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As most firebenders did, Zuko rose with the sun. The golden light fell upon his face and beside him was his husband, Aang.
Zuko had never expected to marry the Avatar of all people—never expected to repopulate airbenders with him—to finally call Aang his—but he never regretted it. Everyday, Zuko grew to love Aang more and more, and there he was, beside him, asleep.
The Firelord slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes. This was the hardest part of getting out of bed. One big movement and Aang would be all over him. It wasn’t that Zuko minded but his husband needed his beauty rest.
Slowly, he shifted, not too rough so that his dark brown hair accidentally got on Aang’s face. His attempt was fruitless however. Aang grabbed his wrist.
“Stay.” The Avatar muttered.
Zuko’s features softened as he allowed Aang to pull him closer.
“The servants wake in an hour, painters come after breakfast.” Aang continued. “Just stay.”
Zuko couldn’t say no to that.
He laid down against the silken sheets again. Gray met Gold. Their hands intertwined. The room started to become warmer as Aang nuzzled deeper against his pillow.
Their faces got closer, eyes closed. Then..
“Ow! Momo!” Aang shot up, being greeted by his flying lemur. His frown formed into a smile as Zuko’s laugh filled the room.
“I guess Momo agrees with you. We should get up.” Aang said with a defeated sigh. Despite that, his hand went up to pet the lemur on his shoulder. Momo then left Aang, flying out the pet door.
“I hope he doesn’t wake the staff up this time.” Zuko muttered. He then eyed Aang. “Now, where were we?”
The two were in each other's arms once more. No distractions. No flying pet lemurs ruining the moment. Their lips met in an instant. Aang’s hands dug into Zuko’s dark brown hair, grounding themselves in the sensation.
When they pulled apart, it was hard not to go right back in. However the morning called to them.
“I’ll go get Kuzon.” Aang whispered. He temporarily left the bed, leaving their own little world.
Oh little Kuzon. Pyrite eyes. Dark brown hair like his father’s. Named after his papa’s childhood friend. The boy was 3 years old. His personality was still developing but he reminded Zuko of himself at times. Quiet but appreciative of what was around him.
Despite Kuzon’s lack of bending, he was adored by his fathers, especially by Aang.
Zuko stifled a chuckle when he heard the pitter-patter of footsteps. Only one other person could be awake at this time.
“Hi, dad!” Ran said.
Ran was Zuko’s second daughter and in a set of twins, named after the two dragons. She had black hair and gray eyes and she was a firebender while her identical twin brother was an airbender. She was gentle and kind, with an affinity for tea like her great uncle (though the children refer to Iroh as their grandfather).
The 7 year-old girl approached Zuko, holding Momo in her hands. “Are the royal painters coming now?” Ran asked.
Zuko softly shook his head. “They’ll come a bit after breakfast. Besides, your siblings aren’t fully awake yet.”
Ran nodded her head and sat on the bed, kicking her feet. “What about training? We haven’t trained in days and my firebending is getting stronger.”
She giggled when Zuko petted her head. They probably had time for training today. At least before the painters arrived. “Alright.”
When they walked out the door, Zuko saw Aang holding Kuzon.
“Training already?” Aang said light-heartedly. Zuko gave an affirmative nod.
“Me and Ran haven’t trained in a while, and it would be nice to pass some time.”
“Can you watch us?” Ran asked, pulling on Aang’s robe.
Aang smiled. He technically could even join the two in training, being the Avatar and all, but he couldn’t leave Kuzon unsupervised. Still. Aang wouldn’t mind spectating from the sidelines.
“I’d love to watch.”
——
Aang held Kuzon as they watched the training session occur. It started with meditation in the sun then to basic katas. Then came the actual sparring.
Aang noticed how Ran constantly evaded attacks, using her fire at shifting directions, staying light on her feet. She fought like an airbender. This made sparring with her father an amusing sight. It reminded Aang of his own battles with his husband—back when they were enemies.
“When can I play with them?” Kuzon asked innocently.
The toddler blinked when Aang ruffled his dark-brown hair. “When you’re older.” Aang simply said. Aang still remembered the day Kuzon was just a newborn in his arms. He wasn’t particularly ready for his son to grow up and be able to fight alongside his siblings. He heard Momo chirp on his shoulder, acknowledging his uncertainty.
Then came a gust of wind.
“Morning!”
Aang turned his head, meeting his eldest daughter, heir to the throne, the first airbender born in 112 years. Nima, named after the sun just like her golden eyes.
The tween girl placed her hands on the railing, watching the sparring with enthusiasm.
“Morning, Father! Morning, Ran!” Nima shouted, temporarily stopping the training session.
It was times like these where Aang could see his younger self in her.
“What are we doing today?” Nima said as she turned to her dad and baby brother. She opened her arms for a moment, giggling as Momo flew into them.
“After breakfast, we can take a ride on Appa before the painters come.” Aang said, though he had made this decision without Zuko’s knowledge. He liked to mess with him sometimes.
“And we can go gliding?”
Aang nodded as his eldest’s eyes sparkled, watching her cheer.
Aang turned back to the hallway with worry. “Nima, have you seen your brother?”
