30 - Jealousy

The first time Omika and Asahi brought their son Akito to visit Ba Sing Se, he caught a bug and ran a high fever. His breathing was heavy and his brown curls were tousled with sweat and his tossing and turning in bed. Katara, lifelong healer, knew he was not in any true danger, but she still watched over him jealously through the days and nights of his illness. Omika and Asahi were grateful for this, as first-time parents of a generally healthy child, so it fell to Zuko, as usual, to worry about his wife's wellbeing.

On the second day of Akito's fever, when she'd been sitting up for eighteen hours straight with him, Zuko went in and laid a soft kiss on top of her nodding head. "Come rest, love," he said gently. "His fever isn't dangerous, but you will do yourself harm if you don't care for yourself as well."

"I'm okay," she insisted, sounding rather bleary.

"I know," he said, having learned long since that to disagree was to make her dig her heels in. "And after a short nap and some food, you'll be even better."

"You think you're clever," she accused, without rancor.

"Sometimes. Please, love, he'll be alright for an hour. I'll sit with him."

She hesitated. "If his fever goes up—"

"I'll come get you, of course."

A short silence. "Alright. Just a short nap."

"Right. Eat something first though. And drink water."

"Who's the healer again?" she jibed lightly, standing up and easing the kinks from her spine.

He smiled warmly. "You can't be married to one for so many years and not pick something up."

"Hm." She smiled rather wryly, and went on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Thanks, love."

He kissed her back and settled into the chair she'd left. He listened as she moved around the kitchen, pouring water and cutting something up that sounded like an apple, and then on towards their bedroom. Then he turned his attention to his grandson, lightly touching his cheek and forehead to check his temperature. He wasn't any worse than before.

"Well, Akito, it's just you and your old grandpa. Have I ever told you the story of the red strings of fate?"

A/N

I wish we'd ended with something positive, so I twisted it as far as I could to do that.

Happy Zutara Month! We're still sailing, stronger than ever!

E.I. signing out