#uncle iroh would agree | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blacknailsandheartbreak · 1 month

Text

Imagine Zuko is working at the Jasmine Dragon and you are a regular :)

I love the small town coffee shop/ cafe feel, and when you throw in a romance trope- I will smother that MF in butter and eat it for my final meal. I love my grump x sunshine tropes, if you couldn’t tell.

This one isn’t really following a proper timeline or story, cuz I’m not using Zuko and Irohs fake names and they really are just chillin in that tea shop for this story, BUT just a fluffy idea I really like. Anywho, fluffy and some steam ;) that gets steamy. (WINK WINK)

WC: ~2100 words

So let’s imagine…

Age of Admission: 18 and Wrinkled

Zuko is a server at the Jasmine Dragon tea shop owned by his Uncle Iroh. It became super popular very fast and you thought you would check it out. You walk in one morning and come to meet the owner, he introduces himself as Iroh. He is very kind and as you two talk, you find it is only himself and his nephew who work there. Iroh points out his nephew and when you turn to look where he motions, a figure disappears into the back. You thank Iroh for his kindness and say you cannot wait to come back. You would end up becoming a regular that would come in and read for a long time when the shop was quiet but leave when it got busy.

When you would come in, Zuko was always conveniently the one to help you. He would take your order, he would give you your tea and come by your table to check if you needed anything. He was nonchalantly cold to you but… not…? You would always smile and thank him and try to make small conversation, but Zuko never really engaged, he wasn’t rude and would agree with you then quickly move on. But over time, you noticed Zuko never stopped at any of the other tables to check on them, only yours.

Over time it is very apparent that Zuko has the biggest soft spot for you but tries not to show it. He constantly stares at you, but glances away before he gets caught. Iroh obviously takes notice fairly quickly and tries talking with Zuko, but it is short lived. Iroh comments “You two would complement each other quite well. Not to mention the smile she brings out of you, now that's quite the achievement.” Zuko only rolls his eyes as he walks into the back.

On another day you had been sitting for almost an hour finishing your second cup of tea, in the last few chapters of your book, Zuko was glancing at you from behind the counter as he dried a teapot. Iroh tried again, “You should talk to her.” Zuko visually tenses, “What?! No! What would I even say??” He said in a harsh whisper. “You are overthinking nephew, she always tries to spark a conversation, just let your conversation rivers flow and intertwine!” Zuko looked at him blandly, Iroh gave a soft smile, “A compliment can go a long way.” Iroh patted his shoulder and went to walk among the tables conversing with the customers.

One day you had stayed particularly later than you had thought as a rush didn’t happen and you were very into your book. Eventually Zuko walks over to you and places down a small dessert, it was some sort of pear tart. You smiled up at Zuko and thanked him for the kind gesture. “Yeah, we are closing soon and there happened to be some left that didn’t sell.” Zuko said. You shot up, not noticing the time, “Oh! I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize the time. Can I take it to go?” You say standing and gathering your things, you start apologizing for holding them up but Zuko was only half listening as he looked out the window at the dark street. He was worried about you being out so late and walking home alone. He cuts you off and insists it's fine and to wait till after they close and he would walk you home. Your heart flutters as it was something you knew you wanted but didn’t realize how badly. You smile and nod your head in thanks, but Iroh had overheard and insisted that Zuko could head out now as he could close himself.

Zuko and yourself walked along the main street, the night was dark but the street lamps lit your way. You hold your book with both hands in front of you as you talk about what happened in the many chapters you read tonight. Zuko and you walk side by side, you smile as you explain the events, Zuko listens but is watching around for anything to be cautious of. You both make it back to your apartment and you thank Zuko for the kind gesture and offer him to come in. To your dismay he declines, you were sad as he turned away and waved goodnight, knowing it was out of good chivalry. After what felt like the longest walk home of his life, Zuko returns to the tea shop. Iroh welcomes Zuko back and asks how it went, Zuko snapped “Do you stick your nose into everyone’s business, or just mine?” Iroh looked at Zuko for a moment, “She asked you to stay, didn’t she?” Zuko scrunched his nose and didn’t reply, he walked back to his room.

You had come down with a cold and didn’t return to the tea shop for a couple days. But little to your knowledge, through those couple days Zuko found himself waiting for you to walk through the front doors. He found himself looking at the door every time someone walked through but disappointment cooling his veins when it wasn’t you.

After almost a week goes by you show up again, Iroh welcomes you back warmly and insists your regular order will be out swiftly before walking into the back. You smile and take a seat, pulling out your book, not long after Zuko is at your table with your tea. Zuko makes a comment about your absence and you explain how you had gotten a cold and then tease him about missing you. Zuko starts to try and back track his comment, you can see a bit of embarrassment peek through as he tries to cover up his feelings that showed through his concern of you missing. You decide to take a leap and try to show him it's ok. “Well, I missed your company too.” you said warmly, as Zuko composed, someone walked in and up to the counter. Zuko added it was nice to have you back before heading to serve the customer.

A rush started that afternoon so you marked your place in your book, paid and left. You spent some time in the market and on your route home you passed the tea shop. You walked by slowly to see Zuko sweeping by the front door, he looked up and questioned why you were out so late. You smiled and explained about the market, told him about the shops and liveliness. While you were talking Iroh pops out from the back mid question for zuko, but pauses when he sees you. He exclaimed how nice it was to see you again with a warm smile walking to you and Zuko. You return the gesture and brief him about the market that you explained to Zuko. Iroh agreed it sounded fun and insisted You show Zuko, all closing was basically done and could finish up by himself.

You and Zuko made your way to the market and walked around, there were many food stands, flower stands, jewelry stands, fabric stands, anything you name it was probably there. As you both walked and you talked, a cool breeze started setting in so you looped your arm through Zukos and walked closer to him, commenting on his warmth. Zuko only hummed and continued on with you, even though his heart was totally a butterfly exhibit at that moment. Once the market was fully explored, Zuko offered to walk you home again as it was very late and he should get you home.

Once again you both ended up on your apartment door step. You thanked him for a great night and him walking you back, you unlocked and opened your door, offering again for Zuko to come in. Zuko starts to insist he leaves but you cut him off with a kiss. Zuko was surprised for only a split second, but kissed you back, placing his hands on your waist. You pull away and look up at him through your eyelashes, “Please, stay for a bit”. He looked at you, “Are you sure?” he asked, keeping his hold on your waist, your shirt parted slightly from your pants and the warmth of his hand hummed against your skin. You held his gaze while you grabbed his hand, taking him inside.

