Kuai and Zuko 2 [ON HIATUS]

Chapter 20: I'll See What I Can Do

Lee walked out of the dining hall after Zuko's kind orders. Izumi finally settled down when she learned that all the wiggling wasn't going to get her any more attention than she was already getting.

They all at their meals, Izumi poking at her meat with her dull fork, avoiding it. Zuko was about to tell Izumi to quit playing and eat her food when he noticed Kuai hadn't eaten anything either.

Zuko: Lovely, is everything alright?

Kuai: Actually, I think you might be right...

Zuko: What?

Kuai: I think I'm pregnant again.

Zuko: Really?! *he said loudly and happily*

Kuai: I think so.

Zuko: I'll get the doctor back here as soon as possible so we can find out for sure.

Izumi: What's hapheneg daddy? *mouth full of rice, not beef*

Zuko: Oh, it's... *thinks about what to say* more palace business, sweetheart. Don't worry about it.

Apparently, Izumi didn't know what the word 'pregnant' meant yet, otherwise she would have been just as excited about it as Zuko was beginning to be.

They finished eating and some of the palace servants came and got Izumi for her bath. Kuai and Zuko returned to their bedroom to talk about certain things.

Zuko: Let's not tell Izumi about this yet.

Kuai: Why not? She'd be excited.

Zuko: That's the problem. If she gets excited and it turns out not being true, that will be bad.

Kuai: True, but I really do think I'm pregnant.

Zuko: You didn't seem to think so up until now. 

Kuai: I guess I just felt a bit different than last time, and I didn't think someone as old as me could have children again. 

Zuko: You're seriously not that old. You're only 32.

Kuai: Still.

They sat there on the edge of the bed silently for a little while, but then Kuai got a bit curious about something that had been mentioned during dinner.

Kuai: Cutie, what's happening with Song's family?

Zuko: Oh, during a thunderstorm, their house was hit by a falling tree, and they had to pay a lot of money for the repairs. They were having a hard time supporting themselves with Song's salary.

Kuai: How many people are in his family?

Zuko: He has a wife, 5 daughters, and a son, who also has a wife and 1 son and 1 daughter.

Kuai: And they're all living under the same roof?

Zuko: Yes. Song's son lost his legs during the war, so he can't go out and get a job, and the rest of the people are too young or sick to work. 

Kuai: Oh wow, I didn't know any of this.

Zuko: I didn't until Lee told me about it last week. I secretly had the chefs start to prepare some nonperishables for him to be able to take home today. 

Kuai: Maybe you should give him a raise, since he is solely supporting 10 other people, and a few of them are sickly.

Zuko: I've been thinking about that, but then there are so many other guards and servants who have circumstances that are also bad, yet not as drastic, but it may seem unfair.