AN: Hey, everybody. It's been a while, right? *smiles sheepishly* I've been falling in and out of love with LoK, mostly because of all the delays in Book 2 but there are several promising pictures (that I saw via tumblr). I'm really looking forward to it but because this is one of my many secondary fandoms I haven't been able to write it as much as I've wanted to. But the chapter is out and I can finally push Jinora and Iroh in a new direction. As much as I love unrequited love, it gets boring. Haha.

Thank you's for the last chapter:

nureen: Thank you! I was going for sad because, well, this story was born from my need to write angst. LOL I'm glad that I was able to make you tear though and I hope you enjoy the next chapter. :)

Guest: I'm glad you enjoy my story but I don't have a set schedule for updating. I usually update once a month or every other month (usually the latter) and that's how I'm probably going to continue updating. I have a life outside of fanfiction and it's unfortunate that I can only dedicate so much time to writing. :( You have many wonderful ideas so thank you for offering them. I'm actually not lacking plot-wise for a story but more of the motivation behind it. I haven't felt very strongly about LoK because it's been such a long time since I've watched it. But I do hope you continue to read and enjoy this next chapter. :)

sarah: Thank you~ My best friend has your name, by the way. Haha. Made me smile. ;D

Fatie: Thank you very much. :D I'm not very patient myself but since I have so many stories and ideas floating around I don't always update in a timely manner. It's terrible. :/ You're from Holland? That's awesome! Anywhere that's not North America or Asia is exotic to me. Haha. Please enjoy~

Gogglegirl: Thank you! :DDDD

Guest: Thanks~ I update every other month as of late. My multi-chapters are usually pushed to the side during school and I'm almost done with my vacation, which is unfortunate. :( Good things come to those who wait so I guess you'll just have stick around and find out!

Isha: And I have! Enjoy~ ;)

Warnings: A mellower chapter to keep the story moving. ;)

Chapter Nine

"I hate men."

The sounds of male grunts and clashing of limbs came to a halt, as three pairs of confused eyes looked at one another before settling on the female leg of their group. A female who was lying spread eagle on the main deck, staring up at the sky listlessly. After much prodding and silent cajoling from the other two, Shaw approached their sullen friend, wearing a disarming smile.

"Yeah, me too. They're… gross." That earned him a snort, her chuckle not as well hidden as she would've liked. But as the other came to sit beside her, Jinora still felt the smile come to her lips.

"I'm sorry, guys. Just ignore me," she apologized, sitting up and crossing her legs. She tried to look a little more pleasant but knew she was failing. "I've just been in a mood, I guess."

"Is this a girl thing? Like, you know, a 'girl thing'?" Shaw pried, earning a glare from Hao and a slap in the head from Feng. And for a second she could appreciate the easiness of their friendship, watching them bicker and take the heat off her all at once. So no, she didn't really hate men, but she wasn't exactly spewing poetry about them either.

"No, this is not a 'girl thing,' as you so quaintly put it. It's more like a 'Jinora' thing," she replied, self-deprecating as she watched their horse play settle and their focus fall on her again. But where women would have expectation in their eyes, the three of them merely waited to see if she'd elaborate or not. And in any other situation, she would've appreciated the choice but right not she wished that they'd just make it for her, as she pulled away to peer over at the ocean.

"Is everything alright?" Hao asked, moving to sit on her other side. The most empathetic of the three, it would be so easy for Jinora to let out all her frustrations in front of him. But she'd never been the sharing type nor was he the right person to spill those secrets to so instead she just shook her head, keeping her eyes locked on the horizon.

Of course Feng wouldn't understand sensitivity if it swept him off his feet. "If you're going to mope then I'm leaving. A day off from duties, even if it's on a boat, shouldn't be spent wallowing in sadness."

"Feng!" Shaw yelled, uncharacteristically angry as the halfling scowled back at the oldest. And although she didn't really agree with his methods, Jinora appreciated the effort he was putting in to take her mind off Iroh.

After that fateful night, Iroh had all but disappeared off the face of the earth for the remainder of the conference. Or her line of sight, at the very least. But he couldn't be completely at fault; after all, they'd both started taking turns avoiding each other.