Once you were both in, you handed Zuko the keys, he closed the door and locked it. The second he turned around you moved in, you placed your hand on his jaw and chest. Zuko lavished in your kiss and put his hands on the small of your waist, bringing you in as close as possible. You felt the warmth of his body against yours, but craved more. You grab the bottom of his shirt and pull up, Zuko releases you and grabs his shirt, yanking it off quickly, returning to your lips. But this time his hands didn’t fall on your waist, they reached to the back of your thighs, hiking you up with ease as pleasant yelp of surprise from you as you wrapped your legs around his waist. The kiss was so hot you pulled away, your head falling to the side as Zuko moved to kiss your jaw and neck. “Zuko…~ah!” He hummed in response, “Zuko, bedroom… behind us…” Zuko promptly moves to the door you mention, pushing it open with his foot, stepping in and swiftly closing it with a firm but gentle kick.

Zuko set you down on the bed, you eagerly took off your shirt and you laid chest bare, not having worn underclothing today. Zuko’s hands were immediately on your torso, and chest. As Zuko kissed along your neck and collar bone, you scrape your nails down his shoulders and slide your hands along his arms, feeling the lean build of his muscle. Zuko asks if this is ok, what you both were doing, you wasted no time in confirming you were more than ok with it. You grab the waist line of his pants and pull him close, he grunts and pushes himself further against you, you gasp. Zuko goes to remove your pants, you raise your hips to quicken the process. You now laid bare before Zuko, everything for him to see. You could feel the vulnerability creep in and the natural urge to cover, but you knew you were comfortable and this is what you wanted. Your hands worked his trousers and slid them off. Zuko stood proud as he hovered over you, laying between your legs. Anticipation slid around your stomach, you kissed deeply, you could feel Zuko at your entrance, you gasped. He leaned back and looked down at where you met, grinning. Pushing forward slightly, his head pushing against your kitten. “~mmh… ah!” You moan out as he pushes further in, Zuko lets out a breath as he rests on elbows over top of you. He pushes in all the way and an audible gasp leaves your mouth as you could swear he hit an organ. He pulls out and slides back in, in the most devilish way of feeling like he is hitting deeper with every thrust. Your eyes roll back as his hips move in the perfect way, feeling his skin against yours, his muscles move against your body. Zuko puts his arms under your knees and spreads your legs wide and pushes them up, giving him better access as well as deeper penetration, which is baffling to you in that second until he continues. Now nothing is going through your mind except Zuko's breath and your moans in the air. You felt a knot in your stomach form, you tapped on his shoulder and told him you were close. He groaned and kept going as you fell apart under him, almost reaching his peak as you became so sensitive you couldn't contain the moans coming from you. But before you could think, he was about to climax. Zuko cursed and pulled out, cumming on your stomach. You both are absolutely racked from the events, Zuko takes a deep breath in, kisses you and says he will be right back. He comes back with a towel, cleaning you up and laying next to you.

You lay on his chest and relax, both being out of breath, Zuko said something that shocked you. He exclaimed how he missed you the week you were home sick, and not at the tea shop. You smiled sweetly and cuddled closer to his warm body, explaining how everyday you couldn’t stop thinking about him either.

#prince zuko #zuko #atla #zuko fanfic #zuko x reader #atla fanfic #avatar zuko #fluff #smut #grumpy x sunshine

552 notes · View notes

innerwomen · 27 days

Text

Jasmine Tea and Cakes

Paring: Zuko x Reader

TYPE: suggestion. Fluffy

WARNINGS: none.

Summary: While on a mission as a spy for the Fire Nation in Ba Sing Sa you go to a shop for tea, and who do you find? Your childhood bestfriend who was banned the night you were planning to confess.

Parts: Here is where this suggestion stemmed from, though that and this fic can both be read as stand alones.

Thank you @icantwaittoliveandlearn for the motivation and inspiration of this fic!

Message: I’m back from the dead! Updates will be slow but I’m coming back to my rhythm, I had been unmotivated and overwhelmed but, here, a peace offering a fluffy Zuko Fic.

It’s been months but it’s felt like years since you had to watch Zuko and uncle Iroh leave the Fire Nation and be in search of the Avatar.

You tried busying yourself in the mean time, but every time you tried your mind would subconsciously rear itself back to Zuko; back to the conversation both of you had the night before he left and the day he lost in the Agni Kai. You worried that he would lose himself while trying to earn back his honor but you trusted that Iroh would always steer him back on the right path. ——-

While Zuko was away, the Fire Nations hunger for domination grew and the main target was Ba Sing Sa. You were told the infiltration would happen from inside the great Earth city. Hence why you and a couple other Firebenders were sent to live undercover in the city for a week. You only agreed to this order because you saw it as a means to escape the Fire Nation undetected. You didn’t want to spend another second in the country that had such a man as Ozai as its leader and voice of reason.

You had been making your plans, and on Friday you planned to abandon the mission and make your way to an earth village away from the big city.

While spying, or more accurately said, exploring; the city you found many intriguing things. Such as the spices and herbs, the cuisine and clothing. It was all so new and exciting, you were truly enjoying yourself. You had also gotten into the habit, since arriving, to go a new restaurant every night; to take advantage of the little time you’d have in the capital. Tonight’s restaurant was a tea shop that you had heard from many locals and tourist, was absolutely delicious sweets and bliss teas.

When you reached the street the little shop was sat at, you could already smell the jasmine, chamomile, ginger and spearmint seeping from its windows and front entrance. When you walked in you immediately noticed the calm ambient and staff. This place was sure to live up to its expectations.

“Hello, Ms! Please have a seat anywhere you like, one of our waiters will be with you shortly.” One of the staff members says smiling as they served customers and spoke to you.

“Thank you.” You say before making your way to a table by a window with a good view of the street from the seat. You peered over the menu, reading the plethora of tea and cake options.

“I’m Lee, your server. What do you want to order?” Suddenly a bored and rather irritated voice asks.

You put the menu down to get a look at this Lee who’s voice held such attitude and sass. When you look up you instantly recognize the face, and scar. “Zuko?” You ask quietly making sure your eyes aren’t deceiving you and it really was the boy you haven’t stopped worrying about since you last saw him.

When the server boy sees your face that was originally obscured from the menu he drops his note pad and pen and his eyes widen. “Y/n?” He breaths with disbelief.

At hearing your name you stand up and throw your arms around Zuko into a hug, without missing a beat he wraps his arms around your torso and brings you in closer.

Muffled by his face buried in your shoulder Zuko mumbles, “I’ve missed you, Y/n.”

“Me too. A lot.”

You both pull away from each other and you can’t help but notice how well his scar has healed; and how confident Zuko looks once again. “What are you doing here, Zuko?” How in the world did he end up working in a tea shop; how ironic.

“Well after the search for the Avatar, Azula was on our trail and one thing lead to another- now I work at a tea shop and Uncle Iroh has a bumming business.” He says humbly as he takes his hand through his hair. “But how are you here?”

“Long story short, I was offered to spy from the inside of Ba Sing Se and I only agreed as an opportunity to leave behind all ties with the Fire Nation.” You say almost proud of the plan that you’ve made.

