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zkfanworkweek · 4 years

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ZFAW Fan Content Creator Interviews: HayleyNFoster

Hey everyone! We hope you’re all excited for ZFAW, and to honor (ha!) ZFAW’s commitment to supporting and celebrating fan content creators in the Zutara fandom, we’re going to be rolling out a series of interviews with well-known and widely-beloved content creators over the next few weeks. We’ve got artists and fanfiction authors, some names you recognize as well as a few phenomenal up-and-coming talents, and we can’t wait for you to meet them all!

For the second interview in this cycle, we have our best propaganda creator and this fandom’s hottest new artist/undisputed queen of the animatic, @hayleynfoster!

1. Tell us about how you came to ship Zutara. What does this ship mean to you?

When I was around 14 or 15 and caught Avatar: The Last Airbender on television, I was drawn in by the art style, the humor, and the wonderful characters. I caught the episodes out of order, and the first one I saw and wasn’t prepared to be sucked in by was The Waterbending Scroll. It intrigued me at that age, and the line “I’ll save you from the pirates” combined with the tension between Katara and Zuko in that whole scene was electrifying. I remember my teenage self thinking these two have so much chemistry! And when I saw a commercial on Nickelodeon that featured fanart submitted by fellow Avatar fans, I realized that I could do that to! So I set about making Zutara fanart for myself. I stumbled onto Youtube, practically in its infancy, and discovered that people set clips of Zuko and Katara set to music (And this was still in season 1 days… so people who made these amvs were the real mvps because they were able to make compelling narratives in their amvs with like practically nothing to work with!). The AMVs really spurred my interest in this couple, I remember distinctly one Zutara AMV using the Dido song White Flag utterly capturing my imagination. I found fandom shortly after, getting into deviantart and forums. But the ship really began to mean something to me when, as I was working on my drawings in the computer lab at school, a buoyant presence hovered over my shoulder noticing my Zutara art on the computer screen. The girl was someone I had never really talked to and had only seen from afar but she immediately started excitedly saying she shipped Zuko and Katara too! In this simple shared obsession, I made one of the best friends I’ve ever had and we’re still friends to this day. We would theorize and fangirl over Avatar like it was nobody’s business; we poured over bootleg San Diego Comic Con footage that showed spoilers for season 2 before it aired; we lost our freaking minds when we finally saw The Crossroads of Destiny. We had watch parties every week as Season 3 of A:TLA aired, and comforted each other when the show ended as it did (much ranting was shared). Those are some of my happiest memories from high school… all because this one pairing from this wonderful show. Even though Zutara didn’t happen, we still chat every now and then about it. Zutara will probably be a lifelong obsession, always bubbling under the surface. And without it, I would have never realized that animation was a viable career path. It really did inspire everything including the work I’m doing to this day in the animation industry. I owe a lot to this ship and to Avatar: the Last Airbender.

2. What inspires you to create zutara fanworks?

The resurgence of Avatar: The Last Airbender this year really helped sort of spark that dormant love I had for Zutara. The show’s ending still disappointed me on the rewatch, but Zuko and Katara’s relationship arc was as captivating as ever, so I turned to some fanfiction and looking at people’s pretty Zutara art and AMVs to just revel in fanon instead of getting to hung up on the actual ending of the show. But then I realized, with quarantine and my work load being pretty light, I had time to actually make all new Zutara art for myself, art I was never fully capable of making as a kid, but now could do with my 7 years of industry experience and just… life experience. And I was inspired to do some corrective animatics to satisfy my own desire for a different ending. I just really like exploring these two characters, doing different and interesting things with them, and frankly I’m inspired to make cute, fluffy, romantic art simply by virtue of living in a really sad and depressing world. Things are so crazy right now, creating art about two characters I love being in love, is comforting. And it helps to have inspiring music and amazing Zutara amvs to just sort of stir up my emotions and imagery in my head to make into animatics and art.

3. Be selfish - if you could request one fanwork based on your own art/fanfic, what would it be? What would you absolutely love to see someone create?

Ohhhh… Well, It’s always nice to have people write fanfiction that puts words to my animatics. I am not that great at coming up with dialog myself, so I’ve just chosen to indulge in visuals and emotions for my boards. But when I read things like RideBoldlyRide’s take on my Reunion Animatic, it makes me pretty giddy. (They finally have voices!) :) And this is the MOST selfish thing I could request, but I’m not shy about saying how much I love well done amvs, so I will literally kill for someone to make Zutara AMVs to songs I like… Like, most of AURORA’s songs but especially Exist for Love, Sunseeker by The Naked and Famous, Promises or Take Me by Aly & AJ, Adore You by Harry Styles, Human Enough by ONR, Never Let Me Go by Florence + The Machine, and/or Almost (Sweet Music) by Hozier just… I can see the AMVs so clearly to any of these songs in my head, but I don’t have the tools or skill set at my disposal to make a compelling fan video. When I was in high school, I originally thought I wanted to go into video editing simply because I loved making very crappy AMVs (they were so bad you guys), but I figured out being a storyboard artist was more in my wheelhouse. haha

4. Any words for people who are new to the fandom and/or nervous about sharing their work for the first time?

If you’re new to the Zutara fandom, just have a good time! Don’t waste too much time arguing with people over your shipping preferences. I wasted so much of my teen years having pointless shipping wars with people on DeviantArt, and I’m just so much happier nowadays because I’m just making Zutara art in my little corner of the internet, and honestly, in the politest of ways, I don’t give a shit if people don’t like my art or Zutara. haha I think that’s sort of a key thing for people thinking of posting creative works here in the fandom, just make art for yourself, satisfy your own desires for the pairing, get your creative sparks flying, and create just for the joy of creating. It’s always nice to get comments and such, but simply making the art should be what spurs you on, not the external validation. And have a good time, don’t worry too much - I say as someone who worries about EVERYTHING. But honestly, making art for A:TLA is some of the most relaxed I’ve been because I make it just for me. I’m lucky others seem to like it too!

