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Katara’s body was trembling, her muscles pulled taut beneath the skin, straining and aching with each surge of agony that ripped through her. She had thought she knew pain, had felt it in battle, in the loss of loved ones, but this… this was different. This was a pain so primal, so all-encompassing, it made everything else seem insignificant.
The pressure, the heat of her own blood pumping through her veins as she bore down with a force that left her breathless—it was an agony she had never known. Not personally. Katara had helped deliver so many babies in her lifetime but for the time, it was her who was on the birthing bed.
Her screams echoed off the cold stone walls of the room, loud and sharp, like shards of glass shattering in the air around them. All of her experiences as a healer and midwife, helping bring children into this world, had not prepared her for her own, harrowing labor.
“Fuck! Fuck,” she cried out, as another sharp pain ripped through her. Tears were streaming down her face as she wrapped her strong hand around Azula’s. “Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” She bellowed again.
“It’s okay, it’s okay,” Azula whispered. Her wife stood beside her, holding onto her hand like an anchor. Azula’s steadfast presence had been a blessing during this whole ordeal but Katara couldn’t help but feel a deep-rooted anger for Azula’s gentle, calming words. “You’re doing exceptionally well-”
“-Azula shut up!” Katara snapped, squeezing her wife’s hand harder as another contraction ripped through her lower body. Her back arched as her muscles squeezed together in debilitating cramps. “It’s not okay!”
And Katara didn’t feel like she was doing exceptionally well either. She felt horrible and she just wanted this to end. She just wanted the babies out.
Katara’s eyes were squeezed shut so she couldn’t see the way Azula nodded her head emphatically. The firebender was nothing if she was adaptable so it was easy to pivot in what she was saying to comfort her wife.
“You’re right of course,” Azula said gently. “This is terrible, horrible, diabolical even.” Katara’s answer was another shout as she squeezed Azula’s hand tighter. And tighter and tighter. Beside her, she heard Azula sucked in a sharp breath but Katara hardly registered it.
She could feel a tremor in Azula’s hand but with her eyes closed she missed the flicker of panic in those usually sharp, unshakable amber eyes. For as much as a strong front she was trying to put on, Azula couldn’t deny the fear pumping through her as she watched Katara struggle through her labor.
With each cry and scream of pain, Katara let out, Azula couldn’t help but feel her heart breaking. She couldn’t stand seeing Katara in this much pain. She would give anything to swap their positions or to snap her fingers and make all of Katara's pain disappear.
“This is terrible,” Azula said again, softer this time as Katara squeezed her hand tighter. “But just take in a deep breath Katara, just breathe. We’re going to get through this together.” She encouraged, hoping these words of support didn’t provoke Katara’s ire like it had last time.
“Breathe, Katara,” Azula said again her voice was low, steady, but there was an edge there, a trembling note of desperation she couldn’t quite hide - try as she might.
“I’m trying,” Katara panted as her contraction passed. Katara wanted to breathe. She wanted to focus, to ground herself, but the pain was relentless. It seized her body and made her bones feel as though she was going to snap under the pressure.
All she could think about was the excruciating pain, the way her body was being torn open to bring life into the world.
“This is unbearable Azula, I don't know if I can do it.” She cried as she turned to look up at Azula with watery eyes.
“Katara-” Azula was cut off as another contraction hit, harder than the last, and Katara’s breath caught in her throat, her entire body twisting with the effort. Her hand clenched around Azula’s again, squeezing so tightly that she felt the bones give way beneath her fingers.
The snap was immediate—an awful, sickening crack that echoed in Azula’s ears. She felt the bones in her hand shift, grind, and give under Katara’s desperate grip. Pain, sharp and vicious, shot up her arm like lightning, but Azula didn’t flinch.
Her face paled, a fine sheen of sweat breaking out across her brow as she swallowed the scream that tried to rip itself from her throat. “Agni, Katara,” Azula whispered, her voice drowned out as Katara let out another shout.
Azula felt her breath hitch, her jaw clenched tight, and for a moment her vision swam from the sheer intensity of it. But she didn’t pull away. She didn’t let go. How could she? Katara was in far more pain than she was, fighting for something far greater. Azula could endure this. She had to.
“Azula…” Katara’s voice trembled as she gasped, “I can’t—Azula, I can’t—” Her chest heaved with the effort of trying to breathe, trying to push past the suffocating pressure. “We have to find another way to get these babies out!”
