#z nation season two

[obaewankenope]

American to English translation for fic

So I read and write fanfic, as do lots of others, and I've noticed that when it comes to British shows or movies, Americanisms or American terms crop up often. It's mostly because most don't know we have specific terms for things in the UK, and I've seen references here and there before, but I've decided to write one of my own. Feel free to add to it tho! I'm gonna put it up on Ao3 too and any additions, I'll reference the tumblr and link them on Ao3 too.

AO3 link is here!!

Anyway, here we go I guess.

Some Americanisms to English-isms

Gas = fuel/petrol/diesel (we tend to specify the type of fuel the vehicle uses, diesel vehicle or petrol vehicle for example)

Gas station = petrol/fuel station

Gas court = petrol/fuel court, or sometimes forecourt (not often with this one tho)

License plate = registration plate/reg

Diner = cafe

Fast-food = takeaway (this is sort of interchangeable. McDonald's is called fast food, a meal from a pizza place that delivers is takeaway)

Motel = hotel

Side-note: We tend to use specific named hotel chains like Premier Inn (or Prem-Inn for short) or Holiday Inn or Travelodge. We also have Britannia Hotels and several others. If the fic is based in a specific place, local hotels or famous ones may be better options. For example, in Liverpool, we have The Shankly or Adelphi.

Cab = taxi or black hac for a specific type of taxi.

Side-note: These are what you see in BBC Sherlock, for example, and are a UK staple. They're less popular or common-place nowadays but there are dedicated taxi companies that use them. There's on in my town that operates until 4pm each day. They are also usually more expensive than a car taxi but they have oodles of space and you can have a pram/buggy kept upright rather than folded-down in them which is brilliant.

Cop = police officer

Side note: more informal, colloquial terms include "copper", "the fuzz", "tit-head" (because of the nipple hat okay, just look up the hat, it's hilarious), "bobby", "rozzer" (pronounced r-o-z-er not Row-zer), and "the bill" (there's an actual show called this btw. It can be a good reference for anyone writing crime fic in UK). There's more but those are the most common. Older terms do include "peelers" and "old bill".

Second side-note: the police have a whole host of terms, colloquial and slang that can be a great thing to include in fic, which I'll link a glossary of here. It's not all UK centric but cross-country policing is a thing so that may just be a boon imho. Also the short-hand acroynmns used are useful so here's a link to the Metropolitan Police glossary of those too!

Patrolman = constable or police constable

Antenna = aerial or TV aerial

Fall (season) = autumn

Bill = banknote or specifically "tenner", "fiver", "twenny" (not "twenty"). We don't have single banknotes like a dollar bill. We have pound coins

Dimes, nickels, etc = pound coin, two-pound coin, fifty-pence, penny, two-pence, five-pence, ten-pence, twenty-pence (link here about the coin currency)

Drug store = chemist or pharmacy

Optometrist = optician

Primary care physician = GP (general practitioner) here's a link about UK medical terms for doctors etc

Side-note: here's a link about medical terminologies etc between American and UK

Social security number = national insurance number

Liquor store = off-license or, specifically, Bargain Booze™

Liquor = spirits (usually)

Store = shop

Target, Walmart, etc = honestly, it's probably gonna be Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, ALDI or Lidl

Superstore = supermarket

Shopping cart = shopping trolley or just "trolley"

Yard-sale = car-boot/car-bootie/car-boot sale

Attorney = barrister or solicitor (solicitors you go to for legal help, barristers tend to be involved in actual court matters, like a the Crown Prosecution Service), here's a link that explains it better

Janitor = caretaker

French-fries = chips (although McDonald's French-fries are just that, French-fries)

Intersection = crossroad

Highway/freeway = motorway

Interstate = usually an A-road or a motorway, we don't really have interstates here)

Overpass = flyover

Turnpike = toll motorway

Windshield = windscreen

Trunk of a car = boot or car boot

Hood of a car = bonnet or car bonnet

Truck = lorry

Sedan = saloon car

Blowout = puncture or flat tyre

Pavement = road

Sidewalk = path

Subway = underground (like the London Underground)

Drapes = curtains (though we do use "drapes" we tend to say "curtains" more)

Pacifier = dummy or "dodo" or "dodi"

Diaper = nappie or a pull-up (if its like underwear for toddlers)

Baby crib = baby cot (though we do use "crib", we tend to say "cot" more)

Baby carriage/pushchair/stroller = pram or buggy (more specific type tho, here's a link about the differences)

Trash/garbage can = bin, dustbin, rubbish bin

Garbage/trash collector = binman/binmen

Mail = post

Mailman = postman

Mailbox = postbox

The movies = cinema or pictures

Movie = film (less common nowadays with influence of Americanisms but I still use "film" and a lot of people my age and older do too (25+)

First floor = ground floor okay, it's the ground floor because it's on ground level

Sneakers = unless they're Converse, it's probably just "trainers"

Baggage = luggage

Purse (as in the bag) = handbag, or "purse" but that tends to be the thing you put your money and cards in then put in your handbag

Vacuum cleaner = hoover or a specific brand like Henry Hoover™, which you'll find we tend to just call Henry (though I have a John Lewis hoover I got from George, ASDA that I've named 'George' and yes, I do say "I need to use George in a bit to hoover" regularly)

Sweater = jumper or, if it buttons up it's a cardigan or cardi

Closet = wardrobe

Elevator = lift

Call collect = reverse charges

Schools = we have primary/infants (11yrs)and secondary/high school (11-16yo) with some high schools have sixth-form college (16-18yo) or actual independent colleges for the same ages

College = university

Semester = term

Vacation = holiday

Kindergarten = nursey/reception

Flashlight = torch

Wrench = spanner

Backyard = garden

Cookie = biscuits

Chips = crisps (like Walkers™ or Lays™ in the States)

Pants = trousers

Cottoncandy = candyfloss

Dude = bloke/fella/mate

John Doe = John Smith

Exhausted (tired) = knackered

Cell phone = mobile

Cell data = mobile data/4G/5G

Bathroom/restroom = loo/toilet (informal term "bog")

Thanks = cheers

Soccer = football

Y'all = "you lot"

Fuck off/hit the road/go away = bugger off

Some slang phrases too

Bits and bobs = stuff, usually random

Take the mick/mickey = making fun of someone or over-exaggerating

Bob's your uncle = there you go, basically

Bog standard = typical, run of the mill kind of deal

Gutted = feel upset, disappointed

Dull as dishwater = basically really, really fuckin boring

Chinwag = basically "shooting the breeze" or just having a talk/chat

.

If you have any others that you think of or want added, reblog and add em! Tags too if you'd prefer but reblogs would be easier ☺️

[vampishnes]

Sanguine Hunger: Like Real People Do

Chapter one, Chapter two, Chapter three, Chapter four, Chapter five, Chapter six, Chapter seven, Chapter eight, Chapter nine, Chapter ten. Pairings: Platonic!Thunderbolts & Fem!Reader, Bob x FemThunderbolts!ExAvenger!Reader Summary: Garden centre, Walmart, and absurd amounts of alcohol. Tags: No use of ‘Y/N’. Female reader. Slow burn! Found family, 'slice of life', Hurt/Comfort Warnings: References to past trauma. [This is a lighter chapter, as a treat.] Word count: 2.5k A/N: I have done major edits to the grammar and structure (+ a little more content on each chap) to every single chapter of this fic. I hope it will be a lot nicer to read now, and I apologise for how it looked before. Also, this work now has a tag list! If you wish to be added, you can send me a message or comment below! :)

The moment you stepped foot into the garden centre, the overwhelming scent of earthy soil overtook you. The air was thick with humidity.

Rows upon rows of plants stretched out before you, and they felt almost overwhelming after the sterile confines of the Tower. It was most definitely too early to be outside, but after your late-night rendezvous with the rest of the Thunderbolts, you passed out as soon as your head hit the pillow.  

Bob walked beside you, hands shoved deep in his coat pockets, eyes wide as he took in the sight. “Wow, this place is huge,” he murmured, voice nearly lost among the rustling leaves. His gaze darted around the room, and you followed it to the giant Monstera. Every leaf looked pampered: no brown edges, no sad yellow spots. But even so, they spilt over the stacks of shelves like they were too heavy for their own good. Some hung lazily, others curled at the tips until the shelves disappeared under all the untamed green.  

The bell sounded behind you, its iron-wrought chimes jingling against each other as you shut the door. There was no one around, unsurprising considering the time, but you could hear a faint clambering sound slowly getting louder. 

“One moment!” a voice called from somewhere within the greenery. You snapped your head around, your fingers clenched in anticipation.  

A younger man ducked his head into view, long hair frazzled as if he’d just completed a marathon. Sweat glistened from his forehead, though most of his face was hidden behind a massive fern.