5. What’s an idea for a fanwork that you have but haven't gotten around to making?

I have an idea for a second generation storyline with my Zutara kids that involves Kya (the eldest firebending daughter) falling in love with an airbender boy (tentatively named Gora in my headcanon who’s a bit of a rabble rouser and one of Aang’s kids he had with a Kyoshi Warrior), and then they start a socialist revolution in the Fire Nation in order to dismantle all of the hierarchical societies across the Avatar world… Together Kya and Gora Fan the Flames of revolution… ehhhhh... Get it?? Oh! Oh, and then Katara, who had put in legit liberal reforms in her time as Fire Lady listens to her daughter after resisting in the first part of the story, but then realizes she can actually play a part in the dissolution of the royalty and is also active in the revolution realizing that moderate liberal reforms are no substitute for a society free of serving royalty (which she had always been uncomfortable with but had rationalized with herself that she was doing good in her capacity as Fire Lady.) I just feel like there’s a lot of cool potential for discussing these ideas and also having some aspirational change in the Avatar world. lol For aesthetics and just happy fluffy times, I can indulge in Fire Lady and Fire Lord Zuko stuff, but really at the end of the day, I take issue with the structures in a society that have to exist for monarchies to exist. Soooo, I kind of want to do my own corrective story for that… if I ever have the time or guts. On a less ambitious note, I would love to do a Zutara sparring animatic to practice doing action, but I need a good story; I am not good at doing fights just for fighting’s sake. Those are just some things I have rattling around in my head.

6. Are you participating in ZFAW? If so want to give us a hint as to your plans?

Yes! The most I can say is I have one animatic almost finished and one that’s still being thumbnailed. The rest are probably going to be comics or emotive single pieces based on the fanfics I really like right now. :)

#interviews #zutara fanworks appreciation week #zfaw #hayleynfoster #zutara

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beealexageek · 3 years

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Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week Day 6 Prompt: Fluff Friday

”Five”

@zkfanworkweek

After the huge emotional blow that was "Five" (but from YinYangSisters). I wanted to end this beautiful week with something very sweet.

And that’s it.

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jasmine-tea-latte · 3 years

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(Some of) My Favorite Zutara fics

Warning, looong post ahead!

Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week snuck up on me, so sadly I haven’t had time to properly contribute anything. I’d love to participate next year or maybe even before then (I play by my own rules, folks!)

Still, though. I wanted to at the very least pay tribute to some of my all-time favorite Zutara fanfics that I’ve enjoyed and have inspired me over the years.

(Click here for my post on Self-Love Saturday, where I shamelessly promote my series The Phoenix and the Dragon and share a bit of backstory behind how it came to be in the first place.)

I’ve shipped Zutara ever since Fall 2006, and I have been fortunate to read so many excellent fanfics since then.

Some have made me laugh, others made me sob, others straight up made my heart burn like it was shot full of lightning:

So in honor of @zkfanworkweek, below are 13 of my favorite Zutara fanfics, in no particular order:

~*~*~

Rated G(eneral)/T(een)

Engulfed by Luaburachid

Zuko finds himself engulfed by love.

A sweet one-shot of our favorite firebender discovering how deep his feelings are for a certain waterbender. It’s just pure fluff and always brings a smile to my face.

we hold our hearts in silence by psychedelic_aya

Seventy years later, Korra tries to figure out Zuko and Katara.

Oh, this one is so bittersweet but oh so good. It alternates between flashbacks and Korra’s POV watching an older Zuko and Katara interact. Just… ugh. My heart.

Day 6: Found by SooperSara

When Sokka comes up with an idea to get rid of Joo Dee, Katara finds herself in the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se with a tea server she did not expect to meet.

I love a good Jasmine Dragon AU where Katara / the Gaang actually interacts with Zuko while he’s undercover as Lee from the tea shop instead of what happened in “The Guru.” This is so much fun to read, and my only complaint is that it’s not longer.

Celestial by SooperSara

An unexpected dip into the koi pond at the North Pole brings Zuko in contact with the spirits and grants him insight to his destiny. A destiny he isn’t sure he wants.

Another by the talented SooperSara! Actually, you should check out all of her stuff. It’s all so good, and I absolutely adore this one. It’s pretty canon-compliant and the ending… oh, the ending makes me tearbend. Ma’am, I’m still weepy.

this little fuse we lit made something in you by SecondStarOnTheLeft

There's a secret door in the wall of Katara's room. Things go a little further than planned, once she opens it.

