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#zukonostalgia oc
zukonostalgia · 4 years
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zukka tinder au, please do not judge me
Zuko didn’t set up his profile, okay. Mai did that for him while he was showering after their judo practice 
it’s...not especially flattering. the photos are basically two candids Ty Lee took of him playing volleyball with them at the beach and a screenshot of a snapchat he sent Mai. it’s of him glaring into the camera with a caption that says “i’m feeling some gay panic right now”
and Zuko is fully prepared to delete it entirely, like immediately. except that Mai and Ty Lee took advantage of his unprotected phone to swipe right on a whole bunch of random guys
and now he has a handful of matches. or like, kind of a lot of them, but he doesn’t really know how to check that. he just has a lot of messages, and an obnoxious number of tinder notifications
(Zuko is someone who can’t bear to have any unread notifications on his phone, which is why he still opens Duolingo every day, even though he hasn’t completed a single lesson in months. the stupid fucking owl just keeps popping up to shame him)
he’s not feeling very enthused about this whole thing, but Ty Lee told him that he needs to accept at least one date, and Mai was standing over her shoulder when she said it so now he really does. Or Else.
so he picks a guy kind of at random, because he’s good looking and his tinder profile just says “renaissance man. engineer. ACAB.” and Zuko vibes with that
Sokka (of Renaissance man, engineer, ACAB fame) had sent him a message that says
So I’m actually here from 20 years in the future. We’re married and I’m trying to settle an argument about what our first date was
and Zuko just 404 errors at that because damn. solid pickup line for fucking tinder.
so he replies. and he replies “it was this saturday, at bubblefish, at 7pm. be prepared to defend your choice in sushi.”
on the other end, Sokka is basically floating with his sheer happiness. he immediately confirms, and is so fucking pumped for this date with a cute guy who maybe plays vollyeball? but more importantly is cute as hell and has really pretty hair and really pretty eyes
they meet up for sushi and Zuko is feeling a little awkward about it. but Sokka is so friendly and bright and talkative. it’s very extrovert bringing introvert into their sphere 
Sokka is fully prepared to justify his sushi choices. he studied the menu in advance, but it’s not much of a debate because they’re fully aligned on what they want to order 
so they share a handful of sushi rolls and talk about what they do for work and what they do in the city and are just..kind of vibing. 
Sokka is really enamored of this surly guy who has strong opinions about raw fish and which parks are good for biking and the best farmers’ markets in the city
and Zuko is really feeling this guy who loves reading for the sake of knowledge and loves going hiking on the weekends and is really into the local hockey team
eventually they finish their sushi, but neither of them want this to end. so they decide to walk a few blocks and get some bubble tea.
and Zuko is like. “okay. I know a place.”
they walk like four blocks and come to a totally closed building. like this place is obviously not open. and Sokka is like “uhh, we can come back when they’re open?” a little bit angling for another date
but Zuko says “no way. this is my uncle’s tea shop. I have a key.”
and immediately whips it out to open the front door. he ushers Sokka into a seat, and then disappears briefly into the back. there’s the sound of an ice machine, and then he comes back a few minutes later
carrying two cups of bubble tea. “I hope you like it,” Zuko says. “it’s my uncle’s recipe.”
and Sokka is so unbelievably in love. “I think this might be the best bubble tea I’ve had in my life.”
and Zuko, who hasn’t fucking noticed that Sokka hasn’t even tried it yet, says, “well. I work here during the days. so if you want to come back, there’s a good chance I’ll be here.”
“well,” Sokka says, trying to play it cool, “this would be a good study spot. and I’ve got a lot of studying to do.”
“alright then,” Zuko replies, smirking a little, and with no intention of playing it cool. he wants Sokka to come back. “I guess I’ll see you a lot.”
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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zukka modern au, and they were roommates
it takes Zuko a year of living alone to realize his sheer uselessness.
like. He doesn’t own a plunger until the day his toilet overflows and then he has to run to target to see if they sell them. His bathroom floor is basically ruined by the time he gets back.
He calls his landlord to ask them to change a burnt out lightbulb.
