#zukka arranged marriage au

[zukkaflowers]

zukka arranged marriage au where mid-20’s sokka is fuming for WEEKS leading up to meeting his future husband because he can’t get married, he has WORK. but then zuko arrives and he looks like, well, zuko, and sokka is suddenly fine with the marriage and insisting they sleep in the same room to get to know each other better before the wedding.

[cooking-with-hailstones]

A theoretical framework of how arranged marriage, and reproductive politics could work in the Avatar universe.

(Mostly focusing on the ATLA era, but can extend to TLOK as well)

Why? Because I am a sucker for a good arranged marriage story, I’m fascinated by the politics that they necessarily entail, and I am deeply curious about the ways that same-sex arranged marriages can work diplomatically, socially, and politically. Also, no one can stop me!

(There was an excellent thread about how same-sex arranged marriages could work, esp in a feudal political system, that I cannot track down for the life of me, but I’m drawing heavily from what was discussed in that thread. If you know what I’m talking about, please send it to me.)

So: realistically, humans are gonna human, and during peace times, humans fraternizing with other humans leads to unions, and, well, babies. I imagine among border communities and non-benders, relationships with people outside your nation would be fairly commonplace. The hardline intra-nation relationship standard seen in ATLA would be mostly a product of the 100 year war, rather than anything particularly inherent. 

Canon has also established that arranged marriages, especially among the leadership and nobility of each nation, is not unusual (Ursa and Ozai, Yue and Hahn, etc.) We see political alliances through marriage a few different times through the series. 

We also know from canon that strong benders most often hold major leadership roles - not always, but boy it sure helps. This would incentivize intra-nation marriages to ensure that strong bending prowess stays in the family, if you will. Furthermore, it means no one who’s got the wrong flavour of bending for your nation would end up in a position of political power. 

The importance of leaders being strong benders seems to matter less in the Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom, but there is still the implication that these leadership roles wouldn’t go to a bender of a different element. And again, since the leadership and nobility of the Northern Water Tribe, Earth Kingdom, and Fire Nation all seem to be inherited titles, there might be extra pressure to ensure that the blood “stays pure”. 

The Air Nomads and Southern Water Tribe seem to be the notable exceptions. I do not know enough about Air Nomad culture to really factor them in here, but I have some ideas that I’ll save for another time.

So, in our world, arranged marriages have had and continue to have lots of political and cultural importance - it’s a way of integrating families, a means of consolidating wealth and power, ensuring peace between warring or disputing factions, etc. However, in the Avatar universe, this presents issues for benders. We know from Mako and Bolin in TLOK that two parents from different nations can have children who can bend either element. If an earthbender were suddenly a viable contender for the chieftainship of the northern water tribe, or a firebender inherited a high-ranking position at the Earth Kingdom court, that might become problematic very quickly! (And by the time we get to TLOK - entirely viable as a premise! I would love to see this idea explored more, but I’m getting off topic)

Thus, my proposal: same sex political marriages. 

Any political union that crosses the boundaries of the nations could be between same-sex spouses, to ensure that lines of succession do not become complicated by virtue of the Wrong Flavor of Bender being born, while retaining all of the political, diplomatic, and strategic advantages of an arranged marriage. As with arranged marriages in our world, I imagine there would be a spectrum of parents who would want their child’s active involvement in choosing their spouse, to children who grit their teeth and marry their parents choice of spouse in the name of Duty (hi Yue), to children who are forced kicking and screaming into the union their families chose for them.

An example: Imagine a wedding between two daughters, one of Fire Nation nobility and one from a Water Tribe leader. This union could be MAJOR for shipping and trading, strengthening economic ties between them and ensuring dominance over favorable shipping routes for select fire nation and water tribe merchants. (Now I'm imagining an au of fire and water bending seafaring merchant houseboat lesbians…)

Now there are two diverging ways to pursue this: A. one where these marriages are still expected to produce children, and B. one where these marriages are expected to NOT have children.

In scenario A: Each member of the marriage could be expected to have children via a surrogate or sperm donor from the appropriate nation. The inheritance of each parent would go to the child they sired, but the expectation would be that the offspring are raised by both parents, and share aspects of both cultures. These children would be considered the legitimate heirs of the parents whose genes they share, while having the advantages of being raised with parents and siblings from both cultures: they would be highly sought after diplomats, traders, mediators, and negotiators. The inclusion of surrogate/sperm donor genetics also helps diversify the gene pool among the nobility. I imagine the surrogate or sperm donor would be from a suitable family - not nobility, but not peasantry. Ideally people with a family history of bending. There could be high levels of cultural cache in helping to sire the nobility’s children, even if you cannot legally claim them as your own child.

In scenario B: If the expectation is that these unions won’t have children - or at least any children that would be recognized as legitimate - then this is a convenient way of, uh, well, pruning the family tree of undesirable genetic material. This could include weak benders or non benders. The children who are considered strong benders/desirable would be expected to marry and reproduce with someone of the correct nationality, with the correct flavor of bending, while the non bending, weaker bending, or otherwise undesirable members of the family are convenient tools for families to use for political unions where they don’t risk weakening the line of succession with… whatever it is that the family might not want. These married-off members of the family still hold significant power and influence, they're still considered useful. They just don't get to pass on any inheritance to any children they might have. 

