#like u see when yue says the whole 'if u like her room so much you can just tell her when she gets in!'

[laikascomet]

I don't know if it's intentional - but I was reading through the entire comic from page 1 again. Mars selectively has their claws retracted versus their claws out, and it looks like they have their claws out when they're scared/feel unsafe. (Ex. Entire time in the dream dimension, grabbing the highest book, when they make the cup explode) if it's intentional I am SO very worried for this little friend.

smiles

[justaghostingon]

The Great Demon Fiance ManHunt of Cang Qiong Sect

A scum villian’s self saving system au

It all started when Liu Qingge fell into another succubus pit.

Now the succubus in this pit had been gossiping just before he arrived. Well, more like debating in demon fashion, which is to say they had been in an all out brawl.

Liu Qingge thinks this might be an easy fight since they’re all so distracted, until on smarter succubus stops the others

“Wait!” She says. “He’s from Cang Qiong. Maybe he knows something!”

Liu qingge isn’t particularly interested in hearing them out, but they overwhelm him, united as one and fueled with the vigor of one who is starving for gossip

They ask him: “which cang Qiong peak lord is getting married to the next mobei-jun?”

This completely throws liu qingge for a loop nad he venemently denies it

But the succubus insist, spinning a tale of star crossed lovers which as reached their ears: of a young mobei-jun who was rescued by a pittiful human from cang qiong sect, who promised to always be there for mobei-jun, even as he rose higher and higher in thr sect, never betraying him, until even the great mobei-jun could not help but fall in love

Liu qingge dismisses this, but the succubus insist its true, because the same Mobei-jun visited their madam (i forget her name) for a fortune told, and there was a human at his side, dressed in the robes of a cang qiong peak lord!

Their madam is famous for her love fortunes! Why visit her with someone if u weren’t planning to marry them?

(Mobei-jun was not there for a love fortune. He and Shang Qinghua were looking for some plot device to help thwart on of his uncle’s schemes, and needed directions)

So which one was it? Was it him?

Liu qingge is outraged by this suggestion, so much so that it gives him enough of a power boost to escape

At first he ignores it. But it keeps circling in his brain, like a nagging fly he can’t get out of his mind

Then the unthinkable happens: Shen Qingqiu starts being nice! He saves him! He wants to bury the hatchet! He starts being nice to his disciples!

It’s almost like he recieved some very, very good news.

Like a secret proposal.

But no! Shen Qingqiu liked woman! He was always sneaking down to the red pavilon! Right? Right?

Unless he was just using that as a cover to sneak out to see his demon lover????

Filled with worry, he tries to subtly interrogate Shen Qingqiu by asking him what he thinks of demons. Rather predictably, this fails horribly. With an oblivious shen yuan thinking this was a perfect opportunity to get liu qingge to soften to his future brother-in-law’s heritage and gives his whole “there are bad and good ones” speech

Liu qingge leaves heartbroken, certain his shixiong is in love with a demon

He goes to yue qingyuan and tells him that they might be losing a martial brother to an engagement, but refuses to say who

Leaving yue qinghuan witn thr impession its liu qingge who’s getting engaged

At around this time, the rumor of a cang qiong peak lord marrying a demon reaches the peak, because those succubus are still fighting over which one it is, and have taken to asking every cang qiong disciple they can find

Yue qingyaun panics, because his shidi has all but told him he’s getting engaged, liu qingge panics because shen qingqiu could get in serious trouble if this is found out, and shang qinghua panics because what if this inane rumor causes people to examine his own connections to demons?

Shen qingqiu is not panicking. Shen Qingqiu is having a lovely time playing house eith binghe and ignoring everything else

Meanwhile the other peak lords all start accusing each other, the disciples start using this to start fights with other peak disciples, and its all getting very out of hand

Yue qingyuan is forced to call a meeting, and tries to politely get liu qingge to confess

Liu qingge thinks he wants him to out shen qingqiu and refuses. Shang qinghua is sweating bullets.

Shen qingqiu reads the room wrong and says you should get to love who you love

This turns all the other peak lords onto him

And yue qingyuan panics and starts agreeing just to get shen qingqiu out of trouble

But the others, especially qingqi are hounding after shen qingqiu, who keeps digging the hole deeper by openly defending demons

In a fit of panic, liu qingge does the only honorable thing he can think of.

He claims he’s the one getting engaged

Everyone loses their shit except for yue qingyuan who is silently relieved it wasn’t his precious xiao jiu

Shen qingqiu recovers first, congrates liu qingge on his marriage and throws his support behind the marriage, pushing yue qingyuan to do the same, and he’s still so relieved he actially does

Meanwhile liu qingge is grittinf his teeth wondering how he got in this situation

He probably stages an angry “breakup” to get out of it, but rumors still precist, of the war god who hates demons falling in love with the icyest of them all

His sister is at thr forefront of these, with her book: war and ice, a top seller

But these rumors do not reach the ice palace, thanks to shang qinghua’s hard work (and because his king might just lose it and kill all of cang qiong and him when he learns the rumors)

Mobei-jun continues to live in ignorance, saddly wondering why shang qinghua isn’t picking up on his latest demonic courtship

[sparkles-and-trash]

The Gaang are Roommates AU ~

note: this is a rewrite and repost of my old roommates au, there was some stuff I wanted to change, and I wanted to make the parts a little longer, so yeah, ta-dah! 

- think modern setting in the canon universe, bending is still a thing 

- the Gaang are all in going to Ba Sing Se University 

- I’m gonna change the ages a bit to make it easier for myself, sorry 

- Zuko, Sokka, Suki and Mai are 20, Katara, Ty Lee and Azula are 19, Aang, Toph and Yue are 18

- so, Zuko, Sokka, Katara, Aang and Toph end up living together in a big loft type apartment 

- Sokka and Aang are old best friends, they met Toph in Middle School, and Katara is a natural part of the group 

- until now Sokka and Katara have both been living in the dorms, and they both hate it intensely 

- but now that Aang and Toph are also in uni, they all decide to move in together!

- …but the only problem is that the only place they find that they like is just out of their price rage (Toph’s parents aren’t supportive of her major so they’re not helping out much)

- enter: ~ Zuko ~

- so, Zuko has been living with his uncle Iroh since his Father, who’s a high up in some big and important company the Fire Nation, disowned him for speaking up against the company’s shifty treatment of workers and ruining a lot of sacred land etc 

- they’re still firebenders and the scar still happened, not in an Agni Kai, but it happened 

- but after Zuko started uni, Iroh really tried to push him to meet some people his own age and make some friends

- the only people Zuko talks to on the regular besides Iroh is Azula, Ty Lee and Mai, and Mai is the only one who is like, his friend yanno?

