#rare green zuko :)

[pom-pomelo]

Illustration I created for @zukozine

Just thought it'd be nice to see a peaceful Zuko going about daily life in Ba Sing Se :')

#myart #digital painting #clip studio paint #zines #avatar fanart #atla fanart #atla zuko #zuko #turtle ducks #ba sing se #earth kingdom #rare green zuko :)

[mah-o-daryaa]

Avatar Cycle Trivia

Avatar Wan

Wan's name translates to "ten thousand" in Mandarin Chinese, as he lived ten thousand years before Avatar Korra. His name is also a pun on "one", as in Avatar number one.

Wan wore the colour of each of the four nations during his battle against Vaatu. His robes were yellow and orange (air), his armbands were green (earth), his sash was blue (water), and his scarf was red (fire).

In addition to becoming the first Avatar, Wan is also the first true firebender, as he was the first person to learn firebending from a dragon.

By fusing with Raava during Harmonic Convergence, Wan is technically the oldest Avatar to be identified, being 21 at the time.

The Earth Kingdom battlefield where Wan died is the same field that Zuko visits millennia later in Zuko Alone (Book 2: Episode 7). Interestingly, Wan first appeared in Beginnings, Part 1, which was the seventh episode of Legend of Korra, Book 2: Spirits.

Avatar Yangchen

Yangchen is the only known Avatar to have a sibling (Jetsun).

Yangchen is technically the first Avatar to have an established Team Avatar (not counting Wan and Raava).

Yangchen had split-personality disorder with her past lives, where she essentially suffered from nightmares of her past lives bleeding into her present self.

Yangchen's companion Kavik is the first person ever seen get chi-blocked.

Yangchen did not like the idea of people creating statues of herself in the future. Ironically, she was greatly revered in the Four Nations, and a statue each was built in both the Eastern and Western Air Temples.

Avatar Kuruk

Kuruk is currently the only known Avatar whose predecessor and successor were both women (Yangchen and Kyoshi respectively).

Kuruk had more lovers in 3 decades than Kyoshi did in over 2 centuries (the true story is more tragic).

Kuruk had a habit of challenging random people to feats of strength, which makes him the only known Avatar in history to have participated in an Agni Kai.

Kuruk was the best hunter and tracker in the history of the Four Nations. It's said there was nothing he couldn't hunt or track down (that includes spirits).

Kuruk is the only known Avatar to enter the Spirit World after death. Considering that only people with a special connection to the Spirit World can enter at death (such as Iroh and Yue), this means Kuruk must have had a spiritual connection rivalling that of most Air Nomad monks or nuns.

Avatar Kyoshi

Kyoshi is the only known Avatar known to be of mixed nationality; her father was from the Earth Kingdom, while her mother was a renegade Air Nomad.

Kyoshi had a rare condition with her earthbending where she could move large objects with ease but had difficulty in moving smaller objects (Suffering From Success).

Kyoshi has witnessed more passings of Sozin's Comet than anyone else, with three (not counting Lao Ge).

Kyoshi learned the secret to immortality from Lao Ge, which led her to have the longest lifespan of any Avatar.

Kyoshi has threatened both the Earth King and the Firelord.

Avatar Roku

Roku and Firelord Sozin share the same birthday.

Roku has been featured in the introduction sequences of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

Roku is the only known Avatar to appear old when he was called upon by the current Avatar.

When Roku entered the Avatar State for the first time, he destroyed the Fire Sage Temple.

Roku's dragon Fang is the only animal companion ever seen in the Spirit World.

Avatar Aang

It took Aang longer than any Avatar in history to become fully realized, being over a century old.

Aang has a scar on his back and on his foot, because of how electricity works.

Aang choosing four toys out of thousands – to identify him as the Avatar as these four toys were the same ones that past Avatars had chosen for generations when they were children – was the same procedure used by the Tibetan Buddhist monks to recognize the next reincarnation of the Tulku Lama.

Aang has met the original source of every bending art: a flying bison for air, the Moon Spirit for water, badgermoles for earth, and two dragons for fire.

Aang is the first Avatar to have his picture taken.

Avatar Korra

At four years old, Korra is the youngest Avatar in history to be identified.

Korra is the first Avatar to learn spiritbending.

Korra is the only Avatar to break out of bloodbending without the use of the Avatar State (sorry, Aang).

Korra is the only Avatar to have killed a member of her own family (Unalaq).

Korra is the first known person to ever tame a polar bear-dog (Naga).

Miscellaneous

Wan and Roku are the only two Avatars to die in combat.

Roku and Aang are the only two Avatars to fight a volcano. Aang was successful, while Roku died.

Aang and Korra are the only two Avatars to ever be defeated in the Avatar State.

Aang and Kyoshi are the only two Avatars to ever get hit by lightning. Ironically, when Kyoshi was hit by lightning, her chakras were opened and she gained the ability to enter the Avatar State; conversely, Aang's chakras were blocked and he was unable to enter the Avatar State.

Kuruk and Roku are the only two Avatars to have been identified the "traditional" way in their respective nations at 16; Wan fused with Raava at 21, Kyoshi was identified at 16 when she recited Kuruk's poem, and Yangchen, Aang and Korra were identified at younger ages.

Yangchen, Aang, and Korra are the only Avatars to have been identified at younger ages than 16.

Wan, Aang, and Korra are the only Avatars who are modeled after real-life people. Wan is modeled after co-creator Bryan Konietzko (but with cooler hair); young Aang is modeled after Arjuna, Sifu Kisu's son (but Aang is bald), while adult Aang is modeled after co-creator Mike DiMartino; and Korra is modeled after various female MMA fighters, most notably Gina Carrano.

Roku and Korra are the only two Avatars who have worn an outfit from each of the four nations on-screen.

Roku and Korra are the only two Avatars to have connections to royalty. Firelord Zuko, and thus every following Firelord, are descendants of both Roku and Sozin, whereas Korra's father was a member of the Northern Water Tribe's royal family, and was later elected as the chief of the newly independent Southern Water Tribe.

When Kyoshi first met Yangchen, she (Kyoshi) mistook Yangchen for her own mother.

When Kyoshi first met Kuruk, she almost drowned her physical body trying to communicate with him.

Roku and Yangchen are the only two Avatars to have hugged the current Avatar at the time (Aang and Kyoshi respectively).

Wan, Korra, and Kuruk are the only Avatars to refer to Raava by name, although the latter (Kuruk) had never met Raava.

Yangchen, Kuruk, and Aang are the only Avatars to have invented an airbending technique. By extension, Kuruk is the only person outside of the Air Nomads to invent an airbending technique (he didn't get his mastery tattoos, what a shame).

Aang and Korra are the only two Avatars to learn energybending.

Kyoshi, Roku, and Aang are the only Avatars to use bending after their respective deaths.

Kyoshi, Roku, and Aang are also the only Avatars to have descendants (but let's be realistic, so did Kuruk).

Aang and Korra both learned their native element from a companion of the previous Avatar, and their final element from a descendant of the previous Avatar. Aang learned airbending from Monk Gyatso, a companion of Roku, and learned firebending from Zuko, Roku's great-grandson. Korra learned waterbending from Katara, Aang's wife, and learned airbending from Tenzin, Aang and Katara's youngest son.

That's all the fun facts I could find.

#atla #past avatars #wan #yangchen #kuruk #kyoshi #roku #aang #korra

[oneatlatime]

The Avatar State

Season 2!

I KNEW Aang wouldn't be ok with getting possessed by the megafish. Called it!

As well as the most comfortable looking hammocks I've ever seen, this boat has decorative turtleshells.

Having learned the very hard way that bending is not infallible, the northern water tribe finally takes some safety precautions and installs non-bending means of locomotion on their ships.

So glowy is called "the Avatar State." I was kind of attached to calling it glowy.

Pakku continues his consistent and unwavering pursuit of being a poophead. You almost have to admire his unwavering jerkiness.

We're going to see Bumi! I like Bumi.

I don't know about constructing a building complex that near a waterfall. The cherry blossoms are nice though.

So they weren't eaten by vultures after all. Not so subtle exposition from Iroh. And then Zuko is as subtle as a kimodo rhino with his backstory rehash. That being said, there was probably a few months between seasons, so a refresher was needed.

Yes that did come out wrong. Rare misstep from Iroh.

This is Zuko's crazy talented sister right? The one he was angsting about in the snow cave? She seems to be just as much of a dumbass as her brother, although she makes her stupidity seem threatening instead of embarrassing. I don't care how much political power you have, you can't win against tides. Literally the last episode was all about how the ocean always wins.

I am begging you guys to see the pattern here. First time the Gaang got a hero's welcome, Suki's village burnt down. Second time, the whole season finale happened. At this point it's probably safer if the Gaang sticks to going where they're not especially welcome.

Aang saying "I try not to think about it too much" is kinda ouchy given his nightmares at the beginning of the episode.

WAIT A MINUTE

Gotta look something up

That's Bato's map! The animators had no reason to have such crazy good continuity.

I don't think Aang is too happy being described as "the ultimate weapon."

Thank you Katara for calling the general on his pushy steamrolling. They've committed to nothing.

I think the guy in front has a burn on his cheek. I have been surprised by how few burns I've seen after a whole season's worth of episodes. We've seen Zuko's, and Bato's. But the Fire Nation is supposed to be this all-dominating unstoppable war machine, so why isn't every random earth kingdom background character covered in burn scars?

It's amazing how many people can't see the 12 year old for the avatar. Guilting him into cooperating by showing him wounded vets? Harsh.

Also, the last time Aang tried to leapfrog his destiny he burned Katara. Yes, the war needs ending, but maybe don't skip learning the basics before you try?

Heh. Basics. I sound like Iroh.

Pretty sky. I was hoping for a continuation of the 'so pretty it hurts' background trend. I wouldn't have equated fire with electricity, but apparently Zuko jr. can make lightning? And yes, this is very obviously Zuko's sibling: unreasonable and completely out of touch with reality, although rather in the opposite direction than Zuko. The lightning you're throwing around will still kill your target whether or not your hair is pretty while you throw it.

Aang this seems like a bad idea. Even you think it's a bad idea.

The earth kingdom seems to use green lighting. It's weird.

Katara is unreasonably angry about this. The hard work being thrown away isn't really her's, it's Aang's.

Please do not give the hyperactive airbender caffeine.

They gave the hyperactive airbender caffeine. Starting to think this general's not so bright.

Shout out to Aang' voice actor for such an accurate rendition of getting sucker punched.

That's pretty good. Momo really understood the assignment.

The sacred Bellows! This just gets stupider and stupider.

Pretty.

Well in MY country, politeness is only owed to people who don't pour the power of 1000 mean girls into a single line read. I'd be quick to get to the point too if it would get her out of my house.

The ego on this girl. She drops a life-changing bombshell on Zuko, who has spent the last three weeks as vulture food, and explodes when the conversation doesn't immediately pivot to showering thanks on her for the extreme hardship of going somewhere on a royal ship? She's surpassed Zhao's whole season of assholery in barely half an episode.

Now we get the real reason Katara was so angry about "wasting their hard work" or whatever it was she said. She's frightened. I get that. Glowy floaty Aang is frightening.

Another rock and a hard place situation. People are dying everyday, Aang is 100 years late, but the Avatar state is scary, and turning a pacifist into a weapon is a bad idea. Once again the world needs a fully realised Avatar and all they have is a half trained 12 year old.

Iroh's right. It IS unbelievable. Mostly because Zuko jr. is nowhere near as subtle as she thinks she is.

Doubling down and lashing out when the truth is uncomfortable: classic Zuko. Iroh really puts up with a lot.

This is how you know it's a dream: real Zuko runs towards mysterious glowiness.

I'm not a dreamologist, so I have no clue why Aang would dream about hurting Zuko while glowy after being told that the avatar state is hard for his loved ones to watch. Seriously, why is Zuko in this dream?

"Uncle! You've changed your mind!" "Well someone's gotta save your dumb ass."

Not to imply that this general isn't INCREDIBLY stupid, but he's certainly done something right to so solidly secure the loyalty of his soldiers. That's the avatar, and also a 12 year old kid, and they don't hesitate.

It's all wibbly

Double nutshot. Boy's got heels of steel.

Apparently the horse bird things can do parkour.

Things you can get away with in cartoons but not live action: this eye colour. The only place I've seen this colour in the real world is goats.

I like how the voice acting for the helmeted fire nation soldiers sounds like it's coming from inside a metal helmet. Such a tiny detail but they put the effort in.

Nifty transition between screaming Zuko and screaming Aang.

This! Why doesn't every earthbender just to this to their enemies? Turn them into sitting ducks. You don't even need benders to finish them off, just a guy with a bat. How has the Fire nation gotten this far when their enemies can do this?

That's going to cause some trauma.

Iroh is a beast. He's taking out the whole royal guard. I also love that they're lining up to be taken out. So polite. They could teach Zuko Jr. a thing or two.

I feel like Zuko usually does better than this in fights. And really, I know little sisters are extremely talented at goading, but Zuko's really too easy to goad. His sister's not even trying that hard.

This episode's most satisfying shot. Hoping the tides take revenge for that earlier comment.

