#Azula and Zuko are in foster care

[waterfire1848]

🌹🌹🌹

Hello, @blueleopard555

Snippet is from: I Had The Best Day With You Today

This idea came from @ilikepjo24 I’m just writing it

After about two or three minutes of no one saying a word, Kya finally cried out, “Who wants some ice cream? That little place in town reopened.”

“The place with the chocolate cake batter ice cream!?” Katara asked, “Yes! Yes!”

“Finally! I thought they’d be closed forever.”

“I’ll go get my purse. I think I left it upstairs.” Kya said. She took off before anyone could say another word.

“We-um-we don’t have the money.” Zuko told her, “But feel free to go without us or we can go and just stay in the car while you go inside.” Some foster families didn’t trust them alone in the house. One of their old foster dad’s specifically told them that they would probably steal from him and flee so they would never be allowed in the house unsupervised.

“Oh! No! No, you don’t pay. We’ll pay.” Hakoda said, “You kids never have to worry about that.”

“What?” Azula asked, “Are-are you sure?” Most families wanted them to pull their weight for any kind of family activity. No family had yet to tell them they had to pay rent or anything like that but for family outings like parks, ice cream, movies, etc, Azula and Zuko were usually expected to pay for themselves.

“Of course! The state gives us plenty of money for an ice cream trip. You two just come along and we’ll get whatever you want.” Hakoda promised. He tried to set a hand on Azula’s shoulder but the fourteen year old backed away from him and the sixteen year old flinched.

“Okay.” Zuko’s tone was suspicious and Azula still looked off. It was as if the two expected him to suddenly change his mind and laugh in their faces.

“Come on!” Kya chirped, coming back downstairs, “Let’s go get some ice cream!”

[stardust948]

Counting Stars

Expanded Guardian Lu Ten AU

Lu Ten is called into the guidance office and informed his uncle has been sent to jail for fraud and his cousins need a new guardian. He’s the only available option since Iroh is deployed and Ursa’s missing and deemed dead at this point. The counselor stresses he won’t be able to return to school because the position will be given to someone else. Lu Ten insists he has to do this or his cousins would be separated and sent to foster care.

He thinks it will be like babysitting the siblings again until he gets to the FN. Zuko’s face bandaged up and Azula’s hair is chopped up. Both look worse for wear. Lu Ten is deeply concerned but tries to lighten the mood. It doesn’t go over well, and he starts to think he’s in over his head.

Lu Ten take the siblings to Republic City. He tries to bond with them but they aren’t 6 and 4 anymore and there’s a huge disconnect. Azula’s silent and withdrawn. Zuko keeps getting into fights at school. Both keep asking to see Ozai. Lu Ten suspects Ozai abused them, so he keeps denying their request. He holds out that Iroh will return home from his military duties soon.

Lu Ten tries to act like the cool cousin and burns through his funds saved for military school. They downsize to a smaller apartment. Their neighbor, Kanna, offers to help out but Lu Ten brushes her off saying he’s an adult and can handle it.

But everything takes a downhill turn. Lu Ten’s new office job is stressful, the bills are stacking up, and he can’t stop Zuko and Azula’s constant fights and self-harming. The breaking point is finding out Iroh died on duty. After the funeral the cousins get into a big fight. Afterwards, Lu Ten cries in apartment stairwell. Kanna finds and comforts him. She tells him it’s okay to not know what to do and he doesn’t have to be alone. Lu Ten’s ready to accept help.

He stops trying to act like the substitute dad and just be himself with the siblings. Stays up with Azula who’s scared to go to sleep at night. Cuts his own hair in solidary with Zuko who has to keep it short while his wound heals. Kanna drops by with homemade meals and brings her grandchildren over who befriend Zuko and Azula. There are still mental health issues and Lu Ten is saving up for therapy for the kids (and himself as Kanna suggested) but it’s slowly getting better. Eventually the group becomes a closer family and start having fun again.

A few years later, right before Azula starts high school, Ozai is released early due to some strings pulled and demands kids back. Lu Ten fights to keep them but is denied. He promises to always be there for them and to call anytime. After a tearful goodbye, Lu Ten goes back to empty apartment. He’s beside himself with worry as are Kanna, Katara, Sokka, and the rest of their school friends.

A few weeks later the siblings are back. They ran away and made it all the way back to Republic City by themselves. Lu Ten’s overjoyed to be reunited with them but it also confirms his suspicion of Ozai’s abuse. Especially as time pass and there has been no missing report filed or cops at the door.

Lu Ten leaves to confront Ozai. He goes ahead and sign the paperwork making Lu Ten their legal guardian. Ozai doesn’t want the kids back because Lu Ten made them "useless like their mother”. Lu Ten punches Ozai. He’s then thrown into a holding cell for a couple of days for assault.

After Lu Ten’s released, he immediately heads home. Kanna’s been looking after the siblings during that time. They cry when Lu Ten returned, thinking he abandoned them also. Lu Ten promised he would never and tells them he’s officially their guardian. They never have to go back to Ozai ever again.

[calderacitylovers]

Wholesome Zutara Short Stories

Tell Me Where Your Heart Is by badlucksav | Published: 2021-04-12 | 2,363 words

Katara accidentally discovers a secret stash of love letters Zuko has written to an anonymous woman but never sent. Could he be talking about her? “And I can’t help but hope that maybe that’s a sign, that you feel for me as I feel for you. Maybe you’re afraid to put it to words, as I am. But I cannot ever speak these feelings to you unless I know...I won’t put you in that position.”

Tales of Tenderness by emicha | Published: 2021-04-06 | 3,068 words

Toph, Iroh, Sokka, Gran Gran, Aang, and Azula observe how the relationship between Zuko and Katara unfolds over the years. “This is the picture of two souls that have seen too much bad already, who’ve grieved and hurt more than one single lifetime should permit; the picture of two people who still have it in them to hold a person so different from oneself this close.”

MOONTIDES by  MarkedMage | Published: 2020-11-24 | 10K Words

He smells like fire and feels like home. She smells like rain and feels like love. A short story about Zuko and Katara’s first kiss inspired by this and this glorious animation by Hayley Foster Wong.

GOLD by ifyouwereamelody | Published: 2020-11-27 | 3,7K Words

Zuko and Katara’s first kiss in a fall garden.

