Chapter Text
(1 year, 2 mo…
Ursa, Ikem and Kiyi, mostly because her parents were happy, celebrated all the way home. Ursa told Ikem to stop for ice cream on their way as a treat for such a stressful morning.
“I know ice cream before lunch isn’t the best parenting but I think we can let it slide once.” Ursa said.
“Yeah.” Zuko whispered, “Great.”
“You two better start thinking about what you want your new rooms to look like when we get back home. I’ll clear out some space for you so that you can have a whole room just for yourselves to design.” Ikem told them, “Your mom tells me you both like music? We could get some guitars or artist posters or-“
“Not big fans of music anymore.” Azula said, trying very hard to keep her voice from sounding rude.
“Ah, well, no worries. The rooms will be completely yours to decorate.” Ikem hoisted Kiyi up to his shoulder, asking her what she wanted to order.
Ursa, who had been staring up at the counter, heard Azula’s tone and turned her head. She was met with the sight of both of her children staring at the ground as if someone had just killed their childhood pet. She didn’t expect them to be jumping for joy—they’d get there eventually—but she didn’t imagine they would be this sad about leaving foster care.
“Are you two okay?”
“Fine, mom.” Zuko said. The word came out a bit broken like Zuko had to remind himself to call her only that from now on, “We’re just adjusting to everything. It’s a lot.”
“I understand but you both seem very…sad and I don’t know why. This is a happy moment. Our family is reunited. You two will get to stay with me. This is what we wanted for so long and you don’t even look happy about it.”
“We are happy.” Zuko quickly said, his voice sounding weak, “We just…we’ll miss the South family. They were nice and treated us like we mattered and-“
“And you don’t think I’ll do all of that for you?” Ursa asked, “I love you both so much. All these days in court have been so I can take you home. I know it hurts now but it’ll get better.”
Zuko nodded, “Okay.”
“Now, what ice cream do you two want?” Ursa asked.
————————————
Ursa didn't spend much time with Iroh when she was married to Ozai. They certainly spoke and had tea from time to time but beyond that there was never any deep connection. When she returned after six years to collect Azula and Zuko though, Iroh had to come down. Mostly he was there for Azula and Zuko, to ensure they had a family member they were a little more currently familiar with to be an anchor, but he also spoke to Ursa briefly.
Naturally, he heard about Ursa getting custody and drove to the hotel where they were staying, intent on at least talking to them before they got on the plane. When he arrived, Ursa didn’t say much beyond a quick greeting and update that everything was okay.
“When is your flight?” Iroh asked.
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“And…Azula and Zuko are ready to go?”
“Of course. They have everything packed and all their papers are ready.” Ursa smiled, feeling a sense of joy that infected her tone.
“I meant more…emotionally.” Iroh amended, “They are leaving their home after all.”
“A home with foster families, not their real family.”
“A foster family can be just as real as any biological one.” Iroh told her, “You must know this, Ursa. You do have a connection to Zuko and Azula that can never change but that doesn’t mean you’re the only one who can claim the title of family.”
“I…Of course, I know that. It’s just different when it’s your kid.”
“I understand but I think you’re letting your insistence on the perfect ‘real’ family distract you from the fact that your children truly did have a family with the Souths and they are going to miss them.”
Ursa took a seat on the couch, letting her hand go through her hair. She stared down at the floor, unable to look Iroh in the eye and began to think over his words. She really never viewed herself as a mother who wanted her children all to herself and had to have things her way. She loved her kids, she really did, and she just wanted them to be happy, but, at the same time, it was so hard. Iroh must have sensed her conflict because he sat down next to her.
“I’m not telling you to give them up or forget them. Just to take a moment to think about this from their side.” Iroh whispered, “Think about what they need.”
“They need their mother.” Ursa instinctively said.
“I’m not saying they don’t need you, but maybe they need someone else now just a bit more.”
“I…” Ursa couldn’t bring herself to say anything more. She turned her attention down to the floor and away from Iroh, earning her a concerned expression from the older man, “I messed up, didn’t I?”
“Perhaps a little.” Iroh nodded, “But so did I. What matters now is how we try to make up for it.”
“And you think the best way for me to do that is to give Azula and Zuko to the South family?”
