#zukkang

[justlittlegaythings]

Zukaang Sweet Moments #4

Zuko’s body temperature is naturally warm and Aang enjoys the fact the fire lord is his personal bed warmer. He likes it so much he cannot be separated from him.

[iminaworldofpureimagination]

from fandoms best blog user zutarawasnnevercanon..

i found this and thought it deserved its own post

[woodlaflababab]

Saw your request for Zukkang prompts and idk for some reason what's popping into my head is "pillow case". So... do with that what you will?

Okay so, I ended up more going with bed than pillowcase, that's just what the word pillowcase inspired in my head, and it turned into aangst. So, oops. But also, I really liked writing this so, good prompt, 10/10

-<>-

“So,” Aang started with a stretch, “where am I sleeping tonight?” 

Zuko, having been entirely absorbed in reading a new potential bill despite Aang's best efforts, perked up. “Oh, yes, follow me. I have something to show you.”

As Zuko stood, Aang followed him, hoping whatever it was would be quick. As happy as he was to arrive in the Fire Nation again, he was tired and a little sick of being shown around. “Is it a bed?” He joked.

“Yes.” Zuko answered bluntly, leading Aang down familiar halls.

“Oh.” Was all Aang could really think to say, remaining silent for the rest of the walk. He spent the time trying to figure out why Zuko was treating this differently than usual. His best guess was Zuko had recently replaced some of the palace beds and wanted to show off.

When Zuko stopped in front of a door, Aang immediately noticed the air symbol carved into it before Zuko opened it to show Aang the inside.

As Aang walked in, he looked around, finding the room pretty simple. It was definitely different from the usual palace guest rooms, with significantly less fire nation decor, or decor at all, and the covers of the bed were yellow and orange instead of the usual red. 

Aang made an interested sound. “Very Air Nomad, I like it. It's a great idea.”

“What?” Zuko said from behind him, sounding genuinely confused.

Aang turned to him. “You're redesigning the guest rooms to be more friendly to foreign visitors, right? Have you done any Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom ones yet?”

Zuko blinked at him a few times, still seeming confused. “Well, no. I hadn't really thought of that. Do you think I should?”

Aang laughed, the sound a bit questioning. “What do you mean? Are you going to make all the guest rooms like this? There's only one Air Nomad in the world, Zuko.”

Zuko just stared at Aang like he was trying to figure out if Aang was kidding.

Aang stared awkwardly back, unsure where the joke was supposed to be.

Eventually, Zuko snapped out of it, shaking his head, “No. Aang. This isn't a guest room. It's your room.”

The pieces suddenly clicked and Aang let out a soft, “Oohhhh.” Apon the realization, he looked back at the bed. For a few moments, his head just felt quiet, a gaping place where he felt a reaction should be, before it belatedly hit him and he started tearing up before he could really process the rush of emotions.

“Agni.” He heard Zuko curse, sounding vaguely panicked. “Is something wrong with it? I tried to find information on what Air Temple rooms were like but there wasn't much. I thought maybe just the colors- That was a bad assumption. I'm sorry. What is it supposed to-”

“Zuko.” Aang cut him off, voice scratchy. “Shut up.” Aang started wiping away the wetness but more kept gathering every time he tried, the yellow bed swimming in his mind even when he closed his eyes. Every time he tried to douse the burning in his chest on instinct, it just came back and the building frustration with himself really wasn't helping.

After another few moments, Zuko spoke up again, unsure. “Aang? I don't know what to do here. Please just tell me how to fix it.”

Aang shook his head. “I'm not upset.” He tried to explain.

In the ensuing silence, he could practically hear Zuko's doubt. “Right. Okay.” The next time Aang opened his eyes he could see Zuko had come around to the other side of the bed. “So then, what are you?”

Aang covered his eyes. “I don't know.”

“Okay, well, what,” Zuko hesitated, “are you thinking?” 

