#azula and izumi are super close in this au

[gerbfukc]

Modern!Azula is an aunt and gets whisked away to ATLA

Prompt/ excerpt thingy: Any child might think this situation as 'beyond cool' or some equally inane feeling. People able to control the elements, Frankenstein-esque creatures deemed to be normal, and an adventure of a lifetime.

However, Azula doesn't have time for this. She's got work on Monday, and she still has to help Izumi with her art project. But it is difficult to tell time in such an odd world, even odder with all these faces that are uncanny in their similarities to people she knows in her own life. And this Fire Lord…

She pokes her finger at the one child with blue tattoos (or perhaps it's body paint, she's not certain). "Listen, you little impertinent miscreants. I'll help you with your pathetic mission so long as you return me to my world immediately after. Do we have an agreement?"

Or, Auntie Azula has to babysit some absurdly powerful teenagers, help a younger version of herself, and return home to her niece as soon as possible. Oh, and save the world, not that that's the priority of course.

(Extra notes: in this au, some big spirit lets loose on the world now that there's less chaos to be caught up in; because of Reasons, modern!Azula accidentally ends up in this universe; it's been nearly a year after the war; ATLA!Azula escaped within two weeks of her confinement; this older Azula is like 26-years-old and can't bend, but she's highly trained in martial arts of all kinds and weaponry; can easily murder a person; it's never explicitly said, but older Azula dealt in shady stuff because it's a family heritage thing.

In her universe, Ursa got killed in front of Azula and Zuko when they were 6 and 8 respectively, so there's no Kiyi in that universe; ATLA!Zuko is shocked and somewhat devastated to hear this; in this au, Ursa came forth two months after the war ended to see what happened to her children; she doesn't lose her memories here as she bargains differently to the Mother of Faces; Ursa is distraught to hear that she could've seen Azula had she came forth sooner.

Modern!Azula of course feels oddly about seeing a different version of her mother whose age is as far from herself as her younger self's age is (Ursa is about 38-years-old here).

Everyone typically mistakes Izumi for Azula's child until she corrects them and states that Izumi is her niece; Zuko literally faints hearing this; Azula never reveals who Zuko gets with because his wondering and panicking amuses her; meanwhile, some potential suitors of Zuko blanched at this revelation and try badgering her; she then reminds them that Kiyi didn't exist in her world, and thus, maybe none of them would get with Zuko in this world)

[orangepanic]

Adding some elements from @yellowsalt3's year-end tag game to this post:

Fic Writing Review 2023

Reflection

I guess I wrote a lot?

I think, on reflection, what stands out to me are that I pretty much write three kinds of fics: Good fics, bad fics, and weird fics. Probably the easiest to point out are the bad fics. I don't mean bad in that they're awful, but they're clearly just meh. Forgettable in a hey, that exists sort of way. And overwhelmingly these fics are "supposed-to" fics. They're fics I wrote for prompt challenges, holidays, event weeks I wasn't super into, etc. because I felt like I was supposed to or promised somebody that I would. Often they feel like only half an idea and are lacking any real point. "Fire on Ice" comes to mind. It's cute. Ice skating AU. But it's just kind of there?

What surprised me is that some of my very favorites are the weird fics. These are almost exclusively extreme rarepair fics written for events. I love extreme rarepair events because they push me to do some very strange things with new characters. "Memory Like Fine Sand" is one of the best things I wrote this year not in spite of but because it's fucking whack, and I love that. I'd like to write more weird fics.

Then there are the good fics. These aren't necessarily popular. "Beyond the Painted Hills" comes to mind, for example, with its five little kudos. But to me, these are fics that aren't just putting characters in scenarios, but where I'm trying to convey something. Love. Loss. Desperation. Humor. Hope. Fics like "Disgrace" are probably popular because they have Zuko in them, but also it's 1,400 words of raw teenage angst that pales in comparison to any emotion in "Fire and Ice." “It’s my hair,” said Iroh, “and you can’t make me.” GOD. As if we didn't all have that stage.

I'd like to write more good fics, too.

