#he wants to care for this boy the way Zuko’s father never did and the way Lu Ten never got

[raychleadele]

Live Action ATLA Ep 4 might be my favorite so far

When the melody of “Leaves From the Vine” started playing over Lu Ten’s funeral, and again when Iroh boarded Zuko’s ship, that’s what did me in. I’m sold.

[sokkie]

Zuko who knows his soulmate is from the Water Tribe. They have to be, the twisting blue saluting over his left bicep can’t belong to anyone else. His father forced him to keep it covered, though he did try to hav rot burnt off despite knowing that soul marks couldn’t be removed. The burn stayed, but the twisting cold blue only became brighter and twisted further up and down his arm. Zuko learn to hate it, it was what he was told, but he hated a lot of things. He hated the Avatar, he hated his father, his masters, commander Zhoa, and his even the gruelling training he forced himself to do every day. Even though he tried, he couldn’t hate the mark on his skin even though he didn’t know them, it made him feel sick. Especially when he remembered his mother telling him stories of how beautiful the love of soulmates were despite never having one.

Sokka has cut, burned and punched the mark of a resting dragon curled around his thigh more times than he can count. Every time it comes back, face soft and content despite its torment. Only his sister knows of it, their parents choosing to keep it secret for his safety. It’s a burden and a shame on his family, he doesn’t care how beautiful or kind she is, she is his enemy. The flame the dragon has blowing from its mouth as softy as wind raged in his dreams and more than anything Sokka hated how safe it feels. It’s evil and dangerous but it’s also warm in a way Sokka hasn’t known since his father left, since before Katara was known as a bender and preferred by all over him. He hates the mark and the soulmate who may be sit, even if he wants nothing more than burn in the embrace of their flame.

CW: mentions of abuse

It’s only because of Iroh that Zuko isn’t killed. He’s beaten and tortured by his own mean, but before the ship even gets close to land, Iroh has grunted them all to ash and is taking his nephew and running. He knows that the man who calls himself a father will do, knows what will happen should anyone know of how Zuko’s mark has moved over his entire chest as it flowed like an aurora. He will not loose his nephew, even if the boy himself has never been more lost in his life.

[thethreeeyed-raven]

Hey pooks, hope the brits haven't gotten to your head yet. All that tea ya know? PIP PIP, ELLO!!!

anywho, imma hit you with a daddy Zuko req.

So, him and fem reader are childhood friends. And she was kind of a ball of Anxiety and didn't have many friends. So zuko took her under his wing, and was really protective of her.

So when he is banished, he doesn't take her with him because he think she's safer at home.

She thinks she made him mad somehow, and she thinks Zuko hates her and left her.

After he returns (pretending to have killed Avatar) she kind of avoids him, cause she thinks she did sm wrong.

Zuko thinks he did sm wrong, and thinks that she hates him because of the banishing and him kinda being a murderer.

He finally is like "wth, talk to me. Ily, I missed you sm"

And she's like "I thought u hated me ilyt"

And he's like "pooks, u can't love me I've done terrible things.'

And she's like "bby, ily I know u never hurt me. Idc that u banished and a murderer. U always take care of me pooks."

And they all live happily ever after.

WELP, have a good tea time!!!

return

navigation | warnings : none? | a/n : this was better in my head, must of been the 5 cups of tea i have everyday | zuko playlist | tags : @fangsp1der-2099 , @lost-in-fiction-like-ur-mom , @knight-of-flowerss , @mochminnie

You remembered the day he left.

He didn’t even look back at you.

He just left you there.

But now he had returned.

What were you to do? You hadn’t spoken to him in almost three years.

He was banished, you knew that. But why didn’t he take you with him?

Zuko had felt nervous all day.

Yes, he was scared of what his father would do. But he was more scared of what you would say.

Did you even stay in the fire nation?

When you were feeling down, you usually went to feed the turtle ducks.

Today was one of those days, it was nothing new.

It was quiet and peaceful, until a voice you thought you’d never hear again.

“Hello.”

You whipped your head around and met those enchanting golden eyes.

“Zuko.”

He approached you slowly, then sat down.

The silence was awkward at first. Zuko then had the courage to speak.

“I need to apologise to you.”

You looked at him from your peripheral view.

“When I was banished, I was afraid to take you with me. I didn’t want you to see me that way.”

“And I’m glad I didn’t. I’m glad you didn’t see what I became, what I have become. For that I’m sorry, but I also don’t regret it.”

The hungry turtle ducks were far out of your mind now. Your thoughts were filled with the boy next to you.

“I thought you hated me. You didn’t even look at me when you left.”

All this time, Zuko thought that you had forgotten about him. He never imagined that you would hate him.

“I could never hate you. I didn’t look at you because I felt shameful.”

Both of you didn’t know what to say.

“When you were gone, I was all alone. You remember me having no friends don’t you? Well, no one definitely wanted to be friends with the buddy of the banished Prince.”

“And I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you.”

Zuko shook his head. “You have the right.”

“I didn’t hate you…because I loved you. I always have.”

You took your hands in his gently. “I’ve always loved you too, and even now, after all you’ve done. I know I can love you.”

His hand softly caressed your face and he brought you closer. “Can I…”

Nodding, you closed the gap and brought your lips together.

Yours were soft against his chapped ones, both of you enjoyed the feeling of the other.

“We can learn to love properly again. I know it.”

[lacroixqueen]

embers and earth ch. 1 (zuko x jin angst)

Summary: jin finds out "lee" is actually firelord zuko, the new leader of the fire nation. angst and mental breakdown ensues

Word Count: 1.2k

Pairing: zuko x jin

Tags: angst, jealousy, yearning, prince x peasant

Author's Note: this was inspired by fan art but I for the life of me cannot find the artist's name just if you are out there just know you inspired this fic so thank u :v

Jin was absolutely furious the day that she found out. 

She remembered being over the moon the night before when the Earth King announced that the Hundred Year War was finally over. That the fire nation inherited a new leader who would forge peace between all four nations at long last. She recalled sleeping a little bit more deeply that night. A sigh of relief. A breath of fresh air. 

She even had a pep in her step when she ambled into the main marketplace of the Lower Ring in the morning. For the first time in her life, she didn’t need to worry about her safety. She remembered having to escape with her family when fire nation soldiers attacked her village when she was only a little girl. The fear in her father’s eyes. Her mother holding her tight and telling her not to make a sound when she cried. 

But today was a new day. A fresh start. 

She was picking out the ripest cabbage in the stall when she noticed a couple of Dai Li agents putting up posters around the square. She swore to herself she saw a glimpse of a face that looked all too familiar for comfort. She almost didn’t want it to be true. Because if it was, it would confirm too many questions she would stay up asking herself over and over again. 

A small crowd was already beginning to form around one of the posters. She eventually elbowed her way through and made it to the very front. And there it was. 

Firelord Zuko. Future of the Fire Nation. Forging an era of peace. 

Except it wasn’t “Zuko”, or whoever that was. It was Lee. The boy with the scar from the tea shop. She reached out reluctantly, as if she touched the poster he would come walking off the page. She placed the tips of her fingertips over the purple scar that ran across his triumphant face. 

But it’s not possible. Lee said he was of the Earth Kingdom. A traveling circus, was it? Now that she thinks of it, it did sound a little bit too barbaric to be real. But none of that mattered. 

She was fascinated by him. She hung onto his every word. Even though it’s not like he had much to say in the first place. 

After their date, she remembered how excited she was to see him again. She planned out an entire day with him in her mind, replaying the scenarios in her dreams like she was the director of a play. She recalled feeling a bit ridiculous about it, like some giddy fangirl. But she didn’t care. She had never wanted anything more in her life. 

But surprise quickly melted into confusion, which devolved into anger. 

How could he? she thought to herself, trying to piece together the puzzle but it still didn’t make any sense. 

