#L ozai
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Thinkin about how the older “tubby tea loving kookiness” Iroh had a demonstrable charisma such that we see him successfully charm ladies who he had just met on multiple occasions
Meanwhile, the younger, conventionally attractive “most powerful firebender in the world” Ozai needed daddy to kidnap him a wife. Skill issue.
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@zutaraweek day 3: union
a little follow up to this comic i did last year. i really liked the idea of union in a political context and this was a very round about way of that. like, a little tongue in cheek with all the different kids from different nations just sort of talking and gossiping together. teens doing teen stuff despite their high profile roles in society, that type of thing.
initially this comic was a lot more ambitious but some complications happened in my life which made me have to chip away at a lot of it. such as having it in full color, with backgrounds. there's been a lot of thought put into the world of the chief kya au, though! particularly related to yue that is not featured at all asdfghjk.
the more i worked on it, the more i got worried zuko might be a little ooc. but i was a bit inspired by crystal catacombs and the softness he had there. whenever i try to write him in this au, he's just usually just happy to be around katara so i'm just going to let him do what he wants.
Anyway, a transcript along with brief image descriptions is beneath the cut under my obligatory art links as well as in the alt text of the art!
art only blog - insta - inprnt - redbubble
Page 1: Zuko and Katara are at a gathering for those invited to the peace accords which seems to be more packed then usual.
Katara: Wow, there’s a lot of people here
Zuko: Yeah. There’s a lot of people this year.
K: I don’t recognize anyone yet.
Z: Oh! I can help you.
Z: That’s Mai. Her father is an official.
Z: She’s Suki. Leader of the Kyoshi Warriors.
Z: And next to her is-
K: Yue!
Page 2: Katara and Yue hug and the teens (Zuko, Yue, Katara, and Suki) all chat.
Yue: Katara!
K: I missed you!
Y: I’m so happy to see you!
have never spoken more than hellos
was just trying to chat with Yue
awkward turtle duck
Z: So you do know someone.
K: We’ve known each other since we were kids.
Lu Ten: Prince Zuko?
Page 3: Lu Ten appears, Yue and Suki gossip, and Katara's a bit sad as Zuko leaves with Lu Ten to handle business elsewhere.
Z: Lu Ten?
L: Sorry to interrupt, but can I steal you?
Z: Is it important?
L: Unfortunately.
L: They seem nice. I’m happy you’re making friends.
Page 4: The girls gossip and Mai overhears.
Y: I didn’t know you knew Zuko.
Suki: Yeah. Do you know anything about the scar?
K: I don’t really know him. We just met. What do you guys know?
Mai: No one actually knows.
M: About the scar. They kept it quiet.
Page 5: There's a small flashback to Zuko at 14 after receiving his scar, the girls continue to talk, and there's a final panel of Ozai, alluding to a family secret.
M: He just went away for a while. And then he came back and there it was.
M: That’s all anyone knows. Except Zuko.
K: That’s awful. There has to be more.
M: Well…people have some suspicions.
#zutara#zutara week#zutara week 2023#prince zuko#katara#zuko#atla#avatar#avatar the last airbender#my art
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prompt: Ozai has Azula watch Zuko (his progress or rather lack thereof) from way earlier on, possibly even before Aang gets away from the iceberg in the first place
There it is, written at the bottom of his banishment notice, wobbling in and out of his vision and he’s not sure if it's his eyes—
(Father wouldn’t have meant to blind him. Being blind won't help him catch the Avatar, so he’ll just not go blind.)
It’s either his eyes, or. Or the rage. It has to be the rage.
So Zuko reads the line again, and lets the fire brim up and overflow, until sparks chase the shout from his lips.
“Banishment to be overseen by Crown Princess Azula?”
- - -
“Prince Zuko,” Azula says, standing as tall as an eleven year old can. She’s using his title, so that he’ll use hers. And if he doesn’t then he’s ill-mannered and not fit for his own.
“Crown Princess Azula,” Zuko grits out.
“I’ll just be inspecting your ship, then. Father’s orders.”
Two men are in shackles by the time she’s done.
“—Fostering mutiny against your prince,” she is yelling, and somehow her voice is just as high-pitched as his without sounding childish at all. “When our father hears about this—”
- - -
“So you had them executed,” Fire Lord Ozai inquires. Lightly. And from behind his flames.
“Of course, father,” says the kneeling child. “It was an attack on our family.”
Her father doesn’t say anything.
Azula is eleven. Eleven, she had presumed, was old enough to count.
One, two, three. Four, with Uncle. The royal family.
Her father is silent still.
One. Two.
“Forgive my impertinence, Fire Lord,” she says. “I will bring them to you for judgment next time.”
“Do so,” Fire Lord Ozai says. He does not contest the ‘next time.’
- - -
“Crown Princess Azula,” Zuko says.
“Your bandage is off, brother,” Azula says. “Are you blind?”
“No.”
(The blur of her red robes, the eye-searing glint of sunlight off her headpiece—he’s not blind in that eye. He’s just… still recovering.)
“Lovely,” she says. “Then what’s your excuse for the condition of this ship?”
…He has an increased budget for repairs, by the time she’s done.
- - -
“Brother,” Azula says, “traditionally knives are to be delivered to the back.”
“I… what?” her brother says, still holding out the inexplicable thing. “No, I bought it at port. For you. See, it matches the one Uncle got me.”
“How original,” she says.
Her brother turns a shade of red that puts his bending to shame. Not that it’s a particularly high bar. “Fine, I’ll just—throw it out.”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. At the least, Mai will want it.”
- - -
“Nice knife,” says Mai, looking at the hilt peeking out of Azula’s boot.
“Be silent,” Azula says, thus ending that conversation.
- - -
“Did great-grandfather… did we…” starts her brother, fresh from scurrying about the Eastern Air Temple like some particularly dim-witted pheasant-monkey, the dust not even brushed from his clothes even though he knew her ship was waiting down here. “Azula, there were children—”
“Be silent,” she says.
- - -
“You’re leaving frequently,” comments father, as his knife cuts through the pheasant-monkey, clicking against the plate below. The persimmon-cherry sauce is thick and red and smearing.
“I find it advantageous to cultivate a working knowledge of our nation’s tactics,” Azula answers. She does not push around her meat like a child, but she does eat only lightly; the dish is more sour than she remembers.
“And your brother?”
“Oh, him,” she says, to which her father smiles.
- - -
“...What?” Zuko asks, blinking down at the scrolls.
“It’s your birthday,” Azula says. “Apparently, I should have gotten you a calendar.”
“Thank you?”
She sighs.
- - -
“Do we… tell him we can hear him?” asks the assistant cook, as the prince continues monologuing. Dramatically, and loudly. Through the pipe connecting the drain of the kitchen sink to the ones in the shower.
“Ssh, I think this is one of his new plays.”
- - -
She gets him a calendar for his next birthday. It’s not funny.
- - -
He gets her a doll, for hers. The look on Uncle’s face as she torches it in front of them both is hilarious.
- - -
“Brother,” she says, looking up at the damage to his ship. “This is not the way to requisition additional repair funds.”
“Captain Zhao,” her uncle says in the background, with heights of pleasant antagonism she can only aspire to. As if a general could mistake Zhao’s new insignia. Particularly with all the polishing he does.
“It’s commander now.”
“How did you manage this?” she asks.
“Uh,” Zuko says. “Can we… speak alone?”
She eyes her brother’s shifting stance. Eyes, too, the way Zhao’s men are already moving to intercept and interrogate his crew. One of the new commander’s more noxious habits is stalking her brother’s every move.
Well. She’d been meaning to deal with that, anyway.
Azula snaps her fingers at the commander’s guards.
“Detain him,” she says. And for a moment, just a moment, her dear uncle freezes, as if she were talking about someone he actually cared for.
The guards don’t. She’s trained them better than that.
“Princess,” Commander Zhao says, his snarl well hidden behind a smile. “What is the meaning of this?”
“Crown Princess Azula,” she corrects. “Now hush; the adults are talking.”
- - -
They have an Avatar to catch, apparently. Her brother is coming home.
#her brother is coming home#it may be time for some other changes as well#how does the pheasant-monkey taste father?#oh of course I haven’t had any#you know I haven’t liked that since I was a little girl#are you feeling well father?#why don’t you have a little lie down father#oh is your crown uncomfortable?#let me just remove that for you#hush now#sleep#goodnight father#say hello to grandfather for me#avatar the last airbender#atla#Zuko#Azula#ficlets#yep that prompt hit the spot thanks Anon <3
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so on a scale of aang (killing is always wrong) to katara (killing is a statement) to sokka (killing is a tool), where would the rest of the gaang + ozais angels go?
toph is hard to pin down because she’s the only character who ever actually kills people outside of the context of war. and i don’t know if she even realizes what she did, because she’s 12 and the adrenaline rush of discovering that you can actually metalbend probably supersedes any logical reasoning in that moment, but like, she did just leave two guys to die a gruesome death in a metal box. so i do think it’s more nuanced that simply saying, “to toph, killing is fun and flirty,” but like, there is a not insignificant part of her that will gladly kill as a means of asserting her power over others and individual autonomy, and has no compunctions about killing those who threaten her autonomy specifically, as it is such an acute point of trauma for her. but also, she’s twelve so like, she’ll probably develop a more nuanced approach to that quandary as she ages.
zuko’s stance on killing is mostly that he’s happy to outsource that violence and then take credit for it as long as he personally doesn’t have to get his hands dirty. like he’ll hire an assassin but won’t bring himself to admit that “end them” means “kill them,” or he’ll threaten to kill zhao and then try to save his life at the last minute. he wants aang to kill his dad but would never actually kill ozai himself, just as he wants katara to kill yon rha, but would never actually kill ozai himself. and i’m sure zuko thinks this is all because he’s a coward who simply lacks the capacity to be ruthless and effective (like sokka), but actually it’s symptomatic of zuko’s greatest quality, which is his inherent sensitivity, his queasy stomach for violence, his predisposition for gentleness, the fact that he actually struggles to deny his own inclinations and simply submit himself to a logic of brutal death and destruction. he thinks it makes him weak, but the fact that he actually has a desire to do the right thing and be a good person despite it all is truly his greatest strength.
azula is always operating from a place of survival because it was impressed to her from a very young age that she exists in a world that is unforgivingly cruel, and it is kill or be killed. she does not want to die (which is quite possibly one of her greatest points of deviation from sokka, but i digress) so she wholeheartedly submits herself to this logic, and unlike zuko, who struggles to erode his own humanity even under the threat of violence, azula is very good at becoming something “monstrous” (her words) out of fear, can contort herself into any shape necessary as long as the threat is tangible enough. so obviously azula approaches killing in the same way sokka does, no surprise there. murder is a tool to achieve her ends, to ensure her own safety and survival. it is simply a mechanism of war. but unlike sokka’s view of it, she also believes that the strong kill the weak because the weak deserve to die, and that logic she inherited from ozai.
we never see suki actively kill anyone, but she does threaten to feed sokka to the unagi, so like, even if she is (probably) joking, i don’t think suki is flat out against killing. i think she’ll kill if she absolutely has to, but would also prefer not to because she clearly values and holds a deep appreciation for life. but also, whenever there is a gap in our textual understanding of suki, i usually just fill it in by being like wwkd (what would kyoshi do), so maybe that’s why i just said. who knows
mai always makes an effort to never actually stab people with her blades, but rather pin them in place. that said, whether this is because a Y-7 cartoon simply isn’t allowed to depict blood or if it’s because mai is genuinely that attuned to not seriously hurting the people she throws knives at, i’m not entirely sure. i like to think that mai doesn’t actually want to hurt people, because like zuko, she is naturally inclined towards sensitivity and gentleness, but i think there’s also a part of her that would lock people in a metal box if she could. i think the best way to summarize mai is thus, excitement is valuable (including the heat of battle), but killing is unpleasant.
ty lee has actively refined a technique that makes her extremely dangerous without ever actually having to cause long-lasting damage to someone physically (psychologically is another story). yet another W for ty lee air nomad heritage theory, but i digress. ty lee is smart enough that she never actually has to be personally responsible and culpable for killing anyone ever, but she is also submitting to and enabling the violence of an empire for the sake of her own survival, so it’s not like she’s not complicit either. so to ty lee, killing is also a tool, but one she personally doesn’t need to employ, which is a comfort to her.
