#I LOVE all of the Zuko tea shop fics

[fanfic-gremlin-ft-trauma]

What if we snuck off to the supply closet while u were working in ur uncles tea shop 😳😳 and we were both boys 😳😳

Bonus :)

#zukka #zuko x sokka #zukka fanart #atla #atla fanart #I LOVE all of the Zuko tea shop fics #so like this is a need #also they look so good in green #also unrelated but for some reason I only read breakable heaven today and??? #oh my lord??? #I owe everything to Haley now btw

[lacroixqueen]

embers and earth ch. 1 (zuko x jin angst)

Summary: jin finds out "lee" is actually firelord zuko, the new leader of the fire nation. angst and mental breakdown ensues

Word Count: 1.2k

Pairing: zuko x jin

Tags: angst, jealousy, yearning, prince x peasant

Author's Note: this was inspired by fan art but I for the life of me cannot find the artist's name just if you are out there just know you inspired this fic so thank u :v

Jin was absolutely furious the day that she found out. 

She remembered being over the moon the night before when the Earth King announced that the Hundred Year War was finally over. That the fire nation inherited a new leader who would forge peace between all four nations at long last. She recalled sleeping a little bit more deeply that night. A sigh of relief. A breath of fresh air. 

She even had a pep in her step when she ambled into the main marketplace of the Lower Ring in the morning. For the first time in her life, she didn’t need to worry about her safety. She remembered having to escape with her family when fire nation soldiers attacked her village when she was only a little girl. The fear in her father’s eyes. Her mother holding her tight and telling her not to make a sound when she cried. 

But today was a new day. A fresh start. 

She was picking out the ripest cabbage in the stall when she noticed a couple of Dai Li agents putting up posters around the square. She swore to herself she saw a glimpse of a face that looked all too familiar for comfort. She almost didn’t want it to be true. Because if it was, it would confirm too many questions she would stay up asking herself over and over again. 

A small crowd was already beginning to form around one of the posters. She eventually elbowed her way through and made it to the very front. And there it was. 

Firelord Zuko. Future of the Fire Nation. Forging an era of peace. 

Except it wasn’t “Zuko”, or whoever that was. It was Lee. The boy with the scar from the tea shop. She reached out reluctantly, as if she touched the poster he would come walking off the page. She placed the tips of her fingertips over the purple scar that ran across his triumphant face. 

But it’s not possible. Lee said he was of the Earth Kingdom. A traveling circus, was it? Now that she thinks of it, it did sound a little bit too barbaric to be real. But none of that mattered. 

She was fascinated by him. She hung onto his every word. Even though it’s not like he had much to say in the first place. 

After their date, she remembered how excited she was to see him again. She planned out an entire day with him in her mind, replaying the scenarios in her dreams like she was the director of a play. She recalled feeling a bit ridiculous about it, like some giddy fangirl. But she didn’t care. She had never wanted anything more in her life. 

But surprise quickly melted into confusion, which devolved into anger. 

How could he? she thought to herself, trying to piece together the puzzle but it still didn’t make any sense. 

The last time she tried to reach out to him, she burst through the doors of the tea shop, wearing her heart on her sleeve and ready to confess her undying love to him, without so much of a care in the world. But he was gone. In the blink of an eye, tossed away into the wind. 

“Where did he go?” she asked one of the workers, almost dissociated from reality. 

“To the Upper Ring,” he replied, sweeping some dust out of a corner. “His uncle got a job offer to run his own tea business. The Jasmine Dragon, was it? Yeah something like that.”

She felt her own blood run cold. She would only ever occasionally venture up to the Middle Ring, but Upper? She wouldn’t stand a chance. She would be ushered out as quickly as she came in. Not to mention she had no idea where this new store was even located. 

She was inconsolable for several days, of course, but in the back of her mind she knew she couldn’t cry forever. Because time heals all wounds, as her mother would say. 

And she eventually moved on, even though there was always longing within her that she could never quite shake. An ache that pulsated every time she remembered that she would most likely never see him again. 

Her thoughts were beginning to spiral at a rate of a million miles per second. Was he lying to her that entire time? Was that what he meant when he said “it’s complicated”? 

She paused, her entire body frozen. 

Was that how he lit up the lanterns at Firelight Fountain?

She couldn’t even process what was happening, but next thing she knew, she had already scrunched up that stupid poster, much to the crowd’s bickering and dismay, and shred it all up into several pieces. 

Tears were beginning to bud at the bottoms of her eyes. So that’s it. He was a firebender this entire time. But why lie about it? Why keep something so important from her, when he knew how much the fire nation had hurt her family.

Why was she acting like some sort of dramatic schoolgirl? It’s not like they were officially together or anything. It was just one silly date. Why did it mean so much to her anyway?

She walked briskly home, attempting, but failing horribly to conceal her tearstained face.

She opened the door to her modest home, without even bothering to close it gently, and stormed up the stairs to her bedroom. 

“Jin, were you able to get the vegetables I needed?” her mother called from the kitchen but she wasn’t even able to muster up a response. 

She flung herself onto the cot splayed out in the middle of the floor, grabbing her pillow and holding it close to her chest. 

Stupid, stupid, stupid, she kept telling herself. Why did she care so much anyway? It doesn’t even matter. None of it. 

Lee or Zuko, what difference did it make? 

He was still going to be a million worlds apart. Whether that was the Jasmine Dragon in the Upper Ring or the palace in the Fire Nation. 

She could weep and yearn for her entire life, and then what? He would just descend into the dilapidated shacks of the Lower Ring and sweep her off her feet? She knew the chance of that happening was zero to none. So why hope? Why cling onto this tiny shred of faith that had no meaning otherwise?

She played with the thought a little bit, after all, she was a hopeless romantic at heart. But the fantasy dissipated as quickly as it formed. 

It’s best to forget any of this ever happened, she decided for herself after an entire afternoon of contemplation. There’s no use in staying in the past. Besides, he probably never thinks of her these days. He’s busy running his own country, and creating a new era for the world. 

After all, why would some Earth Kingdom peasant ever cross the firelord’s mind?

#atla #avatar netflix #avatar the last airbender #zuko #prince zuko #fire lord zuko #atla zuko #jin x zuko #zuko x jin #zuko x reader #zuko fanfic #zuko fic #zuko atla #the gaang #atla gaang #netflix avatar

[overlordneon]

I'd love to read more zutara modern aus but I'm too damn picky about it. Like its gotta be the exact scenario I envision for all the characters

Zuko is the son of a abusive ceo, now living with his uncle and working part time in his tea shop

Katara's an activist who REALLY hates zuko's dad and his company

Aang is an exchange student who transfers in and lives with Katara and Sokka's family

Toph is homeschooled but likes to run off and hang out with the group who all hang out in the tea shop together

I'm more lenient about other characters but I just can't get through mondern fics without these bits and it kills me

#atla #zutara #neon talks a lot #in my heart zuko is a hs drop out too

[comradekatara]

Hi, hope you're well.

How would you rate the gaang + fire ladies' ability to work in customer service?

(there are so many fics of sokka working in retail and mai working in flowershops and I just don't think they're built like that— sokka has no patience for dumb questions and mai would probably rather die)

wait that’s so funny they literally are not built to serve people like that they’d kill themselves. especially mai i cannot imagine her having any kind of working class job and i know she hates flowers thinks they’re disgusting!!! i could see sokka being a tutor (in my modern au that’s how he meets toph. bc she drives everyone else away but then he meets her and he’s like “why ?? she is so cool”) and even working at the jasmine dragon (iroh is a chill boss so that’s why) but he could NOT do retail he’d kill himself before working black friday (in my modern au they’re also in new jersey. bc that’s very funny to me). but anyway!!

aang: i think he’d hate having to answer to someone else like just doing something he was told to do that he does not want to do ever would make his skin crawl. but when it comes to interacting with people even the worst rudest customers he is very friendly. even as a twelve year old he’s extremely patient (except when you are keeping him apart from a loved one, which is understandable!)

katara: i actually think katara working at a local coffee shop or smth is very plausible. she would have a tier ranking of all the regular customers in her head (and maybe even on paper) and she would treat them accordingly, ranging from excessive flirting to passive aggressive eye twitch. she’s good at her job for a communist who also needs to be liked by everyone at all times or she’ll die!

sokka: when he thinks a customer is stupid or annoying he starts talking slower and using smaller words in such an infuriatingly condescending way, but with the plausible deniability of “he was just being helpful” so that he can never actually get in trouble for it. but they both know he was being an asshole!!!!

toph: she needs to tell it like it is every five minutes or she’ll literally die it’s like a source of air for her. but i do think customer service would be good for her. she would enjoy it more than being a c*p that’s for sure! (low blow, sorry.)

zuko: okay well we see him be a tea server and the reviews are mixed. i think the thing about zuko that you have to understand is that if he is in a good mood he is a delight to have around and if he is in a bad mood he is a monster and his vibes ruin every room he’s in. so his proficiency at customer service is also just entirely dependent on how he is feeling at any given moment. i think he’d be happy serving tea once he’s the firelord though because it’s nostalgic and a respite for him. not so much when he’s an angry teen in ba sing se and he wants to be anywhere else.

suki: she’d be good at it because she is good at everything but she would definitely employ sokka’s plausibly deniable tactics of condescension. she has a lot more patience for people than sokka does, but she’d still enjoy messing with people, maybe even just out of boredom.

ty lee: she pretends to be stupid on purpose with customers she doesn’t like and when they try to complain to her manager she’s like “i am the manager” and when they question how she’s still allowed to work despite being so incompetent everyone else vouches for her they’re like “she’s literally our best employee.”

mai: would kill herself before that ever happened.

azula: see above, but also i think it could be good for her.

#yourlocalamoeba #asks #the gaang and #modern au #partially #except for zuko it was just real #also don’t try to bring me mai flower shop from the accursed comics #that’s bullshit and we all know it

[imaginmatrix]

zutara au where katara is an up and coming model/actress and zuko is the closed off guy who serves her tea at the shop next to her apartment.

Okay. Look. Listen. Against all odds, despite them filling all my favorite tropes, I do not actually… ship Zutara. I don’t read fics of them, I’ve never written them— which is wild, right? Wacky? Crazy? Doesn’t make sense. I know. I agree. Idk.

So I wrote this anyway and I have no clue what the fandom is like or how they characterize these characters but HERE WE GO DIVING IN HEADFIRST ANYWAY LETS GO

Katara already knew her and her brother had wildly different priorities— but moving into her new apartment proved that Sokka existed on an entirely different plane of reality.

“My sister has the cash to live anywhere she wants, but she picks a place next to the weirdest building in the city.” He had grumbled the day of the move, which kind of pissed Katara off.