That's the lowest quality animation I've seen in this show. It bobs unmoving across the screen.

What the hell is the green lady throwing? Elaborately carved thingies?

So it's actually very dangerous to Aang to go glowy. And to the world in general. Neat. I guess an unmatchable power like that needs some sort of limiting factor.

"You're out of your mind." THANK YOU.

No, THIS is the episode's most satisfying shot. About time someone did that to him.

Katara's "I think we're all set" Is a delightfully polite 'get fucked'.

Wow she got those printed up quick.

"There will be no place left to hide" except a short run upstream.

That ends a bit suddenly.

We did not go to see Bumi. Bummer.

Final Thoughts

Quite the explosive start to the season. They really hit the ground running. Also this is very much not a show where you can skip seasons.

Katara was right about it being a bad idea to try and run before Aang can walk. You can't blame the general for wanting a quick way to end the war with few casualties (on his side at least). You can blame him for being really bad at listening. Does earthbending cause stupidity? Because I definitely remember that all non-Bumi earthbenders we've seen so far are not too bright.

We've met what I'm assuming is going to be the antagonist of the season. I don't like her. I'm aware that I'm not supposed to, what with her being the bad guy and all, but would it be too much to ask for a fun villain? This girl's just mean. When Zhao was first introduced, the episode turned into a win for Zuko. This girl's introduction just makes him even more pathetic than usual. I guess starving on a raft for weeks has negative side effects, because this CANNOT be the same Zuko who one-shotted Katara in the spirit oasis.

This does answer my question of what they're going to do with Zuko and Iroh this season. They're going to ground. Zuko's scar is pretty distinctive though. I bet that's going to cause problems.

Sokka has never suffered fools, and seeing him knock out the general is just so satisfying. Both water tribe siblings were supportive of Aang in their own ways this episode: Katara by standing up to the general and giving Aang on honest opinion on what's going on; Sokka by backing up Aang's decisions for and against the proceedings. And also literally standing up for Aang against the general's soldiers. We already knew they were ride or die, but it's good to open the season with a refresher.

Before this devolves into a discussion of the differences in required narrative elements in season openers during the bingeing/streaming era compared to old fashioned network television, let me say one more thing: poor Appa hasn't been sidelined this hard since The King of Omashu.

#atla #avatar: the last airbender #The Avatar State #avatar the last airbender

[thepublishingpress]

hullo there, human! i am named basil ^-^ basil dela cruz!

enjoy as you watch me spiral into madness in the author's notes of all my fanfics and (sometimes, but rarely) when i make art :3

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fun facts abt me!:

I have two doggos- one of them shares my online name, basil! the other is the grumpy peanut, my pfp!

i enjoy trials of mana (ive only played the remake, sadly! i want the og, but i wont buy it-)

i have almost all the pjo books

I have a habit of joining fandoms without watching/reading the book/show/movie....

i have a stuffy (plushie) named bitbit :3

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my gender? how kind!:

i'm a female <3

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nationality~:

fully filipino!

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favorite characters (bc i have taste):

game = green

movie/show = blue

book = red

Sokka ;3 (from Avatar: the Last Airbender by Nickelodeon)

Leo Valdez (from Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Mikleo (from Tales of Zestiria by Bandai Namco)

Zuko (From Avatar: the Last Airbender)

Percy Jackson (from Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan)

Sorey (From Tales of Zestiria)

Ariadne (From Ariadne by Jennifer Saint)

Telegonus (from circe by madeline miller)

Telemachus (from circe)

Circe (from circe)

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fandoms/communities i'm in:

Percy Jackson

Avatar: the Last Airbender

Tales of Zestiria

Narnia

Greek Mythology in general ig???

does art count-

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ships~:

percabeth

sormik

kataang

zukka

i dont rly ship anyone from narnia sadly (except maybe casmund)

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fic guide!:

PJO fics- (And Greek-myths in general)

dream of me (a fic focused on tv show!poseidon)

you're holding the heart of mine (focused on book!poseidon)

The Oracular Goddess (Agathe lies to be the Oracle, and faces consequences)

Ariadne's Revival (A fic on Ariadne and Dionysus. Short and sweet. Also my first post!)

A:TLA fics-

In The Midnight (fluffy zukka fic)

A Smile I Will Never See (kyoshi warrior!sokka)

A Civil Conversation (a pre-zukka fic)

A Second Chance (Pakku-centric, also includes Kanna!)

In Remembrance of You (kataang angst, takes place during tlok)

Discoveries (That I Panic About) (zukka, ft. confused hakoda (he... takes it well dw :3))

the fire burns so bright (until i cannot hide) part 1 (zukka au ft. actual spirit zuko and firebender sokka)

Dysfunctional Fam(tm)

(I thought it required its own section)-

Chapter 1 - The Start

Chapter 2 - Godly Troubles Galore!

Chapter 3 - Suspicions....

Chapter 3 - The Return of the Star

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!WARNINGS!

I WILL NOT TOLERATE ANY HATE ON THIS BLOG.

________________________________

Note:

may make changes to this post ty <3

p.s. i forgot to credit @thatcheeseycandle

#greek mythology #atla #greek gods #literature #intro post #blog intro #introductory post #introduction #zukka #sormik #kataang #percabeth

[moondal514]

10 Fandoms, 10 Characters, 10 People

Thanks for the tag @jaywalkers <3. I love your list of characters, you’ve got great taste : )

Rules: name 10 of your favourite characters from 10 different fandoms, then tag 10 people to do the same

1) Andrew Minyard from All For the Game

My blorbo of all time probably. No character has given me brainrot and writing inspiration the way he does and likely no character ever will. This post sums up his appeal perfectly

2) Lan Wangji from Mo Dao Zu Shi

My newest blorbo from my most recently joined fandom. What can I say, I’m a sucker for incredibly queer competent stoic prob neurodivergent men that are absolutely insane about one person. When I watch the MDZS donghua, I literally have to pause every time he comes on the screen just so I can stare at him a bit, so you could say I’m a bit obsessed

3) Kim Theerapanyakul from KinnPorsche

He’s this weird little guy that is simultaneously the most competent character in the show and the biggest cringe-fail loser. He looks so suave and cool on the surface with his whole Taylor Swift by day mafia prince detective by night thing but then you realize he’s actually a complete nerd with a whole ass literal murder conspiracy board hidden behind a giant selfie portrait of himself and I love him so much (also he’s played by Jeff Satur, who makes my aesthetic attraction senses go haywire, but that’s neither here nor there)

4) Kyuzo from Samurai 7

My 1st fictional crush and prob my earliest blorbo. My type in favorite fictional male character (hypercompetent stoic character that doesn’t talk much with bonus points for iconic hair) can 100% be attributed to him. His story was the earliest villain redemption arc I can remember encountering in media (this was the 1st anime I ever watched so I was like 4 or 5 when I 1st saw this guy) and so for me I always think of him when I see people talking about iconic redemption arcs (sorry Zuko)

5) Midorima Shintarou from Kuroko no Basket

At the peak of my high school sports anime phase, this guy was my favorite. He’s tall, he’s green, he’s an anime glasses character™️, he’s tsundere, he’s prissy, he’s weird af, he’s got one of the most bonkers basketball skills ever, and he’s even an astrology girlie. What’s not to love

6) Merlin from BBC Merlin

BBC Merlin is the fandom that sucked me in at a time where I thought I was growing out of fandom and fanfic (spoiler alert: I very much was not) and it’s responsible for completely changing my relationship with fandom into something much more intense than it was previously. And it’s all thanks to this funky skinny wizard man who for whatever reason captivated me enough that I read hundreds of thousands of fan-created words about him for nearly a year and a half

7) Jasnah Kholin from The Stormlight Archive

She’s one of the rare canonically asexual female characters, and she’s even from a major fantasy book series too! I fixated on this character long before I knew I was ace (though perhaps that should’ve been a clue lol), mostly because I just thought she was so cool and I found her whole “why would I want a relationship when I’m busy with all this shit to study” attitude so relatable

8) Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender

I wanted to be her so badly when I was a kid y’all have no idea. She just made such an impression on me because she’s so cool and so strong but also unapologetically and obviously feminine and that really struck a chord with young me and is prob the reason why I didn’t really have a “not like the other girls” phase cuz she was revolutionary for little me’s idea of how a “girl” can be. To this day she is the character that to me has the coolest powers ever

9) Cassandra of Troy from Greek Mythology

It’s prob weird to include her but I was a real greek mythology girlie (in that I was into it before Percy Jackson came out) and Cassandra has always my favorite. The tragedy of her story has always been very appealing to me and upsettingly relatable in a lot of ways

10) Kym Ladell from Purple Hyacinth

Ms. Kym one of those characters that’s ostensibly the comedic relief except nope she’s hiding oceans of pain under her smile. She’s got trauma and a tragic backstory that she hides from the rest of the main characters in one of the strongest “this is fine” performances you’ve ever seen

Tagging: @stabbyfoxandrew @alcego @paradoxolotl @halfpintpeach @justadreamfox @wulfrann @quensty @ittyybittybaker @seasy33 @nanatsuyu

#moonie writes #aftg #mdzs #kinnporsche #samurai 7 #knb #bbc merlin #greek mythology #purple hyacinth #cosmere #moonie posting #atla

[princecosmosanon]

Zukka Dragonriders of Pern AU fanfic idea I guess???

What year is it? Seriously, self, how much are you gonna date yourself with this garbage?

So… everyone likes transgender Zuko, right? Right. Cause that’s what’s up with this fic. Don’t know what DRoP is? That’s fine! It’s prolly best you don’t know the source material.

The main thing to take away is people can impress dragon hatchlings (similar to ducks) and then form a telepathic bond with them, then riders use said dragons to burn a parasite that eats all organic matter (Thread) out of the sky before it can, you know, kill things. I’ll try to explain anything else that’s relevant as much as I can in the notes below.

Warnings: rape/dub-con that people think very little about (this is common in DroP), attempted grooming, underage characters having sex, various types of abuse, mentions of suicide and suicidal ideation, and graphic depictions of injuries.

Like seriously, messed up stuff. You’ve been warned.

Some quick setting details: though this will have the same types of telekinetic dragons from the Pern series, we’ll still keep it within the same planet that ATLA takes place. There will not be benders, just some people of elevated status called Dragonriders who have managed to impress a dragon hatchling.

Places where dragons and their riders live are typically within old volcanoes or mountain caves that have been hallowed out to create a series of tunnels are called a dragon Weyr. Cities or villages will sometimes be referred to as Holds (short for stronghold iirc). Generally, since everyone faces the threat of Thread, people mostly focus on a more community-based style of living, taking up useful professions of trade rather than hoarding wealth, though there are often struggles for power among the ambitious.

For those more deep in Pern lore, you can basically expect the rest to kinda fall away. The dragons, rather than being bioengineered megafauna, will be gifts from the spirits or may even be considered spirits dwelling in mortal form who make connections with the people of the world to help protect them. Klah, the Pern verse’s word for a spicy, caffeinated drink, will be replaced with general tea and coffee. The Avatar world is also rich with various animal species so there won’t be the limited species available for people or dragons to eat.

Thread will be a common threat to the world, and also fall in cycles, though never with such a long interval as is in the original Pern series. Usually Thread is pulled from space into the atmosphere for a good 70 years, breaks for about 40, then returns again to repeat the cycle.

Currently, I’m thinking there need to be at least 6 major Weyrs to help cover the vastness of the world, with the North and South Pole hosted by “minor” Weyrs located in the Northern and Southern Air Lands. The Fire Nation has 2 major Weyrs, the Caldera Weyr and the Archipelago Weyr, while the Earth Kingdom has 3, for Omashu, Ba Sing Se, and Yu Dao, and the Air Nations holding only one major Weyr at the Eastern Air Lands. The reason for having minor Weyrs is that little grows in the South and North poles, so much of that land is considered “negligible” if it doesn’t host human life.

And just a little more information on the dragons: in the original canon they have a natural “hierarchy” where the highest ranking dragon is a Gold, sometimes called a Queen, dragon that are always female and have the ability to lay eggs to perpetuate the species. The other dragons fall in line after Gold as Bronze (male, second largest, and usually the only type to mate with Gold dragons), Brown (male, middling size, which have very rarely mated with Golds), Blue (male, and are generally speedy), and Green (female, are also very speedy, and while they mate often with all male types, they cannot bear eggs).

Usually male dragons impress on male humans, and female dragons impress on female humans, but that’s not a hard and fast rule in this AU because I said so. The riders get the dragons I say they get, and that’s that.

Riders tend to be ranked depending on their dragon’s color status rather than the status of their own birth, so being born noble means nothing if you don’t impress a high level dragon. The ones who hold the most status in a Weyr however are the Weyrleaders, who are riders of the Head Queen dragon and whoever rides the dragon that manages to mate with the Head Queen. This means the Weyrleader can be changed out if the dragons are competitive enough during mating flights, but older Queen dragons usually only rise to mate every several years, so it’s not too often of a process.

