#sokka needs hugs and gentle love

[zukosdualdao]

still feel the spin / hurts when i remember (i never wanna feel it again)

zutara month, day 14: exposed, @zutaramonth

summary: the night they return from the boiling rock, zuko breaks away from the group and falls back into an old pattern. katara catches him.

warnings: references to abuse and ozai trying to kill zuko, dissociation, and self-harm via firebending. please read carefully, mind the warnings, and take a step back if needed. <3

other notes: title taken from control by zoe wees. don't ask katara why she went looking for him to tell him dinner was ready she doesn't have to answer such questions! (she did, in fact, notice him missing, and wanted to check on him, despite herself.)

The night they return from the Boiling Rock, Zuko watches with a smile as Katara and Sokka hug their father, relieved for them that he’s okay, and that Zuko could help in this.

There’s another feeling wriggling in the back of his mind, though—something more complicated, sick with grief that might morph back into that festering, dark kind of anger if he lets it, and he breaks awake from the group as soon as he gets the chance, with them not noticing as introductions are made and Sokka begins to recount the story.

Shaking his head, he makes for the quarters where Sokka first took him when he arrived at The Western Air Temple. The group tends to sleep together, huddled up with a fire between them for warmth, and Zuko’s taken to doing the same, but this is one place he knows he’ll be alone.

Taking a deep breath, he sits down on the bed there. Katara and Sokka were so happy to see their father, so relieved, and in turn, Hakoda’s love for them was clearly etched into his features. 

Zuko remembers, in a flash, the last time he saw his own father, only weeks ago. The fear clawing at him even as he drew his swords at his father’s threats. That beat before Ozai tried to strike him down with lightning, the electricity working through him as he redirected it.

The knowledge that his father really would kill him.

Zuko doesn’t want anger to rule him anymore, and he’s afraid if he lets himself feel this too deeply, that’s what it will become. 

His chest feels empty, caved in, scooped out. It’s easier, better, he thinks, to let it become muted, to let his feelings die as he swallows them down. Dazedly, almost unconsciously, he lifts his left hand and summons a small flame, grazing it against the palm of his other hand. 

It takes more to burn a firebender than it does others, both because of their hot-blooded natures and because of resistance training. More heat, more intent, more desire—

He feels the heat growing against his palm more than he logically understands it. There’s a swell of pain, a bright searing point, but he only feels hollow.

“What are you doing?”

Zuko whips his head to see Katara staring at him in the doorway, eyes wide and surprised and maybe concerned, her expression so open, like she’s forgotten, for a moment, that she hates him.

She takes a long step forward before pausing.

“I—nothing,” he lies, extinguishing his flame and curling the fingers of his right palm against the shiny red skin there. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows it should hurt, but what he most feels is shame at the being caught, being exposed like this.

It's not something he does very often. Usually, he has a better handle on it. Knows better than to let his fire grow so strong.

Katara stands stock-still for another few seconds before she’s shaking her head, eyes closed, and huffing out a breath. She approaches him, sitting down on the bed beside him, and opens her waterskin, calling her bending water to her before taking his hands in her own.

Zuko inhales sharply, coming back to himself, as the water soothes his burned skin and draws out the pain, leaving only his blank palm behind. It had gone deep. If it weren’t for her, the fire probably would have left behind a scar.

Another one.

“You shouldn’t hurt your—” Katara starts in a quiet voice, almost kind of gentle, like she’s worried she might spook him. Then, she remembers herself. With her brow drawn, Katara then looks at him, her eyes hard and piercing once more. “Don’t do that again,” she says. “You’re Aang’s firebending teacher,” she reminds him. “We can’t afford for you to be hurt, and he can’t learn anything like that from you.”

Zuko nods, just once. She turns to leave, stopping at the doorway without looking back.

“Dinner is ready,” Katara says before walking away without waiting for his response.

With his hands pressed against his knees, Zuko waits another moment. Then, he stands, limbs feeling rigid, and follows her out.

[thebeautyoffanfics]

Hiiii about the zukka requests I would love if you wrote something with one of them being touchstarved!!!

sokka x zuko

a/n : HII thank you sm for the request!! I hope this turned out alright and that you enjoy it !! [ALSO i refer to their little group as team avatar throughout this but suki isn’t there don’t massacre me i just didn’t feel like thinking up explanations 🙏 they are in a polycule in my heart.  i just need self indulgent zukka hehe<3] warnings : none word count : 1108

Zuko hadn’t known what it was like to not be touch-starved since his mother was around. When she was gone, Zuko was quick to know warm arms and gentle touches had left with her. And so, he truly had not expected to find that type of affection when he joined Aang’s group. Not from Aang, thank god, and definitely not from Katara or Toph. Sure, there was the occasional hug, a hand on his back, or a punch which was supposed to be affection but really just left a Toph’s-fist-sized bruise on his arm. Instead, Zuko found those touches in Sokka, who very well may have been virtually the opposite of Zuko.

Maybe it shouldn’t have been surprising. Zuko could have guessed that when Sokka cared, he cared with his entire heart--he saw the way he’d protect his friends, and how he interacted with them when their lives weren’t in immediate danger. Sokka was a close person, and Zuko had gathered that it was how he was raised and just… how he was. He’d seen the Southern Water Tribe families, and seen just how familial they were (nothing like his household, he used to think to himself with contempt; now, it was nothing but heartwarming). He just never expected Sokka could be that way with him. 

Talking close, sitting close, a grip on his arm, a whisper that brought his face closer than Zuko had expected anyone from “Team Avatar�� would be with him. And when Zuko had proven himself? God, no, when feelings Zuko were just certain weren’t reciprocated got spilled post-coronation?

Zuko thought he might die. An arm around his shoulder, grabbing his hand, pinching his face, a kiss? He’d be scared to admit it when it made his face warm, his skin tingle, his stomach butterfly-filled-- but Zuko needed that touch, more than he needed anything. 

That’s why, after a few months of Sokka visiting the Southern Water Tribe, Zuko had felt more alone than he had in ages. Fire Lord duties could only distract him for so long. Unless he saw Uncle Iroh, who offered Zuko hugs upon arrival and departure, Zuko was without human touch after just having it back. That’s why, now that the “Team Avatar” was back together (and on a mini-vacation of sorts, courtesy of Zuko’s old house on the beach), Zuko could barely be seen apart from Sokka.

The reunion was sweet--they always were, for everyone. Aang’s odd slang that Zuko still didn’t understand, Katara’s politeness (that he knew was very limited), a punch or two from Toph, and countless hugs and hair-ruffles and face-pinches and kisses from Sokka. 

And now, the day long over, three of their group fast asleep or preparing to be, Zuko had what he’d been wanting all day. Maybe it was selfish, but he was royalty, and royally in love. All he wanted was alone-time with his boyfriend, and, for once, getting what he wanted was the sweetest victory.

“Your hair’s gotten so long,” Sokka noted, interrupting the comfortable silence that had enveloped them since the rest of their friends opted to rest. His hands ran through Zuko’s hair, gently combing it and bringing a relaxing feeling that made Zuko practically purr like a contented housecat. 

“Yeah, I guess… I had long hair throughout my childhood, so it feels… right. I don’t really notice it.”

“It looks nice! When it’s up in your highness’ hairdo, you look juuust like a spoiled prince.”

Zuko knew that was a teasing tone, and felt himself grinning when Sokka placed his hands on his face, squishing him lightly. At one point, Zuko knew he wouldn’t have accepted teasing-- to respond to it with joy made himself feel proud, a pride he wasn’t ashamed of anymore. 

“You grew your hair out too,” Zuko responded, rolling his eyes in an attempt to return the teasing. Reaching out, he ran a few fingers along the shaved sides of Sokka’s head, before reaching farther. Swiftly, Zuko yanked the tie from Sokka’s hair, letting it fall loose. 

Sokka laughed a bit, “Yeah, it got pretty long, so I was like ‘sure, why not, keep it.’”

“It looks nice.” Zuko’s tone was genuine, and had such admiration in it that Sokka felt as though he had been caught off-guard. “I, uhm,” Zuko continued, coughing a bit. It was his turn to feel flustered, not sure why he wanted to say this. Sokka’s honesty seemed to rub off on Zuko, on top of how comfortable Sokka made him feel. Like he wanted to tell him anything and everything, but never had the words (or sociability). “I missed you. It feels like I haven’t, uh… had a hug in ages. It sounds stupid, but you’re the only person who ever gets close to me.”

Sokka’s face grew red, a flustered laugh leaving his mouth. “I missed you too, man. I’ve missed being close to you,” He spoke, bringing his hands to squish the sides of Zuko’s face together once more. With Zuko’s face squished, Sokka placed a silly kiss on his puckered lips. “Calling your boyfriend ‘man’ doesn’t sound right, you know,” Zuko responded, taking a moment to fight the flustered feeling he always got around Sokka, especially when they’d kiss.

“Sorry, your Fire Lord-iness, I’ll be sure to call you more romantic names.”

Despite the teasing, Sokka let go of Zuko’s face, pulling him in for a hug instead. Though Zuko wanted to complain about the names, he instead found his mind faltering, as his head landed softly against Sokka’s shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” Zuko questioned, though he didn’t make any attempts to move. “Uhh, hugging you? Didn’t you just say you missed me being close to you?”

Zuko knew that wasn’t exactly what he said, but… he wasn’t going to argue. Not when it was true. Not when having someone show him that they cared like this felt so comforting, so reassuring, like he couldn’t deny that Sokka was real, he was there because Zuko could feel it was true. Sokka’s hands were quick to find their places, one on Zuko’s back and the other in his hair, massaging its way into his scalp, then gently combing the hair out. 

Zuko had thought himself at ease already, but Sokka’s loving ministrations seemed to coax him into a relaxed state he hardly knew. His heart felt full, and his skin felt warm with contact. 

“Thanks, Sokka,” He mumbled, hardly wanting to move enough to talk properly. All he wanted was this moment--this boy. Zuko could hear the smile in Sokka’s voice, “Yeah. You don’t need to thank me, really-- I like being near you.”

[tobitofunction]

🐉 part 7

This is taking longer that I thought it would but I was just busy with work and chatting with AI characters of my favourite characters

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part8

On the ship back to the Fire Nation you watched as Haku flew over the glitter water, his reflection on the water was as clear as a mirror image. “Y/N?” Ursa voice came from behind you,”Hello Ursa” you bowed your head, “We didn’t talk much since I got my memories back . You and Zuko are to be married" she began making you nod,"Yes, it wasn't of out choosing but we did find happiness and love rather soon within each other" Ursa smiled and laughed softly," That's good, I would have hated to have my son stuck on in marriage like my first but you seem to be a perfect match for him" you smiled at her,"Thank you it means a lot hearing that from you" you felt the boat dip a bit making you turn around seeing Haku putting his weighed slightly on the ship,"A dragon how beautiful, I told Zuko many stories of them when he was little","Zuko told me about when we first met" you said rubbing Haku's nose," I can't believe that our nation nearly eliminated all of them" she said sadly," I know, luckily Dragonstone is home for the remaining dragons and their eggs, but unfortunately not many hatches. It's not the Fire Nation fault entirely since the destruction of Valeryria dragon's has been close to exaction" you said sadly as Haku took off again. Ursa frowned and nodded, "How's Kiyi doing?" you changed the topic, Ursa was about to answer when was cut off by laughter, Kiyi was riding a flying- dolphin fish with Aang was sitting behind her holding her securely,"KIYI!" Ursa shouted gaining Aang's attention,"Come back here it's dangerous" she continued,"No need to be worried Ursa, Appa is gentle and she's with Aang" you tried to comfort hurt but Ursa still looked worried. Aang quickly brought Kiyi back to the boat with an apologetic look,"Kiyi, I was so scared and worried" she said hugging her close but Kiyi just began to screech,"Get off, your hands a cold. Y/N save me" she said reaching out for you with pleading eyes, you didn't know what to do seeing the young girl try to claw her way out of her mother's grip. Ursa noticed and let go of Kiyi who quickly ran to you, hugging your legs. You looked down at the girl and back at Ursa."Come on Kiyi, let's play inside" you said making her eyes light up.

You passed Zuko on your way, he was watching the exchange, he walked over to his mother and placed his hands on her shoulders,"Give her time, she will come around, she needs to get used to your new-old face" he said softly, Ursa laughed softly before sighing and gently squeezing her son's hand, "I know, it just hurts seeing her react like that".