He licked his lips, set the plant down with a thunk, and wiped his palms on his apron. You squinted to try to decipher the half-removed text, ‘Grab your balls. It’s canning season.’ He caught you staring and grinned. “Vintage,” he said, tapping the words. You nodded, lost in your curiosity and confusion. “How can I help?” Bob reached into his back pocket and produced the now completely crumpled piece of paper. It was the same list as earlier, but you could see there had been a few revisions in a different-coloured pen.  

“We’re complete beginners,” Bob pressed the list into the worker's hands, eager as much as anxious to have a professional opinion. “Well, actually, that’s if there isn’t anything below beginner because we’re probably closer to that.”  

“What exactly are you working on?” he asked, eyes skimming over the simple items on the list. “A small starter patch?”  

“Avengers Tower rooftop garden,” you replied matter-of-factly, as simply as if you were discussing the weather and not a practical national landmark. The worker blinked, his grin becoming a look of manic shock.  

“No shit? I thought I recognized you.” His voice pitched upward, finger pointing right down your chest. “Why are the Avengers buying plants, couldn’t you just hire someone to do this?”  

“Because we’re the Avengers with a ‘z’,” You tugged the paperback from his grasp and tried to soothe the oncoming headache. “And we just want to grow some of our own shit.” The worker nodded insistently, clearly coming down from his enthusiastic high. He walked around the desk and rummaged around in the drawer before returning with a ballpoint pen and a scraggly-looking notebook.  

“Well, if you’re building an entire rooftop garden, you’ll be needing more than just seeds and dirt.” He frantically wrote down in his notebook until the paper had almost completely disappeared under the ink. “Building a garden sounds simple, but one of that calibre will probably make you regret not just hiring someone.” He shot up and shimmied his pen into his apron’s pocket before dashing off into the labyrinth of plants.  

“Sorry, I thought this would be a lot more simple,” Bob whispered to you, eyes wide, as he watched Jeremy — whose name you only learnt from his askew name tag — work in front of him.  

“No, this is good,” you said, tapping Bob gently with your hand. “I mean, it’s just some plants, it can’t be that difficult.” Bob gave you a crooked smile, softening at your reassurance.  

As it turned out, it could be that difficult. 

You wouldn’t just be sitting around, digging up dirt and waiting until buds started to grow. It was far more architecture-based. An hour after setting foot in, you’d added a multitude of what you’d deemed ‘random’ items to your basket.

Including but not limited to: galvanized-steel containers, powder coating for said steel so it’d ‘fit in’ with the aesthetic, porcelain floor tiling, and far more seeds and pots that could reasonably fit inside your car. Which was how you now owed roughly more than half your monthly budget to a moving company called “Broke Back Movers”, who’d be hauling your garden-to-be onto the Avengers Tower roof next week.  

“This has been extortionate,” you said, taking a long sip of your black coffee as you glared at the receipt. “You know Bucky is going to give us an earful, right?” The garden centre café was bustling with life, humming with the clattering of silverware and the constant buzzing and grinding of coffees being made.  

Bob stared into his own cup of drink. The way his shoulders slumped, not tired, just… quietly defeated, said everything you needed to know. “I’m sorry I dragged you out here,”  

“Why?” you asked, softer this time. “You having second thoughts?”  

“Yes. No. I don’t know,” he fidgeted at the sugar granules on the table, scattering them onto the floor. “It’s a lot more work than I realized.”  

You swirled your cup before taking another sip. “Does that mean it’s not worth it any more because it’s a lot of work?”  

“I just don’t think either of us knew what we were really signing up for,” he gestured vaguely to the receipt.  

“I do now.” The admission felt dangerous, like it was more than just plants and planning permissions. “And I still want it.”  

“It’s going to take months,” Bob’s gaze drifted past you to the pest control aisles. “Could be at it until summer.”  

“Good,” you nudged his foot under the table. “It gives us something to do, other than saving the world, of course. But that gets boring.” He snickered in response, burying half of his face in his coffee cup.  

“We should probably bribe Bucky with something. Maybe the whole team, since we’ll probably end up dragging them all into this mess.”  

“I saw a Walmart on the way here,” you flicked the empty sugar packet at him. “I doubt spending more money is the answer, but maybe absurd amounts of alcohol will be.”  

The drive over was only a few minutes. When you arrived, the shop's fluorescents hummed above you, their glare bouncing off rows of glistening alcohol bottles. A sudden chill from the AC sent shivers down your spine and goosebumps racing up your exposed skin. You reached for another bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey and threw it in the cart, where it joined two others and a disordered assortment of spirits. You grabbed a fourth Jack, because why not, and lobbed it in. You walked further down the aisle, eyeing all the colourful cocktail mixers and throwing some in for good measure.  

Bob trailed behind you, pushing the increasingly heavy cart with growing concern. “Are we planning to get everyone blackout drunk?” he asked, watching you add yet another bottle of drink to the collection.  

“That's the idea,” you replied, grabbing a box of premixed drinks and examining the flavour selection on the label. “Team bonding,” you said, turning to face him fully. “Plus, half of you guys are super soldiers, not like you’ll even feel it.”  

Bob considered this for a moment, then shrugged and resumed pushing the cart. “Yelena will probably still manage to drink us under the table.”  

“Now that,” you said, tossing in a bottle of vodka that looked expensive enough to justify the inevitable lecture from Bucky, “would be entertaining to watch.”  

The checkout line was mercifully short compared to all the other lines, though, the cashier did a double-take when she started scanning the bottles. Her eyes flicked between you and Bob, clearly trying to place your faces. “Having a party?” she asked, the scanner beeping rhythmically as bottle after bottle passed through.  

“A crazy one,” you replied, pulling out your card as the total climbed higher. Bob winced visibly when the final number appeared on the screen.  

“That'll be $347.82,” the cashier announced, and you could practically see Bob's soul leaving his body. You handed over your card without flinching, sliding it down the side of the reader. The bagging process was a struggle in itself, you tried to shove as many bottles in the few bags you’d bought but still needed to grab more to carry it all.  

The parking lot was filled, and your car sat packed between two other trucks. Bob loaded the bags into the trunk, while you slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.

The radio crackled to life as Bob came around and settled into the passenger seat. You reached over to change the station, swapping between a range of different genres, from songs about love to a radio host complaining about ‘Spider-Man the Spider-Menace’.  

The drive back to the Tower felt different from the morning trip, more relaxed, almost teetering on excitement. The city was busier now, morning settling into early afternoon, and you found yourself stuck in traffic only five minutes after pulling out from the store.  

“The garden centre was nice, glad I didn’t have to go alone,” Bob said suddenly. He was looking out the window, but you could see his reflection in the glass, the small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.  

“I should tell you something, though,” you said, glancing over at him as you stopped at a red light. “I’ve been lying to you.” Bob’s eyebrows furrowed as he stared into you.  

“What?” he stammered, adjusting in his seat so he could give you his full attention. “Lying about what? Did you not want to do this?”  

You shook your head, fingers grasping steadily on the wheel, arms fully outstretched. “No, I want to do this.” The light turned green, and you pressed the accelerator, the tower coming into view ahead. “I’ve gardened before.” Bob laughed, and the sweet sound filled the car and warmed your beating heart. You pulled into the Tower's underground garage, the familiar hum of the building's systems welcoming you home. “I know, I know. I’m a lying cheater.” As you turned off the engine, Bob was already reaching for the door handle, but he paused.  

“What did you grow?” he asked, turning back to you. Something bitter unfurled in your chest, dangerous and painful and terrifying all at once.  

“I planted a flower. On Tony’s grave,” you said, confession pouring out of you, more painful than anything else in a very long time. “Used my blood to grow it. So it’d… last.” 

You shoved the car door open, desperate for the garage’s cold air to swallow you whole. But Bob’s hand closed around your forearm, gentle and unyielding. No yank, no demand—just stay. You sank back into the seat, the door hanging open like a held breath. His thumb brushed a slow arc over your sleeve, the friction soft. The quiet between you thickened, alive.  

You could hear it all: the traitorous drum of your pulse, too loud, too raw. The flower would never wilt. You’d made sure of that. Its roots would coil deep, fed by the same power that kept your hands stained. A monument, 'look at what I lost'.  

“Lily of the valley,” you stared at the garage stone wall. “Started small. Now it’s… God, it’s taller than me.”  

Bob’s thumb stilled on your sleeve. “You go back to see it?”  

“Not since I moved here,” the words tasted like ash. “Fourteen months.” The silence pooled, heavy, until you couldn’t handle the weight any more. “The roots… They’ve wrapped around everything, I could feel it. Like I was forcing him to stay.” The admission clawed up your throat. You let out a breath, not shaky, not steady, just something in between, and then, slowly, you pulled your arm free.  

“It’s cold,” you said, though it wasn’t. “Let’s get this stuff inside,” and Bob let you stand. You stepped out, boots scuffing against the concrete floor. Bob moved with you, opening the trunk and pulling out the first bag, the bottles clinking together under his grip. He didn’t comment on your deflection, didn’t ask if you were okay, he just worked, handing off bags one by one, like this was the only thing that mattered right now.  

