#i'll try to find a version i can make zuko in

[magicwithineleteo]

bollywood arranged marriage zutara au ~

katara, the princess(?) idk she's royalty or something of the water tribe, is forced to be in an arranged marriage with the prince of the fire nation, zuko. firelord ozai arranged this (for power? it's the only way the fire nation won't eliminate the water tribes, and hakoda is furious at the deal, but katara agrees reluctantly to be the fire prince's wife in exchange for the water tribe's survival.) idk i haven't thought this through.

anyway that's katara learning ab this whole situation, here's katara when she gets married to zuko

i couldn't figure out how to save the picture so i screenshotted it, so here's the website i used <3

anyways her and zuko end up falling in love or something and they defeat ozai somehow

the end !

[eponastory]

Ah, Sarcastic Chorus...

Let's break down the 'I'm going to fix you' argument for Katara.

First off, no one can 'fix' anyone. Going into a relationship thinking you're going to change somebody and make them different is going to make that relationship bad. It's not necessarily toxic, but bad. Why? Because it's not your job to 'fix' the other person. The only one who can do that is the other person. You can only 'fix' yourself.

A lot of relationships fail because of these expectations.

I'm going to talk about fanfiction here for a moment since I've been writing a Zutara story. Since Zutara isn't Canon (but we really wish it was) and all, I only have what does happen in Canon and what happens in fanfiction tropes I see a lot.

In the show we get these wonderful little moments where Zuko and Katara are fighting each other (book one), and it sets a nice theme of opposites attract. The motifs are there with all the color symbolism... it's nice. That does immediately set our brains to 'oh they are so going to get together'. There are a lot of nuances to that, and it's lovely.

I'm not going to lie, Katara is in that group dynamic of 'The Heart' role, and yes, it does put a little pressure on her character to care for everyone. It's my least favorite role for a character and it's a bitch to write when you want that character to be independent.

Anyway, back to Katara. She's the mother figure, the caring and nurturing one that has to help everyone else sort out their problems while she has to internalize her own. It sucks. It really does. So when we get to TSR in Book 3 and she is practically berated by everyone for not acting like herself... she gets pissed, rightfully so because she had to help everyone else with their bullshit until Zuko finally joined. This is where Zuko becomes a foil for her.

Just to be clear, a foil is basically a character that encourages change to happen within a dynamic. It can be a group or a pairing. Usually, that character had opposite goals or a different personality. Zuko started out as the antagonist, but when he joined the Gaang, he's now a foil for the entire group.

Back to what I was saying... what was I saying? Oh yes!

So Katara is rightfully pissed because she needs to deal with her trauma when everyone is suddenly 'this isn't who you are'. No, this is exactly who she is. She is very much like her element. Water is fluid, it can be calm and it can be a torrent... which is exactly the way she is written. It's always been her, she just put everyone else's problems above her own. Now that she has to deal with her problems, it's chaotic for everyone else.

And yes, she does have survivors guilt.

That is her main problem, so now she has to deal with it. And Zuko gives her that chance.

This is getting pretty long, so I'll try to wrap everything up here.

Zuko doesn't need to be 'fixed' he's already done that himself by himself. Joining the Gaang was essentially a fresh start for him (I use that term lightly) which is why he is so awkward when he goes to talk to them at the Western Air Temple (or is it Eastern? I don't remember ahhhh. Fibro brain!) And it's so cute and I just want to hug him. I digress, but it's great.

He's got a shitty past, but he is trying to change himself even further by accepting responsibility for what he did to them individually. In Katara's case, he has to work hard for her. It's lovely, and the payoff is great. I know for sure that is what I see in their relationship. He cares so much about her that he works hard to win her trust again. Why? Because she showed him compassion in CoD, and that struck a chord in him. Her strength is her compassion when he was taught by his sociopathic narcissist father that emotions like that are a weakness.

That my dear Kat*angers is why we love this ship.

It's a beautiful dynamic between them that I would have loved to see Bryke explore, but they just gave us the most vanilla bland version of a romance they could find by pulling a D&B (Game of Thrones writers) and subverting expectations. It sucks.

TLDR version.

Katara doesn't have to fix Zuko.

[stygiovictoria]

Hi! Can you tell us more about what’s going on in your roleswap au? I love the composition!

hello! so sorry if this is really late, i'm assuming you mean the most recent version!

put simply our au only swaps out the roles of zuko and azula, so technically it's not a full roleswap, but... who cares! not me! anywho.

i'll explain what we have so far in chronological order — so everything before the series stays pretty much the same up until zuko and ozai's agni kai. somehow ozaiheard through the grapevine that the dai li were capable of controlling minds, so he contacts them, and says pretty much, “the fire nation won't make a second invasion attempt on you guys if you give us your mind control tech.”

the dai li readily agree, and ozai uses their tech to convince zuko of the following while he's in bedrest instead of banishing him:

1. ursa was the bad parent, ozai has always been caring and loving toward him, and ursa had to leave because she was so cruel

2. zuko got his scar from a training accident

3. the fire nation was working for the good of the world the whole time, none of what they do is unjust in anyway, they're just trying to save everyone

Ozai keeps zuko stuck at home so that nobody is able to show the truth to him (though he tells zuko he can't go outside because he's very sick and weak), and puts up a front of being a loving and caring father to better manipulate him. because zuko no longer holds doubts about himself in his mind and has been so heavily brainwashed by ozai, he becomes a much better firebender, and slowly falls into the same manipulative, crazy habits that azula has.

azula is then pushed off to the sidelines because of this, and feels very unseen. This makes her start to resent ozai and zuko and want to overthrow them, so she remains selfish and working for the fire nation at first.

Zhao is who ends up getting sent to find the avatar, but after he escapes Pohuai stronghold, ozai sends azula and iroh to go find him in his stead to “make use of them”. this is how she ends up taking the role of zuko.

azula ends up failing and turning at the siege of the north just as zuko did, so ozai lets zuko go with a ship full of people to “take care of” (monitor and continue brainwashing + worship) him. zuko so genuinely believes that he's working for the good of the world here and wants to make everyone friends with him, but as time goes on, his frustration and small memories of his past grow, and his behavior becomes more unhinged.

we have been working on this au together for a while, but it's not fully fleshed out yet, so that's all i can say for certain (+ no spoilers unless we create a fic or anything in the future!)

pls remember my best friend has been helping me a lot with this! her account is @dimlylitsmalltown, she mainly only reblogs, but if you get the chance go show her some love guys!

[worlds-worst-ships]

Ad libs: The Freddy Fazbear bin and the Ronald McDonald statue, when fate brings true love to life

(If you want the uncensored version of that picture, comment and I'll DM it to you, I've been laughing uncontrollably at it for minutes now)

(Also I'm being extra daring with this one, so I'm going to add a cut. If you're not cool with that, scroll away now)

A beachfront view is, by many considered to be the truest frontier of romance. Where better to explore your attraction than a place where everything is so open between you and your lover? The ocean, the sand, even your bodies, all so much more exposed, so much more vulnerable than they'd be anywhere else. Somewhere where you can look at the one your body craves most, and excitedly imagine what lies beneath the thin veil between the two of you and nature's most unique and beautiful work of art. Your most carnal desires, bubbling up in the presence of the one you love, in this globally recognised paradise.