The last time she tried to reach out to him, she burst through the doors of the tea shop, wearing her heart on her sleeve and ready to confess her undying love to him, without so much of a care in the world. But he was gone. In the blink of an eye, tossed away into the wind. 

“Where did he go?” she asked one of the workers, almost dissociated from reality. 

“To the Upper Ring,” he replied, sweeping some dust out of a corner. “His uncle got a job offer to run his own tea business. The Jasmine Dragon, was it? Yeah something like that.”

She felt her own blood run cold. She would only ever occasionally venture up to the Middle Ring, but Upper? She wouldn’t stand a chance. She would be ushered out as quickly as she came in. Not to mention she had no idea where this new store was even located. 

She was inconsolable for several days, of course, but in the back of her mind she knew she couldn’t cry forever. Because time heals all wounds, as her mother would say. 

And she eventually moved on, even though there was always longing within her that she could never quite shake. An ache that pulsated every time she remembered that she would most likely never see him again. 

Her thoughts were beginning to spiral at a rate of a million miles per second. Was he lying to her that entire time? Was that what he meant when he said “it’s complicated”? 

She paused, her entire body frozen. 

Was that how he lit up the lanterns at Firelight Fountain?

She couldn’t even process what was happening, but next thing she knew, she had already scrunched up that stupid poster, much to the crowd’s bickering and dismay, and shred it all up into several pieces. 

Tears were beginning to bud at the bottoms of her eyes. So that’s it. He was a firebender this entire time. But why lie about it? Why keep something so important from her, when he knew how much the fire nation had hurt her family.

Why was she acting like some sort of dramatic schoolgirl? It’s not like they were officially together or anything. It was just one silly date. Why did it mean so much to her anyway?

She walked briskly home, attempting, but failing horribly to conceal her tearstained face.

She opened the door to her modest home, without even bothering to close it gently, and stormed up the stairs to her bedroom. 

“Jin, were you able to get the vegetables I needed?” her mother called from the kitchen but she wasn’t even able to muster up a response. 

She flung herself onto the cot splayed out in the middle of the floor, grabbing her pillow and holding it close to her chest. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she kept telling herself. Why did she care so much anyway? It doesn’t even matter. None of it. 

Lee or Zuko, what difference did it make? 

He was still going to be a million worlds apart. Whether that was the Jasmine Dragon in the Upper Ring or the palace in the Fire Nation. 

She could weep and yearn for her entire life, and then what? He would just descend into the dilapidated shacks of the Lower Ring and sweep her off her feet? She knew the chance of that happening was zero to none. So why hope? Why cling onto this tiny shred of faith that had no meaning otherwise?

She played with the thought a little bit, after all, she was a hopeless romantic at heart. But the fantasy dissipated as quickly as it formed. 

It’s best to forget any of this ever happened, she decided for herself after an entire afternoon of contemplation. There’s no use in staying in the past. Besides, he probably never thinks of her these days. He’s busy running his own country, and creating a new era for the world. 

After all, why would some Earth Kingdom peasant ever cross the firelord’s mind?

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

What does Zuko do for Mai? She clearly puts a lot of effort into the relationship but he doesn't.

He had a lot of growing up to do before he could be in a relationship with ANY girl. Mai came through for him but he never did for her. It makes sense that he originally didn't have a love interest.

...You come into MY HOUSE to talk shit about MY BOY? And about MY SHIP? Anon, grab a sword, we're gonna fight!

Okay now, jokes aside, while Zuko has some maturing to do, so does Mai. And they'd still make mistakes even if their family lives hadn't deeply traumatized them because they're teenagers. Lots of the mistakes they've made (jealousy, poor communication, one accidentally being too aloof, etc) are stuff perfectly healthy and mature adults still make because surprise surprise, figuring out how to make things work with someone is hard, and considering their traumas and the situation they were in, they could have done A LOT worse.

Nothing either of them has done crosses the line into "Behavior that indicates this person should not be in a romantic relationship with ANYONE, at least for now." It's typical relationship stuff that either results on a permanent break-up or a temporary falling out that pushes both to get their shit together and be better for each other.

Not to mention, the root of all of Zuko's issues was the fact that he was abuse victim who was struggling to cope with his abuser being not only his own father but the absolute monarch of their nation. He got used to not being able to trust that someone's affection for him was genuine, to fear that it could suddenly be stolen away.

That he couldn't rely on anyone else because THE person that was supposed to take care of him betrayed him in such a cruel way and got away with it. That feeling entitled to things and then using whatever means to obtain it was the ONLY way to not be neglected, ignored and taken advantage of.

His abuser is gone now, but no matter how much therapy (or at least the ATLA equivalent of it) he gets, Zuko will only learn how to have healthy relationship through practical means because it's REALLY easy to be a good partner in THEORY, but things always get messy when you're dealing with the real thing.

Reality is very different from hypothetical scenarios in which you're dealing with the idea of a partner that never misunderstands you, never says things in a way that didn't realize weren't clear enough for you, never loses their temper, never takes things to heart, never fucks up, never needs a bit of space when you fuck up, never is as in the dark as you are about how to handle an unexpected issue, never gets too needy, never gets too distant - never acts like a human being.

Zuko still makes mistakes when it comes to his uncle and his friends, but no one says "That means Zuko should not have a father figure nor friends" because we saw that being alone Gives Him Very Bad Ideas. Why should romance be any different? A relative or a friend can hurt you just as much as a romantic partner can, and be just as hurt by stuff you do. It makes no sense to act like a flawed person is allowed to want a family and friends, but not a committed relationship.

As to what Mai gets out of this:

1 - Zuko loves her for who she is and canonically likes it when she expresses herself, even when what she is expressing is "Zuko, I'm done with your bullshit". For someone who has been neglected and taught over and over that her opinions don't matter, that means a lot.

2 - When Zuko changed sides, he didn't try to guilt her into leaving with him, and didn't hold it against her when it looked like she was gonna remain loyal to Azula. Compare that to her parents not giving a shit that she didn't want to move to Omashu, or to her knowing there was a possibility of her getting killed by Azula if she displeased her, and tell me in which relationship Mai feels she has the most agency.

Zuko is not a perfect boyfriend, but the simple fact that Mai isn't even slightly afraid to talk back to him when he goes too far speaks volumes on who she feels safer with and trusts to never try to coerce her into staying if she ever decides to leave.

3 - Mai and Zuko enjoy each other's company, are attracted to each other and he is as openly affectionate with her as she is with him. Even the sea-shell she didn't like and the ice-cream he accidentally dropped on her lap were just him trying to spoil her a bit - and he managed to do it in a way she'd appreciate in Nightmares and Daydreams.

He can be a jerk sometimes due to his anger issues (something he canonically was working on and wanted to move past), but he could also be a genuinely caring boyfriend.

4 - Zuko was also neglected and made to feel worthless for most of his life. They can relate to each other.

5 - Three years into his banishment, after no seeing her for a long time and unsure if he'd ever even hear from her again, he still thought of how Azula pulled a prank on them because of Mai's crush on him.

He constantly sought her out for comfort when he was back in the Fire Nation, even when she didn't really know how to handle that yet. Out of all the things he had left behind when he joined the Gaang, she was the one he openly said he'd miss. He was overjoyed when they were reunited in the finale.

Even his not at all healthy levels of jealousy are extra proof that he isn't just putting up with her like her family, he cares about her and actively WANTS her in his life, to the point of being scared that someone could "steal" her from him - and again, Mai feels more than comfortable enough to call him out when he goes too far, so it never crosses the line into "He means well, so lets excuse the bad behavior."

Mai feels wanted, safe and understood. Girl could do a lot worse.