Not because he called the building weird, but because that was his issue with it.

He should have been far more upset with the fact that the skyscraper belong to Ember Corp.

Katara pointed this out to him, to which Sokka only shrugged in reply, “I figured you didn’t care about that seeing as you moved in next door anyway.”

And then she had to stomp away in a huff to stop herself from snapping at him, because that would be hypocritical and ridiculous; but it wasn’t like she moved in next to the corporation that demolished their family’s home and community for parking lots because she didn’t care!

She did care! A lot! Maybe too much!

But then that was why she chose this apartment; the skyscraper next door wasn’t just a skyscraper.

Like Sokka said, it was…

Weird.

Good weird.

To be fair, Ba Sing Se as a whole was a little weird— a hodgepodge of shiny, towering buildings and ancient temples and Spiritbucks and cobblestones and sky trolleys.

No structure could compare to this one.

From a distance, it looked like a regular skyscraper; the architecture was more creative than most, but it didn’t stand out.

Then one’s gaze would travel down, and there, at the base…

A tea shop.

An old tea shop.

It wasn’t even all that fancy, though there were pieces that hinted at a rich history— the small, painted wood pillars on either side of the door, the round windows with various designs etched into them, and the roof— oh the roof! A beautiful hip-and-gable one with the edges flared up and rust red shingles that complimented the muted green of the shop itself.

Katara loved it.

And the fact that a skyscraper had been built atop was so ludicrous it made her dizzy.

She’d once asked Toph why it was like that, and in turn Toph explained that the rumor was that the old guy who owned the shop had been offered a ton of money from Ember Corp for the location. He refused to sell, but reportedly told them he’d be willing to sell the air above his shop for the same price, and a promise that his shop would stay— he wasn’t selling the land, after all.

So they reinforced the shop and foundation to be able to bear the weight, and just like that, a new skyscraper had risen above the city.

Katara only went to the tea shop.

She wasn’t sure what about it was so enticing. Maybe it was how peaceful it was; even when the giant sliding doors were left open in the summer, the noise of the city never seemed to penetrate the shop fully. The smell of tea soothed her. It was soft, and sweet, and earthy, and strangely reminded her of home.

Which was wildly different in culture, but… she felt safe here. Like she had at home. Before it was taken.

That could be the reason she came— she liked seeing something old and ancient stand up to an entity like Ember Corp. It filled her with satisfaction to see something refuse to give in to intimidation, to be immovable in the face of “innovation.”

It was almost sacred in a way.

So she found herself stopping by every morning on the way to work— be it a photoshoot or commercial or audition— for some matcha to perk her up. And every evening, if the shop was still open, she’d grab a Jasmine brew on the way home.

The owner was so kind, a round, elderly man with a gravely voice filled with mirth. He insisted on being referred to as “Uncle Iroh,” which Katara didn’t mind. Sokka was her only family in the city, as their Gran and Father and what remained of their community migrated to the southern towns after their neighborhood was sold out from under them.

She could use an Uncle these days.

On one particular morning she was running late. She whirled into the shop, juggling various items while she searched her purse— sunglasses, phone, the audition packet, chapstick, planner, book for the trolley— ah! Wallet!

But when Katara turned to the counter, it wasn’t Uncle Iroh who she saw; a grumpy looking guy stood there, shaggy hair falling in gold eyes. Those eyes were what she noticed first, bright and intense and filled with an emotion she couldn’t quite place— anger? Contempt? For… her?

The scar, she noticed second. Which upon reflection was a little ridiculous, considering that the angry deep red color and mottled flesh took up nearly half of his face. Not that it should have been what people saw first when they looked at him, she was certain he probably hated it being pointed out, but it was hard to miss.

They stared at each other a moment.

“…Hi?” Katara ventured, less confused by the new employee than the fact that he apparently had no customer service skills. No “Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon!” or “Can I take your order?” or even a rude “What do you want?”

The boy’s brow just furrowed deeper, which seemed almost impossible, yet there he was— basically one big furrow at this point.

“…Um…” When it became clear the grumpy employee had no intention of being friendly, Katara ventured, “Can I have a hot matcha to go?”

She waited anxiously as he punched the order in, finally speaking, “That’ll be six yuans.”

It was Katara’s turn to be the furrower. “Six? It’s usually three, isn’t it?”

This was met with an eye roll and a breathy huff, “My Uncle is… let’s just say he gives discounts more often than he should.”

Katara lamented that the new price would likely mean she’d only have one tea stop a day rather than two, but didn’t argue as she zipped open her wallet, uninterested in prolonging this weird interaction that made her more and more late by the second. She passed the rectangular coins over, and the boy dropped them into the register before turning on his heel to prepare the tea.

That was weird.

But so was a tea shop with a skyscraper balanced atop.

She crossed her arms, checking her phone for the time over and over again. Why was this taking so long?

Katara leaned over the counter to see what the boy was doing, and blinked. The kettle was—

“Are you… are you boiling water?!”

He frowned back at her— though it was likely just a regular look, if frowning was his default state as it appeared to be. “…I don’t know how you make hot tea, but here we boil it.”

“Yes but—“ Katara cut herself off, biting her tongue so that she could calm the ever growing frustration bubbling within. Sokka said she was hot headed, ironic considering where their ancestors came from. Finally, she managed to speak with an even, calm tone; “You have a boiling water tap.”

“…A what?”

Dear Spirits, this guy...

“The owner, he only uses the kettle at night when it’s less busy, for a more authentic experience. In the mornings, he uses the tap— or an electric kettle.”

The guy glanced around. “Because the mornings are so busy?”

To be fair, the shop was empty at the moment. Katara wondered if it was due to the upcoming holiday.

“Yes.” Katara ground out through gritted teeth.

He shrugged in response. “There’s no rush now, so it’s not a big deal.”

“It is!” She finally burst out, “It is a big deal! I’m late for work!”

The boy seemed taken aback for a moment, blinking at her. Then his face hardened. “It’s not my problem if you didn’t leave early enough.”

“But it is your problem that you don’t know how to do your job correctly!” Katara snapped back.

This seemed to rile up the guy even more, his nostrils flaring, “I didn’t even want—“

He was interrupted by the scream of the kettle, and he turned his back on her to remove it from the heat. Katara rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache encroach on the edges of her consciousness.

It only grew when she looked up to see him dropping a teabag into the cup of water.

“What are you doing?!” She demanded, aghast.

He glanced up, confusion mingling with his frustration this time. “Making tea?”

“I asked for matcha!” Her voice was shrill now, but she couldn’t help it— who hired this guy?!

“…Is this not matcha…?”

“That’s green tea!” And in a bag rather than an infuser, no less!

“Matcha is green tea though.”

“It’s prepared differently!” Katara leaned further over the counter, her braid hanging over the opposite edge as she craned her neck, “Look, Uncle Iroh keeps the materials right there under—“

“Hey, don’t lean over here like that!”

“Or what?” She retorted as the guy stalked towards her, “Mad that I know this place better than you do?”

With the way his eyes narrowed, he was indeed mad about that. “No, I’m not— the money is over here!” He waved his hands at her in a shooing motion. At least he had the intelligence to know not to put his hands on her.

Katara snorted. “Do I look like a robber?”

“You look like a pain in the—“

“Nephew? I heard the kettle…” A sleepy voice interrupted them, and Katara quickly straightened from being sprawled over the counter as a bleary-eyed Uncle Iroh parted the curtains to stare at them.

“Uncle, this girl—“ he pointed, “should be banned from the shop.”

Uncle Iroh yawned, turning his gaze to Katara. Then he brightened. “Ah, Miss Katara, a pleasure to see you— picking up your usual, I take it?”

“Well, yes, but…” she hesitated. A moment ago she had been ready to go ballistic, but Iroh had called the guy ‘Nephew’… so he was his literal uncle? Tattling to family felt a bit childish. “It’s fine.”

“Is it now? Well, I see you’ve met my nephew, Katara, this is—“

“Lee.” The boy interrupted immediately, his hand flying up to cover the name tag pinned to his apron, “My name is Lee.” He looked meaningfully at his Uncle, who merely shrugged.

“He will be working here from now on, so I hope that…” Iroh’s voice trailed off as his gaze wandered to the cup of tea. He blanched. “Z— Lee, did Katara ask for green tea?”

It was Lee’s turn to go pale. “Well, she asked for matcha, and that’s basically—“

Uncle Iroh groaned as he hurried to the tea, nose wrinkling in disgust, “And a bag, too! Where did you even find— no, no bags! We use these!” He waved around an infuser wildly, and Lee grew more indignant.

“Well how was I supposed to know that?! Why do you have teabags if we don’t—“

“Never mind that!” Uncle Iroh bustled around, scooping the matcha into the chawan to whisk, “Clearly you are far worse off than I thought— what has your father been teaching you?”

“Business! And finances, and—“ a furtive glance was shot towards Katara, “and things way more important than making tea!”

“Bah!” Iroh finished whisking and began to prepare the drink, “Very few things in life are more worth knowing than this.” He snapped the lid onto the cup and passed it over the counter with a cheery smile, “There you are my dear, I hope it’s to your liking.”

Katara was already speeding for the door with a wave, “I’m sure it’ll be perfect as always— see you tonight?”

“We’ll be open— and I’ll make sure my Nephew knows how to at least brew jasmine by then.”

“Uncle.”

Katara jogged to the sky trolley stop, her mind racing a bit. Uncle Iroh said Lee would be working there from then on… and if today was anything to go by, her once peaceful escape was about to become a whole lot more stressful.

Unfortunately, slinking into the agency thirty minutes after she was supposed to did not go unnoticed. But the lecture about professionalism and punctuality in the industry was brief, and the day passed in a blur. Lee was nowhere to be found during her evening stop, though Uncle Iroh was appalled to discover that he had charged Katara full price for the matcha. He insisted on giving her the evening mug of piping hot jasmine at no cost, and she took up her usual place on the patio to sit and read and relax before tromping up to her apartment.

The weeks passed fast, and to Katara’s dismay, Lee was now there every time she stopped in.

Figures. Her luck had always gone overboard to balance out— placed first in the third grade spelling bee? Broke her arm on the way home. High school valedictorian? Congratulations, your childhood home is being bulldozed! Career picking up? An annoying man now works at your favorite place in the world.

…Maybe one of those things wasn’t like the others, but it still irked her.

But Lee didn’t speak to her again beyond the curt welcome he gave everyone, the exchanging of funds (he gave her the Uncle Iroh discount now,) and the call of her name when the tea was at the counter.

Katara didn’t like hearing her name on his lips. It was wrong. It made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle, made her body tighten and squirm in an uncomfortable way.

A fight or flight response, she reasoned.

And then one evening, he didn’t call it.