When he was in one of the studies furthering a deal concerning precious metals, she was out in the garden persuading scholars that they should take an interest in Air Nomad history. They were never in the same place at once unless it was for a meal, and even then they repelled each other's presence. It'd gotten so bad that even Korra had noticed, frowning as she danced away before the Avatar could fully breach the subject. And if she didn't already hate the prince, then Jinora was doing more than her fair share of it now.

So when the closing ceremonies took place the day before, Jinora was far more elated than upset when the week ended. She was ready to go home and stitch together her pride in solitude, maybe take up a new job her father had for her. Anything was better than being trapped between Iroh's constant presence and her own thoughts.

"No, he's right," Jinora said, standing up as she dusted off her robes and gave Feng a wide grin. "I've been out of it the last few days but, you know what, that's all over now. I'm done being sad and mopey. Sorry for being such a downer, guys."

"Nah, you've got nothing to be sorry for," Shaw said, looking brighter after hearing her admission. Locking Feng into a headlock, he held the other boy in place while he struggled against the hold. "It's this guy that should be apologizing. I mean, he talks big but he's really just a kid. Should learn how to use a little more discretion, y'know."

A prompt elbow into his stomach was Feng's answer. "I don't have to learn anything. At least I can tell it like it is, unlike some people."

"You tell it like you want to insult a person and their future generations with that attitude of yours."

As the two of them duked it out on the intricacies of breaking the truth, Jinora could only watch with half amusement, half exasperation. She didn't have many friends who weren't conservative monks or related to her in some fashion. There was no doubt that she would miss these three soon enough.

"Are you sure you're really okay?" Turning to Hao, some guilt rumbled in the pit of her stomach at his imploring expression. She really was a terrible friend, wasn't she? Here she was worrying about one person when there were other people worrying about her, observant enough to know when to leave her alone and when to step in. Jinora didn't deserve their friendship.

"I'm fine, Hao. Really, I'm just… in a bit of a funk, I guess," she smiled, forcing one that didn't reach her eyes.

Dubiously, he nodded. "Well, I want you to know I'm here if you need me. Just in case you wanna get a few things off your chest."

"Yeah, I know." But before she could open up to him, she first had to deal with that idealistic gleam in his eyes. She'd felt it in herself too often not recognize it and, frankly, she was tired of the feeling by now. As far as she was concerned, infatuation wasn't a good look on anyone.

Watching her from the highest deck, Iroh saw how his soldier lit up when she accepted his held-out hand, helping her to her feet before pulling the other duo apart. And for a moment he wondered if he was jealous of that boy, as the four soon disappeared onto another part of the ship. But there was no emotion that he could identify as such, forcing to the prince turn back to the papers in his hands, mind caught in gray-colored purgatory. It had only been two days since Jinora had confronted him, two days since he'd finally stomped out any hope she might've entertained, and created a rift he wasn't sure either of them could bridge. To him, it felt like much longer.

But the more he thought about what had transpired, Iroh had begun to wish for at least a flicker of discomfort when he recounted what happened. Instead, there was merely a soft pet of guilt and—much to his own disgust—a nagging sense of relief. How terrible was he that he could break Jinora's heart and feel none of the hurt that she did? It was true that he hadn't wanted to be the one to cause her pain, but the fact that he couldn't sympathize at all ate at him a little more each day.

So lost in his musings, the entering footfalls went unnoticed. "So much deliberation and shame despite the good you've done, my boy."

I was wondering when you'd come out of hiding, old man. "I don't know what you mean," Iroh replied, shuffling aimlessly through his work to try and look busy. The chortle from Keilor said that he saw right through his fidgeting, making him flush a little at his nervousness.

"I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're worried about," the gray-haired man started, treading lightly as if afraid to startle the predator inside. No one could call him careless, just blunt without good sense. "In fact, I wanted to thank you for what you did."

"What?" The word slipped out and revealed unusual candor for the young royal. He took a moment to pause and recompose himself. "I mean, what did I do to help you, Kei?"

"Please, don't act coy with me now. You were raised with humor like a blade's edge. It's far too late for you to play games nor do I have the patience for any," he shook his head, smiling at the grim one he received in return. "What you did was best for Jinora. And you, if you can believe it."

"Why me?" he asked, brows furrowing as he moved closer to the other. "I understand why it's helpful for her. I mean, she's young and has her whole life to fall in love with someone who deserves it. But I'm not sure how that's good for me."

