#zuko pov is very fun to write

[sproutingliliums]

“Did you not hear what I just said? She threatened to turn us in!” “And yet she’s still here,” Iroh answered, gesturing to the waterbender who was unfortunately still seated by the window. She was blankly staring off into space with her arms crossed. “Deliver her tea and explain our situation. If she is as kind as she is beautiful, then I am sure she will understand.” This was not the time to take risks, but when Iroh handed him a glass of iced tea, Zuko had no choice but to do his job because if he didn’t deliver this stupid tea, then he wouldn’t get paid, and Pao was a stingy man. The waterbender’s head snapped up when he placed the glass onto her table with a little more force than necessary. “Took you long enough,” she muttered. “Service here is terrible by the way.” Zuko methodically lifted the corners of his lips into a smile; exactly the way he practiced in front of the mirror. “I think I’m doing pretty well considering the circumstances.”

chapter 2 of my book 2 zutara/blutara AU is up now!

[teaforthotxxx]

Im sorry guys. But, make the villains as babygirl as you want so that fans can sympathise with them. But, remember whose narrative you are writing. If the main perspective in ATLA is Gaang that were hunted and harassed by Princess Azula. If we are meant to look through the lens of the older brother she bullied throughout her life, these people are would not have seen her insecure moments. These people don’t view her as a fourteen year old cog in a greater evil. In their head, she is evil personified (especially from Katara’s POV).

We, the audience, see her more vulnerable side in brief moments from her POV (which only occurs after Zuko’s POV somewhat merges with the Gaang) and in small moments from TyLee’s PoV. Even in the Ember Island episode, Azula’s vulnerability is never shown from her POV because plot twist guys AZULA DOESN’T see herself as insecure. In her own narrative, she is the monster, she is the villain. She is a fourteen year old with an over-inflated ego. She isn’t afraid of disappointing her dad or being the least favourite because SHE WAS BUILT UP BY OZAI INTO DELUSION.

She is beautiful. She is flawless. She is intelligent. She is powerful. She is THE true Fire Lord! That’s how she views herself. This ideal never crumbles- not even when she is cracks and her friends leave her. And, that is what Ozai did to her. Ozai (this abstract force in ATLA) hurt her by feeding into her delusion and manipulating her into a tool.

All of this could not have been shown if ATLA had been told through Azula’s POV. IMO the Netflix writers demystified a lot of plot lines (ie giving Ozai a face, introducing Azula too early, emphasising Kiyoshi). This takes away from the wonder of slowly introducing audiences into the ATLA world.

This brings me back to narratives. Katara is the best narrator because to some degree, she was isolated from the rest of the world since she was young. Through her lens, the ATLA world outside of the Southern water tribe is coloured in wonder.

If the series had been told through Aang’s POV (Aang who had already travelled the world), the world after the war would have become very small and dismal (we see this when he discovers the air temple grave yard). Furthermore, Zuko’s POV while still isolated serves to remind us of the horrors of war. He shows us a more adult-world but it is always tainted by anger and hate. He cannot be the main narrator (he is only a supplemental narrator) because it would make the show too dark and sucks out the fun.

The NATLA missed the most basics of narrative storytelling of ATLA. And, thats so sad because I feel like the actors put their all into their roles. Katara’s actress is so Katara-coded irl but the show did her so dirty.

P.s. if you want more ATLA content, please read the comics or the book, the OG cartoon was fine. We don’t need Carbon Copy nostalgia bait.

[erisenyo]

I think you've answered an ask about reading 'Embers' by Vathara a couple months back, but I can't find it.

Sooo, have you checked that fic out? I kinda like the take on spirits and culture.

And in the same vein: care to share some ATLA longfic recs? Outside of your own masterpieces and the works if muffinlance (who is SUCH a classic and shouldn't have to be named)

Hello anon! I also now cannot find that ask...

I have not yet checked out Embers--unfortunately I've been swamped with work the back half of this year at the IRL job :/ I love fics that dig into culture and the spirit-world though, when I have the headspace to appreciate the world-building!

(I'd also be curious your thoughts -- I've heard the fic's rather Aang-critical? I am an Aang lover so I may be hurting for my guy...)

As for ATLA longfic recs, in no particular order...

The All's Fair series by @lovelyelbowleech is a MUST, amazing characterization, so many different interpersonal and plot threads that come together in such a satisfying manner

Two Drama Queen's on a Shirshu by mindbending is a delight, very much crack treated seriously and blending comedy with punching you right in the feels

While Mighty Oak Do Fall by @a-witch-in-endor delivers so much world building and cultural exploration goodness, on top of delightful character arcs and a wonderful take on Zuko (Where the Stars Do Not Take Sides is also an excellent more Azula-focused fic)

Fighting Evil by Moonlight by @sword-and-stars is an EXCELLENT modern superhero AU, I am absolutely obsessed with it

Unchained Melody and Another Brother by avocadolove are excellent, they really run with their canon AU premises and bring them to such fun places

hey, batter, batter, what? and the Boo Chronicles by @ofherlionheart are super fun modern AUs, really great characterization and great writing

Boomerangs and Rainbows by mindbending may seem heavy based on the tags, but its also so so clever and funny and so much fun. I think about the ending and giggle regularly

Mark Time by foil definitely *is* heavy, I stayed up for too late reading it and it absolutely broke my heart and the moments of catharsis were wonderfully done

At the Top of the World by Lady_of_the_Flowers is an excellent modern AU that is a really great exploration of colonial dynamics and the Zukka relationship within that (also, Epistles I always shout out as the Burning Bright inspiration--BB started basically as a fic of a fic of Epistles, and its a must read imo)

And I'll Do Anything You Say (If You Say It With Your Hands) by @goldrushzukka is EXCELLENT, its everything my "lovers to oh know this might be feelings" heart could want, with amazing Gaang friendships throughout

Feels Like We Only Go Backwards by @oldpotatoe is a wild ride, the emotional high are incredible and the narrative tension is amazing and you will scream and it will be wonderful

Will We Last the Night by VSFic and CSHFic is a super fun canon AU that spends such good time building the Zukka relationship and really delivers

And because you said "ATLA fics" and not Zukka fics, I'm also going to recommend the Substitute series by Dracze (modern AU) and People in the Mirror by Nele (canon-verse). Both are Jeeko, both build out Jee's character in amazing ways, and both do such fun things with narrative irony and outsider POV when it comes to Zuko. (The things Nele can do with a single sentence truly blow my mind, I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you love worldbuilding and cultural exploration and fun with bending. PitM is one of THE foundational, influential works in the ATLA fandom for me)

[lovelyelbowleech]