iroh (technically you didn’t ask about him but he’s fascinating so i can’t just leave him out) used to view killing as a tool, and now views it as an inviolable taboo because it took him like over 50 years to recognize the inherent value of human life and the grief of losing a loved one. so it’s not that he grew up in a “kill or be killed world” that fostered his need to kill to ensure his survival, but simply that he grew up in paradigm that dictated that “killing is the path to attaining glory” and he was good at killing, and thus glorious. but then he experienced the consequences of that worldview firsthand, and had to completely recalibrate his own logic of conquest and domination. and so now he’s still capable of violence in equal measure, but is less willing to exercise it for purely shallow, destructive reasons. yay..??
jet actually does think that killing is fun and flirty. anyone who disagrees with him deserves to die because he is simply right about everything. sokka? closet fire nation sympathizer, obviously. guy he met on a boat who said “hey im not really interested in joining your child militia”? well he’s probably the prince of the fucking fire nation (okay he was right about that one but he had no way of knowing it so). he watched the rough rhinos burn down his house and murder his family with a smile on their faces, and a part of him that day calcified and decided that the only way to truly reclaim his power was to beat them at his own game. so he does everything in his power to control the people he can, to control his narrative, to refine his logic in a way that makes him the uncontested hero no matter what. but in truth, it’s quite simple: he wants power because he has none.
haru exists somewhere between “killing is a statement” and “killing is a tool.” killing is a tool because it functions as a statement. killing is a statement because it functions as a tool. violent resistance is necessary by any means necessary, but you know, in a nice way. he’s basically just the model of the “good” colonized subject who fights for collective liberation instead of personal empowerment, so it makes sense that he’s introduced before jet as like the emblem of what katara should do (how she should fight, what she would fight for) versus what she shouldn’t. which is like, perhaps a simplistic reduction of “good” vs “bad” methods of resistance into “our noble collective action” vs “their senseless terrorism,” but like. lol. what can you do
#turtles-alltheway-down#asks#analysis#toph#zuko#azula#suki#mai#ty lee#iroh#jet#haru#put the main three who matter here above and then the rest below the cut#sometimes i forget that zuko is a good character bc yall are so annoying about him…. but then i remember#i also need to talk about more at length about how azula rationalizes that the weak deserve to die thru ozai for MULTIPLE interconnected#reasons that I didn’t have time to get into here#and also just azula’s relationship to ozai in general#but im putting off actually writing that bc it is. genuinely devastating and i don’t wanna#anyway!!
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some random lighthearted hcs ^_^ 👍👍 cus all ive been posting is angst shit tralalalaaa
-iroh and lu tens biggest beef (satirical exaggeration) was always over tea preferences. they both love it- but in just wildly different ways. lu ten liked tea with milk and ginger and cardamom and sugar and black pepper and all kinds of other spices and shit (aka saffron chai). meanwhile his father is, as we all know, one of those snobs that dies on the hill of appreciating tea with its delicate and natural flavors alone. even if it just tasted like grass. one time, though, iroh was overjoyed to hear lu ten found a tea he liked just on its own (aka hibiscus tea), without add ons. but then was dismayed to immediately discover that lu ten liked it served cold (aka karkadeh). later, just to fuck with his dad, lu ten announced that he discovered its even better with the additions of citrus juice, honey, and mint. iroh just cant ever win with his boys
-azula is the youngest so its like instinct to be annoying. like shed get genuine urges to go and annoy zuko somehow someway. not all the times shes annoyed him are malicious- sometimes shed go in his room and if he was at his desk shed pluck the brush out of his hand and throw it across the room and take all the candles out and leave without closing the door behind her. or if he was laying down shed pull his socks halfway off throw his blanket on the floor and leave. she did it all wordlessly for comedic effect until he was like “why.” and then shed start cackling like a maniac
-lu ten enjoyed engaging in little kid activities with azula and zuko. hed sit on his stomach and kick his feet while finger painting. hed play whatever the fire nation version of hopscotch is with them, along with mai and ty lee. when azula covered his mouth before he said something to embarrass her in front of ty lee hed lick her hand and shed start screeching. hed make jokes about zuko being short even though lu ten could legally drink and zuko was like 10 so it didnt even make sense
-lu tens azula nicknames: lala (naturally), pumpkin, crab cake, sweetheart, baby (the last two only come out when its just the two of them or if shes upset. she has a reputation.)
lu tens zuko nicknames: zuzu (naturally), turtleduck (also naturally), princeling, squirt, shrimpmunk (note how most of these are a cute joke about him being Tiny and Small)
the kids called him lulu when he called them zuzu and lala. when he was teaching azula how to talk she called him baba for like a week to his dismay and panic, even if she didnt know what that meant, until he got it through her head that he wasnt the one to be called that. and ozai wasnt either because unfortunately he isnt the casual type
(he also called ursa auntie in front of anyone. to his great joy, ursa told him that ozai complained about it to her. thus, he continued to do it)
-lu ten made time for the kids not by ignoring his duties in their favor but by overachieving and overworking to stay as far ahead of his duties as possible. the faster he got shit done the more time leftover he had. his favorite thing to do with them aside from ember island was sneak them out of the palace and into the town during the evening, when they had all the best street food and outdoor theater set out
-roughhousing and chasing each other around was always a thing iroh and lu ten did before things got awkward and sour. their pai sho games- when they werent using it as a vessel for serious conversations- were loud, dramatic, and funny to witness. like iroh would be swearing and lu ten would be laughing hysterically. the servants would come and go with refreshments while giggling
-iroh and lu ten also engaged in Old Man Activities together. like you know how old folks just sit on porches for hours for no reason??? iroh and lu ten would do that together in the palace garden. they also did morning meditation and prayer at the ass crack of dawn
-before zuko was born and it was for the most part just ursa and lu ten, she got homesick a lot, and taught lu ten some of the stuff she did before marrying into the family. so lu ten knew how to make shit like jewelry, clay masks, and embroidered fans
-on ember island trips the three did a lot of cooking together. azula liked making sweet treats and fruit platters, zuko liked making kimchi and fried snacks. cleaning the mess is just as much a bonding activity as making the mess
-lu ten managed to keep whatever the hell he had going on with zhao a complete secret from iroh and ursa, zuko was just oblivious, but azula… is perceptive. and nosy. and protective. so one day when zhao leaves the palace azula approaches lu ten from out of nowhere and is basically like “(Katt Williams voice) You have an unnatural allegiance to losers and its not like you 😐”. he has no clue what to say to that
(it was not to azulas knowledge that zhao was harassing zuko constantly during his banishment. had she known, she wouldve done something about it. Not something that would inconvenience her father or the navy, obviously, but she wouldve definitely done something. #Trust.)
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In a world where Azula defeated and imprisoned Zuko and Katara after the final Agni Kai. Azula’s speech is based on the final speech of Constantine XI in 1453. Tentative idea I had for an Azutara enemies to lovers Au. A preliminary excerpt is below.
A servant ran over to Azula, as she watched the approaching army batter against the walls of Caldera city. The army was led by Avatar Aang and it combined the Earth kingdom, the Water tribes and the forces of the white lotus (along with her treacherous uncle)
“Pri- Fire lord Azula, the city is falling, you must use the tunnels to escape, now your majesty!” The servant shouted. She was one of the remaining few in the palace. The panic in her expression evident to all the at gazed upon her.
Azula stood upon the battlements. With her solders (few though that they were) turning to her expectantly. A hush fell over the city’s defenders. Bleak and all consuming.
As Azula looked out at the approaching army. Then at her own skelton forces manning the cities walls. The measly lot her father had left Azula before he went to undergo his foolish plan in the Earth Kingdom.
But as Azula tuned her contemplation back and forth, she realized that her mind felt lighter, clearer than it had in days.
Azula dwelled on the events of the last week or so in her mind. She was an abandoned by her father. The one individual l Azula thought would be on her side. More fool her. Just another one of her betrayers in the long line. Azula wondered what Ozai felt being in such vaunted company as Mai or Ty Lee, or Zuko, or her uncle. Azula smirked lightly as she imagined the gasket her father would undoubtedly blow. As well as the one Zuko would wear in turn.
Speaking of her brother, treacherous son of bitch that he is (full offense intended mother!) Azula had defeated him during an Agni Kai. Along with his Water bender friend. Who weirdly put up a greater fight than her brother. During Sozin’s comet of all times!
Though admittedly Azula was distracted by the Water benders… aesthetics during the battle. She knew the president and the laws Sozin had set up. Yet despite this, and her… mental state, Azula had found the Water witch to be… pleasing to the eye. Even when she was hurling icicles sharp as fangs at Azula’s neck. Perhaps especially so.
It felt like the pleasant warmth of a campfire for Azula to be honest to herself. Honest of her interest in the fairer sex . Especially after so long in denial. Until only a few hours ago in fact. The new Fire lord, expected to die in battle soon anyway. So she could afford the cost of honest words for once in her life. They remained the knowledge of Azula and hers alone.
Azula turned back to the servant knowing that they expected an answer. She shook her head slowly. A melancholic smile grazing the Fire lords beautiful face. Azula chuckled without humor. “No my dear Okanu. It is not my place to abandon the city in her hour of need”. Azula said. “I will meet the forces of the Avatar and my traitor uncle head on. For there is little time more for schemes. But you may leave and go to your family. My civilian subjects have already been escorted out of the city. You will join them”.
Small mercies indeed Azula thought. It wouldn’t due for her to drop the ball and get all her subjects killed in the cities sack. In the first several days of being Fire lord! The Earth kingdom forces hungered for battle and vengeance. A hunger Azula knew they would take out on the cities inhabitants. Had she not made sure to move them away from the city.
“But Fire lord” - the servant Okanu started.
“I give you one last order Okanu, you are banished from the city forever, now join your family”. The servant appeared at once resigned and grateful. After bowing one last time, Okanu turned and left.
Azula turned to her men stationed on the walls. Just outside of the gate. That was being battered by the Avatar’s forces in this very battle. Azula briefly considered the strangeness that neither the avatar nor his companions used their bending to destroy the walls. Perhaps they were still tired from previous battle? Or mayhaps they were simply waiting her out? Or perhaps they feared ahead would execute Zuko or the Water bender girl.
Azula looked her men over, scanning her eyes of their faces. Fear and doubt was the most prominent reflection. That Azula was sure would also be mirrored in her face. If she were not so skilled in clouding her features.
Azula opened her mouth and began to speak to her troops. She considered, there was time for fear and time for awe.
“Once this city [Caldera city] mastered the entire universe. She placed beneath her feat the Fire islands, Yu Dao, Makapu, Omashu,Gaoling, and all the lands of the Earth kingdom and the Si Wong desert. Our empire, presently humbled, did fell the continental walls of Ba Sing Se, Rivaled the great conquerers of old, Repelled the Water Tribe invaders during the eclipse, Slayed the Avatar’s (for a time), seen the Air Nomads retuned to dust, tamed the stubborn lands of Earth, and cast out our empires traitors. She is now finally, to be devoured by the house of Avatar Aang. And as my city falls…I will fall with her”.
Azula held up her hand and a beautiful sword made of the purest blue flame appeared. A speck of shining azure against the inky darkness of the night. Azula breathed deeply to calm the panic that nearly overwhelmed her and charged down from the walls. Straight into the forces of the avatar. Though Azula did have troops stationed to ambush the invaders at the flanks. She wasn’t a fool after all, and the enemy forces would burn for every inch of this city. For every inch of her home.
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Zukka fic list part 2
On ice we fall (in love)
Zuko and Sokka rivals to friends to lovers slowburn competitive figure skating AU.
Foolsong
Zuko is an idiot trying to get over a breakup, Sokka is a hockey boy, and online dating isn't really that awful.
Blue
Iroh insists they create a new life and identity in Ba Sing Se. Zuko wants nothing more than to bide his time until his next opportunity to return home, until he realizes ‘Lee’ can get away with things Zuko never could.
