What a Wonderful World

Position: Firebender

Team: Future Industries Fire Ferrets

Prompts: Blanket, Fire Nation Capital, What a Wonderful World

Word count: 1389

I awoke at dawn at the sound of Zuko getting out of bed. My boyfriend... No, my fiance! I couldn't help but giggle inwardly at the flutters and clenches my stomach was doing at the remembrance of this newest development in our relationship. I slowly peeled open my eyes, blinking the sleep away from them. A small yawn escaped me, alerting Zuko to my consciousness.

"Good morning, Katara," he whispered. A totally dorky smile turned up his lips as he looked at me.

I self-consciously pushed at my wild, wavy mane of hair. Bed-head was not a good look on me, and I was certain that he must be giving me a weird look because of that.

"What?" I said sleepily, feeling that horribly embarrassing heat of a blush come upon my face.

He shook his head at me, and I glared at him.

"Zuko, tell me why you're looking at me like some crazy person, would you?"

He was on the bed beside me within the moment, his golden eyes mere inches from my face. I always forget how fast that man is...

"Because I love you, and now I get to marry you," he said bluntly, a grin on his face. Now my face was seriously burning; I was probably about the same shade as the scarlet bedsheets by that point. He used to be so awkward about saying stuff like that, until he made the oh-so-wonderful discovery that I'm even more awkward in receiving compliments.

And that I blush.

A lot.

"Shut up and let's go get breakfast," I muttered, letting my hair fall in front of my blazing cheeks.

I sat underneath the ancient tree in the garden; Katara leaned up against me as I played with her hair.

"Why are you playing with my hair instead of me playing with yours?" she teased, turning her head to look at me.

I smirked at her. "Because I'm taller than you are."

She stuck her tongue out at me and leaned her head against my chest again. I picked a small red bloom from amongst the grass and weaved it into her hair gently.

"Better get used to wearing red," I joked, picking up another flower.

"Not all the time, though, right?" Katara asked, fiddling with a flower she had found.

"No, of course not. I won't force you to abandon your culture, Katara. Ever."

She relaxed against me while I braided her hair intricately, adding the flowers here and there.

What? I grew up with three girls, okay?

I was half asleep against Zuko, drowsy in the summer sun, when the sound of approaching footsteps snapped me out of it (You learn to be a very light sleeper when you're being pursued by the Fire Nation).

"Fire Lord Zuko?"

He sighed, and I moved slightly out of the way so he could stand.

"Yes, what is it?" he said in his "impatient ruler of the Fire Nation" voice.

It's a very specific voice, honest to goodness.

"There's, ah, most unusual news, your majesty," the nervous messenger said.

"Which is?"

"Someone, uh, someone...Someone has left an infant on the very doorstep of the palace, sir."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, squeezing my eyes tightly shut.

"Katara, we are not keeping this kid, alright? That's it, that's final. I'll have him sent to a children's home or something, I don't know, but we can't just adopt a baby because one shows up at the door!"

I opened my eyes, and wished I hadn't. Katara had a defensive, stubborn look fixed on her face, her blue eyes steely. She wasn't backing down without a fight, that much was clear. She held the little boy (or girl... I legitimately had no idea) in her arms, still swaddled in the red blanket he- uh, she- it had been found in.

"Zuko, we can't just abandon her! Whoever left her here was desperate, can't you see that? Who would trespass onto the ground of the Fire Nation Royal Palace and escape undetected if there were other options?" She argued.

I shook my head firmly.

"No, Katara. Just... No. I know you're probably the type of girl to take home every injured fire ferret and polar bear puppy you find, but..."

She held the child close to her chest, standing up.

"Zuko, how can you say that? This is a living human baby! One who came to us for a reason," she said, anger blazing in her eyes. "Aren't you supposed to be Mr. Destiny? Wouldn't you call this destiny?"

She was practically yelling by this point, and yet the child was still fast asleep.

I walked away, stroking the ebony hair of the girl.

"Katara, we aren't done talking about this!" I heard Zuko call behind me. He'd been trying really hard to control his temper since we began this conversation, and he was clearly breaking.

"But I'm done listening to you say no," I said coldly. "I'm going to get her some food, she's way too thin. I can practically feel her ribs through the blanket."

He growled low in his throat, frustrated, but I was already out of the room.

I slammed my head into my hands, groaning.

Great. Just great. Sokka is arriving later today, some random kid has been left at my home, and my fiance is mad at me.

Fantastic.

I touched her soft head gently as I laid her on the massive bed. She was still so small and swaddled so tightly that there was no fear of her crawling or rolling off.

I left the room after asking a couple of guards if they would watch the entrance carefully. Zuko and I never required many guards, considering we were both master benders, but with a small, defenseless baby, there were some measures that must be taken, especially in the palace.

Cheer up about Zuko, I told myself. Sokka will be arriving at the palace any minute now!

The Water Tribesman and I exchanged traditional Fire Nation bows, followed by the firm forearm grip of the Tribes. Formalities out of the way, we embraced like the friends we were.

"How are you doing?" He cried, hugging me tightly.

"I'm doing pretty..."

Do I say how I am right now? Or in general? Darn, I never was good at this...

"I'm doing pretty good," I finished.

He let go of me, scooping up his sister in a huge bear hug.

"Hey, sis! What's new?"

She looked at me awkwardly over her brother's shoulder.

"That's an... Interesting topic, Sokka..."

"I'm sorry..."

"No, I'm sorry..."

"Look, I shouldn't have been such a jerk, okay? I just... I'm not ready to be a father, Katara. And then here you are talking about adopting a kid... I freaked out."

"Zuko, it's fine. We don't have to make some big commitment to this girl right this minute. She just needs a home right now. We can figure everything else out later."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"This is sweet and all," Sokka said sarcastically. "But I'm gonna leave the room before you two start making out."

As the two kissed, they could hear the warrior mutter loudly, "I just asked what was new. I didn't ask for an all out story, or to officiate their lover's quarrels, or to watch them apologize and be gross and lovey-dovey..."

5 years later

Our little girl laughed, racing ahead of us on light feet.

"Kaiyo, don't run too far ahead!" Her father anxiously called after her.

I elbowed him in the ribs, smiling.

"She's fine, Zuko, calm down. You're so overprotective."

"I can't help it," he breathed, watching our golden-eyed daughter dance in the summer air. "Every time I think of how close we were to never having her at all... I hate myself."

I tugged him to a stop.

"Don't hate yourself," I said gently, hand caressing his cheek. "Never hate yourself. Look what a good father you are to her now. Look at everything you've given her. The past is in the past, Zuko, okay?"

Kaiyo ran up to us, excitement gleaming in her amber eyes.

"Daddy, Mommy, look what I can do!"

She held out her pudgy hand, a little flickering flame shining from it.

And I thought to myself,

What a wonderful world.