She was curled in the plush chair that Iroh always let her drag to the patio in the evenings. Days were getting longer again, so the sun hadn’t quite set yet, casting a golden glow between buildings.

The day had been exhausting; three auditions and two photoshoots. Katara had been up since 3am for the first shoot, but despite her yawns and heavy lids, she couldn’t resist the allure of Iroh’s tea.

Katara was reading. Well, she thought she was reading; but when the sound of a clearing throat made her eyes flutter open, the sky was much darker and the streets bathed in blue rather than gold.

Her head felt cotton-y in the way it did when one took an impromptu nap, and she yawned, looking up from her curled up position on the chair to see Lee standing next to her.

“Ah— sorry, is it closing time…?” She began to straighten out, reaching for her bag, but Lee shook his head.

“No, uh… no. I just… here.” He held out the teacup. “Free refill.”

Katara blinked, “Oh.”

Lee shifted uncomfortably, and it took a moment for Katara to realize what she was seeing; he was nervous. “If you don’t want it, I can—“

“No, no I do!” She nodded to the side table, placing the book that had become wedged between her and the cushions on it as well. “Tell your Uncle thank you.”

“Uncle’s not here.” Lee said. Then he hesitated. “I… I can tell him when he gets back.”

Katara reached for the cup. It smelled amazing, and she sipped at the rich, floral drink. It was different than usual, but good different.

So she took a deeper sip, licking her lips as droplets clung to them.

Her face lifted to Lee, who was shifting his weight back and forth anxiously. Anticipating.

And then it hit her.

“You made this?” She asked— since that first meeting, Lee had only made one of her orders when his Uncle had stepped out. It had been rather disappointing.

“Uh… yeah.”

“It’s really good.” To her surprise, Lee almost smiled, the corners of his lips tugging up as his body relaxed.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She confirmed. “Did you add something different…?”

“A few things— Uncle thinks that jasmine is best on its own but…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. I… got bored.”

“Well maybe you should be bored more often if this is the result.”

The furrow that lived between Lee’s brow and where another brow once grew smoothed in surprise— no, that wasn’t a strong enough word for it— shock? The emotion was fleeting, gone in an instant, though his face managed to retain its new relaxed state. “That’s the second compliment you’ve given me. Maybe I should buy a lottery ticket.”

Katara surprised herself by laughing. “You gave me a free drink, so maybe I should buy one too.”

Lee ran a hand through his hair, revealing how his scar stretched up to his forehead; “Well, uh, I should—“

“Do you want to sit for a second?”

Lee immediately, wordlessly dragged one of the patio chairs up next to her in response, flopping into it.

They sat in silence for a minute, watching the occasional car pass by.

Then Katara couldn’t help herself; “Why did you start working here? You didn’t seem like you liked tea all that much.”

Lee sighed, his hand mussing up his hair again; he did that a lot, as if he wasn’t used to having so little of it. “I… messed up big time back home.” His head tilted back to gaze up at the skyscraper that towered above the shop behind them. “So my father sent me here to… I don’t know. Punish me, I guess. Cut me off, told me I couldn’t come back until…” he trailed off. “…you know, I was lucky my Uncle even agreed to let me stay here. If he hadn’t… I don’t know what I would have done.”

Katara couldn’t imagine it— what sort of father would abandon his kid like that?

Sure, she felt abandoned by her own dad half the time, but… at least when he left, he did it knowing her and Sokka were safe and cared for. And at least she didn’t doubt that he loved her, as angry as she was at him for his choices.

She cleared her throat, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pried—“

“No, it’s okay.” Lee’s voice had a rasp to it, the sound of someone trying to hold emotion at bay. “It… it was probably time I told someone about it. I haven’t exactly made a ton of friends here.”

Katara spoke before she even realized she’d decided to; “You can come out with me and my friends sometime.”

Lee tilted his head to her, a puzzled expression on his features, “…Me?”

“Do you see anyone else here?”

And then a real smile played across his lips, “Are all your friends hot shot movie stars too?”

It was once more Katara’s turn to be surprised. “You— that— I’m not even close to a ‘hot shot movie star!’” She laughed and tugged on her braid nervously, suddenly feeling shy. “You know who I am?”

“Yeah.”

“Since the beginning?”

“…Yeah.” His voice was softer, more reserved, as if the question had stirred something in him. Guilt?

Katara pressed on, not wanting to ruin the new atmosphere they’d built for themselves. “So you’ve seen me in… what, shampoo commercials?”

Lee shook his head, “Nah, my fa— someone my mom used to be friends with, uh… helped fund that one movie; Glacier Soul?”

“You… you remember me from that?” She laughed again, both delighted and aghast, “It wasn’t even a big role, I wasn’t a lead or anything— and I wasn’t great in it—“

“No.” Lee‘s voice was firm, no room for disagreement. If he didn’t sound so earnest, Katara may have assumed he was just being nice. “You were perfect.”

Katara shifted, warmth spreading on her cheeks. The prickle on her neck, the tightness in her body, those both were present now too; but it wasn’t fight or flight this time, was it? Had it ever been? “Well I… I’m glad you liked me. I mean, me in it. It was my first dramatic film and… and I’m just… glad.”

They both fell silent, Katara downing the rest of her tea to keep from saying more dumb things.

“So…” Lee was hesitating again. “When… when are you and your friends next…?”

“Oh!” Katara reached for her bag, rummaging for a pen, “Here, one sec—“ she grabbed her napkin and jotted down her number. “Text me when I leave, I’ll let you know next time we have plans.”

Lee seemed completely out of his element as he stared at the napkin she’d shoved at him; as if he couldn’t believe it was actually there. Finally, he nodded, “Right, yeah, that sounds— yeah. Good. Great.”

“Yeah?” Katara asked teasingly.

There was another hint of a smile when he replied with, “Yeah.”

Her body was heavy again, so Katara started to gather her things. “Well, good to know you’re not so bad when you’re not extorting people or serving them poisoned tea.”

Lee sputtered, “I… I haven’t done either of those things!”

“Mm, that green tea you tried to give me looked pretty deadly.” He seemed troubled despite the tease, and Katara nudged him as she stood. “Tonight though? That jasmine tea was ridiculously good.”

Lee relaxed again, understanding the jests now and looking quite pleased with himself, “I practiced.”

“I can tell.” Katara yawned and stretched, her body complaining after being curled up for so long, “Well, Lee, I’m glad I got to know you a little better.”

He was running a hand through his dark locks again, looking as if he were going through some sort of inner turmoil despite the small smile on his lips, “Y-yeah, me too, listen, uh…” he took a breath. Then another. “I’m… I…” and then he deflated, “I’m glad too.”

Katara said goodnight, made him promise to text her as soon as she walked out the door, and as she strolled to the next building over, she realized she felt light. Bubbly. Happy.

So their first meeting had been rocky; she couldn’t blame the guy for having a bad day, especially since it sounded like he’d been through the wringer shortly before that.

Why should a bad first impression affect this one?

Katara’s phone buzzed with a text, and when she pulled it out she saw a little fire emoji.

And then she texted back something that normally she’d never in a million years say.

‘Is this your way of saying I’m hot?’

Sokka would laugh in the face of anyone who implied his uptight little sister had flirted.

Lee’s reply was immediate.

‘What?! No! What???? It’s just my favorite!’

‘…wait, don’t take that the wrong way, I mean, I’m not saying you aren’t’

‘Uh’

‘I mean’

‘Can you just ignore all of that? Please?’

‘…Please?’

Katara laughed. Normally she might over analyze his panicked denial, worry she overstepped, but… something felt different about Lee. He was so serious, serious in a way that made her loosen up.

Her brother often told her she was a stick in the mud. And maybe she was, maybe she was austere and boring and too much a stickler for rules… But Lee made her feel like she was fun, too.

‘Ignore what?’

‘I didn’t see anything :)’

‘….thank you.’

She hummed to herself as she savored the taste of jasmine still on her tongue.

Maybe Lee wasn’t so bad.

And maybe… maybe now she had more than one reason to look forward to her morning matcha.

#anon #ask #writing prompt #morgan murmurs #zutara #zutara fanfic #fanfic #one shot

[thegaangneedstherapy]

Zukka fic list part 2

On ice we fall (in love)

Zuko and Sokka rivals to friends to lovers slowburn competitive figure skating AU.

Foolsong

Zuko is an idiot trying to get over a breakup, Sokka is a hockey boy, and online dating isn't really that awful.

Blue

Iroh insists they create a new life and identity in Ba Sing Se. Zuko wants nothing more than to bide his time until his next opportunity to return home, until he realizes ‘Lee’ can get away with things Zuko never could.

Zuko dons the mantle of the Blue Spirit again only to los e his focus when the Avatar comes to the city. This time, however, his attention is drawn to the annoying Southern Tribe warrior.

winter solstice: an addendum

Zuko gets imprisoned with Sokka and Katara during the winter solstice, and some very unfortunate things come to light. Alternatively: the gaang kidnaps adopts Zuko in book one after discovering just how awful his father is.

I'll Come Back Someday (For You)

“We’ll be together someday. I won’t stop looking until I find you again.”

Those words, Sokka thought, were a blessing.

After living through several lives without Zuko, they now feel like a curse.

They were the last words Sokka muttered to the Fire Lord on his death bed after saving Avatar Korra from an attempted kidnapping, and while he meant them, he didn't know that they would come true.

Yet, he tried, tried, tried again, and after cycling into his fourth life, he's starting to give up hope.

All until he walks into the Jasmine Dragon right next to Republic City University's campus.

(i'm sorry but) i'm just thinking of the right words to say

Zuko is the last person Sokka expects to end up as his roommate when he starts college. Sokka is the last person Zuko expects to befriend when he starts his whole life over. And no one who knows a thing about their shared past expects them to end up together. Except, maybe, Toph.

There's Bound To Be A Ghost At The Back Of Your Closet

Zuko needs a new dad, and Hakoda volunteers. A story spanning Zuko's old life, new life, and beyond

running right back to you

the air conditioning stops working at the Jasmine Dragon, and it's miserable until a cute stranger makes it a bit more bearable

Sorry, I Have to Move to Alaska!

Following a lengthy legal battle with Ozai, Iroh has full custody of his niece and nephew. Desperate to get Zuko and Azula away from Ozai (just in case) Iroh buys a tea shop in Anchorage, Alaska.

Sokka has been living in Anchorage since birth and nothing interesting ever happens in this city. Except less than a month into this school year, the mysterious new kid with a facial scar beats up a well-known student in first period.

purrfect for each other

because sometimes, it takes going to a cat café four times to realize you're in love with your best friend

The World We Dream About

A HS Theatre Kid AU where the gaang is in Hadestown, featuring all our favorite high school nostalgia moments and way too many tropes

when i'm set alight

“I’m going to go practice some firebending forms,” Zuko says stiffly, running a hand through the tangles in his hair. “Tell Aang to join me if he wants to once he wakes up.” Gold eyes dart up to where Aang had strung up a makeshift hammock and was still sleeping soundly, snoring like a buffalo yak.