He forgot about some spinach in the refrigerator drawer for so long that its weird cold leaf juice has permanently fused with the plastic.
he pulls the miniblinds down too hard one day and just...rips them from their hooks. it looks like there’s a problem with the plaster? oh well
so when his lease is up, his landlord very politely suggests that he find other accommodations
faced with the need to find a new place to live, he turns to craigslist for roommates, and that’s how he finds Sokka
Sokka’s ad is basically: young professional seeking roommate, lgbt friendly, 420 friendly, the room is pretty big and the common areas are furnished. I just gotta fill the vacancy left by my best friend/last roommate after he moved in with my sister who he is dating
And Zuko is like. Hi. Zuko here. I am lgbt and 420 friendly because I partake in all forms of deviance. I have very few life skills and need to live with another human.
Sokka’s like.......okay bud. But he really needs someone to cover the other half of the rent, so Zuko moves in at the end of the month
their roommate relationship is...interesting
and Zuko wasn’t lying about not having a lot of life skills
Sokka wakes up to the fire alarm absolutely blaring, after he’s only had an hour and a half of sleep, and he bolts out of his bedroom only to find--
Zuko, waving a kitchen towel at the smoke alarm, with a smoldering pan on the stove, lid on. he was trying to make pancakes (from box mix), but he was just using butter to grease the pan and didn’t know that butter will burn and then smoke, which might set off an alarm
or the time when Zuko texted Sokka in the middle of the afternoon to let him know that there was a centipede in the kitchen and that he would be leaving the apartment for a minimum of 24 hours (where did he go? Sokka wondered. he never gets an answer really.)
or even when Zuko loses his keys every single day and asks Sokka where they are, even though they are almost always on top of the microwave
but Sokka really likes hanging out with Zuko. he’s pretty awkward, but also...awkwardly pretty? at least for Sokka? hopefully this doesn’t awaken anything within him
and Zuko gets along really well with Sokka’s friends. he and Toph get along like a house on fire, and his ex-gf and bff Suki thinks that Zuko is pretty cool, once he gets talking about stuff he actually likes. and Aang can’t help but loving everyone around him, and Katara can’t really stop herself from liking everyone that Aang likes, because she thinks he’s a good judge of character (even though he willingly lived with Sokka)
so Zuko gets adopted into Sokka’s friend group. but they spend a lot of time together too, watching Jiro Dreams of Sushi at two in the morning, or pilgrimaging to the coffee spot on the corner on Saturdays together
and one day Sokka looks at Zuko while he’s frowning at his under-spiced chai latte and thinks, oh no. it awakened something within me
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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modern college au where Sokka and Zuko meet while doing mutual walks of shame
Sokka is leaving from a sorority house where he camped out last night. he didn’t even get laid, Suki just braided is his hair and he passed out on the basement couch, the only one far enough from the beer pong table
but holy shit is he hungover
meanwhile Zuko is collecting his clothes and feeling peak slutty after hooking up with like, a lacrosse player or some shit
they run into each other on their university’s frat row, at like 9 am, way too early for the people who participate in Greek life
Zuko finds himself awkwardly walking slightly behind some other dude, who eventually turns around after hearing him walking behind
“hey man, what’s up?” And Zuko immediately feels some gay panic
“umm. Going...to get breakfast?”
“oh wow, really? I could go for an egg sandwich, do you know a good spot?”
and Zuko basically dies on spot, because here’s a cute boy basically inviting him for breakfast while he’s in his skinny jeans and the sheer top he wears while pulling cute boys
so he’s like “uhhhhh yeah, I know a place”
and he takes Sokka to his favorite 24 hour bagel spot
and they both get giant greasy breakfast sandwiches, with eggs and bacon for Sokka, and cream cheese and lox for Zuko
and Sokka, while playing it cool, is low key losing his shit
because here’s a gorgeous boy who knows good bagel places and is wearing a sheer tulle shirt at 9:30 with no shame, and that’s some energy that Sokka can use in his life 
so Sokka, of course, very awkwardly asks for his number, because uh...