- the last year the deal was that if Zuko didn’t branch out, Iroh would have him live one year with other students

- it’s his idea of tough love 

- Zuko tried to do some random kid’s homework to have them pretend to be his new friend in front of Iroh so he wouldn’t have to, but Iroh can tell he’s lying so easily 

- so, Zuko ends up hearing about the Gaang through Mai, who heard from Ty Lee, who plays field hockey, Suki, who’s best friends with Sokka

- so, he goes to meet them, and it’s so awkward mY GOD

- Katara is a B I G environmental activist and HATES Ozai and his company, with good reason

- she eases up a tad when Zuko admits to being turned away from as a teen, but she is still suspicious

- Aang loves him right away, ofc, and that makes Katara even more suspicious because she’s pretty protective of Aang

- she claims it’s because he’s so kind and believes everyone but she totally liikeees hiiiim

- Toph is just like, sure, as long as he pays his rent idgaf

- Sokka is weirdly quiet, because he’s had a huge crush on Zuko forever, and the only one who knows is Aang (and Toph but she ain’t no snitch)

- so, ya boy makes the cut, and before they know it, it’s move-in day!

- but, the idiots didn’t think through the facts that it’s only three bedrooms oops

- and Toph is NOT afraid to pull the “I’m blind and I need my space” card

- and nobody’s up to fight her on it, so 

- let’s just say there is A LOT of back and forth, but with Katara refusing to room with her brother again, and Zuko being rightfully scared of Katara, it ends up with Zuko and Sokka sharing a bedroom, and Katara and Aang

- they have separate beds ofc

- but still, tension, man, so much tension

- it takes a while, but the dynamics starts working out really well

- Zuko is good at grocery shopping and likes to clean, and Aang is always happy to help him out

- Sokka loves cooking, so he does that a lot

- Katara is always on top of the others with schoolwork and making sure everyone is okay, and she usually does it in genius, sneaky ways so people doesn’t even notice that she does it

- Toph is clearing the air off bullshit

- like, she will call a bitch out

- but because she cares about said bitch

- so, Aang knows that Sokka has a crush on Zuko because Sokka told him in a weak moment, and Toph knows because she just knows

- Aang is a good friend tho, and he tries to like, ease them together

- but he is so awkward about it, the poor thing, and Zuko doesn’t understand AT ALL

- Toph is just sitting back and sighing a lot

- Katara doesn’t understand either but she just stays out of it (smart girl)

- but okay, we know how oblivious Zuko can be right?

- Sokka can give him googly eyes and blush and stutter around him so much and he still has no clue at all

- Zuko starts thinking Sokka just doesn’t like him at all

- but then one night Zuko has this really intense nightmare

- okay and quick addition, his scar is… handshaped? Like, you can clearly tell what happened to him

- but nobody talks about it, yet

- but then he’s having a terrible nightmare and is talking and begging and pleading in his sleep

- so much that Sokka wakes up

- and he catches on pretty fast, but had no idea what to do

- so he just shuffles over to Zuko’s side of the room and starts tapping his shoulder rapidly

- but nothing happens

- so he just… gently and awkwardly pats his head until Zuko wakes up

- and Zuko is like… wat u doin there bro

- and Sokka is like… just patting ur head to wake you from a nightmare bro

- and they awkwardly just mumble and go back to their beds

- but Zuko is smiling a lot because someone who’s not his family or a family friend really cares about him

- after that, Zuko slowly starts opening up to all of them, but Sokka especially 

- he never really tells them about being cast out and burned tho

- until one day he kinda casually slings it into a convo all fast and awkwardly

- it’s just Toph, Aang and Sokka there

- Toph yells so WHAATTT so loudly and just metalbends the whole fridge into a clump in rage

- Aang cries lmao but he tries to hide to and be supportive and not awkward

- Sokka is kinda quiet, but he carefully asks about it that night when they’re in their beds, and they talk a little about it

- Aang tells Katara (with permission) and she awkwardly, but wholeheartedly tells him that he can always talk to her

- they do that «awkward sibling hug» from Gravity Falls after

- *hugs stiffly* «pat, pat»

- but okay, Toph and metalbending when angry, it happens quite a lot 

- this was the first time it was the fridge, but the toaster, the microwave, and several other appliances have met the same fate

- everyone is kinda used to it now, and she always replaces it

- except Zuko, who’s still kinda new to them all

- but what are you supposed to say when your new friends is so outraged by the abuse you went through that they crush a whole ass fridge?

- it actually reminds him that he’s cared for here, by these people who owe him nothing, and is not related to him, and it makes him a little dizzy to have people care this way

- he casually mentions it to his Uncle Iroh the time he’s in at work, that his new friend is a metalbender and squashed their whole fridge when she was pissed on his behalf

- Iroh is thrilled

- to the point of offering Toph a job lmao

- Toph, desperate to cut of as much ties with her family and be as self-sufficient as possible, agrees

- and now Iroh have two formerly rich kids with no clue about any sort of customer service and basic stuff like that working for him

- Toph is a hard worker tho, and she and Zuko work surprisingly well together

- Katara is a little relived, because the more those two work, the less are the chances of either of them trying to cook or do too many chores around their apartment

- they mean well, or, Zuko does, but he does so much dumb shit when trying to help lmao

- Sokka starts spending a lot of time over at The Jasmine Drago too

- Aang is still trying to keep the fact that Sokka likes Zuko a secret, but he is having trouble

- Katara is his biggest weakness, and now they’re suddenly alone with her a lot

- someone else who could always read Sokka really well is Suki

. whom he used date in high school, but they parted as friends and everything s cool

- but Sokka is a little taken aback when she comes into The Jasmine Dragon one day, hand in hand with Sokka’s childhood crush obsession, Yue

- for the first time in man’s memory, Sokka is a little speechless

- and Suki’s like “lmao dude I haven’t seen you like this since the first time you saw Zu-”

- cue Zuko popping out behind them like “WELCOME TO THE JASMINE DRAGON FRIENDS OF SOKKA :D”

- Sokka is so fucking red, poor boy is just about having an aneurism at this point

- but luckily something happens and Zuko gets distracted

- Suki is having the time of her life tho, Sokka always used to tease her for her crushes before and after they dated, and suddenly, here they are

- at the apartment, Aang decides they need some apartment traditions

- they’ve been living there for almost three months, after all

- so he decides that weekly movie nights are mandatory

- so are pillowforts

- Katara is actually really excited for it, she loves all things cozy and fall-like

- also… she is weak for Aang, y’all, and she loves seeing him all excited

- Zuko barely knows what a pillowfort is, he didn’t think real people actually made it

- but imagine these dorks in a pillowfort with hot chocolate and lot’s of pillows

- Toph claims that she thinks it’s soo dumb, but she will always make sit in the middle of the group all wrapped in her blanket and laughing when the others jump and get spooked from the horror movies Sokka always wants to watch

- and she will make sure the fort is right and perfect lmao

- Zuko is a little awkward about it at first, but he likes it too

- Sokka always manages to plop in next to Zuko lmao

- they haven’t talked about the head patting incident yet, but Zuko is def starting to feel the butterflies

- one time after a movie night Sokka falls asleep on Zuko’s shoulder, after the others have left for the night

- Zuko can’t resist waking him up with awkward head pats similar to the one Sokka used on him

- Sokka thinks he died and went to heaven lmao

- but then he fully wakes and sees Zuko’s shit eating grin and can’t help but laugh at the whole thing

- and Zuko has his “oh no he’s hot beautiful and I really adore him” moment

[reinerispretty]

beneath the moon (sokka x f!reader) pt2

hello!! and thank u so much for all of ur positive feedback on part 1! i really appreciate u :) i hope you’re having a great day!

pt1

pt3

As she rounded a corner, her face instantly smacked into someone’s chest. The force knocked both of them to the ground and (Y/N) groaned as she rubbed her nose. “Geez, watch where you’re going,” (Y/N) muttered as her eyes welled with tears from the pain. 