What happens when Katara discovers a secret tunnel (secret, secret, secret tunnel, yeah!) that leads directly to the Fire Lord’s bedroom? Reading this fic is like settling down to drink a hot cup of Iroh’s tea – it’s soothing, sweet, and thoroughly warms the soul.

Dancing in the Dark by damagectrl

Post-Season 2 AU: While in Ba Sing Se, Katara and Toph hear a rumor about two tea servers in the lower tiers of Ba Sing Se and sneak away go to investigate only to have their suspicions confirmed. On her personal time, Katara tries to teach herself to dance and fails so badly, a masked man takes pity on her to try to help.

This is one most OGs will probably remember. It’s also one of the first ZK fics I ever read, back when I was a wee lil bb Zutarian! It was originally posted in Oct. 2006 and takes place between “Appa’s Lost Days” and “Lake Laogai.” One of my all-time favorite Bluetara AND Jasmine Dragon AUs. Heck, all of damagectrl’s works are fantastic reads, for that matter. I highly recommend checking them out, especially this classic.

such selfish prayers by andromeda3116

Katara's ambition, so long set aside for the good of others, breaks free and sets fire to her soul. Or, Katara has a vision of her canon future, casts it aside, and becomes a world-changing politician instead.

There’s a reason why this fic is one of the highest rated on AO3, if not THE highest. It does right by Katara and gives her the ending she deserves. 10/10 would recommend.

better than things dreamed of in the forest by catie_writes_things (SERIES)

As a child, Bumi knew: his mother was a waterbender, his father was an airbender, and he was a firebender. Something about these facts did not add up, but it would take him a long time to understand.

Hands down, one of the most heartbreaking fics / series I’ve ever read. The author describes this as the adultery fic for people who hate adultery fics, and it certainly packs an emotional punch in the gut. Personally, I’m not one for the “Zuko and Katara have an affair while she’s with Aang” fics in general, but this one examines the fallout caused by a single night of passion and all of the consequences that stem from it, especially how the ripple effect of their choices impacts everyone. Even though it breaks my heart all over again every time I reread it, I can’t recommend it highly enough.

~*~*~

(More fics, several with high ratings, are listed below the cut)

Rated M(ature)/E(xplicit)

Moonlight and Sunshadow by GrapefruitTwostep

The dragon offered Katara a deal: protection for her family and tribe if she lived with it for a year and a day. And she said yes. Because what other way was there to save her people? But there was more to the dragon than Katara bargained for. An "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" retelling.

A fairy tale AU in which Zuko is cursed to live as a dragon and Katara is certainly no damsel in distress. You’ve probably heard some version of the original fairy tale before that this fic is inspired by, and it’s such a delight to read.

The Blackfish and the Dragon by ama

Katara grew up in the Southern Water Tribe under the tutelage of Hama, the only waterbender ever to have escaped Fire Nation captivity. When Zuko arrives at the South Pole, seeking the Avatar, they are more than ready to defend him. Then one day, the Southern Water Tribe receives a petition for peace, and a proposal of marriage.

One of the best arranged marriage AUs I’ve come across. Iroh is crowned Fire Lord after defeating Ozai, and Katara must find some way to peacefully coexist with her hotheaded new husband as she also finds a place for herself in the Fire Nation.

Confused by thispieceofwork

Zuko stood. "You told Aang you were confused. Are you confused because of me?" Katara was silent, arms crossed in front of her. "Don't make me answer that."

Starts during “The Ember Island Players” where Zuko overhears Aang and Katara’s private conversation on the balcony. This is another fic that will shatter your heart into a million pieces but it’s oh so worth it in the end.

A Heated Exchange by Smediterranea (SERIES)

Katara had not considered herself to be someone who would have earth-shattering sex with a guy whose name she didn’t even know. But here she was, certain that she had never made a better decision in her life.

An AU two-part series of Katara getting familiar with a certain handsome guy who lives down the hall in her college dorm. It’s funny, cute, and cuddling while watching Planet Earth has never been hotter.

Bonus day: Tea Shop by cincilin

"Hello and welcome to the Jasmine Dragon. Today's special is—" he cut himself of with a sharp intake of breath, at the same moment that Katara placed the voice and looked up.

'He has hair.' was her first thought. Then the rest of her brain caught up with her and she started to get up, sending Momo scrambling to hide under the table. Season 2 AU, during "The Guru."

I told y’all, I *LOVE* a good Jasmine Dragon AU fic, and this one-shot checks all the boxes: heart-to-heart conversations? Witty dialogue and banter? Bending match that turns into a makeout and something steamier? It’s got it all.

~*~*~

This was only going to be a list of maybe 5-7fic recs, but well… oops. I also kept the above list to completed works only, just because this post is already long enough.

Several of my other favorites that get honorable mention include:

Thinking Out Loud (WIP)

The Summit (WIP)

Sparrowkeet (Series)

Purr

The Nature of the Blue Spirit

Rhythm of the Rain

Fault Lines

Clarity

Seriously, there are just SO MANY good Zutara fics out there. I had to cut myself off from adding even more, because I could go on and on and on. Much like Admiral Zhao, I have no. self. control.

I love you all, my fellow Zutarians ❤️💙💜 Mwah! Happy ZFAW!

#Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week #zkfanworkweek #zutara #zuko x katara #zuko #katara #zfaw2020 #also i apologize if the formatting is being weird on mobile #it looks fine on desktop but that's tumblr for ya

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lettersfromn0where · 3 years

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ZFAW: Self-Love Saturday

For the last day of @zkfanworkweek!

It’s no secret that I love writing more than almost anything in existence, or that I’m somewhat absurdly passionate about my work. I’m well aware that a handful of people probably think this is annoying (how many people who have had the misfortune to be in any kind of chat with me never want to hear the name “Hina Oyama” again? Probably most of them), and I was hesitant to do this at all because I know I can be self-centered and I’m trying to work on that. But I realized that I’m not doing this for feedback or because I want people to read my work - if I were to talk about my fic like this, it would be coming from a place of excitement about sharing something I love with others, not about finding new readers. (Have I done a little too much networking of that kind? Yes. Am I proud of it? Not at all. That’s why I had to make sure that that wasn’t why I was doing this.)

So I’m going to go for it, and give you guys the background behind a few of my favorite things I’ve written. Stories below the cut.

Story #1: The One That Taught Me That It’s Okay to Fail As a Writer

and I'll write you a tragedy (June 2020)

I wrote this back in June, when I was first getting into AtLA - I think it was my third or fourth published Zutara fanfic. I didn’t have many friends yet; most of the ones I talked to at the time, I've since lost touch with. So my participation in the fandom was largely isolated. I’d just write things and yeet them into the void without a care in the world - that’s what I did with “And I’ll Write You a Tragedy.” I had this grand idea that it would be ~the angstiest thing ever written~ and I was SO excited to get home (I was at the beach when I got the idea) so I could work on it...

Only to find that I simply wasn’t ready for the story I was trying to tell.

Oh, I wrote it, and it was...decently well-reviewed for something that caused me so much existential angst. But it fell so short of the concept that I had for it that, the moment I hit “post,” I was so frustrated that burst into tears. (Like a kindergartner. One can never say I deserve to be called an adult.) I wanted to establish myself in this new fandom so badly that anything I perceived as substandard was a crushing failure. And it was the process of talking myself through that frustration that taught me something I’ve tried to hold close ever since: every writer writes a dud every once in a while. No one is at the top of their game 100% of the time; those who appear to be probably don’t post the duds. Should I have posted this, then? Well, the jury is out on that. I still hate it. But it deserves a spot here just for the lesson it taught me.

Story #2: the One That Broke the Angst Ceiling

who lives, who dies, who tells your story (July 2020)

I have no idea how this took my angst from the coltish awkwardness of “sort of sad, but not very well-done” to genuinely depressing, but it did. Maybe I should blame quarantine and all of the difficulties that brought with it, or just the additional writing experience I had gained by that time. Whatever the reason, I remember this - even though it never got very popular - as an absolute triumph for me as a writer, because this is when I FINALLY learned how to write effective angst. For *years* I had thought I was simply incapable of writing anything sad, but this showed me that I wasn’t. I’ll never understood what flipped the switch (maybe it was @hiniwalay, whose help in forming this idea was invaluable...I love and miss you so much <3), but it’s a very important part of my writing journey even so.

Story #3: The One That Got Inexplicably Popular

Tethered (Zutara Week - written in June 2020, posted in late July 2020)

Zutara Week 2020 was sort of the point at which I established myself in this fandom and I have super fond memories of the warm reception I received at the time. It was such a positive, encouraging experience - and perhaps the one and only time that people have actually wanted to indulge my somewhat ridiculous obsession with fluff. And this was sort of the peak of my entrance into the ZK fandom.

And I am...not sure how I feel about that.

Soulmate AUs are obviously super popular, so I knew that “Tethered” was going to be one of my better-recieved ZKW fics if I did it even marginally well. What I did NOT expect was that, by the time of this post, it would be exactly tied with The Waiting Game for my most kudos’d work. It’s almost insane to me that that is a thing, because, while I don’t hate how “Tethered” came out, I definitely don’t feel like it deserved the hype it got. It’s...just another soulmate AU, but seeing that I was capable of writing something that people would gobble up did wonders for my confidence - and, I think, for my reputation in the fandom as well. It was definitely a mile-marker on my journey, even if I would rather it have been a different ZKW oneshot (this one was my favorite).

Story #4: The Twitter Favorite

Four Days and Three Nights (written August 2020)

I will never, ever forget the day I posted this.

I joined a Zutara group chat on Twitter just before Zutara Week 2020 began, and I quickly became...a little bit desperate for their attention. “The Waiting Game” (much more on that later) sprung from that desperation, but this was the one that actually did something about it. Which is funny, because it was actually a complete accident! 4D3N, as it is affectionately called on Twitter, was the result of my dumb butt reading “Five,” thinking “I want to write something that depressing!”, and just...going for it. I told myself not to overthink things as I desperately banged out the 3166 words of this story in two hours (because I needed to go for a run before it got dark and didn’t start writing until 3), and that is probably the one and only time in my entire life that telling myself something like that actually worked. Writing 4D3N was just sort of this rush that I barely even had time to recognize while I was caught up in it and the result was something I genuinely felt that I could be proud of - that’s pretty rare. My Twitter friends went slightly insane, half of them wanted to stab me (in a good way), and I finally felt like I actually belonged in this fandom - like I had done something to earn a place there. [Caveat: fandom is for everyone and you never need to “earn the right” to be in one, but my brain latched onto the idea that I didn’t deserve to be creating things for a fandom that didn’t want me and would not let it go. Figures.] Lately, I’ve been struggling with this one a little bit because it’s getting a lot of comparisons to “Five” in which it never fares favorably, for obvious reasons, and it was never actually my favorite fic to begin with, but it still means a lot to me. This is the one I recommend to people who are curious about my work and probably always will be.

