What's this? It's been three years and suddenly there's two chapters hahaha. Enjoy it guys!
Once she closed the door it was all Mei Lin could do not to let out a girlish squeal. Only the fact that Muushi was probably still on the other side of the door held her back. Instead Mei pressed her hand, the one he had kissed so tenderly, to her mouth and let out a dreamy sigh. She had come to Ba Sing Se in an attempt to rebuild her life after the death of Sheng and somehow she had found so much more. Walking into her bedroom Mei Lin wondered idly how much time had passed since she had met Mushi. As she pulled the hairpins from her hair she realized with shock that it was just under three weeks.
Setting the pins down on a small dresser in the room, Mei Lin shook her head and allowed her hair to fall freely around her shoulders. Slowly she removed the sash from around her waist allowing the robe to fall open. As Mei folded the clothes to put away she allowed herself to admit that she was in love with her friend. Their friendship may have been new but her feelings for Mushi ran deeper than anything she had felt before. Settling onto her pallet Mei Lin lay her head back and sighed. She wanted to do something for Mushi to show him just how much she had come to care for him.
The answer came as soon as her eyes slid closed. Smiling sleepily to herself, Mei Lin was grateful that tomorrow, the shop would be closed for business; she would have the day to work on her surprise.
Iroh stepped into the room containing the sky bison and his nephew and quietly shut the door behind him. Disappointment and anger welled up within him and it was a struggle not to lash out at his young nephew over the carelessness of his actions. With an ease he did not feel the older man folded his arms over his chest and said dryly, "So…The Blue Spirit…I wonder who could be behind the mask."
There were several beats of silence before Zuko slowly reached up and pulled the mask off his face with a deep sigh. Iroh raised an eyebrow at the look of determination on the young man's face. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Iroh replied, his arms dropping down to his side. Nodding towards the sky bison he continued, "What are you planning to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison?" The anger bubbled close to the surface and the usually gently man's voice took on a hint of sarcasm. "Keep him locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?"
Zuko turned away from his uncle to look at the sky bison who had settled down and was watching the drama unfold between the two men. Shrugging slightly Zuko said, "First I have to get it out of here."
"And then what?" Iroh's voice was like a clap of thunder and the force of it startled Zuko. It had been many years since he heard that much anger in his uncle's voice. Before he could respond Iroh continued, "You never think these things through! This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole!" He stepped forward, hands raised. "You had him and then had nowhere to go!"
Lowering his head Zuko said defensively, "I would have figured something out!"
At these words the thin control Iroh had on his anger snapped. Angrily the older man yelled, "No! If his friends hadn't found you then you would have frozen to death!"
Zuko felt ashamed at his Uncle's words but he wasn't ready to admit it. Look away he snapped, "I know my own destiny Uncle."
"Is it your own destiny?" Iroh replied back furiously. "Or is it a destiny that someone else has tried to force on you?"
The words hit their mark and Zuko felt himself start to tremble. He turned away to face the sky bison. "Stop it, Uncle! I have to do this!" This is the only way, the young man thought to himself. This has to be the only way that I can regain my honor…if not….
His thoughts were cut off by the harsh tone of his uncle's voice. If he had turned around he would have seen the tears filling Iroh's eyes as he said, "I am begging you Prince Zuko! It is time for you to look inward and start asking yourself the big questions!" He paused. "Who are you? And what do you want to do!"
When Mei Lin woke up the next morning it was with a smile on her face. Eagerly she readied herself for the day and dressed once more in her simple tunic and leggings. The outfit she had worn yesterday was one that she had purchased on a whim after she had left the tea shop yesterday afternoon; unless Mushi asked her on another dinner outing she wouldn't be wearing it anytime soon. Picking up a basket, Mei Lin set out the door and headed towards the market.
Before going to sleep she had decided that she was going to make Mushi a tea set. While he already had the one he had purchased during their first meeting, and he had expressed interest in several others she had in stock, Mei wanted to make one especially for him. A smile lit up her face as she imagined how happy he would be when she gave it to him. At this point the older woman had reached the market. Despite the early hour it was already teaming with people. Because of its location in the Upper Ring, the market was not filled with ramshackle stalls with shady characters as the proprietors. Instead there were kiosks that were made of sturdy rock and looked like regular shops only half the size.
Mei Lin wandered around for awhile and ended up purchasing several house decorations before she found what she was looking for. Her eyes brightened as she made her way to a kiosk that had several chunks of jennamite outside of it. As she neared the stall she saw that it was the green variety also known as creeping crystal. Reaching the stall she saw that inside was a gentlemen in his early thirties. Seeing Mei Lin he raised an eyebrow. It was rare for a good looking woman to stop by a stall selling nothing but rocks.
"Excuse me sir, but is this the only type of jennamite that you're selling?" Mei Lin looked at him hopefully. Green jennamite was beautiful but when it came into contact with skin for longer than thirty seconds it had the tendency to begin growing. She wasn't interested in creating something that might accidently suffocate Mushi.
