Little Soldier Boy (Iroh II)

Chapter 19

Iroh stood on the deck, his muscles finally relaxed after another long week.

He stared at the sunset, he couldn't explain it, but something felt wrong.

"Hey kid," Bumi walked up next to him.

He could see the unsettled look on his father's face.

"So it's not just me?" Iroh muttered. "Something feels off to you too?"

Bumi sighed, "I usually get a bad feeling when something's wrong."

Iroh nodded faintly, "Do you think it's a storm again?"

Bumi patted his back, "I don't think so kid."

Iroh's jaw tightened, "Have you sent any letters home?"

"I sent one to your mother a week ago, I'm just waiting for a response," Bumi said, rubbing his neck.

"Have you ever felt like this and turned out to have been overreacting?" Iroh asked, sounding like he was asking for Bumi to say yes.

Bumi shook his head, "I only ever feel this way when something's wrong at home."

Iroh looked at him.

Bumi crossed his arms.

"What do you think is going on?"

"I'm not sure," Bumi muttered. "But it's times like this that I wish I could be there."

Iroh nodded faintly.

Bumi sighed, leaning forward against the wall.

Iroh stepped closer to him, "I see now why you never took time for yourself when you came home. I didn't know how much you could miss someone while out here."

"It's hard," Bumi sighed. "Especially when you're sure something's wrong."

Iroh leaned against the wall in the same position as Bumi.

"I'm really worried, Dad," Iroh muttered, looking into the water.

Bumi nodded faintly, "You and me both."

"Is there any way you can have us set a course for home?" Iroh asked hesitantly.

"Not unless there's a confirmed threat at the homefront and I'm the one given the orders for the mission."

Iroh nodded faintly, lowering his head, "I don't understand, I've never felt like this."

"It's instinct," Bumi said. "Your gut is telling you something's wrong but you can't do anything about it. All we can do is hope we're overreacting."

Iroh closed his eyes tight, "Why can't there be some way to get home?"

Bumi sighed. He glanced around the deck before placing his hand on Iroh's shoulder, wrapping his arm behind the young man's back.

Iroh sighed, "Any chance this is just sea madness?"

"Unlikely, sea madness is a whole other level," Bumi said.

Iroh wrapped his arm around Bumi's waist, "Do you think they'll be okay?"

"I hope so," Bumi sighed. "But, remember who we're talking about. Your grandfather who was one of the people who stopped the Hundred Year War, your grandmother who took on Princess Azula just for your grandpa, your mother who willingly beared not one but two of my children."

Bumi held up two fingers, his tone becoming dramatic.

Iroh's lips twitched and he turned his head, covering his mouth when he laughed.