#hakoda fanfiction

[macabr8y]

“I always thought you were like a star,” Zuko whispered around a vicious, aching pain that pounded through his bones and teeth. The cold would have him soon, the ice was already healing around him, but he needed Sokka to know. “You don’t need stars to love you back.”

We're back, baby! The last chapter of The Light Prince is here and it's got everything: Gods, curses, hypothermia, stars (real and metaphorical), stunning art by @drowthelynes, and it's got a happy ending to boot.

If you like fairy tales and Zukka, check out The Light Prince today!

[thegaybluejay]

I honestly love being in a niche corner of the ATLA fandom as a Zukka shipper LMAO

(I know it’s grown exponentially since the resurgence in 2020, but it’s still on the more niche side of ATLA ships)

Like of course there are bad eggs in any corner of the internet, but 99% of the time, it’s genuinely so chill over here because we’re all just enjoying a fun fandom ship! We know they aren’t canon and we usually aren’t seeking out ship wars. We’re just here to relax and have a good time!!

Along this line, I also love being a fan of the “Hakoda adopts Zuko” trope because it’s so lovely over there too!!

This is why I like to find my nice little spot(s) in a fandom and just stay there lmao - I get to have all the best parts of fandom culture with minimal toxicity😌

[ragzonacamrencruise]

For the first sentence of a fic ask

Katara’s choking sound filled the room which gained the attention of her friends until Katara stopped and turned to face Azula with a shocked face.

hello bestie!

this is too funny . . .

okay so hear meowt-

***

THE PROPOSAL

Katara’s choking sound filles the room, which gaines the attention of her friends until Katara stops and turns to face Azula with a shocked face.

Azula, sitting closest to Katara in the enormous dining hall, is half way down slurping her noodles when she notices the racket. Her own eyes grow wide as she witnesses Katara holding her throat and gasping for air, but not getting any.

Now, for the people who've been following Azula around in the palace since she was a little kid, they know it's common knowledge that Azula, would quite normally, enjoy watching the person choke themselves into oblivion instead of rushing to help them.

And in this case, Katara being the one who's the traditional healer of the group, no one else knew what to do in this situation. They could only sit and watch their friend choke helplessly. The waterbender's eyes begin to water as she looks all around frantically.

So, it's safe to say that it comes as a surprise when Azula calmly places her chopsticks near her almost empty bowl, stands up, walks behind the now standing Katara and envelops the choking waterbender in a hug from behind.

Everyone's too shocked to speak as Azula places a fist right under Katara's now matured chest and pushes it into the waterbender forcefully. Katara jumps up high in her arms at the impact. But Azula simply does it again.

And again.

And again.

Until Katara coughs something out of her mouth and it comes flying out to hit Sokka on the head, who's sitting exactly opposite to Katara. The waterbender gasps in a lung full of air and then lets out a string of coughs, her hands desperately holding on to Azula's strong arms wrapped around her stomach, keeping her from collapsing.

Azula flattens one of her palms over Katara's back and rubs soothing circles. "There, there, peasant. We don't want you dying on us now, do we?"

Katara wipes around her mouth with the back of her palm, trying to calm down from the sudden adrenaline rush of almost dying. Sokka, being the naturally curious person that he is, bends down under the table to pick up whatever the hell hit him on his head. When he brings it out to the light, he gasps out loud.

"It's a Water Tribe betrothal pendant!!"

Katara looks at the round, blue, glimmering, piece of jewellery in Sokka's fingers. She immediately extends her hand to take it from him.

"It's not stone!" Katara exclaims, running her eyes all over the pendant. "It's some kind of . . ."

"Copper." Azula states as she removes herself away from Katara's person and takes back her seat, picking up her chopsticks non-chalantly to gobble down the rest of her noodles.

Katara turns to her immediately. "What?"

"It's Copper." Azula says with a roll of her eyes. "Clearly you peasants have no knowledge about this metal's existence. It's crystalized Copper. And very difficult to carve, by the way. I spent literally hours trying to get that thing carved."

The waterbender blinks, not believing what she's hearing. "Y- You made this?!"

"Yes."

"Why?!"

"For you, of course." Azula shrugs, filling her mouth with noodles.

Katara could only let her jaw hang.

"You're giving my sister a betrothal necklace?!" Sokka's voice is a high-pitched shriek.

Azula looks confused. "What are y'all yapping so much about? Isn't it traditional to betroth a girl when she's 16 in the Water Tribe? I know I'm an year late, but it still counts, right?"

"You're asking me to marry you?!" Now Katara's voice is an octave higher.

"Wow, you filths really are dense in the head." Azula wipes around her mouth with a napkin kept at the table like the proper royalty that she is.

"No!" Katara exclaims.

Azula looks at her with her brows furrowed together. "No, what?"

"No, I will not be marrying you! Are you crazy?!"

The princess stands up, having done with her meal. "I was three years ago. But not anymore." She says with a smirk, before bowing curtly and leaving a hall full of dumbstruck people.

....

Katara flips the pendant in her hand, deep in thought. She looks down at it, tracing the intricate carvings that adorn it with a finger. She's lying on her stomach, on the bed inside her room in the Fire Nation Palace, having had an eventful supper. She frowns when she notices something strange.

The carvings look exactly like her mother's betrothal necklace. Not even a single line out of place. She touches her mother's necklace and gasps softly.

Azula must have one hell of a brain if she can carve something out just from memory.

Then she thinks back to everything that conspired during their meal.

She must've slipped the pendant in my noodle soup when I wasn't looking, or something, to surprise me.

The pendant's beautiful. Too beautiful. She would've mistaken it for glass if it didn't radiate such a glossy blue glow, refracting candle light through it in a translucent haze. It's mesmerizing.

But the thing that nags her the most is, why would Azula of all people give her a betrothal necklace?! Does she like her, or something?!

Sure, Katara couldn't help but get lost in the princess's elegance from time to time, and blush like crazy whenever the firebender got even remotely close to her, thankful for her complexion hiding her flustered state, but that is beside the point.

Katara sits up. There's no way in hell she's going to sleep without talking something through with the very firebender that proposed to her. Determined, she gets up, wears her night robes and walks out of her room to the princess's chambers.

....

"Your highness?" Katara calls out softly, peeking inside a dimly lit, enormous room. Her eyes look all around before falling on the princess's frame by the table, sitting on a chair and reading a huge book by the candlelight hanging above her head.

