Hey, if you're still wanting Zukka with Izumi prompts: How about the first time Izumi gets hurt? Nothing bad, just a skinned knee or something, and how Zuko and Sokka react. Love your blog and your writing btw! ❤️
AN: Thanks so much! Here’s a 1.5K family fluff piece. Toph and Iroh are there too for some reason.
read on ao3
The royal family is spending their lunch out in the gardens. It’s a lovely day out and what better way to enjoy it than a nice picnic under the shade. Zuko runs his hands through Sokka’s hair as the man lies in his lap. Izumi is running back and forth between them and the turtle duck pond.
Zuko watches as Izumi runs to the flower patch, rip out some flowers, run back to them and place them in Sokka’s hair.
Sokka opens his eyes only for Izumi to dump some grass on his forehead.
“What’s happening?” Sokka asks, a bit startled.
“You need flowers!” Izumi giggles. “And lots of greens.”
“Any particular reason?”
“To make you look pretty.”
“You don’t think I look pretty already?” Sokka puts on his most pouty sad eyes. It has no effect whatsoever on his dear daughter.
“No.” Izumi stands and runs back to the flower patch.
Zuko tried to hide his laugh with a cough. It doesn’t work and Sokka pinches his side. He reminds himself to apologize to the gardener later when Izumi starts picking at the freshly planted bush.
“Please leave the new bushes alone,” Zuko calls out.
“Okay,” Izumi replies and proceeds to terrorize the flower bed filled with fire lilies instead.
“Izumi, make sure you get some flowers for your papa so he can be pretty too!” Sokka says.
“M’kay, Da!” Izumi has a handful of fire lilies already.
“I think you look nice with flowers in your hair.” Zuko picks the grass off his husband’s face. “You should have some in it all the time.”
“Want me to go back to the South Pole all decked out with fire geraniums?” Sokka smiles.
“Yes.” Zuko bends down to press their lips together quickly. “It’ll match my pendant.”
Sokka brushes his fingers on Zuko’s neck touching the betrothal necklace lightly. “One more.”
Zuko obliges, kissing him lightly.
“Papa, Dad, look they’re following me!” Izumi yells.
They look up to see a trail of turtle ducklings curiously waddling after their little girl.
“She takes after you,” Sokka says.
“Yeah,” Zuko chuckles.
Then, disaster strikes. It all happens very quickly; one moment Izumi was having the time of her life running in the garden, the next thing they knew she’s on the ground and crying her little eyes out. Sokka and Zuko rush over as fast as humanly (possibly even faster) to her to find out what’s wrong and see some minor scrapes and a bloody knee.
At this point both fathers have alarm bells ringing in their heads. Like the calm, collected, and rational parents they are, their first thought was to keep the panic on the inside and not let Izumi see. They don’t do a very good job at concealing their worry which makes Izumi worried and cry harder making everything a bit more anxiety inducing.
Sokka and Zuko rush the crying Izumi to the healers as quickly as they can. They burst through the doors in the panicked state to find Healer Chen talking to Toph. Sokka and Zuko didn’t even know she was here.
“Izumi’s hurt,” Zuko says filled with worry.
Izumi has stopped crying during the long run from the gardens and is just clutching her father tightly around his neck. The healer looks up from her desk and leads the worried fathers to the exam table.
“Firelord Zuko, Ambassador Sokka please remain calm,” Healer Chen says. She’s known the now firelord since he was a boy and feels immeasurable joy that he grew up into such an upstanding man with a family of his own.
“We are very calm,” Sokka defends.
Healer Chen just smiles at him and turns her attention to the princess sitting on the table.
“Princess Izumi, what’s happened here?” Healer Chen rolls up Izumi’s torn pant leg to see the injury more clearly. She holds up a hand to stop the agitated fathers from explaining in their worried state and let the child speak for herself.
“I was running,” Izumi sniffs. “Then I tripped. Stupid rock.”
By this point most of the princess’s tears have dried and now she’s just very miffed at discovering the limits of her mortal body.
“Does it still hurt?” the healer asks.
Izumi thinks about it for a moment and shakes her head. “It only hurt a little but not anymore.”
Healer Chen nods and grabs a couple of bandages as the fathers stand around trying to not overwhelm the little girl.
“Are you sure it doesn’t hurt?” Zuko asks her.
“Nope,” Izumi says proudly. “I’m tough stuff!”
Zuko can’t help but kiss the top of her head. “Yes, you are.”
Healer Chen clears her throat silently asking the Firelord and Ambassador to move aside so she can work. They let her to her job but are standing on the sidelines watching every little thing she does.
She cleans the wound gently dabbing some ointment on it. The healer cuts up a bandage and puts it over the now clean scrape.
