New chapter, enjoy! I don't own Legend of Korra
Ch 11
-Jin Lian-
A week had passed since the Anti-Bending Revolution had been squashed. As the daughter of the Foreign Affairs Minister, Jin Lian had always been trained to keep an eye on current events. So even after she was discharged from the hospital, she had swiftly returned to work gathering intelligence.
Avatar Korra had returned from the South Pole, having regained her bending, and started training with Tenzin to master Air Bending. The United Republic of Nations was also undergoing major changes, considering the citizens no longer trusted the council. It was understandable, after hearing Korra's account of the events that she and her companions had uncovered. Changes to governance were now being debated, whether full power would be assigned to one individual, or maintain a branched government.
Additionally, major additions to the United Forces made her job much harder. Due to the crushing defeat by Hiroshi Sato's inventions, Iroh had insisted the military advance their own technology. Jin Lian agreed, but the responsibility fell to her and Iroh to obtain said technology and optimize their use. She groaned, rubbing her temples to stave off the headache that was coming on. Her rented apartment was a mess (the ships needed to be repaired, so all the soldiers were provided housing until then), newspapers were scattered on her left, while Future Industries mechanical schematics were stacked on her right (courtesy of Asami Sato). Her guan dao was sheathed and leaning on the wall near her bedroom.
A knock on her door pulled her away from the pile of work. She rose carefully, trying not to slip on any of the papers surrounding her. The young woman stretched, and then fixed her clothes. Since she technically wasn't on duty, Jin Lian sported a comfortable halter top that flowed to her hips, and a pair of loose training pants that cinched at her ankles. Her hair was tied up in a messy top knot to keep her neck from sweating excessively in the humid city weather.
"Coming, coming," she called out as the knocking continued. She opened the door to find Iroh, also in civilian clothing at her door. He too, was dressed for the hot weather. A simple white dress shirt paired with black trousers. He had rolled up his sleeves above the elbows, revealing his lean, muscled forearms.
"General…," she said, surprised. He sent her a pointed look, raising one eyebrow. "Iroh," Jin Lian corrected herself. "What brings you here? Please come in, excuse the mess." Iroh had been offered more luxurious accommodations as befitting his rank, but he had refused, opting to live in the same apartment building as Jin and other soldiers.
Iroh entered her apartment, side stepping the sea of papers and pamphlets. "I wanted to see how you were doing," he answered. "I see you're working hard."
"Well, the United Forces can't be out of commission for too long," she replied. "Tea?"
Iroh nodded. "Yes please." Jin Lian leapt over her papers and towards the small kitchen. As she puttered around, heating up water and gathering cups, she noticed Iroh's expression fall sadly. His eyes were glued to her exposed upper back, where the lightning scar fanned out like pink coral on her pale skin. While it was pale in color, it was visible enough to know that she had sustained damage from the attack.
"It's not your fault," she reassured him. "I turned my back on the enemy. Besides, it doesn't hurt at all." It hurt her to think that Iroh blamed himself for her injury. They were completely blindsided and overpowered that day, but Iroh seemed to take it personally. She supposed he had to live up to incredibly high expectations, seeing as he was named after Iroh the First, Dragon of the West.
She watched him carefully as he pinched his lips into a taught line. He nodded, and then kneeled down to closely examine the documents on the floor. She placed two teabags into the cups of hot water and brought them over. "I apologize for the teabags, it's all I could find on short notice."
Iroh waved his hand. "It's not an issue, Jin," he said. "I'm the one intruding anyway." Jin Lian awkwardly coughed, still not used to the way Iroh addressed her with such familiarity. She sat across from him, sipping her tea and idly shifting papers around.
"We'll need to discuss the maintenance requirements for mecha-tanks and bi-planes with Sato soon," the young general mused, examining the diagrams. "If we could launch the planes from our ships, that would increase our range, as well as provide opportunities for scouting."
Jin Lian nodded, making a mental note of that. She sighed, just one more thing to think about. She continued to sip her tea, but her eyes no longer focused on the texts in front of her. The mass of paper blurred into one white and beige blob, until Iroh touched her shoulder and leaned in close.
"How long have you been working?" he asked. His strong jaw was set, eyebrows furrowed in concern. The heat of the afternoon seemed even more oppressive with Iroh's presence, sweat rolling down her face and neck. Her hands became clammy, making the newspaper stick to her palms.
"Since dawn," she answered. She looked at the clock on the wall, it was nearly lunch.