Zuko dons the mantle of the Blue Spirit again only to los e his focus when the Avatar comes to the city. This time, however, his attention is drawn to the annoying Southern Tribe warrior.
winter solstice: an addendum
Zuko gets imprisoned with Sokka and Katara during the winter solstice, and some very unfortunate things come to light. Alternatively: the gaang kidnaps adopts Zuko in book one after discovering just how awful his father is.
I'll Come Back Someday (For You)
“We’ll be together someday. I won’t stop looking until I find you again.”
Those words, Sokka thought, were a blessing.
After living through several lives without Zuko, they now feel like a curse.
They were the last words Sokka muttered to the Fire Lord on his death bed after saving Avatar Korra from an attempted kidnapping, and while he meant them, he didn't know that they would come true.
Yet, he tried, tried, tried again, and after cycling into his fourth life, he's starting to give up hope.
All until he walks into the Jasmine Dragon right next to Republic City University's campus.
(i'm sorry but) i'm just thinking of the right words to say
Zuko is the last person Sokka expects to end up as his roommate when he starts college. Sokka is the last person Zuko expects to befriend when he starts his whole life over. And no one who knows a thing about their shared past expects them to end up together. Except, maybe, Toph.
There's Bound To Be A Ghost At The Back Of Your Closet
Zuko needs a new dad, and Hakoda volunteers. A story spanning Zuko's old life, new life, and beyond
running right back to you
the air conditioning stops working at the Jasmine Dragon, and it's miserable until a cute stranger makes it a bit more bearable
Sorry, I Have to Move to Alaska!
Following a lengthy legal battle with Ozai, Iroh has full custody of his niece and nephew. Desperate to get Zuko and Azula away from Ozai (just in case) Iroh buys a tea shop in Anchorage, Alaska.
Sokka has been living in Anchorage since birth and nothing interesting ever happens in this city. Except less than a month into this school year, the mysterious new kid with a facial scar beats up a well-known student in first period.
purrfect for each other
because sometimes, it takes going to a cat café four times to realize you're in love with your best friend
The World We Dream About
A HS Theatre Kid AU where the gaang is in Hadestown, featuring all our favorite high school nostalgia moments and way too many tropes
when i'm set alight
“I’m going to go practice some firebending forms,” Zuko says stiffly, running a hand through the tangles in his hair. “Tell Aang to join me if he wants to once he wakes up.” Gold eyes dart up to where Aang had strung up a makeshift hammock and was still sleeping soundly, snoring like a buffalo yak.
“Alright,” Sokka says, watching as he walks out without another word, evidently having reverted back into his usual brooding self. “Have fun!” He calls after Zuko loudly, which he means to be sarcastic, but comes out painfully, embarrassingly sincere. His face burns, and as soon as Zuko passes out of sight into the the temple, Katara turns to him, leveling him with a Look.
“You like him.” She says, and it’s not a question.
Born Lucky
Zuko knew this would happen one day.
He really should've prepared better.
Of course, he'd imagined something like this many times. He'd see him-- or anyone from high school, really-- and he wouldn't even be recognized. They'd be immediately enamored with him and wouldn't even pause to think he looked like that one girl from high school.
Instead, he has a 24-year-old Sokka cradling a swollen wrist and smiling awkwardly up at Zuko.
like we're made of starlight
When former High Imperial Prince and Sith Acolyte Zuko defects to the rebellion Commander Sokka is tasked to keep an eye on him and bring him into the fold.
#atla#avatar the last airbender#zukka#zuko#zuko x sokka#sokka x zuko#zukka fic rec#fanfiction#sokka#zukka fanfic#trans zuko#long post#ao3 link#archive of our own#ao3
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Considering you've criticized Owl House for trying to give Amity and Hunter abusive homelives for explaining their antagonistic behaviors initially and praise Amphibia for not trying to give Sasha having bad parents for her behavior, what do you think of how Zuko's redemption on Avatar the Last Airbender? Considering they also do the redeemed person had a terrible homelife with him having an abusive father in Ozai, what did you think of how they did Zuko?
Zuko is AMAZING. The big difference between TOH and Avatar with this arc is easy too: Avatar doesn't use it as an excuse and they don't brush it off. It's merely where everything began for Zuko and changing from that point is HARD.
Zuko always had a choice. He could always give up the quest for the Avatar and live a peaceful life. Even Iroh is pushing this from literally episode 1. It is Zuko's choice to chase the concept of honor that his father and his culture pushed on him. We feel that scar on his face by his determination. We feel the priorities of the fire nation by him constantly trying to prove himself. By trying to go alone to prove he's strong or do what he thinks will bring him honor.
It takes an ENTIRE BOOK for Zuko to start even questioning this stuff. We understand the weight of his decision to cut his hair and try to just live peacefully with Iroh because we saw the struggle he had to even consider giving up the warpath. It's not even easy for him then as he still wants to resort to the old ways and constantly has it reinforced what those old ways cost. The fear it put in people. The pain his culture has brought. It constantly reinforces the question that Zuko eventually has to answer: Is the Fire Nation's definition, and by extension his father's, of honor actually honorable? Is it the definition he wants to live by.
And then arguably we get the most important part of his arc... His 'victory'. He gets that parade back home. He gets everything he has wanted for so long. The only price he has to pay is that he will never have any other definition of honor than the Fire Nation's. And that is no longer a definition he desires and so despite having love, family, stability, etc. like that, he leaves to do good, even if he himself knows that it will be hard because he is so trained and used to being bad.
The length, dedication, questioning and cost of his arc are all deeply compelling. The show doesn't hold back on the fact that he was genuinely a member of the fire nation and what that meant.
Besides their first appearances... When do Amity or Hunter feel like a product of the Isles or their parents? Amity admittedly gets ONE more with Covention but that's it. Both of them very, VERY quickly give up on even the concept of being villains (Hunter at the START of his second major appearance, before anything has coerced him to think otherwise, is already rebelling against Belos teaching by looking into wild magic) and what is the price and actual arc of turning good for them? How difficult is it for them to actually get away from the lessons instilled upon them?
I already mentioned Hunter but Amity first brings up her parents in Understanding Willow where she talks about them controlling her friends and the like... And then immediately embraces Willow back into her fold as if her parents won't care. Two episodes later, she will destroy her ENTIRE friend group that her parents put onto her. Then, her NEXT APPEARANCE after that has her parents make their first proper appearance and... Then Amity, in an episode she's barely in, rejects them outright because Luz is pretty. It's not that she condemns their morals, how they look upon life, etc. like that. It's just "Hey, I'm being selfish too because I want my own friends." Which with how she entirely ignores actually trying to reconnect with Willow for half a season comes across much more like it's purely because Luz was going to die. Either Gus or Willow and she wouldn't give a damn. She'd get to console Luz then! Because Luz is all it took for Amity to change, it came easily, and it's all she cares about afterwards.
She NEVER loses it like Zuko does during the first part of Avatar's finale because Zuko actually cares about something. He is going to push back on them because he didn't change for Aang or Katara, he changed for himself. He is still the same person with that diehard fire in him that isn't gone just because he's a good guy now.
Hunter has a lot similar complaints but with much more of the severe need to address his moral issues. After all... How many witches did Hunter murder as the Golden Guard? Or led to their execution? It makes Amity's active choice to bully Willow for YEARS when she didn't need to seem almost quaint but both facts are swept under the rug just as easily. It's why one could claim the Golden Guard is not the same character as Hunter because they both require severely contexts to FUNCTION.
But we cannot do that. Hunter did take away people's rights. He did hunt them down. He was a member of the Emperor's Coven. He held its beliefs as fact... And we never see them question those beliefs. The closest is Hollow Mind where he spends the entire time telling Luz she's wrong, even as facts are presented in his face until proof that Belos will kill him is presented to him. At which point, the decision isn't "I don't believe in your ideals and regime, I'm going to rebel" like Zuko's but instead "Oh fuck, I'm going to DIE if I don't turn good." In fact, it's the opposite case for Zuko because the boy was effectively guaranteed to live a cushy life if he DIDN'T turn good.
And so once again, we have another turn to good that happens too easily, too quickly and mostly selfishly AT BEST. Even when Hunter fights of Belos' possession, it's all about how it's nice to have friends and have fun rather than, you know, it being wrong to persecute an entire class of people just because you don't like them. In neither case do the characters act like they've actually changed or learned anything. They were just flipped to good and that's that.
I also might not be so butthurt about it if not for the amount of TIME this stuff takes and how TOH itself takes itself so seriously so often. It obviously wants to have these arcs be a good deal and is willing to spend an exorbitant amount of time on them, to the point where they start causing Luz to not have time to spend with characters like King or Eda, and yet they're also not exploring anything. They're not saying anything. It's just... There. On the most shallow level.
So yeah, if I haven't made it clear: I don't dislike the trope of bad parents leading to bad children who are eventually redeemed (in general, I think there are VERY few tropes that are inherently bad). There's a lot that can be done with it and it is a good explanation for how a young person can be so angry. You just, you know, actually have to do something with it instead of using only the surface level elements and expecting to be rewarded for it. Worse yet if you try to pretend that it took literally agency from the character when they clearly weren't actually that indoctrinated to have a lack of free will or so much fear as to not consider any other option.
And no, I don't blame the shortening. By Eclipse Lake for Hunter, and WELL before S1 even finished for Amity, both characters were obviously already 80% of the way to good people, if not already there for Amity. The show just had no patience and no willingness to explore its own concept and that ALWAYS sucks. It's the worst part of the writing for My Adventures With Superman too. *sigh*
So yeah, don't scapegoat, actually explore your concepts and don't erase your characters during their redemptions. Then maybe you can try to claim to have a character as good as Zuko.
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Grain of salt here: Some of this is second hand because honestly, a rewatch of Avatar doesn't sound like a bad idea. It's been a while to put it mildly BUT just the structure of Zuko's arc is infinitely better than how most people do redemption arcs honestly so I think the thoughts still stand despite that.
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I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead.
If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.
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Imagine dating Team Avatar
Incluidng: What they do when they realise they like you, how you get together, how they act when you start dating, what they’re like as a partner, what others think of your relationship, how they defend you, the L word, how they react to compliments, family, how they celebrate your birthday, careers, fights, working out together, pets and more!
Dating Ozai’s Agels version here
Katara
The lovely Katara, she's an overthinker and so when she realises she likes you she overthinks big time! Sure the two of you have great chemistry but what if you're just like that with everyone? You might've told Toph she was your ideal type but does that mean you're really interested in her? Yes she can't seem to get you out of her head but what if she ruins your friendship by telling you?
She's a mess and so enter her loudmouth brother (I say that with love) to the *rescue*
Sokka of course knows Katara likes you and teases her anytime you enter the room. This makes Katara very angry and she nearly always ends up exploding. You somehow never noticed though, you just assumed it was siblings being siblings and had no clue you were anything to do with it.
One day however Katara was in a bad mood and so when Sokka started teasing her about you she lost it. Sokka was also in a bad mood and he snapped back. You witnessed the siblings getting worse and worse and tried to stop it when Sokka yelled "well it's not my fault you're too much of a coward to tell y/n you like her!".
*Silence*
Katara was as still as a statue and that scared Sokka. "Katara...Katara" he said "yell at me or slap me with water. Just say something". In response Katara just ran from the room. Sokka went to follow but you asked to go instead. You found her crying nearby and went to comfort her. Katara assumed it was because you were a nice person until you told her you liked her too. Then Katara beamed up at you, her beautiful blue eyes still shining with tears which you wiped away gently. "Want me to help you get back at Sokka?" you asked. That’s how Katara knew you were perfect for her.
So the two of you started dating and it was bliss. There’s something called a honeymoon period when a couple starts dating which is where the first few weeks/months are complete bliss and happiness. Well Katara gave you the most honeymoon of honeymoon periods. She is a caring and romantic person so you got special treatment. Every morning she'd compliment you or tell you something new she'd noticed about you like that speckle in your eye or the way you pronounce a word. She'd create adorable well-thought-out nicknames for you and would bring you random gifts like flowers just because. She'd leave small love notes and poems around for you to find to show how much she cares for you. For your one-month anniversary, she creates a small ice sculpture of your favourite animal.