The firebender takes a second longer to acknowledge Katara, her eyes hurriedly running over the last few lines on the page she's reading, before looking up. "I figured sooner or later you'll be here."

"Ha ha." Katara laughs humorlessly as she walks into the room and shuts the door behind her.

Azula places a peacock feather over the page she was reading and closes the heavy book. "State the purpose of your visit this late at night, peasant."

Katara scowls. But she's unable to hold it much longer when she spots the princess pulling out another chair by the table, gesturing her to take a seat.

The waterbender's bare feet make no noise when she walks up to the table, adjusting the chair a little bit, before sitting down, close to the firebender. It's the beginning of winter and nights, even in the Fire Nation, are getting pretty chilly.

When she finally settles down, with her knees almost touching the side of Azula's thigh, she looks up in contentment. The princess is still waiting for her answer, when Katara's eyes fall on her.

Katara takes in a deep breath. "I still haven't thanked you."

Azula frowns. "Whatever for?"

"For saving my life."

Azula clicks her tongue, in irritation. She turns back to the book before her. "Leave. I still need to complete this chapter and I need peace and quiet."

"No, I mean it. Thank you, your highness . . ."

Azula doesn't answer as she flips open the heavy book again.

"The remedy for choking is still not known by many." Katara says softly. "Where did you learn it?"

Azula's eyes find Katara, without ever turning away from the book. "I read about it somewhere." She explains before letting her eyes fall to the book before her again.

Katara hums. She unintentionally falls silent as her gaze finds itself helplessly drawn to the princess's perfectly crafted face. She traces curves and crevices sculpted in astonishing precision, even when the firebender is devoid of any make up. Her golden brown eyes shimmer in the candle light's flicker, and the sight puts Katara in a trance.

"You can stare all you want after you marry me." Azula says without turning away from her book, and that jolts Katara awake.

"Who says I'm marrying you?" The waterbender is quick to deny, her face getting heated rapidly. "I never said yes to your proposal, remember? If you can even consider that a proposal. You didn't even ask me properly!"

"Your father." Azula states.

"My father? What about him?"

"Yeah . . ." The princess looks up from the book. "He met with Zuzu to negotiate a stable course of action, considering the amount of overwhelming peasants from the Water Tribe opposing the idea of working together with the Fire Nation."

Katara's eyes are wide and attentive as she can almost predict where this is going.

"So," Azula continues. "They put their heads together and came up with this; a marriage alliance. And as Zuzu is already planning on marrying Mai . . . You're stuck with me. Personally, I think it's okay, considering how nothing really is satisfying you barbarians."

"Hey!" Katara exclaims. "If anyone's a barbarian, it's you people! You started the hundred year war and butchered an entire nation!"

Azula stares at her. "Out of all the things I said, that is what you choose to respond to?"

Katara pushes her chair back and jumps up, her knees bumping Azula's thigh. "Whatever! I'm gonna talk to my dad first thing in the morning to cancel this supposed 'marriage alliance'."

"Suit yourself." Azula says, turning back to her book as Katara storms out of her chamber in anger.

....

The next morning, Katara finds herself grumpily sitting in the dining hall for breakfast all alone, as all others have already had theirs. The meeting with her dad dragged on longer than she would've liked.

It's stupid, considering the fact that Katara never really entered her father's chambers to discuss the crisis at hand. She just paced outside his room, for a long time, contemplating what to say and how to say it. To be honest, she wasn't really that opposed to this marriage alliance anyway. She came here just out of spite. She was turning on her heels, already loosing her nerve and giving up, when her father came out, ready to head for breakfast. And it certainly did not help when she randomly blurted out 'I don't want to marry Azula' out of no where when he greeted her with a good morning.

Her father had just laughed it off stating it's just jitters and he's "seen the way you look at Azula".

Katara had then spent her whole morning contemplating living under a rock from embarrassment, but then her stomach growled and she dragged her feet to the dining hall reluctantly.

Her brooding comes to an end when she finds the object of her crisis walk into the hall, her hair up in a small topknot and the rest of it long and falling freely over her shoulders, her signature bangs still in place. Katara's eyes follow the princess as she takes a seat opposite to her, clad in a simple, light red, yukata with short sleeves.

The waterbender notices Azula's skin coated with a slim layer of sweat, making her glisten in the morning sunshine wafting in through the hall. She averts her gaze hastily.

She's not supposed to be feeling this way towards her! Even when she's supposed to marry her!

"Slept in?" The princess's mocking voice makes Katara look back up at her.

"Not really." The waterbender replies politely. Then she catches the drift of what Azula's implying. Didn't she tell her yesterday night that she was gonna call off the marriage alliance? It really is a slap in the face for Katara when she realizes that she never broke off the betrothal. And she's not ready to make peace with the fact that she doesn't really want to break it off.

Their breakfast arrives and Azula's upon it even before the servant places it on the table. Katara looks at her with amusement. "One would think you were starved for weeks." The waterbender teases at the way Azula gobbles up the food.

"Never go easy on breakfast." Azula swallows a mouthful as her manners of not talking while eating kicks in. "Especially after a good workout and training."

"Training?" Katara raises an eyebrow. That explains the sweat.

"Yeah. Every morning. You don't?"

"Not really." Katara chooses to say again, trying not to pay attention to the way the princess's arms flex when she's using them, fresh out of a workout.

They both fall silent, only opening their mouths to eat. When they're done, Katara wipes her hands and face in the hot napkin placed on the table and stands up to leave. So does Azula. The waterbender walks out of the hall, slowing down near the doorway to wait for Azula when she comes out.

But she never comes.

Instead, Katara hears someone speaking beyond the dining hall inside what she thinks is the kitchen. And because it's so quiet in the morning with only the chirping of birds to keep her company, she frowns softly as she follows through the kitchen to where the voices are coming from.

She hears Azula speak, so she braces herself against the wall beside the entrance to the kitchen, out of sight from anyone who might want to look outside.

". . . but the flavours were thick. Make sure you simmer down on the basil and lift up curry leaves. It would provide useful and time saving and, dare I say, delicious. And, Zata? We need to incorporate more from other nations if we're supposed to excel at anything we do. This goes to cuisine as well . . . And prepare stewed sea prunes for lunch, will you? I'm told it's the Water Tribe princess's favourite." The princess is saying.