Due to the open, free-for-all nature of mating flights, Weyrs are generally very sex-positive places. There’s little shame in nudity or sexual expression. Some people who live outside of Weyrs tend to fall more conservative regarding sex, and think sex outside of hetero couples as deviant (their justification being the supposed inability to continue family lines). It’s not unusual for people who show more queer tendencies to seek out way to join Weyr life, whether that means running away from home or else making themselves noticeable by visiting riders who may take an interest in them as potential candidates for hatching ground sands.

I think for the purposes of this AU the dragons will keep their hierarchy, but unlike the canon the Golds will be able to join the rest of the dragons in fighting Thread, though that’s also somewhat dependent on the Weyr. For those that have multiple Golds it’s fine, but not worth the risk when there’s only one to help reproduce.

Anyway, the main story begins with Zuko (17) being found by Sokka (16) while he’s scouting some of the westernmost islands of the Eastern Air Lands. Zuko and his dragon look close to death, with Zuko obviously suffering from an infected burn wound on his face and his small “Brown” dragon nearly gray from worry and neglecting their own health. At first the other dragon refuses to let Sokka near and won’t even speak to his Blue, but with some coaxing that they only wish to help the suffering rider do they manage to convince them to help fly Zuko to help.

Sokka determines it’s too dangerous to fly between (teleportation where the dragon syncs to a location put into their mind by the rider and blinks into existence in the air over that location), so they fly straight to the Southern Air Weyr. It means they arrive super late at night, and Hakoda, Kya and Katara are waiting up for him. Good thing, because Sokka is sure Zuko won’t last much longer.

Katara goes immediately into Healer Mode, while Sokka explains to Hakoda where he found Zuko. Hakoda is troubled but decides to look into the matter later; for now, they’re more intent on saving Zuko and the distressed dragon. Katara is able to help Zuko break his fever a few hours later and Kya manages to coax the distressed dragon to eat from the pastures, then it’s just up to allowing the injured rider to rest.

Several days pass before Zuko fully wakes and at first he’s terrified. He calms only when he meets his dragon again, which he then corrects to everyone else that his little “Brown” is actually a Gold dragon. Everyone is shocked because she’s so small, but Zuko is a bit cagey about the why so they leave it alone once he makes it clear he has no desire to usurp the Head Queen’s place in their Weyr.

Zuko starts to settle into the Southern weyr’s patterns, making friends and learning their turf, but continuously dodged questions about himself. Most people leave it be, except for Toph who only cajoles half-seriously.

Despite still being a bit young, Zuko’s dragon starts to show signs of readying to mate (she’s 2 and the usual age for that is 3 to 5) and Zuko has a panic attack over it. Dragons and riders are linked mentally, so often when one experiences strong feelings the other feels it too. This also translates to mating, and the riders whose dragons couple end up having sex as well.

Zuko finally confides in Sokka, not sure who else to speak to about his fears, but Sokka has always worried over him and seemed to care and wasn’t a Father, so… he tells him. About how when he first impressed his Gold at 15, much later than weyrlings usually impress, his father hadn’t said much, but his uncle and mother had been proud and it seemed like the rest of the Weyr had been happy to finally have a potential successor for when Ursa and her Gold retired from the spot of Head Queen. A lot of riders were happy, and suddenly a lot more interested in Zuko despite his father’s reputation for being harsh towards Zuko.

Zhao, a Bronzerider, took a special interest in Zuko, and for a while Zuko thought he wanted that attention. It was nice to be surprised with gifts, have someone take interest in his day and his hobbies, and generally just be kind to him. Encourage him. Make Zuko feel like he was special just as he was. And so when Zhao started stealing kisses and touching him more, Zuko had also returned the affection, thinking little beyond it being just a natural progression of feelings.

Age differences didn’t matter quite as much in Weyrs as it did for non-riders, and Zuko had been brought up in the Weyr though he hadn’t spent much time considering how things like this might affect a growing Gold dragon. There hadn’t been another Gold dragon in the Weyr for years, so how could he have known there was something more to Zhao’s actions.

Iroh was the first to realize what was going on, and though he hadn’t been inclined to mess with Weyr politics after his own son and weyrmate passed away, he did worry about Zuko’s future and the safety of his dragon.

At first, Iroh tried to tell Zuko he was allowing too much, that if he wanted Zhao’s attention in another year or so it would be fine, but he should hold back for the dragon’s sake. He hadn’t wanted to distress Zuko by telling him he could be harming his own dragon’s growth process; Zuko was still young, still impressionable, while Zhao ought know better. But Zuko had brushed Iroh’s worries aside, insisting he didn’t think Zhao was trying to hurt him, not when he was being so nice.

(Iroh then attempted to corner Zhao on the matter, but the younger Bronzerider had just told Iroh to keep out of his business. This isn’t part of Zuko’s story to Sokka, but it’s important to note Iroh did attempt to stop Zhao, who absolutely did know what he was doing could trigger early heat in a Gold dragon well before they’re ready to mate, which could be incredibly dangerous for the dragon and thus the rider. But a rider’s preferences can sometimes affect a dragon’s mating, and Zhao was banking on his own favor in Zuko’s eyes leading the Gold to choosing his dragon when the time came to mate.)

Without any other options, Iroh went to Ozai, believing that as Weyrleader he would step in to help Zuko and reprimand Zhao for his inappropriate advances. Ozai listened quietly, then sent Iroh away to consider how he would handle things. Iroh thought the matter would be settled, but he had no clue how Ozai actually took his words.

Ozai, in fact, took Iroh’s words in a very different direction. Ursa had been showing signs of declining mood and health over the past few years, and with no other Queen dragons currently residing at Caldera Weyr Ozai believed Zuko was instigating a seizure of power. If Ursa were to die so would her dragon, and thus Zuko would take her place as a leader and whoever mated his dragon would take the mantle of Weyrleader from Ozai. Zhao, despite his narcissism, was an effective flier during Threadfall and had the respect if not the friendship of the other riders. He absolutely was a threat to Ozai, and Zuko was allowing the man a free ride into his seat of power.

Thinking back on his father’s twisted sense of reality, Zuko could now see why Ozai might have brought himself to that conclusion. Zuko never wished for his mother to decline in health. He wanted her to stay strong for as long as she could, he wanted her to survive into her winter years!

But Ozai isn’t the kind of man to be reasoned with after he’s made up his mind. No matter how much Zuko protested and pleaded his case, Ozai would not hear of it. He had cornered Zuko in his own Weyr, and when he was over Zuko’s excuses, he grabbed his son’s by his hair and pressed his face into the burning hearth. Zuko’s little Gold woke up from feeling her rider’s pain and struggled into the room, attacking Ozai to save Zuko. If she hadn’t managed to intervene it’s likely Ozai would have outright killed Zuko, new Queen dragon’s own life be damned.

Zuko doesn’t remember much after, but he managed to grab onto his Gold and they went between. It was a dangerous choice; in this much pain it’s easy to lose your train of thought, but Zuko managed to hold onto a place of safety, of Ember Island. But even when they managed to get there, neither he nor his dragon felt they could stay. Ozai could still follow them, so they kept flying, despite not knowing where they were going.

Somehow they managed to make it to the island Sokka found them on, and that was that.

Sokka pleads with Zuko to talk to Hakoda about it, the Weyrleader can do something to help! But Zuko is too terrified. Instead, he settles for speaking with Kya. She’s just as horrified as Sokka at the story, but she understands Zuko’s fears can’t be addressed just yet. First it’s time to deal with a too young Gold going into heat.

Kya sends Zuko and Sokka to rest while she speaks with Hakoda about the details of Zuko’s upcoming mating flight, which could be any day now. It’s decided that since Zuko and his Gold are young, they should limit who participate in the flight, which is… controversial, to say the least. His Gold is also very small, so Kya and Hakoda declare no Bronze are allowed, and while there’s some outspoken who try to argue against it, the Weyrleaders are firm in their decision.

Zuko is both relieved and upset that his previous decisions put such a limit on his dragon but she just consoles him, not understanding why he’s so upset. She’s a little more moody and feral the next day, and Zuko doesn’t have much time to mentally prepare for what comes next.

Since Golds are fairly territorial over mates during flights, Kya has to leave the Weyr for a while and she instructs all the Bronzeriders to follow her, ensuring Zuko’s and his Gold’s safety. Katara’s Gold is still young without mating urges, so she remains in the Weyr as well as Hakoda, the only Bronzerider staying behind to make sure the flight continues safely. (Hakoda’s Bronze isn’t a threat to Zuko’s Gold, he has very little interest in the “Hatchling Queen” as he sees her.)

There’s still a lot of Brown dragons and their riders to vie for the position, but Sokka’s even surprised when his own Blue dragon insists on flying along to try to catch Zuko’s Gold. And of course, in the end, Sokka’s Blue manages, because Zuko’s Gold is so very small; she’s a lot more agile, nimbler than any Gold a Brown dragon has attempted to mate before. And she’s friends with Sokka’s Blue, enjoys playing with him in the sea and the nearby lake, hunting together, cuddling…

Zuko can’t help but feel immense relief that his first time is with someone just as young and fumbling as he is. And it’s someone he can meet at the same level, and not feel like he’s constantly playing catch up or being humored for being naïve. And besides all that, Sokka is so very warm.

And that would probably be the first half of the story, with the second stretching into more fallout. Hakoda eventually pushing the issue, insistent he has to know what happened to Zuko to make things right. A confrontation with Ozai at a Hatching, where all the Weyrleaders are expected to meet and show respect to one another. Iroh and some other characters, like Mai, searching for Zuko. Ursa and Azula attempting to figure out what actually happened to make Zuko run away…

All the while Zuko and Sokka are fumbling their way through attempting to understand where they stand with each other and how much more they want, even as Zuko struggles to better care for his stunted Gold.

This would be a lot of fun to write, but boy would I have to figure out some names to call these dragons because lol there’s A Lot and it gets complicated just referring to their color.

Sokka has a Blue dragon because I’ve always loved Blues. They’re so shit on in canon for being the “lowest ranking” male dragon, but they play such a vital part in fighting thread, just as Greens do. I considered giving Zuko a Green to give Ozai a reason to look down on him, but then I didn’t have a reason for him to outright attack Zuko, so I felt Gold had more impact. And besides, Ozai doesn’t believe Zuko is worth much, so seeing him impress the highest rank of dragon feels so justified.

I know I didn’t mention them by name, but other characters like Suki, Ty Lee, Bato, etc. will all be in the story as well. I haven’t hammered out the details to in-betweens of the Main Plot, but I imagine there will be a lot of chaos with younger riders and dragons working out their place in their Weyr.

If anyone has any particular thoughts on this AU I would totally welcome them.

#zukka #fanfic ideas #dragonriders of pern #DroP AU #please mind the tags

[peony-pearl]

Desperate Measures - chapter 1

Thankfully the fog had stuck around for a few more hours.

The dense, moist air hung through the winding valleys; it had been a lifesaver for the trio and their animal companions as they bided their time on a nearby cliff ledge.

"Do you think it's safe to go back out?" Katara asked, trying to peer through the fog. It had been just over an hour since they'd outrun Zuko on his ship out in the nearby sea. Sokka held back near the mountain's face, away from the ledge. He'd started to count their money to pass the time until Aang returned from scanning the perimeter to make sure they were in the clear to travel again.

"We'll need to leave soon anyway; we're almost out of food. Problem is our funds are tighter than I thought."

Katara winced. "How tight?"

Sokka mulled over the best response. "Tighter than Gran-Gran's patience when she tripped over my boots four times in a week."

"Oh," Katara grimaced. "That bad, huh?"

"We could get a couple of things, but it wouldn't be enough to go around even for a day. We have to figure something out."

Sighing, Katara looked back out as the fog began to dissipate bit by bit.

"I wonder what's taking Aang so long," she said as she walked towards Appa, petting his fur as he snoozed.

"He's probably just keeping an extra eye out for Zuko," Sokka said. "Don't worry; he'll be fine."

She didn't stop worrying. Katara kept her eyes towards the bright blue sky. The sunlight was dimmed behind the massive, cotton-like clouds wafting in the atmosphere above the mountains they hid within. Twisting trees that sprouted from the rocky surfaces rustled in the cool winds that whistled through the valleys, and soon the scenery became clearer, just as Katara spotted two figures soaring through the air.

"There he is!" She jumped, waving to Aang as he descended towards them with Momo at his side. "Aang, I was so worried! What happened?"

Aang smiled, dimples punctuating a sense of excitement that confused Katara.

"You're not gonna believe this!" He said, and before Katara could ask, Aang presented a handful of torn greens to her.

Sokka stared from his hunched position as he recounted the money in the hopes that maybe the fifteenth time would present him with a new result. "Wow. Grass clippings. Riveting."

"No, Sokka, it's Monks Cowl!"

Katara leaned forward to look at the strange plant. Aang presented her with one and she investigated it. Much to it's name, the sprout tapered up to a flared shape, and a small bulb rested inside of the hollow, making it look like someone wearing a hood.

"Monks Cowl, I've heard of this," Katara said. "It's really rare."

"Well; not really rare; us Airbenders are usually the only ones that can access it." Aang said. "It's usually only found high up in the atmosphere; for whatever reason it thrives in mountains," Aang said, twisting the bottom of the plant to pull on a stem from inside. He pulled on the stem, and the bulb within the hollow popped out with it, coated in a sticky sap from within the herb. "We used to gather these all the time!" Aang said as he chomped on the bulb.