Azula’s voice came out hoarse, strained from the pain. “You can,” she said, though the words were as much for herself as they were for Katara. Her own hand throbbed violently, the jagged pain running up her arm like wildfire. She could feel the bones in her hand shifting, swelling with the break, but she forced herself to keep her grip. She wouldn’t show weakness—not now. Not when Katara needed her.
“You have to,” she added through clenched teeth. “The babies are here…” Katara cried out as she dropped her head onto the pillow.
Katara’s vision blurred, her body trembling violently as she braced herself for the next wave. And when it came, it was like fire—searing and relentless, burning through every nerve in her body. She let out a scream, raw and primal, a sound born of both pain and desperation. A loud shout ripped from Katara’s throat as she clenched Azula’s hand tighter.
“Ohhh noooooo,” Azula gasped, unable to hold back her cry as her vision began to swim, black dots dancing across her vision as a terrible pain shot through her. She leaned forward, her forehead resting against the edge of the bed as her knees began to shake.
Katara, who was unaware of Azula’s pain, continued to sob. At the foot of the bed, one of the healers who was kneeling in front of Katara shouted happily. “I see a head! I see a head!” She announced as she picked her head up.
“You’re almost there Master Katara, just another push!” She encouraged.
“Just another push!” Azula gasped out, tears running down her cheeks as Katara still continued to clench her hand.
“I can’t!” Katara sobbed.
“You have to!” Azula wheezed. Katara sobbed again, holding onto Azula’s hand tightly as she took in another deep breath. The cramping in her abdomen was becoming unbearable and she forced herself to keep pushing.
“Fuck! Me!” Katara shouted as she felt herself beginning to rip. A deep, terrible burn as she felt the first twin begin to push her way out of the birthing canal.
“No! Never again,” Azula whimpered. She was kneeling by Katara’s bed now, the pain in her hand unbearable. She was trying to remain strong in the face of Katara squeezing her broken bones but it was nearly impossible. “This is how we got into this situation in the first place.”
“I know!” Katara cried, before letting out a shout that sounded both frustrated and filled with pain. “Fuck you Azula!” She declared as she let out one more push, feeling as the baby finally came out.
Suddenly, mercifully—the pressure shifted. Katara gasped, her body sagging against the bed as the first cry echoed through the room. It was soft and tentative, but it was there. Their daughter's cries. The first twin.
For a moment Katara felt sweet relief as she melted into the bed, the pressure in the pit of her abdomen disappearing for a moment.
Azula’s breath was shallow, her hand still throbbing with every beat of her heart, but as the sound of their daughter’s cry filled the room, the pain in her broken hand faded, overwhelmed by a tidal wave of awe and disbelief.
“She picked her head up to see one of the midwives holding their daughter, smiling down at the little thing. Her sharp cries were filling the room and Azula could see her little arms flailing back and forth.
“Let me see…” Azula demanded, her voice cracking as she pulled away from Katara. She winced as Katara released her hand, causing a terrible burning aching in the center of her palm. She ignored it as she limped over to the healer.
Azula craned her head down and looked at her daughter, something breaking deep inside of her as she stared down at her daughter. She was a little thing covered in blood and after birth. Her little face was scrunched up and already she had a full head of hair. She was crying loudly now and Azula had the urge to hold her.
“She’s…tiny…” she whispered as she reached for her.
“Uh…is your hand broken?” The midwife holding her wife asked, clutching the newborn closer as she looked down at Azula’s swelling hand.
“Is it?” Katara muttered.
“Yes, let me hold her,” Azula said, her hoarse voice strengthening.
“I’m not sure-”
“-Give me, my child,” Azula demanded, her tone commanding and leaving no room for an argument. The midwife glanced over at the healer nervously but the older woman was still kneeling in front of Katara, waiting for the other twin to come.
“Alright…” She relented under Azula’s harsh gaze. She inched forward a little and awkwardly helped place the baby in her arms. Azula sighed softly, her heart fluttering in her chest as she stared down at her daughter.
She felt all her annoyance with the midwife subside for a moment as she gazed down at her daughter. She was so small and felt frail in Azula’s arms. Azula’s knees felt weak and her stomach flipped as she stared at her daughter.
