Amethyst

A/N: Seriously. You guys are some of the best fans in the world. We're two thirds of the way through this story! Thank you ALL for all the fantastic support!

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Tremble

It was weird, really. She didn't think he would be the type of person to be scared. The same way she knew he would never admit to crying, he would never admit that he was scared. At least, not out loud.

Everything was a bit of a blur. Hazy images of nondescript faces. Disjointed sounds. And pain. A whole lot of pain. Despite being disoriented and confused, she did remember why she was hurting.

It was stupid, really. She had a half-day at the factory and there was a nice breeze that summer day that had her itching to go for a drive. Iroh was busy training the new recruits down at the police station and she wouldn't see him until much later that night. So, she took her moped out for a quick spin around Republic City. People would say that she was going too fast, or the truck didn't see her when it turned. But when it came down to it, it was just an accident.

She didn't remember much after the impact other than screaming and sirens, people shouting and some beeping. Eventually, things just started to fade into the background. Her mind was a floating fog of dreamless sleep and a constant reminder of a dull pain.

Eventually, she woke up.

The lights were harsh. She felt heavy and numb, like she would never find the energy to pull herself up again. Her left arm was stiff and unmoving, and something tugged in her chest with every short breath. But beyond all that, everything hurt.

She gave a soft, unintentional whimper, harshly biting her lip against the pain that seemed to emanate from every part of her body. Her head throbbed and she suddenly felt dizzy. She closed her eyes and tried to take a few short, calming breaths. It didn't help much. Slower this time, she opened her eyes again.

The ceiling was white above her, melding with the stark white walls. She was on a stiff bed with white sheets, a half drawn curtain hanging from a track above her. There was a window to her right which drew in light, but it was the shock of black and red which caught her attention. He had his head down, probably sleeping, his fingers wrapped loosely around her right hand. He was propped uncomfortably in a wooden chair, his uniform jacket haphazardly hanging off the back. His hair was rumpled and his shirt wrinkled. He looked so unkept, but that wasn't what caught her breath.

He was trembling.

His fingers shook so lightly she didn't notice at first, but as she lifted her hand to push away his bangs, she noticed she saw the thin trails of dried tears shimmering on his flushed cheeks.

"Oh, Iroh," she breathed, gently touching his cheek.

Her soft touch roused him, military training keeping him from truly dozing off, and he blinked slowly, taking in the sight before him. His eyes met hers and she tried to give him a small smile, stopping when the action tugged uncomfortably somewhere along her chin. He gave a long, shaky breath and turned to hide his face along the edge of her bed.

"Thank Agni," she heard him whisper.

Her fingers found his, and he gripped her hand firmly in his. His fingers still trembled, and she gently rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. Eventually he managed to pull himself into a sit, tired, red-rimmed eyes reaching up to meet hers. She held his gaze for a long moment, taking in every detail about his face.

"H-How-" His voice squeaked. He coughed sharply, trying to hide his embarrassment. "How do you feel?" he finally managed to ask.

"Terrible," she answered honestly.

"Do you want me to get the nurse?" he asked, moving to stand.

"No," she said, squeezing his hand to keep him beside her. "No. It's okay."

He gave an uncertain glance at the door, but his hand returned her squeeze and he returned to his seat. Silence pulled between them as Iroh stared down at her fingers, gently moving them between his own. Eventually he started to speak again.

"When I heard that you crashed your bike… My heart literally stopped within my chest," he admitted softly. "I reacted… badly. I fought with anybody who kept me from seeing you. Chief Beifong had to restrain me before I would listen to anybody." He gave a wry smile that fell a moment later. "But when I heard that they were having trouble stabilizing you…" His voice hitched. He struggled to swallow the lump in his throat, his fingers tightening on hers. "I thought it was over." Asami blinked away the tears pooling in her eyes. "The thought was like a punch. I couldn't breathe. All I could think about was how much I didn't want to lose you and how wrong my life would feel without you there with me." He looked up and gave her a small smile. "I love you."

She gave a soft sob, squeezing his fingers. He wiped away the tears that slipped past her defenses gently cupping her face with his warm hand. She leaned forward, trying to hug him. He gently complied.

"I love you," she said through her tears. "I love you so much."

"I know you do," he whispered. He softly stroked her hair, until she calmed down, carefully leaning her back onto the bed. "Now, just relax. Get some sleep. We'll be out of here soon."

"Will you stay?" she asked.

He smiled and took her hand. "Always."

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A/N: Some of you may be interested to know that I'm planning a multi-chapter AU Irosami fic. It's going to be gritty, dark and sexy; quite a bit different from this drabble series. The first chapter is up already under the name Deep. Please check it out! And like always, thank you for reading! :)