#i have headcanons that zuko knows how to play chess

[thereindeerlady]

I've got modern day college au Zukka Headcannons that NONE of you asked for but here you go!

Everybody seems to agree that Sokka would be an Engineer major but y'all, Sokka isnt just an engineer guy. Hes a true Jack of All Trades who would most definitely be a double major kid. I think he'd have Engineering as one major and maybe a minor in special effects. I mean how many times did he help create special effects to trick other people into thinking somebody was bending fire or earth or whatever? At least 2. And thats enough for me 😂 Genuinely, Sokka would be that Engineering/Special Effects kid with a 2nd minor in like software design. I dunno. Hes too smart for his own good.

Zuko however; everybody says he would be an english major. And I mean i see it i guess? But nah. This boy would definitely have a major in Business/Law something or other, and i feel like he would have a minor or second major in communications.

Zuko would most definitely teach martial arts classes to kids on weekends. This is not up for debate.

Sokka is the kind of guy who everybody would know. Whether his campus is big or small, everybody has had an interaction with Sokka. Its almost like he can sense when somebody close by is too stressed or emotional bc he gravitates towards them and cheers them up.

Sokka has been known to randomly show up at your dorm door in a onesie and a basket of cookies if he notices youve been spending too much time in the library.

However nobody has ever seen him set foot in the library on a weekday so no one is really sure HOW he knows.

I dont make the rules but Zuko was most definitely a theater kid in high school. Sokka was theater tech even though hes actually a really good actor. He just enjoyed teching more.

Zuko had a private education at a high end school until his last two years of high school when he went to live with his uncle and went to a public school. He loved to read a lot and actually studied many many plays in his private school and found out he enjoyed acting in his junior and senior year.

This of course also means that Zuko can sing :)))

Sokka can too and hes good at it but nobody has ever really heard him sing bc its one of those things hes private about.

Sokka was a public school kid 100% and he was The Mother Hen™ that kids would flock to in the halls and at lunch. He was the one everyone felt comfortable talking to about anything. This also means he knew almost every closeted and out gay kid in school.

Back on the subject of private school Zuko, he was always one of those Rich, Untouchable kids with bad boy vibes. When he joined public school, everyone there realized he was just a really awkward kid who had a 6 year edgelord faze.

Did i mention the high school Zuko goes to is the same one the gaang attended?

When they all end up at the same university, Sokka and Zuko actually agree to room together bc they become really good friends in high school.

Zuko didnt come out to Sokka until they were sophomores in college to which Sokka replied, "Dont be mad but i already knew"

Sokka has been proudly out for years at that point but he still comes out again to Zuko.

Junior year, they get an apartment. They both actually take turns cooking because, as it turns out, they're both really good cooks.

Neither of them can drive very well tho 👀

In terms of nationality, i kinda see Zuko as Asian and Sokka as more of native/islander or a little bit of hispanic influence even? Definitely something with a lot of tribal heritage. Maybe Mayan and Hawaiian or smth? I dunno, I havent done enough research on that part yet.

The SIGNIFICANCE though is cooking. They both kinda share their authentic cooking and recipes and teach each other. So between them they come up with these blended culture foods

Yall i forgot the word culture for a whole 5 minutes there

Sokka being the strategist he is gets along very well with Uncle Iroh whenever he and Zuko go to visit their families. They both practically live at Iroh and Sokka's family's home. Iroh and Sokka spend a LOT of time playing Pai Sho and chess and other board games whereas Zuko has lots of fun discussing literature and whatnot with Sokkas fam

About that: Zuko is the cuddliest little shit. He and Sokka have been cuddling and constantly physically affectionate for almost as long as theyve known each other.

Junior year of college is actually when they go on their first date. Sokka is of course naturally flirty so when Zuko finally notices (or is told) that Sokka doesnt flirt with anyone the way he does with Zuko, the wonderful conversation goes as:

"Wait are you flirting with me? For real?"

"Have been for 4 and a half years but thanks for noticing"

Sokka genuinely has liked this cute intelligent dumbass for 4 and a half years. Zuko almost cries when Sokka tells him that

Thats when Zuko finally tells him the whole story of why he's living with his uncle.

Zuko was so touch starved and so used to not being loved and chosen first that Sokka's constant unconditional love just overwhelmed him.

This has been Zukka College Au headcanons with Lydia, thank you for coming to my tedtalk

[casualdadnomad]

time to bless ur day with another set of modern au headcanons

modern atla masterpost :)

when i tell you the world building in my modern au is stronger than the world building in my real life-- anyways modern gaang game night babey (¬‿¬)

They convene at Katara and Sokka’s house because they have all the games

Monopoly is an absolute nightmare

Toph enjoys the world domination aspect, but also has no morals and WILL cheat

Aang gives people loans from his own money. It drives Sokka crazy because that’s AGAINST THE RULES.