“well. it’d be nice to see you again, if you know this many good places to grab food.”
and Zuko is kind of infatuated, with this cute boy who makes friends with random guys and wants to go to breakfast with them
he could go to breakfast with him again, is the point. and they do.
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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consider: domestic zukka
 Zuko rises with the sun (firebender, duh) and goes to bed early accordingly--when he can anyway
Sokka, on the other hand, is an unrepentant night owl. he is up at three in the morning working on a New Idea that distracted him, and he can’t go to bed until it’s finished, obviously
sometimes they don’t see each other awake until lunch, when Zuko’s been awake for hours and Sokka’s barely gotten out of bed
but Zuko loves to kiss his boyfriend’s forehead when he wakes up in the morning, and Sokka loves looking at Zuko’s peaceful sleeping face when he gets into bed late
and don’t even get me started on temperatures
Zuko wants it to be extra warm inside, all the time. he wraps himself in blankets even in the middle of the summer, cocooning up in the duvet
meanwhile, Sokka is melting whenever it’s warm outside. his ideal temperature is like, cool. and he wants it extra cold when he’s sleeping
they gently argue about this all the time
Sokka’s big point is that Zuko can put on more clothes, but he can’t take off his skin once he’s already naked
they eventually compromise that Zuko will wrap himself up in their blankets and bedding when it’s warm outside, and Sokka will spoon him from outside his cocoon
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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zukka modern au, but this time it’s missed connections
Sokka is still stewing in his personal humiliation, hours later. he’s half a bottle of bad barefoot wine in, and Suki is there egging him on. “do it, do it, do it, how else are you ever going to find loverboy again?”
“I don’t know, maybe by going to the grocery story again?” he whines
“yeah, but what kind of guarantee is that? maybe he normally goes to trader joe’s!”
and Sokka grabs a pillow from the couch and screams directly into it. but he can’t help but think she’s right. they had a connection. so he pulls his laptop off the coffee table, and goes to craigslist
and goes to missed connections
i rammed my cart into you at the south street whole foods, he writes in the title. can we go on a date?
Suki goads him into it, so it’s only fair that she has to proofread it for him.
you were wearing a hideous a hideous pinstripe shirt. i was in the cheese section, making a sharp turn for the olive bar, and i didn’t even see you. i crashed my cart directly into your side, and your hand basket tumbled ass over teakettle, just like you did. i helped you pick up your cornichons and tortilla chips. our eyes met. yours were beautiful. i’d love to take you out for coffee. same time next week?
and Suki posts it on his behalf, not giving him the time to wail about it all over again. “I get it, Sokka. he was super cute and has good taste in pickles. who knows, maybe he’ll be looking too.”
meanwhile Zuko is back in his own apartment, sipping on a gin and tonic. not that Sokka would have ever known this, but Zuko curates a dorky missed connections tumblr blog. he just likes reading about strange people’s strange exploits, you know?
it’s mostly combing through long lists of spammy bot pick up ads, but every now and again you find a real gem in all the shit. it’s mostly gross and hilarious, but sometimes strangely sweet. it’s about the exhilarating voyeurism of viewing someone else’s life. Zuko vibes with that.
and when he sees this one--in his city nonetheless--he almost chokes to death on his drink. when he’s done coughing, he looks again. because this feels pretty familiar.
maybe it’s the gin and tonic? Zuko has a pretty heavy pour. but no, this is too specific.
it’s definitely him. this guy had barreled into him with a cart. he was cute, with his hair pulled up and in a muscle tank. he looked like a frat bro, but he was really apologetic and he had picked up Zuko’s spilled cornichons
he wants to reply
Zuko opens up the email reply option.
Hi, he writes. I believe you bowled me over in front of the olive bar today. Your cart was full of Annie’s mac and cheese and what looked like four cartons of blueberries. (Are you making smoothies or something?) 
