A look into Fire Lord Zuko and Lady Katara's life with their children, five year old Aeliya and fourteen year old Kayaan. One-Shot. Family time.

Fire Lord Zuko watched his five year old daughter Aeliya, who sat across him on a red chair. She was dressed in fire nation colours and had her Grandma Ursa's pearl necklace around her neck.

Aeliya had her table set in one of the gardens of the palace and she somehow roped her father into having a tea party with her. Having spent a lot of time with her Grand Uncle Iroh, she was bound to like tea. She was too young to have any but still, she liked it all the same. According to Iroh, who was the owner of a famous tea shop in the Earth Kingdom (specifically Ba Sing Se) tea was a wonderful drink.

"Daddy", said Aeliya. "You're not drinking your tea." She pointed at the empty plastic cup in front of Zuko that contained imaginary liquid.

Zuko smiled. "Sorry Princess", he said as he lifted the cup to his lips and pretended to take a long sip. "Are you happy now?"

The little shook her head furiously. "It's really hot!" she exclaimed dramatically. "You'll get burnt if you don't blow at it. Uncle Iroh said so."

Zuko sighed warily before lifting the cup to once more and making sure that he blew at it. He took another sip of non existent tea. "When does this tea party of yours end?" he asked."I've got to meet with a delegation arriving from the Northern Water Tribe so I need to go in a while."

Aeliya looked up at him with large amber eyes filled with hurt. "But you promised, Daddy! You promised to stay with me today", she said sadly.

One look at her disappointed face and Zuko couldn't even think of doing anything but spend time with his daughter that day. Nothing else mattered. He didn't want to be the type of father that put work first and family second. He wasn't going to neglect his children the way his father used to do to him when he was younger. One of his advisers would have to attend to the delegation as he was busy.

Five year old Aeliya and fourteen year old Kayaan were two of the most special people in Zuko's life and he vowed to never make them feel any less loved.

"I'm not going anywhere, Princess", he said. "I'll stay here as long as you want me too."

Aeliya clapped her hands together in delight and a wide grin came onto her face. "Then you'll be stuck here all day long. With me. All day long, Daddy." Then she thought this over. "Well, until Mama and Auntie Toph get back."

~X~

"Dad!" exclaimed Crown-Prince Kayaan as he ran over to his father and sister. "You're needed in the throne room."

Zuko sighed as his daughter began to protest. "I'm busy here, son. I can't leave Aeliya here or she'll get upset."

Kayaan turned to Aeliya. "What's your problem?" he demanded. "Dad's got more important things to do than sit and play with you. In case you've forgotten, he's the Fire Lord."

Aeliya glared at her brother. "Go away, Kayaan. Daddy wants to play with me", she yelled.

"Kayaan, Aeliya", said Zuko. "Don't fight."

"We're not fighting", said Kayaan. "I'm trying to make this idiotic girl here realise that you've got duties to attend to and having a stupid tea party isn't on the top of your list."

"Kayaan!" admonished Fire Lady Katara as she walked into the garden. "Apologise to your sister, young man. You shouldn't have called her that."

Kayaan made a face. "But she is one", he said under his breath. "A stupid idiotic little moron."

Katara raised an eyebrow and planted a hand on her hips. First she turned to her youngest child. "Baby girl", she said. "Daddy has to go but he'll come to you as soon as he's through."

Aeliya nodded as she noticed her mother wasn't in the mood to joke. "Okay", she agreed.

"Now it's your turn", Katara went on. "Say sorry."

"I won't", said Kayaan. "She's the one who's-"

Zuko cut in. "I don't care. Listen to your mother."

"But Mama!" whined Kayaan.

"Apologise", ordered Zuko and Katara at the same time.

"Fine", grumbled Kayaan. "Sorry Aeliya. I won't say anything about you again."

The young princess shrugged in indifference.

"I guess this is my cue to leave", said Zuko as he got out of his seat. He went over to his wife and placed a quick kiss on her cheek before heading back inside.

"Guess I'll go with him", said Kayaan. "See ya later."

~X~

"Why are boys so weird?" Aeliya asked Katara that night as her mother brushed her hair.

"Why do you ask that, love?" replied Katara, asking another question.

Aeliya made her way into Katara's arms. "Kayaan said that girls are gross", she informed.

Katara laughed. "Boys tend to say things like that. Don't be offended."

"I'm not. But if he said that about girls, then why was he kissing Hiba's friend Maria?" Hiba was Suki and Sokka's thirteen year old daughter.

"He was, was he?"

"Yup. I saw him from the balcony."

Zuko came into the room. "What's going on here?" he asked. "What are my two girls up to tonight?"

"We're discussing your son's new girlfriend", answered his wife.

"Girlfriend?" the Fire Lord raised an eye. "Isn't he too young for that sort of thing?"

"Who's too young for what?" asked Prince Kayaan as he came into view behind his father.

"Maria", said Aeliya with a sneaky smile.

Kayaan seemed as if he was about to choke. "What about her?"

"You were kissing her", said Aeliya.

"Oh. Should we send a proposal to her father then?" asked Zuko seriously. "So that you can get married when you're of age."

Kayaan let out a scream. "No!" he said.

"Then why were you uh...um.. kissing her?" questioned Zuko.

The Prince's reddened and he hid his face behind a pillow. "Please stop. Don't ask me anything else."

"You'll have to get married one day", said Katara playfully. "What's the big deal in getting betrothed right now?"

Aeliya giggled. "Kayaan's getting married", she said with enthusiasm.

"You stay outta this", said Kayaan. "This is between me, Ma and Dad."

"Katara my dear, should we go to this girl's house tomorrow?" asked Zuko.

"Of course", agreed Katara.

Kayaan groaned. He hadn't understood that his family was joking with him and that they had no immediate plans of getting him married to anyone. "I'm leaving", he said. "I'm going to Uncle Aang."

He literally ran out of the room.

~X~

"I wanna get married", said Aeliya suddenly.

Zuko paled. "Don't say that", he pleaded. "Boys are all bad. Remember that."

"Are they?" inquired Katara. "Is that true, Zuko?"

"I'm an exception", answered her husband. "I'm a good guy."

"Daddy is the best guy ever", said Aeliya with an air on finality. "No one is better than him."

Random, dontcha thinK? I agree. Well. I hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it, please leave a review. Thanks for reading.