Projectile Motion

"All clean! On to Daddy," Suki said, kissing little Iroh on the head as she handed off the soaking-wet baby. Zuko caught him in a big towel, looking back as his wife started squeezing more soap into the other twin's hair. Izumi was also in the tub, happily preoccupied with a little toy turtle duck.

Zuko chuckled. "Maybe Toph was right. We are crazy."

Suki glanced back at him in amusement, the front of her tunic nearly completely soaked through, sleeves yanked up past her elbows. "Crazy can be a good thing, right?"

"Yeah," he agreed warmly, sending a little heat into the bundle in his arms as he hauled the kid back to the boys' nursery. Setting him down on the changing table, he dried Iroh off quickly before pulling the towel out from under him and tossing it into the hamper across the room. Reaching into the drawer below the table, he felt for a cloth diaper.

Unfortunately, it was empty. Even more unfortunate, it was at that moment the cold hit little Iroh and set off his bladder.

Zuko watched in mild horror as a yellow stream arched up into the air, curving at the top of its course before forming a puddle on the hard floor. In an ill-timed gut reaction, Zuko threw a hand out to stop it, sending the stream spraying out in all directions.

"O-oh, spirits—spirits, help—" he stammered, pulling a wet hand back and glancing anxiously at the door. "Suki! HELP!"

"Just a minute!" she called out to him. Cursing loudly, Zuko looked around for anything to stop the torrent before him. To his dismay, the towel was, of course, across the room where he'd thrown it, and the dresser full of clothes stood several paces away. And he knew he couldn't leave Iroh on the table alone or he might roll off the edge.

So, naturally, Zuko decided to pick him up.

"How—how do you have that much in you?!" he cried, the seemingly endless stream leaving a trail across his tunic and in his wake as Zuko moved awkwardly across the room, holding Iroh out at arm's length. Just before he reached the dresser, the baby gave out a happy sigh as it finally ended, a trickle trailing down one chubby leg.

Not a moment later, Suki stepped hastily into the room, Izumi half-wrapped in a towel at her side and another sopping, stark-naked baby in her arms. "Is everything okay? What—" She stopped, taking in the scene before her, eyes growing wide as she looked back at him. "What happened?"

"I, um," Zuko muttered, bowing his head. "…I panicked."

When Suki didn't respond, Zuko looked up to see her trembling in place, lips pursed tightly in an effort to hold back her laughter. Beside her, Izumi started to giggle despite not knowing what was going on.

"Ah, don't laugh!" he pouted at them.

"S-sorry," Suki said, a few chuckles escaping her throat as she tried to calm down.

"What do I do now?!" Zuko went on desperately, still holding Iroh out at arm's length. "It's …it's everywhere," he realized, looking behind him. "I mean spirits, this never happened with Mimi. It just—it went so far."

"Well, girls are different," Suki shrugged, pulling a towel from the cupboard and starting to dry off Lu Ten in her arms. "Boys get a little more distance because they have peni—"

"I KNOW WHAT THEY HAVE," Zuko said quickly, cheeks burning as he remained frozen in place, still unsure what to do.

"Well, for now, you should both head back to the bath. I'll send for Nanny to help out here," Suki said, smirking as she looked back over the room. "…And maybe a maid."

"You know, it's a good thing you're so cute."

Baby Iroh smiled widely, before slapping his hands on the top of the water, throwing soapy water into Zuko's eyes. He lifted the kid up quickly, balancing him on his knees in the tub.

"…A really good thing you're cute," he said tiredly, sighing in chagrin as he rinsed the rest of the suds off the two of them. Drying them both off, he very quickly fastened a diaper on Iroh and threw a robe on himself before heading back towards the nursery. He paused at the doorway when he heard voices inside, not sure he could muster up enough courage to face Nanny Sen just yet.

"Princess Izumi is sleeping soundly," someone was saying from behind the door. Zuko leaned close, holding Iroh against his shoulder as the child started to doze off.

"Thank you so much, Sen," Suki's voice echoed from the quiet room. "Sorry to send for you so late."

"Don't fret, my lady. That's why I'm here," the older woman replied. "In fact, it gave me quite a laugh when you told me what happened." Zuko felt his cheeks grow warm as the two women's quiet chuckles spilled into the hall. He huffed, blowing a few wet strands of hair out of his eyes.

"And if I may be so bold…" he heard Sen go on. "It's also quite endearing."

"Oh?" Suki asked curiously. Zuko leaned a little closer to the door.

"I started working here when I was quite young," Sen went on. "In fact, I often helped Lady Ursa as she cared for our lord and his sister."

"Really?" Suki replied in quiet amazement.

"Oh yes," the caretaker when on. "And in all those years I served…never once did I see Ozai help her with those children," she said quietly. "Never once."

They were silent for a long moment, and Zuko leaned back against the wall, a strange warmth flooding his chest he hadn't been expecting to feel that night. He hugged his son a little tighter.

"Thank you, Sen," Suki whispered, the door opening as the woman bowed and bid her goodnight. Zuko waited in the shadows as she left before heading into the room.

Suki was standing beside one of the cribs, gazing down at the sleeping child inside. Moving beside her, Zuko tucked her hair behind one ear with his free hand before kissing her on the cheek.

"Sorry about the mess," he whispered, moving away to put Iroh in the opposite bed. He stopped, however, when she caught his hand and pulled him back, reaching up and kissing him deeply. He sighed against her lips, fingers weaving into her hair in the hushed darkness.

"Nanny Sen said something," she started, pulling back a little and placing a hand on Iroh's back.

"…I heard."

Suki nodded quietly, before wrapping her arms around him. "I love you," she breathed.

Zuko smiled a bit, the embarrassment from earlier suddenly worth it. "Love you too." He paused before going on. "And you know…I think I learned something tonight."

"Hmm?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Never abandon the towel until the diaper's on."

[end]