Katara smiled, and she followed suit, pulling on the stem of her plant and giving it a taste; but just as the sap hit her tongue she instinctively flinched from the stinging, sour sensation, trying to hide it from Aang. She bristled, but still bit the bulb, only to taste something even more bitter. She did her best to control the tears of disgust welling in her eyes.

"Good huh?" Aang beamed. From behind Katara, Sokka clamored forward.

"So it's food, huh?"

Katara used this distraction to spit the rest of the bulb discretely into the valley. She winced as she watched Sokka excitedly chomp down on the entire plant.

The retching sound he made echoed through the mountain, causing an eruption of frightened flocks of birds.

"You LIKE this?!" Sokka squealed. "It's like chewing on sweaty socks!"

Aang shrugged. "It's an acquired taste. I've been eating this since I can remember. It's a good reason as to why Airbenders live so long, it's one of the best herbs you can find."

Sokka felt like a bolt of lightning hit him.

"Wait... so it's rare? And it's like, some kind of medicinal herb?"

"Yeah," Katara said. "It's in one of Gran-Gran's old books. It's been thought to be extinct because no one's been able to find it since there haven't been any Air..."

Katara's face went warm out of horror as she looked at Aang, whose face darkened, but he tried to hide it.

Sokka, however, continued. "Well, remember that village we were at a few days ago? There was an apothecary! I'll bet we can gather more of this and sell it!"

Aang smiled. "That's a great idea, Sokka!"

"Here," Sokka said, handing Aang his bag. "Gather as much as you can; and if you find any other plants, please, please make sure they're edible before you pick them."

Aang grinned as he opened his glider, preparing for takeoff; but before he left, he scrunched his face in a teasing manner towards Sokka, wiggling a smarmy little dance. "I'm sorry my palate is more refined than yours."

Sokka kicked Aang's rump, launching him into the air. "Take your 'refined palate' and get going!"

                     _____________________________________

Leaning against the wall of the ship deck, Zuko scowled out towards the expanse of the sea now that it was visible as the fog had lifted.

The Avatar had slipped through his hands again.

Rubbing his hands across his head, Zuko felt the rough bristles of hair beginning to grow anew across his scalp. It was almost time for another shave.

To say that he hated this was both right and wrong.

To say that he loathed this was an understatement.

There was no singular word for the disdain of his predicament. No word for how much he hated staring at the empty, massive sea.

To a vast, open expanse of nothing.

It mirrored the way his chest felt every day.

"Prince Zuko?"

Zuko turned to find his uncle, hating how he was always able to sneak up on him. For such a portly man walking upon metal, Iroh had a specialty of maintaining superb stealth.

"Yes? What is it?" Zuko snapped. Iroh walked closer, joining his nephew at his side.

"You should rest."

"Rest after what?! That failure?!" Zuko shouted. "We have nothing to rest for. I have nothing to rest for!"

Iroh watched calmly as Zuko stormed away, but only to the other side of the deck. His hands were clenched; Iroh could see the heat that emanated from them as it warped the air around them.

"Zuko," Iroh said, a hint of sharpness to his tone. "Even the smallest stream weathers the toughest stone over time. You must take advantage of moments like this and recuperate, both for your body and mind. What is it worth to go on exhausted? What will you gain?"

Zuko turned, his mouth curled in a snarl.

"Ah," Iroh said softly. "Your honor."

Watching morosely as Zuko faced the sea once more, Iroh reached out to touch Zuko's shoulder, yet he knew better. His hand curled into a fist, but one made out of reluctance as he forced himself to refrain from trying to console the boy. It would only make his anger worse.

Zuko soon realized he couldn't hear the fluttering of Iroh's robes any longer.

His chest, puffed out of anger and determination, soon curled forward as he expelled a gruff sigh. He crossed his arms; his hands soon reaching deeper to clutch his ribs.

He held himself.

He wanted to go home.

But he couldn't.

Instead, he kept watch. He stuffed the hollow, suffocating feelings he'd been harboring down, down, deep to where they couldn't be reached, and he called back upon his fire to fill his chest again, turning him back into Prince Zuko.

He scoured the skies with a telescope, taking breaks only to practice his fighting forms. There was no rest to be had when home was on the line.

The sun made it's arc through the sky; from high and golden at the top of the world, down towards the sea, where it became a glowing, orange disc that melted into the ocean waves. Zuko watched, noting that the other half of the sky was now becoming decorated with stars.

His eyelids were heavy. Soon there wasn't going to be any visibility to find the Avatar. He rubbed his face, angry at the limitations of his body. The scar on his left eye was a continuous, daily, permanent reminder of just that, his limitations. A reminder of his weakness.

Zuko shook his head, trying to whisk away the intrusive memories. Trying to forget the moment that sent heat scorching through his veins as he remembered his eye becoming overpowered with the light and searing pain of his father's fire. He remembered the blood and sticky burnt tissue; but the worst of the pain was in the blistered skin that still had working nerve endings; how the still-living flesh tugged and pulled and boiled.

How he could barely talk for a week because of his screams.

How he lost countless nights of sleep because of the constant agony until he passed out from exhaustion on multiple occasions, crying as he tried to push his uncle away while collapsing into his arms as Iroh gently shushed him to sleep, stroking Zuko's freshly shorn head in an effort to soothe him in his delirium.

 'The smallest stream weathers the toughest stone in time.'

Zuko huffed, knowing Iroh was right, even though it caused him to glower. He decided it was time to head inside, towards the kitchen to see if he could put scrap together some kind of meal.

However-

A clang caused him to turn and forget anything about heading inside.

In the dying twilight, Zuko noticed a hook on the edge of the deck.

Then another.

Then another.

Soon, there were voices to accompany the hooks; laughter and howls echoing against the metal of the ship.

Pirates were encroaching on their vessel.

#just gonna put this here lmao #atla #atla fanfiction #Aang #Zuko #Katara #Sokka #Iroh #my writing

[itspronouncedjulia]

How’s it going @itspronouncedjulia ?

Just had a thought that you might be interested in. It’s an ATLA/HOD idea.

When Ozai confronts his father and declares that he is a better heir than Iroh, Azulon demanded that Ozai kill Zuko in recompense in canon. In this idea, Azulon still demands that Ozai still kill one of children. However, instead of it being Zuko, Azulon orders that Ozai’s clear favorite (his namesake), his daughter Azula be killed instead.

Now Azula (who I think was eight or seven years old at the time) was eavesdropping on this conversation, and she was undoubtedly scared and angered. The one parent she thought would always be on her side, turned on her in a snap of the Fire lords fingers.

Azula did not trust Ursa to protect her and there was no one else she could turn to. So Azula ran as fast as she could. She made it to the edge of the Palace until guards began to close around her. While Ozai began to approach her, apologize about the circumstance. Azula understood and accepted her fate, her father would not sacrifice his ambition for her well being. These were the ideals he tried to raise her by after all.

Except something happened. See, the Spirit of Sun and War Agni pitied the girl. He had blessed with rare Fire bending abilities and talents. With the potential to become one of the greatest practitioners in all of history. He did not do so lightly, as he saw she would need it in order to cope with families lack of… well everything.

So Agni, rather than letting a youth of such potential die a most painful death. Opened a portal over her, and bring her through it. Sending Azula to a different world.

Azula landed in the world of Planetos. Specifically, on the island of Dragonstone. Landing in the arms of the lady of the island. Rhaenyra Targaryen. For her part, Rhaenyra was wondering how/why a small presumably “Yi-Tish” child, that looked near death, while having blue flames appear from her hands, just landed in her arms out of no where. Of course, Rhaenyra took her to the Maester first.

———

This is basically my long winded way to ask, what if Rhaenyra Targaryen raised Azula? How would the presence of the worlds most powerful Fire bender (I am of the view that Azula eventually surpassed by Iroh and Ozai in the comics) effect the dance of dragons?

How would being raised by a mother that cares and actually shows it (Rhaenyra) affect Azula? Does Azula become a dragon rider?

Does Azula eventually return to the world of Avatar? Possibly with a dragon in tow. She has to meet her future wife (Katara) somehow, no?

What do you think of the idea/promt/what have you?

Thanks for the ask @745voiceofthepeople! So I have actually seen one story where Azula gets isekai’d into the Dance of the Dragons but she was on the Greens side and paired with Aegon II so I didn’t get far into that story lol

But I absolutely love this idea. I would love to see what Azula, raised by a doting mother, and away from Ozai and the rest of the Royal Family, would turn out like. I think a lot would stay the same but a lot would be different as well.

I do think she would be a dragon rider simply because I always like the idea of Azula having a dragon lol Although which dragon she claims, I'm unsure. Maybe an egg hatches for her and she gets her own dragon? Not one of the unclaimed ones.

Overall it's a great idea and something I would definately like to explore doing in the future! Even if it's not a full story of the Dance but just writing her getting spoiled and doted on by Rhaenyra would be fun.

Thanks for the ask and the idea @745voiceofthepeople!

[lightningbenders]

Ok y'all so where are the polyam Zuko/Sokka/Suki fics where Zuko and Suki are both dating Sokka but not each other??

#this is a rare occasion where i ship a polyship in a V rather than a triangle lol #what on gods green earth is the ship name for them #zuko x sokka x suki #hot leaf juice

[the-hot-zone]

Too Old To Play With Toys: The Sad Truth Behind Sokka's Boomerang

This is Sokka’s boomerang: 

[ID: a screenshot of Sokka’s boomerang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. It has just been thrown, and it whips through the air in a rapid, whirling motion. End ID.]

And as we all know, it always comes back. This characteristic makes Sokka’s boomerang a returning boomerang, rather than a hunting boomerang. This is an important distinction to make, and it’s where the heart of this headcanon lays. Let me explain. 

Accuracy: What’s the Difference Between Hunting and Throwing Boomerangs?

There are three types of boomerangs: the hunting boomerang, the returning boomerang, and the cross boomerang. We’re only going to be discussing hunting and throwing boomerangs, but feel free to learn about cross boomerangs and their construction--they’re really cool. As a general note: the following sources and information pertain to Aboriginal Australian cultures. Boomerangs were used elsewhere, but mainly as throwing sticks, not returning boomerangs.

So, hunting boomerangs, also known as throwing sticks or kylies, have this basic shape:

[ID: a black silhouette of a hunting boomerang. It is shaped like a skinny tear drop, with a slight curve along its form, and it widens asymmetrically at its ends. End ID.]

[ID: an overhead shot of three hunting boomerangs. They are carved from glossy, light-brown wood. End ID.]

Artist: Aboriginal Elder, Joe Skeen Snr. Buy here.

The hunting boomerang is straighter, larger, longer, and deadlier than the returning boomerang. “With it,” states the Britannica, “animals were maimed and killed, while in warfare it caused serious injuries and death.” This is due to its shape, which allows it to travel in a relatively straight line. With its capability for distance and force, the hunting boomerang is a very powerful tool. 

According to Boomerang: Behind an Australian Icon by Philip Jones, a hunting boomerang can travel around 100 meters. If the boomerang is heavy enough, and the throw forceful enough, large prey, like kangaroos, can be killed. If you want to see a hunting boomerang in action, watch sections of this Youtube video. The range and accuracy of this tool are amazing. 

The returning boomerang, which was used in eastern and western parts of Australia, is very different:

[ID: a black silhouette of a returning boomerang. It has two arms that widen towards the middle and connect, forming an angled shape, like a triangle with two sides. End ID.]

[ID: a painted returning boomerang. The base is formed from a smooth, light-colored wood. Designs are painted at the end of its wings, in the middle of its wings, and towards its center. At the center is a stylized turtle. End ID.]

Artist: unknown, but sold by Aboriginal-owned business Murra Wolka. Website here. 

As you can see, the returning boomerang is shorter, smaller, and angled sharply. The shape of it allows it to trace an elliptical path, thus returning to the thrower. But this property is not without its drawbacks:

“A hunting boomerang needs to fly well and nearly straight to strike prey some 200 metres away. The trouble is that the best-flying boomerangs tend to return, rarely departing beyond fifty metres from the thrower. With the returning form ‘there is no certainty of hitting the mark. It may come back too quickly and may hit your own friends standing near you.’ While recognising that the best-flying boomerangs do return, Aborigines defined a technological problem. They needed to strike a compromise between flying ability and hunting requirements...” (Australian Museum).

Now, the returning boomerang could still be used to hunt, but not to kill or maim prey. Its application was craftier:

“When hunting ducks, for example, nets were set up at either ends of a creek or river. A boomerang was then thrown out over the ducks which gave them a scare so that they took off up the river and flew directly into the nets. From there they were collected. At other times during the hunting of birds the returning boomerang was thrown horizontally along the ground into a flock, and, as they took off the boomerang would follow them into the air. This may or may not kill the bird and a harder way to hunt” (murruppi.com).

Still, this wasn’t the main application of the returning boomerang. In actuality, it was used as a toy:

“The returning boomerang was not primarily designed for hunting as it is too light and wouldn't guarantee a kill. Rather, it was designed as a toy for young aboriginal boys. The toy would allow a youngster to practice throwing skills but still make it fun” (murrippi.com). 