“Alright,” Sokka says, watching as he walks out without another word, evidently having reverted back into his usual brooding self. “Have fun!” He calls after Zuko loudly, which he means to be sarcastic, but comes out painfully, embarrassingly sincere. His face burns, and as soon as Zuko passes out of sight into the the temple, Katara turns to him, leveling him with a Look.

“You like him.” She says, and it’s not a question.

Born Lucky

Zuko knew this would happen one day.

He really should've prepared better.

Of course, he'd imagined something like this many times. He'd see him-- or anyone from high school, really-- and he wouldn't even be recognized. They'd be immediately enamored with him and wouldn't even pause to think he looked like that one girl from high school.

Instead, he has a 24-year-old Sokka cradling a swollen wrist and smiling awkwardly up at Zuko.

like we're made of starlight

When former High Imperial Prince and Sith Acolyte Zuko defects to the rebellion Commander Sokka is tasked to keep an eye on him and bring him into the fold.

#atla #avatar the last airbender #zukka #zuko #zuko x sokka #sokka x zuko #zukka fic rec #fanfiction #sokka #zukka fanfic #trans zuko #long post #ao3 link #archive of our own #ao3

[king-bumis-armpit]

Hey! I’m just reaching out to say that I would be really interested in reading the continuation for the “how Zuko finds out Mai and Kei Lo broke up” fic.

I love your fics! Thank you for giving us Maiko content!

Put a Ring on It, Part 2

Find part 1 here

Summary: Mai goes out on a date, and comes back to find her ex-boyfriend loitering in her Aunt’s shop.

Author’s note: Thank you so much to everyone who showed interest in a part 2!! It makes me so happy you all enjoy my silly little stories ^^ And big thank you to @ninolovers. I love your page so much!! 

This one got… a little less silly and a little more angsty. And my hand slipped, so I added more sappiness than intended. It’s perhaps a tad ooc, but I hope you all enjoy!!

Also, I’m still taking fic ideas, but I will probably be slow in writing them. Thank you to everyone who’s given me ideas so far <3

Cross posted on AO3 and Tumblr

TW: Canonical violence and more kissing than I normally write.

WC: 3349

“Um… so… what do you like to do for fun?” Kage asked.

Mai held back a sigh. The awkwardness was palpable, but the young man in front of her was trying his hardest to make conversation. Mai knew she should make an effort as well. “I like throwing knives, sharpening my knives, and collecting rare knives.”

Kage ran a hand through his hair. “That’s cool.” 

Silence descended once more as the pair focused on their lunch. Ty Lee owed Mai so many cups of tea for this. 

She had recently started dating Kaori, one of her fellow Kyoshi Warriors. Of course Mai was happy for her, she liked Kaori well enough and it was nice to see her friend even more bubbly than usual. However, when Kaori’s brother came to the Fire Nation for a visit, Ty Lee not-so-subtly began pushing for a double date. Mai, wanting to be a good friend, agreed. Big mistake. When she arrived at the garden restaurant, it was just Kage. The girls had “urgent warrior business to attend to,” which Mai assumed involved making out in the sparring rooms of the palace.

Nonetheless, Ty Lee had chosen a great spot for a date. The restaurant was outside of the Caldera proper and built on one of the smaller hills overlooking the harbor. The owner of the establishment had turned the surrounding grounds into a large outdoor garden, and installed large picture windows on every wall. Even in the rain, the view was striking. 

Mai was trying very hard to keep her irritation at bay. It wasn’t this guy’s fault that Ty Lee had ditched her. And Ty Lee herself was probably trying to help. After Mai’s break up with Kei Lo, Ty Lee had encouraged her to either talk to Zuko or start making a serious effort to move on. This was clearly a ploy to get her out in the dating game again after so many months of refusing. Unless… unless there really was urgent warrior business that involved Zuko’s security.

A bolt of anxiety coursed through Mai’s chest, and she forced herself to tamp it down. That was not a possibility. Zuko was safe. She needed to think about anything else. “I met your sister in prison!” It was a rather inelegant attempt at human interaction. Mai was normally much better at this, and Zuko was the one who floundered. 

“Oh, yes. She told me. You and her girlfriend were part of the resistance to Ozai’s rule, right?”

Mai feared that Kage had been told a nicer version of events, but she did not have the mental energy to figure out what was safe to say. If there were rules, then Ty Lee should have come to enforce them. “We were eventually, but first we actually helped Fire Nation conquer Ba Sing Se by pretending to be the Kyoshi Warriors. It was really ironic when Ty Lee became one for real.”

Kage frowned. “So when did you join our side and get arrested?”

Mai stiffened. “That’s a long story. We actually broke my ex-boyfriend out of a different Fire Nation prison.”

“Are you all known for your prisons or something?”

He had no idea. “Umm… some of them. The one my ex-boyfriend was being held in is called the Boiling Rock. My uncle is actually the Warden there.”

Kage smiled, “That’s good! He must have helped you.”

“Uh…” Mai did not know how the conversation had blown up so quickly. “He kind of hated my ex. He threatened to end him for breaking up with me in a letter. But my ex’s friend took him hostage…” Kage was staring blankly at his plate. “Um… anyway, what did Kaori tell you about Ty Lee?” That would have been a much safer place to start.

Kage looked up. “She told me about the aura-reading thing. Ty Lee said my aura was vibrant orange. What about you?”

“She says it's gray.”

He looked sympathetic. “That’s not very nice of her. I’m sorry.”

Mai raised an eyebrow. “I don’t think it’s so bad.” Personally she thought orange was hideous, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. “I like gray. It goes with the steel of my knives.”

Kage pursed his lips. “Right. Your knives.” Mai would’ve thought he’d be used to female knife wielders, being related to a Kyoshi Warrior and all. But she acknowledged that her life story made for a rather unsettling lunch topic.

She searched her mind for a mundane question to ask: “So… how has your visit to the Fire Nation been so far, Kage?”

“It’s been really nice. The scenery is so beautiful here,” he gestured around them meaningfully, to the stormy gardens.

“Are you staying in the capital for the week?” Mai asked.

“Yes. And then my sister and I are taking a trip to Ember Island for a few days. Have you ever been?”

“Many times. I used to go there as a child.” Mai thought back to those sunny days playing with Zuko and Azula in the sand. Then her mind turned to her most recent visit.

— — 

After wrecking Chan’s house, Azula declared a tactical retreat before the authorities showed up. The four friends made their way back to the sea-shell cottage, but Mai was too wired to sleep. Azula marched confidently inside with Ty Lee hanging off her arm. Zuko followed, but paused at the threshold, noticing that Mai had stopped.

“I think I need to decompress. I’m going to go for a walk.” 

Zuko let the door close. “I’ll come with you.”

Mai pursed her lips. He had said a lot around that campfire earlier, and she wasn’t sure how she felt about it all. She had forgiven him, but it still stung.

Sensing her hesitation, he walked over and took and took her hand. “I'm sorry for earlier. I promise I’ll be quiet if you want me to. Just don't go alone.”

She leaned into his side. “It's fine. I have an idea.”

She led him across the beach in the opposite direction of Chan’s house. They reached a rockier stretch of shore and Mai knew they were in the right place. She guided him through the rocks until she found what she was looking for. A large tide pool lay at their feet.

Zuko gasped, “This is just like when we were kids. Do you remember? We would search for urchin-crabs!”

Mai smiled, “I remember. Why do you think I brought us here? Can you give us some light?”

Zuko created a small flame in his palm and the pair crouched down to peer in the water. 

“There!” Sure enough a deep purple spiny shell scuttled across the bottom. Zuko laughed, “I loved coming here because Azula was afraid of the crabs. It was the only time we could play together without her.”

Mai smiled at the memory. “Yeah. But come to think of it, that was probably good for her. It gave her a chance to be alone with your mom.”

“Hmm. I guess that’s true. I hadn’t thought about it before. It’s… hard to think about those times. I know I keep saying this, but everything feels different.” 

Zuko stood, and Mai followed with a frown. Ever since Zuko returned, he kept talking about how everything felt off. She knew that he was referring to deeper issues, his relationships with his family and feelings about affairs of state, but it was hard not to take it personally. When he left, she was a shy little girl and now she was a moody teenager. 

Mai sighed. “It’s been a long time since you’ve been home, and even longer since you’ve been here. It’s natural that things have changed.” She put a hand on his back. “If you need time to figure out why you’re so upset and so angry, then you can have it.”

Zuko had the nerve to pout. “You normally tell me that not everything’s changed and that I don’t have to worry.”

Mai rolled her eyes. “Yeah, well it doesn’t seem to be helping.” She dropped her arm. “I’m saying that if you need… if you need to be on your own, and reassess what we thought the future would be, you can do that. Just let me know sooner rather than later.”

Zuko furrowed his brow. He was about to speak, and then it clicked. “Are you breaking up with me? Again?! Mai–” her name sounded like a strangled prayer. 

“Calm down! I’m not breaking up with you. I just– I don’t know how to help! I thought maybe I was part of the problem.” Mai abruptly sat back down at the edge of the tidepool and brought her knees to her chest. She felt tears prick her eyes and so she hid her face.

Zuko sat slowly behind her. “Mai, you are the only person I have never doubted. When you kissed me in Ba Sing Se, it was literally a dream come true. The only reason I didn’t jump for joy was… uncle. But I really like how you are now.” Zuko wrapped an arm around her.

“I thought I was a big blah.”

Zuko winced, but he didn’t retract his arm. “No. You’re not. I was just frustrated because I can never tell what you’re thinking. I really thought you liked Ruon Jian for a second there.” 

Mai unburied her face to glare at her boyfriend. “But why? I hardly spoke to him! He came up and talked to me for like two seconds before you tossed him across the room.”

Zuko chuckled. “That felt good.” Mai narrowed her eyes, and Zuko pulled her in closer. “Seriously though, I think the fact that I’m relying on you so much is part of the problem. I mean it when I say you’re the only thing that hasn’t changed for me. If you found someone else, I would be all alone. And I know that isn’t an excuse to be awful, but I want you to know it’s not like I don’t trust you or anything. I was just scared.” 

Mai could relate. Even in his banishment, when Mai pictured her future, Zuko was by her side. For him to return so unsettled in his own vision of the future… it was affecting her more than she’d realized. 

Mai tucked her legs under her and put her arms around Zuko’s neck. “Honestly, I’d already forgiven you. Now, tell me more about the feelings that haven’t changed.”