Hearing Zuko use the voice he did when he was trying to emulate someone else allowed some amusement to break through the mess in Aang's head and he managed to piece a little bit together. “I haven't had my own bed since before the ice.” His voice came out weak. With the words, the rest of it fell together in his head.

It was true. He'd had a room at the air temple, a place he could return to when he came back from his travels. It was reliable, and as much as he had enjoyed traveling and as happy as he was to sleep on Appa's tail, coming back to the familiarity of the temple and the comfort of his own bed felt like relief.

Then the ice happened, and he woke up to destroyed temples and his people gone, and he spent the better part of a year on the run, and even after that, he was still expected to be The Avatar, to help rebuild the world. Staying in any one place for too long carried the risk of people worrying he was picking favorites, or that he'd miss some disaster going on somewhere else. 

Everywhere he went he was hosted by leaders and delegates or his friends but there was never justification for his own space. Not when he'd only use it for a few weeks at most. As the thoughts kept tumbling through his head he realized, even though the war was over, he felt like he was still on the run, displaced with danger constantly on his heels. The feeling had become so intimately familiar, it felt like normalcy.

Something about seeing the yellow bed, a place made for him to come back to again, made it all come crashing down. It was like he could finally acknowledge that it was over, that things could be safe again, that settling down wouldn't mean everything around him would burn.

For so long, sleeping in a bed was associated with duty. People housed him because they needed him. Beds came with obligations, like an exchange. His services for a place to sleep. They weren't places for him to just be or rest. Technically, there shouldn't have been anything different about this one. He was still there because the fire nation needed him. Zuko calling the room his shouldn't have changed anything. It was such a small thing, he couldn't figure out why it felt like his chest had suddenly been carved open.

As the thoughts tumbled through his head, he'd lost track of Zuko, and so startled when he felt arms wrap around him. Even though he was pretty sure that was supposed to make him feel better, it just seemed to make it worse and he couldn't get his eyes to stop leaking. Yet there was still a comfort to it. The warmth of Zuko allowing the thoughts to die down like dying waves, leaving just the spill of emotion and pain. He lost track of time standing there, face ending up tucked against Zuko as the silent crying continued, but thankfully, eventually, it slowed, like he'd run out of emotion and tears and in its place he was just empty and exhausted.

He looked over at the bed and wanted nothing more than to just lay down and sleep. Zuko must have picked up on something because he pulled back and guided Aang toward it, taking a moment to pull down the covers.

“Go to sleep, Aang.” He coaxed quietly. “I'll see you in the morning.”

Already feeling half asleep, Aang collapsed into the bed, sinking into it like melting. The last thing he registered was the covers coming up before he finally laid to rest.

[seasideoranges]

for the ship opinion thingy- zukkang? i was weirded out by it when i came across it but then i saw some adult zukaang stuff and im like 👀 kinda cute ngl

Oh, Zukaang!

When it comes to strictly canon, I don’t ship them. Aang is so annoying (affectionately) and cute when it comes to his friendship with Zuko and I love that. They’re so funny with each other and I love how they develop a deep bond with each other, becoming best friends.

Outside of canon though? I’ve read a handful of AUs that have Aang be older (usually around 15-16 when he pops out of the iceberg, the age he was suppose to be when the monks told him he was the avatar) and in those cases I totally understand the ship! The classic grumpy, sunshine duo, plus all the parallels that involve those two, ESPECIALLY when you consider Roku and Sozin! THEN I get it haha.

I am a first believer that if Aang was older canonically, Zukaang would be a much more popular ship ahah.

[atla-confessions]

Zukkang. Yes, that's the confession.