You were changing into your nightgown when Zuko knocked on the door before walking in,"How's Kiyi?" you asked,"Grand, she was put to bed. She still won't let Mom touch her. I feel it's like my fault, if I hadn't come everything would still have been okay with them" Zuko said sitting down on the bed,"Zuko don't say that, Ursa made the decision, if she truly didn't want it she wouldn't have. Kiyi will come around" you said sitting down beside him putting one hand on his shoulder while the other touched his hand, Zuko looked down at your hand over his with a smile, he gently took your hand and lifted it to his lips,"Once we are back on land we continue our wedding planning" he said with a smile," Can't wait" you said,"Can I stay here tonight?" he said with a slight blush,"Of course, you let me sleep in your bed since my mother death, I owe you something even if it's only a night in my bed" he smiled and rubbed your thigh,"We soon be sharing a bed permanently anyway, so the more practice the better" he said again with a soft blush on his face.

A knock on the door made the two of you look away from each other,"Fire Lord Zuko, the Avatar, Lady Katara and Sir Sokka a preparing for there departure" a guard said making the two of you jump up.

"Do you have to leave already?" you asked Katara nodded,"We think it's for the best, as you need to bond as a family and we be only on the way, Sokka and I are missing our family as well" she reasoned, you nodded understandingly and hugged Katara,"Have a safe trip" you said letting go of her before hugging Sokka," Thank you for everything I can never repay you for the help you have given me throughout the last couple of days" Zuko said while hugging Aang,"That's what friends are for buddy, we are here to help with anything. Truly just send us a messenger Hawks and we be there as quick a possible"Aang said patting Zuko's shoulder.

The two of you watched as the trio flew off on Appa,"Go back inside, you must be freezing in the gown" Zuko said nodding towards you slightly shivering because of the cold air,"Don't be out so long" you said, you gave a quick glance to Haku who was slipping on the deck of the ship, his body tightly wrapped around him just like a snake would as there wasn't enough space for him to sleep like normally does,"I hope we arrive soon, Haku isn't comfortable with these surroundings" you said before walking back inside. Zuko looked at the dragon in thought, an idea was brought to his mind that he will be talking to his council about. Zuko was about head back in when he saw his mother staring into the distance.

Zuko came back to your room looking slightly unnerved,"Zuko is everything okay?" you asked sitting up from the bed,"I got this message from the Kyoshi Warriors" he said handing you the scroll,"An attack?' you said, Zuko nodded,"My Father's supporters seem to want to get rid of me no matter the cost" he sighed, you rubbed his back,"No need to worry Zuko, you have dragon's now nothing will can come can stop you know"," I don't want to rule in fear like my father did, scaring these people with dragon's will just make me turn into him" you sighed and pulled your hand away and laid back onto the pillow," I appreciate the idea though" Zuko said rubbing your thigh over the blanket. "So what is your idea?" you asked," There is secret route which goes to the palace my father used during the solar eclipse, a decoy will be using that one after having a public appearance, so the rebels know that I am back, while we be just using the route through the forest. Haku needs to fly higher than usual but take the same route as we do. It seems that the rebels still have no clue about him which is good"," Okay if you think that's a good plan, let's do it" you smiled,"I write the letter, I be right back".

The next day, the plan was set into motion, much to everyone surprise Iroh volunteered to be Zuko's decoy,"Do not worry Zuko, I practised my angsty hand waving" he said making everyone beside Zuko bit back a laugh,"Come on let's go" Suki said, you nodded and patted Haku's nose,"ao ready ñuha dōna valītsos? (you ready my sweet boy?)" you then climbed onto his back," Can I join you?" Kiyi asked trying to reach for Haku's rains," Sorry Kiyi but it is saver for you to be with the others" she pouted,"Another time I promise" you said making her smile, "Be careful"Zuko said, "You too. Sōvegon(fly)".

You watched everything from up in the sky, everything seemed to go fine when suddenly a flare signal shot up close to you, spooking Haku,"gīda, Haku, gīda (calm, Haku, calm). Ivestragī's ūndegon skoros's happening, sōvegon mirrī lower (Let's see what's happening, fly a bit lower)" you said tugging at the rains making him fly a bit lower, just as you broke to small clouds you could see that the carriage holding Zuko and his family were surrounded. "Should I intervene?" you asked your self bitting your lips, the Kyoshi warriors and Zuko are capable to look out and protect themselves and the carriage," Fuck it,mīsagon (defend)" you said flying Haku straight to fight.

Zuko was fighting to protect the carriage as the best he can but he and Kyoshi Warrior's were slowly becoming overwhelmed when he suddenly a roar/growl erupted from the sky, everyone stopped Zuko knew what it so did Suki but the others seemed to tense and looked around for the source of the sound when the white beast erupted from the sky landing on the fallen down trees roaring loudly at the attackers, the attackers seemed to be to shock to me move when suddenly the leader of the group shook his head," What are you waiting for keep the attack up" he spat making the other move again even though hesitantly "dracarys" you shouted,"Y/N NO!" Zuko yelled shortly after but it didn't stop the burst of Fire from escaping of Haku's mouth, the attacker's clothes began burning, panic screams erupted as they try to stop the fire from spreading,"Zuko get your family out of here" you said to Zuko was conflicted on what was happening in front of him.

After the rebels either surrendered or fled the scene you stepped of Haku,"Y/N, you were so cool" Kiyi said running towards you,"Really? You think so?" Kiyi nodded with a big smile,"And so where you Zuko" she said as Zuko approached the two of you,"I'm so glad nothing happened to you" he said rubbing her head gently before turning to you,"We need to talk once we are back in the palace" he said.

Zuko and you thanked Suki and her fellow Kyoshi Warriors for their continued support."Come on I want to see the palace" Kiyi said running past you towards her new home."Wow, it's so big. Come Daddy let's go exploring" she said once she entered,"Kiyi don't want you to rest first?" he asked his daughter but she shook her head,"No, why should I. Zuzu saved his like I knew he would, he's the FireLord after all and Y/N has Haku, so no-one can ever hurt us. So come on" she running off into the Palace. You looked at Zuko who seemed shocked,"Zuzu? Where did she pick up that?","I'm not sure"Ursa said,"Well it sounds a lot nicer coming from her than Azula" Zuko admitted.

After a while Zuko brought you into the Throne Room to talk about the incident earlier," I told you not to intervene" he said gently,"I just wanted to help. I did" you reasoned,"By setting them on Fire" you shrugged,"You attacked them with your Firebending, what is the difference?","I did it for defence not to hurt" he said simply,"I understand you don't want to be like your father. But you can't rule by just being kind, you need to have a backbone, if the New Ozai Society isn't willing to bow before you, break them. It's the only way. You need to be a dragon, not a sheep if the time comes" You then turned on your heel and left him alone in the throne room.

The next you all where having breakfast when a guard walked in and whispered something in Zuko's ear which made him get up,"I need to handle something, it be quick, continue to enjoy the breakfast" he said before walking out the room, You watched him leave the room, a weird feeling started to bubble within inside of you.

A couple of hours later your suspicion was comfier when Zuko and Mai came together to tell you about her little brother's kidnapping," Dark Spirits?","Yes they are called Kemurikage, dark spirits who haunt the mountains outside my home village. I recognised them from the stories of my childhood" Mai explained making you nod," I have sent a messenger bird to Aang as if we are dealing with dark spirits only the Avatar will be able to handle it".

Aang arrived within hours and Zuko filled him in with as much detail as possible. Aang listened carefully to what was said to him, he was about to ask something when a man busted through the doors, it was Mai's father. You watched the scene from afar not wanting to intervene as it wasn't your place to do so. While you were watching the scene unfold feeling of panic overcame you, your throat started to tighten, you touched your throat and coughed making Mai's new boyfriend look at you,"Is everything alright?" he asked making the argument happening coming to a stop," Y/N what's going on" Zuko asked walking over to you wrapping his arms around you," I need to go to Haku, something's wrong" you said.

You walked out of Zuko's arms towards where you hid Haku, the smell of burning wood hit your nose making you walk faster. Once you arrived at the secret spot you gasped, it was burned and Haku was gone. You looked around and saw a Kyoshi Warrior passed out on the ground, you rushed to her and saw that she was still breathing, but she was burned and had cuts all over her face." What's going on?" Zuko asked but his eye widened when he saw the scene in front of him,"He's gone, they took my dragon" you said looking at Zuko, anger and sadness filling you up.

[enchantedquill-40]

The journey had been fraught with challenges, but amidst the trials, a subtle shift in dynamics unfolded. Zuko, who had been a steadfast ally and source of comfort, found himself drawn to Sokka in a way that transcended friendship. The quiet moments by the campfire and shared glances held an unspoken connection that neither of them had anticipated.

One evening, as the embers of the campfire painted dancing shadows on their faces, Zuko's restraint wavered. He leaned in, his eyes reflecting a depth of emotion, and pressed a gentle kiss on Sokka's lips. The world seemed to pause as the air crackled with a charged energy, leaving Sokka stunned and his heart pounding in his chest.

Sokka, who had never fathomed the possibility of someone liking him in that way, was engulfed in a full-blown panic. His mind raced, grappling with a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. He pulled away, his eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and anxiety.

"I... I didn't expect that," Sokka stammered, his voice shaky as he tried to make sense of the unexpected turn of events.

Zuko, realizing the impact of his impulsive action, looked at Sokka with a mix of concern and regret. "I'm sorry, Sokka. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

The panic within Sokka intensified, a tidal wave threatening to drown him. The echoes of past rejection and judgment resurfaced, magnifying his uncertainty. His sister, Katara, noticing Sokka's distress, rushed to his side. She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, her eyes conveying a mix of understanding and support.

"Sokka, it's okay. Take a deep breath," Katara urged, her voice a soothing balm in the midst of chaos.

Sokka, however, struggled to steady his breathing. The unexpected kiss had unraveled a knot of insecurities, leaving him vulnerable and overwhelmed. Katara, sensing the depth of Sokka's turmoil, guided him to a secluded spot away from the prying eyes of their companions.

"Hey, big brother, it's alright. You don't have to figure everything out in this moment," Katara reassured him, her words carrying the weight of a sister who had witnessed Sokka's struggles and triumphs.

Sokka, still caught in the grip of panic, looked to Katara for guidance. The unconditional love in her eyes offered a lifeline, grounding him in the present moment. "I just... I never thought anyone could like me like that. It's so... overwhelming."

Katara, with a gentle smile, hugged Sokka, providing the comfort he needed. "Sokka, you're worthy of love just as you are. Don't let the past define your worth. Zuko cares about you, and it's okay to feel confused. Take the time you need."

As Sokka nestled into his sister's embrace, he began to process the whirlwind of emotions. The fear of rejection, ingrained through years of societal judgment, collided with the warmth of Zuko's unexpected affection. Katara's words became a lifeline, reminding him that vulnerability wasn't a weakness but a step towards understanding himself and accepting the love that came his way.

In the subsequent days, Sokka navigated a maze of emotions with the support of Katara and the newfound understanding between him and Zuko. Conversations were had, feelings were explored, and boundaries were established. Zuko, recognizing Sokka's need for time and clarity, approached their connection with a newfound patience and respect.

The journey, now marked by a nuanced dynamic, continued. Sokka's panic transformed into introspection, and the once-unfathomable idea of someone liking him in that way became a source of both confusion and curiosity. Zuko's actions, while unexpected, opened a door to self-discovery, challenging Sokka to confront his own beliefs and biases.

As the adventure unfolded, Sokka learned that vulnerability wasn't a sign of weakness but a testament to courage. In the quiet moments by the campfire, he began to unravel the layers of his own identity, understanding that acceptance and love could be found even in the most unexpected places. The unexpected kiss, a catalyst for growth, became a pivotal moment in Sokka's journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

[dieauster-und-diegarnele]

Unpopular AtLA opinions: main character pairings

All these shipping wars made me think about the pairings with main characters in general. You do not always fall in love with your best friend, right? So, maybe, main characters could be just friends with each other but not more. And love someone else, someone special personally for them. No shipping wars, everyone's happy! (Yeah, like that's gonna happen)

So

With all the respect for the canon pairings and their role in the story, just a thought:

Rare pairings for A:tlA main cast with side characters, that could be canon.

Two girls were canonically interested in Aang: Meng from "The Fortuneteller" and On Ji from "The Headband". I chose On Ji. Aang was kind to her (unlike poor Meng), he invited her to dance and she was ablush. Also, isn't it symbolical to finish the war that started between Fire Nation and Air Nomads with Fire Nation girl and Air Nomad guy falling for each other? I found it sort of interesting.

