#I know Katara went with Zuko but what I mean is ultimately the choice came down to her and no one could decide for her | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

firelxdykatara · 3 years

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Re: your excellent recent metas on stanning Mako and semi-comparing/contrasting him with Katara, do you think Mako should have ever gotten his own TSR-style arc of seeking revenge on his parents’ killer? It’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since re-entering the ATLA/LOK fandom last year. Just, UGH, the wasted potential to use such an arc to really dig into Mako’s psyche and all the hardship he’s endured, and also make said hardship more front-and-center to his audience of antis who unfairly reduce him to a standoffish, philandering asshole. I understand not wanting to re-do TSR in LOK, but Mako deserved SOMETHING of that calibur for a character arc. What are your thoughts?

Oooooh this is a really good question, and it's something I hadn't really thought of before--which, I think, is part of the issue with LoK as a whole. If you'll forgive a bit of a tangent--in atla, we are constantly reminded about the losses that Sokka and Katara have suffered--not in any kind of heavy-handed way (no matter how much the Katara haters will whine about her mentioning their mother, even though they usually won't say boo about Sokka despite him mentioning their father at least as often)--because the narrative makes it very clear that it's something on their minds through everything else that happens. It shapes who they are, and informs a lot of the decisions they make. You can see this with Zuko, too, and the abuse he suffered from his father--even before it is revealed in The Storm, you know that something happened, and that maybe it's not such a great thing that he is desperate to 'regain' his honor and return home. And even Aang, though he only rarely is shown to actually grapple with it on screen, is a constant reminder to the world, as well as to the audience, of the consequences of the war, simply by virtue of being an airbender and the last living remnant of the Air Nomads.

By contrast, LoK doesn't do much with the traumas any of the main cast suffered, particularly not anything that happened prior to the start of the series. Mako has a deeply emotional conversation early on in the show about what happened to his parents, and what he witnessed as a small child, but nothing is ever made of this information. It provides a bit of context, and it allows fans like me who are dissatisfied with the way the show and fandom proceeded to treat him to dig deep and realize just how much he suffered and how much better he deserved--but as far as the show itself is concerned, that conversation was essentially flavortext. It doesn't mean much, the show doesn't seem interested in having Mako or Bolin reflect on their lives or even be shown to visibly mourn their parents (who never show up in so much as a single flashback). Even when they meet their paternal grandmother in book 3, nothing much is made of the connection (and when Bolin has to forcibly evacuate Yin from Ba Sing Se, she makes him wait for her to grab..... the picture of the dead Earth Queen, rather than the picture of her son and his family), other than Yin telling them why their father severed connection with his family and Mako choosing to give her his one memento of his parents.

And like... I get that was meant to be an emotional moment, but... his father chose to cut off all contact with his family. Whatever the reasons might have been, whether he might have changed his mind had he lived, the fact was that what he wanted from his life was to look to the future--to his wife (who he never bothered taking home to meet his parents) and to his children. I really don't think he would have wanted his mother to have his scarf instead of his son--especially not when she had memories of his entire life (adult memories!) to hold onto, while Mako only had the hazy memories of childhood and one physical token to cling to when those might not be enough.

Bolin is glad to suddenly have a huge family, when they meet their grandmother, but again... nothing really comes of this. At some point Bolin mentions that he used to dig through literal garbage for food, and this is played for laughs rather than taken as any kind of serious examination of his life before things changed. The show just doesn't care about the krew as individual characters, not really--they are moved about as needed for the Plot, jokes are occasionally made about their backgrounds, sometimes something is pulled out for an emotional tearjerker moment before never being referenced again (I mean, really, Grandma Yin is around for multiple episodes in book 3 and book 4, and neither Mako nor Bolin spend an episode just begging to hear about their father's childhood?), and... that's about it.

All of which is a very long-winded way of saying yes, I absolutely think that Mako should've gotten his own TSR-like episode. Obviously it shouldn't have been just a carbon-copy, or even necessarily occupy a similar niche in the show--while TSR is very much a Katara episode, it is also a Zuko and Katara episode, because whether you ship them or not, the episode is explicitly about not only Katara gaining closure for here mother's murder, but also about Katara working through her feelings regarding Zuko and choosing to forgive him. However, I absolutely believe that Mako should have been given a chance to confront his parents' murderer, and I think it's a crying shame that this never actually happened.

And the thing is, they wouldn't have even had to 'redo' TSR, any more than you consider Mako as a character to be a 'redo' of Katara just because they have similar childhood traumas--but what they very easily could have done is shown how that trauma lingers. Show Mako's complicated relationship with firebending (he really has no thoughts about his own element, when it is what killed his parents???) and with the Triads that he had to do work for to make ends meet as a teenager so that he could keep Bolin fed. Maybe he knows exactly which of the Triads was responsible for his parents' death--maybe the man's face is burned into his mind, appearing in his own nightmares so frequently he couldn't forget it if he tried.

Maybe he had to do a job for the man who killed his parents, and only the thought of Bolin going hungry or worse if Mako never came home kept him from attacking. Maybe that night, when he got home, after he made sure Bolin had something to eat and went to sleep, he threw up until there was nothing left in his stomach and then he kept retching, throat raw and eyes stinging, because every time he closed his eyes he saw that man's face and felt the hand that killed his parents clapping him on the back for a job well done.

Maybe the man who killed his parents is one of Amon's Triad victims, loses his bending and is pathetic and weak, and Mako struggles against the urge to roast him alive without a second thought. Maybe Korra is there, slowly putting the pieces together, wanting to speak up but knowing that this is Mako's pain and it's something she could never fully understand, believing with all her heart that he'll make the right choice... but still sighing with relief when Mako's shoulders slump, the fire goes out of his hands, and the man who killed his parents runs away.

Maybe, at the end of the book when she is restoring everyone's powers, the man who killed Mako's parents gets to the head of the line... and she refuses. Maybe that's ultimately his punishment. And maybe Mako is standing there, fists clenched against the still-simmering rage in his gut, teeth clenched against the urge to vomit, relaxing only when the man leaves--dejected, rejected and powerless--and smiling, because he can finally begin to heal and move on from the scars left behind by his parents' deaths, but the man who killed them will have to remember every single day for the rest of his life exactly why he's powerless.

Idk, I just think... it would really be neat if Mako had been allowed to get closure for what happened to his parents. It would be... neat. I'm not crying at all shut up.

#atla #lok #mako #mako meta #mako getting his own 'version' of tsr would honestly have been so good though #long post #devildogdemon #asked #lok critical

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shinidamachu · 3 years

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Do you have thoughts on the Aang/Ozai showdown at the end?

Zuko: please. The real hero is a random rock the Avatar.

The final battle was amazing, from an animation poin of view. The colors, the fighting sequence, the symbolism, Aang finally mastering all elements. Just very exciting and satisfying to watch, because it was something that the audience was hoping for since episode one. And they delivered it.

From a writing point of view, though? It was less of a showdown and more of a cop-out. See, I'm not saying, by any means, that Aang should have killed Ozai. Quite the opposite. Not only because it was a children's show. Not only because Aang was a traumatized, non violent, 12 years old. But also because it made sense for the character and for the core themes of the show.

Don't get me wrong, Ozai one hundred per cent deserved to die. Aang himself stated that the world would be a better place without Ozai in it. I just don't think he should be the one to do it. At the same time, is on his hands that Ozai's fate lays and no one else can make that decision for him.

So if killing Ozai off could turn him into a Fire Nation martyr anyway and Aang refuses to do so because of his pacifist principles, what's the other option to defeat the guy and end the war? The authors went with energy bending and, honestly, I thought it was brilliant for a series of reasons.

First, ending Ozai's life seems like the obvious choice, an easy way out. I love the concept of Aang refusing to do what's expected of him and choosing instead to finish the war on his own terms, without compromising who he is, because in theory, that would mean he would have to go out of his way to find a different solution, in a perfect shout out to Bumi's words in The King Of Omashu: "you must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord. And when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius."

Second, in a show where bending is intimately related to one's very being, the questions begs to be raised: how much taking someone's bending away is better, more ethical or less cruel than actively killing them? Because it's a fundamental part of who they are, of their soul. Ty Lee had the abiliity to block chis, temporarily making people unable to bend. And it was a terrifying thing for the people she used the technique on.

Lastly, it ends the "killing Ozai would turn him into a Fire Nation martyr" for good, because (ATLA COMICS SPOILER ALERT) Aang let him leave without his bending and a significant amount of people still worshipped the guy to the point of planning coups on the down low and sending Zuko death threats left and right, so we basically got the same result, but Ozai remained an ever present threat to the peace Aang fought to achieve.

The problem, as people smarter and more eloquent than I have pointed out countless times, wasn't the energy bending solution, it was the way it was introduced and then executed.

Aang: hey! Look at these weird Lion Turtle things.

