You & I

Last Day

Y/N's POV
After five days on the ship, I woke up again to the sea breeze through my window and the harsh sound of the waves crashing against our ship as we sailed home. We were due to arrive in the Fire Nation this evening.

Home... being honest with myself, I was dreading going home... I didn't know what to expect, I knew that my parents were most likely going to force me to leave the United Forces, they might even kick me out of our home.

But despite that, I was more worried about never being able to see Iroh again, he was everything to me, over the last few months that we'd spent together he's shown me a type of happiness that I never want to let go of, he was my happiness, and I couldn't imagine never seeing him again, never hearing his laugh... if my parents took away my right to see him, I don't know how I'd cope, he's the sunshine of my life.

I walked out onto the front of the boat to find Iroh, but he wasn't there, so I searched the ship and asked the rest of the soldiers and crew on board, and eventually found him in the captain's cabin.

"Morning, Iroh. No training today?"

He turned around and smiled at me, wow, I'd really miss that smile if I never got to see it again.

"Good morning, Y/N, did you sleep well? I don't know if we'll have time today, but don't worry, just because you might be leaving the United Forces, does not mean I'll let you slack off on your training!"

He has no idea. The chances of me even being able to see him again were so slim that I had already considered today my last day with him.

"Oh, alright then..."

He frowned before standing up and placing his hand under my chin, lifting it so I was facing him, and smiling,

"How about a quick training session now?"

"Are you sure? I don't want you to go out of your way if you're super busy"

"I'm never too busy for you, Y/N"

That sent my heart flying, I smiled as he opened the cabin door gesturing for me to follow him to the front of the ship, he took his stance and said,

"Let's see what your time on the United Forces has taught you then!"

I grinned and took my stance too, after a few moments I kicked water in his direction, but he dodged, it had begun. We spent what felt like an eternity throwing flames and water at each other, blocking punches and almost falling over board, and I was happy, these skills I've developed under Iroh's training were what gave me access to this freedom and happiness that I have now... that I have for now... these were my last moments to experience them.

After a short while, Iroh threw his hands up,

"Okay, I surrender! Wow, you've developed so much since I met you collecting fruits at the stream, your an exceptional fighter. I'm proud of you, Y/N."

I flashed him a grin,

"Well, what can I say? I had an amazing teacher..."

His cheeks dusted a light pink before he cleared his throat and announced:

"Well, I'm gonna go and check on the crew, sit tight, we'll be back in a couple of hours."

I nodded and sat by the edge of the boat, bending a small amount of water into different shapes for a while.

I wondered what he'd say when he realises that he might never see me again, would he even care? He has plenty of other soldiers that he could personally train and he's so outgoing that he'd probably become pretty close with them too. Am I really that easy to replace?

I grabbed some food from the dining hall and made my way back to the front of the ship, I once again, sat over the edge, eating my food, staring out at the horizon as the sun set, I was going to miss this view so much. I have always loved the sunset, it's a beautiful sight and as soon as the sun left the sky completely, I'd feel the energy of the moon wash over my body.

"Watching the sun set without me?"

I turned around when I heard a familiar voice, my favourite voice.

"You feel it before I see it, your fault!"

I teased as he sat down beside me. I offered him some of my dumplings and we shared the rest of them, watching the sunset, telling jokes, reminiscing over my time with him in the United Forces.

"So, Iroh, when you picture a perfect future, what do you see?"

He placed his hand on his chin, deep in thought,

"Well... I see myself as a general, like I am now, in the United Forces, my sister is the Fire Lord. I get to see the world, and of course you'd be there too," he ruffled my hair, "my favourite water bender. Maybe one day I'd have kids too, maybe even buy my own ship to travel the world in, that's the life."

I forced a smile,

"Have your parents found you a wife yet? A beautiful fire bender from a noble family I assume?"

His gleeful face dropped,

"No, well, they might've done, but I don't pay much attention to that, I have no interest in marrying the daughter of a nobleman, I'd much rather marry someone that I'm madly in love with than a random girl from a rich family as a business deal for my parents"

I sighed,

"Well I hope you get that future you hope for"

He sighed too.

"What about you? What does a perfect future look like to you?"

"Well, I just want to be free, I want to be happy, like I am right now, I want to see the world and everything that it has to offer. I want to be in the United Forces, with you, I want to fight, feeling that surge of energy rush through me from the moon every night. Maybe one day settle down, find real love... but that's not in the cards for me, I'm just gonna be married off one day and end up in some man's kitchen, taking care of his children and washing his laundry, I'll be a house wife until the day I die..."

Iroh stayed silent, we both stared at the ocean for a while, admiring the way it reflected the moon and the stars, then he turned to me and asked,

"What if you didn't have to be?"

But before I could reply a voice from the captain's cabin shouted:

"We have arrived at the shores of Azulon!"

Iroh sighed before standing up and pulling me up after him,

"I'll drop you home."

Iroh walked me all the way from the shores of Azulon to my little house in the village,

"So, I hope to see you tomorrow for our regular private lessons?"

He sent me a hopeful smile.

I sighed,

"I hope so."

He bid me goodnight and I watched out of my bedroom window as he made his way out of my village and towards the palace.