#every week is zutara week baby

[sapphic-agent]

So, a Kataang fan made a post about a week ago "asking" (rhetorically, of course) why it's a bad thing Katara acts like Aang's mom. And I just-

First of all, isn't that something that Kataang shippers have been trying to actively dispute for almost two decades at this point? That Katara doesn't treat Aang as a younger brother/son? There's literally an entire post about it from The Headband that's made its rounds on almost every single social media platform.

So which is it, besties? Does Katara act motherly towards Aang or not?

(The answer is yes of course, as The Runaway outright confirms it multiple times. The whole premise of that episode is that Katata acts as a mother to Toph, Sokka, and Aang)

Now, why is it a problem? The fact that I have to explain this is telling for how little a lot of Kataang shippers understand Katara.

Katara was parentified. She took care of Sokka (by his own admission) as well as her entire village after Hakoda left. Even before then really, as she says in the very first episode that she's been doing all the chores around the village since their mother died which was years before that. She was delivering literal babies while basically being a baby herself.

Traveling- and being- with Aang is supposed to represent her freedom and childhood, right? That's what the first episode shows us and what Kataang is built on. But if anything, it has the opposite effect.

Book 1 wasn't terrible. Katara was very free-spirited and joyful in addition to being caring and empathetic. Her and Aang could still goof off together, even if she was doing her best to support him emotionally. You could easily see that as her being a good friend.

But somewhere between Books 2 and 3, that changed. Katara went from being his supportive friend to being his emotional crutch. During The Desert, she bears the brunt of him lashing out (he does yell at Toph once, but he's the most volatile with Katara). He also gets frustrated with her during Sozin's Comet, even though Zuko and Sokka were the ones pushing him. It's always Katara who has to bring him back when he loses control of the Avatar State, risking her own safety.

(This isn't emotional, but it was Katara who healed Aang after Azula's attack. She was the one who stayed by his side, staying awake for hours to make sure he would be okay. I like to look at it as a physical representation of their relationship. Aang's wellbeing is always put on her shoulders. If she isn't there to lift him up, he'll fall. And if he falls, the world falls. No 14 year old should be responsible for that. But it's so easy for the show- and y'all- to shove it onto her because this part of her character is never addressed. It's just used as a testament to her caring nature)

Even without Katara's parentification, this causes a major imbalance in their relationship. It puts Katara in charge of managing Aang's pain and being emotionally unsupported in return. The Southern Raiders is proof that Katara can't depend on Aang emotionally the way he does her. She's been his shoulder to cry on through everything and the one time the tables turned, she couldn't even get that from him.

And the saddest thing about this? Katara says to him, "I knew you wouldn't understand." She never expected Aang to support her. She's become so accustomed to being there for others that she's never once expected anyone to do the same for her, least of all Aang.

(But Zuko does. He's the only one who recognized Katara's pain- admittedly, mostly because it was directed at him- and tried to help her. Without being prompted. I gotta give this one to the Zutara folks)

In what world is this dynamic healthy for a romantic relationship?

#anti kataang #anti kataang shippers #i had to process that post for 3-5 business days #i was flabbergasted #aang critical #i really don't hate aang #at least not in books 1 & 2 #but pushing kataang ruined his character #i might make an analysis on that later #but this isn't about him #criticizing kataang and criticizing aang are two different things for me #because kataang is awful all around #and aang WAS a good character until bryke ruined him #anti bryke #parentification #pro katara #katara deserved better

[kataraslove]

I just really hope that the new ATLA movie will be interesting, bright and exciting, that it will pay tribute to all the characters, but especially to Katara. And there will be kataang in it: wonderful, respectful, supportive relationships. And a huge number of pro-Katara, pro-Aang and pro-kataang new fans will come to the fandom. I hope that the time will come when a respectful and competent and deeper gaze of the canon and canonical characters will dominate the fandom, and the toxic z/tara will remain in the minority (I have nothing against zutara as a ship but I am against lying about characters and hatred, and, unfortunately, I saw most of this in the z/tara fandom). Let the era of peace and kindness finally come for the fandom, as Zuko would say.

one can only hope for that, anon! after that leaked image of adult gaang came out, i saw antis do a complete 180 about their perceptions on kataang. so who knows? however, considering that it's been 15 years, i don't think perceptions on here - or in other places - are really going to change much from people who vehemently despise kataang. i think every interaction and scene between katara and aang, no matter how positive it is, will be spun to be made as if it's negative. i mean, we literally saw their reactions to a COOKBOOK that stated that aang liked to cook for katara. "wow, i can't believe you need a cookbook to confirm that aang does the bare minimum," or, my personal favourite, "katara has to literally baby aang by controlling how much sugar he eats!"

that being said, i'm not interested in changing the minds of people who genuinely believe kataang to be an abusive relationship. what i do want instead is for the adult gaang movie to provide a fandom environment in which kataang shippers are not afraid to admit that they ship kataang. for a whole week after the leaked image was released, there was a kataang renaissance that occurred on twitter, with viral kataang tweets and people coming out and admitting that they enjoyed kataang. much like the kataang renaissance that occurred after the legend of korra first aired (with canon confirmation that katara and aang had three children before bryke ripped that perfect family perception to shreds), i want that same thing to happen following the adult gaang movie, except in a much larger scale, with much more fandom content.

at the end of the day, though, what i really want is for katara to be done justice by this movie; for her to receive the recognition that she deserves after 15 long years of absolutely null. i do believe that she will receive justice in the form of good writing and canon recognition - the signs are all there - but at the same time, i am a little cautious just because it is bryke behind the wheels. those two, in their efforts to explore what they believe to be nuance, tend to leave out a whole bunch of details. simply put, they're not the best writers, and even worse, they've been horrible at receiving criticism in the past. so i hope those are attributes of theirs that have changed over the years, as they've matured and gained more industry experience. i think it has, just based on the things that i've heard from the two, and the fact that they're now part of a gigantic hollywood megacorporation and streaming service that is dependent on the success of avatar studios. speaking of which, you have no idea just how much paramount is riding on avatar studios to become a commercial success. the fate and future of avatar studios are absolutely reliant on this adult gaang movie becoming a huge commercial hit.

... which is my other area of concern. just what are bryke willing to do to ensure that the movie will be a huge hit? what plot points will they introduce? what will they do with the characters? i don't think that they're going to pander to fandom demands (have certain ships become romantic) because they said that they're not going to do that. at the same time, however, what exactly are they going to do? katara and aang aren't the most popular characters in the series, their romantic relationship is an area of contention and controversy among the fanbase; from a business standpoint, how exactly will avatar studios handle this? i don't want any cheap, convoluted, soap-opera. i also don't want a marvel movie in the form of avatar. i want fulfilling character arcs and dynamics and plot points that stay true to the themes of avatar the last airbender. as we've seen with the kyoshi novels, we know that the spirit of avatar can be replicated if the right creative voices are in the writing room, holding the pen.

i suppose that's something that bryke will have to deal with and figure out. no use losing sleep over things we know nothing about. just based on the things that i've seen and read, the contextual clues over the years, the new content from avatar studios, i think we can expect the best, especially as kataang shippers. however, i do approach this whole scenario with some (read: a lot of) caution.

but i absolutely agree with you here (and what you said about zutara shippers):

And a huge number of pro-Katara, pro-Aang and pro-kataang new fans will come to the fandom. I hope that the time will come when a respectful and competent and deeper gaze of the canon and canonical characters will dominate the fandom.

i long for a future in which katara fandom analysis isn't essentially, "she's horribly mistreated by the gaang as their resident Mother. that is, until zuko the liberator comes save her. this is why she would be a perfect firelady." if nothing else, please let the outcome of the movie allow for nuanced perspectives of katara's character.

#kataang #but tbh i've kind of reached that fandom threshold where i'm like idrgaf what you say this is MY interpretation in which i have every right #to hold #sometimes i think about the adult gaang movie and kind of worry but then shrug my shoulders and go 'eh that's a bryke problem' #i just hope they don't sellout their artistic integrity for business god i hate when creators do #like say what you will about lok but that was all their stupid decisions that were subjected to fierce budget cuts #like i respect them in that sense that they will make the Worst Writing Decision Possible (losing the past lives) with their full chest #anyway long story short i think bryke has a lot of potential so long as they're not writing shit #i wholeheartedly believe in u kenneth lin

[gemgirl28]

"There's something you need to know" with Zutara please

Hello there! Thanks for the prompt!

I do hope your ready to brush your teeth after this tooth-rotting fluff.

There's something you need to know.

With the first touch of Agni's rays on the horizon, Zuko felt himself stirring. Hoping to enjoy just a few minutes of cuddling before the chaos of the day took over, Zuko reached for the other side of the bed, frowning when he found it empty. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and looked for Katara.

"Darling?" He called out, bleary eyes scanning the room for his wife. He heard a muffled call from the bathroom. Frowning, he quickly made his way over, gently knocking on the door.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah- I'm fine."

She didn't sound fine. She sounded like she was sick, voice feeble and weary, though he was unsure how much of that had to do with her being awake with the sun.

"Are you sure? Can I come in?"

The moment of silence that followed seemed to stretch into a lifetime. At last she said, "Okay."

She didn't look fine, either. Her hair was damp from sweat, clinging to her scalp in odd places. She was curled up around the basin, one cheek pressed to the cool floor.

"Katara-" he rushed to her side, "-you're sick."

"Yes," she said. "But it's okay."

"No, it's not. I'll call for the physician. And maybe some ginger to settle your stomach?"

Katara laughed and closed her eyes even as her hand sought his. "There's something you need to know."

"Al-Alright." A million terrible things of what possibly was wrong flashed through is mind. "What is it?"

"I didn't want to tell you this way, but you're such a damn early riser, you caught me." She cracked open one eye, a smile tugging at her lips. "If this is anything to go by, our child will be an early riser, too."

"Our- child?"

She squeezed his hand. "I'm pregnant."

Zuko didn't realize he was crying until she wiped away a tear. "We're going to be parents," he whispered. She nodded, scooting closer to him.

