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This post is getting a lot of attention recently and I just want to say, it means even more to me now.

I wrote it in March of 2024. I said that I "once" felt broken and alone when I wrote it, but the truth is, I still did. I felt broken, worthless, ugly, and alone. I felt like I was recovering from what I'd been through, but I'd also felt like I was still drowning. Getting worst despite trying my absolute hardest to get better.

Several months later in that same year, I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It had been there for years. It made me suffer, destroyed my health, and was the cause of nearly every problem I had. It changed me mentally and physically. I was lost.

But at the end of the day, I figured out I had this tumor because I never truly gave up. I was suicidal. I seriously attempted once and thought about it a lot more. But I still never gave up. I knew something was deeply, deeply wrong with me, and I never stopped trying to find out and improve my life. I finally did.

I had surgery to remove that tumor. I'm still recovering, but this time I'm honest when I say I feel much better. I never stopped fighting, always held on to hope that things would get better, because I would take my power back and make them better. I did, but in a way I would have never expected.

So yes. Stand up for yourself, love yourself, even when you're at your lowest. I love Zuko. I love myself for once. My scars aren't as visible as his but they are still there and I love them as part of me. No matter who you are and what you're going through, you don't deserve to suffer and you have the power to pull yourself out of it.

Sometimes I think about exactly how powerful Zuko’s story as an abuse victim is and I just have to stop and tear up for a minute.

Just let it sink in that at 13 years old, Zuko’s father mutilated him in front of an audience and told him he was worthless and unwelcome until he completed an impossible mission. Nobody stepped in to help him. Most onlookers thought he deserved it, and even Iroh was too afraid of Ozai to challenge him in Zuko’s defense.

Zuko went on for years believing Ozai was right, and didn’t recognize what happened to him as abuse. He thought his banishment and suffering were his own fault because something was wrong with him, and that it was his duty to change to become worthy again.

Then this scene? Absolutely incredible.

Zuko’s whole journey leads up to this confrontation, where he not only recognizes that he holds no responsibility for the abuse inflicted on him; he confronts his abuser and tells him he was wrong to treat him that way, that he doesn’t owe his abuser anything.

And not only that, Zuko also tells Ozai that he sees how he’s hurting the rest of the world the same way he hurt him, and vows to stop him. That’s literally so powerful, especially watching this as someone who once felt as broken and alone as Zuko once did. His story is everything to me.

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99% of all murders committed by women in ancient greek plays are completely justified

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atla doodles to start this uni semester in high spirits :)

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A break from Zelda content for a request of my little sis who is a huge ATLA fan! I binged the series on Netflix a few years ago (lol) and i really liked it!! The animation and story were so so impressive, and it was WAY deeper than i expected, so i was pleasantly surprised! My only dislike... was that, imo, the whole storyline was set up for zutara, so... i thrive in my delusion 😂 Anyways, this was also a fun excuse to practice with some new, fun brushes, and i really enjoyed working on this piece!!

sorry to all those who follow me for LU! i will get back to it soon, but taking a tiny break to explore different types of content that give me creative joy! ☺️🩵

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The 2000s/school au strikes again

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"mirror mirror on my phone, who's the baddest?

✨ us, hello? ✨"

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Zuko doodles.

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Art slump is over!!! 3/5 of the gang are done :)

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"hello avatar" - korra and pavi

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Katara is my mental health sponsor

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A super quick sketch of Katara as the painted lady

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Hold on I'm thinking

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Zuko would vote for Trump

If Zuko's arc occurred in modern USA instead of the ATLA universe, he would have only been 16 years old when he stood up to his abusive father and went his own way. He literally was underage and not voter eligible during the time he was under Ozai's influence.

So no, lmao.

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The Southern Raiders: hiimdaisy version

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The only crossover I want