(Click to keep reading if you dare)

But two people in particular on this gorgeous summers day, two who truly epitomise the link created by the red thread of love, would find themselves thrown together in a way fit for a silver screen production. The likes of James Bond, Danny Zuko, and Gloria from Madagascar shared some of their most romantic moments on beaches, but their stories pale in comparison to what happened on this day between the Freddy Fazbear bin and the Ronald McDonald statue.

But, yknow, they're inanimate objects who can't speak, so its not THAT interesting, but that kinda makes it more romantic in a roundabout way.

Anyways, the bin had worked, or, well, stood outside the McDonalds by the beach for a few months now. It was his summer job, from a certain objectifying point of view, and day by day, more and more passersby would throw things into his gaping mouth. Cans, food boxes, even used condoms, which if he could think, he might just enjoy. The bin man coming to empty him once every other day was the only intimate human contact he got, save the odd Tiktok prankster trying to climb inside him. While unable to think or speak, if he could, he would have said something like "I know he's just doing his job.. but he doesn't satisfy me. I need a real man who knows all the right spots".

At his wits end, or so I say, the Freddy Fazbear bin had very almost given up on love. Nobody wanted to get to know him. Sex no longer excited him. Things looked bleak.

Until, that is, the McDonalds franchise he was stationed at, almost as if by fate, put his true love right beside him... the Ronald McDonald statue. Oh, how they had so much in common! Well, they couldn't talk about it because they're solid pieces of plastic. But the next few days were the most intense, sexually frustrating romantic experience that the both of them had ever had. Well, it would be, if they were sentient. Unable to touch, unable to ravish each other's bodies, unable to satisfy their carnal urges, they simply sat there. The Ronald statue became increasingly more frustrated, watching every person who passed put things inside of his lover, wishing every time that each can, cup, packet and condom could be his long, thick, throbbing, veiny, 15lb McMeat. Or, well, the McMeat he would probably have if he wasn't a statue.

Unable to stand by and watch this cuckery any longer, fate decided to finally bring the two together. With a gust of wind, the two of them fell... and they fell perfectly.

The Ronald McDonald statue's thick, plastic finger plunged itself deep into the moisture plug in the rear end of the Freddy Fazbear bin, finally uniting their bodies in one swift, romantic motion. The finger pierced several diaper bags at the bottom of the bin, causing untold amounts of doodoo to come cascading out of the Freddy Fazbear bin's "bumhole".

Covered from head to toe in nature's pungent caramel, the two of them were satisfied. If Ronald was sentient, he'd have said "I'll take this over being cucked by beachgoers any day!" but he's not, so like the Freddy Fazbear bin, he just sat there with the exact same unblinking, unflinching expression.

After the deed with your lover, its usually customary to cuddle, but instead, the manager of the McDonalds exited the building after hearing the crash, screamed "OH, WHAT THEY FUCK???" and immediately called the city waste management to get everything cleaned up, and to have the two lovers returned to their original positions.

Neither of them forgot what happened that day. They didn't remember or register it either, because they're inanimate, but the pleasure will always be burned into their fictional memories. And the sands of the beach, coinciding with the sands of time, shall remember this as the ultimate story of true love.

[yourhighness6]

A Yue Stan's Thoughts on Yue's Character in NATLA

As much as I appreciated what NATLA was trying to do and think it is worth a rewatch, can I just say as an unapolagetic Yue stan that they completely ruined her, and Yukka by extension.

And say whatever you want about her scenes leading up to the sacrifice (which did make me cry, I'll admit, her speech about living was actually a nice addition), but it was actually this line that left me absolutely seething and in my opinion proves that the writers completely misunderstood what made the sacrifice so powerful:

I actually had to pause the television and collect myself after this one because holy fuck is this the stupidest thing I've ever heard. The entire point in the animated show was that she didn't get to make her own choices before this point. She didn't get to choose who to marry, she didn't get to choose her role in society, she didn't get to choose basically anything about her life besides maybe how to style her hair or something. Yue was a character who was extremely dutiful, but also extremely boxed in by her duty. It was both her greatest strength and her greatest weakness, a parody of itself, just as her mere existence was a parody: while she was saved by the moon spirit as a child and allowed to live on, it was that very reason that she eventually gave up her life. And the very fact that she was given these choices in the first place in the LA seriously undermined the idea of her sacrifice. Yue was told her entire life what to do, and although she did manage to find a bit of freedom through her brief romance with Sokka, ultimately, she still didn't get to publicly be with him or reject Hahn or anything similar. Her sacrifice was what she saw as her duty, yes, but her sacrifice for her people was also a way of standing up for herself and finally resolving to make her own choices. In that moment, she not only saved her people, but she finally made a decision for herself instead of doing something someone else told her to, even going against Sokka's wishes to do what she thought was necessary. So in the LA, with her having a place of influence in her community, with her being able to call off her engagement, with her being told that she could one day be chief, to that stupid fucking line implying that she was in no way ever repressed and free to make her own decisions the entire time, removing all of her character growth and any character significance to her actions, it was all basically pointless. It made Yue into a plot device for Sokka to bond with and to move the Aang-and-Kuruk plotline forward. In the animated series, Yue was not a plot device, and she was extremely well written, whereas in NATLA, her character fell completely flat. She talks about responsibility and pressure in her first scene with Sokka, but other than that, she has no depth. In other words, she has no depth besides her relationship to him.

Anyway, I hope we can all agree that her characterization and a lot of the decisions made in the last two episodes of NATLA were nothing but a pile of bulshit. From Iroh killing Zhao to Yukka having zero chemistry to Katara just magically becoming a master to Zuko being shelved to the plotline about Aang not feeling like he belonged having absolutely no buildup beyond a throwaway line in the second episode to everything about Yue I spelled out above, I would go as far to call it just plain bad. Again, I'm glad it got renewed, and I'll be the first to say a lot of other episodes get unnecessary hate, as well as that we are working with slightly different characters (especially Azula) in this version than the first, but I was really disappointed with seeing Yue in LA for a second time.

[gwydionsart]

I feel like I've barely drawn at all the past few years. My sketchbook reflects this, having started drawing in it Jan 2018 with about a third of it still blank as of last summer. So I have been making genuine attempts to sit down and draw more. Feeling out of practice, a lot of the time I would copy images instead of freehanding (collages 1 and 3), but I tried not to rely solely on that (collage 2), and lately I've been feeling more confident. So I'm just gonna post my progress here. Because that's kinda what this sideblog is for, lol.

I used to be able to say "if you wanna know what I'm into at the moment, just open my sketchbook". For the past year, that's been true for the first time in quite a long time. It feels nice.

Thorfinn showed up first, working on him while on vacation last year. Meant to draw him more, but it took me quite a while just to finish the one (gosh I'd drawn, like, one, small picture in the two years prior?).

But then my One Piece phase hit, and I realized that I had only ever attempted to draw Sanji maaaaaybe once about 15 years ago? lol So I practiced until I felt comfortable enough to try it without copying. Not all the final results made it into this post, and I'm still not super satisfied, but all the random headshots really helped get me back into the groove.