“Your going to become a runaway?” He asks shocked, “that’s what you want? You know if they catch you-”

You signal him to calm his rambling, “I know the consequences and outcomes, and I am taking the risk. Because it’s worth it.” You say smiling reassuringly. “Now tell me everything that’s happened since we’ve last saw each other! I bet you’ve had amazing adventures and have visited new places.” You say excited, as you sit him in the seat across from you to hear everything you’ve missed since the banishment.

Midway through one of his stories you hear and can see the character growth the boy before you underwent. He changed. It showed in the way he spoke calmly and slowly, the way his shoulder relaxed when he spoke, and most obvious to you, the way his eye were clearer. No longer fogged by his father’s ideology or pressure. He has bettered himself and though you know it was hard, you were so proud, because he did it for himself.

“LEE! We are twelve orders behind what is holding you up?” Iroh’s voice booms as he walks out of the kitchen with trays full of orders. When he looks across the room he stops when he sees his nephew seated across from you. “Y/n?” When he sees you smile, he knows it’s you, “Y/N!” Quickly he runs over and engulfs you in a huge.

“Uncle Iroh!” You say just as happy to see the man who practically raised you alongside Zuko.

“What a lovely suprise! Here,” he places a beautiful blue tea cup with delicate drawings of flowers and vines along with its matching saucer in front of you, “Tea is often best enjoyed with the company of others. You two catch up, I’ll wrangle down another server to help with the orders.”

“Thank you, Uncle.”

“Thank you, Iroh!”

You take a slow sip, the hot liquid warms you up and the honey it’s mixed with a nice balm as it glides down while you swallow. “Mmmhm. Just as good as always.” You smile, “Ok, what was it you were saying about a secret tunnel?”

Zuko who was completely distracted by your look of happiness blurts, “I missed you.”

Your smile reaches your eyes as you set your hand over Zuko’s, “Me too.”

Quickly awaken from his trance by the physical touch he embarrassedly asks trying not to stumble over his words, “What was it you wanted to know again?”

“Everything, Zuko. Everything.”

411 notes · View notes

system-to-the-madness · 7 days

Text

Cherry Blossom Comfort 🌸 Zuko x Reader

Pairing: Zuko x Reader(can be read as any gender, no pronouns used) Genre: fluff Word Count: 1 724 Warnings: Major Spoilers for the graphic novel “The Search” Summary: Zuko opens up to you about his feelings about his family

Sakura Festival Masterlist - Masterlist

Zuko’s head was heavily resting in your lap, cushioned on the deep red fabric of your gown pulled over your soft thighs. His amber eyes watched your face closely as you ran your hands through his dark hair, admiring the way the soft strands so effortlessly slipped through your fingers. It had been a while since you had sat like this. Between the conflict at the former colony of Yu Dao, now its own state, and the immediately following search for Zuko’s mother, there had been little time for any kind of quiet intimacy between Zuko and you.

After you had found his mother, and had returned to the palace, Zuko had been quieter than you knew him to be. He had spent a long time talking to his mother before leaving her and his half-sister in order to return to the palace, and you suspected that whatever they had discussed, was still occupying his mind. Usually, he talked to you about whatever thought he couldn’t get rid of, but so far, he had kept it shut inside, making you wonder if it simply was something he did not want to share, if he didn’t want to share it with you, or if he only needed a little more time to think about it.

A few days ago, he had eventually asked if you wanted to come to Ba Sing Se with him, an invitation you had gladly taken. You were staying at his uncle's place, a small house with only a few rooms, which gave the two of you the opportunity to share the narrow bed and cuddle up each night. In the palace, there were always guards around, and Zuko had been advised that it would be better if the two of you were not to sleep in the same room, at least not too often, to avoid gossip. Zuko had been in an especially bad mood after that for a while, grumbling about how he was your boyfriend and why anybody other than the two of you should be concerned with your relationship. But if he had learnt anything in the year of being Fire Lord, it was that certain advice was better to be followed, and as much as both of you hated it, this was one of the instances.

This in turn meant both of you cherished the time at Uncle Iroh’s home even more. With the excuse of not enough space, you got to share a bed each night, falling asleep in each other’s arms without the concern of guards walking in or starting rumours.

Both of you were aware that you could not hide out in Ba Sing Se forever, but you had agreed that a holiday of a few days would be acceptable, and so you spent the days either helping in Uncle Iroh’s tea shop or talking long walks in the parks that spread wide and far through the city.

Now you were sitting in the garden that belonged to his uncle’s tea shop, back against the trunk of a blooming cherry tree, Zuko laying spread out on the ground, his head resting in your lap. Usually, you would have taken the opportunity to ask him what he was thinking about, but considering the events of the past month, the almost-war at Yu Dao and the reunion with his mother, which he still hadn’t talked about, you thought it would be better if he were the one to talk first. Or not. While you were curious about what had happened, you never wanted to make him feel like you were prying into parts of his life he wasn’t ready to share with you.

His eyes flickered from your face to the pink blossoms above your heads, before focusing back on you, a smile tucking at his lips before he spoke.

“You know,” he began, his voice soft, “For the time in which I was thinking Ikem was my father, I was almost relieved.”

Ikem, the man his mother had loved before having been married to his father Ozai, and the man who she had returned to after leaving the palace.

Quietly you nodded, more to yourself than Zuko. You had suspected as much, judging from his behaviour and how he had talked about Ozai in these days.

“If Ikem had been my father, I’d never have to worry about turning out like Ozai again,” he explained, his eyes almost absentmindedly tracing your features, like a routine that brought him comfort. “I wouldn’t be in danger to turn as crazy and delusional as him, or Azula. And I could have stopped feeling guilty for not being as powerful a firebender as them.”

You wanted to disagree, tell him he was as good as them, but the truth was they were more powerful than he would probably ever be, even though he had by far the better techniques and his skills were more refined. The only ones who had ever looked down on him for that had been the two of them, and to you it couldn’t matter less how good at firebending he was, or whether he was a bender at all. But you had a feeling this talk was better to be had at another time. Right now it was more important that Zuko got to share his thoughts uninterrupted, while he felt safe and comfortable enough to confide you.

“And Azula…” He trailed off, his eyes leaving your face and returning to the blossoms above him. “I always got told these stories when I was little, about siblings sticking together, through thick and thin, like Sokka and Katara. But Azula and I never were like that. Even when I tried to be what I thought a big brother should be like, she only ever took pleasure in humiliating me. If I had been only her half-brother, it would have felt like an explanation, and I could have stopped feeling guilty for it.”

A crease was forming on his forehead, and you brought your hand from his hair to his face, brushing over his forehead with your thumb.

“Why would you feel guilty for the way she was treating you, hm,” you asked. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Zuko agreed. “Still there were times when I just wanted to get along with her. I just wanted a normal family. For my father to love me the way my mother had, for Azula to treat me like her brother, even if that includes the one or the other rivalry. But not like some second-class human being.”