"Get up," Iroh instructed. "You need to clear your head." He rose to his feet and held out a hand to her. "How about a trip to Air Temple Island? You wanted to thank Avatar Korra, right?"
Jin Lian grasped his hand, and allowed herself to be pulled up. His hands were warmer than a normal person's, heat rolling off of him in waves. Or was it just her? "A-Avatar Korra?" she asked. "Trip to Air Temple Island?" Agni, he was suggesting visiting the Master Tenzin and the Avatar like he was taking her on a trip to the park! "The benefits of being a Prince and General I guess," she thought.
"Master Tenzin invited us over for lunch," Iroh explained. "He and Commander Bumi are looking forward to seeing you again."
It had been a while since she had met with Master Tenzin. While she and her father stayed in Republic City, Tenzin's children had taken a liking to her. Jin Lian didn't dislike children per se, but the air bending children were…a handful…to say the least. Not to mention they were so free spirited and self-directed, that they stuck to her like glue for most of the trip. It made her a frequent visitor of Air Temple Island, since Pema, Tenzin's wife, begged her to visit often in order to maintain her own sanity. Jin Lian ultimately ended up learning air bending forms from the children, who enjoyed playing "teacher" with her.
"I can't go like this!" Jin Lian exclaimed, plucking at her clothes. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" She dashed into her room and closed the door. Clothes flew from drawers as Jin Lian searched for an appropriate outfit.
"If you weren't feeling well, I wouldn't have said anything," Iroh protested through the thin wood. "It's not a formal lunch, Jin!"
Jin Lian changed quickly into a red blouse and a dark pencil skirt, fashioned her hair into a ponytail, and threw on her red and yellow headscarf. She dashed out of her room, tugging on a pair low heels and nearly tripping over her feet.
"How do I look?" she panted. "Put together, at least?"
"Perfect," Iroh said automatically. Jin Lian blushed hotly at the compliment and cast her gaze to the side. She was 26 years old for Agni's sake, why was she acting like a schoolgirl? She peeked through her eyelashes to see that Iroh was rubbing his arm awkwardly and looking away as well. Maybe she wasn't the only one feeling like a fool.
"Uh, well, shall we?" she asked, making her way out of the apartment. Iroh nodded and walked by her side. Their accommodations were thankfully close to the ferry, so the walk did not take long. The ferry ride was enjoyable, especially on a hot day such as this one. Jin Lian admired the boat, it hull made of dark wood and its sails made of delicate red fabric. The sea breeze was refreshing, cooling her down and clearing her mind. They passed the statue of Avatar Aang, where Iroh pointed out that he had accidentally crashed a bi-plane into the statue. Luckily, the statue's face had been covered by a massive replica of Amon's mask, and so protected the actual structure from damage.
Air Temple Island drew closer, the tall pagoda standing proudly in the middle of the water. As they approached, Jin Lian could make out some figures standing at the dock, waiting to greet them. Three children, two adults, and one teenager. The children were jumping and waving, as well as one of the adults. She knew it was Bumi, but she chuckled at the thought of Tenzin jumping around excitedly.
-Iroh-
The ferry finally docked, allowing Iroh and Jin Lian to disembark. "Aunty Jin, Aunty Jin!" the children shouted, throwing themselves onto her. She stumbled backwards into Iroh, who caught her against his chest. Her scarf tickled his cheek as he supported the combined weight of three children and a small woman.
"Hello, children," she huffed. "You've all gotten so big!"
"Aunty Jin come look at what I can do!" "No, Aunty Jin has to see the flowers with me!" The children clamored noisily, vying for her attention. Tenzin's authoritative tone cut through his children's voices
"General Iroh and Lady Yang are here for lunch, and to spend time with all of us," he scolded. "Do not crowd them, it's rude."
Jinora, the eldest, obeyed immediately and pulled her younger siblings back. "Sorry," they chorused. Jin Lian smiled, and suddenly realized that Iroh was still holding her. She straightened herself, nodding her thanks to Iroh. Iroh returned the nod, slowly sliding his hands from her shoulders to her elbows before finally removing them.
"Master Tenzin, Commander Bumi," Jin greeted with a formal bow. "It's a pleasure to see you both. Thank you for the gifts while I was in the hospital." She turned to the teenage girl with deep blue eyes and dark skin. "Avatar Korra," she continued. "As the Strategist of the United Forces, I thank you for your assistance in the battle and for rescuing the General."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Yang," Korra replied amicably. "I've heard a lot about you from Bumi and Tenzin."
