This was actually a gift for the lovely, beautiful, Seyaryminamoto. Happy Birthday darling! I'm so glad/honored/happy to have you in my life.
"Can you watch her?"
The question took the Fire Princess off guard. She was not used to being given responsibilities of any kind, save for basic living needs. So for her brother to ask her of this was something she didn't expect at all. If it has been for something petty she would not have cared about it would have been one thing, but this was not only something he cared about, but the one thing that he cared about the most.
"She's ate and she shouldn't need a change for a few hours." Zuko motioned to the small oblong basket that was sitting on the sofa. "She's not bad or anything."
"I-I know she's not bad." Azula looked at the basket with a forbidding look, her face flushing over a bit. "Are you sure you want me to?" Her hands went to her hips, looking at her brother with a frown. "I mean, this is your kid, your baby."
"I know." The side of his lips curled into a smile, looking at her softly, "That's why I want you to watch her."
"The baby… YOUR baby?"
"Yes, Azula."
"Does Suki know?"
"Does Suki know what?"
"That you're leaving her with me?"
"Suki knows that we need a date night, that we've not had one in a few months. She knows that someone has to watch Zee and I said I would take care of it."
"So no, she doesn't know it's me."
"Listen…" Zuko reached out and placed a hand on each of his sister's shoulders. "I want you to watch my daughter. I know you can do it." The FIre Lord gave her a weak smile, "Who knows, you might actually like it." He shrugged.
"How can someone like a baby?" Azula sneered, crossing her arms over her chest and looking away.
"Well I kinda like her."
"You just like her cause she's proof you had sex."
Zuko pulled away and chuckled a bit, shaking his head, "We'll be back later this evening."
"I don't recall actually agreeing to this."
"Don't have to." Zuko pulled away form her, going to the doorway and pulling on his boots. "It's my house and I always get what I want." He smirked a bit, which just made Azula roll her eyes in disgust. He could not help but smile as he walked back over to his sister, "You're gonna do fine." He insisted before leaning down and kissing Zarra on her small head. "Call one of the maids if you really need help, ok?"
"I'm still not overly found of this idea!" She snapped as he started to walk away."
"I told you, you will do great." He looked back at her for a moment, "I love you."
"This is a bad IDEA!"
Zuko disappeared through the door, leaning Azula alone in the sitting room of the Fire Lord's Suite with no one other than that little Princess, sitting soundlessly in her little basket.
"This is a horrible idea."
Sokka was thinking about what he was going to eat for dinner as he was making his way to the Fire Lord and Lady's suite. While he was a regular guest at the palace, he was not of the ranking where he could order his own food. He left one of his friends do that for him. There was also something kinda trilling about ordering around the Fire Lord, who then ordered someone else around for him.
He let himself into the sitting room, and was surprised but not displeased at seeing The Princess Azula sitting on the large red sofa there.
"Heeeey Spicy Princess." he smiled at her. It was then that he noticed that there was a small, dark brown basket sitting on the sofa, the edge of a green blanket dangling over the side of it. Between the state of the object, and the look on Azula's face as she looked it it, he could deduce what was in the basked.
"Zuko talk you into baby sitting?" He laughed a bit, walking over to her on the sofa.
"I'm just mostly making sure that it's still alive."
Sokka raised and eye brow, "Well… is she?"
"Last time I checked."
Sokka sat by Azula on the bed, "I guess that is a good thing."
"I have no idea what his game is." She snapped, "He didn't even give me a chance to say no."
"Well…" His arm went over the back of the sofa, resting it across her back. "You seem to be doing pretty well."
"She hates me."
Sokka froze, looking over at her and laughed loudly.
"What's so funny?"
"You think that she hates you?"
"I know she dose!"
"Well she's just a baby, Azula." He assured her, "She had very little opinions about anything other than Suki's breasts and dirty diapers."
"Gross." She groaned, "Really though, whenever i look at her she just stares at me, doing nothing."
"And that makes her hate you?" Azula nodded, "Well you've not seen anything." Sokka laughed, standing. He went to the basket, reaching in and picking up the baby. As soon as Zarra was lifted into his arms her shrill cry ripped though the stillness of the sitting room.
"What did you do?!" Azula shot up, going to Sokka and Zarra.