Yue was avoiding (Y/N). 

Because of their status, the two princesses had a routine that they adhered to. While (Y/N) was at her healing lessons, Yue attended meetings with their father. When (Y/N) watched Master Pakku train the men, Yue visited the Healer to make sure her health was in order. (Y/N) knew every single movement that her sister was going to make on any given day, but today was different. Yue hadn’t attended their father’s meetings, nor could (Y/N) find her at the Healer’s hut. The girl sighed and walked down into the city to search for her sister. 

It was an hour before (Y/N) saw Yue passing in one of the boats that drifted through the canals. (Y/N) walked along the icy sidewalks parallel to her sister. “Yue!” She shouted. Her sister glanced at her before turning away. (Y/N) rolled her eyes and stopped, watching her sister float further and further away. Then, she started running. Yue’s blue eyes widened as she realized what she was about to do. 

“(Y/N), don’t!” Yue shouted, but it was too late. (Y/N) leapt through the air and landed inside the boat, causing it to rock and splash icy cold water inside. The rower glared at the princess before turning back to his job. “You know that’s so dangerous!” 

“Sorry,” (Y/N) said as she caught her breath. “For yesterday, not for jumping in the boat.” Yue looked away from her and at the passing shops. “I wasn’t trying to insult you. I just got so angry when Hahn told me you guys were engaged.” 

Yue raised a thin eyebrow. “Hahn wasn’t supposed to tell you.” 

“Well, he did. And he was a real jerk about it too, asking if he’d be Chief one day. I told him that I’d rather choke on sea prunes than let that happen.” 

Yue giggled. “That wasn’t very kind of you.” 

“You’re the kind one,” (Y/N) said with a smile. “Happy birthday, Yue.” Her older sister smiled at her softly before leaning forward to hug her. (Y/N’s) body tightened up, but she relaxed a bit to hug her sister back. “I got you something.” 

(Y/N) reached into her pocket and handed Yue a package wrapped in paper and tied with twine. Yue took it and set it in her lap. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” 

“Of course I did. You only turn sixteen once.” Yue removed her gloves and opened the package, unfurling the scroll that was inside. It was a picture of the two of them. Yue wore a bright smile on her face, while (Y/N)’s smile was much more subdued. “This is amazing! Did you paint this?” 

(Y/N) nodded, biting her lip to contain her own smile. “I’ve been working on it for a few months.” Yue hugged her again. 

“This is the best gift I’ve ever received,” she said softly. “I’ll cherish it forever, thank you.” 

(Y/N) waved a hand in the air. “It’s no big deal. Hey, could you stop right here?” The rower came to a stop and (Y/N) hopped out of the boat. “I have to go get ready for tonight.” 

“See you then,” Yue said, before the boat continued on its way. (Y/N) walked back up to her family’s igloo and to her room, where she began with the intention of picking out her nicest coats for tonight’s dinner. Instead, her mind wandered, and instead of getting dressed, she started digging around her room for a jar of paint that she hadn’t seen in a while. When she looked out her window, the sun was setting, and she nearly let out a scream of panic. 

She dressed herself quickly, combed out her hair and braided it quickly as she ran out the door. She ran through the city, dodging passerby like she had done this before. (Which she had. As much as (Y/N) despised being late, sometimes she lost herself in her own little world, where time passed super quickly.) She ran across the bridges and hopped over canals to reach the courtyard where the feast would take place. 

As she rounded a corner, her face instantly smacked into someone’s chest. The force knocked both of them to the ground and (Y/N) groaned as she rubbed her nose. “Geez, watch where you’re going,” (Y/N) muttered as her eyes welled with tears from the pain. She could barely see the boy through her tears, but she could tell that he was from the Water Tribe. He didn’t look like anyone she recognized, but perhaps she had just never noticed him. 

“Me? You were the one running!” (Y/N) rolled her eyes and got to her feet, taking off to her destination. When she finally reached the steps that led up to the courtyard, the stars and moon has risen. She caught her breath, straightened her coats, and walked calmly up the steps. She felt the eyes of some of the elders on her, but she simply walked quickly over to where Yue was and sat beside her. 

“You’re late,” Yue whispered to her, a smile playing on her lips. (Y/N) shrugged. 

“Maybe next year I’ll be on time.” The two sisters giggled before their father started speaking. 

“Tonight,” He began, “We celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the Southern Tribe.” (Y/N) blinked in surprise as her eyes landed on the duo that had accompanied the Avatar. The girl was small, about a year or so younger than herself, but the boy was the one she had run into on her way here. His eyes met hers and (Y/N) looked away quickly, back at her father. “And they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now...the Avatar! We also celebrate my eldest daughter's sixteenth birthday. Princess Yue is now of marrying age!” 

Yue blushed as the crowd cheered for her. “Thank you, Father. May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times.” 

As Master Pakku and his students performed their waterbending, (Y/N) could hardly keep her eyes off of it. Yue had to pull her over to the feast table, where (Y/N) was sat between the two Water Tribe siblings and Yue was sat on the end. She felt a bit uncomfortable sitting between strangers, but she picked food onto her plate and ate quietly. The girl next to her nudged her with her elbow to get her attention. 

“Hi, I’m Katara, I don’t think we’ve met,” She said with a smile. (Y/N) smiled tightly back. 

“I’m (Y/N),” She said, taking a sip of water from her cup. “It’s nice to meet you.” 

“The guy on the other side of you is Sokka and this is Aang.” The Avatar waved at (Y/N) as he ate his food. 

“We’re very happy to have you all here,” (Y/N) said. “It’s rare that we get outsiders coming to the city.” 

“Hi there. Sokka, Southern Water Tribe,” The boy to her left said to Yue. (Y/N) glanced at her sister to see if she was welcoming the conversation. If she wasn’t, she would immediately shut it down. But Yue seemed to be enjoying herself, so (Y/N) relaxed and turned back to Katara.

“Are you and Yue friends?” Katara asked. (Y/N) furrowed her brows and shook her head. 

“We’re sisters.” Katara’s eyes widened. 

“I’m so sorry, Princess, I meant no disrespect!” (Y/N) laughed. 

“It’s fine, I wouldn’t expect you to know that. We don’t exactly look alike.” 

“So ... uhhh ... you're a princess, huh?” (Y/N) heard Sokka say. “You know, back in my tribe, I'm kind of like a prince, myself.” 

Katara laughed. “Prince of what?” 

Sokka turned to face her, his eyes instantly meeting (Y/N’s). She saw the recognition pass over his face as he said, “You’re the girl who ran into me today!” 

(Y/N) pursed her lips. “Sorry about that. I was late to, well, here.” She shrugged, taking another large sip of her water. 

“You ran into him?” Yue asked. Her sister nodded. 

“Like, really hard. My nose still hurts.” 

“Not as much as my butt does from being knocked over,” Sokka grumbled, before turning back to Yue. 

(Y/N) turned back to Katara and engaged in pleasant conversation with her the remainder of the night. She told (Y/N) all about their adventurers on their way up to the Northern Water Tribe and each one had (Y/N) absolutely transfixed. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” she said. “I’d love to see something other than snow.” 