A Love Story Told in Reverse by cablesscutie | Published: 2021-04-26 | 9,324 words

A collection of sweet outtakes from Zuko and Katara’s life: from their childhoods to becoming parents. “Her head tips to rest on his shoulder, and with his heart in his throat, he gives into the months-old urge to kiss her hair. She makes a happy little hum, and Zuko can’t breathe.”

just say when by hawktasha | Published: 2021-03-16 | 6,131 words

After Sokka and Suki’s wedding, Katara wakes up with the worst hangover of her life, with the best friend she has been harboring feelings in secret for the last few years laying next to her, no clothes at all on either of their bodies. Oh, and she had no idea how they ended up in that predicament.

Engagement Chicken: The Engagement Scheme by DontStopHerNow | Published: 2022-09-18 | 23K words

After a night of commiseration about marriage expectations, Katara and Zuko agree to fake an engagement to get the meddlers off their backs. They'll call Chicken on the arrangement when everyone else objects. This can't last a month! Featuring: meddling friends, heartfelt words cloaked in half-truths, chaperones, Fire Nation engagement traditions, Southern Water Tribe wedding traditions, background couples, and a squid-whale with a mistaken identity

The Dragon of the West’s Guide to Flirting by bluesunflower44 | Published: 2021-05-12 | 4,341 words

“Now. Take very good care of this, it’s a family heirloom. Although no one passed it down to me, since I wrote it, it will be a family heirloom one day. I just know it.” Uncle Iroh is good with the ladies. So taking his advice when it comes to romance should go just fine...right?

Strike a Match by Naladot | Published: 2022-09-03 | 22K

At Republic City's second annual HeiBai festival, Fire Lord Zuko has contracted a matchmaker to find him a permanent political ally—or, well, a wife. He asks Katara to chaperone his meetings. But this arrangement only threatens to reveal the truth: there are a lot of things neither of them have ever dared to talk about.

Seven Years Bad Luck by riathermopolis | Published: 2021-08-08 | 20.6K words

The gaang reunites every summer for a week on Ember Island, which in theory Katara supports whole-heartedly. The only problem is that apparently some higher power on the island is on a mission to humiliate her. At least, that's her best guess for why she suddenly can't act like a normal person around Zuko. Or: Katara repeatedly embarrasses herself in front of Zuko.

Maiden Mother Crone by MoonShoesReyes  | Published: 2021-02-12 | 10,8K Words

Post-canon. After the ravages of war, Katara learns to wear three faces: maiden, mother, and crone. A sweet story of Zuko supporting Katara in her journey of self-discovery and finding a purpose. A sprinkle of Blue Spirit and Painted Lady. "After years of being empty, Katara finally knew who she was - or at least, she knew who she was at the core. Though her cast of masks stayed ever-changing, the Painted Lady was always kind and just."

Bound to Burn by Selemetis | Published: 2020-10-02 | 10,3K Words

Post-canon. Zuko witnesses the kiss between Aang and Katara. Over the coming months Zuko and Katara work their way back together. "Zuko knew he had to let Katara go for her to see where she wanted to stand."

So Close and Still So Far by EKWolf2020| Published: 2022-09-18 | 6,4K Words

It is the ten-year celebration of the end of The Hundred-year-old war. Expectations and excitement are in the air for most of the world. But for Katara, she feels dread as some news has come to her that could change everything. Will she follow with expectations, or will she find that there is another path for her?

The Brave Man Only Once by ifyouwereamelody | Published: 2021-02-19 | 2,2K Words

Firelord Zuko and Ambassador Katara’s first kiss. “He flinches as a voice rips him abruptly out of his own thoughts and drops him back into the meeting; the table of council members is watching him, staring with raised brows that beg the answer to a question he doesn’t know, but Katara refuses to look his way.”

Til Kingdom Come by bluenebulae | Published: 2020-07-26 | Words: 6,2K

Four years after Sozin’s Comet, Katara finds her way home. A proposal story. Supportive Gaang. “I’ve spent four years exploring every corner of this world, Zuko. I’ve been a waterbending master and a shop girl, an assistant in an abbey and an advisor to the Earth King and a whole bunch of people in the Fire colonies still think I’m an actual spirit. I think, now, I just want to be Katara. And that means being here.”

Voyage by amoeve | Published: 2015-07-24 | Words: 4,2K When Zuko asks Katara to marry him, it is for love. But it’s also an alliance that shows the world that the war is truly over, and everyone wants to get in on the fun. For their wedding Zuko and Katara work their way through over-the-top combination of customs and traditions from the four nations. Hilarious and absurd, but wholesome. “She’s a waterbender. When they travel, the little ship skims across the surface of the sea, eating up the miles, and they have ice houses to sleep in every night. He’s a firebender. He lights their way when the fogs descend, keeps them warm when they sleep, and fries the fish she catches in his hands.”

But Who’s Counting? by halfhoursonearth | Published: 2023-12-28 Words: 7K

After the Last Agni Kai Zuko and Katara are waiting for the news from the GAang and get to explore their friendship and growing connection. A tender and beautiful story. “Tears are gathering in her eyes, and a new tightness pulls at Zuko’s chest. Though he still isn’t used to the casual way his new friends touch one another, this is not the first time he has felt the instinct to reach for Katara, in particular—to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder or arm. But wiping tears from her face is something new, and Katara watches him with wide eyes as his hand rises to her cheek.”

happiness (that's all rolled up in you) by soopsiedaisies | Published: 2024-01-17 | 3,8K words

A first kiss story. Zuko and Katara are cooking dinner for the Gaang on the Ember Island. Sweet, thrilling, and beautiful. "She reckons that she likes a lot of things about Zuko. She likes his face, for starters: his nose, his eyes, his mouth. She likes his scar and the way he dresses. She likes how he picks up the slack left by the others like those tasks were his anyway and she likes his smile. She likes the way he kisses and she really likes his hair."

For the Fire Nation | 2019-11-25 | 2,8K words

He falls in love with her for his country before he falls in love with her for himself. A short and beautiful AU story that explores how love and duty aren’t always mutually exclusive.

[phoenix-king-ozai]

Honestly if Zhao actually killed Zuko I don't think it'd go well even if it worked because I don't think Ozai would appreciate this regardless of which version we're talking about.

Like come on, if Ozai wanted Zuko dead, he'd have fried him during the Agni Ki and I most certainly don't think he'd appreciate Zhao deciding his kid's fate in his stead.

Also if Ozai found out Zhao did it, he's getting turned into a burnt crisp because ignoring how bad it's look to allow Zuko's death to slide, Live Action Ozai seemed impressed Zuko even found Aang and didn't give up on him despite him being disappointed so him being killed would just result in a fiery death.

