#@writebecauseyoucannotbreathe

[maripolifan]

Thank you, @writebecauseyoucannotbreathe!

[drowthelynes]

@writebecauseyoucannotbreathe's magnificently hilarious post inspired this comic :3

toph learns a valuable lesson about grifting, only one (1) soap was harmed

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

https://www.tumblr.com/writebecauseyoucannotbreathe/760452979146063872/avatar-kyoshi-oh-look-fire-lord-azulon-is

It shouldn’t annoy me this much, it’s just a joke post I know that, I shouldn’t let random internet strangers who don’t even know I exist bother me this much, but I AM SICK AND TIRED OF AANGS BELIEFS AND CULTURE BEING TRAMPLED ALL OVER LIKE THIS! DOES NO ONE CARE THAT HE WAS RAISED A PACIFIST MONK?! Sorry, got a bit carried away there…

Anyways, it’s just a joke, but I needed to vent and I knew you’d agree

...You good there, buddy? Do you need a hug? I can give you a hug if you want.

[chocolate-cringymuffin]

“That’s not a good idea”…

Azula: What’s this?

Aang: Affection throught gifts.

Recently read @writebecauseyoucannotbreathe fic Cold brew heart and it has so much good Azulaang material (especially bc I am a sucker for coffee shop aus)

[zuko-always-lies]

Why does nearly every longer Azulaang fic I read bother me?

I don’t mean this post to rip into Aang/Azula, or to people who like it, ship it, and write it. Still, it strike me that I’ve rarely ever liked longer Azulaang fics that I’ve skimmed or read, and I want to summarize what seems to be bothering me about them. And to be clear, most longer Azulaang fics that I have looked at me have rubbed me in the wrong way, so I haven’t looked at all that many. Thus, the sample that I am working off is probably not representative. 

Still, if you love Azulaang, you might not want to read on.

1. It’s a hetro ship.  It’s recently occured to me that all my favorite Azula ships are lesbian ones, so a hetro ship probably just is bothering me wrong.  Still, I tend to be much less bothered by Sokkla fics.

2. Many longer Azulaang fics I’ve read seem to have extremely screwed up power dynamics between Aang and Azula, with Aang having tremendious degrees of legal power over Azula, Azula being placed under his authority, Aang being Azula’s “warden,” even Azula being forced to marry him, etc. I don’t tend to like that.

3. A common theme in these fics seems to be isolation, with Azula often completely or largely isolated somehow from her friends, family, people outside Aang, etc. Often her relationship with Aang is her only substantial relationship.

4. In these fics, Azula often ends up being completely cut off from her native culture and society and attached only to Aang’s culture.

5. Canon Azula was ambitious, in the sense that she wanted to accomplish great things. Often, this fics, Azula comes off as happy devoting herself to fulfilling Aang’s needs, with no ambitions.

6. These fics often seem to engage in the “savior significant other” trope, with Aang “saving” Azula. To say that I don’t like that trope much is to put it midly.

Again, I don’t mean to launch a bitter indictment of this ship; I am just trying to explore why I have often ended up strongly disliking the longer fics I see for it, even when they’re written well. Admitedly too, some of the fics which formed my more negative impression are like a decade old. 

I can also point to at least a couple Azulaang fics that I remember liking, like Blue by WriteBecauseYouCannotBreathe, Ten Sides by TalesOfOnyxBats, and The Avatar and the Fire Princess by Loopy.

[a-slut-for-smut]

thank you for the tag @lovelybeautifulpretty! oh boy do i love me a good uquiz and this one delivered! And it seems we are of like mind when it comes to love (not surprising at all tho 😁)

Upon reflection this result really resonated with me...I'm somewhat guarded with my true feelings/thoughts out of pragmatism, but also try to get more context before i form an honest opinion. I find that people, friends and colleagues, tend to seek me out for advice because they'll know itll be honest and in confidence. And man, do i love me a nice hike deep in nature full of green and that i can only hope i myself can grow in perpetuity.

this is a good one folks but no pressure! tagging @chaosisbeauty23 @warbarbie @magicalanchordestiny @nuri148 @writebecauseyoucannotbreathe @your-lavender-dreams @onigiri-dorkk @ally147writes @helena-thessaloniki @kuruus @levi4mikasa @drinkinmartini

[waterfire1848]

After azutara week, can we do azulaang week?