Words and Fics

16 published WIPs I'm currently working on (getting there I promise)

37 fics completed this year

Top 10 Fics by Kudos

10. Tis the Sea Sun for Love - Iroh II/Asami Sato 9. The Holiday Heist - Lin Beifong/Lightning Bolt Zolt 8. Whiskey Tango Foxcat - Iroh II/Asami Sato 7. Seventeen - Iroh II & Izumi, Iroh II & Izumi & Zuko 6. Hard Bargain - Iroh II, Eska, Prince Wu, Asami Sato, Mako in various combinations 5. Sorry, Right Number - Korra/Mako, Iroh II/Asami Sato 4. Iroh's Dragon - Iroh II/Asami Sato, Iroh II & OC dragon 3. Hotman - Iroh II/Asami Sato 2. Disgrace - Iroh II & Zuko 1. Starvation Paradise - Iroh II/Asami Sato

Fandom Events

Avatar Solstice Gift Exchange

The Holiday Heist (Lin/Zolt)

AU Roulette 2023

To the Brink (Gen, space AU)

ATLA Rare Pair Big Bang and YeeHawgust 2023

After the Uncommon Rains (Iroh II/Asami Sato)

ATLA Rare Pair May Day

Beyond the Painted Hills (June/Col. Mongke)

Avatar WTF Weekend

Kemurikage (Jet/Agni)

Memory Like Fine Sand (Azula/Joo Dee)

She Comes to Me (Bumi II/Yue)

I Don't Like Your Attitude (Korra/Ginger)

You Say You'd Like to See Me Closer (Iroh II/Amon/Asami Sato)

Korra's Christmas

Fire on Ice

Magic Moon Cake

Upcoming Plans for 2024

FINISH MY WIPS DAMMIT.

I mean, really.

I have so many fics that I love that just need one little push. After the Uncommon Rains. Smoke. I Don't Like Your Attitude. Girls' Night. Not if You Were the Last Man on Earth. I'm so close on all of these and I just need to get 'er done.

Then there are the other projects. The never-ending Firestorm rewrite. The Jet/Agni sequel. Yasuko Lives AU. Asami's high school years. Big things like my version of the Equalist trials and my 30-years post-canon AU that I'm too scared to start because I know they're 90k-word monsters waiting to be born. But I can't hold them back forever.

At the same time, I feel like fandom is a ticking clock. With each release of new Avatar content my own interpretations of characters and scenarios and relationships become more and more obscure. How long before there's a Korra movie that makes Korra sami a ship from the start instead of an afterthought? How long before there is a General Iroh spinoff that makes my writing so OOC it's laughable? Ships that ten years ago were fairly popular have already become "ew omg how could anyone ever think that?" Friends that were sharing their passions move on. Rarepair authors and artists with three kudos on something they poured their heart into are starting to say "what's the point?" And it's tiring.

But I'm gonna finish my WIPs dammit.

Fanfic End of Year Roundup 2023

Published words: 363,588 Longest and most popular fic: Starvation Paradise (Iroh II/Asami Sato, 82,965 words, complete) Shortest fic: Goodbye (Hiroshi Sato & Asami Sato, 353 words, complete) First (complete) fic of the year: The Holiday Heist (Lin/Zolt) Last (complete) fic of the year: Exes (Iroh II/Asami Sato) Fluffiest fic: A Day at the Office (Iroh II & his daughter) or Little Fish (Asami Sato & her daughter) Steamiest fic: Six Days in Ba Sing Se (Iroh II/Asami Sato) Angstiest fic: Starvation Paradise Saddest fic: Endgame (Asami Sato) Strangest fic: Uh... four-way tie between Eurydice (Hiroshi Sato/Yasuko Sato), Kemurikage (Jet/Agni), Whiskey Tango Foxcat (Iroh II/Asami Sato) and Memory Like Fine Sand (Azula/Joo Dee). It's been a weird year. Fic you probably didn't read but should: She Comes to Me (Bumi II/Yue) Fic I'm the proudest of for no particular reason: How I Always Loved You (Hiroshi Sato/Yasuko Sato)

Open tags for anyone else who wants to share their year!

[antchurch]

Hey can you please rec me your fave avatar fanfics?