The elevator doors slid open with a quiet chime, and Bob stepped in first, shifting the bags in his grip before leaning against the railing. You stared at your reflection in the mirror; you’d managed to throw some of your clothes in the dryer last night, so now you weren’t running off the bottom-of-the-wardrobe scraps. Even still, you’d picked out just a simple gray spaghetti strap tank top, paired with a blue-grey plaid flannel shirt and a rugged brown denim jacket thrown over.  

The elevator dinged, doors sliding open to reveal the hallway leading into the Tower’s common space. The moment you stepped through, the shift in the atmosphere was immediate. Alexei was slouched on the couch, legs sprawled, as he bellowed a story at Yelena, who was sipping from a mug as if she was merely tolerating his nonsense. Across the couch, Ava sat absent-mindedly beside Bucky, who was scowling at his phone.  

The second they clocked you and Bob, more specifically, the bags of alcohol in your arms, the reaction was instant. Alexei sat up, eyebrows shooting up in dramatic delight. “You have come bearing gifts!”  

Bucky, however, narrowed his eyes at the sheer amount of bottles. “How much have you two spent?” He put his finger up to stop Bob from responding. “No, don’t tell me. Plausible deniability.” Bucky pinched the bridge of his nose, already resigned.  

Bob hoisted his bags onto the counter with a quiet grunt, shaking his head. The receipt peeked out from between his fingers, still absurd enough to make him grimace.  

“You know,” he muttered, “I really thought gardening was going to be the most expensive part of this week.”  

Alexei let out a loud ha! And slapped Bob’s back with enough force to make him stumble. “Oh, my friend, you have clearly never purchased alcohol in bulk. It was investment!” Yelena snatched a bottle of vodka from the pile, inspecting the label like she was judging its quality.  

Ava plucked a bottle of whiskey from the mess, twisted off the cap, and took a casual sip. “Less talking. More drinking.”  

Between the six of you, the unpacking process was surprisingly smooth, bottles sorted into neat(ish) rows across the counter, mixers shoved toward the fridge, discarded packaging tossed haphazardly into the bin.  

You reached for a bottle at the same time as Bob, fingers brushing lightly against his. Neither of you pulled away; it wasn’t intentional, exactly, but you couldn't help but linger. Bob cleared his throat. You gave the bottle to him without comment, your own hand flexing slightly before moving on to unpack another.  

“Y’know,” you said, slapping a tequila bottle down, “we’ve got enough here to play every drinking game ever invented.”  

Alexei grinned wide, gesturing grandly. “Now you’re speaking my language!”  

TAG LIST: @non-anonymous-anon @ara-a-bird

[honey-minded-hivemind]

Sooo... what about a Zombie Apocalypse or Virus AU where regular humans turn into zombies or drones or mindless beings, but those who have the X-gene, when exposed to the virus or bitten, get their powers, and can control the hordes? And they also kinda are affected by the virus, because they want more of them, more mutants, and want a horde or hive or pack or family...

Reader is on their own at first, after surviving some of the worst of humanity, and falls in with a small group of teem survivors (some of the X-Teens and Brotherhood, maybe an Acolyte or two). They all banded together as they can survive better together, and the hordes leave leave be, and they all trauma bonded...

But... they keep running into strange people, adults and teens alike, who seem too friendly and too nice, and always offer a warm meal or warm bed or safe shelter... and always seem to secretly be kinda insane...

(Can you tell I've watched Z Nation, two seasons of TWD, and various zombie movies?)

@sugar-soda @vivid-bun @thewickedweiner @hermesserpent-stuff

[miamigo333]

AANG ＆ OZAI PARALLELS: DEBUNKED

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Because apparently the true villain is the sole survivor of a genocide of his entire nation, and not the imperialist colonizer.

Where do I even begin?? Because I’m genuinely holding in laughter writing this, it’s absolutely insane how certain people can make such egregious parallels that aren’t even found in the first place. 

AH, so a little backstory on how this fucking shit stained idea even came to existence, well our dear z^tara fans pissed their pants over Zuko and Katara not tying the knot, so, as a way of retribution for their supposed “honour” They take any chance to jump on the Aang hate train and make him into some irredeemable abusive demon, aaand they got that perfect opportunity because the LoK decided to take a lick out of the great “Main Characters Must Be Bad Parents In The Sequels” Trope. Which personally, does absolutely nothing to the protagonists resolution aside from cheap family drama but I digress. 

Now, I’m not behind the idea of the writers trying to make Aang a “flawed” Parent, I think it really makes no sense by how they went about it, (I might touch on this in another post) 

((And it’s so very clear that they’re trying to give it a soft “retcon” And even taking extra steps saying that Kya and Bumi just “remember wrong” Which I’ll actually take, because season two of LOK was hell on earth anyway so you might as well give it some saving grace.)) 

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There’s three main parallels that they got from Ozai and Aang: (god help me)

Favouring a child

isolating the rest

leaving pressure On the golden child

I’m going to debunk all three of them while trying not to fall into complete lunacy over how ridiculous they are. 

Favouring a child + Leaving pressure: 

OK, so people are clearly blind with context clues and media comprehension, got it. No surprise whatsoever. I can’t be disappointed if I didn’t even have any expectations to begin with. 

Let’s compare the treatment on how Ozai treats Azula, and how Aang treats Tenzin. (Holy Shit)

Beginning with Ozai, well.. It doesn’t take much of a rocket scientist to understand that Ozai essentially could not give two fucks about Azula, as she in essence, serves the role of an attack dog, as long as it does its job, it’s worthy. 

Ozai favoured Azula because she was molded to match his ferocity and hunger for power, she was a prodigy bender, and was cunning and calculated, all traits that Ozai found endearing and someone worthy to be crowned the next “fire lord.” His “favouring” Of her didn’t come out of genuine love or care, she is his tool who serves a purpose. In short, she showed more competency and more ruthlessness and callousness in comparison to Zuko. Which earned her, her place as the “Golden Child.”  

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None of this is even remotely similar to how Aang treated Tenzin and his kids, aside from the fact he supposedly “favoured” Tenzin more, but that is such a baseline statement and has absolutely no relation with Ozai's reasons.

You have to understand that an entire FUCKING NATION IS DEAD. History, Culture, Tradition, is at the BRINK of being wiped out, Tenzin is quite literally the only Airbender that will be left after Aangs passing. Why do people devalue this concept so much? 

“B-BUT THE AIR ACOLYTES1!!” Still have limited knowledge, airbending is so heavily tied to its spiritual roots, you LOSE your ability to AIRBEND, if you aren't inclined to your spiritual side. Which is a core part of the air nomad culture. Tenzin is... Literally the only god forsaken part left of that, so yeah. It’s a pretty big fucking deal. Aang values his culture and teachings to such a high degree, he is literally the survivor of a genocide. His favouring of Tenzin was done out of necessity and love, not out of a need for power and a new attack dog to send orders around. 

Tenzin will literally be the future “Director” Or guide for the next avatar to learn airbending, people still forget this, and it’s hilarious. He needs to know all the moves, all the teachings because he will be the next avatar's personal guide. 

Aang constantly reassures him, and apologizes for the pressure that may be put upon him but he always reaffirms that he’ll be there to guide him and they’ll “learn together”

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So yeah not the same thing at all. Fuck you for being so inept at understanding the different reasons and perspectives of those situations, just for some petty ship discourse, genuinely disgusting.

Isolating the children:

OK this part, I have to say that the writers definitely messed up with aangs characterization, but I think the execution came out way differently than the intention, so I will try to look more into the intention of each decision.

Ozai isolated Zuko, mistreated him, belittled him, PHYSICALLY ABUSED HIM, but yeah totally on par with Aang actually. 

I don’t wanna touch on this part much mainly because his treatment was literally explained all throughout the show, and granted, while I understand most of these people haven’t touched the show aside from reading fanfic 300000 Where Aang is revealed to us as satan himself, but perhaps, even a small peak at Ozai's parenting would reveal the laughable contrast between the two.

Zuko was a slow learner, and much more of a softie, and a “mama's boy” To Ozai’s heavy dislike, he was thus treated as such, he was belittled, turned down, and literally burnt alive for showing “weakness” He is meant to serve as a direct contrast to Azula, ”The everything he isn't.” 

Kya and Bumi on the other hand, don’t show any actual signs of trauma aside from some petty jabs they threw at Tenzin, 

Bumis talk with Aang at the statue was *very very* Clearly, meant to highlight his own inferiority complex that he internalized growing up. His need for proving himself to be capable of doing just as much if not more than a “bender” Probably happened because his two parents were both prodigy benders and him being a first born son who was a non-bender must’ve hit pretty hard for him, and I’m so sure that katara and Aang reassured how special he is but that kind of thing doesn’t really go away.

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Kya: [while healing Bumi] I told you those rocks were slippery. You're lucky you didn't kill yourself.

Bumi: You done with the lecture, mom?

Kya: Oh, grow up. You haven't changed one bit since we were kids. You're still trying to prove you can do everything a bender can. Well, you can't. Deal with it.

