Archive of Our Own

“Having a firebender around for Opal’s Grounding Restoration has been extremely helpful!” Suyin smiled at Mako as he heated the broth on the stove. 

“Oh. Uh. Yeah. Glad I can help.” Mako focused his chi to warm Opal’s lunch, a soup with vegetables and rice, to achieve the perfect temperature—not so hot to burn her tongue, but warm enough to satisfy Suyin’s insistence that Opal only consume warm foods.

“Okay, I’ll bring this in to her, can you get started on the dishes?” Suyin said as she ladled the soup into a bowl. 

“Yes, Ma’am.” Mako said, a hint of teasing. This was a shared joke between him and Suyin by now. She had told him dozens of times just to call her Su, but he never could quite get used to it. Ma’am it was, even though Su insisted they were ‘practically family’.

Mako got to work on the kitchen, washing up, wiping down. It was something he could actually help with—dishes, cooking, laundry. He had taken care of Bolin since he was eight years old, so it was easy, familiar. 

And much less daunting than the alternative: helping care for the baby.

Nope. Suyin was much better suited to that work. Mako would take care of everything else.

Mako had not been particularly familiar with the Grounding Restoration, before all this, but the idea of it made sense. Giving birth took a huge physical toll. A period of rest and healing for Opal was certainly in order. And caring for a newborn was intense work for both parents, physically and emotionally. It was the extended family's job to take care of the new parents while the new parents took care of the baby. Mako appreciated the concept.

Normally both sets of grandparents would stay over or close by. Suyin, being the maternal grandmother, was the natural choice as Opal’s main support in adjusting to motherhood, having given birth several times herself. However, Su could not stay away from Zaofu for long. Bataar Jr. and Kuvira were under house arrest, under Suyin’s supervision. Opal’s father was supervising now, and he would come visit after Su returned. It made things complicated.

And well… Mako and Bolin had a huge extended family nearby now, but it wasn’t the same. They were close to Dad’s family, and Grandma had visited and imparted her own wisdom and experience from her own birth experiences. But there wasn’t a natural choice among their aunts, uncles and cousins for someone to fill that role left vacant by their parents’ painful absence .

Given the situation in both their families, a less traditional route was necessary. 

Mako had volunteered. He didn’t know much about babies, but he could take care of his brother. He’d been doing that since he was eight.

Other family members were permitted to visit only if they ‘earned’ it by bringing warm food, or assisting with some house care task. Most people seemed eager to rush through chores for the chance to hold the baby. Su had drilled into Mako’s head that Opal and the baby needed to be together as much as possible, and gave him the important job of kicking people out if they overstayed their welcome. 

He didn’t mind that particular task. Bolin was a people pleaser. Mako could make sure they weren’t overwhelmed by visitors due to Bolin’s inability to say ‘no’.

Housekeeper and bouncer. That was his main job for the next few weeks. He took a leave of absence for this; Lin was forced to comply, considering this was her great-niece that had been born. 

Su returned from the bedroom just as Mako heard squalling along with Bolin’s voice trying to soothe his newborn daughter. 

“Uh, everything okay?” Mako asked hesitantly.

“Of course!” Su said, a hint of amusement on her face. “Babies cry, Mako. That's what they do, surely you’ve noticed that in the last few days?”

“Well yeah, I just…” Mako wasn’t sure what he was saying. Maybe he had better just clean the stove.

“Baby’s fed, now it’s Opal’s turn to eat, and Ruby didn’t appreciate being transferred out of her mother’s arms. It’s alright, this is when Bolin learns his own ways of soothing her.” Su tipped her head at Mako, smiling softly. 

“Right. Yeah.” He cleared his throat and wiped some splashes of broth off the stove. He kept his head down and avoided eye contact.

“Have you held her yet?” Su asked, gently.

“Oh. Uh. It’s fine. I’m more useful out here.”

“You know, you’ve more than earned a few minutes of snuggling and bonding with your niece.”

“I uh… I’m okay for now.” Mako said stiffly. 

“Uh huh.” Su pursed her lips and shook her head. “Wu should be here any minute, shouldn’t he?” She asked, suddenly shifting the subject.

“Yeah,” Mako said, grateful for the new topic. Wu had arrived by airship late last night, and had a meeting with the president this morning. Mako hadn’t seen him yet, since Mako was staying at Opal and Bolin’s apartment both day and night to help. “He said noon, but he might have gotten held up at City Hall.”

“Now, I spoke to him this morning on the phone, so he knows all this already. But just because he’s a king and your boyfriend, no special treatment. He’s got to earn his right to hold that baby. Don’t let him off the hook!” Su spoke authoritatively.