Looking back now, this scene from The Library was obviously foreshadowing the finale, so the Lion Turtle reveal wasn't pulled out of thin air. It had a purpose. Considering that this episode, from Book Two, mentioned the Lion Turtle, who would later teach Aang how to energy bend and that The Guru, also from Book Two, introduced the arc of Aang having to let go of his attachment to Katara in order to master the Avatar State, I can only assume that the original intentions of the writers were very clear:

Aang doesn't want to kill Ozai but he also doesn't want to let go of Katara. That's the catch! To "energy bend" his way out of murder, he has to master the Avatar State. His conflict here, is much greater than before because now Katara is a factor in the equation as well. He either kills Ozai, keeps his attachment and gives up the Avatar State or he masters it, defeats Ozai by removing his bending but has to let go of Katara in the process. It's awesome because it's the hardest possible choice a character like Aang could be forced to make. And we knew he would ultimately do the right thing, but regardless of what he decides, he still loses something important to him, he still has to make a huge sacrifice.

Of course, none of that happens. This was the first and only time the Lion Turtle was brought up. The “letting Katara go” arc was unceremoniously killed alongside Aang the second Azula shot that lightning in Ba Sing Se, but differently from the Avatar, whom Katara ressurrected, it was never brought back. And it’s a shame. Because The Library was the perfect episode to expand on the Lion Turtle and energy bending mystery.

And the finale? It was the perfect episode for Aang to do what he failed to do in Ba Sing Se: to let Katara go and achieve the Avatar State by his own merits, sacrificing something he wanted for the greater good. The way he hid into a cocoon of rocks? It would have been a great call out to the little crystal tent he made in his fight with Azula when he decided to give the Guru’s advices a try. And it would also symbolize rebirth in the same way Katara breaking him out of the iceberg did. Because now he had finally reached the other side of the river and he is no longer the same person he once was.

But the narrative decided, instead, to rob Aang from any growth, from any substancial change, from any interesting arc. They went with the “love is the most important thing” approach to justify him honlding on to Katara. And I could have bought it if they hadn’t been so dishonest about it.

First: if you love someone, you let them go. Attachment and love are two very different things. No one ever told Aang to stop loving Katara. He was told to let her go. And it makes sense because he was attached to her in a way that wasn’t healthy for either of them, and was keeping him from achieving his full spiritual potential, something he should care a little more about, given his upbring.

Second, in the person of Iroh, arguably the wisest character in the show, Aang is told that he is right for choosing love over power. But this is a false equivalence because it’s not what Aang is doing. The scene makes it look like he is seeking power for the sake of power. That’s not the case. The Avatar State is an inherent power, meaning Aang already has it. It’s part of who he is. He just needs to unblock it and learn how to control it. And he has to do that not for personal gain, but to put an end in the war.

A war that took almost everything from Katara, the person he loves. Aside from Aang himself, she is the person who would benefit the most from him learning to control the Avatar State, since she is the one who has to calm him down every time he accidentaly triggers it and winning the war is a very personal goal of her. Now, this is just conjecture but I firmly believe that even if Katara was secretly in love with Aang (which I don’t buy), she would be the first to tell his it’s okay to let her go. But alas, she wasn’t even aware of this conflict. A conflict she played a key part in.

That being said, I do think that the Ozai dillema was introduced too late. It should have been explored before the Day of Black Sun, giving Aang plenty of time to search for a different solution. It also never made sense to me why killing Ozai wasn’t a problem then. Apparently the explanation that I was supposed to stick with is that Aang was naive. He didn’t know people expected him to kill the Fire Lord until Zuko asked him what he would do when he faced Ozai, since violence wasn’t the answer. But I honestly struggle to accept this because, yes, Aang was naive.

But not that naive. Not at that point. After episodes like The Siege of the North and The Avatar State, I just don’t buy he didn’t know what people wanted him to do. Plus, Aang has an evasive fighting style, based on always being one step ahead of his opponent. To do that, he has to plan beforehand. What was his plan to confront Ozai in the Day of Black Sun, after everything he went through? Talk to him? Arrest the guy? If that’s the case, shouldn’t it at least be discussed with the gang? It’s never addressed.

Then comes the finale. Aang’s moment of truth. The event we’ve all been hoping for. The one that will turn him into a legend. And Aang is losing. He can’t win without killing Ozai or controling the Avatar State to take his bending away. What will he sacrifice to become a hero? His morals or his attachment? Answer: neither! Because the writers decided he should have everything without give up nothing. So they miraculously make a convenently sharped rock hit the exact right spot in the perfect time unblock his chakra, allowing him to enter the Avatar State.

I’m not even gonna talk about how this is most definitely not how chakras work, because it’s not really my place. But I am gonna talk about the tragic (not to say hilarious) fact that, by trying to make Aang have his cake and eat it too, the writers ultimately made a fucking rock the responsible for Aang’s success. Not his cleverness, not his hard work, not his altruism: a rock. If that rock wasn’t there, in the right place, at the right time, then what? Would Aang finally have done what he had to do, or would he be killed, allowing the war to continue?

That’s my issue with it. That, and the fact that they had no trouble addressing delicate topics, but didn’t have enough courage to let the 12 years old protagonist end up alone. Because, of course, children can’t understand the hero not getting the girl. Right?

RIGHT?

Aang managed to defeat Ozai and get the girl even though there was a whole season dedicated to build up an arc in which he would have to let her go to succed. Even though their last one on one interaction before their last kiss was Aang screaming at her and storming off, while Katara reprimended him for walking away from the issue. Even if he had been acting more and more possessive and entitled when it came to her affection. Even if Katara had shown no real interest in him that way before she suddenly does. But what do I know? Maybe she was hit by a magic rock too.

Aang and Katara happened at the cost of Aang’s character development. Fandom might think the rival ship was harmed the most by it, but that’s not true. Aang was. And it’s really sad. He is an amazing character and he deserved to be the hero of his own story, to have his beliefs tested and to come out of his journey irrevocably changed, not locked inside a plot armor.

#ATLA #Sidmailing #Avatar The Last Airbender

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sol-tinyrayofsun · 4 years

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Zutara Week Day 5 - Hesitancy: What Am I To Say?

Alright, this was actually the first thing I wrote for Zutara Week. It’s angsty as hell, but with a nice ending. I love fluff but angst just gets me every time. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. As ever, thank you for reading! Feedback is always appreciated! <3

Also on AO3!

Title: What Am I To Say?

Rating: G

Summary: “Choices, Katara,” he continued to say, noticing her silence. “It’s all about choices.” Zuko was telling the truth. She had unfortunately made sure to push him away five years ago. One stupid decision that had shattered every last bit of her existence. Even worse, it had also damaged many others. On a split second, all those moons ago, Katara had managed to secure heartache for them both.

------

She wasn’t sure how long it had been since the last time she had properly faced him. Their last conversation dated from months ago. And what a dull chat had it been. The frigidity caused by a choice she had made five years ago had ultimately marked the fallout of their relationship. But everything was different now. She knew he was aware of it. Still, she felt hesitant. The idea of owning up her mistakes to him terrified her. Maybe focusing strictly on the reason why she had been summoned there would be her best bet.

Katara descended from the carriage that had brought her all the way to the gates of the Fire Nation Royal Palace. The humid weather took her by surprise. She had gotten too used to the cold air of the South Pole. After all, the last few months had found her recluded to her duties within the Southern Water Tribe. Her family had unsuccessfully tried to get her to go out into the world on multiple occasions. Nothing had worked, she just wanted to figure out things by herself for a while.

Still, there she was. Back to where their undoing had started. She shook her head as she tried to put on her brightest smile. Lifting up her sight from the concrete courtyard ground, his golden eyes met hers. This was it. The moment she had dreaded for more than a week. She felt her heart skipping a beat. It was him.

“Master Katara.” His voice was raspy, sharp. “A pleasure to see you again. May I ask how was your trip?” He extended his hand to her.

There it was. That ice-cold attitude. It killed her, destroyed her to the very core. She wanted to scream, to make him drop his ridiculous act. Really, after all we have gone through? When are you going to stop shutting me down? she thought as she remembered an answer was expected from her. Right, diplomacy. What a tricky little thing.

“Fire Lord Zuko,” she greeted him as she took his hand. That simple touch was enough to make her whole body flinch. “The trip was fine, thanks. I assume the rest of the delegates have arrived already.”

Both of them dropped their hands. She hated every second of that awkward and impersonal interaction. It seemed like things had only gotten worse with the passing of time.

“Well, let me and my guards escort you to your room. The meeting is at five in the afternoon, sharp,” Zuko said as he gestured her to start walking. “Be sure to let me know if there’s anything else you might need.”

Following his lead, she looked him in the eyes. His gaze was puzzling, apparently impossible to decipher. Still, she could’ve sworn she perceived a strain of warmth somewhere behind the nervous batting of his eyelashes.

“Thank you, Zuko. I’ll make sure to be there on time.”

Katara felt as if her words had no real meaning. There was simply so much more to be said. She wanted to tell him to stop the nonsense, to ask how he was feeling, to question him about how he found out about what had happened in her life three months ago. But it wasn’t the time or place. It never seemed to be for the two of them. Her mind kept vacillating, completely disoriented, and as clouded as a stormy sky. It wouldn’t be the first time he messed with her judgment.

