Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Mako had his eyes closed and his head tipped back under the spray of water as he washed shampoo from his hair. Mako would never admit it out loud, other than to Iroh, but using Iroh’s hair products had made his hair healthier. Iroh said it was the conditioner, as the three in one stuff Mako used before, was neither a shampoo nor a conditioner. It was simply soap and was rough on hair.

Mako could visibly and physically tell the difference, so he supposed Iroh wasn’t lying to him about it. It was also nice to be able to carry a smell so strongly associated with Iroh around with him.

He heard the door crack open as Iroh, or at least Mako hoped it was Iroh, made his way into the bathroom. Mako could hear the sounds of Iroh going about his morning routine, starting with a bathroom break. Mako held his breath as Iroh finished, hoping his fiancé remembered not to flush while Mako was in the shower.

Iroh often forgot, and while he had gotten better about it since they moved in together a little over two years ago, he still slipped up on occasion. There was nothing other than the sound of the sink turning on, which didn’t use enough water to make a difference.

Mako returned to his shower uninterrupted before Iroh said something. It came out garbled as if Iroh had something in his mouth. Most likely his toothbrush.
“What?” Mako called over the sounds of the shower.

Iroh repeated himself, this time sans toothbrush but still with his mouth full.

Mako stuck his head out of the shower.

“Iroh, spit and repeat,” Mako said, staring at his fiancé. Just even thinking the word sent excitement down Mako’s spine, he was going to marry this idiot and he couldn’t be more excited about it.

“So, you know those wedding planning appointments we were told to make?" Iroh asked, before wiping toothpaste from his mouth.

"Yeah?" Mako replied, leaning against the shower wall.

"I may have made a mistake," Iroh said, making eye contact with Mako in the mirror.

"A mistake?" Mako asked. Iroh didn't make mistakes often, but when he did, they were usually big ones.

"Yeah, so, all of our wedding planning is happening on one day and I accidentally booked a family tasting session," Iroh said, sheepishly.

"What?" Mako asked, staring at Iroh in horror. He turned the water off and pulled himself out of the shower. He’d just skip conditioning his hair today. Something told him this conversation was going to be a headache and a half.

Mako felt something fall over his head as he exited the shower. His vision was obstructed by a blue towel.

Iroh laughed slightly and Mako sighed.

He loved Iroh, even his childish side, but sometimes he really could pick the worst times for it.

When he pulled himself free of the towel, he saw Iroh was already leaning close to the mirror to shave. Mako was slightly jealous that Iroh could grow a beard but choose not to, while Mako was stuck baby faced and androgynous for the rest of his life.

Then again Iroh looked horrid with a beard, so Mako supposed he couldn't complain too much.

“Okay, from the top, Iroh,” Mako said, running his hand along Iroh's back as he moved past him to his sink. He leaned on the counter to watch Iroh.

"Look it's fine," Iroh said, placing down his razor and turning to Mako. He grabbed Mako's arms to rub them up and down. "I just accidentally booked a taste testing session on the same day as we scheduled to meet with the florist, brewery and tailor. It's no big deal, none of the times conflict and it’s all done in one go!"

Mako kept staring at Iroh.

"I'm marrying a dumbass," Mako said.

"Well if you haven't figured that out and abandoned ship after nearly three years of dating, that's your own fault and it's too late to back out now," Iroh joked.

"Iroh, what?" Mako said, before shaking his head. "And the family part, what does that mean?"

"Well, it was a tasting deal catered more towards Water Tribe couples, where the family’s opinion on the food is very important, but I accidentally booked one for us. So, we can spend a lot of money to have basically rented out the catering shop for ourselves for three hours or we can bring ten people with us," Iroh said the last part quickly, as if knowing Mako was going to blow a fuse.

Mako took a deep breath. "How?" Mako asked.

"I wasn't paying attention," Iroh admitted. "I was trying to do paperwork, wedding plan, and order take out at the same time. Just be lucky I didn't accidentally send a battalion of soldiers to your favorite noodle shop."

"Where are we going to get ten people?" Mako asked, ignoring Iroh’s attempt to distract him.

"Well, we could take it seriously," Iroh suggested. "I can invite my mom, dad, sister, and my two remaining grandparents."

"And I can invite my brother," Mako said, his sarcasm, biting.

Iroh looked down. "I'm sorry," Iroh whispered.

Mako took one look at his fiancé’s face and felt like the worst human in the world.

"No," Mako said, pulling Iroh close, "I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. You didn't mean anything by it and you were excited to share with your family."

"I still should have thought through what I just said," Iroh countered. "I just wanted to find a silver sandwich to the mess I caused and I forgot. We can go alone if you want."

Mako bit his lip. Iroh made a mistake, but he had also seemed excited about having his family there and if Mako was honest, he wished he could have the same.
An idea occurred to him then. It would be odd, and they might not agree but he did have some semblance of a family.

"My grandma can come too," Mako said, watching Iroh perk up slightly. "Korra and Asami as well."

Iroh blew a raspberry at him and Mako rolled his eyes. "They're my best friends," Mako said. "Opal's sadly not in town, but if you don't mind, I kind of want to invite Lin."

"Chief Beifong?" Iroh asked, skeptically.

"Yeah," Mako said, rubbing the back of his head. "Don't tell her I said so, because she'd think I'm going soft, but she's the kind of mentor I needed growing up, and having her now just means a lot to me."

"Alright," Iroh said. "It'll be an interesting group to say the least."

"Yeah," Mako replied with a smile, "but it’s not a bad thing."

"Not a bad thing, at all," Iroh said, pulling Mako into a kiss.

----- 

Mako was awkwardly enough, the last of the group to arrive at the restaurant. Iroh had offered to come with him but Mako knew this was something he needed to do himself.

His grandma had come with Asami and Korra. Bolin and Lin arrived separately.

"Oh, thank the spirits you're here," Korra said when Mako sat down at the table.

"What, why?" Mako asked.

"It’s just been a bit awkward," Asami answered, softly.

"Sorry," Mako said rubbing the side of his face.

"So, what's the news, kid?" Lin said, cutting right to the chase.

"Can't we get food first?" Mako asked. The looks on the group's faces said no.

Mako sighed. "Iroh accidentally scheduled our wedding planning all on the same day. He wasn't thinking and just went for our shared day off as a go to, for everything. On top of that he bought a family meal tasting session. We talked it over and he's bringing his parents, sister and grandparents but that still leaves five spots open for my side of the family. I want you all to come." Mako said the last part quickly, not looking anyone, even his brother in the face.

"Aw, Mako," his grandma said, pulling him into a hug. "I would enjoy nothing more than to spend the day helping you and your lovely, young man plan your wedding."

"I got your back bro," Bolin said, punching him playfully in the arm.

Those were the easy answers, the ones Mako knew he would get. He looked up hesitantly to see the other three's reactions.

Korra and Asami were staring at each other.

"Are you sure that won't be weird?" Asami asked. "I wouldn't want to make Iroh uncomfortable."

"Trust me," Mako said, "Iroh's more likely to make you uncomfortable than the other way around. He has zero shame."

"If you're sure," Korra agreed.

"I am," Mako said. "You two are still my best friends, even if you're also my ex-girlfriends."

"I suppose I could take the day off," Lin finally said, drawing Mako's attention to her. "I need time off anyway but don't go getting soft on me detective!"

"Never Chief," Mako said, with a slight smiled.

"So when and where?" Asami asked.

"Well, you see, we were kind if wondering if you all wanted to come with us through everything?" Mako questioned.

"What would that entail?" Lin asked, hesitantly.

"First stop is floral arrangements," Mako said. "Iroh wants fire lilies but he has no clue what other flowers to use, so we have to figure that out. Then we have the tasting for the food which will take three hours. Followed by a trip to a brewery for Sake tasting. We need to pick which one we are drinking ourselves during the ceremony, in addition to what we serve. Finally, we have a tailoring session to get my measurements, sadly the first of many. Iroh doesn't have to suffer this go round since it’s his tailor, the jerk. It’s a lot and I really don't want to do it with just Iroh and I. I’m going to be honest I’m going in very blind here."

Mako looked over to see the others at the table staring at him in shock.

"Yeah," Bolin said. "That's a bit much but you've got my help."

His grandma also enthusiastically agreed, though the others were a bit more hesitant.

Korra and Asami eventually agreed and Lin said she would at least make it to the taste testing if nothing else.

That was good enough for Mako. The group finally ordered their food and as the table struck up a random conversation, Mako felt the tension he had carried to the restaurant fade.

----- 

Mako weaved in and out of traffic. Iroh’s hands were firmly wrapped around his waist as they made their way to the floral shop where their overly adventurous day would start.

Iroh’s head was resting on his back and when Mako leaned for a curve, Iroh followed his movements. Iroh loved Mako’s motorcycle and wanted to learn to drive it. Mako continually refused to teach him until he could prove he wouldn’t speed on it.

The idea of Iroh going so fast on something so dangerous terrified Mako.

When he pulled up out front, he spotted Asami’s car and parked next to it. The top was down so Mako was easily able to identify Korra, Asami and his grandma. There was another familiar car a little further down the parking lot.

Iroh didn’t hesitated to make his way over there once his helmet was off. He and his sister slammed into one another at the halfway point, pulling each other into a tight hug.

Mako smiled to himself as he watched. It was nice having a lover who understood just how important a younger sibling could be to someone.

“Hey, Mako,” Korra said, from the passenger seat. “Are you excited?”

“Very much so,” he said, watching Bolin walk up to the shop.

“Did you walk here?” Asami asked. “We could have picked you up?”

“It’s not far from my apartment but I wouldn’t say no to a lift elsewhere,” Bolin replied.

Mako heard another motorcycle making its way down the street and was slightly surprised when Lin pulled up next to him. He thought she was only coming to the taste testing.

“Is that everyone then?” Iroh asked.

“Provided your whole family is waiting in that car, it should be,” Mako said, shutting his bike off and getting it into place.

“They are,” Ursa said, bouncing over to give Mako a hug. “Long time no see, stranger.”

“It’s good to see you to, Ursa,” Mako said, hugging her back. He waited until the rest of Iroh’s family joined them before doing introductions, knowing some knew each other and some didn’t. He was surprised to see none of the royal family wearing their headpieces, including Izumi. He supposed they were doing this incognito then.

“This is Chief Lin Beifong, Asami Sato, Avatar Korra, my brother Bolin and my grandma Yin. Everyone this is Iroh’s younger sister Princess Ursa, his mother Fire Lord Izumi, his father Bumi, his grandfather Lord Zuko and his grandmother Master Katara.”

“You don’t have to say our titles, young man,” Katara said, pulling him into a hug. “It is nice to finally meet you on a more personal level. I have only really seen you in passing all these years.”

Mako wasn’t sure what to do about the hug and looked desperately at Iroh.

“Mako isn’t a touchy person, Gran Gran,” Iroh said, placing his hand on her back.

“I see, my apologies then,” she said, pulling back but still smiling at him.

“You never respect my desire not to be touched,” Zuko said.

“I’ve never respected you at all,” she responded before leading the group into the flower shop.

“Do you see how mean she is to me?” Zuko asked.

Iroh and Ursa laughed at his misfortune, causing him to pout.

The inside of the florist shop had Mako’s nose scrunching up at all the smells.

Katara had already made her way towards the back of the shop.

“So, we know we are having fire lilies,” Iroh said. “That’s a given and the reason we picked our wedding date.”

Katara had tensed up at that comment, something Iroh also seemed to pick up on.

“Gran Gran are you okay?” Iroh asked.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said. “I just don’t have the fondest memories of fire lilies, but I understand the cultural significance. I will be fine.”

“We can pick a different flower?” Iroh offered.

“What about Panda Lilies?” Korra offered. “Don’t those have similar meanings?”

“Those won’t work,” Asami said. “While the flowers have the exact same meaning, white isn’t a color allowed at Fire Nation weddings as it’s the Nation’s color of mourning. Wedding attire is always either an off-white cream color or a reddish color paired with gold detailing.”

“Yes, not even white detailing is allowed,” Izumi interjected. “Something Water Tribe guests in particular have to be informed of, something to remember with invites, Iroh. It’s a sign of bad luck for the couple for anything white to be seen during the ceremony.”

Iroh nodded absentmindedly still staring at Katara.

Katara ran her hand through his hair. “Sweet boy, I’ll be fine, plan your wedding how you wish. I promise it’s not that big a deal,” she reassured.

Iroh watched her a moment longer before nodding.

“Okay, if you say so,” Iroh said slowly. “So, fire lilies and two other flowers. Maybe a marigold, those are popular wedding flowers in the Fire Nation? I don’t know, at this point I’m open to anything because we don’t even have a color scheme or anything picked out really.”

The group dispersed across the shop and the florist joined them from the back room.

“Where are the future spouses?” they asked, looking around the room.

“One’s here,” Izumi said, pointing to Mako. “I have no clue where my son went though.”

“Here,” Korra called, pointing to Iroh who had disappeared behind a display while bending down to look at something.

“Right,” the florist said, “it’s my understanding that the two of you are ordering the flowers here but our sister shop in the Fire Nation is the one actually doing the delivery?”

“Yes,” Iroh said, moving over. “It’s easier this way, as we both currently live here in Republic City but plan to marry in the Fire Nation.”

“Got it,” they said. “Do you need any help or?”

Mako and Iroh traded a glance.

“We want to try and figure it out ourselves but we will come get you if we get stuck,” Mako said.

The florist nodded and walked off.

“Oh, Mako,” his grandma called. “You should use these. They are very beautiful and originally grew in Ba Sing Se. Your father liked them and your grandfather was always bringing them home as peace offerings.”

Mako joined his grandma and paused as he saw what flowers she was talking about.

Colloquial terms called it the Refugee Rose. It grew in three different colors, purple, orange and white, though surprisingly this species of rose didn’t grow in the typical red color.

Mako knew of the flower. It originally only grew in Ba Sing Se, but as people returned to their homes from the impenetrable city, they carried the beautiful roses with them, bringing the versatile flower with them to all corners of the Earth Kingdom and the United Republic. This gave it the nickname it currently had.

Mako only knew this because his father would always bring them home for his mother.

“They reminded him of home,” Mako said, his voice coming out strange. “He would always tell my mother that, but the orange ones in particular were his favorites, as they matched her eyes.”

Everyone was silent for a moment, allowing Mako to get himself under control.

He didn’t realize his eyes were watering until Iroh placed a flower behind his ear.

“I can see what he meant,” Iroh said, softly, “they match your eyes too.”

What Iroh said, caused the building tear to slide down Mako’s face. Iroh pulled him into a hug and he buried his face in Iroh’s shoulder.

“Do you want them at our wedding?” Iroh asked, rocking Mako back and forth.

Mako nodded.

“The orange ones or would another color be better?” Iroh asked, petting through Mako’s hair.

“Orange ones,” Mako insisted. His voice came out rough as he said it.

“Okay, we can have the orange ones,” Iroh said.

Mako wasn’t sure how long they had stood like that but when he finally pulled away, everyone had given him space, save for his grandma, his brother and surprisingly Katara.

“Oh, Mako,” his grandma said, sweeping him into another hug. “I’m sorry I upset you.”

“You didn’t,” Mako said, squeezing her tightly. “I’m glad you pointed them out.”

“You okay, bro?” Bolin asked.

“Yeah, I think I am,” Mako replied.

Bolin stared at the flowers for a moment. “Sometime I forget you were eight when they died, and that you have clearer memories of them,” Bolin said, quietly.

“It’s both a curse and a blessing sometimes,” Mako said. Bolin didn’t remember their parents’ murder, being too young to process the violence but Mako remembered it, just as clearly as he did the roses.

Bolin must have caught something in his voice as he nodded and walked over to Korra and Asami.

Mako’s grandma also moved away but Katara stayed.

“Are you actually okay?” she asked. “I know what it’s like to lose a parent at that age, though I could never imagine having lost both.”

“It was hard,” Mako said. “Particularly with my brother to also take care of, but I made it work. I don’t know, maybe it’s silly but I guess these flowers make me think they will be there in spirit.”

“That’s not silly,” Katara said. “I still wear my mother’s necklace, to this day, to feel closer to her.”

Mako looked at her in surprise. “I used to wear my father’s scarf but I gave it to my Grandma, so she could have it,” Mako said.

“Admirable,” she replied, “but make sure you take the moments you need and don’t let the grief fester. It turns ugly.”

She looked off towards Zuko as she said that before wandering in his direction.

Mako startled as Iroh wrapped his arms around his waist.

“One more flower,” Iroh said, changing the subject, something Mako was very grateful for. “Maybe a filler flower? Or should we get a filler flower and another flower?”

“What’s a filler flower?” Mako asked, looking back at Iroh.

“Never mind,” Iroh said shaking his head.

“Hey, mom,” Bumi shouted across the store, “didn’t you have these at your wedding?”

“Yes, actually, they make good filler for bouquets,” She said.

“Mai and I used them as well,” Zuko said. “The yellow ones, not the white ones, though I think they also come in blue, yes?”

“Yes, the blue ones were the ones at mine and Aang’s wedding,” Katara added.

“Why’d you have flowers at your wedding?” Korra asked in confusion. “I know it’s something common now because of mixing cultures but sixty years ago?”

“Aang and I specifically married on the same day as the spring festival would have been held in the air temples,” Katara explained. “It was a festival dedicated to bringing in the new while both cherishing and discarding the old. One of the main themes of the festivals were all the flowers, as they represented growth and development, so Aang and I actually had a lot of flowers at our wedding, one of the main reasons Water Tribe weddings now also bear the tradition.”