Iroh stated himself that Fire Lord Ozai would be displeased…probably furious over Zuko’s assassination by pirates when talking to Zhao in the animation. Iroh knows Ozai better than anyone else alive than maybe his wife Ursa and daughter Azula!

Iroh in the Live Action claimed that Ozai committed the assassination of Zuko when he talked to Zhao. However, it is extremely likely that Iroh was creating a false narrative to delude and misdirect Zhao from being aware that Zhao was the true culprit of the treasonous crime on his nephew. Iroh even suspects that Azula was helping Zhao get his promotion. Iroh was even willing to talk to Ozai regarding sending his Royal Procession Imperial Guards after Zuko. Iroh also should know that Ozai still cares deeply about his son and probably wouldn't assassinate him without just cause or reason. Even strategically Ozai would be extremely furious by having a member of his personal military assassinate his own son for his own political rise and gain. How dare a commoner and soldier kill his own flesh and blood firstborn son; Crown Prince of the Fire Nation even during exile. Blood of Agni, The Almighty Sun Spirit! The Fire Sages as well as the rest of the Fire Nation nobility would see that as an unforgivable slight against the Royal Family and Ozai would be seen as weak and foolish not to respond. Just like Tywin Lannister when his son Tyrion was kidnapped at the Vale in Game of Thrones. Tywin immediately sought out violent retribution against House Tully of the Riverlands because Catelyn Stark and Lysa Arryn were the daughters of Foster Tully of Riverun and Lord Paramount of the Riverlands. Zuko’s death by the plot of Admiral Zhao would be answered with Fire and Blood!

[balanceoflightanddark]

Unpopular opinion.

Post-redeemed Azula would agree with Aang that Ozai deserves to live.

Azula's always loved her father and I think, even if she turns against him, a part of her always will and she even learns to forgive him. She'll think that since she, Zuko and Iroh got saved, and Zuko was given the daunting task the save their entire country, it's only fitting that Ozai be saved too.

With her intelligent mind, she may even help Aang actually find a third solution. But I also think Azula would still prepare for the possibility of Ozai being killed out of self-defense.

Agreed. And I think that Aang sparing Ozai would help Azula's development more than you would believe.

Azula is basically a big stand-in for the indoctrination of the Fire Nation. Being raised to believe in the lies and propaganda that supported the war effort ever since Sozin started the Genocide of the Air Nomads. He said it was because they were amassing an army to oppose him, but Aang knows for a fact that there was no army.

What I'm trying to get at here is that it's lies and stories like this that helps paint the Fire Nation's goal as just and noble. To uplift the world and to defeat the savage other nations beating down their door. And the best way to do that is portraying them in the worst light possible. I already talked Azula's rather black-and-white view of the world in a post here, but the crux of it is that when you have a society built on warmongering and waging war, it'll be natural to assume that the enemy will stoop to the lowest in order to destroy you.

However, Aang sparing Ozai demolishes that worldview. He spared his enemy, something that was believed incapable from the biggest enemy of the Fire Nation. And if Azula sees that Aang isn't some monster that needs to be destroyed, that he is capable of compassion even to his worst enemies, then maybe that will challenge some of her beliefs in what she was raised with.

And Ozai DID instill a lot of those beliefs into her, like it or not. Helped shape her into what she was during the war. Which then we get around to something a bit more complicated: Azula's views on Ozai post redemption. I don't think she'll ever get past loving him. Even if it was abusive, it was the only "stable" relationship Azula was familiar with. And even if it was for his own gain, he still encouraged Azula to pursue her firebending and taught her stuff like the value of duty or self-control.

It doesn't mean Ozai ISN'T a shitty parent. No, he was. But it'll be difficult for Azula to completely sever ties with him since he instilled a lot of what she was, or maybe even invertedly fostered some of the positive qualities she could have if she's redeemed. It's an interesting balancing act between admiring somebody for their qualities and how they shaped you, and the brutal reality of their shitty behavior and how awful they are. I actually encourage watching this review of the BraveStarr episode "Fallen Idol" to get a good idea of what I'm talking about since it actually does a pretty stellar job of examining this sort of relationship.

Yes, it's an 80s toyetic cartoon. No I don't care cause the writing and messages are really good and has a cybernetic horse shooting a laser blunderbuss and a snarkyass Mole/Ewok hybrid. Sue me.

Besides, I think it's a powerful message to finally end the cycle of violence for Azula by just stopping the killing. How's she not the ruthless weapon of war anymore, and being a good transition for her character into a time of peace.

[crownshattered]

|| and to add to that last post before I sleep, I DO think Azula is a psychopath. And I think part of that is inherent and part of that was fostered by Ozai. But I also think psychopaths aren’t all like we see in media, and they ARE capable of feeling emotional pain and loneliness. And I think that describes Azula pretty well. She has pretty much all of the characteristics of a psychopath, and she’s aware of it. That’s why she thinks her mother thought she was a monster. Because she is one, and she accepts that…but while she recognizes that this aspect of her helps her succeed in SO many ways, she also sees the shortcomings. Like she will never be loved in the way Zuko is loved. And I think she’s kind of jealous of that…but at the same time, mostly doesn’t care

[waterfire1848]

https://archiveofourown.org/works/66040492/chapters/170176183

Summary:

Azula and Zuko have been in foster care for 3 years now since Ozai went to prison for burning Zuko's eye. The South family is just the latest in their line of foster families. Neither sibling expect to stay here long or really connect with anyone in the house. The last thing they expect is to meet a family that actually makes them feel like family.

Credit for this idea goes to @ilikepjo24 !

[stardust948]

Hi! i love your guardian lu ten fic! did azula have her breakdown already?

Thank you!

Yes, it was right after Ozai was arrested and the siblings were dropped off at Foster Care. Azula saw it as another parent abandoning her. Since she had no idea Lu Ten was coming and Zuko emotionally closed himself off to her because of his own trauma, Azula thought she was alone and broke down. But it was more akin to the mirror scene in canon where she cut her hair than the Agni Kai breakdown.

[attackfish]

Wait, you liked a (Zucest) picture from a known Zucest artist and fanfic writer...does that mean you are fine with Zucest? And if so, how does that fit into your metas about Zuko and Azula's relationship? Also, do you only ship it after Azula has worked on her issues, or is it one those ships you like because it is a toxic trainwreck?

Oh boy Nonny.