The random guy in the middle of the second one is an old OC named Xander that I was never fully happy with his design (the drawing was an attempt to update it, though I'm not sure I was successful, lol). And we've got a couple very boring Zukos - I hadn't drawn him in like a decade so I went as simple as possible.

Characters I haven't had a lot of practice with, though, are superheroes in general - I drew Spider-Man a fair amount, like, 30 years ago, and I'd attempted some version or other of Robin a couple times, but I tend to find all the details a bit intimidating. So I finally sat down and practiced drawing some of my favorite comic heroes. X-Men '97 got me to finally draw Gambit for the first time and that lead to me rereading some of my Batman/Robin/Nightwing comics and drawing Dick and Damian as well. Pretty far outside my comfort zone, but I quite enjoyed it.

Lately I've been filling the pages with some King's Quest, but I'll save that for a future post (maybe lol). I've got maybe only a fifth of my sketchbook left, which is especially great seeing as how it is completely falling apart and being held together by duct tape and a prayer. XD It'll be nice to finally be able to move on to the new one I've had sitting around for a couple years now, waiting to finally be opened. If you for some reason decided to read all my ramblings, kudos to you! lol It's just nice having somewhere I can get this kind of stuff out on occasion.

(References taken from the Vinland Saga anime, One Piece anime/manga, X-Men: The Animated Series, Batman and Robin comics, and Nightwing comics.)

[dont-leafmealone]

so i was trying to draw Something with your fiction in mind acutally its probs Canon lmao

but then when i was Sketching i sadly realzied IDK HOW TOKLO LOOKS??

i can imgaine it but i dont acutally know 😭 and i went to part 1 to find Something but idk?? do u have like Something thats close to how he looks?? cuz if not i might need to cut him off 😔 or make Something up but like its easier

like did i miss Something??

Good question! So there's not actually a "canon" way for Toklo to look (he's not my OC and MuffinLance likes to leave it up to the imagination) so I don't describe him much but the version i have in my head is

kind of stocky, just a little taller than Zuko or jet; a lot of muscle and a pretty round face

lightish blue eyes similar to sokka's (not as light as Katara's or as dark as Bato's)

skin tone probably most similar to Sokka's as well

hair like Hakoda's, shoulder length with a wolf tail, but Toklo only has one braid in front. Also very fluffy.

Tends to wear fewer layers since he runs a little warm. Doesn't feel the cold as much.

smiles a lot.

One thing I'll add is the illustrations of Kavik from the Yangchen novels look a lot like how I imagined Toklo. Hope this was helpful!

[ljf613]

First Lines

@aurora-australis-tumbles tagged me in this one, and's been a while since I last did this, so why not?

Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

Not My Homeland Anymore - Once Upon a Time, 22k, WIP

"Is this really the right road?" The young man checked the map he'd been given again. He'd gotten off at that bus stop several miles back, then hitch-hiked as far as he could. But even hitch-hiking could only get you so far when you were trying to get to a town that, according to just about every directory he'd been able to locate, didn't exist.

New Moon's Rising - Avatar: The Last Airbender, 1.4k, oneshot

He starts to suspect something a few years before the end. “There’s something you’re not telling me,” he says to her one day. “Something about the girl.” He’s never had any real interest in the child, has always thought Tui’s choice had been rather foolish. But Tui is fascinated by the girl and spends hours watching over her. “And why would you think that, my dear?” 

A Better Version of Our Best - How to Train Your Dragon, 12k, WIP

"Is Hiccup around?" Looking up from the map he'd been inspecting, Snotlout shook his head. "Sorry, Fishlegs," he said, rolling the parchment back up. "You just missed him. I swear, that brat knows when people are looking for him and chooses to disappear off to who-knows-where just to mess with everyone. What did you want with him, anyway?" "The Chief asked me to talk to him," Fishlegs explained. "You know, what with dragon training starting next week and all."

“Can You Please Just Hold Me?” - Avatar: The Last Airbender, 1.2k, oneshot

Zuko woke up just as the sun was rising above the horizon. That was normal. Blinking awake, he tried to sit up and stretch his arms, only to find that his left arm, along with most of the rest of that side of his body, was pinned beneath someone else. That was also normal. Carefully, he began turning his torso, attempting to wiggle himself loose. He had gotten everything but his lower arm free when he felt a small hand reach out and touch his other arm. That was not normal.

A Magical Place (Ember Island) - Avatar: Legend of Korra, 3k, WIP

Ikki's birthday was in less than two months, and she couldn't be more annoyed about it.

Can You Show Me How? - Avatar: Legend of Korra, 5k, oneshot

Huan sighed, releasing his bending. Immediately, the sand he'd been manipulating fell to the ground. I'll have to make sure to clean that all up later, the rational part of his mind mused. Right now, though, he was in no mood for that.

your closets of backlogged dreams (and how you left them all to me)  - Fairy Tail, 4k, WIP

".....Did you hear something?" Freed asks, looking over at Gildarts and wondering if the crack had just been his imagination.  "I don't think so," replies the older mage. "Bickslow?" But Bickslow, who's always had the best hearing of anyone Freed's known (aside from their resident dragon slayers), is lying on a hammock that's been streched across the deck, fast asleep, and doesn't offer any reply other than a muffled grunt. Whatever that sound was, it probably wasn't anything important. Right? By the time the three of them reach the shore, a day later, Freed and Gildarts have both completely forgotten the exchange. None of them will ever know how close they were to an entirely different fate.

such a lovely bride - Avatar: The Last Airbender, 1.1k, WIP

"Ow!" Suki winced, lowering her fan. She stared at the training dummy she'd hit her wrist on, sighing. She hadn't made such a stupid mistake in years, not since the very early days of her training. Clearly, this isn't working.

i bled out tears (the only water in the desert) - Fullmetal Alchemist, 6k, oneshot

Pinako is not surprised when her daughter-in-law leaves. She's been expecting this for a while, has heard the hushed arguments from behind the closed door of the room Sara and Yuri share. She is a little surprised that Yuri goes with her.

The War Has Ended (Has It Really?) - Avatar: The Last Airbender, 1.3k, oneshot

Avatar Aang is flying one day, alone but for his faithful bison and lemur, when he comes across a chain of islands he's never seen before. As he nears, he sees something unbelievable. Impossible.

Tagging @swanfireprincessmydear, @sokka-beifong, @twinkle-toph, @orangepanic, @khrushchevs-corn-farm, @myargalargan, @per4mancecheck, @authorjoydragon, @dragonnnfly, @pahimakas-ng-isang-nilalang, and anyone else who might be interested.

[sharinganqueen22]

Okay, so...this is my first attempt to try and find roleplay partners here. So, with all further Adu, allow me to get started on my introduction. ((Bonus if you wanna do The Originals!)).

I've been roleplaying since 2012, and I'm a literate - advance roleplayer who mainly does fandoms. I'm over the age of 18, therefore it's a requirement of mine that all my partners (if I manage to get any) are also over the age of 18. Here are my rules:

Rules:

1: if you don't like 50/50 mixture of sex scenes and story, don't bother hopping into my inbox. I'm fine with sex scenes, but when it's constantly back to back, the roleplay itself gets boring.