Iroh looked down at the flowers, Mako mimicking him.

“Well?” Mako asked.

“I kind of want the flower that was at both my grandparent’s weddings,” Iroh said sheepishly.

Mako laughed. “I figured,” he said. “Do you want a third flower or not?”

“Here, kid,” Lin said, handing him a darker yellow flower.

“What’s this?” he asked.

“Your boy said he wanted a marigold,” she said. “The yellow ones mean sanctity. You could also use the pink ones which are rarer if you want. The others are red and orange and might blend too well with your other flowers.”

“How do you know that chief?” Mako asked.

“I’m layered, kid,” she said. Mako squinted at her, but she didn’t give anything else away.

“Like an onion sure,” he fired back. She cuffed him around the ear but a small smile was forming at the edge of her lips.

“Well, Iroh, yellow or pink?” Mako said, holing up the flower.

Iroh stared at him like he was stupid and Mako looked down at the flowers in question wondering what was wrong with them.

“Ah,” Mako said, putting the pink flower back after noticing it had white edges it. “Yellow then.”

“Yellow then,” Iroh repeated, shaking his head. “You’re lucky you're cute.”

“As if,” Mako said. “No one else would date either of us, admit it, we’re each other’s only options.”

Iroh laughed as he dragged Mako up to the counter to place their final order. Apparently, their wedding was now fire themed, that wasn’t very surprising at all.

----- 

The group regathered outside the catering company and Mako stopped them before they went it.

“So, before we go in, just know, we are not paying for their services, we are just figuring out what foods we want,” Mako said.

“The Palace staff will be handling the actual catering, but Mako and I don’t have time to head over there right now, so, we are cheating a bit. Just don’t tell them that’s what we are doing okay?” Iroh said.

“You absolute rebel,” Ursa said, ruffling Iroh’s hair. Mako supposed it was a good thing Iroh hadn’t put any product in it this morning or it wouldn’t have laid back down so easily.

“Anyway, Ursa’s uninvited to my wedding,” Iroh said, walking into the shop.

“No,” Ursa yelled, jumping up onto his back.

“Ack, Ursa,” Iroh said, struggling to pull her upright onto his back. “Get off.”

“No,” Ursa said, settling into her new spot on Iroh’s back and locking her arms around his neck. “I like it up here, why’d you steal all the tall genes?”

“Same reason I stole all the attractive genes too, ow,” Iroh said, rubbing his ear where Ursa had thumped him.

“Mom, Iroh’s bullying me,” Ursa called, as the store employee headed their way.

“Mom, tell Ursa to get off of me,” Iroh said.

“Can you believe one of them is getting married?” Izumi said to the worker as she finally reached them.

“Oh yes, I have three that age myself, one even has their own baby, sadly they never grow out of it,” she said, sharing a laugh with the other mothers in the group.

“Hey, we,” Bumi started when his mother laughed. “No, never mind we would.”

“I know you three would,” Katara called.

“Right,” the woman said, “so if you all would be so kind as to sit at the table, we will have the meals General Iroh seemed interested in brought out and if at the end you’d like to look at something else, we can do that.”

Mako looked at Iroh with slight trepidation. “You were hungry when you booked this weren’t you,” Mako asked, remembering his fiancé mentioned ordering take out shortly after.

“Maybe,” Iroh said, dragging the word out. “It’ll be fine.”

They sat down at the table, Iroh sliding his seat closer to Mako’s till they were pressed up against each other.

The woman returned. “Now, we were told to include vegetarian options as well, which is typically unusual for a Fire Nation wedding, but because of that we have, eight appetizers for you to try, along with ten main course and eight deserts,” she listed off. “The appetizers will be brought out shortly but until then, we have water, tea and coffee set up in the corner for anyone thirsty.”

The group paused and turned to Iroh, who was trying to duck behind Mako. Mako shook his head, having already expected something like this.

“Um, I was apparently very hungry?” Iroh said, in response to the looks.

“How many people are you planning on having at the wedding?” Asami asked, incredulously.

“At the wedding?” Iroh asked. “Only family and friends. At the reception? Sadly, various dignitaries and Fire Nation nobles who think themselves entitled to our wedding. Then following the reception, a parade for the Fire Nation public. Luckily, we will be having a celebration the night before the wedding day for just those attending the wedding.”

“Oh, we’re invited though, right?” Korra asked, pointing between her and Asami.

“You are friends and family, are you not?” Iroh said, standing up. He was more then likely headed over to get tea.

“Bring me some back or I’m stealing yours,” Mako called after him. Mako couldn’t see Iroh’s face but he could hear his fiancé blowing a raspberry at him. Mako to this day, wasn’t sure why Iroh started doing that.

“Of, course you two are invited,” Mako said. “I already told Iroh you two are my best friends, you’re coming to my wedding.”

“Okay, if you’re sure,” Korra said with a small smile as the appetizers were brought out.

Iroh sat back down next to him, placing two steaming cups of tea on the table.

“The first vegetarian appetizer is a chili toast. Its bread layered with spiced potatoes and mixed vegetable that is then fried and covered with sesame oil,” their host said. “The next is dragon noodles which are stir fried noodles and vegetables covered in a sweet and spicy chili sauce. Then we have corn fritters that are made with corn and tofu. Our last vegetarian option is a Fire Nation favorite called pepper poppers, which are chili peppers stuffed with cream cheese and then fried.”

“For the non-vegetarian options, we have a pig-chicken pepper fry which is pig-chicken stir fried with freshly pounded pepper corns. Then there is the coconut crusted fish cakes which are deep fried minced fish with a coconut coating. Then we have some golden bags, which are fried minced prawns wrapped in a crispy wanton. The final appetizer is a caviar made with herring eggs and marinated in a dark soy sauce. I hope you all enjoy and call for us when you are ready for the next part of the meal.”

“Iroh, you’re trying to kill us with all this food,” Ursa complained.

“I’m sorry,” Iroh said shrugging. “I told you not to eat breakfast this morning.”

“We can make it,” Bumi assured his daughter.

“So, the pepper poppers are going to be at your wedding, yes?” Zuko asked, pouting at his grandson.

Iroh made a face but nodded. Apparently, they now had one appetizer picked out.

“We need five picked out to cover the amount of people showing up to the reception,” Iroh said. “So now we need four more since Granddad demands pepper poppers.”

The table laughed as Iroh swiped one off the plate before his grandfather could take them all.

Mako managed to get ahold of one of the coconut fish cakes and moaned embarrassingly loud.

“Um,” Mako said when the table turned to him, “these are good.”

Iroh grabbed the rest of the cake from Mako’s hand and took a bite, ignoring the shocked looks from this grandfather and mother at his table manners.

“Oh, I do like these,” Iroh said, finishing off the cake, before grabbing another one and handing it to Mako.

Bolin liked the corn fritters but Iroh ultimately decided he didn’t really find them to be very wedding like and while Mako hated to disappoint his brother, he kind of agreed.

Bolin also liked the chili toast. Mako himself liked it and had no issue strong arming Iroh into picking it as one of their appetizers.

Mako nearly threw up when he ate the caviar. He knew it was one of those rich people dishes but between the fishy taste and the texture, Mako couldn’t stomach it. That was quickly removed from the table as Iroh rubbed up and down Mako’s back until he felt better.

There was no disagreement from the group on the tastes of the dragon noodles and Mako knew that would end up being one of their appetizers. Though the sauce may end up separate when they serve it as Korra, Mako’s Grandma and Lin took slight objection to the spiciness of the sauce.

They ended up in a very strong back and forth over the wonton prawns and the pig-chicken stir fry but after a way too long debate they simply voted on it. Korra pushed the vote in favor of the wonton prawns.

Mako had to kiss the frown off Iroh’s face at that loss but considering how deeply Iroh kissed back, the other man probably wasn’t counting it as a lose.

In the end, they ended up with three vegetarian options, the pepper poppers, the chili toast, and the dragon noodles, and two meat options, the coconut fish cakes and the prawn wantons.

Mako felt absolute dread roll down his spine as he realized they had two more meal sections to go.

The dishes for the main course were varied. There were five vegetarian dishes presented to them.

A vegetable teriyaki rice dish that had steamed vegetables over a bed of rice and was covered in teriyaki sauce.

A mango salad that Mako knew he was going to have to fight Iroh over, as the other man was entirely too attached to mangos to see reason.

There was also a pineapple fried rice dish that had pineapples, cashews, peas and currant berries tossed in curry spices and was served over jasmine rice.

The next meal presented after that was a fruit and potatoes dish tossed in various herbs and spices, that Mako forgot the names of as soon as they were listed.

Then came the two stir fry noodle dishes, one being vegetarian with various vegetables and egg, the other being one of the non-vegetarian options was made with prawns.

The other non-vegetarian options included lamb-emu cuts with fried coconut and chilis, wok fried pork-lamb with vegetables and pineapples served with a sweet and sour sauce, Komodo-rhino stir fried with carrots, onions, mushroom, and cabbage that was coated with a spicy chili sauce, and finally a curry made of a red chili paste with pan fried fish steaks.

Izumi advised them to discard the prawn noodles as serving something like prawns back to back wouldn’t look very good. They also decided to discard the vegetarian version of the dish as well.

Bumi pushed for the teriyaki vegetable dish, as he insisted his brother as well as his nieces would love it.

Iroh seemed slightly hesitant and turned to his grandmother for confirmation. “Would they? My dad isn’t just playing a prank, is he?” Iroh asked.

“I think Tenzin would very much like this dish,” she confirmed.

“The amount of confidence my kids have in me is amazing,” Bumi muttered.

“Sorry,” Iroh said, “but you do things like that sometimes.”

“Not for important things like this,” he insisted.

“I know,” Iroh said again, dropping his head and pouting slightly towards his father. “I’m sorry.”

“Ah, kid, don’t look at me like that, you’re breaking my heart. I forgive you,” he said, smiling down at Iroh who perked up and smiled back.

They moved on after that, with Lin also pushing her own opinion about the pork-lamb, namely that it should be at their wedding.

Mako thought a fight would break out over the curry dish. He would have been really upset if Korra and Asami broke up over his wedding menu but Iroh finally broke the two girls apart by telling Korra that spicy food was just how the Fire Nation did things and the curry was going on the menu since both Iroh and Mako liked it.

The lamb-emu dish was discarded as neither Iroh nor Mako liked the texture of the meat. Both proclaimed it too chewy, though several at the table protested that one, including Mako’s Grandma.

Ursa and Izumi teamed up on Iroh to get the Komodo-rhino dish on the menu. Mako had been greatly amused watching his fiancé get trampled over by his mother and sister, who really wanted steak on the menu.

Which, if Mako was keeping count properly, left one more dish for their main course.

Mako was right about his thoughts earlier, when the Mango salad was being introduced. Iroh was going to fight him on it.

It was slightly embarrassing fighting in front of their families but Mako wasn’t going to back down. The salad was a light meal, more appetizer then meal, and the pineapple rice would prove more filling for guests.

“It’s not about you Iroh, it’s about what’s better for our guests to eat,” Mako insisted.

“Of course, it’s about me, it’s my wedding,” Iroh responded.

“Our wedding, dear,” Mako said, stressing the first and last words.

Iroh frowned. “You got both the chili toast and the prawn wantons, why can’t I have this?” Iroh asked.

“The wontons were a vote!” Mako replied. “Besides you liked the chili toast too, so that wasn’t a loss on your part. I get that it’s our wedding and we get to have what we want but the meal is about more than us. We’re feeding people we care about, and making sure they leave with full stomachs!”

The wind seemed to leave Iroh’s sails at that. He was watching Mako as if seeing something not even Mako knew was there.

“I see,” Iroh said, though what he saw was a mystery to Mako. “The pineapple rice is fine. You’re right, the people we care about being full is more important then the fact that I like mangos. I’m sorry.”

Mako didn’t know what Iroh was apologizing for. “I’m sorry too,” Mako said, pulling Iroh into a hug. He wanted his fiancé to stop looking at him like that.

It wasn’t until they were both sitting back down at the table that Mako realized what made Iroh stop. Mako probably sounded like he was talking about food insecurity, which, with a jolt, he realized maybe he was. Iroh had just picked up on what was bothering Mako, before Mako did.

He looked over at Iroh, who had gone back to the mango salad to finish it off and grabbed his free hand.

Iroh looked over but Mako just shook his head and turned away.

It was as the staff of the catering company was clearing the table, that Mako realized they had completely forgotten the fruit and potato platter was an option. He supposed they could just mark that down as a no from everyone, if it was that forgettable.

“So, to clear up,” Iroh said, “we have the vegetarian teriyaki dish, the chili curry, the Komodo-rhino stir fry, the wok fried pork-lamb and the pineapple rice that nearly ended our marriage before it started?”

The table laughed at Iroh’s joke. It was slightly awkward, slightly relived laughter, but it broke the silence of the table in time for the desert section of the tasting.

“Yes,” Mako agreed, smiling down at Iroh.

His happiness with his fiancé didn’t last long.

“Iroh,” he said slowly, after the host finished listing off the dishes, “please explain to me why you put up so much fight over a single mango dish, knowing mango dishes were the only option for the deserts.”

“Heh,” Iroh said, leaning slightly away from Mako. “Not all of them.”

“You know what,” Mako said, slowly. “I’ll let you have that. It’s not all, only half.”

Mako glared at him slightly before shaking his head and pulling his desert tray closer to him.

There were eight small deserts sitting in front of him: coconut ice cream, Iroh’s favorite childhood treat of chili mangos, strawberry sponge cake, a mini egg custard tart, sticky mango rice, two types of cream cheese dumplings, once served in a sweet syrup and the other in mango flavored condensed milk, and finally some sort of small treat bar that of course tasted of mangos.

Mako was going to kill his fiancé.

“You’re a horrible person,” Mako said to Iroh. He saw Korra and Asami trade startled looks. Izumi was looking at him in concern. Mako realized his statement had, in fact, startled most of the table.

A wide grin appeared on Iroh’s face. “Your horrible person, though,” Iroh said, leaning against him.

“Yes, my horrible person, who does mean things to me, like argue over mangos knowing good and well he’s going to get some anyway,” Mako said, dropping a kiss on Iroh’s forehead.

The table seemed to relax with their back and forth, realizing it was just a joke between the two. In fact, it was almost another way of saying I love you between the two of them.

Mako thought back to the first time he had thought that about Iroh. It had been their one-year anniversary and Iroh had been teasing Mako all night, with no follow through. He looked around the table, it was better they didn’t get the joke.

Iroh got his chili mangos, though the more sadistic side of Mako wanted to tell him no. He decided against it, not really wanting to know if Iroh would ultimately choose mangos over Mako, or not.

They couldn’t agree on which dumplings and decided to get them both but only on the agreement that Iroh couldn’t have anything else with the word mango on the menu.

Iroh didn’t like that rule but he had been out voted by the rest of the table. As such, the other mango dishes were discarded leaving them with the sponge cake, the egg custard tart and the coconut ice cream.

“You should go with the egg custard,” Korra said randomly.

Mako blinked and looked over at her. “Why?” Mako asked.

Korra opened her mouth before shutting it and wrinkling her brow. “I’m not sure?” she said. “I just feel like egg custard is where it’s at.”

Katara dropped the mango chunk she was lifting to her mouth. Zuko was also staring at Korra in wonder.

“I thought you lost contact with your past lives?” Zuko asked, his voice coming out strained.

“I did,” Korra replied, staring at him in confusion.

“Aang,” Katara said, softly, “Aang really liked egg custard tarts. You sounded like him when you said that.”

“Oh,” Korra said, looking down at the treat. “I guess some memories from my past lives stuck with me?”

“Maybe,” Katara said, staring down at her own egg custard tart.

“You want the ice cream, right?” Iroh whispered to Mako.

“Yeah,” Mako whispered back, “why?”

“Because, I think we are done here,” Iroh said out loud. “Mako and I are going to get both types of dumplings, I’m getting my chili mangoes and he’s getting his coconut ice cream. The last desert we decided on it the egg custard tart, since Korra, and my Grandpa, love it so much.”

Mako leaned out of the way as Katara reached over him to pull Iroh into a very tight hug.

The table was cleared away. Their host came over to ask them what dishes they wanted and Mako told her they would sleep on it. She nodded and walked off, very much unaware she wouldn’t be getting a call back.

----- 

They finished at the catering company and Iroh and Mako headed back to their apartment to put up Mako’s bike.

Iroh already had a cab waiting for them on the curb outside their apartment.

As an officer, and with his boss with them on this venture, there was no way Mako was going to risk driving drunk and there was no telling how much they may or not drink trying to find the right sake.

As they rode to the brewery, Iroh was already rambling about the type of sake he preferred, as if Mako wasn’t already well aware he loved taru sake. Mako already knew they would probably end up with that as their ceremonial drink if not what they serve at their entire wedding.

Mako personally preferred ginjo-shu sake due to its lighter flavoring.

“I think it would be better served in a private setting,” Iroh said. “I know you don’t like it and it’s admittedly not for everyone so I do understand. I want something everyone can enjoy at the wedding, including you, so I picked this place even though it doesn’t do taru.”

Mako blinked, turning to Iroh. Maybe he should have been paying attention to what his fiancé was saying.

“So, no taru at the wedding?” Mako asked, clarifying.

“No, that’s what I just said,” Iroh responded, staring at Mako blankly. “Listen.”

Mako held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry,” Mako said, making sure he listened to everything else Iroh told him about this place.

Their cab pulled up outside the brewery, which rested just outside the suburbs surrounding the city. They were, as Iroh said, supposedly the best brewery in the area and, because Iroh was as thoughtful as he was oblivious sometimes, they only brewed ginjo-shu style sake.