I just posted in the last few weeks two separate posts all about how people can like the bad thing in fiction without it being at all reflective of their real world ethics. One of these posts was in fact about shipping specifically and how there is nothing wrong with people shipping my notp, which is my notp because the canonical relationship between the two characters is a specific kind of abusive that is close to my own experiences. I have mentioned repeatedly that I like some pretty hairy stuff in fanfic, and I have in the past written a Mai/Ozai forced marriage fic with an explicit rape. I do not condone shaming people for their fictional preferences, nor can I be shamed.

That being said, the picture in question is a picture of Zuko and Azula, roughly the same age they were in the "Zuko Alone" flashbacks, standing with their mother. The tags have no indication the picture was intended to be read in a shippy way. It's a picture of a mom with her kids. I saw it in a search for fanart of Ursa, and the fact that the artist also draws zucest is not something I knew about when I liked it, and it's not something I particularly care about now.

Also, my likes are not visible from my page, which means to see that I liked it, you had to go to the post in question and look through the notes. What were you doing at the devil's sacrement, etc.

As for my thoughts on Zucest, they are much more complicated than do or do not ship. I think that the particular abusive dynamic that Ozai has created is exactly the kind that could foster an incestuous relationship between his children, or at the very least, incestuous attraction, and let's be real, two traumatized kids doing something deeply fucked up and self-destructive together in the face of horrible abuse is a dynamic I find interesting to explore. I rarely read it, because I haven't really found a fanfic that agrees with how I think it would work (or more to the point, not work) but yeah, the potential for interesting stories is there. So yeah, Nonny, the only time I want anything to do with it is when it is, as you put it, a toxic trainwreck.

As for how that intersects with my metas, I'm not sure what you mean. I have written pretty extensively about how both Zuko and Azula work as people, and how their familial relationships are deeply tragic and deeply deeply screwed up because of Ozai's abuse of both of them, and Azula's abuse of her brother and friends. None of that changes if you add incestuous attraction or attempts to act on that attraction. It just makes everything that much more warped and harder to disentangle, which ultimately is the appeal to someone like me.

[prying-pandora666]

No, actually, he did owe her.

He owed her. Ursa owed her.

Because she was a child in their care and they watched Ozai abuse and groom her and didn’t step in. Because CHILDREN are not responsible for fostering a healthy relationship with ADULTS.

What is this nonsense? It’s not worth it to help someone who doesn’t respect you?

Oh yeah, because ZUKO was so respectful, right?

Zuko who lashed out, threatened Iroh, said Iroh’s life didn’t matter, lied to Iroh, ditched him, betrayed him, yelled at him even in prison, and had to be dragged kicking and screaming to redemption at times.

And Iroh STILL never gave up on him. Because he understood Zuko is a child who needs help. A child who has been failed. A child who needs unconditional love and support to find his way.

But somehow extending the same to Azula is too far? And why? Because she’s more enmeshed with the abuser? That’s all the MORE reason she needs help!

Being the “golden child” is not the position of prestige and validation that Zuko thinks it is from his position as the scapegoat/blacksheep child. It’s just a different type of abuse.

Zuko didn’t realize he “needed help” for THREE YEARS after he had distance from his abuser and unlimited support and love from Iroh. So why is it that Azula, two years younger and even more brainwashed with even less outside influence to help her, has to somehow pick herself up by her bootstraps and figure it all out?

Just to be WORTHY of help?

Look at how terrified she is of displeasing Ozai and being the new rejected child, of being burned, of being discarded and having nothing. Do you seriously think she doesn’t know she needs help? The point is that no one has ever OFFERED it to her.

But sure, the terrified child who thinks fear is the only way to keep people close because it’s precisely what her father uses to manipulate HER is the one who has to approach the adult and beg him for help. Even though she has no reason to trust him. Even though he has shown her no indication that he can be trusted.

No thank you. I prefer consistency in helping abused kids rather than replicating Ozai’s favoritism in reverse.

I mean really!

How much more blatant do the writers need to get?

I hope Azula gets help from someone else than Iroh, there we agree. But not because Iroh “doesn’t owe her” or she “doesn’t respect him enough”.

But because Iroh owes her an apology and Azula deserves help from someone she can actually TRUST.

uncle iroh is treated very much like a paragon of virtue in the series. yes we know he has had a violent past, that he has done terrible things, committed atrocities in the service of the fire nation— but we don’t really feel it because all of that had happened off screen and prior to the series. instead, he comes to us as a more perfect being and one deified with secret good deeds revealed throughout the story: uncle iroh is the keeper of the dragons and an important member of the white lotus, he is just that awesome.

uncle iroh is so divorced from his immediate past that we don’t see him haunted by any of it unless it’s by lu ten— which begs the question: did he really turn his back on the fire nation due to a moral awakening or was it only/mostly for his own good? he certainly doesn’t behave in a manner you’d expect from a repentant ex-imperialist: he’s not too worried about walking the streets of ba singe se, let alone actually staying there after the war ended. (the same war he participated in on the side of the aggressors, mind you.) he is shameless enough to be living there while hiding away and was unscrupulous in accepting hospitality from earth kingdom folks who were made refugees by the fire nation, i.e., song’s family. does he not feel guilty or at least uncomfortable with his circumstances, especially since it has only been 5 or so years since the siege at ba sing se and thus still very fresh in the grand scheme of things? is iroh just that Enlightened and At Peace with his past that it doesn’t color his every movement? or is his lack of a moral hangover just a writing oversight? were they scared to make their most lovable character in a rated TV-Y7 cartoon a tad more polarizing?

while uncle iroh does his job well for the story— that is, to act as zuko’s guiding light— i do wish he were knocked off his pedestal a bit more. uncle iroh is, after all, the proto-zuko to ozai’s proto-azula. i wish to see him at least slightly paranoid about people recognizing him from his military days and vice versa. i wish to see him uneasy about being in the earth kingdom (out of guilt? as opposed to zuko’s superiority complex and anger). i wish to see him meet another person who also has visible burn scars, one that has nothing to do with zuko/his family, and still look away in shame or disgust by the implications. et cetera et cetera. anything to indicate he feels something more about himself and other people that isn’t just Wise Old Man.

[aphantpoet]

Azula and The Serpent are the same character

 I was thinking about one of my older posts “Vi and MIscha Bachinski are the same character” and I was thinking about other characters that are similar.  Maybe it’s just because I’m currently rewatching Detentionaire but I find a lot of similarities between Azula and the Serpent/Li Ping.

