'It's a beautiful day,' Iroh thought, staring out at the blue, blue ocean - the wind at his back and the smell of the sea all around him. He'd always loved the sea; it was one of the reasons he joined the UN. That and, of course, his position as a Fire Nation prince. Really, it was luck of the draw that landed him where he was, as much as he was happy to be a victim of circumstance.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. A bright red dawn to greet the coming day. No matter how many years he lived, he vowed, he would never cease to have his breath taken away by the sunrise.

Today, however, the universe sought to take his breath away in another manner. "General Iroh!" the captain cried, joining him at his position on the bow. "Telegram for you, sir!" Iroh took the proffered paper and glanced down at the short message. His normally perfect composure was shot and his cheeks went pale.

"Captain Ling. Please set a course for Republic City."

—

Seventeen years old. Just past the age of consent. Maybe that's why it feels so wrong. Maybe that's why he hesitates at first to act on the feelings that had assaulted him ever since he'd met the young Earthbender.

He never expects Bolin to make the first move. Never expects the hasty, nervous confession or the press of lips against his own.

"It's wrong," he says at first, pushing Bolin away reluctantly. "You're just a child." And then the pout that comes with that statement is so adorable it makes him laugh, and after that he really has no choice but to kiss him back.

Hypocrisy aside, Iroh finds he's wrong about Bolin. He's not nearly the child he pretends to be. There's a deeper side to the goofy, immature Bolin, a side full of serious opinions about the non-bender conflict currently still gripping the city, of sincere worries about his abilities, of a sheer determination to live life to its fullest and a gentle love of all those in his life. He's grateful to see this side, this glimpse into what kind of man Bolin will be.

All too soon, Iroh has to leave. The conflict is settled in Republic City. Bolin says he will train under Lin, to become a Metalbender and join the police force. Iroh promises to return as soon as he can. It is over a year before he fulfills his promise.

—

They pulled in to Airbender Island with Iroh pacing the bow impatiently. He couldn't stand waiting long enough for the ship to dock. It had already been a week since he received the telegram. Who knew what had changed since then? Lives could be lost in less time, and oh he had to stop thinking about that before he firebent himself off the ship and bolted inside.

Once it was safe, he strode down the gangplank onto the dock, past the workers still tying off the ship. He spotted Korra at the top of the stairs leading into the sanctuary. She had grown into quite the beautiful young woman, full of the grace and wisdom of the Avatar. Any other time, he would be happy to see her. But now…

"Avatar Korra," he said formally.

"General," she said with a small smile. She gestured for him to follow and turned into the sanctuary.

He followed as quickly as his weak knees would allow. They walked the five minutes in silence, Iroh lost in his own thoughts, until they came to a room. Korra reached for the handle, and then turned to face him.

"Are you ready for what you're going to see?" she asked. Iroh wasn't. He wasn't ready at all. If the worst had happened… But he couldn't leave without knowing for sure. So he gave a single, curt nod, and then followed her into the bedroom.

—

"You're late," Bolin says with a pout. The year has changed him drastically. He's now wearing the uniform of a cadet of the Beifong Metalbending Academy. Iroh is impressed that he's progressed so far in so short a time. He's also impressed with the stubble on the younger boy's chin, making him look much older than his eighteen years. Iroh ignores his duress and steps forward to kiss him, an act which chases the frown from the young Earthbender's face.

Bolin decides to skip his training that day and take Iroh out on the town. They go to his favorite noodle shop, all his favorite stores, and even to the new theater they built in the center of town. Iroh expects a play and a stage and actors but is shocked to find an actual, honest-to-god movie theater. He's heard of them before, but this is the first time he's actually seen one.

Afterward, they go back to Bolin's apartment. Iroh is worried that Mako will be there, but Bolin puts his fears to rest.

"My big bro never comes home," he states casually. "Ever since he and Korra got together, he practically lives on Airbender Island. It's just me and Pabu here." Speaking of the fire ferret, he perks his head up at their entrance and climbs up to Bolin's shoulder to nuzzle his cheek. Iroh feels a spark of jealousy and wonders if it hasn't perhaps been a little too long since he got laid.

But his worries are unfounded. Bolin does that teeth-clicking thing he does and the small ferret scurries off. Then, somehow, they're on the couch with Bolin's body pressed into his, his earthy smell filling his nostrils and the other's tongue ravaging his mouth. He lets out a pathetic mewl, very undignified for a General of the UN, and tangles his fingers in Bolin's hair to hold him closer.

Clothes are lost. Skin sliding sensually against skin. It's all a blur to Iroh. In the end, the clearest thing he remembers is laying his head on Bolin's broad chest and listening to his heart beat, feeling the words vibrate through him as the Earthbender speaks.

"You should visit more often." And Iroh definitely remembers thinking that yes, he should, but then there's no more thinking for the night and really, those kinds of promises are just too easy to break.

—

Iroh followed Korra into the room, fearing the worst. She pressed a finger to her lips as they entered.

"Be quiet. I don't want to wake him." Iroh felt the sharp feeling of relief wash over him. He was sleeping. Just sleeping. Sleeping meant okay. Sleeping meant alive.

He followed her to his bed side and found a gut-churning sight awaiting him. Bolin was completely naked on the bed, covered with a simple sheet. What he could see of the other's body was covered in scars.