Hi anon!

So I'm not the biggest Azulaang fan but @ly0nstea has decided to do an Azulaang week in September! They just posted the link for prompts and dates.

Also, if you want some Azulaang content now @writebecauseyoucannotbreathe @azulaang and @struggling-author do a good amount of Azulaaang stuff.

[a-slut-for-smut]

@writebecauseyoucannotbreathe

sending your friends terrible tumblr posts is a love language

[chocolate-cringymuffin]

every even number in the love your fandom game!

Oh bro here we go...

1- 3 things you like about your fandom:

1.1- It has a lot of content!

1.2- You can experiment and play with many characters and concepts, there are no limits!

1.3- it has a lot of nice and talented people!

2- A headcanon you where not sure about first but fandom made you change your mind:

Mmmmm... not sure about this one. I think I used to Headcanon Amon as Asexual but thanks to some nice mutuals now I can see him bisexual.

3- A character that fandom made you appreciate:

Asami and Katara. Before I get in here I was neutral about all the characters (of course my three main blorbos are the exceptions), but with the right fics and art I could connect with them a little bit better.

4- Say something nice about a ship you don't ship;

Not into Korrasami really, but if there's one thing I can't deny is that the ship has good artists, (haven't read fics but I guess there are good writers too).

5- A thing you see often in fics:

We collectively refuse to accept when a character we love is dead in canon. (canon is clay and we can shape it into whatever we want).

6- A thing you see often in fan arts:

When we make Korra strong and pretty. Also Yue art, she is so pretty and I heard that if you are a cool artist you have drawn her at least once! (Please don't mind if you haven't drawn her, I am sure your art is great).

7- Tropes you enjoy to read/write/draw:

To draw- arranged marriage, basically any amorralok au where Tarrlok and Amon live, for Azulaang any modern, cute or funny comfort au, (tea or coffee shop, school au, flowershop), and love drawing dirty mechanic/prince Irosami.

I guess any cute, comfort au actually.

To read- Arranged marriage, castaway Amon, equalists plot continuation, GIMEEE.

Also love coffee shop aus and spirit traveling au's for Azulaang.

Irosami is interesting with equalist or spy Asami au's but love some good cute domestic aus.

Basically anything related with spirit travels, equalists continuation, action and fluff included.

8- Something you would like the fandom to love aittle bit more:

Any ship and character that doesn't get as much appreciation as it deserves around the fandom.

9- A ship that it's not your Otp but you ship:

Yuetara, have neglected it WAY too long but whenever I see it I appreciate it.

10- A blog or mutual that has made your experience in fandom better:

Can't name all the people that have made my experience better, fortunately, there have been too many nice mutuals. Some are no longer active but to name a few I would dare to say @flameo-trashman @crookedmouth-mountainbones @lotus-ashi @orangepanic @moreamorra @amorra-tlok @writebecauseyoucannotbreathe and @mokonahapuuuuuu

Thank you all for your kindness and your presence in this chaotic site!

11- An artwork/fic you are proud about:

12- Say something nice to a mutual!

Orange, Lotus, Crooked, Neffy, Write, Mokonahapuuuu and Moreamorra: Never stop being awesome and having cool art and fics.

And for everyone else reading this: you are great too and your presence enriches this fandom.

13- Favorite fandom event?

Ship week! (loved the avatarsunkenshipweek by the way).

14- A ship that makes you smile:

Mostly Amorra but Korrlok, Irohsami and Azulaang hold an apecial place in my heart. 💜💙🤎❤🧡💛❤️‍🔥

15- A character that makes you smile:

Baby Korra, she is too precious. Baby Noatak and Tarrlok too, must protect.

16- A thing in canon you would like to get noticed by the fandom?

THE PARALELISMS BETWEEN AMON AND KORRA, THEY ARE INSANE.

17- A thing in canon everyone likes, including you:

Seeing Iroh and Aang back in tlok and Jinora getting her tattoos.

18- A tag you follow?

Just Tlok

19- Current fandoms:

Again just Tlok haha.