“Uh. Right, yes Ma’am.” Wu wasn’t exactly practiced or skilled in most household tasks, but Mako would find a way for him to satisfy Su’s strict rules for visitors.

“Alright, I’m going to head back to your family’s place for a bit,” Su said. Given the fact that Mako was the designated Grounding Restoration caregiver, he was the one who stayed in the actual apartment. And since their apartment was too small to accommodate more than just Mako overnight, Asami had suggested that Suyin stay over at the estate. Mako supposed it was a good chance for Su to get to know their side of the family. “Are you good to hold down the fort for a while?”

“Yup. I mean. With visitors, I don’t know about…” He tipped his head toward the direction of the bedroom, where Ruby could be heard fussing.

“Oh don’t worry about that. Opal and Bolin have to learn. No need for you to step in. You call me or your grandma if you’re worried about them though.”

Su left the apartment and Mako was left in the living room alone. Well, aside from Pabu, who had curled up on a sofa cushion. He made a squeaking noise as Mako sat next to him, scratching behind his ear. 

“Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re lonely. Don’t worry. Bo still loves you. He’s just gotta take care of Ruby for now.”

Pabu made a few indignant chitters, no doubt expressing his unhappiness with the huge change in the household since Ruby's arrival.

“Wu’ll be here soon. You can play with him when he gets here.” Pabu squealed in excitement, and Mako huffed a small laugh. Pabu really liked Wu, he always had. 

It was 12:22 by the time Wu knocked softly on the door. Bolin had apparently quieted Ruby by then, as Mako heard no more cries from the bedroom.

Mako opened the door and Wu’s smiling face brought relief to him that he didn’t realize he needed. Before Mako could even greet him, though, Wu deposited a large basket into Mako’s arms, filled with several different bottles and tubes.

“Gift for the new mother!” Wu said, making a conscious effort to keep his voice down. Mako was sure it had carried to the bedroom regardless. 

“What is all this?” Mako asked, inspecting the labels on the bottles. Lotions, shampoos, soaps, oils… Jewelry? “Why would Opal need bracelets right now…?”

“Oh Mako, Opal deserves to pamper herself the moment she gets the chance. Jewelry is a common gift for a new mother in Ba Sing Se.” Wu waved his hand dismissively, and stepped inside past Mako. “Pabu! C’mere, buddy! I brought you your favorite treats! You poor thing, I bet this is a big adjustment for you.” Wu scratched behind Pabu's ears as Pabu chittered excitedly.

“Hey, they just got the baby quiet, I think,” Mako said as he put the basket on the table. “Maybe asleep. Keep your voice down—”

“Wu?” Just then Opal poked her head out of the bedroom. Mako sighed a bit, but said nothing. 

There was an ongoing disagreement between Opal and her mother about her movement around the apartment. Su wanted her confined to her room and mostly to the bed, but Opal insisted that she didn’t need to stay bedridden-the ancient Air Nomads freely moved about after giving birth, and Opal was a member of the Air Nation now. They couldn’t agree to disagree so Opal just did as she pleased when her mother was gone.

And Mako wasn’t about to argue with either of them. So he just stayed out of it.

“Opal!” Wu beamed at the sight of her. “Oh Opal, you are glowing.”

Opal snorted. “Yeah, right. I feel like I got hit by a Satomobile.”

Opal was wrapped in green robes as she shuffled out into the living room. Mako didn’t dare say it out loud, but it kind of did look like she was hit by a Satomobile, with the way she was moving. Carefully, slowly, the occasional wince of pain. She seemed exhausted too, dark circles under her eyes in spite of all the help they were getting from family, Mako knew that she and Bolin weren’t getting more than two or three hours of sleep at a time. That was normal, he understood. Still, broken sleep could take a toll.

Mako set down the basket and dutifully moved some pillows around to make space for her on the sofa, offering his hand to help stabilize her as she sat down.

“I come bearing gifts!” Wu gestured lavishly at the basket on the table and Opal’s eyes went wide.

“Wu! What’s all this?” Opal rummaged through the items in the basket, a smile spreading on her face.

“You probably have a million gifts for the baby. This is just for you!” Wu’s mouth spread into a wide, delighted grin at Opal’s reaction. Mako still hadn’t taken a seat, and he shifted awkwardly as he debated if he should sit down or try to find another way to make himself useful.

“Su called me and warned me of all the ‘rules’.” Wu rubbed his hands together eagerly. “So, have I earned a few minutes of baby-holding?”

