Fic Request: The Steambabies insist on staying up this New Years to varying results.
Hello lovely! Thank you for the distraction! AWWWW I love some steambaby fluff, let's gooooo!
"But Daaaaaaaad!" Kya whined, leaning against Zuko's leg. He shook his head with a fond smile and ruffled her hair, drawing a huff from her pouting lips.
"I already told you. Ask your mom."
Kya withdrew and huffed again, crossing her arms over her chest. Behind her, Izumi rolled her eyes and Lu Ten sighed. They all knew that "Ask your mom" was code for "I don't want to be the one to say no this time."
Still, Kya was determined. It was New Years Eve and she wanted to stay up till midnight to watch the fireworks over the city. After all, with another baby on the way, she was no longer the youngest! She was a big girl now, and big girls got to stay up late!
So with a determined set to her shoulders, Kya went to the balcony where her mom was sitting, idly waterbending shapes from the water in the garden pond.
She made her case, pleading the point that she and Lu Ten and Izumi were big enough now to stay up till midnight, and they wouldn't have lessons the next day anyway, so it would be fine and they wouldn't be grumpy at all when they had to wake up. Katara watched with a bemused smile, catching Izumi and Lu Ten's eyes where they watched from the doorway.
"Alright. If you think you can stay up that late, you're more than welcome to watch the fireworks this year. But then it's straight to bed after."
Kya and Lu Ten cheered. Izumi looked on with a confused face. Zuko braced himself for an evening of chaos.
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Because Katara knew her children, she wasn't surprised when they started dropping like horseflies. First, Lu Ten fell asleep, nestled in the couch under a pile of blankets. Zuko graciously and carefully extracted him from the couch and carried him to bed.
Next, Izumi started nodding, her glasses slipping down her nose each time her head dropped. Katara managed to convince her to walk to bed on her own, though she tucked her in and left her snoring with a kiss to her eldest daughter's forehead.
Because she was stubborn, and a waterbender, Kya did hold out the longest. It was nearly 11 when her eyes started drooping, though she kept jumping up to try and wake herself up.
"Come here," Katara said, opening her arm for Kya to snuggle under. "Why don't you close your eyes? I'll wake you up for the fireworks."
"Promise?" Kya asked, still trying to hold out.
"Promise."
Kya yawned around a word that sounded like "Okay," as she snuggled up to Katara.
Just before midnight, Zuko rolled over in bed, finding only empty sheets on Katara's side. He stumbled to living chamber, rubbing his eyes, and blinked as he found both Katara and Kya fast asleep. A fond smile tugged at his lips as he shook Katara awake.
"It's almost time, do you want me to wake her up?" Zuko whispered. Katara yawned as she nodded.
"I did promise."
"Okay." Zuko gently shook Kya, picking her up when she reached for him.
"It's time for fireworks, Snow Blossom," he said. Kya blinked, her eyes widening as she registered his words.
"Fireworks! YAY!"
Zuko laughed and carried her to the balcony to watch. As the first bursts of color exploded over the city, Katara slipped her arm around his waist.
"Happy New Year, my love," she said, letting her head drop to his arm.
"Happy New Year," he said, kissing the top of her head.
