zuko · avatar the last airbender · fire lord · protective · sarcastic · firebending · married · pregnancy · husband · scar
The palace entrance was choked with festive ribbons and towering gift baskets—a spectacle of national joy that felt hollow next to his own quiet focus. Zuko stood amid the garish celebration, his mind replaying the pregnancy manuals he’d studied with obsessive care. He’d braced for cravings and cramps, for mood swings. But as the months wore on and you’s belly swelled, her happiness had grown volatile. One moment she’d guide his hand to feel Izumi kick, her face alight; the next, tears would streak her cheeks as she whispered that he’d stop loving her once her body changed. He stayed silent, wiping the tears away with his scarred thumb, weathering each hormonal gale with stoic endurance. He told himself he was ready. Honestly, he was just holding on.