2: Be literate. No one liners. I like to write..it's annoying when I send a 2-3 paragraph response and I get 3 lines...just...no. I am not accepting people who are just starting out! If you aren't experienced in writing or roleplaying, kindly stay out of my inbox.

3: Be okay with playing canon characters. I'm mainly doing fandom roleplays right now and it's going to be Canon x my oc. No, I'm not doing double ups. Do not even ask, because the answer will be no every time. I do not give a shit if you think that makes me 'lazy' or 'selfish', if you've got a problem, you can simply ignore or block me. Commenting on my post to bitch and whine about me not doubling up will only result in me blocking you. The ONLY time I'll double up, and if I'm confident enough, I'll only do female characters. I suck at males. Got a problem? Not my issue. Block and move on.

4: Roleplay in third person. I can't and won't adapt to first. Don't even bring up the idea of you playing first person and me playing third. Believe it or not, I've been asked this twice and that is just a hell no for me. The only time I do first, is when I'm writing into my book.

5: if you don't know how to share ideas, then don't bother messaging me. I'm tired of carrying the story when the other person doesn't help. If you've got ideas, then PLEASE speak up! Your opinion on the roleplay matters too! I'm an easy going person, and easy to get along with (dispite my rules).

6: DO NOT control my character. I control what she says, does, hears, sees, ect. I don't control yours, so don't control mine. HOWEVER, if it's highly necessary and needed, then run it by me first and ask me. Just leave me some wiggle room so I can make a decent response. Failure to comply by this rule, results in immediate drop of the rp.

Here are the list of Fandoms that I'm really wanting to do:

Fandoms & Pairings

Scream. (I've seen all but the newest movie. But Billy Lumis is 😍).

Deadpool (Wade x my oc)

The Adam's family

Pokemon ((MAYBE. Don't be nasty about it either!))

Bridgerton (or something like it. Can be Oc x Oc)

Disney Decedent's (or anything Disney) (oc x oc)

Orange is the new black (this can be oc x oc).

Criminal Minds (REALLY wanna do)

Marvel:

Loki x my oc

Spiderman (Tom Holland) x my oc

Dog The Bounty Hunter (REALLY wanna do):

Dog Chapman x my oc

The walking dead (REALLY wanna do!!):

Daryl X my oc

Batman x my oc

Lucifer (Netflix show series) x my oc (really wanna do)

The Originals: Klaus x my oc (PLEASE !! I REALLY wanna do this one!)

American Horror Story: Tate x my oc (REALLY wanna do)

Dragon Ball Z - Super (vegeta x my oc) (really wanna do)

Naruto: Minato x my oc

Harry Potter (thanks to the wonderful world of rp, the characters will be 18 or older. For me, I'd like it if it was Draco x my oc. REALLY wanna do)

Game Of Thrones (I'm still very early in the show, but I think we could think of something!)

Once Upon A Time:

killian x my oc, REALLY wanna do 🥺.

Avatar the last Airbender:

Zuko x my oc

Twilight:

Jacob x my oc

(Course, our version will be alot better than the movies).

Congratulations! You've made it to the end. Still interested? You've got the password. Message me and let's get started 😁. I also rp on Discord!

[avatarcompanion]

I finally watched the netflix live action. Binged in a few days with a friend.

Overall verdict: it's good, of course doesn't surpass the original, but brought a few interesting new angles.

My main complaint is it's kind of dull, particularly in the beginning. Not so emotionally engaging, every character has been toned down in some way, they took out most of the cartoonish humor and heartwarming moments and just quirky shit that made Avatar special - obviously it's to "age it up" in the tone and themes, which is fine, but they need to replace it with some other kind of soul.

Visually, it's perfect in my opinion, they re-created the visuals of the show in live action in a way I found impressive - I feel like I am in the Avatar world, all of the casting is at least decent, however the direction and some of the writing didn't make me FEEL like I was watching Avatar.

This aspect did improve gradually through it's 8 episodes, making it more engaging to watch as we went along, with more emotional engagement and heartwarming moments that made me enjoy the cartoon series. Then again, I'm honestly not sure I would be hooked on this franchise just watching the first few episodes of the original cartoon - at least, I think most hardcore fans would admit their deeper engagement grew throughout the show.

In the end, I felt convinced I'm watching the same characters in the same world and an overall similar story, albeit an altered one with a different take. It's clearly a re-interpretation that doesn't pretend to be otherwise, and I rolled with that. No, I don't really mind some moments were "OOC" or off, because that's what it is - it's fanfiction, and I found it entertaining to be thrown off my expectations and see this AU version of the story and characters. They are allowed their own interpretation, as far as I'm concerned, and I can take it or leave, it doesn't move the cartoon 1 mm. I prefer it this way, so you can't let the characters from the live action inform the original, except if I want to.

I was happy when the live action veered off from an exact retelling of the cartoon, because when they re-created almost the same scenes, it was hard not to compare mentally with the cartoon and analyze for the "flaws" in recreating something that was already loved. In the end, I felt like I didn't have too, because they'd changed too much.

I was fine they cut-off some of the fillers and really childish elements, and instead included worldbuilding from Korra or the comics. I honestly I didn't really mind they put away some of the focus from the younger characters (Aang and Katara) to the older characters and including Azula, because they weren't really trying to pretend like that's not what they were doing. (Unlike the cartoon which presents as being all about Aang, and then let's Zuko take over lmao). I think in the end the series can find it's own balance, and some developments might go differently and a bit slower. Clearly Aang and Katara is still a main relationship, even if it's not as explicitly "the heart of the show" and probably some romantic undertones will develop more slowly, which I do not mind.

Probably the most interesting aspect was making a canonically consistent, yet completely different angle for the presentation of Azula, actually. I'll make a separate post on that.

One issue with the marketing is they sold the show as a pretty 1:1 re-telling of the cartoon, and it wasn't. Likely they wanted to distance themselves with the movie-that-won't-be-mentioned, and this is obviously much, much better than that. However, it's not the cartoon, it's not trying too hard to be, and that's kind of great.

So not perfect, but worth watching. It's Avatar, but it's completely it's own take on it, it lets new things come out and some stuff die. They want to do their own thing, and what they should improve is developing more soul of their own, not becoming more purist canon or whatever.

[goldrushzukka]

aidays playlist breakdown: chapter 1

hello! i am so proud of this fic and everything that's sprung up around it, but i am especially proud of the soundtrack ive built to go with it. at all times i am thinking about either the fic or the playlist, and never more than a tiny suggestion of interest away from babbling about it for hours. so. here we go.

here's the fic (there will obviously be spoilers in this post but tbh if you haven't read the fic what are you even doing here)

here's the playlist

treacherous (taylor's version) by taylor swift

this is. well. it's the theme song. it's the thesis statement. the zukka community would be nothing without treacherous and you may quote me on that. aidays obviously owes its title to treacherous but the themes and ideas of this song are woven throughout the entire fic. i find myself coming back to this song again and again for guidance.

