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white_lotus2011-02-08 10:16 am
whitelotusmods) wrote in white_lotus2011-02-08 10:16 am
LNYE Fic: Beloved Ice for alias_sqbr
Title: Beloved Ice
By:recessional
For:alias_sqbr
Rating: G
Character(s)/Ship(s): Zuko, Mai, small children (assumed Mai/Katara/Zuko)
Content Notes: Small children and ridiculous fluff.
Summary: In which Mai would not avoid complaining about cold for just anybody.
The circumstances were less than ideal. In point of fact, the circumstances were the kind of thing that made Zuko want to hit his head repeatedly against a wall for the stupidity of humanity, or at least send notes ahead of himself saying, Given the documented levels of my obsessiveness when it comes to things I consider touching on this nation's honour, WHY DO YOU PEOPLE EVER THINK I'M GOING TO LET THIS SORT OF THING PASS?! Not that he expected a sensible answer, of course. People just had an amazing capacity to be utterly idiotic. He should know.
Of course, Mai had pointed out immediately that it could be part of a complex plot to get them out of the Fire Nation in order to stage a coup, but since Aang had meant to sit down and have a long talk (possibly even a Long Talk, all things considered) with the Fire Sages anyway, and there were currently no disasters going on anywhere else (and please let that stay so, ancestors, spirits, and powers unnamed), this was the perfect time! Zuko'd had to promise that Aang could stick around and hang out with the kids for a while when they all got back to the capital, but that was barely a flicker of thought: oh no, how terrible (as Katara had said in her best imitation of Mai), a chance to catch up with old friends. How would they ever survive?
Aang had grinned, and Zuko hadn't said anything at all about how it was nice that there wasn't any tension between the three of them anymore, because he'd learned a few things about tact in the intervening decade.
So the circumstances were less than ideal, and the idea of his first time back to the Southern Water Tribe being (firstly) because of renegades of his own nation causing significant amounts of Problem, and (secondly) in a war-balloon did make him wince, but in the end, Zuko couldn't say he regretted the fact that he was going. The reasons, sure, the timing, sure, but going at all?
Firstly, Lutaa should have come ages ago, and he'd been feeling guilty about that for some time now; secondly, it was a really good idea for Ta Min to see where her sister's family came from, and the (one, only sane, good role mode of a) grandfather she had that way; thirdly, for all she had repeatedly denied wanting to move back, Katara had lit up like a lantern at visiting (he thought part of that was, honestly, to show off both little girls, Mai, and himself, to the family and people who'd occasionally thought she was the weird, hopeless one, not that Zuko begrudged her that at all); and fourthly, and for this he felt a little guilty but not much, there was something deeply funny about watching Mai attempt to contain her growing horror.
He hadn't been sure about what that was, until he'd thought about it. It was hard to discomfit Mai, other than making her angry, and usually this was one of the things he loved most about her. She also usually had no problem saying exactly what she thought, regardless of whether it was appropriate or no, and he loved that about her, too. So it took him a while to realize that the reason he was getting so much enjoyment in seeing her bite her tongue and school her face into showing as little as she could the closer they got to the South Pole and the further from everything she thought of as civilization was because she was doing it not to hurt Katara's feelings.
Mai. His Mai. Going out of her way - miles and miles out of her way, metaphorically speaking - to keep from hurting someone's feelings, because she loved her. It was funny - and delightful, and wonderful - because it reminded him that no matter how stupid the rest of his reign and sometimes the rest of his life could be, at the core of it was something so wonderful that nobody could deserve it, let alone him.
It made dealing with secessionist idiots who thought that stealing and commandeering a bunch of ships in order to move into Water Tribe hunting-grounds and fishing-waters with the aim of starting their own little utopia and (considering what Zuko had read of their rallying propaganda) presumably take over the world from there . . . .a little more bearable, at least.
"Daddyyy!" The cry was his only warning, but like Mai and Katara he'd gotten very good at identifying by ear exactly where Lutaa's voice was coming from, and so he was completely ready to catch her when she leapt off one of the girders into his arms. Zuko blamed Aang for Lutaa's newfound habit of climbing up to high places and jumping off them; Aang swore he hadn't taught her how, but Zuko didn't believe him. They'd have to find a way to make her stop it before too much longer, though; she was starting to get to heavy.
