"Brother, come play with me!", yelled the little firebender.
"I'll be right there, Izumi." Tom watched his 'little sister' shoot off small bursts of fire with a happy smile. She was only six and already an excellent bender, a true prodigy in the making. Not that anyone was surprised, fire princesses were known for their deadly perfection, Izumi was just next in line. Looking back down at the open scroll in his hand, the eleven year-old sighed, another letter from two people he hoped never to see again, his parents.
Tom didn't remember much of them, random images of being held, sitting in a lap, or being passed around by strange women while his caregivers spoke politely with the numerous politicians. And oddly enough a group of dirty people dressed in green and blue that had a big furry monster with them and little hog-monkey thing he wanted to play with, although that could just be a dream he had as a kid, it did sound kind of absurd, even to him. He barely remembered their faces anymore, he had only been two the last time he saw then, he hoped they would eventually fade into the oblivion of his mind.
"Another letter.", came a voice behind him. Tom didn't flinch at the sudden presence, he knew instantly who it was and opted for simply passing the scroll over his shoulder. His true sister, Mai, the one that had been there for him when everything else had been lost. When he was too young to even understand what was happening, but he knew the truth now.
"They want to see me."
"Do you plan on going?"
"Why would I? I have nothing to say to them.", said the boy with a shrug.
"You know, Tom, you can go if you want. I'm the one with all the problems with them, but they tried to be good parents with you at least.", said the Fire Lady, taking a seat beside the boy.
"Yeah, they tried so hard that both of us nearly got killed trying to get away from them, and then they commit treason so that we were left all alone while they're in prison.", responded Tom bitterly. "They didn't try hard enough if that was they best effort."
Mai watched her little brother, seeing the anger behind his gray eyes as he held his knees to his chest. "Do you wish things had turned out differently?", asked the woman, looking out towards the garden to watch her daughter enthusiastically play with the turtle ducks.
Tom thought about the question. Did he wish his life was different? That the people who's blood flowed through him were the ones that had raised him for the past decade. He thought about the slight changes in his life since those foggy images of a family he barely knew, no know was much different than back then. He thought about when he was three and would draw random pictures and run to his sister to proudly show her his work, and how she would always get that faint smile on her face and rub his head affectionately. Then when he was six and started at the Royal Fire Academy for Boys, how Mai had walked him there for weeks until he was ready to go with only the gaggle of royal guards as company. Zuko had started teaching him how to wield broadswords when he was eight, by now he was practically an expert with the twin blades. But most of all he thought about all the meals he ate with them, all the nights they tucked him in while wishing him sweet dreams, all the times he wondered if this is what a family was suppose to be like. The royal couple had treated him as if he were their own child, their affection for him never wavering even after they welcomed Princess Izumi into the world, they were the ones that had loved and cherished him, not the rotting traitors that sent letters every month.
"No, this is my life, and you and Zuko are my real parents as far as I'm concerned. This is...where I, where we're suppose to be, don't you think?", asked the boy.
"Yes, I do."
"Mommy!", cried the little girl, running across the grass to Mai side. "Mommy, look at how big my fire is now!", yelled Izumi, shooting off a tiny blast of bright orange flames into the air with a huge grin on her face.
"I see, that's quite impressive, Izumi.", praised the knife-thrower as the giggling girl fell into her lap.
"Mommy, will tell Brother to stop reading and come play with me?", pouted Izumi, turning her bright amber eyes upward.
"That's up to Tom, Izzy, but I'm sure if you ask nicely he wouldn't object."
"Please Tom.", begged the princess, clasping her tiny, pale hands together.
"Ugh, you don't have to look so desperate, I was gonna do it anyway.", said the eleven year-old, rising to his feet. "What game do you want to play?"
"Tag! Tag!", chanted Izumi. "Mommy, will you play too?"
"I think I'll sit this round out, but perhaps your father would like to play, why don't you go ask?", suggested Mai.
"'Kay, I'll be right back Brother. Wait, for me.", called the child as she ran inside the palace in search of her father.
"You totally did that on purpose, you know Zuko won't say no to her.", accused Tom.
"Precisely, I get out of running around like a fool and Izumi's still happy. It's an ideal situation."
"Not to mention you get to watch the Fire Lord run around like a pig-chicken with its head cut off from the sidelines.", added Tom with a laugh. "That's truly brilliant."
"Glad you think so.", said the Fire Lady, her own airy laugh escaping her throat. Sobering up, Mai also added, "Tom, you know if you ever want to visit them or have any questions you can ask. It won't hurt mine or Zuko's feelings, they are your parents after all."
Tom was about to answer when the adult firebender's voice reached their ears. "I'm coming, Izzy. You don't have to pull me.", whined Zuko as his daughter tugged him along behind her by his hand.
"Mommy and Brother are waiting for us.", insisted the princess, her voice taking on an air of superiority. "I promised I'd be right back."
"Alright, alright, you win, but this would make it go much faster.", said the Fire Lord before he swiftly lifted the girl into his arms. Izumi burst out laughing as her father tickled her sides, squirming in his grasp as he carried her across the stone pathway to the rest of their family.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting.", said Zuko as he approached the pair.
"Daddy, put me down.", whined Izumi as she wiggled in the man's toned arms. "I'm a big girl."
"My apologies, Princess Izumi.", teased Zuko as he placed the girl on the ground. "Would your royal highness mind telling me why I was dragged out here?", asked the older bender, bowing slightly to the child.
"Tag.", replied Izumi.
"Wha-", started the royal.
"Yeah, tag and you're the first target, so Izzy has to get you.", interrupted Tom with a smirk.
"Hey, hold on a sec.", tried Zuko again.
"You should start running now, Dear.", added Mai, just as Izumi bended fire at the hem of her husband's robe.
"Wait, hold on, Izumi.", said the Fire Lord frantically. "Let me take of my outer robes."
"That's not how you play, Daddy."
"Yeah, don't be a cheater, Fire Lord.", egged on Tom.
Zuko took off at a sprint across the garden, his cumbersome attire slowing his pace as the his little girl ran after him. "Come on, Tom.", called Izumi before turning her focus back onto her pursuit.
Tom was about to chase after the duo, when he paused. "I already know who my parents are.", said Tom, casting a glance over his shoulder at his older sister. "I love you, Mom" .", added the boy quietly before sprinting off, not waiting to hear Mai's reply if she had one. I have a family, parents who love me no matter what and a little sister that sneaks into my room during thunderstorms so that I can comfort her. That's the truth that I choose to believe. I'm thankful that this is my life, that these are the people that surround me, I could never trade them. Thank you Mai, Zuko, Izumi, for giving me a home and a family. Thank you for loving me.
A/N: Last Avatar Appreciation Week Entry for Day Six, Prompt: Grateful. Really wrestled with what to do for this one, but ended up settling with one of my personal headcanons for the Royal Fire Nation Family. Hope you guys enjoy this drabble, even though it's a week late.