So, Sokka’s boomerang? A plaything.

Let’s Bring It Back to ATLA: What Does This Mean?

With the above information, Sokka’s use of his boomerang in canon becomes almost tragic. His boomerang was probably given to him by Hakoda when he was very young. He used it to learn how to throw; one day, when he was older, he would have carved his own throwing stick, and used it to hunt alongside his dad and the other adults of his tribe. 

Instead, Sokka’s boomerang is another aspect of his childhood that was twisted by the war. His boomerang is--should have been--nothing more than a toy. He shouldn’t have had to use it to fend off Zuko, attack Azula, and defeat Combustion Man. Regardless, it did become a tool he used to help defeat the Fire Nation, and that’s pretty fitting when it comes to ATLA’s ideas of childhood and war: Sokka spent years acting as his tribe’s protector; Katara spent longer acting as a mother. Thus, his use of his boomerang throughout the show displays how Sokka was forced into a war-torn world at an incredibly, unfairly young age. As a result, he was forced to adapt in ways that took from him. 

And we’ve all seen Sokka’s boomerang in action. Here’s a video of his greatest hits--literally. His accuracy is insane, and he catches his boomerang every time. He’s more than ready to have a hunting boomerang, yet we see him use his returning boomerang throughout the show, and long after he earns his ice dodging mark. Tbh? I think that Sokka didn’t want to carve a hunting boomerang without his dad guiding his hands. 

So, you might be wondering, what happens post-war? 

Eventually, I think Sokka retires his returning boomerang and carves his own hunting boomerang, but the shape of it is particular: 

“Some scientists argue that a throwing-stick, commonly used by indigenous hunters around the world, is the precursor of the boomerang... Through trial-and-error the boomerang was refined to a point where the most desirable size, proportions and curvature were established. This refinement brought one serious problem: any improvement in flying resulted in a tendency to return. There is little doubt that indigenous hunters brought this experiment to its ultimate conclusion, by producing the perfect returning boomerang” (Australian Museum).

In short, making a good hunting boomerang is hard. Lots of trial and error, and still, hunting boomerangs come in a wide array of shapes. Thus, I headcanon that Sokka carves his hunting boomerang differently, as compared to the other members of his tribe--it’s more curved. This would show that although he's grown up and is in a post-war world, he's changed in some ways that can't be completely undone. 

In other words, Sokka eventually moves on, but the way he throws and uses his boomerang is going to be a little different.

Conclusion

TL;DR: Sokka’s boomerang is a plaything, and this has sad implications. But also? He never should have had one in the first place. Firstly, boomerangs were traditionally made from green hardwood, which I don’t believe can be found in the South Pole. I on god can’t find any authentic sources for bone or metal boomerangs. To be more accurate and still keep with the trend of throwing weapons, I would’ve given Sokka a nuqaq and darts or a bola.

Also, as far as I can tell, Sokka’s boomerang is the only aspect of Aboriginal Australian culture Bryke used in ATLA (I can’t get a confirmation on Hakoda’s name). This is cherry-picking to the max, and it perpetuates the harmful ideas of pan-indigeneity wrt one large, singular culture. 

So, if you enjoyed this, please consider supporting aboriginal artists and charities. You can buy aboriginal art from murrippi.com and Murra Wolka. This article here provides a list of charities as well as active GoFundMe’s for families affected by police brutality against Aboriginal Australians. Thank you.

Sources

“Hunting Boomerang - Extreme Range - The Aboriginal Karli” by Throwsticks Channel

“Boomerang Information“ by Murruppi, Djirrbal/Ngadjonji Tribe 

“Boomerang” by the Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors for the Encyclopaedia Britannica

“It Comes Back ... What a Nuisance!“ by Stan Florek for Australian Museum 

Boomerang: Behind an Australian Icon by Philip Jones from Wikipedia 

Murra Wolka 

Gonna tag @atlaculture��​​ because I think this is of your interest. <3

#atla #avatar the last airbender #sokka #atla meta #atla headcanons #atla hc #YES this is angsty shhhhhhh #am I doing meta right?

[asciendo]

Your Eyes Tell

You break up with Zuko when Ozai threatens his life if you continue with your relationship. But when you find out Ozai sends an assassin to kill him when he leaves to join team Avatar, you leave the Fire Nation to save him despite knowing how much you hurt him. 

It's been two months since you broke up with Zuko and now he's gone.

You heard from your father that Zuko switched sides and joined the Avatar. You tried to hide your concern at the dinner table as your father broke the news to your family. Your mother gave you a worried look as she always had suspicions about your relationship with the Prince.

"Ozai is furious. I don't think he's going to give Zuko another chance after this." Your father stated as you continued to fiddle with your hands. "That's his son. I don't think...do you think he'd go that far?" Your mother questioned. "I don't know...you saw what he did to Zuko after he questioned him..." Your father sighed. You tried to remain calm but you felt like your heart was beating out of your chest.

Your father was a high ranking general and was a close confidant of Ozai. Although, lately you could tell he's been questioning Ozai's methods after seeing the destruction and death he's been laying upon the other nations. Your father was loyal to the Fire Nation would do anything to protect its people, but you'd overhear him and your mother talking about how he was worried about Ozai's methods.

"He's sending an assassin after Zuko." Your gaze shot up, "WHAT?!" You blurted out. "A-are you sure?" Your mother asked and your dad nodded. "He's sending the combustion mad." You froze. He was known to be one of the most ruthless assassins in the Fire Nation. He was known to master a rare style of fire bending that allows him to trigger explosions from a tattoo on his forehead. "I'm not feeling well...can I go to my room?" You asked and your father nodded leaving your mother with a concerned look in her eyes as you left.

As soon as you entered your room you fell to the floor and cried. You hated this. You hated yourself for breaking up with Zuko but you had no choice.

It was two months ago and you were walking around the palace. Thanks to your father's close relationship with the Fire Lord, you spent your whole life within the palace walls. You grew up with Azula and Zuko and your families were close as well. It wasn't until Zuko returned from his banishment that the both of you began your relationship but decided to keep it a secret as he still had a lot to prove to his father. Zuko wanted to prove he was focused and determined and if Ozai found out he was seeing you, Zuko would be right back where he started before leaving to capture the Avatar.

Unfortunately, your fears came true and Ozai discovered your secret relationship. You were on your way home after sneaking into Zuko's room and as you made your way to the throne room until you heard voices. You recognized one to be Ozai's and the other Azula's.

"Your brother appears to be distracted these days." Ozai's voice boomed throughout the room. " Well it's because he's with his little girlfriend most of the time." Azula replied

"Girlfriend?!" Ozai fires back and you gulp. "Yes, your favorite general's daughter." There was a hint of disgust in Azula's voice which made your blood boil. Despite being "friends" with Azula, it was obvious she looked down on you along with Mai and Tai Lee.

"First, Zuko questions me, now he's frolicking with that girl instead of focusing on his duties as Fire Prince." Ozai growls and you heard his footsteps walk back and forth as he paced around his throne. "He has to be taught a lesson that boy."

"I couldn't agree more, father." You could almost see the smirk on Azula's face at the tone of her voice. "I wonder...does Zuko really need his other eye?" Your heart dropped. His father was about to punish Zuko again...because of you. Your memory shot back to the moment Ozai burned Zuko's face in their Agni Kai. You remember burying your face in your hands while trying to shut out Zuko's screams. .

"Bring him here." Ozai commanded. You don't know what came over you, but you found yourself running into the throne room.

Azula and Ozai both stared at you and Azula chuckled. "Don't hurt him." You were surprised at your own voice coming out. "And why shouldn't I? He's being careless and has to be taught a lesson."

"I'll end it." Your voice shook as you were being stared down by the two of them. "Would that even do anything?" Azula rolled her eyes as she lazily observed her fingers.

"It will. You'll see...it was my idea to start a relationship. Not his. If you're going to punish someone...punish me." Azula raised an eyebrow at your suggestion and looked towards Ozai who began to think.

"Not necessary." Ozai stated and Azula frowned. "Your father is an important ally of mine, wouldn't want to upset him."

The room fell silent as the three of you stared at one another. "I suppose...if you end your relationship with my son...that will do for now." Your shoulders dropped in relief.

"But, I don't care if you're together or not, if he upsets me in any way again I won't hold back." Ozai turned his back and left the room. Azula smirked at you and followed him out.

You were lying in bed that night and couldn't sleep. Your mind was racing with thoughts of Zuko and how you were going to end it. You heard the window open and the sound of familiar footsteps making its way to your bed.

Before Zuko could slip in next to you, you immediately turned away from him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he chuckled but you refused to answer.

"I don't need you anymore." You spat out and he stammered back. "What do you mean you don't need me anymore?!"

You buried your head in your covers, trying not to look at him. "I mean, I don't need you anymore, Zuko. I'm done."

"Done?! W-what do you mean done—did something happen?" you heard his footsteps come over to your side of the bed and you huffed.

He lifted the covers over your face and you had no choice but to look at him.

Zuko's eyes were a mixture of sadness and confusion and you chocked out a sob. He slowly brought his hands to your face, but you swatted it. Knowing exactly what to say to get him to leave, to leave you for good. "I can't be with a coward." Zuko stumbled back after this. You knew about his never-ending torment about betraying Iroh out of fear of his father. How he barely slept every night thinking about his uncle sitting in his cell, about how he was scared to do the right thing because he would lose his honor in his family again. "W-what?" Zuko was farther from you now, sad eyes staring into your like daggers. You were fighting the urge to break right there, tell him everything you knew about his father's warning, but you had to protect him. "You left Iroh to rot in a cell. You can't even stand up against your father and you're a disgrace to the Fire Nation. What kind of future is that?" You said coldly, biting your tongue to fight back the tears that were fighting to come out. "

"Do you really mean it?" His voice broke and you were dying to apologize to him, to tell him you thought he was so much more than what he thought of himself, that he was one of the few genuinely good people here, but you had to do this to protect him.

"Yes. I hate you, Zuko...I didn't realize it till now but...I'm embarrassed of you. Being with you...makes me hate myself too." You stated, face blank. Zuko's face dropped. You've never seen him like this, so empty, like he lost all the hope he had in the world. You wanted to reach out to him, you did...but he was gone before you could.

You'd see him in State events but never spoke, and the one time he had to greet you out of courtesy it was like he was talking to a stranger.

Now, here you are somewhere in the forest, looking for him. You heard from one of the guards who was loyal to you that combustion man was able to track Team Avatar near the mountains next to the refugee camps. He told you that he got his scent and was close by.

You heard voices and crouched by the bush. You saw a figure by the river and crawled closer to see who it was. It was a girl, probably your age dressed in blue who was doing laundry. This must be the water bender you thought. Mai and Ty Lee would tell you stories about their time chasing the Avatar and reuniting with Zuko.

Deciding to confront her and ask where Zuko was you began to walk towards her. Her shoulders tensed at the sound of footsteps behind. The girl whipped her head around and her eyes grew wide. Before you could speak, she was shooting water in your direction. "HEY!" You dodged, but she kept going. Grunting in frustration, you began shooting fire back at her.

You were fighting for a while now until suddenly, a boomerang was flying next to your head which caused you to duck.

There was a boy in blue running towards you with a smaller girl in green running next to him.

The girl stomped her foot on the ground and rocks in the shape of bars began to form around you but you were able to roll out of the way. The water bender was about to attack once more but then you heard your name being called behind you.

"Y/N?" You froze and your heart dropped. You haven't heard Zuko's voice in so long and you swore you almost crumbled right there. Slowly, you turned around and faced him for the first time in months. "W-what are you doing here?" he asked, and you couldn't answer. The Avatar arrived and the whole group was staring at you.

You couldn't speak. You didn't know what to say to him and time just stopped. Your eyes never left Zuko and he was staring right back at you.

"Who is she?!" The water bender asked as you and Zuko continued to look at each other.

"Y/N." Was all Zuko said which caused everyone to look at one another in confusion except the guy with the boomerang. "Oh...is she the one you were telling me about?" Zuko blushed in embarrassment but walked towards you.

"I'm sorry, I'm lost...who is she?" The Avatar asked.

"Zuko's ex-girlfriend." Boomerang guy attempted to whisper but failed as everyone heard him. The water bender stared at you curiously while the earth bender huffed and stuck up her nose.

"What are you doing here, Y/N?" Zuko was in front of you now and your heartbeat was rising. You missed him. All you wanted was to kiss him right then and there, but you knew whatever you two had was over. Before you could reply, you saw a figure suddenly appear behind Zuko. The rest of the team was too busy waiting what would happen that they didn't notice combustion man's arrival.

Combustion man's eyes turned red and he smirked, the eye in the middle of his head started to glow and you knew he was about to attack.

"LOOK OUT!" You shouted and shoved Zuko to the side before Combustion man could strike.

The rest of the group were on the floor from the explosion except the Avatar who was on a tree.

"WHO IS THAT?!" Boomerang guy yelled above the explosion.