Opal shot him a look, a little teasing but a little annoyed. “Oh, you mean you didn’t come here to see me?”

“Of course I’m here to see you!” Wu pivoted. “Let’s gab. Tell me the birth story!”

Mako choked out an uncomfortable cough and Opal laughed. “Poor Mako’s heard it about a dozen times by now, with how many times I’ve repeated it to all our visiting family. He could probably tell you himself!”

“Nope. No thanks. You can tell him,” Mako said quickly. He was far too familiar with all the intimate details of the birth, despite not actually being present for it. He didn’t want to hear it again, and he certainly didn’t want to tell it.

“Mako, why don’t you go sit with Bolin for a bit?” Opal suggested. “Ruby just fell asleep, but he doesn't want to move her until she’s really out. I’m sure he’d love your company. And that way you won’t have to hear all the gory details again.”

“Sure. You want me to take all this into the bathroom or something?” Mako asked, gesturing at the basket. 

“No way, I need to walk Opal through this step-by-step skincare routine,” Wu interjected, tapping at a specific set of matching bottles. Mako fought the urge to roll his eyes, because Opal seemed genuinely touched by the gift. “Go sit with your brother, let me and Opal catch up.”

Mako eyed both of them skeptically. “Okay. Don’t tell your mom I let you sit out here.”

Opal waved her hand to both dismiss his concerns and dismiss him from the room. 

The bedroom had the curtains drawn, blocking the midday sun. The light on the table was low, just light enough to see but not so bright as to make it difficult for everyone to sleep.

Bolin was sitting up in the bed and had Ruby on his chest, his chin tucked in with his lips touching her head. He lifted his head up and smiled broadly at Mako. “Hey bro. Su’s gone, right? Just Wu out there?”

“Yeah, Opal’s safe to wander her own apartment for now.” Mako didn’t love having to tiptoe around these types of family dynamics, but he did his best anyway. “You need anything?”

“Are you kidding me, man? All you’ve been doing is waiting on us hand and foot. Just sit and hang with us for a few minutes. Relax.”

Relax. Mako had always struggled with that, even after all these years of relative stability.

He sat down at the foot of the bed and resisted the urge to straighten up. He tried to stay out of the bedroom as much as possible with Opal in here—recovering and getting the hang of nursing weren’t things Mako was qualified to assist with—so he hadn’t had much chance to clean for them in here.

“Mako, I literally cannot stop smelling her head.” Bolin said abruptly.

“Yeah, I know, you keep telling me.” Mako said with a huff. Apparently newborns’ heads smelled good. Weird. “I think Wu wants to hold her, whenever you think it’s okay.”

“Oh yeah, for sure. I think I’m gonna give her a good fifteen minutes to make sure she’s really out.” Bolin gave Mako a sleepy smile and Mako noted the dark circles under his eyes. Bolin was just as exhausted as Opal, a testament to how involved he was with all the baby care.

“Wu got Opal some fancy lotions and soaps and stuff? Looked expensive.” Mako said. He finally stood up and started straightening up, unable to handle the disarray of the room anymore.

“That was nice of him. Everyone else is bringing stuff for Ruby. Opal probably loves it. I’ll make sure she uses it when she gets a chance.” Bolin said, his voice low and soft. Mako noted how Bolin had always been a bit too loud, but since Ruby’s arrival, he’d finally managed to master keeping his voice down.

“You, uh, doing okay?” Mako asked as he gathered up some laundry from the floor. “Did you guys get enough sleep last night?”

Bolin laughed. “Uh, I definitely didn't get enough sleep. But yeah, I’m doing okay. Mostly making sure Opal gets enough sleep.” 

“Maybe…” Mako hesitated. He really wasn’t sure how to navigate all this baby stuff. “Maybe you could both take a nap while Wu holds her?” Mako suggested gently. Mako himself hadn’t offered to hold Ruby while they slept, mostly because there was always someone else here who wanted to hold her. 

“That actually sounds amazing. Hopefully she’ll be good for at least another two hours before she needs to eat again.”

When Bolin was satisfied that Ruby was out cold and wouldn’t be disturbed being handed off to another person, he scooted out of bed and padded into the living room. Mako followed close behind and caught the tail-end of Opal’s story to Wu.

“So I’ve got Ruby, on my chest, skin-to-skin, she’s less than five minutes old, and suddenly Bolin starts panicking about baby-proofing, as if Ruby is going to start—” Opal was giggling as she spoke to Wu, cutting herself off as she saw Mako and Bolin walk into the room. “Oh, hey honey!”

