#zuko voice: i have no idea what the fuck i'm doing honestly. I'm just kind of winging it

[discordiansamba]

avatar Zuko AU wherein is he learns he's the Avatar only after being banished wholesale to the Earth Kingdom and immediately goes. well. fuck. and proceeds to go on the most unconventional journey to master the four elements known to man.

first stop? well, he might as well check out the Air Temples. They're a good place to hide, since he's pretty sure all three surviving nations would like him dead. he ends up in the Southern Air Temple, and winds up laying the bodies there to rest... after he spends several days searching the temple for anything pertaining to how airbenders are actually laid to rest.

he does not expect to be greeted by a ghost once he does. The spirit of Monk Gyatso becomes his airbending teacher, until one day he simply stops appearing. Zuko assumes he's finally moved on, and decides it's time for him to move on. He wanders the Earth Kingdom for awhile, while trying to keep a low profile, and winds up at the Foggy Bottom Swamp.

...where there are apparently waterbenders who don't want to kill him. Sure, he'll take it. Huu is... eccentric, and he's not really sure he agrees with his uh. viewpoint on pants (or lack thereof) but he is a good teacher. after awhile, Huu tells him he should travel on to the Si Wong Desert so Zuko is just like. sure why the fuck not. and goes to the desert.

he gets taken in by one of the sandbending tribes there, and learns earthbending from them. he's pretty sure he prefers living in the desert over the swamp. the sandbenders he's staying with are nice enough, even if some of their younger members seem... well, assholes. said assholes sell him out one day, so he has to leave the desert.

well. now what?

(all the while, he's leaving behind the most eccentric string of rumors about the Avatar known to man.)

[ssreeder]

omg i don't think you can even begin to imagine how fucking happy i was while reading this chapter. i love happy zukka, they are so !!!! together thank u thank u thank u thank uuuuuuu.

i became fucking insane reading this i swear, i love how you write, all of the characters you write about feel so human and real and full of details and feeling i love it. like, ara is such a complex character i really enjoy reading her. i enjoy reading anybody actually and like, i sometimes forget that some characters are ocs instead of actual alta charters. i love katara and suki being besties and the interactions between toph and sokka. AND ZUKKA AJS2(+#+$IDO!!!!!!2?2(2929. omg just omg. i love how caring they are for eachother and I'm so glad they are more open and touchy with eachother, i now feel like they can actually start to heal together.

OOOO talking again about Ara, i maintain my point about wanting her to have some friends and to heal because she deserves it!!! i support womans rights and woman's wrongs (jk, I'm still a bit angry at her for like everything she did to zuko and i want to se some kind of interaction between them but at the same time i feel bad for her). oh and jet, yey I'm glad he's not dead and he's starting to realize how much of an asshole he was!!!! i also really liked the piandao bit, because it made me remember how much time everyone (hopefully) has to heal, so please don't kill anyone sreeady ☺️☺️

i love love love love love love love love love your ocs and your characterization and your worldbuilding and your writing and how fuckin long your chapters are!!!(god when I saw the wordcount of this one i almost screamed of pure joy). i am your biggest fan sreeady i swear 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

anyways, i am excited about the next chapter, i really want to read the whole family dinner thing because that could either way go akward asf or low-key bad (of hopefully good but i don't want to get my hopes up). i am not really excited about azul, don't get me wrong, i love her, but I'm really scared about what will happen when she finally arrived and stuff happens.

as i always say, i love you, you are the best and i hope you have the best week/month/anything ever because you deserve it (you have no idea how long I been waiting for cuddling zukka 🙏🙏🙏)

MILKYYYYYYYY!!!!

I’m really thrilled you enjoyed the last chapter haha, because honestly sometimes I get so used to writing angsty drama that I get to a soft scene & im like hmmmmmmmmm do i even remember what that is?? Haha.