Katara had laughed. “I felt the same way!” 

(Y/N) and Yue walked home together, their arms linked. Yue rested her head on (Y/N’s) shoulder. “I really liked the boy I met tonight. Sokka? Did you get a chance to meet him?” 

(Y/N) held in her smile. “Not formally. You spent the whole night keeping him to yourself.” Yue giggled, her face blushing a bright pink. “I’m glad you had fun. You deserve it.” 

“He wants to meet me to do an activity together.” (Y/N) raised her eyebrow. 

“What kind of activity?” Yue gently nudged her sister in the side. 

“Nothing like that, you goose.” (Y/N) grinned. “Just...hanging out.” 

“I wish I could see Hahn’s face when he sees the two of you ‘hanging out.’“ 

“Do you think he’d be mad?” (Y/N) shrugged. 

“I, for one, don’t care at all about Hahn’s feelings. As long as you’re doing what makes you happy, Yue, it shouldn’t matter.” Yue hummed as they reached their igloo and said their goodnights. 

“Happy birthday, Princess!” (Y/N) called out to her sister as she walked down the hall. 

“Thank you, Princess!” Yue called back. 

---

Tag List!

@aangsupremacy , @treestarrrrrrrr , @beifongsss , @mdgrdians , @aroyaldarknessblr , @musicalkeys , @aimee1602 , @plxstic-rose , @davnwillcome @squeamishdionysus , @clowninfortodoroki @thia-aep , @jinxed-tea @sara5208 @valiantprincessthea @alrightazula , @awesomelupe , @itsivyberry

[goldrushzukka]

1, 2, 7, 8, 9. (Sorry, i know that's like...all of them)

1. what themes would you like to write about that you feel don’t get explored very often?

i love writing coming out storylines. it’s not really that they’re uncommon, i just find a lot of catharsis in them. 

2. what are some common elements of stories you are tired of seeing? what would you avoid writing about?

i tend to avoid writing sibling dynamics bc i’m an only child and therefore not really. qualified. i love reading it though!! 

7. favourite description in your WIP?

it was really hard to pick one so i have a few answers for this bc i love to talk about myself so. (under the cut bc JESUS this got long but spoilers for and i’ll do anything you say (read it here!) ahead!!!)

- from chapter 2:

Sokka looks at him, a fantasy come to life, and takes off his stupid sweatpants.

He throws them at Zuko’s head, and earns himself a short burst of that real laugh, shocked and unguarded.

“You asshole,” Zuko says. He sits up and grabs Sokka’s hand, pulling him down on top of him. Something comes alive under Sokka’s skin where Zuko’s fingers graze his wrist. He calls it lust and ignores the fact that it feels nothing like it.

Zuko kisses him, his mouth still in the shape of laughter, and the alive thing screams for his attention. Sokka buries it and hopes it won’t deafen him before they’re done.

im very fond of this whole chapter (i think it’s probably my favourite? it was definitely the easiest to write) but i really love looking back on this part particularly now that we’re in the angsty part of the story bc this is where it all started. yes technically it started in chapter 1 but this is when sokka starts to fall for zuko. this is the beginning of all those pesky non-casual feelings that he’s going to pretend don’t exist until someone else calls him out on them.

- also from chapter 2:

He’s forty-five minutes late already, and when he knocks, a woman made of pursed lips and sharp angles answers the door. She looks elegant and expensive the same way a skyscraper does. Or a cache of medieval weaponry.

“Oh,” Sokka says, digging into his pocket to find the map on his phone. “I must have the wrong place, sorry -”

She looks him up and down, her eyes narrowed in a way that feels violent and practiced, and her smirk turns distasteful. Sokka risks a glance down at himself, at his torn up jeans - not distressed, just torn - and the Madonna t-shirt he’s pretty sure actually belongs to Katara, and thinks she might have a point. The bag in his hand feels heavier when her eyes land on it.

“Zuzu,” the woman calls into the apartment, “your dinner’s here.”

“I didn’t order -” Zuko appears in the doorway, bitter frustration in his expression as he looks at the woman.

His eyes fall on Sokka, though, and his face clears into a light-pollution smile.

this is technically two so i will start with: i love azula. i haven’t found any room to bring her back yet but believe me i am LOOKING. she’s hot and mean and gay and i LOVE HER. oh also insider scoop but suki’s date from earlier in this chapter.......WAS azula. they probably won’t see each other again because once azula met sokka and connected his face to the Best Friends Forever picture frame on suki’s desk she stopped answering the phone.

pt 2: i’ve had a couple of comments mention the “light-pollution smile” line specifically and i am always so happy to read them bc yeah. YEAH. i’ll admit it. that line HITS. 

- from chapter 4:

He sets his phone down - only, he doesn’t. He misses the table by a mile, and in his scramble to catch his phone before it breaks on the hardwood floor and wakes Momo on the cushion beside him, his hand finds the lip of his cereal bowl, and then that’s falling, too. He manages to catch the phone, but something in his head gets lost in translation on its way down his arms, and he ends up with a boxers-only lap full of soggy Cheerios.

Momo gets a splash of milk on his back and hisses at Zuko for his crimes, and somehow that’s the worst part of it.

haley @fruitysokka said that this passage reads like an action movie and i think about it all the time. (thank u haley i love u)

- lastly this extended metaphor from chapter 6:

The soup is good, once the heat of it clears him up enough to taste it. It’s thick and warm and there’s enough pepper that Sokka gets a kick from it even in his condition. He feels it all the way down his throat and into his stomach, where it mixes with the prickly nervousness he’s feeling from Zuko’s attention.

He sets the bowl down on the table and asks, eyes stuck on his hands in Momo’s fur where he’s climbed into his lap, “How was the date?”

“It was good, actually,” Zuko says. “Jet seems like a nice guy. He’s very - uh - passionate, I guess you could call it? He’s a climate and human rights activist.”

The spines of Sokka’s nervousness turn to daggers.

...

“I said yes. We’re getting lunch on Sunday.”

The daggers are swords now, and Sokka’s heart sinks down, down, down, right to the hilt.

...

“I’ll text you when I’m home,” Zuko promises, and Sokka’s heart skewers itself on a second sword.

Zuko’s smile when Sokka says, “Thank you for the soup,” is a third.

The door closing behind him is a fourth.

The silence as Sokka shuffles back to bed is every single one that remains.

something something canon swordsmen something pride comes before the fall something chivalry fell on his sword from eden by hozier. you guys get it i dont have to explain myself

8. favourite dialogue in your WIP?

ok so i cant share my actual favourite dialogue bc it's a spoiler for chapter 8 and i technically haven't written it yet (it's in my brain just.....plaguing me) but it's GOOD i SWEAR so. once again i have more than one answer bc actually? i love this fic and im proud of it. deal with it.

- from chapter 1:

“Hey, stranger,” Sokka says, still watching him in the mirror. The corner of Zuko’s mouth ticks up.

“You’re not following me, are you?” Zuko’s tone is seductive, endlessly so, and Sokka wonders while he dries his hands if he has to put it on or if he just sounds like that.