She felt grounded as she held her. For so long she felt like her daughters had been hypothetical. Even as she watched Katara’s stomach grow, it hadn’t really felt real. The weight of being a parent, of bringing life into the world, of raising another human being. It had been scary and daunting but a part of Azula was able to detach herself from that fear.
But now as she held her first daughter it felt like her feet were now firmly on the ground. Her baby was real, very, very real. And Azula was now a parent, in charge of this tiny little human.
“And my hand is broken,” Azula thought, her eyes fluttering as the baby's cries settled down to whines. Across the room Katara watched Azula holding their child, her heart slamming in her chest as a myriad of emotions came over her.
She was overjoyed, in awe, in love, exhausted and a little jealous as she watched Azula holding their baby first.
Katara couldn’t speak. Her body was too weak, too spent, to do anything but lie there, her chest rising and falling in shallow, ragged breaths. She wanted to reach for her daughter, to hold her, but there was still one more—still another life she had to bring into the world. Another child she had to fight for.
And, as if summoned by Katara's thoughts, she felt her abdomen begin to clench tightly. She gritted her teeth tightly as another contraction began. She squeezed her eyes shut as she bowed her head, her toes twisting as the pain began again.
The healer’s voice cut through the haze of exhaustion. “The second one is coming. Katara, you need to push.”
“No shit,” Katara wanted to say but all that came out of her was a soft whimper. Katara’s heart sank. Her body was already broken, and her strength drained. How could she possibly survive this? How could she endure this pain again?
“I can’t…” Her voice was barely a whisper now, her lips trembling with the effort to speak. Tears blurred her vision, and for the first time in her life, she felt all of the fight slip away from her and that she just couldn’t do this. As Katara's labor continued, Azula gingerly handed her daughter back over to the midwife before rushing to her daughter's side.
“Of course, you can,” Katara’s ears pulled back as she heard Azula’s voice beside her. Her tone was filled with an annoying amount of arrogance. That know-it-all tone that she always got when she was sure that she was right.
“I can’t!”
“You just gave birth to one baby, Katara,” Azula said as she knelt beside her wife. “You can do it again, just a few more pushes and it will be over.” Katara whimpered again and shook her head, letting out a ragged sob as her contraction grew stronger.
“Fuck!” She cried before reaching out for Azula’s hand. She grasped at it without thinking, causing Azula to gasp. In the back of her mind, Katara realized she must have grabbed the broken one. She was about to let go when she felt Azula’s broken hand squeeze hers.
“Come on,” Azula said through gritted teeth. “Come on, Katara.” Beads of sweat immediately began to form along Azula’s brow. The pressure of squeezing Katara’s hand sent another sharp burst of pain through her arm, but she held fast, even as her fingers trembled. She forced herself to look into Katara’s eyes, her own filled with a fierce, unyielding fire. “Yes, you can. You will.”
Katara nodded as she saw the look of conviction in Azula’s eyes. Her legs twisted as the contraction clamped down on her. She bowed her head and squeezed her head shut, pushing with all of her might as the contraction ripped through her.
“Do you see the head?” She gasped as it passed as she fell back on the bed.
“Not yet,” the healer whispered.
“Soon, though,” Azula said confidently.
“Azula-”
“-Katara, how many times do I have to tell you that I’m never wrong about anything?” Azula demanded. “You're going to push, you're going to deliver this baby, and once it’s done we're not even entertaining the idea of having another kid.”
Another beat passed between them and though Katara was exhausted and frustrated, she couldn’t help but feel appreciation as she looked up at her wife.
“Spirits, you’re so fucking annoying.” Katara gasped as she felt the pain beginning to build up again.
“But I’m right.” And Katara realized, begrudgingly, that Azula was right. She had no other choice. She drew in a shaking breath, tears slipping down her cheeks as another contraction slammed into her like a tidal wave. She screamed again, her body arching off the bed as the pain consumed her. The pressure was unbearable like her body was being torn apart from the inside.
With every ounce of strength she had left, Katara pushed. She pushed as hard as she possibly could, fighting her way through the pain and the fear that gripped her. She could feel the baby coming, slipping through her birth canal.
Katara didn’t stop pushing. She thought she heard the midwife cry out, “I see a head!” But she wasn’t sure. She was solely focused on her task at hand.
And then, after what felt like an eternity—another cry.
The second twin.