I AM SO THANKFUL FOR YOU OMG!!!! you seriously have no idea how many times I read this ask and smiled. I am so glad the cuddly soft zukka hit all the right spots haha, they are such dorks in love I just wanna smother them! (I won’t…. I promise haha)

You know you mention Ara and I gotta say I was expecting SO MUCH ARA HATE after last chapter but I was shocked people seem…. Idk…. More understanding? Idk I know she’s complicated & not a ‘good girl’ but when you explore her characters thoughts it really makes her that much more complex. Haha I’m not going to lie I’m not looking forward to her finding out about Shen though ahhh.

Speaking of dead fire benders you’re right it seems like pretty much DYING was the push Jet needed to confront his life choices. He was forced to look at his situation without voicing his excuses and blocking out his thoughts. Now hopefully he accepts those changes and grows form it but ehhhh jets my stubborn boy so we’ll see lol.

Milky milk milk I adore you. Thank you for this wonderful ask & sorry I used it to rant a but. I love reading your thoughts you are adorable :) I hope you enjoy the next chapter too lol. We get some fun moments (& Zuko imploding & exploding a bit haha)

[bard-llama]

3. Is there a trope you wouldn’t touch with a ten foot pole?

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

12. Is there an episode above all others that inspires you just a little bit more?

Oooh, good questions! Thanks for asking!

Hmmm. For 3 - I have this pattern where I think I'll never write a trope and then end up taking it as a challenge to write it my way. So... not sure there's actually one I wouldn't touch - but also, feel free to send me trope ideas and I'll see if I can spin them to my liking lol

7 is haaaaaard, so I'll do 12 next XD Honestly... I guess The Blue Spirit episode just for the potential of what it gives us? Like, the realization that this antagonist character who is loud and shouty and fiery can also be this sneaky, stealthy person who HELPS the protagonist... I mean, I'm also an enemies to friends/lovers fan, so this episode gives that some juice. But in general, I enjoy s1 AUs and playing with how things could go differently

(One of) My Favorite Piece(s) of Prose

Okay, so my memory is fleeting and I have a LOT of writing out there (like... 470 published fics between my accounts + a billion WiPs), but an atla fic that I keep coming back to is Wan Shi Tong's Uninvited Guests and I think it's 'cause there's still potential for more even though it's done. But I really like this scene (kind of long, so under a cut) and I think it's because like... it's really the epitome of who Aang is, to want to befriend everyone and bring peace and joy to the world. And also, I love Zuko's dubiousness over the frozen frogs as medicine lol

(oh my god, I despise tumblr and their stupid editor that they force you to use now and I can't make this idented without losing ALL the spacing so.... sorry)

Aang pulled back slightly, not releasing him. “Do you remember when I asked if we could’ve been friends a hundred years ago?”

Zuko was vaguely aware of the Avatar’s friends startling, but all he could do was nod, still baffled by it.

“I meant it,” Aang said. “It’s not a hundred years ago, but we’re friends now. I’ve decided.”

Zuko stared. “I… don’t think that’s how it works?” He wasn’t actually sure, given the only real friend he’d ever had before had been his cousin, Lu Ten. Even Mai and Ty Lee were Azula’s friends before they were his. 

“No, it is,” Aang said, not an ounce of uncertainty in his voice. “You’re mine now.”

Sputtering, Zuko tried to find words, but there really were none. 

“Aang,” Sokka groaned, slapping a hand against his face. “You are not supposed to adopt the guy trying to capture you.”

“Why not?” Aang asked, genuine. Sokka appeared no more capable than Zuko was of finding the words to explain the absurdity that was the Avatar deciding to befriend Zuko. 

There was something kind of flattering about that, but Zuko didn’t understand why. Why would the Avatar care about him!?

“Because I can,” Aang said simply, grey eyes meeting his gaze directly. “Because you deserve to have friends and I want to be one. Because I think you’re interesting and I like you and I want to get to know you.” Aang shrugged, smiling slightly as he concluded, “because you’re Zuko.”