“All done,” Healer Chen announces.
“Thank you,” Izumi says. She turns to her dads. “Can we get turtle buns?”
Sokka breathes a sigh of relief. “Of course, can.”
“Thank you again, Healer Chen,” Zuko says as they leave.
“It is my honor to serve,” she replies.
How nice it is to see a happy family living in the palace once again, she thinks as she watches them leave the healers wing.
---
After eating two buns and asking a ton of questions about the moral implications of eating food that looks like her favorite animal, Izumi tires herself enough just in time for her afternoon nap.
Sokka and Zuko find themselves on either side of their sleeping daughter.
“Today, hasn’t been that great,” Sokka whispers. They discovered when Izumi was three that she could sleep through anything so they were comfortable talking while she naps.
“No, it has not,” Zuko agrees.
A knock on the door takes their attention away.
“Come in.”
A palace guard peeks in and announces that they have visitors.
“Are you expecting anyone?” asks Zuko.
“No, are you?”
“Nope.”
---
Iroh and Toph arrive at the palace by flying air bison. Appa is napping in the courtyard contentedly when Zuko and Sokka get to the entrance where Iroh and Toph were apparently waiting for them.
“Uncle!” Zuko runs up to his uncle for a hug. “What are you doing here?”
“Can’t I just drop by to visit my favorite nephews and grandchild?” Iroh replies.
Iroh hugs Sokka next. “It’s a nice surprise, Uncle.”
“How’s it going, Snoozles.” Toph punches Sokka’s arm instead of a hug. “Where’s mini-you?”
“Izumi is sleeping,” Sokka says. “Nap time.”
“Come on, you two must be starving.” Zuko leads them all inside. “Lets go to the kitchens.”
“I’ve brought tea!”
---
Iroh pours them tea as Sokk and Zuko recount what happened earlier that day.
“I thought I’d be over being scared,” Zuko says. “The first time she was sick as a baby was the most scared we’ve been but then she hurts herself and I’m terrified all over again.”
“The world is too dangerous,” Sokka decides. “How about we just never let her leave the palace?”
“You make a solid argument.” Zuko nods.
Toph has a feeling she’d need a drink soon, preferably something strong.
“Sokka--” she starts to interject.
He puts his hands up. “Hear me out. We still let her travel between the Fire Nation and Southern Water Tribe, you know so she can visit family. But only those two places and guards everywhere. Just teeming with royal guards watching her like a hawk.”
“Okay, let me get this straight.” Toph crossing her arms. “You want to lock her up in the palace.”
“It’s for---”
“Her own good,” Toph finishes for him. “Save your excuses. I’ve heard that line before, Snoozles. It isn’t exactly a fool proof plan.”
“I agree,” Iroh says.
“Exhibit A.” Toph points to herself.
“She’s just so small,” Zuko says more to himself.
“And one day she won’t be so small,” Iroh points out. “I think it’s helpful to keep in mind that she will rule this nation someday.”
Zuko and Sokka don’t look very comforted by the idea which makes Iroh laugh out loud.
“I know you want to protect her. I understand completely.” Iroh smiles at them kindly. “However, you need to make sure you’re not just protecting yourselves.”
“We just want what’s best for her,” Sokka insists.
“Every parent does,” Iroh agrees. “The world is big and scary. The both of you know that very well. And I believe that the world gets even more terrifying when you have something so precious to protect.”
“How did you get over it?” Zuko asks.
“Oh, you don’t.” He remembers all the times he’s felt so scared for Lu Ten and then Zuko all these years. “You just need to take comfort in the fact that when she gets hurt or scared or lost, she’ll always have the two of you to turn to.”
“I don’t think that’s as reassuring as you might think.”
“You can’t always protect her from the hurt,” he explains. “But you can be there for her after the fact. So, be there.”
“You two are already doing great,” Toph says. “From my little experience with parental figures anyway. You guys are top-notch.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence, Toph,” Sokka deadpans.
“That’s what I’m here for.” Toph gives a thumbs up.
Sokka reaches for Zuko’s hand under the table only to find that it was halfway to him already.
Toph stands up abruptly and heads to the door. “I know you’re out there!”
Izumi emerges from the hall and attacks Toph’s legs. “Sneak attack!”
“I see your dad has been teaching you strategy.” Toph lifts Izumi up.
“Aunty Toph.” Izumi hugs her head smushing their faces together.
“Hello, Princess Izumi,” Iroh greets her with open arms.
“Grandpa!” Izumi squeals and squirms her way out of Toph’s hold to run to her grandfather.
Sokka and Zuko watch as Iroh dotes all over Izumi and Toph trying to impress her with her bending. Izumi has more family than she knows and Sokka and Zuko know they are immeasurably lucky to have this family.