You were wearing a tank top and had a tattoo on your right bicep. I’ll be at Whole Foods next Saturday; I usually go around 10 AM. We can get coffee after we get our groceries. Try not to get anything frozen, I’d hate for it to melt.
he sends it. and immediately regrets it. and then doesn’t. he needs another g&t. but either way--if the cute guy from the grocery store shows up, he has a date
meanwhile, halfway across the city, Sokka is screaming so loudly not even a couch pillow can muffle it. Suki pats his back while he hyperventilates. fuck does he have a cute date lined up for next weekend. he’s looking forward to it.
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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sokka walks his friend’s dog, zuko goes running in the morning
Zuko goes for a run every morning after he meditates. he’s an early riser, so he likes to take a little bit of the morning to center himself and exercise. his uncle says it’s good for him
so his run starts every morning at 6:30, and he gets back almost exactly an hour later, because he runs more or less the same route every day
recently he’s noticed someone who always seems to be walking a huge white and brown dog at that time, right when he’s cooling down and stretching in front of his stoop
the guy is really cute, almost as cute as the dog
and every morning the guy gives him a huge smile while he slurps from his starbucks cup (Zuko is morally opposed to starbucks, but the guy is really cute okay, sue him)
and Zuko, awkwardly, smiles back, because it seems like the polite thing to do. even while he’s doing his hamstring stretches
one morning it starts raining on Zuko’s run, then suddenly pouring, his running shorts and top stuck uncomfortably close to his skin
he ducks under the little overhang on his stoop, trying to decide if it’s worth it to do his after run stretches in the rain, because he normally uses the stoop as a prop in that process
meanwhile, the dog walking guy comes bolting around the corner, soaking wet--the dog is soaking wet too
Zuko’s street doesn’t have many of these little porch overhangs, so dog walking guy’s eyes zero in on his stoop, and he instinctively steps aside to make a little room for him
dog walker guy takes the unspoken offer, panting and soaking wet
“hey!” he says, “I’m Sokka, sorry to invade your space like this”
“no, no” Zuko instinctively offers, “this storm came out of nowhere”
“yeah, haha. my name’s Sokka, I feel like I see you every morning”
“oh. um. I’m Zuko. I, uh, live here.” there’s an awkward pause. “your dog is cute.”
“oh! this is appa, he’s my roommate’s dog, I walk him in the mornings when Aang is at work”
Zuko perks up. “wait, Aang? does he work at a tea shop?”
Sokka’s eyebrows fly up. “yeah, do you know him?”
“it’s my uncle’s tea shop. I work there sometimes when he needs someone to pick up a shift”
and they chat for a few minutes, hiding from the rain together, and Zuko just...doesn’t want it to end
so when the rain peters out a few minutes later, and Sokka starts looking like he thinks he should leave, Zuko blurts out,
“you should come to the Jasmine Dragon sometime. have some tea. it’ll be on me.”
and Sokka smiles, big and bright, and agrees 
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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more zukka “met on the subway” au...
they text on and off, and usually chat at the subway stop in the morning, migrating closer together on the platform every day
Zuko keeps waiting to be disappointed but like...Sokka’s pretty much exactly what he seems. he’s a software engineer with a lot of ideas, he’s funny, he loves his friends and family by the way he talks about them--he’s just really good
and Zuko really wants to, you know. escalate things. he wants to ask him on a date, but every time he opens his mouth to say do you want to grab coffee some time, it’s like his voice just stops working
then he has a friday that’s just...a really long day. Zuko is exhausted, and his boss had berated him about a project he’s barely even involved in, and he just can’t.
so he puts his airpods in and turns on some moody mitski song and gets on the subway ready to pout
he settles in across from Sokka, who was there first, but he can’t quite bring him self to say anything. so instead he just raises his hand and waves half-heartedly
Sokka smiles at him kind of gently, but he clearly gets the vibe, and doesn’t say anything. instead he pulls out his phone to fiddle with.
Zuko’s not paying any attention, just looking out the window at the nothingness around the subway. then he feels his phone buzz.
when he pulls it up, there’s a text from Sokka, one that says do you want to get dinner tonight?
and Zuko bolts right up and looks at Sokka, who’s already looking at him with a secret little smile on his face. Zuko feels his ears turn red, but he finds himself smiling back
so he ducks his head down and taps out I’d love to, and texts Sokka back
they go to the hole-in-the-wall pho place right outside the subway station, and Zuko vents about his shitty boss, and Sokka tell him about the elaborate new project he was working on
and at the end, Zuko finally finds his voice and asks, “do you want to do this again sometime?”