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 That talk with Aangs statue was very much meant to unveil an internal struggle rather than a conflict he had with his father. Kya even doubles down on this, telling him “of course he’d be proud of you” Basically spoon feeding to us, the viewers, that this is much more of internal than an external conflict that he has to overcome along the show. 

“Why Didn’t he share his culture with them 1!!1!” 

He most definitely did, or tried to, but it’s clear they didn’t show much interest so he didn’t pester, this is shown many times throughout the show. 

“You know I could never keep all those gurus straight… There were like a million of them!

remember that long boring story about the guy who never ate?”

This is literally Kya’s remark to Tenzin just after he tried teaching the airbender students this story, basically telling us that Aang DID try to tell them about his stories and culture, but much to their disinterest, didn’t try any further. 

And Bumi, literally could not pay attention to the story to save his life, and instead decided to fool around in his literal 60’s!! I mean Imagine what he was like when he was a kid!! 

I could imagine their dynamic was very similar to Jinora with Meelo and Ikki, Tenzin being the only one with actual interest and care, whilst Bumi and Kya goofing off and not putting much focus onto it. WHICH IS FINE BTW!! 

It only goes to reiterate that Tenzin was the only one who was actually giving interest and attention to the air nomad culture, and it was of Kya and Bumi’s own personal choice to not partake in it. To each their own I see. 

“BUT WHAT ABOUT THE VACATIONS” 

This.. I agree, weird for the writers to decide this, but given how they low-key are retconning it in interviews, my best guess is that each of those trips were side-quests during their journey to teach an important lesson that might’ve just drowned out because Tenzin may not have remembered it as well. 

Also keep in mind that Tenzin was put into a lot of pressure, Aang probably saw this, and as a way to still keep it enjoyable, he took him to trips that would help ease the mind for a little kid whilst also learning something valuable. That seems pretty on brand for Aang actually

And given that Kya and Bumi are literally in their fucking 60’s it wouldn’t surprised me if they didn’t have the greatest memory. Hell, they didn’t even fault Aang as a parent until Tenzin started boasting about “trips” That Kya and Bumi gave petty jabs but weren’t actually showing genuine hurt, just annoyance.

Kya even comments how Aang was too busy “Trying to save the world, and doing his duty that he didn't have much time for them” 

Phrasing as if it wasn't anything "important" But it's clear that this was Kya's own personal irritation towards Tenzin rather than an actual evaluation on Aang's duties.

A continuation comic best explains it in a deeper way:

----------

Literally showing that “neglecting” His kids wasn't up to him, and was out of a sense of necessity, trying to cram as much knowledge onto Tenzin, the only one who was basically putting his lessons into practices. Kya and Bumi were left feeling neglected. But that wasn’t out of his decision; he still loved them dearly.

-------

This. Literally highlighting how much pressure was forced upon Aang, so yes, as any person would, he struggled with making time for everybody. Holy shit who knew?? 

GASP!! IS THAT… A REALISTIC BUT UNDERSTANDABLE FLAW!!?? HOW DARE YOU! ITS OZAI #2 

The fact that the smiley energetic person forgets to SMILE, is a big deal, man was put through hells amount of stress but he never cracked.

So tell me, how is a genocidal freak, who treats his golden child like a tool and abuses the other both physically and emotionally for showing “weakness’ 

Even remotely comparable to

 the sole survivor of a genocide, trying to withhold his teachings and culture onto literally his only child that showed actual effort in doing so, while also maintaining the balance of an entire fucking world and being literally the biggest “advisor” And “Mentor” For society, OH! And also building and managing a literal city, but along the way struggling to make time for his children. 

Guess what, they’re not. And if you think they are. You are an idiot, with bias and headcanons.

So the conclusion is, Aang is a flawed parent, but he isn't a "bad" Parent - confirmed by the literal writers.

Comparing him to Ozai a literal dictator, is absolutely sickening, just for your petty shipping discourse when this show's been over for a decade is insane. Indulge in what you enjoy, but stop projecting delusions like they're canon.

:D

[calderacitylovers]

Zutara SlowBurn FanFiction: Personal Favs, part I

·        I AM STILL HERE by owedbetter Published: 2017-10-09 | 77K words | 7 Chapters

After the Last Agni Kai K heals Z with the help of bloodbending. Very sweet.

 ·        THE SUMMIT by AJLenoire

Chronicles post-war years, as Gaang and other characters gather for annual summits to keep peace and build relationships between the Four Nations. Katara yearns for a bigger purpose than the Avatar’s companion and slowly grows into a shrewd diplomat. Very sweet slow burn ZK story. Has mature scenes.

 ·        CLOTHE ME IN SEASONS, DRESS ME IN SNOW by sadladybug Published: 2015-01-05 | 62K words | 7 Chapters

Follows old Zuko as he reflects on his life and what would have been if he kept Katara closer. Absolutely beautiful, but also a devastatingly heart-breaking story about loss and pain.

 ·        SILENT DECLARATIONS by Megara Pike (Megara_Pike) Published: 2021-01-20 | 2,6K words

A short story based on animation by Hayley Wong. Z finds K asleep in her study and carries her to bed. Very sweet, gentle story.

 ·        COVERED IN YOU by evergreenonthehorizon Published: 2021-04-02 | 55K words | 14 Chapters

Eight years after the war Z convinces K to take on a role of a Southern Water Tribe ambassador in the Caldera city. Both are completely clueless about each other’s feelings. Features political talks, big gestures, and a ball. Very cute, sweet slow-burn story. Has mature scenes.

 ·        TEN STRIDES IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION by evergreenonthehorizon Published: 2021-04-03 | 29K Words | 12 Chapters

A collection of short stories filling in the gaps between some of the events of ATLAS3 and up to the Last Agni Kai. Features accidental cuddling, embracing in the rain, sharing a bed for warmth, post-Ember Island Theater discussions, being discovered, waiting to be kissed, Suki & Katara being good friends, battle plans, Zuko & Sokka getting drunk, slow burn & angst. Very sweet.

 ·        THE SWAY OF THE SUN by TheBlackBriarSparrow Published: Published: 2019-10-14 | 102K Words | 27 Chapters

Two years post-war Gaang reunites in Caldera city for a secret party in honor of the overworked Fire Lord’s birthday. Rebels attack the palace setting a thrilling consequence of events in motion. Adventures, investigations, and fights ensue. Z & K work together and enlist old friends to help find missing people. Beautiful slow-burn story with an exciting plot.

·        A WARM EMBRACE by ewinkie Published: 2020-10-06 | 19K Words | 7 Chapters

An ATLAS3 rewrite from Southern Riders to the Last Agni Kai. Katara and Zuko have to hide in a cave following their encounter with Yon Rha. Comforting turns to cuddling, which turns to waking up on Appa's tail in each other's arms. Katara is shocked at how comfortable she is. Zuko is shocked that Katara doesn't hate him for it. Features sharing a bed, being discovered, slowburn, and lots of teenage silliness.

 ·        FOLLOWING BLUE by Boogum Published: 2018-11-07 | 39K Words | 10 Chapters

ATLA S2 rewrite. After Katara falls from Appa’s saddle during a pursuit, the Blue Spirit becomes her reluctant companion and helps her reunite with her friends. Ba Sing Se scenes are completely rewritten, and Z ends up joining the Gaang much earlier. Thrilling beginning, sweet middle, average ending.

 ·        ANOTHER WORD FOR ALCHEMY by FanPanda13 Published: 2014-08-19 | 108K words | 24 Chapters

Five years post-war Aang summons old friends for a summit and invites them on a trip to investigate mysterious locations where he experiences loss of bending. Features Gaang setting Z & K up, travelling on Appa like in the olden days, lots of sparring, royal courting, magnificent navy ships & war ballons. Thrilling story with fun banter between old friends. Slowburn, mature content.

 ·        CONSUME ME WITH FIRE, FLOOD ME WITH DESIRE by Dacamia Published: 2020-08-14 | 86K words | 24 Chapters

Steamy ATLAS2 and ATLA S3 rewrite. Z & K accidentally meetup on their way to Ba Sing Se and decide to travel together. Features aged-up characters, lots of intimate scenes, staying in a beautiful cave, helping villagers, betrayal in Ba Sing Se, reunion, forgiveness, etc. Explicit mature content.

 ·        ROOTS AND WINGS by zukoscomet Published: 2020-08-14 | 250K words | 25 Chapters

A series of short stories of Z & K as they grow closer, confess their love for one another and start a family.

 ·        THOSE WHO FAVOR FIRE by hiwasseelane Published: 2021-05-02 |29K Words | 13 Chapters

An ATLAS3 rewrite. Sweet, teen-appopriate.

Here’s a link to Part II of my personal favs.

Here’s a link to Wholesome Zutara Short Stories.

[verifiedgoddess-afterhours]

10K ~ Z Nation Headcanons (pt 2!)