Avatar needs no introduction but as Detentionaire is a relatively unknown series [even though it shouldn’t be because it’s amazing] I’ll recap it. Warning for spoilers; Detentionaire follows tenth grader Lee Ping as he tries to prove his innocence after being framed for an epic prank that skyrockets him into high school popularity and lands him a year of detention. In his quest he uncovers a conspiracy that he’s in the middle of and didn’t even know it. The Serpent is an antagonist from the latter part of the series  and Lee’s older brother. Revealed to have been stolen from his family and raised by the villains as a weapon with only Priscilla, his pet snake, as his companion. He’s revealed to have been working against another of the main antagonists after their biss, His Eminence, tells him he has a real family and turns on both of them when he discovers that the boss was the one who ordered it 

There are of course a few key differences; for one Azula is a fourteen year-old girl while Li is a 20 year old man. Li also manages to break the cycle and join the hero's while Azula is never given that chance. Li is also an older sibling not a younger sibling and has a much bigger age difference with Lee [five years].

Now for the similarities; Like Azula Li Ping was raised to be a weapon and wraps most of his identity in his usefulness and fighting. Much like Azula he also has a sibling who has the love he craves, Zuko and Ursa for Azula and Lee and his parents for Li. 

Both are smug little shits {Azula:You were never even a player} and {Li:  [coin flip] heads I win, tails..[insert cool fighting] you lose}. Whether it gets acknowledged or not they care about people {Azula:Thought I’d find you here} and  {Li; you can mess with me all you want but no one messes with Priscilla}.

Both give fratricide a chance with Azula fighting Zuko after he betrays the Fire Nation and Li fighting his younger brother on multiple occasions. They also indirectly and directly save their sibling. Azula when she taunts Zuko about how Azulon ordered his death, an action that leads to Azulons poisoning as well as  when she twists a canon dead or alive order to put Zuko back in the palace. For Li this is when he does not tell his foster mother about Lee getting the book they need and when he actually saves Lee and his friends from her in the final episodes.

Both also have a younger sibling who they view as a replacement with the only difference being that Azula’s not wrong about the narrative seeing Kiyi as a replacement for her and Li is.

[zuko-always-lies]

ATLA AU Idea which is Basically “Azula Raises Katara for Several Years”

I’ve had this idea kicking around my head for months, and, since I have no intention of writing it, I figure I might as well post it. To be clear, the premise of this fanfic is “Azula, Katara, and Sokka get traumatized in ways they weren’t in canon, but the events that traumatize them potentially help lead to a better outcome in the long-term,” so be prepared for rough sailing.

This idea is very much inspired by all the “Katara gets kidnapped young and raised within the Fire Nation royal family” fanfics, which I think can be excellent if done with care. However, in a situation where Katara and Azula develop a relationship when they are young, the natural tendency is to make Katara the “motherly” or parental one, and I wanted to turn that on its head. I also wanted to explore some of the possible implications of Azula taking on adult sized responsibilities as a child and of the perverse ways that power differentials can influence things. I also wanted to explore some of the ways that Azula’s commitment to duty and responsibility can be a positive thing. Another ~2000 or so words under the cut.

The premise is that, shortly after Zuko gets banished, Katara gets captured by the Southern Raiders as the last Southern Water Tribe waterbender and brought back to Caldera and presented as a trophy to Ozai. Ozai’s first reaction is to have her executed, but fortunately Azula is also present in the throne room. For reasons which Azula doesn’t entirely understand herself but which definitely have something to do with her guilt over what happened to Zuko, Azula decides to intervene, despite the risks involved. However, not being Zuko, she manages to do this without provoking Ozai, through convincing him that Katara is more valuable alive as a trophy, a symbol, and a plaything than she is dead. Ozai doesn’t really care that much, so he pawns Katara off to Azula and basically forgets about her, accidentally using language that implies to Azula that Katara and taking care of Katara is now Azula’s responsibility. Azula is at an age where she’s started to take her responsibilities and duties with deadly seriousness.

Katara doesn’t know what to make of this all.  She’s been severely traumatized by being kidnapped and torn from her family and culture and by having her life threatened by Ozai. She’s aware that Azula saved her life, but the language Azula used to in order to do so sounds warped and screwed up to Katara, who is unaware that Azula had to say what she said in order to manipulate Ozai.  Katara noticed that Azula seemed a little nervous when she talked to Ozai, but Katara doesn’t initially know how risky and dangerous what Azula did was.

Again, Azula takes her responsibilities with deadly seriousness. So, when it becomes her responsibility to take care of Katara, Azula is determined to do the best possible job, even though she’s 11 and Katara is also 11. If there were any responsible adults present, they would intervene and talk to Azula about how awful an idea this is, but there aren’t any left.  In any case, Katara’s waterbending abilities make it so she has to be kept under some kind of supervision, Azula is perceptive enough to worry that Katara might be mistreated if she got fostered out, and in any case Azula is convinced she can do a better job than any foster family.

Azula is a badly abused 11 year old who grew up indoctrinated in an absolutely toxic ideology. She’s never really seen good parenting in her life. The idea of her trying to parent should be terrifying. Yet she’s aware that Ursa didn’t do the best job with her, and since Katara isn’t a “monster” Azula sees no reason to replicate Ursa’s behavior. Azula believes the way that Ozai treats her is absolutely justified, even though she has some knowledge of its negative effects on her, but since Katara isn’t a princess who has immense duties to her nation and family, Azula sees no reason to treat her that way. In fact, Azula is aware of ignorance about parenting, and tries to read as much about parenting as she can. She also reads as much about the water tribes as she can in order to try to understand Katara better.

In terms of being a “parent,” Azula is overall a little standoffish, absent, and demanding.  She doesn’t need to directly look after Katara’s physical care(she has servants for that), but she has to look after Katara’s emotional needs, her education, and her overall care. As a temporary measure, she arranges that Katara sleep on a cot in Azula’s room because she’s not sure where to put her, and this arrangement becomes permanent. This means Azula and Katara usually eat together, since Azula has taken most of her meals in her room, but Azula is very busy with her duties, training, and education, so they don’t spend much time together in a typical day. Azula has Katara officially declared a servant(but one who only reports to Azula) in order to regularize her status and allow Katara to draw a salary(most of which Azula holds in escrow for when Katara comes of age), but Azula only rarely asks Katara to do work; Katara had far more chores back in the Southern Water Tribe. On the other hand, Azula demands that Katara work hard in her education and on practicing her waterbending. Katara is too old to be sent to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, but Azula obtains tutors for her, in addition to getting her whatever waterbending scrolls she can and trying to obtain the best possible bending coaches for Katara’s waterbending, sometimes even stepping in herself to try to coach Katara.