"It's good for you because you don't deserve her, fool," Keilor chastised. The deepening of Iroh's lips made him sigh, as he rounded the private room to find himself a chair. "A man who doesn't know a woman's worth is not a man at all."

"Jinora is very special, I've known that since she was a child," the general said defensively, not moving from his spot.

"Yes, of course you do. Anyone with eyes on this ship knows that she's not like most and that she'll only grow more beautiful with time," he shrugged, leaning back as he folded his hands over his lap. The sharpening of his gaze didn't go unnoticed, as Iroh straightened his spine in retaliation. "But her affection was wasted on you. You couldn't appreciate it and she couldn't let you go. It was a terrible cycle."

"You're not really making sense to me, Kei."

Kei shook his head then, exasperated. "Boy, haven't I raised you better than this?" I remember my parents being around so no, not really. The thought was ushered to the recesses of his mind before he could let it out, waiting for the other to continue. "If she had kept on loving you, you would only find ways to avoid her, discourage her without actually saying the words. Because you're too kind-hearted to hurt someone so pure and her feelings were just that.

"But you'd find yourself pulling away as well. Don't think that I'm not the only one who saw your friendship growing. You have many followers and several admirers but few friends, and Jinora was one of them. But it couldn't last. Not if you knew you were hurting her with the fact that you loved someone else."

Silence crept in then, eating up Iroh's stalwart courage and leaving nothing behind. He'd known that he'd done the right thing that night, but that didn't mean he hadn't weighed the consequences beforehand, diligently counting each pro and every con. There were always going to be repercussions and he'd been reluctant to face them, to see his relationship with her fall apart because she gave more than he did.

And yet, in the end it was Jinora who'd been the braver person, severing the ties that he'd been trying to protect. All because he hadn't had the strength to do it himself. Looking back on that moment, he didn't think there was a time he'd ever felt so small, and he had to think if he had ever been deserving of anything Jin had to offer. A young girl had been able to offer him so much when he wasn't even strong enough to tell her the truth.

"If I did the right thing, then why do I feel horrible?" Closing his eyes, Iroh rubbed at the ache at his temples, soothing it as best as he could. When Keilor began to speak, a part of him hated how it was such an honest answer.

"Because you love her." And it was true; he had loved her like family.

Before Iroh could interject, Keilor's voice called him to attention. "Come. I have a story to tell you," he waved him over to sit at the table, leaning on it when the prince took the seat before him. "Did I ever tell you about the only woman I ever loved?"

"If I'm right, you never married," Iroh frowned, tilting his head as he narrowed his eyes at the elder.

"Oh no, of course not. But that doesn't mean I never wanted to," he chuckled, the sound low and sweet. It was sad in his ears but Iroh didn't say as much, just nodded for him to go on. "The reason why I took to Jinora was because she reminded me of myself when I was younger. For you see, I too had an unrequited love of my own."

"That's not what the rumors said." A heartbreaker was what all his wartime buddies had called him, something Iroh grew up hearing and yet hadn't fully understood the innuendos until adolescence. Even his mother had told him that Keilor could steal a woman away at a glance if he so chose to, resulting in duels and brawls that centered around his innocent flirtations and scorned women. But this? He wasn't expecting this.

"I was a young buck too, of course. Liked my fair share of women and lusted after more than a few," he said jovially, grinning widely. "But I never loved them. I couldn't, not when I had set my sights on the only woman I'd ever wanted but was forbidden to have."

"What happened?"

"It's simple, really. You see, I came across a beautiful maiden, one who wouldn't take any of my compliments and would shoot me down whenever she got the chance. But that's what I loved about her. Where other girls would coyly ask for stories and giggle at all my jokes, she would look me straight in the eye and call me a fraud. I never knew anyone like her and I haven't met anyone like that since."

Entranced, Iroh leaned forward. "Did she get married to someone else? Is that what happened?"

"No, it was much more tragic," Keilor sighed. Catching the alarmed expression on his face, he held up his hand to halt the other's thoughts. "No she didn't die. Your face is an open book, my boy. Please try and show some restraint. You're the future Fire Lord, for Agni's sake."

"Then get on with it," he growled between gritted teeth.

"You see, we lived in hostile times then," he ignored the slight and continued, closing his eyes in concentration. "The prejudice was strong even with your grandfather on the throne. Fire Lord Zuko had done his best to restore the Fire Nation's good name but a hundred years was a long time and he was only one good ruler coming after so many tyrants. As a young man, I'd been appointed as a diplomat under his order, much like my father, to try and foster good relations."