She flung arms encased in fur-trimmed sleeves around his neck. "Mama says it's soon. Are we there soon? Are there really turtle-seals? Are the outhouses really made of snow and ice? Do I really get to eat seal-blubber? Can we go ice-sailing?"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, and no," Zuko answered in order, "you're too young to go ice-sailing." He made a quick mental note to impress that fact on her uncle, too, if he was there. Sokka wasn't always in his father's village, but this was the kind of thing that would bring him back.
Lutaa pouted, predictably.
"Told you," Mai's voice said, coming from the cabin door. She, too, was already in fur-trimmed (and fur-lined, and generally furred) outer clothing, but that was more because she'd started complaining about being freezing yesterday, as opposed to overexcitement. Ta Min ran out in front of her, eyes wide and cheeks flushed with excitement.
Zuko reminded himself to at least put on a cloak or overcoat of some kind. He didn't need to; breath-of-fire was second nature by now. But the gesture of solidarity might be a good idea. Mai waved a hand. "Katara's doing . . .something," she said, in the voice that said I am not going to delve into Water Tribe ritual practices for love or money. "She says there's a big ice-field just north-west of the village this year where we can land."
How she knew this, he had no idea, but Zuko was not going to argue with Katara when it came to matters of water and ice. He let Lutaa slide down to the ground, and said to both daughters, "Why don't you go find the captain so we can tell him?" which sent both princesses off like shooting stars to the inner control-rooms.
Mai came to stand beside Zuko at the railing, and managed to wrap herself more deeply into the fur-lined cloak she had on over top of the slightly-more-Water Tribe-style spring parka. "Zuko," she said, in a flat voice, "it's cold." When this failed to make the impression she wanted, she added, "And the outhouses are made of ice."
"Packed snow, actually," he corrected her and got an elbow in the ribs for it. He put an arm around her shoulder, and she rested her head against his. "I'm sure we can make the inside of somewhere warm enough you won't freeze."
"When we get home," she said, threateningly, "I'm never coming out of the hotsprings again."
By:
recessionalFor:
alias_sqbrRating: G
Character(s)/Ship(s): Zuko, Mai, small children (assumed Mai/Katara/Zuko)
Content Notes: Small children and ridiculous fluff.
Summary: In which Mai would not avoid complaining about cold for just anybody.
The circumstances were less than ideal. In point of fact, the circumstances were the kind of thing that made Zuko want to hit his head repeatedly against a wall for the stupidity of humanity, or at least send notes ahead of himself saying, Given the documented levels of my obsessiveness when it comes to things I consider touching on this nation's honour, WHY DO YOU PEOPLE EVER THINK I'M GOING TO LET THIS SORT OF THING PASS?! Not that he expected a sensible answer, of course. People just had an amazing capacity to be utterly idiotic. He should know.
Of course, Mai had pointed out immediately that it could be part of a complex plot to get them out of the Fire Nation in order to stage a coup, but since Aang had meant to sit down and have a long talk (possibly even a Long Talk, all things considered) with the Fire Sages anyway, and there were currently no disasters going on anywhere else (and please let that stay so, ancestors, spirits, and powers unnamed), this was the perfect time! Zuko'd had to promise that Aang could stick around and hang out with the kids for a while when they all got back to the capital, but that was barely a flicker of thought: oh no, how terrible (as Katara had said in her best imitation of Mai), a chance to catch up with old friends. How would they ever survive?
Aang had grinned, and Zuko hadn't said anything at all about how it was nice that there wasn't any tension between the three of them anymore, because he'd learned a few things about tact in the intervening decade.
So the circumstances were less than ideal, and the idea of his first time back to the Southern Water Tribe being (firstly) because of renegades of his own nation causing significant amounts of Problem, and (secondly) in a war-balloon did make him wince, but in the end, Zuko couldn't say he regretted the fact that he was going. The reasons, sure, the timing, sure, but going at all?
