#I won’t bash Aang though

[prying-pandora666]

Hello,

I’m an avid follower of @comradekatara and other Katara-focused blogs. I found you through their posts and was wondering about your plans for Katara in the Book 4 Air Restoration Project.

Katara fans have opened my eyes to how everything that’s come after the OG show has failed Katara. From Legend of Korra making her a non-character with no agency who only heals, to the comics treating her as Aang’s emotional support human or only as the Avatar’s girlfriend.

I saw you mention that you have plans to do better by Katara for your project. Can you elaborate on that at all?

First off, I’m sorry it’s taking so long for me to get through my inbox. It’s been a crazy busy time with a lot of medical and financial hardship. But I promise I will get to them!

Hello! Nice to chat with you anon. I also am a huge fan of @comradekatara’s metas and posts, and they deserve way more appreciation! Just like Katara herself.

While I’m not supposed to spoil future plans for @book4air, I’m going to take a chance and reveal what I can. Let’s hope for the best! 😂

We DO have plans for Katara! She has an entire arc planned later where she starts to chafe against being seen as nothing but “The Avatar’s Girlfriend” despite her best efforts and all the work she puts in to help this new world.

She meets “The Immortal Peach”, a secret Order made up of elderly women from the show who weren’t allowed to join the Order of the White Lotus because it’s traditionally been a boy’s club. From them, Katara learns that in resisting the limitations put on her as a girl, she rejected and put down healing entirely, and that her rebellious dismissal—while understandable and even necessary given the situation at the time—may have caused her to miss out on another side of her that is also important if not crucial.

Katara wasn’t wrong to refuse to be a healer and become a warrior. She was right to stand up for her rights and she became an indispensable part of the war effort. But now it’s peacetime, and the world needs not only warriors to help keep this peace, they need healers to bring people together and mend old wounds. Both literally and metaphorically.

So Katara grows and learns she can embrace both parts of herself. She doesn’t have to choose one or be limited. She uses her skills of diplomacy and empathy to solve problems that violence cannot solve, but is always ready to kick butt if it comes to that as well.

This culminates with her standing before The White Lotus and challenging them to accept The Immortal Peach into their Order. And, well, I can’t say anymore without getting into a lot of spoilers.

Zuko is there to support her and their relationship gets fleshed out too. As someone who also had to question his destiny and identity, Zuko recognizes what Katara is going through, and he strives to make real amends to her for his mistakes rather than let them be brushed aside.

I wish I could go into more detail but I think that’s all I can get away with for now.

Katara deserved better!

Want to watch? Here’s episode 1 to get you started!

[bellatrixobsessed1]

we’ve been mutuals for ages so i thought it was time to ask about your unpopular atla/tlok/kyoshi opinions :D

xD Tbh I feel like my opinions tend to be more controversial with Avatar than unpopular. Obviously I'm open to discussion if anyone wants to have one or if anyone needs clarification on any of these opinions lol. My goal isn't to cause fighting and more discourse but rather open up some discussion. Mostly I'm a to each their own kind of person; even if I don't like a certain ship or agree with certain headcanons I won't be bashing people who do ship/have them. And I don't think that xyz headcanon is wrong just because I disagree with that.

Disclaimers aside lol;

Some of the ones that I know are unpopular for Avatar:

I don't ship Azula/Therapy (there's a lot to get into here and I've done it quite a bit). My bottom line is that I don't mind Azula/Therapy so long as it isn't being used as a means to belittle people who do ship her with other characters. I'm also fine with it in the light that Azula/Character while she's getting therapy or something like that. There's a lot more to it, anyone can feel free to ask for clarification here. But I kind of don't really even see it as a ship so much as a concept. And as a joke I don't really find it that funny as I feel like it takes a very serious topic and makes it sound 'cute' or 'quirky' and that just ain't it for me.

I don't ship Zukka. Tbh I don't really feel strongly about it at all.

I don't ship Mailee either. I've seen quite a bit of Mailee content that is pretty anti-Azula so I tend to just stay away from that. Though I'm down for recs with fic and art that aren't anti-Azula

I don't think that Azula is a lesbian. I feel like she is Bi/Ace or Aro/Ace. Which is probably due to me being aro/ace and wanting some rep lol.

I am very very neutral to Suki. I feel like a lot of people really like her. I think she's just eh. I have no strong opinion on her either which way.

I don't really hate any character. There are some characters I like less/don't find as interesting but I don't really hate any of them.

I do feel kind of bad for Ozai as he was also probably abused as a kid. The reason I don't feel as though he's redeemable though is because he's a grown man who is pretty set in his ways.

Foamy mouth guy isn't funny.

I feel like Katara's power/strength is more in healing than fighting. Like that's her specialty and it kind of bothers me when people downplay that because imo it's refreshing to have a character who is considered great and powerful not because they are the strongest fighter but because they are a great healer and defender. Aang is also a good example of this.

I don't really talk about this much because it really isn't that deep xD but I get confused when people talk about Katara's bloodbending as if she can just do it any time??? Correct me if I'm wrong but she can only do it during a full moon. Amon and his family are the only people who could do it without a full moon. So it kind of bothers me when people just casually toss 'oh Katara could totally kick Azula/Toph/Zuko's ass with bloodbending anytime.'

I like both Azula and Zuko and feel like both of them either get babied or demonized. And that takes away from the complexities of both of their characters.

Iroh isn't completely wise. He has moments where he's not morally correct. And he should have moments like this because it would be unrealistic for him to never do wrong ever.

Kataang vs Zutara is getting really old.

I feel like this fandom can be very hostile to Azula fans and it gets hard to deal with so sometimes I have to just avoid the tag for a while. Idk if this one is an unpopular opinion or if other people feel the same. But then again I've heard that Katara and Aang have also had an influx of hate as well. In general it's just sad to see such cool characters getting talked about in the ways that some people talk about them. I've seen people say that "it's Azula's fault that she's being abused by Ozai" and "Katara needs to shut up about her mom and move on" and "Zuko is whiney and overdramatic." And these statements are just :S Basically I wish that the nice people could start talking over all of the people who just seem to enjoy bashing their least favorite characters more than they like talking about their favorites.

I don't entirely hate the comics. There are aspects of them that I hate but there are also parts that I really enjoyed.

LoK

Not a fan of Suyin. Not just because I like Kuvira but also because of her backstory with Lin. NGL she struck me as kind of a brat.

I'm not a big fan of Opal or Zhu Li either. Like I don't hate either of them but they just aren't my cup of tea.

I liked Tanho from the start.

Meelo is kind of annoying imo.

I don't like Mako at all. He lost me when he cheated on Asami.

Idk if this is unpopular but I didn't really like season 2.

I was kind of disappointed with Kuvira's backstory. I liked aspects of it but I had different expectations.

I don't think that it was a rushed backstory so much as the writers only had like 80 pages per comic to work with. It would have been better if it were in the show or something.

Korra wasn't a bad Avatar. She had her own road blocks to overcome and her own learning to do just like Aang.

I don't really have any for Kyoshi except for maybe that I don't think that Kyoshi is this aggressive murder machine lol.

Again anyone can feel free to discuss. I try to keep an open mind with these types of things.

[azucanela]

being sokka’s s/o would include hcs?

BEING SOKKA’S S/O HEADCANNONS [GENDER NEUTRAL!READER]

being zuko’s s/o headcannons | being korra’s s/o headcannons

SUMMARY: being sokka’s s/o from the confession to the marriage

WORD COUNT: 2.3k

WARNINGS: mild lok spoiler, fluff, kissing, do these count as warnings, yeah this is pretty pg man, blood, stab wound, sokka being sokka

A/N: im sick and dying h e l p, but also interact with me im lonely, become and elusive anon idc <3 also wow i have 500 followers??? idk why you all followed me?? but thanks?? hi??

getting into the relationship

oh god 

i see him with a friends to lovers thing where he either flirts with you from the moment he meets you or progressively begins to fall for you and is far to flustered to flirt because woah there why are you so beautiful

if its the former, then he’s probably gonna be ‘joking’ for the most part and you know this, so you two are just playfully flirting all the time until one day he realizes that he wants this to be REAL and panics 

when you flirt the first time he’s flustered, because he’s really just not used to the same level of forwardness that he has himself, but after a while Sokka is gonna get used to it and he’ll just roll with it

but when he realizes he wants more? he’s gonna be flustered all over again, and he’s probably gonna flirt with you signifigantly less, which is gonna cause you to confront him, much to his dismay, because oh no he’s alone with you-

“oh! haha.. hey y/n. yeah i need to go sharpen my boomerang-”

“sokka that’s not something you can do.”

when you confront him, he’s probably gonna be honest with you and tell you how he feels because he really cares for you and just wants you to calm down because no he does n o t hate you

“do you hate me or something now?”

“uh.. it’s the opposite actually you see-”

if its the latter, he’s gonna go from really calm and chill around you, because of the friendly vibes and such like cracking jokes and such, to a complete and utter mess

you two are really close as friends and that isn’t something he wants to mess up but he’s definitely gonna confess at some point because he’s not one to bottle his emotions up and hates how weird things are between the two of you now that he’s realized he likes you

in general i see sokka as a mess around whoever he likes, until he comes to terms with the fact that he likes them, and this likely won’t take long, he’s pretty in tune with his emotions

he’s not gonna wanna ask you out at first, in all honesty, i see sokka’s whole confidence thing as a facade, because in actuality he has really low self esteem and genuinely sees himself as the “extra” member of team avatar because he lacks bending and everyone around him is so talented that he sometimes forgets he is literally super smart and makes all the plans that save their lives on the daily

just things you are too good for him, especially if you are a bender

if you start hinting that you like him too, he is initially gonna think it is a joke until you start getting bold and then it’s gonna hit him like everyone hits the cabbage man’s cart

i can see either of you confessing first, if Sokka does, he’s probably gonna be really bashful and flustered about it, but he’s also gonna try and act cool because thats like his trademark

if you confess first, he’s gonna be in shock temporarily, but then he’s gonna jump right into things because you like him BACK omgomgomgomg 

he’s gonna wanna kiss you right after the confession, and it’ll probably backfire because he got really excited and ended up headbutting you and now you have a bruise forming on your head and a very apologetic sokka oops

in general, quickly recognizes his feelings and confesses shortly after, because he just hates the weird tension even if he thinks he’s the only one feeling it, even though hes NOT

during the relationship

so

a really attentive boyfriend, you will never feel neglected, he’s a very clingy person who gets intimate with you all the time, so if you like affection you got it

kissing him is nice, he’s good at it 10/10 recommend, always wants to hold you as close as possible, prefers a hand on your hip/lowerback and another on your face or neck to pull you closer

if you don’t like affection, he’ll express his love in other ways

for example, cooking, i see sokka as someone who can either cook REALLY well, or not at all. there is no in between. 

genuinely just really wants to make you happy

the type to bully you if you’re in a relationship, pls bully him back, humble this man. he’s gonna roast you but he doesn’t really mean it okay, he’s just doesn’t want things to change between you

loves that his best friend is his lover, would not want it any other way

probably forgets to tell the gaang you are dating and like aang and toph are gonna catch you two kissing or smth and sokka’s just gonna be like oh hey guys and they are both like ???

"when did this happen?”