Azula is aware that Katara wants to return home, but she doesn’t think that Ozai would ever allow that, and, in any case, Azula is an imperialist who thinks Katara is better off being “civilized” in the Fire Nation than she would be back in her ignorant and “savage” home.  A large portion of Katara’s education is intended to “civilize” her. Azula doesn’t have firm ideas of where adult Katara will fit into Fire Nation society but plays with the idea of marrying her into the nobility or of making her governor of the conquered Water Tribes. So overall, Azula does a shockingly good job as “parent” given she’s an abused 11 year child acting within the toxic norms of the Fire Nation, but that still means she does a bad job, and her relationship with Katara remains pretty toxic.

Ozai and the rest of the court have some awareness of what’s going on, but they honestly don’t care as long Azula continues to be an exemplary princess, fulfills her duties, and continues to exceed expectations. Some members of the court even find Azula’s personal commitment to “civilizing” a savage to be inspiring. However, the burden of taking care of Katara means that Azula is under even more pressure than she is in canon, with the good news being that Azula has something more of a support network than in canon. Katara provides some measure of support, and in this AU Azula never has the energy to really push Ukano’s political career forward, and so Mai never has to leave, so Ty Lee also stays put.

Katara, again, is severely traumatized by her experiences, and to a degree feels helpless. She knows that she can’t escape and go back home. She’s resentful of Azula and particularly of the efforts to cut Katara off from her culture, but at the same time Katara ends internalizing some Fire Nation culture. Yet after a while Katara gets a sense of how toxic the environment is at the Royal Court, and she soon(after overhearing a conversation between Mai and Ty Lee which was supposed to be confidential) learns what happened to Zuko and realizes how much Azula risked in order to protect Katara, and Katara can’t help but feel intense gratitude to Azula for it. Azula also gradually becomes more and more respectful of Water Tribe culture, and Katara deeply appreciates the emphasis Azula places on Katara mastering waterbending.  Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee are also the only people in the Fire Nation who are ever consistently kind to Katara, and Katara ends up deeply bonding with each one of them, although the resulting relationships are not the healthiest. Katara eventually starts to develop a sense of how each one of them has been deeply victimized by Fire Nation culture. Azula goes to great lengths to hide her own struggles and pain from Katara, but Katara spends a lot of time with her and sometimes notices. Several years in, Katara notices some positive changes in Azula and begins to play with the idea that she can positively influence Azula so that Azula will be become a kinder and anti-imperialist Firelord.

Azula thinks Katara’s waterbending is the coolest thing ever(well, aside from firebending at least), a sentiment shared to a lesser degree by Mai and Ty Lee. Azula also thinks that learning to fight is vital, so she brings Katara along for her spars with Mai and Ty Lee. Katara makes rapid progress, particularly due to her access to many waterbending scrolls. As a result of this, and of Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee not separating, all four girls end up being significantly better combatants than they were in canon.

Mai and Ty Lee have complex reactions to Katara, but they eventually come to like and even love her. There is an element of resentment present because Katara takes up so much of the ever busy Azula’s time, but Azula forces her friends to spend time with Katara, and they end up bonding with her.  Katara’s empathy and compassion works in her favor here, especially since she rapidly develops into one of the few people who sees and appreciates them for who they are. Mai and Ty Lee also find Katara’s waterbending to be an interesting and intriguing method of combat, soon come to respect Katara’s budding combat skills, and, as people deeply unhappy with their own places in society, they find Katara’s stories of life at the south pole to be interesting. Mai has issues with Katara being a little too “motherly,” but on the other hand appreciates that Katara pays attention to Mai’s actual desires and needs.  Ty Lee sometimes finds Katara to be a little too similar to her for comfort, but also at the same time appreciates Katara’s caring side and the way she’s not reluctant to give her positive attention. Frequently Azula is too busy to join her friends, so Katara, Ty Lee, and Mai end up hanging out together. Freaks and outsiders stick together.

Azula, through her research into the Water Tribes, personal experience with Katara, and interest in Katara’s waterbending, begins to subtly yet strongly move in anti-imperialist directions and doubt Fire Nation ideology, but her transformation has scarcely begun by the time Book 1 begins. She does benefit from better relationships with her friends, though, and Katara gives her some emotional support. Meanwhile, to a lesser degree Mai and Ty Lee have had their own doubts develop about imperial ideology.

Azula tends to see her relationship with Katara mainly in terms of responsibility and duty, but she ultimately comes to fiercely love Katara.

Zuko and Iroh do their things, just like in canon.  They receive vague reports about Katara’s presence in court, but they don’t understand the significance of them.

Sokka gets badly traumatized by losing his sister and believes her to be killed by the Fire Nation. Hakoda, Bato, and the water tribe warriors also still leave to fight the Fire Nation. Sokka is absolutely dedicated to seeking vengeance on the Fire Nation, and when he accidently defrosts Aang, he sees an opportunity.

Book 1 largely plays out the same, with minor changes. I think an interesting one is that Suki ends up joining a badly understrength Team Avatar and temporally leaving her warriors behind in order to aid Avatar Kyoshi’s reincarnation with the fulfillment of his destiny.

Book 2 opens with Azula being sent to capture Zuko and Iroh. Mai and Ty Lee tag along, in part with the hope of making sure Zuko is captured without being harmed, and Azula decides to bring Katara too rather than leave her alone in Caldera.  However, the operation goes south, and Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Katara soon find themselves hunting the Avatar. Katara’s loyalties are about to be tested like never before…Meanwhile, Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee all have seeds of anti-imperialism growing within them, but what will it take for these seeds to blossom and give fruit? Meanwhile, Azula grapples with not only her canon trauma but also the trauma she experienced through her parentification.

[sokkastyles]

I was sent this screenshot by someone telling me that the author of this post was using it as “evidence” that Zuko is selfish and disloyal to the Fire Nation, while Azula is selfless because of her loyalty to the FN, and was asked to answer the question: is Zuko selfish?

And I just have to say that this post is written in phenomenally bad faith, especially if it’s supposed to be proof of Zuko’s supposed selfishness.

So let’s get into it.

Zuko’s quest to capture the Avatar is certainly selfish, because his motives are based around what he thinks it will gain him (his father’s acceptance), but hardly for the reason this person seems to think it is.