Iroh and Mako looked at each other in confusion as they pulled up outside the brewery to discover their friends and family’s cars in the parking lot, but not their friends and family.

“The owner took them on a tour since you guys had to go home first,” a young woman said. “I can take you to them.”

“Oh, thank you,” Iroh said, following her into the building.

They caught up to the group as their tour ended.

“Ah,” the owner shouted, “our wayward couple has returned to you!”

“Sorry,” Mako said, “we figured it best not to drive and had to grab a cab.”

“Not to worry young man,” he replied. “I respect your responsibility.”

He waved the group out of the room they were currently in, into another room with five bottles on the table.

“Now, these are the five drinks we are best known for,” he said. “If none of these please you, we have a few more.”

“Thank you,” Iroh said.

“This first one,” the man said, popping the top, “is very sweet and airy. It is a favorite of the people of Zaofu, who have it shipped out there.”

“Really?” Bolin asked. “Shame Opal isn’t here. She might have been able to tell us more about that.”

Iroh stared at it hesitantly. Iroh wasn’t really one for sweet drinks, even the teas he drank were usually bitter. The only time he drank something sweet was when he had boba tea, and that was only because he saw it as more like a treat than a drink.

Sure, enough, as he drank it down, a slight grimace took over his face. He was the only one who hated it. Mako and Iroh traded a look. They wouldn’t out right discard it, as it could still be used during the reception, but it certainly wasn’t what they wanted for their ceremony.

The owner hummed to himself slightly. “You sir,” he said pointing to Iroh, “you like bitter flavors? Or maybe spicy, you are Fire Nation, yes?”

“Ah, I wouldn’t say bitter,” Iroh said. “I just like a bit of kick to my drinks.”

“Kick,” the man repeated, reaching for another bottle. “Give this one a try then.”

It certainly had a kick to it, a kick right to the balls.

Mako didn’t care if it was rude, he spit his back into his cup.

“Ack,” Ursa called. Mako turned to her and saw her face was scrunched up. She wasn’t the only one. Everyone save Lin and Bumi were cringing over the taste.

“I like it,” Iroh said, with a laugh, “but something tells me I’m in the minority on that.”

“You are,” Mako said, startling slightly when he realized he wasn't the only one who spoke.

“So, kick, but not too much, sweet but not too much,” the man muttered to himself. “Maybe, yes, this is the most basic of our ginjo sakes, no special tricks used here, just typical brewing. It’s tangy but very, very clear.”

Mako liked it, it was what he was used to drinking and Iroh seemed content enough drinking it, considering he refiled his tasting glass twice.

Mako jumped as a hand scratched at the back of his head.

He turned to see Izumi behind him. They both startled slightly.

“You’re not mine,” she said, pulling back. “Well, I suppose you will be soon but you’re not the one I gave birth to.”

“That would be me,” Iroh said, waving from the short distance between them.

Izumi reached over and scratched though Iroh’s hair as she had originally intended.

“Is that the one then?” she asked.

Mako and Iroh traded a glance.

“Think so,” Iroh said, as his mother released the back of his head. Mako’s heart hurt at the casual touch, but he was glad Iroh had it, even if Mako didn’t. Though, Izumi was supposedly fond of him, so maybe one day he could have it.

They tried the other two, just to be sure. The fourth was also over powering to Mako and the last one tasted more like a taru imitator. Iroh liked them both but Mako vetoed them.

They ended up picking the third sake for their ceremony and the first for the reception.

“I’ll make sure there is taru for you too,” Mako whispered.

“Love you,” Iroh replied. “You’re so nice to me.”

Mako snorted. Iroh was tipsy, having drank nearly half of each bottle on his own like Mako figured he would.

----- 

Iroh had paid the cab driver to stay, so they had no reason to wait to leave. Their last stop was the tailor, which meant it was actually at Iroh’s family’s penthouse.

Iroh was leaning on Mako’s shoulder.

“I don’t wanna wedding plan anymore,” Iroh whined.

“Then don’t plan everything for one day, ever again,” Mako replied.

Iroh groaned. “I’m asking my mom if we can stay there for the night,” Iroh said.

“Works for me,” Mako said, laying his head on top of Iroh’s.

They reached the penthouse too soon for how sleepy the two of them were.

The rest of the group seemed to be waning and Mako was surprised to see none of his friends, not even Lin, had dipped out on this adventure.

“Last stop,” Mako promised.

“Yay,” Korra said, leaning into Asami.

The tailor was elderly, though still exuberant and loud. She reminded Mako of Korra a bit.

“Alright, I’m going to need both your measurements, then,” she said, when they first arrived.

“You already have mine,” Iroh said.

“And they’ve changed,” she said, staring slightly at his middle.

Iroh’s scoffed in offense but eventually admitted he had gained a bit when trying to regain fat and muscle after his nine-month black out mission.

“Look, if it wasn’t metal armor you needed to wear it wouldn’t be a problem, but metal isn’t going to give around your belly, so I need your new measurements,” she said, shooing them both to the center of the set up she mad in the living room.

She made them strip down slightly. Mako was stood in his boxers and tank top. He’d be a bit more embarrassed about it, if most of the people hear hadn’t already seen him in such a state before. Iroh, the shameless creature he was, was standing in only his underwear.

Mako snapped his fingers in Korra and Asami’s direction.

“Mine,” he said, when they turned to him.

“Hey, it’s a free country, we can look,” Korra said.

“I was just admiring the view out the window,” Asami said, looking away.

“Or the reflection in it,” Mako muttered.

Iroh was smirking slightly. “They can’t help it Mako,” Iroh said. “I’m certified Fire Nation eye candy.”

“Alright, eye candy,” the tailor said, “stop sucking it in.”

Iroh pouted and Mako rolled his eyes.

Iroh acted like all his muscle definition disappeared, but while the clear lines of his six-pack disappeared, his still looked like he could snap a tree trunk if he wanted.

“Put some clothes on,” the tailor said, poking at Iroh slightly before turning to Mako. “I’ve been dressing that boy since he was six, always so difficult.”

“I’m marrying him,” Mako joked.

“My condolences,” she replied.

“Why are people being so cruel to me today?” Iroh asked.

The only answered to his question was stifled laughter from Ursa.

“Right,” the tailor said, “I have a preliminary outfit worked out for you, based on Iroh’s own measurements, and I want to see how much editing needs to be done. Here.”

She handed Mako a bit of fabric and Mako wrestled the intricate robe over his head until it was on.

He straightened it out in the front. The shoulders were the tradition upward points but Mako still found them odd to wear. Otherwise they were pretty comfy.

It was then he noticed how silent the room had gotten.

He looked up and noticed the blinding smile on his Grandma’s face. He noticed Bolin trying to wipe his eyes as he sniffled harshly. He noticed Korra and Asami trading smiles, while Korra bit on her lip to contain her excitement. He noticed Lin looking away with a small smile on her lips and how she was actually watching his refection in the window.

He noticed Iroh’s family’s eyes all firmly locked on the man.

Iroh though, noticing Iroh was something else.

Iroh looked mesmerized at he stared at Mako. Mako felt his heart beat pick up the longer Iroh continued to watch him, as if Mako was the rarest but most wonderful thing on the planet.

Iroh took a deep breath as a tear slid down the side of his face.

“I love you,” Iroh said, his voice shaking, as he started crying even hard. “So much.”

The tailor stepped aside and let Mako walk towards Iroh. Mako didn’t care if his fiancé stained the robes with tears, he just pulled the crying man into his arms and held him tightly.

“Am I that pretty?” Mako joked.

Iroh laughed and hiccupped slightly. “I love you,” he said again, “and I’m so happy you agreed to marry me.”

“There wasn’t any other option,” Mako said, into Iroh’s hair. “I love you too much, to pass up the opportunity.”

Iroh started crying again.

“I hope you don’t cry like this on our actual wedding day,” Mako said, rubbing Iroh’s back. “We’ll never get anything done.”

“I’ll be worse,” Iroh promised.

Mako kissed the top of his head, before pushing him back.

“Am I good to go finished getting measured?” Mako asked.

Iroh nodded as Katara wrapped him up her own arms and dropped a kiss to his temple.

“Overwhelming to see him like that?” she whispered to Iroh.

Iroh nodded.

“He’s very beautiful,” Mako heard her say as he walked away.

“I love him,” Iroh responded.

“I’m glad you do,” she said, pulling him in tighter.

Mako kept occasionally glancing in Iroh’s direction as his fitting session continued. Every time he looked over, he found Iroh staring at him in wonder, which sent a fluttering through Mako’s stomach.

“Do you have the headpiece with you?” the tailor asked. “I want to see how this will all look together. Silver isn’t a color I work with often.”

Mako was about to tell her no, when Iroh pulled it out of his inner jacket pocket.

“You’re going to make me cry again aren’t you,” he said, handing it over to her.

“Probably,” she replied.

Mako’s hair wasn’t long enough yet for the headpiece, though he and Iroh both agreed to grow their hair out together over their engagement.

The tailor ended up pinning the headpiece in place along the bottom.

Mako had no warning before his arms were re-filled with Iroh, as his fiancé broke down again.

The tailor sighed, pushing Iroh slightly to the side. She looked over the outfit before nodding and walking away.

“If you could change back out of that and get the Crown Prince to stop crying on it, I’ll take my leave,” the tailor said.

Mako pulled the headpiece down, handing it back to Iroh who rubbed his thumb across it before placing it back in his jacket pocket.

Once free of the robes and somewhat redressed in his own clothes, Mako sat behind Iroh on the floor and just held the other man.

They sat like that for a while, before Asami tapped him on the shoulder.

“Hey, we are about to leave if you want to tell your grandma and Bolin goodbye,” she said.

Mako nodded, standing up and pulling Iroh back to his feet as well.

Mako gave his Grandma a hug first. “I like that young man of yours, he loves you the right way,” she said. Mako smiled as he pulled back and turned to hug Bolin.

As he turned to Korra and Asami to hug them as well, Mako noticed his Grandma pulling Iroh into a hug. Mako was surprised to see that Iroh not only hug her back but that he proceed to hug not only Bolin, but Mako’s ex-girlfriends as well.

“I’m leaving too, kid,” Lin said, coming up behind him and Iroh. “It was fun. I’m glad I came.”

She then did something that surprised Mako more than anything today did, she hugged him, and not only him, but also Iroh.

“Thanks, Chief,” Mako replied. “I’m glad you came too.”

She left with the others after that and it was only Iroh’s family left, who had already dispersed around the house, save for Izumi who was sat in the arm chair watching them.

“Welcome to the family, Mako,” she said. “You make my son happier than I’ve ever seen him. I'm glad you're here.”

Mako didn’t know how to respond to that. He ended up looking at the ground and blushing as Iroh dragged him from the room and towards his bedroom.
As soon as the door shut behind him, Iroh had his mouth on Mako’s. His tongue rubbed against the roof of Mako’s mouth as he pulled back.

“My family is here. We need to be quiet,” Iroh said, pushing Mako back onto the bed.

“You’re the loud one, not me,” Mako replied, before being consumed in Iroh’s kiss.

Chapter Text

Iroh was, at the heart of it, a creature of habit. Which is why he had jogged the same path through Republic City since he first arrived at eighteen.

Even as a General, he kept the same habit. Every morning, he woke with the sun, ate a light breakfast, jogged to work from his apartment. He would then shower in his private showers, though before making General he used the public ones, and change into his uniform to start the work day.

He, unlike some of his soldiers, lived off the ship when docked in Republic City. A few of his soldiers did the same, being from the city themselves and having actual homes they’d rather be staying at. So long as they showed back up to the ship by morning and didn’t cause any trouble, Iroh didn’t particularly care where they were at night.

When he first started dating Mako, he had expressed concern over Iroh’s morning jogging routine. Iroh had assured him that he’d never had issue with it, even if he did take a few short cuts through alleyways. Mako in particular took issue with this one alley, near the docks.

It was cramped and Mako recalled it as a haunt of some of the triads when he was younger. Iroh explained to him that the triad presence in the area had vanished a few years back, as the United Forces’ Navy started docking nearby, rather than over near Avatar Aang’s statue. Raiko didn’t like them being near the tourist sight and made them relocate.

As Iroh exited said alleyway, he turned to look for potential hazards and tripped over something at the exit of the alley. His fall was broken as he landed on something soft. Iroh quickly realized it was a person, in fact one of his own soldiers, and started apologizing as he stood.

That was when he realized, the woman he had landed on was dead.

Mako was never going to let him hear the end of this, which was fine, as Iroh was never jogging this way ever again.

He ran to the nearest shop across from the docks and demanded their phone. The bleary-eyed teen behind the counter handed it to him. Iroh probably should have called the cops, and technically he did, but as his fingers started dialing, it was his house phone he called.

“Hello? This is Mako,” Mako answered. “I have to leave soon, just so you know.”

“Mako?” Iroh said, his voice coming out strained. “I just tripped over the dead body of one of my soldiers near the docks, you might want to get your co-workers down here.”

“Shit, stay where you are,” Mako called, through the phone. “Where are you?”

“Ah,” Iroh said, “Where am I?”

The teen looked at him, no longer bleary eyed, but horrified as she glanced out the window.

“The corner of Yue Street and Bay Road, a small tea house called The Treat Shop,” the young woman replied, continuing to search outside the window for the body.
Iroh stepped into her line of vision and repeated back what she said to Mako. She didn’t need to see the body, Iroh didn’t even want to see it.

“Okay,” Mako said, “I’m calling Chief as soon as I get off the phone with you. If the first responders get there before I do, tell them you’re my fiancé and I’m on my way.”

“Okay, I love you,” Iroh said, feeling an overwhelming compulsion to make sure Mako knew that.

“I love you, too,” Mako said, his voice softening over the line. “Stay where you are.”

The line went dead and Iroh returned the phone to the teenager. “Um, I need to stay here,” Iroh said.

“Yeah,” she replied, “by all means, make yourself comfortable. We aren’t open yet but do you, like, need anything, sir?”

“I need to be back in bed with my fiancé,” Iroh replied, “but water would do.”

“You’re getting married?” she asked, as she got him a glass of water.

“Yeah,” Iroh replied, his voice sounded distant even to himself.

“How long have you been dating? When are you getting married?” she questioned.

“Three and a half years,” Iroh replied. “We’re getting married when the fire lilies bloom.”

“That’s cute,” she said.

The young woman continued to ask him questions and Iroh started to slowly feel more normal as she did.

He finally felt relaxed, only for the first responders to show up and stress him back out again.

“Mako’s my fiancé,” Iroh said, as he was led towards the back of an ambulance. “He’s on his way.”

“Detective Mako?” the paramedic asked.

“Yeah, he’s my fiancé,” Iroh answered. A shock blanket was wrapped around his shoulders and that’s when Iroh realized just how not okay he was. He pulled the blanket tighter to his body. “He’s on his way.”

“We will keep a look out then, okay?” the paramedic asked, directing him to sit down. “Are you hurt? We were told you fell.”

“Landed on the dead body,” Iroh replied. His body felt shaky in a way he hadn’t experienced since he first joined the military. “I’m fine.”

“Right,” the paramedic said, patting him on the shoulder and crawling past him into the ambulance. “You just relax until your fiancé gets here then.”

Iroh nodded.

Mako showed up a few minutes later. His motorcycle barely coming to a complete stop before Mako was off it and running towards him.

“Iroh,” Mako called. “Iroh, are you okay?”

Iroh shook his head and pulled Mako towards him.

“It’s different,” Iroh said, burying his face in Mako’s neck.

“What’s different?” Mako asked, hugging him tightly.

“Dead bodies,” Iroh said, blankly. “In war, they don’t come back looking too pretty. They look mangled and broken, the way they are. They are burned and crushed and sliced. Very rarely do they come back pristine and looking like they just chose to lay down and sleep on the sidewalk.”

“You’re in shock,” Mako said, rubbing Iroh’s shoulder.

“They gave me a blanket,” Iroh replied.

“I see that,” Mako said, giving a weak smile.

“Mako-Wako,” someone called.

“Kunuk,” Mako replied, turning to face a man dressed in a detective’s uniform with his hair pulled back in a low wolf’s tail, “should have known you’d be called.”

“Should have known you’d be called, too,” the man, Kunuk, replied.

Iroh saw Mako’s brows furrow.

“What do you mean?” Mako said.

Kunuk stepped back and took in the scene in front of him. “You weren’t called in because this is a Triad killing?” he asked.

“No, I wasn’t called in at all,” Mako said. “Chief gave me the day off when I called this in.”

“You found the body?” Kunuk asked in surprise.

“No, my fiancé did,” Mako said, pointing to Iroh.

“Hi,” Iroh said, waving weakly.

Kunuk looked Iroh up and down. “Huh, he’s hot,” he said. “How’d you nail this one, Mako-Wako?”

Mako cuffed Kunuk on the head playfully.

“Hey,” Kunuk called, glaring lightly at Mako. He turned to Iroh with a gentle smile. “I was out two times in the last five years and both times are when Baby Boss here, brings in his boyfriend. Name’s Kunuk.”

He reached out his hand for a handshake typical of Republic City and Iroh absentmindedly gripped it in the Water Tribe fashion instead. Kunuk smiled slightly.
“Oh, I do like him, Mako-Wako,” Kunuk replied.

Mako rolled his eyes. “Kunuk works homicide, more specifically serial murders. We’ve been working closely on a case that’s cross-fields currently,” Mako said.
“Triad related serial murders,” Kunuk replied with a nod, “always an interesting time.”