[umalvie]

to me, zuko’s relationship with toph is so antagonistic on his behalf because she’s the one member of the gaang (outside of suki who he simply doesn’t consider to be in the gaang tbh) who he least empathizes with, at large and in relation to her trauma. the reason for this is that unlike aang’s, katara’s, and sokka’s traumas which he sympathizes with + connects his trauma to in various ways of arguable aptness, zuko is uncomfortable with the striking closeness of toph’s trauma to his because of how class and privilege factor into their both of their trauma. aang, katara, and sokka are not privileged in any real way, esp not one that reminds him at all of his situation re status and privilege.

zuko finds aang, katara, and sokka's trauma relatable on a level that makes him feel equally victim of the fire nation; that's why he draws lines between kya being murdered in an ongoing genocide to protect katara and ursa, who was certainly not anti imperialism from anything we've seen of her, disappearing to protect him from his abusive father and grandfather. both situations are unpleasant and involve maternal sacrifice, but one is a domestic ordeal while the other is an act of racial violence and genocide. the connection exists, but the context is radically different. still, zuko likes that he can draw those parallels between his trauma and katara's. it allows him more room to feel like a better victim and arguably a bigger one in the context of the war, despite the fact that his status means he did in many ways benefit from his family and country being the perpetrators of it and his own personal role in it throughout books 1, 2, and 3.

i will give the obligatory disclaimer that zuko is a child soldier and he does side with the oppressed in the end, but he himself is not oppressed by the fire nation's genocidal war as a fire nation prince, let alone when he is the fire nation crown prince. he is someone who directly benefited from this war. yes, his father was abusive, yes, he was exiled for 2 and a half years, but he was still afforded many privileges because of the war. that does not negate his domestic suffering or his political exile, but those privileges still came about because of the suffering of others, including the gaang.

this is a nuanced situation. it is extremely complex and hard to accept the simultaneous truths at play here, even for adults, let alone for an extremely traumatized, black and white thinking 16 year old boy. zuko needs to be a victim in the context of the war as well as his family to alleviate his guilt about his participation in it prior to joining the gaang. he needs to relate his trauma to theirs. i will say that he doesn't ever seem to attempt this with suki nor does she offer her trauma to him, but that's more about both the writers and zuko not caring much if at all for her as a person.

but toph receives clear rejection from zuko when she tries to relate to him. her attempts to endear herself to him and to open up to him are shot down. why? surely toph suffered because of the war too. she's from the earth kingdom. but she never suffered a personal loss that zuko respected or related to. toph is not given any dead relatives. she was abused but not in a way zuko would understand, and her abuse did not negate that she lived a relatively comfortable life for being in the earth kingdom during the war. she was rich, she was cared for, she was shielded by privilege in many ways. while zuko is of course far richer than toph, he doesn't want to confront that reality. he doesn't want her privilege to make his obvious. he needs to focus on his suffering, his abusive father, his struggling to fit in as heir, and his time in exile and poverty. he can't accept the idea of those struggles coexisting with his privilege, so he can't accept the idea of toph's either. she has to just be whining about nothing. she has to be a nuisance not to be taken seriously. otherwise, he has to turn and face things about himself he doesn't want to be true.

could he grow to care about her and face his own privilege in the future? sure. but he doesn't in canon.

[waterfire1848]

Can you expand on the brave au?

Hello, anon!!! @stardust948 feel free to add anything you want!

1. Ozai grew up in Iroh’s shadow. He was constantly overlooked by Azulon in favor of his older son for being the better firebender and fighter. Ozai thought that wouldn’t matter to him when he got older but he was wrong. His son, Zuko, who, although he is a very sweet boy, isn’t a warrior. He’s not a stronger firebender or fighter. The only saving grace is that he’s good with swords but Ozai knows that isn’t enough for Azulon. Instead, all his attention is focused on Iroh’s better son: Lu Ten. Lu Ten is the spitting imagine of a warrior and Ozai is constantly angered that Azulon is giving his attention to him and Iroh and ignoring him and Zuko. When Azula and Kiyi are born, Azulon does little more than raise an eyebrow before walking away. The two are stronger benders but Azulon doesn’t care for second and third borns. Despite his kids and Ursa being an amazing family, Ozai still feels like something is missing.

2. When Azulon dies, Iroh is made Fire Lord and holds a great festival and celebration for his coronation. After the crowning, Iroh asks Zuko to perform some firebending moves which gets Ozai mad. When Zuko can’t perform as well as Lu Ten (this isn’t a malicious thing. Lu Ten thinks he’s helping his cousin and Iroh is kinda drunk/wanted to see what Zuko could do. Neither of them meant to embarrass Zuko) Ozai confronts Iroh and yells at him for humiliating his son. Iroh ignores Ozai, saying that Zuko is a good son just not as good as Lu Ten. Zuko then gets angry and yells at his father. A fight that ends with Zuko burning their family portraits and cutting himself out (Zuko: You’d be happier right?!? With me out there!?). With that, Ozai leaves the party in anger, partly because he believes Iroh is right and because he knows Iroh is wrong. Zuko isn’t a great warrior but he’s an amazing son. While wondering alone through the jungle close to the palace, Ozai is greeted by a spirit that offers a way to help. She gifts him with a small cake and says it will change Zuko. Ozai returns to the palace and offers a piece to Zuko (as an apology), who instantly grows sick after having a piece. Ozai gets Zuko back to his room but quickly realizes something isn’t right. Ozai leaves to get a wet cloth for Zuko’s head but when he returns, there’s a medium sized disoriented red dragon in Zuko’s room, looking at him with the same eyes his son has. (Ozai: Zuko? Zuko: *Roar?*)

3. Ozai sneaks Zuko out of the palace and into the jungle for his own protection (Ozai: Iroh boasts about his dragon killing abilities and Lu Ten has never killed one. If they knew one was in the palace, they… Zuko: *Growl* *Whine* Ozai: I’m not going to let them hurt you, Zuko. I promise. We’ll figure this out). Ozai can’t find the spirit that did this to Zuko but he does remember the spirit telling him that if he was unsatisfied with the results then he had to fix the bond he broke. Ozai just doesn’t know what that means. In the time of looking for some kind of cure, he and Zuko do start to bond more and more. They go fishing, Zuko gets the hand of flying, and Ozai tells him stories of things his mother used to tell him. It’s only a few days (and Zuko can’t even talk) but it’s nice. Then it all comes crashing down then when Ozai wakes up and can’t find Zuko. He later finds him, having killed and eating a hippo cow. (Ozai: Zuko! You can’t kill livestock! What are you- Zuko, with slit dragon eyes: *Growl* Ozai: Zuko? Zuko, what’s wrong? Zuko: *Roar!* Ozai: Zuko! Zuko: *Breaths fire at him and runs after him. He easily pins him down and raises his claws* Ozai: Zuko, stop! It’s me! It’s your father! Zuko: *Roar!* *eyes change back* *Growling in confusion* *whimper* Ozai: We really need to fix this). Ozai and Zuko discover that the cure might be back in the palace, in the picture Zuko broke, so Ozai agrees to return while Zuko remains in the jungle.

4. Things go from bad to worse very quickly. When Ozai returns, Zuko completely turns again but this time flies around and Iroh spots him. Ozai tries to stop Iroh but the man refuses, getting everyone together to kill the dragon. Even worse is that, while looking for the portrait, Ozai has to pass through the kitchen and sees Ursa, Azula and Kiyi eating pieces of the cursed cake. (Ursa: What? Ozai: You have to promise not to leave me. Ursa: What? Ozai: Just promise you won’t get mad at least. Ursa: I promise I won’t get mad. What’s wrong? *Ozai explains everything* Ursa: WHAT?!? Ozai: You said you wouldn’t get mad! Ursa: That was before I knew you poisoned our son! Ozai: I did not poison him!! I-…Kiyi… Kiyi, now fully a dragon: *Chirp* Ursa: We’ll talk more about this when I get the ability to talk again. Ozai: I’m dead, aren’t I? Ursa: Very much so.) Thankfully, most of the palace residents are gone because of Zuko’s flight so it’s easier to sneak three dragons through the palace. (Ozai has to hold Kiyi to keep her from running off). They find the painting and Ursa tears it down while Azula grabs needle and thread from her parent’s room. Ozai, having learned from his mother, starts working on fixing the cut when the family hears a dragon roar from the jungle. (Ozai: All of you, stay- *Everyone is gone* Ozai: No, no, no, no).