"I love you." He kissed her damp forehead and shifted so she was laying in his lap, settling on the floor. "I love you so much. Whatever I can do- however I can make this better for you, I will."

"I know. Just you being here helps." She took his hand and gently placed it over her stomach. He felt his fingers tremble.

"There's a baby in there," he said, awestruck.

"Our baby," she reminded him.

"Our baby," he repeated.

That was how their attendants found them, an hour later, still curled up on the bathroom floor. Lin, having recognized Katara's symptoms a week ago, pulled Ming away, deciding they could come back in a half an hour.

After all, it wasn't every day the Fire Lord found out he was going to be a father.

#tw pregnancy #pregnancy #I think I could write Zuko learning he's going to be a dad a hundred different ways and never get tired of it #thanks for the prompt! #cnchoepimentel #my writing #soft angst prompt #zutara #zutara ficlet

[tiny-katara]

Alright! Now that I've officially finished all my fic contributions for Zutara Week 2022!!! Here is a comprehensive list of all 7 <3

Day 1-Tradition: Breaking Tradition 

To celebrate the Peace Summit, a dance is held the last evening of the week, and Katara has a specific dance partner in mind. Unfortunately, the universe seems to have other plans, sending a fresh new disaster to ruin her evening every year, but Katara is determined to make it happen.

Day 2-Familiar: The Punishment Doesn't Fit the Crime

Zuko was well aware that Katara would kill him for what he was about to do. He wouldn't blame her either. This was a truly heinous crime, but she should've thought about the consequences before she dumped Wasabi all over his favorite kind of fire flakes.

Katara had it coming and Zuko refused to feel sorry for her.

Day 3-Hands: Baby Steps

It's clear to Katara that Zuko has trouble interacting with children, but maybe a little visit to her brother's newborn baby will help him work through it.

Day 4-Meeting: Speaking Through the Sky

This is it," Katara whispered reverently, her words nearly being swept away with the arctic wind. She swallowed. "This was… This was my mom's favorite place in the whole South Pole."

Zuko didn't really get what was so special about this particular block of ice. Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to admit that. Even he knew that was the worst thing he could possibly say in this situation. He assumed the ice looked better in the light, when the sun struck it and it sparkled like the stars above, but Katara had pulled him out here in the bitter wind of a Southern Water Tribe winter night and he was sure she had a reason.

Day 5-Album: But I Miss Screaming and Fighting and Kissing in the Rain (inspired by my beloved big sis. @solborealis)

It's a stormy day when Katara decides she needs to leave the Fire Nation, knowing she can't handle concealing her feelings any longer. She has to get out of there as soon as she can, but what is she supposed to do when Zuko refuses to let her go?

Day 6-Closeness: I'm Sick of Your Shit, Zuzu

Azula is absolutely sick of seeing Zuko and Katara skirt around their feelings, so it's time for her to bring in the cavalry. They are settling this once and for all.

Day 7-Ink: Dearest Katara

Zuko spent forever crafting the perfect letter to give to Katara, telling her all of his complicated feelings, but what is he supposed to do now that it's ruined???

Please keep in mind that these aren't all created equally and some are definitely not as good as others, but I hope they're enjoyed all the same! They are also color-coded by POV for fun!

My personal favorite is Breaking Tradition as it's over SEVEN THOUSAND words and the most polished by far. It also the reason why the middle ones are not as... to my standards lmao.

A very happy (very late) @zutaraweek to you all!!! :)

#zutara #zutara week #zutara week 2022 #zutara fanfic #also #cillana #ana edited everything for me #hehehehe #ily ana

[deliciouspirateangel]

Kataang and Zutara for the ask game 👀

Kataang -

vomit / don’t ship / okay / cute / adorable / perfect / beyond flawless / hot damn / screaming and crying

They are literally everything to me. Baby's first ship. Best friends to lovers. Their story is just so flawless and I still get emotional over it ~15 years later. We started rewatching the show this week and I swear I'm crying at every ep, mainly bc of them. I could gush about them for forever but the important thing is they're perfect and I love them. Truly tied with only Kla/ine as top ship of all eternity

Zutara -

vomit / don’t ship / okay / cute / adorable / perfect / beyond flawless / hot damn / screaming and crying

I hated them when I was 13 and I will continue being a hater purely out of spite alaklsfjsk. Oh baby I was deep in those ship wars. At least things have mellowed out now since half the fandom decided Zuko was gay for Sokka. Means I can have a little peace. But every single Zutara take I've seen on tumblr has been absolute garbage lmao. A complete misinterpretation of literally everything good about Kataang or even just Aang's character. Makes me wonder if they missed the point of the entire show 🙄🙄 Just can't endorse that

send me a ship!

#avatar the last airbender #atla #kataang #send me a ship #asks #my thoughts #gleekidshooray #anti zutara #kataang shipped platinum them zutaras is shipping wood #in the first fucking ep #'maybe there's a bright side to all this' 'i did get to meet you' #excuse me while i fling myself into the sun #like are you fucking kidding #i cant

[dumbassdeny]

hello... uh behold my zutara gif!! I made this and it’s my first time making something like this so yeah,,  („ಡωಡ„)

#avatar #Avatar The Last Airbender #atla #atla katara #atla zuko #ATLA Zutara #Zuko #katara #zuko x katara #Katara x Zuko #zutara #every week is zutara week baby #my OTP #my art

[sol-tinyrayofsun]

Zutara Week Day 3 - Fuse:  Healing Treatment

Alright, this prompt kept running through my head until this came out of it. Though I'm pretty pleased with the results. Well, I'll let you get right into it. Enjoy! And thank you for reading! A03

Title: Healing Treatment

Rating: G

Summary:  Two days after the Agni Kai, Katara and Zuko´s healing sessions are already part of their routines. But talking about what he did for her is not as easy as teasing each other. Some intricate truths are hiding behind their lighthearted attitude. Perhaps those moments when it’s just the two of them will end up bringing a little more amelioration than initially expected. 

------ “Why are you being so stubborn?” Katara asked, placing a hand on his shoulder to stop him from getting up. 

He was not acting in such way. Maybe just a little anxious. Being injured made him feel powerless, paralyzed, like something that needed to be taken care of. And Katara had embraced that task very seriously. Twice a day since the Agni Kai, which had somehow been barely two days ago, she would chase him all over the palace to get him to make time for their healing sessions. It wasn’t that he disliked her attention, not in the slightest, he just wanted to have everything ready for his upcoming coronation. 

“I'm not stubborn,” Zuko replied, letting out an exasperated sigh as he sat back on the bed. “You know I have an endless amount of work to do.”

“Zuko, I’m aware of the fact that you haven’t even been crowned yet and you’re already on the verge of becoming a workaholic,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “But you need to be able to walk without feeling constant pain if you want to be a decent Fire Lord.”

“Fine. Do your thing, but please hurry,” he complied.

Katara raised a brow. “Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?”

“Oh, so now it’s your job to heal me?” Zuko made a playful smirk, a strain of nervousness detectable in his voice. “I’m not that big of a deal.”

“Not that big of a deal?” She threw her hands up in the air. “Shut up and let me heal you already. Unless you want to be even later for all that work you seem so desperate to get done.”

The soon to be crowned Fire Lord nodded in response, wondering if she could tell just how on edge he was. Work was getting in his nerves, sure. But Katara caring so much about his injury had put him in an unusual position. After all, he did jump in front of a lightning bolt for her. Almost dying in the process. Saving her, only to have her save him a few minutes later. 

After undoing his robe, he laid on his back, heavily breathing. There was an unspoken intimacy to that moment. It wasn’t the first time Katara had seen him shirtless, and Agni knew it wouldn’t be the last one since his injury was taking its sweet time to heal, but with each second the air seemed to become heavier around them. 

Session after session, Zuko has found himself feeling more and more lost for words. It was the time of their day to be alone together. During the remaining hours, there was always someone else with them, or they just weren’t together at all, each of them busy with someone else from the team. After all they had gone through, he was somehow the most nervous about that part of their routine. Unbelievable. And somewhat unexpected.

“You know, if you would just listen to me and stopped running around all day, this would heal much faster,” Katara reprimanded him.

“Just get me to be healthy enough in time for the coronation, alright?” he pleaded, crossing his arms under his head. 

“For such a whiner, you look pretty comfortable,” she said as she straightened on the bed, sitting next to him. She made sure to be close enough to do her work, but she left a cautious distance between them.

Katara then leaned onto him and placed her hands over his bare torso as her fingers summoned the water from the small bowl she had brought to his room. She held the liquid over his chest, creating a soft, vibrant glow. Her fingertips brushed his skin in the most gentle way possible. 

“Auch, careful there,” he groaned, allowing a little frown to take over his face.

“Here?” She caressed the spot right beneath his upper left rib. 

He flinched at the added pressure on his wound. “Yeah.” 

“Sorry, the damage’s still recent.” A concerned look appeared in her eyes. 

“Sorry? Don’t be silly, you saved me.” He made a light smile. “It’s doesn’t hurt that bad anymore.”

“But you’re still weak, Zuko,” she insisted. “You know, we never really talked about it.”

“Talk about what?” he asked, fearing the direction the conversation was about to take. “There’s not much to say about it if that’s what you’re thinking.” 

He tried to sit up, causing Katara to grasp his shoulders and gently push him back down. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” she exclaimed, eyes wide open. “I’m not done yet.”

“Nothing - I... I don’t know.” He fought a stutter as he said this. “I’m sorry.”

Their eyes met again, sharing an intense glance. There seemed to be a lot of unsaid things between them. Katara looked like she had something else to state, but remained quiet. Time seemed to slow down. It was only them, in an empty room, vaguely illuminated by the dying light of the afternoon’s sun. 

The waterbender continued treating him, allowing her skilled hands to press down the water onto his chest. Zuko felt her fingertips melting into his skin, already used to the contrast of the cold liquid against his body. Softly breathing in and out, he closed his eyes, easing into the moment. He felt safe under her care, even more, he felt loved. Jumping into a lightning bolt for the girl caressing his bare skin in that exact moment had been the easiest decision he’d ever made. Truth was, he felt weak, exhausted just from even sitting straight during the multiple councils he had to attend. But he couldn't complain. In fact, he would do it all over again. For her. 