“wym lol”

if you two are together during the war, he’s gonna wanna be by your side like 24/7 because he does not want you to die, like this lowkey stresses him so much that he will subconsciously, when developing battle plans either put you in the safest possible spot or by his side, and its because he has literally lost so many people he’s care for and now he’s distressed

remind him that he matters and is important to the team, because he forget that sometimes and falls into a mood, where he’s all sad and stuff and it just makes you sad so like

tell him he matters, because he does, tell him he’s great even if he can’t bend, and tell him he is a fantastic and brilliant leader, this will serve as an ego boost though so be prepared to humble him

steal his hair ties and do all of us a favor okay, just steal them, burn them because no littering, just make sure he cannot find them! he will walk around with his hair down in confusion, searching for them before he starts the day

speaking of starting the day, you always wake up first, this man is not a morning person and needs his beauty sleep, definitely have a 17 step skin care routine, change my mind, he is big on self care and will make sure you participate with him because he cares about you

speaking of care he knows you so well since you are his s/o so if he notices something is up he will not hesitate to confront you, and will ask if you want solutions or just someone to listen to

prefers solving the problem though

back to mornings, um have fun waking up to sokka with his hair down that sounds HEAVENLY um

mild lok spoilers but sokka ends up chief, and gets involved in politics over time, so he kinda runs out of time for you a bit until he figures out how to organize his time better, then he gets kinda sad, but he still wants to take you out on dates as often as possible ok no more spoilers

so speaking of dates, sokka wants weekly dates, this is a must, does not care if it is a fancy restaurant, cooking at home, or a picnic. he loves picnics most though, and please notice how food is the common factor here

sokka would never cheat on you but if he did he would cheat with food

arguments aren’t rare, but they are mostly over dumb stuff and you both know its dumb stuff so for the most part its a joke, but sometimes someone takes things too far so then apologies are necessary

like actual argument arguments are mostly rare because sokka doesn’t wanna pick fights with you and he’s fairly passive unless he feels really strongly about something

he can be REALLY MEAN THOUGH AND PETTY like wow sokka will go days without talking to you because of a fight

he can and will apologize first when he realizes the toll its taking on your relationship, probably will apologize first

if you catch him being a misogynist put him in his place :)

 he thinks you are hot when you are angry and might pick a fight with you just for that reason, pls make out with him

marriage n’ stuff

im still waiting for someone to explain what weddings are like guys please

anyways he’s gonna realize he wants to marry you when he nearly dies and is like wow life is really short also lets discuss him losing all the important people he’s loved in his life one more time, he does not want to lose you!!!

ever!!!

so he’s gonna nearly die and then be like i need to propose, like now, i cannot die without being married to the literal love of my life so i should do that literally the moment i get home instead of getting medical attention first

yeah he is the smart one, but he lacks common sense, so i hope you got a LOT of common sense. y’all do be sharing a braincell

stops by a ring shop place, and the moment he just feels like he saw the one, price does NOT matter he has purchased it and is now heading home to you

you on the other hand are PANICKING because what do you mean sokka just ran out of the hospital with no explanation and is nowhere to be found katara

what do you mean you thought he would be h e r e

yes katara went over to your house to see if sokka was there and he is not!!!

yet ;)

there is like a manhunt for sokka and he has yet to notice because mans has tunnel vision and as he opens the door to your shared apartment he does not expect to see a crying katara and oh no-

“SOKKA! YOU’RE NOT DEAD?!”

hes like of course im not dead what the hell

you’re seated standing next to Katara trying to console her when you see sokka and wow you are relieved to see he is not dead or kidnapped

“SOKKA DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW WORRIED I WAS-”

lol he’s kissing you to shut you up how cute, now leave katara you are infringing on an extremely pivotal moment of this relationship

honestly seeing you comforting his sister just makes him love you more and he kinda just wants to marry you 10x more now 

you pull away from the kiss looking at him like what are you doing, and katara is like, “Sokka where the hell were you??? you have a stab wound???” and now you’re like WOAHWOAHWOAHWOAHWOAH

“stabbed? sokka you need medical attention-”

“to answer your question dear sister, i was getting a ring for your hopefully soon to be sister in law.”

“EXCUSE ME?” you are so confused, katara is confused and is now realizing that she was probably not supposed to be here

sokka is already dropping down onto one knee and pulling out the just bought ring as saying, “marry me!” now he’s high on adrenaline and pain has yet to hit him and he’s kinda just sitting there beaming up at you despite the blood seeping out of him at a rapid rate

“im sorry what?” thats katara girl be quiet they are trying to have a MOMENT

anyways you’re like, “sokka. hospital.”

and he’s like, “answer me first” and he’s giving you a weak lil smile as he realizes how stupid he was and he’s about to stand back up but you put a hand on his shoulder and just nod.

now he’s back to beaming so brightly, and he’s putting the ring on your finger and oh no- he’s passed out. is it from excitement or bloodloss? idk

he also might pass out before hearing you answer and then at the hospital you’re kinda sitting there like, “ARE YOU DUMB STUPID OR DUMB. YOU COULD HAVE DIED.”

and he’s like, “not without hearing your answer” <3<3 heart eyes emojis everywhere

alternatively, he is one of few people i could see having a public proposal, with lots of flowers, a band, fireworks, the whole nine yards

he’s gonna want it flashy

something probably goes wrong and he nearly cries but you say yes anyways and he throws a party after

anyways the actual wedding is preferably public, but if you want a more private one then he does what you want because he loves you most

he is gonna be very active in wedding planning, wants to try the foods and desserts and appetizers and everything especially. wants to do the weird stuff like picking napkins with you and flower arrangements and all that stuff i think this happens idk someone please inform me

this stuff just makes him fall in love with you more tbh, and he’s just so so sure he wants to marry you 

his vows will make HIM cry, like he is going to cry when he sees you walk down the aisle, he’s going to cry when he reads his own vows, and he’s going to cry when you read your vows, it doesn’t matter if they are lowkey bad

makes jokes in his vows because he is a nerd but can barely reach the punchline because he is in tears

fr though he is just so happy to be marrying you and wow you look REALLY GOOD in whatever you are wearing um damn okay you really went off

married life with sokka is elite ngl, mans cooks for you, he probably cleans sometimes, but otherwise chores are fairly divided 

he spoils you

overall sokka is a real great s/o and he gives you everything you deserve and yeah marry sokka 2020 everyone deserves a sokka 

taglists[lmk if you wanna be added or removed via askbox or replies]

atla:  @bubblebars @jada-cleo @Art-flirt @the-deli-meat @wemissyou3000 @ajediherowitchrunner 

sokka: @iammello

[just-jordie-things]

hi! could i request prompts #39, #45 and #74 for a zuko x reader fic with a modern au that takes place on halloween, with the gaang and everyone dressing up for halloween? with the reader and zuko already being really good friends and a part of the gaang?

prompt 39: spin the bottle kiss prompt 45: passionate kiss prompt 74: kisses where one person is sitting in the other’s lap ___

You’d been chatting with Katara, complimenting her cute 70′s themed costume, and just blabbering on in tipsy delight.  However in the middle of your conversation about one of your classes, your eyes caught sight of the door opening, and in walked your favorite person.

“Zuko!” You cheered, grabbing your drink off the counter and excusing yourself from Katara so you could be the first to greet him.

He smiled sheepishly as you bounded up to him, the hood of your alien onesie flopping your head.

“I’m so glad you’re here!” You said happily, giggling as you threw your arms around his neck.

He nervously reciprocated the hug, not wanting to spill your drink or overstep his boundaries.

“Did I miss anything?” He asked, glancing around the room, but inevitably looking back down at you, because nothing could capture his attention like you did.

“Sokka and Aang are in a competition to see who can do the most casual backflips,” You said in all seriousness.  “There’s still time to catch up if you want to join” 

Zuko just laughs, and shakes his head, and you’re quick to jump topics.

“What are you dressed as, anyways?” You asked, poking at the leather jacket he wore.

“I’m an emo phase,” Zuko said, looking down at his black clothes and ripped jeans combo.  “Is it not obvious?”

“It’s more of a sexy bad boy vibe,” You giggle.

His face flushes pink at the comment, but you don’t notice.

“I have a great idea though! Come with me” 

You grab his hand and you’re pulling him into the apartment.  He barely had time to greet Suki and Ty Lee in passing before you bringing him into the bathroom.

“How do you feel about eyeliner?” You asked, setting your half empty drink on the counter so you could pick through your makeup drawer.

“Uh...” 

“Sit,” You prompt, softly pushing him down onto the toilet.  “You’re too tall, I can’t reach your face and keep a steady hand” 

He does as you say, and forgets that he should go say hi to his friends while you carefully pull the brush from the black tube.

“Is this really necessary?” He asks, but bites his tongue as you lean in close to him.

You smell sweet, like fruit or candy.  He wonders if it’s your shampoo or your perfume, or it’s both and it’s just your natural splendid scent-

“Absolutely,” You murmur, vote quiet so you could keep your focus.  “Now shut your eyes” 

Again, he complies, and you steadily drag the brush over his eyelid.  For being fairly tipsy, your hand his still, and the liquid applies smoothly.

“Perfect,” You hum, proud of yourself, and Zuko opens his eyes.

You’re so close it’s impossible not to think about kissing you, but at the thought a blush crawls up his neck and he wishes you would move away so you wouldn’t see.

“Now look up,” You direct.  “I’m going to do some under too, make sure the goth-ness really stands out” 

He nods, speechless, and looks as far up as he can.

But then your hand slides over his cheek so you can maneuver his face properly, as well as keep yourself steady, and he’s looking back at you again.

“Hey, up” You scold teasingly, and hastily he’s following your order.

He’s not sure that you’re aware of it, but as you apply more makeup, the thumb on his cheek is caressing him in smooth circles.  It’s somehow calming, while still making his heart race.

You did that to him a lot.

You’re slower this time, worried about getting it in his eye, but it’s over all too soon, and you’re pulling away from him with a grin.

“Perfect!” You cheer again, capping your eyeliner and putting it back into the drawer.  “You look very edgy” 

Zuko stands to look in the mirror, and it’s odd, but he can’t deny that you did an excellent job and it definitely makes him look more emo.

“Do you like it?” You ask, picking your glass up and taking a tentative sip.

He looks down at your hopeful eyes, and smiles before nodding.

“You’re right, it’s perfect, thank you” 

“Great! Let’s show the others!”

And so you’re taking his hand again and weaving through the small crowd in search of your close friends, Sokka and Aang in particular, because you know they’ll get a kick out of it.

“Who are all these people?” Zuko asked after passing too many unfamiliar faces.

“Katara and I invited some people from school,” You told him nonchalantly.  “I didn’t think a halloween party would be such a hit, but I guess people love ‘em more than I thought!” 

“Well if you invited them then I’m sure they do” He mutters.

It’s a vexed comment, but you look up at him with a bashful sort of smile, and the implication in his words has him blushing again.

You giggle, and do him the favor of not saying anything about it, instead finally catching sight of Sokka and quickly pulling Zuko over to him.

“Sokka, look!” You say eagerly, pushing Zuko forward to show the boy the excellent job you did on his makeup.  “I gave Zuko eyeliner!” 

Sokka cheers loudly, and hugs you with pride.

“Zuko, you look beautiful,” He gushes playfully.  “You should be so proud of your date here” 

Sokka’s, well, hammered, but still the comment throws Zuko off, and he begins to stammer.  No real words came out, but luckily you came to his defense.

“Sokka, stop teasing,” You say, and bring your hand up to Zuko’s arm.  “We’re gonna go get a couple drinks and then let’s hang out, okay?”

“Alright, I’ll find Suki and the others, meet in the living room in a couple minutes?”

You agree, and then you’re bringing Zuko with you to the kitchen.

You tended to do this at parties, even ones where it’s just your small tight-knit group of friends.  You stuck by his side and rarely ever broke off from him.  At first he’d thought you were doing him a kindness, because he was award and not always great at small talk.  But after a few parties, he started to get the feeling that you genuinely enjoyed his company, and chose for your own reasons to stick by his side.

“What’s your poison?” You asked him as you reached the kitchen, which was littered with every alcohol known to man, as well as dozens of red plastic cups, some used, some new, Zuko wasn’t sure it mattered.

“I’ll just have whatever you’re having” He says, and you grin.

“Suit yourself” 

He realizes quickly as you pour a generous amount of shots into a cup that you’re making your drinks strong, and he takes over for you.

“Why don’t you let me do that?” He says, taking the bottle from your hands and setting it down, before pouring half the alcohol in your into a second cup for himself.

You make a face, but don’t protest while he adds in the soda, and hands you your weaker drink.

You take his hand again as you both make your way to the living room, where most of your friends have already gathered.

Sokka and Suki share one corner of the sofa, Aang and Katara on the other, both couples hogging the whole space.

Ty Lee had claimed the recliner for herself, sitting in it sideways, her legs thrown over the arm rest.  Mai was at her feet, the girls sharing their drinks and whispering amongst themselves.

That left the loveseat, if you could call it that because it was so small, but you didn’t mind as you dragged Zuko along and plopped down onto the cushions with him.

Without a second thought, you moved in close to him and threw your legs over his lap.  You did it so casually you’d think that you always sat this way.  But that wasn’t the case, in fact Zuko’s not sure you’ve ever been this close to him before, and his heart does a somersault.

“So what are we playing?” You asked, taking a sip of your drink, and then a longer more dramatic drink while making eye contact with Zuko because you could barely taste the alcohol.

He rolls his eyes and playfully flicks your arm, before turning his attention back to Sokka, who’s deciding on a game.

“Let’s play something old fashioned,” He decides, and he’s smirking at everyone as he raises his beer bottle, before pausing dramatically.

Suki nudges him, prompting him to continue his thought since no one knew what he was talking about.

“I say, spin the bottle!” He declares loudly, enough to get a few other people’s attention, and now the group grows a little bigger.

“Really?” Suki mutters, glaring at her boyfriend.

“Well I won’t be playing, I'll just be moderator” Sokka argues.  The girl rolls her eyes, but goes with it anyways.

“Spin the bottle? Isn’t that kinda immature?” Aang asks.

“I think it’s fun!” Ty Lee chimes in.  “I’ll play!” 

With that, a couple more boys come to sit around in the living room.

You stifle your giggle in your hand at the way Ty Lee so effortlessly had men flocking to her.  You always admired her for it.