As Katara says to him in Ba Sing Se, the fact that Zuko is willing to destroy the world’s last hope for peace if it means he achieves his goal is selfish, but pitting him against the Fire Nation “cause” hardly proves Zuko selfish, since destroying the world for its own gain is literally the Fire Nation’s goal.

That’s the first point that needs to be made. Loyalty to a regime that is built on selfishness and hate cannot be said to be selfless in any sense of the word. So the idea that Zuko is selfish for being disloyal and Azula is selfless for being loyal to a fascist regime where she exists in the top %1 is completely backwards.

Second, although Zuko’s motivation for trying to capture Aang before Zhao is selfish from a worldly perspective, it’s also pretty backwards to label him as self-interested and disloyal to the Fire Nation because the reason he wants to capture Aang before Zhao is because this is literally the mission he was given by his father, the Fire Lord. Ozai gave Zuko this mission as a punishment for what he saw as disloyalty, and convinced Zuko that it was the only way to redeem his honor.

Zuko is motivated entirely by proving his loyalty to the Fire Lord. And since the Fire Lord has total authority over his nation, loyalty to the Fire Lord is loyalty to the Fire Nation. Moreover, Zuko is convinced that this is the only way that he can be loyal to his nation, because in all other ways, he is considered by his father to be a failure.

Zuko isn’t motivated by personal glory here, he’s motivated by a desperate need to prove that he’s not a failure to his country and his father, and he believes this because this is what Ozai’s abuse conditioned him to believe.

Zhao accuses Zuko of disloyalty but he isn’t calling Zuko out on anything. Zhao believes Zuko is disloyal because that’s what Ozai said Zuko was, and he also knows that this is a trigger point for Zuko and he wants to push his buttons. Zhao himself is being pretty hypocritical here because he dismissed Zuko’s quest for the Avatar as foolishness until he realized that Zuko had actually found something.

And this is where we get to the cognitive dissonance that is characteristic of both abusive people and fascist regimes. “Disloyalty” as defined by Ozai is not obeying and being a failure, so Zuko has to bring back the Avatar. “Disloyalty” as defined by Zhao is Zuko holding back information so he can achieve the mission Ozai sent for him. Ozai most likely sent Zuko on this mission in the first place on the assumption that it would not be achievable, and Zhao also thinks this until he realizes that Zuko has actually discovered something.

I’m sure that if Ozai found out that Zuko tried to impede Zhao from capturing Aang he would brand it as disloyalty, but I think Ozai also purposefully sent Zuko on an unwinnable mission AND was prepared to punish him for “disloyalty” for not succeeding even though that was exactly what he expected him to do. It was only luck that Zuko ended up finding Aang in the first place, and that’s one of the reasons why Ozai restoring Zuko’s honor feels empty in book three.

And here’s the thing, which I’ve said before in response to these bizarre Ozai/Fire Nation apologist takes. You don’t owe any loyalty to anyone who doesn’t have any loyalty or respect for you.

That’s what Zuko eventually realizes, and it’s what he’s beginning to realize as early as here, in the third episode, as seen in his outburst at Zhao calling his father a fool if he thinks the world will follow him willingly. If he thinks people will fall in line by being subjugated by terror and violence.

Zuko knows on some level that he’s stuck in an unwinnable situation and that his father and the FN are wrong, even if he can’t really articulate it yet. Kids are smart, and they know when adults are putting them in unwinnable situations. They also know right from wrong. Kids become frustrated when they can’t do the right thing, and when they can’t please an unpleasable adult that has authority over them, and this is very much what Zuko is doing here. The harder he tries to beat Zhao, the more “disloyal” he is to the Fire Nation; the more Zhao is able to best him, the farther he is from proving his loyalty to his father.

This is actually one of the ways the show sets the groundwork early on for Zuko’s redemption by

1) showing us that the Fire Nation is not worthy of Zuko’s loyalty

2) Showing Zuko being put into increasingly impossible and contradictory situations due to his attempts to remain loyal to the Fire Nation; eventually “screw this I’m out” starts to look more and more like a better idea.

Zuko already knew this, of course, even before the series began, but he buries it deep because of the need for his father’s love. It’s why he stood up in a war room full of adults and demanded to know how the leader of his country could knowingly send loyal soldiers to their deaths. What happened to those soldiers is entirely a parallel to what Ozai did to Zuko.

It’s amazing but also terribly ironic that so many Azula “fans” don’t seem to understand this, either, and try to prop up Azula by showing how loyal she is to a cause that, in the end, destroyed her, as it would have done to Zuko if he hadn’t gotten out.

Zuko is loyal to Iroh because he knows on some level even at the start of the series that Iroh is the one person who isn’t going to gaslight him or manipulate him or hurt him while telling him it’s for his own good. The one person who doesn’t feed him the fascist lie of personal glory and destructive nationalism and instead offers him truth, love and acceptance.

Azula I guess is “selfless” if you consider that her entire sense of self is tied up with pleasing her father, as Zuko’s was at the beginning, but that’s not an admirable trait, that’s just being abused. 

As far as being selfless in her loyalty to the Fire Nation, again, she’s in the top %1 and considers herself as having the right to rule and the right to conquer other nations in the name of the Fire Nation. So loyalty to the Fire Nation is about what she gains and what she believes is her right. From a personal standpoint she is entirely self-centered, as she is cruel and manipulative towards others and sees them in terms of how she can use them. That’s the main difference between her and Zuko, that Zuko actually cares about others, although he tries to shove this impulse down at the beginning of the series, whereas Azula’s cruelty and disregard for those around her that she exhibited in childhood grew as Ozai fostered it.

[juniperhillpatient]

Who do you think would be who (roughly) in an ATLA PLL AU?

I’m bingeing PLL while sick so it’s on my mind lol.

Good question!

I can’t believe I’ve never thought about this. Hm I feel like Azula is the obvious choice for Alison but Spencer’s perfectionism & rich girl with daddy issues + sibling issues also kinda fits Azula 😂 Maybe Azula is Allison & Ty Lee is Spencer but her issues with never standing out with her sisters is explored through all the drama with Spencer & her sister who’s name I forget lol

Then again Ty Lee also fits Aria’s more artsy weird girl personality - although iirc that is more prevalent in the books.

Hm actually I think Katara could work as Aria but make it a Katara who’s a little rebellious. Also Katara canonically goes all in with her whole heart so idk who Ezra is but I can see Katara’s emotional side making that romance fun.

I can see Suki as Emily. Her passion for the swim team could be a stand in for Suki’s love for the Kyoshi warriors & she’s sweet but has a little snarkiness which works for Suki.

