You & I

Turtle-ducks

Iroh's POV
Y/N had negotiated laws to be put in place across many villages in the outer earth kingdom, she was amazing.

We returned to the Fire Nation three weeks later having completed our mission successfully.

It wasn't really us who completed the mission, I just stood there, Y/N was the one who did all of the work.

I was feeling a lot better, I was still grieving but I was starting to feel a lot like my old self again, it was thanks to Y/N that I even had time to grieve. I had to thank her for everything she'd done, she had done all of the work for me, that wasn't her job, she wasn't trained for that nor was she paid for that.

One afternoon, I found some maids and asked them if they could help me find a tailor to make something special for Y/N, they excitedly agreed.

I think they took a dress from her room and brought it to the tailor so he could have a reference for her size,

"So, Prince Iroh, what exactly are you hoping for?"

"Something for my girlfriend, I don't exactly know what but I want something special, something one of a kind, like her."

"Hm. Okay, can you tell me about her?"

"Of course. She's a beautiful water bender from one of the villages on the outskirts of Azulon. She's a strong fighter and has a strong heart, no matter how many people doubt her, she never stops fighting. Her father is from the Water Tribe and her mother is from the Fire Nation, she identified more with her Water Tribe background because she felt discriminated by the people she knew in the Fire Nation as women in her village are treated as nothing more than house wives and healers, which I know, completely disrespects our country's culture. Y/N is the most caring person I've ever met, she never gives up on me, even in the face of death. She's determined, loving, fun and reliable. She's the love of my life and the most extraordinary girl I've ever met."

"I think I've heard enough."

"So? What can you do?"

"I'm going to send for you when I've completed the design, then you can decide what you want, is that alright, your highness?"

"That sounds great, thank you."

I bowed to him before returning to the palace.

Y/N's POV
I sat by the turtle-duck pond, against a tree, feeding the turtle-ducklings, reflecting on what I had done in the past three weeks.

Before I met Iroh, I never would've had the confidence to do that, I never would've trusted myself so much that I'd speak out in front of so many people, I'd probably be overrun with anxiety surrounding the fact that I am a girl.

But after knowing Iroh, meeting his family, joining the United Forces, meeting team avatar and being treated like I was just as strong as the best men in the army, I know that being a girl doesn't make me weak or less worthy, being a girl makes me strong, and Iroh believed that more than anyone. He didn't just treat me with respect, he treated me as an equal, he looked at me and saw a strong soldier and nothing less. He'd opened my eyes.

As I sat there, feeding the turtle-ducks, I felt a presence behind me, I turned around,

"Lord Zuko?"

"Hello, Y/N. May I join you?"

"Of course."

He sat beside me and started to feed them before he said to me,

"So, I see you have my grandson quite smitten."

I felt my face heat up, I was probably bright pink.

"Oh- um, haha, yeah... I guess you could say that..."

"Times have been challenging recently, thank you for being there for him through it all."

"It's nothing to thank me for, of course I'd be there for him if he needs me... how have you been, Lord Zuko? This time must be especially hard for you."

"I'm doing fine, thank you. Everything is as it's meant to be, everything happens for a reason."

I nodded as I continued throwing food to the turtle-ducks.

Lord Zuko sighed,

"I've always found the turtle-duck pond particularly calming. I come here when I need to think."

"Me too, I used to train out here with Iroh, it's the first place that I saw in the palace."

"What did you come here to think about, Y/N?"

"How much your grandson changed my life."

Lord Zuko smiled,

"You'd be surprised to learn how much you have changed his life too."

"Oh?"

"Iroh was never interested in anything but his job as a general and his royal duties, he found it hard to make meaningful connections to anybody, he was never concerned with happiness, only worldly affairs. But then, he met you."

I felt a smile form on my face and heat rise to my face,

"And what changed?"

"He started smiling more, every morning you could see the excitement in his eyes as he was getting ready to train with you, he was humming to himself and lighter on his feet- you made him happier than I'd ever seen."

"I did?"

He nodded at me, and I bashfully replied,

"Well it's mutual, he makes me happier than I've ever been. I don't know how I got so lucky..."

We both turned back to the turtle-ducks before I asked,

"So what did you come here to think about, Lord Zuko?"

"Well, although everything happens for a reason, the reality is still hard to accept."

"You're grieving?"

"I'm reflecting."

I noticed that he was out of feed for the turtle-ducks and handed him some of mine. He sent me a warm smile as he took it and scattered it into the pond.

I leaned my head against the tree behind me and smiled to myself, hearing about how I've impacted Iroh's life from Lord Zuko had sent my heart fluttering, I couldn't wait to see him this evening.