Zuko… had no fucking clue how to react to that, so he kind of just froze.

Aang’s smile widened and the arms around Zuko’s torso tightened. “It’s okay if you’re not ready to respond yet,” Aang said quietly, looking so ridiculously earnest, “but I’m gonna show you what it means to have a friend.”

“You – what – why?”

“Because someone should and I want it to be me,” Aang said. 

Zuko blinked rapidly, trying to process that. “...you do remember the part where I chased you all over the world, right?”

“I do,” Aang nodded. “I also remember the part where you saved me.”

“Wait,” Katara and Sokka shared a look, “what!?”

Zuko flushed. “I was helping myself,” he mumbled, embarrassed. 

“So?” Aang shrugged. “You still saved me. Even if you do the right thing for the wrong reason, you’re still doing the right thing. That matters.”

“What the fuck are you talking about, Twinkletoes?” the new earthbender girl said. Uncle had said her name was… Tough? That didn’t seem quite right.

“It was before we went to the North Pole,” Aang said, not releasing Zuko. “I got captured by Zhao, and Zuko saved me.”

“What!?” Katara sounded worried, but Sokka looked more angry. “Where were we!?”

“You were sick!” Aang said into Zuko’s chest. It was kind of weird to have someone clinging to him who was talking to someone else, but for some reason, Zuko wasn’t struggling to get free. “I had to get frozen frogs for you to suck on to cure you!”

There was a moment’s silence as they all processed that and then Zuko’s face scrunched up in disgust. “Is that what the frogs were about!?”

“Yeah!” Aang nodded vigorously. “They were medicine!”

“...are you sure about that?” Zuko couldn’t help the dubiousness in his voice, but that sounded seriously sketch.

Aang laughed, squeezing his arms around Zuko’s torso for a final time before stepping back. He was smiling brightly and Zuko really didn’t understand why.

“So…” Sokka drawled, “what happens now?”

Zuko sighed heavily, rubbing his face. That was the question, wasn’t it?

He glanced at Aang, but Aang just looked back with a smile, as though totally confident in what Zuko would pick. Why!?

Part of Zuko wanted to attack just to prove him wrong… but really, what was the point? His Father had declared him a traitor and had sent his sister after him to bring him home in chains. Did the terms of his banishment even matter anymore?

And – and if they were right and Father really was wrong… then how could Zuko bring this child who declared friendship with his enemy to the man who would burn him without remorse?

He sighed again. He’d always been a disappointment to his Father, and that wasn’t likely to change soon. But he’d told his Uncle he’d be back, and he tried not to disappoint Uncle. He wasn’t very successful, but… 

He had to try. Uncle was all he had left in this world, and he had to try.

“I left my Uncle in the Misty Palms Oasis,” Zuko said quietly, not quite looking at them. The unspoken admission that he was letting them go was heavy in the air between them.

“Okay,” Aang said. “Do you want a ride?”

Zuko blinked and the Avatar’s companions yelped his name. “What?”

“Do you want a ride?” Aang asked. “I guess we could walk, but Appa would be much faster.”

“...what?”

Aang smiled slightly. “I told you. You’re mine now. You’re not getting rid of me.”

Why did that sound vaguely threatening?

“So,” Aang continued, “do you wanna ride on Appa?”

Honestly, he did. He really, really did. But he couldn’t give in that easily. 

“Don’t you have Avatar stuff to be doing?” he asked. 

“Spreading peace and joy and love,” Aang grinned, “that’s Avatar stuff!”

Zuko had no idea what to say to that. 

“C’mon, come try riding Appa!” Aang encouraged, tugging on the rope that still bound them. 

Zuko sputtered, feeling like he should protest. But… he didn’t really want to walk across the desert when there was an alternative. And the alternative involved flying. 

So he was maybe a little bit excited when he gave in and let Aang drag him up into the saddle. 