The sound of her voice caused him to open back his eyes. Much to his delight, he found her staring. Her blue eyes were glistening, inviting him to get lost into its ocean. The tenderest of smiles framed her face. 

“I was just trying to say…” Katara mumbled. “Thank you. A million times over. What you did was… It meant everything to me. I know you don’t want to talk about it but still, from every bit of my heart, thank you.” 

Zuko blinked, words falling through him, failing to react. He had tried to avoid talking about it. It was because he knew there would be no turning back if he allowed his feelings to come to light. Saving her had been like saving a part of himself. In a split second, he had chosen to give it all up for her. It frightened him even, to recognize such intense emotions racing through him. His willingness to do anything because, Agni, he needed to see her happy with every fiber of his being. It scared him in a way he couldn’t quite put into words. Warm yet nerve-racking at the same time. 

“Zuko?” Katara asked, noticing his silence. “You alright?”

In what could only be described as a sheer impulse, he placed his hand over hers, gently brushing his fingers through the water. 

“Katara, it’s not that I don’t want to talk about it. It’s just - It’s done. You saved me, I saved you… I would do it again. We’re even now. We can move forward.”

“Still, I’m not about to just forget about it.” There was a strain of earnestness in her voice. 

“Great, because I wouldn’t want you to stop treating this annoying injury. I’m not sure if I would make it without your help.”

She raised a brow, making a soft smirk. “Is the mighty Fire Lord admitting he needs me?” 

“Well,” he started to say, his hand still pressing onto hers. “I thought that little secret was out already.”

Katara took a good look at him before tilting her head to stare at his new scar. A mark on his chest he had received to protect her. She seemed surprised at his words, a bit unsure of their meaning. Maybe the implications of the sacrifice they had made for each other frightened her too. After all, neither of them would be there without one another. 

Zuko stood still, allowing her to take all the time she needed. The water was still flowing through his bare torso, carefully repairing the damage that had been inflicted on him. Agni, he wanted to say something, anything. He wanted her to know every thought that was running through his mind at that very moment. But, how? How to explain everything she meant to him when he barely understood it himself? Still, he was sure it would kill him if she didn’t know a part of him was complete with pieces of her. 

She finally looked back at him, a little misty-eyed. “Zuko, I - I could’ve lost you.”

He frowned, surprised by her sudden statement. “And I could’ve lost you, Katara. But we didn’t.”

“I swear if something happened to you… I don’t think I would’ve been able to get past it.” Her eyes shifted to the window as her voice started to shake. 

“Hey, look at me.” He extended his free hand to softly cup her cheek, calling for her attention. “I’m not going anywhere, alright? I’ll even let you add a third daily session to my schedule if that helps you feel better. Who cares about work, I don't ever want to see you sad.” 

His fingers caressed her skin, both on her cheek and the back of her hand. Amid the coldness from the water and the heat of their bodies, their eyes found each other. Zuko felt a wave of relief flooding right through him as Katara made a soft yet tender smile.

“I think I’ll take the extra healing session. You need to be in shape for your coronation,” she said, chuckling. 

He tugged her hair behind her ear, hesitating about what to say next. He could barely believe what was happening. The familiarity of the situation, the way they had gotten so used to such proximity between them. That closeness took his breath away. She took his breath away. The girl he had jumped in front of a lightning bolt for. The same girl that had risked everything to be able to save him. She was everything. 

“Katara, I…” His voice trailed off. 

Why was it so hard to confess his feelings? 

“Yeah?” she asked, leaning closer and closer to him. “What is it?”

“Um, nothing important,” he mumbled. “Just - Just that it means a lot that you take the time to do this and…”

Without even realizing it, he had been getting closer as well. They were just centimeters away now, their noses almost touching, her hands pressing down on his chest. His fingers still brushing her skin, bringing her warmth. 

“And?” A strain of eagerness was detectable in her voice. 

Oh, screw it. The time was now. Right there and then. Together. 

“And I’m dying to kiss you,” he blurted out, fighting a stutter. “I mean, as long as that’s okay with you.” 

Katara’s eyes widened, a welcoming expression taking over. Then, she kissed him. It was a soft kiss, almost timid. But Zuko could feel himself melting on the spot. He had never been so flustered, yet the water resting on his chest offered a refreshing polarity to the rising temperature of the room. Even the air that surrounded them seemed heavier. His lips pressed onto hers as if he was clinging to dear life. But the rest of his body laid flat in the bed, frozen, melted, in complete awe of the situation. 

When she finally pulled apart, the brightest of smiles framed her face. 

“So what do you say?” she teased. “You think it’s okay with me?” 

He let out a soft laugh, still trying to believe his luck. What did he do to deserve her?

“Let me tell you what,” he replied with a playful smirk. “Try again and I’ll get back to you on it.” 

“I think I can work with that. But first, let me get this out of the way.” With a simple movement of her wrist, she returned the water to the bowl resting on top of the nightstand. “I think you’ve had enough healing for today.” 

“Yes ma’am. Whatever you say.” He laughed as he moved over, leaving extra room for her next to him. 

Katara giggled, burying her hands into his hair as she leaned over him even closer than before. “I’m taking note of how relaxed you suddenly seem about all that work you claimed to have.”

Zuko didn’t even have time to respond because she rapidly proceeded to kiss him again, this time with more intensity. He didn’t care though, all that mattered to him was right there. He ran his fingers through her hair, her cheeks, her neck, everything about her made his heart skip a hundred beats. 

They had finally allowed their feelings to come to the surface. It had only taken a lightning bolt, multiple healing sessions, and an elliptical conversation. After saving one another, that simple kiss could be translated into a thousand different words. Truths that would be said at the right time. But at that moment, melting away into each other seemed more than enough

----- I hope you enjoyed this! Remember that feedback is always appreciated. Happy Zutara Week everyone! <3  @zutaraweek

#zutara #zutara week 2020 #zutara fanfiction #zuko x katara #every week is zutara week baby #atla

[allnewalldifferentwildspider]

Zuko & Katara's Relationship Dynamic

This is like the third or fourth time I've tried to write up this post so please bare with me.

Oh wow. That video. Hopefully everyone has seen it now. Not only did it articulate arguments I've been making for years, but it also brought up ideas I had never thought of or noticed before. Watching that and watching the second half of Book 3 again (because it's my favorite) made me want to redo my zutara dynamic post.

I'm going to be using the tiny bits and pieces the show gave us to see how Zuko and Katara's relationship looks and how it would look if they gave us more because...Bryke really fucking hated zutara. I mean, I guess they did.

Katara is compassionate; Zuko is empathetic

A lot of anti-zutara arguments have said that Zuko and Katara could never be together because they would constantly fight and hate each other and it end sooner than later. Not only does this actually describe maiko, but that argument would need to ignore the characters' actual character.

One of Katara's biggest character traits is how compassionate she is. She has a drive to help others and ease their pain. Whether it's getting Aang out of the iceberg or healing a Fire Nation fishing village, Katara will go out of her way to help someone in need.

Katara: No. I will never ever turn my back on people who need me.

Zuko is very emotional and passionate person. As much as he tried to hide it to appease his father, Zuko does want to open up and connect with people. Unfortunately, aside from his uncle, most of the other people he knows are like Zhao and Azula. Not the most understanding of crowds. But because of this he can pick up what people are really thinking and feeling. Think of it as a defense mechanism he developed growing up around people like Azula.

Get these two kinds of people together and you get the crystal catacombs scene. Katara lashes out at Zuko until she breaks down. When she does Zuko opens up with empathy since they have something in common. This creates the beginning of an understanding between the two. Zuko uses that to finally open up to someone who isn't his uncle and Katara listens and reaches out to help. Contrast to the first episode of Book 3 when Zuko tries to voice his thoughts and concerns to Mai and she...doesn't really care.

Something similar happens during The Southern Raiders. Zuko figures out that Katara is taking out her anger of being separated from her father by The Fire Nation onto him and even connecting her mother's death to him.

It's not the first time Zuko has done this either. He easily figured out that Sokka was planning on going to The Boiling Rock. He does it again during Sozin's Comet when he tells Katara that Aang needs to figure out what to do about Ozai by himself.

There's a noticeable pattern of behavior by the time Sozin's Comet arrives. Zuko voices his concerns about meeting his uncle again and Katara is right there to help him through it.

Zuko's empathy combined with Katara's compassion creates almost a cycle of understanding and emotional vulnerability that the two can't really get with anyone else. One notices the other having concerns or problems and goes to give comfort by words or by actions.

Zuko still has a temper but so does Katara

Even after Zuko's fever dream character change thing, even after The Day of Black Sun, he still has it in him to yell at anyone who commits even the slightest transgressions against him:

Aang: That one felt kinda hot. Zuko: Don't patronize me. You know what it's supposed to look like. Aang: Sorry, sifu hotman. Zuko: And stop calling me that!

Sokka: So all we have to do is make Zuko angry. Easy enough. *pokes him with his sword* *annoying laugh* Zuko: All right! Cut it out!

Maybe it's the firebender in him or maybe he really is just like that. Basically if you annoy him, he'll let you know. What people sometimes overlook is that while it takes Katara a bit longer, she also gets worked up when people upset her.

Toph: What's the matter? Can't handle some dirt, Madame Fussy Britches? Katara: Oh, sorry, did I splash you, mud slug?

And remember, it was Katara getting angry at Sokka that even broke the iceberg that revealed Aang.

Katara: Ugh, I'm embarrassed to be related to you! Ever since Mom died I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier! Sokka: Uh... Katara? Katara: I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you, NOT PLEASANT! Sokka: Katara! Settle down! Katara: No, that's it. I'm done helping you. From now on, you're on your own!

The point is that it is both Zuko and Katara that are very passionate and emotional people. One of them isn't emotionally dominating the other because they both wear their emotions on their sleeves.