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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ok hear me out, AU where Sokka is a hockey player looking for more ice time, and Zuko teaches little kids how to skate at his uncle’s rink
Sokka is on a scholarship for hockey, and is having a hard time booking ice time at his university’s rink. so he decides to look elsewhere in the city, and finds some affordable open hockey at a rink not too far away
he shows up for the first 7 o’ clock session ready to go and dressed, only to find that the previous session is going over--little kids learning how to skate. he’s a little annoyed that it’s biting into his potential ice time, but he can’t really stop watching
the teacher is really pretty, a guy with a lot of long dark hair and an ass that’s really just highlighted by the fact that he’s wearing black under armour
and he’s really gentle with these little kids, who are probably four or five years old 
there’s a small crowd waiting for open hockey, maybe six or seven people, but they all seem perfectly content to wait while the baby skating lessons finish up, especially because the teacher seems to end their class by having everyone link hands while he leads them off the ice. it’s really fucking cute
so when the ice finally clears, Sokka gets on and has a pretty solid scrimmage with the folks who showed up (even if there was only one goalie). but as he heads back to his apartment, he can’t help but thinking about the cute guy helping little kids off the ice, and frowning seriously at their bruised elbows when they fell down
the next week when he goes back, he asks one of the other waiting hockey players who the teacher is
“oh, that’s Zuko,” she says easily, “he’s the owner’s nephew, teaches the beginning skating courses for the kids. I think he used to be a figure skater?”
and Sokka can totally see it. even if Zuko is only teaching them how to fall safely and how to take even strides and coaxing the shy ones away from the boards, it’s obvious that he knows how to move gracefully along the ice
one time, shortly after payday when he’s feeling a little flush with cash, Sokka books some private ice time at a shockingly affordable price. Zuko’s on the ice when he gets there, but not teaching kids this time
instead he’s practicing his own skating, and--yeah, Zuko definitely must have been a figure skater. Sokka watches the olympics okay, and this looks like some serious figure skating 
but more than that, Zuko has serious speed, in a way that Sokka can’t help but envy. his skating has always been one of his weakest elements, even when his stick handling and playmaking had always been great
so when Zuko keeps skating, even a few minutes after Sokka’s ice time should have started, he skates out anyway. and when Zuko finally startles and realizes he’s not alone and starts apologizing, Sokka says “dude. all is forgiven if you can teach me how your edgework is that clean”
and thus begins their weekly ritual. Sokka doesn’t even book private ice time anymore, Zuko just invites him over and says that his uncle owns the place and doesn’t care. Sokka feels a little bad, but not bad enough to stop him from seeing Zuko every week
Zuko is a pretty serious teacher, at least with adults, and makes Sokka run drill after drill until he can actually feel his skating improving. it’s easier to keep an edge, and his first couple of strides are more powerful. his coaches for the university team notice, and compliment him on it
and Sokka wants to thank Zuko for all these impromptu lessons. Zuko’s a friend by now, and one that Sokka...kind of has a huge crush on. 
so the next time they meet up, Sokka asks him “do you want to get some hot chocolate after this?”
and Zuko looks at him appraisingly, for a long minute. Sokka almost regrets asking, but then Zuko says “make it tea, and we have a deal.”