Iroh nodded, knowing his country's history to the point that he could've easily been called a scholar. It was only part of the many things he'd been taught as a young prince. "That's when I met a young woman far from home." His voice turned distant then, face softening at the memories. Iroh could only imagine what he might be seeing. "She was strong and handsome, eyes blue as the waters but as bright as the long days. I fell for her the moment I saw her, knew she was the one I wanted to spend eternity with after only a few weeks into my stay."

When he paused, the general waited patiently for him to pick up the story. But a gentle reluctance eased in at the edges of Keilor's mouth, as if chewing on the memory and not enjoying the taste. "So, what happened? Don't tell me that you didn't pursue her. I know you, old man."

"That you do, my boy," he chuckled, letting go of his previous aversion after seeing Iroh's mocking expression. Sometimes Keilor forgot how grown his ward was, despite so the years they'd shared. "No, no, I told you it's much worse than her death, didn't I? She was not to be mine and she told me that many times, no matter how often I asked for her. In the end, she was not to be anyone's."

"I… don't understand." And Keilor had no doubt that he wouldn't. As much as he loved the royal, he knew Iroh had faced little hardship in courtship and romance. Up until now, that it.

"No one knows a woman's heart as well as she herself does. The woman I loved did not promise hers to any man that approached her, not because she was cold but because she simply returned none of the feelings others sent her way. So we, her suitors, were force to respect her decision and in the end she chose a life of spinsterhood instead."

"But she could've had someone like you," he interrupted, bemusement coloring his face. "Why would she choose a life of loneliness?"

"Just because she chose to be alone doesn't mean she was ever lonely, Iroh," Kei chastised, resuming his usual easygoingness. "Last I heard, she had many nieces and nephews that she loves very much and a fulfilling life of healing others. How can I say that she did not make the right decision when she sounds so happy?"

"And what about you?" he asked, placing his hands on the table to push himself a little closer. "How did you feel in the end?"

The tiniest quirk of his lips was far more sarcastic that Iroh would've liked. "Much like how Jinora feels now, I'm sure."

"That's low, Kei. You know I never meant for anything to happen," he stood, stomping away when the shame resurfaced. That an innocent comment could still get a reaction out of him knotted his common sense, as he faced the far wall to try and calm himself.

"No, it's the truth. You're just too bullheaded to accept it as it is." Standing up, Keilor paced closer to his charge, clasping his shoulder in both understanding and authority. "She is recovering from a broken heart, a strong and unrequited first love. But more than her forgiving you, you must forgive yourself, Iroh. You cannot feel like you're responsible for her pain because you're not. If that woman had felt sorry for every man she turned away, I doubt she would've lived very long. We were not in her heart but she was in ours and we wanted what was best for her."

Could it really be so simple? From what Keilor said, yes, yes it could. He wasn't aware that he needed the comfort, as dry and personal as it was. Instead, Iroh had waited for a tongue-lashing he wouldn't forget, something more along the lines of Master Tenzin's scolding and his mother's stern disapproval. But taking the heat off him completely had never crossed his mind, as he darted a glance at his old friend. He was met with an encouraging smile.

"Will it ever be normal again between us?" Iroh asked, the words falling in a moment of weakness.

"Now that is an answer that I cannot give," Keilor shrugged, moving towards the exit at a sedate pace. "While you might be fine with returning to the way things were, how Jinora decides to treat you after this is her decision. Perhaps she'll be willing, perhaps not. But that's for her to choose and all you can do is accept her wishes."

The advice was left for him as Kei moved stealthily out the door, leaving him to his thoughts again.

She was bound to run into him, just the two of them in some random hallway with no one in sight. It was his ship after all, and she could only hide in her room or sneak into unoccupied spaces before someone else came for so long. So she wasn't all that surprised to hear the pad of footsteps echo, even and soft and she hated how she could recognize him based on something as non-descript as that.

What, did you think five days were going to be enough to get over him? Jinora taunted, looking around to realize there was no escape. It was a corridor without any rooms or windows, the only ways to leave either forward or back. And while she was tempted to backpedal all the way to the upper deck, her plan was foiled by the halting of a figure before her. She tried to ignored how her stomach jumped into her throat.