"Yes, princess." Katara guesses it's Zata who agrees with the firebender.

"Keep up the work." Azula says finally.

Katara hurriedly makes herself scarce from the vicinity as she hears the princess's footsteps staring to echo out.

Katara's sure her blush is visible for miles when she makes her way to the royal gardens to cool off.

....

The lunch, as expected, fills the whole dining hall with the aroma of stewed sea prunes and Katara doesn't even have to look at the bowl before her to know it.

Azula's sat directly opposite to her and the waterbender can no way in hell meet the golden brown gaze annoyingly fixed on her. She struggles to make it through one spoonful of stew without blushing like a maniac.

This is so absurd! Get it together, Katara! It's not like she gave you the whole world! She just made you your favourite dish. It's not a big deal!

But . . . it's Azula we're talking about! When has she ever done something this nice to someone else?!

"Is it not to your liking?" She hears a voice in front of her and she has no other choice than to look into those scrutinising eyes.

Azula's eyebrows are merged together, deep in thought, watching Katara struggle to eat her lunch, unaware of the problem. The waterbender, however, is hyper-aware of it, the smell of the stew reminding her every second that it was because of Azula.

Katara offers her a small, nervous smile. "It's good, your highness."

Their friends are present in the dining hall, so Azula doesn't press the issue further. But her face remains thoughtful the entire duration of their lunch.

Katara is the first to leave the hall, having gulped down the hot stew directly from the bowl, in an attempt to get out of there soon. She can heal her burned tongue later. She just needs to . . . get out.

She hurries off to her chambers, plopping down heavily on the bed, shutting her eyes close.

....

The royal gardens, that evening, sees Katara watering the plants, temporarily trying to get a certain firebender out of her insistent thoughts. The setting sun casts a warm glow over the flowers and trees, beautiful and sophisticated. A cool breeze flows in the garden and the waterbender is grateful for it, given the way her body heat seems to rise up eveytime she thinks about the fire princess.

Katara bends the water from a nearby pond and lifts it up, gently letting it fall, spraying over the fire lilies. She smiles, feeling rejuvenated with such a simple act. When she's about to turn around to water the other part of the garden, something, or rather someone catches her eye as she looks up.

She almost has a heart attack when she realizes it's Azula, leaning against a courtyard pillar, watching the waterbender do her thing. Katara freezes, eyes locked on the fire princess helplessly.

Azula, realising her presence is no longer unnoticed, pushes herself away from the pillar and steps into the garden, her gaze never leaving the waterbender. She walks towards Katara, gaining distance by the second and the waterbender's no longer in control of her own breathing.

The setting sun hits the firebender's eyes, and Katara's put in yet another trace with the way it gleams, looking at her in a way that makes her stomach flutter.

When she finally does get close, close enough for Katara to feel her warmth, Azula lifts her hand up, gently moving a strand of hair away from the waterbender's shoulder to expose her neck. She eyes her mother's necklace already placed on Katara's delicate neck and shifts her gaze to the waterbender's sparkling blue ones again.

"Marry me, Katara." Azula says, ever so softly. It's a command, but it sounds so desperate and so loving, that the waterbender's heart starts raging against her ribs. Katara can only let her lips fall open in a silent gasp, dumbstruck with the way Azula's making her feel.

The firebender searches her eyes, waiting a second longer for her to answer, before letting out a soft, glum sigh of defeat, turning around and walking out of the garden as quick as her own lightning.

Katara finds it difficult to catch her breath, even after a few minutes of just standing there.

....

That night, Katara finds herself standing before the giant doors of Azula's chambers again. She thinks of knocking, but then decides to just screw it and opens the door.

She enters the room and shuts and locks the door behind her. When she turns around, she notices that Azula's sat in the same table over the same book. Her wide golden brown eyes fall on Katara as she watches her with a rare glimmer, completely uncharacteristic of her.

When Katara walks inside, Azula stands up to meet her halfway. The flicker of the candlelight hanging above right beside them, bounces off of something shimmering, catching the firebender's sharp eyes right away.

Azula lifts her hand to Katara's neck, an ecstatic expression filling her face. She touches the cool, smooth, carved, crystal Copper hanging from the necklace on the waterbender's neck, and lifts her gaze to the matching blue eyes looking at her with longing.

Their eyes stay locked for a moment longer, before Katara opens her mouth to gasp, "Yes."

Azula's hand immediately reaches out to grab the waterbender's waist, as she pulls her flush against her. Katara swears she can practically taste Azula's smile when she leans forward and kisses her, deep and long.

By the time they break apart for air, Katara's brain is stuck in one giant daze, blinking up at Azula, hanging onto her shoulders desperately, unable to form coherent words except, "Your highness..."

"Bed. Now." Azula's voice is deep, bathed in dark hunger, and the waterbender can do nothing but nod frantically.

Katara didn't know that almost dying would end her up with a fiancé, but she isn't complaining much now at all.

....

"You really didn't like the stew, huh?"

"No. I loved it."

***

butterflies. straight up butterflies when i wrote this.

this could've been longer. but i tried to make it simple 😭🖐🏻 its funny because i was already thinking of their dynamic in marriage proposals and BAM the perfect opportunity presents itself in the form of an ask inbox.

thank you for the ask bestie! @waterfire1848

[purrincesskittens]

My neice just finished watching ATLA, so I introduced her to Salvage, and she is demanding more Hakoda adopts Zuko because Ozai is an asshole who deserves to be cucked. She helped come up with the idea of wolf dog Hakoda adopting Zuko.

His pup now.

His very big pup. Zuko is a wolf among big cats.

Lion Iroh is a bit confused as to how to handle agnsty teenage wolf while tiger Ozai was all too happy to get rid of his disgrace of a son who should have been a cat.

Until he finds out the SWT adopted him and their first thought upon seeing adolescent puppy Zuko was okay who slept with the Fire Lady? They mistook him as a wolf dog until they fed him and he grew. Pup is now bigger than his adoptive father.

Ozai protests the rumor about him getting cucked.

(Neice may have dove into the deep end reading through almost everything you have posted @muffinlance, and I may or may not have encouraged it before handing her back to her mother. Sorry, not sorry)

[atla-milf-month]

ATLA MILF Month will happen in March 2025! This month will celebrate all the ATLA-verse moms and older women who... well, you know!