Repressing a frustrated sigh, she hurried into the Palace. The sooner she could be done with her visit, the better. That way she could go back to her quiet routine at the South Pole without any delays. Every single moment she spent there felt like a dagger sinking down on her chest. There were just too many memories, too many shadows of what it could have been. She wasn’t in the mood for an annoying “What if…?” to come waltzing into her life. Real life wasn’t as easy as a fairytale. She had made her choice years ago. Now, she was trying to live with its consequences. And to get through her visit to the Fire Nation without breaking down.

The council room was packed with delegates. Katara couldn’t help but curse the timing of the meeting. Just when she was starting to get back some sense of normalcy into her life, business had dragged her there once again.

The international collaboration between the Fire Nation and the Water Tribes had run smoothly for years. What a brilliant moment for Blaze Industries to start questioning the price of the oil the Southern Water Tribe provided them with. Of course, once one company inquired, the rest of them followed. In no time, a council was needed to discuss whether the terms of the economic alliance should be reviewed or left alone.

She had enough on her plate already. Being the first functional year of the Southern Water Tribe Waterbending Academy, work was as hefty as ever. Not to mention the most recent occurrence within her personal life. It had left her in a muddle, questioning her judgment. She had even isolated from all her friends. All because of her unwillingness to be honest with herself, or with anyone for that matter, until it was too late. Way too late to avoid any harm to be made.

Katara shook her head, making sure to be grounded enough before the meeting began. She wasn’t about to let her private dilemmas interfere with her work.

Everyone stood still as the doors opened one last time before starting. Fire Lord Zuko made its way to his usual seat. All that time and she still remembered to perfection where he used to seat at every meeting. With a polite nod, he saluted the attendees as he prepared to speak.

“Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for being here today,” he greeted them. “I understand that Blaze Industries wanted to be the first one to present a statement. So without further ado let’s allow them to start. Chief Executive Kian?”

The chairwoman didn’t take long to comply. The assembly had officially started. If it went well she could be on her way home by the next day. She prompted herself to drop her concerns about her relationship with Zuko. The economic future of her Tribe could be jeopardized in the case the oil issue wasn’t handled properly. She could get sentimental some other time.

The nocturnal breeze caused her hair to sweep across her cheeks. Stars lit up the sky like snowflakes dancing around the darkness of the night. The light wind made the water ripple softly across the turtleduck pond. Silence hung in the air that surrounded the courtyard of the Royal Palace. As she strolled around the gardens, Katara wondered what on earth was she doing there.

Maybe she had just gotten tired of the solitude of her room, a place so impersonal that it felt almost insulting. The walls of this palace had once been like a home to her. Now the place was suffocating her, reminding her of why she was in that position in the first place. Or perhaps she had been drawn there by all those memories. Ghosts from brighter times.

It wasn’t like the outcome of the assembly had provided her with a reason for feeling so uneasy. She had managed to keep Blaze Industries and the rest of the companies at bay without harming their economic alliance. All that fuss for nothing. It only took for her to remind them of all the benefits of having her tribe as the primary oil supplier alongside a slight warning that a price increase might be necessary if they didn’t hold their end of the bargain to get them to stand down.

Of course, Zuko had backed her up. Despite everything that had happened between them, one thing had always been clear: they would do their best to support each other no matter what. Anyways, aside from that detail, she was sure Zuko knew how outrageous Blaze Industries’ claim was. He would never allow anyone of his Nation to take advantage of outsiders, not under his watch. After all, it was that attitude that made him such a good leader for his people. Peace had remained intact around the world thanks to leaders like them.

Seems like some things just don’t change, Katara thought as she sat by the turtleduck pond. Nothing was the same anymore, but there she was, back where it had all started to fall apart. That place brought back too many memories, good memories. She couldn’t help but smile, staring at the clear night sky, thinking about the time the entire gang had hosted a theater evening right in that same courtyard. Her heart felt bittersweetly warm from the vivid evocation of happier and easier days.

“What are you smiling about?” a familiar voice asked her.

A flinch. A heartbeat. A realization. He was right there, wasn’t he? Katara lowered down her sight, tilting her head to be able to look at him.

“I’m not smiling, Zuko.” Her words came out a little harsher than expected. “I just needed some fresh air.”

Well, that’s a great way to greet someone you care about, isn’t it?

They stared into each other’s eyes, paralyzed. He was still meters away from her, analyzing her from a cautious distance. Katara wasn’t sure if he would come any closer. His cold facade probably included ignoring her to death.

Still, Zuko took a step forward. And another. All the way up to where she was sitting.

“Has the outcome of the assembly brought you any relief?” He was standing right before her, with a puzzling expression on his face.

Of course, he would only come near to torture her with even more politics. She brought her knees closer to her chest, in an unconscious attempt to shield herself from the torment she was feeling. She couldn’t take it any longer.

“The outcome of the assembly was expected. What a shame I had to come all the way here to calm down some dull businessmen.”

“I’m sorry, aren’t you the primary Ambassador of the Southern Water Tribe?”

Shocker. As if he didn’t know what she did for a living. Though, she hadn’t been acting like a proper ambassador for the last three months. At least regarding the traveling.

“Yes, Zuko, I am! Spirits, know you’re going to pretend we don’t know each other?” She hadn’t expected to be on the verge of screaming. Still, she didn’t care anymore. Things couldn’t get any worse, could they?

His eyes widened. Guess he wasn’t expecting her to get so loud either.

“Katara, you’ve been a complete ghost for three months. None of our friends were able to reach you,” he said as he let out a sigh. “We might as well be strangers at this point.”

“But we are not!” That’s it, her tone couldn’t possibly get any louder. “You didn’t even try to look for me! And don’t even pretend you didn’t know. Everyone knew. Everyone knew what a fool of myself I had made.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t aware of the fact that I was the one who had to come running up to you after what you decided!”

She abruptly dragged herself to her feet. “But you knew! You knew what it meant for me to decline Aang’s proposal! Spirits, Zuko, you probably saw that one coming!” Her voice trailed off in an exasperated scream.

“Of course I saw it coming, but it wasn’t my place to interfere anymore, was it?” His voice started to shake.

Katara stayed quiet, unable to react to his statement. Looking at him now, at the way his eyes reflected a great deal of resentment, she felt more regret than ever before.

“Choices, Katara,” he continued to say, noticing her silence. “It’s all about choices.”

Zuko was telling the truth. She had unfortunately made sure to push him away five years ago. One stupid decision that had shattered every last bit of her existence. Even worse, it had also damaged many others. On a split second, all those moons ago, Katara had managed to secure heartache for them both.

“What do you want me to say? Do you want me to tell you how sorry I am for tearing us apart? Do you want me to break into tears and confess how ridiculous I feel?” She felt a lump on her throat. “What do you want from me, Zuko?! Please, drop your act. I know in some corner of your heart you still care about me.”

“I’m not performing any kind of act!” He looked exhausted, worn out, defeated. “You were the one who told me we shouldn’t be together, or have you forgotten about that? You said I should go with Mai and you had to accept to be with Aang. A whole year, Katara, a whole year we sneaked around in the shadows, all because you were afraid of admitting the truth to yourself!”

He was right. Spirits, every word that came out of his mouth broke her walls down a little more.

Five years. Five miserable years since she had broken them up to be with someone else. To be with Aang, and for Zuko to be with Mai. All for what? Right there, standing in the courtyard, screaming at the person she had managed to push too far away, she had no clue.

“Zuko… I - It was all - I know, alright?” she mumbled, a treacherous tear streaming down her cheek. “It was the stupidest decision I’ve ever made.”

“Then, please, don’t look at me like I was the one who broke your heart. Because all I wanted to do was to be with you.” He sat down, staring at the ground. “That’s why I ended things with Mai so soon, unlike you, I wasn’t ready to wake up every day knowing I was lying to myself.”

He must’ve known his words were utterly harsh. But they uncovered an awful truth. She had been lying to herself for years. And the result had been more than clear. Three months ago she had rejected Aang’s marriage proposition, to everyone’s surprise. Except for a certain firebender that was familiar with every single one of her rough edges. As Aang pleaded for her to spend the rest of her life by his side, she had realized that was not what she wanted. Not who she wanted. Too late. Repeatedly too late. What a mess she had made.

Katara plummeted to the floor, sitting next to him. The nocturnal breeze caused her to shudder. No one else was there. It was only them, finally saying what they had wanted to confess for years.

“You know why I rejected Aang, right?” She finally asked, hoping her question would get him to look at her.

“Because you were never in love with him? Katara, why are you doing this? Your failed relationship is none of my business anymore. Plus, Aang told me all about it. I would prefer not to have to endure that torture once again.”

Wait.

“Aang talked with you about our breakup?”

“Don’t you realize that while you were hiding from reality the world kept turning? We’re friends, of course, he told me all about how you broke his heart.” He chuckled, bitterly smiling. “Little did he know, you broke mine first.”