Ahhh I just stayed up way too late for someone with a job and responsibilities like laundry and groceries to be doing this, but war game/war crimes had me in a chokehold. I really appreciate all the threads you’ve been weaving an the creative ways they’re mixing together to create new dynamics and twists . I also love the how the humorous beats balance out the very mature take on war. As someone who works with torture survivors, I appreciate how your depictions felt (tragically) realistic and respectful to gravity of the human right violations. I also appreciate howuch time you’ve given sokka and zuko to be unwell in unpleasant ways, not just convenient for falling in love ways. Just fantastic scenes of healing and being upset. Also I do love all the different facets of Zuko we see based on all the different lens people see him in, all of them working incomplete information. I for one am curious to see how zuko will be seen by the team Azula, those who perhaps have had the most years build up an idea of who he is and how that’ll accentuate what has and hasn’t changed. I could keep going forever about all that I’m curious about but for the sake of your inbox, I’ll simply stew on it and trust that the next chapter will pose even more questions for me and take the story to another supremely well written twist( loooove how many actors are duplicitous and fueled by more than one motivation) (( also love that so far I think almost every POV has had their “I will kill Zhao” moment because whew consequences and also what a fun way to show ripples of his actions))

Thank you for this lovely ask! Sorry its taken some time to reply, I've had some stuff going on 😬

Its always good to hear when people find my depiction of trauma and torture realistic and impactful (that feels like a weird thing to say!) so thank you very much for letting me know!

I love outsider POV because you get to see canon characters through someone who is not in the know. Its very entertaining to write! And Zuko (esp in this situation) is such a fun character to do that with, as there are many layers and deceptions going on. I think Team Azula's interactions with him, if and when they happen will be really enjoyable to write 😂

Thank you again for this lovely ask, I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on things! ❤️

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

Every time Ztarians write – jokingly or not - that Katara and Zuko’s extreme discomfort when someone suggests they are dating and their vehement denial that there are boyfriend and girlfriend are sure signs that Zuko and Katara are in love – I am so creeped out.

How can one deny a romantic interest? You agree – means you are in love. You deny – “you protest too much”, surely you are in love, you don’t react = you agree but too shy to admit you are in love, you burn down everything and storm away to the other side of the universe – of course you are in love!

Where is “no means no” and respect to Katara’s feelings?

Zuko is very straightforward in canon in this regard. He passionately denies untruth – neither Jin nor Katara are his girlfriends, and then dreamily sighs when talking about his actual girlfriend, Mai.

The jokes don't creep me out, nor do the fics in which they show the POV of either Zuko and Katara and have the character say they DO want to be in a relationship with the other but thinks would never happen, because it's all in good fun.

But the ones that INSIST those scenes could only mean Zuko and Katara like each other because they think that in real life people only deny being into someone if they ARE into that person? Those are creepy as fuck.

And yes, it's very hypocritical of the self-appointed "feminist shippers" who are always "calling out Kataang for being one-sided/inherent coersive" to then turn around and say "No means yes when it's convenient for me."

Also the Jin thing could not be more different than the situation with Katara. Zuko was out on a date with Jin, and we are given a very obvious reason as to why he's uncomfortable with the idea of them becoming a proper item: he wants to be Zuko, the proud Fire Nation prince that is gonna help his father take over the whole world, Ba Sing Se included. Jin likes Lee, the brooding guy that works in a tea-shop. He likes her, but he already made up his mind about his plans for his own life, and they simply cannot include a peasant girl from the Earth Kingdom.

Meanwhile, with Katara, there's no "larger issue." We are never given any indication that Zuko is even aware of Aang's crush on Katara, he's assuming that once the war is over IROH will be Fire Lord, and while Mai did save him at the boiling rock, we get confirmation in the finale that Zuko did not immediately assume this meant they were back together and they don't properly reconciliate until they see each other again.

And while Katara is obviously aware of her more complicated situation with Aang, she had no issue being honest with him about saying she was confused, reacting negatively when he jumps the gun and kisses her, and, more importantly, full on say that the play was wrong in stating that she only sees him as a little brother instead of a potential boyfriend.

The first time Zuko and Katara and wrongfully labeled as a couple, they aren't even embarassed, they're uncomfortable and look kinda grossed out, even sliding away from each other because ew, no. The second time they're blushing furiously - but it's because it's a direct conversation, not them watching a play that got everything wrong about not just them but their friends.

"Oh, they got embarassed" only works as "evidence" that the characters like each other when they've already done other things to suggest an interest. Most Zuko and Katara ever done was hug, something they casually did with all of their friends. Dismissing their very legitimate disgust and embarassement and trying to play it off as "further proof they like each other" is just absurd.

[jasmine-tea-latte]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love 💜

Thank you so much, love! ❤️❤️❤️

While I love my bigger, ongoing fics ("delicate" and TYCSTD), I'm veering into a slightly different approach.

Besides my more well-known fics, these five will always have a place in my heart.

Of Halos, Waves, and Starlight – The very first fic that I wrote, the one that kicked all of this off! This one is my baby, the one that I wrote based on a fleeting idea and a want to see a ZK fic with them dancing and falling in love. It was June 2020, shortly after that year’s Zutara Week prompts had been released and the pandemic shut down everything, and I had a lot more free time on my hands. So I thought, why not? Let’s write a fanfic for the hell of it! Then once I finished Halos, I decided to write something for all seven prompts… and the rest is history!

The Fortuneteller and the Fire Prince – This one was born from a tumblr post, when I thought “that sounds like a fun fic idea – I’d want to read that!” before deciding, “actually, I want to write that.” This is my third most-liked fic, and it’s one that I go back to from time to time. I just love the idea of S1 Zuko discovering that a certain waterbending peasant might just be the love of his life. This was so fun to write ❤️

this pain won’t be for evermore – This little two-parter was another fic that was a lot of fun to write. I have a fondness for Pining!Zuko and this one has a whole forest full of our fiery boi pining away. Katara’s POV in the second chapter was also a pleasant surprise, as I initially hadn’t planned to add on to it. I followed this fic up with another entry for ZK Drabble December 2020, though this one will always be one of my favorites.

You are the Ocean (and I'm Good at Drowning) – This is one of my more purple-prose-ish (purply prose? purplish prose?) fics, and I make zero apologies for how indulgent it is, even if it probably defies the law of physics on some level. This fic is straight-up fluff and steam, and I have such a soft spot for this little story.

little rays of starlight – One of these days I will go back to working on the parent fic that inspired this one, but it is not this day. In the meantime, this was a sweet little break from everything else, set in The Phoenix and the Dragon universe and chronicling ZK’s first trip to the South Pole after becoming parents, hoping to show their daughter the southern lights. I love doting, fussy mother hen Zuzu worrying about their bebe while his loving wife looks on, grinning at her dork of a husband. There are lots of continuity nods and a few references that tie this to the parent fic, though it can be read as a standalone.

