Iroh sat in his cabin going over several different important maps, documents, and plans for the quickly approaching day Sozin's Comet would return. The thing was he might as well be looking at blank scraps of paper for all the good it was doing him. Here he was, a man that had dedicated the best years of his life to the military, who could no longer make sense of a simple capabilities report.
He was a general who had planned, directed, and executed a hundred different successful engagements with nothing more than an out of date map, unreliable intelligence, and a gut feeling. Yet now, when he had everything laid out in front of him, he couldn't find the It. The thing that would insure victory for his side eluded him.
Iroh slid his papers away in frustration before pressing the heels of his hands to his over tired eyes. "Maybe I'm just not cut out for this anymore."
"Cut out for what?"
Iroh looked up to see Ursa stepping through the door he'd unconsciously left slightly open, hoping secretly for an interruption. He found himself smiling at the form his hopes were answered. Pushing back from the table he held out his hand for her. "I can't remember now."
"Sounds serious." Ursa chuckled as she closed the door before crossing the room to take his hand. The moment their hands connected Iroh pulled her down into his lap, and she sank happily into his arms. "Anything I can do to help?"
"You're doing it." Iroh said as he ran a hand through her soft hair, since their reconciliation he found it increasingly more difficult not to touch her. Looking into her pure golden eyes he felt the tension he'd been trying to ignore fade. "Do you know you're beautiful?"
Ursa blushed at the intensity she saw in his whiskey gaze. He truly meant what he was saying which made her happy and just a little uncomfortable. "Perhaps you need your eyes checked. I've gotten so old."
"Old?" Iroh's laugh erupted from deep inside his chest. "My Dear you are anything but. Still I think it is you whose eyes must be failing; after all it's an old, fat, balding man's lap you happen to be sitting on."
"You're not fat." Ursa said a mischievous twinkle in her eyes as she kissed his cheek. "Just old and balding."
"Oh yeah." Iroh growled in mock anger just before capturing her lips in a forceful kiss.
Iroh wasn't the only one that was having no touching issues; Ursa willing gave into his kiss, offering her mouth to him. A sound of pleasure hummed at the back of her throat as his tongue intertwined with hers. It had been so long since she'd been kissed like this and her body warmed in response.
Iroh felt his own temperature raise as his body reacted to the woman in his lap. With great difficultly Iroh broke their kiss, holding her back when she would have kissed him again. "Ursa, we can't."
Ursa sat back looking at the man she wanted more than her next breath, a man she knew wanted her back. He kept his head down, looking away from her. "Why? What are we waiting for?"
What were they waiting for? Really it wasn't like they hadn't done this before. They had a sixteen year old boy as proof, and yet Iroh resisted. "I want to give you more than this."
Iroh looked up then meeting Ursa's beloved eyes. "I want to give you something real, a family we don't have to hide."
Ursa closed her eyes as she let Iroh's words sink into her. "This is real Iroh, our family is real, and I would gladly spend a hundred years locked from the sun, for one hour lit by your touch."
"Still if this is what you want, I will respect that." She started to get up from his lap and Iroh reached out with amazing speed, pulling her down again. She turned startled questioning eyes on him, and he responded with quick earth shattering kiss.
"How do you do this to me?" Iroh asked his voice rough with long denied desire as he got to his feet, with her still in his arms, and carried her the short distance to his mattress. He gently lowered them both onto the simple red covers, thinking how he would soon wrap her in the finest silks in the world as he kissed her softly.
When the kiss broke Ursa looked up at him with her most beguiling smile, moving her hips under his invitingly. "It's only fair, look what you do to me."
Oh he was looking and kissing her again he pressed himself against her, his approval of what he saw evident. For so long Iroh had burned to have her this close again and now that she was it was playing havoc with his control. He wanted to take her now, hard and fast until she cried out in uncontrolled pleasure, but at the same time there was something he wanted more.
Iroh moved off of Ursa, and helping her into a sitting position, he lazily ran his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. He looked at her; her eyes were trusting and eager, and he smiled. He kissed her lips once more, as his hands found their way to her belt and deftly untied it. When she reached out to do the same for him, he grunted and caught her hands before they could do anything. "Let me."
Ursa saw a need in his warm whiskey gaze so passionate that it thrilled and frightened her at the same time. Still she gave into him; she would always give into him, and let her hands fall to her sides. His smile was faintly possessive as buried his hands in her hair and kissed her until she grew light headed. Then with torturously slow movement his hands slid her gown from her shoulders.