Click here to see the prompts! Click here to check the event rules! Do you have any questions? Do you want to be a mod? Please send us an ask.

Thank you for participating. We hope you enjoy the event!

[marymary-diva17]

My snow princess

Hakoda x reader

You had always prayed to the spirts that one day you will find true love, maybe it will be someone within your tribe or another water tribe. It seems like the spirts had already decided on who will be with you in the future, and who you will help make a life with in the southern water tribe.

Y/n " ......." you are out of the village on your own this warm day, as everyone else was going on with their lives.

?????? " y/n" you soon heard your name getting called you soon looked to see your brother boat coming to dock he was also with Hakoda. You had waved them to and soon ran to the dock to meet them.

y/n " so boys how was the fishing trip today"

bato " it was good"

Hakoda " yeah we brought back a good haul you see"

y/n " oh yes I can see that ... bato why do you have ink on your face"

Hakodate " your brother here grabbed a octopus and you can say it was not happy"

bato " yes now I'm a total mess"

y/n " you can off in the water and here dry dry, we don't need you getting sick" you had pulled out a rag from your fur coat pocket, and soon handed it towards bato.

bato " thanks"

y/n " your welcome"

bato " I'm going to clean off I will be back soon and I will help you all move the stuff" bato soon walked away leaving you and Hakoda on the docks.

y/n " why do I have a feeling you were trying to pull a prank with the octopus like last time"

Hakoda " what makes you think I'm the prankster all the times and not your brother"

y/n " you are the one who leads the pranks and my brother follows"

Hakoda " fine you caught me" Hakoda laugh which made you laugh as well, the duo was soon looked each other in the eyes. It soon felt like they were the only ones in the world right now.

Hakoda " y/n"

y/n " Hakoda" the two are very close to each other it seems like they are leaning in for a kiss, they were so close together as the moment was drawing them together. until there was a sound of something hitting the ground getting the duo attention. They soon looked back to see bato and there other young man standing near a fallen brawls.

Hakoda " hey guys"

y/n " you know I remembered there some something that home I need to take care of, so I will see you later bye" you soon rushed off from Hakoda as the moment had been completely ruined, by the on lookers.

later that night

bato " I'm sorry about earlier on the dock I tried ti stop them but it failed"

y/n " it okay it not like moments like that will ever happen again"

bato " I gave toe fools a good yelling to for ruing your time with Hakoda, and I thought leaving you two alone will be good enough"

y/n " bato it fine no need to blame yourself"

????? " hello" you and bato had looked up and saw hakoda was by the entrance.

bato " hakoda what do you honor this evening visit to our home"

hakoda " I was hoping y/n was free for a night walk under the stars"

y/n " umm...."

bato " go it will be okay I can clean up from here"

y/n " thank you" you soon grabbed your fur coat and put it on, as you soon walked out of the home with hakoda. The two of you soon walk out of the village, and were now walking around together.

hakoda " the stars are very beautiful night as we have a clear sky to see everything, even the moon is bright as well"

y/n " yes" the two of you are walking together enjoy the silence and each other company.

y/n " you know the winter solstice is coming up the end of this year, and welcoming a new year as well"

hakoda " yes"

y/n " I can't wait to see what the new year will offer us"

hakoda " all this year I hope not to entering the new year alone"

y/n " oh"

hakoda " yes I hope to hava special women wearing the necklace with me as we enter the new year" hakoda soon showed you his mother betrothal necklace.

Hakoda " I since we were young have always had feeling for you, that have grown over the years and now I'm hoping you feel the same and wish to spend the rest of our lives together ... so will you do me the honor on taking this necklace and becoming my wife in the coming new year"

y/n " yes I will love too" you soon hugged hakoda not notching you two are on unbalance ground, soon leading you two to fall into the snowy ground. Which had an end result of you two being covered in snow.

hakoda " well it seems like you are becoming my snow princess"

y/n " whatever my prankster" you soon kissed hakoda and he had kissed you back, the next day an announcement had been made about the betrothal of you and hakoda and the future wedding to come. In the new year the two of you will be married and soon be blessed with a son named sokk and later on a daughter named katara.

[kstarlitchaotics]

Though Zuko and Hakoda fics interactions are interesting and cute but the ironic part is that even though Zuko helped save him from the prison and besides the fact knowing that Hakoda is Sokka and Katara's father not once could they mention he was Chief and yet people have Zuko call him Chief

[shortprince-cos]

Of Pirated Princes

Summary: After he was kidnapped by pirates, Prince Zuko is freed by two Water Tribesmen who don't believe he's the actual Fire Prince.

AO3 Link

(Word Count: 2068)