"It's me she hates." He insisted, looking at the small baby with a smile. Zarra didn't see the smile, but was too busy waiting in the Water Tribe man's strong arms. She seemed to be wholly disturbed and distraught by the fact that he was holding her.
"Why's she crying?" Azula asked again.
Sokka shrugged, "She's just like this. Whenever she sees Aang or I she goes nuts."
Azula instinctively reached out, going to grab the baby from Sokka. As she did so Zarra reached out for her, her small hands grabbing for her Aunt. Azula took her into her hands, pulling her to her chest and nuzzling her close.
Zarra buried her face into her Aunt's shoulder, her cries being muffled into the Princess's red shirt. Her little hands gripped the fabric, tears wetting it. Her hand went over the girl's back, long nails lightly scratching her.
"You've upset her." Azula hissed.
"Yeah. But she seems to not mind you." Sokka smiled, looking at Azula with the baby.
It seemed to hit her in that moment, the princess looking at the girl, then back up at Sokka. "She…"
"See, she likes you just fine." He assured her, noting the way that she was smiling with the little girl in her arms. "And I think you might like her too." He smiled.
Azula had to stop herself from running her fingers over the girl's fine red hair. "I mean I can tolerate her."
"I can see that." Sokka smiled.
Zarra looked up at her aunt, tears still in her eyes and on her little cheeks. Azula gave her a soft smile, thinking how much she looked like her mother. "Hello little one." Azula cooed down at her.
Zarra was looking at her with big eyes, tiny lips parted, amber irises searching her aunt for something, anything.
Azula felt like she should do something, that she should entertain the girl. She did the only thing she could think of, something that she's seen Zuko do with her the day before.
She inhaled sharply, closing her mouth then exhaling quickly through her nose. When she exhaled a small puff of blue fire came from her nose, the baby blinking in surprise at the flash of light and heat. "You're daddy can't do it quite like I can." She boasted.
After a few moments the girl's eyes lit up, her lips curling into a smile as her legs started to kick under her. Azula was surprised but happy when Zarra started to giggle, her small hands pulling on the shirt of her fabric.
"You liked that huh?" Azula laughed, looking at her.
"Do it again."Sokka jeered.
Azula did it again, the girl watching with a wide smile and a loud squawking giggle.
Zarra opened her mouth and took a deep breath, closing her mouth and exhaling through her nose. When she exhaled the smallest, but most pure puff of yellow fire came with her breath.
Sokka and Azula froze, both looking at Zarra with wide eyes and dropped jaws. The girl was laughing, her little legs kicking with joy as she looked between her Aunt and Sokka.
"D-did she j-j-just…." Sokka stammered, looking at the girl.
"She did." Azula whispered, pressing her lips to the side of Zarra's smile head. "She's a Fire Bender. A redheaded, fire bending, baby girl."
Sokka reached out, rubbing the princess's tiny back. "A True Fire Nation Princess." His blue eyes lifted up and meet Azula's golden ones, tears gathered in the bottom of them, "Like her Aunt."
Azula found herself hugging onto Zarra, her hands shaking as tears started to fall down her face. The baby responded with a laugh, cuddling close to the woman who held her. Azula should have been surprised, should have pulled away in shock and annoyance. Instead she felt her entire body, her entire self relax around this little being, around this little girl.
She had to sit down as she held her, as she clung to the the small princess. Even though it was her niece in her arms, her brother's daughter, she was holding her like this for so many different reasons.
"What's wrong?" Sokka asked, concern in his eyes as he sat next to his friend.
"She's like me." Azula repeated, lips pressing to the side of her head again, "She's like me."
"She is." He told her, grinning like an idiot.
Azula pulled the little girl away from her body, letting her test on her thighs. Zarra looked up at her Aunt, eyes large and smile wade. Azula herself smiled, the tip of her sharp fingernail running over her full little cheek lightly.
She was so little… so innocent. Like she was once. So new and fresh and perfect. Like the fire she just made. Zarra's tiny fist raised up, waving around happily. "I won't let anything happen to her." Azula insisted in a mumble, "I will never let anything hurt her."
One of Sokka's strong hands went to her shoulder, rubbing it lightly. "And nothing ever will." He assured her.
Azula looked over at Sokka with a smile, "I will make sure of it." She said with a sure nod.
"Hello my little Koi Fish." Fire Lady Suki cooed down at the girl in the basket, reaching in and rubbing her small belly. "Did you have fun with your Aunt 'Zula?"
