#a:tla zuko

[heyhanibee]

clocked

[stormbornnn]

[firelilysky]

[faux-fires]

Something Stranger and More Wonderful

Until the day Sokka died, he knew he'd remember the cool gaze of the leopard-caribou as she looked upon him in his bank of snow. It hadn't been a malicious look, just a calculating one. She needed a meal, and she cared no more whether or not he was afraid than he’d cared whether the seal his father brought back from the beach in spring had felt fear before it died. The stranger in the water had eyes like that now. Sokka finds himself shipwrecked, stranded with no way home. When an impossible predator shows up to take advantage of an easy meal, Sokka must use all his wits to keep him distracted… and survive long enough to get back home for his sister's wedding.

Chapter 1 of 8 | Alternate Universe: Mermaids | Meat Cute | Rating: M (eventually E) | Further warnings in AO3 tags

Super excited to reveal my team's project for @zukkabigbang2024!!! With multiple gorgeous pieces by by @chiptrillino and betareading performed by @ranilla-bean (who boldly went to war against my adverbs), and a special shout-out to @ash-and-starlight for cheerleading services - it really took a village for this one, I hope you enjoy!

[cirifiona]

tui & la 🌊🔥

[zutaraweek]

Zutara Week 2025!

August, fellas! We're looking forward to this year's Zutara Week! Below you can fill out our Google Form to help us select from a carefully curated list of prompts, as well as help us choose which dates in August will better work for when to hold the event! We are also looking for some artwork to use for our icons/banners this year! So if there were any participants from the last few years that wouldn't mind for us to use their work, please reach out! Responses will close at the beginning of June, with announcements following soon after. Thanks a bunch, guys!

[mellpenscorner]

People need to understand that Zutara isn't about Zuko being the hot and sexy dream guy that makes Katara swoon. It's about their complimentary Tired Parent™️ energy and the fact that Zuko is—at all times—slightly terrified of Katara in the most smitten way possible.

[myartsing]

Fire lord era Zukka my beloved

[incorrect-quotes-lobby]

Sokka: So, what’s Zuko's type?

Katara: Brown eyes, kind, oblivious, good sense of humor, turtle lover.

Sokka: Sounds kind of like me. Too bad we’re just friends.

Katara: Did I mention oblivious?

Sokka: Yeah, why?

Katara: Okay, just making sure.

[lizardlicks]

The first fic I partnered with for the Zukka Big Bang is up! Everyone please go read air nomad pet sitting for beginners for a massive dose of fluff!

[starlight-bread-blog]

[dyingroses]

Avatar: The Last Airbender + text posts and stuff

[shadowqueendiangelo]

Everyone can say whatever they want about the ATLA live action but it was worth it for Ep 6 alone. I could write an essay on that episode and what they managed to do with it except I can’t because I will start crying.

That scene at the end alone??? Every one of Zuko’s crew bowing to him in respect, feeling gratitude and honor to serve him and the emotions hitting Zuko, who has needed this for three years, as he walks to his room???

I am in fucking tears.

[taakitz]

ATLA (zukka….) au where everything is mostly the same except that the phrase “friend of the Avatar” is a euphemism for being gay, a la the phrase friend of Dorothy

(the phrase started towards the start of the 100 year war because in this universe Avatar Roku was some flavor of gay, then Sozin canonically banned gay marriage after their situationship went downhill. so people had to be more subtle about communicating their identities, something something something, the phrase became semi-commonplace throughout the fire nation and later the earth kingdom. maybe it started even earlier because of bi queen kyoshi. who knows!)

miscommunication and self-discovery ensues throughout the events of ATLA:

early on into his banishment and search for the avatar, Zuko runs into someone who casually mentions that they’re a “friend of the Avatar” and he’s immediately like “THE AVATAR IS ALIVE? WHERE ARE THEY. TELL ME”

…he learns a new phrase that day! perhaps he didn’t even know gay people existed until that awkward encounter (bc sheltered fire nation royal.) maybe he does some self reflection at this point, or perhaps he puts off his sexuality crisis in favor of his avatar hunting mission. who’s to say?

(the next time he hears someone say they’re “a friend of the avatar” he asks if they’re gay or if they actually know the avatar. you know, just in case they actually do.

….and the next time after that, too.

but after that he catches on pretty quickly that, no, it’s REALLY just a turn of phrase, and he does not repeat the mistake again.)

+ early into the series events sokka runs into some confusion when he mentions to a stranger that he’s a friend of the avatar while aang isn’t around—

sokka: hey so uhh i’m actually a friend of the avatar… think i can get a discount for that??

kindly ally shopkeeper: oh! i love that for you!! you know, i have a cousin who’s gay, real swell guy. anyways about the discount—

book one sokka, canonically sexist and with perhaps a fragile masculinity: what wait a sec, IM NOT GAY??????

shopkeeper: oh that’s okay, you don’t have to explain yourself or put a label on it to me (:

(sokka does in fact get a discount.)

he walks back to katara who was waiting for him and overheard the whole conversation, and she says “you know, sokka, it’s fine if you like boys.” sokka responds as you’d expect he would at this time.

(some amount of time later, sokka comes up to katara and aang very nervously and says “hey guys. i think i might. um. be a friend of the Avatar.”

and aang, confused but enthusiastic, goes “aww buddy, we’re already friends!!!!”)

at some point they’re fighting Zuko and during a back-and-forth exchange, Sokka proclaims “i won’t let you hurt him, the Avatar is my friend!” or something to that effect

Zuko, who has learned from his past mistakes in misconstruing this phrase, says “love is love. but your sexuality will not stop me from capturing the Avatar”

[cirifiona]

Hug

[zutaraweek]

Saves the dates! Zutara Week 2024 will be upon us in November!