“In Azula’s eyes everyone who isn’t her is a second-class human being,” you mumbled.

“I know,” Zuko sighed. “But still.”

“I’m sorry that you never got the family you wished for,” you whispered. “You have every right to be upset about that.”

“For a moment I thought, I could have that family, you know,” Zuko admitted. “If Ikem really would have been my father- I could have had a normal family, the one I always wanted, a father who’s proud of me, my mother who never made me feel small or irrelevant and a sister who actually sees me as a human and not just a challenge.” He took a deep breath. “But I always would have doubted my position as Fire Lord,” he continued. “I wouldn’t have known where I belonged anymore.” He hesitated for a moment before he added: “I think I would have even started to doubt that I belong at your side.”

“I wouldn’t have allowed you to doubt that,” you told him, and the crease on his forehead softened under your insistent brushing over it. You could have been only of little help if he had started doubting his position as Fire Lord, but you would never let him question that the two of you belonged with each other. That was not a matter of heritage, it was a matter of your hearts, your souls. As dramatic as it sounded, you were convinced that Zuko and you were bound together by more than the emotions you were aware of.

Even before you had really gotten to know another, back when you had still been enemies, you had always found and saved each other, even when all rationality had dictated the opposite. You had defied probability and logic again and again, consciously, and subconsciously, so much that by the time Zuko had turned up at the Wester Air Temple with an awkward “Hello, Zuko here”, you had been convinced you were cursed to always run into him.

Now you were convinced it was something else entirely, something that would lead you back to find each other no matter when and where you were. For a while Zuko had loved to throw around the word ‘destiny’, and even though you hardly believed in that concept, you couldn’t imagine to not be bound to him by destiny.

Zuko’s eyes found yours, clear amber staring up at you on a mixture of wonder and admiration.

“No,” he finally agreed with you. “I belong with you. No matter who I am, or where, or when. I’m yours.”

You smiled at the certainty in his voice, knowing that right now there was absolutely no doubt in neither of your hearts about that. Gently you brushed his hair aside and leant down to press a kiss to his forehead. His eyes flickered closed blissfully, and you grinned at the way he puckered his lips, expecting a kiss there too, but you pulled away teasingly. When he realised you weren’t going to kiss him, he blinked his eyes open, frowning at you disapprovingly, while snuggling into the palm with which you cupped his face. Sometimes it still surprised you how touch starved he was.

“And I’m yours,” you whispered, making him blush. After almost a year of exchanged whispers like this you would think he had gotten used to them yet, but you loved how you were still able to fluster him so easily.

“I’m just glad I get to be by your side,” Zuko confessed, making you smile.

“I’m glad, too,” you replied before leaning down again, this time softly kissing his lips, pretending like the soft sigh that slipped past his lips did not make your heart skip a beat, but you had a feeling Zuko knew either way.

180 notes · View notes

burst-of-iridescent · 2 months

Note

I hate when people say(*writers*) when zuko is an emo bad boy. When zuko acts "emo" and "badboy" as they say it's him reacting to his trauma and abuse as a kid(most of time. Zuko is still badass. But badboy no). Is it an excuse? No. But when zuko is acting that way in canon, his obsession with honor, his yelling, his moodiness, his short temper. That is the product of having his empathy literally beaten/burned out of him by his father(and mocked and emotionally abused by Azula). The reason Zuko is doing this whole thing is because he wants to please his father. Become someone he's not. His struggle of who his father wants to be with who he is. It's because of the abuse of his father and his family. As the series goes on you get more and more flashes of the person Zuko was and the person he can become. By the end of the series it's such a great contrast and Zuko is much more happier because he's with the gaang. His family. He got out of that abusive situation he was in and finally became himself. A dorky, empathetic, caring, skilled swords men, a balanced person. Does he still have moments of anger? Yes. But over all Zuko becomes a fully balanced person.

gasp! but if we don't call zuko a bad boy, however will we make sure people don't get any ideas about shipping him with katara?

jokes aside, you're absolutely right and i roll my eyes so hard when people point to bad things zuko did, or his behaviour pre-redemption as indisputable proof of the kind of person he'd be post-redemption. like you said, a lot of zuko's actions and mannerisms before day of black sun is a direct result of the trauma he suffered, and though that doesn't excuse him - and neither does the show allow it to - discounting it entirely is to erase the abuse zuko endured and how that shaped him.

using the first half of book 3 as evidence of zuko being a supposed bad boy irks me in particular because a) the narrative makes it pretty clear that this is zuko as the worst version of himself, the opposite of everything he actually is and could be, and b) he is stuck in an abusive household at the mercy of his abusers, in an actively life-threatening situation.

zuko knows that he is in a situation where he has no real agency, freedom or control. he knows that aang is alive, that azula has turned him into a scapegoat and that his life will be forfeit if his father finds out the truth. that is an incredibly terrifying and stressful situation to be put in and it's worsened by the fact that he can't even admit it - not just because doing so would mean accepting that he gave up everything that actually mattered in the catacombs to gain nothing in return, but also because no one around him will allow him to do so.

his girlfriend can't understand his experiences or his turmoil and doesn't seem to particularly want to, brushing off his anxieties and encouraging him to stay the course. he is manipulated by his father and gaslighted by his sister, aware deep down that he is entirely under their control and that they have a vested interest in keeping him helpless, yet forced to pretend as though nothing is wrong. he is isolated from the one person who could help - his uncle - physically and emotionally, both because visiting iroh puts zuko in danger, and because zuko's choices have created a rift in their relationship.

all of this compounds the psychological stress zuko is experiencing, forcing him into a constant state of fight-or-flight, and this context is vital to understanding many of the decisions he makes and how he behaves in the first half of book 3.

(this is why i don't agree with the take that hiring combustion man is an ooc moment for zuko because even though i think the idea of combustion man himself is stupid - not to mention disrespectful to the hindu origins it's pulling from - it's a fundamentally desperate move, and zuko at this point is more desperate than he's ever been.)

that's why it's unlikely that zuko post-redemption would behave similarly since many of the factors that contributed to his anger, hostility and moodiness would no longer exist! judging zuko's future behaviour based on a time when he was constantly abused, gaslighted and threatened is just not an accurate or fair means of measurement, especially since we know what he's like at his best. the zuko we see with the gaang still has a bit of a short fuse, sure, but he's also sincere, honest, awkward, shy and far happier than he's ever been. because shocker, people tend not to act the same way in healthy, supportive environments as they do in abusive, traumatic ones. who would've thought?

people who make this argument also usually tend to compare zuko to aang, especially to glorify how aang remains cheerful and peaceful despite his trauma, and... no. just no. first of all, the show barely gives a fuck about developing aang's trauma the way it does zuko's so of course it seems to affect him less, and secondly, there's something to be said about how trauma responses like aang's are a lot more palatable and comfortable for audiences than responses like zuko's, or even katara's in the southern raiders.

anger or moodiness, or wanting to punish the people who hurt you, are not inherently wrong ways to react when you've been wronged and traumatized. praising aang for remaining cheerful and forgiving while calling zuko a bad boy for being angry and moody implies a sense of moral superiority that comes with reacting to trauma in the "right" way, which is both inaccurate and insensitive.

zuko will never be aang, and that's fine. he doesn't have to be. he ends the show reclaiming everything his abusers tried to take from him, having found himself and his destiny, in a place of healing that is all his own. that is an incredibly meaningful and powerful narrative, and the last thing zuko deserves is to have all of his complexity and development stripped just to be reduced to the tired trope of a "bad boy" when he was never one in the first place.