Even after the honeymoon phase Katara remains a caring partner. She's always there if you need to cry or rant about how your day was. She never forgets a single thing you tell her and always smiles when you walk through the door.
Of course she's also always there with her extraordinary healing powers which she uses anytime you get injured or even just for massages sometimes when you’re stressed.
Katara's friends and family love you. Sokka claims he's the reason the two of you got together and calls you his family pretty much from the start. Toph says the two of you were too lovey-dovey but even she has to admit you're perfect for each other.
Aang...has nothing but nice things to say about you two! Of course dating the Avatar's ex-girlfriend is terrifying to say the least. If Aang wanted to he could just drop you down a volcano or air-bend you to Ba Sing Sei but this is Aang we're talking about. He'll always care about Katara and if you can make her happy in a way he couldn't...then he's thrilled. He’d probably even thank you one day for making her smile so much. Honestly he’s the best ex-partner you could ever have!
Katara might seem like the loving caring motherly figure but the quickest way to anger her is to hurt you in any way. Katara is one of the most powerful benders in the world so obviously protecting you physically is a piece of cake and she won’t hesitate to use her bending to lightly knock someone away from you or smack anyone being rude to you. She’s also not afraid to verbally defend you and hell hath no fury like a waterbender scorned. Once you had to physically drag her away from a man she was trying to fight because he made an unsolicited comment about your appearance. He totally deserved to go one-on-one with Katara but you didn’t want her getting into trouble with the authorities again so let him get away with it...this time.
Katara would say "i love you" pretty quickly. She'd probably already have strong emotions for you before you even started dating so when you actually got together it didn't take long for her to fall in love with you. Katara would be nervous to tell you but also wouldn't be able to wait for long. So she'd probably just take you to one side on a random evening and explain she has something to tell you. Her hands would shake while she said it and she'd be watching you to look for any hint of disapproval but when you gasped and smiled she melts.
Katara always blushes when you compliment her and no matter how long you’ve been together she still gets butterflies in her stomach when you do. So of course you do it even more seeing the affect it has on her. Katara isn’t one to big herself up. She just gets on with things and (like a lot of women) never expects any credit for it. So you make sure to always compliment her and try to tell her something you like about her every single day.
Katara takes you to her tribe pretty quickly because her culture is of course very important. You are a nervous wreck and recruit Sokka for help. You want to learn all the customs and every bit of history so you can leave a good impression. Sokka loves his professor role and takes to it a little too well...he basically becomes mad with power. The night before your journey Katara can't find you and wanders the house you're staying at trying to find you. She hears Sokka's voice coming from the library which is weird because he went to bed hours ago. She steps inside to see Sokka yelling questions at you. "What is going on?" she asked and you both freeze. "Katara...hey" you said and Sokka glared "who dares disturb my lesson?". "Lesson? What lesson?" Katara asked and Sokka shrugged "the lesson to make y/n a master of water tribe history and customs, duh? Now get out! Y/n isn't allowed to leave until she can recite all our past tribe leaders". "Is this why you've been so tired lately?" Katara asked you "you've been sneaking here to study at night?". "And at dawn too" Sokka said "and sometimes in the day if I feel like giving y/n a quiz". "Woah that's a lot" Katara said "y/n you know you don't need to do this right?" Katara asked. Sokka went to argue that of course you had to do this when Katara kicked him out of the room using water bending. "I know I don't have to do this but I want to" you told Katara "I want to know everything I can about your culture so I can respect it and honour it properly. Plus I want your family and tribe to like me so there's that too...I just want to make this visit as perfect as possible". Katara shook her head "that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard but it still doesn't excuse overworking yourself like this". "It doesn't?" you asked and Katara shook her head "not at all! Plus y/n your dedication to being respectful and your willingness to learn new customs is already a huge indication you're going to do great. I think it's really sweet how much you've thought about it and I know my whole tribe will think so too, they’re going to love you!". "You really think so?" you asked and Katara nodded "of course! Plus I'll be beside you every step of the way to help".
Katara LOVES birthdays and always makes yours as special as she possibly can. She’d have things planned from start to finish. You’d wake up to breakfast in bed and do your favourite morning activity together like baking or reading. Then in the afternoon she’d take you out for a nice lunch and you’d open up your presents from her (which are always amazing because it’s Katara). Then you’d go home and do something fun like watch your favourite movie together or play a new game she got you. In the evening, she’d invite all your friends and family around to celebrate. She’d have all your favourite food and drinks and would make sure everything was exactly how you liked it. She’d also be constantly checking up on you to make sure you were having a good time and if anyone and I mean anyone caused a scene or made you unhappy they’d be out of there before Aang can say yip yip. You’d be exhausted by the end of the night but would feel so loved and appreciated.
Katara might be a little inclined to go overboard supporting you with your career just because typically in her tribe one person worked and the other supported. So you’d have to keep an eye on that and ensure she wasn’t putting your career ahead of her own. You’d encourage her to use her skill as the greatest water bender in the world and she’d set up a school specifically for female benders. Katara would be shocked when you told her career-wise, you’d follow her lead because she hadn’t ever expected a partner like that. You’d work out a balance where you’re both supporting each other and it’s a beautiful partnership.
When the two of you have a fight it's very emotional and intense...but is over pretty quickly. We've seen Katara has a temper and so she'd snap and go from 1 to 100 pretty quickly. You'd both scream at each other for like 10 minutes but then one of you would get upset or say something you didn't mean and you'd both calm down and realise how silly the fight was. Katara always apologises after an argument and then it's like nothing ever happened.
You and Katara do not exercise together. You tried once and Katara got too competative. She’d notice how far you’d ran on the treadmill and want to beat you, so she’d increase her speed. You’d noticed what she was doing and also pick up speed, which made Katara increase her speed again until you were both running far too fast. Long story short you fell of the treadmill, Katara had to heal you and you were asked not to come back to that gym anymore. So exercising seperately works for you!
I can't see Katara with pets just because she seems a lot more kid-focused than animal-focused. However if you're not kid-focused that doesn't mean you can't get a pet! Katara would be tending to the neighbours' kid while you're busy playing with their dog or something. "Y/n come look at the new baby" Katara called and you nodded "yeah one second...who's a good girl? Who's a good girl?" you asked stroking the neighbour's polar bear dog. You didn't end up getting around to holding the baby and that was just fine with you.
Katara is just an incredibly kind and considerate partner. She makes you feel loved and special every day and she really does have the biggest heart in the world. You’re a lucky person.
Zuko
Zuko doesn't realise he likes you until someone points it out to him and it would probably be Sokka too. He'd see you and Zuko just enjoying each other's company and ask Zuko why he hasn't asked you out yet. "Y/n? Because we're just friends!". "Are you sure about that because you smile every time she comes around". Zuko snorted "I think i'd know if I liked y/n..." then he thought about it for a few seconds and his jaw dropped. "There he goes" Sokka smirked.
Once Zuko realises he likes you he panics. He becomes the most awkward person in the world around you and blushes pretty much anytime you speak to him. You notice something weird is going on and ask Zuko if something's wrong. "Everything's completely fine! Why would you think anything's wrong?" he replied his voice getting higher towards the end. "Just you seem really tense and nervous, you keep pacing around and staring at your feet". Zuko's breath began to speed up and he was in full panic mode. "I have no idea what you mean!". Zuko was getting ready to rush out of the room when you smiled "would you maybe like to go out with me sometime? Like on a date?". Zuko paused "pardon?". "A date?" you repeated "with me". "Sokka told you didn't he!" Zuko cried and you shook your head "not at all...I just heard you talking about it. I didn't overhear the whole conversation but from how you've been acting I think I can guess what you said so...how about it? Would you like to go on a date?". Zuko nodded I'd love to!" and that was that.
You thought once you started dating Zuko would be less awkward but no. He was just as unsure and bashful but he got more confident with time. His only other relationship had been with his childhood sweetheart so of course this was all new to him and you had to show him the ropes a little. He really enjoyed all the stereotypical dates and the first time you got him flowers he nearly cried.
Zuko isn't the most intuitive partner but he has the best intentions. He's not good at sensing what you need or being able to tell your mood from looking at you but he's a fire bender not a mind reader! So communication is really important and the second you tell him you need something, he won’t hesitate to give it you.
Zuko’s friends are happy the second Zuko tells them he’s found someone. Being the Firelord at such a young age can be really lonely, especially seeing as he has no family around…but lately they had noticed a change in him. He’d been smiling more and his shoulder were more relaxed. The pressures of the throne hadn’t been affecting him as much and they all wondered why…until he introduced you.
For Zuko to tell them about you they know he must really like you and when they see you together that becomes very clear. Zuko just brightens around you and for good reason, you’re kind and caring and clearly want the best for him. So they all pretty much accept you into the group right away.
Zuko’s ex Mai is an impressive member of the Fire Nation society, not to mention one of Zuko’s few childhood friends so she’s always going to be in Zuko’s life. Your first meeting Zuko is terrified and has guards at the ready in case Mai decides to play target practice but Zuko should know by now Mai isn’t dramatic. She brings Ty lee as a middle person and greets you formally but warmly. “Welcome to the Fire Nation! Don’t worry we’re not all obsessed with honour like Zuko or permanently peppy like Ty lee. Some of us are normal…or well normal-ish” Mai says “this is the Fire Nation”. You smile at her joke and ask her about her skill with knives and combat. You talk for a good few minutes (which for Mai is like an hour) and then both move on. Zuko lets out a breath as he sees you step away from each but he didn’t need to worry. It takes a lot to make Mai angry and her ex moving on and being happy sure isn’t going to do it.
Zuko is one of the youngest Firelords in recent history and so he puts up with a lot of people questioning his decisions and he himself as ruler but one thing he does not tolerate is anyone trying to debate his relationship with you. Of course his advisors try the second he announces your relationship and he gives them a strict warning that the next time someone wants to speak ill of you or to pry into your life they will be off the council. He can become a big scary Firelord at times.
Zuko would have no clue how to tell you he loves you. He's so awkward and unsure he'd be a mess. You'd be able to tell something was going on because you'd catch Zuko just quietly watching you or sometimes he'd trail off midsentence. Whenever you asked him about it he'd go bright red and come up with some fake excuse like you had something on your face. Then finally it gets to be too much and he just kind of...yells it at you? It explodes out of him at some random moment and it takes a few seconds for you to work out what he's saying. "You love me?" you asked and Zuko nodded "yeah...unless you don't want me to". You laughed "of course I want you to Zuko and I love you too!". Then Zuko would do that really happy smile (see the photo above) and he'd go around the palace grinning for weeks.
Zuko. Cannot. Take. Compliments.
Even with a gun to his head, Zuko just cannot accept compliments. His brain freaks out when someone tries to pay him a compliment and he will deny all of them. You could literally say “your hair is nice and dark” and he’d disagree. This is a problem because Zuko is a guy worthy on many compliments and you cannot refrain from complimenting him. So your solution is the psychological technique for phobias called flooding. You basically just bombard Zuko with compliments until he begins to accept them. Slowly but surely it works! You’ve get him to stop verbally disagreeing with your compliments and instead he just shrugs slightly which is an amazing improvement.
Zuko's family is complicated...half of his family adores him unrealistically the other half barely tolerates his presence. Things with Azula and Zuko are still tense but better now they're older and after hearing all his sister went through, you really want to become friends with her. Zuko is shocked because most people run from his sister but not you. At the next family gathering, you notice Azula by herself on the side and go right over to her. You introduce yourself and ask how she is. She seems shocked and gives short answers awkwardly. You do this at every event, just small regular conversations until Azula begins accustomed to your presence. When you and Zuko arrive late to Ty lee's birthday party she sweeps over to you practically sighing in relief. "Thank god you're here! You're the only person at these things I can stomach sober". You chuckled while Zuko frowns "erm Azula? I'm here too". "Yes hi Zuzu, good to see you. Now can I borrow your partner, she’s my emotional support at these things". Zuko seems surprised and looks at you to see if you're fine with it but you're smiling and nodding perfectly happy. "Okay..." he nods and watches as the two of you disappear together. You help Zuko and Azula grow closer and your kind gesture of including Azula in your lives is greatly appreciated by the princess. The two siblings become regular fixtures in each other's lives and it's all down to you.