Zuko was smiling broadly now in the moonlight. “First of all, I love you. I trust you. I want to be the person who makes you smile the most.”

Mai blushed fiercely, glad for the cover of darkness, “Okay–”

But Zuko continued, “I’ve always wanted to undo your hair and run my fingers through it.” He moved his hand from her shoulder to the back of her head and took out one of her buns, and her hair cascaded down her back.

Mai laughed, but protested, “Hey!”

“And I want to kiss you.” Zuko buried her fingers in her hair. Mai closed her eyes. They both leaned in. She could almost feel the touch of his lips when–

Sploosh! Something in the tide pool made a noise and Zuko let out a rather unmanly squeal, as they sprang apart. He called the fire back to his palm. Another urchin-crab had joined the first, ostensibly by utilizing the belly-flop method. 

Mai cackled, “Looks like Azula isn’t the only one who’s afraid. Don’t worry, my sweet prince, I’ll protect you.”

Zuko smirked. “Please do.” At long last, they shared their kiss. Zuko pulled back to look into her eyes. “For real, Mai, keep protecting me. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

Mai held him close. “I promise. I’ll always be by your side, as long as you want me.” And she was, until she wasn’t.

— — 

“Umm… Mai, I asked what you did? On the island?”

Oh, right. She was on a date. With Kage. It appeared she had frozen with her chopsticks halfway to her mouth. Her mother would have some choice words about the propriety of such an incident. 

“I always enjoyed searching the tide pools for urchin-crabs. You can also collect shells on the beach if you’re…” She really shouldn’t say stupid, “into that kinda thing. Or you could play beach volleyball.” He seemed unimpressed. Maybe she should try for a joke? “Oh! I had one friend who was really into arson and destroying private property, but I wouldn’t recommend it for your first visit.”

“Right. Well… this has been really great but I just remembered that I wanted to take a walk around the gardens. Alone. So, I’ll just…” Kage stood. “Thank you for your time.” He sprinted into the rain as thunder cracked in the sky above.

Mai had officially been ditched for the second time in one day. Third, if you counted Kaori’s ditching separately from Ty Lee’s. And now Mai was left to foot the bill of both meals, after which she would have the pleasure of walking home alone in the rain. Yippee.

— —

For some reason, Auntie had hung the closed sign on the door. Not that Mai minded, she was most certainly not in the mood for small talk and, in this weather, they probably weren’t getting any customers anyway. 

She stomped in and began shaking off her coat. “How was your outing, dear?” her aunt asked. Her tone was weirdly formal, but Mai was too preoccupied to think too deeply about it.

“It was awful!” She whipped her coat in the air, and it made a satisfying crack. “I never–” crack– “want to see–” crack– “another man again!” crack!

Satisfied with the state of her coat, she hung it on one of the hooks by the door and turned to face her aunt. And, standing beside her, was the Fire Lord, ruler of the nation and her ex-boyfriend. Mai said a silent prayer to Agni, letting him know that now would be a good time to engulf the world in a sea of flames.

Auntie Mura broke the uncomfortable silence. “Well, I’ll leave you two to it, then.” With that, she disappeared into one of the many back rooms.

“H-hi.” Zuko looked terrified. He was white as a ghost, and he was holding his hands behind his back in a poor attempt to conceal something. She remembered Ty Lee’s urgent business, and she knew her aunt’s shop was registered as a secure escape location when they were dating. What if there was an attack and his hands were injured?

Mai made her way through the plants in the shop to stand before him. “Are you okay? Did something happen?”

“What?” Zuko asked. “I’m fine. Why?”

“You look shaken. And Ty Lee said… Ugh, never mind. She was probably lying to make out with her girlfriend.”

Zuko chuckled. “You mean Kaori? Yeah, I’ve had to talk to them about PDA on duty. Suki tried but she couldn’t get through.”

Mai allowed herself a small smile. “Good luck.”

Zuko bit his lip. “Mai… the truth is, I am nervous. I ran into Kei Lo earlier while he was engagement ring shopping.”

“What?!” Mai was astonished. They’d only broken a few months ago, right? She didn’t like him romantically anymore, but it hurt to realize he’d outpaced her. Especially with how her date earlier had gone. 

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” Zuko seemed very uncomfortable now. “I didn’t think you would care.” She could hear his temper sneaking into his voice.

“I don’t!” It didn’t sound convincing even to her. “I mean, I don’t care that he’s moved on, but now I feel… like I lost a race.’

Zuko snorted, “That’s not how it works–”

“Yeah, I know. Get on with your story.”

“Right,” Zuko continued. “I thought he was going to propose to you and I might… have gotten just a bit jealous.”

Mai’s head was spinning. “If you’re proposing now, I can’t.”

Zuko shook his head. “Not yet.” Her heart fluttered. “But I did get you something.” He brought his hands in between them and offered her a long jewelry case. She opened the lid. Inside rested a beautiful silver necklace. The charm was a plum blossom, her namesake flower, and in the center sat a garnet, her favorite gem.

“I don’t know what to say. It’s gorgeous, and it’s exactly my taste, but why?”

Zuko delicately took the necklace back and moved behind her to clasp it around her neck. “When I was in that shop, I realized that I would never be happy if I didn’t try to fix things again and remind you of how I feel. I know it’s been a long time since our breakup, but consider this an apology and a vow to do better.” His fingers grazed her nape as moved her hair back in place over the necklace.

Mai crossed her arms. “And do you know why you have to apologize? You can’t just throw jewelry at me.”

Zuko walked back around and grasped her upper arms. “I never should have stopped talking to you. I never should have hidden things from you. Mai, I was afraid you would realize how bad of a screw-up I was and leave. But, in the end, I drove you away on my own. I am so sorry. Please–” his voice broke, and a tear rolled down his cheek. “Please come back.”

“Okay,” Mai’s own voice was quivering and her vision was blurry. She embraced him tightly. They stood like that for a few minutes listening to the rain fall.

Mai realized that she still had that same old fear of heartbreak and future rejection. It was temporarily sated, but she could sense it beneath the surface. Perhaps it was part of her, and nothing to do with Zuko at all. She held onto him with all of her strength. She had always known the reason he brought out that emotion was because she loved him in a way that she hadn't loved anyone else before or since. It was so worth it, there was no one else for her. Now, it was her turn to trust him to protect her in the future. And she found that she did.

“This is the best day of my life,” Zuko whispered into her hair.

“And it's all because of Kei Lo?” she asked teasingly.

“Honestly yes. I wouldn't have had the courage to talk to you without him.” He pulled away slightly to frown at her. “Especially since your Aunt told me you were on a date.”

Mai laughed. “Don't worry, you heard how that went.”

Zuko remained unmoved. “Was that guy rude or creepy to you?” He moved his hands to her waist and brought her close again. “I can and will have him exiled if he–”

“No, no, no.” Mai assured him. “I think I was the weirdo. Besides, he’s Kaori’s brother so he's returning to Earth Kingdom soon anyway.”

“Good riddance.”

“Zuko, you don’t even know him.” 

“I don’t need to!” he insisted. “At least you were happy with Kei Lo.”

Mai rolled her eyes. “Kei Lo was my boyfriend, and Kage was a blind date. There’s a difference there.”

“Well I don’t like him! I wish I knew the second you and Kei Lo broke up. I would have been here in a heartbeat.”

Mai caressed his cheeks. “You could have visited sooner, as my friend.”

“I’m not proud of this, but I don’t know if I could have handled that.” Zuko was right. They both had a lot of progress to make.

“I understand… I probably would have turned you away. I’ve still been figuring things out too.”

Zuko smiled, “Can we figure them out together?”

Mai smiled back at him. “Honestly, I would love that.”

They leaned in, and, as their lips met, the sun appeared from behind the clouds. Even through the windows of the shop, it reflected the gold of his crown and the silver of her necklace in a brilliant array. 

#atla maiko #avatar the last airbender #atla #zuko #mai #atla mai #atla zuko #maiko #mai x zuko #zumai #atla fanfic

[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.

#anti zutara

[thereindeerlady]

Hello to the 2 Zukka fans who may actually see this, i bring you Free Thoughts of a 2 am snacker!

Zukka hockey player/figure skater au

Now, i know what you’re thinking: Lydia! Tupp! This has already been done before!

And you would be correct! However! My brain has tweaked it in a way i have personally yet to see (wink wink nudge nudge drop the fic links if you’ve read this before)

So! My thoughts on the subject:

Hockey Player Zuko and Figure Skater Sokka

Zuko, child figure skating prodigy who suffered a tragic accident, is hidden away for two years before he reemerges under his Uncle’s care as a fierce hockey competitor after everyone said he’d never skate again

Sokka, who’s sister Katara became a World Junior Champion at 16* in ice hockey and who Sokka feels he can never live up to, enjoys after-hours figure skating on the same ice he works to maintain. Sokka, who watches singles programs galore and learns his favorites and recreates them, posting them to youtube for his 6 followers (Hakoda, Bato, GranGran, some kid name Aang, and two other anonymous strangers). Sokka who has a natural grace to him despite the obvious lack of formal training, who skates like he’s got everything and nothing to lose, whose love for the art shows in every glide and every turn. Sokka who gets discovered one day by an old grumpy coach who offers to give him a few tips. Sokka who is a fast learner and spends ages 14 to 18 quickly climbing the local ranks.

Zuko, who, at 16 faces a second injury that takes him out of hockey forever. Zuko, who has just been officially disowned as his own sister takes to the spotlight. Zuko, angry at the world, lashing out at everyone around, but goes willingly with his uncle when Iroh suggests a change of scenery 6 months into his recovery. Zuko who is determined to skate again, if only for himself, if only to prove that yes, he is strong enough to come back again. Zuko who strikes a deal with local ice rink that if he sits and runs the front counter during the day while his uncle runs the popular new tea shop inside the rink, he can use the rink after hours once his injury is healed enough. Almost 17 year old Zuko who stays late to reorganize some papers behind the counter one night and sees Sokka step onto the ice and go through vigorous warm ups and exercises. Zuko, who drifts a little closer and watches as Sokka is told he can skate anything he wants for the first skate. Zuko, hearing the song from the last program he ever skated come on through the speakers and watching as Sokka skates through it easily, with a passion Zuko himself had never managed to feel. Zuko, who occasionally stays behind to secretly watch a pretty boy skate and never gets caught for 4 more months. Zuko, who is finally cleared by his physical therapist to get back on the ice but with orders to take it slow, gliding carefully out onto well-taken-care-of ice for the first time in almost a year in skates very different from his last pair, and it feels strangely like coming home.