#zuko #zuko meta #pro zuko #atla critical #bryke critical #zutara

173 notes · View notes

the-badger-mole · 8 months

Text

Headcanon Alley

I saw someone mention a while ago that Zuko wouldn't be awkward around girls because he dated Mai and wasn't super awkward with her. I don't necessarily disagree, but I also don't totally agree. I think Zuko would be fine in a relationship. I think with the right woman, he would be charming and romantic in a relationship. If he's got a crush and he isn't sure it's reciprocated, he would be so weird and uncomfortable. I picture him as coming off as more stoic than babbling...until the girl he likes comes up and actually speaks to him. Then the rambling would start. With Mai...well, first of all, if you didn't read the comics (which most of us didn't and those of us that did never went back to it), then you don't know how that whole thing got started. Mai pursued him (on Azula's orders). I would argue he was still pretty awkward, but he didn't have to go through the whole "does she like me" tussle in his head. Of course he was feeling confident (for a little while at least) about himself as a romantic partner.

In my head, when Zuko falls for Katara, he doesn't know how she feels about him, so he has no idea how to proceed, or if he should proceed. Pretty much everything he learned about romance would've come from his uncle (and maybe whatever romance novels were onboard his ship). Let's be really honest here, Iroh's approach to romance would be a bit weird to teenagers, who above all else don't want to embarrass themselves in front of their peers, and Zuko with his clumsy delivery of his uncle-isms would make it weirder. The boy can't get out of his own head. I think we all know and accept this as a fandom. That was his biggest hurdle in his firebending, it would be his biggest hurdle romantically.

In conclusion, do I think Zuko is utterly devoid of game? No, but his game is strongest when he knows his partner is into him, too. Before that, he's a tangled mess of awkward, even if it's just internal.

#atla #zuko #zutara #i think the boy has game #just not until he's sure the feelings are mutual #THE YEAR OF CONTENT!!!!

233 notes · View notes

flameobitch · 2 months

Text

2024/2021

HELLO EVERYONE!

Let's go back to bumizumi for a moment, because why not? I love these guys so much. And...

• Izumi is constantly freezing. She hates the cold terribly and rarely leaves the confines of the Fire Nation because of the different climate. Uncle Iroh taught her to control her body temperature, but after giving birth, this technique simply did not work and she gave up trying to do something about it.

• For Bumi, the culture of her mother and uncle is very important, and he believed that he would have become a water magician if he had been born a magician. He studied with Sokka all his childhood and often visits the village and his uncle's legacy.

• Despite his intolerance of the cold, Izumi always agrees to go there with him.

• In front of the press, Bumi always hides his face behind a mask of Spirit. This is how he expresses his desire for privacy and anonymity. Izumi is delighted with his idea. Masters and Zuko too. Marrying an Avatar's son, a non-magician, and a military man on the other hand, can seriously damage their reputation throughout the more than 40 years of their marriage.

• It all started with the fact that they had to run away from the press in the Republican city and Bumi put a box on his head so as not to give himself away (their parents were against this union). When Izumi announced the engagement to her father, he gave her a Spirit mask, saying that he trusted her only to him.

• Bumi had pigtail!!!

• Izumi loves the dragon theme and uses the print to the maximum

#bumizumi #bumi lok #firelord izumi #fire lord izumi #zuko #fire nation #bumi ii #avatar korra #avatar art #sokka atla #blue spirit #song art #atla fanart #avatar fanart #digital fanart #redraw

99 notes · View notes

gathering0gloom · 2 months

Text

An Azutara fic idea that I had at midnight.

Things proceed like in canon until 95AG Ozai seizes power and becomes Fire Lord. In this story, Iroh is slightly more bitter and vengeful about it. He comes back to the Fire Nation capital with his army and there's a battle between his troops and Ozai's supporters. The battle ends with Ozai disappearing and Zuko and Azula in Iroh's custody. Since Iroh is still grieving Lu Ten and massively projects his son onto Zuko, he names Zuko his heir and starts shaping him into a new Lu Ten; since Iroh projects Ozai on Azula, he throws Azula in prison.

In 99AG, a few weeks or months before Katara awakens Aang in canon, she is captured by the Fire Nation (Iroh maybe has a 'friend' in the Spirit World who tipped him off that there's one more Waterbender left in the South Pole) and taken to the Fire Nation capital. She's thrown in a cell close to - you guessed it - Azula's.

Back in the South Pole, Sokka (injured by the Fire Nation attack so he couldn't immediately go after Katara) somehow awakens Aang. Aang agrees to help rescue Katara and that leads to them going through some Book 1 events with just the two of them and Sokka

Azula and Katara help each other escape prison. Azula wants revenge on her brother and uncle and is in denial that her father abandoned her to rot in prison for almost five years, and Katara wants to end the war and find her brother. They start off as allies, then friends, then girlfriends (Azutara story, what else could happen?). They have run-ins with Zuko, maybe Combustion Man, and definitely Hama.

Here are a few lines I've come up with

Azula when she's first put in prison:

Azula: Release me at once! I am a member of the Royal Family, and I order you to release me! When my father comes for me, you are going to pay! Let me out! (the guard leaves and Azula starts to cry) Please.

Azula to Iroh and Zuko when they see Katara in prison

Azula: Why don't you leave her alone? Oh, wait, I forgot, picking on little girls in prison is the only way you two can feel powerful.

Azula and Katara after they've escaped and gotten new clothes.

Azula: Thanks for saying what you said earlier.

Katara: What?

Azula: You know, the thing you said to me.

Katara: You're welcome, but I said a lot of things.

Azula: That I was pretty, you said I looked pretty in my new clothes. It's been a long time since I felt pretty.

Azula to Ozai:

Azula: Do you know how long I spent, waiting for you to come back for me? I was so sure that you would. I barely slept in those first few weeks, because I didn't want to miss you arriving.

#azutara

75 notes · View notes

japeneselunchtimerush · 4 months

Text

I love the fact that akashi is canonically a tea nerd lmao.

Thinking of Kuroko's performance in a game?