“No, you don’t get to do this,” she blurted out, feeling her voice getting louder once again. “You don’t get to pin this all on me. You should’ve stopped me! If you were so certain we had to be together why on earth didn’t you do something about it?”

He finally lifted his sight, his eyes were puffy. “What did you want me to say? I practically begged you, Spirits, I told you I loved you. And you said you loved me too, but that you had to go. You left. I didn’t. I’m sorry for thinking that was what you wanted.”

“Zuko, I’m sorry too, alright? What am I to say now? I can’t turn back time.”

“You’re right, you can’t. Guess we’ll both have to live with it.” He started to get up from the ground. “Goodnight. I´m sorry, I can´t bear this any longer”

“Wait!” She grasped his arm with such intensity she thought she might’ve hurt him. “Please, don’t leave. I….”

“Katara, you asked me if I knew why you rejected Aang.” His voice was shaking. “Anything you want me to know?”

“It’s true, I rejected Aang because I didn’t love him,” she started to say, feeling her heart pounding on her chest. “Because I still love you, Zuko. I never stopped loving you.”

There. The secret was about. Five years of burying the truth deep inside her, endless days and nights of finding herself crying for no apparent reason. But the reason was there, it had always been there. It was him. She cried because of him. She cried for the love she had lost. For the person she had pushed away in an attempt of selling a lie to herself. She loved Zuko with every fiber of her being. It had always been there, burning in the back of her mind. And now he knew it too.

Silence. That was all the response she got from him. Silence and a pair of golden eyes looking thoroughly at her.

“Say something,” she pleaded, tears streaming down her face. “At least have the guts to say you don’t love me anymore. Because I’ve just told you something that’s been killing me for years. I love you, and I’m sorry.”

Nothing. For a moment, there was nothing. Not even a blink.

Then Zuko grasped her shoulders and kissed her. It took her by surprise, almost making her question if perhaps their entire interaction was just a dream. But it wasn’t. It was real, crazy, unexpected. He was kissing her like they were running out of time; like somebody might pull them apart at any second.

Needless to say, she was kissing him back. She was kissing him like she had never kissed anyone before. Desperately, emotionally, and with a newfound intensity. This was the most alive she had felt in months. Right there, glued to the person she had once let go of.

Almost out of breath, Zuko pulled apart first. His eyes were glistening in the moonlight. A mysterious grin had taken over his face.

“I love you too,” he whispered. “Katara, I’ve always loved you.”

Spirits, she couldn’t believe her luck.

“Then why did you shut me down like that?”

“Because you were with Aang! I had to keep my distance or it would have destroyed me.” He brushed his fingers against her cheek. “When I found out you had rejected him I… I wanted to go after you, to tell you that it was the right decision. I was dying to make you feel less alone. But I couldn’t do that to you, to Aang, or to myself. You needed to figure out what you wanted.”

“I want you, Zuko,” Katara said as she felt herself crying again. “I screwed up. Big time. I never should’ve made us go our separate ways. There´s nothing I regret more.”

“So what now, then?”

“Can we start over, please? I know there’s no way to erase the last five years from our memory. But we could make this right. We can make this work the second time around. Together.”

“I suppose we could do it. But, don’t you care what everyone else would think?”

“No, not anymore. I won’t make the same mistake again.” She cupped his cheeks into her hands, pressing her forehead onto his. “If you let me, I’ll prove to you that you’re all I want.”

His eyes showed he wanted it, too. Katara was sure of it. They had never stopped loving each other.

“Of course I’ll let you,” he replied, placing a soft kiss on her nose. “Does this mean you’re not leaving tomorrow? Because I really should let the coachman know whether he has to prepare the carriage or not.”

Katara chuckled, considering his teasing an invitation to stay a little longer.

“I think I won’t be leaving until we figure this out.”

“Good, then you’ll add it to your schedule and I’ll add it to mine,” he joked.

“Are you going to keep chatting or does kissing me sound like a better idea to you?”

“Why don’t we wait another five years and I’ll see how it suits me then?”

“Sure,” Katara planted a kiss on his lips. “Whoops, five years are over.”

Zuko’s response seemed to agree with her since it only consisted of multiple kisses all over her face. She kissed him back, burying her fingers into his hair, making a mess of his Fire Lord looks. Neither of them cared anymore. They were finally together.

One choice had been her undoing. Yet, somehow, a single assembly had also pushed her to make things right. She couldn’t turn back time, but she could make the most out of the mess she’d caused years ago. And, Spirits, she had every intention to do so.

------ See? I promised you the ending was a happy one. I hope you enjoyed it! <3 @zutaraweek

#zutara #zutara week 2020 #zutara fanfiction #zuko x katara #every week is zutara week baby

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jaxsteamblog · 4 years

Text

Clueless

Click here to read the full fic on AO3

After leaving the shop, Katara went home to change and talk to her father. Apparently, Thuy’s debut was going to be a very large ordeal. As she was born in the swamp, she symbolized a partnership between the Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe. Historically, such a relationship had been impossible as many of the closest Earth Kingdom city-states feared any growing power among the ice bound tribes.

The idea of inviting the Avatar’s descendants came out of the Fire Nation. The only times when they got together were for various Avatar related holidays, and those visits were strained during the war. The records only went as far back as Yangchen and Kuruk never had children, but there were hundreds of years between Kyoshi’s daughter Koko and family trees blurred quickly. But with this strong connection between Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe, the Fire Nation was keen on reestablishing these familial bonds.

Bonds Katara had no idea about. It’s not like she was related to the Avatar.

Sitting on her couch, Katara pulled up the mini series on the Avatars on Webflicks. Starting the episode on Avatar Roku, she fast forwarded to the end.

His only living descendants were Zuko and Azula.

That surprised Katara but, as Tenzin narrated the episode, she found that their connection to Avatar Roku was through their mother. She was an only child, born of the only child Roku had. And she had disappeared halfway through the war.

Flipping to the next episode, Katara watched a bit about Avatar Aang. Tenzin, with more emotion in his voice as he spoke about his late father than the previous Avatars, explained how Roku’s death is what allowed for the conflict between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom to begin.

Roku, having been close to Fire Lord Sozin all of his life, had defused a lot. While attempting to stop a volcanic eruption, both the Avatar and the Fire Lord perished. Aang was raised during a time of turmoil as Fire Lord Azulon sought to fill his father’s throne, but was isolated in part due to being an Air Nomad.

The back and forth between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom went on for the Avatar’s lifetime. It was only because of his intervention that it didn’t escalate.

Ultimately, Avatar Aang had a family. His eldest son Bumi left the monastic order and founded the secular Urban Dust, his daughter Yangzom became the youngest spiritual sage of her time, and his youngest son Tenzin became a revered historian. All of them Airbenders, they scattered across the world and, in a moment of unintentional hilarity, not even Tenzin could figure out who had children and where. His older siblings having passed on, only his children were the official descendants of Avatar Aang.

Katara chuckled as she saw a shot of Rohan in their Airbender robes and with a shaved head. They looked happy standing with their family. Her smile fading, Katara clicked back an episode to see the shot of Zuko with his. He didn’t look nearly as happy. Or really, he didn’t look happy at all.

With a sigh, Katara switched off her TV and got up. She would probably have to sit and watch the whole series, if for nothing else than to give her even the slightest bit of knowledge about the current global climate. It might help to know more about Thuy as well, if they were going to be working together when Katara became queen.

Katara shuddered and headed for the door.

Rohan met her in a park and Katara looked around as she got there. It was still early in the evening and, with the summer solstice behind them, the sunset made the world rosy. Rohan sat on a low cement wall, overlooking an outdoor amphitheater with their glider folded up next to them.

“So, do any air deliveries today?” Katara asked, eyeing the glider. Rohan laughed and rubbed the back of their head.

“Nah. Unfortunately, I was on time for everything today.” They replied.

“You know, I’m curious, why is it that the Avatar’s grandchild is a delivery person?” Katara questioned.

“Well, since an Avatar is born every generation, it’d get pretty expensive to keep their kids living in the lap of luxury.” Rohan said and Katara shrugged. “And grandpa certainly blew through any niceties when he had three times as many kids as the last three Avatars combined.”

“And then your dad having four!” Katara added as she sat down next to them. “The audacity!”

Rohan chuckled and they both looked down the overgrown slope. Children jumped from one spot of exposed rock to another and shrieked with delight. It was a gentle scene as the day was ending and the air was finally cooling.

“It’s nice having a big family. It’ll be nicer once Jinora has her kid.” Rohan tilted their head and looked over at Katara. “Do you and Sokka get along?”

“Yeah. Why do you ask?” Katara leaned back, putting her hands on the warmed stone.

“You look sad.” Rohan said bluntly. Katara felt the blush and she turned her face.

“It’s just Sokka and I. And our dad.” She added hurriedly.

“I think we were lucky, all of the Air Nomads. Our temples are so hard to reach, we were really protected.” Rohan said. “Except for Uncle Bumi, but Pop said that he got to play Sky Pirates and fight the Fire Nation, which the monks wouldn’t’ve let him do.”

