You & I

The Day that Everything Changed

Y/N's POV
As I made my way to the kitchen to prepare myself breakfast, I felt eyes staring at me, I slowly turned to face them, I was going to have to deal with them sooner or later,

"Hello, mother, father."

I bowed to them. They were not impressed.

"Listen, I know I left suddenly, and I'm sorry for lying, but I just thought that maybe, I needed to find my own path, outside of this village, I was even lucky enough to share dinner with Avatar Aang and team Avatar and their descendants. I constructed an entire plan along side Master Tenzin, which helped save Republic City and the rest of the entire world from a serious threat!"

They still silently glared at me.

"Look, I'm sorry for disappointing you. I really am."

My father finally broke their silence,

"We gave you the opportunity to seek out love yourself, and instead you run off and join the army!? We clearly have given you too much freedom, so now, we've arranged your engagement to the son of a commander, outside of Azulon. They are financially well off, so he'll care for you well and now we won't have to worry about you having any crazy ideas to join the military again."

My hurt sunk into my stomach. They did what? I can't marry a man I haven't even met.

"Furthermore, you will not be continuing your path in the United Forces, and you are forbidden to interact with the fire prince."

I didn't say a word, I simply walked over to the table, picked up my basket and made my way to the front door.

"Enjoy today, as of tomorrow, your fiancé will be accompanying you on your daily trips to the stream."

I slammed the door and ran to the stream, I leaned against a dragon fruit tree and cried. I knew it, I'd never see him again, I'd never see Iroh smile, never hear his voice, never feel his touch-

I felt a hand on my soldier, I turned around and my eyes met with a handsome pair of amber eyes.

"Iroh? What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd find you here", he gestured to my basket, "What's wrong? What happened?"

He sat beside me and rubbed my back,

"I-I-I'm not allowed to see you again, and I'm leaving the United Forces"

"They can't do that! There has to be a way... Okay well, how about I meet you here, everyday."

Iroh's POV
She shook her head,

"You can't, my-my fiancé will be accompanying me to the river daily as of tomorrow."

Her what.

"Your fiancé? You're getting married?"

"My parents arranged my engagement to a man I've never met just outside of the city whilst we were away, he's some commander's son or whatever..."

My heart stopped for a moment, she was getting married. My thoughts went completely blank.  I didn't know how to react.

"Oh"

She just continued to cry, I pulled her in for a hug and she cried into my chest, she was shaking and I squeezed her tight. There was nothing I could say right now that would make this any better.

After a couple of minutes, Y/N pulled away and stood up,

"I have to bring some fruit home. I need to hurry up and leave."

She bent some water out of the stream and simultaneously sliced the stems of about 15 dragon fruits before walking over to them and gathering them in her basket. I ran over and helped her collect them.

We barely spoke until I had walked her half way home and she said that we should part ways there, to avoid her parents.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me, Iroh, I've never been as happy as I am when I'm with you."

I pulled her into a tight hug before replying with tears running down my cheeks:

"You've made me happier than you'll ever know, I'll miss you so damned much, Y/N, but I promise you, we will meet again. I won't live the rest of my life without knowing you, I was truly blessed to meet you and can't let go of you, ever."

I didn't want to leave our embrace, but eventually she pulled away and softly kissed my cheek and whispered:

"Goodbye, Iroh."

Then she left. I should have left too, but my feet felt glued to the ground. I touched my cheek where she had kissed me and a tear rolled down it.

That's when it hit me, I was in love with my best friend.

I knew how I felt all along but I never understood what it meant. I ran all the way back to the palace and searched for my grandfather. When I finally found him, I realised I had accidentally burst into the room when he was accompanied by Avatar Aang.

I bowed in apology,

"I am so sorry for my rudeness, Grandfather, I didn't realise Aang was here with you."

But Aang smiled,

"Take a seat, Iroh, what's on your mind?"

I turned to my grandfather who gestured to the seat in front of them, I sat down and breathed out,

"So, there's this girl, and I think I'm in love with her, but I realised too late, or maybe I knew all along but I accepted it too late, I don't know. She doesn't want to be in a relationship at all, with anyone, ever. But now her parents have gotten her an arranged marriage and she's not even allowed to see me anymore, it's so messed up..."

Aang and my grandfather smiled at eachother, then grandfather asked me:

"Does she know how you feel?"

I shook my head.

Aang then advised me:

"Then tell her. Iroh, I've never known you to give up on anything without a fight. If you really love her, you'll find a way, love always does."

I hung my head low, what was I supposed to do? Wait. I had an idea.

I shot up from my seat and thanked Aang and my grandfather before grabbing a cloak, running into the court yard,  jumping on an ostrich-horse and riding towards Y/N's village. It was dark outside and the village was empty.

I stopped near her house and used fire to propel myself onto her roof, directly above her window before hanging over and knocking on it, she came to the window and gasped when she saw my face, quickly opening the window,

"Iroh! What are you doing? I thought I made it clear that-"

I covered her mouth and quickly responded:

"Listen, Y/N, I can't live not knowing you, and I don't want you to just know happiness, I want you to feel it every day for the rest of your life, and I know you won't have that in a marriage to some guy you've never met. You have so much more left to see in this world, just... let me show it to you."

I slowly removed my hands from her mouth,

"What are you saying?"

"Y/N, run away with me."