“Triad related?” Iroh asked, looking down at the body.

“Yeah, they suspect this kill falls in that pattern,” Kunuk said, completely unaware of the turmoil building in Iroh. “No discernible murder mark, looks to be sleeping, killed in the early hours of the morning, I mean the body’s not even in rigor mortis yet. Then we get them in to the morgue and somehow, without any marks, they have missing organs!”

“She’s one of mine,” Iroh said, cutting off the other man’s rambling.

“Shit,” Kunuk said, turning back to face Iroh, “she’s military?”

“Yes, a lieutenant,” Iroh said. “She’s an earthbender from Maizu, the youngest of three and the only girl. She was always saying the sibling stress rolled downhill and that’s why she was so good at her job. Well, I suppose that’s use to, now.”

“This mess gets more and more complicated by the day,” Kunuk said, rubbing his forehead. “Oh well. Mako-Wako, you take your boy home and spoil him crazy. I’ll clue you in whenever you come back. This is crazy. Military in a Triad related serial murder, shit. General as much as I hate to tell you this, I might be seeing more of you later, too.”

“Great,” Iroh said, blankly as Kunuk walked off.

“Is he okay to leave?” Mako asked the paramedics. Iroh didn’t hear them answer but they must have told Mako yes, as Mako wrapped his arm over Iroh’s shoulder and lead him towards his motorcycle.

Mako paused before turning back to Kunuk.

“Kunuk, your keys,” Mako called. “I’m stealing your car, take my bike back to the precinct. I’ll trade you when I get back.”

Mako threw his keys towards Kunuk and still managed to catch the keys Kunuk threw back.

Mako loaded him in the passenger seat, having to move police files to the dashboard for him, before moving to the driver’s seat.

“What’s my soldier mixed up in?” Iroh asked.

“I wish I had an answer for that,” Mako said. “It can’t be anything good. We’ve had an uptick in Triad activity recently, and shortly after people started showing up dead. It’s like Kunuk said, no obvious cause of death other than somehow missing vital organs, killed all around the same time, different days, and all led back to Triad activity when investigated.”

“The same Triad?” Iroh asked.

“No,” Mako replied. “Whoever’s killing, they are doing it for one of the Triads and they’re going after rival Triad’s members. They’ve all been low hanging fruits though. Never anyone high up in the chains of command. Either these people are more important than we are being led to believe or they are just at the wrong place, wrong time.”

“She was just,” Iroh started, “I just never would have guessed. She seemed so normal.”

“Roh, you do realize I used to be a member of the Triple Threat Triad, right?” Mako asked.

Iroh winced slightly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean anything by that,” Iroh said.

“I know, but it’s never who you expect,” Mako said. “That business man who works nine to five, that soldier who’s great at her job, that freckled faced kid smiling up at you, any of them, all of them, could be dragged into that life. Most of them aren’t there for fun either, most of them either got in over their head, or felt they had no other choice.”

“I know,” Iroh said, leaning his head against the glass window and pulling his stolen shock blanket tighter around his body. “Still, what a way to find out.”

“Certainly, an interesting one,” Mako said, pulling car into their apartment building’s garage.

They were silent as they entered their apartment. Iroh looked around the place slightly numb. Something about it seemed too normal for what just happened.

“Shit,” Mako said, suddenly, wiping at his face. “I try so hard not to bring this shit back to you and you wander right into it.”

“I’m not a fainting civilian,” Iroh muttered. “I’m a military General. I’ve seen death before.”

“It’s not the same,” Mako said, grabbing Iroh’s hand. “Your battlefields are large and on the best days, far away from civilians who can get hurt. I saw you with Kuvira’s attack, way out in front of the city to stop her military, and well away from our evacuation efforts. There’s a distance there. You don’t get close to the civilians, not normally. Your concern is the enemy on the other side of the line. My battlefield? It’s in back alleys like what you jogged through this morning. It’s in family homes, office spaces and school buildings. It’s where the civilians are, and there’s no escaping that knowledge in an investigation.”

Mako rested his other hand on Iroh’s shoulder. “I don’t know big huge battlefields like you do,” Mako said, “having at most fought random skirmishes with a handful of people. You don’t know the city’s underground like I do, having never had a reason to dive so deep into that darkness. It’s not me saying I think you’re too weak, it’s just not an extra weight I wanted on your shoulders.”

Iroh bit his lip slightly before kissing Mako. “Can we just spend the day in bed? I just want you to hold me,” Iroh said.

“Yeah,” Mako said, “go ahead and lay down and I’ll get you something to eat.”

Iroh followed Mako’s lead and sat down on the bed. After eating the soup Mako made for him they laid down together and Iroh fell asleep in Mako’s arms.

-----

He woke up later around dinner. He felt extremely disoriented, and slightly sick. He had slept too much. Mako had already been up and apparently cleaning, if the missing piles of laundry were anything to go by.

“Hey,” Iroh said, dragging his, newly acquired, shock blanket behind him into the kitchen.

“Hey,” Mako replied, stirring something on the stove top. “Chief called. She wants to know if you’re up to coming in to talk to her tomorrow? President Moon also called and said to take as long as you needed and to let her know if you were needed in the investigation. She’s sending some Commander to watch your crew in the meantime. Also, your sister called. I told her you were asleep and she said for you to call her back when you woke up. You’re a very popular person tonight.”

Iroh huffed as he sat at the island counter across from the stove top. “I’ll call her later. I already know what she wants. I guess I can go in tomorrow. Are you going in?” Iroh asked.

“Have to,” Mako said. “They think they’ve busted the case wide open, as far as who’s being targeted but they still don’t know who’s murdering who.”

“Oh?” Iroh asked, curiously.

Mako stared at him a moment. “Military,” Mako said. “The Triad going on a killing spree is killing military contacts. The first victim was retired but still had contacts, as he still worked for the government even if he wasn’t active military. The second was active military but on leave at the time. We’ve only just been able to fully identify who they were as they carried no identification on them at the time. The third was finally IDed this morning too, he’s also military. Kunuk just got back from visiting his family when he called me. Then we have a fourth who’s actually Earth Kingdom military and not United Forces. Then well, our victim from this morning.”

“So, you’re going to need me for more than just a witness,” Iroh said.

“Hey, the Triads have their military contacts and now we have ours,” Mako said, shrugging and pulling his pot off the stove. He plated out the stew he had made, handing a bowl across the island to Iroh before joining him.

“Well, it might explain a few things,” Iroh muttered.

“What?” Mako asked surprised.

“Our equipment has been going missing,” Iroh said, “or well we thought it was never being delivered, but if their insiders have been screwing with the paperwork, it may very well be that we got them and they were hidden.”

“What type of equipment?” Mako asked, getting up for his police notebook.

“Do not interrogate me at dinner,” Iroh called, glaring slightly over his shoulder.

Mako looked between the notebook and Iroh before, smiling sheepishly and making his way back to his chair. He wrapped his arms around Iroh’s middle and hugged him tightly.

“Sorry,” Mako said, kissing Iroh’s cheek. “You started explaining and my brain started making jumps.”

Iroh shook his head but smiled as Mako sat back down next to him.

Iroh waited until Mako was distracted with dishes to make his way to his office. It had become cramped since they shoved a second desk in here for Mako. Iroh had never really intended to live here, the apartment was only a place to sleep off the ship, but now that he and Mako were building a life here, it was proving much smaller than Iroh initially thought.

He did some quick math in his head, to figure out the time in the Fire Nation before calling his sister’s bedroom phone. She would be getting ready for bed around now. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be waking her up.

“Princess Ursa, speaking,” Ursa said, her fake publicity voice in place.

“Oh, wrong number I was looking for my bratty sister,” Iroh said.

“Funny,” Ursa said, talking normally. “I guess you don’t want to hear what I’ve found.”

Iroh sat back in his desk chair and placed his feet on Mako’s desk. His fiancé would have a fit, if he knew Iroh was doing it but he wasn’t here to stop him.

“Please,” Iroh whined through the phone, knowing the sound would irritate his sister.

“Nothing,” Ursa admitted. Iroh frowned.

“Nothing?” he asked.

“There’s no one named Naoki who lived in the Fire Nation around the time Mako’s mother should have, that fits her description,” Ursa said. “It’s insane.”

“No,” Iroh said. “What’s insane is what I found on my end.”

“You found her?” Ursa said, excitedly.

“No,” Iroh sighed, “I found, that she never got on the boat.”

“What?” Ursa asked. “That makes no sense!”

“Right,” Iroh said. “She got off the boat but never got on it according to the records.”

Ursa huffed into the phone and the two siblings sat in silence for a moment.

“I mean,” Ursa finally said, “you could just skip that part of the wedding?”

“No,” Iroh said. “It’s not good luck and Mako’s already said he’s fine with it just being my side. He’d get mad if I told him we weren’t doing it, because he’d know his missing family is the reason why.”

“You got yourself a stubborn one, Roh,” Ursa said.

“I know,” Iroh said, a smile forming on his face. It didn’t last long as his mind drifted back to his issue. How did a woman just spontaneously appear from nowhere?
The answer was sitting just out of reach.

“Hey,” Mako said, ducking his head into the room. “I’m running a, get your feet off my desk, I’m running a bath for when you’re done.”

“Thanks,” Iroh said, pulling his feet down. He waited till Mako left before returning them to their spot.

“Tell Mako I said, hi,” Ursa called through the phone.

“He already left, but I’ll tell him later,” Iroh said. He bit his lips and stared at his feet as the idea he was searching for finally formed. Naoki got off, so she had to have gotten on, but maybe Naoki wasn’t the one who got on.

“Hey, Ursa,” Iroh said, slowly. “Check missing person reports from around the time the ship left for anyone who looks like Naoki.”

“Why?” Ursa asked.

“Because I don’t think Naoki existed before she stepped off the boat. I think whoever Naoki was, got on that boat and disappeared there,” Iroh said, slowly. “Someone had to get on, to get off, someone had to disappear, for someone to appear.”

“I can do that but why would she have changed her identity?” Ursa asked.

“Could be she was running from something,” Iroh said. “Could have also been a spelling error, that happens frequently with immigration and in the military. Your name gets misspelled on too many legal documents, or someone thinks it too hard and spells it differently on purpose, and it just becomes your new name.”

“Alright,” Ursa said, “I’ll look. I’m going to bed now, Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Iroh said, hanging up the phone.

He stared at the phone for a moment before getting up to join Mako in the bath so as to forget his troubles until tomorrow morning.

-----

Iroh held Mako’s hand tightly as they entered the precinct. Iroh had been in here before but Mako wasn’t wrong with what he said last night, it really was another world to Iroh.

“Hey,” Chief Beifong said. “How are you holding up?”

“Been better,” Iroh said.

Mako squeezed his hand. “Iroh told me last night that he thinks the Triads may have been having a turf war over military equipment they’ve been stealing,” Mako said.

Chief Beifong raise an eyebrow. “Good morning to you, too, Mako,” she said. “What type of equipment?”

“From my ships?” Iroh asked. “Small things, like radios, transmitters, and medical supplies. The harder drugs, opioids and stuff have gone missing here and there. Other ships have been, ah, misplacing, artillery canons and the like. The huge ones, like what we have on our ships and planes.”

“How do you misplace an artillery gun?” Kunuk asked, walking up to the group. Chief Beifong shooed them into her office.

“That was my question when I was first informed it was missing,” Iroh said. “I only run so many ships myself. I’m not the Fleet captain or an Admiral. They are the ones responsible for all the ships. I have twenty under my personal command and the commanders who control the rest answer to me or General Cho. General Cho was the one missing six artillery guns of various sizes and purposes over the past six months. You’d need to ask him about that.”

“So now we know why military are being killed,” Kunuk said. “So, who’s doing the killing?”

“It’s going to be a Triad that has higher stakes in the military,” Mako said. “More than likely their contact is as high up as they could get them.”

“Triple Threats?” Kunuk asked.

“Maybe, but they and the Creeping Crystals both took a big hit a while back during the Presidential Election,” Mako said. He glanced slightly at Iroh who looked down. That entire situation had turned into a huge fight between the two over Iroh following orders rather than morals. He knew hosing down the airbenders had been wrong. He was glad he had a better boss now, and a fiancé who wasn’t afraid to shake him around when he made bad decisions.

“The Triple Threats have also been traced back to our fourth victim, so unless they tested their killing method on their own contact, I don’t think it’s them,” Mako said. “Same with the Agni Kais and victims’ number one and three.”

“So, one of the others?” Kunuk said.

“Probably,” Mako said. “I’d look into the Terra Triads and the Red Monsoons. Both have been expanding recently. I’ll post more watches on them and we will see what turns up. Hopefully we can find whatever corner this missing military equipment’s been tucked into. Until we have who victim two and five are tied to, those are our two likely suspects.”

“I hate process of elimination,” Kunuk complained. “It means a high body count.”

“Well, hopefully, we can smoke them out before their next kill,” Mako said, frowning.

“You two take whatever resources you need for this, and General Iroh is now officially on this case as ordered by President Moon this morning,” Chief Beifong said. “Mako, take your lover boy through the processes and rules around here.”

“Will do, Chief,” Mako said, dragging Iroh from Chief Beifong’s office over to his own.

He paused on the way to talk to a man sitting at a random desk. “Call the Triad Force members out right now and tell them to focus attention on the Agni Kais and the Red Monsoons. We’re looking for any warehouses that may be hiding military equipment. Don’t leave the other Triads unguarded,” Mako said.

“Got it Baby Boss,” the man said, turning to his radio.

Mako continued on towards his office.

“Do you really just answer to Baby Boss now?” Iroh asked, with a smile.

“They just get worse the higher rank I obtain,” Mako said, plopping into his chair and dragging Iroh into his lap.

“Baby beat cop? They mocked me mercilessly,” Mako said. “Newest detective of the Triad Task Force? Everything I did was cute. Baby Boss developed somewhere in there, but it got worse now that I’m the head of the Triad Task Force.”

“Aw,” Iroh said, squishing his fiancé’s face, “poor baby.”

Mako waved him off, before pulling him into a kiss.

When they pulled apart, Mako shooed Iroh off his lap and into one of the chairs opposite his desk.

“How are you hold up?” Mako asked, grabbing his hand across the desk.

“Better than I thought,” Iroh said.

“Good because I’m going to have to throw you in the deep end,” Mako said, before launching into the most long-winded discussion Iroh had ever had in his life. His boyfriend really needed to learn what need-to-know information actually meant. The founding of the Task Force, while fascinating, wasn’t relevant to a murder investigation.

-----

“Hey,” Iroh said, sliding into the circular booth next to Asami. He had started spending more time with Mako’s friends over the past few months and found to his surprise that he meshed well with the group.

Mako followed him into the booth, taking up the end of the table and the seat opposite his brother. “Sorry, we’re late, the last two days have been interesting to say the least,” Iroh said, sheepishly.

“Oh?” Asami asked, placing down her menu. “Is it something we can help with?”

“Got a device that wipes away nightmares?” Mako asked. “Or that can catch murders?”

“Ah, no,” Asami said, her eyes going wide.

“Nightmares?” Opal asked.

“I’m more concerned about the murder part,” Korra said, pointing across the table at Mako.

Mako sighed.

“Just a case I’m working on. Someone’s killing Triad military contacts,” Mako said. “It’s in the papers if you want to read more but that’s all we really have. Iroh found our latest body and now he’s been dragged into it. I know he’s not their demographic, not being affiliated with a Triad but I’ve not been sleeping well these past two nights, worried about him.”

Iroh looked over at Mako and grabbed his hand. “Hey, don’t worry about me,” Iroh said. “I’ll be fine.”

Mako turned to him and for the first time Iroh realized just how tired his fiancé was.

Iroh sighed and placed as kiss on Mako’s forehead. “I’m not worried, because I know you’ve done everything in your power to make me safe,” Iroh said. “I’ve never felt safer knowing that.”

Mako nodded but he still looked upset.

“Forget the craziness of the police force for a bit,” Mako said, changing the topic. “What’s going on with Avatar stuff or the new Air Nation?”

“The Air Nation is really settling in and hitting our stride,” Opal said. “I actually only have ten more forms to learn and master before I can get my mastery tattoos. I should have them by this time next year at the latest.”

“My girlfriend, the Master Airbender,” Bolin said, “can you believe it?”

“That’s fantastic!” Iroh said. “Are there any others? My father mentioned something similar.”

“Only Kai,” Opal said, “but Ryu isn’t too far behind and Ikki may also be getting hers.”

“No Meelo?” Korra asked.

“No, Tenzin says he’s not mature enough,” Opal said. “Until he grows up a bit more, he doesn’t think Meelo needs them. He’s worried Meelo only sees them as a status symbol.”

“Yeah,” Mako said, taking a sip of his drink, “I can see that.”

“As for Avatar stuff,” Korra said with a sigh, “there’s a lot going on. Asami’s been a great help with her housing development plan but there’s still a lot of issues between humans and spirits. The spirit activity in the city has gone through the roof. I don’t know how to ease the tensions.”

“It’s just one of those things that takes time,” Iroh said, shrugging. “Not really comparable but even now, nearly seventy-five years later, tensions are still running high between the Fire Nation and the rest of the world. Change takes time. Spirits and humans think so differently, it’s going to be a serious learning curve but as my mother often says, the past can’t be changed, the future has to be shaped.”

Korra smiled slightly. “I guess so, still, I feel so much obligation,” she said. “It’s my fault the spirit vines are all over the city. It’s my fault there’s a portal now in the middle of Republic City. So many people have lost their homes and spirits are tired of humans vacationing in their space.”