5 (part 1). Ozai rushed out to the jungle, trying to find everyone, and ends up coming across Ursa, Azula and Kiyi….with dragon minds. For a moment, Ozai is positive he’s about to die and that’s when Zuko shows up and fights them to protect Ozai. Ozai’s conflict really comes into play here because he did want Zuko to be a great warrior and taking on two dragons (he can’t count Kiyi) at a time is very impressive but in the other hand Zuko is fighting his mother and sister and they all might be stuck like this forever. Ozai notices when Ursa and Azula come back and runs in front of Zuko, telling him to stop. (Ozai: Zuko! Not that I don’t appreciate the help but you can’t hurt your mother or sister. Zuko, looking at Ursa and Azula: *GROWL?!?!*) Ozai apologizes to Zuko for what happened and how he tried to change him, saying that he has a way to change him back now and is about to put the portrait over him when Iroh arrives.

5 (part 2). Once again, the three fight but Iroh has more men who capture them. Ozai tries to reason with Iroh, telling him the truth and that they’re not really dragons. Iroh, of course, doesn’t believe him and tells Lu Ten to kill one to officially get his title. (Ozai is currently being held back by guards). Lu Ten picks Ursa but before he can kill her, Kiyi jumps on his face and starts clawing at him, giving Zuko enough to break free and wack Lu Ten with his tail into the tree and roaring at Iroh. (Again, really big thing Ozai wanted to happen. His son has enough power to take on Lu Ten and Iroh but this isn’t how he wanted it to happen.) Ozai frees Ursa and Azula who join in the effort with their firebreathing. While they do that, Ozai puts the portrait over Zuko but nothing works. Tearfully, Ozai apologizes to Zuko and admits that he was wrong. (Ozai, feeling Kiyi tap his back: Not now, Kiyi. Go with your mom and sister. Kiyi: Daddy? Ozai: Kiyi, I said- Zuko: Dad? Ozai, opening his eyes and seeing everyone is back: You’re back! Zuko: We’re back. Ursa: Ozai. Ozai: I’m dead).

[drpoisonoaky]

Sozin’s law

This happened at very early stages of their relationship. This came from Sozin’s law that ban gay relationships.

(I have to be honest I cried writing this so all of the typos not all came only from “English isn't my first language” as usual.)

Katara wasn’t angry, but they needed to talk. So as she intensely stared at Azula she asked her “Are you ashamed of me?”

Azula looked at her as if she was saying the most crazy statement in the world. “What? Of course not. I am crazy but not that crazy.” then with a softer voice asked “Why do you think that?”

For a while Katara thought that she was being paranoid, until last week.

They were walking around the Capital and she wanted to buy some gifts for Gran Gran and her father. She was holding Azula’s hand. Her hand was always warm, it was comforting. 

But as soon as some people came close to them Azula dropped her hand. She looked at the princess and she noticed how tense she was, so she decided to not ask her ‘Why?’ at that moment. But she knows something was wrong. 

Katara softer her gaze “Why did you drop my hand the other day?” 

She was prepared to confront Azula’s ‘I didn’t do that’ or ‘Did you hit your head?’ but instead she heard:

“Because I don’t want anybody to hurt you.” 

Azula was looking at the floor, so Katara dropped the inquisitive tone.

“Is it because I’m from the Water Tribes?”

“That sometimes crosses my mind but no”

 “Then why Azula?” 

Azula looked at her with glassy eyes. “It was forbidden, Katara. I was raised and taught that I was a monster in more than one way.”

That sentence made Katara’s stomach turn. “But Zuko abolished that law in his first year as Fire Lord.”

It was the truth. It was one of his first moves as Fire Lord: ‘The law should prohibit all forms of discrimination and not support them’.

Azula took a breath knowing an old wound is going to be open.

“The law isn’t there anymore, but you can’t change people’s minds that fast, Katara”

“Since when do you give a fuck about anybody else opinion?”

“Since one day I took Ty Lee’s hand in the gardens and father saw it. He forced me to know how that particular law works for people with that inclinations”

Katara’s blood ran cold so she stepped closer to Azula.

“Can you hold me?” asked Azula shyly.

Katara didn’t answer but she stepped even closer and held her girlfriend in her arms. 

Being embraced and feeling more protected she continued. 

“They send them to mental institutions but in that mental institutions they apply some methods to them” 

Katara wasn’t sure if she wanted to know but she had to ask. 

“They did that to you?” 

“I was there because I was having hallucinations, that thought never crossed their minds. Ty Lee and I were careful, before the boiling rock at least.”

“What did they do in that place?”

“I’m not entirely sure. When Ozai took me there I saw how they tortured some women and made her repeat ‘A romantic relationship between two women is a disease’. She was strong, she denied it multiple times until they broke her.”

Azula was crying, Katara didn’t think she even realized that she was crying, maybe because Katara was also crying.

“After seeing how that woman lost the will to live in her eyes, Ozai faced me and said 'We shouldn't see the princess of the Fire Nation in that position, don’t we?’.”

“I face that man and his training methods every day. How he reacted to imperfection, but I never was more afraid of him than at that moment.”

Katara had her throat all in knots. She held Azula as if her life depended on her.

“How old were you?”

“Not sure. Maybe eleven or twelve. I don’t even know the meaning of my feelings for Ty Lee and he already knew it.”

Katara was speechless. 

“I tried to be how I was supposed to be. I even kissed a boy. But after I did that I know for sure I can’t live like that.”

“But it was forbidden…”

As if she read her mind, Azula said “I meant to be the Fire Lord. I could change that, I wouldn’t have to pretend.”

And with a weak voice murmured “I don’t know how Zuko knew, we never talk about it. Maybe he saw something or talked with Mai or Ty Lee. But when she banished the law, she came to visit me and said ‘You have done awful things in your life but one of those never was loving someone’”.

Katara has her eyes full of tears. Her held in Azula I wasn’t just to help the princess. Azula faced her and hugged her just as hard. And in the crook of the neck mutter. “I’m not ashamed of you. If I was proud of something it is to be able to be yours. I am afraid of something happening to you and I. I’m working on it, please give me time.”

They spend the rest of the day holding and supporting each other. And Katara promised herself she would do everything she could to let the woman in her arms to feel safe around her no matter what.

[mugentakeda]

(to add into the runaway firefam au)

when he offers himself to take care of azula in his aunts stead, lu ten doesnt just whisk baby azula away to irohs side of the palace until ursa is well enough to bare leaving her bed.

he still needs azula to recognize as her mother, so whenever ursa is well enough, lu ten will send a lady to ask if ursa could breastfeed her. if not, he can get a wet nurse, but he always has to ask. hes not sure if whoever breastfeeds azula will have any effects on her in the future, but it cant hurt to do it anyway. if he just takes the child off her hands once the deed is done, usually.

on top of that, the nanny that ursa entrusts with zuko will take him to go see her multiple times a day, and in a few of those, lu ten will go along with baby azula.

it gets complicated when lu ten realizes that every ounce of life melts off ursas face when azula comes nearby. his aunts face is still, dull, and almost confused. like she just woke up and theres suddenly a child squirming in her lap. its not any help that zuko is a typically quiet and focused little boy that doesnt mind sitting in one place and fumbling with the same toy for hours. so he couldnt be bothered long as his mother is simply in his sights, but azula is the same as any other baby that likes to be played with. lu ten has her used to being carefully swung around and bounced in his lap, his hand patting her rear as he rocks her back and forth, pretending to nibble on her little hands whenever she puts them on his face. parroting her babbling noises back to her and cooing to her.

azula gets confused and starts to cry when she realizes ursa isnt reacting to her the way lu ten does. and when that happens, he always panics and whisks her back to his rooms awkwardly.