(ID: "Put your lips close to mine / As long as they don't touch / Out of focus, eye to eye / 'Til the gravity's too much". End ID)

zuko and sokka work so hard throughout this fic to convince themselves (and others) that there isn't really anything between them, it's just fun and easy and casual. these lines for me are about teetering on the edge of Something. they're holding themselves back from the cliff edge at the same time that they're trying to see what's at the bottom. (this is also VERY applicable to ch10 but im not gonna say anything more about that lol)

(ID: "And I'll do anything you say / If you say it with your hands". End ID)

it's the title!!! i couldn't not include it. this was always my favourite line from treacherous even before i wrote aidays, but of course it has become even more important to me now. this is one of the horniest lines in taylor's entire discography, which makes it an obvious choice to title a fic about casual sex, but for me it's also about like. commitment and dedication. it's a willingness to do absolutely anything to keep this thing going, to make this last as long as possible. all the little not-casual things zuko and sokka do for each other because they're not quite ready to let this thing end yet. like, let me tell you about my tragic past so we can go back to making out. take this key to my apartment so you can use it as a getaway from your weird home life and also fuck me stupid.

(ID: "I can't decide if it's a choice / Getting swept away / I hear the sound of my own voice / Asking you to stay". End ID)

this is sooooo ch1-4 vibes. very much in the way of like, not being able to tell when "casual" disappeared and became this new thing. where does one thing end and the other begin, or were they always the same thing to begin with? were the feelings always here? was this even an arrival at a point, or was it just looking around and finally seeing where they'd been the entire time? a little bit on the nose but the end of ch3/4 ("I can stay." "So stay." immortalised here by @bleekay) was definitely influenced by this.

(ID: "Forever going with the flow / But you're friction". End ID)

this one is so. like. ok. so in ch1 it's zuko who says he doesn't want anything serious. this is because, given his history, he doesn't believe "anything serious" is an option for him. he's too broken, he's too sad, he's too much for other people. so he defaults to casual. but then there's sokka, throwing all those ideas out the window by discovering all the damaged parts of zuko that make other people discard him, and then liking him more for them.

(ID: "Two headlights shine through the sleepless night / And I will get you a, get you alone / Your name has echoed through my mind / And I just think you should, think you should know / That nothing safe is worth the drive / And I would follow you, follow you home". End ID)

this bridge. godddddd. ok. obviously along with richard siken's you are jeff poem this bridge was a big inspiration for ch8. there's that devotion again, this kind of magnetic attraction between sokka and zuko throughout the fic that brings them to this point of like, you are the light in the dark, the sound in the silence, i will go wherever you take me. "nothing safe is worth the drive" in particular is very much like. if this were easy, if it were actually casual and no-strings-attached like it was supposed to be, these feelings wouldn't be here. there wouldn't be all this anguish and passion if they didn't feel this strongly for each other. like. the pain of losing you is nothing compared to the high of having you. nothing safe is worth the drive.

don't you go by all time low

this is the first of many songs about casual sex on this playlist (turns out there are a LOT of those). it's by no means all time low's best song, but it's RELEVANT so it goes in the playlist. (i've been a fan of all time low since i was 13 im allowed to say that)

(ID: "Don't you go and carry on with your life / It was a one night stand till I woke up next to you/ Don't you go saying all your goodbyes / I want a one night stand, just one more time with you". End ID)

this is just what it says on the tin like truthfully what is this chorus if not just a pop punk translation of the opening lines of the fic: It’s supposed to be a one night stand. Pick up some guy at a bar, barely remember his name and never learn anything real about him, send him packing in the morning with a thanks for the ride and a cup of coffee to-go. That’s how it’s supposed to go. But then it’s the best sex Sokka has ever had, and he thinks he’ll hate himself if he never gets to have it again.

(ID: "I got my ass kicked, but you held the ice / I was a train wreck, but you took the ride / Can we stay here, right here? / Nothing else that I want to do". End ID)

this is applicable to two scenes in aidays: ch2 when zuko tells sokka about his scar and sokka doesn't leave him, and ch6 when suki comforts sokka's broken heart with ice cream and tough love.

baby by charli xcx

absolutely crazy that charli xcx wrote all of crash (2022) about aidays. it's ALL about them. idk how she managed it but she did and i am so grateful.

(ID: "[Chorus] / I'ma make you my—, I'ma make you my— / I'ma make you my—, I'ma make you my— (Baby)" End ID)

(ID: "I'ma fuck you up, I'ma fuck you up / I'ma fuck you up, I'ma fuck you up (Baby)". End ID)

this song is really just about being hot and having sex so great it ruins you for anyone else, which is also what the start of aidays is about. great minds (me and charli xcx) think alike.

bloodline by ariana grande

another classic of the fuckbuddy anthem genre. personally i think thank u next deserved more critical and academic acclaim for the work it did on behalf of the hot sadgirl community but that's a different soapbox. quick shoutout to dani @marriedzukka, scholar of ariana grande zukkaism

(ID: "Love me, love me, baby / Are you down? Can you let me know? / Love me, thank you, leave me / Put it down, then it's time to go / Get it like you love me / But you don't, boy, it's just for show". End ID)

this is so them. doing everything they can to explain away anything that doesn't fit the definition they've given their not-relationship. like idk what else to say this is just them. worshiping each other at the altar of casual.

[the-badger-mole]

Presence Part 10

It was sitting in front of him. The being...spirit...whatever it was, had replaced Avatar Yang Chen and was staring Aang down with eyes as hard as flint. It looked even worse than Aang had remembered from his nightmares. The skin on it's face and head was grey with mottled splotches of green, yellow, black and blue. Worse still, the skin seemed to be just moments away from sliding off the being's face. Aang expected to be confronted by the rotting muscles and tendons just barely holding the being's features in place. The stench of decay and rot permeated the air around Aang, forcing him to swallow his gorge several times.

"Um...hey," Aang said when he thought he could speak without vomiting. The being inclined it's head in acknowledgement, but didn't say anything. Aang waited, growing more and more uncomfortable with each minute of prolonged silence.

"Er...Yang Chen thought we needed to talk?" he prompted uncertainly. "And I know you can talk. I've heard you. Can you at least tell me who you are?" The being's blackened lips slid up into an oily smile that sent a shiver down Aang's spine.

"Guess," it said.

"You're a ghost," Aang said without thought.

"No."

"A spirit?"

"No."

"You're..." Aang narrowed his eyes and studied the being- truly looked at it for the first time. Beyond the decaying, sagging skin, he found the shape of the thing's bones, and the long faded lines of the arrow tattoos, and some trace of the grey that used to be it's eye color. Aang's body clenched in horror. He couldn't breathe, couldn't speak. Fear coiled in his gut and laid on his spine like an ice cold hand keeping him upright.

"You're me..."he managed to force out in a whisper. And Aang could see himself in the ruined flesh- though the specter seemed to be of an older version of the young Avatar. The being's grin widened

"Not quite," it said. "But close enough."

"But..how?" Aang shook his head in disbelief. "How could you be me when I'm..." He gestured at himself, not quite sure what exactly he was trying to convey.

"Anger needs an outlet," the being told him. "You refuse to acknowledge me, so I had to make myself known."

"I'm not angry, though!" Aang protested.

"You can deny me all you wish," it said. "And while you ignore me, I grow and get stronger. Soon I'll be able to act on your behalf and do what you can't do. What you refuse to do."

