aleanmeangreenmachine

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Hi, hello, your herbalist!zuko art is the greatest thing ever

herbalist!zuko / spirit and me says thank you! 

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also please consider these, possible hair development through the three seasons. 

just to be sure, credit to @muffinlance​, the dear anon and everyone in the atla fandom who looked at zuko with long hair and runs with the fun!

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✩ WEEKLY FIC ROUND-UP ✩

A collection of fics I’ve read (/reread) and thoroughly enjoyed in the past week-ish from all kinds of fandoms and genres.

ATLA

Icarus, Point to the Sun by aeoleus               

Zuko tries.

Agni, he tries. Uncle wants so desperately for him to do the right thing, and he wants to, he does, he does, he does-

So when the Water Tribe girl looks at him with wild eyes, begging for help, and Azula raises one eyebrow with a sneer, Zuko chooses.

Azula’s scream of anger when he blasts a fireball in her direction is almost worth the twenty Dai Li agents that immediately surround him.

(or: Zuko is taken prisoner by Azula in the catacombs. Turns out, being kept miles away from the sun isn’t so great for your bending.)

Like a Baby Shirshu by mindbending        

Despite the fever and the barely-healed burn scar, the boy’s fast. June avoids his blade, but still he jams his limbs into her, desperate to scratch and kick and bite off her hand…

(Just like a baby shirshu, spitting poison from behind the bars of its cage. The comparison shouldn’t be so endearing.)

Or: the AU where Zuko flees the palace after his Agni Kai, running right into Nyla and June.

How Dare You? by Reaganrose1513 (Note: Based off this post I made a month back)

They sent a child. They wanted him to marry a child the same age as his own kids. What in the name of Tui and La- How dare the? How dare they!?

OR: The 100-year war is more of a 95-year war, end earlier for reasons that don’t matter right now. After a few years of negotiations, Firelord Azulon wants a marriage alliance between the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe and a member of the Fire Nation royal family. No one really wants this, but after five years, Hakoda can tell his people are tired and want to move on, so he’s willing to do what it takes to make peace happen. That is until the Fire Nation sends him a child to marry, and there is no way in hell that is happening.

Harry Potter

The Foundations of Family by waitingondaisies

Ron and Hermione spend a lot of time alone together while Harry is off at Quidditch practice. On one such occasion, Hermione finds herself revisiting her childhood dream of playing house with her friends.

BNHA

Apex Predator by silver jackdaw (idyII)                

Every single school had one: someone at the top of the food chain. An acme. Someone who could do things under a teacher’s nose, escape consequences, and terrify other people. Someone who looked down on everyone else like they were prey. An apex predator. And Izuku couldn’t count on teachers and adults to protect anyone. Even a hero school wasn’t safe from the phenomena. When Izuku gets to Yuuei, he’s determined to find out who it is and ensure they can’t hurt him or his new friends.

…and accidentally, in the process, becomes the apex predator (though he is mostly unaware of this, and uses it for good. But still, people are terrified of him.)

(Or, a snowball chain of events wherein Izuku’s paranoia leads to 1A becoming a family, everyone in school being in debt to him, Aizawa adopting everyone in his sight and slowly growing closer to committing acts of arson, the League gaining redemption and working with the resident Apex Predator to combat the Hero Commission whilst gaining technically legal identities, and Hawks finding a family. Hurt people help other hurt people, and they’re all doing their best. Some laws may or may not be broken in the process.)

but I have promises to keep by SpiritusRex                

“I’m fine.” Midoriya repeats, calmer after a few large, uneven breaths, “This is i-important. This is more important than me.”

“Midoriya,” Shouta starts.

“We’re wasting t-time.” Midoriya cuts him off, “I have a list of Sensei- I mean- I- All for One’s current quirks, and I n-need to tell you them.”

(Late at night, Aizawa Shouta gets an unexpected phone call.)

TMA

Like I Was Inside by voiceless_terror                

Tim decided to do what he did best- roll with the punches. Even though the punch, in this case, was his prickly cactus of a boss suddenly deciding he needed affection like a dying plant needs sunlight.

In which Jon encounters a cursed object, and the rest of the archival crew suffers for it. If you can call it suffering.

Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System

by omission by Yuu_chi                

Shen Qingqiu had always hoped that if the chance arose he’d be able to tell his friends about his life as Shen Yuan on his own terms. It had never even crossed his mind that the day would come where his deepest secret would be outed in front of his husband, his friends, and his entire sect.

I Wish You Were My Husband by Feynite (+ podfic)

AU based on The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (familiarity with that story’s not required).

Wherein Shen Yuan transmigrates into a harem intrigues romance novel (gay edition), Yue Qingyuan really fucks up, Liu Qingge is not suitable for his job, and no one even remotely sees Luo Binghe coming.

He Was Made For Untidy Rooms and Rumpled Beds by Bluethursday                

Shen Qingqiu kind of, sort of, does not have the same modesty standards as a xianxia novel set in some form of Ancient China? He also hates the heat, who knew right?