Looking down, you realized you fell on top of Zuko. Your eyes met his and you noticed his expression change to somewhat of realization. He looked like he was putting the pieces of a puzzle together while looking at you and he was frozen. Combustion Man tried to attack Zuko again but you pulled him away.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?!" Boomerang guy yelled once more. Spotting the boomerang attached to his waist, you created a plan.

"AVATAR!" You yelled and he looked down at you from the tree. "Distract him!" He looked at you with confusion. You realized they didn't trust you yet, still being in your Fire Nation clothes, they still weren't sure what side you were on. "Come on! Do it!" You yelled and he nodded.

"BOOMERANG GUY!" You shouted once more and he looked at you in fear. "When the Avatar has him distracted, throw your boomerang at the eye on his forehead, it will block his chi."

"Why should I listen to you?! You were just attacking my sister!" he yelled back. "GOSH SOKKA JUST DO IT! THIS IS NOT THE TIME!" The earth bender yelled and Sokka jumped back in shock. "ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT!"

The Avatar shot an air ball at Combustion Man which caused him to stumble. While he was caught off guard, Sokka threw his boomerang hitting him directly on the eye.

Combustion Man grunted in pain but suddenly lost control and shot an explosion to the nearby mountain. Suddenly the rocks began to shake and immediately rolled down the mountain and crushed him.

The whole group sighed but Zuko was still looking at you. Suddenly, you felt rock squeeze around your wrists. Looking down, your wrists were bound in handcuffs made of rocks.

"Seriously?! I just saved your lives!" You yelled but the group continued to stare at you. "Yeah, but you were attacking Katara when we got here." The earth bender stated.

"SHE ATTACKED ME FIRST!" But they weren't having it. You looked at Zuko and his expression changed. He looked deep in thought as he stared back at you.

"Come on...just let me go and I'll be out of here." You whispered still looking at him. "We still don't know why you're here. You could be a spy." You rolled your eyes at the small girl.

"If I as a spy I would have let you all be killed by Combustion Man." You stated.

"That makes sense..." Katara nodded slowly but earth bender was still not having it.

"Still. It's risky to let you go, you're coming with us." She announced and began to walk away. Sokka grabbed your elbow and began to lead you behind her.

Zuko wasn't moving for a moment, watching the scene unfold like it was a movie. "Zuko...are you coming?" The Avatar asked. Zuko nodded slowly began to follow.

The earth bender, who you learned was called Toph made you a makeshift cell in their campsite. Rolling your eyes as you watched them enter their tents to go to bed, you sunk down and sat on the ground.

You started to drift off to sleep until you heard the door of your cell open. Slowly opening your eyes, you look up to see Zuko.

Your lips part in surprise as you slowly stand up to stare at him.

"What do you want?" You finally gained the courage to speak to him.

The Zuko in front of you is a different one than the one you left. The broken Zuko. The Zuko you hurt. Now, all you see are his golden eyes pouring into yours, mixed with anger and determination.

"Why are you here?" he asked, his tone was serious.

"Your friends put me in here! I don't wanna stay in this dumb cell—"

"No. Why are you here?!" He almost yelled at you, but he kept his voice low enough so he wouldn't wake the others.

"I don't know what you mean—"

"Bull Shit." Zuko interrupted but moved closer to you. "I don't know what you want me to say—"

"Do you still hate me?" His question caught you off guard. Unlike last time, there was no sadness in his voice, now, it felt like he was challenging you.

"Zuko—"

"Did you come here to protect me? I know you knew about Combustion Man." You looked away, refusing to meet his eyes. You didn't know why you were being so difficult. It wasn't like Ozai or Azula were here. But you felt immense guilt for what you said to him, you didn't deserve him.

"When you broke up with me...there was something else right? You were just saying all of those things to protect me?!" Zuko was angry. He had every right to be, for you to just show up here, and not even telling him the real reason why you came.

"I'm not stupid, alright? I know combustion man is an assassin under my father! I know he was here to kill me...and after everything, you show up out of nowhere...I know you were here for me!" He was yelling now but you refused to budge.

"You made me think all this time you hated me! I thought the person I loved the most in this world hated me! For months I couldn't get you out of my head and it was torture seeing you around the palace looking like you didn't care! And you won't even tell me the real reason why you're here?" You looked at him in shock but still refused to speak and he shouted in frustration.

"Y/N...tell me right now why you're here—"

"Yes. I still hate you." Was all you said. You didn't though. You loved him. You were so proud of him for finally standing up to his father and carving his own destiny, but you didn't want to cause him anymore pain. You wanted him to continue being the man he was meant to be...even without you. You felt like you would bring him down, that you didn't deserve Zuko. You wanted to leave, to finally leave him, for good.

"No you don't." His voice was hard and his eyes didn't leave yours. "Zuko, what do you want from me?" You asked and he sighed.

"Do you really hate me?" He asked once more but he took a step closer to you and you backed away.

"YES! God, Zuko I don't know how many times I have to tell you! I hate—"

Before you could finish, Zuko's lips were on yours. Your eyes widened in surprise but as soon as his arms snaked around your waist, you melted around him.

You missed this. The feeling of his lips on yours. His touch. The way he clung to you like his life depended on it.

"No you don't." Was all he said when he pulled away. You were out of breath, and you looked up at him. The hard expression he had was replaced with tender eyes and you felt tears forming.

"H-how'd you know?" Your voice cracked as Zuko began to gently wipe the tears on your face.

"Your eyes tell." Was all he said and before you could speak, his lips were on yours again.

#avatar #last bender #avatar the last bender #atla #zuko #prince zuko #zuko x reader #zuko drabble #zuko x you #fluff #angst #katara #aang #sokka #toph #momo #ozai #azula #ty lee #mai #nickelodeon #drabble #prince zuko x you #prince zuko x reader

[ofherlionheart]

zukka + falling asleep with their head in the others lap 😊

omg @kyoshialone also was interested in this one (among others 👀) … have some outside POV!!

----------

She can literally see the jjigae getting cold, the steam that rises from the shimmering red broth growing weaker and weaker, and when her stomach rumbles again, that’s it.

Azula slams her chair back and shoots to her feet, frightening the attendant who’s stationed at the door. “Keep it warm,” she tells him and then stalks off to fetch her brother.

The thing about Zuko is that he’ll work himself into the ground, forgetting very basic needs like eating and sleeping and bathing unless someone tells him to take care of them, and if he keels over and dies at his desk one random night, Azula will not be pleased. She’d become Fire Lord—again—and that would probably screw up her plans for self-rehabilitation, or whatever. She’d also have significantly less time to work on the tapestry she just started for the gallery.

When she throws open the door to the council room, Li Bai is startled into knocking over a mug of tea, which has Kimiko and Chenda cursing as they hurriedly lift scrolls and papers out of harm’s way. “Where is he?” Azula asks, watching the tea spread dangerously close to a map of Crescent Island before Li Bai snatches it up.

“Where’s who?” Li Bai asks.

“Zuko’s at dinner,” Kimiko answers.

Azula rolls her eyes. For being so smart, Kimiko’s sometimes incredibly stupid. “He clearly is not, if I’m here and asking you where he is.”

Kimiko’s brow furrows; then her green eyes brighten. “Oh! He said he was going to his rooms after our last meeting. Maybe he got caught up there.”

Azula turns on her heel and heads to the royal family’s wing of the palace.

When she reaches his door, the young guard is there, as well as the one with gray streaks in her hair that Sarnai’s always talking to. “Let me in,” Azula says without slowing her stride.

“He isn’t—” the woman starts to say, but neither of them has tried to bar her entry, so Azula’s already pushed inside.

The door between the antechamber and bedroom is closed; Azula pauses for a moment and hears nothing. He’s probably dozing, because Zuko doesn’t go to sleep at a normal hour, either, even though their inborn connection to the sun forces them to rise at dawn. She slides open the door, a reprimanding speech on the tip of her tongue, when she steps inside and immediately makes eye contact with Zuko.

His eyes are wide, begging her to something, but she doesn’t care what he wants when the sight before her is so … interesting.

Zuzu’s sitting on top of the blankets on his bed, back propped against a paltry pair of cushions, and Sokka is with him, sprawled gracelessly on his stomach with his cheek pressed into Zuko’s thigh and an arm slung around Zuko’s knee as he sleeps. There’s a mess of scrolls and papers scattered about them, and Azula doesn’t know why they were doing work in bed when Zuko has a perfectly functional desk right there, but Agni and every other spirit know that Zuko’s always been weird.

“I’m sorry,” Zuko says quietly. “I know I agreed to dinner, but— he just fell asleep. He’s been having nightmares all week.”

Azula walks into the room and sits at the end of the bed. Sokka’s breathing evenly, his face relaxed in a way that she’s never seen while he’s awake. Then again, she rarely sees people relaxed; she knows she has a presence that puts people on edge. She revels in it. She watches Sokka’s thumb twitch against Zuko’s knee cap and how Zuko immediately looks down at him, a crinkle to his brow.

Even the most absentminded fool would catch on to the way that Zuko looks at Sokka. It’s constant, and Azula doesn’t get it. Yes, only an idiot wouldn’t keep an eye out for Sokka—he’s clever and creative, which means there’s less time to anticipate what he’ll do—but Zuko’s being weird about it. Sarnai agrees with her. Amit and Jae refuse to comment, but Azula can tell they sense the strangeness.

“I’m sorry,” Zuko says again. “I’d move if I could.”

Azula tilts her head. “You are too thick to be running a nation.”

Her brother blinks. “What?”

“We can move the food here, Zuzu.”

His golden eyes flare. “Oh.”

And ten minutes later, when Sokka rouses with a mumbled “Soondubu?” as Zuko and Azula eat dinner on Zuko’s bed, Azula hides her smirk when Sokka finally notices her and flails out of Zuko’s lap and off the bed. “Sokka?” Zuko asks, lowering his bowl.

Sokka’s head pokes over the edge of the bed. The folds of Zuko’s pants have left creases on his cheek. “‘M okay,” he says.

Azula arches an eyebrow at him, and he glares halfheartedly at her as he slithers back onto the bed and starts picking at Zuko’s food.

#ask game #writing #mine #like the sun inside of you #babes im too tired to ramble in the tags but i had sm fun with this!! ty ty ty 😘

[zuko-always-lies]

So, question, because I see people saying it often that Iroh has the right to feel animosity towards Azula because she made fun of/derided Lu Ten's death (or something like that), but does she actually do that in that scene? Or does she express disdain for Iroh's reaction, which considering the culture could easily be interpreted as Iroh being the one to make light of it? (Pretty sure there's at least one instance in _Romance of the Three Kingdoms_ where one character absolutely annihilates an opposing force because his brother/father/friend dies, if we want a real-world example of the mentality. Or, like, all of _The Hagakure_.)

Does Azula call Lu Ten a coward for dying? Or does she say that Iroh is for not "getting justice" or revenge for his son's death? For not finishing the task and abandoning the cause Lu Ten died for?

Because one of these means Iroh's dislike could be justified (nevermind the fact that he wasn't present for this conversation, so if he knew about it, he would have only heard about it from Zuko). But the other is an angry/disappointed/disgusted child calling an adult out.

Good question! I think I should start by talking about what Zuko and Azula actually say about Iroh.

"The Western Air Temple"(featuring 13 year old Zuko!):

Iroh: (Iroh looks on, concerned) Prince Zuko, it's only been a week since your banishment. (Cut to a far back view shot of the 2) You should take some time to heal and rest. Zuko: (turns around and raises his voice) What else would I expect to hear from the laziest man in the Fire Nation? (Cut to a close up of Iroh's slightly appalled face as he looks down and sighs) The only way (Cut back to a frontal shot of uncle and nephew) to regain my honor is to find the Avatar. So I will.

"The Headband":

Zuko: (standing at the bars) You brought this on yourself, you know. We could have returned together. You could have been a hero! (Iroh turns a shade further away from Zuko.) You have no right to judge me Uncle. I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me. (Iroh is silent.) You're not gonna say anything? (Enraged, he kicks a stool and bends a blast of fire at the wall.) Argh! You're a crazy old man! You're crazy, and if you weren't in jail, you'd be sleeping in a gutter!

Zuko says some pretty negative things about Iroh, right to Iroh's face!

Now, what negative things does 14 year old Azula say about Iroh? Surprisingly little, even though she clearly doesn't like him. She implicitly calls him a traitor a couple times(during times when he is, in fact, a traitor by all reasonable definitions), but never really explicitly does so. Beyond that, there's very little. This is the only thing I can think of:

Azula: So...I hear you've been to visit your Uncle Fatso in the prison tower. Zuko: (standing, incensed) That guard told you.

Which is actually way less harsh than what Zuko says about Iroh! If anything, Azula's behavior in the present suggests that she only rarely criticized, much less mocked Iroh's behavior to his face when she was younger.