Asami grabbed her hand tightly. “It’s not your fault Korra,” Asami said. “It’s just something that happened and it’s admirable that you are putting in so much effort to smooth things over.”

“It can’t go both ways though,” Mako said, a furrow in his brow. “The spirits can’t invade our world, then say we can’t come over to theirs, that’s not fair.”

“Spirits sadly don’t think like that,” Korra said.

“And there’s no way to explain it to them?” Bolin asked.

“I’ve tried everything,” Korra said. “They want to be involved in our world but they think we are corrupt and don’t want us in their world.”

“They are trying to fix us,” Asami said, her eyes lighting up with clarity.

“Fix us?” Opal asked.

“They think we are wrong,” Asami explained, “so they want to change our world, but if we are wrong and they are right, then us being in their world only causes issue.”

“That’s not their decision to make,” Mako pointed out.

“No,” Korra said, dropping her face in her hand, “now how to make them see that.”

The group traded looks but everyone seemed lost on an answer so they changed the topic again.

“So,” Bolin said, “are we just ignoring the fact that every time we see Mako and Iroh, they look more and more alike?”

“Do we?” Mako asked, looking Iroh over.

“Pretty sure that’s Iroh’s coat,” Opal said, giggling slightly. “I’ve only ever seen him wearing it before now.”

Iroh and Mako looked at Mako’s coat, only for Iroh to realize Opal was right. Mako had stolen his coat.

“Great, we’re that couple,” Iroh joked. It broke the tension nicely as their dinner continued.

-----

That night Iroh got another call from Ursa.

“General Iroh speaking,” he said, placing the receiver to his ear.

“Yes, I’m calling about the Private Fire footie pajamas you requested? They can’t be delivered to the Fire Nation Palace do you have another address?” Ursa said.

“Fuck off,” Iroh said, into the phone. Mako looked up from where he was working at his desk. “My sister thinks she’s funny.”

Mako nodded and went back to what he was doing.

“So, how’s the hunt going?” Iroh asked, keeping his words vague.

“Nothing, again,” Ursa said. “There’s only one woman who went missing around the right time and who got on the boat. She looks nothing like Naoki, save maybe her eyebrows, but that was a common fashion trend back then.”

“Yeah, but Mako’s are naturally like that, he got them from his mother,” Iroh said. “He styles them but only so they don’t look wild.”

“What?” Mako asked.

“Your eyebrows,” Iroh said, “Ignore us.”

“You and your sister are so odd,” Mako said, closing his file and turning his attention on Iroh. Iroh mentally cursed.

“Tell Mako I said, hi,” Ursa called.

Iroh rolled his eyes. “Ursa said hi,” Iroh repeated, sitting down in his desk chair and placing his feet in Mako’s lap. If Mako was going to stare at him instead of work, then he could at least make himself useful as a foot rest.

“So,” Iroh said, talking to his sister again, “that was a dead end?”

Iroh tried to jerk his foot away as Mako started ticking him. He couldn’t get it free and had to bite his lip as he tried to listen to his sister’s response.

“Basically, unless you know something that can completely change a woman’s appearance so drastically,” Ursa asked. “These two women don’t even look like they could be related, let alone the same person.”

“Plastic surgery?” Iroh asked, slightly breathless. Mako looked at him oddly, but at least he paused in his tickle attack.

“On the boat?” Ursa questioned.

Iroh sighed. “Good point,” Iroh said. “I’ll keep thinking on this end and you keep thinking on that end and we’ll catch back up in a week, okay?”

“Sure,” Ursa said, “and for what it’s worth, I’m sorry this isn’t going to plan. I know how much this means to you.”

“I just want him to have something nice,” Iroh said, glancing at Mako who was staring at him.

“He’s lucky to be marrying into such an awesome family,” Ursa joked. “Tell him I said that.”

“Ursa said you’re lucky to be marrying into such an awesome family,” Iroh repeated.

Mako stuck his tongue out at the phone.

“His replied by sticking his tongue out,” Iroh said to Ursa.

“Eww, I’ll leave that to you then,” Ursa said. “Have fun love birds, I love you both.”

“Love you too, Ursa,” Iroh said.

“What? No reply from Mako?” Ursa asked.

“Mako loves you too,” Iroh said, rolling his eyes.

Mako snorted but didn’t correct him.

“That’s what I thought,” Ursa said. “Night, Roh.”

“Night, Ursa,” Iroh replied.

Iroh hung up the phone and turned to Mako.

“Do I even want to know what conversation you two had that involves my eyebrows, plastic surgery and giving me something nice?” Mako asked.

“What? You don’t want plastic surgery on your eyebrows?” Iroh joked, stand up slightly only to plop himself into Mako’s lap.

“Weirdo,” Mako said, locking his hands behind Iroh’s back.

Iroh hummed and leaned in to kiss Mako. Mako’s warm hand slipped under his shirt and trailed up his back as he picked Iroh up and carried him to their room.

-----

Iroh held Mako’s hand tightly as the two braced themselves against the biting cold morning. Iroh huffed out a breath, flames falling from his parted lips.

They were headed towards the precinct that morning. It was still dark out, as the two were called in early when Kunuk told them they found who Iroh’s lieutenant had been working with. The Terra Triad had been the ones stealing drugs and small electronics off his ship. The other victim had belonged to the Red Monsoons. This cracked the case fully open with only one Triad in the city being left, The Creeping Crystals.

“Why’s it so cold?” Iroh asked. “It’s spring!”

“Eh, I guess no one told the weather that,” Mako said. “Next time we should probably drive, even if it is only a few blocks away.”

“I guess,” Iroh said, “but the weather was supposed to be fine today.”

“Republic City weather is always weird,” Mako said, pulling Iroh closer as the sidewalk got more crowded.

“That’s true,” Iroh replied.

Mako grunted with impatience and pulled them through an alleyway.

“I thought alleyways were bad?” Iroh jokingly asked.

“They are but I’m in a hurry,” Mako said.

Iroh laughed slightly before slamming into Mako’s back.

“What?” Iroh asked.

Mako placed a finger to his lip and wrapped himself firmly in front of Iroh.

Iroh peered over Mako’s shoulder but couldn’t see anything. They stood in silence listening to an odd liquid squelching sound. The sound disappeared and when Mako stepped forward a body came into focus.

Iroh recognized him. General Cho had docked in the city three days ago, to check on Iroh’s ships for him.

The man’s eyes were blown wide as they locked on Mako and Iroh.

He appeared to be trying to gasp for breath but his chest wasn’t moving up and down with his attempts. An odd gurgling sound was escaping his mouth instead.

Before they could help him, he stopped breathing.

Mako looked back at Iroh, fear shining in his eyes.

Whatever just happened, wasn’t normal by any definition of the word.

Iroh ran off, straight to the precinct, while Mako dealt with keeping people back from the body.

This case was nowhere near over.

-----

Iroh was sitting on the sofa in their living room staring off into space as his brain tried to puzzle through his two growing issues.

Nothing in his life made sense anymore.

Mako’s mother didn’t exist and somehow people’s organs could just go missing.

Add to the fact that General Cho was now a potential Triad member and Iroh’s head was pounding with overstimulation.

President Moon wanted to talk to him about General Cho, but Iroh wasn’t sure what he could really tell her. They worked well together, at least, Iroh though they did, but they weren’t close.

Iroh had never really served alongside General Cho, not even in the battle against Amon, Unalaq or Kuvira. Other than his, not so, missing artillery guns, Iroh didn’t even really keep up with him.

“Here,” Mako said, startling Iroh from his thoughts.

Iroh focused back in on the world, to find a cup of tea in front of him.

“Thank you,” Iroh replied, grabbing the cup. He took a sip, before side eyeing Mako. It was chamomile tea. Iroh drank some more, hoping maybe Mako was onto something and it really would help him sleep.

He felt Mako sit next to him.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Mako said, watching him carefully. “I could hear the gears turning from the kitchen.”

“The kitchen isn’t that far,” Iroh joked. “This place is tiny.”

Mako made a face at that, before leaning against Iroh. Iroh lifted his right arm and threw it over Mako’s shoulder. Mako quickly settled into Iroh’s side, linking his left hand with the one over his shoulder.

Iroh ran his fingers of the burn scars that covered Mako’s entire hand, glad that all the problems that had plagued them with the injury for the first two months of their engagement were long behind them. He didn’t think he could handle the extra pressure from that right now.

“Are you okay?” Mako asked, after a while of silence.

“I don’t really know anymore,” Iroh said. “It’s a lot. I don’t think I could do what you do long term.”

“Ha,” Mako said. “I know I couldn’t do what you do long term.”

Iroh huffed. “You’d be better at it than you’d think,” he said.

“I’d smart off one too many times and get thrown out,” Mako said.

Iroh paused for a moment. “Yeah, probably,” Iroh admitted, smiling slightly at the thought.

“The real question,” Mako said, “is how you didn’t get thrown out.”

“Because my dear, Mako,” Iroh said, “I know when to hold my tongue.”

“Do you?” Mako asked, turning more towards Iroh. “I’ve never seen this supposed skill of yours.”

“Maybe I just feel comfortable saying what I want to you,” Iroh said, tilting his head up in fake haughtiness.

“Oh, is that it?” Mako asked. “Are you sure it’s not because you’re a brat prince?”

Iroh laughed. “Maybe I just feel comfortable being a brat prince around you,” Iroh corrected, turning to drop a kiss on Mako’s head.

Mako laughed too. “I love you, Brat Prince,” Mako said. “Let’s go to bed.”

Iroh sighed placing his tea cup down as Mako stood.

“Come on,” Mako said, pulling him to his feet. “Just forget about everything driving you crazy, right now. Just for tonight.”

“Alright,” Iroh said, letting Mako pull him towards their room.

He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, far more tired than he thought he was.

-----

“How have you been, Iroh?” his grandfather asked, looking across the table with concern.

Iroh’s grandfather was only here for the morning and had asked for company with his breakfast. Mako had been locked away at the precinct all night last night and Iroh had truthfully only left it this morning.

Their only potential piece of evidence, or rather lack of evidence if they were being honest, that the Creeping Crystals had been behind these murders, had gone up in flames. Their latest victim, General Cho, belonged to them, leaving none of the Triads as the potential murders.

Chief Beifong had given Mako, Kunuk and Iroh a long lecture about jumping to conclusions over lack of evidence and supposed connections. They had been wasting time and resources with Triads, when the Triads hadn’t even been involved. Mako’s attempt to defend their conclusions hadn’t gone over well and he was still licking his wounds from his mentor tearing him a new one.

Mako had given up on watching the Triads after that, at least as far as the murders went. He was still searching for all the missing military equipment, though. He had a lead that said it was shipped off shore but that was all he had on that front.

Instead of watching, Mako had gone to talk directly to the leaders of each Triad. The fact that Mako was on first name basis with the people he was trying to arrest, was both amusing and concerning.

Mako said it was because they were slightly untouchable. They had a form of diplomatic immunity that money could buy and while a less corrupt President proved useful in trying to take down the Triads, the courts were still full of those who liked lined pockets.

Mako was at a stalemate with the leaders and they all knew it, which meant they often humored Mako with meet ups. Mako didn’t dare touch the top of the chains of command unless he knew he had them trapped. Currently, that wasn’t the case.

The only good thing that came of Mako’s talks, was the fact that now the Triads of the city were on the lookout too. They had no issue handing over whoever was murdering their military contacts should they find them, though Mako seemed to think they’d be delivered in a body bag.

“There’s just been a lot going on,” Iroh said. “I’m trying to help with this case and the military is dealing with a lot of changes. General Cho just died and there’s no lead as to who the murderer could be. On top of that, my personal life’s a bit off as Ursa and I can’t find Mako’s mother’s family. It’s like she doesn’t exist before Republic City!”

His grandfather stared at him across the table with shock. “Yes,” he said, “I suppose that is a lot. I can try to help you, if you wish.”

“I can’t tell you about the case,” Iroh said. “At least the parts not already published.”

“Then talk to me about Mako’s mother,” he said.

Iroh sighed. “Mako’s mother got off a boat in Republic City,” Iroh explained, “but she never got on the boat. I eventually told Ursa to look for missing person reports and she still couldn’t find anyone who looked like Naoki. She found a woman who got on the boat and not off but they look nothing alike! Ursa says she wouldn’t even think them related, they looked so different.”

His grandfather hummed slightly. “Have I ever told you the story of my mother and the Mother of Faces?” he asked.

“The Mother of Faces?” Iroh repeated. “No, I’ve never heard of that.”

“Well, as you know my mother changed her name from Ursa to Noriko,” his grandfather said.

“Yeah, to hide from you father, right?” Iroh said.

“Yes, but there is more to the story than that,” he explained. “You see when my mother ran it was because she had killed my grandfather.”

Iroh’s eyes went wide but he didn’t comment. It wasn’t the wildest story his family had.

“She had to flee the palace,” his grandfather continued. “My parents were not happily married. My mother was in love with another man, so when she ran, she wished to return to him, but she was afraid that my father would find her. That was when she met the Mother of Faces, a spirit who was able to give her a new face and a new name. My mother looked completely different to what you knew her to look like, when I was a child.”

Iroh understood what his grandfather was trying to tell him. “You think the two women, despite looking differently, are the same?” Iroh asked. “That Naoki also met this Mother of Faces?”

“It sounds like it,” his grandfather replied.

“They do have the same eyebrows,” Iroh muttered.

“One feature remains the same,” his grandfather said, nodding slightly. “For my mother it was her eyes. They are also only allowed memories of one person to tie them back to an older life.”

“I’ll pass that along to Ursa and see if she can find anything more with that new information,” Iroh said. “Now if only my other problems could be blamed on the spirits.”

“If only,” his grandfather replied.

Iroh sat up straight in his seat. “Granddad, do you know of any spirits that take the organs of people?” Iroh asked.

-----

Iroh burst in the door of Mako’s office.

“Mako,” he called. “Is there any possibility our murderer is a spirit?”

Mako blinked at him slightly, as did Kunuk who was sitting across from him.

“Ah, I’m not sure,” Mako said. “Why?”

“My Granddad was telling me about this spirit and I asked him if there were any spirits that took people’s organs. He said they are called Mōryō. Apparently, Avatar Aang once had to deal with one messing with a village. Usually they go after the already dead but they’ve been known to kill if they want,” Iroh explained.

“That would fit the profiles we have,” Kunuk said. “If this spirit has a way to eat the organs without destroying the body.”

“It would also explain how Iroh and I never saw a person leave our latest crime scene,” Mako said. “There wasn’t a person. Now, how do we take this to Chief Beifong without her yelling at us about hunches again?”

“We find proof,” Kunuk said, “and hope it’s sound this time.”

“I’ll tell Chief that we want to investigate a spirit angle, we won’t jump to conclusions this time and outright accuse the spirits, but there’s no reason we can’t go asking around. It’s a possibility, as much as anything at this point, and I want to see where this string leads. I’ll see if Korra can help,” Mako said, slowly. “If she can get the other spirits to talk to her, we may have better luck finding our answer.”

“I wish you the best of luck with that,” Kunuk said, slapping Mako’s desk before standing and leaving the room.

“Lock the door and pull down the blinds,” Mako said, before gesturing Iroh closer.

Iroh did what he was told before moving towards Mako.

“You did good,” Mako said, pulling Iroh into a kiss. “Even if this idea proves wrong or we can’t prove it, I’m proud of you. You would make a fantastic detective.”

Iroh smiled at Mako. “I wanted this solved as much as you did,” Iroh said.

Mako kissed him again, this time on his neck. He bit below Iroh’s ear at that spot that drove Iroh mad.

“A very, good job,” Mako whispered against his neck. “So sexy when you do something smart.”

“So, I’m always sexy?” Iroh asked, smiling harder as Mako kissed his neck again.

“I didn’t say that,” Mako joked. Iroh popped him on the shoulder and Mako chuckled into his neck. “I guess you don’t want your reward then?”

“Oh,” Iroh replied, finally understanding why Mako wanted him to shut the blinds.

-----

“Princess Ursa can’t come to the phone right now,” Ursa’s secretary said. “May I ask who’s calling.”

“It’s Iroh,” Iroh said, hoping maybe whatever was occupying his sister wouldn’t apply to him. He was right as Ursa was soon on the phone.

“Did you find something on your end because mine is a bust,” Ursa said.

“Actually, Granddad may have solved our mystery,” Iroh said.

“Granddad?” Ursa asked. “What did he find?”

“There’s this spirit called the Mother of Faces,” Iroh said. “She can change a person’s appearance. She apparently did so for our great-grandmother and I’m thinking she maybe did it for Naoki. What if that woman who got on the boat but never got off and Naoki are the same woman, one before the other Mother of Faces and one after?”

“I guess,” Ursa said, slowly. “Kasumi is the woman’s name. She has a sister named, Ichiko, who filed the missing person report. I’ll see if I can track her down and ask if she knows anything, but don’t get your hopes up.”

“Ursa, you’re the best,” Iroh replied.

“I know,” she said, before hanging up the phone.

“Love you too, brat,” Iroh said, rolling his eyes as he placed the phone down.

-----

“Well, Iroh,” Mako said. “It looks like you got it right.”

Iroh startled slightly as Mako slid into their bedroom.

“Oh?” Iroh said.

“Korra took a trip to the spirit world to ask around about the case,” Mako said. “A few of the nicer spirits started talking. Word in the spirit world is a Mōryō saw the military working with the Triad members as dishonest and felt they no longer needed to be living. If it got free snacks out of it, that was just bonus. Korra’s going to track the spirit down tomorrow.”

“Oh?” Iroh repeated, still not sure what to say to that.

