This is a little oneshot with Zuko, Iroh, and Lu Ten, based off one of the flashback scenes in the episode 'The Beach'. I used the title 'At the Beginning' from the song of the same name from the Anastasia movie, sung by Richard Marx and Donna Lewis. Please enjoy, thank you.
The father watched his son, eyes crinkled into a smile as he patted down the sand firmly, evident concentration etched on his young face.
His smile became wider as his infant nephew crawled over, tiny hand reaching out to "help" his cousin.
Lu Ten's concentration broke and he sighed as Zuko laughed and clapped at the sand palace. "Father, can you please get Zuko away from me. He's going to ruin it."
Iroh's smile didn't fade as he grabbed the little prince and drew him into a bear hug, which made the baby try (unsuccessfully) to wriggle out of his uncle's grasp.
The general peeked out from beneath his arms to see Lu Ten frowning.
"Something wrong?" He asked his beloved son nonchalantly.
"No," he said curtly, going back to patting.
Zuko sneezed and Lu Ten looked up quickly, instantly alert, his eyes wide in concern. "What's wrong? Is he ok? Does he have a cold? He shouldn't be out here if he has a cold!"
Iroh blinked at the boy and for a moment the only sound was that of the crashing waves in the distance.
Lu Ten suddenly shook his head, his face a deep pink. "Never mind."
Iroh smirked as he bounced Zuko in his lap. "Where you worried?"
Lu Ten's face constricted into half of a grimace, half of a sheepish look.
"The sand acts as a dust sometimes…" he replied to his son's expression and watched with a tender look in his eyes as Lu Ten sagged his shoulders in relief.
Back to patting. Pat, pat, pat.
Iroh continued to bounce Zuko, to the beat of his son's small hands on the wet, grainy earth.
The patting stopped.
"I'll have to go to war one day, won't I, Father?"
The bouncing stopped.
Iroh's face turned grim and Zuko made a noise of protest until Iroh resumed the motion.
Lu Ten continued as his father stared at him, his cheerful nephew moving up and down in front of him. It would have been rather comical, except for the seriousness of the situation. "Well, it's alright. I will fight for the Fire Nation and our family." He looked up from his sand palace, which was looking more and more like a sand pile. His eyes connected with his young cousin's amber ones. "And I will fight for Zuko. I promise to protect him, Father." He looked at his father now, face solemn, too serious for his age.
Iroh ducked his face against his tiny nephew's back, letting a few tears fall. He wiped them on the back of his hand, not wanting to let his son see him only just after he'd made such a brave speech.
"Well," Iroh said with a sigh. "You're a little young to be saying such things." And he lifted his light and frail nephew and laughed, his laugh intermingling with Zuko's and Lu Ten's. Two very important people that he loved very much.
I don't think I need to worry about these little ones, the Fire Lord's son thought serenely to himself.
And although the sun was setting on the ocean, turning the sky different stages and hues of orange, to Iroh, it felt like a sunrise.