“Yip yip,” Aang said even though no one was actually steering the bison. Appa lifted from the sand and as they rose upwards, the air around them seemed to cool slightly. The wind blew through Zuko’s hair and he could see around for miles, and while there was nothing to actually see, it was still incredible.

This entire day had been like sailing through a tsunami, but even though Zuko didn’t know what would happen next, it was somehow easy to let himself lean into the wind and allow the tension to uncoil from his spine.

[kalira]

I'm interested in ALL of the wip titles, but especially these: Wrong Coffeeshop Patron, Arrangement, Get Off My Dick, and Uchiha Courting!

Woo they’re all interesting! >.> That’s good to hear, especially as I have been reminded how many I have holy cow.

Wrong Coffeeshop Patron (ATLA; Zukka)

This one was inspired completely accidentally by a Tumblr prompt I’d seen a handful of times before. This one:

my summer job is working at a coffee shopand this cutie comes in everyday so one day I finally write my number on theirdrink but then YOU grab the cup by accident and when you call me I don’t knowhow to turn you down so I end up going on a date with you but wow, actuallyyou’re hotter and more charming than my original crush so it worked outwell

…and, well. I don’t even like modern, no-powers/magic/bending AUs that much (to read, sometimes; to write, no) what is about ATLA that I have a handful that keep happening?

So Sokka is a barista and he’s spent all summer flirting with (and flailing at) Suki, and knows she will likely be leaving soon as she was only for sure here over the summer … so he writes his name on her cup. Only he was in a hurry and glanced over names and mistook Zuko for Suki. Zuko, having been admiring this barista at his favourite coffee shop for some time, was quite surprised and pleased and called him to take him up on the date. Sokka was very surprised to hear a smoky, silky, male voice, but had no idea how to say you weren’t who I meant so he wound up agreeing to the date without really thinking - or meaning to - and wondering how he was going to explain after he hung up.

Snippet:

The man in the dramatic, hooded coat waswalking this way, Sokka noticed, eyeing him sidelong, curious. He stopped, andSokka almost turned directly towards him.

“Er… Sokka?”

Holy shitit was silky-smoky-voice! Sokka’s eyes widened as he turned, just staring at the man for a moment. Also, fuck,his voice was even nicer in person, even if he did saunter around wrapped in aridiculously dramatic coat.

The man - Zuko - tipped his hood back andlet it fall, looking at Sokka almost sideways and…

He looked like he was waiting for something,and maybe a little nervous - and fuckthat was one hell of a scar; Sokkahad only sort of noticed it in the café, but he’d only sort of noticed the manat all - and Sokka was honestly just trying to think of something to say thatwasn’t holy shit you’re hot.

Zuko’s lips pressed together and he lookedaway, expression shifting.

“Fuck you’re really hot.” Sokka’s mouthsaid without his permission, and Zuko jumped, his eyes widening as they snappedback to Sokka’s face. “Fuck, I’msorry. Um. Hi.” he said, flushing and smacking himself in the face.

I’ll need to figure out how far I want to follow their relationship, of course, but at the moment I haven’t written their first date much past this!

Arrangement (ATLA; Sokka/Zuko/Mai)

This one I really didn’t anticipate writing either … nor did I anticipate writing this ship, honestly. Although in this it’s actually less an OT3 and more Zuko/Mai and Zuko/Sokka. Or will be. ;) Mai has plans.

Snippet:

“Why are you sorry?” Mai said, and when helooked up she was shaking her head. “I told you - I don’t mind sharing him withyou. It would make him happy. I think it would make you happy, too. Wouldn’t it? To have him? To be able to spend timewith him and,” she paused, lips quirking, “look after him?”

“But I- You-”Sokka shook his head, trying to process.

