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#noodle lord ozai
attackfish · 1 year
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I had a brain wave tonight. Given how much older Iroh appears than his brother, I have always thought it was very likely that Iroh was either an adult by the time his brother was born, or very close to it. And what we see if Iroh's adult past paints him as a military leader who led from the front, and was not afraid to spend years on end in the field. So it's not improbable that he might have been only rarely present when Ozai was growing up.
Ozai bitterly resents his brother, who Azulon clearly favored, while scorning Ozai. He privately denigrates his brother and later blames him for Zuko turning on him in a way that shows he likes to blame Iroh for things. Ozai's picture of Iroh has much more to do with what it's useful for Ozai to believe about his brother, then it does with who Iroh actually is. This would be much easier for Ozai to do if for most of his life, he were able to project what it was useful for him to believe onto an absent Iroh.
It's a whole lot easier and more comfortable to maintain a psychologically useful image of someone if they aren't there to contradict it. And this has fascinating implicatations for the other two people we see Ozai most eager resent and blame, Ursa and Zuko, both of whom he banishes. And even better, when Ozai banishes Zuko, Iroh goes with him.
This must have been the most mentally comfortable Ozai has ever been in his life, with all of them safely gone and unable to break his useful images of them, but still alive so he could resent and blame them as needed. And this offers a plausible unconscious motive for Ozai to do something as stupid as sending his accomplice in murder and treason, a potential heir to his throne, and an alternate claimant to his throne, who also just happens to be an accomplished military leader, out from under his direct control.
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prodogg · 11 months
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Noodle Lord Ozai vs Phoenix King Ozai
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@atla-polls
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gotticalavera · 13 days
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Hey, everybody~! This post will have several headcanons that I have about Aang, Zuko and the ZukAang (or those that I can remember). I would also like to add some Au's and previous posts (can also include links to fanfics I wrote... the fanfics are in Spanish).
The Air Nomads are the tallest of the four nations, which is why Aang ended up taller than Zuko.
Zuko feels more relaxed when he's in Aang's company.
Aang doesn't like spicy food, but he accompanies Zuko to eat super spicy noodles or curry because he knows he loves it.
Zuko is more tolerant of alcohol than Aang.
Aang is the kind of drunk who gets into dancing and flirting, but he's also too prone to causing a lot of disasters (it's better to have the Avatar sober).
Zuko is the kind of drunk who gets sentimental and clingy.
In the world of ATLA they communicate through a common language and each nation has its own language. Aang is the only native who speaks Air Language.
Aang is a polyglot.
Aang, due to the way he speaks, expresses himself and uses certain words, speaks as an old man in all languages, except the Water Language, due to his coexistence with Katara and Sokka.
The first time Zuko heard Aang speak Fire Language, he was so surprised that Aang's voice could be heard so good~.
Zuko has tried to learn Air Language to surprise Aang, but it's very difficult, especially because Air Language sounds like whistling.
Zuko once tried to pay Aang a compliment in Air Language, ended up saying something else and Aang was laughing until he fell off his chair.
Aang is quite skilled at playing Pai Sho, much more so than Iroh.
Zuko is not a beginner, but he is not very good at playing Pai Sho either.
The only people who have beaten Aang in pai shou are: Gyatso and Zuko, but because Zuko knows how to unfocus him to cheat.
Aang suffers from insomnia when he is stressed, and even more so during stormy season. He is still a little afraid of sleeping and waking up at another time.
Aang often helps Zuko with paperwork when he can't sleep.
Zuko and Aang share dreams, literally, interacting between dreams when they are away from each other.
Zuko knows when something is stressing or making Aang anxious in dreams, because Aang appears with hair in dreams [& fanfic]
Zuko has an agreement with Appa, and it's to feign fatigue around the Fire Nation so Aang can take a break.
When Zuko is the one who is stressed/tired, Aang pets his head and combs his hair. He sometimes helps him with work, but Zuko prefers Aang to have his full attention on him.
There are two notable characteristics within the Fire Nation royal family; golden eyes and the canine teeth are quite noticeable, which look like dragon fangs. Zuko has these two characteristics.
Zuko doesn't usually smile with his teeth because he is embarrassed to show his fangs due to comments that Azula, Ozai, and others have said about them. He very rarely smiles with his teeth.
Aang upon learning about Zuko's fangs, began trying to make him laugh out loud to see them. He likes his fangs.
The palace councilors were scandalized the first time they saw Avatar Aang playing and combing the Fire Lord Zuko's hair [reaction]
Aang sings very well, but in his own language he is out of tune. He likes more playing instruments and is an excellent dancer.
In his education as a prince, Zuko learned various arts: he loved learning to draw, paint, and play. The arts that involve music are not his strong suit, unless they are applied with theater.
Zuko was banished before having a society presentation. So Aang was the first person to ask him to dance.
Aang always asks Zuko to dance when they are at a party.
The palace servants had become accustomed to finding Fire Lord Zuko and Avatar Aang sleeping together with various documents in front of them.
Aang and Zuko have escaped from the palace to go to the festival disguised as Kuzon and Lee.
Zuko has drawings of Aang in his notebook, including a drawing where Aang fell asleep under the tree where the pond is and the duck-turtles started playing on top of him.
Aang very rarely cries.
Aang is the only foreign Avatar with symbolic representation in the Fire Nation.
Zuko, Aang and rainbow fire.
Aang has pet names for Zuko.
Zuko prefers silver over gold, because it reminds him of Aang's eyes.
This part is from several AUs (especially Modern and High School), What if…? and other ideas. [I may also mention other ships in some posts, but because I like to shipping Aang a lot]
Modern/HighSchool
Aang moved from his village to the city when he was 12 years old. He lives with the daughter of a friend of Gyatso; her name is Kyoshi and she lives together with her partner, Rangi.
To make documentation easier, Aang adopted the Rangi's last name.
Rangi saw potential in Aang, so Aang knows differents martial arts.
Aang met Katara and Sokka on one of his explorations around the city (he got lost).
Aang has few of his own clothes, the rest of his wardrobe was clothes that Gyatso and his friends wore when they were young and lived for a while in the city, so he has different styles of clothing from the 70's and 80's.
Aang has been to the police station so many times that he knows every cop in the station.
The last time he got into big trouble, Rangi punished him and transferred him to an academy with Fire Nation-style discipline.
Zuko at age 11 and the following years experienced difficult situations, from the death of a cousin, Uncle Iroh distancing himself from the family, his parents' divorce and Ozai taking custody.
Zuko has an accident and ends up with a burn on his face.
Due to the accident, the issue of custody is reopened, but since Ursa doesn't have the necessary resources to keep Zuko and Azula, Iroh offers to keep them for a while in what has better stability.
Azula refuses this agreement, shortly after ending up at her aunts' house. Zuko and Azula spend the weekend with different parents, Zuko with Ursa and Azula with Ozai.
Although his situation is more stable, the scar is a reminder of problems, so Zuko became a more isolated person.
When Ursa managed to achieve financial stability, Zuko decided to continue living in his uncle's house.
Zuko works part time at his uncle's tea shop.
Zuko and Azula continue to maintain contact, especially when they have to spend a few weeks together with one of their parents.
Zuko and Aang had had short encounters before Aang transferred to Zuko's school.
Despite being the only Air Temple boy, Aang quickly won over most of the students.
For school reasons, Aang has to wear long sleeves and a bandana to cover his tattoos.
Zuko thinks Aang is the typical airheaded popular guy.
Due to some situations, they end up living together more and little by little they get to know each other better.
Aang is in the dance club and Zuko is in the drama club. Zuko asks Aang for help with his play.
