Fools in Love: A Spark in the Rain
Mother Knows Best
Knock, knock!
"Enter." Lin called from her desk.
Lin did not need to look up to know that it was her assistant opening the door.
"Chief. . ." The woman said nervously.
"Spit it out." Lin said, without looking up from her paperwork.
"The Fire Lord is here to see you."
Lin marked her place in the paperwork.
"Send her in." She said, as she began stacking the papers.
"Yes, ma'am."
Lin set the papers to the side, folded her hands on top of the desk, and looked ahead to the door. It was not long before there was another knock.
"Enter." Lin said again.
Her assistant opened the door and gestured for the Fire Lord to enter. As always, Izumi strode forward with an air of authority. Her bodyguards began to follow her inside, but she gestured for them to stay behind.
"Would you like a pot of tea?" The assistant asked.
"No." The women said in unison.
"Thank you," Izumi added, being ever the diplomat, "I'm not thirsty, but I'm sure my guards would appreciate one."
"Yes, of course, ma'am -I'm sorry, your highness? No, you're-"
"-Aya," Lin called cutting the poor woman off, "just serve them some tea."
"Yes, ma'am!" The young woman squeaked.
"And close the door -Oh never mind." Lin grumbled, using her bending to close the door behind the nervous woman.
She saw an amused smile on Izumi's face.
"You enjoyed that, didn't you?"
"A little." Izumi admitted as she took a seat across from Lin.
She rested her hands on the arms of the chair and sat as if it was her throne.
"And last night?" Lin asked in an annoyed tone.
Izumi sighed.
"Is it so wrong to want to get to know the girl that my son wants to marry?"
"It was completely unnecessary!" Lin snapped. "You already knew about her background, there was no need to interrogate her like that!"
Despite the show she had put on last night, Izumi knew about Yanmei's background. She had been the one that helped Lin track down the girl's father. Lin had originally hoped that he might take in his daughter, just as Zi and Luli's father had. He was easy enough to find, since Yanmei's mother hated firebenders and rarely took them as customers. Lin had asked Izumi to speak with him, since he was a Fire Nation nobleman. It was only after he had refused to acknowledge Yanmei as his daughter that Lin decided to adopt the girl.
"Unfortunately, it was necessary." Izumi said. "Her background is irrelevant if she can handle scrutiny, but she clearly can't."
"I could have told you that if you had just asked."
"I suppose I could have, but I wasn't sure I'd get an honest assessment, so I thought it would be better to see for myself."
"So you messed with her at her job, sent her into a tizzy and then running to wake me up at two in the morning?"
"I didn't know that she would run off like that." Izumi calmly stated.
"Well I could have told you that if you had asked."
"You clearly didn't get enough sleep." Izumi noted.
"Yeah, probably because I was woken up at two in the morning by a sobbing girl -Have I not mentioned that yet?" Lin said in a clearly irritated tone.
Izumi sighed.
"Again, I didn't know that would happen."
"She walked the whole way, Izumi. She was out in the rain -without an umbrella or appropriate clothing- for over an hour. She could have gotten hurt and she might get sick! She's a very emotional girl, you should have spoken to me about meeting her, I could have arranged something better."
"I'm sorry, Lin. Iroh thought it would be okay, and I thought he knew her better -since he wants to marry her."
"Did he know that you were going to interrogate her?" Lin asked.
"I told him I wanted to get to know her."
"So, no, he didn't." Lin translated. "That fool is so in love with her that he probably never considered that you would hate her."
"I don't hate her, Lin." Izumi said. "She's a lovely girl. You've done a good job raising her, but she doesn't have what it takes be the Fire Lady."
"I know." Lin said. "She knows it too."
"Then why is she pursuing a relationship with Iroh?"
Lin started chuckling. Izumi's eyebrows drew closer together as she tried to figure out why Lin was laughing.
"What's so funny?" Izumi asked.
"You may not find this amusing, but Yanmei didn't know that she was in a relationship with Iroh." Lin said.
She tried to suppress another laugh as she saw the stunned look on Izumi's face.
". . .What. . . What did she think -How?" Izumi asked, utterly perplexed.