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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zukka “we met on our shared commute”, modern AU
Zuko’s strategy is to stand far down the platform, so he can get into the first subway car. and that means he usually isn’t too close to anyone, which is what he prefers
but recently there’s this guy who has the same strategy, so he leans on the tiled pillar closest to Zuko, just a few feet away from his preferred waiting area
to make matters even worse, this guy has the same subway-standing preferences
Zuko gets on the subway, then stations himself in the train’s door vestibule, leaning up against the glass partition. his place on the subway means that he’s not going to put himself in a position where he’s in a seat, and needs to ask someone to move so he can get up
so he stands, but this guy likes to do the same
so they stand across from each other in the first subway car vestibule, leaning up against the glass opposite each other
and Zuko isn’t blind, so he can see the the guy is hot, with his hair pulled up and bright blue eyes, always checking his phone, no earbuds in sight like an absolute monster
so one day, Zuko is staring blankly out the subway window, when Subway Guy gets his attention by waving his hand in front of his face
“hey man, the subway is broken down”
Zuko curses reflexively as he pulls his airpods out
“shit,” he says, frowning, “did they mention the delay?”
and Zuko is clearly in danger here, because his phone is at 2% battery and is going to lose its battle shortly
“so uh,” Subway Guy says, “my name’s Sokka. I see you on the train all the time.”
“um--yeah, I guess so,” Zuko stutters out. “I’m Zuko,” and then he waves at him, like an absolute dumbass
but Sokka just smiles back at him, and they chat idly and a little awkwardly, about what they do for work and when they moved to the city
and it takes half an hour, but eventually the subway is running again, and they get off at their stop together
for a moment, they linger awkwardly in the draft created by the subway pulling away. and then Sokka smiles, and says “it was nice meeting you, guess I’ll see you around”
and Zuko gay panics as Sokka turns around and says “hey! um, uh, maybe I can give you my number? just--in case the subway’s late or something”
and Zuko can feel his ears turning red, but Sokka just grins at him, and Zuko puts his number in his phone, and they smile at each other before parting ways
Sokka has texted him before he even makes it up the station stairs
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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more zukka roommates au, pls help me
Zuko fails to put up a command hook, and his backpack crashes directly and loudly into the floor. three separate times.
Sokka is...politely helpful? a little baffled? all the time?
at some things, Zuko seems hyper-competent. like when Sokka hears him on video calls at his job, he seems to have it all together. or when he needs to go to the grocery store, he has a color-coded list, based on each aisle of trader joe’s (especially the frozen aisle, because he won’t leave the store without two different kinds of soup dumplings)
but with everything else, Sokka is just startled at his sheer lack of life skills. like who raised this disaster boy? he doesn’t know how to play mario kart, he doesn’t know how to properly mop the floor, he barely knows how to even use a swiffer wet jet
but every saturday they go to the coffee place. Sokka gets an iced flat white with an extra shot, and Zuko gets a chai latte that he always complains about
and eventually, they institute a takeout night, and trade back and forth about who gets to pick. Zuko always picks a dim sum place or the indonesian spot three blocks away with the good lamb satay. Sokka, inevitably, chooses their favorite mexican spot or a new restaurant he’s just heard of last week
but no matter who picks dinner, they always watch a trashy reality TV show or something from HGTV, which they both meticulously nit-pick. like who the hell thinks they can get a three bedroom townhouse in boston for 300K? that’s insanity 
and, despite all efforts, Sokka finds himself really charmed by this guy, who can’t cook and doesn’t drive (so Sokka spearheads their trips to Costco and trader joe’s) and can’t handle any bugs at all, ever
because Zuko is really kind in all the ways that matter. he integrates seamlessly into Sokka’s friend group and laughs at his bad jokes and is just...really sweet when it matters
like the time when Sokka mentioned how the anniversary of his moms death was coming up so Zuko ordered waffles from their favorite breakfast place and invited all of his friends over in the afternoon
so Sokka finds himself looking for ways to reciprocate. and when he’s looking for those ways, he realizes that...he doesn’t really know that much about Zuko
so naturally, he does some internet stalking. but there’s basically nothing. no facebook, no insta that he can find, not even a stray soundcloud profile somewhere (which Sokka was extremely certain he would have)
Sokka gives up on looking for special occasions, and decides to make some of his own
so he starts a new saturday tradition. after they get their caffeine hit and Zuko complains about it, he starts insisting that they go for a walk in the park that’s three blocks away
and Sokka realizes that he’s made A Mistake, because watching Zuko pet the dogs that wander up and try to coax the pond ducks into petting and basically attracting stray birds like a disney princess--
well. it’s caused some feelings, and he might need to do something about that.