“Hey! Baby-proofing is very important, and when I was looking into her eyes for the first time, I realized with horror that we haven’t anchored any of the furniture to the walls!” Bolin said defensively.

“Bolin, she can’t even roll over yet, she’s not going to pull the bookshelf down on herself!” Opal teased.

“I know, I know! But everyone keeps saying ‘they grow up so fast’, and I don’t actually know how soon she’ll be able to do that, so it seems like something we should do as soon as possible!” Bolin shook his head, then glanced over at Wu and grinned. “So, I heard someone wants to hold a baby…”

“Who, me? Maybe.” Wu said in a mocking casual tone. Mako could tell Wu was itching to get his hands on that baby.

“Hey, Opal, if you're done mocking me for being safety-conscious, Mako had a great idea. You, me, nap, while they sit out here with Ruby.” 

Opal chuckled at Bolin’s indignation and then seemed to consider the offer thoughtfully for a moment. “That sounds really nice, but, uh…” She glanced at Ruby hesitantly, like she was unsure if she was allowed to do such a thing. Su and Grandma had stressed the importance of Opal and Ruby staying close to make feeding and bonding easier, but Mako could tell Opal was conflicted as she considered sleeping in a different room as Ruby, even if it was just a couple of hours.

“Don’t worry,” Wu interjected. “Your mom called me and gave me a stern talking-to. She was going on and on about feeding cues and I promise, as soon as she starts smacking her lips and sucking on her fingers I’ll wake you up and hand her right back.”

That actually seemed to appease Opal’s worry, and she nodded to Bolin.

“Alrighty, Ruby, time to meet your Uncle Wu!” Bolin carefully transferred her into Wu’s arms. Wu tucked her in close and snug, his arms secure around her. Mako couldn’t quite parse the look on Wu’s face. It was mostly the same as everyone else’s: awe, wonder, delight, but there was something else…

Mako wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Bolin held his hand out to Opal to help her up, and both of them thanked Wu as they retired to the bedroom for a baby-free nap.

“Wow.” Wu said after a beat.

“What?” Mako asked.

“She’s so… tiny.”

“Tell that to Opal,” Mako scoffed, trying hard not to think of all the words Opal had used to describe the delivery—phrases like ring of fire and second degree tearing. He sat down next to Wu, careful not to jostle him since he was holding precious cargo.

Wu smirked at him and leaned back more comfortably on the couch. Pabu kept getting skittish whenever Ruby was in the room, so he hopped off the sofa and scurried into the kitchen.

“Have you been staying here overnight, too?” Wu asked, changing the subject.

“Yeah, except for the first night. I’ve been sleeping on the sofa.”

“You’re so lucky…” Wu said, sighing dreamily as he gazed upon Ruby’s sleeping face.

Mako raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve been here all this time! You probably get to hold her whenever!” Wu dipped his head down and pressed a little kiss to her forehead, then inhaled deeply. Again, what was it about the whole newborn-smell thing?

“Uh…” Mako shifted uncomfortably and Wu gave him a look and Mako knew he’d been found out. 

“Do not tell me you haven’t held her,” Wu demanded, sounding a little horrified. “Mako, you have got to be kidding me. She’s seven days old! You’ve been here nonstop since day two! How have you not held her?”

“There’s usually someone else who wants to hold her—” Mako gestured to Wu, who was clutching Ruby close like he’d been handed a treasure. “—and I’m way more useful doing stuff. You know. The chores. Managing visitors. That kind of thing.”

“You’re avoiding holding her,” Wu stated accusingly.

“I’m not—” Mako started to deny. But Wu always saw right through him so he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “She’s just so… fragile. And I haven’t gotten this urge to hold her like everyone else has. I love her, obviously, but… I don’t know. I’m better use making sure her parents are able to focus on her, you know?”

Wu sighed and shook his head a little. Mako glanced at Ruby’s sleeping face. She was wrapped in a thin blanket and her nose flared just a little every time she breathed. Yeah, obviously he loved her. This was his niece, his flesh and blood, his brother’s daughter, she was a part of his ever-growing family. But he wasn’t sure if holding her was a helpful way to demonstrate that love.

“You know I’m going to make you hold her, right?” Wu said pointedly. Mako sighed in defeat, knowing there was no way Wu was letting Mako off the hook here.

“Fine.” Mako sat up, adjusting his posture and the pillows around him, trying to make sure he had enough support to safely hold her.

Wu carefully shifted his grip on her, supporting her neck and her bottom, and slid her seamlessly into Mako’s arms.