(guys omg this cutie patootie i'm dying)

General:

Loves the sound of rain. Idk, he just looks like a rain lover. Like the sound would comfort him, probably reminds him of a simpler time before the apocalypse

ADORES kids.

Would love some of his own, but doesn't want to bring them into an apocalyptic world because he would hate to cause them pain like that.

Repeats his Z count to himself so he doesn't forget

If he had access to Spotify or music, would listen to things like Greta Van Fleet, Pink Floyd, Queen,

Speaking of Queen: his favorite song by them is totally Good Ol' Fashioned Loverboy

Is a surprisingly good singer! Sometimes if you were quiet on the road and paid attention, you could catch tiny snippets of him humming a tune while scavenging

At least when he thinks nobody is listening to him lol

Barely sleeps at night - is too worried about being snuck up on to sleep well.

Also, gets nightmares pretty frequently. To calm himself down after a nightmare he'd probably get up and clean his gun, really taking his time to take it apart and make sure he got every speck of dust.

Remember when Addy mentioned in that one episode that 10K did her eyebrows and she does his?(sometime in season two) - ever since she started doing his, he gets grouchy when his start to look unkept.

Addy also taught him tons of random facts about girls' hygiene - I wouldn't be surprised if he knew how to do eyeliner flawlessly or knew to put on SPF before foundation, etc.

Speaking of, if he ever found pads/tampons/etc, would 100% stow them away just in case Addy or someone else needs them.

When he scavenges, he always looks for other people besides himself. Once he gets his ammo, he's happy. Then he looks for everyone else - a pair of new sunglasses Doc might like, snacks for Addy, or bandanas for Warren.

Is actually very conscious about how he dresses! not even just for practicality's sake, but enjoys putting together outfits that look nice.

Even if the only people who see them are zombies, he still likes to look good. It make him feel more in control of his life instead of afraid for it.

Romantic:

teehee i am giggling already hahaha

He is a soulmate kind of guy. His parents had a loving marriage and he could only ever see himself being with one person. Once he's in, he's in until zombie bite do you part.

Puts in a ton of effort to make the apocalypse better for his partner. Whether that be taking watch so they can sleep or giving them the good gear, he's doing it.

Love language = Acts of Service and Physical Touch(prove me wrong)

Murphy teases him endlessly about it and he gets sooo flustered, but never denies it. He would rather endure all of Murphy's teasing(no matter how much it pissed him off) than ever entertain the idea of lying and pretending he doesn't care as much about his partner

At any sign of injury or illness, he's by their side. Picking edible plants to use for tea to treat ailments, going scavenging for supplies, protecting them if they can't do it themselves - he is looking after them!

If you tell him your favorite food, then he's going out to try and get it. Even if it means using up more ammo to find it - he cares that much.

Once he figures out what makes his crush laugh, he goes out of his way to do it. Tripping over a root? Yep, he'll take the bruises just to see you smile. Cracking jokes at Murphy's expense? He's loves doing that anyways - you laughing is just a bonus.

Eventually, after he's been with someone a while, he gets more bold

His flirting gets better and LOVES to fluster his partner to see the cute little blush on their cheeks.

His version of flirting(until you teach him otherwise) is definitely teasing, playful bullying, etc.

And somehow, it works.

Is totally clueless to how beautiful he is. If you call him pretty boy, he's denying it because he doesn't realize how gorgeous he is to you

So you have to show him

Will call his lover pretty or handsome ALL. THE. TIME. Even if you are covered in zombie guts, haven't showered in three years, you're still the best-looking person around for him to look at.

Would purposefully take watch to make sure he gets alone time with you

Is chatty, but not all the time. Sometimes he loves just sitting and enjoying your company, your hands intertwined as everyone else sleeps.

Has a plan of your future together. What you all need to live a comfortable life, where he thinks you might find it, where you should go, etc. He wants your future to be safe enough to just enjoy each other's company without fearing for your lives.

Loves showering with you in the least sexual way possible(although... jkjk). You're his and he is yours, and he loves taking care of you and being taken care of like that.

Spicy:

I've said this before and I'll say it again: he is LOUD. Often has to cover his mouth with his hand or bite down on something(aka: you) to keep from everyone hearing.

Has so many weapons on him that sometimes he gets frustrated having to take it all off that he just... doesn't. Just gets his pants loose enough and then absolutely ravishes you.

Giggles the entire day after

Which means of course everyone knows about it and teases him endlessly.

Is scared of being rough with you until he realizes how much you love it, then changes his mind.

You guys typically don't have tons of time - unless you're extremely lucky - but when you do, he will take literal hours to coax it out of both of you before you call it a night.

this man is a SWITCH

Likes to be in control, but is definitely a gentle dom. He'll give you commands in a low tone, his hands firm as they guide you but always full of care.

HOWEVER, once he truly trusts you he'll do anything you say whenever you say it. One word and he's on his knees, staring up at you with wide blue eyes as he waits.

Likes being called a good boy(OOP who said that???)

Once you guys start experimenting, he can't stop. Has let you ruin so many of his bandanas tying him up(using knots he taught you) and making him fall apart.

Speaking of experimenting: not that he wouldn't love any kind of intimacy y'all have, but would try to see what was left in sex stores along your travels to spice things up a bit - loves everything he finds even if he isn't sure at first.

Eye contact the entire time... except for when he has to burrow his face in your neck to keep from being too loud(he fails)

Purposefully wears his goggles while y'all do it so you can tug them around his neck, reminding him that you're in charge. It gives him a little thrill.

Begs nonsensically the closer he gets to cumming. Words just spill out and tears gather on his lashes as he babbles anything that comes to mind(heh, see what i did there?)

Once he discovers how much 'yes ma'am' or 'yes sir' turns you on, he used that cruelly to his advantage at the best - and worst - times

[yumebambi-writes]

I just want to ask like 10k and addy headcanons (ft. Operation Bite mark if you want) of found family and there sibling coded relationship :)

Addison Carver and 10K "Z Nation" Headcanons (SFW)

i love these two so much big sister!addy and little brother!10k mean so much to me

addy was one of the first people 10k opened up to after joining operation bite mark

she just has one of those personalities that gets along with everyone and invites you to open up, and this definitely helped him to become more comfortable around others!

he was still slightly reserved around her, seeing as she was an older girl, and he was not used to being around members of the opposite sex. or anyone really for that matter

i think addy maybe cracked a joke that appealed to 10k's sarcastic sense of humor (the two of them together are the queens of sarcasm), and she continued to try and make him laugh because it was such a rare occurence

technically, addy wasn't part of the conversation where 10k opens up about his father, but i still think he would talk to her about it. it's not exactly a secret, but addy's past regarding her family kind of is one

it takes addy a long time to reveal what happened with her mom to anyone other than mack, but i think 10k is one of the first people she tells

they bond over this shared trauma of having to mercy their parents, and after this, they are pretty much inseparable

10k's relationship with addy is definitely more of a familial one; it's not like his relationship with cassandra at all

but because of this, i think he's actually even closer to addy than he is to cass (even though it's not necessarily shown that way until like s5)

it's canon that they help groom each other (which is a fact im obsessed with), and they both have thick eyebrows, so i can just imagine them plucking and trimming each other's brows and gossiping and laughing while they do it

because they're laughing, they've for sure botched their brows before. there was probably like a two week period where addy wore a hat low over her brows, and 10k wore his bandana similarly low to cover their mistakes

maybe 10k even cut addy some bangs one time

that did not go over well, and she never let him touch her hair again

however, 10k does let addy mess with his hair

it's always so messy in the way that is deliberate and takes a while to perfect, and i think addy was definitely there with the hair gel, forming his little spikes and swirls

in season four, when they've been apart for years at this point, 10k doesn't bother with grooming or taking care of his appearance because it reminds him of his big sister :(

the two of them are so ecstatic to be reunited in s5, but they both play it cool

i can just imagine them crashing into a brotherly/sisterly hug and then pushing each other away instantly and acting grossed out by it though they secretly loved it

the scene where 10k calls addy a cyclops and addy calls 10k a lefty is peak sibling behavior, and they're always ribbing each other like that

they make a competition out of it--like who has it worse

addy's all, "i can never wink at someone flirtatiously again!" and 10k's like, "i literally only have one hand"

"okay, you win this round"

god i hate them (/aff) they're so stupid (/aff)

ughhhhh these two i love them so much THEY'RE SIBLINGS YOUR HONOR

[doudouneverte]

Love your fics and would you do one for Laura feirsinger something fluffy. ( Only if you write for her)

a/n: i wanted to write something for Feiersinger for a while so I'm more than happy with that request

"Say it"

Pairing: Laura Feiersinger x AUSTRIAWNT!Reader

Summary: you just want to hear two words

Type: Fluff

Warning: nothing

word count: 1893

translation: Ich liebe dich/Je t'aime/Ti amo = I love you

-------

You and Laura knew each other from as far as you can remember. First, you played together at Bayern Munich before she left for Sand, and you left to play two seasons for Lyon before coming back to Munich. Your relationship had always been special; you were practically a couple even before she asked you out formally. But it was only a few months before her big move to Frankfurt that she found the courage to do it.

