Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Please enjoy!

The house was abuzz with celebration. It was Suyin's birthday, and Kuvira knew that birthdays were always celebrated grandly, especially Su's. This was not by Su's choice, but given that she was the leader of the city, it was to be expected. Su always tried to keep it contained. The woman loved attention but preferred to spend a day with her family.

After dinner and desert was the time for gifts. Baatar Sr. had given her a prized meteorite for her collection molded into her family crest. Each of the kids had made her something by hand. From Wing and Wei, metal picture frames that they had bent themselves. From Opal and Kuvira, flowers that Opal had hand picked around Zaofu in a small but lovely bouquet adorned with metallic flowers Kuvira bent into delicate shapes. From Baatar Jr., a model of his first building he had helped engineer for his parents. As Su opened each gift her smile grew and grew. She loved her family to no end. Finally, Huan stepped forward. He had been quiet during the whole affair and had stood at a distance like he often did.

"Here, Mom," Huan said, thrusting a small wrapped package at her. She took it with a smile. She carefully peeled back the wrapping, revealing a small metal sculpture. Kuvira craned her neck over Opal's head, who was sitting in her lap, to see what the sculpture was.

"Oh, Huan," Su said, fawning over the sculpture. "This is beautiful. You've really improved."

Huan looked away, but Kuvira could see a slight blush on his cheeks from the compliment. He never acted excited about anything, but Kuvira could tell that he was secretly very proud of his gift. She often saw the boy bending pieces of metal into intricate shapes. It had been her inspiration for the metallic flowers in her bouquet.

Su held it up to show everyone. It was a sculpture of the family with Su and Baatar in the middle holding hands. Next to Baatar were Junior, Huan, Wing and Wei. Next to Su stood Opal holding her other hand, and next to Opal was Kuvira. Everyone was smiling, even Huan and Kuvira.

"It's the entire family," Su said happily, turning the small sculpture in her hand and admiring each member. She turned it in a circle so everyone could see, and Kuvira felt the breath catch in her throat. She couldn't believe that he had put her on the sculpture.

After the gift opening, it was time for bed, and the family dispersed. As Kuvira walked to her room, she spotted Huan making a beeline for his own, eager to retire to his personal space. He wasn't one for happy party antics. Kuvira picked up her pace, catching him before he could close his door.

"Why did you put me on that sculpture, Huan?" Kuvira asked him, grabbing his door to keep him from closing it.

He shrugged. "Why not? You are our family. You have been for as long as I can remember." He paused. "If you don't like it I can easily turn you into Grandma."

Kuvira shook her head, her cheeks turning pink. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I was just surprised." She took her hand off the door, letting the boy close it.

OOO

Kuvira looked around the office, trailing her gloved hand across the desk slowly as if admiring the intricate craftsmanship of it. She had been in this office plenty of times in the past, but never alone like this. Her eyes traveled across the lines of photographs that Su and Baatar had set up of the family. One was picture down on the edge of the desk. Kuvira turned it over, finding a picture of a baby boy. It was Baatar Jr.; she remembered Suying telling her about it years ago. It must have been turned over by the matriarch, finding it too difficult to be reminded of her betrayer son.

Then, her eyes fell on a small sculpture sitting on an adjacent shelf. She took it in her hands, trailing her fingers over each component. Her hand rested on her small form at the end of the line, hovering there for a moment as the memories flooded her mind. It almost made her smile. Then her smile turned into a grimace, and she pulled it away, letting just her form dangle in midair above her palm. She clenched her hand, watching as the little metal figurine crumpled into a misshapen hunk of metal. It fell to the ground, landing with a small thud at her feet.

She hadn't felt like a part of their family when that sculpture had been made. She certainly didn't feel like a part of the family now.

~AN~ Sorry about the hiatus. I didn't really think people were reading this anymore. So thank you to mankanshoku for messaging me! I really appreciate it, and you made my day! I have quite a few more already at least partially written so I should be able to update more frequently!

Again thanks to those who are reading and reviewing! I really appreciate it!