Drink Tea

Woke up at 5 am to go to school?(Dont lie you know he wakes up early af to get work done)

Drink Tea!(Look at the love in his eyes guys. He looks so peaceful looking at that cup of tea It has helped him like coffee has helped me during finals week)

Someone would ask him why he likes it and hed go on a long tangent about aroma and taste and the type of tea leaves used.(Hes so weird I love him)

I bet he has a special pot and cups for it. As in traditional Tea sets. He is having none of that electronic tea making devices.

He definitely prefers tea brewed by the pot, he thinks the tea tastes much better traditional style(No one thinks it tastes any different but this is one topic that akashi will fight tooth and nail for so everyone just agrees as he stares them down)

I sometimes wonder whether he brews the tea himself or does the chef do it. I think that he brews the tea by himself 1. Because it just doesnt taste the same when other people make it(The only one who can brew my tea is me)

2.He used to help his mother brew tea when she was still alive and its one of his most cherished memories so making the tea reminds him of her okay enough dont make yourself cry.

Hes like the Uncle Iroh of KnB but like a high schooler. That said:

Akashi: Ugh! This tea is nothing more than hot leaf juice

Murasakibara: Aka-chin, Thats what all tea is.

Akashi:ヽ(°〇°)ﾉ How could a member of my own team say something so horrible!

Bonus Kaomoji: (づ ᴗ‿ᴗ)づ🍵

#akashi seijuro #I checked when International Tea day was to see whether I could post it then but its in May lmao #I cant wait that long to post this #So my impatient ahh posted it now #eh #Ill just reblog it when the time comes #Feel free to send me your akashi tea headcanons

79 notes · View notes

quillthrillswriting · 4 days

Text

the gaang...as an indie rock band....? kataang, where aang's only way of confessing his feelings is by writing katara a love song....? 😏

💳💥💳💥💳💥💳💥

i present to you, excerpts from my new one-shot: Well, My (Not-Yet) Boyfriend's In A Band

⋆---––——––---⋆ ⋆ ---––——––------––——––--- ⋆ ⋆ ---––——––--- ⋆

Aang winced, shielding himself with his drumsticks as he walked into Sokka and Katara’s garage almost a full half-hour later than their agreed-upon rehearsal time, as if the two thin pieces of wood could protect him from the combined side-eye of his friends. Even Toph, who regularly rolled in ages after rehearsal had started with a tea in her hand from Uncle Iroh’s, was shooting him a glare, which is how Aang knew he’d really messed up. He ducked his head into the entranceway, silently cursing himself for being just a bit too tall for the garage doorway.

Katara shifted from her position against the opposing doorframe, where she had been judgmentally leaning as she echoed the look in Toph’s eyes. “Aang…”

He threw up his hands in preemptive defence, words tumbling one after the other from his mouth. “I know! I know, I know I’m late,” he tugged his high-top converse off awkwardly, stashing his skateboard in the usual crevice he leaned it against. “But I swear, it’s for a good reason.”

“It better be,” Toph scoffed. “I blew off homework to come here.”

“Toph, you wouldn't have done the homework either way.”

⋆---––——––---⋆ ⋆ ---––——––------––——––--- ⋆ ⋆ ---––——––--- ⋆

“I can feel you glaring at me, Zuko.” Toph smirked, then turned back to Aang. “You’ve been rustling around in your pockets for a while now, you sure you’re not stalling for a good reason on why you were late?”

“It is a good reason. Look!” Aang finally managed to tug out the crumpled piece of paper from his cargo pocket, unfurling it for Toph to see.

Silence filled the room, and then, in a tone laced so much with sarcasm that it was hard to tell when the tone stopped and the sarcasm began, Toph said flatly. “Well, it sounds like a piece of paper, but I assume you’re referring to what’s on the paper. Way to taunt a blind girl, Aang.”

“I-I didn’t mean, I-” Aang stuttered awkwardly, his cheeks flushing an embarrassed shade of pink.

⋆---––——––---⋆ ⋆ ---––——––------––——––--- ⋆ ⋆ ---––——––--- ⋆

“The only problem,” Aang added, “Is that the songs can’t be covers. We have to write something original. The idea of the music festival is to spotlight new young voices in indie rock.”

The others exchanged sidelong glances. “I’m sure that we can write something.” Sokka said with finality. “How hard can it be?”

Hours later, Sokka was sprawled on the couch, head stuffed between the dove grey cushions as he groaned at their utter lack of progress. Katara was perched on the arm of the couch, biting her lip as she tried to run through lyric ideas in her mind. Toph was (very un-subtly) preparing for a nap, curled up in the room’s vintage armchair, while Zuko paced with a hand on his chin, lost in thought.

Unsurprisingly, the five of them had discovered that writing original music does, in fact, require both skill and inspiration, something none of them felt they had at the moment.

⋆---––——––---⋆ ⋆ ---––——––------––——––--- ⋆ ⋆ ---––——––--- ⋆

“What about a love song?” Zuko suggested.

“Ick, oogies!” Sokka yelped from his position next to the mini fridge as he pulled out a pair of sodas. He moved as though he was going to throw one to Toph, then thought better of it and just gently placed it next to her as he sat.

“You have a girlfriend, Sokka.” Zuko pointed out as Sokka settled next to him.

⋆---––——––---⋆ ⋆ ---––——––------––——––--- ⋆ ⋆ ---––——––--- ⋆

“Aang, this is, this is great!”

“I like it.” Zuko nodded.

“Would someone please put text-to-speech on?”

“Let me read it out loud.” Sokka said, apologetically. “My bad, Toph."

♥ check out the (completed) fic & my ao3 here! ->

26 notes · View notes

bluespiritshonour · 7 days

Text

Another thing I've been muling over: a complain I've seen about Maiko is that she keeps him from going on the right path—and... I agree.

For Mai, Zuko's well-being is her sole concern and the rest of the world could crash and burn and that's... Okay?

Realistically speaking, your support system should NOT be one person. One thing I love about ATLA is that (despite romance writing not being one of it's strong points) the lack of ships that follow the tropes.

Kataang is not an archetype. Neither is Sukka or Maiko.

Having your support system be just your romantic partner isn't healthy (for them or for you) or realistic. But most romances do that and until I watched ATLA it didn't occurred to me that that's not a good thing.

ATLA and Maiko are very realistic in that Zuko needs both the Gaang and Mai. He needs the Gaang to hold him accountable for every shitty little thing he did—and he needs Mai there to keep from spiraling and self-destruction.

Zuko and his uncle were de facto conquerors, so they had to do much more to redeem themselves than Mai and Ty Lee (mere soldiers, but NOT innocent) had to.

Zuko had to work hard to earn the Gaang's forgiveness (personal opinion: he should've grovelled more and he should've been called out on his racism against Aang) and Uncle Iroh reconquered Ba Sing Se in the name of it's people.

They both did reparations to the very people they hurt. And their crimes were much more direct and vicious compared to Mai and Ty Lee’s.

As someone not as responsible as them, Mai and Ty Lee's redeeming themselves was at the Boiling Rock.

