1 - Momtara and Dadko

Zuko was meditating as the dawn strengthened into daylight. It had been years since he lived in the Fire Nation, but he maintained his practice nevertheless as a means of both keeping his bending keen and to stay true to his culture. Katara had similar habits, but none of them, as she frequently told him, had to happen at such a barbaric hour of the day as dawn.

As though to prove that very point, she was still snoring quietly in their bed, one arm flung out over his pillow, her hair a tumble of disarrayed curls around her face. He'd kissed her cheek as he got up, as he often did, and she had mumbled sleepily but not woken up. People tended to raise eyebrows at couples from opposite Nations—opposite element benders, no less: how in the world could they be compatible? Surely they'd drive each other nuts with their dispositions and instincts and so on? Even their families had been a little skeptical.

It hadn't proven true. From the very first, they had fit together like how hands made for holding each other. Zuko lived in a constant state of satisfied bliss and couldn't believe his luck.

"Mommy! Daddy! Mommy! Daddy!"

Sometimes bliss was not very peaceful though.

Omika and Zai burst into their parents' room, and Katara groaned and pulled the pillow over her head. Zuko chuckled as the twins bounded up onto the bed and started jumping.

"Come on, Mommy, get up, we're going to miss the parade!" Omika shouted, black hair uncombed, blue eyes alight.

"There's going to be stiltwalkers and a bending demonstration and Suda told me there will be elephant-parrots! Come on, get up, get up!" Zai had his mother's fluffy brown hair and his father's bright eyes and no end of enthusiasm.

"Kids, your mother needs rest," he scolded, getting up from his spot by the terrace doors. "She had a long day with the trade delegates yesterday."

"That's right," Katara grumbled, voice indistinct through the pillow. "Have some respect for your poor sleepy Mama."

"But Mommy, elephant-parrots!"

"The parade doesn't start for hours," Zuko said firmly, taking Omika and tossing her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She squealed. Katara had told him last year that she was impressed he could still throw the twins around like that since they were already seven years old and getting so big, and he had resolved to keep it up as long as he possibly could. "Mommy can sleep a bit longer."

"Well, too late now," Katara sighed, sitting up. "You've done it. Are you happy, my little monsters?"

"Yes!" Zai cried, unashamedly climbing into her lap. She smiled and kissed his forehead. Omika wiggled til Zuko put her down on the bed, then he climbed on after her.

"Well, what shall we do first at the parade?" Katara asked, smile still a bit bleary but warm and affectionate nonetheless.

"The elephant-parrots!"

"No, I want to try the Air Nomad fruit tarts!"

"We should be a bending team in the contest!"

"With Suda for our Earthbender!"

"Yeah! And then we can see the stiltwalkers!"

"Yeah!"

Katara smiled over the heads of their chattering children, and Zuko smiled back, ready to burst with pride and contentment.

A/N

A day late to start posting, my bad! Ambassador will be up this afternoon (once I've, you know, written it, haha). Happy Zutara Month!

AtLA is owned by Nick or whoever

E.I. signing out