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Lots of discussion about Yue’s hair in modern aus going around and Yue dying young in modern AUs is generally attributed to illness so concept:

When Yue gets her cancer diagnosis and realizes she’s going to lose her hip length, beautiful dark hair, she and sokka spend days bleaching it and toning it and ruining all their clothes to get it the most ridiculously bright white they can because it’s gonna be gone, anyways

(After she dies Sokka refuses to get rid of the t-shirt he wore those days, even though it’s threadbare and full of holes and bleach stains.)

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This is a compiled list of some of my favorite pieces of short horror fiction, ranging from classics to modern-day horror, and includes links to where the full story can be read for free. Please be aware that any of these stories may contain subject matter you find disturbing, offensive, or otherwise distressing. Exercise caution when reading. Image art is from Scarecrow: Year One.

PSYCHOLOGICAL: tense, dread-inducing horror that preys upon the human psyche and aims to frighten on a mental or emotional level. 

“The Frolic” by Thomas Ligotti, 1989

“Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, 1970

“89.1 FM” by Jimmy Juliano, 2015

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 1892

“Death at 421 Stockholm Street“ by C.K. Walker, 2016

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, 1973

“An Empty Prison” by Matt Dymerski, 2018

“A Suspicious Gift” by Algernon Blackwood, 1906

CURSED: stories concerning characters afflicted with a curse, either by procuring a plagued object or as punishment for their own nefarious actions.

“How Spoilers Bleed” by Clive Barker, 1991

“A Warning to the Curious” by M.R. James, 1925

“each thing i show you is a piece of my death” by Stephen J. Barringer and Gemma Files, 2010

“The Road Virus Heads North” by Stephen King, 1999

“Ring Once for Death” by Robert Arthur, 1954

“The Mary Hillenbrand Cassette“ by Jimmy Juliano, 2016

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, 1902

MONSTERS: tales of ghouls, creeps, and everything in between.

“The Curse of Yig” by H.P. Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, 1929 

“The Oddkids” by S.M. Piper, 2015

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” by Richard Matheson

“The Graveyard Rats” by Henry Kuttner, 1936

“Tall Man” by C.K. Walker, 2016 

“The Quest for Blank Claveringi“ by Patricia Highsmith, 1967

“The Showers” by Dylan Sindelar, 2012

CLASSICS: terrifying fiction written by innovators of literary horror. 

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

“The Interlopers” by Saki, 1919 

“The Statement of Randolph Carter“ by H.P. Lovecraft, 1920

“The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Pierce, 1893

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, 1820 

“August Heat” by W.F. Harvey, 1910

“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

SUPERNATURAL: stories varying from spooky to sober, featuring lurking specters, wandering souls, and those haunted by ghosts and grief. 

“Nora’s Visitor” by Russell R. James, 2011

“The Pale Man” by Julius Long, 1934

“A Collapse of Horses” by Brian Evenson, 2013

“The Jigsaw Puzzle” by J.B. Stamper, 1977 

“The Mayor Will Make A Brief Statement and then Take Questions” by David Nickle, 2013

“The Night Wire” by H.F. Arnold, 1926 

“Postcards from Natalie” by Carrie Laben, 2016

UNSETTLING: fiction that explores particularly disturbing topics, such as mutilation, violence, and body horror. Not recommended for readers who may be offended or upset by graphic content.  

“Survivor Type” by Stephen King, 1982

“I’m On My Deathbed So I’m Coming Clean…” by M.J. Pack, 2018

“In the Hills, the Cities” by Clive Barker, 1984

“The New Fish” by T.W. Grim, 2013

“The Screwfly Solution” by Racoona Sheldon, 1977

“In the Darkness of the Fields” by Ho_Jun, 2015 

“The October Game” by Ray Bradbury, 1948

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” by Harlan Ellison, 1967 

HAPPY READING, HORROR FANS!

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Arcs to write instead of a love story:

Enemies to best friends

Siblings growing closer

Siblings growing apart

Best friends to enemies

Reluctant parent figure

Reluctant teacher figure

Overly eager teacher/parent figure to reluctant student.

Best friends to even better best friends

Switching archetypes. Ex: Mom friend and irresponsible friend switch by the end of the story.

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sick of my own skin

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lmao this is so embarrassing … all i can think about lately is drarry

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Draco Malfoy in uniform

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A:TLA Fics (Non-ship)

Zuko Gets Adopted (Frequently Against His Will), And Sometimes Does the Adopting Himself

A viper-lizard’s tales (by @crescentmoonrider)

Another Brother

black to blue (by @hersugarpill)

City of Prisoners

Dragon of the Yuyan (by @awkwardpenguinproductions)

Guilt

If I long for the world, just a bit, will you forgive me for it? (by @nvrlostword)

kintsugi (by @discordiansamba)

Salvage (by @muffinlance)

Show Me

The Best Path

The Crown of a Free Man (by @raikcaa)

there is a fire in me

To End a War

Wayward Flames, Come on Home (by @innogens-breadsticks)