He let his kisses follow the path his hands took as he moved along the line of her jaw to her ear then further, down her neck and to her collar bone. Each kiss setting tiny fires on her skin, and she moaned encouragements to her lover, but he would not be rushed. 'Slowly,' he warned himself, 'go slowly, make it last.'
Soon, despite his leisurely pace, Iroh had Ursa knelling before him in all her natural beauty. Iroh paused a brief moment taking in her perfection, while time and childbirth had added a bit of softness to her frame here and there to him she had never looked better. Reaching out he laid her down once more, then bowing his head he paid homage to the gentle raise of her breast.
Ursa rewarded his attentions with a soft intake of breath as she arched her back offering more of herself to him. Iroh suckled gently at one glorious orb, and then the other until her breath came in quick helpless pants. Slowly he lowered himself down her welcoming body. Laying feather light kisses along her cream colored skin he softly teased the flesh of her flat stomach with his teeth and tongue.
As Iroh moved lower he could feel the heat of her passion, and caught the first hints of the slightly musky scent of her desire. Like the rest of her it promised pleasures that had been too long denied them both. Ursa opened to him willingly, both in offering and demand, and he did not deny her, he never could.
Ursa ran her fingers through Iroh's long hair holding him in place as soft moans of pleasure escape her lips in time with his tongues cleaver movements. Iroh smiled against her as he continued to drive her mad. Just before she reached her peak however he moved away, and she mewed in protest.
He did not leave her long, quickly dispatching himself of the confines of his own garments he returned to her. Covering her with his body once more he found the point of her need. He didn't bothering to fight his groan of satisfaction at the way her body eagerly welcomed him, contracted around him in an intimate embrace.
Panting Ursa wrapped her long legs around his waist pulling him closer as he pushed his length through her nearly forgotten yet still so familiar resistance. Memories of the way she felt would never compare to reality as he lost all thought but the feel of her. Iroh moved deeper until he was buried completely in her body's velvety wetness, before drawing himself back again so that he could repeat the process.
"So good." Ursa groaned as she arched up to meet his downward stroke. Wrapping his arms around her Iroh held her to him as he moved in her warmth. He knew he could not last long, but he swore to hold off as long as he could as he set the rhythm to their primal dance.
Her moans grew louder as she matched each deep thrust, her legs tightening over his middle drawing him in. Her body grew tighter and wetter as the first wave of ecstasy rocked her body hard against his. Iroh didn't stop; on the contrary he increased his speed as he heard Ursa crying his name. Something in him needed to see how long he could keep her on this razor's edge; needed to know how much pleasure he could give her before it was too much.
Iroh spoke softly to her, encouraging her to ride the pleasure with him and Ursa always willing to oblige him did as he asked. She stayed with him as lights exploded behind her eyes with each new orgasm he gave her. Soon though her body was at the point of breaking, she couldn't take much more, and she let him know. "Iroh please."
"Once more." Iroh panted in her ear as he felt the familiar tingle that told him his own finish was near. He slowed his pace, wanting to hold on just a little longer, to keep it until the last possible second. He moved with Ursa, sweating and panting, wanting to bring her one final time before joining her.
Now it was simply a matter of timing, it would be just a few more seconds. He felt her last orgasm tightening around him and he was lost. He let himself go; she felt it and she rocked against him despite herself to draw out every drop. Iroh called Ursa's name as he fell forward; they held on to each other as their shared climax rocked them both.
They clung to one another afraid to let go less they would be lost forever in a world gone sightless with pleasure. For a moment Iroh laid there, still on top of her, still buried deep within her warmth, and in the clear understanding of the afterglow he realized that he was finally where he belonged. With her, in her, safe and utterly at home.
He kissed her neck; drawing in her sent that was stronger now after their love making as he whispered what a wonder she was. Ursa chuckled deep in her throat, "You're not so bad either, for an old man."
Iroh frowned down at her for a moment before he realized what she was making fun of him. Then laughing softly he disengaged himself from the tangle of their limbs and rolled with her to the side. "Take care girl, or I may be forced to show you again what this old man is capable of."
"Really?" Ursa challenged sleepily as she snuggled against him.
"Most certainly." Iroh confirmed as he lazily stroked her now knotted and damp hair, content now to hold her as she slowly dosed off. He kissed her tenderly on the forehead as she drifted in her dreams, thinking to make good on his promise as often as she would let him.