aunt ursa will get better, he tells himself. azula is calm now, laying in his lap, fumbling with a paper weight she grabbed off his nightstand with great interest. she is strong, and she has me to make her stronger.

the younger aunt ursa that married into his family and was still fresh from her old life, that still did things like leapt and danced and hooted in her reenactments of theatre plays, that still did things like played the floor is lava with him, that still did things like howl with laughter, has long since dried up ( there’s nothing he can do to recover that for her own children to enjoy. why did he get that privilege when ursa isn’t even his mom? he’ll spend his whole life busting his ass for strength that will never amount to being able to catch lost time with his bare hands.).

he feels like hes gonna miss this when its gone, but hes already accepted that this will be a secret that he takes to the grave. this isnt a favor lu ten wants to be paid back for. this isnt something he wants to throw in his aunts face whenever they have a disagreement in the future. this isnt just for aunt ursa, even- this is also for azula. for the future love she and ursa will definitely share. and for himself, who will never fully comprehend what the love of a mom feels like, the privilege and blessing of it, because the women that raised him were an endless moving cycle of palace servants that came and went.

its not forever. it could be tomorrow that he finds her in the gardens without a stumble in her step. maybe not good as new, but no longer in so much pain. for all agni knows, it could be this very evening. for once, his fathers proverbs ease him- for every journey, there is a destination.

future lu ten is watching a toddler azula run to aunt ursa, who has a healthy flush in the face. he just has to grit his teeth and keep it pushing until he gets there.

[blackbullet99]

What do you think of this discourse.

https://www.tumblr.com/allnewalldifferentwildspider/748861203442434048/what-do-you-think-of-zuko-and-aangs-friendship?source=share

Alright, fine. I generally don’t know if I wanna read posts like these much, but alright. Considering this is coming from the-badger-mole, who has no understanding of A:TLA and makes it her life‘s mission to hate on a fictional 12 year old, and the other guy throws a hissy fit the moment a book brings up that the imperialist nation that would commit genocide doesn’t put women in many positions of power, their opinions really don’t matter.

Of this person thinks Aang isn’t a good friend who never supported anyone. Ignoring how Aang literally saved Zuko’s life, was the one who allowed him to join the group because he came to believe he had changed, the two go on a whole journey to re-discover Firebending, Zuko literally trained Aang. They both discuss their feelings to each other several times. Their parallels and interactions were a key part of each season. Honey, you blatantly don’t understand A:TLA beyond your middle-school crack ship.

This idiot don’t understand A:TLA either. “Bryke wanted Zuko in the gang as little as possible cuz Zutara”. If the Zuko joined the gang too soon, it would’ve diminished his arc. The reason why Zuko’s arc works so well is because he actually gets what he wanted in Book 3, to go home, to get his father’s approval, only to realize that isn’t what he wanted and he lost sight of who he was. I think Book 3 - Part 2 should’ve been longer, but this has nothing to with Zutara, get a life.

“If ANYONE was Zuko's "best friend" in the gang, it would be Katara. And that's not zutara glasses talking”. Yes it is the Zutara glasses talking. You’re another braindead ZK fanatic who clearly can’t even take Fire Nation criticism and treat Aang like he’s an abusive horndog. Your opinion means nothing.

I’ll say this much, Zuko and Katara are close friends, but only at the very end of the show, and I wouldn’t say they’re the closest in The Gaang. One they become friends, nothing about their relationship stands out especially from the others. Especially seeing as Sokka and Zuko had a close bond, they have a good amount of similarities, they share a two parter and Zuko goes to him asking for advice about Katara.

Once again this moron proves they don’t understand or care about the story of A:TLA beyond their Wattpad ship. Lemme set the record straight, Zuko and Katara’s dynamic is a notable part of the show yes, but Aang and Zuko are two of the key cornerstones of the show. Aang asking Zuko if they could be friends is important because it brings up the fact that the Fire Nation was more peaceful back then, it also shows that Aang is willing to show kindness and offer friendship even to this enemies and Zuko’s expression and the fact that Zuko thinks about many months later shows that despite wanting to capture Aang, it’s something that Zuko did consider, adding more depth to their dynamic. But then again, the-badger-mole thinks Aang didn’t go out of his way for anyone and spends their whole life hating Aang, so of course they’d wouldn’t notice this.

“Aang and Zuko are friends because Bryke said they are. Same reason Mai is a good guy, or Katara was always in love with Aang.” No we see Aang and Zuko as friends several times, we see that Mai is a anti-heroine but isn’t a villain, especially in Book 3 and when she stands up to Azula, we see that Katara has feelings for Aang, multiple times throughout the whole show, but because this has nothing do with Zutara you’re either blind, delusional, stupid or all of the above.

“Very little involving Aang's development or his relationships is important enough to be shown on screen, and as a result, Aang isn't that important to the development of the plot.” Oh boy, we got another “Aang had no importance to the story, he’s a plot device”. F*ck off. You objectively don’t understand this show and don’t care about it at all beyond your crack-pairing, stop making your lack of media-literacy everyone else’s problem, know your place and stick to Wattpad Zutara fics fitting for someone like you.

There are a total of three episode where Aang admires Katara’s beauty and even then it’s a minor thing, that hardly changes anything. It’s painfully obvious you’re just a bitter loser who upset that Bryke didn’t give into your petty entitlement and make your self-insert middleschool Wattpad good girl/bad boy ship canon. Whiny ZK fanatics like you will complain if Aang so much as looks as Katara, but their pants will be soaked if Zuko touches Katara’s necklace and forcefully grabs her. Y’all have issues.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is the greater cartoon of all time (after SpongeBob SquarePants of course). But lost on media-illiterate obsessively Aang hating Zutara obsessed fake fans like y’all who don’t care about this show, nor do they have the capacity to understand it because their pissy that their dumb@$$ ship ain’t canon, so all they can do is cope and seethe for the rest of their lives.

Hope you appreciate my response anonymous asker. Have a nice day.

[galaxythreads]

The live action ATLA is amazing. 9.5/10. I didn't love everything about it, but there are so so so so many good parts and I'm so glad that Netflix decided to make this. I've seen a lot of weird criticism from long time fans and maybe I just haven't been in the fandom long enough, but. I absolutely think it's worth giving a watch if you go in with a semi blank slate. The Netlfix series is not trying to be an exact scene by scene remake of the show.

The thing about it that you have to remember when you go in is that they said they were going to change the tone of the show, and they did, and it works! It's not the same. It's not a comedy. It's funny, but it's not a comedy. Character motivations were changed to fit the darker theme. It's using Avatar as source material and intends to be an adaption, not a reconstruction of the series.

Katara is much more traumatized about her mom's death, which made sense! She was murdered in front of her. She's afraid to take on a maternal role because of that. She's quieter and softer because she's afraid and she's healing from her mother's murder. Katara in the series made sense, too, but I feel like someone looked at her and went! Wait. Smol child is maybe...not okay??? I have faith they will build her up as the seasons progress if they continue.

Hakoda is disappointed in Sokka barely passing his trial. Makes sense! They're at war! Sokka has to take care of the village, of course Hakoda has high expectations for him. And the thing is--Hakoda still trusted Sokka with the responsibility of the village anyway, so his disappointment in Sokka's trial didn't stop his faith in his son. And honestly, I think it's fine that Hakoda is not a perfect parent who never makes mistakes. Parents rant about their kids to their friends all the time. It's healthy because they're not doing it in front of, or to, their kid. Hakoda didn't know Sokka was listening. So. Idk. Sokka doesn't go through his misogyny is bad actually arc, and while I missed it, I thought he functioned really well in this story without it. And for the record!!!! Sokka STILL makes stupid jokes the entire season. He didn't lose his sense of humor.