Now let's turn to the meat of your question, "Zuko Alone." There are two scenes in that episode where Azula criticizes Iroh. The first comes before Lu Ten's death:

Ursa: "And for Azula, a new friend. She wears the latest fashion for Earth Kingdom girls." (As Ursa speaks, Azula picks up a doll wearing Earth Kingdom green. The Princess makes a face of disgust.) Azula: If Uncle doesn't make it back from war, then dad would be next in line to be Fire Lord, wouldn't he? (In the background, Zuko runs around practicing with his new dagger.) Ursa: (disappointed) Azula, we don't speak that way. It would be awful if Uncle Iroh didn't return. And besides, Fire Lord Azulon is a picture of health. Zuko: How would you like it if cousin Lu Ten wanted dad to die? Azula: I still think our dad would make a much better Fire Lord than (looking at the doll with disdain) his royal tea loving kookiness. (She holds out the doll and makes its head burst into flame. The screen flashes white and the flashback ends.

There are several things which seem to be driving Azula's actions here. The first is a reaction to the massive favoritism Iroh just showed toward Zuko. The second is a belief, no doubt inspired by Ozai's poisonous statements about his brother, that Ozai, who Azula idolizes, would make a better Firelord than Iroh. Finally, Azula is a confused child who is asking inappropriate questions because she's too young to understand proper boundaries. Nothing she says here is actually that serious, and I would expect a responsible adult(i.e. not Ursa) to either shrug it off, or to carefully reason with Azula in order to explain why what she is saying is problematic.

Now we turn to the other main scene, the one right after Lu Ten's death, and the one you probably actually wanted me to talk about:

Azula: (getting up and walking over to him) By the way, Uncle's coming home. Zuko: Does that mean we won the war? Azula: No. It mean's Uncle's a quitter and a loser. Zuko: What are you talking about? Uncle's not a quitter. Azula: Oh yes, he is. He found out his son died and he just fell apart. (leaning against a nearby pillar) A real general would stay and burn Ba Sing Se to the ground, not lose the battle and come home crying. Zuko: (angry) How do you know what he should do? (looking down, sadly) He's probably just sad his only kid is gone... forever.

You might note that, again, Azula doesn't say anything negative about Lu Ten. You've already noted that Iroh is thousands of miles away at the moment, so having him be "justified" in his hatred of Azula by a conversation he didn't hear doesn't make sense.

Azula is also very angry in this scene, quite possibly the angriest we ever see her at any point. That does suggest that she's taking what's happened, either Lu Ten's death or the abandonment of the siege, very personally. I don't know enough to comment specifically on this, but you are right in that there might be cultural background which specifically proscribes the achievement of vengeance as being of particular importance, and Azula is thus outraged that Iroh failed to fulfill his duty to his son.

But that not at the core of Azula's critique here. What Azula is attacking Iroh for is that he responded to a personal loss by abandoning his duty in the heat of battle, and she is 100% right on this, not only by the standards of Fire Nation cultural but also by the standards of modern western culture. Fun fact: Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and Robert E. Lee(screw the latter two, but that's another story) all suffered the loss of children they dearly loved in the middle of the American Civil War, yet none of them abandoned their duty. Archibald Roosevelt(another problematic figure) had two brothers die in WWII, yet he continued fighting on the front line. John W. Geary literally had his son die in his arms in the middle of battle, yet he continued commanding his unit well enough to prevail. Hell, we can even turn to Joseph Stalin here, to some extent.

Again, the core of what Azula says here is absolutely correct. Iroh is a "quitter" because he responded to Lu Ten's death by falling apart and abandoning the siege when it seemed on the brink of success, rather than continue the operation until victory. I don't think we need to go further than that to establish that Azula is entirely justified calling Iroh out here. And again, she doesn't criticize or mock Lu Ten at all, instead only attacking Iroh's reaction to Lu Ten's death.

#Azula #Iroh #Ultranos #ask #anti-iroh #Zuko #Zuko Alone #Ursa

[pencilscratchins]

YOU HAVE A MINI STORY FOR AZULA AND HER WIFE????? MS REBECCA I AM NOT ASKING I AM BEGGING

YOU ARE ENABLERS ALL OF YOU THIS IS A NOVEL UNDER THIS CUT

- SO SCENE SET a few years after canon, in their mid twenties (post sokka & azula solo) sokka and zuko are newly engaged, katara just decided to run for chief when hakoda steps down-- everyones pretty set in their lives.

-- azula’s doing pretty good- she’s grown a lot and learned some coping mechanisms and she’s gotten to a pretty good place with most of the group. especially toph and sokka-- but she’s starting to feel out of place in the palace.

--- like her whole life she was raised to be the fire lord, and now-- not only is she not the fire lord, she doesn’t really think being a part of the government's healthy for her at all. but she cant do that to zuko, whos done so much for her, who is she abandon him

- they all take a summer off and spend a few weeks in toph’s family’s country home bc rich people always just have house places smh (well, aang mentions he and zuko technically always on the job and zukos like “speak for yourself, hotman, iroh’s covering my gig, i’m lee from the tea shop rn”)

- the beifong’s house is in the middle of this smaller village on the coast, where there’s a farmers market every morning of local vendors, which sokkas psyched about.

-- nobody wants to go with sokka bc shopping with sokka means getting up at 7am and spending a full hour at each booth, but azula gets roped into tagging along when sokka is like “none of you are STRONG enough to wake up early and get going huh?” and her pride cant let that hang

-- rookie mistake.

- so she goes and spots nasim’s booth almost immediately and realizes in that moment: she’s not just a lesbian in theory. It is in fact, in practice. she is very gay.

- NASIM is a local greens farmer, whos family runs a pretty good sized farm on the outskirts of the village. her uncle is the bad boy of the family, who split off from lettuce to travel with his cabbage business. (this is completely added when i saw the cabbage merchant responses on the other post and laughed so hard SKSK)

-- nasim has always been a very level headed, calm sort of person. not shy, but careful with her words and very considerate. she’s one of those good men in the storm, so to speak; she’s the person who will level out every solution to a problem with immense patience. but with that, she’s not great at making decisions for herself, and is in NO MEANS a risk taker. 

- sokka notices azula flustered immediately and is like “well as your almost brother i need to tell you how to flirt with her” and shes like “excuse you i know how to flirt” and goes up and just… bombs it. like we’re talking “you’re outfits really sharp” pt 2

-- “these are incredible lettuces. were i an enemy leader, i would burn your fields down as to ensure the opposing forces could not gain their nutrition!” “.... well lettuce burns more calories to eat than it gives but… uh thanks,”

--- sokkas like i may be above my head here, i recognize that.

- he brings it up to zuko who, in a rare display of pure big brother energy, immediately tells the group who all decided they HAVE to make this happen. toph, because she thinks it ripe with hilarious opportunity; katara because she thinks a relationship might chill azula out a little; suki because she has nothing better to do; and aang because he just loves love :,)

- obviously, they are all inept idiots who can only date members of their immediate friend group, so they do not help. aang goes along with her and nasim is like “are you the avatar?” and he’s like “why yes! yes i am!!” and shes like “you have to leave immediately, my uncle warned me about you.” “that tracks, that does track”

- azula is kinda freaking out bc through all this misplaced attempts, she is spending time with and getting to know nasim and genuinely likes her- to the point where she could see herself starting a life in the village which is DISGUSTING and very unazula like!

-- like nasim and her keep running into each other, even outside of the groups intervention and they like... get along? nasims one of the first people who knows who she was and doesnt care; and nasim has never met anyone with so much passion and fire.

- azula & katara have a talk where katara’s like look. you were pretty fucked up and you did fucked up things, but those don’t have to define you for the rest of your life. if i have found a way to forgive you, you have to forgive yourself. And if forgiving yourself means moving away from the capital and marrying a woman-- do it.

-- azulas like why are you being nice to me and shes like well “my brothers marrying your brother so that makes us…” “nothing to each other” “oh thank tui and lu”

- anywayy this is already far too long BUT YOU GET THE GIST they fall in love and she moves to the village and run the farm together and my god, ive made yet another farm lesbian god DAMMIT

#ALL ROADS LEAD TO FARM LESBIANS #thank you for hearing me out through this lesbian fit im having IM SORRY SKSK #redemption azula #not art #long response #long post #under the cut #read more #head canon #i just really want azula to find herself and like terrorize a small town with her intense community engagement

[under-sedationnn]

zuko x non-bender! reader: captured and enamored pt. 4: altercation

Word Count: 3093

Warning: there are mentions of blood, slight violence and emotional manipulation!! if you feel as though that may trigger you in any way then scroll away, i completely understand. it is also important for me to note that the reader within this story is using feminine pronouns since that is what was requested :) thanks and enjoy!

PART 1

PART 2

PART 3

tag list: @marvelous-revengers @rqseycheeks

if you would like to be added to the tag list: comment, send me an ask, or send me a message :)

Since my argument with Zuko, our interactions with one another have gone back to what they originally were. Cold, distant, reserved. Done only for the need of survival. Iroh has always disliked the tension, but he seemed to be able to sense a change in feelings towards one another. We now had sentiments, heavy ones.

Admittedly, however, I was enjoying watching Zuko struggle to survive underneath the conditions of a normal citizen living off of the earth. It was like watching a fish out of water; he squirmed, writhed, gasped for breath. I laughed.

Weeks out from Azula’s betrayal, we sported longer hair, dirtier faces, and dark green robes. The semi-fluorescent blue hues of my original clothes had been destroyed by months of hassle and dirt and grime. We now blended in with the farmers and poor, disguising Zuko and Iroh from the Fire Nation as expertly as we could.

As Iroh and I sat in a small, dirt clearing, Zuko emerged from thick bushes that lined the area. He huffed, frustrated.

“I didn't find anything to eat! I can't live like this! I wasn't meant to be a fugitive.” He raised his fists to the sky, and shook them comically. “This is impossible!”

“Not impossible,” I began, shifting my weight onto one of my legs, “you just don’t know how to survive without servants, is all.”

He was about to reply when his focus was shifted to Iroh, squatting down next to a small plant with a singular white flower.

“Uncle, what are you doing?”

Following his gaze, I found Iroh staring intently at the flower, mesmerized and obviously in deep thought.

His voice full of wonder, he said, “You're looking at the rare white dragon bush. Its leaves make a tea so delicious, it's heartbreaking. That, or it's the white jade, which is poisonous.”

Impatiently, Zuko said, “We need food, not tea. I'm going fishing.”

“You sure you can manage?” I called behind me.

Turning around, he answered, “I need you to stay here with Uncle; see that he doesn’t do something stupid.”

“You mean you don’t need me to supervise you, too?”

Without another word, Zuko stalked into the woods in hopes of finding us breakfast.

-----

I didn’t immediately realize Zuko’s return, his footsteps bringing my attention away from the white jasmine flower and to his feet behind Iroh and I.

“Zuko,” Iroh started, “remember that plant I thought might be tea?”

“You didn’t…” Zuko said, disbelief in his tone.

“I did,” Iroh said, turning around, “and it wasn’t.”

Zuko shrieked and fell back, dropping the branch he used to catch his fish.

Excitedly, Iroh called out, “At least I was not alone in my endeavors!”

I could feel Zuko’s eyes on my back, a smug look playing across his features. I am never going to live this down.

Shifting slowly, the dirt underneath me dusting my pant legs, I looked at him. He sat tall, proud, in the pale sun of the morning. The shame of the singular fish he managed to catch was washed away by the pure naivety I not only possessed, but so spectacularly exhibited when he left me with Iroh. If only I hadn’t been so smug about my survival skills.

With a small chuckle, he stood from his spot on the ground and looked into my flushed and swollen face.

“Well Y/n, how are you feeling?”

With a sigh, “Not too well, Zuko, thank you for asking!”

Cutting our conversation short, Iroh intervened. “When the rash spreads to our throats, we will stop breathing.”

Shocked, Zuko and I shot him a look of intense worry. Sensing our discomfort, he tried, “But look what I found! These are bacui berries, known to cure the poison of the white jade.” Small pause. “That, or maka'ole berries that cause blindness.”

Snatching the berries from Iroh’s grip, Zuko yelled, “We're not taking any more chances with these plants! We need to get help.”

“Okay, where?” I asked, taking back by his sudden concern, “We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere.”

“Well there has to be someone around here who can help! I’m not letting either of you die.”

Iroh bent down to vigorously scratch his legs, making my own rashes flare up. “We're enemies of the Earth Kingdom and fugitives from the Fire Nation.”

“If the Earth Kingdom discovers us, they’ll have us killed.” Zuko added, resting his chin between his thumb and forefinger in deep thought.

“Yet, if the Fire Nation finds us,” I started, scratching the top of my arm and neck furiously, “we’ll have Azula to deal with, and she wants me dead.”

With a shared look between the two of them, they decided that daring the Earth kingdom was our best bet at staying alive. Though the journey was not far, my legs began to swell, making it difficult for me to walk very far at all. Although I wanted to, I didn’t fight when Zuko offered to carry me.

“Zuko, really, you don’t have to,” I tried, but he persevered.

“Y/n, hop on my back, now,” he said, squatting down and bracing himself for the weight, “we can’t have you collapsing, and we’re not leaving you behind.”

With a small huff, I climbed onto his back and held onto him by gripping his chest, my legs wrapped around his thin waist. “Comfortable?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you,” I responded, and we journeyed forward. I made note of the small smile that formed on Iroh’s face, and allowed myself to mirror his actions. Despite his antics, Zuko truly was… sweet. He could be a jerk, but whatever was underneath was kind and gentle and simply troubled. This thought and the rhythmic beat of his heart nearly coaxed me into a sleep, the warmth of his back seeping through his cloak and onto my chest. However, the feeling of his hands holding onto my thighs began to sting slightly, and I eventually asked to be put down.