Firstly, Lutaa should have come ages ago, and he'd been feeling guilty about that for some time now; secondly, it was a really good idea for Ta Min to see where her sister's family came from, and the (one, only sane, good role mode of a) grandfather she had that way; thirdly, for all she had repeatedly denied wanting to move back, Katara had lit up like a lantern at visiting (he thought part of that was, honestly, to show off both little girls, Mai, and himself, to the family and people who'd occasionally thought she was the weird, hopeless one, not that Zuko begrudged her that at all); and fourthly, and for this he felt a little guilty but not much, there was something deeply funny about watching Mai attempt to contain her growing horror.
He hadn't been sure about what that was, until he'd thought about it. It was hard to discomfit Mai, other than making her angry, and usually this was one of the things he loved most about her. She also usually had no problem saying exactly what she thought, regardless of whether it was appropriate or no, and he loved that about her, too. So it took him a while to realize that the reason he was getting so much enjoyment in seeing her bite her tongue and school her face into showing as little as she could the closer they got to the South Pole and the further from everything she thought of as civilization was because she was doing it not to hurt Katara's feelings.
Mai. His Mai. Going out of her way - miles and miles out of her way, metaphorically speaking - to keep from hurting someone's feelings, because she loved her. It was funny - and delightful, and wonderful - because it reminded him that no matter how stupid the rest of his reign and sometimes the rest of his life could be, at the core of it was something so wonderful that nobody could deserve it, let alone him.
It made dealing with secessionist idiots who thought that stealing and commandeering a bunch of ships in order to move into Water Tribe hunting-grounds and fishing-waters with the aim of starting their own little utopia and (considering what Zuko had read of their rallying propaganda) presumably take over the world from there . . . .a little more bearable, at least.
"Daddyyy!" The cry was his only warning, but like Mai and Katara he'd gotten very good at identifying by ear exactly where Lutaa's voice was coming from, and so he was completely ready to catch her when she leapt off one of the girders into his arms. Zuko blamed Aang for Lutaa's newfound habit of climbing up to high places and jumping off them; Aang swore he hadn't taught her how, but Zuko didn't believe him. They'd have to find a way to make her stop it before too much longer, though; she was starting to get to heavy.
She flung arms encased in fur-trimmed sleeves around his neck. "Mama says it's soon. Are we there soon? Are there really turtle-seals? Are the outhouses really made of snow and ice? Do I really get to eat seal-blubber? Can we go ice-sailing?"
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, and no," Zuko answered in order, "you're too young to go ice-sailing." He made a quick mental note to impress that fact on her uncle, too, if he was there. Sokka wasn't always in his father's village, but this was the kind of thing that would bring him back.
Lutaa pouted, predictably.
"Told you," Mai's voice said, coming from the cabin door. She, too, was already in fur-trimmed (and fur-lined, and generally furred) outer clothing, but that was more because she'd started complaining about being freezing yesterday, as opposed to overexcitement. Ta Min ran out in front of her, eyes wide and cheeks flushed with excitement.
Zuko reminded himself to at least put on a cloak or overcoat of some kind. He didn't need to; breath-of-fire was second nature by now. But the gesture of solidarity might be a good idea. Mai waved a hand. "Katara's doing . . .something," she said, in the voice that said I am not going to delve into Water Tribe ritual practices for love or money. "She says there's a big ice-field just north-west of the village this year where we can land."
How she knew this, he had no idea, but Zuko was not going to argue with Katara when it came to matters of water and ice. He let Lutaa slide down to the ground, and said to both daughters, "Why don't you go find the captain so we can tell him?" which sent both princesses off like shooting stars to the inner control-rooms.
Mai came to stand beside Zuko at the railing, and managed to wrap herself more deeply into the fur-lined cloak she had on over top of the slightly-more-Water Tribe-style spring parka. "Zuko," she said, in a flat voice, "it's cold." When this failed to make the impression she wanted, she added, "And the outhouses are made of ice."
"Packed snow, actually," he corrected her and got an elbow in the ribs for it. He put an arm around her shoulder, and she rested her head against his. "I'm sure we can make the inside of somewhere warm enough you won't freeze."
"When we get home," she said, threateningly, "I'm never coming out of the hotsprings again."