This also comes in to play when they set goals for themselves. When Zuko sets a goal, he puts everything into it. Katara is the same way. The difference is that Zuko's drive sometimes gives him a one-track mind while Katara is more flexible. Like for example Zuko being so focused on finding Aang before Sozin's Comet that he ignores Toph's story about her childhood versus Katara wanting to go to the North Pole but taking time to stop and help whoever they come across.

This passion also fuels their values and how strongly they stand by their beliefs. I already put The Painted Lady quote up above but Zuko's morality is what is making him so angry at himself during The Beach. He knows what he did was wrong, but he couldn't face it yet.

Sometimes their emotions get the better of them, but it's only because they are passionate about what they're doing.

Their natural teamwork is amazing

I can't provide a lot of clues in this bit because it's more of a visual thing. Just consider how flawlessly their plans worked during their attack on The Southern Raiders. Especially when you consider that it was a stealth mission so they barely even said anything to each other during and it still went incredibly well.

You could see it again during their mock battle with The Melon Lord. Sokka must have noticed because he paired them together to deliver some "liquidy-hot offence." And they pulled it off, again, without having to say anything.

They've only been a team for a few weeks(?), days(?) but they act as if they've been doing it for years.

They trust each other's judgment

Piggybacking of the previous point, Zuko and Katara have only been a team for a while but there seems to be a level of understanding in terms of judgement. They both know that whatever the other chooses is going to be a well-thought out decision. Maybe it's because they see each other as the mature members of the group even though Sokka is the same age as Zuko? I don't know.

Aang disappears right before they embark on their fight against the Fire Lord, and out of nowhere, Katara puts Zuko in charge.

Zuko: Get out of the bison's mouth, Sokka. We have a real problem here. Aang is nowhere to be found and the comet is only two days away. Katara: What should we do Zuko? Zuko: I don't know. Why are you all looking at me? Katara: Well, you are kind of the expert on tracking Aang.

and that wasn't the first time in that episode that she went along with one of Zuko's decisions

Katara: Aang, don't walk away from this. *She begins to walk towards him as a hand touches her shoulder to stop her from doing so.* Zuko: Let him go. He needs time to sort it out by himself.

As a lot of people have pointed out during the entirety of The Southern Raiders, Zuko never gives a suggestion on what he thinks Katara should do. Aside from making it a stealth mission, he follows her lead the entire way.

Katara teases Zuko (and he lets her)

The fun one. This one has two parts: pre and post The Southern Raiders.

Before The Southern Raiders, Katara was tolerating Zuko. She was still angry with him about the betrayal at Ba Sing Se. Getting little jabs at him was the only thing that was really helping her from loosing her cool around him.

Katara: I'm sorry. I'm just laughing at the irony. You know... how it would have been nice for us if you lost your firebending a long time ago? Zuko: Well it's not lost. It's just weaker for some reason. Katara: Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are. Toph: Ouch.

He just finished yelling at Aang and Sokka but all he does is glare at Katara. She does it again, but to be fair, he kind of set himself up for it.

Zuko: It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old! Katara: Oh yeah? What's your little form called? Zuko: ...The Dancing Dragon.

Then comes post The Southern Raiders and...yeah, she's still picking on him and he still lets her. Granted it's a lot more playful this time around.

Zuko: They make me totally stiff and humorless. Katara: Actually, I think that actor's pretty spot on. Zuko: How could you say that? Actor Uncle: Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages. Actor Zuko: How could you say that?! (Cut back to Katara wearing a satisfied grin on her face and she looks to an expressionless Zuko as he slouches in his seat.)

I love pointing it out every time. She teases him and he does nothing about it.

Katara: Er, no. I was looking for cooking pots in the attic and I found this. Look at baby Zuko! Isn't he cute? Oh lighten up, I was just teasing.

And she admits it!

-

So what can we take away from this? From what little time they were given together (thanks, Bryke) it seems that Zuko and Katara really understand each other on an intimate emotional level. They can sense when the other is distressed and offer comfort. They're both passionate in and out of combat, for better or for worse. They're comfortable with each other as if they've known each other for years even though it's such a short time. Katara also likes to add a little bit of playfulness in there with Zuko letting her have her fun, again, showing how comfortable they are with each other.

I do think their relationship could have gone to romantic sooner than later if you would have given it a bit more time. Like first half of a hypothetical Book 4.

To me, at least.

#zutara #zuko #katara #anti kataang #anti bryke

[antizutaraweek]

Anti-Zutara Week 2022 Information

So I noticed the Zutarians have been a bit uppity lately with the Renaissance and all, so maybe it’s time we sane people in this nice little fandom knock em down a peg. Okay, maybe five. Ten pegs. However many pegs it takes to damn the Zutarians to hell. And because of that, I’ve asked a few of my lovely fandom friends to compile a master list of all the reasons why Zutara cannot, should not, and must not exist. This list is not exhaustive, and I want the real AtLA people here to comment on any reasons they thought were left out. Anyways, here goes nothing!

SIKE! Dante Basco ships Zutara, so it’s superior. Don’t believe it? Here:

Told you so. Juggernaut ship of the fandom, and the ship to start the concept of a ship week, and this is how y’all betray us? For shame. But because Dante Basco himself shipping it ain’t enough for SOME PEOPLE there���s more:

“Zutara is incompatible” well if compatibility was the goal then maybe some of you should stop shipping a whiny bitchy monk with our homegirl Katara then. Go find someone better to ship her with Jesus Christ. I dunno, maybe our favorite prince doesn’t seem so bad compared to some of the other choices.

“You rise with the moon, I rise with the sun.” We have all the damn symbolism in the world. Oma and Shu. Sun and Moon. Fire and Water. Push and pull. Seriously? And no one notices the pattern here?! It’s almost as if SOME PEOPLE intended Zutara to happen but then chickened out because they were a bunch of wimps.

Also, Zutara was even hinted at in the original trailers, and EVERYONE watched Book 3 for that. Everyone with a brain cell in this fandom, at least. Let’s not forget how everyone CHEERED at the slightest hint of this ship being endgame for AtLA.

Also, THE NECKLACE. The betrothal necklace. The betrothal necklace chosen especially for Katara. Katara’s betrothal necklace. That one. So… that part about our favorite exiled Fire Nation prince putting a necklace signifying betrothal onto Katara? And the fact that he didn’t just hold on to it but he WORE IT ON HIS ARM? It would take someone with zero brain cells to not see the damn connections and yet here we are!

Oh sure, Zuko would have taken the lightning for just anybody. Really? Well if you have just a tiny bit of eyesight (I know it can be difficult, bear with me), you can even see the CRESCENT MOON IN THE LIGHTNING. Who’s represented with moon symbolism in this damn series? That’s right. It’s ya girl Katara. Zuko may have taken lightning for anybody, sure, but he did it for KATARA. QED.

For those of us in the audience who do have said eyesight we also gain the ability to notice that Zutara share their bending forms by the time of the finale. Can’t say there’s no symbolism there now, can you?

Also, if you put yourself into the position of Katara, would you choose the whiny baby that you have to mother at every turn, or the hot 16yo Zuko ith them washboard abs? Case in point, Zuko tiddy:

There, Zuko tiddy done. Bask in our glory, heathens.

But that’s not all!

The Avatar's Love theme originates in the scene where Katara is healing Zuko post-Agni Kai. It turns up in the Catacombs, and in the Cave of the Two Lovers. So the theme, meant to signify the deepest love and affection in this show, comes from when KATARA is healing ZUKO. Come on, people, the connection ain’t hard to make!

Also, Uncle Iroh ships Zutara. Pass it on.

Seriously, people, open your damn eyes! Open your eternal souls to the truth!

#anti zutara #anti zutara week 2022 #atla #atla fandom #atla fandom drama #atla drama #katara #zuko #anti katara x zuko #anti idiocy

[whentheynameyoujoy]

Yup, Sure Was a Finale

I had an epiphany. The reason why I never re-watched the final two parts of Sozin’s Comet even though I’ve popped in episodes at random many times over the years isn’t that I can’t bear the sadness of seeing one of the best, most engaging narratives out there come to an end.

It’s simply that the finale isn’t all that good.

Some honorable mentions of what was enjoyable.

(+) This

Just this.

(+) The Church of Zutara has another convert

“Are you sure they don’t get together?” Hubster, 2020

(+) The tragedy of Azula

And the fact that it’s acknowledged as such. I hope Zuko will do his best to get her help and have a relationship with her…

(+) Sokka being a big bro

And the whole airship sequence in general. It’s wonderfully paced and plotted, with moments of humor, real stakes, Toph being both badass and a scared crying kid, Sokka strategizing and protecting, Suki saving the day, and non-benders being instrumental in thwarting the bad guy firebender’s plans. Would be shame if Bryke never portrayed them this capable ever again…

And now for the main course.

(-) Blink and its over

The wrap-up feels too quick (hashtag Needs More ROtK-style False Endings). A part of this is due to how fast the story goes from the thick of the action to hastily tying up a bunch of loose ends, but the larger issue is how Book 3’s uneven pacing comes home to roost. After spending half a season on filler episodes that at best subtly flesh out established characters while dancing around a huge lionturtle-shaped hole, and at worst contradict the theme of “no one is born bad” with “you’re a hot mess because your great-grandfathers didn’t get along too well”, the frantic “go go go” rush of the second half screeches to a halt with “they won and everyone was happy because now the right people have power and it will be all good from now on yup nothing more to deal with baiiiii”.

Yes, I know, it’s a kids’ show. But goddamn, this particular kids’ show has proven so many times it can do better than the expected tropiness. Showing the characters in their roles as builders of a new world was the least that could have been done.

Oh well!

(-) Ursa

We’ll never know. There will never be a story that delves into this. Yup. Shall forever remain but an intriguing mystery. Is good, though. Mystery is better than a story where Ursa shares her son’s penchant for forgetfulness. Imagine how embarrassing that would be. Speaking of which…

(-) What does Mai see in this jerkbender?

Look, I like to harp a lot on the mess of inconsistent writing that’s Mai but let’s unpack this scene from her perspective, shall we?