Since then, a lot of things have happened. You joined her in her new club and had to leave your commun best friend, Sarah Zadrazil, behind. And more importantly, you were officially engaged. But unfortunately, your fiancé signed a new contract with AS Roma in Italy, which meant you would spend almost the whole season missing her.

Fortunately for both of you, you were playing for the same national team, and with the new National League came a new national camp. And that was where you were today. The girls just arrived at the hotel when you were already looking for your fiancé. Since her transfer, there was something she never told you, and you needed to hear it now.

As expected by all your teammates, when you and Laura spotted each other, you didn't leave each other. It was not a secret to everyone how close you were, and some of them were used to making fun of it at first, but now it has become something usual.

"Where is Laura?" Barbara asked when she spotted a group of girls talking in Manu's room.

"With Y/n. Like always." The goalie replied.

"Why do I feel stupid to ask that?" The midfielder asked before walking to your room. She was about to knock, but she stopped when she heard something unusual.

"Oh, come on, babe, I know you can say it. It's been like, what? Six weeks since you started to train with them, I'm sure you can tell me now." You said while you were unpacking your stuff.

"We already talked about it, Y/n. I don't know if I'm ready for that." She replied.

"Bullshit." You said before throwing yourself on the bed and dragging the Roma's player with you. "We both know that I'll find it." You said before gently kissing her.

"Yeah, but let me time to prepare myself before." 

"Okay, no pressure." You engulfed your body in her tiny ones, sharing as much warmth as you could. "I missed you." You confessed.

"And I missed you too. Now come on, let's get ready, or the girls will start to worry." She instructed you.

"Okay, but just five more minutes." Even if she knew she had to complain, she couldn't when she saw you so vulnerable.

On the other side of the door, your Frankfurt teammate was already not here. The midfielder rushed to her previous destination a few seconds earlier.

"Girls, I think we have a problem." She said bursting the door open.

"Don't you know how to know on a door?" Sarah Puntigam said after everyone was thrilled by the midfielder's antics.

"Sorry, not sorry, but we have a bigger problem than a fucking door." Barbara said.

"Don't swear in front of the kids." Sarah Z said covering Katharina's ears what made everyone laugh.

"Sorry, but yeah, I was saying that I think Laura and Y/n are breaking up." The new froze everyone and everything in the room for a few seconds.

"WHAT?" All the players yelled.

"Shh, keep it low." Barbara instructed them.

"How do you want us to keep it low when you announce something like that?" Sarah P said, gaining a nod from all her teammates. "And how did you get that information?"

"I may have or haven't heard their conversation when I was going to 

see Laura." She explained.

"WHAT?" Everyone yelled again.

"You know how much Y/n hate when someone tries to invade her privacy, and it's even worse when it involves her and Laura." Manu reminded her.

"I know, but it's not like I wanted to listen on purpose. I will apologize later. Now can we talk about the main subject?" 

"Oh, what are you talking about? I want to be in." You said, appearing behind your teammate. The room froze for a moment. You felt all eyes on you and started to feel a little confused. "Uh, are we interrupting something?" You asked.

"Nothing; we were just wondering where you were, right, girls?" Sarah P said trying to convince you and your fiancé. When you heard all the girls agreeing, you found it suspicious, but you were not going to question it, at least not now.

"Anyway, coach wants us in the meeting room in five minutes." Laura said, and after that, you both left to the room mentioned.

"I don't know about you, but they didn't seem to be near to break up for me." Kat said.

"I totally agree with you, but maybe they don't want to make us worry." Barbara proposed.

"Maybe, but right now the coach wants to see us, so let's go." Sarah Z said before leaving the room, quickly followed by the rest of the team.

In the room, the girls were a little shocked to see an empty seat between yours and Laura's. Even if they didn't question it, some glances were not discreet, and some whispers could be heard. The Bayern midfielder took her seat between the two of you while Barbara could finally talk with your fiancé.

At the end of the meeting, you were one of the first to leave the room. But you were quickly stopped by your ex-teammate.

"Hey, are you okay?" Sarah asked you.

"Uhh...yeah." You replied.

"Where are you going?" 

You paused a little. "Restroom."

"Oh, okay, sorry. I'll not restrain you more." She said a little nervous, making you chuckle.

"Yep, I'll be back soon; don't worry." With that, you just walked away.

What should have been a little weird thing for your teammates became something more when the next day Laura decided to train with her best friend letting you with Kathy. You both didn't notice, but a lot of confused looks were exchanged between the entire team.

At the end of the training the Roma's player was leaving with her best friend when she heard you calling her name. She quickly glanced at you before quickly running away from you, forcing you to chase her.

"Okay, that's weird." Sarah P started.

"The most weird thing was that they were both smiling." Manu continued.

"Maybe Barbara was right." Viktoria finished.

"No, that's impossible. We all know how much they love each other; they can't just break up and keep the facade in front of us. We need to start an investigation." Sarah Z proposed, and everybody agreed.

A few hours later, you were watching a movie with all the team in your room. There was a good atmosphere, and everybody was enjoying the moment until your phone buzzed. You excused yourself and left the room to answer. In less than five minutes, you were back in the room and found your spot next to the tiny midfielder.

"Who was that?" Laura asked you quietly to not bother everyone.

"Oh, it was just Laura who wanted my advice for something." You replied, and your fiancé just nodded before she placed her head against your shoulder.

The next morning, the girls were planning a real plan to do everything they could to not let their favorite couple break apart when they heard someone run to them.

"Girls, please help me." Laura begged with an amused expression. The team didn't have time to process everything until you reached them.

"Okay, you know what? Let's do that in another way." You took a moment to think before you started again. "Okay, in English." 

The entire team was looking at both of you very confusedly.

"Okay. 3...2...1... I love you!" You both said at the same time. The girls were more confused, but you didn't give them time to question anything before you started again. "Now, in Deutsch. 3...2...1... Ich liebe dich." You said again at the same time.

"What's happening here?" Barbara asked.

"Just a minute. Let me finish that." You return your focus to the tiny midfielder. "Now... Je t'aime." You saw her blush, which made you grin. "And?" There was a little silence; all the attention was now on Laura.

"Ti amo." She mumbled, but your face showed her that you didn't understand. She took a breath and focused her gaze on yours: "Ti. Amo. Is this okay now?" 

Instead of replying, you hugged her and crashed your lips against hers. "More than okay." You said with the biggest smile you could ever put on your face right now.

"Okay, what's happening now? I thought you were about to break up. Why are you so lovey-dovey right now?" Manu asked.

"What are you talking about?" You asked, very surprised by her sentence.

"I heard you two talk the first day of the camp, and I thought that you were about to break up because she didn't want to do something or something like that." Barbara confessed.

"First, Barbara, you know that Y/n doesn't when you spy on her. Second, we never thought about breaking up; why could you ever think about it?" Laura explained.

"Wow, now we look stupid." Viktoria said.

"For your information, you always look stupid, like all of you." You said, making your fiancé laugh. "Except for Laura and Sarah Z, of course." You added.

"Okay, that's rude." Your captain said, "But can you explain what just happened?" Laura hid her face in your torso out of shame after remembering why you were both here.

"Oh, it's actually a funny story." You started. "You know that we have known each other since as far as I can remember. But we didn't always play together, so since I came back to Germany after my little trip to France, we decided to establish a rule in our relationship. Every time one of us has to play in another country, they have to learn the local language to say, I love you in this language." You explained.

"Why does that sound cute and dumb at the same time?" Viktoria whispered to your captain.

"Because it is, but she was the one who proposed that, and I can't refuse her anything, so here we are now." Laura defended you.

"But what does this have to do with your behavior from the start of the camp?" The Bayern Sarah asked.

"That's because she didn't want to say it. So I had to chase her everywhere to convince her to say it." You explained.

"I can't wait for the wedding. I would be personally offended if Y/n don't do something dumb like this on  D-day. Manu said. 

When the girls started to ask more questions, the coach called you for training. On your way to the pitch, you had your fingers intertwined with Laura's when she suddenly stopped making you look at her.

Fortunately for you, you didn't have to say anything because she didn't give you time to react before she kissed you. "Ti amo." She said before letting your hand go and running on the pitch.

"Wait, can we get married like today?" You asked while you ran after her.

[anewbeginningagain]

thoughts on us ice dance first:

usfs did good protecting bock and getting them easy wins, and are also carefully shielding cpom from shibs and fbc. Duking it out with Lala twice is not optimal for cpom's gpf chances, but not the worst from usfs' pov either. G/Pa, zingnik, and shibs are being told to fight it out amongst themselves for who wants the third spot and who wants to win Oly year 4CC. Bratti/Somerville got two assignments, in addition to being named to the National team and being second alternates for worlds over the Browns, USFS seems to be backing them for next quad. I hope the Browns get the host spot, of the teams that don't have two yet they seem most promising, but maybe W/T will get it since theyre on the national team?