“Shaw’s fine, dad. He’s probably oversleeping again.”
Still, Aang knew that if Shaw missed his twin’s training session then he’d be disappointed. He set Kuzon down on the ground, telling Nima to watch over him.
The Avatar made his way to the twins’ chamber, opening the door. “Shaw?”
He saw his son still asleep in bed.
Aang quietly tip-toed to the boy, shaking his shoulder. “Wake up, buddy.”
The boy didn’t budge.
If he left his son here, Aang knew Shaw would be upset for the rest of the day. So, Aang scooped him up, leaving the room.
Shaw was like his sister, in terms of acting opposite to his element. He was easily angry and prone to recklessness. In fact, his attacks always relied on strength and aggression which was more of a firebending thing. And while Shaw was dedicated to learning and following Air Nomad culture, his patience was lacking. If he failed to do something, he’d always fuss about it until he fully got it right. It reminded Aang of Zuko.
Aang returned to his two children who were still overlooking the sparring—or at least the end of it. Aang sighed. Looks like he and Shaw missed out on a pretty good fight.
“You both did awesome!” Nima called out to her father and sister who were walking up the steps.
“She’s right,” Zuko said as he turned to Ran, “your firebending has improved.” Ran smiled at her father in reply.
The two made their way to the others, with Zuko being the one to hold Kuzon now. “Breakfast?” The Fire Lord suggested. Everyone immediately agreed.
——
Breakfast was already laid out in the royal dining room. It contained a mix of Fire Nation and vegetarian dishes. The family sat comfortably, making no judgement over each other's food choices.
“I missed out??” Shaw ate his noodle soup in bitterness.
“You were asleep, sorry..” Ran replied.
Shaw stood up from his seat. “Agni Kai! I challenge you now!”
Aang couldn’t help but chuckle. Though for a brief second, he examined Zuko’s face, hoping he wasn’t getting uncomfortable.
To Aang’s relief, Zuko didn’t look bothered.
“Shaw, you can’t challenge Agni Kais! Father banned them a long time ago, and besides you’re not even a firebender!” Nima called out. Shaw stuck his tongue out at her.
Nima then turned to Aang, “Papa, you said we could ride Appa after breakfast. Are we still doing that?”
Aang felt Zuko’s golden eyes on him. The former gave a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck, “Sure.. when I get your father’s permission.”
“Could’ve told me..” Zuko muttered, though no hurt was in his words.
“You were training with Ran!” Aang spit back.
“Stop fighting!” Ran interrupted, causing Zuko and Aang to stare at her.
“Ran, sweetie, we’re not fighting. Just arguing—teasing even!” Aang reassured her.
“I still wish you told me.” Zuko said lightheartedly. “But no, Ran, we weren’t fighting.”
The firebender nodded, looking pleased. To her, it felt as if she just stopped a war from happening.
“So, when the painters come do we wear our royal outfits?” Nima asked.
“If you want to,” Zuko responded. It truly was his children’s choice on what to wear. He would never want to force them to do something they didn’t want to do. “I’m sure the painters won’t mind.”
Eventually, breakfast was finished.
The children went off to change out of their pajamas while Aang, Zuko, and Kuzon (who was too young to be left alone) went to the stables to prepare Appa.
“I’m proud of them.” Aang said softly while brushing Appa’s fur. Kuzon was already in the saddle, taking a nap. Aang could hear Zuko hum softly in agreement.
“Me too. They’re all very strong—and powerful,” Zuko replied. He admired Ran’s avoid-and-deflect attack style. He enjoyed seeing Shaw’s aggressive airbending. And Nima’s airbending was like Aang’s but more graceful. If Zuko was like his father, he’d care solely about power and how he married the Avatar for that only. But Zuko wasn’t like Ozai. He married Aang because he loved him. He saw his children as more than weapons. They were passionate people who would grow up to lead extraordinary lives.
“but they’re also silly and fun.. Nima always keeps everyone on track, Ran can light up a room, and Shaw has determination.” Zuko continued. “Kuzon will probably like them when he’s older.”
Aang nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly.
“Here!” They turned and saw Nima floating down, glider in hand. The girl reached out to pet Appa.
Ran and Shaw appeared too with Momo in Shaw’s arms now.
“Alright, let’s get started!” Aang said. He helped Ran and Zuko climb up the sky bison. Then he led his two airbending children out into the courtyard.
——
The sun shone brightly and the wind was warm.
Zuko held Appa’s reins, looking up at the sky.
There he saw Aang, Nima, and Shaw flying with their gliders.
“They look so cool!” Ran said in awe.
Zuko nodded. He could say the same. Aang and their children flew gracefully, having the time of their lives.
Kuzon sat on Zuko’s lap, his tiny hands reaching out to his papa and siblings in the sky. “Will I fly like them?”
“When you’re old enough to fly Appa on your own.”
Zuko then laughed when Kuzon’s hair got in his face due to the wind. The Fire Lord took out his own hair tie, tying his son’s hair in a high ponytail. “There..” Zuko said softly.
Meanwhile, Aang, Nima, and Shaw were having a race in the air with Momo following them.