Being a member of the royal family Zuko doesn’t understand birthdays. In his family each year of a successful reign was more important and only big birthdays really meant anything. So he doesn’t get what you do to celebrate a birthday and at first is opposed to it. “Doesn’t it get boring year after year?” he asked you the first year you celebrated his birthday and you shook your head “not at all!”. Then slowly Zuko started really liking a day only for him. He’d get so excited the days leading up to his birthday while you were secretly planning events and wrapping up his presents. He tried to pretend he doesn’t care but he struggles to sleep the night before because he can’t wait. You notice the subtle changes and when he gasps at having a whole cake just for him he knows the cat is out of the bag. “Okay so I might really like this birthday thing” he admits blushing and you smiled “I’m glad you like it Zuko”.
Dating the Firelord would make finding a job hard because you never know if they actually want you or the Firelord's partner. So Zuko would make sure to really separate himself from your work so you can tell your company when and if you want to. Alternatively Zuko is totally cool with using his power to get you stuff so if you want to take advantage of dating the sovereign he's all for it! You want a job in your favourite flower shop? He clears a space in the palace gardens for you to practice. You want to become a doctor? All the palace doctors are your tutors. You're interested in geology? Let him just send a message to his friend Toph Beifong to explain everything she knows about rocks to you. Zuko will give as much or as little as you want.
Now Zuko is extremely hot-headed (his element is fire) so fights with him would be pretty explosive and can get heated. This is especially the case when Zuko feels insecure or hurt. He tends to lash out, saying things he didn't mean to say and then instantly regrets it. Afterwards he is distraught and pretty much does everything to make it up to you. He's really mopey when you're angry at him and when you finally forgive him he'd probably cry. He's an emotional boy our Firelord but we love him.
Working out with Zuko would be funny because he has no idea how hot he is when he works out. He has no clue he looks amazing when firebending and so just wonders why you’re staring at him. “What do I have something on my face?” he asked. “No more like you’re not wearing a shirt” you reply and Zuko blushes. “Oh...i’ll put one on. I didn’t realise”. So while you do enjoy exercising with Zuko, you don’t get much exercising done so have to work out on your own.
Zuko already has a pet...A DRAGON! So he's got the coolest animal companion you could ever want and you'd quickly become involved in Druk's life. Meeting Druk would honestly be a pretty big deal because dragons are so key to Zuko's heritage and his nation’s future so you'd be pretty scared. But the second you touched Druk's nose with your hand you'd feel the warmth radiating from him and you'd feel the bond he has with Zuko making you feel right at home. After that Druk is a huge softie for you and often goes to you when he's done something wrong so you'll protect him from Zuko. He knows Zuko can never say no to you so you're Druk's biggest protector. You also have lots and lots of dragon rides with Zuko which make the most amazing dates.
Zuko is a passionate and emotional partner. He might sometimes do things without thinking but his intentions for you are always good and the second he feels that connection with you that’s it. You’re his everything and he’d do anything to make you happy be that opposing his council or changing the mind of his people. He’s not afraid to make hard decisions for you because at the end of the day, you make it all worth it for him.
Suki
Suki is a boss so when she realised she has feelings for you, she would be pretty upfront and just ask you out. There would be no skirting around it or awkwardness either.
She'd of course have it all planned though, she's not the leader of the greatest warriors of all time for nothing. She'd have meticulously organised what she wanted to say and deliver it perfectly. A little too perfectly...you were intimidated as she made eye contact the entire time and didn't stutter once! However after she finished she shot you a big smile which made you relax and of course tell her you liked her too.
That's how you get together! As simple as that.
When you start dating, Suki is amazing from day one. She knows exactly how to play it and is very cool and relaxed while also making you feel special. She's the type to leave small gifts with handwritten notes just because. Also flowers! She will buy you flowers and leave them in a place she knows you’ll find but not bouquets, a single rose or lily because it's less showy and more intimate.
Suki is the best girlfriend ever! As a partner she is intuitive, thoughtful and makes you smile all the time. She's not one to go over the top with lovey-dovey stuff but she always makes you feel safe and wanted. She has a pretty demanding job but she always makes time for you and keeps her promises. You know you're important to her.
Suki always smiled and makes a joke about how right you are when you compliment here but you notice quickly she doesn’t really believe you. She typically brushes away your words hiding behind her smug smile and jokes. Being part of an elite team, she doesn’t know how to admit she, individually has done something right and you aim to change that. Any time you compliment Suki and she brushes it away you stop her.
“You’re so thoughtful” you said one day when Suki bought you some blueberries on her way home just because she knew you liked them. She shrugged “I’m just amazing i know”. You smiled but shook your head “you are Suki, you’re a wonderful thoughtful person who I fall for more and more each day”. That would leave Suki silent and emotional. Slowly but surely she was starting to belive your compliments.
The warriors would love you! They're all very supportive of one another so would be pleased to see Suki happy and welcome you with open arms. This was a little intimidating considering they were all highly skilled warriors who could kill you in seconds and there were a rather lot of them. So you were more than a little overwhelmed which Suki noticed. She dialled back her excited friends and started introducing you to them in smaller groups instead week by week. She did this gradually and never got annoyed with you but went completely at your pace. The way Suki handled your social anxiety made you fall for her even quicker.
Suki's ex Sokka did not handle your new relationship as well. Sokka can be pretty immature so even though he and Suki parted on good terms he was jealous when he heard you were dating. More so because it made him feel like Suki was completely over him and had left him behind. He basically thought she'd won and he'd lost.
Sokka handled this by being rude to you. He'd make sarcastic comments about you and anytime Katara or Aang spoke to you he'd huff and pout. However this didn't last long because Katara exploded at him and told him he better not make you feel bad just because he was insecure.
Suki happened to overhear the conversation and she took Sokka to one side and they had a talk about how they'd always be important to one another and no new relationship could erase all the good memories that they’d had together. After that Sokka was lovely to you and he actually officiated your partnership ceremony years later.
However when anyone who isn’t her old friend insults you Suki goes all Kyoshi Warrior on them. Suki prefers shows of force so will fight anyone who disrespects you. You had to stop her coming into your work once because you were worried she might put your manager in a chokehold. She’s very protective of you and won’t hesitate to bring down the full force of Kyoshi on anyone.
Surprisingly Suki would struggle with the L word. Not because she feels uncomfortable with the emotion but just because she’s not sure how to tell you. She’s quite physical so being verbally vulnerable is scary to her. She’d probably ask her sisters or Ty lee for help and they’d tell her to just take you someplace nice and be honest.
So she takes you to a place in the Fire Nation where you had your first date. It’d be a nice quiet evening and there were only a few other people around. Suki is good at hiding her emotions so you’d have no idea how nervous she is. She would eventually build up the courage to tell you she loved you and then reassure you it’s okay if you’re not there yet with your feelings for her. She’d finished her perfectly crafted speech and waited nervously for your response. You of course tell her you love her back and she’d smile so brightly. Then you go on to tell her everything you love about her and she’s a blushing mess. It takes a lot to make your girlfriend blush but you can do it.
When you've been dating for a few months Suki takes you to her home on Kyoshi Island. It's a pretty big deal considering this place has shaped her whole life and everyone in the community idolises her but she’s mindful of what happened with her sisters previously and makes sure you're not overwhelmed. She shows you the training halls and the beautiful beaches. Of course she also goes on for like an hour explaining everything Kyoshi ever touched and you just let her talk. "Sorry..." she says realising she's been giving a lecture not a tour "am I boring you?". You couldn't resist how happy she looked talking about Kyoshi so you shook your head "not at all, tell me more about Kyoshi's girlfriend Rangi" and Suki beamed more than happy to.
Suki is one of those people who just designs the perfect birthday. She seems to be able to guess exactly what you want and act accordingly. So one year she throws you a big party sensing you wanted to make it a big event. The next she senses you want this one to be a quieter one so the two of you stay in the house all day and don’t even open the blinds. She’s also amazing at buying presents and always gets you exactly what you want without fail. So much so, you’re sure she’s got someone to follow you or you must’ve said what you wanted in your sleep or something. Suki insists she’s just that good.
Despite Suki having a pretty self-defining career she never let that stop you from pursuing yours. You both agreed that nobody's career comes first and when you were offered a great training opportunity in the Water Tribe Suki encouraged you to take it. You'd be gone for around a year and would only be able to visit every month or so but Suki told you to go for it. She was so supportive sending you weekly letters and gifts. As her boss was also her friend Zuko, he brought Suki with him every time he visited the Water Tribe and allowed her free time to be with you. Being in a long-distance relationship was hard but the two of you put in the work and get through it.
When the two of you fight it’s not very serious. It takes a lot to make Suki angry, especially because she knows you'd never mean to hurt her and intent matters a lot to her. However we're all human and of course there would be times when you upset her. She'd go quiet and thoughtful and when you ask her what's wrong she tells you. Suki believes in honest communication and the two of you would always try and talk out whatever was happening for as long as it takes. You try to never let arguments fester and handle them as quickly as possible. Suki is nothing if not efficient.
Working out with Suki would be...hilarious. We've all seen that scene in the Boiling Rock episode where she takes out all the guards, runs up a wall and is basically just amazing. That's her on her morning jog each day. Suki doesn't pull her punches so you realised very quickly working out together wasn't a couple’s activity for you. Instead you go to the park or gym with her and sit at a nearby cafe and wave to her as she does her laps. You read or draw or whatever you like to do and she exercises. Then when she's done you go home together.
Suki is very busy so she wouldn't have time for a high-maintenance pet. I can see her with a cat that the two of you adopted when you moved in together. Suki would be the responsible good parent while you're the chaotic pushover. "Suki she's hungry, I think I should feed her" you said as your cat stared up at you. "Y/n we fed her an hour ago, she's just being greedy" Suki replied. You sighed "fine..." and sat back down. A few minutes later you left to go to the bathroom and made a bee-line for the kitchen...only to find Suki already there. "What? How did you get past me?" you cried and Suki smiled "through Avatar Kyoshi all things are possible...now go sit back down".
You wanted to name the cat Kyoshi but Suki vetos that and you name it Yun instead
Suki is an intuative cool partner. The type you can take to any event because she will get on with the people there and enjoy it. She’s a delight to be around and at times it feels like she’s your everything. She’s the thing keeping you going each day and the two of you make a very happy partnership.
Sokka
Sokka takes that typical macho approach to love. When he realises he likes you, instead of small kind gestures or just telling you, he would tease you constantly. He'd talk to you every chance he could get and would constantly be joking or messing around. Katara can read him like a book and would just sigh "when are you going to ask her out?". "Ask who out? Y/n! That's crazy! You're crazy Katara!" Sokka cried. Katara just smiled and shook her head.
Eventually though Sokka would realise imitating your accent or laughing at your hairstyle (shockingly) wasn't the great flirting endeavour he thought it was. So he'd ask you to do an activity together and you'd say yes.
Sokka would have some pretty incorrect stereotypes about dating which you'd have to help him unlearn. He'd been taught very traditional things about what the role of a male and female should be in a relationship and so might not understand what a more liberal view of that is, but through trial and error (with a LOT of mistakes) he'd learn.
As a partner Sokka is pretty damn adorable. He'd notice every little thing about you and would bore all his friends by telling them things he found fascinating. "Do you know y/n can read things upside down? How cool is that?" he cried making Zuko and Aang frown."See that is pretty cool but maybe not relevant right now..." Zuko said glancing around at the assembled council as this was a council meeting. Sokka nodded "oh yeah got it! I'll tell you about it later". His friends would all sigh about how soppy he became anytime someone mentioned you but it was sweet really and they totally used it to their advantage...
Katara and Aang walked into the room and approached. “Hey Sokka how are you?” Aang asked. “Fine, what do you need i’m really busy” Sokka replied. “Oh nothing we’re just stopping by” Aang said and Sokka grunted in response. “Hey so y/n’s arriving tomorrow isn’t she?” Katara asked. Sokka immeidately changed. His body language relaxed and he smiled widely “yeah, I can’t wait!”. “What time is she getting here?” Aang asked and Sokka began to tell them all the details. “That’s good...we were thinking of taking a trip next week. Would you be okay handling stuff on your own?”. “Sure no problem, also did I tell you what y/n said in her letter yesterday? She said the funniest thing...” and that was pretty much how they got Sokka to do anything.