Aang, Zuko and bonfire.
Valentine's Day
Ozai is still a terrible father, but...
_____
Fan x Ex-Actor!AU
Student Council!AU
Tattoo-Artist!Aang
Teacher!Aang
Aang, Zuko and the hot air
Age-Swap!ZukAang [1] [2]
Demon Spirit!AU
Zuko x Fem!Aang
Fem!Aang & Bumi II
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oneatlatime · 1 month
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The Headband
I don't care how dormant a volcano supposedly is. Living in the maw of one would absolutely freak me out.
Zuko out for his nightly constitutional lurking practice.
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I want this snuggy cape.
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No better disguise than a cloud 1.2 metres from the ground. That's where all clouds hand out. Cool puffins though.
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Enemy puffins approve of new fluffy Sokka.
Did Sokka just dive headfirst into rock?
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I do not like this angle. Looks like his head's on backwards.
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This episode is three minutes in and already I'm loving the comic tone.
Wow Katara, with the enthusiasm you're showing for stealing those clothes, they must belong to pirates.
These are some top tier nonsense sound effects. Far too few of those in recent episodes.
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Beat up Sokka quota fulfilled!
Toph has by far the best outfit. Love the gold accents.
We've had two seasons of blatantly blue Katara not being identified by the Fire Nation as a Water Tribe person. I think the necklace can stay.
His headband is an airbender arrow. So much for disguising himself.
I would love it if linguistic drift meant that Aang was going around tossing out slurs completely unaware.
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WHAT is this face
"Just slob is fine." I ADORE characters that are so secure in themselves and in their belief in the decency of others that all attempts at ridicule slide off like water off a duck's back.
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He does it again! "Wow. Are you a bully? This is so exciting! I've always wanted to meet a bully!"
Onji - get better taste in men. Why are you even dating this prick? Did you have any say in becoming his girlfriend? Blink twice if you need help.
These Fire Nation kids are all so mild. Contrast them with Zuko and they might as well be a different species.
What is Hide and Explode?
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Sokka is showing a mastery of slapstick that I haven't seen since The Fortune Teller. Glad to have it back.
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Is this the first time someone has recognised Zuko by his scar? About time.
Was it really necessary to beat up the guard? Seems a bit much. Zuko could have just asked nicely. That usually works for Iroh.
Speaking of: Iroh! Hi Iroh! Didn't think you'd still be alive.
Noodle Ozai. Did Aang get put in preschool by accident?
Those hippies should do a song about Secret Rivers.
Tired of spending three years talking to Zuko without making any progress, Iroh decides to attempt a new technique and deploys the silent treatment. It works just as well as three years of talking.
Colour me completely unsurprised that the Fire Nation has a pledge of Allegiance.
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This school must have some gnarly punishments if questioning the teacher garners this reaction.
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This man's head is alarming.
This man is also surprisingly nice for a fascist agent of the state bent on suppressing personal expression.
Movements? Aang you were showing her MOVEMENTS! GASP! FILTHY!
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I love this fight. It's been a while (maybe back to season 1) since Aang's preferred fighting style was 'Nope'.
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They haven't committed to the bit this hard since Bonzu Pippinpadalopsicopoulous, the Third!
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It's funny how we spent two whole seasons haunted by nothing but threatening shadows of the Fire Lord, and then an episode after his face is finally revealed they turn him into part of the decor. He even gets a noodle version.
Play Spot the Firelord with this episode. I count four.
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Sokka is having way too much fun with this.
Just going to sneak a reference to child labour in there. Gnarly punishments indeed.
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Local Emos Experience Happiness for the First Time; Immediately Implode.
I'm sorry but Mai's cloak has such Santa vibes.
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That is some serious side eye.
"You get to be normal all the time." Aang is pulling no punches today.
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Where did they get this many candles? Actually, where did they get that many matches? They don't even have a Firebender on staff.
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Poor kid is objectively correct. I guarantee your parents don't want you dancing in a cave. It will be good for you though! just don't lick the walls.
No wonder the Fire Nation got rid of dancing. Those moves are awful.
Zuko! "I brought you this food that I know you don't like because I need your help." Buddy. Why.
I could do without the heavy-handed Katara and Aang romance. Also, when exactly did Katara learn advanced gymnastics and choreograph a whole routine with Aang?
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I hate this twerp so much!
That song the band is playing right as the adults bust in is better than the songs featured earlier in the dance montage.
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I love this guy.
i know that the soundtrack probably went from diegetic to non-diegetic as soon as the chase started, but I love the idea that the school band provided theme music for searching for Aang.
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Delightfully eerie. and also very Spartacus.
Actually with the guards starting to dance, it WAS the school band providing a soundtrack for the Aang hunt.
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Is Momo at the reins?
How is this assassin good at keeping secrets and not being followed? He creaks and clanks.
Final Thoughts
I loved this. This type of episode is when Avatar is at its best: heaps of goof, a side helping of heart, subtle and not-so-subtle critiques organically incorporated, tonally contrasting storylines that combine to form a whole greater than its parts, and even one-note characters who are given depth.
Aang was in his element as a normal kid; Sokka was having a great time being super agent / team dad; poor Katara and Toph got like two lines each but still had fun with what they did get. Even Momo got some sight gags.
Aang is so personable. I think it's the combination of great social skills from a good peripatetic upbringing and being a peacetime child.
I think Zuko experienced every possible human emotion this episode. I loved seeing him snark with Mai (those two are way too good together), but his scenes with/revolving around Iroh were confusing and intense. Which is probably how Zuko would describe them too. Seems he's speedrunning his season 1 bad decisions arc.
I'm not fond of this new silent treatment approach from Iroh, but I have to admit that talking to Zuko didn't work for years, so what else is there to try?
I wasn't expecting a Footloose homage and a Spartacus reference in Avatar of all places. But it works. And it works if you don't catch the references too.
I am severely disappointed in Fire Nation fashion. I was expecting gloriously eye-searing red/gold/yellow outfits. I got black/tan/brown with dull red edging. It's probably a visual commentary on what imperialism does to its own people. And the price of dyes. But I was really looking forward to reds and golds! At least I have Toph's outfit.
I loved the liberal use of sound effects in the Gaang's plot. I love comic sound effects on their own, but they really enhanced the contast between Zuko and the Gaang's plots.
There was lots of heavy stuff under the surface this episode, what with the squashing of the self and the discrimination against colonials and the propaganda and the revisionist history and the assassin. But I feel like being silly today, so I'm not going to dig into it. That's one of the great things about this show. Not all, but many episodes are structured so that you can choose your level of engagement and consequent angst.
This episode was funny, and fun. A much-needed palette cleanser after the drudge of the season opener. The last time there was an episode this unapologetically silly was probably Avatar Day. In other words, it's been far too long. Definitely going on my rewatch list.
I really want Zuko's snuggy cape.
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the-badger-mole · 2 months
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what's the
Pirate Zuko AU Idea about?
I don't have a ton of this fic written, tbh. I think it amounts to maybe a half a page altogether, but here's the synopsis and a bit of dialogue I've been noodling around with.
Instead of a wild goose chase for the Avatar for 3 years, Zuko and his crew rebel against Ozai and turn pirate. Their targets are FN war vessels. They become sort of folk heroes to the EK and lower class FN citizens. When he realizes how much support Zuko is getting, Iroh suggests rolling their rebellion into a coup.
It takes a while, but Zuko eventually agrees after seeing how much harm his father is doing, and he and Iroh decided it's time to start building alliances with the other nations. Their first stop is the SWT, as they seem the likeliest to join the cause. As they're entering the southern waters, Zuko and his crew spot a strange beam of light in the distance.