"Good things, I hope," Jin Lian smiled.
"Avatar Korra, Master Tenzin, Commander Bumi," Iroh greeted. "A pleasure seeing you all again, this time under better circumstances."
With pleasantries exchanged, the group went to eat lunch. Despite being vegetarian, as all Air Nation food was, lunch was delicious. Stir fried mixed vegetables, seasoned tofu, and rice made for a surprisingly filling meal. Fresh fruit was offered for a light dessert. Iroh engaged in conversation with Commander Bumi, discussing the older man's retirement from the United Forces.
Jin Lian and Avatar Korra were engaged in a lengthy discussion as well. "So I heard from Bumi that you're a chi blocker," Korra mentioned lightly.
Iroh tensed, remembering the ordeal the Avatar went through trying to regain her bending. Where was this conversation headed? The tension amongst the adults was riding higher and higher.
"I learned under Master Ty Lee herself," Jin Lian replied proudly. Her back straightened and lifted her head regally.
"And you know that all the Equalists were trained in chi blocking?" Korra pressed on.
"Korra, dcon't be rude to Lady Yang," Tenzin quickly interjected.
Jin Lian lifted a hand, never breaking her bronze gaze with Korra's cerulean blue. "Avatar Korra," the strategist said. "Are you implying something?"
Korra lowered her gaze. "I went into Amon's hideout thinking I was unstoppable, because I'm the Avatar," the young girl admitted. "But I was rendered powerless by chi blockers. It's frightening, losing something you've lived with all your life."
Jin Lian nodded, but said nothing. Korra continued. "I suppose that's what non-benders feel; frightened, because they are powerless against benders. And the Equalists gave them the opportunity to level the playing field. I don't want to feel that way again. The Avatar is a symbol of strength for all, not just benders."
Jin Lian remained silent. "What I'm saying is," Korra went on, "is that I'm wondering if you could train with me? Help me learn how to fight against chi blockers?"
A small smile graced the strategist's lips. She bowed her head, "It is my honor to be chosen by the Avatar to assist her."
"Oh great! Can we get started today? Just to see?" Korra exclaimed excitedly.
"Well, if you've got spare clothes, I'd be happy to," Jin Lian replied, motioning to her current outfit. "I'd hate to get this one dirty."
Korra gladly jumped up and dragged Jin Lian to her room. Not 10 minutes later did Jin return, dressed in a plain white shirt with three-quarter sleeves and Korra's blue pants. The waistband was rolled up and cinched tightly around her small waist to accommodate her petit figure. It was uncanny to see Jin Lian in blue, since all she ever wore was variations of red or her gray uniform. The only other time he had seen her in a Water Tribe outfit was when he watched her dance for the first time.
"Ooh, this'll be good," Bumi chuckled. He, Iroh, Tenzin, and the kids gathered, interested in what Jin Lian could do. The two females faced each other in the training yard, both initiating a ready stance. Ever the fighter, Korra attacked first with fire. Jin easily dodged, closing the distance between her and the young Avatar. In response, Korra used wind to place distance between them again.
"Good," Jin Lian complimented. "Chi blockers can only affect you if they touch you."
Korra fought from a distance, punching wind at Jin. The gales blew holes in the trees and spun up dead leaves from the ground. Once again, Jin easily dodged the gusts, making her way towards Korra. Now Korra switched to earth, sending small boulders flying.
"You're focusing too much on direct hits. They're easily anticipated and easily avoided," the elder female instructed. Jin Lian executed an impressive acrobatic routine consisting of flips and rolls, skillfully avoiding being crushed. "Take your position and environment into consideration! This is not a pro-bending tournament," Jin Lian called out. She made her way towards Korra in a large spiral, slowly but surely closing in.
The Avatar switched to water, once again with no effect. Finally, Jin Lian landed behind Korra and swiftly punched her arms and back. Korra yelped and fell to the floor like a rag doll. She lay face down in the dirt, grunting as she attempted to get up. The older woman crouched down and unblocked Korra's pathways. "That was nothing like the Equalists' chi-blocking!" Korra exclaimed, finally able to sit up. "You were amazing! Crazy scary, but amazing!"
"Beautiful, more like it," Iroh thought, tuning out Korra and Jin's conversation. He had never seen such elegant martial arts. Jin Lian wasted no movement, conserving her energy and making the best use of her environment. He was suddenly reminded of the sparrow in his dreams, jumping from branch to branch, its light twittering almost mocking him for not catching it. Jin Lian's voice floated back to him, answering a question Korra had asked.
