Work Text:
The walk back to his family’s quarters was too long if you asked Zuko. He was done with his work for the day and was eager to see his girls. The meetings felt longer and longer as he anticipated finally being able to cuddle his baby and wife.
As the Fire Lord closed the door to their private wing, he heard some commotion coming from the sitting room and made haste towards it. His steps faltered when he realized the noises weren’t exactly happy ones.
“No Izumi, I told you no.” He overheard his wife say firmly.
She was standing in the middle of the room, hands on her hips and a stern look in her eye as she reprimanded their daughter. Izumi was shrieking out in defiance, but it wasn’t until she saw him standing in the doorway that she really began to cry. Her little curls bounced as she wobbled towards her father on unsteady legs.
“Dada!” She cried, hot tears rolling down her cherubic cheeks. Her chubby little hands reached up for him, begging him to hold her.
Zuko leaned down to catch her. “What happen-”
“Wait! Do not pick her up!” Zuko froze as Mai held her finger up. “She needs to learn to listen.”
“Dada!” Izumi pleaded again, her little golden eyes swimming as her hands opened and closed for him.
He didn’t hesitate to pick her up this time, holding her close. Izumi immediately tucked her face against his neck and her tiny fists curled into the back of his robe as she wailed. His hand soothingly rubbed up and down her back.
“What did I just tell you?” Mai looked severely annoyed now. “Now she’s never going to listen to me.”
“Mai she’s a baby! What do you expect her to do?” His tone contradicted the way he protectively cradled her closer.
“I don’t expect her to do anything, I expect you to back me up when I’m trying to teach our daughter something!” She yelled with her hands on her hips.
“She’s crying!” Zuko exclaimed as if it wasn’t already obvious with the baby sobbing hiccups into his neck.
“Yeah, well guess what? They cry! It’s not the end of the world! How else do you expect her to learn that no means no?”
“I don’t know! Some other way!”
“Whatever.” Mai shrugged sarcastically, giving up the fight. “Keep undermining me and you’ll make sure she turns into a spoiled brat.” With that she left the room in a swirl of robes and glares.
Well now Zuko felt bad.
Bad because he had a baby in his arms whose every cry was slowly killing him. Bad because his wife might have had a point, but he had been too blinded by his daughters cries to admit it. And bad because now he had to fix both of them.
Izumi was easy. Once she was in her father’s arms it only took a few minutes of soothing before she was as good as new. Zuko took his time winding her down for bed. He bathed and rocked her to sleep as he tried to figure out how to apologize to his wife. It was true, he didn’t want his daughter to turn into a brat, but damn he can’t stand it when she cries. It was like his heart physically hurt when his baby cried, especially when it was for him.
Zuko finally got Izumi down and quietly entered their bedroom. Mai was already lying in bed, turned away from him, but he knew better. The set of her shoulders was far too rigid for her to be asleep.
“Mai.” He gently laid a hand on her back, which instantly tensed up. “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean for that to happen the way it did.”
“Well you did it.” She grumbled. “So, I don’t know what you were expecting to happen.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” He apologized again. “I honestly don’t even know what she did wrong, I just couldn’t-.”
“It doesn’t matter what she did wrong, Zuko.” Mai swiftly sat up and faced him, fire in her eyes. “What matters is that you don’t listen to me, you just jump in and save the day as always! Leaving me to be the bad guy.”
It was true. Whenever Mai told Izumi no, Zuko usually ended up saying yes. That’s why the little Princess was so used to spending almost every night sleeping in their bed, even though Mai said she would get too attached. Or get away with not eating all her dinner, even though Mai said she had to. Or staying by the turtle duck pond for an extra ten minutes, even though Mai said it was past her bedtime.
She rubbed a hand against her forehead. She looked down at her hands as she got the next few words out. “Is it because you don’t trust me to discipline her? Did you think I’m going to hurt her or something?”
Taken aback, Zuko grabbed Mai’s shoulder so she could look at him. “No Mai! Never! I know that you would never do something like that. Not in a million years.”
“Then what? What is it about me trying to raise our daughter that makes it so hard for you to agree with me?”
Zuko sighed in defeat. “Mai, you know that’s not it, I just- I can’t see her cry. You know that.”
“I know you’re a big sap Zuko, but you have to get a hold of yourself.” The Fire Lady’s demeanor somewhat softened. “You think I like seeing her cry? It hurts me too, but this parenting thing only works if we are a united front. That’s the only way she’s going to learn.”
“I know.” He sighed in defeat. He leaned forward and hugged Mai to him, pressing a kiss to the top of her silky hair. “I promise I won’t undermine your decisions again.”
“You say that now.” Mai rolled her eyes as she hugged him back.
The couple settled in for bed, cuddling and catching each other up on their days. Mai’s head laid against Zuko’s chest, his heartbeat lulling her to sleep. Her eyes were drooping when they heard her from the next room.
“Dada!” Izumi’s tiny voice called desperately.
Before Mai even had a chance to swing her legs out of bed Zuko was already halfway to Izumi’s nursery. Mai laughed to herself, that girl had him wrapped around her tiny, little finger. She contemplated waiting for him to return but knowing Zuko he could spend all night rocking Izumi to sleep in his arms.
Entering the nursery, she saw them snuggled together like a pair of turtledoves. She caught them just as he bent down to kiss her dark curls. Izumi let out a deep sigh as she tucked herself under his chin, savoring her father’s warmth. As annoyed and sometimes jealous as Mai could be from Izumi being such a daddy’s girl, she completely melted at sights like this.
Zuko looked up and held out a hand for her to join them. Mai easily fit into his embrace, both of them surrounding their little girl in warmth. Izumi turned and patted a hand against Mai’s face, whimpering “Mama” around her pacifier, a sign of forgiveness for their earlier disagreement. Mai’s heart burst at the seams with love. She gently held Izumi’s tiny hand in hers and pressed a kiss to her palm, trying to convey what she couldn’t with words.
“You’re a good Mama.” Zuko murmured; his forehead pressed against hers. “And we both love you so, so much.”
“Thank you.” Mai sighed, feeling infinitely better than she did moments ago. She pressed a soft kiss against his lips. “You’re a good Dada too.”
As the little family held one another Mai had a second thought. She couldn’t really blame Zuko. She could easily spend all night like this too.