“I’ll always be his Fire Lady.” Mai said,raising her chin, and Sokka nodded hurriedly. “And I know he loves me.” she added,softening. “Sokka,” she rose from the bed and walked towards him, “loving youdoesn’t stop him from loving me. Doingsomething about loving you doesn’t damage his relationship with me. And beingmarried to me doesn’t mean he can’t love you. Do you understand?”

Zuko and Sokka have been pining for each other (possibly without noticing much) and Zuko has been feeling guilty (and horribly distracted because of it) and it’s driving Mai mad. She’s tried addressing the issue with him before, but it made the guilty reactions worse, so Mai asked Sokka to come visit instead.

There’s also some lack of clarity (yet) as to whether Mai has a thing with Ty Lee in the background in this one, or they’re still friends and nothing more.

Get Off My Dick (Castlevania; Alucard/Trevor)

I had half-forgotten about this one a month or so ago and when I saw the title backing up with the rest of my writing files I messaged Mad-Madam-M what the hell did I write titled Get Off My Dick what even and then oh of course it’s fucking Trevor who else? (She laughed. It’s okay, I was too. XD)

Snippet:

Trevor flung himself back comfortably onthe bed, ignoring the shirt now on the floor beside him. “Would it kill you to get off my dick?” he countered, closinghis eyes.

There was a pause and Trevor mentallyscored himself a point. Being crass at Alucard came naturally, and came withthe bonus of silencing him - out of bewilderment, disdain, or irritation, butstill worthy of a point.

“I don’t think you’d be very pleased if Idid that.” Alucard said in a low purr, very close, and Trevor’s eyes snappedopen. Alucard smirked, eyes trailing down Trevor’s body to where the towel sortof wrapped around his hips was all he wore. He straightened and moved awayagain. “But if you insist … I’m sure it would be no great hardship to me to do without.” He archeda brow at Trevor.

…god damn. Trevor erased his point and grudgingly marked Alucard twoinstead. Not that he ever planned to tell the bastard about the system or thepoints.

It’s quite a short WIP thus far and I need to work out what to do with it beyond the dialogue and small scene surrounding it that occurred to me and simply had to be written down.

Uchiha Courting (Naruto; MadaTobi … and IzuTou … and IDK yet)

This is one of the most recent additions to the WIP list actually! It’s … also going to be a series. The first story is actually titled Interest at the moment (and will be posted sometime soon maybe? especially if I can work on the next one soon as well) and was supposed to be a MadaTobi but wound up featuring solely Izuna and Touka … and Touka learning about what attracts an Uchiha as Izuna learns that not everyone is attracted the same way as his own Clan.

Interest is complete and nothing following is more than notes yet, but here’s a snippet from that:

Izuna cocked his head. “Well, Aniki ispretty powerful - he’s strong.” he began slowly, waiting for Touka, who was not stupid, to get it.

She just glared at him and made animpatient gesture and Izuna sighed, crossing his legs and settling on the porchnear her feet. But not too near, because he didn’t want her to get tooimpatient and be able to kick him without even getting up. “There aren’t manypeople who can be a threat to him - challenge him. I think your cousin might bethe only one he’s met since he grew up, really. It makes him kind of sulkysometimes.” Izuna admitted, thinking with amusement if also not withoutsympathy of some of Madara’s little fits on the topic.

Touka looked thoughtful, but nodded. Izunagestured illustratively - sulky fits, yes, but there you were, there weresimply no challenges for Madara.

Touka watched him for a few moments, thensighed. “So, as fascinating as this insight into your brother is … if you don’t want to answer myquestion that’s fine, it’s hardly any of my business - nor do I really care if your brother has a romanticinterest as more than a curiosity - but this tells me nothing.”

I admit, I’m quite looking forward to this one, even if I didn’t intend at all to land myself with another series (I was trying to write another short MadaTobi piece!) and writing the first part and roughing out notes was so much fun.

Thanks for asking - I hope they still sound interesting now! (Feel free to ask about more of the titles if you like. I am so procrastinating at the moment already. XD)

(Ask me about my WIPs!)