She was light. She felt like she weighed less than Pabu. She squirmed ever-so-slightly and let out a soft, squeaky exhale as she settled into Mako’s arms. He held his breath while he waited for her to still. When she finally relaxed, he let out his breath slowly, afraid to move too much. 

He could feel Wu staring at him, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of Ruby. He had looked at her plenty, but there was always some distance between them, and she was always smushed into someone else’s chest or shoulder. But up close like this, he was actually shocked. He saw Bolin.

Woah.

Mako wasn’t sure why exactly that was a surprise, what with genetics and all that, but holding a tiny infant that reminded him of his little brother, his little brother who was all grown up and doing such a terrific job of being a dad—Fuck. There was a lump in Mako’s throat. 

He wasn’t sure if it was instinct or if he had just seen everyone else do it so many times that he was mirroring what was expected of him, but he leaned his head down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, letting himself inhale with his nose pressed against the tuft of thin, black hair on her head. 

Okay, he understood now. She smelled amazing. Weirdly addicting. He kind of wanted to keep his face right there for a while.

He resisted the impulse and pulled back glancing up to see Wu staring at him fervently. 

“What?” Mako asked, feeling strangely self conscious. 

“That’s why you needed to hold her,” Wu said matter-of-factly.

Mako rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah. Okay. I’m holding her. She looks like Bo.”

“Exactly like Bolin,” Wu agreed. “But don’t you say that to her mother. Tell Opal that Ruby’s a perfect mix of the two of them. New parents don’t need to hear if their babies look nothing like them.”

Wu was staring quite intently at Mako and it started giving Mako the distinct feeling that something was happening here in Wu’s head, and Mako wasn’t sure if he was ready for whatever it was.

“Why are you staring at me like that?” Mako asked, frowning. 

“I love you!” Wu said theatrically. “I just love staring at your face. You’re very handsome.”

“Right… Uh…” Mako trailed off. He got the distinct impression this was leading to a conversation about the future, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to have a conversation about having kids right now.

We leaned in close and gently stroked Ruby’s head with his knuckles, letting out a soft, wistful sigh. “Actually… I was thinking about… Uh.” Wu paused, biting his lip a little. “Bolin called me ‘Uncle Wu’.”

Mako wasn’t sure what Wu was getting at here, but he was determined to understand. “Uh, yeah. Does that bother you?”

“No!” Wu said, almost too loudly considering the sleeping infant in the room. “No, quite the opposite. I’m flattered. I was just… surprised, is all. It’s almost like Bolin thinks of me as family?”

“Yeah, he does.” Mako said, raising an eyebrow in confusion. “Plus I’m her uncle, and we’re together, so it only follows…” He wasn’t sure why Wu was surprised by this.

“Sure, I guess that makes sense…” Wu said thoughtfully, though he didn’t sound convinced.

Mako hesitated, seeing Wu’s mind churning. In Mako’s mind, Wu had stepped into ‘family’ territory a long time ago. In truth, Wu had secured a place in Mako’s family before Mako and Wu had gotten together, Grandma had made sure of it. And Bolin had embraced Wu as family the moment he learned Mako loved Wu.

And beyond that, Wu was a permanent fixture in Mako’s life, as well as the lives of other people he considered family. Korra and Asami, Pema, Tenzin and their children, maybe even Chief (though she would never admit it). Wu could depend on all of them for anything, and he wouldn’t hesitate to help any of them if they needed it. In Mako’s mind, that was at the core of what family meant.

“You’ve been family for a long time,” Mako said softly. Wu appraised him skeptically and it was almost hurtful, that Wu might not believe what Mako was saying. “Hell, I think Grandma decided you were family long before I did.”

That garnered a light laugh from Wu, improving his mood just enough for Mako to relax.

“Family is just…” Mako paused, trying to collect his thoughts into something coherent for Wu to understand. “Family is the people you love and can depend on for the long haul.

“I never really thought about family like that,” Wu confessed. “Family meant something different, growing up. Duty, responsibility, lineage, bloodlines…” 

“Family isn’t just blood, it’s…” Mako was struggling here. He and Wu usually understood each other so well. He knew the difference in their childhoods was creating a disparity in the very definition of family. They each had one person to call family when their parents died—Mako had Bolin, and Wu had his great-aunt.

Mako could understand the difficulty around the concept of ‘family’ with the late Earth Queen in mind.

“I guess it’s hard to explain,” Mako continued. “Family has always been what kept me going, when things were difficult. I guess for you, family was what made things difficult.”