Against all odds, they've stumbled upon the Avatar...
This is the bit of dialogue I've come up with. I think it would happen sometime soon after Zuko meets Katara, Sokka and Aang. I'm not sure why Zuko lied about his identity, but I like the idea of this scene.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were the Fire Lord’s son?” Katara asked. She kept her eyes on the horizon, but she felt Lee…no, Zuko shrug.
“Would you have trusted me if I had?” he countered.
“I guess not.” Katara sighed and turned to Zuko. Prince Zuko. That would take some time to wrap her mind around.
“If it makes you feel better, Ozai hasn’t claimed me as his son in quite some time.”
“Yeah, what happened there?” Now that the shock was beginning to wear off, Katara found herself curious about the pirate captain.
List of WIPS (last reblog)
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crackedpumpkin · 5 days
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The Red String Theory (02)
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𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 - 流放 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 | 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 | 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 a/n: t.w: Mentions of sexual assault in the middle of the chapter, please do not read if you're uncomfortable with it.
Another day, another basketful of laundry to wash, hang dry, and steam to perfection. The sun is no foe to underestimate either. On some days you’re grateful, because having its strong rays dry the clothes quickly means less work in between, while other days almost give you heatstroke a couple times. 
The day after you were informed of your mother’s passing, you reported to Mei Yi, the head maid of the palace who had then proceeded to loudly identify you as the daughter of the dead dancer. It stung, of course, but you promised yourself not to cry.
But that didn’t mean it was easy to hold yourself back from launching at the grown woman for a fistfight.
She had assigned you only the hardest chores of scrubbing the floors of the Grand Ballroom, and hand washing all the Prince’s garments. You had a difficult time; your muscles constantly aching after work when you got home to Hanoh.
Hanoh was nothing short of an angel like always, constantly taking care of you and making sure you had a full meal when you got back home. She’s the only reason why you survived up till now.
Your mother wasn’t able to have a proper funeral, but Fire Lord Ozai had allowed for you to create a small shrine in your home. It didn’t mean much though. You were too poor to afford a portrait, and her body was never recovered from the palace. All he allowed to be sent back were the accessories and garments she’d worn. 
Now, her necklace dangles from your neck as you carry the basket of dried laundry back to the main steaming room, where all wrinkles would get steamed out by other maids. On the way back, a couple of them say hello, having gradually warmed up to you after witnessing you scrub the floors and accomplish all of Mei Yi’s unfair tasks without complaint.
It was worth it to see her astonished expression at the spotless floor. 
Meals had also improved, from the first one being quarter of a loaf of bread and barely any soup being carelessly thrown to you, to an actual plate of rice with vegetables and some meat on the occasional good days.
The cooks had taken pity on you, and it definitely helped that you were nothing short of scrawny after a couple weeks of pathetic meals being served. Rumours of how Fire Lord Ozai had favoured your mother circulated throughout the palace, but no one was allowed to speak of her after her death. 
“Where’re you off to again, Wildfire?” Wei Yi, one of the cooks asks as you walk past the kitchen’s open doors. She dusts off the flour on her hands from making the pile of noodles on the side of the counter, walking over with a small packet. 
“You know me, the usual laundry drill. Mei Yi decided to give me the honourable task of washing the clothes of our nation’s rising suns,” You answer sarcastically, holding up the basket of red and gold clothes to prove your point. 
She chuckles, handing you the packet in her hands. You open it and look inside, eyes wide when you see the dried deer meat she’s prepared for you. Making sure no one else saw, you stuff it in your pocket and give her a thankful nod. 
 “Go easy on my cousin this time, won’t you?” Wei Yi jokes. You shrug nonchalantly, though a smile plays on your lips. 
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Attagirl.” It was during the third week of Mei Yi’s harsh words and utterly hard to please standards that Wei Yi had taken a step forward, defending you. You’d been shocked to find out that they were distant cousins, which was why after that day the difficult tasks were reduced.
Ever since then, Wei Yi had taken care of you in small ways, and it took about a few months for you to completely open up to her. Majority of the maids still kept a wary eye on you, but the bullying had stopped after you exposed another maid for talking blatantly about the Princess. 
You then solidified your position as not one to be messed with when you managed to get the attention of Fire Lord Ozai. It was simple enough. He had power, and you needed some. All it took was framing a maid for poisoning his meal. She deserved it though, for talking about your mother the way she did.
Physical wounds may heal, but the wounds on your heart won’t.
If only your mother could see you now.
Time passes quickly, and your 13th birthday is already coming up next week. The first few birthdays without your mother were spent locked up in your room, unable to bear the thought of growing older without her. One day though, you decided to try drawing a portrait of her, and that finally got you out of the room. From then on, you’d always have a birthday cake in front of the small shrine in the living room, imagining her singing happy birthday to you.
Your chest aches at the thought of her, shoving down all emotion that starts to arise in your chest at the memory of her laugh that seems to echo in the halls of the palace. When you close your eyes, you can almost imagine her running down them with your hand in hers, introducing each and every corner when she danced for the Fire Lord on occasion.
“Delivery,” You announce, placing the basket on the table next to the door. The other girls give you a mere glance of acknowledgement, continuing to do their work. That’s fine. You’re used to it. It’s not like they’d simply warm up to you, not after what you did to some. 
You leave without so much as a glance back, heading to the lessons Ozai had commanded you to take. Maths, calligraphy, and history were the main three, while the one that took up the most time was dance. Clearly, he wanted you to follow in your mother’s footsteps considering that he’s made you perform in front of him and his ministers regularly. 
You hated the smug smile on his face every time, high on the knowledge that he could say a single word and you would end up with a fate exactly like your mother’s. Your dance teacher is different, treating you like an imbecile and working you to the bone. The first time you had a class with her, she’d forced your legs wide open and pushed your pelvis to the ground, forcefully making you do the splits.
It hurt like hell, but now you’re grateful since it occasionally comes in handy during chores. 
“Have you never been taught to be punctual?” You secretly roll your eyes at Mei Yi’s shrill voice, following her pompous figure to the dance academy located near the palace. “It’s already been 4 years, and you’re still the unruly child that showed up at the doorstep. You should be grateful to your mother I suppose, since his Majesty’s favour still continues after her death.”
You automatically tune her out as you walk, unbothered by the same speech she’s been reciting for 3 years. You wonder if she’s written it down somewhere for her children to keep saying. 
Soon, the prominent signboard of the academy comes into view, and you all but race toward it. She huffs and snaps her red parasol shut, glaring at you. “Mind your manners you urchin, or you might stain the name of the palace!”
‘Oh, a thousand apologies, I didn’t get the chance to learn about them before the Fire Lord killed my mom.’ You bite your tongue to keep the words from coming out, but she can sense your impudence coming from a mile away, so she merely huffs and turns around to leave. 
Once she’s out of your sight, you heave a sigh of relief, going through the doors. This might be hell, but being around her is pure torture. 
“You’re late.”
Never mind. Being here is infinitely worse. You wince at your instructor’s strict words, watching her approach you with a dissatisfied look. “I’m sorry, I rushed over as soon as I could, but-”
“Did I ask for excuses?”
You press your lips together, lowering your head. “No, Ms Wu.” Luckily, she walks away and you exhale shakily. You’d never get used to this. Today must be a good day though, since she didn’t continue scolding you. On some days it’d escalate to full on rants shouted at your face.
She sits on a chair in the corner, watching you with a sharp eye. “Do your drills.” 
You obey, taking the ribbon and doing a couple of stretches before beginning the routines she’d drilled into you. Your muscles are on autopilot, legs stiff and hands relaxed as you lift them up and do a spin. 