Aang feeling so much guilt about leaving? Yep! I can vibe with that. I missed his innocence and playfulness, but I feel like this wasn't a bad take on the character either. He was still playful, but in the world they live in, it would make sense that he feels terrible for leaving. And everyone they encounter takes it upon them to rub it in his face so why wouldn't he feel bad or out of place?? Especially after Bumi. Everyone says he needs to face this alone, and Aang learning that he doesn't have to?? Powerful!! Is it the same arc as s1 of the show? No! It's not supposed to be!

Zuko's actor was perfectly cast. That boy IS Zuko. The scence at the end of e6 made me cry because it was so powerful with the 41st, and that felt so EARNED after episodes of watching Zuko's crew despise him to suddenly realizing the only reason they're alive is because of him and realizing it's an honor to shelter him. Zuko drawing Aang to pin him on his disaster wall was amazing. Him getting hit by some random woman for attacking Aang? Amazing. Him sitting next to Iroh during Lu Ten's funeral? So soft. The Agni Kai really rubbed people the wrong way, but I think it was interesting that they decided to have Zuko showing compassion be the root of Ozai's anger. He showed compassion to the 41st, he shows compassion to his father, and when Ozai has defeated him, he has him on the ground and could walk away, and he chooses to burn his face. It's not exactly the same as the show, but again, it's not intending to be.

Azula being here was interesting. I don't know if I loved Zhao being incapable of doing anything without her, but it works for what it is. Zhao is intended to be annoying and he was! So. 10/10. She cried when Zuko got his scar! Ozai playing the long hand of terrible abusive tactics made me want to bite him. Because Ozai doesn't care about Zuko. He uh. Made that pretty clear when he banished him and then at the end when he's explicitly told Zuko might have died at Agna Qel'a and he's like ????????? Am I supposed to care??? We've gotten rid of weakness. So??? Like he used Zuko to force Azula to become more ruthless. He used Zuko to shape her. I do hope we get more exploration of Ty Lee and Mai so they aren't Faceless Blorb Friends, but I just don't think there was really time in s1.

The parts they chose to remove and add into the story was interesting. You got to explore the story for the first time again. I definitely think both versions have merit and are deeply enjoyable, I just don't think you should go in expecting it to be exactly the same thing? I was happy to see a new take on the story, but that might be because I knew that it was going to be darker and the characters would adapt to that. I do hope we can get more of the vibe of the show's humor in season 2 if we get season 2, and Katara feels little more like her show-counter part because I missed her, but honestly, I do recommend to a friend.

Or at the very least, if you absolutely refuse to watch it, PLEASE go watch the last 1/2 of episode 6 with Zuko and the 41st because I CANNOT.

+THEY ACTUALLY PRONOUCED EVERYONE'S NAMES CORRECTLY #bareMinimumAward

[sarnai4]

Father-Daughter Bonding

Spoilers ahead for Avatar and the Netflix version.

There is something in the cartoon show that I enjoyed a lot and was very excited to see more of in the Netflix version when I found out Azula and Ozai would be in season 1 more prominently. Unfortunately, this did not happen. Now, this isn't to say it's right or wrong, but this is what I personally would've enjoyed. It's a headcanon of mine.

Ozai sees himself and Iroh in Azula and Zuko. This is partially why he is so hateful of the boy. He perceives them both as undeserving people who would be heir to the throne and gain more respect simply because of age and nothing else. He resents Iroh for being born first and having the birthright just as he resents Zuko for being first and stealing that from Azula when Ozai becomes Fire Lord.

It could make the relationship simultaneously more loving and more toxic. Azula thinks that her father really values her and wants the best for her when in reality, he just loves the part of her that reminds him of himself. He'll never see her as her own person and simply adores how he has a mini him.

It bummed me out to see Ozai almost showing favoritism towards Zuko in the new version (in a sick way) by chastising Azula for mocking his Avatar hunt and even going to check on him after the Agni Kai. Then, he tested Azula so much. I want Azula to still be tested, but the brain washing has gone on for so long that it's self-induced. He could give her a compliment, but she'll still think it could be better because he's trained her to accept nothing less than perfection as well as the fact that nothing will ever be perfect. So, she's stuck in this cycle of always trying to improve to keep his love since she believes it's her skills and competence he cares about so much.

Azula hates Zuko because Ozai does. It's part of their bond now. They both hate those "dishonorable" brothers of theirs who are "weak" and "need to be removed." Ozai poisons Azula against Zuko and tries to constantly demean the boy so that he'll never have the same type of public reception as Mr. Popular Dragon of the West has. Instead of seeing how he's tearing their family apart, Azula sees it as him bringing her in closer. Maybe a part of Ozai could even have a genuine love for his daughter, but it'll only be the most love as he's capable of giving and that is a very small amount that will always be less than what he reserves for himself.

[zukkaart]

Prompt where zuko had to go abroad for a year for diplomatic reasons. Sokka gets insecure about the fact Zuko might find someone there that's better looking but Zuko proves to him he loves him the same(maybe even more. Distance makes the heart fonder or whatever the saying is