Katara collapsed back against the bed, her body trembling violently, her skin slick with sweat. She could barely see through the tears, barely breathing through the overwhelming exhaustion. But she could hear them. Two soft cries. Her daughters.
Azula’s broken hand throbbed, the pain still very much present, but it was nothing compared to the overwhelming relief flooding her chest. She felt her forehead pressing against Katara’s, felt her wife’s breath on her skin. “You did it,” Azula whispered, her voice breaking. “You did it.”
Katara let out a shuddering breath, her heart swelling with so much love and relief that it hurt. “I…I did…” she whispered back, her voice hoarse. Tearing welling up in her eyes as she watched the healer and midwife rushing around. They snipped the umbilical cords and began to clean them up.
Azula smiled as she rested her forehead against Katara’s shoulder. Katara winced, her body aching at the contact. She wasn’t sure how but even her shoulder felt sore.
“They have strong lungs,” Azula whispered before picking up her head, looking at the midwife and the healer hunched over the table on the other side of the room. “How are they?”
“Healthy,” the healer announced as she turned back to them both, holding up the second twin for them both to see. Katara cried as she finally laid her eyes on her little one. A smile spread across her face.
The pain of childbirth had been unbearable, but this… the fear, the love, the overwhelming relief—this was what consumed her now. Her chest felt like it cracked open as she stared at her baby. A rush of love so strong a primal poured out of her, filled her up and made the pain of childbirth not fade but feel worth it.
“Let me hold her,” Katara whispered, holding her hands out for her babies. The healer smiled and carefully made her way over to Katara. Carefully she placed the baby in her arms. Katara held her close and looked down at her lovingly.
“She’s a little smaller than her sister,” the midwife said as she came up beside the healer to show Katara her second daughter(well, first). Katara laughed, fresh tears pouring down her cheeks as she looked between the twins. However, this time the tears were not of pain or fear they were of complete joy and happiness.
“They’re beautiful,” she cried.
“And small,” Azula said softly, reaching out with her good hand as she ran her finger along the second baby's little cheek. Katara turned to Azula and smiled, leaning her forehead against Azula’s.
“They didn’t feel small coming out,” she said softly as Azula leaned up and dropped a soft kiss on her forehead. All Azula could do was chuckle as Katara turned back to their babies, another loving look sweeping across her face as she looked at them both. “I love them.”
“I love them too,” Azula whispered before kissing the side of Katara’s head. “I love you too, my darling.”
“To your credit, the healer said the break was a clean one,” Azula said as she walked back into the room. She was holding her now-healed hand up while she clenched and unclenched it. “It’ll be a little stiff for a few days, they recommend no firebending for a week, but the break was easy to heal.”
Katara looked up from the girls and smiled softly. She felt a small surge of guilt as she looked at Azula’s hand. She felt bad for breaking it and was grateful they were here in the Northern Water Tribe where there were healers aplenty. “Sorry, for that.”
“Don't apologize, I’ve been through worse.” Azula almost bragged as she dropped her hand to her side and made her way over to the bedroll Katara was lying on. She was holding Kiara, the youngest twin, and feeding her. Azula smiled as she watched the pair of them closely. "It'll be an amazing story."
“She’s a hungry little thing,” Azula commented as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. Leaning forward she kissed the top of Kiara’s head. “How is Kya doing?” Azula asked after a moment, picking her head up as she walked around the bedroll and over to where Kya was sleeping peacefully in her basket.
“Good,” Katara said as she turned to look over at Kya as well. “She ate while you were getting your hand healed and fell asleep pretty quickly.”
“Was she fussy?” Azula whispered, not wanting to wake up her girl. She knelt as she looked down at Kya a smirk tugging at her lips as she looked at Kya’s round, rosy cheeks and the little tuff of brown hair curling on the top of her head. She had a little button nose and pouty little lips.
“A little,” Katara said through a yawn. “But it only took a little rocking back and forth to get her to fall asleep.”
“That’s good,” Azula said. “I’m tempted to hold her.”
“Don't wake her.”
“I know,” Azula said quickly as she turned back to Katara. “That’s why I said I’m tempted to hold her.” Katara was too tired to throw a quip back at her. Instead, she turned her attention back to Kiara.
“She feels like porcelain,” Katara whispered. “So small and frail, I’m almost afraid I’m going to break her.”