20- Your first fandom:

Can't recall the first one I got interested in.

21- A fandom you miss:

Undertale.

22- Mutual you have known the longest?

Mokonahapuu, it's been a lot since we knew through this lil place.

23- A fandom you are curious about thabks to a mutual:

The dragon Prince.

24- How has fandom positively impacted in you?

Mutuals helped me to work in my art and storytelling skills. 💛

25- Advice to take care of you in fandom spaces:

Do not get too invested in any fandom, it can be overwhelming to deal with too many opinions so it's better to try to be nice and not worry about what the rest could say.

Get 2-5 psychos, (affectionate), and stick together, it will probably help you a lot.

Also, you don't have to like what everyone else does or agree to everything, not everything is made for you or a single person. Keep in mind you will have to learn to cope with the things you dislike.

Finally, look for other activities to entertain yourself, focusing too much in fandom can be bad in the long term.

[krastbannert]

Azulaang for the ship meme

General:

Rate the Ship -   Awful | Ew | No pics pls | I’m not comfortable | Alright | I like it! | Got Pics? | Let’s do it! (it's not my favorite ship, but I do like it very much and ever since you dragged me into it, I've had a hard time pairing these two with anyone else) | Why is this not getting more attention?! | The OTP to rule all other OTPs

How long will they last? - Azula says threatens to "fry his ass like a chicken" roughly every five minutes, but the reality is different. At the beginning it was "Azula's stuck with Aang", but it's become "stuck with each other forever".

How quickly did/will they fall in love? - It...took them a while. A long while. There was the whole "shot in the back with lightning" thing. Then a breakdown. Followed by a years-long recovery and redemption process. They had a long winding road, but Aang believed in her the entire time, and somewhere along the line, enemies became friends and, eventually, lovers.

How was their first kiss? - Sokka dared Azula to kiss Aang, and, well, Azula is physically incapable of backing down from a challenge. She meant for it to be sort of a small and quick thing and the next thing she knew, Sokka was yelling about oogies, Katara was fake-gagging, and Zuko spit out his drink.

Wedding:

Who proposed? -

Who is the best man/men? - Sokka and Zuko, Aang's best friends, of course.

Who is the bride’s maid(s)? - There's no one Azula would rather have than Mai and Ty Lee.

Who did the most planning? - Azula.

Who stressed the most? - Even a redeemed (this word doesn't feel right but I can't think of anything else) Azula is a perfectionist. She's not quite as bad as she used to be, but she still stresses; she wants everything to be right.

How fancy was the ceremony? - Back of a pickup truck | 2 | 3 (Azula doesn't consider herself "married" at the big official ceremony; she infinitely prefers the much smaller, more heartfelt one held later that's just friends and family) | 4 | Normal Church Wedding | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Kate and William wish they were this big.

Who was specifically not invited to the wedding? - Well, Ozai is probably obvious. Depending on your perspective, Azula may or may not have invited Ursa (I lean towards them having a good relationship, so I think she would have invited her mom).

Sex:

Who is on top? - Bold of you to assume Azula wouldn't love being the one on top.

Who is the one to instigate things? - About 60/40 Aang.

How healthy is their sex life? - Barely touch themselves let alone each other | 2 | 3 | 4 | Once a couple weeks, nothing overboard | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | They are humping each other on the couch right now

How kinky are they? - Straight missionary with the lights off | 2 | 3 | 4 | Might try some butt stuff and toys | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Don’t go into the sex dungeon without a horse’s head (look, Air Nomads were freaks in the sheets, we all know it, and Azula, like I said earlier, is physically incapable of backing down from a challenge, and she likes Aang's challenges)

How long do they normally last? - Well, considering Aang is often busy being, you know, the Avatar (I usually think of Azula staying more-or-less out of politics in her later life, mainly doing art and teaching others firebending, so she sets her own schedule), when they are together, they take their damn sweet time. This results in a lot of, uh, all-nighters. As it were.

Do they make sure each person gets an equal amount of orgasms? - Aang, being his selfless-self, prefers making Azula fall apart in all her favorite ways to his own pleasure.

