A/N:
Thanks for all of the reviews! As you can see, this chapter is short like the last one. They'll be this length for a little while, but as the kids get older they'll get a lot longer, trust me.
Enjoy and let me know what you think!
Zuko is having tea with his mother and his Uncle Iroh. He's put four cubes of sugar into his tiny teacup because he hates how bitter tea tastes. As he lifts the cup to his lips he tries very hard not to spill the hot drink onto himself.
He decides that the tea needs to be sweeter. He drops in another sugar cube. There's now a white, sugary film coating the bottom of his cup.
"Zuko," his mother scolds lightly with a frown. "You don't need to put so much sugar in your tea!"
"Oh, let him. The boy likes what he likes." Uncle Iroh grins down at him before adding a couple of sugar cubes into his own tea in support.
This is why Zuko likes his Uncle Iroh. He's always smiling and agreeing with him, and he never lets mother and father scold him too much. Uncle Iroh is fun, and so is his son, Lu Ten. But Lu Ten is fourteen now and doesn't have time for tea.
Zuko puts his tea cup back down and sits up a little straighter, determined to be like a grown up.
Uncle Iroh turns his attention back to Zuko's mother. "When are Chief Hakoda and his family arriving again?"
Mother openly perks up at this. "Three days!" she exclaims with excitement.
Zuko's good mood immediately sours. Katara would be visiting.
A spot on his forehead throbs at the thought of her.
"Stupid block," he grumbles. His Uncle and his mother give him looks of surprise. He simply picks up another sugar cube and shoves it straight into his mouth.
All of Zuko's favorite foods are being served at Chief Hakoda and his family's welcoming feast.
Zuko decides that maybe there are some benefits to them visiting after all.
Plus, Chief Hakoda gave Zuko a small wooden boomerang, like the one Sokka had been playing with last summer. Zuko prefers his wooden sword, but he decides that this is a nice addition to his collection of weapons. He also has a slingshot that Lu Ten has fastened for him.
Chief Hakoda also brought Azula a Water Tribe doll. She's has already ripped off some of the doll's hair. It doesn't matter. Dolls are stupid. Zuko's gift is far superior.
Zuko is innocently enjoying his egg custard when he looks up across the table. Azula and Katara are sitting next to each other. Both girls are giggling about something. Zuko decides that toddler matters are beneath him, and therefore he didn't need to pay attention to them.
It was his first mistake.
A moment later egg custard splatters across his face.
Everyone laughs. Zuko is not amused.
Zuko cannot believe he's drawn something so utterly incredible.
It's the best picture he's ever done. It's of mother and Uncle Iroh drinking tea. Mother looks so lifelike! Granted, he ran out of yellow paint so her skin is green, but still. He didn't forget the fingers this time, so he feels like this is a great accomplishment.
He picks up his picture off the grass with every intention of finding his mother and giving it to her. She'll hang it up in the library, where she hangs up all of his pictures. He feels like this one deserves to be in the center.
A little brown hand snatches it away from him, and then Katara is toddling away, his prized picture in her grasp.
"Give it back!" he yells, running after her.
"No!" She starts to toddle faster, her grip on his picture tightening.
Zuko freezes when she realizes that she's headed right towards Sokka.
Zuko knows that little sister trick! She's going to take refuge behind her big brother.
He wants to scream in frustration. There was no honor in that.
Zuko usually holds himself to a high standard when it comes to fighting his own battles. But this time…this time he'd have to be drastic. He was going to have to tattle.
He was going to tell mother about Katara's theft. Justice would be swift.
He finds his mother and Katara's mother (Kaya) just around the corner, sitting by the turtle duck pond.
"Mom!" he whines, rushing up to her and grabbing her leg. "Katara took my picture!"
He's not sure if he should cry or not. That might be too much.
His mother pats his head reassuringly. "I'm sure she'll give it back if you ask nicely."
Zuko can't quite wrap his mind around this concept. "But… She took my picture!"
His mother simply tucks a stray lock of hair behind his ear.
She obviously does not understand the gravity of the situation.
Then someone pokes him in the shoulder. He turns his head to see Katara dropping his picture by his feet. His picture is now creased and smudged with dirt. With her tiny fist she smacks him lightly in the shoulder. The little girl lets out a squeal of mirth before ducking behind her mother's leg. A second later she was peering shyly at him from around said leg.
"Ursa! Look how adorable they are together!" Kaya picks up Katara and places her in her lap.
"I know! Didn't I tell you?" Both women then collapse into laughter.
Zuko is thoroughly confused.
"Zuko," his mother begins, and he looks up at her cautiously. "You should be nicer to little Katara. Who knows, maybe you two will get married one day."
He lets this sink in for a moment.
His eyes widen. What a terrible idea!
"Gross!" He turns his back and stomps away, completely disgusted by that blasphemy.
He would never be able to marry Katara! Especially if she kept hitting him with things!