“You give a guy one compliment and he thinks you’re stalking him,” Sokka mutters, and Zuko laughs, low and enticing. Not the genuine, endearing laugh of this morning, but one with an agenda.

Well. Sokka always likes a plan.

“Are you following me? ” Sokka asks. He spies a miraculous dry patch on the sink bank and tries to be casual about the way he hops up to sit on it.

“I might be,” Zuko says, and at Sokka’s raised eyebrow, he continues, “I saw you at the bar and I wanted to talk to you. Sue me.”

“You wanted to talk.”

“Amongst other things.”

as a chronically awkward person i am INSANELY proud of the flirting in this fic. no idea if it would work in a real life situation. excited to never find out bc im not about to use lines from my fanfiction on real women. 

- from chapter 2

“You must be Suki,” Zuko says. He meets her gaze, and his fingers go still under Momo’s chin.

“And you’re Zuko,” Suki replies, her smile all different shades of intimidating. “I’d shake your hand, but I know where it’s just been.”

i wrote this entire scene just so i could have suki say this. im not even joking. suki is my favourite part of this entire fic and its not even ABOUT her.

- from chapter 3:

When Sokka crosses the room and slips under the covers beside him, Zuko says, “I can leave, if you want. I can go home.”

...

He asks, still barely hovering over Zuko, “What if I don’t want that?”

Zuko swallows. “I can stay.”

“So stay,” Sokka says, and lays his head down on Zuko’s chest.

i just think it’s sweet. i like it a lot. makes my heart hurt a little when i think about it. 

- from chapter 4:

[Suki // 15:13] there is a LOT of chmpagrjn

[Suki // 15:13] cahpmhagne

[Suki // 15:13] chsanpghn

[Suki // 15:14] alcohol :)

once again: suki is the best part of this whole fic. i love her so much. she is the reason the word bestie exists. im really proud of the texting in this fic bc it’s my first time actually including it in fic and it’s turned out really well!!

- ok last one bc i just realised this is turning into a novel. from chapter 4:

“How’s my baby?”

Zuko glances down at Momo, batting at the untied laces of his shoes with one determined paw. “He’s doing just fine.”

“And how’s Momo?”

“He’s - what?”

are there better written, more narratively important and emotive lines in this fic? yes. is this the best part of the entire thing? also yes. i invented the jin/yue wedding because i needed a reason for zuko to have a key in what became chapter 6, but sometimes i think the entire fic exists just for this exchange. best dialogue i have ever written.

9. what scene was the hardest for you to write and why?

the start of chapter 6 of aidays was difficult. i kept wanting to skip ahead to the meaty parts - i.e, zuko and his soup - but i didn’t want to do sokka a disservice like that. it was also really hard to maintain the balance of accurately describing the delirium of illness while still being coherent for the reader? so that took me a couple of days to get right.

[gem-quest]

[QUEST o2. - E N T H R O N E D]

(written by @bebemoon)

mentions: @ayzrules @elissastillstands & @armadasneon​

. . . Quest 2 .

A few days passed without word from Inferna, and Neddy was beginning to think she'd been forgotten.

A pair of players were marrying in the gardens the week following the meadow fair. And Neddy made an appearance out of sheer curiosity-

The ceremony was within a tumble of pale pink blossoms beneath a flowering tree, and the fae—and even all who were stuck on the level—were in attendance, surrounding the couple of Moonstone players. Neddy recognised the groom as the gleaming Moonstone jouster from the fair. The bride was a tiny Healer with hair matching the blossoms overhead and a veil of glimmering chain mail set with white crystals. They seemed blissful- so much so that Neddy wondered about them.    

Besides, was this a binding union in the real world? Probably not since Finvarra was the one to marry them, and Neddy rather doubted the Prince was ordained for such an affair. He wasn't even real.

Maybe it didn't matter to them- at any moment, any of them could be skewered with a sword and die at once in two worlds. Might as well live happily and love when possible.  

Neddy shook her head. What an outlandish situation they all found themselves in . . .

-

There was a celebration afterwards, but in Yue City. Understandably, the happy couple wanted to be able to eat together as well as remain free of the fae.

Neddy stayed behind to put her feet up on the feast table alongside some of Finvarra's tittering wives to watch the dancing for a while. The feeling of isolation began to creep up on her once again.

Suddenly, there was a familiar trilling from her rucksack at her feet, barely audible over the fairy music. It was the sound the Plexus' messaging function made when a new message was received.

Excitedly, Neddy dug into the rucksack and drew the Plexus out. She swiped the screen, and the new message appeared. It was from Inferna- "Jack's Girlfriend" [fire emoji] in the Plexus.

The message read: WYD ???

Neddy replied with a long message detailing the wedding she'd just witnessed, overseen by the Prince himself.

To which the redhead pithily replied, "Bruh xD".

Neddy grinned at her screen.

Inferna went on to ask Neddy if she was ready to take on Aydina, and when Neddy indicated that she was "ready as she would ever be", the other girl sent back:

“Btw I invited 2 other ppl to join us for dodgeball- Morningstar and Balestra if u wanted to look them up! Hope that’s okay 💖💖💖 say hi to jack 4 me!!!!”

Attached to this was a selfie of the candy-redhead eating the apricot tartlets Neddy had paid her with.

Morningstar wasn't a name that Neddy recognised- but Balestra, she knew immediately. She was another Moonstone player- a celestial knight- with a griffin mount. If Neddy wasn't very much mistaken, the griffin ate some of the garden's fae NPCs. And Finvarra still recounted the incident like some sort of disastrous Biblical tale.

Maybe it would be good to have someone like that on her side? If Balestra's griffin ate Aydina, would that be an automatic win?

Neddy replied simply to Inferna with a thumbs-up emoji, but she couldn't help feeling a twinge of doubt.

-

I C T U I U M . to . M E R M A I D . C O V E .

Inferna and her two companions were already waiting in the level 30 foyer—a wide glass room looking into the beachy landscape beyond with huge, flat screens showing players already in action on the level—when Neddy blinked in.

Seeing the sparkling sea spread out to her left, Neddy's first inclination was to start singing “La mer”.

Inferna's disappointment that Neddy had shown up sans Jack was instantly perceptible. The redhead pushed her lip out and raised one hand to her hip.

“Where’s Jack?” she said, pouting dramatically. “I even brought him a huge thing of sugar cubes! And a fresh batch of sauce.”

Neddy pulled an apologetic face. "Sorry, he's been M.I.A. for a couple of days," she told her. "He does that, I'm finding."

A slip of a girl with a crown of curls and a longsword on her hip was leaned up against one of the glass walls. She nodded at Neddy by way of a greeting.

Inferna jerked her chin at her. "That's Balestra," she said, grinning. "Moonstone rider like yourself. Maybe you know her?"

Neddy didn't want to bring up the gardens fiasco in case it was a sore spot with Balestra, and so she lied. "Oh, er, no- I-I don't believe we've met, actually," she stammered. "I'm Neddy. I swear I'm a real rider- my mount is just . . . I don't think he'd be much good at dodgeball anyway."

Three pairs of eyes regarded Neddy. She didn't know why she was so nervous, but she knew everyone could tell that she was.

At least Inferna seemed to be enjoying herself, as usual. She snorted in the silence. "And that's Morningstar over there," she said, thumbing the other player in the foyer.  