"She didn't think that Iroh could actually think they had a future together, since it's so obvious to the rest of us, so she thought that she was just his Republic City girl."
"Republic City girl?" Izumi asked.
"She thought he had a girl in every port."
"He most certainly does not!" Izumi said indignantly, as she slammed her hands on Lin's desk and stood up. "I raised him better than that! What kind of man does she think he is?"
Lin leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed and, calmly, looked up at Izumi.
"Cut her some slack there, Izumi. She's not used to being loved, so it was the only way she could rationalize Iroh's attention."
"Hasn't she had boyfriends in the past?"
"Far too many, but they only liked her for her looks and didn't treat her well."
Izumi's expression had morphed into one of poorly suppressed rage.
"Has she been seeing other men while toying with my son's heart?" Izumi asked.
"No. And in all fairness, she thought that he was the one stringing her along."
"And she was okay with that?" Izumi asked incredulously.
"I asked her the same thing. She said that it was better than what she was used to and she didn't have to worry about getting her hopes up since the idea of them getting married is so preposterous."
Izumi's anger receded.
"Well, on that we can agree." Izumi said as she sat back down. "I have another question -I already asked her last night, but I just want to confirm with you whether or not they're telling the truth- have they had sex?"
"No. I was already certain that they hadn't, but I double-checked with her anyways."
"You're absolutely certain?" Izumi asked.
"Yes."
"Well that certainly makes things easier. It may take some time to talk Iroh out of pursuing her, but it sounds like she's already aware that it needs to end."
"She is. . ."
Izumi raised an eyebrow, realizing that there was more information that she needed to hear.
"What is it?" Izumi asked. "You said that she knows she can't stay with Iroh, so what's the issue?"
"She loves him."
"And? You said that she knew it wasn't going anywhere."
"Back when she thought that he was playing around with her, but now that she knows that he's serious about her she's gotten her hopes up."
Izumi closed her eyes and took a a calming breathe. She opened her eyes and looked Lin in the eyes.
"So what does she intend to do?" Izumi asked.
"She wants to do the right thing."
"And what does she think the right thing is?"
"To break it off with him now so that he can find a proper wife."
"Good." Izumi said, as if they were finished. "I'll tell Iroh. It'll be difficult for him to accept but-"
"-I've already called him." Lin interrupted. "I told him that he can go to my house at noon to visit her."
"Why on earth would you tell him that?"
"Because they need to talk."
"That is the last thing they need to do!" Izumi seethed.
"Cool off Fire Head." Lin said. "They're just going to talk."
"About what?" Izumi exclaimed. "About how much they love each other and want to be together even though it would be absolutely foolish?"
"If you really must know, I've advised Yanmei to rake him over the coals for last night and then dump him."
"Do you think she'll actually do it?" Izumi asked. "She seems to be very easily swayed by her emotions."
"She might -especially if Iroh says something really stupid -and I have to say, I think he was really on a roll last night, so there's a good chance that she'll break it off -who knows, maybe she'll go back to her old ways and set something on fire."
Izumi crossed her arms and thought about it for a moment.
". . .I still think it would be better if I just told him. You know Iroh, he won't give up without a fight."
"And that's exactly why Yanmei needs to be the one to do it." Lin said. "He needs to hear it from her -otherwise he'll never accept it."
Izumi tapped her fingers on the arms of the chair as she thought about it.
"I suppose you have a point." She said. "Are you sure that she'll be able to do it?"
"No."
"Then why-"
"-There's only so much we can control, Izumi. They're adults and they need to make their own decisions. We've given them the best advice we can, but it's their choice to make."
Izumi sighed and pinched her forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me about this, Lin?" Izumi asked in frustration.
"Partially because I didn't think it was any of my business, but it was mostly because Iroh keeps her out of trouble and I decided it would be nice to take a break from arresting her and hiring that sleazy lawyer."
"Well I hope it was worth it. It would have been much easier to break them up if I had known about it two years ago."
"What will you do if they choose to stay together?" Lin asked
"If they decide to continue this, the most she'll ever be is his mistress. It's still legal, but times are changing and it would be frowned upon."