A runner-up would be Happy Birthday, Father Lord, also set in the same AU as “little rays of starlight.” This one was written as a coping mechanism during a particularly stressful time, and I needed a dose of major fluff to cheer me up. Yes, back when I first came up with this universe I gave ZK a whopping SEVEN steambabies. Yes, I got carried away and no, nowadays they’d have a fraction of that at most. But still, this one was a lot of fun and best of all, there’s a lot of love.

I tag you – yes you! Don’t make me go into your inbox 😉

[bvckandeddie]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

tagged by @devirnis ❤️

How many works do you have on ao3?

if we include both of my ao3 psuedonyms (which we are, otherwise this would be a very boring ask meme) i have 14 works!

What's your total ao3 word count?

561,661 😳

What fandoms do you write for?

i’ve most recently written for 9-1-1, but i’ve also written for Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Top five fics by kudos:

reality strikes, so bring back the night (ATLA)

That Midnight Sky (ATLA)

swords of fate, pride of heart (ATLA)

i could (never) give you peace (ATLA)

what a heart can do (9-1-1)

Do you respond to comments?

i try my best, yes!

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

no angsty endings, god bless 🫶

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

oh gosh, i don’t know. they’re all happy! i suppose That Midnight Sky because i really put sokka and zuko through it in that one, lmao.

Do you get hate on fics?

uh, yeah, lmao. just once! one of the very first comments on hurt locker was someone who was very unhappy with the decisions eddie made throughout that fic. i think maybe they just didn't understand the concept of POV storytelling ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Do you write smut?

i let much more talented writers than me fill that gap in the literature!

Craziest crossover:

not really a crossover in terms of ao3 categorization, but maybe the Mr. & Mrs. Smith AU i wrote for buddie?

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

i don’t think so, but i do know that i could (never) give you peace is on goodreads somewhere. wish it wasn’t!

Have you ever had a fic translated?

yes! someone recently translated i could (never) give you peace into russian! super, super cool.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

YES, i co-wrote the amazing fruity beverages with megan aka @engagedzukka aka @crosspin. brainstorming that entire universe and collaborating with such an incredible writer was so fun, and it was a huge highlight of 2021. (hi megan ily 🥰❤️ can you believe we wrote that over three years ago???)

All time favourite ship?

my evergreen relationships that i could go find a fic for at literally any time are stony, arthur/eames, and spirk. buddie though…there’s something really special with them 🥹❤️

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

i started a really angsty fic last summer when i was in a bad mood (lol) where eddie and buck kind of knew about the potential of what they could be together. after the lightning strike, eddie was ready to take that next step, but then buck got together with natalia. i kind of just wanted eddie and buck to yell at each other a little bit, y'know? exploring their relationship breakdown was really cathartic for me at the time. with the direction the show is taking now, i don’t know if it’s something that i’ll finish. it seems like the fandom has swiftly moved on from that era of the show, and fair enough. we’re all on the bucktommy train now, right? choo choo! 🚂

What are your writing strengths?

i love writing dialogue!!!! i love writing dialogue so much!!!! it's so snappy and boom boom boom, y'know? all of a sudden i have 1k written and life is amazing.

What are your writing weaknesses?

i really hate inner monologue. i’ll write it, because it’s integral to the story, but I’m never like, oh my god, i’m so thrilled to be writing this inner monologue stuff right now, lol. let’s get back to the meat and potatoes of the story, people! dialogue!

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

i do not know another language, so i tend to steer clear of it, because i know how google translate fails us all.

First fandom you wrote in?

ha. ha ha. the mortal instruments by cassandra clare. i still get occasional favourites on my clace and malec stories from fanfiction dot net. i didn't even FINISH the clace one! anyways.

Favourite fic you've written?

this is hard! i can't pick just one! TMS holds a really special place in my heart because it was the first idea for a story where i was like, wait, i think i could actually write this and finish it. and then i did! and the zukka fandom was so fucking sweet and kind about it.

i’m also really proud of what a heart can do because i was nervous about writing an original child character and i worried i wouldn’t be able to do the story justice. but the reception has been incredible! i genuinely cannot believe i wrote that fic in between doing research and writing my thesis. how did i do that?!?

one fic that i really, really love is swords of fate, pride of heart. i wrote that fic in like, a week. it was insane. the fic is so ridiculous, and it was so fucking fun to write. whenever i get a comment on it, i usually go back and reread a portion of it and i'm always a little in awe of my past self. like, yeah, i wrote that.

this was so fun to do!! tagging @captain-hen @wildlife4life @shitouttabuck @colonoscopys @eddiebabygirldiaz @traumabuddies @try-set-me-on-fire @hattalove and @kananjarus if you feel like it! my activity feed is super messed up rn thanks to that ‘first base is/second base is’ post lmao so i’m really sorry if i missed anyone or if you’ve been tagged already 😭❤️

[somepsychopomp]

its avatar time

lol i was trapped on a commute that was like 2 hours longer than expected today and drafted up the start to an ATLA fic I've been wanting to write. There's definitely bits I want to expand on but I'm posting it now just to share for fun

the actual fic will be a very zuko-centric AU, but somehow I ended up writing a hearty prelude (featuring Ursa's POV as she has her first child)

Ig the only warning is that this does feature some old timey women-not-having-it-good themes. Like there's discussions of child bearing and bodily autonomy but it's not too heavy imo. But i absolutely loved writing from Ursa's POV and hope to do more with this AU soon

(also- if u have any idea what's up with baby zuko, i wanna hear what your guess is!)

+++

Excerpt:

The sages and midwives cleansed the babe and swaddled him, as well as dabbed Ursa’s own tear-streaked face with a cool cloth, before finally permitting her to hold her own child. 

Ozai already had a name picked out for him.

“Hello, Zuko.” Ursa said. After the day she had, her voice was little more than a hoarse rasp. 

Her son opened his eyes and cried. 

Ursa’s stomach plummeted. 

Her child was wrong.

+++

Word count: ~2,900

+++

Lady Ursa came into her new family with much fanfare, as was expected of a royal wedding. Her new husband insisted upon her superb beauty to all that would hear and lavished her with gifts of fine silk and golden adornments. Spoils of war, as well. Their marriage bed was crafted from highly polished dark wood, inlaid with pearls from the South Pole and abalone imported from the coasts of the Earth Kingdom. 

But what her nation did not know as well as she did, was that her husband was not a patient man. Not at all. 