The third pair of eyes were almost too haunting to properly look into. They belonged to a ribbon of white slashed with violent red- a crown of berries, Neddy realised. Intimidatingly, a crystal scythe lay across her shoulders and her arms were draped over either side of the polearm. She looked a bit crucified.

The phantom made no move to acknowledge Neddy. However, her strange golden eyes stayed pinned to her.

Neddy merely raised her hand in a meek wave. "Hello."

Morningstar said nothing.

Inferna clapped her hands to break the bizarre tension between the four of them. "Well, let's go kick some ass!" she declared and punched the air. “I just confirmed with the other seven people who agreed to join our party. Three Ammolite, two Obsidian, two Moonstone.”

Neddy was impressed. Inferna was certainly on top of things. Perhaps more apricot tartlets were in order.

Inferna flashed them a cheeky grin. “Let’s go down to the beach?”

-

Neddy considered herself fortunate to have gotten some intimidating figures on her side for this dodgeball match- especially considering the others Inferna had rounded up. Not an inspiring bunch. But Inferna had only been looking to fill out the team.

Mermaid Cove was beautiful. The beach was blush and the sky was bright. The harbour was bustling at one end of the shore and magnificent pirate ships bobbed in the offing. Up the beach, giant pink conch shells were set upright in the sand and hollowed out into stalls that sold necessities like medi-elixirs, pep potions, and replacement gear. An old one-eyed woman with a blue parrot on her shoulder was selling fried octopus tentacles in shell-shaped baskets. A length of fishing net was draped over the market area and all manner of scavenged sea treasures and seashells were strung up, dangling over the customers as they browsed.

Neddy wanted to roam the market area for a while, but Inferna was all business. 

Inferna led them through the intro ordeal, having one of the other players activate the in-game event with the NPC shopkeeper, since Inferna herself had already completed the level and therefore could not activate it again. 

Inferna tapped her foot impatiently as the NPC ran through her whole sob story about how the mermaids had created Angel’s Breath to revive drowned humans, how the pirate queen Aydina and her eleven crew members had killed off all the mermaids to keep Angel’s Breath for herself-

Finally, the NPC said, “If you get the pirates to leave the town, I’ll show you where the last Angel’s Breath is hidden.”

“Great, let’s go,” said Inferna, then she directed the rest of the group to the shoreline.

As they stood on the beach, she threw her finger in the direction of the sea where a massive dome was rising slowly out of the water.

"Look, look!" Inferna shouted. "There it is!"

The others crowded around to watch in awe as the dome continued to surface, throwing off water and a terrible mechanical noise that scraped the ears.

"We're going into that thing?" Neddy asked, her stomach flipping.

Meanwhile, a pirate ship-complete with a skull and crossbone flag-sailed into view. Inferna rolled her eyes. “Yeah, in a sec,” she replied. “Aydina has some dialogue that we have to sit through. God fucking damn, but the NPC shit in this game gets so tedious.”

It wasn’t much longer before Aydina, the pirate queen, sauntered up over to them, her crew right behind her. With an unruly mane of fiery red curls, fierce eyes, and dressed in sheer black chiffon that billowed dramatically in the breeze, with lacy black gloves that went up to her elbows and a pair of badass black boots to match. 

Inferna cut to the chase. Apparently, sometimes you could skip the intro dialogue if you talked faster than the NPCs. “Yo, Aydina! Get the fuck out of here.”

The NPC gave Inferna a disparaging look. “How are you going to make me?”

“I challenge you to a dodgeball game,” she replied tightly, and Aydina nodded her agreement.

“Time to go!” Inferna crowed, evidently pleased that she’d successfully gotten Aydina to skip through most of the annoying dialogue. 

A narrow walkway of roped-together driftwood began to rise out of the sea. It did not look the least bit steady, and Neddy was ready to forego the whole thing just at the sight of it.

The sea is beautiful, yes. But it is also crushing and fathomless. And Neddy had always had a fear of it. The prospect of going beneath the ocean's surface was almost debilitatingly frightening. 

She hated herself for wishing Callum was there to hold her hand.

But no sooner had the thought of him crossed her mind that Inferna was taking her hand and pulling her towards the rickety walkway. 

“Come on, move your ass,” Inferna said, shooting her a playful look as she tugged her along. “Be careful during the actual game, though. Aydina can randomly let water into the court and drain it out whenever she wants. It’s the biggest pain ever.”

Neddy wanted to sink inside herself at that, but- it felt almost as if Inferna was passing some of her chaotic strength through her fingers into Neddy’s. And her feet moved to follow after the redhead. 

-

They marched into the dome, and the door sealed off behind them, metal clanging as the dome sank back under the sea to rest on the sea floor. The dome itself was made out of some kind of transparent material, allowing them to see the various sea creatures and coral formations surrounding the place. 

Inferna paused, causing Neddy to pause too. The redhead seemed to have noticed a throng of excited players making their way back to the foyer, where they’d be able to watch the game on the screens. 

“What?” Neddy wondered, dividing a look between the Inferna’s face and the other players. 

“If we win-” Inferna cut herself off and then winked at Neddy. “When we win, those players will be swarming all over us the second we get back to land- for the Angel’s Breath. Best to have a few ictuium potions on hand.” 

Inferna said as much to Balestra and Morningstar as well. Then, Aydina was explaining the rules of the game to them.

“If the ball-” and here she summoned the “dodgeball” out of thin air, which was an enchanted turtle shell- “hits you, and then hits the ground, you’re out. If you catch the ball, you’re safe. If the ball bounces off of you and one of your teammates catches it, you’re both safe. But, if the ball bounces off of you and someone on the other team catches it, you’re out.”

Inferna cast Neddy a sideways glance. “Don’t get hit,” she advised. “That thing packs a punch on its own, but depending on her mood, Aydina can make it stab you with barnacles, shock you, or spray disgusting gross poisonous stuff that’ll kill you before the time is up.”

Aydina rolled the ball over to where Inferna was standing. “I’ll let you guys have the first go,” she said, smirking confidently at them, looking directly at Inferna. “Since I feel sorry for you. How many brain cells do you have, to be wearing such an atrocious hat?”

“Fuck you!” Inferna shot back as she picked up the ball. “You’re such a fucking cunt.”

The pissed-off redhead gave the other eleven people a questioning look. “Well, should I go for it? Or do one of you guys want to do the honors?”

-

[ You can pick up here or back up a bit or do as you like if you end up taking this quest up ! No instructions for Neddy (but keep in mind she’s not a strong player), just do as you like and make sure they win ! ^^ And, if you need any help at all, just ask either Ayz or me~ ] 

[taeboos]

avatar au! waterbender jimin

sarah is back at it again! i would like to point out that this series is from Avatar Aang era, so there will be no airbenders! 

so i obviously chose water for jimin. he is so pure and he has such fluid motions when he dances !!! he is super soft and caring for others, just like the water tribes. 

jimin would be from the northern water tribe, and I can really see him as yue’s younger brother. 

Since the parting of his older sister, who was supposed to rule the northern water tribe, jimin had to take up her role after she became one with the moon lol 

you, are a water bender as well, but you grew up in the fire nation. 

your parents were killed in the siege of the southern water tribe, and you were taken as a young child to be adopted by a fire nation family. 

you were raised by a good-hearted family, (not all of the firenation people are bad) and grew up to be a beautiful and intelligent young lady. 