Sokka who watches a stranger hesitantly enter the rink. He comes to the rink on his nights off when everything at home becomes too much. He loves his sister and his parents- because Bato never needed to marry his dad to be a second father to him- and he even loves his sweet crazy old GranGran, but sometimes it all gets to be too much. They know he’s seriously training in figure skating now but they’ve never come to any of his recitals**. Its not that they dont care, but theres always something else going on. “Oh, we cant, Katara has her out of state tournament that weekend” or “Oh no bud Im so sorry, Bato and I are going on a late anniversary trip that day” or even “I have too much homework, Sokka, I’ll come to the next one, promise!” The only one who never makes an excuse but he also never actually sees in the audience is GranGran (this’ll be important later on wink wink). So, when things get to be too much and Sokka gets tired of having to be the loudest person in the room just to simply be acknowledged, he comes to his safe place. The rink after hours. Sokka watches from the upper shadows as the stranger takes careful, measured, practiced glides. Like riding a bike for the first time in ages, they’re hesitant at first before they slowly gain traction. At first, he thinks the stranger is just going to glide from one end to the other all night but instead he watches as they slowly begin a few exercises. Very familiar exercises. (Do you see where im going with this?) And then, they turn around, and Sokka is suddenly breathless because before him is the most beautiful boy- the most beautiful human- he’s ever seen. And sure, maybe Sokka has always fallen too fast and too hard, and sure, Sokka has literally never talked to this boy in his entire life, but Sokka looks at him and sees that look on his face and knows. ‘He’s just like me.’

Zuko who keeps coming back and lingers before Sokka gets on the ice. Sokka who stays late to watch Zuko retrain himself. Piandao who is sick and tired of watching these two boys dance around each other when they could clearly be learning from one another because, though Zuko had not trained in figure skating in years, he had been a true prodigy and he picked it back up easier than he should have been able. Piandao who was Zuko’s first coach before his father transferred him to Zhao’s guidance. (Jeong Jeong, a retired pro hockey player who is tired of listening to his husband bitch all day anout oblivious idiots because they’re starting to remind him of himself and Piandao when they were young and headstrong.) Jeong Jeong who finally takes matters into his own hand and tells the boy who runs his front counter that Piandao would like for him to come to Sokka’s next practice and then tells Piandao to “Stop whining and do something now, I’ll see you at home” with a kiss on the cheek as the two boys shyly trade introductions.

Zuko who begins helping Sokka with his training even as he himself recovers and relearns. Sokka showing up on the nights Zuko skates alone with greasy takeout and the occasional baked good his GranGran made that day. Sokka and Zuko curling up on the couch in the back office watching old figure skating videos on an old laptop and Sokka finally realizing exactly who Zuko is as Zuko finally realizes Sokka is that one youtuber he watched for years when he was younger. Zuko laughing and telling him that the random subscriber Aang is actually a friend of his and the other anonymous subscriber was just Zuko’s second account after he lost the password to the first.

On one of their casual skate nights, once Zuko is back to full strength, Sokka suggests they learn a pairs skate tongether for fun. Ike a trust exercise!” He says as if he hasnt been dying to know what it would feel like to skate in tandem with Zuko since he first saw his face. Zuko agrees and he and Sokka find a program they both like. They decide who’s skating what and then begin to fumble through learning their individual parts. A week or two later, they try it together for the first time, no music, and its not half bad. They continue to learn it together and notice that the more they skate together, the better they get individually. Zuko’s refined control gives Sokka a more polished look without smothering his passion while Sokka’s passion and fluidity allows Zuko to loosen up and actually enjoy what he’s doing. (1 hour mark)

Eventually, they put it to music, and Piandao and Jeong Jeong emerge from the shadows at the end of the song. Piandao asks them if they want to learn their own pairs program to compete together this year. The two boys share a look and agree almost immediately. The next few months are spent learning the choreography. Sokka and Zuko both go through core strength training and lifting weights because Piandao is currently planning to have them both lift each other at some point in the program.

Time jumps forward to the competitions and Zuko and Sokka blow it out of the water. This time, Sokka spots his GranGran when Zuko is pointing out and waving to his Uncle Iroh near the top of the rink. She’s sitting with Zuko’s uncle and he’s elated to see her there and yet, disappointed that his family still hasn’t come to support him. Time jumps again. Sokka and Zuko spends hours training and then hours on their off days hanging around Zuko and Iroh’s house or even Iroh’s tea shop. They ofc have spent all of this time in continual pining.

But, time jump to when they’re both 18 and 19 and they’ve both just qualified to skate pairs at Junior Worlds for the second year and this year they’re sure to win. They’re in Zuko’s kitchen, baking, and as they’re waiting for the over timer to go off, a slow song comes on. Sokka, in contrast to his norm, is quiet and gentle in the way he offers Zuko his hand and they slow dance in the kitchen with flour in their hair. They’re a little giggly and high on adrenaline but neither are sure who leans in first, only that they are both very much on board with the whole kissing thing. Despite the years of tension, the kiss is tentative and sweet. They begin dating and it only makes their program better. The love they have for each other so clearly pours over into their skating.

This Junior Worlds is the first tike GranGran finally drags the rest of the family by the ear to come and watch Sokka compete and to Zuko’s surprise, he sees Aang and a few of his other friends in the audience. Sokka and Zuko win (to no ones surprise).

Insert sokka family angst and resolve here. Insert zuko family trauma etc here

Sokka and Zuko go om to do more pairs skating things and they live happily ever after etc ete

I ran out of steam there but its 3:10 in the morning and i started at 1:51. Hope you enjoyed, this has been 2 am thoughts with Lydia.

* i did minimal research here, be proud

** same thing but even less this fime

#zukka #zukka nation #zukka headcanons #zukka au #prince zuko #atla zuko #sokka #atla sokka

[zukosdualdao]

honestly my pettiest hot take is that i think it’s Weird how many fics/popular headcanons depict zuko as being bad at making tea forever and i… Do Not like it. i mean, i will still read it if it’s otherwise a good fic, but trust that it has me considering clicking out.

we see zuko make bad tea one (1) time, when he makes it for iroh in bitter work after he wakes up from his unconscious state. and honestly, i think it’s the first time he’s ever tried making it on his own, since with servants at the palace, he wouldn’t have needed to. even on their ship, they had a cook who could’ve made tea, though realistically it was probably iroh more often than not. being bad at something the first time (and honestly, the first couple of times) you try it is par for the course. (and hey, the fact that he wanted to make tea, which he knows how greatly iroh values, for iroh to comfort him upon waking is still really sweet, even if it doesn’t go so great the first time.)

while we don’t see the day-to-day of their work in the tea shop in the lower ring in ba sing se, we know zuko is working there as a tea server every day, learning, and, hey, he keeps his job. (and yes, i know the argument could be made that the owner liked iroh so much that it wouldn’t have mattered, but i counter with this: there is absolutely a point at which your lack of skill outweighs any connections you have because it gets in the way, and if zuko is that terrible at it and shows no signs of growth or improvement, that would, in fact, be the point.)

later, we see zuko serve tea to the gaang and co, and while zuko says it won’t be as good as iroh’s (because he loves and misses him 😭), no one else has anything to say about it! the gaang is already lightly poking fun at him for his poor retelling of iroh’s joke, it wouldn’t have been hard to include. and if the show wanted to keep ‘zuko being bad at making tea’ as a gag, all they had to do was show a character or two making the same kind of face iroh makes in bitter work or trying to hand it off to someone else. but they didn’t! we even actually see teo take a sip with a mildly pleasant expression. and like, this isn’t even me saying i think he makes the best tea in the world, or even that it’s as good a iroh’s. i just don’t think he’s bad at it!

and we see him serving tea to his loved ones again in the earth kingdom in the finale and it’s the culmination of the part of his arc that’s about learning humility and to build healthier relationships and not self-isolate, to find peace and joy in little things. we see throughout the series that though iroh i’m sure loves tea for tea’s sake, he also uses it as a point of connection with people, and zuko is clearly trying to mimic that when he’s making an effort to bond with the gaang and later just to show love to his friends like! this is his way of trying to show love and affection in what comes to be maybe the clearest form of it he understands due to iroh’s influence. and the idea that he is bad at that makes me sad, but also, canon disagrees, so jot that down.

(also, if nothing else: iroh is there in that last scene. do we honestly think he’d let zuko make and serve the tea if it was bad?)

#of all the things in fanon to be upset about this is what’s getting to me rn 😭😭😭 #honestly. and this is the part that is probably me reading into things a little too much #but there is. something of a fandom rhetoric of zuko being Bad At Everything #and i think a lot of it is obviously supposed to be teasing and not ill-meant #but like. being told that (and that he was a failure) was part of his abuse #disclaimer that zuko is ofc a fictional character and i’m Not saying people are horrible for saying it #but regardless i don’t Love how common that is #atla #zuko #long post // #this is absolutely the pettiest thing to write a multi paragraph post about. lmao #iroh & zuko #zuko & the gaang #tea in atla

[peachieflame]

Do you have any ither zukka fic recs? I’ve been trying to discover some new good ones:)

Yess I love giving recs! A little warning tho, all the fics Im gonna mention are more than 5k+ words long cause I don't like short one-shots and a lot of them are multi-chaptered with over 40k+ words. Also I'll update this as I read and discover more faves!

Expand to see the list cause its long....

Lighthouse Beam: Sokka’s breathtakingly beautiful and he’s smart and makes other people laugh. Zuko has a half-burnt face and a deaf ear. It’s not rocket science. Or, Zuko falls in love with the boy in his Philosophy class.

🍑: I really like college/highschool AUs and even more zukka fics where Sokka is actually described to be smart. Sokka is one of the smartest characters in the whole show Idk why he's been branded as a dumb, dense character by the fandom. Anyways, loved that this fic had Zuko being the one to fall first as-well.

In the Soft Light: As the newly appointed cultural liaison to Northern Water Tribe, Zuko is the first Fire Nation Citizen to step foot inside the city's walls in nearly a century. He's determined to prove himself—to the Fire Lord and to his father—even if the Water Tribe's spirit-touched prince seems to want nothing to do with him. Or Moon Spirit Sokka AU.

🍑: Enjoy this authors' writing style, really engages me in the story. Also ahhhh fanfic based on my moon spirit Sokka... im very grateful 😭. I didn't include this one in an ask about moon spirit sokka au cause I hadnt known about it at the time but now I reread it whenever I can.

7 Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have): How Zuko and Sokka collided through ill advised means—or approximately seven (7) acts—is beyond them. In just a year, they will trudge through the unorthodox conquests of youth (see #2: The Late Acquisition of 2 gallons of Arizona Peach Iced Tea) or capitalist schemes (#5: Bought A $4,550 Jacuzzi). But how they manage to Allow Aang to Become Vegan (#1), Host The Mr. Teen Universe Contest (#7) and, um, Set The Classroom on Fire—Again (#6) to eventually fall for each other, is still a mystery to them.