“Fine.  I’ll play” Mai sighs, leaning back against the chair Ty Lee sat in.

“You guys in?” Sokka asks, looking to you and Zuko.

“Oh, no,” You shake your head and put your hands up in defense.  “It’s not for me, I’m spoken for,” 

Zuko perks up at this, turning to you with a confused look because since when did you have a boyfriend? Or a girlfriend? You were seeing somebody and didn’t tell him?

He’s about to ask you a multitude of questions, probably all at once in a messy fashion, but you’re speaking up before he can.

“But you’ll play, right?” You ask him eagerly.

He wants to say no, because games like these are stupid and the only person in this room he’d actually want to kiss just said that she was spoken for, but you give him an encouraging nod, so he shrugs his shoulders.

“I guess” He mutters.

As Sokka goes over the rules and sets the bottle in the middle of the floor, you notice Zuko practically deflating into the sofa.  When you give him a worried look, he doesn’t meet your gaze, so you’re not sure what his issue is.

You decide to wiggle in closer, your legs bent at the knees and resting against his chest comfortably, and your head laying on the sofa cushion right next to him.

At your close proximity, he can’t help but look over at you, only to find your eyes already set on his.

“It’s just a game, Zuko,” You whisper cheerily.  “Lighten up a little, have some fun” 

You give him a sweet smile, and he doesn’t have the heart to tell you that some old school kissing game isn’t what’s eating away at him.

He returns your smile, albeit faintly, before putting his attention back on the game.

A couple of strangers kiss, Mai and Ty Lee share a kiss, and Aang spins the bottle once, using his airbending to make sure it lands on Katara.  That gets a laugh out of everyone as the waterbender gives him a dramatic smooch on the cheek.

The game is dumb, but it’s amusing to Zuko because you keep giggling and cheering for everybody, and everytime you laugh, the sound vibrates through him, and he forgets that his window of opportunity for asking you out had been shut.

He’s kicking himself, but he knows he shouldn't be.  Deep down, he knew that he never would have made a move, no matter how affectionate you were, or how much time you spent together.  The fact of the matter was he was too anxious about ruining a great friendship to make his feelings for you known.

But still, his heart ached a little as you rested your head on his shoulder.

He can’t help but wonder why you’re so cuddled up to him if you’re spoken for, but he’s not so big of an idiot that he’d ask you such a thing.

You whisper something, but he doesn't catch it because he’s so lost in thought.

“What?” He whispers back, eyes flickering down to you.

“You should stay over,” You repeat yourself.  “Katara and I thought it’d be nice to have everyone stay over for scary movies- not everyone, just, you know, us,” You tell him, and he knows what you mean.  “But you should stay” 

His eyebrows furrow in the slightest, and you lift your head to ask what’s wrong.

“What about your boyfriend?” He asks, quietly, and although it’s subtle, you can hear the venom in his voice.

Despite the comment, you giggle quietly, shaking your head at him.

There’s a crease between his brows now from how much tension he has in his face, and you fondly reach out to rub your thumb between them, easing them from their furrow.

There’s no time to ask you what is so funny, because suddenly Sokka is snapping in his face.

“Hey! Lovebirds! You spinnin’ or not, Zuko?”

Your hand falls from Zuko’s face, and you sit back into your comfortable position now that the whole room has their eyes on you.

Not, he wants to say, but he grumbles in agreement as he reaches his leg out, kicking the bottle into a spin with his boot.  You, among a few others, are giggling at the action, and while Zuko is distracted by the sound, Aang sends a little burst of wind at the bottle.

A couple people notice it, but they keep it to themselves as the bottle slows to a stop.

It’s pointed back at you and Zuko, and he flusters.

“Okay, s-someone else’s turn” He stammers.

“What? But it’s pointed right at (y/n)!” Sokka shrieks, gesturing wildly at you.

Zuko turns to you for a quick moment, almost apologetic, but as soon as he meets your eyes, he does a double take.

You’re smiling at him, and you lean up off the couch and straight your posture.

There’s whispers around the room, as well as music blasting and the chatter of the party goers who weren’t playing the game, but Zuko couldn’t hear anything over his heart pounding.

You get closer to him, your eyes noticeably flickering down to his lips before you’re wrapping your arms around his neck, painstakingly slow.

You pull your bottom lip between your teeth before you glance back up at Zuko, a nervous blush dusting over your cheeks.

For once, you’re the one blushing over him, and it brings him so much joy.

So in a quick move, his free hand reaches up to your face, thumb proving your lip from your teeth, instantly, you shoot forward, meeting his lips in a heated kiss.

All thoughts and reason flew out the window, and Zuko could barely set his drink down before taking you in his arms and bringing you as close to him as you could be.

Whoops and hollers surrounded you both, mostly from your friends, but a few bystanders were just happy to see someone getting some.

When you pull away, you’re winded, and Zuko’s hair is all over the place, but neither of you care.

As soon as the kiss ends, the game picks back up, and your peers go back to their meaningless conversations and dancing.  It gives you a sense of privacy, even in the crowded room.

“I just didn’t want to kiss anyone else,” You explained yourself in a murmur, your hands cupping around Zuko’s face.  “That’s why I said I was spoken for”

He chuckles, pushing the hair out of your face and bringing you in close again.

“Why didn’t you just say that?” He asked, and you shrugged your shoulders.

“Cause I didn’t think you’d kiss me if I’d asked you to” You replied.

“Well, you must have had more to drink then I thought,” He says teasingly, making you laugh as your forehead rests against his.  “Because I don’t want to kiss anyone else either” 

Your lips curl into a smile as your eyes flutter shut so he could kiss you again, this time softer, as you both took your time getting used to the new and exhilarating feeling.

You spent most of the rest of the night on that little sofa, lazily making out and drinking, as well as being made fun of by Sokka for it taking so long for the two of you to fess up your feelings.

Of course, you wouldn’t have had it any other way.  ___

xoxo ~ jordie

[retvenkos]

beneath the snow filled sky | z.

ATLA - Modern! AU, Zuko x Reader, fluff

tw: none.

word count: 1.4k

prompt: We’re going out in the cold for a walk, and I know you don’t want to get wet, but I’m trying to convince you to make a snow angel with me.

Snow fell peacefully above, spiraling down from the night sky as though each flake was a dancer in a beautiful balet, flitting this way and that, whichever way the music took them. (Y/n) watched the snow from their place beside the front door, their mind vaguely aware of the music playing within Toph’s house, but their entire being focused on the icy beauty of winter.

There was no breeze, and the weather was slowly turning more mild with the hopeful onset of spring; it was a perfect night to sit outside, in nothing more than a sweater and appreciate the wonder that such cold brought. 

They hadn’t been out for long when there was movement at the door, and Zuko stepped out. “Hey,” he said softly, rubbing his hands against his arms. 

“Hey,” (Y/n) echoed, smiling at him gently before turning back to the night sky, clouded and dark, but with the most beautiful, pristine snow gracing them from above, falling delicately before kissing the ground. For a moment the two stood in silence, (Y/n) noticing the patterns in which the snow fell, and Zuko memorizing the look of wonder in their eyes and the steady manner in which they existed.

They both thought, for a moment that was beyond time itself, that if the world were to stop turning, they could happily spend eternity right here, in the mild cold.

“So,” (Y/n) broke the stillness with an ease unlike any other, “did the others ask you to come get me? Because no offense to them, but I’d rather not suffer through another game of Monopoly.”

“Oh—” Zuko cleared his throat, pulling himself out of his daze “—No, not yet, anyway. Sokka wants to play Uno, but Katara wants to watch a movie, so...”

“...They’re not going to figure it out for another twenty minutes or so.”

Zuko chuckled in a way that was mostly breath, something like a cheerful sigh that brought a contentedness into his eyes and a casual grin to his lips. (Y/n) stuck their hands in their pockets, only now starting to feel a chill.

“Do you want to go on a walk with me?”

“It’s one in the morning.”

“Yeah, but would you rather listen to their complaining?”

“You’re not cold?”

“Not if we get moving.”

Zuko looked out at the frozen world that surrounded him: the snow, the icicles, the slick patches of ice where even the best of shoes lost their traction, and the frigid air. How any of it could be the least bit enjoyable was beyond him, and yet, (Y/n) could never get enough of the winter months, and whenever they spoke of its beauty, there was an earnestness in their voice that made him believe in their sentiment. Part of Zuko wanted to just go inside, sit by the fire, and watch the room devolve into chaotic arguing. Toph and (Y/n) would sit on either side of him, and they’d make sarcastic remarks until Katara dragged Toph into the fighting and things would escalate until he or Aang eventually intervened.

But a nagging part of Zuko (smaller, but incessant nonetheless) told him to look at (Y/n) in the eye, knowing that once he did, he wouldn’t be able to say no. It was odd, knowing that part of him no longer existed for himself, and the fear of that knowledge was enough to convince him to go back inside, but then (Y/n) shifted beside him, asking him what he thought, and he looked.

And there they were, smiling in a way that would have been self righteously smug, had it not been for the hopeful question that swimmed in their gaze. 

“Let’s go.”

(Y/n) smiled and the expression didn’t melt away but rather lingered as they set off down the snowy sidewalks, going nowhere in particular. Zuko rubbed his icy fingers together, wishing he hadn’t left his gloves in the pocket of his coat, back at Toph’s, and when (Y/n) noticed his fussing at a street corner, they stopped.

“Come here.” They offered their hands to him, and Zuko hesitated for a moment before putting his hands in their open palms. The rubbed their hands over his, and the warmth they generated was enough to send his cheeks ablaze. “You’re fingers are freezing! We really should have gotten coats or something before setting off - at least we both have sweaters, though.”

And Zuko couldn’t get anything out other than a strained “Yeah,” that made (Y/n) chuckle.

“C’mon, we’ll finish the loop around the block and then we can head back inside.”

(Y/n) continued to walk, but their hands never let go of his. Zuko found himself acutely aware of the feeling of their hand in his, warm and alive - squeezing his with care and something akin to... well, like the raging fire he felt in the pit of his stomach, but kinder, softer.

“What do you like about winter?” Zuko surprised even himself, and (Y/n) turned to him with an expression more warm than the last.

“Everything, I guess.” They turned their head to the heavens and a snowflake fell on their cheek. “Sure, the snow is beautiful and all, but it’s more than that, too. Winter it... it brings people together. I mean, when was the last time we all got together and played Monopoly?”

They had a point, there, but whether playing a three hour long game of Monopoly was for the better was debatable.

“The days just seem longer in the winter, and you find time for everyone you’ve been missing. Sure, it’s cold and most everyone is miserable” —(Y/n) eyed Zuko pointedly and he faltered— “but then you comes together to celebrate what little you have.”

They were back at Toph’s, now, and they faced the front door with a sense of reservation, as though neither wanted to break the moment, just yet. Zuko looked at (Y/n) from the corner of his eye, and they locked gazes. “You always have us.”

(Y/n)’s eyebrows shot up, their eyes lighting with something bright and pleasant, and eventually they settled. They squeezed Zuko’s hand. “That I do.”

Shouting erupted from the house in front of them, strong enough to rattle the windows, and Zuko and (Y/n) sprung apart. They both hesitated for a moment before laughing, the sound warm and from the belly.

“Do you think they’ll kill each other in there?”

(Y/n) rolled their eyes. “I’m sure they can sort it out themselves. Besides, have you ever made a snow angel before?” Zuko found himself caught between an exasperated laugh and some sort of stammered response, and (Y/n) snorted. “If you haven’t, then I demand to teach you.”

“I’ve made one before!” 

“Then you won’t mind proving it?”

“(Y/n), I’ve made a snow angel before!”

“Then come make on again! I promise not to tell Sokka, if it’s that damaging to your pride.” (Y/n) sat down on the snow, a challenging smile in their eye. Zuko opened his mouth to speak, but (Y/n) cut him off. “And don’t say anything about getting wet, because we’re five steps from the house. We’ll be beside the fire before you even get cold.” (Y/n) laid back, spreading their arms out and fixing Zuko with a pointed look.

“I’ve made a snow angel before,” Zuko grumbled, laying down beside (Y/n) and eliciting laughter from them.

“You’re cute when you’re angry - y’know that?” 

And Zuko was glad that they were both moving their arms enough to hide the way his face heated up at their comment. 

(Y/n)’s arms slowed to a stop, they were quiet as they stared up at the night sky above, once again lost in the beauty of it all. Zuko brought his arms to a stop near theirs, so that their fingers were just barely brushing, and he looked at them with a fondness that made him look peaceful - happy, even.

“You really love the snow that much?” and it was barely a whisper, but (Y/n) heard anyway. 

They turned to him, and fixed him with a smile that was more bashful than before, something that made Zuko’s heart beat faster in his chest, perhaps from the intimacy of it all. It was just them beneath the snow filled sky, after all, blanketed in the dark of night. “I love the company more than anything else.”