“It’s funny how there will always be pirates. Waterbenders were the pirate kings but got wiped out during the war.” Katara said and then sighed. “A lot of Waterbenders got wiped out in the war.”

“But you’re still here.” Rohan said, putting their hand on hers. “And the Avatar has been found with a whole stash of lost Waterbenders!”

Katara laughed and sat up, sliding her hand from under Rohan’s. “You’re right.”

Standing up, she held onto the strap of her purse with both hands. “Ready to go?”

“Yup!” Rohan said, jumping up. They took their glider up and spun it, stamping it down on the ground as they stood to their full height.

“How do you feel about pizza?” They asked.

The pizza place they ended up in was small, but lively. Rohan left Katara and their glider at an outdoor table, and she watched them through the large plate glass window. People were pressed shoulder to shoulder as they stood eating the largest slices of pizza Katara had ever seen. Rohan was quickly enveloped as they got closer to the counter and Katara pulled her phone out of her purse. Opening her Clicktalk app, she snapped a picture with the hanging restaurant sign behind her. Typing in a caption, Katara glanced up to see if she could spot Rohan. They were tall, but had somehow been completely swallowed by the crowd.

As she posted her picture, she saw two arms rise up over the bobbing heads and smiled at the sight of the blue arrows. Holding up two plates, the arms pushed through the crowd till Rohan freed themself, heading for the door.

Setting down the plates, Katara watched as they then reached into their pants pockets, pulling out two soda bottles with a flourish.

“Now watch this.” They said as they sat down. Using their airbending, Rohan flicked the bottle caps off and sent them spinning. They caught them in the air and made the caps dance around each other before letting them drop.

“That is a cool trick.” Katara said with a laugh. Looking down at the pizza, she pulled a plate over to her side of the table. The slices were as big as her face and the pepperoni slices were twice the size she had seen on other pizza.

“I thought Airbenders were vegetarians.” Katara remarked, picking up her slice and folding it in half.

“Common misconception. Avatar Aang was a vegetarian but he was an outlier and should not be counted.” Rohan replied before shoving pizza into their mouth.

“So do you and like, the other Avatar descendants hang out?” Katara asked before taking a bite.

“You mean with Zuko and Azula?” Rohan questioned with their mouth still mostly full. They paused to swallow. “Sometimes, but it’s usually just at formal functions. Apparently my uncle Bumi saved Iroh’s butt a bunch during the early part of the war and so the current Fire Lord doesn’t really like us.”

“Then you know Iroh?”

“Sure! I get tea there all the time and hangout. Pop says Iroh’s the little brother he never had.”

“Well, you should know Zuko at least.”

Rohan took a moment to eat before responding, looking off into the street.

“Zuko is Zuko.” They said softly, then turned and smiled. “Actually, my sister Jinora was better friends with him. And Meelo is absolutely obsessed with Azula.”

“I can’t imagine anyone being obsessed with Azula.” Katara said dryly and Rohan laughed.

“The very reason you can’t is exactly the reason why he is.” They said and shook their head. “Anything he wasn’t supposed to do or was considered dangerous was always the first thing at the top of his to-do list.”

Katara and Rohan laughed, and Katara picked up her bottle of cherry cola. She liked this, liked getting pizza and being out. Everything was more open and sticky; the sweetness of the soda spilling into the rest of the evening and making her feel happy. It was somehow more expansive than being at the beach.

Everything had been picked out and packed up before she had even gotten to the beach house. Now, in retrospect, she knew that someone had come in to make their meals and take care of everything for the royals. Here, she had her choice of toppings and soda, and she sat outside listening to people pass by.

What would Zuko have picked if he had gone off the tracks for once?

“So, do you happen to know anything about the new Avatar?” Katara asked.

“Only that Pop can’t wait to train her. He was so happy he almost cried.” Rohan replied.

��I guess that makes sense, that she would train with Aang’s family.” Katara said and drank more of her soda. “I wonder if she’ll train with Zuko.”

“Maybe, it’d certainly be good for them if she did.” Rohan said idly. “Think she’ll do any training in the North Pole?”

“I don’t see why.” Katara shrugged. “She’s already a Waterbender.”

“Yeah, but like, for her spiritual training.”

“I thought that was an Airbender thing.” She said, picking up her pizza.

“Don’t you guys live with two actual spirits?”

The flash of black that glowed swept over her mind and Katara choked on her mouthful of pizza. Rohan reached out, alarmed, but Katara held up a hand and grabbed her soda. Take a drink, she felt the lump painfully move down her throat and she could breathe.

“Okay, well yeah.” She said and Rohan sat back, chuckling in relief.

Pushing her plate away, Katara leaned back in her seat. “I think I’m done.”

“Sure. Would you like to go on a walk?” Rohan asked. Katara smiled and nodded.

“That would be nice.” She said.

As Rohan took their plates and walked over to the trash, Katara pulled out her phone. A few people had viewed her Click but she had a message from-

“Zuko?” She murmured. Opening the reply, all it said was

I love that place! Try it with white sauce!

Frowning, Katara put her phone away.

“Shall we?” Rohan asked.

Katara stood and they started down the street. Rohan used their glider as a walking stick and people kept out of their way. Eyeing them out of the corner of her eye, Katara smirked.

“Are you doing that on purpose?” She asked. Rohan smiled slyly.

“Whatever are you talking about?” They shot back.

“Why did you ask me out?” Katara questioned suddenly. That seemed to surprise them and they thought for a moment.

“Every once in a while, my family gets on my back about dating. I’m aromantic and they don’t get it, so I take someone out from time to time to get them to stop asking questions.” They answered honestly.

“So you don’t, like me?” Katara asked.

“Do you like me?”

“Well.” Katara fidgeted and Rohan laughed.

“We literally just met today. It’s not about liking someone, it’s about getting to know them.” They said. Looking at Katara’s pained expression, they shook their head.

“From what I understand, people click and then they go out and the whole thing is riddled with hormonal traps.” Rohan gestured with a hand and Katara watched them. “But honestly, romance is just like any other relationship to me. You have to know the person right?”

“Sure, but…” Katara started and Rohan held out their hand. Unsure, Katara still took it.

“Your heart is pounding isn’t it?” They asked. Katara’s face burned and she yanked her hand back.

“S-shut up!” She stammered and Rohan laughed.

“It just happens, and I’m not even the one you want right?”

“Not the one…?”

“Oh come on, I saw how Zuko was looking at you.” Rohan said.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Katara sputtered and Rohan continued to laugh.

“It means that maybe I also asked you out because the last time I saw Zuko, his sister was being really mean and he didn’t do anything.”

“That still doesn’t make any sense.” Katara said in a huff.

“You are totally clueless.” Rohan said, wiping their eyes. “Let’s just have a good night, and I promise you it’ll make things more fun for you.”

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#zutara #fanfiction #jax writes #modern au #zutara month 2020 #the fic that prompts built

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mari-onberry · 4 years

Text

i want you and i want him chapter 2

chapter one

read on ao3

Katara and Aang agreed to stay friends with Zuko, but it was proving difficult. It was almost worse now that he knew about their feelings, but they were determined to make him as comfortable as possible, and if that meant waiting for months-- or even if he never wanted to have a romantic relationship with them-- they had to be okay with that. They did want the best for him, after all.

For Katara, it was hard being so patient. It was difficult having to see him around school and merely smile and wave. It was also difficult when she visited Aang’s room to study together and they shared tea late at night to stay awake when cramming for a test.

For Aang, it was difficult to hear Zuko’s quiet snores at night, and even more difficult when he had rare but still prevalent nightmares. Aang often wanted to walk the short distance across the room and soothe Zuko back to sleep, but he knew that would overstep some boundaries.

So, they continued being friends, which was actually much better than their situation before. Zuko seemed more comfortable with them, as if now he knew they weren’t pretending to be his friends just to be polite. Aang and Katara were mostly happy that Zuko was happy, so they were reluctant to ever bring up the confession again.

With each other, though, they talked about him constantly. When Zuko wasn’t around, they gushed to each other about him, and it almost felt wrong, like an invasion of privacy. They were each other’s outlets for their feelings, so talking about it did soften the blow.

It was hard for Zuko, too, even though he didn't show it. He did like Aang and Katara a lot, but he had never been very good at feelings, so he had no idea how to react. He thought staying friends would help him make up his mind, but it didn't help in the slightest. It might’ve actually made things worse, because he had no idea what his feelings meant. He wasn’t used to having friends, and he definitely wasn’t used to having romantic feelings, so he had nothing to compare it to.

That was until he met Aang and Katara’s friends. They had a bunch of friends, and of course they wanted him to meet them. He was hesitant about it, but he went along with it anyway.

Aang and Katara thought that Zuko would probably be more comfortable at a movie than any other occasion, since he wasn’t a big fan of small talk, and so they decided to introduce him to all their friends at a time when they were planning on going to the movies as a group anyway.