🍑: Although this one hasn't been updated in almost a year, the 2 chapters that are posted is some of the most fun I've had reading a fanfic! I admire the coding put into it so that it has a creative, unique structured. Also cute little things like the scrap paper or the scrollable email box (which blew my mind when I first saw it, I didn't even know it was possible to code something like that) just engaged me more in the writing.

Kiss Me To Just Shut Me Up: Zuko proffers the card, and Sokka takes it, their fingers brushing. Sokka tries to cover up the way he shivers at the contact by turning the card over and squinting at the text written on the front. Zuko Sozin. Tattoo Artist. The Jasmine Dragon. A single dragon curls around the characters in red ink. — There's a new tattoo and piercing shop on Ember Island Beach.

🍑: Oh beau... you're so multitalented. This was the fanfic I was recommending to everyone that bought a zukka print from me at cons like I had no shame I just wanted everyone to read Beau's amazing work. And you all should read it if you havent yet.

Five Times Zuko Wanted to Die (and One Time He Didn't): “Sorry about that,” the voice says, and suddenly the curtain has been pushed aside, and Zuko is speechless. “What can I help you with?” He stares. “Um— ” The boy has to be around his age, he’s sure of it. He’s got the most perfect tan face Zuko has ever seen, with blue eyes so brilliant it’s hard to form words. Or the college-age AU in which Sokka fixes watches, Zuko struggles through engineering, and everyone's nervous about the cute boy from the jewelry shop.

🍑: Modern settings fics that aren't like cafe/barista AUs are kind of hard to find (or at least ones that I like cause im picky) so I was surprised to see this one! Again it's an enjoyable fic where Zuko is smitten first and Sokka is not written as dumb. I also remember wanting to draw fan art (one of the scenes) so maybe I'll go dig that sketch up and finish it.

At the Top of the World: Zuko is sent in disgrace to Alaska's Northern coast to ensure nothing stands in the way of Sozin Oil Company’s new offshore drilling project. He is willing to do whatever it takes to make his father see he’s worthy, even if it means fighting against the one person he's met who actually seems to give a damn about him.

🍑: I'll never shut up about this fic, its beautifully written, well paced and realistic characterizations. As an Indigenous person this fanfic tackled Indigenous struggles better than any other fanfics I've read so far and it shows the author did their research. ATLA fandom tends to sweep aside Katara and Sokka's indigenous identity a lot. It's even more frustrating when most fics acknowledge colonialism and racism and yet brush aside Indigenous discussions or theory because they're either scared of touching the topic or don't care. Even fics that do mention their Indigenity is brushed aside with surface level discussions you can tell the author is just parroting from whatever twitter thread they skimmed. Im definitely not saying that fanfic should be an educator for social political issues or that it should be written in a way that it could replace theory for whoever stumbles upon it. Im just baffled that so many authors will mention colonialism only to explore it's effects on Zuko and not the actual Indigenous characters.......... that's all.

#answered ask #anonymous #anon ask #not art #I hope other people like my taste #im very picky with fanfics like I don't enjoy short fanfics #what I miss about fan fiction dot net culture is that multi chapter fics that are over 100k+ words were the norm #and interesting modern aus were the norm too... like im talking about cowboy ranch farmer au and astronaut nasa employee aus #real modern setting fanfics I've read btw and really really enjoyed #no more flower shop/bakery/barista aus please theyre so boring

[hookahpop]

As I'm looking at this before I hit send I'm SWEATING this got so long oh my god this is embarrassing. Anyways. I'm a huge fan of the canon rewrite genre rn so I hope you don't mind that most of the fics I'm gonna rec are of that sort, but I promise I do have a couple that aren't! Not in any particular order but I bolded my favorites. Please mind the word counts T-T

where the stars do not take sides

Zuko's mother takes him and runs away from the palace on the night that he's supposed to be killed. She dies, and he spends the next several years hiding in the Earth Kingdom on his own. Enter the Avatar. Also, Azula is... good!

the Blue Spirit and the Warrior

Technically a series, but it hasn't been updated since 2021 and the first fic is phenomenal. Identity porn in Ba Sing Se.

winter solstice: an addendum

Currently an ongoing fic so if that's not something you're interested in then I get it but I feel like I remember you saying you follow ongoing fics so I'm including it anyways. The Gaang bring Zuko with them when they escape Zhao in Book 1 and work through some things with him.

Boomerangs and Rainbows

They leave Zuko in the snow at the North Pole instead of bringing him back. He dies. His ghost haunts Sokka. Genuinely loved this premise and imo the author did it very well. There IS a happy ending dw.

Unpathed Waters, Undreamed Shores

This one. Oh my god. Sokka is a selkie and he gets captured by Zuko's ship before the first episode. Otter penguins as a metaphor for how homosexuality is a naturally occurring phenomenon and also their relationship.

talk too much

Yeah it's about the COIN song. Sokka recognizes Zuko at the tea shop in Ba Sing Se and decides to figure out what he's up to. Copious amounts of "What are we" and a very nice "Nobody says my name like you do."

The Good Vanilla

Post-canon! Cooking IS a love language and YES somebody almost dies <3

(do you take this jerk to be) your one and only

AU where Iroh got the throne instead of Ozai and ended the war early. Zuko and Yue are betrothed. Sokka is pissed, and then he gets tasked with teaching Zuko how to complete the Water Tribe courtship rituals. You can connect the dots.

While Mighty Oaks Do Fall

Ongoing! AU where Zuko is blessed by the Sun when he is born (like Yue with the Moon) and because this freaks Ozai tf out, he gets sent to be a Fire Sage very early on. He's obsessed with the law. Basically a very autistic-coded lawyer at the age of 16 while also helping the Avatar.

twinkothydrake asked:

oh my god i can't believe that whole wall of text sent i'm so SORRY??? i hope that you enjoy them if you ever get the chance to read them fjslkdfsl

this looked so much more intimidating on my phone lmao but i'm definitely reading all of these!!! actually, the ghost one is already in my for later list, so now i need to bump it up.. thank you!!!

#atla #zukka #twinkothydrake #ask me #fic rec

[ssreeder]

Did I just binge read the entirety of LIAB over the last week in every moment of my free time? Yes. Am I caught up now? Yes. Do I never want this fic to end but also understand all good things eventually do? Also yes. Okayyyy but seriously though reedy my fucki g h e a r t oughhhh you're so talented I love every bit of this the torment the torture the detail bby gimme gimme more!!!!!! but also god let! them! kiss!!!!!!!!!! Also the way you write Jet like ooooh buddy that inner monolog is gonna be the death of you probably (most likely) Ngl I definitely have joined the Rasu fan club why is he so sweet help tbh I'd fall for his charms also thinking about what if he became friends with Reho I'd give our precious blabbermouth 2 minutes tops before Jee wants to murder him but Rasu takes him under his wing- introducing Smooth Talker 2.0 the tea shop couldnt handle all the new business. Ahhhhh there is so much more I could scream about this fic and probably will this is my first comment okayyyy ily byeeeeeee

(Still crying over Shen r.i.p. baby boy)

Omg please for Jee’s sanity do NOT put Reho in the teashop with him omg Jee would be on the first tram out of the city! Rasu is already on his nerves and the poor guy isn’t half as chatty as our man Reho lol.

Oh & not to mention Zuko is back so I’m sure Jees already gray hair will turn white from stress lol.

I’m really glad you’re enjoying liab it always makes me smile when I hear people are enjoying the story & all of the sad dark themes that go with it haha. Hopefully we get some happy times soon & YES! zukka kisses. They deserve it haha. <3

OH & I like that you enjoy Jet haha he is one of my favorites to write I love that chaotic flawed dude. He’s a mess I don’t wanna clean up

Thanks for the sweet ask :)

#I love how people want to torture jee #he is already tormented but people wanna pile it on lol #Reho will be coming back into the story soon #& with him comes all the WT haha #oh plus Chang #mr sunshine #rasu is a favorite because he is really just a nice guy #doing what he can to make life a little easier for everyone #& he is tophs buddy which is nice #im glad you’re enjoying it #I should have the next chapter up at some point today #if I can get my shit together and find motivation #thank you again!! #liab #itf #ask #ria

[burst-of-iridescent]

002: zutara (and totally not asking to know what you look for in a fic, noooo totally not bestie 👀💕)

always happy to deliver, dearest <3

002 | Send me a ship and I will tell you:

When I started shipping them: February 2021, when i finished watching book 1 of atla for the first time. after "you rise with the moon, i rise with the sun", i was a goner.

My thoughts: beautiful, talented, show stopping, spectacular, never before done, marvelous, amazing, absolute perfection. i wouldn't change a single thing about them, i love them so much, and i will never stop believing that they were happy and in love together, canon be damned.

What makes me happy about them: literally everything. i love their development, i love their symbolism, i love that they go from fighting each other to risking absolutely everything to save each other. i love that they're the only people to see each other at their absolute best and worst, i love that they unconditionally support and are there for each other, i love that they get to be open and vulnerable with each other in a way they rarely are with anyone else. i love how much they have in common, i love how beautiful they look together, i love that they're fire and water, i love that they encapsulate the themes of the show perfectly. they're just *chef's kiss*

What makes me sad about them: that their beautiful, deep, intimate relationship was thrown out the window as if it never existed post show. obviously, i'm sad they were never canon, but it's somehow more hurtful that the writers destroyed their wonderful platonic connection too. it breaks my heart to think that after everything they went through, after being the only people who could truly understand each other, they spent the rest of their lives as nothing more than acquaintances. fuck that.

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: when zuko is made out to be some sort of smirking, smooth bad boy, like... did yall watch the show? zuko is an awkward turtleduck with a penchant for excessive drama, not a wattpad romantic lead. give me a zuko who can barely string a cohesive sentence together because he's so dazzled by katara, or give me nothing.

Things I look for in fanfic: zuko being a complete simp for katara (absolute must), fire lord and southern water tribe ambassador fix its, fire lady katara who retains her culture but also loves the fire nation with all her heart, modern au tea shop zutara, FAKE DATING, canon divergences where they end up having to travel together, aang letting go of his crush on katara and being happy to see his friends in love, mutual pining (on ember island or post atla).

My wishlist: time traveling back to 2008 to kick bryke off the show and write the last half of book 3 myself

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: probably ty lee or sokka for zuko, and suki for katara. imo, zuko is the only male character on the show who could form a happy, healthy and lasting relationship with katara.