“Not anymore,” Wu said with a smile. He rested his head on Mako’s shoulder and continued stroking Ruby’s hair. “I like this family.” It was a relief to hear Wu’s acceptance of Mako’s definition of family and the confidence in Wu’s voice that he belonged to it.

Mako’s family had grown exponentially since he and Bolin were kids. First, the family he had formed with Team Avatar, then with his extended family on his father’s side, then with him and Bolin finding partners, then with Bolin adding a child into the mix…

“Do you want kids? Someday?” Mako asked carefully, surprising himself as the words left his mouth.

Wu also seemed surprised that Mako had broached the subject. He raised an eyebrow and glanced down at Ruby, still fast asleep in Mako's arms.

“I guess…” Wu spoke just as carefully. “I always assumed I’d have kids. With a woman. Whom I'd have married because my great-aunt arranged it.”

For some reason, that statement caught Mako off guard. Mako hadn't even thought of it, really, what had been expected of Wu before his great-aunt was killed and he started the reformation. But… Arranged marriage, kids… That was how Earth Kingdom nobility and royalty did things, historically. That was what ‘family’ had always meant, to Wu.

“Huh,” Mako replied thoughtfully.

“Never liked the overall picture, mind you. But I guess the ‘kids’ part was the least unpleasant image there.”

Mako stayed silent. Wu was doing that thing where he was choosing his words carefully. Mako knew to listen closely.

“But…I don't want the monarchy to continue. Having biological children would open up a can of beetle-worms I don't want to deal with. I think the Hou-Ting dynasty and bloodline should end with me.”

“So,.” Mako glanced at Ruby, admiring her rounded nose and tiny lips. “You’d want to…?”

“Adopt, probably,” Wu said confidently. “Makes the most sense. And as much as I love these little teeny tiny babies, I think adopting kids a little bit older calls to me more.”

“Yeah,” Mako agreed. “Me too.”

Wu stared at him, an eyebrow raised. “You too?”

“I uh… I’d probably rather adopt. Not a baby. Older kids.”

“Uh huh.” Wu said, a little teasing smile on his lips. “Good to know. I’d like to adopt. You’d like to adopt. Maybe our kids can play with each other sometime.” 

Mako rolled his eyes. “We, okay? We can probably adopt someday, maybe.”

“We would probably have to live in the same city, first,” Wu said with a weighty tone. 

“After you abdicate, then.” Mako stated plainly. “You can move to Republic City.” Wu had mentioned a few times in the past that he would prefer not to live in Ba Sing Se after abdicating, to ensure that there was no question regarding the transfer of power.

Wu frowned, and Mako got the suspicion that he’d said the wrong thing.

“I hope to abdicate someday, Mako. I really do. But it might be a while. Years.” Wu turned his head away from Mako, averting his eyes. “Even then… I don’t know. I don’t know what the future looks like for me. Nothing in my life has gone according to plan, so far.”

Mako suddenly did not like the direction he had steered the conversation and he desperately wanted to just go back to staring at Ruby and maybe smelling her head again while Wu commented on how cute she was.

‘You always say the right thing.’ Wu had told him that countless times, even though it was objectively and factually incorrect. Mako said the wrong things all the time. Sometimes he didn’t even know he’d said the wrong thing until it was too late.

“Do you want to hold her again?” Mako blurted out. Nice job. He told himself sarcastically. Change the subject. Avoid the talk entirely. That’s a good, healthy way to approach a talk about the future with your boyfriend.

“Yes!” Wu said enthusiastically, unperturbed by the shift in conversation. Mako carefully leaned in while Wu expertly scooped Ruby into his arms. “Sweet little Ruby. What a lucky girl you are.” Wu tipped his head down and kissed her forehead again, rubbing his nose in the soft tuft of hair while inhaling. 

“Why don’t you want to adopt a baby?” Mako asked curiously, with caution. Wu was absolutely enamored with Ruby, it surprised Mako that Wu wouldn’t want to have a baby. “You seem to like babies a lot.”

“Babies are adorable. What’s not to like? But they wake up a lot. Opal and Bolin look exhausted. I need my beauty sleep!” Wu spoke dramatically.

“Uh huh. What’s the real reason?” Mako said, not buying Wu’s shallow excuse.

“I…” Wu faltered a little, as though he were afraid to answer. “I guess… Because of you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You and your brother. You shouldn’t have been on your own. What if someone had adopted you? Taken you in? How many kids out in the world are in the same position you were in?”

“Oh.” Mako understood what Wu was saying. He had lost his indignation at the unfairness of his situation a long time ago, but it welled up in him for a moment. Wu was right. Mako shouldn’t have had to survive on the street and take care of his brother.