“Yep,” Mako said, taking off his utility belt and placing it on top of their dresser. “I’m going with her. Do you want to come?”

“Have I ever told you of my secret desire to be a member of Team Avatar?” Iroh asked.

“Aww,” Mako said, sliding into bed with Iroh, now that he was just in his underwear. “Are you a fanboy, Iroh?”

Mako moved as if to kiss Iroh.

“Shut up,” Iroh said, pushing Mako’s face away.

“What? It’s cute,” Mako said, trying to plant a kiss on Iroh’s cheek.

Iroh was blushing hard and holding Mako at a distance.

Mako and him tussled for a bit before, Iroh gained the upper hand. He was, just the slightest bit, stronger than his fiancé.

“In all seriousness,” Mako said, giving up on stealing a kiss, and instead tugging on a lock of Iroh’s hair, “do you want to come?”

“Yeah,” Iroh said, rolling his eyes as Mako sneak attacked him when he dropped his guard.

“Good,” Mako said, smiling smugly and kissing Iroh again.

-----

Iroh followed Mako and Korra into the spirit wilds. He had never been in them before, and was slightly hesitant to go into them now.

Mako reached his hand back and pulled Iroh forward with him.

“Hello,” Korra said, leaning down to talk to a spirit that looked like some kind of potato. “Do you know where I can find the Mōryō, responsible for the murders you told me about yesterday?”

“You have to promise not to hurt them,” the potato spirit thing said. “They don’t understand that they did something wrong.”

“You told them we were coming?” Mako asked.

“Yes,” the potato spirit thing said. Iroh wasn’t very reassured by that but he supposed to the spirits, such a thing wouldn’t be a secret.

Korra traded looks with Mako and Iroh before leading them deeper into the collection of spirit vines.

The potato spirit thing started climbing one of the vines. Korra launched herself up after using airbending. Iroh nearly followed with firebending before thinking twice with the spirit vines around. The last thing he wanted was to piss off the spirits by burning down the spirit wilds.

He and Mako made it up there a fair bit after Korra, who already appeared to be in an argument with the Mōryō.

Iroh nearly recoiled upon looking at it. It was small, as it came up to about his knees. It was completely red in color and had oddly shaped ears. Its hair was long and fine. It looked silky and reminded Iroh of the type of hair he would see back home.

“They were wrong, why would you want them?” the spirit asked. Its voice, while slightly horrifying, sounded as if it was coming from under water. His grandfather had told him that the spirits often inhabit woodlands and waterways.

“It’s not your call to interfere in our justice system,” Korra said. “When people are wrong, we give them a trail and then if they are guilty, they go to jail. We don’t just kill them because we can.”

“You invited us,” the Mōryō insisted. “We can interfere where we wish. It is not for you to decide what we can and cannot do Avatar. We will not cooperate with those who wish us ill.”

“I’m not trying to dictated you but no, you can’t,” Korra said, slightly frustrated. “If the portals are staying, we have to work together. You can’t ignore our laws. If you want to work with in them, that’s fine but you can’t just do what you want with no regard for us. If you don’t want us interfering in the spirit world, then you can’t interfere here.”

“Then what would you have me do Avatar?” the spirit said. “It is my nature.”

“We aren’t telling you not to take what you need,” Iroh butted in, “but don’t take them from living people. You can take them from the dead yes?”

“Certainly,” the spirit said, it’s blank eyes finally reaching Iroh’s own. There was no light in them, just complete darkness, like the bottom of the ocean. The worst part was how that one word sounded, as if it didn’t matter to the spirit, a dead human or a living one, made no difference to it.

“Then stop,” Iroh said, his voice shakier than expected. “Take your organs from the dead and leave our living alone. Even the bad ones, they belong to us.”

“But they were wrong, why would you want them?” the Mōryō asked, again. “They are corrupt and needed to be removed.”

Iroh sighed as Korra and Mako groaned.

This was going to take a while. His grandfather, Aang, had once told him spirits didn’t really understand human morals. Iroh was beginning to understand that for himself.

-----

Iroh collapsed on the bed when he and Mako got home. The spirit had run them in circles for hours before it finally understood what they were saying. At least, Iroh hoped it finally understood and wasn’t just humoring them so they’d go away.

Iroh supposed, as morbid as the thought was, they would find out if another body ever dropped. As it was, with the spirit admitting to the crime, they were finally able to close the case, even if the courts were now having a fit over how to add spirits to their laws.

Chief Beifong was both pleased and irritated by the answer they found. It was a shut and closed case, what with the spirit admitting they did it, not even slightly ashamed, but it opened way too many new avenues at once. They weren’t able to arrest the Mōryō, as it was a spirit. They technically had no way of taking the potato spirit’s word as a witness or character testimony. Most importantly, there was no real way for the Mōryō to give a confession. The case, while technically shut, was in perpetual limbo until the courts worked out some answers.

The phone rang and Iroh groaned. He looked over at Mako but already knew his fiancé was asleep, as he was snoring softly.

Iroh sighed as he lifted himself up from his bed and made his way into his office.

“Hello, General Iroh speaking,” he said sleepily.

“You okay?” Ursa said.

“Fine, it’s just been a long day,” Iroh said.

“Okay, well I have some good news,” Ursa said.

“Oh,” Iroh replied, perking up.

“Ichiko, knew exactly what I was talking about when I asked about her sister. She even knew the name Naoki. Apparently, her sister would write to her occasionally from Republic City which was why Kasumi’s missing person report was soon retracted,” Ursa said. “She asked why I wanted to know and I lied saying there was an inconsistency in the records I wanted to fix. When I asked why Kasumi would run, she didn’t answer. I think you’ll need Mako to get that out of her. If you want to go talk to her about their family shrine, I can take you to them, but you’ll have to come here.”

Iroh sighed deeply. “I’ll ask Mako about it when he gets up,” Iroh said. “I’ll tell him it’s a family thing and hope he doesn’t feel the need to come with.”

“Alright,” Ursa said, “hopefully I’ll see you soon. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Iroh said, hanging up the phone.

“Yes!” he shouted to the empty room before doing a small victory dance for himself.

-----

Iroh nervously knocked on the door of the farm house.

It was opened by a nice-looking woman who looked about his age.

She gasped slightly before dropping into a bow.

“Prince Iroh, is there something my family can help you with,” she asked.

“Is Ichiko home?” Iroh asked, waving his hand so she’d stand up straight.

“Yes, I’ll go get my mother right away,” the young woman said, before running off. She left the door open and a small cat made its way towards him.

Iroh leaned down to pet it. He was still petting it when Mako’s aunt arrived at the door.

“Prince Iroh?” she asked, bowing herself. “What can I assist you with?”

“Hi,” Iroh said smiling and again, waving her bowing away. “This may sound a bit odd but I’m getting married soon and my fiancé’s parents died when he was very young. He’s since found his father’s side but his mother’s side has remained a mystery. I wanted him to have a family shrine to pray to on our wedding day, so I tracked her down. That proved a little difficult. Anyway, I think I’m marrying your nephew Mako.”

The woman gasped slightly and whispered to herself, “Kasumi’s eldest?”

Iroh smiled slightly to himself, knowing he’d found the right people.

Chapter Text

Mako woke to pale sunlight filtering into the room. He groaned and rolled over to bury his face into Iroh’s back. Iroh hummed and lifted his hand back to cup Mako’s face.

“Morning,” Iroh said. “We should be in the Fire Nation in an hour.”

Mako hummed and kissed Iroh’s palm.

“Why’d we take a ship instead of an airship again?” Mako asked.

“Because,” Iroh said, rolling over, “I wanted more time with you alone before everything becomes hectic.”

“Right,” Mako replied. “This is going to be very chaotic.”

“Of course,” Iroh said, smiling. “It’s our friends and family who are coming, but don’t worry too much about it. We’ll be gone to Omashu before you know it.”

Mako smiled up at Iroh as the other man boxed him in against the mattress. “I look forward to it,” Mako said, wrapping his arms around the back of Iroh’s neck. He pulled the other man closer and kissed him.

“We need to get dressed,” Iroh muttered against Mako’s lips.

“Fine,” Mako said, pushing at Iroh to get off. Iroh didn’t budge and instead started planting kisses along Mako’s face and neck. “What happened to getting dressed?”

“You started it,” Iroh muttered against Mako’s ear.

“Well, if you want to show up to the Fire Nation in pajamas that’s your deal but I want to have actual clothes on,” Mako said.

“Making a good impression on the people?” Iroh asked, finally letting Mako free.

“I hope so,” Mako said, sitting up. He didn’t look at Iroh as he said it.

“Hey,” Iroh said, lifting Mako’s head. Mako saw the worry in Iroh’s eyes. “I love you, Mako. More than anything and my people will too. I promise you.”

“I’ll trust you then,” Mako said, leaning forward to draw Iroh into one last kiss before they moved to get dressed.

Once dressed Iroh lead Mako out onto the deck of the ship. Mako looked up at the Dragon Gates, formally the Gates of Azulon. They were as beautiful as Iroh had described, with two dragons guarding the entrance to the Fire Nation capital.

Iroh had wrapped himself completely around Mako and held him tightly as the ship docked in the main port.

There were guards lined up the street keeping the civilians back as they tried to catch a glimpse of Iroh and Mako.

“Wasn’t expecting so many people,” Mako said.

“It’s been a while since there’s been a Fire Nation Royal wedding,” Iroh said. “They are just very excited. There will be even more of them at the parade.”

Mako had nearly forgotten about the parade. It was a confusing concept to be paraded through the streets for random people to look at them but Iroh said it was a royal tradition so that the people of the nation didn’t feel left out of the festivities.

The gangplank dropped and Iroh offered his arm to Mako. Mako wrapped his arm around Iroh’s, more for reassurance then public appearance, as they walked onto the civilian covered dock.

Fire Lord Izumi was waiting for them at the bottom.

“Welcome home, Prince Iroh,” she said, opening her arms for a hug. Iroh was quick to hug his mother but Mako stalled slightly before Izumi pulled him into his own hug. “Hello, Mako, are you excited?”

“More then, but also extremely nervous,” Mako said.

“Yes, that’s to be expected,” Izumi said, looping her arms with both of theirs and walking them back towards the palace. “Everything seems to be falling into place perfectly, the only thing for you two to do is show up and get married.”

“Everything is accounted for?” Iroh asked, putting an odd emphasis on the words.

“Yes, even that, Iroh,” Izumi said, rolling her eyes towards Mako.

Mako smiled knowing what she was getting at. Iroh was a bit of a control freak but Mako himself didn’t really have the room to comment.

“The schedule is all set,” Izumi continued. “The pre-wedding party is planned for tonight with only those invited to the wedding, then we’ll have the family dinner tomorrow night. You’ll have until noon to visit the family shrine on your actual wedding day but then you need to be back here to start getting ready. The wedding should end somewhere around sunset and the afterparty starts then which is semi-open to the public. We are only allowing the first hundred people in so it’s a first come first serve basis. Then you’ll get the night to refresh before the sendoff parade the next morning and I’ve already made your father promise to behave.”

“Great,” Iroh said. “I’m already exhausted just from listening to that.”

“You think you’re exhausted? I’ve been wedding prepping here for the past two months,” Izumi said. “Why do you think your father and I eloped?”

Mako laughed. “Is that still an option?” Mako asked.

“Yes,” Iroh replied.

“No,” Izumi corrected, glaring at her son.

“Hypocrisy,” Iroh called, pointing at his mother in accusation. Izumi looked at him and Iroh’s arm dropped. “I mean I respect and trust your advisement mother.”

Mako burst into laughter. “Now if only I could learn how to get him to do that,” Mako joked.

Izumi shook her head. “Don’t worry about the ceremony,” she said, grabbing both their hands as they came to a stop outside the palace doors. “I have everything planned out. You two just have fun and cherish this moment together, okay?”

Iroh pulled his mother into a hug. “Thanks, mom,” he said. “Seriously, this was so much more hassle than I was expecting.”

Izumi kissed the top of Iroh’s head before doing the same to Mako. She then walked in the opposite direction than Iroh dragged Mako in.

Mako had never actually been to the capital. He had been to Ember Island with Iroh a few times since they started dating but never the capital. He was beginning to think that was a minor oversight as the palace was overwhelmingly large. He was worried he would get lost.

“Mako!”

Mako peered around Iroh to see Bolin barreling towards him, Korra, Asami and Opal behind him.

“We were wondering when you would get here,” Bolin said. “We didn’t realize you leaving separately meant we would get here days before!”

“Yeah, sorry,” Mako said, “we just wanted to be alone for a bit longer before the chaos of the wedding.”

“I didn’t realize how long Fire Nation weddings are,” Korra said. “Three days! It’s crazy compared to the Tribes where if you do even bother with a ceremony it’s over and done with within a few hours.”

Mako smiled at Korra’s outfit. Even though the actual ceremony wasn’t for another two days, Korra had already replaced the white accents on her outfit with purples and browns.

“What would you do if I told you this is on the shorter side,” Iroh joked.

“That’s a lie,” Korra said, her eyes widening. Iroh smiled but said nothing, leaving Korra hanging.

“You two look great,” Opal said.

Mako looked down at what they were wearing confused. It wasn’t anything special.

“Not your clothes,” Opal clarified, “there’s just so much happiness in the way the two of you are standing and smiling.”

“Oh,” Mako said, looking back at Iroh. He couldn’t help the large smile that stretched across his face as he did so. “Yeah, I guess we are.”

“These are the guest suites, Mako,” Iroh said, gesturing behind Korra and Asami. “I figured I’d show you where your friends were staying before we went to my room to unpack.”

“You mean to hide,” Mako asked, laughing a bit.

“Hide, unpack, same words,” Iroh said.

“We will see you later,” Mako said, hugging Bolin before following Iroh away.

“There’s so many people here,” Iroh said. Mako could hear the strain in his voice and reached up to rub his back. Iroh didn’t do very well with crowds or too much social interaction. Mako was the same and they both knew the amount of social interactions they would have to deal with over the next few days would be extremely draining.

“It will all be fine,” Mako said, kissing Iroh’s cheek.

Iroh took a deep breath and sighed before leading Mako into his room.

“Oh wow,” Mako said, looking around at the suite. “This isn’t a bedroom. This is a house. Iroh this is bigger than our actual apartment.”

“I told you, I only rent that place because I needed somewhere to crash where my crew wouldn’t be tempted to bother me on days off,” Iroh said. “I only needed so much space.”

“Well, there’s certainly space here,” Mako said.

“And how should we utilize this space?” Iroh asked, wrapping himself around Mako again.

“That sounded smoother in your head didn’t it?” Mako asked.

“Yep,” Iroh replied as the two of them started laughing.

-----

Mako could hear the music coming from the ballroom from all the way down the hall.

“Are we going to have to make some grand entrance?” Mako said.

“Probably not,” Iroh said. “This is more a celebration of the families coming together then anything to do with us. We are definitely the center of the party, but nothing grand is expected of us.”

Iroh proved to be correct as the two of them easily slipped into the room.

Iroh’s sister almost immediately latched onto Iroh’s other arm. “So,” she said, sounding slightly out of breath, “granddad is going to perform on the tsungi horn and he’s asked me if I can perform a dance for you two while he does so. Just be lucky both the song and dance are traditional because I was not prepared to dance at all. I thought mom was doing it.”

“You don’t have to dance,” Iroh said.

“I’m dancing,” Ursa replied, hip checking her brother. “I’m just warning you.”

“What song is it?” Iroh asked.

“What song do you think it is?” Ursa asked.

“Dragon affairs,” Iroh and Ursa said at the same time.

Ursa laughed and walked off, leaving Mako and Iroh alone again.

“Dragon affairs?” Mako asked.

“A song from the play Love Amongst the Dragons,” Iroh said. “Actually, it’s the song the play is based on. The song is actually based on an even older poem which was an oral traditional story that someone finally wrote down. It’s about the love between two people but it uses a lot of dragon descriptors as analogies of the fierce lovers.”

“It always leads back to dragons around here, doesn’t it?” Mako asked.

“Pretty much,” Iroh said, grabbing Mako’s hand and pulling him towards the dance floor. “Mom got a jazz band from Republic City in addition to the various Fire Nation artists here tonight because she knows its popular in the city. Dance with me?”

“Well, I’m already here,” Mako said, swinging Iroh into closed position as the two of them danced side by side.

After their dance, Mako quickly found himself being pulled away to dance with Korra as Iroh was surrounded by some old friends from his childhood.

“How’s it going?” Korra asked. “Is it stressful or exciting?”

“Both,” Mako said, twirling Korra around in a circle.

“I’m getting a lot of culture shock here,” Korra said. “I realized last night this was my first time being in the country.”

“Yeah, it’s my first time being in the city myself,” Mako said.

Korra nearly came to a halt at that.

“Oh, is that okay?” She asked. “You aren’t uncomfortable here, are you?”

Mako shrugged. “There’s a lot of people I don’t know here,” Mako admitted, “but there’s also a lot of people here Iroh doesn’t know very well either. I probably should have been to the city before now but I already know his family so where I see them doesn’t really matter much. The rest is just extra.”

“I suppose,” Korra said, “but you’ll let us know if you get overwhelmed, right?”

“Of course, Korra,” Mako promised. Mako knew, contrary to popular belief, that Korra was a bit of a worrier. He was fine though and he wasn’t just saying that. As much overload as the wedding was, Mako was very excited to see it through.

The jazz band packed up and Iroh slipped over by Mako and Korra as his grandfather took the stage and his sister cleared the dancefloor.

“Let’s see,” Zuko said, “how did Aang do this again?”

