FLY

"I can't fly!"

Bolin sat heavily on the ground, crossing his arms in front of his chest and pouted. Iroh simply sighed at him. In the air above them Mako and Korra was already flying around, throwing air behind them to stay in the air and playfully threw fire balls at each other, competing with who got the other down first. Sometimes Korra even threw air and water at him, making Mako yelling "Cheater!" after her as he tried to come back.

"Not with that attitude," Iroh sighed, sitting down in front of him and smiling encouraging. "And not like that."

Bolin glanced up at his brother and friend in the air, he wanted to be there, flying around with them, playing and laughing. "Well, excuse me for not being a fire bender."

"You don't need to be a fire bender to steer a plane."

"But I suck with planes!" Bolin exclaimed, flying up on his feet again and flailing his arms in the air in frustration. "We tried once, remember? I crashed into the west wing – we're lucky I'm still alive."

Iroh glanced over to the palace behind them, shivering as he remembered that day. His mother had not been very happy when she found out they had ruined the place, but thankfully her mother instincts had kicked in when he told her there actually was someone in the plane, and Bolin had to put up with her fuzzing over him in weeks. They had all been very happy when he turned out fine, no major injuries and no broken legs or arms. He was… fine. Really, but he still got her fuzzing over him, and he really didn't seem to mind.

"There's always room for another try," Iroh tried, smiling at him. "And there's no west wing to crash into anymore, so I think you'll be fine."

Bolin kept pouting, not wanting to be reminded that the palace was still under construction. "I won't." He stood up, marking the discussion as over. "I'm going back to my room."

Iroh looked after him as he turned around and walked away. "Alright, see you at dinner!" he called after him, turning back to Korra who threw a slightly bigger fireball at Mako, who wasn't prepared and accidentally launched himself at Korra as he tried to avoid it. They crashed together and fell to down into the small pond in the palace garden. Iroh felt the slightest of worry as he jogged over to see if they were alright, but when he heard them laughing he relaxed. He stopped in front of his soaked friends, sighing heavily, but smiled.

"What should I do with you guys?"

Iroh didn't see Bolin for the rest of the day. He really had gone to his room, because he didn't find him in any of his favorite places around the palace, and he didn't show up at dinne.r He didn't even know what to tell his mother when she asked them where he was. Since Korra and Mako had been up in the sky, they too looked curiously, though slightly worried at him, waiting for his answer. He had smiled at them, telling them that Bolin had just been tired and went to bed early, and even if his mother had bought it, neither Korra nor Mako did.

Iroh sighed heavily as he made his way towards his room, hoping Bolin was in there like he used to, and nor for once choosing to be in his own room. He turned a corner, and suddenly felt himself pushed up against the wall. He blinked a few times before realizing it was Korra that held him in place.

"Both you and I know Bolin never go early to bed," she said, unlike herself, very quietly. "What really happened?"

"He got down because he couldn't fly like you guys," Iroh managed to say when Korra finally let him down on the floor after a small struggle. "And because he crashed I think. I'll go talk to him."

Korra sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Please do. I don't want him to be down. And you're probably the best one to do that, considering how close you are."

Iroh smirked. No one knew he and Bolin actually were together, they just saw them as really close friends, and it was kinda funny that even the Avatar couldn't tell they were together. "Yes. I'll see you tomorrow then."

Korra nodded, smiling. "Yeah, good night, Iroh." She waved as she walked off, and Iroh waved back, walking off in the opposite direction.

He carefully opened the door to his room, sighing in relief as he saw the familiar frame of Bolin lying on his side in the bed. As quiet as possible, Iroh removed his clothes except for his pants that were how they were usually sleeping, and carefully climbed under the covers next to Bolin.

"Everyone's worried about you," he said quietly as he wrapped his arm around Bolin's waist. When he didn't get an answer he sighed softly, kissing his neck. "Good night. Have nice dreams."

Bolin did have nice dreams. He dreamed he could fly. Without the help of bending or a plane, he was flying freely in the sky. He could see the imperial city down below him, and he couldn't help but laugh. He made a little loop, floating around on his back with his hands behind his neck. He loved it. The feeling of wind through his hair, how it stroke his skin and the pleasant chill it gave him. He looked to his left and saw Korra and Mako flying besides him, smiling and waving. He looked to his left and saw Iroh, he too smiling. He mouthed something, but Bolin couldn't hear him, he tried to move closer, but he realized he couldn't, because he was stuck in the seat in a plane. He looked surprised at the steering things in front of him, not knowing what to do. He heard someone calling out to him, and he looked up, seeing Iroh in a seat in front of him. He noticed the panic in his eyes, and when he looked up he saw the palace come closer to them. His eyes widened in a silent scream, he pressed his eyes closed and raised his arms to protect his face.

"Don't let it win."

Bolin sat up in the bed, panting heavily and sweating. He stared at the opposite wall, trying to ease his breathing. Thankfully he hadn't woken Iroh up, the general still slept soundly next to him, his arms having dropped when Bolin suddenly sat up. The earth bender glanced out the window, seeing the sun rise up already. He moved so he could shake Iroh awake, getting a loud groan from the man.

"I want to fly the plane," he told him, softly.

That sentence got him wide awake and sitting up. "Really?" He breathed, looking excited at him.

Bolin nodded. "But I want to do it now, before everyone wakes up."

Iroh nodded eagerly, quickly getting out from the bed. "Let's go then! We have to time to lose!"

Bolin somehow managed to start the plane, fly around in small circles above the landing place, and then land safely. And it had felt great. Even if it was a plane he was flying, it felt great to actually do it. To overcome his fear if nothing else, and actually being able to do something he couldn't before. He did prefer the ground, earth bender as he is, but he wouldn't mind flying once in a while.

"You did it!" Iroh cheered as he stepped out from the plane, and seconds later he had the general around his neck, placing kisses wherever he could reach. "I'm so proud of you."

Bolin grinned, taking the man in his arms, laughing into his shoulder. He pulled away a second later to grin at him. "I did it! I learned how to fly!"

Iroh nodded, happily. "Let's tell the other, I bet they'll be happy!"

Bolin nodded, and together they returned to the palace, both feeling much happier with this morning training than any other training before. He had finally learned how to fly, and he loved it.

A/N So... this is what I'm doing instead of studying. Well, shit. I blame it all on you, Jos! Because she was the one requesting this. I have never before read any LoK fanfic with these two, today was seriously the first time ever I heard about it. So yeah, I guess Iroh is really OOC, and everything is just crazy stupid or just fucked up xD Hope this was fluffy enough! Because I can't do much more when listening to strange shit and trying to study at the same time!
Anyway, please review and tell me what you think! I love them all and they make my day! Thanks for reading!

This is for you, Jos. You're welcome.