(Both of these feature flavors of eugenics that are gross in their own unique ways! I am not endorsing this! Eugenics is bad! This is an exercise in world building, and hoo boy the eugenicist potentials in the Avatar universe are something I think about a LOT, and on a related note I'm still mad about the handling of the equalist subplot in Korra…)

Anyways, those are my thoughts as they stand now. I fully welcome any feedback, further ideas, headcanons, etc!

[zukkaart]

Another unhinged Zukka fic idea

Arranged marriage trope, Ozai marries Zuko off to the prince of the southern water tribe to

a) strengthen ties after the end of the war

b) legally renounce Zukos inheritance of the throne bc he will be unable to produce an heir

Sokka tries to make the best of it but Zuko wants nothing to do with him and basically just says “stay out of my way and I’ll stay out of yours.”

Zuko overhears someone talking about how Sokkas ex-lover that broke his heart is coming on a diplomatic mission from the earth kingdom (Jet?)

Zuko finds Sokka cornered by this man from his past, and also finds himself facing a surge of primal instinct to protect him.

He calmly and casually struts up to Sokkas side, somehow still managing to look every inch the perfect poised heir-to-the-throne he was raised to be despite the thick polar clothes hindering his movement.

Zuko wraps an arm around the slightly shorter mans waist and places a chaste kiss where buzz cut meets wolf tail.

“Who are you?” The slightly disheveled looking man growls, jaw clamped down on a piece of wheat that hangs out the side of his mouth.

Zukos poised smile is replaced by a sharp frown as his gaze snaps from Sokka to the man in front of him.

If looks could kill- he probably would have burst into flame on the spot, and Zuko would surely try.

“I’m Sokkas husband. Who the fuck are you?”

I apologize for nothing

[waterfire1848]

Avatar AU - A world where the South Pole didn’t fold and Princess Katara or Prince Sokka are being married off to Prince Zuko or Princess Azula for an allience, but before their families can arrange any marriage the four are kidnapped so that the alliance doesn’t happen and they end up all the way in Ba Sing Se and have to travel home together.

[princecosmosanon]

Suzukka/Zukki Arranged Marriage AU Omegaverse Regression fic

Regression: A trope where a character, often after dying in an awful and tragic way, is brought back in time with their memories before the worst begins and does their best to fix what went wrong.

Zuko, as an Omega gifted to the Southern Water Tribe to be Sokka’s mate, he struggled to integrate into their society. After a few years, however, without warning, the Fire Nation broke their treaty with the Tribe and killed everyone, including Zuko. So when Zuko wakes up just after receiving a facial scar from his Agni Kai against his father, he determines to never let what happened before come to pass.

This fic will be told from Zuko’s POV. It will also have language barrier shenanigans, which is something I’ve wanted to write for a long while.

Content Warnings include: racism, xenophobia, canonical child abuse, violence, sexual harassment, and general omegaverse trends and tropes. There will also be moments when Zuko, in his second life and still as a minor, remembers details of his past life’s adult sexual experiences. Later there will also be some teenage sexual exploration as well as explicit sexual situations, referenced and full on out, between adults.

In his first life, Zuko was not banished after his Agni Kai, instead he was stripped of his previous princely duties and shuffled into marriage training. A treaty, a promise, had been worked out between the Fire Lord and the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe; the firstborn Omega of the Fire Nation royal family would be wed to one of Hakoda’s children, and in return they would stay out of the Fire Lord’s war and thus earn the Fire Nation’s protection.

Zuko struggled with his change in role, often ignoring his teachers or being obstinate, though not enough to draw his father’s wrath ever again. By the time he’s sent off to be married at the age of 20, he has accepted his role grudgingly.

Zuko was never quite able to make a good connection with his new mate or the Southern Water Tribe. He learned so little of their language in that time, Sokka being rather cold towards him, and Sokka’s Beta wife, Suki, tolerating his presence. Zuko often stayed only in his room, except after a time he felt compelled to try to give Sokka a child and fulfill his duties as an Omega.

Then, one day, he was suddenly locked into his room and refused to let out. It took some fighting and awkwardness, but eventually Zuko heard—the Fire Nation had broken their treaty, or, they were claiming the SWT had broken it, at least. Zuko was certain it was a lie spread to defile his homeland’s honor, but before long he learned the truth.

One night, Sokka and Suki unlocked Zuko’s door. Zuko could only barely understand what was going on, and he was scared as Suki led him away into the dark, cold night. They had only barely left the outskirts of the village when the fight broke out; this time it was clear the Fire Nation was invading with intent to kill. Suki tried to get Zuko into a small skiff, tried to ensure their mutual survival, but they were cut off on their escape route by Azula.

Zuko tried to reason with his sister, did everything he could to talk her down, but in her eyes he only saw wrath and… pity. Then she killed Suki and, without further hesitation, also Zuko, saying all the while she should have known he would have turned against his homeland. Zuko died screaming while engulfed in blue flame.

Then Zuko woke up. Again. Like he had at the age of 13. His face in agony and his mind reeling from memories of his past life. This is where the fic truly begins.

Once again, he was brought back to the moment his whole life changed. At first, Zuko wanted to believe it was all a terrible dream, but when he heard his father once again repeat what his fate would be now that he was stripped of his place in line for the throne, he couldn’t bury his face in the sand.