"What?" Aang gasped. "What do you mean?" The being- his Anger- leaned forward with a frightening leer.

"I think you know." And he did know.

Aang saw with startling clarity the scenes from his dreams-nightmares- where he'd done horrible things to Katara and Zuko. He felt their blood on his hands; heard their frightened, angry screams; saw the horrified looks on their friends' faces when they fell at Aang's hands. Then he saw Ozai's broken body at his feet, and Azula's prone form not much farther. He thought for a moment that she had fallen in the shadows, but he was suddenly standing over her, and realized that she didn't have a head. Nearby, there was a huge stone smeared with blood and gore, suggesting what had been her end. Then Aang was standing on a tower and looking down at a field full of fallen bodies, so covered in blood and mud that it was impossible to tell what colors their uniforms had been or who they'd fought for.

Horror churned in Aang's stomach as he saw the destruction below him. Destruction caused by him, he knew. He didn't have to look at his hands to know what he'd find there. The worst of it wasn't the sights and smells of death and fire; it was the tiny bit of satisfaction beneath his horror. It was the small voice in the back of his head saying that this was just retribution for the destruction of his people; for the hundred years of death and war wrought in his absence; for the betrayal of his closest friends.

Zuko and Katara knew what he'd lost and what he was supposed to sacrifice still, and they knew that all he'd ever wanted in return was her. Katara was supposed to belong to him. She was his reward for saving the world, and his consolation for the people he lost. And he was supposed to just let her go? To Zuko of all people? The son and heir of the family that had taken so much from Aang already.

Cold hands slid over Aang's shoulders, jerking him from his dark thoughts. He could smell the sour, stale breath of the thing- his own Anger- as it breathed in his ear.

"I could do it for you," it told him. "I can make is so no one ever dares to cross you or take what's yours again." The vision before Aang shifted again, and this time there was Katara weeping and clutching Zuko's still form to her chest. The smell of burnt flesh permeated, and Zuko's blood soaked Katara's clothes, but she didn't seem to notice. Without meaning to, Aang stepped forward, reaching his hand down to her. Katara looked up, startled. Her stunned gaze went from Aang's face down to the hand reaching down for her. She squeezed her eyes shut, and held Zuko's body tighter. Aang waited. After a moment, Katara kissed Zuko's cooling forehead and laid him down gently. Then she took Aang's hand with all the weight of accepting her destiny. The part of Aang that reveled in Zuko's death was pleased. Katara would accept this life. She would marry Aang and bear him airbending children to replace the Nomads, and she would be glad to do so. But the part of Aang that wanted to look away from the destruction and pain couldn't help but see the tears still falling from Katara's eyes, or the way her teeth clenched behind her wavering smile.

"Never mind," the gloating voice said. "She'll come around soon enough. After all, what is a prince to an Avatar?"

It wasn't right.

Aang shut his eyes tight and pictured Katara happy. Her genuine smile, full of warmth and love, and her eyes gleaming with joy. He'd seen that look on her face in his dreams before. He'd seen it in real life, too, but not directed at him. Two days earlier, he'd seen that look on her face while she was washing their clothes. Zuko was at the fountain, elbows deep in suds, making exaggerated disgusted looks as he scrubbed Sokka's tunics. He made Katara happy, Aang realized. Zuko made Katara glow with happiness. And Aang suddenly knew he would never be that for her.

He opened his eyes and saw the spectral Katara still before him, with her forced smile and tearful eyes, and he had another realization. This wasn't enough for him. He didn't want Katara if all he would get was a shadow of her. She would choose him, if she thought it was what was best for everyone. Even if it wasn't what was best for her. Aang didn't want to be her obligation. His heart broke as he dropped her hand. She faded away, along with Zuko's corpse and Aang was once again in that liminal space with his Anger.

"If you embrace me, you can have anything you want," the thing said. Aang turned to face it and sighed.

"I don't want it," he said. "Not that way. I don't make her happy. Destroying the Fire Nation won't bring my people back. Taking over the world won't stop people from fighting. They'll just want to fight me." The being glared down at Aang coldly.

"I'm not going anywhere," it said. Aang sighed again. That didn't surprise him. After all, the existence of his anger isn't what caused this manifestation. It was always there, whether he acknowledged it or not. But he understood now. By not acknowledging his anger, he'd fed it a steady diet of unexpressed bitterness and grief and avoidance until it had become its on separate entity.

"I know you aren't," he said, smiling sardonically. "I think you're going to be around for a long, long time. But I'm not going to keep giving you this much power. You are a part of me, but you are not me. I know you now. I see you."

"And you think that's all it takes?" his Anger scoffed. "You think that you'll be able to remember what happened to your people and smile? You think that you'll see her in his arms and not feel that stabbing in your gut?" Aang shook his head.

"Maybe not," he said. "But maybe I want something more than what you're promising me."

"I'm promising you power!"

"Power, yes," Aang conceded. "But you're also promising me misery. Mine and everyone else's around me. I don't want that. I don't want you."

"You need him."

Aang whirled around and was shocked to see Avatar Yang Chen standing there.

"What?" he gasped. "I...I need that?" Aang looked at the being, his face contorted with disgust and confusion. Then he turned back to Yang Chen.

"Anger is like fire," Yang Chen told him. "Dangerous when you don't control it, but necessary. You need anger to recognize injustice, just as you need pain to learn and sorrow to grow in compassion. Your anger is a part of you, just as you said. You cannot let it control you, but you need to learn how to direct it constructively." She pointed in the being's direction again.

The corpse was gone. In its place, Aang stood tall and strong. His robes, once tattered and falling apart, were whole and gleaming. There was a determination in his eyes that seemed to burn. He looked as fierce as any warrior, and Aang thought if he could be that when he faced Ozai, he might stand a chance.

"No feeling is bad in and of itself," Yang Chen explained to Aang. "It's what you do with the feeling that makes the difference. And now it's time to choose, Aang. What will you do with your anger?"

Part 1, Part 2,  Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Epilogue

[balanceoflightanddark]

The big problem with writing Zuko I feel is trying to find that balance between him redeeming himself but almost making sure he's not some saint either. I'm speaking from experience here. He's the guy that wants to do good, but whose worldview is so lopsided that he doesn't know how to do good. And sometimes can make things worse either by not knowing better or letting his personal biases get in the way.

Most writers though seem to take the more rose-tinted version of the character. Basically just ignored everything he did and all the personal flaws he had while passing them on to everybody else. Like Azula or Aang get his anger issues while Katara gets his unwillingness to forgive. Not saying that's understandable. When you love a character that much, it's hard to take yourself out of that biased mindset and write them with nuanced. I'll admit that I have that same problem with writing Azula. Like I want her to redeem herself, but I also know I can't disrespect the people she hurt.

Another question

You can answer based on your experience writing fanfiction, what you've noticed from reading fanfics, or just based on what you think based on your understanding of the character.

I would love to see some explanations comments and tags about how and why.

[withgirl-sq]

If the major characters from ouat were benders from the atla universe what element would each character be and why? Since emma is the super special chosen one savior do you think this means she would be the avatar? If not, who would be?

This is a really interesting question thank you!

I'll just list a few of the characters that come to mind, would love to hear people's opinions/additions!