Ozai was a man of great elegance, yes. He moved as though no man could best him, as though he were a greater being from another realm. But he possessed a terribly watchful eye. And what he wanted more than Ursa’s beauty or her love was her body. He wanted an heir. 

First, he wasted no time consummating their marriage. The man seemed determined to appease his father by getting Ursa pregnant before she could fully remove her wedding gown. 

The heat that came off his skin as he held her close was enough to suffocate her. 

Ursa did her damndest to satisfy him. She let herself be followed every moment of every day by a legion of medical experts, sages, and attendants who instructed her how to best have her first child. They dictated when she woke up, the temperature of her baths, her food, her dress, her exposure to sunlight, the bitter teas meant to influence her body’s moods, and when she went to bed every night. 

They were at their most insistent in the early months of her marriage. She didn’t even have both feet past the threshold of the palace, technically not even a wife yet, before she was whisked away to some private room, told to strip before all their eyes, and examined to a humiliating degree for any bodily deficiencies to be concerned over. They deemed her perfectly healthy and said that with the proper diet and tea, she’d be giving birth by next summer. 

But that precious early stage of her marriage, those cool and gentle months between summer and winter, came and went without her menstrual cycle ceasing. Autumn was the most auspicious time for women in the Fire Nation to become with child, as it meant their babies would be born in the hottest months of the year under Agni’s brilliant eye. 

But for all his determination, for all the efforts made, winter came in full and Ursa was still bleeding monthly. 

That was when she began to pray. She prayed every morning at sunrise and every evening at sunset. In her bedroom, at the royal family’s personal shrine, in the capital’s grandest temple. Sometimes for hours at a time without rest. The sages approved greatly of her devotion. The doctors disapproved, as she could not partake in food or drink while in prayer. 

Ursa begged Agni for a baby. She begged for Ozai’s furious advances to cease. Since her wedding night, she had crawled out of bed every morning sore and tender, made even more humiliating when her attendants slathered her most intimate parts with potent oils or creams to soothe the aching and chafe. 

Her body was no longer hers, she knew that. But please, was she not devoted to her new husband and her country? Was she not healthy? Why was she being tested so?

Above all else, Ursa asked for something to hope for. 

The new year came and went. The nation was alight with all sorts of colors in the sky and endless trails of beautiful lanterns, but it was a cold comfort for Ursa. 

Both she and Ozai grew rather distant and demoralized as winter gave way to spring. Or rather, she grew demoralized as her husband grew distant. They sometimes went days without speaking to each other. Yet they retired to the same bed without fail every night. They had no choice. 

Her husband began regarding her with this cruel tint to his eyes, as if she were to blame for his lack of progeny. Ursa was afraid of him. 

Then, in that delicate time early in the year between late winter and young spring, she found her cycle late. The sages and doctors ran their tests. Ursa felt as if she couldn’t breathe. She almost dared not believe it could be true. 

But it was. The palace was jubilant, ecstatic even. Lady Ursa was finally with child. 

The sages brought this wonderful news to the Fire Lord, presenting Ursa and Ozai as if they were mere trinkets, more spoils of war. It was a less ideal time of the year to have a baby, yes. This did not go unnoticed by Ozai or his father, the two of them so alike in their dispassionate eyes. But the sages spun a tale of how, as the new year emerges from the ashes of the past, much like the great phoenix, so did Fire Lord Azulon’s great and prosperous bloodline. 

His newest grandchild was a symbol of vitality, of hope.

Ursa straightened her back, as did her husband. 

And Fire Lord Azulon seemed pleased. He even gazed upon Ursa directly and congratulated her on her first child, implying he’d expect more in the future. 

A hand touched her belly and Ursa was surprised to find it wasn’t her own. Ozai caressed her gently, though there was no bump to be had. Not yet. He smiled at her and she could feel the heat from his palm seeping through her clothes and soaking into her skin. 

Her child would likely be born in the densest portion of winter, when the days were short and the nights were so very long. They would be a strong child, the sages said, as any creature must be to weather out those dark, bitter months. 

There was only one problem. Two, even.

One, Ursa went into labor the night before the winter solstice. For first time mothers, they sometimes went several days before properly giving birth. She almost hoped this would be the case, but Ursa was not so fortunate. Why would she be?

Amongst her tears and fervent screaming, her first child was born after sunset on the shortest day of the entire year. As if Agni himself deigned to fit her with as many ill omens as possible. At least the birth itself was without complications. 

Oh, and it was a boy. Not that female heirs were unheard of, nor would it be a travesty for Ozai, who was himself only second in line to inherit the throne. But who would want to disrupt the current dynasty’s male-dominated line of succession after so long? 

Ozai would be quite pleased to know his firstborn was male. 

The sages and midwives cleansed the babe and swaddled him, as well as dabbed Ursa’s own tear-streaked face with a cool cloth, before finally permitting her to hold her own child. 

Ozai already had a name picked out for him.

“Hello, Zuko.” Ursa said. After the day she had, her voice was little more than a hoarse rasp. 

Her son opened his eyes and cried. 

Ursa’s stomach plummeted. 

Her child was wrong. 

His skin was fair and pale, his downy baby hair dark and plentiful, his body healthy.

But his eyes…

They reminded Ursa of the beautiful gemstone pendant her mother once wore, a family heirloom from before the war. It was a precious stone more commonly found in the Earth Kingdom than the Fire Nation, a glowing and iridescent opal. 

Her child had opal eyes. Half his irises were the rich, bright amber yellow of the royal family. It was undeniably the hue of Ozai’s own eyes. But dispersed throughout the baby’s irises were shards of bright, cerulean blue. 

But there was nothing she could do or say. The midwife was letting her husband into the room to view his progeny. Everyone else was leaving to give them a brief moment of privacy, odd after the months of stealing every ounce of autonomy from her. Ursa prayed the baby would seal his eyes and hide his abnormality. 

Ozai came upon the side of her bed, footsteps light and a bright smile upon his face. He peeled back a bit of the blanket for a better look. 

“Wait-” Ursa said. 

Ozai faltered. Not at her request, no. But because he felt the need to recoil from the sight of his child. 

“Sages!” he called, not looking at her, “I want the head sage in here immediately!”

Ursa couldn’t say she remembered what happened after that. Only that she was afraid of the venom in Ozai’s voice. 

He wanted them to take the baby and ensure that it was indeed his. Ursa didn’t know what kind of rituals they could enact, which spirits they could call upon, to prove that the child was indeed Ozai’s. All Ursa knew was that Zuko could belong to no other man, not that her word held much weight. 

