Yellow (White III) (Original link)

Author:Kirschreich
Rating:T
Characters: Iroh
Genre: Angst

The general harmlessness of door handles is glaringly obvious - not only because of a distinct lack of razor sharp talons, beaks, poisenous fangs or other pain-promising features.

And even if door handles had all these things - well, who is to say that they wouldn't be either peaceloving predators or viscious vegetarians?

Iroh shakes his head. Teeth, claws, beaks and talons are not what scares him so.

What does scare the grey-haired man so much that he has been seen standing in front of this door handle for 3 days in a row is the door attached to it, the room it leads to and the child trapped within.

Iroh is scared because he doesn't know what to expect but once he opens the door he will have to deal with it. He doesn't know if he is ready, doesn't even know if he is suited for something like this, whether his strength is enough to carry both of them through this nightmare.

"Pull yourself together," he whispers harshly and places a heavy hand on the handle.

Because there's a forsaken child behind that door, he realizes, and it doesn't matter whether he is the right person for this job or not. What matters is that there is something who will let that child belong.

And so he opens the door (accepts the task - never a burden).

"For Zuko."