to stop her from accomplishing her dreams." Fudo gazes out into the forest with a forlorn look on his face. "Sometimes our greatest enemy comes from our inner demons."

Iroh lowers his gaze onto the table. It's true that fear had inhibited his reasoning when it came to you. The fear of losing you, the fear of being rejected by you--it was all too much to bear. 

"You don't have to do this right away, but remember one thing, my nephew... You are the Prince of the Fire Nation but also a normal seventeen-year-old boy. Your destiny is in your hands and no one else's."

Although his words make little sense to Iroh, he takes his advice and stores it for future problems. A smile appears as life breathes into his body once more. "Thanks, Uncle."