Iroh and the rest of his family spread throughout the hall laughed as Zuko proceeded to blow into the tsungi horn as hard as he could and nearly fell from the stool.

Zuko quickly righted himself and started playing the actual song as Ursa danced around the center of the room. Mako leaned into Iroh’s side as he watched, mesmerized.

The song was slow but powerful, as it practically filled Mako’s lungs with the sound. Ursa’s movements matched as she nearly bounced around the dancefloor.
Ursa took a bow at the applause from her dance and Iroh hugged his sister tightly followed by Mako.

A new musician picked up where Zuko and the Jazz band left off.

Iroh was quickly swiped up by his grandmother, Katara. The two weren’t so much dancing as talking and rotating quickly in a circle.

After a dance with Izumi, Mako found himself being passed through his friend group as they all danced in pairs and small groups. Mako probably danced with at least twelve people. He knew Pema, Lin and Wu were three of them but everything started blurring once the alcohol started flowing with Bumi’s entrance. Mako thought he was told to behave but apparently, he lied as there wasn’t even supposed to be alcohol at the party.

The night ended in the early hours of the morning with Iroh and Mako stumbling back towards their room and collapsing in a sweaty and giggly heap.

-----

Mako only woke briefly the next morning as the sun rose over the horizon. Iroh groaned painfully as he tried to pull himself from bed, likely to do his morning katas. Mako grabbed his arm and dragged him back down.

“We went to bed less than three hours ago,” Mako said. “Sleep.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Iroh said, laying back down and cuddling into Mako’s arms. Mako rested his head on top of Iroh’s as the two of them drifted back to sleep.

They really woke up around noon as the pull of the sun became too much to ignore. Still, even while awake the two didn’t get up. Instead Mako hugged Iroh’s torso tightly as he rested his head on Iroh’s shoulder while Iroh drew nonsensical patterns on Mako’s back.

“I’ll make breakfast,” Iroh said.

“Can’t,” Mako replied. “I’m currently using your body as a pillow. Your services are required here and not in the kitchen.”

Iroh snorted but didn’t move as the two of them dozed slightly.

“We really need to get up,” Mako said after a while.

Iroh hummed in acknowledgment but they still stayed in bed another twenty minutes before actually sliding out of bed.

Iroh made a squeaking noise as he stretched while Mako twisted until his back popped.

“Breakfast,” Mako said, walking towards the kitchen.

“No,” Iroh said, “I wanted to make you breakfast in bed.”

“Well, neither of us are in bed so why don’t we just make breakfast together?” Mako offered, handing Iroh a bowl.

Iroh pouted but agreed.

They barely managed a salvageable meal as the two of them spent more time playing and messing with each other than actually cooking.

There was a knock on the door as they finished eating. Iroh had gone to put away the dishes so Mako answered it. He didn’t recognize the man but he was wearing a servant uniform.

“You have been requested by the royal tailor,” the man said. “They wish to do one final fitting for the wedding.”

“Oh, sure,” Mako said, “we will head that way now.”

The servant bowed before disappearing from the doorway.

Iroh had heard the conversation and joined him at the door when finished with the dishes.

“Let’s go get dolled up,” Iroh joked, linking his fingers with Mako.

“I have since learned my lesson,” the tailor said when they arrived. “You out in the hall, while I do this one’s fitting.”

Mako laughed as the door was shut in Iroh’s offended face.

“There’s no room for tears on this outfit,” the tailor said. “Now get up there and we do any last-minute adjustments.”

Mako nodded, stepping into the dressing room with the heavy robes. They were as soft as he remembered and a bright red that made Mako’s eyes stand out even more then they usually did.

He looked himself over in the mirror, still surprised at the pointed shoulders which made him appear larger than he was before exiting to the main room.

“Yes,” the tailor said, “that seems to fit well.”

They bounced around Mako for several minutes before seeming satisfied with what they saw.

“I must say,” the tailor said, “I am very surprised at how well the color works with silver. Do you have the headpiece with you? Your hair is more than long enough for a top knot now.”

“Yes,” Mako said, moving back towards the dressing room and pulling it from his shirt pocket. He had grabbed it just before they left, recalling the need for it last time. “I don’t really know how to do it though.”

The tailor sighed before taking the headpiece and sweeping Mako’s hair up into a sloppy top knot.

Mako stared into the mirror mesmerized as he saw the entire outfit put together. That wasn’t him. There was no way it could be. He looked older than his twenty-three years with his hair pulled back like it was. His shoulders looked wider and the glint shining off the headpiece had Mako’s throat closing up. He looked away before he actually started crying.

“I like it,” Mako said.

“Good, because there’s no time to change it,” the tailor replied. “Go change and send in the brat prince when you are done.”

Mako laughed but did what he was told, stealing a kiss from his fiancé as he left and Iroh entered.

-----

This time there was a grand entrance, if only because Mako and Iroh were the last two allowed to enter the dining hall. They had been dressed at the last minute by Iroh’s sister, who came charging into the room and pulling out clothes for tonight.

Mako and Iroh hadn’t been surprised in the slightest, both now used to her doing so. Mako was surprised when she had pulled his hair into a proper top knot for tonight’s dinner.

Iroh was wearing a traditional hanfu, while Mako was dressed in a tang suit more commonly found in Republic City. They certainly looked the part of a multinational couple, which Mako was sure was Ursa’s intention.

He just wasn’t sure who she was trying to impress as the only people present were Iroh and Mako’s family and a few very close friends.

He nearly dragged Iroh from the room when they started to clap at their arrival.

“Please stop,” Iroh said, smiling so hard it looked painful as he dragged Mako further into the room by their linked arms.

“You two look very nice,” Izumi said.

“Oh, Mako, you wonderful,” his grandma said, moving over to cup his face in her hands as she smiled up at him.

“Thank you,” Mako muttered, shy now that the room’s attention was fully on them. Mako and Iroh sat at the long table at the front, Iroh’s parents on his side and Mako’s grandma and Bolin on Mako’s side. Everyone else sat around the room at various tables as they ate but it didn’t take long for the diner to turn into yet another party as people started getting up to talk with each other.

Mako and Iroh had ended up sitting at a table with Jinora and Kai. Mako had no clue that Iroh and Jinora were pen pals until the two had launched into a conversation that had clearly been left off at some previous point in time.

Kai had seemed just as surprised but soon dragged Mako into a conversation about the mischief he was causing at the Air Temples. Mako pretended to be serious but inside he was laughing at the chaos the boy caused. He was glad that Kai was somewhere safe and no longer running dangerous scams to survive.

“You remind me of Iroh,” Mako said. “Always causing some kind of trouble behind him.”

“I take offense to that,” Iroh said, nudging Mako’s ribs. “I am an upstanding member of society.”

“You’re Bumi’s kid,” Mako said.

“Yeah, that’s fair,” Iroh joked back. He leaned towards Kai. “Word of advice, my dad is very good at playing the unknowing adult so while he might not help you with your mischief outright, if you need a guard, he’s your man.”

“Interesting,” Kai said. Mako laughed slightly to himself, knowing Iroh had just release a horrible new duo onto the new Air Nation.

Jinora sighed but shook her head. Mako knew a long-suffering sigh when he heard one but he also knew that glint in her eyes spelled out someone who loved to watch the chaos just as much as they hated cleaning it up.

Jinora dragged Kai away from them and over towards where Opal and Bolin were entertaining Tu and several other of Mako’s cousins with what seemed to be stories of their airbending recruiting tactics if he was reading Bolin’s dramatic flailing properly.

Iroh leaned his head down on Mako’s shoulder.

Mako turned to him.

“Tired?” Mako asked.

“A bit,” Iroh replied, “mostly content.”

Mako felt Iroh link their hands together in Mako’s lap and kissed Iroh’s temple. Iroh hummed as Mako felt the room narrow down until only the two of them remained. Mako slid his free arm around Iroh’s back and pulled the other man tighter into his side.

Mako had no clue how long they were wrapped together like that, simply existing together as the room filled with the background noises of their families intermingling. Mako vaguely watched as people moved about the room together.

They only pulled apart when Mako felt a soft touch at the back of his head.

Mako pulled back from Iroh and turned to see Izumi there.

“Dinner is over,” she said softly, as if trying not to break the odd mood in the area. “You should see off your guests.”

Iroh stretched and nodded.

They stood at the exit to the room, still wrapped around one another. Mako was at Iroh’s back with his hand resting just above the other’s hip as family and friends came to wish them well for the next day.

It was only when the room was clear of everyone that Mako’s heart started beating harshly. He looked down at Iroh, that magical quality to the air still present as he wrapped Iroh into a hug and rested their foreheads against each other. Iroh’s hands came u p to cage Mako’s face.

“We’re getting married tomorrow,” Mako said, his voice barely a whisper.

Iroh’s eyes were shiny and bright. “We’re getting married tomorrow,” Iroh repeated, some unknown wonder lacing his tone as he rubbed his thumbs over Mako’s ears.

-----

Mako took a deep breath as they approached the huge shrine positioned outside the palace gates. The building was placed high up, where the sun would always shine down on it. No building in Caldera City was allowed to be taller except for the palace itself, which was why the city sprawled with little care up the sides of the caldera it was named for and back down towards the docks, rather than being built upward as the rest of the cities in the world have done over the years.

His grip on the basket was sweaty but steady. The sun was just rising in the sky as Mako and Iroh, despite being given until noon, had wasted no time in coming here. Iroh seemed a bit jumpy about something, but Mako had yet to figure out the cause.

Usually, it was only the groom’s family whose ancestral shrine was visited as the bride was transferred into the groom’s house. Mako knew Iroh had wanted to do the ceremony with both family shrines but Mako didn’t know where his was. He wasn’t too fussed himself over not being able to do the ceremony with his family’s shrine as he was planning on joining Iroh’s family anyway but he knew it upset Iroh as he wished to, ceremonially at least, join Mako’s family too.

“Ready?” Iroh asked.

“Nope,” Mako said.

Iroh turned to look at him in shock.

“Please tell me you aren’t getting cold feet right now,” Iroh said, his voice strained.

Mako took a deep breath again, and shook his head. “Let’s do this, your ancestors will probably hate me though,” Mako said.

“Not the ones that matter,” Iroh corrected.

Mako nodded and walked up the shrine steps.

Usually they would clean the shrine, but being a royal shrine, it was kept spotless by the staff of the family. Instead, Mako and Iroh skipped to the next part which was setting up the offering.

Iroh rolled out the mat along the floor at the head of the alter where an open window sat that allowed light to flow into the room with the sunrise over the edge of the caldera. The sun shone down on the mat as Iroh turned back and gestured Mako forward with the basket.

Mako’s hands shook slightly as he placed the collection of food, they were given by the kitchen staff before they set off, on the mat, while Iroh set up the incense sticks.

When finished the two kneeled before the shrine before bowing to the shrine. Mako bit his lip as he completely forgot what the first request was. His mind froze up after that and the other requests slipped from his mind as well. In his panic Mako finally just requested permission to join their family and for him and Iroh to be happy and safe in life. He hoped Iroh’s ancestors wouldn’t be too mad at that.

Iroh was taking longer than Mako did, likely because he was doing things properly, so Mako waited until Iroh rose fully from his bow to do the same. Mako had been tricked a few times as Iroh periodically rose and bowed back down.

Iroh startled slightly at how quickly Mako had sat up.

“Are you okay?” Iroh asked.

“Nope,” Mako said. “I messed up.”

“Messed up?” Iroh asked.

“I forgot what I was supposed to say to them,” Mako said.

“You,” Iroh said laughing, “you don’t say anything to them, Mako.”

“What,” Mako asked, his eyes going wide.

“You don’t say anything to them, or well you don’t have to,” Iroh said. “You just bow four times. Traditionally only the bride does so to indicate the joining of the family but well, neither of us are the bride so I told my mom we were both bowing or neither of us would.”

“Oh,” Mako said. “I only bowed once.”

Iroh laughed again. “I’m sorry,” Iroh said, covering his mouth. “I’m sorry.”

“Iroh, what do I do?” Mako asked, actually worried. “Stop laughing.”

“I’m so sorry,” Iroh said. “Just bow three more times. I’m sure Uncle Iroh will at least find it funny.”

“Iroh, your ancestors are going to hate me,” Mako said, kneeling back on the ground.

Iroh stopped laughing and joined Mako back on the mat. This time Mako realized that Iroh hadn’t been bowing for one long bow but four smaller, minute long, bows. Mako copied him before standing with his face burning.

“So,” Iroh said, grabbing Mako’s hand as they left the temple, “what did you say to them that time.”

“Nothing, shut up,” Mako said, majorly embarrassed.

“Do you want to know what I said to them?” Iroh asked.

Mako paused and looked up at Iroh. “What did you say?” Mako asked.

“I told them that I loved you deeply and that customs didn’t transfer totally across cultures and asked for them to forgive you for not knowing and to forgive me for not making sure you knew what was expected. I asked for them to give me guidance on how to more effectively communicate with my future husband,” Iroh said, not looking at Mako. A deep blush was running up the back of Iroh’s neck.

“Oh,” Mako said, smiling at the ground. “What did they say back?”

Iroh snorted at the joke. “They said I managed to catch the most beautiful and kind man in the world and I needed to do better to protect him from social and cultural faux pas in the future,” Iroh joked back.

Mako pushed him slightly as Iroh led him over to a car near the shrine.

“Why do we need a car?” Mako asked. “We walked here.”

“We did,” Iroh said, “but there’s something we need to do on the next island over and we only have until noon to do it.”

Mako squinted down at Iroh in confusion but followed the man without question. He supposed he was about to figure out what had Iroh on edge all morning.

The car took them to the cost where they hopped onto a ferry boat that took them to the next island over. Then another car took them halfway up the smaller of the two mountains on the island.

They stopped outside a small home on what seemed to be a large swatch of land.

“Iroh,” Mako said, as they exited the car, “where are we?”

“You’ll see,” Iroh said, leading him to the door. He had another basket looped over his arm. Iroh knocked on it and the door opened.

There was an older woman standing on the other sided dressed in a tradition kimono. She looked over the two with a smile before staring at Mako as if he was some rare treasure.

“Oh, Mako,” she said. “I am so happy to meet you. Your mother has told me about you in her letters. I would have come found you and your brother had I known.”

“I’m sorry,” Mako said, looking between Iroh and the woman.

“Mako,” Iroh said, with a dramatic flourish, “Meet your Aunt Ichiko.”

“My aunt?” Mako asked. “You, you found my mother’s side of the family.”

Iroh nodded, a cautiously proud look on his face.

“How?” Mako ask, looking up at Iroh in wonder. “I searched for so long but I couldn’t even find my mother!”

“It’s a story,” Iroh said. “Why don’t we go inside and you can meet your family while I tell it.”

“My family,” Mako said, in stunned disbelief. He followed Iroh and the woman, Ichiko, into the house.

“Prince Iroh and Princess Ursa were apparently searching for your mother as they wanted you to be able to do the ancestral rights,” Ichiko said, sitting down in the main room. “I was surprised to say the least at what I was told. I knew Kasumi had run away from home and I had received letters from her telling me she was in Republic City but I had no clue she had gone so far as to call on the Mother of Faces and change her appearance and name. No offense Mako but aside from your eyebrows you truly look nothing like our side of the family, though you do look like the photo Iroh brought of your mother.”

“The Mother of Faces?” Mako asked.

“She’s a spirit who gives you a new identity but the price is you have to give something up and can only take one memory with you,” Iroh said. “Your mother chose to remember her sister.”

“But why?” Mako asked. “I mean I’m not complaining, she never would have met my dad if she didn’t leave, but what drove her away?”

Ichiko sighed. “Our father did,” she said. “He had arranged a marriage for her that she did not wish to go through with. The man was a known abuser in the local area and rumors stated he had killed his last wife when she no longer pleased him. Our father was more concerned with the money he was offering for the marriage.”

“Kasumi had made mention of running away several times before she did,” Ichiko continued. “I just didn’t believe her until she was actually gone. I filed a missing person report but nothing came of it. A while later a letter came from Republic City from her telling me she was safe and I pulled the report. We somewhat kept in touch. She would send letters but I never had an address to send a response back to.”

Mako looked down at his lap and buried his head in his hands.

“Mako, are you okay?” Iroh asked, rubbing his back.

“Iroh, I can honestly say I have never loved you more than in this moment,” Mako said. “I don’t think you fully understand what you just gave me.”

Mako looked up at Iroh not even slightly ashamed to be seen crying.

“Is it just you?” Mako asked, wanting to know more about his mother’s family.

“No,” Ichiko replied. “My father died, but my brother and mother are alive. I have a daughter just a few years younger than you and my brother has three children, a boy and two girls all in their teen years. You are the oldest of your cousins.”

“On this side anyway,” Mako joked. “I’m sorry, I don’t really know what to do now.”

“Well,” Ichiko said, “I know you have a wedding to get to, so maybe we should start with the wedding rites. I’m sorry to say, my brother and I haven’t been able to do proper burial rites for your mother yet but I’m sure she will be there regardless.”

Mako felt his lip tremble slightly and nodded.

Ichiko led them to a back room. “We do not have a temple like I’m sure the royal family does, so we have only kept the last three generations with in this room. The rest of the tablets have been buried in the family grave plot,” Ichiko explained.

Iroh tapped the basket he carried against Mako’s hip.

Mako licked his lips as the two of them laid out the mat. It was different then with Iroh’s family. This was clearly a spare room of the house, not designed with the sun in mind as the sun barely shone into the room at all. The ancestral tablets were placed on a table at the back of the room, rather than lining the sides of it like the royal temple had them.