However you didn’t have the resources to teach yourself waterbending so you always yearned to go back to your routes and visit one of the water tribes. 

you met jungkook, a firenation general’s son, and you managed to befriend him. (for the sake of this route, you didn’t end up with jungkook) 

jungkook, having ties to the general fleets, he helped you out so that you could go to the northern water tribe for learning water bending! (it wasn’t easy, mind you, because you know, firenation ships are a big no-no when it comes to entering the northern water tribe.) 

you had to make a stop and row the rest of the way on canoe and and jungkook had to dress in apparel that didn’t give away his firenation ties. 

when you approached the water tribe, you could feel this giddyness in your stomach, you were so excited!! 

and the one who greeted you were these guards, they were super skeptical on whether or not to let you in because !! you were strangers and that is really weird for them 

and since they gave you so much hell you were about to loose your temper. (you had a waterbender heart, but the temper of a firebender) 

“look i didn’t freeze my ass off and suffer sea sickness for you lousy good-for-nothing guards to turn me away from learning a skill that was passed down to me through my heritage! are u really going against your own people here??” 

even jungkook was getting uncomfy with the situation 

“calm down,,,you might never get in if you give them attitude,,,” 

“you’re the one to talk!” (jungkook always tended to give you attitude on a daily basis //sigh) 

that is when a voice sounded behind the guards, “what is going on here?” 

the guards turned around rested on one knee in a bow. 

“your highness, these,,,wanderers, were demanding entrance to seek training in the art of waterbending,” 

and jimin is like?? isn’t that why we exist? why are you turning them away lol 

so basically he let both of you in with open arms. (precious bby)

jimin took you by the hand and sent away jungkook (poor boy was left by a water fountain in the cold with small kiddies running around and didn’t know how to act) 

you followed jimin to a room where he sat you down and prepared some calming jasmine tea (he learned how to make some from a friend ;)) 

he asked you about your past and why you are seeking help from them. 

you explained to him about your past and how you were taken from the southern water tribe as a young girl. 

he listened to you without interruption and when you were finished he mentioned how another girl from the southern water tribe came to them when yue was still with them to learn of waterbending as well. 

you were shocked, to say the least because you thought that all the water benders had been taken, or killed. 

you wanted to make it a priority of yours to find this girl, this girl who’s name was Katara. 

a lot of his advisers offered to help you learn, but jimin insisted that he would teach you himself. 

you probably stayed at the northern water tribe for 2 months. 

Every morning and night you would meet with jimin, and he would teach you new water bending steps and waterbending principles 

 At night he would teach you how to observe the moon and how it manipulates the tides 

“Water is the element of change, and the moon is the source of power when water bending,” 

He would show you push and pull movements and the way he let the water flow around him was as if he was dancing with it. 

you couldn’t help to notice how beautiful he was in the moonlight, and how focused he was on his movements. 

“When you waterbend, your movements must be fluid and graceful,” he would explain, “waterbenders deal with the flow of energy; they let their defense become their offense, turning their opponents’ own forces against them,” 

he would take your hands and guide them in a similar motion as he just displayed, until you could do it on your own. 

whenever you messed up, he’d help you and tell you exactly how to fix it 

he would come behind you and take your arms and show make them flow up and down and side to side, and his hot breath made the hairs on your neck stick up

(cue jealous jungkook staring at ya’ll hiding behind a snow heap)   

after endless nights of practicing, you became super diverse in waterbending! jimin taught you so much, and even so much as the basics of healing! 

One night, a few nights before your departure, jimin took you to the spirit oasis which held the two koi fish, Tui and La. He told you how they endlessly circle around each other, and how his sister sacrificed her life to them, on the day of the lunar eclipse; the day the firenation attacked them and almost killed the Moon Spirit, Tui. 

he told you that when his sister left him, it felt like everything was off balance, like how it would be if the two spirits of push and pull weren’t together. 

but he feels like since you came, he felt whole again

you felt guilty, because you had to leave him, you couldn’t stay in in the northern water tribe forever, since your family and jungkook both belong to the firenation 

it really hurt you, because you really grew attached to jimin, the way his hands felt against yours, and his sweet smile and the crescents his eyes make when he’s laughing 

you felt at home with him; it was like you belonged there. 

you could even say you loved him. 

Jimin took you to the spirit waters again the day you had to leave him, and took your hands in his. 

he squeezed them tight this time, different from the more gentler times when he was guiding your hands in fluid motions 

“i think i’m in love with you,” he would say softly, “and I don’t know what I’m going to do without you here,” 

your heart would begin to pound furiously, but the only sound that could be heard was the soft swishing of water made by the koi fish

“jimin, i feel the same about you, but what else can I do? I thank you for everything you’ve done for me, and it truly has been a blessing,,, but i have to go,” 

He nodded, he understood you very well, and he knew he couldn’t force you to stay. 

He held out a necklace. It was a choker necklace, that had a charm on it that had the water element symbol on it. He placed it around your neck. “These are usually given out to the woman you will marry, but I wanted to give this to you, as something to remember me by when you’re gone.” 

You eyes gleamed with tears as you threw your arms around his neck and he hugged you in a tight embrace. 

When he pulls away he would kiss you softly on your lips, and whisper that he will never forget you.  

you promised him that you would return. 

and three years later, you did. 

other avatar aus: jungkook

[akaiikowrites]

and my heart went (boom) pt. 2

Summary: “This,” Katara says, “is the part of the quirky romcom where the heartbroken but plucky heroine takes on New York and meets the love of her life.” And she says it with such conviction that Zuko doesn’t have the heart to point out that they’re not in New York or a quirky romcom.

Notes: For @officialzutaramonth​ 2016, Day 3. Modern AU. Yes, I stole the title from Hamilton. It seems appropriate since people make poor life choices in this fic too.

Rating: PG-16/M for cussing, sexual content, underage alcohol consumption (by US standards), and mentions of abuse.

Part: One

"The Boulder does not want fights in his club.” Katara squares up her shoulders and juts out her jaw as she tries—and honestly kind of fails—to imitate the musclebound bouncer of Four Nations. “The Boulder throws you out of the club until the New Year!”

Zuko rolls his eyes and laughs. Under his arm, her shoulders slump back to her normal slouch. Bumping his hip against her side, he says, “You’re hilarious. We could find a comedy club.”

Honestly, he kind of figures they’ll head home. Or at least to the flat he shares with Sokka. Which is home. They’ll watch shitty sci-fi movies and she’ll drink at least half the soda in their fridge and he’ll end up with her feet on his lap at some point. On movie two or three, Katara’ll crash for the night. Zuko’ll finish the movie. Then he’ll pick her up, and fumble his way into Sokka’s room, and tuck her in. And it’ll be the best night he’s had in weeks.

Only then Katara bumps his thigh with her hip. “You’re ridiculous. Comedy clubs aren’t how the story goes.”

Can’t help it. He raises his eyebrow—the only one he’s got—and dares to ask, “What story, exactly?”

“This,” Katara says, “is the part of the quirky romcom where the heartbroken but plucky heroine takes on New York and meets the love of her life.” And she says it with such conviction that Zuko doesn’t have the heart to point out that they’re not in New York or a quirky romcom.