"I did my best to heal him," Korra explained. "I managed to stop the bleeding in time, but the scars…they're there forever. I can't make new skin out of thin air."

Iroh approached the bed and ran his fingers gently over a bandage covering Bolin's right eye. "Equalists?" he asked, his mouth dry. Grudgingly, Korra nodded.

"They've been getting bolder and bolder lately. Rumor is they have a new leader. If we don't take care of them soon, we might have another Amon situation on our hands." She sighed and proffered a tired smile. "But hey, I guess I can handle that now."

Iroh was still staring down at Bolin's form, so bruised and marred it barely looked like the same Bo he knew. "Is it alright if I'm…alone with him a while?"

Korra nodded. "Try not to wake him, okay? He's been having trouble sleeping." Then she was gone and Iroh was alone, and suddenly regretting the decision.

He grabbed a chair and pulled it up to the side of the bed, then hesitantly reached out to grab Bolin's hand. It was chapped and calloused, nothing he wouldn't expect from a professional Metalbender. More importantly, it was the least scarred part of his body. He couldn't stand seeing the other like this. Couldn't stand the sight of his battered body laying in a bed, looking so fragile. If there's one word that never described Bolin, it was fragile; now, all he could see was Bolin being broken apart.

He gripped that one hand tightly, listening to his steady breathing. He was alive. That was all that mattered. Bolin was here and this - these scars - none of them would ever change that.

—

"Pabu says you should come back sooner this time." Bolin holds the protesting fire ferret out with a pout that looks somehow out of place on his new, adult-like face. Iroh just smiles.

"You know I can't promise anything," he says regretfully. "I'm sorry, Bolin. If this is too hard on you, I wouldn't blame you if…you engaged in casual relations…during my absence." He clears his throat uncomfortably as Bolin stares at him with a disgusted look.

"You mean cheat?"

"Well, under the circumstances…"

"I'm not my brother, General…" Bolin only calls him General now when he's upset. "I'm not planning on messing around."

Iroh decides any further explanation would be pointless, so he simply gathers the other into his arms. Bolin smiles tentatively up at him as he returns the embrace.

"Just come back as soon as you can," he says. "And don't get yourself killed out there." That's one good thing about Bolin being in Republic City, Iroh thinks. He's safe here.

—

It was some time before Bolin woke. Long enough for Iroh to slump forward onto the bed and drift off. He'd barely slept during the trip, too worried to close his eyes for longer than a few hours at a time. Now, the relief at finding Bolin alive crashed down upon him and his exhaustion crept back in. He woke to the feeling of a rough hand stroking his neck and raised his head.

"You're awake," he noted with relief. Not only that, but Bolin was sitting up, looking just like his old self, only with a few more scars.

"Yeah…sorry to pull you away from all your important duties." Bolin smiled sheepishly. "Did Korra tell you?"

"Yeah. She sent me a telegram." Iroh sat up fully and reached for Bolin's hand with a relieved smile. "I'm so happy you're okay."

"Well, the good news is, I'm halfway to being like the great Toph Beifong." He gestured to the bandage on his eye. "Lin'll be thrilled."

"Is it…blind?" Iroh asked hesitantly.

"Well, uh…sort of. It's gone." He shrugged. "Scooped right out of the socket. That was definitely the most painful thing ever, I mean, you know how many nerves are in the eye? Ouch."

Iroh winced and held Bolin's hand close. "Oh, Bo…I'm so sorry. I should have come back sooner."

"Hey, come on, it wasn't your fault," the Earthbender said hurriedly. "You didn't know. I was the stupid one. I let them get the jump on me." Despite Bolin's words, he still felt an ache in his chest. If he had come back before, maybe he could have stopped this.

"I can live with one eye. It's no big deal. Who needs depth perception anyway? That's an overrated concept." He chuckled nervously. "Hey, come on, don't…look so miserable. I'm the one who's hurt here." Bolin pressed a kiss to Iroh's lips and tugged on his hand. "You're tired, right? Plenty of room up here."

"I won't hurt you?" Iroh asked skeptically, eyeing the bruises.

"Nah, Korra patched me up good. I feel great." Iroh let Bolin coerce him into climbing into the bed. Now, so close to the scars and marks, he felt the despair well up in him once more.

"You could have died," he said quietly.

"Well…yeah…" Bolin looked away. "But I didn't, look, I'm fine."

Iroh felt the tears again, at the back of his eyes, and fought to compose himself. Bolin gripped his chin and pulled it up so they were face to face.

"I'm alive," he emphasized, and claimed Iroh's mouth. Iroh wanted to protest, to tell Bolin he shouldn't be straining himself, but his words were lost in a serious of moans as gasps and soon he realized they weren't necessary. The young Earthbender was just as full of strength as he always was, so powerful under his gripping hands, and so good at making him lose his mind with pleasure.

In the aftermath, as Iroh laid beside him on the bed, eyes threatening to slide closed under the weight of his exhaustion, he marveled at Bolin's strength. He shouldn't have been surprised - after all, it was one of the reasons he fell for the younger boy in the first place - but maybe he hadn't had the chance to truly see it until now. This strength of spirit, the ability to let such horrible things just slide off his back like water off a turtleduck…if there were ever a singular reason for Iroh to love him, it was that.

Iroh laid his head on the other's chest, steady heartbeat thudding in his ear, one powerful arm wrapped around him securely. He fell asleep feeling utterly and completely safe.