How rough are they in bed? - Softer than a butterfly on the back of a bunny | 2 | 3 | 4 | The bed’s shaking and squeaking every time | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Their dirty talk is so vulgar it’d make Dwayne Johnson blush. Also, the wall’s so weak it could collapse the next time they do it. (It's either the former or the latter and there's no in between)

How much cuddling/snuggling do they do? - No touching after sex | 2 | 3 | 4 | A little spooning at night, or on the couch, but not in public | 6 | 7 | 8 (You'll never get Azula to admit it that her favorite thing in the world is snuggling.) | 9 | They snuggle and kiss more often than a teen couple on their fifth date to a pillow factory.

Children:

How many children will they have naturally? - Honestly, I've always been unsure of whether or not I think Azula would want to have kids. If they did have any of their own, I'd say 1, maybe 2.

How many children will they adopt? - I do get the feeling Azula would like to take in kids who were in her or her brother's situation (golden children, scapegoats, especially kids whose mother)

Who gets stuck with the most diapers? - Considering Aang is often away doing Avatar things, it's probably Azula, but she makes him handle every diaper change while he's home.

Who is the stricter parent? - Probably Azula, but she's not cruel about it. Just stern. (She agonizes over how strict she is constantly, and Aang has to reassure that yes, she is, in fact, a good mom.)

Who stops the kid(s) from doing dangerous stunts after school? - Weirdly, it's Aang. He likes doing the stunts, yeah, but he knows how to do the stunts safely, and he knows there's a line where enough is enough.

Who remembers to pack the lunch(es)? - Azula's up, so she does it.

Who is the more loved parent? - When they're younger, probably Aang since he's much more fun, but as the kids grow older, they start to love their mother more and more.

Who is more likely to attend the PTA meetings? - Azula, and she brings the heavy weapons every. Single. Time. She's gonna fight for her kids tooth and nail.

Who cried the most at graduation? - At graduation? Aang. But after graduation, back at home? Oh, Azula is crying silent tears of pride.

Who is more likely to bail the child(ren) out of trouble with the law? - Aang and Azula just take turns. With genes from the two of them, their children end up in trouble constantly.

Cooking:

Who does the most cooking? - Probably Aang. He knows how to cook at least some dishes, whereas Azula doesn't quite get it at first. She learns quickly, but cooking isn't always her favorite thing to do.

Who is the most picky in their food choice? - Azula prefers spicy food (she can't quite handle the normal Fire Nation level of spice, but the "low spice" version of FN food is still "extra spicy" for the rest of the world), and she's allergic to shellfish (one of my headcanons), so she's a bit picky.

Who does the grocery shopping? - Usually they go together.

How often do they bake desserts? - Azula has a not-so-secret mochi addiction, and Aang loves fruit pies, so it's pretty often.

Are they more of a meat lover or a salad eater? - Well, Aang is vegetarian. Azula doesn't normally care, she just wants to make sure she has protein. (And even though she's allergic, she will annihilate stir-fried razor clams once a year).

Who is more likely to surprise the other(s) with an anniversary dinner? - Azula is, surprisingly, rather thoughtful, and though she cooks rarely, she's very good when she puts her mind to it.

Who is more likely to suggest going out? - Probably Aang; he might love cooking, but he also likes going out and "finding adventure", as he calls it.

Who is more likely to burn the house down accidentally while cooking? - Azula is a much better firebender, and Aang is infinitely more excitable, so probably Aang.

Chores:

Who cleans the room? - Probably Azula. She's still a bit of a perfectionist. Aang tidies up, too, but it's more like a "if he sees it" situation; Azula does the deep clean.

Who is really against chores? - Neither, really.

Who cleans up after the pets? - As far as Azula's concerned, they're Aang's pets, so he gets to clean up after them. (Except her fox, Satomi. Azula pampers her.)

Who is more likely to sweep everything under the rug? - I get the feeling that would be Aang.

Who stresses the most when guests are coming over? - Probably Azula, since she's much less inclined to have guests than Aang is.

Who found a dollar between the couch cushions while cleaning? - Aang.

Misc:

Who takes the longer showers/baths? - Azula likes them as sort of a comfy way to get some time to herself. (Also she likes to sing in the shower.)

Who takes the dog out for a walk? - They like walking them together, most of the time.

