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Asami's POV.
It took me three days to return his tunic.
Our picnic was lovely. My memories of it were sunny and warm, filled with laughter, good food, and the heady scent of Iroh's clothes. We sat and talked for the entirety of the afternoon. I hardly noticed as the sun began to set. He impressed me with his gallant ideals and his cleverness. After we exclaimed at how the time had passed without us realizing, he walked me back to my room. I thanked him for the picnic, and he hovered around my door, looking conflicted. He leaned in to press his lips to my cheek. "It was my pleasure, Asami," he said. And then walked away, his steps quick and jerky.
So, you see, the thought of returning the tunic galled me.
As it happened, I was spurred into action by an old maid. She worked for Tenzin's family, coming through and cleaning our rooms every so often. I hadn't realized that she was cycling through until I returned to my rooms to freshen up before dinner. She was there, slowly dusting off my nightstand, piling my dirty clothes up. The tunic was hung over the back of a carved chair. She picked it up, squinted at it for a moment, then shook her head. I winced and darted forward to grab it. "It's not what you think! I was cold and had no clothes and..." I trailed off, flailing for words. She smiled kindly at me and said, "He's a handsome one. I don't blame you." Flushing scarlet, I took the tunic from her outstretched fingers and stalked out of the room.
In the hallway, coincidence of coincidences, I bumped into Iroh. I stammered an apology before realizing who it was, then flushed again, darker than before.
"Well, hello!" Iroh said, laughing.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you," I began. He smiled. I was so caught up in the smile, his smell, handsomeness, everything, that I didn't even realize I had trailed off into silence.
"It's quite all right, Asami." He assured me, grinning wider. Then he waited, no doubt expecting me to be as witty and kind and clever as he was. All I could manage was a sort of strangled giggle.
"This is yours..." I shoved the tunic at him as if it burned my fingers. "Sorry that I took so long to return it. It slipped my mind." That was a lie. It hadn't slipped my mind at all. I had debated on how exactly to return it for days. Just leave it by his door? Seek him out and return it? Give it back after dinner, when I knew I'd see him? I hadn't decided. And minutes had turned to hours had turned to days. I also, foolishly, liked the thought of having something that belonged to him. It also smelled nice.
"I thank you!" Iroh said, taking the tunic with a flourish and a bow.
I laughed, "You'd think I gave you a diamond! It's just a tunic, and your own at that. Thank you for letting me use it."
Iroh smiled dazzlingly at me, then began to walk, catching the crook of my elbow with his own arm and steering me toward the dining room.
After dinner, we made our way to the docks. The atmosphere was very different from the first time we had met on this pier. We talked and joked, falling silent only after an hour or so. We sat close to each other, feet dangling from the edge. The water was high. If I stretched my leg out, I could brush the water with my toes. I did so, kicking up. The water splashed back on Iroh. He laughed, then retaliated. Soon we were both surprisingly wet.
"Well, this is familiar," I teased.
Iroh glanced at me soberly, then at the water, no doubt remembering when I had collapsed into tears for the second time. I backpedaled. "I meant being wet-"
He turned to look at me again, a strange light in his golden eyes. I stopped speaking, entranced. He was so handsome. We stared at each other for a long moment. It should have been awkward. I should have broken away, laughing nervously, and made an excuse before walking back to my rooms and ending this strange relationship beginning to form. He should have made some witty comment to break the silence, something about the tables being turned, then stretched and yawned, complaining of the late hour. He did not. I did not.
Instead, as if on some invisible cue, we both closed our eyes and leaned in to touch lips.