アエ 父の日 恋仲
Iroh could have sworn he'd just gone to sleep when a sound jerked him awake. Sitting up he searched his room for whatever it was that woke him, but nothing moved in the shadows. He was about to chalk it up to his imagination and lay back down when a bang of urgent sharp pounding came through his cabin door.
Ursa jumped as the sound startled her out of her sleep and Iroh spun to cover her mouth before she could speak. Iroh frowned as he looked into her frightened gold eyes and shook his head. Ursa nodded and kept silent as Iroh called out to whoever was on the other side of his door. "Who's there?"
"General Iroh, its Ichiro. We have a problem Sir."
Iroh couldn't fathom what possible problem the hunter could possibly have that would require his attention in the middle of the night. They couldn't be under attack, the man's voice was too calm and there were no other sounds to indicate such an event. Still Iroh got up and grabbing a robe for himself he passed Ursa her things, just in case.
"What is it?" Iroh asked through the door as he and his guest covered themselves.
"It's Kazuya Sir, he didn't report for his shift at the helm." The note of irritation was clear even through the steel door and Iroh was on the verge of telling the man that he'd deal with it in the morning when Ichiro added, "It seems that he and the Water Tribe boy have gone missing."
Ursa's surprised gasp was mostly covered by Iroh's curse but he still turned to look at her. She gave him an apologetic look before going back putting on her clothes, and he just shook his head. It didn't really matter, he supposed, if Ichiro knew she was in here with him.
After all they were both adults, and it wasn't as if they were hiding their affection for each other before now. He just didn't want their relationship to become the fodder for more gossip then it already was. He only wanted to spare Ursa, and Zuko who would be sure to hear of it, such an ordeal.
Crossing to his door he opened it just enough so he could look the hunter in the face. "Go wake the rest of the team Ichiro; I'll worry about the water boy's sister and Lady Bei Fong. Let's try not to wake up the rest until we have too, no point in panicking anyone needlessly. We'll meet in the Mess in ten minutes."
Ichiro nodded once then hurried off to follow orders. Iroh sighed as he closed the door again. A gentle hand came up and touched his shoulder. "What do you think has happened to them? You don't think they've been hurt do you?"
"I don't know." Iroh said darkly, thinking if they weren't hurt they would be when he got his hands on them. 'Does anyone follow orders anymore?'
Turning around he met Ursa's worried eyes and sighed again; she was such a mother. Reaching up he cupped her cheek with his large palm and placed a soft kiss on her frowning mouth. "Try not to worry my Dear; I'm sure everyone is fine. I need to go though and take care of this. I'm not sure how long it going to take, it might be better if you return to your cabin."
Ursa stepped out of Iroh's way, watching him as he moved further into his cabin to put on something more substantial than his thin robe. She knew what he was doing, and though she told him she didn't mind the secret, she couldn't help feeling hurt. If he could tell their son about them, why not the rest of the world?
Insecurities from the shadows of her past reared up like the living dead rising from the grave and her chest contracted painfully. It was irrational and stupid, but then fears usually were; she knew Iroh loved her just as much as she loved him. Still she felt something stung her eyes and she closed them tight as she turned away.
She would not add to Iroh's problems with her tears, but her voice wasn't completely steady as she said, "The hall should be empty by now, it should be safe for me to go."
Iroh had just finished tying his belt when his head snapped up like he'd been hit as the odd note in Ursa's voice reached him. He spun around to see what was wrong but before he could do anything she'd slipped out of the room and his door was closing again. Cursing himself for a hundred kinds of fool his hand was on the handle to follow her before he stopped himself.
Pulling his hand back he clutched it into white knuckled fist. Turning his eyes up to the ceiling he cursed the unseen, "Are you enjoying the show? Do you have something against our happiness? Is it so terrible that we are together? Can't you just let us have one moment of peace?"
There was no voice to answer him but then Iroh really hadn't expected there to be. He really didn't need one, because he already knew it. He was sick of putting his life on hold for this damn war, but there would be no peace for anyone until Ozai was defeated. He swore he would to make this up to Ursa and soon, but for now he had a job to do.
He reached out again, this time opening the door and stepping into the hall. As his footsteps resonated in the shadowy corridor all of his uncertainties over the approaching comet's deadline vanished. Things became clear in his mind once more; his whiskey gaze shifting as the General he'd once been came back to life.