Ursa was kept isolated from the rest of the royal family, and her own child, with only a servant and her midwife for company and care. Half of her wanted her baby back. She needed the protection he offered her, where his living body would cease Ozai’s relentless assault upon her own. She could finally cease waking up throbbing every morning, cease the constant monitoring and control over her body, and enter the family as a proper princess. 

Half of her was terrified of the baby, of what it could mean for them both if the sages found his lineage inconclusive. 

Several days later, her husband entered her quarters with the head sage and the child. 

“It is my great honor,” the old man said, “to confirm that this child is indeed the legitimate offspring of Prince Ozai.”

He came to Ursa and allowed her to hold her baby for the first time since his birth. Zuko was no longer crying, instead making these soft sounds from behind closed lips. It seemed to her that he was wanting something. Her touch or milk, perhaps?

When the old man and her attendants all left, when it was just husband, wife, and child in the room, Ozai did not approach her. He just stared at the small mass in her arms swaddled in silk. 

“The sages could prove that boy might be mine, but we’ll be lucky if he lives to see his hundredth day.” Ozai said softly. He wrinkled his nose in displeasure, “I am no fool. All the omens indicate he will be weak. Cursed, even. If there is any fire in his blood, I know it will be weak and flickering.”

Perhaps she shouldn’t have, but Ursa couldn’t help but snap. She said, “Zuko is still yours, Ozai. His blood is your blood, and his fire will be your fire.”

He scoffed at her, turned his back, and left Ursa to tend to their child. 

+++

Ursa knew most children weren’t able to bend until they were a few years old, or their bending was so weak that it was imperceivable. Sometimes it took even longer for them to realize their innate gift if both parents were nonbenders. Only rarely would very young children, tiny souls still mastering the art of walking and talking, display visible signs of bending. 

Zuko’s family, however, were very much expecting it. 

He really only got to be a baby for a few months before the weight of princely expectations were set upon him. 

Ursa would watch as Ozai would ignite a fire at the tip of his finger, no bigger than that of a candle flame, and hold it over their child’s soft, clammy palm. Every time, their baby would recoil from the heat and cry. Zuko refused to take the flame. Ozai would sneer or grit his teeth every time, but he continued to try day after day to get his son to take the flame. 

In those moments, it was hard to remember that this strange man was the boy’s father. 

Ursa’s small solace came in the form of the sages’ wisdom. They spoke of well documented cases where children metamorphosed early in life, their hair or eyes changing in color before taking on their true hue within a year or so. Ursa didn’t need the explanation, she’d seen it herself. Or heard about it from her mother, at least. She herself had been born with eyes nearly brown in color before they lightened into a dull honey hue by her second birthday. But the explanation did give her hope, however small, that her child would grow to more closely resemble Ozai in the coming years. They just needed a little more time. 

Which they would get, it seemed. Zuko lived to see his hundredth day, then first birthday. Ozai never said anything, but seemed to accept that Zuko was not only his child, but that he was also going to live. 

And something seemed to change in him.

The summer after Zuko’s first birthday, they went to Ember Island together. No attendants, no guards. Just them as a family. Ozai brought Ursa to his family’s estate on the island, took her shopping, and went with her two nights in a row to the theater. The show they were putting on was such a touching drama that Ursa just had to see it twice, her husband obliging with a kind of abnormally fond patience. He even got up to walk around the empty halls with their little boy whenever Zuko grew restless, all so that Ursa wouldn’t have to miss a minute of the climax. 

Baby Zuko, meanwhile, loved sitting in the sand beneath the sun. From morning to night, he relished soaking up the sunlight and the breeze coming off of the ocean. This seemed to please his father, who had a greater tolerance for the heat than Ursa ever could. The two of them would sit out in the sun while Ursa needed the shade provided by a lofty umbrella. 

While on a pleasant walk along the shore, Zuko kept wandering toward the water with increasing tenacity. Ursa tried to interest him in the beautiful shells that washed upon the shore, but to no avail. Her son wanted to splash in the water that, while only ankle-deep for her and Ozai, was much more formidable for him. Such a brave, little thing. He did not yet know the dangers of the world, but Ursa was a fool for letting her own guard down. 

A sudden swell crashed upon the shore and swept Zuko off his feet. In such a moment, his hand was ripped from hers. 

Ursa dove for him, but he was already being pulled by the waves and was out of her reach before she could even utter his name. 

She gasped, awestruck, as Ozai threw himself into the shallow water without a hint of grace. In hindsight, Zuko hadn’t really been pulled very far. But he was so small, so fragile. He could not swim. Ozai grabbed the boy and waded through the rough waves back to Ursa, using his body to shield their son from the spray. 

Ursa took Zuko and patted him on his back. He wasn’t crying or coughing, he didn’t even seem to understand what had happened to him, but she soothed him all the same. That was when she noticed her husband was bleeding. 

Ozai touched the scratch on his abdomen lined with tiny pearls of red blood. It must’ve been from a piece of broken shell, something not yet worn down by the relentless sea. He said it was hardly a cause for concern and in just a few minutes, it ceased bleeding. 

Zuko gave thanks to his father by immediately trying to return to the water as soon as Ursa set him down. Ozai snatched him up, but didn’t reprimand his child. Perhaps he knew it’d do little good for a boy so small and curious. Zuko’s feet did not touch the sand for the remainder of their walk. 

Thankfully, their vacation concluded without much fanfare.

On the boat ride home, as Ursa watched the clouds drift by with her son in her arms, she dared to believe that maybe, all would be well. That Ozai was merely a man under tremendous, inconceivable pressure to act as the ideal prince. After all, he’d been born into royalty and surely had to contend with things Ursa had not yet conceived of. Perhaps the first year of their marriage was only a rough start. That deep down, Ozai did care for her and Zuko not just as political power, but as his family. It’d just taken stepping away from his royal duties and endless obligations for his true nature to show. 

Then there came the day when everything changed. When Ursa knew her life was not in her hands, nor in the hands of her husband, and not even in the hands of her Fire Lord. When she knew her life was dictated by the will of the spirits and theirs alone. 

And that her son would never be safe in his father’s house.

[this-acuteneurosis]

Random. But do you have any star wars fic recs ? Fics recs of any kind are welcome actually ^_^

Oh, uh, sure.

Let's see, I've mentioned @chancecraz a bunch of times, I love all their stuff, if I had to pick a favorite I'd say Of Queens, Knights, and Pawns but how does one really choose?

I've also mentioned @fialleril and Double Agent Vader, which really got me into the SWs fandom in the first place. I love everything I have ever learned, it hits me so hard in the feels each time. (I also really loved Sigyn's Saga if we're also talking not-SW stuff.)