"I'm most cautious around fire benders," Jin Lian said thoughtfully. "Since their fire is not entirely corporeal and can be shot from multiple body parts, it's harder to predict their actions than those of water or earth benders." The white top she wore was now soaked with sweat, outlining the dark red brassiere she wore underneath. Iroh tried to shift his gaze elsewhere, focusing instead on Jin Lian's pink lips. "I suppose experienced air benders would be particularly hard to fight," she mused, placing a finger to her lips. "Though I've never sparred with one before."
"We'll spar with you, Aunty Jin!" the Meelo and Ikki exclaimed, jumping in and blowing gusts of wind at the strategist all at once. Chi blocking was a particularly frightening prospect for benders, but Iroh supposed that the children knew Jin presented no ill will or malice towards them.
"Oh dear!" she exclaimed, dodging and spinning around. "Two against one isn't fair, children!" Iroh smiled slightly as he caught Jin's playful tone. She seemed to execute basic air bending forms to avoid her attackers, instead of the remarkable acrobatics he had seen just a few minutes ago.
"War isn't fair!" Meelo shouted. "Wahahaha!" He continued his onslaught when suddenly, Jin Lian unraveled her scarf and tossed it into the little boy's direction. She ducked, allowing Ikki's blast of air shoved the fabric into Meelo's face, temporarily blinding him. Jin took this opportunity to turn and tackle Ikki and tickle her relentlessly. "Now at this point, I would have blocked your chi, Ikki, and made Meelo surrender," Jin explained to the youth.
Ikki wriggled her way out of Jin Lian's grasp and escaped to play with her siblings, leaving the adults to converse. Tenzin sighed, apologizing for his children's rowdiness. Jin Lian returned to the shade of the pagoda, pulling at the collar of her shirt to cool herself and loosely winding her scarf around her neck. "Children will be children, Master Tenzin," Jin Lian said, reassuring the air bender. "It's good that they get to play so freely, away from the scrutiny of the public."
Iroh heard a tinge of yearning in her voice as she spoke. Had she lived a life limited by her parents' wishes for her to become the Lady of Shu Jing? He could relate, being the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. The rest of their afternoon continued with discussion of new leadership, impending presidential elections, and Bumi's unbelievable stories. Iroh watched as Tenzin rolled his eyes in disbelief, however keeping silent out of respect of his eldest brother. Jin Lian, on the other hand, simply smiled and nodded.
The boat ride back to the main city was quiet and peaceful. Jin Lian was dressed once again in her blouse and skirt, her scarf settled around her neck instead of on her head, as the early evening sun started to move towards the horizon. The sea breeze tousled her hair gently as she leaned against the railing of the ship. "Did you enjoy yourself, Jin?" Iroh asked the young woman standing next to him.
"It was a nice break from all the work," she replied, leaning her head back and inhaling deeply. Her eyes closed, basking in the weak light of dusk and salty breeze. "Thank you for taking me, sir."
Iroh sighed. "I suppose it'll take you a while to break you of that habit," he muttered under his breath.
"Sorry, I didn't catch that?"
"I enjoyed Commander Bumi's stories very much," Iroh quickly answered. "They're almost fanciful, and nearly impossible."
Jin Lian chuckled. "He must have left out certain details that would make the story more believable."
"Because you were there?"
A heavy silence fell between them. Jin Lian turned around and hopped up to sit on the wide railing of the ship. "He could never keep his mouth shut," she sighed. "How much has the Commander told you?"
Iroh moved forward out of fear that Jin would fall into the water below. "All he told me was that you were a Lieutenant under him, and that you were highly skilled in chi-blocking. You've also demonstrated that to me today." He placed his hands on Jin's hips, keeping her from slipping backwards. "You're making me nervous, please come down from there," he pleaded.
~Jin Lian~
The sensation of Iroh's hands surprised Jin Lian, and she reflexively placed her hands on his shoulders. Iroh took it as permission to pull her down, and with his strong arms, he lifted her easily. Her face burned and heart hammered when his cologne reached her nose. Her legs trembled and grew weak when his arms supported her lower back and thighs to lift her better. The red sun reflected in his golden eyes as she went from looking down at him to staring up as her feet touched the deck. What kind of face was she making? Certainly it betrayed what she was feeling, because Iroh reached over her shoulder to idly play with a strand of her hair.