Zarra was ready for bed time, her little eye lids heavy as she looked up at her mother, the side of her lips curling up into a small smile.
"Sleepy little baby." The girl whined as her mother kissed her on the head, the woman's strong hands holding her tightly.
"I hope she was ok." Zuko said from next to his wife, seemingly looking over the girl to make sure that she was still in one piece. Azula felt a little insulted, but was more than pleased with herself when Zuko found that nothing was out of place.
"She was fine."
"We both made sure of it." Sokka added, "She's very pleasant when she's not hating me." He laughed, sitting on the arm of the large sofa.
"She just is particular." Suki commented, Zarra's cheek pressing to her's as they both looked at Azula, "Thank you for watching her. If you want you can do it again." Suki smiled a bit, lightly scratching her back.
"I'd love to." The Princess answered, a smile on her face, "In fact I want to watch her as much as I can."
Zuko and Azula exchanged looks, but then both smiled.
"We would love for you to." Zuko instead, a wide smile on his face.
"It wound't matter if you said no, I would have done it anyways." A hip popped at the side, arms crossing over her chest. Zarra gave her a soft chuckle as she looked at her aunt, drawing a smile from the Fire Lord and Lady. "Shall we show them?" Azula asked the girl, walking over to the little girl. She reached out and ran her finger over the girl's cheek. "Come on, don't let me down."
Zuko raised an eye brow as he stood next to Sokka, the warrior holding a large grin on his face.
Azula took a deep breath, exhaling and showing the girl a puff of fire. As before Zarra followed suite, letting a small puff of yellow flame come from her nose.
Time stood still in the sitting room. Azula was the only one who was able to take everything in. She saw Zarra, who was looking so tired, her little eye lids sinking over her eyes. She saw the look of shock on Suki's face as she held the tiny Fire Bender in her arms, a smile on her lips. She saw the look of surprise, of pride, of pure joy, on her brother's face, the bottoms of his eyes with tears. She saw Sokka standing next to Zuko; who was, despite all the other activity, looking directly and only at her.
"She's…" Zuko broke the the silence, his smile widening.
"She's our baby Dragon!" Suki cried out, looking at the baby with a wide smile. Zarra looked at her mother with her heavy eyes, arms pushing herself off her a bit.
"She's…"
"Jeeze Zuko, this is only one of the most important moments in your life as a father and you can't say anything."
"She's like me…" He whispered happily, reaching out for her girl, cupping her cheeks into his hand and leaning down, pressing his thin lips to her small forehead.
"Like us." Azula corrected.
Zuko looked at his sister, a smile on his lips as he nodded, "Like us." He reached out, wrapping his arms around his sister, pulling her into a tight hug. "Like us." He smiled.
Azula blinked, looking as Sokka with an eye brow raised. Suki simply smiled as Azula wrapped her arms around her brother, embracing the hug awkwardly.
"She's one of us." Zuko whispered, a smile on his face as he pulled away.
"Let's just hope she's the best of us." Azula whispered.
He nodded, "I don't doubt she will be."
Sokka and Azula left the suite, leaving The Royal Family alone. They could tell by the way that Zuko had kissed Suki that they had only one thing planned for once they put the baby to bed. It was something that neither Azula or Sokka wanted to think about, let along see, so they were more than happy to excuse themselves.
They sat side by side on a small bench that over looked the small pound in the villa that she stayed. They were silent for a while, saying nothing, nothing needing to be said. It was Sokka who felt the need to move, to do something for her.
He reached out, taking her hand into his and squeezing it firmly. She jumped a bit at the contact, wanting to pull her hand away. It felt too comfortable though, too perfect for her to even think about pulling away.
Azula looked away, sighing lightly, "You know what I was thinking tonight, as I was holding her?" Sokka looked at her, urging her to continue. "I was thinking about how I was that little once, how I was so tiny and innocent. I thought about how I wanted, more than anything to protect her. To make sure that she never cried or suffered like I did. To make sure that she would never turn into something like me."
"I hope she's exactly like you." Sokka sighed, looking at her, "I hope that that baby grows up to be brave, and powerful, and amazing." Their eyes were locked, the smallest of smiles on Sokka's face, "I would not want her to be like anyone else."
The tears started to fall as she looked at the tall water tribe man. "I kinda hope she's like me too." She croaked.