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Crisp days like this rarely happened in the Fire Nation. That's one of the reasons the Fire Lord loved them so. Yesterday had been just the same as any other day in the middle of autumn, the trees' colors only beginning to turn and the temperatures only beginning to drop. On this day, however, clouds covered the sun and every hour or so, rain would sprinkle down for a few minutes. The gardens were covered in wet leaves and turtle ducks scurried around, trying to find shelter. Any proper man or woman would have been inside, trying to stay warm and dry. However, the Fire Lord wasn't exactly proper, was he?

He had traveled the world, first searching the Avatar, then running away from the Fire Nation, and then fighting the Fire Nation. Oh, no… No one would call him proper. They would just stare at him, perhaps out of a window, or as they were running through the gardens, trying to get to the other side of the palace. They didn't dare ask him what he was thinking about as he sat next to the small pond, staring deep into its waters, throwing soggy pieces of break to turtle-ducks.

Iroh knew what he was thinking about well. There was never just one thing he would think about on these days, but many, and he knew every single one.

Perhaps the Fire Lord was feeling reminiscent, and his mother would appear in his thoughts. He would be thinking about days similar to this, when he would stare at the woman standing in the garden as it rained. He would remember how he thought that she was crazy. He would finally understand why she loved it so much.

Maybe he was thinking about his father, and the day his life was changed for the better. His hand would reach up for his scar whenever he thought about this, and he would softly smile. After all, without his father, everything would be different, wouldn't it?

He could be thinking about his wife, who would be one of the many staring at him from windows. He would wish that she would come join him, even though he knew that she never would. They were the same, but they were so different, and sometimes the Fire Lord would think that he made a mistake, marrying her. He would finally realize that it was too late.

He usually thought about a girl who knew him better than everyone – excluding his uncle. He remembered her touch, her blue eyes, and the moment she saved his life (despite general belief, it wasn't after his sister had struck him with lightning- it was when he had betrayed her, as strange as it sounds). Her beautiful face would plague his thoughts and, on normal days, he would wish them away. On these days, however, he welcomed them with open arms.

Maybe he was thinking about the Avatar, and about how they were friends. He would be hoping that their friendship would not turn out like his great-grandfathers'. After all, friendships can transcend lifetimes, but, the Fire Lord often worried, can personalities?

Chances are that the Fire Lord would be thinking about all these things, or maybe none of them. He could have been thinking about how well that meeting went the other day, or how bad the fish was last night. There really was no way to read the Fire Lord's mind.


A/N: I was going to update Ink, but it's really hard to write because there are so many little details I have to pay attention to, and with finals (this week!) it's being really hard to find any time for myself. I've been studying my butt off for algebra because I have to get a 95% on the final to get an A in the class, and I would love to have an A in that class. Winter break starts next week, so I promise that I'll write more and put it up, if you even care. If not, then, well... anyway, I hope you liked this. This took me about fifteen minutes to write (I was taking a break from studying) and I didn't even proof read it, so if you find any mistakes, feel free to tell me. I was going to add a bit more in the middle about Sokka, Toph, and Azula, but I have to get back to studying. I hope you enjoyed this!

Oh, and by the way, some of the cast has been decided for the Avatar movie coming out in a few years. When I heard that freakin Jesse McCartney has been chosen for Zuko, I screamed. My mom asked me what was wrong and I replied, "Oh, not much, it's just that I can't wait to see Jesse McCartney bald." This is bad. Well, at least in my opinion it is.