Story #5: The Sleeper Favorite

Lean On (written August 2020)

I have no earthly idea why I like this one so much, but it has to be my favorite oneshot I have up. It’s hurt-comfort and dives into the implications of the Agni Kai for Zuko’s health, both physical and mental - maybe it’s the uniqueness of that premise that endeared it to me, or maybe the personal-ness...is that a word?...of the narrative. The bare-bones summary: Zuko’s health is declining a year after the Agni Kai, Katara shows up to do something about that, and what follows is a year of Pain and Heartache for both of them as they try to navigate their conflicting feelings for each other. But really, it’s a story about healing: physically, yes, but also mentally and emotionally. I certainly relate a lot to Katara in “Lean On,” as I’ve been the friend caught in the crossfire of others’ battles with their mental health many times and I wanted to try to write from both sides of that conflict. But I think I probably wrote more of myself into Zuko than I originally anticipated, as well. Quarantine has not been good for my mental health...at all...and I’ve found myself lashing out at my family far more than I should without even knowing why, isolating myself and growing thorns so that no one would come near me. I hate seeing myself like that, and I hate that I can't seem to make myself do anything about it. So really, I was hashing out my own feelings both past and present, and what I ended up with, whatever you might think of its quality, came from the heart. I also, for whatever reason, really liked my writing here, so I have a special place in my heart for “Lean On.”

Story #6: The Fluff I Didn’t Hate

Waffleosophy (written September 2020)

Look, there's not a lot to say about this, but it’s definitely my favorite fluff that I’ve ever written. I felt like I finally managed to hit the right note with this so that it came off as sweet without being saccharine, and it feels...I don’t know, wittier than what I usually write? I write a lot of fluff but something about “Waffleosophy” made it feel more polished and coherent than most of my other fluff. This was one that, as ridiculous as its premise was, I felt like I could truly be proud of; since I’m often a bit ashamed of how much of my work is fluff (it feels like “cheating” sometimes, as if I write this way because I lack the skill for real emotional beats), that’s saying a lot.

Story #7: the Insanely Niche AU

Once In a Lifetime (ongoing)

This one gets updated at the speed of snail, but. ZK ice dance AU. It just makes me so HAPPY.

Story #8: The One That Actually Did What It Was Meant To Do

Hanabi (written October/November 2020)

This heading is ironic because this was originally supposed to be an angsty slow-burn about surviving on an uninhabited island. Instead, it became as unerringly Sarah S---- as any fic ever has. Oops.

Hanabi sprung from a desire to write something incredibly soft and wholesome. Seriously. That’s it. I had just finished writing a story that got a lot more violent and dark than I had expected it to, and I wasn’t comfortable with that; I wanted to return to my roots, if you will, and write something ~soft~. I wanted to write about good people, doing good things, being good to each other, with as much tender pining as I could cram in on the side. I wanted unique worldbuilding and a relationship that had to be built rather than handed over under the guise of Soulmateism (because this was the period in which I hated The Waiting Game and everything it stood for, aka...that. It was a weird time). And I actually? Did all of that? There’s this F. Scott Fitzgerald quote about how writers have to “sell their hearts” that I think about often, and I did that here. This has as much of my heart in it as anything ever will, I think, and if I had to pick a favorite thing that I have ever written, it would be “Hanabi.” I love it a lot.

Story #9: The One You Knew Was Coming

The Waiting Game series (written July-October 2020)

I have so many feelings about this that I can’t even really articulate them all. Where would I even start?

There was the fact that the first installment was written in two weeks (thirteen days, 94,832 words) to try to get the attention of a Twitter chat. There was the matter of Hina Oyama, my blog’s namesake, an OC who took on an absolutely massive life of her own to the point where she was quite literally my coping mechanism over the summer and I annoy everyone I know by constantly banging on pots and pans and screaming about her. There was the way this universe spiraled outwards from its original installment and now has three generations, two sequels, and a prequel in progress (Hina’s origin story, which I am writing for a friend but will most likely never post). There were the friends I made because of this series and all of the inside jokes and headcanons we’ve developed while discussing it. There were all of the existential crises I had (over negative comments, over whether or not this career-defining series is even decent, over the moral implications of writing about people getting stabbed in the sequel...please don’t ask). There is the fact that everyone I come into contact with now knows what Haang is, and that by a close-reading of any passage about Hina or Kya, you could probably learn a lot about me.

But all I can say, in the end, is that I don’t know if I’ve ever written something that I fell in love with so quickly as I did “The Waiting Game,” or that had as much lasting impact upon me. (It has been five months, and I’m STILL writing in this universe, still talking about it constantly.) I know my TWG obsession is a little annoying, and I know that this universe isn’t really anything special - but it’s special to me, and it always will be. Will I shut up? Abso-freaking-lutely not. Do I care if no one knows what my username means because it refers to an OC in a fic not a lot of people actually like? Not in the slightest! I won’t pretend that TWG is a perfect story, or even that it deserves to be thought of as particularly good, but I will absolutely defy anyone who tells me that I need to “get over it.” (No one has, but my brain likes to tell me that everyone is thinking it.)