"Hey," Iroh said quietly, a slight tremor where there had never been one before. Jinora had to stop herself from raising a brow, as he scratched the back of his head in hopes of appearing more at ease. He didn't, but it did make her feel a bit better.

"Good morning, General," she replied in kind, voice just a little too high to be natural. If he noticed her flinch, he didn't say anything, just nodded and maintained eye contact. Spirits, this was painful. It was hard to believe that a week ago they had been friends. Today, they might as well introduce themselves and share their life stories, as if they'd never shared them before now. And for the first time, Jinora felt a very different kind of loss beat against her chest.

"How are you?" he inquired, and she recognized how his voice didn't quite match his friendliness. Oh, he was as gentle as ever but there was more to it than that. There was an air about him that hinted at uncertainty, a dullness in his eye or a twitch he couldn't quite control.

"I'm fine, though I'm not sure I can say the same for you." And immediately she wanted to take back the words, biting her tongue as she turned away. Iroh wouldn't appreciate the familiarity, not after a week of ignoring his existence. She'd taken their comfortable companionship and thrown it out the window for peace of mind she hadn't received. There was no way he'd forgive her so easily, right?

But even Jinora had been proven wrong on occasion.

"Am I really that bad?" he chuckled, breaking out a smile that would've melted her knees not-so-long ago. And while it still kicked up a sandstorm, there was also something calming there that she hadn't been expecting.

"Nah, you're fine. If it had been anyone else but me, that is," she laughed, wondering where all this easiness was coming from.

"To be honest, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to act," Iroh replied, turning serious and maybe a little repentant. It chased away whatever good will had managed to accumulate, self-consciousness making itself known in her veins. Because this wasn't how people were supposed to deal with rejection, not at this early stage. There had to be a scroll about this kind of etiquette somewhere. She'd read dozens in her lifetime but she was drawing a blank.

"Yeah, well, that makes two of us, I guess," she offered, smiling softly at the guard he was obviously keeping up. It seemed that neither of them could trust him when it came to not hurting her again, as inadvertent as it would be.

And not for the first time, Jinora hated the fact that she couldn't be one of those people who could fall back into friendship, as if she hadn't spent most of her life in a self-made fantasy. Those feelings had meant so much to her for so long that it almost hurt to let them go. Not because she still wanted him to love her back but because she was a little afraid of what she'd do without them. Loving Iroh had become a safety blanket; to the point that it made her wonder if she'd ever loved him as much as she believed. Because somewhere along the way, she knew the feelings had become more important than the man.

Jinora didn't want to love anyone so selfishly a second time. "We're gonna be friends again, aren't we?"

Snapping his neck in her direction, his gold stare went wide. "Of course we are. I mean…" Iroh fumbled for his next sentence, trying to appear in control when he was anything but. "We can be, if you want. I won't rush you and I certainly wouldn't blame you if you chose to avoid me from now on."

"Whoa, slow down, Iroh. I don't think we're at that point yet." She didn't notice that she called his name, as she shook her head and chuckled at his exaggeration. But he did, feeling his heart warm at the slip-up.

"Well then, that's a relief. I was afraid of what I'd have to tell your parents if I suddenly stopped talking to you altogether." Humor colored his face, wiping away the tension he'd been sporting since the start. It'd been a long time since she'd met his gaze, even longer since she felt like she had nothing to hide.

Jinora rolled her eyes, trying to mask her amusement. "Please. I'm not so childish that you have to start treating me and my family like lepers. I think we can both agree to that."

Grinning at one another, Jinora knew that there was still a bit of healing she needed to do, as she stepped to the side and let him carry on his way. And while the sight of his back left her forlorn, there was also some relief that she didn't feel the need to chase after him like before. There were still things she needed to sort through of course, like trying to configure what went where and where she stood with Iroh and a million other things. But when he smiled at her as if nothing had changed, it made her feel as if there was a chance that maybe things wouldn't.

AN: And the chapter is finished!Thank you all for your support! I'll be honest, I update my multi-chapters about every other month and I'll probably stick to this formula since it's about as consistence as I can be. But I hope that you'll keep reading and enjoying the progression of this wonderful crack couple~ Because I'm having way too much fun with them, to be honest. Haha.

Thanks for reading, everybody! Until next time~