Very good

This was so sweet. I actually cried a bit over the name.

woahh it was so good and sweet, I almost cried when I read the part about Iroh and Zuko, awwww :3 I loved this story! Thank you for writing and sharing it, ciao~

Oh my...you made me relive the last daysof my two pregnancies and all the 'fun' that came with them. The story eas mostly hilarious, but I'm not ashamed to say that the end sure made me tear up. Kudos!

Hey there, Aurelia! So I am procrastinating from writing by...knocking other things off my to do list...which includes leaving you reviews! Hooray! So I decided to start with "Lu Ten," because "Dominion" is going to be a monster to tackle and this one shouldn't take as much time. Maybe I can hit "The Road" tonight too! We'll see!

So this is a pretty short story, and I do hope that it is canon compliant with "Dominion" - it certainly seems to be, even if the tone is much lighter than in "Dominion." I liked the reminder we got early on that Mai spent her recent years in the Earth Kingdom, and the fact that Ty Lee got her something pink and frilly for a wedding gift (which is hilarious and just like her to do). The fact that Mai persuades Zuko into trying to have sex to induce childbirth is both awkward and funny, while her self-consciousness about her appearance and the fact that they haven't had sex in a few months (and maybe thinking that Zuko didn't desire her during that time) really makes you feel for her.

I don't have much to say about the sex itself, although I had a difficult time figuring out what position they were getting into - I was assuming doggy style when I originally read this, but the writing makes it sound like they were partially sitting here, which makes more sense, because otherwise the kissing would have been a bit difficult to manage. In any case, their plan succeeds and Mai goes into labor, and wow, Zuko not being allowed into the birthing room is cringe-inducing. I suppose the reasoning makes sense, but damn, it still feels cold from a modern-day lens! As for Zuko wanting to name their son after Iroh, but settling on Lu Ten - that is perfect and my headcanon now, even though I know Korra and the comics says he had a girl, rather than a boy.

I'm glad you let this plot bunny run rampant. While I don't ship Maiko, I think you captured them both very well here and I still found this to be a touching read. Thanks for sharing this story and best of wishes to you!

Sincerely,
Abby

This was awesomesauce. With Fire Flakes on top :3

So cute! I love it

The ending with Iroh was the cutest thing ever, the beginning was amusing, the scene with Zuko trying to get to Mai while she was giving birth sweet, and, well, the rest of it was all of 'em. Very good job indeed! Congrats on sneaking an actual story in around the fun parts. XD

This was pure, unadulterated adorableness. Even the sex was cute. Great job!

I liked your story :)

WOW! That was amazing! So much emotions: love, anger...! You write so well, that i almost cried...Well done, and keep up the good job!

...utterly speechless, absolutely amazing work. the emotion is totally there. I used to think midwives were all thin and lanky, but once I met one in real life she reminded me off the one on this story. Coincidence, well this was a wonderful read,! inspiring, is all I can really say to finish it nano

There are no words for how simply beautiful this is so, rather than attempt to write them ... I'm just going to favorite it.

Aw. Didn't notice this until today, because I was only checking for Dominion updates (hint, hint!). But this is very sweet. Such a shame that everything went to hell in a handbasket in just a couple of years, eh? I really like your Mai here and hope that she isn't permanently headed for the Villain-ville in Dominion. And Zuko... Poor Zuko, despite his own responsibility for what followed. All his good intentions and high hopes of this piece in shambles.

And, finally, I find the time. Urgh, so many things that need to be done... but if there's a war and I get cut off from the internet for a time, I want to at least keep this promise. So, my review.

Mai's annoyance with the whole pregnancy was perfectly conveyed. I imagine the hormonal imbalance causing her to be emotional would especially disconcert her, more so than the physical imbalance. And I loved how she immediately assumed it was a boy because he would be like Zuko. I pity the Fire Nation if that is so, though.

The idea of Mai being insecure in her body and Zuko's affections was very interesting. The body, I could understand - for someone whose body is a perfect tool, similar to Azula's, such a betrayal would cause much distress. Azula is dealing with it currently because she has to in order to survive - she has to admit to the discomforts and problems of her body, because if she ignores them, she runs the risk of getting hurt. But Mai doesn't have to, and ignores the issue, waiting for it to go away. While that's fair enough, I wonder if there's a trend here, that Mai prefers to wait for things to go away rather than meet them head on.
It also explains why Zuko is not pleasuring her. While she can use her hand or mouth, she doesn't want Zuko to see her body as it is, so she's not letting him reciprocate.

While on its own the converse between Zuko and Mai on his fitness to be a father is touching and emotional, the knowledge of Dominion adds a subtle twist to it - because we now know Zuko may not always be enough, that he may be a good father but not as good as a husband or brother, that he may be a good father to Lu Ten, but we don't know if it'll be the same for Azula's child, and that Iroh is not actually that good of a role model.

I see my analogy of Mai being a banked fire, burning hottest in secret for her inner circle was right. Lord knows I would not have expected this kind of passion from her. Zuko was also surprisingly perceptive and understanding - Mai does usually bring out the best in him.
The mention of breasts reminded me of Ozai calling her flat chested. Her attitude towards them suggests that perhaps she does feel that way, that her breasts are not a good feature, even when enlarged through pregnancy. Zuko's love for them is in this case very well done of him, because it helps Mai's body image (especially if we consider her companions to be people like Ty Lee and Azula, with huge or at least larger breasts).

Ohmigoodness, only Zuko would accidentally go for the anus when Mai finally wants him to fuck her after 4 months in order to hasten a birth. That was a brilliant piece of sexual comedy, all the more so for merely being implied. And a really good sex scene, because you managed to make it very hot without being torrid.

"She wasn't in the same peak physical condition as her fit young firebending Master anymore" - Who? What?

And of course Zuko reverts to type and panics, while Mai is once again calm and controlled. It made for a great contrast, and very faithful to their characters.

So Iroh came despite Lu Ten's memorial. That explains much about the name, and displays the devotion Iroh has for Zuko - he is giving up on his dead son in order to be with his living son in this trying time. There's a powerful statement in that, but again, knowing Dominion, you have to wonder that such powerful emotions only existed towards Zuko.

I loved how Mai took control of Zuko, how he knew better than to argue, and how apparently the doctor had made a previous arrangement with Zuko that he would stay out of the room. A wise move, knowing Zuko and his impulses.

Mai doesn't like needles? How odd. I believe we've seen her use them... maybe it's because of that, because like Ty Lee's fingers, they manipulate the body in a way Mai dislikes? It's an interesting question, in any case, and I wonder if it can be used somehow... if Azula does leave a warning for Mai, it would be interesting if she utilized Mai's weakness.

"His son blinked up at Zuko with Mai's sleepy eyes" - But earlier Mai told Zuko that 'his eyes have your color'? I mean, most of the Fire NAtion has golden eyes... so really what's going on?

As I said, a very touching scene, all in all, very true to their respective characters - Iroh's sage wisdom, Mai's bluntness and Zuko's emotionality. Very emotionally powerful, and very harmonious, with just one little hint at the secret this family hides, the truth of Ozai and Azula that would come to haunt them all in but a few more years. Beautiful work, as always, a very nice glimpse into Zuko and Mai's life (especially before the trouble with Azula started) and with just enough hints or allusions to Dominion to make it feel connected, while keeping a sense of lightness about it that separates it from Dominion.