“Well if she’s anything like you, she won’t break easily,” Azula said, causing Katara to laugh as she turned up at Azula.
“Awww Azula,” Katara cooed, leaning back against the pillows. “What a sickeningly sweet thing to say.”
Azula rolled her eyes as she reached forward and wrapped her arm around Katara’s shoulders. “Well, considering you pushed out two children I think you deserved a few sickeningly sweet things to hear.”
Katara nodded as she turned back to Kiara. The baby ate for a few minutes before pulling away from Katara’s breast. Katara readjusted herself in the bed as she carefully moved Kiara so she could burp her. Very carefully she started to pat her back.
“I can’t wait to get back home,” Katara sighed softly. “I can’t wait to get the girls back home either.” She knew it would be some time before they could set sail for the Southern Water Tribe but she longed to be home again. She found herself sad that she hadn't been able to deliver the twins in their home, in the comfort of their nest.
“Do you think they’ll like it?” Azula asked as she watched Katara rocking and patting Kiara’s back. “Living in the Southern Water Tribe?”
“I’m sure they’ll love it,” Katara said as she turned to Azula with a small smirk. “Just like you love it.” Azula chuckled softly as she leaned to the side.
“I wouldn't say I love it,” Azula said softly as she gave Katara an adoring look. “I tolerate for your sake...”
"And for the sake of your sanity," Katara laughed just as they heard a small cry from Kya’s basket. Azula moved immediately, getting off the bedroll and kneeling beside the basket.
“Shush now,” Azula said softly as she very carefully picked up Kya. “No need to get all bent out of shape.” Katara watched them both with a tired smile as she held Kiara close to her chest. A feeling of contentment rushed through her, as she sat with her family.
It was an amazing feeling. To sit here with Azula and hold their children in their arms. They were starting their own family, their relationship hadn't exactly been easy or conventional. So to be here, together, and building a family together meant everything to Katara.
She was still in pain. The healers had come soon after she had given birth and helped patch her up but she was still in pain. Every part of her ached and she still felt exhausted. But it was easy to push it to the side as they rocked Kya and Kiara.
"I can't wait for them to open their eyes," Azula said as she quieted down Kya. "I want to see who inherited my beautiful, captivating eyes."
"They both got my eyes," Katara declared as Kiara let out a little burp, spitting up on Katara's shoulder. "...Can you pass me a rag?" Azula nodded as she stood up and carefully walked over to the dresser.
"What makes you so sure they'll have your eyes?"
"Because I fought tooth and nail to bring them into this world and I grew them in my womb for nine months," Katara reminded her wife. "I feel like I've earned for them to have all my looks."
"Well that's hard to combat," Azula said as she came back with the rag. "But I don't think that's how genetics work."
"It should be."
"Again, it's hard to argue that point." Azula chuckled as she placed Kya down on the side of the bedroll for the moment so she could help clean up Katara. "Although I will say, I think I earned a few of my genes to be presented. You did break my hand after all."
Katara scoffed, causing Azula to smirk. The waterbender turned to her wife with a loving look before saying, "I love you, sweetie and I do feel bad for breaking your hand but be realistic. That wasn't even a fraction of what I went through."
"That is true but it was still painful, especially when you ground down on the break," Azula said before a more serious look came on her face. "Your delivery was hard."
"I know," Katara said softly as Azula placed the rag on the ground. "I'm not sure I could have done it without you by my side."
"You don't give yourself enough credit," Azula said softly before she reached down and picked Kya back up. "I'm thankful you all are okay, I was frightened for a long time during that whole ordeal." Katara smiled up at Azula another warm feeling of love surging through her.
"I was scared too, really scared," Katara admitted. "I...have never felt pain like that. I didn't think I was going to make it." Azula sighed as Kya let out a little whine. She looked down at the baby as she began to gently rock her.
"Thank the spirits you did...I could not do this without you," Azula muttered, her heart fluttering again as she glanced over at Kiara who was letting out a little yawn.
"No, you couldn't." Katara agreed.
A beat passed between them and the seriousness of the moment broke as Azula laughed, "Well. Thank you for your confidence, my love."
"If it makes you feel any better, I couldn't do it with you." Katara laughed as well.
Another beat passed.
"Katara, yes you could."
"I know."
They both laughed together as Azula sat down by Katara's side as they both held their new daughters and each other close.