And Zuko felt his heart constrict in such a way that all he could get out was a strained “Yeah?” but it made (Y/n) chuckle as they caught his fingers in their own.

“Yeah.” 

-- taglist: @coffee--writes​ // message me if you want to be added to the taglist!

[dirtyrottenraskel]

my take on yueki's personalities

yue 

notes / personality

cocky (but also like understated confidence - r e g a l af) 

kind of a nerd

maybe a little entitled, and a little bratty and suki loves to indulge her or to rile her up depending on her mood

books

seems soft but made of steel

strong sense of duty

socially intelligent - can be manipulative and suki (the dork) thinks it is so hot 

aloof queen bee typa beat

supportive, both in ur day to day and in going after your big moral life goals 

deep water - steady and powerful, often underestimated

untold depths, private yet surprisingly nurturing - master of deflecting away from herself

political nerd - well read, and when she has someone she trusts not to take advantage of her, she goes OFF 

distrusting of most people, has been used and ignored and underestimated her whole life

patient - homegirl knows how to play the long game

excellent at pai sho / chess 

she and suki have epic battles of wits - dif types of strategy but both are really into it and get a little too competitive (multiple board games have had to be replaced over the years)

loves travel bc wasn’t allowed to much, esp when she was sick 

was super repressed growing up - never let her be herself or really have any sort of independence

used to sneak out and wander around in rebellion and casually sabotage plans and decisions she didn’t agree with 

introverted, many opinions but keeps them to herself, discreet but well spoken

weaponizes secrets and information - doesn’t often use it but...she could

definitlyyyyy worries and overthinks and re-evaluates - worries ab social politics a lot

obsessive about picking things - wants it to be perfect

shes growing into her confidence as a leader

prefers quite intimate places

incredibly romantic

classic lit

planner for the future - visionary

kind / sweet / gentle - yes, but that’s also her “front” to a degree (seriously, i feel like she gets painted as so sweet and submissive and one dimensional by the fandom a lot of times and it freakin kills me)

INFJ-T (The Advocate) ((yes this is from 16p which i know is not super accurate but u can still catch her overall vibes from it ya know)

Creative/insightful/principled/compassionate/altruistic

sensitive/reluctant to open up/perfectionist/prone to burnout/not a fan of the ordinary

friendships / relationships

(<> indicates that they’re one of her best friends)

sokka - puppy love crushes, laugh ab it now, get into deep late night talks about responsibilities and leading, water tribe culture, prank wars (no one believes sokka when he says yue is a mean prank master (expect suki comes to see it in action lol))

katara - <> badass women friendship, totally would go to matches and protests together, tough girl shit, waterbending practice/duels - start of cautious, but then get rough in a good way bc they trust each other, they do water tribe food adventures together

toph - indulges her chaos, bonding over stupid royal upbringings, odd yet weirdly endearing pair

zuko - both sort of standoffish gay royals, but once they come to see that they are friends - take up similar spaces though, so only hang out in a group or rarely by themselves, they do hang out at like political parties and stuff when they get more comfortable together

aang - <> he has an impressive world view, yue is super studied and well read, so she and aang nerd out over past cultures together, and also their peace keeping nature, they have tea together often - usually after she and katara wipe the floor w/ each other

clothing / aesthetic:

blues and pale colors

classy and understated wealth

like those cute feminine button down shirts

dresses

like cold weather classy

complicated braids

sort of soft girl aesthetic?

pleated skirts !!!

i feel like she would wear ethically sourced fur (i don’t wear fur but idk how to get it in an ethical way - maybe it’s just fake??)

knit sweaters and skinny jeans and heeled ankle boots

light academia !!!

hella funky earrings - to mark her native pride and also cuz gay

from my readings, tattoos have a lot of cultural significance for Inuit women, and so i feel like yue would totally have some (when she comes of age ofc) 

suki

notes / personality 

extroverted 

also very strategic 

more spontaneous tho - will totally calculate the odds in a spilt second in her head and then just go for it

like still a careful planner, but willing to say fuck it, yolo if it seems right 

reflects on her mistakes, but more in like a healthy way - unless it was a leadership mistake, then it eats her up inside - worries more ab keeping her girls safe and making the right call

likes lively places

total bashful romantic

manages the present and the short term - realist

loves to do lists 

a little punch happy - loves to make violent threats, but also does it out of excitement and she’s just a really physical person tbh

steady, can come off as stubborn and abrasive but she really just wants what’s best for everyone she loves

harsh on herself and worries about her girls a lot 

always ends up in the oddest situations 

totally would kick someone’s ass for being racist/sexist/homophobic/etc 

dedicated to her training and her regime 

not a great cook, but she can manage 

would drink monsters 

has a weird relationship with femininity - took her awhile to reconcile strength and toughness and being assertive and aggressive with also wanting to feel pretty and feminine and embracing being a girl and how those things can coincide and amplify each other

abandonment issues - parents absent/dead 

was imprisoned - obvi she had several almost successful escape attempts, but she got really close to breaking 

was incredibly independent really early, grew up really fast and tries to make up for that now by sometimes being reckless 

tough/assertive/woman of action 

dry sense of humor/sarcastic - not good at nickname/pun humor tho

practical/dedicated/strong-willed/direct/honest/reliable/loyal/patient

stubborn/judgmental/difficult to relax/difficulty expressing emotions/too selfless 

friendships / relationships

(<> indicates that they’re one of her best friends)

sokka - <>  man they’re like platonic soulmates - she beat him up, and now they spar all the time, totally funny and crack jokes all the time, go skating together, they do shitty art together, and then show their lovers after zuko and yue come back from their high society mixers, broke her out of prison, m/f friendship !!! 

katara - also sparring buddies (suki will throw down at any literally moment (and tbh so will katara)), not close but will hang in a group - go to each other for advice 

toph - <> listen these two wreak havoc together, they help each other out a lot, i feel like they’re shopping buddies (similar enough style to frequent the same shops) toph knows suki won’t judge her for wanting to feel pretty and suki knows toph will be honest, they are both blunt sarcastic assholes and get along like a house on fire 

zuko - <> shows zuko how to like,,,enjoy things (and how to let go of some of that pressure to be always right and the adult and in charge bc they were raised with so much responsibility on their shoulders even tho they were just kids)? she is also super protective of him (once she trusts him), one of the only ppl who can match suki fully in hand to hand combat, both do the Disappointed Parent Look when the group falls into chaos, but by themselves, the two of them end up in hijinks

aang- suki enjoys his optimism and they’re just chill bros, they love exploring abandoned placed together 

clothing / aesthetic

sporty and skater mixed 

ripped jeans, crewnecks, vans 

green and yellow and dark red 

gym clothes/athleisure - lifting style gym clothes - cut off t-shirts and bike shorts

skirts too, likes to play into femininity

she’s a gold jewelry kinda girl - but stuff that won’t hinder her movements 

necklaces that end in the hollow of her throat & occasionally rings

definitely cuffs all of her jeans (it’s just bisexual culture ya know)

so many crop tops - some came like that, some were more of a diy project

yueki’s relationship!!!

nerd/jock solidarity 

feel the burden of responsibility and the weight on their shoulders 

they create a safe space between them, full of trust and warmth and vulnerability 

yue will read suki sappy passages from poetry books while suki polishes her fans 

they slow dance in the kitchen a lot 

they get good at ordering takeout - and they have some weird decision making process that only they understand - bc neither of them are great cooks 

yue would feel jealous of suki and sokka, if it weren’t for how stupid in love sokka was with zuko and yue can see that suki really only has eyes for her 

yue is taller than suki and it amuses her to no end to pick suki up and carry her away from a fight (we all know suki could get away if she wanted to, but when ur hot tall sexy gf throws u over her shoulder,,,,,,u don’t complain)

joke they’ve adopted kataang and zukka, bc they’re all dummies, but in reality every last one of them is stupid LMAO 

they love to do each other’s hair and it’s like super intimate and really cute 

sometimes it’s these epic elaborate hairstyles and then at other times, they try to see how many ponytails they can fit on suki’s head and how many little braid yue can do 

they travel EVERYWHERE 

since yue is royalty and suki is her body guard,,,, well i mean, they totally have to see these kingdoms they are doing trade deals with in person 

it helps that they're friends with a lot of them 

they stay over in everything from camping so they can stargaze to ritzy hotels with hot tubs in the bathroom 

yue gives suki rocks she finds on all their travels and suki lines them up on their mantle around the pictures of them in increasingly weird locations 

suki loves guarding yue’s meetings bc she gets to watch her absolutely rip a new one into misogynistic old men and it never fails to bring her joy 

While yue doesn’t love getting attacked, the ruthless efficiency suki defends her with is like,,,,,stupid attractive 

[secretsecrettunnel]

Fic: Another Life

Part: 1/2 - Then Word count: 310 AO3 Link Notes: *Shows up three months late with Frappucino* This is part one of my Kataang Week Valentine’s Bash. The prompt was complimentary and I went with Then and Now - both complimentary but also opposites. I wrote short pieces, but I think they work as a whole.

She’s seen him a few times now. Usually he’s surrounded by people in the middle of a busy ballroom, his hands tucked into the long draping sleeves of his robes. Sometimes it’s across the courtyard at an Earth Kingdom palace, the fabric of his cape billowing around him as he moves even though the weather is still.

She’s seen him a few times now. Usually he’s surrounded by people in the middle of a busy ballroom, his hands tucked into the long draping sleeves of his robes. Sometimes it’s across the courtyard at an Earth Kingdom palace, the fabric of his cape billowing around him as he moves even though the weather is still.

Today, he’s sitting in the reception room of the Southern Water Tribe’s wing in the Fire Nation’s Caldera Palace, drinking from a teacup.

“Excuse me, Lord Avatar?” Katara says as she hovers behind him. He turns, the blue tattoos twisting and distorting around his neck as he looks at her. “Can I… help you?”

“Sorry, I don’t mean to intrude,” Avatar Aang replied, a sheepish smile on his face. “I’m waiting for Chief Hakoda and one of the attendants let me in. I’m Aang.”

“Clearly,” Katara answers, trying and failing to smother a smile. “I’m sure he won’t be long if he’s expecting you.”

With a small nod and another smile he turns back to his tea. Katara thinks they must be around the same age as she continues through the reception room, but she feels as though the aura that surrounds him is wise beyond his years. She is nearly out of the room when she hears the Avatar clear his throat and she looks over her shoulder, her steps pausing as she acknowledges him.

“Have we met before?” Avatar Aang asks, his brow furrowed. The lines of his tattoo have stretched with the movement and Katara wonders what they look like up close.

She smiles. “I don’t think so. Maybe in another life?”

“Maybe,” Aang replies, his frown falling and a soft smile curving the corners of his mouth in return. Katara gives him a small nod of goodbye before leaving the room, she hears his voice drifting behind her. “Maybe.”

[waterbearwaltz]

Together, Apart

For @kataang-week‘s Kataang Valentine’s Bash 2021.

I swear I tried to write something happy for this, but tbh after this last year all that’s left in me is sadness and pornography. So that’s what I’ve got for you.

Prompt pair: Together and Apart

Summary: Katara and Aang deal with an outbreak of illness in the Earth Kingdom.

Rating: Explicit. | Word Count: ~10k | Ao3

Katara held her hands over the young girl’s chest, focusing the water’s energy into a living swirl of light. She felt chi swell where she held the water, and the skin flushed as blood followed suit. Shae breathed a bit faster, but didn’t stir. She was used to this now, they’d been at it for months. Slowly, Katara felt something like a well filling beneath her fingers, and a sudden rush as the energy began to flow again on its own, unimpeded by tissue that had been dying just an hour earlier. 

This was so different from the healing she’d done during the war. Broken bones, burned skin, injuries that she could see and touch and understand. When she’d worked on Sokka’s broken leg, it was like the fragments of bone ached to join back together, they just needed a little push. It seemed so much easier, in retrospect. Then again, maybe those injuries had just been more spread out in time.

Katara sat back on her heels and let out a breath, slipping the water back into the bowl beside her. The sun was just dipping below the tree line, filling the makeshift hospital tent with warm orange light. Her eyes moved over the empty beds, it was the most deserted she’d seen the place since she arrived. An exhausted smile pulled at her lips. “I think that’s enough for today, Shae.”

The girl opened her eyes and shot Katara a mischievous grin. “Can I show you something, Yisheng?” she asked, using the colloquial term for healer in this part of the Earth Kingdom. 

“Sure,” Katara replied with the same tired smile. Shae rolled off the mat and onto her feet, slipping out of the tent into the gathering night. Katara stood in the doorway and watched her young patient rock back on one foot and launch into a set of cartwheels with a breathless little shriek. 

“Are you watching? Are you watching?” 

Katara laughed. “I’m watching, Shae. Be careful though, you’ll tire yourself out!”