...and he has no idea that Zuko is feeling the same sort of way
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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Hey so uhhhh I saw the tinder au post for zukka,,,,, is there another post that continues??? Or do you have more hcs abt tinder zukka??? Because i am in love-
tbh once i post anything my brain immediately becomes empty. but I will say that this was based on a real life date that I went on (although mine was much less cute) and I imagine that the continuation looks as follows:
once they finally run out of excuses to stick around in Iroh’s tea shop, they start heading home, kind of quietly. Zuko locks up the shop, and they stand in front of the door, looking at each other
in silent agreement, they start heading toward the subway, bumping shoulders with their hands in their pockets. when they get there, they’re heading in opposite directions. 
so they huddle up on the platform bench, waiting for the trains to arrive. “so,” Sokka says. “do you want to trade numbers?”
and Zuko smirks a little, feeling playful. “I don’t know. maybe you should just come to the tea shop again and see if I’m on shift.”
“well. I do have a lot of studying to do. or--” he shoves Zuko’s shoulder a little with his, “are you just trying to drum up some business for your uncle’s store?”
Zuko sniffs. “I can multitask. but it’s probably easier if I just tell you when I’m going to be there. give me your phone.”
and Sokka hands it over immediately. Zuko puts his number in, puts his actual name as a contact, like a normal person. right as he finishes, his train pulls up, heading north. 
Zuko pops up and hands Sokka his phone back, then, like the awkward dork he is, turns around and waves at him. “I had a good time tonight goodnight!” he rushes out, then disappears into the subway car to head home
when Sokka checks his phone and sees an actual first and last name, he immediately changes it to piping hot tea boy 🍵
then screenshots it and texts it to Zuko. just making some corrections 
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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Zuko sells pastries and fruit at the farmers’ market, Sokka visits his stall every sunday morning
once a week, Zuko makes his way into the city with a big van, all of his wares stocked in the back, so that he can set up a plastic tables and tablecloths, with biodegradable baskets of strawberries and blueberries, and one full table in the U-shaped set up that’s just his homemade bread and pastries
and he’s usually pretty successful. he sells out of berries and fruit early, because they’re just so juicy and fresh, and then rearranges to present his fruit pastries and blueberry donuts and sourdough bread, but those are a little more difficult to sell. there are a lot of vendors at the market selling their bear claws and apple fritters.
but one weekend, he gets this guy, with an undercut and his hair pulled up, who immediately looks to his bread and pastries 
“whoa,” he says, “what is this?”
he’s pointing at a raspberry tart. so Zuko says, “it’s a raspberry tart. I made it.” he thinks it’s good, but he doesn’t want to elaborate. 
“it looks great,” undercut guy says. “I’ll take one, thanks!”
so Zuko wraps up one of his beloved fruit tarts and hands it off in a little cardboard box. “let me know what you think,” Zuko says, “it’s a new recipe for the pastry.”
and Sokka takes his pretty little fruit tart home, and shares it with his friends. and it’s such lovely, flakey pastry, and tart-sweet raspberry filling. and he’s thinking damn. I want more of this.
the next weekend, Sokka goes back to the same stand, a little late this time, and weighed down with his reusable canvas shopping bag, stuffed with vegetables and fruits that Katara wanted him to pick up
and he’s so relieved to see Zuko’s table still set up
“oh man,” he says, “I’m so glad you’re still here. I was worried you’d have run out of these by now.” Zuko is flattered okay
so he shrugs and says, “we’re more known for the fruit, really. the pastries and stuff are just on the side.”
“well yeah, but they’re so good. I don’t know how you’re not selling out within the hour”
and this time he gets a blackberry danish, and picks up a half dozen blueberry donuts to bring home to Katara and Aang and their roommates
and Zuko’s kind of reluctantly flattered, because he’s usually offloading excess pastries onto his uncle, to sell at his tea shop. he never sells out of this stuff
Sokka, charmed by this blushy, grumpy guy, asks “so are you going to be here next weekend?”