Katara is a very popular girl. Except Aang and Zuko (no shipping wars!!!) we have such options as Haru and Jet. I wanted comfort, I chose Haru. Jet is great, recently he became very interesting to me, but he is so broken (and very much dead). Haru is mature, good-looking both with and without moustache and beard, nice, etc, he values Katara's personality, he could be a great boyfriend.

The most challenging one was Sokka because he's a real heartbreaker. Literally every hetero pairing with him is not rare. Suki? His endgame (I did not want to use canon endgames). Yue? Canonically in love (but she left the human world). Ty Lee? She was pretty much into him (I should have chosen her or Suki, I know, I cheated, okay?). Azula? She sees Sokka as a worthy opponent, so I can assume that she could fall for him some day (but she is one of the main characters – or villains, whatever – and this relationship would be very unhealthy). So, again, I cheated and chose Yue, my personal favorite. They could at least meet in the spirit world after Sokka's passing ("The Legend of Korra", I'm looking at you).

'Cause she is just twelve, Toph has no official endgame. It is ok, normally one can't just found a person in his or her twelve years and fall for them and live together ever since (kataang should happen later too, imho). Toph was a little into Sokka but he did not understand it, which is also ok for teens. But I found someone – the Duke! He helped Toph to aim in "The Awakening", cared for her on the submarine in "The Day of Black Sun", they had a cute hug in the finale. And there are some sweet moments in the "Swordbending" from "The Lost Adventures" comic book. I don't care much for Avatar graphic novels in general, but you can find something worthy there.

Just one girl ever said that Zuko is cute and it was Jin. She is a sweetheart, she was kind to him, initiative, gentle – I love her with all my heart. I believe she was Zuko's first kiss. It's a shame we never saw her in action again. Also there is Song, who was understanding and wanted to help, but I did not feel any response from Zuko. In the series he had so many issues, that he did not need any relationship. But after the war – why not? Give Song a ton of ostrich horses, apologise to Jin and ask her out again, you.

As for Suki – I know a lot of fans want her to be an official Gaang member, but sadly she has no personal relationship with any side characters. She was on a date with a Foaming mouth guy once? Great but it's highly improbable that she really liked him (yeah, that's the creator's joke). Well, I guess some people can be happy without any romance in their life, right? But I did not want to draw her here alone, it would feel sad.

A:tlA rare pairings

"I really liked that crazy dance you were doing."

"It's a part of who we are."

"I'll always be with you."

"Helmet?"

"Close your eyes, and don't peek."

[undercoverpterodactyl]

Grad School Zukka

1 - single “dad” Sokka and instead of being his little sister by a few years, Katara is Sokka's baby baby sister who everyone assumes is his kid but he's too tired to care or correct anyone bc he's recovering from

a) his mom dying

b) his girlfriend dying

c) Hakoda and Bato being diplomats or smth who have to travel a lot and not be there for him but can't afford to quit their jobs bc that's what's keeping their house and getting their son his scholarship to keep going to grad school so it’s a lot of skype calls and Sokka not admitting how badly he’s getting touched starved and needs a hug from someone who can wrap their arms all the way around him (Bc baby katara hugs are wonderful but sometimes he wants to be able to be the one feeling small and protected and not the other way around)

2 - Zuko the stable one who lives with Iroh and attends grad school as well as helping his uncle run the popular tea and coffee hotspot near campus, had a rough early childhood but now is very kind and caring and still has a bit of a hot temper but for the right reasons now, doesn't see his mom much bc she also has a job that travels a lot but she visits often enough that he's quite content and happy and he knows staying in one place for too long makes her antsy bc of how his dad was when he was younger before they all managed to get out of the house. Zuko being the one to soften the grief-hardened Sokka and guide HIM out of his shell to heal and care for him.

3 - Azula is still a bitch but like,,, a badass bitch, not an evil crazy person. She is very nice in her own way, she's just very blunt and clipped and struggles with the right words but she's actually quite sweet and when she meets Katara she just MELTS and spoils the kid rotten and declares herself Auntie Azula and always grins and sticks her tongue out at Iroh when he pouts about not being the one snuggling the adorable baby kiddo

4 - Mai is Azula's gf who is also Stony and Melts at seeing babby Katara, not as visibly, but her eyes and her voice get much gentler and her little careful movements around the kid betray the affection she carries for the lil stubborn baby

5 - Ty Lee and Suki are gfs and are Not At All Secretive about how cute they think Katara (and Zuko and Sokka being together) is, and Katara ends up with a bunch of wlw Aunts that Adore Her and give Sokka much needed breaks to be able to let himself go or let himself break down without fear of scaring the baby or even just study in a quiet peaceful apartment etc etc and Sokka is so incredibly grateful.

6 - Aang is Ty Lee's actual kid - evident in the big round brown eyes and little button nose and is instantly Katara's bff and cuddle buddy (cuz they're literally both like... barely at the toddling stage and still cannot even stand or talk properly, they're like Actual Babies)

7 - Lu Ten works full time at the shop and is every bit his dad's son - boisterous, dad jokes, weird metaphoric wisdom and being Way Too Smart for his own good.

8 - Toph is another grad student who is Sokka's best friend and is bad at words but amazing at supporting him with just the right amount of snark, and may or may not have a crush on Lu Ten? (who isn’t super older cuz weird) and how sweet he always is to her without being condescending about it or acting like she's fragile like most dudes who have flirted with her always do. Or else she’s crushing on Azlua and Mai and they group into some badass wlw poly. (But also aro/ace Toph is extremely good so I’m torn between who I want to shower her with affection lmao)

9 - Teo and Haru are bfs, they met while Haru and his dad were doing some remodeling for Teo's dad's house (because as handy as that man is, he is NOT one for pretty design and there were so many random pipes sticking out of walls and exposed wires and Teo was like Dad i love you but this is no longer even vaguely ADA compliant i literally left for two months and skyped you every day and saw you for lunch once a week how the FUCK did you manage to fuck up our house THIS BAD?!) and cuz Haru works for his dad's construction business and Teo is a grad student for architecture/design like Sokka

and with that i'm done shoehorning in characters lmao bc i don't feel like adding in all the freedom fighters with jet so jet can be like either zuko or sokka's shitty high school ex

but mainly just

sokka getting to break down and be the one to be healed and taken care of by zuko bc most fics are (understandably) the other way around but oh i crave being soft and giving sokka gentle care and emotional healing and love

and also big brother/single dad sokka bc he just... would care for baby katara SO MUCH and SO DEARLY

[purrincesskittens]

Some pure indulgent fluff in my dragons atla universe slightly inspired by @muffinlance Scaled Over writing out how Bato comes into the possession of a little scaly Zuko still but I just had to get this fluff out first. Sorry for tagging you so often muffin you have inspired me to write again and actually finish something for once.

Zuko's scar isn't as bad over his eye it's larger though it covers more of the left side of his face and down his neck and across his shoulder. It's not as bad though it's second to third degree and will scar but not nearly as bad as it looks in canon like this but on a small child

......................................................................

Bato was drifting between wakefulness and sleep wanting to go back to sleep unsure as to what woke him. His hammock rocked with the ship he was comfortable under his furs and blankets. They were almost home and just in time to beat the late season storm coming their way. He was almost asleep again when the baby in his arms sat up on his chest. After a moment of squirming little hands patted his face gently and cautiously to wake him. Giving a yawn and stretch Bato opened his eyes to look at the little one he held.

"Sorry." The 3 year old little boy whispers so softly Bato wouldn't have heard if he hadn't been holding the little one so close. "What's wrong buddy?" Bato asks as the kid squirmed again. "Umm." The little one grabbed at his front as he squirms in a matter Bato recognizes from Sokka who had just started potty training. "Need to go?" Bato sat up holding the boy to his chest as he did before unburrying them so he could swing his legs out of the hammock and set the boy down.

He knew what woke him now. The boy had been squirming for a while before waking Bato. The child was still very cautious about everything he did which angered Bato. The boy was barely 3 and was surprisingly very good about potty breaks although he did have accidents that caused him to break down in tears. Bato would love to murder the child's father. Not only was the man responsible for the large burn that covered the left side of the child's face and down his neck and shoulder but the man didn't seem to understand children. Didn't want the child to make loud noises and apparently yelled at every little thing the boy did.

Bato wasn't even a father but he was a damn proud uncle to Hakoda's kids and understood children were noisy and messy. He didn't have a high opinion of any servants hired to care for the boy either. None seemed to have had the patience for a young child struggling to be more mature then their age while still being a toddler. Standing up he guided the kid to use the bathroom yawning as he did. The boy finished with only a slight mishap at first not a big deal, he watched Sokka for Hakoda and Kya before he knew this could happen.

The boy looked at him like he expected to be hit or yelled at. "I missed." The boy whispered looking down at his bare feet. "Sorry." Bato had to close his eyes and count to ten silently so as not to show he was upset. Not at the little one but at the man the boy calls father. Kneeling he hugs the tiny thing to him before murmuring reassuringly. "It's okay accidents happen. You'll get better with time." He stood cleaning up the mess and then cleaned the child and himself up, using a clean wet cloth to whipe the boys face after to remove snot and tears.

Scooping him up he nuzzled the child's soft black hair with his nose. "Let's get a snack and then back to bed okay?" He got a nod in response as the little one tucked his head against his neck. Hakoda intercepted them after they had grabbed a few sea prunes yawning as he ruffled the child's hair causing the boy to squeak and hide his face against Bato's skin. "Midnight snack?" He questions his friend nodding to the half eaten prune in the toddlers hand. "Bathrrom visit first then snack as a reward for doing so good now back to bed." Bato explains bouncing the child in his arms gently to reassure him.

"I missed." Came the response from the half asleep bundle in the tribesman's arms. "That's okay Sokka, my son, misses alot too. It happens." The chief reassures the tiny thing who peaks at him with sleepy gold eyes. They eventually got back to bed with Bato settling the toddler in his arms under the furs and blankets.

The next day brought them into colder waters and icebergs appeared. The child stared with wide eyes from his place at the railing of the ship under the watchful eyes of the crew. As they traveled further south the more the ice grew bigger. It was early spring so the waters were barely safe enough to traverse meaning they had to slow down and take it easy. This also meant the icebergs appeared to be closer to the ship. Almost within touching distance it would seem. Or at least it seemed so to a tiny tot who had never seen icebergs before. One second he was standing by the railing, the next he's climbed up on the railing, and the second after that a little black dragon is launching himself across the distance little wings incapable of true flight, beating the air in an attempt at keeping him alight.

The ship lurched and a large blue dragon is grabbing the baby dragon in his teeth scuffing them and hauling them back on board the ship ignoring their whines of protest despite being a limp noodle hanging from Bato's jaws as he settles back in the middle of the deck depositing the little creature in front of them caging him with his claws so the little one can't scamper off.

The rest of the day is spent with a shaky noodle hiding in Bato's parka half because he got scolded for trying to jump off the ship to touch an iceberg half because he was cold. Aake's mutter suggestion about wing breaking had been overheard and the little one was terrified of him now. Bato hadn't liked that suggestion even if Aake wasn't completely serious.

"You need a name boy." Kustaa informs the child as he changes the bandages that cover half the boys face, neck and shoulder. "He has a name." Bato comments as he holds the boy still. "But he hasn't said what it is yet now has he? If he is staying he needs a name. We can't keep calling him boy now can we?" Cool salve is applied to the burn with gentle steady hands. Bato hums in response but thinks on what the healer said.

"If you don't want to tell me your name that's fine but since your starting a new life with us how about a proper water tribe name?" Bato asks the child as he carefully runs a brush through the boys hair. The little one practically purred in his lap as he pulled the brush through his thick black hair. "What do you think of Kanut? It means white polar bear goose." The boy scrunched up his nose and shook his head. "Yeah polar bear goose doesn’t suit you does it? Hmm how about Nanook?"

A little sneeze greeted this suggestion drawing a chuckle from the man. "No? Let's see then something that would suit you." Bato ran the brush once more through the toddlers hair before tying it up in a warriors wolf tail. "I know how about Tulugaq? For your raven hair." This last name earned a bright eye look. "Tulugaq it is then." Bato chuckles wrapping his arms around the newly dubbed Tulugaq giving him a hug.