Chapter One: Of Closets and Chains

~~~~~

Hakoda didn’t like pirates, but he had to admit that they were rather helpful when it came to finding unique specimens.

The boutique was filled with hundreds of antiques, collectables, and knick-knacks, spanning from the entrance to the counter at the back of the boat. An array of weapons to books to clothing lined the shelves and cases. All of it stolen, but some of it at a decent price.

It wasn’t right, buying from pirates, but sometimes the crew of the Ilatka was low on funds, and they needed an affordable place to buy authentic pieces.

“Chief,” Bato called, only to be holding a stone statue of a monkey with jewels for eyes in front of his face, startling the man slightly.

Hakoda sighed at his companion’s shenanigans. “Must you?”

Bato chuckled and put the statue down. “I must.”

He let out a huff, but didn’t bother to hide the smirk on his lips, knowing it would be fruitless. He and Bato had been joking around like this since they were children, mostly playing pranks on the residents of Wolf Cove, but occasionally pulling a stunt or two on each other. Sure, they had grown since then, but they hadn’t really grown up.

“Please be careful with that,” A voice said. “If you break it, you buy it.”

The owner of the voice was a large man with an unsettling grin on his face. An iguana-parrot was perched on his shoulder, and a hat sat atop his silver-haired head. It was the captain, Hakoda realized.

He nodded at the man. “Understood.”

They went back to browsing without another word, Bato getting lost in the clothing section and Hakoda carefully sifting through the weapons. Some were Water Tribe, though it was hard to tell if it was north or south. Still, the thought of these men ‘acquiring’ them left a bitter taste in his mouth. So much of their culture had been taken by the Fire Nation, and they didn’t need some low-life criminals to steal some too.

“Chief,” Bato called again, and Hakoda just shook his head.

“I don’t care what it is, Bato. I’m not buying it just so you can look pretty.”

“Hakoda,” He said, and the name was stressed this time, like something was wrong.

The chief turned then, making his way over to where Bato was shopping at a slow-but-urgent pace. There was a jewelry case that he was pointing to, and it took Hakoda a second to spot what it was he was referencing.

A small necklace with blue ribbon and a turquoise stone attached to it.

Kya’s necklace

Katara’s necklace.

A million thoughts flooded his mind at once, but only one of them stood out.

How?

He had to figure out how.

Hakoda marched to the counter at the back of the boat, careful not to stomp and make a scene. “Excuse me,” He said, voice cold. “Can I ask where you got that Water Tribe necklace?”

The captain smiled - smirked, even. “Nicked it off of a suspicious character. Why? You interested? I do hear that they make great engagement necklaces up north.”

Hakoda smiled back, eyes hard. “You could say that. What did this suspicious character look like?” There was an answer he didn’t want to hear.

This time, he was positive it was a smirk. “I have a feeling you’re much more interested in him, aren’t you?”

Him.

There was a plethora of things to be taken from that one word, but only one mattered.

It wasn’t Katara.

He nodded, fear starting to seep into his pool of rage.

The iguana-parrot squawked, and the captain gestured behind him. “How about I introduce you?”

<><><>

Zuko was having a very bad week.

Not only had the Avatar kept escaping his clutches, but Uncle had insisted on rerouting them into the nearest port so he could buy a new lotus tile. And for what? A stupid Pai Sho game? Ridiculous.

So of course, while Uncle was off doing that, Zuko had decided to explore the port a bit. What a great decision that was.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that there were eyes on him. Like no matter where he turned, someone was always watching him.

He only realized what was happening two seconds after he was cornered.

Zuko fought, really he did, but there were just so many of them all at once, and they all had different weapons and angles and he just wasn’t fast enough.

It was a group of pirates, he noticed as he started to run out of breath. What did they want with him? He didn’t have time to find out, and he was running out of strength and time and-

He was knocked out eventually, a quick blow to the head made that easy. And when he woke up, he was in a small wooden room, empty except for the chains clamped around his hands and feet.

Was he in a closet?

The question was answered when the captain of the pirates came to check in on him a little while later, and he explained that yes, Zuko was now chained up in a closet on a pirate ship so they could sell him on the black market.

So, yeah. Not the greatest time.

A few days had gone by like that, Zuko caged up while the captain kept coming back to feed him and brag about how much money he was going to make. It felt like eternity. Zuko knew it was only a matter of time before he got out of here - he just didn’t know if it was going to be via escape attempt or because the pirates actually sold him. He didn’t like to think about the latter, so he stuck to the former option.

The door opened again, momentarily blinding him as the light shone in. Three figures walked in, the first being the captain, the other two Zuko didn't recognize, but they were larger than most of the pirates, which wasn't exactly a good sign.

Buyers, Zuko horridly realized. The pirates had found buyers.

The man in back looked at him with horror on his face, but the one in front just stared, emotionless. A pang of fear hit him then, though he tried to fight it off. There was no time to be afraid right now.

“Meet Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.” The captain said, a smirk splitting his face, and dread pooled in the boy’s stomach.

This was really happening. Zuko was kidnapped by pirates and was about to be sold to Agni-knows-who, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Zuko wasn’t usually superstitious, but he sent out a prayer to the spirits, just in case.

<><><>

Fire Nation. That was the only thought that occupied Hakoda’s mind. This boy was obviously Fire Nation, and he somehow had Katara’s necklace.

Terror pierced him like a blade cutting through skin. A raid was the only explanation. How else would a Fire Nation boy get his hands on something so distant, so out of reach? How else would a piece of his home, of his family, end up in Fire Nation clutches?

Hakoda couldn’t breathe. The last raid that took place was the one where they lost Kya. If another happened in the time the tribe was gone-

Sokka was the only one protecting the village, Katara was the last waterbender, and her necklace was here.

What happened to his children?

He felt the wound of fear bleeding out, but he knew he couldn’t do anything to stop it except keep on his calculated face. This pirate couldn’t know the heartbreak that Hakoda had just gone through, not if he wanted answers. He just had to play his cards right, no matter how much he wanted to shuffle his deck.

“Meet Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.” The captain said, and Hakoda tried not to reel.

Prince Zuko? That couldn’t be right. This boy in front of them was just a kid.

His thoughts stopped there. A kid. This boy was just a kid, not a soldier. There’s no way that this- this teenager would’ve been assigned a southern raid.

The pirate had to be bullshitting him. There’s no way this child was Prince Zuko, and there’s no reason he should have this necklace.

“You can’t honestly expect us to believe that you have the Prince Zuko tied up in your lowly pirate boutique, can you?” Hakoda asked, eyebrow raised.

The captain’s smile fell. “You callin’ me a liar?”

A hand on his shoulder. “Tread carefully.” Bato whispered.

He was right. Hakoda couldn't afford to mess this up. Not with so much on the line.

He stood up straighter. “No, I’m just pointing out that it's a bit far-fetched. Is there any way you can prove it?”

The captain huffed, but turned to the boy on the floor, reaching to the cloth tied around his mouth.

The second his lips were free, the boy spat fire. It happened so quickly, the way the room brightened and the way Hakoda could feel the heat of the flame on his arms and face. He’d heard of firebenders breathing fire before, but he’d never gotten the chance to see it in action until now. It seemed like it would be a party trick until he actually saw the way the wood of the ship singed.

The slap happened just as quickly, effectively shutting the boy’s mouth.

The captain gripped the boy’s chin in his hand, drawing Hakoda’s attention to the bruises that littered it; bruises he didn’t notice before because he was so focused on the fact that he was Fire Nation. “You fucking brat!”

The boy flinched, and suddenly Hakoda stopped worrying about if he had hurt his kids and started worrying about this kid being hurt.

The captain was yelling at the kid now, too distracted to notice Hakoda grabbing the club off of his belt. Bato noticed, and backed up to secure the door, knowing there were other pirates aboard this ship. The boy noticed, his good eye widening, and his mouth shut.

One hit was enough to knock the man out.

Hakoda rushed to start unchaining the boy, not missing the way he looked at him in terror and held his breath.

After a minute, the boy was free, and he was eyeing the two men warily, obviously unsure of what was going on.

“Someone’s coming,” Bato warned in a hushed tone.

“Listen to me,” Hakoda started, whispering at the boy. “I know you’re scared, but please just trust us to get you out of here, all right? We’re only trying to help you.”

The boy sucked in a breath. “I’m not scared.”

The door swung open, and a man in a green shirt looked at them with confusion in his eyes.

“Uh-”

The boy shot fire at the man’s feet.

The pirate scrambled out of the way with a shout, leaving just enough room for Hakoda, Bato, and the boy to run past. They quickly made their way back to the store-section of the boat, Hakoda only stopping to break the glass case and grab Kya’s necklace, before bolting out.

Suddenly, about a half dozen men were on their tail, and Hakoda was just starting to realize how much of a bad idea this was.

<><><>

Zuko didn’t know where these men were going, but he did know that he couldn’t fight off all of these pirates by himself, so he just kept following them. Sure, he wasn’t thinking things through, but when did he ever?

Besides, he had bigger, more immediate things to worry about.

By the time they came to a stop, Zuko was on the verge of passing out; hunger, dehydration, and blood loss getting to him more than it should have. He didn’t even know where he was, all he knew was that the world was swaying and the sun was too hot and the voices were just too loud.

His hand went to the cut on his side, one that he’d barely registered he’d gotten as they were running past that pirate in the hall. Of course he was armed, why wouldn’t he be? Zuko was always so, so stupid.

“Well,” One of the men said. “That’s one way to get out of the closet.”

The other laughed, but Zuko didn’t hear since he was already halfway to the ground.