Dread filled him and for the first week of his convalescence he only knew fear and misery. But then, one night while Zuko was dreaming fitfully, he had a thought. What if… he did things differently? What if… he set a course for fate that would ensure not only his own safety, but that of the people he had grown if not to love then at least to respect?

And so, Zuko Does Things Differently.

He takes all the knowledge he retained from his previous life and followed through with his classes to perfection, earning the praise of his marriage tutors and their firm approval. He snuck in lessons on SWT language, doing his best to supplement what he knew with all else he could find on it to ensure a swifter, smoother integration process into the tribe.

He also finds an uneasy friendship with his sister once again; with himself no longer in position to vie for the crown she finds his company quaint at first. But he listens to her, really listens, as she eventually begins to unload her stress about her situation onto him, often in little bits meant to pick at his own inadequacies… but he now sees the truth in the matter. Azula believes in securing the best future for the Fire Nation at all costs. He can respect her for that even if he thinks her loyalties are misguided. Still, he finds himself re-growing an old fondness for her and believes she starts to reciprocate.

And then, at 16, Zuko made a request of his father. He asked to go live among the Tribe early. At first his father was resistant but when Zuko spoke to Azula, he convinced her he only wished to ensure he had a proper grasp on their “enemy” before he was fully entrenched in their politics. And Azula, after years of Zuko lending an out-stretched hand, offers her own in the form of convincing their father it’s the perfect way to further gain the SWT’s loyalty and trust.

It helps convince her, perhaps, that Zuko suggested also sending back letters; ciphered in codes only the two of them understand, so he can let her know if anything traitorous is at hand…

So it’s settled. Zuko sails south, accompanied by a translator he only partially needs, and is brought once again before the Southern Water Tribe. But things are different, almost immediately.

Whereas in his past life Sokka either ignored Zuko or, at best, treated him indifferently, now he is openly hostile. Young, angry, and unaccepting of the situation—the reality of his future marriage to an omega not if his choosing—Sokka makes Zuko’s first day in the SWT as unwelcoming as possible.

It doesn’t help that Sokka’s younger sister, Katara, is just as vicious of not more than she was in his previous life. And Chief Hakoda, who had at least been welcoming, does not have time to deal with a child during one of the SWT’s worst fishing seasons in decades.

Zuko finds himself isolated much like his last few precious days alive in his last life. And for a time, Zuko thinks maybe he was foolish to ever think he could change anything. It’s clear he will never truly be one of the SWT and he no longer belongs in the Fire Nation either. But still, Zuko keeps his temper in check, knowing his old tantrums never worked out before. He remains polite and as calm as he can, until at last, one tribesman, Bato, takes pity on him.

Bato does what no one ever did for Zuko before; he explains the usual comings and goings of the Tribe, their culture and history, and he explains the truth behind Sokka’s mother…

Bato is also the one to suggest Zuko try sparring with Sokka during his warrior training. At first, Zuko is certain that’s a bad idea. He wasn’t allowed to train in weaponry anymore after he was declared only fit for marriage in his previous and current lives, but he retains more knowledge of his swords and firebending then he did in the past so… he tries. And finds that Sokka actually enjoys the challenge as they fight. It’s exhilarating for Zuko, too, who had thought this part of his life over forever.

For a time, things seems fine between him and Sokka and Zuko is still learning so much about the Tribe. Then comes a trip to Kyoshi Island, which Zuko is brought along for so he can learn more about the Tribe’s trade culture. It’s there that Sokka becomes distant again, almost mean and aggressive once more, and Zuko learns why. This is where Suki lives. Sokka’s Beta partner from his previous life.

Zuko can’t believe he almost forgot Suki! She usually ignored him in his last lifetime, but she was a constant presence. A reminder that Zuko was only meant to be a physical proof of a contract between nations, who also was tasked with birthing Sokka’s future heir. But Suki was Sokka’s true love, even if he hadn’t shied away from Zuko’s bed.

Zuko wonders in this life… will things be different? Sokka only met Zuko in their last life after he and Suki were together, but with Zuko already a physical presence, did that change things for Sokka and Suki?

At one point, while sorting through his thoughts, Zuko accidentally traps himself in a grotto where he went to hide and think on his plans. He didn’t realize it was the place Sokka and Suki would go to explore their still budding sexual feelings; and thus he’s forced to endure a really awkward blow job and fingering experiment.

It’s also when Zuko decides he won’t be in their way; he never had Sokka’s love before and he won’t steal his happiness this life either. Zuko confronts Sokka the next day when they get a moment alone, and he encourages Sokka to be with who he wants to be. At first Sokka is suspicious but that fades when Zuko explains he expects their marriage of convenience to be just that; Sokka is free to be with whom ever he wishes as long as he also tries to fulfill their role in securing an heir.

It’s a logical agreement, one that Sokka is happy about and Zuko can live with. Then Sokka actually introduced Suki to Zuko, already having explained their agreement to her, and thus she insists on becoming Zuko’s friend for being so understanding. Zuko is shocked, she never had anything to do with him before the night she tried to help him escape on the day of their death, but he finds himself happy for the change.

And thus, time moves on and Zuko grows more familiar to the Tribe. And all this time he has been sending letter after letter to Azula, telling her of his situation, the truth in ciphers just for her eyes. He never hid the Tribe’s contempt for him in his writings, but as time goes on he allows himself to remain truthful; they do not hate him anymore and he has become familiar in their eyes. Perhaps one of them, but he assures Azula he remains faithful to the Fire Nation above all else. He can only pray she believes him.