How often do they decorate the room/house for the holidays? - Aang's big on decorating, and takes every opportunity he can. Azula takes a while to warm up to it, and she's never quite as excited about as he is, but eventually it grows on her. She puts up something small and meaningful for every holiday.

What are their goals for the relationship? - For Aang, he'd like a big family, full of love and happiness and all the goodness he remembers from his childhood. Azula just wants a little bit of peace, and a family that's better than what hers became. It's a low bar, but it's what she wants.

Who is most likely to sleep till noon? - 100% Aang. Absolutely.

Who plays the most pranks? - Everyone blames Aang for pranks but I think it's funnier if Azula does it. She's a mastermind of subterfuge and intrigue. The moment Aang finds out it's been her he feels utterly betrayed. And then he declares war.

[a-slut-for-smut]

the real reason why Hitch called out Armin to get him to leave...

[a-slut-for-smut]

@writebecauseyoucannotbreathe

maybe i like it when a female character is deeply flawed and responsible for countless deaths and so on and so forth. more female characters should be deeply flawed and responsible for countless deaths

[moonsugar-and-spice]

Azulaang

And for Dragon Age maybe Meredith x Orsino or Morrigan x Alistair for that good ol mage templar dynamic

Or surprise me

I went with the first for Azulaang and I'll save the second for another time (it's a good one; Morristair my beloved).

🌧️24: "We should stop talking, people might start to think I like you."

Send me a prompt and a pairing.

Azula turned the old bronze comb over in her hand, running a thumb along the familiar jade embellishment in the shaft.  It was the first time she had stood before this mirror since returning to the palace, its proud gold frame climbing the wall of her chambers.  Abstractly it called to mind the gilded trim framing the curtained door of the palanquin that had brought her here not two weeks ago.

“Why?”

The first word that had been spoken as she’d sat in the jostling quiet next to Zuko, the asylum shrinking in the distance.  The healers had formally pronounced her fit to be discharged, and Azula had been momentarily stunned when it was he who had arrived to pick her up.

Not a servant sent at the Fire Lord’s command. 

Zuko, himself.

Why.  What an absurdly small question, she mused now, to hold the tumble of thoughts and feelings and more questions stuffed into it.

“Is there somewhere else you were thinking you’d go?” he had responded, and Azula would have accepted that as answer enough.  She would have figured something out — she always would — but it had all happened so fast, and if she were honest, Azula wasn’t sure in that moment where she might have gone.

But then, Zuko had said, “I wanted you to come home.  It’s where you belong.”

Home.

The mirror’s face she had shattered on her last night here, a lifetime ago, had been repaired sometime during her absence.  Her mother, Ursa, used to sit her down at this mirror with this same comb.  If Azula concentrated hard enough, she could almost smell the perfumed oils she used to favor, jasmine and sandalwood and orange blossom.  Could almost feel her mother’s gentle touch, combing her hair a hundred times smooth, even as she’d griped and jerked away.

“I love you, Azula.”

Words she had never been able to receive, then.  Love was something you had to earn, and she would never manage to compete with Zuko to win it.  She wouldn’t even try.  He was her perfect child, and she was her father’s.

Azula watched her reflection lift the comb languidly to her hair, but stopped short, her gaze snagging on a deep, brittle crack in the bronze along its once-perfect, polished edge.  When had that happened?  She didn’t remember it being there before.

The old her would have tossed the thing away with a sneer, ordered it replaced just as quickly with something newer and shinier.  Something perfect.

Now, she was struck by the odd sort of beauty in her hand.  The imperfections all resolving together to create a piece of art with character and history, unique unto itself, and despite it all, or perhaps even on account of, she found she admired it all the more.

For fourteen years of her life, Azula had believed that if she only tried hard enough, if she could be perfect enough, if she never failed or lost or made a mistake in any way, she could earn her father’s love.  The last time she had seen him, Ozai had named her Fire Lord — an honorific she now knew had been as empty as his affection for her, a way to leave her behind — that star-crossed night when he had been power-drunk and endeavored to burn the Earth Kingdom to a cinder.

