(Theme Sixty-Five) I Think the Proper Term is Handmaiden and Feudal Lord

(As Prompted By) apermissivemommy

"Which of you is my dad?" is a question asked at the breakfast table in front of the entire family by a small, feminine voice. "The kids at school all have a mom and a dad, and Izumi has a mom and a dad, so, which one of you is which? I'm really confused."

Zuko snorts, trying futilely to contain his laughter, and Mai slaps his shoulder. Azula makes a face that no one present has seen before; Zuko considers it similar to the one she wore when Uncle threw her into the ocean. Ty Lee just blinks and smiles, as if that will make it go away. Izumi bites her nails, being old enough to understand the question and not wanting to reveal that she is. Now that would be embarrassing for her parents to see.

"Uhhm," Ty Lee begins uncomfortably as everyone seems far too shocked to respond, glancing at Azula and seeing that her wife has absolutely no answer either. "I don't actually know."

Mai, realizing she is again the voice of dry and emotionless reason, interjects with, "They're both your mothers. You call them mama and mother. What else would they be?"

Azusami squints at the Fire Lady and contemplates that possibility. Mama is Ty Lee, given that she is much more tender and was the first one Azusami spoke to. And Azula is mother, because she calls all of her family by the most detached pronouns possible, and Azusami learned it from her.

"Well, I gave birth to you," Azula suggests weakly, turning up a palm.

Ordinarily she would probably take offense at people questioning which one of them was the male in the relationship, which, given the varying relationships of husbands and wives, Azula found to be absurd and far to personal of a question in the first place. But Azusami is clearly confused, and Azula supposes these weird questions come up even if your parents aren't lesbians.

"Uh-buh-buh-buh," Zuko says before Azusami can reply. "You are definitely a father figure to Azusami."

"I've always considered you to be her father figure, ZuZu," Azula purrs and Zuko looks flattered.

"Thank you," he says genuinely and then Azula laughs. Of course, of course.

"I can't believe you didn't realize that was a joke. I am clearly the father figure in her life. Although, you are her only male role model, so don't screw it up," Azula says after finishing her cackling.

Zuko does not even know how that qualified as a joke, but he just shrugs. "Alright, maybe I changed my mind. I actually think Ty Lee is her father," he says and Azula squints at him, looking mildly offended. "You gave birth to her, so Ty Lee will never really understand motherhood in the same way."

Azula clears her throat. "I don't even have a response to that."

Mai presses a napkin onto her lips to keep from laughing too hard. Zuko rubs his neck, no longer having any desire to be involved in this conversation.

"Zuko, I understand motherhood better than Azula ever will. I completely did all of the mommy stuff except being actually pregnant and feeding her," Ty Lee says sharply and Mai cocks an eyebrow. "I am your mother and Azula is your father, Azusami. But we really are both your mothers. So just punch any kids who question it in the face or something."

"Hmmm," Azusami says, looking even more confused than she was before. "Uh... okay...? So, can I call you dad?"

"No," Azula says coldly and Azusami shrugs.

Zuko opens his mouth to yet again argue, Mai carelessly joins in and the four adults bicker for the rest of breakfast about whether Azula or Ty Lee is Azusami's father, and Azusami and Izumi just stare at each other until they leave the table, the adults still fighting.

"Our family is weird," Azusami grumbles to her elder cousin and Izumi just nods.

"No weirder than most families..." Izumi replies, thinking of her father's friends and their incredibly weird children. "Now... you do know where babies come from, right?"

Azusami slowly shakes her head. "Kissing and holding hands at the same time?"

Izumi laughs, shaking her head, and guides Azusami to the courtyard to give her a talk that might just clear up her confusion about which of her mothers is her father.