I enjoyed The Desert Sun series by @blue-sunshine-mauve-morning. (I will be honest, I have only read the first series I have not started Rise and Fall.) It's engaging and fun and thoughtful.

doing it by my lonesome and staring down the barrel of the hot sun by magneticwave are two fun Luke/Din stories featuring appropriately cute Grogu. I also liked pages filled with scribbled ink, which is an epistolary Padmé/Obi-Wan fic that had me cackling. (their non-SW stuff is good too, I especially enjoyed just me against the sky)

Other...serious(?) recs include: The Wingless Dragon by husborth if you like being sad and horrified about Vader's bad choices. Food Scandal by Malicean for some situational hilarity and for lots of OC perspective on Imperial bureaucracy (my other weakness aside from politics). PRojects IN Controlled Environments by Beth Winters for Imperial R&D bureaucracy, more situational hilarity, and very relatable coworker nonsense.

More silly/fun premises include: Compromising by samvelg, which inspired me to write a (very different) Piett POV of Luke and Vader nonsense. Memo: Jedi Maintenance (The Care and Feeding of Your Jetii) by RainofLittleFishes is exactly what it says and what you would hope for from such a title. Luke Skywalker is Altogether Too Likeable by Mokulule is another Piett POV of Skywalker nonsense.

As far as Non-Star Wars recs

It would be a crime and sin if I didn't mention Embers by Vathara , an Avatar the Last Airbender fic which honestly changed my life and how my brain was shaped.

World Ain't Ready by @idiopathicsmile is a Les Mis fic I've gone back to a few times. The dialogue is just really good. I spend a lot of the fic laughing, and also screaming at the characters.

I fell absurdly in love with Second person familiar, I think because it tickles some part of me that just dies over linguistics, and I'm a fan of pretty much everything @jackironsides has done for The Witcher.

Salvage by @muffinlance is a very fun Avatar the Last Airbender fic about Zuko getting reluctantly adopted by Hakoda (it's so good).

Finding the Line by Miss_Lazy_Tuesday is a Batfam fic that sort of ruined me at one point, it's fine. (I enjoy their other stuff too.)

The Angel of Hell's Kitchen by MarbleGlove is a Daredevil fic. I don't really go here, but this was about social structures, bureaucracy, and doing the work, and we all know I can't help myself.

Reconstruction by rageprufrock is the story of Stephanie Rogers, but like, it's Pru writing it. So. Characters are great. World building is great. Tension and longing and grief are great. I cannot stress enough how good the academic and news article asides are. Like, it's good. Incomplete, but so good.

Ordinary Numbers by BootsnBlossoms and Kryptaria, a James Bond fic that I keep coming back to because I too would be a sucker for someone who sent me needlessly expensive gifts.

And This, Your Living Kiss by opal_bullets is a Supernatural fic about poetry. I am not in this fandom, but again, my weakness for language gets me every time.

ever fallen in love (on national TV)? by ganymede_elegy is a GoT Jonsa modern Bachelor AU and...guys I cannot express how much I Do Not Go here, and how much I still recommend this fic. Like, it's just...I don't know. It worked. In spite of me knowing nothing about GoT or The Bachelor. wtf

survival of the fittest by cywscross is a short Naruto fic about a very unpleasant adventure for Sakura and Shikarmaru that just...worked. As a story. Dunno, I just really like it.

I could be wrong, I could be ready by harryromper is a Harry/Draco fic where they are disasters and traumatized, and it is about healing and building houses as a metaphor for overcoming trauma, and it's fine, I'm fine.

eternity will be born from hope by theseviolentdelights99 is a Yuri!!! on Ice fic that is about a time traveling Yuuri who (you'll never guess) goes back in time and does bureaucracy in his hometown and his sport to help the people that he loves. The unreliable narrator is excellent, the social media asides are wonderful, and it's not complete but it is exactly my poison.

(Wow, this is so long and all over the place...)

[relaxxattack]

here by popular demand, wof books ratings

i haven’t read several of these in quite a while-- i might do an updated version of these ratings after i finish my series reread :] also obvious disclaimer is obvious but this is PURELY my opinion. my taste. lol

the dragonet prophecy: wonderful setup to the world, surprisingly dark and graphic on a reread (how was this for children), really interesting and cool worldbuilding in both the sky and the mud kingdom. clay is also a great protagonist, with a nicely done emotional arc, and peril is here in her prime weirdgirlness. introduces queen scarlet, most iconic villain of all time. 9/10

the lost heir: this used to be one of my favorite books due to the murder mystery aspect, and i would reread it a lot. tsunami has a neat emotional arc here about learning maturity, which i enjoy. however the constant coral apologism, the annoyingness of everything to do with riptide and webs, the bland hetero romance, and the upsetting stuff that seems to get brushed to the side constantly, especially in regard to anemone, has caused this book to become way less enjoyable to me as an adult. 6/10

the hidden kingdom: also used to be one of my favorites for reasons that are probably obvious (kins glory). there’s a fun kind of “girl power” message to the way that glory has to fight to be taken seriously by literally anybody in this book. there’s also interesting mystery aspects again. looking back on it, though, the fact that the prejudiced carictures about rainwings turn out to be true is... weird? and of course, don’t even get me started on how this book used to include the one straight couple i didn’t find annoying, until several years later tui decided to retcon an age gap in. now reading this book feels just all kinds of weird, when it wasn’t before and really didn’t have to be. kind of a mixed bag. 7/10

the dark secret: i have no idea why people constantly rate this one so low. sure, starflight’s obsession can be grating at first, but i find the setting and atmosphere writing in this one to be incredible, all the island characters the interesting and fun kind of terrible-- and not to mention this book contains the two biggest plot twists in the whole series. the tension in this one is as palpable as the smoke in the air, and i think it’s really fun and full of a ton of iconic and memorable scenes. 9/10

the brightest night: this one is fun and camp. i enjoy it a lot, and sunny is such a great character to have as a pov. my only problem with it is how it feels kind of rushed-- there’s a lot of emotional legwork done in only the span of one or two thirds (specifically regarding thorn, i think she would have been a stronger character if shed been introduced in a prior book so we had time to be attatched). i like the solution that the dragonets came up with, and enjoyed them putting it all together, and i kind of wish they’d gotten to actually see it through as they planned-- at least a little further than they got without needing magical interference. aka let’s stop using magic as a deus ex machina. 7/10

moon rising: this is probably my favorite wings of fire book. moon’s quiet and anxious pov is wonderful, and the masterful way her abilities were used to give depth and atmosphere to her surroundings and peers was so enjoyable. it feels like you get a bit of everyone’s pov instead of just hers, for obvious reasons. this one also has some of the most iconic scenes, including the introduction of a soon to be infamous villain, and of course some of the most fan favorite characters out there. not to mention the younger characters and the school settings is very fun, there are so many super well-described scenes that hit hard. all in all this book is slightly spooky, slightly sad, but incredibly enjoyable. the best possible start to a new arc for the series. 10/10