Kustaa held Tulugaq in his arms as the crew ran around getting the ship ready as they drew closer to the South Pole and their village. Once they docked the ships would be unloaded and sleds packed up with supplies to be distributed among the various tribes and villages that made up the Southern Water Tribe enough to last the tribes to the summer when the traders came. Tulugaq only liked Kustaa and Bato primarily although he was growing used to the chief. Hakoda had been spending time with Bato while the little one hide under Bato's clothes or clung to him.

Bato had been named the boys guardian and new dad in everything but name. It had been agreed upon that if his mother came looking for him and proved to be trust worthy she would be welcomed by the tribe or allowed to take her son, the boys father would never get him back and would never lay another hand on the boy. Finally Bato came over scooping his new son up into his arms. "Welcome to the Southern Water Tribe, Tulugaq."

[milf-harrington]

AU 12 trope 2 prompt 2

Babysitter!au, enemies to lovers, “fuck. fuck fuck fuck fuck this shit. Fuck.”

i don't think this is quite enemies to lovers but i tried

Izumi always got a little too excited whenever Zuko wouldn’t be home, because it meant he’d have to call her babysitter. And Izumi loved her babysitter.

Zuko didn’t.

(And it absolutely wasn’t because he was jealous that his daughter seemed to like this guy better than him, Mai, it wasn’t.

...Okay maybe a little, but come on, could you blame him? Whenever he had to part from his daughter she practically threw a party.)

But, he had a last minute work function that was apparently mandatory, and Sokka was basically his only choice whenever he had to be away because all of his friends worked with him.

And, as much as Zuko disliked Sokka, he still tried to be polite and always made sure the house was at least tidy when he was coming over. Unfortunately, when Zuko said the function was last minute he really meant last minute, as in i-was-going-to-watch-spiderman-with-my-kid-until-my-boss-called-to-tell-me-that-i-have-to-be-there-in-an-hour last minute. Izumi had even been upset when she’d heard, only managing a smile when he told her Sokka would watch spiderman with her instead.

So, Zuko was still trying to wash the dishes, get dressed, and put something on for dinner all at the same time when there was a knock at the door and he jumped in surprise, dropping the plate he’d been scrubbing back in the sink and splashing soapy water all over the shirt he’d just put on. And the bench. And the floor. Which of course he slipped on and barely managed to catch himself on the counter, where he promptly slammed his hip bone into it

“Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck this shit. Fuck.” He cursed, pressing a still-wet hand to his hip and feeling warm water soak through the material of his jeans, his hair coming out of the bun he’d carefully tied it into and falling around his face. The ends were damp, small foamy bubbles hanging on and smearing against his cheek uncomfortably. He could hear the faint hiss of bubbles popping in his ear.

Agni Zuko hated his life.

Distantly he heard Izumi letting Sokka in, the 11 year old traitorously admitting that “dad’s kinda stressed right now” but he didn’t really register it as he stubbornly swallowed back his tears of frustration and pain, finding himself wishing (not for the first time) that he wasn’t an angry crier.

He dropped his head onto the counter, wincing when his hair instantly soaked up any surrounding water and heaved a deep sigh, suddenly exhausted.

“Hey- woah, Zuko, you okay?”

Zuko didn’t even bother looking up, his hand still pressed to his hip despite the pain having faded to a dull throb. “I hate everything.” He mumbled, not sure whether to smile or scowl at the answering laugh.

“Do you need a hand?”

In an absolutely mortifying turn of events, the simple question had Zuko bursting into tears.

Agni, when was the last time someone genuinely offered to help him? Azula only ever seemed to come over to snark at him and judge his organization system, and Mai and Ty Lee had been busy planning their wedding so he didn’t blame them for not visiting.

“Hey, hey it’s okay.” Sokka’s voice was suddenly closer, warm and gentle, softening a bit when he asked Izumi to grab a towel for him, and maybe a fancy shirt.

But Sokka- Sokka was always helping.

Sure, Zuko kind of paid him to. But he paid him to make sure his daughter didn’t die or get kidnapped- not for washing the dishes when Zuko forgot to, or for helping Izumi change the sheets on her bed when she spilled water on them, or even for helping her put together a school project.

It had infuriated Zuko at first, feeling like Sokka thought he wasn’t capable of doing it himself, like it was some kind of passive aggressive way of saying “you’re a bad dad”. But after stumbling home one night, exhausted and cranky and hungry, and finding a plate of food that Sokka had made for him sitting on the bench, still warm like he’d made it in time for Zuko to get home, he’d had to admit that maybe Sokka wasn’t awful.

And now he was there, gently pulling Zuko into his chest and wiping the counter down with his other hand, and then asking Izumi something when she passed him a shirt.

“Hey Zuko? You grab this and go put it on okay?”

Zuko, feeling mortified and stressed, just took the shirt and left, peeling the wet one off once he was in the safety of his bedroom. Beneath the rustling of fabric and whispered curse, he could hear the clinking of dishes, water sloshing and dripping followed by the bright laugh of his daughter.

By the time he made it back out, shirt tucked into his almost-dry pants and hair a lot neater, the dishes were washed and put away, and Izumi was sitting at the bench, kicking her legs and chattering away about her science class while Sokka grated cheese - likely for the pasta Zuko had left on the stove.

Once they saw he was okay, and Zuko had awkwardly explained he’d just been overwhelmed, the two of them had practically shoved him out the door with promises to leave him some pasta for when he got home.

Several hours of boring small talk (and snide comments shared between him, Mai and Toph), Zuko finally crept back through the front door, tired and hungry because none of the food served at the function had looked edible. Other than the tv, the only light was in the kitchen, greeting him with a warm glow as he gently placed his keys down on the bench.

Sokka was curled up on the couch still when Zuko got there, saying something about pasta in the microwave and laughing when Zuko cringed at how loud the buttons sounded in the post-midnight quiet.

They sat next to each other in companionable silence, spiderman: into the spiderverse still in the process of wrapping up when Sokka shuffled a little closer.

"How was the work thing?"

Zuko looked up in surprise, fork paused part way to his mouth. "Uh- boring, mostly. Other than when my friend Toph tripped this jerk out of the door and pulled the blind card to get out of trouble."

Sokka snorted, shooting Zuko an amused look before turning back to the screen, the colours reflecting in his eyes and over his skin. Zuko was struck with the sudden realisation that Sokka was actually kind of beautiful.

Carefully, he turned his gaze back to his pasta, swallowing down the sudden unexpected yearning that filled him. It was almost jarring to go from hating someone, to kind of tolerating them because they were kind, to realising that they were beautiful and smiled nice and were willing to hug you just because you were crying over spilled dish water.

"Hey, uh, Zuko?"

Zuko looked up, raising an eyebrow at Sokka who was for some reason avoiding eye contact. Which, actually, was fair because Zuko fucking hated eye contact anyway.

"If this is totally out of line you can tell me to piss off but, uh, I was wondering if you'd maybe want to get lunch with me? Whenever you're free next. You can bring Izumi, obviously." Sokka glanced at him for a second before looking away again, clearly nervous. Zuko's heart tripped, and he realised he was just sitting there without answering.

"I-" yknow what? Fuck it. "Yeah, sure. I'd like that."

[cipheress-to-k-pop]

Hello there! Can you write hcs for Tim with a demigodess!reader please? Congrats on your 600 followers btw^^

Tim Drake x Demigoddess!Reader

A/N: Thank you so much! So I’m totally dense about greek myths and stuff and I was gonna make her Thor’s daughter at first but then I forgot about that I did Hades but when I remembered it was already written so oh well

You were the daughter of Hades and Persephone

You had kind of a weird childhood

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great childhood

Being princess of the underworld and the daughter of the only sane people in all of Olympus had its perks

But compared to everyone else, it was weird

Hades was extremely protective of you because you were a mortal

Meaning that you could die

The thought of having to greet your soul when you died filled him with so much grief

So, he kept you sheltered, kept you safe

Never letting you lift a finger

As princess you had everything you ever needed and everything your heart desired

Since birth you had been trained by Athena and Aries under your father’s watchful eyes

When you were 16 and you finally wanted to see the rest of the world, you begged your parents to let you go to the mortal world

It took months of begging and when they said no, you’d get so upset that all the flowers in the underworld would wither

Persephone seeing how much you wanted to see the world

So, she convinces Hades to let you go

And he agrees but just as long as you promise to visit

You go to the human world and you’re so oblivious about human life that it’s concerning

Walking around in a floor length dress wondering why everyone else wasn’t dressed the same way

This is how you meet Diana Prince

She recognizes you immediately when you arrive at the Smithsonian, looking mildly confused

Your eyes light up when you see a familiar face

You stay with her for a couple of days before she decides that you’d be better off at the cave

That’s exactly what happens

Even though you whine a little and say you want to stay with her

She just knows it’s because you’re nervous about being in a new place

You know that if you were in any real danger your parents would inflict rage on the mortal world

Feeling mildly comforted at the idea

Diana doesn’t tell them to add you to the group

She just tells them that you need a place to stay and someone to help you find your way around

The first people you meet are Batman, Nightwing and Robin

Immediately being comforted just by looking at them

Batman reminded you of your dad and Nightwing of your mom

And Diana trusted them so you did too

You end up following Tim and Dick around for the next couple of days like a lost puppy

Dick finds it amusing

Tim is kinda unsettled but thinks you’re stupid for some reason

It isn’t until he actually talks to you, he realizes you’re much more profound than he gave you credit for

You don’t officially join the team

You just live there

Everyone thinks that you have no training whatsoever

And that you’re just a princess

Which you technically are but

Until you’re watching them train one day and then remember the days you would spar with Athena

It looked like so much fun

Immediately you wanted to join in

Some of them rolled their eyes and thought you were wasting their time

The others were happy to let you join in

They wanted to make Bart spar you but you looked around contemplatively before pointing at Tim

“If it is alright with you, I wish for you to be my partner.”

Tim blushing because what you said sounded like you were choosing him as a life partner, rather than sparring partner

Of course, Bart teases him for it as well as the others

When Tim walks up to the middle, Dick subtlety tells him to take it easy on you and he nods

The match is over before he can even make a move

You had the speed and strength of a god, it wasn’t a surprise

Not to you at least

To everyone else, kind of a huge surprise

Standing over him and giggling

“I want a rematch.”

“But of course.”

Spending the rest of the day sparring with him

He doesn’t beat you even once

And the others just watch you throw him around for an afternoon

After a while it stops being funny and Nightwing is almost concerned

It kind of hurts his pride but you still acknowledge him

“You know, for a human, you’re very skilled.”

“Uh, thank you?”

After that you go through the other members quite quickly

Some of them gave you a little trouble, like Conner

But you managed to be undefeated

They all think you should join the team after that and you agree

Spending more time with Tim that way

Always talking to him about your family’s history and stuff

Telling him all about your parents love story when he asked to hear about it

You talk so fondly of it and he’s honestly just kind of shocked that Greek Mythology isn’t mythology

I mean, he knew it was real because of Diana

But he never really understood how real these gods were

He falls for you

He loves the way your eyes light up and you smile at him

He loves the way you’re always eager to learn

He loves that you’re so kind and gentle but can also beat people up without even trying

He asks you out but it didn’t go as well as he was hoping

“Do you want to go out with me?”

“Yes, a walk sounds lovely.”

“(Y/N), I like you.”

“Aw that’s so sweet Tim, I like you too, friend.”

Everyone else starts enjoying the way he crashes and burns all the time

And Tim would stop asking usually

But he knows it in his bones that you like him too

But he has no other way to tell you aside from marching up to you and kissing you

Makes that Plan B tho

Plan A is getting you a bouquet of your favourite flowers and telling you that he likes you

Romantically

Not platonically

You grin widely and tell him you like him too

Kissing you just as the sun set that day

It’s one of your favourite memories

His too

Everyone being extremely happy and supporting of your relationship

You can tell Batman is trying to threaten you

But your father is god of the underworld and you have a three headed dog

So, when you and Tim are caught kissing in some hidden crevice in the cave by him and he tries telling you off, you can’t help you smile adorably

“Don’t worry Batman, I have no intention of dishonouring your son.”

Batman is like ???

And Tim is either like “Please don’t speak like we’re in the 1800s.”

or “Please dishonour me.”