You got him to reduce his meat intake just by telling him it’d be nice for the two of you to try something new together. Sokka the self-proclaimed lover of meat gave that up because you asked him to.
Sokka's friends all liked you pretty instantly. Katara thought you were a saint for putting up with Sokka's dumb ideas and sense of humour. Aang thought you and Sokka were very compatible and found it funny both Appa and Momo liked you more than Sokka. Toph was of course a little jealous given her crush on Sokka but even she had to admit there was nobody better matched for him than you. So she slowly got over her jealousy. Zuko liked you because you always treated him like a friend and not like a Firelord. They all thought you helped Sokka be a better person and made each other happy. What more could you ask for?
Suki ironically also really liked you. At first Sokka thought she'd be jealous and was wary of the two of you meeting. He even had a whole elaborate scheme when it was Katara's birthday so you wouldn't meet. Then he saw the two of you chatting by the refreshments and nearly died. He gasped and ran to help you "I think you should go see Katara" he said to you forcefully trying to pull you away. "Why?" you asked pushing his hand off you "Suki and I are getting acquainted". Suki nodded "yeah we're having lots of fun discussing all the silly stuff you say". "Wait you know who each other are?" Sokka asked and you both laughed. "Duh!" Suki smiled "I'm a trained warrior, I can pick up on things". You nodded "and she's literally wearing her captain's uniform...so that made it pretty easy". Sokka blinked "and you're...okay with one another?". "Why wouldn't we be?" Suki asked and you nodded "just because Suki's your ex doesn't mean we have to hate each other". "Yeah we're above all that sexist crap" Suki said and Sokka nodded "okay then...carry on" and left you to it. The idea of even being near your ex made Sokka furious so he found this very odd but you and Suki became good friends which was nice. He realised he didn't have to banish Suki just because they'd broken up and that this was a really healthy relationship.
Sokka is protective so if anyone and I mean anyone dares to say a bad thing about you, he’s ready to fistfight. There are 2 problems with this however
1. he doesn't take into account how badly he could lose a fight. For example when he said your name one day and Appa happened to be passing gas at the same time he took offence. He began yelling at the sky bison and then jumped on Appa, messing up his fur. Appa simply swatted Sokka away and put his paw on him, keeping him rooted to the floor.
2. Sokka's second problem was he tended to imagine insults where there were none. Once they were at Kyoshi Island and Aang wanted to go Elephant-Koi fish surfing but the fish weren't there. After waiting an hour Katara suggested calling it quits and Aang sighed "let's just go and meet y/n in Omashu". Sokka didn't like Aang's tone and immediately bristled. "Oh I'm sorry is it such a chore to see y/n? Do you not enjoy visiting her? Has she not always been an amazing friend to you?" he cried. "Of course not I love seeing y/n! She’s a great friend to me!". "So why did you say her name like that?" Sokka asked and Katara sighed "Sokka you know Aang didn't mean it like that, leave him alone!". "I will not stand by while someone insults my partner!" he cried and Katara rolled her eyes "Aang wasn't doing that!". "I promise I wasn't!" Aang said and Sokka paused "you weren't?". "No I love y/n!" Aang said. Sokka narrowed his eyes inspecting him before he sighed "okay my bad" and moved on, leaving a very relieved Airbender and angry waterbender.
When Sokka realised he loves you he'd plan a whole evening to tell you and of course because fate does not favour Sokka everything would go wrong and he'd get really upset.
"Sokka...are you okay?" you asked he continued to angrily beat the curtains which had stopped being on fire quite a few seconds ago. "Yep I'm fine!" he said but you could tell by how high his voice was going that he wasn't. "No you're not Sokka stop!" and you pulled him away from the curtains "I know our date got messed up when it rained and we had to come inside...and when our food got burned accidentally...and when the curtains then caught fire destroying all the beautiful decorations you put out...but that's no reason to get upset". Sokka sighed "but I wanted tonight to be special!". "Why?" you asked chuckling and Sokka slumped into his seat hanging his head "because I wanted to tell you that I...that I love you". You paused "you did?". Sokka nodded "yeah and I wanted it to be a real special occasion we'd both remember for years but I messed everything up!". Sokka you didn't mess anything up!" you said taking a seat next to him "I will remember this night forever and not because of all the fancy things or decorations but because of you...you saying those words are more than enough to make this memorable". Sokka looked at you "really?". "Really" you smiled.
Sokka LOVES compliments and he’s not humble either. He will happily accept them and agree with you which makes it rather funny. “Sokka that was so cool!” you cried when he successfully disarmed Zuko in combat. “I know” he smirked. “Don’t encourage him y/n” Katara whispered but you just smiled. You knew Sokka just wanted to feel loved and that’s why he enjoyed compliments so much. However you didn’t want him to get a big ego so you treated compliments with Sokka how a person might handle treats with a dog. Only on certain occasions when it was warranted and that worked pretty well.
Sokka might be nervous to introduce you to his family at first because he cares a lot about what his tribe thinks of him and doesn't want them to be disappointed he's dating an "outsider". This would be a really big test for you and Sokka because he has to decide what's more important, tradition or you. At first he'd try and keep the two separate however that can't continue forever and eventually he brings you to the WaterTribe. He's hyperaware of everything as you walk to his home together. "Is it just me or are people watching us?" he asked and Katara frowned "nobodies watching us and even if they are they're probably just intrigued about y/n". Sokka nodded but that didn't reassure him.
Then around his family he got nervous all over again. He was a ball of nerves as you chatted to his father and gran gran. "So y/n what do your parents do?" his gran gran asked. "My mother is a mechanic and my father is a stay-at-home dad". Sokka anxiously watched his elders and saw them pause "so your father stays at home and your mother works?" Hakoda asked. You nodded "yep! In my home couples choose who should stay home and my father wanted to. "That's so cool" Katara said and you smiled. "It's certainly...different" gran gran said and Sokka nearly choked. "Yes in the best possible way" Hakoda smiled "we're trying to improve the gender equality in our tribe and your home sounds like a wonderful place for us to learn from, please tell us more". Sokka dropped his fork in shock. "Sokka table manners!" gran gran said before turning to you "now dear tell me, how many of your girls are educated". Sokka couldn't believe it. He'd assumed his tribe would hate your ideals but they were more progressive than he thought. After that, he brought you home with him any time he could and even flew his father and gran gran to your home so they could see it all. Your families got along wonderfully and Sokka never underestimated his tribe again.
Sokka also LOVES birthdays but not just his own he adores your own too. Sokka is a big kid at heart and so he gets more excited for your birthday than you do. He wakes up extra early and tries his best to make you, your favourite breakfast in bed. Then he drags you to the living room so you can open your presents. He watches you excitedly while you unwrap them, so thrilled to see what you think of them. He prefers for you to spend your birthday just the two of you and gets jealous when your other friends and family want to see you too. He adores you and so having a whole day where he just gets to celebrate you is amazing in his eyes.
Sokka wants to make it super clear your career is just as important as his. Growing up that wasn't the typical attitude between males and females but he wanted it to be. When he was offered a high-ranking role in the Water Tribe he asked for time to discuss it with you and considered your job. He never assumed to know what you were thinking and listened to you. He put off accepting the job for several years so you could finish studying and then you made the joint decision to move there. He even looked into all the careers you could have in the Water Tribe and only agreed to move once you had one you were really passionate about. Just liking the sound of it wasn't enough he wanted you to really want to move and wouldn't accept anything less.
Fights with Sokka are hilarious. He might be one of the brightest minds in the four nations but he also had an immature side and that comes out when you argue. His logic went right out the window and you'd verbally destroy him. This would make Sokka very mardy and pouty which you found adorable. He’d sulk for a little while but after half an hour or so he wouldn’t care anymore and would be back to normal.
You quite enjoyed working out with Sokka because he was a big fan of rewarding yourselves for good behaviour. So you would hardly do any work and then take a nice break. It was basically just an opportunity for you and Sokka to spend some time together while possibly doing a little bit of exercise. Sokka is also totally that partner that likes to set up on the machine next to you. You don’t go around attached at the hip but if he sees you on one treadmill he will come and take the one next to you because he likes being close to you. Sokka would also be a huge hype man and so you love getting him to spot you when you do weights. He cheers you on constantly and makes exercising easier in every way.
Sokka would claim to hate animals because of all the mess, smell and noise etc but he would adore the pet you got together. He'd of course complain the whole time you were buying the pet but he'd slowly start to melt. You'd catch him covering up the little animal with a blanket at night or waking up early so he can feed and play with it. He'd even take it with him on his rounds as councillor and soon they're inseparable. "Do you remember when I said I wanted a pet and we got one for me?". Sokka looked down where your pet was curled up against him asleep "yeah well they chose me, don't be a sore loser y/n".
Sokka is a fun, unique and witty partner. There’s never a quiet moment when he’s around and nobody can make you laugh or smile like he can. He’s not only hilarious but can be serious and sweet in ways that send shivers down your spine. You have no doubt he’d go to the end of the earth for you and no matter your differences, you’re perfect together.
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Requested by: @angrypolicetimetravel
So obviously I didn’t include Toph and Aang because they’re both 12 but I really loved writing this for Katara, Zuko, Suki and Sokka! They’re all so fun but have such different personalities.
#avatar#avatar the last airbender#atla#avatar imagine#atla imagine#avatar the last airbender imagine#atla fic#avatar fic#avatar the last airbender fic#katara#sokka#zuko#suki#katara imagine#katara fic#sokka fic#sokka imagine#zuko fic#zuko imagine#suki fic#suki imagine#zuko x reader#sokka x reader#katara x reader#suki x reader#team avatar#water tribe#fire nation#kyoshi warriors#aang
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cw: atla rant
honestly dni w me if u support/tolerate any type of zuko slander/hate/bashing and this is just an in general thing. i really hate it when i go to social media of any kind expecting to enjoy my favorite characters and end up with very distorted/biased views on him.
I love Zuko as a character, he is so complex, and beautifully written as an individual, and I could go on and on all day about him. I’m no shipper of “zukka” “maiko” “zutara” or “zukaang”, and I think it’s honestly wild at how this fanbase is so obsessed with who zuko ends up with, like it has to be some form of projection at this point.
Zuko isn’t ugly or any less attractive because of his scar. Zuko isn’t a terrible firebender, and will somehow never get better at it. Zuko gave life a second chance and proved that anyone truly can change despite their past. Zuko is interesting and valid. Zuko does love his sister, and Azula loves him. Just because he is so often advertised, doesn’t mean he’s any less valid in his abuse or his arc as an individual. Zuko does fuck up, and he always will because that’s what humans do. At the end of the day, Zuko still is just as much as a child like any of the other main characters are and doesn’t deserve to be treated like he’s a full ass adult and understands everything about and in life. Zuko is popular but not overrated.
like im so tired of trying to say this, yes atla is deep, but some opinions on here are just plain fucking stupid and delusional. people cant go one second without degrading another good character when defending a more “underrated” one. It’s a phenomenon that happens with zuko and azula, they both deserve to be happy, but some azula stans make it seem like it was zuko’s fault for everything. or they just bluntly say zuko is nothing compared to her, or how they couldn’t live as normal siblings once more when she redeems herself.
l check accounts, and if i see that u support any of this, u WILL be blocked. I’m serious about this. This blog is a safe space for atla/LOK characters of all. Except ozai.
#ˋˏ [sistalks] ˎˊ#sorry for the rant#tumblr just really pissed me off tonight .#atla zuko#fire lord zuko#avatar the last airbender#adult zuko#atla fandom#atla fanDUMB#prince zuko#avatar zuko
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Hey there, can I ask how you come up with your OC names?
Anon I am THRILLED you asked because I am about to dump so much in-my-head-only worldbuilding on you, so much more than you probably needed or wanted lol.
As always this is not short, and forgive in advance the butchery I’m about to do of like, all of phonetics and linguistics.