“I think you should speak to your children and listen to them. What do they think is best?” Ursa nodded, understanding Iroh’s words.
“Thank you, Iroh. You’ve always had good advice.”
“Comes with old age I’m afraid.”
“Don’t say that. I’m going to be your age before you know it.” Ursa chuckled, “I’m getting gray hairs by the second with an eight year old running around.” She loved Kiyi, but it didn’t change the fact that every other day she was trying some new stunt that took two years off her life expectancy.
“Well, speaking from experience, I promise those gray hairs are going to be much worse by adding two teenagers into the mix.”
“They entered their rebelling years?”
“You just missed Azula running away to New York and Zuko getting into a fight with a boy at school.”
“Now those are stories I need.”
“After you speak with your kids.”
“You got a deal.”
—-------------------------------
The evening, while Ikem prepared a nice pasta dinner and Kiyi helped by watching the bread warm up, Ursa went to speak to Azula and Zuko. Both of them were finishing packing up, their suitcases nearly full on the beds. Thanks to their years in foster care, they had very few personal items left so most of this new stuff were items they had gotten while with Kya and Hakoda and wanted to take with them to California. Azula was finishing putting away her shirts that Kya had gotten her and Zuko his sketchbook when Ursa appeared.
“Hey, mom. We’ll be out-”
“No. I didn’t come for that.” Ursa quickly said.
Zuko turned when he heard her quiet tone, “Is something wrong?” Azula’s head perked up.
“I….You both know I love you, right? I love you both so, so much.”
“Yes.” Zuko slowly said, “We know that.”
“And I…I need to apologize. I’ve been selfish the last few weeks. I was so worried about getting you back and being a family again that I didn’t stop to think that maybe you had one here and I was taking you from it. I want you two to be honest with me, before we get on a plane, do you want to stay with the South family?”
Zuko and Azula stared at her in disbelief and then at each other. Without a word, they seemed to have a whole conversation with just their eyes and the smallest expressions on their faces. Ursa didn’t interrupt while they ‘spoke’, knowing they needed the silence to really think about their answer.
“Can we?” Azula asked.
“I can call the judge and the airline tonight if you want. I’ll push our flight back and give my custody to Kya and Hakoda, but you need to tell me now.”
“Would Kya and Hakoda even want us now?” Zuko whispered.
Azula pressed her lips together. She hadn’t thought of that. Maybe they moved on to other foster kids who needed help now that she and Zuko were with Ursa.
“Never know unless you ask.” Ursa said, gesturing to their phones.
Ten minutes later, Zuko was on the phone with Hakoda, explaining everything to him. He handed the phone to Ursa so they could talk logistics for a few minutes before she returned it to Zuko. It was only when they got everything figured out that Azula turned towards Ursa.
“Is this…are you…You won’t hate…” Ursa sat down next to Azula, taking her hand.
“I want you two to be happy and if being here with them will make you happy then I think that’s what we should do. I won’t be gone forever. I’ll come and visit you all the time and you can come and visit me whenever you want.”
“But….we can go back?”
“Only if you two are sure. Are you okay with this?” Hakoda asked.
“….Yes. Yes, we want to stay here with you two.” Zuko nodded, “Unless you and mo…Kya don’t want to adopt us anymore.”
“NO!” Kya yelled in the background.
Hakoda chuckled, “Well that was Kya’s answer. My answer is also a clear no.” He added.
“I think they’re still okay with adopting you.” Ursa chuckled, “I’ll tell Ikem and change my ticket. He and Kiyi should go home but I’ll stay to make sure all the adoption stuff goes through.” She stood up to leave when she felt Zuko grab her hand.
“Thanks, mom.” His voice was small and tired but Ursa had never heard him sound so at peace. She turned back to the two and hugged them. For the first time in a while, they seemed to hug her back with an equal amount of love and ferocity, “We love you.”
“I love you both too.”
—————————————
The judge and Piandao were shocked when they got the news to say the least. The judge himself checked the paperwork ten times to make sure he hadn’t gone crazy. Even in person, Ursa, Kya and Hakoda had to explain themselves and their plan several times. Finally, things got moving and they were able to finalize the adoption rather quickly as they’d been in the final stages before Ursa’s arrival and she was willingly handing over custody.