Emma Swan- I do think it makes sense for her to be the 'Avatar' since it is essentially the ATLA's version of the Saviour! I also feel like it would only start working in Storybrooke so it could be quite funny if she's trying to do normal stuff and the elements start reacting to her lol

Regina Mills- She uses a lot of fire balls in the show, so I will have to go with firebender for her, but she could be quite similar to Zuko (which would make Cora 'Ozai'?) so I'm imagining that their abilities can change in this AU and she could maybe become an airbender instead as she falls in love with Emma? If they can't change, she would slowly lose the ability to bend fire and will have to find a way to draw from love rather than hate.

Henry Mills- Henry is a non-bender which he hates but will have to learn that he can be special in other ways

Snow White- I'm not exactly sure why but my first instinct is waterbender?

Prince Charming- I think David would either be a non-bender or an earthbender since that would help him as a farmer, maybe James could be a firebender so David would also be a lava bender? 🤔

Killian Jones- I'm thinking waterbender, they would be really valuable in the navy

Rumple- I feel like he was born as a non-bender but becoming the Dark One changed that, maybe they're like dark Avatars but like they can actually bend all elements too [which is what I wanted from the Dark Avatar in Legend of Korra lol]- that could be interesting with Emma becoming the Dark One later on since she would be the dark and light Avatar in one person?

Maleficent- Firebender, not sure this needs explanation? lol, which would also make Lily a firebender

There's loads of characters I'm probably forgetting, it's been a while since I've watched OUAT so feel free to ask about anyone specifically!

[erisenyo]

Fic Writing: Characterization

At the request of @canubelieveitzel I'm going to open up my head on various aspects of how I go about/think about fic writing. There were a few questions, so I'll break it into separate posts (and definitely shout out if you have anything you're wondering about too!).

The first thing mentioned was characterization, and for me having a handle on the characters is the foundation of everything, so I'll start there. It's a broad topic that can involve a lot of specific details, but my big overall tips would be:

Know the characters you're writing

Be clear on how they need to grow

Think about what makes them unique in your writing (i.e., what gives them their own voice)

Don't forget your secondary characters

Have more in your head than makes it on paper

And because again, concision, not my strength, putting the rest of this below the cut.

For me, the most important thing in a story is knowing the characters that I'm trying to write. This seems kind of obvious, but for me, the biggest part of writing is taking time to sit down and think beforehand.

What are the character's motivations, likes and dislikes, hopes and fears, little things that annoy them and big things that frustrate them? All the way up to existential stuff, like how they view the world and their place in it. And what are the pros and cons of those traits and tendencies and beliefs? Toph is blunt and likes to stir up a reaction--how does this work to her advantage? When does it get her in trouble? What do people think of it?

For fanfic specifically, I found it really valuable not only to watch canon but to read a lot of fics involving the characters I was trying to write. I'd mentally note when a portrayal really resonated with me and when it didn't, and what about the portrayal caused that reaction. I could then boil these observations down into simple character statements divorced from plot. For writing Zuko in These Things Written, for example, I had a document that just listed thoughts and observations and questions I needed to work through for the version of Zuko I wanted to write. It said things like "Zuko is into rules because doing things the right way means you are safe - it's predictable - and because you need power to break the rules," and thinks like that let me start thinking about how Zuko would react or behave and why before I tried to slot him into the specifics of a plot.

It also let me get a sense of the things Zuko might are about/notice that are less explicitly on-screen but form the background of the character (an awareness of power dynamics and his position in them, a need for surety in how to act), and highlighted early dichotomies that ended up being fun, meaty things to explore within an AU (I decided that Zuko in this fic knows that Ozai wants to kill him from the outset--so how does that then ripple through his actions? His thoughts toward capturing the Avatar? Toward the war in general?).

(This can also tie into worldbuilding in a really fun way, too, if that's your thing, thinking through how different cultural contexts would influence the characters, or pop up in their speech or mannerisms and in their likes/dislikes, the idioms or curses they use, etc.)

This was also immensely helpful for defining how the characters needed to grow. No one is going to just eliminate all their flaws over the course of a story (or in life), so what is this story specifically about? Learning to cope with trauma? Growing self-confident? Finding purpose? What's the emotional arc you want your character to go on, and how will they change as a person from the beginning to end of the fic? It can be as simple as "learns healthier communication," but knowing how your character is going to change because of the events of the story (or knowing how you want them to change, and then building a plot that provides the opportunity for that growth) is the engine behind a fic for me.

(And I'll note--the character arc and the plot arc do not have to be the same. It's fine if they are and fine if they aren't. Just know how the plot is going to help the character grow, or how the growth can be shown through actions not just internal thoughts.)

I found it help to boil it all down to a character POV cheat sheet for actual writing--I literally write with a doc open on the other side of the screen that says things like "Sokka - talkative, rational, jokey, over the top romantic at heart" and "Zuko - emo angst locked down tight until it bursts" which was immensely helpful when I started writing for getting a handle on their distinct voices.

In addition to having a sense of what the character's personality and history is, you also want a sense of how the character's personality expresses itself in actions. You have their patterns of behavior, their points of tension, their coping mechanisms--what does your character do that's an expression of these traits? How do they react? How do other people react to them? This can be a great place to start building in mannerisms, quirks, modes of thought that will help make your character distinct from others.

(This can also tie into worldbuilding in a really fun way, too, if that's your thing, thinking through how different cultural contexts would influence the characters, pop up in their speech or mannerisms or likes/dislikes, the idioms or curses they use, etc.)

In These Things Written, Sokka tugs on his hair when he's uncertain, Zuko rubs the back of his neck, and Katara rocks on her toes. These aren't inherently important things, but I find it really helpful to define a set of (unconscious) actions that belong to each character. (And then if Katara and Aang have been spending a lot of time together off-screen, maybe we see Aang suddenly start rocking on his feels too, picking up her mannerisms) This helps me feel the characters are distinct and unique when I'm writing them, especially when they're all in a scene together. This can be anything from their physical mannerisms, to styles of speech (Zuko cutting himself a lot, having a lot of filler words, stopping and starting), to the ways they think (Zuko thinks about reaching, holding on), the way you write their POV (Z has lots of run-on sentences), even the words you use with those characters or in their scenes.

And when I say do the above for each character, genuinely do it for each character if you can. Even if you're writing a pairing-focused fic, I find it's really important to give attention to secondary characters to make the primary characters and their world feel real. The characters have whole rich lives outside what you can show on a screen, but seeing that they have inside jokes with other characters, history with them, modes of interacting, helps to build out the reader's awareness of this depth. Even really quick thinking can help build a sense of each background character as unique. For example, a random Earth Kingdom farmer is eeking out a living, worn down by life, has lost family to a useless war for someone else's benefit - and now you have a background for why this guy is bitter, and an awareness of the types of interactions that might set him off or mollify him, and also then ideas for how he would interact with the primary characters and how they would react to him in turn.

Especially in fic, where the reader is coming in with a lot of knowledge about the supporting casts, the interactions of secondary and main characters are descriptive. If we see that Suki is wary and cautious around someone then we will draw very different conclusions than if we see Azula wary and cautious around someone. If you're writing a character-driven or emotion-focused story, building out the rich world of those secondary characters really helps make the primary characters feel more defined in opposition to them, working with them, etc.