I will never be over stories that move me, especially not ones I created.

And especially not Yangchen Oyama.

~finis~

#zfaw #self love saturday #oh yeah. I went OFF #man #I have so so so many feelings #zkfanworkweek #zutara fanworks appreciation week

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lady-morgain · 3 years

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ZK Fanwork Appreciation Week Day 7: My Rec List

@zkfanworkweek

I don’t know where to start because there so many wonderful and talented artists, fanfiction and meta writers out there. Some of them I have admired for many years and some I only became aware of this year. I’m sure I am going to miss someone (and I’m so sorry) because all of you are so talented.

fanwork artists:

nymre

beanaroony

wishlaced

elithien

te al latte

hayleynfoster

matereya

fanvid artists:

crayolasaurus (“peace” and “I found” are so beautiful...love your editing)

gtgrandom (“Zutara // Mine Again” on youtube is one of the best edits out there)

fanfic writers:

fictionissocialinquiry (”Rumour Has It” and “Rumour Has It: The Festival of the Molten Sun” are perfect)

ifyouwereamelodymeg (”The Great Western Current and the Southern Lights” is one of the saddest but poetic and most beautiful oneshots I’ve ever read)

my-bated-breath (I love your metas, too)

rideboldlyride

senlinyu

And I can highly recommend “ATLA Book 4: Ashes” by elayne_cypher and “such selfish prayers” by andromeda3116 on AO3.

meta writers:

beyond-far-horizons

soopersara (I love your fanfics, too)

antarcticasx

certified-bi-fangirl-disaster

firelxdykatara

sunmoonturtleduck

I know there are so many more (headcanon creators, meme makers, gif creators etc.) and I adore you and your work, as well. All you guys are so amazing, important and an enrichment to the Zutara fandom. I can’t thank all of you enough. You have made my life so much more bearable this year!

#Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week #zkfanworkweek #zutara fanwork appreciation week #zfaw2020

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strawberrymilkyumyum · 3 years

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his callused hand held her face as she cried. she couldn’t stop crying, not since zuko had appa land for the night. facing yon rha was supposed to make her feel better, but it didn’t.

more tears streamed down katara’s face and the zuko’s pale hand brushed some of her tears down her face. “it- it hurts!” she cried, “it hurts so bad.”

when she looked up, so saw the pain written all over his face, “i know.” he swiped away a few more tears. “i understand.”

“how? how you you possibly understand!” she wasn’t yelling, she wasn’t angry, she was desperate. katara knew he wasn’t lying, zuko couldn’t lie to save his own life, or hers.

he sighed, “do you remember ba sing se?” she nodded. “i told you we had something in common?” katara nodded again. “well, now we have this in common too.”

zuko could’ve meant that they went on this same trip, but she knew that wasn’t the case. he’d done what she did before. “when?”

“on the day of black sun.” katara leaned into his hand. “i always thought- i thought letting him live was weak, even though i knew it was the right choice. but when i saw you today i realized,” that you showed true strength. you showed me i was strong too. “thank you, katara.”

he was so painfully honest that she couldn’t take it anymore. katara threw herself into his arms, causing him to stumble back. the hug was relaxing, or it would be if zuko was hugging her back. katara squeezed her arms and zuko wrapped his around her, pulling her tight to him. she buried her face in his neck and said, “thank you, zuko.”

with that, he tucked his face into her hair and sighed. eventually they sat down, which turned to laying on appa’s legs. katara wasn’t ready to let go of him just yet, he was her lifeline. from the relaxed beating of zuko’s heart, she thought he wasn’t too eager to separate either. they fell asleep curled into each other.

when she woke, it was still dark. she only slept a few hours, but she felt as though she slept for days. it was the best sleep she’d had since her mom died. katara leaned back to study the firebender’s face. it was relaxed for once, and innocent. he was the same boy who hunted her, but that boy was put to rest a lifetime ago.

sensing her move, zuko unconsciously pulled her closer, resting his head on top of hers. he hummed and katara felt warm and fuzzy. she let herself be pulled closer and she buried her face in his chest. it was the best sleep she’s had in years, and she knows she won’t be able to sleep well without zuko with her. with his arms strong around her waist, katara realized she would be able to sleep alone, but she never wanted to sleep without him there ever again.

here’s my second contribution to @zkfanworkweek . this is for angst wednesday. i don’t know if this was angsty, i’ve never done this before and i prefer fluff. i hope you like it!

#zkfanworkweek #zuko and katara #katara and zuko #katara x zuko #zuko x katara #zutara #zutara fanwork appreciation week #the southern raiders #atla #zutara fanfiction #zutara fanart #angst #i think

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peartarts · 3 years

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- and you feel your heart (taking root in your body) by raisindeatre on ao3

for @zkfanworkweek's fanart tuesday :) ignore how late this is aaaa

#zuko #katara #zutara #zkfaw #zutara fanwork appreciation week #doodles #mine #gave up on shading ahdndjk #but if u squint it looks ok?? i think? :'')#anyway for me this fic is right up there w oats and half asleep #it just handles everything so well imo #and the writing ahsjskdhf chef's kiss <333 #wish i could do it more justice but yeah 😪

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pineapple-frenzy · 3 years

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Zkfaw Day 6: fluff Friday

Stay Frosty, Royal Milk Tea by @hinaoyamas and @sofileall

This is already late but it's fineeee,,, I got really busy with school stuff akajhsb

This fic is amazing!!! I only recently started reading it and I haven't caught up to it yet but it's already so fluffy and I love it so much! Plus, it's a tea shop au and how could you not love that??