Zuko forgot about her! It totally slipped his mind that the one person who prioritized the safety of his dumb ass was rotting in the worst prison in the Fire Nation—because of him! And she was rotting there long enough after the final Agni Kai for the news of Zuko’s upcoming coronation to spread and her uncle to feel sufficiently secure to release her. But then the coronation scene is attended by every single member of Gaang & Friends that was imprisoned?

So what this tells me is that either a) the invasion force had the ability to break themselves out the whole time and for some reason decided not to exercise it until after the war was over, b) Zuko forgot about them as well and no one thought to remind him there were prisons full of POWs until Mai arrived, or, and that’s even better, c) Zuko took care to free every single resistance fighter while making sure Mai would be the one to stay behind bars.

Never thought I’d say this but Mai? Honey? You deserve so much better.

(-) “What does Katara want?”

Asked no one in the writers’ room ever, apparently.

This is not so much anti Cataang as anti romance stories that pay attention to the needs, opinions, and wants of only one partner in general. Over the previous 60 episodes, Katara actively expressed romantic interest in Aang exactly, wait for it,

Once.

And it got retconned out of relevance by the following two interactions where the possibility of a romantic relationship came up, making the Headband dance pretty easy to reclassify as just one of those examples where Aang “teaches” Katara to have fun (as if one of the main obstacles to her having fun wasn’t him constantly fooling around and offloading his duties). And because the writers not only didn’t succeed in portraying Katara’s internal state of mind, but also failed to root her reluctance to pursue a relationship in outside circumstances that could change, her sudden state of unconfused once Aang steps into the spotlight has a single canonical explanation that as much as approaches coherency.

The fact is, though, that trying to interpret canon Cataang from a Watsonian perspective is an exercise in foolishness. Because there is no Watsonian justification for the ship and never has been. Bryke simply conceived of Katara as nothing but a tropey prize for Aang, never saw her as anything beyond that, and were perfectly happy to go on and immortalize her as a passive broodmare for the rest of her life.

And I fully intend to die mad about it.

(-) Iroh dips

OK, it’s been long apparent that the show doesn’t intend to do anything about Iroh’s complicity in AzulOzai’s regime in any meaningful way, and that his sole motivation for doing anything whatsoever is Zuko whom he views as a replacement son which is supposed to be good for some reason. But the finale has him abandon even that, and instead turns him full-on YOLO, idgaf anymore. It really throws Iroh’s supposed love for Zuko into doubt when his last act in the entire show is to take a half-educated 16-year old with no political savvy or an heir to secure a dynastic continuity and plomp him on the throne of a war-mongering imperialist regime where the entirety of the militarist and ruling class is guaranteed to fight him tooth and nail for power.

(I sure hope Mai’s ready to start popping out babies by tea-time otherwise the whole country is fukd in about a week)

Christ, how hard would it be to have Iroh keep the throne warm for a few years while Zuko is getting ready to succeed him? Not only would it make the whole FN reformation bit quite likelier to occur, it would require Iroh’s hedonistic ass to actually sacrifice something for once. And not having Zuko ascend to power, instead spending some time bettering and educating himself first, would be a wonderful message that no matter what you endured and overcame, you never stop growing. A kids’ show, remember?

(-) The conquering of Ba Sing Se

Gee, I feel so blessed to have my attention diverted from battlefields which actually matter to an old dude vanity project I would have been perfectly happy to assume resolved itself off-screen.

The White Lotus in general just bugs me. I was fine with the individual characters and their overall passivity when they were portrayed as lone dissenters living under circumstances where it wasn’t really possible for any single person to mount a meaningful resistance. But as members of a far-reaching shadowy organization that’s left the real fight to a bunch of kids for 59 episodes straight and didn’t turn up until a perfect opportunity presented itself to take control of the largest city in the world and bask in the spotlight?

Yeah, no.

Similarly to the lionturtle-ex-machina, the White Lotus represents a huge missed opportunity for a season-long storytelling. Here’s just a brief list of what they could have been doing throughout Book 3:

orchestrating a Fire Nation uprising;

gathering those directly persecuted by AzulOzai’s regime to help Zuko keep his hold on power once he’s crowned;

establishing themselves as a viable alternative to Ozai;

sabotaging Fire Nation’s war efforts from the inside;

countering Fire Nation propaganda (Asha Greyjoy’s pinecones, anyone?);

running a supply network to alleviate the suffering of Earth Kingdom citizens.

Instead, they sit on their asses until the time comes to claim personal glory.

You know what, good on Bryke for making me conclude that in comparison, the Freedom Fighters were perfectly unproblematic, actually.

(-) Fire Lord Dead-by-Dawn

Yes, a kids’ show, I know! But ffs, this is the same kids’ show that came up with Long Feng and portrayed courtly intrigue, kingly puppets, secret police, spy networks, and information wars. Was it really too much of me to expect something other than “enlightened despot solves everything”? Especially if said enlightened despot has persisting anger issues, no personal support system, no base of followers, and no political experience whatsoever?

If Zuko’s actually serious about regaining the Fire Nation’s honor (i.e. by dismantling the country’s military machine, decolonizing the Earth Kingdom, paying reparations to everyone and their lemur, and funding any and all cultural restoration projects Aang and the SWT come up with), then there is no way, no way in the universe that he doesn’t face a civil war, deposing, and execution within a month.

One reason why his future as a Fire Lord seems rather bleak is that little’s been shown about the actual subjects of AzulOzai’s regime. While we get a vague reassurance that “no Toph, they’re not born bad” (le shockings), they largely remain a voiceless uniform mass of brainwashed clapping seals. What is their view on the Fire Nation’s crimes? Do they associate their condition with their country’s war-mongering? How will they react when Zuko starts dismantling the country piece by piece to rebuild it, bringing it to economic ruin? What will they do when noble Ozai loyalists come out of the woodwork and begin rounding them up under the banner of “Make the Fire Nation Great Again?”

I have no idea, and Zuko doesn’t either because he’s unironically more qualified to rule the Earth Kingdom than his own people.

You know what would have been better? Fire Lord Iroh, White Lotus pulling the strings to maintain the regime, and Crown Prince/People’s Champion Zuko travelling the Fire Nation with Aang and an army of tutors to promote the new boss, only to realize that absolute monarchy is kinda crap for the people he’s one day supposed to rule and gaining their support by ceding some power to them.

I’d laser holes into my TV due to how much I’d enjoy watching that.

(-) All hail Avatar Rock

Literally and metaphorically. Aang doesn’t sacrifice anything, gets everything, and the clever solution of going about getting said everything is handed to him on a silver platter, requiring no active participation on his part whatsoever.

He doesn’t work to unblock his chakras, spiritually or physically.

He only speaks to his past lives to get a pat on the back and a bow-tied solution he could mindlessly follow.

Energy-bending doesn’t require any sacrifice from him, leaves no lasting marks, and only serves for the narrative to praise him as the rare individual that’s unbendable and thus so very very special.

The most infuriating thing is, however, that Aang is clearly shown as being able to beat Ozai without either the Avatar state, or energy-bending.

And he chooses not to. From this moment on, Aang no longer fights to save the world. He fights to preserve his beliefs, going directly against the instructions of his past lives and effectively reneging on his duties as the Avatar.

Again.

It’s not like you can’t portray Aang’s faithfulness to his spiritual beliefs as the key to beating Ozai and saving the world. But that’s not what the show did. There is no link between Aang sparing Ozai and securing a better future, quite to the contrary—Ozai’s survival ends up being a massive problem for the continuation of Zuko’s rule, and consequently a threat to the world at large. His survival benefits Aang and no one else.

Aang’s spiritual purity and his status as a savior of the world are allowed to coexist only due to a deliberate stroke of a writer’s pen.

And I hate it.

Welp, nothing to do about it now except to bury myself up to my tits in fix-it fics I guess.

#atla #atla rewatch #meta #zutara #anti bryke #anti-kataang #anti-aang #anti-maiko

[stitch1830]

Hola Stitch, my favorite little blue alien, you! 💙

I’m feeling for Aunt Zutara (and uncle Zuko) HCs for the Kantoph babies (metal babies?).

I just love Toph and Katara’s sisterhood friendship and would love to know how these two would support each other through motherhood. And what are your thoughts about it.

Hope you’re having a lovely day!

YES YES OKAY ZUTARA WITH METALBABIES :D These ideas have been living in my mind rent free for a little bit and I’m so glad you asked :’)

To start, I see Katara and Zuko having two girls (Kya and Izumi) in this AU, and then Toph and Kanto have a girl and a boy (Lin and Jian).

Zuko absolutely loves spending time with Lin, and then Lin with his girls is just added fun! They’re all energetic and adorable and for the most part, Lin is basically a carbon copy of Toph and Zuko thinks it’s so fun to see a mini Toph running around. He spoils the girls to no end, and whenever he’s with Lin, he always gives her a piece of chocolate or something.

Lin likes to pretend that she’s much bigger and older than she actually is, so she likes having tea with Uncle Zuko and ‘play’ Pai Sho, even though she mainly just organizes the pieces into pretty patterns on the board.

Perhaps Lin loves animals, and so whenever the Beifong’s visit the Fire Nation, Zuko has a new stuffed animal waiting for her, and they always spend a day feeding the turtle ducks. And whenever Zuko carries her around the palace, she just has a list of facts for whatever animal she’s obsessed with for that week.

He loves spending time with Jian, too, especially because Jian is a firebender (Kanto has some FN blood in him, but it was still a surprise when Jian sneezed a little fireball for the first time). When Jian’s older, Zuko teaches him a few moves, but as a baby/young boy, Jian prefers the company of his mother or his aunt, so he usually ends up conceding and giving his attentions to his daughters and niece.

Katara, while she loves all her nieces and nephews immensely, has a very soft spot for Jian.