“No I won’t I’m completely--” Shae’s argument was cut off by a sharp fit of coughs, and she grasped her knees to steady herself. Katara rushed forward and slipped a steady arm around her. 

“Come on, let’s get you home, your mom will be worried.”

Shae leaned on her as they walked, and when she spoke again her voice was breathy but excited. “You know what would help her worry less? if you tell her how much better I’m doing. I mean, if I can do six whole cartwheels I’m definitely healed enough to play with Sonna and Jai tomorrow, right?”

“I’ll talk to her meimei, but we still have a ways to go before you’re better.”

--

When they’d first arrived in Dei Shung, it was to help fly healers in from the north and distribute aid from the Fire Nation. The reports of illness and unrest in the town hadn’t prepared them for the devastation they found when they got there. Katara and Sokka got the healers set up while Aang and Toph met with the mayor about alleviating the panic that had gripped the town. They broke up frenzied mobs, bent makeshift shelters to replace buildings that had been destroyed, anything they could think of that might help restore order. Toph and a couple of her metal bending students got to work chasing off the bandits who were circling the town like vultures, picking off the weak as they fled. 

Sokka was the first to take ill, just a few days after they arrived. For him it was fever, with a blotchy red rash creeping up from under the collar of his tunic. Katara caught it fast, thank the spirits, and sent him away along with anyone else who wasn’t essential. This wasn’t the manageable illness they’d been expecting to find, and it was just too dangerous to have anyone exposed to who didn’t need to be. She tried to send Aang with them, but it was pointless. 

“If I was staying, would you leave?” he asked. They both knew the answer to that. His expression was soft, but Katara had learned the subtle signs of his resolve. The slightly furrowed brow, the edge of intensity to his gaze, his grip on her hand just a little bit tighter than it needed to be, as though she might try to physically force him onto the airship. For all the airbender in him, he’d learned to be immovable when he needed to be. So they stood together as the ship left the dock, ferrying their friends back to safety along with anyone healthy enough to pack up their lives and flee.

The next few weeks were a blur. Katara spent all day in the healing tents raking water along body after body, feeling like she was trying to keep an entire town from drowning. Sometimes she wondered if she was making any difference at all. At night Aang would settle behind her in their room, and they’d talk quietly about their days while he worked the knots out of her neck. The first time she lost a patient, she cried the whole night. The next day, she lost three more. 

“Remember when you told me about the night Avatar Roku died?” she whispered into his neck one night after she was too exhausted to cry anymore. He pulled away just enough to look at her. Their bed was pushed up to the window and the night was clear and bright and she saw the glint of unshed tears in his eyes. He nodded, brushing hair from her damp face, brow tense with concern. 

“This feels like that. Like fighting...I don’t know, a force of nature. It just keeps coming, Aang. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to stop it.”

“No one’s expecting you to stop it alone.” He kissed her forehead and fell quiet for a moment, considering. ”Do you want to leave? It’s ok if you do. I can stay behind or come with you, back to Ba Sing Se, or wherever you want to go.” Another pause, and then, more quietly,  “I’m worried about what this is doing to you, Katara.” 

She was deeply ashamed that this thought had already crossed her mind, a few days ago at the bedside of a young man about her age. He had broad shoulders and a deep laugh, and spent the first day cracking jokes with the healers and offering his help with the older patients. Then, all at once, it just ripped through him. By the time Katara got to him, there was nothing she could do. Her eyes began to sting again but she set her jaw and shook her head. “I can’t leave these people. Even if I can’t stop this, I have to try. They need every healer they can get.”

He pulled her against him, one arm tight around her back and the other cradling the back of her head. “I love you. And I’m here for you, whatever you need. We’ll get through this, I promise.”

“I love you too.”

About a month after they arrived, Amka, one of the older healers, got sick. They took turns caring for her amidst all the other patients. Her daughter, Nukka, worked on her the most. It was always fastest with the elderly. A quick funeral behind the hospital was all they could manage. Katara asked Nukka if she wanted to say a few words, but she was beyond speech. In the end, they all stood quietly around the grave before breaking off, a few at a time, to return to work. Katara stayed the longest, one hand rubbing Nukka’s back as she sobbed, the other gripping Aang’s so tight it hurt.

The next day she woke up to Aang shivering next to her in bed.

“No” a hoarse whisper tore out of her mouth. She could feel her heart pounding in every part of her body as she ripped the blankets off him and rolled him onto his back. He moaned groggily, fighting to wake up. Her breath quickened. He was usually up with the sun. 

There were pins and needles in her hands as she ran them over his chest, arms, neck, checking for the telltale rash. She pushed him onto his side to check his back. Nothing. 

“Katara, what are you doing?” his voice thick with sleep. 

“This is not happening” she muttered, more to herself than him. One hand pulled the water from her satchel across the room while the other yanked him down the bed so she could straddle him more easily. It started in the lungs, if she could kill it there they’d have a chance. 

“Katara!” He caught her wrists and the spirit water dropped, soaking them both. Her eyes snapped to his. He was wide awake now, alert and pale and a little panicked. Her heart was beating so hard it made her head spin and her skin feel raw. 

“Fever,” she choked out, suddenly aware she was crying. “You have a fever, I have to--” she shook his hands off hers and pulled the water off the bed and out of their clothing, coaxing it back to a gentle glow.

“Katara, it’s ok, I feel fine. This might not even be--”

“I know exactly what it is” she spat, feeling the familiar blocked energies in his chest, the fluid pooling in his lungs. She couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been, she should have insisted he leave with Sokka and the others. She should have forced him, begged him, tricked him, anything to get him on that ship. Her vision blurred and she impatiently blinked away tears, struggling to keep her concentration. A barking sob came from somewhere, maybe her, and his hands were on hers again, bending the water into a bowl on the nightstand and gathering her toward him. 

“No, Aang I have to--” 

“I know Sweetie, just take a minute, please.” His voice was thin and had a pleading edge to it that just unnerved her more.

“There’s no time, I need to start before it spreads!” She had to stop to suck in air between words. She felt like she was fighting a battle and losing, struggling just to keep feet underneath her. 

“We have a minute. Please Katara, you’re scaring me. Just breath. Please. For me.”

Katara wanted to argue but couldn’t find the air to get the words out. She tried to pull back but her limbs felt thick and numb and her muscles weren’t responding. Another of those barking sobs scraped out of her chest and he lifted himself against the headboard, tucking her against him and stroking her back, her hair, her arms. 

“Try to breathe with me ok? In and out. Just match my breath. That’s it. Nice and slow.” Her cheek was pressed against his chest and she rose and fell with him as he breathed. No matter how much air she sucked in it felt like she was suffocating. She breathed anyway, matching his rhythm as well as she could manage. Bit by bit, feeling returned to her limbs, and the vice around her chest began to dissolve. His heart beat against her ear and she turned her face into it, trying to breath in his skin, tasting the sweat on his chest. 

“I can’t lose you too,” she whispered into him. He kissed the top of her head. 

“I’m not going anywhere,” he rumbled beneath her. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’m the avatar. It’s pretty hard to kill me. Plus, the best healer in the world is totally in love with me, so I think I’m pretty safe.”

She heard the smile in his voice and felt a hot surge of anger. She pushed herself up enough to see his face. 

“I couldn’t save Amka or Aia, or Sammi, or Lee’s twins, or--” she broke off, the dead stretching out before her. She didn’t even know all their names anymore. The anger left as quickly as it had come. She let her head drop back against his chest, as tired as she could ever remember being. 

“I know. I know. This is a terrible tragedy. But you’re not a god, Sweetie. No one expects you to save every person who gets sick. But think of everyone you did save. Katara, how many people are alive right now because of you?”

They were quiet for a few minutes, breathing together on the bed. Finally, she reached up and kissed him softly. His face was hot under her hands. “Please. I need to start working on you now.” 

“I know. Just take care of yourself too, ok? I’m going to be fine. I’m in good hands.” The way he looked at her with total trust twisted something in her chest. Her throat felt tight and she cleared it to push back the tears.

“Lay down.”

She worked through the day and well into the night. He slept fitfully for most of it as the fever crested and she fought to keep it at bay, to keep the sickness from settling deeper into him. She’d caught it early, she thought. He was muddled, but not incoherent. He couldn’t have been running a temperature for more than a few hours.

Moving over his prone form like this reminded Katara far too much of the weeks after Ba Sing Se fell, and she did her best to seal that thought tightly in the back of her mind. Coming undone again would only hurt him, he needed her calm, focused, and attentive. 

He was larger than her now, more difficult to maneuver, but the ebb and flow of his energies felt the same. There was an intimacy here that never occurred to her with her other patients. She was reaching inside him, guiding the most basic systems in his body. Under different circumstances it might have been beautiful.

A day passed, maybe two. Katara grew more and more tired until she passed through tiredness altogether. Being immersed in the rhythms of someone else’s body for so long, it was easy to forget her own. Like after Ba Sing Se fell. No, not that. Here. This. Him. 

Finally, when she’d done everything she could think of twice over, she paused, blinking blearily out the window at the rising sun. There was a cold bowl of soup on the nightstand. Someone must have brought it to her, but she couldn’t remember when. She checked Aang one last time and collapsed next to him, grateful for the darkness that swallowed her.

----

Continue on Ao3

[missturtleduck]

The Girls of Ba Sing Se - (Sokka x f!Reader) Pt. 4

Part Three│Part Five

“It was more of a ‘I’m on the verge of going ballistic at you too, Sokka, so watch your mouth’ sort of smile.”

The moon was a liar.

Now that was a sentiment that Y/N wouldn’t agree with lightly, and yet she was. Sure, her journey so far had been blessed with good weather and better friends, but screwing around with her sleep? That was evil. It wasn’t necessarily the moon’s fault, but it was easy to blame spirits and celestials for real world problems.

At first, the day seemed normal. They had set up camp in a lovely wooded area, laughing about Appa’s shedding problem as they went about their usual chores. Aang and Sokka made sure Appa was comfortable, Momo and Y/N went out looking for food – though she didn’t realise she had a lemur shaped shadow until he landed on her shoulder, making her yelp – and the Katara tended to the main camp with Toph. Sure, the girls managed to butt heads over the division of labour, but all in all it was an okay start to an evening of rest.

Y/N took her place on the floor, Momo curled up in the crook of her stomach; with no time to collect her belongings, she didn’t have a blanket or pillow, but her new friends were astounding at her abilities of staying warm regardless, and falling asleep anywhere. Sokka had offered his furs to her in the beginning and she managed to decline without her face changing to a deep shade of red. For an hour or so, she had managed to drift into a dreamless slumber.

“There’s something coming towards us!”

Momo screeched as Y/N shot up, eyes half shut, hand on her staff. “What is it?”

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she saw Toph with both hands pressed to the ground, her face scrunching up. “It’s like an avalanche, only it’s not an avalanche.”

“Your powers of perception are frightening.”

Biting back a grin, Y/N got to her feet, nudging Sokka with her bō. He groaned, rolling onto his other side and burying his face in his arms. She continued to prod him until he eventually got up, muttering something under his breath that she didn’t quite catch.

Under the orders of the Avatar – or suggestion, rather; he wasn’t very commanding – the group packed their stuff, climbing onto Appa ready to move away from whatever was coming their way. Squinting at the horizon, Y/N realised the scale of the thing pursuing them.

“Tank train,” She said, her voice low and dangerous. “Fire Nation. We need to move now.”

With confirmation of what was chasing them, urgency in the group picked up slightly. Y/N watched and watched until she saw the plumes of mechanical smoke disappear into the inky night, no longer visible over the ocean of trees. For a moment, she breathed a sigh of relief. Opening her mouth to say something, she realised no one was in the mood for talking. Sokka, head in his hands, was managing to catch some sleep despite being high in the air. Even Aang, who seemed to be constantly chipper, rubbed at his eyes, dark circles beginning to form under them. Y/N by no means necessary disliked sleep, but she could cope with missing it – more than these it seemed.

As Appa let out a rumbling yawn, he came to land in a clearing within the woods. Clambering from the bison, Toph seemed far happier with her feet on the ground, ready to sleep once more.

“See you guys in the morning!”

“Actually,” Katara said, her voice polite, her face annoyed, “Can you help us unload?”

Toph snorted, crossing her arms. “Really? You need me to help unload Sokka’s stinky sleeping bag?”

Y/N couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled to her lips; Aang, as animated as ever, pulled a face as he held the bag between two fingers, practically throwing it at Sokka. The non-bender proceeded to grow very red as he hopped into it, hitting the ground and nearly falling right back to sleep as soon as it happened.

“That, and everything else. You’re part of our team now, and- “

Toph pointed her finger, cutting her off. “Look! I didn’t ask you to help unload my stuff! I can carry my own weight.”

“Toph,” Y/N said gently, erring on the side of caution, “I only have my bō staff and I’m still helping. It’s not hard.”