Katara is banker always.

the little metal game pieces are dangerous because it makes it so easy for Toph to mess with them

She took the iron, because no one likes the iron, and metalbent it into a tiny Toph and used that as her game piece. 

alternatively, she turns every piece into a tiny Toph statue (i actually turned this into a comic)

eventually Sokka puts in place a rule that they have to use the cars from Life for Monopoly so Toph can’t move the pieces around or cheat

Katara is really good at most card games (i don’t know the names of literally any card game except BS though)

Mai is insanely good at BS because no one dares challenge her

Toph can’t play card games so she just picks someone and says she’s on their team

Toph: I’m on Ty Lee’s team. // Ty Lee: I don’t get it but okay come sit by me!

They play twister and Toph does the spinner for a good ten minutes before anyone thinks hey wait no

Zuko doesn’t enjoy twister. too many people in his space.

Suki is good at twister because she has a lot of flexibility and control from color guard

Ty Lee is also good at twister for the exact same reason (we love our Kyoshi color guard girls) plus years of competitive gymnastics

Aang insists on letting his kids in Life get married and have more kids

Every time Zuko lands on a “have a child” space he just says no and moves on

Toph can’t discern the difference between the colors on chess pieces (obviously) so Aang made tiny hats for all hers so they’re different

Mai gets way too into the logistics of Clue

Mai: But what did the victim look like? How long has he been dead? It’s very easy to tell the difference between a gunshot wound, a stab wound, and asphyxiation. // Katara: I’m actually really afraid of you.

Aang is terrible at cards against humanity

Really the only people who are good at it are Suki, Sokka, and Toph.

Toph always plays on Mai’s “team” because Mai is good at whispering what her cards say without anyone hearing

She refuses to sit by and ride coattails to victory in this particular card game because she likes actually playing CAH

Katara always thinks her cards are hilarious until they get read out loud and no one laughs

okay guys feel free to send asks/requests for things i should talk about in my headcanon posts or my (bad) art lol ( ˘ ³˘)♡

[foxy-knowledgeseeker]

maikka and rayllum for the ask game? (- thinkingisadangerouspastime)

Maikka

when I started shipping it if I did: I don't maybe three months ago when you brought it up in the Aang Server ajdfaskjfsalfs

my thoughts: I LOVE THEM. I had never thought about them until you mentioned it, but the second you shared your thoughts, I was like "I can *see* it!" And now this pairing is in my top for three for both of these characters (mostly because I just think Mai is the second most shippable character, after Aang). It's so unexpected, but I honestly think they would vibe, and

What makes me happy about them: I love to think Mai would find Sokka annoying at first, but his sense of humor, being either really dumb or at his own expense, would end up growing on her, and he would become one of the people that can actually make her laugh (other than Aang ofc!). I also have a headcanon that they are both foodies and would bond over that! Finally, their characters lend to some interesting post-canon concepts when it comes to their roles as politicians/leaders of their respective nation/tribe, Mai's status as Zuko's ex mixed with Sokka's status as one of Zuko's friends, the absolute POWER COUPLE they would be as two nonbending weapons specialists with Sokka being more melee specialized and Mai being more ranged. Just...so much potential!

What makes me sad about them: Realistically, I don't see a relationship working very long-term for them because I always imagined Sokka would want to stay in the South Pole or, at the very least, *really close* to the South Pole, but Mai would not be a fan of the cold. I almost always imagine them eventually breaking up (sad!) OR imagine them in some kind of AU. This is not to say the right kind of narrative finagling can't give them their happy ending; I just haven't played around with it a lot.

things done in fanfic that annoys me: There is not a whole lot of Maikka fanfic out there, and I honestly worked through pretty much the whole tag a couple months ago. My biggest grievance with Maikka fanfic is that most of the fics out there seem pretty shallow right now (short, modern au one shots where the characters have been flattened) or the writer has Mai just like...bullying Sokka...constantly, and not even in the fun, flirty way. Just in the..."you have convinced me they don't even like each other" kind of way. With their common interests but potential to meet any variety of relationship roadblocks, I just want something a little *more* for them, ya know!

things I look for in fanfic: Oop I already answered sorta above, but I love when Maikka fanfic has them confront the issues of their separate roles in their cultures/societies, their shared histories with Zuko, but also plays into their shared interests and compatible personalities. Just let them like each other, but also let them struggle to overcome challenges of circumstance!! It's more fun that way!

Who I’d be comfortable with them ending up with, if not each other: For Mai, either Zuko, Ty Lee, or Aang. For Sokka, either Suki, Aang, or Toph (this is where I out myself as a closet Tokka shipper >.<).

My happily ever after for them: One of the ways I imagine them getting a happily ever after is like...maybe if one of them has a more permanent ambassador position in either location or perhaps an au where they both end up in the same city in a university system as like professors or consultants. Or any number of modern aus have potential. I could be convinced of married Maikka with kids because I think Sokka is actually very family oriented and Mai would be a good mother, but I imagine they would have kids much later than their friends.

who is the big spoon/little spoon: We recently talked about "very tall water sibs" in the server, and now I love it, so I picture a very tall Sokka and a still pretty tall Mai (like Sokka's 6' to Mai's 5'11"), and I think they would mix it up and take turns being the different spoons OR they would be that couple that cuddles face to face, limbs all tangled.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: EATING or practicing weapons. I love the idea of Sokka teaching Mai to sword fight and Mai teaching Sokka how to throw daggers. I imagine it's something they could both nerd out about.

