#tiny!zuko

[a-todd-illustration]

Y'all! I've officially started the Tiny Zuko story on Ao3!

Here's Zuko and Toph bonding

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63209389

[chiptrillino-art]

(ID in ALT Text) Happy very, very late Mother's Day!

I am not saying that zuko is sokkas substitute for kya. or they look in any way similar! The whole concept here is that something was happening at the moment, be it how they were laying in bed, how the hair pooled over the pillow, or how sokka was able to hold onto it. It just brought sokka back. It triggered a memory, and suddenly he relived a brief memory. Making him suddenly miss his mother again. hope you enjoy!

[demaparbat-hp]

Slow mornings in Ba Sing Se.

I needed something soft today, so here's a little sketch for @nerdylizj's breathtaking fic Forgetting is a kind of mercy.

[pineapple-frenzy]

Can we get Toph teasing Katara, please?

With Zuko being clueless in the background. ;)

Toph knows :>

[mad-tears]

ⁱ'ˡˡ ᵐᵃᵏᵉ ᵗʰᵉᵐ ᵖᵃʸ - said a 5'0 foot girl

[petricorah]

zuko.exe has stopped working

[ragzonacamrencruise]

Betrayal (An ATLA analysis)

It's really important to me, how, in the Avatar universe, the person who's at the right side of the throne (essentially the right hand), always betrays the one sitting on the said throne.

Exhibit A:

Long Feng, kept the King oblivious to the Hundered Year War and handled all matters that are not partying or charity events, making him the de facto ruler of Ba Sing Se without even the King's knowledge, essentially paving a way for his betrayal.

Exhibit B:

Zuko, said it himself, that he was literally at his father's right hand. Even Azula got only the second best seat. And the next thing Zuko does? He betrays his father. I know what you're all thinking. But didn't Zuko already betray him before? Well, he did when he released Aang from Zhao as the Blue Spirit. But, the important point is, his explicit orders were to capture the Avatar to restore his honour. It didn't matter which methods he used to do it. He only ever openly betrayed his father during the eclipse and that was after he was placed at the right hand in the war meeting.

Exhibit C:

Mai, a betrayal that was a turning point in Azula's declining mental health. But hey, Ty Lee betrayed Azula too, right? Yes. But that doesn't change the fact that Mai did it first and she was sat at Azula's right hand. Mai never really feared Azula. She only followed her around out of her own will. Ty Lee on the other hand, when Azula recruits her at the circus, is found showing fear. She only had the guts to betray Azula after Mai did.

It really puts into perspective how Ty Lee couldn't betray Azula until provoked because she feared her, and Mai betrayed Azula because she didn't fear her enough. It further solidifies Azula's stellar line, "You should've feared me more!", insisting that if Mai had feared her more, she wouldn't have betrayed her. This especially holds true because it's later explained by Azula herself that, "Fear is the only reliable way." Fear kept Ty Lee in line but liberalised Mai cuz she didn't fear Azula more.

But all that goes out the window because Ty Lee betrayed Azula too. This is also one of the main reasons why Azula banishes most of the people around her. Because, "None of them can be trusted", and she trusted Mai as she knew Mai never feared her. It hurts her deeper because she trusted Mai and let her mantra of "Fear is the only reliable way" go, and guess what happens? She betrays her.

This solidifies three things in her brain: 1. Trust doesn't work, and, 2. Fear doesn't work either. 3. Nothing works, really.

Therefore, her action of banishing everybody with, "Sooner or later they all would've betrayed me."

This works for Exhibits A and B too. Long Feng never feared King Kuei and King Kuei completely trusted him until he learned of his betrayal. Trust didn't work, and fear didn't work either.

Zuko had never trusted his father. He only feared him. He has a physical scar on his body to prove it. But once that fear starts to deteriorate, he openly confronts his father and betrays him, letting go of his fear with, "It was cruel, and it was wrong!". Trust didn't work, and fear didn't work either.

So, what does work?

Well, the answer is pretty simple.

Love.

Love works. Any number and different kinds of love, be it platonic, or sibling, or romantic, it doesn't matter. It is foolproof!

Genuine care and affection for a person, doesn't let you betray them that easily. It's what made Sokka decide they should help Aang in Book 1. It's what made Yue turn into the moon. It's what made Toph come back to the Gaang again after she stormed off in Book 2. It's what made Aang come back for Bumi in Omashu in Book 2. It's what made Zuko find his path to Iroh again in Book 3.

The lack of love (from her own parents) is what made Azula's mental health deteriorate, as she thought nothing worked; it's depressing because she doesn't know that love actually works, cuz she's never known or experienced love her entire life, so she doesn't even consider it as an option.

The lack of love is what made the Dai Li betray Long Feng. The lack of it drove Zuko's betrayal to Ozai, Mai and Ty Lee's betrayal to Azula and even Jet's betrayal to Katara.

This could go on and on, but the end point here is that Azula's words on betrayal are true, but only when love is taken out of the equation. Love is the 'X' factor. Without it, there really is no equation, as all leads to zero.

[gurinpotte]

evidence dump of the brain altering that rewatching atla for the first time as an adult has caused in the past few weeks

[stardust948]

While looking for the spirit that cursed Azula, the group finds themselves in a hostile part of the spirit world filled with giant monsters. As Yue seeks guidance from the previous Avatars, Sokka and Zuko guard her while Azula helps does everything.

[becasart]

Based on the fic Zuko's Tiny Dilemma by Boogum 🥺💕

[soopersara]

Zuko's Tiny Dilemma written by Boogum (aka @botherkupo)

It was the kind of thing that happened in folktales: a cursed prince, a transformation that could not be broken. Except those princes usually became monstrous-looking creatures who needed true love's kiss to return to normal. They did not get stuck as a six-year-old boy depending on a bald runt and two Water Tribe siblings.

Podfic on AO3

[demaparbat-hp]

Forget about canon, I want Kyoshi Warrior Ursa.

[lphoenixspiritl]

It's at the Western Air Temple that Katara finds out that no matter how hard she tries, Zuko always manages to fold the laundry neater than she does. Even years after they have married she continues to hold a grudge over it.

[mesapies]

I headcanon both mai and zuko as bi with male preference, but as a multishipper, I have more gay ships for mai and straight ships for zuko.

[hneyteacup]

“zutara will never be canon” it literally was idk what ur talking abt

[waterfire1848]

Katara: Mai and Zuko are very angry at us. Toph: Why? Aang: Izumi didn’t know she was adopted and Katara told her. [ Katara hits him. ] Toph: She had to find out at some point. Aang: Yeah, but how would you like it if someone told Lin and Suyin they were accidents? Lin: What? [ Lin and Suyin had been sitting in the other room. Toph glares at Aang. ] Aang to Katara: We have to get out of here.