Just in Time to Be Too Late

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/50680588.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: Major Character Death
Category: M/M
Fandom: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Relationship: Bolin/Iroh II (Avatar)
Characters: Iroh II (Avatar), Bolin (Avatar)
Additional Tags: POV Outsider, Epistolary, Weddings
Language: English
Series: Part 6 of Dear Bolin
Stats: Published: 2023-10-08 Words: 507 Chapters: 1/1
 Just in Time to Be Too Late
by notbrianna

Summary

Same-sex marriage was just legalized but Iroh can't help but feel melancholy.
At first glance it was just an ordinary album, not especially tall or wide or thick. The cover
did not have any sort of branding or seal to indicate that this was a custom made by or for
anyone of note but then very few of the albums, boxes, and envelopes that Qin had spent the
last several years archiving did. He supposed there was some poetry to be had about all these
nondescript boxes and albums were just boxes and albums until their locations and contents
were taken into consideration.

Today’s album greeted him with a piece of paper that read “Our Wedding” and a date in some
of the most beautiful calligraphy that Qin had ever seen. The next few pages gave little to no
indication as to whose wedding it was. There was a picture of the outside of the temple as
well as the path leading up to it and the view from it. There were pictures of the inside of the
temple, the incense, the tea set, the guests. Finally, the happy couple made their debut and
Qin wanted to slap himself for thinking that the “Our” in “Our Wedding” could refer to
anyone other than Iroh and Bolin-- the date didn’t make sense for anyone in their social
circle, and all the documents that Qin had been going through had originally been housed in
the Firelord Proxy’s personal residence. The rest of the album featured the sort of pictures
that one would expect to find in a wedding album: the happy couple posing with various
family members (sometimes individually and sometimes as a pair), showing off their outfits,
exchanging vows and tokens, dancing-- there was even a picture of them kissing. The only
thing they weren’t photographed doing was signing a marriage license--because same-sex
marriage wasn’t legal yet.

If Qin remembered correctly, it wouldn’t be until after Bolin’s death. A newspaper article
about the legalization of same-sex marriage that had been unceremoniously placed toward the
end of the album confirmed his suspicions.

An even less ceremoniously placed letter on the next page confirmed suspicions that he
didn’t even know he had.

Dear Bolin, it read. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but same-sex marriage was just legalized
in the Fire Nation. To say that I was thrilled would be an understatement. And I know that
I’m not the only one. Tomoe from down the street told me that she could hardly take a step at
her favorite night club without bumping into a fellow proposing to his favorite guy or a lady
proposing to her ladyfriend. As happy as I am for all these people I can’t help but feel
dejected for myself; I always knew that legalization would be passed just in time to be too
late for someone I just wish it hadn’t been us. I would have loved showing you off, but what’s
done is done and I suppose I should just be happy to have had you for as long as I did.

Love always,

Iroh
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