“Besides,” Wu spoke again, his voice returning to its playful dramatic flair. “I’ll have plenty of chances to enjoy Opal and Bolin's babies. There is no way this is the only baby these two are having.”

Mako raised an eyebrow. “You think they’ll have more?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m certain. I’d bet my royal brooch on it. I’d be surprised if they have any less than four children.”

Mako shook his head. “Did you see Opal? You think she’s going to go through all that three more times?”

“At least three more times. Maybe more. People forget how awful childbirth is after they recover. Then they get that baby fever! Those two are going to have a big family, mark my words, so I’ll have plenty of opportunities to snuggle a baby.”

“Hmph.” Mako wasn’t sure he loved the idea of Bolin having so many kids, but… Wu had a point. Opal came from a bigger family, Bolin loved their dad’s big family. “Yeah. You might be right.”

A stillness settled in the room, as both Mako and Wu admired Ruby. Mako contemplated some uncomfortable truths, for a moment, regarding the future. Mako considered the possibility that Wu might never be able to move away from Ba Sing Se. It raised several concerns with respect to their relationship… 

Wu’s hands were tied, in this situation. He had so much more work to do before abdication was even a possibility. If Wu couldn’t move, there were really only two options.

Mako and Wu would continue to live apart indefinitely.

Or Mako could move to Ba Sing Se.

He had resisted that idea for years. But…

Maybe it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

After some time, Ruby squirmed in Wu’s arms, bringing her hands into her mouth. 

“Aha! Feeding cues. Little Ruby, are you ready to eat?” Wu leaned his head down and pressed more kisses to her forehead.

“I’ll go wake them,” Mako said as he started to rise. 

“Oh no you won’t,” Wu said with narrowed eyes. Before Mako could protest, Wu placed Ruby back into his arms. “I’ll wake them. You snuggle your niece.”

Wu rose and disappeared into the bedroom, leaving Mako alone with Ruby. She was squirming more and more, not quite upset or agitated, but her eyes were fluttering open.

Amber eyes.

“Hey…” Mako whispered softly. “Your mom will be out here in a minute to feed you. She just needed some sleep.”

Ruby stretched in his arms, making a small squeaking noise, then licking her lips as she brought her fist back to her mouth.

“You look like your dad.” Mako said. He knew she couldn’t understand him, but he hadn’t really talked to her yet. Once he started, it felt natural. “Mostly. You’ve got your grandma’s eyes. I have them too…” A lump formed in his throat for a moment. He tried to picture his mom here with him, doting on her first grandchild like Suyin had been earlier. Dad, too. Spirits, he suddenly missed them so much it hurt.

Ruby blinked at Mako slowly. She opened her mouth wide in a yawn. She seemed more alert, now, wiggling in his arms. “They would have loved to meet you, your grandma and grandpa. I miss them so much, sometimes… But it’ll be okay. You've got a huge family. We’ll make sure you’re always taken care of, no matter what—”

Just then, the door opened to the bedroom. Wu stepped out, followed by Bolin and Opal. They were in a bit of an after-nap haze, but they were both smiling in delight, in spite of their bleary-eyed expressions.

“Wow, you really did it, Wu. He’s been avoiding holding her since he got here.” Bolin said with a laugh.

“I haven’t—” Mako started to protest, but Opal giggled over his voice. Mako just huffed and rolled his eyes. 

Opal gingerly took a seat next to Mako and he handed Ruby off to her. Opal pressed a few kisses to Ruby’s face while Bolin and Wu headed into the kitchen to coax Pabu out of hiding.

“Avert your eyes,” Opal said jokingly as she started positioning herself and Ruby for a feeding. Mako huffed and shook his head, but looked away all the same. Mako had stopped feeling awkward about Opal nursing Ruby by about the second day he had been staying here, but he certainly avoided staring. 

Opal winced for a split second once Ruby latched on, then relaxed as she leaned back, with Ruby cradled in her mother’s arms as she nursed enthusiastically.

“Here,” Mako grabbed the pillows on the couch next to him and tucked them under Opal's arms to give her some support.

“Thanks!” Opal said with a weary smile. “You know, It’s been really nice having you around. It's been a huge help. There is no way Bolin would have been able to kick your cousins out yesterday when they wouldn't take the hint to leave.”

“Yeah. Happy to be the bad guy,” Mako said with a scoff. 