I actually don't know if they have uniforms or what the tea shop looks like so I hope this is okay ajajshhs

#zutara fanwork appreciation week #zfaw #zkfaw #zutara #zuko #katara #atla #atla modern au #i clicked on this fic cause of the title akshgsha #my emo ass loves fob okayyyy #and i'm so glad i clicked on it cause this is now a favorite #my art

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stardust948 · 3 years

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(via Custom Image)

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this community?

#girl eating pancakes meme #zutara #zutara month #zutara fanwork appreciation week #zk drabble december 2020 #zk drabble februrary #zutara bollywood week #zutara big bang

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clubolive · 3 years

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@zkfanworkweek Day 6: Fluff Friday

She reaches out under the covers for his hand. When she finally finds it she gives it a gentle squeeze. “You can tell me anything, you know.”

There is another long silence, so long that she thinks he might’ve fallen asleep.

Her eyes begin to drift shut. She suddenly feels so tired.

“I know.”

She smiles into her pillow.

They fall asleep holding hands.

Based on chapter 10 of In the Same Candlelight by @likeadove (FF, AO3)

not to be dramatic but this fic yall… this fic is the one that lives in my mind rent free utilities INCLUDED!! its so sweet and cute, Bethany did such a wonderful job spinning this story. katara and zuko growing up together is one of those things that i didnt know i needed but im so glad i got it thru this fic 🥺

edited cuz my formatting got all funky for some reason

#zutara #zuko #katara #atla #avatar the last airbender #kfjlsdkjf im so bad at words this is why i draw but really yall this fic is so good i reread it sm #my art #this week im in zutara hell once again whoops #sorry 2 everyone who follows me for dc flkjdslfjl #rip 2 me in particular tho bc this was supposed 2 be for yesterday oops #zfaw #zutara fanwork appreciation week

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markedmage · 3 years

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Moontides

Pairing: Zutara

Rating: T

Summary: He smells like fire and feels like home. She smells like rain and feels like love.

Notes: Hi guys- I know it’s been ages since I’ve really show much activity on here lately, but I’ve risen from the dead to give you all my submission for Fanart Tuesday, for ZFAW. This fic is for the lovely @hayleynfoster, who’s animated storyboards for ZK week 2020 have utterly wrecked me in all the best ways possible. Those videos are stunning and gorgeous and breathtaking, and I feel so so so honored to have the opportunity to immortalize them into fics. Hayley, thank you so much for allowing me to express my love for you and your works, and thank you again for giving me this opportunity. I hope you enjoy it.

Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638455

(excerpt below the cut)

He can sense her thoughts running rampant in her mind, just like his, but he waits for the right moment, waits for that perfect opportunity where she will finally belong to him.

(He doesn't know how long he waits— that's the thing about Katara. When he's with her, the world seems to freeze in its tracks, like a glacier in winter; everything slows down and the world tilts on its axis. It could be mere seconds or eons; cities could rise and fall, and all that matters is the way the blue of her eyes shift from sapphire to midnight.)

Then he sees his opportunity— the sun is kissing the horizon, and the first blush of dawn is spreading across the sky, baby pinks bleeding into the dark of night. He nudges Katara, and she jerks, looking up at him, and the light of the sun sparkles in her eyes. "Look," he murmurs and she turns her gaze to the horizon, where reds and pinks and golds light up the sky, wrangling the black from the horizon to welcome the first kisses of blue back into the atmosphere. The moon still shines overhead, not willing to relinquish her dominion, and for a brief moment, the sun and the moon meet in a stalemate of colors.

"It's like you and me," he nudges Katara, and she looks. Her eyes widen, and he can see the breath catching in her throat. "The sun and moon. When they meet—" his breath lowers into a gasping breath "— it's electrifying."

It's a beautiful homage to who they are— a child of the moon and a boy kissed by fire. The world was never prepared for the two of them, never prepared for fire and ice to meet in such harmony, but the beauty created from their union is nothing short of spectacular. He looks at the moon, looks at the sun, and, not for the first time, thanks the spirits for gifting her into his life.

#zutara #zutara fanfiction #hayleynfoster #zfaw #zutara fanwork appreciation week #zuko x katara #atla fanfiction

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zkfanworkweek · 4 years

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WELCOME TO ZUTARA FANWORKS APPRECIATION WEEK!

What Is Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week?

The Zutara fandom would be nothing without its fanworks and their creators - that’s the idea behind ZFAW. It’s a weeklong opportunity for Zutara fans to show their appreciation for their favorite fanworks and content creators by creating their own fanworks based upon them! This can take any form - fanfiction, fanart, original songs, fan videos, visual media, you name it. As long as it’s based on a Zutara fanwork, it’s fair game!

When will ZFAW take place?