He buys you pomegranates as a joke but then you prank him saying that if he eats them, he has to return to the underworld with you

Dick (Nightwing) approves

You like falling asleep in his arms so more often than not you plead with him to stay at the cave and sleep with you

He knows relationships in Olympus generally move a lot quicker so he ends up having to sit you down and explain everything to you so you know his boundaries

Totally accepting them and never going farther than he wants

You appreciate the small things

Like sitting in his lap and eating breakfast

Or being the small spoon

You become the team’s resident couple

Being part of a team, a family is honestly so much fun

Everyone thinking your invincible and practically indestructible

Until one day you’re hurt on the battlefield

Everyone freaking out and getting you back to the cave so you could be treated

The next morning, Tim goes to check up on you and finds something shocking

He’s not sure what to be more surprised by

Cerberus napping at the foot of your bed

Or you crying

Even though the giant, three-headed dog freaks him out, he still sits beside you and asks what’s wrong

“My father demands that I return home. He cannot stand the thought of me being hurt.”

His heart stops

He likes you so much, even bordering on love

And he doesn’t want you to leave

But who was he to stop the God of the Underworld?

Comforting you when you cried, hugging you tightly

“Shh it’s gonna be okay.”

You return home after that and it breaks Tim’s heart

You don’t officially break up but it’s kind of implied because you can never return back to the mortal world

Him being depressed for the next few months but he hides it well

Even though everyone knows how he’s feeling

Things aren’t any better on your end

Your heart aches with every second your away from him

Until one day it happens

Your soul wants to be with Tim

So, it tries to leave your body

You have a heart attack that night and nearly die and it horrifies Hades

He goes all the way to the mortal world to find Tim

Tim doesn’t quite understand how you could have a heart attack from missing him

But is still worried and agrees to go to the Underworld to see you

When he gets there, you’re in so much pain

But once he brings you into his arms you feel sated

When he kisses you, everything fades into a dull ache

Hades wants Tim to stay in the Underworld after that but you argue and tell him to go back to the land of the living

This wasn’t the place for him

“I’ll give up on you, I promise, but you can’t stay here any longer my love.”

“I don’t want to leave your side.”

“I’m sorry, but you know we can’t be.”

Tim goes the next morning and it breaks your heart but you know that it’s for the best

You spend the next few weeks in such sorrow that all of Persephone’s plants die

Hades and Persephone both see how much you love Tim and they are reminded of themselves when they were younger

Making a joint decision to let you go back to the mortal world

But you have to live a long life

That’s the one condition

You running into the cave and crashing into Tim’s arms

Kissing him there and feeling everything go right in the world

You fulfil your parents wish

And live a long, happy life by Tim’s side

Forever Taglist:

@simonsbluee

DC Taglist:

@emmacata

@p--e--a--c--h--e--s

@sometimeseverythingsucks

@sokkas-honour

@unstable1902

@lostgirlheart

[peoniarose]

Tell me about Zuko WIPs

@justfandomwritings

“Do you need help?” Twisting her head to the side, Hai sees Sokka standing there, a thoughtful look on his face. A small smile etches onto her face.

“No, but you can if you want,” she says waving to the items that need to be packed and put away. There weren’t too many things that needed to be put away and she would like the company. She enjoys being around Sokka.

Sokka nods, kneeling down next to her, folding the blanket strewn across the ground. He sneaks small glances at her, trying to figure out how to talk to her about Suki. He was hesitant and a little worried at the ferry station to tell her who Suki was. When Hai asked how he knew Suki, he thought he was going to combust. He knows he is going to have this talk with her at some point, but he doesn’t want to hurt her. He made a vow the day that she left with them from the North Pole that he would always protect her, but how can he if he is going to be the one to hurt her? Sokka cares about Hai too much to hurt her.

“I can see the steam coming out of your ears, Boomerang Boy” Hai teases, tossing the last of the small items into the pack. All that needed to put in is the blanket…that Sokka is determined to fold for fifth time in a row.

“Huh?”

“Well either your very focused on folding that blanket for the fifth time or something is up.”

“Sixth time, actually,” Sokka corrects you without missing a beat.

She laughs at that. “That doesn’t help your situation.”

He shrugs, “The sides aren’t aligning.” He struggles for the sixth time, trying to get all the sides to match up. Hai stops what she is doing to watch him. She isn’t stupid. She knows that Sokka wants to talk to her about something important otherwise, he wouldn’t be obsessing over the blanket. And she thinks she knows what he wants to talk about. It’s pretty in green, has awesome fans, and, according to Sokka, can apparently communicate with the Unagi (whatever that is).

Hai gently grabs the blanket from him and folds it, not caring about the sides not matching up. She tosses it into the pack and ties it up.

“But…the sides,” He motions to the pack.

“Something tells me that you aren’t too concerned about that. You can talk to me Sokka. What’s wrong?” She asks him gently.

Sokka sighs, “I don’t how or what to say.” She takes a step closer to him and grabs his hand, gently squeezing it. “Hai, I – I love your sister. And I care about you. I really do, but Suki is – she is…” He is trying to get the words out. Trying to convey to Hai how he feels.

Hai seems to get where the conversation is going. She gives him another gentle squeeze, grabbing his attention. “Sokka, Yue cared for you more than any other guy she has met. You’re very special to her. If she was gifted with more time, I am pretty sure she would have fallen in love with you.” Sokka looks away but she maneuvers herself, so they are once again looking at each other. “She does care for you. She would want you to be happy. And I think moving on is part of that.”

Sokka gets misty-eyed, and she allows him to turn away. He nods after a few moments of silence. Hai smiles continuing, “And if it matters, I want you to be happy too.”

He turns to look at her seeing the sincere smile on her face causing one to appear on his. It made him feel better to hear her opinion on how Yue would feel. It made him feel better knowing that Hai accepts his feelings and his happiness. Hai was his best friend after all. He tugs her into him, crushing her into a hug. “It does matter. Thank you.”

Hai settles into the warm hug, “Of course, Boomerang Boy. What are best friends for.”

--

One of the tropes that I like are sibling or sibling insert tropes and I thought, ‘Hey, what if Yue had a sister.’ I played around with that idea for a while. I didn’t officially get anything written down until a few months ago when I rewatched the series with my brother. In the beginning I played around with the idea of it being a Sokka x OC fic instead, but decided to go in a different direction instead. I also have to admit that I am still salty over Katara and Zuko not ending up together. I stand by that ship and I will sink with that ship. 😂

[sukifans]

Can I request a small Zuko x Fem!Reader, where the reader can't fall asleep and Zuko offers to cuddle with her, and she falls asleep very quickly?

SLEEP // zuko

WC: 1.2k

WARNINGS: none, pure fluff

A/N: my first request!! let’s gooooo!! hope u like this anon, i am so soft for warm zuko. perhaps i wrote this instead of studying for my lab practical... don’t look at me. also i didn’t proofread so don’t come for my ass okay

⇦ 𝘔𝘈𝘚𝘛𝘌𝘙𝘓𝘐𝘚𝘛

The flimsy silks of your night robes whipped around your calves in the frigid evening wind. Being from a village not too far outside the Si Wong Desert, even the Fire Nation’s winter was enough to chill your bones. As much as you disliked being cold, you still preferred the tropical seasons to the constant abusive desert heat you grew up with. Lucky you that a group of insane kids came through your town talking about finding Wan Shi Tong’s Library all those years ago.

The memories made you smile fondly to yourself and you made a mental note to write Katara in the morning and ask her to send some warm furs. Sure, you could probably get something much quicker from a local vendor, but Sokka always boasted about how his people make the best blankets. You folded your arms across your chest and shuddered in the biting wind, leaning forward against the balcony railing as you looked out over the sleepy city.

The sound of footsteps behind you made you glance over your shoulder and you smiled at the sight of a rumpled-looking Zuko. “Evening, Fire Lord,” you hummed.

“It’s far too late at night for you to address me by my title, Advisor.” He ran a hand through his already mussed hair and came up to stand beside you, leaving a respectable distance between you. Even so, you could feel the warmth radiating from his body and you subconsciously shifted closer.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

“Not really,” he sighed. “You neither?”

“Nope.” You shook your head. “Too cold.”

He looked at you out of the corner of his eye with a wry grin. “So you decided to come stand outside, in the cold?”

“The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma, Zuko. Don’t try to keep up.” You laughed at his eye roll. A particularly harsh burst of wind blustered across the balcony and you pulled your arms in tighter around yourself, shivering.

“C’mere, idiot,” he chuckled, reaching out to pull you closer. Your mouth dropped open in faux-outrage.

“That’s an awfully rude way to speak to your top advisor on Earth Kingdom relations,” you huffed. You still let him move behind you and hug you to his chest, wrapping his arms around your middle.

“Yeah, yeah,” he murmured, leaning down to rest his chin on your shoulder. “You’re shaking like a leaf, (Y/N). You need to go back inside.” Despite his words, neither of you made to move away from the railing. You started to feel warm and sleepy, closing your eyes and leaning your head back against his shoulder as you melted into his embrace. He clasped your hands in his own, clicking his tongue when he felt your freezing fingers. You could still feel goosebumps along your skin, but now it was from the way his hot breath danced across your exposed collar bones. He flinched a little when you turned your head to press your cold nose against his neck. You could swear you felt his pulse racing just as hard as yours under his skin.

You opened your eyes again and moved so your lips almost grazed his ear as you whispered, “are you having those nightmares again?” You knew your friend went through sleepless spells plagued by terrible dreams of his father and the war and losing his loved ones. When he’d joined you and the Avatar and your friends, you were the first to notice how he’d sometimes jump awake at night, panting and sweating. One night, not unlike this night, during his first year as Fire Lord, he’d bared his soul to you and described the horrors he faced in his sleep. Ever since, you’d often sought out each other out when rest was evasive.

He simply nodded and buried his face into your hair, declining to elaborate. He didn’t know how to tell you that recently he’d been dreaming about losing you; that sometimes he’d wake up with your name caught in his throat and his cheeks wet with tears. You hummed in understanding and removed one of your hands from his to card your fingers through his hair soothingly. The gentle motion of your nails scratching against his scalp was almost starting to lull him into a trance state. You giggled when he let out a little contented sound.

“Don’t laugh,” he grumbled, “it feels nice. You know what you’re doing to me.”

“You’re like a happy, cute little turtleduck getting a head scratch.”

“I’m one of the most powerful men in the world, (Y/N); please don’t call me a ‘cute little turtleduck.’” He lifted his head from your shoulder with a groan and you turned in his arms to face him, not missing the way the moonlight illuminated the blush on his cheeks.

“Don’t act like a cute little turtleduck and I won’t call you one.” You raised your arms to drape around his neck and pressed closer to his warmth.

In moments like these, when Zuko looked at you like that, you wished he would just throw caution to the wind and kiss you already. You two had been toeing the line of “more than friends” for years at this point. It all drove you crazy—the lingering glances, the brushing fingers, the comforting touches, the tender embraces, the sweet smiles. You loved him and you knew that he loved you but any time there looked to be some progress he’d shrink away. With Zuko, your relationship felt like a complicated waltz of one step forward, three steps back, nine steps forward, twenty steps back. All you could do was follow his lead and wait.

His hands skimming up and down your sides made your heart do somersaults in your chest, knocking around your breath. “You’re lucky I have a soft spot for you.”

“You and I both know you’re all bark and no bite,” you laughed, poking his muscular chest. “All warm and squishy under that big, tough Fire Lord exterior.”

“Just don’t let the bad guys hear you say that.”

“Your secret’s safe with me, my lord.” He felt a pull in his stomach at your use of that title and you again noticed the pink tinge of his face that usually accompanied the nickname.

“Alright, Advisor (Y/N),” he slid his hand down your arm to lace your fingers together, “let’s get you back to bed.”

“You gonna keep me warm, Lord Zuko?” you asked as you walked beside him back inside and through the torchlit palace halls.

“Of course. Can’t have you getting sick, now can I?” Neither of you mentioned that you both slept better with the other in bed.

He led you into his chambers, where the bed was bigger and the sheets were softer and a fire always roared in the hearth. You laid your thin robe over a chair in the room, leaving you in just your nightdress as you followed him under the covers, snuggling up against his chest with his arm around you. As soon as you laid your head down on his shoulder you started to nod off. You smiled to yourself, happy that you were awake enough at least to feel the kiss Zuko pressed to the top of your head and hear the whisper into your hair that sounded suspiciously along the lines of, “I love you.”

