Sunburn

13

AN: Wowowow I just wanted to say how moved I am by everyone that has taken the time to give me some feedback on the story. I am really touched and I promise you it makes my day everyday.

I really hope the story flows in a positive direction and the characters and their growth stay true to themselves. (Feel free to call me out on it if they don't!)

Just wanted to say thank you for the love.

P.S. I hate writing fight scenes.

xxxxxx

Iroh sat in front of a small fire with tea kettle heating over it on a rocky outcrop that overlooked a paddy field to his side. It was a pleasant enough day in the woods with clear skies above and a gentle breeze that would come by and greet ever odd moment or so. Also kneeling on the ground next to him was a young woman whom Toph could only assume was his granddaughter. Tooth saw her reserved mannerisms and noted how erect and straight her posture was, even when sitting in the wilderness. Tsai sat to Iroh's right and Toph was crouching a foot or so away from them. Keeping her safe distance from the two strangers. Toph paid close attention to the girl that took a kettle from the fire and poured the tea in three modest cups before her.

"Here is your tea." The wise older man said calmly as he first handed a cup to Toph and then held out a second one to Tsai. Toph who merely continued to stare blankly at the ground in front of her.

"You seem a little young too be traveling alone..." Iroh commented idly, making this assumption based on the fact that the young, blind girl had been alone when she found him.

"You seem a little too old." Toph retorted without missing a beat as she took the cup from him. "But I am not alone," he said with a small smile as he turned to look at Tsai with appreciative eyes. However, she did not return this look, much too distraught in other distant thoughts.. Her light brown eyes were boring into the ground as she kept mainly to herself.

She hadn't been in the highest of spirits since Zuko decided to go rogue. It wasn't the fact that he had abandoned them that bothered her. It was the fact that he had done this without warning. He had left without as much of a simple goodbye, the least he could've done was leave a note behind...

Xxx

"What do you mean he's 'gone off on his own journey'?" Tsai dropped the baskets she had been carrying around all day. The oranges spilled to the ground.

"So he's gone?" She repeated, her tone louder and more aggressive than she had intended. "And you just let him go?" She exploded the violent rain thundering in the background. The sound echoing the walls of the cave like roars.

"He made a decision and it was my turn to respect it, and you should too," said Iroh wisely as he eyed the young woman carefully. He saw her eyes drift around the room for a sign of a note, a goodbye letter, anything, but there was nothing. She felt her chest swell with pain. Did she really mean nothing to him? Not enough to say goodbye?

Then again- she had done the same to them just recently. It wasn't fair of her to be so emotional over his departure.

He looked at her pained expression.

"I know you're upset," he began. "I don't think he would've been able to go if..." He became silent for a second. "If you had asked him to stay."

She composed herself getting a hold of her emotions and straightening out her back so she didn't slouch.

"You're right," she stated dryly. "It's what I will do."

After all, it's not like she had choice.