Beautiful.

Breathtakingly beautiful.

Those are the only words Zuko can use to describe the image before him.

His Wife, Katara, is sleeping naked across from him. She one hand tucked under her head and the other curled next to her chin. Her hair frazzled and messy and a little drop of drool.

Zuko sighs happily. Propping his head up with his hand, elbow resting on his pillow. He'd give up everything just to wake up every morning with her. To grow old with her. He knows with absolute certainty this is the woman he wants to spend the rest of his (hopefully a long one if the gods are kind) life with.

He moves some curly hair out of her out of her eyes to see her beautiful face. Leaning down and kisses her forehead.

Katara stirs and hums slightly, beginning to wake. When she finally cracks her eye open she sees her husband gazing down at her form unashamed. She blushes at the thought, even after seven years of marriage he still finds her attractive.

Zuko's grinning at her softly.

She smirked back. "What?" She asks playfully, moving closer to him. In turn he wraps his arm around her lower back to pull her close faster. Laying fully back down. Their noses, almost touching.

"Nothing. I just..spirits I love you so much" He confessed. Just barely awake but she hears the emotion in it.

The 'I love you' wasn't said much. Often being expressed in other ways, but it just made it even more powerful when it was said. Because she knows he means it. That sends her into a frenzy all of her own.

Katara closes the space between them. They kiss each other slowly, unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world.

She pulls back from a lingering kiss. "I love you too, Zuko" Then she rolls on top of him. Blankets crumpling across their bare waists. His hands rested on her hips. Thumb brushing the hip bone softly. She shivers at the ticklish touch. He holds a suggestive look on his face that she returns.

As Katara leans down her hair falls past her shoulders as if a curtain.

"Daddy! Mama!"

Katara quickly rolls off her husband and they both hurriedly cover themselves just in time for their little five year old daughter, Kya, to dash into their room. Their four year old son Lu Ten is not far behind them.

"Mama I'm hungry!" Lu Ten says hurriedly then looks at his father. "Can we have watertribe stew?"

"Noo!" Kya whined, pushing past her brother. "We had that yesterday" Then gave her dad puppy dog eyes. "Daddy" She says in her most innocent voice. "Can we please have sushi"

Zuko purses his lips. Trying not to make eye contact with his baby girl. "um-"

When Suddenly Lu Ten interrupts."Ugh, why do you want sushi?"

"It's good and you know it"

"No!"

"Yes!"

Both parents glance at each other.

"Both of you stop yelling," Katara scowls. Still holding the blanket to her chest. Knowing she has to find a way to get the children out of their room so they can get dressed.

Both siblings come to a halt. Her gaze softens. "Why don't we figure it out when we get to the kitchen? You two run along and we'll be there shortly."

They seem to be pacified for now until Kya notices how both parents clinged for the sheets.
"Why are you and mommy naked?"

Katara blushes and promptly coughs and is a little embarrassed.

"Um-"

"It was really hot last so we were just trying to cool off" Zuko shrugs nonchalantly. Not ready to have 'the talk' with his five year old.

Kya doesn't push it further and joins her brother out of their room.

Both benders sigh in relief.

"We really need to teach them about knocking," Katara says as she gets out of bed to her dresser.

"Yeah, just another thing you're teaching them." Zuko rolls his eyes playfully.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katara snorts while continuing to find a dress to wear.

"I know you taught Kya that look" He replied while pulling on his pants.

"I don't know what you're talking about" She crosses her arms over her newly worn dress.

Zuko walks up to her and pecks her cheek. "The look you know I can't say no to. And on my little girl? Agni Katara, If she finds that out I'll never be able to say no to her"

"I'm pretty sure she already has you wrapped around her finger. You've gotten soft Fire Lord Zuko" She teases.

"I'm not soft," he pouts. "I'm.."

Katara raises a brow and kisses his lips. "You're soft, Love" She confirms. He grumbles a little and she only laughs. He slings his arm around her waist as they stroll out of the room together.

Fire Lord Zuko would never admit it but around his family he really is a big teddy bear.

Agni, he really has gone soft.. But perhaps that's not such a bad thing.