~~~~~

not gonna put much here cause im tired but reblogs are definitely appreciated!!

[wylinka]

Sokka finally saw his father and darted for him, running past the fires surrounded by startled men and launching himself at his dad. He smacked into him with a thump and pressed his face into his chest.

Hakoda looked stunned as his arms wrapped around him almost automaticity. “Sokka?” He didn’t seem to have the words and his face was a picture of surprise, relief and confused pain. It made Shen’s heart hurt and swell at the same time. But although the sight was joyous, it was probably going to be more complicated than just a happy reunion. The poor kid had long scars on his back, similar to Zuli. There was no doubt he had been through something awful.

Almost to illustrate that thought, Sokka let out a long, wordless wail, a sound so full of fear, grief and distress it made all the hair on Shen’s arms stand on end. Hakoda, still holding his son tightly, turned his body to shield him from view.

A scene from @lovelyelbowleech’s War Games that i spent way too long thinking about, and then probably too long drawing. The goddamn wail broke my heart and i never recovered. And it’s not like it’s the only scene in the fic that would do that to a person either. GO READ IT, it’s a masterpiece. I can’t promise that you will come back though, and if you do, you will not be the same.

[greekgeek24]

Summary: “Azulon has ordered Zuko’s death,” Ursa’s voice cracked. “What?” Lu Ten’s eyes widened. Zuko was barely four years old! “Ozai said it would have been better for you to have never been born at all than being an Omega. He offended the Fire Lord, who declared if death was better, then Zuko shall die.” “Gods above,” Lu Ten breathed. “Ozai and I have a plan,” Ursa whispered. “I’m going to kill him.” “That’s treason!” Lu Ten hissed. “I will not survive the night.” Ursa closed her eyes. “I need your help, Lu.” “Anything.” “Without me, Zuko and Azula will have no one to protect them from him. You must take them as far from this place as possible.” Lu Ten’s own life was in jeopardy, for any child he bore would have a claim on the throne. “Please,” Ursa begged. “My life is forfeit, but my children—” Lu clutched her hands. “I will take them, and I will love them as my own.” It was an easy promise to make. He already loved his little cousins.

[commehter]

So, About Kallik...

A few commenters on AO3 have hit on the same question regarding the main waterbender OC chilling in Kitaika. The question being: Is Kallik Hakoda's father?

And the answer to that question is:

...Maybe.

At some point, I realized that although reuniting our favorite WT family with Kya bordered on canon/timeline-breaking (and so I am disinclined to do so) there is literally no reason they couldn't have some other relatives that got imprisoned by the FN for being actual waterbenders. (And it would also make sense that Katara might have some other bending relatives in her family tree.)

I like the idea, I've grown fond of Kallik, and I'm not totally convinced I should go through with it. (That's right. We've cycled back to Author's Darlings as OCs again. I've seen far too many OCs that are important because they're somehow related/connected to MC.)

Happily, there's nothing saying I have to go all in on the idea just yet. Although I have plans for Sokka and Katara, it will be a good while before I need to hammer out the details. For now, a few hints that Kallik might possibly be their grandfather is enough to keep it from becoming something that comes completely out of left field should I decide to commit to the idea once we reach a point in SToFLO that it would become relevant. And if I decide to back off that particular idea, well, I haven't put anything too substantial into the story that I shouldn't be able to write my way out of.

(...I admit, I wasn't really expecting any readers to be so quick to piece together my potential plans, though. I put a few hints in one chapter thus far. Either y'all are bloodhounds for this sort of thing, or I have failed to be as subtle as I was aiming for. Something else to think about later, I suppose.)

[thegaangneedstherapy]

ZUKKA/BAKODA FIC RECCCC

We'll play hide and seek (to turn this around)

Sokka gave him a sheepish smile. “It’s…well, you see, there’s this boy…”

Hakoda sighed and set down the sports section. This was going to take a while.

“He works at Barnes & Noble. At the big information desk in the middle. Every Saturday. And I really want to ask him for his number, but it’s super awkward because there’s always this other guy working the information desk at the same time. He’s old, like you. But I have a plan." Sokka’s eyes lit up deviously. “You come with me to Barnes & Noble today when they’re working and distract the old man. And while you have him distracted, I’ll swoop in and get the goods!”

Sokka has a plan to ask out the cute boy at the bookstore. Hakoda is a begrudging participant until he meets the boy's beautiful older coworker.

[reticenceofladyeva]

hoax x (my best laid plan)

The old man isn't fooling anyone with his green robes and full beard. Hakoda knows perfectly well that this is a Fire Nation man, and there's a latent danger to him that keeps all the warriors looking over their shoulders even as Katara marches him around the camp, Kova in tow.

He strikes at another tree branch, whittling it down to another spear handle. His knife cuts through the wood with a satisfying thwick.