When the time comes for the wedding, Zuko is younger than he was on his first marriage night. Sokka has only just turned 18, Zuko having already reached that age half a year prior, but they’re willing to move forward with it, both having come to a mutual understanding. The Chief gives his blessing. Katara storms off in a rage. But Sokka and Zuko are content with their lot. Suki is also there; she’s set to marry Sokka less officially three months later, after enough time has passed for Sokka and Zuko to share a heat that they are assured will surely result in a child. (Zuko has never had it in him to suggest it’s possible he won’t ever bear a child; his previous life had been barren, despite how they tried again and again.)

The next morning it’s revealed Katara had brought back a stranger who seems to have been locked away inside of an iceberg. The boy is energetic and strange in a way Zuko isn’t sure how to read, but he doesn’t seem dangerous. He’s kind and obviously smitten with Katara. It’s cute.

When it’s time for Suki to marry Sokka Zuko expects to be sent to a separate room, possibly even the one that was his in the past, but instead he is welcomed to stay. At first, it seems they only want to have one another while he watches, but in time he is also brought into their bed, and Zuko has no thought beyond how this possibility never even crossed his mind.

After about six months of being married, and three with Suki as well, Zuko is surprised once again; Azula, for the first time, has written him back. She wants to see him, she writes, and now that he is wed, she is officially in-laws to the SWT’s leadership, so surely they can host their beloved Omega’s sister for a time? Zuko is worried and perplexed. Azula isn’t asking, she’s insisting on coming. She also did not use a cipher that he can figure out. It seems she wrote her letter exactly as if she has nothing to hide. Or else, she doesn’t have anything other than the direct contents that she wants Zuko to know.

For the first time in a while, Zuko dreads…

Azula’s visit is met with as much fanfare as Zuko can drum up. He knows she expects to be treated like the crown princess she is, so he convinces Sokka to have Hakoda pull out all the stops for her arrival. And of course, Azula arrives a day before she originally stated, trying to throw them off, but Zuko knows his sister better than to expect less than that.

He doesn’t know what other curveball life plans on throwing at him, but now with Azula in the midst of the Southern Water Tribe, with Sokka and Suki seeing him as equal partners, and with Zuko now fully entrenched in his role within the Tribe, he knows he won’t just die easily this time. He has people to help protect, a land and a culture he wants to see thrive. Come what may, he will never again let himself die a hopeless, helpless death.

[azulasnailtech]

@zukkaweek​ Day Two: Arranged Marriage

AU: After the near-death of his beloved son, Lu Ten, Prince Iroh makes quick work of finishing the Siege of Ba Sing Se with a decisive, blazing victory. The Fire Nation, though stretched thin across the Earth Kingdom quashing rebellions and trying to stop the remaining government and military from regrouping, now sets its sights on conquering the Water Tribes, to achieve Sozin’s vision of complete world domination. Prince Iroh—entrusted by his father, Fire Lord Azulon, with more power and responsibility than ever in the wake of his triumph over Ba Sing Se—decides to try a softer approach.

((If you consider strong-arming a man into marrying his kid off to a (royal, colonizing, ash making, probably murderous, definitely evil) stranger by threatening to melt his whole village a softer approach. And don’t think Sokka missed the threat against his little sister either. He knows it’s still years off, but he’s going to accept his fate, bide his time, wear red silks, play the part of a doting consort... and when opportunity strikes, he’s going to kill the Fire Lord, kill the crown prince, and hey, hopefully he’ll get a chance to kill this future husband of his he hasn’t yet met too.))

[image id: six gifs of Iroh, younger and with dark hair, sitting at an elegantly decorated desk, writing on a scroll. He is flanked by two Fire Nation soldiers standing at attention in full armour, including masked helmets. The first five gifs are captioned: To Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, from the desk of Crown Prince Iroh, Dragon of the West. I trust that word has by this time reached you of the Fire Nation’s most glorious conquest of Ba Sing Se. We now seek to share our prosperity with the Water Tribes, by any means necessary. But where earth is stubborn in its very nature, water is adaptable. We need not bring a burning war to your shores if you do not wish it. I instead invite you to join my family in welcoming a new era of cooperation and enlightenment by arranging a marriage between my nephew, Prince Zuko, and your firstborn child, as soon as both reach the age of majority. If you refuse this offer, I wish only the best of luck to you—and the waterbender we know your village harbours—when it comes time to rebuild Wolf’s Cove. In the sixth gif, Iroh begins to laugh. It is captioned: It will take all the luck you can get to be left with even a puddle after the Fire Nation is through with you.]

[julchenawesome]

Zukka Week 2022

Day 2: Arranged Marriage or Childhood friends

It's not enough art based on @avatarthelastbackbender fic "A Song of Ice and Fire"?

Not, not for me.

Even if it's an slow-burn? YES

I love this fic, and deserves a lot of fanarts, and when i think about an arranged marriage this is the first thing that come to my mind.

@zukkaweek

ID under here!

