Amethyst
A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful reviews! :D
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Transformation
Asami was awake. Her skin was sticky and warm in the hot summer night, the fan on the ceiling turning slowly above her as she stared at it. The sheets were thrown haphazardly to the end of the bed, tangled around her feet. The night was quiet, only the sounds being the fan and breathing. She gave a quiet sigh, absentmindedly threading her fingers through hair of the sleeping man beside her.
It wasn't the first time Iroh had spent the night. Not by any means. Things had been escalating between them since the night of their first kiss. Every kiss was heated. Every touch was electrifying. Before they knew it, they were urgently shoving each other against closed doors and making out in darkened hallways, desperate to touch and taste every inch of each other's skin.
The feeling that accompanied every lingering kiss, every warm touch, was like a drug, pulling her under a veil of unparalleled bliss and left her yearning for more. She loved looking into his eyes and feeling that shiver of excitement race down her spine. She loved seeing all the unspoken promises dance in the warm gold of his eyes and the devious curl of his lips from across the room. He was so warm and so real to her that he was like a drug, and she was utterly addicted.
From beside her, Iroh gave a deep sigh, shifting slightly in his sleep. She smiled lightly. He slept on his stomach, the toned muscles of his back barely visible in the limited light of the night. His normally neat hair was tousled against his pillow, and he slept with his mouth slightly parted. Asami traced the soft lines of his face with her eyes, fascinated. It wasn't the first time Iroh had spent the night, not by any means, but it was the first time he had fallen asleep and actually stayed.
It seemed silly to her. She had other boyfriends sleep in her bed and stay the night before, but there was something so very different about Iroh. He always seemed to think things through and plan ahead. Everything he did came with a careful, calculated decision. He never went too far with her unless she wanted him to, and he never overstayed his welcome without permission.
Except for this night.
And there was something about having him sleeping beside her, relaxed and defenseless, all his careful decisions forgotten for a moment, that really struck a chord somewhere deep within her. Long after he had first fallen asleep, she continued to stare at the ceiling, trying to figure out why it had made such an impression on her when it suddenly she realized what it was.
Trust.
He trusted her.
Her heart skipped a beat and she swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling so very very touched. She had struggled for so long to gain the trust of those around her. She fought to prove that she wasn't like her father. She fought to prove that she didn't side with the Equalists. She fought to prove that she was capable enough to take Future Industries to a higher standard than her father. But above all, it was Iroh's quiet, unspoken sign of trust that spoke the loudest to her.
Her heart felt so full in that moment, so utterly happy, that she couldn't contain it all within her. She gave a quiet, choked laugh, tears slipping down her cheeks as a wide, joyful smile pulled up her lips. It was silly, really, to be crying over something so small as trust, but it meant so much more to her in that moment than he'd probably ever come to realize.
She sniffled softly and rubbed away residual tears as Iroh gave a deep sigh, turning over. She watched him as he settled into a new position, her heart skipping a bit as his eyes fluttered open sleepily.
"'Sami," he mumbled.
Her heart fluttered at the soft endearment. "I'm here," she responded quietly.
He moved again, his arm snaking up to settle warmly across her bare midriff. His light touch sent butterflies dancing in her stomach. He gently pulled her closer to him so that her head rested upon his bare chest. She settled into his arms comfortably, her lips turning up against his skin. His breathing began to slow again and she thought he had drifted off when he spoke again. It was half-whispered as if spoken in a dream, but the words were crystal clear to her.
"I love you, Asami…"
Her heart warmed more than she thought it could that night and she gave a choked laugh. How blessed she was, to have such a wonderful man spend his time with her, who fancied her as much as he did and gave confessions in his sleep. Smiling widely, she pressed a lingering kiss against his collarbone before finally allowing herself to fall asleep in that muggy summer night, lulled into her dreams by a promise of love and his slow, consistent breathing.
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A/N: :D Yeah, that's not what I had planned for this chapter, but sometimes the story writes itself. Please review!