“Again.”
You begin from the start once more, trying not to let her dissatisfaction get to you. However, you don’t even get halfway through before she interrupts.
“Again.”
You try to fully focus this time, inhaling deeply to calm your raging thoughts. 
“Again.”
You’re used to this. You can take it.
“Again.”
It’s only an hour, it won’t be long.
“Again.”
In the end, it takes 64 run-throughs before Ms Wu is finally satisfied. She releases you with an icy stare and dismissive wave, letting you go back to the palace to perform yet again for Fire Lord Ozai. 
You’d gotten changed and some maids had helped with makeup and hair. Hoping that you’re not late, you race through the hallways and down to the main dining hall, where Fire Lord Ozai, his ministers, and hired musicians wait for your presence. 
“You’re late.” 
Oh no. You immediately bow your head, trying to catch your breath as you apologize to him. The sight of you grovelling at his feet for mercy is a guaranteed escape from further punishment. You confirmed this when you saw the twisted grin on his face when you peeked at him through your sleeves.
Thankfully, this time is no different. He dismisses it with a wave, though his eyes glint dangerously as his gaze settles on you. Proceeding to ignore him and everyone else like you’d done every time, you raise your hands, getting into position.
As the first note rings through the air, you dance. 
Twirls and spins are the least of your worries, all your previous anger and frustration at Mei Yi, Mrs Wu, and the group of people watching vanishes. Somewhere in the dance, your eyes close, imagining how your mother felt while doing the exact same thing.
Was she scared? Terrified? Had she always given her best regardless? Did she truly love what she did? How would she react to seeing you now? Questions are meaningless in the face of reality, but it’s little comfort to feel her presence through your fluid movements and graceful steps. Maybe she’d even be a little proud. 
Would she really?
Your eyes snap open as the song ends, rapidly trying to catch your breath once more. Your gaze automatically lands on Fire Lord Ozai, hands clasping together under your long sleeves and praying desperately that he’d be satisfied with this performance. 
His cold eyes look at you for a long while. Not even his ministers dared say anything, though they all gave you applause at the end. But their opinion didn’t matter, not when the Fire Lord enjoyed toying with your life as if it were mere string unravelled from a neat ball of yarn.
He gives a single nod, no other indicator of whether or not he’s pleased. That’s okay. It’s more than enough to know that you’re able to live for at least another two weeks. As you make your way out of the hall, you’re stopped when someone tries to call out to you. 
Your steps slow to a halt, waiting for the official to catch up. He’s decently handsome, with dimples and a strong build. He leans against the pillar next to you, taking a moment. You raise a brow, curious of his intentions. No other person would approach you besides the maids when they needed something done. 
“Can I help you?”
He stands up properly with a cocky grin. “I’m here to make you an offer.”
“An offer?”
“Yes,” He suddenly takes your hand in his, causing you to flinch when he plants a kiss atop it. “One that you will like, I’m sure. Haven’t you ever dreamed of being outside the palace walls? I can provide you with that. You see, I was captivated by your dancing ever since I first laid eyes on you. You’re stunning.”
“Oh…” You’re not entirely sure whether to feel disgusted or flattered. You’d never been complimented by anyone before, be it for dancing or anything else. What are you supposed to do? How’re you supposed to react? “Thank you…?”
“Which is why,” He suddenly pulls you close to him, your entwined hands the only thing between you two as you gasp, “You should marry me.”
It takes a moment for you to register his words. “What?” 
“Be my wife.”
He’s completely serious about this, you can tell from his gaze. But his eyes drop from yours to your neck, his other hand on your waist and slowly tracing down to your hips. “You can get everything you’d ever want,” he whispers into your ear, “Freedom, riches, power…All you have to do is marry me.”
This is wrong. Something’s wrong. This isn’t the type of marriage Hanoh would tell you about. This isn’t one of love and promises for a better life, this one is filled with leers and dark words that try to tempt you over to him.
His fingers are dangerously close to your butt. In his overconfidence, his grip has loosened. You take the chance to shove him away, using the one card you’ve kept hidden up your sleeve. 
You firebend. 
Flames devour his hand, eating away hungrily, and it only burns brighter the more hatred you allow the fire to use as its kindling. Your entire being is repulsed by the sight of him, relishing in the way he falls to the ground with a cry, cradling his burning hand.
“You’re disgusting.” You manage to say, feeling icky all over. “You just want to own me. I’m only 13, you creep! I hope you die!” You hawk a gob of saliva and spit it at him, watching it land on his cheek.  “If you ever try that again on anyone, I’ll make sure your hand isn’t the only thing gone.” You say icily, walking away before breaking into a run.
The door slams shut behind you. Making your way to the pail next to your bed, you grab the soap and washcloth, stripping down and starting to wash yourself, scrubbing away at the pale skin. The motions are repetitive, yet they’re not enough to rid the slimy feeling of that disgusting man’s touch. 
The more you scrub, the more disgust you feel. The washcloth isn’t enough. You resort to using your fingernails, letting them dig away at your skin as you scratch obsessively. Beads of blood bloom from the scratches you inflict, only stopping when the soap stings the open wounds. 
It’s only then that you bring your knees close to your chest, letting the tears fall.
— — — — — — 
“What do you mean Zuko was in an Agni Kai?”
“I’ve told you not to refer to the Prince with his actual name! You’re lucky no one else was around to hear that, or you’d be thrown in prison,” Wei Yi scolds, reaching her hand out to lightly hit the top of your head. She’s surprised when you flinch away, a reaction she’s never seen from you. You uncomfortably adjust your uniform, averting your eyes.
She retracts her hand, letting it go as she hands you yet another little treat. You don’t bother to check it before putting it in your pocket. She raises a brow, suspicious. “Did something happen?”
You pause, shoulders stiffening when you recall the events of yesterday. Shaking your head helps to shove those memories down for now, looking back at her. “...No, I’m fine. I’m just feeling a little ill.”
“I told Mei Yi not to work you to the bone,” Wei Yi sighs, leaning back as she chops up more vegetables. “There’re other maids for a reason.”
“It’s fine. But what was that you were saying about Zu- the prince, getting into an Agni Kai? I thought he’s still under training.” You ask, handing her another knife.
“I’m not sure. All I heard was that he and his father got into a dispute, and it didn’t end well for him. You and him are on good terms, aren’t you?”
“I wouldn’t say good…” Besides Wei Yi, the next person to have shown you kindness, no matter how small, was Prince Zuko. The first time you met him was in the garden. He was staring aimlessly at the sky, oblivious to the lack of sandals on his feet. You’d rushed over and informed him that only the Crown Prince and Princess were allowed inside. 
He looked at you blankly, answering you with a simple ‘I know’. That’s when you realised whom you were talking to. You’d apologised, of course, bowing your head repeatedly and begging for your life to be spared. Instead, he gestured for you to come over and sit next to him. 
Sitting next to him was terrifying, but being away from your gruelling work made it seem like a luxury. The gentle breeze caressed your faces as he opened up about his mother, finding solace in a complete stranger. It was a moment of bonding between you both, having lost your mothers to the same person.
His duties with the crown and your desperate attempts for survival made you drift apart, childhood innocence now lost with the years that pass. In the end, you’re left with simple acknowledgements, small nods, and glances of recognition across hallways. Status halted your budding friendship, but it didn’t mean you felt nothing upon hearing the news. 
Wei Yi nudges you. “I hear the guards are changing shifts soon. Sometimes there’s a small gap in between, enough for a maid to take a drink of water to him.” She pretends to not notice you leaving, dutifully tending to her own preparations. 