The man shrugged a shoulder, "Sorry but green is only type of jennamite I have available." At the disappointed look on Mei Lin's face he continued hastily, "But I do have other types of crystals if you're interested." The man pulled out several chests containing samples of different types of crystals. Mei Lin set her basket down and began to sift through them.
The older woman let out a hum of pleasure as she thought about all the different things she could make with the beautiful rocks. Mei Lin opened the third box and immediately her eyes landed on a smooth looking black glass. Mei felt her breath catch in her throat as she lifted the sample out of the box and turned it over in her hands. Pure black, the outside had the sheen of glass but it was weighted like a rock. Looking up at the kiosk owner Mei Lin asked, "What is this? I've never seen it before."
Taking the stone from her hand the man explained, "This is obsidian harvested from the recent volcanic eruption near the Makapu Village." Flashing a grin at her he continued, "You won't find any better than this!"
"How much would it be fo-oh!" Mei Lin's sentence turned into a cry of alarm as two youths, clearly from the lower ring pushed into her. As she stumbled into one of the green jennamites one of the young men used earth bending to take the other block and the second young man snatched up her basket. "He took my things!" Mei Lin tried to stand up but the creeping crystal had already begun its job; her arm almost to the elbow, was encased in green.
The store front owner shouted for Dai Li agents but none appeared. Angrily Mei Lin made a slashing movement with her free arm and the green jennamite fell apart releasing her arm. Without waiting she ran forward a few steps before jumping up and landing in a crouch, her hands slamming into the ground. Before her the ground rippled and people, mostly women, shrieked as they tried to escape the violent movements.
The two youths were not so lucky. With their backs turned they did not see Mei Lin's attack and as the ground shook underneath them they both fell flat on their faces. Standing up, Mei Lin walked over to them. As they scrambled to their feet Mei Lin raised her lifted her left arm near her face and her right arm near her waist and twisted her body slightly. The ground beneath the two youths liquefied for a moment and they sank in up to their shoulders.
"You two should be ashamed of yourselves!" Mei Lin said angrily as she began to pick up her things. "Robbing an old lady such as myself, and for what!" she held up a vase she had bought earlier that was now cracked. The two young men gulped nervously but she continued on without giving either of them the chance to speak. "And that poor shop owner!" Mei nodded over to the shop owner who was gaping at the scene along with a group of onlookers. "Do you think that here in the Upper Ring we don't have to make a living too?"
Shaking her head, Mei Lin walked over to the shop owner. Ignoring the whispers around them she touched the man on the shoulder and said gently, "If you would be so kind as to take my basket I can move your jennamite back to the kiosk."
The man gulped and nodded.
It was late afternoon as Iroh knelt over the prostrate form of his nephew. After their encounter at Lake Laogai, Zuko had made the decision to free the sky bison. Iroh had been proud of his nephew and the two of them had returned to their apartment. Unfortunately, the young man had collapsed with a sudden fever. Iroh knew that the sickness was a physical manifestation of the battle waging within the young prince and he worried that his nephew would not survive it.
Gently Iroh wiped his nephew's face with a damp cloth. As he dipped the cloth back into the bowl of water he had beside him, there was a knock on the door. The sound startled Iroh who had no thoughts of anything but his nephew for the last several hours. Wincing the older man pushed himself to his feet and made his way to the front door. He pulled it open and couldn't help but smile at the sight of an angry Mei Lin before him. With her green eyes flashing cheeks filled with color she looked beautiful.
"This is an unexpected—though welcome—surprise." Iroh said with a tired smile.
Mei held up a basket with food in reply. "I know it's rather presumptuous of me to come over without invitation but I thought that perhaps I could make dinner for you and Lee." A home cooked meal made by a beautiful woman…Iroh would have enjoyed nothing more but with Prince Zuko ill…He started to reject her offer but when Zuko let out of a fevered moan Mei Lin stepped past him. "Oh Lee…"
Iroh rubbed his head and said tiredly, "Yes, my nephew seems to have taken ill so I regret that today we will not be able to have dinner."
"That doesn't matter," Mei Lin said as she looked around. Beside the sick young man was a crumpled blanket and a rapidly cooling pot of tea. Iroh felt slightly embrassed as Mei's face softened. She touched his arm and asked, "Have you been able to rest at all?"
Smiling slightly Iroh said, "I have become quite proficient at the art of cat napping." He experienced a moment of shock when Mei Lin slid her arms around his body and hugged him, resting her head against his chest. The older man could feel his face heat up. "Perhaps I should inform you of my other talents if this is the result." His arms came up and he allowed himself to return the surprise embrace.
He felt Mei Lin giggle against him. "You incorrigible old man." She pulled away and Iroh felt disappointed; it lasted less than ten seconds as Mei reached up and stroked his cheek. "Go and rest. I will watch over Lee and make a stew. It would be terrible for you to fall ill because you didn't take time to take care of your own health."
