I promise this won’t be very a long author’s note so, in summary: life really Got Real for a while there, and I lost the time to write at all. Most of the things I write and put out to the world mean something to me, but my current long project is weightyin a way that’s possibly also just a lot of self-pressure. Either way, I couldn’t leap right back into it after Februarch, and it’s Zutara Month, and my dearest and most beloved Northern Twin, @lizanthium, who deserves the best of the world, is not getting the best of the world right now.
OfcourseLiz’sSWT Zuko AU was the first thing I thought of when I saw today’s prompt. But I’ve already made a mess in that universe enough, so I decided to be Extra TM by writing her a “get well soon, I think you’re awesome so just keep being you, I believe in you so much” little thing set in an AU of her AU. If you’re new here: writing fic of fic is, horrifyingly and shamefully, like my signature anime attack move.
So here you go! I joked once about doing a Shakespearean/fairytale-Disney AU in which Zuko was set up in an arranged marriage with Yue, and then he and Yue fall head over heels in love (at first sight-ish, hence the Disney vibes) with both parts of the SWT delegation that come to celebrate their wedding. Cue the Shakespearean comedy and angst vibes as everybody tries to figure themselves out. So this isn’t, exactly, SouthernWater Tribe Zuko. Yet. But I’ll submit it to the tag in a vain hope it makes the mark, somehow. Here are two planned beginning snippets of the AU for the worldbuilding feels, and then one scene that I didn’t plan to write but that neededto see the light of day because @barelyaware drewsuch hysterical and amazing fanart for it.
Liz, you’re so special. May this brighten your week at least a little. Thank you for your brain in which the SWT Zuko AU exists.
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“The way forward to find your own North Star is not to think or feel your way forward, but to dissolve the thoughts and feelings that are actually lies. You don’t have to learn your destiny — you already know it; you just have to unlearn the thoughts that blind you to what you know.” — Martha Beck.
She had always longed to be included in the war meetings her father and the tribe Elders held. Or, barring that stretch of custom, at least the serious meetings where tribe matters were discussed and decided. Yue was, after all, their princess, and one day to rule beside their chief. She had been brought up understanding and accepting that her husband would get her father’s title and responsibilities, but, as she grew older, she secretly looked at her father, ruling without her mother by his side, and wondered what would happen to her should the Spirits take the tribe’s next chief from them early. What if they had no son by that time, or had one, but he was too young? What would happen to the tribe if she did not know enough to keep them afloat until a new chief could come? Yue had never known how to broach such fears with her father, however, and so she had kept them to herself and to her prayers.
Now, finally sitting in a war meeting, Yue wished she had never longed for this moment to come and, in equal measure, wished that she had asked for it sooner. Her father’s face was as grave as a wall of black ice, but there was also a lack of his usual steadiness about him that frightened her beneath her own forced stillness and straight back. Yue couldn’t place where it appeared to be missing; was it in his shoulders or his hands or the way his eyes looked around the room? It occurred to her, with deep sadness, that perhaps it was shethat was different; that the mirage that had hung around her father for so long had finally dissipated as they came to this moment, and she saw him as simply a man. Still wise and strong and worthy of all her love, but just a man.
“You look…” like a goddess, like the first bloom of spring, like the best reason my heart could ever have to beat, “…beautiful.”
“Thank you. You look very handsome, yourself.”
I’ve Always Been Yours
[ID: Katara and Zuko in formal attire, Zuko is traditional firelord dress with some gold detail of dragon and the sun on his cape, Katara in a customized light blue dress with various gold and red details, dancing together in a warmly lit up ballroom. They gaze into each other’s eyes lovingly.]
My piece for the Zutara Mini Bang event! I worked with an amazingly talented team, including my co-artist @su-univeralai, for this courtship story“I’ve Always Been Yours.”Stay tuned for more additions to this work [including something…spicy]
Please check out this lovely mini banger, among with some others, over at @officialzutaraminibang ! And thank you to the incredible mods for hosting.
Edit: I can finally reveal the author is the incredibly talented @barelyaware!
Apparently, it’s a sign of affection and good luck to braid a to-be-engaged or married partner’s hair before a big journey, as it reminds of the bond they have even when apart. Zuko’s hair isn’t quite that long yet, but Katara manages with what he has.
Vaguely inspired by that HTTYD scene with Astrid braiding Hiccup’s hair.
Surprise! Even though zutara week is actually over, I couldn’t leave this little story just quite yet. The siblings’ vacation is over, and they already said their goodbyes to Zuko. But just like I couldn’t leave this story unresolved, Zuko couldn’t let Katara go just like that. Don’t worry, they’ll meet again.
(hug at the pier a la southern raiders? sweet kiss on the cheek? blushes? it’s all I wanted)
For the prompt “Rebirth”, I got inspired by this definition: “[…] starting to flourish or increase after a decline; revival”.
So, I thought about the Southern Water Tribe. How it has flourished, grown prosperous, (as we can see in the comic “North and South”), after the decline it suffered because of the Hundred Year War.
Anyway, I thought it would be nice that these two would go to the Southern Water Tribe together from time to time. :)
(I took pages of the comic as reference for the background. It’s the entrance to the tribe/town if I’m not wrong)
***Please do not use my art without my permission. *** Do not repost my art
Title: pretend it isn’t real Author: blackthorned Rated: T Summary: Katara writes a letter to Zuko after Azula defeats them in the Agni Kai. Tags: Major Character Death
(In another life, she wonders. In another life, maybe we had a chance. Another world, another time, Katara would heal Zuko, and Zuko would have Katara, and the world would be theirs. In another life.)
“Don’t forget me,” Zuko whispers when she pulls away. His eyes are soft, soft and sad and gentle, the way she’ll always picture them to be, and she musters a brave smile.
“I could never,” is what she says. And then he smiles, and she leaves, stepping onto the boat that’ll take her home, hand in hand with the Avatar who saved the world.
(All the while knowing that her home is at her back.)
ALT
