Amethyst

A/N: You guys are seriously some of the most wonderful people on this site. Thank you all so much for your kind words. ;3;

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Move

Asami stared at the food in front of her. It was a wonderful array of colorful vegetables and expertly cooked fish atop a bed of rice but she had taken all of three bites out of it while the rest remained to slowly grow cold as the night progressed. Her appetite had disappeared early on and she was left to watch the wonderful, expensive dinner go to waste. Distantly, she recognized that Iroh was still talking to her, but her mind was stuck on a single phrase that had left his lips.

"I have to return to the Fire Nation tomorrow."

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

She wasn't surprised. Not really. He didn't live here, and by no means was he going to stay. She didn't really expect him to. But she really should have known better than to think that things were going smoothly. Too smoothly, she realized when she looked back on it. She managed to swallow the thick lump in her throat before attempting to retune herself to the conversation. She panicked internally when she realized he wasn't speaking anymore.

She glanced up at him. He was frowning.

"You didn't hear anything I said, did you?" he asked.

Her heart dropped to her stomach nervously. She opened her mouth to say a quick, reassuring white lie but the only thing that came out was a strangled squeak. She quickly closed her mouth again, biting down on her trembling lip.

This was embarrassing. She was a strong woman. She had handled worse situations than this. He had just managed to catch her off guard. She didn't have the time to push through her confusing emotions and build up that defensive wall she was so famous for. She could work through anything- if she had the time. Now, she sat struggling to find footing amongst her difficult feelings while he stared at her.

She felt like she was going to be sick.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked, worried. He reached out to touch one of her hands. "Asami?"

Her heart gave an uncomfortable flutter and she tried not to flinch at the intimate usage of her given name. She pulled her hands out of his reach. He froze, his eyes flashed with a touch of hurt at her rejection.

"I'm sorry, I just need some air," she said as calmly as possible. She ignored the confused look on his face as she gracefully stood from the table and headed for the door of the restaurant. She avoided the host's eyes as she pushed out through the gold-rimmed glass doors, pausing when the cold air of the night met her skin. She shivered roughly, instantly bringing her hands up to rub the goosebumps from her chilled flesh. She blinked a few times when the cold air made her eyes water, and took a deep breath, vapor condensing from her lips as she leaned against the cold glass of the front of the restaurant.

Her mind was reeling, going faster than she could keep up with it. All the what ifs and maybes pushed to the forefront like a crowed bus while the dark tremor of never going to happen pulled them all down until she was just left with a lingering feeling of doubt and insecurity that ate away at her core. Asami Sato was a strong woman, but even she couldn't fight away all her demons.

She stayed outside for a long time. She avoided the eyes of those passing by and carefully worked through her troublesome emotions under a façade of indifference. Iroh was a wonderful man, but when it came down to it, he was nothing more than a distraction from her real duties in the world, albeit a charming and thoughtful one. She gave sharp, condescending chuckle. Who was she kidding? She was head over heels for that man. It would take practically all of her willpower to put him aside long enough to focus on her work. She just hoped that everything she put into their relationship wasn't in vain. She wasn't sure she could handle it if it was all just another fling.

Eventually, she managed to pull herself back together. She straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath of the cold night air. She rubbed her frozen arms with her numb fingers, hoping that she could get herself a little warmer before going back in, but when she turned toward the door, Iroh opened it. They stared at each other for a couple long beats. Asami swallowed thickly when her solid foundation gave an unsteady shake.

"Spirits, you must be freezing," he said belatedly. He yanked off his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders. She sighed at the sudden warmth against her chilled skin and Iroh rubbed his hands against her arms to try and generate more heat. She didn't realize how cold she actually was. "Come on," he said suddenly, taking her under his arm. "Lets go find somewhere warmer."

She let him lead her away, but cast and unsure glance back at the restaurant. "What about dinner?"

He shrugged, unconcerned. "It wasn't very appetizing anyway."

They walked along the streets for a while in silence before they found a small tea shop off the main road. There were a few other customers in the place, but they kept to themselves for the most part. They took up a spot near the window, looking a little out of place in their fancy clothes. The waitress warily walked up to them jotting down their orders before disappearing into the back. Asami kept her eyes down, absentmindedly picking at the chipping wood of the table they sat at. She was suddenly nervous and unsure of herself. All that work she did to sort through her emotions was unraveling itself just because she sat across from him. It was unnerving.

He gave a short, uncomfortable cough. "If there was something I have done to offend you in anyway, I sincerely apologize."

She looked up at him sharply before shaking her head. "No, you have nothing to apologize for, Iroh."

He didn't look convinced.

"You caught me off guard. I just needed a moment to…" She stared at his golden eyes, her stomach suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. "Accept it."

He searched her eyes for a long moment. His face remained impassive, but she felt as though he could see everything about her in that moment. She felt as though he could see straight through her thick walls and down deep where her insecurities and vulnerabilities hid from the world. She swallowed the lump in her throat and valiantly pushed away the burning behind her eyes. Carefully, Iroh took her nervously twitching hands into his own and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"You don't have to hide from me, Asami," he said quietly. "It's okay to feel hurt." He squeezed her hands. "It's okay to be upset."

She closed her eyes, his words tearing down the walls she had so carefully constructed between them. She felt his support through the touch of his hands and for the first time in a very long time, Asami allowed herself to cry.

The tears rolled down her cheeks unbidden and she let them for once. It was a strange sort of release that unwound everything that she had been holding up for years. Her fears, her disappointment in her father, the way she missed her mother, the nervousness she had for being the head of such a prestigious company, the pain she had felt when Mako left her during her most difficult time and the fact that the one person who had unknowingly helped her through it all was leaving Republic City. Iroh kept a gentle hand upon hers, softly rubbing the pad of his thumb across her skin comfortingly. They shared the pot of tea he had ordered and eventually, Asami found her strength again.

Asami Sato was a strong woman, but even she needed her moments of weakness to keep pressing forward.

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A/N: Thanks for reading, guys. Please review?