He’s very giggly to start, and his smile and laugh are absolutely infectious. He loves smelling flowers despite his allergies, but his sneezes are really cute so it’s not that big of a deal lol. When he’s older, he likes to pick flowers for his Auntie. In general though, he loves giving his Aunt Katara things to hold or to share when they play. Flowers, dirt, stuffed animals, wrappers, bracelets, etc. Whatever he picks up, he likes to give to his aunt (some items are not so cute, but his smile makes it really hard to be mad at him LOL).

I feel like he shows his affection a lot through touch because Toph shows her affection that way, so whenever Katara carries him around, he keeps a hand on her cheek.

Kanto is very big on putting his kids in footie pajamas (much to Toph’s dismay), and Katara fully supports his mission, so she always buys new footie pajamas for them every time she sees them!

Jian is a great listener, too, so when Katara holds him and chats with him, he just snuggles his face against her neck, hand on her cheek, and giggles or smiles every now and then.

But when he sees his mama, he points to her and gets all excited and yells and everything and Katara just smiles and goes, “Yeah, buddy! That’s your mama!”

Katara absolutely loves seeing it, she gets a sneak peek at the joy on both Jian and Toph’s faces, and she definitely enjoys the moment.

Okay and then the final bit about Toph and Katara being best friends and going through motherhood with one another and supporting each other? A favorite thought in any AU. Toph and Katara are just amazing friends and it’s a given that they visit one another all the time (I also like to HC that Katara delivers the metalbabies, or just Toph’s babies in any AU haha). I think for Toph, being able to interact with Katara’s kids before having kids of her own gave her confidence and a bit of reassurance when she did become a mother, and with Katara, I think she really admires how well Toph adjusted to the change. I can see Katara being a little concerned at first, but then there was a moment where she saw Toph interact with the steambabies or Toph’s own babies, and she saw how much Toph cared for them that Katara knew in that instant that Toph was going to be a great mom.

Okay I think I gushed long enough, but really, I just… I love these ideas so much and I’m trying to write fics for them because my heart and soul need it. Anyway, thanks for indulging my zutara/kantoph fluff needs! This was absolutely perfect and they deserve all the fluffy moments. Hope you have a great day Nanu!!! :D

……

Send me asks about ATLA, or anything, really! :D

#zutara #kantoph #Zuko #katara #toph #toph beifong #kanto #lin #lin beifong #oc Jian beifong #kya ii #Izumi #atla #lok #headcanons #my asks #thanks for the ask! #Nanu #I think I’ve turned into a puddle #aunt katara and uncle Zuko are just #*chefs kiss* #they’re so good with the metalbabies #which is good because the metalbabies don’t like going to most people #lol

[zutaraopm]

Walang iwanan,

ZutaraOPM 💜

PS. Sa mga gusto pang humabol ng kanilang entries, go lang nang go! Nandito lang kami para maki-share sa feels. Sabi nga ni beshy Mae, "Every week is Zutara week, baby!" 💕

#zutara #zutaraopm #zutara filipino week #ZKFilipinoWeek #ZKFilipinoWeek2021 #zk filipino week 2021 #zutara lang sakalam #zutara pa rin mga ulol #atla #avatar the last airbender #atla events

[stealing-jasons-job]

fic writer interview

Tagged by @burninghoneyatdusk and @andromedabennet — thank you, my loves ❤️

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

24 (but 25 will be posted this week, if this smut scene will cooperate)

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

204, 782

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Two — mostly Bellarke, but one Gendrya. I'm hoping to start posting Darklina, Zutara, Helnik, Darknik (Dark Daddy + Nina), and maybe Chenford if I ever escape the hellscape that is my Bellarke prompt list. lol

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Intertwining your soul (with somebody else): Rated E. Canonverse AU where Bellamy is heda. He's supposed to marry Gina to solidify the coalition, but him and Clarke are in love with each other. A fuckton of angst ensues. This is a WIP, only a few chapters shy of being completed! This fic is definitely my baby, so I'm really excited that the response has been so great.

But if this man came up to me: Rated T. Modern AU. Clarke and Bellamy accidentally go TikTok famous... and fall in love in the process.

Darling you and me, we can take the world: Rated E. S7 Spec where they torture Clarke with M-Cap and Bellamy finally breaks. Yk... back when we had hope for a Bellarke endgame for this godforsaken show.

The Choices We Make: Rated M currently, but it'll be E by the end. Greys Anatomy AU. This was my very first WIP posted, and it's on hiatus right now while I write my @t100fic-for-blm prompts. But I still love it and can't wait to be able to dedicate more time to it eventually.

Whatever may come, your heart I will choose: Rated M. The post-S7 AU we all deserved with the perfect dash of angst, a good bit of fluff, and a happy fucking ending. Oh, and a jab or two at Jason for funsies.

5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

I try to! Usually, it's in batches, but some slip through the cracks. But just know that I love every single comment I get, and I am so very happy anyone deigns to read my shit. lol

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Probably the original ending for @wreck-jroth-club. After some debate with the broader group, I decided to add an extra chapter that was a continuation of the final chapter that actually ended happily. But originally that fic had a very bittersweet ending.

I've flip-flopped a lot on whether to end Intertwining your souls happily or not. But I think @burninghoneyatdusk might actually murder me in my sleep if I don't end it happily, so idk if I'll follow through on that. lol

7. Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you’ve written?

I haven't written one to date, but I do have one planned and on my prompt list! It'll be a Queen of the South/The 100 crossover where Jeresa are... well, Jeresa, and Bellarke are DEA agents trying to take them down. Lots of angst. Some smut. All the pining. Maybe a happy ending, but likely not for one of those ships.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

None. But I also haven't really written anything the Bellarke fandom would consider controversial (read: I've never dared to have Bellarke sleep with anyone else or written their relationship as that messy).

I'm sure it's only a matter of time, though.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes, though most of my fics are more T or M. Smut is something I struggle with from a writing perspective, so on prompts that don't require smut, I tend to just fade to black. But my WIPs pretty much all either do or will include smut.

I don't know what kind of smut I write. It's just...smut. Sometimes kinky. Sometimes more vanilla. Always orgasmic for the characters involved. lol

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of, but honestly who knows? A few of my friends have had fics plagiarized or stolen (a couple even within the Bellarke fandom, which seems like a stupid move but bitches out here be bold, ig), so I wouldn't be shocked if a stolen fic of mine lives somewhere.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Someone has translated one of my fics into Russian for a different fansite, but I think that's it!

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

If you count the @wreck-jroth-club fic collab, yes! And @writetheniteaway and I have a co-written fic prompt coming up for @slyth-princess soon.

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Bellarke is really the only ship I've written fanfic for or been involved in the fandom, but my actual OTP is Cammie/Zach from The Gallagher Girls series.

A few other heavy-hitters include: Bellarke (The 100), Braimie (Game of Thrones), Jess x Rory (Gilmore Girls), Japril (Grey's Anatomy), Jem x Tessa (Infernal Devices), Darknik (Grishaverse), LoVe (Veronica Mars), Josh x Donna (The West Wing), Danny x CJ (The West Wing), Garcy (Timeless), Zutara (ATLA)

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

My Timeless AU. I'm actually going to take it down and convert it into a Darklina fic. So the idea will live on, but not as Bellarke.

15. What are your writing strengths?

Writing within a canon storyline. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at taking characters and staying true to who they are in canon through my writing.

I am also an ideas person. So outlining plots, coming up with prompts, workshopping plots...those are things I really enjoy and am good at.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

I have many, but here are the top three. lol

Worldbuilding: You'll notice my larger fics are almost all either canonverse or an AU of an existing show/movie/book — both of which require minimal worldbuilding on my part.

Imagery: I write fic, but I'm a TV writer at heart. If you want beautiful prose that describes what's happening through the character's 5 senses, I am not ya girl. lol

WIPs: Anyone who has ever read any of my shit knows I take a million years to complete anything (and I greatly appreciate everyone who has refrained from beating me with a stick at my sporadic update schedule). I tend to hyperfixate on projects or ideas, and jumping from WIP to WIP to update gets hard.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I think there's a place for it, but it has to be done respectfully and for a reason — showing a cultural difference/language barrier, keeping your POV character or your audience in the dark on something being discussed, showing your character's culture/heritage/background (example: When Jane and Abuela argue in Spanish in Jane the Virgin).

But in fic/writing, either you need to work in the translation naturally in the surrounding text, give obvious context clues to the meaning of whatever you've put in the other language, or you need to purposefully not want your audience to know what was being said. If you have to put a footnote with the translation, you're risking taking your readers out of the story.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

First written was Gendrya from Game of Thrones. First published was Belalrke from The 100.

19. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

We are all caught in the in between (Of what's real and what's a dream?): The @wreck-jroth-club collab fic.

This fic was a labor of love by @sparklyfairymira, myself, and so many writers/creators in the Bellarke fandom. And I'm incredibly proud not only of the way we collaborated in this massive undertaking of brainstorming, organizing, writing, editing, creating moodboards for, and then publishing the 55-chapter fic, but also of the broader story told throughout this collab.

I came up with the premise of the fic; wrote the first chapter, final epilogues, a few of the chapters themselves, and every intro for each chapter; and helped with the overall organization of the collab. It's definitely the best thing I've written, and the fic I'm most proud of so far.

——

Tagging: @sparklyfairymira | @eyessharpweaponshot | @pawprinterfanfic | @nakey-cats-take-bathsss | @icantloseyou-too | @bookwormforalways | @carrieeve | @arysafics | @writetheniteaway + anyone else who wants to join!

#fanfic writers #mads writes things #not me procrastinating writing this smut scene by filling out this tumblr tag game #bellarke fanfic

[zukoscomet]

I realised recently that I never actually collated all the ideas I had about my Zutara kids so here, have some steambabies! Idk I just really like the idea of Katara and Zuko having a big family after all they’ve lost when they were young, and as an only child, I guess I kind of romanticise the idea of having siblings. 

TW: I hc that Katara would have had a miscarriage, so if that is a trigger for you then maybe don’t read on.

Shameless plug but if you wanna read more about this, my series on AO3 is roots and wings.