"You are a mystery, Jin Lian Yang," Iroh whispered. There was a kind of fondness in his eyes that made Jin's heart beat faster. It didn't take a genius to know what he was thinking, and she stifled the urge to throw all propriety to the wind and reciprocate. The raven haired woman reminded herself that she needed to maintain professional boundaries, no matter how much her General/Prince pushed them.
She slid away from him, leaving more than an arm's distance between them. "I don't know if I should be flattered or offended, General," she said. She turned away so he wouldn't see her trying to control her facial expression. "I am simply me. Just a product of my circumstances and experiences."
Jin Lian bit her lip as she heard Iroh let out a sigh. "It was meant as a compliment, Jin," he said. "We work together, but you're secretive. I've discovered these amazing things about your life from other people, but never from you." His voice was tinged with disappointment when she used his title instead of his name.
"You never asked," she replied simply. "I wouldn't waste your time with unnecessary information."
Instead of quietly accepting her reason, Iroh spoke resolutely. "If that is the case, Jin Lian Yang," he said, "I will ask you plenty about yourself." Jin Lian scoffed humorously, turning back to face him, her lips quirking into a half smile.
"Very well, sir," she answered. "Ask away."
That night, Iroh took her to dinner, and as promised, asked her about her childhood and her experiences as a Lieutenant under Bumi. As Jin Lian surmised, she and Iroh had very similar childhoods filled with combat training and classes on various subjects such as governance, affairs of the state, economics, and much more. Her mandatory service days, however, were much different than his. While he had served in the 1st division at a higher rank, her days were filled with the hectic and wild adventures that Commander Bumi had gotten them into.
"It's as if he's extremely unlucky and lucky at the same time," Jin Lian sighed, recounting a time when she had to chase after some Sand Pirates that captured her old Commander. "I was happy to leave my mandatory service days behind and travel with my father. I never thought the Fire Lord would place me in your service."
"Is that so?" Iroh asked. He waved down a waiter and asked for the bill. Jin Lian reached for her purse and started to retrieve her money. She flushed when he put a hand on her wrist, stopping her. "I see you, Jin," Iroh warned, his voice amused. "I will pay; I invited you to dinner anyway."
Jin Lian nodded, and closed the purse. "Thank you, Gener…sir…Iroh…," she said, stumbling over his titles and name.
Iroh chuckled, paid, and led her outside. The street lamps glowed bright yellow, lighting their way back to the apartment. There was a peaceful silence between them as they walked. The temperature had dropped, and Jin Lian wrapped her headscarf around her shoulders like a shawl. Iroh took notice and ventured to walked closer to her, offering her his arm. Jin Lian took it, linking their elbows and placing her palm on his forearm. Even though the gesture did not place her extremely close to him, Iroh's radiant body heat was more than enough to keep her warm in the night chill
When they reached Jin Lian's apartment, she released his arm and unlocked the door. "Thank you again for today…Iroh," she said. "It was nice." A dusting of pink touched her cheeks as she looked bashfully away.
"Likewise," Iroh agreed. "Good night, Jin Lian. Rest well." Before she could enter her apartment, Iroh caught her hand and brought it briefly to his lips. His golden eyes never left her bronze, holding her enraptured with his gaze.
"Good night," she returned softly. He released her fingers swiftly and stepped back, waiting for her to enter the apartment.
Jin Lian entered her apartment and closed the door quickly, resting her back against the wood. While she was silent, her inner voice was screaming. "What just happened?!" she thought, face burning and chest hammering. "Is he allowed to do that?!" She looked at her hand, the back of her fingers tingling with the memory of Iroh's touch. "Rest well, he says," Jin Lian scoffed. A soft smile inadvertently lingered on her lips as she got ready for bed.
-Iroh-
As soon as Jin Lian's door closed and locked, Iroh covered his face with his hand. "Why did I do that?" Iroh asked himself, his mind racing a mile a minute. He returned to his own apartment, thoroughly embarrassed. The feeling of Jin Lian's slim fingers in his hand lingered. Her hands were cool to the touch and appeared delicate upon first appearance, but belied a firmness that belonged to many martial artists.
It wasn't as if kissing a woman's hand was a foreign concept to him. Iroh had done it plenty of times, as it was simply a courtesy between members of the nobility. What made it different was the disarmed look she gave him. Jin Lian made sure to put up a composed façade to anyone she spoke to. That mask would slip occasionally, but she was always quick to hide it. Today, though, he had seen an array of new expressions that gave him a hint of what hid below. It excited him to think that she was allowing him to see more of her true personality.