Maybe Mai could be Maya? The mysterious cool bi girl? It’s funny I never thought about Mai/Suki until today really but I guess it’s on my mind because of the Once in a Blue Moon update I reblogged earlier 😉

Hm & idk who Toph could be…. Definitely Not that mean blind girl the little liars blinded with stink bombs for sure 😂 Oh - Toph could be Paige! Emily’s sort of abrasive gf - I think that’s her name. Yeah, maybe Toph could be her.

…. Now I know that Yue is not mean or manipulative but somehow I think Yue could be Alison. The whole haunting the narrative, everyone idealizes & demonizes her simultaneously thing is potentially interesting for Yue actually.

Ok so that’s the main atla girls. Do the guys in PLL even matter? They’re mostly there to look pretty 😂

Uh… Jet could be Caleb the whole sad boy with no family in foster care bad boy the police & authorities are always doing wrong thing works. Also I didn’t put anyone as Hanna idk no one popped out to me? Maybe Jin can be Hanna. Sweet, a little ditzy, good heart.

And I really don’t know who Zuko is.

Sokka can be Aria’s brother (forget his name) since I said Katara is Aria except that doesn’t totally work since Aria’s brother has anger issues that more fit Zuko… yeah idk.

I’m gonna be honest it’s been a while since I watched or read PLL & I don’t really remember too many guy characters. Still no clue who would be Ezra.

Anyway that’s what I got for now lol!

Do you have any ideas for who would be who or how things would play out?

Thanks for the ask & I hope you feel better soon! 💖

[waterfire1848]

1, 4, and 19 for the Fun meta asks please!

Hello @stardust948 !!!

Tell us about your current project(s) - What's it about, how's progress, what do you love most about it?

Hopefully I get all of my WIPS!

Dragons In The Lake - Azula and Zuko wind up in BSS when they’re very young (4 and 6) and Long Feng decides to kidnap them and hold them in Lake Laogai. Flash forward 10 years later, when the Gaang arrive looking for Appa and find both him and two dragon firebenders - I have two chapters left but for some reason I'm struggling to write them - I really love getting to write Azula and Zuko in this new dynamic as they are much closer here and this is a fic where they don't need a redemption because they were never raised (that much) on FN propaganda

Here's The Deal - Sokka arrives in a small Fire Nation village in the hopes of getting some shelter from a storm and some time to relax. He's shocked to discover not only that Azula is in the same village but also that there's a blue dragon with very familiar golden eyes living in the forest - I'm done. Just posting chapters now and doing some light editing - I love the Sokkla fluff so much!

I Had the Best Day With You - Foster kids Zuko and Azula are taken in by Kya and Hakoda and brought to live with them and their children, Katara and Sokka. The family goes through many ups and downs while trying to accept one another - 47% complete. I'd like to write another 3 or 4 chapters before I publish anything though - @ilikepjo24 came up with this idea and my favorite thing is actually a spoiler but it involves an Azula & Hakoda and Azula & Kya moment.

When World's Collide - Mermaid!Azula is taken by captors to a sea park where she meets Katara and the two begin a friendship that turns into a romance - .09%. I really need to start making progress on this thing for Mermay - I like being able to create this world that Azula's from. In the story she's a warrior and that's actually part of the reason she's captured in the first place.

My Baby, My Baby - After the events of The Beach, Zuko goes to talk to Azula about what she said. When she brushes him off, Zuko thinks nothing of it and heads to bed. The next morning, he's woken up by Mai shaking him away and Ty Lee holding a toddler - Have hardly started because two days ago I decided to completely change when this story takes place to make it shorter - Easily writing baby!Azula. Plus writing Zuko & Azula having a good relationship is always fun

Lightning Swap - During The Avatar State, Azula and Iroh accidentally swap bodies and are forced to try and find one another and find a way to swap back - I've written....some. I'm in the middle of a writers block for this fic actually because it was originally a oneshot but I have no idea what else to write for it - Body swapping shenanigans are always fun.

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you're really proud of (explain why, if you like)

“Oh!” Sokka’s eyes suddenly went dark, “Azula, if you even think of going anywhere near that dragon-“

“Might be a bit difficult.”

“I’m not kidding.” A small part of Azula could admit that Sokka’s voice did scare her a little. She’d never heard him sound this serious. Even when he yelled at her during the invasion, he wasn’t this scary. Maybe that was because he had the Avatar and Toph behind him, so he didn’t feel the need to be at 100%. The two powerful benders behind him could do the heavy lifting. Or maybe it was because at the time he was just angry and yelling and Azula knew that he didn’t mean any of his empty threats. 

“I don’t think you are, but I do think you’ll be interested in what I have to say.” Azula removed her coat, being careful not to hurt the fabric that was so nicely wrapped around her arm.

The second Sokka saw his fabric on Azula’s arm, his eyes grew. He looked between her and the fabric again and again and again.

“You’ll get it in a moment.” Azula promised, smirking at how dumbfounded he looked.

“YOU’RE THE DRAGON!?!”

From chapter 2 of Here's The Deal. I like Sokka being protective over Azula even when he doesn't know it's Azula.

19. Is there something you always find yourself repeating in your writing? (favorite verb, something you describe 'too often', trope you can't get enough of?)

Probably the word but and said. I feel like almost every other sentence I write had the word but in it. While every time someone talks I have to stop myself from just writing "blank said"

[koala-otter]

A Long Way Home

Rating: E (eventually) Chapters: 2/10 Relationship: Sokka/Zuko Words: 8115 Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Accidental Baby Acquisition, Kid Fic, Adoption, Foster Care, (mentions) - Freeform, Mental Health Issues, (for azula), everyone gets a happy ending, mostly fluffy, and domestic, zukka dads

Sokka walks in from the entryway with a bag of takeout in one hand, his messenger bag in the other, and a bewildered look on his face. “What is that?” he practically shrieks when he sees Zuko trying to juggle a ringing phone and a sobbing two-year-old. “Sokka.” “Okay, fine, who is that?” “Sokka—” “Don’t tell me that’s your baby,” Sokka continues. He’s dropped the messenger bag and is clutching his hand in his hair, but the takeout is still solidly held in his hand. “Oh my La, Zuko, she looks just like you. When did you have a baby?” “I didn’t have a baby!”

Zuko leads a life as a small-time book editor in Republic City, sharing an apartment with his nothing-more-than-friends roommate, Sokka, and worrying about his missing sister, Azula. A little girl named Izumi turns it all upside down.

Read Chapter 1 here!