#Protective!Sokka

[demaparbat-hp]

Oh, Aang, you're really in it now...

This is Zu—I mean, Jian Li and Katara's second meeting in the Kyoshi Warriors AU. The first proper one, anyway.

Once they get through a minor difference of opinion or two (“I can carry my own basket!” “Never said you—” “I'm not weak!” “I didn't—” “Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean—” “Would you listen for once, woman?!” ) they'll become nearly inseparable.

For now Jian Li will carry Katara's basket all the way to the Kyoshi Warriors' dojo and, once there, they'll mercilessly tease Sokka when they see him in uniform.

[posalis]

Do you ever think about Zuko acting as a human shield for Sokka? Because I do. A lot. (x)

[yvainart]

cw blood

the theory that sokka died protecting korra from red lotus (cover me in roses holden laurence starts playing in the background)

[istehlurvz]

jet attack, sokka protect

[transboysokka]

I’ve been thinking about this for a couple days and the original ending of the show is great and perfect and it Had to Be That Way with Aang sparing Ozai’s life

But I really want Sokka to kill Ozai

I want him to one day find out exactly how bad he messed Zuko (and Azula) up and I want him not to be able to take it anymore and I want him to just snap and go to Ozai and kill him

And I want Zuko to see it and I want him to see the blood dripping from Sokka’s hands and I want him to smile and feel such intense relief that the man who’s always held so much power over him is finally gone but the I want him to be overwhelmed by a Terrible sense of Guilt that Sokka felt like he had to do that for him

And I want Sokka, King of Repression, to look up over Ozai’s corpse, soaked with the man’s blood, and smile. Because now Zuko is safe. And Sokka will never have a single regret.

[comradekatara]

sokka’s trademark undying loyalty is born out of a fundamental belief that he is intrinsically worthless outside of what he can provide to those he is loyal to, whereas azula's trademark undying loyalty is born out of a fundamental belief that if she were not loyal to those she is loyal to she would be intrinsically worthless. very subtle distinction, but it matters.

[muffinlance]

Prompt: Aang didn't know Zuko was raising a baby dragon

Aang tilts his head. He doesn’t lower his staff, because—because Zuko, but he doesn’t try hitting him again, either. At least, not anywhere near his chestplate, which the other boy is very suddenly defending like there’s a second Avatar inside.

“Do you… have something in there?” Aang asks.

“NO!” shouts Zuko, who definitely has something inside his armor. It makes a kind of scrabbly-paws-on-metal sound and then—

“Do you have a dragon in there?” Aang squeals. 

And maybe in retrospect he should have thought more before bouncing towards the fiery teenager, but in Aang’s defense there is the cutest, tiniest, fluffiest little maned dragon head he’s ever seen trying to peek out of Zuko’s neckline. And anyway, the other boy is way too busy backpedaling and trying to push the dragon’s snout back inside to Capture the Avatar, so. So Aang absolutely shoves a hand at the dragon’s nose for it to smell him, because that’s how you greet them—

—Or is that praying mantis-dogs?—

And then there is a Fire Prince squawking and shoving him away, which is definitely not a bending move, but not before a little lizard tongue tickles Aang’s hand which is so cute.

“Uh,” says Sokka, lowering his club. “I. I am not actually sure how I’m supposed to be reacting, here.”

“We’re fighting,” snarls Zuko, who is cupping protective hands over the dragon, and definitely not fighting. The dragon has wormed one stubby little leg and an adorably oversized wing out, and seems enthusiastically set on more. 

Which is the point where Zuko’s uncle finally catches up to them, at his usual leisurely pace. If he wasn’t with Zuko, Aang would maybe think that the older man wasn’t all that invested in catching him.

“Nephew, do you…” And then he catches sight of the dragon.

Zuko pales.

“Hello, Uncle Backup,” says Sokka, grabbing Aang and Katara’s arms. “And that’s our cue to go go go.”

Zuko chases them. Because he’s Zuko.

Zuko… gets ahead of them. Which is not very chase-y?

Zuko vaults into Appa’s saddle ahead of them and holds his hands up as Katara threatens him with a hovering stream of water. He… doesn’t seem to be leaving, or attacking, and his uncle is running after them way faster than Aang is used to, so. Yip-yip?

Katara and Sokka sit down, once Zuko’s uncle looks very small under them. Zuko keeps his hands up. The baby dragon is flapping its free wing appreciatively in the rushing air. And chirruping really cutely.

“So,” says Sokka, slowly. “You… needed a ride?”

“I don’t—” Zuko starts to shout, before lowering his volume, even if his tone is exactly the same. “I don’t need a ride.”

“Uh-huh,” says Sokka, even more slowly. 

Zuko continues to keep his hands up. His dragon is trying to squirm the rest of the way free, and has decided that gnawing at his chest plate is the way to do this. It’s making pretty good progress against the black and red paint. The metal, not so much.

Aang keeps glancing back from Appa’s head. “You, um,” he says, suddenly realizing that You seemed scared will probably just lead to more shouting. And fire. Which there has been a really noticeable lack of, and Aang kind of wants to encourage that. 