Iroh opened his mouth to protest but instead yawned loudly. He would have loved nothing more to lie down and rest his tired eyes but how could he leave Zuko? It felt almost like a betrayal to even consider it. Mei Lin must have sensed the direction of his thoughts because she took hold of his hands and squeezed them. "Mushi, it hasn't been long since we've known each other but I…" her face turned red as she continued on shyly, "…you should know by now that you aren't alone anymore."
The admission sent a burst of pleasure searing through Iroh's chest. Looking down into Mei's eyes, all feelings of guilt over the truth he was holding from her were pushed aside. Without hesitation he pulled her back to him, one of his hands escaping hers to drift upwards along her arm. He watched as Mei Lin's mouth parted in surprise and he smiled as his hand reached her cheek. Gently he rubbed his thumb over her soft skin and was pleased to feel how warm it felt. If Zuko weren't sick Iroh would leaned over and allowed himself to kiss Mei Lin on the mouth. Instead he sighed softly, an old saying coming to his mind. "How far away the stars seem…" His thumb touched Mei's bottom lip eliciting a gasp from her. "...And how far is our first kiss?"
Iroh allowed himself to press a kiss against the top of her head. Mei Lin gripped his hand tighter and leaned forward to rest against him again. She whispered, "My old heart can't stand much more of this."
"Then allow me to stand with you."
A little while later Mei Lin stood over the stove as she stirred the contents of a large pot. Once Mushi had left to go to sleep the older woman had set to work putting together a stew. Thinking of him sent a flutter through her stomach and she felt ridiculously thankful for the heat rising up from the pot. If Mushi came she'd have an excuse for why her cheeks were still pink. In an effort to exorcise the older man from her mind, Mei turned her mind to the events of earlier in the day. Although she used Earth Bending regularly for her work, it had been a long time since she had used it for fighting or defense. That she could so easily put herself into the forms made her happy. Adding some carrots to the stew Mei Lin wondered if Mushi was a bender; somehow the subject had never come up.
A dreamy smile crossed her face. He would make a magnificent earth ben…immediately Mei shook her head. She had to stop thinking about him at the drop of a hat! Trying to force Mushi from her thoughts she dipped a spoon into the stew and sampled it. Satisfied with the way it was turning out Mei Lin covered the pot with a lid and then turned her attention to Lee. The young man was sleeping fitfully. Kneeling beside him, Mei took a clean cloth, dipped it in the bowl of cool water, and then touched it to Lee's face.
She sighed softly. Lee hadn't looked as if he were ill yesterday afternoon…Mei bit her bottom lip remembering suddenly her husband Qing Yuen who had died when he was only a few years older than Lee. She had met Qing when she had been nothing more than a little girl. He had moved to her village after his had been destroyed in a Fire Nation attack. Qing had been older by three years and Mei Lin had been instantly smitten with him. After a few years, when she had turned fifteen, Qing had suddenly seen her in a new light. They had been married a few months before her sixteenth birthday. Those early years had been wonderful, Mei Lin thought with misty eyes. Even better when two years after their wedding she had given birth to Sheng.
The happiness hadn't lasted long; an unusual illness had swept through their village killing many people including Qing. Mei Lin had been devastated to lose her husband after only three years of marriage. She had lost her best friend and lover, and the provider of their small family. She would have died of grief if it hadn't been for Sheng; her son had forced her to live each day and soon Mei Lin had been able to look forward to the sun rising. Searching for a way to support herself and her young son, Mei Lin had become the apprentice to a local potter. Soon her skills had surpassed those of her master and once the man had retired, Mei found herself in charge of the business.
The years had passed by quickly and as Sheng grew older Mei Lin began to gently steer her son in the direction of young women she had felt would bring him happiness. To her sadness Sheng had never married although Mei often suspected that her son's feelings ran in a different direction. She sighed softly as she remembered all the times Sheng had disappeared late at night and had returned the next morning reeking not of feminine scents but of masculine ones. Tears filled Mei Lin's eyes. She remembered gathering courage to speak to her son but she never had a chance.
An unexpected appearance from the Fire Nation Army had left the village in shambles and nearly all the men taken to be forced into their ranks. News had come soon after, while the remaining villagers had started the long journey to Ba Sing Se, that Sheng had perished and Mei Lin had been stricken with grief. The older woman still wasn't sure how she had finally made it to the magnificent city but in the time that had passed, Mei Lin was grateful that she had. Looking down at Lee's fever stained face she wondered how she would live if something happened to him. Even with his rough manners and perpetual gloomy expression the young man had wormed his way into her heart.
Gently brushing the hair off of his forehead Mei Lin said softly, "Get better quickly Lee…your uncle needs you…and so do I."
I am more than ready for the next chapter! Stuff is about to go down! Oh yeah, so the kissing quote comes from William Butler Yeats, I took some creative liberty with it and Mei Lin's response to Iroh is a sorta paraphrase of the last part of the verse.