[ID: A Mixed background in red and blue tones. In the middle are Zuko (left) and Sokka (right). Both wearing Southern robes for cold, and also brown gloves. But Sokka is behind Zuko, holding a bethrotel necklace under Zuko's neck (also looking this neck of him), who is looking away in the red side. Both serious, but seems there is something in the aire. Red and blue lights mixed in Zuko's face, showing how his confusion about who he is truly loyal: the Targaryen family, who sold him, or the Starks, who are his new family for marriage. Sokka, in the other side, is only with blue lights, showing he is clear about where his loyalty lies, except that the way he looks at Zuko. Hands almost touching in the left, it seems everything is mixed for these two. END ID]

[ja-basement]

Zukka arranged marriage AU, except Zuko is engaged to Mai.

I'm envisioning extreme pining, repression, angst, etc.

Maybe I'll come back and refine the wedding picture later, but I just had to get the ATLA itch out of my system quickly :)

[audhd-nightwing]

ummm okay so i’m gonna do a different post for each ship that i have a lot of recs for and then combine the rest basically

zukka/a:tla fic recs

https://archiveofourown.org/works/45209725/chapters/113734768 not zukka centered but it’s there, suki & zuko friendship, a personal fav of mine

https://archiveofourown.org/works/40467657/chapters/101379753 zukka, private investigator sokka, tea shop zuko

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38624070/chapters/96555618 zukka, young firelord zuko, zuko finds aang first, sokka & katara were imprisoned at the boiling rock, ambassador sokka

https://archiveofourown.org/works/36554995/chapters/91165651 iroh fakes zuko’s death and he is taken in/raised by the SWT, azula redemption, basically a zukka childhood friends to lovers au

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28206249/chapters/69118440 zukka, (temporary) ghost zuko, sokka gets haunted, marriage of convenience

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27547486/chapters/67374928 zuko saves sokka at the north pole, they travel the earth kingdom together and accidentally fall in love

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26098987/chapters/63484135 zukka, moon spirit blessed sokka, political delegate zuko

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22884811/chapters/54697360 zukka, zuko and yue arranged marriage, sokka teaches zuko abt the water tribe, slow burn

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25629370/chapters/62213413 zukka, zuko escapes after being burned, azula redemption, zuko joins the gaang early

https://archiveofourown.org/works/29683659 zukka soulmate au, insecurities on each others skin

https://archiveofourown.org/works/17637347/chapters/41588558 zukka soulmate au, boomerang & scar tattoo

https://archiveofourown.org/works/16593572/chapters/38887565 zukka soulmate au, first touch mark burns

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28124265/chapters/68909811 zukka, guy in the chair sokka and blue spirit zuko (vigilante au)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/33894868/chapters/84278719 zukka vigilante au, hellhound and aero

https://archiveofourown.org/works/27234958 zukka superhero and journalist au

https://archiveofourown.org/works/24376396/chapters/58792420 zukka, early redemption, ba sing se, blue spirit zuko (be warned this is a rough one for angst and miscommunication/lying)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25260145 zukka, modern au, college, vampire au, fluff and humor

https://archiveofourown.org/works/28662066 zukka, hockey player sokka x figure skater zuko au, the olympics

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25097560 zukka, FBI agent zuko, engineer sokka, goofy, a fav of mine, crack and humor

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25414438 zuko!hades x sokka!persephone au

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19255837 zukka, trans ftm zuko, canon time period

https://archiveofourown.org/works/21116591/chapters/50249441 zuko gets thrown overboard and saved by the SWT fleet, dadkoda, the crew adopts zuko

https://archiveofourown.org/works/23832139/chapters/57268093 slow burn zuko adoption

[zukka-fic-recs]

Hello! I am totally new to reading Zukka and would love some recommendations. If you've already done this, please feel free to just link to another post! I would love a few recs of what you consider to be "must-reads". I'm open to any length or rating (although I tend to read rated E), I would just love to start with a few that are phenomenal :)

Hi stavro!

Welcome to the wonderful world of Zukka fics!

Here's a Zukka starter pack for you, I limited it to 10 fics to stop it from getting too unwieldy, but it was really difficult to keep it so short tbh, so if you want more lmk!

Zukka Must-Reads

Blue by blacklipscurse

Available on Ao3, Complete (Part 1), Teen, Slowburn, Canon-Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Blue Spirit Zuko, Secret Indentities, Ba Sing Se, Angst, H/C, Homophobia, Physical Disability, Humour / Humor

Wordcount: 192,682

This fic is a whole damn phenomenon in this fandom and it's phenomenal to match! The way the characters are written really draws you in. It's a very emotive fic and I truly cannot emphasise how funny blacklipscurse's writing is, I laughed a lot. Especially at Zuko, and sometimes Sokka. 😅 There is a sequel but it's a WIP and Blue can stand alone. :)

absence of heat, excess of destiny by theycallmesuperboy / @baegarrick

Available on Ao3, Complete, Gen, Canon-Compliant, Alternate Universe - Soulmate, AU - Soulmate-Identifying Marks

Wordcount: 4,336

Absolute classic, and I love soulmate fics so for me this is top tier.

Real Slow by surveycorpsjean (Ao3) / zanimez (Tumblr)

Available on Ao3, Complete, Mature, Post-Canon, Fluff, Smut, H/C, Angst, Ambassador Sokka

Wordcount: 21,490

The way their relationship gently unfurls in this is very satisfying. Highly recommend!