ATLA TAGS: @hotgirlazula @octophopi @simpinforsukka

ZUKO/SOKKA TAGS: @fiantomartell @buckywiththagoodhair @hypercakeiii

[erisenyo]

Zuko POV - Of Tea and Turtle Ducks (and the Turtle Duck Guy)

Should I be working? Yes! Did I instead write two Zuko POV scenes from Of Tea and Turtle Ducks (and the Turtle Duck Guy) in response to @spacecasehobbit wanting to give Zuko a hug but tragically not being a fictional character? Yes!

Guess what, you're a fictional character now!

Zuko isn’t even bothering to pretend anymore that the anxious laps he’s pacing around the barely-dawn courtyard are a cool down from his run, or a shortcut—kind of—back toward the apartment above the Jasmine Dragon, or anything other than him stressing. It’s been nearly a week since the ducklings have hatched and Zuko is pretty sure he threw any pretense of chill out the window long before then.

He thinks about texting Sokka again, thinks about how he’s almost positive that Sokka would answer, and almost positive that he would come running. That his hair would still be messy, his normally animated face slow with sleep, that he’d come with a bag full of snacks and juggling tea and spilling out determination to fix something, anything, and Zuko doesn’t know if he could bear right now being the thing Sokka tries to fix, because Zuko’s been that before and just—

No. There’s no reason to text, not really. And Zuko’s already bothering him too much, anyway.

Still, he’s anxious and jittery watching Mochi sleep, seeing him even at rest so much smaller than Pocky and Cupcake. Anxious and jittery and full of a need that’s clawing and urgent and desperate, that seeps into all the little corners of him the way his anger and helpless fury used to.

Zuko isn’t an idiot. He’s gone to therapy. He knows he’s overly invested in the ducklings. He knows he’s projecting. He knows he’s taking an impersonal thing personally, he knows. It just—it matters.

It matters a lot to him, right now.  

It’s early, so early dawn is just creeping over the turtle’s grassy back, so Zuko doesn’t expect anyone else to be in the courtyard, not when no one ever is.

So he isn’t exactly prepared for human interaction when someone walks out of the SLAW toward him, isn’t prepared to stop the instinctive bolt of wariness and suspicion that blooms in his chest from showing on his face, and he can feel it turning into a glare as they set a case onto the ground, opening it to reveal some kind of contraption, looking at the ducks like they’re going to use it on—

“Have you seen the ducks get fed yet?” They ask, words mild, casual, and Zuko forces himself to take a step back and give space and dial back whatever is happening on his face. “Usually the engineering department handles it, the post docs love it. But today’s helper caught a cold, and when in doubt apparently a doctorate in theoretical astrophysicist can be trusted with the task, too.”

Zuko blinks, and forces himself to process all the information he was just given. The machine that’s supposed to be here—Sokka did mention something in one of his rambles about drones, but Zuko had lost the thread by that point, wasn’t entirely sure if he was still talking about the ducks—and the person who is supposed to be here too.

“You’re a professor?” Zuko finally asks, trying to bite back the suspicion still lingering in his voice and reminding himself that learned reactions don’t have to dictate his behavior.

“I am,” they say, lifting the machine—the drone, Zuko supposes—out of its box and beginning to fiddle with a control panel. “Though usually not of anything quite like this,” they add, lips quirking, inviting Zuko into the joke.

Zuko is pretty sure he manages to muster a grimace back.

“Does it scare them?” he asks, nodding toward the drone as the professor flips a switch and it powers to life, quite and whirring.

“We took that into account,” they say, smiling. “Or rather, the engineering department did. A cohort of very dedicated students conducted extensive research on shapes, frequencies, approach angles—that’s why we come in like this instead of just dropping down, see?”

Zuko nods, watching the drone glide in a gentle, slow arc down, something in his chest easing at the reassurance. Because that’s what it was, a reassurance, and Zuko normally doesn’t like it when strangers try to offer him pity or when their voices go all gentle and sad the minute they see his scar. But this person hasn’t given him scar a second glance, and, well—Zuko knows he isn’t exactly being subtle over here about his anxiety.

“Do you want to try?” they ask, offering over the remote control. “It’s just like a video game, very intuitive.”

Zuko shakes his head, resisting the urge to hide his hands behind his back, compromising by curling them into fists in the fabric of his gym shorts instead. He can feel his adrenaline all over the place, he knows from years of competitive martial arts that his hands wouldn’t be still like he would need them to be right now.

The professor accepts that without question—something unwinds in him even more, which just leaves the trench of anxiety and frustration and pent up something that he’s been trying to sort out ever since he got that letter months ago—and quietly goes about feeding the ducks.

They stand with Zuko after it’s done, watching the ducklings eat in silence. Their presence is a quiet one, at-ease, and Zuko wants to soak that in the way he soaks in Uncle’s calm when he’s feeling off balance, but fuck, Mochi keeps getting bumped away and pushed out and—

“Want a hug?”

Zuko startles so hard he nearly drops his phone.

“It seems like you might be having a tough time about something,” they continue, eyes still on the ducks, which might be all that keeps Zuko from giving in to the urge to sidle away. “You don’t have to tell me about it,” they add, and something about the way they say it makes Zuko think it’s actually true. “But I’ve learned over years of office hours that a lot of things can be helped by feeling like you’ve got someone there for you.” Zuko’s thoughts flick to cups of tea and neat packets of duck facts and a voice worn hoarse from talking. “Usually I talk things out with my students, help them see things a different way. But I am never opposed to offering hugs to those who need them.”

Zuko hesitates, eyeing them. He doesn’t get weird vibes, but he doesn’t think he’s in a place right now where he can accept calm, either. He isn’t ready to be soothed off the intensity of his emotions. So he shakes his head, and eventually leaves to shower before his morning shift. And later, he asks Sokka if he knows the astro professor who sometimes helps with the drone, and watches the way Sokka perks up and gushes about their class, and their office hours specifically.

And later, when Mochi is gone but safe, and Zuko is trying to breathe through the dual grief of loss and relief that Mochi is in a better place, a safer place—a familiar thing to breathe through, too familiar, fuck. Is it even projecting, when it all lines up so well?—while watching dawn creep across the turtle’s grassy back—he remembers how it felt under his feet, how the grass felt prickling at his skin. He remembers the weight of barely-there bodies pattering over him as his already-overwhelmed brain finally processed that Sokka and the flirty guy were exes, and what something like ‘activity’ could mean—the professor comes back with the drone again.

And this time, Zuko does accept that hug.

--

Zuko nearly bowls the astro professor over as he swings down an aisle of stacks, skidding and tripping to keep both of them upright and the tea in his hands unspilled, aware that he can’t blame a single bit of his clumsiness on the cold still lingering on his cheeks.

“Sorry!” Zuko exclaims, even as he starts edging toward the reason for his clumsiness. “Sorry, I didn’t see—I was just—no one’s usually back here—”

The professor follows Zuko’s attention to the little corner table where Sokka hasn’t moved since Zuko set him up there except to somehow transfer snacks from their bag into his mouth without pausing in his typing. He’s been wholly focused on his essay since he managed to start writing it again, and the tea at his elbow is nearly empty, and Zuko had to go to three campus cages before he found the one with the brand Sokka usually drinks, and—

“Ah,” the professor says, lips quirking. “Finals approaching.” They eye Zuko a moment, eyes amused, before adding, “This is usually when my students most frequently find themselves needing a hug.”

“Oh,” Zuko blinks, pausing, words tumbling out automatic. “Oh, I—thanks, but I’m good.” And he thinks of Sokka following where Zuko led even though Sokka didn’t know where they were going, of Sokka giving Zuko so much and letting Zuko give him something back. Of a haiku written on a cup on his bedside table. Of being bold, and stepping into the wide unknown, and not being alone doing it. “I’m good,” Zuko repeats, realizing that he means it.

The professor smiles, eyes crinkling. “Good.”

[thinkingisadangerouspastime]

we have all eternity (to love the dead)

As a child, Katara had always dreamed of meeting her soulmate, of being swept off her feet by some dashing stranger, of hearing her name fall from their lips like snowflakes fluttering down from the pink sky above. She’d found solace in this perfect person, and she’d used their unlimited potential to distract herself from the horrors of war ever surrounding her icy home.

The day Katara learned she didn’t have a soulmate, she’d wept for hours.

For Katara and Aang, fate works in mysterious ways.

(Written for Day 7 of Kataang Week 2021: The Sea & The Sky/Soulmate AU, hosted by @kataang-week. Read here on AO3 or continue reading below.)

Soulmates were everything a person wanted and more, or so the legends told. As a child, Katara had always dreamed of meeting her soulmate, of being swept off her feet by some dashing stranger, of hearing her name fall from their lips like snowflakes fluttering down from the pink sky above. She’d found solace in this perfect person, and she’d used their unlimited potential to distract herself from the horrors of war ever surrounding her icy home.

Sokka had teased her about it, her tendency to drift into dreams, but she knew he longed to meet his soulmate, too. As such, his barbs never dug deep.

The day Katara learned she didn’t have a soulmate, she’d wept for hours. Her mother’s words of comfort had fallen upon uncaring ears, because what did it matter that a rare few were born without soulmates, what did it matter that she could lead a happy life without one, what did it matter that she had such a unique opportunity for freedom in her passion, why, why did it have to be her? How was that fair?

Deep down, Katara suspected she’d always known. The name of one’s soulmate was the first word spoken on a child’s first birthday, oftentimes the first word they’d ever say. Sokka had known the name of his soulmate for as long as Katara could remember, and he would express his excitement about meeting her on only the quietest of nights.

Yue, he’d say, breathless, the word but a whisper slipping from the tip of his tongue. Have you ever heard a more beautiful name?

Katara would always giggle in reply. No, Sokka, I haven’t.

Sokka would then stare up at the star-dotted, moonlit sky, his face and body washed over with a pale silver glow. You know, I bet the moon doesn’t even hold a candle to her.

Every time, Katara would rest her head on his shoulder and agree. Every time, Katara was unable to offer up a name of her own. The signs were there, they’d always been there, the nagging terror that on her first birthday she had been—

“You were silent, sweetie,” her mother had told her on her eighth birthday, holding Katara’s face in her hands as Katara screamed and cried like a child whose future had been ripped away from her. To eight-year-old Katara, maybe it had been. “But Katara, listen to me. Just because you don’t have a soulmate doesn’t mean you won’t find love.”

“Yes it does, Mom,” Katara had sobbed, shaking her head and trying to pull away from her mother. “It means there’s no one out there who’s perfect for me!” Years of fantasies, years of hopes and dreams, the possibility of freedom and the end of this war were gone, destroyed, torn to pieces, and there was no putting them back together.

“Shh, sweetie, I need you to take a deep breath,” her mother had crooned, thumbing a tear from beneath Katara’s eye. “I need you to listen very closely to what I’m about to tell you, okay?”

It had taken a minute, but Katara remembered that she’d managed to do as instructed, because even—or perhaps especially—at her lowest points, she would always turn to the advice of her mother. When her sobs had faded to quiet hiccups, her mother continued.

“I know it hurts to not have a soulmate, Katara, and it is more than okay for you to let yourself feel that hurt. But in some ways, I promise your life is better this way. Do you want to know why?”

Katara had nodded, doubt riddled in her bones.

“Because without a soulmate, sweetie, it means you get to have a choice. Some soulmates are destined to end in destruction or pain, others in tragedy, but you, Katara?” Her mother had placed a gentle, teary kiss to Katara’s forehead. “You get to choose if that love is worth it. And the power of choice is something hard to find these days.”

At the time, Katara had barely processed those words, instead letting her mother pull her into the tightest of hugs as she began to cry all over again. It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair, it wasn’t fair.

But what was truly unfair, Katara now knew, was just how right her mother had been. Some soulmates were fated to end in destruction, in pain, in tragedy.

A week later, the Fire Nation navy had taken her mother’s life before Katara’s own eyes. That same day, her father had lost his own life, his spirit shattered and torn apart into a million little pieces that might never find their way back together. Not another week had gone by before he’d left. Left to fight, he’d told her and Sokka, but Katara had never been so certain.

Destruction.

Now, eight years later, Katara could only watch in unspoken horror as the life faded from Princess Yue’s delicate body, her form slumping weakly against Sokka’s chest as he buried his face in the fur of her coat and screamed. There was no return from such a sacrifice.

Pain.

Katara found Aang later that night, after the Fire Nation’s navy had been turned away from the Northern Water Tribe when he’d channeled the might of the Ocean Spirit. He was sitting atop an icy railing, feet dangling off the edge, either not cold or uncaring of the North Pole’s frigid nature. Katara joined him, resting her elbows on the same railing. Together they stared out over the city, up at the moon, away into the stars.