Mako glanced at Iroh to find the other man smiling at him.

“Ready?” Iroh asked.

“Ready,” Mako said, kneeling next to the other man as they bowed four times to the altar.

When they leaned up from the fourth bow, Mako paused and stared at the floor as tears slid down his face. Iroh’s hand startled him as it wiped the tears from his face.

“Happy tears?” Iroh asked.

“Bit of both,” Mako replied, standing. Unlike with the temple, Iroh put out the incense as soon as they were done, least they accidentally burn the home down.

Mako turned to see his aunt standing in the doorway.

“Would you like to come to the wedding?” Mako asked, not sure what possessed him.

“She was already invited,” Iroh said.

Mako turned back to his aunt who smiled at him. “You think I get dolled up like this for no reason?” she asked. “I have a wedding to attend. Sadly, my mother is not able to make it and my brother’s family isn’t around to join us, but my daughter and I would be more then glad to attend.”

Mako nodded, wiping even more tears from his eyes. “I’d really like that,” Mako said as his aunt pulled him into a hug.

-----

They returned to the palace with Mako’s aunt and cousin in tow. They were quickly swept up by the palace staff though not before Mako could introduce Bolin to their mother’s family. Bolin had embraced them enthusiastically and Mako knew they were in safe hands.

After that Mako had quickly been, well pampered for a lack of better word. Mako had been led to a tub filled with scented oils and had awkwardly been scrubbed down by palace servants. The bath would have been nice had Mako not felt so odd. He eventually dismissed them to finish bathing himself.

Then he was led to a chair in front of a small indoor waterfall and leaned back until his head hung off the end of the back rest. He kind of wished this part had been explained to him to as someone started brushing his hair out into the water as another started filing down his nails.

Mako certainly wasn’t use to attention like this, nor did he ever think he would be.

Finally, Mako was released to go get dressed, something he was thankfully allowed to do on his own. Pulling on the robes was an experience. He had just done so the day before but doing it now, Mako felt himself getting choked up again. There was no headpiece this time, it having been taken to the wedding venue already.

Mako took a moment to gather himself, more than aware of the people waiting for him on the other side of the door.

Mako’s breath nearly completely left his lungs as he exited the room.

Standing at the other end, in a full set of traditional Fire Nation armor, was Iroh. His hair was swept up into a top knot and the Crown Prince headpiece was shining brightly on his head.

“Oh, wow,” Mako said, winching slightly after he had said it. “Sorry, you just look, incredible.”

Iroh smiled brightly as he looked over Mako. “Beautiful as always,” Iroh said, running his hand down Mako’s back. He waved the palace staff away and pulled Mako’s hair into a top knot himself before kissing the top of Mako’s head.

“Ready?” Iroh asked.

“More than,” Mako said, as he let Iroh lead him out of the dressing room and towards the wedding venue. They were walking to the altar together, which Mako was glad for as he didn’t think he would make it down there on his own.

“Hey,” Iroh whispered as they waited for their cue, “do you want to know what I said to your ancestors?”

Mako sighed in exasperation. Iroh was never going to let that go.

“What?” he asked humoring Iroh.

“I thanked them,” Iroh whispered softly. “I told them how insanely in love with you I was and I thanked them for every strife they suffered through and ever success they had, for the fact that it brought me such an amazing man as you.”

Mako turned to Iroh speechless but it didn’t really matter as they were gestured forward and had to walk into the hall.

Mako tucked his hands into his robes where the guests couldn’t see the near-death grip he had on his own arm. He couldn’t make himself look at anyone so he stared straight into the fire at the center of the hall.

They stopped at the front where the wedding pavilion had been set up with the flowers Iroh had chosen hanging overhead. A small table sat in front of Iroh’s grandfather.

As the highest spiritual authority in the nation, Lord Zuko would be leading the wedding ceremony. He smiled softly at them trying to calm their nerves.

Iroh, as the one to propose, lead Mako in kneeling before the table and bowing low, until their heads rested on their hands.

Iroh said it was the only time a royal ever bowed so low and it was only to the Sun Spirit Agni on the wedding day.

Mako's mother was gone, so the cups of sake were brought out by Iroh's mother and Mako's Grandma instead, to be placed in front of them.

The three cups were placed on the table in front of them in a stack, along with the headpiece that Iroh had made for Mako.

“Welcome, friends and family of the grooms,” Lord Zuko started. “It is traditional at the beginning of such ceremonies to give thanks to the spirits for allowing us all to congregate for such a rare and beautiful occasion. I call upon the spirits of this world to grant my grandson Crown Prince Iroh the Second and his intended Mako a marriage filled with a fierce and never-ending passion. I call upon you for a blessing for their strong unyielding love to never diminish in the face of even the most tremendous of odds and for you to bring prosperity to them and the nation they will one day rule together. Without, objection, I call for these two men to be married before the guest of this hall.”

There was a pause, where thankfully no one said anything.

Mako was shaking through the whole blessing and in near tears, the meaning was so moving. He heard Iroh's shaky breath next to him and knew his soon to be husband felt the overwhelming emotions too.

“Rise,” Lord Zuko said, gesturing for Iroh and Mako to sit back up. They still remained kneeling next to the table where they could reach the sake cups.

Mako’s grandma smiled down at him as she poured the first cup of sake. Mako’s hands were shaking as he lifted the first cup to his lips. According to Iroh, the first cup signified appreciation for their ancestors, the second and third cups symbolized, the couples vow to care for one another and fertility. Mako and Iroh wouldn’t really need that last one, but it was traditional to do all three.

“Iroh, no,” Izumi whispered and Mako looked over to see Iroh blushing.

“What’s wrong?” Mako asked.

Iroh shook his head as Izumi poured the sake into his cup. Mako stifled a laugh as he realized Iroh had tried to drink from an empty cup.

Iroh drank from his cup three times before Mako copied him and they repeated the practice with increasingly larger cups until all three cups had been used.

With the sake gone, they moved onto the next part of the ceremony.

Iroh picked up the headpiece he had made for Mako. It was modeled after the headpiece on his own head, though the piece was silver and had lightning strike designs pressed into it.

Iroh's hands were shaking as he reached up to put the piece in Mako's hair, marking him as a member of the royal family.

The look in Iroh’s eyes burned straight into Mako’s core.

With the hairpiece in place, they stood and walked towards the fire at the center of the room.

Lord Zuko had reached between the two and tied their clothes together as Iroh took Mako’s hand in his and lead him around the fire in a circuit. As they made their circuits, Lord Zuko read out their vows.

Mako had questioned why they were unable to read them out themselves but Iroh had explained that the vows had to be read in the native language. The language, which had once been very prominent, was now hardly spoken outside of the Fire Sages.

With the typical vows being geared more towards heterosexual marriages, Iroh had chosen for them to write their own.

“With this first step, Crown Prince Iroh the Second and Mako vow to share food and nourishment for each other both physically and spiritually.”

With the first vow read Mako took the lead and pulled Iroh into the second circuit as Lord Zuko’s voice rang out across the hall in a language Mako didn’t understand.

“With this second step, the couple vows to grow together in strength in times of both sickness and good health, both bad times and good.”

With the second circuit completed, Iroh took the lead again.

“With this third step, the couple vows to build and preserve their wealth together.”

Mako felt Iroh’s hand on his face and looked over at the other man as Iroh smiled at him and wiped away his tears. They swapped again as Mako led them through the fourth vow.

“With this fourth step, the couple vows to share their sorrows and successes and build a happy and honest home together. With this fifth step, the couple vows to care for each other’s families and any new family the two should build together. With this sixth step, the couple vows to always stick together no matter the odds, forever.”

As Iroh walked past Mako to being leading the seventh and last circuit around the fire Mako realized Iroh had joined him in crying. Mako wiped Iroh’s tear for him much like Iroh had done before. The two traded a smile before taking their last walk around the fire.

“With this seventh, and final step, Crown Prince Iroh the Second and Mako, vow to remain lifelong friends and to never let the fire in their hearts that burns for the other go out, in this lifetime and any that follow.”

Lord Zuko gave Iroh and Mako a moment to gather themselves before the two men moved back to the front of the hall where they knelt next to the fire and held their left hand’s together.

This was known as Agni’s judgement, where the couple held hands and tried to produce a flame that spiraled as high as they could get it, as a symbol of their marriage's strength. If the flame was deemed too weak, the marriage would be called off. Mako was terrified of that happening, it had supposedly happened to even the most powerful of benders, stopping even a previous Avatar’s flames.

Non-benders supposedly just tied their hands together with fire-proof ribbon and if the ribbon snapped when lit on fire, the marriage was canceled. Half-bending couples had to rely fully on the one firebender’s display.

Mako looked across towards Iroh as the two were signaled to start. Mako nearly fell backwards as the flame they produced shot skyward.

"Ah," Iroh's grandfather said, as the mixed flame shot up and charred the roof of the hall. Those present, only family and close friends, laughed at the unintended consequence.

"Well, I suppose that settles it then, I pronounce you married in the eyes of Angi, may your union be a long and happy one,” he said. Lord Zuko paused slightly before adding the one Earth Kingdom tradition Mako had insisted on. He stumbled over the words slightly. “You may now seal it with a kiss.”

Iroh had explained that traditionally, Fire Nation weddings ended with Agni’s approval, but the Earth Kingdom tradition of kissing had made its way into Fire Nation weddings here and there. When Mako heard that, he insisted the Earth Kingdom tradition be added to their wedding, out of respect for his father’s side of the family.

Mako could hear his cousin Tu whooping from the back of the hall, as Iroh wasted no time pulling Mako into a soul searing kiss.

The first one of their new life together.

-----

The afterparty was not what Mako had been expecting. With how wild and crazy the parties before the wedding had been the very calm and orderly reception was unexpected.

Mako and Iroh had been lead away from the wedding hall to change into something more comfortable. Mako had been dressed in a traditional kimono while Iroh a robe like what Mako’s wedding robes had been.

Iroh’s attention kept catching on something over Mako’s head which he assumed was his headpiece. Mako glanced at a mirror situated behind Iroh and stared, mesmerized into the mirror. It wasn’t the first time Mako had seen the headpiece on his head, but it was the first time he had seen it with him and Iroh standing side by side as Crown Prince and Fire Prince Consort.

“I just married a prince,” Mako whispered to himself in horror.

Iroh glanced over at him a slight panic in his eyes. “Well, it’s too late to realize that now,” Iroh said.

Mako looked over at Iroh and realized what he had just said, had really hurt him. Mako slid his arms around Iroh’s waist and rested his hands on his stomach.

“I just married the person I love more than anything,” Mako corrected. “Who happens to be a prince.”

Iroh huffed in an attempt to cover his laughter.

“Come on,” Iroh said, linking hands with Mako. “The Fire Nation awaits us.”

Mako groaned, having just recalled Iroh’s mother telling them the reception was semi-open to the public.

They were led back to the dining hall, where they were once again sat at the table at the head of the hall, though this time they sat there alone.

The sake was brought out first as were small cups similar to what Mako and Iroh had drunk from. Mako noted that while the hall was filled with a lot more strangers than the wedding had been, that only those who attended the wedding were being handed sake cups.

“Why are only certain people getting cups?” Mako whispered.

“The only alcohol allowed is sake,” Iroh said. “No other can be served and more importantly its shared with those who attended the wedding and only those who attended the wedding. It’s an invite into our families by the spouses. It unifies our families and friend groups into one huge group together. The nobles who bullied their way into the reception get none.”

“Alright then,” Mako said, good humored. He blushed as the hall’s attention was turned to them and the wedding guests lifted their cups to them before drinking.

With that the food was brought out and everyone settled down to eat. Mako was humored to note, despite fighting him so hard over the pineapple fried rice, Iroh cleaned his plate when presented it.

When all the plates where cleared the guests in the hall were lined up in front of them.

It was a tradition Mako was dreading and one Iroh thoroughly hated as the guests came up to wish them well, and sometimes give gifts. While the guests were welcome to leave or mingle as soon as wishing Iroh and Mako a happy marriage, the newly wedded husbands would be stuck until the last guest got the hint and left. With nearly three hundred guests and a hundred nobles allowed in, they would be there a while.

Mako counted the hours by who he saw when. It didn’t take long before Tonraq and Senna were standing in front of them wishing them well. It was tradition in the Water Tribes to give a gift to the newest household, so Mako was unsurprised when Senna passed Mako a heavy and warm blanket.

“I made it for you,” she said. “It should fit over most normal sized beds but I make no guarantee for anything larger.”

“Thank you,” Mako said, smiling at the gift. Something told him outside of their family, nothing else would be nearly as sentimental.

“You’re a good man, Mako,” Tonraq said, before shooting a stern look at Iroh. “You take care of him.”

“With everything I have,” Iroh promised.

The next familiar faces were his grandma and cousin Tu, who left Mako and Iroh blushing with an inappropriate comment.

He was followed, a few random people later, by Korra and Asami. Korra handed them some poorly crafted mugs. One of which said Sugar Daddy and the other which said Sugar Baby on it. Iroh hadn’t really been amused by them but Mako had gotten the humor.

It was an inside joke between them once they learned of who Mako was dating. Afterall Mako’s dating history included the Avatar, who was also technically a Princess, a multi-millionaire CEO, and the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation. From an outside perspective, Mako probably did look like a sugar baby.

“Sorry about the mugs,” Asami said, slipping them twenty yuans, “go buy some better ones. Korra decided to sign us up for pottery classes for some reason and as you can see, we aren’t very good at it.”

“No,” Mako said, shoving the yuans back. “I love them.”

“Not a sugar daddy,” Iroh muttered. Mako laughed at him as the next guest approached.

With Tenzin’s family came the halfway mark and Lin followed shortly behind.

Iroh’s grandmother, Katara had walked up with the rest of Iroh’s family.

“How did all of you end up so far back?” Iroh asked.

“Apparently, its rude to use your royal status to line jump or something,” Ursa joked.

“Oh, Iroh, that was such a beautiful ceremony,” Katara said, diffusing whatever Ursa was trying to start. She handed Iroh a box who opened it slowly.

“You are the best,” Iroh said, as he peaked inside. “Wait, is this how you make them written on the lid?”

“It is indeed,” Katara replied.

“Best grandparent ever,” Iroh said, popping a small slimy looking pod into his mouth.

“I just over saw your wedding,” Lord Zuko interjected.

“But did you bring me sea prunes?” Iroh questioned, causing his grandfather to huff. Katara gave him a smug grin as they walked away arguing.

Bolin was the last of the familiar faces to show up, the rest of the Beifong family, and their newly discovered aunt and cousin, trailing behind him.

“Mako!” Bolin shouted, drawing the room’s attention. “You’re a married man now.”

“I know,” Mako said, disbelief shading his tone.

“Congrats,” Opal said, coming to stand next to Bolin. “I hope you two have a very happy life but judging from the wedding I don’t think that will be an issue.”

“Right?” Bolin said. “Did you see those flames? If you had done the wedding outside it would have hit the clouds I bet!”

“I admire your confidence in us,” Iroh said, smiling at Bolin’s enthusiasm.

“I nearly gave this to you earlier,” Ichiko said, handing Mako a book. Mako flipped the book open and realized it was a photo album. “It’s pictures of our family with names and information on it, as well as pictures of your mother from childhood, though I’m not sure if you’d recognize her.”

Mako felt a lump in his throat. “Thank you,” he whispered as the group moved on, though not before Toph punched Iroh in the shoulder hard enough to knock him from his chair.

“Congrats Kiddo,” she said, before leaving.

Only a few random noble families remained after them.

Luckily, Iroh and Mako didn’t have to be the party poopers as the palace staff started sending people away when the line dwindled to nearly nothing.

Mako caught a glimpse of a clock on their way back to the bedroom and knew it was nearly two in the morning when they finally crashed on their bed. They would leave for their honeymoon tomorrow morning.

-----

The top was down on the convertible they took to the docks so that the people could see Mako and Iroh in the back of the car. Iroh had told Mako to wave and smile the entire trip to the seaside. He had explained that frowning even a bit or forgetting to wave would have the country thinking him stuck up.

Still, Mako felt kind of stupid waving at no one in particular even as Iroh’s fingers interlocked with his on the seat between them.

Ahead of them was a near circus level performance that was slowly moving through the main streets of Caldera City. When Iroh’s mother had said a parade, Mako hadn’t realized it would be an actual parade.

“My arm hurts,” Mako said to Iroh.

“Mine too,” Iroh said. “It’s the Komodo-rhino at the front. Live animals shouldn’t in in parades. It stresses them out and it slows things down.”

“How much further?” Mako asked.

“Another mile I think,” Iroh said, turning slightly to face the front. “Yes, we are approaching the crest and it will be quickly downhill from there.”

Iroh was right and soon they were stepping from the car as flowers were tossed into the air above them.

Izumi met them at the ship, seeing them off as she saw them to the Fire Nation.

“You two have fun,” Izumi said, kissing both their foreheads. “And Mako, don’t let Iroh get hurt exploring those cave systems in Omashu.”

Iroh huffed good naturedly before hugging his mother goodbye.

They boarded that ship and quickly made it to their room.

Mako and Iroh glanced at each other as the door shut. It was the first time since they were married that it was really hitting Mako that he was spending the rest of his life with this man.

He startled as Iroh swept him up into a hug that pulled him off his feet. Mako wrapped his legs around Iroh’s waist to gain stability.

Iroh looked up at him in a daze.

“We’re married,” Iroh said, softly.

“Yeah,” Mako replied, wrapping his arms around Iroh’s neck and resting their foreheads together, “we are.”