“Well, you’ll get along so well with the Sugar Queen then, won’t you Little Miss Perfect?”

Her jaw dropped as she looked at the girl. Katara seemed to boil with rage, ready to go ballistic with her words. And go ballistic she did. It possibly didn’t help that Y/N also had the exact same idea, so the overlapping shouting at Toph may not have been constructive. Words like rude, selfish, and maybe even vulgar were thrown about. The argument ended with Toph slamming a rock up between them, closing herself into a makeshift tent.

“Should we do something?” Aang asked quietly, nudging a serene looking Sokka.

“Hey, I’m just enjoying the show.”

Y/N whipped around the smile at him, although it wasn’t the sweet smile that she often saved for him at the moment. It was more of a ‘I’m on the verge of going ballistic at you too, Sokka, so watch your mouth’ sort of smile. The grin fell off his face very quickly after that, and she felt some satisfaction watching him swallow his nerves down.

“I think,” Aang said, which was never a good way to start a sentence in this sort of situation, Y/N thought, “That you all need to calm down.”

“I am calm!” Katara exclaimed, not calm.

With that, she walked away, and Y/N had the comical thought of steam rising from her head in anger. Sighing, she slumped to the ground, Momo taking his usual spot right by her stomach, curling into a ball on her lap. In his tiny hand he clutched her index finger. She might try to sleep, she reasoned with herself, but something about the course that tank train was on made her feel sick in her stomach. It felt wrong.

“Go to sleep,” A voice slurred next to her, Sokka’s voice.

“Can’t,” Y/N responded quickly, staring down at Momo.

His sleeping bag rustled. “Can’t or won’t?”

She smiled, softer than the earlier one she gave him. “Go to sleep, Sokka.”

Y/N didn’t have to tell him twice as he relented to her order, eyes closing as he began to drift. As he did, she spotted Katara coming back from her walk, hopefully calmer than she had been previously. She was not.

“The stars sure are beautiful tonight,” She said in a tone that rubbed Y/N the wrong way. “Too bad you can’t see them, Toph!”

Grimacing, Y/N watched the drama unfold. With a flick of the wrist, Toph sent a tremor through the earth, so strong it sent Katara flying – right into Sokka. So much for sleep.

Pushing his sister off, he glared at the two girls. “How’s a guy supposed to get any sleep around here with all this shouting and earthquaking?”

Unfortunately, something worse was on the horizon. Toph announced it as soon as Y/N spotted those smoke plumes again, far too close for comfort. This was not a usual route for a tank train to take. They were being followed, specifically hunted. But what was giving away their position? Surely it wasn’t the arguing.

“A few more minutes,” Sokka whined, pulling his sleeping bag over his face.

“Don’t make me carry you,” Y/N warned, moving Momo so that he could curl up under her shirt undisturbed as they moved.

He stared up at her as she offered her hand, something on his face that was more than bashfulness. Y/N didn’t ponder on it for long. Hoisting him up with strength that surprised him, they got back onto Appa as swiftly as possible, Y/N making sure to smother the camp fire and hide the ashes under dust.

She could feel Appa struggle as he descended over the peaks of a mountain range, coming to land on hard rock. Well, land was one word for it. Y/N was sent tumbling off of Appa’s back, clutching her stomach so she didn’t crush Momo and have to serve up Lemur pancakes for breakfast. The bison immediately fell asleep, unbothered by the luggage that had fell off of his back in the process. Even the animals were tired, Y/N realised, a gnawing feeling of anxiety growing inside her. They were being hunted, not only hunted, but driven to defeat in a psychological and personal way.

It couldn’t be.

Sokka brushed himself off from the tumble. “Okay, forget about setting up camp- “

“Well, Toph wouldn’t have helped anyway.”

“Oh, I didn’t realise that the baby still needed tucking in!”

“Will you two pack it in!” Y/N snapped, too angry and anxious to feel extremely conscious of the fact she was being stared at. “We are being hunted down by the Fire Nation, and you two are busy bickering! Stop it! There is no need, and you’ll realise that when we have soldiers, or worse, right at our doorstep!”

The silence was deafening, so jarring that it caused Momo to stir from his sleep and clamber up onto Y/N’s head – absolutely not helping her case in that moment.

“It could be Zuko,” Aang said, ending the long silence.

“Who’s Zuko?” Toph asked, the first calm thing she had said all evening.

Sokka rubbed his temples, face looking down into the dirt. “Oh, just some angry freak with a ponytail who won’t stop stalking us.”

“Sokka,” Y/N said, faux confused, “You have a ponytail. Why so offended by Prince Zuko’s?”

“This,” He interjected, looking vaguely offended, “Is a warrior’s wolf tail.”

“Aw, and I’m sure all the other warriors know how cute and perky you are,” She teased, pouting her lip.

He grumbled at her, sliding to the ground. “Go to sleep, Lady Y/N.”

With a scoff, Y/N began to sit, ready to join him in rest. However, Momo went from pulling her ears – ouch, by the way – to jumping on Sokka’s chest, chittering frantically. Alert, the lemur raised his ears, gliding to a ledge of rock, hopping on the spot animatedly. For her own peace of mind, Y/N followed the little creature to the ledge.

“Up,” She said, her voice panicked, “Everybody up now.”

She never thought they’d send Azula.

TAGLIST: @lunariasilver​

[authorjoydragon]

Joy! I saw this question and it made me curious about your dunebabies... Which dunebabies prefer Toph, which prefer Aang? And who are their fav siblings? Many thanks my friend, sorry for my tardiness :)

Sorry this took me so long my mind has been in the gutter due to the NSFW prompts LOL. Time for a FLUFF BREAK!

Oh this is an interesting question!! God why did I make EIGHT dunebabies shit fcuk-

Bumi is honestly a true neutral. He admires both of his parents immensely, and spent a lot of time training with both of them! He loves his air nomad heritage, even if he’s an earth bender. He’s basically everyone’s favorite sibling, mostly because he was a constant in their life and always a voice of reason and unconditional support. (He’d say he doesn’t have a favorite sibling, but it’s definitely Tasha.)

Gyatso won’t admit it but Baba is his favorite. They’re just so alike- they think the same way, so they are just naturally really close. Not to mention he was the first airbending son and had a lot of time training with Baba. Him and Bumi are also really close, because they were so close in age and had to watch the other kids together a lot. He also bonded a lot with his younger sister Tasha with the pressure of being the new air benders.

Tasha is the absolute sweetest. She clung to Mama a lot when she was young, but she would say she loves her parents equally. Even if her personality is more similar to Aang’s, she’s a Mama’s girl. Out of her siblings, she’s usually always with Gyatso. Air heads gotta stick together. (As you can see, the oldest three are very close.)

Rimi may look like Aang, but that’s about all she got from him, besides perhaps insane skill (which could also be from Toph so who knows). She doesn’t need bending to kick your ass. It’s maybe perhaps that she is so similar to Toph that they actually bash heads a lot. Rimi likes to go to Baba to talk things out when Mama upsets her. If Baba isn’t there she goes to Bumi. She doesn’t like showing that she’s upset, but Bumi never makes fun of her.

Kusa is the carbon copy of Toph, and she loves her Mama to pieces. Baba is super fun though... so she can’t make up her mind. She adores Rimi to the moon and back.

For Nishe and Raanzin... they are total opposites. While Raanzin is calm and quiet, Nishe is a wild troublemaker. Raanzin enjoys sitting with Baba in the early morning hours for some peace and quiet, even if he’s not an air bender, Baba says he’s got the spirit of one. He really just tolerates his siblings. Nishe would say both her parents are mean to her and always telling her to do something. Toph and Aang argue where she gets her troublemaker genes from. (It’s both of them.) She likes Mama a little more only because she lets her gets away with more. Her favorite is Gyatso because she can usually get him to go along with her pranks (sometimes Rimi and Kusa can be talked into it too). Bumi always puts a stop to them though. Loser.

Suhn is so much younger than the rest, so he’s almost always strapped to Baba’s back while he’s running after the other kids. He loves Baba. He’s a very quiet kid, and he gets along best with Tasha and Raanzin. Tasha is ten years older than him, so she loves to toddle him around with her and is excited to have a younger sibling to help learn their air bending.

Thanks for the ask stitch! Keep sending me asks about these dunebabies I love building their characters! 💛 I’ll write that Beifong Family Chaos Fic one of these days...

[justteamavatar]

Overall, ATLA is better than Korra, but I'd take Books 3 and 4 of Korra over ATLA any day.

Yeah, I have a pretty similar opinion to yours. I think objectively, ATLA is the better quality series but subjectively, I prefer TLOK and feel more connected to it. People are allowed to voice their opinions and critics on both shows, but I wish they would be more civil about it. I can absolutely admit that TLOK isn’t perfect (in fact, I don’t think either of the shows are flawless), but it is upsetting to see such a divide in the community. 

I guess this all ruffles my feathers a bit because 1) there seems to be a lot of unfair/blind criticism and hatred about Korra, and I can’t help but wonder if its routed in nostalgia, and 2) I guess I can’t help but feel irritated and somewhat hurt when people needlessly dog pile since Korra, both the show and the character, has influenced my life in so many positive ways.

I think your points about taking Books 2 and 4 over ATLA hit some interesting notes regarding the overall planning and production process of TLOK. It’s no secret that there were many hiccups along the way, and it seems like Nick made some things quite difficult - like with their initial dislike of Korra being a female protagonist, budget cuts with Book 4, limitations with showcasing Korrasami.

There were also more issues brought in with season renewals and animation studios. As I recall, TLOK was originally intended to be a mini-series ending at Book 1. I think the messier plot(s) of Book 2 somewhat showcase how the team struggled to get a proper hold on the direction they wanted to take with TLOK. Book 1 and Book 2 feel a bit choppy/disjointed at times, and it does seem as though the series could have ended at either of those Books. However, I feel like there is a clear difference with Book 3 and 4 as they seem to have much more solid foundations, and are a lot more direct in terms of where the story goes. I personally find Book 3 of Korra to be the most enjoyable, while Book 4 is integral to Korra’s character arc and development. 

It seems like a lot of criticism placed on TLOK has to do with it not being like ATLA. However, TLOK was never really supposed to be like its predecessor. We have a new Avatar growing up in a more industrialized world with developing technology, and a world that thinks it no longer needs the Avatar. As such, TLOK and Korra, as a character, were intentionally meant to differ from ATLA in many ways - some quick examples being:

~ Aang being very spiritually connected from the get-go, while Korra initially struggled to connect with her spiritual side

~ Korra excelling at the physical side of bending with earth, fire and water, but struggling with airbending, while Aang mastered airbending and had to travel around the world to learn the other elements

~ TLOK having unique villains that are arguably morally grey in some areas, while ATLA had a more familiar cast of villains (like Zuko, Azula and Ozai - though the former two are fleshed out quite a bit)

~ Aang being somewhat reluctant with his Avatar duties despite knowing his responsibilities, while Korra wanted nothing more than to be the Avatar her whole life and trained since a very young age

Among other differences, both of these shows have unique identities in terms of their themes, characters, atmosphere, and conflicts. While they both take place in the same universe, it’s important to note how dynamic that universe is (and thus, how dynamic the Avatar can be when it comes to fulfilling their duties). I totally understand if people don’t like Korra because of these changes/differences, but I think it’s important to watch the show with an open mind and to not expect “more of the same”.

Hopefully I won’t fall too far down the rabbit hole with this one since this post is already long, but the constant bashing of Korra’s character - such as her being “useless”, “weak”, “the worst Avatar”, or a “mary sue” - is tiring and grates on my nerves. A large part of it is likely due to how she is in the first couple of books - being brash, impulsive, headstrong, and passionate. I can understand it to an extent, but looking at her arc as a whole and who she was in Book 1 compared with who grew to be in Book 4, makes me appreciate that she had these flaws and wasn’t the most polished character from the start. Sure, the whole character arc of becoming more mature isn’t original, but it’s the journey that makes it special. 

A big part of Korra’s arc is understanding herself, her role as the Avatar, and the changing world she lives in. I think there was a clear disconnect between what her idea of being the Avatar was versus what it actually ended up being throughout the show. Solving situations wasn’t as easy as punching first and thinking later and being the Avatar didn’t mean you were unstoppable. Throughout the series, Korra learns more and more that there are consequences to her actions, that the world will continue to change with or without the Avatar, that it’s okay to be vulnerable and get support/aid from others. She learns of her role as bringing balance to the world, and through her enemies she sees what can happen when people are thrown out of balance - and she even uses this knowledge when speaking with Kuvira at the end.

Korra comes such a long way from Book 1 to Book 4 where she is far more mature, begins to believe in herself once again, and is more open to thinking first before acting. And despite all the trauma she goes through, she continues to fight with an incredible amount of perseverance and determination. To me, she has one of the greatest character arcs in either show. And the fact that she represents women of colour like myself and so many others makes those characteristics and victories that much more sweet.

