Darling ˖°.ೃ࿔*:･

But when Pema herself had gotten phone calls from four different staff members begging someone to make the CEO take a break, she had fired up the support network.

Tenzin had been dispatched to issue an emergency recall for Iroh’s return from what was admittedly little more than an informal war game off the northern edge of the Fire Nation.

Bolin and Opal had been sent to surprise her for lunch because ‘the baby hasn’t seen you in too long.’

Korra had shown up with tickets to a ribald show at the Golden Fringe that Kya had passed along, with the promise of a girls’ night over the weekend.

But it had taken Lin showing up in full uniform at Future Industries to forcibly extract the overworked woman. While Lin was escorting Asami out through the private exit behind the building, the executive suite staff collapsed in relief that someone would be taking care of their leader.

And yet, here she was, still working like she either was being paid or lived in this house.

“Sweetheart, you’re driving yourself into an early grave, the way you’re working. You really need to take a day or two off.”

Asami steadied herself against the counter, and began settling the stack down beside the sink.

“Pema, you know I can’t do that. This launch is so important to everyone in this company. Over ten thousand people’s jobs rely on me…”

Pema reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder, waiting for the younger woman to stop talking long enough to look up.

“Let us take care of you for a day, Asami. You’re no good to anyone, including all of those people, if you send yourself to the hospital with exhaustion.”

“‘A man needs his rest,’ someone once told me,” came a new voice in the kitchen.

Asami lit up. “Iroh!”

She extracted her hands from the dishes, and heedless of her state, ran across the room to greet the one person she wanted.

He held out his arms to welcome her, folding them around her back. Pema watched as he pressed one hand gently to the back of her head to snuggle her face against his neck, concern written all over his face.

With a soft half-smile, she turned to the sink and turned on the water. Over its noise, she could still hear Asami’s weary voice.

“I’m so stuck in my head over this. The paint selection isn’t making people happy. The leather supplier is behind their production quotas, my engineers are concerned about the brakes. I’m so worried!”

With a calm shushing sound, Iroh just stood there and held her close for another minute. Pema saw him bend closer to her ear, leading Asami to nod and finally give him a kiss. She wiped her face and tugged at her jacket before stepping out into the hallway and turning in the direction of the washroom.

Iroh watched her go, and did not move from his spot.

Pema shook water from her hands, picked up a towel, and walked to the back door. Over her shoulder, she called, “Iroh, step outside with me for a moment. She’ll see us outside. It will be fine.”

He tilted his head, but followed her out into the small herb garden behind the house.

Pema stood facing the stream, looking out across the courtyard, very pointedly not looking at Iroh directly.

“Since you do a good job of listening to your grandfather, listen to your aunt for a little bit.”

Iroh chuckled. “I have listened to you most of my life.”

She turned to him and smiled before facing over the water again.

“You have. And I promise, what I’m about to say won’t do anything worse that give you a little embarrassment.”

She raised an eyebrow as she gave him a sidelong look. The tiniest new concern crossed his face.

A wink was all she gave him before squaring her shoulders, turning her face away, and hiding her hands in her sleeves.

“When Lin is having a particularly rough time with the politicians or the recruits or the press, sometimes, it’s up to me to,” she paused for emphasis, “take care of her.”

She heard him catch his breath, and waited for him exhale before continuing.

“When she comes home and cannot form a coherent sentence, I tell Tenzin to take care of dinner and the children while I take care of Lin.” Even thinking about those nights was sending a wave across her own back.

“Take Asami home. Undress her, and make sure she has no responsibility except to tell you if it hurts. Three or four orgasms tonight, followed by breakfast tomorrow, then another two or three should do the trick.”

She turned her back to him, hoping he would remember to breathe before he passed out.

When the young couple left without saying goodbye, Lin gave her a searching look.