Their firstborn is a boy who they name Kai after Kya. His full name is Kaito but nobody who knows him ever calls him that, not even when he’s in trouble. I’m not going to go into too much context about like the pregnancy bc you can already find that stuff here. He turns out very much like Zuko physically - tall, golden irises, straight black hair, narrow angular face - but he has mixed tawny skin and his eyes are shaped round and wide like Katara. He’s born on the last day of summer in 109 AG, so because of superstition that firebenders are born in peak summer, there’s some uncertainty about what he’ll bend - if at all - but then when he’s three and a half, he makes a flame. Iroh trains him to firebend until he’s about 16, then he goes off to the Sun Warriors for a year to finish off, and he ends up a very spiritual firebender. Kai is like the dream first child - the softest boy ever to live - and when Katara and Zuko go on to have more children, he’s a really great big brother, like wholeheartedly adores his little sibs even if they drive him completely nuts about 95% of the time. He’s quite a conflicted and confused kid growing up. He’s never quite sure of what he wants in life but finally, when he’s 17, he decides that he realises that he doesn’t want to be Fire Lord and passes along the heir status to his sister. After that he joins the Sun Warriors and eventually marries the chief’s daughter, Himari, and they have two firebender girls, Aiko and Sol. 

Izumi arrives not long after her brother in 110 AG. Katara and Zuko planned to wait but it ends up that there’s barely a year between Kai and Izumi and it comes as an extra shock as Katara didn’t figure out she was pregnant again till like 18 weeks in. Katara goes into labour early at 35 weeks and Izumi is born really small - she never completely catches up either and it’s hilarious because after successive generations of tall male Fire Lords, they get Izumi who’s barely 5 feet - but she’s otherwise fine. She’s physically a mish-mash so overall she resembles nobody especially - Katara’s hair, complexion and big round eyes, Zuko’s irises, Azula’s heart-shaped face and highly arched brow line, Hakoda’s facial features. The superstition about summer births for firebenders peters out real quick when Izumi, born in the autumn, bends blue fire at two and a half and, taught by Jeong Jeong, she grows into a prodigal master. When she’s young, Izumi is the polar opposite of her brother - feisty, stubborn, determined and whip smart - and she’s a heathen teenager but by about 15 she mellows and matures, and part of Kai’s reasoning for abdicating is that Izumi seems a better fit for Fire Lord. Izumi was always kinda apathetic to kids but at 19, she accidentally gets pregnant and has her son, Kazuo, then her daughter, Kira, eleven years later. Izumi becomes Fire Lord at 37 but she only rules for about 14 years before retiring. Since she had Kaz so young, if she stayed on the throne much longer, Kaz would also be an older man when it came time for him to inherit, so she decides to step aside and Kaz is coronated just after his 33rd birthday. 

(Kazuo takes after his Gran Gran in more ways than just his blue eyes; he’s a waterbender so Kaz is the first waterbender Fire Lord)

After a break, Katara and Zuko decide to try for a third addition and Katara gives birth - in the Southern Water Tribe, for the first time - to Bashira, four years after Izumi. Shira looks probably the most like Zuko out of all the children, even more than her elder brother does. They share the same tall and lean physique, the same long black hair, Shira is mixed but still the palest of all the steambabies and their faces are practically identical. They’re characteristically very similar, too - serious, intense and reserved. The only differences is that her hair is curly, her eyes are blue and finally, Katara gets her waterbending child. Both of them suspected that Shira was going to be a waterbender even at the early stages of the pregnancy, but it’s still super exciting when Shira tosses a wave at her elder siblings when she’s two. Katara is teaching her as soon as she possibly can but over time some tension develops between them when Shira turns out to be quite different from her mom in terms of natural bending style. Shira is very fight-oriented, she learns dao swords from Zuko and never shows as much of an interest in the healing arts, but when things blow up and eventually Shira is able to explain that she wants to be able fight like her mom did during the war, things straighten out and Katara guides Shira all the way through to mastery. She eventually moves to the South in her late teens to lead the tribe’s warriors. There, she has three children - waterbender twins Kenzo and Kenji, then a daughter named Kanna who’s a firebender like Grandpa - but the marriage to their father doesn’t last and in her 50s, she ends up in a relationship with Aang and Toph’s daughter, Lin.

Katara gets pregnant for a fourth time - planned - just after Shira turns two, but this time she has a miscarriage. Zuko was overseas when it happened so she went through it alone. Katara is devastated and resents Zuko for not being there. She knows it’s not his fault but she can’t help her emotions and that makes her feel even worse so she just shuts down - stops doing her Fire Lady work, stops spending any more time with Zuko and their children than necessary, won’t let the rest of the family visit them and spends most of the day lying in bed. Zuko doesn’t know how to help her so initially he decides to give her space to grieve however she feels she needs to, but it just deteriorates until one day Zuko suggests that maybe they should both go to therapy or marriage counselling or something because it can’t go on like this. Katara just completely loses it at that and ends up yelling at him all the things that she’d been bottling up over the last couple of months. Katara says some awful things and she’s expecting Zuko to take it poorly, hence why she kept it all inside up till now, but Zuko just accepts every bit of it and after that, she’s finally able to grieve properly and mend.

About six months after they come back together, they decide to try again and Katara eventually falls pregnant. The pregnancy itself goes smoothly but both of them are so stressed about something going wrong like last time and the effect that might have on both of them, then Gran Gran passes away when Katara is in her thirtieth week, so the full ten months were incredibly hard-going. 

It’s a big relief when the baby is finally born on Ember Island, three years after Shira in 117 AG. They name her Lili in honour of their recent losses, since lilies can ease scars and Iroh once referred to them as lights in darkness. From the beginning, Lili is the image of Katara in every way physically and characteristically - kind, patient, gentle, but does have quite a temper if she’s pushed too far. She’s also a waterbender, though it takes her a little longer to manifest her abilities than any of her siblings, first gaining control of the water at the age of six. Lili is incredibly endearing, as both a child and an adult, and she becomes so particularly popular with the Fire Nation public that the firebending qualification to be considered an heir to the throne is reversed, so Shira and Lili are inducted into the succession. Born in the same year, Lili had a long-term relationship with Tenzin, Aang and Toph’s thirdborn, but as they grew older, Tenzin was concerned that if he married her, their children would have heritage of all four elements and degrade the chances of Tenzin producing airbenders and continuing the Air Nation. That concern resulted in a kind of on-again-off-again thing but eventually Lili sent him off with an "I don’t want to be with someone that isn’t even sure he wants me" and went travelling the world for a few years. When they’re both in their thirties though, Lili and Tenzin reconnect and get back together, eventually marrying and producing five children - Jinora, Aya, Hiro, Rohan and Kano, the elder four airbenders and the youngest a waterbender.

A few months after Lili is born, Sokka and Suki have a baby girl and when Katara and Zuko go to visit their new niece, they agree that night on a spur-of-the-moment that they want one more child. The morning after, they talk about it properly and decide it’d be better to wait till Lili was a bit older, but Katara found out six weeks later that that one time had been successful. About halfway through, they find out that they’re expecting a boy and Katara is especially excited since their son had always been more closely attached to her whereas their girls were very firmly Daddy’s girls. Sure enough, when Kallik arrives in 118 AG, he’s a big Mama’s boy and remains so his entire life. Apart from his curly black hair, Kallik is the spitting image of his uncle, to the point that Hakoda says that seeing Lili and Kallik together is like seeing young Katara and Sokka. Kallik is the hardest to handle out of their children - loud, playful, mischievous and an exhausting troublemaker. All of the siblings fight like cat and dog but Kallik and Izumi are by far the worst, on the level of one walks into a room and the other is like “And I took that personally” and they never seem to grow out of it even when they’re both old and grey. Kallik is the only nonbender in the family and initially he struggles with this a bit but he spends a lot of time hanging out with Uncle Sokka, learns dao swords with Shira and Zuko, and by the time he hits his teens, he comes to view it more as something that sets him apart from his siblings. When he’s 18, he goes to join the United Forces and he stays in service till his late thirties, when he meets Ren, another serviceman from the Northern Water Tribe. After beginning a relationship with him, the pair settle in Republic City and end up adopting two daughters, Kirima and Alasie.

About a decade after Kallik is born, it seems like things are kind of slowly drawing to a close as the kids are getting older - Kai is 19 and has left home, Izumi is 18 and living away in Republic City while she studies at university, Shira is 14 and already talking about moving South the first chance she gets, Lili is 11 and wanting to go Northern Water Tribe to train with the healers there, and Kallik is 10 and dreaming of being a great military commander like Grandpa Koda and Uncle Sokka - when suddenly Katara starts to get really, really sick. Zuko is absolutely terrified, thinking that there’s something seriously wrong with his wife, but after some deduction, it turns out that Katara is actually pregnant again. The relief at realising she’s not dying is short-lived and the reaction from both of them is basically holy shit holy fuck we are too old for this our other kids are practically all grown up now we are done with babies we can't seriously have six children what are we going to do. There’s a lot of discussion, especially since Katara is 43 by then and the risks for her to be carrying another child are higher, but they ultimately decide to go through with it. Ironically, it’s the easiest of all her pregnancies and when Katara delivers a baby girl in Republic City in 128 AG, there hadn’t been a single complication to speak of. Iroh had passed away two years earlier, devastating the whole family but Zuko in particular, but the baby is born with his irises - a darker gold - so they name her Ilah. Her eyes are big and round like Katara’s but other than that, Ilah resembles her Grandma Ursa most strongly, with her thick chestnut-coloured hair and slight, delicate facial features. Naturally, Katara and Zuko think all their babies were the cutest baby but Ilah is probably objectively the cutest, with her big honey-coloured eyes, chubby cheeks and soft little curls.

