Avatar One-Shots

Defense (Irosami)

A/n this idea just sort of formed itself. I really wanted to see Iroh kick someone's ass for hurting his love. I WAS thinking of a certain chapter in Dark (the Harry Styles fanfiction my friends made me read) while writing this, so you MIGHT (emphasis on might because I doubt it) find some similarities if you've read that story. I assure you I'm not trying to copy the author of Dark.

.

.

.

Asami opened the door quietly, hoping beyond hope that Iroh hadn't stayed up for her. If he saw the bruise that currently adorned her face, he would flip. Hopefully he was already in bed, asleep. Then she could cover it with makeup, although he'd still eventually find out about it. Her arms were another matter, but she could easily cover those with sleeves. She just had to hide them until she could get back at the man who did it herself.

All hope was lost, though, as soon as she stepped through the door.

"'Sami? Where have you-" Iroh began. He stopped when he saw the purple mark on his wife's face. He was sitting on the couch, book in hand, obviously waiting for her. She cringed when his words ceased and glanced up at him, made worse by the fact that he'd used his nickname for her. His usually warm amber eyes were hard and cold, and his mouth was set in a hard line. She smiled weakly, trying half-heartedly to distract him from the bruise.

"I got held up at the factory. You didn't have to wait up for me." She giggled lightly, but it was obvious her efforts were in vain. Iroh still wore his stern expression as he stood and quickly covered the ground between them. He took both her hands in his and looked into her eyes.

"How did that happen?" He asked, glancing quickly at the bruise. Asami tried to laugh it off.

"I spaced out and hit myself with a wrench. It's nothing, really..." She tried to assure him. Her eyes drifted to her feet and she refused to meet his gaze.

"Don't lie to me, Asami. Who did this to you?" Iroh asked, anger slowly building in his voice. She sighed. So much for that...

"Shen showed up at the factory, after everyone else was gone. I avoided most of his hits, but he got one lucky shot. Then one of the workers came in to get something and he left before I could return the favor." She said all this as if saying "I tripped and fell on a rock. It's no big deal."

Iroh, however, was not taking this quite so lightly. "Shen? Asami, he could have killed you!" He yelled. Asami rolled her eyes.

"I can take care of myself, Iroh." she assured him. Iroh took a deep breath and gripped his hair so tightly she thought he might rip it out. He groaned in frustration and looked up at the ceiling before bringing his eyes back to the woman in front of him.

"Against a street thug, maybe, but this guy's a professional fighter!"

"So am I!" she countered. He clenched his eyes shut and took a deep breath.

"But he's bigger than you. A LOT bigger than you, and as much as you don't like to admit it, he's more skilled than you. When are you going to learn that you're not invincible!"

That was the last straw. Asami's temper flared, and she threw her arms I'm in frustration. "I know that! It isn't as if I attacked him!"

Her sleeves slid down a bit, and Iroh caught a fleeting glance of purple. His own arms shot out to grip them, and she could barely cover her wince. He rolled her sleeves up, revealing a trail of purple marks, and his eyes flashed briefly from anger to hurt, followed by an intense hatred. But this time his anger wasn't directed at the green-eyed woman he'd sworn to love and protect.