Task: Celebrate the end of the year

Prompts: fireworks, gunpowder (smell), 100 Years by Five for Fighting, water

Words: 3,479

New Year's

Kya could sense the heavy snowfall outside the window even before opening her eyes. She smiled feeling her girlfriend's strong arms around her waist. She opened one eye feeling Lin's arm reaching past her to grab the clock.

"Kya, we need to get up, they'll be here soon. We need to make sure this place is all nice and clean for them."

The she groaned. "Why? It's just my brother Bumi, he knows I'm messy."

"But it's not just your brother, it's your brother and his family. I think a little effort is needed."

Kya grimaced snuggling closer. "But it's cold and it's Bumi, not Tenzin, Bumi!" She kissed Lin's neck. "He won't care and, if he married anyone like who we'd think, she won't care either. This is a nice little get together to celebrate New Year's with some family up in the mountains away from all the chaos in the city. I haven't seen Bumi in a long time but he's still Bumi. Anyway it's not like the Fire Lord is coming."

.o.

Fire Lord Izumi sighed as her two children fought in the back seat.

"Mom! She bit me!" Her 15-year-old son whined. "Again!"

Izumi rubbed her temples. "Then keep your hand away from her mouth. Zula why did you bite your brother?"

"Roh was looking out my window!" the nine-year-old yelled, crossing her arms and glaring at her brother.

"Well, she was looking out mine!" Iroh retorted.

Bumi sighed. "Play nice you two, we're almost there. I want both of you to be on your best behavior for your Aunt Kya, she's never met either of you and I would like it if you two could try to make a good impression. So no freezing or lighting your sibling on fire. Got it?"

"Yes sir," both answered before being quite for a few moments.

Zula crossed her arms and grinned at Iroh. "She's my Aunt, you know, not yours."

Iroh frouned. "Dad! Zula's claiming relatives again!"

"I'm not claiming relatives, I'm just stating the obvious! Aunt Kya is my Aunt, Roh's not related to her one bit! So she's not your Aunt."

Iroh snorted fire. "Doesn't matter, she's still my Aunt!"

"Nope!"

"Yes! She's dad's sister, that makes her my aunt!"

"No! She's not! Papa's only your step-dad and you're only half a brother!"

Bumi gritted his teeth. "Zula! Stop it! Aunt Kya is Roh's Aunt too, and I don't ever want to hear you say something like that again!"

Zula looked down. "Yes, papa."

.o.

Izumi shook her head as they stepped out of the car. "I don't understand why they are so nasty to each other. Why Zula would say such a thing?"

"Maybe if you hadn't named her after Great Aunt Azula she might have turned out nicer," Iroh mumbled walking past his mother carrying most of the luggage.

Bumi put a hand on Izumi's shoulder. "This is what siblings do at this age, they'll get better." He kissed his wife on the cheek. "But we probably shouldn't have named her after Azula."

Izumi looked at her daughter, the spitting image of her husband's mother, and frowned. "I named her Azula after her blue eyes, not Aunt Azula," She mumbled under her breath.

.o.

Kya hugged her brother after they had set down their bags in the hall. "It's so good to see you!"

"Thanks for inviting us, it's really been too long." Bumi smiled.

"That's an understatement." She stepped back looking at the three figures still wrapped up in their winter gear. "So this is the family you've been keeping from me?"

Bumi chuckled. "Yeah, sorry, but for security reasons I couldn't exactly put their names in a letter and hope it reaches you on the other side of the world."

Lin, who had just finished getting dressed, walked out. "I wouldn't call Republic City the other side of the world, Bumi." She spotted the gold fire insignia on some of their clothes. "But I have a feeling there was still a good reason."

Bumi looked surprised. "Lin! What are you doing here? I thought this was family only, is Tenzin here?"

The earthbender laughed putting her arms around Kya. "No, he's not here, it's just going to be the six of us."

Kya smiled. "I think we have a lot of catching up to do."

Bumi nodded trying to hide the shock on his face. "I think we do, starting with introductions. Kids this is my sister Kya." He looked at Iroh and Zula. "Your Aunt Kya. Kya, these are my two kids, Iroh and Zula." He pulled Izumi close, smiling like an idiot who had just won a million yuans. "And I believe you two know my wife, Fire Lord Izumi."

Izumi pulled down her hood. "Hi."

Lin glanced over at Kya. "We should've cleaned."

.o.

