entitled: composure
summary: Iroh didn't… he didn't know how to handle this. —IrohAsami. Canon. Spoilers for episode 11 & 12.
rating: K+
disclaimer: I do not own.
notes: I'm swamped with emotions after the finale. It's hard to form words. Really.

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"Having a bad day?"

Asami turned to see General Iroh.

"What makes you say that?"

The General shrugged. "I just thought that since you've acquired a flamethrower and were proceeding to burn everything in sight—a little too energetically—you might be, well… upset."

Asami tried to look casual while holding the flamethrower.

It wasn't convincing.

Reluctantly, she turned the flamethrower off and set it down. Folding her arms across her chest, she replied, "The day could have gone better. But given that we saved Republic City and all, I can't really complain."

Even though she got dumped by her boyfriend.

Even though she watched them take her father to prison.

Even though she had to pretend everything was chipper, and that she belonged.

And even though she had to celebrate with everyone—who had their families—despite the fact that all she really wanted to do was watch everything burn.

If everything she once knew could become ash, could be carried into the wind, then maybe, she could recover—she could move on.

But no.

Because the General had found her here, where her father's legacy stood. A place she once called home.

"And I'm not upset," Asami wanted to make clear, "I'm just cleaning up." Asami kicked the metal glove by her feet into the hungry flames. "It's the least I can do after what my father's done."

And by the way, what was he doing here?

General Iroh cleared his throat. "It's a nice gesture Asami, but you really don't need to do that." When Asami parted her lips to protest, the General raised his hand to stop her. "Actually, you really shouldn't do that because we'll be apprehending all of your father's inventions. That will be a bit of a problem, if, well, you burn everything." Seeing that Asami had fallen into a sort of shock, Iroh added, "Sorry."

Asami tried to hold in her anger.

But it was already overflowing.

After all she's sacrificed, they weren't even going to let her have closure?

She was so sick of pretending everything was okay. Because it wasn't.

So Asami did the most terrifying thing a girl could do.

She began to cry—a symphony of wet, sopping tears and big, gasping breaths.

Iroh didn't…

… he didn't know how to handle this.

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fin.