His bedroom is located on the floor below his father’s, signifying his status as the Crown Prince. True to Wei Yi’s words, no guards are around when you reach, so you pull open the heavy doors with all your might and quietly enter.
The room is grand as expected, with red and gold decor all over the walls. Small dragons are etched into every corner of the room, the beautiful art on the window blinds leaving you speechless. 
“Who’s there?”
You reveal yourself, stepping past the curtains around the bed. You press your lips together to hold back the gasp when you lay your eyes on him, but the sharp inhale makes him scoff. His left eye is heavily bandaged, a faint red staining the gauze right on top. Bruises and faint burns cover his upper body, but those would heal in time. 
His eye on the other hand, you aren’t so sure. 
“It’s you.” He sounds exhausted, drained even. There’s an emptiness to his words, a hollowness in his eyes. It’s a sharp contrast to the proud ego he’s displayed walking through the palace. Whatever happened in the Agni Kai must’ve broken something inside.
“What happened to you…” Your whisper makes him grin bitterly. 
“What does a lowly maid need to know?” You flinch at his harsh words. But he softens, realising that he’s lashing out at the wrong person. “My father happened.” He admits, looking away from you. “I made a mistake.”
Whatever he’d seen back then to make him confide in you, he must’ve seen it again because he continues. “I went against him. I- I didn’t mean to insult him, but he said that I stained his honour and mine. All those years of training, of being his son and for what?” He chuckles angrily, clenched fists at his sides. 
“I got banished. Now, I’m not allowed to return until I find the Avatar and I swear,” he pauses, looking up at the ceiling. “I will find him.”
You remain silent throughout, letting him speak. You’re here to just see how he’s doing, but somehow, he’s doing so much worse than you thought. There’re no words you can offer to ease his pain, and as a maid, there’s nothing you can do to help either. You don’t have any power.
“I don’t know what you did to get on his bad side,” your eyes slowly widened at his words, “But it was bad enough for you to get banished with me.”
“Wait, I don’t understand. What are you talking about?” You chuckle nervously, eyes searching his for an answer. You find none. Getting to your feet, the only thing on your mind is fear.
Crippling, paralysing fear.
That same fear grips its dark claws into your heart, digging into it with each passing second. The guards are surprised when you push past the doors and run to the Throne Room, confusion and anxiousness slowly taking hold of your body. 
What did Zuko mean? How did you get on Ozai’s bad side? You’d done everything to keep it right, to gain some form of power to ensure your life would remain untouched. You barely reach the Throne Room before the guards pin you down onto the floor. You land with a pained cry, your hair splayed around you as hot tears form in your eyes. 
“Stop.” 
A single, commanding voice is all it takes for the guards to get off you, standing to attention as the Fire Lord himself approaches. You push yourself off the ground, but don’t dare to look up at him as you bow.
“Fire Lord Ozai, I received some very distressing news that I need to clarify with you.” 
“Speak.”
This is your chance.You find it hard to swallow, but you have to push ahead. Surely this must be a mistake. You’ve been nothing but obedient. You could’ve fought back, could’ve run away from the palace after he killed your mother. Instead you bowed your head, submitted to him to ensure your life and Hanoh’s remained untouched.
“I was informed that I am to leave with Prince Zuko to hunt for the Avatar. Surely this must be a mistake-”
“What’s wrong with my order?”
At that, you raise your head in shock, a guard moving to push it back down before Ozai stops him with a single look. “So the words are true? I am to leave with Prince Zuko?”
He frowns, regarding you with nothing more than apathy. There’s no need for words for the confirmation to ring true in the silence, your heart racing as fear finally takes hold. Sweat trickles down your neck, breathing shakily.
“Why?” You cry out as he turns to walk away and resume his duties. You inhale sharply when you spot a familiar face holding the scroll Ozai had been looking at moments earlier, recognising his leery smirk as the official who had tried to assault you only yesterday. Now, he stands tall and proud next to the Fire Lord.
“Must I explain myself to you, a maid?” Ozai’s cold words turn the atmosphere into one so thin you can barely breathe. But as soon as you see the amused glint in his eyes, you realise.
He knew. He knew about everything.
He knew, and used it as an excuse to get rid of you.
“Wai-” Your arms are grabbed by the guards once Ozai’s interest is gone, uncaring to how harshly they grab you. Your head is muddled, all thoughts crashing into each other with no sense of order. 
What had all your effort been for? What had all these years done? 
“Princess Azula!” The official calls out in greeting, the young princess entering with her entourage. 
“Father,” She greets him, spotting you in the corner. Her lips twist into a disgusted frown, “Why is she still here?” 
“She was just about to leave,” The official assures her with a smile.
“Good. Trash should be taken out anyway. I suppose it gets passed down in the family.” She snickers, sauntering over to you and taking a lock of your smooth, raven-black hair in her hands in admiration. “Pretty. But you,” a single flick of her fingers has a controlled flame dancing atop her fingertips. “Don’t deserve this.”
Before you can react, she cleanly cuts off your hair, letting it fall to only your collarbones. Discarding the cut hair carelessly to the floor, a servant rushes over with a clean cloth for her to wipe her hands with. “There,” She tosses it at you with a smile, letting it hit your cheek. “Now you look exactly like your mother did.” 
The guards begin to haul you away. You’re too stunned to react, limbs limp in their hold. Your voice is gone, all words dead in your throat. That final line had hit you where it hurt the most. “One last thing.” You don’t bother lifting your head up, all hope within you extinguished. 
“He is no longer a prince.”
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vampirecorleone · 1 year
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"Aang, I'm trying to be mature and not immediately shoot down your idea, but it sounds *really* terrible." | "Yeah, we got our outfits. What do you need to go to school for?" | "Every minute I'm in that classroom, I'm learning new things about the Fire Nation. I already have a picture of Fire Lord Ozai. And here's one I made out of noodles."
Avatar The Last Airbender Rewatch: The Headband
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vvienne · 1 year
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AZULA & ZUKO FIC RECS
unscarred by MousselineSerieuse
 She has never been so far above him as she is now.
Where to Reach by ambivalentangst
Crown Prince Zuko discovers his bending when he is five and his sister is three, and she’s the first person he tells, juggling a flame while she admires its beauty. When he shows the rest of his family, his mother’s chopsticks clatter to the table, and when Zuko looks to his father, his eyes are wide with shock.
His grandfather speaks first, the head of the table, and approval runs thick through his tone: “Well, look at that. A true prodigy, wouldn’t you agree, Ozai?”
“Indeed,” he hums.
//
(Princess Azula won’t summon her first flame—a guttering, timid thing—until she’s seven.)
//
Or, in a world where Zuko is the prodigy and Azula is the one banished, destiny shifts accordingly.
I And Love And You by asfearlessasamango
The weekend starts with musings on the word cottagecore in a mostly empty parking lot, and ends with Azula smiling with still-damp hair on Zuko’s couch, surrounded by princesses.
There is a lot of crying and taking the T in between. Udon noodles and phone calls and fairy lights. Long, long talks and dreams of one day, being as fearless as a mango.
and we light ourselves on fire to keep warm by JaggedCliffs
It starts small. How something sweet twists into cruelty. How she learns to turn her weaknesses, scarce as they are to begin with, into Zuko's. Until they become her strengths. Until there are no weaknesses, no flaws, left in her.
Symmetry by zested
"Hair is everything." - Fleabag
ashes to ashes by ambivalentangst
“I took Ba Sing Se, not Uncle, and certainly not you; I got us this far. You’re stealing what’s rightfully mine. If anyone should get to see this, it’s me, and you should be grateful I’m here because you couldn’t end the war on your own!”