Iroh slipped out of the living room, happy to be away from the adults talking about boring adult things. He knew one day he'd have to stand around and talk about that boring stuff too, but today was not that day. Iroh glanced back into the room and gave a sigh of relief seeing Zula engrossed in some toy and not following him.

Satisfied that he would actually get so time alone, Iroh wandered through the rather impressive cabin until coming upon a music room with a grand piano. The young prince paused. Why would anyone bother to drag a whole grand piano up a mountain? He shrugged sitting down at the keys and starting to practice. His fingers danced across the keys and he started to hum the melody before singing the words, very softly.

"And we're on fire

Making our way back from Mars

15 there's still time for you

Time to buy and time to lose

15, there's never a wish better than this

When you only got a hundred years to live"

"Now I see why you don't sing in the shower."

Iroh jumped and turned to see Zula leaning against the doorframe. Iroh pouted. "It's not nice to sneak up on people."

"I wasn't sneaking," she said defensively. "You were just too caught up in your piano playing to notice, you do that: get too caught up in things." She sat on the bench next to him.

"So who were you singing about?"

"No one."

Zula leaned closer. "You sure? You weren't singing about you-know-who, were you, flame boy?"

Iroh crossed his arms. "No."

"Okay!" Zula looked at the keys. "Can you teach me how to play?"

"No, I can't." Iroh stood up and walked out of the room to get some air.

.o.

Lin slipped out of the room to grab a glass of wine to make the monotony of small talk bearable. On her way back she almost collided with an aggravated prince being tailed by a very persistent Princess who didn't seem to be aware of her own annoying qualities. Lin looked down at Iroh and suppressed a smile. She knew the look on his face all too well and had worn it many times when Su wouldn't get the message that she wanted to be alone.

Zula looked up at her. "So are we supposed to call you Aunt Lin, Chief Beifong, what?"

"Zula, that's rude," Iroh scolded.

"No it's not! I want to know what to call her! I can't just go around calling her 'hey you who kisses my aunt!' That would be rude. " Zula crossed her arms and looked at her brother, who was now shaking his head. "It's like calling-"

"Shut up!"

Lin raised an eyebrow, her senses picking up Iroh's sudden jump in heart rate. "You can call me Chief Beifong or," she hesitated, not really having a soft spot for children, "Aunt Lin if that would make you feel better."

Zula smiled, clearly having gotten what she wanted. Iroh just rolled his eyes.

"You really shouldn't let her get her way," he commented after Zula had left the room under the pretense of finding Bumi to ask about the fireworks.

"And you shouldn't be hiding secrets at your age," she stated flatly.

Iroh paled a little. "I'm not-there's no." He sighed. "You wouldn't understand. Well, actually, you might." The prince bit his lip then opened his mouth like he was going to say something when Bumi came in.

"Hey Iroh! Wanna help me set up the fireworks for tonight?"

Iroh smiled. "Yes! Let me grab my coat!"

Lin watched as Iroh ran out of the room. She glanced over at Bumi. "Hey, is everything alright with Iroh?"

Bumi looked at her confused. "Yeah everything's fine. Why do you ask, Lin? Your cop sense tingling?"

Lin shook her head. "No, he just seems tense, like he's hiding something."

"He's a 15-year-old boy with normal 15-year-old problems. He's dating someone but he won't tell me or his mother who the lucky girl is."

Lin nodded but was suddenly pulled from her thoughts by Kya wrapping her arms around her waist. "Hey sweetie, can you help Bumi set up the fireworks?" Kya asked sweetly. "They may need an earthbender to make a level platform."

Bumi crossed his arms. "Iroh and I can handle setting up the fireworks on our own."

"Daddy, can I help too?" Zula yelled from outside the room.

"Iroh, Zula, and I can handle setting the fireworks up on our own," Bumi corrected.

Kya smirked. "Sure you don't want my girlfriend's help now?"

"Do I get a say in this?" Lin asked flatly.

"No," the two replied at the same time.

.o.

Iroh glared at his sister over a box of fireworks. "Why did she have to come along?"

"Because she asked," Bumi replied. "Now come on, she might be useful."

Zula slid down her own slide of ice. "Yeah, just in case you set yourself on fire, Roh."

Iroh set his box down. "I'm not going to set myself on fire."

Zula giggled. "That's not what I heard. I heard-"

"Shut up, Zula!"

Iroh shot her a death glare before helping Bumi set the rockets up and tie the fuses together. Lin watched the siblings, shaking her head. This was almost a replay of events with her and Lin.