Tragedy.

Aang sucked in a sharp breath, and Katara suspected she knew what question was headed her way. “They were… They were soulmates, weren’t they?”

Katara nodded. She didn’t need Aang to specify to know the two star-crossed lovers he was referring to. “They were.”

Aang grimaced, eyes closing as he exhaled slowly, a reaction of distress and defeat. “Spirits. Poor Sokka.”

Katara nodded again. She’d tried to get her brother to talk about it earlier, but… he needed time alone. As much as she wanted to be there for him, the way silent sobs had been wracking Sokka’s body spoke for itself, and she’d let him be. Which was how she’d ended up out here, night nearing dawn, standing at Aang’s right.

“You know,” she said after a pause, bitterness seeping into her tone before she could stop it, “for all the eternal bliss soulmates are supposed to bring each other, I don’t know of any two in my life that have ever been lucky enough to be granted a happy ending.”

Her mother and Yue, sacrificing themselves for the sake of others, leaving her father and Sokka behind to mend gaping wounds in their hearts that no stitches could close. Gran Gran’s husband had died long before Katara was born, yet she knew now that her grandmother’s soulmate had never been someone in the Southern Water Tribe but instead a stubborn man on the opposite end of the world. And yet all that time, all those years, her grandmother had held on to Pakku’s necklace, passing it down to Kya and then to her.

Tragedy, destruction, heartbreak.

Aang nodded glumly. “I know what you mean.”

Katara blinked, wincing as his words sunk in. Aang was a kid a hundred years out of time—spirits, of course he understood her sentiment. How callous had it been, no, how egregiously cruel had she been to even mention it?

But it was too late to take the words back.

“Monk Gyatso never told me who his soulmate was,” Aang continued before Katara could apologize. He was staring up at the moon but, Katara suspected, seeing something else entirely. “Just that… they could never be together. And Bumi—”

“The king of Omashu?”

“—yeah, him.” Aang swallowed hard, shaking his head. “I remember that his soulmate was killed in an earthbending accident before either of them turned nine years old.”

He stopped there, but Katara could tell there were words still hidden behind the cloak of silence. Aang’s own soulmate, presumably, a person now lost to time. And seeing as Katara had been the one to bring it up, it was only right she offered to share his burden, too.

Katara placed a hand on top of Aang’s. A beat passed, and he turned his hand over, palm upwards, before gently lacing their fingers together. “Tell me about them,” Katara whispered, and a ghost of a smile flitted across Aang’s lips.

“His name was Kuzon.”

Soon Aang was regaling her with stories of all the mischief they’d gotten into together, how once upon a time it had been only natural for an Air Nomad to have a best friend from the Fire Nation. They’d protected a dragon egg from poachers, taught each other the dances of their respective nations, stayed up until sunrise seeking out their own constellations in the stars, and now—

“And now,” Aang whispered, his grip on her hand slackening as his shoulders fell, “it’s been a hundred years. I don’t know…” He trailed off, but Katara heard the final word, unsaid though it may have been.

Anything.

What fate had met Kuzon, if he’d missed Aang after he’d vanished, if they ever could have been something more than what they were.

“I’m so sorry,” Katara said, and she was.

Aang nodded. “Thank you.” His voice was hushed, fractured, heartbroken when he added, “I’m sorry, too.”

And she knew he was.

Katara gave his hand a gentle squeeze, moving closer to Aang’s side. Their shoulders brushed, and her heart fluttered for a reason she couldn’t quite and maybe didn’t yet want to discern.

“I don’t even have a soulmate,” she admitted after a pause, keeping her eyes glued to the stars. They glittered the same way every night, didn’t they? Unchanging. Permanent. “Naturally, I was devastated to learn that as a child. I cried so much they could have made a sculpture with my frozen tears.”

Aang chuckled at her attempt at humor, or maybe just at her dry tone, but hearing the warm sound made a smile tug at Katara’s lips all the same.

“My mother told me that I was lucky, in some ways,” she continued. “Without a soulmate, she said that I’d get to choose if the love I pursued was worth it.” Katara licked her lips, hesitant, but powered through. “I—I know it’s not exactly the same for you, Aang, with what happened to Kuzon, but if it helps at all—”

“Don’t worry,” Aang said, and he smiled at her as he turned around to jump off the snow-coated railing. “I understand what you mean.” He gave her hand a final squeeze before releasing it. “Thank you, Katara.”

For a moment, all Katara could do was stare. In front of her stood the most powerful bender in the world, able to channel the might of ancient spirits far more powerful than any mere mortal could ever dream to be. This was the man who would end the war and bring peace, harmony, love to the four nations for the first time in a hundred years. But all Katara saw was…

Aang.

Her best friend.

And in his eyes was a silence, an ache, an affection so deep it rivaled—no, it reflected her own.

You get to choose.

Katara met Aang halfway, wrapping her arms around his shoulders while he closed his own around her midsection, embracing each other like it was the last hug they’d ever share. He fit so naturally against her, like a puzzle piece Katara hadn’t known she was missing.

And if Aang inhaled a shuddering breath to hold back tears, and if Katara hugged Aang just a little bit tighter in return, well… that would stay between them and the moon.

[flameohotwife]

Okay, #41 for the fluff prompt!! (I feel so powerful, hahaha!)

41. "Darling, I love you and all but please step out of the kitchen."

This turned... long! And sad-ish in parts, so I'm sorry! Maybe more hurt/comfort? But there is still fluff. I hope you enjoy!

Rated T. 2.2k words.

“Aang? Have you seen the dumpling pan?” Katara was crouched down, head and shoulders deep in the cupboard, looking for the right pan to crisp the dumplings she was planning on making for dinner. Her husband was flitting about, albeit slower than he once could, on the other side of the kitchen with what she assumed were fruit pie ingredients for dessert. The original Team Avatar were travelling to Air Temple Island from all over the world in a few hours to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the war ending, and their 50th anniversary together. They always tried to get together the week they’d met in Ba Sing Se at the Jasmine Dragon to remember what they’d lost, and to see how far they’d come. Though Aang and Katara hadn’t gotten married until several years after the war, they always counted that day on the balcony as their anniversary, as the only thing that had truly changed with their marriage was the world’s recognition of their relationship and its permanence. They were devoted and dedicated from the very beginning. Perhaps even before that.

“Oh, I’ve got it over here, Sweetie,” Aang called back to her. She jumped up, almost bashing her head on the top of the cupboard before wriggling properly out to stand and face him. Even in his old age he still maintained a certain twinkle in his eye when he was up to something, and Katara’s hands flew to her hips when she saw it.

“What are you doing with my dumpling pan?” she asked, warily.

“I thought I’d cook tonight,” Aang replied, though his hand rubbed the tattoo on the back of his neck tellingly. “I wanted to add some Air Nomad dishes to the menu. Sokka will be bringing some Water Tribe food already, Toph and Suki will have Earth Kingdom, and Zuko and Mai will bring Fire Nation… I just thought I’d add something of my own in.”

Katara’s throat caught for a moment, as it always did when she remembered. His loss always felt bigger on anniversaries, though his grief was an ever-present emotion. It rose and fell like the tides, but was always there, under the surface. Most people saw his smiling face and kind, loving spirit and forgot that there were only two airbenders in the world and why. That Aang had actually known and loved so many of the ones Sozin had murdered. He masked his pain well, but took that mask off around Katara from time to time, when he needed to.

“Sweetie,” she began, stepping forward to grasp his wrinkled hands. “Oh Aang, I was going to make Air Nomad food, too. I would never leave you out like that.” Her tone wasn’t defensive, only calm and reassuring, as she rubbed gentle circles on the blue arrows that adorned the backs of his hands with her thumbs. She wanted to remind him with her touch that his grief didn’t have to be his alone to bear. That she would remember his people with him. Just as she had taught their children old Air Nomad fairytales when they were small, and celebrated their holidays with him, and learned to cook their food. Katara was Water Tribe through and through, but her soul was bound to an Air Nomad. Moreover, she was bound to Aang, and she always felt his loss. Even when he hid it well.

Aang melted into her, then. A hug that was so deeply meaningful it was reminiscent of the one they’d shared on Iroh’s balcony, but with all the weight of his pain crushing down on them along with that promise of love and acceptance. It was as though through this hug she was able to share that weight with him, so she held him tighter. Half a century after learning about the deaths of his people, sometimes the wound still felt fresh, and Katara was always the healing balm to whatever ailed him, even when she knew she could never heal it completely.

Katara stroked his back lovingly with one arm as he clung to her. She waited for his breathing to even out, for his muscles to relax. Waited for a sign that she had taken enough of his grief that he could function again. Finally, he moved his head to kiss her sweetly. It was wet, and salty, but his movements were lighter again. She moved her hands to his face, wiping his tears as she pulled him closer, and he deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms fully around her waist and pressing against her.

“Thank you,” he whispered. He knew his grief was never hers to bear, and yet she did so willingly and with so much love. He could never thank her enough for the way she cared for him when he hit his lowest points. He wasn’t sure he could have made it without her. Sometimes the weight on his shoulders was so heavy he felt like he would sink without her unending love and support buoying him up, keeping him afloat.

“You’re not alone, Sweetie. Never.” Katara continued to caress his face as she looked into his sparkling, sad eyes.”Do you want me to help? I can make the dumplings and the butter tea. I never quite mastered the tofu but I could try if you want…”

Aang silenced her with another kiss. “You’re wonderful,” he said, pressing his lips to hers again. “The best wife, partner, and friend in existence.” Yet another kiss. “I think I’ve got it from here. Why don’t you take a break before everyone gets here?”

Katara laughed, not quite knowing what to do with herself. She reluctantly removed her hands from her husband and settled on making herself some tea and sitting at the kitchen table to observe him. Even though he was aging, Katara still enjoyed watching him when she had a moment, whether it was bending practice, or working hard on something, or even something as simple as cooking. She still appreciated the lithe way his body moved, the smooth, airy motions he made, the way his tongue stuck out when he was concentrating…

She sat back in her chair, grinning over her teacup as she watched him chop vegetables and boil water and roll dough. Sometimes observing him do the most trivial things—like cooking dinner for friends, or braiding their daughter’s hair when she was small, or working in the garden—reminded her how lucky she was to have him in her life. He was the Avatar after all. He could have maids and cooks and servants and never lift a domestic finger in his life, but that was never in Aang’s nature. And he could have chosen anyone as his companion, but he had always and only ever chosen her. Over and over. It was somehow both humbling and assuring all at once.

After some time, she rose from her seat, walking behind him to wrap her arms around him, reveling in his warmth. She couldn’t see the smile on Aang’s face, but she knew it was there when he pressed one arm over her interlocking ones, squeezing lightly with his hand.

She leaned up to press a light kiss to the back of his neck.

“You’re awfully distracting, you know,” Aang chided. He turned in her arms to peck her on the nose. “I love you.”

“I love you, too. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten to watch you cook. I forgot how much I enjoy it.” She gave him a very pointed look and he laughed heartily.

“Well, by all means, enjoy the show,” he said, wiggling his hips for her benefit as he extricated himself from her grip to keep working. Katara giggled. She was about to return to her seat when she noticed the clutter Aang was leaving in the kitchen as he worked, and decided to help him by tackling some of that so he could focus on the food.

When Katara cooked, she was very methodical. Every ingredient, pot, pan, and chopstick had its place, and was immediately returned to that place when she had finished with it. She knew if she didn’t keep up with the mess as she worked, it would pile up to the point that she would feel overwhelmed at the end, so she tidied continually. Aang, on the other hand, was much more impulsive in his cooking. He would think of an ingredient to add mid-stir, and leave the remnants on the counter, never quite sure if he might want to add more later. He would wait to clean up all the messes at once.

There was a time in their marriage where this had driven Katara crazy. The kids were still very young at the time, and the extra mess on top of the cacophony of kid-sounds and clutter and Momo swooping around the house would become too much, so she would constantly buzz around him, taking things and washing and putting them away before he was even finished with them. He would turn around for more of an ingredient and find it wrapped up in the icebox. More than once, he had had to take Katara by the shoulders, kiss her gently, and exclaim, “Darling, I love you and all, but please step out of the kitchen.”