There was Katara’s brother, Sokka, who Zuko had actually heard a lot about, and who didn't make the best first impression. Zuko usually didn't prefer the company of such extroverted, loud people, but after a while he started to see the similarities between Sokka and his sister, and that made Zuko more willing to be friendly.

Then there was Sokka’s girlfriend, Suki, who Zuko immediately respected, even if he wasn’t sure about making friends with her. She was strong but still fun, and Zuko had a hard time understanding what she saw in Sokka, but they seemed to love each other as much as Katara and Aang did.

They met once they got to the theater, and although it was supposed to be quiet, the movie hadn’t started yet and Sokka had a habit of talking when he wasn’t supposed to. Zuko was on the end, so he wasn’t expected to talk to the rest of them, but he overheard most of the conversation. Through this, he learned that Sokka traveled over almost every weekend to visit Suki, and he apparently had a story from every trip, despite it being not even a two hour drive.

Thankfully, Zuko got to sit on the end next to Aang, and he could feel the tension between them even if he was pretty sure Aang was paying most of his attention to the movie. Zuko, on the other hand couldn't care less about the movie, and by the time he realized he wasn't paying attention, he had no idea what was going on. He looked over at Aang and Katara's friends, trying to gauge his feelings for them. Sokka was on the other end, and despite the movie seemingly taking up all his attention, Zuko noticed his hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, an ever-present reminder of his affection. Zuko found it unexpectedly touching, and he wondered how he would feel with a similar gesture from Aang or Katara. That brought his attention to the fact that Katara and Aang were holding hands, and his stomach did a flip. He thought briefly about making a move to hold Aang's hand, but he knew they probably would never forgive them for doing something like that before even giving them an answer about his feelings. So, he turned his attention back to the movie even though he had no idea what was going on.

After the movie, Zuko stopped at the bathroom and left the others to talk about what they had watched. Katara was planning on telling them her favorite part of the movie, but Sokka asked a completely different question.

"So, Katara, you have feelings for him?"

Katara turned beet red. She wanted to ask how exactly he came to that conclusion, but Suki also interrupted.

“I think Aang does, too,” Suki told her boyfriend, which made Aang blush, too.

Katara looked at her boyfriend, who she could tell was just as shocked as she was. Even though it would be fun to talk about them like they weren’t there and embarrass them further, they gave Aang space to speak up. Although Katara would’ve wanted him to make up an excuse, she had to know he would tell the truth at this point. “How did you know?” It was a question, but still an admission of their feelings.

Sokka spoke up. “It was pretty obvious. I mean, first, he’s totally Katara’s type,” At that, Katara put on a sour face, although she probably had to admit it was true.

Suki finished her boyfriend’s sentence. “Yeah, and I saw the way Aang looked at him, and I only ever see him like that with Katara.”

Katara gave in. “Okay, fine, you guys are right. But don’t mention it to him, he said he would rather be friends for now.” She was surprised how normally her friends acted about this whole thing, and she realized she was probably being overly careful to be afraid of their reaction: they were the most supportive friends either she or Aang could ask for.

Zuko was back in a matter of seconds after that, and although he thought the group was acting a little off, he didn't know them enough to understand what was happening. He did wonder why Aang and Katara looked a little embarrassed, but he assumed it was probably some inside joke or something of the sort, so he didn't want to ask.

When the group saw him, they seemed more friendly than earlier. Sokka greeted him by saying, “Hey, buddy.” He looked at his girlfriend and then added, “I think we’re all gonna go to Toph’s place, wanna come with?”

Zuko did want to come with, not that he had much choice. His ride was with Katara and Aang and he couldn’t stop them from having fun on his account. He just said, “Sure,” a little unsure based on Sokka’s enthusiasm, but the rest of them seemed happy about that answer.

They drove back to Toph’s place, and Zuko was a little shocked to see it. She was the only one who didn't live in the dorms except for Sokka, who still lived at home. And it wasn’t just a cheap apartment, either, Toph’s place was a full-on house. Zuko immediately got the feeling that Toph’s family was probably rich. He didn't ask about it, though, since he didn't know her and it wasn’t that important to him, anyway.

Zuko wasn’t really sure how they all met Toph, but he liked her the most. She kept to herself, but she also put Sokka in his place when he needed it. She got along the best with Zuko because she respected his boundaries and left him alone to brood.

Sokka suggested some card game Zuko had never played, and although he told them he could sit it out, they insisted on teaching him. It turned out to be simple enough, and after a while Zuko realized it was called “Uno” after the number you call out when you only have one card left. He didn't particularly care about the game, but he did notice that Sokka won at least three times in a row, which was probably part of the reason he had suggested it. Even though he didn't really understand how the game was played, he liked to watch the others and idly play with the bumps and ridges from the braille on the cards. Zuko also liked the way it made the group fight in a playful way, and he often found himself laughing a lot, which was rare for him. He made a note to notice how often Aang and Katara looked over at him or each other when he did so.

Then, Zuko won a round. It was an accident, since he hadn’t even called out Uno, but no one else had noticed he only had one card either. He played his last card, and only then did they realize he had won. Sokka looked stunned and a little competitively angry for a moment, but he ultimately celebrated with the rest of them that Zuko had won his first game of Uno.

“As a prize, I think you should be able to take anything that you want from Toph’s fridge,” Sokka told him.

Toph made a sound in protest of Sokka volunteering her food as a prize, but didn't say anything, wanting to give Zuko room like Katara had asked of them.

Zuko protested as well. “You didn't get a prize for winning three times.”

Sokka just shrugged. “Well, I thought it would be appropriate since it was your first time winning. I win all the time, so if I got a prize every time, Toph would be out of food.” He then made a sound that made Zuko think he had been kicked under the table.

Zuko frowned, thinking this was all a little juvenile and that everyone was acting strange around him, but he supposed it was most likely normal for them. He tried to convince himself he had nothing to worry about.

They played another game, this time Zuko only watched as he ate an ice cream sandwich, and found that he had quite enjoyed the game. More than anything, though, he liked the way Katara reacted triumphantly when she won, and the way Aang looked happy for her even though he had lost. He threw his last cards back in the pile and put his arm around his girlfriend in a display of affection Zuko found he rather envied. They ended the evening with Zuko having learned that his feelings for Katara and Aang were different than those for the rest of the group, but that could simply be explained by the fact that he had known them longer.

He was still pondering his situation as he tried his best to sleep while Aang was only a few feet away.

#zutaraang #atla #avatar: the last airbender #mari writes

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royaltealovingkookiness · 5 years

Note

Looking back, I remember seeing the end of "The Southern Raiders" and feeling that Katara's forgiving Zuko came out of nowhere. During their mission, I never saw any sign of Katara warming up to him. Everything from Act 2 up until the end was focused on Katara's issues with her mom's death and never really about her distrust of Zuko. I mean, yes, much of the latter had to do with the former, but I'm sure that there'd be more to it than that. And we can make explanations about how it all led 1/2

2/2 to Zuko gaining her trust and forgiveness, but at the end of the day, that’s all nothing more than speculation. As much as I like the episode, I feel that it didn’t handle Zuko and Katara’s reconciliation very well and that the writers should have done something more explicit in regards to this turning point. (Not that I blame Elizabeth Ehasz. I’m pretty sure that Bryke kept her on a tight leash when she was developing the story, probably to keep it from being too Zutara.)

TSR was ultimately a Katara-episode - focusing on her arc, not Zuko’s. I think it was the perfect demonstration of good redemption arcs - that just because someone has become good, it doesn’t mean that the people he hurt owe him forgiveness. That’s totally up to them.

By the time TSR takes place, Zuko has done a lot of things to try to make amends - among them helping Sokka free Hakoda and Suki. Still, Katara’s perception didn’t change of him - because it was not about what he did, it was about what she felt.

In Katara’s arc, it becomes clear that abandonment is one of her greatest fears. In the beginning of Book 3, when she’s reunited with Hakoda, she can’t get past her anger, until she’s able to express it, and Hakoda validates her feelings. This is Katara’s “love language” - she doesn’t want people to protect her as much as she wants to be understood (case in point - her quick bonding with Haru and Jet after a heartfelt conversation).

Zuko on the other hand is a “doer” - he expresses that he cares by doing things for people - fighting for them, protecting them, stealing for them, etc. He sucks at expressing his emotions verbally. So he tries to “earn” Katara’s goodwill by looking out for her, but it just visibly pisses her off.

In the beginning of TSR we see Katara’s abandoment issues being triggered when Hakoda has to escape through the tunnel - “The Fire Nation dividing their family again.” She comes back to her black and white thinking where the entire Fire Nation is collectively responsible for Kya’s death, and who else a better “face of the enemy” than Zuko, “the Fire Lord’s son”. This is basically the feelings she expressed to Zuko in Ba Sing Se (it’s not a coincidence that there are so many parallel framing between the two).

She’s feeling angry again, and her unprocessed rage is hitting everyone, not only Zuko, but also Sokka and Aang.