And for all her years of effort and grueling training and silent desperation, in the end, the worst had come to pass.  She had failed.  She had lost that fated Agni Kai to Zuko.  And there was not a single soul in the royal court, or the city, or her father still in his cold iron cell, who did not know of how she lost and came apart that night.

In the days and weeks after, bitter and numb and stewing in the seclusion of her personal safety room, Azula had sworn she would never let anyone see her cry again.  People saw tears and they stopped seeing you, stopped seeing the armor you wore, stopped listening to your words, your expression, or anything you might have to say.  It made no difference whether the tears were frightened or frustrated, angry or sad.  All they saw was a fragile girl crying.

Tears burned behind her eyes now, threatening to fall.  The comb’s teeth scraped gently against her scalp as she ran it through her hair, wincing a little as she hit a tangle and smoothed it out.  Azula breathed in slow and deep, watching her chest rise and fall in the mirror, the line between her brows melting away on the exhale.

For perhaps the hundredth time in recent days, Azula found herself turning her brother’s words around in her head, this way and that, like a sculpture, trying to catch every subtle detail, every hidden nuance.

“I wanted you to come home.  It’s where you belong.”

Some buried part of her stirred, whispering that she had mistaken his meaning, that he hadn’t really meant it.

But Azula had long since stopped trying to earn anyone’s love or approval.  She had already unraveled, had already hit rock bottom, and everyone knew it, so what was the point?  Fourteen years of striving, and her father’s love had turned to dust the moment she’d slipped.  She was done trying to be anything for anyone other than herself.

The thing with Zuko though, she had come to understand, was that she never had to be any of those things.  In spite of all her wrongs and flaws and failures, in spite of having done nothing to deserve it and for reasons she couldn’t understand, Zuko loved her anyway.

It had been Zuko — weak, lucky-to-be-born Zuko — who never gave up on her.  The one who saw her through years of therapy and reconditioning and growth to come out the other side, and never once made her feel ashamed or abandoned or not enough.

Something cracked inside her, a soft, hitching breath.  

The tears spilled over then, cleansing and hot.  She didn’t try to stop them.

What would she say if she were to face her father now, to stand tall and look him in the eyes with tear-stained cheeks?  She wanted to tell him that a true phoenix does not rise amid the flames, wild and fierce, but only in the cold, dark nothing that comes after.  Born from its own ashes, forged through hellfire and suffering, through its own unmaking, to become something else, something better and stronger and resilient.

She straightened, sniffed, and set the comb down on the table with a tick, giving only a cursory wipe to her eyes and face.  There was no such thing as perfect.  Only beautiful versions of brokenness.

The halls were still relatively quiet, pale light leaking in through the windows with morning’s muted chorus, drifting just at the edge of hearing.  It had become her favorite time of day during her stay in the asylum, that bird-soaked hour before sunrise.  She had spent many mornings roaming the gated garden, or seated at its window on drizzly mornings.  The flowers always looked a shade brighter in the rain, the birds always singing louder.

Funny, how for so long defeat had echoed like a door slammed shut, a resounding end to her life and all that she was.  What might have become of her, if Zuko had never risked treason to do what was right, if Katara hadn’t been at the Agni Kai that night to save him, and without knowing it, Azula, too?  If the Avatar had not beaten the odds to bring an end to the Fire Nation’s tyranny and Ozai’s power-hungry ambition?

How she had loathed the Avatar, back then, for his part in the ruin of it all.

Now, gratitude expanded in her chest, filling her near to aching.

“A closed door might be an ending, but it’s also a beginning,” he’d said during their first accidental encounter upon her return, “a different way forward.  A death, and a rebirth.”

Azula couldn’t quite say why she had opened up to him in the first place.  Her mouth had let the words escape before she could stop them, but she never found herself wishing to take them back.  It was comfortable with him.  Odd for her to make a connection so quickly, to give her trust so easily, tentative though it was.  There was something in the way he smiled, a genuineness, a softness of spirit so unlike her own.  When she talked, he listened like he was absorbing her words, as if there was nothing more important in the world at that moment.

“The monks used to say our stories don’t have one beginning or one end, but that each moment is a microcosm of beginnings and endings all knitting together, crossing each other, breaking apart.  One closed door, the end of one chapter, is simply the beginning of the next.”

