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Arguments, fights, agreements reached with cold, hesitant civility. Former General Iroh had witnessed the reign of three Fire Lords, and closely studied that of dozens more. Yet in all his life he had never seen one run into as much trouble as his nephew did.
Zuko had stepped up tremendously. Iroh had always known the boy had what it took, but if he was being very honest, he would admit to sometimes wondering if Zuko would have matured enough to not make too many mistakes before eventually getting it right. He was stubborn, and determined, and a very hard worker, but he was also impulsive and currently under a lot of pressure, so there was a much higher risk than usual of things blowing up in his face.
He was also sensitive, insecure, and in need of constant validation, which Iroh had noticed long before the banishment. It was one of the reasons why he had chosen to accompany Zuko then in the first place: to provide the support necessary for the Prince to keep his sanity and basic emotional health through such a trying period. It had been heartbreaking to see Zuko constantly rejected by his father, whose love he had wanted so desperately. All Iroh could ever do was give Zuko his own love; sometimes it hadn’t been enough, and Iroh had certainly never expected anything in return, but he was glad Zuko had come to appreciate it, and now valued Iroh’s input and advice.
Which was why he was in the Fire Nation Capital at the moment, instead of in his beloved tea shop in Ba Sing Se. And why he was sitting in on a heated discussion between his nephew and three Earth Kingdom leaders, plus a delegation from the Northern Water Tribe – a discussion that was going absolutely nowhere, and starting to get a bit too loud for his taste.
It had become clear to him soon after Zuko’s coronation that regardless of the Fire Lord’s humble attitude towards other countries, his clear desire to atone for his predecessor’s mistakes, and his close relationship with the Avatar, the other nations were simply too distrustful of him, as they would have been of anybody in his position. Despite it all, Zuko was still a quintessential Fire Nation man – the very example of what they’d come to fear and hate. They simply couldn’t seem to get past that prejudice.
And that was where a certain Waterbender could help, Iroh believed.
Zuko was in love with her, that much was obvious. Iroh didn’t know her as well, but he could see there was at least some interest on her part. She had a very strong personality, but she was also kind, caring, and affectionate – exactly what his nephew needed. They worked very well together and seemed to trust and respect each other to an extent that initially rather surprised Iroh. It wasn’t clear to him if they were already together (which, considering Zuko’s remarkable skill at being sneaky and his general preference for privacy, could very well be the case) or not, but either way, they should be.
It would be the perfect solution to their troubles. A relationship with someone from a different country – from the surviving country who was most ruined by the Fire Nation over the last one hundred years, no less – someone who was well-known for her courage, moral fiber, and for her part in ending the war? Iroh was convinced it would show the other leaders (and the people) of the world how different from his predecessors Zuko actually was. Together, they would represent the new era, in which nations and elements no longer defined a person’s identity and character, and harmony and freedom were the new ideals to be strived for.
Iroh smiled to himself. It felt like he had just written half his speech for their wedding day in his head.
Now, he thought as he poured another round of much-needed chamomile tea, all he needed to do was wait until they realized it for themselves. If they didn’t, well…he might have to take matters into his own hands.