“Mrs. Spirit, you understand what you’re doing, right?” The judge asked.
“Yes, your honor.”
“And you wish to proceed?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Guess we’re doing this. Mr and Mrs. South, do you two accept Azula and Zuko into your household as your legal children?”
Azula and Zuko, who were in the back with Katara and Sokka and Iroh, smiled brightly when they heard that. As expected, Kya and Hakoda both gave a passionate positive response to the question. With nothing else to do, as both Azula and Zuko had already confirmed they were ready to be adopted, the judge smiled at the couple.
“Then, Zuko and Azula, you two are officially adopted. Congratulations on your new family.” The second the words were out of his mouth, the four teenagers stood up and ran to Kya and Hakoda, hugging their parents as tightly as they could, “We’re not reversing this again, right?” The judge asked.
Kya chuckled, “I think we’re okay now. Thank you, your honor.”
“You’re welcome. Piandao, I’ll hopefully see you for another one of these very soon.”
“Hopefully.”
Azula and Zuko broke away from the hug long enough to turn their hugging energy on Piandao, “Thank you.” He wasn’t sure which one of them said it but it didn’t matter to him.
“You’re welcome and you two still have my number so text me if anything goes wrong or you just need to talk.”
“We will.”
“And you two,” Kya and Hakoda looked up at him, “you can also call me if you run into any trouble or feel like fostering again.”
Hakoda nodded, “Thank you. Now, I think we promised these kids a drive and some family dinner.” Piandao gave them a silent nod before leaving the courtroom. Only the South family and Ursa remained. At her table, Ursa was silently starting to clean up her papers and pulling out her phone to text Ikem that she would be on the next flight home. She was about to hit send when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“Do you want to join us?” Kya asked, “I know Azula and Zuko will want to say goodbye.”
“You want me to join you for a family dinner?” Ursa questioned.
“If you want to come…and you’re comfortable being in the car while Zuko drives.” Ursa’s eyes widened slightly. Zuko was already driving? She really had missed a lot.
“I’m not.” Azula called from the aisle.
“Too bad cause I am.”
“Is it too late to call an Uber?”
“You’re too paranoid. What could happen?” Zuko shrugged.
“Yeah, letting the guy with only one eye drive the 4,000 pound vehicle. What could possibly go wrong?” Hakoda laid a hand on Azula’s shoulder, giving her a raised eyebrow, “Am I wrong?” Azula asked. He just ruffled her hair.
“Come on.”
Kya chuckled quietly, “You should come. The kids will want to say goodbye before they don’t see you for a few months.”
“A few months?” Ursa asked.
“Is that too much? You can come to visit whenever you want but I figured the next big event would be Zuko’s high school graduation.” Once again, Ursa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Kya wanted her to come back, to see the kids and be there. It felt like an invisible weight, that Ursa honestly didn’t even know was there, had been lifted off of her chest.
“That sounds wonderful and so does family dinner. Where are we going?”
“Katara and Sokka reminded us about this lovely Italian place that has the best pizza I have ever tried.” Kya told her, “Although, Zuko still thinks Dominos is better.”
“Because it is.” Zuko called.
“No judgement skills and he’s the one driving us.” Azula muttered.
“He’s always been like that. Even as a kid, he loved Domino's pizza.” Ursa told them.
“Wait!” Sokka cried. The realization dawned over him, “....You have childhood stories about Zuko and Azula.” His and Katara’s faces curled into devilish smiles.
“No.” Azula quickly said, “Mom, no!”
Katara and Sokka were already past Azula and Zuko, staring directly at Ursa as they walked out of the courthouse, “Did Azula have stuffed animals? When did Zuko enter his emo phase? What’s your personal favorite embarrassing moment? Oh! Do you have any childhood art projects?”
Azula and Zuko sighed, resigning to their fate as they followed everyone outside. Giving one another a final look, the siblings smiled. 3 years. It had taken 3 years, many failed foster homes and surviving an impending hopelessness that they would one day be thrown out on the streets, but they had a family. An actual family.
"Mom, don't tell them anything!"
"Tell us everything!"
"I'm never speaking to you two again!"
"Nah. You love us too much."
"Well that's a lie if I ever heard one."
It was amazing.