"That's enough!" Bumi yelled. "Both of you! We are here to be around family and relax! I don't need you two at each other's throats! You are brother and sister, start acting like it!"

Lin bit her tongue since the two were acting like siblings. Zula and Iroh seemed to get the message and turned to do their respective jobs of setting up fireworks or creating snow people with water bending. For a moment Lin hoped that things would actually go smoothly, she had never seen Bumi look so stressed before. He really wasn't acting like the carefree man she had known in childhood, did kids really do this to people? Lin suppressed a shiver.

From behind her Zula started humming a very familiar melody. It was the same one Lin had heard years ago in the schoolyard when she had a crush on Tenzin and everyone there mocked her for it. At first Lin didn't give it any mind, the song was innocuous most of the time, especially in instrumental form, and then she started singing.

"Iroh and-

"Zula! Shut up!" Iroh yelled, blasting fire at the ground. The young prince paled looking down at the lit fuse before diving into the snow with his little sister. A few moments later the most spectacular midday fireworks show erupted from the cliff side.

.o.

Izumi and Kya were in the kitchen talking when they smelled gunpowder wafting through the air. Izumi turned to see the four of them singed but not too hurt. Zula jumped from her father's arms and grabbed her skirt, burying her face in it. Izumi looked at Bumi. "What happened?"

Bumi looked over at Iroh, who looked away. "We had a bit of an accident and we won't have any fireworks for midnight, but no one's hurt." He gave his wife a forced smile.

Izumi shook her head. "Go clean up, all of you." They all turned to leave but she grabbed her son's shoulder. "Except you, mister, you are going to explain what happened."

Iroh wrenched his shoulder away. "I lost my temper, that's all. I'm sorry."

Izumi sighed. "Iroh, don't lose your temper with me. Just please tell me what's wrong. Does this have to do with your father?"

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with him! Just leave me alone." Iroh clenched his fists. "Look, let me go get cleaned up and take a nap. I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

Izumi watched him storm off and looked over at Kya. "Am I a bad mother for not going after him?"

Kya shrugged. "I always hated it when my mother went after me. I'd just give him space, check on him in a little bit."

.o.

Iroh was just waking up from an hour's nap when he heard a knock on the door. Groaning, Iroh opened the door and saw Lin standing there. He rubbed one eye. "Can I help you, Chief Beifong?"

"It's Aunt Lin, and, actually, I think I can help you." Her face softened. "What's on your mind, kid? You've been on edge all day and you almost told me earlier."

Iroh sat on his bed. "It's complicated."

"So is police work, what's up? You're hiding something and Zula knows but your parents don't. Am I right?"

Iroh pulled his legs to his chest. "Yes."

"Does this have something to do with your knew girlfriend?" She saw Iroh bite his lip. "Boyfriend?"

Iroh nodded and turned red. "Yes." He looked up at Lin. "Is it irrational that I'm afraid to tell my parents?"

Lin sighed and sat next to him. "No, but I don't think this is healthy either."

"It's not, but I'm afraid to tell them, especially dad. I mean, what if he hates me after I tell him? He didn't exactly look pleased seeing you and Aunt Kya together."

"He was shocked by it. I mean, she really didn't give him much warning, but he still loves her and I don't think he'll stop loving you because you're gay."

"I'm not gay, I'm bi."

Lin nodded slowly. "Okay, I still don't think he's going to hate you."

"But what if he does? What if they both do? What if they throw me out of the house and never want to see me again?!"

"Well, one, I think you're catastrophizing. And two, if that does happen, you can call your Aunt Kya or me and we'll take you in. So don't worry, I'm not going to let you become homeless. Plus I'll even let you watch while Kya beats some sense into your dad." She sighed. "Look, you don't have to tell them right now or today, but it's New Year's, don't you want to start the year off on a better foot?"

"Did you steal that from a greeting card?" Iroh asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it was on the card that Tenzin sent saying he couldn't make it." She patted him on the back. "But seriously, if you ever need anything or just need to talk you have two very good Aunts who will listen."

Iroh gave a weak smile. "You mean it? Even though we're technically not family."

"Yes, I mean it. And we are family. Maybe one of choice, but sometimes that's the best kind." She gently punched him in the arm. "Now come on, your mother and other Aunt have been slaving away in the kitchen trying not to poison us. So it's only right we try to eat what they've created."

.o.