And well, when Zuko is Firelord right after the war—he would be paying for the crimes of his ancestors. He needs the Gaang there to keep from acting like he did with Katara pre-Southern Raiders (everyone else seems to have forgiven me!) and he needs Mai to keep himself from actually spiralling into self-destruction and undeserved guilt (Sozin's and Ozai's faults aren't his even if he's paying for it and someone needs to remind him that)

So, yeah. He needs them both for different things.

As for Mai, her conflict was that she was never allowed to express herself. And loving Zuko made up for that—she finally stands up for something she believes in (not in the cause, but in Zuko) and Zuko didn't even have to do anything beside exist. He didn't “fix her.”

Although, again I do have the the complain that Mai has to do a lot of emotional labour for him and if you really are gonna shit on Maiko: it's Zuko who needs to step up, not Mai—well, Mai tried to “fix him” and she couldn't!

That's so important to me!—I’m tired of girl fixes boy narrative. And she couldn't fix him because only he could fix himself and Mai herself is used to making the best out of a situation and being selfish/passive/choosing the path of least resistance. She tried to do to Zuko what worked for her (or maybe didn't, considering she was coping)—and well—later when Zuko's Firelord it'll be Mai who keeps him from harming himself.

Zuko needs both to be balanced out.

He needs multiple people to act as support system and that's both healthy and realistic. Mai isn't everything and neither should she be.

I know what the comics did; don't bring them up here. It's not about the comics.

#maiko #atla #avatar the last airbender #zuko #mai #atla mai #gaang #zuko and the gaang #atla maiko #honestly i would admit that atla's writing of romance is lacking #but if you don't like maiko it's not mai's fault #if anything it's zuko's #jerk didn't even apologize for his behaviour on the ember island #mai threw her lot in with him whole heartedly no hesitation #he should've made up to her too #say whatever you want but mai loved that boy #in defense of mai #i just felt like word vomiting #pro maiko

38 notes · View notes

forevermore05 · 20 days

Note

Prompt:

Uncle Iroh dies and without him there to pay the soldiers a little (a lot) extra from his own pocket the crew gets restless

For the first time in three years they actually have a live on what little money Zuko's father allows them to spend per month

(Iroh tried to give money and land to Zuko in his testament but since he is in exile he can't own properly in the Fire Nation and profit from it like other nobles and his family do so Zuko doesn't even know)

To make matters worse Zuko finds out Iroh was also paying extra in many many ports so they would let their ship dock there without any fuss and now the number of friendly ports they can go to resupply is a lot lower

The mutiny is inevitable and Zuko wonders of that was his father's plan all along, to make him disappear in foreign waters so he can't embarrass his family anymore

They leave him alone on shore with nothing but the clothes he is wearing and he has nowhere to go, the Fire Nation has declared him a traitor and the Earth Kingdom has put a price on his head, without his uncle to guide him he steals an ostrich horse and some swords and travels but ends up lost in the desert where the Gaang finds him almost dead after they lose Appa, they can't leave him there to die so they decide to take him with them and see if they can convince him to teach Aang fire bending but agree that telling him about their invasion plans is a bad idea until they know he won't betray them

Sooooooo can Zuko and Katara fall in love in this or not?

#avatar the last airbender #katara #zutara #zuko #zuko x katara

47 notes · View notes

help-me-im-in-the-fandom · 2 months

Text

Okay, so with all the ATLA stuff going on with the disgraceful live action series, I have been inspired so here is an idea.

When the Convergence happens and the Spirit World is thrown into a mess, a small slum district of Republic City is caught in the crossfire.

Gotham District is suddenly displaced into a new world, about early 1800’s maybe?

So starts the City of Gotham, born in a flash of light into a deep swamp across the bay from the City of Metropolis. The people quickly work to hide themselves in this new world, and the few earthbenders that were among them were able to move what buildings they had into the large cave system beneath the surface as they set up temporary shelters, very aware that the bustling people across the bay could see them.

The Metropolis people who did come to check on what was going on assumed the newly built area to be made my the miscreant and lawless population of their city, and the Gothamites, scornfully, allowed the misconception to stand.

They hide the few member of their community who can bend away after one awful day where a young earth bender girl was accused of witchcraft and almost burned at the stake while joining a company of people searching for supplies. A rule is made then, that no one would ever bend above the surface, and no one would ever speak of benders either.

Fast forward a few centuries, and one night Bruce Wayne watches his parents get murdered, and decides on two things.

1) To never allow another person to be orphaned on his watch.

So starts Batman, the protector of Gotham on the Surface.

2) To make sure no one was so in need that they had to commit crimes in order to survive.

So starts a series of bending schools and food banks in the Underground, the Sacred part of Gotham that no blood should ever be shed in. All of which are funded by Bruce Wayne the skilled Earthbender.

When Bruce begins to find himself taking in children, he finds out that all of them are benders themselves, and is excited to teach them bending himself. Though he does enforce one rule, to never bend in costume.

Okay now onto what I think the Batfam would be as Benders! This is my own opinion you don’t have to agree, just don’t be rude in comments!

Alfred:

Alfred is a waterbender, kind and soothing but never destroyed and always there. He is the lifeblood of the family, even though he hides behind the title of a Butler he is really everyone’s grandfather/father.

Bruce:

Bruce is an earthbender, results and determined, never moving and unbreakable. He has devoted himself to his beliefs and to his family, and nothing will ever change that.

Dick:

I think Dick would be a Firebender, while Airbender would be an easy answer, it doesn’t really suit him. Dick has a mean streak and donned the Robin suit in order to commit literal murder, he almost killed Joker, and he fights with Bruce constantly. He is a smoldering flame that will burn bright and hot but keep you warm on even the coldest of nights, he has so much love and affection and to me, he just embodies the character of a firebender, like Uncle Iroh.

Babs:

I think Babs would be a fire bender, similar to what is said above with Dick, but also the fact is, she chose to become a vigilante herself, she chose to fight and protect despite not having anyone to support her at first. When she was paralyzed she still fought, she still does everything she can to protect her friends and family.

Jason:

Jason embodies the Earth, calm and strong and unmoving. Each decision he makes is with reason and choice, and he is confident and willful but also soft when needed. When Jason is revived and filled with anger it shakes his foundations and his morals are shattered, but he reigns destruction like a landslide, devastating and all consuming and utterly unstoppable. Perhaps as he heals he learns to Lavabend, to put the anger and hurt and pain to control and tame the destructive force.

Cass:

Cass is a waterbender, she is used to moving with the tides and rolling with the punches, she is calm and consistent, but also powerful and strong. She can heal just as much as she can hurt, and be beautiful and powerful at the same time.

Steph:

Steph is an airbender, she is carefree and playful and doesn’t need physical things to be happy. She can never sit in one place to long, she wants to know everything and meet every one. She is kind but not merciful, and when she is angered she is as powerful as a tornado and just as destructive.