“Did your uncle not know about the dragon?” he asks, instead.

“Uncle is the Dragon of the West,” Zuko says, more quietly than Aang has ever heard him say anything. And also like it’s a full explanation. But judging by the equally confused looks on Katara and Sokka’s faces, this isn’t just another thing he’s missed during the past hundred years. 

The baby dragon huffs at its lack of progress. And flops, like an over-cooked and very dejected noodle, against Zuko’s chest. 

Zuko swallows. And stops glaring at any of them, because he’s no longer meeting their eyes. He lowers his hands, slowly, and works a shoulder strap free. It’s enough for the dragon to puddle limply down into his lap, where it curls into a very alert spring. 

“Do you know how someone gets the title dragon?” Zuko says. “By killing a dragon. Uncle thought he killed the last two. And father was—he was so mad, not that uncle killed the last, but that he killed two. That he didn’t leave some glory for the rest of our family.”

Sokka clears his throat, after the obligatory awkward silence. “Your family is… kind of messed up, huh?” 

“What was your first clue,” says the Fire Prince, his scarred face deadpan.

His very prominently scarred face.

Oh. 

Katara crosses her arms. Which makes her look grumpier, but she’s not able to bend as quickly like that, so Aang knows she’s feeling less going-to-waterwhip-you grumpy and more prove-me-wrong grumpy. 

“If killing it would be so glorious,” she asks, “why haven’t you?”

“It— She— She’s just a child. It wouldn’t be honorable,” Zuko says, straightening his back.

“Uh-huh,” says Sokka.

But Aang. Aang grins. “Hey! I’m a child, too!”

The Fire Prince groans, and drops his face into his knees. His dragon climbs up onto his head and, using his ponytail approximately like a tree branch, stretches both her wings out, and lifts her little nose to the wind.

(You can also read this and other prompts on AO3.)

[a-todd-illustration]

I will literally never get over the kids™ + Zuko, I’m devouring these crumbs of content (yes I did just spend half an hour scrolling through your account)

Then have some more! Protective Zuko fighting off a thief in the night

[zukos-other-missing-eyebrow]

what's up with sokka and falling for people that could kill him if they wanted to

[witchering10123]

nah fam cause I definitely thought that zhao would mistake yue and sokka for the moon and ocean spirits in the oasis

[sulkybender]

Read a devastating and UNDERTAGGED post-pregnancy Zuko fic. Writing a soft epilogue to “wasn’t my body rescued” just to recover and be functional again.

Gah!!

[pyjamacryptid]

sokka putting on his war paint to face the fire navy and I’m feeling super emotional over how this 15 year old boy really was preparing himself to protect his village and die trying

[aloeverified]

i will never forgive atla fans for always talking about how katara is the mom friend and sokka is the adventurous one when. have you seen the first season. sokka refuses to try anything new whereas katara is curious about everything.

y'all just see a male character who's loud and a female character who's kind and put them in the same roles over and over again.

[zukosdualdao]

actually having a lot of feelings about sokka warily remarking that katara does mean it when she says she wants to fight in the waterbending master and how actually worried he seems during the fight, and katara's surprised "sokka!" when sokka volunteers for battle right after being told how dangerous it is.

[the-genius-az]

What do you think of Azula with the Gaang? And how would Azula get along with them? What things do they mutually share?

Thanks for the question, Amor!

With Aang.

I think they both share how they were child prodigies who suffered from loneliness when they were called the best, you know, the master of the blue flame and the avatar.

They also share how they both don't have parents, although Aang had his teacher (I forgot his name) as his father figure, but he wasn't really his father. meanwhile Azula didn't really have a parent/ mother figure, or at least they didn't act like that.

They are both nobody's children. And I feel like they would get along well, they would both teach each other how to improve as a person and control their elements better.

With Katara.

They both suffered the loss of their mothers from a very young age, although Azula never really had one.

They are also prodigies, the best in their fields, with annoying older brothers.

I like to imagine that they would get along and both would team up to annoy their brothers.

With Sokka.

They are geniuses, or at least Sokka is better than average.

I bet they'd both get along because they're nerds, and they both have a greater sense of loyalty than each other.

but I like the headcanon that it's an adopted older brother/adopted younger sister relationship.

With Suki.

They are born leaders, they both share the desire to fight for others and are very protective of their loved ones.

They would get along if there wasn't a war, or maybe they would be sparring partners after the war.

And finally with Toph.

They both share loneliness and abandonment by their parents, although neither of them would talk about their problems, at least until they are going through a difficult time.

And they would be the explosive dynamic duo, although obviously Azula would be the most responsible and think logically, but sometimes she forgets and becomes just as chaotic as Toph.

Without a doubt Toph is Azula's bad influence.

And I think the one who would get along best with Azula would be Aang, they both share many things in common.

[hypokeimena]

i watched the new live action atla show with some college friends and lads it's so bad. they made several transparent changes to make the characters "more sympathetic" except it completely removed all conflict and flattened half the cast! sokka wasn't allowed to express outright, clearly-signposted-as-bad sexism and yet this version of the show is MORE SEXIST than the cartoon!