OKAY so generally speaking, when it comes to names I have a set of foundational building blocks/general guidelines for the various countries and I work from there. These are based on phonetic characteristics of the canon names we see, and then from there I'd start layering in additional fun along groupings I've noticed around gender or class or family lines or whatever if I want to take the worldbuilding that deep.
So for example, with the Water Tribes…
We have Sokka, Katara, Hakoda, Bato, Kya all from the South, so I pick out...
Hard K or T sounds being quite common
Primarily A and O as vowels
Vowels being between consonants (ie, being single vowels)
Names being 2-3 syllables
In the North, we see Yue, Hahn, Agna Qel’a, Arnook, Kanna, Pakku...
Some similarities with the Ks and hard Qs
Now we see some softer ‘gn’ and ‘hn’ and L sounds, and the addition of P (which makes Bato’s “B” and Sokka’s “S” stand out)
Some ‘oo’ instead of ‘o’ vowels (so double vowels)
Hahn and Yue with no hard consonant sound at all (and both upper class!)
So that gives us some basic starting blocks to start building up names that sound like they fit within the Water Tribe culture in terms of sounds, as well as some potential regional and class differences to start working with! (Maybe Q sounds are only in the North, and upper-class people have soft consonant names, for example.)
Similarly in the Fire Nation…
The royal family is Zuko, Azula, Ozai, Azulon, Sozin, Iroh, Lu Ten, so...
A lot of Z and K sounds
(Male) names that end in N
A lot of two-syllable names (with the emphasis on the first syllable)
A lot of riffs on each other (Sozin and Ozai, Azulon and Azula, Azulon and Zuko)
Iroh and Lu Ten stand out as having fairly distinct names comparatively, with the “oh” ending and the softer "Ir" and "Lu" starts
Chan, Zhao, and Ruon-Jian are the other upper-class guys we see, which gives us...
short syllables again
N endings (for men) agai
The ‘two word’ name again (so Lu Ten's name naming structure is used elsewhere)
The introduction of “Ch” and “J” and “R” and double-vowel sounds (ao, uo, ia)
We also see Roku and Kuzon...
So very similar names to our royal bunch with those Ks and Zs and oku/uko and uzon/ulon sounds
Also older names from 100+ years ago, and commoner names
Mai, Ursa, Ty Lee as our upper-class ladies gives us...
short syllables again
‘two word’ names again
M sounds!
Mai and Ursa both don't have a hard consonant stop
Some phonetic/vibey similarity with “Mai” and “Ty”
And adding in Chit Sang (another commoner!) (presumably!)...
Another two-word name
Introduces the ‘ng’ ending
Leverages a lot of the consonant sounds we already saw
Uses an “it” usage of the "I" vowel (vs Iroh’s I)
So pulling it all together, in addition to those foundational consonant and vowel sounds, we also see that the royal family has a distinct naming convention that may be rooted in archaic naming styles.
And we can start to build out some ideas around gendered naming, family/honorific naming, and some potential class/pre-unification culture differences, as well as some space to speculate about why Iroh and Lu Ten’s names are so different from the rest of the royal family, too (as well as the ammunition to suggest that Zhao comes from a family of suck-ups lol)
Moving onto the Earth Kingdom (where I truly went wild)…
We start off with Toph, Haru, Long Feng, Kuei, Jet, Bumi, Poppy, Lao, and there's a lot of varability here!
Generally, the names are one or two syllables and start with a consonant
We see more double-vowel pairs (uei, ao), perhaps in the upper class but just as many single vowels
Consonants are hard or soft, and don't seem to group like the Water Tribe or FN royals did around particular sounds
Names end in vowels or hard sounds or softer 'ph' and 'ng'
Those guardrails are fairly wide and broad for feeling out distinct-sounding names, but it makes sense given how huge the Earth Kingdom is and its history of war, displacement, movement, etc.
So for a fic like That Love You've Been Looking For which was super EK-centric and focused on worldbuilding, I ended up breaking it down into broad regions and leaning into place names as well to help articular some basic rules:
In the southwest (Gaoling, Toph, Lao, Poppy), I decided that there’d be a mix of single and two-word names, and that the ‘ph’ ending would be used by women and the ‘ng’ ending for men
On the western coast (Haru, Omashu, Bumi), I went with primarily two-syllable names that follow a ONE-two pattern (PA-lo, BU-mi, CHE-lu, HA-ru) and went with mostly softer consonants
In the north (Ba Sing Se, Si Wong Desert, Long Feng), I went with short multi-word names where each part would be a single syllable
And in the center I was kind of pulling it together from what was left, but I went with names that end with an ‘an’ or ‘in’ sound and echoed some of the place names I was using
So we have some building blocks for the various regions, this time that we can use to indicate where someone’s family could be from and to give each region a more specific feel.
For Kyoshi...
I generally lift the Earth Kingdom rules, but view it as more of a trade-center and melting pot (Suki could fit in WT or FN rules), so it's deliberately a lot looser and with more variation.
And everywhere has a Lee/Li, so none of these rules are hard and fast, and I imagine too that there’s a ton of cultural mixing and fads and trends and whatnot in naming across various regions.
A quick note from a process standpoint--
This approach is very much not trying to find names within various existing real-world cultures. If I'm writing ATLA canon-world, I tend to stick to the idea of leveraging real-world contexts as a base rather than a strict guide. Something I wanted to flag, as there are other ways to go about OC naming that lean much more heavily into researching the naming conventions of various cultures throughout history, thinking about translation and name meaning, etc.
And also, if I need a lot of names, I'll often use the Fantasy Name Generator and look for names that either fit or that I can tweak into the above 'rules.' (Otherwise I accidentally start giving people ship names lol, RIP to Mailee, Maizula, and Yutara, you lived on under new personas)
I also don't always dig as deeply into the way names can signify class or status or whatnot, either. It can be very fun, but sometimes you just need a one-off name so your POV character looks like they actually interact with the people they nominally see every day haha
#asks and answers#anons really teeing me up#atla#world building#fic writing#I like getting into gender and class stuff (or the noticeable lack of it) with names#It can be really fun to play with in the background to signal things about a culture or particular character
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Jazmine Dragon
So I wanna set a little background first:
→ I do not own any of ATLA’s characters nor story, I just own my own characters and the thoughts on my mind, ofc I do not own all of you hot babes <3 I just wanted to write something that hopefully helped all of your hearts that love Zuko just as mine; some events are not exactly as portrayed on the show but ofc I had to shake things up as we need to get ourselves on the storyline, but I´mma try to make it the most organic as possible; any suggestions are accepted
→ Yes, there are going to be some nsfw chapters, but in all of them are going to be warnings so that no one under 18 reads them, also in those chapters all characters involved are going to be +18 yo <3
→ AAAAAND that's all, hope you all enjoy and hold on tight because this is a long story, if you don't like long storylines I’m sorry but this is more like a low heat cooking rather than a burning flame; I was not going to publish this, but I thought that maybe some of y’all may like it (or not), and even if no one reads this it is a good exercise as to not lose this story and remember it on the future.
Our story begins waaaaaay back, before Katara and Sokka found Aang on that giant iceberg.
Y/n L/n
→ Waterbender (some extra ‘cos we deserve it: healing, bloodbending)
→ Beautiful as you are baby, your beauty is a weapon <3
Mom
→ Waterbender from the North Pole tribe (some extra spice: healing)
→ Daughter of Pakku and Kanna (yes, gran gran herself haha, I had to adjust some family trees in order to make a more interesting story)
Dad (here is were the trouble begins)
→ Firebender, one of Ozai’s best generals (c’mon, we know where this is going, gotta add more drama) (extra: nothing, he’s already cool enough)
“Zuko, the banished prince, even when he was born he couldn't fulfill his father’s expectations on what a prince should look like, afraid of him not being a firebender, born without the fire nation spark on his eyes his father tried to kill him when he was born, and he could have gotten away with it if not for his mother that begged for his life… But not everything was bad, he also used to play with his uncle and cousin, as well as with his mother Ursa, his sister Azula and his father Ozai on Ember Island; once when he was about 3yo, Zuko saw a hawk that was about to attack a turtlecrab, he tried to save the small animal but soon realized that by saving him he condemned the hawk to starvation, he was confused as to what to do but before he could make his mind on this, a wave hoovered over him, his father saved him and he spend the rest of the day coughing water and on his mother arms”
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Meanwhile on the North Pole (*on your birth day, happy birthday Yn/Ln!)
Mom: What? What is it? Let me see her! *she said with pure happiness tears rolling down her eyes
Midfive: She’s a little girl *said with a soft tone on her voice while handing the baby to her mother
Mom: *grabs the baby in her arms with love and care* She’s beautiful… Look at her…
Dad: *stands by his wife and looks down to see the baby*
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Her dad thought that Y/n was going to be a great firebender…he certainly hoped so. When he fell for a water nation girl back in his youth and took her to the fire nation to marry her, he was scared as to what would happen if they had a child, he even told her that he never wanted to have kids of his own, that they could always adopt a little boy or girl from the colonies of the fire nation…but it finally happened, she got pregnant and even when he was scared, the joy was simply overwhelming. He didn't care if the baby turned out to be a waterbender or a firebender, or none (well, he preferred firebender or none), he sweard that he was going to protect that child with his life even… but as everything, it is easier said than done, and now here he stands, looking at a little baby girl with eyes as blue as the deep sea…definitely a child of the watertribe, he stands there looking at those pretty orbs that were so painfully beautiful, eyes that were going to see how the entire nation turns their back on her because of her origins, because of her roots… a girl that would even be noble on the water tribe of the north, but here, here she would be a problem..
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#atla zuko#prince zuko#fire lord zuko#avatar the last airbender#zuko x reader#reader insert#fire nation#avatar the way of water#atla
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[Frenemies AU]
Reality T.V. arc part 2
*Kya and Ursa pulling Ozai off Hakoda*
Ursa: Alright! Alright! That phone conversation never happened!!!
Ozai: I saw it!
Kya: I need some more pink lemonade.
Hakoda: That conversation between me and Ursa was fake!
Ozai: You offered to tickle her tummy!
Hakoda: I was talking to a puppy!
Ursa: I was ordering a pizza!
Ozai to Ursa: How does he know you like having your tummy tickled?!
Hakoda: Everyone likes having their tummy tickled!
Kya: It's true. Sometimes I do it to myself.
Ursa: The producers took two different phone calls and cut them together.
Ozai: I want to hear that from them!
___
T.V. producers: Yeah we took two different phone calls and cut them together. Cool right?
Hakoda: Cool?! He almost killed me!
Ozai: I wouldn't have actually killed you.
Hakoda: Aren't you sweet.
Kya: Isn't this supposed to be a reality show.
T.V. producers: Yeah.
Ursa: But that phone call wasn't real.
T.V. producers: Of course not. Nothing's real on reality T.V. Our job is to entertain. That's what you go to school here for right?
Hakoda: Yeah...
T.V. producers: Then think of it like a play or movie but without a script. Like improv.
Hakoda: Well you could have told us before the attempted murder!
Ozai: Ugh don't be so dramatic.
T.V. producers: No, be more dramatic. And the next time you two fight can you call us so we can get it on video? Or maybe you can reenact it now?
*Hakoda and Ozai look at each other*
Hakoda: Action.
Ozai: *smirks*
(Starts fighting dramatically as the camera films)
___
*Later*
Ursa: There's no reason the guys should have all the screen time.
Kya: So, what are you suggesting?
Ursa, sees the T.V. producers coming: Follow my lead.
Ursa: Unbelievable!
Kya: No you're unbelievable! You always have to make a big deal out of nothing!
T.V. producers: Keep going!
Ursa: You trashed my beach house!
Kya: You said I could use it!
Ursa: I didn't say people can puke on my carpet and make soup in my toilet!
Kya: It was a beach party! What did you think was going to happen?!
Ursa: Who put my dog in a wedding dress?!
Kya: It was hilarious!
Ursa: You know what?! This friendship is over!
Kya: Eat a rag!
Ursa: You eat two rags!
Ursa, to the crew: How was that?
T.V. producers: Great work!
Kya: We'll get you more stuff later.
___
Hakoda: Wow, they were great.
Ozai: We can do better.