Over the years, Aang wasn’t as fast as he used to be. Being the Avatar slowed him down a bit, not to mention the physical consequences of carrying 4 babies throughout the years. But his positivity never faded, and neither did his determination to win.
Aang was dead last but looked on at his children with pride. They were the airbending legacy. One day, Nima and Shaw would have their own children and the skies would be filled with airbenders again.
Aang did his best to teach his children the ways of the nomads. He knew that it was their choices on how they would live their lives, but the least Aang could do was tell stories and teach lessons about respecting life. He did this with all his children. (since the non-airbenders might have an airbending child or descendant one day)
Nima was in the lead. She was a true prodigy. Shaw wasn’t too far behind her though. He was consistently blowing air out of his mouth to catch up to her. It was a tactic Aang has never thought of, that’s for sure.
The three glided down near the palace, passing the windows and guards that overlooked the walls. Everyone in the palace was used to their shenanigans by now.
Eventually, the family descended down to the courtyard.
“I win!” Nima said happily.
“It’s cuz I let you.” Shaw crossed his arms.
“Hey, we’re all winners here!” Aang intervened, placing his hands on both of his children’s shoulders. “Even Appa, Momo, your father, and siblings won. This is a family unit!”
The two children only eyed each other, then nodded their heads.
“Fire lord Zuko, Avatar Aang,” The family heard a servant call out. “the painters are here.”
Zuko and Aang nodded. The latter went to Appa, helping Ran and Kuzon get off the bison. Zuko slid off with ease, turning to the servant, “Prepare some tea for them. We’ll arrive shortly.”
——
While the servants tended to the children, Zuko and Aang made their way to the throne room. Hand in hand.
There the painters awaited, carrying paper and their pallets.
“Fire Lord Zuko, Consort Avatar Aang,” They said as they bowed. “it is an honor to meet you.”
Aang chuckled shyly, “Just Avatar Aang is fine, thank you.” He didn’t mind being called Consort. It's just that his full title was so long.
“And are those the princes and princesses?”
Aang and Zuko looked to the right, seeing their kids run to them.
The children stood beside their parents, minus Kuzon who begged to be picked up by Aang.
The painters eyed the children, judging Shaw’s attire. “Fire Lord Zuko, do you not see the lack of royal formal wear?” One said.
Zuko raised his brow. His children looked perfectly normal. Sure, Shaw was wearing his airbending uniform but he was a child. “I assure you, I notice. My children can wear what they like.”
He did his best not to sound too condescending but any attack on his family made him angry.
The painters just shrugged.
Zuko noticed two chairs had already been set up. the same chairs used in the portrait from his younger years. He shifted uncomfortably.
Aang looked at Zuko and frowned. “Excuse me, but.. we were actually planning on posing outside.” He said to the painters.
The Avatar led his family to the courtyard while he talked to the painters. “-and I think we should add Appa to the portrait. He’s my animal guide!”
“What about the lemur?”
“Momo is Appa’s animal guide!” Aang replied playfully.
The painters didn’t question it anymore. It seemed that this royal family wasn’t like the others.
——
The family stood proudly with Appa in the back and Momo residing on Nima’s shoulder.
Zuko was dressed in his usual Fire Lord attire, the headpiece sticking out of his topknot while his long dark brown hair slid down his shoulders.
He had his hand on Shaw who was still in his airbending outfit. The boy had made a few personal changes like pulling up his sleeves and tying a dark red headband on his forehead. Shaw crossed his arms, making a cocky smirk.
Nima stood in the middle. Her stance, polite. She wore a similar hair style to Zuko’s, wearing the princess crownpiece. Aside from her parents, she was the only one wearing her royal attire. She looked exactly like a princess.
Ran was beside her sister, politely standing as well. Her hair was kept in two buns with golden bows tying them. Blue clips shaped like arrows clung to her hair, resembling Aang’s tattoos. It contrasted the maroon and gold in her dress.
Kuzon still had his hair up in a high ponytail, similar to how Zuko once wore it. He was shy as usual. His thumb in his mouth while he clutched Aang’s sash. He looked adorably confused.
And Aang stood proudly, his hands on both Ran and Kuzon. He wore his bead necklace, the symbol of the air nation carved onto the wood. He donned a yellow robe with an orange sash around it. A dark red belt was around his waist, the stylized medal flame of the Fire Lady/Consort was attached to it. Aang looked just as regal as his husband.
This portrait would portray a familial love stronger than the ones before it. Because they were truly happy.
Zuko was born in a toxic abusive household, one that hurt his mother and sister. But now he’s broken the cycle. He raised a beautiful family. He loved his husband. He had everything he could ever want right beside him.
——
Aang and Zuko walked through the halls of the palace. The servants had just finished placing their portrait.
The two stood in front of it, examining their faces. Everyone was smiling.
“Fire Lord Zuko, Avatar Aang, and their children Nima, Ran, Shaw, and Kuzon.” Aang read out.
Zuko smiled and held Aang’s hand. “We look nice right?”
Aang nodded and smiled back. “Yeah. We do.”
The two turned to each other and kissed. What once were two enemies were now two husbands and fathers, rebuilding the world and Air nation together.