C/B legit got the most comfortable assignments they could have possibly gotten. They avoid FB/C and the Shibs, they go to events with fields that basically guarantee that even a big mistake will still keep them 1st, unlike last season. They will need a G/F level disaster (the one they had last season) to lose an event.

I agree it's overall good news for CPom that USFS are keeping the Shibs away from them and basically telling the Shibs, Z/K, and G/P(2) to fight it out. I agree B/S are getting support but I think overall it makes sense given they finished 3rd two years ago and also got bronze at a GP event last season (something Z/K for example have failed to do, though they are considered a bigger deal than S/B at least in terms of potential). Does it mean B/S will get backing for the next quad? I'm not sure, I would imagine (taking the Shibs out of the equation) that the top 3 should be CPom, G/P(2) (assuming the stick around), and either Z/K or B/S. But time will tell.

[spop-romanticizes-abuse]

so this post is inspired by a person who sent an ask to @my-nitpicking-self (i hope you don't mind me tagging you), who mentioned the confrontation between katara and zuko in atla, in reference to glimmer's and catra's relationship in spop. i thought it was an interesting comparison, so i'm going to expand on it.

so two very similar scenes in atla and spop: katara and zuko being stuck together in crystal catacombs and glimmer and catra being stuck together in horde prime's ship. two things to note here - zuko was beginning to heal at this point and had almost completely given up his mission of capturing aang, while catra has just finished conquering salineas and was neck-deep in villainy.

as soon as katara sees zuko, she becomes outraged. keep in mind, zuko did not kill katara's mother. but she still had a valid reason to be mad at him. she holds him accountable for everything he has done.

K: Why did they throw you in here? Oh, wait, let me guess. It's a trap. So that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches!

K: You're a terrible person! You know that? Always following us! Hunting the Avatar! Trying to capture the world's last hope for peace! But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood!

Z: You don't know what you're talking about.

K: I don't? How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through! Me personally! The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.

here, zuko doesn't try to argue with katara until she implies that violence and aggression is an inherited thing, because he's from the fire nation. zuko accepts his mistakes but he is also aware that being a fire nation citizen or even royalty alone doesn't make you a bad person. even then, he doesn't raise his voice or lash out at her, he just calmly disagrees.

after katara mentions her mother, he apologizes and sympathizes with her.

Z: I'm sorry. That's something we have in common.

K: I'm sorry I yelled at you before.

Z: It doesn't matter.

K: It's just that for so long now, whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face.

katara also apologizes but zuko understands that it was completely in her right to blame him. and then we get to the crux of the issue. katara's mother was killed years ago but she still hasn't been able to move on from the grief.

now, of course, zuko again turns back to villainy but this was an important confrontation. and it wasn't the only one. as you all know, after zuko's official redemption, the gaang still doesn't trust him and katara is the last person to forgive him. she is still upset and disappointed by the way he betrayed her after they had begun to bond in the catacombs. and zuko has to prove his loyalty before katara could forgive him.

now let's come to glimmer and catra. catra DIRECTLY caused the death of glimmer's mother. and it was recent. glimmer had been grappling with her grief in the last season, to the point where she spirals into a small corruption arc. s4 of spop does NOT forget angella's death.

so obviously, you would expect there to be a confrontation between glimmer and catra in s5, especially since they were alone together in a confined space. but let's see what happened.

Glimmer: You again. Why do you keep coming back here?

Catra: Just...bored, I guess.

Glimmer: No, I mean, Horde Prime told you not to talk to me. He's gonna catch you eventually. Why risk it? ...You're lonely, aren't you?

so far, no confrontation, no apology.

Catra: What do you know? You're the prisoner here. I can go where I want. So, stay here by yourself for all I care.

Glimmer: Okay, okay, you're right. It...helps having someone to talk to. Even if you're the last person I'd ever want to be stuck here with.

Catra: Trust me, Sparkles, the feeling is mutual.

and just like that, they're on better terms now. glimmer doesn't bring up angella's death, she doesn't bring up the way catra treated adora, how she and bow were kidnapped by catra, nothing. they seem more like casual rivals than enemies here. catra doesn't seem guilty in the slightest, she just has to threaten to leave and glimmer immediately makes her stay.

and not just that, they joke about adora's paranoia that was rooted in her trauma, as if it's just a fun quirk. at this point, it's clear that the writers are not even trying to make it seem like they don't favor catra over all the characters.

and the one time glimmer somewhat confronts catra—

G: Please, Catra. Do one good thing in your life!

C: Don't talk to me like you know me! You don't know anything about me!

of course, catra shuts her down immediately. and afterwards, even when catra saves glimmer, she makes it clear that she's only doing it for adora. while on the surface, this might still come off as a good deed, it's clear from her later behaviour that catra's goal wasn't to help either adora or glimmer. my best guess is that she was practically awaiting death at that point and didn't expect to face the consequences of her actions, so she wanted to go out with one good deed, much like shadow weaver.

it's crazy how zuko, who was just an antagonist and has done very little to directly hurt the gaang, faced the consequences of his actions and got a drawn out and detailed redemption; while catra, who spent the entire series hurting the protagonists out of her own interest, gets off scot-free.

any time her past actions are brought up, they are mentioned in the vaguest terms possible i.e. “she made some mistakes” or “shs hurt people”. it's so clear that the writers were hoping that if the other characters forgot everything that catra did, the audience would do the same. and the worst part is that they're right. 90% of the fandom were willing to accept catra's redemption because no one in the show ever holds her accountable or confronts her properly.

[sunskate]

Warsaw Cup 2024 RD

why are some events higher scoring season after season? Denis Ten kind of broke their tendency to be sky high this year, but here, 8 of the top 10 scored season or personal bests. the two who didn't had twizzle mistakes

Lauriault/Le Gac came out strong at Lake Placid and won against teams like the Browns, P/B, F/A and N/M but have had big errors and strange mistimings at every competition since. idk if it's gotten to them mentally. here, besides a big twizzle mistake, they couldn't complete a move where she goes through his legs and swings up because they didn't connect

Bashynska/Beaumont: they're having a rough go this season. the programs aren't doing them any favors, the taste level in the packaging, oof. this is a team who won junior GPF over Lim/Quan and the Mrazeks - they have more potential than they're showing right now. they skated ok here, but like L/LeG they've had some very bumpy competitions, and it's maybe affecting how they carry themselves. they still haven't gotten to do the ballet program of their dreams, and more elegant packaging could do a lot for them. hate to say it, but maybe the costco of ice dance would be better for them

i like Dupayage/Nabais, but thanks to Jean-Luc i can't stop noticing how much they accordion in the spacing between them as they go through their program

Lopareva/Brissaud looking solid besides a twizzle level. all the judges had them first except the German judge who had Pate/Bye 1st with a 81.17 and 4 points higher than L/B how 👀

Z/K looking crisp, and he's calibrating his energy level so it's less frenetic. she had a balance check in a twizzle and pirouetted part of her 3rd set for a level 2 - judges though gave them GOE from -1 to +3 😐 the Ukrainian judge didn't see either of her twizzle mistakes?

watching Hannah and Ye's RDs at their 2 GPs and then here, they've been pretty consistent. live in Quebec in August, this program was already good but even more for the potential to be really exciting - at Skate Canada it looks like they had a lot of glide. GP Finlandia it was a little bit more noticeable that their pattern maybe isn't as big as some other teams and that they're not as deep into their knees or the ice? the choreo on their ChRS lets them down a bit in the middle - too much pointing on the beat, the kicks don't match - it doesn't add a lot of interest, and you know they have the potential to eat up a choreo sequence

i never understand J v R/S's costumes lol

but a personal best for them and tied for 2nd in BV. German judge can’t be accused of national bias - had them in 4th

[jadevine]

An online friend sent me this video on Nov 10, and I immediately started taking notes on it, lol.

There is nothing better/worse than a white dude learning about arnis and getting So Fascinated by it. Thank the gods that he has a Filipino friend.

The first few minutes are generally a solid if brief history: Eskrima/kalis/arnis started as a commoner’s art with no official “system,” aside from being practical, deadly, and using a variety of weapons.

Spain came around and forbid blade usage, hence the transition into the now-famous sticks. Speaking of which, Filipinos killed Magellan using the bladed version of eskrima. Like… A LOT of Filipinos. Magellan and 49 Spaniards just rolled up to a full army of 1,500 natives and assumed, “Well, we have guns, so we’ll be fiiiiiiiiiiine!” Fuck around and find out, colonizer.

The thing that jumped out at me was the comment about eskrima being “hidden in dance and play,” which is likely referring to two things: The maglalatik dance is specifically a war dance. I don’t know if that’s “hidden,” so much as “this is literally supposed to be practice for young men to learn how to fight, and for seasoned fighters to keep in shape.”