"Yanmei would be very offended if Iroh suggested that she become a mistress."
"I'm sure she would given her mother's profession." Izumi said, no longer looking at Lin. "I don't think we have to worry about that, though, Iroh is set on her being his wife. I don't think the thought of a mistress has ever crossed his mind."
Izumi glanced at the clock.
"Maybe if I suggest it to him, he'll say something about it to her." Izumi said.
"No. I'll have enough on my plate with her usual hysterics, I don't need her crying that Iroh thinks she's a whore."
Izumi gave Lin a wry look.
"I see where she gets her vocabulary."
Lin rolled her eyes.
"That reminds me, I promised her that I'd let you know that the incident on Air Temple Island was my fault."
Izumi let out a chuckle at the memory.
After Yanmei's fifth arrest, Tenzin suggested making Yanmei stay on Air Temple Island to learn to control her emotions, since all attempts to teach her firebending had failed. Lin fought it, saying that she would rather send Yanmei to prison, but was overruled by the council. Tenzin tried to discuss the matter with Lin in private, but it turned into a nasty argument in which she questioned his motives and warned him that his island would burn. She was all too happy to remind him of her warning when he returned Yanmei two weeks later.
"I really shouldn't laugh," Izumi said with an amused smile, "a firebender burning an air temple isn't a good look -considering our history- but he should have seen that coming. I mean, honestly, forcing your firebending daughter to stay on his island only seven years after you had destroyed it -how else could that end?"
"She's not my daughter." Lin said, as she grabbed the paperwork she had previously set aside.
Izumi sighed.
"You adopted her, Lin, that makes her your daughter." Izumi reminded her.
"I only did it because nobody else would take her."
"It's obvious that you care about her, Lin, I don't know why you pretend otherwise."
"I have work to do, Fire Lord." Lin said, dismissively, without looking up.
"Why are you like this, Lin?"
Lin ignored Izumi's question and continued to review the Harmony Gala's security plan. Izumi waited a minute before taking the hint and standing up.
"I'll be going, then, if we're done here."
"Wait," Lin said, putting down her pen, "There is one more thing."
Izumi looked at her expectantly.
"If she loses her job or gets into any trouble because of this, you're helping me get her back on her feet -I don't want her moving back in with me."
"Fine," Izumi agreed, "but I think you'd enjoy the company."
"I get enough of it as it is. That girl is like a boomerang, she just keeps coming back no matter how many times I tell her to leave me alone."
Izumi gave a soft smile.
"It's probably because you're a good mother, Lin."
"I'm not a-"
"-Not a mother. I know." Izumi said. "You're just the person who rescued her from her mother and the streets, gave her a home and education, and is there for her whenever she needs you."
Lin glared at her.
"That girl loves you." Izumi said.
"Get out!" Lin snapped at her.
"Fine, I can tell when I'm not wanted." Izumi said as she walked to the door. "I'll see you at the Gala -hopefully Yanmei will still be able to perform, she has a beautiful voice."
Lin used her bending to slam the door shut after Izumi left. She tried to go back to reviewing the night's plans, but found herself unable to concentrate. She rested her head in her hands. Maybe she should have told Izumi about Yanmei and Iroh. It certainly would have saved them all a lot of trouble and heartache, if they had put a stop to it early on. Unfortunately, Izumi was right, Lin cared more about Yanmei than she tried to let on. She wanted the girl to safe and happy, and she had thought that Iroh would be her best chance at both. With the recent developments, she was not sure how that was possible.
With a bit of irony, Lin found herself thinking that things would have been easier if Yanmei had slept with Iroh. If she had gotten pregnant, Izumi would be doing everything in her power to legitimize the relationship and her future grandchild. Yanmei would have been whisked away to the Fire Nation, instated as Iroh's consort, and spent the rest of her life being cared for by bodyguards and servants and surrounded by a real family. Unfortunately, she was a good kid, so none of that would happen and Lin would be left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.
I wrote the first chapter so that it could either be a one shot or followed by at least two chapters, so there will be at least one more chapter coming. I also noticed a few typos in the previous chapter, the most important of which is Yanmei's eye color -I wrote amber, but her eyes are maroon.