Zuko & Father Figures

A Father’s Hand

A Journey, in many parts

A Matter of Trust

A Quiet Night In

After Daybreak (by @runrundoyourstuff)

Family Matters

Fire Nation Yacht Club (by @sword-and-stars)

goodbye to fathers

It gives a lovely light (by @elle-rosewater)

Never Look Away

Pride Is Not The Word (by @sword-and-stars)

put the weight on me (by @ta1k-less)

The Crown Hangs Heavy

There All The Honor Lies (by @shastafirecracker)

Unlikely Comfort

What We’re Given (by @sword-and-stars)

Zuko & the Gaang

all you have is your fire (and the place you need to reach)

Compassion For All Our Monsters (by @sword-and-stars)

count your blessings, not your sins (by @sky-mage)

don’t jump where i can’t catch you

dual

end-of-the-world-beach vacay (by @eternalgirlscout)

Falter (by @emerynn)

Family Is More Than Blood

Fueling the Flames (by @supernovaandtea)

Healing Properties of Cinder Sage (by @dawen-nightmaiden)

Justified

lessons in tea making (by @captainkirkk)

Male Bonding

new ways

One Big Happy Family

Perspective (by @waterandsilver)

ribs (by @gaycinema)

Rising Phoenix

sad songs in the summer (by @frutescence)

Safety First (by @sword-and-stars)

sightless yet seeing

Skin Deep

Terminal Velocity (by @balimaria)

the beginning of a new and brighter birth (by @captainkirkk)

The Festival of Lights

things lost in the fire (by @fyrelordzuko)

two truths and a lie (by @eternalgirlscout) 

Unwanted Friends

We Ourselves Must Walk The Path

we’ve got nothin but time

What If…

what they did to your face (by @nothing-more-than-hot-leaf-juice)

What You’re Seeing On That Stage

When the Truth Gets Out

Zuko-centric

A Dark Night in Ba Sing Se (by @muffinlance)

All The Gentle Creatures (by @sword-and-stars)

Amends

Bracing

close your eyes & swallow the sun (by @gaycinema)

first rule of earth kingdom fight club… (by @gaycinema)

For Hearth And Home (by @sword-and-stars)

half in shadows, half burned in flames

Heat, Wait, Steep, Repeat (by @sword-and-stars)

heavy as a feather, when you hit the dirt (by @gaycinema)

Home We’ll Go (by @achievement-bender)

Let it Flow Through You

make the world safe and sound (by @silveryinkystar)

Perfection is Overrated

Sad Prince Tellings

The 41st

The best way to solve your problems (is to help someone else)

The [insert title here] and the Fire Lord

the occasional ghosts

This Barefoot Estate (by @snailwriter)

Zuko vs. Adults

(tagging some folks who might be interested: @hugs4zuko, @donvex, @meteor-sword, @sokkaseboyhair, @gayfireprince)

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Katara’s Childhood // Katara’s story is really powerful. I wanted to show both the devastating loss she experienced as well as the hope as her father sets out, beginning a long chain of events that eventually include her and her brother bringing freedom and hope to so many people.

By Devin Elle Kurtz (me) Instagram | Twitter

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I have this head canon that Zuko finds the turtle duck he hit as a kid and APOLOGIZES like a man 😤👌

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Getting the Gaang back together! Instagram | Twitter

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au where yue lives, joins the gaang and gets an outfit with pants

Keep reading

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If anyone is interested chapter 8 of my airbender!zuko fic is now up :) I yell about it a heap on my blog so feel free to look over there if it sounds interesting and you want to check it out

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A lil Zuko fan art because I love him :) I was painting the other side of the page so that’s why he’s all splotched but it looks kind of cool so oh well. Also pls ignore the funky fresh s1 zuko to the right.

Technically this is a fanart for my fic Flow Like Fire but just ignore the jewelry and it’s canon. (the fic is https://archiveofourown.org/works/23732584 if you want to check it out lol)

[aleanmeangreenmachine]

Chapters: 7/18 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar), Toph Beifong & Zuko, Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Katara & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka & Zuko (Avatar), Suki & Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Zuko (Avatar), Iroh (Avatar), Ozai (Avatar), Azula (Avatar), Aang (Avatar), Toph Beifong, Sokka (Avatar), Katara (Avatar), Jet (Avatar), Suki (Avatar) Additional Tags: Angst, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, Alternate Universe, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko has a bison, Airbender zuko, zuko uses airbending to fake firebending, and earthbending, and waterbending, fake avatar zuko, zuko is done with ozai's shit, kyoshi warrior zuko, freedom fighter zuko Summary:

For ten years Zuko couldn't manage to summon a single flame. It wasn't until he accidentally bent air that he realised why; airbenders can't bend fire. And Zuko was an airbender.

or

zuko uses his airbending to pretend to firebend and his new personal connection to the airbender genocide kicks zuko off on a big fat field trip of self discovery where he realises that fire isn't the only element he can fake bend, competes in earthebending tournaments with toph, joins the freedom fighters, becomes a kyoshi warrior and joins the gaang early