November 22-28, 2020!

How do I participate in ZFAW?

Simply create fanworks, post them to Twitter or Tumblr, and tag @zkfanworkweek! If you can tag the original creator, that would also be great, but no worries if not!

What are the prompts?

Glad you asked!

Sunday, Nov. 22: hidden gem day. make content inspired by lesser-known fanworks that deserve more love!

Monday, Nov. 23: media Monday. create digital media of any kind based on your favorite fanworks!

Tuesday, Nov. 24: fanart Tuesday. write fanfiction based on your favorite piece of fan art or make fanart based on your favorite fanfiction!

Wednesday, Nov. 25: Angst Wednesday. make us cry with fanworks based on your favorite angsty content!

Thursday, Nov. 26: Screw Canon, We Die Like Men. Make content about your favorite canon divergence fanworks!

Friday, Nov. 27: fluff Friday. Self explanatory. Make fanworks about fanworks that give you all those soft feels!

Saturday, Nov. 28: rec lists! Recommend your favorite works of the week or of all time.

Feel free to DM me for questions!

#zfaw #zutara fanworks appreciation week #zutara #atla

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beealexageek · 3 years

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Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week Day 5 Prompt: Screw canon, We die like a men

”Thicker than water”

@zkfanworkweek

Let's pretend I'm up to date.

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jasmine-tea-latte · 3 years

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I’m going to be completely self-indulgent and promote myself a little during Self-Love Saturday for @zkfanworkweek (Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week).

(Click here to see my earlier post about my favorite Zutara fics as well)

As I’ve said before elsewhere, I discovered ATLA shortly after it premiered in 2005, back when I was in high school. I enjoyed the show on occasion, but it wasn’t until Fall 2006 that I rediscovered it and got bit by the Zutara bug hard.

I still remember spending hours browsing and saving my favorite fanarts on DeviantArt and chatting with fellow fans and shippers on the Distant Horizon forums (side note - rereading some of my old posts on there is a total cringefest. Ugh.)

I stepped away a year or so after the show ended and dived into other OTPs and fandoms. Then earlier this year, I decided to return to the Avatar fandom once more and created this side blog so I could post all the Zutara/ATLA stuff to my heart’s content.

Anyways, I’ve enjoyed reading so many wonderful fics over the years, and I’m being serious when I say that I still have certain lines and scenes from some of them memorized.

Yet until this year, I had never sat down to write any fanfiction of my own but then, everything changed when the pandemic attacked.

Since I live in a big city and was under self-imposed quarantine (my husband is a non-medical essential worker, I get to work from home), I suddenly found myself with a LOT of free time, all alone save for Zoom calls and Facetimes with family and friends. So, after hyper-fixating and rewatching one of my favorite shows, I decided there was no better time to try my hand at something I’ve always wanted to do.

And so, my series The Phoenix and the Dragon was born, based on the Zutara Week 2020 prompts. It all started when I thought up an idea for the prompt “Celestial” and sat down to write a one-shot where the Gaang teaches Zuko how to dance in the days leading up to the comet, and he ends up dancing with Katara under the starlight and moonlight.

Once I finished that (and split it into chapters for my own sanity), I realized I needed to know what happened next. So I plotted out the remainder of the series, one fic that corresponded with each prompt, and the rest is history.

Want lots of fluff, a dose of the occasional angst, and tons of symbolism and callbacks/foreshadowing/all those other literary tropes? That’s what you get with The Phoenix and the Dragon.

(Side note - if anyone were to animate or draw either of the sun shower scenes from this series, you would make my YEAR, and I would tearbend over you forever.)

Since Zutara Week ended a few months ago, I’ve added several extra entries to the series, including a fic that explores things from Mai’s POV and her own personal journey to find happiness.

~*~*~

I’ve also written a handful of one-shots and am finishing up on a 3-part series as well.

My one-shots (all are rated M, so minors beware):

Snuffed Out

This is what happens when I decide to dive into angst. I’ve actually been called a monster for this one, and frankly, I’m quite proud of that. The opening and ending scenes were inspired by Metallica’s “One” and the rest by Slipknot’s “Snuff” - hence the title. Fair warning that it gets dark.

Just For One Day

A return to fluff and happiness - an AU of sorts inspired by David Bowie’s “Heroes.”

Because these lines now forever make me think of the Last Agni Kai, and I get all in my feelings listening to this song now:

“I, I will be king / And you, you will be queen / Though nothing will keep us together / We could steal time, just for one day / We could be heroes, just for one day...”

Sweeter Than Honey, Stronger Than Whiskey

A self-indulgent modern AU Blutara fic entirely inspired by a dream I had while sleeping off the crud, under the influence of decongestant medicine.

AKA, the Blue Spirit actually saves the Painted Lady from the pirates.

~*~*~

It sounds crazy, but diving into writing this series, as well as my other fanfics, has truly helped keep me sane during this difficult year. It’s become my own personal little slice of happiness, and I’m so thankful to each and every one of you who has left a comment or Kudos or expressed their love for my work.

Seriously, you guys mean the world. Love you all, fellow Zutarians.

#@zkfanworkweek #zkfanworkweek #Zutara Fanworks Appreciation Week #zutara #zuko x katara #zuko #katara #the phoenix and the dragon #my fanfic #my stuff

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