There's an easy familiarity between the old man and Katara, and the child keeps giving his (other) grandfather gummy smiles. This Uncle Mushi knows things Hakoda doesn't, like the ticklish spot behind the boy's knees, like Katara's preference for sweetened matcha in the morning and ginger tea in the afternoon.

Thwick.

They pointedly do not talk about someone named Lee.

Lee decided to go home.

Thwick.

Hakoda would very much like to get his hands on this Lee fellow.

Thwick.

Mushi is pleasant enough. His nephew is a scoundrel.

Thwick.

Pouhai was a trap, Katara is saying. We never should have gone. I heard, Mushi replies.

Thwick.

We were supposed to stick together, she says. Mushi reaches over and gently squeezes her wrist. His daughter puts her head in her hands.

Thwick.

Do you think Aang is okay, Katara asks. And Sokka? Mushi sighs.

Thwick.

The Fire Nation is unkind to prisoners of war, the old man admits.

Crack.

Hakoda looks down. The spear shaft has shattered in his hands.

Mushi looks at him with a sort of mournful understanding, and Hakoda jumps to his feet and hobbles into the woods. Need a new branch, he grunts, and the old man behind him bows his head.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

I Am Blackened Bones (Part 22)

She wishes that it didn’t hurt so much that the spirit always seems to be around for the joyful moments while she comes to the surface when things are too stressful for her spirit self to handle. 

“We have to figure out some way to get rid of this spirit curse.” Zuko declares. Azula supposes that his inclination to state the obvious is a decent enough opener. Lackluster and dull but it does the job. “We need to get you back to the Fire Nation.” And she certainly can’t disagree with it. “Any ideas?” He finishes.

And they are all looking at her. She supposes that she could play clueless, as though it is the spirit here and not she. But she would like to bask in her limited time at the forefront. “I deal in battle tactics and political strategy. Spiritual matters never really piqued my interest.” 

“Well have you tried to merge with your other half?” Aang asks.

Truth be told she is afraid to try. 

Afraid of what she might become if she does. She is so divorced from her spirit self, their personalities have grown so different. To blend them together now…? Somehow she feels as though her domineering personality still wouldn’t be enough to snuff out the parts of her that the spirit curse has created. 

“I have, yes.” She lies. “We’re not exactly compatible.”

“Not compatible?” Aang frowns. “You are two halves of the same whole, you’re meant to fit together.”

“Even if they do manage to merge, that still won’t solve the problem of firebending hurts her.” Sokka points out.

Katara clears her throat.  “Actually, I had an idea about that.” 

“Let’s hear it.” Zuko says.

“The Spirit Oasis. If that water can bring Aang back to life, then it should be able to help with this. We can go back to the north and see if Chief Arnook will  let us take her there.” 

“Oh I’m sure that they will be just delighted to have me.” Azula tugs at her coat and folds her arms across her chest.

“I feel like they’ll be more unhappy to see Zuko than you.” Katara replies. “They have history with him and they’re still sore about it.” She pauses to bite her lower lip. “Which is why I think that we should drop him off at home along the way.” 

“Yes.” Azula agrees.“That way he can relieve Mai of the throne and I won’t have to deal with his chatter.” Rather she won’t have to fret over him witnessing the humiliating and awkward task of her trying to navigate who she will become. 

“Deal with my chatter? I’ve been nice to you!?”

Azula shrugs. “Nice people can be annoying.” She pauses. “Usually they are the most annoying people. But I suppose that I will…” miss having him around? No, he doesn’t need to know that. “We will have plenty of time to catch up when I get back, Zuzu. And it won’t be interrupted by a spirit.” The spirit that is growing antsy. Itching for her turn on the surface. 

“Okay but what about the whole tortured screaming whenever Azula gets close to Firebending ordeal?” Toph asks. “We couldn’t even land the first time around and you guys want to fly into the heart of Caldera City to drop Zuko off?”

“It’s the most efficient way to go.” Azula admits. “I will just have to bear it for a few minutes.” A few lengthy agonizing minutes at that. But she won’t let herself become a burden. She’d rather weather the violent burning sensation. At least that will fade; humiliations and disappointments linger longer. 

“I don’t want to have to do that to you, Azula. It was…it was really hard to watch.”

“Then look away?” Azula suggests. 

“It was hard to listen to too.” Toph says.

Azula sighs, partially resigning herself to becoming something of an inconvenience. “We can drop Zuko off at the Royal Plaza. It is close to the capital but will require some travel. Unless things have changed since I’ve been gone, he should have plenty of Imperial Guards to accompany him the rest of the way.”

“Alright, we’ll give that a try.” Katara replies. “But I still don’t like it.” 

Azula supposes that she can take solace in that they don’t enjoy watching her suffer. She, however, isn’t particularly fond of having Zuzu leave her alone with his friends. As much as she hates to admit it, Sokka worries her. He resents that she is here. Really all he would have to do to change that is wait until the spirit comes back and…

Azula cuts herself short. It doesn’t pay to dwell on that which might not even happen, she had learned that much on the day of Sozin’s Comet. 

“Well then. We have a plan now and we won’t just be wasting time here.” Azula concludes. “We’ll leave tomorrow.” Although there is a part of Azula that wishes that she could have been the one to go sledding and chase penguins. It is a small and foolish part of her. A childish part of her that she is curiously certain doesn’t come from the spirit.

“I was hoping to spend at least one more day here.” Katara admits. “I’ve missed Gran-Gran and our dad was going to take Sokka and I on a fishing trip with him.” She pauses. “You can come along if you’d like.”

Azula swallows. “It might not be me who shows up.” The notion puts a sorrowful tickle in her tummy. 

“We’d be happy to have either one of you. Right, Sokka?” 

“Yeah.” He grumbles. “Sure.” 

He could have fooled her.

.oOo.

It is growing harder to tell who she is speaking with, if Katara didn’t know any better, she would say that it was spirit Azula. But her enthusiasm, though unmistakably present, is stifled and somewhat repressed. A composed, poised sort of curiosity and joy that only the Azula that they have always known could convey. 

Perhaps it is a good thing that it is growing harder to tell them apart. They may well be merging with one another on their own accord. Maybe all that they needed was time. Time and no interference.

“Watch your step, princess.” Hakoda says as Azula steps up to the canoe. He extends a hand.