Tim:

Tim is an earthbender, he is headstrong and willfully stubborn, he has devoted his entire being to his beliefs and cannot be persuaded away.

Duke:

Duke is an airbender, though his meta gene may affect the power he can use. He is calm and straightforward, but dances with the blows life gives him and learns to adapt.

Damian:

Damian I think is a waterbender, he is strong and powerful like the sea, ever changing and never the same. The sea can be calm and merciful or harsh and deadly, and I think that embodies what Damian can be. He can also learn to be kind, to be gentle and loving and oh so very careful. Perhaps part of his recovering is learning how to heal, to use his powers to help instead of harm.

So! That’s it! If anyone has anything to add or if this inspires any fics, pls add them!

Also, here have a drawing I made while thinking about this!

43 notes · View notes

sokkastyles · 6 months

Note

So about that post we're both included in...the good thing about being at work when I saw that come through was that I wasn't able to respond. lol

I've decided not to respond but something they said that really irked me and wanted to get your thoughts on was this: In all that time between his return and Zuko's exile, there's no evidence that he (Iroh) ever tried to reach out to Azula

This comment and other's like it always irritate me because they always seem to leave out the idea that Azula has to be receptive to Iroh's help. They act like that all Iroh had to do was extend a hand to Azula and she wouldn't turned out the way she did. As if we haven't been shown that Azula has been dismissive of Iroh from a very young age. The idea that Iroh was ignoring her that whole time between when he moved back into the palace and leaving with Zuko, is just another way of blaming Iroh for not loving her enough. I highly doubt Azula was eager to spend time with Iroh around then and tried to avoid it as much as possible. Zuko was trapped on a boat. 😆 You cannot tell me that whatever short time they had together, that Iroh never left the door open for her. At some point, doesn't Azula need to reach out as well?

I'm not sure what I'm asking, I think I just wanted to vent instead of responding to that person. But if you have any thoughts on this, I would love to hear them.

P.S. Sorry for spamming your inbox while going through your old posts. 😁

No problem! Sorry that person reblogged your post to try and continue the argument with me.

You are right that Azula has to be receptive to any attempts Iroh would make to try and reach her, and what we know from canon is that she wasn't. That's why these people always say the doll doesn't matter, because it's evidence of Iroh doing something kind for his niece and her violently rejecting it because she thinks her uncle is a weak fool and her father taught her that people like that deserve to be treated cruelly.

But secondly, lack of being shown him reaching out to her doesn't mean that it never happened. Especially considering Iroh's character and the way he is consistently portrayed, it would be bizarre to interpret him as uncaring towards his niece just because we are not shown it onscreen. The writers expect you to fill in the gaps based on what we are shown onscreen, and what we are shown onscreen is that Iroh, even before his redemption, cares about his family and gets his niece and nephew a gift. We are also shown onscreen that Azula, even as a young child, is cruel towards everyone who is not Ozai, including Iroh, and burns the gift he gives her. Since these characterizations are consistent - Iroh being kind to others, Azula being cruel to others - we can interpret that the reason Iroh and Azula do not have a good relationship is because of what we already know, and that Azula is the reason they do not have a good relationship, and that she would reject whatever attempts Iroh might make to reach out. If the writers wanted to establish that Iroh was uncaring to Azula, it would need to be shown onscreen, since it contradicts everything else we know about his character, and everything we know about Azula and Azula's relationship with Iroh.

It'd be like me trying to argue that Ursa hated Lu Ten, since we never see them interact or get an indication that Ursa feels anything about him one way or the other, except for seeming sad about his death. But that's enough, because we know through everything else we know about Ursa that she is a kind person who cares about her family. Just because we don't see Ursa talking about or interacting with Lu Ten is not evidence of a negative relationship.

I agree that from what we know of Azula as a child, she did not want to spend time with Iroh and probably avoided it. Given how she talks about his reaction to Lu Ten's death, I also think even if Iroh did reach out, he would find it both difficult and extremely painful to be around someone who gleefully made fun of his trauma over his son's death.

Not only does Azula have to be receptive of Iroh, but there is a certain point where Iroh does not need to submit himself to cruelty just because Azula is a child. Azula is also a child with fire powers who is the princess of her nation, and her cruelty towards Iroh is approved by Ozai, who is now the firelord. Can you imagine what it was like for Iroh coming back to that after his son's death, in a world where he was widely seen as a disgrace? How much power does he really have in that situation?

Also imagine that Iroh also has to protect Zuko, who has newly lost his mother, from both his father and his sister.

Imagine, if you will, him inviting both of the children to play pai sho with him one day shortly after his arrival home, aware that he needs to get his niece and nephew away from their father, who now is their only sole parental figure, but also the most powerful man in the country, while he, Iroh, has been reduced overnight to the kooky, disgraced uncle. Even if Azula had accepted that invitation, I imagine that she does not respond well if she were to lose a game to the uncle she thinks is not a real general or the brother she thinks is weak and deserves to be abused. Imagine Iroh trying to problem solve between Zuko and Azula while Azula is shouting at him that he's just a loser who cries all the time because his son died. Meanwhile, Azula is also trying to burn Zuko for taking her piece in the game, and eventually Iroh just has to seperate them both.

And that's sad. It's so sad. I imagine it breaks Iroh's heart to see what is happening to his niece, what his brother is turning her into, just as every cruel jab she aims at him tears open his wounds over the loss of his son, his regret that he might have done something to help her, just as he might have done something to help his brother as he saw Ozai grow into the kind of person he became. We know these are things that are built into Iroh's character, but we also know that he's also not going to allow an abusive person to continue to be enabled, and there's a certain point where what Azula stans seem to want from Iroh is exactly that. They hate him because Azula hates him, and need an excuse for it other than the truth, that Azula was learning to be hateful from her father. They also hate him because he committed the sin of trying to protect Zuko from her and not allowing her to continue the behavior Ozai enabled.

We're also shown this dynamic between Iroh and Azula in the show, from the moment Azula shows up to try and trap Zuko and Iroh immediately susses out her intent and she resents him for it, tries to prevent him from helping Zuko think about what she is saying, and identifies that she needs to seperare Iroh from Zuko. Abusive people are really good at picking out vulnerable people, and also are good at recognizing the people who are less vulnerable and alienating their chosen victims from anyone who is going to be an obstacle, like a protector or guardian. That also increases her hatred of Iroh, that he sees right through her and knows what she's trying to do, and won't allow it. She's not going to respond to an attempt from him to help her because she wouldn't see any benefit to it, because he isn't someone she can manipulate or exploit like Zuko. And she hates that. She hates that she can't control Iroh the way she is used to controlling people, the way she thought she had even her mother under control. Until she learns to let go of that need to control, she is not going to respond to Iroh. Further, he is an obstacle in her continuing to have access to and control Zuko, which increases her hatred of him.

#azula #iroh #abuse cw

35 notes · View notes