“For real, though! Mom’s been just about as intrusive as I expected her to be,” Opal said with a laugh. “I knew when I agreed to you staying with us that you’d just help without offering commentary, unlike every other person here to ‘help’—”

“Success!” Bolin announced as he emerged from the kitchen with Pabu, who was munching on one of the treats Wu had brought along. “Oh Pabu, buddy, I promise you and Ruby are gonna be best friends, you just gotta give her a chance!”

Pabu squeaked in protest, as though he absolutely did not think that Ruby could ever be his best friend.

“Oh Pabu, you poor thing…” Wu sympathized as he offered Pabu another treat.

Mako found himself chuckling as he shook his head. Suddenly, Opal groaned loudly.

“I’m so hungry again!” she complained. “It’s like my body is making up for rejecting food for nine months. All I want to do is eat all day long and it’s a hundred times worse when I’m feeding her!”

“I got it,” Mako stood up to head to the kitchen as Bolin took his place next to Opal.

Wu followed Mako into the kitchen and hovered as Mako pulled out some ingredients. “Need any help?” Wu asked, a hint of teasing in his voice. Wu was not typically any help in the kitchen.

“You’re hilarious.” Mako deadpanned. “Actually, Su has a tea blend that’s supposed to help with milk production or something, she wants Opal drinking it two or three times a day. You can get that set up for me while I heat this food up.” Mako tipped his head toward the jar of herbs Suyin had set up on the counter.

Wu nodded and dutifully prepared the tea leaves according to the helpful written instructions Su had provided, while Mako heated the food and water. Despite the fact that Wu was fairly useless in the kitchen, they weaved back and forth seamlessly as though working in tandem on such a domestic task were a common occurrence.

Normally, Wu was a chatterbox, but Mako got the impression that he was contemplating their earlier conversation as he was focussed on measuring the herbs and placing them in the steeper. Mako could hear Bolin and Opal softly speaking to one another in the living room, marveling over their daughter.

Mako brought the hot water over to the cup Wu had prepared and poured it over the steeper. He set the teapot to the side and stared at Wu carefully. Wu blinked at him a few times as he realized he was being scrutinized.

“Did I do it wrong?” He asked, gesturing to the tea.

“No, I…” Mako hesitated, but let his impulses take over. Wu brought out that side of him sometimes, the speak-first-think-later side of him that was usually buried deep. “I’ll move to Ba Sing Se. If you want.”

Wu’s eyes flew open, impossibly wide. “Mako, wha—”

“Just give me time. I’ve got my whole life here, family, career, all that. I’ll do it, I just need time to get used to the idea and make a plan for it.”

Wu didn’t respond at first, just raising an eyebrow at Mako skeptically. Then, he finally said, “Okay, but only if you’re sure,” as if Mako would offer to do something like that without being sure of himself. 

Then Wu stepped into Mako’s space and kissed him. It was soft, and slow, and gentle, but Mako felt tingly all over as he wrapped his arms around Wu while Wu threaded his fingers through Mako’s hair. He just realized they hadn’t kissed yet, since Wu got here.

“Ahem!” Mako nearly jumped as he pulled away from Wu, seeing Bolin suddenly standing in the doorway with a half-amused, half-annoyed expression on his face. “Listen, I’m not usually one to complain about public displays of affection, but maybe you two can not make out in my kitchen while Opal is out there starving?”

Mako’s face burned, which was ridiculous because he had been waiting on Opal and Bolin day and night, so it was kind of shitty for Bolin to make a big deal that he took a few seconds to kiss Wu, and also he and Wu were not making out, plus he hadn’t seen Wu in weeks, and—

“You know, when Su gets back for dinner, maybe you guys should go back to your apartment or the hotel and spend some time together. Opal and I can survive for a few hours without you, Bro.” Bolin smirked as he stepped into the kitchen and gathered the tea and food onto a tray.

“I don’t need to—” Mako started to protest, but Wu interrupted him.

“Bolin, I swear on my life that I will repay you and Opal for lending me your Grounding Restoration caregiver,” Wu said with a hand over his heart, sounding overly solemn. Mako was about to protest the implication that he was an object to be lent, but Bolin and Wu were already leaving the kitchen, carrying the food and tea for Opal.

Mako rolled his eyes. Okay, fine, he actually wouldn’t mind a break from all this for a few hours to spend some time with Wu, all things considered. Mako did a quick wipe-down of the kitchen before following them. 

The scene in the living room was picturesque, in a way: Bolin, Opal and Wu, huddled together on the sofa, doting on little Ruby. Not exactly how he would have pictured his family to look, if someone had asked him when he was younger. But there was warmth and laughter and understanding, and yes, as cliche as it sounded, there was love. 

And that was what family meant, after all.