If you're looking for angst then bb you have come to the right place I despise the miscommunication trope so you're lucky I love you.

~~~~~~~~~~

One thing about Sokka is he has abandonment issues.

After his mother died and father left before he was even ten, there was little anyone could do to quell his anxiety. Especially when Aang almost died, he felt like that eight year old boy all over again as he cried into his father's chest.

He knew it wasn't their own faults, not really, and he didn't hold any resentment. It still didn't change the way he reacted whenever one of the people he cared about had to leave. He always felt like something would happen and they'd never return.

Over the last five years with everyone having to return to their respective nations as well as travelling around the world as diplomats Sokka had no choice but learn to adapt.

He wasn't expecting his anxiety to jump back through the roof when Zuko finally asked him to be his boyfriend on a visit to the South Pole. It was one of the happiest days of his life, until it wasn't.

Sokka didn't anticipate the way panic would grip his chest when the fire lord had to return to his people. They wrote letters back and forth almost every day, and they visited each other whenever possible. It had been three years since they began their long distance relationship and he still had no idea how Katara and Aang did it.

It had been okay between them for a while, Zuko was very good at reassurance and Sokka was content to drive himself in to his work and travels to distract himself. However, with everything so peaceful he hadn't had a reason to travel to the other nations, which meant he hadn't seen Zuko in almost 8 months now.

"Sokka? Are you alright?" Katara placed a hand on his shoulder, starling him awake from where he had fallen asleep across his diplomacy plans and maps.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "I was just trying to figure out the best trade routes between us and the NP before going through the Earth Kingdom,"

The truth was, he wasn't okay. He had barely been eating or sleeping. Zuko had been in the North pole for the last three months, so on top of still not being able to see him he was now an entire world away, and they were corresponding much less frequently due to the distance and Zuko's endless work to improve relations.

Sokka couldn't help but feel like the longer he went without seeing his boyfriend, the less likely he was to come back at all. The added factor of being in a relationship made him feel like not only was something terrible likely to happen, but he also constantly worried that Zuko would find someone better... especially in the North Pole.

The North Pole had a large army full of brave warriors, and Sokka felt that any one of them was worth two of him- even after everything that he'd done. Zuko deserve someone better, but he still wanted the person he chose to be him. He had never spent more than two months in another nation at a time. Sokka couldn't help but feel like maybe he found someone.

"Come on, some messenger hawks just came in," Katara sighed, not failing to note the dark circles under his eyes that seemed to get deeper by the day. Sokka mumbled his agreement and pulled on his parka to follow her.

They finally reached the hawk perches and Sokka's mood was unimproved when he found no letters for him except updates from Toph and Aang on the construction of Republic City. Katara placed a hand on his shoulder, and he knew she was about to suggest she use some healing on him to help him sleep, but she never got the chance,

"Ship in port! All hands!" The dockmaster called, but it was the middle of the night. So Sokka and Katara took off running to help, practically falling through the snow as they went.

It was in fact a ship, a fire nation ship. Sokka felt his heart leap in his chest. That would explain the lack of correspondence. Zuko never write while he was sailing, he always insisted on focusing on helping his crew.

Sokka and Katara took the ropes that the crew tossed down and began working with the few dockhands working the night shift to drag it in to port. It took them a while. The moment the anchor was dropped Sokka sprinted up the gang plank and on to the ship, practically knocked the captain flat on his ass.

He righted him with a quick apology. "Where is Zuko?" He asked slightly frantically.

"The Fire Lord? Why would he be here?" The captain asked,

"Well because he- I...." Sokka dropped his head, not letting go of the captains shoulders, "He's really not here?"

The captain offered him a sympathetic look, "No, but that's actually why I'm here, to bring you back to the Fire Nation," Sokka's disappointment was instantly replaced by icy fear running up his spine. "What? What's wrong? Is he okay?"

That time the captain laughed lightly and gently removed Sokka's hands from his armor. "Nothing is wrong, your presence as an emissary is simply requested on behalf of the fire lord." He handed over an official correspondence with a royal seal.

He spoke the truth, so Sokka said his goodbyes to Katara and made sure she was alright. She assured him she was since Aang would be arriving in a few hours and their father would be sailing back from the EK in a week. So he packed a bag, hugged her goodbye, and set on his way. It would take them a month to reach Caldera City.

~Z~

"Your highness, embassador Sokka has arrived," The court announcer found him in his room, where he was frantically trying to figure out how to string leather. He had barely just returned from the North Pole where he had spent the last three months trying to learn every Water Tribe tradition possible surrounding marriage and betrothal. Most of them were simple, but carving a necklace? Proved to be nearly impossible.

He spent an entire extra month than anticipated there, just working with their best carvers and creating a design all his own. He broke a frankly absurd amount of bone circles in the process, but eventually made one that was perfect. Only one thing left to do.

~S~

He couldn't help his hands from shaking as he walked up the steps of the palace, he was about to open the large main doors when a servant ran up to him, practically out of breath.

"Embassador, the Fire Lord requests that you meet him by the turtle duck pond, shall I escort you?" He gasped for air

"No," Sokka couldn't help but crack a smile and place a comforting hand on the frazzled young man's shoulder. "I know where it is,"

He made his way around the palace and through the outdoor pathways that he could have walked in his sleep. Zuko always met him there if he was feeling stressed or had something important to talk about. His enthusiasm slipped back in to anxiety the closer he got. What if he did find someone else? What if he only brought him all the way here to break up with him in person?

I should just get back on that ship and go home

But it was too late. His feet had taken control all the way in to the garden, where Zuko was just sitting peacefully in the late afternoon light watching the turtle ducks swim around.

If this moment was to end, Sokka convinced himself to stand in it a moment longer. If he could just keep sitting there... so beautiful.

Zuko must have felt his eyes because he turned his head then, and beckoned him over. Sokka obeyed and sat down next to him. He reached a hand out but Zuko pulled away.

Tui and La spare me if this is how it ends

"What?" Zuko asked, and Sokka realized he must have that that out loud. He couldn't bring himself to say anything else, only to meet his eyes, tears welling in them.

Zuko immediately dropped whatever he was holding on to the grass in favor of taking Sokka's face with both hands.

"My love what's wrong?" Sokka couldn't stop the tears then from freely rolling down his face as he began to sob,

"I"m so sorry, I should have visited you more. If you found someone else it's okay but I don't want to know and I don't want to meet them," He gasped in between sobs, "Please, please spare me that,"

"Sokka? Lover, what are you talking about?" "You spent so long in the North, longer than usual right?"

A indecipherable look crossed Zukos face

"Yes," He confirmed, and his eyes flickered down, "A month longer, but it-" "I knew it," Another sob wracked his body as he yanked his face from Zuko's grasp and immediately began storming off. He heard shuffling behind him and silently prayed that Zuko would let him go with his dignity. He said as much,

"Sokka please! It's not like that, just wait!" "Leave me alone! I don't want to hear it!" He snapped back

"Sokka you absolutely wonderful idiot," Zuko grabbed his arm and yanked him around so they were face to face,

"Don't call me a-"

"Sokka I'm trying to propose!"

"You...what?"

(This one is literally so long my badddd but I hope you like it)

[pinkrabit]

ATLA LA Episode 4 Into the Dark

The glowing rock candy 🤤🤤

Iroh and Aang bonding in prison.

"I'm really starting to see what kind of person his is." "I doubt that."

Sokka yelling at Sai like you yell at your father's mistakes

Love how active the fantasy racism is.

DONT GUILT SOKKA, SAI

Sokka is still so proud of Hakoda. He's so proud to be his son, "My father would never do what you did."

Zuko sneaking in??? We've seen numerous times in the OG his stealth capabilities when he tries. So, I'm excited.

BABY BUMI ! BABY (hes still a baby) AANG !

"I like the parts of Omashu that aren't so depressing :D"

SECRET TUNNEL

Great touch to openly address labor camps and POWs with the real world terms

"It's time to stop fighting. It's time to fight."

The Flopsy statue needs more recognition.

BUMI

Even Aang looks at Bumi like he's insane

Bumi, I know he's your friend, but you shouldn't out Aang like that

"Throw him.... a feast!" Aang looking terrified as if his old friend would EVER hurt him because the world has changed so much since he was last in it breaks me.

"Not everyone out there is the enemy"

"If you stand against us, you are."

"You're fighting because of hate. Just like the Fire Benders"

YES KATARA FIGHT BACK

KATARA THUGGIN AFTER SAYING "Goodbye, Jet"

I love how awful a liar Zuko is in every universe. LEARN TO FIB MY BOY

Aang at the table, like, "did my bsf friend forget I'm a vegetarian???"

Bumi being passively aggressive toward Aang, and Aang serving back "It was a tragedy!"

"Don't you care?" Aang, Bumi has a point when he yells at you. I like this Bumi a lot. His anger feels genuine. However irrational it may be.

THE HIPPIES IN THE MOUNTAIN

Sokka slowly vibing is OOC but still appreciated.

"We're doing what we're doing." They're all high. They gotta be.

Are Oma and Shu...? The gay??

I love how women are often portrayed as ending a war or unintentionally starting it, and then there's Azula.

Thanks for the backstory hippie man, wish you had a map though.

Two lovers, forbidden from one another~

SECRET TUNNEL (×2) THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN

"They're doomed 🤠"

Prisoner cruelty!! I know Uncle War Crimes but what about the Geneva Convention?

"The direct path is not always the best path." Paralleled with Aang wanting to find a way to end the war without killing Ozai.