Hallowed by HairCrescendo / @sword-and-stars

Available on Ao3, Complete, Explicit, Smut, Fluff

Wordcount: 4,615

Smouldering smut and fluffy feelings. I'd recommend all of HairCrescendo's work tbh, they're a fantastic writer and they have about a dozen more Explicit works. ;)

three words that become hard to say (I and love and you) by overcomeeithlongingfora_girl / @overcomewithlongingfora-girl

Available on Ao3, Complete, Explicit, Smut, Praise Kink, Subdrop, Domdrop, Light BDSM

Wordcount: 2,977

This fic is hothotHOT, and yet also so sweet and emotional it makes my heart hurt. Bring a fan and some tissues.

Courtesan by lesbianophelia / @mendontprotectyou

Available on Ao3, Complete, Explicit, Post-Canon, Established Relationship, Light Praise Kink

Wordcount: 2,200

So scrumptious I just want to eat it. Prepare to feel things. 🔥

For Peace and Zuko by BeersForQueers / @omgbeersforqueers

Available on Ao3, Complete, Explicit, Slowburn, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Future Fic, Canon-Divergence

Wordcount: 43,277

Speaking of classics, honestly you could read anything and everything by BeersForQueers and I would recommend doing so! They're a longtime member of the fandom. They were there for this ship when it needed it most (I want you to know that I just blew a kiss to the sky). Having said that, For Peace and Zuko is one of my absolute favourites. The sequel Ice Cave makes for a lovely epilogue.

when the prison doors are opened by alternatedoom

Available on Ao3, Complete, Explicit, Underage, Sickfic, Angst, H/C, Voyeurism, Animal Killed for Food, FWB, Imprisonment, Dub-Con

Wordcount: 164,648

I don't know if this counts as slowburn given... ahem, the progression of things. On the emotional front, perhaps. Their relationship development is messy in a delicious way, really twists you around into such wonderful spirals... Idek if I'm making any sense, that's what this fic does to my mental capacity! Every character interaction is just so so good and the way the tension gets ratcheted up and then unwound is captivating. I could gush about this fic all day, but instead I'll just leave it at: it's really, really good and you should read it.

In the Soft Light by CSHfic and VSfic

Available on Ao3, Complete, Teen, Slowburn, Pining, Canon-Divergence, Alternate Universe - War Ended Early, Angst, H/C, Firelord Azulon, Miscommunication, Pining, Underage Drinking, AU - Moon Spirit Sokka, side Bakoda, Sickfic, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Bed-Sharing

Wordcount: 83,904

Some of my absolute favourite authors in this fandom and all of their work is fantastic quality. In terms of spot-on characterisation, wonderful descriptions, plenty of humour to balance out the angst... Their writing is masterful, and this is one of my favourites of their fics. They have more mature/explicit works as well. ;) (Side-note: I absolutely adore Zuko in this fic).

(do you take this jerk to be) your one and only by jatersade

Available on Ao3, Complete, Teen, Slowburn, Angst, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Arranged Marriage, Bed-Sharing, Misunderstandings, Pining, AU - Royalty, Alternate Universe - 100 Year War Ended Early, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse

Wordcount: 55,846

I love the arranged marriage trope and I love it when authors play around with the gang's status as the children of royalty and world leaders, and this fic does all of that so well. Jatersade's pacing and the quality of their charecterisarion really elevates this fic.

---

I wanted to keep this list to complete fics, but I do have to mention feels like we only go backwards by oldpotatoe, because although it's a WIP it is iconic.

Also, a personal favourite of mine that has been discontinued (but didn't end on a cliffhanger or anything) is invisible string by wilteddaisy (taotu). I have it saved to my phone as a PDF for when I need a comfort read, that's how much I love it.

[sokka-with-his-hair-down]

[click for better quality]

“Just so we’re on the same page; you’re also majorly uncomfortable right now, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Great.”

a redraw of this zukka week piece from a little over a year ago! arranged marriage AU :) i was too lazy to do full body this time but I think it looks WAY better than the first version lol

because we all know I can’t help myself, here is the side by side

[bisexuallsokka]

have you considered divirced zukka for an arranged marriage au where they go from strangers to friends to pining, and the reason they divorce is that the love is there but the marriage isn't real, and instead of confessing, they're both quietly suffering, and after the divorce, they're almost back to being strangers again?

(...i didn't intend for the sentence to be so long–)

OH MY GOD I LOVE THIS!

like it’s an arranged marriage and they both hate it because they’re hopeless romantics who always imagined getting married for love….and so they get married and make it clear this isn’t what they want and so they have a truce and become just friends and then work together to get out of the marriage but then they both reach the point where “oh no now i’ve fallen in love and he probably still wants out and it would be selfish for me to try and convince him otherwise so we should just get this over with and he can go marry someone else and be happy…”

[cooking-with-hailstones]

I am having thoughts about how arranged marriages and political unions would work in the atla universe (esp same sex political unions and the implications of benders being expected to reproduce) and I will articulate this further at some point. Right now it's all very nebulous.