There might not have been any fireworks set off at midnight, but the amount of confetti thrown in the air made up for it. Iroh made a gag face as the adults kissed each other as the clock struck midnight. Zula didn't do anything but snore a little, having passed out a few hours before. They all cheered for a moment before heading off to bed. A half-drunk Kya practically dragged Lin off to their room while Izumi picked up Zula to put to bed. Iroh and Bumi stayed behind to clean up a little before turning in too.

Bumi looked over at his son. "Did you make a resolution that you can keep this year?" he asked cheerfully.

"I hope so." Iroh gathered some of the empty bottles up in his arms. "I really hope so," he muttered under his breath.

Bumi frowned. "You okay? I mean it. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, dad."

"Is something bothering you? The past few weeks you haven't been the same happy person I know."

Iroh sighed. "There is something. I'm just not sure how to explain it."

Bumi sat down and patted the area next to him. "Come, sit, and explain it the best way you can."

Iroh put down the bottles and sat down. "Promise you won't hate me once I tell you?"

"Did you kill someone?"

"No."

"Are you into drugs or drinking?"

"No."

"Are you secretly plotting to overthrow your mother and rule the Fire Nation with your iron fist?"

Iroh chuckled. "No."

Bumi smiled. "Then I promise I won't hate you, now what's up, kiddo?"

"Sooo you know I've been dating someone lately and…"

"She's not pregnant is she?" Bumi tried and failed to hide the panic in his voice.

Iroh cringed. "She's not a she."

"Oh!" His eyes widened. "Oh, ooohh. So that's why you're stressed. First, I still love you and you're not in trouble."

"You do? I'm not? You still love me?"

"Why would I stop loving you for that." He hugged Iroh close. "You're my son! I will always love you and welcome whoever you finally settle down with."

Relief washed over Iroh as he hugged back. "Thanks, dad, I was really worried you'd hate me or throw me out."

Bumi chuckled. "Last time I looked my name was Bumi, not Ozai. So is this why you've been on edge this whole time, fighting with your sister?"

Iroh nodded. "Yeah, she kind of caught me kissing Shang a week ago and she's been holding it over my head."

"Ah, Shang? Really? The son of the Northern Water Tribe Ambassador?"

Iroh crossed his arms. "Yes, so? Have a problem with my taste?"

"Nope, just didn't see that one coming. Thought you two hated each other, guess not." Bumi sat back. "So do you want to tell your mother tonight or later?"

"Which is safest option?"

Bumi thought for a moment. "We'll tell her tomorrow." He stood up. "Now come on, let's get to bed, this has been a very long day."

.o.0.o.

~13 years later~

Fireworks exploded over Republic City at the strike of twelve, creating beautiful colors in the sky and in the dark murky waters underneath. Lin stood next to Kya, overlooking the Avatar and her friends standing on the balcony below. She was surprised to see a certain princess standing next to her detective, their hands almost touching. Iroh walked up beside them and looked down, his face bemused.

"Is my sister really dating your detective, Aunt Lin?"

"He's either dating her or Wu." She smirked. "I honestly don't know which is worse for his sanity."

Iroh chuckled. "It's a close race." He leaned against that railing. "Wow, that time in the mountains seems so long ago now."

"Yeah, don't remind me, it makes me feel old."

Kya gave her nephew a mock stern look. "Yeah, it's not nice to make us feel old!"

Iroh smiled. "Sorry, I won't do it again." He sighed. "So another year over and the world's still in one piece." He glanced at the new spirit portal. "More or less."

Lin nodded. "Yeah, here's hoping the next year won't be quite as hectic as this one."

"You don't really think that, do you?" Iroh asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"No, I don't. Let's see what the future tries to throw at us!"

"Then do your worst, New Year!" Kya yelled, slightly inebriated.

Iroh and Lin and laughed. "Bring it!" Iroh said, his eyes twinkling.

.o.

Zula leaned against Mako watching the fireworks and started humming a song she hadn't thought of in a long time. Softly, she started to sing so only her companion could hear.

"I'm 22 for a moment

And he feels better than ever

And we're on fire

Making our way back from Mars"

"That's a pretty song," Mako whispers in her ear.

She smiled. "Yeah, my brother wrote it a long time ago and right now it just seems like the right song to sing." She gave Mako a chaste kiss on the cheek as snow started to fall. "Happy New year."

Mako smiled. "Happy New Year."

A/N: Hey guys thanks for reading! I know It's a little different from my usual stories (ok not too different but different focus) I hope you all enjoyed and as always comment if you feel so compelled. And Yes this is the same universe as "Vacation" just 12 years later. See all you later~ :) C.C.