This actually parallels how Zuko behaved in The Beach, where he lashed out at everyone, still unable to direct his anger where it truly belonged. So in that way it makes sense that Zuko would realize that Katara’s behaviour is not necessarily about Zuko’s betrayal (and let’s not forget - it’s something she feels based on a short moment of emotional bonding rather than any actual promises from Zuko’s part) but more about her own unprocessed rage.

So that’s why the journey is important - it gives Katara the opportunity to sort through her own feelings of anger, shame, grief and really see the perpetrator - it’s not the Fire Nation collectively, (and certainly not Zuko) who took her mother away, but this miserable, mean, little man, Yon Rha. He’s the real perp, and Katara finally has a way to put her anger and rage where it belongs - literally - directing it at him, rather than those standing close to her.

I think this is the turning point. Because by then, Zuko did more than enough to “earn” Katara’s trust and forgiveness. It wasn’t about him. It was about her. Whether she was ready to see him as anything else than the face of the enemy.

But I think you are right about there being a missing scene there, that we can just infer. Because at the end of the episode, Katara is already on Ember Island when Zuko arrives with the others. Which means that the two of them went there, after the whole confrontation scene. They had to talk. Zuko had to tell her at least the basics of the place, and I think that at that point he did something he didn’t do since Ba Sing Se - he was emotionally open and honest with Katara (sharing something about his mother or his family), which is the currency Katara deals in. That would be the full emotional circle for Katara - someone trying to understand her, support her, trust her and reveal something about himself. Pure bonding.

I think they chose not to show this conversation (and I can certainly imagine that being already part of Ehasz’ narrative choice) because at the end of the day the episode, the journey was about Katara, not Zuko. The forgiveness was hers to give at her own pace.

That’s why she says at the end “I’m ready to forgive you”. She knows that ultimately it was about her. Zuko’s done more than enough - it was Katara who had to get there emotionally. She had to sort out on her own the anger and trauma that she was holding onto, and which parts she was ready to let go of. So in the end, it makes sense that she’s finally able to see Zuko as an individual and not as the face of the Fire Nation. She’s able to see the part of the blame that rightfully belongs to him - and measure it against everything good he’s done and his sincerity and decide for herself what she wants to do with it.

I love it in that scene that it comes so unexpectedly in a way - because Zuko doesn’t expect it. From his own perspective, he’s done nothing special other than rode along with Katara as a backup (which she clearly didn’t need) and even failed to give her a conclusive closure. But from her perspective it was the right time to forgive.

#atla #katara #Zuko #atla meta #the southern raiders #3.16 #rtk

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bloodbenderz · 6 years

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final post on azula

i actually think that the writers handled azula in a really accurate way bc of course azula’s not going to be a perfect victim (they made a point of not making ANY of the characters perfect victims) she was groomed to be an emotionless monster! of course empathy and kindness won’t come as easily to her as it did for zuko, who was nurtured by iroh and ursa and never had no one except his father. and thats okay. thats how things are sometimes. trauma damaged her in irrevocable ways, and she did bad things. thats what happens.

but the response of the fandom is really appalling to me. she was a child, at the end of it all, just like any of the other characters. she was a child soldier, brainwashed and trained to a breaking point. and all people can say is either “she was pure evil and didn’t deserve chances to recover or to be redeemed” (as if anyone was talking about redemption at all; the issue of azula’s redemption is frankly far from the point) or “she was pure evil and thats why she’s a good character” and that’s black and white morality and poor analysis.

avatar is literally all about dismantling the idea that black and white morality is applicable in every situation. arguably, that was part of the point of zuko’s defection and ultimate redemption: he was fire nation, and he’d done bad things, and there were bad things about him, but he had good intentions and he finally came to peace within himself about all the bad things of himself and his past in order to emotionally heal and to finally act on what he knew was good. think about hama: will we say that there’s a certain point where she’s bad and a certain point that she’s good? where do we draw that line? when she was in prison she was good, after she got out she was bad? no. that’s not how people work. she, too, had good intentions, and trauma twisted her up so badly that she hardly knew what good meant anymore. to say that hama shouldn’t be put in the good box or the evil box doesn’t mean to excuse the atrocities she committed, it just means to think of her with the nuance that the writers gave her. this leads straight into another point: generalizing as “pure good” or “pure evil.”

atla has incredibly nuanced characters and to call any of them “pure good” or “pure evil” is to do a disservice to half of the message of the show in the first place and to completely misinterpret the characters as they are. aang is an incredible example of this. of course he’s good, of course we love him, but i’d never call him “pure good.” why? his goodness is about the choices he makes. he makes bad decisions sometimes, he treats his friends badly sometimes, he has bad reactions to things, just like anyone else. but he struggles to do the right thing all the time. he’s been hurt by the war just like anyone else, and to him, it takes maybe a week for the world to go from peaceful and easy (both morally and materially) to a war torn world that’s nearly impossible for anyone to live in as a truly good person. he struggles. he’s not “truly” or “purely” or “inherently” good, and to call him that is to discount everything he went through. to call azula “truly” or “purely” or “inherently” evil does the same thing: it ignores everything she’s been through and simplifies an incredibly complex character.

my final point is maybe the simplest one, but really shouldn’t be overlooked. every main character has gone through indescribable horrors during their formative years. aang saw the bones of his slaughtered people, knowing he was a century late to save them. katara was forced to take on the burden of caring for her entire community at 8 years old, and had to learn that being a girl means being always caring for those around her at the expense of herself. sokka’s father pushed a “man of the house” role on him, and sokka felt deeply and indescribably helpless to protect those he loved for his entire childhood. toph was isolated and silenced and forbidden to befriend or even speak to anyone outside of her family because of her parents’ ableism. suki trained to be a soldier, and from a very young age, headed up a group of soldiers younger than she and led them to war. zuko was subjected to physical and mental abuse at the hands of his father, constantly being told that he was not good enough unless he was a capable fighter. azula? nearly the same situation as zuko. we dont have many solid canon scenes that show her being physically abused, but if zuko wasn’t good enough to even claim his father’s name if he wasn’t a capable fighter, what makes you think azula would’ve been treated any better? ozai made it clear he wanted ONE thing: a fighter, a general, someone that made him look good on the battlefield and the palace. why do you think that someone he successfully shaped into that role would’ve been happier or healthier than someone ozai failed with? azula was raised in an abusive environment, with no support from her mother or uncle, and trained to believe that she was worthless unless she was serving her father, just like zuko. the characters go through these things during their formative years. as children, they’re scarred with these things. we give zuko and katara and the rest of team avatar a lot of leeway (as we should) because of the horrors they’ve been subjected to, the mental issues they must be dealing with. it just makes no sense for us to leave no sympathy for a young traumatized girl, who was the only one for whom the show began and ended in tragedy.

azula was a very complicated character, and i won’t tell you you have to like her. i’m certainly not excusing her behavior toward ty lee, mai, and zuko. however, i do beg of anyone who has read this far to take into account the same things you do when you think about any other character. azula added a lot to the show, both in depth and in being iconic, and i think it’s important that we think about the show and its messages about morality when we think about azula.

#this was supposed to be one paragraph..#but whatever i think it needed to be said #if i get any more azula bullshit im linking them to this post smh #azula #essays

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words4bloghere · 7 years

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Dreams that Smolder

This is for Day 5 of smut week! It is a continuation from the previous stories so here is a link to ONE, TWO, THREE, and FOUR. If you’re enjoying the ungodly amount of plot, find me on ao3! My name is Polywantsanother.

“Like our first time? Is that a nice way of saying that I popped too quickly?” Zuko asked as they laid entwined in each other. Katara snuggled into him, her head resting on his chest.

“Pretty much, yeah.” She said. One arm held her closer to him while his other hand tilted her chin up so he could lean down and kiss her.

“You’re a butthead.” He said and relaxed, putting his head down on the pillow with a sigh.

“Do you think anyone is going to notice we’re gone?” She asked and Zuko sighed again, but this time he sounded more resigned.

“I got Uncle to cover for me, but I should head back down soon.”

“I think enough people saw me with Aang that I might be able to hide out here for the rest of the night.”

“You’re going to leave your poor Cousin alone to fend for himself?” Katara glared up at him.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Tenma can handle himself.”

“That’s what I’m worried about. He is too much like you and without some sort of supervision, I’m worried he might start some sort of international incident.”

“Tenma wouldn’t do that.”

“Isn’t he the one married to a man?”

“Oh no.” Katara jumped up and dashed around grabbing her clothes. “You don’t think anyone will ask about that, do you?”

“The Earth King did just get married. And Tenma does love his husband.”

“Aaaahhhhhhhhh.” Katara kept up the steady call as she hurriedly dressed.

Tenma was unapologetically in love with his husband. The Swamp and Great Lakes Tribes both recognized marriages that were, untraditional to the rest of the world. The problem was that the Foggy Swamp was located within the borders of the Earth Kingdom and were now currently embroiled in a political posturing. The United Water Tribes obviously had a claim on their people, but the actual land they lived on belonged to the Earth King.

And the Swamp Benders believed they were independent.

So any talk that was even slightly political, like same sex marriage, ultimately turned into the fight about independence.