“Are you sure? I can always hold you in a different way,” he paused to think, “like bridal style!” Realizing the implications of what he said, he blushed slightly and began to stutter. “Well, I mean, not like bridal style because we’re not getting married or anything, at least not anytime soon- I mean, I won’t ever marry you, which isn’t to say that you won’t get married because- I mean, well, you’re really pretty, wait- no, your face isn’t like terrible so you’ll find someone who-”

Cutting himself off, he turned and began walking once again without another word, the tips of his ears blushing a dark red. Iroh only snickered at this display, and I began walking side by side with him, the two of us behind Zuko. “You know, my nephew, you could always carry me instead! I'm sure I would make an excellent example of a blushing bride.”

I chuckled, my face donning its own shade of scarlett. Zuko replied, “Pass.”

Eventually, our journey brought us to a small clinic within the Earth Kingdom. I sat beside Zuko, watching as a young healer smeared cream onto Iroh’s worsening rashes. Although my own were not as bad as his, the inside of my throat began to tighten and the rashes burned instead of itched.

Zuko’s smirk caught my eye, making me turn my head to face him. “And what are you looking at?”

He only chuckled slightly, “You, and your very swollen face.”

I huffed in response, “How was I supposed to know it was poison?”

“Well, I thought you knew so much about living it rough in the woods that, you know, I figured I better not question your judgement.” His sarcastic tone would have usually sent me into somewhat of a frenzy, especially since we had been at each other’s throats constantly for the past few weeks. This time, however, I couldn’t help but think about how worried he was about the two of us.

“Either way, thank you for leading Iroh and I here, and for quite literally carrying me.”

Smiling softly, he shifted his gaze toward his feet. “No big deal, I didn’t mind.”

I mirrored his actions, looking down at my hands, picking carelessly at my cuticles.

“Miss, you’re up next!” The healer who had just finished another patient’s cupping treatment called me over, patting the table with her hand. I plopped myself down on the table and she smiled sweetly, beginning to examine the rashes on my face and arms.

“Where does it itch?” she asked.

“Um… everywhere. My throat is sore, too.”

I heard Zuko chuckle at my response, and I sent him a playful glare.

The other healer piped in, “You three must not be from around here. We know better than to touch the White Jade, much less make it into tea and drink it.”

She flicked away Iroh’s hand as he tried to scratch his worsening rashes. “Whoops!”

My healer turned from the others slightly, redirecting the conversation. “If the rash is all over, I will need you to remove your top and bottoms.”

I shot a look at Zuko, who returned the same wide eyed expression. Realizing, I whipped my head back to the healer and tried to regain my composure. “Okay, um, is there a divider that we could use? For privacy?”

Understanding my concern, she responded, “Oh, of course! One moment!” She rushed from the room, and the conversation returned to normal.

“So where are you traveling from?” Iroh’s healer asked, and the tension in the air heightened.

“Yes, we’re travelers,” Zuko repeated, completely avoiding the question.

“Do you have names?” she asked, pressing further.

I could see Zuko beginning to panic slightly, sweat forming on his temples, “Names? Of course we have names. I'm, uh ... Lee and this is my Uncle, uh ... Mushi?”

Iroh shot Zuko and irritated glare at the name choice. “Yes, my nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior.” He smiled mischievously at Zuko.

I clapped my hand over my mouth in order to keep from laughing. Zuko moved his thumb across his throat, signalling that he would kill Iroh. So dramatic.

“And your name?” she asked, turning to face me.

“Her name is uh…” he paused, looking around the room until he found something that could suffice as a name, “Silk!” I followed his gaze, landing on an abandoned robe that lay across the back of a small chair.

As she turned to place the cap onto the jar with ointment in it, I gave Zuko an incredulous look. “Silk?” I mouthed, to which he raised his arms in a shrug.

“Mushi, Junior and Silk, huh. My name is Song. You three look like you could use a good meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?”

“Sorry, we need to be moving on,” said Zuko, suddenly serious.

“That’s too bad, my mom always makes too much roast duck,” she said, giving Zuko a sweet smile, “and your friend here isn’t even patched up, yet.”

"Yeah, Junior," I teased, "what's the rush?"

Just then, her mother returned with the divider and set it up in front of my bed. Removing my shirt with the healer’s help, I heard Iroh ask, “Where do you live exactly?”

I guess we’re staying for roast duck.

Later, we all sat around a small table as Song’s mother presented us with a large platter of roast duck. “So, my daughter tells me you’re refugees? We were once refugees, ourselves.”

“When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village.” Song started, “All the men were taken away. That was the last time I saw my father.”

“I haven’t seen my father in many years,” Zuko responded. He didn’t meet her eyes, gazing intently at his bowl. Iroh watched the scene from his seat, slurping a bowl of noodles.

“Oh, is he fighting in the war?”

His eyes softened. “Yeah.”

Realizing he didn’t want to speak on the matter any longer, Song shifted her attention to me. “Silk, has your experience with the Fire Nation been just as troubling?”

I made quick eye contact with Zuko and Iroh, wringing my hands nervously underneath the table. “Uh… yeah, kind of.”

With expectant eyes, she urged me to go on. “Not very long ago, a large fleet of Fire Nation soldiers raided my village and burned it down. I was able to escape with friends, but I had to leave my family and home behind.”

I thought of the men, women and children who were left burned and bloody in the streets, the scared infants screaming in terror, and the smell of smoke that lingered on my hair for weeks. I reeked of horror.

"It was... disgusting. A disgusting display of power. The Fire Nation must be growing more insecure with each passing day."

“And these two,” she motioned to Iroh and Zuko, who looked as though they were hanging on my every word, ready to pounce, “are these the friends you speak of?”

Huffing shortly, I fixed my gaze on Song and replied, “Not entirely, but as we said earlier, we are all refugees. I…  met them along the way.”

I quickly returned to my meal, not wanting to push my luck with Zuko and Iroh. Are they my friends? Can I really trust them? It was hard to tell. They act as though they care about me, but they still tote me around like luggage half of the time.

Excusing myself from the table, I stood up and walked outside. “I just need some fresh air.”

“I’ll join you,” said Zuko, and he walked to the opening in the wall. Placing a hand on my back, he shifted me forward slightly in order to make room for the door to slide shut.

Lowering myself to the top step, I took a seat directly next to Zuko. We hadn’t sat this close in weeks, and today is the first day since our argument that we have really talked. Although, I was worried that my comments inside might have worsened the situation. His expression was sour as he looked out past the open gate into the dark.

Lamplight from inside the small house filtered in through the panes of the walls, casting soft shadows across his features. It diminished the sharp lines of his cheekbones, his jaw; but his eyes remained hard, fixed. Fireflies raced around the yard, flickering in and out of existence against the dark backdrop.

"I wanted to be alone."

"Well, that's not what you're getting."

"It doesn't seem like any of my concerns are taken into consideration."

No response. Nothing other than the croaks of mature frogs and the sound of wind across wind chimes answered me. I continued the conversation.

“Zuko, what am I to you?”

Looking down past his nose, he answered honestly, “I don’t know, Y/n.”

He let the answer hang in the air for a few moments. “What am I to you?”

With a small, humorless chuckle, I said, “I don’t know.”

“Well, at least we can agree on one thing.”

Giggling genuinely this time, I knocked my shoulder against his and gave him a small smile.

“There’s just… a lot of luggage for me to unpack. With you and Iroh, honestly.”

“I know,” he said, “and I’m sorry that it has to be that way.”

Taking his hand in my own, I brought his knuckles to my cheek, “It doesn’t. It doesn’t have to be that way.”

“How so?”

Taking a deep breath, and steeling myself for defensiveness, I answered, “You could change it, the Fire Nation’s reputation. You can change what they stand for.”

“But in order to do that, I have to restore my honor. I have to capture the Avatar-”

“That’s the problem!” Raising my voice, grabbing his attention, “You’re looking for someone else to ‘restore your honor’ when in actuality, you still have it! You have to fight for yourself, Zuko.”

“That’s exactly what I’m doing! Why do you think I took you, huh?”

He was in my face at this point, his eyes sharp and his tone accusing, hurt. I could feel his breath on my nose.

“I know why you took me, I want to know why I’m still here.” His eyes softened, and my voice dropped. “Since you know I won’t ever give my friends away to you, why do you keep me here? Why are you dragging me along to no prevail?”

“Because-” he began, “because you’re-”

“Because why?”

“You’re changing me!” he whispered, “You’ve opened my eyes. So many people have been hurt and killed with no remorse because of us, because of me.”

“And yet, what, you still want to become like your father? Obviously I’m not doing too much good, staying around.”

His eyes narrowed once more, and he winced at my tone, shifting away from me.

“Thank you for the duck, it was excellent,” Iroh said, and the door slid open once more. He, Song and her mother filed out onto the small porch, flooding the area with warm light.

“You’re welcome. It brings me much joy to see someone eat my cooking with such… gusto.”

Iroh happily patted his stomach. “Much practice.”

Without another word, Zuko turned to leave, making his way down the front steps.

“Junior, where are your manners? You need to thank these nice people,”Iroh scolded.

He turned and bowed. “Thank you.”

I did the same. “Thank you, it was delicious. I’m sorry I had to excuse myself early, memories are hard to cope with.”

Stepping closer to me, Song placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know it seems like there is not any hope left in the world, but there is hope. The Avatar has returned.”

“We know,” Zuko responded bitterly from behind me.

Zuko led Iroh and I away from the porch, but stopped when he saw an ostrich horse tied to a post. Walking to it, he quietly unfashioned it and mounted the animal.

“Zuko, what the hell are you doing?” I asked.

“These people just showed you a great kindness,” Iroh reasoned, but Zuko did not listen, nor did he care.

“They’re about to show us a little more kindness,” he motioned for us to mount the animal with him, his expression resentful and impatient, “Well?”

Reluctantly, Iroh and I mounted the animal and we set course. Riding, I broke the awkward, tense silence.

"Zuko, I want to go home."

"Too bad," he responded, voice cold and detached, "I burned it all down."

TO BE CONTINUED

#atla imagine #atla fanfic #atla #zuko imagine #zuko x reader #zuko x you #zuko fanfic #avatar zuko #zuko #prince zuko

[cyotes]

[id: sokka and zuko stand in front of a white background. sokka is on the left, zuko on the right. sokka is facing the camera, wearing a light blue shirt, black jeans and blue sneakers with white laces. his hair is pulled back into a wolf tail with a blue tie. he has his eyes closed and has his mouth open in a grin. he has his arms crossed over his chest, with three turtleducks resting inside them. they are light yellow with green shells. a gray and white owlcat sits on his right shoulder. zuko is angled slightly toward sokka. he is wearing a black shirt, dark blue jeans and brown boots. his right eye is brown and his left eyes is covered by a red scar that also covers his ear and neck. he is smiling. he has his arms outstretched, holding onto a white polar bear dog. the dog has its front paws on his chest, its eyes are closed and its tongue is sticking out. on zuko’s left shoulder is a light blue bird, and in his short dark hair is another turtleduck. a spotted cream and yellow python cat stretches behind both of their legs. the ground beneath them fades from green beneath sokka, to yellow beneath zuko. the title is broken up with ‘forever’ beside sokka in green and ‘home’ beside zuko in yellow. beside ‘home’ is a yellow fan-shaped ginkgo leaf. END id]

forever home

"Oh, sorry! I thought you might have heard me. You're Lee, right?" he asked. "I'm Sokka. I'm head of adoptions here and I'll be conducting your..."

Something in his brain disconnected from his mouth, all thoughts and any subsequent words drying up on his tongue.

Lee had finally turned his head, glancing over his shoulder and giving Sokka a good look at his right side. His eye narrowed slightly in what Sokka could only guess was irritation for surprising him. He was so distracted by its lovely brown depths, shadowed by dark fringe and a sunless sky, that he couldn't really bring himself to feel guilty. There was a messy fluffiness to his hair that activated an innate desire Sokka only ever felt around the fluffiest of newborn kittens and, on occasion, Aang, even though he didn't have any hair to ruffle. Of course, he had never (not) ruffled Aang's hair or snuggled a kitten and wondered if their shampoo smelled of cinnamon or fire lilies.

"... interview," he finally managed, some kind of very basic, life-preserving instinct flipping a switch in his brain. "Um, right. Would you like to sit out here, or do you want to go inside? It'll only take a few minutes."

Lee's lips parted, but he didn't immediately give an answer. His nervousness was obvious, but it was nothing new in their business. Most applicants were terrified of the interview, of giving the wrong answer and possibly being denied. That rarely happened, if Sokka was being honest, because there were no wrong answers (technically), but it was important that he avoided swaying anyone's answers one way or the other, so he usually let his charm and charisma do the work of easing their fears.

Usually.

- @zukkabigbang - 3 chapters, ~35k - T, modern au - written by @bluespiriting - illustrated by @terracyte - beta’d by @beignetbenny

#atla #zukka #zukkabigbang #shiloh writes