My happily ever after for them: fire lord zuko and fire lady katara usher the world into a golden age of peace and prosperity together, working to fix the damage done by years of war and rebuild the ties between their countries. they are second in fame only to the avatar, with hundreds of statues built and cities named in their honour. they remain very much in love to the end of their long, happy lives.

Send me an ask!

#zutara #asks #zutara asks #ask game

[assorted-fics]

Fics of the Week

This is me just trying to record the best of the Fics I read in a week.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The 41st by turtleabyss

First Fic: "He burned for us," Chit Sang answers solemnly, eyes haunted as he stares into their little fire.

Loyalty Through Fire by terracyte

“Zuko, for all the loyalty he shows his nation and people, is not really prepared for them to pay him back in kind.”

all you have is your fire (and the place you need to reach) by agentcalliope

“In which there are hugs and laughter and tears, and conversations, as the gaang learn about Zuko's scar.”

Assorted Benefits of Alternative Exits by wonderwise

“A collection of loosely related stories about Zuko learning how to be Fire Lord and the palace guards and staff learning about the unique skills their new Fire Lord brings to the role.”

Firebender!Jet by suzukiblu

First Fic: “Katara’s fingers leave Jet’s temples and it is not just Lake Laogai that he remembers, not just the one made-up story to make what’s missing make sense that he forgets.”

this love burns so yellow (becoming orange and in its time, exploding) by meliebee

“Ten months after Zuko is crowned at seventeen, he faces his first coup.”

To Build a Home by Orphan_Account

“Never mind that he won’t be of age for another year-and-then-some. Never mind that he’s sixteen with bandages still wrapped around his chest and a more intimate knowledge of war than these men will ever have. He wasn’t old enough for his first Agni Kai. He isn’t old enough for the crown. No one batted an eye then, they don’t now. The prayer shawl is a familiar weight on his shoulders.

(Youth is no excuse, the generals hiss to one another.

You will learn respect, a palm of flames says.)

[Or: the war is over and it should be a relief.]”

it’s the illusion of separation by argentoswan

“Sokka takes a job washing dishes at the new tea shop in town. It's a great gig, until he finds out his only coworker is his old high school bully. Sokka really should quit, but he also really needs to afford rent.

Also, Zuko is kind of hot now.”

Fellow Prisoner Li by MuffinLance

“Early-Season-One Sokka finds an undersocialized firebender in the brig of Zhao's ship and brings him back to the Gaang, as one does. Good thing they've nailed down Aang's firebending teacher so early, this quest is going to be a snap, and definitely not involve any betrayals by any elemental teachers. Nope. Not a one.”

Avengers/Fantastic Four

country boy, i love you by PeterStank

“The elevator doors chime.

Johnny is a little bit like a dog, so even now he can’t help looking over at the sound of laughter and raised voices. Both of them are familiar to him and both of them are welcome; they sort of make his stomach swoop and then settle like a rollercoaster car doing a loop and levelling out.

Peter. Harley.

Peter’s big belly laugh dies in his throat the second he sees Johnny. He steps forward, brows furrowing. “Jay? What are you doing here? What happened?”

And Johnny is capable of many things, but ignoring Peter Parker is not one of them.

His mouth opens and the faintest, most strangled sound escapes, straining against the raw walls of his throat.

And then he just starts crying.

or: johnny relearns the meaning of home.”

#fics of the week #Avengers #Marvel #MCU #Fantastic Four #Fic Recs #avatar: the last airbender #atla

[atla-adult-au]

‘There’s Something About Mai’

<My vision of a Maitara>

2 gorgeous besties

This hc was inspired by the possibility of them being good friends from sadladybug’s fan fic Clothe Me in Seasons. But I ramped it a bit more to explore their sensual side.

In most cases, they would meet for occasional shoptalk where both would give glowing compliments to each other and sometimes talk about life in the palace that are not highly classified. In their extra, they would have tea, go to a spa, dine out, or watch a play. Mai would advise Katara on culture, tips on protocol, and the art of persuasion without ever having to raise her voice. Katara then would influence Mai to get out more and meet the people she was meant to rule.

In a way, they were more friends than lovers as they only have sparse encounters which gives them less chances of getting caught. Sometimes, encounters don’t mean all the way. It could be a quick canoodling or as simple as a smack or a deep kiss. They are secure enough to know where they stand and what they mean to each other where they dont make unnecessary demands from the other. Their clandestine meetings would be brief as they try their darnedest to sneak and squeeze at least 5 minutes of quick dallying.

They would send each other gifts and letters of how their day went, and how they’d miss each other. Katara bought diamond crusted barrettes for Mai she found at a high end shop she thought would look good on Mai. Mai wore it with pride on the right side just below her bun.

Mai had a custom made water heart and fire pin which Katara fastens near her breast. To many, this seemed like a tribute to her ancestry and current status as the lady of the fire nation which could also be the case. But in reality, this is a symbol of the special relationship she has with Mai.

Katara would have Mai’s measurements and send her a box of a beautiful but a tad too revealing dress in Mai’s signature black color and tells Mai she should show more skin.

Mai in turn would also send her a red dress with golden accents and tells Katara she should wear red and gold more because it goes great with her complexion.

Remembering that Zuko is allergic to cats, Mai gifted Katara with a hunting dog to her sons’ delight. Katara has three sons by this time at 25. The eldest and firebending heir Lu Ten who is 7 years old and 5 year old twins Kenji-a non bender, and Kaneo (Kah-Neh-Yo), a water bender. The children named the dog Zhen Zhen (precious).

Katara purchased what looked like a black Persian from a souk at the outskirts of the Si Wong dessert. Mai was so ecstatic that she squealed with joy when she removed the soft tarp to discover the golden eyed Persian temporarily housed within the gilded cage. She ironically named the cat Yuki (Snow) and hardly left her arm.

At one point, both women were pregnant at the same time. Katara’s fourth child to Mai’s first. Katara turned out to be carrying a baby girl she named Kya (who turns out to be another firebender). She was helping Mai in one of her terrible morning sickness which earned her the honor of being the godmother to Princess Shui (Shway) whose name means ‘water’ out of her gratitude (love) for Katara.

When they’re in a royal family gathering with their young children, Katara would dote on Shui while Mai would pour her love on Katara’s sons. She would make sure they keep their manners and give a listening ear to their mis-adventures. The boys’ stories would make Mai laugh so hard. Her favorite tales would be from Kaneo which turned out to be a little Sokka.

The only thing they didn’t do together yet was spar as there were memories they’d rather forget for fear of hurting the other. Mai was also very secretive of her techniques at first. Nevertheless, Katara gushes about Mai’s knife skills as a nonbender and Mai worships Katara’s ability to bloodbend. With Zuko’s encouragement, the two would practice their joust in a form of a dance. The queens even gave a surprise performance on King Kuei’s birthday which astonished the crowds.

Katara is openly vocal to Mai about Mai’s beauty, grace, and class. This in turn makes Mai smile when she gets compliments from Katara. The Earth Kingdom Palace staff noticed that Mai is shown to smile a lot more when Katara’s around. Katara’s wit, her nurturing personality, openness, and ability to please which Mai never felt with Jun was so endearing to her. Also, Mai is proud for having a badass lover that she never expected more than anything Katara is able to give. Mai knew from the beginning that Katara can only love Zuko and that was enough. The Earth King has his suspicions of what lies beneath but Zuko knows and is permissive of their relationship as long as Katara doesn’t neglect her duties. Mai even assists Katara on some of her tasks by being there for her to give her moral support on some of her charitable endeavors and would at times act as proxy if needed.

Mai even accompanied Katara to the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Water Tribe to oversee reconstruction projects sponsored by the Earth Kingdom. This was when Mai asked Katara why Zuko never asked to heal his facial scar. Katara replied that both of them decided not to. That Zuko has learned to live with it and that his scar helps him to recognize that he has come a long way. The scar in a way also makes him not to look like his father, as he says. Katara respected his wishes and and even supported Zuko because she sees his scar as a badge of honor for standing up to his tryant father and his father’s general. Katara also said that she got so used to the scar that she hardly even notices it anymore. What she can’t stand was, and asked Zuko not to repeat it again, was that wolf tail pony he used to sport when he was younger. Both Katara and Mai laughed and agreed that this wasn’t his best look. Mai’s visits to the colder regions only happened once as Katara understood that Mai couldn’t stand the cold.

They also worked as partners in bringing down their enemies-For the Earth Kingdom it was the Dai Li. For the Fire Nation it was The Red Lotus (after the New Ozai was disbanded following his father’s assassination in prison.) Zuko would help from time to time and they would all work disguised as ‘The Blue Spirit’, ‘The Painted Lady’ and ‘The Blade Queen’, also pegged as ‘the Dark Triad’.

In the span of seven years that they were together, they were lovers only on very rare moons and would spend a three way liaison only three times. One time on each of their birthdays. They all would plan ahead to meet a few days shy or a week after so nobody can put two and two together.

In every ‘session’, either between Katara and Mae, or all three of them, they have to be extremely cautious to avoid even a whiff of tongue wagging. They would form elaborate plans to meet from sending coded messages, stealthily snucking out of the palace dressed as regular folk, to renting barely furnished inns. This didn’t hamper their duties to their nation or to their families as this was rarely done. When they do meet on normal circumstances, they would act like the best of friends that they are.

On very rare instances of a three way, it was always Katara who calls the shots. The first time was a surprise for Zuko’s birthday. Despite having Mai there to enjoy them both, Zuko only made love to Katara that night as the risk of also impregnating the Earth Kingdom queen may start another war. The second time was on Katara’s birthday two years later. Katara relented to Mae serving Zuko but he still made love only to Katara that day. However on Mai’s 33rd birthday, Katara offered her husband to please Mai to Zuko’s reluctance. The feeling of compersion from all three of them was so immense (For Katara to give Mae the pleasure of what her husband gives her, for Katara to give Zuko the experience of an exciting and dangerous interlude, and for Mae and Zuko to satisfy Katara on her whimsical fantasy), that Katara even encouraged Zuko to sire a child with Mai likely as an effect of post coital passion. Both Zuko and Mai were relieved that Mai had her period two weeks after. Both of them swore never to indulge Katara in her whims as it is not worth it for them to risk their kingdom and reputation so the triad tryst never happened again. As a sign of mea culpa, Zuko and Katara gifted Mai with a promise ring of friendship on her birthday party held at the grand hall of the earth kingdom palace.

Still the gossips were bound to form, some wildly exaggerated than others (as if the actual events were not already wild in itself) but was never confirmed by any of them, nor were they discovered. But some stories cannot be kept hidden and will be revealed in its own time. Even Sokka and Suki dropped hints to which the three of them just ignored (or avoided).

None of the nobles on any kingdoms dare ask about their close-knit friendship for fear that they may share the same fate of the unfortunate nobleman more than a decade ago.