First burn

Know

The two sat in the garden thinking about mais comments before. Both of them knew it, they'd eventually have to become... they didn't like the idea so young.

"You know it won't be for a few years right?" Zuko said quickly and Katara turned to him wide eyes.

"I-I know that, your still thinking about Mai saying about us and being parents?" Katara gulped putting her hands in her lap.

"Maybe it's something we should talk about," he looked down embarrassed.

"Like what?" She pursed her lips.

"Parenting styles? Different ways we were raised?" He offered.

"Is it different with boys and girls with being royal? Like chores or studies?" Katara asked a little curious.

"No Azula and I studied the same and trained the same, it's pretty equal besides becoming a lady and a gentleman," Zuko leaned against the tree looking up. 

"Did you get disciplined at all?" She raised a brow.

"I didn't misbehave often, I stayed close to my mother mostly, I mostly got in trouble when I didn't want to be around Azula or my father, or they couldn't find me," Zuko shook his head and looked at her. "How about you?"

"I was a rebel, sneak out to play or didn't do as I was told, just got punished with chores from my gran gran and I think I only got spanked and grounded once because I punched Sokka and broke his nose," Katara smirked a little.

"Spanked? What's that?" He frowned confused.

"A spanking? You've never been spanked as a child? It's like getting a slap on your butt," Katara snorted a little but Zuko looked horrified.

"I don't like the idea of hitting a kid," Zuko crossed his arms and looked down.

"It's not like a beating," Katara rolled her eyes.

"We're not doing any of that to our kid," Zuko said sternly closing his eyes.

Katara paused and looked at him seeing he was extremely uncomfortable. She remembered the scar on his face and that Ozai has hit him before, she's sure it's not the first time.

"You know you're nothing like your dad right? And your not going to be," Katara put her hand on his shoulder.

"What if I get to angry? What if I accidentally lash out?" Zuko whispered keeping his eyes closed.

"You won't," she smiled gently. Zuko looked at her sadly and she saw guilt in his eyes.

"What if we adopted?" Zuko asked softly.

"Are we even allowed too?" She snorted shaking her head.

"No but who's going to know?" He smiled a little turning back to her.

"Everyone will if I don't show," Katara leaned against his back with hers looking up at the tree.

"What if we disappeared for nine months, and come back with an infant, fire nation or water tribe, we adopt one that had gold or blue eyes," Zuko leaned back to her as they supported each other.

"Wont your family like disown it?" Katara sighed a little but the idea of adopting wasn't a terrible one.

"Ozai will be dead and I'll be fire lord, they can't do shit, I hope your family doesn't disown it," Zuko nodded softly and she shook her head.

"There was these two moms that adopted one of the baby's that her mother died at child birth and her father died at war and they wanted a baby, family is family," Katara giggled a little remembering the family of three.

"That's really nice of them, to give a child parents that wanted her, I think that'll be nice for us too if we decide to adopt, we'll be ready," Zuko said calmly but the idea of being a father made him nauseous.

"Kat, I don't want to be a dad," he finally admitted.

"But you just said-" "I know... and I am all for it but I just don't want to be a parent, I'm not good with kids and I don't want them apart of my family really, they have a shit grandfather and aunt and will be hated by most of the world, I don't think I'd be a good dad and I just..."

Katara was quiet for a moment but nodded.

"I don't want to be a mom really either, not right now, I spend my whole life being a mother to my brother, taking care of everyone else and their children, it sounds great and all until that baby is yours forever and you can't tell someone else to do better because it's on you, I just don't want to take care of something so soon, I'm tired of being a mom already," Katara understood a little. She was glad he wasn't in a rush.

Zuko let out a relieved breath.  

"We're going to be okay right?" He asked. He felt like it was asked a lot. They had a month till the wedding.

They had a month till they'd be husband and wife, whether they like it or not things would change.

Zuko felt Katara turn around and she wrapped her arms around him from behind, across his chest and around his heart, her forehead pressed against his back as their heads stayed down. He touched her hand gently that wrapped around him.

"We're friends, we'll be okay together, we've made it this far," Katara whispered back.

"We're going to be fine," she smiled feeling his hand tighten around hers. She moved to the side and fell back into his lap as Zuko jumped in surprise when her shoulders and head were on his lap and she had her eyes closed while she faced the sky.

"We probably shouldn't even think about kids now though, we have a war to finish first," she smiled opening her eyes looking up at Zuko.

"Yea, I don't want to even think about getting married at seventeen much less kids," Zuko had a small smile on his face as he looked down at her. She was so beautiful with the shade covering her eyes but the sun kept them both warm outside.

"Seventeen?" She asked confused. "Your eighteen,"

"I'm seventeen, why are you telling me I'm wrong about my age?" He frowned looking the memorizing moment he had of her.

"Because your wrong about your age," she argued.

"How are you going to tell me I'm wrong?" Zuko scoffed shaking his head but she said laying against him.

"When's your birthday then?" She asked laughing a little.

"Two weeks before the wedding," he pursed his lips. "Sixteen is legal marriage age and to become fire lord,"

"Then why wait for so long?" Katara asked curiously.

"How am I suppose to know?" Zuko rolled his eyes.