I hate how they took out Kataang in the LA (i understand it'd be weird to allude to making aang's actor kiss kataras, though), but I like "love" in the tunnels being familial instead of romantic. And I like Sokka using his brain to figure stuff out.

"He was 19.. Was it worth it?" "We were at war.. I was a soldier." Such is the awful reality of war. When it comes to soldiers, it's not personal. It's a job, its dehumanizing to yourself and the rest of the world. It's a politcal game. "You (Iroh) know nothing of loss." And then showing his grief.

Iroh didn't want his son to die a war hero, he wanted Lu Ten to be his son.

!!! This was such an important conversation to put into the show. !!!

Zuko having something from Lu Ten 🥺🥺

I want a separate series with just Lu Ten

Leave from the Vine playing 🥺🥺

Bumi ragging on Aang for wanting to be a kid, AS A TWELVE YEAR OLD, makes me so mad.

Yes, he thinks about fun and games. A boy shouldn't be as bitter as an old man.

Zuko showing up to kick ass for his Uncle because that's HIS FUCKING UNCLE. He's still strong enough to break metal WITHOUT BENDING. SHOWING HIS COMPENTENCY.

"We've all seen enough death."

Zuko showing concern for Iroh's Injury to demonstrate his "true" nature of being sensitive and compassionate. Which is why he was banished in the first place.

The WT Siblings just hold each other before their perceived death feels so important to me.

And I feel like we can and should read into the badgermole/ "Love is brightest in the dark" scene.

"Great, how do you think they respond to verbal commands." Sokka can you be Sappy for like 5 minutes please.

"Some of us have to fight, even if we don't want to. That's what it means to he in a WAR!" This show is delivering so many lines and comments about war and its complexities for everybody involved. Just like the original. Y'all wanna sleep on it because of minor character changes????

I have yet to see a character, Suki has come the closest, that has been so awfully OOC that I've had to stop.

Aang asking for help, "one that requires you to make impossible choices" Bumi is a little misguided here but he means well in sharing his knowledge of leading to his friend.

"Learn what it means to be the Avatar!" "No!" Aang will never give up who he is based on others expectations. And the idea that he doesn't have to do things on his own, "like a child" is going to be what wins the war.

Aangs refusal to kill or hurt isn't bad, he's going to make a difference. He's going to save people. He's going to be the Avatar, but he will be an airbender first!

SAI OUTING THE FIRE NATION IS REDEMPTION

Iroh left to be with his nephew 🥺🥺

He won't let this boy be without a father

LEAVES ON THE VINE

"Everything I need is on this boat"

This episode felt a little rushed, and felt like it lacked a little in terms of the Gaang. But in terms of Zuko, it served. Zuko's story felt stronger here. Especially, after seeing Appa fly away, but he chose instead to prioritize his Uncle.

[vampire-exgirlfriend]

Ten characters. Ten fandoms.

Thanks for the tag @theradioactivespidergwen 🖤 I love this!

1. Aemond Targaryen

I don't think any of us are surprised by this. Aemond is...the boy is everything to me. He's let himself become so warped and tortured by his trauma that recovery and self betterment were never an option. He's full of rage, he's cutting off pieces of himself to stay Mommy's good little boy, he's begging his father via his actions to notice him, notice him, notice him. The toxicity is off the charts and I would give my life for this scared child in a man's body.

2. Nesta Archeron

Nesta is a stone cold bitch and I would die for her. This woman, barely not a girl, was ready to sell her body to ensure a better life was possible for her sisters, and the entire time she was denigrated by Feyre for "doing nothing" because what she did was woman's work. Who do you think did the cooking? The cleaning? The clothes mending? She helped end a war. She was violated. She had her autonomy stripped from her. She was not allowed to process her trauma in the way that came naturally to her because it was a mirror that Rhys couldn't handle looking in. Very few people deserve a happy ending as much as she does.

3. Kylo Ren

Give me a character that is tortured by their actions and the legacy of their past and I will show you my favorite little baby in the whole world. He's so alone. He doesn't know his way in the world. He can't live up to his mother or uncle or father or grandfather and it's eaten away at something vital inside of him, leaving him rotting. The mental torture and abuse he's endured at the hands of Snoke have twisted him into something unrecognizable. And I love him, damn it.

4. Ophelia

She is hope. She is madness. She is full of life and love and all of the things the people try to chip away at as we grow up. This rendition of Ophelia stands above the rest for me because she was finally given the opportunity to set aside her suffering and continue on, even if it's with the knowledge of what genuine pain feels like.

5. Zuko

Are we really surprised by the addition of another angry young man searching through vindication and the reclamation of his honor by living up to the expectations of people who never truly cared about them? This list has a theme apparently. Zuko had one of the best and most rewarding character arcs of all time and his journey is one I literally watch over and over. Also Zutara forever.

6. Sansa Stark

Sansa is all of the things that were conditioned not to like when it comes to a character. She's feminine and a little whiney and naive. She's fodder for torture. And yet she's also one of the strongest characters in this entire series, both book and show (boo hiss). Sansa Stark turns her fear into hope and her hope into strength and I will never not love her.

7. Fleabag

I am her. She is me. Fleabag will never fail to rip my entire heart out and feed it back to me. She's awful. She's incredible. She's in pain. She's stumbling through life in the dark and using her suffering as a marker on the map.

8. Astarion

The theme continues. Suffering? Check. Insurmountable pain? Check. Using his body as a way to ensure his safety? Check. Saved via the power of love and friendship? Check. Astarion's arc follows a typically feminine-coded route and I was obsessed from the get go with this cunty little man. I want to wrap him in a blanket burrito. I want to sink my teeth into him. I want to spray him with a hose.

9. Eddie Munson

I'm not sure I've ever loved a character quite like I've loved Eddie Munson. The absolute heart of gold inside that poorly tattooed chest literally fuels me. He's insecure. He's an asshole. He's kind. He's angry. He's unsure of his place in the world. I will forever ignore the senseless tragedy of his death. It never happened. Nope. No. If I loved him less, I could talk about it more.

10. Dani Clayton

Dani Clayton, the love of my life. Though she weeps and trembles and avoids at all costs, there is no one stronger than Dani. She's suffered since the beginning and never let it stop her, not until she had to save the woman she loved by giving her very life. Tortured, haunted, so full of grief that it had nowhere to go. I would literally die for her.

No pressure tags: @jadore-andor @emilykaldwen @massivecolorspygiant @corrabell @cheesybadgers @ladylannisterxo @niocel @middimidoris

[sokkastyles]

Every so often I see the sentiment that Toph's parents were "not that bad." It's so annoying to see. Like, sure, they're not as extreme as Ozai, but their treatment of Toph was 100% abuse. They isolated their daughter on the basis of her blindness and refused to allow her independence or autonomy. Just because there are worse parents in the series doesn't mean that Toph's parents were good. It felt weird how the writers of the comics made Toph and her dad reconcile so quickly.

I haven't read that comic and I don't necessarily think it's wrong for Toph to come to some reconciliation with her parents, who she clearly loves and who love her. But yeah, their treatment of her was abuse and what's so sad about it is that they never realized they did anything wrong. And I'd blame ableism for that and both the fandom's willingness to forgive them or say their treatment of her wasn't that bad. Toph's father, in particular, hired bounty hunters to kidnap her when she ran away, AFTER Toph had tried everything to try and get him to see how she was hurting because of the way he treated her. Which shows a complete lack of empathy for his daughter as anything other than some kind of pet that needs to be kept in a cage and taken care of.

For some reason, people also seem to like drawing fanart of Toph and her mom engaging in traditionally feminine mother-daughter activities, which makes me really itchy because this is NOT what Toph wants. It's what her mom wants, but her mom never comes to appreciate the daughter she has.

Fandom in general is really bad with gender-nonconforming female characters because of the damage that worship of traditional femininity has done to feminism. Toph gets hate in certain circles for not being feminine, and a lot of that also dismisses her disability because her gender nonconformity is very much informed by it.

I wrote before about how Toph, being blind, simply can't perform traditional aesthetic femininity, something which is beautifully illustrated in her story with Katara in "Tales of Ba Sing Se." She gets picked on in that episode by other girls because she obviously did not do her makeup by herself, and she can't even counter the insults because she can't even see what she looks like. It's not just that she doesn't like wearing makeup, it's a world completely closed off to her.

Unless she gets help from other people. And the show goes to great lengths to establish why Toph doesn't want help from other people, and that's something that should be respected. So yeah, no hate to anybody's fanart, but why do I keep seeing art of Poppy Beifong doing her daughter's hair like she's a pretty little doll? Not only is this not Toph, this is the opposite of what Toph wanted. Toph wants independence and so she focuses on the things she can do, which happen to be not traditionally feminine things. Being made up in a way that expresses how helpless she is and also makes her an object to be looked at by others, while she can't even see what she herself looks like, greatly diminishes her agency.

Note that I'm not saying blind people can't enjoy makeup or looking pretty. Just that for Toph, it's not her thing and she has a great deal of trauma surrounding it, so her discomfort with it should be respected.

I think the readiness to disregard how Toph feels, to overlook her parents' treatment of her, is also connected to the way society sees women as perpetually childlike. If Toph were a boy, I think her desire for independence would be taken more seriously, but she would also be derided for the ways she isn't independent because of her disability and because her parents conditioned her to be dependent upon them. See Zuko and the jokes about how he's stupid or incompetent at things for an example of that.