The words are tremulous with emotion, rushing and almost painful for how they scrape past her teeth, and still, even she knows they sound petulant—a child’s concern. But she is loud, and more than that, she’s right. All Azula has ever wanted is the respect of standing at her father’s side and—pitifully—the love inherent to the honor. She can’t lose it when she’s this close.
But then Azula’s father steps towards her, and his fist is wreathed in fire, the temperature of his flame so hot it’s blue—her blue—where it’s closest to his skin.
Azula hardly has time to process what’s going to happen before his palm meets her cheek in a slap.
//
The day before Sozin’s Comet returns, Azula finds that Zuko is not his only child her father is willing to strike, and Azula’s destiny changes.
Lovable by LadyCharity
Zuko knew that he could not save Azula. He could only try to forgive her. Fittingly enough, those two were one in the same.
On Top of the World by mindbending
“Lord Agni,” Azula says, swallowing a laugh. It’s hilarious that she’s down on her knees, praying like she can rely on any force but herself. “I have power, but I’d like some more if you’d be so obliging. Power to get the things I want. Power so grand, it’ll shock everyone on earth- even me, if you can manage that.” She snorts before adding on her last ridiculous, meaningless request. “Power to match the Avatar’s or outdo him, if you’d like!”
Or: after the Boiling Rock debacle, Azula gets what she didn't quite wish for and wakes up as an airbender.
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ultranos · 3 years
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what about tiniest firelord au, but its also dragon au
Are we suggesting that whatever Ozai does to die also involves tiny Azula transforming? So now they have a dead Fire Lord and a tiny, frightened noodle child to deal with.
Fire Sage 1: We need to get Prince Iroh back.
Fire Sage Koga: ...
Captain Yousuke: ...
[Both look pointedly at aformentioned noodle child]
Fire Sage 1: ...oh shit that's a terrible idea.
Turns out, when your last-surviving legal heir to the throne is also a dragon, inviting the guy famous for killing the very last dragon is probably a bad plan.
(Although if this is the version where Ursa's back at the palace, this is a very good reason why she couldn't get in contact with Zuko. Zuko coming home right then means Iroh follows him, and since Ursa doesn't know differently, she assumes that Iroh will kill Azula to finish the job. Which is obviously completely unacceptable.
So all Ursa can do is hope that Zuko eventually gets away from Iroh's influence for long enough to get the message to him.)
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rock-a-noodle · 6 years
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Why hello there actor allusion I drew when I was 18!
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I've been thinking a lot about the episode "The headband" recently. Now, Aang is 12/13, he's middle school age. He is a middle schooler at a fire nation school. A school in which the children are not even allowed to dance.. And in this super strict, stuck up FIRE NATION SCHOOL, they decided it would be a fun class activity to have MIDDLE SCHOOLERS make a little noodle drawing of the FIRE LORD. Honestly, I don't know what's funnier: if Ozai really made noodle drawings of himself part of school curriculum, OR if it wasn't a class activity and Aang just decided to do that. Like he's sitting in the cafeteria, eating his bowl of noodles, staring at the picture of the tyrant trying to take over the world, his mortal enemy, then looks down at the noodles and back at the picture and thinks, "I have an idea so brilliant that it will impress even Sokka." Then he got back to the cave to show them his work and Sokka WAS impressed.
There is not a single thing that makes sense in that episode. It's one of the worst things that happened in ATLA.
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attackfish · 1 year
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To be perfectly honest, Ozai/Zhao isn't a crack ship, and in fact given Zhao's track record, it's one of the more plausible explanations for his career trajectory.
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prodogg · 11 months
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Noodle Lord Ozai
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reinerispretty · 4 years
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rotations. (zuko x f!reader) pt21
hello and welcome back! i hope you are having a very good day :)
pt1
pt20
pt22
It was a rainy day at the palace when Mai had interrupted (Y/N’s) meeting with the newer war generals. They were young, but had moved up in the Fire Nation army rather quickly and were more open to change than their older counterparts. (Y/N) paused her speech to stare at me. “Oh, hello,” She said. 
“What happened?” Zuko demanded as they sat with the doctor. The poor man was wearing a nightcap and gown, but whatever the Fire Lord needed, he got. (Y/N) was very appreciative of the old man who was currently stitching up the cut on her arm and she gave him a smile before turning to Zuko and narrowing her eyes. 
“What do you mean, ‘What happened?’ I couldn’t exactly ask the details while I was fighting for my life!” Zuko opened his mouth to speak, then shut it and turned his head away from her. (Y/N) sighed. “I’m sorry, I’m still on edge. They didn’t tell me who they were or what they wanted. They just said that they were sent to punish me for crimes against the Fire Nation.” 
“What crimes?” Zuko asked. (Y/N) shrugged, wincing as the doctor stitched into her skin. 
“None that I can think of, unless trying to right your country’s wrongs is considered a crime.” 
“That has to be it. The people who are still loyal to my father...they must have sent someone after you.” Zuko turned to the guards standing watch at the door. “I want guards permanently placed outside of her rooms at all times. I want every inch of this palace watched.” 
“Yes sir,” One of the guards said, bowing and then leaving to go inform the others. 
“It’s not me they should be protecting,” (Y/N) said. “They’ll start coming for you next.” 
And (Y/N) was right, as she tended to be. Over the course of the next year, as she and Zuko tried their hardest to bring peace back into the world and make up for the hundred years of war their nation had caused, five attempts on both of their lives had been made. (Y/N) tried her best to remain strong, but she feared going to sleep at night, not knowing if she would wake up the next morning. 
Zuko’s seventeenth birthday came and went. Their friends could not pull away from their work of helping those who had been affected by the war and Uncle Iroh’s tea shop was taking off, leaving him little time to do much else. They all still sent Zuko gifts to show how much they cared, but she wasn’t sure if that was enough. (Y/N) had proposed the idea of a birthday dinner for Zuko, but he dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand. “We’re far too busy to worry about my birthday this year,” he had said as he signed scrolls at his desk. “I might just go to Mai’s house and have a small dinner with her.” 
“If that’s what you want,” (Y/N) said with a smile, but it really felt like a punch to the gut. The last birthday she had spent with Zuko was his thirteenth. It was so many years ago that she was looking forward to doing something special with him. But she supposed she couldn’t blame him for wanting to spend his birthday with his girlfriend. (Y/N) was the one who distanced herself from him, after all. Still, she gave him the best birthday present she could come up with: a portrait of him and his mother. It had sat in the catacombs of the palace, untouched for years. Ozai had probably ordered it thrown out after Ursa’s banishment. She left it in front of his bedroom while he was out with Mai. 
(Y/N) expected her sixteenth birthday to go somewhat similarly. She was pleasantly surprised to wake up that morning to find that her friends had sent her birthday gifts from areas they had traveled. Sokka sent her a whale-bone comb from the water tribe. Aang and Katara sent her a lovely portrait of her and her friends, complete with big smiles and goofy faces. Toph had sent a letter (with Katara’s help) stating that when they reunited, she’d buy her a birthday gift that (Y/N) picked out, since Toph was blind. (Y/N) giggled as she read that. From Iroh, she received dried tea leaves that made “the best tea in all of Ba Sing Se!” as his letter said. 
Each of her gifts made her smile widely, but Zuko’s gifts had surprised her the most. A warm fruit tart was left outside of her door, along with a servant informing her that she had the day off to do what she liked and that all the costs would be covered by the Fire Lord. Then, she and Zuko would have a private dinner that night. (Y/N) thought it was a pretty sweet gift from the busiest person in the entire Fire Nation. 