Hakoda: Whatcha got?
Ozai: Ok, what if what if the janitor got us in trouble and we got so angry we took it out on his car?
Hakoda: We can't trash the janitor's car. He got us those candy apples for Omashu day.
Ozai: We don't trash his real one! My brother works at the junk yard on weekends. We get him to drop off a junk car and wreck that one.
Hakoda: And say it's the janitor's car.
Ozai: *gasp* Wow I wish I thought of that. Oh right I did.
Hakoda: *rolls eyes*
Ozai: Wait, that janitor didn't get me a candy apple for Omashu day.
Hakoda: He didn't?
Ozai: *shake head*
Hakoda: HA.
___
Ozai: There's the car. Is the camera crew coming?
Hakoda: Yep.
Hakoda, grabbing a golf club: Time to fake some reality T.V.
Ozai: Action.
Ozai, to the camera: This is what happens when the janitor gets us in trouble!
*Both destroy the car*
Jeong Jeong: WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY CAR!!!
Hakoda: Your car?!
Piandao: What is going on here?! What did you do to Jeong Jeong's car?!
Hakoda: You said your brother dropped off a junk car for us to destroy on camera!
Ozai: Yeah. He must have meant that one. *points to another car in the parking lot*
Hakoda: Aw man! We abused the wrong car!
Piandao, to the producers: Alright T.V. people out!
T.V. producers: But we gotta show to make.
Piandao: Then go make it at another school. You're done here.
T.V. producers: You can't kick us out?
Piandao: What?! *Grabs Hakoda's club* What?!
T.V. producers: There are other schools. Let's go to one.
Piandao: I'll call a tow truck for you Jeong Jeong.
Jeong Jeong: How am I going to get home?
Piandao, looking at the boys: Don't worry. I'll get you a ride home.
(Hakoda and Ozai glances at each other nervously)
___
*Hakoda and Ozai pushing Jeong Jeong in a wheel-barrel*
Jeong Jeong: This is so slow.
Hakoda: C'mon it isn't that bad.
Jeong Jeong: My car has radio.
Ozai: So what do you want us to do about it?!
Jeong Jeong: Sing me a song.
Both: *sigh* 🎵Secret tunnel. Secret tunnel- 🎵
Jeong Jeong: IN FIRE TONGUE!
(Boys look at each other)
Both: 🎵 Himitsu no ton'neru yama o tōru himitsu no ton'neru 🎵
Part 1
#i used google translator so sorry if the japanese is off#atla#atla modern au#high school au#frenemies au#reality tv arc#source: victorious#incorrect quotes#atla incorrect quotes#hakoda#ozai#ursa#kya#urzai#jeong jeong#piandao
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as soon as ursa registered that the person that just stepped into the garden was a messenger dressed in white, she knew her nephew was dead.
he'd only departed for ba sing se a few weeks ago. she'd gotten one hawk from him while he was still on his way to the faraway city- passionate descriptions about the beautiful earth kingdom terrain and scenery, his nervousness and dread, how much he already missed the kids and her and home.
she already knew he didn't want to go. just a month shy of 600 days did lu ten manage to hold off on joining his father in his divine quest, to get the capital of the earth kingdom to finally surrender. holding strong to his decision, despite pressure and badgering from every direction.
ursa never cared. she knew ozai cared, firelord azulon cared, the whole council and nobility cared- but ursa has always cursed the council and nobility anyway. she knows her nephew's heart is true and hardworking even if he's not the most open about his patriotism, and knows that he's always been stubborn and independent. spirits, if she was a prince, she isn't sure that she'd want to spend her first big military venture in her father's shadow either. iroh had respected his son's wishes without a fight, just like ursa knew her honorable brother-in-law would, and left for ba sing se alone. that should've been the end of that.
azula told her (rather sourly) that the strange navy fellow that lu ten had been peers with while training under admiral jeong jeong managed to convince him otherwise. how, her daughter wasn't sure, and wasn't pleased. ursa had asked lu ten about it not much later, easily confessing to her nephew that she heard through the lychee-grape vine that he'd changed his mind about ba sing se- but he'd been cagey and evasive, and offered no real explanation. the evening later, he promptly announced at dinner that he'd be departing from the fire nation in the next couple days to join his father. and looked like he wanted to vomit afterwards, as firelord azulon put a weathered hand on his shoulder and shook him with satisfaction.
she waited up late that night, praying he'd sneak to her chambers, so they could discuss the matter in whispers. but he never showed.
ursa had found him early the next morning, before agni even peeked over the horizon, tending to his beloved jogekama yari.
he sat up straight at the sound of her footsteps on the tile, and sighed heavily. as usual, lu ten knew it was his aunt without looking (unbeknownst to ursa, over the previous years, he'd been memorizing the sound of everyone in the family's footsteps. that way, he could mentally prepare himself for the interaction- lest the footsteps belong to ozai.).
I don't feel like being interrogated right now, auntie, he'd muttered. the young prince didn't sound angry, but terribly drained, and terribly defeated. the days where she could take one look at him and know exactly what was going through his head were long gone, sadly.
i'm sorry, she'd replied sadly. I just wanted to make sure you were truly alright. because… well, ever since I married your uncle….
his face pinched and he looked back down at his spear in silence. the hot morning air was heavy with foreboding. the rest went unspoken, as such things usually do in this suffocating palace they both call home. I think of you as my own.
she'd watched him grow up. she'd been there when his voice dropped, when he started growing sideburns, when he came home from shu jing armed with a mighty staff and bursting in pride, when the first sparks of lightning erupted from his hands and he made history.
lu ten had been the only one to check in on her after she gave birth to zuko, and then the same with azula. he held them in his arms before ozai did. he'd been the one to choose azula's wet nurse when ursa was too sickened and depressed to eat well enough to breastfeed her baby girl. he was the one present for azula's first words and first steps- which is all now a secret between them that he's literally taken to the grave. her children's big brother in spirit, ursa's little brother and son from another mother.
the hands clutching the scroll tremble in despair and rage. what will happen now? her only teammate is gone. the one person in the whole world that truly went out of his way to look out for her and hers is gone.
i'm not strong enough to hold him off on my own, my nephew, she thinks.
ursa bites the inside of her cheek until it bleeds to quell the tears welling up. you won't ever see him again. you're going to have to get used to living without him. he's never coming home. his father didn't keep him safe. it's over.
#dai li lu ten au#<-kinda. I just wanna emphasize how close lu ten and ursa were. it has a lot to do with how I characterize him lol#alicias writing stuff
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Alternate ending of ATLA if there was a book 4: air, and Ozai was actually Vaatu, the dark avatar, a one-man team avatar, and the true instigator of Sozin's war:
Aang: Azula’s plan worked. Raava is now the spirit of darkness/chaos/yin as well as light/peace/yang, the spirit of balance itself. She can now also embody and control the sources of any/all bending.
Zuko: I don’t even know what to say.
Katara: You were incredible!
Toph: You pull off the craziest stunts.
Ty Lee: The way you turned all gigantic like that, wow! Just when we were losing, a miracle happened!
Mai: There’s never gonna be a dull moment with you, is there?
Sokka: Are the elemental spirits ok? Appa? Yue? My dad?
Aang: Yes. All souls that were absorbed, including Yue, Appa, and your dad, are now free and are going in peace. But I no longer draw power from the lion turtle spirits or elemental spirits, they all draw power from me.
Sokka: OK. Good. As long as they’re ok.
Suki holds onto Sokka’s arm and rests her head on his shoulder. Cut to Aang and Azula at the northern portal.
Azula: Now that you’ve reconnected with Raava, have you also regained your past lives?
Aang: No. That link is gone forever. I am now the first Avatar in a new line of Avatars.
Azula: You don’t say. Let’s just close the portals and call it a day.
Aang: (Reaches for the portal but stops and hesitates) Maybe I shouldn’t.
Azula: What makes you say that?
Aang: I think with the spirit portals opened, it’ll restore the ancient balance between our world and that of the spirits and it’ll help eliminate the illusion of separation that divided us for so long. Appa’s physical body may be dead but I can still sense his spirit. Iroh’s spirit is here too. Everyone we’ve ever loved and lost. What do you think?
Azula: You’re the avatar, this is your type of situation, whatever your decision is, I’ll support you.
Aang looks at the portal and smiles. Cut to the rest of the gang gathering together in front of the third middle portal. They all collapse in exhaustion. Zuko and Katara held on to each other, Sokka and Suki did the same thing as well as Aang and Azula.
Zuko: I can’t believe a year ago me and my sister’s purposes in life were competing against each other and hunting you down. And now…
Aang: And now we’re all getting along.
Zuko: Yeah…we are.
Aang: I can’t believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice. The world’s so different now.
Zuko: Yeah…
Katara: The fight is finally over. But how long will this peace last? So much chaos and death have happened. I can’t help but feel like we’re the only ones left.
Azula: (To Aang) Hippie, what do you think? Are we the last ones alive?
Aang entered the avatar state and put his hand on the ground. After a few moments, he went back out of the avatar state.
Aang: No. Less than 50% of all living creatures in the physical world manage to survive but they’re all headless. All of their homes and establishments have been destroyed. No nations to govern them. No rulers to lead them. Every member of the white lotus and the original benders are all still dead.
Azula: That’s where we come in. We’re the only ones left alive who know the goals of the white lotus, so it’s up to us to complete them. The white lotus and the original benders shall be reborn through us. (To Aang) Any bright plans that you would like to share regarding that?
Aang: Even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path. So, as we rebuild, we should announce that we are bringing back the era of energybending and give everyone a choice to bend more than one element like me, I'll continue to be the avatar only because of my avatar spirit. This may blur up the avatar cycle but the avatar being able to reincarnate at all is good enough for me. The portals will also remain open, which means I will no longer be the bridge between the two worlds. Humans, spirits, benders, non-benders, nations, and elements will all learn to live together as one, with all of us leading them. Things will never be the same again, we are entering a new age.
Everyone nods and stands back up. They all look at the third portal. Pan to the sky, which is filled with spirits. All are flying and dancing in the sky.
#atla#aang#azula#zuko#katara#sokka#suki#ty lee#mai#toph#zutara#azulaang#raava#vaatu#ozai#dark avatar#atla book 4 air#energybending#team avatar
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I won’t lie to you, I like the idea of the Fire Nation royals being happy together at one point and genuinely loving one another especially Ozai and Ursa. Hear me out. Its solely because I like drama and “Ursa and Ozai were genuinely in love at one point and had some similar values before his ambition, extreme favoritism (abuse) ruined the family dynamics” is a lot more fun to play with than “Ursa and Zuko are saints who never liked Ozai and Azula and they were pure before Ozai woke up, slapped a puppy in the face and single handedly created the horror that is child abuse”. I feel like the second one is boring, doesn’t match up with what’s in canon, makes the characters feel 2D and most importantly makes it sooo boring.
Look at her. LOOK 👏🏾 AT 👏🏾 HER👏🏾. That’s the Ursa I want. The morally gray Ursa who doesn’t see imperialism as a bad thing and even normalizes it, who plays with Zuko and reassures him, who seems to more or less ignore Azula and who literally poisoned her father in law to save her son. And from the implications seemed to do at least most of the heavy lifting, that’s the Ursa I miss. I love a morally gray character who’s not annoying as shit (Dumbledore, Sirius Black, L from death note, etc) I want to see more of that Ursa in fanfics.
I’m gonna say it. I also want Ozai humanized. Again, hear me out. I know that he’s a child abuser and an imperialist and much more but he was not born one. Just like all of us he starts off a blank slate and is slowly learning and growing into the person he became which is why I want him humanized. Not justified, not excused, not even painted as being slightly right, just humanized and given an explanation for why he is the way he is and showing that he’s not just a mustache twirling villain by demonstrating that he most likely wasn’t always pro-“Scar my son without hesitation” and showing that a part of him most likely cared about his family even a little bit. That’s how you make a fic spicy, with grayness and humanization
#atla#avatar azula#fire nation#fire nation royals#avatar zuko#princess azula#prince zuko#avatar ozai#avatar Ursa#she was so entertaining in the show#I only want ozai humanized because it’s a fictional character
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