No time to Die

9

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Twenty year old Zuko sat on the floor leaning against the wall with his head down and hands over his eyes. On the bed were two infants that wailed laying on their backs side by side. He changed them, fed them, he didn't know what else to do.

He looked down at the floor as silent tears rolled down his face. He didn't sleep, he was stressed, he was scared, he was exhausted and beyond.

He didn't know how to be a parent. He didn't know how to be someone for them.

"Prince Zuko?" A new voice came in but he didn't bother looking up. He didn't care. He was in defeat.

A few minutes passed by and once one twin stopped crying it didn't take long for the other to stop. Zukos ears rung at the silence while the man that found him held one of the babies.

"Hey kid," a foot tapped at the young mans ankle. He looked up seeing Kataras father holding one of the twins and the other was finally asleep.

"Chief Hakoda? What are you doing here?" Zuko rasped.

"I've been looking for Katara," Hakoda rocked the infant in his arms and smiled softly at the baby that grabbed his finger.

"She's not here," Zuko told him as his jaw clenched.

"I don't know where she is, I need her, I need help," he trembled.

"I don't want to ask but I have too... Katara was gone for a year, she hasn't been here with you has she?" Hakoda asked softly.

"You already know the answer," Zuko rubbed his eyes, the bags under his eyes were dark and his eyes were red.

"Meet your grandsons," Zuko scoffed leaning back in the chair as he bounced his leg.

"I can't take care of them, Hakoda I can't do this alone, what the fuck am I doing?" He started to breath faster as he heard one of the boys whimper. He couldn't take the crying, he was going insane.

"What, You want me to take them? Raise them in the village?" Hakoda snorted shaking his head.

"Please, you had two children, you know how, please you'll do so much better-I don't want them to grow up with me, I'm not better than my father," Zuko broke down with trembling shoulders.

"From father to father, your job is to protect your children, teach them, and most importantly be there for them," Hakoda narrowed his eyes, he had to be realistic with the kid even if it's not what he wanted to hear he had to hear the truth.

"I don't know how, I'm going to hurt them or fuck them up like me, I can't be a father Hakoda, please please please help me I'm begging you," Zuko wiped his face but more tears ran down his face.

"I don't want to be a dad," he covered his mouth as he choked on a broken cry.

"Kid, go rest, wash up, eat something, we'll talk after," Hakoda touched the back of his head. "I'll stay for a bit to help,"

"I'll take care of the twins but you need some rest, you look like shit," he smirked a little.

"I'm so sorry, thank you," Zuko felt humiliated but he was so tired, it's been days since he was able to sleep without being startled awake.

"It's going to be okay," Hakoda nodded softly and Zuko looked at him with glossy gold eyes.

"So what's the names of my grandsons?" He asked as Zuko got up.

"I uh.. I don't know," Zuko sighed pushed his hair out of his face.

"Katara wanted these other names but I can't bring myself to use them," he rubbed his eyes and Hakoda looked at the infants gently.