“yeah, I’m always here.” he’s looking down to hide how red his face has gotten. “there’s going to be orange-chocolate babka next week. I’m testing a new recipe.”
and Sokka just absolutely lights up, he’s so fucking pumped. “oh my god, man. I will be here.”
and, to Zuko’s surprise, he is. early this time, with a totally empty canvas bag. “I wanted to get here first in case you ran out,” he explains, accepting his loaf of orange-chocolate babka.
“yeah, well. like I said, we don’t usually run out.”
“that’s kind of a travesty,” says Sokka. “I could eat this for the rest of my life.”
and like a flirtier version of himself has somehow possessed his body, Zuko says “well. if you really wanted to, we could make it happen.”
and Sokka’s eyes go wide, but he recovers immediately and says “absolutely. as long as I can taste test all the pastries.”
Zuko can feel his ears go bright red while he aimlessly rearranges some baskets of berries, and says “okay. sounds like a deal. I’m not testing any pastry right now. so maybe I can see how good your taste buds are over coffee?”
and Sokka plays right along, smiling wide with all his teeth and his eyes crinkled nearly shut. “I’ll come back once I’ve done the rest of the grocery shopping. I’ll take you to my favorite cafe.”
and he does. and Zuko is pretty ready to spend the rest of his life with a dedicated pastry taste-tester.
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zukonostalgia · 4 years
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ok. so i rewatched kiki’s delivery service and now i must make it zukka. feeling a little soft after all that beautiful animation.
Zuko is a promising young witch, but he has one major weakness--he’s not very good at flying
his father is infuriated about this. how can any child of his fail at something so simple, so integral to their nature? it’s pathetic.
so he sends Zuko off to train somewhere else, telling him to leave as soon as he turns 13, the traditional age at which witches leave their homes. if he doesn’t, there will be consequences
and Zuko, terrified, goes. he has no means to check the weather or maps to tell him where to go. so he packs a bag with clothes and books and goes to get his broom. it’s his birthday, and he wishes his mother were still here, to give him advice and see him off
he takes off alone, late at night. no one sees him go. he doesn’t know where he should head, but he has an idea--he had visited his uncle before, with his mother, in a city by the sea. he’ll go there, and see if his uncle’s tea shop is still on the hill above the clocktower
Zuko struggles to keep his broom up, tossed around by an unexpectedly strong wind. there’s a storm coming in, but he couldn’t possibly have known that. he flies low to the ground where he can, and barely makes it to what he thinks might be his uncle’s city.
it’s late when he lands, and he immediately seeks cover at a storefront--not one he recognizes
“hey,” says a stranger, with his hair pulled back in a ponytail. “did you just fly here? are you a witch?”
and Zuko, shoulders up around his ears, replies “yeah, I am. what of it?”
but the stranger is so excited--”wow! I’ve never met a witch in person. you can fly, right? how do you get your broom to catch the wind? can you control it? do you know how it works?”
and Zuko bristles right away, the questions hitting a little to close to the same kind of criticism he heard from his father. “that’s none of your business! I’m here to find my uncle, leave me alone!”
and he leaves his shelter underneath the storefront, walking off with his broom trailing beside him through stray puddles in the now light rain
“well hey! I can help you find him--I know practically everyone in the city! I’ll take you straight there if you can tell me how flying works”
“why are you so interested in flying, anyway?” Zuko snarls, still stalking away
“I’m in the aviation club! there’s an old flying machine that crashed at the beach a while back. we’re all trying to figure out how we can get it up in the air again!”
and Zuko softens a little at that, and how exuberant this perfect stranger is. “alright, fine,” he says. “my uncle’s name is Iroh, he runs a tea shop here.”
the stranger brightens up again, even soaking wet as he is. “wow, really? you’re his nephew? I know exactly where to find him, come on!”
and then the stranger grabs Zuko’s wrist and starts running, heading back down the street where he first landed, then turning a corner to head up the hill
“wait!” Zuko yells above the low din of the rain “I don’t even know your name!”
“it’s Sokka!” the stranger says, slowing a little to look back at him with bright eyes. “what should I call you?”
“oh. my name’s Zuko.”
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