Her day had gone great. She bought all of the things she had had her eye on in the market for a while, and even bought the servants and guards who accompanied her a few things that she had noticed them looking at. The royal family was beyond beyond wealthy, so (Y/N) thought a few hundred gold pieces spent on the people who made their lives easier was a manageable expense. 
When she returned to the palace, she readied herself for dinner and joined Zuko in the dining room. A feast had been prepared for the two of them, complete with all of their favorite things they used to eat as children. (Y/N) and Zuko dug into the meal, leaving little time for conversation, but they enjoyed each other’s company just the same. For the first time in a while, (Y/N) felt like she was just spending time with her old friend again. 
That was, until a guard came in and whispered into Zuko’s ear. He looked at (Y/N) apologetically. “Fire Lord stuff, I have to go. I’m so sorry, (Y/N), it’s very urgent.” 
“Oh,” She said, swallowing her noodles. “Do you need me to come?” 
“No, no, I gave you the day off. Enjoy it.” He walked to her seat and bent down, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. “Happy birthday, (Y/N).” 
“Thanks,” she mumbled, before watching him be led away by the guards. (Y/N) had known for her entire life that Zuko would become Fire Lord, yet there was nothing she could do to prepare herself for it. She ate the rest of her birthday dinner alone, and then retired to bed at an early hour. 
---
The sixth assassination attempt was the final straw for Zuko. He kept the assassin prisoner and interrogated them for information. This interrogation led him out of the Fire Nation and to the Earth Kingdom colony of Yu Dao. All of his decisions were made in a split second, including the one where he left (Y/N) in charge of the entire Fire Nation. 
“You can’t possibly be serious,” One of his other advisors said, “Leaving this girl in charge of your country while you are gone.” 
“This girl helped save the entire world from destruction, so I suggest you start listening to her. Besides, as soon as I walk out these doors, she might choose to fire you, and I’d absolutely back her up, no questions asks.” Zuko raised his eyebrow at the advisor, who immediately kept his words to himself. 
(Y/N) approached Zuko and tugged on his robes. “If I’m interim Fire Lord, do I get to wear the thing?” 
“The thing?” Zuko asked. She put her hand behind her topknot and waved her fingers around like a flame. “You mean the Fire Lord crown?” Zuko laughed heartily for the first time in a while. “Yeah, you can wear the Fire Lord crown.” 
“Yes!” (Y/N) said quietly to herself. It wasn’t so much that she wanted the power of being temporary Fire Lord, but she had always thought the crown looked really cool. 
Zuko took the crown from his own topknot and placed it in hers. “There. Don’t go burning the city down.” (Y/N) scoffed. 
“That runs in your family, not mine.” She walked away with her head held high, already giving her fellow advisors briefings about what decisions she and Zuko had come up with for the nation. Zuko watched as the old men begrudgingly listened to the young girl’s orders before departing to the Earth Kingdom. 
Zuko made some very questionable decisions while he was away. He had sent a messenger hawk to (Y/N) informing her that the Fire Nation was now pulling out of the Harmony Restoration Movement. He had learned that some of the families within the colonies where blended mixtures of fire and earthbenders. He explained to her how he didn’t feel right separating families or making people leave their homes, so that was why he no longer wanted to back the movement. (Y/N) was nervous about this decision, because everyone else in the world was for the movement, but Zuko had essentially given an order. He was the Fire Lord and he was trying to do what was best for his nation. She had to remind that little voice in the back of her head that Zuko was not Ozai. He was not the person he was before. So, she informed the advisors of the order and planned for the repercussions accordingly. 
It was a rainy day at the palace when Mai had interrupted (Y/N’s) meeting with the newer war generals. They were young, but had moved up in the Fire Nation army rather quickly and were more open to change than their older counterparts. (Y/N) paused her speech to stare at her. “Oh, hello,” She said. 
“Could I speak to you for a moment?” Mai asked. (Y/N) nodded and left the table, promising that she would return shortly. She and Mai stepped outside the room. 
“What’s up?” She asked. 
“I’ve been worried about you and Zuko.” 
“Me and Zuko? Why?” 
“Because of all the assassination attempts?” (Y/N) nodded. 
“Right, those. Forgot about those.” 
“Listen, I asked Ty Lee if she and the Kyoshi Warriors would mind keeping an eye on the place, since the guards obviously aren’t doing great. I wanted to double check that it was okay with you.” 
That honestly surprised (Y/N). She had never had anything against Mai, except that she had tried to kill her on multiple occasions (but at this point, very few of her friends hadn’t) and was dating the boy she loved. They had grown up together but she had never really considered themselves to be friends; moreso acquaintances who had a lot of mutual friends. So, the fact that Mai was asking for her permission to bring in the Kyoshi Warriors because she was worried about her meant a lot. 
“That’s completely fine by me,” (Y/N) said with a smile. “Thanks for thinking of it.” 
Mai shrugged. “Both you and Zuko are way too busy to have to worry about keeping yourselves alive.” She leaned in close to (Y/N). “By the way, I’m pretty sure all of those boys in there are completely in love with you.” 
(Y/N) laughed. “Makes my job of getting them to do what I want easier.” Mai gave her a small, very Mai-like smile before walking away. (Y/N) wondered if maybe Mai was soft on the inside like she was. 
---
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melzula · 4 years
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Playmates
part of the fire lilies series
pairing: Zuko x Princess!reader
request: “I love all this fire lilies content! It’s so good! Could you write something about how the princess and the zuko met” and “Hi I loved fire lilies! Also hope ur doing well. In the life changing field trip you started talking about how the princess could see zuko because the fire lord was there? I was wondering if u could write something about how they snuck around the water tribe whenever he came w ozai.”
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“Stop fidgeting with your dress,” your mother chided whilst gently readjusting the braids that had come loose in your hair. “The Fire Lord is visiting with his children today and we can’t have you running amuck.”
You let out a small impatient huff at your mother’s lecturing, discreetly sticking your tongue out at her before tugging your hair loose from the uncomfortable braids the moment she looked away. You didn’t understand why it was so important for you to be on your best behavior for some fire man you had never met before, but both your mother and father seemed anxious about his arrival. Only being four years old, your parents did their best to shield you from things they considered “adult business,” but today it seemed they had no choice but to finally pull you into the tense relationship your people shared with the Fire Nation.
Ozai was bringing his children to today’s visit, and as the Princess it was your duty to keep them company until the war meeting was over. You didn’t know much about them other than the fact that you were one year older than his daughter and one year younger than his son, but both your father and Ozai hoped you and the Fire Nation Princess would become decent companions.
The black snow that plagues the sky alerts you of their arrival, and you find yourself scrambling to follow your parent’s actions as they bow in mutual respect to the Fire Lord. You keep your head down and your mouth shut, but you can’t help yourself from peeking up at the intimidating man before you.
“Fire Lord Ozai,” your father greets civilly.
“Chief Tukon,” the man replies before casting a look towards you. You shrink under his gaze and offer him a shaky smile to which he does not return. The Fire Lord gestures behind him, and two children appear at his side. “I present to you my children, Princess Azula and Prince Zuko.”
“It is an honor to have them here as our guests. To you I present my daughter, Princess y/n. I believe she will be a compatible playmate for your daughter Azula.”
“Very well,” Ozai nods, his piercing gaze never once leaving your form.
“Um, I-I can take you to the palace to play,” you utter meekly. Azula smiles slyly at your offer but says nothing as you lead her and her brother away from the adults and towards your home.
“This place looks boring,” she notes dully, causing an embarrassed blush to spread across your cheeks. Her older brother gives her a reprimanding look but says nothing in response.