Inevitably, since Kai, Shira, Lili and Kallik had all either left home before she was born or did so when she was still a little girl, Ilah gets a lot more concentrated attention from Katara and Zuko. She’s completely spoiled and doted upon by the whole family, including her elder brothers and sisters who visit her as often as they can manage. Since Izumi still lives in the palace permanently as the Crown Princess, she and Ilah are close, but Ilah ultimately ends up being closest with Izumi’s son, Kaz, who is only a year younger than his aunt. Ilah was even in the room when Kaz was born, though it wasn't an intentional move. Zuko was supposed to be watching Ilah when things got intense with Izumi’s labour but things escalated from 0-100 real fast and Katara didn't have time to hand Ilah off, so she stayed tucked in a sling on her mother’s back as Katara helped her eldest daughter to deliver her own baby, somehow sleeping through all the noise and commotion. Ilah and Kaz end up more like a brother and sister or best friends than an aunt and nephew, though Kaz always calls her Auntie Ilah when he’s teasing her. Ilah is perhaps the shyest around strangers of her siblings, uninterested in celebrity and attention, but she’s the most adventurous, determined and creative, interested in science and invention from an early age. Growing up, Ilah felt a little pressured by the renown of her family, especially when her firebending turned out to be just about average in power, but when she’s 12, Ilah figures out that she can combustionbend. From there, she applies her bending abilities to science and when she leaves home for university, she invents the combustion engine at age 20. The rest of her adult life is spent travelling virtually non-stop, working on innovation projects for the different nations. She never has children, on the account that it would be unfair to expect a kid to move around as much as she does and she’s happy enough with her numerous nieces and nephews, but she eventually marries her long-time girlfriend Li-Mei, an Air Nomad tasked with searching the world for new airbenders. 

#zutara #katara #zuko #katara x zuko #avatar: the last airbender #steambabies #momtara and dadko

[fictionalsownme]

Congrats on 200!!! I didn't know you were in the atla fandom too!!! If it not too much, can I rq a drabble fic of zutara with the prompt 'id rather not lose you again'. Can go in any direction you want, and again, congrats on the followers!!

send in a request!

thank you so much!! sorry for the wait! 💞💞 fun fact about me! ATLA is actually my all-time favorite piece of any media ever, by like a lot. I love it so much, and it’s my dream to one day create a story on it’s level 😩✨ that being said, I’ve never written for zutara before! 😅 I’m normally a kataang shipper (ik, pretty vanilla hehe) but I’m gonna try!! thank you so much for the request and I hope you like it!! 🥰🥰💞

warnings: slight arguing, zuko is stressed, kataang is not canon in this so no cheating or anything, secret relationship, lightly edited

She knew Zuko was wearing himself too thin. And if he was trying to hide it from anyone, he was miserably failing.

Katara had been staying in the Fire Nation palace for weeks now, under the guise of being a representative for the Southern Water Tribe. No one had yet to find out about the secret trips to Zuko’s chambers in the dead of night, nor why she hadn’t left the palace yet.

It was like they were getting to know each other, both for the first time, and all over again. They’d stay up until sunrise, talking, laughing, learning. Katara would stay tucked under his arm, and he’d keep the silky blankets tucked up to their chins. They had kissed many times now, and though they weren’t entirely sure what they were to each other, and though they still drove each other crazy, Katara knew she was nearing a point of no return. She really liked him. And she was pretty sure he felt the same. He wasn’t very good at hiding his emotions, to be honest.

She worried about him constantly, and the ever growing bags under his eye. He looked more sickly by the day, always sighing, rubbing at his temples, waking up from nightmares nearly every night. Now that he was the Firelord, he was crushing himself with the weight of it all. Katara was trying to give him his space, she didn’t know much about what it took to rule the Fire Nation after all. But she finally had enough when she noticed him dozing off at a royal party, despite the fact that he was standing up.

She waited until she caught his eye, looking past advisors and servers and citizens, just to meet her gaze. She stared into his eyes for a while, making sure he was paying attention, then took a step backwards. He raised his brow, tilting his head. The sight reminded her of a baby otter penguin, but she suppressed her giggle and slinked back into the hallway behind her.

She waited a few moments near a wall lantern before he peered his head around the doorway. She extended his arms to him.

“Katara? What are you—“

She cut him off with a kiss to his forehead (one she had to move to her tippy toes to complete, mind you). The effect was instant and he melted against her, wrapping his arms around her back. This time she couldn’t help the giggle that left her mouth as she took his head in her hands.

“We’re not going to stay a secret much longer if you start doing stuff like this.”

“I’m rescuing you, thank you very much.”

She could tell Zuko wanted to be mad, but all he gave her was a lovesick smile. She found herself thinking that if he had a tail, it’d be wagging. But when she saw the exhaustion on his face, her smile faded. Like it always did.

“You need to take care of yourself, Zuko.” He rolled his eyes as she took on a harsher tone. “When was the last time you had some water?”

“I’m fine, Katara. I’m just…”

She poked at some wrinkles forming at the crease of his brow. “Wearing thin?”

He pulled away from her with a sigh. “It’s not like I’m trying to feel like this. There’s just so much on my shoulders. I can’t let anyone down.”

“Zuko, I know.” She touched his arm. He was always so warm against her skin. “But you’re no good to anyone like this.”

“What do you suggest I do, then? There’s no time to rest, you and I barely have enough time to see each other, let alone taking care of myself.”

“Us seeing each other is not more important than taking care of yourself.”

He went silent.

“Zuko!”

“What?!”

“I’m serious!”

“So am I! It’s taken a long time for us to get to where we are now. I don’t want to… go backwards.”

“That’s sweet, Zuko. But what’s gonna’ make us go backwards is you being all cranky and on edge because you aren’t sleeping.”

He glared at the wall, but it was softer now. Like he was more frustrated with himself than Katara.

Zuko started talking again, almost mumbling. “I’ve messed up with you a lot in the past, Katara… I’d rather not lose you again.”

He was so stubborn. And so… so sweet. Ugh, why did he make seeing him so difficult?

She tried to make her voice soft, gentle, as she said, “Come here.”

He looked up at the ceiling, like he was debating ignoring her. Eventually, he made the smart choice and yielded, stepping closer to her once again.

She brought his face down closer to hers. “If that’s the case, take my advice. I’m not going anywhere. You just need some rest, Zuko.” She placed a kiss against his scar, just under his eye, and felt his lids flutter closed.

When she pulled away he looked at her like he was in a daze.

“And hey! Maybe you could take a break soon. We could go visit Sokka, and my gran. Together!”

He nodded weakly in her grasp, then gave a raspy, “okay.”

She smiled, and pulled him in for a kiss. He tucked her hair out of her face and took a breath. A good, refreshing breath that soothed Katara’s worries.

With a few more pecks and a little wave, she headed back into the party, knowing Zuko would be in soon after. Hopefully, feeling a little better and ready to survive the rest of the night. At least until he could return to her always open arms.

(this was so much fun! totally not used to writing them at all, so let me know how I did! thanks again for requesting!!)

#kenna writes #atla #avatar the last airbender #avatar tla #atla fanfic #atla fanfiction #katara #zuko #zutara #drabble #ship #fluff #fanfic #firelord zuko #katara x zuko #zuko x katara #fanfiction #lmao I have no idea how to tag this #request #requests #requests open

[fictionissocialinquiry]

I know most people who follow me do so for my zutara content (and I'm definitely not done making zutara words) but recently I've been in my wlw feels and some sukitara has been the result. I wanted to share some bits from the WIP I'm working on which actually combines these two ships...

An excerpt from the currently Unnamed Suki/Katara & Suki/Katara/Zuko Love Story

(chuck it a like or reblog if you enjoy it ;) )

-Prologue-

Katara knows she’s in trouble when she changes her whole day just to make the new yoga instructor’s 7a.m. class. Or maybe it was before that, when she hung back half an hour after the late class Suki covered just to chat with her and complement the asanas she’d chosen. Really, it had begun as soon as she’d walked into the studio, headphones blaring with some podcast about new government restrictions on the not-for-profit sector, and seen the wiry, muscled woman in the khaki crop and jet black tights with the charcoal eyes and messy bob pulled back in a quickly escaping bun and damn those tights were really doing her a lot of favours and—

Footsteps, muffled by socks on the hardwood studio floors but familiar enough by now to make her nerves fizzle, interrupt her daydream. She doesn’t shift out of her child’s pose until she finishes her breath sets, not even when the footsteps pass close by.

When she does press her palms into the mat and slide up to sit back on her heels, Suki is watching her with that smile— the one that promises she’s thinking more than she says. ‘Well, hey, Katara.’

‘Suki.’ She’s not her quickest this early in the morning, not even close. This is why, until recently, she’d always take the night classes, preferring to roll out of bed each morning with just enough time to get her top half presentable enough for the first Zoom calls of the day. She’s not her quickest but, for once, it doesn’t bother her. It’s been obvious for weeks that there’s something here, something mutual between them; each morning it only winds tighter.

Katara gives her yoga instructor a slow grin as Suki sets down her phone and bag by the front of the room then sits cross legged on the front of Katara’s mat. ‘You’re early this morning. Did you sleep okay?’

‘Like a baby.’

‘Aang let you in?’

‘Uh huh.’

‘Good.’ Suki pulls her hair free of its knot atop her head, shakes it out, peers at Katara through the tangle of wavy locks. They don’t come far past her chin but every time she does this, Katara’s brain goes queerly blank with white noise and the sole desire to run her fingers through it. ‘You’re gonna want to be well rested for this morning.’

Katara raises a brow. ‘Why’s that?’

Suki winks. ‘Kundalini asanas.’

Well shit. ‘You want us working up a sweat today?’

Behind them, the studio door opens and suddenly they aren’t the only two in the room any longer. Suki hasn’t looked away, in fact, that same poker grin spreads across her face. ‘Tell you what, beautiful, if you work yourself into a sweat today, I’ll buy you a coffee after class.’

It’s instant, the burning that replaces the blood in Katara’s veins.

She tilts her head to one side, breathing out through a smirk. ‘I can do that.’

‘I’ll be watching.’

Suki stands and with a final toothy grin, she wanders over to greet the new arrivals.

---

Katara worked harder that class than she had in years.

Suki bought the coffee and offered to take her to dinner.

And breakfast, if things went well.

They did.

They went really well.

#zutara #sukitara #zukitara #fanfic #excerpts #my writing #Modern AU #characters are aged up #mid-20s #romance #UST