“Okay,” he says. “So where does that leave us?”

“How about River Street?”

Before Katara, Zuko never really thought about danger. Because he’s six foot something of muscle bound male, because he’s trained in martial arts since he could walk, because he’s got a scar over half his face that scares off even gang bangers, because he’s always had a thing for testing himself against the whole fucking universe. But nowadays, danger’s sometimes all he can think about.

Pulling her closer on instinct, he says, “It’s New Year’s Eve, ‘tara.” River Street’ll be flooded with drunk packs looking for easy prey. It goes without saying.

“C’mon, we could take anyone,” she says. Which also goes without saying. Even Sokka’s given up on stepping into the ring with either one of them, never mind both of them working in concert. Fucking brutal, Sokka always says. To which his girlfriend, who owns the dojo, goes, Brutally efficient.

Zuko already knows he’s going to go along with her.

Katara can be reasoned with but she can’t be commanded. And, based on the defiant inflection to her, “I want to touch the river and no stupid drunk frat dicks are gonna stop me,” she’s made up her mind already.

“Fine,” he says. “Fine. Let’s do this.”

They do it. Katara drags him by the wrist under the keep out chain on the dock for the Riverboat Experience. Then she gets on her stomach—just lays out flat in her new blouse that she’d bought only two days ago—and plunges her hands into the icy water of the Savannah River. Zuko sits beside her and watches as the muscles of her back unlock.

Out of pure habit, he reaches for her and brushes a hand along the column of her spine. Katara lets out a quiet sigh. “Better?” he asks.

“I guess,” she says. Almost reluctant, she pulls her hands out of the river and rolls onto her back in a single, smooth movement. When she holds her hands up to the neon light coming off the nearby bars Zuko sees them tremble faintly from the cold.

Normally he’d wait for her to grab for him. Maybe even make her work for it by trying to dodge her. Tonight, he waits only the space of four heartbeats. Then he grabs her hands and presses them between his own.

Katara tilts her head, looks at him, even though she can’t possibly see much in the shitty lighting. Zuko ignores the question he knows lurks in her eyes because, he’ll say if she asks, he needs to focus on getting some warmth back into her skin before she becomes the first person ever to get frostbite in the goddamn South.

“You’re too good for her.”

That actually makes him pause. “What?” It’s all he can get out. A fumbling response after the silence has drawn on too long and she’s trying to pull her hands out from his. Funny, how the instinct to hold her tighter comes without thought while the attempt to speak comes hard.

But she’s still tugging. Zuko lets her go and feels like a fucking idiot. Crossing him arms and resting them on his knees, he waits for what comes next. Because he sure as hell doesn’t know.

Now she won’t look at him, even as she sits up and wraps her arms around her jean-clad knees. “It’s nothing.” Katara darts a look at him, then looks away just as quickly. “No, it’s not nothing. It’s the end of the year, so I should be honest, right? You’d want me to be honest.”

Zuko feels like she’s not really talking to him so much as some version of him that exists in her own mind. That’s okay. Sometimes he talks to her like that too.

“Look, okay, being honest? You’re too good for her, Zuko. For that girl back in Boston. Mai.” There’s unfamiliar acid in her voice. Zuko’s doesn’t quite know what to make of that. “I wish you’d just send that stupid email.”

“You’ve seen that?” he asks. More because it seems like a good placeholder than because he cares about the answer.

Again, she looks at him. This time, her gaze holds. Part of him wonders what it is she sees there. “Yeah. That time you and Sokka got drunk on Yue’s...” Here she fumbles, trying to find a word, and isn’t it absurd that this trainwreck conversation is held up by the lack of an English word for the day of someone’s death? “...anniversary,” she settles for.

“Okay,” he says. Tries to make sense of it. Doesn’t quite make sense of it. Realizes that if he’s been waiting for a sign from the universe, this is probably it, anyways. “Give me a minute.”

Katara’s slow to react. Maybe because she doesn’t quite connect when he pulls his phone from his back pocket and unlocks it. Then, when she sees him open up the Gmail app on his phone, she immediately lunges for his arm. Nails dig into his inner wrist as she yelps, “Wait, no, don’t send it now!” It hurts like a motherfucker, but Zuko just transfers his phone to his other hand and taps his way to Drafts (1). “Zuko, no, seriously, don’t...you’ll regret it if you do it because you’re drunk or whatever. Like, c’mon, you already beat up Jet on stage at your favorite bar because of me! Don’t—”

“‘tara, I’m not doing this for you,” Zuko says. For a moment, his thumb hovers over the Send button. Then he hits it, and watches the little animation that follows, and feels a smile pull at his lips when the screen finally declares it Sent.

Shifting his gaze to Katara’s face—slack jawed, wide eyed, vaguely horrified—he lets the smile go wider. “I’ve been meaning to do it for three months,” he says. “Maybe longer.” Slowly, her mouth shuts. The look of vague horror remains.

Honestly, he wouldn’t mind it. With his phone still in his hand he’s got an excellent chance of snapping a picture of her looking so ridiculous. But then she lets out a low moan that sounds suspiciously like noooo.

Zuko blinks. “Did I...miss something?”

Nails dig into his wrist briefly and then release. Katara puts her hands over her face and lets out another one of those not-really-moans. Then she says, just loud enough for him to hear over the shouting of drunk people, “Now I have to actually deal with my feelings.” Which, okay, not what he was expecting. Katara spreads her fingers so she can peek through them like a small kid. Another aborted not-really-moan.

“Did you drink too much?” he asks. It seems unlikely, but hey, maybe. “Are you feeling sick? Probably. Lightweight.” Easy teasing, the kind of thing that’ll coax her out of embarrassment every time. “Let’s go back to the flat. You can have some Advil and water. I’ll even get you a puke bucket.” Something that it seems she might need, given the way she’s looking now that she’s lowered her hands.

“Zuko, I think I’m in love with you!”

Above them, fireworks burst in glorious, riotous color. Katara’s face lights up in glorious technicolor. People, drunk and not, scream Happy New Year. But too late to drown out her confession.

Without thinking about the consequences, Zuko cups the back of her neck, tilts his head just so, and presses a kiss to her slightly open mouth. And she lets out a soft noise that’s not quite a whimper, and reaches out to fist his shirt in her hands, and kisses him back with the taste of something fruity alcoholic on her breath. And he pulls back, just a touch, and whispers, “I know I’m in love with you, Katara.”

Sokka [10:23:01] if u hurt kat ill murder u

Sokka [10:23:49] bacons on

Zuko rolls his eyes. That’s close to a tearful blessing, in Sokka’s world, so he’ll take it. Tossing his phone,which is nearly dead anyway, into the pile of dirty laundry by his hamper, he buries his face against the curve of Katara’s bare shoulder. Murmuring sleepily, she rolls onto her side and slings one of her legs over his hips.

Tangled up like this, it doesn’t matter that he’ll have to deal with Mai’s pissed off emails or Sokka’s relentless only half-joking murder schemes or even Jet’s actual murder attempts, because he’s got Katara.

And Zuko, well, all he can think as he presses a kiss into Katara’s wild curls is: fucking worth it.