Ok update I posted something

(also DMs/ask box is always open to fellow brainrot enjoyers)

[zukkaart]

okay so what if Zuko never left the fire nation after being welcomed home. Zuko is crowned fire lord instead of azula because of birth order, when ozai becomes Phoenix king. the avatar movement has to go underground and things get worse. Azula never had her breakdown because she was never defeated but there's clearly something wrong. ozai gets annoyed with her paranoia eventually and decides to marry her off to the southern water tribe chief, against his (and her) will, mostly as a way to get rid of her. she arrives in a foreign land, expecting to be hated and kept as prisoner until she dies. instead the first thing hakoda says to her is "I'm sorry". sure they're all wary of her, but she's still a teenager, Katara's age. the second the fire nation embasarries leave he tells her he's built her an igloo of her own. Azula figures its a prison cell, but its really hakoda's way of saying 'i dont want anything to do with you wifely'. and suddenly azula is in less danger than she's ever been in before. basically just recovering domestic azula with dadkoda. and eventually azula and zuko reconcile and decide to take the fire nation down from the Inside and story plot blah blah. but mostly hakoda adopting azula and giving her the parental love she never got 😭

I absolutely can NOT even begin to tell you the brain worms this gives me.

I think it makes a lot of sense for the time period in which avatar takes place too because I think it’s supposed to be circa 1700? (Correct me if I’m wrong) and obviously in most places at that time arranged marriages were very common, and many rulers did not shy away from marrying their children (daughters especially) off to much older men as long as they gained significant advantages from it- I wouldn’t be surprised if Ozai did the same. (Sorry for the info dump I’m a history nerd)

If you read “the art of burning” by hella1975 on Ao3 it is basically all dadkoda content but with Zuko and it’s absolutely beautifully written- probably one of the best fics I’ve ever read.

Circling back on topic- I could see Azula resigning herself to what she’s been taught her “wifely duties” are and constantly telling herself “just one son, just an heir, then hopefully he’ll never touch me again” (Yes Sokka but let’s just say for political purposes her father wants her to provide a SWT/FN heir) and then she realizes that Hakoda would NEVER do that to her or anyone else - and her cold facade begins to drop revealing the scared little girl she really is beneath the conditioning.

Bonus: Zuko absolutely despises the marriage because that’s still his little sister and just because he accepted his role doesn’t change where his morals fall. So he plans a whole months trip to some remote place for “training” but instead steals his old ship and goes to the SWT to get Azula back and maime anyone who laid a finger on her regardless of the political consequences, but he shows up and Azula explains how Hakoda basically adopted her instead. Zuko actually finds himself jealous of Azulas situation outside of his fathers influence and finally having the childhood that neither of them ever were offered but is ultimately so grateful to Hakoda for it.

And then he meets the water tribe heir one night while he’s grappling with these feelings of jealousy vs grief vs gratitude and having dealt with his father leaving and losing Yue and seeing Katara and Aang being happy and traveling together while he stays in the south he completely understands and helps him work though it.

[avatarthelastbackbender]

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE AU MASTER LIST

A compiling of all of the content I've made for this AU, most of which can be found under #asoiafatla

If you make any art/write any fic inspired by this AU, please reach out so I can add it to the list :)

SUMMARY

The "A Song of Ice and Fire" (ASOIAF) AU centers around a loose crossover of Avatar: The Last Airbender and Game of Thrones, but does not require any prior knowledge of Game of Thrones; it takes elements and story arcs of Game of Thrones (such as medieval setting, Lords and Ladies, conquest, gore, and of course dragons) and intricately blends it into the ATLA plot and universe.

It DOES NOT include any Game of Thrones characters or require any prior knowledge of Game of Thrones to enjoy!

The fic for this AU centers around an ultra slow burn enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance between Zuko and Sokka, who’ve been forced into an arranged marriage by their fathers and must somehow save the world from impending war despite battling between themselves.  

FICS

A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE

Description:

A war is brewing. The wind whispers of conquest, the trees hush warnings of slaughter. Gran Gran always said that a war with the firebenders meant a deadly dance with dragons, but now the dragons are dead and all they've left behind is an army with a thirst for blood and a firelord who'll stop at nothing to bring the world to its knees. Marrying Prince Zuko is the first sacrifice Sokka makes for his family, and it won't be the last. (Game of Thrones INSPIRED; no prior knowledge of Game of Thrones needed!)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence 

(Unlike in Game of Thrones, there are NO noncon elements or depictions of s*xual violence in ASOIAF aside from passing mentions)

Tags:

Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe: Medieval, War and Conquest, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Dragons, Heavy Angst, Adventure and Romance, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Sexual Content, Ultra Slow Burn, essentially a medieval AU that has elements/story arcs of Game of Thrones

Available Here on AO3

ART

This AU has been around since July 2020, so this is also kinda a collection of my art progress!

"Official" Art

A Song of Ice and Fire (New) Cover Art (February 2023)

A Song of Ice and Fire (Old) Cover Art (August 2020)

Official Art Chapters 1-6 (September 2020)

Official Art Chapters 7-12 (March 2021)

Official Art Chapters 13-18 (February 2022)

Miscellaneous Art

Zuko Targaryen and His Three Dragons: Druk, Izumi, and Ursa (The first-ever art for this AU!) (July 2020)

Sokka Stark and His Dire Wolf, Yue (July 2020)

Zuko in Daenerys Targaryen Hairstyles (July 2020)

ASOIAF 1000 Kudos Celebration (May 2022)

Wholesome Zukka

(NOT canon, made before fic was published)

Pet-Sitting For Your Husband (July 2020)

Ah, yes. Me. My Husband. And his three 15-ton kids who breathe fire. (July 2020)

Get Your F*cking Dog Vine (July 2020)

The Evolution of Family (July 2020)

Being Married to the Father of Dragons: Expectations vs. Reality (February 2021)

Amazing Art Contributions by Other Tumblrs

Sokka and the Weirwood Tree(by vekadraws​)

The South Remembers (by julchenawesome​)

The Prince and The Fool for Zukka week 2021 (by julchenawesome)

You Are a Stark (by julchenawesome)

I’m Going to Break the Wheel (by julchenawesome)

Memes (Spoilers for ASOIAF fic)

Part 1

Part 2

ANIMATICS

Dragon Ride (2020)

Incomplete animatic based on S8E01 from Game of Thrones, NOT canon.