The other might be the common old wives’ tale saying that kalis fighters practiced to music. This is something that I’ve only seen done 1) for performances/displays where no actual fighting was going on, or 2) to pull foreigners’ legs about secret Pinoy techniques. Some people call it “cheesy,” and I personally think some guys saw Pinoys sparring to their workout playlist (or the historical equivalent), and they thought we did that all the time.

Like, nobody minds if a white guy spars with “Eye Of The Tiger” blasting because maybe he just likes working out to music, but when a Filipino guy/group spars with eskrima to their favorite beats, suddenly it’s a “time-honored tradition?” I haven’t seen any dance-battlers mentioned in the Boxer Codex or other records, so until someone has evidence, I won’t say it’s historical.

Regarding the hands-on stuff: I feel like they intentionally skipped the most boring stuff, either so the video would be more exciting, or to just fuck with poor Martin. Like, they handed this poor man a stick right off the bat and started him out with hitting stuff and sparring? Where is the training montage??? Was all of it cut???

Also, here’s an intersection with “real fights aren’t nearly as long as the movies pretend” and “fighters are not necessarily good video-makers:” The spars lasted all of five seconds each, and it was mostly to “the first one who lands a hit wins.” This is okay when it’s clearly in good fun, but it’s also not very educational and it tips a little bit into “TELLING people how awesome eskrima is” instead of “SHOWING people how awesome it is.”

Martin does not look like he learned any footwork, either, but he says he knows boxing! The sport that people literally compare eskrima’s footwork to the most often!

Maybe this is my entertaining/acting side coming out, but if you’re planning a video well in advance, with someone that you know is not trained in this field, and an indirect purpose of this is to spread knowledge of your country’s national sport/combat-style, I feel like you need to set aside a couple hours for a crash-course of “here’s how to do X, Y, and Z,” while the actual students and teachers are doing fancy stuff. You can film however much you need, and then CUT however much you need to fit the time-limit.

The video would have greatly been helped if they kept a training montage that lasted twenty or thirty seconds--it would be much more involved than what the video seems to have done, by just tossing a new guy a stick and messing around with him.

General impression: An easy to digest taste of eskrima, like Cup-O-Noodles / instant ramen, or whatever your country’s version of “cheap and easy food” is. Not bad for what it is, but you’ll need something meatier after a couple of hours.

[beholdtheapocalypse]

Z Nation (2014-2018) Season Two | Episode Three

[painandmovies]

I'm so mentally exhausted this year and it's only April. Bernie Sanders opening for Clairo and speaking on the atrocities of our nation tells me two things

Our country has a BIG problem (KNOWN) if he's going to where he knows a lot of gen z will be to get through their heads, not even in an election season!

He might be gunning to run again (which you know is certainly politician-like of him, and I'm saying nothing else to contribute to either positive nor negative)

[cipheramnesia]

Working on re-watching Season 5 of Z Nation as a group. Every time I watch this show it always reminds me of how amazing it was the first time through. Like going from "hah, dumb cheap zombie series" to "hold on, this is weirdly good." Having no idea if there was a second season coming after season one ends in a literal nuclear apocalypse. Season two unloading an absolute double barrelled shotgun blast of every idea they could throw at the wall. Just on and on, it felt so bizarre to see a show getting away with being so good and so absurd at the same time. What a rush.

[natlacentral]

‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ Crown Prince Dallas Liu Had Elliott Smith on his Zuko Playlist

With the Netflix show officially renewed for two more seasons, the actor talks to GQ about his personal style, his cult series PEN15, and bending lightning.

Before he found his calling, Avatar: The Last Airbender star Dallas Liu considered becoming a stuntman. But when Liu was only 12 years old, his soon-to-be manager discovered his competition videos on YouTube and asked him if he'd ever thought about acting. The answer was yes: “Martial arts had definitely inspired me to become an actor, because of the performance aspect of it,” Liu tells GQ from his home in California.

Now, at 22, Liu’s credits include a Gen-Z cult comedy (PEN15) and a high-profile Marvel film (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.) He’s been able to channel his eclectic background to play the complicated villain at the center of the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise, Fire Nation royal Prince Zuko.

A few weeks before Netflix announced that Avatar had been renewed for a second and third season, Liu talked to GQ about how playing Prince Zuko changed him, his love of A24 films, and the Pen15 renaissance.

Were there any Avatar scenes that you were really excited to film?

All of the flashbacks. All of episode six was super fun, but specifically the scene between Aang and Zuko in that shed after an escape. And then, when Zuko sort of blows up at Zhao, at the fight at the Northern Water tribe.

The writers had given me a lot of good stuff to work with, and so I was just happy that in our show Zuko gets a character arc. In the first season of the animated series, he’s sort of one-note and quite melodramatic in each scene—he's sort of being repetitive about his motives. [But] he was always my favorite character as a kid. I just loved Zuko. Being able to play him was a dream come true.

I saw in another interview that you said that it was great to humanize him. Was there anything that you kind of discovered about yourself through playing Zuko, because he's such a complicated character?

Yeah, since he’s so complex, playing him opened up my heart while I was off-set. When I had originally arrived in Vancouver to work on the show, I was similar to Zuko in that I was very narrow-minded in what I wanted to do, in terms of how I wanted to be an actor on set. I thought this was my one opportunity in life to prove to the people that I have a spot in this industry.

I was like, I'm focused on my work, do my job, go home, rest, and just take care of myself. And throughout that process, that's what it feels like with Zuko and Iroh. Zuko is like, "I'm just going to capture the Avatar, and then return them to my father and then I get to go home." And we see that that's not the case.

There are so many things that are involved in this journey that Zuko and Iroh go on, and something that I felt was my relationship with the other cast members and with the crew members started to grow. I found myself wanting to open up my heart and share this experience with them, and share all the love that I had inside of me that I had been trying to hold back on.

If you were not playing a character from the Fire Nation, what powers would you want to have personally?

Oh, it still definitely would be fire. It’s the most aesthetically-pleasing one in my opinion. In the world of Avatar, you can start to manipulate other elements once you become a master of that base one, and I think lightning is something that I've always thought would be super cool to bend. I think fire represents me, my heart.

What's your Zodiac sign?

I'm a Leo.

That adds up.

Wait, why?

Leo is a fire sign!

Oh, yeah, that's true!

Have you seen the TikToks about the Pen15 renaissance?

During my time shooting it, Pen15 was still blowing up. It's been on this continuous rise, which I'm so happy because that show—now it's really, really popular. But at the time, it was so underrated. I was still tapping into a younger version of myself on that series. But [for Avatar] I took inspiration from watching Maya and Anna act out as kids, for Zuko being an innocent child himself in the war meetings, in that first scene with Uncle Iroh in episode six.

I mean, you were still a kid. You were 16. That's a child.

Yeah. Yeah. Well, I guess it's a lot closer to Zuko, and that he doesn't think he is.

Did you really shave your head for this, or did you do a bald cap?

Given that we were trying to stay faithful to the original and what it represented in the show, I thought it was extremely important for me to shave my head. I had a choice. I won't get into what it represents so much, but you get to see a little bit in some of the Avatar lore that exists outside of our series. But it gets you into character so much because it pisses you off so badly every morning. Waking up on the weekends when I'm not working and I just want to go out, I have to throw on a beanie. But waking up and staring at myself—This is my life now, this is who I am—I think it certainly got me into character very easily.

I really liked your red velvet suit at the premiere. How has your style evolved from your younger years to now?

My mom has always been my biggest fashion influence. She's the one who sort of turned me into this picky critic when it comes to outfits and clothes. Even when I was younger, I wouldn't ever let her pick out my outfits. And because I didn't let that happen, I ended up looking really stupid and goofy a lot of the time.

But I think everyone starts in sneakers—very common, especially for guys. You start with basketball shoes, and then you transition into Jordans, and then you transition into some form of streetwear after that. And at that point, you could go, I think, either into this world of vintage or archive clothing, or obviously, people love designer clothing and mixing up that world of streetwear with that.

But for me, I think I just really elevated basics. My style has just become less about brands, obviously, and more about quality. I'm 22 now, so I'm paying for all of this stuff myself. So I'm like, is this worth it? Am I going to be fine without this? On carpets for the Avatar premiere, I wanted to go all out. When I'm in real life, I just stick to all black and different shades of gray.

Did you make a playlist for Zuko, his character to get into character?

I did, but at some point, I stopped using it just because I sort of found my groove from the character. But some artists that were in there were Elliot Smith and Duster.

Which Elliot Smith songs did you put on there?

“Between the Bars.” And just all of his most popular stuff for sure, because especially “Between the Bars” relates to some part of Zuko's life, whether it was his actual scar banishment or catching the Avatar.

Are there any genres you want to dabble in next?

I honestly love drama so much. Obviously, the new Dune film just came out and I just love Denis [Villeneuve]. Every actor, I feel like can agree with me on [that]—and that we want to do an A24 film. But honestly, I'm still just trying to take any work that I can get, because I do want to show my range as an actor. I'd love to work with Willem Defoe on something, that'd be cool. So, just projects that are grounded, but have a stylistic element that separates it from Hollywood blockbusters.