i would be Honoured to

this is going to be a heavily zukka themed list as they recently became my top tagged ship on ao3 (im there @ jiminie if u want to see any more of my bookmarks) but i will endeavour to be more inclusive don't u worry !! these are all mostly pg - if there is sex it isn't the focus, mainly cause id feel weird rec’ing smut to a potential minor and also cause i don't need the judgement of my taste in porn but if u do want an 18+ rec lmk  the art of burning - zukka (eventually), canon divergence, ongoing - this might be one of my favourite fics ever, its a hadoka+ the watertribe come across zuko fic and i cannot recommend it enough have done some quality crying 2 this one xo what is living is burning - zukka, canon divergence, complete - BRO the canon divergence on this bad boy? so good - it had such a Mood, the tone is exquisite - - i cant say much without spoilers but trust me it goes Hard blue - zukka, canon divergence, complete - i may as well be recommending the bible here but i mean it when i say this has some of the best zuko character exploration that i’ve ever experienced it deserves all the love it gets!! the spirit stone - zukka, canon divergence, ongoing - zuko imprisoned by the fire nation? very cool ideas going on here, can’t wait to see where it goes!!! what you’re meant for - zukka, post-canon, complete - ambassador sokka saved the world! jk but like this is a really interestingly written fic, i love the epistolary style and its really satisfying to see a political system become unfucked. i wish i could be more articulate cause this fic rlly deserves that but im clow n

more below the cut cause it got long ;)

boy problems - zukka, post-canon, complete - this boy can fit so much angst in him!! this also has some excellent mailee content s/o to my lesbians xoxo swords of fate, pride of heart - zukka, alternate universe complete - zukka zoom uni au! did this fic hit entirely too hard for me as a uni student on zoom? why yes. do i also want to fall in love with a boy over zoom because of swords? also yes say you like your shirt soggy - zukka, alternate universe, complete - this is just good vibes aman falling in love n doing dishes its all we want - excellent hakoda content here !! very good if u desire better parental figures!! Flow Like Fire - canon divergence, ongoing - zuko is an airbender au that slaPs - also our first none zukka one look at me having range! but very very good its so clever in how zuko figures shit out i really enjoy the world building on this one blue's clues - zukka, alternate universe, complete - modern au where the blue spirit is a vigilante - its so fun to read and has sexy spiderman vibes big love 2 this one tell me a story - zukka, post-canon, complete - this will rip ur heart out!! izumi likes being read stories! tw major character death xox goodbye to fathers - canon compliant, complete - hakoda and zuko have a talk and ozai just sucks - good hakoda dad vibes and adults being responsible love it lighthouse beam - zukka, alternate universe, complete - uni au again!! very cute and disabled zuko rep!! love 2 see it  - so much pining my dude when the sun sets, and the moon follows - zukka, post canon, complete - this is an elderly gaang fic, so if ur constantly thinking abt grief like i am this is Right up ur street - tw major character death but so worth it.  Baby Hotline, please hold (me close to you) - zukka, alternate universe, complete - this shit is hilarious boys, fbi agent zuko and engineer sokka its a great time  Mass Times Acceleration - zukka, alternate universe, complete - this is a masterpiece, zukka roast trip au just very good painful feelings big fucking fan here man i would die 4 this fic survival will not be the hardest part - azula-centric, canon compliant, complete - beautiful azula character piece really rich and painful also lowkey sapphic Look How Far We've Come - zukka, alternate universe, complete - this whole series is insane!! daemons au!!! such good worldbuilding amazing character work fucking phenomenal man rain dance - aang-centric, canon compliant, complete - beautiful, beautiful aang piece about airbender culture and loss if u read any of these pls make it this one Intimate Counselors - zukka, post canon, complete - fucking hilarious zuko buys shit for sokka plot very good very fun honestly a joy 2 read might read it right now when im done with this list studying the blade - zukka, alternate universe, complete - social media au!! great gang dynamics n super fun!!!! kintsugi - toph+zuko bros 4 eva, canon divergence, complete? but only sorta cause the whole series isn't complete but its So good such a good reworking of the plot aaa it just goes hard man its the toph n zuko content u deserve spring comes to caldera - zukka, post canon, complete - ambassador sokka is back baybe and its so fucking good - great azula stuff here, really well developed pining, the full works figures 1-5: killing gods - zukka, canon divergence but only a lil, complete - a really lyrical and althetic exploration of zuko. feels like catharsis (do you take this jerk to be) your one and only - zukka, canon divergence, complete - hehehe proposal related hijinks love 2 see it yue is here n its great the art of charting the stars - zukka, post canon, complete - beautiful star gazing theme and gorgeous pining this is iconic i love it  speak ill - zukka, alternate universe, complete - sometimes u just need to call ozai a bastard. immaculate wow long list - sorry abt that!! but it really could have been easily twice as long aha

i hope i’ve managed to rec u something new and that u enjoy any of these and thank u so much for the ask~~~

[shrinkthisviolet]

Author Interview Tag!