winter turning: it’s fun to have such a zuko-esque character take center stage here. following winter’s journey through coming to terms with his abusive upbringing is emotionally cathartic, even if some scenes make you grit your teeth in annoyance at him. winter’s feelings are complicated and confusing, and it’s really cool to watch him slowly begin to change his opinions about things in real time. it’s such a shame his character gets shortchanged later on. also icewing society is very dystopian main character energy, but, it’s a fantasy series for children. and it’s fun and interesting, so i like it. 8/10

escaping peril: yandere characters have never been my thing, and peril seems to ocillate between that and between a sassy weirdgirl. and to be honest, i’ve never been sure how to feel about that. i find the yandere stuff creepy, but when she’s being a normal weirdgirl i find it strange to just pretend all the murder didn’t happen. she’s a complicated but enjoyable character who i don’t have a very definitive opinion on. aside from peril herself, though, her emotional arc in this book is fun, and the peril-turtle duo is something i never saw coming but something i need infinitely more of. they’re hilarious. several points in this book had me gasping and on the edge of my seat when it originally came out. overall a fun book. 8/10

talons of power: this book mainly seems to exist to move characters around and get plot pieces in motion for the next book. i really enjoy turtle as a character, however, and his family dynamics are interesting and tragic. there’s more coral apologism in this book, although in a different tone-- like they figured out she’s shitty, but not all the reasons yet. darkstalker is extremely creepy. the anemone twist is fascinating, and turtle and qibli’s dynamic is a treasure. 7/10

darkness of dragons: they had me in the first half. 😐 in this book they give you like twenty chapters of qibli and winter flirting and cool backstory reveals for qibli before they decide that they’re actually going to wrap this arc up in the most annoying way possible by saying that qibli learns no lessons ever, winter gets completely fucked over by both his friends and the narrative, moon sympathizes with a genocidal overlord and then is disappointed when people don’t agree with her, and then one of the kindest characters in the series commits Brain Destruction on said genocidal overlord. and also the 20 chapters of queerbaiting gets completely ignored in favor of drawing out the annoying as fuck love triangle and then picking the most boring option. i do Not like how this book ended the arc. what a sad way to wrap up the brilliant thing moon rising started. 3/10

darkstalker: a prequel with absolutely RIVETING worldbuilding, fun characters, cool atmosphere, extremely tragic circumstances, and worst of all you know how it’s going to end. we all know how it’s going to end. and yet we all sit there and watch. hoping and begging and pleading that they’re able to change the course of a story that’s already set in stone. wonderful, fantastic, show-stopping, brilliant. i love fathom and whiteout. this story manages to make every touching moment heartbreaking when you know it’s all in vain and all you can do is watch the slow descent. incredible. 10/10

dragonslayer: a prequel where there’s. humans who talk i guess. 😐 who thought this was a good idea. the only redeeming quality is sky, which isn’t surprising considering he’s the Only Dragon. 4/10

[ipsen]

♥ ✨ 🦈 💌

woo!

❤️ What is your favorite line that you’ve written in a fic?

I'll pick this bit from Two Meals, Three Years Late (I really should change that title; bit of a mouthful):

“And what makes you think I’ll agree?” he asked, and she took a moment to pop one of the takoyaki balls into her mouth with a toothpick.

“You’re as tired of our games as I am.” Her chewing was grating on his ears, not to mention the stench. “So I figured—”

“Swallow.”

She only laughed. “Focusing on the wrong things as always, dear. It’s a little frustrating sometimes.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Oh, but you are frustrating.”

Fun stuff! Reaperneki and Eto's conversations are a lot about him twisting her words and her twisting them back, both hiding themselves in plain sight of the other. They understand the why, but they aren't going to stop now.

✨️ Out of the comments you’ve received on your fics, what are two or three of your favorites?

All of yours on Blank Canvas <3 I look forward to them every time I post a chapter!

Also this one on Holometabolism:

I finished reading Tokyo Ghoul for the first time today, and I find myself thinking 'I understand why Eto got removed from the story, but it would be cool if she played a more major role in the ending'. And oh boy, what do I see when I open Ao3? A very highly-researched, well-written fic focused on just that! Christmas in March!

I mean, "Christmas in March"? Goodness gracious...

🦈 Which character is the toughest to write?

I've already said that non-POV characters are a bit tough for me, so... I'll say characters that I don't have a lot of material/brainrot for. A lot of my writing is passion-fueled, thus lots of thoughts going into the story are directed by said passion. So when I have to use a character without material for me to fall back on or I don't care enough about to extrapolate from, then the whole thing sort of suffers.

💌 Is there a favorite trope you like to write?

The Zuko character arc. A Bad Guy, but not a bad guy, and now a good guy! Redemption arcs and shouldering your burdens blah blah blah because that’s just life, isn't it?

I like writing fluff. Especially when the fluff stars characters that have seen the Horrors of Existence. Those quiet moments are lovely necessities.

---

Thanks for ask as always <3

[melzula]

MEL AHHH TYSM!!! I've been wanting to read something like this from you for so long so ty ty!! And reading from zukos perspective was very interesting and attention grabbing !!✨️ I hope this isn't the last time we see of it, again tysm!! 🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️

i’m so glad you enjoyed it! i’m definitely open to writing more pieces from zuko’s pov bc it was a lot of fun and definitely different than what i’m used to. ty again for requesting this piece ♡

[erisenyo]

Questions for fic writers 1, 3, 5

Anon thank you so much for indicating the ask game, I did not realize I reblogged them both so close together lol

What inspired you to start writing fanfiction?

Epistles by Lady_of_the_Flowers lol. It is an absolutely stellar fic and I couldn't get it out of my head when I finished it. I kept imagining how the story might have gone on, what their BSS reunion could have looked like, how they might have found their happy ending...

And eventually I couldn't get it out of my head to the point that I wrote the BSS reunion (the teashop alley scene for any Burning Bright readers). And then I went hm, this could be better with a bit of context... (880K words later.)

3. Are there any specific themes you enjoy exploring in your fics?

I LOVE playing around with perception! How can two people experience the same event but interpret it differently because of their different frames of references. How can a character's behavior suddenly be recast in an entirely different light because of revelations about their background. How does an external POV contextualize or challenge or reframe an event. How does the reader's own perception come into play, whether through canon events or tropes or genre conventions, where expectation builds perception which then is challenged and recast by the unfolding events, not just within the text but within the reader as well.