Now, much like in other parts of their relationship, she had learned which parts of the mess to let be, and which ones she could handle that would actually help him. She sat up with him at night while he transcribed ancient Air Nomad texts and histories; her presence a comfort as he worked through it all and felt the loss more keenly. Tenzin joined him now, of course, when he was home, but Aang still felt more able to work through his grief when she stayed too. When they were younger, she had sewn Air Nomad clothes for Aang and for the acolytes, and eventually taught the acolytes to make them herself not because Aang couldn’t sew or teach them, but because it was one of the things that they both could do. Something that she could take off of his already over-heaped plate.

They balanced each other. He was her rock on full-moon nights or when she missed her parents or when her emotional storm was raging. He was her center of calm when she was worried about the kids or about the world. But today, Aang needed her. So she washed the used dishes for him to use again if needed, and cleared the wrappings for him, being sure to leave the ingredients on the counter. She made sure to give him gentle touches as they worked; a hand to the small of his back as she passed him, a bump of the hip as they worked side by side. Loving smiles and stolen kisses as the afternoon sun fell lower in the sky.

Eventually their friends would arrive and they would be able to laugh and joke and remember together. There would be group hugs and arm-punches and happy sounds and smells would fill their home as they reminisced. Through all of it, Aang would sneak looks across the table at Katara, with a special smile reserved for her. Fifty years! They’d made it fifty years together, in no small part because of everything they had learned through their struggles as they grew together. Because of the weights and grief they shared with one another instead of bearing them alone.

“I may be old, Twinkletoes, but I can still feel your heartbeat when you look at Sugarqueen like that,” Toph jabbed as Aang snuck another glance at his wife. “How can you two be together for fifty years and still act as disgusting as when we were teenagers? I’m not going to have to pull you out of a linen closet at the official event tomorrow, am I? Because we are all too old for that.”

Knowing that she still sent his heart a-flutter the way he did to her warmed Katara’s old bones from head to toe, and she sent a look of her own towards her husband. Aang’s face reddened.

“Oh, no,” groaned Sokka. “Oogies! I’m out.” He rose from the table, pulling Suki along with him. “Dinner was great guys, and I’d like to keep it in my stomach, thanks. So, we’ll see you all in the morning when the kids get here?”

“Sounds good,” replied Zuko as he and Mai rose to join them. “We should probably turn in anyway. It’s getting late.” Aang and Katara stood as well to accompany their guests to the door before everyone went their separate ways.

“Thanks for a wonderful evening as always, guys,” Suki added as she hugged them both goodbye. “Try not to wear yourselves out too much tonight, hmm? It’s not as easy to recover as it used to be and we have a busy day tomorrow.”

Katara feigned shock at her sister-in-law’s tease but Aang only blushed further as Sokka faked retching and promptly exited with their friends. Aang was always so open about his emotions and intentions when it came to Katara, whether or not he intended to be. She simply smirked back up at him and took him by the hand, waving to everyone one last time before pulling him back to their bedroom. And, maybe they were a little extra tired the next day, but it was worth it. Loving each other through the many ups and downs of a lifetime together would always be worth it. Even when Toph berated them for it outside a linen closet door.

[passable-talent]

Hey please continue your Zuko fic as soon as possible! I love it so much!

oh I’m so surprised I got this request within hours of posting part 3 👀👀

agsbfjcjs I tease I’m loving this series too

well everyone, here we are again

| part 1 | part 2 | part 3 |

“Who’s Mai?”

Zuko’s eyebrows moved a bit in confusion before it registered that you might’ve been asleep, that night, when he told you of his old girlfriend. And even then, he hadn’t mentioned her name. Slowly his hands pulled from where they had kept gentle grip on your biceps.

“I, uh,” he stuttered, “let’s find somewhere to talk.” You let him lead you into a room in the temple up toward the top of the cliff, far away from the rest of the team, and even Haru or the Duke weren’t likely to come up here.

Uneasy, you settled down against the wall, one leg extended in front of you and the other bent, it’s foot flat on the ground. You did your best to feel for Zuko’s heartbeat, like Toph could, to determine sincerity. You couldn’t sense it well enough yet, having barely gotten a grasp on seismic sense in the first place, and let your knee fall to the side.

“So who’s Mai?” You asked again as he sat down against a wall adjacent to yours. Not too close, but not too far away.

“An old girlfriend I had before I was banished. We spent some time together when I returned to the Fire Nation, but... it didn’t feel right. I’m not the same as I was before I was banished.” Any number of snarky replies came into your mind, but you didn’t respond, merely waiting for him to continue.

“Well, Sokka and I, we went to the Boiling Rock, a high profile prison in the Fire Nation. We were trying to pass as guards, but I got found out, and kept as prisoner.” You leaned forward with concern, for a moment forgetting the point of the conversation as you worried for him.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, nothing happened,” Zuko said, tossing his head to the side in a bit of guilt. “But the warden... the warden was her uncle, and she came in to see me.” You raised an eyebrow, leaned back to press your spine to the wall, interested in where this would go.

“I had written her a letter, before I left, and it wasn’t a very good one. I hadn’t known what to say. She was pissed, and threw it at me, and scolded me, and...” he shook his head, and looked down at his feet.

“It wasn’t good.” At this point, you began to wonder why he was telling you all of this. As much as you were more likely to air on the side of finding fault in his actions, it seemed to you like nothing had happened. There was nothing for you to be angry about- he hadn’t had some tearful declaration of love or anything, so what was the issue?

“I locked her in my cell to get away so that Sokka and I could escape with Hakoda and Suki. I feel kinda bad about that, but she got out, so whatever.” You tilted your head, not giving him the luxury of avoiding eye contact. You weren’t quite glaring, but you did find yourself trying to intimidate as best you could.

It was a good wall to build around you.

“And I feel so confused,” he said, closing his eyes and clenching his fists, “because I don’t understand. I wasn’t a good boyfriend even when we were ‘together’ earlier in the summer, and I wrote her a bad letter, and I left, and I locked her in a cell, and she still helped me escape. She stood up against Azula to help me escape.” This caught your attention, as you knew the guts it would’ve taken to stand up to the psychopathic princess. It was a sacrifice- it would’ve made her just as much an enemy to the Fire Nation as Zuko.

“I just don’t get it,” he said again, and you looked away from him.

“Ever considered that you’re sometimes a pretty good guy and that people care about you?” You said, without pausing on any particular word because you wanted to get the statement done and over with quickly. With your foot pressed to the floor you could sense through seismics the way his head jerked up to look at you, even if you didn’t look at him.

“You think so?” He asked, and a quick laugh made your chest jump once.

“Sometimes,” you said, turning your gaze back to him. “Was this all you wanted to talk to me about? Figure out why she would do that for you?”

“Well, that, and...” he pushed a few strands of hair from his face in nervousness. “I just wanted to be honest with you. When we met, I- I did nothing but lie, and I don’t want to lie to you ever again. I want you to know everything. Including the awkward moment I had with my ex-girlfriend.” Slowly a plan formed in your mind, and you narrowed your eyes in focus.

“Why does what you do with ex-girlfriends concern me?” You asked, and his eyes met yours, slight confusion in his expression. He swallowed, working out your meaning. This was his opportunity- would he say he cared about you? That he loved you? That he wanted you to not be jealous because his heart now belonged with you?

“You know why,” he said after a moment’s pause, eyes still locked on yours and voice low. A small smirk came to your face.

“I’m afraid I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Y/N,” he said quickly, voice almost firm. He paused to gather his courage and knotted his fingers into the fabric of his pants. “I care about you. And I wanted you to know that you don’t need to worry about Mai.” He paused a moment longer, finally breaking eye contact, which was a great relief to you.

“And even I know you don’t feel the same right now, but I know you did once, and I’m trying to earn that back again.” You swallowed hard, your gaze on the side of his face now that he’d turned it from you. With a split second decision you scooted closer, sitting beside him, and leaning your shoulder against his. You had to make moves like this, and the hug from before he had left, because if you didn’t, you’d never learn to. You were reaching out of your comfort zone, slowly, just like he was.

“I can’t trust you,” you whispered, feeling as though the two of you would break apart and scatter if either spoke too loud. “Not yet.”

“I know,” he said back, the badger frogs filling the silence between the two of you.

“But I’m getting there,” you said, resting your head onto his shoulder. “You’re earning it back, slowly.” He nodded, and the two of you fell into a comfortable silence. You let your eyes skip closed, and for a moment felt as though you could fall asleep, leaned against him like this.

This was how you had leaned on him when you were exhausted and on break from the Jasmine Dragons. You’d rest your feet and lean on him, and the two of you would talk until the break was over. It was so familiar, the sound of his breathing, the firmness of his muscle.

“You think you can ever trust me again?” Zuko asked, vulnerability in his voice, “After what I’ve done to you?”

“I think so,” you said, breathing softly. “I did once. And deep down, you’re that same guy. When you were in Ba Sing Se, you were guided by nothing but the kindness you were shown by your uncle. I’m not foolish- I know that Azula manipulated you. I know that, even though you aren’t the pure soul I thought at first, that you’re not the hunter that Katara thinks you are, either.” You changed your neck position, almost nuzzling your face into his shoulder. “Give me time. Show me you can be someone I should trust.” You heard him nod, and your eyes drifted closed.

When on the edge of falling asleep, sounds change. They’re heard, but not processed, merely accepted as background noise in a world fading away. It was like this, halfway between sleep and wake, when nothing was processed nor even remembered, that you heard Zuko promise.

“I promise I’ll become a man you can let yourself love.”

request for a part 5

edit: part 5 has been multiple times requested it’s all good

edit: | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 |

-🦌 Roe

[milf-harrington]

LIGHTHOUSE - 'reunion' written ver. (pt 1, maybe)

part two here

Waves crashed against the rocks, hissing and sighing as they were pulled back into the ocean before surging forward again with a quiet roar.

Sokka closed the front door behind him, however unnecessary it was, the briny ocean smell heavy on the air.

Anticipation coiled in his gut, singing along his skin as he jogged to the stairs that lead down to the dock, his footsteps thunking loudly against the old wood. He'd watched the boat be guided in before he'd bothered to leave the lighthouse, so Zuko was already tugging at different ropes and securing them onto the jetty so his boat wouldn't just float away when they weren't looking.

The ocean, noisy as she was, swallowed his footsteps when he finally stepped off the last stair. Below him, the water gurgled and spluttered, salty spray dampening his exposed skin and catching on his sweater like mist. He imagined it was doing the same to Zuko, who was half kneeling next to the last rope, face blank with concentration.

Sokka would wait for him to finish, but he was impatient, so he shoved a hand in his pocket and lifted the other in a wave.

"Hey."

Zuko looked up immediately, concentration falling away in the place of a bright smile. He abandoned the knot he'd been tying, shooting to his feet before half-stumbling towards him. Sokka met him half way, scooping his fiance into a hug and spinning them around, inhaling the scent of salt and sea and rope and Zuko. Zuko who always smelled a little bit like smouldering cedar and tea. Zuko who was warm and heavy in his arms.

They were kissing before Zuko's feet were even touching the ground.

He was cold and windswept, lips holding the sharp sting of salt water before they softened into something that felt like home. The hand on the back of his head was icy and damp, palm rough from constant work, but the gentle scritch of nails against his scalp was familiar and welcoming. The cool touch of his engagement ring made Sokka's heart melt.

Sokka sighed into the kiss, tightening his arms around Zuko's waist, and feeling the other man smile against his lips in response.

When they pulled away, neither went very far; Zuko staying close enough to cup the side of Sokka's face, tenderly brushing a freckled cheek with his thumb.

"You're just as beautiful as when I left." He whispered, eyes as soft as his smile as they flitted over Sokka's features.

Sokka felt warm from the inside out, unmoored and tethered all at once, solid and real and yet possibly just dreaming.

He didn't respond straight away, too busy soaking in the sight of his love after so long without him. His hair had grown, no longer just curling around his collar bones, but swept right over his shoulder in a pony tail. His unscarred cheek was flushed from the wind, nose reddening with cold.

"You're a fool to call me beautiful when you're standing right there looking like that." Sokka decided aloud, feeling pleased when Zuko responded with a sigh and an eye roll.

"I'm trying to be romantic, the least you could do is pretend to swoon." He grumbled, moving his hand from Sokka's face to his shoulder. Sokka grinned.

"Okay, gimme the line again."

Zuko sniffed, and turned his head. "Nope, you're too late and I need a shower."

But Sokka was stubborn, and kept his arms tight around Zuko's waist so he couldn't walk away. Except Zuko was possibly more stubborn (and a little stronger) and continued to slowly march towards the stairs with Sokka hanging off of him like a barnacle.