They both dressed, assisting each other with clasps and ties, and kissed before Katara left first. She kept herself from running but felt her anxiety mount as she got closer to the ballroom, where she heard the clamor of voices.

Walking in, she found Tenma engaged in some sort of lively conversation with the Earth King. Amaq and the Kuei’s wife stood askance and watched.

As Katara got closer, she realized what they were talking about.

“So even though they’re really considered quite the nasty little beast,” Tenma said and picked up a glass from a roving servant. “Catgators are actually entertaining companions. Once they’re properly trained of course.”

“I said the same thing about Bosco!” Amaq turned as Katara approached and he reached out to her. Putting her hand on his forearm, she leaned in and they kissed each other on the cheek.

“Feeling better Katara?” He asked and Katara nodded.

“Yes, much improved.” She replied.

“You know, I had told Fu here,” Kuei said and turned to his wife. “That you two were going to become the power royal couple had you married.”

“Unfortunately, love matches are hard to come by in political marriages,” Amaq said and smiled over at Fu. “And not all of us are so lucky.” Fun smiled and a large blush spread across her face. Keui took her arm and kissed the top of her head.

“Or you just don’t have your marriage recognized by the rest of the world.” Tenma muttered and took a long drink from his cup. Katara pulled a face and stared at him. Tenma stared back. Katara glared harder and Tenma sighed. “I heard you are engaged again though Prince Amaq.” Now, Katara startled and looked up at Amaq.

“Yes, just this past season.” The prince said and Keui laughed.

“Well congratulations! Why isn’t she here?”

“Northern Water Tribe tradition. The woman doesn’t leave her household until the day of the wedding.”

Katara was surprised by the pang of jealously that broke through her. In the span of a dark season they had been engaged and broken up. She had told him that she had never really loved him and he had expressed his own thoughts on the matter.

How little of a choice he had as the adopted son of the royal family.

He was the only one besides Iroh who knew about her and Zuko, she trusted him that much.

And he hadn’t told her that he was engaged.

Katara shook herself and Tenma made another face, this time crossing his eyes at her.

“Those of us so happily married, or about to be, should probably not talk so loudly about it in front of my dear spinster cousin.” He said and Keui suddenly looked genuinely worried.

“I’m sorry Master Katara. I hope I did not offend.” He said and Katara bowed slightly.

“Not a worry. I have no intention of joining such a club of my elders.” She remarked and they all laughed.

“With my people, it is an unfortunate reality that the woman’s freedom goes away once she is married. And Katara is not the type to give such an aspect so easily.” Amaq said as he put a hand on her shoulder. “We are fortunate to have a Master among our people who is able to travel so far and she has done great work in strengthening the Tribes.”

“She is a wonderful ambassador.” Keui went silent as something caught his eye. “Though her friendships are still baffling.” Katara turned and saw Zuko entering the room. Iroh quickly approached them and they conferred.

“The Fire Lord did train the Avatar.” Katara remarked when the group turned back toward each other.

“Still, between him and his Uncle, Ba Sing Sae had seen better days.” Keui stated.

“I think if you were not in such a position of strength, you would come to see the Fire Lord’s empathy. He has been indispensable in reviving the South Pole. Without their trade agreements, we would be at a loss with certain materials.” Amaq explained. Quickly, the Prince turned the conversation toward Pole architecture and how they built the palace out of ice. That moved toward the Spirit Oasis at each Pole and Katara soon excused herself from the group.

The rest of the night was spent avoiding the Avatar and the Fire Lord, while trying not to cling to either Amaq or Tenma. Oddly, she found herself conversing a lot with Fu. While quiet, the woman was actually very well read and thoughtful, so they had a lot to talk about.

Most people retired early, since the first Council meeting was the next day. It was the first time Zuko was going to take a place at the table and Katara believed that everyone wanted to see how that would turn out.

Katara said her goodnights and walked back up to her room, once again alone. She smiled as she considered the closing of the day’s events.

When she moved to the bedroom, she recognized how the day still lingered. The sheets of the bed were still tousled, and there was the faint smell of their flesh. Katara stripped and let her clothes fall in a heap on the floor. Her luggage would be in the lobby by morning and she didn’t bother dressing up much for the Council anyways.

So she wriggled into the sheets and blankets, finding pleasure in the cool fabric as it rubbed against her skin. It had been a long day, with a long trip, and even longer claims to her patience. Sighing, Katara found herself exhausted and quickly falling asleep.

She did not notice the embers they had left behind. And during the night, they burned into her.

He came to her in a way he never had before. She woke, in her bed, to Zuko softly parting the blankets. He slipped into the bed and came to her.

Kissing her, Zuko took her lower lip between his teeth and sucked gently. His hand cupped her cheek and he pressed his fingers lightly into her neck. Katara could feel the warmth of his palm against her skin and she leaned into it. Angling himself, Zuko pushed his other arm under her and held her, moving the hand on her cheek to the back of her head.

He loved her hair, had said so over and over again, and Katara often smiled as he clutched at the thick waves, as he did now. His fingers curled in her hair and his mouth moved to her throat, and Katara was able to feel his breath.

Zuko was hot, every part of him was hot, and Katara felt herself softening under his touch. His lips were soft as he kissed a line down her throat. Nudging her, Zuko guided her onto her back while he laid on his side next to her.

“Beloved.” He said and traced a finger over her collarbone and down between her breasts. “You are the moon who shines in my sky.” He circled her navel and slowly moved back up. “You are the breath of my body.” His finger, fingers, moved over one breast and he rolled her nipple under his palm. “You are the water that sustains me.” He grabbed the mound of flesh and then slid his hand off, running each fingertip over her nipple as he moved. “Your love is the only food I need.” His finger moved up her throat and over her bottom lip.

Katara dipped her mouth down and caught his finger, biting it gently before sucking on it, flicking it with her tongue. Zuko smiled and pulled it free, leaning in to kiss her. His tongue, oddly, was cool and Katara could taste the remnants of the wine they had served that night.

With her mouth occupied, Zuko moved his hand down her body. He moved over her stomach and over her pelvis to her side. Gliding up her waist, Katara moaned into his mouth and he grabbed her. Pulling her to him, he kissed her harder, and she could feel more of him hardening at the other side of her hip.

“Zuko,” She whispered when he pulled away, his hand resting lightly now on her hip. “You are the sun and stars who light my life.” She guided his hand with hers to between her legs. “You are the fire that warms me.” She kept one hand on his and pushed on his fingers to push into her. “You are the ground that holds me.” She leaned up and ran her lips against his. “Your love shelters me from all danger.” She kissed his and urged his hand firmly against her.

He took to her instruction and his fingers slid in and out of her. His thumb moved in jerking motions to roll her clit and soon she was panting. Zuko leaned in and kissed her nipple, running his lips over the nub as it rose. He licked and sucked it, gently grazing it with his teeth occasionally.

“Would you do something for me?” He asked, his mouth suddenly at her ear. He sucked on her earlobe and Katara groaned. He ran his tongue up the edge of her ear and she sighed.

“Anything.”

“Mount me.”

“Of course.” There was a pause then, as they shifted. Zuko sat up, his back pressed against the headboard. He pulled Katara up to him and she straddled him. Zuko stared at her breasts and cupped them with both of his hands. She knew the women of the Poles ran bigger than any woman living in the Fire Nation, and they were darker too. Zuko’s thin pale hands stood out against the soft warmth of her hickory skin.

“Do you know what I love about this position?” He asked as Katara eased herself onto his cock. She moaned and her eyes fluttered close.

“What love?” She put her hands on his shoulders and took in a deep breath.

“Feeling your muscles as you move.” His hands ran up and down her back as he spoke and Katara grinned.

“Really? You love that?” She asked and looked at him. Zuko smiled and kissed her quickly.

“I didn’t say I loved it the most, but yeah.”

Katara rocked against him and Zuko made a sound deep in his throat.

“What about that?”

“That’s definitely up there.” Katara continued to rock against him, feeling the head of his cock rubbing against her inner walls. Zuko bent his head back and Katara leaned down to gently bite his exposed neck. Here she was able to lift up a little and move up and down the length of him. She kept her mouth on his throat and he groaned and grabbed her ass. She moved higher up his cock and paused there, her turn to nibble his ear.

“What about this?” She murmured.

“YeeAH.” As he spoke, Katara sat back down and took the length of him into her pussy. Zuko groaned as she repeated the movement.

“Katara.” He panted and pushed on her backside. Katara went back to rocking and Zuko kissed her. “You’re dreaming.”

“What?” Katara kept rocking but she looked him full in the face.

“Tell me something.” Zuko said and suddenly, it wasn’t dark. The room was filled with early morning sunlight and Katara could see dust floating in the air around her. “Do I still have my scar?”

Katara studied his face. “Zuko.”

She felt herself getting close and she dug her fingers into his shoulders.

“I love you.”

#zk smut week #zk smut week 2017 #zutara smut week #zutara smut week 2017 #their bodies lie upon the sheets #jax writes

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