5. What techniques do you use to create believable dialogue?

I really like writing dialogue, and I tend to think of building up an exchange in a few layers:

Verbal Habits: is your character a rambler (Sokka)? Blunt and terse (Zuko)? Always trying to poke fun (Toph)? Those verbal habits help build out the conversational voice of each character, and are often rooted in their characterization

Recognize Rhythm: Actual conversations tend to be a mixture of long and short sentences, exchanging listening and speaking, nonverbal as well as verbal cues. A hear-to-heart will have a different flow to it than shooting the shit after work.

Dialogue Isn't Perfect: People stutter and stumble, thoughts start and stop, there's cross-talk and interruptions, spoken word tends to be less formal than written word--building in those pauses and half-thoughts can help it feel more natural, and also show where a character is stumbling or struggling with a thought

Build Around the Words: layering in even simple action is a great way to make a piece of dialogue more engaging while also accomplishing some needed point A-to-point B or worldbuilding or exposition. Characters are also reacting to and thinking about what they're hearing, what they might say next, how it makes them feel.

Don't Forget Nonverbal Cues: Someone saying something with averted eyes and fidgeting hands suggests something very different than the exact same thing said with a direct gaze and squared shoulders. Body language makes the dialogue more rich.

Mix Up Your Sentence Structure: This is related to rhythm, but switch between using dialogue tags or not, put your internal aside at the front of a line of dialogue or the middle or the end, switch between long and short sentences. And do it all with a purpose--fewer dialogue tags and shorter lines of dialogue generally feel like a faster conversation, dialogue breaking in the middle tends to shift the emphasis of the sentence. Get a feel for the ways you can leverage your sentence structure itself to signal tone or pace or pauses!

For this Questions for Fic Writers asks game!

[lovelyelbowleech]

Hello again, I'm the clumsy anon! I forgot to ask you a few more questions, sorry for being such a pain! Have you thought about maybe completing this triology of fanfics with some shorter ones that deal with the lives of some characters? I speak for everyone when I say that we LOVE characters like Shen and Kazuma. I don't know what will become of them but it would be interesting to see more of their lives, their POVs. I would also love (!!!!) to know more of Hakoda and Bato's story. Please, I'm still amazed by this. I love it, love it, love it.

You've created a very interesting world out of canon and we'd be very happy to read you with stories about other characters. ♡

I'd also like to tell you that I'm a reader who loves trauma and pain, very little tw-sensitive, but I loved how realistic you made Sokka and Zuko's suffering. You've given realism to a world that I love and I don't think I'll ever see it the same thanks to you. Everything the boys go through is realistic, it happens and has happened for many years and ATLA deals so well with war and rawness (even if they are " cartoons") that a fanfic full of suffering and reality shock makes it even better. Thank you very much for that. I will be a loyal reader from now on, hopefully we can read a lot more ATLA written by you. I don't want another Zuko or Sokka anymore other than our boys!!!!

Haha I am very glad you are enjoying the side characters so much! I would love to write little extra fics like this, and maybe I will after I finish up the main one. I feel like I don't have the time to do it now, but I do write them in my head 😂 I feel that Hakoda/Bato/Kya would have been very chaotic in the early years, and there could be a lot of fun stories there 😂

And thank you for your kind words! I hope you continue to enjoy! ❤️

[andhumanslovedstories]

Okay but to like pivot tones entirely, it's interesting reading a BUNCH of these back to back. They're stories where the same characters give each other the same information to largely the same emotional effect. It's a trope where the emotional climax is almost always the same from fic to fic. In effect, you get to read the same fanfic written by dozens of different authors. It's like an experiment with such good constants, you can really study the variables. And yeah, sometimes it just makes it really obvious when a fic is not good because you’ve just read a nearly identical one that was, but it also shows you the variety of character and tone interpretation you can bring to fanfic while still being more or less coherent with the canon. So it’s very possible to read one of these and go “yes I buy that these characters could say this in this fashion to this effect BUT it’s not I wanted highlighted.”

My favorite thing about fanfic is how you can chose to bring out this facet or that facet of the canon. There's a spectrum of what "in-character" means. You can do the same thing with tone as well. Atla is epic and silly and emotional and action-packed. It's about violent imperialism and it's about going to neat new places with your goofy friends. It's three seasons of 22 minute long episodes, it aired on Nickelodeon, and it won a Peabody award for depicting the consequences of warfare. You can push and pull these individual elements around to make stories that would never happen on the show still feel like they're canon. You can also write a fic where it is almost impossible to determine if it’s in-character because you’ve changed the world and tone so dramatically.

I think that's a neat thing we don't talk about enough: the way fanfic can function as literary analysis. In order for a fanfic to be satisfying on a writing level and a transformative level, it has to put forth a consistent and effective argument about the text--if this happened to these characters, they would react like this. You don't have to believe that your argument is the only possible one (you shouldn't!) and you don't have to maintain an argument from fic to fic (you can but it's also really fun to not!), but within one story, the argument should be consistent.

anyway my pick for the number one best version of this scene I've read is from Mountains and Badgermolehills by Glass_Onion, a season one canon divergent AU where Zuko and Sokka meet while imprisoned by Zhao. Its 141k words long and I’ve read it literally seven times front to back in the last two weeks. This fic is so tailor made to my interests and executes so well on the specific tropes and writing tricks I love that I have lost all objectivity. I've yet to properly comment on it because I've convinced myself the only proper way to do it is to write a 2000 word essay on its superb use of single character POV for maximum emotional dramatic irony. Zuko is so oblivious and oblivious that he's oblivious, and it works so well to sell how misguided his worldview is and how hard it is for him to change it. Superb. Excellent. It brings an exquisite restraint to the hurt/comfort that makes the angst all the sweeter. This fic is the pinnacle of this genre for me and I have been chasing its glory ever since. The argument it is essentially making about the canon is that the gaang is smart and sad and angry and funny (VERY FUNNY—there’s a joke in this fic about Zuko’s knife that fuckin gets me each and every time I read it) but above all they are kind, which is a delightful argument to read and works wonderfully.

Love the commonness of the ao3 tag “obligatory gaang finds out about zuko’s scar” and its variants. You can basically hear the writer sitting down and saying, “I KNOW I KNOW BUT LISTEN, I simply had to. This path is well trod because it’s a dope fucking path to tread. Sunsets happen daily and we’re still wild about them. The sunset in this case is the baring of emotional trauma from one teen to a handful of others. Rated T because Toph says fuck”

[adriancatrin]

writing from sokka’s pov is the absolute best. why do i keep trying to write in zuko’s when sokka is so perfect