This has basically been all about the work of preparing to write, so I'll say from a writing perspective, hard as it is, be okay having more in your head than makes it into the fic. I want to shove every bit of headcanon I have onto the page once I've come up with it, but sometimes there's no organic way to do so. Just because I know that Sokka reacts to things by compartmentalizing them as a response the aftermath of Kya's death, the models of grieving/engaging with his emotions he had available, and from all the men of the tribe leaving and Sokka being left and needing to get on with it--that doesn't mean those things are relevant within the story outside of how they contribute to Sokka's worldview and responses. And if Sokka as a character in the story wouldn't know that this is why the way he is (unless a situation comes up that forces him to sit down and do some intense introspection) it would be weird for him to be offering up this explanation in the narrative.

And getting into the actual writing itself, as much as possible find ways to organically build in a character's history and traits. Think about the turns of phrase they use ('Zuko was aware he was being played like a tsungi horn'). How do they use similes and metaphors that can be specific to their culture or experiences ('Sokka recognized that look, it's the same one that she had in her eyes when she suggested penguin sledding from the highest peak and they almost died coming down)? What do they themselves voice, either in the words they're using ('ashes and embers, you're dumb') or in what they're saying in response to others that suggests a history or point of tension or anxiety ("Nephew, if you just--" "I'm not a kid anymore!")? What habits would the characters know about each other? What would they tease each other about (Sokka loving shopping)?

It's also okay to find the moments to tell, not show. Some things might be too complicated or too important to hope that the reader interprets things the way you want, or just easier to get the information out early than to try to have characters dancing around it and inferring it for pages and pages. In those situations, think about ways to do it--in reaction to other events (Zuko couldn't help thinking about X thing from his childhood, how he felt and how it went, and looking at the present situation he fears it's the exact same thing)? In dialogue (this is why Aang and Sokka have so many heart to hearts, and why Toph teases Sokka so much)?

This was a ton of loosely arranged thoughts, but let me know if this was helpful and if anyone has any questions!

Next Up: Creating Interesting Defined Interpersonal Relationships/Conflicts

[mostly-mundane-atla]

@crookedmouth-mountainbones a recurring element in my writing is characters dealing with notions of what a relationship is supposed to be due to the unwritten rules of what kinds of relationships fulfill what roles and what kind of feelings people are supposed to have for people who do this or that for them. I blame French musicals for this, Roméo et Juliette: de la Haine à l'Amour and its version of Tybalt in particular. Then Revolutionary Girl Utena was the final nail in that coffin, if you'll pardon the fandom pun.

Itty bitty Lu Ten gets to stay up late and eat the fancy food for special occasions and show everyone his best clothes because his uncle is getting married. The bride is a beautiful lady he's never seen before decked out to the nines in silks and fine jewelry. In spite of the festivities, something about her is somber, like she belongs to another world where she can't return, and that makes it so he can't stop thinking about her. Who could blame him for having a schoolboy crush?

And through the years, he can't put a word to it, but something is very wrong. She tenses up when his uncle enters the room and tries to stop herself from flinching when he touches her. Nobody reacts to his father that way and he can't remember his grandmother doing that with his grandfather. Perhaps he should have outgrown this infatuation his uncle's wife, but it's bigger than that now. Something in him tells him she must be protected.

And then he starts to understand the whispered accusations he overhears in that beach house on Ember Island. When his uncle grabs the back of his wife's knee on the inner side of her leg because he doesn't think she's telling the truth and she tells him it will bruise and he snaps back at her "Are you afraid someone will see? Who are you showing?" Lu Ten knows what he's implying. When his uncle digs his fingers in until she whimpers and says "Only you," it makes him sick and he almost forgets he shouldn't be looking in their room. At night, when he hears the words "you owe me a better son" followed by her begging her husband to stop and only getting her wish when she promises to agree some other night, it fills him with rage.

Because Lu Ten is the Good Prince. He is everything his father wanted in a son. He knows his place and stays in it. He obeys his elders even when he doesn't want to. He will be Firelord some day, and is kind and charming and honest because that's the leader his people deserve. He strives to set an example for his little cousins of what they ought to try being as royalty. Part of this is protecting those in a position where they can't protect themselves, and Ursa, beautiful Ursa, is among strangers that only consider her worth to be something that hinges on her being the wife of the Firelord's son and the mother of his children. He never asks himself if this is truly the kind of great love poets write about or if it's simply a reaction his duty to protect this innocent lady. He never asks if he cherishes the Princess for who she is or the inner nobility telling him to make her circumstance better. Why shouldn't his obligation also be his will? Isn't that how Princes are supposed to be, what they should aspire to?

He's taller than her now, and she wears a brave face but all that seems to bring her joy is reading scripts of classic dramas. She uses a different voice for every character, something Zuko and Azula especially have picked up from her. It's his favorite thing about her. When she reads the lines where maidens talk about the handsome men they've fallen for, he can feel the warmth of a blush in his cheeks and ears.

As he approaches her he remembers every time Ozai's foul mood could be heard through the walls and in the corridors. He remembers how Ursa's smile seemed painted on and how a tear seemed ready to spill out the second she closed her eyes as she tried to convince him she was okay, really. How she held his hand and walked him back to his father. How he used to have to tilt his head up and now tilts it down to look at her.

She warns him that Azula's giggly friend who has jumped on him before is playing in the courtyard with the others, but he says he says he wanted to talk with her before spending time with the children. He doesn't know how to start and his stomach is in knots. He tells her he's always cared for her and admired her. That since he was just little, since he first saw her, he knew nothing else could touch his heart the way she does. He says that there's talk of attacking Ba Sing Se, that he intends to go with his father and have a hand in it, that he can use the favor his grandfather would happily give him to protect her from her husband.

Her face fills with fear as a pot fills with water and she reminds him that he's speaking of his uncle and the walls have ears. He should listen but he's so indignant at having to silence himself about anything to do with Ozai's wrongs.

"He's a brute and he doesn't deserve you!" he says, keeping his voice down for her. "But I... Zuko and Azula would be safe with me, you know that, and you.... I would never, not like him, not in any way."

She wants to believe she could be wrong about what she thinks he's trying to say, but they both know one of a prince's greatest assets is his marriageability. He doesn't ask if being passed from one prince to another would actually make her any happier. Why shouldn't it? Her husband was clearly just the wrong one.

She's looking away from him now. She doesn't even have a painted on smile. She looks sad and distant like when he first saw her all those years ago. He wants to beg her to understand how much he cares, how much he wants to help, but he can't find the words. She was right to say the walls have ears and this is dangerous for both of them, but he's holding his hand out to her. Why can't she take it? He brushes over her fingers with his own, but she snatches her hand away from him. He wants to grab it, to kiss it, to show her, but he will not. He is the Good Prince. He is not his uncle.

"When I take Ba Sing Se," he whispers to her, "I'll be given a hero's welcome home and the Firelord will grant me a favor. I promise, I swear to you, that you will never have to wake up next to him after that."

She doesn't respond. It seems the polite and respectful thing would be to leave her in peace, and so he does.