She had watched him, sifting his expressions, and glimpsed the boy in his face, the one who had lost everything and everyone he had loved.  The one she had killed that night in the catacombs.  The thought still made her wince.  Was resilience something he was born with, or had he, too, learned how to nurture it?

Aang, he had been insisting she call him.  She hadn’t yet, if only for the reward of his banter and that tenacious smile, the one that carved a dimple into one cheek.

“Well, well…”

Azula’s steps faltered with a soft breath of amusement.  Really, it should have come as a surprise.  After all, once was an accident; twice, maybe even three times, a coincidence.  But four, five?  It was almost comical now, which was why it no longer surprised her.  Azula had come to expect, maybe even hope for, these unintended rendezvous.

She turned smoothly on her heel and felt a contented tug at the corner of her mouth as he approached.

“Hello, Avatar.”

“Hello, Princess,” he replied, coming to stop in his weightless way before her.  Azula’s eyes flicked down. 

Thin plumes of steam curled up from a pair of teacups, one in each of his hands.  Her eyes returned to Aang’s with an arch of a brow to catch a hint of that dimple showing as his lips quirked.

“Tea?” he offered, holding one out to her.

Reflexively, she accepted it, the porcelain pleasantly warm against her palms.  Azula fixed him with a look of wry incredulity.  “There is no way you could have known I’d be walking this hall at this very time.”

“Who says I made it for you?” shrugged Aang, the corners of his eyes kissing slightly.  “I made two cups in case I ran into someone who looked like they could use one.  Just so happens here you are.”

The steam bore an inviting aroma she knew well, fruity and woodsy with honeyed notes.

“Hmm.  Well, the day I turn down a cup of oolong is the day the assassins have succeeded and replaced me with an imposter, so…”  She took a sip, savoring the velvety smooth richness on her tongue and the sweet-bitter aftertaste.  “Thank you.”

They strolled aimlessly together, and for a little while neither spoke, the halls beginning to fill with the rustles of a palace waking.

“They wouldn’t fool me, by the way,” he said at length, and Azula looked up at him.  He had grown over the years, nearly a head taller than she was now.  “I’d be able to tell.”

“What?”

“The real you from a counterfeit.”

It took her by surprise, his words as much as the color rising softly in his cheeks.  Azula ducked her head to take a long sip of the tea, locking eyes fleetingly with a servant passing by.  The woman’s gaze skated to the floor, but not fast enough to hide the twinkle still bleeding through her expression.

“You know, we really should stop talking,” said Azula once the servant had gone, dragging Aang’s eyes askance to meet hers.  “People might start to think I like you.”

The words rang hollow though, and she made no effort to mask the telling tilt of her lips.

“Oh?” he responded, taking the bait.  “Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but…”  Aang leaned closer with an exaggerated grimace, mock-whispering the rest as they went.  “I’m pretty sure people already suspect that I like you.”

It was her turn to blush, the rush of heat having little to do with the temperature of her drink.  Azula feigned solemnity in spite of the butterflies rousing sleepily in her stomach.

“How unfortunate.  We should definitely stop talking then.  Already halfway there, we can’t have that.”

“Yeah.  I hate to say it, but I think we might be fighting an uphill battle around here.  Maybe it would all be easier if you just admitted you do like me.”

“You think so?”  The gold rim of her teacup winked in a shaft of light as they passed a window.  “Maybe you should go first.”

“That seems kind of weird, but, okay…”  There was a subtle gleam to his expression as he took a breath, making a show of composing himself, and finally said, “I think you like me, Azula.”

She scoffed, opening her mouth with some retort when he cut in, “Now it’s your turn.”

“Fine.  I think you like me, Avatar.”

Shaking his head good-humoredly, he let his gaze wander ahead of them down the hall.  “You don’t have to keep calling me that.  You’ve had all these years to learn my name—”

“Names are for people you like.”

He glanced back at her, and she bit her lip, a poor attempt to hide her enjoyment, and for the briefest of moments, just an instant, his grey eyes were drawn down, alighting on her lips.  One of those butterflies seemed to escape her stomach, fluttering dizzily in her chest, and she looked away.