Full Animatic

Screencaps

Sneak peek (First 12 seconds)

[princecosmosanon]

As of yet Untitled Omegaverse Zukka fic preview

This is the first scene in that Untitled Zukka fic, the one where Sokka is an Omega and Zuko is an Alpha and also they're arranged to be married. Just a soft, sad time for Sokka as he contemplates leaving home and what he'll never have again.

The sheer cliffs that overlooked the South Sea felt lonely the day the Fire Nation ship arrived. Sokka stood at the pinnacle of the cliff-face, his gaze fixed out over the gray waters, his mitten-clad hands clenched tight about the bouquet of greenery threatening to rip out of his grasp.

It seemed fitting that the day the Fire Nation once again blessed their shores the skies had deemed the sun unfit to shine. Cloudy skies stretched as far as the eye could see, and mist obscured the horizon leaving the South Pole isolated from the rest of the world. If only they could have stayed shunned, left to their own devices while the people of other nations celebrated the glorious end to the war. There was nothing to celebrate here, even eight years after the supposed “end” of the war.

Sokka breathed deep, his lungs stinging from the chill clinging to the early spring air still much too cold for anyone to be wandering out on the tundra for long, but Sokka couldn’t stay away. Not on a day like today.

He glanced down at his quivering bouquet, the handful of silver ragwort interspersed with bright pink dianthus, and clutched the precious greens all the closer to his body.

Surely, the ones who had sailed here hadn’t meant to arrive on this very day. Surely even the most boneheaded, bastardly captain of the Fire Nation navy would have known better…

Sokka’s exhale was shaky, skirting the edge of a whine as he held back tears.

Katara had it so much worse, Sokka reminded himself, his mantra beating itself to death against the tightness in his chest and the heat trying to escape through his eyes in the form of tears. I have to be strong, too, like Katara. Just like Katara.

It wasn’t a fair comparison, but as the older brother Sokka had to manage his emotions and beat back weakness. Biologically he was at a disadvantage but that had never stopped him from fighting against his nature before.

“Sokka!” His sister’s voice rang out, somewhat weakened by the gusting wind as it attempted to snatch her shout from the air.

Steeling himself, Sokka turned and forced a grin though he knew it shone more like a grimace. He cleared his throat, giving himself time to strengthen his own voice as she climbed the icy hillside to meet him. “You’re late, you know.”

Katara’s blue gaze stayed lowered as she approached even after the ground evened out and she no longer had to watch her steps, the path having been beaten down from years of dedicated trips to this very spot. She took her spot next to him, only raising her eyes ahead of her once she faced the open ocean. Sokka turned with her, giving her a moment to take in the view.

“… Dad isn’t coming, is he?” Sokka asked, though he knew the answer clear.

“You know he can’t,” was Katara’s tight reply and Sokka could just imagine her hands twisting into fists at her sides, fingers locked warmly in her sealskin mittens. “He can’t leave the village walls while they’re here.”

Katara had it worse, yes. A wound that had never healed, only festered and now was necrotic, bleeding hatred and venom. Bato had practically had to bar her inside her room when the Fire Nation ship had first appeared on the horizon the day before, and the only reason he had let her out was through begging her not to taint this day of all days with more unnecessary death. That had sobered her very quickly, though not enough to convince Katara to greet their visitors with more than looks of clear disdain.

Sokka no longer had it in him to rage like Katara clearly still could. Instead he had closed himself off for the day, remaining thoughtful as he listened to the talks between Hakoda and the captain of the ship, an older Beta by the name of Jee. After the initial meeting Sokka had went to Katara immediately and let her know all that had happened. About all that was going to happen. Then Sokka had left to prepare, giving Katara’s rage over to Bato to corral again. No one fought to keep Sokka there to help.

An arm curled around Sokka’s, Katara’s hand squeezing his bicep to offer comfort. “… You don’t have to go, you know.”

Sokka cut his eyes to the side but Katara remained facing out, seeing a completely different ship on the horizon than the one currently bobbing safely in their harbor.

“No,” Sokka said, taking a step forward, effectively sliding out of her grasp as he closed in on the edge, “I don’t. But how selfish would I be to not take them up on their offer?”

“That’s—” Katara gasped, and Sokka’s shouldered tightened, holding himself rigid against the hardness sharpening her voice. “It’s just not fair, Sokka!”

“Maybe not,” Sokka replied, stopping at the very precipice and lifting the bundle in his arms, “but life has never has cared about fairness, yeah?”

Sokka let go and the wind seemed to whip up all the harsher, tangling together with the bouquet of flowers and sending them spiraling out towards the sea. Stems, leaves and blooms untangling, scattering, then swallowed by the darkening sea.