Rayllum

when I started shipping it if I did: When I first watched the show! I was hoping they would get together and THEY DID, and I was very glad to see it.

my thoughts: They just got that best friends to lovers, mutual respect, learning and growing together, accommodating for each other's strengths and weaknesses goodness! I just them!

What makes me happy about them: I love that Rayla introduced Callum to a whole world full of magic, where he could really thrive with his talents! And I love that Callum believes in Rayla and knows her to be capable and brave and never lets her forget it! They just emulate the kind of relationship I would want with a partner!

What makes me sad about them: Can't think of much right now, but I suppose the xenphobia they have to deal with from their people on both sides. It must be so hard to grow a relationship with that kind of animosity coming from the people they love!

things done in fanfic that annoys me: I have not read much Rayllum fanfic (other than yours!), so I don't have an answer for this really. Stay tuned because I plan on reading more fic for them this summer!

things I look for in fanfic: I want them to deal with the challenges they face in that mature, emotionally intelligent way they always have! I just love when they team up to overcome the odds because they do make such a great team and respect each other's skills and ideas so much! Give me badass duo Rayllum any day!

Who I’d be comfortable with them ending up with, if not each other: Um...honestly I don't think there are many age appropriate characters that have been developed enough for me to have an opinion. I know I don't like Claudia with Callum. Maybe Soren with Callum? I get straight vibes off Soren, though...Oooooh maybe after they have grown up, I could get behind some Callum x Aanya? Just for fun. And I think Rayla would be happiest with another elf, if not with Callum OR I do like an aroace Rayla headcanon, so maybe even no one, and she has a plethora of queer platonic relationships with the whole gang!

My happily ever after for them: Callum moves to Xadia to grow his skills as a mage, and he and Rayla live happily ever after living and learning together and using their skills to help people! I love the idea of Callum finding a home with the Moonshadow Elf community.

who is the big spoon/little spoon: Rayla is the big spoon, no I do not take criticism.

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Maybe a niche headcanon, but I love the idea of them really getting into their universe's equivalent of chess (I don't remember if they have one in canon, but if not, I headcanon there is a chess-like game). I think Rayla would get really competitive about it, and Callum would approach it very methodically.

Send me a character, ship, or list of characters and I will answer these questions about them

[wingsfreedom]

what would Azula’s hobbies/interests be?

I don't think Azula has enough free time for hobbies and even if she does; she's just motivated to be worthy of her position as princess, heir and firebender and be the best at it as well, while ignore anything irrelevant to that goal -- waste-of-time personal hobbies included. But let's see what canon offered (I'm not good at exactly pinpointing these hobbies but I'll do my best):

"Location: Royal Spa One of the many rooms inside the Royal Palace, this spa area is one of Azula’s favorites. She can often be found there getting her hair washed and nails manicured." -ATLA lore archive

First, Azula loves the royal spa, it's a place where she relaxes and chill. We saw how comfortable she was when Zuko visited her while she's washing her hair. In the finale, she was being groomed by her servants to prepare for her coronation. She seems to be more hedonistic than Zuko, much like Iroh.

So, hobby 1: Body care.

Note: this practicality interesting, she might be the sort of person who would enjoy small pleasures in life to get over those failed dreams and un-achieved ambitions post-finale, again similarity to Iroh.

Second, in Ember Island, she shown to be drawn to games. There are no battles here so the things Azula might do in her free time is playing games. She enjoys a worthy battles, whether physical or mental, and would practice her firebending with you or play chess games, or allowing herself to be silly and try new things (all we saw in The Beach).

Hoppy 2: Playing games.

Third, more in headcanon territory but very plausible, I know we have not saw Azula read, but I can see her doing this. Azula was highly diligent girl in school, perceptive, focus on self-improvement, plans ahead, needs to understand how things work before honing them (or choose to use them), adaptable and doesn't like to make or repeat mistakes. You could imagine servants bring dinner to her room while she's reading scrolls about military history, tactics and firebending.

Hoppy 3: Reading.

Forth, I'm not sure if I should classify this as hobby or therapy -- Azula is a character of high intensity, I think she might use firebending too to clear her mind. On other occasions we saw her jump straight to a fight so I think a lone firebending session helps her restoring her self-control and clear her mind. It's a habit she probably picked from Ozai, both have intense personalities but she doesn't have his temper or arrogant moral ground. I saw some writers use painting activity to help Azula channels her negative emotions in non-destructive ways, which is good because the Fire Nation was only encouraging the expression of aggressive emotions (ie anger, hate and pain). This is something Ozai demonstrated it too (ie "suffering will be your teacher"). So she needs a calming activity broke her from toxic influences to be more emotionally healthy, not the scary suffocating then explosion.

Hoppy 4: Calming activity