Tagged by @maipreciation, thanks for thinking of me! This looks really fun :D

(Note: I’m keeping this as a running list, so if you’re ever wondering what fics im working on/brainstorming, make sure to check here! Last update was on 12/12/2020)

Name: Lavi! As of 12/5, I’m no longer going by my real name (see this post)

Fandoms: so many 😂 check my bio, I think I have them all listed. I’ve posted fic for Hamilton and ATLA, and then there was a huge Inktober compilation I posted last year with a whole host of fandoms. Currently, my major fandom is ATLA, and probably Kipo as I’m starting to move through S1

Where you post: I have an AO3 (lavi0123)! I used to have an FFN and a Wattpad, but I don’t use either of those anymore :/ tbh, I’m embarrassed of anything I still have up there 😂

Most popular one-shot: Most definitely we’ll give the world to you (and you’ll blow us all away), one of my contributions to Maiko Week! I’m not surprised it’s an ATLA fic, but I find it interesting that a fic with Izumi in it blew up so quickly. But hey, if y’all want more Izumi content, you won’t be disappointed 😉

Most popular multi-chapter fic: ...I’m really embarrassed to say because I don’t think I’ll ever finish it...but En Hamilton Heights is the only multichap fic I’ve published so it’s gotta be that one 😂 hopefully soon I’ll have another fic to add to that, since I’m working on one (sorry EHH fans but it’s been too long and tbh I don’t remember where I was going with it :/ I’m thinking I might orphan it)

Favorite story you’ve written so far: you think this world is a dream come true (but you’re wrong) for sure! It’s super niche but it’s something I wrote out of love for a movie I discovered this Halloween and absolutely love. Though all you’ve got to do is want something (and then let yourself have it) is a close second. Basically, anything I write that sounds absolutely bonkers as a concept is one that I love 😂 (and it’s no coincidence that both fics are Mai-centric! I love all my Mai-centric fics nearly equally)

Fic you were nervous to post: Is there an “all of the above” option? 😂 I’m always nervous to post. But in particular, I was nervous for if you ran away (come back home), because it was Mai-centric and longer than any one-shot I’d written thus far, and also you think this world is a dream come true (but you’re wrong), because it’s Mai-centric and a Coraline AU, which makes it BONKERS as an idea

Why was I nervous to post Mai-centric fics, you ask? Two reasons: 1) Mai is very different from who I am as a person (I vibe a lot more with Aang and Ty Lee, sometimes Katara and Sokka), so I didn’t want to upset the Mai stans by writing her incorrectly. 2) Mai is generally not well-liked in the fandom at large, so I especially didn’t want to attract antis who would accuse me of writing Mai as too emotional and loving (which is why I tried to justify that in my tags). Luckily, my comments have all been lovely, and I’m far less afraid to post fics about her now that I’ve written three fics with her as the focus! And the shoutout from @nonbinary-crafter-aang praising my portrayal of her?? I was touched 🥺 still am

How you choose your titles: Song lyrics or movie/book lines that speak to me, occasionally a pun. Remember that post I rb’d about how authors title their works? My tags pretty much say it all 😂

Do you outline: Ehh...define outlining 😂 for my one-shots, nope. But for my upcoming multichap works (see below) and Nanowrimo work (original fiction, so I won’t talk about it on here, but send an ask if you’re curious), YES ABSOLUTELY!

For my Nanowrimo work and one of my upcoming AUs (a Soulmate AU), the worldbuilding is so complex that it’s an absolute necessity. For the other upcoming AU (a time travel AU), there are just too many things that need to happen at certain times so as not to interfere with canon events, and things I want to change from canon and things I want to keep...I think you get the idea 😂

Complete: Basically my entire maiko halloweek series! Check it out if you want some fics about the most underrated canon ATLA couple :)

In-progress: ...En Hamilton Heights again...but not for long, sadly. Still trying to decide between a quick conclusion and just flat-out orphaning it. Still haven’t made up my mind, but either way, it won’t be what I originally planned, unfortunately.

I’m also counting my ATLA Soulmate AU on the basis of forever in my mind (only you), which has the worldbuilding and fits into the AU without much problem (the AU is going to be a series of one-shots, not a multichap fic, because there won’t be enough deviations from canon imo to justify multiple chapters. And one-shots are just less pressure for me 😂)

[EDIT 12/12/2020: added another fic because I’m an idiot and forgot about this too 🤦‍♀️😂 it’s a year-old idea that I started writing but I’m picking it back up thanks to the Heist banter in MatPat’s St Jude stream!]