X

[addictedball]

The thing is, my dearest zukkangers, where were you??? And what happened to my zukaang arts? 😲

Thank you so much you all! It been happening so much in my life since November 2023, you guys have you idea 🥺

But well, I wish I’m back to social media now but let me tell you that this is a multifandom account and I’m obsessed with MHA and others, like now I’m obsessing with APH Rusame and Latin Hetalia🤩, don’t ask me why. There’s some works I want to share ��👈

And there’s more to come, I want to share some of my latest commissions too, I’m doing zines and omg, so much…

[proship-aang]

A gift for @gemmica for ATLA V-DAY Exchange! I hope you’ll enjoy it and happy Valentines Day! :D

[clioeshistoria]

Can't believe the most heavy zukaang episode was written by bryke lmao

[aangopologist]

Just thinking how radically different the atla ship discourse would be if aang had been a girl and toph a boy

[nooowestayandgetcaught]

zukkang week 2022  — day 4: “moments that aang saved zuko” (hosted by @zukaangweek​​)

[aangopologist]

I'm telling you if aang was older or a girl zutara wouldn't exist lmao

it annoys me how zvtara fans justify their ship being like ‘they have so much in common, symbolism’ etc etc when Zuko is foil to literally Everyone in the gaang (except suki). Toph: both stifled rich kids with shitty parents and no friends Katara: firenation took away mother  Sokka: stuggling with masculinity, father figure and prodigy little sister  but ESPECIALLY Aang!!! like Zuko exists entirely as Aangs foil. their arcs are completely linked. hell, theres a whole episode dedicated to their backstory and how they mirror. you can read essay upon essay about symbolism between them. LOK hammers home that they knew eachother better than anyone. the main opening score is Aangs theme and the credit score is Zuko’s theme in s3. Aang is the first one to offer friendship to Zuko. Zuko was always destined to be Aangs firebending teacher. SEASON ONE EPISODE 12: THE STORM!! the dancing dragons. the blue spirit. i could go on. theyre yin and yang, and not even subtly so. so being like ‘ugh zvtara because its meant to be xoxo’ doesnt make any sense. you can make this case for zuko/ anyone in the gaang (and imo katara and zuko have the weaker foil) so its clownery to try to tell me that this is something unique to katara and zuko.

[justlittlegaythings]

Zukaang Sweet Moments 6#

The fire nation is not strictly against gay relationships, but is very Roman-like, expected the higher-rank to be the top, not bottom. If the higher-rank is the bottom he is humiliated and mocked at. Because of this, Zuko has a difficult time allowing Aang to top him. During the first couple of months of their relationship, Zuko tops Aang.  Finally when Aang persuade him to bottom, Zuko discovers he enjoys it more than he cares to admit.

[comicluke]

"catradora is she ra's version of zukkang, zutara and azutara"...... how about no.

[memo1005]

I MEAN YEAH... tbh wlw pairing only go so far in fandoms so I’m not surprised mailee and azutara were on the way side compared to jetko,zukka and even ZUKKANG 😭😭😭 either way will get them next time! if there is one lol gnsjcjcj

ugh so true. mlm ships are massive. but ngl zukka dominating is amazing. atla live action should have lgbt representation tbh. otherwise, it would be a missed opportunity.

Jahsjslskalajsks I hope there is another. They did Katara so dirty the other day!!! NOT EVEN TOP 10!!!

[gangqueer]

"Hey zillah are you still doing commissions?" ZILLAH IS ALWAYS TAKING COMMISSIONS!! SEND ME PROMPTS ALL THE TIME. I WILL WRITE YOU UR PORN AND UR ANGST AND UR FLUFF. IDGAF. UR NOT BOTHERING ME. SEND ME FIVE IN A ROW WHO CARES ABOUT SLEEP!! ZILLAH DOESNT!!

[justlittlegaythings]

Sweet Zukkang moments 10#

Zuko is a very light sleeper and a late night bird, so he goes to sleep when Aang already tapped out. So when he discovers Aang talks in his sleep, Zuko wakes up, takes a quil and parchment, and starts writing whatever Aang says. It's mostly nonsense, but one night Zuko suddenly hears Roku speak through Aang to the sleeping Avatar, while Aang answers him with his own voice.

It's like a whole conversation.