“I know how boats work.” She replies bluntly and Katara knows for certain that it is Azula here this time.

Hakoda, good natured as always, chuckles. Azula does take his hand. “Katara never wanted me to help her either, she was always a big girl…”

“Dad!” 

“And she always fell right into the water.” He pauses. “She did that the last time she and Sokka came for a visit.” 

“Dad!” She exclaims louder. 

“And Sokka tends to topple the boat. So be prepared for that.” 

Sokka takes his turn shouting, “dad!”

“Well I can’t wait for that.” Azula grumbles. She gracefully steps onto the boat, applying her weight in just the right places. Begrudgingly Katara admits to herself that she needs to work on her boat boarding skills. 

Hakoda hands her a paddle. 

She stares at it, “what’s this.” 

“It’s called a paddle.” Sokka props his arms up on the canoe’s wall.

Azula rolls her eyes. “I know what it is. I just hope that you all aren’t expecting me to use it.”

“There are four of us.” Hakoda says. “An even amount of paddlers is always better, makes things easier.” Reluctantly Azula dips her paddle into the water only for Hakoda to say, “not yet, I’ve got to push the canoe further away from the shoreline first.”

Azula’s face flushes slightly as she pulls the paddle back out of the water. Katara stifles a laugh that she knows the princess would take offense to. The spirit would have laughed along with her. Maybe one day Azula will too. She thinks that it would to Azula well to lighten up a little. And it would do the spirit well to be more serious about things from time to time. 

“Alright, you can start paddling now!” Hakoda calls as he climbs back into the boat.

“I bet I can catch more fish than you, dad!” Sokka declares. 

“Now that just isn’t true.” Hakoda argues. “You haven’t caught more fish than me since we started taking fishing trips.” 

“Well I’ll get the biggest one.” Sokka returns. 

“You haven’t managed that yet either.” Hakoda replies smugly.

By the end of it, the both of them are disappointed to find that Azula—spirit Azula, no less—has caught a bigger fish than the both of them. She had only given all three of them heart attacks when she’d shouted, “oh look, there’s one!”, and lept right into the water.

Katara can’t pinpoint exactly when spirit Azula had taken over. Just that she is looking at all of them with sad, pitiful golden eyes as though they are to blame for her being a soaking, shivering mess.

Katara sighs and wraps her own coat around Azula. She has a better tolerance for the cold anyways. Not that it matters, her coat is soaked too. Azula snuggles into the coath and clings onto her fish; she won’t let them pry it away from her. If Katara had to guess, she would say that spirit Azula had taken over at the precise moment that Azula had spotted the fish. Taken by a primal urge to hunt and gather, she’d thrown herself to the front of Azula’s mind and reawakened with a startling suddenness. 

“At least I wasn’t the one to topple the canoe this time.” Sokka says for himself. 

All four of them have a hearty laugh. 

Katara likes to think that somewhere in there, in the privacy of her own mind where they can’t see her, Azula is laughing too.

[blueleopard555]

Explanation + Spoilers for Water Lessons!

Skip this if you don't want spoilers for chapter seven of my fic, Water Lessons. This might also include spoilers for chapter eight which has yet to be released at this time. NSFW warning!

A commenter on AO3 wanted more information on the Hakoda, Kya, and Ursa love triangle subplot I added. It might seem that I did it on a whim (Tbh, I kinda did at first), but I have my reasons, I promise.

First, the commenter asked, "What where the feelings of the three of them that night?" As mentioned, Ursa thinks both Kya and Hakoda are hot. Ursa is, on some level, also a bit jealous of their relationship. Of course, they have their flaws, but to someone who was married to and is now divorced from Ozai, they are perfect. They love each other, they have fun with each other, and they have great bonds with their children.

As for Kya, she does realize that Ursa has not had best marriage in the world. While finding her attractive, she still wants to be loyal to her husband. HC for this fic is that she's never been with anyone else other than Hakoda. High school sweethearts, you know? But... what if she does want to try being with someone else after all this time? What if she wants to know that Ursa is happy being alone? A good friend would want their best friend happy, right?

Hakoda on the other hand? His loving wife and some other attractive, trustworthy woman? He'll never say that out loud but perhaps he has imagined what Ursa might be like in bed. His wife is wonderful! Perfect! Yet... like Kya, could it be a bad thing to add spice to their bedroom? (IRL, PROBABLY YES, IT COULD BE BAD)

That drunken night, Hakoda got frisky with his wife. Being slightly drunk, Kya says it isn't fair for Ursa to only watch. A switch flipped on in Kya's brain as she watched Hakoda play with another woman. That IS hot. Alcohol mixing with pent up emotions/desires is a great way to have fun and/or have regrets in the morning.

The commenter then asks, "Would it be a one night only thing or go further?" Honestly, idk. I didn't think that far ahead tbh but we'll get to the meta stuff later. Regret would be felt by all parties, especially with all their children now knowing. For Ursa, her ex-brother-in-law is there on vacation with them! How awkward is that?! If it does continue, it would be after things cool off. Or maybe things don't happen. Two of their respective children are starting to date. Like I told that commenter, the three of them did have secret ideas of them doing something together again on this vacation.

Meta Analysis Time!

This whole story has two goals/themes: Getting Sokkla to happen and showing Azula grow as a person and overcoming her fears.

Learning about the threesome that took place goes on to be the catalyst for the "first major section" of chapter eight, "A New Day." (I guess it should be "A New Several Days" but whatever!) I don't want to give away too many spoilers but… lol… Azula reflects and makes a decision. It's that decision that I hope gets the ball rolling on "Azula has gone through a character arc." IDK if my arc for her is easy to see/understand but again, I'm trying. My writing is far from perfect. Since the subplot does not directly affect the final scenes I have planned, I didn't bother expanding on the love triangle aspect of the story other than it did happen.

Now… recall how I mentioned that I added the whole subplot as a joke? This whole fic started out as two ideas: Azula biting Sokka’s during a sexual scene and her reaction to Ursa sharing what she did.

[ankilona]

Why Do I Ship Them?: Zuko/Hakoda

I've read a few fanfiction with this ship, and after I get over the age gap, and the fact I usually read Zukka and It was a bit strange reading about Sokka's father with his usual love interest, this ship got me thinking. And here's what I got.

I know this ship is not that popular, and I can definitely see why. But has some merit I think. What do you think?