-A fic series combining Escape the Night and Who Killed Markiplier (Heist and Date are part of it too, but only tangentially at the moment. Depends on how involved I want DA Y/N to be). Tentatively titled A Heavy Cost, and definitely won’t happen in any of Mark’s projects, but in a way that’s actually for the best 😂 the canonicity for me stops at ETN S3 (with some S4), then it’s canon divergence

Coming soon/not yet started: OOOH YESSS HERE WE GO

Okay okay sooo we’ve got two main things:

–An ATLA Soulmate AU, featuring platonic and romantic soulmates! I know I called it in-progress, and I stand by that even though I haven’t actually set up the series on AO3 yet, but this AU is about to be SO MUCH MORE than just a few Maiko moments. Because...drum roll...it’s gonna be entirely Aang-centric (with maybe one or two exceptions)! Like Mai, Aang is a character that doesn’t get as many -centric fics as he should (and being an Aang stan also isn’t unanimous for some reason??), so I’m gonna fix that. Plus I want to dive further into his mind, and I think I’m more equipped to do that than I was with Mai, since Aang and I are very similar in attitude.

–Bumizumi time travel AU, which can be read as platonic until the last couple chapters (it’ll be multichap) but definitely has a romantic agenda throughout. So just. Be warned if you don’t ship them. It’s gonna be chock full of comedy and antics! Also A LOT of platonic affection between Izumi and teen Zuko (and just between Izumi, Bumi, and the Gaang in general), because platonic affection is underrated and also I can :D I’m also probably gonna make fun of how some elements of affection have become solely romantic territory, because...um, no, hugging and holding hands and cuddling can be done between friends, thanks! (Maybe it’s the ace in me talking. But regardless)

There are also vague concepts I’m spitballing, like:

-Zukaang telepathy AU (Platonic Zukaang, the only romance I’ll ever write in ATLA is for the canon ships, prompted by a dream because apparently ATLA lives in my head rent-free forever now 😂)

-Evil Zuko AU (Azula doesn’t exist, mostly prompted after watching Aang make fun of Zhao and realizing that if Zuko had been in any position of power during the War...the Gaang would have stood no chance at all)

-Bumizumi Arranged Marriage AU (Bumi and Izumi both think the other is hotheaded/reckless (Izumi @ Bumi) or uptight (Bumi @ Izumi). So Kataang and Maiko (along with Sukka, Ty Lee, and Toph because...duh) set them up in an arranged marriage, with the presented reasoning being that they already know each other’s families, it’ll be a great symbol of unity, and this way Izumi doesn’t have to worry about suitors. They both agree to it (it’s arranged, not forced), and over time, they warm up to each other...and maybe even...fall in love?? Prompted because we need more arranged marriage fics! On that note, I’m gonna plug shadows and steel by @dearestpartnerofgreatness because arranged marriage needs more rep and this fic does it and with Maiko to boot!)

-Zukaang as Brothers AU (I saw a fic about this, but it wasn’t complete. If it’s not done by the time I get to this concept, I’m gonna write it, because just...imagine the possibilities! Zuko and Aang are already basically brothers in canon anyway, this is just making them brothers in blood as well as in their hearts. This is especially vague because I have no concept of how this is gonna work 🤷‍♀️ I’ll get to it eventually)

(Can you tell I’m obsessed with Zuko and Aang’s friendship? Because I am!)

[EDIT 11/25/2020: I’m adding two more because I forgot these have been swirling around in my head too 😂]

-A fix-it fic based on May You Always Be Satisfied, a backstory fic for Who Killed Markiplier by @blackaquokat! I recently reread it and remembered that I was gonna write a fix-it for that fic. Not because the fic sucks, it’s actually amazing! I’m just a sucker for the main (requited unrequited) pairing, and there’s at least five ways to make that pairing canon and avoid the mess of Who Killed Markiplier. And THEY ALL DESERVE TO BE HAPPY OKAY

-A Finnrey fix-it for the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy (this one is especially vague, and I probably won’t write it since a bunch of these already exist, but it’s fun to think about. Maybe if I ever run out of WIPs 🤷‍♀️)

Upcoming story that you’re most excited to write: I’m equally excited for the Soulmate AU and the Bumizumi Time Travel AU! I’m also excited for my Nanowrimo work to be finished, but that’s more so in-progress than upcoming

Tagging:

@nonbinary-crafter-aang @dearestpartnerofgreatness @ohsalamanders @blackaquokat (no pressure ofc, only if you want to! But please tag me if you do, I’d love to see it!)