Anyway, I think I’ll stop my weird rant there. I’m sorry I made this way longer than it needed to be. The whole twitter debate thing had me feeling agitated, and it’s sometimes it’s nice to just get these thoughts off of my chest. I think some people have some valid criticism about the show, but there seems to be others that get a bit too aggressive with their opinions. It makes me wonder if the creators with tweak some of these things if Korra ever gets a live-action adaptation on Netflix, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

[dualdaospirits]

Do you think if they ever reboot ATLA they would make Zutara canon? Reboots have changed quite a few things(the new She-Ra is vastly different from the original) especially with all the support Zutara got post-series

Hmmm, an interesting question. It depends on many things I think, not the least of which being who the showrunners are and the tone they want to set. We may get to see our reboot soon, actually, since there’s a live action Netflix series in the works (they haven’t started production yet though, so don’t get too excited). As far as I know, Bryke is at the forefront, and while that’s great news since it means another abomination hopefully won't happen, it does mean that a Zutara relationship probably isn’t likely since they’re big fans of the Katara/Aang relationship.

That being said, I think it would be a missed opportunity if they didn’t, and I’ll explain why. (Disclaimer for any non-Zutara fans reading this, being a Zutara shipper is not my main motivation for thinking or wanting it to be canon). First things first, the audience. I don’t know if post-series Zutara support would have much of an effect on Bryke, but it’s possible that the producers or Netflix would notice and try to factor it in. However, I don’t think pandering should be the reason they include Zutara--far from it. The original audience that watched Avatar has grown up at this point. Many of us are in our twenties, give or take. We’ve matured, and it would be foolish of the showrunners for ignoring this fact. If there’s a reboot of Avatar, live action or animation, the majority of the audience will be those that grew up with the show, not kids the same age as the audience of the animation. I think that’s evident enough with the release of Avatar on Netflix (notice how many people are rewatching and falling back into their love for the show?) and the comics. Ah, the comics. Some things they did well, others...not. What they did do well is writing the storytelling more maturely than the show. I don’t mean to bash the original show as it obviously had no problems including the dark effects of a war story in bite size, easy-to-swallow chunks for kids (a good thing). However, they treat the audience more seriously, knowing that not everything needs to be spelled out. You see the same in Korra. And to me, that’s part of what makes the Zutara relationship so captivating and intriguing--it’s mature. It’s not easy, and it has faults. It’s not “hero gets the girl after saving the world”. It’s complex. 

I’ll say this now: there’s a difference between a relationship being canon and being endgame, and it’s an important difference. I definitely think Zutara should be canon, if not endgame, in any reboot they do.

Personally, I’m excited for a live action version if they ever get around to it. It brings many new factors to the table, and the majority of them have to do with adaptation. (I’ll mainly be talking about a live action version for a little bit, excuse the art student that shows). Adaptation, especially between mediums, is tricky to execute. You see many book-movie adaptations that succeed, and some that miserably fail, and others in between. This goes for other forms as well, ex: book to comic, book to animation, animation to film, etc. With any medium adaptation, the story will inherently change. You can't hear a character's inner dialogue or prose written in a book in a film, so changes have to be made or the filmmaker must write or use film language to substitute for it. With adaptation, changes must happen, that's a fact. To me, more often than not those adaptations succeed when the creator embraces that fact and uses the medium to their advantage. Sometimes this changes the story, and sometimes that change enhances it for the better. Take Game of Thrones or Harry Potter. The former deals with many characters and worldbuilding that is extremely complex, and they did an excellent job in getting you attached to those characters. However, they did have to change some things from the books, and while some weren’t as successful, others did remarkably. (Before anyone starts raging, I’m specifically talking about the seasons where they still had books to go off of). For Harry Potter, we have eight movies to analyze, which I will not be doing, but I will say that the weakest films storywise were the fifth and seventh, simply because they tried to do both too much and too little, if that makes sense.

How would this apply to a live action ATLA? Well, it wouldn’t be like the animation, most likely. It’s a medium adaptation, meaning that the approach they had in the animation won’t work the same in live action. Think about it--you don’t watch animation, especially 2d, the same way you watch live action, psychologically and subconsciously. There’s a separation there between their world and ours. It lessens with 3d animation, but it’s much much smaller when it’s live action since it looks like our world, more or less. Would GOT beheading and other violence (you know what I mean) have had the same effect if it were 2d animation? No, probably not. Yes, I know that anime has its fair share of gore that can be extremely realistic and gross, but it still doesn’t have the same impact it would if it appeared on your screen with quality vfx. Now, these are extreme examples. I really doubt that they’ll make the violence that intense or realistic in the show, as they’ll more than likely want to keep it family friendly (there’s still kids that watch the original). Another disclaimer (ik there’s a lot of them, but people can misunderstand this kind of critique as bashing, which it’s not): I am not saying that the original animation of ATLA is not impactful, absolutely not. I have no trouble getting attached to animated characters, laughing or crying with them, etc, especially if the writing is good. However, it was a kids show, and it was written with that in mind. This is apparent to me as I’m rewatching the show now. There’s some dark stuff that happens, as is the nature of a war story, and the animation handles it excellently. But think of how different it will be seeing the ruins of the Southern Air Temple, practically a garden of bones, Gyatso’s included, in live action. Show us all the nitty-gritty of the lower rings of Ba Sing Se, and the corruption up top. Let this affect the characters. Bring this moral ambiguity into light, as it was done in the show. I think that if they’re going to tackle a show in this way, not a movie or series of movies, it would be smart of them to lean into these darker themes, not shy away from them. Like I said earlier, the audience has matured, and there’s so much more to explore with these stories and themes. I’ll say with confidence that they’ll definitely do this, and possibly add a story or two. Otherwise, it will just be a rehashing of the original, word for word dialogue. Not that the original is bad (obv not), but I don’t think we should want that. There’s a lot of potential in a live action series, and I think they’ve learned lessons from the abomination that already tripped over itself. It was an example of adaptation done badly. However, you can change a story without destroying it, but it’s a delicate operation. That’s why having the original showrunners on gives me a bit more confidence. To be clear, I don’t think they’ll go full PG-13 or higher. It’s still possible to have family/kid friendly media without shying away from the darker parts. ATLA is a great example of that. If you want a live action example of a show that balances humor, heartache, and violence beautifully, look at Merlin (bbc). 

I think you bring up an interesting point with She-Ra and it’s divergence from the original. I haven’t seen the original animation, but I can say that the new one was successful in telling a new and fresh story in the same universe. The act almost as parallel stories in that universe. How To Train Your Dragon is the same way--the book and movie have very very little in common story wise, but it’s a beautiful trilogy nonetheless. Would this work with ATLA? Possibly, though I doubt they’d want to stray away from the original’s core themes. Though, you can fight me on this, Zutara does align with those themes, but that’s another post (this one is long enough). However, it’s such a complicated question because it inherently considers countless possibilities, so there’s no definite answer. It’s a beloved show that’s already been butchered once, so how much would they be willing to change?

Now, how does Zutara factor in? (getting to the point now). For many of the reasons above, I think it should be canon. Their dynamic, their rocky relationship, the journey of trust and acceptance, the connection they have, all of it is ripe for exploration, especially in a revamped, inherently more mature story. Instead of a predictable relationship where there was never any real conflict (Katara was always loyal to Aang, and their fights were never truly consequential), you have a relationship coming from a difficult, seemingly impossible place, one that requires time to establish. Like I said, it’s not an easy relationship. Part of it is strengthened by Zuko’s wonderful redemption arc. He needs to build a foundation of trust before almost any of the Gaang trust him (Aang, the angel, is willing to give him a chance almost immediately in Book 1, and though she didn’t care one way or the other at first, he did accidentally burn Toph’s feet). What would a Book 4 have brought us? Despite what Bryke say about it being a false rumor, Ehasz, a co-producer, said that it was at least discussed, plus Book 3 definitely had more to give, so I take it with several grains of salt. Anyways, even wondering about it hypothetically produces interesting theories. We see at the end of Book 2 in the cave that Katara, once she overcomes her immediate, and warrented, repulsion of Zuko, she’s able to connect and see a bit of his heart underneath the layers and layers of angst and anguish obscuring it. This scene is popular in the Zutara fandom for a reason. However, I think that making changes to characters, especially in Zuko’s case should be done extremely selectively and purposefully. His arc is one of the most fantastic accomplishments of the show, and I think very little should be changed. For example, he should still make that doomed, yet inevitable choice in that cave to join Azula, but perhaps they’ll include his mother as a more forefront character, especially when he goes back to the Fire Nation. By all means, give Ty Lee and Mai more than just a conversation to supply their backstory. Thoroughly explore the swampbenders and the Freedom Fighters. Show more of the original airbenders in Aang’s memories! There’s room for exploration without dismantling the world or characters like the M. Night film did. For Zutara, I think that expanding Book 3 and giving the characters more time with each other would be invaluable. Think of how quickly Katara and Zuko grew close, from Katara threatening to off him first time he even hinted at being a threat, to becoming one of the most instinctual and formidable teams in the Gaang, to saving each other’s lives in the final battle. That’s not even mentioning the Southern Raiders.  The conflict over the entire show as the backdrop for a relationship like that, romantic or platonic, is incredibly suitable for a reboot. If it was explored, the outcome would be so powerful. 

I said before that there’s a difference between canon and endgame relationships. This just means that a relationship can be confirmed and explored without being the outcome. If Bryke include Zutara at all, that’s most likely how they’ll do it: adding a love triangle that ends up with Katara and Aang getting together. Honestly, it would be a method of making K/A a more interesting relationship and a way to have the characters grow a bit. However, this has the awful potential of just shitting on Zutara and turning it into a toxic relationship, which I’d rather not see.

But if it wasn’t Bryke running it? Absolutely, I think Zutara would, and should, be canon. Adaptation should take risks and be willing to explore, and I think Zutara is the type of dynamic we should see.  

[ablogthatishenceforthmine]

Thoughts on Korra and Mako’s Break Up

So, one of the things I knew before watching the series was that Mako would betray Korra, and then break up with her. Everything i’ve seen about this event made me think that I would be angry at Mako, and take Korra’s side. But actually watching it now... that’s not the case?

Do I think Mako was completely right? No, I do think he was mostly right. Both he and Korra messed up in this situation. But, I think Korra messed up more than he did. 

So, this post is probably going to seem pretty negative toward Korra. But, the point of this post isn’t to bash her. And i’m not bashing her. I love Korra. She is easily my favorite LOK character so far.  But she is my favorite character because he is soooo flawed. And those flaws are just so apparent, in a way which the hero character’s flaws usually aren’t. She is just such a messy person, and she makes mistakes, big and small, all the time. So even though this post is quite critical of Korra, just now that these mistakes and flaws I describe here are part of the reason I love her.

So, I’m going to go through their conflict one step at a time.

One: Advice/Support

In season 2, Korra often asks Mako what he thinks, or asks for advice. However, it’s clear that most of the time, she just wants him to agree with her, and support the choice she is inclined too. There are a few moments in the beginning of Season 2, however, where he actually does this, and she is unhappy with that too, such as when she asks what he thinks about training with Unalaq. For me, this moment, and others like it, Mako offers vague support instead of decisive advice because he genuinely does not know what the right or best thing to do is. And I get why this is frustrating for Korra, because being an Avatar is hard, and she wants help... it just that Mako isn’t really equipped to give advice and help with Avatar stuff.

However, Korra only sees to actually want his advice when she is uncertain. When she’s already make up her mind, she just wants wants his agreement and support, not his actual opinions. Whenever he gives advice or suggests something or speaks out against something that she wants to do or believes, she dismisses him. In "”Peacekeepers,” he tells her she should try to stay neutral and not take part in the Southern Water tribe’s peaceful protest. She is annoyed at his disagreement, and goes to the protest. He tells her that the attack was started by a firebender, and doesn’t think it’s necessarily the Northern water tribe. Korra doesn’t listen to him, and won’t consider the possibility that someone other than the Northern Water Tribe was responsible for the attack. After the president of Republic City refuses to send troops to help the Southern Tribe, Korra immediately views him as her enemy. When Mako tries to explain the president’s side of things to Korra, she doesn’t listen, and accuses him of not supporting her.

In almost all of these things, I agree with Mako. But in one of them, I do agree with Korra: going to the protest, and whether the Avatar should stay neutral. I like how the show is bringing up questions about what role the Avatar should play in the work. In ATLA, Aang’s role and what he should be trying to accomplish was obvious. But in LOK, it’s not so obvious for Korra.  Being the Avatar shouldn’t always been being neutral; sometimes, it should mean taking a stand for the right side. Should Avatars start wars? Or should their only job be to resolve them, to create peace? But what if peace can only come about through war? I do think Korra was right to start a civil war. Unalaq was clearly oppressing the people of the Southern Water Tribe he stole the throne through dubious means, and he held a fake trial, getting opponents locked up. And Korra should stay neutral here? Her public support could really make a difference.