“It’ll be better inside,” you explain. ”There’s more to do.”
The soldiers guarding the palace open the doors at the sight of your trio, though they keep a wary eye out for the fire siblings. Inside the palace they are greeted with crystal hallways and ice floors beneath their feet, and Azula is already thinking of ways the palace can be destroyed with fire.
“We can play dolls if you want,” you offer with a small smile, producing your prized doll to the princess.
“I love playing dolls,” Azula coos. “Especially when I give them head cuts.”
Your eyes widen in shock as Azula beheads your favorite toy, the head rolling towards your feet and stopping once it collides with the toe of your boot. Your watery eyes don’t phase the Princess in the slightest.
“Oops.”
“Azula, quit being so mean!” Zuko finally scolds, a harsh glare sent her way. She only shrugs.
“This is boring. I’m going to go spy on the meeting,” she announces with a dramatic yawn before leaving you two behind.
When Zuko turns his attention back to you you’re quick to look away, embarrassed at the tears that roll down your cheeks. The prince frowns before picking up the head and handing it to you.
“I’m sorry,” he apologizes on behalf of his sister. “She can be really mean.”
“No, playing with dolls is stupid,” you admit quietly as you wipe your tears away with the sleeve of your dress.
“I don’t think it’s stupid,” Zuko comforts with a small smile, and you can’t help yourself from returning it.
“You’re so much nicer than Azula,” you compliment sheepishly. You haven’t really noticed until now how cute the prince is, and your heart begins to race as you realize it’s just the two of you in the palace alone.
“I’ll play with you if you want,” the prince offers.
“Do you wanna go penguin sledding?” You ask excitedly. “It’s really fun!”
“Okay, let’s go,” Zuko replies with an eager smile, blushing slightly as you take his hand and escort him out of the palace and into the snow.
Though you hadn’t exactly hit it off with Azula, you had made a new friend in Zuko that day. He treated you as his equal, listening to every word you said and respecting every new aspect of your culture you introduced him to. From penguin sledding to seaweed noodle stew, the two of you had had a wonderful day together, and you found it hard to say goodbye when it was time for him to leave.
“You’ll come back, won’t you?” You ask hopefully.
“Of course I will,” Zuko smiles. “We’re friends now.”
And though it was against the rules, you had hugged him impossibly tight before saying goodbye. Being the princess, you weren’t really able to make friends with people your age. You had a few acquaintances, sure, but due to your status you never had the chance to go out and play like a normal kid. With Zuko you finally felt normal, and it was with Zuko you found yourself the happiest.
He returns exactly one week after his first visit, doing his best to hide his excitement to see you from his father as your families once again greet each other at the docks. The moment you’re dismissed the two of you are quick to sneak off together; both your fathers presumed you are still Azula’s companion, not Zuko’s.
“I brought you something,” Zuko announces once the two of you are alone and hidden away in one of the empty igloos.
“What is it?”
You watch curiously as Zuko reaches into his robes and your eyes widen at the sight of the gift in his hand: it’s a new doll.
“I know it’s not the same as the one Azula ruined, but I hope it makes you feel better,” he admits with a sheepish smile.
“Oh, Zuko, I love it!” You squeal, taking the doll from him and hugging it close to your chest. She’s a beautiful doll with long flowing hair and a fiery red dress, a golden band holding up the top knot on her head. It certainly isn’t a doll you’d find in the water tribe, but you adore the gift nonetheless.
“I saw it in the market place and thought of you.”
“Thank you,” you coo before pressing a big kiss onto his cheek. Zuko’s face turns red at the action, a wobbly smile on his lips.
You sit in the igloo for the rest of the day, talking about anything and everything you can think of. Inside the little ice hut you’re shielded from the outside threat of war and the tensions amongst your people, and you’re able to truly feel like kids in the presence of one another.
In the igloo you aren’t Princess y/n of the Southern Water Tribe or Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. You are simply y/n and Zuko, two best friends, and that’s alright with both of you.
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muffinlance · 4 years
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I propose a triple crossover: little scaled salvage. zuko is at approximate "can still be worn as a scarf for cuddles" size, his horn nubs are just barely starting to come in. akhlut crew wary until they find that dragon zuko is much less fighty (if just as reckless) than human zuko. winter rolls around and theyre a lil alarmed to find out that all the firebender talk about "agni gives us life" is more literal than they thought, as their scrawny lil dragon son basically starts hibernating
Oh my gosh little dragon Zuko--
He initially tries to escape by flying but can't make it far enough, because he is smol. (Ranalok and Aake just trail him in a boat until he has to land. Aake suggests wing-breaking as a future deterrent, kid doesn't even need those in human form. Ranalok says that's the Chief's call and spends the rest of the trip back with a tired shaky noodle hiding inside his coat. Later, Human Zuko insists he was just COLD, okay, that's ALL.)
Laundry involves their water heater occasionally being IN the tub, sporadic bubbles rising from the wiggly heating coil at the bottom, how long can dragons hold their breath because Panuk and Toklo are starting to discover the relevance of that question-- (Warm baths help with molting, of COURSE he has to get his head wet too, put him back--)
Apologies after burning Bato include a clearly ceremonial handing over of his last molt. Bato is now holding the shed skin of a child and this is just one more thing he Does Not Know What To Do With, in the rather long list he's acquired since returning to the ship.
Human Zuko walks around with a dog in his arms and/or clinging ridiculously to his shoulder. Dragon Zuko rides Seal Jerky around the deck like an epic mount, scaly nose raised high, scruffy little mane blowing majestically in the wind. Human Zuko DOES NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS. (Seal Jerky is a happy pupper either way.)
On cold nights, Human Zuko steals blankets to his growing nest, and glares at anyone to dare mention it. The first time it was extra cold and he was a dragon, they thought they lost him again. Then Kustaa got into his own hammock--Wake me up if he's hypothermic when you catch him--and just kind of... paused. Dragon nephew had been waiting hours for his warm cuddles. (Toklo hereafter took to piling extra blankets on his own hammock as a dragon-lure. It has not to date been effective, because Toklo is a small inefficient radiator. Acceptable heaters include, but are not limited to: Kustaa, Hakoda, Ranalok, and Aake. Bato is too boney. Aake consistently scruffs the prince and sets him on the floor. This does not stop him waking up to a warm wiggle-snake against his back. Human Zuko insists it's Aake's fault for being so warm and huge and warm.)
Dragon Zuko is trying to teach the albatross-gulls how to land properly via demonstration. Effective communication has yet to be established. (Under the roosting birbs is also an acceptable place to take warm!naps. The crew would like to know how he squeezed through their cage mesh, do dragons not have bones?)
One of Ozai's letters includes a line about his son's skin. Hakoda originally takes this as a metaphor. This is not a metaphor. (Later, Zuko reads the letter, and does not explain to the Chief the difference between 'skin' and 'molt' that Hakoda can't be expected to know but Ozai definitely does. Little Zuko gets to the crying-hugs part of this conversation more quickly than older Zuko did.)
General Fong's letters contained occasional mentions of skin, as well. Fong has always wanted a piece of wall art to match that in the Earth King's palace, and if Ozai won't pay ransom... (NO WE ARE NOT SELLING YOU TO THE EARTH KINGDOM, says Hakoda, when he finally gets it.)
The crew was deeply unsettled to find that the Fire Lord's line were literally inhuman monsters. By the time they reach their first port, nobody had better say anything about their tiny inhuman monster, he is a BLAMELESS NOODLE.
(Aake submits to being a dragon-scarf-perch. Nobody had better say anything about that, either.)
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