“Fair,” Aang conceded with a shrug of his head.  “And what if I said, hypothetically, that the rumors are true.  That maybe I do like you.”

“I suppose, hypothetically, I might respond that for a bald, attention-whoring, goody-goody monk… maybe you’re okay, too.”

The morning’s rays had saturated to a rich amber, igniting the crimson halls wherever it touched, and the lopsided grin that broke across his face rendered it pale by comparison.  She couldn’t help the echo of it that dawned on her own face.

“Coming from you that might be the nicest compliment I’ve ever received.  I’ll be sure to keep that one right here,” he said, placing a palm flat over his heart.

Their languorous steps eased, and when Aang came to a stop, Azula turned to face him.  The oolong in her cup had begun to cool and she warmed it again, watching the feather of steam rise to dance over it.

“So,” was all he said at first, shifting his weight.

“So,” she returned in kind.

“Here we are again.”

“It does seem as if our paths are determined to keep crossing.”

“Some people might call that fate,” ventured Aang.

“I call it living in the same palace.”

Murmurous laughter trickled toward them, quieting to a hush as a trio of servants rounded the corner, bowing humbly before vanishing through an adjacent hall.

“So, I’ve been thinking,” Aang continued.  “People already assume the worst, and we keep bumping into each other.  Maybe we might as well, I don’t know… hang out.  Like, officially.  Since, you know, that’s what everyone expects anyway.”

The thought had wandered into her own mind a handful of times, though of course she didn’t say that.

“I suppose there is no sense in trying to dissuade the ones who’ve already made up their minds.  What do you imagine two people who don’t like each other might do together?”

“Hmm…”  His mouth pulled to the side in thought.  “A Kuai ball duel?”

She replied with a soft, flippant snort.  “Sure, if losing is your idea of fun.  I’m undefeated, you know, Kuai ball reigning champion.”

“Oh, but you’ve never competed against the Avatar.”  His voice retained the buoyancy she knew, but there was a spirited edge to it, of someone equally sure of their own skill.  “Should we put that record to the test?”

It was the sanest kind of madness, this unlooked-for attraction between them.

Azula straightened, lifted her chin, and smiled with an almost defiant kind of joy.

[thiscryptidischronicallyyours]

Two months into the relationship and Azula realizes she never learned the Avatar's name.

Anything is Better than Pippinpaddleopscicopolis

It wasn’t her fault. 

Not exactly.

How could it be her fault? She and the Avatar had been dating for over three weeks before anyone had bothered to inform her of that fact. By then the window for proper introductions had most certainly closed. How was she supposed to know that accepting the Avatar invitation to split a custard tart was their first date? He’d shared desserts with Zuzu on other occasions, but that didn’t mean the Avatar was dating the Fire Lord. 

No, there wasn’t a chance that Azula could be held responsible for not knowing the name of her boyfriend after they’d been together for two months. 

Regardless, she would fix it.

Find the rest on my AO3!

[a-slut-for-smut]

@writebecauseyoucannotbreathe

Your daily dose of cat memes

[stitch1830]

Toph is like "You know what makes a man look 10 times sexier? Stress." and Kanto is like "I find your disregard for authority incredibly attractive but I am a teacher's pet and you give me so much stress."

Okay but yes?????

Toph is definitely the type to rag on Kanto and push his buttons, and if he's a teacher in this AU this makes it even funnier please.

He's like "Oh hello 0-0" when Toph breaks the rules because she's the Chief of Police and then he's like "Oh no 0_o" whenever she pulls him into her shenanigans because he just doesn't like breaking the rules.

Kanto is a puddle of emotions and a big 'ole stress ball when Toph is like "Come, honey. Let's break some rules." LOL

But they balance each other out and Kanto has a very hard time saying no to Toph because she's very attractive when she's breaking rules. And then Toph is like "Hello sir ;)" when he gets all stressed so they definitely feed off each other in that sense lmao.

Imagine if they meet up with Azulaang and Azula and Toph are wreaking havoc and Aang is off to the side and is like "Wow isn't this great? Double date!" and Kanto is trying not to pull out his hair LOL.

Those would be quite the double dates... 0-0

What a great Kantoph thought, I love this so much.

......

Send me asks about ATLA, or anything, really! :D