But on everything else, I agree with Mako. He is clearly right about the bombing at the protest being more than it seemed, and Korra is being stubborn and blind by refusing to even consider another possibility. He’s also right that she should try to see the president’s side of things. Korra has a tendency to view anyone who doesn’t agree with her or who doesn’t do what she wants them to do as the enemy. But, I understand where the president is coming from, and so does Mako, and he tries to get Korra to see it too. War is complicated, but Korra just wants the president to just rush into it. It’s unclear how much the president and the public knows. Do they know a lot, or only that there is a civil war? It would be better if the show was clearer on this. But even if the president does have all the information, it’s not bad to want to explore other options first, and see if the problem can be solved diplomatically. We know that there is no chance of dealing with Unalaq with diplomacy, but the president doesn’t, so it makes sense that he would want to explore options that didn’t involve going to war. I’m not saying the president’s decision is the right one, I’m just saying that it’s an understandable one. We, and Korra and Mako, haven’t seen much of him. but he hasn’t shown any signs that he is incompetent, cruel, or corrupt. So Mako is right, Korra should try to hear what the president is saying and not view him as an enemy.

So anyway, Mako and Korra have clear issues communicating. For me, the fault is mostly at Korra; she does not take criticism or disagreement well. But I also think there are things Mako could do better here. Korra likes to feel supported, to a larger than normal degree. She needs people to trust and support her. I think this comes from actually being pretty insecure. She spent her whole life sheltered, protected, and kinda controlled. So, it makes sense that she is drawn to people who say they believe in her, and believe in her ability to make good choices. This is why Korra is so easily manipulated. For most of her life, she had a feeling that people didn’t trust and believe in her enough, they kept her from being a part of the larger world. And if there is one thing that Korra hates it’s someone holding her back, or someone she perceives as holding her back. So, Korra’s lashing out at any hint that someone is doubting her makes sense. I don’t think Mako had made it super clear that he supports the civil war, and that saving her family and her tribe is important too him. I’m sure he does, and i’m sure it is. But he could go a better job of making it clear, cause it seems like Korra thinks he doesn’t care about her family or the Southern Water tribe.

Two: The Betrayal

And then there is the betrayal, which I actually don’t think is that bad. For basically the sole reason that Korra’s plan is a TERRIBLE one. She wants to go behind the president’s back, and get his military to go to war with the Northern Water Tribe. This is basically a military coup. TERRIBLE IDEA. This could have such horrible consequences. The only circumstances she should do this is if the president is corrupt or tyrannical, which doesn’t seem to be the case. The Avatar staging a military coup could have huge and far-reaching consequences, and upsets the balance in their society. I mean, what could this do for Avatar-government relations throughout the world?

And it’s not like there aren’t other options. At the end of the episode, she goes to ask the Fire Nation for help. Surely, asking the other nations for aid should have been attempted before staging a military coup. Hell, maybe she should have tried rallying support with the people of the Northern Water Tribe, exposing Unalaq and telling them how he got the throne. Unalaq’s soldier’s and the people close to him are still going to support him, but the general public of the Northern Water Tribe? We haven’t seen much of them, but it’s hard to believe at least some of them wouldn’t have a problem with Unalaq after learning the truth. And if his people turn against him, that’s a big blow to him. AND it might make it easier for the president and the United Forces to step in, if‘s not longer just a civil war but a rebellion, where his own people don’t even want him to lead. Everyone would be against him, and thus, it would be less complicated for the United Forces to get involved.  Hell, Korra could have tried rallying and gaining support in Republic City, and hope that public pressure could make the president take action

Point is, there are many different things Korra could have tried before staging a military coup. So, going to General Iroh, and trying to get the United Forces help the Southern Water Tribe behind the president’s back is a really bad idea. And yes, when they talk, they plan it so that the president will not know. But it is a terribly flimsy plan and there is very little likelihood that the president won’t find out.

So considering the terrible consequences this actions could have not just for Korra, but for Republic City and the world, Mako is right to betray her. I think he should have gone to her first and tried to convince her out of the plan. But, as stated above, Korra doesn’t really listen to him. So I can understand why he wouldn’t. Still, because they care about each other and are in a relationship, he should have tried it this way first. Maybe he could have told her his dilemma, and that if she goes through with the plan, he feels he will have to tell the president. But, at the end of the day, stopping Korra’s stupid plan feels like the right decision. However, it’s unclear how much Mako’s decision is about doing the right thing and much much it was about his duty as a cop (ew). So it’s hard to tell if Mako made the right decision for the right reasons or or the wrong reasons.

Three: The Breakup

The way Korra handles the betrayal is immature and wildly inappropriate. After learning of his betrayal, she bursts into the police station, his place of work, and starts  yelling at him in front of his colleagues. She airbends his desk, destroying it. Which, to me, feels like the equivalent of punching a wall in the middle of a fight. She has a right to be angry, but in no way, is doing any of this okay. This is not why Mako breaks up with Korra, but, still, I can’t fault him for doing so after this. Korra is not good at handling her emotions (another of her flaws that makes me love her). She needs to learn how to deal with and express them in appropriate ways. So yeah, this is another situation where Korra is in the wrong. Although the stated reason for why the broke up, is that they are both too busy and devoted to their jobs, is kinda dumb.

[is-that-another-soulmate-au]

Me? Dropping part 12? While not knowing if its okay enough or not? Haha yeah... I wanted to try some action so here, enjoy this

The group was brought to this Jeong Jeong who was attempting to train Aang simple firebending. Even though he already had two fire benders in the group.

The situation made a turn for the worst when Aang accidentally burnt Katara and she ran off only for Jeong Jeong to follow her in hopes of consoling her. But that was not what happened. Zhao is what happened. When Katara ran back to the group saying Jeong Jeong was in trouble Kurt and Aang went running off towards where Katara had said he'd be. Halfway there a fire blast came straight for them, Kurt however managed to block it "keep going Aang! I've got this!"

Aang nodded and took off. Kurt took a defensive stance and listened. When he heard the faintest of breath and shuffle he spun around and kicked a blast in the direction but his foot was grabbed by none other than his dad. "Hello Kurt" his grin was malicious "long time no see." The hand holding his foot sparked and he winced before using the hand as leverage. Spinning and getting out of his hold before kicking his head and landing behind him. He almost had a stance but his dad was quicker than he remembered turning and holding the smaller boy against the trunk of a tree with one hand.

Kurt clawed at his hand "get off of me you piece of shit!" He felt a spark on his forehead and glared at his dad before letting his own hands set ablaze in an instant. This made Jen jump and back up and gave Kurt an opportunity to flee. And that he did running as fast as he could while dodging the blasts his father sent his way. He nearly made it to the beach where Aang was when his dad caught up with him and grabbed his shirt, lifting him off the ground

"Not so fast Kurt, our reunion wasn't ove-" he fell to the ground and dropped Kurt before he could finish. Standing behind him with a large rock was Zuko glaring down at him

"Yes. It is." He said before he kicked the man and helped Kurt back up to his feet "let Aang handle this Kurt, he's got it. We have to get to Appa."

After the whole Zhao showdown they were off on Appa again. Watching Katara heal Aang Kurt smiled, it was nice to see how close the two were. But then she turned to Kurt "holy- what happened to you?"

"What do you mean?" He asked looking at her for an answer

"What do I mean? Did the adrenaline just make you not realize you have a burn on your forehead and blood in your hair?" She moved towards him "gods, here let me help you, sokka get the bandages I dont know if I can heal this all in one go" she started by healing his forehead burn "how did this happen?"

"When he went with Aang to help Jeong Jeong he told Aang to keep going when his dad showed up and well, you get the rest" Zuko said bluntly

"Hey! I had it under control!"

"Sure you did, thats why I bashed his head with a rock to help you before he hurt you again. Kurt, you don't have to fight him on your own. You know that."

Kurt sighed as Katara worked on his head, cleaning up his hair and the scrapes from the tree "yeah, I know, I'm sorry"

Once Katara was done and Sokka wrapped his head Zuko and Sokka draped their arms over his shoulders and Suki sat behind him. "No need to apologize Kurt, we got you." Suki said as she rested her head on his shoulder. He flushed a bright red but eventually relaxed, it was a cold night after all, a bit of cuddling won't hurt.

[botherkupo]

Zutara for the ask game

I apologise in advance, because this is going to be looong and the thing won’t let me use “read more”.

When I started shipping them:

Story time! So one of my fiends ( @chromeknickers ) is a brilliant fanfic author, and I used to read everything she wrote, regardless of fandom. So she starts writing AtlA stuff (specifically Zutara), and I’m like ‘cool, cool, I’m gonna read this’ (all the while not knowing anything about the show), and I was enjoying their dynamic a lot. (Two people who overcame past difficult history to become good friends with hints of romantic sparks? sign me the eff up.) Anyway, I guess you could say I was predisposed to enjoy Zutara in a fanon sense. When I actually started watching the show in 2012, however, I didn’t care all that much, though I was curious to see how Maiko and Kataang would happen since I knew they were endgame couples.( Like let me stress that I really, really wanted to enjoy and root for the canon couples. I am not a masochist. I like gen first of all. I was all for just enjoying the ride.)

But then the Blue Spirit episode happened, and I saw Zuko actually had canon potential to join the gang (once he stopped being such an angry jerk. also he did the whole ninja and swords thing. much wow.) I also appreciated the Spirit Oasis fight between Zuko and Katara at the end of book 1, because as much as they were enemies then, I totally dig powerful couples and the whole rise with the sun/moon poetry and symbolism (my otp senses were tingling and whispering look, look POTENTIAL). And then catacombs in Ba Sing Se happened, and I was sold. (and of course by the end of the show, I was just sitting there going, ‘wtf, if we had to have romance then why isn’t this pairing canon?)

My thoughts:

So many seem to really hate on this ship. Like I write a lot of pairings for AtLA (some really out there ones as well), but never have I received such vitriol and ‘i’ll stop reading’ threats from readers as I get for Zutara. And that’s really telling to me. It’s not a canon ship, but I don’t think anyone can deny that there is a deep, deep bond between Zuko and Katara (however you want to interpret it) because they go through such critical, emotional moments together. And I guess some people find that threatening. I dunno, I just find it interesting that it brings out such strong reactions in people.

What makes me happy about them:

They complement each other so well. (And did I mention the symbolism? English nerd in me is very happy with that.) So many people like to say they’re too similar and emotional and that’s why they don’t work, but I don’t agree with that. I watched 3 seasons of this show and saw how two people who hated and distrusted each other at the beginning ended up being big supports to each other (not to mention the whole life saving thing.) Sounds like a good foundation for romance to me.

What makes me sad about them:

Aside from the fact I do think they were the couple who had the best organic development to be canon (you don’t have to agree with that, but that’s how I feel), I’m really sad we never got to see them interact in LoK. Boo to that. All the boos.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me:

I actually have a huge list. (I even write silly parodies about them.) Just wow, some of those tropes. My bros, please stop making Katara a slave, servant, or overly weak so you can make her have “hot” sex with Zuko. Pleaaase. It kills me. Also when Zuko is made out to be Fanon Draco Malfoy 2.0. (You all know what I’m talking about. Don’t pretend you don’t.) Also the sheer amount of character bashing that Mai and Aang receive. My soul weeps. If you can’t make your ship work by tearing other ships or characters down, maybe the romance you’re writing ain’t that great. Just saying.

Things I look for in fanfic:

Oh noes I’m stuck with you -- guess we must adventure together. Silly Ember Island shenanigans. Awkward dorks being awkward dorks. Strong sense of friendship first. Slowburn. Gimme all that slowburn.

My wishlist:

Body swap. I really wanna read a good one, but I’ll probably have to write it myself. (boo)

Zutara blended with mythology or fairy tales (but still set in the proper Avatar world.)

Crackfics or humour fics in general. Y’all too serious sometimes lol.

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:

I actually do like Mai with Zuko (in fanon). Just tweak that canon up and it’ll be grand. I think Kataang could be super cute as well (with tweaks). 

My happily ever after for them:

Badass power couple who love each other a ridiculous amount and do all the good things for the world. They have their own lives and their own interests, so Katara is not tied to the Fire Nation, but they are stlll together and make time for each other.

[evienyx]

I ask because i really want to read your story and i want to be sure its not aang bashing.

Yeah, no, it will definitely not be Aang bashing.

As I stated before, I love all the characters, and I won’t bash anyone but Ozai (and maybe Ursa and Iroh a tiny bit but that’s ONLY bc of Zuko’s trust issues and abandonment problems).

No Aang bashing though. Second favorite character, I love that kid.