The days before Iroh left Republic city went by really quickly. Too quickly.
Sniffle. "Don't stay too long." I told him, with a badly faked smile.
He chuckled, and kissed my cheek. "I won't stay any longer than I have too. I promise."
"I love you.." I told him, and smiled, and a tear fell out of my left eye.
"No.. don't cry. I'll be back." he told me, and dropped his back to hug me. "I love you too."
The words really hurt me. Now I know that not only I'll be miserable until he comes back, but he'll be hurting too.
I took a deep breath and got out of Iroh's grip. "I'll miss you. But the ship leaves in an hour.. You need to go now." I told him, and turned my back. I really didn't want to see the look on his face as he left. It would be absolutely heartbreaking.
As soon as he departed our house with his things in a bag, I went and locked myself up in the bathroom.
There I lie, in the bathtub, just worrying for him. I rocked back and forth, silently, and hugged my knees. Tears fell from my eyes. I missed him so much, and his satomobile was just now leaving the driveway.
He's really gone. I won't be able to see him for two months, at least. He told me he'd write to met every day, though. It's still too long without him. I don't know how I'll manage, but I know I will, somehow.
I stand up out of the bath tub and look at myself in the beautifully framed mirror on the wall at my soggy face and red eyes. This actually makes me laugh, because I look so bad. I smile, and wipe my face and eyes off in a towel, and unlock the bathroom door. I decide to lie down on the bed. Taking a nap will probably be good to get Iroh off of my mind. I'll need him off of my mind to get over him leaving, anyways.
I sit back up, because sleeping in clothes is just the most uncomfortable feeling ever. So I take off my clothes, except my underwear, and just throw them on the floor. I smile and lie down in bed, and get all comfortable.
And, I left the lamp on. Great.
I shake my head and get up to turn it off, annoyed. I sigh and lie back down underneath the covers, and turn over on my side, facing away from Iroh's spot. I don't want to have to look at it. It'll just make me upset that he won't be in bed with me anymore for two months.
With a silent yawn, I close my eyes and curl up tightly, letting my mind go blank of all thoughts. I won't be able to sleep if I keep thinking.
Dark. That's all I see. There's a few, tiny bursts of fire going off and then dying everywhere. It's like someone's fighting. I hear the moans of pain. The earth rumbles, and stones are thrown against the walls, forcefully.
The lights cut on, and I see someone, bound and beaten. Shirtless, too. There's a noise, and then the black haired person lifts up their head. I recognize my light green eyes, but something seems wrong. It's not my face that they're held in with.
It's Iroh's.
Crack! went the whip on his back. He jerks in pain, and clenches my eyes shut. They open, and suddenly his amber eyes take their usual place. I see them make their way towards something as he's brutally tortured by that awful whip, for whatever reason. That something watches over him in shame.
Lights get brighter, and I'm better able to focus on who's watching over him. Who's telling the man behind the mask to whip him with more force. The voice is feminine, and her hair is long, and sleek black. Just like Iroh's.
The eyes! They're.. they're just like Iroh's as well!
Finally, she walks closer to him, and mumbled something I couldn't understand. But the closer she got to him, the more I was able to make out who she was.
Iroh's mother.